Tuesday, September 18, 2012

emerginC's Great Offer !


Spotless Skin You Can “C
Hi there – Hope you had a great weekend!

emerginC’s tried and true vitamin C serum and spot lightening gel have been proven to even skin tone, smooth texture, and fade dark spots with a high dosage of vitamin C. These products contain key vitamins and plant-based complexes to combat sun damage and reveal a spotless complexion.


Starting next week you can treat yourself to both products for the price of one!
Offer valid:  Monday, September 17th through Monday, September 24th for $79
www.emerginc.com

Review: City of Women by David R Gillham

Any book about Germany in WW2, you would expect to be dark and not especially easy to read. I did find this book dark and hard to read, but interesting enough not to put down. 
It is the story of Sigrid Schroder. She is married to a German soldier, who is off fighting in Russia. She is living with her mother-in-law while he is away. She is a working girl, works in a patent office. To pass the time, she goes to the local theatre where mostly propaganda movies are shown, but what else is there for entertainment and who can afford anything else in these times of war and rations? During one of her nights out at the movies, she meets a Jewish man, who she eventually falls in love with. She also meets a young woman, who she befriends and that young woman pulls her into the world of the underground, saving Jews from being sent to concentration camps. 
The story then becomes a tale of the courageous people who stood up against Hitler, who tried to save the lives of Jewish citizens. These were just everyday people, people who decided to open their eyes to what was happening. Even though at any moment, their neighbors could give them away and they would be going to the concentration camps themselves. 
This is a story of all the atrocities of war, as told by an average woman, an average woman full of courage. It is about friendships and love, too, during this horrific time in history. 
Hard to read but worth the read. 

Monday, September 10, 2012

Review: Chicken Soup 's Say Hello to a Better Body

Chicken Soup books are always inspirational. Read any one of the stories/chapters and you will learn something about yourself and others. This particular book is written by Dr. Suzanne Koven, a Harvard Medical faculty member and a Boston Globe columnist. So, not only do you read great stories from everyday people, but you get some important facts thrown in there by an experienced doctor. Say Hello to a Better Body is geared toward women over fifty, but any woman, young or old,  can pick up some good advice by reading along. 
What I liked about it, was that I can pick it up anytime for inspiring stories to get me through the rough days of dieting. Stories and facts about menopause, eating right, making small changes, and  negative thinking abound in this book. 
I recommend this book whole-heartedly. And as much as I love to pass books on to others, I will have to keep this one around a while for instant inspiration !

Review: The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern

I was intrigued by the title of this book and then the blurb that was written "What if we knew what tomorrow would bring. Would we fix it? Could we?" Don't we all wonder that? 

Author Ahern has written several books, among them PS I Love You, which was made into a movie. I have not read that one, or seen the movie but I had great expectations for Book of Tomorrow. 
The story centers around the life of Tamara Goodwin. Growing up in Ireland, daughter of wealthy parents, she was a typical spoiled rich kid. Bratty and privileged. Her fathers death and the financial ruin that follows, changes that world of privilege for this young woman. Her mother seems to have suffered a mental breakdown and they move in with her aunt & uncle , out in the country.Her uncle Arthur rarely speaks, her aunt Rosaleen is too busy cooking & cleaning to be of any console to Tamara. Her own mother barely comes out of her bedroom.
So, the girl has to keep herself busy and when she finds an old diary in a mobile library, locked with a padlock, another world opens up to her as she unlocks the book. 
A mysterious first entry in the diary leads to intrigue at the local castle, and mystery surrounding a neighbor. She begins to use the diary to sort out her family's past & future and begins to shape Tamara into a caring, less "superior" person. You begin to like her !
I have to say that I struggled reading this book. I put it down a few times, vowing to be done with it, and I rarely do that. Author Ahern has chosen to write this story as seen through the eyes of a teenager and I think I had trouble getting into the character. Also, at times the language was so "flowery" & wordy that I think I actually groaned at one point. Having said that, I think it may be a better read for a high school aged kid, someone who could sympathize with the main character and get some good out of the "coming of age" emergence of a kinder, gentler Tamara. 

Friday, September 7, 2012

Review: Keranique Hair Products



I have discovered a new brand of hair care products for thinning and fine hair. A company called Keranique has developed products that not only thicken fine hair, but some of the products actually promote re-growth of hair! I was lucky enough to sample the Volumizing Conditioner. Now, on my fine hair, most conditioners just make it greasy looking, make it lay limp and flat on my head. All those conditioners that promise volume actually end up doing the opposite, but if I didn't use conditioner my hair became dull and dry. A Catch -22. With Keranique's Volumizing Conditioner, I was able to put a little dab in my hair after shampooing and have instantly silky hair. And the shine after blow drying, brilliant! But what was most welcome, was the volume after the blow out. Finally, I have HAIR!
I also sampled another Keranique product called Follicle Boosting Serum. This weightless spray promotes healthy scalp and hair follicles. It gives the root of your hair the healthiest start, that is where it all begins, ladies.
I loved the feel of it on my scalp, I loved the volume after drying. From the roots.
Please go to Keranique.com to learn more about these and their other great hair products. You can order products direct from Keranique. They are also available on Amazon.com.