Gillian Flynn: Gone Girl (2012)

PURCHASED

Hello. I feel like I'm late to the whole Gone Girl craze- I mean, for a while it was the book that would continuously pop up here and there because of how "amazing" it was (Gone Girl veterans - see what I did there?). And then there's me, who enjoys all genres but has a soft, warm spot for mysteries, horrors, and psychological thrillers.

Still, I never felt the urge to read Gillian Flynn's bestselling thriller until now. Actually, I never had the urge to read it period. I just didn't know what to read after Heartbroken. Lo and behold, Gone Girl was sure to sneak in - again - as I searched for books, and I decided I'd give it a go.

What can I say? No, really, what can I say? I have very strange, cycloned feelings about this book, and I've been dreading this review since the moment I finished the last chapter on the train yesterday morning. What will I write? How do I summarize my thoughts on this book?

Because, truthfully, everything about everything is complicated when it comes to Gone Girl.

Lisa Unger: Heartbroken (2012)

PURCHASED

Hi everyone. I have to say, today was fairly disappointing - the weather was shit and that ultimately meant I couldn't take any new pictures for reviews (not that I, honestly, wanted to, and it isn't like I don't have pictures for products on the ever-growing waiting list), nor could I go walking (which is what I wholeheartedly wanted to do). The rain, one could argue, was the appropriate soundtrack to get through the last bit of the star of today's post - Lisa Unger's thriller, Heartbroken (2012) - but, honestly (again), I didn't even feel like reading. I didn't feel like doing anything.

Reminds me of my pajama shirt that reads "It's one of those days." Oh yes, yes it is.

Surprise, surprise - I don't want to write a review right now! But I'm pushing myself to do it because I did indeed finish Heartbroken and the best time to write a book review is, literally, as soon as possible after the book is done. 'Sides, it's not like I didn't like the story!

Eyes: Lancome's Hypnose Drama Instant Full Body Volume Mascara in "Excessive Black"

PURCHASED

Hi everyone! I'm actually pretty exhausted of writing...haha. If you read one of my previous IceBlock posts, then you know I had planned on participating in NaNoWriMo 2013. Honestly, I didn't think I'd really pull through with it considering I have this blog and my full time job. But I'm happily surprised to report that I'm right on track, and 11 chapters into my book!

But that means I've been writing a lot everyday, too, lol. x_x

Anywho, today I decided to review a product I received in a Lancome holiday bonus giftset last year - you can view my post here to see what else came in the assortment of beauty minis. I think my opinions on this product are pretty fleshed out by now - even though the product I'm reviewing is a deluxe sample, I got about 4 months of use out of it and finished using it this past August. Clearly this review is overdue. :D

The product is Lancome's Hypnose Drama Instant Full Body Volume Mascara in the color "Excessive Black" - a mascara I've heard quite a few good reviews on. I was excited to try it as it was my first high-end mascara, and one that I got as a gift.

Let's get right to it, then.

Lips: MAC's Lipstick in "Pink Pearl Pop" (Cremesheen)

The product being reviewed in this post was purchased by me with my own money. The opinions stated further are my own opinions. I am not affiliated with the brand featured in this post.

Hi everyone. :) Today's post is on a lipstick that I've owned for almost a year now: MAC's lipstick in "Pink Pearl Pop." It feels appropriate to start my reviews of MAC lipsticks with "Pink Pearl Pop" since it is the lipstick that acted as a first impression of the brand for me. And its first impression was successful: I've since purchased a few other colors/finishes from the MAC line of lipsticks.

MAC is popular for its lipsticks. In fact, in the lipstick description box on their official site, MAC writes that their lipsticks are "what made MAC famous." When I first got into makeup years ago and glosses were my thing, I did venture into the MAC brand with some lipglasses and lustreglasses. But I never tried any of their lipsticks until my first visit to California last year, when I finally decided to see why their lipsticks were so popular. It was kind of inevitable, really, considering my soft spot for lipsticks ever since I started with makeup again.

While "Pink Pearl Pop" was never a standout favorite color for me, it introduced me not only to a new line of lipsticks, but to a finish that has since remained my favorite: cremesheen.

My Favorites From: Sakamoto Maaya's Singles

Hi all! I hope you're enjoying your weekend thus far - I had a packed day today, actually, as my mom and I went to the Aquarium (and saw African penguins *heart*) as well as the beach by Coney Island. I also finally got my ride on a carousel, which I've been wanting to do again for years but felt slightly embarrassed about considering the fact that I'm 22 and all. But, you know what? It was FUN so eff caring about what other people think even more!

Anyways, onto the point of this post: first off, I've been wanting to write a post like this since my dear online friend - who I met through this blog ^_^ (hello Maxi :D )- showed me some videos he made as a fellow Sakamoto Maaya fan. He does a lot of lovely images and videos inspired by Sakamoto, and for the purpose of this post I will be referencing the following video here. It's essentially a collection of snippets from her singles released between the years 1995 and 2012.

I not only own a ton of songs by Sakamoto, but I also have other artists I listen to on a daily basis, so I find myself inevitably slipping away from some of her songs as a result. Hearing the clips in this video inspired me to make this post because it reminded me of gems in her career that I've lost count of, and I thought it would be nice to share them with you. :) So, in a nutshell, this post will be a list of Sakamoto's singles (at least those from the linked video) and my favorite track from each one!

Sakamoto Maaya, Part 1 of 2: Countdown Live 2012-2013 - Tour "Mitsubachi" Final (DVD) + First Press Bonus

To read Part 2, my thoughts regarding the performances of this DVD, click here.

Hi everyone. :) Here is my pretty timely post on Sakamoto Maaya's most recent concert DVD, Countdown Live 2012-2013 - Tour "Mitsubachi" Final (release date: 06/13/13) - a recording of the last tour date of her holiday tour back in December 2012. Before I get into anything, I want to say that this post is going to follow the same format as my Singer-Songwriter review: that is, it is going to be split into two parts. The first, which you're reading right now, is going to focus on the first press bonus details and have a lot of pictures. The second, which I will link here when it's up, is going to focus on my opinions/reactions to the performances/other features of the DVD.

Anyway, I am still basking in the natural high that I get every time a Sakamoto package finally arrives in the mail (lol). The time between preordering and actually receiving feels like forever sometimes! But this past Sunday, I finally got the much-anticipated email saying my package was shipped out (again, I love how early CDJapan sometimes sends out preordered products in relation to their actual release dates - this one was shipped out on 06/10 when the release date wasn't until 06/13). And then, when I was ready to go walking yesterday, I saw this...

Lips: E.L.F. Studio Matte Lip Color in "Tea Rose"

The product being reviewed in this post was purchased by me with my own money. The opinions stated further are my own opinions. I am not affiliated with the brand featured in this post.

Hello again. I remember when I was in San Diego and my boyfriend dropped me off at the mall before going to work. I was going to do a ton of window shopping to kill time but I ended up coming across this store with makeup. I'm so frustrated that I can't remember the name of it!

This store was AMAZING to come by, though, because it had a huge variety of both e.l.f. and NYX products (including NYX's Black Label lipsticks, which aren't at Ulta). I already knew I loved NYX products, because I ordered some before, but I had been wanting to try e.l.f. - their lip products especially. I had recently seen one of my YT subscriptions say positive things about the Matte Lip Color from their Studio line, so I decided to check it out in the color "Tea Rose."

Lips: CoverGirl NatureLuxe Gloss Balm in "Hibiscus"

The product being reviewed in this post was purchased by me with my own money. The opinions stated further are my own opinions. I am not affiliated with the brand featured in this post. 

I took pictures of this product for review weeks after buying it, and the pictures are dated October 15, 2012. Could I be reviewing this any later? Haha.

I do remember purchasing the CoverGirl NatureLuxe Gloss Balm - it was at my local CVS and I spent about 20 minutes looking through all of the colors before settling on "Hibiscus." I remember it taking so long because none of the colors looked that appealing, and the ones that did weren't very interesting. In fact, "Hibiscus" seemed like the only one that would work for me (under the circumstances of my love for pink lip products).

But really...even on the official CoverGirl website the colors look fairly...dull.

With that aside, I was pleasantly surprised by this product.

It's advertised as having sheer, glossy color with the light feel of a balm, plus the added benefits of SPF15. 

Stephen King: Rose Madder

This review is long past due, as I finished reading this book months ago. I picked up a copy of Stephen King's Rose Madder for my trip home from San Diego. I find that, from experience, reading a good book during emotionally painful flights helps trick the mind from thinking about the pain.

Lips: Maybelline's Color Whisper by Color Sensational in "Mad for Magenta"

*** Curious to see more shades? Check out my post on Color Whispers "Lust for Blush" and "Pin Up Peach" here! ***

Here is yet another new lip product I was excited for, especially since its design seems to imply a direct response to the ever-so-popular Revlon Lip Butters (I still have to review these, haha): Maybelline's Color Whispers by Color Sensational. I will be referring to them simply as Color Whispers for the rest of this review, since the full title is a mouthful.

I did buy one of these Color Whispers because of their resemblance to the Lip Butters. I was curious how they would compare, though I'll do a separate post directly comparing these balm-lipstick-gloss-master products once I'm done reviewing them all individually. For the Color Whispers, I will be reviewing the color "Mad for Magenta."

The IceBlock [7]: "Nino's Asylum" = Done!

 I wanted to write a quick IceBlock post because I'm so glad - I finally finished my short story, "Nino's Asylum"! :)

It's definitely not the first short story I've ever written, but it's the first in the genre that I like - which, briefly put, is horror. I like psychological thrillers but I don't know if what I wrote would fit under that. May not be scary either, ha! I think it is, though.

Lancome's "La Vie Est Belle" & Festive Soiree Classic Gift

*Gasp* A third post since my almost-1-month absence! I'm trying to make the most of my two-in-a-row days off, granted my last post was just a happy holidays and this one is just a picture-heavy post on a gift I got from my abuelita for Christmas. Still, I'm super excited about this gift because (a) it's my second fragrance ever (since I usually couldn't care less about fragrances) and (b) the small gift that my abuelita qualified for, purchased, and also gave to me had a nice selection of Lancome cosmetics!

Happy Holidays!

Hi again. :) I  just want to wish you all a wonderful holiday with your loved ones. I ended up getting today and tomorrow off, so it turns out I will be able to spend Christmas with my family...but I know not everyone is so fortunate. Regardless, happy holidays to all of you, no matter what you are or aren't celebrating! And thank you always for your time.

~nikki

Lips: CoverGirl Queen Collection Jumbo Gloss Balm in "Juicy Jam"

Hi all! A ton of new drugstore products have been coming out this season, and I managed to find quite a few this week - granted I'm on a lip product kick, so most of the products I looked for and purchased (and will be reviewing) were for the lips. The first that I'll be reviewing is the latest addition to the jumbo lip pencil trend, CoverGirl's Queen Collection Jumbo Gloss Balm in "Juicy Jam."

I think the whole jumbo lip pencil craze was started by Clinique's Chubby Stick (which will be in an upcoming review). I know that on the high end side of the spectrum, Tarte has its own version, which I don't own. On the low end, Revlon came out with their Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains - this past spring/summer, I believe. And now CoverGirl has joined the bandwagon with their Jumbo Gloss Balms.

The main claims of this product, according to the packaging itself, are sheer color and soft shine. 

The IceBlock [6]: Why I've Been Gone

Hi all! Many apologies for having disappeared - this post is being written to address that specifically.

When I returned from my trip to California (of which I owe you a plethora of pictures >_<), I started job hunting just like I told my family I would. I applied to all retail positions because I had no experience and felt like I couldn't really try for anything beyond that - and got two interviews within a week. The first one resulted with being put on a 'waiting' list, and the second resulted in employment [[yay!]].

Nails: Confetti's "Moonstruck"

This is the second of three colors that I own from the Confetti brand, with my one other nail post being on another color from this brand ("Dressed to the 9's"). Of the three colors I own, "Moonstruck" is the only cream finish. It is also my least favorite.

Sakamoto Maaya: Single Collection + Mitsubachi

I imagine Sakamoto fans are all smiles today, the release date of Sakamoto Maaya's third single collection, Mitsubachi. It may seem odd to purchase a single collection if you already own the actual singles that the compiled tracks were taken from. Or it may not, because why would someone who adores Sakamoto not want to have a copy of yet another of the singer's milestones? And then there's the other reason: that this particular collection includes a previously-spoken-about track, "April Fool," and a brand new track composed by (yes!) Kanno Yoko, "Nekoze." I happen to have purchased this single collection for both of those reasons.

Shirley Jackson: The Haunting of Hill House [[Spoilers]]

Hi everyone! I've been back in New York City since Monday night, and 'enjoying' the WONDERFUL weather we've been having (yep, I may have missed that terrible hurricane but I made it just in time for yesterday's snowstorm). Anyway, I'll write more about that in my next IceBlock post, but for now I want to finally give you guys a book review!

Target's Last Beauty Bag

Hi everyone. This post wasn't really planned because I had no idea when, or if, I was going to receive the Target Beauty Bag I signed up for some weeks ago. But today with the rest of the regular mail, I found the little box from Target and was excited to share with you what came in this beauty bag.

Apparently Target has had this beauty bag program for a while, where one simply has to sign up to receive a makeup bag filled with samples, no payment necessary (not even for shipping). With this bag, however, they also announced that it would be the last, which is disappointing since I just discovered it. But I'm glad I got to try it out once.

The IceBlock [5]: "Nino's Asylum" and California

Hi everyone! I was trying to make a habit out of alternating between reviews and "life" posts, but I wanted to save this session of The IceBlock for today because today, my trip to California is officially a week away. :)

First though, I'm excited to say that I'm finally writing again! I'm working on my short story that I dreamt up after leaving the hospital in July, which I have temporarily called "Nino's Asylum." It's coming out differently than planned, and I can't even say how close or far I am from the end (which scares me a bit...), but isn't that how it usually works out with writing? I figure those kinds of things shouldn't matter anyway, as long as the story is getting put down on paper - literally. I think I'd be further along if I was using Scrivener, or ANY word processor for that matter, but instead I've stuck to writing this one out by hand. I wanted it to indeed be a short story, since I have a habit of writing way more complex (and therefore lengthier) plots, and was hoping that writing by hand would limit me since it's much more tiring and a mess to edit. Ha. =P