Book Review: The Violets of March by Sarah Jio




Book Review: The Violets of March by Sarah Jio




Publisher: Plume
Released: 2011
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 5/5
Fun fact: I opened Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio on my e-reader and somehow the ebook was skipped all the way to the back and when I sat down to read, I had no idea I was reading a preview for The Violets of March. When I finished the preview, figured out what happened, I immediately when to Kobo to purchase the ebook. I had to continue the story. I was hooked. I needed more.

Missha Paint Liner (Gel Liner Tarte Paint Liner Dupe?)

Missha Paint Liner (Gel Liner Tarte Paint Liner Dupe?)

Over the summer months, I really took the time to try some Korean Beauty products. I like the affordable price tag and the great quality products that I was discovering. This Missha Paint Liner has been a "go-to" product for me in the last month or so. It has a gel-cream texture, dries matte and it's so easy to use. You simply squeeze a bit of product to the top and use the tip of the packaging to coat your brush and take off any excess product. It's also very easy to clean up, and I would think this packaging would help to keep it fresh longer without worrying about the gel drying up. We've all been there. It doesn't smudge and it claims to be waterproof.

Morphe 9D Painted Desert Artistry Eyeshadow Palette (Review and Swatches)

Morphe 9D Painted Desert Artistry Eyeshadow Palette (Review and Swatches)

Hello Fall! I'm a few days early but my makeup has been all about reds and oranges lately. When I saw this Morphe 9D Painted Desert palette was at my local Sephora I couldn't wait to pick it up. I also picked up the new 9T Neutral Territory palette, and a review will be coming. This is a great fall palette and the shades really drew me in. It has a nice range of light, medium and there is a brown that can help to add dimension.

Colourpop Main Squeeze Eyeshadow Palette (Review and Swatches)

Colourpop Main Squeeze Eyeshadow Palette (Review and Swatches)

Colourpop is one of those brands that keeps pumping out the releases, and these 9 pan monochromatic eyeshadow palettes have been really popular over the summer. I'm not a huge colourful eyeshadow lover but my heart belongs with reds and oranges.  When I saw this palette release, it didn't take me long to place an order. The Main Squeeze palette is just gorgeous, and it's unique as far as a red eyeshadow palette. It has 5 mattes and 4 shimmer shades with a range of medium to darker tones. The shade Red Bottoms will have to be built up if you want a really dark matte but it does work to add dimension.

Review: The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins (Are you a Gilmore Girls Fan?)

Review The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins (Are you a Gilmore Girls Fan?)


Goodreads Description:

The New York Times bestselling author of the wildly popular MacLean Curse series crafts a charming and evocative story about a picturesque Southern town, two fiercely independent women, and a magical friendship that will change their lives forever. 

The residents of Dove Pond, North Carolina, know three things: they have the finest bar-b-que this side of Atlanta, their Apple Festival is the best that ever was, and the town has phenomenal good luck whenever the Dove family has seven daughters. Fortunately, that time is now, because Dove Pond desperately needs a miracle.

The seventh daughter, Sarah Dove, believes in all things magical. Books have whispered their secrets to her since she was a child. Now the town librarian, she makes sure every book finds the reader who most needs it. But recently the books have been whispering something different—that change is about to come to Dove Pond. Sarah is soon convinced that the legendary Dove Pond good luck has arrived in the form of new resident, Grace Wheeler.

Let's Talk; Life Update (Slowing Down on Purchasing New Products, Financial Goals and Life)

Let's Talk; Life Update (Slowing Down on Purchasing New Products, Financial Goals and Life)



If you haven't noticed; I've been taking this blog a lot slower in recent months. Mrs Q Beauty has been a hobby of mine for a few years and before this blog, I was a book blogger for 8 years. I really do enjoy blogging and I don't intend to stop blogging but I want to incorporate more than beauty product after beauty product. My main reason is that I've been overwhelmed with all the products I'm bringing into my home. I don't feel like I can really be grateful and enjoy what I have because I'm always looking for the next product to add to my collection. While I do get some PR products, I buy most of these products on my own. My son also started Kindergarten and my morning routine has been busier, I've found some core products that I use almost every day and it's been so much easier than testing out new products all the time. My son is also in a lot of extracurriculars and my time has become pretty limited.

I've also been focusing on a lot of financial goals and keeping my spending on track. Christmas is not an emergency, so I have a goal to save a certain amount before December. I also want to beef up our emergency fund. I've gone through a lot of life changes since my Mom passed away and having an emergency fund that we can fall back on is really important. It's become a big priority. We don't have a lot of family in the city that we live in, and if something happened I want to be financially free to deal with the situation without worrying about money.  If you want to succeed when it comes to money, I believe you need to set goals and get excited. We're excited and focused.

Where do I see this blog moving? I want it to be more of me. I'm not a professional blogger, and I don't see this becoming a full-time job. I want to enjoy what I'm sharing with you and put more of myself into it. I love reading and will incorporate some book reviews as well. I'm more than just beauty products and I will continue to share beauty but it won't be the whole focus of this blog. I want to be more creative in this space.