Five for Friday

Hello and welcome to my Five for Friday! Today I am linking up with Andrea!

1. My sister got me this scratch off map of the US for my birthday back in December and I finally got around to doing it! It was really fun to scratch off all of the states I've visited! (I've been to 31/50!)

2. My mom and I went for a walk at the botanical garden this week and it is so nice to see some signs of spring!

3. After our walk at the botanical garden we stopped by Wegman's to do some grocery shopping and I picked up this pretty bouquet of flowers!

4. I made this carbonara recipe for dinner the other night and it was so good! I used chicken instead of shrimp and added some mushrooms and a little onion. It's definitely a meal I will be making again!

5. In case you missed it, on Monday I shared some of my recent purchases, and on Wednesday I shared a review of the book When Twilight Breaks! Be sure to check those out!

Hope you have a great weekend!

When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin Book Review

When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin
From back cover:

Munich, 1938

Evelyn Brand is an American foreign correspondent determined to prove her worth in a male-dominated profession and to expose the growing tyranny in Nazi Germany. To do so, she must walk a thin line. If she offends the government, she could be expelled from the country-or worse. If she does not report truthfully, she'll betray the oppressed and fail to wake up the folks back home.

Peter Lang is an American Graduate student working on his PhD in German. Disillusioned with the chaos in the world due to the Great Depression, he is impressed with the prosperity and order of German society. But when contacts within the Nazi party-to feed information to the shrewd reporter he can't get off his mind.

As the wold marches relentlessly toward war, Evelyn and Peter are on a collision course with destiny.

I really enjoyed this book! I have read all of Sarah Sundin's books and this one is a little different as it is set prior to WWII and is not based around the military. I knew this was probably going to have a little different feel to it but I was surprised at just how much I enjoyed this book!

I liked both Evelyn and Peter. I appreciated the fact that Evelyn was a strong independent woman who struggled with finding her way in a male-dominated field. I liked that she wasn't angry (although there were moments when she did get angry but it was justified! I just mean she wasn't one of those mad-at-the-world types.) and used humor and intelligence to stand up for herself. She was a risk-taker, but was very smart and knew when to step back and not to put herself in harms way. I have a HUGE issue with a lot of Christian fiction and the fact that so many times the women are so stupidly 'independent' that they put themselves into bad situations just so the 'hero' can rescue them. That's not to say Evelyn was perfect, she did have her own flaws and struggles.

Peter was an interesting character. I wasn't sure about him at first as he seemed to, on the surface, agree with some of the Nazi ideology. It was interesting to see him work his way through what he was hearing and being told versus what he was seeing and experiencing with the escalation of brutality and violence. Peter was able to take in this world that was very quickly changing around him and see the truth of what was really happening. 

I liked that Peter was protective of Evelyn but also really respected her as a person. He trusted her instincts and helped to support her rather than boss or bully her into submission. Together, Peter and Evelyn are a great balance as they are two very different people but learn to work very well together.

There were some very interesting parallels to the current state of the world. There were a couple of instance where I had to pause and mull over what I had just read as it so closely resembled things I had seen recently in the news. Especially with Evelyn's job as a news correspondent and how her stories were being manipulated.

It was interesting to me to read a story set in Germany just before WWII and to see how things escalated as they did. The situation grows more and more dire for Peter and Evelyn-especially when Evelyn learns something shocking about herself. We know some of the events that take place, but it's interesting to experience these events through two characters with opposing viewpoints. 

This story was so well written with the scenes and descriptions that it almost felt as though it were a movie running through my head. I could so easily envision everything going on. There is just the right amount of descriptions without overdoing it. This story contains a lot of action and suspense which made it hard to put down. And the romance takes a secondary role in this story which made it feel more natural instead of forced.

Overall I really enjoyed this story and am anxious to see what comes next!

I received a complementary copy of this book from Revell. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Recent Purchases 9

AE High-Waisted Everywhere Jogger in Black: I'm not sure why these are called high-waisted because they are just a regular waist, but anyways, I like them. They're a heavier material so they are nice and warm. Overall just a nice pair of joggers! They do come in several other colors and patterns.

Women's Croft & Barrow The Classic Cable Crewneck Sweater in Navy Dot: This sweater is listed as being navy but it's definitely more black. I was a little disappointed that it wasn't actually navy, but it's not that big of a deal. I bought my regular size and it's definitely fitted, so if you are looking for a looser fit you will probably want to size up. This sweater comes in a bunch of different colors and prints so there is something for everyone! The material is softer than I expected it would be and somewhat thick, but not too heavy either. 

Loose-Fit French-Terry Crew-Neck Tunic for Women: I originally purchased this in a really pretty plum color which is no longer available. I ordered this in a size smaller than I usually wear expecting it to be a little baggy, and while it fit in the width, it was oddly short (just barely came past my waist) so I exchanged it for my regular size. And when I got my regular size I was really disappointed in the fit. It was so boxy it just looked awful on me so I ended up returning it. I was disappointed it didn't work out since it was such a pretty color and the material was so soft. 

Also, despite it saying it's tunic length, it wasn't for me. I'm 5'8" and I wanted to wear it with leggings but it didn't even cover my rear. Overall just a disappointing purchase!

Luxe High-Neck Slub-Knit Tank Top for Women in Victorian Jade: And because I'm a sucker for these tanks from Old Navy, I had to order this gorgeous green colored one! Most of these tanks that I own are patterned, so I was glad to find a nice solid colored one as I have a polka dotted cardigan I wanted to wear this tank with.

Honestly can't go wrong with these tanks as they are just so versatile!

Mid-Rise Breathe ON Jogger Pants for Women in Plum: I'm a big fan of joggers and also the color purple, so these were a hit for me! They are lightweight which is nice. Although I just wear them around the house, they are definitely comfortable, light, and breathable for working out.

OFFLINE The Hugger High Waisted Legging in Steel Blue: I have several other pairs of leggings from Aerie, and although these are pretty much the same style as the ones I already own they now have a new name and the material is improved. These are a little thicker material than the previous ones and they fit a little more snug. Despite the fact they are a bit more snug, the waistband doesn't fold or slide down which is nice. They are more expensive than the previous version, so I just waited until they went on sale before ordering them.

Kamryn Lace Up Combat Boot - Universal Thread in Black: I've been eyeing these boots for a while but just didn't want to pay full price for them so I was happy to be able to get them for half off! They fit true to size and are fairly comfortable. They say they have memory foam in them but I wouldn't say that it makes them super comfortable or anything. Since they're new they do feel a bit stiff. Although they're what I would expect for the price. I wouldn't want to wear them for any long distance walking but they're fine for a short length of time.

Have you bought any new clothes lately?

Five for Friday

Hello and welcome to my Five for Friday! Today I am linking up with Andrea!

1. We finally got some snow a couple of weeks ago and it was nice to see! It didn't last very long, but it was nice to look at while it lasted. One thing I miss about living in the Northwest is getting snow. It just looks so pretty!

2. And in direct contrast to the snow, my mom and I went for a walk at the botanical garden and were surprised to see some camellias blooming! It's been somewhat cold around here so I was really surprised that there was anything blooming. It was nice to see a sign of spring though!

3. I ordered some shampoo and conditioner from Function of Beauty and I'm interested in giving it a try. Have you ever ordered from them before? If you haven't heard of them they custom make your shampoo and conditioner based on your hair preferences. You select your hair type, what you want your product to do for you (you can select up to five but I picked anti-frizz, thermal protection, and volume.) and then you can pick the color and the scent (I picked peach and it smells so nice!). 

My mom has used Function of Beauty and liked it, and I really like that they are clean and free of chemicals, parabens, etc.

4. We spotted a navy destroyer on a recent walk at Fort Monroe. It's always interesting to see the different ships that go by! We mostly see a lot of different kinds of container ships and tug boats. And we even saw a submarine one time!

5. In case you missed it, on Monday I shared some of my favorite pictures from 2020 and on Wednesday I share some of my recent beauty purchases!

Hope you have a great weekend!

Recent Beauty Purchases 8

Covergirl truNAKED Eyeshadow Palette in Roses: I really like this palette! Rose/neutral shades are my favorite for eyeshadows, so I was interested in trying this when I saw it at Target. The colors are so pretty. This palette leans more towards cool toned, which I like as it seems a lot of rose palettes lean more warm toned. By itself this eyeshadow tends to crease, so just make sure to use a good primer. Otherwise it's a great inexpensive palette!

ORIGINS Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask: I really like this mask! I had heard a lot of good things about it and was interested in trying it myself. Luckily (for me!) it lived up to the hype. I bought the mini size initially and after finishing that got the full sized one. I really don't get breakouts, but occasionally my skin does get irritated and this really clears my skin up. It has tons of great reviews so I would highly recommend this for anyone!

Acure Incredibly Clear Charcoal Lemonade Cleansing Clay: Also really like this cleansing clay. I have been pretty happy with Acure skincare products as I've used several and always had good luck with them. I like that they're natural and don't bother my sensitive skin (Their cleansing gel is great and it's really inexpensive too!). This works great at clearing up skin breakouts (while I don't get breakouts on my face, sometimes different laundry detergents will cause breakouts on other parts of my body.) and I've even noticed it will clear up discoloration from deodorant. I will say it unfortunately does not smell like lemonade, but despite that it's a great product.

NYX Microbrow Pencil in Taupe: I didn't care for this brow pencil. The end was so tiny it took so long to fill in my brows. It also doesn't apply all that well. The $2 brow pencil by e.l.f. I usually use works so much better. For $10 I really expected more from this.

L'Oreal The Super Slim Liquid Eyeliner in Black: I like this eyeliner pretty well. For every day it's fine, if I'm outside all day and/or my eyes are watering, this does come off pretty easily. I mean, it isn't waterproof, so that's to be expected. I'll have to give the waterproof version a try. I've had some trouble finding a liquid liner I liked. It seems like it should be simple but sometimes the brush is either too long or too short, or too stiff or not stiff enough, and this one is just right.

BeautyCounter Skin Twin Featherweight Foundation in Fair 110: I really like this foundation! I really try to stick with natural/organic skincare products. Things like mascara, eyeshadow, etc, I don't care quite as much about, but with  skincare I really want something that is clean and or at least has very little toxins. 

That said, it's very hard to find decent natural skincare products that actually work. It's a lot of trial and error. I've heard a lot about Beauty Counter but wasn't too sure about them as they are a multi-level-marketing program which is something I hate with a passion. Fortunately though, you can purchase items through their website without having to sign-up through anyone or anything. It was easy and they don't harass you with emails (I mean, you can sign up for their emails but can easily unsubscribe with no problem.)

The coverage is somewhere between light and medium, although it is easily buildable. My only real skin concern is some redness, and this covers that well. The finish is somewhere between matte and slightly dewy for a natural skin look. (I typically go for a matte foundation so to me this does have a slight dewy-ness to it. If you typically go for a dewy foundation you might find this to be too matte.) Since it's a clean product it doesn't irritate my skin at all. Overall I'm really pleased with this foundation. 

NYX Matte Finish Setting Spray (mini): I don't really have much to say about this setting spray. It works pretty well with the BeautyCounter foundation. I only apply a very light amount and it seems to keep my makeup in place without much of a problem. I don't really have much to compare this too so for me it's fine.

Have you purchased any new beauty products lately?