Lifestyle – Page 11 – Adventures in Polishland

Category: Lifestyle

Book Review | The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Posted on July 14, 2016July 14, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Published by Harlequin Teen on May 17, 2016

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 480

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★★★

For some people, silence is a weapon. For Mallory “Mouse” Dodge, it’s a shield. Growing up, she learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it’s been four years since her nightmare ended, she’s beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime.

Now, after years of homeschooling with loving adoptive parents, Mallory must face a new milestone—spending her senior year at public high school. But of all the terrifying and exhilarating scenarios she’s imagined, there’s one she never dreamed of—that she’d run into Rider Stark, the friend and protector she hasn’t seen since childhood, on her very first day.

It doesn’t take long for Mallory to realize that the connection she shared with Rider never really faded. Yet the deeper their bond grows, the more it becomes apparent that she’s not the only one grappling with the lingering scars from the past. And as she watches Rider’s life spiral out of control, Mallory faces a choice between staying silent and speaking out—for the people she loves, the life she wants, and the truths that need to be heard.

REVIEW

I was drawn to read The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout from the moment I saw its stunning cover. After hearing great reviews from bloggers that I trust, I decided to pick up the book from the library. I was in a bit of a reading slump, and needed to read something I knew would be quick, yet heartfelt. The Problem with Forever is definitely the book I wanted at just the right time.

The story is told from teenager Mallory’s point-of-view. Mallory grew up in an abusive foster home, but was adopted four years ago by a loving couple. After being homeschooled, Mallory decides to attend public high school for her senior year. It is there when she comes face to face with her hero and best friend from childhood, Rider. Mallory and Rider quickly rekindle their friendship, and perhaps become something more.

The Problem with Forever opens with a bang and creates a lot of tension in the reader. This shocking opening scene immediately sucked me into the story, and I read the book at a very quick pace. I really enjoyed that this book focuses on the foster care system in the United States, and also mental health. While I am not highly educated on these topics, it felt like they were handled very well and with respect. I admire that Armentrout chose to wrote a book about such difficult topics in a non-preachy way.

In addition to the book’s subject matter, I really enjoyed the characters. Mallory is a very sympathetic character, but so is Rider and many of the teenagers Mallory meets at school. They have flaws, but they try to be better people for themselves and those around them. It is so nice to see a young adult book with realistic characters in situations that many teenagers are facing on a daily basis.

My one critique of the novel is the writing style. The Problem with Forever has a cliché feeling that many of the romance novels I’ve read share. There is something about it that makes me cringe at some points. For example, there are a few times in the book where Mallory is “worrying her lower lip,” and many others where she spends a bit too much time describing Rider’s body. While there is nothing wrong with this writing style, it is just not my cup of tea. That being said, I read Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout a couple years ago and I much preferred the writing in The Problem with Forever.

All in all, I really enjoyed my read of The Problem with Forever, and definitely recommend this book if you are looking for an emotional read. I laughed, and I cried, and I fell in love with the characters. I know I read this book at the perfect time, but I think it is one I would enjoy even when not in a reading slump. I am definitely interested in reading some of Armentrout’s other work now, after having a good experience with this book.

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Book Review | The Crown (The Selection #5) by Kiera Cass

Posted on July 12, 2016July 12, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

The Crown (The Selection #5) by Kiera Cass

Published by HarperTeen on May 3, 2016

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopian, Romance

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 279

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★

When Eadlyn became the first princess of Illéa to hold her own Selection, she didn’t think she would fall in love with any of her thirty-five suitors. She spent the first few weeks of the competition counting down the days until she could send them all home. But as events at the palace force Eadlyn even further into the spotlight, she realizes that she might not be content remaining alone.

Eadlyn still isn’t sure she’ll find the fairytale ending her parents did twenty years ago. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and soon Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more impossible—and more important—than she ever imagined.

REVIEW

The fifth and final book in The Selection series is here, and I made sure to reserve it at my library so I could read it as soon as possible. I was excited to discover how the series would conclude, and who, if anyone, Eadlyn would choose as her husband. Unfortunately, The Crown fell flat for me, and I’m quite disappointed with it. Let me share why with all of you.

I’ll begin this review with the things I did enjoy about this book. First, I am beyond happy that Kiera Cass finally includes some characters in this series that are not heterosexual. The lack of diversity in this series thus far was one of the biggest drawbacks for me, and I’m so glad Cass not only included some LGBTQIA+ characters, but she also gives a quick explanation of how these characters are treated in Illéa both historically and currently. It is disappointing that one of the characters is written in a stereotypical manner, but it’s great we finally got this inclusion nonetheless.

In addition, I did enjoy the overall ending of the series. Eadlyn ended up with the boy I thought she would, and I think she made a great choice. I also liked finding out more about America’s siblings, and seeing Grandma Singer. However, that’s where my enjoyment of The Crown ends.

My first critique of this novel is the writing style. The quality of writing throughout this series changes with every book, and it is at its weakest point in The Crown. Eadlyn’s first-person-perspective is more colloquial than ever, including cringeworthy sentences such as “I followed his gaze, and he was right. It was seven ’til,” (p. 264). I do think that younger readers of this series will enjoy this writing style more than I do, because The Crown reads as if a teenager is telling you the story. For me, though, it is very annoying, and not the style I like to read.

Similarly, I became quite frustrated with the construction of the novel. Keeping in mind that The Crown is a work of fiction set in a dystopian world, I found that there is a lack of logic in the events of the book. The rest of this paragraph will include mild spoilers for The Crown. Please skip to the next paragraph if you do not want to be spoiled. An example of my frustrations is when Eadlyn takes over as queen for her parents. It makes no sense whatsoever for an 18-year-old girl, whom the general populace dislikes, to suddenly take over the throne when the current king is still alive and able to serve. Illéa is in distress and needs a strong ruler. Yes, this is a fictional world, but in ‘reality’ Eadlyn would never be allowed to suddenly take the throne. The same is true of Eadlyn and Josie’s magically mended relationship. Eadlyn absolutely despises Josie, and the feeling is somewhat mutual. However, when Josie shadows Eadlyn for just one day, the girls’ entire relationship changes. They become best friends and understand each other instantaneously. Again, this would never really happen, and because it did the book lost a lot of credibility for me.

Moreover, the epilogue of The Crown felt completely unnecessary to me. It is only half a page long, and instead of wrapping up the story or showing a glimpse of Eadlyn’s future, it included a series of cliché statements. Not one character name is mentioned, nor anything new learned. I would have really loved an epilogue that served a purpose, especially after the ending of the book. Perhaps Kiera Cass will write another one in the future.

Overall, I’m very disappointed with The Crown. If you’ve read The Heir and want to find out what happens, I recommend just looking up spoilers for this book and calling it a day. I don’t think it’s necessary to read this book, and I honestly wouldn’t recommend this series. I’m very glad that I read it, because it receives so much praise that I think my thoughts provide something different from the mass opinion. If you do enjoy The Selection, I fully understand why, and I’m happy you can get fulfillment out of these books. At this time I don’t think I will be picking up any of Kiera Cass’s other books in the future.

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Book Review | Homecoming (The 100 #3) by Kass Morgan

Posted on July 7, 2016July 7, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Homecoming (The 100 #3) by Kass Morgan

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on February 24, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian

Format: Paperback

Pages: 340

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★★★

Weeks after landing on Earth, the Hundred have managed to create a sense of order amidst their wild, chaotic surroundings. But their delicate balance comes crashing down with the arrival of new dropships from space.

These new arrivals are the lucky ones—back on the Colony, the oxygen is almost gone—but after making it safely to Earth, GLASS’s luck seems to be running out. CLARKE leads a rescue party to the crash site, ready to treat the wounded, but she can’t stop thinking about her parents, who may still be alive. Meanwhile, WELLS struggles to maintain his authority despite the presence of the Vice Chancellor and his armed guards, and BELLAMY must decide whether to face or flee the crimes he thought he’d left behind.

It’s time for the Hundred to come together and fight for the freedom they’ve found on Earth, or risk losing everything—and everyone—they love.

REVIEW

I was beyond excited to finish The 100 trilogy by reading Homecoming! This book picks up immediately after Day 21 closes out, with the Colonists on the dropship crashing down on Earth. I really appreciated that the author includes a lot of quick recaps in Homecoming, so that if you forgot the details of the first two books you get a refresher in this one. While these reminders were included a bit too much throughout the novel, they were very helpful. If you’ve read the first two books in the series and it’s been a while, don’t hesitate to jump right into book three!

Moreover, it took a while for me to get into the story, which I found surprising. However, because Homecoming is such a quick read, once I was about 100 pages into the novel the rest flew by. I did really enjoy the inclusion of new characters, and as always I had no idea what was going to happen next in the story. Morgan is great at crafting intricate plot lines that don’t reveal themselves until everything comes together in the end.

The ending, however, was a bit of let down for me. While I like the way the trilogy wrapped up, I was left wanting so much more! I would have appreciated an epilogue to include more of an explanation for something that happens and to check in on the characters. Similarly, the ending was quite cheesy and some things worked out a bit too easily. I’m able to look past a lot of the cliché moments in this book because the characters do go through intense challenges and are going through things I can’t even imagine experiencing. Thus, I think the cheesy moments are understandable in an otherwise bleak world.

All in all, I am happy with how The 100 trilogy concluded, and if you’ve read the first two books I definitely recommend picking up this last one. While this is more of a 3.5 star read for me, I did bump it up to a 4 star rating because I enjoyed it so much. I’m so glad I gave this series a read, as it’s one of my favorite young adult dystopians thus far. I will be watching the television show at some point, and hopefully getting my own copy of this trilogy so I can reread it in the future!

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June Lifestyle Favorites!

Posted on July 5, 2016June 30, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! July is here, and it is time to share my June favorites with all of you. This year is just flying by for me, and I can’t believe we are done with June already. I only have a few favorites to share with you this month. I haven’t been trying many new beauty products, but I do have some lifestyle loves to share. Without further ado, let me jump right into my June favorites!

MAKEUP

NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Taupe [BUY]

I’ve been wanting to try this brow pencil for a long time, and finally picked it up during a CVS sale. I typically use brow powder, but I thought a pencil would be perfect for days where I want to get my makeup done quickly. Ever since I tried this NYX pencil, I’ve only used brow powder twice! This pencil is natural looking, but still fills in sparse brows really well. I highly recommend it.

Physicans Formula Organic Wear CC Cream in Light [BUY]

I also wanted a lighter foundation option for summer. I love wearing a CC cream during the warmer months because it acts like a sunscreen and moisturizer in one. I’m very impressed with this one from Physicians Formula. It is a medium coverage, and it wears really well throughout the day. I plan on doing a full review of this CC cream later on in the month so you can see it in action.

FOOD

Eureka! Seeds the Day Organic Bread

I’ve been changing up my diet big time this month by trying to eat more whole foods and healthier options. I found this bread at the grocery store, and it is so delicious and nutritious! Not only is it organic and vegan, but it contains 9 grams of protein in just one slice. I love it for sandwiches and for toast. It’s a bit more expensive, but I immediately froze about 1/3 of the loaf so I could make it last.

APP

CRON-O-meter [BUY]

I rarely purchase apps, but I decided to swing for CRON-O-meter after hearing so many great things about it. This app helps you see if you are reaching your daily nutrient needs. You can scan the barcodes of prepackaged foods, or simply search for things like produce. Then you can see your daily total adding up! While CRON-O-meter is not 100% accurate, it is still very helpful. I’ve been balancing my meals a lot better now that I have a visual representation of the nutrients I need. It’s worth the $2.99 price tag.

PURCHASE

2017 Erin Condren Life Planner [BLOG] [BUY]

I am beyond in love with the new Erin Condren Life Planner line for 2017! I purchased my planner early and I’ve been using it for Listers Gotta List. It will transition into my full planner in January, but I’m glad I purchased it now. You can learn all about it in the blog post linked above, and I highly recommend splurging on one.

That wraps up my very quick June favorites! As always, please let me know in the comments what your favorites are. I love getting recommendations from all of you! If there is a product you would like me to review in the future, you can also let me know that as well. Here’s to a great July!

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Upcoming Adventures | July Blog Chat

Posted on July 3, 2016June 13, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! We are now officially halfway through 2016, and July is here. I can’t believe how quickly the year is going! Today I’m here with another Upcoming Adventures, to share what you can expect to see here at Adventures in Polishland this month. Let’s have a chat about July!

July will still follow my regular blog schedule, but perhaps the biggest thing to expect is the end of my Dare to Compare posts! I’ve been decluttering my nail polish collection for the past few months, and I’ve documented the process with you here on the blog. While I will continue to post nail polish comparisons whenever I get in new shades, I’ve now gone through my collection and swatched all of the similar shades. I am excited for you to see the last of the comparisons this month!

Of course, you will also be seeing a lot of book reviews this month on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I’ve still been reading up a storm, and I really enjoy sharing my thoughts on the books I’ve read with you. I do plan on writing some other lifestyle posts for you all later this summer, but for now the book reviews are in control. Please let me know in the comments if you enjoy reading my book reviews, or if you’d like to see less of them!

Finally, I want to quickly mention that I will have a lot of Plan With Me videos up on my YouTube Channel this month! I post planner related videos every Tuesday and Saturday, so make sure to subscribe if you like planner decorating, organization tips, and paper crafts in general. I really enjoy sharing my planner hobby with all of you over there!

That wraps up this month’s Upcoming Adventures! I hope you all have a wonderful July!

Book Review | The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Posted on June 30, 2016May 23, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 519

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★★★ 1/2

Andie had it all planned out.

When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future.

Important internship? Check.

Amazing friends? Check.

Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks).

But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life.

Because here’s the thing—if everything’s planned out, you can never find the unexpected.

And where’s the fun in that?

REVIEW

I highly anticipated the release of Morgan Matson’s new book The Unexpected Everything, and made sure to read it as soon as I could. Matson is the queen of the young adult summer story, and this year she took it to the next level with a 500+ page book. The Unexpected Everything follows teenager Andie. She is the daughter of a congressman, and the book opens with her dad being caught in the middle of a political scandal. Andie is a planner, and at first she isn’t bothered by the scandal because she has arrangements to attend a summer program away from home. Of course, her plans unexpectedly change and she is forced to stay at home all summer with her dad and adjust her entire life in the process.

It took me quite a while to get into The Unexpected Everything. I found the writing to be quite clunky, as the dialogue was broken up by large chunks of text. However, once I got into the groove of the story, I began to enjoy it much more. While I wasn’t sure how I felt about the story for much of the book, everything comes together in the last 100-150 pages, and I was blown away with how Matson crafted Andie’s summer.

What I really love about this book is how Matson is able to realistically capture the teenage experience. The emotions are really well written, and the events play out as they would in reality even though things are played up in the book for the entertainment value. For example, Andie has a great group of friends and spends nearly all of her time with them. While inseparable at the beginning of the book, this friend group must learn to deal with the unexpected events life throws at you. I admired how Matson chose to deal with these events, and I think the book is very relatable both for the young adult audience, but older readers as well.

Moreover, there were also some great additions to The Unexpected Everything that I really loved. My favorite scene in the novel is an epic scavenger hunt that Andie competes in with her friends. I love a good competition, and having one in the book was a lot of fun. Not only did it focus on the game, but it provided an opportunity for character development. Similarly, if you are a dog lover you are really going to enjoy this book! Andie ends up finding a summer job as a dog walker, and we get to go along on some of her walks and other dog-filled adventures. The dog element was such an added bonus!

Finally, my favorite part of any Morgan Matson book is the character development. The Unexpected Everything is light and fun, while still being emotionally charged. For instance, Andie’s mother died of cancer five years ago, and Andie and her father have had a strained relationship ever since. I love how the father-daughter relationship played a role in the novel. Of course, I also really enjoyed the romance that played out as well. Andie meets a boy named Clark while dog-walking, and I think their relationship was realistic and super cute at the same time.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed The Unexpected Everything, and highly recommend you picking it up if you are looking for the perfect summer read. This book truly did make me laugh and make me cry, and I know it will be one I reread again in the future. I plan on completing my read of all of Morgan Matson’s work by the end of the summer with Second Chance Summer, her only book I’ve yet to read.

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Book Review | Bleeding Earth by Kaitlin Ward

Posted on June 28, 2016May 17, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Bleeding Earth by Kaitlin Ward

Published by Adaptive Press on February 9, 2016

Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Apocalyptic

Format: eARC

Pages: 256

Source: NetGalley

Goodreads: ★★

Lea was in a cemetery when the earth started bleeding. Within twenty-four hours, the blood made international news. All over the world, blood appeared out of the ground, even through concrete, even in water. Then the earth started growing hair and bones.

Lea wants to ignore the blood. She wants to spend time with her new girlfriend, Aracely, in public, if only Aracely wasn’t so afraid of her father. Lea wants to be a regular teen again, but the blood has made her a prisoner in her own home. Fear for her social life turns into fear for her sanity, and Lea must save herself and Aracely whatever way she can.

REVIEW

Bleeding Earth is a young adult apocalyptic novel following teenager Lea. She and her friend go to the local cemetery one day to work on a school project when suddenly blood begins seeping out of the ground. Lea hopes this has something to do with the cemetery, or perhaps just a hallucination while being in a creepy place. However, it turns out that it’s not just the cemetery that’s bleeding – it’s the entire earth. The book continues to follow what happens to Lea and her community in this bloodbath.

I found this story’s concept extremely intriguing, but unfortunately the book fell flat for me. My main issue with Bleeding Earth is the writing style, which is going to make or break the story for the reader. The writing is in the first person from Lea’s point-of-view, and sounds as if a teenager was speaking directly to you. Not only is the dialogue in the teenage voice, but all of the other writing is as well. While I think teenagers might connect well with this writing, it did not work for me as an older reader of young adult. I found the prose quite irritating, and that really detracted from my enjoyment of the novel.

Moreover, Bleeding Earth is the type of book in which the author is trying to do too much. For example, Lea is a lesbian and readers learn a lot about her sexuality and coming out process. I think it is awesome that the author included a member of the LGBTQIA+ community as our main character, but I think the lengthy explanation of how it was for her coming out of the closet, how her friends and family treat her, etc. was a bit out of place in this particular book. I wanted to focus more on the crazy apocalypse that was occurring in the world, not Lea’s complete history that didn’t have much to do with what was happening in the present.

I also found Bleeding Earth to be quite unbelievable, mainly due to lack of structure in the novel. For instance, I cannot tell the timespan for this novel because the author doesn’t give the reader any clues along the way. When I accompany that with the small plot holes I found while reading, the book loses a lot of credibility.

That being said, I did really like the aspect of the story dealing with unreliable narrators. I won’t go into this too much because of spoilers, but I love when the reader never knows whether or not she can trust the narrator’s voice. This unreliable narrator added a lot to the book in terms of creepiness, and definitely gave me an unsettling feeling. I also thought the ending was good, but I wish we had an epilogue to fully explain what happened next to our characters.

All in all, I was quite disappointed with Bleeding Earth. The story idea was great, but it just wasn’t executed according to my tastes. I would recommend this book for younger readers, as I do think they will enjoy the narrative voice. Otherwise, I think you can pass on this book without missing much. I hope to find an apocalyptic book that I enjoy very soon!

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2017 Erin Condren Life Planner Unboxing & Review | #PlanWithPolishland

Posted on June 25, 2016June 25, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today I am beyond excited to share with you my purchases from the 2017 Erin Condren Life Planner Launch. I can’t believe it’s now been an entire year that I’ve been using my current Life Planner. It really has made my life better in so many ways – I’m more organized than ever before, but I also truly enjoy the creative outlet that planning is for me. While I don’t need a new planner until 2017 begins, I wanted to join in on Erin Condren’s Launch Day and purchase my new planner right away. In this blog post I will share an unboxing of the goodies I purchased on Launch Day, and share my thoughts on the launch and the updated planners.

UNBOXING

I filmed an unboxing video for my YouTube Channel, which is included in this post so you can see me open the box and show you the products “in person.” If you aren’t subscribed to my channel yet, please do so HERE! I post planner videos every Tuesday and Saturday, and sometimes on bonus days, too. If you love Plan With Mes, sticker hauls, and other organizational DIY videos, definitely subscribe (it’s free!).

Here are photos of everything I received so you can get a closer look. I will include direct links to each product on Erin Condren’s website, but if you are new, please use my referral link HERE. Not only will you save $10 off your first Erin Condren purchase, but I earn a $10 reward as well. I really appreciate it when you support me in that way!

Freebies – VIP Cover, Postcard, Sticker

Erin Condren always includes a free postcard and sticker with every order. This is a great way to spread the positive messages Erin Condren supports with your friends and family. Plus, who doesn’t like a freebie, even if its small? This year Erin Condren did something really special. There was an opportunity to sign up for a VIP list for free a few months ago. VIPs receive emails with sneak peeks about new products, but we also got a free, metallic cover with our launch purchases! This is a $10.00 value, and very much appreciated. I don’t know if you can join the VIP list at this point in time, but here is a detailed look at the cover.

Here is what the front and back of the VIP cover looks like. It is a beautiful blue with metallic blue foil. I did want to mention that my cover came punched, but not cut. I easily took some scissors to cut it myself. Since this cover was free and the issue easily fixable, I did not feel the need to contact customer service. The inside covers are brand new with this launch, and are now formatted to act as dry-erase lists. Erin Condren now sells some wet erase markers, but I plan on using a regular Sharpie. You can learn how to erase Sharpie in THIS quick YouTube video.

Moving onto the products I purchased, I decided to get two accessories. First, I picked up the Rose Gold Metallic Snap-In Dashboard (LINK) because I wanted my order to total $100 so I could get free shipping. It was either pay $10 for shipping, or $5 for a dashboard. It was a no-brainer to get the dashboard! I also purchased the new Designer Sticker Book in the Classic Collection Edition 2 (LINK). I’ve really enjoyed the Erin Condren sticker books I’ve purchased in the past, and this one is even prettier than the older ones! You can see photos of each and every page in the sticker book on my Facebook Page HERE.

Now it’s time to talk about the Life Planner! This year Erin Condren is doing something quite different. Instead of buying a planner that is already put together, you build your own planner. You get to choose the coil color (Platinum, Gold, Rose Gold, or Black), the layout (Vertical, Horizontal, or Hourly), the color scheme (Neutral or Watercolor), the cover, and any cover personalization. While I really like the ability to create the perfect planner for me, the planner got more expensive than ever due to certain customizations being considered ‘upgrades.’ I’ll talk more about that in a minute. The cover I chose is called the In Bloom Metallic (LINK), and on the left you can see the new Plan for It Pouch that comes with each planner.

Here is a look at the Plan for It Pouch and the goodies you’ll find in it. In the past, the pouch used to be attached to the Life Planner in the back. Now you can choose where to put it, or even if you want to put it in your planner. I’m not going to use the pouch, as it bulks up my planner and I don’t use it anyway. Included is a Coil Clip, 3 Compliment Cards, 2 20% off coupons, and a sample sticker book. I love that we get some goodies with every Life Planner!

Let’s talk about my new Life Planner in more detail! I’ll share how I built my planner, and any coordinating prices.

Life Planner – $50
Rose Gold Coil – $10
Rose Gold Cover – $10
Personalized Cover – $5
Horizontal Layout – n/a
Colorful Color Scheme – n/a
6 Months of 2016 – $5

TOTAL: $80

If you’ve been following my #PlanWithPolishland posts since last year, you’ll know this is $5 more than I spent on my first Life Planner. The price increase is due to the $5 cost for personalization. I find this charge completely unnecessary, because personalized metallic covers are sold separately for $10 total. I don’t understand why I need to pay $5 extra for personalization when it comes on a planner, and not on its own. I did decide to get the personalization because it’s what I wanted, but I did want to point out my disappointment with this charge in particular. I am otherwise very happy with the added options for the Life Planner this year.

I want to show you a quick example of my Life Planner. Here is what a month looks like! This is January.

Each month you get a Notes Page and a Quote Page in the monthly colors.

That is followed by the Monthly Calendar.

Finally, here is what the Weekly Pages look like. It is very similar to last year’s Horizontal, but features the watercolor effect instead of the geometric print at the top of the page. I am loving it!

MY THOUGHTS ON LAUNCH DAY

I wanted to close out this blog post with my thoughts on Launch Day and my experience. I am very thankful that my Launch Day, June 1, was very successful. I logged into my Erin Condren account early, and had my order submitted two minutes before the official launch even began. I know there were a lot of technological issues on Launch Day, but I can only speak to my own personal experience. I had zero issues while ordering and received my confirmation email immediately after placing my order.

My order shipped on June 16, which was five days before my estimated ship time of June 21. I was a bit frustrated that people who placed orders days after me, and even weeks after me, got their orders before I did. I know I was one of the first to order, so it doesn’t make any sense why people who ordered so long after me received their packages before me. I don’t know what was going on at Erin Condren, but it felt like they were using a ‘last in, first out’ method instead of ‘first in, first out,’ when it came to shipping orders. Nonetheless, I can’t (and won’t!) complain too much because my order shipped out on time, and I received it in time for the start of the planner (June 27th).

The only issue I had with my Launch Day order was very miniscule. My tracking number never updated, and for five business days read “Order Processed” only. This means that the shipping label was created, but UPS never received the package. I emailed Erin Condren’s customer service team to find out what was going on, and it turns out I was given an incorrect tracking number. Not only was my email responded to in just over two hours, but the representative was very polite and helpful.

My order arrived on June 23, and everything was just perfect besides the little mistake with my VIP cover. I am beyond pleased with my Launch Day experience! I know that there were a lot of hiccups on launch day, and that many orders arrived damaged or with multiple errors. Again, I can only share my personal Erin Condren experience, and I am very happy to report that everything went quite smoothly for me this year! That is why I continue to purchase from and recommend Erin Condren. The products are amazing quality, and I think the customer service is great. Any issues I’ve ever had were always resolved in a timely manner.

THANK YOU FOR READING!

That brings us to the end of this very long and detailed blog post! I hope you found this post helpful if you are considering an Erin Condren Life Planner. If you have any #PlanWithPolishland blog post or video requests, feel free to leave them in the comments of this post. I am so excited to use my new goodies!

Please share your thoughts on Erin Condren’s 2017 Launch Day with me in the comments! Did it go smoothly for you? Did you experience any issues? Let me know!

Book Review | The Girl I Used to Be by April Henry

Posted on June 23, 2016May 11, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

The Girl I Used to Be by April Henry

Published by Christy Ottaviano Books on May 3, 2016

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Format: eARC

Pages: 240

Source: NetGalley

Goodreads: ★★ 1/2

When Olivia’s mother was killed, everyone suspected her father of murder. But his whereabouts remained a mystery. Fast forward fourteen years. New evidence now proves Olivia’s father was actually murdered on the same fateful day her mother died. That means there’s a killer still at large. It’s up to Olivia to uncover who that may be. But can she do that before the killer tracks her down first?

REVIEW

I was so excited to receive a review copy of The Girl I Used to Be by April Henry, as the synopsis sucked me in right away. This book follows teenager Olivia. When she was just three, her mother was murdered in front of her when her family went to cut down a Christmas tree in the woods. Her father was blamed for the murder, but when one of his bones turns up at the crime scene fourteen years later, authorities now believe he was killed that same day. Olivia now returns to her hometown in hopes of discovering who the killer is before the killer finds her first.

While I really loved the idea behind this story, unfortunately the book fell a bit flat for me. My main issue is with the writing style. I’ve never read a book by April Henry before, but the writing in The Girl I Used to Be felt very formulaic. The story is told from Olivia’s first-person-perspective, and each chapter follows a certain format. First, Olivia learns some clues by talking with the people in her hometown, and then she mulls over those clues by asking a bunch of rhetorical questions at the end of the chapter. I found these questions to be very annoying, mainly due to the sheer number of them. If we got a few questions throughout the story, that would build suspense and be fine. Instead we got lists upon lists of questions, and it left me feeling as if each chapter was just repeating itself.

Moreover, I think the short length of this novel really detracted from my rating of the book. The Girl I Used to Be is only 240 pages, and a lot of things go unexplained because of that. For example, the book opens with Olivia living in her own apartment in Portland, Oregon. She then decides to move back to her hometown, and she goes to the local thrift store to buy sheets and kitchen utensils. However, we never find out why Olivia never goes back to her old apartment to get her belongings, or even if she cancelled her old lease. This novel would be a lot stronger if it was longer, as Henry would be able to fully develop the story and its characters.

Another critique I have with this book is the romance aspect. Not only was the romance cringeworthy and full of insta-love, but the book would be exactly the same if there was no romance whatsoever. The only thing that would change is the two kissing scenes, which were quite awkward and didn’t fit within the book’s overall plot. I almost feel like the romance was added just for the sake of including a romance.

That being said, I am quite disappointed with The Girl I Used to Be. I really do love the idea behind the book, and I read it quickly because it is fast-paced and a short read. If you are a new reader of the mystery genre, this might be a good place to start. I found the ending predictable, and unfortunately I feel like this sort of story isn’t very unique. Thus, I only recommend it if you are looking to break into the thriller genre, or if you want a short and quick beach read this summer.

BUY THE BOOK

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Book Review | Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Posted on June 21, 2016May 11, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on May 3, 2011

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: Paperback

Source: BookMooch

Goodreads: ★★★★ 1/2

Amy Curry is not looking forward to her summer. Her mother decided to move across the country and now it’s Amy’s responsibility to get their car from California to Connecticut. The only problem is, since her father died in a car accident, she isn’t ready to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger. An old family friend, he also has to make the cross-country trip – and has plenty of baggage of his own. The road home may be unfamiliar – especially with their friendship venturing into uncharted territory – but together, Amy and Roger will figure out how to map their way.

REVIEW

When it comes to the perfect summer read, it’s always safe to reach for a Morgan Matson book. Last summer I picked up Since You’ve Been Gone, and I was excited to pick up her first book this year. Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour follows teenager Amy. Her father recently passed away, and her mom decides to move the family from California to Connecticut. Amy is tasked with getting the family car across the country, but since she’s not driving, family friend Roger steps in to help. Readers follow Amy and Roger as they road trip across America and take a few detours along the way.

I absolutely love road trip books, especially when they take place in America. I feel like I am wandering throughout the country with Amy and Roger, and that is a lot of fun. This book includes a mixed media element, with photographs, scrapbook pages, and playlists being mixed in with the story. I loved this element, but I do wish they were placed better within the book. For instance, sometimes a scrapbook page featuring a state would appear before Amy and Roger got to that state. That is a very minor critique, and overall I really liked the inclusion of the mixed media elements.

My other critiques of the novel are quite small as well. I did find a few copyediting issues, which is surprising in a paperback reprinting. There is also a small plot hole in the novel. At the end of the book, Amy mentions that she can trust Roger because he hasn’t lied to her on their road trip. However, Amy mentions much earlier in the story that Roger does lie to her. While this is a very small hole, it does affect my rating a bit. My only other critique is that I wasn’t the biggest fan of how the romance played out. It felt a bit awkward, even though I was rooting for it.

Otherwise, I really loved Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour. The book is fun, but it is also very emotional, especially for anyone who has a special bond with her father. I loved how this book takes readers not only on a physical road trip, but an emotional journey as well. Amy and Roger both have things to work through, and they are able to confide in each other after spending so much time in the car together.

All in all, I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a summer read. It’s quick to get through, and will be perfect whether you are traveling this summer, or simply sitting out in the backyard. You get to meet a great cast of characters, and have a lot of fun! I know I will be reading Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour again, and all of Morgan Matson’s other books, in the future.

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