Category: Lifestyle

Book Review | This Side of Home by Renée Watson

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

This Side of Home by Renée Watson

Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens on February 3, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary

Pages: 336

Format: eARC

Source: NetGalley

Goodreads: ★★★★ 1/2


Identical twins Nikki and Maya have been on the same page for everything—friends, school, boys and starting off their adult lives at a historically African-American college. But as their neighborhood goes from rough-and-tumble to up-and-coming, suddenly filled with pretty coffee shops and boutiques, Nikki is thrilled while Maya feels like their home is slipping away. Suddenly, the sisters who had always shared everything must confront their dissenting feelings on the importance of their ethnic and cultural identities and, in the process, learn to separate themselves from the long shadow of their identity as twins.

In her inspired YA debut, Renée Watson explores the experience of young African-American women navigating the traditions and expectations of their culture.

REVIEW

I’ve been on such a YA contemporary kick lately, and This Side of Home is a great addition to the list. The story chronicles the life of twins Nikki and Maya as they finish up their last year of high school. Maya is our first-person narrator, and lets readers into her life in Portland, Oregon. The neighborhood in which she grew up is changing – new businesses are popping up everywhere, new families are moving in across the street, and Maya feels as if her culture and friends are being forced to leave. 

This Side of Home is the perfect combination of a contemporary YA story and a discussion on race relations.As Maya and Nikki take on their senior year of high school, they go through numerous struggles both at home and school. Nikki refuses to attend her best friend’s birthday party because she is afraid the guests will call her “white” due to her straight hair and love for vintage clothes. Maya, on the other hand, is the student body president at Richmond, her notoriously dangerous high school. Maya takes on her new principal as he tries to focus on diversity, and not on the black history that Maya craves to feature at school events.

While This Side of Home takes on a variety of serious issues, it is also a quick read that I flew through in just a few hours. I grew to love the characters, and I loved the balance between a realistic teenage love story, and the fight to overcome racism in a public high school. I was thoroughly impressed with the writing in This Side of Home, as it flowed easily and was at a steady pace throughout. If this is what a debut novel from author Renée Watson looks like, I’m excited to see what comes next!

At a time when the We Need Diverse Books campaign is at the forefront of readers’ minds, This Side of Home begins many important conversations. I was truly impressed with Watson’s ability to write characters that battle with the same struggles that we as readers have. There are no right answers to these questions, but This Side of Home helps us to open up and become comfortable with discussing these issues. I recommend it for all readers of contemporary young adult, and those craving a diverse book. This Side of Home is a refreshing and thought-provoking read.

BUY THE BOOK
 
When you buy a book through the Amazon or Book Depository links above, I earn a small commission through each website’s affiliate program. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 
 

Book Review | My Best Everything by Sarah Tomp

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

My Best Everything by Sarah Tomp

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on March 3, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Pages: 400

Format: eARC

Source: NetGalley

Goodreads: ★★★★


An Appalachian summer walks the line between toxic and intoxicating in this debut novel about first loves, broken hearts, and moonshine.

 
Luisa “Lulu” Mendez has just finished her final year of high school in a small Virginia town, determined to move on and leave her job at the local junkyard behind. So when her father loses her college tuition money, Lulu needs a new ticket out.
 
Desperate for funds, she cooks up the (illegal) plan to make and sell moonshine with her friends. Quickly realizing they’re out of their depth, they turn to Mason, a local boy who’s always seemed like a dead end. As Mason guides Lulu through the secret world of moonshine, it looks like her plan might actually work. But can she leave town before she loses everything?
 
My Best Everything is Lulu’s letter to Mason–but is it a love letter, an apology, or a good-bye?
REVIEW

When I received an email from NetGalley describing My Best Everything as a debut novel for fans of Rainbow Rowell, I knew I wanted to pick it up. The plot summary really intrigued me – how could a girl who worked so hard to stay on the straight and narrow suddenly put her morals aside and begin an illegal business selling moonshine? I had to know how this story panned out.

The writing style of My Best Everything is quite unique. Our main character Lulu is writing a letter to Mason, the love interest in the story. Thus, readers are placed into the role of Mason, and whenever Lulu speaks to “you” she is speaking to Mason. This style was a little difficult to get into, since I’m not used to playing the role of a teenage boy, but once I settled into it I really liked the flow and rhythm of the writing. In addition, this format added a lot of mystery to the story, because I had no idea why Lulu was writing to Mason, and had to keep reading to find out.

Moreover, I really enjoyed the characters in My Best Everything. Each character has a well-developed story, even if he or she is not in the spotlight. For instance, Lulu’s best friend Roni faces some difficult challenges, and grows substantially throughout the novel. I really liked this attention to detail, and I thought the smaller plotlines added a lot of depth to the book.

There are, however, some things I did not like about My Best Everything. First, the pacing in the novel was off for me. The first 75% of the story moved very slowly. I was never bored, but I did stop and think to myself, “Wow, nothing has really happened yet!” at several points in my reading. The last quarter of the book is definitely rushed, and I would have preferred a more balanced pace. A lot of information was dumped on the reader right at the end, and while I did like the ending, the information dump did take away some credibility for me.

Similarly, I did not like the lack of consequences for Lulu in this story. I will be vague in this criticism as to not spoil the book, but Lulu is constantly breaking the law and finding herself in dangerous situations, yet for some reason she gets away with it. Her parents do a terrible job of supporting her, and even the other adults in her life, like her boss and local priest, do not keep tabs on Lulu or provide guidance for her. The lack of consequences for Lulu’s actions was really aggravating for me, and definitely took away some of the believability in the story.

All in all, I gave My Best Everything a four star rating because I thought the writing was very well done and overall enjoyed the story. While there are a few aspects with the story that I wish were different, My Best Everything is still a great young adult contemporary, and a solid debut novel for author Sarah Tomp. I look forward to seeing what she comes out with in the future, as I know her strong writing skills will lead to even better books.

BUY THE BOOK
 
When you buy a book through the Amazon or Book Depository links above, I earn a small commission through each website’s affiliate program. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Book Review | Inherit Midnight by Kate Kae Meyers

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Inherit Midnight by Kate Kae Meyers

Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens on February 10, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Romance

Pages: 400

Format: eARC

Source: NetGalley

Goodreads: ★★★★


Avery VanDemere says she’s lived her whole life in prisons—-one is a mansion, the others are private schools—-but prisons, still. That’s why, during the last couple of years, she’s perfected the ability of learning how to escape. On the brink of finally freeing herself from a hated boarding school, she is unexpectedly returned home and thrust in the middle of a competition. Her grandmother, the family matriarch, is now determined to discover the most worthy VanDemere to be named sole inheritor. With the help of Riley Tate, the handsome son of her grandmother’s lawyer, Avery sets out to do much more than prove she should inherit the massive family wealth. She has a secret mission of her own, and that’s to discover the truth about what really happened to the mother she never knew. Along the way she must pass difficult and sometimes perilous challenges, avoid treacherous relatives, and sort out her growing feelings for Riley. She’ll have to act quickly, though; the pressure is on and with each challenge, her competitors are more desperate to win—and to them that means getting rid of Avery.

REVIEW

I was drawn to read Inherit Midnight as soon as I heard it’s about a rich family competing against one another in a race around the world to inherit their grandmother’s estate. How awesome does that sound?! I love movies such as National Treasure, and this story is along the same vein. I absolutely loved the fast-paced adventure in this novel, and had a very difficult time putting it down. However, there are a few things I want to discuss.

First, the romance in Inherit Midnight is extremely cringeworthy and one of the worst cases of instalove I’ve experienced. I thought it was interesting that the author admits to the instalove, but that didn’t justify it. Instead, I felt extremely uncomfortable with the dialogue between Avery and Riley, and couldn’t get over how “in love” they were after just a few weeks of knowing one another. In fact, I would have enjoyed Inherit Midnight much more if the romance was put aside. I wanted to focus on the family competition, and not on the angsty teenage love.

Moreover, there were a few small details in Inherit Midnight that annoyed me. For example, the chapter titles were unnecessary and distracting. I’m not sure why they were included at all. In addition, I was a bit unnerved by how the lawyers were written in this story. As a law student, I didn’t like the portrayal of the lawyers and their behaviors, but I’m one of the few people who would actually pick up on that. Finally, the ending of the book was really unbelievable, but I cannot say more without spoiling you.

Putting those critiques aside, I really enjoyed Inherit Midnight. I loved following Avery as she and her family were tasked with the different challenges, all while traveling around the world and learning about their family history. The action never wavered, and once the competition began I didn’t want to stop reading. I also loved the character development in this book. Avery learns a lot about her family in Inherit Midnight, both her ancestors and those she’s competing against. The competition really showed each character’s true light, and Avery learns who she can trust and who she can’t.

I also really liked how the author included some subplots in the book, but I won’t get much into those because they are spoiler-filled. I will say that I predicted a huge plot twist right from the beginning, but I was excited to find out I was right towards the end. Because this particular twist was a subplot and not the main story, it didn’t detract from the overall book when I was able to predict the outcome. I also really loved the last scene of the book. It was sweet and touching, and filled me with hope for Avery’s future.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience of Inherit Midnight. In reality, this book probably deserves a three star rating because of the instalove and cringeworthy dialogue, but because it was so action-packed and exciting, I gave it a four star rating. I highly recommend Inherit Midnight if you love The Amazing Race or the National Treasure movies, or if you are looking to break into the thriller genre. Inherit Midnight is a ton of fun!

BUY THE BOOK
 
If you but a book through the Amazon or Book Depository links above, I earn a small commission through each website’s affiliate program. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

 

Book Review | Bunheads by Sophie Flack

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Bunheads by Sophie Flack

Published by Poppy on October 10, 2011

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary

Pages: 294

Format: Hardcover

Source: BookMooch

Goodreads: ★★★★1/2


As a dancer with the ultra-prestigious Manhattan Ballet Company, nineteen-year-old Hannah Ward juggles intense rehearsals, dazzling performances and complicated backstage relationships. Up until now, Hannah has happily devoted her entire life to ballet.

But when she meets a handsome musician named Jacob, Hannah’s universe begins to change, and she must decide if she wants to compete against the other “bunheads” in the company for a star soloist spot or strike out on her own in the real world. Does she dare give up the gilded confines of the ballet for the freedoms of everyday life? 

REVIEW

After reading a few disturbing books at the end of February, I needed to curl up with something that I knew I’d love. I recently received Bunheads by Sophie Flack on BookMooch, a book trading website. I’ve heard mixed reviews of this young adult novel, but because I was a dancer growing up I was really interested in reading a book featuring a ballerina. I definitely picked up Bunheads at the perfect time – I found it a quick and comforting read.

Bunheads tells the story of Hannah Ward, a nineteen-year-old in the Manhattan Ballet Company’s corps de ballet. The book is written in Hannah’s first-person perspective, and is separated into the three seasons the ballet performs: fall, winter, and spring. Readers follow Hannah as she faces a multitude of struggles in her young life. Hannah wants more than anything to be promoted to a soloist in the company, but receiving that position requires a strict diet and workout schedule, and forces her to compete against her closet friends. At the same time, Hannah wants desperately to be a normal teenager, but ballet dancers in the Manhattan Ballet Company rarely leave the confines of the theatre.

I really enjoyed Hannah’s story, and connected with her in many ways. Even though I am not a professional dancer, I understand how it feels to move to New York City and try to follow your dreams when you are young and alone. Just like Hannah, I struggle with balancing my career with my personal life, and I really admired how Hannah handled her situation.

Bunheads does feature a love triangle, but I think it worked really well with this story. It wasn’t overdone, and it wasn’t dramatic. Instead, it was quite realistic, and the conflict brought an interesting twist to the story. I only mention the love triangle in my review because I know that is a key buzzword for some readers when deciding whether or not to pick up a book.

The only criticisms I have with Bunheads are very small indeed. First, Flack uses a multitude of ballet terms throughout the novel. Because I took ballet for several years, I had no problem pronouncing or understanding the different dance positions and movements. However, readers with no dance background will probably find these terms frustrating, so it would be very helpful to include a glossary in the back of the book with the proper pronunciations, translation from French to English, and a short description of what the step is.

Furthermore, I found the pacing in Bunheads to be a little confusing at times. Even though the story was separated by season, I found that time moved much quicker that I would have expected. For instance, if a scene takes place in the book, the next scene could be either the next day, or the next week, or even a few weeks down the road. The timing between chapters was not consistent, and I would have liked more markers so I could follow where I was. However, this is really nitpicking, and it really did not detract much from the story at all.

Overall, I really loved Bunheads and highly recommend it to anyone who was a dancer or who is interesting in dancing. The author is a retired ballerina herself, so I loved the authenticity in the story. I learned so much about what it takes to be a professional dancer, but at the same time I connected to this book on a personal level. I’m really impressed with Flack’s ability to make Hannah’s story my story even though we lead very different lives. I will definitely be rereading Bunheads at some point in the future, and I anxiously await Flack’s next book, whatever it may be!

BUY THE BOOK
 
When you purchase a book through the Amazon or Book Depository links above, I earn a small commission through each website’s affiliate program. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

 

#PolishlandPresents | Tea Drops + Coupon Code + Giveaway!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! It’s time for another installment of #PolishlandPresents. Last week, I featured a small business that sells special mugs (click HERE if you missed it). Of course, you need something to put in your mug, so today I’m sharing a cool new tea company that I discovered. Let me go ahead and tell you about Tea Drops, and stay tuned for a special coupon code and giveaway at the end of this post!

ABOUT TEA DROPS


I thought I would share the Tea Drops Story video for all of you, because it does a great job of explaining the company and sharing the unique experience each Tea Drops customer enjoys. The company sent me a Variety Box so I could sample the teas and share my opinion on them with you. I’m so glad they did!

MY TEA DROPS EXPERIENCE

Tea Drops PackagingEach box of Tea Drops comes packaged in super cute paper wrapping. You know it is done by hand with the awesome seal. This makes Tea Drops not only fun to receive, but it’s already wrapped and perfect for gifting during the holidays!

Tea Drops Box Tea Drops Box Here’s the adorable box after I unwrapped it. I love the rustic packaging, and how the instructions are clearly printed on the side. Time to see the goodies inside!

Tea Drops Box Tea Drops BoxThe box contains little cubbies for each of the tea flavors. The Variety Box comes with eight teas in four flavors. Each tea is individually packaged. Wait until you see how the tea looks!

Tea Drops Variety BoxHere are the four teas inside the Variety Box. How cute are the shapes?! From left to right, the flavors are: Cardamom Spice (star), Citrus Ginger (bundt), Rose Earl Grey (flower), and Sweet Peppermint (heart). I am just obsessed with all of the little details that Tea Drops thinks about in presenting their products!

Here is how to enjoy Tea Drops! You simply put a drop into the bottom of your mug, pour in hot water, and stir. I like to let my tea sit for about 30 seconds to one minute so all of the loose sediment can settle on the bottom of the mug. I have to say, I love this new way of drinking tea. Plus, it tastes AMAZING! Each flavor is very rich. I love drinking it black, but you can of course customize it to your taste. My favorite in the box is definitely the Cardamom Spice. I am going to be purchasing a full box of that flavor for sure!

COUPON CODE AND GIVEAWAY

Tea Drops is kindly giving all of my followers the opportunity to try out Tea Drops at a discounted price. Use the code POLISHLAND14 for 10% off your order at checkout. Each box of 8 drops is $12.00, so this is an affordable yet thoughtful gift for everyone on your list! You can visit the Tea Drops online shop HERE.

Tea Drops is also sponsoring a giveaway! One of you will win the Variety Box that I reviewed in this post. This giveaway will run for one week, ending next Friday, December 19th. It is open INTERNATIONALLY! Please read all of the Terms & Conditions in the Rafflecopter before entering. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for reading today’s #PolishlandPresents post! I hope you are finding my gift guide series helpful! I’m excited to bring you great products and offers each week. We’re almost at the end! Can you believe it?! See you with a new installment on Monday.

The products in this post were received in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

#PolishlandPresents | My Best Buy Gift List for the #HintingSeason

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Disclaimer: The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

Happy Monday! I’ve shared with you some of my favorite beauty and skincare gift ideas thus far during #PolishlandPresents, but I’m sure it’s no surprise to you that electronics are always at the top of many wish lists this time of year. Today I’m excited to tell you about some awesome items that are found at Best Buy. I’ve always enjoyed shopping at Best Buy for electronics because of the store’s great customer service and affordable prices (I don’t hunt for bargains just in the beauty department, you know!). Let me tell you about some of the top items on my holiday gift list and why you should check them out, too!

Xbox One

Starting at $349.99 [BUY]

Whether you’re a diehard gamer or simply looking for the next all-in-one device, the Xbox One is the perfect gift for the entire family. You’ll want this console because it has exclusive titles such as Call of Duty, NBA 2K15, Just Dance 15, and more. That means you can only play these sought after games if you have the Xbox One! Plus, the Xbox One goes beyond just gaming to enable you to watch TV shows and movies through your favorite apps. How fun does this console sound?! You can even choose a specific bundle from Best Buy to get added savings.

JBL Speakers and Headphones

Starting at $59.99 [BUY]

If you’re shopping for a music lover like me, JBL has some awesome goodies to gift! First, the JBL Charge 2 is a portable bluetooth speaker with twin passive radiators for a deep bass. This speaker also has an outstanding battery life and allows up to three different users to play their own playlists on a single speaker, making this perfect for households with a variety of music tastes. Next, the JBL Flip 2 speaker includes the unique SoundClear for echo and noise cancellation. It also has a microphone system so you can pick up calls on the speaker. That makes it great for those who work at home! Finally, the JBL Reflect Earbud Headphones are really cool. They have a sweat proof ergonomic design with built-in magnets to keep your buds on standby without loose cables. Enjoy your music for 5 hours with the rechargeable battery! It’s time to turn in those crappy headphones that came with your smartphone, friends!

Garmin and TomTom

Starting at $79.99 [BUY]

Of course, some of the best holiday gifts when it comes to electronics is a brand new GPS. Speaking as someone who easily gets lost, I think a GPS is a caring and practical present! Best Buy has some great new models from which to choose this season. All feature bluetooth connectivity that allows for hands-free calling, traffic and weather updates, and more. Definitely make sure to check out the Garmin 52LM and Garmin 2597LMT, and also the TomTom Go 50s (pictured above). If you’re wondering about which model is best, use the Compare feature on Best Buy’s website to see a complete listing of each model’s features. It’s really helpful and easy to use!

Those are all of the new electronics I have to share with you from Best Buy, but the best part is you can find all sorts of other gift ideas at this one store. If you’re struggling to find a present for someone on your list, head into Best Buy and you’re sure to find innovative products at great prices. Definitely let me know what you’ve been wishing for this #HintingSeason in the comments, and stay tuned for more #PolishlandPresents posts as we near Christmas!

#PolishlandPresents | Creature Cups + Giveaway

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I have another installment in my #PolishlandPresents series where I highlight a small business that I’ll think you’ll love. A few months ago, I found THIS on Pinterest and immediately added it to my Etsy Wish List Board. Imagine my surprise when it arrived in the mail for my birthday! My brother saw my pin and figured I would like to have the skull mug for myself. Well, it’s been over a month now and I do love that mug. I knew I had to share this unique shop with all of you, since these mugs make excellent gifts.

ABOUT CREATURE CUPS

Creature Cups Large Skull MugCreature Cups is a Brooklyn based company created by Yumi, an artist and coffee drinker. She designed these mugs after dreaming up the creatures and finally discovering that they wanted to live in the bottom of coffee cups. I love that this brand is local to NYC, and the care that goes into making each mug by hand. Plus, each creature is quirky in its own way. I love my skull, but if you prefer something a bit cuter there are options for you. I also think it’s great that these mugs are microwaveable and dishwasher safe.

GIVEAWAY

Creature Cups Large Elephant

I am so excited to announce that I’ve teamed up with Creature Cups to bring you a giveaway. Creature Cups will be giving away two large mugs – one Skull and one Elephant. There will be one winner, so either give the mugs away as presents or feel free to keep one for yourself! This giveaway is open to United States residents only, and will be open for one week until December 12th. I want to make sure you have time to get the mugs before Christmas! Please make sure to read all of the Terms & Conditions in the Rafflecopter before entering. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for reading another #PolishlandPresents post! Stay tuned for more gift guides and giveaways as the series continues! Of course, make sure to check out the Creature Cups shop HERE to grab these awesome mugs! 

Please Vote for Me in the Firmoo Co-Blogger Awards!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I have a very quick post asking you to vote for me in the Firmoo Co-Blogger Awards! If you remember, I reviewed two pairs of Firmoo sunglasses this past year. I really love this company, and would be honored to be a winner in this contest. The top winner gets four pairs of glasses plus $100. It would be a huge help to me to win this contest!

Fall Office Fashion with Firmoo Sunglasses | Adventures in PolishlandSo, how do you vote? It is SO EASY! All you do is go to the direct link to my entry HERE and click the “vote” button. That’s it! You don’t have to sign up for anything, or register, or even enter your email! Just hit “vote”! You can vote for me once every day from now until December 14th when the contest ends. I know with your amazing support I could win this!

Thank you for your endless support! You can also check out my Firmoo reviews HERE and HERE. Please also “share” this on your social media profiles to spread the word!

 

#PolishlandPresents | Whose Woods Are These? + Coupon Code

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I’m here with my first featured shop in my #PolishlandPresents series. This shop is near and dear to my heart because it’s run by a family I know and love. However, rest assured this Etsy shop is super awesome! Let me tell you about this unique brand.

ABOUT WHOSE WOODS ARE THESE?

Whose Woods Are These? shop owners Lauren & Michael

Whose Woods Are These? is run by husband and wife team Michael and Lauren. The couple discovered early in their relationship that they share a love for antiquing, and so they wanted to create a crafting business that allowed them to turn this hobby into a new passion. Whose Woods Are These? turns vintage glassware and tins into upcycled, handmade candles. Each candle is hand-poured, and truly on trend right now. In fact, shop owner Michael explains that Whose Woods Are These? is the real Anthropologie because all of the items in their shop are hand-picked from the antique stores the couple visits throughout the year. How cool is that?!

Fun Fact: The shop name Whose Woods Are These? is inspired from Robert Frost’s famous poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening (read it HERE).

MY FAVORITE WHOSE WOODS ARE THESE? ITEMS

Each item in the Whose Woods Are These? shop is one-of-a-kind, so you’ll have to act fast if you see something you love! Never fear – the owners are constantly creating new relics of whimsy for you. These are my current favorites from their shop.

Pink Roses Tea Cup and Saucer Set

Whoose Woods Are These? offers many beautiful tea cups. I love the pink roses on this one. The scent is Royal Chrysanthemum, and this is a soy candle like all of the candles in the shop. It retails for $18 HERE.

Miss Piggy Jelly Jar Candle

How cute is this Miss Piggy candle?! It is made in a vintage Welch’s Jelly Jar and features her Muppets in Space outfit. At only $12, this Rain scented candle is an absolute steal. Make sure to grab it HERE before this unique item is gone!

Libbey Pirate Tumbler Set

You can also find great candles for the men in your life on Whose Woods Are These?! I love this set of pirate candles. You get all three for the price of $35 HERE. Arr, matey, methinks this is an awesome gift!

EXCLUSIVE COUPON CODE & SHOP INFO

I am excited to share with you an exclusive coupon code for Whose Woods Are These? that is just for Adventures in Polishland readers! From now until January 1, 2015 use code PLCHRISTMAS to get 10% off of any purchase $10 or more.

Whose Woods Are These? is found on Etsy HERE and Facebook HERE.

Whose Woods Are These? Craft Fair 2013
Lauren selling Whose Woods Are These? products at a craft fair in Los Angeles!

 If you live in or plan to visit the Los Angeles area, make sure to follow Whose Woods Are These? on Facebook to find them at craft fairs!

I hope you enjoyed the first small business feature in my #PolishlandPresents series! Make sure to let me know if you check out Whose Woods Are These? in the comments!

Welcome to #PolishlandPresents! | Introduction + Sale Alerts

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! I am beyond excited to begin my new holiday series on Adventures in Polishland today. Last year I posted my first gift guides ever during Winter Wonderland Week (see those posts HERE), but this year I really want to go bigger and better. Holiday shopping is extremely fun – the deals are amazing, the gift sets are perfectly put together, and the feeling of giving is so heartwarming. However, I know how stressful the holidays can be, too. That’s why every Monday and Friday until Christmas I am bringing you #PolishlandPresents, a series where I present to you some awesome present ideas.Welcome to #PolishlandPresents! | Adventures in Polishland

On Mondays, I’ll be sharing my gift ideas for big websites such as Sephora, Amazon, and more. These posts will be mainly beauty and skincare focused, but I’ll also share the other great products that I find and think make the perfect presents. I’ll let you know why they are great gifts, and even tell you how I would package them or combine them with other items. I’m doing all of the web browsing for you, so you don’t have to spend hours scouring these sites!

On Fridays, I’ll be highlighting some amazing small businesses. I think it’s really important to support smaller companies, especially when it comes to the holidays. I’ve found some awesome Etsy shops and unique websites that sell creative gift items. These posts will not be focused purely on beauty, but I think you’ll really love the present ideas I have to share!

This series will officially begin this Friday, but before I go I wanted to share some websites that you should definitely check out for added savings this holiday season. Flash sale websites will have tons of good presents, and those websites change daily. Because of that, I won’t be featuring them in the rest of #PolishlandPresents, but I did want to mention my favorites to you now. Simply click on each photo to be directed to that company’s website!

EBATES

I’ve mentioned Ebates before, and I definitely want all of you to check it out! It’s the website that offers cash back on hundreds of online retailers. I’ve been a member for about a year now, and represent to you that it is 100% legitimate and not a scam! If you are an online shopper, you want to sign up to earn cash back on your purchases. The money adds up, and you’ll be super happy when you get a check with your cash back. Please feel free to ask me any questions if you’re interested in Ebates.

 

 

 

Ebates Coupons and Cash Back

HAUTELOOK

I’ve also been an HauteLook member for years now. They have great deals on designer items for women, men, kids, the home, and more! Definitely scope out the site for new sales daily, but here’s a tip for my polish lovers – on #ManiMonday a new nail polish brand is always on sale!

 

hautelookLogo_bluebg

 

 

GROUPON

Another favorite of mine is Groupon, where you can buy deals to local restaurants and businesses, plus tons of products at discounted prices. I’ve gotten amazing nail polish deals from Groupon before, as well as discounted tickets to theatre shows. If you’re really stuck for a gift, browsing Groupon is bound to help you out!

 

groupon_0

 

 

RUELALA

If you like HauteLook, you’ll also love RueLaLa. This is another flash sale website that has tons of designer items for discounted prices every day. RueLaLa is easy to navigate, and often has great gift items during the holidays. Just check out the Gifts tab if you need some inspiration!

 

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That’s it for my introduction to #PolishlandPresents! I hope you are as excited for this holiday series as I am! If you come across a great gift idea, definitely use the hashtag on social media so I can see your post. I’ll also be using the hashtag for any other holiday updates that I make, whether it be beauty related or not, so definitely keep an update on social media. Ready or not, the holidays are right around the corner!