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Book Review | Breakable (Contours of the Heart #2) by Tammara Webber

Posted on February 11, 2016February 11, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Breakable (Contours of the Heart #2) by Tammara Webber

Published by Penguin Berkley on May 6, 2014

Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: Paberback

Pages: 361

Source: Purchased

Goodreads: ★★★★

As a child, Landon Lucas Maxfield believed his life was perfect and looked forward to a future filled with promise — until tragedy tore his family apart and made him doubt everything he ever believed.

All he wanted was to leave the past behind. When he met Jacqueline Wallace, his desire to be everything she needed came so easy…

As easy as it could be for a man who learned that the soul is breakable and that everything you hoped for could be ripped away in a heartbeat.

REVIEW

I was really excited to pick up Breakable as soon as I finished reading the first book in the Contours of the Heart series, Easy. Breakable is written in a unique dual perspective from Lucas’s point-of-view. Readers hear from Lucas when he was growing up and known as Landon, and in this way Breakable is part prequel. At the same time, the book is also Easy from Lucas’s point-of-view. I thought this dual perspective was really well done because it made the book a real page-turner, as Landon and Lucas alternate telling the story. The writing style also added a lot to the storyline, and Lucas’s character becomes extremely well developed.

In the same way, Webber does a great job writing the scenes from Easy in Lucas’s point-of-view. She speaks quickly about the major details, and really focuses on Lucas’s emotions and thought process. There are new scenes to the Lucas and Jacqueline storyline as well, ensuring that Breakable is not just a carbon copy of Easy. I really appreciated that as a reader.

Moreover, I did want to mention that Breakable is much steamier than Easy, which is not really my personal cup of tea. Perhaps this is because this book is written from a male perspective, but I would definitely take that into consideration if you don’t like heavier romances, or if you’re a parent with a teen wanting to read this book. I’d say it is for ages 17+, but, of course, that is for you to decide.

Overall, I really enjoyed Breakable and think it is a must-read for all who enjoyed Easy. I enjoyed it even better than the first book in the series, as it answers some questions I had and adds a lot to the story. It’s still a bit cheesy and does contain insta-love, but this is a romance book so I’m more willing to let it slide. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, which follows Boyce and Pearl!

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Book Review | Easy (Contours of the Heart #1) by Tammara Webber

Posted on January 26, 2016January 26, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Easy (Contours of the Heart #1) by Tammara Webber

Published by Penguin Berkley on May 25, 2012

Genres: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary

Format: Paperback

Pages: 321

Source: BookMooch

Goodreads: ★★★ 1/2

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she’s single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex’s frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night – but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.

When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he’s hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

REVIEW

I’ve been interested in reading the New Adult genre for a while now, and I decided to begin with Easy by Tammara Webber after hearing so many good things about it. Easy follows college sophomore Jacqueline and begins with her getting assaulted while leaving a fraternity party. She is luckily saved by a mysterious guy named Lucas, who somehow knows her name. The book follows Jacqueline as she recovers from her assault, and as she learns more about who Lucas is.

Overall, I really liked Easy, and I think it was a good first step into New Adult. This is a genre between Young Adult and Adult, and includes more adult themes and some steamier romances. However, I really like that the romances aren’t too detailed or explicit. I also enjoyed Webber’s writing style, as it is well done and not cliché like some of the adult romances I’ve tried in the past.

In addition, I really liked the characters. Jacqueline is very likable and relateable, and Lucas is well-developed as well. The side characters in the book are also well written and add a lot to the story. I appreciated that Jacqueline had a strong best friend in her roommate Erin, a good role model in professor Dr. Heller, and a new buddy in classmate Benji. Webber knows how to write characters with great personalities for sure.

That being said, there were some things I didn’t enjoy about Easy. First and foremost, it was quite predictable at the beginning. While there is a bigger reveal at the end that I didn’t see coming, I did have a larger plot twist figured out from the start. Another writing issue is the setting. Webber does a great job embodying the college atmosphere, but there is no mention in the novel where Jacqueline’s college is situated in the country. There is a hint that this is a southern campus, but having a more specified geographic location would have helped me as a reader tremendously, as I kept wondering about the setting while reading.

My biggest critique with Easy, however, lies with the romance. While I won’t go into too much detail because of spoilers, I will say that at times I felt very uncomfortable with how Jacqueline and her love interest were interacting. Despite knowing that Jacqueline just got out of a three-year relationship with her ex-boyfriend and that she is recovering from a sexual assault, he pursues her full force and even ‘tricks’ her into his apartment. I would have liked for Webber to be a bit more attentive to the realities of Jacqueline’s situation when writing the romance.

All in all, I did really enjoy Easy, and I have already picked up the two other books in the series so I can continue on with the story. I’m glad I finally gave New Adult a chance, and will definitely be exploring other books in the genre as well. If you have any New Adult recommendations, please share them with me in the comments!

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Winter Wonderland Week | Candy Cane Nails

Posted on November 24, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Today is the first day of Winter Wonderland Week here at Adventures in Polishland! I’m excited to be celebrating the holiday season with all of you through nail art, gift guides, and more. I will have a new post every day this week, so be sure to follow my blog for all the details. First up, an easy nail art look! Let me show you my festive fingers!

To create this candy cane look, I followed the directions set forth in my Scratch Art tutorial HERE. I began with a base of Julep Isla, a metallic white polish. You can use any white nail polish you own, but I liked having a metallic base for a bit more of candy shine! Then, once my base was completely dry, I used a striping tape to create diagonal lines on each nail. For the red stripes, I used Sephora X Pyrotechnic [see that review HERE]. After finishing up with a top coat, I’m good to go!

I’m loving this candy cane manicure! It is very easy to create, but looks amazing when completed! If you’re looking for a festive manicure this season, I highly recommend this one. Plus, you can create the candy cane design on just one or two nails as an accent if you’re in a rush. If you decide to create this look, please share a photo of your nails on my Facebook page HERE! Stay tuned for more holiday posts during Winter Wonderland Week!

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

Gradient Nails featuring Milani Textured Creams for Fall

Posted on October 29, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! I’ve been wanting to post a gradient manicure on Adventures in Polishland since it’s creation, but I’ve never been able to master the technique. When trying out the new Milani Textured Creams collection, I knew I just had to give the gradient another try. Let me show you how it turned out!

I used both Gracious Green and Lovely Lavender to create this manicure. First, I added added a thin coat of each polish to roughly half of each nail. It doesn’t have to be precise, since the colors will be smudged together anyway. The next step is taking a cosmetic wedge, and placing a bit of each color on it. Then, smudge the sponge carefully over each nail to blur the colors together. And that’s it! For more help, check out THIS tutorial on Pinterest.

I really like the way this gradient turned out! The textured finish is very forgiving, and makes for some easy nail art. I can’t wait to use this technique again, and maybe even use three colors. For a full review of the Milani polishes used in this post, including where to purchase them, see THIS blog post.

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Hello Kitty Nail Art Stickers from Born Pretty Store!

Posted on March 29, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I have another review of a product from the online retailer Born Pretty Store. While I was not impressed with the Sweet Color nail polish (see that review HERE), I am loving these adorable nail art stickers! As a lifelong Hello Kitty fan, I was super excited that I got the opportunity to review these stickers for you. I hope you love them as much as I do!

Above you can see the nail art sheet as it comes. I love these stickers because they are glittery and have different sizes and shapes! This sheet retails for $5.23, but if you buy more than one you get a discount. As always, there is free international shipping from Born Pretty Store! I chose the sticker sheet in number XF314, but they come in a variety of designs. You can see all of the choices on the Born Pretty website HERE!

I was so impressed with how easy it is to apply these stickers! First, I painted my nails with Zoya Blu from the lovely collection (see that review HERE). Once my manicure was completely dry, I chose the stickers I wanted to apply, and carefully peeled them off the sheet and put them on my nails. I pressed each sticker down firmly, and then layered top coat over them. And that’s all there is to it! The smaller stickers are a bit tricky to handle, but I used a pair of tweezers to steady my hand. I can’t get over how much I love these stickers! I chose to wear one on each finger for this manicure, but you can use them easily for an accent nail as well. I love that just one sheet of stickers can be used for multiple manicures, and you can mix and match the designs!

All in all, I’m so happy I tried these Hello Kitty stickers! They are so easy to apply, and are perfect for someone like me who prefers not to do her own nail art. This design is also perfect for spring, but there are so many to choose from on the Born Pretty Store website. If you are looking for some great nail art supplies, be sure to head on over and see everything Born Pretty has to offer! Use the coupon code FZL91 to get 10% off your order as well! Happy Shopping!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. This post contains some affiliate links. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.