I had a rough Spring season with the loss of my beloved cat. With that loss I sought out a little more escapism than usual. I read 5 books over the last season. Some of them were good, some of them were bad, and I want to share my thoughts on them with you. The reviews below do not contain spoilers.

Me: Elton John Official Biography by Elton John

To be honest with you, I would not consider myself a fan of Elton John’s music. Aside from Tiny Dancer (which I only love because it’s on the soundtrack of Almost Famous which is one of my favorite movies) I really don’t like his music. However, he is an interesting person and he’s got a great sense of humor. I love how raw and honest this book is. This book did feel like it dragged on at times and I found myself struggling to maintain interest at times. I think this was due to the book being much longer than it should have been. I would really only recommend this if you are a fan of Elton John.

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

I absolutely loved this book. There were so many wholesome moments in it and I loved the characters. This was the type of book that I could have easily read in a day but I savored it over the course of a week and I looked forward to reading it every day. This book felt like a romcom feel good movie.

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

I have a love/hate relationship with this book. I loved that it was a page turner and I HAD to find out how things ended. I hated it because the characters were all horrendous in some way, whether it was from just being a horrible person or from making irresponsible and blatantly bad decisions. The characters discussed money, class, and status a few times in the book that left a sour taste in my mouth. The way the main character, Lilly, describes a good person as simply someone that donates money seemed really juvenile. There were parts of the book that felt like the author was originally trying to write a YA but because of the darker content of the book it is adult. I find it mildly concerning that this book gets romanticized by it’s fans.

Verity by Colleen Hoover

This book was written by the same author as It Ends With Us. Much like the previous book, I also have a love/hate relationship with this book. This author really knows how to captivate you. She also really knows how to create characters that make horrible decisions. This one did actually feel like an adult book so by default I enjoyed it more than the one above.

Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Tsujimura Mizuki

This is one of the most heartwarming and beautifully written books I’ve read. It was incredibly moving. I loved the storyline and the author had me really rooting for the characters. This is the type of book I wish I could read again for the first time.

Dress Hat Sandals

I’m a huge advocate for doing manicures and pedicures at home. It might be more costly upfront, but it saves money in the long run. It’s also usually more sanitary to do it at home. I personally enjoy the experience more when I give myself a manicure or pedicure at home. Since I started doing it myself I only go the a salon twice a year. Although you can certainly trim your own cuticles, I find that to be the one thing salons do better so I still go a couple times a year for that. I recently shared everything I use for an at-home manicure, so now I’m sharing everything you need to replace salon pedicures.

Dr. Scholl’s Exfoliating Foot Mask These foot masks are what I use during the Winter to exfoliate my feet. It does make your feet peel which is why I only use them in the Winter when I’m not wearing sandals or any shoes that exposes my feet because it is unsightly.

Dr. Scholl’s Hydrating Foot Mask The week following using the exfoliating foot mask, I like to use these hydrating foot masks. These help protect and hydrate the newly exposed skin on your feet.

Kerasal Intensive Foot Repair This is my product of choice to keep my feet exfoliated during the Summer. It’s really gentle but effective and it does not make your feet peel like the Dr. Scholl’s Exfoliating Foot Mask. I apply a pea size amount to each foot before putting on socks. I like to use this in the evenings and leave it on for a few hours before I go to bed.

Callus Remover If you want to exfoliate your feet and remove calluses quickly then this callus remover is the best option. It does require soaking your feet though.

Foot Spa If you are interested in the full salon pedicure experience and/or you want to use the callus remover above, then you will need a foot spa. There are tons of options out there but I recommend one that allows you to adjust the temperature.

Foot File If you do go the route of soaking your feet and using the callus remover then I suggest also using a foot file after you have soaked your feet.

As a makeup lover I have tried MANY eyeshadows over the years. In recent years I don’t venture out of my comfort zone much, and I’ve found what works best for my blue eyes and skin tone. Most makeup artists suggest wearing warm eyeshadows to really make blue eyes pop. I do agree with that, but there is a huge range of blue eye colors and skin tone also plays a roll in eyeshadow color selection. For me personally, I love neutral and sometimes even cool tone brown eyeshadows. Ultimately, you should wear (or don’t wear) whatever makes you happiest and feel your best. If you are at a loss though, I have some eyeshadow recommendations below. For reference, I have blue eyes with green specs and light warm skin tone.

1. Natasha Denona Mini Glam Palette This is my go-to everyday makeup eyeshadow palette. I have used this palette nearly every time I’ve done my makeup over the past 3 years I’ve had it (it’s probably time to replace it). It has a couple of matte shades and a couple of shimmer shades. It’s easy to blend and long wearing. I also like that it is small so it’s easier to travel with. It’s the only palette I’ve ever had that I use every shade in it.
2. Armani Beauty Liquid Eyeshadow in the shade 30 Taupe This is a great option if you prefer liquid eyeshadows. It won’t budge during the day and it’s one of the easier liquid eyeshadows to blend.
3. Hourglass Eyeshadow in the shade Coy Hourglass makes great eyeshadow singles. I love this soft brown shade.
4. Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette If you are someone that prefers warm tone eyeshadow this palette is a great option. It has 12 shades so you can create tons of different looks with it.

Father’s Day is less than 3 weeks away so if you have not shopped for the Father(s) in your life, now would be the time to do so. Below is my gift guide for Father’s Day this year. Items range in price so there is something for every budget.

Archery Set A Man & His Car Book Polo Shirt Duffle Bag Razor Work Gloves

During lock down in 2020 my mom got me an at home gel manicure kit. I loved that I could still have a gel manicure without salons open. In fact, I loved it so much I never really went back to salons on a regular basis. Below are the tools I use for an at home manicure or pedicure and some tips.

Gel Manicure Kit This kit comes with a ton of items, some of which I don’t use. In order set gel polish you need a curing light for it and this one works great for me. The tools it comes with are also good quality. Surprisingly the polish is also good quality but the shades are not my favorite.

OPI Kyoto Pearl This pearl gel polish is my go-to polish all year. I tend to stick to OPI and Kiara Sky gel polish mostly because I just like their shades. It is beneficial to stick to just a few brands because it’s important to use the same brand of base and top coat as the polish you use. If you use a different brand for base and top coat than the polish it can cause the polish to shrink as it is curing. This is usually not very noticeable but can effect the longevity of your manicure.

OPI Top Coat OPI has a couple of different top coats for gel polish and this one is my favorite.

OPI Base Coat This is my preferred base coat. I buy all of my base coats, polish, and top coats from Beyond Polish because they have a good selection and sell to consumers not just salons.

4 Step Buffer I always use a 4 step buffer when prepping my nails because it increases the longevity of a manicure.

Salon Grade Nail Files I find that the nail files found in drugstores don’t have a lot of grit to them so I like to order mine. It’s important to have a nail file with good grit because using a dull one can damage the nails and it’s also useful when removing gel polish. I’m not sharing any acetone because TBH I never soak my nails off. I usually let them get to the point when they can be peeled off (I know this is bad for the nail but I hate soaking the polish off).

It’s warming up and that means beach and pool season is practically here. Below are the best accessories to take with you to lounge by the pool or a trip to the beach.

Woven Backpack Towel Soft Sided Cooler Water Bottle Hat Bose Speaker

Last week I shared the best swimsuits for this upcoming season, so it’s only fitting to now share the best swimsuit cover-ups.

Dress Cover-Up Button Down Shirt Cover-Up Parker Knoll Shirt (I know this seems a bit out of place but it’s the shirt Lindsay Lohan wears in the pool scene in the Parent Trap so I HAD TO) Palm Tree Shorts Eyelet Tunic Pants

Swimsuit season is just around the corner, so now is the time to think about getting a new swimsuit before all the good ones sell out. Below are my favorite swimsuits this season.

1. Stripe Bikini Top and Bottom 2. Botanic One Piece 3. Stripe One Piece 4. Celestial One Piece 5. Gunmetal Bikini Top and Bottom 6. Chinoiserie One Piece

It’s no secret that I love to cook. It’s a huge passion of mine, and I consider it my favorite hobby. I’m always looking to improve my cooking and one of the ways I do that is through cookbooks. I’m all for pulling recipes on line (and on a typical night that’s what I do). There is something about a physical cookbook though that I love because if it’s good you’ll always want those recipes on hand, it can teach you new techniques and flavor combinations, and it can push you out of your comfort zone. Below are my favorite cookbooks and why I love them.

Laura in the Kitchen Laura in the Kitchen taught me that you can make even the simplest foods taste incredible. It’s my go-to cookbook for easy weeknight meals and classics. Her recipes are always a hit and I can always rely on the recipe coming together without a hitch.

Antoni in the Kitchen This cookbook taught me to play with flavor profiles more. It has some recipes that seem really fancy, unique, and the type that sound impressive but they’re not difficult to make.

Dessert Person Claire Saffitz is the queen of baking and I wouldn’t be as good of a baker without her. This cookbook taught me how incredible brown butter is when used in baking.

Mediterranean Dish This is probably the cookbook that I use the most. As a LADA Type 1 Diabetic this cookbook has been so useful to me. I typically don’t have to adjust the recipes in this cookbook to meet my dietary needs/restrictions and if I do, it’s really simple and essay to do.