curlysue10
Member Since: November 5, 2008Reviews
Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin
This is another book by Emily Giffin, author of Something Borrowed, Something Blue and Baby Proof. The description on amazon.ca sums it up perfectly, so I will paraphrase it here: A chance encounter with an old flame causes Ellen Dempsey to... +
This is another book by Emily Giffin, author of Something Borrowed, Something Blue and Baby Proof. The description on amazon.ca sums it up perfectly, so I will paraphrase it here:
A chance encounter with an old flame causes Ellen Dempsey to consider what could have been. Shortly after marrying Andy, Ellen runs into Leo, her intense first love. Leo, a moody writer, has secretly preoccupied Ellen ever since he broke her heart, so after seeing him again, Ellen wonders if her perfect life is truly what she wants or simply what she was expected to want. Andy's career takes the newlyweds from Ellen's beloved New York City to suburban Atlanta. As Ellen's feelings of inadequacy and resentment grow, her marriage begins to crumble. The novel is sometimes bogged down by characters so rooted in type that they, and the story line, can only move in the most obvious trajectory. However, Giffin's self-aware narrator and focus on troubled relationships will satisfy those looking for a light women's lit fix.
This description alluded to my feelings about this book. It is definitely my least favourite of Giffin’s novels, and I have to say I found it a little predictable. I agree that some of the characters are very rigidity typecast (for lack of a better word) so they are not as easily relatable as some of Giffin’s other characters. They are somewhat stereotypical in their roles, which leads the story to become somewhat predictable. In my opinion it loses Giffin’s ability to write convincing relatable characters and everyday yet interesting and unexpected plots.
I can’t say I recommend this book highly but I didn’t dislike it either. It was an entertaining enough story, but I think I was more compelled to finish it at the end more by my need to finish every book I start than for my burning desire to find out how it ends. It is not a bad book by any stretch of the imagination, but if you are expecting it to be as fantastic as her other books, you are in for a big disappointment in my opinion.
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Baby Proof by Emily Griffin
This is another novel by Emily Giffin, the author of Something Borrowed and Something Blue. It follows the story of Claudia – a career woman who is adamant about the fact that she does not want children. She meets Ben who is perfect for her in... +
This is another novel by Emily Giffin, the author of Something Borrowed and Something Blue. It follows the story of Claudia – a career woman who is adamant about the fact that she does not want children. She meets Ben who is perfect for her in many ways – he even shares her desire to not have children. The two have a blissful marriage until Ben decides he wants to have kids after all. The plot of this book sounds predictable, and in some ways it is, but it is still an engaging read with relatable characters. Claudia is burdened by tensions that I am betting every woman can relate to.
I did not love this book as much as Something Borrowed and Something Blue, but if you were a fan of Emily Giffin’s writing in those books, I think you should give this one a chance. In all of her books, she surprises me with the ability to make seemingly predictable situations into completely unexpected plot twists, while also creating characters so relatable that you feel like you are actually their friends. This book is no exception.
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Something Blue by Emily Griffin
This book is the sequel to Something Borrowed. It picks up exactly where Something Borrowed left off, expect it is told from Darcy’s perspective. I highly enjoy seeing events that happened in Something Borrowed through her eyes – it makes for a... +
This book is the sequel to Something Borrowed. It picks up exactly where Something Borrowed left off, expect it is told from Darcy’s perspective. I highly enjoy seeing events that happened in Something Borrowed through her eyes – it makes for a very creative and entertaining recap of the preceding events. Also, it is interesting to read the second book following Darcy instead of Rachel because Something Borrowed sets Rachel up to be the heroine. Everyone I have talked to about this series says that they didn’t initially like Something Blue because they didn’t want to like Darcy and see things from her perspective. However once you get into the book, you find that you come to understand and love Darcy. She is a heroine in her own right. I don’t want to give too much more away but I will just say that this book highlights how complex women and their friendships can be, and also shows us how there really is two sides to every story – not that we needed reminding.
I didn’t love this book with the same passion as I loved Something Borrowed, but that can probably be attributed to the fact that I related to Rachel much more than I did to Darcy. Regardless though, this book is fantastic and a must read for any chicklit fans!
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Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
I read this book on vacation and it is a PREFECT summer beach read. I absolutely LOVED this book. I am a huge fan of chicklit to begin with and this book falls squarely into that category. Not only that, it is one of the best chick lit books I’ve... +
I read this book on vacation and it is a PREFECT summer beach read. I absolutely LOVED this book. I am a huge fan of chicklit to begin with and this book falls squarely into that category. Not only that, it is one of the best chick lit books I’ve ever read. The book is about two best friends, Rachel and Darcy who have been best friends their whole lives. Rachel is a perpetual nice girl, and Darcy is one of those girls to whom perfection comes naturally. The drama begins when Rachel sleeps with Darcy’s fiancé – don’t worry I didn’t ruin anything for you here, it says it on the cover, and it happens in like the first chapter – which sets off a chain reaction of events.
This book is fantastic because it is SO relatable. I guarantee you will connect with the girls in the story, and I was so invested in the outcome by the end that I felt like I was actually friends with them. The book left me SO hungry for more. Good thing there is a sequel – Something Blue, told from Darcy’s perspective instead of Rachel’s.
If you’re a fan of chicklit and you haven’t read this already – what are you waiting for?!? READ IT!!! You will love it, I can pretty much promise you!
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Bar B Barn
This is my parents’ favourite place to go in Montreal. Its been there for years and they are famous for their amazing chicken and ribs. My boyfriend and I had the chance to go there when we were in Montreal and we absolutely loved it. I have to... +
This is my parents’ favourite place to go in Montreal. Its been there for years and they are famous for their amazing chicken and ribs. My boyfriend and I had the chance to go there when we were in Montreal and we absolutely loved it. I have to warn you, it is a little on the pricier side (ribs generally are more expensive anyway…) and we were a little disappointed with that. I can’t remember the exact prices now, but I remember we wanted to split a huge plate of ribs and the owner told us that there is a charge for sharing. I wasn’t too impressed with that (I HATE being charged for sharing) but I suppose more expensive food is literally the price you pay to eat at a famous restaurant. Its tiny and cute, and the ribs are delicious. I would highly highly recommend it! -
Reggie’s Old Fashioned Sandwiches
This place is GREAT. I read an article about it on toronto.com (http://www.toronto.com/restaurants/article/634387) and thought I would try it out. I work in the financial district so it was a nice walk at lunch time. This place is open 24 hours... +
This place is GREAT. I read an article about it on toronto.com (http://www.toronto.com/restaurants/article/634387) and thought I would try it out. I work in the financial district so it was a nice walk at lunch time. This place is open 24 hours which is fabulous for club goers, not to mention the GREAT food. For 10 bucks you can get a great combo – a sandwich (which is huge and delicious) fries and a fountain pop. They have tons of fun and unique sandwiches. My friend got the tuna which she says was incredible. I got –get this—deep fried mac and cheese. OMG. SO. YUMMY. (My tummy hated me later but what’s a girl to do?) I know you’re thinking what the heck is that? It is delicious mac and cheese that by some magic they form into sticks cover with batter and deep fry. It may sound gross to some (and for you there are tons of salads soups and yummy sandwiches to choose from on the menu) and others may be intrigued. Either way I HIGHLY recommend this place. It is super cute, really fun and the food is oh so yummy. Not to mention very decently priced for what you get, especially considering how pricey this district can get. -
NYX Cosmetics Slim Eye Pencil
A friend of mine bought this eyeliner in fun colours and they are so pretty and vibrant on her that I thought I would give it a try too. I got Seafoam Green and Emerald City, both of which are gorgeous. The colour is very bright and vibrant, and it... +
A friend of mine bought this eyeliner in fun colours and they are so pretty and vibrant on her that I thought I would give it a try too. I got Seafoam Green and Emerald City, both of which are gorgeous. The colour is very bright and vibrant, and it glides on very smoothly. The pencil is surprisingly creamy for a cheapie drug store eyeliner. The creamy texture makes it ideal for blending and it lasts all day. I was very pleasantly surprised with this product and would definitely get it gain. -
Jergens Naturals Soothe Lotion
I got a free sample of this product along with the other Jergens Naturals lotion, Hydrate. I absolutely LOVE both of them simply for their long lasting quality. My skin is silky smooth all the way until the next day after using this lotion. It does... +
I got a free sample of this product along with the other Jergens Naturals lotion, Hydrate. I absolutely LOVE both of them simply for their long lasting quality. My skin is silky smooth all the way until the next day after using this lotion. It does not feel like my skin is craving moisture as soon as this lotion sinks in as often happens with other lotions. I am incredibly pleased with this. Many lotions claim to provide 24 hour moisture and do not deliver – this one doesn’t even claim to do this and it does it flawlessly.
That aside, I love the scent of this lotion. Renew contains pomegranate and blueberry extracts, so you would expect it to smell very fruity. I suppose the scent is somewhat fruity (if you have to assign one adjective to it) but it is not overpowering – trust me, I wouldn’t like it if it was because I hate overwhelmingly fruity scents. Compared to the Hydrate version I like this one much better; while they both have incredibly moisturizing power, I prefer the more subtle scent of Renew.
I will most certainly be repurchasing this lotion when it runs out. I absolutely love it!
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NIVEA Happy Time Shower Cream
I love Nivea products in general and am always very happy with them. I have tried the Cashmere Moments shower cream and thought I would try out a new scent. Happy time is frutier than cashmere moments (cashmere moments has orchid and is very floral)... +
I love Nivea products in general and am always very happy with them. I have tried the Cashmere Moments shower cream and thought I would try out a new scent. Happy time is frutier than cashmere moments (cashmere moments has orchid and is very floral) while happy time is orange scented. The shower cream itself it very moisturizing, it lathers a lot which I love, and the orange scent is pretty and not overpowering. The best part is the bottle is huge and it only costs 5 bucks (3-4 on sale!) so it is definitely a good buy. (Side note: What an adorable name! It made me smile right there in the body wash aisle. How could you not want to try it?) -
Sephora "Tricks of the Trade" Complete Lip Balm
I have to confess, I don’t actually own this product myself – my friend purchased it and I have used it. I am reviewing it here because I AM IN LOVE with it! It is such a great lip balm – its thicker, and it lasts for HOURS (it stayed on for... +
I have to confess, I don’t actually own this product myself – my friend purchased it and I have used it. I am reviewing it here because I AM IN LOVE with it! It is such a great lip balm – its thicker, and it lasts for HOURS (it stayed on for as long as 3 hours, but that was without eating. I did drink during this time though). But the best thing is it smells a-m-a-z-i-n-g! I believe the scent is vanilla, but almost like a baked good kind of vanilla, like birthday cake or something. In any case, I love it, and it will definitely be among my next “I definitely don’t need another but am getting it anyway” make up splurges (its 10 bucks which is on the pricier side of lip balms if you ask me). I am not crazy about the pot format, but I will deal with it because of my love for the scent. Lastly, my friend says it tastes nasty (which I did not notice, but I tend to not taste lip glosses I guess because I probably don’t lick my lips that much).
The Sephora website says it is “a lip balm infused with mango butter and vitamin E and that it is a lip treatment that nourishes, moisturizes, protects and contains a natural lip plumping ingredient.”
In any case, it lasts for hours, my lips were insanely hydrated afterwards and the scent is to absolutely die for. I love it, and think you will too!
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