xoliana
Member Since: July 31, 2016Reviews
Kirkland Signature Natural Creamy Peanut Butter
The Kirkland Signature Creamy Peanut Butter comes in packages of 2 x 1.13kg containers for less than $10. The value is absolutely stellar, and the quality is just as impressive. I began eating natural peanut butter in 2010 and never turned back... +
The Kirkland Signature Creamy Peanut Butter comes in packages of 2 x 1.13kg containers for less than $10. The value is absolutely stellar, and the quality is just as impressive.
I began eating natural peanut butter in 2010 and never turned back. Because it's made with peanuts only, no sugar or salt, you get a really pure taste. This product is made with 100% U.S. Valenica peanuts and no additives. As with any natural peanut butter, you can expect a certain amount of oil separation, but I find this brand particularly easy to stir upon opening, to achieve the proper consistency. Afterwards, you simply refrigerate it, and it will remain the same consistency until you get right near the bottom, at which point it becomes just a bit dry.
These have a very long shelf life, so you can keep one in the fridge and one in the cupboard until you're ready to open it and use it. If you eat peanut butter frequently, I would highly recommend this one for its smooth texture and pure peanutty flavour. It's also available in chunky.
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Wayward comic series
This is a Canadian fantasy comic book series which began in 2014 and currently has three collected editions for a total of 15 comics. It is still ongoing, with the 16th issue due out by the end of of September, 2016. Wayward is about a teenage... +
This is a Canadian fantasy comic book series which began in 2014 and currently has three collected editions for a total of 15 comics. It is still ongoing, with the 16th issue due out by the end of of September, 2016.
Wayward is about a teenage girl named Rori Lane, who is half-Irish and half-Japanese. She moves in with her mother in Japan and starts experiencing weird feelings and seeing strange things. This has been described as Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a strong Japanese influence, and that's not a bad way to describe it, though I do feel that there's more to it than that. The amount of research that the team did on Japanese folklore and youkai is absolutely stellar, and it shows even more in the appendices of the collected editions.
The artwork is somewhat anime-inspired, but it's truly some of the most gorgeous artwork I've seen in any comic to date. The colours are beautifully rich and vibrant, the use of light and shadow is super smooth. The consistency between character drawings is stellar, with perfect continuity. This is very well-produced.
Though the first collected edition was very well-priced at around $11 for five issues, they have sadly continued to increase since then. The third collection is $20, and at five issues total, that's actually more than what you would pay per single issue since the cost is a mere $1.99. Why pay more?
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Shutter Island
This is a mystery/suspense novel written by Dennis Lehane, which was later adapted into both a graphic novel and a film (directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio). Dennis Lehane became one of my favourite authors after reading... +
This is a mystery/suspense novel written by Dennis Lehane, which was later adapted into both a graphic novel and a film (directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio).
Dennis Lehane became one of my favourite authors after reading this book. I devoured this quickly, as it sunk its hooks into me right away and never let go. There are so many twist and turns that you'll never see coming. The writing is very fast-paced, and the story keeps you guessing.
The setting is incredibly atmospheric. It really throws you into the environment and makes you feel like you're there. It's a very psychological read, so prepare to have your mind toyed with!
If you love thrillers and suspense, I think this would be right up your alley. If you tend to be tutned off by psychiatric institutes, missing persons, and weird mysteries, this may not be the one for you.
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The Complete Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Absolutely perfect for any fan of Sherlock Holmes, this collection contains all four novels and 56 short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The content is split between two books, housed in a cardboard sleeve. The first book contains the... +
Absolutely perfect for any fan of Sherlock Holmes, this collection contains all four novels and 56 short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The content is split between two books, housed in a cardboard sleeve.
The first book contains the first two novels, A Study in Scarlet (1887) and The Sign of Four (1890). Subsequently, it also collects the first two volumes of short stories, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892) and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1894), for a total of 24 short stories.
The second book holds thr latter two novels, The Hound of the Baskervilles (1901-02) and The Valley of Fear (1914-15). It also contains the back half of the catalogue, which is The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1905), His Last Bow (1917), and The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes (1927), for a total of 22 short stories.
The size of the print in these books is a little on the small side, so if you have difficulties reading smaller print, you may need to find a different collection. Some of these stories are clear-cut classics, but others do tend to meander and/or go off topic. I would say that, ultimately, this is a great collector's piece at an excellent price, and worth reading all the way through at least once, but after that you'll probably want to pick and choose your favourites to go back to.
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The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
This is a review for the omnibus, which contains all five novels in the sci-fi series written by Douglas Adams. The first novel is the one entitled The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979), and is the one which is most well-known and most... +
This is a review for the omnibus, which contains all five novels in the sci-fi series written by Douglas Adams. The first novel is the one entitled The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979), and is the one which is most well-known and most adapted. The others in the series are: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (1980); Life, the Universe and Everything (1982); So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish (1984); and Mostly Harmless (1992).
The series revolves around the human Arthur Dent and his misadventures with the alien Ford Prefect after the planet Earth is blown up. Other characters include fellow human Trillian, Marvin the paranoid android, and loud mouth, two-headed Zaphod Beeblebrox.
This is very much a quirky comedy series, and a very funny one at that. My personal favourites are the first, which is an absolute classic and a must-read for all science fiction fans, and the fourth, which I found quite to be quite touching. All of these touch on what it means to be human, even if you're not, but at the heart this is a space adventure that will make you laugh.
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Danone Activia Yogurt
I never really understood the hype for this yogurt. It claims to be good for your digestion because of the probiotic BL Regularis. If you do a bit of research, you'llsee that what it actually is is Bifidus Regularis or Bifidus Lactis, a strain of... +
I never really understood the hype for this yogurt. It claims to be good for your digestion because of the probiotic BL Regularis. If you do a bit of research, you'llsee that what it actually is is Bifidus Regularis or Bifidus Lactis, a strain of bacteria which is common. After a lawsuit over their specific health claims, they changed the name to get out of trouble. Every dairy product contains bacteria, and there is not enough substantial evidence at this time to prove whether or not these help with certain digestive issues.
This particular yogurt is very runny and thin in texture. Some yogurts are like that, but this one almost appears to have been watered down, even after you stir it thoroughly. The taste is very odd and artificial.
Considering its marketing tactics have caused the price to increase, I really don't think it's worth shelling out the extra money for a product that's subpar. There are better quality yogurts available, and they're likely to do just as much for your digestion as Activia.
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IÖGO Creamy Yogurt
This is one brand of yogurt that I ate frequently before I had to give up dairy. I like the fact that it's Canadian, and that it comes in so many different flavours and varieties. I always found that this yogurt was quite thin and runny. I prefer... +
This is one brand of yogurt that I ate frequently before I had to give up dairy. I like the fact that it's Canadian, and that it comes in so many different flavours and varieties.
I always found that this yogurt was quite thin and runny. I prefer a thicker texture to my yogurt, and this one is extremely liquidy. The taste is good, though it does seem like it tastes like artificial sweeteners, even when sweeteners are not listed as an ingredient.
The price is better than most brands of yogurt available, so if that's something that concerns you, you may find this to be a better option. With smaller containers, drinkable versions, and more, you're bound to find something you like.
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Oikos Greek Yogurt
I can no longer eat dairy, but when I could, this was my very favourite yogurt. The Oikos line comes in a variety of different flavours to choose from. My personal favourites were the key lime, the strawberry, and the coconut. The flavour is very... +
I can no longer eat dairy, but when I could, this was my very favourite yogurt.
The Oikos line comes in a variety of different flavours to choose from. My personal favourites were the key lime, the strawberry, and the coconut. The flavour is very true and not at all artificial, like some yogurts.
The texture is incredibly thick and creamy. This is the type of yogurt that will stick to your spoon without falling off! Because of this, I always found that it tasted more like a dessert, and treated it as such.
Greek yogurt is naturally higher in protein, and this is no exception. Each one has at least 8g per serving. This is good if you're looking to up your protein intake.
Although it's a bit more expensive than other brands on the market, I would highly recommend this product to anyone looking for a delicious, good quality yogurt.
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True to Nature Granola Bars
It should first and foremost be noted that the picture on here appears to be for Taste of Nature granola bars, which are not the same thing as True to Nature granola bars. I'm submitting a new picture to highlight the difference, and I have a... +
It should first and foremost be noted that the picture on here appears to be for Taste of Nature granola bars, which are not the same thing as True to Nature granola bars. I'm submitting a new picture to highlight the difference, and I have a review of the Taste of Nature bars elsewhere on the site.
I buy these bars in a large box of 24 at Costco. There are eight bars each of Harvest Orchard, Chewy Cashew, and Green Tea. They're certified gluten-free, which is very important to me as I'm gluten intolerant and very sensitive.
These are trail mix bars, so each of the three varieties that I've tried has a mixture of fruits and nuts. The Harvest Orchard is meant to taste a bit like apples, the Chewy Cashew contains more cashews as opposed to other nuts, and the Green Tea has an almost Asian-style flavour to it.
The unfortunate thing is these bars are quite low in both fibre and protein, with each clocking in at around 2g to 3g each. That's quite low, and it could stand to be higher. On the other hand, the sugar content is a little on the high side, due to sweeteners such as brown rice syrup being used in conjunction with the already-sweet dried fruit. These are not unhealthy by any means, but I don't see the need to sweeten them as much as they do.
The flavour on these bars is great, so if you're looking for something new to try, particularly if you're gluten-free, I would definitely recommend these.
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Burt's Bees Pomegranate Moisturizing Lip Balm
I'm not a huge fan of Burt's Bees beeswax lip balm, but this pomegranate lip balm is a bit better. I find that the consistency of this particular lip balm isn't as hard and waxy as the original formula. It glides on more easily, rather than... +
I'm not a huge fan of Burt's Bees beeswax lip balm, but this pomegranate lip balm is a bit better.
I find that the consistency of this particular lip balm isn't as hard and waxy as the original formula. It glides on more easily, rather than tugging on my lips over and over in order to get any product to go on. Unfortunately, having said that, I still don't feel that this is very hydrating. It's got a very light feeling to it as it glides on, but it's too light to feel like it's doing any good. I feel like it almost evaporates after too long. If I rub my lips together, it seems to disappear.
I do enjoy the scent of this product. It smells very strongly of pure pomegranate, which is a lovely smell, and very fruity. The lip balm itself is tinted a sort of pink-red, like the fruit itself, and I do find that when you apply it, there's a small tint. As I said, the product disappears quickly, and therefore so does the tint.
If you really like fruity lip balms and don't need a lot of hydration, this may be a good candidate for you. If you need more moisture of any sort, this likely won't perform well enough.
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