The Chapters stores are beautiful. It's easy to walk in and spend a long time browsing all of the different things they have in stock, from books to candles, accessories and blankets, and much more. The variety is always excellent. Chapters has a... +
The Chapters stores are beautiful. It's easy to walk in and spend a long time browsing all of the different things they have in stock, from books to candles, accessories and blankets, and much more. The variety is always excellent.
Chapters has a Plum Points reward membership which is free to start. Every dollar you spend equals ten Plum Point, and as your points build up over time, you can earn dollar amounts off your purchases. If you shop there frequently, they'll build up quickly.
I find that their in-store prices can be quite high, particularly on books, which is what I purchase most frequently. The price is almost always cheaper online, but when shopping online, you don't earn Plum Points -- you will only rexeive a small discount. I would prefer the points, so this is a bit discouraging.
Overall, I do like the environment of Chapters as well as their large selection, but because of their prices I tend to shop at other online retailers to save money.
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I bought the first book when I was in my late teens. I've always enjoyed fantastical creatures, and vampire stories were some of my favourites. Being that I was part of the target demographic, I thought I would get at least some enjoyment out of... +
I bought the first book when I was in my late teens. I've always enjoyed fantastical creatures, and vampire stories were some of my favourites. Being that I was part of the target demographic, I thought I would get at least some enjoyment out of this, but I was wrong.
This isn't worth the paper it's written on. The writing quality is lacklustre at best, with a pathetic cliche of a female protagonist who fawns over the pretty new boy in school. This book tries its best to paint Bella as not only someone relatable, but an actual heroine, and the author has failed terribly on both counts. She is neither relatable nor someone to look up to as she seems absolutely bound and determined to both heavily rely on the male love interests while simultaneously pushing them away in dramatic fashion.
I was hopeful that the second book may remedy the situation and push the story forward in some way, but sadly, it did not. There are plenty of other fantasy series out there that I would recommend, but this isn't one of them.
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This is a classic. My Nana used it, my mom used it, and I've used it! For something that's been around for so long, you generally expect the product formulation to have changed, but this has always seemed the same. It's like the "good old... +
This is a classic. My Nana used it, my mom used it, and I've used it! For something that's been around for so long, you generally expect the product formulation to have changed, but this has always seemed the same. It's like the "good old reliable" when it comes to bar soaps.
This has a very light scent. I am scent sensitive, and though I could opt for the fragrance-free version, I find that I'm fine with the original version. It doesn't give me a headache or irritate me in any way, and it doesn't bother my sensitive skin either.
This is a very creamy soap due to its moisturizing formula. It lathers and glides over skin easily. I use it as a hand soap in winter when my hands tend to feel a bit chapped, because other bar soaps don't moisturize the same way, and when I wash my hands frequently -- it's prime virus season, after all! -- my hands definitely feel the difference.
You really can't go wrong with this one. It's been around forever, and there's a good reason for it.
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Fables is a series that started in 2002 and wrapped up in 2015 after running for 150 issues. It's written by Bill Willingham, with the main artist being Mark Buckingham. I absolutely love this series! I've been collecting the deluxe edition... +
Fables is a series that started in 2002 and wrapped up in 2015 after running for 150 issues. It's written by Bill Willingham, with the main artist being Mark Buckingham.
I absolutely love this series! I've been collecting the deluxe edition hardcovers, so I haven't quite finished yet. I have nine out of the thirteen currently available books (they'll have all 150 published after book 15). The story is completely original and unique, taking the classic story book Fables and thrusting them into modern day New York City. If you loved the Grimm fairy tales or Disney films as a child and now want something more grown up, these books will be right up your alley.
The writing for these comics is top notch. Bill Willingham is an absolute wordsmith, capable of insinuating great humour into his tales as well as rich backstories and drama. He's created a whole world with which to immerse yourself. Mark Buckingham's art is likewise fantastic, and has an old-school comic book vibe to it. The colours are as vibrant as the characters housed within these books.
This has clearly become the inspiration for some other books and television series out there, and I'm not surprised. It's a veritable fount of ingenuity and originality from which to draw, but if you'd prefer to go straight to the source -- and why wouldn't you? -- start with book one of Fables. You won't be disappointed.
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I read the book prior to finding out about the film's release. This is definitely the better version of the two, but both have the same issues. As I'm reviewing the book only, I'll stick to that. Any story will suffer greatly if you can't... +
I read the book prior to finding out about the film's release. This is definitely the better version of the two, but both have the same issues. As I'm reviewing the book only, I'll stick to that.
Any story will suffer greatly if you can't sympathize with its characters. Because I found both Nick and Amy to be terrible people -- granted, one is way worse than the other -- I found it pretty hard to root for either of them in the end. I simply didn't care. They deserved each other.
This book also runs into a big problem when it tries to tackle gender politics. Instead of coming off as feminist, or anti-feminist, it simply chooses to highlight the worst traits in both genders and therefore paints a portrait of stereotypes. You have the guy who always cheats, and the woman who's a complete witch. The surrounding characters aren't much better.
I think this book makes for an interesting discussion on unreliable narrators and the way genders are portrayed in pop culture, but beyond that I personally don't think it merits more than a casual glance.
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I first picked this one up at a used bookstore after watching the film and finding it quite cute. This book really is the written equivalent of a chick flick; it's simple, easy fun. Because it doesn't offer much in the way of substance, this book... +
I first picked this one up at a used bookstore after watching the film and finding it quite cute. This book really is the written equivalent of a chick flick; it's simple, easy fun. Because it doesn't offer much in the way of substance, this book is best enjoyed as a light snack, one which can be consumed as a quick summer read in between more serious fare.
This book spawned several more sequels, most of which I have also read and equally enjoyed. Sometimes it's good to turn your brain off for awhile!
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While I think that La Senza makes beautiful bras, I find that their sizing leaves a lot to be desired. I'm a petite person and I wear anywhere from a 34A to a 36B, depending on the bra. I find that they always size me incorrectly and I have to... +
While I think that La Senza makes beautiful bras, I find that their sizing leaves a lot to be desired.
I'm a petite person and I wear anywhere from a 34A to a 36B, depending on the bra. I find that they always size me incorrectly and I have to guess for myself. That in and of itself wouldn't bother me so much, but the sizes seem to vary A LOT per bra, so I can be there for a long time trying to find the right fit. Often times, I never really do.
I find that their band sizes are incredibly tight, especially as I have a sensitive ribcage. I have a tendency to go up a band size, which makes things more difficult when finding the right cup size. If you're on the larger end of the bra spectrum, La Senza doesn't really cater to you as most bras don't go past a 38D, very occasionally a DD.
The other thing that bothers me is that they have very few bras that are unpadded (ie. no pushup) as well as very little to no selection in the way of wire-free bras. Sometimes I just want something super comfy, but they don't really have anything like that, at least not on a regular basis.
The price can be fairly high unless you hit up a sale. They often have 2 for 1, or buy 1 get 1 half off sales every season, which is much easier on the wallet.
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As soon as I found out that gluten-free Cheerios were available in Canada, I went and picked up a box. I am gluten intolerant, so I'm always looking for new cereals I can eat. Within eating a couple of servings, I started suffering from digestive... +
As soon as I found out that gluten-free Cheerios were available in Canada, I went and picked up a box. I am gluten intolerant, so I'm always looking for new cereals I can eat. Within eating a couple of servings, I started suffering from digestive issues and breakouts on my face. This was the only new thing I had introduced into my diet in a long time, so I figured this was the culprit.
I did some digging online and found out that I was not the only one having problems. Parents were complainingabout their children, who are severely celiac, having reactions to the point of needing to be taken to the emergency room for treatment for anaphylaxis.
Not long after that, the Canadian Celiac Association released an official statement (which you can find easily through Google) which said that during their testing of this product, they found high amounts of gluten contamination and that these are unsafe for anyone with gluten intolerance or celiac disease.
This is false advertising at its best. These are 100% not gluten-free and General Mills should be ashamed for continuing to insist that they are, when this product continues to harm many individuals who can't eat gluten. If tou or a loved one can't consume gluten, please consider choosing a different cereal.
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My friend gave me a few of the holiday lotions a few Christmases ago. This was probably the least scented of the three she gave me, but unfortunately it was still far too fragrant. I didn't want to waste it because it was a gift, so I tried... +
My friend gave me a few of the holiday lotions a few Christmases ago.
This was probably the least scented of the three she gave me, but unfortunately it was still far too fragrant. I didn't want to waste it because it was a gift, so I tried everything I did to be able to use it. I tried using it as a shower cream -- rubbing it on my skin in the shower and rinsing it off. I tried mixing it in with unscented lotions. Absolutely nothing made this tolerable for me. I am extremely sensitive, and I kept coughing every time I was near it, no matter what I did to dilute it.
I can't speak to its moisturizing abilities because it also irritated my skin. It did feel like it would be a nice formula, and it was very silky, but I just couldn't wear it.
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My mom used to use these when I was younger, so when I wanted to buy my first black eyeliner, I bought one from this line. These are really great, high-quality pencil eyeliners. They glide on really smoothly without tugging against the delicate... +
My mom used to use these when I was younger, so when I wanted to buy my first black eyeliner, I bought one from this line.
These are really great, high-quality pencil eyeliners. They glide on really smoothly without tugging against the delicate skin near the eye. Some pencils with a creamier consistency tend to smudge too easily, but these ones will set on the lid. They don't move.
I never use eyeliner in my waterline, but rather to line my upper lash line if I want a simple eyeliner look for the day. I have worn these pencils in the humidity as well as during times where I happened to cry, and though they are not 100% waterproof -- almost nothing is -- they do hold up extremely well. I didn't look like a raccoon afterwards.
Many years and many eyeliner pencils later, I still believe that these are some of the best around. I highly recommend them.
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