Marriage Isn't For You Blast

Marriage Isn't For You: It's for the One You Love

by Seth Adam Smith

You read the blog, now here's the book...!

What is the best wedding advice you ever received? For author Seth Adam Smith, it was the advice from his father who said, Marriage is not for you. It is about the person you marry. These few words completely changed the way Seth looked at his relationship with his wife-to-be. Because at that moment he realized that an expression of love is not about the person expressing it. Rather, it is about the person they choose to be with. It is about making the person you marry feel loved. Seth's blog post on the subject was viewed by more than twenty-seven million people, and he has been featured on several national TV programs including The Today Show. Now released as a hardcover book, these sage words make the perfect gift for newly married couples, those who have been around the block a few times, or anyone who wants to learn how to make their relationships stronger.

Praise for Marriage Isn't for You:

This is raw, this is real...it reflects what a lot of couples experience... it pulls you in. ~ --TODAY Show

...a tender, honest story. ~ --TODAY.com

...overwhelmingly heartfelt and touching admission. ~ ABC NEWS

This story has become a viral sensation! ~ --The NY Daily News

The Internet is loaded with marriage advice, but rarely does one single tidbit resonate strongly with so many people. ~ --Yahoo Lifestyle

Amazon

Author Spotlight:

SETH ADAM SMITH was born in Anchorage, Alaska. Since 2004, he has produced videos and articles for businesses, nonprofit organizations, youth groups, artists, and political causes. He is the editor-in-chief of ForwardWalking.com. He and his wife, Kim, live in Florida.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 5/31/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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The Invention of Wings Review

by Sue Monk Kidd

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What they say: From the celebrated author of the international bestseller The Secret Life of Bees comes an extraordinary novel about two exceptional women.

Sarah Grimké is the middle daughter. The one her mother calls difficult and her father calls remarkable. On Sarah's eleventh birthday, Hetty 'Handful' Grimké is taken from the slave quarters she shares with her mother, wrapped in lavender ribbons, and presented to Sarah as a gift. Sarah knows what she does next will unleash a world of trouble. She also knows that she cannot accept. And so, indeed, the trouble begins ... 

A powerful, sweeping novel, inspired by real events, and set in the American Deep South in the nineteenth century, THE INVENTION OF WINGS evokes a world of shocking contrasts, of beauty and ugliness, of righteous people living daily with cruelty they fail to recognise; and celebrates the power of friendship and sisterhood against all the odds.

• Published January 7th 2014 by Headline - ISBN: 1472212754 / ISBN13: 9781472212757

I received a copy as part of the Goodreads First-reads scheme 

in exchange for an honest review! 

What I say: It took me a while to be able to write up this review because I honestly didn't know where to start. The message in The Invention of Wings is extremely powerful and emotional.

I like to think my knowledge of American history is fairly good for a Brit but I learnt a great deal from the Gremke sister's story. 

The history of slavery really is a big stain on global history and the fight to abolish slavery should never be forgotten or ignored. The story Handful 'Hetty' and her mother will stay with me for a long time. Living in a free world it's difficult to comprehend the loss of freedom and the value, or lack of it, placed on humanity by people who kept slaves.

At certain points I struggled and had to walk away from the story for a while. It was difficult to read about the abuse and punishments suffered by the slaves. It was very interesting to discover what parts were real. I found it difficult to get my head around the concept of ownership. I hadn't heard about the Gremke sisters before now and it was a fascinating, yet often disturbing look into the past.

Sarah fights for a very different type of freedom than Handful but it made for an interesting juxtaposition to see the stories play out along side each other. The Invention of Wings shows how freedom in not just physical but also emotional or psychological.

With 12 Years a Slave doing so well book as a novel and as a movie it has pulled a very troubling subject into the forefront of many people's minds. The Invention of Wings is a highly emotion story which compels readers to question both the past and their own actions.

3.5 - 4 Stars in my Sky!

Review: The Science Bit by Hayley Carr as LBQ

 

Non-fiction review - The Science Bit

 

What they say: Want to know why you need to use a face cream, what an SLS free shampoo really means, how you should be using SPF and why face wipes are the worst thing ever invented?

Hayley Carr, aka London Beauty Queen, started her beauty blog in 2010 after working in the beauty industry for many years. Having worked in everything from NPD to in-store marketing, she spent her time delving deeper into what the products actually did and why - marketing claims aren't always to be believed.

'The Science Bit' answers these questions and more, explaining what those complicated skincare ingredients really do, as well as providing insight into why synthetic brushes are so much better for applying foundation.

Delve beneath the surface of skincare and beauty, with this easy-to-understand guide to those things we all wish we knew.

 

 

 

 

What I say: I don't generally review non-fiction books and I'm not exactly known for being an aficionado when it come to all things beauty, but sometimes it helps to have somebody explain it all for you. I keep seeing adverts for BB creams and after reading The Science Bit I finally know what this is.

 

If I'm bad at putting makeup on (I haven't moved all that far from my teenage panda eyes look) then I'm even worse at taking it off. When it comes to makeup removal then I'm as lazy as it comes, but it's safe to say I think I'll be giving face-wipes a wide berth from now on!

 

If you're not familiar with Hayley's work and her blog London Beauty Queen (LBQ) then you can check it out here. She really is the go-to gal when it comes to beauty and hair care, but more importantly she advises her readers in a fun and helpful way. The Science Bit is full of great ideas and advice, but more importantly for me it's witty and straight to the point, yet never sounds like an annoying how-to guide!

 

Where to buy: Amazon UK

 

Book Blitz: The Science Bit by Hayley Carr/London Beauty Queen

Because I like to shake things up a bit (and it never hurts to have a change), I'm featuring a non-fiction book:

 

The Science Bit: Delving Beneath the Surface of Skincare and Beauty by Hayley Carr.

 

Book info: Want to know why you need to use a face cream, what an SLS free shampoo really means, how you should be using SPF and why face wipes are the worst thing ever invented?

Hayley Carr, aka London Beauty Queen, started her beauty blog in 2010 after working in the beauty industry for many years. Having worked in everything from NPD to in-store marketing, she spent her time delving deeper into what the products actually did and why - marketing claims aren't always to be believed.

'The Science Bit' answers these questions and more, explaining what those complicated skincare ingredients really do, as well as providing insight into why synthetic brushes are so much better for applying foundation.

Delve beneath the surface of skincare and beauty, with this easy-to-understand guide to those things we all wish we knew.

 

 

Book links:

Amazon UK / Goodreads

 

 

Author Spotlight: The Science Bit is Beauty Blogger Hayley Carr aka London Beauty Queen's first book. Hayley/LQB has been featured in numerous magazines and newspapers including: Company, Tesco Magazine, Grazia, Heatworld, The Sun and as Harrods Blog of the Week. Her London Beauty Queen blog has also won and been nominated for many beauty and blog awards (P&G Beauty & Grooming, Rodial Beautiful, Johnson & Johnson Beauty Journalism and Cosmopolitan Blog).

You can find Hayley/LBQ:

www.londonbeautyqueen.com

www.twitter.com/LBQblog

 

 

Excerpt:

The most precious thing about you is your skin. It's an amazing and complex organ that makes up around 15% of your body weight, and contains around 25% water. Every single day your skin experiences attack from the wider world, cleverly defending against microorganisms, toxins and damaging rays from the sun. It's extremely sophisticated and has the ability to uniquely repair itself, ensuring that it's as effective as possible. Although the skin is a biological marvel, it can cause so many problems for those seeking a perfect and glowing complexion. The skin lubricates itself with oil to keep your face moisturised, but sometimes the glands can work in overdrive - the result of which is oily skin. Although oily skin is a sign that your skin is healthy and functioning correctly, it's not cosmetically a look we like to go for; shiny skin isn't, and never will be, on-trend! On the other end of the spectrum, people that suffer with dry skin have under-active sebaceous glands: the skin doesn't naturally produce enough oil to hydrate the skin, leaving it dry and sometimes prone to flaking. There are many products available to help address both extremes of skin issues, but the key thing to remember is that the removal of too much oil won't be any better for your skin long-term than too much. 

The skin is made up of three different layers: the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous tissue. The epidermis is the upper most layer which acts as a barrier to the outside world, renewing itself every 6-8 weeks as the dead skin cells continually get brushed away and new ones emerge from underneath - that's why exfoliating your skin to reveal your 'healthy glow' is so important. It's the epidermis that affects how your skin looks, as well as how well it absorbs moisture. The secondary layer, and most thick, is the dermis. This layer of skin produces collagen and elastin, which gives the skin strength and elasticity (which is lost with age and causes a change in complexion, as well as 'wrinkles'.) Included in the dermis are our hair follicles, sweat and sebaceous glands, as well as tiny blood vessels to nourish the skin. Finally, the third and deepest layer is the subcutaneous tissue, mainly made of fat to act as both a shock absorber and insulator. This precious tissue is what keeps us warm, especially due to the lack of fur on our relatively hairless human bodies! 

 

Sneak Peek (Contents Page):

 

The Science Bit

Delving beneath the surface of skincare and beauty.

 

FORWARD FROM THE AUTHOR

 

SECTION 1: SKIN

INTRODUCTION

1. Eating right for your skin

2. Why do I need to use a face cream?

3. Dealing with adult acne

4. The truth about ‘anti ageing’

5. Why face wipes are the worst invention ever

SECTION 2: MAKEUP

INTRODUCTION

6. Picking the best foundation shade

7. The importance of perfect eyebrows

8. The lowdown on BB Creams

9. Using the right makeup tools

10. The truth about lip balms  

 

SECTION 3: HAIR

INTRODUCTION

11. What is an SLS free shampoo? 

12. The science of hair dye

13. Protecting your hair from damage 

14. The benefits of hair conditioner 


15. Going grey

 

SECTION 4: BODY

INTRODUCTION

1. Understanding sun care

2. Eau de Toilette vs Eau de Parfum

3. Getting healthy nails nailed 

4. How does my fake tan work? 

5. Maintaining healthy feet

THANKS FROM THE AUTHOR