Friday five....

A recommendation if you have a preteen or teen...

Somerset Studios puts out incredible magazines. They're pricey, but I feel like they are worth every penny. Buying one of these magazines is one of those little things that I do to treat myself.

Well, this week, we got the premiere issue of NEW GENERATION...Bella Grace.

It's the same style magazine as Bella Grace but for ages 12-18. 

I love the message behind Bella Grace and that flows throughout New Generation, too.

It's all about living a positive, beautiful life and making the world better for yourself and all those around you. It's filled with beautiful images, powerful text, and thought-provoking worksheets. 

There is so much negative energy in the world. I love seeing (and being able to buy) something to help counter that for my daughter. 

What do we think about this look???

I've only seen this look a couple of times, but both times, it really caught my eye and I debated whether or not I could pull off the look.

Wearing a dress or top as a duster style...

^^^The first time I saw it. ^^^

It was this look on LaurieBelles Boutique website. 

(which I adore...such cute clothes and shoes).

Her look is actually a dress that she's wearing as a duster.

Then I saw this one a few days later...

^^^This is actually a 'top' from Versona. ^^^

I don't know. I'm really liking the look on the models, and am REALLY tempted to buy both pieces. 

BUT am not sure I'd actually be brave enough to pull it off.

What do you guys think??

 Advise me...LOL

Something fun...

We lived in England for two years when my husband was active duty in the Air Force. During that time, we got to spend 36 amazing hours in Paris. Honestly, there is no other city in the world like it. I absolutely fell in love. 

So, when I had a friend talking about this book on Instagram, I had to go check it out. 

It's gorgeous. 

Part photography...

part sketchbook...

part journal...

It's all beautiful and just a fun book to sit down and peruse. 

I really love it.

A Paris Year by Janice MacLeod

A new favorite read...

Point of Contact by Melanie Hansen

You can find my full review with story blurb and buy links where I rated the book an A+....HERE.

I love a book that plays with my emotions. This one does bigtime. Coming from a military family...hubby is retired AF, son is active duty AF, the emotions hit me throughout the book...I cried tears in the first chapter and the last chapter and pretty much throughout...but it has a happy ending that I loved and definitely made the emotional journey so worth it. 

I loved this book.

******

Such a powerful rendition and video...

of This is Me by Shoshana Bean featuring Travis Wall.

Everything about this video...
the music...
the message...
the visuals...
So perfect!

Just beautiful!

Rise above...

When Love Comes Back release day!!!

When the Mission Ends series is BACK with book #5, When Love Comes Back....

When Love Comes Back is a standalone second chance at love story. It features the veterinarian, Felicia Parks who was introduced in When Love Intrudes. Her hero is the new wing commander at the local Air Force base, but they have a history and a lot of hurt between them.

I love second chance at love stories, and I hope you enjoy Gage and Felicia's rocky road to happily ever after...

Story Description:

He was her biggest mistake.

She was his biggest regret.

Once upon a time Felicia Parks and Gage Winston were each other’s everything. But one drunken night, Gage ruined it all and broke Felicia’s heart.

That was a long time ago and they’ve both moved on, never expecting to see one another again.

But as the new wing commander at the local Air Force base, Gage finds something on this assignment that he never expected...his first love.

The problem...she’s in love with someone else.

Fate can be a lover’s best friend, but karma can be a vengeful enemy....

And a dangerous obsession threatens it all.
 
Note: While this is Book #5 in the When the Mission Ends series, this book is easily read as a stand-alone novel.

BUY NOW!

Amazon 

Everyone else

Amazon (print)

EXCERPT

He gently brushed back the strands of her hair floating across her face in the breeze. “Well, the work obviously agrees with you.” His gaze dropped to her lips, and her breath quickened. “You radiate happiness tonight. I’ve missed seeing you this happy.” It seemed perfectly natural for him to brush his thumb over the fullness of her bottom lip.

She had been breathing too fast, and now, she could barely breathe at all. He seemed on the cusp...of something.

“Wh—what are you doing?” she asked, her voice barely there, afraid to break the spell woven by the candlelight and the soft breeze blowing. It would be so easy to lean over and feel his lips on hers one more time. She’d missed him so much.

“Remembering just how good it was between us,” he said, his tone low and serious. “I’d forgotten what it was like to see real joy on your face. I haven’t seen it since I’ve been back, but tonight, I saw you happy. He doesn’t do that for you.”

He.

Steven.

        Oh, shit. 

BUY NOW!

Amazon 

Everyone else

Amazon (print)

Spring Break at the Movies...

For those of you that have followed me for a while, you know I don't usually take much time away from writing or reading for movies or television. 

Well, last week was spring break here and I made a conscious effort to spend some time with video.

I went and saw four movies at the theater AND have been watching two netflix series. So I thought for this week's Friday Five (yes, I know I'm two days late...it was spring break...hehe...so I was breaking), I would share what I've been watching and my quickie reviews of all of them...

Black Panther...

rating: A+

I know, I know. Everyone has raved about this movie and that's why I went to see it. While I love the Marvel world, I'm hopelessly behind, so I don't worry about catching too many of these at the theater. 

I was so completely blown away by this movie. Everything about it was fantastic...the story, the characters, the cinematography (wow, it was gorgeous...it's definitely one to see in the theater). 

I fell in love with it. Hubby and I were alone the first half of spring break because Kat (my 10yo) was at her grandparents. I'm debating going to see this again, taking Kat with me this time. (Although, it might be a bit too intense violence-wise on the big screen for her...so, we'll see...I'm still debating it.)

Game Night...

rating: A

Like I mentioned, Kat was out of town so this was what we decided to go see as our 'adult' film...LOL, not that kind of adult film. 

But I was so surprised by this movie. There was a LOT more to it than I expected. For some reason, I was thinking it was going to be a lot like one of those movies that's always better drunk...like The Hangover. But it was so much more than that. 

I really enjoyed it...hubby did, too.

A Wrinkle In Time...

rating: B

Many moons ago, I worked in a bookstore and read this book, but I'll be honest, I don't remember a bit of it. So, I wasn't sure what the movie was going to be like. 

It far surpassed what I expected in several ways, but it was also a bit disappointing in another. At times, the movie seemed almost too artistic. It had an AMAZING 'moral of the story' that surprised me and the movie is breathtakingly beautiful. There were just a few moments where it felt like the artistry pulled it off the task of telling the story.

I loved that we went and saw it, but I won't want to ever see it again, I don't think.

Love, Simon...

rating: A+

Wow, wow, wow. I debated back and forth about whether to read the book before going to see the movie. In the end, I have seen the movie, but I haven't read the book, yet. 

But THE MOVIE WAS PHENOMENAL!!!

I took Kat with me when we went and saw it and we both adored it so, so much. It was so good. Such an incredible story about the realities of teenage love (gah, it doesn't matter who you are or who you have a crush on, being a teenager is NOT for the faint of heart). 

I loved everything about the movie...the story, the characters, the way things were handled throughout the movie, and OMG...I want that house. I loved it!! And will happily watch it again and again. Kat and I both cried during it. 

And now, I need to read the book!

Netflix...

Jessica Jones

rating: B+

Confession: I'm only 4 episodes into Season 1, but I'm really liking this show...and this isn't one that normally I would like. Although now that I say that it occurs to me that this show is a LOT like Veronica Mars with a lot of alcohol, violence and sex...it's the adult version of Veronica Mars. And I'm kinda, really loving it. 

But I'm having to take it slow, because you know, that whole writing and reading thing I have going on in my life...hehe.

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
rating: A

Ben found this show on Netflix and if it had been up to me, I never would have stopped and watched it because truthfully, I am NOT a Jerry Seinfeld fan.

But dang, this is the thing we are most enjoying on tv now that the Olympics are over. We've gotten strangely addicted to this one and there are five or seven seasons, so thankfully, we still have a lot of shows to watch. 

We both like this one. It's really, really entertaining...sometimes funny, and a lot of times surprisingly thought-provoking. It's been fun to see some of our favorite comics in a more natural setting.

That's it for me for this 'Friday Five'...

Keep watching this space all this week because...

WHEN LOVE COMES BACK
releases on Friday!!!

Amazon preorder


smiles,
Christi

Friends through books...

Making up stories...

Friday Five to kick off Spring Break...

When Love Comes Back...

It's up for preorder! 

Yippee. 

Here are the links:

Amazon 

Everyone else

Goodreads

releasing March 23rd!!

And the blurb, just in case you haven't seen it...

He was her biggest mistake.

She was his biggest regret.

Once upon a time Felicia Parks and Gage Winston were each other’s everything. But one drunken night, Gage ruined it all and broke Felicia’s heart.

That was a long time ago and they’ve both moved on, never expecting to see one another again.

But as the new wing commander at the local Air Force base, Gage finds something on this assignment that he never expected...his first love.

The problem...she’s in love with someone else.

Fate can be a lover’s best friend, but karma can be a vengeful enemy....

And a dangerous obsession threatens it all.

NOTE: this is the 5th book in the series, but it is a stand-alone novel.

*******

This book is starting to hit reviewers e-readers. 

*eeps* 

This is always a serious nail-biting time. 

I don't put a book out unless I'm happy with it, but I never know how readers are going to react.

Until those first few reviews go up or I'm getting messages, this is a SCARY time...LOL.

And if you're a book blogger or reviewer and want to review it, drop me a line...

snowchris_01@yahoo.com

******

Have you discovered oils yet?

I'm just dipping my feet into this trend right now, and I have no idea what I'm doing yet. All I know is that my moods are definitely affected by scents (and music, and weather, and hormones, and food...LOL).

*ahem*

But I digress. 

I do think I can enhance certain emotions and motivations by using oils. 

At least I think so. 

We'll see. 

This is as far as I've gotten...ordering and opening a starter kit.

So, anyone out there with experience and knowledge...share it with me. 

And I'll keep you updated if I find any miracle oil that manages to keep me on task...LOL.

*****

Favorite bujo layouts...

This week I was asked to do an interview about my bullet journal. Part of the post was to share my five favorite layouts. Since I'd taken these photos, I thought you all might enjoy seeing them, too...

The Spring Dance signals the start of Spring Break....

This is her last year in elementary school, and these little things like the last elementary-level dance are a little bittersweet. Soon, she'll be in middle school and hormones will begin to take over and everything will change. 

I'm trying to enjoy these little moments.

And yes, that includes things like shopping for girly dresses and bonding over dying her hair teal...hehe. Don't worry, it will eventually wash out...no harsh chemicals at this age.

Mary Poppins Returns...

OMG, I'm so freaking excited about this. Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins? YES...PLEASE!

Christmas 2018.

I can't wait!!

******

I hope everyone has a great weekend planned.

We're starting Spring Break here.

And don't forget to Spring Forward Sat night/Sun morning.

smiles,

Christi