Marmoreal Monday: My Favorite Products

What do you know, it's Monday! That means another post of random ramblings from yours truly!

I don't know what to talk about, and I've rewritten this sentence a dozen times.

I have a kind of peculiar beauty regimen, as I refuse to put any kind of chemicals on my body, i.e. no shampoo, toothpaste, etc. I also really love alternative, natural approaches to health. So, I'm going to share with you my can't live without products/supplements etc.

Disclaimer: I'm some random person on the internet. Don't take my life advice. This is the stuff I do, and that does not mean you should do it. If something here piques your interest, research it on your own or talk to a professional before you do anything. Once again, I have no qualifications to be giving out advice to anybody about anything. I also have no affiliation with any of the following companies/brand names.

Beauty/Personal Care Products without which I Cannot Function:

1. Organic, All-Natural Honey. Preferably clover honey. It tastes really good, and it's also got all sorts of anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory properties, so I use it on any cuts I may have. It also draws out infection, which is great as well. Additionally, honey is incredibly moisturizing as well as cleansing. I put it on my face when I first go into the bathroom to shower, so it sets while I'm gathering my things, turning on the water, etc., and use it to wash as well as moisturize my face. I do the same for my hair; honey basically replaces shampoo for me. 
2. Organic Virgin Coconut Oil. I use this for everything. It replaces lotion, conditioner. etc. etc. for me. I put it on my hair for moisture as well as to protect my hair in the event I want to lighten a lock or two (I have dirty blonde hair, so I can use lemon or other natural substances to lighten a few shades). I use it on my entire body instead of a chemical-laden lotion, and I shave my legs with it (though I don't do it right, apparently, as it hurts quite a lot). I also use it for the practice of oil pulling, which involves swirling a teaspoon to a tablespoon of oil around in my mouth for twenty minutes. This detoxifies the body, and I've noticed my teeth are whiter. My favorite brand is Tropical Traditions, as I find that they are simply the best I've ever used.
3. Turmeric. I use this to brush my teeth with after oil pulling, as it also whitens the teeth and is good for the gums. I also mix it with milk and put it on my skin, as it lightens skin a bit to get rid of dark spots, and generally brightens my complexion. 
4. Sea Buckthorn Oil. This stuff is the best. It's bright orange and I get it imported from Siberia. It fixes all my skin problems, from acne to redness to stretch marks. It is a miracle in a bottle for me. 
5. Boar Bristle Brush. It distributes the natural oils from my scalp to my ends and is the best brush I've ever had. 
6. Horn comb. (Yes, animal horn. Usually ox, sheep or yak.) It's made of keratin, which is the same substance from which hair is made. The first time I used one of these I did not lose a single hair on my head. 

Supplements without which I cannot Function:

1. Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Purified Fish Oil. Yes, there are cheaper brands out there, but I use this brand because it's just so pure, and you don't get any nasty environmental toxins like mercury with it. Plus, it has EPA and DHA, which is what I want, instead of the cheaper ALA type Omega-3 I don't really want. I get the 180 count and take two a day (the recommend amount).
2. Nature's Way Alive! Max Potency MultiVitamin. This stuff is great because it has so many herbs in it, as well as food-based sources of all the good vitamins that I want. It's phenomenal, really, and it's so natural and chemical-free and I love it! I buy the 180 count, and usually only take one or two a day (less than the recommended amount), as I feel I get a lot of nutrients from my food. 

There you have it! I'm still reading Origin, by the way, so look forward to a review of that! 

Opal (Lux #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Caution, this review may contain spoilers for this book and any previous books in the series.

This is a sequel in the series, so I don't feel the need to tell you to read this or tell you what it is about, as, by the third book, I'm sure you know. I powered through this in a little less than two days (like,  two calendar days, not two solid days' worth of reading time), and I really enjoyed reading this book. I have lots of thoughts, and they're kind of jumbled, but that's basically why I write this blog, to sort out my feels over books!

What I Liked:

• The developing relationship between Daemon and Dawson. When we first saw him in Opal, I had fears that this was going to end up like The Vampire Diaries, i.e. brother fighting with brother over girl. However, Katy really seemed to enhance their relationship as opposed to put them at odds. (Props to Jennifer L. Armentrout, hereafter abbreviated JLA, for that breath of fresh air in YA fiction.) I also found their marathons of ghost hunting programming incredibly heartwarming, as well as Dawson's feelings over Beth and how he expressed them to Daemon. It fuzzies all around. 
• Dee's righteous anger with Katy in the beginning. I was still annoyed with Katy, so I was very pleased that Dee still blamed her, and the whole thing wasn't swept under the rug. 
• That said, I also enjoyed the girly shopping trip. I'm conflicted, because I'm still simmering with frustration for Katy's poor decision making, but I also liked the forgiveness themed scenes. I don't know how I feel here, other than that JLA has written a very nuanced relationship between Dee and Katy. 
• The almost sex scene after their plan was foiled by the onyx. That was nicely written. I much prefer it when books leave some to the imagination, and sort of dance around the obvious and vulgar. I want my love scenes to be about a magical connection, not bodily fluids. It was sweet and heartwarming, and I just got all warm and fuzzy. 
• In that vein, I also really, really adored their actual sex scene. It was basically what I look for in my love scenes; the connection between Katy and Daemon was depicted really vividly, and it made me smile, you know? I just liked it a lot, and I think that JLA has a real talent for writing these scenes in such a way as to remain true to the characters, yet still emphasize the change that Katy feels she has undergone. 
• Likewise, Daemon's after-prom surprise for Katy (Are you sensing a pattern here?). Also well-written, also charming, and also why I prefer fiction to reality every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
• The surprising/shocking appearances of Carissa and Will. I remember thinking something was up when Carissa got the flu, but I didn't remember it at the forefront of my mind for the whole rest of the book, and I certainly didn't expect her to be unstable or anything that actually went down, so, props again to JLA for the shocker. I certainly did expect Will to return, but I definitely didn't expect him when he did show up. I thought the cliffhanger was going to be Will showing up and shooting/killing someone after the successful mission, and we'd have to wait to see if they pulled through when the next book came out, so I was surprised there, too. I think I was just off my game in terms of suspicion with this book. 

What I Didn't Like:

• Katy. This isn't really a critique of the book, as, like I said, I thoroughly enjoyed it, but I was very frustrated with Katy during this installment. She continually argues with Daemon about how strong and competent she is when a) she trusted Blake and got Adam killed last book and b) she trusted Blake and got herself captured and their only piece of opal stolen this book. I just think she's not as good at being an alien super spy as she thinks she is, so it really annoys me when she gets on her high horse and claims that. Also, she just doesn't learn. She lies to Daemon about Blake (again), by not telling Daemon about his feelings for her and the fact that he is sleeping in her bed, and, lo and behold, Blake's not to be trusted (again), and the sh*t has hit the fan because of him and Katy's trust in him (AGAIN). 
• Blake. Someone could have killed Blake so many times. (I'm fairly ruthless when it comes to fictional deaths, btw)

Final Thoughts:

• The Daemon and Katy in this book was out of this world, it really was. I did miss the chapter from Daemon's perspective in the back of this book, but the scenes in the text really made up for it. Once Katy quit being difficult, they were sweet and charming and fun and everything a YA romance should have. 
• I enjoyed the arcs of secondary characters like Dee, Ash, Andrew, etc. It's easy to lose sight of people like that when something like Mouth Weather happens, but JLA did a wonderful job fitting those sorts of things in with the rest of the plot. 
• I highly recommend this installment in the Lux series to anyone! I've got Origin on my end table right now, and I'm so excited for it!

Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Caution, you may see spoilers below for this book and all previous books in the series.

Second books in series are usually the bane of my existence. You know the standard YA trilogy formula, where the girl loses her guy at the end of the first novel, and the second one is all about her misery and potentially introducing the other boy in their love triangle and you're just so frustrated because you know no girl in the fictional world ever ends up with second-book guy. However, Onyx is the exception, and I enjoyed it very thoroughly.

What I Liked:

• The Daemon/Katy in this installment. When Daemon celebrated Thanksgiving with Katy...I died, it was so sweet. Also, when he asked her if he could stay over...gah, I just love when Daemon nuzzles Katy while he's still asleep. (Don't act like you don't think the same!)
• The development of Blake's character and Katy's relationship with him. I typed in my draft, after the scene with the three of them after Blake took out the Arum in the diner, "I really suspect Blake, I just do." First off, we know that Katy has to end up with Daemon, so the love triangle boy, if you will, has to be nixed somehow, so I was already prepared to dislike Blake. However, I really, really loved Jennifer Armentrout's characterization of him; it was such that I had my suspicions of him, but I didn't quite have him figured out. For example, when he drove her away and was really rude at the restaurant, we all pretty much knew he was bad news, but I totally expected them to pull up next to a member of the DOD right then and there, and him having her fight an Arum was not what I expected. 
• Will. Will totally blew me away. I didn't have the slightest suspicion of Will whatsoever, right up until the bowl of potatoes that Katy knocks over and thinks she sees him watching her. I certainly didn't like him, but I kind of viewed him like Ash, an annoyance to Katy, but not a major problem. I really like that I was able to be suspicious of Blake and then have the satisfaction of seeing precisely how he was a bad guy, yet there was also the character of Will that really blindsided me.
• Daemon! I just loved Daemon in this. I hate to admit it, but I am one of those girls that thinks jealousy and being angry because he's hurt are the most attractive things ever. (I would never do this to a guy in real life, of course, supposing one noticed me, but it's nice in fiction.) Also, his love for Katy despite her total lack of judgment was just so noble. Oh, and the last section, their declaration of love from his perspective: I could not stop grinning. I look forward to his perspective the most, and this addition did not disappoint. I really, really applaud Jennifer Armentrout for portraying Daemon's feelings (in his words, being a "pansy") without seeming out of character with his general attitude. 

What I Didn't Like:

• Katy. This isn't a criticism of the book itself, this is more something I'm frustrated with in the characters in an in-universe way. I'm still kind of annoyed with Katy's poor judgment in this installment. Like I said, Blake threw up red flags for me, but, okay, Katy's trusting, but she doesn't say anything even after he takes her to see the Arum? And after she realizes he's with the DOD? Ugh. I could have smacked her. I still want to. I'm just not over that yet. Especially the way she said she did it was so she could be equal to Daemon and help and everything, and all she's managed to do was ruin everything. I'm interested to see how Dee handles Adam's death in terms of Katy's culpability, because I sure won't be forgiving her. 
• I'm also frustrated with the number of bad guys that are now just running around. Will and Blake, most obviously...but also that Nancy woman, and who knows which side Bethany is on. I mean, obviously there's a sequel, but I generally get annoyed when character's leave an enemy live for moral reasons. You know they're going to somehow play a future part. 

Final Thoughts:

• The Daemon was just out of this world in Onyx. Seriously, it was actually hot. Like, in real life. I cannot adequately tell you how desirable Daemon was in this book. 
• This definitely avoided the usual dragging of the second book in a series, but I think I preferred Katy in Obsidian, though, like I said, Daemon was incomparable in this one. 
• I'm looking forward to Opal and I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! (It's like 8 minutes left right now.)

Bite-Size Book Rec #1

I've also decided to start doing a thing called "Bite-Size Book Recs." It's where I don't want to write a full review (either because I don't have time or I'll gush too much), but I really want to share something, and I want you to know about it ASAP because you should all be running out to get your hands on it immediately.

Bite-Size Book Rec:

Who: Everyone!

What: Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

When: Right now! Go! Read! Or comment if you have read it and want to gush!

Where: Wherever you read books! I'm on my couch! With some tea! (I also recommend drinking tea.)

Why: The MC (Lenzi) is so relatable and so well-developed, and Alden, for whom she has feelings, is such a great character. I feel like their romance (well, the beginnings of it, this is the first in a series) is so real and so wonderful and just makes you feel so much and fall so hard...gah, I just love it. Also, the concept of Speaker and Protectors and Hindered is so unique compared to what else it out there is YA fiction. I said this on Goodreads, I've said to all my book-loving friends, and I'll say it again here: this is profound.

Marmoreal Mondays!

I've decided to do a new thing where I talk about something that isn't solely a book review every Monday. It's called "Marmoreal Monday" for no reason other than a) I couldn't find a synonym for "personal" that started with an "M" and b) I really, really like that word and would like to see it used more widely.

Ahem. Moving on.

I mentioned in a recent post that my favorite author was Maggie Stiefvater. I dislike the idea of having one author that is your "favorite" per se. However, in terms of YA Lit, Maggie Stiefvater is an author whose books I have had really, really strong feelings about pretty much since the I started reading her.

Basically, her Shiver Trilogy (Shiver, Linger, and Forever) is such a unique interpretation of werewolves and the romance so real and so ideal and so ... so ... I'm having a hard time articulating this, but it's one of those romances where I get that feeling of my heart being squeezed from all the emotion, and it gets difficult to speak. The feeling that is the origin of the phrase "your heart's in your throat," basically.

I also absolutely drool over her Books of Faerie (Ballad and Lament). First off, anything for folklore, particularly British or Irish folklore just gets me. (Seriously, I bought everything Amazon had from Katherine Briggs, who is pretty much the biggest name in that area). Second, I LOVE the whole "faerie" concept. (NOT Tinker Bell, like, traditional faeries. The next series I'm delving into is by Nancy Werlin and includes Extraordinary, Impossible, and Unthinkable. It involves, you guessed it, the world of the fae. So you can see, I'm really into it.) Finally, she just makes everything real, you know? Like, I believe because Maggie Stiefvater wrote about it. She just makes her writing so alive.

My favorite book from her is The Scorpio Races. One, Sean is the kind of man one can only dream about. I mean, of course, a relationship with him wouldn't really work in real life (at least for me, anyway), but it's liked he walked out of a legend. The whole book is, really. Everything is ancient and full of myth and time and meaning AND I LOVE IT! The way she writes the world is the way I wish I could see it all the time.

Her Raven Cycle (The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves, and two more, I believe, yet to be released) is also one of my favorites. First off, ley lines? Glendower? I am all over that. One, it made my British history class actually relevant to my actual life for the first, last, and only time, but, damn, was it worth it. Two, no one handles legends as well as Maggie Stiefvater. The way she described Cabeswater and nature and the connection the characters' feel towards it is just so... stirring.

Also, I highly recommend you check out her website or something, because she is also awesome as a person! (She has tons of pets and plays the bagpipes. Really. Now, go research her, I promise you will not be disappointed with the way in which she embodies awesome.)

In short, Maggie Stiefvater is my favorite author because her books are just that good. The characters, the plot, everything is awesome. However, what really does it for me is a little more intangible than that. I want to throw around the phrase "speaks to my soul" ... however, I don't want you to think I'm off my rocker and leave. Oh, hell, it's not like anyone's really reading this. The novels of Maggie Stiefvater speak to my soul. Just the way she describes magic and legends and things ancient and eternal just gets me the way nothing else ever has. Seriously, I believe in the world because Maggie Stiefvater wrote about it.

I'll freely admit, I've always been a bit weird...i.e. attributing odd little things to elements of supernatural/folkloric natures is something I've always done, and I've always been obsessed with the past and the fae and magic and such. HOWEVER, my love for Maggie Stiefvater is completely independent of that aspect of my interests and if you have never read anything by her, I HIGHLY recommend you do so right now. Seriously, you don't know what you're missing.

Angel Fever by L.A. Weatherly

Caution: You may find spoilers below.

I'm a bit late, but I wanted to talk about this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two installments in this series, and the third one was no exception.

What I Liked:

• Willow, Alex and Seb's characters. I feel like they really remained true to themselves throughout their appearances in the series, which can sometimes be hard to find. 
• The author's handling of grief. For some reason, reading about a character's grief is so bone-shatteringly anathema to me. I just dislike it. However, I found that I didn't have that aversion to Willow's mourning in this book. 
• The balance between end-of-the-world drama and romance drama. Sometimes, I find myself either yearning to go back to the two characters' love story or to the action of the overall blot. This was not so here, as I believe Ms. Weatherly perfectly captured the best of both worlds. 
• Willow's hair journey. I really, really liked that L.A. Weatherly chose to make Willow's hair kind of representative of her symbolic journey through the novel. It was a nice literary touch without being blatant or contrived.

What I Didn't Like:

• Too short! I need more!

Final Thoughts:

• Willow is still one of my favorite heroines in YA literature. 
• I was way happier than I should have been about the hair thing. 
• If you're a fan of the series, read this, obviously. If you haven't, and you like the whole YA, supernatural thing, give this a go. Really, it's very well-written and has compelling characters.

Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

CAUTION: Here, there may be spoilers. You have been warned.

Obsidian is the first book in the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. This is my first book by Ms. Armentrout, and it certainly will NOT be the last. I received this book for Christmas, and I am kicking myself that it was not the first book from my Christmas haul that I read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'm reading the sequel (Onyx) right now.

What I Liked:

• Katy. I LOVE Katy. First off, she's a book blogger! How cool is that? Second, she's one of the most relatable yet realistic heroines I've encountered in YA fiction. She's feisty, intelligent, and awesome, but she's not a Mary Sue at all. She's someone I would want to be and/or be friends with. 
• Daemon. It must be a law of the universe that all guys named this are incredibly sexy. (Damon from The Vampire Diaries anyone?) He's got that perfect blend of badassery, jerkface-ness, and emotional vulnerability that make a YA hero swoon-worthy. (Seriously, I've been having a hard time swooning over books lately, mainly because I read so much that characters start to seem contrived, but, no, I swooned.) Plus, moody guys are hot. 
• Daemon and Katy's relationship. You'll see a lot of people comparing the Lux series to the Twilight Saga. Yes, a human girl moves to a small town where a non-human boy rescues her from a moving vehicle and by so doing reveals his non-humanity to her, much to the chagrin of his non-human relatives who hate her, except for his bubbly sister. However, what I think of the Twilight series notwithstanding (*cough* not much *cough*), it's hard to argue that Daemon and Katy's relationship isn't much, much hotter. 

What I Didn't Like:

• Honestly, I'm not partial to aliens. I much prefer a more folklore/mythology based bent to my YA supernatural/paranormal romance. Nothing against the book, but keep in mind, this is a bit of a sci-fi novel. 

Final Thoughts:

• I would unreservedly recommend this book to fans of YA romance. It has everything, yet it still managed to stand apart and, for the most part, above the rest. 
• Seriously, Daemon is swoon-worthy. 
• Jennifer Armentrout makes cultural references in this book! I love that!