Hello world! I don't think I've ever done a nail polish post on this blog yet so it's time to change that. I'm a huge nail polish junkie and it's been a while since I have picked up any new colors since I've been away at college. Yesterday I stopped by Marshalls with my mom and I came across some beautiful Essie polishes for only $3.99 so of course I had to pick them up!

I've been really loving polishes that have a bit of shimmer in them which is definitely new since I've always liked creme finishes. All three of these polishes have some sort of sheen to them though they dry down differently.

As you can see from the swatches, Comfy in Cashmere dries down to a matte finish but in certain lights, there's still a hint of some frosty shimmer. Barbados Blue and Oh Behave! both dry glossy and therefore are easier to see the small shimmer particles. All of the swatches above are done with two coats but I recommend adding an extra coat for Oh Behave! because it can still seem a bit sheer after two coats.

I've personally only swatched Oh Behave! on myself, the others I've only swatched them on the plastic nails. While I really like the color in the bottle, Oh Behave! looks a bit off on me (could be just personal preference) and I think it would suit someone with a deeper skin tone a lot better. I've also heard on the internet that Comfy in Cashmere tends to chip very easily and most people don't use a top coat since it's a matte finish but I recommend trying a matte top coat if you want to prevent the polish from chipping. 

I don't have anything to report on Barbados Blue yet and I have to admit that it's my favorite so far since I tend to go for blue polishes, but all the colors are beautiful and I didn't have any problem with the formula when swatching the polishes. Essie polishes are DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde free according to their website and I believe they typically retail for around $8-$10 depending on which drugstore you check. However, you can definitely find them for a super great price at Marshalls, the color selection just might not be that extensive. 

Dear Aaron by Mariana Zapata

| ASIN: B071X1NSV8 | Pages: 485 |

Publication Date: June 10, 2017 | Source: Own 

| Rating: 4 out of 5 stars |

★★★★

Ruby Santos knew exactly what she was getting herself into when she signed up to write a soldier overseas.

The guidelines were simple: one letter or email a week for the length of his or her deployment. Care packages were optional.

Been there, done that. She thought she knew what to expect.

What she didn’t count on was falling in love with the guy.

I picked this up on a whim because I saw Amy Harmon post about it on Facebook and for some reason I just wanted to check it out. Long story short, I picked this up yesterday and I finished it in one day. I don't think I've read such a long book (almost 500 pages) in such a short time for so long.

Anyway, I ended up liking this a lot more than I thought I would. This novel classifies as romance which I haven't read in a while so I was expecting something that would be a quick read but I found myself clicking really well with the characters.

“Loneliness even when you’re surrounded by others is something I understand well."

The beginning half of the story is written in email and text message format. At times, the plot seemed to drag on but I found myself really enjoying the gradual development of Ruby and Aaron's relationship. I read that Mariana Zapata calls her fans "Slow Burners" because many of her novels contains romances that are slow burners and Dear Aaron is definitely no different.

“Beauty fades, a good personality and chemistry doesn’t."

The development of Ruby and Aaron's relationship starts off as pen-pals asking about how the other is doing to becoming good friends before feelings start developing. I can definitely see how some might be annoyed by how slow things were happening. Personally, I liked the pace of things because each email and text revealed more of the characters and made them even more relatable.

“You're mine, RC. That's not changing.”

I've read a couple reviews where some find Ruby's character lacking but I found myself  relating to her insecurities and random anxiety moments. It's always easier to talk to someone online than face to face and Rubywas a really great portrayal of how I personally feel like my nerves would be like - sarcastic and outgoing in front of the computer and a complete dork in real life. 

I think I'm still on a bit of a high after reading this because I just enjoyed it so much - from Ruby's lame army jokes to their overall banter with each other. I really enjoyed this a lot and a part of me still wishes that their story wasn't over but I'm glad I got to see how their story began.

The Queen and the Cure by Amy Harmon

| ISBN: 978-1545391778 | Pages: 330 |

Publication Date: May 9, 2017 | Source: Own

| Rating: 5 out of 5 stars |

★★★★★

"There will be a battle, and you will need to protect your heart." 
Kjell of Jeru had always known who he was. He'd never envied his brother or wanted to be king. He was the bastard son of the late King Zoltev and a servant girl, and the ignominy of his birth had never bothered him. 
But there is more to a man than his parentage. More to a man than his blade, his size, or his skills, and all that Kjell once knew has shifted and changed. He is no longer simply Kjell of Jeru, a warrior defending the crown. Now he is a healer, one of the Gifted, and a man completely at odds with his power.
Called upon to rid the country of the last vestiges of the Volgar, Kjell stumbles upon a woman who has troubling glimpses of the future and no memory of the past. Armed with his unwanted gift and haunted by regret, Kjell becomes a reluctant savior, beset by old enemies and new expectations. With the woman by his side, Kjell embarks upon a journey where the greatest test may be finding the man she believes him to be. 

All hail the queen! I've been going crazy ever since I heard that Amy Harmon was coming out with a sequel to The Bird and Sword which I absolutely adored reading last year. I had the book delivered home because I was in the midst of finals and would not concentrate if it had shown up at school. I have to admit that the thought of the book waiting for me at home was one of the things that pulled me through finals week.

I loved Kjell in The Bird and the Sword but I wasn't focused on him since all my attention was devoted to Lark and Tiras. The fact that this story follows and reveals more of his character allows readers to take notice of how he has developed across the two novels and honestly made me want to go back to reread the first book just so that I could pay more attention to his role. 

“Come to me, and I will try to love you. I will try to love you, if you but come back.” 

There's a lot of mystery around Kjell's background but he's always been rooted in this role as the Captain of the King's Guard and brother to the king. He had no desire to rule and knew what he was fighting for but that all changes when he discovers that he is Gifted with the power to heal. When he's assigned to rid the country of the remaining Volgar, his problems multiply when he stumbles across Sasha, a young girl with the ability to see glimpses of the future. 

“I have been hated before. But I don’t know if I’ve been loved. I think . . . once . . . I must have been, because I know how to love.”

The whole dynamic between Sasha and Kjell has that same magicalness that all of Amy Harmon's couples have. I loved how they interacted with each other, how Sasha encouraged Kjell to really grow into his character and how Kjell remained someone Sasha could rely on throughout all the up and downs.

“The very best things in life are born of difficulty. Whatever comes too easily is easily abandoned.” 

Speaking of ups and down, oh my goodness. The amount of times my jaw literally dropped to the floor is too many to count. The whole story has you on the edge of your seat because things keep happening that you don't expect and your heart is feeling more feels that humanly possible. There are honestly no words to describe how amazing of a journey this novel takes you on and every second is precious.

Once again, I'm floored by another Amy Harmon novel. Everything from the characters to the plot to the world is beautiful, magical, and absolutely unforgettable. One more thing before I wrap this up, I always love the messages that Amy Harmon weaves into each of her novels and this one is no different. The Queen and the Cure is breathtaking but remains rooted in the reminder of love's powerful ability to heal and nurture life to continue to grow.