Celticlady's Reviews

29 February 2016

Ultimate Skin Repair & Hydration Combo: True Glow Eye Cream & Ultra Plumping Hydration Mask Review!

The Roman Goddess of healing, Valentia, relied on nature’s gifts to heal the citizens of Umbria. Whether matriarchs seeking to maintain their youthful look or farmers seeking help for sun damaged skin, Valentia used berries, herbs, barks and other natural ingredients. We also rely on all natural ingredients due to their protective, preventative and corrective powers.

Just like our namesake, Valentia Skin Care products have been formulated with natural and organic cosmetic ingredients that will repair and protect the skin.

After performing extensive research into what skin care customers find most important, we found an overwhelming demand for skin care that is natural, free of toxins and paraben-free. Natural ingredients with an organic base have proven most effective at repairing skin damaged by sun or the wind, preventing signs of aging such as wrinkles, dark spots, and reversing the effects of oxidative stress on the skin.

TRUE GLOW EYE CREAM
- Astaxanthin: A powerful antioxidant that increases moisture levels, smooths fine line and wrinkles, and restores elasticity to the skin.

- Resistem: Natural Plant Stem Cells repair and protect the skin from harsh environmental pollutants and stress-related aging.

- Vitamin C: Leaves the skin smooth and visibly brighter for a well-rested and bright-eyed look.

- Organic Rosehip Oil: Provides intense hydration to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

- Arnica: A key anti-inflammatory agent to the restorative process that works to diminish the appearance of dark circles.

ULTRA PLUMPING HYDRATION MASK
- Silk Protein Amino Acid Blend: These natural miracles increase moisture content and help in the production of collagen and elastin which decreases the appearance of visible lines.

- Botanical Hyaluronic Acid: Penetrates deep into the skin to secure moisture and plump skin from within.

- Organic Sea Buckthorn Oil: An anti-aging wonder berry that results in fewer fine lines, diminished sun spots, more even skin tone, and firmer more supple skin.

- Japanese Green Tea: Contains catechins that provide anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and anti-irritant effects to the skin.

- Aloe Vera: This botanical moisturizers skin and fight aging by improving skin firmness.

My Thoughts

I have been using both the True Glow Eye Cream and the Ultra Plumping Hydration Mask for about a month now with nice results. I use the True Glow Eye Cream every night to reduce the bags under my eyes and the Ultra Hydration Mask twice a week.

I love how my skin feels after the mask. Both products are orangy in color and the mask has a pleasant smell. Even though it is orange it quickly absorbs and dry with no tight feeling, or, at least, I didn't experience. The instructions state to leave on for 15-30 minutes of which I did the full 30 minutes. I have used some masks that dry and crack and scare small children and pets, but with this hydration mask, you don't have that. You can go about your business, well at home anyway, then rinse off after the allotted time. The skin on my face felt nice and smooth and soft.

The True Glow Eye Cream I applied every night after cleansing, it absorbs quickly. I am 62 so the use of products that aid in the aging process is important to me. The use of organic and natural ingredients is extremely important also. You spend a lifetime being exposed to chemicals and other toxic things just in the air you breathe. I want a good quality product that assists me in what I need in an anti-aging product. I really like both of these products.

To learn more about these and other products at Valentia and to order, follow the links below.

http://www.valentia.com
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014DH4FTC

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014PJSYRM

I received the products above in a promotion for my honest and unbiased opinion.
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A Real Bad Boy By: Kaylee Song Book Blitz! @starange13

Title: A Real Bad Boy

Series: A Bad Boy Romance #3

By: Kaylee Song

Publication Date: February 18, 2016

Cover Design: Mayhem Cover Creations

Genre: Romance

Not all soldiers are made to follow orders. When it comes to Willow Ford I’d disobey them all. After nine years overseas, all I want is my peace until I come face to face with my past. Her. Willow will give me everything I need to heal. She’s running from a pain and heartache, but that won’t stop me from taking what is mine. After I'm hired as a bodyguard for a billionaire, Willow's the one who needs protecting. I'm the only man who can solve an unsolvable murder, but righting that wrong puts everyone in danger. Including the woman I love… and our unborn child. And I'll do anything to save what's mine--even if it gets bloody. Nothing is more important to me than Willow and that baby. Zachary Murdock would disobey all his orders for her.

Amazon US - http://goo.gl/rg7iKf

Amazon UK - http://goo.gl/aE73K6

Amazon CA - http://goo.gl/NvHEGD

Amazon US - http://goo.gl/SVh1c9

Amazon UK - http://goo.gl/3OPsR5

Amazon CA - http://goo.gl/iSiLjp

Amazon US - http://goo.gl/9HPvZD

Amazon UK - http://goo.gl/FAWi9P

Amazon CA - http://goo.gl/UBovcs

Kaylee Song is the Authoress of the Fire and Steel Series and the Bad Boys of Baltimore Series. She specializes in Contemporary, Dark, and Historical Romance. Social Media Links Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKayleeSong Website - www.kayleesong.com

Shadows in a Photograph by David McMichael Spotlight!

Book details

Paperback: 529 pages
Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers (29 Feb. 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1785546848
ISBN-13: 978-1785546846

This is the story of Peter Waring who in early 1940, soon after the outbreak of War, was posted as Medical Officer to an R.A.F. Bomber Station in Suffolk. As the nation battled for survival, new to the job and inexperienced as a doctor he had to learn to cope with the fears and tragedies that beset everyone around him. But amidst the turmoil of war, and Britain on the brink of disaster, Peter had also his own personal anxieties and conflicts. For he carried with him the legacy of a turbulent adolescence, full of family tensions and devastating revelations, and now was confronted by new uncertainties. He was to have his own battles ahead.

Covering the period from 1940 to 1941 as well as to a lesser degree the years before, it is in part the story of the men and women of the R.A.F., and of ordinary citizens, at a most critical time for Britain and for Europe as a whole. It is, too, a love story with numerous strands. And it is the story of how one man gradually came to understand his past, thereby learning to deal with the present and the future.

About the Author

David McMichael is a doctor who has been writing, in various genres for a number of years. Born in London, where he lived for some time, he now lives and works in northern England, on the fringes of the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District. Recently widowed, he has a daughter and a son. This is his third novel.

http://www.austinmacauley.com/author/mcmichael-david

Goodreads

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Flirting with Fame by Samantha Joyce Book Spotlight!

Pocket Star
352 pages
ISBN 9781501126833
February 2016

List Price $1.99

Available on or around February 29, 2016

About the Book

Elise Jameson is the secret author behind the bestselling, cult hit Viking Moon series. But when a stranger poses as Elise, the painfully shy, deaf nineteen-year-old starts to see how much she’s missing. Can she really hide in the shadows forever? This clever, coming-of-age debut is for anyone who has ever felt unsure in her own skin.

After a freak childhood accident leaves her deaf and physically scarred, nineteen-year-old Elise Jameson retreats into a world of vibrant characters she creates on her laptop. She is shocked when her coping mechanism turns into a career as a phenomenal bestselling novelist. Fans are obsessed with Elise’s Viking Moon series and its author—a striking girl with zero resemblance to Elise who appears on the back covers. Elise sent the randomly Googled photo to her editor following a minor panic attack. Now, horrified to learn she is expected on set of the television pilot based on her novels, Elise tracks down her anonymous stand-in. To Elise’s surprise, Veronica Wilde has been taking credit for Viking Moon for years. She eagerly agrees to keep up the charade if Elise will pose as her assistant.

It’s hard for Elise to watch a stranger take credit for her work and get all the perks she desires, including admiration from the show’s heartthrob star. Edged onto the sidelines of her own life, Elise reconsiders her choice to stay anonymous. Is she ready to come to terms with her true identity—and with the long-buried secrets that could cost her her career, her fans, and the few precious friendships she’s made?

Praise for FLIRTING WITH FAME

"A charming story of learning to embrace and love those things about ourselves that set us apart from others. I don’t think I stopped smiling once throughout Elise's journey except during the moments that squeezed painfully at my chest."

−Molly McAdams, New York Times bestselling author of To The Stars

"With a sprinkle of book fandom and dash of yummy romance, Flirting with Fame is the perfect story for every book lover."

−Tiffany King, USA Today bestselling author

Bio: Samantha Joyce is an active participant in local theater in her native Toronto, where she lives with her husband and their pet rabbit. Flirting With Fame is her first novel.

Links:

IBOOKSTORE:

A Kiss in the Shadows by Eve Kincaid and Lily Danes Spotlight!

GENRE: Contemporary Romantic Suspense

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Erin Grady is used to taking care of people. That’s why she’s thrilled to finally realize her dream of opening a clinic…and why she’s willing to overlook where the money came from—until a determined prosecutor comes sniffing around.

Will Patton is desperate to leave the small fogbound town of Lost Coast Harbor and build a real career for himself. But to do that, he’ll need to expose the dirty police chief—and betray the woman who makes him wonder if he’s leaving town too soon.

But the corruption in Lost Coast Harbor runs deep and wide—and exposing the truth will require Erin and Will to expose their hearts…no matter the risk.

Read an Excerpt

Will moved closer and reached past her, setting his wine next to hers and the nearness took her breath away. She raised her chin to look him in the eye to protest his bullying, but found herself speechless again, her heart pounding and unable to pull her gaze from his eyes, hooded with need.

God, kiss me. Again. And again.

He reached up and slipped a hand behind her neck, his fingers stroking the soft skin on her nape. Each brush fired her nerves, a heat that spread throughout her body.

This was crazy. She wasn’t into one-night stands, or hookups, or even casual flings. But her last relationship had ended a couple years earlier. She was due, damn it. She was a grown woman and could decide to have casual sex if she wanted to. Just because that wasn’t her usual style, didn’t mean it was necessarily a bad idea. She was just too busy, and worked too many nights. And she knew too much about any potential partner, the hazard of living in a small town for most of one’s life.

Will’s lips brushed across hers and his hand tightened on her neck and any moral objection she might have had flew out the window. Her heart pounded as the kiss grew deeper, more demanding. She inhaled the faint hint of his scent and the rough friction from the slight scruff on his face overwhelmed her. She ran a hand up his hard chest, flattening her palm to feel as much of him as possible.

“Damn.”

His gruff whisper didn’t make sense, but the sound made her shiver. Before she could respond, he kissed her again. Her arms were around his neck, pulling him closer. It wasn’t enough.

Author Bio and Links:

Like so many good ideas, Lost Coast Harbor was inspired by a few rounds of margaritas. One sunny afternoon, Lily Danes and Eve Kincaid went to a Mexican restaurant for snacks and tequila and left with the idea for a new series. Inspired by their love of noir movies and 1940s crime novels, they imagined a gritty small town full of crime and corruption, where intrigue and mystery can lead to love and passion.

www.lostcoastharbor.com

B&N

Eve Kincaid is a lapsed lawyer who decided that fictional crime was more fun than the real deal. When she’s not writing about mysterious women and the dangerous and sexy men who love them, she’s probably shopping for books, lipstick, or imported cheeses to complement a nice California pinot noir.

You can keep up with Eve’s new releases by signing up for her reader newsletter. She’d love to hear from you. Just don’t be creepy about it.

www.evekincaid.com

Lily Danes used to sneak Harlequin Presents out of the library between her Sweet Valley High books. Before she was caught, she developed a lifelong appreciation for romance novels. After she was caught, she was forced to have an awkward conversation with her parents about the dirty bits.

She has a degree in English Literature from the University of Washington and will make fun of people who ask what you can do with an English degree, since the answer is obviously “wear pajamas all day.”

Lily writes the odd books in the Lost Coast Harbor series. The books with odd numbers, that is. Whether the books themselves are odd is really up to the reader. The lovely Eve Kincaid handles the even books. Lily also writes urban fantasy as Mia Marshall, though those books have a lot less kissing.

These days, she lives in the Sierra Nevadas, where she gardens, knits, herds cats, and plans DIY projects she’s too lazy to complete. http://www.lilydanes.com/

The authors will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Welcome to RK's Rock Star Life by J.A.Huss Spotlight with #Giveaway!

Rock
J.A. Huss
Publication date: March 7th 2016
Genres: Rock-star Romantic Suspense

Welcome to RK’s rock star life.
I was living the dream, I was full throttle, all in, one hundred percent on top of the world. But it’s a hell of a long fall back down when you finally crash and burn.
Welcome to the delusions, the final act, the coming-to-Jesus moment when there’s nothing left to do but look yourself in the mirror and ask… How did I get like this?
I am RK’s living nightmare. I am RK’s empty soul. I am RK’s unchecked fantasy world that makes no sense to anyone.
I only have one thing left. Just one girl holding my broken pieces together.
And even she might be a lie.
Rock is a standalone rock-star romantic suspense by the New York Times bestselling master of twist, JA Huss.

Add to Goodreads

—

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Every day this week JA Huss is giving away FIVE ROCK super swag packs on her Facebook page!

Enter HERE➔ http://on.fb.me/1MXMGHG

—

Author Bio:
JA Huss is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty romances. She likes stories about family, loyalty, and extraordinary characters who struggle with basic human emotions while dealing with bigger than life problems. JA loves writing heroes who make you swoon, heroines who makes you jealous, and the perfect Happily Ever After ending.
You can chat with her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AuthorJAHuss), Twitter (@jahuss), and her kick-ass romance blog, New Adult Addiction (www.newadultaddiction.com).
If you're interested in getting your hands on an advanced release copy of her upcoming books, sneak peek teasers, or information on her upcoming personal appearances, you can join her newsletter list (http://eepurl.com/JVhAr) and get those details delivered right to your inbox.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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28 February 2016

Sephora $150 Gift Card Event!

Please join Celticlady's Reviews for the Sephora $150 Gift Card Event! I love Sephora products!

We are giving away $150 to Sephora!!! One winner will win $150 to Spend at Sephora.

The cohosts and sponsors of this event are:

What would you do with $150 to Sephora?

You are welcome to enter this giveaway if you are able to shop at a Sephora.

Entry -Form

Disclosure/Disclaimer: This site or any other site associated with this event has in no way been compensated for the preceding information. This giveaway is valid where allowed by law, open to anyone who is able to shop at this site mentioned in the giveaway and who is over 18 years of age. One winner will be randomly selected on 4/1 notified via email, and will have until 4/3 to reply. If there is no reply another winner will be randomly selected. Please use your real email address if you are serious about winning this.

Winners are posted on the MyPoshMedia site and, not on the entry widget itself, unless the winner wishes otherwise. Thanks so much! Do you want to add a prize to the giveaway to make it even better?

This is a great opportunity to market your business to hundreds of thousands of people if your item is valued at over $100. Contact Ms Posh at Myposhmedia(dot)com

27 February 2016

Daughter of Destiny by Nicole Evelina Review!

Before queenship and Camelot, Guinevere was a priestess of Avalon. She loved another before Arthur, a warrior who would one day betray her.

In the war-torn world of the late fifth century Britain, young Guinevere faces a choice: stay with her family to defend her home at Northgallis from the Irish, or go to Avalon to seek help for the horrific visions that haunt her. The Sight calls her to Avalon, where she meets Morgan, a woman of questionable parentage who is destined to become her rival. As Guinevere matures to womanhood, she gains the powers of a priestess and falls in love with a man who will be both her deepest love and her greatest mistake.

Just when Guinevere is able to envision a future in Avalon, tragedy forces her back home, into the world she barely recognizes, one in which her pagan faith, outspokenness, and proficiency in the magical and military arts are liabilities. When a chance reunion with her lover leads to disaster, she is cast out of Northgallis and into an uncertain future. As a new High King comes to power, Guinevere must navigate a world of political intrigue where unmarried women are valuable commodities and seemingly innocent actions can have life-altering consequences.

You may think you know the story of Guinevere, but you’ve never heard it like this: in her own words. Listen and you will hear the true story of Camelot and its queen.

Fans of Arthurian legend and The Mists of Avalon will love Daughter of Destiny, the first book in a historical fantasy trilogy that gives Guinevere back her voice and traces her life from an uncertain eleven-year-old girl to a wise queen in her fifth decade of life.

This book has been short-listed for the 2015 Chaucer Award for Historical Fiction.
Goodreads
Amazon

Nicole Evelina is St. Louis historical fiction and romantic comedy writer. Her debut novel, Daughter of Destiny, the first book of an Arthurian legend trilogy that tells Guinevere’s life story from her point of view, was recently published and has been short-listed for the Chaucer Award in Early Historical Fiction.

She has three additional books coming out in 2016:

1. Camelot’s Queen (April 12 – The second book in Guinevere’s Tale trilogy)
2. Been Searching for You (May 10 – award-winning contemporary romantic comedy)
3. Madame Presidentess (July 25 – Goethe Award-nominated historical fiction about 19th century American Presidential candidate Victoria Woodhull, the first American woman to run for President)

She hopes to have the final book in Guinevere’s Tale available in late 2016 or early 2017.

She is one of only six authors who completed a week-long writing intensive taught by #1 New York Times bestselling author Deborah Harkness. Nicole has traveled to England twice to research Guinevere’s Tale trilogy, where she consulted with internationally acclaimed author and historian Geoffrey Ashe, as well as Arthurian/Glastonbury expert Jaime George, the man who helped Marion Zimmer Bradley research The Mists of Avalon.

Nicole is a member of and book reviewer for the The Historical Novel Society, and Sirens (a group supporting female fantasy authors), as well as a member of the Historical Writers of America, Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Romance Writers of America, the St. Louis Writer’s Guild, Women Writing the West, Broad Universe (promoting women in fantasy, science fiction and horror), Alliance of Independent Authors and the Independent Book Publishers Association.

She spent 15 years researching Arthurian legend, Celtic Britain and the various peoples, cultures and religious practices that shaped the country after the withdrawal of Rome. Other historical interests include the Middle Ages and women who made their mark on history. She’s also a frequent visitor to Chicago, where Been Searching for You takes place.

Her website/blog is http://nicoleevelina.com and she can be found on Twitter as well as on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.

Read an Excerpt

I am Guinevere. I was once a queen, a lover, a wife, a mother, a priestess, and a friend. But all those roles are lost to me now; to history, I am simply a seductress, a misbegotten woman set astray by the evils of lust.

This is the image painted of me by subsequent generations, a story retold thousands of times. Yet, not one of those stories is correct. They were not there; they did not see through my eyes or feel my pain. My laughter was lost to them in the pages of history.

I made the mistake of allowing the bards to write my song. Events become muddled as ink touches paper, and truth becomes malleable as wax under a flame. Good men are relegated to the pages of inequity, without even an honest epitaph to mark their graves.

Arthur and I were human, no more, no less, though people choose to see it differently. We loved, we argued, we struggled, all in the name of a dream, a dream never to be fulfilled. Camelot is what fed the fires that stirred us to do as we did. History calls it sin, but we simply called it life.

The complexity of living has a way of shielding one’s eyes from the implications of one’s role. That is left for others to flesh out, and they so often manipulate it to suit their own needs. To those god-awful religious, I have become a whore; Arthur the victim of a fallen Eve; Morgan, a satanic faerie sent to lead us all astray. To the royalty, we have become symbols of the dreams they failed to create and Arthur is the hero of a nation, whereas to me, he was simply a man.
To the poor, we are but a legend, never flesh, and blood, a haunting story to be retold in times of tribulation, if only to inspire the will to survive.

We were so much more than mute skeletons doomed to an eternity in dust and confusion. We were people with a desire for life, a life of peace that would be our downfall. Why no one can look back through the years and recognize the human frailty beneath our actions, I will never understand. Some say grace formed my path; others call it a curse. Whatever it was, I deserve to be able to bear witness before being condemned by men who never saw my face.

It ends now. I will take back my voice and speak the truth of what happened. So shall the lies be revealed and Camelot’s former glory restored. Grieve with me, grieve for me, but do not believe the lies which time would sell. All I ask is that mankind listen to my words, and then judge me on their merit.

My Thoughts

There are a lot of different depictions of Guinevere and the story of King Arthur, Lancelot, and Camelot. One in particular that I liked was the Mists of Avalon, the movie. Such a mystical and mythical time it was. Or was it? We really do not know for sure but Nicole Evelina gives us her take and another perspective on the classic tale. Daughter of Destiny takes place before Guinevere is Queen to Arthur's King.

This story starts in the Spring of 491 with Guinevere arriving on the island of Avalon to begin her training as a priestess. She came from wealth where her family had slaves and servants to do their bidding. In Avalon, on the other hand, she has to learn to do for herself, washing her clothes, chores etc. She is proficient in wielding a sword, though, being trained by her mother. Guinevere also has the 'sight' and this is another reason she has been brought to Avalon, to learn to control her powers.

Life goes on and things are pretty normal and she meets and falls in love with a man but things are not meant to be as tragedy strikes at home and she is bidden to return home to Northgallis where she survives by her wits and her mother's ways, she is a Pagan Celt and even though there is an increased surge of Christianity she intends to follow the old ways.

Her first love, Aggrivane, arrives in Northgallis and because of this relationship, she is sent to Pellinor where she is virtually treated like a slave but befriends the daughter of the household, Elaine, and Morgan another trainee from Avalon. In spite of being under lock and key if you will, she still manages to spend time with Aggrivane, even though it is against her father's wishes. The novel ends with Guinevere becoming engaged to King Arthur.

Daughter of Destiny is the first in a trilogy, very well researched and thought out, if you want to learn more about Camelot and it's inhabitants, pick up this book. I eagerly await the second in the series where we learn more about King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, the threat of the Saxon's, Irish and Pict's and their invasion of Britain. Whether you believe or not, this is a story not to be missed for the historical fiction fan.

I received a signed copy of the book for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Always With You by Andrea Hurst Virtual Book Tour!

Always With You

By Andrea Hurst

Genre: Women’s Fiction

1977 is a glorious time to be alive in the beautiful wine country of Northern California, and Cathy has everything she thought she wanted - from a thriving health food café to loyal friends.

Since the devastating failure of her short-lived marriage, Cathy has buried herself in her work and kept men at arm’s length. But when an old high school friend, Pam, brings her family for a short stay, Cathy’s stone walls begin to crumble when she meets Jamie. Jamie, whose compassion and warmth slowly break down her defenses. Jamie, whose devotion to his four-year-old daughter melts Cathy's heart and makes her desperate for a family of her own. Jamie… who is married to Pam.

A profound love that transcends time and place is impossible to resist. But is love more important than friendship? Are loyalty and fidelity an anchor or a chain? In the end, it’s all about choices – tough ones that can break hearts. Now Cathy must make the most difficult choice of her life.

Author bio

When not visiting local farmer's markets or indulging her love for chocolate, Andrea Hurst is an author and literary agent. Her passion for books drives her to find and write stories that take readers on a journey to another place and leave them with an unforgettable impression. She is a developmental editor for publishers and authors, an instructor in creative writing at the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts, and a webinar presenter for Writers Digest. She lives with her dachshund in the Pacific Northwest, on an island much like the fictional Madrona, with all of its natural beauty and small town charm.

Her published books include The Guestbook, Tea & Comfort, and Always With You, The Lazy Dog's Guide to Enlightenment and Everybody's Natural Food Cookbook, and she co-authored A Book of Miracles. To learn more about Andrea and her books, visit www.AndreaHurst-author.com or www.andreahurst.com.

Join her on Facebook for book giveaways and more delicious recipes and scenic photos from Madrona Island at www.facebook.com/andreahurstauthor

On Twitter:https://twitter.com/AndreaHurst_

On Amazon: amzn.to/1PL98Sv

Website: http://www.andreahurst-author.com/

The author is giving away 5 Always With You Ebooks!