Book Review - "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo (#41 - 2015)

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo

I was eager to get my hands on this book after hearing all the hype.  I also love a book about organization.  First, let me start by saying, this was translated from Japanese, so sometimes it reads a bit weird (and the word "tidy" is used so much you will want to scream).  Second, this is not new information, the thing is she just presents it in a different way.  She gets a bit extreme in her purging, a little too extreme for my taste (I would not throw away as much paperwork as she suggests).  For example, in our move back to our house we lived in 8 years ago, we discovered the refrigerator we bought when we moved into the house was on the fritz.  I did some research and it turns out our model was involved in a class action lawsuit and recall.  So seeing as I had kept all of the proof of purchase information paperwork, it made the process go a lot faster when I had to speak with customer service.  If I had chucked as much as she suggests, the process would have been so much harder and time consuming.  That being said, since I was reading this while unpacking endless boxes after the move, it did help me let go of things.  Boxes and boxes of things.  So I will give her credit for motivating me to do that (I'm wondering if I would have been so motivated by the book if I had to dig stuff out of places to do the decluttering? Really not sure.).  The bottom line is, pick it up if you are in need of decluttering inspiration/in the mood to get rid of stuff/moving/need a different way to help with getting rid of things.  Otherwise, don't get wrapped up in the hype.

This is the last book I read in 2015, making a total of 41 books read in 2015.  I didn't get to my goal of 50 set back in this post, but I'll cut myself a break since we moved and that took up so much of my time and energy.  So far I haven't finished one book this year!  I have such a big stack to read and I've just not been in the mood.  Such is life.  Don't worry I'll still be posting reviews as I finish any I read!

What I Bought - December 2015

1.  Tatcha Polished Classic Rice Enzyme Powder - $15
2.  Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick - $29
3.  Original Beautyblender - $20
4.  Kate Spade cheetah laptop sleeve - $42 (on sale)
5.  iPad Pro case - $9.95
6.  Round Cubic Zirconia Tennis bracelet - $11 (on sale and had a $20 gift card) - similar
7.  Covet spike stud earrings - $13.98 (on sale) - these are so gorgeous in person
8.  Lush tunic - $25.20 (on sale)
9.  kensie striped drape front cardigan - $44.90 (on sale - I wear this pretty much every day)
10. Trucker plaid top - $22.77 (had a $25 gift card from my FabFitFun box)

1.  Battery storage organizer - $26.99 (how did I ever live without this? It's so great!)
2.  Zola flat weave rug 2'x3' - $28.99 ($19.99 now!)
3.  Dash and Albert woven rug 4'x6' - $112

Total = $401.78

Go forth and shop responsibly!

What I Bought - November 2015

1.  Nike Zoom Fit Mesh sneaker - $63 (on clearance) - in black here
2.  RIFLE PAPER Co. Bobby Pin print - $16.80 (Black Friday discount)
3.  RIFLE PAPER Co. weekly desk pad - $8.40 (Black Friday discount)

Total = $88.20

Go forth and shop responsibly!

Book Review - "And the Good News Is..." by Dana Perino (#40 - 2015)

And the Good News Is... by Dana Perino

Dana Perino is a Fox News contributor and was White House Press Secretary in George W. Bush's administration.  As you all know, I love reading memoirs/autobiographies/biographies and this one was a good, quick read.  We are about the same age so that was an added bonus for me.  She talks about her childhood in Wyoming and Colorado and her unlikely journey towards working in the White House.  What I really liked was her honesty, her straightforward talk and she gives some pretty solid career advice.  Overall, I'd recommend this one!  Here's one of my favorite takeaways from the book:

*note:  I'm so not on track to get my goal of 50 books read this year, the move threw me off.  I'm probably only going to get to 42 or 43.  Oh well...

What I Bought - August, September, October 2015

With the chaos of the move, I've not been doing my usual "What I Bought" posts for the past three months.  It really hasn't been necessary either, because I haven't bought one thing for myself.  Nada.

Endless Plume wall art (it looks like a pretty zero)

We've had so much to do with the house and not just small stuff, but big, expensive stuff.  So as much as my inner child wants to buy, buy, buy, it's just not going to happen. Priorities.  Being an adult is a bummer sometimes.  What do you want for your birthday and Christmas Jenny?  A new roof!  Sigh.  The good news about all of this moving stuff is that I have decluttered like a fiend.  I mean it got hardcore.  I have shredded and thrown away bags and bags papers that are no longer needed. I donated about a third of our kitchen items and half of our books.  I figured if we had forgotten about it/haven't needed it in the 4 years it was in storage, then it really wasn't necessary so off it went.  A little more on this process in a book review later. For the first time in my life there are lots of empty drawers and empty spaces. I don't feel the need to fill those spaces with "stuff".  Now we do need a few things for the house (heart set on this console, these nightstands, this coffee table, side tables and we need a few bookcases) but there's no hurry, no sense of urgency. You can keep track of my ongoing wish list for the house on this Pinterest board. Never fear, I had to buy a few things yesterday so I will have a post for November ;)  Have a great Monday!

Book Review - "The Underwriting" by Michelle Miller (#39 - 2015)

The Underwriting by Michelle Miller

Strange book, not in a bad way, more in a does-this-stuff-really-happen? way.  It's about a group of bankers who have been recruited to do a 14 billion dollar IPO for a hugely popular app. It's a dating app (much like Tinder) that has over 500 million users.  The characters involved are interesting (to say the least and also I'm being nice) and the stakes are high for each of them that this IPO needs to be successful.  A murder happens and the aftermath may just destroy them all.  The book is being touted as a thrilling/humorous satire.  Satire? Yes.  Humorous/thrilling?  Nope.  And then it ends in sort of a cliffhanger/set up for the next part coming in 2016 (eye roll).  Bottom line, is it worth reading? Sure, it's a solid story and I read the whole thing in a day, but be aware there will be a sequel and the author is a bit heavy handed in her point of view (which was a bit of a turn off for me).

Book Review - "Porch Lights" by Dorothea Benton Frank (#38 - 2015)

Porch Lights by Dorothea Benton Frank

I always enjoy a Dorothea Benton Frank novel. She's the best at capturing the spirit of the SC lowcountry.  This story focuses on Jackie, a returning vet and nurse, whose husband (a NYC firefighter) who was killed while on the job.  She and her young son head down to her Mom's house on Sullivan's Island to get away and regroup.  Her still-married-but-living-separately parents are a hoot, the handsome doctor next door and his dogs help her son out mentally, the cast of characters is strong.  Is the story predictable?  Sure.  Is it a fun, easy read?  You betcha!  So for mindless, beachy, fluffy reading, pick this one up!

Book Review - "The Art of Crash Landing" by Melissa DeCarlo (#37 - 2015)

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. I only accept copies of books for review that look like something I would normally buy or check out at library.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Art of Crash Landing by Melissa DeCarlo

Oh man, I really enjoyed this book, a great end-of-Summer read!  It's the story of Mattie, thirty years old, broke, nowhere to go and pregnant.  She's afraid she's turning into her mother, a broken, alcoholic who always seemed to make the worst choices.  When Mattie turns up at her former Stepfather's trailer, she finds out that her Maternal Grandmother has passed away and the lawyers have been trying to get in touch with her since she's the only living relative.  Thinking there's an inheritance to be had she hops in her ancient car and drives from Florida to a tiny town in Oklahoma.  Once she arrives, that's when things get interesting.  Told over the span of a week (except at the end when there's a bit of a fast forward), the mystery of her Mother's never talked about past unravels and Mattie learns more about her family and herself in the process.  There are some fantastic characters along the way and you will have a love/hate relationship with Mattie (she's delightfully frustrating at times).  The story is funny, heartbreaking and just well told.  A satisfying first novel from Ms. DeCarlo, I'm looking forward to more from her.

Book Review - "Going Off Script" by Giuliana Rancic (#36 - 2015)

Going Off Script:  How I Survived a Crazy Childhood, Cancer, and Clooney's 32 On-Screen Rejections by Giuliana Rancic

Picked this one up on a whim secondhand on Amazon (I love stalking secondhand books there).  This was a big bowl of okay.  It was great learning more about her background and how she got to where she is, but she tried to be funny/witty and just came off as spoiled and out of touch.  I couldn't really yuk it up with her as she was "complaining" about her baby nurse doing too much (seriously? Shut up!).  I like Giuliana, but after reading this, I kind of liked her less.  I'm not sure what her intention was with this book, but I think it was misguided.  Bottom line, if you like Giuliana and/or want to know more about her background go ahead and pick this one up.  If you are just wanting to read a good memoir (by anyone), then skip this one.

Also by Giuliana Rancic: "I Do, Now What?" Review

What I Bought - July 2015

So late on this post, but I have a good excuse, we are moving!  Moving back to our house we left almost 6 years ago (so much for that "temporary" move).  So this month is going to kick my butt, I'll try and share as much of the move and house stuff here and on Instagram (@spryonthewall) as possible.  Stay tuned!  As for last month's purchases, I did take advantage of Nordstrom's yearly sale (with mixed results).  Here's what I dragged home only to pack up ;)

1.  Nars Blush in Orgasm - $30

2. Sephora face mask - $6

3. Marc Jacobs nail polish in Ultraviolet - $18

4. Birkenstock Metallic Madrid sandals - $29.99 (I got a green color that is no longer available)

5. Open Front Cashmere Cardigan - $99.90 (yearly sale item - now $158)

6. Gap Skinny Crop Cargo pants - $11 (on mega sale in store)

7. Zella "Live In" leggings - $33.90 (yearly sale item - now $52)

8. Yummie by Heather Thompson shaping briefs - $12.90 (yearly sale item - now $18)

Total = $241.69
- $99.90 (returned cardigan*)
Total Out of Pocket = $141.79

*Okay, the cardigan was a total bust for my body type, I'm carrying some extra pounds and it just made me look really round.  I wish it had looked better because it's darn near perfect (not too heavy, good quality fabric).  Also note, the Marc Jacobs nail polish took 3 coats to properly build a streak-free color. however it did wear well.  The Yummie briefs are a bust, the top rolls down and bunches up - oh well.

Go forth and shop responsibly!

I'm linking up with Budgeting Bloggers over at Franish!

Book Review - "Leave Your Mark" by Aliza Licht (#34 - 2015)

Leave Your Mark: Land Your Dream Job. Kill It in Your Career. Rock Social Media by Aliza Licht

I've heard great things about this book, so I decided to pick it up.  First of all, let me say that I wished I had had a book like this when I was first starting my career, it would have been so helpful.  Now that I'm in my 40's, most of this stuff I had to learn the (sometimes) hard way.  So if you are in college or just starting out in your career, then pick this up ASAP!  She does a great job of helping to navigate some of the situations and people you will likely encounter in your 9-to-5.  I did want her to dig a little deeper into networking and resumes, but I think that's just me.  She did a great job of covering how you need to think and really be selective about what you share on social media (and how you share it), always remembering that the Internet is forever and anyone can see it.  Overall she did a great job of touching on subjects that will certainly help anyone out as they get their footing in the working world.

Book Review - "Diary of a Mad Diva" by Joan Rivers (#33 - 2015)

Diary of a Mad Diva by Joan Rivers

Joan. Joan. Joan. I swear I miss you every single day.  I miss your biting wit, I miss your honesty, I miss that you never apologized for your comedy.  That being said, this was my least favorite of her books, but still had lots of lol's.  As the title indicates, it's written in diary form with entries for almost every day of the year.  And if you take any of what she writes seriously then you need to lighten up, it's all for laughs.  And Joan always delivers the laughs.  As for her other books, I highly recommend Enter Talking and Still Talking, not for the laughs, but for her very honest, very thoughtful memoirs illustrating just how strong and yes, brave she was.  I love her and I hate she left us so suddenly.

Book Review - "The Master of Us All: Balenciaga, His Workrooms, His World" by Mary Blume (#32 - 2015)

The Master of Us All: Balenciaga, His Workrooms, His World by Mary Blume

Cristobal Balenciaga was very mysterious, very private, and not many people knew him well.  In fact most customers (even the famous ones) never even met him.  But his impact on fashion is far reaching and profound.  He was arguably the best Couturier to ever live, his precision and attention to detail second to none.  The title of the book "The Master of Us All" was how Christian Dior referred to Balenciaga.  Ms. Blume did her research and spoke with people who knew and worked with him.  One woman, in particular shed a lot of light on the man and his work, his top vendeuse, and the first person he hired when he opened his Paris house, Florette Chelot.  She worked for him for over thirty years until he abruptly closed the house in 1968.

Balenciaga passed away in 1972 thinking his name would go with him.  However his heirs continued using the name and selling it, eventually being bought by Kering (formerly PPR).  Alexander Wang is the current head designer, and by diving into the archives and doing his research, has stuck very close to the aesthetic of Cristobal Balenciaga's heyday (in my opinion).  Which I love. So if you want to know more about Balenciaga or are just interested in fashion history, then pick this book up.  It's 100% worth it!

Book Review - "The Death of Captain America" by Ed Brubaker (#31 - 2015)

The Death of Captain America by Ed Brubaker, etc.

This is a huge book (sequel to this and this), lots of stuff happening with the death of Steve Rogers and the aftermath, including who eventually takes on the roll of Captain America (I'm not going to give any spoilers away).  I loved this so much, lots of action, lots of side stories.  If you are a Cap fan then you must pick this up. Look, comic books aren't for everyone, but this series (as well as Planet Hulk which was outstanding) are worth a read. Give them a try!

What I Bought - June 2015

I'm a little late with this post, but we were at the beach last week (lovely), now back to reality!

1. Kate Spade Cobble Hill Devin - $278 (I have this smaller version in orange that I adore, so I wanted to get a larger, neutral version. Currently the most functional bag I own!)

2. Kate Spade Daycation cosmetic bag - $59 (I have a 10+ year old version of this that is on it's last leg, it's so functional)

3. It's a 10 leave-in product - $11.95 - my never ending quest to find frizz fighting products that work, it's decent, but pricey.

4. Skechers Two Step slip-on sneaker - $25 (on clearance at Marshalls) These are for work and only to be worn in the manufacturing facility, they might be a little ugly, but they are super comfortable!

5. Chaus khaki pants (not shown) - $30 at Marshalls - again, for work only as part of my "uniform".  Exact but in green here

Total = $403.95
- $332.05 Kate Spade gift card
Total Out of Pocket = $71.90

Side note - this bag is on mega sale and it's taken all my strength to not buy.  But good grief I've got a lot of bags, but it's so pretty, but I don't need anymore bags, but I love it.  My internal battle continues ;)

Go forth and shop responsibly!

I'm linking up with Budgeting Bloggers over at Franish!

Book Review - "The One" by Kiera Cass (#28 - 2015)

The One by Kiera Cass

Book #3 in The Selection series (reviews for book 1 here and book 2 here).  This is the book that winds up the selection and America's time in it.  Who is Prince Maxon going to choose?  I think you can guess, but it's not an easy journey.  A lot of things happen along the way, some big secrets are revealed.  I'm going to be honest, America was working my nerves in this book (I wanted to shake her during some parts, but I think that's more my age than a story flaw - any thoughts if  you have read it would be welcome).  Needless to say it's a quick read with a somewhat satisfying ending.  I'm currently reading The Prince & The Guard, which are two novellas that tell Maxon and Aspen's stories.  As you can tell, I'm all about this little series at the moment (it's taking my mind of pressing issues that are swirling around me at the moment).  That being said, I'm holding off of the next evolution in the series The Heir (*spoiler alert* which tells the story of Maxon and America's daughter and her selection process) because it just came out and apparently it's book 1 of 2.  I'll wait until book 2 comes out and then I can get a full story.  Overall, I would recommend this series for light reading (perfect between heavier reads).

Book Review - "Family Pictures" by Jane Green (#27 - 2015)

Family Pictures by Jane Green

This may be one of my favorite Jane Green books I've read.  Sylvie and Maggie are two women in their 40's living on opposite coasts.  Both have husbands that travel too much, the kids are about to leave the nest and both are feeling that "next-phase-of-life" insecurity.  Sylvie's daughter Eve travels to NYC to visit colleges, meets Maggie's daughter, they become fast friends and that's when the similarities of their lives start a chain of events that change everything.  This is a page turner. Sure it's a bit predictable at times, and the ending is a bit too perfect, but it's still a great Summer read!

What I Bought - May 2015

1. Kate Spade draped cotton tee - $49 (from surprise sale, not available online anymore)

2. Kate Spade Highland Place medium Maria - $159 (from surprise sale, this size no longer online, but smaller size available here)

3. Zumba Crop It Capri pants - $31.50 - I'm glad I only paid less than $7 out of pocket for these, they are extremely uncomfortable, the seam on the side rubbed the back of my knee almost raw. Boo!

4.  Kate Spade Flamingo tee - $78

5.  Under Armour Hulk tee - $34.99

6.  Under Armour printed Takeover shorts - $25.99

Total = $378.48

- $286 Kate Spade gift card from my winnings

- $25 Zumba gift card from FabFitFun box

- $30 Under Armour gift card from outlet purchase

Total Out of Pocket = $37.48

Go forth and shop responsibly!

I'm linking up with Budgeting Bloggers over at Franish!

Book Review - "I'll Drink to That" by Betty Halbreich (#23 - 2015)

I'll Drink to That by Betty Halbreich

Eighty-Six year old Betty Halbreich has been running Bergdorf Goodman's personal shopping services department for over 40 years.  This book is a collection of stories from her life.  First of all I should say that I'm extremely envious of her job, sounds like my dream, and her stories about her work there were interesting.  The TV and movie costume people and her involvement was the most fascinating.  But (there's always a "but"), I really did not like this book.  I found it repetitive and I found her "aw shucks" lack of self awareness as to her extremely privileged background, and how it got her where she is, grating.  She tries to be down to earth, but when you are raised with/marry into that much money, you just aren't (such as the declaration that she's never had a resume!).  Sure she works hard, but she's basically looking after people who are like she was before she divorced and started working.  That being said, I always find people's stories interesting and this wasn't a complete waste of time.  I would recommend it to anyone interested in retail or fashion history.

Book Review - "The Everyday Supermodel" by Molly Sims (#22 - 2015)

The Everyday Supermodel by Molly Sims

Molly is refreshingly open, honest and specific with her tips and tricks to help you look, eat, work-out, and feel better.  She's included recipes, lists, step-by-step instructions, etc.  Seriously, everything from eating, wardrobe refreshing, makeup tips, pep talks, reviews of what beauty treatments she's used and liked, this book is chock full of information.  I appreciated her straight talk and her honesty about how much it takes to look like she does (of course it's her job so who can blame her).  It's like having a best friend who is in the "know" and then shares it all with you.  I was impressed, motivated and I will be referring to it a lot.  I highly recommend it!