The Monday Round Up: 5 Favorites for the Week Ep.1

I’ve been wanting to make some changes to my blog and really get back into writing. I’ve been “blogging” since I was in middle school, back when Deadjournal was all the rage. That’s over 20 years ago! So to kick things off, I want to start sharing my favorites for the week.

For the new year I wanted to add a bit more structure to my online presence. I’ve tried having more structure in the past but I’ve failed because my regular 9-5 really got in the way. I’ve stepped away from the classroom so now I have the time to focus on things I love. In the past I’ve had a couple of posts that shared my favorite things.

To add a bit more structure I wanted to have a more consistent posting scheduling. So to kick off this change, on Mondays I’ll be sharing 5 things I’m loving. This could be anything from local eats, books, skincare, to really just anything I’m loving for the week.

1. Book: Verity by Colleen Hoover

 

I kept seeing Verity by Colleen Hoover pop up all over BookTok and on various social media sites. On Valentines, I bought my husband this book because I thought it would be a nice change from the books he normally reads.

My husband isn’t much of a reader, he reads here and there, so when I saw him devour this book I knew I needed to read it next.

Now I’m only half way through the book so please no spoilers if you’ve read this. If you haven’t read this and you’re into questionable narrators this is the book for you. I say “questionable” because I’m not sure I would consider the narrator reliable.

I’ve seen a lot of sites online and reviews that say that this is a “romance novel” and so far I’m going to disagree. In my opinion it’s more of a thrilling, dark mystery.

A quick synopsis:

The narrator, Lowen, is a reclusive author living in New York City. She gets asked to finish writing a book series by famous author, Verity. Verity was in a tragic car accident and is unable to finish the book series; however, her publisher/agent doesn’t want the public to know the severity of her condition. Lowen goes to Verity’s home to go through her office to gather notes for the books. Verity’s husband and young son live there as well. Prior to Verity’s accident, Verity and her husband also had twin girls who tragically pass in unrelated incidents. As Lowen goes through Verity’s office, she stumbles upon a manuscript that seems to be an autobiography and Lowen realizes things are much darker than she could have anticipated.

2. Show: Love and Leashes on Netlix

Based off the Webtoon, Moral Senses, Love and Leashes is a Kdrama that is a bit….spicy. I’m only a couple of episodes in but I really enjoy it because it’s different from other Kdramas I’ve watched in the past. It explores a BDSM relationship between two co-workers. It’s definitely not as spicy as American shows with similar themes but it’s spicy enough LOL

3. Pants: H&M Black Dress Pants

I recently ventured into H&M with the mission to find a nice pair of pants. I’ve been eyeing a pair from Aritzia but honestly I’m not one to drop over $100 on a pants. There are things I’m willing to spend money on and I’m not sure that pants make that list.

I wanted a good quality pair that felt nice and looked even better on. A common problem I face is that I’m on the shorter side (5’2) and I’m a bit curvy. Finding a good pair of pants can be hard! I have some thick thighs but my waist is pretty small, so pants can fit a bit funny on me.

I came across these dress pants at H&M and I fell in love. Not only do they feel incredible but they look amazing on AND they are the perfect length on me! No hemming required for this short girl. I ended up picking up another pair but in grey. I’ve been wearing them nonstop.

4. Skincare: Dr. Dennis Gross AHA/BHA Daily Cleansing Gel

For all my acne prone, oily skin girls the Dr. Dennis Gross AHA/BHA Daily Gel Cleanser has become a holy grail item for me. I got this back in December and have been loving it since. It does an excellent job at getting my skin clean without over stripping it.

With the combination of products I’m using right now my skin is GLOWING.

5. Pura D’Or Fractionated Coconut Oil

The Pura D’Or Fractionated Coconut Oil is an important step in my hair care routine. Because my hair is bleached, keeping my ends from drying out is crucial in maintaining the integrity of my hair. I apply the oil to the ends of my hair so when I wash it, the ends don’t get dried out from the shampoo.

Now please note that if you’re applying coconut oil to your hair it NEEDS to be fractionated coconut oil. Fractionated coconut oil is more liquid than solid making it rich in hydrating properties which can be great for your hair.

As a carrier oil, it means that it can penetrate your hair to provide the hydration this is needed. The molecules in unfractionated coconut oil are too large to penetrate your hair follicles. Thats why so many people use the wrong kind of oil will say that coconut oil ended up making their hair feel more dry and frizzy.

Until next week….

I’ll see you guys next week with other things I’m loving! Until then….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: This post is NOT sponsored. All opinions are my own. This post does contain affiliate links which means that when a purchase is made from a link I receive a small commission.