Ever since watching Emily in Paris last year, I have had a huge obsession with Paris. All I want to do is drop my life and move there, right now. Therefore, I have been more attracted to books set in Paris or with that Parisian twist.

Enter "The Paris Connection" by Lorraine Brown.

I received an ARC of this book early on Netgalley and it was published in August of this year. I read it beforehand but the review got away from me. Better late than never! 

This book was the definition of a good romance novel to me. It had everything a good love story should have and it made my heart sing... it also made me sad because I'm so single LOL 

Let's get into it!


Brand Buzz: Maelove

in , , , by BLuca, 4:00 AM

Back in May, I featured this brand and its products in a Beauty in Review post but now it's time to give them all the brand love.

I've heard about Maelove for years, mostly from one of my favorite beauty influencers, Jessica Braun. She raved about their serums and oils for so long but I never took the plunge and bought their products. I have a hard time buying products that aren't featured at a major beauty retailer like Nordstrom, Sephora or Ulta. Maelove isn't available at any of those places and can really only be found at their direct-to-consumer website.

However, I was in luck because the brand reached out to me and wanted to send me (almost) their entire line of products to try. I was through the roof and the moment I opened the package, I incorporated all the products into my night routine. *Most of these items I exclusively use at night because of the nature of the ingredients. 

Before we get into the products, let's talk a bit about the brand.

I feel as though the month has gone by so slowly which is fine with me... the longer the fall season, the better! September was a solid month: I got a promotion & raise at work, I did a lot of work on myself and came to a lot of revelations and I relaxed a lot. 

I wrapped up the month with a bridal shower and on Thursday, will be headed to Charleston for a Bachelorette. October is my favorite month of the entire year and I can't wait for it to arrive! I have lots of plans for October and I'm really excited about it. 

As for September, I shopped till I dropped. I'm so happy that I was going to try a No Spend September. It was good for the first week or so but I went back to my old ways of impulse and emotional spending. I spent most of the month feeling really sick thanks to my allergies and that was definitely a catalyst for my spending, and for three out of four products on this list. I wanted to just feel better and I needed products to help me do that.

Clearly, it's working because these items are on my favorite lists! Let's get into it. 



Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Eye Cream

I have written many times about my eye cream dilemma. Every eye cream I try always ends up giving me an allergic reaction. The skin under my eyes is super sensitive and when you combine that with intense seasonal allergies, you get eyes that are in desperate need of some care. Enter this Paula's Choice Omega Complex eye cream, formulated with chia and flaxseeds and other nourishing, fatty acids. I did some extensive research into which eye creams would help my dry under eyes and this seemed like my best bet. I just wanted an eye cream that was fragrance-free, safe for sensitive skin, and would simply hydrate my dry skin. I didn't need anything fancy and this seemed like the safest choice.

I've never tried anything from Paula's Choice but I know the brand is made with great ingredients, is safe for sensitive skin, and is made without all that junk other products are formulated with. Well, I've been using this for the entire month and it has really helped me. My eyes aren't as dry, feel more nourished and hydrated, and the skin is not as raw. I apply the cream morning and night and just feel better that I'm at least attempting to hydrate my skin. The best part? I haven't had an allergic reaction (yet...)  This definitely made me a fan of Paula's Choice and I might have to try some other products! 

Kate Spade Olive Drive Bridgette



I did an entire Youtube video about this bag but oh my, I haven't stopped using it all month long. I have to try my hardest to give the other bags in my collection some love. If you think the name Olive Drive Bridgette sounds familiar, it's because I previously had this bag and sold it. I had it in pink and it was my most coveted bag of 2017. Somewhere along the way, I got tired of it and sold it... but then as I slowly got back into my Kate Spade obsession this month, I looked on Poshmark for the bag.

I saw it in new condition, in this beautifully soft, smooth green leather and I had to have it. My other bag was pink and pebbled leather but this is so mature, sleek, and sophisticated. This is such a practical everyday tote because it has some character versus a plain, wide mouth tote like a Neverfull or Tory Burch tote. I love that it's smaller but can still fit so much without being overpowering. You can carry it with the shoulder strap or by the top handles and I would say I use both pretty interchangeably.

This bag is no longer available to buy new from Kate Spade but if you are looking for a perfect, every day, errand running tote, I would look on eBay and Poshmark. It's one of my favorite bags ever! 

Stoney Clover Lane Pencil Case



My love of Stoney Clover knows no bounds and I am constantly finding new ways to use the pouches I have. I had this pencil case that I got as a gift, sitting unpatched and not sure how to use it. That is until I realized I needed a place to keep all of my allergy products in one spot. I also realized that my Rainbow Gingham patches looked really pretty on the grape color. I decided to patch the pencil case and use it as an allergy kit. I keep it at my bedside (and take it with me when I go out or just have it by my side if I'm not in my room) and it's so handy. It's nice to have everything in one place versus constantly looking for my medicine in my draws and all over the house. The pencil case is the perfect size because it expands in all ways, to fit anything and everything you may need. It's a real versatile use for this size pouch! 

Too Faced Hangover Lip Treatment

I have raved about this lip balm for years and it remains one of my most repurchased beauty products ever. It is one of the only lip balms that make my lips feel normal, hydrating them from what feels like the inside out. It's minty, fresh, and feels really cooling on the lips. When I'm having an allergy attack from the pollen (or from dogs!), my lips feel so raw and itchy, nothing seems to help quite like the tingly, minty feeling of the Hangover Lip Treatment. It never causes an allergic reaction, isn't too sticky that it's uncomfortable, and you need the tiniest bit to feel relief. It's unlike anything I've ever tried! 

xoxo
B

 Happy Friday! This week was a little bit better than last, thankfully! It was the first day of fall, I started watching The Morning Show (only on the first season still) and I just feel a little more peaceful which is fantastic. 

This weekend I have a bridal shower and some things to do around the house before I go to Charleston on Thursday! I'm really looking forward to it but I do always get a little nervous before traveling. Being away from home and flying make me anxious and it takes a bit for me to get adjusted but I know once I'm there, I'll have fun.

I'll be sure to share a little guide to what we did once I get back, and of course, some packing content! This is the first bachelorette party I'm going on so I'm sure I'll have a lot to share.

I don't have much else to ramble on about so let's dive into the post!

Pink Positivity of the Week

Feeling more at peace definitely was a highlight of the week. I have been really stressed out lately but having a little bit of a break was good for me. I've also been really loving The Morning Show and can't believe it took me so long to watch it! 

Links I Loved

What You Missed on Royally Pink

What I Bought This Week



xoxo
B

I used to love a book series but as I read more and more, I prefer stand-alone books. However, every so often I come across a series that garners my interest and keeps me entertained beyond words. I become committed to the characters, intertwined in the storyline, and enthralled by each and every plot. 

That being said, I never really go for thriller novels, only because there are always so many books in the series, I never catch a series just as it's starting out. However, that changed when I discovered Stacey Green's series surrounding detective, Nikki Hunt. 

I've already written a review about the first book, "The Girls in the Snow" and recently read the second installment, "One Perfect Grave". The third installment called "Lost Angels" is already published and waiting for me on my Barnes & Noble Nook but today, let's focus on book two.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that I loved this novel, just as much as I loved the first! 




Publisher's Summary

She didn’t see the patch of black ice until it was too late. The car started to spin, and as it veered off into the deep ditch and the mounds of snow beside the road, she saw him. The little boy frozen in the ice.

When the remains of two bodies are found in an open grave along a desolate highway in Stillwater, Minnesota, Special Agent Nikki Hunt knows exactly who they are. The bright blue jacket lying on the frozen earth belongs to Kellan Rhodes, the missing boy she’s desperately been trying to find for the last two days. The other body is his mother Dana, who had been Nikki’s lead suspect.

Although the wounds on Dana’s body suggest she murdered her son and took her own life, Nikki finds evidence that suggests she was a victim too. Dana was desperately trying to regain custody of Kellan, and Nikki finds boot prints at the scene that belong to someone else.

When another child is reported missing, local journalist Caitlin Newport claims the cases are linked: Zach Reeves was taken away from his own mother in a custody battle, just like Kellan was.

Caitlin once helped Nikki find out the truth about her own parents’ murders, but her desire for a story nearly cost Nikki her life. Now, Nikki must decide if she can trust Caitlin again, before time runs out to find the killer and bring Zach home alive…

My Thoughts

I really love agent Nikki Hunt; I love her personality, her depth, her dedication to her profession but also how she loves the people around her so deeply. I love that she never gives up and never lets things slide -- she is always putting the victims first. I wish she were real! 

There are definitely references to the first book in this one so I do recommend reading in order and think that you should read the first book to get the full picture.

"One Perfect Grave" follows the story of a deceased little boy and his mother and many people in town think the mother killed her son... but not Nikki. She knows there is more to the story and won't stop until she knows what really happened.

At the same time, she deals with the trauma of what she went through in the previous book, balancing a new relationship and her co-parenting relationship with her ex-husband. She is being pulled in multiple different directions and feels unfocused, but that doesn't mean that she isn't dedicated.

When the story is first introduced, as a reader, you have your opinions. You make your assumptions about who killed Kellan and how he ended up frozen in the woods. However, as the story goes on, you are skeptical about who the suspect could be. You're pulled in a few different directions until it becomes clear where the story is headed... yet, you still don't see it coming. 

It was mind-blowing -- the reveal and the climax of the book. It knocked my socks off and my jaw was hanging open by the end. 

Stacey Green is an excellent writer. She knows her characters well and develops them in a very natural way. Nikki Hunt is one of the few protagonists that I am not annoyed by, even in the slightest bit. She is really wonderful to read and be inside of.

I really loved this book; I finished it in 24 hours and it got me out of a huge reading slump.

If you haven't started reading the Agent Nikki Hunt series and love detective thrillers, you need to get on it!

xoxo
B

Wellness is an industry I've had an interest in for a while, really ever since it started to become more mainstream over the past few years. I've talked plenty on the blog about my favorite wellness products and routines but I figured it was time for an update since I've been doing some real work on my routines and have found some products that have been helping.

I'm going to do a post about my entire wellness routine because it has been a saving grace the past few months and I truly believe it has helped me, mentally and emotionally, in so many ways. I feel really in control and at peace with where my wellness routine is at right now.


I haven't bought any new Stoney Clover in a little bit, since the Disney collection was released, and I feel like I'm due for some new items. I've also been selling some of the SCL items that I don't use or aren't sparking any joy so I'm definitely in the market for a few new things.

Whenever I'm bored I will log onto the website and play around with the customizer. I tend to get inspiration from other SCL lovers on Instagram and in our Facebook group so I like to save those ideas on the website and maybe one day, they will be mine.

Today, the new Seeing Stars collection launches, and I'm not really that into it so I will be skipping it, aside from the scrunchie and key charms. I figured today was a good day to talk about the items that are on my current wishlist to give you all some inspiration if you haven't been feeling the past few launches. Most of these items are 'core' collections aka they are not limited, and are always available (aside from if things are out of stock!) 

If you want to read more about Stoney Clover, below are some other inspiration posts and a brand buzz post that definitely needs some updating! 

Now, let's get into the wishlist! 



Lilac Small Pouch with Sketched Letters and a little NYC




Vegan Leather Open Top with Disney Princess 'Crown' Patch

I love how the Sapphire looks with the gold-- so chic and a little different! 


Lemon Mini Pouch with Taxi Cab and Metro Card Patches




Perwinkle Small Pouch with Pink Pearl Letters and Sketched Bow




Sky Small Pouch with Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather Fairy Patches




Blanc Mini Pouch with Rainbow Gingham Letters



Do you have anything on your Stoney Clover Lane Wishlist?
xoxo
B



Thank God it is Friday! It was another rough week here in Briana land and I, once again, am craving the relief that Friday night through Sunday brings me. I hate living for the weekend, it's a horrible way to go through life so if anyone knows good ways to stop that, let me know? 

This weekend is my last free weekend for a month; next week I have a bridal shower, the week after that I'll be in Charleston for a Bachelorette party, then a bunch of stuff is happening in October. It's going to be a really exciting few weeks and I can't wait! 

Even though I had a rough week, it was still filled with lots of fun, pop culture news... like the series premiere of RHOSLC and The Met Gala. It was a definite bright spot and helped make the week a little easier. If you love pop culture just as much as I do, subscribe to my newsletter. I send a pop culture themed email out every Sunday... followed by some shopping newsletters on Monday & Thursday.

Also, make sure you enter my beauty giveaway! There will be some other fun goodies included in the prize, like books & lifestyle items! 

Let's dive into the week...



Pink Positvity of the Week

The Met Gala was such a highlight. I really love the gala and look forward to it every year. It's so exciting to see how the celebrities interpreted the theme, who they are wearing and how outlandish things get. It just screams Hollywood and New York so it made me so happy! There were hardly any looks that I didn't like; if I had to pick, Rihanna and Kim Kardashian were my least favorites. They just did nothing for me. My favorites were definitely Kendall Jenner, Billie Ellish, and Amanda Gorman! 

Links I Loved

What You Missed on Royally Pink

What I Bought This Week

I went on a bit of a bender this week and lost my way. I was really stressed out and released the tension with a little retail therapy.




xoxo
B

Fall 2021 Beauty Giveaway

in , by BLuca, 5:30 AM

Let's celebrate the fall season, shall we? I have so many new, fun beauty products and I want to spread the wealth! Just enter through the widget below and I'll contact one winner in one week! 



a Rafflecopter giveaway

I knew it was inevitable but I wasn't really looking forward to reading anything fiction that included the pandemic. It felt too soon and not something that I was interested in reliving...while it's still going on. I didn't think authors would be so quick to document the ongoing tradegy but I was proven wrong. 

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard was released in August and I received it in my July Book of the Month subscription  but didn't crack it open until a few weeks ago. I think I was preparing myself for reading about the pandemic but I was really surprised at how well I responded to it.

This is a psychological thriller, set in Dublin during the beginning of the pandemic, and it was really something else. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! 


Why I Love the Fall

in , , by BLuca, 6:30 AM

Life starts all over when it gets crisp in the fall. 

That quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald has been imprinted on my brain for years. It brings me so much joy and rings true in so many ways.

I don't know when I started to obsess over the fall season. Perhaps it was after I graduated college, a way to commemorate the start of a school year without being in a classroom. Maybe it was when I started to experience the change of seasons in Manhattan, how the air got crisp as I waited for my subway to work or how the leaves changed on my commute. Maybe it was when Pumpkin Spice Lattes started to become a trend, a mainstream novelty that sparked a thousand memes.


Maybe, deep down, I always loved the fall season. It had all my favorite things; back to school supplies, sweaters, candles, my birthday, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Fall always felt like coming home. It feels like a fresh start, fresher than January 1st. Perhaps it's the correlation of the start of school, ingrained in my brain from so many years of first days. 



Either way, fall makes me feel whole. It makes me feel most like myself and makes me the happiest. I look forward to September all year long and once the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, I am longing for September again because I know the spring and summer are near.

I am convinced that I have reverse seasonal depression because whenever spring comes around, I feel off. I do not thrive in the hot weather and seek solace indoors, where I have access to air conditioning. I muster through June and July, hoping for the arrival of August because I know my season is right within reach. 

Over Labor Day weekend I start to decorate my room for fall, having collected decorations from Target and Homegoods over the years. Once my leaves, pumpkins, and fall art are in place, things start to feel real and I get a renewed excitement deep within my soul.

Also over LDW weekend, instead of being at the beach, I go shopping for all my fall goodies; pumpkin spice coffee, creamer, bread and muffin mixes, new Bath and Body Works candles, and anything that calls out to me.

I put away my bathing suits and shorts, and bring out my fall sweaters and jeans, even though I might not be wearing them for another month or so. 

Fall breeds new beginnings, it makes me so happy and I love looking forward to all the milestones ahead-- being able to watch Hocus Pocus, going apple and pumpkin picking, lighting that first fall candle... there is so much to be excited about! 

Fall is also where all the good things happen to me; my birthday is at the tail end of the season, I joined my sorority in fall, fell in love for the first time during fall... I have the most fun during the fall. It just soothes my soul in so many ways.

Last year I felt robbed of being able to enjoy the fall. Covid was starting to peak again, we were coming off of a summer of protests and riots, the stress of the election loomed in the distance. I was also very depressed last fall, probably the most depressed I have ever felt in my entire life. I was in a horrible place that I never thought I'd get out of. Also, after a locked down spring, and a half & half summer, I started to feel the effects of my breakup that happened in March 2020. It was my first fall in two years without him and that hit me harder than I expected.

Therefore, I didn't feel like myself in the slightest bit. This year, though, I feel good. I just got a raise and promotion at work, have a great wellness and self-care routine in place, feel mentally well, and have so many fun things planned in the coming months. This will be a good season, I can feel it.

Everyone in my life knows that fall brings me immense joy. It's one of my little quirks but my goodness, it makes my life so much better.

Is the fall your favorite season? Tell me in the comments why it is! 
xoxo
B

 We are finally wrapping up the trilogy of reviews in the Olive & June x SCL saga. This week is the shade "LHG", named after the other founder, Libby Glazer. 

This is the palest of the colors in the collection and it's described as a neutral with a touch of pink and that is spot on. It's almost white when applied to the nails but you can tell that there is some pink mixed in.

I really loved this color when I first saw it in the bottle and I felt that it filled a void in my collection. I have a few pale colors but they aren't the ones I gravitate most towards, though I think they are a necessity to have. It's almost like having a little black dress in your wardrobe... everyone needs a pale pink in their nail polish collection! 



I will be honest though, I don't think I will be wearing much of this shade until the spring because I am fully in fall mode right now and this just doesn't mesh with my vibe right now. I want all the vampy, dark colors on my nails, not pale pinks. That doesn't mean I don't love this shade and don't think that you shouldn't pick it up -- if you love pale pinks all year round, by all means, run to Olive & June's website to purchase this. 

Just like the other SCL colors, LHG goes on smoothly and perfectly, though with a few more patchy bumps, just because of the nature of the formula. I've found with any and all pale shades, they take a little more TLC to apply and get looking great. I think it probably has to do with the ingredients that make up something so light in color. 

However, this was one of the better pale polishes I've ever used. It went on pretty smoothly with some patches in a few areas and it stayed on nicely until I removed it (to replace it with some fall colors!). It dried nicely, was opaque enough, and looked beautiful on my nails. My mom, who is a massive fan of pale polish, fell in love with this color and I know she'll probably be stealing it from me soon.

All in all, this collection from Olive & June and Stoney Clover Lane is a must-have. Two of my favorite brands came together to deliver beautiful, perfect colors for everyone who likes pink! This collab also made me fall deeper in love with Olive & June as a whole, from their polishes to the nail care essentials, I just want everything the brand has to offer!

What do you think? Are you going to be picking up these SCL polishes? 

xoxo
B

 I wrote this in the notes app on my phone on Thursday night, as I watched the Hulu documentary "One Day in America". I was overcome with emotion, grief, sadness, and pride for my city. Over the past nine years, I've written two-anniversary posts for this day and I've linked them below. 

2013
2015

Most years I just like to skip posting on the day and mourn in silence but with this big anniversary, I needed to get my emotions out in the best way I know how... writing. 



I remember the day so clearly. The sirens, the rush, the uncertainty. I was one of the first kids to be pulled out of class, 4th grade to be exact… my sister, friends, and I went to our friend’s house to wait it out. My dad worked at the NYSE, right in downtown Manhattan. We couldn’t get in touch with him. My friend’s dad worked near there too… it was utter silence. 

We watched on the tiny tv in the kitchen, the news, the planes crashing over and over again. I don’t remember being sad or scared, just wanted my dad home safe… too young to understand what was actually happening. It wasn’t until hours later, hours I don’t remember that my dad, covered in soot, sweat, and debris collapsed onto the front lawn. He had walked most of the way home. He sobbed into the grass as our neighbors stood outside and watched. 

I don’t remember anything after that. I do remember however, that’s when my anxiety started because my parents got us a dog the following month, to calm my nerves. I look back at 9/11 and am in awe at how it happened. How our world, our city, once so pure was tainted by this act of terrorism. I remember how the world looked onto New York in solidarity… how New Yorkers came together to honor each other, the heroes, and the fallen.

This was done to us and it was personal. I think this is when my pride in my city began when I fell in love with being a New Yorker. There’s something so magical about being a native, about remembering those dark days. Nothing unites New Yorkers the way 9/11 did. 

We were new york tough long before covid. Every year since 2002, I watch all the documentaries, have seen all the movies, and watch the reading of the names every year. We used to drive over the bridge in my neighborhood to get a good look at the blue tribute lights. It was tradition, it was reigniting a memory. 

It was important. 9/11 makes me somber, it makes me sad but it makes me love my city so much more than I ever have before. New York, I love you.  

Friday is here and I'm very grateful. Even though it was a short week, it felt super long but doesn't it always go like that? I needed a break from the blog and just time to myself after work. I was not in the greatest headspace this week for a variety of reasons and I just wanted rest.

That's why I'm so happy it's the weekend...plenty of time to decompress, plan and think. I feel like I'm on the brink of another quarter-life crisis. I'm turning 29 years old this year, my friends are getting married and making moves. I feel stuck and lost a little bit... I feel like I'm standing still while life moves past me. I get like this every so often but as I near the end of my twenties, I am feeling it a lot more. I have a lot of work to do, on myself and in my life. I want to be the best version of myself, the one I know I can be and want to be. 

Like I said, I'm going to rest and relax this weekend because I'm going to have a busy few weeks over the course of the next month and I'm excited. Lots more to come!

Right now, I'm watching 9/11 documentaries with my family, and reflecting on the tragedy that happened 20 years ago. I'll have a separate post tomorrow about my experience with that, as a native New Yorker. 

Next week we'll be back to regularly scheduled programming here at Royally Pink and I'm hoping to revamp some stuff to deliver the best content I can.

For now, let's get into the roundup!


Pink Positivity of the Week 

I had a really nice, easy weekend over Labor Day and did a lot of organizing, cleaning, and decluttering. It felt good for my soul and really helped me start the week off positively. 

Links I Loved

What I Bought This Week




xoxo
B

Happy Labor Day Weekend and happy end of summer! Fall has started, at least in my mind, and I will not apologize for it. Traditionally, I always spend this weekend decorating my house for fall, buying all of my fall foods, and switching over my fall and summer clothes.

As I write this, I already removed a lot of my very summery clothes (like my bathing suits and Lilly Pulitizer dresses) from my closet and drawers to put away. I'm leaving more summer clothes out than usual because I'm going to Charleston at the end of the month for a Bachelorette party and need a few items. Otherwise, I'll be transitioning fully into fall.

Mother Nature seemed to get the memo because the past two days have been beautiful! It's been around 70 degrees and under, with a cool, fresh breeze in the air and you can actually smell the seasons changing. However, before Mother Nature decided to grace us with fall weather, she wreaked havoc on New York City with Hurricane Ida. It was really scary, so sad to see so many people drown in their apartments because of the flooding, and just see the damage that was done. Two professors at my alma mater lost their lives in the storm because they were driving home from classes and got stranded. It's so sad and just horrible to think about.

Without making too sudden of a turn, I have some great news! I got a promotion at work this week! It's been something I've been after for a while and to be rewarded for all my work means so much. It was definitely the highlight of my week. That being said, I'm still very happy to have a long weekend!

Let's dive into the roundup!



Pink Positivity of the Week

The best part of the week was of course, getting my promotion. I'll still be doing the same work I do now but it feels really good to have a higher title, some more money, and just knowing that I am really an asset to the team and my hard work is essential and appreciated. 

Links I Loved

What You Missed on Royally Pink

What I Bought This Week

I am still trying to limit unnecessary purchases this month but my allergies have been horrible, and pretty unbearable lately so I bought an air purifier at the suggestion of my dermatologist. My eyes have been really itchy, red, puffy, and just gross from the allergies and she said this might help. 

Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty sale started this week and I had to shop one of the first days to pick up two of my favorite products! 

Have a great long weekend everyone!
xoxo
B

As the influencer industry has continued to rise in recent years I knew it was going to start coming up in the pop culture. Movies, television, and books were going to start to reflect this new job as a plot point and I think that is very obvious in some of the books we've seen, the latest reboot "He's All That" and other TV and movies. 

One of the first books I saw embrace this plot was "Influence" by Lilia Buckingham and Sara Shepard... yes, Sara Shepard of Pretty Little Liars. She has been one of my favorite authors forever so I knew that it would be incredible.

Shepard partnered with a new, upcoming, young writer Lilia Buckingham and they wrote this book together. As you read, you can tell that there's Shepard's psychological twist woven throughout and it makes the book much more thrilling. 




Publisher's Summary

After a video she makes goes viral, everyone knows Delilah Rollins. And now that she's in LA, Delilah's standing on the edge of something incredible. Everything is going to change. She has no idea how much.

Jasmine Walters-Diaz grew up in the spotlight. A child star turned media darling, the posts of her in her classic Lulu C. rainbow skirt practically break the Internet. But if the world knew who Jasmine really was, her perfect life? Canceled.

Fiona Jacobs is so funny--the kind of girl for whom a crowd parts--no wonder she's always smiling! But on the inside? The girl's a hot mess. And when someone comes out of the shadows with a secret from her past, it's one that won't just embarrass Fiona: it will ruin her.

Who wouldn't want to be Scarlet Leigh? Just look at her Instagram. Scarlet isn't just styled to perfection: she is perfection. Scarlet has a gorgeous, famous boyfriend named Jack and there's a whole fanbase about their ship. To everyone watching online, their lives seem perfect . . . but are they really? The sun is hot in California . . . and someone's going to get burned.

My Thoughts

Spoiler alert: I really liked this book! It was semi YA, semi-adult and I loved that it was borderline a thriller/mystery but not completely. It's very reminiscent of Pretty Little Liars and you can definitely tell it was written by the same person. 

The influencer perspective felt very real, modern, and realistic -- it was a striking plotline that kept you on your toes, pulled you in, and kept your attention all the way through. I liked that you had the newer influencer paired with the seasoned veterans, it felt almost very Gossip Girl to me in a way. I loved the behind-the-scenes 'look' at the influencer world, that 'setting' was like another main character.  

When you first start reading, you're trying to get a hold of who is who and where the story is going t go but once you get to the first plot twist, it becomes pretty obvious. 

I didn't really love any of the characters so much but they were likable enough, aside from Scarlet Leigh which I guess is obvious; I don't think we were supposed to like her. 

Once you figure out what is going on, what the story is really about, you start trying to figure out who is at fault and when you do, it's pretty jaw-dropping. Yet, if you're paying attention, it's probably not super shocking. I can't say much else without giving the entire plot away! 

"Influence" is a really fun book that was enticing, entertaining, and thrill-seeking. It felt very real while at the same time, being an overly exaggerated look at influencer life. If you love YA novels, enjoyed the Pretty Little Liars books, and like a low-key thriller, you should read "Influence". It's an easy, quick read to pull you out of a reading slump! 

xoxo
B

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