I'm so happy that in 2018, the love of books is still on the uptick. I feel like everyone is obsessed with reading the next great book and the media eats it all up. They say print is dead but that does not apply to books!

I've loved reading since I was a youngster and I'm happy that I've kept up with it well into my twenties. This year, I read a lot but probably not as much as I would like. I think I definitely read more in 2017 and I think that's because 2018 was the year of podcasts.

I canceled my Audible subscription for a few months to focus on my podcast obsession and I sometimes get lazy with my print/ebooks.

However, there were still a few stand out contenders this year, all which have full reviews on the blog.

The Wife Between Us

When thinking about what my favorite book of the year is, I try to use shock and intrigue as a deciding factor. No book shocked me more than The Wife Between Us. It was thrilling, suspenseful, and truly unlike anything I've ever read. It doesn't seem like the domestic thriller genre is going anywhere anytime soon, so while it's still hot, please go read The Wife Between Us. *I could've sworn that I wrote a full review on this but I didn't!

When's Happy Hour

This has quickly become one of my favorite career books of all time so it's no surprise that I would include it in my favorite books of the year. When I found out that Betches was writing a career book, I put the date in my calendar and when I couldn't wait anymore, I emailed the publisher for an advanced copy to review. It was the perfect, light but informative career book and if you read anything I recommend, make it this.

The Breakdown

A story about a woman that thinks she's having a mental breakdown after seeing a woman in a car, who turned up murdered the next morning -- sign me up! This was the first book I read in 2018 and one that has stayed with me the entire year. Read the full review here but this was a wild ride, so wild I kind of want to read/listen to it again.

When Life Gives You Lulu Lemons

What were your favorite books of 2018?
xoxo
B

I took two days off from the blog to focus on Christmas with my family and it was so nice. I hope you all had a beautiful few days with your families and loved ones. Now, I'm on vacation and taking these days before 2019 to relax and I'm so excited.

It's time I start wrapping up the year on the blog and I'll be talking about all my favorites from 2018. Today, we're kicking it off with my favorite beauty items of 2018. This was a year where beauty took a backseat and I stopped shopping at Sephora twice a week. I was much more mindful of what I was purchasing and the items I did pick up quickly became favorites. Here are just a few of them...

Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask

I think this was a beauty item that will be in a lot of end of year round-ups because it made the biggest splash this year. It is definitely my most used beauty item of the year and I can't remember a night where I didn't slather this on my face and bask in its glory. This is a mask that can be worn as a mask or as a moisturizer, meaning you don't have to wash it off. I use it as my night cream and my skin feels so soothed and healthy afterward. When I have a heavy makeup day or just feel like my skin needs extra love, Jet Lag cures it all. It isn't too heavy where you feel like you're a greaseball afterward, and you can even wear it under your makeup -- that's the beauty of it; it's deeply hydrating but not heavy. It was definitely my favorite item of the entire year.

Neutrogena Hydroboost Cleansing Lotion

I love a good cleansing oil but sometimes they are too greasy and heavy; sometimes I want to use them as a cleanser and not a makeup remover. This year I discovered one of my favorite cleansers; the Neutrogena Hydroboost Cleansing Lotion. It's thinner than a cleansing oil but thicker than cleansing milk -- it's the perfect happy medium. I use it on its own or with my Clarisonic and it gets all the remanents of my makeup off. It's very gentle, has no scent and hydrating. If this sounds like something you need, I highly recommend picking the Hydroboost Cleansing Lotion up!

Slip Silk Scrunchies

I've fallen in love with $40 scrunchies and I think this is what rock bottom feels like. I thought I had found the perfect scrunchie in Invisibobble and while those are still awesome (and only $8) my Slip Scrunchies are just incredible. From the brand Slip, the Silk Pillowcase brand comes silk scrunchies that won't leave indents and won't damage or break your hair. They have big scrunchies which are the first ones I got and then the thin ones (which are my current favorite). They hold my thick, curly, unruly hair in place and look so adorable in the hair or on the wrist. I don't know if I will ever buy another type of scrunchie again.

Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk

This may be cheating as I only picked up these items within the past two months but my goodness, they are the best. I'm talking about the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Pillowtalk and Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillowtalk. They are the best pair in beauty, the most natural and gorgeous colors and incredible formulas. Wear them alone, wear them together -- the possibilities are endless. They both apply like a dream and are comfortable on the lips. There is a reason that the shade Pillowtalk is a cult classic -- you NEED THEM!

Below are a few other honorable mention items!

xoxo
B