I have been in a jewelry phase for a few months now and I cannot get enough. I'm constantly torn between waiting to purchase expensive, 14K real gold jewelry and wanting a large selection of pieces to choose from. 

I want to be dripping in jewelry at all times; it makes me feel elevated, chic, and put together. Whenever I see photos of women on TikTok and Instagram that have incredible style, they always have their jewelry on and I love it.

Over the years, I've amassed a decent size collection that is a mix of higher quality, name brands like Tiffany & Co, Hermes, and Swarovski, costume jewelry from Tory Burch and Baublebar, and some cheaper pieces from Amazon. 

After 8 months in my apartment, I finally feel completely settled in. Every part of it feels finished (aside from one corner that I cannot figure out what to do with), and I owe a lot of those finishing touches to Amazon. 

When it comes to home decor, I'm not the most consistent. I like what I like and I sort of just throw everything together. Sometimes things flow, sometimes they don't. I don't know what aesthetic of home decor I love the most. I know what I don't like or what I didn't want: farmhouse, minimalism, all grey everything. I wanted pink, and glam but not overly girl or busy. 

It wasn't until the past month or so that I settled on an aesthetic and it's what I like to call vintage glam. It's gold accents, bows, arches, and tiny details. I don't know what I like until I see it and as I acquired the last few pieces, everything fell into place. 

I did a post a while ago about my apartment and where I got my furniture, etc, and most of it came from Wayfair, but a lot of the smaller details came from Amazon, as well as a few necessities that make things so much better. That's exactly what inspired this post... and at the end, I'll include some decor pieces I have my eye on to really make the vintage glam aesthetic pop. 

I did my first Amazon finds last year (which the widget seems to have disappeared so the post is kind of useless now) but I wanted to do another, more updated version. 

I've definitely slowed down on my Amazon shopping, especially when it comes to useless, impulsive buying but there are so many hidden gems nestled deep within the webs of Bezos' empire. I have found some of my favorite everyday items from just typing in a weird need into the Amazon search bar and solving a problem.

So from portable fans to beautiful dishes, I have found some great items on Amazon recently. Also, if you want to stay up to date on all my Amazon purchases and recommendations make sure to shop my storefront.  

There's nothing like leaving your Christmas shopping for the last minute, right? I usually am in this boat but this year, thankfully, I got most of my shopping done by the 2nd week of December. It's also good because of all the shipping delays... I'd be lying if I said a few of my packages haven't been lost in the mail. 

That being said, I wanted to round up a few last-minute gift ideas in case you were stumped, forgot someone or had an unexpected addition to Christmas dinner.

As I've gotten older, I've learned to appreciate the more practical gifts; there's nothing like getting a candle, a gift card, a mug, socks, or something that you can use every single day. To me, those make the perfect last-minute gifts. Those are definitely a few solid ideas! 

At this point in the game, instead of ordering something online, I recommend going in-store or try to shop small at the small businesses in your neighborhood; they might be able to offer something special and unique. 

If you need to pick up something last minute, here are a few ideas:

• A gift certificate to a spa, get their nails or hair done, or to their favorite restaurant 
• A gift card to a major retailer, or Starbucks/Dunkins
• Baked goodies or a baking kit that gives them everything they need to put something delicious together
• A 3, 6, or 12-month gift certificate to a subscription service they might enjoy, like Book of the Month, Fab Fit Fun, or any of those niche boxes that deliver wine, fruit, or anything edible! 

Happy shopping everyone! 

I have been loving my Kindle since purchasing it a few months ago and it has really changed my entire reading routine. I have been reading so many books, especially in the past few weeks with being stuck in the house and needing a really great distraction.

When I purchased the Kindle, I was able to score a free trial of Kindle Unlimited and I was pretty excited about it. I've thought about purchasing Kindle Unlimited but never really saw the intrigue; I didn't see a ton of books I would want to read until I started actually using it.

My trial ended in November and I've been paying for the subscription ever since.

If you don't know what Kindle Unlimited is, it's a subscription service offered by Amazon where you pay $9.99 a month and get access to thousands of e-books. You can 'rent' up to 10 books at a time and when you're done, you can return them to make more room.



A lot of the books on Kindle Unlimited are by unknown authors, self-published or books you may not think about reading. However, there are a ton of books that are very popular, like all the Harry Potter books, the Hunger Games series, and a ton of Alice Hoffman books. Kindle Unlimited was how I was able to read 'Practical Magic' and 'Rules of Magic' back in October.

Another great feature of Kindle Unlimited is that certain books come with Audible audiobooks so you can listen and read at the same time. If you've been around for a while you know that audiobooks are my favorite! I used to listen to them all the time and read a ton of books that way so having this incorporated right into a Kindle Unlimited subscription is a great perk.

Aside from books and audiobooks, you can also gain access to a lot of magazines through Kindle Unlimited. It's not a perk I have personally used but I like knowing it's there if I want... and who knows, during these social distancing times, I just might.

Some of my favorite books and authors are currently on Kindle Unlimited, like Lauren Layne and Colleen Hoover. Verity is currently on Kindle Unlimited so in my opinion, it's worth it for that title alone.

If you are spending a ton of money on books, especially during the next few weeks, I recommend trying out Kindle Unlimited. Look into if you're eligible for a free trial and look through the catalog to see if it's something worth it to you.

For $10, you would probably spend more on books right now so try it out! The good thing about Amazon is that they make it super easy to cancel so you wouldn't have to worry about that.

Have any of you tried Kindle Unlimited? What did you think?

PS: I'm now on LIKEtoKnowIt -- please follow me on the app!

xoxo
B

*Elephant in the room -- an entirely new blog layout! I'll go through it more in this week's Royal Round Up but I'm in LOVE and I hope you are too! 

When I discovered the world of online luxury I didn't know what I was stumbling upon. It has cost me a lot of money, a lot of lusting and a lot of list making. I've learned so much in the 2 years I've been addicted to luxury items, mostly pre-loved but one thing I learned was that there are such a thing as handbag organizers.

Being the resident handbag lover that I am, I was stunned to see these felt contraptions that kept your handbag organized, shapely, and didn't move all your items around.

The OG bag organizer and ones that all the luxury bloggers rave about is Samorga and they cost a pretty penny. I was not about that life and to be honest, I wasn't completely sold on the handbag organizers.

That is until I got a Neverfull MM and wanted something to brighten up the inside, keep my things in their place, and keep the shape of my bag.



I finally saw an Amazon dupe for the Samorga and after seeing a few bloggers I trusted rave about it, I purchased it.

And wow... what a difference a bag organizer makes!

I've been using it for about a month and I never want to use a tote bag without it again. I must clarify that I've used this exclusively with my Neverfull MMs and my Henri Bendel Empire Tote (can we pause for a minute to talk about HB closing? I'm doing a huge post but I'm devastated)



I chose the pink Large organizer because that is the size that fits best in the Neverfull MMs.

When you first receive the organizer, it is folded up and you just need to expand it and put it in your bag. There are a bunch of different compartments that velcro together so you can customize it and remove or add parts. This allows you to customize how big or small you want the organizer, and how many compartments you want to be working with.

I keep all the compartments in because I like to be as organized as possible.




My favorite part about the organizer is that everything stays in their place and stays upright. I hate nothing more than when things in my tote bag are falling over and my bag becomes a jumbled mess that doesn't have any shape. I hate hearing my metal water bottle clink against my keys or when my planners get smashed against my makeup bags.

Now, everything stays where it is supposed to stay and my bags keep their shape. It's so nice to carry a bag that is organized.

Like I said, I've only used this organizer in three of my tote bags and I haven't tried it in any of my other bags, however, I think it's a good size that'll fit most of my bags. If not, I'll probably buy another size to fit those -- that's how good it is.

If you hate when things are a mess in your handbag, I highly recommend picking this up from Amazon. Test it out, use it for a big and if it's not something you love, return it. Or, if not, give it to someone who might enjoy it. Either way, it's under $20 and you can't beat that.

Have you ever used a bag organizer?
xoxo
B

I've never used Amazon more than I have been in the past year or so. They've been the E-Commerce giant for so long but I feel like they have really stepped their game up in the past few years.

I was never one to purchase anything other than electronics or paper goods from them -- ordering beauty items and clothes just seemed wrong. I'm still not totally on board with ordering beauty from Amazon because I can never be too sure where the items are coming from.

Aside from all of that, I've really expanded how I use Amazon and there is a reason they are taking over the world. For example, whenever I'm out shopping, I'm constantly checking the Amazon app to see if I could get a better deal online.

Don't even get me started on Amazon Prime -- it's a game changer and if you don't already have it, please go subscribe.

I figured I'd put together my favorite finds from the shopping giant and share them with you!

PVC Bag Jade Roller New York Print Buckle Bangle Valentino Flip Flop Dupes Beauty Blender Holder Le Pens Rose Gold Phone Stand Light Up Makeup Mirror iPad Bluetooth Keyboard

I haven't done an updated makeup storage post in years.

My original post was more of a review of the Alex Drawers from Ikea, which I still use but since I moved, the way I store my makeup has changed. Mostly because I have more space, and I have a lot more makeup.

With Spring being this week, I figured it was a great time to talk about organization. Organizing is one of my favorite things in the world. It calms me down and clears my mind.

I was super anxious over the weekend and felt like I needed to do something so I went through my closet, got rid of some things and reorganized it. I felt like a new person. That being said, I'm also planning to redo my room a little so once that is done, I'll do a little updated room tour.

Now, for the real reason we're here -- makeup.

My beauty bug has really subsided in recent months. Nothing was inspiring me, I wasn't wearing that much makeup and just wasn't feeling anything new. I'm also still going on my no buy, which I'll do another post on once it's over when Lent ends on March 29th.

However, in the past few weeks I've hit my beauty reset button so this is a perfect time to do this post!

Let's start with my lipsticks.




I have a shelving unit in the corner of my room, and store my lipsticks on a shelf there because I have too many. I keep my liquid lipsticks, glossse, chubby crayons, in a variety of different containers and empty candle holders.


On the other side of the shelf, I have all my perfumes, including mini samples that I get from Sephora orders.



Then, my regular lipsticks sit on a spinning tower on the cubby shelves that hold my handbags. This makes for easy access and adorable decor.



Now we move over to my desk area where one half is reserved for beauty stuff.

This little tray is a new addition to my desk because I felt like I needed something to contain the overflow of beauty stuff that was on my desk. It has been amazing for organizing myself and it acts as a little decor that I love.




Here, I keep the skincare I'm using, any supplments that I'm taking, and my makeup brushes. I also have some pretty makeup prodcuts like my Huda Beauty Foundation, my YSL Touche Eclat Blur and the Herbivorve Rose Spray.

I also have a little ring dish that my friend got me for Christmas that I keep lipgloss, pins, or hairties in as a touch of decor.


It's time for the big guy -- my Alex Ikea Drawers. Where I keep everything is the same as it was a few years ago, but what's on top has changed a bit.



I have an acrylic drawer set that I bought off of Amazon and it's amazing. I personally do not think you need an expensive Glambox or any other name brand acrylic drawer set -- Amazon is where it's at.

In there, I have my items spilt up into 6 sections:

• The first drawer is where I have my brow products and all my concealers. 
• The second drawer I have some random makeup products and then mascara
• The third drawer is filled with all kinds of random makeup products like lip balms, mini beauty blenders, and eyeshadow crayons.

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People say to never judge a book by it's cover but I have to admit, that I do it often. If a book has an intriguing cover and it sparks my interest, I need to read it. If the summary matches my interest, then it's a sealed deal.

That is exactly what happened with Opening Belle.

I saw the cover on Amazon and after reading the summary, I knew this was the perfect light hearted book I would enjoy.



I was in need of a great fiction novel and this definitely brought my love of fiction back. I listened to it on Audible and it was the perfect novel for a morning and evening commute.

This book starts out kind of fast, and it could be a little difficult to follow but that could also be because I was listening and not reading it.

Belle is a wife & mother, who lives in Manhattan and works on Wall Street, dealing with stocks. She lives a fast paced, stressful, and over worked life. She doesn't spend time with her children, is exposed to sexual harassement at work, and has a husband who doesn't have a job, and is hardly a care taker for the children.

She tries her best, but somehow keeps falling short.

Belle does her best to work her way up the glass ceiling while also keeping a low profile when it comes to the pigs who work with her. She's one of the highest women in the company and got there solely on her hard work and work ethic.

That is the premises of the book, and everything that follows is related.

Belle is trying to juggle her family life, an old flame coming back into her life, a distant husband, and the Glass Ceiling Club -- women at work who want to end the sexist behavior going on in the work place.

Oh, and did I mention this is all going on months before the 2008 stock market crash/recession. YUP, so you can only imagine how stressed she was.

It is an interesting book, a light and easy read, with lots of talk about stocks and money. I'd compare this to a romantic comedy without a lot of romance, or comedy -- if that makes an ounce of sense. It was fun, flirty, and the perfect read for summer.

What books have you been reading this summer?

I was back on my thriller game a few weeks back when I decided to listen to The Lake House on Audible. It put me right back into my listening to books groove that I felt off of since listening to the entire Harry Potter series.

I've seen The Lake House on a bunch of different "Must Reads" lists and decided to give it a go.

Well, I didn't know what I was in for.

This was a book I probably wouldn't have been able to read because it was super long, and very, very detailed. The one thing I really disliked about this book was the fact that it contained a lot of detail that wasn't that relevant to the story.

It was a very slow moving story, but it was very good.



There are a few different plots to this story, and I think if I was reading it, I would've had a tough time figuring out what went where. With all the different plots, there was one main part of the story and that surrounded the Edevane family and the disappearance of their son, after the first World War.

70 years later, Sadie, a detective, discovers the Edevane's lake house in the English countryside. There, she discovers the fact that the case of the missing boy, Theo, was never solved.

Sadie cannot resist an unsolved case, surrounding a child *for reasons you will find out throughout the novel*, and starts to research it. She discovers that Alice Edevane, Theo's older sister, is still alive & living in London.

With a lot of twists & turns, the novel follows Sadie's desire to figure out the case while also flashing back to the past to give us more insight into who could've stolen Theo. 

It's very, very interesting and as slow as it is, it begins to pick up toward the middle & you find yourself wanting and NEEDING to know what happened to Theo.

Well, I can tell you that the ending is worth the very long, very detailed, sometimes boring book. The ending was just SO GOOD it gave my chills.

Usually when a book is very long & slow, I can get frustrated & fed up and while it did get annoying at times, the plot made it worth it. I just couldn't stop listening because I needed to know what happened and needed to see how this played out.

It was suspenseful without being scary, like other books I've reviewed *ahem: Pretty Girls*, and it was worth every minute of my time.

I HIGHLY recommend it!

What books have you read lately?


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I've been flying through books on Audible lately, as well as reading them. I think I'm reading a total of three books right now. I've definitely gotten into a funk with what books I should listen to, that is until I saw that the entire Harry Potter series was available on Audible.

I only read the books once (OMG) and I figured listening to them would be amazing. Uhh.. it is! I also upped my subscription to the 2 credit a month which is $20. I was buying 2-3 books a month and only getting 1 credit so I think this may be cheaper.

In the past few months, I've definitely listened to a variety of different genres and types of books. You'll see that in this review... I go from memoirs to thrillers to fun, short stories. It's very odd but that's just my taste in books!

I was however, in a book funk, a few weeks back right before Christmas and that is when the Audible heavens opened up and gave me the entire Harry Potter series! I've been listening to all the books on my commute and honestly, it's the perfect cure to any morning. I'm on the Goblet of Fire and it's so nice that the books are super long and keep me entertained.

Before my funk, I did read some fabulous books and here's what they were:



After Perfect: I thought this was a fiction book at first, until the author started reading it and I realized that it was not. This book was incredible, so incredible that I have almost listened to it again. Christina McDowell is the daughter of a rich man... until he gets arrested and imprisoned for fraud. Her lavish life is suddenly taken from her and she experienced years and years of turmoil. At the start, you think why should I feel bad for her? She was a rich, spoiled brat but as you listen to her story, you see that it wasn't about losing materialistic things but about losing trust and family and friends and everything you've ever known. It was an incredibly moving book and I recommend it to everyone.

All the Light We Cannot See: This book got rave reviews and I couldn't wait to read/listen to it. I didn't really know what it was about. A French blind girl and her father live during Nazi Germany, while a German boy miles and miles away, is figuring out to live during this time. It is very, very interesting. It's hard to follow at times and this may have been a book that I would have preferred to read but nonetheless it was amazing. It was really interesting to see history play out in a fictional setting and it was seriously heart breaking at moments but I loved it. Another high recommendation!

Finding Audrey: This was a quick, easy read that I had been wanting to read for a while. A young girl has serious anxiety and is pulled out of school for reasons unknown--all we know is she got into it with some mean girls in her grade. She doesn't leave the house, wears black sunglasses all the time, and never touches anyone. It is another really interesting book with a nice, YA feeling to it. It wasn't sad and I actually LOLed at certain points. It took me only a few days to listen to this but sometimes short and sweet are appreciated.

Pretty Girls: Everyone needs a FAIR WARNING about this book. It was gross, graphic, and INTENSE. Picture the worst, most twisted episode of Law & Order SVU times 1,000. It was very warped and scary and horrific. A story about two sisters, ripped apart by a man who was hiding horrible, disgusting secrets. This book was incredible. I could've never imagined everything that was in this book but it was very intense. I may have a slightly twisted mind but these kinds of books fascinate me and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I was listening. If you can handle kidnapping, murder, and some sick, twisted stuff, then definitely read this. It'll satisfy your craving for suspense, for sure!

Troublemaker: This is Leah Remini's memoir/biography where she tells the tale of how she got in and got out of Scientology. Leah was the one narrating it and her thick, New York accent, makes me feel at home. The story about how she was brought into Scientology is really weird and the stuff that went on while she was in Scientology was even weirder. It is a really interesting read and Leah is so funny, it made the book that much better.

What books have you been reading lately? Give me some recommendations :)

Here we are again, trying out a new writing format. I have been reading/listening to too many books to do separate posts about them, and sometimes I find myself rambling in book review posts just to fill up space or get my point across.

I think rounding up the books in one short paragraph is much better than dedicated posts that don't make that much sense.

Let me know what you think!

I will preface this by saying that I didn't read any of these books -- I listened to them all on Audible, Amazon's audiobook companion. I've been addicted to Audible since April and have listened to too many books. You can read my initial thoughts on Audible here but clearly I love it.




Let's get started, shall we?

1. Primates of Park Avenue: This was a book that I had heard negative reviews on and didn't think I would want to read it, but it somehow drew me in. I listened to this after listening to a slew of nonfiction memoirs and wanted something a little fluffier but still not 100% fiction. It was really interesting to hear stories about the Upper East Side and how it truly is a different world with different rules. There was a lot of science and biology wrapped up into it and I think that made the book a little more credible. Also, the author was in no way similar to these women she talked about, which I think was a misunderstanding in the reviews I read. She wasn't bragging about the lifestyle, she was simply informing people of what goes on (she was just as shocked as the readers!) This was a pretty good book and I would recommend it if you want something light but not completely chick lit fiction.

2. The News Sorority: I had been lusting after this book for a good year and finally listened to it. I was weary of listening to it because I thought I would prefer to read a book like this but OMG, it was amazing. It takes you through the journey of three of the most famous women news anchors of our time and tells the stories of major events in the world, and their lives, and journalism in general. It sparked my nerd bug, big time. It was really long and those are my favorite books to listen too... and it was incredible. I was a journalism major in college and I'm a writer at heart (as you read my blog...duh) so it was wonderful to hear about Diane Sawyer, Katie Couric, and Christiane Amanpour's lives & careers. It definitely made me crave a journalism career and it was inspiring. This was another book that didn't get great reviews but if you love news, journalism, and memoirs, I think you'd really like this.

3. Killing Monica: Written by Candace Bushnell, aka the writer of Sex and the City novel (yes it was a book before the tv show) and it was hilarious. The premiss is that a very successful NYC author who just got divorced is sick of writing about her famous character, Monica. Everyone LOVES Monica & can't get enough of her, but PJ Wallis is tired of living in Monica's shadow. She needs to do something but what happens isn't what she expects.

I was definitely annoyed by it at times, and it may have been because I listened to it instead of reading but it was really outlandish and funny. A fake death? A crazy actress? New York City? Sign me up! It was definitely fluff but there is a deeper meaning behind it. I read some reviews and articles about this and a lot of people thought Bushnell was talking about Carrie Bradshaw in the novel, and it was hard for me NOT to think of that but she assured critics that it isn't based off of real life. It was a great read and I listened to it pretty quickly.

4. Luckiest Girl Alive: I got into a mood where I really wanted to listen/read a thriller novel. This was one that I had begun seeing everywhere and I couldn't resist. Let me start off by saying that this definitely has that "Gone Girl" & "Girl On the Train" feel but not as insane or twisted. It takes place in NYC and the main character works at a magazine as a sex writer so it definitely has a more present day, glamorous feel. I definitely was surprised and pleased with the true storyline, it was really interesting and crazy, and it gave me the chills. It was shocking and intense and a little hard to listen to at times but it was incredible in my opinion. Is it as good as "Gone Girl?" -- no, of course not. I don't think anything will come close to that for a while. I feel like this is a book I'd listen to again, that's how much I really enjoyed it.

As you can tell, I don't care if a book got bad reviews. Never judge a book by it's cover...or a review. If something sparks your interest, always read it! You never know where your next favorite will come from.

What books have you been reading/listening to lately? What do you think I should read next?

I have been on a roll with books lately, mostly because I'm listening to them on the train using Audible and it's much quicker to listen than read.

Nonetheless, I count audiobooks as reading.

After finishing "The Girl on the Train", I needed something equally as thrilling. I wanted something suspenseful with murder and other big issues--something that would give a "Gone Girl" like twist at the end. I was in that kind of mood. One of the suggestions was Lianne Moriarty's book "The Husband's Secret"; I read her latest novel "Big Little Lies" a few months back so I figured it would be equally as good.

Oh boy, this was even better!!

Just as "Big Little Lies" was, "The Husband's Secret" was split into three point of views; Rachel, Tess, and Cecilia. It takes place in Australia and the narrators have Australian accents (YES). Just as "Big Little Lies", it was a bit of a learning curve to understand Australian lingo but I caught on quickly. It made it that much more interesting, honestly.

This book was a lot faster than Big Little Lies; it didn't drag on (some chapters did but that's all books) and it gave many surprising twists and turns of the events.



The book surrounds those three women and show how their lives interchange but also are totally separate. They each have their own problems but yet, somehow, toward the end, they all come together and it's truly eye-opening.

There is a murder mystery in this book and honestly, the ending is just as surprising as anything. I was in actual shock at the end but when you think about, it makes total sense. The ending was really surprising and really sad and your jaw will drop.

"The Husband's Secret" was entertaining in so many ways--love, lust, divorce, murder, life. It kept my attention and I'm already looking to read (or listen) to another one of Moriarty's books. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!

What have you read recently?