Yoga Club Box: March Unboxing and Review Plus Get $10 off all your boxes for life

 Yoga Club is a subscription service for high end, premium yoga/fitness and athleisure apparel at 50 to 60% off retail price.

How Yoga Club works is you go onto their website and sign up. You take a personalised style quiz where you are asked numerous different questions to get a sense of your own personal style. For example, it asks what kind of activities you wear athleisure for with options from Yoga to travel and brunch. Do you like leggings? Capri's? Shorts? Sports bras? Tank tops? Long sleeve? and do you like neutrals, colours and patterns? These are just a few. You put in your height and sizes and a personal stylist curates an outfit just for you. This means that your outfit will not be the same as another person. Some subscription services send the same outfits out each month but that is not the case with Yoga Club. Each box is curated specifically tailored to you.

The Guru box (the one that I get) comes with 3 different pieces. All high end, good quality pieces from name brand companies. We are talking Teeki, Jala, Onzie, Manduka, Columbia, Free People, Glyder, MPG and Niyama Sol just to name a few.  A pair of leggings (or crops or shorts if you put it on your quiz) a sports bra and a layering piece. The price of the Guru box is $79 USD, Check out my link below to get $10 off for life. The nice thing about Yoga Club is that you are not locked in to any amount of time. You can cancel or pause your subscription at any time. If your exercise needs or style changes you just need to log into your account and re-take the style quiz.

On top of all that, Yoga Club gives back. For every Yoga Club box sold they give a class to a child in an under served community. They also have a Love Guarantee. If you don't love it or something doesn't fit properly they have an easy exchange policy for something you do

If Yoga Club is something that you have been considering you can get $10.00 off your boxes for life by clicking my referral link Here.

 A first look inside my March box!

A look at the outfit as a whole!

Sports Bra

(Picture from website)

Vie Active- Lindsay Bra in Twilight retail value $58 USD

At first glance I wasn't overly impressed with this sports bra simply because it looks the same as most of the other bras I have got from Yoga Club just a different brand and colour. However, I have to say that the quality of it is outstanding. It is thick and sturdy and when I took it for a test run on the treadmill it kept me in place better than any of the other similar ones I have received. It provided a good compression so that I wasn't bouncing around. In the end the quality and functionality won me over and I have to admit that I actually like it.

Here's the thing with me and sports bras. I am a smaller chested person and for those of you that don't understand, it means that my headlights are more easily on display. This Vie Active bra hid them a little better than the others I've received but I really need some kind of padding or bra cups or whatever they are called to hide it. Up until this point I have worn them in the comfort of my own home to workout but I am now running and taking it to the track and hopefully outdoors soon. That means that I will be seen by other people and I don't want my headlights on display. So far this bra is my best option but I need to find a way to let Yoga Club know that I would like some other options that will provide functionality as well as keep the world from being blinded my my headlights.

Layering Piece

 (Image from Internet)

Alternative Apparel- Pony Tee with Strap in Oatmeal Heather retail value $38 USD

I apologise for the lousy pictures of this shirt. This Pony Tee from Alternative Apparel is super soft and comfortable. It is plain and simple on the front but has a fun low back. Pairing this with some fun, strappy and colourful sports bra would look really great. I'm not sure I will wear this running but I can see myself working out or going to boot camp in it. It is light weight and airy. I'm not sure how well it will hold up to sweat with the colour so I'll have to get back to you on that one. 

Leggings

Vie Active- Rosie Full Length Legging in Charcoal/Black Heather retail value $92 USD

First of all, these leggings are $92 USD! That is way more than the cost of my box. It isn't even the suggested retail value. It is the actual cost on the Vie Active website. So I have definitely received a great value for my dollar. Again, I was worried about these leggings because they are grey and grey shows sweat. It's hard to tell from my picture but they are a darker grey. Let me just say, they are super soft and thick and you can tell they are great quality. They are a compression legging which is my favourite kind of legging. Hides all the imperfections better and I find the compression helpful on my runs! I took these on a test run on the treadmill and I really loved how they felt. I couldn't really see any sweat but I need someone else to check them out after I workout to be sure.

So initially when I opened this box I was kind of indifferent to it but after trying it on and testing out the pieces I have to say that I am very happy again. I'm hopeful that now that I am leaving the house for more of my workouts that I can get some different bras as I am only comfortable with the ones I have in my own house. This sports bra may be the exception.

The total cost of this box if I were to go out and buy each piece on my own would be $188 USD. The cost of the box is only $79 USD and with my link below it would only be $69 USD for every box. That's crazy! I can't wait to see what I get in my next box!

Get $10.00 off your boxes for life

Thoughts and opinions are my own and are not endorsed or sponsored by Yoga Club in any way.

Review: Letters from Home by Kristina McMorris

Chicago, 1944. Liz Stephens has little interest in attending a USO club dance with her friends Betty and Julia. She doesn't need a flirtation with a lonely serviceman when she's set to marry her childhood sweetheart. Yet something happens the moment Liz glimpses Morgan McClain. They share only a brief exchange--cut short by the soldier's evident interest in Betty--but Liz can't forget him. Thus, when Betty asks her to ghostwrite a letter to Morgan, stationed overseas, Liz reluctantly agrees.

Thousands of miles away, Morgan struggles to adjust to the brutality of war. His letters from "Betty" are a comfort, their soul-baring correspondence a revelation to them both. While Liz is torn by her feelings for a man who doesn't know her true identity, Betty and Julia each become immersed in their own romantic entanglements. And as the war draws to a close, all three will face heart-wrenching choices, painful losses, and the bittersweet joy of new beginnings.

Beautifully rendered and deeply moving, Letters from Home is a story of hope and connection, of sacrifices made in love and war--and the chance encounters that change us forever.

Paperback, 364 pages

Published February 22nd 2011 by Kensington Books (first published January 1st 2011)

Terri's Thoughts

This book has been sitting on my to be read shelf for a really long time.  As I have been focusing on reading ARCs for a long time, I thought it was about time to try to get through some of the unread books that have been "dusting up my shelves".

This is not a new book, in fact it is eight years old.  As a result I figure most people who are going to read it, probably already have unless like me, have read all other works by McMorris and are working through the rest of her library.  Everything to be said has already been said so instead of a literal review, I am going to tell a story about how I discovered Kristina McMorris.

My sister and I share a love of books, hence the reason for the blog.  About once a month or so, she would come pick me up and off we would head to spend an afternoon at Chapters.  Armed with our caramel latte's in hand, we would spend hours browsing through the aisles, randomly picking up books to see what prizes we would be leaving the store with.  No worries in the world, no time limits, just us, our lattes, and thousands of books to choose from.  No researching websites, Goodreads or any other web platform to help us choose.  If my pile of books got too big, she would take some and vice versa.  No cares in the world, just the feeling of peace and pure relaxation knowing we were in our happy place.  We would linger until we felt we had accumulated enough books to last us a while until we did it all over again.

On one of these trips, our first of many, I stumbled across Bridge of Scarlet Leaves.  I had never heard of it nor of McMorris.  I had just randomly picked it up from the shelf, thought it sounded interesting and took a gamble.  And so begins my love affair with the work of Kristina McMorris

Why tell this story you ask?  It is because this book made me feel much like those outings did.  The writing of McMorris is my happy place.  I know that whenever I pick up one of her books that I am guaranteed to be 100% satisfied with the experience.  I don't need to read what the story is about before diving in because I can count on her to deliver a consistent and satisfying read.  That and the fact that she is linked to some of my favorite memories.

To be honest, I loved this story and I am a little mad at myself for leaving it on my shelf so long.  So no, I am not going to discuss the plot.  I say if you are fan of historical fiction, Kristina McMorris, well written books or just books in general, just pick this up and read it.  you won't be disappointed.

About the Author

KRISTINA MCMORRIS is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Her novels have garnered more than two dozen literary awards and nominations, including the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, RWA’s RITA® Award, and a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Historical Fiction. Inspired by true personal and historical accounts, her works of fiction have been published by Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Kensington Books. Her forthcoming novel, Sold on a Monday (Sourcebooks Landmark, 8-28-18), follows her widely praised The Edge of Lost, The Pieces We Keep, Bridge of Scarlet Leaves, and Letters from Home. Additionally, her novellas are featured in the anthologies A Winter Wonderland and Grand Central. Prior to her writing career, Kristina hosted weekly TV shows since age nine, including an Emmy® Award-winning program, and has been named one of Portland's "40 Under 40" by The Business Journal. She lives with her husband and two sons in the Pacific Northwest, where she is working on her next novel.

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Review: Her Best Friend's Secret by Anna Mansell

Your best friend deserves the truth. But it will ruin her life. What would you do?
In summer, the small Cornish village of Gorran Haven fills with tourists, but in the colder months its pretty narrow streets are blissfully quiet, the bell on the village shop door rings only for locals, the beach is unspoilt, empty and safe.

It’s been over twenty years since four very different teenage girls sat on that beach, and swore to be best friends forever. Their lives went different ways after Emily left. But each remembered that promise. And none truly found friendship like it again.

Now, Emily’s back, with a secret she can’t face. She tries to hide away, take time to heal and make some difficult choices, but she runs into one of her old friends, and soon the four are reunited. Lolly, warm as ever, is a successful physiotherapist, married with kids. Yet smart, strong Amanda, who cherishes her teenage daughter, is alone and seemingly stuck in a dead-end job. And creative Jess is so much quieter than Emily remembers.

The bond is still there, and Emily realises their friendship might keep her together, but there are reasons why the women fell out of touch. Secrets that have lain dormant for decades start to surface, and then one of the women discovers a betrayal so big, it could turn each of their lives upside down.

It’s always those we’re closest to who have the power to tear us apart. Can friendship give Emily and her friends the strength to survive a devastating shock, or are some things unforgivable? 

Kindle Edition, 386 pages

Expected publication: April 1st 2019 by Bookouture

Kristine's Thoughts:

** I received an advanced readers copy from Bookouture via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**

The synopsis for Her Best Friend's Secret sounded so intriguing that I just had to read it. It sounded like it was full of deep, dark secrets that I was just dying to discover.

Her Best Friend's Secret was about four different women who were the best of friends in their younger teenage years. After Emily moved away they slowly all drifted apart and went their separate ways. Years later when Emily moved back for personal reasons, a chance run in with Lolly had them arranging a reunion of the four friends. Lots of things had changed for Lolly, Amanda, Jess and Emily and they all carried secrets and baggage that they weren't sure they could share with each other. Would they understand? Would they be supportive or would they judge? As much as they all wanted to reunite, they were reluctant because of the things they were going through and the secrets they were hiding.

At the heart of this book was friendship and the powerful bond that these four women had to overcome hardships with the support of each other. Each woman had her own issues but with the love and support of their circle of friends anything was possible.

So what about the secrets they had? I have to admit that I was a little disappointed in them. They weren't as overwhelming as I was expecting them to be and they were all pretty easily resolved except for one of them. I was not at all pleased with the outcome for Jess with her secret. It was never revealed to the other woman and although she showed great personal growth, it wasn't ever really resolved. The secret that threatened to destroy Lolly and her friendship with Amanda turned out to be a reoccurring problem that Lolly was already aware of but that didn't involve Amanda.

I honestly feel like the synopsis for this book should have focused more on the friendship angle than the secret angle. The secrets for the most part were not as exciting and shocking as it led me to believe and the friendship between the women were more enjoyable to read, in my opinion. I feel I might have enjoyed this book more had I not been expecting an earth shattering secret that would tear them all apart. I liked how it showcased that nobody is perfect and that we shouldn't be ashamed or hide who we are to the people we love because they are just as imperfect as we are.

Love, friendship and strong women was what this book was really about. If you go into this book expecting a book about the bond between these women than you should really enjoy it. If you expect earth shattering or shocking secrets you might be disappointed.

About the Author

Anna had a brush with 'fame' as a magician’s assistant back in 1977. She later decided that being sawn in half by her father, at barely 6 months old, was too submissive a role, vowing to channel the trauma in to something much more pro-actively creative. Having failed at acting, singing and professional murder mystery parties (she was ALWAYs the one to die!), she fell to something much more solitary: writing. How To Mend a Broken Heart was her first novel and her life was not on the line in order to write it, or The Lost Wife. Anna lives on a dairy farm in Cornwall with her two children, her husband, and her ex-racing greyhound, Olive Dog.

Connect with Anna

Twitter/Goodreads 

 

Review: Learning to Breathe by Karen White

Brenna O'Brien doesn't believe in happy endings. Not since the love of her life, Pierce McGovern, left her years ago without a word. Now, she leads a quiet life surrounded by her four matchmaking sisters, running a historic movie theater and collecting old wartime letters. But she leaves the letters unopened, preferring to imagine their possibilities rather than risk being disappointed.

Then Pierce comes back to town, shattering Brenna's hard-earned peace-and forcing her to re-examine everything, and realize that if she doesn't come to terms with the life she let slip away, she may never have the courage to go after the life she wants.

Paperback, 292 pages

Published March 1st 2007 by Berkley Books

Terri's Thoughts

I was looking for a book to read and I randomly chose this one as I have enjoyed the books I have read by Karen White in the past.  I didn't read what it was about and just chose to dive in randomly.

This story was just ok to me as I had a few issues.  The first being that I felt that there was a back story that was perhaps in another book.  I don't believe this was the case but it felt like there was too much history that didn't get fully explained in the story.  This was mainly surrounding Brenna's father.  Although revealed in pieces throughout the story, it felt like too little to late to me.

I also found Brenna too damaged to be believable.  Yes she had her heart broken and a terrible father but to basically give up on feeling anything?  A little extreme in my opinion.

Lastly, there were too many sisters to remember them all.

I did fall in love with Pierce's father as well as Brenna's aunt.  These two are what brought the story to life.  AND... the letters.  They surfaced at around 30% of the story (reading the e-book) and I was so relieved.  I truly wasn't invested in the story until this point.  Even though I knew from the first letter who wrote it, I still looked forward to the next one being revealed

Sadly the good points did not offset the issues I had leaving the story meh for me.  Luckily this is the first disappointment I have had from this author so I will continue to seek out her work.

About the Author

With more than 1.8 million books in print in eight different languages, Karen White is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 23 novels, including the popular Charleston-set Tradd Street mystery series.

Raised in a house full of brothers, Karen’s love of books and strong female characters first began in the third grade when the local librarian issued her a library card and placed The Secret of the Old Clock, a Nancy Drew Mystery, in her hands.

Karen’s roots run deep in the South where many of her novels are set. Her intricate plot lines and compelling characters charm and captivate readers with just the right mix of family drama, mystery, intrigue and romance.

Not entirely convinced she wanted to be a writer, Karen first pursued a career in business and graduated cum laude with a BS in Management from Tulane University. Ten years later, in a weak moment, she wrote her first book. In the Shadow of the Moon was published in August, 2000. Her books—referred to as “grit lit” (Southern Women’s Fiction)—have since been nominated for numerous national contests including the SIBA (Southeastern Booksellers Alliance) Fiction Book of the Year.

Karen’s latest novel, Dreams of Falling, was published in June, 2018 by Berkley Publishing, a division of Penguin Random House Publishing Group.

When not writing, Karen spends her time reading, scrapbooking, playing piano, and avoiding cooking. Karen and her husband have two grown children and currently live near Atlanta, Georgia with two spoiled Havanese dogs.

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Review: The Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristin Harmel

At thirty-six , Hope McKenna-Smith is no stranger to bad news. She lost her mother to cancer, her husband left her for a twenty-two year old, and her bank account is nearly depleted. Her own dreams of becoming a lawyer long gone, she’s running a failing family bakery on Cape Cod and raising a troubled preteen.

Now, Hope’s beloved French-born grandmother Mamie, who wowed the Cape with her fabulous pastries for more than fifty years, is drifting away into a haze of Alzheimer’s. But in a rare moment of clarity, Mamie realizes that unless she tells Hope about the past, the secrets she has held on to for so many years will soon be lost forever. Tantalizingly, she reveals mysterious snippets of a tragic history in Paris. And then, arming her with a scrawled list of names, she sends Hope to France to uncover a seventy-year-old mystery.

Hope’s emotional journey takes her through the bakeries of Paris and three religious traditions, all guided by Mamie’s fairy tales and the sweet tastes of home. As Hope pieces together her family’s history, she finds horrific Holocaust stories mixed with powerful testimonies of her family’s will to survive in a world gone mad. And to reunite two lovers torn apart by terror, all she’ll need is a dash of courage, and the belief that God exists everywhere, even in cake. . . .

Kindle Edition, 368 pages

Published August 7th 2012 by Gallery Books
Genre: Historical Fiction

Kristine's Thoughts:

I listened to this book in audio format after my sister and co-blogger recommended it to me. Kristin Harmel is not a new author to me. I read The Room on Rue Amelie last year and loved it.

Hope was a single mother who lost her own mother and her husband and was also about to lose the bakery that had been in her family for decades. On top of all that, she was slowly losing her grandmother to Alzheimer's disease. On a visit to her beloved Mamie, she gave her a list of names and some money to go to Paris and find out what happened to them. At first Hope thought she was confused but with a little investigating a shocking secret came to life and she knew she had to do as her Mamie wished. There were secrets long buried in the past that needed to be discovered.

That's all I am going to say about the plot. It really needs to be read to be appreciated. Instead I will say that it was a beautiful story that took place over the period of seventy years. At the heart it was family and relationships and it showed the lengths that people would go to protect the ones that they love. It tackled war, religion, love and secrets that were at risk of being buried forever. It was truly stunning.

It wasn't just Mamie's story that captivated me but also Hope's. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how by discovering the secrets of her grandmother's past it helped her to grow and uncover who she really was. I was in her corner the entire time and hoping for a positive outcome. Throw in some baked goods and who could ask for anything more?

The only negative thing that I have to say doesn't have anything to do with the story at all. I did not enjoy the narrator on this audiobook. I found her voice weak and her timing terrible and her accents sketchy. It took me a while to get past it in order to enjoy the story.

The Sweetness of Forgetting was a beautiful, heartwarming story about family, love and war that will stay with me for a long time. I highly recommend it.

About the Author

Kristin Harmel is the international bestselling author of THE SWEETNESS OF FORGETTING, THE LIFE INTENDED, WHEN WE MEET AGAIN, and several other novels. Her latest, THE ROOM ON RUE AMELIE, is out now from Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster. A former reporter for PEOPLE magazine, Kristin has also freelanced for many other publications, including American Baby, Men’s Health, Glamour, Woman’s Day, Travel + Leisure, and more.

Kristin grew up in Peabody, Mass.; Worthington, Ohio; and St. Petersburg, Fla., and she graduated with a degree in journalism (with a minor in Spanish) from the University of Florida. After spending time living in Paris, she now lives in Orlando, Fla., with her husband and young son.

Connect with Kristin

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Review: Morning Glory by Sarah Jio

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Jio imagines life on Boat Street, a floating community on Seattle’s Lake Union—home to people of artistic spirit who for decades protect the dark secret of one startling night in 1959.

Fleeing an East Coast life marred by tragedy, Ada Santorini takes up residence on houseboat number seven on Boat Street. She discovers a trunk left behind by Penny Wentworth, a young newlywed who lived on the boat half a century earlier. Ada longs to know her predecessor’s fate, but little suspects that Penny’s mysterious past and her own clouded future are destined to converge. New York Times bestselling author Sarah Jio imagines life on Boat Street, a floating community on Seattle’s Lake Union—home to people of artistic spirit who for decades protect the dark secret of one startling night in 1959.

 
Fleeing an East Coast life marred by tragedy, Ada Santorini takes up residence on houseboat number seven on Boat Street. She discovers a trunk left behind by Penny Wentworth, a young newlywed who lived on the boat half a century earlier. Ada longs to know her predecessor’s fate, but little suspects that Penny’s mysterious past and her own clouded future are destined to converge

Paperback, 304 pages

Published November 26th 2013 by Plume

Terri's Thoughts

This book has been sitting on my to be read shelf for a really long time.  I am finally getting around to shrinking this shelf.  I believe I have now read all or the majority of Jio's work with the completion of this book.

This story delivered exactly what I would expect from this author.  Featuring two stories, one in present day and one in the past  Of course the two are interconnected as Ada tries to figure out what happened to Penny on that fateful night in 1959.

For me, Sarah Jio has a way of writing that seems to simplify the story and you can easily get through her stories  This one was no different.  What I like about this one, is that although the reader eventually discovers all of the events that occurred, the characters in the story do not get the full details.  As in real life, everything doesn't always get wrapped up in a nice little bow.

Normally I prefer the story that takes place in the past.  in this case I equally enjoyed both.  I was cheering for both Ada and Penny.  What I also enjoyed was that the story of the past was not so long ago that all of the characters would be dead.  This kept me wondering if any of the key players were still around.

This was a solid read that I enjoyed.  You can tell that the book has been around for a while with some of the references such as myspace (does this even exist anymore?) however no worries, it doesn't impact the story.  I am anxiously awaiting something new from Jio as I have now completed her library of work.

About the Author

Sarah Jio is the New York Times bestselling author of ALWAYS, published by Random House (Ballantine), as well as seven other novels from Penguin Books, including, THE VIOLETS OF MARCH, THE BUNGALOW, BLACKBERRY WINTER, THE LAST CAMELLIA, MORNING GLORY, GOODNIGHT JUNE, and THE LOOK OF LOVE. Sarah is also a journalist who has contributed to The New York Times, Glamour, O, The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, SELF, Real Simple, Fitness, Marie Claire, and many others. She has appeared as a commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition. Her novels are translated into more than 25 languages. Sarah lives in Seattle with her three young boys.

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Review: The Forgotten Village by Lorna Cook

A timeless story of love and sacrifice, perfect for fans of Rachel Hore, Tracy Rees and Kate Morton.
1943: The world is at war, and the villagers of Tyneham are being asked to make one more sacrifice: to give their homes over to the British army. But on the eve of their departure, a terrible act will cause three of them to disappear forever.
2017: Melissa had hoped a break on the coast of Dorset would rekindle her stagnant relationship, but despite the idyllic scenery, it’s pushing her and Liam to the brink. When Melissa discovers a strange photograph of a woman who once lived in the forgotten local village of Tyneham, she becomes determined to find out more about her story. But Tyneham hides a terrible secret, and Melissa’s search for the truth will change her life in ways she never imagined possible.

Kindle Edition, 400 pages

Expected publication: April 4th 2019 by Avon 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Kristine's Thoughts:

** I received an advanced readers copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**

The Forgotten Village  was a dual-timeline story that took place in 2017 and in 1943 during WWII. With short and easy chapters that alternated between the two time frames, it was a quick book to get through.

In 2017 Melissa visited the town of Tyneham that was open for the first time since it was requisitioned during the war. It was while she was there that she saw a picture of a couple that inhabited Tyneham House that she couldn't get out of her head. It resonated with her and she found herself trying to find out what happened to the woman in the picture. With her personal life in the toilet and her professional one questionable, she had the time to do some digging with the help of a new found friend. In 1943 the story went back to the couple living at Tyneham house and the turbulent and dangerous relationship they had.

It's no secret that this is one of my favourite genres and that I absolutely adore dual timelines. I found myself enjoying both timelines in The Forgotten Village and liking the characters from both. It was a simple plot and I have to say that it was also pretty predictable. There were no real shocking moments or surprises with any of the outcomes. Having said that, it was still a pleasant story to read.

This book was more about the relationship between the different characters than it was about the actual war. Readers who are reluctant to dive into the historical fiction genre would have no trouble with tackling this book and enjoying it.

I can't wait to see what Lorna Cook comes out with next. Keep those dual timeline stories coming and I'll keep picking them up.

About the Author

I write dual-timeline books that weave secrets of the past with the present.

My first book The Forgotten Village, will be published in Spring 2019 with international editions in Germany and The Netherlands.

The Canadian edition will also be out in April and is called The Forgotten Wife.

Connect with Lorna

Website/Twitter/Instagram/Goodreads