Books: Come Winter by Clair Gutierrez

Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! I know it’s been a while but been busy the past few days and now I am back with a book review and this is going to be interesting. Disclaimer!

Disclaimer: This review is based on opinion and observation. Her thoughts are based on what she read and what she thought about this book so respect her review.

Title: Come Winter
Author: Claire Gutierrez

Synopsis: In this book we meet Katrina Taber who gets captured while she sailing back to England and brought to Scotland. She becomes a kitchen maid of Master Reese Dermouth and hopes to leave to head home. She tries running away hoping to head home and works to get back home but her plan fails and gets brought back to Dermouth’s place hoping that love would start between the two.

This tale is a journey of one woman falling in love, going beyond the oppressive role that women are seen during her time, and live among royals that capture the villagers’ hearts.

Thoughts: ::deeply sighs:: I felt this book took forever to finish! Sorry if I am sounding critical but when I read the description I was hoping to see a romantic story between Katty and Reese but I was wrong since it kept going. I noticed how it was a cycle after she lost her first two husbands as in she runs away and gets found by the guy and brought back and they fall in love. The final husband, I did find it cuter in how they got together in the end and how at first that the last husband almost went through an arranged marriage but the girl ended up not looking as pretty as she looked. I did find it interesting that the second husband had an affair with one other woman while being with Katty but wishing they had the affair more involved in the story, which would’ve been a more hilarious tale like with some stories. Nope! I feel like it was briefly mentioned and ended quickly.

Did I like it as much as the other love stories? Not as much because there were good points to end the story and I felt like one love tale with one husband repeats and it rinses and repeats with a newer man. I think this author would’ve made the story shorter and not so repetitive and it was already fine with just the first husband, Reese.

Rating: 3 Pawprints out of 5! I didn’t want to go way below since there are good parts where the first part was better than the rest of the book in my opinion. I wished they covered the second husband’s affair and not cut it short because it would’ve given an interesting spin on the story. I wished it was cut short but if you like stories that are almost the same way as Gone With the Wind but set in Europe, I am not the end all be all reviewer, you can find this on Amazon.

Well, that is it for this short book review. I am hoping with the next one it will be better because it is in the Sci-Fi genre and I do love me some sci-fi stories!

What is next? Well, my Top Ten Songs of February! Stay tuned!

Cartoons: RWBY Volume 4 Review

Disclaimer: This review is based on opinions and observations of the Lead Writer and Producer of this blog! Please respect her thoughts and feelings on what’s ahead and there may be spoilers!

Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! Looks like I found something to write and that is the review on the latest season of RWBY! Yes, a season has come and gone and man it was quick for one too. Let’s see what I have to say!

Show: RWBY
Season: Volume 4

The Story So Far: So, it’s been months since the fall of Beacon and our heroes are now scattered. Weiss is at home in Atlas, Blake is heading home to get away from her friends, Yang is upset after losing her arm and Ruby is now traveling with the remaining team members of JNPR, Jean, Ren, and Nora to form the newer team RNGR in order to head for Mistral.

Things start to come together when the White Fang starts popping up again when Cinder returns with the Fall Maiden powers but has a hard time harnessing them due to what had Ruby done to her. Blake figures out that she wants to change the White Fang to a group that is not so sinister. Weiss ends up with family issues and feels that she doesn’t belong in the world of the rich and sets out on her own in hoping to reunite with the others. Yang gets a newer arm and heads out on her own after going through a life lessons with dad and Ruby encounters her uncle on the road and a new member of the White Fang who wants revenge on her for what she did to Cinder and even encounters a Grimm that shown up in Nora’s and Ren’s past that they still have nightmares about.

Thoughts: Oh man! Where to start? This season seems to have a lot of things since it did fill in the blanks after the end of Volume 3 and does show what had happened to the rest of Team RWBY. I found interesting, even though it did kind of annoyed Gondras with each episode, that they not only focus on one character for one episode but multiple characters as in it starts one person in one episode and then cuts to another which I can see it takes a George R. R. Marten idea when he wrote Song of Fire & Ice (in case if anyone is wondering, no I don’t catch up with the show, I just read the books and I do know what had happened with seasons 4 and 5 with how the story was taking a turn away from the books…soooo yeah!) What I mean by this is that in A Storm of Swords, Marten explained that time goes differently with hwhre the characters are as in it may be one week with one character and then a month later with another which I see it in this volume. As in, it is breakfast time with Weiss and her brother, Whitley one day and then it’s evening with Crow at a bar somewhere else. I did like that about this season and plus it gives us newer aspects of the adventure instead of doing one single character for every episode. I think the only character focused episodes wher where Blake went home to Minagery, when Crow tells them everything that is going on after Beacon fell, and when they told Ren’s and Nora’s back story since they were heading for their old village and how they came to be. I did like that back story episode the most since I did realize when I first watched the second episode Iad onward where I noticed Ren being a little off, I saw why he was after seeing what had happened in his past. Now I can see why he went to Beacon and same with Nora.

There was one part I wished they focused and that is a bit more on Cinder. When they cut back to her, Salem mentioned that she was scarred from what Ruby had done to her and that is causing her newer powers to cause her not to harness them. I wished that was shown a bit more and how she was suffering from the pain and finally getting to harness them. That would be an awesome episode or do one where the Fall powers inside of her are trying to fight her because they know they aren’t inside of Amber and should be in her or in Pira since she had one part of them in the end of Volume 3. That would’ve been a great character driven episode and would start incorporating the other maidens to see what had happen to Amber since at the beginning of the season that Spring is next. I am hoping by the next volume that they really start showing the other maidens. Another thing they should’ve shown was what was the deal with the visions of Pira we kept seeing in the first two episodes. I was wondering if that is a sign that she might not be dead or if she is telling them something about the powers? They didn’t really say much until Crow shown up to explain more things about the Fall maiden’s powers and how Pira chose to take the other part when Cinder had the first half. They should’ve done something more about those visions unless Rooster Teeth is waiting to put more ideas about that in Volume 5.

The Cast: The next thing I want to talk about is the cast! Of course they brought everyone back for the main cast but I kind of feel like Blake’s voice was a little off. I noticed how it went from low to high like someone has gone through a major voice change from kid to adult. I love Blake and her character design but I feel that the voice should’ve had a better recording and stick to what I loved back in the first three volumes.

I did like how they were starting to bring more anime actors as the season progressed. Vic Mignogna did return as Crow and Jessica Nigery arturned as Cinder but they brought in more for this season like J. Micaael Tatum as Weiss’ butler Clyne, Tara Platt as Blake’s mom, and the ones that surprised me the most were Kent Williams as Blake’s dad and Josh Grelle as Tierion. With Kent, I was hearing his voice and thinking, “I know that voice from somewhere!” That was when I searched on Google and was like “No way!” when it was frevealed. I almost thought it was John Burgmeier but I remember his Shigure Sohma voice is usually used, especially for Freed in Fairy Tail. Nope, it was Kent Willians since he was using more of his Akisami voice from Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple. I think what gave a subtle clue was how he told Sun, “I really hate you.” In one episode of the show. While Josh, on the other hand, I did not know it was him until Gondras saw his name in the very ending credits. This voice was new to hear for me since I am used to Josh doing more of the gentler characters like Kennichi and Arman but here he is a psycho. As in, a dude that ends being found out as a fawnness with a scorpion tail looking for blood.All I have to say is that Josh did an excellent job with the script he was handed and the character he had to portray. It normally takes a lot of skill to do something like that but with his voice acting background, he knows what he is doing even in screams.

Music: Now it’s time for the music in the series. Normally, we get a mix of metal and orchestraic music but this volume had more orchestra tracks to it. I hear more of the softer tones to this volume because this season had more of a dramatic tone to it even with all the dots being connected in each episode. We even hear music that is sinister to go with more of the parts that deal with the White Fang and enemies revealed which means the music was made to fit with the different tones and moods in every episode. The opening theme song for this volume, “Let’s Just Live,” fits with the season because it just says in its title and goes with the idea of how each character is going through their own conflicts in every episode. I find it funny how the other themes went from rockin’ in “This Will Be the Day” to alternative in “Time to Say Goodbye” and then to pure metal in “When It Falls.” This one seems to be more uplifting despite how deep and dark this volume became to be. I am wondering what they will be doing for the next volume’s soundtrack including the theme song.

Rating: 4.5 Pawprints Out of 5! I bet you are wondering why I took a half of a point off, I would say it’s due to some of the unanswered questions of why the visions of Pira and not focusing an episode on Cinder since I would love to know how she copes with things. Yes, they did kind of address but it felt a bit short in that during episode 11. I did like some of the other points taking place and I am hoping that Volume 5 would add the missing blanks such as in what is Whitley doing with this when he is acting so strange, then of course the kid with Ozpen in his head since Crow mentioned there were two parts to him and it was answered slightly. I hope that part gets addressed in the next volume. Plus, I kind of felt like the ending was a bit abrupt and that that there should’ve been more added to the season. Who knows how the next volume would be done, we have to wait until around September to find out.

That is about it! I know it was long but hey there is a lot to cover when it comes to RWBY. What is next? I think another book review may happen, so stay tuned!

Music: Orlando Overdrive and an Intro to Nerd Music!

Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! I am back and have something from the Music Universe that needs to be mentioned and it’s all thanks to Manime Man!

Event: Orlando Overdrive
Put On By: Ongaku Overdrive
Music Genre: Nerd Music
Date: April 22, 2017
Location: Backbooth 37 W. Pine Street in Orlando, FL

So, I have a new event to mention on Nerdy Shique Universe and thought it would be great to mention another genre to the Music Category on here. You all know that we at NSU support the local music scene in Orlando and the rest of Florida which includes Mr. Bella, Mechanism, Soul Switch, Traverser, Filth, A Brilliant Lie and many more! We even have attended many House of Blues shows, even went to Earth Day Birthday in 2015 that is always put on by WJRR but there is one event that not many people haven’t heard of nor seen much of this genre unless you go to a convention and that is Orlando Overdrive.

What is Nerd Music? First, I have to address the genre known as “Nerd” Music. We all have played video games and watched anime over the many years they have existed and know the songs and have hummed them time to time or even blasted them at school on a speaker. For instance, I remembered one day in my UCF days that someone placed a boombox underneath the walkway between Classroom 1 and the Student Union with “Saria’s Song” from Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time which made sense for the environment but it is a major earworm. Heck, I even “nyu” it time to time even when Gondras plays Hyrule Warriors. Anyways, the genre pretty much has people put their own spin on these many songs to make them sound interesting whether in chiptune form, rocking out on a guitar, or even doing their own rap to it!

Some of these artists that are known include Arm Cannon, which also includes Danimal Cannon, Random Encounter, Benjamin Briggs, and our own IQ who has been growing lately. I will be putting some videos in this post so you can hear some of these things. I even went to some parties with some artists performing and they are pretty good and also listened to Manime Man aka Kent Ward’s podcast on Nerd Music on Propeller Anime Radio. Now onto the event!

Event: This event will be held at the Backbooth in Downtown Orlando on 37 W. Pine Street. A little It takes place April 22nd 2017! It is the same day as Earth Day Birthday and if you can’t go to that then I would suggest this since you would be in air conditioning. The good thing is that it starts at $10 in advanced and $15 at the door!

Who is playing if you’re wondering? That’s the great thing is that fans can vote who they want to see and voting ends next Monday! I would say vote by going here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YW89WPG

If you want to know how to get tickets in advanced and want to follow Ongaku Overdrive, you can go here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YW89WPG

Kent said in press release that he is hoping that this event would boost the Orlando Nerd Music scene and also open up more doors for the acts that will be performing. I agree with him right there because like with our rock acts, Orlando has very talented nerd music acts even all over the state!

So, go and vote and also if you are interested in subscribing to it, I suggest check out the Propeller Anime Radio Podcast! Not only Kent and his buddies talk about anime that we see on Krunchy Roll, NetFlix, and Toonami but also talks about Nerd Music on top of it! He even gets the artists in for an interview! You can also check out everything Propeller related at: http://www.propelleranime.com/

That is about it for this post! I know it seemed rush but when I saw the date for voting I had to get this up! So support the Nerd Music community and hope you will rock out with what I have in this post! What is next for Nerdy Shique Universe as well? Definitely some last minute info on Omni Expo, my January and February faves, and even my top ten songs of February! Stay tuned!

Books: Ten Club Book 7 by Mimi Jaen Pamiloff

Disclaimer: This review is based on opinion and observation by the lead writer and producer of this blog! Please respect her thoughts and opinions and please support the author of this book by purchasing the official release along with any other works!

Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! Time to take a break from my schedule of what I have next in store for a book review. Okay Book Nerds in the Nerd Universe that are my age, you may want to read this one and the books before it!

Book: Ten Club Book 7
Author: Mimi Jaen Pamiloff

Yes, another by the talented Mimi Jaen Pamiloff and this time it is a dark one! Let’s get to it!

Synopsis: This book is book seven, what looks like the final one, of a series she has worked on known as the Ten Club. We meet Maya who lost her husband, King, but finds out that her husband came back from the dead! ::inserts scream:: What else is that he is not the same guy she fell in love with and she has to go and get him back by risking her and his brother’s lives and her time to rescue him from what had happened.

Thoughts: Even though I got a special invite to read this book and didn’t read the ones before it, I did like it! Dark fantasy is usually one of my fave parts of fantasy and wishing I did read the ones before it. I never thought I would read a supernatural story from someone I read a romantic comedy from. Well, I did download one of other books that deal with supernatural romance from Bookshare on my Victor Reader Stream. Anyways, I did like how it did explain the back story of how Maya got to where she is in the series since it did read in the description that I didn’t need to read the previous books to know what happened. You all know me with series, I have to do it in order but unfortunately it is not available on NLS nor Bookshare, but hoping very soon!

I would say Pamiloff is pretty good with doing fantasy style writing from what I’ve seen. She does weave the romance when it needs to be especially at the points where she gets close to “King,” since it makes sense for quotes due to how he was different from what I got in the reading. I felt like I was on the edge of my seat with each twist and turn and I can see why this was a good adventure as JAWS read on for me. I can’t wait what Leather Pants will hold for me because I did enjoy her writing after two books.

Now, I am hoping I get to read the other books in this and come back so I can have the complete book series to understand and feel how it was like before this one.

Rating: 5 PawPrints Out of 5 Plus A Reading PawPrint of Approval!

If you guys want to find any of Pamiloff’s work, I would say look on Amazon, especially for the next Happy Pants book when it releases!

That is it for this review! Next will be a post on Nerd Music! Til next time!

Cosmetic Controversy: To Have a Return Policy or Not to Have One? That is the Question!

Disclaimer: This post is based on opinion and observation of the lead writer and producer. Please respect the opinion and thoughts for this post.

Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! It is time for a new Cosmetic Controversy and it deals with makeup brands having a return policy or not. Let’s get to it.

Idea: So, as you all know that this is a big thing but mostly dealing with Kylie Cosmetics. I know I am hearing groaning in the Makeup Nerd Universe but hear me out. I know everyone has purchased from the famous Kardatian Half-Sister’s brand Kylie Cosmetics once or twice or even lately with the Royal Peach pallet, which is giving them a lot of backlash. How so? Well, the thing is despite having some inspiration from the viral Sweet Peach Pallet that Too Faced has been known for even with its peachy scent, the pallet is anything but peachy. It doesn’t smell like the fruit that Presidents of the United States sings, it smells like something that you would in a spray paint can. As in, it has a very strong chemical smell that people can’t stand and also some of the shadows according to people who have bought it aren’t as pigmented that many gurus had said. Can people return this pallet? No they can’t! How come? Well, Kylie Cosmetics doesn’t take returns, do refunds nor exchanges.

Wait What? You saw what I typed and I even sent them an email myself about it and they said, “Sorry but we don’t accept returns, do exchanges nor refunds.” Sorry guys, that means you’re stuck with it even if the product smells.

Normally, if there are times where something is damaged, the wrong item, or anything else like smelling badly, companies do tend to replace the item and/or refund the person that bought the product in the first place. I admit that there was a few times when I bought the wrong item or didn’t like it that I was able to return or exchange it. For instance, Sephora accidentally sold me the wrong Smashbox primer when I wanted the Photo Finish primer when they sold me the one meant for under eyes and I had to go and exchange it. I was originally going to exchange with the right primer but ended up exchanging for the Gwen Stefani pallet from Urban Decay that was discounted which I wanted to pay but then had to pay for the primer I wanted originally. Still, I did get the primer I wanted and the good thing is that Sephora does do returns and exchanges within thirty days whether it’s used or not. My primer was not used yet so I was happy that I noticed it was the wrong one when I looked at my account the same day it took place. Which that brings up another thing if no receipt is brought with it that they can look in their system for that purchase. They even do the exchange or a credit after the thirty days is up. Ulta, on the other hand, takes sixty days for their return policy where the full refund happens with receipt and card used to purchase the item. After those days, the customer gets a store credit instead.

I do admit I did have a situation where I didn’t like the product or products myself and returned them and that was of course Physician’s Formula. I did try out their foundation and returned it to CVS when I felt an itch on my cheek. I can see why my skin reacted badly was due to the SPF in their product and returned it for a full refund and used the refund to get my favorite Almay powder.

What about independent companies since Kylie has her own independent company? Well, their policies do work but they do make different acceptions to how they want to get their products back or refund their customers. Let’s see some of these!

Kat Von D: Return item for free within sixty days of purchase. It will take five business days once the item is received to process the return and refund will be posted once the sixty business days has passed.
Jeffree Starr: Return item within 14 days after purchase since there are no exchanges at this time, item will be refunded.
MakeUp Geek: Only replaces damaged items returning the damaged items fourteen days after receiving them. Don’t accept returns due to hygenic purposes.
Colour Pop: Exchange damaged products for the original product. Doesn’t accept returns.

Well, it looks like these four companies have pretty good policies. Yes, I can see where MakeUp Geek says no returns but they do replace damaged items like with Colour Pop and of course with makeup being in use you are pretty much putting germs into the product. That is a pretty reasonable idea. Jeffree’s and Kat’s policies do offer refunds for things that do get returned. I did read for Jeffree’s items that you have to put the order number in order to match with the system which when the item is returned that the order number should be on the envelope. Reasonable and fair policies but why not Kylie’s brand not doing the same?

That is a pretty question because when I tried asking myself there was no real reason why they don’t do the exchanges, returns, nor refunds. I understand that a lipstick or lip kit, excuse me, is around $29 since you get the pencil and the lipstick in one and that is hard earned money right there that so many people worked for or someone saved their allowance if they are in high school and getting into makeup. Except what if the person does like the product? It would be fair to exchange it or return, right? Unless if the money that is spent on her items get used to produce other products which is an interesting thought but again her family is one of the most popular celebrities on tv right now and normally doing a business,w whether it’s makeup or clothing, you have to save the money in order to make that business happen unless if you are a millionaire that can do it easily. I don’t know the reasons behind why she doesn’t want to refund the money even for her latest pallet that people wasted their money on for something that smells horrible. Apparently, she changed the factory that packaged the pallet and that may be the reason. I seen videos where people said to air out the shadow pallet, which does work since I have bought brushes that had the weird packaging smell and aired out over time and don’t have the smell from when I opened them. Still, Kylie should have a recall and refund this pallet in my opinion and I did say one more thing to the company even though they didn’t say anything back, “Please have a return, refun, and exchange policy.”

Again, with this company, you’re stuck.

Tips for Buying MakeUp: Well, I know you have seen me always buying new stuff even if YouTube made me buy it. I do have tips in case you may want to keep the item if you like it after trying it.

1. Watch reviews or read reviews: As in, watch honest reviews on the products or at least read them on the product pages on the retailer or the brand’s page because it will give you ideas of what the brand is about and/or what the product has ins tore and if anyone has tried it. There are times when not all products work out for everyone so if you stillw ant to try it despite the review, then you can make your own review.
2. Buy one of a product: As in, just buy at least one out of the product’s line because it can help with knowing if you want to try it and like it afterwards. I see a lot of gurus on YouTUbe splurge on a certain makeup line or pick up the entire range and sometimes they don’t like it afterwards and regret it later. Yes, doing regret videos are fun but at the same time doing one item does save your cash.
3. If there is a tester in store, test before buying: This would also help because there are times when some stores don’t have testers but many do and if you aren’t sure on the item you want, you can see how it works before buying.
4. Double check on return policies: Normally a store would have different return policies and sometimes the employees have to ask the manager time to time for help but doing your research can help in knowing if the policy requires you not to open an item or can return it since there are times when some stores don’t take used or unopened items.
5. Finally, pinpoint what you want: After watching reviews or hearing about it, know that you want that item. There are times when I do the impulse buy while other times I do know what I want and of course it is by a brand I really like. For instance, I always love Almay’s face makeup due to how it works for me and tend to get my concealer shade the way I want it to be. Another example, when I go to Mac after hearing many shades that people get or having options of what’s new, I tend to know what I want and go for that item or see if there is something similar if I didn’t want the exact item at first. Yes, I am decisive at times but knowing if you really want it then go ahead.
Well, that is about it! I know it seems a little awkward to see about makeup companies not having a good return policy nor none at all like Kylie Cosmetics. Trust me, do you really want to be stuck with something you don’t like or smell bad?

Anyways, what is next for Nerdy Shique Universe? Well, adding a new music genre to the Music Category! Stay tuned!