All posts for the month December, 2019

The Bests & Worsts of 2019!

Hello to all of my beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast universe! It is time for…

Bests & Worsts of 2019!

It’s New Year’s Eve and that means it is time for the Bests and Worsts of this year. Going to change up the format a bit since I feel like some things are better in their categories. Let’s get to it!

Best TV Series: The Mandalorian! This year Disney Plus has started and we get to stream new and old shows that Disney has released over time including the ones through Fox and Marvel due to how they bought Fox this year as well. The Best TV Series or shall I say Season goes to The Mandalorian. This is the journey of a bounty hunter who takes on a baby alien that looks like Yoda around the universe to see who would take care of it but enemies keep on coming after it and him in order to kill them both. This series has a mix of Lone Wolf & Cub with one episode inspired by 7th Samurai on top of it. You can get a free month of Disney Plus and pay $6.99 a month afterwards.
Worst TV Series/Season: Game of Thrones Final Season! Oh man! I heard the uproar about how bad this season of Game of Thrones ended up and glad I only read the books. People said that the ending was horrible and how it lead up to it made it worse since so many things were different and well George R. R. Marten didn’t write the ending just yet. He did say after the ending of the show that his ending will be different from what the creators came up with. Apparently the show had ended due to a new one the Director was doing. Again, so glad I stick to the books because I heard earlier seasons butchered things.

Anime of the Year: My Hero Academia! Yes, I know it’s just not due to how much I love this series but it’s due to how well it’s going. I didn’t get into this series until after our interview with J. Michael Tatum and Brandon McInnis that I can see why this anime is awesome. Yes, it started off slow which is like the movie Sky High since I compared this to that and it got better. This year it not only ended Season 3 but brought us Season 4 where new twists and turns at UA High has come and the stakes are higher due to what had happened with All Might and him retiring after beating One for All and of course getting Bakugo back from the League of Villains. Now the students are living on campus for everyone’s protection and now serious work is taking place when the big three students are coming in help and new internships start. Just as Deku starts his internship with All Might’s former sidekick, Night Eye, he meets a little girl covered in bandages asking him not to leave and that is when things start getting serious. I would say start watching from the beginning if you haven’t and yes we’re excited for the new movie coming to the United States early 2020, Rising Heroes.
Runner-Up: Dr. Stone! My runner-up has to be Dr. Stone because it has an interesting story behind it. Senku’s friend decides to confess to a girl that he likes her and when he was about to do it under the tree in the school’s courtyard a bright light shines and petrifies them and everyone else with them for over three thousand years. When Senku revives from his petrified state and his friend comes out six months later they have to survive in a newer version of their world and that is by using science! No really! This is a new version of Myth Busters because of how much science was demonstrated but there is a disclaimer put at the end of each episode not to try any of this at home. Also this series does reminds me of Beakman’s World. Doesn’t help that Senku looks like Beekman himself but with green hair and that is why I call it Leekman’s World! Also, some schools are using this anime in science classes due to the educational parts. So, check it out if you have a chance!

Best MakeUp Release: Game of Thrones X Urban Decay! I give it to this because it was a big sell out all over! I only got the shadow pallet on the Urban Decay website and then had to wait for Ulta to get the collection to get the Mother of Dragons Highlighter Pallet. Even though the final season was a flop but this was a big collector’s item due to how the vault was hard to get also the collection items did sell out quickly and didn’t restock on Urban Decay but were available everywhere else for people to get it.
Runner-Up: Jeffree Starr Blueblood Collection! I felt this collection had a really good release even though it did have the pallet alone sell out but the bundles were still available which I picked up back in March.
Third Runner Up: Urban Decay Stay Naked Foundation! I give this to the Stay Naked Foundation Line is because it was a smooth release and I did like the shade choices. I did match myself correctly!
Worse MakeUp Release: Jacklyn Hill Cosmetics Lipsticks! I admit I wanted to get her lipsticks but after hearing what had happened I stood back because of what so many things being found like metal, glass, and the balls of whatever in there. Also, she talked about cotton gloves being used which we don’t see that anywhere, latex gloves are used everywhere not cotton! Sorry for sounding a little revved up but more should have been done and of course agreeing that makeup doesn’t take weeks to produce but months! Sorry Jacklyn you’re not getting my money at all, not even the highlighters since I have so many to get through!

Best Movie: SpiderMan: Far From Home! We haven’t seen many movies this year due to being tied up with work but I give it to the last Spiderman flick and that is Far From Home. They brought Mysterio to the screen and it was really good with what they did with him. I am glad Marvel is getting more SPiderMan work and that we get more movies with him because Tom Holland as Peter Parker is amazing! And they are bringing J. K. Simmons to be Joe Jonah Jameson for these movies which he is amazing at!

Well guys that is it for this list! I know it’s short but I feel like I can’t name anything else. I still need to review Traverser’s new album so that is not on the list, I had so many convention experiences this year at two conventions only so that is not here either. Sorry about that! You can read my experiences in the reviews and the upcoming posts! Now onto the next section!

What is next for Nerdy Shique Universe in 2020? We are upgrading the blog to be an actual blogging website. I didn’t have the funds to do it in December so I am seeing what January holds in the funds department because it costs $96 for the first payment and $8 for every month until next year for the year payment here on Word Press so I will see what happens in January since I do have bills and rent to pay. When that happens that means new shirts with the new link, new logos since we met an awesome guy at RangerStop who is helping us with that, and of course new business cards. And we do have a new video camera for our press work! For a few years now we have relied on Nerdy Shirts’ brother to let us borrow the camera they use for their channel and got the same camera and tripod since it would be easier to familiarize and operate it during conventions rather than have difficult settings like my Polaroid camera years ago that was used for pictures. Glad to get one since it was high time that we did and Nerdy Shirts is not always with us because RangerStop has two people per team and he was at RangerStop last year but only one day to record my interviews.

Now conventions! Hoped that we could make it to RangerStop Pop in Atlanta but I am announcing here that I am planning on getting my Master’s Degree in Adaptive Technology and filling out the NFB Scholarship forms for State and National. If I win either one, I would go to the State Convention in Tampa for Florida and the National Convention in Houston and that one is around the same time as RangerStop Pop and before MetroCon. Who knows what will happen until June so stay tuned at Nerdy Shique’s Twitter for all the news because getting my Master’s has been a dream of mine and this will also get me National Certification with C. A. T. I. S. which is Certified Adaptive Tech Industry Specialist. Plus I have used Adaptive Tech to run this blog and the YouTube itself so not only my job would have a certified worker but you will also have a. T. Certified Specialist with this blog! But we will do Omni Expo and of course RangerStop but we do want to branch out which may have to wait again.

And finally, I am going to be on a low buy for makeup because this year with the makeup purchasing I think I went crazy even with Ipsy and Ulta. I am slowing it down because not only it did crazy but makeup companies are releasing items left and right without giving us a breather. Trust me, Urban Decay gave us six months in between the Naked Reloaded, Game of Thrones, and Naked Honey. While Anastasia Beverly Hills gave weeks even towards the end of the year for everything. So, I am sticking to my subscriptions which are Ipsy, GB Plus, BoxyCharm, and Dollar Shave Club. And of course re-stock when needed and if the 21 Days of Beauty does come I only focus on what I want rather than go overboard. So far so good I have not gone overboard even being paid this morning, as in normally I would go straight to Ulta with a coupon, hasn’t happened because I did pay some bills. I did buy one item from Ipsy but it’s due to my hands and legs being so dry and hoping the items do help with that. Also, I am working on an Ita Bag so that is why I am doing a low buy at the moment.

Well that is it! Thanks for another year and hoping 2020 looks bright! What post will I start in the New Year? Another interview from RangerStop! Until next time!

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by moonleopard85 on December 31, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Favorites

Posted by moonleopard85 on December 31, 2019

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2019/12/31/the-bests-worsts-of-2019/

The Favorites Quadrant: November and December 2019

Hello to all of my beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast nerd universe! I am back with a new post!

November & December Favorites 2019!

Okay guys, it is the final Favorites post of 2019! Let’s start with subscriptions!

Subscriptions: November and December has been wild. How so? Well, let me say this first off and the final time I just unsubscribed from Allure Beauty Box. I was going to give it a few more months but I felt so underwhelmed especially with what I got in November. I love skin care but I felt with the E. L. F. Putty Primer I can just go and get it myself at Target or have Shipt bring it to me without a box sending it to me. Plus the charcoal mask is mainly for oily skin and I have mainly dry skin and can’t use it. The Tarte lipstick was just meh and I feel as though that it was time to let it go finally. I didn’t have any regrets because this was one subscription that didn’t wow me except with two boxes and that’s it. I saw what they offered for December and they were Anastasia pallets which I can go into Ulta for but the brand doesn’t really catch my eye that much either because of how much they have been releasing. I just let it go. I am keeping my three other subscriptions, well four counting Dollar Shave Club because I get my razor cartridges that way alongside shave butter and some hair stuff if need be. I do have to say that GB Plus for November and December rally good due to the products that were sent. Some people did not like December’s and apparently someone got products different from what they are supposed to get and commented to contact Ipsy because they’re really good in replacing items, they replaced all my missing add-ons from one month. I doubt they read it. I liked the selection of products in November since there was a collab with Gigi Gorgeous and glad to get a contour item which made me happy. I did find it easy to blend like it said in the claims. I did enjoy the mascara and the lipstick from Doucce and Belle En Argent while the blush pallet I need to give it some time since I just tried it out and same with the Illumasqua Primer. Speaking of Illumasqua, I did get a pen eyeliner from them in December which does add more liners to use for work and glad for that. I did pick the Evalou Skin Serum which is not too bad but wishing it was not so drying on my skin but hey at least it’s just a onetime try. I have not tried the shadow quad yet since some people have been thinking it is not worth it for the $60 since you can get Z Pallets for a lower price. This is my thought about this product. Yes, it may be pricey but you are getting shadows with this and their shadows aren’t really that cheap either. Let me get one for example! For one eye shadow you’re paying $9.00 and since we got four shadow pans in this pallet we got $36 already. If you wanted a face item it would cost a dollar more as another example. And for a pallet alone you’re paying $24. In the end you have four shadows which would be $36 plus the pallet being $24 and that adds up to the $60 price for this item. That pays for this box even for the Ultimate if you got this in there. I am actually happy because I remembered getting one of the shadows in my regular Glam Bag and then got one of these Ittse pallets with six shadows in an Ipsy Offer so I am not mad about it and the nice thing about the pallets is that there is an insert you can pull out and put more items in so if you wanted to get a face product like a blush you can buy that separately from their website or get your own items like eye shadows from Makeup Geek or Coastal Scents and put them in here and create your own custom pallet. While the 111 Skin I have not touched that yet since I do still have a moisturizer I am using as my morning one before makeup. I did hear that people have not gotten a full container of this but hoping mine is not one of them.

BoxyCharm was pretty good as well for December while November I found the brushes to be a little disappointing because they’re really hard to use. They remind me of those oval brushes that everyone paid over a hundred dollars for except they are more rectangular. I had a hard time putting anything on with these so I went back to my original brushes because I had an easier time with those even the Gigi Gorgeous ones since I switched out for those. I have not used the shadow pallet yet nor does the eye mask since I am not sure where they are. I did use the liquid lipstick but it was disappointing that there was not enough product in it. I don’t know why but felt that BoxyCharm sent me a Dose of Colors lipstick that was about to run out but December I felt it did redeem itself because of the items that came in there. I was surprised that I got an entire brow pallet which did come in handy with giving my brows a bit of extra hold while the Storybook eye shadow pallet was so pigmented on my eyes. The lip scrub I got was pretty good and not too harsh on the scrub particles since some brands like to do that with their lip scrubs. And the blush did give me a glow on my skin that one of my friends noticed that my skin looked great. I did not try the Glacier Water Cream but will soon. I did not get to choose anything for January because I didn’t get an email about it which I did contact BoxyCharm about and they are looking into what is going on and they did take my app suggestion. People if there are issues you run into just contact these guys!

Ipsy for November and December really good with having new items from Pixie and getting to try another hand cream which is at work for extra hydration. I am not kidding with the hand soap. While December, oh man, the lip gloss! The applicator on that thing was so hard that I had a hard time putting that on and had to toss it because of that. I did like the Hey Honey eye mask since that was pretty good for a product. I haven’t used the eye pencil yet and did like the smell of the perfume. I haven’t used the blush as of yet but will do in the future. I am hoping with 2020’s subscription picks it will be even better in some areas while great as usual. I have enjoyed my BoxyCharm except for August while Ipsy and Glam Bag Plus have been really good with what I’ve gotten. Hoping that it will look bright!

Convention Moments: November was a convention month with RangerStop of course. We didn’t go to Holiday Matsuri since everyone knows my story with that one and of course we had more fun at RangerStop and it was Gondras’ first time being at this one because he always saved his time off for Holiday Matsuri. This year for RangerStop it had two memorials but we went to one and that was Robert Axelrod’s. He passed away this year and it was sad since I remembered him from anime and of course as Lord Zed like everyone else. I did dedicate the Convention Spotlight to him since he has been an important part of pop culture for the longest time. Getting to meet John Tui who played Daggeron in Mystic Force and Doggie Cruger in S. P. D. was an experience we will never forget especially me when I didn’t know that when meeting a woman for the first time you get a kiss which is New Zealand and Polynesian custom. I was a bit flustered at that but getting to ask him my question was even better which you will see in that panel video since we need to get those panel videos stitched together. I hope we get to do Press for next year because it was a blast being at this thing like last year and getting to meet more rangers from the Disney seasons was pretty cool and getting to see more panels on those seasons was also pretty cool too and not only that we did get voice actors mixed in with Samantha Newark and Wally Wingert. Our favorite moments happened to be how I got to finally interview Christopher Kayman Lee which his interview will be coming up soon here and how Wally recognized Gondras doing his Alfred from Batman voice during the voice acting panel he had with Samantha. By this time next year, not only will be doing press also possibly juggling a Master’s Degree which I will explain at the end of the Bests & Worsts post next.

Favorite Holiday Buy: Since we are passed the subscriptions and convention stuff it is time for the items that are my favorite holiday buy!

Too Faced Gingerbread Extra Spicy: Even though I got this and the Let It Snow Girl set but the Gingerbread Extra Spicy pallet is my favorite that Too Faced has released this year. It is as pigmented as it’s original and still has that same ginger snap smell. It did come with different shades with a pop of blue but I was able to create some neutral looks with this one. I hope they keep bringing this back alongside the original since it is my favorite scented pallet as of now.

Ulta Glamour On the Go: I did buy a few Ulta Sets but the Glamour On the Go Set is my favorite from the sets I bought because not only it was a Black Friday Buy for me but it did also come with a better carrying case for travel. I can just go and head for a convention with this and just bring my face items in a makeup bag and my brushes and I am good!

Favorite Gift from Family: New Rice Cooker! This year I asked my dad for a bigger rice cooker because Mama Gondras did give us one but I can only do rice in smaller batches which is nice if I am eating alone. Here with this one I can make a big batch to go with things like chili or my rice and beans and there goes my meal plan. I also find it awesome that not only I can make rice but other things too like yogurt, oatmeal and even do slow cooking which I am thinking of trying out since I have ingredients for cracked chicken again. I did thank my dad right after my first use.
Runner Up: Pajamas from Mama Gondras! I do have to mention this since they feel so good and that they are a pair of pajamas my future in law got me and they are in Asian style with cranes on them. They are really comfy and wishing the fasteners didn’t feel so loose so easily but hey they are nice for what they are.

Favorite Perfume: Lord of Misrule from Lush! Lush has released more perfumes and I was happy that this was one of them and that is the scent in Lord of Misrule. I fell in love with this scent ever since it was a Halloween scent a few years ago. It was even sold throughout Christmas and now they made it permanent. Let me describe how it smells to me! It smells like toasted marshmallows with a woodsy and pepper scent. I know it doesn’t make sense but that is how it smells like to me. I decided to have my dad get me this for my early Christmas gift since I was trying to find my perfumes I had lost and he had a hard time finding two of them and decided why not have him get this as a replacement for now due to needing new scents in my life. I am so happy to get this and glad that the scent is permanent!

New Fall Scent: Coconut Pumpkin Latte from Bath & Body Works! Everyone knows that my favorite fall scent is the Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte but this year I was introduced to something new and that is Coconut Pumpkin Latte at Bath & Body Works. I was at BBW in October and needed more hand sanitizers and more hand soaps and got the hand soap in this scent and fell in love with it. Coconut can be an interesting coffee flavor and I had tried it before but with the pumpkin it makes the scent earthier and it smells good. Even my co-workers find my office smelling good. I hope it does come back for another year because I want more of it and same with Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte!

Favorite Bag: My Ita Bag! For a little while now I have been getting into Ita Bags. For those of you who may not know it is a bag that has a clear plastic window in either a tote bag or a backpack and you put merch to display of your favorite anime, favorite couple in a series, or even character. Since I have been loving My Hero Academia I figured to make one with this anime. Vivi did help me put the cardboard insert by cutting out some cardboard from one of many boxes from Ulta and I got some cloth at Michaels and glued it on and added some keychains I got in blind boxes and same with pins. It is still in a work in progress since I did find more items on Etsy and waiting on patches of Deku and Bakugo, I did get some of the new pin blind boxes along with a Froppy pin but the backings aren’t working so had to go to EBay and picked up some plastic ones so waiting on those to arrive to help out. I can’t wait for next year’s conventions since I will probably find more Ita Bag items and I am planning on a Sailor Moon one.

Favorite Album: Jupiter Does Not Care About You by. Traverser! Well, the wait is over and I got my copy of Traverser’s new album. I am still listening to it since I am going to write a review so stay tuned for that. I do have to say ever since Gondras and I saw these guys in 2009 they have grown so much as a band and glad they have released more music as time went on. I will tell you my full thoughts on this album once I am done putting my Band Camp and this computer through the playing process.

Well guys that is it for this post! Glad that you have enjoyed this year’s favorites and now announcing this. I am changing up the Favorites posts! Why you may ask? Since I am going to be on a Low Buy during 2020 due to projects I have planned I will be splitting up the subscription favorites into its own post for every two months and the makeup favorites for every quarter because I don’t have many makeup favorites every time since I am trying new things in boxes and and since I am sticking to the subscriptions for makeup items and just treat myself once in a while and just re-stock when needed it is also due to how many brands are always releasing new things and it’s too much! I will talk about more in another post and why I feel like it’s time to do this but of course the favorites will be different this time. Let’s see what 2020 has in store for this and stay tuned for my Bests & Worsts of 2019!

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by moonleopard85 on December 30, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in beauty, conventions, Favorites, Music

Posted by moonleopard85 on December 30, 2019

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2019/12/30/the-favorites-quadrant-november-and-december-2019/

The Beauty Quadrant: Subscription 2019 Favorites!

Hello to all of my beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast universe! I am back with another post!

Favorite Items from My Boxes!

Yes, another year has passed and so far I have been into my subscriptions and have tried so many things from so many brands and it’s time to pick the items I loved from them all. I am also mentioning a few from Allure with my time being with them after cancelling last month. As you know I cancelled due to being so underwhelmed by what they gave me every month. So, let’s get to it!

Suva Beauty Hydro Liner in Grease: First up is one of the items from my first Glam Bag Plus and it’s from Suva Beauty. I wanted to try their Hydro Liners after hearing Beauty News mentioning them and seeing them at Riley Rose during my time still living with my parents. I was glad to get one in my first GB Plus and love it a lot! It’s very easy to use where you put some water in the lid and take a brush and touch the water and then touch the liner lightly and you draw on your water line. You can also use this for special effects makeup and creating tattoos. I was worried that this would run all over if my eyes watered or if the Florida weather just rains all over but nope. It stayed put! It didn’t even bother my eyes at all. I have to get more of these and glad that GB Plus started with black since that is a pretty basic color to start with.
Dose of Colors Liquid Lipsticks: All thanks to BoxyCharm I fell in love with these immediately! I heard Jen Luv’s Reviews talk about these especially the shade Chocolate Wasted where she uses it as a lip color base to add dimension and I did buy one of them during the Fall 21 Days of Beauty. These are so comfortable to wear and they hardly move. I was kind of sad with the last one I got I felt there wasn’t much in the tube so had to toss it. I think it was called Flirty which was a brown pink nude.
Tarte Be You Naturally Pallet: Next is my favorite item I got from Tarte and that is their Be You Naturally Eye Shadow Pallet. I did kind of enjoy the other Tarte items I received but this was my most favorite item because I liked how well they blended. You got eight shadows and they are very neutral which Tarte’s fame is but it worked out since I wore this to work almost every time! It is so easy to use and man I am making dents in this pallet which has rarely done before. I am still using it and maybe it will be panned by next year?
Tacha Nourishing Face Masks: Next is the item that got me into the face mask craze and have a ton of. The Tacha face masks were in my first box back from being unsubscribed for two years and was glad these weren’t slimy like the one I tried years ago. These felt good and glad I got to try them. From all the brands I have tried masks from since I bought so many through Ipsy are Tony Moley and Mayflower.
Juvia’s Place Shadow Pallet: Need to take a break from the Boxy to mention something I have received in Allure and that is the six pan shadow pallet from Juvia’s Place. I have heard so many good things about their shadows and saw that this was an extra product in my box that I started to use it right away. I found these shadows extremely smooth in application and extremely pigmented that I was surprised how much they shown on my cotton ball when I was using coconut oil to clean off my makeup. I haven’t gotten anything else from the brand but will see in the future.
Marc Anthony 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Curl Cream: Next is a product from Marc Anthony and it’s their curl cream. I was glad to try this out since I needed something to help with my curls and this came along. It did help and when I got the full-size from Ulta it was disappointing because it came in a pouch! What the heck!? Marc Anthony just put it in a tube! Not so hard to ask! Speaking of this brand!
Marc Anthony Bye Bye Frizz Heat Protectant Cream: During January I think I got this in my Glam Bag and really loved it! This is a heat protectant cream and wishing it was still a cream because they only sell it as a spray. I found it better than the spray because it didn’t soak my hair as badly as the spray and my straightening iron had an easier time with this than the sprays.
Twisted Sister Curl Cream: Next is a product from a British Based brand called Twisted Sister and it’s their curl cream. When I saw I was getting this I fell in love immediately and got the full size. The full size came in an actual tube and it lasted me for months! I will be purchasing this whenever I get the chance!
Eyeko Lash Alert Mascara: Next is a favorite mascara and that is from Eyeko! I did enjoy some of the others I got from brands like Too Faced, Tarte, and more but this one takes the mascara cake! I liked how this was more in a squeeze tube both in sample and full-size form since I bought the full-size one through Ipsy’s Learn Page and I like how it curls my lashes the most with each application. It may be pricey but the curling action packs a punch!
Huda Beauty Obsessions Pallets: Next is a product from the Huda Beauty brand and it’s the Obsessions pallets. I bought the Smoke Obsessions as an add-on and got the Mauve one in one of my GB Plus boxes. These pallets are nine pan pallets and they are pretty small as in not too big or bulky like most pallets and they are easy to use as well. I do notice how the Mauve Obsessions is more red toned over just being purple and brown but not hating it though. I do love Smoke Obsessions since it’s a basic smoke pallet to work with and you can just put these in a makeup bag and travel with them. I can’t wait for my GB Plus since I picked the Ruby Obsessions pallet for my Choice item since I didn’t get to try the gem colored ones.
Dose of Colors Shadow Pallets: like with their liquid lipsticks I did enjoy these pallets too since I did get the Sassy Siennas as an add-on for BoxyCharm and got the Basic Browns as the pallet they picked. These shadows are much pigmented and loved each look for each work day I used these for since they are very matte and much pigmented. I hope Boxy Charm still gets these in boxes or at least keeps partnering with this brand because they have really good products!
Nomad Cosmetics Berlin Underground Pallet: Final item for this list and wanted to mention this one since something special happened. I didn’t hear about Nomad Cosmetics until I saw them in the regular Glam Bag and never got an item from them which I wanted to try them for months since I got back into them. I bought their highlighter pallet and liked it but this shadow pallet was amazing for the pigmentation! It is a very grungy pallet with a lot of Smokey shades with the Berlin theme going with it. Trust me I was thinking to the book Girl with the Red Balloon while using this pallet. I did do a yellow and black halo eye to go with my dark trainer from Pokémon for Halloween when hanging with friends. When I first got this pallet I did try to try it out and shown it in a pic without my new black wig and then wore my wig and posted it on Instagram and Nomad Cosmetics came and liked my picture! They are the first brand to like my photo with their product and I did thank them and they responded and I did ask them about their newer pallet I am interested in. I am in a low buy but will get it eventually in the New Year. Hold onto that. I am so glad GB Plus gave me this pallet because I wouldn’t have had Nomad Cosmetics wouldn’t have liked my pic.
Moda Five Brush Set: Final item, for real, is the Moda Five Brush Set that also came in my Boxy! I was surprised to get a five brush set since Moda Brushes are part and made by Royal and Langnickle who are famous for their paint brushes and I loved these brushes! I still have a few in my brush bag because of how sturdy they are. I know I have to put a few more into the jar to get washed but it is great to get a five piece brush set for all of my eye needs!

Favorite Collection by a Subscription: Gigi Gorgeous from November! Ipsy has created three makeup collections and the one I chose as my favorite is the one from Gigi Gorgeous. Tetris was a close second because their products were nice but I preferred the lip balm more from Gigi’s collection because it was more moisturizing. Yes, I got eye brushes with Tetris but I loved the face brushes more from Gigi due to how sturdy they are and do perform very well. I do like the bronzer and the setting powder a lot and the makeup bag for the mystery bag was even cuter. I wished they had that instead of the leopard printed bag for the bags in November because it would make more sense!

Well guys that is it for this post! I am glad to be back with BoxyCharm and got so many awesome things and with Ipsy and GB Plus the items even gotten better. Sorry Allure but I had to say goodbye to them because the items were not doing it for me and some of them I can just go to Target for and pay full price that way. I am hoping with next year that things with BoxyCharm would be great since they are starting to listen to their users even I complained about not getting the emails about the product choices which makes me mad since I wanted to choose one of the pallets I am getting for January. Hoping I get the warm one since I do have a ton of cool toned ones. Just saying! While Glam Bag I want more sheet masks to be in the bag since some of them are interesting and yes still got to use what I have and GB Plus not too much to say since they have been really good. So, 2020 here I come!

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by moonleopard85 on December 26, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in beauty, Favorites

Posted by moonleopard85 on December 26, 2019

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2019/12/26/the-beauty-quadrant-subscription-2019-favorites/

The Interview Quadrant: Patrick David from In Space!

Hello to all of my beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast universe! I am back with another post!

RangerStop 7 Interview with Patrick David from In Space!

Sorry for the wait guys but have been working hard at the YouTube Quadrant with getting looks up with holiday sets I purchased this year and glad to be back here! So, we are on the last Psycho Ranger and that is Patrick David. He plays Psycho Red on In Space and on Lost Galaxy since the crossover with both teams dealt with the Psychos again. Still makes me sad with Kendrix in that. Anyways, we were glad to get him towards the end of the convention since he was heading home but was nice enough to give us some time. I love this convention and glad some people had time and unfortunately we did run out towards the end on that Sunday and same with the guests. There is always next year after all! What did we get to ask this guy? Check it out!

Well guys that is it for this post! Stay tuned for our interview with Justin Nemo! Since its Christmas Eve I want to wish you from the bottom of our hearts here at Nerdy SHique Universe a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays to you all! I have enjoyed my first year being away from home and also bringing more posts to this blog and the YouTube channel. I never thought I would listen to Christmas music again since my spirits have gotten better since I started working and even worked harder here and on YouTube. Please have a safe, happy, and healthy holiday! Until next time! Stay beautiful and merry while traveling the vast universe!

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by moonleopard85 on December 24, 2019  •  Video  •  Permalink
Posted in conventions, Interviews, Television

Posted by moonleopard85 on December 24, 2019

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2019/12/24/the-interview-quadrant-patrick-david-from-in-space/

The Beauty Quadrant: Glam Bag Plus December 2019!

Hello to all of my beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast nerd universe! I am back with another subscription!

Glam Bag Plus December 2019!

Well guys it is the final Glam Bag Plus of 2019! I have been enjoying it so far and glad to try new items from many other brands. I am thinking of doing a post on my favorite products from subscriptions after this one. Anyways, this is the second tier in Ipsy where you pay $25 for a box and a makeup bag and the box contains five items from more prestige and luxury, even some indie. Let’s see what I got!

Complex Culture Press & Set Contour Brush: First up is a brush by Complex Culture. These guys sound new to me because I have not seen them until now. I know this month you get some brushes either in this box, the regular Glam Bag, or even the Ultimate if you’re lucky. I ended up with the contour brush which I have felt like I am somewhat lacking in since I have been contouring the outer parts of my face. This brush is vegan and cruelty free with a velvet style handle and the bristles are made for setting and glow without streaking nor being blotchy. When I saw this brush it looked more like a powder but I will use it for its intention. I was surprised by its retail price being $35. When you look at it you’re spending less than an Artiste brush if you remember those and it does feel fancy to me.
Ittse Van Ness Eye Shadow Quad: Next is an eye shadow quad from Ittse. I remembered when I first got back into Ipsy I got an eye shadow from these guys and was really impressed. I was about to choose one of the two shadow quads they were offering this month but got Van Ness instead. This is a magnetic pallet which comes with four shadows and from what I saw in my peripherals that it’s very neutral. I remembered getting a magnetic pallet with six shadows from these guys a year ago and they are very neutral and some sparkle in the mix. I will have to see how they apply on the eyes since I haven’t tried it yet due to just getting my box after all.
111 Skin Cryo Activating Hydro Gel: Next is a product from 111 Skin. I heard of these guys through the regular Glam Bag and was surprised by the price of this product. It is over $200! Damn! Sunday Riley does not have anything on this but some luxury skin care doesn’t always work for everyone. Even Sunday Riley’s C. E. O. Moisturizer from GB Plus boxes ago was proof enough. Let’s see what this thing has to make it so expensive. This moisturizer is backed by science with Hydro Filling Spheres, Lotus Extract, and it’s supposed to help with pollution and other factors that cause aging and it’s lightweight. Okay, the science part makes sense but the lotus not so much because the Purlisse Blue Lotus Eye Cream is around $76 with that ingredient alone. I am kind of skeptical about this stuff and I will use to see how it goes since my skin does get dry even out here on the coast but it has been behaving due to using sheet masks and moisturizers. Let’s see how this stuff interacts with my skin and go from there.
Evalue Sin Care Hydrating Serum: This was the item I chose and it’s from Evalue Skin Care and it’s their hydrating serum. When I was choosing my product for this box I had a hard time and when I saw this I had to have it and here’s why! This product has three hydrolonic acids to help rise to the skin to help with hydration and helps tired skin. I know my skin is not wrinkly yet but I did run out of the Touch & Sol one and since that was more of oily skin I figured to get this one since this helps with more dry skin people like me. I did find it slightly drying since I tried it yesterday, forgot this morning, but hey so far it is the first day so I have to keep using it.
Illumasqua Liquid Eyeliner in Black: Last item in the box is from Illumasqua and it’s a pen liner in black! I am glad to get another since I was on my last pen liner at the moment. I can’t wait to open this one up so I can start using it for work since I use these for work and they stay on. I am not sure what is going on with my eyes at the moment they always want to water, I think it’s due to allergies since pollen likes to go nuts even around our apartment outside. I will have to see how this goes!

Add-Ons: I only got three add-ons this month and they are the Tarte Double Duty Shape Tape Setting Spray, the R+CO High Dive Moisture Plus Shine for my hair, and the Colored Rain Highlighter in Selfie. I almost went for the setting spray from Tarte as my choice but decided to buy it to see how it goes since I did enjoy the primer and did run out of that when I got the full size. I hope it’s as moisturizing as the primer so can’t wait to use it. The R+Co was something I was surprised by since I didn’t know what it was at first and saw it was for leaving in the hair which I don’t mind something new for my hair, and the Colored Rain Highlighter is something new to me since I want to try more of this brand after hearing so many good things about it!

Well guys that is it for this post! This year was great for what I had gotten from Glam Bag Plus. I started off strong and ended with a good note after signing up for this tier of Glam Bag. I hope next year will keep on going great since I have tried really good products from this box. What is next? The next RangerStop interview and of course my favorite items from all the boxes! Stay tuned!

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by moonleopard85 on December 21, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in beauty

Posted by moonleopard85 on December 21, 2019

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2019/12/21/the-beauty-quadrant-glam-bag-plus-december-2019/

The Book Quadrant: Nemecene Episode 4 by. Kaz LeFave

Hello to all of my beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast universe! I am back with a long awaited book review!

Nemecene: Dreams Flow in Streams by. Kaz LeFave

Disclaimer: This book review is based on thoughts and observations of the lead writer of this blog. Please respect her thoughts on this book which was given to her as an ARC for her to enjoy and review.

In this episode, we find Elise in a newer world where no one can pass through and memories fade and where being guided can lead to being misdirected. Keeto now has to keep his sanity while his sister is being kept in incubation after seeing her murdered in front of him and Stitch and must play a game of Trust-&-Seek in order to save his sister but can he stay strong and sane in order to do that?

Meanwhile the Gadlin Subculture is going through its own crisis where the ocean is in its vision but the planet is changing at a fast rate despite their ways of fixing it. Tufferie, on the other hand, is now selected among the group that has been watching the twins’ progress in the city Aedenborough and must keep the truths behind their veils as she guides her friends to help save Elise’s life and keep Keeto sane to help put the pieces together.

Thoughts: Man that was kind of hard to write the synopsis in my own words since I did remember how the book went at certain points. So, basically this book continues from where Through Fire & Ice but with one twin dead and the other grieving with Stitch. I was surprised when I was going into the book that the reason why Elise went cold was due to what took place at the end of the last and that she is now in an area being brought back to life within nine days if possible.

I did find this book really interesting since the afterlife or purgatory in this world is more of a dream world. As we know that different cultures have different ideas of death and purgatory and I find this new since it shows Elise’s memories even with Keeto, Nithruyu, Stitch, and even going back to a time of their ninth birthday. Okay, the number nine is bigger in this book since we have nine days to get her back, ninth birthday, and still keeping the nine chapters in this idea.

What do I think of Keeto in this book? I find him doing well despite the grief he was going through. Yes, I saw that he was going a bit insane even around Stitch, who had his hair freezing which we can tell he did like Elise more than just a friend and how his attitude just went cold and the ice was also hurting Keeto at times. I was surprised that he let Sparky go through but I understand since he lost his sister who has been his only friend all his life and they are trying to survive in a toxic environment and of course wondering what is going on with Caroline who is also another life line where they are. I also found his journal entries very interesting since he was calling out to his and Elise’s mother and hoped for more responses and what I find more interesting is the tech being used with the transmitters where he has recorded things over time. He even questions more about what he finds and if it is really linked to his mother but at the same time it still loops back to the birthday memory. I feel like the birthday is a big symbol while reading the book. I don’t want to spoil too much since you may want to read this one.

And finally, Tuffurie, I liked how she started in her segments of the story as in working at the café where the twins tend to hang out at and have those Flyer Bakes all the time. I can imagine if this was animated that she has glasses or something to make her more unique to me besides the jewel tone eyes like the others had. I know with the others like her she has been still in the story and I hope they keep her as each episode keeps on being written. I did find it interesting how she interacts with Elise and trying to help her and yet not helping her by saying, “Do this this way but not that way!” And how she makes it sound like it will get her back as each day keeps going. I can’t wait to see if she has more things to do in the next episode since she seem to have more care for Elise like Nepharus had in Episode 2. Will have to see!

Rating: 5 Star Paw Prints Out of 5! This was a really interesting book with how we got to see what purgatory was like and of course getting to see more of Keeto’s mind. I do like how the ninth birthday came into play and that memories can be changed and also time since there was some time traveling that took place but can’t say how. I hope with the next book we get to see more growth with the twins and that Elise and Keeto find that new place after knowing that they can’t stay where they are anymore. I have a feeling they had to leave Aedenborough even though their journey took them to different parts of the world they’re in. With the next one I can’t wait to see how Kaz will make it since new things are popping and now more things are showing with the Gatlins and who knows what secrets may hit and how both of the twins will find out. Still a great series so far!

Nemecene: Dreams Flow In StreamsWell guys that is it for this review! Things are getting serious from what I can read and hoping to read the next episode and review it for you all! Next time will be doing my Glam Bag Plus!

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by moonleopard85 on December 19, 2019  •  Link  •  Permalink
Posted in Books, Reviews, Science Fiction

Posted by moonleopard85 on December 19, 2019

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2019/12/19/the-book-quadrant-nemecene-episode-4-by-kaz-lefave/

The Beauty Quadrant: Ipsy December 2019!

Hello to all of my beautiful nerds and welcome back from the vast universe! I am back with another post!

Ipsy December 2019!

Well guys, another year of Ipsy has ended with another December bag! I am so happy to have another year of Ipsy and it was a full one this time since I did re-subscribe last year. As you guys know this bag is now $12 a month and you get four to six deluxe to full size items from many brands. What I find interesting is that this year I was hoping for six items like the last but was surprised to only get five but hey it was worth it to me since getting five samples of items make it fun. I did get one add-on though!

Add-On: Green Light Keychain: I felt like doing something different and this was very different! I love keychains and I saw these being add-ons and felt like grabbing one. It was hard to choose but found this one of a green Christmas light and I do love the color green. I did stick it onto my apartment keychain since I use that the most. I could have stuck it onto my Glam Bag but I felt that my keys need some fun!

Kensie Free Spirit: First is a perfume from the brand Kensie! I have seen these guys up on the Offers page and almost bought their stuff but didn’t know how well they smell until I finally got this. It’s been months since I got that I Am Trash perfume and loved it and was wondering when I will get another one and happened to be this month. This perfume is equal parts apple, plum, and coconut with floral notes and a few earthy ones as well. When I pulled it out for a sniff it did smell good! I have to try this out to get a good feel for it since with perfumes lately I have been trying to get the ones I lost while moving and if I like this I will try to get a set from the Offers page.
Avon True Color Glitter Sticks Eyeliner in 24 Karat: Is it me or I do I hear Bruno Mars all of a sudden? Anyways, I was surprised to see Avon in this bag since it is not a brand I gravitate to. When a flea market was opened in Sanford I remembered going to an Avon lady’s stand and what I didn’t like was how she picked colors that she thought would go best for me even in bush when it looked so dark! Yes, I love wearing blues and purples in shadows but I felt like it was pushed with these colors. When I found out that I was getting this eyeliner from them I was surprised that they made this! This is a gel pencil that is best for an after work outing and I agree and best to keep it in the purse for that last minute invite. This is a yellow-gold that stays for ten hours without any smudging. I hope that’s true since I do love eyeliners and I do gold looks sometimes especially with the Naked Honey pallet from Urban Decay since that is one pallet I can’t stop reaching for. I will have to give this a go since I may not have the best experience with one Avon lady maybe having a better item by them would make things better.
Beauty For Real Lip Shine Lip Gloss in Starlust: Next is a lip gloss from Beauty for Real. I remembered trying these guys in my early Ipsy days and glad to get them again! This is a sheer, pink gloss and it doesn’t go on tacky either. I hope it does keep that claim even though some of my glosses do not have that sticky residue like most of them. Plus this is supposed to be moisturizing due to the use of plant extracts. I will have to give this a go then!
Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Shimmer & Shake: Next is a blush from Tarte and it’s my pick for this month! One great thing about Ipsy is that you get to choose a product and I got to choose this one and I do enjoy Tarte’s blushes a lot! They are easy to blend and not overpowering unless if you accidentally got ham with your brush! This is a neutral shade blushe since it was hard to choose and felt that using more of a neutral one can be a nice idea for work. It is pretty small for a sample size, even smaller than the ones I got in a four blush set years ago from Ulta but can’t wait to use this on my cheeks!
Hey Honey Look Into My Eyes Retinol Eye Mask: Final item is from Hey Honey and this is my first item from them too. I have heard so many good things about this brand and they always end up in this bag and glad to try them out but as an eye mask. This eye mask helps with looking more awake which I need since I do wake up really early to get ready for work and this contains Propilus which is made by honey bees used as an antiseptic and to be more anti-inflammatory and has Retinal alongside Squaline and Coconut Oil. I have to try this out since I do love eating honey in foods and drinking it in tea for colds but glad to know that some things from bees do help with skin. Can’t wait to try this out since I did read that you have to put this on your under eyes and let it sit and then massage it in so I will use this at night then.

Well guys that is it for this bag. Not bad since it did give me a nice skin care product due to being awake from 4:00 in the morning and need to look awake for my supervisors. Also, I am glad to try out Kensie since seeing their stuff on Offers it would help me decide if I want to purchase their products or not. I am glad to get Beauty For Real again since it’s been so long that I had an item from them. Since this is the last month of the Ipsy bags, I hope next year’s bags will be as good as this year’s bags have been. I have tried so many new items from so many brands over the past year and have been happy with them so far. Let’s see what Glam Bag Plus for this month brings me since I am still waiting for it. It did say due to Holiday Shipping that it may be delayed and I remembered waiting for a gift for a long time one year due to this factor and hoping that it does get here soon! Until next time!

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by moonleopard85 on December 15, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in beauty

Posted by moonleopard85 on December 15, 2019

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2019/12/15/the-beauty-quadrant-ipsy-december-2019/

The Interview Quadrant: Michael Mayes From RangerStop 7!

Hello to all of my beautiful nerds and welcome back from the traveling the vast universe! It is time for another Power Rangers interview!

Interview with Michael Mayes from RangerStop 7!

Continuing our interviews from RangerStop is with Michael Mayes who plays Psycho Black in In Space! He was actually our first interview to do with anyone during the weekend but I guess the order got mixed on YouTube. Anyways, I didn’t get to have my Braille Sense Polaris in this one and same with another since Gondras thought it would have been best to be a bit quieter. It wasn’t too bad when we did it with Wally and three other interviews which you will see next. What did we ask this guy? Watch and find out!

That is it for this post! Next interview is with Patrick David who played Psycho Red!

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by moonleopard85 on December 14, 2019  •  Video  •  Permalink
Posted in conventions, Interviews, Television

Posted by moonleopard85 on December 14, 2019

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2019/12/14/the-interview-quadrant-michael-mayes-from-rangerstop-7/

The Beauty Quadrant: BoxyCharm December 2019!

Hello to all of my beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast universe! I am back with a subscription for this month!

BoxyCharm December 2019!

It’s the final BoxyCharm of the year and glad I got back into this box because I missed it so much! I only got one meh box but the rest were amazing including this one! First this box was $21 but now it’s $25 and you get five full-size products ranging from high end all the way to luxury even sometimes drugstore on top of it. Let’s see what they sent me this month!

Story Book Cosmetics Little Red Riding Hood Pallet: Yes, I know I did anti-hauled this brand years ago due to how there were nothing but pre-orders for their product and man I miss doing anti-hauls. Anyways, when I found out that this brand was going to be in the box I didn’t mind trying them out since I do love reading and I was hoping to get either of them. Charmers were either getting Little Red Riding Hood or Robin Hood which makes sense for the red or green for Christmas. I ended up with Little Red Riding Hood and don’t mind. This pallet is a six pan pallet made exclusively for this box and it features a mix of metallics and mattes to create a look. I will be with my friends on Sunday so I may wear this to that since it is a holiday party. Retail price is $35.
Saturday Skin Water Glacier Water Cream: This was my choice item for this month and it is a water cream from Saturday Skin. I heard of these guys but never tried any of their water creams but I did remember trying another brand’s water cream which I think it was in Allure Beauty Box way before I cancelled that one. This product claims to be a glacier water cream that fight anti-aging and delivers minerals and moisture to the skin. This will be great for my morning moisturizer since I do live in a city with a lot of pollen and stuff and this will also help with getting rid of free radicals. I can’t wait to try this out! This retails for $39.
Ciate London Marbleized Illuminating Blusher: Next is a product from Ciate London and it’s full-size and it’s one of their blushes. When I heard that these guys are going to be in the box it was either this or a highlighter and didn’t care which I got. I know Hot Mess Mama MD got the bronzer in Boxy Lux but you get the blusher here or blush here in the States. This blush is talc free and is made with a mix of matte and illuminating particles. I can’t wait to use this blush on my face. This retails for $29.
Sarafeam Botanicals Daikon plus Dreams Lip Exfoliator with with Radish Extract: I was hoping to get this product in y box because I have been getting back into lip scrubs since Ipsy sent me one a little while ago. I am glad to get this one and this was an interesting idea since it has radish as an ingredient. This product his gentle and contains daikon radish extract which is an Asian radish which you do find it in Japanese food and other foods that require it. Plus, this also has Chamomile tea in it as well to help keep lips from drying. I can’t wait to use this in full! Retails for $24.
Brow Bar Brow Make Over Kit: Final product in my box is a brow kit and it’s by Brow Bar. I heard of these guys before all over YouTube and when this was one of the many products this month I find it interesting. How so? Let’s see what you get! You get two brow powders or shades from what it says, a brow lift or shall I say wax, brow gel, and an angle brush and a flat brush! This is amazing for what you get because you can do your brows without any problem. Any convention goers for any conventions anytime soon? This will be perfect for you guys. If we were going this year I would take this with me to Holiday Matsuri because I have all of my brow needs in this kit. This retails for $30.

That is it you guys and man it was a great round up for this year! I mean you get a lip scrub since it does get really cold here in Daytona, you also got a brow kit which is amazing for what you get in it, also get a blush, a shadow pallet, and I did choose a new moisturizer. So worth it for this month! I know this is the last box of the year and I would say this and last month’s box were two of my favorites along with February’s box. Also, this box did get me into sheet masks and loving them! I did buy a ton all thanks to Ipsy and trying to use them. I can’t wait to see what January has in store for the box and same with next year since after being without for two years I wanted it back so much due to how I got luxury items I wouldn’t spend my money on at Sephora or any other store and plus I got to try brands I rarely get to try due to not being in the store or too pricey for my taste or even not working out for my skin or something. I am also enjoying the idea getting to pick an item and see how the rest will be picked. Hoping 2020 looks bright for this box! So, stay tuned for the next interview from RangerStop 7!

Update: FOrgot to mention what I finished! I finally finished the Touch & Sol Serum which I noticed how my skin was starting to itch slightly as I was going through the product. As in towards the bottom of it, I am still thinking and wondering why are they giving this to sensitive skin people? I am glad that they let you choose items, well one item, in every box because if this was one of the items as a choice I would choose the other. Another update is that I finished the Dose of Colors lipstick from last month because it felt like there was no product in it. I felt like I ran out of it nd wishing there was more product to it. Hoping if I get another Dose of Colors lipstick in this box that would not face this issue. And finally, I had to toss the Hank & Henry liner because I do not like chisel tipped liners. It’s hard for me to use them and angle them a certain way so I tossed that one. Sorry guys! That is it!

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by moonleopard85 on December 11, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in beauty

Posted by moonleopard85 on December 11, 2019

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2019/12/11/the-beauty-quadrant-boxycharm-december-2019/

The Book Quadrant: The Girl From Berlin by. Ronald H. Balson

Hello to all of my beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast universe! I am back with another book review!

The Girl from Berlin by. Ronald H. Balson

Disclaimer: This is a review based on thoughts and opinions from the lead writer on this ARC. Please respect the thoughts of the lead writer of this blog!

Another addition to the Liam Taggart and Katherine Lockhart series where an old friend has called upon services from both Kat and Liam to go to Tuscany in Italy to meet Gabrielle who is losing her vineyard to a corporation who claims they have deeds on the land but she claims she can bring her own set of deeds to show proof that it is her property. Their only clue so far is a manuscript written in German that has been translated for them to read in order to see why it’s related to this case.

Ada Baumgarten was born in 1918 after the First World War and became the daughter of a prestigious violinist of the Berlin Philharmonic and became a prodigy herself. When she meets Kurt, a German boy, she starts falling for him and gets torn from him when he leaves for the military and her family starts being under suspicion due to her Jewish heritage. Even though with her violin and her work which is the only thing that has been saving her so far but with moving to Bologna it gives her family more heart aches and more suspicion and the story of her life brings questions on why is it related to the vineyard in the first place?

Thoughts: Again I read the audio version of this book through the NLS Bard service and it was the same guy that read The Trust as well. I did enjoy how he read this book since he did bring the characters to life with this one as well but this time he did an Italian accent for anyone who is Italian and of course German for any German characters except for Ada and her family and some of her friends. I didn’t mind but I did enjoy it like the book before it.

When I started this book I was wondering why start with Italy since that was the prologue but as the book went on I understood why since it does lead to the secrets Gabrielle has held throughout the book since it dealt with Ada and her back story. It has been revealed that Gabrielle was orphaned in World War II and has shut out her past even about Ada and it brought tragedy and I can see why since the Second World War was big and tragic on its own. When I was listening to Ada’s story I was really entertained about learning what had happened in Berlin since while being in different history classes not much of Berlin has been talked about since we knew what countries were taken over by Hitler such as Poland, Denmark, and many others. It also brought on what took place in Italy since we got to see some of the events with Musilini and of course Rome being a big event where of course Ada meeting Gabrielle at that point. I did like how the characters interact during these moments since they are reacting to the events like how Ada told off a German soldier after one of her concerts, how she and her family were going through the happenings, trust me I almost cried when her father told her to leave him behind at the camp because he didn’t want anyone to take savings that may help her and her mother. It was even sad when her mother left while being at the camp as well when they got to send to one. It was just a great round about tale since it did help us understand why the vineyard had to be saved and I did like how it hinted about Ada having her own patch in the vineyard since earlier in the story when her mother started working among the vines of grapes and olives that she named a part of it after Ada even though Ada found it silly. I can see why it happened since Ada’s mother wanted to leave something special even after the war had ended. It did get revealed a wine was named after a piece that Ada was famous for playing.

What also tugged at my heart strings was how she and Kurt were together. As history happens soldiers do lose their lives and this was a sad part to it. I did find it cute with how Ada and Kurt first met at the Junior Orchestra and how the Baumgartens helped Kurt get to the concert hall for practice but later his violin does get broken and was sent to the junior camps for the military. It was very heart felt whenever both Ada and Kurt were able to have their times together even with one instance when Ada was on a concert trip and she and Kurt were out all night and she had to leave the next day but it did come with some consequences that surprised people. I understand that since I had played clarinet myself in middle school that consequences during class like having people moved due to not being able to have their instruments or some members misbehaving and causing the teacher to yell can happen but back then it was even more strict from what I’ve seen. It was sad with how Ada lost him since I was hoping that they were able to spend the rest of their lives but understanding having someone for that long even if they were on opposite sides can be tragic even seeing how they end up losing their lives in the end. I don’t want to spoil that part because this is something that you got to read yourself.

Rating: 5 Star Paw Prints Out of 5! Out of Ronald’s books I would have to say this one is my most favorite because it was well written even how much the story that Ada told blended in with the present day stuff. It did link to the loose ends that Katherine and Liam had to learn as they have to hire extra lawyers in order to get things settled and solved while the clues were starting to show as they read the manuscript. I think I liked this one more than Karolena’s Twins because I prefer how Ada was spunkier and she didn’t want anyone push her down even if she had to face her consequences later when meeting that soldier later on. It was heart felt and of course I did like seeing what took place in Italy and Berlin during the Second World War and getting to know more of the history as I read on. I am wondering Mr. Balson going to write more for this series because I feel like he has done very well, if he does I am hoping to get to read that one too since I have been reading his stuff on NetGalley since the third book. If not, I am content with how it ended.

Well, that is it guys! I have more books to review and hoping to get more RangerStop content up as soon as possible. Plus, my BoxyCharm is on the way at the moment! So stay tuned!
The Girl From Berlin by. Ronald H. Balson

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by moonleopard85 on December 7, 2019  •  Link  •  Permalink
Posted in Books, Reviews

Posted by moonleopard85 on December 7, 2019

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2019/12/07/the-book-quadrant-the-girl-from-berlin-by-ronald-h-balson/