Three Custom Color Specialists
Lip Gloss in White Heat
New York Times Best-Selling Author
Brenda Novak's newest book: White Heat*.
Both debut on July 27th!
For reviews of both and a few special deals, keep reading
What a treat, to review a novel and a lipgloss! I'm an avid reader, and I think by now you know I'm a bit of a makeup junkie. I think this collaboration is really a neat idea, and I'm also excited to announce that as Brenda Novak releases her books (she releases in trios - the next two books will come out in August and September), Three Custom Color will release corresponding lip glosses.
White Heat is the first book in this set, and thus White Heat is the first gloss in the collaboration. Sweet.
Let's start with the book, shall we?
White Heat. The searing weather of Paradise, Arizona inspires the name and is the location charismatic leader Ethan Wycliff has chosen to set up his encampment of followers. A woman escapes despite the barbed wire surrounding the mysterious town, and the tale she tells is horrifying. She claims the members of The Church of The Covenant stoned her for breaking the rules. And now a girl has gone missing.
A private security company called Department 6 sends out two of its agents, Rachel Jessop and Nate Ferrentino, who will pose as a married couple and try infiltrate the church. The problem is that the past between the two isn't quite as straightforward as it could be. After a one-night-stand the previous year, the two can hardly stand to be in the same room together. Will it get in the way, or can they get past it to stop Ethan Wycliff?
OK, so there's the synopsis. My first one since High School!
I have to admit, I was a bit worried about reading a book that I mistakenly thought was a straight-up romance novel. It's not. (Whew. Not my style.) It's actually a pleasant member of the suspense genre, though with a softer, female hand. In fact the best description is probably the one on the author's website. It says "sophisticated, evocative romantic suspense." Yep, I'll buy that.
While I found the first chapter or two a bit tedious (a few plot points were hammered in a bit aggressively), I quickly found myself caught up in the plot. One of the ways I know I like a book is when I find myself caring what happens to the the main characters, and this was certainly the case here. I wanted to know how Rachel would get passed her embarrassment after the affair with Nate. I wanted to know why Nate was such a jerk. And I really thought the Church of The Covenant was fascinating.
The only other complaint I had was the too-tidy ending. Sometimes I don't like the bow to tie up quite so neatly.
In all, a very good read that was perfect for my vacation! I read my share of Serious Literature, but also appreciate a book that aims to entertain. White Heat was entertaining, intriguing, and kept a nice pace.
I'll be quite interested to read Ms. Novak's next two books, Body Heat* (releasing August 31st) and Killer Heat* (releasing September 28th). (<---Use those links to reserve your advance copy) While those books are also set in Arizona and also feature Department 6, sadly they won't have my new friends Nate and Rachel in them.
Oh, as a little aside, I wanted to tell you how amazingly sweet Brenda Novak is! She sent me an autographed copy of her book and a little thank you note for reviewing it. And then I got a great personal email from her as a follow-up. Really a hands-on type and incredibly lovely to boot. She's my newest imaginary BFF.
Ah, my peeps at Three Custom Color Specialists have done it again! This time with a pretty, sheer, hot pink lip gloss that has opalescent and silver-white shimmer. The color looks scandalously bright in the pot, but softly sexy on the lips.
As for the review, it's a good one if you like subtle. If you're looking for a knock-your-socks-off screamer of a pink gloss, keep looking. But if you're seeking a sexy shine with a hint of pink and shimmer, then look no further.
The packaging is the standard pot supplied by Three Custom. It's a clear, round plastic that has a notch to slip your finger in to swing out the pan. The gloss feels nice on the lips - slick but not tacky. The wear is about what you'd expect from a gloss of this type: you'll need to reapply. As mentioned, color intensity is definitely sheer, though the shade should be doable on any skintone despite the uber-cool-toned appearance in the pot.
Take a look:
I'm not usually into such sheer shades, but love this gloss as a topper over other shades. Look how nicely it brightens and enhances this plain pink lip, below:
Extra fun stuff!
Hey! Interested in these goodies? The gloss is $21.50 from www.threecustom.com and if you're among the first 50 online customers to order it on the 27th, you get a free autographed copy of the book. Good deal! Or if you want to pass on the gloss, order the book through Amazon*.
Join Brenda Novak (and me!) on Twitter on August 4th, from 8-10pm EST for a release party! Register in advance so you can receive the snail-mail package she's sending out to participants, then join us to chat and maybe even win a prize or two (she's giving away 3 iPads among other things)!