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How to Prevent This Eye Infection

Acanthamoeba infection. Doesn’t sound fun at all, does it? For contact lens wearers, this should be something you need to get familiar with. Acanthamoeba infection most commonly occurs in people who wear contact lenses, especially those who shower or enter swimming pools or hot tubs wearing contacts. The chance for infection can be increased if you practice poor hygiene when it comes to caring for your contacts- such as not cleaning or disinfecting them properly. This particular infection caught my eye while I was reading Shape Magazine, so I decided to do some more research on it- because I frequently wear my contacts while I shower. Who wants the hassle of removing the contacts, then inserting them again once out of the shower? Seemed like a waste of time. But it is an important step that I should be taking.
According to CDC.gov, Acanthamoeba is a microscopic, single-celled living organism found in the environment. It can cause severe, but often rare illnesses. Infections involving the eyes are called Acanthamoeba keratitis. It is most often linked to contact lenses wearers, but there is also a slim chance that non-wearers can contact the infection as well. Acanthamoeba can be found worldwide, and a few places that it can be found include swimming pools, hot tubs, and drinking water systems.
How can you prevent getting infected? As always, it is important to see an eye doctor on a regular basis. For most people, that is once a year. The doctor will check your eye health, and be able to warn you of any problems. If you do wear contacts, be sure to handle them properly, including disinfecting them and changing them according to schedule. For example, I open a new pair of lenses every two weeks. And be sure to remove lenses before any activity that involves water.
If you think you may have been infected, it is important to be seen by an eye doctor immediately. Eye infections caused by Acanthamoeba are usually treatable. Some of the symptoms include:
• Eye pain
• Eye redness
• Blurred vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensation of something in the eye
• Excessive tearing

My point in writing this article isn’t to terrify people and have you ripping out your lenses if you get a drop of water in your eye. But I was never aware of the added risks contact lenses bring to my health. There are a few eye doctors who say that it is okay to wear contacts while showering, as long as you take care of your lenses properly and try to avoid water in the eyes. Not all water systems are contaminated, but it is simply the awareness we should have. I know that taking a few extra minutes to remove my contacts before I shower is worth preventing an infection. Has anyone experienced an eye infection before brought on by contaminated water? Do you remove your contacts before showering or entering a pool? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Research obtained from CDC.gov
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/acanthamoeba/gen_info/acanthamoeba.html

Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts

Wanna Get Lucky? is the first in the Lucky O’Toole Las Vegas mystery series by Deborah Coonts, and I loved it! The story follows heroine Lucky, who is in her thirties and works as the head of Customer Relations at a mega casino and resort on the Vegas strip. Lucky has dedicated much of her life to her work, after the Big Boss took a chance on her and gave her a job at only fifteen years old. Since then, Lucky has worked herself up to achieve everything she has. Her tough exterior comes from growing up in the Sin City, and also from her mother, who runs a brothel. Lucky is used to solving problems, from irate guests to drunken fights, and people counting cards in the casino. But when the lovely Lyda Sue drops to her death from the helicopter owned by Lucky’s resort and the pilot goes missing, Lucky has a new task to handle- murder.
Wanna Get Lucky? is a fast-paced, keep you on your toes novel. I love a good mystery, and Coonts adds in so many plot twists and new character developments that I couldn’t figure this one out until the end. The main character is a gem, a tough female not afraid to speak her mind and get her way. I loved reading about her love life as well, and the mom who is a Madame- hilarious! The only part I didn’t love so much was it was a bit stereotypical. The Big Boss was like a mobster, and sometimes the Vegas scene seemed like what people who have never been to Vegas might think it’s like. But I’ve been there, and it wasn’t quite like what is described. Then again, I was a tourist visiting for a few days. But, I also think this is an aspect that makes the book so much fun to read. It’s drama, it’s mystery, it’s fiction. Wanna Get Lucky? is over the top, a novel readers can get lost in. I cannot wait to read book number two- Lucky Stiff.
[Rating 4.5]

Birthday Giveaway!

I wanted to do something special to help celebrate my birthday week, and what better way than a giveaway? I have been wanting to host a giveaway to help clear some of my ARC’s from my bookshelf, and this seems like the perfect opportunity. I have six books that are up for grabs, with six different winners!

Second Time Around by Beth Kendrick
The Summer We Read Gatsby by Danielle Ganek
Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner
Call Me Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber
A Chesapeake Shores Christmas by Sherryl Woods
Perfect on Paper by Maria Murnane

To enter:
1. Send an email with your full mailing address to Samantha(at)chicklitplus.com. You will not be entered unless I have this email! When you send the email, please also include if there are specific books you would like to win. Or if you would like a chance at all of them, just say so!
2. Post a comment below and let us know one of your favorite birthday memories.
3. For bonus entries, spread the word! Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter.

That’s it! The contest will close the day after my birthday, on Thursday March 24. Please note that I will be choosing a different winner for each book. This contest is open for US residents only.

Marrying Out of Money by Nicky Schmidt

Lou Hubbard doesn’t care about money. So what if her father runs a billion dollar coffee empire and the family can afford to lead a luxurious life? All Lou wants to do is settle down with rock star boyfriend, Hedge, and do something good for the environment. But Lou’s mother is dead set against her daughter’s non-lavish ways. The cunning Victoria sets a plan into motion, determined to have Lou marry Harry Stomeworth, simply to gain an aristocratic title. When Harry’s dreadful mother jumps on the plan, Lou and Harry don’t seem to have much of a choice. But that is where the fun begins, and Lou and Harry join forces to try to get out of marrying.
Marrying Out of Money by Nicky Schmidt, is a sort of “anti-romantic comedy.” The characters were over the top and hilarious, especially the two mothers. But I loved the story behind the Lou and Harry, how the young kids want to marry for love and not just money, stability, or titles. Some of the scenes (especially the ones with Hedge) had me laughing out loud at the absurdity. Along that line, I wished that Schmidt would have cleaned up Hedge’s dialogue just a bit. I understand that she wanted to make a point about how he spoke, but it was hard to focus on what he was saying sometimes because he was always so ridiculous sounding and hard to decipher. But overall I thought this was a really engaging, quirky, chick lit book and I definitely recommend!
[Rating: 4.5]

Debut Authors & Novels- March/April

Debut Authors & Novels- March/April 2011

Title: RSVP
Author: Helen Warner
Available: March 2011
Synopsis: Four women, one wedding and a day to remember – or rather forget . . .
Anna’s world is rocked when she receives an invitation to her ex Toby’s nuptials – Toby was The One, The Love of Her Life, The One That Got Away. Will attending his Big Day finally give her the sense of closure she so desperately craves? Or will it only re-open old wounds?

Clare is Anna’s best friend, the person who was there for her when she and Toby split all those years ago. But little does Clare know that Toby’s wedding day will also change her own life for ever.

Ella is a classic femme fatale. She loves men and leaves them without a backward glance. But the one person who’s never fallen for her charms is Toby. As he prepares to get hitched, is it too late for a last-ditch attempt to win his heart?

Finally, Rachel is the blushing bride-to-be. This should be the happiest day of her life. So how come she feels nothing but a terrible sense of foreboding?

Title: Attachments
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Available: April 2011
Synopsis: It’s 1999 and for the staff of one newspaper office, the internet is still a novelty. By day, two young women, Beth and Jennifer, spend their hours emailing each other, discussing in hilarious detail every aspect of their lives, from love troubles to family dramas. And by night, Lincoln, a shy, lonely IT guy spends his hours reading every exchange. At first their emails offer a welcome diversion, but as Lincoln unwittingly becomes drawn into their lives, the more he reads, the more he finds himself falling for one of them. By the time Lincoln realizes just how head-over-heels he really is, it’s way too late to introduce himself. What would he say to her? ‘Hi, I’m the guy who reads your e-mail – and also, I think I love you’. After a series of close encounters, Lincoln decides it’s time to muster the courage to follow his heart . . . and find out whether there really is such a thing as love before first-sight. Heartwarming, witty and unforgettable, ATTACHMENTS is an irresistible romantic comedy that has it all.

Title: Hollywood Sinners
Author: Victoria Fox
Available: April 2011
Synopsis: POWER Marriage to Hollywood heartthrob Cole Steel secured Lana Falcon a glittering place on the red carpet. But running from a wicked past she has trapped herself in a gilded cage the price of freedom…her soul? REVENGE Kate diLaurentis s career is fading as quickly as her looks… What could be worse than discovering her husband s latest mistress is Hollywood s hottest starlet? Her only option the most shocking revenge. LUST Chloe French s innocent beauty has captured a million hearts, but no one’s warned her of the dangerous, dark temptation of rock star Nate – will lust destroy her? GREED Las Vegas King, Robert St Louis s fairytale wedding to Sin City’s richest heiress is tabloid gold… But scandal circles like a vulture – dirty secrets are about to be exposed! BETRAYAL From the deepest desires come the deadliest deeds…and these four couples are about to pay for their sins…

In My Mailbox: March 16

In My Mailbox: March 16th

Title: Reinventing Mona
Author: Jennifer Coburn
Received: From Jennifer Coburn
Synopsis: What’s new? Me, for starters… It all began when my job offered me a buyout package. That’s when the realization hit: I’m young, I’m rich (thanks to a hefty inheritance), and I’m boring. Things are gonna change-starting now… Building a better man trap… First things first: Exercise. Carrot juice. Straight hair. Whiter teeth. Clothes that fit. But wait-there’s more. I’m finally ready to take a chance on love with the perfect guy. He’s handsome. He’s smart. He’s reliable. He’s my CPA. Problem is, I’m clueless about winning him over. It’s time to call in an expert. It’s time to call in The Dog. Down, boy. Mike “The Dog” Dougherty is a man’s man. A guy’s guy. Okay, he’s a chauvinist pig, and his sty is “The Dog House,” a testosterone-charged column in Maximum for Him magazine. On one hand, I abhor all he stands for. On the other hand, who better to coach me? So here I am. Learning the complex unspoken language of the American male (Talk, bad. Sex, good.); trying exciting new things (Stripping lessons are empowering. Really.); falling for Mike. Uh oh. But the Mike I’m getting to know is different from The Dog. And the Mona I’m becoming isn’t quite who I expected, either. This whole makeover scheme is getting crazier by the minute. But “crazy” beats “boring”…right?

Title: The Untied Kingdom
Author: Kate Johnson
Received: From Choc Lit
Synopsis: Major Harker is fighting on the losing side of an endless civil war in a third world country. It’s called England.
He’s a man with a lot of problems. His ex-wife has just drafted her little sister into his company. His sworn enemy is looking for a promotion. The general wants him to undertake some ridiculous mission to capture a computer, which Harker vaguely envisions running wild somewhere in West Yorkshire. And some damn idiot has just flown out of nowhere and nearly drowned herself in the Thames.
She claims to be a popstar called Eve. Harker doesn’t know what a popstar is, although he suspects it’s a fancy foreign word for “spy”. Eve knows all about computers, and electricity, and the words to many seditious songs. Eve is dangerous. There’s every possibility she’s mad. And Harker is falling in love with her.

Title: The First Husband
Author: Laura Dave
Received: From Laura Dave
Synopsis: Annie Adams is days away from her thirty-second birthday and thinks she has finally found happiness. She visits the world’s most interesting places for her syndicated travel column and she’s happily cohabitating with her movie director boyfriend Nick in Los Angeles. But when Nick comes home from a meeting with his therapist (aka “futures counselor”) and announces that he’s taking a break from their relationship so he can pursue a woman from his past, the place Annie had come to call home is shattered. Reeling, Annie stumbles into her neighborhood bar and finds Griffin–a grounded, charming chef who seems to be everything Annie didn’t know she was looking for. Within three months, Griffin is Annie’s husband and Annie finds herself trying to restart her life in rural Massachusetts.

Dangers of a Brazilian Blowout

Ladies, do you want your hair to finally be smooth, straight, sleek, and most importantly- not frizzy? Let me think about that for a nano-second. Um, yes! We used to turn to our simple products, then the flat iron, then the professional blowouts at the salon. But lately, the trend has been the Brazilian Blowout. Celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon have used this treatment, which consists of creating a protective layer around the hair to eliminate frizz and keep your mane smooth. It seems to be a simple enough process: a shampoo session with a specially formulated shampoo to prep your hair, towel-drying, then your stylist combing the Brazilian Blowout Professional Treatment through your hair. A blow dry followed by flat ironing the hair, then rinsing (not shampooing) and applying the Brazilian Blowout Masque. Once that is finished, the stylist will once again rinse, towel dry, then apply the Brazilian Blowout Smoothing Serum then blow dry one more time. Ninety minutes later, you are better looking than ever!
But there has to be a catch. After salon workers in Oregon started complaining of eye irritation, nose bleeds and difficulty breathing after using Brazilian Blowout products, state officials stepped in. What was found is a high level of formaldehyde. Chemists at the Oregon Occupation Heath and Safety Administration and the Oregon Health and Science University’s Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology tested a sample from salons in the area, and determined the product contained 4.85 percent to 10.6 percent formaldehyde, even though the Brazilian Blowout products are labeled “formaldehyde free.” Manufactures are required to alert stylists if a product has over 0.1 percent of this chemical. The Oregon Health and Science University released this public health alert on September 30th, 2010 about the disturbing findings.
Why should we be concerned? ABCNews.com said that formaldehyde can be found in food and other products, being exposed to us every day. While low exposure can cause the eye irritation and other similar effects, high exposure can lead to some cancers, according to The US Centers for Disease Control. But what is formaldehyde? Cancer.gov lists this as a “colorless, flammable, strong-smelling chemical that is used in building materials and to produce many household products.” It goes on further to say that formaldehyde has been classified as a “human carcinogen.” Is that word familiar? It is often used when talking about cigarettes. Yes- it is a cancer causing substance. Innocent stylists and salon-goers are being exposed to high levels of this carcinogen when using the Brazilian Blowout products.
The makers of Brazilian Blowout products are defending themselves against the claims. ABCNews.com reports that they are arguing the high amount of formaldehyde, because the OSHA did not get samples directly from them, instead they used the samples from the salon. Brazilian Blowout is currently doing their own investigation. If you can afford to get this treatment, which can set you back up to $500, it is suggested you hold off until all investigations are complete. If you insist on getting the Brazilian Blowout, make sure the salon is equipped with masks or goggles that will protect you from breathing in the formaldehyde.
My personal advice? Stay away! Until you know for sure what you are exposing yourself to, I don’t think any beauty treatment is worth the risks. I recently posted on Herbal Essences shampoo- that helped cut down the frizz in my hair without the risk or the high price! Has anyone tried this type of hair straightening before? Would you? I would love to hear your thoughts!
Research obtained from:
ABCNews.com
CBS.state.org
Cancer.gov

In My Mailbox: Week of March 13

In My Mailbox: Week of March 13, 2011

Title: Crystal Balls
Author: Amanda Brobyn
Received: From Amanda Brobyn
Synopsis: Tina Harding is a successful and ambitious estate agent. All is going according to plan and her painful past as a failed actress has been well and truly buried. Now she’s a down-to-earth and hard-headed businesswoman … Life, however, is full of surprises. While accompanying her more wide- eyed colleague, Chantelle, to a psychic fair, Tina herself falls victim to the lure of the Crystal Ball. She is warned that she must learn to trust her own decisions, and assured that the arrival of her soul mate is imminent. An elated Tina feels she has discovered a shortcut to fulfilment her very own life’s SatNav. Enter the gorgeous sex-on-wheels property-developer Brian Steen, who is very keen indeed to get up close and personal with Tina. But, call it fate, call it karma or just sheer bad luck, their steamy encounters are destined to fizzle out every time. But Brian is a patient man … up to a point … and, with help from Tina’s psychic guides, things are sure to pan out just fine … aren’t they? Crystal Balls … gaze into the unknown …

Title: Looking For Leon
Author: Shirley Benton
Received: From Shirley Benton
Synopsis: Andie hadn’t gambled on meeting the love of her life on a holiday in Las Vegas- but when she meets Leon, love suddenly seems like a bet she can win. That is, until the wheel of fortune steps in and separates them during a fire drill. With next to no info on Leon, Andie finds it impossible to track him down-despite staging a series of publicity stunts to get the media in on the act. Back in Ireland, journalist Andie begins to write a regular newspaper column about her search. Readers love it and a local TV station flies her back to Vegas to take up the hunt for the man she can’t forget. What starts off as a simple low-budget documentary, spirals into a frenzied national media search. With the world’s most ambitious PR agents on board, Andie becomes a heroine for those who are looking for love.

Title: Emily and Einstein
Author: Linda Francis Lee
Received: From Tricia Carr @ Media Muscle
Synopsis: He was a man who didn’t deserve a second chance. But he needed one…
Emily and her husband Sandy Portman seemed to live a gracious if busy life in an old-world, Upper West Side apartment in the famous Dakota building. But one night on the way to meet Emily, Sandy dies in a tragic accident. The funeral isn’t even over before Emily learns she is on the verge of being evicted from their apartment. But worse than the possibility of losing her home, Emily is stunned when she discovers that her marriage was made up of lies.
Suddenly Emily is forced on a journey to find out who her husband really was . . . all the while feeling that somehow he isn’t really gone. Angry, hurt, and sometimes betrayed by loving memories of the man she lost, Emily finds comfort in a scruffy dog named Einstein. But is Einstein’s seemingly odd determination that she save herself enough to make Emily confront her own past? Can he help her find a future—even after she meets a new man?

Title: Tales From the Crib
Author: Jennifer Coburn
Received: From Jennifer Coburn
Synopsis:
Talk about bad timing!

When Lucy Klein gets her positive pregnancy results, she’s overjoyed. She and her husband Jack have been trying to get pregnant for years throughout their rocky marriage. But before she can tell him the big news, Jack has something he needs to announce – he wants a divorce!
Rather than split up, Lucy and Jack decide to live together as friends. This way, they can share expenses and parenting responsibilities. Co-parenting is a fine deal for Jack who is back in the dating scene by Lucy’s third trimester of pregnancy, but is a frustrating one for Lucy who has unfulfilled sexual fantasies about every man from restaurant delivery boys to puppeteers.
Meanwhile, Lucy’s mother is taking over her life. The grand dame of Planet Earth, Anjoli frequently visits her daughter to share her own brand of maternal wisdom.

As Anjoli leaves her Drama Queen bookstore to “help” Lucy with baby Adam, the new grandmother has an affair with baby’s pediatrician, hosts two weddings (including cousin Kimmy’s wedding to herself), and constantly frets about which kind of pie to serve guests. With a cast of family and friends from Lucy’s Jewish aunts to Junior League neighbor, Candace, Tales From the Crib is the story of how one baby can bring people together – so they can drive each other nuts!

Mrs. Mismarriage by Noelle Chua

Audrey Lee is one woman who could care less about marriage. She doesn’t believe in fairy tale endings and happily ever after. But when her boyfriend, Paul Chang, gets down on one knee, Audrey can’t say no. The two seem to have the perfect life- him with an MBA, working a successful career in their hometown of Singapore. She, a Harvard literature scholar who starts living the life on an expat wife- which includes never having to cook a meal or clean the house. But is that the life Audrey wanted for herself? The marriage turns rocky when Audrey gets suspicious that Paul may be having an affair. It doesn’t help that he is constantly away for business, seemingly married to his job instead of Audrey. With Audrey’s boredom, coupled with all the men that are suddenly interested in her, the marriage is on a loose thread. Can Audrey and Paul survive their first year as newlyweds?
Mrs. Mismarriage was a very entertaining and down to earth read by Noelle Chua. The main character was easily relatable, and even though I have never been married, I could understand the feelings and the fights that were happening. I especially loved the little marriage facts at the beginning of each chapter. I think Chua did a great job at showing the work two people must put into a marriage. Though what Paul and Audrey went through was extremely difficult, I didn’t feel that Chua was trying to scare readers away from ever getting married. Instead, she showed the love two people have can keep them together, and how to forgive mistakes. This was my first “Asian-lit” book, and I highly enjoyed it and would recommend to others.
[Rating: 4]