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Friday, August 30, 2019

August My Secret Snacks Review

My Secret Snacks is -- you guessed it -- a snack subscription box that sends 14 to 20 individual snacks right to you! I love snacking, and this box is a fun way to restock your pantry.

*Disclaimer: This box was sent to See, Shop, Love! in exchange for an honest review.


My Secret Snacks started with servicing vending machines and decided to bring their snacks right to your doorstep through the subscription service. You'll get a box of surprise snacks similar to those you'd find in vending machines. Here are their pricing options:
  • Monthly: $29 per month
  • Three Months: $26 per month ($78 every three months)
  • Six Months: $24 per month ($144 every six months)
  • Yearly: $22 per month ($264 every 12 months)
Plans automatically renew and you can cancel at any time. Shipping is free for all subscription options.



I was really excited to dig in to this box because I love snacks! Keep in mind, this isn't necessarily a healthy snacks subscription, although they do have a variety of different types and brands represented.


My box contained 17 individual-sized snacks. Here's what was inside:
  • Doritos Nacho Cheese
  • Cheetos Flamin' Hot Chipotle Ranch
  • Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips Luau BBQ
  • Basil's Cappuccino Premium Cookies
  • Chex Mix Traditional
  • Munchies Snack Mix Flamin' Hot
  • Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips Sweet Maui Onion
  • Cheez It Original
  • Gardetto's Original Recipe Snack Mix
  • Rice Krispies Treats Original
  • Oreo
  • Nature's Bakery Fig Bar Apple Cinnamon
  • Nature's Bakery Fig Bar Apple Cinnamon (two bars total)
  • Skittles Original
  • Peanut Butter M&Ms
  • Mini Chewy Sweetarts
  • Original Slim Jim
I loved the variety in this box! There were a lot of great snacks, but my favorites were the Hawaiian Kettle Chips and the Sweetarts candies. If you assume each snack costs about $2 individually in stores or from a vending machine, the approximate retail value here is $34 for 17 snacks. That's a little over the $29 cost of the box, give or take some if each snack retails for a bit more or less in stores.
Bottom Line: My Secret Snacks is a great box for snackers! There are lots of goodies inside, so it's perfect for a family to share, or to keep all to yourself like I did.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

August Book of the Month Review and Coupon

I've been thoroughly enjoying my Book of the Month subscription. I usually read a book a month, so having a brand new one to open up delivered right to me is perfect!

*Disclaimer: This box was purchased by See, Shop, Love! Post contains affiliate links.



Book of the Month costs $14.99 per month for a brand new hardcover book. You can also add on other books for $9.99 each.

There are five books to choose from that are hand-selected by a panel of judges. If you don't like any of the books you can skip the month and your credit will carry over to use at a later time.


For August I chose The Whisper Man by Alex North, which is a mystery/thriller about a serial killer. To be honest, the August selections weren't super exciting to me and I almost skipped before I saw this title.

I'm about halfway through the book so far and it's pretty good. It isn't the riveting page-turner I hoped it would be, but it's still sufficiently intriguing. Here's the synopsis from Amazon:
Told in alternating voices, Alex North's thriller The Whisper Man delivers strong twists and a truly surprising ending. A fresh start always seems like a good idea, but for Tom Kennedy and his son Jake, it doesn't go so well. When the two move back to Tom's hometown, their arrival coincides with the kidnapping of a boy who is Jake's age. The crime appears to have the hallmark of Frank Carter, a serial killer who terrorized the town twenty years earlier, and part of the novel is narrated by the cop who captured Carter decades earlier. The Whisper Man is spine-tinglingly creepy, and the suspense keeps building, layer by layer. Little reveals only serve to keep the reader guessing, and the end feels like more than a reveal--for me it was as if the entire atmosphere of the story took an unexpected and chilly turn. At first, the storyline appears to employ a familiar genre trope, but it veers wonderfully from the expected, and North's inclusion of a touching father-son relationship in this psychological thriller took it to the top of our best of the month list.--Seira Wilson, Amazon Book Review
If you're a reader, Book of the Month is a great subscription for you. I love getting a new book every month for only $14.99!

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

August Gramma in a Box Review and Coupon

Gramma in a Box is a wonderful subscription that sends cookie and candy crafts that you can share with your family and friends! The August box was "Beach Party Snacks" themed.

*Disclaimer: This box was sent to See, Shop, Love! in exchange for an honest review.


Gramma in a Box was started by Terry after her grandchildren moved out of state. She wanted a way to share some treats and love with them and thought it would be fun to open it up to subscribers across the country!


Each month you'll receive a box full of ingredients to make three different crafts. It'll include everything you need, save for maybe a household item like a bowl or spoon for mixing. I've never needed anything that I didn't already have at home. The crafts are simple, fun, and great for all ages.

Here are the pricing options:
  • Monthly: $20 per month
  • Three Months: $55 every three months (save $5)
  • Six Months: $110 every six months (save $10)
  • 12 Months: $220 every 12 months (save $20)
Shipping is free to the U.S. and taxes are included. If you want to cancel, do so by the 25th of the month. You can also try one box for $20 without a renewing subscription.



One of my favorite things about Gramma in a Box is how creative the crafts are! The first one was Goldfish Bowls. It involved dipping jumbo marshmallows into melting chocolate, then dipping that into graham cracker crumbles and adding the Goldfish crackers as decoration. So cute!



The second project was Seashell Pretzels and used up the rest of the melting chocolate. I dipped the pretzels in the chocolate, then added sprinkles and one of the pretty seashell chocolate shapes that were included in a separate container.



The third project is always cookie decorating, and this month's was Sea Life shapes with beautiful pastel frosting and sprinkles. The cookies are pre-made so it's best to do the crafts within one week of receiving your box to keep them fresh.

The shapes were seashells, stars, and fish. I loved how pretty the icing colors were! The cookies are a butter/sugar cookie and are always a hit with my family. I took all of my completed crafts to a weekend cottage trip and had a great time sharing them.
Bottom Line: Gramma in a Box is always a nice surprise! I love the creative crafts and how simple and fun they are to complete. 

Sunday, August 18, 2019

August Shades Club Review and Coupon

The August Shades Club sunglasses were some of my favorites yet! The style is great and the construction high quality, as always.

*Disclaimer: This box was purchased by See, Shop, Love! at a discounted rate in exchange for an honest review.


Shades Club is $29 per month for a pair of stylish sunglasses. They have men's and women's styles that are manufactured in the same places as more expensive brands.

Here are their pricing options:
  • Monthly: $29 per month
  • Four Months: $112 every four months/$28 per month (one month free)
  • Six Months: $162 every six months/$27 per month (1.5 months free)
  • Yearly: $288 every 12 months/$24 per month (two months free)
You can also purchase past shades on the Shades Club website for $75 per pair.


Each set of shades comes in a drawstring bag that doubles as a microfiber cloth for cleaning. You'll also get a folding carrying case with your first order, and other accessories may be included in future boxes.


The August shades are the Jetsetter aviators. Aviators are my favorite lens shape and the reflective surface looks so sharp! All of the Shades Club sunglasses are also polarized.

You can also see in the photo above that the left lens is branded with the "Shades" logo. It's discreet but a nice detail. The lenses have 100 percent UVA/UVB protection, too.


The arms of these sunglasses are a tortoiseshell pattern with "Shades Club x Barbella" written on the inside. It looks like these were made in partnership with the BarBella subscription and were featured in their April 2019 box.
Bottom Line: These Jetsetter aviators are the perfect style for me! I love that they're a high quality and polarized for only $29 per month. That price is insane! I can think of a similar brand that charges over $200 for polarized lenses, and I've had that brand, and these are much better quality.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

August Daily Goodie Box Review

If you like trying new products, Daily Goodie Box is a fun and free way to do so! They send out boxes in exchange for your opinions on the products inside.

*Disclaimer: This box was sent to See, Shop, Love! in exchange for an honest review.


Daily Goodie Box is an entirely free service. You'll never be asked for payment information. Boxes are not guaranteed, but you can create a profile on their website and interact with them on social media to increase your chances of receiving one (links at the end of this post).


The monthly boxes always contain a variety of products and brands. You can find anything from food to beauty products to home care, and more. Here's what was inside for August:
  • Evo Hemp Mocha Chip Hemp Bar: This bar is made with hemp protein (obviously) and cashew butter and provides three to four hours of energy without added fillers, oils, or sulfates.
  • Bubba's Fine Foods Grand Garlic Parm Nana Chips: I love banana chips; they have a nice thick texture and lots of crunch. These chips are vegan and had a great flavor.
  • Foods Alive Nutritional Yeast: This yeast is non-GMO, gluten-free, and is not fortified with any synthetic vitamins. I'm going to use this to bake bread.
  • Natralia Heel Balm: My heels take a beating in the summer, especially during my martial arts classes. This balm is great! It's made with shea butter, rosemary and safflower oils, and aloe vera to restore skin's natural balance. The texture is thick but not greasy and it absorbs quickly into the skin.

Bottom Line: The August Daily Goodie Box had a good mix of snacks and lifestyle products to try. My favorites were the Natralia Heel Balm and Flathau's Fine Foods cookies!

Monday, August 5, 2019

July Shades Club Review and Coupon

If you like sunglasses as much as I do, check out Shades Club! They send high quality, polarized shades each month in a variety of designs.

*Disclaimer: This box was purchased by See, Shop, Love! at a discounted rate in exchange for an honest review.


Shades Club delivers great shades at affordable prices. They have subscriptions for men and women without the pricey markup that most sunglasses have.

Here are their pricing options:
  • Monthly: $29 per month
  • Four Months: $112 every four months/$28 per month (one month free)
  • Six Months: $162 every six months/$27 per month (1.5 months free)
  • Yearly: $288 every 12 months/$24 per month (two months free)
You can also purchase past shades on the Shades Club website for $75 per pair.


Each delivery includes the sunglasses and a microfiber carrying case that doubles as a cleaning cloth. Your first month will also include a fold up carrying case, and future boxes may contain other accessories.

The July shades are called "The Everyday" and I got the color "Blackout." They're classic, simple, and just my style. The lenses are polarized and are a smoke gray color, with 100 percent UVA/UVB protection.


Another thing I like about Shades Club is the "Shades" branding they add on the top of the left lens (and along the arms, as you can see in the photo above).



The name of the design (first photo above) and "Wake up, repeat" are printed on the insides of the arms.
Bottom Line: I love The Everyday Shades! I'm a fan of simple black shades and these are the perfect design and shape for me. I also like that all of the Shades Club sunglasses come with polarized lenses. You really can't beat the price of $29 per month for that!

Saturday, August 3, 2019

July Book of the Month Review and Coupon

I've always been an avid reader, so Book of the Month is one of my favorite subscriptions! This month I chose a thriller as my book selection.

*Disclaimer: This box was purchased by See, Shop, Love! Post contains referral links.


Book of the Month features five selections each month, hand-picked by a panel of judges. It costs $14.99 per month and you can choose to add-on as many books as you want for $9.99 each. This is a great price for a brand new hardcover book!

If you're not keen on any of the selections that month you can choose to skip and your credit will carry over. Note that you'll still be charged -- usually I get charged a few days before the end of the month and then my credit is ready for selection time on the first of the following month.


Lock Every Door by Riley Sanger immediately stood out to me among the July selections. I love a good thriller, and this one sounded very good. I'm only about one third of the way through currently but it's definitely a page-turner! Here's the synopsis from Amazon:
No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen’s new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story...until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid’s disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's sordid past and into the secrets kept within its walls. What she discovers pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building’s hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.


I look forward to selection time for Book of the Month each month; it reminds me of when I was a kid and the Scholastic Book Fair would roll around. The BoTM staff and judges do a great job of selecting up-and-coming authors and exciting titles.
Bottom Line: I made the right choice for July! Lock Every Door is great so far and you can't beat the price of $14.99 for a new, hardcover book.