pages: 248
isbn: 978-1503938717
read: 4/25-26/2017
rating: 1// didn't like it 2// it was okay 3// i liked it
4// i really liked it 5// it was awesome 6// I loved i
SYNOPSIS
Evelyn Tester is sleepwalking through her suburban life—until a late-night phone call startles her awake. Her husband, a prestigious psychiatrist, has been in an accident. And he isn’t alone.
Suddenly Evelyn’s world isn’t as tidy as she thought. And in the midst of it all is Juliette, not only her husband’s secret lover but also his patient. If news of the affair were to get out, it would ruin more than just Evelyn’s marriage. Although it’s a bitter pill for Evelyn to swallow, protecting her family means staying silent—even if, as she begins to discover, the night of the accident has consequences far more dangerous than the unmasking of an affair.
But the more Evelyn learns about Juliette’s picture-perfect life—complete with a handsome, unsuspecting husband—the more she yearns for revenge…and satisfaction. Her growing obsession fuels her rage, burning away her complacency. What will be left of her after it flames out?
MY THOUGHTS
i found a list on facebook about the top something 56 books to read. thrillers maybe? i duno a lot of those on the list were thrillers.
this one was on the list and for some odd reason, i had another free month of that amazon e-reads things and of course this book was on there (which is good cause unless you buy the book on Amazon, good luck finding it) so i gave it a go.
honestly, i only read it because of the title (because my boyfriends brothers gf is named Evelyn so i was giving her shit about it lol. Hi Evelyn! 😚)
but I'm glad that i did.
i thought i was in a book funk but it turns out I've just been trying to force myself to read books i wasn't crazy about (the light between oceans & station eleven).
i liked this book.
it did what a good book is supposed to do; it got me hooked.
i read this book so fast! from the moment i started i was hooked. i kept thinking to myself "what could possibly happen?!" all of the plot twists i thought were going to happen didn't so that was good.
when i thought i had it figured out, BOOM! another possibility entered my mind and then, none of them ended up being it.
there was a change between Evelyn and another character that i didn't really see coming but once it happened i wasn't all that surprised. i mean, i don't know. i think if that wouldn't have happened then we wouldn't have had half of the book so i guess i understand it but then there was another little twist so it made up for it i guess.
overall, i liked Evelyn. she was dealt a shitty hand and she took a little bit figuring her shit out but she got there. (and i think it was all in a couple of months so overall, she got it together pretty fast.) yes her husband cheated on her and she ultimately found out BUT there is another plot twist in there that i wont mention here so, a) its the guilt and betrayal from her husband that she's dealing with but its also b) the situation that got them all there and how it can alter their entire family for the worse (but let's be honest, its only temporary.)
so i can definitely see why she was a hot mess.
the whole sleeping and hating the world deal, i can agree with. there were just a couple of things that were a little ahh!
when i first read the synopsis on that list i was thinking to myself "this suburban bitch will put up with her husbands lie just to keep up the fancy life!" but it wasn't even that, ahh!
i don't know why i play it down that i didn't like it as much as i did, because i liked it a lot.
it was around page 100 that i kind of lost momentum because of what happens with her and another character like i mentioned above, but it had me emotionally everywhere.
betrayal is a son of a bitch.
and then add the other thing her husband did on top of that.
take a break Evelyn!!!
i also liked that the story is told in a before / after format (kind of like the girl before & behind closed doors) BUT what i liked about this format, its that it starts with the before, walks you through it and ends it with the after, however, before the final after, it brings the story full circle.
she talks about how she feels like she's falling apart and the penultimate chapter brings you right back to the beginning.
does that make sense? i don't want to mention the subject of it because i don't want to give away spoilers here.
overall, it was a good quick read which is what i needed because i had been lagging.
i will say this (and I'm super sorry if it sounds shitty because i do not mean it that way!) if you run across this book at the library or for sale cheap, get it. just, don't go out of your way. like it's a good read but not super break your back, be on bed rest for a month and have someone hunt this book down for you so you can read it first good. i tried finding it for my nook; no dice. a copy at B&N; no dice. at the library; not even in the system. i liked it but if i would have gone through the trouble of all of that to get a physical copy, i would have been pissed. (that's just me though!)
if you want to know if its worth all of that work to find a copy, and you want to know what its all about, jump on over to the spoilers!
thanks for reading!
hello!!!
for some reason, i blogged for a week straight.....and then i disappeared.
oops. sorry!
this is more of a random ass post with a bunch of pictures and some random thoughts.
last weekend (4/15/17) we hit up Seventh Grand in DTLA (my sister, boyfriend and I) and had a couple of drinks, well, they did, i was DD. its so weird that my little sister is now old enough to get into bars with me (eeek!)
afterward, we went to Bottega Louie, got (free!) macaroons (cause she forgot to charge us), some drinks with HUGE ice cubes and a pretty good pizza.
then Sunday, we celebrated Easter.
everyone was in the finest Sunday's best and i looked like a hot mess.
afterward, we went to Bottega Louie, got (free!) macaroons (cause she forgot to charge us), some drinks with HUGE ice cubes and a pretty good pizza.
then Sunday, we celebrated Easter.
everyone was in the finest Sunday's best and i looked like a hot mess.
its been a while that i've celebrated Easter all out with my family, all of our little kids are, well, grown now and everyone does something with their immediate family so it's nice to be reminded of all of that with his side of the family.
we hid eggs, had a good lunch and pool party.
B got me an inflatable pool a while ago and we finally brought it out. all the kids jumped in. so much fun. Easter party turned into a pool party.
all the kids looked for eggs, got baskets, cracked those confetti eggs all over each other and heck, Andy broke an actual egg on my back so i had to return the favor. lol
overall, it was a great weekend. (: <3
now for the randoms.....
FINALLY got my new vans! :D (thanks B!)
I'm in a reading funk.
i gave up on the light between oceans.
i wasnt to crazy on the writing of it.
i wasnt to crazy on the writing of it.
im currently reading Station Eleven and its pretty good but im just not in a "OMG! i HAVE TO finish this now!" mood. idk whats up with me.
don't do anything else other than drive while you're driving!!!
but....so yea. this was on the way to pick up my brother from work.
...it just wasn't for me.
i couldn't use it the way i wanted to. i only use planners to balance my version of a checkbook and this was too thick for me for just that purpose (perfect size tho. it wasn't too small but not too big either.) i don't care to like, make it a memory planner. to me, at the end of it all, its just more junk to carry and i don't have a life in the sense that i need to make lists to keep track of things.
at least not yet.
but if i did, this is the perfect planner.
Saturday 4/22/2017
its been a while since us 3 have been together.
Jaydeen and i used to be inseparable but, you know, life happens.
we met up for brunch, caught up and then made plans to meet up again same time next year.
Sundays have been spent with his family at his house doing Sunday bbq's. its the norm. so on the rare occasion that we don't have one, we go out and do things. but its soooo rare!
and for some reason i was sooo lazy Sunday that i woke up, ate a slice of pizza and went back to sleep.
he woke me up to 100 million ideas of things to do and i wasn't having it.
let. me. sleep.
DON'T EVER WAKE ME UP (unless its an emergency)
i mean, we ended up at the LA Arboretum and then a pretty cool brewery and it was fun and all....but never wake me up. ill be your worst nightmare.
other than that, nothing much is really going on.
we're getting ready to hit up AZ again to go to Eric & Alyssa's wedding (EEEK!).
and that's about it.
lazy life is the best!
thanks for reading
published: 3/7/2017
pages: 203
isbn: 9781101875681
read: 4/6-10/2017
rating: 1// didn't like it 2// it was okay 3// liked it
4// really liked it 5// it was awesome 6// loved it
___________________________________________
"I'm not used to seeing people's faces.
There's too much information there."
-Christopher pg 50
___________________________________________
Many people dream of escaping modern life, but most will never act on it. This is the remarkable true story of a man who lived alone in the woods of Maine for 27 years, making this dream a reality—not out of anger at the world, but simply because he preferred to live on his own.
A New York Times bestseller
In 1986, a shy and intelligent twenty-year-old named Christopher Knight left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the forest. He would not have a conversation with another human being until nearly three decades later, when he was arrested for stealing food. Living in a tent even through brutal winters, he had survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to store edibles and water, and to avoid freezing to death. He broke into nearby cottages for food, clothing, reading material, and other provisions, taking only what he needed but terrifying a community never able to solve the mysterious burglaries. Based on extensive interviews with Knight himself, this is a vividly detailed account of his secluded life—why did he leave? what did he learn?—as well as the challenges he has faced since returning to the world. It is a gripping story of survival that asks fundamental questions about solitude, community, and what makes a good life, and a deeply moving portrait of a man who was determined to live his own way, and succeeded.
A New York Times bestseller
In 1986, a shy and intelligent twenty-year-old named Christopher Knight left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the forest. He would not have a conversation with another human being until nearly three decades later, when he was arrested for stealing food. Living in a tent even through brutal winters, he had survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to store edibles and water, and to avoid freezing to death. He broke into nearby cottages for food, clothing, reading material, and other provisions, taking only what he needed but terrifying a community never able to solve the mysterious burglaries. Based on extensive interviews with Knight himself, this is a vividly detailed account of his secluded life—why did he leave? what did he learn?—as well as the challenges he has faced since returning to the world. It is a gripping story of survival that asks fundamental questions about solitude, community, and what makes a good life, and a deeply moving portrait of a man who was determined to live his own way, and succeeded.
MY THOUGHTS
i found this in the new release section at the library while going to pick up another hold.
i had no idea who this author was or who the subject was either but i was intrigued.
plus it's a super short read so i gave it a go.
overall, i liked the story when it was about Christopher.
Michael takes you through Knight's journey and when he talks about it, it was good and i was invested.
but there are times where he delves into other "hermits" and their philosophy and just a bunch of other stuff (historical/psychological/spiritual.....) that i didn't care for. not because it was bad, it was actually pretty informative and i found myself googling some stuff but because i was in this more for Knight's story and not the extras.
after being caught, he served 7 months in jail, had to pay fee's to those he stole from and was basically forced to move back into society, which...i don't know. i mean, i know he stole, but he stole to survive.
and i know he scared the shit out of people but he never caused any physical harm...i don't know.
i feel like if a person wants to live the solitude life, who are we to force anyone otherwise.
it was a quick, informative read.
ill leave you with some faves.
also, no spoilers because, well he got caught and then he was set free and now he's a part of society against his will....so there you go.
"I prefer a meeting of the minds than a touching of the bodies. I like my distance."
-Chris pg 50
"I'm not sorry about being rude if it gets to the point quicker."
-Chris pg 50
published: 2017
pages: 336
isbn: 9780425285046
read: 3/30 to 4/5/2017 (but it was like a few minutes after midnight soooo...)
rating: 1// didn't like it 2// it was okay 3// i liked it
4// i really liked it 5// it was awesome 6// I loved it
___________________________________________
"My fascination with letting images repeat and repeat - or in film's case "run on" - manifests my belief that we spend much of our lives seeing without observing."
Andy Warhol
___________________________________________
Please make a list of every possession you consider essential to your life.
The request seems odd, even intrusive—and for the two women who answer, the consequences are devastating.
EMMA
Reeling from a traumatic break-in, Emma wants a new place to live. But none of the apartments she sees are affordable or feel safe. Until One Folgate Street. The house is an architectural masterpiece: a minimalist design of pale stone, plate glass, and soaring ceilings. But there are rules. The enigmatic architect who designed the house retains full control: no books, no throw pillows, no photos or clutter or personal effects of any kind. The space is intended to transform its occupant—and it does.
JANE
After a personal tragedy, Jane needs a fresh start. When she finds One Folgate Street she is instantly drawn to the space—and to its aloof but seductive creator. Moving in, Jane soon learns about the untimely death of the home’s previous tenant, a woman similar to Jane in age and appearance. As Jane tries to untangle truth from lies, she unwittingly follows the same patterns, makes the same choices, crosses paths with the same people, and experiences the same terror, as the girl before.
The request seems odd, even intrusive—and for the two women who answer, the consequences are devastating.
EMMA
Reeling from a traumatic break-in, Emma wants a new place to live. But none of the apartments she sees are affordable or feel safe. Until One Folgate Street. The house is an architectural masterpiece: a minimalist design of pale stone, plate glass, and soaring ceilings. But there are rules. The enigmatic architect who designed the house retains full control: no books, no throw pillows, no photos or clutter or personal effects of any kind. The space is intended to transform its occupant—and it does.
JANE
After a personal tragedy, Jane needs a fresh start. When she finds One Folgate Street she is instantly drawn to the space—and to its aloof but seductive creator. Moving in, Jane soon learns about the untimely death of the home’s previous tenant, a woman similar to Jane in age and appearance. As Jane tries to untangle truth from lies, she unwittingly follows the same patterns, makes the same choices, crosses paths with the same people, and experiences the same terror, as the girl before.
MY THOUGHTS
uhm.....i still have some unanswered questions and i can't really ask them here because they're kind of spoiler-ish...so ill ask in the spoilers.
BUT.
this book.
i mean, i liked it.
can i be 100% honest with y'all? I'm a HUGE chicken. HUGE!!!! i can't do scary movies or anything like that cause i freak out. I'm 29 years old and i have never seen The Exorcist.
anyway, i think the reason it took me so long to read this book was because I'd only read so much before i got scared about what i thought was going to happen so i wouldn't read it past like 8 pm. because i was scared. lol.
this has made me realize that i miiiiight not be ready to read The Shining yet.
uhm, it's weird cause this book is on both ends either you like it (love it) or you completely hate it and for me, I'm on the "i liked it" side with fear that later on down the line, i might realize that i did in fact not like it as much. so, idk there but it's safe to say that for now, i liked it.
it's told in the Then (Emma) and Now (Jane) form and i liked it because this time around the 'now' basically touches base on what the 'then' would be about kind of almost every chapter.
it's not a spoiler because it says it on the synopsis so you know that someone is dead, i just didn't expect that plot twist. and then, once i thought "okay, home girl has it figured out", BOOM! another.
so, the person who did it, wasn't the person who i expected. and that thing with the sleeping bag...inneresting.
i think what i can see as being a turn off for this book would be the ending.
that shit Jane pulled? uhm, what?
maybe because it was past midnight and i was kinda falling asleep and i just wanted to get it over with but, wtf did she do?
and who the ef is the last chapter based on?
i think this book is disliked because it leaves a lot of questions up in the air.
more than i care to admit.
i should mention that this book has some sexual references (another plot twist i didn't see).
for some reason, it's compared to 50 shades of Grey and uhm, no.
i don't see why. i don't want to say that it was okay or better, just that there is no comparison. ultimately, i feel that 50 shades ended up (and started as) a love story, where as this didn't. it was just adults enjoying rough sex without commitment which we all know went out the window in like the first 30 sentences of 50 shades of Grey.
anyway...spoilers below!
thanks for reading.
UPDATE:
ugh! i would find this app at the end of its light.
its actually no longer an app anymore since July 2017.
so this post is now useless. lololol
----------
let me preface this with: I'm SUPER, PRETTY, POSITIVELY, 97% sure that there is an even easier way to do this.
BUT i haven't found a single way that has worked for me (and i have absolutely no knowledge in the photoshop world whatsoever!) soooo, that's why i'm writing this.
whenever I've googled how to's, its led me to apps that work great to make gifs on my phone but once i try to share them on ig (or anywhere), it stays on the one picture rendering it useless for me.
I've googled other ways but nothing has worked for me. i don't really have tech-savvy people around me so it's not like i can ask. and I'm more of a visual learner so even reading how to's online are a hot mess. and i mean, where can i take a class? (besides like college or whatever)
so then yesterday, i don't know why, i decided to try and share a photo from my phhhoto account to see if it worked just like that.
and....., it didn't.
it didn't attach a picture but it gave me a link.
so i hit save and went from there.
anyway...., here's a step by step cause i tried explaining it earlier and I'm not sure it made a lot of sense.
you go to the app and click the little arrow facing upwards and then you get a menu on where you can share it.
you click blogger (not sure if it'll work on other blogging sites BUT! if you email it to yourself, you can essentially do the same thing which is, saving it on your desktop so you can upload it) and just save it so it's saved on your drafts and you can finish your posts off on your computer later.
if you want to do multiples, i suggest sending it to memo so you can just copy all of the links at once instead of doing it one by one.
well, the code you emailed yourself anyway...
click the little download logo and it'll open the picture up for you.
right click the picture and you save your image.
all you have to do is rename it so you can find it on your computer later.
and that's it. (that was easier than i thought)
once you save it, you can go to your draft on blogger and just upload the pic and you end up with a moving photo like up above.
it seems pretty simple but honestly, i just figured it out yesterday.
I'd been wanting to post gif like pictures but i wasn't able to because i didn't know how and then yesterday, i caught a lucky break.
UPDATE: before i even posted the post .______. if you have the phhhoto saved on your phone (like after you already posted it on the app), you can skip all this and just send it to a draft straight from your phone. i just found that out lol. it'll load as a plain picture but when you open up your draft on a computer, it'll do it's little dance. i can definitely see this route working WAY better if its only maybe like 1 or 2 pics that you're uploading. from personal experience, if it's more you're uploading, i recommend the way i mentioned. only because i think it'll lag uploading. you have no idea how many pending posts i have on my blogger app because i didn't have proper Internet or wi-fi to complete the job.
and now that i know how to do this, i might share a couple of my favorite phhhoto pics!
i'm pretty sure that phhhoto is (or was?) popular so i don't need to talk it up but i like it cause it has all sorts of random filters. i think every time they release a new one you can try it out for free. otherwise, you can buy them...but its pretty cool for me right now for what i don't really need it for. it's as simple as can be...
anyway, that's it.
thanks for reading!
hope this helped!
can you believe its already April!?
where has 2017 gone?
i started out April pretty good.
we celebrated my brother's birthday at home with a little family get together that led to everyone basically crying because my boyfriend made aguachiles and even though they weren't as spicy as i know he can make them, they were still pretty spicy but so delicious that no one could stop eating. haha
then on Sunday, we went for a hike in Palos Verdes after i was trying not to go but gave myself a talk that i should stop being lazy.
it was a nice hike, it wasn't too hot and it wasn't crowded.
it was all fun and games til i slipped and landed on my left buttcheek and my right foot and landed my left hand on a cactus.
thankfully, i didn't slide down cause i fell down while i was climbing down and my hand landing on the cactus wasn't as bad as it could have been.
just a couple of pricks here and there.
overall it was a nice hike.
then we went to San Pedro where, never in the 10 years that I've been going have i ever seen it so packed. we didn't even bother to wait in line so we just left.
overall it was a pretty great weekend, and little by little I'm seeing that the more you do on a weekend, the more you're okay with having to go back to work on Monday. (:
hope you have a great week ahead!
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