I was super happy about the fact that I was able to read this book when Fall was FINALLY Here! For real though, FALLELUJAH!!!
Anyway. I had super high hopes for this books. And I don't feel that I was disappointed by the book. I had heard such mixed reviews on this book. A lot of people loved it and considered it as their favorite book! While, others hated the book.
Now. To be fair, I am pretty easily entertained and it doesn't take a lot for me to enjoy a book. I can honestly only think of one book that I have 'Hated' and that was "The Good Earth." Part of me feels that if I were to read that book again, I wouldn't hate it. But it was a bit much for a ninth grade, teenage girl.
Anyway, That was a bit of a tangent.
I found the pictures in this book great and I LOVED how much they matched the story. I'm not gonna lie, I actually gasped a couple of times while reading this book. And I thought that the plot twists were fantastic!
Overall, I gave this book 4.5 stars. I thought that the story was well thought out, it included a small love story (Which is always great) and it kept me wanting to read more!
I don't know how "Scary" I would call this book, but I still think it is a great fall read.
Well. Siddhartha was the book I chose for my 2016 Book Challenge that was "A Book I Could Read in A Day." Guess how many days it took me? Roughly 35. *insert self mockery*
I know. It is absolute pitiful. This 119 page book took me 35+ days to read. In all fairness, the challenge just says that I COULD read it in a day. That doesn't meant that I have to, right? Also, I was spending this month trying to study for my CSW exam, which I passed!! *Insert the Hallelujah Chorus*
Now, if you have been following my updates on this reading challenge, you will notice that I have been reading a lot of young adult and even children's books. (Anyone who says they don't enjoy these books are lying. True story!) So reading a book that actually requires thought was a little bit of a change for this year.
When I was only a few chapters into this book, I was so afraid that I was going to hate it. For those who are not familiar with this story, it was originally printed in German and we are now lucky enough to have a translated version. I felt as if the wordage was not that easy to follow. I know that this statement is coming from a hick that has lived in Utah her whole life. But I was having a hard time following what was being said originally.
But then, I finally understood the beautiful and unique writing of Hermann Hesse.
The story of Siddhartha going on a search to find himself and the peace that he knows that he can find is awe inspiring!
There is a large amount of this book that is surrounding a river. And, without giving any spoilers, I have never seen a better use of metaphor in my life! The river truly is everywhere! This book has given me and entirely different outlook on life and I think that everyone would benefit from reading the amazing work of Hermann Hesse!
Does it count as a favorite if it was the only book that I read this month? Irregardless, it probably would have counted as my favorite anyway.
I LOVED IT! The character build up was incredible. The book gave me "All The Feels" like the original 7. It did answer some of that questions that I had been wondering about since the end of the series. Don't get me wrong, I am still longing for a "Harry Potter: Life After Hogwarts", but It is nice that we can follow the life of Albus Severus Potter. :)
Favorite Movie watched at Home
Believe it or not, I have not been watching very many movies at home! I know, it is so unlike me! I have been a little enthralled in tv series lately as well as reading.
Anyway, my favorite would have to be 10 Cloverfield Lane.
I was really skeptical when I started watching because the other Cloverfield movie was TERRIBLE!
But I really enjoyed this. It definitely kept my attention and had a good twist!
I liked it even though it is hard for me to imagine John Goodman as a bad person. Hahah!
Favorite Movie I Saw In Theater
Again, does it count as a favorite if it was the only movie that I saw?! I think it is a little bit of a stretch. But, alas, It is my favorite for the month of August! :)
I really, really, REALLY liked Suicide Squad. To tell you the honest truth, I had no idea what it was about when I went to go see it. I knew that it was about bad people working together to make a new team, but I didn't know that they were Marvel characters! In hindsight, that is super silly that I didn't know that. But I am glad that I went and saw it!
Harley was my favorite. I mean, isn't she everybody's?
Favorite TV Show
Ah. Supernatural. My love for it never ends! I have been rewatching in this past month and I almost forgot how amazing and funny the first season was! haha! An oldie but a goodie! :)
Team Dean (aka Jensen Ackles), forever and ever! :)
Netflix Bingewatch
Those of you that know me, know that I LOVE anything scary/thriller/suspense. Obviously I like a good chickflick or comedy anytime as well. But this new Netflix original series is AMAZING! It has such a Stephen King feel to it and I could not get enough of it!
At first I was a little disappointed because there were only 8 episodes but I am thrilled that they have already started filming the second season! I could watch this series over and over again!
You, yeah you! You need to go watch this... NOW! :)
Favorite Song
The first time I ever heard of Matt Nathanson was from my Brother-in-Law, Jim. And at that time, he wasn't my Brother-in-Law yet. I always laugh when people claim to be Matt Nathanson fans and they only know of the one Album "Some Mad Hope" which has Come on Get Higher on it. *Insert hysterical laugh* I feel that I cannot even claim to be a serious Matt Nathanson fan because he has so many albums and I was even late in the game when I fell in love with "Beneath These Fireworks." That album was his SIXTH album!
Anyway, sorry for the rant. My favorite song this month was on his latest album and that is "Gold in the Summertime."
I hope you love it as much as I do. :)
Favorite Lip Color
I do have an extensive addiction and collection of lip products. And I'm not even ashamed about it! :) This months favorite would have to be another Gerard Cosmetics. I only have 4 or 5 lip products from them, but I am super impressed at the quality and pigmentation of the lip product! This, again, is a lip color that was originally and collaboration with Jaclyn Hill, and like I said in my last favorites post, for some reason they aren't affiliated anymore.
Anyway, this is Gerard Cosmetics Butter Cream.
It is a lipgloss. The nice thing about their lip glosses are that they have a light on the tip and a mirror on the side.
I honestly don't go out "clubbing" and it is honestly pretty rare that I apply lip products more than once. But I think that this is an amazing feature for people that are wanting to reapply in places that may not have a mirror.
Anyway, this color is the perfect nude pink. It is highly pigmented, but not too sticky. I love it!
Favorite Eye Shadow Pallet
Morphe Products are something that I don't but often, but when I do, I am never disappointed. I think that I have a total of three of their Eye Shadow Pallets. They are all INCREDIBLE!
My favorite for this month was the 35F-Fall Into Frost Pallet. It has a majority of shimmer eye shadows and then one row of matte transition-like colors.
The best part about these pallets is the price tag! This retails on their website for $22.99! For real! This Pallet has 35 eye shadows. That averages as $0.66 a shadow! They are so butter and creamy and pigmented! Also, if you are a make-up YouTube watcher, most of the channels have a discount code of 10%. Which, off of $23 isn't all that much, but it still is something!
I can create an infinite amount of looks with this pallet and I was always grabbing for it during the month of August.
Favorite Perfume
I have started grabbing for Perfume since August. And my favorite one this month was Marc Jacobs Daisy. I honestly only have a few perfume's anyway, but this one is the perfect mix of musk and sweet. :)
Favorite Nail Polish
My Nail Polish Addiction continues! Would you expect anything less!?
This month my favorite color was O.P.I.: Kerry Blossom
When you combine the color with gold and lavender, it is spectacular!
*Insert heart eyed emoji*
Purple is pretty much the greatest, isn't it?
Favorite Shirt
While we are on the topic of purple. Just... LOOK AT THIS SHIRT!
It is definitely my favorite shirt for the month. It is light weight, purple, and flowy and amazing! :)
It is from target and it is Xhilaration brand! :)
Favorite Pants
Again, these Bermuda shorts from target are amazing! They are honestly the longest Bermuda shorts that I have ever owned! Mine are a lot darker of a shade than this, but they are stretchy and comfortable and cover up just enough of the thigh. :)
Denizen Bermuda Shorts
Favorite Shoes
I'm not gonna lie, I have been boycotting these sandals for what feels like forever! But, I bought a pair, at Zurchers of all places, and I am OBSESSED!
They are insanely comfortable and they match everything! ;)
Now that fall is around the corner, I probably won't be wearing them as much, but they have definitely been used since they day that I bought them.
Favorite Accessory
I had a hard time finding a picture of the gold bar necklace that I got from Old Navy forever ago. I am wearing it in this picture. I hope you can see it enough. But I wore this almost every other day in the month of August. I have been obsessed with Gold for the last several months.
On a side note, How cute are my friends!? I think they are pretty adorable. :)
Favorite Activity
Sandee treated me to a trip to St George to see Tarzan at Tuachan. It was such an amazing trip and was so rejuvenating!!!
We decided to drive down to the Grand Canyon and I could have stayed there for days. It is so incredible and unique and I wanted to examine each part of the beautiful creation!
Then on the way home we drove through Zions.
A frequent statement of mine during this whole trip was " I don't understand!" I really don't understand how something like this is created, but it definitely affirms that there is a God that created this beautiful world!
Favorite Extra Purchase
I treated myself to some makeup organizers so that I could create a fake "vanity." I think that it turned out quite nicely and I smile every time that I see it through my closet door.
I would have to say that my favorite item of them all is the "Life is a Beautiful Ride" picture. :) <3 p="">
Favorite Picture
The managers at work had a great time letting off some stress at Bookdocks. Me and Sage took this picture after the bumper boats.
It deserves to be in my favorite spot! I think that we look adorable and it pretty much depicts our friendship!
Many of you probably don't know that I am kind of a YouTube junkie. I have several people that I follow, and the majority of them are makeup artists. I really enjoy watching how other different everyone's technique is and applying it to my own makeup addiction. One thing that is in common with all of these YouTubers is that they all do monthly favorite videos. These videos usually involve lipstick, bronzer, highlighter, etc. I loved this idea but wasn't sure how I was going to make the blog worth reading since I wear lip products and eye shadows. But the more I thought about it, I realized that there are several non-makeup related things that I love that frequently changes that may make a favorites post fun! Sometimes the topics may changes or adjust, but I think that you won't mind. :) Hopefully it isn't too random, but would you expect anything else? :) I realize it is almost September, but better late than never, right? :)
Favorite Movie I saw in Theaters
I definitely go through phases of how often I see movies/if I see movies at all. I tend to just buy movies when they come out because the cost is pretty comparable when you think about it. Plus, I have a serious addiction to movies. :) But this month I actually saw several movies! It is really hard to pick just one favorite, But I think that I have narrowed it down to 2! :)
The First one is The Secret Life of Pets.
Me being an animal lover, it was probably really anticipated that this would be on my favorite list. I thought that it was really good and I am a sucker for anything animated. :)
Yes, I am a child. Even on the outside, I have come to accept it and make peace with it. :)
I would be lying if I said that there was zero chance that the fact I saw this movie with my favorite person on earth played any role in the decision that is it my favorite.
People who were born in July of 1992 are the best kind of people... In case you were wondering. :)
The second movie was The BFG.
It was so well done, the artistry was fantastic and it hit you in all the good feels! Plus, they all had english accents. That makes everything better. :)
I went and saw this movie with Sandee and my Aunt Karen! It was definitely a fun night! :)
Favorite Shoes
Another fun fact about Heidee Miller is that I don't typically like shoes. but when I find a pair of super comfortable shoes that also help keep my feel nice and cool during the summertime, I can't even be mad about it!
These shoes are so incredibly comfortable and I got them at TJ Maxx, so they were like $20! Which makes them even better because they are styling, comfortable, and affordable. :)
Favorite Event
Andrew McMahon... He gets me! I am never disappointed when I go to a concert of his. I guess that it is stretching it, calling this an Andrew McMahon concert, since he played for about 30 min... :( But it was 30 minutes of pure heaven! :) Me and Sandee went to the Weezer/Panic at this Disco concert on July 26th and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness was he opener. :)
I just love how awesome Andrew is. He is so humble and kind and considerate. For example, many people don't know that during his first tour as Jacks Mannequin, he was fighting cancer. And it was a bone marrow transplant from his sister that ultimately saved his life and he is now 11 years free of cancer. So at every concert that he does, he has a bone marrow registry for people to sign up to help those that have cancer. And so far by doing this, they have matched over 50 people! Isn't that totally insane and totally awesome!?
He got so close to us that we could almost touch him! Too bad that this girl almost knocked us over to run and see him. And she probably didn't even know who he was since she has a Panic! shirt on.
Speaking of Panic! at the Disco, I hate them. I used to love them, especially back in their original days! But during this concert he basically told the whole crowd that if they like to tell people who they are supposed to be to just eff off. (Interesting juxtaposition compared to Andrew asking you to save other people's lives.) The interesting part about this, is apparently the lead singer is only okay with people telling him who to be when it is Pete Wentz telling him to be famous. Weird?
Fun Fact! Pete Wentz, from Fall Out Boy, saw Panic! at the Disco play in a garage somewhere; they had never played infront of anyone before, and Pete signed them to his label. Pete Wentz is literally the reason that they are famous.
Weezer on the other hand was INCREDIBLE! I mean, they are no Andrew McMahon, BUT I continuously forget how much I love Weezer. They performed well. Were wholesome, and were definitely a good set of music. :)
Favorite Nail Polish
It wouldn't be a favorites video without nail polish. Right? July is when I got back into doing my nails. I had a long stretch of time where I didn't do my nails at all. Which is extremely unlike me. But my favorite color of the month would have to be Sephor by O.P.I.: It's all about me.
Am I the only person that misses this brand? Their formula, brush size, and everything was just perfect. But alas, it is no longer.
I was addicted to doticures for a few weeks!
Favorite Lip Color
I have a lot of makeup, especially lips products. And for some reason, I always go to the more "expensive" or "exclusive" colors that I have because they are just SO beautiful! For the Month of July I was addicted to Gerard Cosmetics Buttercup. This color was originally created by Jaclyn Hill, a YouTuber, but she has severed ties with Gerard Cosmetics. I really wish that I knew the reason why, but alas, she has not come out saying why.
Anyway, this color is still available on the Gerard Cosmetics Website and it pairs very well with any pinky nude lipgloss. :)
Favorite Book
This is a little bit of cheat, because I only finished one book in July and I had been reading it all year. But It would have to be Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King! For some reason I can not get enough of his style of writing and completely scary stories!
I wrote a review earlier on this book for part of the 2016 Book Challenge. But it was great and had a lot of twists and turns and makes me nervous to ever got to an insanely popular concert for fear that I might die.
Favorite Stuffed Animal
Hi. My Name is Heidee, I'm 24 years old, and I love stuffed animals. :)
I went for a long stretch without having hardly any stuffed animals, ya know, as most adults should. But the addiction came back after me and Sandee went to build a bear for fun, which is where I got The Hulkster who is in this picture.
But in July during the birthday bash for me and Michaela, we went to build a bear and got matchin Spock Bears! Everytime I look at him I can't help but smile and laugh! It is so funny! The bottom of his feet even say "Live Long and Prosper' Hahaha! He has pointy ears and his hand is doing the sign even. :)
Favorite Song
This could potentially be because of the concert, but I was listening to Weezer a lot this summer. :) Like I said, I forget how much I like Weezer. Fun fact! This is the song that plays on my phone to wake up. I usually don't let it play long enough to actually hear the lyrics. But, when I decided that would be my alarm, I thought it was quite hilarious. "Guess what, Heidee? You get to wake up now!" "Say it Ain't So!"
Favorite Extra Purchase
As a kid, I pretty much lived in a swimming suit. It was the easy activity and summers are always super hot around here! I even had every one of my birthdays as a kid to be a pool party. My birthday is in July, so it is pretty much the perfect birthday activity!
But, once I became an adult, I haven't been such a fan of swimming suits. Lame, I know. But I found the best swimsuit EVER at JC Penny this year. I don't like one piece swimsuits, because they are a pain to get off and on if you need to go to the bathroom. And most tankinis aren't long enough/doesn't cover the chest.
But! Look at this!
This is by Zero Xposur Swimmwear.
I'm not gonna lie, it is designed for people who do triathlons, and we all know that I don't do that! :)
But! It is long enough and good covering and is just all in all comfortable!
But this!
This was the gem of all things to find!
This skort is by St Johns Bay and it has a tummy tuck feature! It nearly goes half way through my rib cage! Which I totally love! That way if my tankini top rids up, my stomach still doesn't show.
It is pretty much heaven on earth! And the colors and patterns of this combo are fantastic!
Favorite Eye-shadow Pallet
I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't addicted to make-up. Sorry not sorry.
With that being said, I definitely have a plethora of eye-shadow pallets to choose from.
But, for the month of July, my favorite was HANDS DOWN the Tarte collaboration with Grav3yardgirl.
If you aren't savvy to the YouTube work, Grav3yardgirl is in Texas and she has a huge following (sounds like a cult, I know!) of all ages. She tests as seen on TV products, and also does makeup reviews. It is a pretty fun channel. What I really like about her is that she is able to rock both a "beat" look as well as a "natural" look. She is absolutely stunning when she does her makeup, but she isn't afraid to go in-front of the camera looking how she would when she woke up! I think that is totally awesome!
I have never used Tarte eye-shadow before, but I cannot even with this pallet. Technically, but definition, the pallet includes a bronzer, blush, and highlight. But, I use them all as eye-shadows.
The colors are incredibly pigmented, they blend like a dream, it has both warm and cool tones, and it includes a lot of purples. Can life get any better!?!
*Disclaimer: I am in love with this pallet, however, the mascara that came with it, I am super allergic to. Is that weird?*
Favorite Accessory
This is going to sound like I'm a rich snob, But I have been LOVING my apple watch! I bought it with money from my graduation gifts. When I first got it, I wasn't convinced that it was worth the heavy price tag, but I had high hopes that it would be. And after much use I definitely think that it is! I bought mine at Target, it is Rose Gold with a purple sports band. I waited until it was on sale and I have a Target RedCard which helped decrease the price by another 5%!
This watch reminds me when I need to stand up and get moving. It also has the capability for you to talk to someone on the phone THROUGH YOUR WATCH! That is so unique of smart watches, based on my research anyway.
Sometimes I am bad at being consisent with wearing this. But, I think that it has been worth the money!
Favorite Shirt
I got this shirt at Charlotte Russe! I mean, is there a better shirt?!
The only downside to this shirt is that it has really high sides. That is definitely the look that is cool now adays, but I don't love how much of the undershirt that can be seen because of the style of the shirt. But I think it is a great pre-fall shirt!
Favorite Pants
My mom let me in on a great secret! Shorts that have elastic waist bands are the best thing that were invented since sliced bread!
My favorite pair of the month were these grey ones! They are shorts and comfortable but still look super fancy! I wish that I could wear them to work, but I'll settle with wearing them at home. :) Because, who likes pant buttons anyway!
Netflix Bingewatch
My last favorite of the month of July is Grey's Anatomy. I seriously bingewatched all 11-12 seasons of this show. It is almost dismal! But I finished it in early July! I watched it when the first season came out and then I fell out of interest. But I am so glad I found it again!
It's a beautiful Day to Save Lives! :)
Well, that is it for my favorites for the month of July. Sorry that it is already basically September, but I'm sure that I will be able to do my August favorites sooner that October. :)
Harry Potter and The Cursed Child Parts One and Two
J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany
For those of you that know me, it is anticipated that I would own this book and ultimately love it! Which, is true, and writing a whole blog post about how much I love it may be excessive and unnecessary. But, I do have many thoughts regarding this beloved Harry Potter book, believe it or not, some may be negative. Let me explain.
I do not think that it is fair to refer to this as "The Eighth Book."
First of all, it is not a book. It is a screen-write for a play. So ultimately it is going to read differently than a novel, it will not provide as many details to help imagination start rolling, and the portions that direct acting can become very distracting.
Secondly, even though the cover of the book itself says "The Eighth Story, Nineteen Years Later," I completely disagree with the statement.
My best way to describe it is to compare it to Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow.
(Those of you that have read both books will completely understand. Those of you that haven't read both books, shame on you. ;))
For both Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow, the basic storyline involves Ender and Bean being chosen to go to an academy to learn how to play a "Game" and ultimatly win many games. BUT, in each story, the point of view is different. Ender's Game being in the point of view of Ender and Ender's Shadow being in the point of view of Bean. So, even though they are the same basic storyline, they are ultimately different because the life and experience of the storyteller is completely different! Different enough that Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow have their own series behind them. Ender's Game has books such as Ender in Exile, Xenocide, and Speaker for the Dead. While Ender's Shadow has books such as Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Hegemon, and Shadow of the Giant. The "Same Story" is different enough that the stories continue in their own different direction!
I don't mean to go on a tangent about Ender's Game/Ender's Shadow, but I think that you'll understand me now when I say that this is not the Eighth Story, but a new beginning of a Potter going to Hogwarts. Even though this book has the history of Hogwarts, the same characters, and many references to the original 7 books, it is not the same story. It is Albus' story.
All that being said, I LOVED IT! The character build up was incredible. The book gave me "All The Feels" like the original 7. It did answer some of that questions that I had been wondering about since the end of the series. Don't get me wrong, I am still longing for a "Harry Potter: Life After Hogwarts", but It is nice that we can follow the life of Albus Severus Potter. :)
