Calling all bookworms!

I love to read, it is one of my favorite pass-times. I can't remember when exactly I began reading, but I know I was fairly young. I love losing myself in someone else's story, letting myself get wrapped up in a life that isn't my own. Books are extremely detailed, authors have to work that much harder to not only create a character for their stories, but an entire personality. Because of this, I have always admired those who can write books, who have that much of a creative mind to be able to come up with detailed plots and characters. 

I have an ereader with well over a hundred books on it- most of which I have read. While I love my nook because of how convenient it is, I still enjoy going to the library and taking out books. Sometimes, I just miss turning an actual page, versus swiping or pressing a button on my nook. Plus, all the books in the library have this smell, this old book smell that no ereader or iPad could ever give you the experience of while reading.  

Because I have read so many amazing books I decided to list some of my favorites/ recently read books below, in the hope that (if anyone is actually reading my blog), you can post your favorite books and I can find some new reads! 
I am sure I have forgotten some as well, but I will continue to update and add to the list as I discover new reads!

Dirty Girls - The Naked Truths about our Guilty Secrets - Gillian Telling. This is my all-time favorite book. If you want to know anything about women - especially in our twenties and thirties, this is as real as it gets!

Bridges of Madison County - Robert James Waller

Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas - James Patterson

Harvesting the Heart - Jodi Picoult (Pretty much anything by Picoult is a great read, but this is my favorite by her)

The Memory of Running - Ron Mclarty (this was a book assigned to my senior english class by our professor. I have never loved a book so much that I was assigned to read!)

Winter Garden - Kristin Hannah 

The Fault in Our Stars - John Green (there is a movie of this book coming out this year! Read it before it does!)

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn

It's Not Love, It's Just Paris - Patricia Engel 

The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath 

Say You're Sorry - Michael Robotham (If you like suspense/mystery novels, this author is amazing!)

Bared To You, Reflected in you, Entwined with You - Sylvia Day (This series is like Fifty Shades of Grey -which was also very good. However, I think Day's series are written better than the Fifty Shades series.) 

The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd (Even though I saw this movie before I read the book, it was still a powerful read that I enjoyed even more than I enjoyed the movie!)

A Whole New Mind - Daniel H. Pink 

Unbearable Lightness - Portia de Rossi

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky (this is also a movie, in case you are like me who likes to read a book and then watch the movie!)

My Horizontal Life - Chelsea Handler (I think this woman is hilarious, and this isn't the only book she has written!)

One Day - David Nicholls

Staying Strong - Demi Lovato (This is a page-a-day kind of a book, but you can read it however you would like! Just some great inspiration from a girl who knows what its like to struggle)

Labor Day - Joyce Maynard

Unbeautifully - Madeline Sheehan 

If I Stay - Gayle Forman 

When you really want to call him but...

We've all been there. Whether its a recent ex-boyfriend (or not so recent), someone new you're dating, or your frequent hook-up buddy. I get it, were only human and sometimes we get lonely and restless and just want someone to talk to and cuddle us. THATS OKAY. I don't think there is anything wrong with this. 
Unless...
It is 2 in the morning and you just left the bar with your friends. Any calls you make at this time will either go straight to voicemail (where you will for sure leave an embarrassing message or leave one by mistake while you talk on and on to your friends about that hot guy at the bar), or he will answer and invite you over. In this case it was just too easy, you weren't even expecting him to be awake anyway, who stays up past 2 on a Tuesday? Besides you and your friends of course...
Just don't do it. Get a cab. Or a safe ride home. Hydrate yourself and go to sleep. Work is still going to suck tomorrow whether you sleep alone or with someone else. 

I would go over every scenario I could think of, but the list would go on forever. Just remember, your life will still go on whether you call/text him or not. Personally, it usually makes me feel better to just leave it alone. If he wants to hear from you, he will call you. And if he doesn't call, well that is what tequila is for! (maybe just hide your phone!)           xo E

"Friends are the family you choose."

I hadn't ever thought about family and friends until I saw it written this way, and then realized the truth in it. It wasn't like it wasn't something I never thought about, but maybe not on such a conscious level. 

I love my family in the most unconditional way a person can. I would never ask for or want to replace them. They are my family, and no one else gets to say that. But, like this quote implies without actually saying it, we don't get to choose our family.

I went to college because I wanted to earn my degree, but I also wanted to get out of my town and meet new people. (And I was looking forward to the freedom and parties!)

But most importantly, I wanted to meet my best friend(s), the ones that I would have those memories of college to share with and look back on for the rest of my life. I didn't care about falling in love or dating, I just wanted to make the kind of friendships that I never had in high school. 

Five years later, I am about to graduate from college and I can honestly say that I have never felt more love in my life than I do now. I met some of the best people I will ever meet during my five years in college, and these people are my four best friends. These girls are the family that I chose. 

My five years of college (yes, five), were the greatest years of my life. I met all kinds of people, from everywhere, not just Rhode Island. I fell in love (unintentionally, but sometimes you can't help it). And then I went through a break up (completely intentional).

And eventually, I discovered something that I actually looked forward to studying and learning. 

But my favorite memories will always be the ones I spent with my four best friends. 

Sometimes life can throw you curve balls, like really big ones that hit you out of nowhere, turn your life upside down. Something like this happened to me this semester, a curve ball that was big enough to knock me off of my feet and dissemble me. If it weren't for my friends, I would still be laying on the ground waiting for someone to help pick me up and piece me back together. 

I am so grateful I met these girls and even more so for the support they have continued to give me over the years. 

If I could teach anyone about life through this blog, I hope it is the real importance of true friendships. There is nothing like that feeling of home when you are with the family that you chose.

xo E