#The Seven Husbands of Elizabeth Taylor

[slaughter-books]

Day 8: JOMPBPC: Empowered Women Empower Women

Empowered women in books empower women in real life! 💕

[bibliophileiz]

When you finish The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and you're torn between wanting to brain Evelyn with a two-by-four and wanting to tip your hat to her like, 'Damn, she was something."

[readingandlisteningtobooks]

It’s been a few weeks since I read this book, but I really wanted to post about it. I’d heard a lot about this author, both with this book and others (particularly Daisy Jones and the Six), so I felt like I ought to give it a go.

I am so glad I read this!!! It felt glamorous listening to the life of this Hollywood movie star both of the main characters are blunt but charming, though Evelyn Hugo is particularly impressive in this. She seems to have been born with the kind of confidence I can only dream of having. This story could have been written simply as a fictional biography, but Taylor Jenkins Reid created an air of mystery and desire for answers so it felt near impossible to read at a slow pace. I wanted to get find out the why’s surrounding Evelyn Hugo’s decisions and where she would end up next. She was the perfect blend of all the Hollywood stars I’ve watched on the screen, though particularly the ones I understand she was based on (Elizabeth Taylor and Ava Gardner).

Not only did the character seem perfect for the roll, but so we’re the voice actors of the audiobook, Alma Cuervo, Julia Whelan, and Robin Miles. Even the best of books would fall flat as an audiobook without brilliant voices to match.

[amartworks]

Elia Martell, princess consort of Rhaegar Targaryen, and her children, Rhaenys and Aegon

I like how while Elia isn’t in the books, she haunts the narrative just as much as her husband – down to her daughter’s kitten literally haunting the Red Keep.

Artist notes below cut for freaks who like that

Oh god this took so long. Oh god why did I let it go this far. Here's the original sketch. Referenced from JookPubStock… I think. It's been so long.

This painting is quite blatantly inspired by Franz Xaver Winterhalter’s The Royal Family. It's decidedly rococo/neo-classical and wayyyy too late for ASOIAF but I don't care.

Elia Martell is described as flat chested and quite sickly. I see her being easily exhausted and therefore wearing dresses that do not weigh much, so as to not put pain on her shoulders and tire her out. I also gave her a strong nose because I am very fond of Pedro Pascal’s Oberyn, Elia’s brother.

Elia is wearing a simple ambigious renaissance dress with small sleeves and a light corset. Kind of cobbled together from looking at Hans Holbein the Younger’s works. The fabric the dress is cut from is however meant to be Dornish – I drew inspiration from this beautiful Ottomanian textile.

Her crown is completely made up. I searched “sun crown” and was greatly inspired by the works of jewelry maker SunFlames.

King Aerys refused to touch his granddaughter Rhaenys because she “smelled Dornish” which tells me Rhaenys probably favored her mother.

Rhaenys was difficult. I looked up what renaissance children wore, and the answer is they wore exact copies of what adults wore. I don’t know how, I feel like the moment you were done with a sleeve the child in question would’ve outgrown it. I decided to freestyle it a little.

Aegon is wearing a christening gown. As far as I can tell the Faith of the Seven doesn’t mention baptisms… but considering the catholic inspiration I think it makes sense. Also I think it's sweet.

They both have deep indigo eyes. My personal headcanon is that Targaryen eyes are purple in the same sense that Elizabeth Taylor’s eyes were purple. Moreover the definition of colors change over time. During the Middle Ages, there was no word for the color “orange” – instead you would say red or yellow. Similarly a lot of languages will use the same word for blue and green.

HOWEVER, this is something that has come with later generations – the first Valyrians had inhumanly violet eyes, which I will be doing concept art for… sometime.

Finally here’s what I know you're REALLY here for, and the part of the painting which I am the proudest of – the 3D model of the chair and table which I made in Blender because I couldn't find a good reference for a renaissance era chair from the angle I wanted.

[writerthreads]

Ten must-read books for writers (or anyone, really.)

By Writerthreads on Instagram

Obviously this list is highly subjective and based on my research and personal experience. Please share your favourite books as well!!

1. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

Woolf is the queen of the stream of consciousness and a master at diving into characters' inner thoughts, conveying complex emotions, themes and perspective. Her prose is breathtaking, her character memorable.

2. Beloved by Toni Morrison

Morrison tackles difficult themes with poise like no other, diving into topics like grief, trauma, and identity. Read this book to learn how to develop multi-layered narratives whilst maintaining perfect pacing and a intricate narrative structure.

3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

A masterpiece. Sharp social commentary, eloquent prose and vivid imagery... what more can you want from a book? Every word was chosen for a purpose, and it shows the importance of restraint in writing.

4. The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

Tolkien's legendary fantasy world-building makes his series a staple in fantasy literature. The geography, cultures and histories in his works are well-crafted. Anyone trying to build a complex world can learn from from this series.

5. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

Our second Woolf classic in this list! Mrs. Dalloway is a masterclass of a perfect character study. Woolf weaves different viewpoints intricately, capturing the essence of human experience.

6. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Austen character development is legendary, showcasing complex, evolving characters like Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. The novel’s witty dialogue show insight into personality and societal norms, and her narrative voice and well-structured plot keeps readers hooked to the very end.

7. Never Let Me Go by Kazoo Ishiguro

Ishiguro’s novel presents a quietly devastating exploration of memory, identity, and humanity through a dystopian lens. The subtle, restrained prose and profound emotional impact illustrate how to weave complex themes into a seemingly simple narrative.

8. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This book made me cry so very hard. The author explored themes like identity and fame, while creating an engaging and multi-layered plot that had me hooked. Reid’s vivid prose showcases techniques for creating emotionally resonant and storytelling that allows readers to feel for the characters.

9. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Márquez’s masterpiece provides a gorgeous, profound exploration of magical realism. Its intricate narrative and richly imagined world blends fantastical elements with real-world themes into something unique and breathtaking.

10. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Brontes exploration of dark themes, framed within a dark and brooding narrative, makes it the quintessential gothic read. It's emotionally intense, complex in structure, and definitely memorable, perfect for any budding writer dabbling in dark academia, modern gothic literature, horror, etc.

And here's my rather shoddy list from a non-English major who reads too much! And Sorry for the lack of accents on the required letters, I haven't figured out how to add them on my laptop. Please give me a general opinion on my book recs and whether they're good, or if you have more suggestions! Lots of love.

[northopalshore]

would you read elizabeth taylors juno or groom persona chart? i feel like it would be interesting and her birth time was 2:30 am!

Elizabeth Taylor's Juno, Groom & Venus persona chart analysis

‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋ ‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋ ‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋ ‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭

I feel like her marriage life is quite interesting from an outsiders perspective. The seven husbands or Evelyn Hugo was loosely based on her on the count of her 7 husbands. 7 divorces & one that was cut short by outside influences (a tragedy).

She was an outstanding individual who I myself have admired for being so influential in the old Hollywood scene. So in this post, I'll be doing a brief rundown on some of her placements in her Venus, Juno & Groom persona charts in that order.

Venus persona chart

Starting with her venus persona chart, I was curious about what it would say about her love life, and looking at it now I'm not surprised.

❀ 1st house stellium

She was the type to fall in love first and ask questions later. She has likely been surrounded by many admirers her whole life and evidently so. She falls in love quickly, and easily. Often finding her entranced by the charm and appeal of the opposite gender. All of her lovers have been the ones to pursue her first.

Ex: Late TV producer Mike Todd, her third husband was arguably her truest & deepest love. He had a clear intent to marry her the moment they met, and it wasn't a question when he proposed— it was a statement lol.

From abusive to passionate lovers, to even slightly problematic pairings that led to some controversy on her behalf. This placement is extremely common amongst people who have gone through many relationships in their lifetime.

❀ Pluto (19° libra) conjunct Juno (20° Scorpio) in Cancer 5th House

Some of her relationships were considered very taboo and have received much backlash from the public and those around her. She's been called a homewrecker for marrying a couple married men. She has also left a marriage to be with someone else, who was also married at the time of their romance.

Ex: Her 4th husband Eddie Fisher (her late husband's best friend) was married to her own friend Debbie Reynolds. He would leave Debbie to be with Elizabeth, although their romance was more of a 'condolence' partner while she was mourning Mike. Yikes

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Juno Persona Chart

Onto her Juno Persona Chart, immediately face to face with an 8th house stellium lol.

If anything is an indication of multiple weddings, or marriages, it would be a gemini descendant in the jpc. In her case, it's especially so lol.

❀ Gemini DSC & Mars (°8 Scorpio) in the 7th house:

She has gone through many marriages, either ending in divorce or an abrupt ending (Scorpio energy). She moves on very quickly from her partners, but she falls in love quite deeply. Her close relationships & love life are always changing, always challenging.

❀ Mars trine saturn (°2 Taurus) retrograde in Aquarius:

Her flings can lead to marriage quickly, almost as if no thoughts were spared saying yes on a whim the moment her partner gets onto one knee. It's rebellious in a way that deflects all formalities people usually maintain before marriage i.e taking time lol. Feeling excitement, the love, the sparks, and just wanting to fully act on that.

❀ Venus (°3 gemini) retrograde in cancer 7th house:

That fast pace movement can sometimes prove to bite her in the butt when they realise that their relationship may lack a clear depth & understanding towards one another, a love that goes deeper than just fancy & adoration or lust. She may feel like there wasn't truly that deep of a mental or emotional connection somewhere down the line in their marriage.

❀ 8th house stellium, Cancer & Leo:

Her JPC Sun, Moon, Mercury & Jupiter are all here. As I've mentioned before, her marriage life has always been notorious throughout her career. Most people only remember her as the real life Evelyn Hugo, since it's always brought controversy & shock. Her love life is a large part of who she is & what she believes in. She's not shallow by any means, when she falls in love, she falls in love & she doesn't deny that. There is nothing she wouldn't do for love, or her lovers. Passionate & exhilarating. Life-changing & chaotic.

❀ Juno (°22 Capricorn) conjunct Jupiter (°22 Capricorn) in Leo 8th house:

Being known for her marriages, her husbands, it's almost seen as a part of her career or reputation in general. There's always this shock factor around her marriages. Aside from most of her husbands being older than her, they are quite influential in her industry too. Being able to get her into more prominent roles or meetings with the right people to advance her career.

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Groom Persona Chart

She has a very prominent 2nd House stellium in her Groom Persona Chart.

❀ Capricorn (°capricorn) rising

All of her husbands were older than her.They were significantly older in fact. With Saturn & Mireille here, it's clear that she had a thing for powerful, mature & influential men. She also met a lot of them through work/friends (union 1st house, aquarius, Sagittarius degree).

❀ 2nd house stellium:

Her husbands were all rich, either through generational wealth or longtime hustlers. A lot of them treated her as a possession; someone they must have. Her husbands also all showered her with luxury. The more money they have the more extravagantly they'll treat her. The less it gets, the more rockier their relationship becomes. Perhaps they tend to use money as a way to control/manipulate her as well (groom 24° pisces 2nd house, mars °11 aquarius, 2nd house).

ex: In an article (from Today.com) it quotes "But as she grew more mature and became more confident, and his career began to fade, they had problems, Walker wrote. He added that while she was filming “Giant” in 1955, a gossip magazine claimed her husband had strippers visit their home."

❀ 6th house in Gemini & Populus (°26 taurus):

Her husbands were all famous for their work or work with famous figures. Having some sort of important/ active role in the industry they work in.

❀ Pluto ( °20 Scorpio) retrograde in Cancer 7th house:

Abrupt marriages, divorces & endings. I see it commonly when looking at the charts of people who married young & divorced somewhere in their mid 20s, 30s - early 40s. Their marriages are a whirlwind type of experience. Usually something very dramatic happens, which leads to divorce, but also divorce itself is a commonality.

❀ Jupiter (°13 aries) retrograde in Leo 7th house & Juno (°13 Aries):

Means she'll marry quite quickly/ without thought when she feels she has found someone worth marrying i.e she's fascinated with. She has married "young"/ early/ fast many times lol. She married her first husband right after finishing high school, & the rest of her husbands she married within a few months of knowing them.

❀ Briede (°24 pisces) in the 12th house:

A part of her may have felt rather undermined as a wife. Perhaps feeling like an accessory to her husbands rather than truly portraying the depths of her character. A part of her may also have felt like her marriage lives were something either she had not much control of or that she's always blinded by her emotions going into marriage.

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Hope this was interesting, & Thanks for reading ♡

@northopalshore

@northopalshore celebrity charts 2024.

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Rita Moreno (Singin' in the Rain, West Side Story)—She’s an EGOT, an absolute legend for how she navigated her career as a woman of color in the fifties and sixties. Her performance as Anita in West Side Story is why I go back to that movie so many times. She is an icon and she is the moment.

Elizabeth Taylor (Cleopatra, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof)—iconic actress with purple eyes and a double row of eyelashes, the real ebony dementia ravenway of old hollywood. known for her stunning tastes when it comes to jewelry and her incredible, incredible advocacy during the AIDS crisis.

This is round 6 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Rita Moreno propaganda:

"Amazing showstopping actress in her one big memorable role as Anita in West Side Story. She sings and dances with unmatched joy and energy, and then breaks your heart with her acting. Rita took a role that felt as a stereotype to latina women and made it compelling and multifaceted. Her subsequent career was filled with mostly side roles, but she still managed to excel in whatever Hollywood threw at her."

"It’s Rita!! The EGOT herself! She can act, she can sing, she can dance, a triple threat. Obviously absolutely iconic as Anita in West Side Story (her part of the Tonight Quintet is the sexiest part of the film, fight me). But before that she was the amazing Zelda in Singin’ In the Rain!?! Thanks Zelda, you’re a real pal."

"She continues to be amazing but also she's got legs for days."

"THEE iconic rita moreno, EGOT winner, civil rights activist, theatre legend. watch her documentary "Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It". also her rendition of "fever" on the muppet show"

Elizabeth Taylor:

I've been trying to steer clear of the absurdly-big names, but damnit, those violet eyes got me. The *talent*, the *presence*, the string of marriages and (temporally out-of-bounds) work in combating AIDS and pioneering in the concept of the celebrity fragrance line.

Not only did she have gorgeous violet eyes and lashes for days and one of the hottest voices ever, she was also a big supporter of the gay community

Child actress turned starlet, Liz dominated films as one of the greatest screen legends of classic hollywood. If your protagonist has violet eyes, they're imitating hers.

A Legend. She was serving milf rage in Whos Afraid Of Virginia Woolf. A Star in every sense of the word.

She was renowned for the beauty of her eyes; they were a dark blue but could look violet in certain lighting, something that photographers would actually touch up to look even more so in pictures. But even more striking was a genetic mutation that gave her a double row of eyelashes. She was also famed for her string of husbands -- 8 marriages to 7 men. Two-time hubby Richard Burton once said she was “a wildly exciting love-mistress… beautiful beyond the dreams of pornography.”

Her EYES. Early and loud support for gay rights and AIDS victims. Married a bunch of hot dudes, Burton twice!

just look at her. she's gorgeous. there's a video somewhere of her applying her eyeliner in the mirror and I think about it all the time

THE Hollywood actress of all time. Not only was she known for her long dark locks and blue-violet eyes, she also had one of the wildest life stories ever….. She’s Carrie Fisher’s stepmother because her father Eddie Fisher cheated on Debbie Reynolds with Liz. She was knighted as a dame of England. She was married to seven different men, one of them twice. She was also very kindhearted and did a lot of charity activism.

Asides from being an iconic actor, she did a lot of philanthropy and co founded the American Foundation for AIDS research. She’s sometimes considered one of the last great stars of old hollywood

[vivianbernadetteaurora]

Elizabeth Taylor 🦋🧚🏼‍♀️🚬💊💟👩🏻🐠🌹🥀🍿🥃🌟✨️💄♓️

,Elizabeth was one and breathtaking beauty, for many years she got married very young to get away from under her mother’s clothes and to be a free woman but this to her demise led to even worse behavior by her first husband Conrad Murray who was allegedly very abusive to her.

she admits that she was probably addicted to marriage, I think back then a lot of people married many times because you did it out of love if you were gonna be with someone you had to marry them especially in the early ages of the golden era of Hollywood the 1920s to the mid 1960s, her true love though were Mike Todd and Richard Burton Todd however died in an airplane accident in on the one night they spent away from each other on his aeroplane which he called the lucky Liz. unfortunately it wasn't so lucky she said there were the two great loves of her life so much so that she married Richard Barton twice.

many women would make fun of her I think they were a little jealous and she came off as a certain way and they looked at her with a certain demise and being easy I suppose and if she turned down roles it makes you wonder and think about what she really did because that was unheard of back then how close were her family with Hollywood producers and such was she abused like Marilyn,, it doesn’t strike me as you say but then you gotta think of this. Did the women like Marilyn because she was vulnerable and dislike Liz because she wasn’t as vulnerable my mom said that as a straight woman. That Marilyn has just got the factor I love her don't get me wrong but I love them both.

.,,However often left innocent third parties under the bus in shocking ways so who were these old Hollywood actresses infamous for sleeping around join us as we take a deep dive into these famous actresses their raunchy ways and the often damaging aftermath of their actions., Elizabeth Taylor possibly the most famous name on this list Elizabeth Taylor claimed the love of fans around the world with her unique beauty and dramatic talent not only that she was also known for being one of the most notorious seductresses in Hollywood she claimed her most scandalous prize when she fraternized with singer actor Eddie Fisher what was most controversial was Fisher was then married to Taylor’s best friend.. Debbie Reynolds but it turned out to not just be a one off hookup as Taylor and Fisher later wed but ultimately divorced Taylor apologized to Reynolds years later and the two once again became friends Taylor had seven husbands throughout her life but married who she believed to be the love of her life actor Richard Burton twice after her final divorce in 1996 to construction worker Larry fortensky. Taylor claimed to have had enough of men and remained single until her death in 2011,,.. Diana doors English singer and actress Diana doors first came to public notice as a blonde bombshell much in the style of Marilyn Monroe she made tabloid headlines with the parties reportedly held at her house later she showed a genuine talent as a performer on TV and gained new public popularity as a regular chat show guest.. with her ostentatious mansion kitchy decadence and debauched parties Doris was the definition of notorious she married three times had numerous lovers and was even called a wayward Hussey by the Archbishop of Canterbury it wasn’t just her roles and low budget films she was famous for but filming people having sex in her house doris’s guest would watch grainy footage, of an unsuspecting couple who had chosen to cavort in one of the dimly lit upstairs bedrooms.

[lyralit]

books for every song off of reputation

...ready for it? - ☆ All of Us Villains, Amanda Foody & Christine Lynn Herman

end game - ☆ Our Violent Ends, Chloe Gong

i did something bad - ☆ Foul Lady Fortune, Chloe Gong

don't blame me - Six Crimson Cranes, Elizabeth Lim

delicate - Scythe, Neil Schusterman

look what you made me do - ☆ If We Were Villains, M.L. Rio

so it goes... - The Afterlife of Holly Chase, Cynthia Hand

gorgeous - Legendborn / Bloodmarked, Tracy Deonn

getaway car - Six of Crows, Leigh Bardugo

king of my heart - Looking for Alaska, John Green

dancing with our hands tied - Once Upon a Broken Heart, Stephanie Garber

dress - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Taylor Jenkins Reid

this is why we can't have nice things - ☆ The Secret History, Donna Tartt

call it what you want - Legend, Marie Lu

new year's day - ☆ These Violent Delights, Chloe Gong

(bonus) i don't wanna live forever - ☆ The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, V.E. Schwab

[c4rvey0urnameint0mybedpost]

‼️ WARNING: Some spoilers for the Novel ‘The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo’ and spoilers of quotes that spoil parts of the book‼️

I found myself wondering who Taylor was talking about in ‘…Ready for it?’ With the lyrics

“And he can be my jailer, Burton to this Taylor,”

The lyrics are about Elizabeth Taylor and one of her husbands Richard Burton. Now, I got very excited when I saw it was a reference to Elizabeth Taylor ‘cause, she is one of the inspirations of my favourite book ‘The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo’, wich, if you don’t know, is a queer book about an old Hollywood (around the 1950’s) actress names Evelyn Hugo (Not her real name she had to change it for a couple of reasons) who ends up writing a Tell-All book at the age of 79, and ends up telling the story of her youth as a famous actress in the 50’s through to the 80’s and her “Seven husbands”.

But, it turns out that almost all of her husbands were beards. She ended up falling in love with one of her co-stars, her name was Celia St.James. It’s such a beautiful book and so deeply upsetting, you should read it!

Anyways, Evelyn was a Bisexual woman and Celia was a Lesbian. The book touches on topics like, Homophobia, Biphobia, Racism, Sexism and a lot of other things as you can imagine.

So, the fact that Taylor referenced Elizabeth Taylor has made me so happy! Though, this isn’t to say that it was a reference to Evelyn Hugo, it certainly is fun to think so!

Some of my favourite quotes from the book are:

“Please never forget that the sun rises and sets with your smile. At least to me it does. You’re the only thing on this planet worth worshipping.”

“I spent half my time loving her and the other half hiding how much I loved her.”

“But if you have to go, then go. Go if it hurts. Go if it's time. Just go knowing you were loved, that I will never forget you, that you will live in everything Connor and I do. Go knowing I love you purely, Harry, that you were an amazing father. Go knowing I told you all my secrets. Because you were my best friend.”

“You wonder what it must be like to be a man, to be so confident that the final say is yours.”

“I'm bisexual. Don't ignore half of me so you can fit me into a box.”

“Say to them, “Evelyn Hugo just wants to go home. It’s time for her to go to her daughter, and her, and her best friend, and her mother.” Tell them Evelyn Hugo says good-bye.”

“And just as she was about to leave the mircophone, she said 'And to anyone tempted to kiss the TV tonight, please don't chip your tooth.”

“It’s not wrong,” Celia said. “It shouldn’t be wrong, to love you. How can it be wrong?”

“It’s not wrong, sweetheart. It’s not,” I said. “They’re wrong.”

“The love of my life is gone, and I can't just call her and say I'm sorry and have her come back. She's gone forever. So yes, Monique, that is something I do regret. I regret every second I didn't spend with her. I regret every stupid thing I did that caused her an ounce of pain. I should have chased her down the street the day she left me. I should have begged her to stay. I should have apologized and sent roses and stood on top of the Hollywood sign and shouted, 'I'm in love with Celia St. James!' and let them crucify me for it. That's what I should have done. And now that I don't have her, and I have more money than I could ever use in this lifetime, and my name is cemented in Hollywood history, and I know how hollow it is, I am kicking myself for every single second I chose it over loving her proudly.”

And the most famous one from this book that you may recognise from TikTok;

“No … because they are just husbands. I am Evelyn Hugo. And anyways, I think once people know the truth, they will be much more interested in my wife.”

If you have read all of this, thank you very much for listening to me. I have a lot of feelings about this book. It’s so good, I love it so much.

[spade-riddles]

This might be old news but has anyone made the connection between Elizabeth Taylor having seven ex-husbands and "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo"?

[mikelogan]

maybe i'll do them in the order of the results for funsies

synopses below the cut:

i am legend

Robert Neville is the last living man on Earth...but he is not alone. Every other man, woman, and child on Earth has become a vampire, and they are all hungry for Neville's blood. By day, he is the hunter, stalking the sleeping undead through the abandoned ruins of civilization. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for dawn. How long can one man survive in a world of vampires?

the black phone

Jack Finney is thirteen, alone, and in desperate trouble. For two years now, someone has been stalking the boys of Galesberg, stealing them away, never to be seen again. And now, Finney finds himself in danger of joining them: locked in a psychopath's basement, a place stained with the blood of half a dozen murdered children. With him in his subterranean cell is an antique phone, long since disconnected . . . but it rings at night anyway, with calls from the killer's previous victims. And they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn't happen to Finney.

the seven husbands of evelyn hugo

In this entrancing novel "that speaks to the Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor in us all" (Kirkus Reviews), a legendary film actress reflects on her relentless rise to the top and the risks she took, the loves she lost, and the long-held secrets the public could never imagine. Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now? Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career. Summoned to Evelyn's luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the '80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn's story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique's own in tragic and irreversible ways.

and then i woke up

In a world reeling from an unusual plague, monsters lurk in the streets while terrified survivors arm themselves and roam the countryside in packs. Or perhaps something very different is happening. When a disease affects how reality is perceived, it’s hard to be certain of anything… Spence is one of the “cured” living at the Ironside rehabilitation facility. Haunted by guilt, he refuses to face the changed world until a new inmate challenges him to help her find her old crew. But if he can’t tell the truth from the lies, how will he know if he has earned the redemption he dreams of? How will he know he hasn’t just made things worse?

exit west

In a country teetering on the brink of civil war, two young people meet--sensual, fiercely independent Nadia and gentle, restrained Saeed. They embark on a furtive love affair, and are soon cloistered in a premature intimacy by the unrest roiling their city. When it explodes, turning familiar streets into a patchwork of checkpoints and bomb blasts, they begin to hear whispers about doors--doors that can whisk people far away, if perilously and for a price. As the violence escalates, Nadia and Saeed decide that they no longer have a choice. Leaving their homeland and their old lives behind, they find a door and step through. . . . Exit West follows these remarkable characters as they emerge into an alien and uncertain future, struggling to hold on to each other, to their past, to the very sense of who they are. Profoundly intimate and powerfully inventive, it tells an unforgettable story of love, loyalty, and courage that is both completely of our time and for all time.

a certain hunger

Food critic Dorothy Daniels loves what she does. Discerning, meticulous, and very, very smart, Dorothy's clear mastery of the culinary arts make it likely that she could, on any given night, whip up a more inspired dish than any one of the chefs she writes about. Dorothy loves sex as much as she loves food, and while she has struggled to find a long-term partner that can keep up with her, she makes the best of her single life, frequently traveling from Manhattan to Italy for a taste of both. But there is something within Dorothy that's different from everyone else, and having suppressed it long enough, she starts to embrace what makes Dorothy uniquely, terrifyingly herself. Recounting her life from a seemingly idyllic farm-to-table childhood, the heights of her career, to the moment she plunges an ice pick into a man's neck on Fire Island, Dorothy Daniels show us what happens when a woman finally embraces her superiority.

just for the summer

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it's now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work. Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka. It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected–including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

you like it darker

“You like it darker? Fine, so do I,” writes Stephen King in the afterword to this magnificent new collection of twelve stories that delve into the darker part of life—both metaphorical and literal. King has, for half a century, been a master of the form, and these stories, about fate, mortality, luck, and the folds in reality where anything can happen, are as rich and riveting as his novels, both weighty in theme and a huge pleasure to read. King writes to feel “the exhilaration of leaving ordinary day-to-day life behind,” and in You Like It Darker, readers will feel that exhilaration too, again and again. “Two Talented Bastids” explores the long-hidden secret of how the eponymous gentlemen got their skills. In “Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream,” a brief and unprecedented psychic flash upends dozens of lives, Danny’s most catastrophically. In “Rattlesnakes,” a sequel to Cujo, a grieving widower travels to Florida for respite and instead receives an unexpected inheritance—with major strings attached. In “The Dreamers,” a taciturn Vietnam vet answers a job ad and learns that there are some corners of the universe best left unexplored. “The Answer Man” asks if prescience is good luck or bad and reminds us that a life marked by unbearable tragedy can still be meaningful.

a death in door county

Morgan Carter, owner of the Odds and Ends bookstore in Door County, Wisconsin, has a hobby. When she’s not tending the store, she’s hunting cryptids—creatures whose existence is rumored, but never proven to be real. It’s a hobby that cost her parents their lives, but one she’ll never give up on. So when a number of bodies turn up on the shores of Lake Michigan with injuries that look like bites from a giant unknown animal, police chief Jon Flanders turns to Morgan for help. A skeptic at heart, Morgan can’t turn down the opportunity to find proof of an entity whose existence she can’t definitively rule out. She and her beloved rescue dog, Newt, journey to the Death's Door strait to hunt for a homicidal monster in the lake—but if they’re not careful, they just might be its next victims.

disturbance

As the sun sets on a feverishly hot July evening, a young woman spies on her teenage neighbor, transfixed by what looks like an occult ritual intended to banish an ex-boyfriend. Alone in a new town and desperate to expel the claustrophobic memories of her own ex that have followed, the narrator decides to try to hex herself free from her past. She falls in with the neighbor and her witchy friend, exploring nascent supernatural powers as the boundaries of reality shift in and out of focus. But when the creaks and hums of her apartment escalate into something more violent, she realizes that she may have brought her boyfriend’s presence—whether psychological or paranormal—back to haunt her.

the bell jar

Esther Greenwood is brilliant, beautiful, enormously talented, and successful, but slowly going under—maybe for the last time. In her acclaimed and enduring masterwork, Sylvia Plath brilliantly draws the reader into Esther's breakdown with such intensity that her insanity becomes palpably real, even rational—as accessible an experience as going to the movies. A deep penetration into the darkest and most harrowing corners of the human psyche, The Bell Jar is an extraordinary accomplishment and a haunting American classic.

city on fire

New York City, 1976. Meet Regan and William Hamilton-Sweeney, estranged heirs to one of the city's great fortunes; Keith and Mercer, the men who, for better or worse, love them; Charlie and Samantha, two suburban teenagers seduced by downtown's punk scene; an obsessive magazine reporter, Richard, and his idealistic neighbor, Jenny, - and the detective trying to figure out what any of them have to do with a shooting in Central Park on New Year's Eve. The mystery, as it reverberates through families, friendships, and the corridors of power, will open up even the loneliest-seeming corners of the crowded city. And when the blackout of July 13, 1977, plunges this world into darkness, each of these lives with be changed forever.

[writtenendings]

Cheryl Crane- An Important Parallel to Evelyn Hugo

(Cheryl Crane and her mother Lana Turner, accessed from IMDB)

I recently finished The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins-Reid. It is a 5/5 and I highly recommend reading it if you haven't yet. I'm in a book hangover from it, and naturally that means I'm readings anything online I can find about it.

I'm not sure this has been stated anywhere, but as far as I'm aware TJR hasn't directly named her, but I think her story is very relevant and has some interesting parallels to the story. Obviously, as with Elizabeth Taylor and Rita Hayworth, there are many differences between them and the characters the book presented, but I think she's worth acknowledging.

Cheryl Crane (CC initials is also interesting, could be coincidental, Connor Cameron?) was the sole child of Lana Turner, who was a Hollywood it-girl that many lauded as a sex-symbol that was remarkable for her acting abilities (this could be compared to Celia's image which contrasted Evelyn or Ruby). Turner had also had 7 marriages, and Cheryl was born during her marriage to Stephen Crane. They divorced quickly, and Cheryl was raised in LA, where she was "famous at birth and pampered silly" (Connor had a similar upbringing).

When she was 14, Cheryl stabbed her mother's lover to death while defending her from his domestic abuse. She was found to be justified in the act of self-defense, but faced a lot of media attention that only compounded with the trauma she had undergone. In my mind, this is reflected in both Evelyn's own childhood with her father and in how Connor is always under the public eye, so when she acts out in her early teens, it isn't private but something published on front covers.

Most importantly, in my opinion, is Cheryl's identity and memoir. She fell in love with a model named Joyce LeRoy, and revealed her identity publicly in a memoir in 1988. Joyce was her one true love, finally marrying in 2014 (which could have reflected the changing social acceptance of queer people, and it had only been legalized in 2013 in California where they resided). In some articles, they refer to Joyce with the nickname "Josh". I'm unable to find anywhere that elaborates, but this could be a pseudonym like 'Edward' that allowed them to more covertly communicate. Cheryl actually ended up being diagnose with Breast Cancer, which she recovered from and is living quite a quiet life. Much of the information we have is from ghost-written memoirs from 1988 and 2011 (the second focused on her mother and published after her death).

When Cheryl had told her mother the plan to write about her identity and relationship (she had already come out to her at 13, which initially shocked her mother but she quickly came to understand it), Lana Turner had expressed concern over what kinds of social stigma it would open them up to (Lana seemed to be, first and foremost, concerned with protecting the people she loved similarly to Evelyn. She didn't care about her daughter being a Lesbian, but what the world would do because of it). Lana stated that Cheryl's partner, Joyce, felt like a second daughter to her.

Later, when Cheryl was publishing mystery novels, many of her interviews remind me of the way Hugo would answer. When asked if she wished she was just Cheryl Crane and not The Cheryl Crane, she said she wouldn't change a thing, that she loved her mother. When asked about her mother's legacy mainly being the scandals she was involved in, Cheryl said that this wild life has kept her image alive when so many were forgotten.

[endlessly-cursed]

FBAWTFT- Aurora di Napoli

"𝙄 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨: 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙜𝙣𝙚, 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚."

Name: Aurora Ellen di Napoli 

Nicknames: Rory 

Birthdate: 8th of March, 1905 

Zodiac Sign: Pisces 

Personality Type (MBTI): INFP 

Blood Status: Half-blood 

Nationality: British with Italian ancestry 

Physical Appearance

Hair: Black 

Eyes: Blue 

Height: 1.68m 

Weight: 62kg 

Body Type: Tall and lean 

Skin Tone: Fair 

Distinguishing Marks (scars, birthmarks, etc.): Freckles, several tattoos and acne in her back 

Background

Hometown

Aurora grew up in the Di Napoli manor with her three youngest siblings. While her lifestyle wasn’t ostentatious, it was a rather privileged life. She developed a tomboy personality, quickly adopting the 20s lifestyle and becoming the rebel oldest daughter. 

Family

Mother: Abigail Jane di Napoli, neé Bennett ( @mjs-oc-corner ) 

A vivacious and strong woman, Rory loves her mother, and though she gives her strokes by smoking too many cigarettes and heavy drinking, they both have a close bond, she being her first child and helping out with her siblings, especially when her youngest sister came. 

Father: Ernest Regulus Maurice di Napoli 

A complicated man, Aurora made of her father a better man the moment she was born, for he had grown up in a deeply tramuatized and problematic family, and defying Rory’s grandfather and seeking his path and seeing his fortune decrease, Ernest was changed forever and poured his whole heart in his children, and despite having arguments with Rory, he loved her perhaps the most, being his firstborn child, and was certainly amused of how easily she outdrank him... 

Emmett di Napoli 

Temperamental, whip-smart and a but cocky, Emmett and Rory got along well and was her confidante, both relying on one another. 

Theodore di Napoli ( @mjs-oc-corner​ ) 

INFO TBD 

Christabel di Napoli ( @mjs-oc-corner​ ) 

INFO TBD, though she’s protective of her 

Dominique? di Napoli 

INFO TBD 

Hogwarts

House: Hufflepuff 

Best Class: DADA, Transfigurations and History of Magic 

Worst Class: Potions & Herbology 

Boggart: Her father becomes like her grandfather 

Riddikulus: He instead recites a very dirty limerick 

Patronus: TBD

Patronus Memory: Singing in the car with her parents and siblings 

Mirror of Erised: Living free and roaming around the world 

Amortentia (what she smells like): Cigarettes, expensive champagne, eau de cologne lavender, coconut, spicy food and plane gas 

Amortentia (what she smells): TBD 

Career

11-18: Hogwarts student 

19-35: Wanderer 

36-58: Model & actress for the wizarding cinema 

59-64: Philantropist 

65+: Retiree 

Personality & Attitude

Priorities: Wanderlust, her family and friends, having her independance 

Strengths: Charismatic, charming, funny, enthralling and uses her beauty to her own advantage 

Weaknesses: Reckless, vain, full of herself and a complete diva 

Stressed: Around men lol 

Calm/Comforted: Around women 

Favorites

Colors: Blue, red, green and white 

Weather: Sunny with a calm wind 

Hobbies: Playing roles, being around cameras and talking to people 

Fashion: Rory dresses like all the stars in the Old Hollywood 

Relationships

Significant Other/Love Interest: TBD, though due to her job she’ll have many husbands and a secret lesbian romance hehe. HMU if you want your OC to be her husband or wife!! 

Friends: TBD 

Rivals: TBD 

Trivia

Aurora is based on Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor 

She has made several movies of Muggle and Magical events: she has played as Anne Boleyn in a magical interpretation of Henry VIII in 1936, as a magical Jane Eyre in 1938, in an original project based on the Malfoy family in the regency era and Cleopatra in 1942, among others 

She married at least from three to eight times, to hide her liking for women and her many scandals from nude scenes to almost being caught by the paparazzi 

She’s also based on Evelyn Hugo from The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo sjehdeud 

She changed her name from Aurora to Jade St. Claire, though her family still called her Rory 

She met Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe 

She was obssesed with skincare, and included several creams and vaseline 

She has a lesbian romance for years that is on and off 

She also sang birthday songs for Ministers of Magic and was the mistress of several 

She changed her hair to blonde and redheaded for many of her films 

Her favourite muggle actress was Romy Schneider 

[wah-pah]

3, 4, 12, 13, 14, 17, and 22 for the book asks :)

Thank you for asking, @eroticfriendfictions

:)

3.What were your top five books of the year?

In order of when they were read:

Swan Song by Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott

Kaikeyi by Vaishnava Patel

Summer Crossing by Truman Capote

Killers of The Flower Moon by David Grahn

Under The Net by Iris Murdoch (a new ever favourite tbh)

Honorable Mention to Three Daughters of Eve by Elif Shafsk, Excellent Women by Barbara Pym and my re-reads of Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Persuasion, all by Jane Austen.

4.Did you discover any new authors that you love this year?

I'd say new to me as they are mid-century classics but Iris Murdoch and Barbara Pym. As for contemporary writers, I add Elif Shafak.

12. Any books that disappointed you?

As I had told you, Daisy Jones & The Six is one of them for me. I had heard so much about it and then found it somewhat blah most of the time and that ending wasn't exactly to my liking.

Maybe Taylor Jenkins Reid's books simply aren't for me? I also read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo last year and was underwhelmed.

Then there's 'So Much Life Left Over' by Louis de Bernieres. A kind of family saga taking place in the time between the two world wars? Yes, please. Even before finishing reading it? No, please and I don't care about the other volumes. Which segues nicely to the next question...

13.What were your least favorite books of the year?

Definitely 'So Much Life Left Over' by Louis de Bernieres. "all women just want babies", is a very strong thesis in this one. I even wrote a long rant in the wee small hours of the morning but can't seem to be able to find it now.

I may not have liked all the books I read this year (even if they weren't many) this this one made me actually angry.

14.What books do you want to finish before the year is over?

I would love to finish The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe, that I started reading after my Northanger Abbey re-read but I doubt I'll know what's behind that damn veil before the year is out.

17.Did any books surprise you with how good they were?

Of the top of my head, I'd say Swan Song and The Three Daughters of Eve, both mentioned upwards.

It didn't exactly surprised me by its quality (gah, this sounds so cruel said like this) but I would totally watch a TV series adaptation of The Other's Gold by Elizabeth Ames.

22. What’s the longest book you read?

I think it probably is The Mysteries of Udolpho, which I am still reading.

Thank you again, dear Michelle.

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Elizabeth Taylor (Cleopatra, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof)—iconic actress with purple eyes and a double row of eyelashes, the real ebony dementia ravenway of old hollywood. known for her stunning tastes when it comes to jewelry and her incredible, incredible advocacy during the AIDS crisis.

Setsuko Hara (Tokyo Story, Late Spring, The Idiot)— "'The only time I saw Susan Sontag cry,' a writer once told me, his voice hushed, 'was at a screening of a Setsuko film.' What Setsuko had wasn’t glamour—she was just too sensible for that—it was glow, one that ebbed away and left you concerned, involved. You got the sense that this glow, like that of dawn, couldn’t be bought. But her smiles were human and held minute-long acts, ones with important intermissions. When she looked away, she absented herself; you felt that she’d dimmed a fire and clapped a lid on something about to spill. Over the last decade, whenever anyone brought up her lips—'Setsuko’s eternal smile,' critics said, that day we learned that she’d died—I thought instead of the thing she made us feel when she let it fall." - Moeko Fujii

This is round 5 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Elizabeth Taylor:

I've been trying to steer clear of the absurdly-big names, but damnit, those violet eyes got me. The *talent*, the *presence*, the string of marriages and (temporally out-of-bounds) work in combating AIDS and pioneering in the concept of the celebrity fragrance line.

Not only did she have gorgeous violet eyes and lashes for days and one of the hottest voices ever, she was also a big supporter of the gay community

Child actress turned starlet, Liz dominated films as one of the greatest screen legends of classic hollywood. If your protagonist has violet eyes, they're imitating hers.

A Legend. She was serving milf rage in Whos Afraid Of Virginia Woolf. A Star in every sense of the word.

She was renowned for the beauty of her eyes; they were a dark blue but could look violet in certain lighting, something that photographers would actually touch up to look even more so in pictures. But even more striking was a genetic mutation that gave her a double row of eyelashes. She was also famed for her string of husbands -- 8 marriages to 7 men. Two-time hubby Richard Burton once said she was “a wildly exciting love-mistress… beautiful beyond the dreams of pornography.”

Her EYES. Early and loud support for gay rights and AIDS victims. Married a bunch of hot dudes, Burton twice!

just look at her. she's gorgeous. there's a video somewhere of her applying her eyeliner in the mirror and I think about it all the time

THE Hollywood actress of all time. Not only was she known for her long dark locks and blue-violet eyes, she also had one of the wildest life stories ever….. She’s Carrie Fisher’s stepmother because her father Eddie Fisher cheated on Debbie Reynolds with Liz. She was knighted as a dame of England. She was married to seven different men, one of them twice. She was also very kindhearted and did a lot of charity activism.

Asides from being an iconic actor, she did a lot of philanthropy and co founded the American Foundation for AIDS research. She’s sometimes considered one of the last great stars of old hollywood

Setsuko Hara:

One of the best Japanese actresses of all time; a symbol of the golden era of Japanese cinema of the 1950s After seeing a Setsuko Hara film, the novelist Shūsaku Endō wrote: "We would sigh or let out a great breath from the depths of our hearts, for what we felt was precisely this: Can it be possible that there is such a woman in this world?"

One of the greatest Japanese actresses of all time!! Best known for acting in many of Yasujiro Ozu's films of the 40s and 50s. Also she has a stunning smile and beautiful charm!

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She's considered by some to be the greatest Japanese actress of all time! In Kurosawa's The Idiot she haunts the screen, and TOTALLY steals the show from Mifune every time she appears.

She's considered by some to be the greatest Japanese actress of all time! In Kurosawa's The Idiot she haunts the screen, and TOTALLY steals the show from Mifune every time she appears.

"No other actor has ever mastered the art of the smile to the same extent as Setsuko Hara (1920–2015), a celebrated star and highly regarded idol who was one of the outstanding actors of 40s and 50s Japanese cinema. Her radiant smile floods whole scenes and at times cautiously undermines the expectations made of her in coy, ironic fashion. Yet her smile's impressive range also encompasses its darker shades: Hara's delicate, dignified, melancholy smile with which she responds to disappointments, papers over the emotions churning under the surface, and flanks life's sobering realizations. Her smiles don't just function as a condensed version of her ever-precise, expressive, yet understated acting ability, they also allow the very essence of the films they appear in to shine through for a brief moment, often studies of the everyday, post-war dramas which revolve around the break-up of family structures or the failure of marriages. Her performances tread a fine line between social expectation and personal desire in post-war Japan, as Hara attempts to lay claim to the autonomy of the female characters she plays – frequently with a smile." [link]

Leading lady of classic Japanese cinema with a million dollar smile

Maybe the most iconic Japanese actress ever? She rose to fame making films with Yasujiro Ozu, becoming one of the most well-known and beloved actresses in Japan, working from the 30s through the 60s in over 100 hundred. She is still considered one of the greatest Japanese actresses ever, and in my opinion, just one of the greatest actresses of all time. And she was HOT! Satoshi Kon's film Millennium Actress was largely based on her life and her career.