November 2015 Favorites

Books

Career of Evil By: Robert Galbrith (Review)

The Marvels by Brian Selznick

Ten Thousand Skies Above You By: Claudia Gray (Review)

Winter Stroll By: Elin HIlderbrand

November 9 By: Colleen Hoover

Christmas Cravings By: Emma Hamilton (Review)
 

Favorite Book I Read This Month: I think this month I have to go with Ten Thousand Skies Above You. While Career of Evil is a close second, I think Ten Thousand Skies stands out just a bit more. I was really looking forward to this sequel, and in a year where not many books have impressed me, this one definitely did. If you haven’t checked out the Firebird series, I highly recommend it.

Beauty

LOC One & Done Eyeshadow stick in Impress Me

I received this in my November Birchbox and I have really fallen in love with it. It’s a beautiful color and goes on smoothly. It may not have the greatest staying power I’ve ever seen, but it holds its own. Plus, it’s not ridiculously expensive (only $10). I hope to receive more of their products in future Birchbox’s!

Buys

Bath and Body Works Candles

I love fall and winter just because of these candles! I am a big candle person, and I get super excited every time their fall and winter scents come out. It’s especially worth it during Black Friday, but they have 2 for $24 pretty often.

Fleece Leggings/Tights

I bought a pair of fleece leggings at TJ Maxx last year and immediately regretting not buying more than one pair. This year I bought three different pairs and I am loving them. While they seem to be a bit thinner than the ones I bought last year (more like tights than leggings) they are still great for layering. I know they’re going to come in helpful when we go to Iceland!


Columbia Hexbreaker Mid Jacket

Speaking of Iceland, I purchased a new winter coat! I live in the Chicago land area and winters here are brutal. I have had a down coat for the past 3 winters and it’s been great, but it’s on the short side. I was on the lookout for a down jacket that would cover my butt, keep me warm, and still let me move. I have 100% found that in this jacket. The length that I wanted was difficult to find, as I didn’t want something that went to my knees. This jacket also is very light but is amazingly warm. It also has a detachable hood. The only thing that would make this jacket better is thumb holes! It is a bit pricey ($250), but if you live in Chiberia or an area that has polar vortexes, it's worth the investment.

Miscellaneous

Hallmark Christmas Movies

The season of Christmas Movies is upon us! I absolutely love Hallmark Christmas movies. They are fun, light hearted, and just so warming and comforting. They are cheesy for sure, and totally predictable, but that is what makes them so wonderful. I think my two favorites so far have been Ice Sculpture Christmas (don’t judge it by its name!) and Crown for Christmas. There have been some other good ones too and I can’t wait for the rest of them.

Quantico

I am so enjoying this show! I know some people don’t like it and they say it’s not good, but I am really enjoying it. Yes it’s a little melodramatic, but that’s what makes it so good! I love all of the characters and the twists are really keeping me on my toes.

Christmas Cravings

By: Emma Hamilton
Published Year: 2015
Publisher: Bastei Entertainment
Pages: 80

Amazon Barnes and Noble

*I received this book in exchange for my honest review

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): How could everything that seemed so right suddenly have gone so wrong for Mia? Snow is on the ground and Christmas lights twinkle in the German Christmas market. The warm, spiced wine is just right, but there's still one key ingredient missing from her romantic dream. Will Mia's Christmas turn out to be sugar and spice and all things nice - or a deflated soufflé of loneliness and regret? 




                                                       First Impressions

I saw the cover and summary and thought it sounded like a cute little Christmas story. I love reading Christmas stories around this time of year, so I was happy to review this book.

                                                       What I thought

I had no idea that this was a novella that was a part of a series. That definitely threw me off a little, but I figured I would be able to enjoy it anyway.

Being completely honest, this is one of the poorest written stories I have ever read. The characters have no depth, the plot lines are unoriginal and poorly executed, and there is nothing Christmassy about this so called Christmas story.

This is a short story that follows Mia and Tom during the Christmas time. The story starts with the two characters not talking to each other. Mia is in Germany with her friend Lizzie because she was so upset about things going wrong with Tom.

The first part of the book is flashbacks of the early parts of Mia and Tom’s relationship and why they are not currently speaking. The flashbacks are so poorly executed that I can’t believe this was published. It literally works like “Lizzie was talking to Mia and Mia’s eyes glazed over *flashback*” and then “Lizzie called to Mia. ‘Mia! Where did you go? I lost you there for a minute.’ And Mia pulled herself back into the moment.” No one in real life stars off into the distance in the middle of a conversation to have a flashback.

Also, the reason that they aren’t talking is so ridiculous and immature that I can’t have any sympathy for either of the characters. It then is resolved so simply that I just wanted to shake them and say “SEE????? YOU’RE SO STUPID!” In addition to that, they move on as if nothing happened. The only Christmas part of this book is that they happen to get together with their family at Christmas. Otherwise this could have happened over any other time of year.

Everything about this book is predictable and has already been done. And he gives her a puppy for Christmas! A puppy!! Everyone knows you don’t surprise someone with a puppy! Especially since she lives in the city. Seriously! When is she going to do with a puppy that she has no room or time for?

This story is not only poorly written, but it’s 100% unnecessary. The only good thing about this story is that it has recipes in the back. I’m excited to look through them and see if there’s anything that I would want to make. Even though I have never read the books in this series, I have no desire to every pick one up. Even if I was a fan, I can’t see how this would benefit any story. I’m just glad this was a short story and I didn’t waste more than an hour of my time on it.
 

Ten Thousand Skies Above You

By: Claudia Gray
Publisher: Harper Teen
Published Year: 2015
Pages: 424

Amazon Barnes and Noble

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Ever since she used the Firebird, her parents' invention, to cross into alternate dimensions, Marguerite has caught the attention of enemies who will do anything to force her into helping them dominate the multiverse—even hurting the people she loves. She resists until her boyfriend, Paul, is attacked and his consciousness scattered across multiple dimensions. 

Marguerite has no choice but to search for each splinter of Paul’s soul. The hunt sends her racing through a war-torn San Francisco, the criminal underworld of New York City, and a glittering Paris where another Marguerite hides a shocking secret. Each world brings Marguerite one step closer to rescuing Paul. But with each trial she faces, she begins to question the destiny she thought they shared. 

                                                        First Impressions

I absolutely LOVED A Thousand Pieces of You (Review here) and couldn’t wait for the second book to come out. Once I saw the cover I was even more excited. These books have the most beautiful, eye catching covers.

                                                         What I thought

This second book did not disappoint! I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy it as much as the first one (second book syndrome) but I definitely did!

This book picks up a few months after the last one left off. If you haven’t read the first one and plan to, stop reading my review now, there will be some spoilers. Paul and Marguerite are in a relationship and Theo is still jealous. Marguerite’s mom, dad, Paul and Theo are all still working on the Firebird technology, trying to improve it so that nothing like what happened in the previous novel would happen again. Unfortunately, Theo is feeling the side effects of having had the other dimension’s Theo within him for so long. In order to help him, Paul goes to find him and ends up getting himself in trouble. Wyatt Conley splinters Paul’s soul into 4 different dimensions in order to blackmail Marguerite into working for him.

As with the previous books, it was fascinating seeing Marguerite and Theo move through the different dimensions. I love the idea that there are different dimensions based on different decisions that were made so it is always fun to me to see how different worlds have developed. Some of them are developed a little more than others, but each one is fun to visit. I wish there had been a little bit more time in the Home Office, but I understand why it was short.

During the last book, I fell in love with Paul in th Russiaverse. This book made it a little bit hard to stay connected to Paul in that way. Unlike Theo, he was not a constant and his personality kept changing from dimension to dimension. He also was only in it for brief periods of time and never in a relationship capacity with Marguerite. It was a little difficult to remember why Marguerite loves Paulwhich made her quest to save him difficult to sympathize with. She was a little bit irritating at times with all of her “Paul is my destiny!” but it was interesting to see how it developed as the story went on.

There were some twists in the story that I didn’t expect and a development that makes the third book sound like it will be very interesting. I am curious to see how everything that was set up works out. The ending is a definite cliff hanger and I wish I had the third book right now!

I also wish that the CW would turn this into a TV series. It would be so amazing to see these characters in these different universes, and I don’t think a movie would do as much justice as a TV show would. They could explore so many different dimensions so in depth and it would be captivating.

This series is slowly becoming a favorite. Between the beautiful cover and the even more beautiful story, I can see myself re-reading these many times and adding them to my shelves. I can’t wait until the third book comes out! If you like dystopian novels or science fiction I would highly recommend these. They’re unique and stand out from other books in similar genres. Definitely a breath of fresh air in a genre that became a little bit stale. 
 

The Affinities

By: Robert Charles Wilson
Published Year: 2015
Publisher: Tor Books
Pages: 300

Amazon Barnes and Noble

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): In our rapidly changing world of social media, everyday people are more and more able to sort themselves into social groups based on finer and finer criteria. In the near future of Robert Charles Wilson's The Affinities, this process is supercharged by new analytic technologies: genetic, brain-mapping, behavioral. To join one of the twenty-two Affinities is to change one's life. It's like family, and more than family. Your fellow members aren't just like you, and they aren't just people who are likely to like you. They're also the people with whom you can best cooperate in all areas of life, creative, interpersonal, even financial.

At loose ends both professional and personal, young Adam Fisk takes the suite of tests to see whether he qualifies for any of the Affinities and finds that he's a match for one of the largest, the one called Tau. It's utopian--at first. His problems resolve themselves as he becomes part of a global network of people dedicated to helping one another, to helping him, but as the differing Affinities put their new powers to the test, they begin to rapidly chip away at the power of governments, of global corporations, and of all the institutions of the old world; then, with dreadful inevitability, the different Affinities begin to go to war with one another.

                                                           First Impressions

I was stuck in a book rut and decided to go inside the library and walk around to pick out books. Oddly enough, this is not something that I have done for a long time. Lately I have been putting books on hold and the picking them up at my library’s drive through. While looking around in the New Releases/Hot Releases section the cover of The Affinitiess caught my eye. When I read the summary it caught my attention. I thought that I was burned out on dystopian novels but something about this sparked my interest during a time where no other book was.

                                                             What I thought

This book was really interesting and definitely helped to get me out of my rut. It wasn’t exactly what I expected it to be but it was really interesting and enjoyable.

The Affinities occurs in Canada and The US during what seems like the present. A scientist has discovered a way to analyze human minds and DNA to determine what Affinity (if any) they fit into. The purpose of an Affinity is to put you together with people like you who you immediately understand and trust and therefore cooperate with easily. There are 22 Affinities and not everybody who is tested qualifies for an Affinity. There are 5 that are the biggest or most common Affinities. Adam, the main character, qualifies for one of the Big 5, Tau.

The Affinities (while reminiscent of the factions from Divergent) are not something that everyone has to (or even can be) a part of. The purpose of the Affinities is to create a more cooperative society. It’s a little bit difficult to explain but it’s different from other dystopian societies in that the Affinities don’t teach or even encourage everyone to act a certain way, but are built to put you together with people who are already similar to you. However, there is always conflict when groups like these are created. The different Affinities don’t agree with one another and there is animosity from those who did not qualify.

The negative side to Affinities is that they feel as though they are your one and only family. Anyone who is not a part of your Affinity does not matter. They actually refer to people who you are connected to outside of your Affinity a “tether.” It’s an interesting concept and does create a lot of struggle for Adam.

One downside to this book is that there isn’t as much world building or character building as I would have liked. It is split into three sections that easily could have been made into three separate books. The first section occurs when Adam first decides to be tested for an Affinity. The second section occurs 7 years later, and the third a few years after that. It is frustrating because one section ends and then the next one immediately picks up years later. You have no idea what has happened in between and it makes it harder to connect to the other characters. I would have loved more detail and interactions with the characters. I feel like this style made it more difficult to follow along as well as more difficult to get behind the causes the characters were behind.

Finally, the ending really frustrated me. It was the type of ending that makes you feel as though you wasted your time reading the story. If the ending was different I would have liked this book so much more. I really liked the concept and the ideas and in general what happened. I think that if this story was more detailed and made into something a lot longer it could’ve gone from being a good story to being an amazing story.

If you enjoy dystopian novels or psychology in general, I would definitely recommend this book. It is really interesting and has a lot of topics that make you think. I also think this could make for a very interesting book club choice. There would definitely be a lot to discuss. Unfortunately, I couldn’t fall in love with this book because I didn’t feel like I could fully connect with the story. If it had been longer and more detailed story, I definitely could’ve loved it. I can’t see myself re-reading this story and therefore can’t see myself purchasing it for my shelves. However, I would recommend checking it out if it sounds interesting to you.
 

Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike #3)

By: Robert Galbraith
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Published Year: 2015
Pages: 489

Amazon Barnes and Noble

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): When a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman's severed leg.

Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people from his past who he thinks could be responsible--and Strike knows that any one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality.

With the police focusing on the one suspect Strike is increasingly sure is not the perpetrator, he and Robin take matters into their own hands, and delve into the dark and twisted worlds of the other three men. But as more horrendous acts occur, time is running out for the two of them...

                                                           First Impressions

I really enjoyed the first Cormoran Strike novel but wasn’t super impressed by the second one (Review here). I was a little hesitant to start this one, but the cover and name definitely pulled me back in. I won’t say I was super excited to read this one, but I was definitely curious!

                                                            What I thought

I’m so glad I gave this book a chance! It is quite possibly my favorite of the series and was exactly what I needed.

Career of Evil follows Cormoran Strike and his partner/assistant Robyn on their third big investigation. The investigation starts with Robyn being sent a woman’s leg at the private investigation office. Similar to the other investigations, the police are involved but are slightly incompetent and Strike is needed to help solve it.

I have been in a book rut for a while and this is the first book in a while that I could not put down. I wanted t take time off of work so that I could read this book and find out who the murderer was. After the second novel, I doubted whether or not I had really liked the first one. I realize now that that is not the case, but just that I didn’t prefer the story in the second story. As a warning, this storyline is a bit gruesome and definitely more gory than the previous two (if my memory serves me correctly) but it is extremely captivating.

In this book, we get more of a look into Robyn and her ide as she is an integral part of this case. It was really interesting seeing her life and how she handled everything. It did, however, feel as though it was more of a Robyn Novel than a Cormoran Strike novel. If you are not someone who enjoyed Robyn in the first two books, I can’t see you enjoying this one a lot, but I could be wrong.

One of the things that I love about these mysteries is that they aren’t predictable. You think that you now where they’re going to go, but then there are these unforeseeable twists and you find out you’re totally wrong! Throughout the entire novel I was sure that I know who the murderer was, but I was wrong. I don’t think I would say that it was shocking, but Galbraith (Rowling) does a great job at misleading the reader.
 

This book was so wonderful. I loved the story, I loved the characters, I loved the writing. I haven’t read a book this captivating in a very long time and I highly recommend it. The only issue I had with this book (as well as with the other two) is they get a little long. I think there could be some stuff cut out that wouldn’t be missed. If you enjoy mysteries, I definitely recommend checking out the Cormoran Strike series. Part of me wants to give this a Beloved/5 star rating, but it’s really difficult for me to do that with mysteries. I like to include re-readability in my 5 star ratings, and I don’t know if this mystery would be as good during a re-read since I already know who the murderer is! Either way, I am really looking forward to the next one!
 

Laura Mercier Eye Art Artist's Palette

Recently, I was in a bit of a make-up slump. I don’t know if it was because I wasn’t working over the summer (I work in the schools), so I got lazy or what, but I just wasn’t excited enough to put makeup on in the morning. I didn’t even see much that came out that I wanted to buy. When my friends and I took our yearly girl’s trip, we decided to bring all/the majority of our makeup collections to do makeovers and play around with new products. My friend Logan, at Sage & Serendipity, had recently purchased this palette and it made me fall in love with makeup all over again.

The Laura Mercier Eye Art Artist’s Palette ($55) is a 12 shadow palette. It originally came out in 2013 as a limited edition palette. I had no idea about it at the time, but apparently it was a really big hit and sold out so they decided to bring it back as a Sephora Exclusive.

With all of the Nude palettes out there, this one is definitely unique. Not only does it have a variety of purple shades and brown shades but it has a mixture of matte, sateen, and luster shadows. It’s really nice that it has a variety as the Urban Decay Naked palettes are all shimmer shadows. 

The packaging is a softer cover with a magnetic closing. The cover is sturdy, but has some squish to it which is nice. It is easy to clean and it doesn't seem as though it will attract a lot of other makeup which is nice. It also has a full size mirror which is always helpful when you have a palette. I tend to use them when I'm not staying at home, and the extra mirror always comes in handy.

The first 6 shadows that I swatched are Sparkling Dew, Guava, African Violet, Vanilla Nuts, Primrose and Fresco. 
 

African Violet and Primrose were two of the shadows that immediately caught my eye when I opened the palette. African Violet is an amazingly unique violet and gold shadow and Primrose is a beautiful pink. Since using the palette, Sparkling Dew has become my go-to highlight. While I haven’t yet used Guava or Vanilla Nuts, I know I will get to them.

All of these shadows are amazingly buttery and pigmented. They are some of the smoothest eye shadows I have ever swatched and you don’t need a lot. They also stay really well.

Top Row (Left to right): Sparkling Dew, Guava, African Violet Bottom Row (Left to Right): Vanilla Nuts, Primrose, Fresco

The second 6 shadows are Plum Smoke, Kir Royal, Violet Ink, Bamboo, Truffle, and Espresso Bean. 

Bamboo was the second color that I fell in love with. It is a beautiful khaki/olive brown with a hint of shimmer that makes for a beautiful every day lid color. I also really like Violet Ink and Espresso Bean for eye liners. Kir Royal is great for when you want a more dramatic look, and Plum Smoke is a beautiful matte purple.

Top Row (Left to Right); Plum Smoke, Kir Royal, Violet Ink Bottom Roe (Left to Right): Bamboo, Truffle, Espresso Bean

I don’t think there is a single color in this palette that I don’t love or don’t find wearable. There is so much that you can do with this palette and it is so different from everything else that’s out there. Even though it’s unique, it is so wearable for every day. I will definitely be packing this on my honeymoon. I have worn it almost every day since I bought it. It’s a little expensive, but no more so than the majority of palettes out there. It is more compact than the Naked Palettes and I think when you travel you do have to be aware of where you put it to make sure it doesn’t pop open.
 

Most Likely to Succeed (Superlatives #3)

By: Jennifer Echols
Published Year: 2015
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 352

Amazon Barnes and Noble

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): As vice president of Student Council, Kaye knows the importance of keeping order. Not only in school, but in her personal life. Which is why she and her boyfriend, Aidan, already have their lives mapped out: attend Columbia University together, pursue banking careers, and eventually get married. Everything Kaye has accomplished in high school—student government, cheerleading, stellar grades—has been in preparation for that future.

To his entire class, Sawyer is an irreverent bad boy. His antics on the field as school mascot and his love of partying have earned him total slacker status. But while he and Kaye appear to be opposites on every level, fate—and their friends—keep conspiring to throw them together. Perhaps the seniors see the simmering attraction Kaye and Sawyer are unwilling to acknowledge to themselves…

As the year unfolds, Kaye begins to realize her ideal life is not what she thought. And Sawyer decides it’s finally time to let down the facade and show everyone who he really is. Is a relationship between them most likely to succeed—or will it be their favorite mistake?

                                                      First Impressions

I really loved Biggest Flirts and enjoyed Perfect Couple. I love series that visit different characters so they’re connected but not the same. I was really excited to read this one. As I’ve said before, the covers don’t wow me, the stories are really good.

                                                       What I thought

This book was just as cute as the others! It was fun to get to revisit the characters from the other books and then follow the new characters.

Most Likely to Succeed is about Sawyer and Kaye. Kaye is dating Aidan and they were both voted Most Likely to Succeed. Aidan is school president and Kaye is vice president. In the previous book, you find out that Sawyer has a crush on Kaye.

I found this book to be a bit predictable. Like, I knew what this book was going to be about and how it was going to play out before I even read it. However, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t enjoyable. I love Sawyer and found Kaye growing on me as the book went on.

The only thing that was a bit annoying was their issues. There was a lot of “if you actually talked to the person you wouldn’t be having problems!” problems. I think those can be the most frustrating because it causes issues that definitely don’t need to be issues. I also really did not like Kaye’s parents. I know that we weren’t supposed to like them much but still feel like they wanted the best for her. In actuality, I just thought that they were mean and stupid.

The ending of this book let me down a little bit too. Considering that this is the last book of the series, I expected a little more conclusion. It seemed like it just ended. I wish there had been an epilogue or a few more chapters or just something more. I didn’t have a problem with the events at the end of the book, I just wish that it had been a bit more.
 

This was a fun book, just like the others. It wasn’t my favorite, but I still enjoyed it a lot. I don’t think I would re-read it and therefore I wouldn’t purchase it for my shelves. If there had been a bit more about Sawyer and a bit more of their relationship in general, I think I would’ve enjoyed it more. I would recommend this series to those who enjoyed Anna and the French Kiss. If you enjoyed those books and are looking for something similar, the Superlative series would be right up your ally. Even though my review for this book hasn’t been raving, I still highly recommend you check them out!
 

Birchbox November 2015

In case you are unaware, Birchbox is a monthly beauty subscription box. It costs $10 a month and you receive multiple sample size item. These boxes allow you to try tons of new products that you may have never even heard of before. The other fun thing about Birchbox is that every time you purchase an item from their site, or review a product from your box, you receive rewards points! Once you collect 100 points, you get $10 off of your next purchase. These points definitely add up quickly between buying your box, and reviewing the products.

Each month, Birchbox allows subscribers to pick one of their samples. If you prefer surprises, you don’t have to pick one. You can choose to be surprised instead. They also offer full boxes that have been made by a guest. This month’s guest editor box was by Tati from GlamLifeGuru. This month’s sample choices came from Birchbox’s new makeup line that was created in collaboration with Tati from GlamLife Guru. The choices were between three lip colors and two eye shadow sticks. I was tempted to pick the plum/wine lip color, but ended up going with the One and Done Shadow Stick in Impress me. 

The products I received this month were as follows:

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo (Full-size $22)- This is a dry shampoo that claims to actually clean hair as well as sock up oil, sweat, and odor. As a curly girl, I’m not 100% sure how to use dry shampoo for my hair. My hair is dry, so it doesn’t get oily, so I don’t need that benefit. I will have to see if I can find some tutorials to see if I can find a use for this.

Temple Spa La La Lagoon Aromatic Bath & Shower Gel (Full-size $28)- I was a little apprehensive of this product as I didn’t like the smell of the previous Temple Spa products I received. This one, however, has mint and peppermint so it smells really nice. If you’re not a mint product you wouldn’t enjoy it, but I’m excited to use it before bed one night.

Liz Earle Superskin Moisturizer with Natural Neroli (Full-size $72)- This is a superhydrating moisturizer that features ingredients to restore skin. It includes pomegranate, cranberry seed, and neroli. Neroli is an essential oil that comes from a citrus, which explains for the citrus smell in the lotion. It is also known to smooth skin, free it from infections, moisturize, and give your skin a glow. I have only used this once and it felt very luxurious. It takes a little bit for the moisturizer to absorb, so beware of that before you apply makeup.

LOC One & Done Shadow Stick- Impress Me (Full-size $10)- This is a creaseless, waterproof shadow stick. It is a unique copper color that is a little bit pink. I chose this product because I was curious if it was a dupe for the Laura Mercier Caviar in Amethyst. While they are close, Amethyst is a little more brown and is slightly darker. If you have that shade, I think you will really like Impress Me. It has decent wear time, not as great as the Laura Mercier sticks. I find that it tends to fad a little when I wear it throughout the day without a primer. For $10 it’s a great shadow stick, but it doesn’t completely live up to the claims. It is smudge proof though! You cannot move it once it sets.

MAKE Face Gloss (Full-size $25)- This gloss is meant to refresh dull skin. This product works similarly to a highlighter in that it catches the light on your face. Looking at pictures of people who have used it, I think it just makes them look oily. I’m a little unsure as to whether or not this product as silicon, as I couldn’t find it easily. I can’t see myself reaching for this product as I tend to prefer a matte look to a dewy look. I do love highlighters, but I think that’s because I love the pink and gold tones. I can’t see myself using a clear highlighter. 

Overall this box is decent. I like the moisturizer and the eye shadow and I’m curious about the dry shampoo and the shower gel. I might see if any of my friends want the face gloss.