Julian & Emma | A Shadowhunters Playlist

Queen of Air and Darkness is less than two months away, so Laughing Listener, Fiction No Chaser and I decided to start a group read of The Dark Artifices to get prepped!

Because Cassandra Clare is a genius, it was inevitable that a chapter into Lady Midnight everyone fell in love with Emma and then fell in love with Julian and then fell in love with them being together.

By popular demand, I created a playlist for their forbidden love. This won’t be finished until the last book is released and we finally know their fate, but I had to share what I had so far!

The Breakdown

Here are a few of my faves and why I picked them.

Our Own House, Misterwives

To me, this song describes Emma and Julian as parabatai perfectly. They’ve spent most of their lives together and have grown with and shaped each other into the people they are.

Notable Lyrics: “With the hands over our hearts. And we swore on that day. That it’ll never fall apart.”

Cake By The Ocean, DNCE

Guys, this is THEE song for that beach scene. 

Notable Lyrics: “I keep on hoping we’ll eat cake by the ocean.”

While We Wait, Jack Johnson

I had to end it with an open-ended song about wanting more. It describes Julian and Emma and also how I feel about needing more of them in my life.

Notable Lyrics: “It feels right. It feels wrong. It feels like when you have it, then it’s gone.
I want more. More and more….”

Talk To Me

What did you think of my picks? What songs would you add? Do you have any playlists you’d want me to create?

Feysand | A Court of Thorns and Roses Playlist

*Spoiler ahead if you haven’t read the A Court of Thorns and Roses Series*

Now that my spoiler warning is out of the way I can freely discuss my love for Rhysand and his love for Feyre. This is the ultimate hate-to-love story and there’s no changing my mind! This playlist has a lot of conflicting emotions and I hope you listen to this in your car and dance around like I do.

If you’re looking for some epic breakup music, check out my Feylin playlist! It has enough angst to soothe the soul.

The Breakdown

Here are a few of my favorite choices and why I thought they fit on this playlist.

Do You Want Me (Dead?), All Time Low

Rhys and Feyre started off on the wrong foot, but I always wondered what was really going on with them. Do they hate each other or not? Well, I found my answer, but this is still them at the end of book 1 and the beginning of book 2.

Notable Lyrics: “Do you want me? Or do you want me dead?”

Starlight, Taylor Swift

Tell me this isn’t the perfect song to be playing in the background during their first Starfall together. Plus, it’s Taylor…so of course I love it.

Notable Lyrics: “It was the best night, never would forget how we moved.
The whole place was dressed to the nines, and we were dancing, dancing. Like we’re made of starlight”

Bright, Echosmith

It was so fun finding songs that alluded to stars and night because they just fit Rhys and Feyre SO well.

Notable Lyrics: “And I see colors in a different way. You make what doesn’t matter fade to grey. Life is good and that’s the way it should be.”

Talk To Me

What did you think of my picks? What songs would you add? Do you have any playlists you’d want me to create?

Top 5 Tuesday | Tropes I’ve Had Enough Of

Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the amazing Bionic Book Worm!

Welcome to my first ever Top 5 Tuesday. Laughing Listener mentioned these weekly prompts to me and how everyone participating was super friendly, so I decided to give it a go!

This week, we’re talking tropes I’m pretty much over at this point. This doesn’t mean I won’t read stories with these plot lines, but they have to be really special in order for me to enjoy them. Spoiler Alert: they all have to do with love in some way shape or form because apparently I have a dark heart and don’t enjoy happiness. Okay, that’s totally not true. My preferred love tropes just aren’t these! So, shall we being?

The Love Triangle

I know this is a popular one but the “I Feel So Badly Because I Have Two People Fighting Over Me Whatever Shall I Do” mentality is just not the biz. And if you let two people fight over you then it doesn’t seem to me like you really love either of those people anyway. (But for the record I’m totally #TeamPeeta even though the love triangle was unnecessary.)

Love At First Sight

Guys, I’m a Virgo and things just need to be logical, okay? How could one possibly know if they’re in love with someone they’ve never spent time with before? What if they chew with their mouth open? What if they snore? What if they’re actually evil and just using your shallow ways to get revenge on their enemies (I’m looking at you Gwen Grayson).

The Protagonist Doesn’t Realize Their Own Beauty

Let’s be honest, the characters who think of themselves as ugly and useless but are actually super beautiful are usually girls. It’s 2018, #GirlPower! I want to see more ladies like Isabelle Lightwood (The Mortal Instruments) and the true queen Aelin Galathynius (Throne of Glass). They know they’re beautiful and badass and they own it.

The Boy Who Pretends He Doesn’t Love The Girl (But Does)

Exhibit A: Edward Cullen. Why pretend to hate someone when you really love them? It just makes no sense to me. I have no other words for this one. That is all.

Lovers That Are Tragically Kept Apart

It’s not so much that I’m over this trope, but it always kills me when my OTPs are kept apart. I need my happy endings and I need them now! I will NEVER be okay with the ending of Empire of Storms. And if you didn’t cry at the end of Titanic it’s probably because you haven’t seen it yet.

Talk To Me

What did you think of my picks? What tropes have you had enough of?

Review | I Lived For the Sass in Bring Me Their Hearts

Bring Me Their Hearts

By: Sara Wolf

Overall Rating: ★★★

Zera gets her heart taken away by a witch, which turns her into a Heartless. In order to get her heart back she needs to charm the prince with her humor and wit…so she can take his heart and turn him into a Heartless. Sparks fly, chaos ensues, enemies are made, and so on.

Zera stealing hearts, probably

 

Theme Song

The Good

(Most Of) The Characters

Zera is FULL of sarcasm and her tasteless jokes and overdramatic antics are to die for. Sure, she might be a little crazy after being stabbed to undeath a handful of times, but she’s trying and that’s what counts.

Prince Lucien, AKA my future husband, is bitter, snappy, sarcastic and also an adorable teddy bear and I need him in my life. I can’t wait to see more of him in book two.

Malachite is the best friend I wish I had. He’s loyal, funny, and can see in the dark. He’s also a badass fighter, so protection for earlier mentioned book babe Lucien is covered.

The Backstory

There’s an Old God, a New God, an important old “Tree”, some crazy creatures the witches accidentally created with their “overflowing power” and a plot-twist about the ruling family’s lineage that should make things a lot more interesting. I love in-depth world building and I hope I get more of this Witch War!

The Bad

The Ending

I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS. Seriously, the only reason I didn’t rate this four stars is because of the last chapter. Not one thing was resolved by the last page. Was the archduke ever actually evil? Who really wants this war to happen? Why do the witches actually need Prince Lucien’s heart? What is going on with Fione – is she evil or not? And HOW IS THAT CHARACTER EVEN ALIVE? Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sucker for a good cliffhanger, but at least give me some type or resolution. You can’t leave everything open-ended, it isn’t healthy.

The Antagonist

I appreciate a great villain but this book didn’t really seem to have one. The Archduke was the implied, always present “evil” but he was in a total of like 4 scenes. He didn’t thwart anyone’s plans, he didn’t kill anyone I was truly invested in, he didn’t really do anything.

The Ugly Truth

For all the minor upsets this book held for me, I still really enjoyed it. The characters made up for a lot of the disappointments and I didn’t really have anything bad to say until the ending! I really can’t wait to read the second book for two reasons: my need to know everything outweighs all other things and PRINCE LUCIEN NEEDS TO LIVE.

Talk To Me

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think of it?

Feylin | A Court of Thorns & Roses Playlist

First things first, if you haven’t read the first two books in Sarah J Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series, click out of this post – spoilers ahead! But you really should read this series, because it is amazing. I promise.

For everyone else who is still with me, welcome to the most epic breakup playlist ever, probably. I binge-read this entire series within the span of a week and the entire time I couldn’t help but feel like I needed to listen to epic, symphonic music that made me want to cry and that will definitely show here.

If you tell me you didn’t like Tamlin for at least a second, you’re either lying or a way better judge of character than I was. For me, watching Feyre fall for Tamlin and then realize he was a total tool was a train wreck that I couldn’t look away from.

The Breakdown

Here are a few of my favorite choices and why I thought they fit on this playlist.

Don’t Blame Me, Taylor Swift

Again, Taylor Swift works for every occasion! Feyre goes way past her limits trying to save Tamlin and she went crazy.

Notable Lyrics: “For you, I would cross the line. I would waste my time
I would lose my mind. They say she’s gone too far this time.”

Heartbreaker, Bad Suns

Imagine this song playing the moment Tamlin locks Feyre up to “protect” her.

Notable Lyrics: “Your love is toxic. My heart collapsing.”

Heart of Glass, Blondie

The moment Feyre finally realizes TAMLIN. ISN’T. THE. ONE. 🙌

Notable Lyrics: “Once I had a love and it was a gas. Soon turned out had a heart of glass
Seemed like the real thing, only to find. Mucho mistrust, love’s gone behind.”

If you’re looking for some Rhysand action, you’re in luck! This playlist has more love songs and more drama.

Talk To Me

What did you think of my picks? What songs would you add?

Shadowhunters | A Playlist

Very Important Fact About Me: I am obsessed with all things Shadowhunters. My love began with The Mortal Instruments and I continued to read all of Cassandra Clare’s series religiously.  Jace Herondale for life. 

I really wanted to create one for each character, relationship, event that has ever happened in this world but there’s just so much material I settled for one main playlist that touched on all important shadowhunter stories we know and adore.

The Breakdown

Here’s a few of my favorite choices and why they remind me of our favorite Shadowhunters!

Carry On My Wayward Son, Kansas

This song is too epic not to feature on a playlist about demon-slaying, half-angel hotties. It’s about a guy with a purpose who won’t rest until he’s fulfilled it, aka every shadowhunter in existence.

Notable Lyrics: “Carry on my wayward son. For there’ll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest. Don’t you cry no more.”

This Is Gospel, Panic! At The Disco

Any chance I get to reference gospel, angels, or demons on a playlist about Shadowhunters is a good day. Shadowhunter code is all based on a history handed down by people thousands of years ago, and it maaaaay or may not always be right. *Cue fight scene in the name of love that the clave knows nothing about*

Notable Lyrics: “This is gospel for the fallen ones. Locked away in permanent slumber
Assembling their philosophies from pieces of broken memories.”

Back in Black, AC/DC

This reminds me of one of my favorite Jace quotes: “Shadowhunters: Looking Better in Black Than the Widows of our Enemies Since 1234.” (Jamie Campbell Bower will always be Jace – fight me.)

Notable Lyrics: “Number one with a bullet, I’m a power pack
Yes, I’m in a bang with a gang.”

Talk To Me

What did you think of my picks? What songs remind you of the Shadowhunter Chronicles?

Fire-Breathing Bitch Queen | A Throne of Glass Playlist

My love for Throne of Glass will never end, so of course one of my first bookish playlists was to commemorate our favorite queen, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius.

This playlist follows her from The Assassin’s Blade through Empire of Storms. It embodies her independent, girl-power vibes while still touching on the harder events of her life. (SAM CORTLAND DESERVED BETTER. *Sobs uncontrollably in the corner*)

The Breakdown

Here’s a few of my favorite choices and why they remind me of Aelin!

Big Spender, Kiana Lede

Aelin buys her own fancy things and doesn’t have time for anyone. So you better get out of her way.

Notable Lyrics: “Big baller, boujee shot caller. No f*ckboys allowed in my aura”

Look What You Made Me Do, Taylor Swift

There’s a Taylor Swift song for every occasion and this one is definitely Aelin’s theme song. She gets her revenge on all those who did her wrong and everyone who crosses her path. And do I love her for it? Yes.

Notable Lyrics: “But I got smarter, I got harder in the nick of time
Honey, I rose up from the dead, I do it all the time”

Barracuda, Heart

This is the song I imagine playing in the background as Maeve shows her b*tch face on the beach to take Aelin with her and it KILLS ME EVERY TIME.

Notable Lyrics: “You lying so low in the weeds. Bet you gonna ambush me. You’d have me down, down, down to my knees. Wouldn’t you, Barracuda?”

So, without further ado, here is my moody, boss-lady Aelin playlist. Enjoy!

Talk To Me

What did you think of my picks? What songs remind you of Aelin?

October TBR

I decided to dedicate this month to – mostly – horror & thrillers. I don’t give my scary
stories enough love even though they are some of my favorites. I mean, who doesn’t love
a good scare?

Here are some of the books I’m excited to get through before Halloween. I’ve had IT for almost a year and have yet to dive in, even though I’ve seen both movie adaptations. As you can see, Stephen King is a theme here – he is the master of horror!

 

In other news I’m sitting here patiently waiting for Kingdom of Ash to drop on the 23rd, at which time my horror thrills will take a back seat. I NEED to know how this ends. Love Throne of Glass as much as I do? Check out one of my playlists!

Talk to Me: What are you excited to read this month?

About Me

Why hello there. Welcome to my blog!

I’m glad you stumbled into my humble abode of internet space. I’m Devon and I like to read…a lot. Follow along as I obsess over fictional characters and attempt to create the perfect book playlists.

REVIEW SYSTEM: 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING. Already planning my re-read and recommending it to everyone.

⭐⭐⭐⭐: Loved this book but there were a few things keeping it from greatness.

⭐⭐⭐: This book was okay, but I probably wouldn’t read it more than once.

⭐⭐: This book was neither here nor there. I won’t remember much of it.

⭐: This book was bad. I will actually spend time discussing (in depth) the reasons why I disliked it.