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My Favorites of 2025

Hi everyone! I believe this post requires no introduction. You know the drill with this one. Please enjoy my favorite things from this year. Here’s to a great 2026! (Let’s face it. 2025 was a sh*t show. The only way to get through was by finding literally anything to enjoy.)

Books

  • Oathbringer (Book 3 of the Stormlight Archive) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Ithaca (Book 1 of the Songs of Penelope) by Claire North
  • Rhythm of War (Book 4 of the Stormlight Archive) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Psyche and Eros by Luna McNamara
  • Near the Bone by Christina Henry
  • The Final Empire (Book 1 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson
  • The Fury of the Gods (Book 3 of the Bloodsworn Saga) by John Gwynne
  • Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
  • Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConahgy
  • The Children of Jocasta by Natalie Haynes
  • Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
  • The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon
  • Brother by Ania Ahlborn
  • Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter
  • And Then I Woke Up by Malcom Devlin
  • The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland
  • I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
  • The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Geisbrecht
  • The Well of Ascension (Book 2 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Orphia and Eurydicius by Elyse John
  • The Hero of Ages (Book 3 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Assassin’s Apprentice (Book 1 of the Farseer Trilogy) by Robin Hobb
  • Wind and Truth (Book 5 of the Stormlight Archive) by Brandon Sanderson
  • The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
  • The Alloy of the Law (Book 4 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson
  • The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova
  • Dune by Frank Herbert
  • Elektra by Jennifer Saint
  • Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna van Veen
  • Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
  • Uprooted by Naomi Novik
  • Swordheart by T. Kingfisher
  • One’s Company by Ashley Hutson
  • Grey Dog by Elliot Gish
  • We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
  • The Unworthy by Augustina Bazterrica
  • The Haar by David Sodergren
  • Diavola by Jennifer Thorne
  • One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford
  • Shadows of Self (Book 5 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson
  • House of Odysseus (Book 2 of the Songs of Penelope) by Claire North
  • The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Movies

  • Sinners (dir. Ryan Coogler)
  • Thunderbolts* (dir. Jake Schierer)
  • Superman (dir. James Gunn)
  • The Fantastic Four: First Steps (dir. Matt Shakman)
  • The Long Walk (dir. Francis Lawrence)
  • Frankenstein (dir. Guillermo del Toro)
  • Wicked: For Good (dir. Jon M. Chu)

TV Shows

  • It: Welcome to Derry (Season 1, HBO Max)
  • The Mighty Nein (Season 1, Prime)
  • Heated Rivalry (Season 1, HBO Max)
  • Severance (Seasons 1-2, Apple TV)
  • Murderbot (Season 1, Apple TV)
  • Hazbin Hotel (Season 2, Prime)
  • Yellowjackets (Season 3, Paramount)
  • Fallout (Season 2, Prime)
  • Andor (Season 2, Disney+)
  • Only Murders in the Building (Season 5, Hulu)

Music

  • Hurry Up Tomorrow by The Weeknd (album)
  • The Giver by Chappell Roan (single)
  • Forever is a Feeling by Lucy Dacus (album)
  • RUSHMERE by Mumford and Sons (album)
  • At The Beach, In Every Life by Gigi Perez (album)
  • I Don’t Know How But They Found Me! by Jensen McRae (album)
  • Even In Arcadia by Sleep Token (album)
  • Man’s Best Friend by Sabrina Carpenter (album)
  • Virgin by Lorde (album)
  • The Cosmic Selector Vol.1 by Lord Huron (album)
  • BITE ME by Renee Rapp (album)
  • Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You by Ethel Cain (album)
  • Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party by Hayley Williams (album)
  • Breach by Twenty One Pilots (album)
  • Good Boy by Paris Paloma (single)
  • The Life of a Showgirl by Taylor Swift (album)
  • Everybody Scream by Florence and the Machine (album)
  • The Hand by Annabelle Dinda (single)
  • Silver Spoon by Erin LeCount (single)
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My Favorites of 2024

Hey everyone! Welcome to my annual favorites list! I intended to post another review but decided to leave that for next month/year. I fully intended to post more reviews in December, but life/the holidays/health/other things got in the way. I did get a bunch of books for Christmas that I am looking forward to reading and reviewing, so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy my annual favorites list. Happy New Year! I can’t wait to see you all in 2025!

Books

  • The Winter Soldier: Cold Front by Mackenzi Lee
  • The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwyne
  • All’s Well by Mona Awad
  • The Employees by Olga Ravn
  • Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval
  • Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh
  • Brutes by Dizz Tate
  • Monstrillio by Gerardo Samano Cordova
  • The Deep by Alma Katsu
  • How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
  • Intercepts by TJ Payne
  • Godkiller and Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner
  • Sign Here by Claudia Lux
  • The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
  • Rouge by Mona Awad
  • Several People are Typing by Calvin Kasulke
  • Angels Before Man and Angels & Man by Rafael Nichols
  • The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
  • Out by Natsuo Kirino
  • Mary: An Awakening of Terror by Nat Cassidy
  • Eynhallow by Tim McGregor
  • Night Film by Marisha Pessl
  • The Ascendancy Trilogy by Timothy Zahn
  • Bliss Montage by Ling Ma
  • The Obelisk Gate and The Stone Sky by NK Jemisin
  • Last Days by Brian Evenson
  • A Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock
  • Chlorine by Jade Song
  • Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
  • Boy Parts by Eliza Clark
  • Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle
  • Death in Her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh
  • The Way of the Kings and Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
  • The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood
  • All Systems Red by Martha Wells
  • Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay
  • The Vegetarian by Han Kang
  • Theme Music by T. Marie Vandelly
  • They Drown Our Daughters by Katrina Monroe

Movies

  • Wicked (dir. Jon M. Chu)
  • Deadpool and Wolverine (dir. Shawn Levy)
  • Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (dir. Tim Burton)
  • Inside Out 2 (dir. Kelsey Mann)
  • I Saw the TV Glow (dir. Jane Schoenburn)

TV Shows

  • House of the Dragon: Season 2 (Max)
  • The Legend of Vox Machina: Seasons 1 and 2 (Prime)
  • The Boys: Season 4 (Prime)
  • Arcane: Seasons 1 and 2 (Netflix)
  • Interview with the Vampire: Season 2 (Prime)
  • Squid Games: Season 2 (Netflix)
  • Agatha All Along: Season. 1 (Disney+)
  • Star Wars: The Acolyte: Season 1 (Disney+)
  • Hazbin Hotel: Season 1 (Prime)

Music

  • Unheard by Hozier (EP)
  • Epic: The Concept Album by Jorge Rivera-Herrans (album)
  • THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY by Taylor Swift (album)
  • HIT ME SOFT AND HARD by Billie Eilish (album)
  • Clancy by Twenty One Pilots (album)
  • Cacophony by Paris Paloma (album)
  • Beyond Beyond Beyond by The Crane Wives (album)
  • OBSERVATIONS FROM A CROWDED ROOM by Joy Oladakun (album)
  • Ampersand by Bastille (album)
  • The Great Impersonator by Halsey (album)
  • The Secret of Us by Gracie Abrams (album)
  • JOYRIDE by Kesha (single)
  • Harpy Hare by Yaelokre (single)
  • Short n’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter (album)
  • Punish by Ethel Cain (single)
  • Sailor Song by Gigi Perez (single)
  • Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar (single)
  • GNX by Kendrick Lamar (album)
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She didn’t run from her dark past. She moved in.: Reviewing Theme Music by T. Marie Vandelly

Hi everyone! I’m back with some more books for spooky season. My spooky season books might bleed into November because I have not had a ton of free time on my hands lately. I also am very excited to announce that I have, not one, but two indie author reviews coming up. These will all be good ways to wrap up the end of the year. But that is the future and, in the present, we are going to talk about Theme Music by T. Marie Vandelly.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Strong Language, Substance Abuse

In 1992, Bill Wheeler killed his wife and three sons then himself, leaving only his infant daughter Dixie alive. Twenty-five years later, Dixie wants to know more about her family. The opportunity arises when she buys her childhood home where the grisly murders took place. She isn’t in the house for very long when she begins to see the ghosts of her family. Dixie begins to experience blackouts and other things that make her question her sanity. She decides the only way to save herself is by revisiting the murders. As Dixie begins to investigate her family’s deaths, she discovers something that will haunt her forever.

I don’t know if there is such a thing as “messy girl horror” but Theme Music definitely could be described as that. In fact, it reminded me quite a bit of Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. I appreciate horror novels where the victims aren’t necessarily perfect, because it feels a bit more realistic and relatable. T. Marie Vandelly is not afraid to share the gory details all throughout the book. It is as gratuitous as it needs to be but it is still pretty gory. If you have a weak stomach then this book is not for you. If you do like the bloodier horror novels, then you will certainly like Theme Music. It is a great mixture of a murder mystery and supernatural horror with just a dash of slasher. Dixie Wheeler is a great “final girl” and I liked her narrative voice. For a bloody good time, you should definitely check out Theme Music.

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My Favorites of 2023

Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your holidays this year and were able to take a nice break. I also hope you got some good books as gifts that you will read this upcoming year. My TBR list looks pretty good, and I will post a new review sooner than later. Now, it is time for my annual favorites list. I hope you all enjoy it! Thank you so much for continuing to support my blog! I’m wishing you all the best for 2024.

Books

  • Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
  • My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Odessa Moshfegh
  • Birds of Paradise by Oliver K. Langmede
  • A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske
  • Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix
  • Hall of Smoke by H.M. Long
  • The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher
  • Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
  • The Hades Saga (Books 1 – 3) by Scarlett St. Clair
  • The Blood Gift Duology by N.E. Davenport
  • Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro
  • The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper
  • Bunny by Mona Awad
  • Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
  • The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
  • The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn
  • The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten
  • The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
  • The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan and Mark Ohsiro
  • Pew by Catherine Lacey
  • Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill
  • Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
  • Tell Me I’m Worthless by Allison Rumfitt
  • Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid
  • She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker – Chan
  • Earthlings by Sayaka Murata
  • Reluctant Immortals by Gwendolyn Kiste
  • Dead Astronauts by Jeff Vandermeer
  • A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland
  • The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
  • Jawbone by Monica Ojeda
  • Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
  • A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
  • Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno – Garcia
  • Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
  • Shadows of the Dark Realm by Tyler Edwards

Movies

  • John Wick: Chapter 4 (dir. Chad Stahelski)
  • Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (dir. John Francis Daley and Johnathan Goldstein)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (dir. James Gunn)
  • The Little Mermaid (2023) (dir. Rob Marshall)
  • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (dir. Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson)
  • Barbie (dir. Greta Gerwig)
  • Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (dir. Sam Wrench)
  • Five Nights an Freddy’s (dir. Emma Tammi)
  • The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (dir. Francis Lawrence)

TV Shows

  • The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix)
  • The Witcher: Season 3 (Netflix)
  • Castlevania: Nocturne: Season 1 (Netflix)
  • Good Omens: Season 2 (Prime Video)
  • Our Flag Means Death: Season 2 (Max)
  • Loki: Season 2 (Disney +)
  • Ahsoka: Season 1 (Disney +)
  • What We Do in the Shadows: Season 5 (Hulu)
  • The Last of Us: Season 1 (Max)
  • The Mandalorian: Season 3 (Disney +)

Music

  • This Is Why by Paramore (album)
  • labour by Paris Paloma (single)
  • Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard? by Lana Del Rey (album)
  • So Much (for) Stardust by Fall Out Boy (album)
  • Daylight by David Kushner (single)
  • – by Ed Sheeran (album)
  • Take Me Back to Eden by Sleep Token (album)
  • Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift (album)
  • Unreal Unearth by Cozier (album)
  • The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We by Mitski (album)
  • Autumn Variations by Ed Sheeran (album)
  • the rest by boy genius (album)
  • 1989 (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift (album)
  • The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Music Inspired By) by Various Artists (album)
  • the record by boygenius (album)
  • Dead Man by David Kushner (single)
  • GUTS by Olivia Rodrigo (album)
  • Barbie: The Album by Various Artists. (album)
  • Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) by Noah Kahan (album)

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The folklore Book Tag

Hi everybody! It has been a while since I have done one of these but I saw this on @toastiebooks and couldn’t resist. I am a bit of a closeted Swiftie but her latest album fell right under my taste in music. Shout out to Taylor Swift for always knowing how to put together a great *aesthetic.* Feel free to participate in this tag as well and don’t forget to tag others!

the 1: a book you grew out of

I definitely don’t think I can appreciate The City of Bones series by Cassandra Clare like I used to. Also, I’ll throw in the Twilight series and the Vampire Diaries. I am definitely over any teen paranormal romance.

cardigan: a book you keep coming back to

My first choice for a re-read is American Gods by Neil Gaiman because it just surprises me every time. Following that, I also love can read The Secret History by Donna Tartt and Dracula by Bram Stoker over and over again.

the last great american dynasty: a book where everything goes wrong (in the best way)

Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a great example of hilarious confusion and some poignant thoughts about love and romance. Any Shakespearian comedy embodies this. As for novels, I would pick Pride and Prejudice because Darcy cannot communicate properly to save his life but ends up with Elizabeth because she understands how awkward he is.

exile: ending you didn’t like (ship that sank)

I initially went into The Circle by Dave Eggers with some hope but the ending was super anti-climatic and lame. It’s a very boomer view of “wow! technology is evil!.” Also the main character could have escaped with a pretty nice guy but drove him away.

my tears ricochet: broke your heart

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller gets me every time. It goes right up there with The Book Thief, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and The Kite Runner for me.

mirrorball: a book that speaks to your soul

Honestly, I felt very connected with Jane Eyre as Jane is so confident in her own quiet way. I’ve never been a bold person so it is nice to see someone who is quiet and self-assured. I am using this book for one of my big projects for my final grad school portfolio. I am glad I chose this one.

seven: character that you want to take home and protect

I’m picking Aziraphale from Good Ones because the guy just wants to enjoy his books and spend time with his demon boyfriend. He may be kind of dumb but he must be protected at all costs.

august: summer love

I really don’t read a lot of romance but I would have to say This is How You Lose the Time War was actually really romantic in its own weird way. It’s a great enemies to lovers romance (that’s also LGBTQ+).

this is me trying: mental illness rep

I definitely clicked with how John Green depicts anxiety in Turtles All the Way Down. The main character, Aza, always gets stuck in these “thought spirals” where she keeps going through the what ifs and worst case scenarios. I know not everyone is a huge John Green fan but I really connected with this book in that aspect.

illicit affairs: forbidden romance

The Song of Achilles is going to have to go up here again but I will add on Celia and Marco from The Night Circus. They are supposed to be competitors but end up falling for each other.

invisible string: soulmates

Zachary Ezra Rawlins and Dorian from The Starless Sea have a fantastic “destined to be” relationship in a fantastical setting. For something even more fairy tail-esque, Tristan and Yvainne from Neil Gaiman’s Stardust fit the criteria.

mad woman: vengeful woman

Gone Girl may be a controversial book but Amy Dunne is certainly a woman on a mission who will stop at nothing to get her way. I also can’t not acknowledge basically every woman from The Song of Fire and Ice series, but especially Arya Stark.

epiphany: a loss you’re not over

I still have not forgiven JK for killing off Dobby or Hedwig. My biggest/most recent fictional loss that got me was (spoiler) Kara Resnik from The Themis Files series. That one was unexpected and hurt like a mother. I would still recommend that series, though.

betty: love triangle, f/f romance

I’m choosing f/f romance and This is How You Lose the Time War also gets this one. To summarize, it’s about two warriors, Red and Blue, who come from opposing futuristic societies. Both are sent to change the timeline so their society comes out triumphant but the two end of developing a playful (albeit violent) friendship that turns into romance. I would highly recommend it as its very poetic as well as immersive.

peace: found family

The Percy Jackson series is still a great example of the found family trope, including reliable parental figures. The Unwritten Library by AJ Hackwith is more recent but includes a bizarre but lovable group of misfits that include a feisty librarian, an ex-muse, a novice demon, and an angel who is trying to figure out where he belongs. I’d highly recommend that book.

hoax: a character that fooled you

When I was reading The Shades of Magic trilogy, I really thought Holland was just an *sshole but I actually ended up getting really attached to him. I guess that’s kind of the reverse of this question but Holland had an incredibly tragic past and some valid reasons for his actions. I’d recommend this trilogy too.

the lakes: a book written in verse

I really haven’t read a lot of books written in verse, but the one I am familiar with is Girl, Woman, Other. I’d highly recommend it is as it is intersectional as well as feminist. The style is very unique but easy to follow and incredibly profound.

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Current Favorites: Music Edition

Hi everyone! It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these Current Favorites posts and I realized I’ve never done one talking about music I listen to. I did do a writing playlist post before but I wanted to talk about individual artists I love. I’m not a huge music nerd. My taste in music is incredibly eclectic. I wanted to share my favorites, though, with you all. Feel free to leave me any suggestions in the comments as I’m always looking for new music to listen to. (Also, trust me when I say, this list is only the tip of the music iceberg.)

Florence + the Machine: I’ve been listening to Florence since I was in middle school. Her dreamy vocals and poetic lyrics are a truly a musical experience. Her music is just so imaginative and dynamic. If you are looking for a unique and powerful singer, I would highly recommend Florence + the Machine.

Panic! at the Disco: Some of you true blue emo kids from the ’00s have very distinct memories of jamming out to “I Write Sins, Not Tragedies.” Let me tell you that your emo dreams don’t have to die because Panic! at the Disco is still an amazing band. Brendon Urie has an amazingly powerful voice. The songs are so powerful and fun. The slower songs are still just as amazing. If you are not a Panic! fan, you ought to be because anybody can enjoy their music.

Billie Eilish: I love music that doesn’t conform to genre. Billie Eilish is one of those artists that just cares about the music. With breezy vocals and surprisingly dark lyrics, Eilish is absolutely an artist to look out for. I already love her music and can’t urge you more to go listen to her.

Hozier: If you like Florence, then I can guarantee that you will love Hozier. This Irish folk musician captured my attention with “Take Me to Church” and, after quite a long hiatus, is coming back with meaningful and soulful music. He always has this mischief in his lyrics that I love to read into. If you’re interested in folk music, go listen to Hozier.

Hayley Kiyoko: Lovingly referred to as “lesbian Jesus,” Kiyoko has brought a fresh new take on pop music that is as fun as it is powerful. She is completely unafraid to express her true self in her music. I love her pride as well as her vulnerability. I’m not a huge fan of pop music but Hayley definitely makes it so much more enjoyable.

Twenty One Pilots: Yet another band that can’t be boxed in with genre, Twenty One Pilots still has an indie feel while being so mainstream. Their lyrics are incredibly quotable and their music comes together to tell epic stories. Go beyond their mainstream stuff and listen to their albums. The way the combine multiple music styles is awesome.

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Pop Culture Trends I’m So Over

Hi everyone! Let’s begin 2019 with a rant, shall we? I’ve been noticing some patterns in various areas of popular culture and, boy, do I have some thoughts. Some of you may disagree with me while others may agree completely. Either way, I’d like to hear your opinions as well.

Disney Remakes: I get why the live action-remakes of Disney movies are being made but just because we can doesn’t mean we should. It’s not like any of these movies, like The Lion King or Aladdin, are outdated necessarily. I’m pretty sure a child of today can watch the original movies and appreciate them. I don’t need flashy special effects or new songs. Just leave my childhood alone please.

Movie to Musical Adaptations: If you’re a musical theater fan, then you can understand this one. The next musical season is going to be flooded with musical adaptations of movies like Mrs. Doubtfire and The Notebook. Again, I see the market and the reason for this but there are sooooo many to the point that any original musicals or revivals are going to get absolutely buried. I’m not saying I think these musicals are going to be bad. I’m just saying that the originality factor has gone out the door and I blame Mean Girls (even though I do love the musical adaptation).

“Trendy” Horror Movies: You’ve got to stay hip with the kids, right? So that means making technology the center of your horror movie. I’m going to included Internet urban legends (i.e Slenderman) into this category. It’s honestly just so cheesy. It never turns out meaningful. This whole “what if your phone is possessed?” thing feels like it’s written by parents who are tired of their kids being on their phones.

Overly Dramatic Teen Shows/Movies: I’m specifically calling out “Riverdale” for this one because it started the trend. There’s a fine line between escapism and just being unrealistic. Netflix also recently had an influx of teen-centric movies that just strike me as being way too dramatic for the wrong reasons. I understand that I am not the target audience but I would still like to appreciate shows like this. Back in my day, you got some vampires and that was enough. (Also, to anyone who watches Riverdale, how do you classify the show? Is it supernatural? Is it horror? Is it a drama? I don’t get it). (Please read this in an old man voice).

Gender Swapped Remakes: Obviously, we need more female led movies but simply remaking a movie but with a woman instead of a man is just soooo lazy. There’s so much material out there with female leads that could be adapted to the screen and that should be adapted to the screen. There’s also probably plenty of people with completely original ideas out there. Though this trend is starting to die down, I’m afraid it’s not going to stay down.

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Favorites of 2018

Hi everyone! Now that Christmas has passed and I have a little bit of time off, I thought that I would share my favorite things of 2018. (Note: Some of these didn’t premier in 2018 but I discovered them in 2018 so that’s why they are included on the list)

Favorite Books of 2018 

  • Circe by Madeline Miller
  • The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
  • Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
  • Vicious by VE Schwab
  • Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
  • Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel
  • The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
  • The Poe Shadow by Matthew Pearl
  • Bonfire by Krysten Ritter

Favorite Movies of 2018

  • Black Panther
  • Avengers: Infinity War
  • Ant-Man and the Wasp
  • Deadpool 2
  • Venom
  • Crazy Rich Asians
  • Mary Poppins Returns
  • Aquaman

Favorite Music of 2018

  • God Save Our Young Blood by BORNS feat. Lana Del Rey (song)
  • To Imagine – EP by The Neighbourhood
  • M A N I A by Fall Out Boy (album)
  • Sick Boy by The Chainsmokers (song)
  • Sober Up by AJR (song)
  • Black Panther: The Album by Kendrick Lamar
  • Nation of Two by Vance Joy (album)
  • White Noise by PVRIS (album)
  • The Neighbourhood by The Neighborhood (album)
  • Found/Tonight by Ben Platt feat. Lin- Manuel Miranda (song)
  • Expectations by Hayley Kiyoko (album)
  • My Dear Melancholy by The Weekend (EP)
  • No Roots by Alice Merton (song)
  • Paper Love by Allie X (song)
  • don’t smile at me by Billie Eilish (album)
  • Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino by Arctic Monkeys (album)
  • Love is Dead by CHVRCHES (album)
  • so sad so sexy by Lykke Li (album)
  • Holy by King Princess (song)
  • Pray for the Wicked by Panic! At the Disco (album)
  • High as Hope by Florence + the Machine (album)
  • Love Monster by Amy Shark (album)
  • Take Me to the Disco by Meg Myers (album)
  • The Pines by Roses and Revolutions (song)
  • talk is overrated by Jeremy Zucker (song)
  • Nina Cried Power – EP by Hozier
  • Venice Bitch by Lana Del Rey (song)
  • Outsiders by Au/Ra (EP)
  • Trench by Twenty One Pilots (album)
  • Delta by Mumford and Sons (album)
  • Cheering For Me Now by John Kander feat Lin-Manuel Miranda (song)

Favorite TV Show of 2018

  • Supernatural, Season 14
  • Gotham, Season 5
  • John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City
  • The Flash, Season 5
  • Arrow, Season 7
  • Supergirl, Season 4
  • Legends of Tomorrow, Season 4
  • Luke Cage, Season 2
  • Black Lightning, Season 2
  • Daredevil, Season 3
  • Iron Fist, Season 2
  • Queer Eye, Seasons 1 and 2
  • Jessica Jones, Season 2
  • Doctor Who, Series 11
  • The Walking Dead, Season 9
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Current Favorites: Music Edition (aka What’s On My Writing Playlist?)

Hello everyone! I’m really glad a lot of you enjoyed my review of Children of Blood and Bone. I’m actually still in the process of finishing it and, once I’m done, I’m going to work on reading V.E. Schwab’s Vicious. In between all of that, I’m also working on my writing. I’ve finally settled on an idea and committed to it. I’m feeling pretty confident so I might give you all updated in the future. In the meanwhile, I decided to do another Current Favorites but about some of my favorite musical artists. My taste in music has a pretty large range but I do mostly stick to indie and alt-rock. I have to have music playing while I’m writing in order to focus. I’ll leave links to some of my favorite songs by these artists if you are interested.

I’m going to stop my list there before I just end up giving you all my entire Spotify playlist. I hope that you check out some of this music. I always appreciate when you all take an interest in my opinions. Feel free to leave me some suggestions in the comments.

 

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A Few of My Favorite Musicals

Hi everyone! I just finished my Harry Potter re-read and, alas, a new book did not magically appear before me. Rather than dwell on that, I decided to talk about another passion of mine: theatre. I have been involved in theatre since I was very young. I did musicals with a summer theatre group until I was in middle school. Once I got into high school, I immediately became involved in drama club and it was what made those four years stand out. I did a little bit of acting but then went to working the stage crew. Eventually, I became a student director. When I graduated, I debated doing a minor in theatre but decided against it. That, however, doesn’t mean that my passion for theatre has stopped. I decided to share with you some of my favorite musicals and maybe I’ll do a post about my favorite plays later.

hamilton

“Hamilton: An American Musical” by Lin-Manuel Miranda: Call me basic but I absolutely adore this musical with all my heart and soul. It is so well-written and you feel as though you learn something new every time you listen to it. “Hamilton” really brought me back to Broadway after I was starting to fall out of love with it. It’s fun, inspirational, unique, and heart-warming. I never fail to get excited once it pops up on my playlist.

the great comet of 1812

“Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812” by Dave Malloy: This is a good musical for you book lovers out there. It is based off of only 70 pages of War and Peace but it still captures so much emotion. With Josh Groban and Denee Benton as the titular characters, they help bring the story so much life along with the rest of the incredibly talented cast. The music is a great blend of modern pop music and classical music, dubbed “popera.” I highly recommend this energetic and engaging musical.

rent

“RENT” by Jonathan Larson: Again, you can call me basic but this musical helped me fall in love with Broadway. It has such a diverse cast of characters and some of the most iconic songs known to theatre geeks. I could recognize the first note of “Seasons of Love” from 100 miles away. This musical also never fails to make me tear up when I watch it.

sideshow

“Side Show” by Bill Russell and Henry Keiger: I saw this one about two years ago when my college put it on. I was required to go for my Art of Theatre class. I’ve always had a fascination for the “freak shows” of the past so I was interested. This particular musical is based on the lives of Violet and Daisy Hilton, who were conjoined at the hip. The musical didn’t initially do well when it was on Broadway as it is kind of controversial. Regardless, it is still a great musical that has only recently been revived. If you liked “The Greatest Showman,” then I recommend you check out “Side Show.”

dear evan hansen

“Dear Evan Hansen” by Pasek and Paul: As someone who has been dealing with anxiety and panic attacks, I felt a pull towards this musical when I first heard “Waving Through a Window.” Though it deals with heavy subjects, this musical has a very uplifting message that anyone can relate to. Ben Platt is absolutely brilliant in his role as Evan Hansen. “Dear Evan Hansen” embraces the age of social media and the teens who rely on it in their lives.

heathers

“Heathers: The Musical” by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy: I have never been a fan of musicals that are adaptation but “Heathers” changed my mind. I ended up listening to the music before I even saw the iconic movie that the musical is based on. It is an incredibly quotable musical with attitude and depth that you wouldn’t expect. I now love the movie and the musical. If you love the 80s, then this one is for you.

phantom of the opera

“The Phantom of the Opera” by Andrew Lloyd Webber: This is yet another testament to some of my basic tastes but, you have to admit, “The Phantom of the Opera” has certainly held up over the years. I saw the movie for the first time and I was blown away by the drama of it all. I still want to read the original novel by Gaston Leroux one day. In the meanwhile, I will still struggle to hit Christine’s high notes in the titular song.