artsy musings of a bibliophile

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Monthly Recap: May

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May was a bit lazy for me especially in terms of reading. Hoping June would be better in terms of reading.

LIST OF NEWSWORTHY

Bout of Books x 3
Due to my self-induced book hangover after finishing Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, I couldn’t focus on a single book. So when Bout of Books 10.0 rolled around, I had to take part because I had managed to finish one book almost two weeks in to May. I’m so glad I took the plunge ’cause not only my reading choices turned out to be amazing, I managed to reach my goal of reading four books.

Bedroom Choices
I finally took out the rest of my books from the closet! My sister put them there when I left for college back in 2009. But now they’re on my bedroom floor ’cause lack of a bookshelf will do that to you. And then cleaning closets is not an easy feat. Now I’m trying to figure out how to repaint a table for my creative needs so there’s that as well.

TV WATCH

I watched TV pretty sporadically but I’m caught up on most of them so that’s good.

Revenge was amazing. Way to turn the tables!
What in the world, The Vampire Diaries?! I’m happy, though? Ha ha.
Reign‘s finale was okay and New Girl‘s finale kinda sucked.
I finished my binge-watch of Arrow (which was amazing) and The Carrie Diaries (which was bittersweet).
Awkward and Faking It are going fine, I guess.
Orphan Black is going awesome. I’d really recommend that you watch it f you aren’t already.

MOVIE WATCH

Transformers (7/10) – I love Bumblebee and Optimus Prime is the autobot. Still these don’t have much on Pacific Rim’s jaegers.
Her (8/10) – Subtle, thought-provoking and beautiful. I think everybody should watch this movie.
Toy Story 2 (7/10) – I liked it but not more than Toy Story. Now I’m bracing myself for Toy Story 3.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (9/10) – A beautiful, beautiful movie. Ben Stiller is an amazing director.
Walk of Shame (6/10) – I liked it more than I was expecting to.
The Internship (5/10) – I pretty much just watched it for Dylan O’Brien. The movie was meh, he wasn’t.

LIST OF READS

I pretty much read for Bout of Books and that’s about it. Sigh.

Talker 25 by Joshua McCune
Life by Committee by Corey Ann Haydu
Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

LIST OF BLOGPOSTS

I didn’t blog much but I did blog.

I posted my review of The Taking by Kimberly Derting.
I posted a Fresh Bytes playlist full of undiscovered music awesomeness.
I posted about my reading progress during Bout of Books 10.0.
I posted my review of Life by Committee by Corey Ann Haydu.

I also wrote a post about some quirks of Asti on her blog.

LIST OF BOOK BUYS

I just had to buy these.

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
Red Rising by Pierce Brown (thank you, Hodder!)
Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson
Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

PLAYLIST

I got an eclectic playlist for May!

I finally listened to 5 Seconds of Summer and liked their music.
I listened to Dirty Vegas‘ Let the Night most this month.
Ellie Goulding and Lana Del Rey still got it.


How was your May?

Playlist: Fresh Bytes

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I’ve recently discovered not so widely known that I keep listening to over and over. So I took it to the next level and made a playlist (and a cover to go with it) out of it.

I. GUILTY PLEASURE  || BRYCE VINE
I can listen to this song over and over and not get tired.

II. ARCADIA || ACE REPORTER
Such a mesmerizing driving-on-a-deserted-road-in-the-middle-of-nowhere song.

III. FALLOUT || JERID NOWELL
Like I read somewhere, Fallout is about ‘going to war with himself in the midst of a dire situation. I could really feel it.’


IV. NEVER COMING HOME || FIENDISH HYPE
The sort of music I like to dance to.

V. THE WAY I FEEL || BESTFRIENDS
Hands up in the air now.

VI. RECKLESS || DIRTY VEGAS
Groovy.

VII. 57 BEL AIR || HEIDI FEEK
I just really like this song.

VIII. BLACK MAGIC BOY || KIM LOGAN
I can’t not listen to it.

IX. GASOLINE BATH || BORN GOLD
More please.

X. I CAN TAKE IT || KIVEN
I love the way it goes all rock in the middle.

XI. HUNGER || BORN GOLD
One can get lost in this song and I think it’s the perfect song to end the playlist with.

Like my playlisting skills? Any of the songs?

Monthly Recap: April

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April was laid back and tense. In all honestly, it was pretty much an oxymoron of sorts.

LIST OF NEWSWORTHY

Nephew’s Arrival
I finally, finally an aunt to baby boy. I’ve four nieces and it’s such a different feeling to finally have a nephew in the family. He’s 9 years younger than her only elder sister and so, so adorable. He gets annoyed easily and is one of those babies who like to wake up at 2 am in the morning and wail and wail.

Days of Binge-Reading and Awe
From 3rd April to 30th April, I started and finished  Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy. I didn’t think I could do it but I did and I loved every minute of it. Definitely binge-reading more series and hoping that they turn out to be as awe-inspiring as this one.

TV WATCH

I watched TV pretty sporadically but I’m caught up on most of them so that’s good.

How I Met Your Mother series finale, you sucked major balls. I shouldn’t even have mentioned it.

I’m getting bored with New Girl. I need more laughing bits.
Suits finale was EPIC and asdfghjkl.
I caught up on all of Reign and got obsessed with Torrance Coombs. My ship sank, though.
Awkward is back and I’m really glad that I can laugh on Tuesdays again which is pretty much why I watch it.
Orphan Black is back and OMFG, I love it so much.
I also started watching Faking It. I think I like it, yes.

MOVIE WATCH

April was great in terms of the number of movies I watched.

The Avengers (9/10) – I can’t even with this movie. Perfection, really. I needed amazing in my life and it delivered.
Sixteen Candles (7/10) – A classic feel good movie.
Oblivion (6/10) – Such a pretty, pretty movie but it just didn’t blow me away plot-wise. Too many unanswered questions, maybe.
21 Jump Street (5/10) – I thought it’d be way more funny than it was so, it was an okay movie.

LIST OF READS

Ha, I talked about managing to read 8 books every month and being able to get to 100 this year. And I only managed to read half of that this month. Still, not complaining because all the books I read are so freakin’ amazing.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
Night of Cake and Puppets by Laini Taylor
Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

LIST OF BLOGPOSTS

I put so much pressure on myself to write reviews of all the books I’ve been reading lately and it backfired because I didn’t post anything for about three weeks. But I did manage to post other stuff so I didn’t totally fail as a blogger.

I posted a 101 on how to browse catalogs and tag titles on Edelweiss.
I posted my thoughts about characters who pull a one-eighty.
I posted a top ten Tuesday list of YA for fantasy and sci-fi movie watchers.

LIST OF BOOK BUYS

Addicted to series, hmm?

The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J Maas
Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
Night of Cake and Puppets by Laini Taylor
Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

PLAYLIST

I listened more music this month than I listened to last month and:

Panic! At the Disco‘s Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die is my latest favorite album ever.
Lindsey Stirling‘s music is magic and violins and magic.
Alternative folk is a genre that I can totally see myself listening to and all because of Shelly and Twin Forks.


How was your April?

Monthly Recap: March

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March was a month of music, writing editing my thesis and cake.

LIST OF NEWSWORTHY


Manic about Music
I listened to a ton of music this month. Yesterday, I listened to One Direction more than fifty times. Midnight Memories is one of my favorite albums and I’ve only listened to it only a couple of times. I so made fun of Sandra for loving One Direction and now I’m sobbing over their awesomeness and winning at life.

Home is where my butt is.
It feels so good to be back home. Not that my thesis is over yet. I’m just trying not to stress about it too much ’cause it has to be over one day. Anyway, my city knows what spring is and I’m loving the breezy weather. It is also a little chilly but I don’t mind it.

Birthday
I turned 24 on March 29th and wrote a blogpost about it. Thank you so much to everyone who wished me. I feel so grateful to know so many awesome people.

TV WATCH

I watched TV pretty sporadically but I’m caught up on most of them so that’s good.

I watched all of Teen Wolf. Expect a blogpost about it to go up this week because this show demands it.
Jess’ sister is in New Girl is meh. Buster, though.
The season finale of Brooklyn Nine-Nine aired. My life is over.
Suits is back! Oh, how I missed this show.
How I Met Your Mother will be over today. I don’t even.

MOVIE WATCH

I did not watch any movies this month. But I do plan to watch a few in April.

LIST OF READS

I managed to read in between the eight books and if I manage it every month, I can get to 96 by the end of the year and maybe, get to 100 even. Eep.

Panic by Lauren Oliver
Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy
Elusion by Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam
The Taking by Kimberly Derting
Salvage by Alexandra Duncan
Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Angelfall by Susan Ee

LIST OF BLOGPOSTS

I posted a top ten Tuesday list of authors I’ve never read.
I created a playlist titled Operating on Electric because music is awesome.
I posted my review of Panic by Lauren Oliver.
I started another new feature and posted about YA adventures in parts.
I posted about turning twenty-four and random favorites.

LIST OF BOOK BUYS

I so need to finish some series.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Allegiant by Veronica Roth
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
World After by Susan Ee

PLAYLIST

I listened to a lot of music this month and came to certain conclusions:

Broods happened and they’re so good.
Lea Michele‘s music reminded me why I love pop music.
One Direction is awesome.


How was your March?

Playlist: Operating on Electric

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Image Source: Tea Palm
Sometimes I just want to listen to music that gets my blood pumping with electric energy. And because everything is bibliophilic with me, some of the lyrics remind me of characters that I love.
I. WORLD, HOLD ON (FEAT. STEVE EDWARDS) || BOB SINCLAR
I discovered this song when I was sixteen and I recently started listening to it again. Still as amazing.
II. ALIVE (FEAT. JACOB BANKS) || CHASE & STATUS
This song just works.

III. SPECTRUM (SAY MY NAME) [CALVIN HARRIS REMIX] || FLORENCE + THE MACHINE
So hauntingly electric. Spectrum oozes energy.

IV. KICKSTARTS || EXAMPLE
Love the electro house beat of the song.

V. RADIOACTIVE || MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS
Radioactive is a classic.

VI. BLIND FAITH (FEAT. LIAM BAILEY) || CHASE & STATUS
This song gives me goosebumps because it’s so good.

VII. DAMAGED (RADIO EDIT) || ADRIAN LUX
Songs like these fuels my energy like nothing else does. Also, Damaged is such a Ronan Lynch *cough* and Kavinsky *cough* song.
VIII. D.O.A. || SLEIGH BELLS
It’s slightly creepy but that’s why I love it.
IX. DLZ || TV ON THE RADIO
DLZ was featured on Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries so I always relate it to him.
X. TURN OFF THE LIGHTS || PANIC! AT THE DISCO
The chorus, me loves.

XI. IF SO || ATLAS GENIUS
Pretty much the song that gave me the final nudge to make this playlist.
XII. MONSTER || IMAGINE DRAGONS
This song gives me the chills. I also like to think that Monster will remind me of the main character from A Monster Calls (do you see my dedication, sigh).
XIII. BREATHING UNDERWATER || METRIC
Beautiful. Breathing Underwater is such a Mara Dyer/Noah Shaw song.
XIV. OPERATING || HUNTER HUNTED
Infectious.

XV. I TOOK A LITTLE SOMETHING || FLORRIE
An unconventional disco tune that I just can’t get enough of.

Operating on Electric by Sana on Grooveshark

Like my playlisting skills? Any of the songs?