Gushing Review of The Mortal Instruments Series

Soo...I've been meaning to write this for a while now. I've mentioned a few times on here that I read these books, The Mortal Instrument Series, and....it was amazing. Like, literally amazing. Like, sometimes I'll just be walking along, and something will remind me of the book, and I'll just smile and smile, even now, weeks after I finished the books. I loved them, there is no denying it. But, I thought today, I'd do an in-depth analysis of what it was I liked about them, partly just because I enjoy talking about things I like and partly because I'm hoping I'll inspire YOU to read them, and then we can obsess about them together. If you have already read them....get in touch.

Okay soo...where do I even begin? Well, I suppose first, a brief overview of the series would be helpful, just to give you a frame of reference. (Ooh...fancy English major terms. Forgive me, I just had my literature midterm yesterday, and I'm still recovering from English brain.) Okay, so, the story follows this girl, Clary, whose mother disappears one day. Clary eventually finds out that her mother was kidnapped by an evil man named Valentine, who is a shadowhunter. She also finds out that her mother and she too (Clary, that is) are both Shadowhunetrs, but Clary's mother wanted to keep her out of the Shadowhunter world. What is a Shadowhunter, you ask? Excellent question. A shadowhunter is someone who hunts demons. They are half-angel, half-human and they derive their strength from these tattoo-like things they draw on themselves before battle, called Runes. I know, it sounds really strange, but it's COOL, I SWEAR. Just go with it!! Okay, so Clary discovers that she's a Shadowhunter, and she gets swept into the whole secret Shadowhutner world, because she realizes she'll only ever be able to find her mother by doing so. And she needs the help of other Shadowhunters. Luckily, she meets some, and they just happen to be her age: Isabelle and Alec Lightwood, and their (super hot and brooding) adopted brother, Jace. So, she teams up with these guys to find her mother and...chaos ensues. Oh and meanwhile, her best friend, Simon, comes along sometimes, but he's just a regular guy and feels a little left out and...drama ensues. Oh, and Clary falls in love with (super hot and brooding) Jace. But he's so hot and brooding...how could she not? Also, he has lots of great one-liners. More on that later.

So, there you go. Now you sort of know what's going on.

The second book

Anyway, some things I like about the story:

First, it takes place in New York City. I really like that, the fantasy world mixed with the real. Like, the Shadowhunters go to take-out places, but they're special take out places, run by fairies. And they go to parties at lofts hosted by warlocks (the high warlock of Brooklyn, in fact). I mean, I just always like things set in New York to begin with, but the fantasy element makes it extra special. I like how it suggests that maybe there really is a whole other world going on, just beneath the surface, and we just can't see it...or maybe it's right around the corner, and we just have to go find it.

I also really like all the strong female characters in the book. Or, rather, girls and boys are equal, and the girls are just as awesome as the boys. Like, for example, the heroine Clary. She can really stand her own ground and has her own mind and all that. Oh, and the character, Isabelle, is So. Awesome. I think I want to be her for Halloween. She has killer fashion sense and is very witty and also kills demons like nobody's business.

Also, all the characters are just SO FUNNY and likeable, even the evil ones. They're complex. If they're evil, they have reasons for being evil. Plus, the characters all have like, a million funny one-liners, which I have now added to my favorite quotes on GoodReads because yes, I am a nerd. But seriously, they're SO funny. I'd give you an example, but I don't think any of them would make sense without the context.

The third book

Another thing I like about the book: Gay people and gay relationships are shown, but it's not like A Thing. Like, you know in some books, especially in YA, homosexuality is often the Big Issue of the book, and all the characters make a big deal out of it, whether in a good way or not? I mean, there is some controversy surrounding it in this series. The parents don't really approve. But it's not like, the biggest deal in the world. I think that's good because I think when you make it into a Big Deal, even if you're doing it in a positive way, it just makes it more controversial, less of a normal, everyday thing. If that makes sense.

Another thing I like - the books are filled with all sorts of fun quotes and poems and passages from poems. That's great if you, like me, enjoy writing down good quotes and reading the odd poem or two. I approve.

Oh, also - the book uses Latin! I mean, it is chock-full of phrases from my favorite dead language. Finally, a use for those latin classes I took in high school! But seriously, everything sounds more serious and bad-ass in Latin. Cassandra Clare knows this, and she uses this knowledge.

Finally, I love the love stories in the book. The main one, between Jace and Clary, is especially interesting. (You might remember that I put them on my list of favorite fictional couples.) I don't want to ruin it, but there is some speculation, by the end of the first book, as to whether Jace and Clary might be related, and that can make reading about their love story hard for a while. I did feel a bit weird about it. BUT, it is an interesting twist, you can't deny that. And I guarantee, no matter how grossed out you are, you'll still be rooting for them, because they're both interesting characters and Jace is, as John Green sometimes says, "a well-imagined, idealized romantic other...or, you know, hot." He is arrogant and cocky, but it never gets to be annoying. And it's softened because you find out he has, you know, a sensitive side. I know, it sounds like a cliche. And it is pretty common in YA, and in literature in general - the bad boy with a heart of gold. But Cassandra Clare (oh, she's the author...did I mention that) manages to do it in a way that feels original. It's so good that when you're reading it, you just forget about all those other stories that are similar - there is only This Story. And it is good.

Anyway...

Oh, speaking of Cassandra Clare, another thing I like about this series: The fun doesn't end when the books do. She has a TON of stuff online and seems to be very active. She has a Tumblr and a Twitter and is constantly posting photos (often made by fans) or lines from the books. She posts spoilers for the next books, deleted scenes, bonus scenes, like a scene from one book but told from another character's perspective. Oh, and one very very romantic love letter. Oh, and she also does these "interviews" as the characters, which are HILARIOUS. People send in questions to her online, and she answers as the character. It's so funny. And interesting - you learn something new about the characters! I also like this because it makes the wait for the next book (MAY 8TH!!!!) less painful.  (PS. If you're interested, some very nice person has collected all the spoilers for the next book and put them together here. The rest of the stuff I mentioned is all over the place, but is fairly easy to find. I'll put links at the bottom of this post to all the stuff I can drum up.)

The next (fifth) book in the series, out MAY 8th!!

Oh, and speaking of things to do while you wait for the next book ... She wrote a spin-off series, a prequel of sorts, and it is equally good. Now, normally I think of prequels as just a cheap shot, a way to capitalize off a book's success. But in this case, the books are not just cheap, wrote-this-in-one-night kind of things. They are really good.  They're good books in their own right, even without the other series. And they give you more history of the Shadowhunter world, and more insight into the whole world, which I like. Oh, and they are set in Victorian London, so that's fun. It's all very proper and posh and whatever...but underneath the surface...things are boiling up. Dun dun duuun.

The first book in the prequel series

Also - they are, of course, making the books into movies. Er, well, it appears that there will be a movie. They're working on it, but I'm not sure it's a sure thing yet. They haven't started filming. BUT they have cast Jamie Campbell Bower (as Jace) and he is adorable. I didn't really know much about him prior to this, except that I was vaguely aware that he had a minor role in the Twilight movies. Well, after I found out, I looked him up of course, and found that he has a very hilarious Twitter account, which you can see here. Also, he is apparently engaged to the actress who plays Ginny Weasley. So that's cool I guess. A match made in YA franchise heaven. Oh, and he's super hot.

Book-to-movie adaptation love

Now, a bit about each of the books individually...

The first one is City of Bones , of course. It probably my favorite. Well, that or the fourth one (more about that later). I always like the first book in the series - It's exciting, you're finding out about the world and just discovering the characters.

The second and third are City of Ashes and City of Glass, respectively. I have to say, I read them so fast that they kind of blur together, honestly. And, if I'm being totally honest, sometimes I felt like there wasn't enough in them to warrant two books. I mean, it could've maybe been one book. Maybe. But overall, they still have everything I liked about the series: The funny one-liners, the romance, the fantastic characters, the interesting, secret world.

The fourth book, my favorite

Then, we have...the fourth book, City of Fallen Angels.Yeah, I'd say this one is my favorite. It takes the series in a new direction. The plot that occupied the first three books (the search for Clary's mother and the evil Valentine) is pretty much over, and so new things start happening, and that's always fun. But most of all, I felt like the characters really developed in this book. They and their relationships both grew more complex. You learn a lot more about them, and not just the main characters, but all of them, which I really liked. I was especially interested in a secret we learn about Isabelle, one that made her so much more interesting and complex in my eyes. Also, the author introduces some really fun, new characters. This book also focuses more on Clary's friend Simon and some difficulties he's going through. I didn't think I would like the shift in focus, but I actually really did. Simon's life is really interesting and fun. And, again, the new characters help jazz it up. Also, I felt like the story was pretty evenly split between the Jace/Clary/Shadowhunter story and the Simon story, and the two stories came together nicely, too. Oh, and the relationships between the characters all change, but to me the changes felt a very natural progression. They felt like things that really would happen if you were growing up under those circumstances. Anyway, sorry to be so vague, but I don't want to give anything away. BUT, once you ALL read the books, we can talk about them freely, right??

Finally, a note on the audiobooks: I listened to them, which was nice because then I could listen to them at work and while walking to class. But, you'd probably get through the books a lot faster if you just read them on your own. But, overall, I really liked the audiobooks. The narrator on the first book is especially good, and I was disappointed that she didn't narrate the rest of them. Oh, and interestingly enough, Ed Westwick narrates the fourth book, along with a girl (they split it). But I have to say, as much as I love Ed Westwick, he was just not a very good narrator. Or, at least not for this book. Because, you see, it takes place in America, and all the characters are American, and Ed is British. And all his American accents came out sounding like thugs and/or Chuck Bass, which was hilarious but also kind of distracting. Jace had a very scary jersey accent. I was not happy about that. But, again, overall the audiobooks were fun. They'd be great for a roadtrip.

It's a sad fact: Sometimes hot guys don't make for good narrators

Aannnd...there you have it. Basically an essay on why I like this series. I have an almost-bachelor's degree in English literature, and I say that these books are quality, so you should probably go read them. Do not be put off by the strange covers or the YA section of the book store (which, I know, is filled with all sorts of weird-looking things, things which I also probably read and loved) - these books are awesome. Read them and be happy. (Well, happy until you get finish the fourth book and realize it'll be more than two months before you can read the next one. Then you'll be kind of tortured. But still...)

Here are links to some fun, TMI-related things, in no particular order(TMI is short for The Mortal Instruments. See that? You're learning the lingo.)
-An "interview" with Jace
-An extra scene from City of Bones, The Greenhouse scene from Jace's point-of-view
-An extra from City of Ashes, the Seelie Court Scene from Jace's point-of-view
-Another extra from City of Ashes, Magnus and Alec kiss
-A deleted scene from the end of City of Glass
-An extra-spicy scene from City of Glass, the manor house from Jace's point-of-view
-Cassandra Clare's playlists
-A very funny tumblr page, not run by Cassandra Clare
This is not all of the deleted scenes and extras out there, just the ones I like. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a place where all the character Q&A's were together, but they're out there, if you look. Tumblr is a good place to check. People love tumblr.

Ten Books I'd Give A Theme Song To

I'm really excited about today's Top Ten Tuesday (part of the Broke and Bookish Blog) because it combines two of my favorite things: Books and music! In fact, I just did a post yesterday about my favorite CDs from middle school (2001-2003), so I think a lot of those might end up on this list. Anyway, the topic of the list, by the way, is books I'd give a theme song to, and what that song would be. I think it might be tough to come up with some, and honestly I could probably spend hours agonizing over this, but for time's sake I'll just say the first thing that comes to mind.

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. 
Song: Play Crack the Sky by Brand New
I've officially put this book on my Tuesday lists too many times. Anyway, I think this song is very fitting for this book, and I was actually quite proud of myself for coming up with it. First of all, the song is about a ship sinking, and it uses that as a metaphor for love and losing love. And, In The Fault in Our Stars, there are a lot of references to drowning. Hazel, for example, is drowning in the fluid that fills her lungs, and the song says "Need you like water in my lungs." Also, The Fault in Our Stars deals with the dangers of loving someone, and of letting someone love you, as does this song. There are a couple of other lines in the song that seem to echo the book, but I'm afraid I'll be giving too much away if I point them out. Also, both the song and the book are very beautiful and complex and poetic. So I think it's a fitting match. Here's the song if you want to listen:

2. Sloppy Firsts by Megan Mccafferty.
 Song: Anthems for A 17 Year old Girl by Broken Social Scene
So technically Jessica Darling, the narrator of this book, is sixteen at the beginning of the series. But whatever, it counts. Anyway, I think the line in this song "You used to be one of the rotten ones and I liked you for that" is very fitting. First, I think Jessica Darling thinks of herself as one of the rotten ones. She feels like an outsider in her school and is full of sarcastic remarks. Also, one of her friends becomes very popular in high school and they grow apart. Also, the line "now you're all gone and got your make up on and you're not coming back" just sounds to me like something Jessica would say.

3. Story of A Girl by Sara Zarr 
Song: Story of A Girl by Nine Days
Okay, so this almost seems like cheating since it's such an obvious choice, BUT, I do think the song fits the book. The book, by the way, is about a girl whose dad catches her having sex when she's thirteen with an older guy, and the story gets out, and she gets labeled a slut, even though that was actually the only guy she'd ever been with. I just finished reading it and it was a really interesting, sad story. Anyway, I think the line about "she always looks so sad in photographs but I absolutely loved her when she smiled" is fitting. I could see the narrator always looking sad, since she's had a pretty sad life, but having a beautiful smile.

4. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare 
Song: Standing by VNV Nation
So I can't take credit for picking this book for this song. The author, Cassie Clare, actually put it on her website as part of a playlist that she listened to while writing the book. But anyway, it fits the book perfectly. For example, the characters go to a club in the first scene, and I can see this being played there. Also, just the energy of the song I think really fits the book, which is about teenagers who are highly trained killers (but only kill evil demons). Also, a lot of the lines, like "I will this moment last forever" and "Will the world stay standing still, at least for me?" are things I could see a lot of the characters feeling and thinking.

5. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare 
Song: Wonderland by Nakita Kills
The first time I heard this song, I thought it fit this book, and the whole series, SO perfectly. First, there's thing line about "I don't believe in fairy tales, but I believe in you and me," which echoes what Jace says to Clary in the book when he says he doesn't believe in anything more than the two of them. Also, I could see Clary saying that she doesn't believe in fairy tales and saying "I don't want your stiletto, I'm not Cinderalla" since she's such a powerful heroine and doesn't need to be saved. I could also see her saying, to Jace, "baby, take off all your armor," in both the literal sense - telling him to take off his Shadowhunter gear -  and in the figurative sense, because he puts up a hard exterior. Oh, and the bits in the song about the wolves coming for her, and people being locked in towers- so fitting! You just need to change the word "Apple" to "Mango" and it's basically perfect! Oh, and instead of "take me to wonderland," it should be "Take me to Idris," but other than that...

6. Where She Went by Gayle Forman 
Song: Make Damn Sure by Taking Back Sunday
This song is one my favorite emo songs ever. Like, real, true, screaming emo. And it's also kind of a guilty pleasure. But most of all, it's totally what I imagined the narrator Adam's band sounding like: Full of accusations and anger and pent-up energy. Scorned love. The book, by the way, is the sequel to If I Stay (see below) and takes place  a few years after If I Stay ends. I don't want to give too much away but, in this second book, Adam becomes a big famous rock star and has to deal with the consequences of that.

7. If I Stay by Gayle Forman 
Song: Monday by Ludovico Einaudi
This book, the predecessor to Where She Went, is more focused on classical music, since its narrator, Mia, is a cello player. Both of these books are so focused on music, though, so they seemed like good fits for this list. Anyway, so this is one of my favorite classical music songs, and it's a little bit more modern, which I think fits the book, which is about a classical girl falling in love with a rock guy. This song is definitely more classical than it is rock but, like I said, it's a little more modern. Anyway, here it is:

8. Looking For Alaska by John Green 
Song: Skinny Love by Bon Iver
I think Bon Iver in general just really fits John Green's books, and espcially his first, Looking For Alaska. I'm not really sure why I think that. I think because the songs are very heartfelt and thoughtful, and so are John Green's books. Anyway, so I wanted to pick one in particular I thought fit the book perfectly, and I came up with this one. I think the line "Come on, skinny love just last the year," could be something that the narrator, Miles, relates to because of his feelings for Alaska. Alaska is kind of a reckless girl, and her love is unpredictable, so I could see him just wanting her and her love to last the year.

9. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen 
Song: Swimming Song by Loudon Wainwright
Again, this is another one that the author herself came up with. Although, I'm not sure she picked it for this particular book, but I know I heard about it on her blog or something. Anyway, this song is about having fun and having little wacky adventures in the summer, which I think is fitting of this book, and a lot of her books, really. It's a fun song, and I can see it playing in the background while all of the characters are riding their bikes on the pier. A runner up for this book would be "Boys of Summer," by the Ataris, another classic summer song.

10. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess 
Song: Crawling by Linkin Park
Linkin Park is on my mind because of my post from yesterday. I think this song really fits the anger and rage that the characters in this book have. Also, I can imagine the characters feeling like something is crawling in their skin, or getting under their skin, whether its the people who try to brainwash them in the end or the drugs they're taking. Also, I think the futuristic sound of Linkin Park is fitting for this book.

Oh man, that was really fun. So much fun that I'm thinking from now on, when I review a book, I might try to come up with one or two songs that fit it, or maybe an entire playlist. Well, we'll see...

CDs I liked in Middle School that I still like

Hello everyone!
I'm back! It has been too long, I know. It's just...I just...I just didn't feel like blogging. I don't know why. Lots of reasons. I got really busy all of the sudden, with school (ick). And I got sick with this really high fever. And then for a while I just felt like I didn't have anything to say. I think it's one of those things, that once you fall out of the habit of it, it's really easy to just forget about it entirely.

But I am back! I was forced back, finally, after being inspired by some music.

So, when I look back on my twenty-one (almost twenty two now!) years of life, I generally regard my middle school years (2001-2004) as a time of poor decisions: Over use of hair products, placing trust in the wrong hands, spending too much time in the sun trying to get tan and instead probably acquiring melanoma (why, 13 year old self, why!?). But one thing I have to say for my middle school self: I had exceptionally good taste in music, especially for one so young. I think my tastes were in part influenced by my older brothers, who generally hated pop music. And also, by my own attitude at the time: I was kind of a little punk (not in the hair-dying sense) and didn't like to do what was "popular."

So, in my youth, I spent a lot of time watching Fuse and MTV2 late at night, trying to find new and exciting bands.  Some of these (i.e. Yellowcard) didn't really last, but some of them have stood the test of time, and I find that I still like them, ten years later. For some of them, the lyrics can instantly take me back to that time in my life, feeling confused and excited about life at the same time. Others, when I listen to them now, I see them differently. I find new meanings in their lyrics, or notice something that I didn't see before. These songs have grown up with me. Or rather, the songs are so well done that they can continue to be meaningful to me even as I grow up. Also, the music is just really, really good.

I started thinking about some of these songs the other day when I was browsing the website of this author I really like, Cassie Clare. She, for some reason, had a lot of these artists on her playlists, which she said she listened to while writing her books. For example, Brand New was on there a bunch and I had this moment where I was like "whoa, Brand New!" I admit, I had kind of forgotten about them. I mean, okay, I never totally forget about them. They've been my favorite band since I was thirteen, and every time someone asks me what my favorite band is, I say that. But I hadn't really listened to them in a while. But then as soon as I saw that playlist, I immediately got out their amazing CD, Deja Entendu (not their first, but their best) and it reminded me of all that good stuff I used to listen to in middle school. So anyway, here is my list of albums I liked in Middle School that I still like.

1. Deja Entendu (2003) by Brand New

So...I already sort of talked about this one and how awesome it is (see above) but really...it's an amazing album. Right from the very first little mini song, where he says "I'm sinking like a stone in the sea....I'm burning like a bridge for your body" over the creepy-yet-beautiful melody. Actually, I think that's a good way to describe this whole album: creepy yet beautiful. The thing about Brand New is, their lyrics are always just so complex. They tell a story, and a complicated one at that. You can listen to the songs over and over again and discover something new each time. And not only are they complicated- they're really beautiful. Like poetry. And then the music itself is so awesome, and it fits the lyrics so well...Ah, I could just go on and on. Anyway, here is one of the songs from the album. I couldn't pick a favorite, so I just picked one. Although, since we brought it up, some of my favorites would probably include: "Play Crack the Sky" (such amazing lyrics. so beautiful) and Me vs. Madonna vs. Elvis, The Boy who Blocked His Own Shot (the saddest song ever. Ever.) and "Okay I believe you but my tommy gun don't" (See below) (Yes, the names are kind of weird. Just go with it"

2. North (2003) by Something Corporate

Another album filled with beautiful songs. Theirs are little simpler than Brand New's, maybe a little less dark, but still really good. Very pleasant to listen to. I remember I used to listen to their song "As You Sleep" before I went to sleep. Anyway, I just loved their lyrics back then. I used to doodle them in my notebooks. And I still love them. I don't know how to explain why they're good. They just are. It's just nice melodies and good lyrics. I especially love "Ruthless," and especially its line that went "And I could still be ruthless if you'd let me." I loved that one back in the day, and I still like it. Anyway, I also like "Only Ashes," "I won't Make You" and "Me and The Moon."

3. Hybrid Theory (2001) Linkin Park

Ooooh Linkin Park. No other band reminds me more of the early 2000's than Linkin Park. I still remember how my brother burned me their CD for my eleventh birthday (or twelfth maybe). No other song captured the middle school angst better than "Crawling." But you know what, when i listen to the songs now, I still like them.  They're just so damn catchy, with the techno-y beats in the background. And I still think the lyrics are good. And this is, in my opinion, their best album by far. I especially love Crawling (how can you not love it when he screams CRAAAAWWLING) and In the End, below. Oh, also, sidenote: I am amazed by the fact that, all the years later, I still know all the words to these songs.

4. Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (2001) by Blink 182
Okay, so I know I just said that Linkin Park perfectly captures the angst of Middle School, and that's true, but I think this CD might do that too. Actually, I think this CD captures not just the angst of middle school but of being a teenager in general. I think if I ever forget what it's like to be a teenager, I can just listen to this CD and remember everything.  I mean - Online Songs -  a song about chatting online with your crush, and finding out things you didn't want to know about their past. Or Story of  Lonely Guy. I remember blasting this in my room in ninth grade (not middle school, but whatever) and realizing that made me a total teenage cliche but not caring. It's just so catchy! And loud! And so yes, I think, in the case of this CD, I love it more because it reminds me of a certain time of in my life, not because the lyrics continue to be meaningful to me. But then again, it's still meaningful to me because it reminds me of that time in my life. Anyway, this is way too much analysis for a Blink 182 CD. Also, as long as we're talking about Blink 182, I have to mention Sum 41's Fat Lip, which I think is pretty much the anthem of misfits everywhere.

5. A Mark A Mission A Brand A Scar (2003) by Dashboard Confessional
Oh, Dashboard Confessional. The band that created all of my thirteen year old self's ideas of romance. But really, no matter what you want to say about Dashboard Confessional, you have to admit- this CD is pretty great. I still like it, anyway, at least for a certain mood. It's slow and romantic and pretty complex, lyrics-wise. And if you don't melt a little inside when Chris Carraba says "Stay quiet stay near, stay close, they can't hear...so we can get some" then, well, you probably weren't a teenage girl in the early 2000's. But besides the famous/infamous "Hands Down," I am especially fond of "Carry this Picture" (below), "Ghost of a Good Thing," and "Several Ways to Die Trying."

6. Anthem (2003) by Less Than Jake
I will never forget the day I went to Best Buy and bought this CD. It was magical. I just related to the songs so much - songs about losing yourself, losing faith in your friends and the world around you, and just generally being lost - despite the fact that my life in middle school was honestly pretty boring. I didn't spend my nights at the liquor store or attend parties with red plastic cups and yet...something about the songs just really spoke to me. And they continue to speak to me now. In fact, they might be even more meaningful, now that I have experienced a few more of the things they sing about. This is a CD that both takes me back and moves forward with me as I grow up. And it's also another one that I would listen to if I ever forgot what it's like to be a teenager. Oh, and I saw them live in Gainesville last year, and it was amazing. Anyway, I am especially fond of "Plastic Cup Politics," "The Science of Selling Yourself Short" (below) and "The Ghosts of You and Me."

7. Lifted, or the Story is in the Soil Keep Your Ear to the Ground (2002) by Bright Eyes
I'm honestly having a hard time remembering if I actually listened to this in Middle School, but according to my extensive research, it came out in 2002, so I'll put it on this list. I feel like I did listen to some Bright Eyes in middle school, and I'm almost certain I was listening to him by ninth grade, so it counts. Anyway, this CD is great. It has all my favorite Bright Eyes songs on it  -including "Lover I Don't Have to Love" (so dark and mysterious) and "Bowl of Oranges" (surprisingly hopeful) and "Laura Laurent." Anyway, everything about this CD is great - the lyrics, the music. It's another one of those where I hear something new every time I listen to it. Below is "From a Balance Beam," another favorite...

8. The Spirit Room (2001) by Michelle Branch
Ahhhh Michelle Branch! Oh man. I think I spent so many hours daydreaming about my various middle school crushes while listening to this CD. But you know what? I still really like it. It's so catchy and fun but still interesting...just something about it. I don't think any of her other CDs were nearly as good, but this one is a keeper. I think I mostly like it because it does take me back, but I still think it's a good CD in its own right. I especially like "Everywhere" (the classic) and "All You Wanted" and "Goodbye to You" which I always listened to while thinking about my camp friends and sobbing. Oh, middle school...

9. Give Up (2003) by The Postal Service
Man, 2003 was a really good year for music. Something I just noticed. What happened that year? Anyway...this CD is amazing and it continues to be amazing, no matter how old I get. The lyrics are great, the little beats and music are great. It's so soothing. I wish they would put out another CD...Anyway, favorites on this one include "We Will Become Silhouettes," "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight" (the classic) and "This Place is a Prison" (possibly my favorite).

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get back to reading STORY OF A GIRL by Sara Zarr which, incidentally, is also about poor decisions made in middle school.

Favorite Fictional Couples

Who is the cool kid at home on Valentine's Day? Blogging about books? Oh, that would be me.

I know I'm a bit late for this post. I planned on doing Top Ten Tuesday, of course, but I just didn't really like the topic they picked out for today (ten books that broke your heart). I just couldn't think of that many. I mean, I have read many sad books, but I feel like they're always sad for a reason, so I'm not sure they ever break my heart. Not sure if that makes sense. Also, I didn't want to write about sad things! I like Valentine's Day!

Anyway, then I realized, hey, I could just pick my own topic! I know, I'm getting a little crazy here.

So, I'm actually in the middle of a series, The Mortal Instruments, that has a bunch of really fun, interesting, lovable couples in it, so that has inspired me to make a list of my favorite couples from fiction. (By the way, I have a feeling I will be writing a long, gushing review for the series sometime soon, so look out for that.)

1. Jace and Clary from The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare - Jace and Clary are the main characters/couple of this series, which takes place in a world of super hot demon hunters. Clary doesn't know she's a demon hunter at first, but then she gets drawn into their world and realizes her destiny. One nice thing about them as a couple is that they're definitely equals, unlike other dysfunctional couples we see in the genre (ahem..Twilight). They're both strong and very funny and smart. Oh, and Jace has this fake-arrogance, which leads to him having tons of great one-liners. Like, at one point, before they're a couple, Jace's teacher tells him to go wake up Clarry and Jace, upon waking her, says that he thought she might be in a better mood when she woke up if she had something nice to look at. As in him. Har dee har har. But then of course, like so many YA heroes, he has a secret, vulnerable side that he only lets Clarry see.

2. Marcus Flutie and Jessica Darling from Sloppy Firsts, etc. by Megan McCafferty - Was there ever a love as epic as Jessica and Marcus? From the day she first busted him out of detention by faking a drug test, their lives would never be the same. Their love spanned years and miles - they went to prom, graduated, went to college on different sides of the country. They fought, they broke up, but in the end, they had a beautiful reunion in an airport. And again, they're both really funny characters, and I like that they were sort of opposites, at least on the outside, but that they felt similar about many things, like their hatred of high school, which is what brought them together. Oh also, Marcus is pretty much the kind of weird romantic gestures, from sending cryptic postcards to taking Jessica on midnight trips around their city to see all of its oddities.

3. Hazel and Augustus from The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - Oh, man. Hazel and Augustus. What is there to say about Hazel and Augustus? Seriously, I feel like anything I say won't capture how good this book was, and how great of characters they were. They were both very funny, with a dry sense of humor, and very intelligent. They also take an awesome, very romantic trip during the novel, but I don't want to say where and spoil it. I really don't even know what else to say. Just read the book already. This is like the 80th time I've recommended it to you.


4. Ron and Hermonie -  Another classic couple! How cute are these two? Seriously. Okay, I have to admit, when I first started reading the books, I thought Hermonie and Harry might end up together. But what did I know? I was like 8. I really like how they're opposites, and how they bicker all the time. And I just love that part when Ron is jealous at the Yule Ball and Heromonie is all "why didn't you just ask me then!?!" Oh to be young, and to feel love's keen sting, as Dumbledore says.

4. Anna and Entienne from Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins- First of all, this couple benefits greatly from the romantic setting they're placed in (Paris). Other than that, I have to say, I don't remember much of the details of the book, but I do remember the lovey-dovey feeling I had when I read it. It was just such a great story. Like so many other couples, Anna and Entienne can't be together, but it's because Entienne has a girlfriend, which is something a little different. (Okay, it's been done before, but I feel like it's not as common). But it's clear that he and Anna have a connection, and I remember they had lots of cute little moments - something to do with movies - but I don't remember exactly what they were. Anyway, just read it!

5. Mia and Adam from If I Stay and Where She Went by Gayle Forman - Another example of opposites attracting in fiction. I'm not sure that's how it is in real life, but it does make for a great story. And like Marcus and Jessica, even though Mia and Adam appear different, deep down they actually have a lot in common, namely their passion for music. It just so happens that he's into rock and she's into classical music. One interesting aspect of their relationship is that they actually break up for a long period of time (I don't feel like I spoiled anything by saying that. It happens in the sequel, Where She Went, and I'm pretty sure it says that on the dust jacket.) But then it's just that much sweeter when they get back together! Awww. Also, the sequel is told from Adam's perspective, while the first book is told from Mia's, so it's interesting to see both sides of the story.

6. Sydney Carton and Lucie Manette from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens- I'm not sure if these two count as a couple, since Sydney's love for Lucie is unrequited, but I think it's a great love story nonetheless. Once again, I don't remember many details from the book, only that I cried a lot at then end, and that I couldn't stop reading. Also, I love the thing Sydney says at the end: "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known." 


7. Annabel and Owen from Just Listen by Sarah Dessen - Many Dessen scholars cite Remy and Dexter as their favorite couple from the canon, but I think I might prefer this pairing. Once again, I love how Annabel and Owen are seemingly opposite (are we sensing a pattern here?), and that they're brought together by difficult, high school circumstances. I like how Owen doesn't judge Annabel, even though everyone else in school is, and how he has his own story. And I like how they bond over music. That really rang true for me when I read it. I feel like at that age, and even now, music can really tie you to someone. It can tell you a lot about them. And in high school, I think it was such a big thing, and showing someone your iPod was like revealing your soul. So I thought she did a really good job of capturing that.

Okay, so I'm only going to do seven because I'm lazy. And tired. And I want to go back to reading about Jace and Clarry. Haha. And I know I missed a lot of the classics like Romeo and Juliet and Darcy and Elizabeth, but I feel like those have all been done before and don't bear repeating.

Anyway, Happy Valentine's day my friends. I love you like Tim Tebow loves Jesus. As in...a lot.

Over-analyzing Taylor Swift Lyrics

Just stare out this window and try not to think about my lyrics too much

I really like Taylor Swift's music, but sometimes I get the feeling that you're not really supposed to think about her songs that much. And if you do, sometimes they stop making sense. I mean, this isn't true for all her songs. Some of her lyrics are very complex. But sometimes they're a little off.

Yesterday, I was blasting her CD in my room (partly to annoy my neighbors. Heh heh he) and then I got to her song "Love Story." While I was listening to it, I started thinking about this one line in it that has always bothered me. It's when she says "You were Romeo, I was a Scarlet Letter."

...Wait, what!? Why is she talking about Romeo and Juliet one minute and then the next minute she's talking about the Scarlet Letter. I mean, I guess they're both books that you might read in your 10th grade English class, but besides that they don't have much in common. One was written in England in the late 1500's (probably) and the other was written in America in the 1800's (I had to look that up). One is set in wild and crazy Italy and one is set in uptight Puritan country.  One is about young lovers and one is about a woman and her child, banned to live in some shack on the edge of society.

Maybe, if she had continued the random literary references throughout the song, that one would've made more sense. But she doesn't. That's the only time she mentions a work besides Romeo and Juliet. She just throws it in there and then never brings it up again. So it's completely random.

Additionally, why would TSwift be this guy's Scarlet Letter? Are they having an adulterous affair? But isn't Romeo and Juliet a tale of innocent young love? Okay, maybe she's trying to say that she feels like this guy is ashamed of her, or that she's difficult for him. But why a Scarlet Letter? And why doesn't this get carried through the rest of the song? Why, Taylor Swift, why!?

Other things that don't make sense: Romeo and Juliet weren't a prince and a princess. And they don't get married in the end, Juliet doesn't pick out a white dress - She freaking dies! And so does he! But I know now I'm just being a jerk so I'll stop.

The Anarchical State of the Parking Lot

Total anarchy

So, I'm in this international relations class right now, and we recently discussed the idea of anarchy, and that the international community is an anarchical state. That is, there's no higher authority policing all the countries. I mean, there is, to an extent, but those institutions only have so much power. Ultimately, the countries can do what they want, if they have enough power or military might. For example, let's say the government of Sweden begins killing all people in its country whose names start with "A." The international community is, naturally, horrified by this random killing and tells them to stop. The Swedish government says, no, what are you going to do about it. I guess the UN or someone could go in and try to stop them. Would they start a war? How hard would they try to stop Sweden before they just gave up, before they were losing more than they were gaining? At some point, too many people would die in this war with Sweden, and someone would surrender. Maybe. Anyway, I guess you probably get the point now, right? It's a pretty scary idea.

I have been thinking about this a little bit lately and noticing the many mini-anarchies that exist in my world. There are so many instances where you have a problem and there is just no one to call to fix it, or if there is, no one knows who it is. It happens a lot with bureaucracies, I think, or big organizations. There's some rule that a company has, and normally it makes sense, but in your case, it doesn't, and there's no one you can talk to about making an exception. Someone must have made this rule, you think, and someone must be able to change it, but who it is, no one knows. It's like the rule has taken on a life of its own. For example, I think I mentioned before how over Christmas break my brother and dad and I tried to buy a Christmas Tree from Home Depot. The man at the store casually mentioned that they were about to throw the last of the trees away, and we said, "hey, in that case, can we just have the tree for free," and he said no, he could only give us a discount. The company had allowed for discounts in their budget, but not for free trees, but if they threw the tree away, they could write it up as a loss. There was no one to talk to about this ridiculous rule. Whoever had made it was in some Home Depot headquarters a million miles away.

Anyway, the other major, annoying anarchy in my life is the parking lot in my apartment complex. Listen to this: A few weeks ago, a car parked behind me and blocked me in. There's a towing sign in our lot, so I called the number on it. The towing company said that they had stopped towing for us years ago and couldn't come get the car. Then I called the police. The policeman came but said there was nothing he could do about it. A parking lot is private property, and he doesn't have any authority over it. He suggested calling the towing company. Hah. Additionally, all the apartments in my complex are privately owned, so no one really owns the parking lot. It's anarchy! A free for all! And it's a small thing, but it really is so frustrating. I mean, I can get trapped in my apartment and there's nothing I can do about it. Most people in the complex are pretty good about not having too many people over it, but my neighbors totally take advantage of it and will have like ten random cars parked here. My landlord said that he would get the towing company to start towing for us again, but we all know how good he is at getting things done. (The answer is: Not good.)

In other news, our dishwasher is broken. Now the only major appliance in the apartment that hasn't broken is the oven. Also, last night, another person got robbed on the street and my neighbors once again kept me awake till 2 AM with their loud thumping rave music, so loud it sounded like their speakers were inside my house.

And yes, I know there are worse problems, and this is all first world problems, blah blah blah. But you know what? It's really annoying. At least there are only three months (or less) between me and move out day.

Can you think of any mini-anarchies in your life?

PS. On the bright side, since I'm frequently trapped in my apartment, I am able to get a lot of reading done. I have posted a few reviews on my tumblr, one of If I Stay by Gayle Forman, and one of Secrety Society Girl by Diana Peterfreund. Soon I'll be posting some for Harry: A History and City of Bones (!!!), so look out for that.

Poem Tuesday on a Wednesday

I am very tired, blog. I don't know why. Actually I do. It's because I was up late (ish) listening to the audiobook of City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. The WEIRDEST thing happened in the book right before I was about to go to bed and then I had to keep listening. I want to say what it was, because it's too weird to keep to myself, but I don't know want to ruin it for you. Okay, stop reading now if you don't want it ruined for you, and skip to the paragraph that starts with the word "Anyway." Here are some pictures of the covers of the various books in the series, to take up space:

Okay, that's probably enough space. So...She (the author) set up this great little love story between two of the characters. They had all this back-and-forth and witty banter. And then right before the end of the book she revealed that they were BROTHER AND SISTER. Ew. But then, at the very end of the book, there were a couple of hints that they might not actually be related. Like, someone commented that they looked nothing alike, and that one of them could draw very well while one couldn't. And come on, she wouldn't really make them brother and sister, would she? So I got the second audiobook from the library today. I drove all the way to the Millhopper library, which is in the suburbs, to get it. Sidenote: That part of Gainesville always seems like a totally different city to me. Like, a nice one. Where normal people live, not barbarians. There are nice stores and houses, instead of dirty bars and frat houses. Anyway.

So then I started listening to the audiobook this afternoon but I was disappointed to see that the book doesn't open with the line "So it turned out that the two main characters aren't siblings!" I listened for an entire CD, but still the sibling stuff carried on. Finally, I went online to look for a synopsis, because this series has four books in it, and I don't want to get that invested if these people are going to end up being siblings. I just can't handle that. And I'm so glad I did, because it turns out this siblings charade goes on for two more books, and finally in the third one they (spoiler alert!) find out they're not siblings. And even though I now know what happens in the books, I'll still read (er, listen) to them, to see how it all plays out. Also, I'm sure the books are more detailed that the synopsis. And now I can continue on, assured that I am not investing my time in a series that glorifies incest, or one that spends an entire book setting up a love story that doesn't pan out. Thank God.

Anyway, I am posting this poem, The Wasteland, because it was referenced in the book and because I think it's interesting. I've read it in at least four of my classes over the years, and I think it took me about ten readings of it to start to get it. I especially like the part about the tarot card reader.

I. THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD APRIL is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Winter kept us warm, covering	5
Earth in forgetful snow, feeding
A little life with dried tubers.
Summer surprised us, coming over the Starnbergersee
With a shower of rain; we stopped in the colonnade,
And went on in sunlight, into the Hofgarten,	10
And drank coffee, and talked for an hour.
Bin gar keine Russin, stamm’ aus Litauen, echt deutsch.
And when we were children, staying at the archduke’s,
My cousin’s, he took me out on a sled,
And I was frightened. He said, Marie,	15
Marie, hold on tight. And down we went.
In the mountains, there you feel free.
I read, much of the night, and go south in the winter.
What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow
Out of this stony rubbish? Son of man,	20
You cannot say, or guess, for you know only
A heap of broken images, where the sun beats,
And the dead tree gives no shelter, the cricket no relief,
And the dry stone no sound of water. Only
There is shadow under this red rock,	25
(Come in under the shadow of this red rock),
And I will show you something different from either
Your shadow at morning striding behind you
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;
I will show you fear in a handful of dust.	30
Frisch weht der Wind
Der Heimat zu,
Mein Irisch Kind,
Wo weilest du?
“You gave me hyacinths first a year ago;	35
They called me the hyacinth girl.”
—Yet when we came back, late, from the Hyacinth garden,
Your arms full, and your hair wet, I could not
Speak, and my eyes failed, I was neither
Living nor dead, and I knew nothing,	40
Looking into the heart of light, the silence.
Öd’ und leer das Meer.
Madame Sosostris, famous clairvoyante,
Had a bad cold, nevertheless
Is known to be the wisest woman in Europe,	45
With a wicked pack of cards. Here, said she,
Is your card, the drowned Phoenician Sailor,
(Those are pearls that were his eyes. Look!)
Here is Belladonna, the Lady of the Rocks,
The lady of situations.	50
Here is the man with three staves, and here the Wheel,
And here is the one-eyed merchant, and this card,
Which is blank, is something he carries on his back,
Which I am forbidden to see. I do not find
The Hanged Man. Fear death by water.	55
I see crowds of people, walking round in a ring.
Thank you. If you see dear Mrs. Equitone,
Tell her I bring the horoscope myself:
One must be so careful these days.
Unreal City,	60
Under the brown fog of a winter dawn,
A crowd flowed over London Bridge, so many,
I had not thought death had undone so many.
Sighs, short and infrequent, were exhaled,
And each man fixed his eyes before his feet.	65
Flowed up the hill and down King William Street,
To where Saint Mary Woolnoth kept the hours
With a dead sound on the final stroke of nine.
There I saw one I knew, and stopped him, crying “Stetson!
You who were with me in the ships at Mylae!	70
That corpse you planted last year in your garden,
Has it begun to sprout? Will it bloom this year?
Or has the sudden frost disturbed its bed?
Oh keep the Dog far hence, that’s friend to men,
Or with his nails he’ll dig it up again!	75
You! hypocrite lecteur!—mon semblable,—mon frère!”
You can continue reading here. I'm not going to include the entire thing, because it's really long.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books for People Who Don't Like to Read

Hello everyone!

It's Top Ten Tuesday again, the day when I, and many other people at the Broke and Bookish Blog, make a list of ten books that fall under a certain category. Today this category is "Books I'd hand to someone who doesn't like to read." Hmm...

I have to say, this is a tough one for me. I just don't really get people who don't like to read. How!? Why!? Why don't you? I guess I can see being too busy. Or because school ruined it for you. I get that....you start to associate it with school and boring essays about the symbolism of a red door...and you just think, "bleh, reading." Well, today, I'm going to try to prove to you, hypothetical non-reader, that reading is fun, something you can enjoy, something that doesn't always have to feel like work. (Also, if it makes your eyes tired - which happens to me sometimes -there's always audiobooks. Those totally count and are really fun!)

1. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling - It seems like this book about magic and wizards also has the magical ability to transform non-readers into reading fanatics. I've heard so many stories of people who didn't like to read until the read the books. An adult non-reader might think they're too cool to read it, but I think it would at least work for kids who don't like to read. (And an adult could always slip off the dust jacket).

2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - Another gripping fantasy book. Everyone I know couldn't stop reading this once they started. I know I couldn't. I think this book would grab even the most reluctant of readers from the first page, and would keep them reading till the end. I mean, once you start, you HAVE to know what happens to Katniss in the Hunger Games. And then, our reluctant reader would have to keep reading the next two books, in order to find out the whole story. And pretty soon...they want to read other books, to fill the void the Hunger Games left in their life. Then just like that: They're a reader! Also, it's a bit shorter than Twilight and Harry Potter, so therefore maybe less intimidating to the new reader.

3.  Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - Yet another exciting fantasy book. (I'll pick some realistic books in a second.) Not to be repetitive, but this one also grabs you right away. I think that's what you really need with a reluctant reader - A story that they just can't stop reading, and something that feels like an exciting movie. You don't want to give a new reader something where the narrator spends lots of time pondering the meaning of life, or the significance of one stupid kiss (ahem - Chekhov!).

4. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer - I was a little reluctant to put this one on there, since I have a few issues with the books, but I can't deny that Meyer made readers out of many of her fans. Like Potter, I've heard of many people, particularly older women, who didn't read much until they read this book. It is a very grabbing story, since it strangely mixes love and death together - You never know if Edward is going to kill Bella or kiss her, and you want to keep reading to find out. Plus, the love story is cute, however antiquated. So yeah, I guess it's a good book for non-readers. You win this time, Twilight

5. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare - Okay, last fantasy pick, I swear, but I just had to talk about this once, because I just started reading it. Actually, I just started listening to the book on CD, which I would highly recommend. The woman who reads it is excellent and very fun to listen to. But besides that, the story is also really interesting and has so much detail, so "richly imagined" as they say in book reviews. I just wonder how she came up with all this stuff! And I can't stop listening to it! I find myself making up reasons to go places in my car, just so I can listen to it. The story is really incredible and has something for everyone: weapons, monsters, mythical creatures, legends, secrets, lies, betrayal, love, flirtation, friendship. I think a new reader would love it, and it's also part of series (a very long one, at that), so it would also suck them in.

And now for some of my more realistic selections, for those very difficult people who don't like reading and especially don't like reading fantasy:

6. Sloppy Firsts by Megan Mccafferty - This is a novel about high school, so some adults might not go for it, but I think it would definitely appeal to young women. It's so funny and the narrator, Jessica, has such an honest, relatable voice. It's like reading a letter from your best friend and so, to a reluctant reader, it might make them feel like they're not even reading something. And it would definitely help them realize that there's more to books than stuffy old men writing about England. Plus, it grabs you, too, just like the fantasy books - you have to find out what's going to happen with Jessica and the mysterious Marcus Flutie (aka the best male lead in YA lit to date).

7. Looking for Alaska by John Green - This one I think would appeal to both young girls AND boys, especially since the narrator is male. I don't like the idea that boys only read books about boys, but that does kind of seem to be the trend. Anyway, in addition to that, it's definitely nothing like your required school reading - there's romance and sex jokes and pranks and teen rebellion. It's a very funny book and also has a little bit of wisdom stuck in.

8.Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Renninson - This is a really funny series. I mean, really funny. And it's set in England, so that's always exciting for us Americans. I think a reluctant reader could really get into it because it's so funny and because its so unpretentious - the chapters are short and snappy, written in very informal language, and it just follows a girl around through her life - but yet it still manages to be very funny. Also, it's part of series, again! So your reluctant reader will get sucked in - again!

9.  The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz - And now something for the adult reluctant reader (Not that adults can read YA, because they totally can.) So, again, I picked this book because it's really unpretentious. I think a lot of people are turned off by reading because they think all books are written in a stuffy way, using old-fashioned words and too much boring description. Not always true! This book is written in very colloquial, street language, and it's really really funny. And exciting. The only thing that might turn off a reader is the foot-notes, which can be kind of long and full of historical detail. But, they could always skip over that. And I think they'd get so into the story that maybe the footnotes would be worth it.

10. Round Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks - I reviewed this book a little while ago, and now I'm bringing it back for this list! Again, this book is written in a very casual, not-stuffy way and is fun to read. It tells the story of a man who attempts to hitchhike around Ireland with a mini-fridge. That premise alone, I think, would be enough to lure in a reluctant reader. And then they would keep reading because of Hawks' very familiar, friendly voice and because of all the funny anecdotes in the book, like when he attempts to go surfing with the fridge.