Stuck In My Head is a new weekly meme, hosted here, that spotlights the songs you just can't seem to get out of your head.
Earlier this week I was scrolling through my recommendations on Youtube, as you do, and I came across a cover of a song I hadn't heard of before and I clicked on it, as you do, and I really loved it so I looked up the original version and.. it's just adorable.
I have been playing this over and over again this week and I know I'm probably going to get sick of it soon but at the moment If I'm Gonna Fall In Love by A Rocket To The Moon is what is stuck in my head this week, my friends. A Rocket To The Moon have been a band since 2006 and they recently announced that they would be breaking up but as I haven't heard a single song by them other than If I'm Gonna Fall In Love I guess I have 7 years of music to last me. :)
What about you? What has been stuck in your head? I'd love to know so please do comment with you favourite tunes or create your own Stuck In My Head post. Oh, and if you're a fellow avid reader, does If I'm Gonna Fall In Love or a pick of your own remind you of a book you're reading or have read?
Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can’t keep a secret Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed. Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she’s ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse. But there’s strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she’s done. If only she can forgive herself.
I'm pretty sure Harrington wants me track her down and give her a massive hug or like, homemade cookies or something. Do you think it would freak her out if I told her I loved her?
To put it very simply if awesome was a thing, it would be Speechless.
Despite the blurb the UK bright blue colourful cover fooled me into thinking that this novel would be a light hearted read but boy, was I wrong. The novel deals with a lot of real current issues in school including the brutalities of popularity hierarchies, bullying, prejudice and discrimination. It's scary how easily someone who was once feared can be outcasted and bullied so much by the people she used to call her friends and even scarier still, how some people can judge, verbally hurt and physically hurt others for something so small like race or sexuality.
"It seems so impossible that someone could look at them, see how plainly they care for each other, and find anything ugly or shameful or worthy of hatred in it, when all I see is something beautiful." pg 256
Harrington clearly tells the reader through Speechless that words are powerful and that if you don't think or if you use your voice to cause pain then there will be consequences for you and for the people around you. There are a lot of lessons that can be learnt from Speechless which makes it so worthwhile to read.
The characters really make the book.. Harrington creates realistic characters that aren't all bad or all good. Even Kristen who is the epitome of evil at the beginning is shown to have a vulnerable, softer side by the end. I adored Chelsea who does sacrifice everything that is important to her in order to do the right thing and she gradually develops as a character growing more compassionate and empathetic as she adapts to being outcasted and as she gets closer to her new friends.
God, the love I have for Chelsea's new friends. Asha who is honest and kind and just everything I really want to be. Andy also, who may have understandably been a bit of a douche but Andy does forgive Chelsea and their friendship does become pretty adorable.
Speaking of new friends, there is one character I have deliberately not talked about until now and that is because he is on a whole new level for me. The amount of fangirling I did when Sam appeared and was said to be a skateboarder (I am honestly squealing right now) and right off the bat, Sam is just the nicest guy.
The way the relationship between Sam and Chelsea develops, even though she can't actually talk, is one of the cutest things I have ever read. Sam is forgiving and caring and gaaah, if fiction guys were real.
This book is everything you would want from a contemporary Young Adult book; realistic characters free from stereotypes, gradual character growth, a sweet romance, an interesting premise and lessons that you can actually apply to your own life. Although the cosy work place in a cafe is a little cliche (The Truth About Forever is the only one I can think of right now where the protagonist suddenly gets a job with an eccentric catering crew/diner/cafe and feels at home with this array of awesome workers but there have been more, I promise!) Harrington is officially one of my favourite authors and I can't wait to read more of her works. I recommend that you read both this gem and Saving June and I really hope that you enjoy them as much as I have. :)
Music choice: I guess this is a pretty obvious choice but when I was reading Speechless this was the first song that came to find. It summarises the messages in Speechless and the catchy but serious tune is what I think this book is; enjoyable but also deep and meaningful.
Same Love by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. Mary Lambert..
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming novels that we're all eagerly anticipating.
It's been way, way too long since I've done a "Waiting On" Wednesday but here it is my fellow book lovers... this is the book that I would sell my soul for because you know, what use is my soul right now when I could have this book?!
Expected publication: October 15th 2013 by Dutton Children's
Summary (from Goodreads):
After spending an amazing day and night together in Paris, Just One Year is Willem's story, picking up where Just One Day ended. His story of their year of quiet longing and near misses is a perfect counterpoint to Allyson's own as Willem undergoes a transformative journey, questioning his path, finding love, and ultimately, redefining himself.
I know that there isn't very long to wait for Just One Year, just a couple more months, but I have recently finished Just One Day and I just.. I just.. I can't deal with this waiting.
Have you seen that cover!?
I can't even find the words right now. If you haven't read Just One Day, I order you to read it right this second, you will not regret is, Gayle Forman is such an amazing author and Just One Day honestly blew my mind.
I need this book.
Are you waiting for this book too? Fangirl with me! What other books can you not wait for this week? Please comment below with the title and author of the book you're most anticipating or a link to your own "Waiting on" Wednesday because I feel like torturing myself by finding new awesome books with far away expected publication dates. Yeaaah!
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
I've started doing Teaser Tuesday again! Yay! I absolutely adored Hannah Harrington's Saving June and I'm really hoping Speechless will be another instant favourite. I've only just started the book so I don't know much yet but here you go.. my teaser :)
"I don't associate with freaks.
Except this particular freak won't stop staring at me, and it's a chore to act like I'm concentrating on this math homework, so I write I'm Chelsea and slide it to the corner of the desk so she can see. Maybe now she'll leave me alone."
Have you read this book already? Am I going to dislike this girl? Ahhh! A little scared to read this now...
Anywhoo.. what is your Teaser Tuesdays this week? I'd love to have a look so please do tell me your teasers or a link to your own Teaser Tuesdays in the comments. :)
Before. Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. Then he heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. After. Nothing is ever the same. Perhaps John Green just isn't for me. It's true that I've only two of his works but the two that I have read (The Fault in Our Stars and now, Looking for Alaska) are, I believe, his most highly regarded novels.
That's not to say that I didn't enjoy The Fault In Our Stars or Looking for Alaska, I did, it's just that I didn't feel as emotionally invested with the characters as most people and I wasn't too affected by the events that took place in the two novels.
Similar to most readers I didn't completely predict or expect what was going to take place in Looking for Alaska, I knew that something would happen due to the '*insert number here* Days Before' chapter headings leading up to the turning event but I didn't think it would be what it was. (I'm trying to make this review spoiler free but it's pretty hard and I'm not sure if that sentence made too much sense.) The use of the Before count down chapter headings is awesome, it builds up so much tension knowing that something is going to happen soon. The After headings, also, are very effective, the change from Before to After just really shows the importance and effect of the event to everybody involved.
The characters were interesting to read about but I can't say I liked them very much which is probably why I wasn't very emotionally invested in them or what happens in their lives. I wasn't very keen on Miles' insta obsession with Alaska Young, to be fully honest, I didn't find Miles or any of his new friends to be likable either. While as a teenager, I can understand teenage angst, these characters seemed to drown in self pity and angst. They are judgmental and try to find any way to separate themselves from other people such as the 'Weekday Warriors vs. the poor' feud. There's something the Colonel, Miles' room mate and friend, says about a rival school about how the only thing he hates more than rich kids is rich and stupid kids which really irked me. Also, I found Alaska to be too unpredictable and too blunt to be very enthralling. However, on the up side, I found it compelling to read about Miles' change in the novel from lost and pretty much just existing and not really living to meeting his new friends and coming out of his shell to really appreciate life.
The lack of the characters doing stuff other than getting drunk and pulling pranks didn't bother me. I actually found the philosophical thinking and the characters trying to answer big questions one of the best parts of Looking for Alaska. The religion class which triggered a lot of this thinking added to the book a great deal and it really reminded me of my own philosophy classes at school which was pretty cool.
I feel like an uber bitch for not loving this (because have you seen John Green on Tumblr or Youtube.. he's such an awesome guy) and I do wish I liked it more but... alas, the characters really pulled this down for me. I recommend that if you haven't read Looking for Alaska or The Fault in Our Stars that you do because most people really do love them to bits and you'll probably love it too. I am an anomaly guys. I will probably read more John Green books because he is a great writer, I think it's just that I haven't found the book of his that... fits me yet. :)
Music choice: Miles finding a place where he belongs is one of my favourite things about Looking for Alaska so.. This Is Home by Switchfoot
