The Soundtrack of My Life

As I was driving this morning and listening to my current fave cd, I got to thinking. (Music tends to do this to me, make me all introspective and whatnot.) I started thinking about how there are certain songs I associate with certain times in my life. Usually, it's because I was listening to that particular one when specific things happened, mostly just coincidental, but thereafter I always remember that time in my life when I listen to those songs again. Interesting, right? Does this happen to you?

So as I pondered on that, I realized that basically I have a soundtrack for my life. Not my entire life, mind you, just several years worth, but a soundtrack for sure. For instance, whenever I hear Jason Gray's Not Right Now...




...it takes me back to this past March, when a friend passed away very unexpectedly. Then there's Meredith Andrews' Sunrise...




...which helped me wake up on my drive to work in April, plus several of the other songs on there that gave me inspiration for writing. When I listen to it again, it takes me back to when I started challenging myself to writing a different sort of poetry than I'd ever tried before. And it inspires me again. It somehow gets my creative juices flowing! :)

Then there's May, when I was saying goodbye to mom and I had just recently purchased Phil Wickham's latest which had The Secret Place on it.




This song seemed to speak my heart during that difficult month. It still does, as do the other songs on that album.

These have all been current life songs, but what about my past you ask? Well now, there's the soundtrack to Bride and Prejudice (an awesome movie, by the by!)...




...which always takes me back to when I first watched it back in 2004. But it also makes me think about the roadtrip from CA to VA in 2013, when I moved back here. We listened to this cd quite a few times on that trip. It's just roadtrip music, okay? :)

Then comes 2014, when I was still adjusting to the Big Move (yes, it took almost an entire year for my head and heart to adjust completely) and I discovered Ellie Holcomb:




Those songs immediately take me back to all the Unknowns I was feeling at that time. It also reminds me of a fabulous weekend trip to Nashville where I met Natalie Lloyd (aka Awesomest Author Ever :)! I think I listened to that cd the entire way there, all weekend long, and then the drive back home again. Clearly I could not get enough of it!

If I want to go WAY, way back, I bring out Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's Fishin' in the Dark.




That will definitely take me back to my childhood days! :D

And Pharrell Williams' Happy always makes me think of nephew...




Z and I listened to this song over and over and over one night when I took him out to eat for his birthday. He always introduces great new music to me! :)

Clearly, I could keep going, but I think you get the picture. Particular songs take me to particular moments in my life when I hear them. Moments of great happiness or great sadness. Moments that I haven't forgotten, or if I do, I've only to listen to a certain song again to bring that moment immediately to mind. Music truly speaks to our hearts, doesn't it?

What songs are on your soundtrack?

Bite-Sized Reviews :: Edition Twenty

More mini reviews for your reading pleasure! :)

The Remedy by Serena Chase
I don't know how Ms. Chase does it, but this series is simply amazing! I fell in love with this world she's created in The Ryn and have no idea why it took me so long to return to it. The adventure, the allegorical elements, the romance, the characters (and the way I closed the final chapter all excited for Erielle and Cazien's story!), the fun, it's wonderful and I loved every bit of it.

The Seahorse Legacy by Serena Chase
I just knew I was going to enjoy spending more time with Erielle and Cazien and I was right! These two....*sigh* I don't have words to describe how much I love them both. Their adventures are truly of epic proportions and I ended this one SO glad I waited to read it until book four was out!

The Sunken Realm by Serena Chase
Oh my gracious! This book, y'all. And these characters! I've said before, I love Ms. Chase's world building, add to that these awesome characters, and you are looking at a very happy reader right here. :) The EPICNESS of this series continues to amaze me. And the romance? *happy sigh* Erielle and Cazien go through so, so much and all I can say is that you really need to read their story. Trust me!!

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade
The fun of this series is the characters. Alona and Will are SO very different, yet somehow they work so well together. Watching them irritate each other is cute because for all their denial, they really do like each other. Simply put, it's a fun story that made me smile! :)

Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade
The stakes in this one are higher, which kept me turning pages. What happened at the end was definitely unexpected! In a good way. But really, I was here for Alona and Will and they did not disappoint me. Their banter is just fun! I love those two.

Body and Soul by Stacey Kade
The end of Queen of the Dead left me wondering where on earth the story would go from there. Unexpected but fun places it turns out! A few more twists and turns happen in this final book, which ups the tension. Yet Alona and Will are as hilarious and adorable as ever! Those two and their arguments. They're perfect together! They just need to work on their communication skills a little more. And they make this series entertaining and well worth reading. :)

Bite-Sized Reviews :: Edition Nineteen

I've realized that it is now almost July and I have SO many books yet to be reviewed! I thought I'd manage to get caught up by now, but alas... So! I decided the easiest way was just to do several mini reviews. Especially as it's been a while since I've read some of these and I'm not certain I have enough words to capture the stories properly. I do remember enjoying them all though! Does that count for anything? :)

Onward to the fun stuff!

Their Fractured Light by Amie Kaufmann & Meagan Spooner
I loved it! This was an epic ending to the overarching storyline and definitely went in ways I wasn't expecting. Gideon and Sofia are completely perfect for each other and their journey to figuring that out is quite the adventure! I absolutely LOVE this entire series and highly recommend them!

Only Through Love by Mary Jane Hathaway
After loving The Pepper in the Gumbo, I couldn't wait to read more about Charlie. She is such a wonderful character! Watching as she makes mistakes, yet learns from them and grows stronger made me root for her. And I really, really wanted to give her a great big hug so many times while reading this!

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
I'd never read this classic until now, which seems crazy! But I definitely enjoyed it. The March family is the type that makes you wish you could jump into the story and be swept up in all their adventures and fun. I loved the sisters imaginations! And the way that everybody they came in contact with for any length of time immediately became part of the family. I especially loved how they took Laurie in. As I read part one (which was my favorite half of the story), I kept thinking this book would make the perfect read-aloud. Part two disappointed me several times and I ended the book wishing I'd stopped with part one. But overall I am really glad I read it! Just thinking back on all the fun they had as children makes me smile. I can easily see why it's considered a classic!

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
I listened to the audio of this and surprisingly really liked it! Tim Curry is an excellent narrator, by the way. :) This little story is very different. I wasn't really sure what to expect from it, but I ended it somewhat satisfied (because as Lemony Snicket himself points out, it is a Bad Beginning :) and most certainly intrigued! Enough that I hope to read the rest of the series someday. It was very fun to watch as the children use their limited skills (since they are children) to figure out a way to (kind of) defeat the villain!

Heir to Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson
This little book reminded me how very much I love Ms. Donaldson's writing! And I was absolutely thrilled to get Philip's perspective upon meeting Marianne. The only problem I have with it? It's entirely too short! But that's a good problem, yes? :) I ended it positively itching to pick up Edenbrooke again. Excellent!

When Mary Met the Colonel by Victoria Kincaid
Simply a cute little re-imagining of Mary Bennet's story (from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen). Short but sweet! And it made me smile, which is all I can ask.

Bookishly Ever After by Isabel Bandera
This was cute! Phoebe is an avid reader, so much so that it overtakes her real life. To the point that she kind of can be a bad friend? Her friends do tend to forgive a lot sometimes, but she's so sweet that it's understandable. There's nothing earth-shattering about this story, it's a pretty easy setup and delivery. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't read it! Because Phoebe and Dev are pretty adorable together. My favorite bit was their friendship. I love a good friendship-turned-more story! When you're in need of a fluffy bit of entertainment, this one would suit perfectly. :)

Have I mentioned how much I love P&P&Z??

Rissi wrote about a swoony scene from Pride and Prejudice and Zombies over here. And y'all know how much I love that movie! So I wanted to share the news. :)

Here. Have some pictures to entice you.

(Also, you really should watch it if you haven't yet!)
(Also part 2, beware spoilers. Obviously.)