(Almost) Weekly Wednesday: Music for Those Snowy Days

Hi friends!

It's that time of year again. The time for snow and hot chocolate and blankets and snuggling. One of my favourite things to get me in the winter time mood (next to reading, of course) is listening to music. So, for your enjoyment, I'm making you a playlist of songs to listen to next time your roof is covered in snow (or the wind is colder, if you don't have snow where you live).

Elizabeth's Super Amazing Wintertime (or Anytime) Playlist

1. Take a Chance on Me by ABBA (I'm listening to this right now!)
2. Best for Last by Adele (such a good getting-over-you song)
3. Don't You Worry Child by Swedish House Mafia (strange band, I know, but don't judge)
4. Beam Me Up by P!nk
5. Ride by Lana Del Rey (kinda depressing, but her voice is so GOOD!)
6. Home by Phillip Phillips
7. Lady Marmalade by Various Artists (an oldie but a goodie!)
8. Ho Hey by The Lumineers
9. Wanted by Hunter Hayes (this is country music, but it's so precious and great for cuddling through the cold)
10. You're Beautiful by James Blunt

Meg's Playlist That Liz Probably Does Not Know Is On This Post ;D

1. Radioactive by Imagine Dragons
2. Ho Hey by The Lumineers  
(We're twins! -Liz)
3. Stars and Satellites by Dan Griffin
4. Wax and Wire by Loch Lomond                 11. Little Lion Man covered by Tonight Alive
5. Build You Up by Kim Taylor                                   ENJOY
6. All I Want by Kodaline
7. Maps by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
8. Close Watch by Agnes Obel
9. Sometimes by Sound Of Guns
10. Misery Business by Paramore 

***Liz would like to point out that she does in fact know Meg's playlist is on here, but she's being kind and allowing it to stay :)
**** Thanks girlfriend!! -Meg

Now look, a lot of you might be looking at this playlist thinking "Oh, yuck! Those are horrible songs!" (or, "Wow, those girls are out of their tree) and maybe they are. To me, good music is any songs that make me feel (or as you Tumblr folk say "Have all the feels", right?), which is similar to my opinion of books. Hopefully, though, you find a song worth sharing on my (and Meg's, apparently) playlist(s), and I wish you the best over the winter season!

Using Too Many Parentheses So You Don't Have To,
Liz and Meg

Review: Moonglass by Jessi Kirbi

Title/Author: Moonglass by Jessi Kirbi

Publication Date: May 3, 2011

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Source: My bookshelf

Rating: 4 of 5 pieces of red seaglass (specific, yes. Crucial, absolutely)


I, like Meg, love finding a good book on the bargain shelf at the bookstore. Being the cheap couponer I am, find them for less than five dollars is perfect. Therefore, finding this book was like a dream come true.

Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface.

While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever.

Oh snap! Isn't that compelling? Family secrets alway draw me right in because I can relate to them, as can most people. Anna and I were pretty similar in that respect, but otherwise, we were completely different people, and I can dig that.

When I first started reading about Anna, I have to admit that she made me a little uneasy. She seemed kind of like a... flirt. She was laying herself out on the beach in her bikini and making eyes at all the lifeguards. That probably doesn't bother most people, but I'm kind of a prude. After getting past the initial reading about such a character, however, I didn't mind her. In fact, her confidence made her a more likable character. Same with her bestie, Ashley. There was no way that you are a sane person and didn't like Ashley.

“Anna: Ash, I don't have anything planned with my Mother... She's dead.

Ashley: What?

Anna: She died when I was seven. She drowned. It's just my Dad and me. I didn't tell you before because I just wanted a fresh start here, because before I moved, everybody knew about it and... I'm sorry.

Ashley: ....... You're like a Disney Princess!”

This book is a little slow, and it takes a while to get to the nitty gritty. The conflict in this book was also very internal, as well. I personally didn't mind those aspects, because they lead to deep self-discoveries and all that jazz, but if you don't usually like that, you probably won't like it in this book either.

Overall, I loved this book! The story was good, the characters were really well developed, and the writing was very well done. It is a contemporary young adult novel, so unfortunately for some of you, no giant vampires come jumping out the water to suck the sparkles out of everybody's legs.Not that that's ever happened, of course, but... Well, you catch my drift.

Happy Reading!
Liz

**SIDENOTE: I've been MIA recently, and I have to apologize for that. On top of the holidays, I've also been moving and I've barely had time to think, let alone write a review about books that I've been able to squeeze some reading time into. Anyways, I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me. Happy Holidays!**