#GoodbyeGlee: Favorite Songs Per Season

Because today is a good day for fangirling, let me list down my favorite songs from #Glee from each season...

SEASON 1

1. Finn - Can't Fight this Feeling (it was a pivotal moment. It was everything.)
2. Kurt/Rachel - Defying Gravity
3. Rachel - Don't Rain on my Parade (still my favorite Rachel Berry solo)

4. Puck - Sweet Caroline (because it christened me with the name "Caroline" lol. Hello, Virginia!)
5. New Directions - Imagine (I couldn't count the number of times this made me emotional before)

6. New Directions - You Can't Always Get What You Want (one of my favorite songs of all time <3)
7. Will - Young Girl/Don't Stand So Close to Me
8. Mercedes - Bust Your Windows
9. New Directions - Somebody to Love (Queen)
10. Quinn - Papa Don't Preach

11. New Directions - Don't Stop Believing (Regionals Version)
12. New Directions - To Sir With Love (Santana = tears)
13. Puck/Mike/Artie/Finn/Matt - Beth
14. New Directions - True Colors
15. New Directions - Lean on Me

SEASON 2

1. Santana/Brittany/Holly - Landslide (because when Santana cries, I cry </3)

2. New Directions - Empire State of Mind
3. Puck - Only the Good Die Young (because...just look at the gif below <3)

4. Finn - Losing My Religion
5. The Warblers - Teenage Dream
6. Holly/New Directions - Forget You
7. New Directions - Marry You

8. Santana - Valerie
9. Quinn/Sam - Lucky (yeah I do like this cover)
10. New Directions - Thriller/Heads Will Roll

11. The Warblers - Silly Love Songs
12. Rachel/Blaine - Don't You Want Me

13. New Directions - TikTok

14. Rachel/Kurt - For Good
15. Rachel/Quinn - Unpretty

16. New Directions - Loser Like Me

17. The Warblers - Bills Bills Bills
18. Rachel - Get it Right 

SEASON 3

1. Finn/Rachel - Roots Before Branches (always gives me the feeeeeels. Especially after Cory died and I am not even a big Finchel shipper *sighs*)

2. Tina/Santana/Mercedes - Shake it out (I thought this was really beautiful)

3. Puck/Coach Beiste - Mean

4. Rachel - Here's to Us

5. Santana/Quinn - Take My Breath Away

6. Santana/Rachel - Love You Like Song

7. New Directions (Seniors) - You Get What You Give (especially with Finn's speech)

8. Blaine - Cough Syrup

 

9. New Directions - ABC (This is one of my favorite performances ever!)

10. Santana/Sebastian - Smooth Criminal

11, New Directions - Do They Know it's Christmas?  (I've always loved this song + Quinn's headband lol!)

12. Quinn - Never Can Say Goodbye (Perfection!)

13. Will/Shelby - You and I/You and I

14. New Directions - Hit Me with Your Best Shot/One Way or Another

15. Puck - I'm the only one (Even though I so hate the Puck/Shelby pairing eek)

SEASON 4

(I basically didn't watch this season too much except for times when the old cast was there, but anyway I do like the music so...)

1. New Directions - We've Got Tonight

2. Jake/Marley - A Thousand Years

3. Jake/Kitty - Everybody Talks

4. New Directions - Anything Could Happen

5. Jake - Let me Love You

6. Finn/Puck/Quinn/Mike/Santana/Mercedes - Homeward Bound/Home 

7. Santana - Girl on Fire

8. New Directions - You Have More Friends than You Know

9. New Directions - Hall of Fame

10. Sue/Blaine - I Still Believe/Superbass

11. New Directions - Say

12. Rachel/Quinn/Santana - Love Song

SEASON 5

(ahh too many sad songs but feeels)

1. New Directions - Seasons of Love

2. Rachel - Make You Feel My Love

3. Santana - If I Die Young

4. Puck - No Surrender

5. Sam/Artie - Fire and Rain

6. Santana/Dani - Here Come the Sun

7. Rachel - Yesterday

8. Starchild - Marry the Night

9. Quinn/Puck - Just Give Me a Reason

10. Santana - Don't Rain on My Parade

11. Rachel/Santana - Brave

12. Unholy Trinity - Toxic

13. Sam/Kurt/Artie/Rachel/Blaine/Brittany/Mercedes - Pompeii

14. Rachel/Mercedes - Pumpin' Blood

15. Rachel - Wake Me Up

SEASON 6

(And final season!!! Wow...I actually like most of the songs this season yay, and there are still 4 more episodes to go, but for now, here are my picks...)

1. New Directions - Home (I love Madison and Mason! THEY'RE JUST SOOOO CUTE!)

2. New Directions - You Learn/You've Got a Friend

3. Roderick - Mustang Sally (Noah Guthrie just sings so damn good!)

4. Unholy Trinity - Problem

5. Santana/Brittany - Hand in my Pocket/I feel the Earth Move

6. Tina/Quinn - So Far Away

7. Rachel/Sam - A Thousand Miles

8. Mercedes - At Last

9. New Directions - Arthur's Theme

10. Mason/Jane - Head Over Feet/Will You Love Me Tomorrow

So, Glee, thank you for the music! We'll surely miss it! xo

#HTGAWMTheories and Thoughts

Because I still cannot get over last night's finale (my mind is still screaming "WHHHYYYYYYY"), allow me to share some of my HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER theories with you.

1. Bonnie and Annalise's complicated relationship. Remember when Bonnie told Asher that she had a complicated relationship with Annalise? Well, of course, we all know by now that it's because of Sam, and Bonnie's "relationship" with him, but I think there's another reason why. I feel like, maybe, just maybe, Bonnie may be Annalise's adopted daughter, or maybe she sponsored Bonnie's education or so. Because, why would Bonnie be scared to tell Annalise about her and Asher when they're all adults, anyway, if she hasn't got anything on her?

2. FRANK. Oh my goodness, up until this moment I am still trying to comprehend how on earth things turned out that way. For a fraction of a second, I felt like it actually could turn out that way but then I brushed it off and now waaaaah. I mean, why? What could Sam have on him? Somehow, I feel like it has something to do with Frank being part of the mob or something. Remember when Asher asked him that, but he said no? What if, it's actually true? What if, the reason why Sam relied on him in killing Lila is because he knows that Frank can actually do it without any remorse whatsoever?

3.Eggs 911. What or who is Eggs 911? I feel like eggs has something to do with drugs but then...why would Rebecca still bring that up at that point? Or, maybe, what I read is right that it's an autocorrect fail lol but I don't know...she seemed to be asking for help and I have seriously no idea who she texted. Nate? Remember when he gave her his contact details before? But, he's still under police custody so that would be crazy,

4. Rebecca. I know a lot of people hate her. The character's cray and all, and I swear I wanted to whack her with a hammer last night because she was such a troll lol but damn, I was really sad when she died (mostly because I love Katie Findlay and I'm part of the minority who likes the character especially after what Wes said about people doing stupid things because they're scared of getting hurt). And, really, there still are a lot of things we need to know. Rebecca will be back, I just know it. (in flashbacks of course, unless this is a show where no one really dies lol but it's not)

5. Wes. Ayyy, my poor Wes. That scene between him and Annalise was so powerful, it'll really make you think why on earth Annalise cares for him so much. There has got to be something there. Also, I think that this situation would break him, or that he'd react to it in such a way that he'd be a different kind of Wes in Season 2. Probably tougher, probably someone who's hard to crack, I think that would be good for his character.

6. Keating Five and Annalise. And finally, I now feel like maybe, the Keating 5 were really brought together by Annalise. There is a reason why they're all there. And we'll know--sooner or later.

Now, the dreadful and lengthy wait for fall begins. T.T

Jasmine Warga - MY HEART AND OTHER BLACK HOLES - Book Review

Title: My Heart and Other Black Holes

Author: Jasmine Warga

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Sixteen-year-old physics nerd Aysel is obsessed with plotting her own death. With a mother who can barely look at her without wincing, classmates who whisper behind her back, and a father whose violent crime rocked her small town, Aysel is ready to turn her potential energy into nothingness.

There’s only one problem: she’s not sure she has the courage to do it alone. But once she discovers a website with a section called Suicide Partners, Aysel’s convinced she’s found her solution: a teen boy with the username FrozenRobot (aka Roman) who’s haunted by a family tragedy is looking for a partner. 

Even though Aysel and Roman have nothing in common, they slowly start to fill in each other’s broken lives. But as their suicide pact becomes more concrete, Aysel begins to question whether she really wants to go through with it. Ultimately, she must choose between wanting to die or trying to convince Roman to live so they can discover the potential of their energy together. Except that Roman may not be so easy to convince.

***

I feel like I can sense a pattern with recently released YA books, because I've read two books the past month or so with the same theme so I thought...this better be good or else, I am so not going to finish it.

In the first couple of pages, I felt like...this really feels like some of the stuff I read BUT--and it's a big but, I knew that there were going to be a couple different things about it. And so, I went on reading.

And you know what? It actually turned out to be amazing.

MY HEART AND OTHER BLACK HOLES will remind you that depression is real. It is a medical condition, and it shouldn't be taken lightly. But more so, it will also remind you that teenagers have every right to feel what they feel; actually, every person does. 

What I really liked about this book was that it was unpretentious. It was so beautiful in all its simplicity, and the thing is, there is depth in that simplicity and, that, for me is one of the best things about a book: when it gets you compelled and emotionally involved without trying hard enough.

"Maybe we all have darkness inside of us and some of us are better at dealing with it than others.” 

I also liked the dynamics between Roman and Aysel. What they had was not like the love stories of characters in most books where the MC and LI were just...into each other right away, or hard sparks right away. You know what I mean? I like the build up. I like how the characters will make you think about what their roles in each other's lives would be, and how the relationship will progress--or if it will progress at all.

It's a book filled with beautiful, colorful characters--with their black holes and all. And boy, it would really make you feel for the characters and for what they're going through. There were times in the book where I was like, "Oh please don't let this happen" or, "NOOOOOO", and the like. In the end, I think I got what I wanted from it.

The ending, for me, is beautiful and realistic: again, it's not pretentious and it would allow you to really see the reality of how things could be, and how life is seen by different eyes, through different perspectives.

“I will be stronger than my sadness.” 

Whether or not you're suffering from depression, I recommend that you read this book, so you could open up your eyes some more and hopefully, get to understand the people around you. You won't regret it, I promise.

Bob Ong - "Si" -- Book Review

Title: Si

Author: Bob Ong

(Paperback available in bookstores for P180)

Bilang isang masugid na tagasubaybay ng mga naisulat ni Bob Ong, masasabi kong itong ika-sampung libro ang isa na sa mga paborito ko ngayon, bukod sa Macarthur. 

Nakakatuwang isipin na napakalaki na ng pinagbago ng istilo ng pagsusulat ni Bob Ong. Nakakatuwa rin na hindi siya natatakot sumubok ng iba't-ibang genre, upang sa gayon ay di rin siya maikahon sa isang istilo lamang. Naisip kong maaring simple lamang ang kwento nito, pero natuklasan ko na kahit napakaikli at simple ng titulo nito ay naglalaman ito ng mga bagay na higit pa sa iniisip mo. 

Napakagaling ng istilo niya ng pagsusulat dito--talagang mapapaisip ka. 

Sa mga unang pahina pa lamang ng libro, naramdaman ko na ang lalim ng librong ito. Ito ay isang istorya na talagang kukurot sa iyong puso at mag-iiwan ng marka. Sa totoo lang, di ko yun inasahan noong una dahil akala ko ito ay isang simpleng kwento lamang ng dalawang taong nagmamahalan, pero mali pala.

Oo, kwento ito ng pagmamahal, pero hindi ito para lamang sa mga mag-karelasyon. Hindi rin sa mga kinasal na, o dahil lang sa pagmamahal sa pamilya. Pagmamahal ito na magbubukas ng isipan natin sa katotohanan na ang bawat desisyon ay maaring maging dahilan ng mga susunod pang mangyayari sa buhay ng tao. Natutunan ko na ang pagmamahal, na ang mga desisyong gagawin natin, at kung ano mang mangyayari sa buhay natin ay magkakakunekta; na pwedeng akala natin na wala lang ang isang bagay, ngunit may mas malalim itong kahulugan. Na ang ginawa mo kahapon ay maaaring magdikta ng mangyayari sa hinaharap--pero hindi ito ibig sabihin na wala ka nang iba pang magagawa. Hindi ba't ganyan naman talaga ang buhay? Ito ay binubuo ng samu't saring istorya na galing rin mismo sa buhay mo, at yan rin ang dahilan kaya mas nagiging makabuluhan ito, kahit na di natin maintindihan minsan.

Pagdating sa pinakadulong pahina, imposibleng hindi ka mapatigil. Imposibleng di ka mapaisip. Imposibleng hindi ka magbalik tanaw sa mga naging desisyon mo, at sa magiging desisyon mo pa. At para sa akin, yan ang pinkamagandang bagay sa librong ito.

Ang problema ko lamang ngayon ay ang pag-aantay...sa ika-labing-isang libro. 

Heather Demetrios--I'LL MEET YOU THERE--Book Review

Title: I'll Meet You There

Author: Heather Demetrios

My Goodreads Rating: 3/5 Stars

If seventeen-year-old Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby on her hip, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing standing between straightedge Skylar and art school are three minimum-wage months of summer. Skylar can taste the freedom—that is, until her mother loses her job and everything starts coming apart. Torn between her dreams and the people she loves, Skylar realizes everything she’s ever worked for is on the line.

Nineteen-year-old Josh Mitchell had a different ticket out of Creek View: the Marines. But after his leg is blown off in Afghanistan, he returns home, a shell of the cocksure boy he used to be. What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise—a quirky motel off California’s dusty Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into an unexpected friendship and soon, something deeper.

***

Here's a book that I decided to read just because of the cover. Was it worth it? Here's what I think.

So, it's actually hard to review this book because...you can see that the plot is good, and it has a lot of promise. I am in awe of soldiers who give their lives for the country--and for a cause. There is no doubt about that. But then again, this is a work of fiction and while I believe that the author did a lot of research and she wrote this pretty well, I guess it just wasn't IT for me. But, there are also some things that I loved about this book---we'll get to that later.

I'll start with what I didn't like about it first:

• First, I thought that Josh was a little too whiny. I get it. He's going through a really hard thing in life and it's something that I wouldn't wish for anyone, but it was just too much for me. I feel like the essence of his relationship with Skylar didn't reach its peak because of how he was, and I wanted more, but then again, maybe that's how things go.
• It was also a bit Twilight-esque for me in the sense that it's too...how do I say this? Risky? There were times when I felt like Josh was trying to let Skylar die LOL or something like that, and I didn't feel like it was right. Don't get me wrong--I enjoy tragic stories a lot but I felt like it wasn't meant for this one.
• And, well, I felt like it was pretty slow-paced--but maybe that's just me.

So, what did I like about it then?

• I like how it makes you believe in love all over again; that somehow, some people can see past the imperfections and love you for you, and for who you aren't--I think this captured that well.
• Lines were pretty good--especially in like, the last 25% of the book. 
• It will tug on your heartstrings--yeah, it did for me.

I guess I just wanted more from this one, but still, it was worth the read and I'd still check Miss Demetrios' work sooner or later. Happy Friday, Darlings! xo