MUSIC MANIA: Paint the Town RED

Red Booklet - Prologue

There’s an old poem by Neruda that I've always been captivated by, and one of the lines in it has stuck with me ever since the first time I read it. It says “love is so short, forgetting it is so long.” It’s a line I've related to in my saddest moments, when I needed to know someone else had felt the exact same way. And when we’re trying to move on, the moments we always go back to aren't the mundane ones. They are the moments you saw sparks that weren't really there, felt stars aligning without having any proof, saw your future before it happened, and then saw it slip away without any warning. These are the moments of new-found hope, extreme joy, intense passion, wishful thinking, and in some cases, the unthinkable letdown. And in my mind, every one of these memories looks the same to me. I see all of these moments in bright, burning, red. 

My experiences in love have taught me difficult lessons, especially my experiences with crazy love. The red relationships. The ones that went from zero to a hundred miles per hour and then hit a wall and exploded. And it was awful. And ridiculous. And desperate. And thrilling. And when dust settled, it was something I’d never take back. Because there is something to be said for being young and needing someone so badly, you jump in head first without looking. And there’s something to be learned from waiting all day for a train that’s never coming. And there’s something to be proud of about moving on and realizing that real love shines golden like starlight, and doesn't fade or spontaneously combust. Maybe I’ll write a whole album about that kind of love if I ever find it. But this album is about the other kinds of love that I've recently fallen in and out of. Love that was treacherous, sad, beautiful, and tragic. But most of all, this record is about love that was red.  

Love is a ruthless game unless you play good and right.

- Taylor.

I have always been captivated by Taylor Swift’s songs. The way she writes is something unexplainable. It is simple, yet it holds a lot of deep emotions. And it is no secret that I have long been a huge fan of her and her music. She just opens a lot of different portals of emotions, bringing you from extreme happiness to the most hurtful heartbreak you ever imagined, then back again to sheer joy. I like her because of the same reason all other teenage girls do - her songs are relatable.

Though I have never really experienced love that is not for family or for friends, Taylor’s love songs seep through every pore of my skin. I do not know why, but he does that to me, and maybe even to a lot of girls all over the world. From her self-titled album to her chart-topping second and third album, Fearless and Speak Now, she comes again with another album that is sure to make every fan in the world crazy – RED.

October 22, 2012 is the scheduled release for Red, both the standard and the deluxe edition. But some countries aren’t due for the release until after a few days, like the Philippines. According to MCA Music Inc., the scheduled release here in the Philippines will be on November 5, but it is now available for digital download on iTunes Philippines. *sighs* Fans just have to be patient if they really want the physical copy of the album.

As usual, Taylor’s album is in two editions – standard and deluxe. I personally prefer deluxe versions because at a bit higher price, you’ll have more songs. It is more economical than buying the standard, then the deluxe. I hope that MCA Music Inc. releases the deluxe edition in the Philippines. I just can’t afford to buy the standard edition without knowing if the deluxe will be released here or not.

RED (Standard Edition) contains 16 songs, while the deluxe edition includes additional 3 songs, a demo version of two songs from the standard edition and an acoustic version of another song from the standard edition.

Taylor Swift ‘Red’ Track Listing:

Red (Standard Edition)

Red (Deluxe Edition)

Standard Edition:
1. State of Grace
2. Red
3. Treacherous
4. I Knew You Were Trouble
5. All Too Well
6. 22
7. I Almost Do
8. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
9. Stay Stay Stay
10.The Last Time
11. Holy Ground
12. Sad Beautiful Tragic
13. The Lucky One
14. Everything Has Changed (feat. Ed Sheeran)
15. Starlight
16. Begin Again

Deluxe Edition (additional):
1. The Moment I Knew
2. Come Back… Be Here
3. Girl at Home
4. Treacherous (Original Demo)
5. Red (Original Demo)
6. State of Grace (Acoustic Version)

So far,  my favorite tracks are Red, Stay Stay Stay, 22, and Everything Has Changed. I haven't really heard them all too well, just played the album once. So based from that quick play, these songs stood out.



teepee J

BOOK BLURB: Out of Sight, Out of Time (Gallagher Girls #5)

OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME (Gallgher Girls #5) 

Author: Ally Carter

Publisher: Hyperion Book CH

Number of Pages: 294

Date Published: March 13, 2012

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary / Mystery

Goodreads:

The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan--an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers that months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie's summer vacation are the bruises on her body and the dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home.

Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers. Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind. It's a race against time. The Circle is hot on their trail and willing stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

*** 

My Thoughts:
(Date Read: April 26, 2012)

After the last sentence in the book, my mind was seriously screaming, "I WANT THE 6TH BOOK NOW!"

The fifth installment to the Gallagher Girls series is really mind-blowing. Based from what I recall from the happenings in the first book, "Out of Sight, Out of Time" is way different from that. This time, it's all real.

BOOK BLURB: Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna #1)

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead. 

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

***

Date Read: April 24, 2012

I really like the book. I love the cover and title. I like the characters. I like the way it was written. I like the story. It's the first english novel I've actually read that's creepy. And now, I honestly don't know what else to say.

The story was told in Cas' point of view, the ghost-slaying teenager who moves around a lot with his witch mother. Cas is brave and confident, but not cocky. At a young age, he knows what he wants/needs to do. And I admire him for that. He's the type of character you'll like but not really swoon over.

Anna, the murdered teenage girl who's known as a dangerous killer at Thunder Bay. I already had the hunch that she's not really who she seems to be. And I really like her so much. I found her creepy at times, but other than that, I imagine her as this pretty girl in a white dress.

Thomas is the usual sidekick/bestfriend character. He's geeky and a little annoying at times, but he's incredibly gifted. He kind of reminds me of Sam from I Am Number Four.

Carmel is the Queen Bee of the school. I actually didn't like her at first, but as I read on, I've learned to like her. She's not your typical rich and popular girl. She's more than that. And that's what made me like her.

I guess that's all. :)))

View all my reviews


teepee J

BOOK BLURB: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

Author: Jennifer E. Smith

Publisher: Poppy /  Little Brown

Number of Pages: 236

Date Published: January 2, 2012

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Goodreads:

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

*** 

My Thoughts:
(Date Read: April 20, 2012)

The thing that really drew me to read this book is the title - THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. The first time I read the title, I instantly clicked it, read the the summary, and immediately fell in love with the plot. It was love at first sight. And I have no complaints or whatsoever with the story because I really liked it so much. The characters aren't over-exaggerated with too much redeeming qualities. They are normal people with normal lives and problems. It wasn't hard to connect with them either. I even had those "aaaawwwwww" moments while reading it. All in all, the book was light, fun and sweet.

BOOK BLURB: Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2)

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

The special Collector's First Edition will include a never-before-seen letter from Will to his family In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street--and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move--and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will--the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

***

Date Read: December 14, 2011

I felt like the second book has a totally different feel than the first book. Clockwork Angel was all about secrets and revelations while this was all about finding answers and the truth. I can safely say that this is another magnificent work of Cassandra Clare, giving us whirlwinds of emotions and twisting plots. There were scenes that made me gasp, laugh and scream "OHMYGAAAAWD" and "NOOOOOO!" and there were these moments that really made my stomach clench and broke my heart.

WILLIAM HERONDALE, my favorite character since Clockwork Angel. oh my!!! I have loved him before and I love him even more in Clockwork Prince. This is where the truth is revealed about his life. hmmmm.. I wouldn't want to spoil everything, so I'll end it there.

Anyway, I don't really know how to explain how I felt about this book, but it was definitely a fun roller coaster ride. I really loved it, though I wanted a little bit more action and fighting. Eeeh!!! It's just the way it is. I can't wait for Clockwork Princess. :)


-- I began reading this book the moment I thought that school work and activities won't interfere with what I'm doing. I started Saturday morning and I was so happy that I'll be able to finish it that weekend. Unfortunately, a text message from a my classmate ruined my weekend, saying that we need to finish something for school. So I stopped. :( I continued Tuesday morning and finished it in the evening.

View all my reviews


teepee J

BOOK BLURB: Hex Hall (Hex Hall #1)

HEX HALL (Hex Hall #1)

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Publisher: Hyperion Book CH

Number of Pages: 323

Date Published: March 2, 2010

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Goodreads:

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father—an elusive European warlock—only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tag-along ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

***

My Thoughts:

BOOK BLURB: Divergent (Divergent #1)

DIVERGENT (Divergent #1)

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Number of Pages: 487

Date Published: April 25, 2011

Genre: Young Adult Dystopia

Goodreads:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

***

My Thoughts:

GIVEAWAY: Bookish Bookshelf Cleaning EPIC giveaway

So one of the blogs I'm following has cleaned up her bookshelf, and due to the enormous amount of books and the limited shelf space, she's giving away some books!!! Yey!! I love book giveaways, but I'm never really lucky with these kinds of stuff. I have my fingers crossed for this one because there are a lot of great books to be won. Oh!! I just love to win books. hahahahaha.. Who doesn't? Anyway, you can also check it out by clicking the link below.

Bookish: Bookshelf Cleaning EPIC giveaway (4 boxes of books...: That's right! It's time for Bookshelf Cleaning giveaway! As I was cleaning and re-arranging my bookshelves today, I realized that I have...


teepee J

Start of Something New

Heyyyya blog universe! J

So basically, I want to give blogging a try (again). I want a place to share the little things that happens to my life, the recent things I’m obsessing about or the books that I have currently read. I’ll try to keep things as up to date as possible, though I doubt I can. Hahahahaha.. Anyway, this will be the start of something new for me. I am not really much of writer, but I believe I get by with my simple words. My thoughts and ideas are usually scattered around my head. Sometimes they’re there and other times they’re not. Ideas constantly pop in my mind and often times, I do not know where to put them. So normally, the outcome of my jumbled thoughts is a bunch of unorganized paragraphs. Hahahahaha..

So there! I have given you a run-down of what it’s like to be here in my blog. I hope that’s enough warning to stay away from this hideous blog. Naaaah!! Kidding! Hahahahahaha... But I do hope some people really visit my blog and read what I have to say. J

P.S. By the way, I love to laugh when I type things like this, sooooo... there are probably a lot of “hahahahaha” moments here. And I am not a grammar freak so a few mistakes here and there will be seen (hopefully not, though). I like  a lot of smileys, too. J

love lots,

teepee J