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rachelsreviews13 · 4 months

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rachelsreviews13 2023 Ranking Lists

Happy New Year!! Welcome to my annual ranking lists. This year I decided to do things a little different, so instead of just songs and albums, I have also included the artists I thought had an exceptional year, my top TV shows, and my top books.

These rankings were not easy at all, especially for the music and TV shows. Also, while I normally require the songs and albums to be released within the year, I did not make that requirement for the shows and books. To make it even harder, there were so many genres of each media that it was difficult to compare. K-pop versus pop punk. Returning favorites versus new finds. Book club reads versus suggestions from friends.

2023 was full of so much fun and exciting content in all areas. I hope you can either find some of your own favorites or are interested in checking out something new from my lists. If you have any questions or comments, please let me know. Enjoy!

(P.S. link to Top 30 Songs Spotify playlist here)

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rachelsreviews13 · 1 year

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Hello! Welcome to rachelreviews13 annual top songs and albums of the year!

At first I thought I knew well ahead of time my top songs of the year, but the more I worked on this list, the more I realized how much music I really loved this year. So, in reality, it ended up being quite difficult to narrow down these top songs and albums. Some artists and songs I had to unfortunately cut from even the honorable mentions, but I’d still like to highlight them, so I will mention them here. Those artists include Demi Lovato, Machine Gun Kelly, Yungblud, Lizzo, and ITZY. While I did not include any of their songs and albums they released this year, each of those artists were still a big part of my 2022.

Now onto everything that did make the cut - we got some great ones, folks! Enjoy!

Top 30 songs

This is Why - Paramore

Ballroom Extravaganza - DPR IAN

Let Me Let You Go - One Ok Rock

Trouble - Troye Sivan feat. Jay Som

Thursday’s Child Has Far To Go - TOMORROW X TOGETHER

Arson - J-Hope

Memories - Conan Gray

You’re not special - Maggie Lindeman

Forever 1 - Girls’ Generation

Shut Down - Blackpink

MANIAC - Stray Kids

As It Was - Harry Styles

Line it Up - Payale Royale feat. LP

That That - Psy feat. Suga

Blow - Jackson Wang

I Hate the Way - Sofia Carson

Bejeweled - Taylor Swift

Antifragile - LE SSERAFIM

The Loneliest - Maneskin

The Astronaut - Jin

Wildflower - RM feat. youjeen

Worst Day - ILLENIUM feat. MAX

Run BTS - BTS

Me Myself & I - 5 Seconds of Summer

Test Me - Xdinary Heroes

Guerilla - ATEEZ

Stepped on a Bee - Misterwives

MAISON - Dreamcatcher

Future Perfect (Pass the Mic) - Enhypen

madly, badly, fixed - The Faim

Top 10 albums

Midnights - Taylor Swift

Superache - Conan Gray

Love Sux - Avril Lavigne

Talk Talk - The Faim

Moodswings In To Order - DPR IAN

Luxury Disease - ONE OK ROCK

5SOS5 - 5 Seconds of Summer

SUCKERPUNCH - Maggie Lindeman

The Reckoning - Icon for Hire

Fever Dream - Palaye Royale

Honorable Mentions

Magic Man - Jackson Wang

OMR - Omar Rudberg

I went to hell and back - As It Is

Minisode 2: Thursday’s Child - TOMORROW X TOGETHER

(Un)commentary - Alec Benjamin

Purple Hearts (Original Soundtrack) - Sofia Carson

Last but not least, here is the link to the Spotify playlist with all these songs.

Thank you for reading!

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rachelsreviews13 · 1 year

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Welcome to this long overdue review. Let’s get right into it.

Midnights was an album of shock and surprises. From the VMA announcement to Midnights Mayhem with Me and the 3am tracks, this album was a rollercoaster ride. Since this album was a reflection of Taylor’s thoughts at midnight throughout her life, we also get a multitude of sounds; including pop beats, hints of country twangs, and everything in between. Even though there’s evidence of songs about her younger years, the lyrics of every song are maturely poetic. Yet, every dedicated Swiftie was quick to memorize even the most complex lyrics and sing them at the top of their lungs.

While Midnights is at the top of my favorite Taylor albums, it’s not my number one. (That’s still reputation.) Unfortunately, I often skip several songs because I don’t love every song, but I do at least like every song. I mean, it is Taylor Swift. And it’s kind of to be expected to occasionally skip songs considering there’s 21 of them including the 3am tracks and "Hits Different" from the Target exclusive lavender edition. Midnights is still near the top of my album ranking because I love the variety of sounds and the incredible lyrics. It’s really the perfect blend of what she’s been doing in recent years. Plus, she worked with Jack Antonoff yet again and I absolutely love the work that he does, especially with Taylor. I can very clearly hear his experimental influence on songs like “Midnight Rain” and “Labyrinth.”

Now, the moment you’ve been waiting for, here is my song ranking of all 21 songs:

Bejeweled

Mastermind

Vigilante Shit

Karma

Anti-Hero

Paris

Hits Different

Labyrinth

Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve

The Great War

Midnight Rain

You’re on Your own kid

Lavender Haze

Glitch

Maroon

Question…?

Dear Reader

High Infidelity

Sweet Nothing

Bigger than the whole sky

Snow on the Beach

Thanks for reading!

#taylor swift #midnights #taylor swift midnights #midnights album review #album review #album ranking #midnights ranking

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rachelsreviews13 · 1 year

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So, I need to reblog this today and just say I don’t know what I was on about when I made that song ranking two years ago. That is so not my ranking now. (*This is why I’ve been waiting so long to post my Midnight review, lol)

Here’s what it is now (including the bonus tracks this time):

no body, no crime

champagne problems

willow

gold rush

long story short

cowboy like me

‘tis the damn season

right where you left me

marjorie (*although I often skip because it makes me cry)

coney island

it’s time to go

tolerate it

dorothea

happiness

closure

evermore

ivy

But remember, this is still one of my top 3 Taylor albums, so really I love all these songs, but I’m really obsessed with those first few.

Thanks for reading! (again)

A little more than a week ago, Taylor Swift did it again - SURPRISE!

In my review for folklore I basically stated that it was not my favorite although I know for some fans it was. As I have listened to folklore these past few months, I have enjoyed it much more than I initially did. When “the lakes” was finally released, I absolutely fell in love with that song. Plus, “the lakes” leads quite nicely into “willow,” the first song off of evermore which, I should say now, might be my new favorite Taylor Swift album (or it’s at least up there with Speak Now, reputation, and 1989).

I should also note that I think some of my disappointment with folklore was because I had such high expectations. I made sure to go in with zero (or as close to it) for evermore. I really think that helped. When I first listened to folklore I felt like there was something indescribable that was missing. Whatever it was that was missing in folklore is in evermore.

As I have thought about it, I think I figured out what I felt was missing - magic. There is a magical, whimsical feeling throughout evermore that is not as present in folklore. Folklore has more somber and melancholy storytelling and instrumental. Evermore takes that storytelling to a whole other level. Even when the storytelling is melancholy, there is a bit more of a whimsical instrumental, like in “champagne problems.” Taylor made the world she was creating in folklore even more concrete in evermore. Evermore is the younger sister who has learned from her sister’s mistakes and figured out how to do things even better.

Now onto the fun or frustrating bit depending on your opinions - my ranking list!

willow

no body, no crime

gold rush

long story short

‘tis the damn season

evermore

marjorie

dorothea

champagne problems

tolerate it

happiness

cowboy like me

coney island

ivy

closure

This was a very difficult list. Many of the songs that are near each other I keep switching around. Sometimes, “willow” is not my number one favorite. Sometimes, “closure” is not my least favorite. It all keeps changing. I really do find beauty in every single one. But that’s usually how it goes with Taylor Swift.

Now I’ll end with a few of my favorite lyrics:

willow - “Wreck my plans, that’s my man” and “Came back stronger than a ‘90s trend”

gold rush - “What must it be like to grow up that beautiful?/With your hair falling into place like dominoes”

happiness - “There’ll be happiness after you/But there was happiness because of you” and “And I pulled your body into mine/Every goddamn night, now I get fake niceties”

tolerate it - “I wait by the door like I’m just a kid/Use my best colors for your portrait/Lay the table with the fancy shit/And watch you tolerate it/If it’s all in my head, tell me now/Tell me I’ve got it wrong somehow/I know my love should be celebrated/But you tolerate it”

Thanks for reading!

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rachelsreviews13 · 1 year

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Plans to Return

I keep abandoning this page, I’m so sorry! I really love how I mentioned I would make a kpop post in my Top 30 Songs of 2021 (aka my last post) and literally never did such a thing. I don’t know if I ever will do that post, but I will at least be trying to come back to do some album reviews, maybe book reviews too. We’ll see, but I’m definitely going to be working on posting here again. This post is to hold me reliable, lol.

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rachelsreviews13 · 2 years

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Top 30 Songs

I tried to make this my top 20 songs of 2021, but I had too many favorites this year. Instead, I decided to do thirty and make three chunks of ten. So, it’s like 1-10 are my number one favorites, 11-20 are my second favorites, and 21-30 are my third place favorites. My third place favorites were supposed to be my honorable mentions, but it kept growing and I also felt I loved them just as much as 1-20. Overall, there was literally so much awesome music I listened to this year. This is just a taste. It also doesn’t help that I fell deep into the Kpop rabbit hole (a separate post about that will be coming soon). Anyway, here’s the best ranking I could do of some of my most favorite songs that were released this year.

Starting Line - Luke Hemmings

DiE4u - Bring Me the Horizon

Butter - BTS

My Universe - Coldplay feat. BTS

good 4 u - Olivia Rodrigo

Thunderous - Stray Kids

Flames - MOD SUN feat. Avril Lavigne

I am not a woman, I'm a god - Halsey

What's Wrong - half·alive

On The Ground - ROSÉ

Shy Away - Twenty One Pilots

You'd Be Paranoid Too (If Everyone Was Out To Get You) - Waterparks

LO$ER=LO♡ER - TOMORROW X TOGETHER

No Love In LA - Palaye Royale

Purge The Poison - MARINA

Don't Assume What You Don't Know - Grace VanderWaal

Astronomy - Conan Gray

Mr. Perfectly Fine - Taylor Swift

Brittle - Icon for Hire

LALISA - LISA

I Know That He Loves Me - Autoheart

How Not to Drown - CHVRCHES feat. Robert Smith

Drive You Home - Jackson Wang

Finish Line - He Is We

People Watching - Conan Gray

Happy Death Day - Xdinary Heroes

2011 - 5 Seconds of Summer

Monster - PVRIS

Deja Vu - ATEEZ

DAYWALKER! - Machine Gun Kelly feat. CORPSE

Now, if you’ve reached the end and you’re a Swiftie wondering, “WHERE IS ALL TOO WELL (10 MINUTE VERSION)???” Well, y’all that song is in a whole class of its own. Personally I don’t think there will ever be another quite like it. I honestly cannot compare it with the 30 songs in this list, so this is my special note to say I recognize it as a masterpiece and one of the best songs to ever exist.

Let’s move on to the albums now.

Top 10 Albums

My top 10 albums were a bit easier to narrow down since I sometimes struggle to listen to albums in full. These top 10 albums and five honorable mentions were the albums I was able to listen to and had on loop multiple times this year. Once again, these are specifically the top albums that were released this year. I listened to several K-pop albums this year, but many were from previous years. For example, BTS’ Map of the Soul:7 is really my number 1 album this year, but it was released in 2020. I will discuss these K-pop albums and other solo songs in another post. For now enjoy this list of albums from this year.

Amorphous - Icon for Hire

Greatest Hits - Waterparks

PARANOIA - Maggie Lindemann

Noeasy - Stray Kids

If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power - Halsey

Red (Taylor’s Version) - Taylor Swift

Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land - MARINA

Sour - Oliva Rodrigo

Scaled and Icy - Twenty One Pilots

OK Orchestra - AJR

Honorable mentions:

Hellbent - Autoheart

Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish

The Chaos Chapter: FIGHT OR ESCAPE - TOMORROW X TOGETHER

When Facing the Things We Turn Away From - Luke Hemmings

ZERO: FEVER EPILOGUE - ATEEZ

I hope you enjoyed this list. Maybe some of my favorites were also your favorites.

Thank you for reading!

P.S. Here’s a Spotify playlist with my top 30 songs!

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rachelsreviews13 · 3 years

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***SPOILERS***

A few weeks ago I finished the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (CAOS) and I think we need to talk about that ending. (When I say talk, I mean rant).

Let me back track by saying, I am rusty on Part 1 and 2, but I thought I remembered actually quite enjoying it. Then Part 3 came along and it felt different. I still liked it, but it was so messy and the musical numbers were quite unnecessary. Then we get Part 4 and the eldritch terrors. It was kind of interesting that those were the main focus and there were 8 (one for each episode). Yet, after having Satan/Lucifer as the big bad for so long, I just did not understand where these came from. What I mean is that everyone knows Satan, but what are these eldritch terrors? Was that ever properly explained? Whatever. It doesn’t really matter because what really frustrated me about Part 4 were the characters and the last few minutes of the finale.

Too many characters were either forgotten or their development was so inconsistent. I swear the first four episodes I kept forgetting Robin existed and I had really liked him in Part 3.

I felt Lilith’s storyline was an absolute disaster. Even though she was usually more of an antagonist, they still always portrayed Lilith as being strong and they made her pretty weak in Part 4. I don’t know, maybe I’m remembering wrong, but Part 4 Lilith did not seem consistent with the Lilith of the rest of the series.

Even Lucifer didn’t seem consistently strong and powerful like in the past. He has always annoyed me, but at least he was actually doing things to keep his power. In Part 4 he was just whining about making sure Sabrina Morningstar stayed alive and was queen.

Another character that was so inconsistent was Caliban. In the episode where he affected Lilith’s pregnancy, I felt that was Part 3 Caliban, but literally every other episode he was so different. He seemed to be acting like he did love Sabrina Morningstar, but it wasn’t fully fleshed out whether he really did or was just using her to be king. I thought for sure it was the later in the one episode, but then when Morningstar went into the other cosmos, he seemed upset enough about it (I guess?).

Speaking of love interests, I could not handle Nick this season. What the hell was the line, “Sabrina, we’re endgame.” I literally gagged when I heard him say that. It was so abrupt and does not even make sense. I hate it.

Along with Nick we can go right ahead and talk about the end of the finale episode. I totally thought it was going to be a cliffhanger because it was cancelled. Well, some pieces were left hanging, but Sabrina and Nick were both dead in the end. The way that final scene was filmed I was sure they had done it after hearing about the cancellation. It was only the two of them, so I thought they could have made it happen with appropriate COVID precautions, but apparently not. It was how they planned it all along. That pisses me off even more. They purposefully chose to leave characters’ storylines wide open and kill off two main characters (one of which was by suicide!).

Ugh, there was so much more I wanted from this show, but with that whole end I don’t even care anymore. I really only kept watching mostly for Ambrose. My sister said halfway through Part 4 that we should get an Ambrose spin-off. I agree, but only if someone else is behind it.

Anyway, if you made it through all my ramblings of frustration, let me know your opinions on the CAOS ending.

Thanks for reading!

#chilling adventures of sabrina #coas #sabrina #sabrina spoilers #review

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rachelsreviews13 · 3 years

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I can thank abnormallyadam on YouTube for getting me addicted to this show. I saw snippets of his reactions on Instagram and knew that if he loved it, I was going to love it. If you read this recommendation, watch the show, and love it, then you can thank me for falling in love with this show. (You’re welcome.) If you already love the show, then let’s chat.

While you can tell Kenny Ortega, the director of High School Musical, is behind it and there are some cheesy parts, there is also a lot of good humor and some very well done emotional scenes. (Every time Luke is a mess, I am a mess.) And even though the show is a supernatural, musical kids show, there are some very realistic relationships and dialogue. I especially love Julie and Flynn’s friendship. Those two are golden. I also really enjoyed the blossoming love between Willie and Alex. I smile every time I see them on screen together.

Besides a fun and intriguing storyline, there is actually some really great music. I personally compare this show to the Disney movie Lemonade Mouth. That had a very interesting, realistic(ish) storyline and a fantastic soundtrack.

Since this show’s music is important to the overall plot, I wanted to include my top five favorites. Maybe you can listen to these and decide if you want to try watching the show.

Edge of Great

Now or Never

Wake Up

Flying Solo

Stand Tall

I really hope you give Julie and the Phantoms a chance. You may be surprised by how much you enjoy it. It does not matter that it was kind of made more for kids. It really can appeal to all ages.

Thanks for reading!

#julie and the phantoms #review #recommendation #julie #flynn #luke #reggie #alex #willie #alex x willie #edge of great #now or never #wake up #flying solo #stand tall

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rachelsreviews13 · 3 years

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While 2020 has been terrible, there is one that kept us all going through it all - music.

Here are my top 20 songs and top 10 albums from this year. I have a few honorable mentions for both because it was so difficult to narrow down all the music I loved this year. I also struggled to rank all of these songs. Almost every single one has been a favorite at some point this year. The top five specifically are all my number ones this year.

Hopefully some of these songs and albums allowed you to also escape and/or find happiness and comfort during this difficult year. Here’s to a better 2021.

Top 20 Songs

“cardigan” by Taylor Swift

“Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd

“willow” by Taylor Swift

“Easy” by Troye Sivan

“Level of Concern” by Twenty One Pilots

“No Shame” by 5 Seconds of Summer

“Wretch” by Autoheart

“god save me, but don’t drown me out” by YUNGBLUD

“You should be sad” by Halsey

“Monsters” by All Time Low feat. blackbear

“Levitating” by Dua Lipa

“Dynamite” by BTS

“Obey” by Bring Me The Horizon feat. YUNGBLUD

“Simmer” by Hayley Williams

“The Story” by Conan Gray

“Wonder” by Shawn Mendes

“Tonight is the Night I Die” by Palaye Royale

“Joan of Arc is on the Dancefloor” by Aly & AJ

“Rain on Me” Lady Gaga feat. Ariana Grande

“Midnight Sky” by Miley Cyrus

Honorable Mentions:

“Curse or Cure” by Icon for Hire

“Experiment on Me” by Halsey

“Daze Inn” Carlie Hanson

“Lovesick Girls” by BLACKPINK

“Rare” by Selena Gomez

“Razzmatazz” by I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME

A playlist of all these songs can be found here.

Top 10 Albums

Halsey - Manic

Taylor Swift - evermore

Taylor Swift - folklore

Miley Cyrus - Plastic Hearts

YUNGBLUD - weird!

Bring Me The Horizon - POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR

5 Seconds of Summer - CALM

Conan Gray - Kid Krow

Hayley Williams - Petals for Armor

All Time Low - Wake Up, Sunshine

Honorable Mentions:

Palaye Royale - The Bastards

Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia

Selena Gomez - Rare

Troye Sivan - In A Dream EP

Thank you for reading!

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rachelsreviews13 · 3 years

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In August 2018 I posted a YUNGBLUD recommendation. Since then he has released another EP and a second album, weird!, which is what I will be reviewing here.

This album has quickly become one of my favorite albums this year. I think it helped that several of the songs were released throughout the whole year. I had high expectations for this album and it did not disappoint. There are some amazingly powerful songs on this album as well as some fun songs to just jam out to. Yet, whatever style of song, Dom always gets me feeling like I am not alone. Like I can conquer anything. That I can be as “weird” as I want to and not care about what anyone else thinks. There’s not enough artists out there who do that.

Now here is a quick ranking of the songs.

god save me, but don’t drown me out

mars

freak show

charity

love song

superdeadfriends

teresa

weird!

it’s quiet in beverly hills

strawberry lipstick

cotton candy

acting like that

ice cream man

It has been very difficult to rank my favorite songs lately. They keep getting chunked together and I keep rearranging them. Especially on an album like weird! I really love all the songs. Like I already said, each one is special in helping people feel like they’re not alone. Plus, there are so many different styles of songs. That’s why I truly believe there is a YUNGBLUD song for everyone.

If you still have not listened to YUNGBLUD, I really encourage you to give some songs a try. Pick several to give a listen and quickly see what I’m talking about. I hope in the process you can find a new favorite song.

Thanks for reading!

#weird!#yungblud #album review

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rachelsreviews13 · 3 years

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Well, I did not think I was going to fall in love with a Miley Cyrus album again. I was obsessed with Hannah Montana when I was in middle school. Later on I was not as drawn to Miley’s work. I thought some of the singles were pretty good, but I did not love them enough to check out any whole albums. That was until she released “Midnight Sky” and her covers of “Heart of Glass” and “Zombie.” Then I knew I had to listen to this one. Thankfully, I was far from being disappointed.

Plastic Hearts is the perfect Miley Cyrus album. Her voice was made for this type of 80s pop, punk rock style. I think I knew that for years without realizing it. I remember when I loved her 2009 album Breakout. Her voice was edgy and it worked so well. Her very edgy and gritty vocals in Plastic Hearts reminds me of what I started to hear several years ago, but now it is so much more polished and mature. I love it!

Now I’m going to rank this album’s songs, but I’m only going to rank the Miley originals. I won’t be ranking “Edge of Midnight” or her “Heart of Glass” and “Zombie” covers. Can we just agree those three are amazing?

Night Crawling

Plastic Hearts

Angels Like You

Midnight Sky

WTF Do I Know

Gimme What I Want

Never Be Me

Hate Me

Golden G String

Bad Karma

Prisoner

High

It was really hard to pick a number one. My top three are pretty much all tied for the spot, but I didn’t want three number ones. So, this is how I’m feeling about them right now, but know that it keeps changing.

If you haven’t listened to Plastic Hearts yet, but love some edgy pop, punk rock, what are you waiting for? Go check it out!

Thanks for reading!

#plastic hearts #miley cyrus #album review

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rachelsreviews13 · 3 years

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A little more than a week ago, Taylor Swift did it again - SURPRISE!

In my review for folklore I basically stated that it was not my favorite although I know for some fans it was. As I have listened to folklore these past few months, I have enjoyed it much more than I initially did. When “the lakes” was finally released, I absolutely fell in love with that song. Plus, “the lakes” leads quite nicely into “willow,” the first song off of evermore which, I should say now, might be my new favorite Taylor Swift album (or it’s at least up there with Speak Now, reputation, and 1989).

I should also note that I think some of my disappointment with folklore was because I had such high expectations. I made sure to go in with zero (or as close to it) for evermore. I really think that helped. When I first listened to folklore I felt like there was something indescribable that was missing. Whatever it was that was missing in folklore is in evermore.

As I have thought about it, I think I figured out what I felt was missing - magic. There is a magical, whimsical feeling throughout evermore that is not as present in folklore. Folklore has more somber and melancholy storytelling and instrumental. Evermore takes that storytelling to a whole other level. Even when the storytelling is melancholy, there is a bit more of a whimsical instrumental, like in “champagne problems.” Taylor made the world she was creating in folklore even more concrete in evermore. Evermore is the younger sister who has learned from her sister’s mistakes and figured out how to do things even better.

Now onto the fun or frustrating bit depending on your opinions - my ranking list!

willow

no body, no crime

gold rush

long story short

‘tis the damn season

evermore

marjorie

dorothea

champagne problems

tolerate it

happiness

cowboy like me

coney island

ivy

closure

This was a very difficult list. Many of the songs that are near each other I keep switching around. Sometimes, “willow” is not my number one favorite. Sometimes, “closure” is not my least favorite. It all keeps changing. I really do find beauty in every single one. But that’s usually how it goes with Taylor Swift.

Now I’ll end with a few of my favorite lyrics:

willow - “Wreck my plans, that’s my man” and “Came back stronger than a ‘90s trend”

gold rush - “What must it be like to grow up that beautiful?/With your hair falling into place like dominoes”

happiness - “There'll be happiness after you/But there was happiness because of you” and “And I pulled your body into mine/Every goddamn night, now I get fake niceties”

tolerate it - “I wait by the door like I'm just a kid/Use my best colors for your portrait/Lay the table with the fancy shit/And watch you tolerate it/If it's all in my head, tell me now/Tell me I've got it wrong somehow/I know my love should be celebrated/But you tolerate it”

Thanks for reading!

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rachelsreviews13 · 4 years

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Taylor Swift’s Folklore has been out for a week now. I’m not sure what I could say that hasn’t already been said. Lyrically this album is in a class of its own. It took me some time to get with the mellow chill vibe of this album. Don’t hate on me. I love heavy rock, so I naturally gravitate toward everything that is heavy and edgy.

But that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate this album. In fact, I appreciate it a lot. The more I listen the more I fall in love with the subtle yet complex instrumentals. And like I said the lyrics are superb! Besides edgy and gritty instruments, I also gravitate toward intricate lyrics that tell a well-developed story. That is clearly the whole Folklore album. (What am I talking about? That’s every Taylor Swift album.)

Probably the best part of this album was that it was such a surprise. I don’t know why I felt her next album was going to come out of nowhere. In the times we are going through right now, this was perfect.

Now onto ranking the songs.

Note: I do love this whole album. I don’t hate my least favorite. It’s just my least favorite.

1) cardigan

2) exile

3) my tears ricochet

4) invisible string

5) mad woman

6) betty

7) august

8) seven

9) the last great american dynasty

10) the 1

11) epiphany

12) illicit affairs

13) this is me trying

14) mirrorball

15) peace

16) hoax

Thanks for reading!

#taylor swift #folklore #folklore album review #the 1 #cardigan #the last great american dynasty #exile #my tears ricochet #mirrorball #seven #august #this is me trying #illicit affairs #invisible string #mad woman #epiphany #betty #peace #hoax

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rachelsreviews13 · 4 years

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Title: Again, but Better by Christine Riccio Published: 2019 Number of Pages: 373 pages Genre: Contemporary New Adult Fiction Goodreads Rating: 4.5/5

Plot Summary: Shane is a twenty year old who has spent most of her time alone in her dorm room and not really getting the college experience she expected. She decides to start over by going on a study abroad trip to London. While there she befriends kind Babe, independent Sahra, funny Atticus, and cute musician Pilot. Shane is determined to make new and exciting experiences as she works on her writing and friendships, but will everything go as she hopes?

Review: *SPOILERS* I felt Again, but Better had a slow start, but once things really got rolling, it was better. I have seen some people complain about the “juvenile” writing and how Shane is basically Christine. While I also see some of that, I think it is important to remember this is her first book. Also, for her first book, I think it was actually quite good. It’s not perfect, but it was detailed, filled with humor, and had realistically flawed characters. Now I will go into a few critiques and highlight what I liked most. 1) The Pilot drama - I have to say the thing that pissed me off the most was Pilot and his girlfriend that he wouldn’t break up with or make sure he had broken up with. I just don’t understand why it was so hard. He clearly didn’t seem to really like her, so why in the world did it take going back in time and getting a second chance for it to clonk in his head? He spent SIX years with Amy second guessing him all the time. What is that? Do people seriously do that? I don’t know, but it annoyed the crap out of me. I kept liking things he did or laughed at his funny dialogue but then I’d be reminded about Amy and get pissed off. If it was Christine’s goal to make me feel conflicted about Pilot, she succeeded. 2) Shane’s family drama - I myself come from a family that has been quite strict at times, but Shane’s is on a whole other level. It really bugs me when parents are so damn insistent that their child have a certain kind of career and life. While Shane’s parents are pretty extreme, I do believe they are pretty realistic. For instance, I would expect parents to get pretty mad if their child lied about what they were doing across seas, especially if said child made a brochure about a fake premed program. Extreme behavior clearly runs in the family. The one piece that I was slightly disappointed with was not being able to actually see any of the progress Shane made with her parents. We were only told at the end that they eventually supported her after she had success in her writing career. 3) Writing career - Speaking of the writing career. I did really like that she eventually went down the path of what she wanted for herself. This was my favorite part of the whole book. I loved that she finally put herself and her dream ahead of everything else. For a moment, I thought the whole time travel and second chance was all going to be focused on being with Pilot. I was so proud of her when she called things off with him and focused on her job at Packed! I really liked that she was able to use her experience from the first time to help learn so much more. She didn’t have to learn how everything ran, she was able to go straight to building connections and relationships with everyone at Packed! 4) Red hair lady - Unfortunately, I did slightly see the twist coming. When the red hair airplane lady showed up in Paris I knew there was something funky up with her. Then I became suspicious when I started thinking of the title. I was just surprised it took six years for the second chance to happen. That was pretty crazy. 5) The references - While some may not have liked all the references, I did like them and understood most of them (like 80%). Although that was fun for me, I understand why some might not like the book as much because of it. I know I did not like the parts as much when she was talking about the Da Vinci Code, but I loved whenever she referenced Lost, one of my favorite shows ever.

Final Thoughts: Although I had some minor issues, I overall enjoyed Again, but Better. I thought it was a really good first book for Christine. I loved all the references and humor in it. It often had the same humor I am used to with her videos. While some may not like it, I did. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves Christine as well as anyone who enjoys humorous contemporary YA romances.

Thanks for reading!

#again but better #christine riccio #book review #review

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rachelsreviews13 · 4 years

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The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

I haven’t loved a series this much in a long time! Every book got me so excited and emotional. The characters are so real and the relationships between them all are so beautiful. Maggie Stiefvater’s writing is brilliant! And since I listened to each title’s audiobook (except Opal), Will Patton’s narrating is also amazing. His voices for everyone are so distinct. I highly, highly recommend this series! Read or listen to the audiobook!

Now I will give as-spoiler-free-as-possible thoughts on each book: Book 1) The Raven Boys (2012) Goodreads Rating: 5/5 This is a great introduction to Blue Sargent and her four Raven Boys: Gansey, Ronan, Adam, and Noah. Everything is set up wonderfully. This includes the prediction that Blue is destined to kill her true love when she kisses him. It also begins the mysterious and fantastical hunt for the Welsh king, Owen Glendower. Book 2) The Dream Thieves (2013) Goodreads Rating: 5/5 The Dream Thieves goes even deeper into each character, especially Ronan. Ronan actually became my favorite character because of this book. I just love his angry sass and how he acts so tough but is actually soft if you get to know him and become his friend. While there was a decent amount of suspense and shock in The Raven Boys, there is even more in The Dream Thieves. Book 3) Blue Lily, Lily Blue (2014) Goodreads Rating: 4.5/5 Blue Lily, Lily Blue was just a smidgen step down from The Dream Thieves. While it was still great and important in the hunt for Glendower, there seemed to be a slight (very slight) lack of character depth and suspense. I really think it is just in comparison to the others it is a bit less. Still a fantastic book, though. Book 4) The Raven King (2016) Goodreads Rating: 5/5 This was the perfect ending. I was very emotional at the end. Now, let me note, I get emotional whether it is happy or sad, so when I say it was a perfect ending that may or may not be everyone “lives happily ever after.” I cry for both. The main point is, I felt this was the best out of all of them and just the right ending for this series. There is amazing suspense, realistic romance, fantastic friendship, and magical writing. What more could you ask for? Book 4.5) Opal (2018) Goodreads Rating: 5/5 This little novella was adorable and hilarious while also being a bit heartbreaking. It seems like a great transition from The Raven King to Call the Hawk Down (which I still need to read, but it must be awesome).

Final thoughts: Once again, I highly, highly recommend this series! Please read it if you love adventure fantasy with great character development and descriptive writing.

Thanks for reading!

#the raven cycle #maggie stiefvater #the raven boys #the dream thieves #blue lily lily blue #the raven king #opal #book recommendations

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rachelsreviews13 · 4 years

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Title: Queen of Air and Darkness (Dark Artifices #3) Published: 2018 Number of pages: 912 pages Genres: YA Fantasy Rating: 4.5/5 stars

*WARNING: Spoilers Ahead!!

Plot Summary: After the tragic deaths that occurred in the Council Hall, the Clave is full of those who are devastated and enraged. This gives the Cohort the opportunity to begin seizing control. The only ones who can stop them are the Blackthorns and their allies. Yet, struggles begin when they are split between Los Angeles, Alicante, and Faerie. Unforeseen forces complicate matters while also helping them answer some important questions. Cassandra Clare concludes her Dark Artifices trilogy with shocking surprises, heartbreaking moments, and questionable victory.

Review: This was literally insane. It was so big not just in physical size and length, but content as well. Yet, while we got a few conclusions on things, way too much was still unanswered. So, while I loved this book, I was also frustrated with the open end. Now let’s focus on some specifics. I have three angry pieces, one mixed feelings, and one favorite. Also, if you have not read Queen of Air and Darkness, PLEASE LEAVE, MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD. Angry about: 1)Julian - I hated Julian without emotions. We really saw that ruthless nature Kieran pointed out in Lady Midnight. I didn't want it, though. Honestly, because I hated Julian so much, I actually liked Emma in this one. She had to try to be the voice of reason for Julian. Unfortunately, she was not very successful most of the time. 2)Parabati curse - This is almost a mixed feelings piece, but I think I'm more irritated than interested in it. While I liked some of the full explanation as to why parabati cannot be in romantic love, I did not like the way everything happened with Emma and Julian. I had been enjoying the battle, but when they turned into giant nephilim, it kind of ruined it. It was also a somewhat quick resolution to the issue and a bit predictable. I pretty much knew Cassandra Clare wouldn't kill off her main couple. 3)Zara - I just needed this girl to go. That was all I wanted. That was all I needed. Emma had two chances she could have done it. Just stab her. But no. There had to be mercy. And guess what? Then EMMA got stabbed. Many issues could have been resolved with Zara taken out. I think one of my number one problems with Zara is that her actions are one of the reasons we’re having another series when I thought this was going to be the last one. I am not entirely pleased with this because I know we won’t be getting it for a long time since The Last Hours series has to happen first. If there’s going to be more to the story, I want it NOW...please. Mixed feelings on: Thule - I found it really interesting to read about an alternate Shadowhunters timeline. Yet, that world was so dark. It was a bit rough to read. I liked that Livvy was alive, but then everyone else was dead or Endarkened. Like gosh. Ouch. Stab me through the chest why don’t you. I also have mixed feelings with this because even though an alternate timeline was new for Cassandra Clare, it is not really a new concept in today’s books, movies, and TV shows. I have read and watched so many alternate timelines and multiverses lately. I’m starting to get just a bit tired of it all. My #1 favorite scene was: Malec wedding!!! - The way this was delivered = L.O.V. E. It filled me with such happiness. I was just so thrilled when Alec proposed and then everyone else was setting it up so they could go straight to it. I needed this at the end to soften my anger with the rest of the end, especially the last scene when Ash and Dark Jace showed up to the Seelie Queen. I just kind of push all that to the side and remember - MALEC WEDDING!!!

Final Thoughts: While some parts frustrated and pained me, I did enjoy this book. Sometimes I like pain. Give it to me. Make me feel something. That is at least one reliable thing Cassandra Clare does, makes me feel something, even if it is negative. That means she knows how to write complex, intriguing stories. And that is why I will continue to come to the Shadowhunter world and recommend it to everyone I can.

Thanks for reading!

#queen of air and darkness #dark artifices #cassandra clare #shadowhunters #book review

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rachelsreviews13 · 4 years

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Title: Lord of Shadows (Dark Artifices #2) by Cassandra Clare Published: 2017 Number of pages: 701pages Genres: YA Fantasy Rating: 4/5 stars

*WARNING: SPOILERS

Plot Summary: After learning the truth about the parabati bond, Emma must do everything she can to make sure it does not come to pass.Yet, that is hard to do when the Seelie Queen wants you to get the Black Volume, the Cohort is trying to take your Institute, and, oh, the Blackthorn ancestor you were trying to stop raising from the dead - is alive. Lord of Shadows takes the reader on fantastical dangerous journeys as the Shadowhunter world continues to expand. Review: This book was a little slow at times, but the end really made up for all of that. I feel like both Lady Midnight and Lord of Shadows were just building everything up for the explosion in Queen of Air and Darkness. Some specific pieces of Lord of Shadows I want to focus on follow: 1) Characters - I just reread my Lady Midnight review and noticed I focused entirely on the characters (what?!). It was also so long, I will be a lot briefer here. Cristina continued to be one of my favorites. Diana also started to become a favorite. I was so proud of her for telling Gywn her secret and of Gywn for accepting her as herself. I also enjoyed reading the trio of Kit, Ty, and Livvy. Some characters I still wasn’t loving were Mark, Kiernan, Emma, and Julian. While I disliked Emma more than Julian in Lady Midnight, it became reversed in Lord of Shadows. 2) Locations - I really liked that there were several settings in Lord of Shadows. Lady Midnight had only been in Los Angeles. It made the story a lot more interesting to go to Faerie, London, and Alicante. Personally, my favorite location was London. I was so happy when Magnus and Alec arrived to help out. I also really liked when Kit was able to see and converse with Jessamine’s ghost. There were so many Infernal Devices memories. It was fantastic! **WARNING #2: BIG SPOILERS AHEAD 3) The End - I have never read an ending that left me this emotionally distressed and drained. I was hesitant of Annabel from the start, but I was still so shocked and surprised when she killed Robert. Then I was so sad for Alec and Izzy. When the absolute chaos erupted I became so worried. I felt something even more terrible was about to happen. Then Livvy...I was gutted. She had become one of my favorites in this book. I had been worried about Tavvy in Lady Midnight and knew the death of one of the Blackthorns would have significant effects on the rest of the family. Everything I had been worried about with Tavvy ended up coming true with Livvy. It was absolutely heartbreaking.

Final Thoughts: I always enjoy Cassandra Clare’s work. I am fully immersed in the Shadowhunter world. Although I may have some issues with certain pieces, I always end up really liking every book. Along with this, I will continue to recommend the Shadowhunters series.

Thanks for reading!

#lord of shadows #dark artifices #cassandra clare #shadowhunters #book review

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