Rosina at Lace and Dagger Books tagged me in the Spotify Unwrapped Book Challenge 2021. I love pairing music and books, so thank you so much for tagging me. It’s also great for an end of the year wrap up.

The idea of this challenge is to put your playlist on shuffle, and for the first five songs, you need to pick a book you read in 2021 that fits that song. It doesn’t have to be a perfect fit. You just have to explain why you chose that book for that song. There may not be a book match for every song, so please feel free to skip.

Song: “I Don’t Want to Fight” Tina Turner
Book: Attachment Theory by Kayley Loring

This is one of my favorite Tina Turner songs. The song was also originally part of the playlist created for male lead Dylan by his brother Miles. I paired it for fighting against feelings (Scarlett was struggling over her feelings for Dylan) and for the fight in Chapter 29. I love Chapter 29 as performed by Zachary Webber as Dylan Brodie and Amy Woo Zeller as Scarlett Shepherd. It was a good fight on paper but was amazing (and extremely entertaining) when I listened to it. (My review)

Song: “Koj Yog Txhua Yam” Nrees Xyooj (Nrees Hands)
Book: Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee

This is a love song by one of my favorite Hmong artists. The title is translated to “You are many things” and the lyrics speak to the importance of someone’s presence in his life. While the song is about romantic love, I’m using it to characterize Valora’s love for her brother Jamie in Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee. After the death of their parents, Jamie becomes the single most important person to Valora and pins her hopes for a better future on him. It borders on her forgetting his goals might not align with her goals even if they make a formidable team. Gradually, she learns to accept it. (My review)

Song: “Horns (Stayloose Remix)” Bryce Fox
Book: A Deadly Education/The Last Graduate by Naomi Novak

The song is perfect for El and Orion. It’s two books because El and Orion’s growing friendship is encompassed in both. El is prickly and sarcastic. People are scared of her because she has an affinity for dark magic, and mals (the monsters) are attracted to her, which attracts Orion. Despite El’s personality, Orion can’t keep away from her, sticking close and always running to her rescue. Heh…(My review of The Last Graduate)

Song: “I Walk the Line” Halsey
Book: When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting

Although the song is about fidelity, best friends Avery and Declan each walk a similar line. They’ve been best friends since college and are currently living together. The temptation to become more than friends becomes unbearable when Declan’s guilt over Avery’s accident leads them to spend even more time together. When you’re best friends but secretly in love with each other, even if you won’t admit it, you’re always walking the line. (My Review)

Song: “Song of the Moon“ John William
Book: When Night Breaks by Janella Angeles

The song is melancholic. It evokes heartbreak, pain, and longing. There were a few books that wrenched similar emotions this year, but none of the wounds are as fresh as the ones given to me by Janella Angeles in When Night Breaks. I haven’t been able to finish my review because I’m still salty over the outcome of my favorite character, Jack. I know I’m not supposed to like him but his sacrifices and his feelings made it impossible not to warm to him. (Review from Chonky Books & Worlds Unlike Our Own)

This was a fun challenge to reflect on both music and books this past year. I’m tagging a few people to join in the fun!

• Amani at Amani’s Reviews
• Emily at Frappes & Fiction
• Liza at Literary Liza
• Maddie at Inking & Thinking
• and YOU!