Friday Favorites: Old Songs I'll Probably Always Love

Here are some old(er) songs I'll probably always love.  I'm not even really sure how far back you have to go to consider a song "old" but here we go!

1.  Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond

This song is just one of those you have to stop and sing along to, but more than that Sweet Caroline reminds me of a very tentative, extremely brief relationship I had with some guy I crushed on for years.

2.  The Longest Time - Billy Joel

Another song that is impossible not to sing along to.  I love the poppy, barber-shop sound of this song.  Billy Joel is one of those artists who have crossed a few generations of music and was able to remain some-what relevant.

3.  Free Falling - Tom Petty

This song will forever remind me of sitting over at my cousin's house while my mother and her friends played guitar.  This was one of the songs I learned to play on guitar pretty quickly because I kind of wanted to be just like her at the time.

4.  Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin

Speaking of my cousin; that same cousin lost her mom to cancer a few years ago.  Stairway to Heaven was her favorite, and she would listen to it in repeat - so this one is also forever embedded on my mind.  (And now on my blog)

5.  To Make You Feel My Love - Garth Brooks

If I'm completely honest, any song by Garth Brooks would fall on this list, but this love song in particular is a favorite.  It has always just stopped my heart and made me believe that love is beautiful, and possible and real.  I recently got to see Garth in concert; it was on my bucket list, and had been sing I was about 14, so to finally get to realize this dream was an extra special treat!

BONUS:  One of the best music videos ever.  I love it!  And to bring my blog back to books once again, I present to you Tom Petty as the Mad Hatter!

Thank you for joining me today!  Once again, I have to give credit where credit is due.  My Friday Favorites is based on Creative House Blog's own Friday Favorites blog and link-up. 

Friday Favorites - 5 Books I Frequently Re-Read

Favorite Fridays is something new I'm going to try and start doing.  I'm loosely basing it off of Creative House Blog's own Friday Favorites blog and link-up.  This is my first go at it, so hopefully I'll just get better as time goes.

For my first Favorites I'm going with an obvious (considering my blog), 5 Books I Frequently Re-Read, which would make them favorites, right?  So here we go.

1.  Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare
I love this entire series to pieces.  The bond between Will and Jem is so wonderful, and then there is Tessa who makes the whole thing complete.  I typically hate any kind of "Love Triangle" situation, I think it is so over done that I cringe every single time it comes up.  However, this book is a little unusual in it's love triangle; it has so many moving parts and different elements that it just doesn't feel the same.  Add in snarky, sarcastic comments, self deprecation (in the best possible way) and demon fighting, and it's just a winner.  If I'm just looking for something to put in my earbuds while I work, Clockwork Angel is usually my first stop.








2.  Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins
Oh man, Anna and Etienne.  I just love them.  Their friendship/courtship/flirtation, whatever it is you want to call it is just so fun, and wonderful.  I feel it in my toes when they are in the movie theater touching, but not touching.  Yiee!  I revisit this one frequently as well.  Sometimes I read it, sometimes I listen to it on audiobook, all the time I can't wait until they finally kiss.  Its just one of those perfect, fun YA romance novels.












3.  The Rules of Regret - Megan Squires
I've already read this a few times, and it's in my head to go back and re-read it again.  Usually that's a sign of a book that has just stuck with me.  I'm not sure that it's the book as a whole as much as it is Torin, and his honesty and his nearly naked emotions.  He has a personality that would be easy for me to fall in love with in real life.  He's insightful and peaceful, and playful and he's been through a bunch of crap but it didn't turn him into an emo crybaby.  I love him - and this book.










4.  How to Date a Nerd - Cassie Mae
I think of this book almost like watching the old movie Say Anything - I'm in it for the ending.  The anthem, the part where one party risks full on embarrassment, and possible let down to win the other's love.  This book is fun, and has so many nerdy references that it just begs to be re-read now and again.

5.  Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austin
Of course I have to throw a classic in there.  Pride and Prejudice!!! SIGH - I love the confused mixed up way Darcy and Elizabeth find each other.  This book gets re-read at least once a year.  Followed up pretty quickly with watching the movie, of course.

Buy Links to my Favorites:

 

Friday Five - EFG Hosted

 Eve's Fan Garden asked what our top 5 book recommendations for the year are, and since I responded, I"m totally stealing the Friday Five Mime...okay, maybe I'm just "participating:"

1.  Shadowfever - Karen Marie Moning - I think that was one of the best series I've read!  Awesome stuff!

2.  Forever - Maggie Stiefvater  - Another series I love, and I'm nearly done with this book, but no matter how it ends the words in all of these books are just beautiful. 

3.  Legacy - Cayla Kluver  I read somewhere that Cayla is/was 14 while writing this book.  If that's true, it just floors me.  It's not the most perfect book out there, but I loved it.

4.  Divergent - Veronica Roth

5.  Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins  I was a little slow on the pick up on this one, but I've already read it twice this year.  If I'm stuck in between books not knowing which direction to head, I think..."I could always read Anna...or at least parts of it!"  :)

SOOo...tell me, what are your top 5 book recommendations.  Or perhaps you should tell Eve's Fan Garden first, since I did swipe it.