Top Ten Tuesday (16)

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I’d Give A Theme Song To

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. It’s awesome. Every Tuesday, the lovely folks over at The Broke and the Bookish post a top ten list topic so that book lovers like you and me can pour over our shelves and make our own lists. You can check out all the other Top Ten Tuesday‘s on their site!

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So I know I’ve said before that other Top Ten Tuesday’s were hard. Real talk? They don’t compare to this one, which was inexplicably difficult to put together. Usually, it seems like ten books is not enough for whatever list I’m making. Now, the thought of coming up with ten books that I would assign a theme song to–and figuring out which song that would be–is DAUNTING to me, guys! Also, sometimes I feel weird about the music I listen to, not because it’s weird music (to me, at least), but because I’m the only person I know who listens to it, so I’m used to being judged. ANYWAY, here’s my attempt. Prepare to be slayed by the randomness. (If I could find a good version of the song–if I picked just one song!–there’s linky action.)

Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour, by Morgan Matson | Already Gone by the Eagles. Really, anything with a good guitar solo. Guitar solos ARE road trips to me. Whenever I’m in my car for a long time on a boring stretch of road, I like to ROCK OUT. And something about this song makes me think of driving around. Maybe because it’s a song about leaving places? Yeah, that sounds about right. Although, there’s some great songs on the playlists featured in this book too!

The Summer series, by Jenny Han | Black by Pearl Jam. Something as angsty and emo as the books, please. Black is perfect for this whole series. In particular, it’s perfect for Conrad: “I know someday you’ll have a beautiful life / I know you’ll be a sun / in somebody else’s sky / but why, why, why can’t it be / can’t it be mine?” Seriously? That’s Conrad’s JAM.

The Sky Is Everywhere, by Jandy Nelson | Turn on Your Lovelight or Goin’ Down the Road, Feelin Bad by The Grateful Dead. Something about the setting of this book–Northern California–and the vaguely hippyish vibe (Lennie’s poems, Joe’s music, Gran’s flowers, Big’s trees, the potsmoking) made me think of the Dead. Something about this book, despite it’s sadness, seemed breezy and loose and “whatever, man” to me. And something about this book didn’t leave me thinking sad thoughts, which is why I didn’t think of sad songs while reading it. I’m not a HUGE Deadhead, but I appreciate the vibe.

Graffiti Moon, by Cath Crowley | Something by Van Morrison. Wild Night might be a little too easy, cause the nighttime thing (GRAFFITI MOON takes place over one night), but I have this weird thing where there are certain kinds of  music I listen to mainly in certain kinds of weather, at particular times of day, or during one season or another. Van Morrison is a night music staple for me. Always listen to him at night. And I don’t even do it on purpose. (Ironically, Wild Night is one of his songs that I like dancing around to, so I tend to listen to that one during the day…Christ, I’m weird, right?) But since this book takes place at night and Van reminds me of the nighttime, it fits. OR OR!! Cigarettes and Coffee by Otis Redding. OTIS. THAT song…bananas. Also, lots of good stuff happening at night in the song.

The Probability of Miracles, by Wendy Wunder | Up To the Mountain (MLK Song) by Patty Griffin. I LOVE Patty Griffin. This song is one of her weepies, and it’s basically about someone who knows that their days are numbered, but it’s kind of bittersweet and moving, EXACTLY like THE PROBABILITY OF MIRACLES. Seriously, check the lyrics.

Anna and the French Kiss, by Stephanie Perkins | La Vie En Rose by Louis Armstrong. So, maybe this is an easy cheat because this song is French and, well, there’s that whole “French Kiss” thing in the title. But there’s something so magical about the atmosphere of  ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS and I feel that same kind of thing when I listen to this song. Frenchie magic. It’s perfect.

If I Stay/Where She Went, by Gayle Forman | Gathering Dust by David Gray. GUYS. THE WORDS. “I got no reason / but that I must / Maybe I feel / like I’ve been gathering dust./ I must leave this harbor for the sea/…/But I don’t know where I’m wanting to be / I just know I have to be there alone.” Screams Mia in IF I STAY to me. And this part for Adam in WHERE SHE WENT: “Why’m I throwin’ away / The best thing that I’ve found / My young heart’s in tatters and I’m sure / That it will be a long time healing / It’s so hard to see what I’m doing this for / When loneliness is all that I’m feeling.” BOOM.

The Penderwicks at Pointe Mouette, by Jeanne Birdsall | Blue Sky by The Allman Brothers Band. This might be my favorite song of all time. And it’s so happy and frolicky and bright and, you know, what book have you read recently that’s happy, frolicky, and bright? I KNOW. Me neither. But PENDERWICKS TO THE RESCUE! Because those lovable Penderwicks are bright and fun and warm, too. This is the third book in the series and I chose this one instead of one of the other two because it takes place on summer vacation at the beach, perfect Blue Sky setting. YAY!

The Hunger Games or Legend, by Suzanne Collins and Marie Lu | We Found Love by Rihanna. I’m still a little obsessed with this song. IT’S SO CATCHY!! Plus it totally fits the relationships in these books, whether we’re talking about Katniss and Peeta or Day and June.

The Stephanie Plum series, by Janet Evanovich | Anything hair metal, Bon Jovi or Bruce. Something about these books makes me think of power ballads or old Bruce Springsteen (BEFORE Born in the USA). Maybe it’s because Stephanie listens to early 90s metal, but I can’t help it.