Liebster Award Part 2!

You guys! My ego is going to explode from all this blogger love: I’ve been (re)nominated for the Liebster Award by two people, SJ (Delirious Antidotes) and Cassie (Book Reviews & Haikus)! Thanks so much SJ and Cassie! Please go check out their blogs :)

I love answering random questions, so here we go!

Sidenote: when I was 17-18, I spent half my time on Facebook filling out those random questionnaires that you could post as notes, so this is pretty much my jam.

Last time, I used the standard turquoise-y one, this time I wanted the pretty pink badge!

Questions from SJ:

1) Let’s kick this off with a little bit of self promotion, as it never did any harm: tell me about a project, website, post etc. that you want to draw attraction to. (URL’s are allowed)

My friend Jane and I are working on a pop culture website which we’re both very excited about! It officially launches on June 1st, but you can check out our snazzy home page here!

2) How did you/do you cope with exam season?

I made a lot of notes. Mostly on graph paper because, for some reason, it helped me focus (I was an English/French major, so I actually had to go out and buy graph paper, come exam time).

3) Who is your favourite band/musician?

How much time do you have?? I can narrow it down to my top five (in no particular order): You Me At Six, Panic! at the Disco, All Time Low, The Maine, and Fall Out Boy.

4) What is your favourite book?

One of my most favourite books of all time is Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.

5) When did you start blogging?

I started my blog in August 2013. I started talking about books in October 2013, and I’ve been reviewing ARCs/giving books actual ratings since April 2015 (before, I just talked about whether or not I liked the book).

6) What is the best advice you have ever been given?

“Everything happens for a reason”. It’s not really advice so much as a proverb (is it even a proverb?) and I know it’s somewhat cliched, but it’s something I hold on to.

7) Explain the title of your blog.

My oldest sister nicknamed me “Bella” when I was little; she still calls me that and so now my three nieces call me “Bella” as well. When she was about three (she just turned nine), my oldest niece figured out that “Bella” and “books” both start with “b”, and thus she christened me “Bellsiebooks”.

8) Tea or coffee?

Tea! I have a borderline absurd collection of tea, but I love it.

9) What is your least “politically correct” opinion?

That’s a tough one…I don’t know how to answer that!

10) What did you think about before you fell asleep last night?

I’ve been telling myself stories to fall asleep ever since I was a child. For years, it’s been how I’ve worked out plot points for the books I’m trying to write.

Questions from Cassie:

1) What are three things you want to do/accomplish in life?

a) Publish a book (multiple books, ideally)
b) Become a kids’ book editor (or work in marketing for kids’ books…I’d take anything at this point)
c) Travel the world

2) Do you have a favorite musical genre and/or musician/band?

Pop-punk and similar genres (pop rock, metal, “emo”, etc). Please see above for my top five bands!

3) What was your first concert?

I saw Bon Jovi on the “One Wild Night” tour in 2001 with my sisters (I was 11).

4) Who is your favorite author? [If you don’t have one, what’s your favorite book genre?]

I love many authors, including Neil Gaiman, Libba Bray, Melissa Marr, and J.K. Rowling. I read a lot of YA (which is a category, not a genre), and I tend to enjoy contemporary or paranormal/supernatural/urban fantasy.

5) What’s the best book you’ve ever read?

I cannot possibly pick just one!! Ella Enchanted has been one of my favourite books for 17 years (I read it when I was 8), but I’m always swooning over some book or another.

6) When do you read most?

When I was working, I’d read on the morning commute and then continued for a bit when I got to work. Since my internship ended a couple of weeks ago, I’ve been reading a lot more at night.

7) What’s your preference: “real” physical books, e-books, audiobooks, or a mix of all of them?

Real books!!! I have a Kindle (which I stole from my dad) for my NetGalley ARCs and I sometimes use my phone if I don’t want to carry the e-reader around, but I much prefer the feel of physical books.

8) If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?

Telepathy!

9) What fictional character would you like to be friends with most? Why?

Oh, so many! Anyone from the Harry Potter universe, of course, but sometimes I wish I had a tiger friend like Hobbes (he’s furry and good for conversation!). And if we’re going outside of books, then I’d want to be BFF’s with Marceline from Adventure Time because she is my hero.

10) Do you have hobbies besides reading?

I write and I’m a huge music fan, so I’m constantly a) updating my collection or b) attending a concert.

11) What’s your favorite food or drink to have while reading?

I don’t really eat/drink when I’m reading, but I guess tea. And I’ll eat chocolate at any time of the day, so I wouldn’t say no if someone were to hand me a piece of Dairy Milk while I was reading :)

Thanks for reading! And thanks again for the nomination(s)!

You may recall that I was nominated for this award in April, so I’m not going to officially nominate blogs. However, here is a list of the last 10 blogs I followed – you should check them out too!

a bookworm’s escape
aBOOkishOwl
iamkira
thoughts and afterthoughts
Becca and Books
Owls and Things
Just my humble life
Barda Book Talk
Gilmored
Hardcovers and Heroines

Different tie, but I’m wearing the same suit

One of my favourite things in the world is going to a The Maine concert. I know, it’s awfully specific, but I love those guys so much, and they always put up on an incredible show.

We saw them for the seventh time on Saturday (technically eighth, since we attended an acoustic session/meet & greet with them in the morning).

Garrett, Pat, John, Kennedy, Jared

I have to confess, we missed the first band, The Technicolors, because we were next door at Factory Girl eating chicken wings (highly recommend, by the way). But we saw The Technicolors in November when they opened for Nick Santino, so we didn’t feel too bad (plus those chicken wings were really good).

Next up was Knuckle Puck. We saw them last year (opening for Man Overboard), and I remember enjoying them. They’re like a non-Welsh version of Neck Deep – pure, unapologetic pop-punk. I think I downloaded them a while ago, but I’m definitely going to give them another listen!

They’re friends with Neck Deep, which makes so much sense.

The other opening band (and, arguably, a draw for a quarter of the crowd) was Real Friends. We’ve seen them too, when they opened for The Wonder Years last year (on my 24th birthday!). They’re like an angstier (angstyer?) version of The Wonder Years, a bit more whiny, and honestly, their songs all start to sound the same after a while. I don’t mind them, but I probably wouldn’t see them on their own i.e. if they’re not touring with another band I like.

The best part was when they played “Loose Ends” with Kennedy (from The Maine) joining them on guitar and the singer from Knuckle Puck came out for a verse. I love when bands join each other on stage!

Sidenote: both Real Friends and Knuckle Puck are a bit more “punk” than The Maine, who, especially in recent years, veer more towards the “rock” end of the spectrum, but I found it interesting that a) these bands were touring together and b) both opening bands emphasized how different their sound is compared to the headliners. I guess it was an “explanation” of sorts for people who aren’t necessarily pop-punk fans and were maybe thrown off by the openers, but I thought it was great that The Maine was bringing out a variety of bands and giving them a chance to play “bigger” venues.

Finally The Maine came on stage. This tour is in support of their new album, American Candy, so they played quite a few new songs. At the same time, they played some of their “classics”: John played “Into Your Arms” acoustic (and cracked jokes the entire time), and two of the songs near the beginning – “Run” and “Growing Up” – were reworked so that they flowed better with the new material.

One of the first The Maine songs I really loved.

They also played a cover of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (by The Rolling Stones), and it was incredible. I’ve heard them cover many random songs, but this one really fit with their current sound, and they did a fantastic job. It was also impressive that they managed to segue seamlessly into “Love & Drugs”.

Like I said, seeing The Maine live is one of my very favourite things in the world. They’re always so full of energy, they’re surprisingly funny (looking at their serious promo shots, you wouldn’t really think that they have a sense of humour, but they do), and of course, the music is always amazing. They’re one of those bands that I start missing as soon as the last chord fades out. If you’re into pop rock with meaningful lyrics, give these guys a chance. You won’t regret it.

We’ve got scars on our future hearts

Much to my delight, nearly all of my favourite bands are releasing new music this year! A couple of weeks ago, All Time Low dropped their fifth (technically sixth, but since you can’t find a physical copy of 2005’s The Party Scene, I tend to ignore it) album and it’s just as good as their past efforts. I would describe this overall as a cross between 2009’s Nothing Personal and 2011’s Dirty Work and below I’ve presented my thoughts on each track.

1) “Satellite”

Favourite lyric: We were just kids singing

This is an excellent opener and has a bit of an anthemic quality to it. I love how it starts slow and builds up until you’re practically screaming the last few lines. Apparently ATL have been opening their live shows with this song, and I can only imagine how pumped the fans get.

2) “Kicking & Screaming”

Favourite lyric: I’m chasing after rock n’ roll

I personally love how aggressive Alex sounds in this song. It’s bold and brash and absurdly catching.

3) “Something’s Gotta Give”

Favourite lyric: Wake me up, say “enough is enough”, I’m dying to live, something’s gotta give

This was the first taste we received of new ATL back in February, and I think it still holds up as one of my favourite tracks. As I mentioned when it came out, people complained that they didn’t like ATL’s “new direction”, but this song, to me, is the logical and natural progression for the band.

4) “Kids in the Dark”

Favourite lyric: They left us alone, the kids in the dark, to burn out forever, or light up a spark

Another single that was released in March, this one grew on me. I liked it fine to begin with and now, after listening to it for the umpteenth time, it’s a great sing-a-long song.

5) “Runaways”

Favourite lyric: They will have to find some other hearts to break

I think I listened to this song once before the album officially dropped and most people were comparing it to The Killers’ “When You Were Young”. I can sort of see where they got that idea from, but I don’t think it’s so similar that you would get the two mixed up.

It’s probably not among my top five faves on the album, but this is still vintage All Time Low.

6) “Missing You”

Favourite lyric: Paint the walls black and scream “fuck the world”, ’cause it’s my life, I’m gonna take it back

THIS SONG is one of my favourites. I don’t know what it is about it that I love so much, but it seeps into my bones – especially when the bass kicks in – and makes me stop whatever I’m doing to sing along.

7) “Cinderblock Garden”

Favourite lyric: Let’s take the worst and make it better

If I said this on a music fan site (like absolutepunk or propertyofzack), I’d probably be stoned, but honestly, this song reminds me of a 5 Seconds of Summer song, especially the beginning. Before you lambaste me, please note that I a) have been a fan of ATL for 8 years and will lovingly support them until my dying day and b) I actually quite like 5SOS, so it’s not an insult (plus, Alex Gaskarth wrote with 5SOS, so it makes sense that they’d have a similar style, right?).

That being said, it’s not actually my favourite song. I can appreciate the musical aspect and Alex’s voice is, as always, gorgeous, but despite the pretty lyrics, it just makes me feel “meh”. It does get stuck in my head quite a bit, though, so I probably like it more than I think I do (if that makes sense).

8) “Tidal Waves”

Favourite lyric: You sharpen words to use like knives, when you lose your cover, there’ll be nothing left

This song makes me think of blink-182, but that’s literally because of Mark Hoppus’ verse. It’s the closest thing to a ballad on this album and I generally enjoy ATL’s slow songs, so of course I like this one. Again, Alex’s voice = beautiful.

9) “Don’t You Go”

Favourite lyric: Settle back now and raise a toast, to the young ones growing old

The beginning of this song reminds me of blink too (or maybe even Simple Plan?), and while that could be because of it’s proximity to “Tidal Waves”, I also think it’s because of its playful, bouncy vibe. I’ll bet this is a fun one to hear live.

10) “Bail Me Out”

Favourite lyric: Will you catch me when I fall?

To me, this is one of the filler tracks. Standard, boppy ATL (shout out to Joel Madden of Good Charlotte!), but nothing too outstanding. I can’t even remember what it sounds like when I’m not listening to it.

11) “Dancing With a Wolf”

Favourite lyric: Fool me once, it’s shame on you, fool me twice and let the wolves come crashing through

I’ve named this one “my jam” (for this album). It’s not exactly what you’d expect from ATL – it almost has an early Fall Out Boy vibe – but it’s fun and dancey and gah, I just love it so much.

12) “The Edge of Tonight”

Favourite lyric: You’re the beat playing in my heart

Similar to “Bail Me Out” where I can’t bring it to mind. It fits with the overall tone of the album, but it does feel more like a filler (which is fine – you can’t expect every song to be the BEST SONG EVER).

13) “Old Scars/Future Hearts”

Favourite lyric: We’ve got scars on our future hearts, but we never look back, no, we never look back

I love this as a closer. It brings the same energy as “Satellite”, the guitars are on point, and while it has a bit more of an aggressive vibe, I think it’s one of the strongest, most cohesive tracks on the album.

I bought the deluxe edition with the bonus tracks: “Bottle and a Beat” and “Your Bed”, neither of which I LOVE (with a capital L-O-V-E), but still appreciate and if you’re a hardcore ATL fan like me, they’re worth checking out.

American candy for the American kids

2015 is shaping up to be an incredible year for new music. Similar to what I did for Fall Out Boy’s American Beauty/American Psycho, here is my track-by-track review of The Maine’s new album, American Candy, which dropped last Tuesday. It’s basically my feelings about each song (and I have a lot of feelings when it comes to The Maine. I love them so much).

Sidenote: I don’t know why so many bands are throwing the word “American” into their album titles (as a Canadian, I’m a tiny bit offended), but whatever floats their boat, I guess.

1) “Miles Away”

Favourite lyric: In my mind, I’m miles away.

So far, this is my favourite song off of American Candy. I mentioned it a few weeks ago when they released the lyric video, and it really does speak to me (like I said, I’ve basically decided this will be my The Maine tattoo). It’s a cute intro to the album – maybe not in-your-face, but a nice set-up for what’s to come. Sonically, it’s the next logical progression for them to make (if you listen to the deluxe/bonus songs from 2013’s Forever Halloween).

2) “Same Suit, Different Tie”

Favourite lyric: You don’t need high-priced designs to feel dressed up to the nines

I like the message in this song: you “don’t need much of anything” to be happy, to do your thing, to feel good about yourself once in a while. It works really well back-to-back with the next track, “My Hair”, since they’re both about doing what makes you happy. Plus it’s catchy and boppy and you’ll find yourself singing along in no time.

3) “My Hair”

Favourite lyric: See I don’t care if you all care, It’s on my head and it’s not your hair

This one totally has a Nick Santino/A Rocket to the Moon vibe (I would not be surprised if I learned that Nick Santino had something to do with this song). The chorus, the guitars, the repetition at the end – it would not sound out of place on Wild & Free (ARTTM’s second – and last – album, released in 2013). And I’m okay with that.

Other than that, it’s amusing that they’re basically saying “we’re going to do whatever we want – deal with it”, because if there’s one thing The Maine excels at, it’s doing whatever the frick-frack they want (please see: the last two albums, plus an acoustic EP, plus a deluxe edition, plus numerous random acoustic tracks that they’ve self-released after getting out of a major label contract).

4) “English Girls”

Favourite lyric: Smoke whatever you’ve got left, it’s getting late and we don’t have much to lose

I already talked about this when it first came out, and my feelings haven’t changed. It was the perfect first single from this album because it really gives you an idea of the overall tone.

5) “24 Floors”

Favourite lyric: You don’t want to die tonight, Take one more breath to clear your mind

This is the track that sounds like a Forever Halloween b-side. It’s a little darker than the previous songs; in fact, I didn’t realize how serious it was until I looked at the lyrics. Like a lot of The Maine’s songs, you don’t necessarily notice the subject matter right away because you’re being swept away by the instrumentation, but it’s always worth looking at the lyrics, which tend to pack quite the punch.

6) “Diet Soda Society”

Favourite lyric: Oblivion is where I’m headed, My mind is on the brink of going supernova

This is my least favourite track – which is not to say I hate it. It just doesn’t stand out to me. Oddly, it reminds me of “Kennedy Curse” on Forever Halloween; it’s a perfectly nice song, but I’m very “meh” about it. The only reason I remember it is because I had to listen to it four times before it stuck in my head long enough for me to come up with some commentary!

7) “Am I Pretty?”

Favourite lyric: Am I pretty? Do people like me yet?

While those are my favourite lyrics, I find it hysterical when John O’Callaghan says “you think I’m ugly (don’t you) and I know you hate my body” because, I mean, have you seen the man??

He’s not pretty, he’s BEAUTIFUL.

ANYWAY, back to the song…

I think this is going to be my jam. It’s so fun, I love the guitar at the beginning (and of course, that “ba ba ba” part in the chorus) and I can just imagine shouting along to it. I also can’t stop dancing to it, so I know it’s going to figure heavily in any soundtrack I make this summer. It’s a little more Black & White (2010) than Pioneer (2011), but it’s still very much The Maine.

8) “(Un)Lost”

Favourite lyric: I’m unaware where I’m going, or if I’m going anywhere at all. But I know I’ll take the leap if it is worth the fall

This song keeps getting stuck in my head and I really like it. It doesn’t immediately sound like The Maine – when I woke up singing it, I had to wrack my brain trying to figure out where I had heard it. But, like “24 Floors”, it has a fairly serious message once you listen to it.

9) “American Candy”

Favourite lyric: Try to think back to a time when you loved what you loved because you loved it

At first, Ro and I worried that this would be another Forever Halloween – where the title track is mediocre compared to the rest of the album. After a second listen, this is not the case. While “American Candy” starts off slow, it picks up with a powerful chorus, and it’s sugary sweet and infectious – just like candy.

10) “Another Night on Mars”

Favourite lyric: What’s another night on Mars? With friends like ours, anywhere is home

The first time I listened to this, I immediately likened it to “We’ll All Be” from The Maine’s first album, 2008’s Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop. I think this is very much an updated version of it; instead of reassuring that we all will “be the greatest, we all have been degraded”, it uses gang-vocals to remind us that we always have other people to support us.