Heather's Reading Hideaway : [Top Ten Tuesday] Pairing Music With Books

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish but is currently being run by That Artsy Reader Girl. A prompt is given each week, and I hope to do it every week so I always have something going up on Tuesdays. This week I am talking about ten songs that remind me of specific songs! This is a blog topic I have been thinking about for a while so I was really excited to see that we had an audio freebie as this week's post! There will probably be spoilers for each of these books but I will try to be as vague as possible so it makes as little sense as possible to someone who hasn't read them! But read with caution.

So let's jump into the songs!

Art by Charlie Bowater

Book: Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

Song: You Should See Me In A Crown by Billie Eillish

Lyrics:

[Verse 1]

Bite my tongue, bide my time

Wearing a warning sign

Wait 'til the world is mine

Visions I vandalize

Cold in my kingdom size

Fell for these ocean eyes.

[Chorus]

You should see me in a crown

I'm going to run this nothing town

Watch me make 'em bow

One by, one by one

You should see me in a crown

Your silence is my favorite sound

Watch me make 'em bow

One by, one by one

[Bridge]

You say 'Come over baby

I think you're pretty'

I'm okay, I'm not your baby

If you think I'm pretty

Aelin Galathynius, our main character, is this badass queen on her way to take back the crown of her land, and this song has reminded me of her ever since it was released! Granted, it's obviously never going to be an exact match. We all know Aelin is the worst at "biting her tongue" but it's the overall vibe of the song that reminds me so much of her and her chosen court. I didn't share all the lyrics, but I did link them above along with the music video on YouTube. Warning for the music video: spiders, lots of spiders.

Art by Jo Painter

Book: Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh

Song: I Don't Get to Say I Love You Anymore by Tessa Violet

Lyrics:

[Verse 1]

I drive a new path so I won't have to pass

The place where you first held my hand

And I'm trying to get back to normal

Not too stiff too formal

What do I do with my hands

[Pre-Chorus]

Now I' m drifting through our regular store

Pretending I'm not wishing you behind every door

And I can't remember what my words were good for

Now I don't get to say I love you anymore

[Chorus]

I'm swimming back to shore

Just trying to keep your

Memory from washing over me

And oh, I'm sure

I'll find my voice once more

But what are words good for

If I don't get to say I love you anymore

[Verse 2]

I try not to be distracted by the absence of your coat thrown on my floor

But every part of me can't help but see

The places you should be

The spaces in-between our words

[Bridge]

Rain soaked cobblestones

The streets you walked me home

Your pictures on my phone

(And I don't get to say I love you anymore)

Storm swept in your name

And covered me with rain

Now nothing feels the same

And I don't get to say I love you anymore

The Reign of the Fallen has a lot of themes, but one of the biggest ones is grief, something our main character Odessa deals with for the majority of the book and even the series as a whole. This is a fantasy story, so the phone reference doesn't match up but like many of the ones on this list the vibe of this song reminds me of Odessa. It's heartbreaking and filled with loneliness. Odessa is always seeing the loved one she lost everywhere she goes, and that is something portrayed heavily in the song.

tw (both book & lyrics): sexual assault

Book: Sadie by Courtney Summers

Song: You Are The Problem Here by First Aid Kit

Lyrics:

[Verse 1]

I am so sick and tired of this world

And all these women with their dreams shattered

From some man's sweaty, desperate touch

God damn it, I've had enough

When did you come to think refusal was sexy?

Can't you see the tear in her eyes?

How did you ever think you had the right to

Put your entitled hands up her thighs?

[Chorus]

You are the problem here

No one made you do anything

You are the problem here

No one made you do anything

[Post-Chorus]

And I

And I hope you fucking suffer

[Verse 2]

Do you really expect anyone to feel sorry

That you ruined your own life?
You did it when you thought you had the right to

Put your entitled hands up her thighs

And we don't need to be diminished

To sisters or daughters or mothers

I am a human being, that is how you relate to me

Sadie is about a young girl who goes missing after her sister is murdered because she is tracking down the man who killed her sister. It's an incredibly dark story but I feel like this song not only fits the book but would be the choice song for the trailer if it was ever made into a movie.

Art by Pinoyshot95 on Etsy

Book: My Hero Academia manga by Kohei Horikoshi

Song: Polaroid by Imagine Dragons

Lyrics:

[Verse 1]

I'm a reckless mistake

I'm a cold night's intake

I'm a one night too long

I'm a come on too strong

[Chorus]

All my life, I've been living in the fast lane

Can't slow down, I'm a rolling freight train

One more time, gotta start all over

Can't slow down, I'm a lone red rover

[Verse 2]

I'm a hold my card close

I'm a wreck what I love most

I'm a first class letdown

I'm a "shut up, sit down"

[Pre-Chorus 1]

I am a head case

I am the color of boom

That's never arriving

And you are the pay raise

Always a tough out of view

And I am the color of boom

Katsuki Bakugou, one of the prominent characters in My Hero Academia, is this arrogant, aggressive teenage boy who is incredibly over confident. Although I am not far in the manga, I have reached season 3 of the show and I think Bakugou isn't as confident and self assured as he pretends to be. I think in his lowest moments, this is a song that he would probably relate to.

Photo Credit

Book: Legend by Marie Lu

Song: Bulletproof Heart by My Chemical Romance

Lyrics:

[Chorus]

Gravity

Don't mean too much to me

I'm who I've got to be

These pigs are after me, after you

Run away, like it was yesterday

And we could run away, if we could run away

Run away from me

[Verse 1]

I got a bulletproof heart

You got a hollow-point smile

Me and your runaway scars

Got a photograph dream on the getaway mile

Let's blow a hole in this town

And do our talking with a laser beam

Gunning out of this place in a bullet's embrace

Then we'll do it again

[Pre-Chorus 1]

How can they say

"Jenny, could you come back home?"

'Cause everybody knows you don't

Ever want to come back

Let me be the one to save you

[Verse 2]

I'm shooting out of this room

Because I sure don't like the company

Stop your preaching right there

'Cause I really don't care

And I'll do it again

So get me out of my head

Because it's getting kind of cramped, you know

Coming ready or not

When the motor gets hot

We can do it again

I am not sure why, but often when I read I see character and settings in a anime-style picture versus real people. But with Legend, it's like heightened even more and I think it would be such a cool anime. June and Day are running from the Republic's military. I see this in June's POV because in the beginning of the story she is a prodigy of the military (bullet proof heart) and Day is this unknown criminal they're trying to catch (hollow-point smile). I think their team up against the military reminds me a lot of this song.


Art by DaeKazu

Book: The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins

Song: Gun by CHVRCHES

Lyrics:

[Verse 1]

You had better run from me

With everything you own

'Cause I am gonna come for you

With all that I have

I am gonna break you down

To tiny, tiny parts

I never believed, but I see it now

I'm learning your lesson, I'm learning your lesson

[Pre-Chorus 1]

Did it make you feel so clever?

Did you wear it on your sleeve?

Did you see another picture

Where I was not a part so for entwined?

There's no other way, never run far

Take a good swing at me and everything is even

So finally, we agree: no place for promises here

You better run, you better run so

[Chorus]

Hide, hide, I have burned your bridges

I will be a gun and it's you I'll come for

Hide, hide, now it's all easy

I will be a gun and it's you I'll come for

This song reminds me of Katniss because throughout the story she doesn't seem to buy the whole Mockingjay thing, but she does take in the lead role. When I listen to this song I see her talking to Snow, Coin, and the Capitol as a whole. You could also see her saying it to the other kids in the Hunger Games in both the first and second books.

Art by AppyDoodles

Book: Small Town Hearts by Lillie Vale

Song: Crush by Tessa Violet

Lyrics:

[Verse 1]

I can't focus on what needs to be done

I'm on notice hoping that you don't run, ah

You think I'm tepid but I'm misdiagnosed

Cause I'm a stalked I seen all of your posts

[Pre-Chorus]

And I'm just tryna play it cool now

But that's not what I wanna do now

And I'm not tryna be with you now, you now

[Chorus]

But I could be your crush, like, throw you for a rush, like

Hoping you'd text me so I could tell you

I been thinking 'bout your touch like

Touch, touch, touch, touch, touch

I could be your crush, crush, crush, crush, crush

I got a fascination with your presentation

Making me feel like you're on my island

You're my permanent vacation

Touch, touch, touch, touch, touch

I could be your crush, crush, crush, crush, crush

[Verse 2]

You make it difficult to not overthink

And when I'm with you I turn all shades of pink, ah

I wanna touch you but don't wanna be weird

It's such a rush, I'm thinking "wish you were here"

[Verse 3]

I fill my calendar with stuff I can do

Maybe if I'm busy it could keep me from you

And I'm pretending you ain't been on my mind

But I took an interest in the things that you like

Babe and Levi are crushing on each other, it's the start of their relationship. While I was reading Small Town Hearts it reminded me of this song so much. This song's vibe is super cutesy and sweet which is exactly what Small Town Hearts is too!

Art by emmj_art

Book: Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

Song: Here by Alessia Cara

Lyrics:

[Verse 1]

I'm sorry if I seem uninterested

Or I'm not listenin', or I'm indifferent

Truly I aint got no business here

But since my friends are here, I just came to kick it

But really I would rather be at home all by myself

Not in this room

With people who don't even care about my well being

I don't dance, don't ask, I don't need a boyfriend

So you can, go back, please enjoy your party

I'll be here

Somewhere in the corner

Under clouds of marijuana

With this boy who's hollering

I can hardly hear

Over this music I don't listen to

And I don't wanna get with you

So tell my friends that I'll be over here

[Chorus]

Oh-oh-oh here, oh-oh-oh here

Oh I ask myself, what am I doing here?

Oh-oh-oh here, oh-oh-oh here

And I can't wait 'til we can break up out of here

[Verse 2]

Excue me if I seem a little unimpressed with this

An anti-social pessimist, but usually I don't mess with this

And I know you mean only the best

And your intentions aren't to bother me

But honestly I'd rather be

Somewhere with my people

We can kick it and just listen to

Some music with a message like we usually do

And we'll discuss our big dreams

How we plan to take over the planet

So pardon my manners

I hope you'll understand that I'll be here

Not in the kitchen

With the girl who's always gossiping about her friends

So tell them I'll be here

Right next to the boy who's throwin' up

Cause he can't take what's in his cup no more

Oh God, why am I here?

[Bridge]

Hours later congregatin' next to the refrigerator

Some girl talkin' 'bout her haters, she aint got none

How did it come to this? I shoulda never come to this

So holla at me, I'll be in the car when you're done

I'm stand-offish, don't want what you're offering'

And I'm done talkin' awfully sad it had to be that way

So tell my people when they're ready that I'm ready

And I'm standing by the TV with my beanie low

Yo I'll be over here

Leah is incredibly sarcastic and stand-offish at times. She has a great group of friends who seem to be a bit more outgoing and loud. I think for me Leah has always been a person who prefers smaller scenes with her friends only than big parties. If you've read the book you also know the students are often talking about their after-high school plans and their big dreams which comes up in the song too. The vibe overall reminds me of Leah.

Art by Melanie Bourgeois (Left is Marcella)

Book: Vengefulby V.E. Schwab

Song: Catch Me If You Can by Kelsey Karter

Lyrics:

[Verse 1]

I ran away with only ten bucks in my pocket

And a twenty thousand ransom for my head

My baby said I didn't take it like you wanted

So I kissed him on the neck and shot him dead

He's such an artist how he'd paint a broken promise

Now he's laying on the floor covered in red

And if I'm honest, you're the man to keep him modest

Yeah, he broke me so I had to get revenge

[Chorus]

When they come for me, oh, I'll be gone for miles baby

And I'll think of you and sway to your favorite song

When they find me I'll be riding high in style, baby

And I'll look down and I'll say

[Post-Chorus]

Catch me if you can

Ooh, aahh, mmm

Catch me if you can

[Verse 2]

Oh, he had a face so pretty

Typa smile that makes you dizzy

Uh, it almost took me down, hey

And when it hit me, yeah, he started acting fishy

Bet he wishes he was nicer to me now

Such a composer, how we wrote the story for us

Bet you didn't see this coming, did you now?

And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't crying

But be broke me so hard I had to take him out

[Bridge]

It's over now

But I'll see you in another life

Can't catch me now

It's over now

But I'll wait for you up in the sky

It's over now

If you know Marcella's story I feel like its pretty obvious why this song connects with her story. It's the vibe of the story I think works so well. Marcella is this badass woman who won't let anyone get in her way after what she's been through.

Art by Vikrotia Ridzel

Book: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Song: Unsteady by X Ambassadors

Lyrics:

[Intro]

Hold, hold on, hold on to me

'Cause I'm a little unsteady, a little unsteady

Hold, hold on, hold on to me

Cause I'm a little unsteady, a little unsteady

[Verse 1]

Mama, come here

Approach, appear

Dad, I'm alone

'Cause this house don't feel like home

[Pre-Chorus]

If you love me, don't let go, woah

If you love me, don't let go

[Chorus]

Hold, hold on, hold on to me

'Cause I'm a little unsteady, a little unsteady

Hold, hold on, hold on to me

Cause I'm a little unsteady, a little unsteady

[Verse 2]

Mother, I know

That you're tired of being alone

Dad, I know you're trying

To fight when you feel like flying

This song has always reminded me of George, after the Battle of Hogwarts. He's grieving Fred's death with his parents who are also grieving. It makes my heart hurt but I think the pain comes through the song so well. Sorry if this one broke your heart, but I think it fits perfectly. It could also maybe be in Teddy Lupin's POV, possibly thinking of his late parents.

Obviously, I recommend checking out each of these songs on their own because they're all great, but especially if you've read the books I have paired with the songs. Tell me if you agree with any of my pairings! I'd love to know some songs you immediately think of when it comes to pairing books and music!

Thanks for reading!