~~Spring Favorites! (Books, movies, and music!)~~

 

    Hello, world! 

    Spring has ended and summer has begun!! But before I throw myself wholeheartedly into this delightfully fresh and new time, I'd like to take a few moments to share a small collection of art that I really enjoyed this past spring. Hope you enjoy!

~Books!~

1. The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry

    I enjoyed this book from the first page to the final one! It's been so long since a book has kept me so hugely invested for the whole journey through! I loved the three younger main characters and the adults around them were also very interesting and well incorporated into the story. I would say my favorite thing about it was the writing. The way it drew me in, it reminded me of some of the books I read in my early teens. It truly just invited me into the world and I was able to vividly see characters and the places they traveled to. I can definitely see myself reading this one again!

2. Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl

    So, once more, I simply enjoyed reading this! It's such a rare and beautiful thing to have discovered two books in such a short amount of time that made me feel that way! 

    Keeping the Castle was a very pleasant and calming read. So much so, that I played the 2005 Pride and Prejudice soundtrack as I read, and it was just magical. I absolutely adored this book's version of Mr. Darcy, and found myself on the edge of my seat whenever he wasn't in a scene, eagerly awaiting when his character would show up again. The dynamic between him and the main character, Althea, was just top notch! Every time they were in a scene together the scene was hilarious! 

~Movies~

Les Miserables (2012)

    Firstly, I loved how a main theme in the movie was grace, specifically God's grace. In the beginning of the movie the main character, Jean Valjean, was shown grace and mercy, and he is so inspired and shaken up by that action that he spends the rest of the story offering that same mercy to character after character that he encounters throughout the film. Somehow he always seemed to be the one sweeping in and being the light and the good in some truly horrible and unjust circumstances. It was incredibly inspiring. Secondly, I have formed a strong connection, like so many others before me, with the song I Dreamed a Dream. And the final two scenes of the film were so beautiful and emotional. I also did end up skipping a few scenes as well, due to being warned about them prior.   

Favorite lines:

"My soul belongs to God, I know

I made that bargain long ago

He gave me hope when hope was gone

He gave me strength to journey on"

"Do you hear the people sing?

Singing the song of angry men

it is the music of a people who will not be slaves again"

   

"And remember the truth that once was spoken

to love another person is to see the face of God"

~Music~

1. Father and Son by Hans Zimmer

from the Kung Fu Panda 3 soundtrack

    This piece of music is just so beautiful. When I listen to it I can easily imagine a hero coming home after a great and desperate and long quest. They are exhausted, they are bruised, but they are triumphant at last! 1:26 is where the music begins to uplift into that victory feeling and by 2:10 I can see our hero sitting down for their well deserved rest after the final battle of the series, loved ones and peace surrounding them. Other notable titles in this soundtrack are The Dragon Warrior and Passing the Torch. Both of those are very good! 

2. Test Drive by John Powell 

from the How to Train Your Dragon soundtrack

    So the reason I want to share the scene the music plays in as well as the music is because with Test Drive, the soundtrack and the events of this scene are so well placed together that it has actually been difficult to make up stories with this song that have anything other to do than with flying a dragon! 

    Listen to that wind blowing in your ears as the video starts, whistling through your heart and identical to the soaring and excitement of the beginning of the music. Imagine you are there with Hiccup, seeing the clouds and the sky and those cliffs in angles and ways you've never seen them before. Feel the sound and the resistance of Toothless's wing against the water. Hear the seagulls calling. And feel the panic leaping, bounding like a fierce dragon up from your stomach, and out your throat and mouth in a scream as you plummet to the sea below. Glow with freedom, with liberation as Toothless's wings catch and you coast and soar and weave among the jagged rocks. Bask in that confidence that comes with learning to fly. In that moment, you have the heart of a chief and the soul of a dragon. 

3. Live like there's no Tomorrow by Selena Gomez and the Scene

from the Ramona and Beezus soundtrack

    This achingly nostalgic song rings with the memories of summers past. So I chose an older video to represent it. I hope to, as a brand new summer begins, hold tight to the message of this song and give this summer all I've got. I'm so excited to live like there's no tomorrow! 

F I N.

 

Thank you so much for reading my little collection of art that I enjoyed this past Spring. 

On to Summer!

With love, 

The Hopeful Maiden

Remember, Dear Heart, we are all between the paws of the one true Aslan.