I recently watched The Sound of Music for the very first time, and I wish I would have watched it sooner. The musical is set in Austria during World War 2, during the period when Austria was being annexed by Nazi Germany. It follows a young nun, Maria, who has just left the convent because of her wild whimsical behavior. Maria is sent to become the governess of the Von Trapp household where she meets widow Captain Georg von Trapp and his seven children.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt mainly takes place at the elite Hampden College, a liberal arts university in Vermont. The novel follows Richard Papen as he leaves his poor California home and joins a tight-knit exclusive group of students studying Classics at the school taught solely by Professor Julian Morrow.
After the shocking truth about Oak’s parentage, Jude must do everything in her power to keep Oak safe, even if that means puppeteering High King Cardan. But being the King’s seneschal isn’t as easy as it sounds, especially if it means controlling Cardan. Jude must weave her way through arising conflicts with the land and sea and must not let the power eat her alive. In this novel, Jude must figure out which “friend” means to betray her, and who she can truly rely on.
OK Computer is frequently hailed as Radiohead’s masterpiece, and for good reason. The album never misses, from the opening guitar riff of “Airbag” to the final lyrics of “The Tourist”. OK Computer manages to be both more revolutionary and more easily palatable than most of Radiohead’s other works. The result is a stunningly beautiful and reasonably accessible album.
Radiohead’s 2001 album Amnesiac is a highly interesting listen. One of its most noticeable traits, apparent from the beginning, is the diversity of sounds presented by all the different tracks. “Life in a Glasshouse” and “Pyramid Song” are two examples of songs that are both more conventional music than much of the rest of the album. They incorporate elements of jazz, and they flow very naturally and are beautiful to listen to.
The King of Limbs is an album that highlights Radiohead’s well-known method of pushing the boundaries of music to create art that challenges the listener. This album is one of their most adventurous in that it resembles an “atmosphere” more than it does a conventional listening experience. The lyrics are cryptic and vague, giving rise to many interpretations.
Who Was Queen Victoria? tells the story of one of the most well-known queens in history. She became queen of the United Kingdom when she was only 18 years old and stayed queen for more than 60 years. The book starts with her childhood and shows how she went from being a quiet, shy girl to a strong and respected leader. It explains how Queen Victoria helped change her country during a time when many new things were happening like inventions, growing cities, and more trade with the world.
The Naturals follows protagonist Cassie Hobbes, a gifted 17 year old girl, who has a knack for reading people. Ever since she was a kid, Cassie had a special ability to look at a person and know their whole life story. When the number of cold cases began to rise, Cassie finds herself in contact with the FBI as they plan a special task force with other teen “naturals.” Seizing the opportunity to put her profiling abilities to use, Cassie finds herself thrown into a world of danger and mystery.
Daphne Vincent, an enthusiastic librarian in Waning Bay, Michigan, felt perfectly settled into her new life with her soon-to-be husband Peter Collins. That is, until her fiancé realizes his love for his childhood best friend, Petra. Devastated, Daphne moves into the apartment of Petra’s ex-boyfriend Miles Nowak, whom she believes will understand her situation. Daphne and Miles begin to bond over their shared breakups, hatching a plan to get back at their exes while navigating their new lives.
If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang is a fun, contemporary romance that dives into the struggles of class privilege and academic pressure. Alice Sun, a Chinese-American scholarship student at her Beijing international boarding school, feels invisible among her rich and influential classmates. To make matters worse, her parents have just confessed that they cannot afford tuition, even with the scholarship.
