December Favorites (2015)

It's January, and since it's been a very long time since my last monthly favorites post, I'm making today's post is all about the things I've been loving during the past few months (especially December). I've got a decent stock of things to share, so let's get started, shall we?

Wonderful Category #1: Music

(NOTE: I take no credit for the videos that are in this post, nor do I claim ownership of any of the songs. All credits go to the artists and companies.)

Kicking things off, we have the lovely category of music. I've had a few songs that I've either discovered or just become completely obsessed with during the past few months.

Maps by Maroon 5

I stumbled across this song one day when I heard it playing on the radio, and later when I looked it up, it was just so catchy that I couldn't stop listening to it. I really like the lyrics, and it's weirdly fun to sing in the shower. Also, Adam Levine has a pretty solid falsetto so there's that.

Blank Space by Taylor Swift

Normally I'm not a Taylor Swift enthusiast, but I actually really like this song. The music video is a little out there, but it's strangely fascinating at the same time. The only thing about it that I'm not a fan of is how much it's overplayed right now. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

18 and Where Do Broken Hearts Go by One Direction

Yes, I know they're boyband songs, and no, that doesn't make me like them less. 18 is just the sweetest love song that they've come out with, and Where Do Broken Hearts Go has some really powerful lyrics that I just love. I'd say that this album of songs they've come out with this year has probably been their best so far. These two songs are probably my top two, but I also really liked Fool's Gold and Illusion.

Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran has always been one of my favorites, and his latest music video features one of the most beautiful songs ever. Thinking Out Loud is such a loving song, and the fact that Ed does a complicated slow dance routine during the music video makes it even more amazing. Nicely done, Ed!

Close As Strangers by 5 Seconds of Summer

(NOTE: I wasn't able to find a YouTube video for this one that had the actual song in it. All videos I found were sped up or slowed down to avoid copyright. I'd recommend trying to find it on a music website, like Grooveshark, if you fancy listening to it. Sorry!)

Even though I'd heard this song a few times before it became my favorite, I became more connected to it over the past few months. This band has always been one of my favorites because of their amazing lyrics, and this song is no exception. Someday I'd like to learn how to play it on the guitar.

Terrific Category #2: Books

Unwanteds series by Lisa McMann

 I'd read the first book in this series a year or two ago, but this year I finally got to read the other three that have come out since the first. I wasn't all that impressed by the first and second book, but I adored book #3 and #4. There was a lot of suspense in them, and the characters definitely grew on me more since the first book.

Also: Book #5 is coming out this February! *book lover squeal*

The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare

This book is a companion to Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series. Magnus Bane is a main character in both of those series, and this is a book of all of his little adventures. It kind of has the feel to it of The Lost Stories by John Flanagan, which accounts the scattered tales of different things the characters did, only this time, it's Magnus and his companions. While the book itself wasn't all that suspenseful like the other two series, I really just loved hearing about characters that were in the other series and things Magnus got to do earlier in his life (he is immortal, after all). It brought back a bunch of feels, and I loved it for that.

Thrilling Category #3: Movies

I was able to see Mockingjay Part 1 in theaters during November, and I was very impressed. I didn't like Mockinjay the book very much, but the director did an insane job directing the film and making the movie almost identical to the book. There were a few minor details, but the entire thing was incredibly intense. Can we just talk about how he made Peeta look in this movie? That was spot on. It was the saddest thing to see, but it was perfectly played out. Definitely a good addition to the Hunger Games movie series.

Fabulous Category #4: Miscellaneous

I'd considered asking for a guitar for my birthday/Christmas, and I actually looked at some with my dad at a guitar store. In the end, we decided however, not to buy a new one. My dad surprised me by bringing home a guitar one day, that his cousin had said we could borrow to see how I liked it before I got my own.

I've been starting to learn some basic string work and chords from a book we had from when my brother played electric guitar, and so far it's been really fun, but also really challenging. I'm learning acoustic guitar, and I don't have very large hands. Getting fingers on strings can be problematic at times, but it's been one of my favorite things to learn an instrument again. I really want to be able to learn to play real songs someday, but for now, I can play a mean Yankee Doodle.

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That's all I have for you today! Hope you've enjoyed this post. Let me know what you've been loving during December and even last year (since it is 2015 now *le gasp*). I love your comments, and I hope you have a fabulous day.

Cheers,

Sea