Cole's Corner

Next up from my TBR is Beach Read by Emily Henry! I have really loved all her other works so it’s a good bet I’ll enjoy this one too!

Mini haul 📚

onto my spiel -- i am inviting you to a forum for book lovers called FREEDOM & LITERACY! we're not a book club, and there's nothing mandatory about us! we just really, really love books. if you're at all interested, please check out the link here: https://freeliteracy.jcink.net

we're not a scam, but if you need proof at all, search our name. we're usually about the third or fourth link down. look for the rainbow logo with a white F&L.

F&L just went through a huge face lift! we have a brand new skin, a site store with premium member groups (you don't use real money) and plan to restart our site-wide readalongs soon! (again, not mandatory!) i know a lot of people really, really miss text-based communities, and that's what we are!

there is absolutely NO pressure for you to join, or for you to post this publicly. hell, you can even blatantly ignore me. that's fine. i promise i don't mind.

i really hope that you and yours have a good week, and if you made it this far, thank you so much for your time!

JAY

Finished book #10 of the year! I haven’t read a novel by John Green in so long, this book reminded me of why I feel in love with his writing! It’s so honest, the characters are innately human with flaws and his writing feels effortless and you get sucked in and don’t want to come back out until your journey has finished!

Here are my current reads! I typically have a fiction and non-fiction going at the same time.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Finished book #9 of the year! Origin by Dan Brown!

Here’s is what I’m currently reading! With just finishing Half His Age last month, I’ve been looking for her memoir and I finally found it! Also started the next Robert Langdon book so I can finally read The Secret of Secrets!

Album: Most Wanted Artist: Hilary Duff Genre: Pop-Rock Released: August 10th, 2005 Label: Hollywood Records

After two albums of original music, Hilary recorded some new tracks, but instead of a whole new album, she released her first compilation album. Hilary worked with her at the time boyfriend Joel Madden, lead vocalist for Good Charlotte and his brother Benji who helped produce 3 of her new tracks.

Track Listing (new songs only):

Wake Up - 10/10

Beat of My Heart - 10/10

Break My Heart - 10/10

Supergirl - 9/10

With this being a compilation album, fans were already familiar with Duff's previous work. Duff's new songs really stood out from the rest of the track list. Wake Up is a strong opener for the album, It definitely has pop influences but there is a rock influence as you can hear bass, guitar and drums throughout the track. The rock influence continues in the next new song Beat of My Heart with the start/stop cadence. Break My Heart feels the most rock inspired with electric guitar, drums and distortion during some of Duff's vocals make the new track stand out from the rest. The fourth new track Supergirl only appears on the deluxe version of the album. The track is still heavily rock influenced and Duff's vocals sound strong and at ease even with a slightly more rock leaning track.

Album: Hilary Duff Genre: Pop Released: 2004 Label: Hollywood Records

This is Hilary's self-titled album and the follow up to her sophomore album Metamorphosis. After listening to her album start to finish it the sound is very cohesive and it seems to have more mature lyrics and I'm happy to see that Duff has writing credits on some of the songs. After doing some research on the album, it seems to have not done as well commercially but with a more mature album it is harder to break into an older audience as a child star turned musician. As a 33 year old gay man, I honestly really enjoyed the entire album and it's become one of my favorites, I don't think there is one skippable song. Below will be my ranking for each song:

Fly - 10/10

Do You Want Me? - 10/10

Weird - 10/10

Hide Away - 9/10

Mr. James Dean - 10/10

Underneath This Smile - 10/10

Dangerous To Know - 10/10

Who's That Girl - 9/10

Shine - 9/10

I Am - 9/10

The Getaway - 10/10

Cry (remix) - 10/10

Haters - 9/10

Rock This World - 10/10

Someone's Watching Over Me - 10/10

Jericho - 10/10

The Last Song - 10/10

Anyone else a fan of her self-titled album? Which tracks are your favorites?

My fav tracks are:

Fly

Weird

Mr. James Dean

Underneath This Smile

Dangerous to Know

The Getaway

Cry (remix)

Rock This World

Someone's Watching Over Me

Album: Metamorphosis Genre: Pop Released: 2003 Label: Hollywood Records

Even though this album is technically her second album, the first being a Christmas album, this is first one containing all original songs. I never had this album growing up and while I've always loved pop music, I did not start getting really into Hilary's music until after her Most Wanted complication album came out. I've been a fan of hers since the beginning and I will be going through each album to see how I feel about them now that I'm older.

Track Listing:

So Yesterday - 10/10

Come Clean - 10/10

Workin It Out - 4/10

Little Voice - 5/10

Where Did I Go Right? - 8/10

Anywhere But Here - 8/10

The Math - 10/10

Love Just Is - 9/10

Sweet Sixteen - 8/10

Party Up - 7/10

Metamorphosis - 10/10

Inner Strength - 7/10

Why Not - 10/10

During the late 90s through the 2000s one of the breakout stars among millennials was none other than Hilary Duff. Her breakout role was the starring role in Lizzie McGuire on Disney Channel. She was also one of first of her peers to fully transition into a musical artist as well. Throughout the next few weeks, I will be working my way through her discography. I will be ranking the track list and giving my thoughts on the album until we reach her current release. Feel free to join me as I explore each era!

Eras:

Metamorphosis

Hilary Duff

Most Wanted

Dignity

Breathe In. Breathe Out.

Next up off my TBR mountain 📚:

Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy

How Fascism Works by Jason Stanley

If you’d like to pick yourself up a copy, I’ll link them below through bookshop.org which is a great alternative to Amazon, also don’t forget to check your local library too!

Half His Age

How Fascism Works