Monday Mix || The End Is Where We Begin

And now for something completely different.

Okay, not so different. But instead of this being a mix based on someone else's novel, this is a mix I made based on one of my novels.

You've probably heard of NaNoWriMo (and if not, where have you been?) but it's an annual writing challenge that asks you to write a 50 000 word novel in 30 days in November. I've participated since 2009 and won every year so far!

Now, I love making mixes right? We've been through that already. So it makes sense that I should make some mixes based on my novels, right?

Some of them get done, some of them don't. But they're still fun.

So let me be self indulgent and post this mix.

A little backstory. Written in 2010, the novel was titled Chaotic Neutral and was about spies and espionage. My synopsis from the NaNoWriMo page went something like this:

Arthur is one of Apogee International's most promising young agents. He's accustomed to the flair and high-risk that comes along with being a spy. And he works overtime to keep Sentinel Operations--Apogee's rival agency--from achieving their goals. While Apogee works to bring about change (usually for the better), Sentinel strives to keep the status quo. And though each organization's methods are more than a little questionable, Arthur's always believed that the end justifies the means.

That is, until his latest assignment goes horribly wrong. Arthur finds himself unfairly demoted to the realm of corporate espionage. And for someone who's used to gun fights and explosions, sitting in a cubicle from 9-to-5 is making him understandably antsy.

Especially when he starts questioning not only his employers methods, but his own skills as an agent. Is he just another agent past his prime, been put out to pasture?

But little does he know, he's about to stumble quite unwittingly onto a secret that threatens to unravel everything he's ever worked for. And he'll discover that the ties that bind Apogee and Sentinel together are more sinister than he could have ever imagined.

Listen on 8tracks

A story of love, lust, espionage and betrayal. Soundtracked by gun fights, transatlantic flights, split lips and running for your life.

(Tracklist after the cut)

Monday Mix || No Beginning & No End

Okay, you got me. I don't just read a lot of books--I read a lot of fanfic too. And I mean a lot. There was a period through high school and university where I read fanfic exclusively.

Sorry not sorry.

If you think I have a lot of feelings about my ships, you don't even want to know how I feel about alternate universes (AUs for those familiar with the term). There's just something about picking up your favourite characters and plopping them down in a completely different scenario. It's a fun thought experiment.

And, unsurprisingly, one of my favourite fanfic tropes.

So have another Enjolras/Grantaire mix. (I swear this is it for these two after this!)

This one's a modern reincarnation mix. Still sorry not sorry.

Listen on 8tracks

(Tracklist, etc after the cut)

Monday Mix || Even If No One Understands

So. Here we are again.

Okay, full disclosure: I have a lot of ships. And a lot of my fanmixes are odes to my favourite ships. Judge me if you want, but I have been in this game for nearly 2 decades and I am not stopping now. (One of my favourite things to say to my 8th grade students is "I have email accounts older than you". And then I have to laugh so I don't cry.)

Anyway. The second part of this full disclosure is that I have yet to read Les Miserables. I grew up with the musical, have watched the movie adaptation more times than I care to count, and have read excerpts. But never the whole thing.

That has not stopped me from doing what I do best. And that is shipping. Sorry not sorry.

So have an Enjolras/Grantaire fanmix.

Listen on 8tracks

(Tracklist, etc. after the cut)

Monday Mix || I Fought the War But the War Won

Okay, listen. I love making fanmixes. I always have. I usually have about half a dozen unfinished playlists in iTunes at one time.

A little while ago, I posted my mix based on Mira Grant's Feed. I had to express myself somehow. That book destroyed me. (Spoilers spoilers spoilers in that mix, by the by.)

So, I've got a bit of free time on my hands now (thank goodness) and I thought why not try to actually make this a thing I do on my blog? I have a few mixes in the queue from before I started this blog, so I'll post those for the first little bit. But it doesn't have to be a full mix. I figure even a song or two that remind me of a book or a character or whatever would be fun.

And, as per usual, you are welcome to join in if you'd like. (Definitely link me up if you've got something similar going, I'd love to check it out.)

So, without further ado, here's the first instalment of Monday Mix.

Okay, maybe a little bit more ado. Because have I mentioned how much I love comic books? I don't know if that's common knowledge around these parts yet or not. But I really really do. I am basically in nerd-vana with all the comic book movies and everything going on.

So what better way to celebrate than with a horribly depressing comic inspired mix!

If you're unfamiliar with the Marvel Universe, a number of years ago there was a huge crossover storyline called Civil War. It basically pitted everyone against each other. One side supported the idea of superhero registration (and the death of secret identities). The other was vehemently opposed.

Tony Stark and Steve Rogers were on opposing sides. It was rough. I still have a lot of feelings. As the mix will undoubtedly show you.

Listen on 8tracks

(Tracklist after cut. And spoilers, obviously.)

Fanmix || The Truth Has Made Me Blind

We now interrupt your regularly scheduled book blogging for a fanmix.

But it's a book-related fanmix, so that counts, right?

Back in the land of 2011, when LiveJournal was still a thing I used semi-regularly, I read Feed by Mira Grant. If you're not familiar with Feed, it's a political thriller disguised as a zombie novel featuring journalists. Which makes the title both a snappy pun about journalism and zombies. It was easily one of my favourite books from 2011.

It left me itching to make a fanmix after I finished it, so I posted the following mix on my LJ. I figured I could cross post it here 3 years later because hey, some of you might be interested!

That said, if you haven't read this book, the mix has INCREDIBLE SPOILERS for the end. So. Uh. Yeah.

Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think.

Listen on 8tracks

(Follow the cut for track information, my reasoning behind the song choices and EPIC SPOILERS.)