Songflight (The Dragon Singer Chronicles Book 1)

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The dragons and the dreki (little dragons) were really cool and I liked all the side characters (the nice ones haha), and I also like that there is not necessarily a simple 'good and evil' binary in what's going on either. Shanahan, Mark (February 2, 2016). "Hillary Clinton chooses Rachel Platten's 'Fight Song' ". The Boston Globe . Retrieved February 28, 2016. Alísa's stammer and strong empath powers at first bring her shame and humiliation, but as she finds inner strength through her actions and friends in unlikely places she learns how to direct her skills and overcome her fears in the hope of bringing peace to her home. This main character, and all the characters in this book (both human and dragon), are each their own with actual personalities and complex emotions.

Jensen, Erin (June 22, 2016). " 'America's Got Talent': Simon hits Golden Buzzer for teen cancer survivor". USA Today . Retrieved June 23, 2016. IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201535 into search. Though the song’s outlived the circumstances, this Stephen Stills landmark was inspired by a specific event: During 1966 the Sunset Strip police got impatient with hippie kids hanging around, and imposed a 10pm curfew – initially targeting the Whiskey a Go Go, where Buffalo Springfield were the house band. The result was two months’ worth of nightly riots, which prompted numerous songs and even a movie ( Riot of Sunset Strip). Stills’ song aimed higher, catching the cultural changes of the moment and the bigger ones that were coming. – Brett Milano Aretha Franklin – Respect (1967) IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201532 into search.Adult Contemporary Songs Year End 2015". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved December 16, 2015. It was so refreshing to read about a character who is shy and an introvert! These days I feel like almost all the female characters are fierce, determined, “Let me rip you apart” characters. But how many people are truly like that in real life? Alísa felt so much more real with her sensitivity and awkwardness, and I learned so much about my own uncertainties and introvertedness. Little things I loved: Alísa being a dragon "mom", the adorable romance (I'm very proud of myself for calling the chemistry before the characters even realized it), the dreki, the at times breathtakingly cinematic visuals that the book conjures up with its weighty moments, landscapes, and creatures.

As the only child of a dragon slayer chief, Alísa’s purpose should have been simple: lead the clan in ridding humankind of the dragon scourge. But while gaining respect from hardened warriors is difficult enough with a vocal stammer, when they learn her empathic powers connect uncontrollably to the dragon enemy, it becomes impossible. If I had to describe this book in only one word it would be joyful. Yes, this is a fantasy about dragons and humans and war and other sorts of crazy things. But somehow, the writing and imagery is stunning and evokes a sense of joy. I couldn’t wait to return to this world every time I set the book down! Content Review: This book had a fascinating way of scattering songs throughout the book — appropriately, considering the title, and logically, considering Alísa's stammer. I haven't read many books that incorporate so much verse, and I was impressed by the result here. I didn't *love* all the songs, but I enjoyed the variety of metrics and styles and TRULY appreciated the author's evident experience in this area (I know when I'm reading mediocre lyrics and it's not fun). Rachel Platten: Fight Song - Music on Google Play". Google Play. February 19, 2015. Archived from the original on May 20, 2015 . Retrieved June 7, 2015.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Ohio (1970)

The X Factor NZ Top 12 release 'Fight Song' for charity". More FM. Mediaworks . Retrieved October 12, 2015.

I received Songflight as an eARC, which did nothing to alter my opinion of this book. This review is spoiler-free.

Donald Glover/Childish Gambino – This Is America (2018)

When producer Clive Langer played Elvis Costello a jazz-inflected piano tune he’d been struggling to find suitable lyrics for, the 1982 conflict between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands had just begun. Costello’s lyric for what would become “Shipbuilding” considers the potential repercussions of the conflict on the traditional ship-building areas of the UK, then in decline. The song ponders whether the reversal of fortunes for the shipyards could ever be weighed up against the potential losses in terms of casualties of war (“Is it worth it?/A new winter coat and shoes for the wife/And a bicycle on the boy’s birthday”) and takes a sensitive, nuanced look at the choices people make when their hands are tied (“It’s all we’re skilled in/We will be shipbuilding”). The political song was written with Robert Wyatt in mind, and he sings it beautifully, his plaintive vocals perfectly complementing the conflicted lyric. Wyatt later suggested that the song could be read as “the way the conservative establishment glorifies the working class as ‘our boys’ whenever they want to put them in uniform.” – Jamie Atkins The Specials – Free Nelson Mandela (1984) IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 201535 into search. Alísa’s parents are such a vital part of her life, and their relationship is beautiful. Also, the dragons’ relationships with their mothers is so heartwarming. And baby dragons?! Can it get any better than that? Truly, if you’re a fan of dragons in fantasy, this is a book you don’t want to miss! Even the "bad" human characters can been seen as complex shades of grey - slayers who like Alisa have to question all they've been told in the face of the evidence don't just come round in a snap, but nor do they unrealistically dig their heels in to make that "so unfair!!1!" adult character trope that turns up so often in YA. They act like real human beings; something that modern YA struggles with yet here is effortless. The song has been used in a series of Ford TV commercials for their line of SUV's, namely, the 2015 Ford Edge and 2016 Ford Explorer.