2025 // favorite media + playlist

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This is my last retrospective post for 2025: a look back at some of the media that journeyed with me through the year.

Hope you enjoy! 

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Favorite Books

- 100 days of sunlight. abbie emmons

read on my d.c. trip. not only was it the perfect summer read, but it also really encouraged me after the disappointment of the concert. for that, i think it will always hold a special place in my heart. <3

- the ascendance trilogy. jennifer a. nielsen

an incredible adventure story with a hilarious menace of a main character!

- fractured tide. leslie lutz

apparently, i like horror, because this was excellent.

- eliza and her monsters. francesa zappia

reminded me how awesome the internet and fandoms can be.<3

Favorite Movies and Shows

- words bubble up like soda pop | movie

helped me reconnect with my love of poetry. 📜

- queen of tears | show

oh my goodness! such an emotional roller coaster ride!

- wicked part 1 | movie

a surprising gem!

- Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 | show

Without hesitation, I’d follow Percy into any battle. Just name the enemy, dude, just name the enemy.

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Playlist

- "at all costs (demo)". wish 

the wish movie had some writing issues, but I adore this demo from the soundtrack!!

- "lend me your voice". belle

randomly found this clip and decided to watch the whole movie. after the watch, I also love the song "gales of song" and "a million miles away", with "a million miles away" being my favorite! (because of several scenes, i’d put this film toward an older audience).

- "prologue (hunter's mantra)". k-pop demon hunters

my current fav song from the film! when I first watched it, it was "free".

- "in a beautiful way". queen of tears soundtrack (spotify link)

i also love "the reasons of my smiles", "hold me back", "love you with all my heart", "fallin'", and "last chance" from the same soundtrack.

- "still dream". renée fleming

so pretty 🥹

- "never-ending story". piano dreamer (spotify link)

i adore this tune, though i have yet to watch the movie it is from.

- "number one girl". rosé

love the producing in this.

- "party's not over". kail piano tutorials + original version (turn on subs for original)

listened to both a lot in the summer. they just sound so nostalgic and bittersweet. and the piano cover sounds like a lullaby.

- "photobook". stray kids

probably my favorite song stray kids released last year.

-  100 days of sunlight | book playlist (Spotify link)

the first song in this playlist, "get up" by shinedown, i listened to the most. others i love from it are "livin right" by the score, "need the sun to break" by james bay, "something new" by the score, "clearly" by grace vanderwaal, "its a beautiful life" by billy raffoul, and "the fear of letting go" by ruelle.

- "the view". stray kids

the lyrics describe hope and newness so well. 💛

- "truce". twenty one pilots

pov: you're young and confused in the early 2010s.

- "yellow". coldplay (spotify link)

an 'everything's going to be okay' type of song. 💛

- "i like me better". inst 

this just sounds so comforting and cheerful 🥹

- "we contain multitudes". ólafur arnalds (spotify link)

a calming piano piece.

- "lavender's blue". jim brickman

sweet and hopeful.

- "goodbye". seungmin

okay, tied with “photobook” as my fav stray kids song released last year.

- "13". han (turn on subs)

love the producing for this one too. and his voice is just so perfect.

- "stray kids - relaxing piano medley"  + "photobook" cover. 奏瑚210【kanako210】

so beautiful. fans are incredible. 

- "greater than all my regrets". tenth avenue north

reminded me how much i loved tenth avenue north when i was younger.

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What were your favorite books, shows and movies, and songs of 2025?

Thanks for reading!

Go be epic!