[Note: This post originally appeared on Reddit, and it has been reposted here with some minor changes for archival purposes. You can read the original here.]
I’ve always considered reading to be an exercise in understanding what it means to be human, and my favorite thing about ATEEZ songs is that they almost always capture the same feeling. For me, their songs are really about the human experience. So, for no other reason, I thought the two could be brought together for some ATEEZ and book pairings.
Song: Twilight
Book: Serious Moonlight, by Jenn Bennett
For me, Twilight is slightly romantic sounding, and mostly happy with a touch of longing and nostalgia, which is why I’ve paired it with this romance. The heroine, Birdie, considers herself an amateur sleuth, and her and Daniel investigate a mystery while having precious, happy moments together with just a hint of the awkwardness that comes with first loves. At times, a touch dark, but with an ultimately happy outlook, it captures the spirit of Twilight.
Song: Wonderland
Book: A Thousand Pieces of You, by Claudia Gray
I read this book forever ago, and the other day while I was driving, I started thinking about mobius strips and parallel universes and ATEEZ, as one does, and I suddenly remembered this book. In it, the main character’s parents have created a device that allows people to jump to their alternate universe bodies. There are a lot of alternate worlds and universes and body doubles.
I paired it with Wonderland because the tone of the book, like the tone of Wonderland, is epic, and in later books in the series, there are several dimensions with military-esque vibes like in the music video.
Song: Inception
Book: Places No One Knows, by Breanna Yovanoff
Inception is our best example of angsteez, and this romance about two people who feel like they’re missing out on something important in life is a very good pairing with it. In the story, Waverly is obsessed with her GPA and Marshall is… well not. He does a lot of drugs and may not even graduate. The two shouldn’t cross paths, but then Waverly starts visiting Marshall in her dreams while Marshall is high.
So you have the dream traveling, the angst of high school romance, and just a really beautiful story about living up to the expectations of those around us.
Song: Mist
Book: How It Feels to Float, by Helena Fox
Mist is a song that can be, at times, almost uncomfortable to listen to because of how well it captures the feelings of anxiety. But it’s also a really beautiful song because of the way it captures fear, anxiety, and just what it’s like to deal with uncertainties, so I’ve paired it with this book about a girl named Biz who struggles with mental illness and often “floats” away from herself as a result.
The story is a little painful, like Mist, as you feel like you are Biz, struggling to move through life when moving through life feels very hard and overwhelming, but it is ultimately hopeful. Trigger warnings for depression, suicide, and grief.
Song: Answer
Book: My Lady Jane, by Cythia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
This one is a bit of a stretch, but stick with me: Answer has a very royal and powerful tone, so I have paired it with this slightly fantastical re-imagining of the story of Lady Jane Grey. It’s mostly just a silly good time–there’s even a character that turns into a horse–but there’s also a conspiracy to take over a kingdom, some castle intrigue, and just an epically royal good time, which I think fits well with Answer.
What other pairings can you think of?
We need new books to read, and if we can find them through ATEEZ songs, all the better.
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