Author Archives: Sophia H.

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About Sophia H.

In my free time I love to read, play piano, or play videogames :) Checkout my small handmade jewelry business ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ etsy.com/shop/beadsbythesunshop

Albums I love as of autumn 2024

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Stick Season- Noah Kahan

Noah Kahan’s Stick Season perfectly encapsulates what it’s like to be from New England or any small town in northern America. His lyrics are poignant and relatable, and his vocals are filled with intense emotion. Listening to Stick Season takes me back to when I lived in areas like Seattle and Boston, it brings a sense of nostalgia that feels so comforting. If you love indie folk you will absolutely love this album! My top three songs are: “Northern Attitude (feat. Hozier)”, “New Perspective”, and “Orange Juice”.

The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We- Mitski

When Mitski released the first couple of singles from this album, I knew it would be a favorite of mine. Mitski has been releasing music for over a decade and there has never been a decrease in the quality of her music. This is a perfect fall album in my opinion. It’s sad, emotional, and slow. It’s honestly just beautiful-sounding and feels like being wrapped in a warm blanket. My top three songs include: “Heaven”, “Buffalo Replaced” and “I Love Me After You”.

Baby I’m The Wolf – Ha Vay

Ha Vay’s debut album Baby I’m The Wolf has quickly become one of my favorite albums of all time since its release. Ever since she released the album in July, I’ve been obsessed. Ha Vay’s voice is magnetic and the overall production of her album creates a hypnotic fantasy world that is so beautiful to listen to. This album is definitely not like anything I’ve heard before which is why it is one of my favorites. My top three songs are: “Nature’s Bride”, “Angel! Wild! Superstar!” and “Baby I’m The Wolf”.

Jubilee- Japanese Breakfast

After reading Japanese Breakfast’s (AKA Michelle Zauner’s) memoir, I decided to check out her music and instantly fell in love. When listening to her music, she sings with a powerful emotion I don’t hear often. I love her debut album Psychopomp, but Jubilee is more polished and her songwriting has really elevated. If you like indie alternative, I would definitely check this album out. My top three songs include: ‘Savage Good Boy”, “In Hell”, and “Paprika”.

Crying in H Mart: How Food Connects Us

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This summer, I had to choose a memoir to read for my AP Lang course. My friend and I chose Crying in H Mart so we could read and discuss the book together. Crying in H Mart has become one of my new favorite books.

When Michelle Zauner finds out her mother has been diagnosed with cancer, she puts her life in Philadelphia on hold to be with her mother. Told plainly and honestly, Zauner describes growing up Korean American, her strained relationship with her mother, and dealing with grief. At the center of it all is her and her mother’s shared love of food.

Reading this memoir was deeply thought-provoking as an Asian American. In the United States, when you can’t go back to your home country, food is the easiest way to connect to your culture. After all, what is the one thing all humans have to do? Eat. Our cultural recipes connect us to our ancestors and allow us to preserve the past. After Zauner’s mother’s death, she cooks Korean dish after Korean dish. All her life, she has never felt Korean enough. Cooking is how she reconnects to her heritage and her memories with her mother. Michelle Zauner provoked me to think about how food fits into my life and how it connects me to my heritage, especially when I feel torn between so many cultures. I know I’m not alone in the sentiment that I don’t feel Asian enough for other Asians and I don’t feel American enough for other Americans.

I am of Pakistani, Burmese, and Indian heritage. I have never visited these countries but when I eat my grandma’s shrimp biryani, or I slurp the broth of the Kaukswe my mom learned how to make from her dad, I feel as if I am home. Food is what ties my family together. We were all born in different countries: Burma, Pakistan, India, and America, but when we all sit down at the dinner table, we are all tied together by the same string. Food.

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo

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The Language of Thorns is a collection of fantastical short stories based on various fairy tales, myths, and folklore such as: Hansel and Gretel, The Little Mermaid, The Nutcracker and more. Set in the fictional world of the Grishaverse, Leigh Bardugo puts a darker spin on beloved childhood stories. Ayama and the Thorn Wood, a story based in the fictional country of Zemeni, tells a tale of a girl who saves her village without slaying the terrifying beast. The Too-Clever Fox, based in the Russian inspired country of Ravka, tells a story of a fox who managed to outwit anyone he encountered. The Witch of Duva, a darker take on the classic Hansel and Gretel, tells the narrative of a starving village girl trying to survive her evil stepmother. A shorter tale of an outcast, a beautiful girl, and a river, Little Knife is a refreshing break from the typical prince and princess stories. The Soldier Prince, a story that takes place on the island of Kerch, is an invigorating take on the classic ballet The Nutcracker. When Water Sang Fire, my personal favorite, takes a dark and gritty take on the classic story of The Little Mermaid.

I have reread this book so many times and it’s never gotten old. Reading each story feels like I’m reading it for the first time. It’s genuinely so refreshing to read something inspired by fairytales, myth and folklore, that isn’t repeating something I’ve read a million times before. Each story has plot twists, magic, revenge, love, betrayals, and sacrifice.

Bardugo’s writing style is another thing I love about this book. Her descriptions, dialogue, and pacing makes me feel like I’m a part of the story. I’d also like to give credit to Sara Kipin who did the illustrations for this book. Her drawings add another level of depth to these stories and help me visualize even further the scenes in the stories. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light read that still keeps you interested and engaged.

-Sophia H.

The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.