Hello friends! I have the great privilege of being part of Katie Zhao's street team Sinclair Students in preparation for the release of her YA Dark Academia novel How We Fall Apart which releases on August 3! For this week's assignment, we were instructed to create a playlist that best suits the book. Sara (@sarancwrites) create a k-pop inspired playlist and I was immeadiately inspired to create my own. Since I typically only listened to girl groups, I had a lot of fun choosing these songs!

ICYMI - check out the amazing preorder incentives for How We Fall Apart and don't forget to submit your receipts!!

save me, save you - wjsn

This was the song that actually inspired this post because the aesthetics just take dark academia and add in a little bit of fairytale flair. The school setting of the music video also fits the mysterious vibe of the novel and the lyrics themselves also have a haunting message.

monster - irene & seulgi

The aesthetics and lyrics perfectly capture the hidden "monster" that guaranteed lives within each Sinclair student - I mean, you have to decide what lengths you will go to be the top student and that ambition definitely brings out the little monster inside.

black dress - clc

Will I take any excuse to put a CLC song in a playlist because CUBE is trash to them? (yes) But also this song is sophistication and empowerment and is almost as untouchable as Jamie Ruan. Just watch the music video and tell me you don't feel the ~power~. 

lion - g-(idle)

If Sinclair Prep had a royal court theme this song would be played and over again. This can also be a Jamie Ruan anthem because she was the top of the school, the lion you could say until her untimely death.

new me - wjsn

Another WJSN song because their recent concepts have been *chef's kiss.* New Me is all about become a more alluring version of yourself and being free from the controlling past. I feel like Nancy could easily adopt this as an anthem, maybe take the chance with Jamie out of the game to become the top student at Sinclair Prep.

russian roulette - red velvet

This entire concept is all about sabotaging each other and maintaining a cheerful façade while doing so. If Sinclair Prep ever decided to choose a slightly more upbeat school anthem, Russian Roulette could definitely be a contestant. 

better me - gfriend sowon x umji

I'm still a little emo over Gfriend's disbandment so I'm ending this playlist with one of my favorites: this song is all about a better version of yourself. One lyric translates to "flowers bloom in different seasons, it's your time now" and I just imagine Nancy listening to these lyrics to reassure herself when all the rumors start getting overwhelming.

This was so much fun to create and I honestly have so many more songs to add so I might do a part two closer or after release day! Be sure to pick up How We Fall Apart (out August 3rd) and take advantage of the amazing pre-order incentive! 

What are some songs that come to mind when you think of Sinclair Prep?

"Alone is an island. It's an uncrossable sea, being too far from another soul, whereas lonely is being too close, in the same house yet separated by walls because we choose to be."

    isbn: 978-1250258564 | pages: 384 
    publication date: May 4, 2021 | source: net-galley
    genre: ya, science-fiction, dystopian

    A M A Z O N *    |     G O O D R E A D S    |    B O O K S H O P *
B O O K D E P O S I T O R Y    |    B A R N E S A N D N O B L E S

searching for answers
The Ones We're Meant to Find is powerful, beautiful, and a sense of confusion that morphs itself into wonder. It's been a good month since I've finished this story and my brain still struggles to fully comprehend all that Joan He has packed into this novel. For a story that's set in the future where humanity has destroyed the earth and must live in floating eco-cities, its themes are incredibly timeless. Cee woke up on an abandoned island with no memory except that she needed to find her sister whereas Kasey lives in the sky and the last clue she has to her sister's disappearance is a washed-up boat. 

The ocean plays such a powerful role in its imagery throughout the novel and Joan He masterfully leaves these crumbs that slowly connect as the characters themselves are coming to their own conclusions. Reading this was one of the most immersive experiences ever because the characters' exploration of the world, the societal structure, the relationship dynamics around them, become part of your own. 

the world is falling apart
The relationship between Kasey and Cee is so dynamic that I don't think words could quite capture it fully. While Kasey is reserved and analytical, Cee is friendly and full of hope, but they are both driven by a strong sense of determination to do what they think is the right next step. Cee's character fits the more likable YA protagonist and that makes her storyline more interesting to read about at first, but Kasey's personality reflects that rational and ambitious drive that is part of every individual. As you learn more about the sisters' relationship with each other, there's almost a sense of self-discovery as the reader because you cannot leave this novel without finding something new about yourself through either Kasey or Cee's journey.

It's truly best to go in knowing as little as possible because no expectations can quite prepare you for what happens in this novel. Just keep in mind that your ideas of climate change, the future of society, the definition of loyalty to one's family - it will all be challenged and expanded.