Rites of Passage Boot Camp: Playlist + Giveaway!

Welcome to the Rites of Passage Bootcamp I'm hosting with Alexa (of Alexa Loves Books) and Magan (of Rather Be Reading)!

The three of us loved Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley, which comes out tomorrow Tuesday, Sept. 9th. It's a book that's kind of flown under the radar which is why we want to share our enthusiasm for it and convince you to check it out. (Seriously, you should!) The story is centered around Sam McKenna who is joining the first ever class of girls at the Denmark Military Academy. It's a struggle for Sam as she meets opposition on all sides - from the cadets meant to train her, fellow initiates who resent her presence, old-fashioned military men. But Sam continues to fight back and prove that she has what it takes to succeed. It's an amazing story that sucked me in and I was really excited to come up with a playlist to match the tone of the scenes and characters. I kinda love the songs I chose so hopefully you do too!



Sara Bareilles - Brave
This is the line that stood out the most especially when I think of the beginning of the book: “Honestly I wanna see you be brave.”

Christina Aguilera - Fighter
EVERYTHING about this song fits, especially as the upperclassmen cadets continue to come down hard on Sam: “If it wasn't for all that you tried to do, I wouldn't know just how capable I am to pull through / So I want to say thank you / 'Cause it makes me that much stronger / Makes me work a little bit harder / It makes me that much wiser / So thanks for making me a fighter.”

Paramore - Ignorance
This song reminds me of Sam’s fellow recruits. They’re supposed to be in this together but let’s just say, that some people lose their way: “Yeah, the friends who stuck together / we wrote our names in blood / But I guess you can't accept that that the change is good.”

Sky Ferreira - Heavy Metal Heart
For the romantic tension building: "When my body starts to work like a machine / I can feel the pulse of my heavy metal heart / You make my heavy metal heartbeat beat oh oh."

Hozier - Like Real People Do
For Drill & Sam: “Honey just put your sweet lips on my lips / We should just kiss like real people do.”

Incubus - Dig
This is for the people who let Sam down throughout the book and who I kept hoping would come through for her in the end: “So when weakness turns my ego up / I know you'll count on the me from yesterday / If I turn into another / Dig me up from under what is covering the better part of me.”

High Highs - A Real Hero (originally by College & Electric Youth)
I originally thought of this song for Drill but it could definitely be applied to Sam too: "Your actions entertain and you have proved to be / A real human being and a real hero."

Regina Spektor & The Strokes - Modern Girls & Old Fashion Men
Perfect for one of the last scenes in the book but as the synopsis tells us, there are people (*cough* men *cough*) who are against the idea of women in the military academy: "Everyone has the same opinion / Won't you please / Your time is almost over / Don't be mean / We won't get the chance to do this over."

Kelly Clarkson - Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)
Sam goes through so much but in the end...: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger / Stand a little taller / Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone."

Beyonce - Run the World (Girls)
I wanted to end the song on an empowering, fun note and this was perfect!

Make sure to check out
Alexa's style files & Magan's bootcamp wardrobe posts today! 
Plus enter our giveaway for chance to win the book + swag!

US only, ends Mon 9/22
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