#Krystal Recommends

[the-angry-acrobat]

some books to get to know me lol. it’s such a shame that so many of my soulmates are fictional 😭

tbh this could be a tag game. open tags 🖤

[bones-clouds]

books i read in 2025:

"the invocations"

krystal sutherland

"men do not know what it feels like to be hunted. men do not walk alone on dark streets and think about fingers closing around their throats or their skulls thudding dully against the pavement. they do not think about strangers coming to their house and slaughtering their entire family. emer likes to find them where they sit or stand or walk, comfortable, unafraid. because there is no need to fear if you are a man. you own the darkness."

[kazz-brekker]

read the invocations by krystal sutherland as an arc i got from work and god i love when magic is just truly weird and terrifying and gross and has an awful cost. there are genuinely inhuman and frightening demons that latch on your soul like a parasite and slowly drain it in exchange for magic! demonic bargains gone wrong that rot a person from the inside out and decay the world around them! an orchard where the trees grow rotten fruit and ground weeps blood because unavenged murder victims are buried there! the terrifying sense that the characters are tampering with forces beyond their control or understanding!

[keehomania]

watching the heirs be so fun when u dont have a bitch in ur ear telling u how corny it is

[islesnap]

life's getting hard..... time to rewatch the inheritors for the 7th time.....

[lakecountylibrary]

Read -> Reading -> To-Read

Read what the librarian is reading! Here's what's been on LCPL librarian Kate's shelf lately.

Just Read: A Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnis

This YA thriller/mystery was enthralling. I finished the audiobook in one day. I loved the friendship between Lydia and Bristal and I was surprised by the plot twist at the very end. I recommend this book to readers who liked Sadie by Courtney Summers.

Now Reading: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien

This book was recommended by my husband and I'm really enjoying it so far! I'm hoping for the best for Mrs. Frisby and her children. The animals in the book are so brave and intelligent. I can't wait to see where this story goes.

To-Read: The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

I loved Krystal Sutherland's book House of Hollow, so I've been wanting to read this book since it was published earlier this year. I'm hoping I like it as much as her last book.

See more of Kate's recs

[musician-not-magician]

🌈June Books🌈

I used 🌈 before the title to indicate LGBTQ+ featured characters within the book. I rated each book from ⭐️ - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. The books are listed in the order that I completed them.

🌈 “Breasts and Eggs” by Mieko Kawakami ⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌈 “The Society for Soulless Girls” by Laura Steven ⭐️

🌈 “Sunbringer” by Hannah Kaner ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The Princess Bride” by William Goldman ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌈 “The Invocations” by Krystal Sutherland ⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The Dragon Republic” by R.F. Kuang ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌈 “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The Iliad” by Homer; translation by Emily Wilson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌈 “This is How You Lose the Time War” by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone ⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌈 “Siren Queen” by Nghi Vo ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌈 “Jade City” by Fonda Lee ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[watchingalotofmovies]

Cobweb

Cobweb    [trailer]

In the 1970s, Director Kim is obsessed by the desire to re-shoot the ending of his completed film 'Cobweb', but chaos and turmoil grip the set with interference from the censorship authorities, and the complaints of actors and producers who can't understand the re-written ending.

It's an entertaining variation. But the story of the director, who considers himself an unrecognized genius, who has to fight against all kinds of adversities to realize his masterpiece, is also a familiar one.

Song Kang-ho is a truly versatile actor.

[lizeliz]

Bunnydoll Week 2024!

Day 4 - Secret

(Secret Crush - Secret Relationship)

They both have something that reminds them of each other when they are alone and even after a fight, they will look at it and can't help but smile.

I'd like to thank @krystal077 for recommending the song "No One Knows" by Stephen Sanchez & Laufey that gave me the idea for this drawing. Thank you Krystal 🫶🏼

[lynxiesblog]

Who do you recommend to listen to for subliminals

hii my luv ♡ here is a list of my favourite subliminal makers that have given me crazy amount of results! This isn’t in any particular order btw. ꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ ~♡︎ it’s kind of long , so I apologize in advance.

°˖ ✧ wonyangi — her clear skin subliminals work insanely good it’s mind blowing. Her upturned lip & nose subs work really well too. 10/10

°˖ ✧ baejin cafe — I mainly use their life subliminals (money, family, glow up, friends, etc.) and they work. 12/10

°˖ ✧ clinxque — her hair subliminal works really well, it’s the main thing I use her subs for.

°˖ ✧ crystie — I’ve been listening to her for a while now and her subliminal work really well. Especially her suffering from success sub.

°˖ ✧ Enchanted Workshop — their crystals subliminal series works really well. Same with intellect subliminals. I literally love

°˖ ✧ I want it, I got it — I’m literally a member of her patreon that’s how good her subliminals are. I’ve said this before but her pretty privilege sub works TOO well.

°˖ ✧ kestiny — i just live her subs. Her affirmations are amazing and simple and you get results.

°˖ ✧ m!ss b!imbeaux — her body subliminals WORK SO WELL😩. Every single one of them are just chef kisses

°˖ ✧ RAINY VIBES — her nose sub and pretty resting face worked really well and pretty much gave me instant results

°˖ ✧ voeux — her subs are in every single one of my playlists. They work so well and the songs are 👩‍🍳💋

°˖ ✧ zeivlyn — her school related subliminals are wonderful and work really well

°˖ ✧ Krystalized (Beauty Krystalized) — her grade subs 10/10. Beauty subliminals too.

°˖ ✧ wesylin — school, grade, everything subs are just heart eyes

°˖ ✧ million dollar woman — her themes are adorable & her subliminals work pretty well for me

°˖ ✧ Cajel Amirah — guys I just started listening to her but her “guys simp on me” works INSTANTLY. I listened to it before going out and so many guys were staring at me even women. Her nose sub works really well too.

°˖ ✧ V1Per — I almost forgot her. Her subliminals are very good too and are in most of my playlists.

[therealitiestraveler]

Shifting subliminals recommendations?

Guys, for those of you that use subliminals for shifting, can you guys recommend me some good shifting channels or shifting subliminals? I've decided to create a playlist for me but I don't know many actually good channels that make shifting sublimimals.

Currently, I've only been using v1per and beauty krystalized sibliminals.

(The subliminals for shifting that are on my playlist so far)

[radishanatomy]

Hi! Just wanted to say I'm OBSESSED with The exorcist of Venice, it's by far the best Bellesco fic I've read and one of my favorites in the fandom!!! They way you integrate bible verses and poetry so seamlessly in the prose is fascinating, and so are the mistery of the cases, the mythology, the tension (both spiritual and sexual), the internal reflection, the crisis of faith... it's perfectly tailored to my tastes, truly I've gotten a 5 star meal FOR FREE!!! I can't thank you enough for your work!

Your characterization of both Aldo and Goffredo is fantastic as well, I love how they aren't exactly friends but aren't enemies anymore, what an akward situation to be. Truly their dynamic is most interesting, I'm at the edge of my seat whenever they discuss or at the end of each case when they share strangely intimate moments.

I'm very excited to see in which direction you'll take the story, I'm sure it will exceed my expectations, as usual! But please take your time, rest well and be kind to yourself in the process!! I - and everyone else - will wait patiently! Sending you lots of love and admiration from Brazil! ❤

P.s.: Do you have any book recs? I love your repertoire and your writing, it really shows how skilled you are. I've been meaning to read Dante Alighieri for some time, maybe this will finally convice me to gather my courage and try.

Take care!

- 🐝

hi there, bestie! thank you so much for your sweet message, i'm so happy to hear my story hits the spot for you 🤭

tbh the bible verses require a lot of research, because with that book there's always something different than you expect behind the words (and i'm sure i've gotten things wrong before) but it's also very fun and i often end up reading a whole chapter or three (you know how some people have yearly goal of reading the whole bible? yeah i might accomplish that--just out of order lol)

bellesco is soo fun to play around with, it's so awkward and angsty and i love their worstie dynamic... when castellitto said there was an angry sensuality to tedesco? i felt that... deeply (maybe a little too deeply 👀)

awh thank you so much for the well wishes! my recent break has really helped my mental energy and i'm trying to take things slowly rn--but it's also very fulfilling to finish each part!

sending lots of love to brazil! 💚💛💙

p. s. oh wow reading recs... depends what you're looking for i guess? i read mostly speculative fiction, but let's see what i can come up with!

i don't think you're here for me recommending If We Were Viallains, The Locked Tomb Trilogy, Bunny or Rebecca, since they are already so beloved (this is me sneaking them into my rec list anyway haha)

let's see what i can dig up from my brain that i haven't seen talked about enough (i'll try 10):

This House Is Haunted by John Boyne (historical horror--fucken spooky)

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger (ya low fantasy--top tier plot and world building)

Dead Silence by S. A. Barnes (sifi horror--the suspense made me nauseous)

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (afrofuturism--beatiful worldbuilding & narration)

The Saint of Steel series by T. Kingfisher (cosy romantasy with mystery--perfect series in all aspects: plot, characters, WORLDBUILDING; i recommend the audio book narrated by Joel Richards)

The Clown by Heinrich Böll (general fiction--simultaneously pathetic and funny, riled up the german catholic church in the 60s)

Into The Drowning Deep by Mira Grant (scifi horror--i recommend this to everyone who wants more creepy merfolk and speculative fiction grounded in reality, FANTASTIC ENDING. i don't want to spoil the book, but there's an element CLEARLY inspired by it in my version of the merperson)

Folding Beijing by Hao Jingfang (scifi dystopia novelette--fascinating concept)

Emergency Skin by N. K. Jemisin (scifi short story)

The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland (fantasy horror--girl magic need i say more?)

[coldfanbou]

Nymphomaniac's huh?

EMMA! Joy, Momo, Nayeon, Sakura, Chaewon, Eunbi, Mia, Yiren, Jennie, Jisoo, Riina, Xiaoting, Yujin, Yeseo, Juhyeon, Winter, Karina, Nana, Seolhyun, Jessica, Krystal?

Just some idea's/suggestions

I see some good recommendations there. Others not so much, but that's just me. Thanks you for submtting some names

[theredstargalaxy]

say something into the mic 🎤

(Aka yap about anything)

Ooohohohoho! *Rubs my tiny T-rex hands together.* Yap about anything, you say? Well, allow me to regale you with a dinosaur-filled tale!

Lost media is one of my favorite things on this earth. Tales of lost films, and whispers of lost cartoons are like a siren's song to me, luring me in to find treasures that lay just under our noses. One of the best pieces of lost media I’ve ever read about is the lost video game, Dinosaur Planet. Now, for those of you who aren’t in the loop, Dinosaur Planet is a game that was developed by Rareware on the Nintendo 64 back in the late 90’s. It was set to be Rare’s last game for that console before the Gamecube was released. However, it never saw the light of day– and it’s all because of Shigeru Miyamoto.

See, there was this character that caught Miyamoto’s attention; Saber. Saber was a wolf with brownish orange fur and light markings on his face, chest, and tail. His no bullshit attitude, combined with his physical features reminded Miyamoto of another character from Nintendo’s all star roster, that character being none other than Fox McCloud of Starfox fame. So, upon seeing Saber, he went, “Huh… This nobody kinda looks like our boy, Fox. Nix Saber, and put Fox in instead.” So, because Nintendo held the majority share of Rare’s stocks at the time, Rare had no choice but to follow Miyamoto’s orders. Saber was removed, and Fox was wedged into the Saber-shaped hole that had been left behind.

Some time later, after the N64 version had been in development for several months, the Gamecube was announced. So, everything Rare had done up to that point had to be transferred to new development hardware, and possibly even a brand new rendering engine. And once Dinosaur Planet had been transferred and tinkered with, it had a new title: Starfox Adventures: Dinosaur Planet. Rare likely sent Nintendo a demo. To which they said, “Okay, put these in demo kiosks. We gotta get the kiddies foaming at the mouth for this shit.” And said disks were sent to said kiosks in Best Buys and Walmarts– and other stores that may or may not still be with us today. And then more development happened! Storylines were tweaked, textures were polished to a shine, and dialogue was recorded. Then, in the sacred year of 2002, it launched. Now under the name of Starfox Adventures, Nintendo was sure it would sell thousands– nay, millions– of copies. Sadly, it didn’t. Hell, Starfox Adventures is one of the worst selling games in the Starfox franchise– and it’s also the most hated too. However, the launch of the game, and it’s poor reception, isn’t the end of the story. No, far from it.

You remember those kiosks I mentioned earlier? Yeah, I bet you didn’t expect those to make a comeback, did ya? Those kiosks, like most others of its kind, were thought to have either been returned to Nintendo’s offices to be destroyed, or they were tossed in a landfill to rot. And for years, people figured that they’d never see those old things again. However, in 2018, the impossible became possible. Somebody–I don’t remember who– had actually found an intact and functional kiosk demo disk. And on that disk lay not only the aforementioned demo for Starfox Adventures, but various pieces of data from Dinosaur Planet. Maps, textures, music, dialogue, and the older models of Krystal, Prince Tricky, and General Scales were all there. Intact and ready for viewing on a computer. The person who discovered the disk sent it to the guys over at Hard4Games (I love those guys! I highly recommend checking them out if you’re into lost retro games, and dev kits.), and they copied all the files over to their computer. They even did an entire video on it! Thus, after years of wandering the metaphorical desert, we finally found a tiny oasis– one that dried up fairly quickly. However, there was another, bigger oasis just on the horizon.

Three years later, in 2021, Forest of Illusion announced what I feel to be the biggest, most amazing news for any fans of this lost game. An unnamed game collector in Sweden found a functional build of Dinosaur Planet on a CD they had purchased. Thankfully, perhaps knowing the game’s worth, they leaked the build online for others to play. People were ecstatic! It was like NASA after successfully putting Buzz Aldrin on the moon! Pretty soon, videos came out, showcasing the game in all its retro glory! However, the game itself wasn’t fully functional. Dating back to December of 2000, the game’s programming was incomplete. There were various bugs that caused it to crash. Some of the maps weren’t fully rendered, and load zones didn’t work properly. Entire chunks of recorded dialogue weren’t even there, giving players nothing but unsettling silence as cutscenes played– or the game would just crash due to being unable to find the audio files. So, in a sense, it was like an abandoned theme park. Sad, decrepit, broken– rotting away to expose its digital core. However, not all was lost.

As I type this, tons of fans with coding knowledge have been tinkering away, fixing errors and squashing bugs with the same dedication a doctor would afford their patient. I’m not entirely sure who’s working on it, or how long it’ll take, but someday– perhaps soon– we’ll have a fully working version of Dinosaur Planet. Hell, somebody already reversed the change that Miyamoto wanted. It’s only a matter of time… And to think, I once thought that it would never be found in my lifetime… 

If you’d like to know more, I can gladly point you in the direction of the Lost Media Wiki, or the Hard4Games YouTube channel. Thank you for taking time out of your day to read this, friends! And thank you, little racoon friends, for sending this in! Take care!

[simmingwormly]

Wormville: Gen 1: Crystal Clear

Here I come with yet another ficlet about my Sims! This one relates to the last introduced batch, and features Felicia Devir, who is the focalizer, and Krystal Celwitch. Elphius Celwitch doesn't make an appearance for obvious reasons, but is in the background, being very important.

This time, the only other relevant Sims who get mentioned but don't get speaking roles are Nico Devir and Genevieve Gere.

No content warnings apply for this one, I think.

The smiles on Krystal's face are for promotional material only and don't necessarily need to appear in the actual product. Click his teeth for a discount coupon.

“Do you have a minute?” The voice of the ginger man pulls the scientist out of her thoughts.

She flinches, startled, but recognizing him, she quickly calms down. “Um, sure? Hi, Krystal.”

“Sorry. Hi. I'm going to be brief.”

Felicia nods. There are many things she would like to say to him, but not many words she feels are right. Krystal Celwitch, her brother in law, is – no, he was – probably just as close to him as she was. They could share the pain, comfort one another with warm memories… In the end, she only manages to say, “I'd like to talk about Elphius, too...”

But Krystal furrows his brows. “This isn't about him,” he says nonchalantly. “I need help. Spiritual help.”

Once again, his words bring her back to reality, but this time more figuratively. She wants to reply coldly, but when she speaks out, her tone doesn't sound like that at all. “Then you want Nico. I'm sure there's something he could do for you.” It sounds indignant. It sounds livid.

If Krystal even notices he has clearly offended her, he doesn't seem to care. “No, I'm certain I want to speak to you about this.”

“I'm not a priestess. I’m a chemist.” Felicia's very well aware that her past is an open secret. Everybody in Wormville knows she used to be an acolyte before she decided to pursue natural sciences instead. It is hard for her to tell, though, whether Krystal's insistence on seeking her out for her former expertise makes her even madder, or whether it… flatters her a little.

As if he could read her thoughts, he presses on. “I've heard you understand the Entity better than anyone currently alive. Including Nico.”

“I don't want to undermine his authority.” That is true. She also doesn't want to help him out of principle. His immediate and unfeeling dismissal of Elphius still rings in her ears. As if he didn't even love him!

However, that nuance continues to evade the Celwitch. “So you'd rather refuse to help a seeker than admit you might be more favored and knowledgeable than your replacement. What? Do you think I would run to Nico and tell on you?”

“Krystal, listen,” she sighs, still pretending this is only about religious authority, “I don't understand why you refuse to see Nico in the first place.”

“It's because he doesn't have my trust, plain and simple.”

She lifts an eyebrow. “And I do? We're family only on paper. We've barely ever spoken.”

She thought they were family, but if he insisted they weren't with his behavior, she will not attempt to change his mind. In fact, she is considering kicking him out of the premises.

But Krystal falls silent for a moment, and then says, “Genevieve recommended you, and I… think she's a good judge of character.”

“I don't know about that… There are so many positive things I could say about Vivi, but a good judge of character? Nah.” In fact, if Felicia had to name the very worst one in reading people out of everyone she knew, it would most probably be Genevieve. But, does it… matter? She has a vote of her confidence anyway. For her wisdom and knowledge, no less!

All that she knows about their shared friend that has led her to her conclusion, flies right over Krystal's head. “Stop putting yourself down. It's pathetic.”

“I'm not putting myself down-”

“Don't care, didn't ask. I'll repeat my question one more time. Will you hear me out, or should I go?”

Felicia feels the muscles in her jaw clench. She reminds herself that despite his callous words, not only has he recently lost Elphius, just like she has, but also he must've watched him burn to death in front of his eyes. That fact is the only thing allowing her to find some clemency for Krystal Celwitch, and the only thing preventing her from cursing him to oblivion. 

She chooses her words carefully. “I know that you're grieving, but I really don't like the way you speak to me-”

“I speak this way to everybody. But that wasn't an answer. Yes, or no?” Krystal demonstratively looks at the watch on his wrist. “Every minute wasted I'm losing money.”

It's time she should just send him off. She wants to – she wants Krystal to get out of her sight. But at the same time, she can't deny that his words sparked strong curiosity deep inside her. He is rude and he handwaves their loss, but what the fuck is his problem that requires “spiritual help” about? What can it even be?

“Very well. I guess talking is for free. So what's your problem?”

“Thank you.” Something in his voice suggests that he is genuinely relieved. “My life has been one big trial.”

“And you're looking for someone you can confide in who will help you, or at least help you cope through your feelings?” 

It's unclear whether she means it sincerely, or whether she's mocking him. Felicia herself doesn't know. She would probably try to help him if he genuinely wanted to open up to her, but on the other hand, she believes that there are so many better people to go to with that than the local chemist. It crosses her head that Wormville could seriously use a therapist. It's not the first time she had that thought in the last few days.

“Drats, no!” He seems to be genuinely appalled by the idea. “I can pass my trials just fine. That's not the problem. I've also been protected by the Entity.”

“In what way?”

“I have met Death twice. On both occasions, I fought, and the Entity allowed me to win. I'm not talking about approaching Death when he's taking someone else. I was the one. I saw my body on the ground. I was dying! But the Entity spared me. Twice.”

The topic should've not been uncomfortable for a former acolyte. Death was one of the main concerns of the Entity's clergy. Preventing it, causing it, organizing funerals, comforting the survivors, even soothing the dead themselves, many were the ways a priest would engage with Death.

But now it is, now it is uncomfortable for Felicia. It's too soon. It feels too close. She was always uneasy around the concept of endings and loses, more than someone with the partial control over Death should be. This only reminded her…

But she knows she has to keep a level head. Krystal Celwitch is not the type of Sim who would understand. “Death is unpredictable, and so is the will of the Entity. Congratulations on your survival,” she says.

“No, it's not unpredictable luck, it's a pattern.” Krystal spreads his arms. “Take a knife and gut me. Hold my head underwater. Set me on fire. Give me the deadliest plague. I won't die. The Entity wants me to live. I am immune to Death.”

But Elphius wasn't.

Felicia shakes her head. “Those are dangerous words.”

“Why? Do you see yourself as the righteous idol who can punish heretics?”

“No, it's just that Sims that believe they're immortal usually die the most preventable deaths.”

“Unless they actually are immortal.”

Her brother, his husband, dies, and he comes to her complaining about his own perceived deathlessness? Felicia doesn't know what's wrong with that man, but she has had enough of him.

“What is your problem, then?” she says sternly, barks even.

He seems taken aback.

“Do you seek death?” she asks.

“No…” Krystal responds, befuddled. “Don't you see? I thought you would,” he frowns. “I think I am more than just blessed, I think the Entity chose me. I am the Chosen.”

Felicia rubs her forehead. “That is a strong claim.”

“I am a strong Sim.”

She looks at him, or more precisely, somewhat through him. “Krystal, that is something that could change our entire community. Or it could also mean nothing. You being tried and simultaneously shielded could be the Entity bestowing a special purpose upon you, or it could be… luck. It could also be something in between. A part of a larger plan that you're not the center of.”

“Do you think I don't realize that? I could feel I wasn't like the others ever since I was a boy!”

“I believe you, but don't call yourself the Chosen. That's a clerical title, it doesn't just mean that the Entity chose you for something.”

“Maybe it should be my title, then.”

“So that's the real reason you didn't want to go to Nico with this.”

“Of course. I won't risk getting flogged, exiled or killed just because of someone's envy and ego.”

“Knowing him, I don't think he would do any of that to you.”

“You grew up with him. You could be just seeing him with rose-tinted glasses,” Krystal furrows his eyebrows. “That's why I came to you. I need help from someone who knows more about the Entity, the church and our spirituality than I, but doesn't have any position to protect.”

“But what's your end goal? What do you even want from me?”

“I need you to use your secret senses. Do a ritual, if necessary. Just confirm that all I know about myself is really true. Give me a finite proof that I am chosen by the Entity.”

“What? Do you think that's how it works? That I can just basically cast a spell of Detect Blessings and tell you? We might as well roll a d20 and write it down in your character sheet.”

“I have no occult education. Is it really that baffling that I don't exactly know how things are done in your field?”

“My field is organic chemistry.”

“Damn it, woman, you know what I meant.”

“In any case, I can help you. It's not going to be that easy, and it's not going to be cheap.”

“After all that time you spent trying to bullshit me into thinking you're not an expert, you suddenly do a one-eighty and demand payment?”

“Why are you surprised? You want me to perform a big service for you.”

“Sure, but in the end, you're not licensed. And I haven't heard of priests taking commissions from believers in our church before.”

“That's correct, priests don't do that.” Felicia adjusts her lab coat. “At this hour, you can find Nico in the Temple.”

“Alright, have it your way. Say your price.”

“Twenty percent. I want you to make food cheaper for everyone by twenty percent.”

“Fuck off,” Krystal laughs. “Do you know how much that even is? It's not like I grow the food and then make it expensive for pleasure, I have to make deals with suppliers, have it shipped here to the middle of nowhere, break even, and all extra that I ask for goes directly to providing for my family. You might've forgotten, I'm now a single father of three.” His voice almost shakes with anger.

“I understand that, but you did use to sell for less and be fine. Nothing else changed, just your prices. Don't tell me you can't put them back.”

“Nothing changed? Was I not speaking Simlish when I reminded you I have three small children?” He scoffs. “I see you meant it, when you said we were family on paper only.”

“I'm sorry. It's just… other people have children, too. And some can't always afford your groceries anymore.”

“Well, then they ought to invest whatever they have into starting up a garden and grow their own food.”

“And at the moment, before the crops grow, they should do what? Starve?”

“They can fish for free. Or, even better, go to the Temple and ask Nico for help. He does that, doesn't he? And if you won't make me the priest, why do you expect me to do his job?”

“Okay, I see your point. You need the money. For your kids.” She lets a lot of her scepticism seep into her voice. He, however, doesn't seem to care. “But can't you do at least a ten percent?”

“Five.”

“Eight.”

“Seven.”

“Deal. You're a fucking devil, Krystal.”

For the first time, the ginger smiles. “That has stopped being an insult for me long ago.”

Elphius was always into assholes.

“I'm going to go to the Temple and do my best to return with answers. Give me at least a day. I won't drop everything I'm doing just for this, definitely not for just seven percent.”

“Fine by me. Do not tell Nico, though.”

She sighs. “I have no reason to do that. It's your news to share, if it turns out there even is anything worth telling, that is.”

“Of course. Now, if you excuse me, I've let profits slip through my fingers for long enough.”

“No, wait.” There's more to say, she can feel it.

“What?”

But the words won't find her. “Nevermind. Nothing.”

He turns around and starts leaving. “See you tomorrow, then.” But at the door, he stops. He grabs the handle, hesitating. When he speaks up, he doesn't even turn back to her. She just sees his hand slide down from the handle. “I also… wanted to give you my condolences. I know what you meant to each other. He kept talking about you. I will… miss that, too.”

With that, Krystal Celwitch abruptly exits the scene, slamming the door behind him. Felicia finally allows herself to cry.

[amidnightqueery]

my mid-year reading review!

i copied this reading survey from my moot @cozycoffeereads; if you like it and would like to do it, i recommend you follow her! 🌟

how many books have you read so far this year?

23, and i'm currently reading another 3.

are you on track to meet your reading goal?

i think so. my original goal was 18, and upon hitting it i thought to bump it up to 30; however, since i've been such a voracious reader lately, i decided to set it to 40.

what's your favorite book you've read so far?

i find it hard to pick favourites, so have the books i've rated 4/5 stars and above:

fiction: purple hibiscus by chimamanda ngozi adichie; the vanishing half by brit bennett; any man by amber tamblyn; the invocations by krystal sutherland; the quiet tenant by clémence michallon; remarkably bright creatures by shelby van pelt; sunrise on the reaping by suzanne collins; the deltora quest series by emily rodda

non-fiction: the radium girls by kate moore; uncultured by daniella mestyanek young; the way out by alan gordon; wild by cheryl strayed

which characters have stuck with you the most?

maysilee and lou lou from sunrise on the reaping; tova and marcellus from remarkably bright creatures; the unnamed protagonist/"maddy" from nothing but my body by tilly lawless

which book made you the most emotional?

fiction: purple hibiscus, remarkably bright creatures, sunrise on the reaping

non-fiction: radium girls, uncultured, a stolen life by jaycee dugard

which book surpassed your expectations?

i found the quiet tenant actually kept me at the edge of my seat, which was unexpected. i feel it's a subject matter that has been done to death in the most insensitive and careless of ways, so i was half expecting this book to be the same. however, the depiction of the antagonist of the story was so well crafted and true to life that it gave me goosebumps, so i apologise to michallon for ever thinking she could be put amongst the likes of coho.

which book fell short of your expectations?

the tattooist of auschwitz by heather morris, mainly because i was only educated about its historical inaccuracies and all the other fictional romance books from the holocaust it spawned once i was halfway through. i guess i only heard about it on the peripheral, so i honestly didn't know going into it that it was not just a love story, but supposedly a "feel good" story during the holocaust.

longest book you've read so far?

the radium girls and the never-tilting world by rin chupeco are even at 481 pages.

shortest?

demon seed by dean koontz at 211 pages, unless you count the gimme that is middle-grade fiction, in which case it's the lake of tears by emily rodda at 129 pages.

any books you dnf'd?

dragon pearl by yoon ha lee. i wouldn't blame the story as much as the fact that it suffers from being a middle grade with the aspirations of a young adult (clocking in at 320 pages).

new author (to you) you liked the most and plan to read more books from?

chimamanda ngozi adichie.

which books would you like to be made into show or movie?

the vanishing half (sensitive topic, due to the fact that it was in pre-production but has since experienced too many tragedies to be followed though). i also like the idea of my current reads being given on-screen adaptations: those books being the familiar by leigh bardugo and hungerstone by kat dunn.