#rot recs

[rotworld]

Hi Rot! Do you have authors/books that you enjoy, recommend, and/or take inspiration from?

these are some of my biggest influences. aside from the writers mentioned in that post, china miéville and karen russell are also favorites and huge inspirations. my favorite book of all time is embassytown by china miéville. i can never remember which books ive recommended in previous book posts (i didn’t start tagging them in a useful way until kind of late) but in case i haven’t mentioned these before, here’s another couple i really like:

->children of lovecraft (anthology, edited by ellen datlow): cosmic horror done by much more talented authors. i love this collection because a lot of these pieces manage to balance their vast, unknowable horrors with personal human tragedy, which is something i think goes totally overlooked in a lot of cosmic horror. you could argue that’s the point of the genre but i find these more compelling and i don’t feel that they sacrifice the “cosmic” element at all. my absolute favorites in the collection are “little ease” by gemma files, “eternal troutland” by stephen graham jones, and “on these blackened shores of time” by brian hodge, but there’s tons of hits here.

->universal harvester by john darnielle: an intensely midwestern-american horror-adjacent story. i think this is one where it's better to go in without knowing too much, but the basic setup is that a guy working at a video rental store starts noticing something unsettling is going on with some of the store's tapes. i don't know if this one is as effective or easy to connect with if you've never experienced this kind of "small town desolation," but it'll show you exactly what that's like.

[anna-scribbles]

chapter 12 of @buggachat’s open my eyes has (to no one’s surprise) been wrecking me👍 read it!!

[phaedraismyusername]

Happy International Lesbian Day! Here's some super brief book recs to celebrate

Books dealing with love, loss, longing and abandonment

This is How You Lose The Time War is a short but beautifully written epistolary novel between two agents on opposite sides of a time war as they slowly fall in love.

Our Wives Under the Sea is one of the most beautifully written debuts I've ever read about a woman whose wife comes home wrong after they thought she'd died at sea and how it feels to grieve the loss of someone who's still in your home.

Lucky Red is a western novel about a young girl working in a brothel who meets her first female gunslinger and falls head over heels for her, and the consequences that come with loving dangerous people.

Body horror galore

Camp Damascus is about a young woman living in a super conservative christian town built around the worlds most successful conversion camp and the horrors that are uncovered there when praying the gay away fails.

To Be Devoured is about a woman whose fascination with the local vultures turns into obsession and the urge to know what carrion tastes like overtakes her life and leads her down stranger and stranger paths.

Chlorine is about a girl whose entire life revolves around being a competitive swimmer, and how abuse, neglect, and obsession with being the best takes its toll on the young women caught up in these destructive cycles.

Flawed character studies

Big Swiss is about a woman who has a kitchen floor reset in her 40s, moves away and starts a new life as a transcriber for a sex therapist and becomes obsessed with one of his clients before inserting herself into this poor woman's life.

The Seep is a speculative sci-fi set in a future where there's been a quiet alien invasion that has given people the ability to make almost any changes to their own bodies and what that world feels like to someone who doesn't want to partake.

Milk Fed is about a woman in therapy who feels cut off from almost everything until she meets another woman who triggers in her a melding of sex, hunger, and religion and where that takes her. Huge trigger warnings for ED content. It gets tough, y'all.

Fantastical wlw books

Bitterthorn is an amalgamation of fairytales retold as a slow burn sapphic love story between a sad young girl from a cursed land and the evil witch who takes her as a companion in the latest of the generational sacrifices made to appease her.

All the Bad Apples may be set in contemporary Ireland but it is a fairytale following a young girl as she travels across the country looking for a sister she refuses to believe is dead and the people she meets along the way.

Gideon the Ninth needs no introduction on this site but for the sake of formatting - lesbian necromancers in space who find themselves in an isolated murder mystery plot. It's not a romance but it is a love story and this series will change your life if you let it.

Translated novels

Boulder is a short character study following a free spirited woman when she accidentally settles down with the woman she loves and how love and resentment can take up the same space in your chest when life doesn't turn out the way you hoped it would.

Notes of a Crocodile is a cult classic coming of age story about queer teens in Taipei in the 1980s. It was written in the 90s so please keep that in mind if you choose to read it.

Paradise Rot is about an international student studying in Australia and her growing obsession with her housemate as they share a space that allows no privacy. I've never read anything that feels stickier.

[reineydraws]

Gorgug gets up and rolls his sore shoulders a few times, before heading to the back of the van where Cathilda left the drinks and some snacks. After a cup of water, he stumbles back into his room, and squints at the mass of fancy-looking elven sheets piled into the middle of it.

When did that get there?

The mass of blankets rustles, and Gorgug reflexively crouches into a defensive stance, but then the blankets cough and ask, “Cathilda?” and oh. It’s Fabian.

A quick glance at the room’s blanket-walls reveals that Gorgug has indeed ended up in Fabian’s space instead of his own by accident, and he frowns as he relaxes his stance. Yeah, he really needs to sleep.

posted a thistlecaster fic and this is a scene from that fic :) if u like thistlecaster then i hope u check it out!

[sweetestberryofthebunch]

It happened. I opened Swanqueen on ao3

[wangxianficrecs]

The Kid In My Garden by kathie_raddare

The Kid In My Garden

by kathie_raddare

G, 7k, Wangxian

Summary: One day, Wei WuXian's husband went to work, and a child returned in his place. Kay's comments: A very cute story of Lan Wangji getting de-aged and stuck in the body of his five-year-old-self for a day. Luckily, he has Wei Wuxian there to care for him. This story is so incredibly sweet and Wei Wuxian takes such good of Lan Wangji. Pure sugar. Excerpt: Wei Ying, on the other hand, was quite used to enduring and teasing his way out of Lan Zhan’s stubborn moods. He remained silent and let the little boy sulk his way into answering. Sooner than later, a childlike, but solemn voice, sounded: “Apologies.” And, Heavens, it was so very cute!! Wei Ying had to fight for his life to not throw himself at Lan Zhan, embracing him in a tight hug!! He waited for the little boy to mull his words over and saw when he eyed Wei Ying’s robes and realized that Wei Ying was an elder. Probably, an important one that he, at his tender age, had yet to know. Still kneeling properly, his little back very straight, Lan Zhan puffed his chest out and, with an air of dignity, answered: “I am Lan WangJi, second son of QingHeng-Jun. I am five years old.” He showed his palm, only four fingers in the air.

pov wei wuxian, post-canon, established relationship, married lan wangji/wei wuxian, kid fic, de-aged lan wangji, age regression/de-aging, caring wei wuxian, child lan wangji, protective wei wuxian, emotional hurt/comfort, tooth-rotting fluff, family feels

~*~

(Please REBLOG as a signal boost for this hard-working author if you like – or think others might like – this story.)

[captainkirkk]

✩ WEEKLY FIC ROUND-UP ✩

All the fics I’ve read and really enjoyed in the past week-ish. Reminder: This list features any and all ratings and themes. Please look at tags and warnings on ao3 before reading.

The Nine Worlds series (Hands of the Emperor)

nothing less than the world by ariex09

At least there wasn’t an audience for the look Ludvic turned on Kip and the too neutral way he said, “Tor?”

Kip could feel himself flushing - in Astandalas this was the kind of thing that had lost him jobs before - but he had the excuse of, first of all, amnesia, and second of all, “He didn’t give me any other name!” Kip hissed. “He deflected me off the topic twice!”

-

AU where the landslide at the Liauu happens several years earlier, and the younger Kip has a rather different experience of the future.

diving for a flame pearl by ariex09

It took me an appalling three hours and thirteen minutes to even realize that Kip was gone.

Ah, but that was too charitable. Once we had a timeline together, we discovered that Franzel had seen Kip last, turning in for bed at twelve minutes before midnight, and it was not until Shoänie went to wake him at dawn that anyone knew he was anything but asleep in bed. This meant that by the time the knock on my study door came, shortly past the third hour of the morning, Kip could already have been missing for more than nine hours.

-

In which Cliopher goes missing midway through The Hands of the Emperor. Fortunately, he has friends and family willing to do whatever it takes to bring him home.

A nap at the feet of the sun by SunInGlory

Prompt: Cliopher somehow falls asleep on HR’s robe, and rather than wake him, HR has one of the guards cut that part of the robe off of him. Just looking for something soft and sweet here, but of course go in whichever direction you’d like. Bonus points if Petty Treasons era.

---

Cliopher decides to take a nap. Okay, perhaps decides is too strong of a word.

Stranger Things

Robin's Guide to the Care and Feeding of Your Newly Adopted Former Mean Girl by formosus_iniquis

She extends a hand, ignoring the laugh it gets her, “Welcome to Hawkins, I’m Robin, occasional Dustin babysitter.”

The girl’s smile pulls lopsided at her mouth, kissed with a bit of irony and undeniably charmed. “It’s nice to meet you Robin,” her voice is soft, and a little unsure. Wavering like Becky Simpson’s tone deaf oboe playing, unsure of what pitch and timbre to land on. “I’m Stephanie Henderson, Dustin’s cousin.”

The bit crumbles immediately between Robin’s fingers.

“Stephanie? You went with Stephanie? Are you kidding? We workshopped so many names!”

Marvel

Three Kinds of Learning by luchia

Erik intends to recruit Raven's supposedly amazing, all-powerful older brother. Instead, he finds himself dealing with Charles Xavier, a weak, tweed-addled professor who seems to think powers don't matter nearly as much as personality. Erik's misconceptions are blown apart when Raven goes missing.

SVSSS

In Durance Veil by Mikkeneko (+ podfic)

Right, the villain's beautiful daughter, who had caught a glimpse of the Protagonist from afar and, naturally, fell madly in love at first sight. She'd used her knowledge of her father's lair to sneak into the dungeon where Luo Binghe was being held and eventually proved the key to his escape, betraying her father for love. "So, you want to try to find some random girl who's willing to sneak in past the guards to Luo Binghe's prison and..."

"What random girl could we possibly trust? I'll do it myself!"

"You know what," Shang Qinghua said. "Somehow I feel like I should have expected this."

---

Shen Qingqiu self-detonated at Hua Yue City, but he didn't die. Instead, he wakes up to a world where Cang Qiong is victorious and Luo Binghe has been imprisoned beneath the mountain. What's a poor transmigrator to do? He has to find a way to free the Protagonist before he breaks out and razes the Sect to the ground! Clearly, the best way to do this is to pretend to be one of Luo Binghe's future wives.

Clearly.

Harry Potter

A Place That Fits by BitchesLoveAngstImBitches

Harry had been prepared to save Sirius’ life, no matter what the cost. Harry put himself in danger, and Sirius had come running, and it was the last thing he ever did.

And then it turned out Harry’s life wasn’t even worth saving: Neither can live while the other survives.

At the rate of Voldemort’s rising power, Harry would be lucky to survive the year.

Sirius had died trying to help Harry. He’d died for nothing.

-

Harry is struggling in the aftermath of the Ministry battle to come to terms with Sirius' death. His isolation and mistreatment at Privet Drive only make things worse. Remus Lupin checks on him in Surrey, but with both of them grieving, his assumptions about Harry might only hurt him more.

[rumarleni]

i need it to be injected into me 😫

[plush4bunny]

"A hand on your waist when he passes, a hand on your shoulder as he leans to see better the information on your computer, his body teasing your own as he comes close to your back to help you take down a heavy binder."

- scenes from @chrism02’s Det. Ricardo Morales x reader fanfic called “Under the gun”

link below to nsfw scenes inspired by the said fanfic (no minors, i’m begging you 🔞🔞🔞)

blogspot/ twitter/ bluesky

[thenegoteator]

Tfw your creative project turns out to be an elaborate pre-emptive commemoration of an inevitable grief so profound that it has already changed you as a person 😔

(I read @loosingmoreletters's garden fic and I'll never ever be the same)

[lupeloto]

gifts - ao3

i wrote a fic! basically i was thinking about the difference between how mickey would react to be given a gift when they were teenagers and how he would react now when ian gets him random little gifts just because he loves him. i wanted to show mickey's beautiful growth as individual who now believes that he is deserving of love and ready to accept it:)

you can read it here on ao3 !!!

[the-camp-half-blood-library]

My grandma just died and I’m in search of a fluffy Solangelo fic to cheer me up but I swear I’ve read like, everything :(

Any recommendations?

Hi! First off, we’re so sorry for your loss. Take care of yourself! Second, we’ve found seven super fluffy solangelo fics to cheer you up during this difficult time. Sending hugs!

Shitty Blinds are a Blessing by @gali-la

Nico watches, for a while. Sleep still scratches at the surface of his brain, and his blinks are long, and slow, and he kind of feels like he’s drowning. Maybe in the same honey that paints Will’s skin even more golden than it usually is. It’d be a pretty fucking spectacular way to go, he thinks, if he weren’t so aware of how he isn’t dying. He’s good at knowing stuff like that.

Still, if he’s not actually dying, he has more than enough time to be enraptured, he thinks. There’s not really an option to do different; he’s captivated by the image of Will Solace, fast asleep and peaceful right next to him.

~~

It's not often Nico wakes up before Will, but when he does, it's really fuckin gay he's extra in love with his boyfriend

Unbandaged Wounds by breakfastless_behavior

Nico's always hated physical touch. Always. And why would that change now, even if he feels a strong connection to a certain head-medic. But one mishap suddenly has him rethinking himself, and he's never been good at asking for what he needs. Thankfully, Will is as patient as ever.

The Thing About Family Reunions by I_get_around

“Now, my loyal viewers may be asking, ‘Nico, why are you back in the closet?’” he said, raising a brow at the camera. “Don’t worry, I’m still very gay. I’m only here to pick out an outfit for a reunion I’m going to.” He smirked, leaning back slightly on one hand while the other waved dismissively, like this whole event was just a minor inconvenience in his day. “And by reunion, I mean a ‘we all pretend to be civil while silently judging each other’s outfits’ kind of vibe. So naturally, I have to bring my A-game.” Nico said as he got up.

Lovesick by silent_princess14

Will was worried about Nico. He hadn't seen him since yesterday lunch, and it was now around 2:30pm. In other words, either Nico had relapsed, he was ignoring Will, he was off on a mission for his father, or he was hurt in some way. All equally bad options, in Will’s opinion.

aka

Will takes care of Nico while he has a fever and is totally out of it: fluffiness ensues.

Dreamcatcher by FoxFire16

Nico has struggled with nightmares for a long, long time. It's not until after the war that he learns that maybe, just maybe, there's someone there to help him. And maybe it's okay that Nico is so drawn to him.

Aka: A fluffy 5+1 for Nico's birthday that I finished a week ago and have been DYING to post (I had to do it on his birthday, for once). Cuddly Nico, cuddly Will, nightmares, mild hurt and major comfort, and... well. You know the drill.

Rumor has it by riddikuliz

Nico di Angelo is a famous twitch streamer, and his viewers are deeply interested in his roommate. Will Solace doesn't like to be in the spotlight, he knows all too well how terrible of a life it can be. Him and Nico can both agree, however, that they would like to keep their personal lives private. But, Nico's viewers might be just a little too nosey and just a little too good at reading emotions.

I think we could do it if we tried by Squ3k

"I told you, no more Underworldly stuff, doctor's orders. You owe me at least three days of rest in the infirmary. Starting now." 

Or alternatively: Nico makes good on his promise and spends three days at the infirmary. Shenanagins and cuteness ensue.

We hope you can find a little bit of comfort in these fics. Leave kudos, leave a comment, and happy reading!

-Mod 2

[rose-arwen-padme]

Just came back from my ROTS screening and I NEEEEED AU RECS

Hi tumblr fam. I need your help. I’ve haven’t been an AU-seeker of Anidala fan fics in 20 years.

But I guess my machoism finally reached its peak today. During my theatrical showing of Revenge of the Sith, I SCREAMED (in my head) at Padmé to Please please please don’t get off the ship on Mustafar. I come to you now a blubbering mess, needing your best recommendations of ROTS AUs.

I don’t even know where to start my quest. The archives on AO3 and FFN are massive. Help me, Anidala community. You’re my only hope.

The only plots I’m not interested in are time travel fics, especially ones where Luke and Leia are sent back in time.

I need Padmé to live and eventually be reunited with Anakin/her kids. Beyond that— Anakin still falling to the dark side/Anakin never falling to the dark side, Padme going into hiding/Padme openly leading the rebellion, Vader in a suit/Vader NOT in a suit, Padme faking her death, anything—all up for grabs.

Just plz recommend me a great AU Anidala story, with as faithful character depiction as possible (meaning Dark Padmé/Lady Vader is probably out, but if you REALLY think I should check it out, I will), and an eventual happy ending. 

Cause rn, I’m kinda like this:

[bellasbookclub]

Reccer Spotlight: Deckleedgehater!

Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian)

Idlewild

Greta & Valdin

Little Rot

Happy Pride!! Deckleedgehater's recs portray all kinds of queer experiences, from the heartwarming to the introspective to the "fucking yikes." Full text available in their tab of the Bella’s Book Club Summer Reading ‘25 Reclist.

more info on BBC Summer Reading 2025

more Reccer Spotlights

[woof-verine]

any woofverine songrecs

ohhhh man!

I’m interpreting this as deadpool/wolverine related recs so:

• It Will Come Back by Hozier — this is THE wolverine song. I was enlightened by @moths-obsessions and now I can’t stop playing it

• Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want by The Smiths — this is both a deadpool AND wolverine song to me, basically just about asking for something good to happen to you for once

• Kiss With a Fist by Florence and the Machine — do I even have to explain this one? it’s all in the title

• Vampire Empire by Big Thief — BIG helping of angst, filed under ‘songs about two fucked up people trying to make it work’

• Man to Man by Dorian Electra — it’s a song about fighting and kissing men, what more do you need? I know wade has this on a playlist somewhere

I have more but that would take forever so hopefully this answers your ask 😭

[c005]

Does anyone have any early 2010s music recs!? 🍂