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Book Blog: Devil in Ohio by Daria Polatin

So I actually finished this a couple days ago, I just had a lot of work and personal life shit going on. I will say my expectations on it were low, after reading it though it did get higher, though not without it faults

PLOT: Jules is the middle child of her family, she’s quirky and into vintage clothes, likes photography and old fashion films. She has a friend Issac and while she’s not population she not a loner either; things are just fine in her quaint life. That is until her mom (Who’s a hospital psychiatrist) bring home a young girl one night. Mae Dodd was found on the side of the road and is covered in unusual scars, some signifying the pentagram and satanic cult symbols. Mae comes from the town of Tisdale, Ohio. There’ they worship the Devil as though he were a God. Jules’ mom does not like the idea of sending Mae back to such a horrific place so she let’s Mae stay at her home temporarily.

At first Jules is unsure of the idea. I mean who wants to be known for adopting a Satan worshipper into the family. In times it does appear that Mae is warmer up to Jules and her family...maybe a little too much. At first it was little things like Mae borrowing Jules’ clothes to Jules’ mom just getting Mae new ones and leaving her family behind, then it’s copying Jules habits, then to flirting with the boy Jules likes...Almost as if she’s trying to distance Jules from any sense of normalcy. Could this be the work of something sinister?

PROS: I love how the writer handles the middle child issues in this book. I’m not a middle child myself but I’ve read stories and articles and even some shows describe that the middle child is usually left to their own devices. They feel left out on certain things and activities, and their wants and desires are put aside for the younger sibling or the older sibling. Jules fits into that category, Her younger sister is trying to get into a musical and the older one is just about to start college, so where does that leave Jules? All she wants to do is spend time with her mom in Chicago but that trip canceled and you can feel her anger reaching a breaking point. That and the boy she likes turns out to like someone else (guess who?) so now she feels completely isolate from anyone she thought she could trust.

 Even though Jules is the main character Mae is the big mystery. Why did her town abandon her? Why is she covered in scars, why do white roses trigger her? and why is she copying Jules? Even in the end of the book there’s still an ominous vibe from Mae that like “Not everything was answered, and that’s a good thing.”

When they do mention Tisdale; the Satan lovers town it does feel very creepy. Maybe not Silent Hill creepy. But definitely unwelcoming if you’re an outsider.

CONS: While I do love the middle child problems that are sprinkled throughout the story, I wish the writer gave the siblings a bit more personalities. Just having one quirk isn’t enough; sure the younger child is into musicals and is a drama queen, but how she loves studying history and wants to help Jules discover what Tisdale is all about? Or how about the older child defends Jules when their mom is more supportive of Mae than her own kids? It just feels like the other sibling are there; say a few lines’ then leave stage left.

And for the title to the word Devil, there’s very little supernatural things going on. Yes cult are creepy and having an entire town worship evil like it’s totally natural in forboding. But I wanted to see spooky specters around Mae, or her being possessed by an evil spirit. Just something.

I liked it enough. Had some good creepy moments, subtle meanings on family dynamics, scary cults, It would be the perfect read for halloween. I rate it a7.5/10.

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Tony Ward ‘Where is Aphrodite?’ Fall 2022 Ready-to-Wear Collection

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Book Blog: Hostile Territory by Paul Greci

Normally a book like this would not take me a month to finish. And yet my only excuse is work and the mandates being lifted and trying to remind myself that I won’t get punished for forgetting my face diaper from here on out. I will also say that I picked some very odd timing to read this seeing that we are at another cold war with Russia...and later in the book they bring in the Russians...

PLOT: Josh was just writing in his journal for part of an exercise at this training camp in Alaska. Thinking about his family, races in school, and this girl Brooke who’s also at the camp. In a split second his world is torn apart, literally. He just experienced an earthquake while in the mountains and sees the lake where the camp is is now one big crater. He makes his way back to check for any survivors; along the way he finds Brooke, Derrick, and Shannon. These four rookie campers now need to find a way back home after this natural catastrophe. It was natural, right?

PROS: Even though this took me a while to read I will say it was really well paced. The characters are trying to get from point A to point B and of course there are going to be obstacles along the way. Things like losing supplies or avoiding moose and wolves. At one point Josh lost his shoe while trudging a swamp so he had to create a make shift boot out of blue foam from a sleeping bag and tie it all together with a show lace. We have to keep in mind that these are just teenagers and they are braving the elements as much has possible seeing that they are in Alaska’ a state with some of the most harshest forests imaginable.

I also like the character growth between Josh and Brooke. Josh started off having a vague idea of Brooke being a shy, aloof girl who just needs a companion. But when shit started hitting the fan in the start of the story Brooke instantly shattered his illusion by saying how she doesn’t want to help the others and complains at the start of their journey through the forest. It’s only after a couple of scenarios and injuries she starts to open up to him and the rest of gang about who she is as a person. Even near the end Brooke is all “Need I remind you guys that we are just teenagers, I’m ready to jump off this bandwagon if the opportune rises. I’m only staying cause it’s the right thing to do”. Meanwhile Josh; while the illusion of Brooke is broken, he starts to get to know the real Brooke and is attracted to her all the same. I kind of like that it shows how actual relationships start. 

I do like how Paul describes the Alaskan wilderness. Sometimes it’s absolutely beautiful with the forests, the wild animals and the mountains. At the same time though these same exact things are equally dangerous. Like I said our group here got attacked by moose, and later on a bear!

CONS: I honestly think the story could’ve been stronger if there weren’t so many chapter. This book is only 340 pages and there’s over 100 chapters. And the reason why is because each chapter is 2-4 pages long, it’s a little distracting because these characters as well as the readers are not given enough time to absorb what just happened. Like first Josh feels the earthquake, now he needs to climb downhill. Now he needs to find survivors. He finds one stuck under the rumble, He wants to save him but Brooke shows up and pretty much says “let him die.” That all could’ve been one chapter but instead it’s the first 6 chapters. It would’ve been better if the book was divided into sections rather than minute chapters.

Also while I do like the character growth; I think the characters are a little bland. Derrick is the funny guy, Shannon is the brains, Josh is the leader, and Brooke is the slightly annoying girl. For characters that have had their first experience in an earthquake they sure took it all in rather well. I get that trauma is different for everyone, but these kids talk about it like it was almost a minor inconvenience. 

Oh and the story took an interesting left turn when the group discovers a cabin that is inhabiting an American spy that goes by Sam. He explains that the “earthquake” was not natural it was the Russians. These same Russians are holding Alaska hostage because this state has all the nuclear missiles, Russians have hacked the codes and is threatening WWIII if America doesn’t pull back their armies from other countries. Same tells these kids; KIDS, that they must bomb a bridge near a fort to stop the Russians from any further action....excuse me?

These kids just took it all in and were like “ok, for our families and country!” Like how are they able to absorb all this and just be ok with it?

This book was definitely out of my comfort zone; and yet despite these two problems I actually enjoyed reading it. I would totally recommend this to those who want a change of pace but still the trill of an adventure. I will rate this an 8/10.

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Happy Birthday to my favorite genocidal protagonist Eren Jaeger. I know it’s not that good of a drawing, I haven’t drawn anything in a while. But I wanted to contribute to something today because this show changed my idea of how great storytelling, characters, and animation can truly be

Sasageyo my friends

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Merry Christmas! ❤️🖤

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happy ending

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Favourite Designs: Sandy Nour ‘Juste un Coquelicot’ Ready-to-Wear Collection

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Paolo Sebastian ‘The Wild Swans’ Spring 2022 Haute Couture Collection

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The Swing Feast, 1885 by John Reinhard Weguelin (English, 1849–1927)

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Helping hands

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Book Blog: The Dark Vault by Victoria Schwab

So this is a novella this supposed to take place in the same universe as This Savage Song (kinda?) I have to say while I did enjoy parts of it, I was mostly confused throughout it all.Also this book was divided into two sections; but I’m going to discuss them as the whole book.

PLOT: After Mackenzie lost her little brother to a hit and run her family decided to move to a hotel/ apartment complex named The Coronado. She’s still trying to grasp the situation and new surroundings she’s in, but she figures that to make her summer more interesting it’s time to do some ghost hunting. You see, she has inherited her grandfather Antony’s position to being a keeper. Keepers work for this mysterious form of the afterlife called The Archive, where after a person dies their spirit is kept there like a file, along with their memories. If a spirit is awakened and fall astray it’s Mackenzie/s job to literally send them back into the light.

Along the way she meets a young man named Wesley whom is also a Keeper and a keeper of secrets, he has an air of mystery to him everywhere he goes. There’s also another mystery man Owen. Owen is a history but does not remember how he died or what is past was like. Mackenzie feeling either pity or sympathy makes the decision that before she sends Owen away she wants to piece together his past, which ultimately becomes her downfall.

In part two it has been almost a month since the events in part one. Mackenzie is going to face one of the biggest battles in her life...primary school. The first day starts off normal enough, she makes new friends, sees some old ones; finds out there’s Histories haunting the school too. But as the days go on weird things start happening. People are disappearing from the face of the earth; a retired judge, a schoolmate, a random runner. They have nothing in common except for one thing...Mackenzie was the last one to see them. She needs to solve this mystery before she become suspect number one to the police. That and she needs to stop these nightmares from haunting her in reality before something dangerous happens.

PROS: The Idea of the Archive as a place to go is unique. A giant library full of souls that kept away like documents. The only difference is that they aren’t shelved like books but more like morgues with bodies. So that gives it a morbid twist. There’s also a hierarchy when it comes to the Archive. There’s Keepers like Mackenzie and Wes, Then there’s Crew, directors, and so on. Each person has a place and a purpose. And yet with all its splendor there’s a darker side to how and why they maintain order in such a facility.

Mackenzie herself is a developed character. She’s dealing with the dead constantly so the last thing she is a fun bouncy girl who’s quirky and cool. She’s manipulative (in a good way), intelligent, quick-witted, and keeps a level head. That is until Section two, section two shakes things up for her because she now dealing with trauma not just about her brother, but almost losing a friend, almost losing her purpose even. She’s starting to question everything and is losing focus on what is imagination and what is reality, which is terrifying when you think about it,

The book does a good job talking about certain taboo subjects like loss, depression, abuse, and suicide. It doesn’t sugar coat, but instead subtly slips it in by showing how the characters are feeling at the moment. A great example is when Mackenzie has to talk to a doctor and instead of saying obvious things like “I want to die, I want it all to end!” it’s more like “ I feel like I’m in a nightmare and I just want to wake up” or “my armor is cracking because I’m dealing with so much, it’s cracking and I’m not sure I want it to.” clever things like that make the characters feel more real.

CONS: Victoria Schwab is an excellent, no doubt about that. The only two complaints I have is whenever Mackenzie talked about her grandfather (Da). Maybe t’s just me but when I think of Da I’m thinking it’s her way of saying Dad or father, not her grandfather, So whenever she said Da in front of her dad I was lost like “wait, is the dad dead? is he  special history? Did she make a deal with the archive to keep him around? can her mom see him too?” I was so confused halfway though the book.  

The second; I wish I got to see more of the archive. For a place that’s so grand and full of mystery we don't get to see enough of it. Whenever Mackenzie goes there it’s almost always the Foyer, a few hallways, one antechamber, and an interrogation room. I wanted to see more is all.

I liked it well enough; definitely full of mystery and dark twists at every turn. I would recommend this and rate it a 7/10.

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Book Blog: Alice in ZombieLand by Gena Showalter

So I read a good chunk of this back in December, I wasn’t getting into it so I had to stop for a while. In a better headspace now so I thought I would try again. Still didn’t quite like it.

PLOT: Alice Bell never had a normal childhood. Her dad beyond paranoid of zombie attacking his family and her mom just going along with his antics. Alice just wanted one normal night; to watch her little sister perform in the school play which goes against Dad’s number one rule (NEVER go outside after dark). With reluctance he caves in to go to the play and when driving home that’s when shit hits the fan. In less than a second her family gets into a car crash due to Alice’s dad having a paranoia attack that zombie’s were on the road. Now Alice being the sole survivor of the accident she must now live with her grandparents and start at new school. Along the way she makes a new friend (kate) and develops a crush on the school badboy Cole. Sure enough she finds out that maybe here dad was onto something because one night she sees zombies outside her bedroom window! Is Alice going crazy too?

PROS: I will give this book credit that when action was needed the author went full force. Characters beating up zombies; zombies biting and mauling our heroes. each fight does involve life and death. The stakes are high because Alice’s understands that it’s not just her life on the line, but also her family and friends. 

Speaking of Alice she’s always going to miss her family; it’s constantly in the back of her mind. But when she’s allowed to be a teenage girl she knows how to joke, laugh, be a smartass, fall in love. She’s a nice kid. Her friend Kate reminded me of Lattie from Princess and the Frog. Someone who would make a fun main character but she’s just as good as a side character. Kate’s bubbly, chaotic, fashionable, just overall a blast! I like that this story is character driven.

CONS: When someone does a loose adaption of Alice in Wonderland there better be a Wonderland! Instead we get middle America suburbs, school drama, parties and science labs. Not exactly a unique wonderland, I was hoping for something similar to Halloween Town or Coraline; Dark and gritty with oddly bright colors in certain places....not this.

Also the main idea of zombies that they are a solid form that want to eat flesh and brains. Why? different adaptations gives us reasons. The Walking Dead, Z nation, resident evil; all very good. This however, was incredibly weak because it forgot the basics. In Gena’s version they are not the living dead but rather solid  like “spirits” that feed on souls, human flesh is just an appetizer. It gets very confusing because now we the reader have to understand all these loopholes about this variant of zombies.

Final note is that this book was written at a time when YA books were going through a funky phase.. A time where Ya novels were called New Adult novels for a while and just couldn’t figure out what age range they were going for. The wrting here feels like that. Whenever Alice has a moment to herself or when speaking with others I’m catching these dated phrases like “Like totally, creeper, sure...not! tots, God kill me now!” just boarderline cringy.

Character driven books are interesting, each being a unique diamond; and yet this story does not make the cut. The writing and lack of Wonder didn’t help it. Maybe it will get better in books two and three but as of now it’s going to be a 5/10 

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Art by missaturn_

Posted with Permission (reprint/edit and/or commercial use prohibited)

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My pieces I did for Mer!Sheith zine “Uncharted Waters” <3 Soulmate AU ——— ✦ commissions ✦                 Twitter: @iwonn_arts               Redbubble: Iwonn    

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Book Blog: Our Dark Duet by Victoria Scwab

Finally finished the last 100 pages last night. It was just as good if not better than its predecessor. Lives were on the line, the stakes were higher, action was intense. All that good stuff.

PLOT:  It’s been a few months since Kate left Verity behind her, she left her past self behind her. She’s trying to live the low life in Prosperity now, maintaining a low proflile life, job, and everything in-between. and yet, she just can't these monsters run around the town. However, there was one monster she wasn’t counting on; a chaos eater, it goes through people like a shadow and turns human against human. they fight each other to the death giving that monster the energy it needs to sustain a form. Unfortunately for Kate she was its target and now she fighting an internal battle from trying to maintain her humanity, to just just letting it all go. She needs to go back to Verity because that Chaos Eater is about to find a buffet of violence.

Meanwhile August had become a leader of the FTF. When refugee’s come to his home August is their Judge, Jury, and executioner. Anyone who has a tainted soul must be eliminated. He too is going through his own kind of turmoil. Not about being a human or monster (been there done that) but about what it means to be innocent and guilty. And it’s all thanks to Kate and her previous actions.

Oh, and let’s not forget that Sloan is still out there with a vengeance for Kate. He wants her beating heart while taking over all of Verity.

PROS: I like that the there is more on the line, anything and everything is at stake. Kate has to fight for her humanity or lose herself to her violent anger. Sloan is fighting for his power to control the city. August is fighting for what he thinks is right even though the ideas of good and bad are blurred. Henry (August’s dad) is fighting to maintain some form of peace and a personal fight to find a cure for his disease. Everybody is fighting for a goal that they truly believe in.

Sloan is like a powerhouse Gotham villain! He’s very manipulative and yet he still has a way of remaining in the shadows nd three steps ahead of everyone else. Kate’s death is ultimate goal and he personally wants to be the one to take her down. Having simple villains, not simple-minded, but simple is a rarity in itself like “yo, this city and her head is all mine”. Also the idea of a new monster that not even Slaon knew about is an interesting idea. The “chaos eater” feeds off of people’s primal instincts. To fight, maim, and kill until only one is left standing. That the more this chaos eater feeds of this negative energy it takes on a more solid form. It’s a cool concept.

Another thing to note is the relationship between Kate and August. When Kate left the city August had to be the one to bear the brunt of the damage. He had to adapt over and over again in this new environment until he was no longer the quiet shy kid with a love for music and humans. But a man who’s seen some shit. What’s nice is that they do find a way to kindle their relationship back together; hell they don’t even need to say “I love you” when they kiss, they just know. And when something truly horrible happens to Kate, August is at his most human, he doesn’t want to lose her but knows that humans, not matter how tough they act, are always vulnerable.

CONS: My only minor complaint this there’s alot of back and forth going on. I don’t mean the narration perspective; that’s fine, but I mean locations. It’s always “Kate’s locked in a cell, now she’s in August’s room. August needs to go out. Kate is in the Cafeteria. Now they must go to Harker’s towers. Its a trap go Back! No, we must return to save Henry, etc” I lost track near the end of where Kate was having her final moments and how much time had passed. At least in the first book it was more space out on where they were going.

But besides that I think this sequel surpassed its predecessor in so many things. I can now understand why so many people rave about it on instagram and booktok. I personally rate it a 9/10

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the consumerist mentality

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Dreamweaver