rangerzath

[rangerzath]

Oh no, you're on a red eye flight from New York City to Seattle to see the Old Gods of Asgard perform at Deerfest, and there's only so many seats open on the plane! Where do you sit? Choose wisely… or experience the flight from hell!

If you're a fan of horror media and Remedy Games, follow us on our socials to stay up to date on the zine’s progress!

🩸 https://fbczine.carrd.co 🩸 https://bsky.app/profile/fbczine.bsky.social 🩸 www.instagram.com/fbczine/

[rangerzath]

The breathtaking cover of Touch Within the Abyss immediately captured my interest and prompted me to purchase a copy. I almost found it impossible to believe this manga is the debut work of Moyori Mori. As I continued reading, I found myself swept up in a sweet and gentle story between two men who feel trapped by the world around them.

Official Summary: "If you knew the real me... you'd be disappointed." Hitman Chinatsu once failed to pull the trigger on his target and it cost him his brother's life. That day, the sole witness who took Chinatsu's trembling hand had clear eyes that stared right through him... straight into the abyss within. Five years later, a purse-snatching reunites Chinatsu with his savior: Kasumi, a young blind man searching for a way out of his own lonely world. Chinatsu knows better than to get involved with a potential witness, but he can't help but be drawn to Kasumi's radiant smile. If Kasumi knew the truth of their provenance, could he ever forgive the sins of Chinatsu's past? Publisher: Tokyo Pop Published: March 25, 2025 Genre: Romance, Drama, Psychological Rating: 16+ Series Status: Complete

Chinatsu is forced to follow in his father’s footsteps as a hitman. Haunted by his lack of resolve that caused the death of his brother, Chinatsu feels lost, adrift without meaning and purpose. He feels trapped within the confines of the metaphorical dark abyss he finds himself in. The only image which brings him comfort is the one of a blind boy who was there the day Chinatsu lost his brother.

Years later, Chinatsu meets the blind young man, Kasumi, again and the two start up an unlikely friendship. Chinatsu knows he shouldn’t get involved, but he feels drawn to Kasumi’s light.  

I cannot say enough about the beautiful artwork and the way it elevates the story. From Chinatsu’s character design alone, we can tell just how exhausted both physically and emotionally he is before we are given much information about his past. With dark rings around his eyes and a tight polite smile he forces at times, we the reader can fill in the gaps about the type of man he is. Kasumi, in contrast, has moments where his usual cheerful disposition slips and his own sadness and insecurities shine through.

The story’s slower pacing feels appropriate as both characters grow closer together and navigate their feelings alongside their fears and doubts. Both characters are haunted by loneliness and the weight of their responsibilities. The growing emotional connection between Chinatsu and Kasumi is gentle and sweet, and this same tenderness is reflected in how they treat one another. The affection these characters show each other was surprisingly heartwarming considering one of the characters is a hitman.

I appreciated the vulnerability in the depiction of Kasumi’s blindness, but at no point does he feel written as if he is an invalid. He has his own aspirations, dreams, places he wants to go, and selfish desires. He is very capable on his own, but he also lets Chinatsu dote on him. Life can still be enjoyed while living with a disability, and this theme really resonated with me.

Touch Within the Abyss by Moyori Mori captured me with its gorgeous artwork, touching story, and compelling characters. This is one of the most beautiful single volume stories I have ever read. If you are looking for a story that will tug on your heartstrings, this is a manga you shouldn’t pass on. 

Rating: ★★★★★

[rangerzath]

for the episodic prompts, how about Beach Episode for characters of your choice!

Thank you for the ask! And sorry I didn't see it until morning.

Anyway, Ahti finally gets his vacation, along with his assistant. Don't ask how Former got there.

[rangerzath]

Long have I underappreciated a short story. While growing up, I devoured any book I could get my hands on, never caring about its length. I had all the time in the world it seemed between being the passenger in a vehicle or staying up late at night secretly reading beneath a bookshelf light after bedtime. In adulthood, I lost a lot of the free time I took for granted. Between working a full time job and managing other responsibilities, my free time is something precious and hard fought. Sometimes that free time isn’t more than an hour or two before bed—the perfect time frame for reading a oneshot story.

As luck would have it, a short story crossed my timeline and provided a chance to show me how strong a short story could be.

Official Summary: Competition runs through my veins. I work hard, I play hard. Maybe I’m not headed for the NBA anytime soon, but I take my local basketball league seriously. So when the final game of the season is a rematch between my team and our cross-town rivals, I’m not going to let us experience another heartbreaking loss. Tonight’s game is about revenge. It doesn’t matter if Jason Alvarez, the other team’s captain, is sexy beyond belief and a little bit my type. He’s been my rival in every sense of the word since I started playing in this league. And it’s going to stay that way. The Rival is a MM rivals to lovers short story featuring a second chance romance. Published: June 10, 2025 Genre: Romance, M/M Romance, Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance

I haven’t read many rivalry stories, but I knew from the start I was going to enjoy this one. Wendy Hawthorne lays a solid foundation to the cross town rivalry over basketball, providing us just enough information without becoming overwhelmed by exposition. The reader is dropped into the shoes of Matthew Swanson, a competitive type-A personality starting point guard and team captain of the Westvale Wildcats. Matthew and his team are trying to reclaim the Alameda County men’s basketball league trophy after a heartbreaking loss the previous year to the Eastvale Eagles. Further, he's certainly not going to be second best to their captain Jason Alvarez. But victory on the court might not be the only thing on the line this year.

I immediately liked Matthew as a character. He feels fleshed out in a way I wasn’t expecting for a shorter story. We quickly learn how important basketball is to him despite never making it to the NBA. He’s worked hard to get to where he is on and off the court. Several of his lines made me laugh. 

Jason’s character in contrast is initially built up entirely from Matthew’s point of view. You can tell there is some embellishment and exaggeration in Matthew’s tale, just as anyone describing someone they don’t like would do. Still, even Matthew can’t deny Jason has some begrudgingly good attributes. As the story unfolds, we start to see that maybe Matthew didn’t know Jason as well as he thought he did.

The basketball part of this story is light but still impactful and not a forgotten element of the story overall. You don’t need to be a basketball fan to enjoy the story but anyone who’s ever played or watched sports can enjoy the intensity of the rivalry.

The author's tagline ‘spice and everything nice’ is an appropriate byline as she certainly turns up the temperature in this story with very steamy scenes. While spice can be enjoyable in its own right, it's the underlying story and the connection between the characters which elevates these scenes for me. We’re teased that maybe more is going on than our main character believes. This opens up all sorts of possibilities and depth into the characters feelings. I always love a good pining story, and it certainly feels that this relationship has that despite the seemingly accidental context the story brings. It's these layers woven within the story that really elevates The Rival beyond simply being an erotica story.

The Rival is the first book in the At Last series. The second book in this series is teased at the end of The Rival,  and I will be adding it to my TBR list. From the author’s page, the series will be about ‘stories featuring second chances at love, long-lost loves, pining, angst, and longing. Whether the forces keeping characters apart are internal or external, rest assured, these characters are full of gay longing and desire.’ These themes were certainly captured in The Rival and are all tropes I enjoy reading about.

For a debut work, this has been a fantastic snapshot of this writer's strengths. The characters are likeable, and I found the dialogue between them to be outstanding. I found myself both laughing at times and also getting unexpectedly emotional. 

No matter how busy you are this Pride month, The Rival is certainly worth taking time out of your schedule to read. I look forward to reading more of Hawthorne’s work in the future.

Rating: ★★★★★

[rangerzath]

y’all really recommend books like: title, there are gay characters, enemies to lovers, young adult, written by poc

not once do i ever see a summary

[rangerzath]

Longtime basketball rivals must contend with more than just their feud when unexpected circumstances have them meeting each other off the court...

The Rival is book one of At Last: An MM Romance Series.

I'm so excited to be able to share the first of what will be many stories in this series! Whether you're a fan of sports romance or looking for a second chance romance, this story serves up a healthy balance of spice, mutual pining, and self-discovery.

📚 Purchase your copy of The Rival here: www.amazon.com/dp/B0FC3QWCQ8

Sign up for my author newsletter to stay up to date on my latest releases, teasers, sales, and more at wendyhawthorne.com

[rangerzath]

Today’s anatomy practice brought to you Darling and Trench fucking around (see below for the ref)🔻

[rangerzath]

Monsters don’t just lurk in labyrinths of the Oldest House or the forests of Bright Falls. FBC Zine Volume 3 is full of little horror stories waiting to be told.

The zine has just passed the third check in of our creation period, but the nightmare is only just beginning.

Follow our socials to stay up to date on the latest haunts, frights, and harmless previews coming soon!

🩸 https://fbczine.carrd.co 🩸 https://bsky.app/profile/fbczine.bsky.social 🩸 https://www.instagram.com/fbczine/

[rangerzath]

whatever

[rangerzath]

-You're hurt. -You're back.

-

anyways, this is @wondrouswendy fault :)

[rangerzath]

still thinking about. him.

[rangerzath]

Trope Map for The Rival

Start off your summer with a steamy read featuring…

☀️ Forced proximity 🏀 A dom x sub power dynamic ☀️ Second chances at romance and love

📙 The Rival is my debut book and it releases on June 10, 2025!

Preorder your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FC3QWCQ8

[rangerzath]

Just know that even if I'm not posting anything about Trench and Darling, that I think about them every day and their adventures live rent free in my head. Their love transcends all.

[rangerzath]

The Prince in the Basement is the latest graphic novel from Mira Ong Chua (MOC). Known for other graphic novels such as ROADQUEEN: Eternal Roadtrip to Love and Vampire Blood Drive, MOC offers a distinct art style and storytelling to fans of queer romance titles. Their kickstarter was successfully funded the same day it launched because fans couldn’t wait to get their hands on their new title.

Official Summary: Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom… On the day of her coronation, the Princess awakens a forbidden secret that could ruin everything: an imprisoned Prince in the castle basement, bearing a face identical to hers. Claiming to be the true heir to the throne, he exiles the Princess and sentences her dearest husband-to-be to death. As the mysterious Prince lays claim to her kingdom, the exiled Princess sets out to take back her crown and rescue her beloved- who, while awaiting his fate, begins falling for the Prince, believing him and the Princess to be one and the same. Upon their reunion, both royal children find that their destinies are more deeply intertwined than they ever expected... Can the two find sanctuary in a world where only one of them was meant to exist? Published: Kickstarter launched January 14, 2025 Genre: Romance, Fantasy

My first introduction into Mira Ong Chua’s work was ROADQUEEN: Eternal Roadtrip to Love when it was being published by SevenSeas at the time. The character design, artstyle, and premise encouraged me to pick up the title. I hadn’t read something quite like ROADQUEEN before, and it inspired me so much I wrote my very first published review on the graphic novel. Since then, Mira Ong Chua is a comic artist whose work I eagerly follow. So when I heard about The Prince in the Basement, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on their latest graphic novel. 

The Prince in the Basement does not feature characters with traditional names. Characters in this story are referred to as their role in the story (i.e., The Princess, The Prince, The Witch, etc). For me this was an interesting and different story choice, and it gives The Prince in the Basement a fairy-tale quality. 

The story opens on the day of The Princess’s coronation, but the celebration is interrupted when she hears an unfamiliar voice heckling her from somewhere within the castle. She pursues this voice of doubt, following its echoes to a door that was always previously locked. Suddenly able to open the door, she heads into the basement to find a figure who looks exactly like her encased in a strange crystal, wielding her family’s sword. We’re left wondering who this Prince is, and why he’s been locked in the basement.

This story is often quite funny at times, especially during sections with The Prince. I enjoy how goofy the love interest is, sporting a ridiculous outfit which I thought is fitting for him. The dialogue between the cast of characters is complimented by beautiful, expressive artwork. The overall concept of the story drew me in from the very beginning and made me want to figure out the mystery of who The Prince is and why he looks exactly like The Princess. 

One of the most predominant themes throughout the story is learning to accept all parts of yourself. When you try to cut out these pieces to either conform to someone else's expectations (or your own) or society's norms, you are doing yourself a great disservice. Maybe you don't understand why you are different or why you can’t just accept things as they are. Through self-discovery and life experience you can learn to love all these different facets of your identity and being. I really resonated with this motif and I think other readers will feel the same.

While I did enjoy the story for the most part, the plot’s pacing feels uneven. The central, driving conflict of the story could have been resolved much sooner if the two main characters had just talked instead of fighting. I have no problem with characters misunderstanding each other, but I’m less of a fan of miscommunication plots that drag on for hundreds of pages. Part of me thinks this story would have flowed better if it was broken up into multiple volumes to let certain story beats settle before moving on to the next major arc. This is a bit ironic considering The Prince in the Basement is this comic artist’s longest graphic novel to date, clocking in at 425 pages in paperback. In my opinion, The Prince in the Basement tries to juggle too many plot threads for a single one shot, and this lessened my overall enjoyment of the story to a degree. 

However, by the end of the book, I did feel satisfied with the development of each character. Their arcs feel resolved with lessons learned. The story’s main romance at times feels complicated, but this feels appropriate given that the romance is interconnected with a major plot point. The romance features fantasy elements which some readers may not enjoy as much. Rest assured, this story has a happy ending, following fairy-tale tradition. 

If I had to choose only one thing I like the most about Mira Ong Chua’s work, it’s their art style. As someone who likes 90s anime aesthetic, I believe their art style captures this vibe with a modern spin. Their style is certainly distinct enough to pick out among a crowd of other graphic novel titles. The character design is excellent. Each character’s outfit reflects their personality, and the way their clothes and hair are drawn make it seem as if there’s physical movement despite ultimately being a 2D image. Flashbacks and other planes of existence are clearly denoted with black backgrounds and dark borders, contrasting with the main story sequences. There are a few page spreads which I always enjoy in a comic. The cover and title design is very eye-catching, and it’s one of the first things which immediately drew my interest. 

While the kickstarter is over, you can still purchase a physical and digital edition of The Prince in the Basement from Mira Ong Chua’s website as well as a digital only version from their itch.io page. 

Finding a story with interesting, heartfelt queer characters with a happy ending can sometimes be challenging, and Mira Ong Chua has crafted another graphic novel which hits these notes in spades. Mira Ong Chua tells stories which are lighthearted and fun without becoming too quirky or absurd. If you are looking for a well-rounded graphic novel to sink your teeth into this Pride Month check out The Prince in the Basement. 

A free copy of this graphic novel was provided by the author. 

Rating: ★★★★☆

[rangerzath]

✨ Cover Reveal ✨

Sparks fly when a sore loser and a gloating victor collide after their league's championship basketball game...

Introducing... The Rival, my debut book releasing June 10, 2025! Mark your calendars!

The Rival will feature...

🧡 Basketball Boys 🏀 Rivals to Lovers 🧡 Second Chances at Love

[rangerzath]

You're a junior Investigations agent at the FBC flying business class to handle an ongoing AWE on the other side of the country. All the seats are taken except for a sparse few. Where are you sitting? 🤔

After you survive your harrowing journey, be sure to check out the FBC Zine: Volume 3 coming late summer for more horror stories set in the universes of Alan Wake and Control (2019). Follow us on our socials to stay up to date on the zine's progress:

🩸 https://fbczine.carrd.co 🩸 https://bsky.app/profile/fbczine.bsky.social 🩸 https://www.instagram.com/fbczine/

[rangerzath]

six fanarts 5/6: faramir and éowyn