#I should also add that the ending was Kyra’s idea (kyra if you see this Hi!!!!)

[babygirlgiles]

📓👀

Hello my beloved mutual teatimewithgiles! I have been trying to think of a single idea I have not already told you about, especially bc I know I've told you about all the ones I daydream about extensively lmao.

Anyway! I don't think I've told you much about "How to Be an Empty Nester (And Love Every Minute!)". Basically, it's set after Buffy goes to college and Giles has gotten this parenting/self-help book, which the fic is titled after, about how to cope with your child leaving for college. Each section of the fic begins with a piece of advice from the book-- stuff like "building shared routines or rituals can help you and your child stay connected while they're away" or "don't helicopter: give you child some breathing room to discover who they are"-- and is followed by Giles dramatically failing to implement the advice. Sometimes it fails because it's just ridiculous in the context of their lives and who they are as people, sometimes it's just because he interprets it in kind of a ridiculous way, and sometimes it's just because he tries it and Buffy is like "uhhh what is going on what are you doing why are you acting so weird".

This all comes to a head with the piece of advice that's something like "reconnect with your child through a shared activity: a common goal is a great way to bond!" because Giles interprets that as. Summoning a small, relatively harmless demon :) For them to fight together :) As a bonding activity :)) Let's all keep in mind this is s4 Giles when he is not exactly as his most mentally well lol, he's not making the most sound decisions at the time.

Of course, Buffy finds out that he summoned the demon on purpose, is not exactly pleased about that for many reasons, and they get into a bit of an argument where he confesses that he got this idea from a self-help book (and she's just like ... a self-help book told you to summon a demon...?) and he explains that, no, but he's been trying to follow the book's advice because he feels so disconnected from her but he had no idea how to best reach out to her and stay part of her life. She's still pretty unhappy in the moment so Giles thinks he's really messed things up until a couple days later when (and this is the final section) he comes home to find Buffy in his courtyard with a pot of (atrociously bad) tea and she says something like "you said you have tea down here sometimes so I thought maybe we could... have tea?" as her gesture of goodwill and trying to reach out to him too. And it ends with the final piece of advice which I haven't exactly figured out how to word yet, but it's basically "be yourself: near or far, your child loves you for you!". And it's extra cheesy because being what finally worked for him to reconnect with her was when he was honest <3

Will I ever write this? Hopefully someday...

Thank you for sending me this ask!

Put “📓” or some other version of a book emoji into my inbox and I’ll explain the plot of a fanfiction that I haven’t written but daydream about.

[kamotecue]

the morning after ✮ l. walti

pairing: lia walti x fem!reader

summary: after what happened last night, this is how the relationship progressed.

part one, two, three and four.

the sound of birds chirping had awoken the brunette, her eyes had slowly looked around—analyzing the unfamiliar room. her head was clearly aching, as she brought her hand to her head, groaning a bit as she couldn’t remember what happened the night before.

“mein kopf hämmert. [my head is pounding.] “ the swiss said, as she gazed at the table—a bottle of water and a tiny bowl holding two pills was seen. she hummed, before taking the pills, opening the bottle of water.

as she stood up, freshly pairs of inside slippers were at her feet given by you to use. she slipped her feet in before heading to the door, not before looking back at the bed—the two framed football shirts caught her attention.

it was a match worn mapi leon shirt, that had it’s signature at the bottom right—and her national jersey that had walti on the back, her eyes caught attention at the signature at the top left.

“oh, nein.” she groaned probably realizing who’s bedroom this was. finally, the brunette made her way out of your bedroom, going through the hall—taking a glance at the living room, to see you peacefully sleeping.

the blanket was covering you, as you quietly snored. a soft smile made it’s way to her face, as her eyes looked at the table. your hearing aids were settled there, nothing else.

she went closer to you, kneeling on one leg contemplating if she should wake you up. but her eyes simply adored your face, she raised her hand to trace your face and as she did, you had slowly opened your eyes.

your eyes followed as she simply withdrew her hand, quickly standing up and heading away from you—your cheeks flushed red as you cleared your throat.

your eyes settled on your hearing aids, you had grabbed them, quick putting them on in case the midfielder had said anything.

“what happened last night?” you shrugged, leaving the arsenal player looking a bit stressed causing you to chuckle.

“nothing did, i was at a pub and you ended up knocking your drink on me.” you replied, leaving out the fact that she did vomit on you and in the car. after the needed shower, you had cleaned the car, making sure it was spotless and that it didn’t stink.

“that’s it?” lia asked as you hummed.

“not really, the drinks you and your team had were unpaid. so, i covered for it.” you said, as you got up stretching your arms.

“are you perhaps hungry?” you turned to look at her, “if you aren’t, i can drop you off at your place.”

“that would be great.” you grabbed your keys before getting your kit bag. gesturing for her to go first, she did.

if you were to describe how the car ride felt, it was silent. you got the idea that she was embarrassed about what happened so you kept quiet, not wanting to add fuel to the fire—or to make her uncomfortable.

before she exited the car, you handed her a bento box—figured that if she ever skipped a breakfast, the box would be a better option. it was filled with various types of fruit, crackers and a juice box. you bid goodbye before driving off, you had training the day as well.

meanwhile at the arsenal training grounds, the said brunette had pulled up in her own car, there were fans as she politely smiled and greeted them. swinging the strap of her kit bag over her shoulder, before grabbing the bento box.

her teammates had grinned as they knew she also was hungover. but the medicine that you gave had helped it. as it was gym day, lia made her way through the building—joining the rest of her teammates who were there.

“what’s this?” leah said, lia’s work wife as other people would say—gesturing at the box the brunette had placed.

“i haven’t opened it.” a confused look came across the english captain’s face, as she carefully opened it—revealing the pre made snack box, the one you made.

“so, strawberries, sliced apple pieces, kiwi, crackers and a juice box.” kyra said, as she appeared over, greeting her two teammates with a smile.

“is this a secret admirer?” leah teased, as lia scoffed before closing the box herself.

“there’s no one.” the swiss said, as the two teased their friend—heading back to their work out. but a small smile appeared on the brunette’s face.

[icebluecyanide]

Alex Rider S03E02 Reaction

These were my first reactions to season three, completely unspoiled for the rest of the series, but of course, with significant knowledge from the books. With some thoughts and predictions thrown in too.

Anyway time to infiltrate some labs!

Liveblog

So many Yassen flashbacks bless

The letter to the prime minister! Love how it’s updated to be a USB stick or something. And a cool new Scorpia logo 👀

Are you… really going to just plug it into your laptop? Okay then lmao

‘We will deal only with the Department’ ahsdlfhs that is literally the vaguest name ever for a government department lmao at least add ‘MI6’ or something

17 years ago?? How old is Alex by now??

Some fascinating choices in how they changed the demands compared to the books 👀

‘Post it on tiktok’ ahsdlhs my brain can’t handle the idea that tiktok exists in the same world as Alex Rider

‘Maybe when she’s finished with Consanto’ lmao why is she telling him the name. Oh okay that’s why haha

Very suspicious of the new MI6 person lol. Like either it’s someone who is new enough to challenge the home secretary in a meeting or maybe they’re working for Scorpia. The timing is very convenient 👀

Lmao Mrs Jones is one day from retirement. RIP Mrs Jones

Tom just take the camera job 😭

“But we get to spend quality time together!” lmao Kyra

Why did Scorpia not do more to hide the background of the video ahsdlfhs

I guess the data scientist is probably not Scorpia but why is she not wearing the full protective gear lol. Why are she and Crawley in the field??

RIP new data scientist and RIP Mrs Jones’s retirement plans 😔

It is kind of interesting to me how Blunt is getting portrayed as super heartless for not reacting more to the death and coming off looking much worse than the rest in MI6/the Department while Scorpia is arguably the book where Blunt comes out looking best. But the show is quite focused on Blunt as the bad guy while everyone else gets humanised more

The way we keep getting these scenes of Kyra and Tom just watching Alex go off and do stuff lol

He’s not using the gloves!!!

Nile 👀 What a brutal throat blow gosh

Alex did you not hear about the detonation or….

Alex held his breath this time!!! He’s learning!!!

“An answer in the next sixty seconds is optimal” I love Nile so much gosh

Ohhh nice cliffhanger, I love Kyra and Tom not knowing if he’s alive or dead!

Overall

Very excited by that last scene! I love Nile so much already, he’s very cool and I love him offering Alex a one-time chance to get info, and how it ends with Tom and Kyra having no idea what happened with Alex. Nice to see some stuff with the Department too and the letter to the prime minister (that apparently didn’t reach the prime minister’s office lmao)

Thoughts/predictions

Not entirely sure what the point was with the new data scientist story except to make Smithers and Mrs Jones upset and look more emotional than Blunt. Like yes, it’s very sad but also I do question how good they are at their jobs if they react to every death like this. In general the show seems to be isolating Blunt from the rest of the department people a lot more than the books, but I like how he still comes across as better than the Home Secretary (who should be fired just for plugging in that USB stick into her laptop, frankly).

Nile is very cool and I love him. Do miss his more casual and cheerful attitude from the book though, but I’m super excited to see where this goes and where he takes Alex. He’s getting answers!! Love Nile casually playing the bomb and setting the timer and just asking the scientist guy questions about the cardboard cover.

It’s kind of ironic how they are not telling Tom’s brother about what is going on when in the books Tom immediately tells Jerry that Alex is MI6 despite Alex talking to him about the importance of not telling anyone haha. But I like how he did catch on. I assume maybe Tom will end up being his photographer, but Alex being assumed dead or missing is probably not helping.

It’s really interesting how the demands have changed and how it’s more UK focused, which makes sense since in the books the context was very much the Iraq war and Tony Blair/Alistair Campbell and the special relationship between the USA and the UK. But here I assume the reason Scorpia picked the UK is personal, because the Department dealt the blow that nearly finished them off 17 years ago. 

Questions

What’s up with the stuff in the box?? Were those toys? Children’s clothes? What is the Clean Room? What is Invisible Sword in this universe??

Is our dear friend Max still alive? I assume he may come back to meet Alex later given his comment about them meeting again in ep 1

Where is Yassen? 😢 I crave more than just flashbacks!

[facesofone]

Any advice for starting a system blog, maybe one like this or just one in general? It seems kinda scary to put everyone out there like that.

Oh wow that's a great question. Well firstly I will say that yes it can be very scary, the best way to handle that is to not include any alter that isn't ready for, or capable of handling, that kind of responsibility and pressure. You don't have to throw your whole system in all at once (or even at all), just let the ones who want to and can run it, do so. Let them pave the way through the uncomfortable beginnings and then if other alters feel safer contributing then you can work them in. Safety of your alters (especially littles and trauma holders) is more important than any like or share or reblog or what have you.

Next I would say organize your thoughts (hahaha I know right?!) But seriously, find a blog template that gives you options to add pages and links and stuff. Make yourself a resource page that you, or your followers, can access different sources or resources. (Actually I need to rework mine so thank you for the reminder!) You can also use the pages to make alter intros if you want, easier than having them as a post buried at the beginning. Having pages will be helpful in two ways, one is that when you get asked questions you can have something already in place to link to. And the other is after you finish it, you'll take a step back and realize you've actually gotten a huge chunk done, and that will make you feel more validated/empowered in the idea. Sure tumblr is mostly viewed in dash form, but you my friend, just made yourself a website, and it's hard not to feel just a little bit more professional like that.

And lastly I would say don't let the fear of starting hold you back. I had a creative writing teacher that said, "The reason why the blank page is so intimidating, is because it is perfect. In it holds the potential for every thought that could ever exist. The moment you make a mark on it, it becomes yours." The idea she would try to get across is that the perfection is lost the moment you make a mark on the page, and when you stop trying to chase perfection, you can start running with something good.

---

I hope some of this could be useful to you, and I hope I can encourage you to express yourself(ves) more freely and feel good uplifting the community. It is a great cause and I'm excited for your journey into it!

So for you, I am wishing strength, vision, courage, patience, perseverance, and of course fun.

Strength to get that heavy wheel moving down the road, vision to know where you want to push it, courage to trust that even though you may not see where you are going you are still going the right way, patience because it may be a long road before you see great progress but with patience you'll get there, perseverance because there's gonna be some hard times and hard people and it may be tough to keep moving forward.

And of course fun, because at the end of the day it should be something you enjoy...or at least doesn't make you unhappy.

Sincerely,

Jak and Kyra

[d3-iseefire]

Little Swan Lost Chapter 39

Thorin hadn’t realized it was possible for a human to turn as scarlet red as the girl did when he opened the door. She then did her best to look anywhere but him but her eyes, almost on their own, darted toward his chest every few seconds. Every time they did, he swore she discovered a new intensity of red.

At least he didn’t have to worry about whether his young wife found him physically attractive.  

The thought passed idly through his mind, only to be pushed out by another taking its place. He had personally seen her being escorted back into the palace on their wedding night, and her cousin had all but accused her of infidelity. The media reports and rumors, many traced directly back to Shire, also painted her as…promiscuous to say the least.

Thorin had half expected similar rumors to crop up in Erebor, especially after discovering she’d found a way to sneak out of the palace.  

Those rumors had never come, however, and now, watching her reaction to him, he questioned if she’d ever seen a man without his shirt on much less done anything else with one. Instead of behaving like the tart the media painted her as, she was behaving far more like a…

“I’m sorry,” Bilba suddenly blurted, derailing his train of thought. She waved a hand vaguely toward where the worst of the bruising from the ocean fiasco had stained his torso a mottled yellow and black. “That must hurt.”

It did, but there was no reason to rub it in her face. “It’s fine,” Thorin said instead. “What about you?”

“Oh.” Her hand lifted slightly toward her side. “I’m all right. Thank you for asking.”

They lapsed into an awkward silence, until Thorin finally cleared his throat. “Did you want something?”

Bilba jumped. “Did you hear what happened today?” Her voice was so quiet he could barely hear her. She started wringing her hands aggressively, leaving the skin reddened.

Without thinking, Thorin put a hand over hers, stopping them mid-motion. She froze, and her eyes went wide.

“Sorry.” He pulled his hand back.

“No, it’s fine,” she said quickly, waving her hands in front of her. “It’s-- ”

She trailed off again and Thorin suppressed a sigh. They’d be here all night at this rate. “You were saying?” he asked, struggling to keep the frustration from his voice. “I was in meetings all day, so I haven’t heard much of anything.”

Meetings that had left him drained and fighting a headache, which was why he’d grabbed some pain medication and gone straight to bed afterward, only to be woken up less than an hour later by her knocking on his door.

Her shoulders slumped a half inch or so as if relieved to find him ignorant. Probably not a good sign.

“I just thought I should tell you. Before –”

“I hear it from someone else?” Thorin filled in. Definitely a bad sign then. He sighed and resigned himself to still more frustration before he’d be allowed to sleep again. “All right.” He gestured toward the couch. “Shall we?”

She nodded, and then paused, eyes darting toward his chest. Thorin raised an eyebrow in question. “Would you prefer it if I put on a shirt first?”

Another nod and Thorin pushed off the doorframe to retrieve a black t-shirt from his closet. It was one he used as an undershirt so it was on the tighter side, but it would have to do. He didn’t really have any casual clothes and he wasn’t about to get dressed back in his uniform for…whatever this was.

He returned to the door. “Better?”

She muttered something that sounded like “marginally” and headed for the couch with him close on her heels.

He sat on one end, and she immediately headed to the exact opposite side. In a seamless, graceful move she sat and pulled her legs up so they somehow fit perfectly beside her on the small cushion. Thorin would have dislocated a hip if he tried to copy that position, but she looked entirely comfortable. His own flexibility was limited to throwing an arm along the back of the couch and crossing a leg to allow him to face her easier.  

“You’re a dancer, right?” he asked, only to mentally kick himself. Of course she was a dancer, he’d literally witnessed her doing it.

“I danced for a company back in Shire.” A look of genuine happiness crossed her face, and Thorin realized it was the first time he’d ever seen it. “I was hoping I could maybe dance for the one here in Erebor too.”

Thorin tried, and failed, to find a diplomatic response. He suspected the girl didn’t understand being crown princess wasn’t just a title, but a full-time job. Nori had reported Bilba had lived a relatively civilian life in Shire, but Thorin had thought she’d at least have some idea of what being a princess entailed.

It was becoming increasingly clear that she did not. She’d never inquired about her duties and responsibilities, and while a schedule had been mentioned to her, Thorin doubted she understood just what it meant. The fact she wanted to work at a bakery, and attend college, and was now expressing interest in dancing proved that much.

The look on her face was fading, and he knew he’d waited to long to answer.

“We’ll see,” he said finally, lamely trying to salvage what little he could. “You can bring it up to Balin.”

Perhaps they could work something out where she did certain things part time or only part of the year. There was also the possibility of patronages where they could potentially incorporate what she wanted into her actual duties. It’d depend on what duties she ended up having, and the possible conflicts between those responsibilities and the things she wanted to do.

She gave him a weak, false smile and focused on where her hands were clasped in her lap. “I suppose.” She shifted in her seat and took a deep breath. “All right, I guess I should stop stalling and just tell you.”

The sense of dread reared up again and settled across Thorin’s shoulders. If she’d gone to the trouble of getting him up and was fidgeting this badly, he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear it. “All right.”

She started talking, eyes focused on her hands and voice low as she recounted the events of the day. By the end of it all, Thorin had shut his eyes and was pinching the bridge of his nose in a futile attempt to ward off the worsening headache behind his temples.

Bilba lapsed into silence.

“First off,” he said eventually, opening his eyes and straightening to face Bilba. “I apologize on behalf of my father. He’s an idiot and had no right to do that to you.”

Or at least he had no right to do it the way he had. Thorin doubted the Thain of Shire cared whether or not the girl could produce an heir, not with the crown having four already, but he wouldn’t put it past the man sending someone infertile out of simple spite. So Thorin could at least understand having the question.

Having the question after barely a month, however, was ridiculous and forcing the girl into an exam was asinine. He could imagine what his sister had said to their father, and he fully intended to add his own part in the morning.

He’d also need to speak to Kyra. She didn’t deserve whatever his father had said on top of everything else she was dealing with. The media had been split on her since the wedding, with some giving her sympathy and the rest mocking her mercilessly. He’d heard some of what was being said and it was brutal. Kyra hadn’t commented on it, but he had no doubt she was aware of it.

“It’s all right.” She bit her lower lip. “I tried to tell Dis I didn’t need--”

“Dis is a force of nature,” Thorin said, waving off her explanation. “Trying to control her just encourages her.”

A ghost of a smile graced Bilba’s face. Her shoulders slumped with relief, and she leaned a little harder into the back of the couch.

“I appreciate you telling me,” Thorin added, and he meant it. It suggested at least some level of trust, even if she didn’t fully realize it. Even if she’d believed his reaction might be negative, she’d still gone to the length of waking him up to have a private conversation with him.

She was more comfortable with him than she thought, and if that was the case...

An idea that had been percolating at the back of his mind for awhile pushed to the front, and Thorin acted on it before he could talk himself out of it.

“I wonder,” he started slowly, his own nerves suddenly on edge. “Since we’re already on the topic, if I could ask you something.”

She raised an eyebrow in question, and he froze as uncertainty settled in. This probably wasn’t the best time but, then again, when was a good time to bring up physical intimacy? He’d idly hoped she’d approach him, especially based on the reports from Shire, but that hadn’t happened. Was it because she’d been finding an outlet somewhere else, or was it that the reports were wrong all together?

There was also the fact that he hadn’t even spoken to her until just recently and, again, how did one broach such a topic, particularly to a stranger? Oh, by the way, I know we barely know one another, but I’m not a huge fan of celibacy so I was wondering…”

Yeah, that would go over well, wouldn’t it?

But now she’d brought it up, in a roundabout way, so wouldn’t this be the perfect time to…

“You didn’t consummate the marriage, did you?”

Kyra’s words, almost the first thing she’d said to him after he’d called her on the wedding night.

A sick feeling settled in his gut.

What was he thinking? How could he do that to Kyra? She’d be devastated if he did…that…and she found out.

“Of course not.”

That’s what he’d said to her. Of course not, and he’d meant it even though, in the back of his mind he’d been thinking of the duty of one day needing to produce a male heir.

Duty.

Just a duty.

An obligation.

Intimacy for a purpose, not because he simply…wanted it.

And yet, here he was, about to ask about exactly that.

Mahal, what did that say about him? Was he really that fickle? Was it so important to him that he’d betray the woman who’d been by his side since childhood?

But you betrayed her already, didn’t you? A voice inside his head whispered. You broke your engagement, and married another, didn’t you?

He’d thought he was doing the right thing. He still thought so, most of the time. He’d made his choice and it had been the right one, hadn’t it? He’d been taught since childhood that duty to the crown came above all else. It had been a matter of honor.

And, besides, if he’d refused…if he’d abdicated the throne in favor of marrying Kyra…would that have really been better? Frerin, who had neither the temperament nor the desire to rule, would have been named heir. The nobility would have torn him apart.

Dis would have been there.

Even so, Thorin knew his father would have disowned him and fired Kyra from her position as ambassador. He would have been left penniless, and at the mercy of living off Kyra’s finances.

Excuses.

It was highly possibly they’d have had to leave Erebor, and for what?

For what indeed?

Krya would never be happy living a simple life, and Thorin would be useless for it. He was a crown prince. He didn’t know how to be anything else.

He’d had an uncle once who left everything behind to marry a woman his family had not approved of. He’d ended up rotting away at the villa of some benevolent relative or another, unable to find work due to his notoriety and lack of skill set. There was little call in the workforce for an ex-noble that had fallen out of favor with those in power.

Over time, his uncle had begun to resent his new wife and that resentment had grown into a cancer that had utterly poisoned their relationship.

If Thorin had gone down that same road, would he have faced the same end?

He feared the answer was yes. Yes and, in that, the choice, in the end, had been that there was no choice.

His father questioned why he didn’t abdicate.

The answer was he couldn’t. The answer was there were no good options, no good roads or paths to take that would lead him to an end he desired.

There was only the least painful route.

The route that did the least damage.

The route that protected Kyra from the worst possible pain, even if she didn’t see it.

 If it was the right choice, then why work so hard to undo it?

Why are you questioning it?

Why not just ask?

 Kyra’s face when he’d told her the engagement was broken filled his mind and a surge of nausea roiled in his gut. He pushed to his feet, guilt making his very bones ache. “Never mind,” he said, voice sharper than he’d intended. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

He almost ran into his room and shut the door, the last sight he had of Bilba’s eyes, wide and startled where she still sat on the couch.

He pressed his hands on the door, leaned his head against it, and let out a quiet groan.

She probably thought he was insane.

He thought he was insane, sometimes.

He pushed off the door and paced to his balcony. He threw open the doors and was immediately hit by the bitter cold air coming off the ocean. The loud roar of the sea washed over him, and he heard the distant sound of a ship’s horn.

Thorin walked out onto the balcony, stone cold beneath his feet, and leaned forward to rest his hand on the stone railing. The skies were overcast, as they often were in Erebor, so there was little to see but he could imagine it well enough.

Light caught his attention and he turned to see it shining merrily from Bilba’s windows.

Those windows were supposed to belong to Kyra. The entire room in fact. She’d designed it, even slept in it when she wasn’t in his room. They’d been all but living together right up until the very end when he’d pulled it all down around her without warning.

What kind of man did that?

He tightened his hands on the railing until he felt the edge of the stone cutting into his palms, and then shoved off it angrily.

He stalked back into his room, dropped onto his back on his bed and dug the heels of his hands into his eyes.

Mahal, what was he doing?

This was done with. He’d made his decision. Why was he questioning it now? He needed to stop. Stop questioning, stop having Ori look for ways out, stop…

Kyra’s heartbroken sobs rang through his mind, and suddenly bile was forcing its way up his throat. Thorin lunged from the bed, and barely made it to the bathroom before he lost what little he’d been able to eat that day.

When he was done, he leaned forward to rest his head against the cold porcelain of the toilet lid, chest heaving as he caught his breath.

Some crown prince he was.

Some fiancé, or husband for that matter.

He and Kyra should have just eloped, years ago when they’d have the chance. He could have given Kyra the large wedding she wanted later, after his father had a chance to calm down. Bilba would have ended up married to Frerin, who was closer in age to her and had far less baggage to cart around.

It would have been better for all of them.

He pushed himself shakily to his feet and went to rinse his mouth at the sink. A glance in the mirror showed him looking haggard, dark circles under his eyes from the day full of meetings, and his hair unkempt.

“Get ahold of yourself,” he ordered under his breath to his reflection. “You’re the crown prince for Mahal’s sake.”

His reflection offered nothing but judgement in return. Thorin splashed water on his face, grabbed a towel to dry off and went to try and get some sleep.

It would be a long time coming and, when it did, his dreams were haunted by the sound of a woman crying and a voice shouting one single question for which he had no answer.

Why?

***

Bilba didn’t know how long she sat on the couch before finally getting up to retire to her room. At her door, she paused and looked over her shoulder toward Thorin’s room. She could hear him in there, pacing about, clearly unsettled.

“Since we’re already on the topic, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you about.”

Which topic? They’d talked about money before, and he’d never brought anything up so that left the topic of…heirs? He’d wanted to talk about heirs?

No, she thought as sudden heat flooded her face. Not heirs.

Sex.

He’d wanted to talk about sex.

Wanted to but, instead, had freaked out as far as she could tell and ran off to his room?

Bilba walked into her own room slowly and shut the door behind her. Her room, but Kyra had designed it. How close must they have been to the wedding for Kyra to have designed her room in the marital suite?

He must have been sleeping with her.

Bilba paused mid-step as the thought crossed her mind. She knew that already, logically. They’d been together for years, all but married. She knew it, but this was the first time she’d recognized it.

It must have been a drastic change, for both of them. Their entire lives upended in an instant.

A heavy feeling settled over her, and Bilba wrapped her arms around herself. She’d been congratulating herself on not being bitter but had simultaneously been judging Thorin and Kyra for every time they so much as looked at one another.

If anything, they should be the ones who were bitter. Especially Kyra. Every day she saw the man she loved but couldn’t touch him.

Bilba sank down onto the end of her bed and tried to imagine if she had been Kyra, having to watch Bofur with someone else.

It would have hurt, and she hadn’t even been with him that long. Not as long as Kyra and Thorin had been.

She sighed and studied her hands. She wasn’t so good a person that she fully sympathized with either of them, but she supposed it wouldn’t kill her to try a little harder to be understanding, would it?

A soft scratching came from her balcony doors, and she got up to go open them a slit. Immediately the beach cat strolled in, damp and irritable but with tail and head held high.

“Did you get caught by the tide coming in?” Bilba asked. She scooped the small creature up and went to grab a towel to dry the small animal off with. Once that was done, she changed, turned off the lights and climbed into bed. The cat burrowed under the covers and curled against her stomach, purring softly.

Bilba absently stroked its head, while staring blankly into the darkness.

Had Thorin really wanted to talk about…that? She suppressed a shiver. If he had, it’d probably come up again, or maybe not. Maybe it wasn’t even what she’d thought. Maybe he’d been wanting to ask her if he could continue to have sex with Kyra.

Bilba scowled. Sympathy or not, she didn’t think she’d be okay with that. But she also didn’t think she’d be okay with him wanting to be intimate with her, either.

That wasn’t particularly fair though, was it? If it was something he wanted enough to try talking to her about, then shouldn’t she at least hear him out? Should she bring it up, or wait and see if he mentioned it again sometime down the road?

She’d prefer the latter. Maybe he’d just forget about it all together and never bring it up again?

She sighed. It had been so much easier with Bofur. They’d had a foundation, a relationship that made it easy to just talk when they needed to talk. They’d talked about intimacy. He’d understood her hesitancy, if not the reasons for it, and had assured her he was fine with it.

It had honestly never occurred to her that Thorin might not be.

She sighed and pulled the covers up to her chin. The thought of him possibly wanting…intimacy…made her nervous but didn’t particularly scare her. Mainly because she was confident that, if he’d planned to bully her or pressure her, she’d have known that by now. So she could say no.

She hoped she could say no.

She hadn’t actually said it to him yet, had she?

Some men were so kind, until they heard the word no.

Bilba shook her head. She was reading too much into it, working herself up over something that probably wasn’t even what she thought. He’d probably wanted to talk about something innocuous and, even if it had been that, there was no reason to believe he’d turn into a monster if…when, she rejected him.

“Please don’t a monster,” she whispered out loud.

The kitty grumbled against her stomach, and Bilba settled against the pillow, hoping sleep would find her sooner or later.

Maybe she could try talking to him? Not about that per se but just…about…stuff? She’d talked to Bofur all the time, and she missed it.

Maybe.

She’d think about it.

Maybe she’d just solve the problem by ignoring it all together and hoping it went away.

It had never worked before but there was always a first time.

Right?

Follow on AO3: Follow on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1743620/chapters/3723188

[crazy-loca-blog]

Personal thoughts on Open Heart Second Year, Chapter 20

Note: As the title says, these are just personal opinions on Choices books and chapters. Of course, you may agree or disagree with them, I only use this platform to express my thoughts on what I read every week and what I’d like to see in the next chapters, because none of my friends play Choices so I have no one to comment the books with.

That’s a wrap! I can’t believe Book 2 is over. And just like everyone, I didn’t know how I felt about the final chapter of the book… until I started writing this… and I had a realization just as our MC did (of course, this led me to write this post from scratch like three times!). You know… it wasn’t brilliant, but it wasn’t a bad ending… I’d say it was pretty correct… and maybe even better than we think it was. Let me show you why:

At the very beginning, I had this kind of bittersweet feeling, just like everyone else. But then I replayed the chapter a few times to try different options and routes, and I started noticing that the writers made some amazing job paying attention to many of the little details we got to see throughout the book and finding a way to put them all into the final chapter. Everything was a lesson, everything made sense and everything almost everything got a closure… and that’s just some awesome writing, guys. Trust me, I had a long list of complaints, but by now, my only complaint is that the chapter was way too short.

Let’s begin with the main issue of this chapter: Leland Bloom and the check. I had the same question as the MC for a whole week. Why would the man give a billion dollar check to a second year resident? And with the sneak peek it kind of hit me: Leland not only was trying to buy Edenbrook, he was also trying to buy us… because for him, it’s always about money. I could even see our MC going through the same dilemma that Jackie faced with Panacea. And I have this gut feeling that what we decided to do with the check may have an impact in Book 3.

To be honest, at first I didn’t pay much attention to the scenes with Sienna, Aurora and Elijah. Even though I have to admit I missed Kyra on this set of dialogs, I was glad to see that the writers gave us some time alone with them and I loved how different their answers were. However, I saw them as some kind of filler content… like “oh, we need to add an extra conversation with our friends because it’s the final chapter”.

The same applies to our LIs. At first, I didn’t know if asking our LIs for advice was a good idea unless you’re romancing Ethan (based on the fact that he’s also our mentor and the only person who knows Leland Bloom as much as we do). I would have even added Naveen and Harper to this set of dialogs, as this was more a professional thing than a personal issue and they would have surely given our MC a great piece of advice (especially Naveen!).

But then, it hit me. This wasn’t just a set of random conversations. Instead, the writers made an amazing job mixing the storylines of every one of our friends and LIs with the conversation about the check and Leland Bloom, and that led to different realizations based on who you chose to talk to. That was simply brilliant and it reminded me why I love this series so much… nothing on these books is written at random. Everything has a purpose and sooner or later, it always clicks.

Based on the same premise, can we talk about how our story with Esme seemed to be coming full circle? No matter how your relationship with her ended (at least not yet), we finished our story with her right where we started: healing her wounds. However, there is something that is kind of bothering me. During our conversation, Esme told us that Leland had reached an agreement with Levi’s family, so the lawsuit wasn’t a problem anymore. And here we go again. We know that Leland isn’t the type of person who does things just to help people… and now I can’t help wondering if he may have found a new ally in Esme. Will she keep the secondary role she got in Book 2 or will she become a more important character in Book 3?

Another cycle that was closed during this chapter was Kyra’s. I’m so glad that she was finally declared cancer-free (can we just stop for a moment and give Bryce the credit he deserves for this? PB didn’t do it, so we should!), but it kind of shocked me to see her go and realize we won’t be seeing her in Book 3, especially because she is part of our gang now. Her departure really got me wondering if this is PB’s way to prepare us for the final goodbye in Book 3. I’m also wondering what the writers have planned for Rafael. After all he went through, I’d really like to see him back in Edenbrook… but not as a paramedic. I know he said he wouldn’t go back to hospital life, but after all the physical therapy he got, I think this would actually be a great job for him. He loves to help people (and that’s something he won’t get rid of easily because it’s his nature), he loves exercising and, at the same time, he needs to calm down and take life slowly. I don’t know about you guys, but after all the complaints to have him back, and now that he’s finally fine, I need to have him around!

As per the romance with our LIs, please don’t laugh at me, but I think PB decided to ground us all. For a whole book this fandom has been so focused on “fighting” over LIs, that I can imagine the OH writers saying something like “You know what? Enough! Let’s remind them who is in charge of the narrative here!”… and that’s how they fooled us all.

However, if you’re romancing Bryce, Ethan or Rafael (sorry Jackie stans, maybe it’s because of the path I read, but I don’t feel the same about that relationship), they certainly gave us all those “we’re in a real relationship” vibes at the party… and at the private party as well. By now, I think there are some things that go without saying, and even though we’re probably not getting the content we thought we would have, things look very official to me. Sometimes you just don’t need words, you need actions, and those three guys have shown our MC all their love through them. Every piece of advice, every conversation, every small detail, even in the sex scenes you may see there has been an evolution… and I’m not talking about how kinky things became, but about what’s behind it… you can definitely see two people who trust each other, who feel confident about what they have, and who look like people in love. But of course, they won’t say those three words yet. I’ve always felt like PB is very respectful of the timing (not only in OH, but in their books in general), so I wouldn’t imagine them saying “ILY” right now, especially because after all the ups and downs of the plot, things are just starting to take their final shape for Book 3. But if I go back to the final 30 diamond scenes in Book 1 and compare them to the ones we got in Book 2, Chapter 20, you can safely say the relationships with all three male LIs are at a whole new level now.

Finally, one of the things that worried us the most was the insane amount of subplots this book had. Did they manage to give closure to all of them? Let’s see:

Aurora Emery: For a whole book, Aurora felt like she was “the lesser Emery”. We went back to college with her and we got to know about her struggles to make friends. Finally, she found her own closure in Chapter 17, after having an amazing heart to heart conversation with her aunt. So yes, her subplot did have a closure.

Sienna Trinh: Our sweetheart spent two whole books involved in toxic relationships: first, with her boyfriend, and then, with Mitch, her intern. Even though she only recognized the toxicity of her second relationship, I’m glad that she’s finding peace after losing Danny and I’m hoping for her to have an awesome Book 3 just because she deserves it. But yes, her subplot did have a closure.

Elijah Greene: Our boy was the first character who made it safe to Book 3. He had some issues when trying to keep boundaries with Sothy, his intern, and it seems our choice to help him or not, actually had an impact on the relationship between them both and in Sothy’s performance as an intern. So yes, his subplot definitely did have a closure.

Jackie Varma: Her conflict with Panacea was fully addressed in the Vegas chapter. However, we still don’t know if having her name in the list of doctors who received money will have some long-term effect. Will this be a topic they’ll rekindle in Book 3? I have a gut feeling that this might be one of the subplots that was carried to Book 3. So no, I’d say her subplot didn’t have a closure.

Bryce Lahela: The Lahela siblings subplot was one of my favorites of Book 2. Keiki is an awesome teenager, and seeing Bryce growing so much as a character was a delight and it made me really proud. He sacrificed everything for his sister, to the point he even swallowed his pride and talked to his parents to ask for help. So I’m glad to say that yes, this subplot had its happy ending and found its proper closure.

Rafael Aveiro: Book 2 was a such a self-discovery journey for Rafael. As I said last week, I think he was a mess the whole book, and I don’t think this had to do with the writing, but actually with the fact that, before the incident, he was questioning his life and everything he loved (even his feelings for our MC). The incident not only was a “rebirth” for him, it gave him a whole new perspective on life and it challenged him through his recovery process. Did he find closure? I don’t think so. Only the incident had a closure, his existential problems still have a long way to go.

Ethan Ramsey: Ethan had two face not only one, but two conflicts. The first one was personal: not only his mom returned after abandoning him 25 years ago… he had to deal with the fact that she was an addict. So even though it seems like everything was solved after he left her at the rehab center, I don’t think this is the last time we’ll see Louise, as there are some things that were left like hanging (for example, who was she talking on the phone when we first met her?). So… did this subplot have a closure? Probably yes, but I’m not a 100% sure. Then we had his professional conflict: the money problems were never about the money, but about being loyal to Naveen’s mission. Was this solved? Absolutely yes! It only took him a conversation with Naveen to realize that he could carry his mission wherever he goes.

Esme Ortega: Esme probably got the worst part when it comes to subplots. She actually had two of them and I don’t think any of them was properly solved. The first one was the harassment she suffered when we first met her. The “closure” was treating the guy for a serious illness, talking to him and then leaving the incident behind… or diagnosing him with dementia so he had to quit his job? I mean… really? And then we have Levi’s case. Sure, everything was properly solved after Leland Bloom and Levi’s family reached an understanding and avoided the lawsuit… but we’ll never know if she actually did it, won’t we? Where is the “resident-intern” confidentiality we talked about in Chapter 7? Sorry, but this is a HUGE NO for me.

I know there are some things I might be missing now, but I’m actually saving them for a future post. As per Book 3, my bet is that we’ll be having a new release in February, just to keep in line with the releases of the first two books. Will Book 3 be the last one of the series? Honestly… I don’t know. I know the series is supposed to be about our three-year residency, but now I have some doubts. First of all, medical drama is a topic where you can constantly add new content without necessarily repeating the formula. Also, the fact that was mentioned that Bryce’s residency lasts 4 years instead of three is kind of giving me some hope of a fourth book. Finally, let’s face it: Open Heart and The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir are currently the most successful series for PB. And after seven books, it’s time for the TRR gang to take a break. Maybe it’s time for Open Heart to pick up the slack.

Our MC: Even though I don’t think our MC had a plot that needed to find closure, the book certainly left us some uncertainties about their story. And the most important one is the lack of PTSD after the incident. Well… let me tell you that maybe not everything is lost. I was so curious about it that I actually did some research. And guess what? There is something called “delayed-onset PTSD”. This form of PTSD appears at least six months after a traumatic event, and in some cases, it even takes years to appear. However, this does not mean that an affected person has no PTSD symptoms prior to this six months period. This would match exactly with our MC’s behavior after the incident. So now that our friends issues seem to be mostly solved… maybe it’s time for our MC to face their own problems?

[ethanramseyyy]

OPEN HEART: SECOND YEAR CHAPTER 11

I’ve got a feeling that this one is going to be very long because this chapter had so much in it but it is not like I am complaining.

So this chapter begins straight after the cliffhanger in chapter 10. Ethan being on the other side of the door worried made me so emotional. He seemed so worried about MC. I chose the option to run into Ethan’s arms but obviously I wasn’t able to because my man had hold of the door handle to keep the virus from escaping. The connotations to the corona virus are uncanny. The way that MC knows Ethan that well that she knows when he is hiding something just from the look he is giving her is so sweet and shows how deep their connection is.

One of my favourite things from the chapter is the way we got to experience the assassination attempt from different perspectives. The first perspective was Bryce. He was in the middle of Kyras surgery when he found out about the murder attempt. Eventhough I am not romancing Bryce his reaction was so cute, the genuine worry he showed for his friends was heartwarming. He is so sweet and I understand why a lot of people romance him. The mention of Naveen was so nice but unfortunately he didn’t make an appearance in this chapter, I am hoping that he will make an appearance soon because I love him. I also think that we deserve to see Ethan and Naveens relationship more. On a happier note, we got to see Ines for the first time in a while which was really nice. Hopefully we get to see the other doctors in the hospital a bit more. Moving on the Bryce, I really enjoyed the fact that he carried on the surgery because he knew that is what MC would have wanted. I thought it was a really cool concept to be able to see his reaction to such an intense situation. 

The next scene broke my heart. Bobby’s body being rolled out of the room. Like I said in my last post I LOVED his character even from the short time we got to see him. Hopefully, we get to seem some kind of send off for him because he truly deserves it. The thought of his covered up body being pulled away on a stretcher is honestly heartbreaking.

ANGRY ETHAN INCOMING. You can tell that he was ready to kill someone for MC and honestly I wouldn’t be mad about it. The way the 3 doctors entered in hazmat suits was iconic (if I do say so myself). A quick side note: Ethan’s cheekbones look so defined in the suit. That man looks good in everything, it’s unfair on the other males. 

I was not expecting the book to shift to Ethans perspective but I LOVED seeing it from his eyes. I liked that the whole hospital came together to help the people involved in the assassination attempt. The senators reaction to Baz and Ethan asking for help was so disrespectful. “Bad day for them”. Like excuse me sir people DIED whilst trying to save you from your crazy assistant, have some respect.

This next scene was one of a few happy scenes in this chapter. It was so interesting to see Sienna and Ethan have a conversation just the 2 of them. I think that their friendship would be a very interesting one. Obviously, out of the 3 options which were: We’re friends; And that’s all I’ll say on the matter; I have feelings for her. I chose I have feelings for her because if I am given a chance to see Ethan open up then I will be taking it. But if any of you chose the other options let me know because I would love to see Siennas reactions. Then he explains that he decided that it would be better for MCs career to distance himself from us. Which is both annoying and adorable. And my poor baby got all emotional, the whole scene was just so cute.

I’m not going to say much about this but thank god that bitch Travis died. 

Did anyone else find Rafael’s dishevelled hair kinda attractive or am I just really strange. Anywayss, to make the situation worse Sora shows up. Now listen I have no reason to hate this woman because I’m not romancing Raf however I felt soo angry when she turned up and stole Raf from all the Rafael stans. The disrespect. But what happens later in the chapter makes me very very happy.

All the little interactions between Ethan and MC make my heart melt. The fact he just reaches for our hand and squeezes it, it’s just too much for my little heart to handle. But then to ruin this sweet moment, Raf loses consciousness and at this point I am pretty sure we all thought he was dead. To make this moment even worse, we find out Danny died. When I tell you I cried. I mean I cried. Poor Danny, I still can’t believe it. And Sienna they didn’t even get the chance to be happy together because of her stupid ex. I just can not believe it is his funeral we will be attending. When that chapter comes out I am going to be an emotional wreck.

On a slightly happier note, the Mass Kenmore doctors and the Edenbrook doctors work together to try and find a cure. I knew Tobias had a soft spot for MC. I should hate him but I just can’t maybe it’s the pretty face.

Ethan Ramsey breaking my heart again. He spent the night sat in his hazmat suit just so he could look after us. Tell me this isn’t the most kind-hearted thing ever. “If this is my last night alive, I want to spend it with you”. I’m not even going to explain that quote because I’m pretty sure we all reacted the same way. His regrets. He actually regrets asking us to stay away, he regrets that he wasted so much time. HE WANTED TO HOLD US IN HIS ARMS. I’m tearing up even thinking about it. And forgive me if I am being dramatic but I’m 99% sure that he was about to tell us he loves us. This moment will be going into the Ethan x MC hall of fame. I can’t think about it for too long or I will start crying. Again.

They found an antidote! I never doubted them for a second. I loved how June asked Ethan if he wanted to do the honors. She knows. And then the next morning, Ethan comes in and tells MC to get up. Without the hazmat suit may I add. “You feel a tear tracing down your jaw, but you don’t know which of you it belongs to”. I like to imagine that it was Ethans. Just because it makes me happy. The moment that MC and everyone shares in the elevator is so precious. You can just tell how close they all are and it’s so sweet.

I’m glad that Aurora and MC got the chance to make up as we all know how much she deserves a decent friend. And then MC has the brilliant idea of potentially joining forces with Mass Kenmore to help with state budget cuts. If this ends up being some Seattle Grace Mercy West kinda thing, I’m down. ( Please tell me someone gets the reference). 

Sora turns up again but this time I am happy about it. THE BITCH BROKE UP WITH RAF. Anddd Rafael isn’t moving to Brazil. I am really hoping that means Rafael stans get their mans back. We are all rooting for you!!!

All together this chapter was incredible. It would be my favourite chapter but we lost Danny and Bobby in one chapter which breaks my heart. It has to be one of the best written chapters though and the content in just 1 chapter was phenomenal. Let me know your thoughts and opinions.

Thanks for the continued support, it means the world 💛

[0itmelex0]

because it’s been a while since we talked about these two. Kyra and Arlee are… so freaking cute, but also do they technically sorta fall under the enemies to lovers umbrella?? I’m curious. This is also me attempting the crossover ask idk if it’s going well or if I just got really off topic

Kyra and Arlee.... my beloved bbies. I can’t believe it’s been so long since we’ve talked about them, especially since they’re just so amazing.

In terms of them falling under the enemies to lovers umbrella? I’d somewhat consider them that. So if you remember correctly, them getting together is taking place within the AU of Jon and Arleena being raised by the Dawnguards alongside Rhaenys. I haven’t planned out a lot of fine details, but the fact that at least Arleena goes to King’s Landing as another spy of sorts so that the Dawnguards can keep intel on what’s happening is a definite. So the fact that Arleena is from an opposing group and is mostly in King’s Landing for not an ally of the crown, who includes some of Kyra’s family, would naturally put them under the umbrella of enemies to lovers even if it isn’t the full on “oh I hate you” type of thing.

If I were to get specific of the dynamic that I envision for them over the course of the AU I’d probably say that they’re strangers —> friends —> lovers —> estranged friends (?) —> lovers

Okay, now into my ideas for these two within the AU... there is a lot so I’mma put it all under the cut

They meet at King’s Landing after Maecy introduces her new handmaiden named Arleena to her daughter, Kyra. There’s a somewhat instant click of at least familiarity and small connection whatever it is, there’s just something, and momma Maecy sniffs this out instantly

Whenever Kyra and Maecy talk unless it’s super personal type things, Maecy “casually” has Arleena at least nearby. Always ends up with Kyra and Arlee talking, doesn’t matter what or how... it just happens. After a few times of this happening, Maecy totally doesn’t just leave the room and the girls are so into whatever conversation they’re having that they don’t notice that Maecy has left

Eventually it gets to a point where the girls actually seek out each other to talk and get to know one another without momma Maecy making that push

They’re around each other so often that Maecy decides “oh hey, how about Arlee becomes Kyra’s handmaiden instead? I already have a couple and it’s kinda unnecessary for me to have a lot”.... yeah Maecy totally wasn’t trying to set anything up

Kyra totally doesn’t need a handmaiden and has denied needing them in the past but... yknow she ain’t denying this time

It’s less of Arleena helping Kyra with things that handmaidens do and more so them just hanging out

They start practicing using swords together even though both are very good at using a sword... kinda takes Kyra by surprise of how well Arlee handles herself with a sword

Basically at this point, Arleena has failed with her intended mission of being in King’s Landing, but she has genuinely gotten good information but it’s Sani doing a lot of the intel collecting. Poor woman has been doing it for 20+ years but it’s okay

Kyra and Arlee go to the Red Keep’s garden after Arlee mentions her favorite flower which is bellflowers btw to see if the garden grew them, which it did. Kyra picks a bellflower and puts it in Arlee’s hair, specifically weaved in a braid that Kyra herself made prior. Then that’s when the two have their first kiss

Those two have no idea what to do and in all honesty, they don't talk for a while like a few days to a week and it's after Kyra talked to momma Maecy and papa Russal, he's alive in this, yay! who happened to be in King's Landing for a brief time, that Kyra is able to actually confront Arleena

They kiss again and that's when they actually get together

Kyra decides to leave with papa Russal to go back to Tarth for a time, Arleena comes with. Totally just because Arleena is Kyra's handmaiden and not because they're dating now

If you don't believe this is them on Tarth, then you're lying to yourself

Everything is great for a while, they're just two girls in love with no problems

It's when Arleena needs to return to the Dawnguards for reasons that it starts crumbling

Kyra finds out through a letter Arleena has gotten that there's things that Arleena hasn't told her

She confronts Arleena about the letter she founds, and that's when Arleena reveals the fact that she's the daughter of Rhaegar Targaryen, aka the man who nearly killed Kyra's father on the trident

Just a lot is revealed to Kyra actually. Dawnguards. . . the fact that Lyanna Stark is Arleena's mother, that Lyanna Stark is alive, the fact that Maecy was aware of who Arleena really was

Kyra feels betrayed and lied to, even after Arleena explains and tries to defend her actions. Basically too late at this point

Arleena leaves Tarth and goes back to the Dawnguards for the reasons needed

Both girls are just in a not so good point in life

Kyra tries to move on and just continue with her life

Arleena deals with Dawnguard things. . . she totally doesn't end up killing Daltis after she finds out his true intentions and how he's not as good as he's acted, how corrupt he truly was. Arlee becomes leader of the Dawnguards afterwards

It's when Arleena gets intel that Cersei is having a worrying amount of wildfire produce alongside the fact that Kyra Tarth is back in King's Landing that she attempts to return in order to talk to Kyra again

It's because of the argument that Kyra and Arlee get into that saves Kyra, Maecy, and Russal from dying in the destruction of the Great Sept of Baelor

Kyra and Maecy go to the Dawnguards with Arleena after deciding King's Landing is very much not safe. Russal is so fucking hesitant and not a fan with this idea, but he knows how much Lyanna meant to Maecy and how despite the major strain between the girls, how much Arleena means to Kyra

They spend a while with the Dawnguards. It's nice to see momma Maecy happy to see her best friend again, but it's still a bit weird for Kyra and Arleena for a while.

They're kinda friends? It's hard to deny that connection they've shared since the moment they met, but that barrier is still there for how Arleena lied about basically everything

It's when the Dawngaurds head to the North to help House Stark take Winterfell back from the Boltons, and stay in the North to help against the white walkers eventually that Kyra and Arlee head in the direction of becoming what they were

But honestly everything is kinda weird overall, kinda an uncertain time as the North prepares for the white walkers and trying to gain allies to save Westeros

Both girls fight in the Battle of Winterfell alongside the Dothraki, the Unsullied, Dany with her dragons, the Dawnguards, the Northernmen, Free Folk, and a few sworn houses under House Baratheon and ofc any other groups I forgot to mention against the Night King

Kyra and Arlee are both quite stubborn so they didn't resolve anything prior to the battle. . . they totally should have though, but they didn't

It's when Kyra sees Arleena almost freaken die during the battle that she realizes that it's not worth living a life with resentment against people you care about

Kyra saves Arlee from dying and they continue fighting side by side for the rest of the battle, being the badasses they are

They are just so exhausted by the end of the battle that they collapse on the ground together, it hasn't fully settled in the amount of loss that has happened

Kyra and Arleena look at each other while on the ground, and Kyra whispers "I never stopped loving you" and that's when they kiss again for the first time in a long time

Honestly, these two need a break at this point. Between dealing with the losses from the battle and dealing with whatever they have, they deserve a break

But nah, they don't get it, they have to deal with Cersei

The battle at King's Landing alongside the assassination of Dany just adds to the outside burden and weighs them down, but they're working through it

During the great council meeting, both of them are there

When Bran is offered the chance of becoming King of the Six Kingdoms, him with his Three Eyed Raven weird vibes, he denies it and says somebody else is meant to take the place

He's absolutely alluding to Arleena with the fact she was raised to become a leader and all this stuff he shouldn't know but since he's the Three Eyed Raven, he does know

Arleena being the flustered girl she is of being put on the spot by this weird ass kid, she is hesitant as fuck but since many of the people there have seen what kind of leadership she has and the fact of how much she truly knows Westeros from growing up with the Dawnguards honestly more than some of them combined, they agree to the idea of her becoming queen so she accepts

Kyra is so fucking happy and proud of her, but in the back of her mind the idea of because of the role Arleena now has, things might not go back to what they were between the two of them

Arleena requests for Kyra to stay in King's Landing with her at least for a time, which Kyra absolutely agrees to

That night, the two spend time alone to talk

For context, they're not officially dating dating like they had before all that time ago but they're basically dating

In that time of privacy, Arlee asks if Kyra will become her queen consort

Kyra doesn't quite know what to say, but the fact of Arleena saying she will deal with any and all of the criticism thrown at her by the houses of Westeros alongside the Faith that might come with making gay marriage legal just so that they could be together is what helps her decide that she'd agree when able

Thankfully with the amazing Samwell Tarly as the Grand Maester, it isn't much of a battle to legalize gay marriage in Westeros. There's a bit of backlash, but mostly from the Faith but whatever, having church have a big influence on government is a no go with this queen

Arleena refuses to have an official fancy schmancy coronation yet

The two girls are just estatic and have grown closer during this time after the council meeting until up to this point

Arleena asks Kyra again if she'll become her wife and the Queen Consort of the Six Kingdoms, to which Kyra says yes to

They have a fancy ass wedding, but it's not a huge wedding. Arleena is the Queen of the Six Kingdoms after all, it has to be fancy

Arleena finally decides to set up her official coronation, and both her and Kyra are crowned as queens of the Six Kingdoms

[mortonyule]

When Satin left, Jon seated himself and had another look at the maps of the lands north of the Wall.

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[preserving-ferretbrain]

Collectible Wizard Slash Is Less Fun Than It Sounds

by Shim

Tuesday, 04 January 2011Shim exposes the tangled innards of Wizardology: the board game to the cold light of day

Uh-oh! This is in the Axis of Awful...~

Merlin, the apple of your eye, has retreated to his magical hideaway to study ancient tomes. How can you hope to win his love? You must make a dangerous journey across the land to find him. But only the most gorgeously-attired wizard can hope to catch his eye and win his heart. Along your way, you must seek out the perfect accessories for your outfit - and fend off all the unworthy suitors who are trying to steal Merlin from you.

This is not the tagline for the board game "Wizardology". But it should be.

I came across Wizardology in a local games shop, and was fascinated. I didn't realise at the time that it is based on a series of books. What I noticed was that it was a board game about accessorizing wizards, complete with little toy wizards to accessorize! It was also relatively cheap, so I grabbed it, and prevailed upon Kyra and Dan to help me test it out.

The first thing that strikes you about this game, when you open the box, is the array of little wizard figures. More specifically, the array of little ethnic stereotypes of distinctly dubious nature. You get:

* One "Western" pointy-hatted gown-wearer with pet owl

* One beturbaned, wedge-bearded "Arabian" wizard with pet monkey

* One "Lapp shaman" with pet wolf

* One "Oriental wizard" with conical hat, Fu Manchu facial hair and pet tortoise

* One "Indian fakir" standing in Tree yoga position (i.e. on one leg) wearing a shred of robe, with pet cobra

* One "African" wizard with hockey mask, feathered headdress, feather fan and pet ocelot.

It's a bit cringeworthy (in fairness, I'm not sure how I'd have depicted an array of wizards from different traditions), but we pressed on. The box has all kinds of goodies, including collectible staves, hats, medallions and the aforementioned familiars. For some reason the medallions are full-sized, rather than made for the figures, which means you can't accessorize the wizards with them. I have no idea why they decided on that. There is also an array of cards in various decks, a couple of magnetic rings, and a wand. The board consists entirely of spaces that do things: you either draw cards or roll dice for something on every space, and you always have a choice of which direction to move, including bouncing off walls to go back on yourself. All this should add up to an interesting game.

Somehow, it doesn't. Kyra barely survived the experience; I had slightly more fun, but that was more due to the banter and critiqueing than the actual game. So where did it go wrong?

Complexity /= Interestingness

I think the first problem might actually be the complexity of the board. In theory, a mazelike board where every square does something should be interesting. Actually, it often just served to slow down play and vaguely irritate us. For example, there are several "lose a turn" squares. However, the game mechanics mean you can choose which direction to move, which means you never have to land on one, so they become entirely redundant. The "magic items" you pick up are basically keys to enter four rooms, where you can perform a test to try and acquire an accessory. This got a bit irritating, because you not only have to physically navigate the maze to the room you want, but also pick up the right key. Each time you fail - which is moderately likely - you need a new key to try the test again. As a result, you basically end up grinding for keys so as not to waste the effort of getting to the room if you then fail the challenge. Once finished, you have a stack of useless keys, which increases as you complete more and more challenges.

A separate "Phoenix Feather" space lets you randomly pick up one of three types of fast travel item, which should make moving round the maze much easier. However, one of them is very limited and the other has a 50% chance to fail, which puts you off deliberately landing on those squares. We only used them a handful of times, mostly just to see what they did. It didn't really seem worth using them.

There are also "Prophecy" spaces, which let you draw a prophecy card. This seems like a fun idea - you can get both good and bad results, and some can be saved to use later (although there's very little prophetic about them - they're basically Event cards). Unfortunately, because of the implementation, even the "good" cards are usually irritating. The best are those which let you steal a random card from another player (usually pointless), protect you from such stealing, or allow you to rotate the board. The last seems like a fun mechanism, and could have done with expansion. One type sends you back to the start, which is a board game standard, though there seem to be quite a lot of them. Another type is supposed to be a bonus: it allows you to travel directly to a secret room, though you can't enter without the appropriate key. Unfortunately, the room is indicated on the card, which means most of the time this is no different from going back to the start - you end up somewhere you didn't want to be, quite possibly on the wrong side of the board entirely.

Finally, there are "Spells and potions" spaces. These are far less cool than they sound. Basically, you roll two special dice, and a random spell results. A full 50% of the time, it goes wrong and you are trapped until you can reverse the spell by rolling the same result. The rest of the time, the spell works, in which case you either get a slight benefit or completely screwed. One of the spells is "swap places with another wizard", which means you take over their piece and all its cards and accessories. It's entirely possible for someone about to win to land here and have to swap, which just makes no sense from a thematic point of view and is a pain as a game mechanism. We found ourselves just avoiding these spaces altogether, because a bad result was just far more likely than anything remotely useful.

Randomness /= Challenge

The problem here, as with the rest of the game, is randomness. You have a lot of choice over your movement, allowing you to land on particular spaces or take different paths through the maze, and sod all over anything else. A few random elements in a game can be fun; card pickups are an interesting diversion in Monopoly, but don't control the main flow of the game. On the other extreme, completely random games are usually less frustrating because there isn't the illusion of control. Here, there are a lot of complex elements, but your relationship with them is basically random, and in almost all cases the result is not beneficial. There is virtually no interactivity between the elements of the game, or the players, except completely random ones.

Okay, there is an exception to that. Wizard Duels. If you land on certain spaces, or in the same space as another wizard, you can engage them in combat for a specified number of cards (drawn randomly from their deck). What fun! we think, and then we read the rules. There are two special decks of three cards for this, allowing you to use Potion, Spell or Chant in the duel. Wait, this sounds familiar. In fact, it's a big old game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, except without the psychological and tactical aspects of that game, because you draw one card at random to play. In other words, the Wizard Duel gives you a 33% chance to nick some cards and a 33% chance to lose some, and the outcome is totally random. It looks interactive, but it's no more so than the card draws that let you steal from other players.

Similarly, even the main object of the game - acquiring your accessories - boils down to a set of challenges with random outcomes. You pick a staff from a pile and see if it's yours; you roll a dice to try and match your allocated familiar; you literally flip a coin to acquire your hat. Even the most interesting challenge, making the magic disks levitate with your wand, comes down to a 50% shot at putting a magnet the right way round.

Activity /= Fun

Basically, the designers seem to have worked on the assumption that having a lot to do is the same as having a lot of fun. Anyone who has ever had a job or homework can disprove this assumption. I think there are simply too many competing elements in the game, which are not linked into each other, and very few of them give any agency to the players. Coupled with the very repetitive nature of some elements, it just makes the game unnecessarily slow and a bit tiresome.

Shoddy Merchandise

Finally, there was the question of quality. The board and the cards are rather nice and well-produced. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the key selling-point, i.e. the wizards and their accoutrements. The painting was a bit slapdash, and the models slightly distorted, which meant the accessories don't quite fit or stay in place. There is also the aforementioned issue of them all being glaring stereotypes.

Gay Wizard Accessory Quest

On a different note entirely, one of the few things Wizardology does have going for it is its progressive stance on sexuality. The background story to the game, in which you must rescue Merlin from a magical prison, is a clear parallel to the "Rescue the Princess" quests so common in fantasy, even if they've been mealy-mouthed about articulating it. Not convinced? One of the spells you can cast in the game is a love spell, which makes two other wizards fall in love until they can break the spell. Since all the wizards are blatantly male, this makes the game's stance admirably clear.

Counterfactual Criticism

As I've mentioned, there are elements here that could be fun, and the problem is partly in the combination. For example, moving random distances around the board grinding for random keys in order to get a random chance to win an accessory is just too much randomness. Imagine, instead of the key pickup spaces, that as parallels to the four secret rooms there were four magic workshops where you could create the keys. Now you have a tactical element - working out optimal routes around the board, and deciding how many turns to spend making keys before you head to the secret room. Underestimate and you have to go back; overestimate and you wasted time. The spaces that were for picking up keys could just be blank. Alternatively, make the secret room challenges into actual challenges, rather than random results. The same applies to some extent to the prophecies, especially those that allow you to open locked maze doors and to rotate the board. There was simply too little of that to make it an interesting aspect of the game.

The cards could be more fun if there was some element of choice involved. Simply changing the duelling rules to let you pick a duelling card, instead of drawing at random, might make it feel less pointless. Making the prophecies interact with each other more could create interesting tactical elements.

The spells, especially, really need some work. This is clearly supposed to be a risky decision - take a 50% shot at getting an advantage or losing (potentially) several turns! However, because you can't choose the spell you want, the risk-reward ratio is simply too high. Allowing you to choose the spell might make these squares worthwhile. This might also help with the "swap places" rule, which seems like a cheap shot at the moment. If swapping places and items was a more significant part of the game, it could be a lot of fun. I know it's a minor consideration, but it would also make more sense in the context, which is wizards scheming against each other and carefully planning their actions.

I'm not saying that changing all of those things would necessarily make a better game; it would make a completely different one. However, changing some of them, so that the game focused more on particular elements, would perhaps be an improvement. At the moment, I can't see how it would hurt.

Overall

On the whole, this was a disappointing game. It had a vaguely interesting premise and a variety of mechanisms that looked like they could be fun. However, it turned out to feel very mechanical and soulless, with too many random elements to be tactically interesting, but too much complexity to make a fast-paced, fun random game. Despite the many cards that let you take cards off other players, you can basically ignore the other players, because there's little or no interaction between you; these cards are just another random element among many.

It's quite possible that children would find it more fun, as they tend to have more tolerance for repetitive games. On the other hand, there are so many penalty elements to the game, and so few bonus elements, that I could see myself getting upset and frustrated by it when I was younger.

Final gripes

Two last things.

First, pedantry. The back of the board, and every magical item card, bears the words "As I will, so mote it be" with the implication that this is something Merlin says. Kyra informs me that this is something Wiccans say. My knowledge of Wicca is pretty much nil. On the other hand, I can reliably state that Merlin would never have said "As I will, so mote it be", because for one thing Merlin was not a Wiccan, and for another he was freakin'

Welsh

. Oh, and he almost certainly didn't exist, but I'm willing to let that one slide.

Addendum to pedantry: "wizardological accessories"? I hate you, Sababa Toys Inc. I hate you so much.

There's also a slight undertone of cultural superiority to the game. The game starts well, with a diverse cast of wizardly traditions (despite the dodgy models). However, all of the magic in the game, with the exception of the genie, is very much in the Western European tradition, as are the items and the magical symbols used on the game pieces. Moreover, the premise of the game is that wizards from all over the world are striving to be worthy of Merlin, the white Western wizard, which could be taken as implying that their own magical traditions are inferior. I'm not saying that's what the game was trying to say, any more than I think they were genuinely trying to make a gay wizard romance game, but it's there to find.

I am Merlin, the mighty wizard of the Pendragons. My spirit has been trapped in an oak tree by an evil sorceress. If you are to release me and become my successor, you must first complete the various challenges laid down in this game, thus proving yourself to be a Master Wizard. Move through the maze, collect the magical items, cast spells, and perform tasks to acquire wizardological accessories. But be careful - your opponents will be prepared to use cunning strategy and magic in their attempts to defeat you and win the game. Are you ready to face the challenges of wizardology? If so, your journey begins here. As I will, so mote it be. Merlin

Themes:

Batteries Not Required

,

Sci-fi / Fantasy

~

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~Comments (

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Wardog

at 11:14 on 2011-01-04I am astonished you had faculities to analyse quite why this game was such a miserable experience.

All I could think was "no ... fun ... must ... have ... fun ..." between drooling onto the board and banging my head on the table.

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Dan H

at 15:38 on 2011-01-04I feel a bit bad about hating Wizardology so much because it's clearly supposed to be a game targeted at a younger audience, but I always think that the reason so many children think board games are awful and boring is that there are so many awful boring board games out there targeted at them.

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Rami

at 23:35 on 2011-01-04

Moreover, the premise of the game is that wizards from all over the world are striving to be worthy of Merlin, the white Western wizard, which could be taken as implying that their own magical traditions are inferior.

Ooh, yes, I ran across that sort of thing in

some books I read

, and I don't suppose it's any less annoying in a gay wizard romance game :-(

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Wardog

at 09:22 on 2011-01-05I think we should MAKE a gay wizard romance game.

I think it would be awesome.

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Arthur B

at 09:34 on 2011-01-05You could base it off

Mage: the Awakening

. Only this time the awakening isn't a mystical one.

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Shim

at 10:50 on 2011-01-21I found my photos of this game. Does anyone actually want to see them or shall I not bother?

Though I don't actually know how to add photos.

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Arthur B

at 14:15 on 2011-01-21

Though I don't actually know how to add photos.

You use the image library function, which isn't actually linked from the admin page but is linked from the article-editing page.

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Show / Hide Comments -- More in January 2011

[chronicallycal]

Hi Callie! I’m glad to be back in your inbox too! I totally need to catch up on the Harry Potter series once I have the time. Admittedly, I have only watched the movies so far. I’ve heard that while the French translation is fine, there’s something to be said about the wordplay in the original version, so I’m actually tempted to read it in English. Recently, I chose instead to watch some cult movies for the first time, namely the Indiana Jones and Star Wars series oops (NSA)

Your messages are under the cut again, too, because of length lol.

(and I’ve only watched the initial trilogy of both series). Now I finally know what those “Jedi mind tricks” are all about ^^ I can see why you’re comparing the beginning of S8 to what happened in 2x01 and 3x01. Their emotions were indeed less concealed this time, probably because unlike the previous times, in S8 they knew what it was like to be in an actual relationship with one another. Well, I didn’t appreciate the fact that they didn’t work together in the final season, but the thing is,

it would have made no sense if they had, at least during the separation. Because then what would even be the point in breaking up? It was already bad that Castle kept coming to the precinct occasionally (necessary because of how the show is structured), and that Kate also returned several times to the loft, giving her the opportunity to leave a message there if she had wanted to. In fact, I wonder if Castle would have been spared, had Loksat actually come after Beckett in the first half (NSA)

of the season, as Caskett were still married and regularly seeing each other. Besides, after a few eps, Castle started investigating on his own anyway. So while your idea is interesting, imo the writers would have had to find another reason for them to be separated in order to be able to implement that idea. Plus, I think removing the PI office from the picture wouldn’t necessarily equal to Castle visiting the precinct more often (Wouldn’t it hurt him too much to do that?

Would Beckett tolerate his presence after a while? etc.). But yeah, 2x01 and 3x01 were certainly easier to watch because of the way the COTW was handled. You have perfectly described the way I feel about the transition in S8. While it made total sense for them to reconnect sexually with other, and while Castle didn’t completely drop the talk about Loksat, they were almost too happy after what had JUST happened. In other words, things were back to normal really quickly, if that makes sense. (NSA)

I agree that this transition phase would have been a good time for them to discuss their future. Of course I liked the shift between S4 and S5 too, it was about time that they become an item, and I actually loved many Caskett moments in S5 (especially at the beginning of the season with their newly found intimacy, and around episodes 18-21, if “Still” is 5x21). In regards to the end of 5x10, it would have been interesting indeed to see Beckett having that conversation with Castle later on (NSA)

in the show. I guess it happened off screen, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that topic was only addressed after they got engaged. Aside from that scene, there were other mentions of insecurity in 5x08 (on Beckett’s side), and in 5x18 (on Castle’s side) for example, so for me it was a pretty recurrent theme in S5. Like many people, I didn’t like “The Squab and The Squail”, and I still have trouble with the fact that this episode was supposed to air after “Still”, so I’m leaving it aside (NSA)

for the moment. Some people wrote that in their opinion, at the end of S5, Castle had this tendency to deflect Beckett’s questions about the more serious topics, which led her to think that he wasn’t looking for real commitment, when Castle was actually afraid that showing how serious he was about them would spook her. I really liked this explanation, even if in big part, the insecurities resurfaced in those last episodes because it was the end of the season and the writers couldn’t think (NSA)

of another way to stir drama. I would certainly have preferred a proposal in other circumstances, because the part in S5 looked really serious (see Castle’s face), and there was this terrible misunderstanding between them for a minute. And yes, in the second half of S6 C&B were essentially giddy in regards to the wedding, and you’ve just made me realize that seeing a wider range in emotions would probably have made those episodes better. While I didn’t like the first wedding dress, (NSA)

the scene with Beckett in front of the mirror was a great moment in that regard. In 6x23, this thing with Rogan certainly came out of the blue, and you already know what I think of this episode.I really liked 7x23, but I have to admit that there weren’t any hints to Hollander’s Woods in previous eps either. More generally, there were many themed episodes in S7 I believe, so that didn’t really contribute to a sense of cohesiveness between the eps. About 2x24, until now, (NSA)

I was mainly sad because Castle was leaving the precinct with Gina at his arm, in front of everyone, may I add; and as Gina is his ex-wife, it felt more serious to me than a fling atm. But you’re absolutely right that there’s actually more to it than that, and geez that makes this ending even more heartbreaking. On the other hand, I really love 2x12 because of how Kyra is portrayed, so I’ve got to admit that Kate’s jealousy was fun for me too in that particular ep. (NSA)

Wow, I didn’t expect you to write a whole paragraph in French, especially now that you’re telling me you don’t practice the language as often anymore

, nor used to writing such long messages in one go in English (it’s probably easier for me to chat or to talk). But I’m up to the challenge because I love getting the opportunity to discuss the show with you, plus it doesn’t hurt that you always give really awesome answers in return. Thank you for that, by the way! I’m going to finish by sharing with you what I thought of your newest one shot. I actually wrote down the following “sentences” as I was reading the fic, (NSA)

so you’re getting here my unbridled scene-by-scene reactions. Warning: there’s gonna be some serious rambling involved (but you know that about me now :p) The beginning: ouch, painful, but it wouldn’t totally be a fic of yours if there wasn’t at least some angst involved (except for some rare occurrences), right? / That was a twist, even if I was intrigued right away by the supernatural aspect of your fic; the best part is, you copied the beginning of the scene in the summary and I didn’t (NSA)

The scene with the popcorn is so sweet, so them, so in character. / Castle is alive! And babyyyy. / Oh okay, we’re back to the theater now; is the baby real or is just a way to motivate them? (I think it’s real, let’s hope it’s real) / Aww a glimpse into the future, I think I see where we’re headed now; and mmh still a mention of a hospital bed even in that scene, nice (I pictured a nursery at first) / Oh okay, it will actually be a constant back and forth before the final scene encased (NSA)

in reality. OMG I’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, she so saw what happened in “Always” the first time she was here :p And that’s why she knows things he doesn’t. / Beginning of next scene: I can imagine Castle coming back to reality by wanting to join Lily when she laughs, maybe symbolically open a door or something. Okay that didn’t happen but it’s so cute! Ooh and the twins are on the way! / Ooh we don’t wake up straight to reality, but Kate’s still got her hand in his. Interesting! (NSA)

/ What the hell with Caleb Brown??? And here it comes. A taxi, good! / Didn’t we have those lines before? I’m checking…yess we did! Everything is definitely accurate then :) / And okay, I should watch Criminal Minds (I guess that’s what CM means?) more often because I didn’t get the reference ^^ All I can now say is wow, I have no words (well, I sure had them before), it was so fantastic. One of your best works, if not the best. (NSA)

The succession of short scenes made it really pleasant to read as well. I’m sure Rickcastlefromthailand has loved her birthday gift! ;) Until next time, Callie! NSA 19/19 PS: The length of these messages is getting out of hand LOL.

Hi!

In my opinion, you should definitely read the Harry Potter series. While I haven’t read the French version, so I can’t comment on its quality compared to the English version, but I will say there’s a certain beauty and wittiness to J.K. Rowling’s writing that may or may not have been reflected in the translation. However you choose to read them, though, I would definitely recommend it. That being said, I actually haven’t seen the movies. Or any of the other “cult” movies you mentioned. My movie watching is so minimal, I have a long list of movies I have to see, per my friends. lol. (oops?)

Upon further reflection, I have to agree that the idea of them working together through the separation would have most certainly been more flawed than the story line we were presented. I also agree that there is a certain degree of doubt that, despite their separation, Castle would have been spared in the event that LokSat went after Beckett in the early portion of the season. Personally, I doubt such a criminal would have spared the person who has so often presented himself as Beckett’s partner in crime, especially since both of them have shown great dedication to finding the truth. If nothing else, I imagine LokSat would have been aware of the fact that Castle would likely would have gone to great lengths to find out what happened to Beckett, whether they were separated or not. And LokSat, who doesn’t seem to be someone who cares about bloodshed, likely would have gone after Castle if only to avoid that hassle and inevitably doing it later.

Your description of the transition phase is also very accurate, in my opinion. Idk if you saw, but Raina (bravevulnerability) recently wrote about why Castle forgives Beckett so easily in her fics, and explained that forgiving someone doesn’t necessarily mean everything is okay/back to normal. In a way, I feel that this is what the reunion in season 8 lacked. Spare for Fidelis Ad Mortem (8x15), and the struggles in that episode, and the entire concept of hiding their reunion, there was a distinct lack of lingering emotions. Of course, to an extent, these could have passed during the winter hiatus, but I do think a certain degree of lingering doubts, even if communicated through subtle questioning and strange glances would have added a layer of authenticity of their reunion.

As for season 5, I think there’s a distinct difference in the insecurity expressed in episodes such as 5x08 and 5x18 compared to 5x10 and especially the end of the season. By which I mean, the prior instances seem to be more of a personal insecurity, a “will this work out” and “am I good enough for this person”, whereas the end of the season portrays the insecurity of “does this person want a serious relationship like I do”. The prior, to me, makes sense. Both characters have shown underlying insecurity throughout the series, so their doubts about being good enough for each other and/or compatible after all the effort put into their relationship are justified. What the end of the season does, however, is seem to make Beckett forget this commitment and effort that Castle has put in, as though he didn’t spend a year waiting to be with her, as though they hadn’t been together for a year, as though he hadn’t risked his life for her multiple times, one of which had just happened, in Still.

While I do agree that it’s highly possible that Castle would have evaded questions about their future out of fear of spooking Beckett, my problem with that is that it wasn’t shown at all prior to her doubts coming to surface. Which, in my opinion, is a failure of the writers, who knew where the season was going, as this is pre-planned, and didn’t take it upon themselves to present any semblance of build up to their end of season drama, in a way that made it seem implausible and almost juvenile. (Honestly, Beckett’s fears reminded me of something one would see with a couple who’s been hooking up for a few months, or playfully together with far less history, rather than a couple like Caskett). So for me, while this concept of the why being totally plausible and even a pleasant thought, in a way, my problem is that the writers didn’t execute that concept, and rather presented these doubts as something caused by Castle not wanting to sleep with Beckett in that one moment.

And for season 6, yes, I loved the moment in front of the mirror in 6x14. It’s a perfect example of how their past, personal struggles as individuals and as a couple could have been entwined. While I wouldn’t have liked a fulls season of merely rehashing the same doubts, I definitely think emotions such as those in that scene could have greatly improved the season for people such as myself who didn’t find great enjoyment in the giddy checklist style we did get.

Gah the reactions of the rest of the characters in 2x24 is truly heartbreaking, too. And I certainly agree that there’s a greater severity to that scene given that Gina is his ex-wife and not just a fling. I also think that 2x12 was a truly enjoyable episode. I actually really enjoyed Kyra, and the jealousy in that episode.

And aw! I hope my speaking French could bring you joy. I honestly need to use it more often, since I don’t want to lose it or my status as bilingual. And I’ve also used Duolingo, albeit to learn Spanish, and while it’s fun and teaches the basics, for sure, I find that eventually I get bored of doing the same lessons over and over again and just quit. Oops.

I’m also so glad my comments on your English could make you happy. I honestly had no idea you weren’t a native English speaker, so you certainly use the language well, even if it’s outside your comfort zone. I have to admit, I’m glad you feel okay with stepping outside your comfort zone for these messages, because I truly enjoy these exchanges we have.

And gaaaah I love your thoughts on my fic so much. Rambles are my favorite and it made me so happy to read your thoughts as you read, knowing where you were in the story and what was coming. I am so, so glad you enjoyed my odd little one-shot. And thank you so, so much for your compliments. I must admit, I’m fairly proud of that story as it went outside my comfort zone and into a genre I don’t usually explore, in a style not truly like my usual one, so to know it was well executed means the world to me.

(Also yes you should watch more Criminal Minds. Besides Castle, it is probably my favorite show lol).

Thank you, again, for this lovely message. I hope you have a good day, week, etc. Until next time!

Callie xx

(And yes these messages really are getting really long lol).

[nottrampis]

More Questions again

Is Beckett a dope? ( My words not theirs)

Let us go to season 1 and season 8. Beckett prefers to believe newspaper reports rather than what she sees right in front of her. In other words Castle’s private persona is in complete contrast to his public persona.

I should add police ( at least in NSW) look for differences in the public and private personas finding private personas are almost always correct. What ‘super’ detective would believe newspapers.

What person would believe Castle taking Alexis to a playground then successfully propositions single mothers? This is so absurd it should have provided a warning to all of us in only the second episode.

In the last season Beckett meets Castle’s father’s wife. She tells Beckett it is successful because no-one knows they are married. Beckett then leaves Castle believing Loksat will leave Castle alone.

Did Castle’s weddings suck?

you betcha. In the first but unsuccessful wedding we see Castle having no self awareness, He finds it hard to organise. Huh He doesn’t realise a wedding isc al about the bride more so when the groom had been divorced twice. We get to the wedding day and on a sunny day Castle get dressed in New York and then drives to the Hamptons. huh. Why di he not  get a hotel room  there?

When they do wed they do not dress appropriately ( in the first neither Martha not Lanie do either), ‘their’ song is a song they would have found it hard to ever listen to and then we see an alcoholic drinking champagne. Do not get me started on the pathetic proposal.

Was Beckett a rebel?

Are you kidding. We find out in the Maddie episode she was a member of a large group. then we are later told instead of going to her prom she and her male valet went to a poetry reading. Hmm how many blokes do you know who thought they were taking Beckett to the prom and dressed for it then meekly agree and go to the poetry reading dressed as they are? If this occurred he would be labelled a prat and she would be rightly seen as four fifths up herself

Beckett meekly accedes to authority when she is forced to agree to Castle shadowing her, when she is forced to act as a .bodyguard to a billionaire and then again when Castle is told he is not allowed in the 12th Precinct.

What is the best episode and the best acting from Nathan and Stana?

Knockdown for me. The writer probably did not mean it but it only works IF Bracken has a  mole at the 12th Precinct and Montgomery thinks that as well.

Just remember we do not see Beckett talk to Castle we assume this is done at the Loft when she goes there. If only this was done in latter seasons! I did love Beckett’s blush after she kisses Castle. Castle is strong as well.  A pity always started though. It shows weakness on both people. In the Belly of the Beast unfortunately blows up this episode.

I will say A deadly game for acting. Stana is sensational in portraying an emotional vulnerable woman and just look at Castle when he finds out Demming and Beckett are going on a weekend away together. He is shattered. you can see he realises the game is over. A weekend is a prelude to living together.Beckett is gone

Would you have made any changes of personnel at the 12th?

A new Captain soon after Gates is there. I cannot believe how incompetent she is written.

I would have had Ann Hasting as a detective replacing  Esposito.

however just remember the new members made season 8 worse but we already knew Ann. She is the blonde Beckett.

Should the Actors/Actresses be criticised?

No different to having a go at footballers playing badly.

I would have though there should have been much criticism of the lack of research, backstory, and complete lack of any continuity.

did stana realise how much Beckett was a bimbo for example or Susan Sullivan how  much of an idiot Martha was and she had no idea of manners.

Their press ‘stuff’ never made sense. Does Stana really believe Beckett not apologising is a good thing or Nathan really believe Castle is both manipulated by women he knows and a ladies man.

What do you think we needed to know in terms of back story?

Castle first. Why did he marry Gina and then divorce? why no sex or hardly any in their marriage? Why ddi she work when clearly she did not need to? Why did he think anything would come with Sophia turner when clearly she is  older than he.Why di he live with a girl at university and then almost immediately after that stopped moved in  with  Kyra Blaine. Why would anyone go near Meredith let alone marry her. how come he has no friends. Remember at the awardfs nnight he has only family and work colleagues there.

Beckett

Why did she go to the restaurant with Jim and not  Johanna. Did she have an argument with her? Did Johanna stop sending her money at University so she had to be a  nude model after all Jim and Johanna had plenty of money. how was she asked to be a bridesmaid so many times given she was a social recluse following her mother’s murder. how come so few boyfriends? Why is Lanie her best friend

Did the series have a  logical flow to it.

Not a chance. Take Castle as a ladies man. He could only do things during the day when Alexis is at school. how many women can take a day off? He simply did not have the time to have as many ladies friends as he alleges. He and Alexis are close. This would be impossible if he is not at home with her at nights.

How does Beckett have so many sexual experiences given her lack of boyfriends. It could only happen as an emotional release from the trying time she has in getting her father of the drink.

The writing concerning marriage is appalling.. Just remember in the midst of his proposal Castle says ‘whatever YOU decide’ Hang on it should be whatever WE decide What about when Castle gets all excited about going to a strip club. He is a married man and has a beautiful wife yet he acts like a teenager.

It is like the writers believe  marriage is simply two individuals living together

And while I am at it how can two sex fiends have a bedroom that is unlocked? That is too absurd for words

How about Castle and Montgomery not knowing each other in the first episode and then we find out in  a few episodes later they regularly play poker!!

did Beckett have walls?

Of course not. Three reasons why not. Sorensen, Demming and Davidson.Does anyone really think Davidson would be with Beckett for about a year if Beckett had walls. If a person was to have walls it would have been Castle. Two divorces makes for for strong walls for most men but not Castle! 

What was the point of Pi?

I have no idea. No child would just allow a person to live in your parent's house without asking said parent. Oi’s reason is very suspicious. A few of us at TV Fanatic thought it was for nefarious reasons bit apparently not.

If the chemistry between Castle/Beckett was the best ever seen on TV ) or the screen) then there was none between Pi and Alexis.

Thoughts on Alexis?

Alexis starts out as a cute  kid but as she grows the writers do not know where to go. I call ed this the joannie cunngham disease.after one of the characters in Happy Days.

In season 6 she is a spoiled brat and then by season 8 her University course takes in information technology. PI work, English speaking classes,. some degree. I said at the time She should have been pursuing a PhD. Quite a few people thought she was being groomed by Hayley Shipton another character who seemed to abundantly multi-skilled.

Why do you think Marlowe failed?

He did no research into subjects he was going to write about. 

He simply added layers and layers to his characters even though in some case they contradicted each other or there simply was no time for certain events to occur He could not admit to making mistakes and so never learned from those mistakes.

He simply did not understand what a long flowing love story was about.

Still was the episode for the relationship to grow and enrich instead we got the evil episode that Marlowe thought was fun and Beckett lying her head off. I don’t believe Marlowe ever recovered from criticism of his remarks on the evil episode.

He never answered questions of how in the hell an agency dealing with National Security would ever offer a job to a cop who only recently been suspended nor why if Castle had been punished for something he hadn’t done in the season 2 finale why Beckett was punished for something she had done for three consecutive episodes. He also avoided answering how bot the NYPD and a National Security agency di not know Beckett was married.

In the end every finale he wrote had more holes in it than swiss cheese.

and that is it folks

[jenniferfaye34]

#Giveaway + Excerpt ~ The Soccer Player and the Single Mom by Kyra Jacobs... #romance #books

Meet the Author:

Kyra Jacobs is an extroverted introvert who has always called Indiana home. That means she’s well versed in fickle weather, pork tenderloin patties that don’t fit on a bun, and sarcasm. Putting her Indiana University degrees in Public Management to good use by day means Kyra does the bulk of her writing late into the night. Fueled by caffeine and funny memes, she weaves tales of love and relationships, including the humor and/or chaos both can bring. Kyra’s published novels range from sweet contemporary romance to chick lit and paranormal/fantasy. When this Hoosier native isn’t at a keyboard, daydreaming through her fingertips, she’s likely outside, elbow-deep in snapdragons or on a sideline somewhere cheering (loudly) for her sporty sons. Kyra also loves to go bowling, tries to golf, and is an avid college football fan.

Connect: Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

About the Book:

For most women, working for a sexy soccer star would be a dream come true. All except single mom Felicity Shaw. She has no interest in playing personal assistant for a stubborn, injured playboy—no matter how nice his abs are. But with bills piling up and mouths to feed, she can’t say no to the job.

That’s when it gets interesting.

The last thing Scott Gillie wants or needs is a persistent and entirely too distracting PA while he’s recuperating in his small hometown. Unfortunately, it’s not up to him. Then Felicity and her son end up temporarily moving in—all thanks to his meddlesome grandmother. Now temptation is right across the hall and it’s driving Scott crazy.

His only option is to fight fire with fire.

He never expects Felicity to do the same.

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | AppleBooks | Kobo

Add to Goodreads

EXCERPT: Standing here toe-to-toe with Felicity, he found his resolve wavering. Not that it would matter. Another verbal joust or two, he sensed, and she’d be on her way. As much as he hated the idea of upsetting her, her staying bothered him far more. Across the room, a perky mambo-style song began to play. Felicity’s features quickly shifted from irate to worried. She spun from him to retrieve a phone from her purse. “Hey, Laur, what’s up? Wait, slow down. My duplex is what?” Felicity turned and hurried toward the foyer, her voice a quiet rush. As she did, Edna rose from her chair and came over to smack him upside the head. “What the hell is wrong with you?” she said in a hiss. “What? You always said honesty should come above all else.” That earned him a second wallop. “You can be honest and still use tact, you nincompoop. I expect you to apologize when she comes back.” “But—” “No buts. If she’s been hired to be your personal assistant, then you let her. Heaven knows the poor girl and her son need all the help they can get right now.” Scott hung his head. Saying it like that, Edna made him sound like some evil villain out to swindle a fair maiden. Not used to playing the bad guy, he tried to come up with a new plan. Maybe they could work together to trick J.B. into thinking she was doing the PA thing. Because, aside from giving him a ride to his weekly doctor visits, there really wasn’t any other reason for her to be around. All he had to do was convince her to fib to his agent, and they’d both be better off. For the first time since this crazy arrangement had been sprung on him, Scott actually looked forward to his next conversation with her. “Besides, that one’s a keeper.” Oh no. He needed to put a stop to that kind of thinking, ASAP. Scott threw his grandmother a warning look. “She’s not a date, Grandma. She’s my assistant.” “Mm-hmm.” Her cotton-ball brows waggled. “Wanna put a wager on it?” “Do we need to have another talk about your gambling problem?” “Bah, Ohio’s taken the fun out of you.” Felicity rushed back into the room, worry etched across her beautiful face. Wait, beautiful? “As much fun as it was arguing with you, Scott, I’m afraid I need to go. My penny-pinching landlord finally cut one too many corners, and the apartment connected to mine caught fire earlier. Our half is in the process of being condemned.” Scott could hardly believe his ears. She was leaving? And not because of him? He felt badly for her, truly he did. But silently? He did a mental fist pump. “Condemned?” Edna cursed, and not under her breath. “I always knew that Harvey Gregory was a no-good miser. But honey, where will you go?” “To my cousin’s, to see if she knows anyone who can spare us a room for the next few days. Or maybe she’ll just shoehorn us into her basement. I don’t know.” Guilt ate at Scott as Felicity’s voice wavered. As much as he wanted her gone, his heart went out to the woman and her smiley, shaggy-haired son. How much of their world had just been destroyed by the fire? “Is there anything we can do to help?” “No.” Felicity raised her chin, trying for bravado, but the sound was more of a hurt whisper. “My home, my routine. I’ll figure something out. I always do.” “Nonsense,” said Edna. She wouldn’t. His grandmother’s gaze cut to his. She couldn’t. “You can stay here with us.” She did.

Giveaway:

$15 Amazon Gift Card

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[preserving-ferretbrain]

23 boxes of tissues on the Jellicoe Road

by Wardog

Thursday, 05 February 2009Wardog tops off her run of utterly amazing books with On the Jellicoe Road.~

My father took one hundred and thirty-two minutes to die. I counted. It happened on the Jellicoe Road. The prettiest road I'd ever seen, where trees made breezy canopies like a tunnel to Shangri-La. We were going to the ocean, hundreds of miles away, because I wanted to see the ocean and my father said that it was about time the four of us made that journey. I remember asking, "What's the difference between a trip and a journey?" and my father said, "Narnie, my love, when we get there, you'll understand," and that was the last thing he ever said.

Are you in tears, yet? On the Jellicoe Road (or Jellicoe Road, as it was published over here, for some inexplicable reason) is an incredible book, a perfectly judged juxtaposition of beauty and pain, like the Jellicoe road itself introduced here in the prologue. I'm probably failing to sell this from the get go book: On the Jellico Road is not an easy book - in fact, sometimes, it's almost unbearable - but it's also superb in every conceivable way, and so full of hope and wonder that if I believed in books could change lives, this would be one of those books. It's a buy and give to everyone you know sort of book.

On the Jellicoe Road is a complex book, with complex characters and you'll spend at least the first hundred pages faintly bewildered because it just throws you straight into the action of the story, but it's incredibly carefully structured and comes together in remarkably coherent and satisfying way. Everything that happens, everything it tells you, is there for a reason. There are two storylines, one set in the past and one in the present; they seem to run in parallel but, as the book unfolds, they turn out to be intimately connected. The Past tells the story of five teenagers who were brought together in tragedy on the Jellicoe Road. In the present, we have Taylor Markham, a teenage girl who was abandoned at 7/11 by her mother on the Jellicoe Road. She becomes the reluctant leader of her school in the annual territory wars between the Jellicoe school students, the Townies and the Cadets, who come in for six weeks from the city, but she's really searching for family she's lost and a sense of belonging in a world she thinks is "just a tad low on the reliable adult quota."

I've deliberately kept my attempt at a plot summary sparse: there is no way I can do such an intricate book justice in a summary and a large part of the pleasure of reading it comes from piecing the past and the present together, and learning how the one informs and influences the other. The sections of the novel set in the present are told in the first person from Taylor's point of view; the past comes to us in fragments from the novel written by Hannah, the woman who has acted somewhat as a surrogate parent for Taylor. I can't say simply what On the Jellicoe Road is about: it's about love, I think, love and pain, and hope, and how to find it. I'm not a sentimental person, and it's not in any way a sentimental book, but I cried all the way through it. I'm kind of welling up a bit writing this review, and remembering. The thing is, because I am not the sort of person who cries at things, I usually get quite angry by books that try to make me. I feel resentful and manipulated: although it is impossible to read On the Jellicoe Road without being moved, the emotion it never fails to evoke feels natural and cathartic.

There isn't much more to say about On the Jellicoe Road without starting to pick it apart in order to look at why it's so wonderful. But it's a sublime butterfly of a book and I have no wish to stick a pin through its heart. I simply can't remember the last time I was so profoundly affected by something in fiction. It's quite a slow-paced read and far from easy but it's undoubtedly worth it. It's such a powerful story, beautifully written, elegantly structured and full of flawed, complex well-drawn characters. And although it's full of grief and pain and despair, the darkness is never absolute: hope and love are always there when you are sure they can't possibly be. And, if you can possibly believe it, it's far from a grueling emotion-fest. It's also extremely funny (Taylor, for example, has a dry, sarcastic narrative voice that suits her difficult, lonely character perfectly) and there's plenty of adolescent bickering and flirting and relating to keep the book grounded. On the Jellicoe Road is quite simply an essential read. It makes me want to have children so I could give them copy when they got to be teenagers. Even though I hate children. It's that good.Themes:

Young Adult / Children

~

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~Comments (

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)

Isabel

at 09:42 on 2009-05-23Kyra thanks SO much for writing this review. Just finished it (was anal enough to get my cousin in Australia to buy and post me a copy because I don't like UK edition) and would never of heard of it if you hadn't written this. Fucking LOVE this book. It's just amazing.

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Wardog

at 10:51 on 2009-05-23Thank you so much - I'm glad somebody else has read it because it's such an amazing book. And I have no idea what they were thinking of with the UK cover (big red poppy of pointlessness??).

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Isabel

at 19:04 on 2009-05-25And especially renaming it Jellicoe Road – that really irked me!

I think what I really loved was the way that everything in it was there for a reason and also because the big points or important sentences and moments didn’t stick in my mind because they were obviously This Is Significant (something which after five seasons of Lost is really. Pissing. Me. Off.) but just because they were the most beautiful – opening paragraph and the ‘more’ stuff being the case in point.

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Guy

at 06:59 on 2009-07-29Hey Kyra, just wanted to add my thanks to Isabel's because I just finished reading this book and it was amazing. If you hadn't written this review I never would have given this book a second glance because I would have (shamefully) misjudged it on the basis of having seen the film of Alibrandi and sort-of liked it and thought that was all I needed to know about Melina Marchetta. I'm half-tempted to write a review of this book in which I ramble endlessly about the hundred and one things that it makes me think of, but I guess the succinct thing I'd say about it is that it's the kind of book that I remember reading that made me Believe In Literature when I was younger and that's an experience I've missed for a long long time.

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Robinson L

at 20:30 on 2009-09-09Oh my god.

Oh my

god

.

(I promised myself I'd restrict this comment to just the one repetition.)

By great good fortune, my library system has this on Playaway (a sort of combination audiobook and player, just add headphones) and I just happened to stumble across it when browsing the online catalogue (I'm pretty sure I didn't go out looking for it).

I listened to it over the summer and was completely blown away. Easily one of the best books I've read in years. Maybe

the

best.

This story is so incredibly beautiful. Tragedy and I have been on difficult terms for a long time, and once or twice I've considered issuing a restraining order. This summer it feels like I've been saturated with more angsty melodrama than at any time since I gave up

Legacy of the Force

in disgust. (At some point when I've got my thoughts better collected I'll have to write a post about the peculiar penchant in the entertainment industry to assume more angst = more literate.) Then again, that may've mostly been due to the third and fourth seasons of

Battlestar Galactica

, a show which must've been pitched like this: “We've got to show the Brits we can produce something even

more

angsty than their new version of

Doctor Who

.” (Ooh, look at all the pretty tangents.)

'Course, some of the tragedy was better than that. I listened to both Jodi Picoult's

My Sister's Keeper

and Audrey Niffenegger's

The Time-Traveler's

(which, incidentally, also had a major character die in a car crash and accidentally shot by a loved one, respectively) this spring and they were all right, but even they felt somewhat forced and melodramatic.

On the Jellicoe Road

singlehandedly restored my faith in tragedy, and reminded me that yes, it can be an intensely beautiful thing. (Anybody else here think tragedy is a lot harder to pull off satisfactorily than happy stories?)

Which is not to say, I hasten to add for the benefit of anyone who hasn't yet read the book, that it's all tragedy. The ending is bittersweet: tragedy and joy blended to perfection and served in a porcelain bowl with luscious fudge topping.

It's hard enough to get my eyes to tear up, but I was crying all through the last three chapters. The epilogue was such a downer note that I just kept on listening and got the prologue and first nine chapters all over again. (Approximately one million things leaped out at me and had me going “Oh, so

that's

what that part's about. Another sign of excellent writing.)

And though it's sad, the story is also uplifting. I think this is because at the end of the road, despite all of the pain, all of the heartache, all of the betrayals and perceived betrayals, everyone is forgiven, everyone is loved. I'm tearing up again just writing that.

In terms of plotting, the book is effing fantastic. To borrow a line from Kyra's

“Incarceron” review

:

Read it and weep, JK Rowling, this what a backstory should be.

(Also what tragedy should be.)

Even the serial killer plot thread managed to tie into the whole in the most perfectly unexpected way. *David Tennant voice* Brilliant.

I attended a Young Adult Fiction panel at a Convention this weekend, and at one point realized they were having recommendations from the audience. I gave this book a special shout-out (and Catherine Fisher, too).

Unfortunately, my youngest sisters are too young to read this—I just know it would break their hearts—and the older one has already expressed her disinclination to let me tell her how much

I

loved the book, let alone recommend it to her (which I wasn't going to do anyway, because teenager though she is, I suspect she'd find it overwhelmingly sad as well).

My version had the red poppy too, but it's so abstract I didn't mind, because the Australian cover looks like some kind of ghost story of only middling quality to me. As for the title—I got both versions. The US cover has the truncated title, but the dramatization is Australian and the reader gave it in full.

May I also just give a shout-out to the audio version, by the way? Narration can primarily enhance a story experience, detract from it, or execute it neutrally (I say “primarily” because most have at least a little of each). Rebecca Macauley's reading of

On the Jellicoe Road

lands squarely in the first category. Her Taylor is flawless, and the other voices are good-to-amazing. With her narration, she brings the rich emotions of the book to life.

(Although due to only listening to the book, I was momentarily thrown off rereading this post to learn that Webb's sister is called “Narnie” rather than “Nani.”)

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Wardog

at 12:58 on 2009-09-10I am increasingly pleased I wrote this review - the book had such an impact on me that I'm glad other people reading it as a consquence.

I'm so glad it effected you as strongly as it did me - it's a truly remarkable and wonderful book. I did cry pretty much the whole way through it but I never resented the fact it made me do that, nor did I find it was unpleasant, the way strong emotions can sometimes be.

It's such a hard book to recommend to people because it is such an emotional read.

But, God, yes it's remarkable - and you for commenting, I really think everyone should read this book.

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Robinson L

at 22:02 on 2009-09-10Thank

you

for reviewing it, and putting me on to such a fabulous thing.

(Yes, it is a hard book to recommend, although I seem to be getting the unshakable urge to proselytize it now.)

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Jamie Johnston

at 19:59 on 2017-07-13This review has really stuck in my mind for all these years, so much so that I've come to remember it as possibly the first thing I ever read on Ferretbrain – which is clearly wrong because I'd been not only reading but contributing to the site for over a year before the review was posted. I also remembered 'On the Jellicoe Road' as being the first book I put on my 'to read' list when I got a Goodreads account (over two years after reading this review) and that memory does turn out to be right.

And after all that, I recently got round to actually tracking down a copy and reading it! No need to say any more than that I completely agree with everything you said about it, Kyra, and thank you for the recommendation.