#I think Alex will be the ninth person

[kazz-brekker]

it’s interesting to me that for a series that promises an unflinching look at the reality of a world where the wealthy have access to magic and don’t care about the negative impact that it has on other people (and i think does largely do a good job of showing that!), the ninth house series seems to sort of … pull its punches when it comes to the suffering the characters endure at the climax of each story? recently reread ninth house for the first time in years followed by hell bent, and the scene where the souls that marguerite belbalm consumed then consuming her felt sort of. ikd. optimistic? after all the emphasis on “consumption of souls” heavily implying the idea that those people had totally ceased to exist and had only become fuel for belbalm to draw upon it was a bit confusing to learn they were actually all still around and could take vengeance on belbalm. and then in hell bent tripp turns into a demon instead of completely dying which is probably not, like, a super fun experience, but he seems to almost completely maintain his personality from before so it almost feels like nothing major really happened to him, as opposed to linus reiter, who seemingly was utterly eradicated by the demon who took his place. idk. both of those things kind of made me go “this feels like it is breaking the established rules of the universe in order to make things not be as bad as they would actually be.” i don’t know if there’s a bigger conclusion from this, i’m just thinking about it since i recently finished hell bent.

[ham1lton]

DREAM GIRL.

pairings: jude bellingham x reader.

faceclaim: maya jama <3

summary: being the personal assistant of sir lewis hamilton has been the highlight of your career so far, even when he has you fetching organic vegan dog food for roscoe at six in the morning. but that was expected, what wasn’t expected was a certain english footballer taking an interest in you.

author’s note: shout out to my jude girlies! this one is for u! it’s also technically the 29th where i am, so happy twenty first to jude! now part of a series.

— wanna be tagged in any future works? fill out my taglist!

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liked by landonorris, yourbestie and 78,928 others.

yourusername: days lately 💐

view all 10,739 comments

user1: THE LEWIS PIC 😭😭

lewishamilton: you’re fired.

-> yourusername: this is the ninth time you’ve fired me this week.

-> landonorris: i’ll hire you y/n.

-> lewishamilton: shut up norris. don’t steal my assistant.

-> yourusername: I’VE BEEN REHIRED AGAIN WOOOOOO!

user2: why is yn the most entertaining f1 related person.

user3: guys, who is she??? she’s stunning!

-> user4: yn yln! she’s lewis’ assistant and practically family at this point. she’s been with him since she was 18. she just had her 24th birthday so they’ve worked together for almost 6 years! she’s so funny and if you’re a fan of lewis, you should definitely follow her!

charles_leclerc: roscoe and leo playdate when?

-> yourusername: roscoe is booked up for the unforeseeable future i apologise.

-> alexandrasaintmleux: oh no 😢

-> yourusername: suddenly he has an opening!!!! just for alex.

-> alexandrasaintmleux: yay! i’ll message you 😊💐

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liked by lewishamilton, judebellingham and 233,938 others.

yourusername: btw if you catch your girl smiling at her phone it’s probably something i posted. your girl thinks i’m hilarious and loves me more than you 🤷🏾‍♀️

view all 27,127 comments

carmenmmundt: caption is true!

-> yourusername: kissing you virtually <3

user1: i love yn sm.

-> user2: did u see her vlog for the lv event?? she feeds us sm. shirtless lewis in the beginning, jude bellingham in the background of the event and her posing with central cee at the end. she’s collecting british boys like she’s getting paid for it.

user3: marry me yn!!!!

lilymhe: roscoe is judging tf out of you 😭

-> yourusername: he hates to see me shine 😔

user4: YOU LOOK SO GOOD IM FROTHING

user5: why is jude in the likes omggg???

roscoelovescoco: you’s my favourite’s 🐶

-> yourusername: love u sm my baby 😢

user8: is it truly a yn post without a roscoe pic?

*liked by yourusername.*

user6: all the wags love yn. i need wag!yn expeditiously.

user7: can you even post this?? won’t you get fired?

-> yourusername: idk. take it up w/ my boss lewishamilton.

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START INSTAGRAM LIVE. (5K WATCHING)

YN: hi guys!! how are we all doing? you okay?

user1: YN I LOVE YOU!!

user2: im good!

user3: where are you?

YN: i’m currently in madrid right now for a event that lewis is involved in. i love madrid. much different to drizzly england.

user4: omg perfect timing.

user5: your bf is in madrid rn.

user6: god aligned your chakras 😍

YN: my bf???? guys i don’t have a boyfriend.

user7: you do now. boyfriend distribution system has done its job and he’s hot! and rich! and successful!

user8: lmfaooo ur face 😭

YN: who are you guys talking about. i promise you, i am single.

user9: jude bellingham posted a tweet asking if he could get more screentime in your next vlog 😭

user10: girl he wants you bad 😭

user11: and we don’t blame him!

YN: jude bellingham? the football player? isn’t he like twelve.

user12: he’s 21 girl 😭

user13: cancers rise !! ♋️

YN: i don’t date younger than me! he’s a baby!

user14: you are freshly 24 😭

user15: dw you are not kelly piquet girl 😭

user16: you should date him!!

landonorris: hi 😃👋🏼

YN: hi future boss dude

landonorris: i think you should date jude as well.

YN: et tu, brute?

END INSTAGRAM LIVE. (12K WATCHING)

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liked by trentarnold66, roscoelovescoco and 1,288,567 others.

yourusername: roscoe took me to the airport and we both sobbed and cried when i had to leave. i could barely enjoy looking at shirtless jude 😔

view all 45,928 comments

judebellingham: it’s okay. you’ll have plenty more chances to see it again.

user1: caption so real 😔

user2: how’s your holiday going?

-> yourusername: great! but i genuinely crave a roast dinner so bad. roast dinner with all the trimmings please and thanks 🙏🏾

user3: i thought you were lewis’ assistant 😭 why are you chilling with jude?

-> yourusername: i am lewis’ assistant but thanks to labour laws, i am entitled to holiday leave. i am on holiday right now.

-> lilymhe: without me? 😔

-> yourusername: sorry babe 😔😔

trentarnold66: thank god. jude wouldn’t shut up about you. so glad you’re together.

-> judebellingham: i’m praying on your downfall. hope your account gets blocked 🙏🏾

landonorris: you’re just on holiday? was hoping you’d been fired so i can hire you 😒

-> yourusername: i only work for world champions. nicorosberg, you hiring?

-> user4: MESSY ASS 😭

-> user5: yn could singlehandedly repair brocedes.

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— taglist: @23victoria @maxlarens @m1892 @stinkyjax @yelenasloverrrrr @tsireyasgf @landososcar @ourlifeforchaos @itseightbeats @xylinasdiary @chelle1306 @velentine @ariellovelynn @shhhchriss @f1kenzzz @lavisenri @namgification @hiireadstuff @theblueblub @lifeless-firefly @ctrlyomomma @evie-119 @starz4me1 (found yourself tagged in something you’d rather not be? refill the taglist with what you would rather be tagged in and leave a note at the bottom for me to delete your old form! if you’d like to be removed all together then send me an ask!)

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[love-thisbe]

- alex claremont diaz birth chart.

hi guys!! this is my first post ever here!! i posted a thread of alex's birth chart on twitter and i decided to bring it here as well since i love astrology, and i don't see a lot of people talking about firstprince's birth charts. thank you casey mcquiston for also being into astrology and giving me this amazing gift of knowing at what time they were born.

just a few notes before we begin:

- im sorry if there’s any typos, english is not my first language

- its ok if there’s something you don't agree with, astrology is not 100% correct and some things might not apply

- im planning to do henry's birth chart next, so let me know if you want that!

anyway let's start!!

sun in aries

the sun represents your will and purpose, your sense of vitality and your evolving higher self. in the sign aries it is cardinal-fire, and rules the head. the ruling planet is mars. aries people tend to be energetic, forceful and outgoing. alex is good at getting things done, although might prefer starting to finishing. like the energy of the first rush of spring, alex moves into the world in a headstrong, pioneering way. alex is likely to rush into things before reflecting, and may also be impatient or unwilling to sit back and allow events to mature. he has great vitality and a tremendous need to be physically active. he has a strong will, and is self-centered about pursuing it, so that he may try to dominate other people until he learns to be more subtle about getting his way. he also has an acute need for love and affection. he benefits from self-discipline, so that he can channel his abundant energy more constructively. 

the sun in the ninth house represents a concentration of the vital force of abstracting and understanding universal truth. alex is strongly invested in creating for himself a philosophy as his personal vision of life as an interconnected adventure or journey. he willingly study the various meanings ascribed to life that are visionary in nature, involving patterns that interplay or holistic forms. he uses his higher awareness to look for pieces of life’s mysterious puzzle and then organize his perceptions to connect them within a broader picture of reality. in addition to his voyage through his own inner landscapes he enjoys adventuring by traveling to foreign lands and learning languages. he is also drawn to be an observer of other’s ideas and experiences. he loves to study and reflect back into society anything that people have gathered and learned. his nature is to eliminate the extraneous from hidden truths and reveal their essence to those around him. alex is at his best when he has a range of areas of interest to experience and absorb into his mind and body, in order that he stretches out his visionary vistas and make them more concretely available to others as he lucidly explores the outer reaches of his perceptions.

moon in aries

the moon in aries gives an ardent nature with inclinations to impatience, independence and impulsiveness. with this placement, alex has a high energy level. he also has a strong competitive streak, which, together with his attack first attitude, may conceal subtle feelings of insecurity. his emotions are keenly felt, direct and spontaneous. he may have to guard against a quick temper. he should also guard against a tendency towards a too hasty reaction to situations, rather than a more carefully reasoned approach. he is more comfortable thinking of himself as strongly independent with great physical daring and courage.

the moon in the ninth house represents an emotional sensitivity in the area of higher ideals and visionary philosophy. he may be something of a dreamer and tend to romanticize his emotions. his philosophy is based on his feelings and sensitivity to his ideals regarding the superconscious realms. he constantly studies his experiences to redefine his own philosophy about life, which may be the basis for his own vision of religion. his philosophical attitude may seem difficult for other people to understand. he may suffer from a utopian ideal of wanting to feel good all of the time which can cause his suffering. alex tends to be a dreamer yet his dreams may reflect truths about reality when he is in tune to his higher awareness of consciousness. he loves travel and is likely to take many journeys. he is constantly trying to maintain his ideal emotional state of being. he is a natural teacher. alex has a strong need to share his philosophy of life with other people. in this way, he can share his refined imaginative and creative insights and show others how to refine their inner visions along with him.

rising in leo

leo rising people are dramatic, extroverted and assertive. their ruling planet is the sun. they have great energy, courage and honesty, and are very creative, self-confident and perhaps a bit self-indulgent. they expect to be the center of attention, and often are. even so, people tend to forgive them for their excesses, sensing in them the incurable romantics. they are likely to have a leonine appearance, with a thick mane of hair and a dramatic flair to their clothing and appearance. they also enjoy the warmth of the physical sun. they are determined and usually get their way when they really want to. they also possess great integrity, and are natural leaders. leo people are very proud, and their challenge is not to be arrogant or egotistical, but rather to develop humility and compassion, and to learn detachment in the gift of their affections.

mercury in aries

mercury in aries gives a forceful impetuous and impulsive mentality. witty, inventive and quick, alex takes up new ideas with enthusiasm. his intuition is keen. he tends to be impatient with with opposition and delay. he may also be very sensitive when it comes to visual or auditory sense impressions. he may have a tendency to exaggerate, or to argue. he has considerable mental energy, and a need to assert himself in his thought process and his communication with others. it benefits him to learn concentration, for with control his abundant mental energy is vastly more useful.

mercury in the ninth house represents a strong mental connection between his inner awareness and the natural laws of expanded perspective: higher learning, philosophy or religion. he has a keen-witted and idealistic mentality, with great powers of logic and deduction. he enjoys a wide range of studies, through reading and travel. he is also naturally inclined to teach what he perceives and discovers, for his idealism is strong. he is very direct in thought and expression and will say exactly what is on his mind, giving him a reputation for lack of tact. he may be subject to visualizing grant possibilities and centring his perceptions on the larger issue, rather than on the details. his thought process is better suited for exploring and advancing his position on a particular topic than for cautious investigation of every angle. he is the consummate student and teacher of life, at his best when he can exchange ideas with others and constantly expand his perceptions.

venus in aquarius

venus in aquarius gives a calm and detached nature. he is idealistic, even revolutionary in his outlook, and wants to see a better society emerge from the vagaries of the present day. he is an admirer of symmetry and elegance, with an enthusiastic appreciation of artistic form in music, poetry and painting. he functions well in friendships and in groups, but he may not always be happy in intimate connections with significant others. his love is broader and more general, and he may be given to spiritual or philanthropic activities rather than to close personal relationships. he may go through many changes in his love life, being very open to new influences that suddenly comes up for him. he benefits from deepening and more fully expressing his affection for one person in particular.

venus in the seventh house represents a strongly felt connection to partnerships with others. relationships are important to him. he is also inclined to be “young at heart”. he feels at his best when acting in concert with another person, especially an intimate partner, then his natural gifts of grace, diplomacy and charm comes to the core. what is nice on his own becomes really nice with another. he has a gentle personality, very considerate and kind. he also has refined aesthetic and artistic sensibilities, and a keen sense of color. he has the potential to excel in many professions, including legal work and diplomacy. he tends to idealize his chosen love partner, and he benefits from the realization that the true source of grace and beauty in his life comes from within his own nature.

mars in aries

mars in the ninth house (or sign) gives you a friendly and optimistic nature. he is likely to lead a physically active life, and is fond of sports and gambling. he is idealistic, outspoken and honest with his opinions. he is also likely to be spontaneous and even a bit impulsive. he can be scattered in the application of his energies, and will perhaps benefit him to work at becoming more reliable. he has a great propensity for learning. his energy is most naturally invested in adventures of the higher mind: travel, education, perhaps publishing. he likes many different pursuits, and has a kind of haphazard way of going about things that can get him into trouble. he may tend to miss the details, by fixing his gaze on “the big picture”. he also can be dogmatic at times, when he gets to carried away with his own point of view. he profits by learning to slow down his enthusiasm and focus on his concentration on reachable goals.

mars in aries (or the first house) gives an independent and positive nature, and outwardly directed and ambitious orientation. he possesses great strength of character as well as an inordinate degree of self-assertion. he is a formidable adversary, tending to react aggressively when threatened. he is extremely courageous and enthusiastic, traits that will take him far in life, but he may need to work on a tendency of being quick to anger and he can behave impulsively at times. he may also cause trouble by unwilling to give way and make concessions, especially if mars is afflicted in his charts by planetary aspects. it benefits him to learn the art of compromise. he can also benefit from cultivating patience and tolerance to offset his occasional short temper. he will gain in the long run when he practices self-control and displays a great degree of unselfishness in his dealing with others.

jupiter in pisces

jupiter in the eighth house (or sign) gives him a shrewd and careful personality. he can also be somewhat secretive. he has good judgment, and a constant sense of what is important to him. his focus is excellent, and you make a good worker because of it. he has an innate sense of who he is and where he wants to be, and that is usually where he will be found. alex is passionate and sensual and very tuned in to other people. he has the gift of observation. he is fond of the occult, and he can possess the powers of a healer or mystic. he will likely go through many changes in his life in search of a deeper connection to his own higher power. he should beware, though, of being overly self-indulgent.

jupiter in pisces (or the twelfth house) gives him a quiet and unassuming personality. he is good and kind, very considerate of others, and is friendly and easygoing. he needs to feel an emotional resonance in order for his work to be satisfying to him. he has his own personal code of conduct to which is his truth, no matter what public opinion may be, or convention may dictate.he may suffer in his life from being overly sensitive to the needs of others, or seek to retire from the casual cruelties of the world at large, so there is some danger of escapism. he is content to do what he does because is helpful to other people. he often appear more at home in an imaginary universe of his own design than concrete reality and benefits when he pay some modicum of attention to the nitty-gritty details of life that surrounds you as well as to the secret world of your dreams.

saturn in aries

saturn in the ninth house (or sign) gives an educated and philosophically active mentality, with a deepening and a concentration, or a blockage, in the area of higher learning and expansion into new horizons. he is courageous in expressing his opinion, has a keen intuition and makes a good teacher. his early beliefs may be characterized by adhering too strictly to a dogmatic and rigid set of principles, but he grows into a more mature wisdom in his later years. he likely has a need for physical exercise. he makes a good teacher, and may also feel a calling to work with the disadvantaged. while open and honest, and intent on expressing his point of view, he may also doubt himself in this area, seeming indecisive or rebellious. his goals are mental and spiritual, rather than material, and he may search for a new framework of moral or spiritual values, than adopt existing outworn belief systems. his lesson is to eventually come to the realization that the true source of moral and ethical valuation lies within himself.

saturn in aries (or the first house) gives a deepening and concentration, or a blockage, in the area of self-confidence and self-expression. with this placement he is likely to be reserved. he also has good reasoning power. he desires to better himself, and is eager for success in the world of tangible results. the purposeful expression of his expressions of his will may however be inhibited by subconscious fears, preventing action. this is a cross to bear, but he can definitely overcome this tendency with persistent effort over time. he may appear shy or stiff, or self-effacing, or he may overcompensate through defensive or argumentative behavior. he may at times strongly assert himself, seizing control of situations. he may also suffer from headaches. he possess a powerful desire for freedom of expression that does not easily find is realization. his lesson is striving to overcome any fears he may has in expressing himself, and thus come to a better understanding of who he is and what he can achieve.

uranus in aquarius

uranus in the seventh house (or sign) gives an individual who is independent and original in the expression of artistic impulses and relationships. he is a lover of harmony and beauty, and he express this love in his own unique manner, he does not subscribe to a conventional sense of aesthetic, but is always breaking new ground. he is idealistic and philosophical, and he has a restless interest in new forms of stimulation, there can be problems with marriage in that partners may find him alternately affectionate and uninterested. he is likely to seek a rather unconventional relationship, which allows room from growth on both sides. he needs more space in the relationship the most, and search for a partner who understands that, and has his or her own unique perspective. he may also bring new concepts of the area of partnership. part of his purpose in this life may be the transformation of the partnership energy into a new mode of being that can serve his own interest as well as enliven and invigorate his partner.

uranus in aquarius (or the eleventh house) gives a clever individual who is idealistic and also highly unconventional. he is humane and concerned with the progress of mankind. he is likely to associate himself with groups and associations having as their goal the betterment of society, and he can also have conflicts with such groups, depending in part on whether there are stressful aspects to uranus in his natal chart, he has his own unique point of view and his role in the group may often be to throw the monkey wrench into conventionally and simple-minded lock step with the group concept. because uranus is the most changeable of planetary influences, he may also experience changes in his own goals or group affiliation over time. he has a strong urge for personal freedom, and is attracted to the pull of new horizons, and this can impede the formation of stable alliances. his challenge is to make available to others, through collective action, the progressive ideals for social reform that he feels so clearly within himself.

neptune in aquarius

neptune in the sixth house (or sign) gives a mentally creative personality with a tendency to be critical at times. with this placement he can become confused over details. he may have problems with responsibility or feeling that he must be of assistance to others, no matter how he is feeling about it, or he could experience his work as frustrating and ultimately dissatisfying. or there may be an unconscious tension between his rational mind and his innermost feelings, such as psychosomatic illness not properly diagnosed. on the other hand, the ideal of service he aspires to, both to other people and to his own highest purpose for himself, may led him to a significant mission in his life. he could achieve greatly in the helping professions, possibly with a specialization in alternative medicine, and especially if neptune is well aspected by other planets in his chart. he benefits by getting away from too great an involvement toward the broader ideals of service to humanity and personal transformation.

neptune in aquarius (or the eleventh house) gives a visionary personality with altruistic principles. he is popular, and may have a wide circle of friends. on the other hand, he may have problems to be worked through with deception in friendships, or confusion regarding friends’ true motives, or issues of using social interaction to escape his responsibilities. he has a highly developed social sense, and a strong affinity for groups expressing spiritual ideals. he may need to clarify his goals. he has a tremendous and positive vision of his own possibilities and those for society at large, but if neptune is no well aspected in his chart, he may have difficulties to work through regarding the practical fulfillment of his visions and plans. at his best, he is compassionate towards others, making significant contributions toward the creation of a more loving world, based on humanitarian ideals of universal brotherhood.

pluto in sagittarius

pluto in the fifth house (or sign) gives a tremendous desire to be recognized and admired. alex may feel compulsion toward self-aggrandizement, or have underlying feelings of insecurity leaning to self-centered and ego-oriented behavior. he is an essentially dynamic and charismatic individual with a strong need to make an impact on the world around him. he may find much to admire in the acting or artistic professions, and find his own creative outlet there, although he is likely to go through many changes and challenges in putting himself forward in a way that truly serves as an expression of his highest purpose for himself. his desire for personal reputation may also be thwarted, but this can lead to benefits for him, by forcing him to re-evaluate his need to achieve. transformation in this area is quite possible, as he learns how to work with his personal power in more constructive ways. by embodying the more positive form of his creative energy, and thereby expressing his deepest truth, he can perform an important service for himself and society.

pluto in sagittarius (or in the ninth house) gives alex a thoughtful personality, with a focus on deeper understanding. with this placement he may work to constantly discover and rediscover the meaning of his existence. he may be concerned as his life unfolds with religious or ethically based belief systems, and he may attempt to coerce others into accepting his own viewpoint oe become a zealous spokesperson for your particular philosophy or cause. as he arrives at conclusions regarding his own personal code of ethics he may feel called upon to express these beliefs to others, but he benefits from avoiding dogmatic discourses that are unlikely to sway anyone else’s opinion. his ultimate mission is to find inside himself the motivation for his method of seeing the world around him, to penetrate into his own hidden agendas and find a more holistic worldview based on direct experiences. his personal understanding will undoubtedly undergo radical transformations in the course of his life, ideally these will progress toward developing his own unique ideology based on a more conscious understanding of his own process rather than on socially accepted belief systems received from others.

chiron in scorpio

chiron on the fourth house (or sign) represents issues with the vital force of self-nurturing and taking care of those closest to yourself. with this placement alex has a strong drive, even a compulsion, to be centered in home and family, but this desire does not easily find its fulfillment. there may have been painful episodes in connection with early family life; perhaps he had trouble getting settled down to enjoy the comfort that a safe and secure home brings to a child. as a result, he may be even more motivated to having this firm base of security in his adult life than others tho whom it is second nature. he may alternate between over-identifying with his family or under-identifying with them, or he may find himself constantly thwarted in finding this important level of security as he goes through life. on a more symbolic level, he is also painfully challenged in finding his own center in a psychological sense. because of the inherent insecurity of his inner world he may struggle to find himself, and becomes easily influenced by others due to lacking his own clear sense of self. without this base he is more easily unbalanced, and he may find that he moves in many different directions emotionally, as the wind blows. he may long for a more secure and comfortable sense of who he is, independent from other’s opinions, a place where he can truly be himself. part of the problem with connecting to his inner self and externally with home and family, is that the conflict you feel may be largely unconscious in nature, running on autonomously as a result of long-buried experiences too painful to recollect and consciously examine. he may have difficult times with issues regarding home and family as he goes through life, until he can become more conscious of these influences, and less easily overtaken by them. there may be conflicts with his mother or other primary parental figure, that needs to be worked through, as he really begins to get in touch with his blocks and difficulties in these areas. once he begins to nourish himself and to provide his own parenting, rather than depending on the external world to provide comfort and security, he can come around to being a source of inspiration for others as well as himself.

chiron in scorpio (or the eighth house) represents issues with one’s vital force and transform and to regenerate. with this placement alex has a strong compulsion from intimate connection with other people that does not find its realization. he is likely to have been wounded in his sexuality in some fashion, possibly through early experiences, either physical or emotional. as a consequence, being close to other people becomes both desired and painful. he may hold the prospect of closeness with others with some carefully engineered defenses, such as retreating from expressing his true feelings by means of clever dylanesque obfuscation or perhaps by using other people before they have the chance to use him. if he retreats into cleverness and mental gymnastics rather than risk staying with his actual emotion, he leaves these feelings unexpressed, and continues a process of being out of touch not only with the intimate other, but with the deeper part of himself as well. his journey of discovery of his true emotions, the poignant and vital basis of his inner life, is ultimately the most important one for him, and provides rich rewards as he begins to consciously experience these inner depths of his being, over a period of time. in this journey he will re-connect to his own long buried emotions, and through this process to others as well. as he begins to find himself and his power, and is truly able to work with other people, he may be able to provide a sense of hope to them in their own individual journey as well, through the increased consciousness he has gained.

north node in virgo

lunar north node in the second house (or sign) south node in the eighth house or sign. this placement gives a personality somewhat focused around the issues of money and material possessions. in a previous period, or a past lifetime, he was concerned with the utilization of the other people’s resources rather than his own. he also may have gotten involved with occult practices, or engaged in a deep and even taboo relationships with others, factors that shaped your past, and the residue of which still colors his present life experience. now, in this lifetime, he must learn to marshal his own forces and be a resource to himself. he is in the process of clarifying his values, based on a new feeling of independence, having come through the fires of hell, as it were, in order to establish a more stable and lasting sense of self-worth.

lunar north node in virgo (or the sixth house) south node in the twelfth house or sign. this placement gives a personality with a great desire to be of service to other people. in the past, or in past lives, he was dreamy and unfocused, and paid little attention to detail. he was in the process of connecting to his higher self, journeying back into the cosmic realms within his own mind. now his focus must shift to the details of daily life, in a constant effort to improve himself, to serve himself and others, and to remain alert to the myriad mundane details of life that do not leave much time for daydreaming. this is a difficult transition to make, but necessary if he is to fulfill his destiny, this time around. since he feels a close kinship to the spiritual world, dealing with every-day details sometimes may seem boring and unsatisfying. as he works through these challenges, though, he comes closer and closer to an understanding of how dealing with everu-day issues really does connect him with the world of spirit, still operating at the core of his being.

midheaven in taurus

the midheaven, or MC (medium coeli) is usually but not always the same as the tenth house cusp. symbolically, the midheaven represents you individuality, the outward expression of your energies, it can also be referred to as ego identity, and has a strong connection with public life and career, symbolized by the tenth house. the midheaven also represents your aspirations and ideals. together with the ascendant, it represents personality in interaction with the world.

the tenth house symbolizes public life, authority, career issues, and also represents the mother, or perhaps the opposite-sex parent. as standing opposite the fourth house, the tenth house represents how the foundation of the personality is made manifest and concrete in the world. the birth chart is often divided into four seven-year periods, one per quadrant, cycling each twenty-eight years of life, and the tenth house is reached at age 21, te age of legal adulthood. planets in the tenth house will indicate what the energies and challenges are for your career, also how your mother (or perhaps father) was experienced.

taurus midheaven individuals achieve success when they openly express their own values. their career needs to reflect those values, perhaps by building something that furthers what they feel is a worthy principle. they access the strength and serenity of letting others know where they stand.

and that was it!! please rebloge it and let me know your opinions :D xxx

[goblins-riddles-or-frocks]

how is darlingstern (ninth house) like darklina?

I talked about all this before here. It just feels like a very straightforward AU to me. But to basically repeat the stuff in that post: Ninth House is a rags to riches storyline where thee most angry and sullen girl ever is swept up into a corrupt but glamorous institution because of unheard of chosen one powers. There she’s taken under wing by a joyless, and arrogant mentor who is very angry about the whole thing because he had very specific ideas about what sort of person his pupil should be and she meets exactly none of those standards and is “ungrateful” for her super special powers to boot when he would kill to be able to have them himself. Also note his entire self destructive spiral because of his obsession with the past and legacy AND his real name representing youth and vulnerability for him when he’s reinvented a collected, aloof persona for himself under a new name that’s literally one letter and an added suffix removed from “Darkling” like be serious.

And then there’s “Alex Stern” vs “Alina Starkov” literally same initials and pretty much the same physical description. There was zero effort put into differentiating 😭😭

The baseline premise is practically the same, the story just progresses in a very different way.

It honestly annoys me tbh because like shdgfdsx Ninth House is genuinely very good! As a trauma narrative, I think it’s effective and competently executed. It’s up there for me with like Fire Walk With Me. And it’s so awkward being like… by the way it’s Shadow and Bone fanfiction…

[sunfortune]

how would you like the alex stern book to end or how do you think it will end?

i have not thought about it tbh but i think the fact that at the end of hell bent alex and darlington are uniquely powerful in a way that lethe are not should be significant. (and i only specify that bc the cruel prince also had jude get powers at the end of the second book and then it was just not relevant?! and i don’t want that again😒lol)

though on ninth house leigh bardugo said she initially meant for it to be an ongoing series and when i read the first book i got that sense too. i don’t think alex and darlington are anywhere Near a conclusion so it’ll be interesting to see how she does end it. now that i think about it she might do an ambiguous open ending . which . personally i would hate lmao. but we’ll see!

i think the way their dynamic was set up they really were meant to be a darker scullymulder type with being partners for aaaaages before they unrepressed a single emotion regarding how they feel about each other. so yeah im especially curious to see if it sticks the landing regarding their relationship

also i need them to [redacted] nasty. but i don’t just want it willy nilly bc it’s the conclusion. i need it to make sense. i need it to be compatible with both of their characters. this is serious to me, Leigh

[rileyxmaddox]

[cis female and she/her] Welcome to Aurora Bay, [RILEY MADDOX]! I couldn’t help but notice you look an awful lot like [ZOË KRAVITZ]. You must be the [THIRTY-FIVE] year old [BARTENDER AT FOUR LEAF IRISH PUB]. Word is your [ADAPTABLE] but can also be a bit [DISTRUSTING] and your favorite song is [DISPARATE YOUTH by SANTIGOLD]. I also heard you’ll be staying in [FISHER'S COVE]. I’m sure you’ll love it!

INFORMATION:

fullname. riley jean maddox

nicknames. riles, doc.

gender. cis female

pronouns. she / her

d.o.b. may 31st, 1989 | ( 35 years old )

astrology. gemini ☀ aquarius ☾  aries ↑

birth place. brooklyn, new york city.

hometown. brooklyn, new york city.

current residence. aurora bay, california. ( @aurorabayaesthetic​ )

occupation. bartender at four leaf irish pub.

religion. none.

tattoos. several (here and here).

piercings. several ears, both nipples, septum piercing.

marital status. single.

sexual preference. bisexual.

family. louise maddox ( mother ), unknown ( father ), cole walters ( foster brother ).

children. none.

CHARACTER INSPO:

eleanor shellstrop ( the good place ), sarah manning ( orphan black ), letty ortiz ( the fast & the furious ), alex stern ( ninth house ), selina kyle ( batman ), gillian owens ( practical magic ).

PERSONALITY:

+ adaptable, spirited, opportunistic. - sarcastic, distrusting, irrational.

BIOGRAPHY:

( tw: car accident, death, crime, drugs mention, violence, domestic violence ) 

There’s not much known about where exactly Riley Maddox came from. Some may say she came straight from the pits of hell. The only memory that comes to mind when thinking of a time before being shuffled from foster home to foster home is of a beautiful blonde looking at her in the rearview mirror of a beat up car. A warm smile, two bright headlights coming towards them and then, nothing but darkness.

Police would say it was a drunk driver but Riley was never sure which driver exactly was to blame for her mother’s death.

Jumping from foster home to foster home for all of her childhood, Riley learned very quickly that people are mostly not to be trusted. Running away, starting fights, whatever she could to get through until she was old enough to be on her own. When she was just eight years old, she met the ying to her yang. Cole Walters was around the same age and just as angry. They were inseparable from the moment they met, forever causing trouble and simply being the bane of their social worker’s existence. 

Try as they might to keep the two separated, they’d always find each other. And Cole is the only person that Riley has ever considered to be as close to family. 

As they grew, so did their anger. Juvenile delinquents who had nothing to lose. 

A perfect storm of bad intentions, they’d hit up liquor stores, sneak into clubs, start fires. Whatever they could to feel something. Riley’s specialty was stealing cars. While her mind wasn’t academically smart, she was always curious about how things worked, taking things apart and putting them back together.

Stealing cars for joy rides were a regular occurrence but selling them for parts was more lucrative. But there was only so much one can do in a busy city without getting noticed. On the precipice of aging out of the system, Riley wasn’t about to let Cole start a new life without her so they decided to run. 

Escaping from Brooklyn in a stolen car, they road-tripped around the States, making money and making trouble. It was tiring, always scrounging for cash, moving from place to place. Riley never longed to be still.

Stillness always came at a cost. 

One night, after spending all their cash on whatever the hell they felt like, the two decided to rob a liquor store with a stolen gun that Riley had taken from an ex-lover. With her waiting in the getaway car out the back, it felt like every run they’d done before. But this one was different. 

As shots were fired from inside and the sirens came in the distance, Riley knew that she had to bail. Once the police had arrested Cole, she knew it wasn’t long before they took her too. After destroying the car beyond recognition, she waited for them to come. But they didn’t. Cole didn’t breathe a word. 

After his conviction, Cole got five years for attempted robbery and theft of a firearm and Riley wanted to say that she’d never leave his side for what he did for her and all they’d been through, but that wasn't the case. They'd been on the run for so long, she didn't know how to sit still. Jumping from place to place around the country but it never felt the same without her brother, she always needed someone else to hold her down and keep her steady.

She ended up in Arizona, working in a local mechanic when she met Kyle. At first, Riley thought they were perfect for each other. He worked as a boxing instructor at the local rink wanting to make it to the big-time, but Riley knew he was never gonna get there. ( tw: domestic violence ) Their relationship was tumultuous, screaming rows and thrown objects at each other. For Kyle looking at another girl's ass at a bar, for Riley getting home too late from the mechanic's where she worked, for Kyle taking steroids to keep up with other fighters at the gym. It only took one time for him to give her a black eye for her to know she needed to leave. Once that boundary is broken, it only gets more frequent from there.

At this time, Riley knew that Cole had finally gotten out and was living in some beach town in California. She hadn't contacted him, worrying that he'd hate her for never visiting but with her face half beat to shit, Riley didn't have anywhere to go. She left in the middle of the night, stole her car boyfriend’s car and drove straight into Aurora Bay to find him.

POSSIBLE CONNECTIONS:

coming soon!

CURRENT CONNECTIONS:

foster sister of @colexwalters

[pop-punklouis]

ok here we go. some of my 5 star books from the last year or two 🫶🏽

A PLACE FOR US; fatima farheen mirza || contemporary literary fiction. exploration of family dynamics and faith. cannot recommend it enough if u enjoy either of those things in media. it’s one of my favorite books of all time but i do feel a responsibility to say only read it when u have time to sit and cope with it for a while. it WILL leave u a husk of a person! (if u read this and dislike it, you Must lie to me)

TRANSCENDENT KINGDOM; yaa gyasi || contemporary literary fiction. mommy AND daddy issues, dead sibling, arduous relationship with faith, a fair dose of the immigrant experience. not as taxing as the previous rec but definitely still an emotionally heavy read. i need to read it again soon actually i think it’s so stunningly written

BURNT SUGAR; avni doshi || contemporary literary fiction. what can i say about this book. what emotion didnt it make me feel. just the epigraph alone was enough to make me want to drown myself in a vat of acid. the cyclical relationship between mothers and daughters is so fucking sickening and the way it's depicted in this book... my god. i was so miserable reading it and i wouldn’t recommend it anyone who has mommy issues and hasn’t learned how to deal with them. if you dont have mommy issues... you might have them after reading this book who knows. but it’s still 10/10 from me

NINTH HOUSE; leigh bardugo || dark academia, fantasy. loser girl of all time who can see the dead is put in charge of keeping secret societies at yale university in check. a random girl gets murdered and all signs point to one of the societies being responsible. book 3 isnt out yet but it’s sooo yummy u will adore alex she’s my best friend (also has a sexy generationally wealthy white boy. i want to eat him)

THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS; micah nemerever || dark academia, thriller. definitely one of the crazier books i’ve ever read. batshit insane. two boys develop a delicious friendship that devolves into the worst kind of codependency and results in them murdering someone to make sure they can’t ever replace each other in their lives. gay people can do anything except be normal.

GIOVANNI’S ROOM; james baldwin || classic literary fiction. i don’t think i need to say anything about this. it’s about realizing you don’t know u have a home until you leave it and once you’ve left you can’t ever go home. it’s about isolation—self-inflicted and otherwise. it’s just… everything. everyone should read it. everyone!

HAPPY PLACE; emily henry || contemporary romance. exes who pretend to still be together at their friend group’s annual vacation. i’m not typically a romance novel girl and not everything i’ve read of henry’s has done it for me but this one… i was giggling and twirling my hair. getting flustered and having to take a moment to collect myself. it’s so so good. i do believe it’s miss henry’s best work

THE ROUGHEST DRAFT; austin siegemund-broka & emily wibberley || contemporary romance. cowritten by a married couple about a cowriting duo that hasn’t written together in years. they haven’t spoken since but they’re contractually obligated to put out one more book together. didn’t make me giggle like happy place but i really enjoyed it

seed i love you so very much HELLO!!!! thank you. I've already written all of these down. i cannot wait to dive into their pages.

[thefoxinateacup]

Reading Recap: The Bardugo Bash

It's been quite the Leigh Bardugo year so far. I've filled my time with four of her books in the first half of 2024, and I'm sure I'll throw in another reread of Six of Crows before the year ends.

First up, back in January, I finally got my hands on the pocket version of Hell Bent. I really wanted this size so it would fit with my copy of Ninth House because I'm extra like that. It took me two weeks to devour Hell Bent which I took everywhere with me. I read it at home, at the cafe, on my lunch break at work, even on my walks to and back from work. It was impossible to put it down. After a solid first entry in the series with Ninth House, Bardugo expanded the dark fantasy parallel universe of Yale's secret societies.

I say parallel because it's wild to me to even think that the grimy and dangerous Yale of Alex Stern could possibly be the same as the light and cosy Yale of Rory Gilmore. But then again, Rory's world revolved very much around herself so who's to say she just wasn't completely oblivious to the dark deeds performed on her precious college campus. Anywho.

We meet up again with our ragtag team of supernatural investigators and shit-stirrers as they more or less willingly embark on a mission to rescue Darlington from whichever circle of hell he ended up falling into in the first book. The antagonists this time around are more demons than ghosts but keep the spooky vibe very much alive. Alex leads the charge out of a sense of duty towards Darlington, but also an irresistible sense of attraction, which the Gentleman Demon can't deny either. (Cue the countless pieces of stunning fanart hehehe.) In classic Alex fashion, whenever things can take a turn for the worse, they do, but it also allows her to learn more about her purpose and powers. No pain no gain, I guess.

In conclusion, I was hooked from the start and can hardly wait for the final installment in the series to come out, see where our dashing demon and wicked witch take us for one last ride in the dark underbelly of New Haven.

Next up, I cruised through Siege and Storm and Ruin and Rising. Ahead of the Starfury convention where I was finally going to meet Jessie and Archie, I figured it was about time I finished the original trilogy. Bardugo's writing style is so pleasant to read, I finished both books in two weeks. I already knew I liked Nikolai from the King of Scars duology and Paddy Gibson's delightful portrayal on the Shadow and Bone TV series, but boy oh boy did Siege and Storm confirm that, after the Crows obviously, Nikolai is my favourite Grishaverse character. And if I'm honest, as riveting as the plot is in Ruin and Rising, Siege and Storm is my favourite book of the original trilogy. Because it has the most Nikolai? Well yes, duh. But also the domesticity of being at the Little Palace again, even if Alina's newfound leadership and isolation brings its own challenges.

I will say that, as much as it makes sense plot-wise, Alina losing her powers after she spent so much time earning it and owning it feels a little bit disappointing, but at least now her and Mal can be equally ordinary people who live a simple but good life, in love for the rest of their days. Regardless of how it ends, it's amazing to witness the care and detail that Bardugo put into creating a fantasy world that still feels tangible. What a time to be alive!

Finally, another two weeks to savour The Familiar. My boss ordered me the pretty hardback copy with black edges straight from the US so that one was definitely a home book. (Cue Gollum voice: my precious.) The world building was very nicely done, dropping information about the historical context without it feeling like a history textbook, and introducing the special kind of magic that Luzia possesses in a very "show don't tell" way. Bardugo tried out a different point of view style, relying less on first person narrative or character specific chapters to blend the points of view of Luzia and Santangel, for the most part, creating a fuller scope of understanding for the narrative.

You could cut the tension between Luzia and Santangel, the disillusioned ancient magic wielder who takes her under his wing because he doesn't have a choice, with a knife until finally the last thread of propriety snaps, much to the enjoyment of the adult reader. Because it is, dear reader, very much a book for adults. It is full of dark magic, messy and sexy, pain and betrayal, questions of one's mortality, however the tone felt less tragic to me than the Ninth House series. Luzia takes initiative and follows her ambition, even if it might cost her everything. Luzia's rage against a world that would condemn her for merely being alive makes her all the more willing to not settle for less than she is worth. Damn be the consequences!

The 16th century Madrid depicted adds charm to the setting while also grounding it into the sinister period of the Spanish Inquisition. The background of religious persecution adds a layer of urgency to Luzia's dangerous path to greatness. It begs the question of whether she can even escape certain doom. Does she even want to? Read The Familiar to find out.

My point is: if Bardugo writes it, I will read it. Her writing style is so electrifying, it perfectly scratches the itch in me that craves great storytelling and beautiful words weaved into mind-bending sentences. And I'm looking forward to being consumed by her next masterpiece.

Bookishly yours!

[sock-to-the-third]

Ninth House

By Leigh Bardugo

Disclaimer: brief discussion of s3xual assault of a minor, non-con magical drugging

Wow! What a story! Bardugo has one hell of a way to write them. Previously I read their book Six of Crows. While waiting to read the sequel I dove into this.

Where to start? For one, I fell in love with the setting. Lethe and the Ancient Eight groups have such lovely identities that stand on their own. Personally, I could not get over how cool Manuscript was. From the way it was introduced by Darington as the most threatening of the houses to the magic items— so good. And of course, glamour is just awesome.

If the Manuscript was my favorite house, I’d have to say my favorite scene was when they entered St Elmo’s tomb at Rosenfeld. Just the heaviness in the air and all the worlds rolled off like a dark chocolate when I read it. Hmmmmm… too beautiful.

Bardugo also involves alot of literary references. Not only just in Darlington being a big ass nerd and loving to quote stuff but the way being a Dante or Virgil works to keep ghosts at bay doing literary quotes?

I did not know quoting old books would be both compelling and intimidating but IT IS.

.

As far as the actual story goes, there’s several different elements to it. I’m keeping the spoilers below the line but if you do read the book, be careful at Ch7 pg122-123 for the graphic rape scene of a minor and when Darlington and Alex visit Manuscript on Halloween night for a non-con drugging.

With that done, here we go with the fun stuff!

I’m the sort of person who will die for a good multi-faceted plot. Don’t get me wrong, Bardugo’s pros are pretty good but it feels rare in the book that a scene doesn’t contribute to something. From the way that the book jumps around from childhood past, recent past to present but also the different mysteries at play.

the golden boy Darlington’s disapearance (side note I love this nickname)

Tara’s murder

What happened to Alex before Yale

Disruption during rituals

These all coaless in a centuries long murder spree of a professor you love along with the Dean being in on it. In retrospect it makes sense but I don’t think I would’ve thought that.

The professor, Ms Belbalm makes sense, she did fuck up Alex’s name and it seems small but if you can’t be bothered to know someone’s full name isn’t Alexandra but Galaxy, maybe it’s a sign you eat people’s souls.

Compared to the Dean, like… you could totally see him just wanting to sweep it under the rug and not being involved. Plus he’s like kinda sucky at cleaning up lose ends. His incompetence with being emotional can be just assumed that he’s a sexist guy rather than a big baddy.

Also, I just love the mechanics of the ghosts and going to the afterlife and North (Bridegroom) turned out. The way he ties into it all is so satisfying.

Overall, loved the book and definitely will try my hand at reading the sequel. But fr, Ch7 shook me. Def skipping a few pages there. *shivers*

Sequel: Hellbent

[liesmyth]

honestly the teeth thing for Alecto makes sense for Harrow because I always felt that she loved her in a medieval Christian mysticism achieving religious ecstasy by putting yourself through the most painful things possible kind of way- it lines up very well with her self loathing over how she was conceived and then over her parents’ death. Also why she was so shitty to Gideon…in order to properly atone and serve the tomb she must deprive herself of all earthly comforts kind of thing, so having a normal or at least positive relationship with someone who a) brings her comfort/happiness and b) can love her back is something she’s not worthy of. Both of them were so terrible to other as both the only way these poor unsocialized babies knew how to receive human contact/connection and later as a form of self harm. Anyway can’t believe Alecto teeth pussy is what sparked this revelation for me so as always thank you for your service.

I LOVE THIS CHARACTER ANALYSIS TY I'm honoured you put it in my inbox.

Harrow definitely is a mortification of the flesh kind of gal. I think her attitude is more fuelled by self-loathing than anything more deliberate (especially pushing Gideon away etc!) but I also think the Ninth are Like that. Harrow has spent years lying to everyone that her parents are under a vow of silence and everyone believes it! They ARE religious freaks. I bet the Eight do something similar, too; they probably have flagellants.

Also! This reminds me of when I tried to explain Catholic mortification to someone in TLT fandom, and I stumbled on this wikipedia passage that once again made me briefly insane over the concept of John renaming his best buddy "Augustine".

Like. THIS is Catholic Augustine

imagine you're a scientist with a boring normal white person name like, Alex, and your best friend renames you Augustine as part of his Catholic-themed worldbuilding. There’s a reference here that nobody is getting except him. John, WHY.

(side note: I love how all the contemporary pictures on the wikipedia entry for "mortification of the flesh" are taken in Italian towns)

Anyway. There's a non-zero chance that painful sex with Alecto would be extra holy in Harrow's mind. Someone should do something with that

[sophielovesbooks]

People were asking for more book content, so here are my (spoilery!) and complex thoughts on Hell Bent!

...

First of all, I had a lot of fun reading this book. When rating it, I briefly considered giving it only like 3.5 stars. Then I was like: Hey, I had a great time overall, so it deserves 4 stars for sure.

So the first positive is that it was entertaining. The second big positive for me is still Alex's character. To me, she is one of the most interesting MCs I've encountered in a while. I realised that she is somewhat similar to my MC in my current WIP (though I doubt my character was truly inspired by her because I had read Ninth House in 2018 and didn't start planning my novel until June 2022, so I don't think there was much of a direct influence). I was fascinated to find out more about her backstory.

Some moments, just like in Ninth House, were truly heartbreaking, particularly the moment where she thought she had found Hellie again. Also the recurring theme of how it should have been Hellie who made it out and Alex who died. Oof. Loved that.

Moments between Alex and her mum were also really well written and impactful.

But now on to the things I didn't like. For one, the fact that getting to hell took up so many pages only for the reader to find out that Alex could have easily done it on, like, the first page. That was... annoying.

A big disappointment to me were the scenes of getting into and being in hell. Having just reread Ninth House, I was expecting something super emotional here. Also I believe Dawes mentioned they would have to be buried alive? I was intrigued, was looking forward to a terrifying description of what that feels like. And I feel cheated because I don't believe I got that? Then being in hell... I was imagining more emotion, like the characters reliving the absolute worst they have been through? (Though the short stories about the murders were great, especially Tripp's!)

My perhaps biggest issue were the unclear stakes but that's something that almost always annoys me in fantasy. Internal bleeding that almost killed you? Seems pretty serious. But wait, what's that, you can bathe in goat's milk (?) and be instantly better? Convenient. Especially when considering that this cure-all had never been mentioned before??

So yeah, to me it feels like this constant moving of the goal posts or something? The characters badly need X. Oh, wait, no, they can replace it with Y instead. X is deadly! Oh, but not if you have Y, don't worry.

I just hate that. In addition to that: The magic in general felt a bit... ridiculous to me at times? I want to say... childish? Magic potions and so on? I don't know, it's just not for me. Seems a bit silly, if you know what I mean. My biggest gripe here was Tripp at the end. That felt ridiculous and honestly so YA to me? Yeah. Not a fan of that particular twist.

People's emotions (for example Mercy's) weren't always realistic to me. If there was a chance I could die doing ANYTHING I would be right out of there. And I feel like that'd be the natural reaction. I would NOT willingly go to hell for probably anybody. So I personally would have preferred if Turner and Tripp had been coerced into it.

Two minor things: This second book, to me, was missing the murder mystery vibes of the first one. And I don't get why everyone is so obsessed with Darlington. (There, I said it. Sue me.)

And finally: I LOVED the theme of Alex being a survivor and as a result a bit of a shitty person. But I didn't like the fact that it was spelled out like that and repeated so many times. Amazing character trait and amazing theme, but please be more subtle about it.

As you can probably see, fantasy truly isn't my genre (13-year-old me is weeping; it used to be my fave). Alex is a great character and Leigh Bardugo a fantastic writer, though! For me personally, I believe that if these books were simply about Alex trying to make it at Yale given her past - and perhaps becoming involved in some sort of solidly plotted murder mystery - they would be among my absolute faves. But alas... vampires, half-demons and wheelwalkers. ..

[chromochaotic]

Reads of 2023 (so far)

I had fun doing my little write ups for the books I read in 2022 so I thought I'd do one for '23! update as of 4/19!

thoughts:

Book of Night

I got this book as a gift from a friend who I think really wanted someone else to talk about it with... 😂 So it was a very fun read! I've heard mixed things about this author, haha, but I do agree that she's SO GOOD at setting a scene—the same friend called her "the queen of ambiance." I think that extends to getting into her characters' heads, too, like she makes the psychology behind the characters' actions another very interesting part of the story.

I think I, personally, found the constant bad fortune raining down on the main character a little overwhelming. It does help emphasize what a survivor Charlie is, but it's interesting comparing it to something like Ninth House, where the MC is both a survivor but also someone who can put her trust in others & has moments of friendship, bonding, and protection to offset some of the doom and gloom.

Still, I was really into the emotional beats of the story... Holly Black had a few lines about longing for someone who's in front of you as if they're already gone that, like, oof. The characters really do shine in their moments (I esp. loved Balthazar and Odette, haha). Plus the prestige reveals of some of the cons that Charlie pulled off? Chef's kiss. (retroactively rating this based solely on my personal enjoyment: 3.5/5)

Ninth House

I already know I love this author's recent stuff, so it was exciting seeing how she handled a more modern setting and tone! One thing I appreciated was how she tackled themes on privilege in a way that felt more nuanced—like, the way magic in this world is just another form of power over others really came across, from a lot of different angles.

There were a few parts where it felt like the author (and editor) knew the setting and world so well, that they might have forgotten the reader is coming into this completely blind, and some of the logical leaps in mystery-solving feel sort of abrupt, haha. (Spoilers) I was also a little disappointed that the "big" mystery and "little" mystery of the story were only like, tangentially related?

But honestly, this world-building was a treat. I actively wanted to be where the characters were, exploring weird rituals and old libraries with them. I think having a main character who's an outsider the way Alex is, makes the dark academia more accessible—I would have been pretty uncomfortable if the story started out from Darlington's perspective right at the start. Also, like I said before, I appreciated the bonds that are featured in this story—Alex's scenes with Mercy and Dawes were maybe my favorite parts to read. (4/5)

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters

Still working my way through these via B&N audio book credits! My thoughts are pretty much the same as the first book—cute story, lots of fun antics and adaptations of old myths for a younger crowd.

Not too much to complain about with this story, since it does what it sets out to do. I guess, there are some parts that didn't age great... There's a character who starts the story homeless and there's one tiny line about that being "good" for him, but that's me like digging for issues.

I will say, I liked how this book added some depth that we didn't get in book 1, with the idea of Hermes wanting to redeem his kid, and Clarisse getting a moment to shine. I'm probably overly-biased toward liking Clarisse, but, let her have her own book! Let her be the key to the whole story! It's what she deserves.

Working my way through Ninth House book 2 right now, and then I think the next TLT book, and maybe a lighter art book somewhere in between. 😅 Done w/ Hellbent & did two art books, one of which was especially short! lmao (3/5)

Hell Bent

On the plus side, this sequel felt like it didn't have to spend as much time on setup as the first book, and got to just dive into the juicy cliffhanger from Ninth House. The strong points are just like before—the captivating setting and shifting relationships between the characters.

Like with the first one, something about the pacing felt rushed now and then. Maybe I've forgotten how action-packed college was! I was also thinking about how like, even though I'm enjoying these stories, the cast of characters won't stick with me quite like the gang from SoC did. That's probably just an effect of SoC being a much more ensemble-based story, while Alex has to "carry" a lot more of this on her own...

So a lot rides on Alex as a character, I guess, and... it's hard to pin down if I like her, honestly! I definitely sympathize with her, and appreciate how the author explores questions around justice and... power dynamics (?) through her. I ATE UP the backstory we got of Dawes, Turner, and Tripp, though—would've loved even more of them getting to shine, instead of it seeming like they were sort of useless. Ohh, the last thing I'll say is, the imagery set up right at the end, between Alex and Darlington? MMMMM chef's KISS (3.5/5)

Chris Schweizer's Drawings & Other Art 2017 - 2021

I'm trying to piece together my thoughts on this art book, other than being intimidated out of my mind by this guy's life and knowledge and skill. Haha. I bought this last year at Dragon Con; I always like seeing what this artist has at his booth, and really love his sense of design. It was cool trying to pick out patterns in how he handles different things, like textures and facial features.

All this book was meant to be was a collection of art... But I would be super interested in something that was more of a deep-dive on a single piece he did, like seeing what references he uses, maybe notes on how he chooses what to simplify and what to render in detail. I guess that's probably on his socials...?

Anyway, I want to like, shrivel up and die with envy over every technique he's honed to perfection, but like... really I just gotta get back into practice! (he's also apparently a huge history buff, and great musician, and I'm just like........... how...... but maybe I could be that way in a decade or two, who knows) (4/5)

Naomi Vandoren's Light through the Pages

Another art book from dragon con! This one was shorter than Chris', but still a nice read. Naomi's work and little write-ups are very soothing to just page through. Since this was the 2020-based collection of art (I also bought the one for 2021, which I'll probably read soon...), it was interesting to read the page about staying inspired in the midst of the ol' Panny Devito.

Again, this book was just meant to be a selection of pieces, and did its job... I'd always like more process exploration, though, haha—I was sort of surprised at how much of this book was just finished pieces. It also kind of felt a little too advertise-y to me.

In any case, love this artist's work, especially her color palettes and way of doing backgrounds/landscapes. Oh, to have the patience to do watercolors... (3/5)

Nona the Ninth

Back at it again with the most heart-breakingly romantic necromancers alive (and dead). I think what I love most about this series and this particular installment is how well it captures that haunting, ephemeral feeling of old, old tragedies and ancient, powerful beings that are still human. I keep thinking of the moment Nona is so gratefully happy to be alive because of the magnanimous love she has for her family, while hunched in the ruins of a decaying city on a polluted, arid planet... and the slow horror of reading the John chapters.

I think my toothpick-sized bone to pick with the series is still the show-don't-tell balance—I heard NtN's simplicity (in the beginning) was possibly due to feedback that the first 2 installments were too hard to follow. I almost ended up thinking this veered too much in the other direction, until the last few chapters hit and everything goes off the rails again. I don't know, they're wild books, and in the end I've enjoyed that aspect of them... plus, there's such a perfect curl of dread whenever you spot an offhand detail that doesn't sit quite right so now you have to Think About it. But also, I'm So Tired All The Time, and when I finally have time to read, I know I'm missing things but just don't have the energy to go back and forth checking details and looking up meta analysis. There's something to be said for books that you don't have to be experienced with graduate level research to enjoy, haha.

Still, these are for sure going to end up being some of my favorite reads. I was wrong before, what I actually love most about the series are the characters. Nona is so right for finding every little mannerism of her friends endearing—I love every little no-nonsense bit of affection from Camilla and humble, brilliant quip from Palamedes, and freaky twin love hate Thing between Corona and Ianthe, and Gideon, Gideon with the "get in line, thou big slut." Queen. King. Perfection. Adoration. I'm a Gideon apologist I guess, oops. (5/5)

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan's Curse

lmao after that long review... Another PJO down! The cross-country/sea travel in each of these is a delight, I'm glad that's stayed consistent. I've actually been to some of the places in this one, like the Smithsonian and Hoover Dam, although we didn't do the whole tour there and now I want to.

My only baby complaint this time is I feel like Dionysus gets done so dirty... It's a creative take, I guess, compared to the more recent trend of making him Chaotic Good Wine Uncle, but stillllllll. On the upside, Apollo in this book? I yelled at his "wait I feel a haiku coming on". King.

I'm kind of excited to see where the author goes with whether or not Percy will be able to forgive/empathize with Luke in the end. The author's done a good job making Percy just a good ol all-american teenage boy, and the jealousy he feels when it comes to Annabeth and Luke, in a normal rom-com, seems like it would just result in some epic feel-good victory for Percy... I'm hoping things go a little differently with this. Also, I was a sucker for the bit with Zoe and the constellation. (3/5)

McMullen Circle

Picked up this book from one of those "blind date with a book" shelves at a cute store in Asheville. The blurb described it as a collection of short stories, set in the late 60s, and "boarding school in the North Georgia Mountains", and I was sold. It turned out a little different than expected... I enjoyed the nature-focused writing, which was very serene and bittersweet. The variety of stories and straightforward way they handle each character's flaws was also refreshing, in a way. There're no perfect characters in this, but that's kind of the point.

I was a little disappointed the collection wasn't the romantic little mix of Appalachia and Dark Academia I was hoping for, but that's more the blind-date-blurb's fault. The only other thing that kind of skeeved me out was that sexuality only got portrayed negatively, and that happens right out of the gate in the first short story, but it only comes up briefly after that.

My favorite piece was "Twilight Song"—literally broke into tears at the final few lines. It's about an elderly lesbian couple caring for each other in their old age, and how they got through dark times to have a sweet life together. A few stories touch on other hardships, like poverty, PTSD, and racism, and always handle it in a way that feels pretty sensitive. (4/5)

Taking a break for work and fanfic for a bit now, I think.

Manywhere

Trying to come up with a good Positive-Negative-Positive sandwich... except I didn't particularly like this one. It was another short story collection, and it focused on queer characters generally in the US south, but only the first one really compelled me thematically. It examined the relationship between presentation and privacy and packed a lot dynamism in that short format.

Most of the stories just felt repetitive, though, even with all the variety in setting and character—like generally dour, mean-spirited takes on people's character, and I probably sound naive in that, but hey this is my review and I am quite unfortunately an optimist at heart. I'm not one to dismiss unpleasant stories outright, but so many of the chapters seemed to make pain and regret and rejection the whole point.

Thinking about it a little more, I guess it could lead to some interesting discussion of the desperation for acceptance that comes with being queer in the communities the book focused on. And I'll give it to the author, again, for including some well-researched, incredible variety in terms of characters and setting. Gave this book away to a friend who might have more skill at parsing meaning from it, and we'll see if that leads to a change of heart on my side. (2/5)

American Born Chinese

I first read this when I bought it back in... high school? This impulse re-read happened after seeing the trailer for a show coming out based on the story (and also, right after the EEAAO Oscars sweep). I've aged out of the target audience, haha, but I still like the balance the author strikes between complex storytelling/themes, and an appealing simplicity.

It'll be interesting to see how the story is adapted... Some of the stereotypes the book tackles were so intentionally offensive, I could totally see the satire being misunderstood if it's not handled carefully.

Anyway, nothing bad to say about this one! Like the other YA stuff I'm reading, it's stood the test of time for a reason. Plus, you can tell how personal this story is to the author, and it means a lot that he's shared it with the world in this way. (4/5, but just bc the YA simplicity keeps it from 5/5)

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Battle of the Labyrinth

Still chugging through these... Same pros and cons as before! I do feel like, as the tone gets darker with each of these, the quirky modern twists (Dedalus using a laptop! Sphinxes giving standardized tests!) make the serious moments a little too stark, haha. Like, geez, the stuff with Pan was... sure something.

This book did some odd stuff with the romance plot(s)... It felt to me like Annabeth was done dirty for the sake of keeping Percy/the character dynamics clean. Nothing worse than other YA stories from this time, but, maybe typical of it. Also, while all the PJO books break that Pixar rule of "coincidence can get you into trouble but not out of it" (and again, for this genre it's fine), this installment felt like the worst culprit of it so far.

I did enjoy keeping tabs on my fav characters, though. I've ofc added Nico to my roster of poor little meow meow boys, balancing out Clarisse being added to my Angry Power Fantasy Daughters, and each of them got scenes I really enjoyed this time around. Also, props to these stories for pulling out mythical monsters that seem like very deep cuts—the series started with references I mostly caught, like harpies and the fates, but now we're getting to telekhinese (???) and empusai...?? Hell yeah! (3/5)

Anyway. Thought it'd be fun to note, too, that I caught up on The Lackadaisy Cats comic at this point, which has been a delight. Very tempted to buy some sort of art book or patreon tier, bc that style is to die for.

continued in a part 2 post... to be linked?

[pervigilatrix]

My top 5 books of 2022

(from someone who struggles to get motivated to read and only read about 15 books last year)

5) Heartstopper 1 & 2 - Alice Osman

The first two Heartstopper books really spoke to me and my experience as a bi person when I was in high school. They're SO easy to read, and they really got me out of a slump. I found that after the second book I didn't enjoy the next two as much, although they were still good. Be warned that there are mentions of EDs and suicide after the first book. 7.5/10

4) Sorcery of Thorns - Margaret Rogerson

This book perfectly captures all of the elements I love of a mildly cheesy fantasy romance. We've got forbidden love, mystery, and some good plot twists. ALSO, IT'S A STAND ALONE BOOK!!!! HALLELUJAH!!! My one complaint is that the.last quarter of the book feels very slow, and ultimately it has a bit of an anticlimactic ending. However I still think it's worth reading. 7.6/10

3) Howls Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones

Okay. A classic. But an easy to read one. Such a cute and welcoming story, and if you're a fan of the movie, this will give you so much more context for what's going on (the Ghibli film is one of my favourite movies of all time, and watching it again after reading the book I saw so many things I'd never noticed before!). There is one point where the story got a tad confusing but it honestly didn't bother me at all. 8/10

2) The Charm Offensive - Alison Cochurn

I finished this book in less than 2 days. Absolutely adorable LGBTQ love story. I love the concept of the Bachelor-esque TV show. I was entertained the entire way though and genuinely laughed at certain parts. The characters feel loveable and real, particularly Dev, who I found super relatable and just a very well rounded character. However upon researching, some Indian-Americans have said that his character fell a bit flat when it came to representing their culture. Overall, super duper easy to get through, very in-a-slump friendly. Highly recommend if you're looking for an easy rom-com read. 9/10

1) Ninth House - Leigh Bardugo

My god. Stunning. In her lane. Absolutely thriving. This book made me love reading again after such a long time of it feeling like a chore. The world feels so magical and the characters are all so loveable in their own ways. The mix of fantasy, crime, mystery (and potentially a sprinkling of romance in later books) just works so well in this story. As you read the main story which is happening in Alex's present day, there are also bits and pieces of her past woven through, and you start to put pieces together of what's actually going on here. Highly, highly recommend. I can't wait for the next book in the series. 12/10

[waystarflopco]

I mean I’m saying this as a person who is darlingstern trash but lmao how the fuck do people not care about Alex at all and think that darlington of all people is the only likeable character in the entirety of ninth house

[goblins-riddles-or-frocks]

It’s honestly not as egregious of a 1:1 as Ninth House was imo, but there are a lot of similarities!!

Hey just to confirm, did you mean you think there are similarities between Danny and Darkling? I just don't see it. Alex and Alina I can but Danny is genuinely a good person so I am lost.

Leigh Bardugo was like “yes I am fresh off a series centered on this villain primarily going by the Darkling, so for my next totally unrelated project here’s this completely new asshole character who mentors the protagonist. with a fairly similar physical description— sorry his hair is brown. not black. huge difference. and we’re calling him…. Darlington 🙂”

Meanwhile, his POV storyline starts with him taking on an apprentice, and having an incredibly specific idea of who he’s going to interview and how he’s going to do it. But instead he gets stuck with “Alex Stern” who is like a grumpy gremlin with a disastrously troubled life coming from a poor background who sweeps into this really wealthy magic scene at Yale bc she has unheard of… ghost seeing powers.

And Darlington has an entire extended internal tantrum about how she’s not what he expects/wants her to be? And how he’d kill to have her ability but it just comes to her completely unbidden and she doesn’t even appreciate it. Not to mention his traumatic childhood, obsession with a legacy that is destroying him, and the way he’s trying to single handedly stop the inevitable forward progression of time with regards to it.

AND the entire beat where his name (Danny) represents youth and vulnerability for him so he has reinvented himself with a new persona? This ain’t subtle.

He’s a regular college kid lol so no he’s not a centuries old war criminal but that’s because the scope of the story is very different and he’s crucially not the main antagonist. Like I don’t think canon Darkling was out here massacring entire villages at twenty just because the mood struck either. He was probably just some guy! And Darlington feels like a very carefully translated Just Some Guy modern AU version of him.

[bubblesandpages]

Little rundown of what I’m reading because I’ve been trying to stave off a reading slump for the past sixish months And It Is Not Working. If I was a reasonable person I’d probably let it come on and hang out for a while, but there are seven different titles I need to get through by the end of the month (preferably before than so I can enter The Slump freely) so I’m talking about them here, and maybe it’ll shake things up enough for me to continue reading.

Firstly! Volumes 6-10 of Witch Hat Atelier—I’m choosing to think of these as one of the seven entries since it’s manga, and much easier to breeze through. It is good! Very good even in certain volumes. Richeh‘s my favorite, and Qifrey’s feeding my obsession with mentor characters that do slightly more than you’re run-of-the-mill mentoring.

Secondly! The Scarlett Pimpernel! Whisperings of it’s role as the inspiration for the Bat himself reached me, as well as murmurings of the stupid married couple at its core who are Mutual Pining personified and think Oh They Hate Me, ksjdfgybhdsgjyuhisbvgyhjsb. How could I not be intrigued! I’m about a third in, and it’s been fairly easy to read so far for being a classic.

Thirdly! Ninth House. Out of these first three I’m most interested in this one, I don’t normally dislike Bardugo’s writing style but this one’s really doing it for me. I love the voice she’s developed for this book, and she’s actually managed to make me interested in a university setting—usually I find them so painfully tame and boring. Not so here, I think a combination of her knowledge of the location, the charming map, specific way the characters relate to each location, Alex’s position as an outsider who’s not looking to crush others and rule the school and overall lack of pretentious Ivy Leagueness hates it hates it, and the way Yale feels more like a twisted stone warren that is made up of actual terror and wonder as opposed to other dark academia titles *cough* Babel *cough* is really doing it for me! Creeps me the hell out though!

Fourthly! Project Hail Mary. This one isn’t officially in the line up of seven, but I’m enjoying it too much to stop now. I’m not far enough in to have many thoughts, just know that Andy Weir still knows how to write a binge-worthy page-turner. It’s wacky, it’s weird, it’s smart, there’s a ✨Mystery✨ what’s not to love?