#Readable

[allthingswhumpyandangsty]

Hi I'm a reader, not a writer. I hope you don't mind the question. I often see writers saying how much they love comments, or being sad that a fic has too few comments, that it demotivates them to write more. At the same time, it's bad etiquette to leave critical comments for fanfiction, they should only ever be positive. So what if I didn't like a new chapter, was disappointed etc. Is no comment better than a fake praise comment? What do you recommend?

if you don’t like it, you don’t have to comment anything at all.

while (positive) comments are encouraged and deeply appreciated, fanfic writing and reading are supposed to be something that bring us joy. so — personally, if you ask me — no reader is under obligation to give someone a fake praise, because then that’d mean they read to praise the author and that is… not the point of reading fanfic for fun as a form of self-care.

if you like something, sure, you’re more than encouraged to let the author know you appreciate their work (and I say “encouraged” not “forced” or “expected”), but if something is not for you, you can always just exit it and find something else to read without commenting anything on that work that is not for you (unless the author specifically and directly asks for constructive criticism).

[basicallyanotherwitchesthing]

Lobsang Rampa - The Third Eye - Corgi - 1962

[isthequeerbookgood]

Storygraph Bookshop.org Kobo Amazon

Short answer: No.

Slightly longer answer: It was... fine? I guess?

The story follows Raff and Penn, the scions of two noble houses, as they meet one night in the eponymous Hartswood. There's an immediate connection, so when Penn decides to flee his abusive father and unwanted betrothal, Raff offers to journey with him. The twist is that both men are hiding their identities - and Penn's betrothed is Raff's sister.

This book feels like it has all the ingredients for a fantastically fun, trope-filled read. Cuddling for warmth? Check! Mutual pining? Check! One character teaching the other to fight? Check! An angsty scar reveal (and subsequent comfort)? Check! The problem is… it did just feel like a checklist.

This gets to the heart of my problem with the book. It felt incredibly generic, from the characters to the setting to the plot. It didn't feel like the author cared that much about her story so, well, neither did I. For me, this was particularly noticeable with the setting. I love the mediaeval era and find it fascinating, but for a book nominally set in 1360 it didn't feel mediaeval at all. I can forgive the unusually progressive families as staple of historical romance, but I cannot forgive the lack of nuns.

Final verdict: One Night in Hartswood is readable but probably not worth your time.

[fourarms-series]

Azalea: Ask for bagel(s) - Fourarms #9

@Unorignal_Fox (on Scratch) wrote: ""i'll have two number 9s, a number 9 large, a number 6 with extra dip, a number 7, two number 45s, one with cheese, and a large soda""

@herecomestheyesmann wrote: "Ask for a none bagel with left beef."

Seriously…? You came in here for one thing, and one thing only. A breakfast bagel, a damn breakfast bagel sandwich! You refuse to get anything else! Now come on!

@Chackakaca (on Scratch) wrote: "you know, you could always just teleport the guy at the counter so you don't have to talk to him"

No! You've already screwed up by portaling that other guy, we're not gonna make this worse!

@PilvaVunner (on Scratch) wrote: "attempt to dance for a free breakfast bagel. if it doesn't work out, just buy it yourself"

Great! Genius even! From one embarrassing moment to another! You decide this is a fucking awful idea and never consider it again. Besides, being a quadrolax, you should have more than enough money to afford a bagel…

@golden-fox76 (on Scratch) wrote: "try to formulate a kind greeting then ask for a bagel!"

@Orange_Avenger (on Scratch) wrote: "Just order the bagel. Don't say anything about what you did, and don't say anything about these voices in your head."

@kirbybaker-the-alch wrote: "get a bagel- no, 2 bagels."

You finally garner enough confidence to speak your first words for the day. You approach the counter and the deer man running it. As you walk, you plan your sentence perfectly, there's no way you can mess your order up!

Also, two!? You're a quadrolax! You'll need at least three! But now that the idea of more is in your head, you'll get four!

You begin to speak and accidentally ask for a none bagel with left beef.

Surprisingly, he doesn't seem to react at least…

> Submit command

[voiceoutofstars]

A fan narration of a Readable found on Herta Space Station. This is "Bye, Herta."

Music is "A Long Way" by Serge Pavkin Music.

Unusually, I have included both my readability-edited version and the original in-game version in this narration. There are two reasons for this: 1) It's poetry. Poetry is very far outside my wheelhouse, and so this is an extremely low-confidence readability revision. 2) It's very short.

[sspacegodd]

Perfect for a bedtime story.

The only problem is turning the page makes me cold.

[bohcards]

Kitling Ripe's Tasty Treats

The Velvet is the Hour of secrets; and so very little is known of the - Moth-long? Nectar-long? - who ascend to immortality under her auspices. But this book (by 'Kitling's Friend') purports to be part cook-book, and part manual for immortality.

Tally Price (3) A price as the invisible world would reckon it; paid in uncommon currency, like the tokens called spintriae.

Mystery: Nectar (4) Greater challenges require stronger skills.

Readable There are worse things to put in your eyes than this.

Thing 'The gentleman makes things his servants. The petty man is servant to things.' - Master Xun

Codex Pages, cover, spine, knowledge decently tucked away like organs.

[penguino713]

Are ya ready for next week of PathoFest because I sure ain't (I have writen one chapter for the first prompt and I am dead)

[teenxskylar]

Gusto ko maging pusa

Gusto ko yung buhay nila, tulog, kain, ihi sa kama ng amo ko, tapos tatae ako sa lugar kung saan hindi madaling dakutin ang ebak ko WAHAHA tangina sarap maging pusa siguro.

Pero hindi lang yun ang gusto ko. Nais ko maramdaman yung pagmamahal ng amo ko habang pinapanood niya ako matulog nang mahimbing. Yung masaya siya kapag masigla ako kumain, tapos ang takaw ko. Tas nawawalan siya ng gana pag ayaw ko kumain, o kaya malungkot siya pag may sakit ako.

Want ko rin na tuwing uuwi siya, looking forward na ako yung makita. Pagka uwi niya, lalapitan niya ako at kwekwentuhan kung ano ang nangyari sa buong araw niya. Tapos sa bawat punta niya sa mall o kung saan man, pag uwi niya may dala siyang something for me, something that reminds her of me.

I also like the fact na nandyan lang ako somewhere sa bahay niya, tapos naiisip niya ako at kung gaano niya ako kamahal. Siguro hindi na yata tungkol sa pagiging pusa ang gusto ko, parang ang ginugusto ko ngayon ay mahalin ng sobra, totoo, at hindi nagkukulang. Sana mahalin ako na parang pusa.

[izzythedemigod]

I just found the funniest font ever

Like. What is this. Why is this. Who is the target audience of this?

[isthequeerbookgood]

Storygraph Kobo Amazon

Short Answer: Maybe?

Slightly longer answer: Really great concepts but I struggled with the execution

I really wanted to love this book. It follows Arlo Rook, a hedge witch with the weight of the world on his shoulders, and Thatch Phantom, a yearning immortal with severely limited free will, as they spend a week in the vibrant modern-fantasy city of Levena. Cosy vibes, colourful magic, tragic backstories and buckets of yearning - sign me up! And true to promise, the book is full of amazing ideas, exciting locations and inventive characters...

Too many, in fact. The book reads like the author is just so excited to tell you about their awesome ideas that they just trip over themself. New characters show up every other page, all some kind of magical creature, associated with a new location. The narration is chaotic and it often feels like the author just... forgets to tell you how things connect, or leaves out a crucial detail.

It honestly felt like reading fanfiction for a fandom I'm not in. Characters show up as if we should know them already; items and events are treated as though they have great significance when they've only just shown up. Honestly, it's a great fanfic, I just wish I could read the source and get some context!

Final verdict: Phantom and Rook is Readable. Great vibes, really needs a thorough edit

[fourarms-series]

Azalea: Make conversation - Fourarms #7

@Chackakaca (on Scratch) wrote: "hey bro can you shut up about not wearing pants!!!!!!!!!!! also lets just walk into the cafe this guy looks like a nerd"

@golden-fox76 (on Scratch) wrote: "try and get passed without him noticing your lack of pants"

Trying to get through without him noticing seems like a good idea, but you feel as if he's practically already noticed you at this distance. There doesn't seem to be a way out of this situation without them at least knowing someone was there. Maybe it's time to suck it up and engage in conversation. You'd like to take your mind anywhere else other than your lack of bottom wear, but it's a little hard to ignore a feeling quite as… unique… as this one.

@herecomestheyesmann wrote: "Yo dude I think he should totally steal that random guy's pants That'd be really cool I think"

@TheBlueGoof (on Scratch) wrote: "Secretly knock out the dude by the door, and enter, with his pants and glasses."

Welllll… quadrolaxes aren't exactly known for not stealing. Last thing you want right now is to make this situation worse however, and attempting to do something as bold as stealing someone's pants they are actively wearing would most certainly bring more attention…

You don't think you'd be capable of doing anything secretly either. Also… upon further inspection… those aren't glasses, those are his eyes, geez, they are HUGE!

Wait, human pants wouldn't fit on you anyways!

@Orange_Avenger (on Scratch) wrote: "Make sure you check what dimension you're in. If you're in one where people don't know about Quadrolaxes, then not wearing pants is the least of your problems."

Last time you checked, you're pretty sure this is still Quadrophora Isle… but maybe it's just a bad dream? You could pinch yourself to be sure, but then you'd look really stupid in front of this random guy… well more than you already do at this rate. It's been probably a good 2 minutes you've been standing here thinking over this.

@TweetyAnimate (on Scratch) wrote: "wake up in a room and realize that you're in a room"

If only…

@Unoriginal_Fox (on Scratch) wrote: "say "yo whats poppin bro""

@kirbybaker-the-alch wrote: "Tell the person about your hobbies"

Yes! This is perfect! Just strike up some casual conversation, if you're lucky, he might not even notice anything is off. Except… seems your pants were not the only thing you've forgotten, you've never learned to speak a proper language, so like most quadrolaxes you know, you need a speaking collar. As if this day could get any worse…

Plus, you aren't exactly sure if sitting on the couch all day, watching tv, and sleeping are valid hobbies.

Wait… stealing… dimensions..? Of course! How could you forget the one thing quadrolaxes are known for, their portaling abilities! If you could just remember where you put your collar at home, it should be as simple as grabbing it through a portal!

You should probably figure something out quick, because it looks like this dude is approaching you now.

> Azalea: Portal your problems

[voiceoutofstars]

A Fan Narration of a Readable found on Herta Space Station. This is Herta Asset Damage Evaluation List. Music is "abstract science" by yurii semchyshyn.

[bohcards]

Sand-Scarred Journal

I am the Librarian of Hush House, and this journal will record what arose from my Crime and my Curse. [The Archaeologist's dearest wish, when they came to the House, was to record a History where their crime could be forgiven… or redefined. But you can complete the game by recording any History. You might wish to begin your studies with the Skolekosophy Wisdom.]

Knock The principle called Knock permits no seal and no isolation. It thrusts us gleefully out of the safety of ignorance. [Knock opens doors and unseams barriers.]

Mystery: Winter Greater challenges require stronger skills.

Memories: the Archaeologist 'I opened a tomb, and found - too late - that it was a prison. The plague that I released is now my shadow - or perhaps I am its reflection. It is too late to set matters right, but it is never too late to protect the future from the past. In Hush House I can do no harm. Perhaps I can even make amends.'

Readable There are worse things to put in your eyes than this.

Thing 'The gentleman makes things his servants. The petty man is servant to things.' - Master Xun

Journal I began before this book, but it'll end when I do.

The Roots of Memory - Tree of Wisdoms

Here I began my climb. [As you learn Skills, you can decide where in the Tree of Wisdoms they belong - enriching your Soul as you catalogue the invisible world.

Grants Trist

[hush-house-yard-sale]

Mystery: Moth 8 | Codex | Readable

2 Spintria

Spotted this in a second hand bookshop and the whiplash I felt was so strong that I think I’ve discovered another 12 stages of grief