#Shannon messenger style

[literaturewithliz]

distracting kiss or secret kiss with kam?

In the grandeur of a Vacker ball, the most captivating part was either the décor, or the Vackers themselves.

Keefe had to disagree.

Don’t misunderstand, it was insanely entertaining to watch his best friend not even pretend he wasn’t pining over Foster in her scarlet evening gown. And the teal and gold decorations were nothing short of spectacular. It was Fitz’s Winnowing Gala, of course. So how could everything NOT be perfect?

The only person Keefe wanted to dance with on any ballroom floor wasn’t going to be there tonight, that’s how.

Keefe was mostly there for morale support. The whole party was pretty much just a formality. As if anyone other than Sophie was ever going to own Fitz’s heart. However, in elvin culture, Winnowing Galas weren’t just so you could start scratching names off your Match lists. They were also a celebration of the host becoming an adult and making their debut into society as an independent citizen.

So the last thing Keefe should be doing right now is imagining Tam Song in a perfectly tailored jerkin, sweeping him onto the dance floor like in those cheesy royal teen movies Foster had shown him.

And yet….

Keefe sighed and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jerkin. He debated on going to the garden for a breath of fresh air when a huge wave of emotions slammed into him. He knew who it was instantly. He put on a smirk and turned around to face Sophie Foster.

“Hey Foster, you do know that there’s really no reason to be this nervous, right? Fitzy’s too obsessed with you to even think about anyone else here,” Keefe chided. Sophie blushed and scrambled to deny her nerves. “How many times do I need to remind you that you can’t lie to an empath?” Keefe asked with fake annoyance.

“I’m not lying!” Sophie insisted. Keefe raised an eyebrow. Foster sighed and accepted defeat. “Fine, maybe I am. But while we’re on the topic of feelings, you wanna explain why you’ve had this wistful look on your face all night?” Well, she had him there.

“I haven’t the slightest idea what you mean,” Keefe replied. But he knew Foster wasn’t going to let this go, so he held out a hand to her and pulled her to dance when she took it. “Don’t fall over,” Keefe teased. Sophie scoffed and got right down to business.

“Thinking about Tam?” she asked. Keefe nodded wordlessly. “Well, why don’t you go talk to him?” she wondered. “I didn’t think he was coming. And besides, what am I supposed to say? ‘Hey Tammy, I know I’ve made fun of you and your ability for the entirety of my knowing you, but I have a massive crush on you! Go out with me?’” Keefe asked sarcastically.

“Not a bad idea, actually.” Sophie smirked. Keefe scoffed. “You might as well try it, at this point. He is in attendance. He’s just been hiding himself in shadows by the corner over there,” Sophie pointed to a corner Keefe could see over his right shoulder. Now that Keefe thought about it, that corner was a bit dark compared to the other ones. He couldn’t see Tam, but he suspected he was there.

“Still, bad idea.” Keefe said with a sigh. Sophie looked at him with sympathy, all signs of playfulness from earlier gone. She was the only Keefe had ever told about his crush on the male Song twin. “You know, I think you should confess when you’re ready, but if you don’t ever talk to him about it, you’ll never get a chance with him.” Ugh, he hated it when Foster was right.

Keefe nodded, and looked to his right when he heard someone clear their throat. Fitz, with a very nervous expression, looked at Keefe. “Do you mind if I borrow her for a sec?” Fitz asked. “If you don’t mind, of course, Soph.” Fitz clarified. “She’s all yours” Keefe confirmed as Sophie nodded shyly. But before Keefe left the dance floor, Sophie tapped his shoulder. “Don’t forget what I said, okay?” Keefe nodded and winked. “Have fun, you two” he said before leaving his two blushing best friends alone together.

Keefe decided that even if he wasn’t ready to tell Tam how he felt, he could always tease him. So he made his way towards the dark corner Sophie’d shown him. Once he was there, he said aloud: “You know, Bangs Boy, there are a million better places to hide from people at Everglen. Like, I don’t know, the six libraries and eight gardens, for a start.”

At the word ‘libraries’ Tam let his shadows fade to reveal himself in a dark blue jerkin with a black undershirt. Crap, he was beautiful. “Everglen has SIX libraries?” Tam asked, eyes going a little wide. “Yep, that’s what happens when you live in Vacker Land!” Keefe confirmed. Keefe briefly entertained the thought of mentioning that Candleshade had seven libraries, but decided against it, because he didn’t want to seem like he was trying too hard.

“ I knew they were… well off, but I didn’t know they were THAT well off. Do you know one that’s nearby?” Tam questioned, with a little bit of awe in his eyes that Keefe found absolutely adorable. “ I do, but to direct you towards one, I need a form of payment for my services.” Keefe said with a smirk on his face. Tam rolled his eyes, and Keefe internally mourned the look of awe. “I think I’ll just ask Biana.” Tam said, turning around.

Tam turned right back around when he saw the massive crowd of people he would have to go through to get to Biana. “You know what? Fine. I’ll do the stupid payment. Can you please just show me the library? Or one of them, I should say.” Tam said, tugging on his bangs a bit. “of course! I’ll need a favor though! Keefe said with a gleeful smile. Without thinking, he grabbed Tam’s hand and lead him out of the ballroom through a door near the corner.

Oh God. He was holding Tam Song’s hand.

Keefe tried to pretend like he wasn’t having a mental breakdown and let Tam’s hand go, leading him to the closest library he could think of. It was small, compared to the others, at least. But it had the best books, in Keefe’s opinion. “Are you a fan of fiction?” Keefe asked, looking at Tam. “It’s my favorite genre,” Tam said curtly. Keefe briefly wondered if Tam was mad at him for taking his hand, and mentally panicked.

Thank God that they finally made it to the library. When Keefe opened the door to reveal a couple hundred books, all tension in the air faded. And Keefe might’ve imagined it, but he was pretty sure he heard a tiny gasp escape Tam’s mouth. He wished he could somehow bottle up that sound.

Tam was the first to move forward, and found a shelf lined with dark blue books. Of course the Vackers would have a color coordinated library. Keefe started following, but then turned towards a shelf with light green books, not wanting to make Tam upset again. He pretend to browse for a book, as if he hadn’t read every one in the room.

“You’ve been here before, haven’t you?” Tam asked. “How did you know? Keefe asked, trying to avoid the question. “You seem extremely uninterested. Sophie told me you like fantasy books, and you’re really close with the Vackers, so I just assumed you must’ve read at least SOME of these.” Ugh, was Keefe always this transparent? “Well, you’re right, I have. I’ve read all of them, actually, so HA! I’ve beat you at the bookworm game, Tammy!” Keefe said, hoping Tam would drop it. He didn’t like the idea of his crush knowing that he was such a nerd. More like, he didn’t want his crush to know WHY he was such a nerd.

Tam just rolled his eyes. “I hadn’t really pegged you for a bookworm. I was surprised when Soph told me,” Tam said, looking at a yellow book that had seen better days. “Well, books are a great escape when your parents suck!” WHY DID HE JUST SAY THAT OUT LOUD? All the deflecting he’d just done to avoid this topic, just for Keefe to screw it up. Figures. Tam got really silent for what felt like hours, days, weeks. But then, just as Keefe thought he would dash out of the room is disgust, Tam uttered a quiet: “I agree.”

Oh.

So Tam read to escape his sucky home life too, huh? Maybe Linh was right. Maybe they did have more in common than they thought. Not like Keefe was going to keep talking about it though. Then again, he didn’t have to. “You don’t have to be embarrassed, you know that, right? In my opinion, it takes a lot of perseverance to focus on the things you love rather than the things that hurt you.” Tam said, looking straight into Keefe’s eyes. Now that Keefe was thinking about it, he realized just how close he and Tam were. He would barely have to move to…

NOPE! NOPE! NOPE! He would most certainly never have the chance to kiss or do anything even a bit romantic with Tam Song. He hated Keefe. Then again, he wasn’t exactly rushing to leave and avoid physical contact, in true Tam fashion. Keefe felt himself relax, and tried to make a joke to lighten Tam up too. “Wow, Bangs Boy. Was that a compliment?” Keefe asked, hoping something like a smirk was on his face.

Instead of biting back with a witty remark as usual, Tam asked a question. “Can I kiss you?” Keefe froze. No way Tam just asked him that. This was most definitely a dream of some sort. But, you couldn’t dream up the was Tam’s short breaths fanned Keefe’s face. Or the way his silver-blue eyes glittered in the moonlight. So before Keefe even replied, he leaned forward.

[flibbetygibbetsbro]

My teachers always tell me that I break up my paragraphs too much and that it's unnecessary for my strong word choice.

I blame Shannon Messenger

[bookwyrminspiration]

me 🤝 you

knowing too much about shannons old keeper art

sorry shannon but I'm about to put you on blast for a moment:

she doesn't say that these are drawings of Fitz. but I'm pretty sure they're intended to be? and on the one hand, it's very cool to have art from the author themself because you can't really get more accurate/authentic than that, you know? but on the other I think he's staring into my soul

this one is definitely fitz though

not bad!

this Dex (and yes, it's confirmed Dex) however, has me questioning whether i know who Dex is at all:

(shannon drew this before he was even on the cover)

this one isn't keeper it's just cute though:

but not at ALL what I'd expect from her. it doesn't seem like any of her styles, so when I saw it I did a double take.

Anyway! you can find so many things when you go through shannon's instagram. and also her facebook. fun to see what people posted a decade ago compared to now, how it's changed :)

[homo-beehive]

sometimes i think about keeper of the lost cities (it is my special interest) and go “holy shit how is this a middle grade series”

so here is an incomplete list of things that happen in kotlc that would get a kotlc movie’s rating moved to R (read at your own risk).

kidnapping

torture

horse copulation

graphic violence

graphic birth

unspecified but apparently flavorful cursing

human experimentation

body horror

very detailed depictions of almost-deadly allergic reactions

non-consensual drugging. a lot of it. of CHILDREN

and here is a list of things that i think the US government would hate about kotlc

criticism of government and discussion of how one should handle being in a position of power (you should not enjoy being powerful)

elfin society has a eugenics problem and this is consistently criticized

queer coding isn’t even coding atp marella is GAY gay

and finally, criticisms i have of kotlc.

weird eurocentric beauty standards

tam and linh. great characters. CONSTANTLY fetishized bc they’re asian. sophie calls them k-pop idols, anime characters, etc. from what i can tell, though, they’re vietnamese. LET THEM BE VIETNAMESE WITHOUT COMPARING THEM TO EVERY EAST ASIAN STEREOTYPE

everyone is thin. LITERALLY EVERYONE. why is everyone thin and why does thin equal beautiful. shannon messenger explain your biases challenge

there are SO many poc in the books, but elf culture is shown as a monolith. show the cultural nuances that come from before humans and elves separated. i want to see the human influences in their clothing, hairstyles, accents, vernacular. have elves who have historically lived in china wearing something similar to hanfu. give tam and linh ao dai. give me a nigerian elf with fulani braids. give me culture through style and bodies and voices and music. i want to see it. it’s beautiful and it is NOT shown enough

dex needs more page time.

alden and della are NOT criticized enough. they are complicit. they are part of the problem in the lost cities. they are not all bad, but they are not all good either. CRITICIZE THEM, SHANNON.

[fravenwood]

[Book Review] The Priory of the Orange Tree

This review is as spoiler free as possible!

Book Title: The Priory of the Orange Tree

Author: Samantha Shannon

Genre: Fantasy

Publication Date: 26 February 2019

ISBN: 9781635577921

Introduction:

Hi! Today’s book is The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon! Fantasy is my genre of choice for most reading and writing, and this book has been on my radar for a while. A standalone epic fantasy novel with strong characters, worldbuilding, LBTQ+ rep, and…dragons? Yes, please!

Plot Summary:

The Priory of the Orange tree follows the events of a grim fantasy world. About one thousand years prior to the beginning of the novel, there was a fire dragon (or wyrm, in the novel) known as the Nameless One. He was prophesied to return one day and destroy the world, infecting all humans with a disease known as the red sickness. We start by following the story of Tané the dragonrider, but we are soon introduced to Niclays the alchemist, Ead the spy, and Arteloth the messenger as our other POV characters. Each of them has unique goals and character arcs, and everything wraps up really nicely in the end. A breath of fresh air compared to many modern fantasy novels wishing to be the next Game of Thrones with massive cliffhangers and no resolution.

Characters:

Oh, Miduchi Tané. There’s a lot more to delve into about her backstory, but she doesn’t get a lot of attention during the plot. She makes a mistake in the beginning of the book, one that ultimately defines her path throughout the story—but she definitely has the least amount of thought and care put into her.

Niclays Roos has a bit more going on. He wants to create the Elixir of Life, a pursuit first given to him by Queen Sabran of the kingdom of Inys. He was cast out to an island after failing to provide it to her, and he decided to continue trying to create it only to deny her its power. An interesting premise, and backed up by a past relationship that gets further explored throughout the novel.

Ead Duryan is by far my favorite character, and I suspect Samantha Shannon’s as well. She gets the most attention, and her storyline is the only one related directly to the book’s title. Working as a spy for an organization known as the Priory, she seeks to protect Queen Sabran Berethnet at all costs. There is a legend that this royal bloodline must continue to prevent the Nameless One from returning. Her arc of learning to live in Inys and being pulled between life there and her duties as a member of the Priory is the most compelling in the novel.

If Ead wasn’t the best character, it would’ve been Arteloth Beck. He is sent away on false pretenses of an important espionage mission to separate him and Sabran. Evidently, the two are too close, and people worried they might be rizzing it up. This is a problem for those who wish to weaken the queen. Along the way he has significant growth, and his character traits are intriguing and complex.

Writing Style:

The prose in this book is beautiful. There are a few times where it comes across as a little infodump-y, but for the most part Samantha Shannon writes a vivid tale and somehow never runs out of steam through this chonker of a book. She uses lovely descriptive writing, being sure to bring each location to life. Aside from a few clunky dialogue lines or expository paragraphs, this novel’s writing is what really sucked me in.

Themes:

There are several themes in this book that deal with relevant social issues or moral questions. Whether or not someone is a good or bad person based on their past comes up multiple times, as does the issue of bodily autonomy for women. LGBTQ+ representation is also high in this book, a wonderful change from the norm in adult fantasy. It never felt forced, nor did it feel out of place. There are also great themes of perseverance, courage, the typical fantasy themes.

What I Liked:

The scale of the plot is massive, and the characters are still somehow lovable in their own ways. Even lesser-developed side characters have so much charm. The way Samantha Shannon brings them to life is unparalleled! There are lots of fun twists and turns, and those twists have turns themselves. I’m also a sucker for the “dragons were gone but they’re coming back” trope, and she executes it really well. The political sphere felt fully realized and imaginative, and the magic system takes the classic fire versus water idea and takes it in a fresh direction.

What Could Be Improved:

As previously mentioned, I could tell which characters were her favorites and that wasn’t necessarily a great thing. There were exposition moments that dragged on, and sometimes the pace was a little too slow or fast. Tané’s storyline in particular was odd, because the dragonriding thread should’ve been one of the most fun. Unfortunately, we rarely see her riding a dragon because the plot keeps throwing conflicts at her that prevents it.

Conclusion:

The Priory of the Orange Tree is a great fantasy novel. Beautiful prose, colorful characters, a lifelike world and gripping plot threads make this a must read for fans of fantasy and adventure.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5

[periwinkle-the-11th]

Intro post!

i'm Peri!

I spend my time writing, reading, crocheting, embroidering, drawing, sewing, procrastinating my school work and complaining about everything under the sun.

Heres my pronoun page!

If you know me irl, i am begging you to leave. you know who you are. I know who you are. go away.

I post all my writing and various creations over on @pericreatesstuff and my ao3 is Peri_Writes

I don't post works on ao3 until they're finished and gone over by my beta, but my writing blog is mostly unedited snippets!

I'm in way way way to many fandoms so heres an incomplete list:

dc (specifically batfam and yj98)

pjo/hoo (I haven't read toa yet but its on my list)

kotlc

Voltron (ik, i'm judging me too.)

bridge to terabithea

Atla

Daylight Shooting Star (if you know dss I am begging you to be my friend I have literally never met anyone else who's read it)

Marauders

Sk8 the infinity

Ohshc

The Sky Fall Trilogy by shannon messenger (once again if you've read it (and liked it) I am begging you to be my friend its so so underrated)

The Lost Books: Scroll of Kings (SO SO SO UNDERRATED)

I listen to way to much music way to often, heres some artists/bands i like: Set it off, pierce the veil, taylor swift, Fin (steffan argus), conan gray, PEGGY, olivia rodrigo, alec benjamin, one direction, Natalie jane, sadie jean, my chemical romance, fall out boy, NF, MARINA, Maren Morris, Dove cameron, girl in red, sabrina carpenter, melanie martinez, Avril Lavigne, Madonna, Ke$ha, little mix, Queen, Billy joel, Zara Larsson, Maisie Peters, Lauren spencer smith, ABBA, and literally so many more

and my tags:

#peri personal - just about everything not fandom related/interactions w people/my life

#peri complains - self explanatory really

#music rambles - rambling about music, mostly when new songs/albums come out

#allis adventures - various stuff about my sourdough! her full name is Allison Breadorthy and she is ALIVE

#baking Breadorthy - actually baking her

#my memes - crappy memes i make, mostly reblogged from my writing blog

#writing related - self explanatory but its mostly me complaining about my fics, plot holes i find, and polls bc i'm indecisive

#friends <3 - my actual conversation style interaction with my mutuals

#wtf dc - for whenever i find out that something that sounds just a bit to out of pocket to be cannon in dc, is cannon in dc. (ex: bruce's grandmother killing her husband, the candle ritual, dick shaving his hair and going by rick, etc)

#janet's life - my self indulgent canon compliant backstory for Janet Drake

#lena and tim - my even more self indulgent au where Lena Luthor adopts Tim Drake after his parents die, the fic is being plotted currently. THE FIC IS CANCELED!!! LEX IS LENA'S BROTHER! LENA IS KON'S AUNT!! THE PLANNED TIMKON IS LEGAL INCEST! (why does this keep happening??? TvT)

#bravery points game - I've started playing a points game with my anxiety, where every time I do something that scares me/my anxiety told me would end in disaster I get a point! It's stupid but it's motivating, I'm being brave! (Even tho it's terrifying) I do really have a points goal but I wanna try to get to 100 before the end of the year!

Thats all for now!! I'll probably update this once i realize i forgot smth tho

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update (11/06/23)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (6/10)

This book has very little space for the kind of story it tries to tell, and it does its best. For an almost space opera-like plot, with intergalactic academies, alien conflict, and ancient tech, less than 80 pages is ridiculously small. As such, a lot of this book feels really rushed. A lot of worldbuilding stuff, such as the history between the Meduse and humans, what Binti’s edan is, and how otjize is so special, is just never explained. I definitely found this book interesting; there’s a major tone shift a third of the way through, and I loved the message of understanding differences and peaceful conflict resolution. However, everything is wrapped up too neatly, especially concerning Binti’s emotional state. Trying not to spoil too much, Binti goes through an incredibly traumatic event and has a very important aspect of her changed without her knowledge or consent, but she seems just fine at the end. I appreciate the attempt to wrap up such an ambitious story for a novella, but I would’ve much preferred a more open ending concerning that.

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid (6/10)

This book started out very strong. The writing style really has that drifting, surreal style that fits a book trying to emulate gothic horror, and I really liked where the plot is going. I love books where the main character can't figure out if they can trust themselves or not, and the whole idea of discovering the secrets behind a truly impactful novel was so interesting. It was a little slow, but I was fine with that. Unfortunately, the ending is all kinds of rushed. The main antagonist is defeated very easily with virtually no explanation as to how, and although there's a character that the entire story practically revolves around, she only shows up at the end once everything is said and done to fill in the holes. Then there are multiple issues, plot and character wise, that are just never resolved. Unfortunately, the ending kind of ruined it for me, otherwise this could've been a 4 star read.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire (9/10)

After over a year, I'm continuing the Wayward Children series, and I'm loving it so far. This book functions as a prequel, telling the story of Jack and Jill in The Moors. I loved the very obvious classic literature influences, namely Frankenstein and Dracula, and Jack and Jill are both amazingly complex characters with an incredibly interesting relationship. I will always have a soft spot for Jack, and her unexpected romance was one of my favorite parts of the book. I'd say the only thing I didn't like was that Jill is so unlikable to me. I really wanted her to face some consequences after what she did, and while I can see how she became this way, it doesn't mean she should get away with it, especially considering the context of the first book. However, the series is unfinished and has multiple books I haven't read yet, so perhaps we'll see them yet again!

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher (CR, 43%)

I'm really enjoying this one so far! After so much intense fantasy and sci-fi, it's like a little palate cleanser. I love how this book takes tropes usually used in contemporary romcoms and repurposes them for the historical setting. There's also a fair amount of worldbuilding, since this is a very different history from what we know. I'm glad it's established to be that way, because there is some pretty blatant messing with the timeline, but I appreciate it since it brings more diversity than historical romances typically have.

Lodestar by Shannon Messenger (CR, 43%)

There are things happening in this book, and I don't like it! I've grown fairly attached to these characters, and I'm constantly stressed about them. I feel like stakes are rising rather quickly in this installment, like more is happening than in the others. One thing I noticed during this segment of reading was that I quite like the addition of Tam. Linh is still sort of a half-formed character to me, but I really like how blunt Tam is and how he still has the perspective of an outsider on Sophie's group and their dynamics. He seems to say things none of them think of, and I like how he shakes things up.

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon (CR, 42%)

I know, I know, I've been working on this one for a while, but it's a very dense book! I've put it aside for now in exchange for Gwen & Art, since I have to review that one, but I'm hoping to finish this before the November halfway mark.

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare (CR, 16%)

I’m finishing up my reread of The Infernal Devices, and this one is not that great so far. While I love the smaller interactions between Jem, Tessa, and Will, virtually everything so far has been interpersonal conflict despite the fact that a madman with a clockwork army is just out there somewhere. Like, did they forget they have like actual jobs to do? It’s mentioned that a good amount of time has passed since the last book…and you’ve done nothing? I know you’re all in the most complicated romantic relationships teenagers can be in, but please, think of the world.

[crymeariveronceagain]

River's English Major Summer TBR list(to encourage you to read new things):

because holy heck, i'm done with school already??? Anyways these are in no particular order tbh.

Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy. I've started it before but lost track halfway through. I've got my own copy now so it should be easier.

Persuasion, by Jane Austen. I'm already halfway through this, and ANNE MY BELOVED---

The Only Problem, by Muriel Spark. I ordered it while i was at college and never got around to it, and I LOVE the satire of this woman.

Wise Blood, by Flannery O'Connor. You all know how much I adore her. I haven't read this novel yet!!! I'm so excited!!!

Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley. I've never actually read it. I only sort of know how it goes, so this should be really good. I love gothic literature.

Cursed, by Marissa Meyer. I got it for Christmas and still have not read it. Curses on a reading-intense degree.

Providence Blue, by David Pinault. I also got this for Christmas, and have been looking forward to it.

Plague Journal, by Michael O'Brien. Dystopia or something. It should be really good.

The rest of Paradise Lost by John Milton. I'm not one for poetry, so this might be a last ditch effort when I'm at the end of my rope. I studied the parts about Satan and his fall, but I don't really know what happens in the rest of the book, so I'm very curious.

And last, but not least, Before Austen Comes Aesop: The Children's Great Books and How to Experience Them, by Cheri Blomquist. Another Christmas Present that may not be something most people would enjoy, but I think I really will enjoy it. I'm a nerdy nerdy Lit major at heart, and like. These kind of commentaries are really enjoyable to me.

Anyways, I hope you all have fun watching me get repeatedly broken apart by various classics and newer novels, as I tend to walk a strange line between fangirling and critical analysis, I suppose as any good literature lover does. I know last summer I started re-reading the KOTLC Series, and I'm not going to lie when I say I honestly think I'm tired of Shannon Messenger's style for now. I read a ton of her work last summer, and now I kind of want to go everywhere with my reading. I hope y'all don't mind that I'm gonna randomly post quotes from all over the place. :P

Then again, you're still here. Perhaps this is the kind of thing you've signed up for.

Happy Summer to every College kid who's almost free, and everyone else who still thinks it's only spring!!!!

[maerambles]

Keeper of the Lost Cities - Shannon Messenger (October 2, 2012)

All of the official art of the characters from the graphic novel artist, itsbrych on Instagram! Here's my rating of them:

Sophie - 7/10. She looks cute! Not entirely sure why they put a filter on her, would have loved to see how this would work with her brown eyes. It looks like she's wearing the same outfit from the Exile cover instead of what she's wearing on the Keeper cover, but it's one of my favorite outfits so I'll let it slide.

Fitz - 6/10. It's not a bad drawing, but I just don't picture him to look like this. In fact, I picture him to have the same hair style as Dex and Dex to have THIS hairstyle. The bowl-cut (ish) haircut just fits Dex more (at least to me).

Keefe - 7/10. I don't think he's that bad (I think lots of people just have very strong opinions on what Keefe should look like lol). However, his chin is very distracting. I get why people wouldn't like that about him.

Marella - 9/10. I love her, and I love how you can tell that she's a small little bean from the drawing.

Biana - 8/10. I love her outfit and hair. She doesn't look like her brother at all - in fact, she looks more related to Sophie and Marella because the three girls have similar looking faces. I don't think that was intentionally, but that's why I didn't giver her a higher score.

Dex - 5/10. Why is he a redhead? He's strawberry blond? He looks like a Weasley sibling.

[art-isnt-arting]

Welcome!!

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‼️ fr3akteenager -> art-isnt-arting ‼️

Hii !! Welcome to my blog ig ^^

name's Claudia 🌞

You can find me as @//art.isnt.arting on Instagram :))

she/they & 🩷💜💙

GIF IS NOT MINE !!

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[sinceileftyoublog]

Shannon Lay Interview: The Volume Meets the Medium

BY JORDAN MAINZER

Upon listening to “Angeles”, the Elliott Smith interpretation that opens Shannon Lay’s first covers album Covers Vol. 1 (Sub Pop), you’re struck by something familiar, yet different: her voice. Whether singing original songs, Karen Dalton on 2019′s August, or Syd Barrett on 2021′s Geist, Lay’s voice has always taken on an expressive whisper. You know--kind of like Elliott Smith. But on “Angeles”, she goes full force, unobscured by the haze of her past material. It’s the first song on the first album released since Lay’s taken voice lessons, taking advantage of a living situation and time in her career when she can sing out loud without bothering a roommate, with the confidence and good habits she’s developed over years of writing and performing.

Covers Vol. 1 is, in many ways, different than your traditional covers album. The artists included on it feel like an extension of Lay’s world, from the gentle caress of Nick Drake or Arthur Russell to the Bay Area scuzz of Ty Segall and OCS. (Lay’s spent a lot of time in Ty Segall’s Freedom Band.) Artists like Sibylle Baier and Jackson C. Frank are newfound loves, whereas Smith, Drake, Segall, and OCS are longtime influences. For an artist who wears her influences loudly and proudly while having still developed a unique artistic voice, a covers album is almost the perfect embodiment of Shannon Lay.

When I spoke again with Lay over the phone a couple months ago as she was about to embark on an opening tour for Whitney, she talked about why she likes not just recording covers, but playing them for an audience. “It’s such a great unifier, especially for an audience that doesn’t know you,” she said. “‘You like this? I like this, too!’” Lay plays Friday at the South Pasadena Masonic Lodge, Saturday at the Sebastiani Theater in Sonoma, and in July at the Permanent Records Roadhouse in L.A. Whether it’s a celebration of the release of Covers Vol. 1, Geist, her whole discography, or music in general, you can be sure to hear her as the messenger of some songs she didn’t necessarily write, embedded in the folk tradition.

Read our conversation below, edited for length and clarity.

Since I Left You: Both times we’ve spoken, you’ve talked about how much you like doing covers. You’ve included covers on your otherwise-original albums. What made you want to do a full covers album?

Shannon Lay: I think I had just amassed enough. I had so many under my belt that I loved playing live over the years, and it felt good to release something indicative of how I’ve been playing live lately, which is solo with this nylon string guitar, stripped-down, campfire style. It seemed appropriate.

SILY: Are there a couple tying threads among the range of artists you cover on here?

SL: I really wanted to be transparent about my influences, considering the fact that people who like my music would probably love these other artists, too. It felt like a nice way to let people in to the way I make music and open them up to the things I like, too. If you like me, you’ll definitely like Nick Drake and Elliott Smith.

SILY: It’s certainly a mix of eras. I was excited to see a couple modern day Bay Area luminaries in Ty Segall and OCS. How did those bands influence you as much as, say, Nick Drake and Sybille Baier?

SL: To have real-world experience with people I revere so much has been amazing. Ty and [OCS’] John [Dwyer] have been so supportive ever since I started playing music. It’s been super cool having them as a source of inspiration and support. I love them as people, but I absolutely love their music, so I had to pay tribute to those two guys. They’ve been so impactful on my life, musically and personally.

SILY: On your past couple records, your singing style seems more whispered and subdued, layered and affected. On here, especially on the Elliott Smith and Jackson C. Frank covers, you’re not obscuring your voice at all, which I found especially interesting on the Elliott Smith track, because that’s his singing style. Can you talk about how you adapted your vocal performance for these covers?

SL: I’ve been learning a lot about my voice. I’ve always loved to sing, but I think I grew up singing in these environments where I was living with someone, or roommates, and I didn’t want to bother anyone. I was always quite shy with my singing. Recently, I’ve had the ability to have my own space and explore what it’s like to go full-voice. Also, the way I’ve been tuning my guitar, which I got from Sybille Baier, is tuned down to C-standard. My voice fits so cozily in that zone. I started taking vocal lessons last year. It just blew the doors open, and I was able to find a much more powerful place to sing from. This record is the first place I’ve recorded that progress. Feeling it, and hearing how it hits the tape, particularly on the “Angeles” cover, was so delicious. I get why people love it: It’s this stunning compression that happens when you get that volume that meets that medium.

It’s been so cool. A lot of times, when you play an instrument or sing, you feel like you max out what you’re able to learn about it. I don’t think that’s true for anything. I feel like you can always learn more about what you love doing. With singing, it’s been really cool to expand the possibilities of it. I also want to sing for the rest of my life, so [it’s about] finding healthy habits and a new love for it. It’s stunning. I love it!

SILY: It’ll be cool to hear how you take this new approach into your original songs.

SL: Totally, especially if you see me live lately. It’s the new ingredient in the mix, which has been really fun in a simplified setting. It really maximizes the potential of how dynamic the vocals can be. It’s a really cool instrument, and it’s built into all of us.

SILY: Can you pinpoint your exact relationships to all of these songs, like when you first heard them or fell in love with them? Are there any that are newer to you?

SL: Sybille Baier is pretty new. I only discovered her in the last 4-5 years. Jackson C. Frank was also a pretty new love. The two of them have a lot in common. There’s a beautiful poetic melancholy to the way they make music, and two people I’d love to create a platform to lift them up on. They’re lesser known within this list of people.

The Jackson C. Frank song, I had never heard a cover done by a woman. I wanted to sing it from a female perspective. I thought it was interesting the way it took shape and became a little bit more wistful. I intentionally cut a verse that talked about giving up and not trying anymore. [laughs] I don’t agree with that. There’s something about heartbreak that propels you forward. It’s not about giving up, it’s about overcoming that moment. I liked bringing a more hopeful perspective to a very sad song.

SILY: The last time we talked, you said you always have a Sybille Baier track in your back pocket to cover at any moment. Why’d you choose this specific song?

SL: I wanted to pick songs that hadn’t been covered very much. [“I Lost Something In The Hills”] has some of my favorite lines I’ve ever heard in music. The whole arc of it feels like a coming-of-age story. Understanding yourself in an accepting light and that you’re kind of a weirdo, and these “strong and strange moods,” as she says. I can highly relate.

SILY: It’s a microcosm for the whole record, a curation of songs as a sort of mixtape, but you just happen to be the one singing.

SL: Yes! I love that.

SILY: “I’m Set Free” is a fun one because everyone says Lou Reed’s voice is deadpan, but your cover sort of reveals the song’s melody.

SL: [laughs] Totally. It’s a trip, man. I love transforming that song. The original has a washy thing about it, and I wanted to bring it down to Earth. The lyrics are so beautiful, and the message is, “I’m leaving the story behind,” having a clear perspective of a situation and it being up to you how to feel about things.

SILY: The Ty Segall cover is from Sleeper, his first “folk” record, but OCS have never gone through that folk phase to the extent Ty has. They’ve always maintained a certain level of noise, and "I Am Slow” specifically has a lot of weird instrumentation. How did you find adopting it to a folk song?

SL: That one was funny. With all the covers I’ve done, it falls into place so naturally, and that one just spilled out one day. I had to check with John on the lyrics because I wasn’t exactly sure what he was saying. [laughs] I got to play a few songs with OCS when they released their last record, which is one of the most stunning pieces of music, and I got to sing that song with Brigid Dawson. Every time I listen to OCS and play that song, I feel like I’m paying tribute to San Francisco. It just boils down the vibe of the [city], like a love note to the Bay Area.

SILY: What’s the story behind the cover art of this record?

SL: I do love a pun, so I wanted me under covers on the cover of the covers record. [laughs] It was a really fun shoot. My partner Kai MacKnight shot it on 16mm and grabbed stills, so it had this stunning texture about it. I was actually laying underneath a picnic table, and he was on top of the picnic table to get the shot. I love how it came out. It’s ethereal and ambiguous.

SILY: The title of this album has “Vol. 1″ in it. Do you have other covers set to record and release?

SL: I don’t, but I wanted to establish this never-ending journey. I really appreciate music and sharing music. I love bringing my perspective to songs. I want Vol. 2 to be all duets. I’m going to amass a bunch of duets for that one and see where it goes from there, and eventually release a sick-ass box set. [laughs]

SILY: Are you working on any original material?

SL: I’ve been sporadically writing ever since I released Geist. I want to figure out what that wants to be. I’ve also been writing with other people. I have a few things on the stove simmering, and I want to see what they turn into. I feel it on the horizon.

SILY: Anything else next for you?

SL: Just enjoying the ride. I’ve been doing ceramics!

SILY: Anything you’ve been listening to, watching, or reading you’ve dug?

SL: I just finished Poker Face, which I absolutely loved. It gives me X-Files vibes, which is such a nice thing to have in modern television.

I’ve just been listening to Elliott Smith for like the last year. I can’t stop. [laughs] And Pavement. A modern artist I’d like to hype is Allegra Krieger. She’s fantastic, an East Coast gal who makes the most incredible folk music you’ve ever heard. Her last album Precious Thing has been on repeat. It brought me to tears the first time I’ve heard it.

SILY: Did you see a Pavement reunion show?

SL: I did. It was in-credible. They gave the people what they wanted.

[bookwyrminspiration]

KOTLC Graphic Novel: B&N Virtual Event Summary

There are no spoilers

Shannon Messenger was accompanied by Stuart Gibbs, author of Spy School and other series, who asked the questions

Enjoy!

Event's theme was Iggy Celebration--Shannon chose to wear dark blue, as it's secretly her favorite Iggy

It's officially called Dark Blue Iggy in the books, but the actual color nomination from fans was "tardis blue". She couldn't use that for potential legal issues, but she knows it's actually Tardis blue, making it her favorite

Shannon can't take credit for Iggy's changing color

She'd made him pink in book 2, and so a fan at an event asked her what color he'd be in the next book

Shannon asked her what color she wanted him to be. This fan, dressed in head to toe purple, leaned in and very seriously said "Orange." So Iggy was orange

Opened it to fans after that--but sadly never got the name of that one fan to thank her properly ("Whoever you are girl in purple, thank you!")

Book 10 doesn't have an official release date because Shannon's still writing it (as fast as she can!)

Iggy's color options for Book 10 are still undecided as well

Shannon thanks everyone immensely for their patience; "it's my focus! I want to get to them as fast as possible," but she also wants the book to be good and worth the wait

"Naive Shannon thought the later I got into the series the easier the books would be to write. WRONG!"

she has so many planted seeds to keep track of and constantly feels the pressure to one up her previous books

"I kinda wish I'd set the bar a little lower from the beginning"

She can't make a perfect book; there's always going to be someone who doesn't like something

She's reached the point of realizing her plans, and it's a delicate balance. You don't want reveals to feel like they came completely out of left field, but also don't want them to be like "I guessed that six books ago"

Finding the balance between feeling earned and still surprising is a daunting task ahead of her; it's more labor intensive than she thought it'd be

Stuart Gibbs points out that even if it takes a while, Shannon gives us a lot of book per book, so it's worth it

Shannon never intended to write such long books; she used to say every time that the next one she'd get the hang of being concise and it would be shorter, but everyone stopped believing her by book four

Was a graphic novel adaptation ever part of her plans? Secretly yes--she started as an art major and loves seeing illustrated versions of her characters. The highlight of her year is the cover art, and graphic novels are entire books!

It was on her author bucket-list, but she wasn't sure it'd would be possible; some books just don't work as graphic novels and they're expensive for publishers

When she found out she got the adaptation she "did a happy dance I was very grateful no one could see"

How involved were you in this process? Very involved, since her publishers know she has an art background

They let her pick from writers who auditioned--she wasn't sure that was a great idea because she didn't know if she could be objective; "no, I wrote it this way because it needs to be this way!"

Celina "knocked it out of the park" with her audition

For Gabriella, the artist, she was exactly what Shannon was looking for; she wanted a new style--Jason Chan (the cover artist) is incredible, but she wanted the GN to be distinct and more illustrated

She describes the GN as "like Disney meets manga," cartoonish but not

Shannon gave notes on rough drafts, inked pages, and colored versions--she's sure they got sick of her notes by the end of it

She remembers thinking "certain Keefe jokes MUST make it in," but then seeing them in the visual format they realized "huh, this joke isn't funny anymore"

Anything that surprised you about the process? Definitely some of those Keefe jokes not working, but also the fact they had to split it. At first she thought they could work it all into one, but emotion takes longer to convey visually, and they were "robbing the heart out of the book" by trying to fit it in one

Shannon jokes everything she writes ends up longer than they expect

Do you have any idea about part two? It's in the works, but it's a herculean task for the artists, so it all depends on them; "do not blame them at all! this is a daunting, daunting, massive work load"

Shannon owes Gabriella "all the cookies ever"

it's a very tight timeline, so they'll share the release date when they have it, but for now just let the artist do their thing

Was it weird to spend so much time with book 1 again? Forget anything? Want to change anything? There were some sentences she wanted to rewrite--"a book is never done, it's just due"

Thought about adding Gisela in book one, since she wishes she'd introduced her then; she always knew she'd play a huge role, but thought it'd be more clever to not introduce her until she was ready to bring her into play.

Now she disagrees with that decision and wishes she'd been there from book one, but decided that "it's not bad the way she did it, but it would've been more elegant" so she didn't change it

Does Gibbs have anything he would change about his book? He says you don't always know which characters will catch on, some some that become important he wishes he spent more time with in the beginning--"if I'd done this in book one, I couldn't done this in book 7!"

Any movie news? Hollywood is so much hurry up and wait, a ladder with thousands of rungs; they got caught at the script stage when the writer's strike happened, and even though the strike ended that doesn't mean the gears start turning again immediately.

the script is the most important thing, especially since KOTLC would be a very expensive movie, so the more solid the foundation the better the chance they have of getting greenlit

Her fingers are crossed; she wants a movie/show, but she wants it to be a good movie/show

Fans often don't realize how much work it is and how out of the author's hands it is

Reader questions! (name spellings are to the best of my ability)

Celiana: what advice do you have for young authors? Focus on writing and enjoying that part of the process before publishing! Publishing is stressful and complicated

Shannon throws the question to Gibbs. He says a lot of the times fans tell them they don't like their writing, it's their first draft. "Well that would be the problem."

Very few people hit it out of the park on their first try. Editing is a super important part of the process!

Shannon writers her books weird (editing intensely as she goes because she's always behind on deadlines, and hopes to go back to normal one day), but before that she'd have 2 or 3 drafts each. Book 1 was draft 20, Exile was draft 3, Everblaze was 2.

Gibbs does about 10 drafts each (though admits his outlines process isn't nearly as rigorous as Shannon's)

Shannon reached a point where she said "I don't think I'm smart enough to do this alone anymore!" Her books are like houses of cards, and she simply doesn't have time for the drafts to fall apart

She and her team frequently painstakingly plan things out--and even then sometimes have to scrap things. Remember that scene we rigorously went through last week? "it's not working! Now what?"

Mary Claire: Was it hard for you to find a publisher? Yes. First she got an agent, as that's important when traditionally publishing. She got her at draft 13--said that while she loved the book and its idea, you could tell this was Shannon's first book.

They went through a few edits and thought draft 15 was the one, but she got LOTS of rejections

her confidence was shaken, and draft 16 turned into a mess

At draft 18 it was sold, and then they went through 2 more versions with an actual editor; "so so much rewriting..."

Gibbs tried to get published as a kid, but was rejected throughout all of his schooling, so "to heck with this! I'm going to Hollywood to write movies"...which was actually pretty similar

he came back to writing 15.5 years ago during the last writers strike--"hey maybe I should try this book thing again"

They don't share their experiences to scare you; it's worth it, but you have to love writing to be an author given how much work and rejection it is

That's why Shannon says to enjoy the writing stage as long as you can; you need to fall in love with writing and with your story and truly believe in it

Were you always reading as a kid? Writing stories? When did you decide to write a book? Shannon was very focused on art as a kid and wanted to be a Disney animator, but her art doesn't work for that; she can't draw what's in her head, she can only copy, which "makes me about as useful as a camera"

She thought she could learn the skill, but couldn't in art classes; she realized she was always going to be frustrated if she kept at it

She'd started college at 16 and now her life plan was falling to pieces, so her mom advised her to take a class for fun

it was a film class, since she thought she'd be able to watch TV for school

she was, but her teacher also encouraged her to go to film school since she could finally bring things out properly on the page how they were in her head

"You have a lot to learn, but I see something in you." "Cool, I'm a film major now. Answered!"

Turns out film is too collaborative for her and she wanted more control; "there's those book things, I guess I could try those."

She doesn't regret the journey

Addie: How do you et the ideas to write? Shannon wishes she had a tree that sprouted money and great ideas, but really ideas are everywhere and it's a matter of paying attention.

You don't need your whole idea all at once--can be small like "I wonder if that hat...wasn't a hat at all!"

She knew she wanted to work with elves, and she knew she wanted to strip the magic from the story in favor of sci-fi/superhero logistics. The rest came bit by bit

Some days she couldn't write fast enough, others it was "oo, what if they wore capes?"

Elizabeth: what do you do when you have writers' block? Shannon doesn't like to call it that because that makes it seem scarier than it is; to her it's just being stuck, and she plays the "what if?" game

What if I got rid of the previous scene? What if they went here instead? What if, what if, what if? Open yourself to new possibilities

Gibbs is a big going for a walk person for when you're stuck. We all get stuck, not just young writers. he also likes hiking--walking but not coming back for a while.

At this point a poll was sent to the audience asking them to choose between 5 pairs. Bolded won with percentage included afterwards

Teleporting or light leaping? (63%). Eternalia or Mysterium? (63%). Bathe a T-Rex or Pet a Verminion? (55%). Telepath or Empath? (62%). Cape or No Cape? (60%)

Shannon's surprised the Keefe fans didn't pull through with the Empath vote

No matter what Shannon writes, someone's going to be unhappy, so she started pulling back on appealing to fans and prioritizes what fits the story

Marissa: Will Iggy ever go back to grey? That's up to the readers! Shannon leaves it completely in our hands, so if we ever nominate and vote for grey, she'll write it.

Shannon thanks everyone for reading and being patient, as she's writing as fast as she can

When a book is released she usually celebrates with a dessert; she ordered a bunch of fall flavor donuts from Krispy Kreme today, so she's not sure if she'll save one for tomorrow or get something new

It's dangerous that she can just push a button and donuts will show up at her house (doordash)

Gibbs and Shannon hope everyone love the graphic novel as much as they do--and stay tuned for part 2!

[alittlebitofharrypotterinmylife]

Tagged by @crowcrowcrowthing ♡♡♡

nickname: Chef

height: 5’4

last thing googled: ostrich egg stardew valley cause I have no knowledge and I sold my poor Egg Roll TnT

song stuck in my head: Currently? The Stardew Valley music cause I just stopped playing, but constantly? She Doesn’t Sleep by Anthony Amorim, something about that song just scratches all the brain cells, the up and down, the lyrics, the unusual singing style, all of it is just hnnnng chef’s kiss ;)

followers: 153 though I try to keep up with report blocking the bots no idea how many are the lovely ladies

amount of sleep: 6 hours usually cause I’m an idiot and fall asleep at 4am

wearing: Valkyrae sweats, my work shirt and a sweatshirt my work gave me....I swear these are just my comfy things I can be interesting

movie/book that summarises you: I’d like to say Magyk by Angie Sage but my life will never be that interesting, so maybe Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential? I have not read the whole thing I admit

fav song currently: Again, She Doesn’t Sleep by Anthony Amorim, but I’m also really enjoying The Otherside by Kade McCuen

aesthetic: Tired mess haha, nah, my aesthetic is uhhhh mushroom, bees, button downs, nail art, and fun dangly earring/gauges I have no idea if there’s an aesthetic that is this

fav authors: AO3 authors: duplicity, divida, eleven_eaves, itsevanffs, crowthing, toastranger, gnarf, trello, Nonymos for that one spectacular series, and oh god I read too much to remember more

Not fandom: Definitely Naomi Novik fuuuuuck I really wanna read her most recent book, Angie Sage, Shannon Messenger, Lucid, Gail Carriger, Rachel Hartman, and Holly Black (yes these are all fantasy authors, no I don’t care, I love them your honor)

random fact: HOLLOW KNIGHT IS THE BEST GAME OF ALL TIME FIGHT ME (Also I knitted a Ravenclaw cardigan for @crowcrowcrowthing in a little more than a month and I cannot believe that my fingers moved that fast but it had to be done for her birthday and I have NO regrets)

Tagging @cindle-writes @duplicitywrites @limonium-anemos @seagate-blog @itsevanffsbutspam @dividashitposts  uuhhhh yeah ☆☆☆

[leonieleuqar]

A little about me and this blog

Hello there, welcome to my little blog. Glad to have you here. My name is Leonie. I made this blog as a personal project. It's just a space for me to learn and grow and document my progress. I have struggled with social anxiety most of my life. Because of it, I ended up taking on the mantle of a People Pleaser. I spent so much time worrying about what I looked like through other people's eyes that I totally neglected my own feelings about myself. And when I wasn't out trying to please people, I spent all of my time hiding myself away. Away from the world and from prying eyes. Unfortunately, I've learned that this is incredibly counter-productive. So, I embarked on a journey to get to know and get comfortable with myself. And I'll continue to take baby steps to overcome my weaknesses and reintegrate myself into the world. 

If you are someone who relates to this in any way, know that you are welcome here. I’d like to make this an interactive place. Not only to get to know myself but to get to know other people as well. Perhaps, we can learn about ourselves together. 🙂

Anyways, here are some other things you may want to know, in list-form:

About me:

Name: Leonie / Leo

Pronouns: she/her

MBTI type: INFP

Astrology: leo sun, leo moon, libra rising

Ennegram: 9w1

Occupation: English Student, Artist, Writer, Office Assistant.

Hobbies: reading, drawing, astrology, poetry, writing, marvel, listening to music, studying, riddles, movies, youtube, making pinterest boards, coloring, playing with my cat, journaling, crafting

Playlist: kpop, pop, indie, acoustic, rock, and a little bit of everything else

Favorite Genres: creative nonfiction, slice of life, gothic fiction, fantasy, mystery, psychological thriller

Favorite Artists: Day6, Stray Kids, BTS, Jamie Park, Sandy e Junior, Alter Bridge, Palaye Royale, Jeff Buckley, Queensrÿche, My Chemical Romance, Lifehouse, Halestorm, Pearl Jam, One Ok Rock, Coldplay, Dodie, Taylor Swift, LeeHi

Favorite Authors: Madeline Miller, Shannon Messenger, Markus Zusak, Richard Matheson, Brianna Wiest, Elaine N. Aron, Keri Smith, Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Favorite Creators: Nina Yu, Hannah Azerang, Markiplier, Mia Maples, Elyse Myers

Favorite Subjects: lifestyle, psychology, astrology, mental health, self-improvement, poetry, illustration, recipes, journaling, language learning, philosophy, law of attraction, manifestation, health, self-care, spirituality, makeup, color analysis, fashion/style, mbti

Inbox: Feel free to DM me or send over an ask if you feel inclined to; I always have a listening ear for those that need one.

Regular Posts:

Daily Updates: good happenings, my progress, fun or happy things I notice throughout the day, other things worth mentioning

Thought Bubbles: personal thoughts, ideas, facts

Good Thoughts: favorite advice, wisdom, sayings from other people, quotes, excerpts, topic information

Original Content: essays, poems, artwork

Media Recommendations: songs, artists, artwork, poetry, essays, reposts, movies, books

Prompts: creative prompts and challenges, writing prompts, art prompts, journaling prompts, crafts, lists

Lists: list poetry, journaling ideas, getting to know yourself, gratitude 

Artist Spotlight: favorite or influential artists, mentors, teachers, philosophers, creators

Goals for This Blog: 

I want to cultivate a safe space for inspiration and creativity. Besides cultivating content that I enjoy and appreciate, I will also include my own content such as essays, poetry, artwork, ideas, prompts, and so on. Overall, I want this to be a place that is safe, comfortable, inspiring, entertaining, and educational. 

[rainmono]

Interests: Books

Point Horror collection/Goosebumps and all the others: Best book collection(s) I own, collecting them over the years really shaped me as a person, I love the chilling stories told by such amazing writers and don't get me started on the book covers..

The Mediator series by Meg Cabott: I love so many different trilogies Meg has written but this one in particular realllly is my favourite😍, she is one of my favourite writers and I love how detailed and badass her main characters are especially Suze in the mediator, every single book of the Meditator series is amazing and I hope to god it never gets adapted into a show because nobody could do this series justice.

Interview with the vampire trilogy by Anne Rice: I love ALL of Anne's books and was so upset when I heard she had passed, she has left a legacy behind and I simply loved the unique adaptions that have followed the books including this year's show. In depth characters and deep deep plot just my kinda thing.

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman: Neil is a legend and has countless of amazing books but the sandman book/graphic novel is 10000% my favourite of them all. The characters, the lore, the art. Just beautiful.

Keeper of the lost cities by Shannon Messenger: A much lighter carefree fantasy trilogy that I stumbled upon and accidentally became obsessed with, usually fantasy isn't my thing but this one is AMAZING I recently just got the newest book in the series and can't wait to read...

Virginia Andrews books.. A LOT of ppl criticise her works and I can understand why.. she has veryyyy dark books and I probably started reading them WAY to young but I can't help but love them and her writing style was incredibly unique and I will never part with my collection.

The picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde was such a beautiful book and I felt so speechless by the end it really made me think deeply and its Oscar Wilde, who was a master of literature and poetry. What more is there to be said?

Jacqueline Wilson THE OG, the first books I ever read were hers and to this day my collection of her books grow, her books remind me of my childhood whilst also touching on the issues young teens face, she will always have a special place in my heart.

that is most of the most influential books I have read/own. I hope you enjoyed this brief analysis, please do reach out if you have recommendations or opinions to share :))))

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update (07/24/23)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang (10/10)

This book is pretty much perfect. The plot is engaging, the characters are all amazing, the writing style hits hard, and there’s really good social commentary that touches on, honestly, almost every issue out there. Rin has got to be one of my favorite protagonists of all time; she’s the underdog, she’s easy to root for, and our desire for her to succeed almost makes us overlook her glaring flaws. Kuang establishes Rin’s overwhelming need to succeed, to win, to be the last one standing from the very beginning, and it leads to her slow but steady downfall as she must decide how far she is willing to go for the sake of her nation. Rin’s time in Sinegard is an interesting and unique twist on the fantasy school setting, and the tone switch between the time at Sinegard and the time at war is done masterfully. Even the war takes an incredibly dark turn, goes farther than the reader would ever expect, as Kuang draws from real history to write horrors that should’ve been beyond anyone’s imagination. Perhaps the most technically amazing part of this book is that even when she has fallen so far, part of us agrees with Rin; which is the danger of it all, isn’t it?

Neverseen by Shannon Messenger (8/10)

I have now officially reread all of the KotLC books I got through previously. Going into Lodestar will be uncharted territory for me, and wow am I glad I refreshed my memory. I forgot a lot of stuff, so it was almost like I was reading it for the first time. Like I predicted, this was a slower one, mostly filled with finding out more about the Black Swan and the Council, and there was a lot of Sophie and her friends wanting to do things that were "too dangerous." I won't lie, it dragged a bit, but it really picked up once Sophie started attending Exilium. I think the twins are a much-needed addition to the main cast to help shake things up and keep the dynamic from getting too worn out. Also, Calla is a particularly strong side character. While I could predict the broad strokes of the story, the actual method of getting there took me by surprise, and there's a huge twist at the end that totally restructures how the rest of the series is going to look. I'm very excited to start Lodestar!

Half Upon a Time by James Riley (8/10)

I loved this series as a kid, and rereading it was like returning home. It's actually so funny that this book has tons of tropes I love today just in a middle grade format. There's a pretty good level of intricacy to the plot, and the fairy tale elements are tons of fun. There are plenty of familiar characters that each have a unique twist to their story, often intertwining their stories with each other. For example, the Huntsman from Snow White is also the woodcutter/hunter from Little Red Riding Hood. This book also has a fun twist by being from the perspective of the character who guides someone who has fallen into another world. In most other books, May would be the main character, so having Jack tell the story subverts some expectations. The way Jack, May, and Philip interact is a little typical for the genre and time period, though I appreciate that it is heavily implied that Philip has no romantic interest in May. Finally, Jack's mysterious involvement with the Eye and his sword is one of my favorite parts of the book, and it's a pretty fresh concept.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent (CR, 20%)

I've barely progressed on this one, but I did make it to the end of the first trial, and I like how it was executed. Despite being a physically-based trial, there's a twist that allows Oraya to succeed through her wits, which makes infinitely more sense when she's up against vampires and demons. It also helps that Raihn is obviously gunning for an alliance with her, so he's more inclined to help her out. About the alliance, why Raihn specifically wants to team with Oraya is a pretty good one and honestly a more logical decision than I expected. However, Oraya turning him down made no sense to me. She's gonna have to team up with someone eventually, and Raihn seems like the lesser evil by far.

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor (CR, 3%)

I've only just barely started this book, but I'm excited! I'm reading it with some friends, and the beginning seems quite interesting. I'll have some more in-depth thoughts next week once I've progressed more.