#and flirting via book recommendations…

[libraryleopard]

Third book in the Scapegracers trilogy (releases 3/26)

Sideways's magic has been restored & their hoping to get through the rest of senior year with their coven (and perhaps avoid confronting what will come after), but the broader witch community convenes to put Madeline on trial for stealing another witch's magic, Sideways knows they have to get involved

Meanwhile, more witch hunters are also gathering in Sycamore Gorge for a memorial and tensions begin to come to a head

Explores justice, punishment, and redemption–how should Madeline be punished for crimes? And who gets to decide?

The coven must also grapple with their end imminent separation at the end of high school as the four of them try to figure out their future paths in life

At the same time, Sideways navigates a growing romance with one of their coven members

Also some great twists that add stakes/recontextualize things we thought we knew

Fierce & queer & snarky & complex

Nonbinary butch lesbian main character, Chinese American bi love interesting, Black sapphic side character, nonbinary side character, femme lesbian side character

[alonetimelover]

pairing: Harry Styles x booktuber!reader

summary: The internet speculates about whether Harry and YN are together. She admits to some hidden feelings to her best friend. He still cannot use his IG and buys any book that she recommends. Finally, something happens. But is it about them?

a/n: Second part of the booktuber!reader in celebration of 1000 of you following my little messy blog. i hope you enjoy it! love ya!

part 1 taglist

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harryupdates

liked by hArrysbtch, harrysmoustache and 57 593 others

harryupdates HARRY and YN via her best friend's IG story.

view all 5 842 comments

hArrysbtch THEY ARE SO CUTE I LOVE THEM

hArrysbtch also, that best friend of yn is really putting them in the spotlight, isn't she?

⤷ harrysmoustache that's what i said! wasn't she also the one with them in italy???

⤷ hArrysbtch you think she shared those photos?

⤷ harrysmoustache yeah, it's all connecting nicely

harrysmylife i mean... that can be a couple but best friends as well. like, i sit like this with my male best friend

harrysfan39 his dimples...

harrysfan87 she's so beautiful... has anybody said it already?

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CELEBRITY GOSSIP

HARRY STYLES, BOOKS, AND LOVE FROM A YOUTUBE VIDEO

If you are wondering if this article's title is stating that Harry Styles is a taken man, you would be correct. Starting with the simple YouTube video posted by the channel of the name ynrecommends and ending with a yacht vacation near the coast of Italy and burning romance.

But let's start at the beginning. The booktuber from ynrecommends (YN YSN) did a little video of reading books that Harry Styles recommended during his interviews and so on. Because of the Harries (name of Styles' fandom), the video skyrocketed and gained hundreds of thousands of views in a matter of a few days. That's probably how our heartbreaker found the video, leaving a little comment and not forgetting to flirt with the author (we love it!). You could say the story of them began right in front of our eyes.

It was a few months ago, and throughout them, there were multiple crumbs left by the couple. Joined bookshop travels, appearances in YN's vlogs and other videos, and of course, THAT vacation on Harry's yacht.

As our source that is very close to both of them says 'the romance started late in their time of knowing each other, because of their both overflowing schedules and fear of ruining the friendship.' What is more, we didn't only get the words but also photos that clearly confirm the romance between the rock star of our generation and the indie booktuber despite YN's claims of 'being single and very happy with it.'

Is that how you are with your 'friends'?

What do you think is true, our sources claims or YN's words?

Source 74%

YN's words 26%

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Text messages between YN and her best friend

ynn🧠 my lovely, favourite best friend, i have a little, tiny question bestie🫦 i'm your only best friend maybe besides Harold...🙄 ynn🧠 yeah yeah, i know you like him, don't hide it buuuuut, back to my question... bestie🫦 yes yes, what's up? ynn🧠 i'm not accusing you of anything, i just wanna ask if you send somebody the photo album from italy? bestie🫦 remember that ig account we did in uni? i thought it would be a nice idea to turn it into a little photo diary. i put some of the photos there. i told you on the boat, like a week ago. why? ynn🧠 i forgot about it, im so sorry! but someone from that account must have seen those photos and sold them to that gossip magazine... whole internet thinks im harry's girlfriend. i got like 50 dms asking how much i paid him to be with me bestie🫦 fuck im so sorry, sweetheart! i totally didn't think about it. tbh, i kinda forgot he was famous while being there with you two ynn🧠 yeah, i forget about it whenever i see him and don't be sorry, baby! it's not your fault some of those people will do anything to gain even a little bit of money i only asked because harry's manager needed to know if any of our photos were hacked or somethin' bestie🫦 was harry mad about the article? ynn🧠 he said that after years of having bullshit having written about him, he got used to it. but i can see that it bothers him that he can't have a moment for himself bestie🫦 fuck, im gonna bake him some good cake as an apology ynn🧠 it's not your fault!!!! harry knows it bestie🫦 okay, but im baking something anyway and btw, that article isn't so far from the truth, is it? ynn🧠 what do you mean? bestie🫦 oh, come on! you two act like a couple whenever you're together! there must be something there ynn🧠 ... there's not, really. we never talked about it but just fell to that closeness as friends. you know how touchy i am with people that im comfortable with, he's the same. it just looks like we're a couple, but no bestie🫦 but you want more, don't you? ynn🧠 i value him too much as a friend to think about it

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yourinstagram

liked by harrystyles, hArrysbtch and 251 382 others

yourinstagram first day on this fancy boat, and i was crawling (freaking scared to fall into the water) and in the last few days, i was swinging myself on this little hammock, crazy days, crazy

thank you harrystyles for putting it up for me, love ya my bff

view all 34 428 comments

harrystyles You ditched me for those books

⤷ yourinstagram they are literally my job

⤷ harrystyles You took 30 books with yourself. A seond suitcase just for them.

⤷ yourinstagram blah blah blah you took two guitars

⤷ harrystyles That's literally my job.

⤷ yourinstagram yeah, that's what i said

harryupdates brave move, yn

hArrysbtch i'm waiting (impatiently) for the next video

⤷ yourinstagram it's coming, it's coming. a little vid of italians recommending me their favourite books!

harrysmoustache not the little explaination of that on ephoto from that article 'i was crawling, cause i'm scared'

⤷ harrysmylife subtle but to the point

stylebabie 'my bff' i know she is cackling behind that little screen

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harrystyles

liked by yourinstagram, yourbestfriend, harryupdates, annetwist and 18 201 383 others

harrystyles momento magico in italia

view all 482 381 comments

yourinstagram thankfully that photo was taken before me almost drawning

⤷ harrystyles i rescued you

⤷ yourinstagram if by rescue you mean laugh, panic and then dive and almost make me drown again, then yes, you did rescue me

jeffazzof Harry.

⤷ harrystyles Jeffrey.

⤷ jeffazzof Check the account.

⤷ harrystyles Oh.

hArrysbtch hsdfUHFJHLVBRIAP what the fuck ehat the fuck

hArrysbtch i am so confused right now

harrysmoustache you guys are playing with us

harryupdates wrong account, harry!

annetwist Bellissima 😍

harrysmylife the flower, the EARRINGS, yn, the cat... i cannot.... this man is a menace to the society

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hArrysbtch

liked by harryupdates and 3 402 others

hArrysbtch this video was worth the wait! yn is one of the best and realest youtuber out there. plus, harry filmed this episode for her so it's even better

view all 928 comments

harryupdates I loved it too! the little moments of them interacting behind the camera kept in the video were absolute gems!!!

⤷ hArrysbtch YES!!! it was so funny and wholesome

harrysmoustache harry's little 'i think you'd like this shot' during a moment when yn is walking down the alley.... soooo cute i love them

stylesbabie this is my first video of hers that i watched and i am so mad at myself. this is the best booktuber channel i've ever come across

harrysmylife yn interacting with Harry's italian friends, having harry translate the recommendations from people on the street and him just hyping her up... just so freaking cute

harrymylove i don't care if they are together or just friends, i just enjoy watching them be together, like, next to each other. it's so refreshing and lovely

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londonboyharry

liked by harryupdates, hArrysbtch and 10 318 others

londonboyharry this is what I saw while walking around the park near my hotel in italy... Harry literally made yn stop mid-sentance and said 'wait, i need to take a photo of you.' i- i was melting and couldn't believe my eyes and ears

view all 2 307 comments

hArrysbtch he is so boyfriend

hArrysbtch like, he must be, come on

harrysmoustache i say i don't care if they are together or not. but i do. i so do. i want them together more than i want myself to find a partner

harrysmylife BEST FRIEND/COUPLE ON EARTH

harrysfan88 i love that we're all confused about them

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yourbestfriend

liked by yourinstagram, harrystyles and 34 028 others

yourbestfriend put those two in a room with books and that's what you get...

view all 5 301 comments

yourinstagram i was just looking through the atlas, come on

harrystyles And I was actually reading, not faking like some of us.

⤷ yourinstagram oh fuck off

⤷ harrystyles This is not so treat people with kindness of you.

hArrysbtch i love the fits so much

harrysmoustache this si so frustraiting

⤷ harrysfan49 why are you so obsessed with them? leave them be

⤷ harrysmoustache i just want to know if i can call them the best couple on the planet

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harryupdates

liked by harrysmylife and 32 482 others

harryupdates HARRY with a fan today in London!

view all 4 302 comments

hArrysbtch he's so cute

hArrysbtch wait, yn wore that t-shirt in her latest vlog

⤷ harrysmoustache sharing clothes????

harrysmylife he looks so cute, i want to put him in my pocket

stylesbabie the cardigan is back, guys

harrysfan87 i am the one who met him!

⤷ harryupdates how was it?

⤷ harrysfan87 magical! he stopped after walking out of the bookstore when i walked up to him. he had a bag full of books. i asked him what he was buying and he said 'oh, ehmm, i have crime and punishment, hamnet, emma and some Sally Rooney here'

⤷ hArrysbtch that guy is just buying anything yn recommends...

⤷ stylesbabie but none of it was in her italian vlog?

⤷ hArrysbtch yes, but those are the books from her 'summer to autumn reads' video

——————————————————————————————

yourinstagram

liked by harrystyles, yourbestfriend and 1 019 392 others

yourinstagram story in two acts... 🏡📚

view all 23 492 comments

harrystyles Scandalous.

⤷ yourinstagram Forgot you have sensitive eyes after a bad night sleep.

⤷ harrystyles I slept very well last night, thank you.

yourbestfriend 👀

⤷ yourinstagram 🫣

hArrysbtch WTFSAJFHOAUW no way

hArrysbtch this is confirmation, isn't it?

⤷ harrysmoustache i think so

⤷ harrysmylife but... we don't know if that really is harry

harrysmoustache she bold and she sexy

comment liked by harrystyles, yourbestfriend and 234 others

jeffazzof Congratulations, YN.

⤷ harrystyles thanks jeff!!!!

comment deleted

⤷ yourinstagram thanks jeff!!!

⤷ harrysmoustache girl, we saw that!

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a/n: do we think yn and harry finally got together?

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📌: @daniellef89x @crazygirlinthisworld @ameerakane20 @golden-hoax @sleutherclaw

[joydemorra]

Do you ever start something as a joke and lose complete control over your life?

In a world of dwindling hope, love has never mattered more... [read the full blurb here]

What is Hunger Pangs?

Hunger Pangs, often shortened to “Phangs” by the self-proclaimed phangdom, is my debut romance novel, published in Nov 2020, featuring a deaf, disabled werewolf, a neurodivergent, mad scientist vampire, and an all-powerful enchantress who is the last of her kind.

It is the first book in a slow-burn, polyamorous gaslamp fantasy romance series focusing on the relationship(s) and antics of the three main characters, Nathan Northland, Vlad Blutstein, and Lady Ursula, as they work to save the world they love from imminent magical and ecological disaster.

The first book primarily focuses on the relationship between Nathan and Vlad, with Ursula heavily alluded to in the next book (Pride and Folly) via some shameless flirting and stolen, impulsive kisses.

No love triangles here. Just three highly competent, world-saving bisexuals sharing the same brain cell the closer they get to each other.

There are two editions of the novel. The Flirting with Fangs edition depicts on-page sexual acts, and the Fluff and Fangs edition which uses alternative scenes/fade-to-black scenes for those who prefer not to read depictions of sex. You can read more about why I decided to do this here.

How Did Phangs come to be?

Like most things on my blog, the original concept began as a joke. My friend and enabler, @jeneelestrange, and I were talking about our least favorite tropes in romance/erotica, including but not limited to toxic “alpha” werewolves, brooding stalker vampire boyfriends, and the absolute profound bullshit that is the Conflicted Love Triangle and Bury Your Gays.

Eventually, it culminated in this post:

(source)

It was meant to be a joke. I really cannot emphasize this enough. It was meant to be a shitpost between friends.

A throwaway ADHD impulse.

Tumblr, however, wanted more of these posts, and like a swarming mass of drift-compatible rats in a trench coat, grabbed hold of my lack of impulse control and Ratatouille'd me into becoming an international bestselling author, and, well, here we are.

I also started writing the series while dying, which I highly do not recommend as a functional creative process.

Absolutely do not start a 500k five-part novel series about love and hope while dying from an undiagnosed genetic disorder. Or if you do, make sure you actually die so you don't have to edit the damn thing. (I am mostly kidding.)

What are the themes/tropes/character dynamics of the book?

In the simplest of terms, Phangs is a queer-polyamorous-paranormal-satirical-romance series featuring vampires, werewolves, and all other manner of creatures that go bump in the night.

It is set in a pseudo-regency meets fake-Victorian Gaslamp Fantasy world, complete with gothic castles, enchanted forests, and just a smidge of industrial coal dust.

Style-wise, Phangs has been described by readers as "like reading the queer, goth love child of Terry Pratchett meets Jane Austen," and I've never been more proud of anything in my life.

If Game of Thrones ascribes to the idea that the night is dark and full of terrors, Phangs is the monster-fucker politely sidling up to them at the bar and asking if they can buy them a drink.

It is also primarily a love letter to fandom, which has led some people to believe it’s fanfiction with the serial labels filed off. But as the person who spent five years agonizing over the world-building, I can assure you this is all very much the product of my weird little ADHD brain picking up tropes, shaking them upside down, and running off with whatever fun and interesting things shake loose.

As already stated, the first book, True Love Bites, focuses primarily on the relationship between Captain Nathaniel J. Northland and Viscount Vlad Blutstein.

The first part of the book primarily focuses on Nathan coming home injured from war and trying to find his place in the world as newly deaf and disabled -- something which alienates him from his werewolf family, who don't know what to do with an injury that can't be mended by a full moon.

While working on the island of Eyrie, he encounters Viscount Blutstein -- Vlad-- a neurodivergent, mad scientist dandy vampire with an enthusiasm for demonic botany and a streak of unfailing kindness as broad and expansive as the sky.

It's not so much love at first sight for the pair as instantaneous lust hampered by the restrictions of polite 1880 society and old ingrained prejudices that make them think the other couldn't possibly be interested in them that way. They're just misreading all those heartfelt stares and sexually charged chess games.

(The love is requited, your honor, they're just idiots.)

Both characters are explicitly queer/mspec, as is Ursula, who drops into their world like a magical atom bomb going off, but not before she spends her own parts of the book desperately trying to figure out what manner of dark entity is killing the magical shrines around the world that keep the world alive.

Thematically, the series touches on many things, but the book’s overriding theme is love. Romantically, of course, and love between families, both found or otherwise. But also love as an act of courage. As a choice. An act of defiance in dark and troubling times, and what it means to be loved and belong even though you’re different.

Especially when you’re different.

And I really fucking hope you enjoy it.

To read the full synopsis and check out the heat ratings, buy links and content tags, go to www.joydemorra.com

[qqueenofhades]

If you like you epic fantasy with (canon!) polyamorous triads, fun new genders, enemies to lovers via flirting in the footnotes, and not just disaster men but also disaster ladies I highly recommend a chorus of dragons

I will have you know that reading this description sent me RACING to find it (seriously, about 30 seconds between reading this and zooming to open the library app), searching for a book called Chorus of Dragons, not finding it, searching the Prospector/Interlibrary Loan network, ALSO not finding it, being extremely sad that my beloved library had failed me, realizing that it was the title of the series and not the book, re-searching, discovering that book 1 is actually called Ruin of Kings, and triumphantly placing a hold for it. So yes. That was a Journey.

[mermaidsirennikita]

What are your favorite age gap romances?

Oh fun!

What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long—39 year old hero and 20 year old heroine, he's a jaded widower and is trying to ruin her for revenge against her brother (who cucked him). She catches on immediately and decides to use him to make the guy she wants jealous. Also, there's an erotic pseudo hide and seek game.

After Dark with the Duke by Julie Anne Long—42 year old hero and 25 year old heroine, he's uptight and a war hero, she's a scandalous opera singer. They're staying at the same boarding house, and in a series of events, he ends up having to give her Italian lessons... which leads to a friendship... which leads to more....

Mafia Madman by Mila Finelli—38 year old hero, 20 year old heroine. He's a fucking loony tunes mafia don/villain of the last book, and blows up a bar and kidnaps her to seek revenge against her brother in law. His plan is to keep her in a cage on his yacht. What he did not expect. Is that she. Is also. CRAZY. Naked yoga, attempting to escape via couch cushion, and super happy BJs given while he tells her about all the murders he's committed for her ensue.

It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time by Kylie Scott—This is such a fun "dad's friend" age gap contemporary. Heroine is 25, hero is 40, but she made a move on him (which he didn't want) on her eighteenth birthday. Her dad (his friend and business partner) walked in on it, and she ended up leaving town in disgrace for a minute. Now she's back in town for her dad's wedding and.. THE BEEF REMAINS REAL.

My Dirty Duke by Joanna Shupe—Hero is around 43ish, heroine is 18-20. Another dad's friend book. She's in love with her dad's friend (or is sexually obsessed with him lol) and he's all DON'T STAND SO CLOSE TO ME about it, but, you know. She's very accommodating of his interest in Victorian photography. Super hot novella.

The Lyonesse Series by Sierra Simone has a lot more going on than the fact that Mark (36ish in the CURRENTLY timeline, 32ish in the prequel) is 14 years older than Isolde (18 in the prequel and 22 in the current timeline) but uh.... That's definitely part of it. And this is one of my favorite series of all time, so I've gotta mention it!

Hyacinth by S.M. LaViolette has a good gap—I want to say Sylvester is in his late thirties, while Hy is 23. I really love how jaded she is, and the way she still manages to absolutely bowl him over in every way.

Regarding the Duke by Grace Callaway. This one has a 12ish year age gap, I think, so it's not HUGE, but I feel like you reeeeally get the things you want out of an age gap book hero, AND you see how it plays out into a marriage (since we're eight years deep into that marriage when the book begins).

Princess by Gaelen Foley, of course. I MEAN. 14 year gap, he's known her.... since she was born... (it's because her parents raised him! It's fine!).... He's her bodyguard... She's a bratty flirt, he's an angsty mess. I LOVE IT.

Joss and The Countess, as I recommended earlier, though again it's only a 12 year gap.

[irritablepoe]

no but ive only read a tell tale heart from the real author but just from that,,,i dont think poe would be very normal abt relationships especially with ranpo......i didnt finish perfume by patrick suskind (got kinda bored not bc it's bad but bc i just found something i like more ) but the secretive and quiet but extreme obsession of the main character reminded me so much of poe??? and i think i read somewhere that the real ranpo chose edogawa rampo as a penname because it sounds so much like edgar allan poe and even rampo's book title is like poe’s right it only added japanese at the beginning before the ‘tales of mystery and imagination’ so it's not rlly far off that their bsd counterparts would totally be paranoid and intense w each other <333

dont be sorry abt loving this ship a lot!! in fact,,,if possible, could u share a lil bit more of ur headcanons abt them hehehheehehhe i dont see them portrayed in this light often (like u said v v rare)

i think telltale heart is a good example of poe's writing tbh, his works often revolve around obsession and delusion but also with grief if you look at "the raven" for example (especially his poems are about grief and death a lot so)

i've not read perfume but i know the general plot i think and yeah it probably fits well

AND YES edogawa rampo chose this pen name partly bc of edgar allan poe, he also references poe's works in his mysteries which is fun!! both of them also partly write horror, especially edogawa rampo's works shook me to the core, it's so well-written but also so disturbing, i wouldn't recommend them just like that bc of body horror and uhh fetish writing ig? but the cases of akechi kogoro are also so fun to read as well and you can actually try and solve the mystery yourself!!

ANYWAYS, this was a lot of praising lol, i just really really love both of their works :D and these works are also part of why i think they're both fucked up in the head lol

my biggest headcanon i'm saving for when my fanfic catches up to what i've already written lol, so i'm not spoilering that (but if you wanna know i can dm you :3)

other headcanons that i've curated during the past months:

poe has some sort of dissociative disorder, he dissociates when he's too overstimulated or sth triggers him, also he possibly struggles with intrusive thoughts

ranpo has autism and npd

poe has a brother in america, his parents died when he was young

he had a drug or alcohol problem after he lost to ranpo - the guild giving him an opportunity to get revenge motivated him enough to mostly recover though

poe has some really dark fantasies and sometimes he lets it slip during crime investigations - ranpo doesn't mind, he's even amused

ranpo also secretly loves it when poe brags

ranpo and poe started stalking each other (maybe even since the beginning) until one of them realised and send a very clear signal that the other couldn't miss and since then they've been flirting via sending secret messages in a language only they know to each other - basically consensual stalking (yes i'm completely normal)(also i haven't decided who realised first but it was probably ranpo - i love the thought of ranpo getting all flustered too tho)

poe didn't only lose to ranpo in that mystery game. he also lost his reputation, his friends, his admirers. there was more going on there, they probably met before the competition and they were intrigued by each other before it all went downhill

when poe isolated himself he only had contact to his brother who desperately tried to get him out of his headspace. but he himself isn't the best at having stable relationships + he's also an alcoholic (inspired by irl poe's brother henry)

they're both incredibly jealous and do anything to keep the others attention on them (ranpo giving candy to poe to get his attention back, poe being pretty dramatic and acting up a lot, also obeying every wish ranpo has)

ranpo must have told poe about fukuzawa and fukuchi for him to be able to write about their past for when they were drawn into his novel - so that means they actually sat together and talked about their past. which is insane to me

i do have another headcanon post but i couldn't find it ahhh, but it has to be buried somewhere in all the ranpoe postings lol

okay that was a lot, thank you if you read all that tho hehe :3 and thank you for asking, i love talking about them hsdkjfsdhjfs

[sweatermuppet]

psst,,, there's a guy i like and my current brand of flirting is via poetry. do u have any book recommendations i could get him for his birthday?? (grit is already on the list i truly think he'll love it)

my personal favorite poetry books are brute by emily skaja & eyes bottle dark with a mouthful of flowers by jake skeets! i would be very very excited to receive either as a physical copy :')

if you'd like to link him to grit for free, here it is on transreads.org as a PDF <3

[triviareads]

ARC Review of Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto

Rating: 4.25/5 Heat Level: 3.5/5 Publication Date: July 16th

Premise:

Violinist Gwen Jackson is chosen as Manhattan Pop's new first chair over Xander Throne, a cellist from an famous musical family. Though Xander is initially hostile, the attraction is undeniable as they begin to collaborate with each other.

My review:

The sensual violin-cello romance of my DREAMS! Not Another Love Song is the perfect combination of classical roots and a contemporary setting and plot; Julie Soto made the choice to have neither Gwen nor Xander super tied down by the conventional classical music world; both of them play for a pops orchestra rather than a more traditional ensemble, and Xander is cellist in an electric strings band that sounds somewhat similar to 2CELLOS (is Xander Thorne the Hauser of this world? Possibly). They're creatives who push boundaries, and it serves their romance really well because they play with the music, and it's the music that's the bedrock of their relationship: there's flirting via sheet music, their first duet in public is rife with sexual tension (in their world, it's basically an invitation to slow dance), and a large portion of the book is centered around one composition in progress that encapsulates Alex and Gwen's relationship.

So, this story was originally published as Reylo fanfiction and you do see the influence; Gwen is a scrappy underdog heroine— an orphan, slightly naive and insecure, but of course Xander and other characters see *something great* in her even when she can't. She isn't a pushover though, and by the end she stands her ground at a critical juncture in her and Xander's relationship. Xander a bit of an asshole to Gwen despite almost IMMEDIATELY falling for her, and it understandably takes her some time to warm up to him. Like, she's starstruck to an extent and obviously physically attracted (and not just because he's biiiiig like any Kylo Ren-inspired hero has to be— I don't make the rules sorry), but she quickly understands he's.... quite flawed so he doesn't stay on that pedestal for long. He's the one with the family baggage, mommy issues, and difficulties stemming from being a young prodigy, as well as a history of being taken advantage of by the adults and mentors around him. And that's something that carries over into the plot of this story— both Gwen and Xander are relatively young (they're both in their twenties), and still in the process of finding out who they are as individuals and artists as well as a couple, and they both struggle to figure out who they can trust professionally (ex: there's a very accurate Scooter Braun reference somewhere in this book) and personally.

The sex:

I mean look, what you see happening on the cover? That's exactly what we get in the book ("You have to be gentle with her neck"???? I SCREAMED because, you know, cello neck.... her neck....). And it's hotter because Xander does his utmost to remind Gwen of it via his composition in some very public forums afterwards... multiple times. It's sensual, and shockingly romantic real fast. AND there is also a very hot sex-while-someone's-on-the-phone moment.

Overall:

As far as contemporary romances go, Julie Soto is doing the utmost to make classical music sexy again— and the love story itself is enhanced by that in such a novel way, and I can't recommend this book enough, preferably with your favorite rendition of Vitali's Chaconne in G Minor playing background.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[cammie-morgan-goode]

Cam’s Writing Masterlist

Hi friends! For those of you that are looking for more writing blurbs and a deeper analysis of the Gallagher Girls Series and its characters, look no further! I’ve compiled a list of all of my writings thus far. I’ll update the list at the end of the week with everything I’ve posted that week.

Thank you so much for the support, I can’t do this without you. ❤️

Cammie Appreciation

importance of Josh for cammie’s character growth

importance of Matt’s death for cammie’s character growth part 1

importance of Matt's death for cammie's character growth part 2

OSOT angst for Cammie part 1

OSOT angst for Cammie part 2

My mom’s a badass one-shot

Cam’s a smarty

Zach Appreciation

Zach’s nightmares and Joe’s nightmares

Zach’s love for Cam

Zach and Townsend Bonding

Zach’s thoughts on Tabby wedding

Zach and Catherine’s relationship part 1

Zach and Catherine’s relationship part 2

Zach and Catherine like mother like son

Zach Bonding with the Girls headcanon

Zach’s experience with girls part 1

Zach’s experience with girls part 2

Zach getting flirted with

Zach Cooking

Zach is a damn good spy

Zach angst: I Went Crazy one-shot

Zammie Fluff

Who’s shirt is that really? One-shot

Caught One-shot AO3

You also Squeak One-Shot

Let’s Make a Cake One-Shot

It’s Distracting, Zachary One-Shot

Am I Keeping You Up? One-Shot

Are you even working? One-Shot

Will Jimmy Mind? One-Shot

Our Sweater One-Shot

Zammie Angst

Did you have a nightmare? One-shot

Deserve One-Shot

Bruise One-Shot

Code Red One-Shot

Zammie Parenting

Headcanon: Spy

Who Needs More Supervision? One-Shot

Just Like Your Mother Next-Gen One-Shot

She’s Perfect Next-Gen/Parenting One-Shot

Zammie Things

when Zach came back and cam didn’t

Zammie Christmas things

Zammie nightmares part 1 analysis

Zammie nightmares part 2 analysis

Macey Appreciation

Macey McHenry appreciation

McWinters Fluff

Itch One-Shot

McWinters Angst

McWinters Parenting

Bex Appreciation

Liz Appreciation

Best Friend Appreciation ‘00s

Zammie Proposal

Joe Appreciation

if Joe was awake during OSOT

Joseph Solomon Matchmaker

Gallagher/Blackthorne exchange

ranting on the inner workings of the DC tail via Joseph Matchmaker Solomon

Matt Appreciation

Matthew Morgan appreciation

Rachel Appreciation

Changing Gallagher Academy history

Why and when Rachel took the job as Headmistress

Joe/Rachel Fluff

Joe/Rachel Fluff: Endearing One-Shot

Joe/Rachel Angst

Joe/Rachel Parenting

Matt/Rachel Fluff

Perfect One-Shot

Reunion One-Shot

Matt/Rachel Angst

Matt/Rachel Parenting

Abby Appreciation

Townsend Appreciation

Tabby Fluff

Sit Still One-Shot

Stay with me Please One-Shot

Tabby Angst

You Knew? One-Shot

Things I Don’t Say One-Shot

Tabby Parenting

A Day In The Life, Right? Parenting One-Shot

Sorry, Your Hair Was In Your Face Parenting One-Shot

Best Friend Appreciation ‘80s

besties in the 80’s headcanon

connections between our grownups

if Matt was around when Rachel and Joe got together which is hilarious

NSFW Ramblings

Headcanons for each character

Zammie’s first time

McWinter’s kink

Book + Character Analysis

Zach in DJGC

Zach leaving Blackthorne

CMH Zammie

Zach and Joe analysis

Character Heights

Character Birthdays pt 1

Character Birthdays pt 2

Character Zodiacs

Character Siblings

Blackthorne Friendships

Epilogue Ideas

Circle and the Circus

Character Favorites

Music

Hobbies

Pets

Foods

Fights

Gallagher Academy

The Sisterhood Girly Things

Languages

Spy Games at the Academy

Random Headcanons

Zammie Wedding pt 1

Zammie Wedding pt 2

Zammie Wedding pt 3

Random Character Headcanons

Cameron Family Name

GG music playlist

Fancast ideas + things

Casting Ideas

Zach's Looks

Book Appreciation

growing up with these books changed me

Questions

Code names

Fanfic recommendations

Updated: 05/07/23

[laikuh]

in my bookstagramer life i flirt with incest via being out about how much i liked credence, and it is kinda interesting. credence gets a pass from a lot of bookfolk, but it definitely doesn't get a pass from everyone. generally penelope douglas is pretty successful and oft-recommended, so idk if that's why credence doesn't get as much guff? even tho there's step family and essentially blood relation incest too. not to mention underage age gap sex and actual rape.

it's similar with in the gray, which is a book i also am out about loving and which basically hinges its biggest plot twist on the possibility that the fmc and the mmc could be daughter and father (and continue to have sex and participate in daddy kink regardless).

at the same time there are books like....a good number of what k. webster has published that feature blood incest or adoptive parent incest or accidental cousin incest, but like. the blood incest was what made it hot, until they learned the daughter is adopted. and then in another book they keep hoping they aren't related and then learn their first cousins, and that's more disgusting than the fact the mmc thinks the fmc is 16 years old to his 30 something.

idk i'm not saying anything smart rn (i feel very stupid lately) but i think this is something to talk about and idk where else to do that besides here and while i don't have anything to say yet, i just wanted to put this somewhere.

[alexwatchesshows]

Black Sails III (S1E3) review

Spoilers for up to and including E3.

Finally some Flint insight (Flintsight?).

They'd already established a level of trust between Flint and Miranda with just the few minutes in E2, but the beginning of this episode really establishes familiarity between the two-- Flint knows about the spies that the pastor keeps posting by Miranda's house, and Miranda knows about Flint's goals with the Urca (which would mean she was one of the first people to know). The exact nature of their relationship is unclear, and is muddied even further by Richard Guthrie (awful houseguest that he is) snooping and finding a painting of "Mr and Mrs Thomas Hamilton", more on that in later episodes I guess. Seriously, though, Richard Guthrie is vying for world's worst houseguest-- Flint and Billy save him from being arrested, then Flint takes him somewhere relatively safe to recover, and he responds to this by ordering Miranda about (in the scene with Eleanor) and just searching the house. Miranda, meanwhile, seems to be wanting to start a book club with almost anyone she meets, which is so valid but also suggests that maybe Flint hasn't considered that as he's been off adventuring or whatever, she's actually been quite lonely (she also expresses disappointment at not being able to have him all to herself for a bit), almost forgetting about her in a single-minded pursuit of the Urca. Bringing her a book was a nice touch, though. We also meet Pastor Lambrick who is a... character. Honestly, I don't really know why he's in this show other than to emphasise Miranda's loneliness. There's a weird flirting via Bible vibe that neither of them seem massively into, especially Lambrick, who seems very big on "love through suffering" and all that shit. I guess he does give some insight into what the other inhabitants of the island think of the pirates (i.e. they aren't they're greatest fans), but his views are very black and white, to the extent that he can't possibly imagine why Miranda, a non-pirate, would willingly live with Flint, and asks if he's holding her captive. We also end on a note of Miranda being very perceptive and intellegent, with her recommendation of Meditations (I think?) to Richard Guthrie, and her reading being used to reflect on where all the characters are by the end of the episode. Flint evidently isn't happy about it though.

Meanwhile, Silver is being a slippery bastard. Somehow, I can believe him when he says "we might be friends by then". He's just very good at manipulating people. Not Randall though. He does begin to uncover a level of dissent within the crew though. I was intially interested by whatshisname saying "you know what he is" instead of who, but it turns out that he just believes Flint is undead. Billy seems to be staying loyal to Flint, despite the whole page debacle, but maybe things will change if he learns more about him. Admittedly, the observation that "to (Flint) we're all disposable. Chits to be used for his own purposes" does ring true, given what we've seen so far. Flint clearly does have big goals that he believes will benefit everyone, but he also believes that his way is best and that he's free to do whatever necessary to achieve those ends.

Gates is also good with people but, unlike Silver, this seems to come from just generally being an alright guy. He's good with Billy, he has a good raport with Hornigold, and he even manages to sort of manage Flint. Hornigold is one of the characters in Black Sails who was also a historical figure (I'll make a post about that maybe later). Gates does reference him having connections to the Scottish aristocracy but I can't find any definite confirmation of that. Either way, it's an interesting way to tie in broader historical context. He also reads Jack like a book and uses this to arrange an actually mildly productive meeting of the captains. Jack, meanwhile, is having a slightly less successful time. Gates feels like a father to maybe half the characters, and him talking to Jack feels like a case of "you got yourself into this mess, you're old enough to get yourself out", leaving Jack to coax Vane out of his weird drugs and sex den (those sure are some healthy coping mechanisms you've got there sir) with promises of getting Eleanor to love him again, then being a weird sort of wingman for him throughout that meeting. Vane surprisingly keeps his shit throughout, unlike Flint, who seems to be lacking his usual reason when it comes to Vane, eventually causing Gates to also lose his shit, which I'd imagine would really take some work. We do get an interesting insight into Vane's mind in this scene though, in that we see that he does genuinely trust (and maybe even love) Eleanor, possibly more than she does, and apparently enough to stake the lives of his crew on it. It's not clear whether Eleanor reciprocates these feelings, but it clearly evokes something in her when Vane stands up for her.

This is a very interesting Eleanor episode too-- we get to see her two dads, the one who effectively raised her and the other one who gave her an island, that's definitely not a complicated dynamic, especially not when you throw in the fact that Richard G. owns Mr Scott. It maybe explains Eleanor's somewhat lack of emotional maturity. RG is emotionally distant, and Mr. Scott has to be more concerned with the prosperity of the island and whatever RG's orders are than with Eleanor. Maybe it is because of this that Eleanor fundamentally cannot understand Max's approach to her situation. All care she has been given is fairly material (control of the island, advice on how to make it prosper, etc.), so maybe this is why she cannot understand Max's more emotional approach, which centres her pride and self-sufficiency over any physical and material wellbeing that Eleanor can offer. I'm going to be very honest and say that I hate this plotline, it does feel generally unnecessary and a little gratuitous in how much is portrayed, but it does reveal a lot in terms of how the characters function emotionally. Max is willing to put herself into a very difficult position to preserve her own pride (and withstands it, as seen in the "rocky promontary" scene at the end). Eleanor cannot see why Max won't accept her help, and is additionally very impulsive and emotionally-driven, doing what feels right for her. Vane defaults to withdrawing from any difficult situation, telling Eleanor that "(he) had no choice" in the situation, instead of maybe taking responsibility for the fact that he doesn't have much control over his crew, something that Eleanor has called him out on before, and pretty much lets them run wild and do shit like this. Still, Eleanor's response does feel like it centres her feelings over anything else, and something tells me that it's just going to add fuel to the fire, especially given that Max is determined to stay until she's worked off her debt.

The ending scene is really beautiful. I actually want to read Meditations, and maybe when I do I'll do a little post about it on here, but it's a really neat way of linking all the characters and plotlines at the end of the episode.

[hatshepsut9]

There’s no way I’m finishing another book tomorrow, so here’s a tiny wrapup:

Mini reviews below the cut (non-spoilery as much as possible!) 

The Calculating Stars: I read this because of booktube and enjoyed it— sometimes the internet can be trusted! This is an alternate history 1950’s space program book about a pilot/calculator becoming one of the first female astronauts. Overall it’s short, sweet, and smart. It does feature female and minority characters navigating typical 1950’s identity politics, but it’s not so frustrating as to be unreadable (of course it should be frustrating, but sometimes you’re just not in a patient enough mood that you’re willing to watch white men complain about the existence of women and black people when there is an actual global crisis looming over their shoulders!) If you can overlook some very cheesy flirting of the “rocket in your pocket” variety (yes, we get that you’re in the space program, you don’t have to use that fact in all your pickup lines) and you liked Hidden Figures, read this.

The Jasmine Throne: I’d never heard of this before but I got it for Christmas via a bookseller’s recommendation. I could see some people finding the writing style to be a little... affected(?), but I didn’t mind it. This is an Indian-inspired fantasy world with political rivalries, an old magic returning, and characters confronting fate. The cast isn’t huge, but there are enough characters that you get to explore things through comparisons. Trying to avoid spoilers here, but you get two characters in the exact same boat re: what happened when one of their family members got caught up in some royal family succession drama, and how each of them reacts completely differently with respect to how they view the royal character involved. And you also have 3 people who came from the same place who are dealing with colonization in 3 different ways. I really love the magic system(s) in this and I can’t wait to see what happens in the rest of the series. There is a plant/human magic system that is related to a kind of curse (that I suspect is really a power a la Elantris), a prophecy-based magic system/religion, and probably more aspects of magic that will come into play. The magic seems very localized, with religions that are tied to their locations. Halfway through the book I finally googled the series and only the first 2 books are out... I’m hoping it’s a trilogy but whatever it is, I’m in for the ride now. I would recommend this to fans of Baru Cormorant, The Poppy War, and maybe ASOIAF (but I haven’t finished any of those series so take that with a grain of salt). 

The Origin of Satan: I picked this up one night because I was at the house of a religious studies major with nothing to read, and it was interesting enough that I took it home and finished it. This book goes through internal drama between Jewish groups, then once Christians became a group made up of mostly gentile converts the dramas between them and pagans (mostly Romans), and then back to internal drama between different Christian groups. It traces the way people in these conflicts would use the idea of Satan-- first meaning an angel sent to challenge a human or stop humans from doing something bad, later meaning a sort of evil angel or evil god-- to talk about their conflicts with their various opponents both internal and external. (Side note: this book is why I noticed the localized religions/magic systems in Jasmine Throne, because it talks about how before Christianity, everyone took it for granted that your religion was determined by where you live). Overall this book is interesting but it just pointed me towards related topics that I now want to read about. For instance, it’s hard for me to imagine a time when people didn’t regularly frame their conflicts as part of a battle between the forces of good and evil, because that concept is so ingrained in popular culture even though we don’t usually think of it as coming from the idea of angels and demons/God and Satan, so I’d really be more interested to get immersed in examples of how people talked about their conflicts and their opponents before all this happened. The book also just made me want to read up on gnostic Christians (luckily she also wrote a book on the Gnostic Gospels, so that’d going in my list.) 

[mirandamckenni1]

When Autistic Special Interests Go WRONG 🐌 Become a snail! If you'd like, you can support the creation of these videos on Patreon! You can get 2 exclusive videos a month, access to the Discord server, podcast episodes, and more! 🐌: https://ift.tt/CIbOSyz 📸 Instagram 📸 : https://ift.tt/sTWrFKe 💛WATCH NEXT💛: EVERYONE is Autistic now...even Jesus?? r/EvilAutism: https://youtu.be/mTF2Fqr7D4c The War on 'Autism Moms' Needs to STOP.: https://youtu.be/rKNEwlQCi7c Autism Speaks designed a Police Car and it is HELL | r/EvilAutism: https://youtu.be/fcI44-1LZIA 📹 My Videos mentioned 📹: EVERYONE is Autistic now...even Jesus?? r/EvilAutism: https://youtu.be/mTF2Fqr7D4c AUTISTICS, CHOOSE YOUR FORK! | Autism Memes: https://youtu.be/bVoxCnaeNRI Not Stimming is MORE dangerous than you think...: https://youtu.be/RTw-32j0vm0 📒 Sources 📒: Evil Autism: https://ift.tt/2QeMosT Double Empathy Problem: https://ift.tt/vwW9DiY Problems with Pedigree Dogs: https://ift.tt/28VtBPL Autism Speaks Likes ABA: https://ift.tt/1E5Wg68 Autistic People Can Lie: https://ift.tt/Gei7MLQ ABA Definition: https://ift.tt/u4cpJFO Reddit Posts: Cheating: https://ift.tt/8jwN6Xx Smoothies: https://ift.tt/jBeiFGm Flirting or Machines: https://ift.tt/yV50CoN I Hate Dogs: https://ift.tt/EIcYjkx Autism Speaks: https://ift.tt/COkZXqQ The Foon: https://ift.tt/Fdjyb7K The Neurotypical Spectrum: https://ift.tt/15CjZoL 📖 *Books I'd Recommend about Autism 📖 : Aspergirls by Rudy Simone: https://amzn.to/3xSZ6Mg Different not Less by Chloe Hayden (read if you want to cry): https://amzn.to/40fKx2m Unmasking Autism by Devon Price: https://amzn.to/3LhMV3j *These are affiliate links. The channel will receive a small commission if you buy anything on Amazon after clicking through with this link. There's no extra cost to you; any money will go towards putting out more content. I'd love to post twice a week and put more time into research for these videos. Thank you so much - I really appreciate every like and comment! DISCLAIMER: I am a second-year psychology student and a late-diagnosed #actuallyautistic individual. I am not a qualified healthcare professional. via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz9dQhnnGks

[thebibliosphere]

Do you ever start something as a joke and lose complete control over your life?

In a world of dwindling hope, love has never mattered more... [<< read the rest of the blurb here]

What is Hunger Pangs?

Hunger Pangs, often shortened to “Phangs” by the self-proclaimed phangdom, is my debut romance novel, published in Nov 2020, featuring a deaf, disabled werewolf, a neurodivergent, mad scientist vampire, and an all-powerful enchantress who is the last of her kind.

It is the first book in a slow-burn, polyamorous gaslamp fantasy romance series focusing on the relationship(s) and antics of the three main characters, Nathan Northland, Vlad Blutstein, and Lady Ursula, as they work to save the world they love from imminent magical and ecological disaster.

The first book primarily focuses on the relationship between Nathan and Vlad, with Ursula heavily alluded to in the next book (Pride and Folly) via some shameless flirting and stolen, impulsive kisses.

No love triangles here. Just three highly competent, world-saving bisexuals sharing the same brain cell the closer they get to each other.

There are two editions of the novel. The Flirting with Fangs edition depicts on-page sexual acts, and the Fluff and Fangs edition which uses alternative scenes/fade-to-black scenes for those who prefer not to read depictions of sex. You can read more about why I decided to do this here.

How Did Phangs come to be?

Like most things on my blog, the original concept began as a joke. My friend and enabler, @jeneelestrange, and I were talking about our least favorite tropes in romance/erotica, including but not limited to toxic “alpha” werewolves, brooding stalker vampire boyfriends, and the absolute profound bullshit that is the Conflicted Love Triangle and Bury Your Gays.

Eventually, it culminated in this post:

(source)

It was meant to be a joke. I really cannot emphasize this enough. It was meant to be a shitpost between friends.

A throwaway ADHD impulse.

Tumblr, however, wanted more of these posts, and like a swarming mass of drift-compatible rats in a trench coat, grabbed hold of my lack of impulse control and Ratatouille'd me into becoming an international bestselling author, and, well, here we are.

I also started writing the series while dying, which I highly do not recommend as a functional creative process.

Absolutely do not start a 500k five-part novel series about love and hope while dying from an undiagnosed genetic disorder. Or if you do, make sure you actually die so you don't have to edit the damn thing. (I am mostly kidding.)

What are the themes/tropes/character dynamics of the book?

In the simplest of terms, Phangs is a queer-polyamorous-paranormal-satirical-romance series featuring vampires, werewolves, and all other manner of creatures that go bump in the night.

It is set in a pseudo-regency meets fake-Victorian Gaslamp Fantasy world, complete with gothic castles, enchanted forests, and just a smidge of industrial coal dust.

Style-wise, Phangs has been described by readers as "like reading the queer, goth love child of Terry Pratchett meets Jane Austen," and I've never been more proud of anything in my life.

If Game of Thrones ascribes to the idea that the night is dark and full of terrors, Phangs is the monster-fucker politely sidling up to them at the bar and asking if they can buy them a drink.

It is also primarily a love letter to fandom, which has led some people to believe it’s fanfiction with the serial labels filed off. But as the person who spent five years agonizing over the world-building, I can assure you this is all very much the product of my weird little ADHD brain picking up tropes, shaking them upside down, and running off with whatever fun and interesting things shake loose.

As already stated, the first book, True Love Bites, focuses primarily on the relationship between Captain Nathaniel J. Northland and Viscount Vlad Blutstein.

The first part of the book primarily focuses on Nathan coming home injured from war and trying to find his place in the world as newly deaf and disabled -- something which alienates him from his werewolf family, who don't know what to do with an injury that can't be mended by a full moon.

While working on the island of Eyrie, he encounters Viscount Blutstein -- Vlad-- a neurodivergent, mad scientist dandy vampire with an enthusiasm for demonic botany and a streak of unfailing kindness as broad and expansive as the sky.

It's not so much love at first sight for the pair as instantaneous lust hampered by the restrictions of polite 1880 society and old ingrained prejudices that make them think the other couldn't possibly be interested in them that way. They're just misreading all those heartfelt stares and sexually charged chess games.

(The love is requited, your honor, they're just idiots.)

Both characters are explicitly queer/mspec, as is Ursula, who drops into their world like a magical atom bomb going off, but not before she spends her own parts of the book desperately trying to figure out what manner of dark entity is killing the magical shrines around the world that keep the world alive.

Thematically, the series touches on many things, but the book’s overriding theme is love. Romantically, of course, and love between families, both found or otherwise. But also love as an act of courage. As a choice. An act of defiance in dark and troubling times, and what it means to be loved and belong even though you’re different.

Especially when you’re different.

Both of you...

And I really fucking hope you enjoy it.

To read the full synopsis and check out the heat ratings, buy links and content tags, go to www.joydemorra.com

[scotianostra]

13th September 1813 saw the birth of Danial MacMillan, who co-founded the MacMillan Publishing giants.

Born on the Isle of Arran to a crofting family., young Daniel was apprenticed to a bookseller in Irvine, Ayrshire, at the tender age of ten. Daniel moved to Glasgow where he taught in a school for several years, before joining a firm of booksellers in Glasgow and, in 1833 he moved to London, with little more than his canny Scottish instincts and a strong desire to succeed as a book publisher.

In January 1824, Daniel, with his brother’s help, secured a place for himself as an apprentice to Maxwell Dick, a bookseller and bookbinder in Irvine. His contract specified that Daniel would work for Mr. Dick for six years, though his time there continued slightly beyond. He flourished in the job and Maxwell Dick wrote that “the said Daniel has served me with diligence, honesty and sobriety and it is with the utmost confidence I can recommend him as possessing these qualities in a very high degree.”

Daniel had big ambitions, he travelled south and in 1933 travelled south, at first, the 20 year old Daniel worked in a bookstore, which was located near Cambridge University and which specialised in classical authors. Daniel soon gained a reputation amongst University students as a well read, reliable guide to recent publications. 

MacMillan next spent a brief period with a London bookseller, where he was joined by his younger brother, Alexander.

In 1843, the MacMillans opened their own shop, D. & A. Macmillan, at 57 Aldersgate St., in London, and published their first two books, which hardly set the world on fire, their first few years were hard and they flirted with bankruptcy, but stuck to their task and slowly turned things around. Their first big breakthrough came from their friend a backer Charles Kingsley who penned Westward Ho! which was published in 1853. Another success was ‘Tom Brown’s Schooldays’, by Thomas Hughes. Books such as these, laid the foundations for Macmillan’s strong fiction list.MacMillan’s went on to have some of the most well known authors of the 19th century on its books, Lewis Carroll, Charles Tennyson, Thomas Hardy, Rudyard Kipling, Maynard Keynes to name but a few.Together with Maurice and Archdeacon  Hare.

Daniel and Alexander became supporters of the reform movement known as ‘Christian Socialism’ and most of their early publications reflected the liberal sentiments of that group, such as its commitment to universal education and as a consequence, the firm became a leading publisher of textbooks and other educational material.Daniel had suffered ill health from a young age and passed away aged 43 in Cambridge, where he is buried at The Mill Road cemetery.

Their publishing talents were not confined to pure literature; the Macmillan family´s vision inspired the creation of enduring copyrights such as Nature, widely considered the world’s leading scientific journal, launched in 1869, Palgrave´s Dictionary of Political Economy in 1899 and Nursing Times in 1905.  Until recently the publishing company was owned by the Macmillan family, who continued to manage the company into the 1970s.One of the involved family members was Harold Macmillan, the British Prime Minister from 1956 to 1963 who rose through the Churchill and Eden governments via a succession of high offices, and culminated with his becoming Prime Minister, keeping one of the fullest and most entertaining political diaries of the twentieth century. Its prominence in trade publishing continues to this day, but it also has great strengths in the educational and scholarly fields. Macmillan Education and its associate companies and subsidiaries in Africa, Asia, He was chairman of the company from 1964 until his death in December 1986

The and survives, by name only, with no family connections, they are wholly owned subsidiary of Holtzbrinck Publishing Group with offices in 41 countries worldwide and operations in more than 30 others.

The pics with the logos are the original and modern day versions. 

[ohnominamino]

An Essay on Love in Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time

Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time is a movie about love in all its forms. From the love of family, friends, and neighbors, to the compassion we feel for people we have never met. The movie reminds us that love is something we continuously gain, lose, and choose, again and again. Which love is greatest? In my opinion, the answer to that question is left up to interpretation. In this essay, I will give my own personal interpretation on certain character interactions and what I believe we are meant to take away from their Rebuild portrayals. 

The character I will start with is one I’ve noticed the most outrage over from people who haven’t seen the movie and read out-of-context spoilers: Kaworu Nagisa. 

Kaworu is a beloved character among many Evangelion fans, especially those who are members of the LGBT+ community. He is a canonical love interest of Shinji Ikari and I want to reassure people that this final movie does not change that fact. However, it does not make the couple blatantly endgame either. This skirting around the couple might make some fans upset, and while their feelings are completely valid, I do not think they fully understand the difficulties faced by LGBT+ people in Japan, nor do they understand the way that romance is typically conveyed in Japanese storytelling. (I recommend watching “Is ‘Yuri On Ice’ Good Gay Representation?” by James Somerton for more about storytelling nuances.) 

What have we been shown about Shinji and Kaworu’s love? The good news is, anything you read into the original TV series and End of Evangelion is completely true for the Rebuilds— because Kaworu is the same Kaworu. This movie proves Evangelion is a single universe set on repeat, and that Kaworu and Shinji meet each other every loop, and in each, Kaworu is trying to make Shinji happy. Within the final movie, Shinji becomes aware of the loops and chooses to break the cycle and free Kaworu from his pain. 

What does the relationship between Shinji and Kaworu teach us? I believe the purpose of their love is to show the audience that first, in the words of Kaji, “love has no gender.” Second, I believe Kaworu’s love in particular is a warning about basing your own happiness solely upon another person. There are parallels drawn between Gendo/Yui and Kaworu/Shinji. Gendo could not exist without Yui, and so he was willing to destroy the world to be reunited with her. For Kaworu, it was not the destruction of humanity, but the destruction of himself that defined his tragedy. What’s important within the final movie, in my opinion, is that Shinji does not reject Kaworu’s love. With the insight he’s gained from remembering past loops, he sees Kaworu’s love and appreciates him, but he also sees his suffering and wants to ease it. He helps Kaworu into a new world where he can seek his own happiness and find balance in his life (something his father did not have). 

While Kaworu and Shinji are not seen as an explicit couple at the end of the movie, it’s significant to note that, when he sets Kaworu free, Shinji holds out his hand to Kaworu as a promise to stay together. Over the course of the movie, Shinji comes to accept his connection to others through accepting touch (in the form of hand holding and hugs from Rei, Misato, and Gendo); however, Kaworu is the only character in the movie who Shinji initiates physical contact with and that speaks to how much Kaworu means to him. This simple gesture, in my opinion, keeps the door open for Kaworu and Shinji to be a couple one day, after Kaworu has found more balance in his life. 

If I were to write an entire essay about Kaworu, it would be titled, “Out of the Coffin: How the Resurrection of Kaworu Nagisa Buries the Tragic Lovers Trope” because this movie truly does just that. 

Another potential love interest for Shinji for many years was Asuka; however, unlike with Kaworu, the nature of this relationship is not left up to interpretation by the end of the movie. Before her big final battle, Asuka tells Shinji, “I think I loved you back then” (regarding their time in middle school) and Shinji, during Instrumentality, tells Asuka, “Thank you for saying you loved me. I loved you too.” It is past tense. 

What does this relationship teach us? It’s a beautiful way of showing that we can love people, and grow and learn, and let go when we no longer fit each other. Letting go is an integral part of life. Whereas other Instrumentality scenes involve touch, Asuka’s, mirroring the ending of End of Evangelion, has a distinct lack of touch. Shinji sits with his arms around his knees and Asuka turns her body away from him. He gives her his thanks and he sends her off to find her peace. Asuka and Shinji teach us that it’s okay to grow out of relationships. You can appreciate what they were to you at the time they happened and move on. 

What about Rei? To be honest with you, this movie is less about Rei’s relationship with Shinji, and more about her relationship with the world. Rei teaches movie viewers about the simple pleasures of living. While Shinji is in mourning for the first quarter of the movie, Rei (as “Sokkuri”) is learning about crop growing and community, the wonder of babies and kittens, the joy of the bath after a long day of fruitful work, and the power of words and picture books. At the end of her life, she only regrets not having more time to spend with the people she loves. In Instrumentality, Shinji accepts her hand when it is offered to him, which I hope signifies he is ready to see life as she had come to during the final movie. 

Rei teaches us that we can love living and to not take our limited time for granted. 

Next, we move on to parent figures: Gendo and Misato. I think they both represent people ill suited to the role, who do the best they can despite it. Gendo, as mentioned for Kaworu above, is a warning about defining yourself by your relationship to another person (Ikari, afterall, is Yui’s name). He is also a lesson in how people mourn and how they can lash out. Misato, like Gendo, felt herself a poor parent, and while mourning the loss of Kaji, she gave up her child to be raised by other people, but, unlike Gendo, went forward to put all her energy into protecting humanity. Both of them reach out to hug Shinji within the movie and he accepts them where they are. 

While I wouldn’t say the movie shows that Shinji forgives Gendo, it does show his making an effort to understand and make peace with what others have done. For Misato, it is fair to say we can still hope for a better future, even when it feels like everything is crumbling around us. Her self-sacrificing love for her son and the whole of humanity is what enables Shinji to then save the people he loves (via the spear of Gaius). 

In the movie, we are also shown friendship. Touji, Hikari, and Kensuke are important members of their community who maintain open communication with those around them and respect others’ boundaries. They are patient and kind and represent the importance of being present. They teach us to meet people where they are and support them how we can, whether it’s giving them a warm meal or giving them space when they need it. 

There are many more characters that could be talked about, but today I am going to end on Mari. Mari’s love is physical. She enjoys being in people’s personal bubbles. She cuddles Asuka and helps trim her hair, she gets into Gendo’s space at college, and at the end of the movie, she reaches out her hand to Shinji to help him stand up from his seat. Upon first glance, some viewers might take Mari and Shinji’s final scene to be romantic, but the reality of it is this: We do not, and cannot, know what kind of love she is meant to represent in his life.

We do not know Mari’s relationship with Shinji because they hardly interact in the movie. She clearly cares about him, but in my opinion, it comes from a place of duty and compassion— Mari was friends with Gendo and Yui. She has been there since he was born. (If we take the manga to be canon, then Mari even had romantic feelings towards his mother. Her hairstyle and glasses are from Yui. At the end of the movie, Mari has changed her hairstyle, which to me implies she has moved on, and “getting” with Shinji would be a thematic break.)

Additionally, their conversation, while flirty, is very much one that implies they haven’t seen each other for a while. Mari is someone who is very physically affectionate. With everyone. If someone ignores that and focuses on the fact she gets into Shinji’s space and claims that’s romantic, they better acknowledge it’s possibly romantic with Asuka, who we see far more intimacy with. When Mari flirts, Shinji flirts back and her initial reaction is surprise, “Wow, you’ve learned to talk back!” Her purpose is clear. She is there to remove the DSS choker from his neck. 

Personally, I love that Mari is the one to close the movie, for the exact reason that we do not know her relationship with Shinji. For Mari to have an assigned role would be to say, “This kind of love is most important,” when the entire movie was spent showing us each love is of equal importance in the balance and building of our lives. (It’s wonderful to see those types of love embodied across the platform from Shinji at the end of the movie: Rei and Kaworu, who, just like in End of Evangelion, could signify the ability to connect with others and be loved.)

If you view Mari as a romantic love interest, then I think it speaks to the value that you as an individual give to romance rather than what the characters themselves are feeling. To me, Mari, the character who was created to “destroy Eva,” is a symbol of all love. When Shinji takes her offered hand and then pulls her to run into the new world, it’s a symbol of balance. The give and take of any kind of relationship. 

We are the product of every relationship we have ever had, from our parents to the people we once loved, from our friendships to any other person we want to stay connected to. Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time is a story about these relationships. It is a story about love.