#and lila’s all pointing at kell like

[antaripirate]

Emira: So I’ve put together this selection of potential wives and husbands for you. All from reputable families of course. They would obviously have diplomatic roles in the palace, which would mean you would still have plenty of time to protect Rhy…

Kell:

Emira, handing him the stack of papers: …a wedding within the year would be best, so could you let me know your decision by tomorrow morning? That should give you plenty of time to evaluate.

Kell:

*clattering of metal and swearing coming from outside, before Lila wanders in, dressed in men’s clothes, grinning at Kell, covered in blood and holding six knives*

Kell, pointing: I want that one.

Emira, looking traumatised, whispering: What is it?

Kell, with ultimate heart-eyes: It’s a Lila.

*lila grins and waves then flips off Emira*

[luciehercndale]

A comment under something I wrote about Kell's childhood got me thinking about antari and how they are objectified. I also briefly touch on their boundaries and dynamics and parallels.

I want to believe that Kell's parents cared about his well being and that the only reason they surrendered him to the Maresh family was to protect him. Imagine if Kell had continued living with his biological parents. They were likely thieves on the run without a home and they probably lived on scraps. Once it would be known that Kell was antari, someone could've taken advantage of him, or worse. Someone could've attempted to kill him. Offering Kell to the king and queen would grant him protection, an education in magic. He wouldn't have to worry about eating and where to sleep. I don't think it was an easy choice for his parents, but they did it because they believed it would be for their son's good. They couldn't know that Kell would end up being dehumanized by his new "parents" and like a bird in a golden cage.

The main og antari and how their storylines reflect each other in different ways.

Holland is the representation of the life Kell would've probably had if his family wouldn't have surrendered him to the royals, and if he wasn't born in Red London. His brother and the woman he loved tried to end him and he had to murder them to survive. Then the Danes and then Osaron made him their pet by literally erasing his humanity by controlling him.

Lila's father sold her to pay a debt and he didn't care about her. But she didn't know she was antari, so her magic couldn't be exploited and this somehow was her luck. Lila could run away from her oppressors, and in theory, is what Kell and Holland both longed for. Freedom. (Side note: that's why Kell likes Lila so much but she also gets on his nerves - affectionately -. The things that come easily to her, are harder for him. And he gets a little irritated by this but I think she also inspires him to improve and believe more in himself.)

Lila is the only antari who wasn't objectified up to this point. She didn't let the black stone or others take control of her, unlike Kell and Holland. It isn't a question of power. This is more of a question of mindset/personality. Lila shares personality traits with Kell and Holland and so do they (and they're a trio of introverts). While the other two are still trusting and kind despite it all, Lila is selectively trusting and kind. She built strong walls around her to protect herself and this is probably why she could resist possession. Perhaps this is her strength. She is also vary and hardly lets people in. She has strong boundaries but she's is selective about them.

Having been treated as servants and not human beings, Kell and Holland do have boundaries but they waver. Kell tries hard to put boundaries but he sometimes loses the fight. Holland has his boundaries destroyed after he was possessed, so it's no wonder he doesn't know what boundaries are anymore. They knew that they needed to get away and could try to leave (they were powerful magicians, after all!) but at the same time, they didn't know how. Oftentimes, the person who lives in a toxic environment knows it's toxic but is unable to leave. Holland was teetered by an enchantment to the Danes and then to Osaron. Kell was bound by duty and by loyalty to Rhy, whom he didn't want to leave because he loved his brother. Rhy was the only reason for him to endure this treatment.

This is why, once again, when Lila appears in Kell's life, she is the catalyst for his growth and for his possibility to get away from the toxic environment he was in. And at the same time, Lila appearing in the story influences Holland's story too. And they also influence her personal growth, because Lila learns to trust people a little more. At the end of the series, their power come together to destroy the enemy, which is cool.

After seven years, things have changed a bit. Kell is free from his royal duties at the end of acol, but his magic is broken and he finds himself without purpose. I think of him as a broken vase that was fixed with a thread of silver just like Japanese do (but with gold) to embrace the philosophy that humans have flaws and they're not perfect.

Lila is more trusting and letting people in (albeit still selectively), and I think that these seven years weren't easy for her either. She was the last antari left (I don't think she counted Kosika because she was still a child and uhm, what did I say about Lila trusting strangers? Read that again lol). I think she felt a huge responsibility on her shoulders, especially because she didn't want to involve Kell in any of the things regarding antari and such (see, reason why she didn't tell him about Kosika either). She was also emotionally tested because of Kell. She was desperately looking for a way to help him but also tried not to show him how desperate she was because she didn't want to show her feelings so openly (vulnerability again).

Holland is haunting the narrative. If the ghost Kosika sees is the real Holland, because I have few doubts that he is the same Holland we know. He's doing to Kosika what was done to him, but in a softer way, because he quietly speaks to her and helps her, and only later she realizes that was the reason she knew how to use her powers. He is using Kosika to act as his vessel so she can finish what he started years before. There's an interesting parallel with Kosika and Tes and the antari but I need to reread Threads to analyze it better.

If you read until the end thank you! lmao and if you have questions please send because I like to talk about adsom

[mercurialskiies]

I need to talk into the void about the stuff i’ve read about Fragile Threads so far (because everyone I follow on the non-blue bird app hasn’t read it yet) since it came to my house early and I need to scream in a way that’s cohesive and also non-spoilery.

I just. I have so many thoughts.

So if you don’t want spoilers please don’t unravel this post.

I’m warning you.

Please do not click the “Keep Reading” tab if you don’t want spoilers.

You cannot hold me accountable otherwise.

Okay, if you’re reading this, I’m assuming you’ve sealed your fate on spoilers.

Good. Cool. We’re on the same page.

It should be noted that, in the five hours I’ve been reading, I just got to like, the second chapter of part three. We devoured two whole parts, which will be my main talking points here.

—————

First thing’s first: I’m desperately awaiting more from Kosika and Tes. I really love their characters so far (more Tes than Kosika, because I’ve only seen that first chapter from her and Tes I’ve seen two). I want to know what it is about Tes’ sister (or, maybe, who her sister is involved with) that has Tes so absolutely terrified. Her character as a whole intrigues me and I’m excited to see how she interacts with everyone down the line (if she does).

Also, bonus points and shout outs to Tes naming her owl Vares. She’s just like me for real.

Second thing’s second: I really LOVE how so far the first nearly 150+ pages are a reunion for characters from Shades (which I think is really welcome if you read the Shades of Magic books first). Seeing Maris and Kell and Lila again was just REALLY nice, and I missed them.

Which, speaking of Kell and Lila, holy crap I missed them and their dynamic so much. I do very much love the growth they’ve gone through in the seven years from what I’ve seen. Lila, while she has some of the same traits (knife kleptomaniac), feels like she’s softened a little and Kell, while he has some of his sadboi traits, definitely feels…way more confident. Like, I’m talking LEAGUES more confident.

Plus, seeing them both function as Antari magicians is really cool, because Lila only really “grew” into her powers starting in AGOS. To see her using magic with proficiency is like “Wow”.

It isn’t the same for Kell, who, first and foremost, those flashback scenes to the months/early years after his magic was shattered hurt me so much, dude. Especially because like, magic was the thing he was valued for as part of the crown—his worth always lied in his ability to not just do magic, but wield it with ease and proficiency. He was always looked on as this figure of power.

I don’t blame him for being so afraid and anxious about what that means for his sense of self-worth. Especially considering that most, if not all of his worth, hinged on his ability to do magic.

I did like the little analogy that Lila gives him, though, about the swordsman who learned to use his other hand to fight (implying that Kell can still fight, just with using other things instead of his magic—magic, whether he can use it or not, doesn’t define his worth).

But the other little thing I appreciated is that this, even seven years after the fact, is still something Kell struggles with. Using magic, Antari spells or otherwise, is still a fallback for him when his swords and knives fail. It isn’t something that just goes away.

Some other small things I wanted to note is just I love all of the little callbacks to the first series (Lila and Kell’s little “What was that for?” “For warmth.” exchange had me giggling and kicking my feet. They’re so whipped it’s insane).

Also, this would explain where the ring (in that one snippet that had me literally on the floor) came from. It’s not a wedding ring (like I assumed it was), but it’s a binding ring. Which, is almost kind of like a wedding ring, but without the vows. Plus, the fact that Kell mentions he only wears two for the people he loves most (his girlfriend and his brother) made me 🥺

Some things for these characters never change.

And I’m excited to see the rest of it and meet the newer ones.

[crookedcrowclub]

Review for A Conjuring of Light by V .E. Schwab

5/5 ⭐️

WOW.

reading this felt like reading a crossover novel of all my favourite characters from the previous two books because each of them were so incredibly fleshed out that this could’ve been anyone’s story. it feels as if i’ve met these characters and had conversations with them because they seemed so tangible.

Plot & Pacing

what book 2 lacked in terms of plot and pacing, book 3 more than made up for it. the story picks up right where book 2 left off and the momentum doesn’t slow down one bit. it only kept getting better with surprises and twists at every turn. if you know me, you know that books are my sole sustenance when it comes to escaping the horrors of reality and ACOL swept me off my feet from the very first chapter!

Characters

the character dynamics were much more nuanced and their interactions were TO DIE FOR (!!!) not to mention, they all had insane chemistry with each other and some wholesome moments thrown in as well. kell, lila, and holland have cemented themselves as my ultimate disaster trio and i just couldn’t get enough of them.

the flashback scenes gave a deeper insight into each of the characters’ backstory and i ended up caring more about them than i imagined. holland’s especially packed a punch. his chapters were agonizing to read, emotionally charged and tugged at my heartstrings. i saw him as the villain at the beginning of this trilogy but it turns out, he’s an anti-hero who deserves to be happy after everything he’s been through. his chapters alone were a solid 5/5 stars for me, and he has earned a top ten spot in my Most Favourite Fucked Up Characters of All Time 😌.

as for lila, she had it all: beauty, brains and brawn! but besides that, we also see her come to terms with her attachment and abandonment issues that she’s struggled with since book 1. her arc was moving yet powerful. most of it strongly resonated with me because it hit too close to home. delilah bard is basically me but in different font and i adore my knife wife so much 🫶🏼.

kell’s daring persona that i sorely missed in book 2 made a sweeping comeback and his character was even more striking than before! unlike in the previous book, he was very level-headed in this one and took on the fitting role of a natural leader who guided his team in their quest to defeat evil. he kinda reminded me of kaz with the easy way he almost always got the final word. his chapters were poignant with direction and focus, which was refreshing to read.

i was thrilled that we finally got alucard’s POV (!!!!) i like his character but sadly, he didn’t really stand out in the book for me. it felt as if he was merely a plot piece to keep the story going. things were happening and he was just kinda there. either way, i enjoyed being in his head and learning more about his past.

rhy was less annoying and bratty (thank goodness) which i think had a lot to do with alucard’s presence at the beginning. he also had lesser chapters in this book but he started growing on me around the 70% mark. i liked how resilient he was in never giving up or cowering in face of adversity and how much he cared for his people. towards the end, he proved to be a well rounded character with a satisfying arc.

side mention: the minor characters (hastra, lenos, tieren, maris, ned, maxim, emira, even cora!) were amazingly well developed and despite their limited page time, they stole the show all the same! i would deadass be down to read each of their spinoff stories if the author ever decided to write them.

Conclusion

overall, ACOL struck a perfect balance between character-driven and plot-driven storyline to the point where the characters ceased to be fictional and started seeming like actual people in my head. not only that, this trilogy felt like getting a warm hug from an old friend because it reminded me of six of crows and a couple other YA novels which i loved during that time. it was nostalgic reading it even though i’d never read it before.

as for the ending, it was satisfying but the suspense was over quick. i wanted to see more action in the final fight scene after all that buildup but either way, it was fulfilling to see my beloved characters find closure after everything that happened. i can see where the continuation trilogy is headed and im beyond excited to read it!

ANOSHE✨

[starsailores]

Hit me wirh 11, 23, 24 and 30 for holland vosijk!!! 18, 19, 25 and 28 for kell maresh as well!!

cats i hope you are ready for me to lose my fucking mind. adsom spoilers incoming

holland vosijk:

11 - first thing when you think about when you think about them: "'vosijk', he almost said. 'my name is holland vosijk.' but it didn't matter now.". there is so much emotion packed into that line and i have it written on a post-it note stuck to my laptop, so that i can suffer emotionally every time i open it. i cannot think about him without the agonies striking

23 - future headcanon: if he had survived a conjuring of light, he would have worked on improving relations between arnes and makt in order to try and undo some of the damage caused by osaron's disappearance. dying is not the only sacrifice a person can make, and the most selfless thing holland could have done at that point was keep living and keep fighting, and in doing so the magic would gradually be able to return. he makes a better diplomat than ruler, seeing as he never wanted the crown, though he would have reclaimed it until he found someone he trusted enough to take over.

24 - what do you think is a secret they have never told anyone: hm. the danes and osaron would have gotten anything they wanted out of him, and he would have told vortalis a lot of things, but i dont think he would have willingly shared the story of how vor died, both because of the vulnerability it entailed and the fact that he never stopped blaming himself. the wound is too raw even seven years later for him to be able to talk about it, and the one person he could discuss it with was dead

30 - funniest scene: giving another one of his scenes that makes me smile. when he is imprisoned beneath the soner rast, a group of guards come in to attack him on behalf of lila, and he just sits there as kell comes in and threatens to attack them all because he 'thought they wanted bloodsport'. only after they leave does holland say anything, and the bastard simply says 'my hero' and attempts to move on. i believe this was also when kell said (paraphrasing) 'you seem awfully good at making enemies. have you ever tried making friends?'. everybody knows this man is a cunt and he does nothing to dispel the rumours.

kell maresh:

18 - how do you think they were as a kid: this largely aligns with canon, but he was simultaneously quiet and cocky. he would never go out of his way to interact with people outside of the palace + tieren, but he was well aware of his intelligence and skill, and willing to flaunt it to get his way or piss people off (see: fletcher). simultaneously a sweet kid and the most infuriating type of child to try and interact with.

19 - most random ship you've seen: the two most popular kell ships are kellila and kellholland, both of which i am fond of, and the adsom fandom is not big enough for rarepairs to be common, so i have not really seen any random ships with him. that being said. i do not like kell/rhy or kell/rhy/alucard, for obvious reasons, though i have stumbled upon it on ao3 before

25 - when do you think they acted most ooc: this is a hard one, probably when he inadvertently convinced king george iii that he could fly. it is the sort of trick kell would pull on someone from grey london that he disliked, but he was fond of george, and putting someone unstable in a dangerous position, especially when he cared about them, is unlike kell. because that man does not care easily, but he cares very deeply.

28 - most unnecessary thing they ever did: discounting the whole 'kay' thing in threads, because i have only read it once and do not have access to the book right now to elaborate accurately, throwing holland's body into black london. logically, i understand it. emotionally, it was uncalled for, and if he hadn't done that, osaron never would have been set free, and he wouldn't have suffered the issues with his magic post-acol. he said the man had suffered enough and then sent his mutilated body to faux-hell. holland did not deserve that.

[capillaryspice]

Few things more crushing than finally getting back into a reading stint and rereading/finishing books I really loved as a teenager and just being.... wildly disappointed and left feeling hollow by them. Almost back to back (read Dune and God Emperor of Dune between the two, but that was more self assigned homework than genuine want and love for reading a story lol)

Reread the Night Circus the other month, and after the Dune break I finally reread the Shades of Magic series, finished A Conjuring of Light after having never read the last 2/3 of it. The growing dismay of realizing I actively put down the book from boredom or disappointment years ago instead of just getting busy and forgetting was upsetting with every page I read, but I did finish the damn thing.

The aggravating part is that they both left me feeling betrayed and hollow in the same way; worlds and characters that are innovative and colorful and fascinating, and writing that's evocative and beautiful and that captured me when I was younger. But both stories drop the ball in the sense that if you hold them up to any thought or scrutiny, it's a bunch of flashy words and neat concepts the authors are showing off with and fail to deliver on a satisfying plot or romance or true worldbuilding beyond flavor that seems deep but more or less equates to smoke and mirrors. And in the case of shades of magic, there's actually incredible characters that are CRIMINALLY underused, literally only get significant and needed character work in the LAST 2/3 OF THE FINAL BOOK, and end up with unsatisfactory or hollow resolutions at the end. And yes I said characterS, plural. Alucard and Holland deserved better from the writing room damn you, and Kell became kind of a Nothing character after leaving the city, all he does is pine for Lila now and it's criminal.

I wanted so badly to reread these books and fall in love with them again after so many years, but I kind of just feel betrayed. Especially since both Night Circus and the Shades of Magic trilogy have such high ratings overall, I'm just disappointed. They both overstayed their welcome at some point and felt like the authors were posturing and padding (sometimes SIGNIFICANT) time with unnecessary fluff and drama and resting on laurels they truly have not earned.

Anyways, sorry for the rant, I just stayed up til 7am finishing ACoL and needed to get the disappointment out of my system. Holland fucking deserved better.

[callunavulgari]

Scrapbook 2023 | Pt IV

NGL, a little heated that Tumblr's new editing bullshit has made it so I can't save more than a month at a time, so I guess I'll have monthly ones from now on.

For anyone that’s new to this, this is how I keep track of all of the things that I enjoy and/or create throughout the year. I have literally been doing this since I had a livejournal.

It’s a nice little snippet of my life and helps to organize my brain.

A reminder:

Normal font - Indifferent/Neutral Italicized font - Enjoyed bold font - Loved with an asterisk* - All time favorite (bracketed titles) - Re-watches/Re-reads strikethough - Disliked

Goals are: read 65 books, finish 4 video games, write more than 20 fics or something larger than 20k, and expand on your original novel outline to the point that you START WRITING.

Past Years

MOVIES

November

(Interstellar)

(Lotr: Fellowship)

(The Birdcage)

December

No Hard Feelings

The Muppet Christmas Carol

(Love Actually)

(Lotr: Fellowship)

Saltburn

(Everything Everywhere All At Once)

TV SHOWS

November

Loki, s2

Scavengers Reign s1

All the Light We Cannot See

December

Yu Yu Hakusho - Live Action

One Piece - Live Action

Percy Jackson & the Olympians

What If, s2

YOUTUBE CHANNELS

November

Watcher: Ghost Files

Watcher: Ghost Files Debrief

Watcher Podcast

Watcher: Food Files

Claire Saffitz Cooks

Gino's Italian Escape

Top 5 Beatdown

Inga Lam

December

Beryl!

Watcher: Too Many Spirits

Kimi

Imamu Room

BOOKS

November

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix [Fin]

The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten [Fin]

(A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab)

A Power Unbound by Freya Marske [Fin]

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros [Fin]

The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec [Fin]

December

(A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab) [Fin]

The Only One Left by Riley Sager [Fin]

(A Gathering of Shadows by VE Schwab) [Fin]

(A Conjuring of Light by VE Schwab) [Fin]

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin [Fin]

All Systems Red by Martha Wells [Fin]

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells [Fin]

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells [Fin]

Exit Strategy by Martha Wells [Fin]

Starling House by Alix Harrow [Fin]

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia [Fin]

Network Effect by Martha Wells [Fin]

PODCASTS

November

Watcher Podcast

December

Watcher Podcast

VIDEO GAMES

November

Baldur’s Gate 3

Hollow Knight

LoZ: Tears of the Kingdom

December

LoZ: Tears of the Kingdom

(Ghosts of Tsushima)

POSTED FIC

November

for years or for hours | Loki | Loki/Mobius | 1,677 words | “What the shit are you doing?” Mobius hisses, and Loki— Loki is tired.

touch-a, touch-a, touch-a, touch me | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 2220 words | “God,” Steve murmurs into Eddie’s mouth. “You look— I cannot deal with how you look right now.”

December

these, our bodies, possessed by light | Shades of Magic | Holland/Kell/Lila, Athos/Holland | 2,134 words | Holland tells her simply. “I want to go home.”

this house says your name like an elegy | The Untamed | Song Lan/Xiao Xingchen/Xue Yang | 6768 words | “Good night, ghost,” he says. “We can play tomorrow.”

WIPS | UNPUBLISHED | ORIGINAL

November

Eddie/Steve - Rocky Horror

Yuletide

December

N/A

Fanmixes/Spotify Playlists/Graphics

November

Holland Playlist - Lost

December

N/A

DELIGHTFUL FIC

November

The Water's Edge by entanglednow | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 2k | In which Steve takes a walk in the rain, sees something he's not supposed to and has some thoughts he didn't expect.

The Shortest Straw by entanglednow | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 4k | In which Steve gets to indulge in a bit of roughhousing with a friend and realizes how much he'd missed it.

Manacled by senlinyu | HP | Hermione/Draco | 370k | Harry Potter is dead.

Extra Fresh Cherry Flavor by entanglednow | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | The cold, dry weather is not kind to Eddie's mouth, if only someone could offer a little help.

Faith, Faith, Faith by avocadomoon | Teen Wolf | Derek/Stiles | 21k | "Is there literally anywhere in the world you haven't been? Jesus fuck," Stiles said.

Crocodile Jock by entanglednow | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 4k | When in doubt, Eddie figures you can never go wrong with a classic.

some version of you (that I might not have, but I did not lose) by PinkCanary | Loki | Loki/Sylvie | 4k | Mobius offers her the bedroom, but she insists on the couch.

come back. even as a shadow, even as a dream. by harleygirl2648 | Loki | Loki/Mobius | 6k | Dreams don’t happen in the TVA.

the earth from a distance by spqr | HP | Draco/Harry | 16k | “Really,” Malfoy drawled. “We’re stuck in the 16th century, with no idea how we got here or how we might go about getting back – pray tell, Potter, how could this situation possibly be worse?”

Five Stars by Dira Sudis (dsudis) | The Sandman | Dream/Hob | 3k | Robert G. who brings the groceries is one of the most-texted numbers in Dream's phone. This will surely never cause any problems.

A Sign of The Morning by ToEdenandBackAgain | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 86k | Vecna is dead. The Upside Down is cut off from Hawkins yet again. Steve is trying to go back to normal, whatever that is. He's also trying to figure out exactly how Eddie Munson has managed to fit so easily into his life.

(meet me tonight in atlantic city) by greatunironic | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 20k | Ten years on, in a town in Nova Scotia, on the edge of the Atlantic, Eddie finds Steve again, and also maybe himself.

Desperate Measures by Asidian | BG3 | Astarion/Karlach | 7k | "I think Scratch is coming down with something," says Karlach the next morning, and Astarion, who's in the midst of packing up for the day's travel, drops the pillow he's attempting to make space for.

Eye Of The Beholder by entanglednow | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 22k | Eddie works himself up to ask Steve if he can borrow his instant camera, because the type of pictures he wants to take are…not the kind he can get developed in town.

In Our Blood by secretsalex | HP | Harry/Draco | 38k | Draco is an accomplished pure-blood curse breaker, and Harry is tasked with accompanying him on his latest job—cleaning up the Van Boer mansion, which has been under a devastating fertility curse for seven generations.

Terminus by RC_McLachlan | Loki | Loki/Mobius | 4k | "Keep me here," he begs against Mobius's lips. "You must keep me here."

What Made Milwaukee Famous by synthetica | Danny Phantom | Danny/Vlad | 31k | Ten years after establishing a tenuous truce, Danny crash-lands at Vlad's Milwaukee lakehouse with a particularly nasty wound, three days recovery time, and absolutely nothing to do but talk to his long-lost archnemesis.

December

then now and always by raisesomehale | Teen Wolf | Stiles/Derek | 14k | Stiles is stuck in the fucking snow in the middle of bum-fuck-nowhere at night with a broken down car three days before Christmas, and the nearest tow truck company—over fifty miles away—doesn’t open until morning.

many times, many ways by spqr | Suits | Mike/Harvey | 15k | Soulmates are something that other people worry about, normal people, the masses, like marriage and kids and mortgages in the suburbs, and besides, Harvey’s not the sort of person who wants a life partner.

Damage Control by entanglednow | Good Omens | Aziraphale/Crowley | 3k | When their meeting is unexpectedly interrupted by angels, Aziraphale and Crowley have very little time to do damage control.

the summer of '85 by ToEdenandBackAgain | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 20k | “Fuck The Man, Harrington. Gimme a taste.”

Handle Me with Care (I'm So Tired of Being Lonely)  by thesurefireway | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 8k | “I’m a virgin.” Eddie figure’s he’ll just drop one unexpected revelation on Steve for now. He can only expose so many squishy, vulnerable parts of himself at a time.

Strawberry Fields by ParadimeShifts | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 19k | “No,” Steve had said three days prior. “Literally anyone else.”

i don't ask much (i just want you) by ToEdenandBackAgain | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 8k | "The fuck are you doing, Harrington?"

Deadwinter Warmth by Asidian | BG3 | Astarion/Karlach/Wyll | 4k | In the noble houses, Midwinter is a time of alliances, and Astarion knows better than anyone what that means.

Blood in the Snow by linaerys | Crimson Peak | Lucille/Thomas | 5k | Before the house, there was the earth, and the blood.

you gave up all the golden factories by evewithanapple | Anastasia | Anya/Dimitri | 3k | Two Petersburg childhoods.

A Private Room by 20thcenturyvole | The Goblin Emperor | Csethiro/Maia | 5k | One morning in late summer, ten months into the reign of Edrehasivar VII and four months into his marriage, the Emperor was apprised of a scandal brewing in his court when his wife upended her teacup at breakfast.

seasons change (so do we) by ToEdenandBackAgain | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 7k | WIP | "Do you remember?" Eddie asks, in lieu of absolutely nothing. Steve doesn't look up from his place beside the hospital bed, flips his magazine page with a frown.

unintended consequence by itsmylifekay | One Piece | Zoro/Sanji | 8k | Imagine person A making person B a friendship bracelet, expecting person B to never wear it, but when it’s given to them person B puts it on and is rarely seen with it off.

our lady of zapovednik by magneticwave | Shadow and Bone | Darkling/Alina | 24k | Alina Oretsev owns a bookshop in a neighborhood in Os Alta that is escaping gentrification by the skin of its teeth and the sweat of its most notorious occupants, the Dregs.

just me against the sky by magneticwave | DC | Tim/Jason | 49k | Tim Drake stops stalking Gotham’s nocturnal wildlife when she goes to college. Unfortunately, they don’t return the favor.

DELIGHTFUL FANVIDS

November

Loki | God of The Multiverse

THE LAST OF US | Ellie Williams

Loki & Sylvie || Running Up That Hill (+2x06)

Spider-Gwen

The Beginning of the end. [COLLAB]

Loki || Glorious Purpose (God of Stories)

December

LOKI & SYLVIE | DYNASTY

Loki | The God of Stories

MARVEL || Believe in Me ft. Armanni Reign

DELIGHTFUL MUSIC

November

Now and Then - The Beatles

What Happens Tomorrow - Duran Duran

Vois sur ton chemin - BENNETT

could have been me - the struts

freya - christian reindl

history is now - natalie holt

purpose is glorious - natalie holt

have yourself a merry little christmas - mother mother

ice storm - lindsey stirling

December

my goodbye - jorge rivera-herrans

thus always to the tyrants - the oh hellos

a child's shadow - jessica curry

the power - borislav slavov

i believe - christina perry

dj play a christmas song- cher

paint it black - wednesday addams

my sails are set - sonya belousova

[realismreading]

Okay final thoughts after finishing ACOL

- that was a fucking incredible book. It’s the strongest in the series to me

- it does a really good job of making you go ‘oh my god the Essen Tasch literally only just ended and they’ve already got something else to deal with.’ Really good at making you forget the celebrations were supposed to be taking place bc it feels like so long ago

- Holland really stole the show as always. I love him, he has some really good moments, lines and quips. I felt it immediately when the real redemption arc started (for me it wasn’t with the failed Osaron trapping, but when they got the Antari binding rings)

- as always, wish there was more of Alucard, I really like him as a character and I would kill for more content from him. He got a decent amount and I loved what he brought but I’d love for some more backstory of his life before Rhy and the Night Spire

- now that I’ve finished the series I feel a little less iffy about saying I still am not massively into Lila as a character. She got on my nerves less than she did during AGOS but more than ADSOM. Her out of the box thinking was really cool with the Isle trick right at the end of the book, though, I thought that was cool

- Kell has 3 moods and ik we love that about him but I really hoped he’d develop something more than scowling, thinking about Lila and thinking about hitting Alucard. I liked it in ADSOM and AGOS and I suppose the ending is supposed to be a hopeful nod to Kell relaxing a bit, but it was frustrating he didn’t get much development in the book itself when it’s a series with him as one of its primary protagonists

- I absolutely LOVED Rhy, Emira and Maxim’s POVs, they were incredible and I had to stop reading for a moment during multiple parts just to calm down bc I was at work

- I loved the way the Lord Sol-In-Ar suspicion was resolved

- the fight scenes were incredible, I liked them much better than in AGOS (probs bc those were tournament fights and not proper fights)

- I really liked the at-sea scenes, the Sea Serpents section was standout to me

- Holland’s final scene was incredibly satisfying and even though part of me wishes he got more and really did get to bring life back to White permanently, I think I prefer the way his story ended. He wanted things to end for him the way they did, he had control of it and that’s the whole point, that he deserved to control the way things ended for him after the hellish life he’d had

All in all, incredible book and I wish I could read it again for the first time

[asexualbookbird]

oh i saw that "reblog and tag what your ereading" post which reminded me! there was a scene in A Gathering Of Shadows that i really DID NOT LIKE lololol

been vibing with Alucard, i find him interesting, i love that lilas like "huh weird that i dont know of any of alucards enemies!" and then we see kell go "ugh i HATE that guy i want to punch his face"

i like lila well enough, shes an entire mood, but yeah im tired of her being mean to Girls In General, which wouldnt bug me nearly as much if we had Literally Any Other Woman to latch on to, but come ON okay

Alucard has just had a Moment where hes like "ah yes Lila has clearly been Traumatized and does not trust people and does not like getting close to people" and his next move is to kiss her???? mid sentence??????? bro WHAT is your thought process there lmao

it makes NO sense to me, yesh sure it was funny when the narrative was like "oh btw Lila pulled a knife on him" but AGAIN. THATS THE POINT. WHY WOULD YOU KISS HER LIKE THAT WHEN SHES COVERED IN KIVES AT ALL TIME AND IS BERY GENEROUS IN USING THEM

Even ignoring her feelings (which he did!) what about HIS safety! did not like this scene lololol

[antaripirate]

this is the exact scene from ACOL just before they board The Ghost, actually

[luciehercndale]

A soft name but she uses it like a knife: an analysis of Lila's identities

Because I think about Lila so much and because I like to analyze names and symbolism so much... I realized something about her given names. I could write an essay about her multiple identities and Kell's but maybe in the future. Tes says that names are a valuable thing and people used personal names to curse those they disliked. Her birth name is Delilah which means "delicate". When Kell first meets her, he thinks that she has a soft name but she uses it like a knife, which is an accurate description of her character.

Only the people closest to her call her Lila, which is more informal. Lila Bard is a double faced matryoshka, we could say. There is one side she shows the people closest to her, which are few, and another side she only shows Kell. He's the only one who sees the tiniest doll in the heart of it all, and even so, there are still sides to her that he doesn't know. He's also the only character she openly told that it was fine to call her Lila after their first meeting.

According to other sources, Delilah could also be the epithet for "traitor" because in the Bible, Delilah cuts Samson's hair and he loses his strength (interesting fact that when Holland and part of Kell's magic end up in the inheritor, their hair turned white - could be inspired by this? Bets are on).

Delilah is also pronounced De-lie-la and I believe she is one of the characters who lies the most in this series and her pov is not 100% trustworthy (which I see as an amusing thing bc she is harder to figure out and it's fun when her lies are unmasked!). She introduces herself with her full name to everyone, but only few people keep calling her Delilah instead of Lila (among them Holland, Nadiya, and Ren). They aren't close, hence they don't dare to use her shortened name, I guess. It's also a way to distance themselves from her or to treat her with respect.

Delilah Bard is one of the identities she has, one she couldn't choose (because her parents gave her this name). Delilah Bard is the exterior, the person on the outside. Even when the text describes her and uses Delilah and not Lila, it's to paint a picture of her from an external point of view. We can explain who she is by thinking about a matryoshka doll: Delilah Bard is the bigger doll, the one everyone sees. Inside there are different sides to her: the magician, the thief, the captain, which have different names as well (the Sarows, the Shadow Thief, casero Bard, even Stasion Elsor).

Lila is the name she seems to prefer for herself, and the name which connects her to her magical part because one of the meaning of this name also refers to the lilac tree. When Lila calls her magic, mostly fire magic, she uses a line from Blake's poem: "Tyger, tyger, burning bright,". The "tiger lily" is also a species of lily flower. Her name Lila then encompasses her magical connection to Red London because it is connected to a flower. But it's yet another interesting connection to Kell because well, the tiger lily is orange-red with black spots. The tiger lily flower is also toxic for cats and we know that Esa doesn't seem to like Lila that much and the feeling is mutual. lol

If you want me to write about more of this stuff send me asks please 🥺

[mercurialskiies]

Another Incoherent Threads of Power Post™️ (Spoilers for Part 4)

—————

There’s something very interesting to me about how Kell feels about his old life. The life that he was kind of almost conditioned into and the same life he traded away for freedom at sea.

And what really gets me emotional is the fact that Kell feels wrong in it after all this time away, emphasized by the point of him and Lila staying in a tavern their first night back in London instead of the royal palace (which Kell is welcome back in as well as Lila by association)

He shrugged out of his coat, and turned it inside out, from left to right, and so Kay’s black mantle fell away, replaced by one Kell hadn’t worn in months—an elegant red coat, gold buttons running down the front. The edges were trimmed in gold thread and the inside was lined with gold silk, and the whole thing smelled of palace candles and sweet floral soap. It was a coat that belonged to Kell Maresh, famed Antari, prince of Arnes, brother to the king.

It was a coat that no longer felt like it fit.

And what gets me is how much this echoes the fact that he never really felt like he belonged in the palace to begin with yet…wants to, to some degree and it made me realize that his only major tie to the palace (aside from Rhy), was his connection to magic. Which he no longer has, hence his perception of his own worth to the palace is diminished.

He looked around, at the bed heaped high with pillows, the golden tray balanced on the sofa’s edge, the balcony giving way to crimson dusk.

Home.

The word rose up like bile. He forced it down.

This room belonged to a different Kell, the one whose coat no longer fit. The one who had sat at a gilded table downstairs, trying to teach Rhy magic, the one for whom it came as easily as air. And standing there, amid the memories, he flinched, because of how badly he wanted to be that Kell again. To have that life back. But it was gone.

He had become someone else.

By necessity, not choice.

And yet, this place called him back.

AND YET

When Lila goes to the tavern to see if Kell had turned in for the night, she finds him in his PALACE ROOM INSTEAD OF THE TAVERN.

AND IT JUST

This started off really coherent, but holy shit Kell makes me so sad sometimes. I’m here for his confidence and his sass, but sometimes the narration in his POVs…

Shit hurted, bro

[tanoraqui]

what I really want for Lila post-ACoL is that she becomes a player on the international stage fully in her own right. Not politically, perhaps, but certainly in international waters. Sure, she’s...in a relationship with the brother of the King of Arnes that neither of them will try to define for years, to themselves much less anyone else. And she probably has a proper Arnesian privateer’s license, too. 

But she’s more of a pirate than Alucard ever was, whatever colors she flies (usually her own.) She sails every sea in the world, with an eye for the worst pirates as targets but not always picky, if a merchant or even navy ship looks interesting. It’s good to keep them humble, at least. At any given time, she is a hero of two empires and wanted dead or alive in a third, and it changes regularly. (The year or so that she is formally wanted for treason in Arnes, Kell stays in London and even Rhy cannot make him smile.)

There are places, mostly not on maps found on land, where the name “Bard” will get you a lot farther than “Maresh”, particular if you want to reach your destination without a knife in your gut. Lila Bard can summon or dismiss a hurricane at sea, they say. Lila Bard has fought a sea serpent (Lila Bard is a sea serpent, turned human, they say. Lila Bard is a story to scare new deckhands. Lila Bard is the Sarows.) Lila Bard drinks tea with Captain Maris of the Ferase Stras, carries knives under her gown at every royal ball she attends, and gathered a fleet of pirates to break the 1937 Siege of London. 

Antari Captain Delilah motherfucking Bard of the Night’s Spire.

[deep-sea-horror]

Lila/Kell/Holland is PEAK enemies to lovers trope and there was so much potential for these three and I still can't believe I was ot3 baited!

[murdersquazh]

I AM OFFICIALLY BACK ON TUMBLR AFTER A SHORT BREAK AND I'VE READ:

1. The Folk of Air trilogy by Holly Black

(YA Fantasy, slow burn romance, enemies to lovers, royalty etc)

2. Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

(LGBT romance, enemies to lovers, squad, family, royalty, etc)

3. The Shades of Magic trilogy by V.E. Schwab

(Adult Fantasy, royalty, friends to lovers, etc)

4. The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

(Romance🌶, enemies to lovers *a recurring trope in my reading list at this point*, fake dating, slow burn, etc)

As much as I would like to give my opinions on these, I kinda read through them pretty quickly so I'm afraid I couldn't give a proper review and rating for every book. All I'm going to say is that I loved them all one way or another, more so for some, a little less for others. BUT I WILL GIVE YOU SOMETHING AS A LITTLE TREAT.

AND THESE ARE MY VIEWS ON SOME OF THE CHARACTERS FROM THESE BOOKS:

The Folk of Air:

CARDAN- I cant with Book 1 Cardan even after reading the spin-off. BUT THEN. ACT II BOOK 1 AND BEYOND HAPPENED and now I love his whole drunken ass, pitch black, worm-eaten heart.

JUDE-GURL, THE POWER. That's it. That's Jude.

TARYN- *eye rolls*

LOCKE- saw it coming from a mile away. Just read how he's described in book 1

NICASIA- ngl, I honestly wanted more from her

MADOCK- if the Hulk decided to foster his dead mortal wife's kids, sure.

COURT OF SHADOWS- I 💚 Yall

VIVI- I need her energy. Or lack thereof

MOVING ON

Red, White and Royal Blue:

ALEX- MY SPIRIT ANIMAL. LOVE HIM.

HENRY- one half of my dream nerd bffs. LOVE HIM TOO.

JUNE- If I were gay, I'd have you. If I wasnt, I probably still would.

NORA- *Lowkey ships with June* other half of my dream nerd bffs.

BEA- Probably my favorite in the gang aside from the main couple

PEZ- I need him in my life. ASAP

MOMS= Q U E E N S

ZAHRA- MOOD

SHAAN- 👀

NEXT

The Shades of Magic:

KELL- very magical grumpy cat. A bit whiny but the story makes up for it.

LILA- I LOVE YOUUUU

RHY- I love the concept of his character sm and he kinda gave me inspiration for a story I'd like to write sometime.

ALUCARD- let's make it spicy. Minus spice. If u know what I mean *wiggles eyebrows*

HOLLAND- YOU FCKIN PLAYERRRR. I THOUGH YOU WERE 27 OR SMTH TT-TT. Overgrown emo boy. Love him. Pls.

AND LASTLY

The Spanish Love Deception:

AARON- Wanted Man. Like. Severely wanted. SOS.

CATALINA- I GOTCHU GIRL. STAY STRONG. SENDING HUGS TO ALL THE LINAS OUT THERE.

ISABEL- very true to life sisterhood *nods solemnly*

ROSIE- I needed more of herrrr :((

DANIEL- fuck you

GERALD- fuck you a thousand times over (a sequel)

ABUELA- the whole fandom

THAT'S IT. I HOPE YOU GUYS READ THESE BOOKS AND LOVE THEM AS MUCH AS I DID. FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. These are just my humble opinions btw :)) please dont take them too seriously. Also sharing that I will finally read Tokyo Revengers next after riding a KnY high.

HAVE A GOOD DAY EVERYONE!!! HAPPY READING❣!!