#annie the book wyrm

[thistle-nightshade]

Spoilers Rule

“But I don’t want you to fret, so let me just spoil your journey now, before you even get your foot on the first step, by giving away the ending…”

—Hannah Gadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette

I am an incredibly anxious bean. I can’t tell you how many movies, tv shows, and books I’ve put down and never returned to because I can’t take the catastrophic feeling of the unknown. I don’t know how it will end and my brain is certain I won’t survive the journey to get there. These are stories I know I would enjoy if I could just power through, but I’ve got a serious mental block preventing me from experiencing any more of it.

This is, often, an annoyance to my friends who recommend quality media to me. It may take me months or years to get around to watching or reading something new. I may never get to it at all. And it isn’t because they aren’t great recommendations. I go to watch it and I just CAN’T.

The best way to get me to read or watch something is to spoil everything. I understand this is hard. Especially if you are someone who enjoys experiencing plot twists for the first time, if you like having your mind blown by a story. For you it is a kindness to preserve that sacred space of the unknown so that someone else can experience the story unspoiled.

But I want none of your excitement! None of your mystery! I want the comfort of a overdone trope, the repose of a story I’ve already experienced. By telling me what I can expect, it allows me past the mental block. It gives me the ability to enjoy the story at all. And I can often appreciate the craftsmanship more deeply when I’m not deep in my feels of doom.

So if you’ve got an anxious bean in your life, ask them if they want you to spoil everything.

[myth-lord]

D&D Monster Madness

Aboleth Abyssal Maw Ahuizotl Air Elemental - Ragewind (Caller in Darkness / Voidwraith) Almiraj Ankheg - Kruthik ANT - Abyss Ant ARCHON - Lantern Archon - Hound Archon Arrowhawk - Steelwing Aurumvorax Axe Beak - Achaierai

Babau Balor Banderhobb Barlgura - Girallon (Yeti) Basidirond Basilisk - Dracolisk BEETLE - Water Beetle - Fire Beetle (Bombardier) - Siege Beetle Behir Beholder Belker - Phiuhl Black Dragon - Shadow Dragon Bladeling Blindheim Blink Dog - Cooshee Bloodthorn Blue Dragon Bodak Boneyard Brown Dragon Bulette Bullywug - Grung - Hezrou (Pod Demon)

Carbuncle Carrion Crawler - Ulgurstasta Catoblepas Cave Fisher - Avalancher Cave Moray Centaur - Armanite CENTIPEDE - Adaru - Remorhaz Chasme Chathrang Chimera Choker - Skulk Chuul Cloaker Clockroach (Clockwork Horror) Cloud Giant - Fog Giant Cockatrice - Pyrolisk Copper Dragon Coral Golem Couatl Crawling Claw Crimson Death Crysmal Crystal Dragon Crystal Ooze Cyclops

DARK TREE - Hangman Tree - Quickwood - Orcwort Darktentacles Deadly Dancer Death Knight Deepspawn Destrachan Deva - Erinyes DIRE BEAST - Dire Rat (Osquip) - Dire Bat (Mobat) - Dire Boar (Fhorge) Displacer Beast - Phane Doppelganger - Maurezhi Dragon Turtle DRAKE - Water Drake (Dimetrodon) - Fire Drake (Zezir) - Air Drake (Wyvern) - Earth Drake (Rock Reptile) Drow - Drider Dryad - Splinterwaif Duergar - Derro - Automaton Dunkleosteus Dust Digger - Silt Horror

Earth Elemental - Tomb Mote Eblis Eidolon Ethereal Defiler Ethereal Dreadnought Ethereal Filcher Ethereal Slayer Ethereal Stalker Ettercap - Vermin Lord Ettin

Faerie Dragon Fetch Feyr Fire Bat Fire Elemental - Fire Effigy Fire Giant Flesh Golem - Rotripper Fomorian - Plague Spewer - Eldritch Giant Froghemoth Frost Giant

Galeb Duhr Gargoyle Gas Spore - Ascomoid Gelatinous Cube Gelugon GENIE - Dao - Djinn - Efreet - Marid Ghaunadan GHOST - Poltergeist - Allip (Wraith) - Banshee Ghoul - Ghast (Witherstench) - Berbalang - Devourer Giant Dragonfly Gibbering Mouther - Argos Glabrezu Gloomwing Gnoll - Witherling - Marrashi - Flind Goblin - Nilbog - Spriggan - Gremlin (Quarrak) Gold Dragon Gorgon Gravorg Gray Render - Cadaver Collector Green Dragon Green Slime - Arcane Ooze - Alkilith Greenvise Grey Dragon Griffon

Hadozee HAG - Bog Hag - Bheur Hag - Night Hag Hamatula Harpy - Siren Hatori Hell Hound - Yeth Hound - Canoloth Hippocampus Hook Horror Hullathoin Hydra

Id Fiend Imp - Mephit - Quasit Intellect Devourer - Cerebrilith (Brain Collector) - Grell Iron Golem - Adamantine Golem - Juggernaut

Kelpie Kenku Kirin (Celestial Stag) Korred Krenshar - Carcass Eater Kyton

Lamia Lemure - Rutterkin Leprechaun Leucrotta Lich - Demilich - Skull Lord Lillend LIZARDFOLK - Drakkoth - Kobold - Pterrax - Salamander - Troglodyte LYCANTHROPE - Werebear (Firbolg) - Werefox (Kitsune) - Wereshark

Magmin - Magma Hurler Manticore - Jarilith Marilith - Spell Weaver Medusa Merman - Merrow Merregon - Barbazu Mimic - Trapper Mind Flayer - Ulitharid Minotaur - Goristro Mohrg Morkoth Mudman Mummy - Grisgol - Skirr Myconid - Phycomid

NAGA - Dark Naga - Water Naga Nereid Nightmare Nightwalker (Death Giant) Nothic - Shardsoul Slayer (Phthisic) Nuckelavee

Obliviax (Puppeteer) Oni Orc - Tulgar Osyluth Otyugh Owlbear

Paeliryon Peryton Phoenix Piercer - Roper POSSESSED OBJECT - Book of Vile Darkness - Carrionette (Soul Puppet) - Helmed Horror - Slithering Hoard - Trap Haunt - Xaver (Deathdrinker) PUDDING - Black Pudding - White Pudding Purple Dragon Purple Worm - Fiendwurm - Neothelid

Quickling

Rakshasa Ravid Red Dragon - Hellfire Wyrm Redcap Roc Rot Grubs Rust Monster

Sahuagin - Skulvyn Sandman - Skriaxit Satyr - Bulezau Scarecrow SCORPION - Hellstinger Shadow Demon Shadow Mastiff Shambling Mound - Tendriculos Shardmind Shocker Sibriex Silver Dragon - Mercury Dragon Simpathetic Skin Kite Solamith (Soul Eater) SNAIL - Balhannoth - Flail Snail - Metalmaster Solar   - Angel of Decay Sphinx SPIDER - Phase Spider (Wraith Spider) - Aranea (Tomb Spider) - Darkweaver - Bebilith Sprite Steel Predator Stirge Stone Giant Su-Monster Succubus (Incubus) Swordwing

Tlincalli Treant - Saguaro Sentinel Troll

Umber Hulk Unicorn - Dusk Unicorn Uridezu

Vampire - Varrangoin Vargouille Vrock

WASP - Hellwasp Swarm - Quanlos (Advespa) Wastrilith Water Elemental - Caller from the Deeps Web Golem Wendigo White Dragon Wight - Boneclaw Will o Wisp - Trilloch Winter Wolf

Yellow Dragon (Sunwyrm) Yellow Musk Creeper - Twilight Bloom (corpse flower) Yrthak Yuan-Ti - Abomination

Zombie - Drowned - Dustblight - Entombed Zorbo

UNIQUE Demogorgon Juiblex Tiamat Bahamut Lolth Cryonax Imix Ogremoch Olhydra Yan-C-Bin Pazuzu Kraken Tarrasque Leviathan Eye Tyrant Elder Brain Zuggtmoy

UNDEAD: Shadow / Adherer / Coffer Corpse / Crypt Thing / Huecuva / Necrophidius / Penanggalan / Revenant / Death Slaad / Son of Kyuss / Blazing Bones / Flameskull / Sinister / Skuz / Dracolich / Nightwing / Nightcrawler / Gravecrawler / Charnel Hound / Vitreous Drinker / Atropal / Spectre / Skeleton / Giant Skeleton / Entropic Reaper / Famine Spirit / Wraith / Deadborn / Vampiric Mist /

FIEND: Nalfeshnee / Cornugon / Pit Fiend / Larva / Amnizu / Hellcat / Mezzoloth / Nycaloth / Arcanoloth / Charonaloth / Dergholoth / Hydroloth / Oinoloth / Piscoloth / Ultroloth / Yagnoloth / Demodand / Cambion / Abishai / Spinagon / Yochlol / Molydeus / Nightmare Beast / Wastrel / Jovoc / Zovvut / Advespa / Durzagon / Arrow Demon / Sorrowsworn / Deathdrinker / Whisper Demon / Evistro / Draudnu / Remmanon / Blood Fiend / Echinoloth / Dybbuk / Nabassu / Braxat / Death Dog / Howler / Soul Eater / Tanarukk / Skybleeder / Incubus / Barghest /

ABERRATION: Eyewing / Eye of the Deep / Giant Leech / Lurker Above / Giant Octopus / Giant Jellyfish / Giant Slug / Thought Eater / Xorn / Flumph / Thoqqua / Volt / Xill / Land Urchin / Burbur / Giant Sea Anemone / Giant Clam / Giant Sunstar / Fachan / Neogi / Giant Squid / Decapus / Darkmantle / Delver / Ethereal Marauder / Frost Worm / Grick / Avolakia / Odopi / Rot Reaver / Gorbel / Spectator / Slaad / Digester / Meenlock / Chaos Beast / Balhannoth / Masher / Vodyanoi / Uchuulon / Dharculus / Brain Collector /

HUMANOID: Hill Giant / Halfling / Hobgoblin / Weretiger / Yeti / Aarakocra / Babbler / Dark Creeper / Dark Stalker / Dire Corby / Dune Stalker / Mountain Giant / Gibberling / Grimlock / Meazel / Norker / Quaggoth / Formian / Verbeeg / Selkie / Thri-Kreen / Wemic / Dragonkin / Asabi / Werebat / Athach / Abeil / Death Giant / Lumi / Phoelarch / Storm Giant / Nightshade / Gith / Flind / Bugbear / Wereboar / Wererat / Werewolf / Ogre / Tabaxi / Skindancer / Pit Master / Shadar-Kai / Lizardman / Triton / Kuo-Toa / Nagpa /

OOZE: Ochre Jelly / Slithering Tracker / Stunjelly / Aballin / Flareater / Phasm / Bone Ooze / Flesh Jelly / Teratomorph / Conflagration Ooze / Corrupture / Graveyard Sludge / Brown Pudding / Gray Ooze /

BEAST: Ankylosaurus / Brachiosaurus / Ceratosaurus / Elasmosaurus / Mosasaurus / Pteranodon / Stegosaurus / Triceratops / Tyrannosaurus / Giant Eagle / Giant Eel / Giant Frog / Giant Gar / Giant Lamprey / Subterrean Lizard / Mammoth / Giant Otter / Giant Owl / Giant Sea Horse / Sea Serpent / Giant Constrictor / Giant Cobra / Giant Snapping Turtle / Giant Weasel / Giant Wolverine / Blood Hawk / Bonesnapper / Jaculi / Quipper / Rothe / Behemoth Hippo / Boobrie / Giant Catfish / Compsognathus / Deinonychus / Dimetrodon / Struthiomimus / Tanystropheus / Giant Raven / Verme / Megatherium / Cloud Ray / Quetzalcoatlus / Spinosaurus / Gambol / Moonrat / Guulvorg / Amphisbaena / Dire Bear / Dire Crocodile / Dire Elephant / Dire Shark / Dire Rhinoceros / Dire Stag / Dire Tiger / Dire Wolf / Worg / Muckdweller / Brain Mole / Ixitxachitl / Jackalwere / Pegasus / Sea Lion / Androsphinx / Hieracosphinx / Ice Toad / Bunyip / Disenchanter / Fire Snake / Kamadan / Mantari / Nonafel / Afanc / Baku / Boalisk / Kech / Ascallion / Frost Salamander / Kirre / Dragon Eel / Tojanida / Mudmaw / Rejkar / Zezir / Lodestone Marauder / Rylkar / Julajimus / Sand Hunter / Cranium Rat / Witherstench /

PLANT: Shrieker / Whipweed / Kampfult / Mandragora / Giant Sundew / Vegepygmy / Wolf-In-Sheeps-Clothing / Death’s Head Tree / Thorny / Phantom Fungus / Twig Blight / Dread Blossom Swarm / Night Twist / Burrow Root / Assassin Vine / Bloodsipper / Burnflower / Vine Horror / Tri-Flower Frond / Violet Fungus / Wood Woad / Battlebriar /

FEY: Brownie / Nixie / Nymph / Sylph / Atomie / Boggle / Green Hag / Grig / Hybsil / Frost Fairy / Lhiannan Shee / Ragewalker / Lunar Ravager / Banshrae / Frostwind Virago / Wild Hunt / Eladrin / Grimalkin / Sea Hag / Annis Hag / Kercpa / Skiurid / Pixie / Pech /

CONSTRUCT: Homonculus / Caryatid Column / Iron Cobra / Margoyle / Mongrel / Magic Golem / Bone Golem / Glass Golem / Shield Guardian / Hangman Golem / Merchurion / Clay Golem / Clockwork Horror / Dwarf Ancestor / Stone Golem / Emerald Golem / Retriever / Hellfire Engine /

DRAGON: Bronze Dragon / Dragonne / Pseudo-Dragon / Cloud Dragon / Mist Dragon / Linnorm / Gorynych / Tether Beast / Styx Dragon / Ambush Drake / Guardian Naga / Spirit Naga /

ELEMENTAL: Invisible Stalker / Water Weird / Azer / Mihstu / Ice Elemental / Lightning Elemental / Time Elemental / Energon / Earth Weird / Nishruu / Nyth / Orglash / Immoth / Tempest / Blackball / Breathdrinker / Chraal / Gulgar / Zaratan / Chaos Shard / Kapoacinth / Visilight /

VERMIN: Rhinoceros Beetle / Water Spider / Assassin Bug / Ant Lion / Death Watch Beetle / Slicer Beetle / Megapede / Giant Solifugid / Tenebrous Worm / Fyrefly / Bonespear / Sword Spider / Spider Eater / Spellgaunt / Brood Keeper / Chelicera / Harpoon Spider / Tomb Spider / Boring Beetle / Giant Ant / Giant Crab / Bristle Spider / Death Jumper / Snow Tarantula / Giant Tick / Bloodsilk Spider / Heart Tick / Carcass Crab / Giant Centipede / Giant Mantis / Giant Scorpion / Giant Spider / Wraith Spider / Giant Wasp /

CELESTIAL: Lammasu / Titan / Planetar / Swanmay / Trumpet Archon /

[yourjughead]

Nuts and Bolts

Sweet Pea x reader

Synopsis: You're studying law while your boyfriend gets in trouble with it. Desperate to find some money to afford an engagement ring for you, Sweet Pea seeks help from a Ms.Peabody.

A/N: sorry I haven't posted in ages between Christmas and exams I've been wrecked. I wrote this a little differently than how I'd normally do it. Hope you like the idea and aren't to mad about the execution. Feed back welcomed especially with the new (for me) format. This fic is really long, so long I didn't have enough space to do the Love Chrissy Xx, so love Chrissy Xx. (This is also why some speech towards the end has to be on the same line my apologies)

------------------------------------

“Sweet Pea?” The Serpent woke you, surrounded by books, as he dragged his feet and clicked the door close.

“Oh sorry baby, go back to sleep you have college in the morning” he peeled his wet Serpent jacket from his skin and began changing.

“It's like 4am, did the Serpents really need you this late?” you shoved the law books from the bed.

“Yeah they did, lot more to do lately.” he huffed, collapsing alongside of you, the bed bending slightly more with the new weight. You immediately cuddled up to him, he willingly accepting it. His skin cold from the night instantly warmed.

“what was the job Pea?”

“I'd rather you not know, it'll be easier for you to lie to the police then when they come looking to take me away” he laughed as you playfully hit him into the chest.

“Don't joke about that Pea”

“Well I mean on the brightside our conjugal visits would be pretty great”

“Are they not now? I'm going to be a lawyer, I could get you off” you winked and the your hand slipped up the inside of his shirt, running over the bumps and grooves of his muscular frame. You both met hungrily before Sweet Peas phone buzzed to life, you both groaning at the sound of being interrupted.

“Sorry honey do you mind?” You smiled at him before kissing him and reburying yourself in his chest as he went for his phone.

As if on cue your phone lit to life, Unknown Number decorating the screen, it continued to buzz as texts came flying in.

“Wait yn!” He snatched the phone from your hand and you looked on confused.

“Woah Pea” you laughed before taking it back from his tight grip and reading the texts, your face dropped.

“Sweet Pea…” you looked from the phone to him, sat up and pushed away from him, he also sat up and attempted to move back closer to you.

“Wha-whats wrong yn” every possible scenario running through his head, he reached for your arm and you pulled back.

~

3 Weeks Earlier ~ Sweet Pea POV

“Okay Fangs I've decided, I'm going to propose”

“Wow no ring, you're not down on one knee, I'm sorry SP but I can't accept” he put one hand on his heart and the other to his head before I shoved him.

“Oh Sweet Pea we can't! We’re only 23! What will our parents say! What about ynn!” He continued to act like the idiot he is as I laughed at him.

“youre right Fangs you're right, I'll have to just settle for yn, I don't deserve you”

“I'm afraid so Pea”

“Don't call me Pea” I looked at him seriously before laughing again.

“So after what? 7 years together you've decided it's time?” He took a drag from his cigarette, the Whyte Wyrm lights glowing behind us.

“Almost 8, in about 3 weeks” I crushed my own cigarette into the gravel.

“That's exciting SP, congrats dude! When you gonna do it?

“Not sure, I guess our anniversary?”

“Yeah sounds just cheesy enough for yn to love it but still mock you for it”

“Hah yeah, I think she'll love it”

“So how are you going to pay for the wedding?”

“Well I mean we won't have to get married right away so there's time to save. We probably won't get married till after yn finishes Law next year at least”

“What about the ring?”

“When did you become a Wedding Planner?” I laughed and he crushed his cigarette next to mine, he then put his hands up in defense.

“Nah man, just wondering, rings are like expensive and we're not exactly making a killing at the garage and she'll probably want a diamond not a bolt”

“Yeah I guess but I'll figure it out. Anyway there's still time, I better get going, she'll be home soon and you know I like to be there. We'll probably come back for a drink later” he smiled before giving a small wave and escaping the chill night back in the bar. Huh, where am I going to get this money, I threw my hands in my pockets and began my walk home but was first interrupted.

“So, SP is marrying the small town Northsider, fairytale”

“What do you want Penny?” I replied harshly to the voice behind me. This witch.

“Nothing nothing, just, yanno, Northsiders do want the big fairytale wedding” she ran her hand across my shoulders before standing in front of me. Snake in the grass.

“And?”

“And like Fangs said, costs a lot of money, a lot of money you don't have” she jabbed her finger into chest. Ugh, hate her. I tried to move passed her but she instantly pushed me back.

“i have money you know SP, I could help you”

“I don't want your help”

“Suit yourself, I'm sure the Northsider will stick around for the nuts and bolts you Gearheads provide” she began sauntering off. I will not bite the bait. I will not bite the bait. I will not bite the bait. Damn it.

“Penny wait” she turned with a smirk. Damn it.

“What's the price?”

“Few favours”

“It's never a few with you”

“It's a simple favour.” Her grin was soul crushing, this is a giant mistake. Yn is worth it.

“What's the favour?”

“Take my niece to a family wedding, might give you ideas for your own” this was the last thing I was expecting her to say and she could easily tell.

“See, easy” this is not going to be easy.

~

2 Weeks later

It was not easy. It was horrible. Her niece, Annie, was 21 and a mess. I had to lie to yn and tell her I was working late at the garage, hated it. Hated the wedding even more. Loud. Abrasive. Peabody's everywhere. Annie was drunk for most of it and under Penny's instruction I walked her back to her room after. Then had to practically peel her off me. Uncomfortable.

“So time for your next job”

“No Penny I did what I had to” I went to close the trailer door but she jammed her foot before I could.

“Heard you bought a nice ring recently, cost a bunch I'd say? A bunch you don't have” if I could, I'd kill her but the only grave I'm digging is for myself. Fuck.

~

Present ~ Sweet Pea Pov

“Yn, honey tell me what's wrong” she was already out of the bed, getting dressed, grabbing things and shoving them in a bag.

“What's wrong?!” I crawled me way to the edge of the bed, grabbed the bag from her hands and unpacked while she continued getting dressed.

“What's wrong!?” She shouted back. She never shouts at me...she rarely shouts at me.

“Yeah!”

“Why is someone sending me photos of you and some girl in some hotel room!” She threw the phone at my chest, definitely going to leave a mark. The phone showed me in the hotel room with Annie, when she was hauling me onto the bed. Nothing happened but this made it really look like something did. Fuck Penny, trying to take the only good thing I have from me.

“Yn…” I looked up and she stood over me, nothing but hurt on her face.

“I can explain” I didn't want to have to explain.

“Well?!”

“Emmm” she groaned at me, throwing her head back before grabbing the bag from me again and ripping things from the dresser and her books from the floor.

“Oh and happy anniversary” she hurled a box and narrowly missed my head and then slammed every door of the trailer. Fuck.

I got dressed as fast as possible, grabbed my Serpent jacket before bolting out the door after her, the rain still hammering the aptly named Sunnyside.

“Yn please! Where are you going!?”

“I DON'T KNOW! JUST AWAY FROM YOU!” she continued pounding the pavement outside the fence of the park. I caught up to her easily, the law books weighing her down.

“Listen that was a job for Penny!”

“Excuse me!” She stopped suddenly sending me slamming into her.

“Okay well no that's not what I meant!”

“WELL WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEN?! what do you mean” the sight of her crying hurt me more than anything I could think of. I just grabbed her and pulled her into my chest.

“I needed money and Penny gave it to me, I just needed to take her niece to a wedding and then some other things and then I'd have enough money and her niece just got super drunk but I swear, yn I swear nothing happened, please believe me” I pulled her from my chest to look her right in her beautiful, sad eyes.

“I-I think-i want to believe you Pea...but why did we need money? It's not my college fees I'm on scholarship? Is it the trailer? What is it?”

“Umm” okay okay okay. It's a good sign she said We and not I and she still called me Pea, good signs.Breathing, breathing, breathing, okay, okay, okay and then I dropped down to one knee and pulled the little box from the leather pocket.

“This is what the money was for” I peeled back the lid to reveal the stone I could have never afforded without Penny. The witch. Yn covered her mouth and I was losing confidence.

“Yn Yln, I love you, please please please will you marry me” “No” I'm going to be sick.

“Wh...wha” I just couldn't find my words, my ribcage was collapsing on itself.

“I wont marry you with that ring” she dropped her arms to her sides and bit her lip before pulling me up from my knees.

“I don't understand”

“You take that ring back and get a refund and then take the money back to that witch”

“Bu-but the ring” “I don't care about the ring Pea!”

“But fangs said-” she rolled her eyes and I just realised how stupid I sounded.

“I couldn't care less if you gave me a freaking bolt or something! Just please take back the ring and get away from that woman” “And after I give back the ring….”

“Then I guess I'll have to marry you” her smile was the best possible thing I could see after she gave me a mini heart attack. “You have to have a ring” I began rummaging through my pockets at her protest before pulling out the contents of my pockets. My keys, a button, a bolt and some change. “Emm” I took the bolt and slipped it on her baby finger and she laughed.

“Perfect I love it, except it's super cheesy you're proposing to me on our anniversary, I still love it” I laughed at her and grabbed her tightly around the waist. I adore this girl. I kissed her furiously.

“The Serpent's may have just got a new lawyer”

“Yeah and now you owe me a favor” I raised my eyebrow at her before kissing her.

“You have to carry these books back home...and me home”

"Deal" I adore her.

[2000adonline]

2000 AD Prog 2013 out now! 

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Gaze in wonder at the chilling cover by Clint Langley and then buckle in for more ghafflebette excitement courtesy of Judge Dredd, Kingmaker, The Order, Kingdom, and Hope, brought to you by 2000 AD's rivetpoppingly prolific creator droids!

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Judge Dredd: Deep In The Heart by Michael Carroll (w) Tiernan Trevallion (a) Annie Parkhouse (l) Mega-City One, 2138 AD. Home to over 72 million citizens, this urban hell is situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America, where unemployment is rife, boredom universal and crime is rampant. Tensions rest on a knife-edge and only the zero-tolerance Judges — future lawmen empowered to dispense instant justice — can stop total anarchy. Toughest of them all is JUDGE DREDD — he is the Law! Now, Dredd has a fugitive to find in Texas City...

Kingmaker by Ian Edginton (w) Leigh Gallagher (a) Ellie De Ville (l) The people of the Nine Kingdoms had thought that the undead Ichnar the Wraith King was the biggest threat to peace and freedom, but they hadn’t reckoned without the Thorn — a race of aliens that unexpectedly arrived and occupied their world, destroying those that stood in their way. Recruiting the locals to aid their Shrike troopers, they’ve been hunting down all those with magical abilities — including the wizard Ablard...

Hope: ... For The Future by Guy Adams (w) Jimmy Broxton (a) Simon Bowland (l) An alternate 1940s Hollywood. WWII is over, victory having been secured by occult means. Now, magic is a part of everyday life, its practitioners commonplace. Mallory HOPE is one such skilled operative, though calling on the dark arts takes its toll on the user. He’s also a private investigator, hired for all manner of down n’ dirty jobs, and now his services are required to find a missing boy, the child star Buster Ritz!...

The Order: Wyrm War by Kek-W (w) John Burns (a) Annie Parkhouse (l) Seventeenth-century France. The writer Cyrano de Bergerac lies on his deathbed, wanting to tell one last story before he passes — a tale of how he became part of a group of warriors known as THE ORDER, who throughout the centuries have been protecting man from the Wyrms. At certain points in history, these creatures can break through from their dimension and into ours — but something is disrupting the timeline...

Kingdom: As It Is In Heaven by Dan Abnett (w) Richard Elson (a) Ellie De Ville (l) Earth, the far future. Mankind has been all but destroyed, those still surviving forced into hiding by Them — insectile creatures that have taken over the world. Charged with protecting humanity are genetically engineered dog-soldiers like Gene the Hackman — savage warriors that patrol the wilderness, keeping Them off their Masters’ lawn. Now, Gene has awoken from stasis on the Masters’ orbital station, and gone on the run...

[thistle-nightshade]

If the call to read diverse books gets you hot under the collar, I need you to lean into that discomfort a little and ask yourself the question: What would happen if I did?

First and foremost, let’s make sure we are on the same page about the diverse books effort. When someone says “Read more diversely,” what they are asking is for you to take the author into consideration when you are choosing your next read. It’s unfortunate that we live in a world where current prejudice and a long history of prejudice impact the day to day lives of minority groups, but the publishing industry is largely white, heteronormative, able bodied, and cis. We can uplift authors of color, disabled authors, and queer authors by purposefully looking for their books, especially when the publishing industry fails them time and time again.

This does not mean that you can’t read books by white, cis, straight authors. A focus is not an exclusion. All that is being asked is that alongside your normal reads, you intentionally branch out into more diverse writers.

Creating space for more diverse authors is important because people deserve to tell their own stories. Have you ever read something in your area of expertise and the author just got it so incredibly wrong? This happens with identity, too. Not only is it cringe worthy when someone outside the community gets the essence wrong, it can also be incredibly harmful by spreading destructive stereotypes. Allowing community members to tell stories about their community empowers them and helps to establish good representation in mainstream media.

Representation matters because every person deserves to see themselves well represented in a book they love. It’s so easy to feel alone, especially if you are part of a minority community. Books open up a window for us to feel more connected and to understand our identities. It’s no wonder that having positive representation has been shown to increase self-esteem.

Even if the representation isn’t your identity, it’s still incredibly important. Diversity is a teacher. We live in an age of echo chambers. It’s so easy to get sequestered into our own personalized bubble on the internet. Putting yourself in a place to listen to the stories of people different from yourself is vital for connecting with others, for understanding their struggles, and for building solidarity in our communities. It will stretch you in the best of ways.

And finally, if that wasn’t enough, we should read diverse because we deserve to read excellent stories. Diverse books are brilliant. They challenge the industry, inject new life blood into publishing, keep thing fresh and exciting. Diverse books are stunning. They are well written, and fun, and capture the imagination. Diverse books keep the humanity in publishing, because humanity is millions of unique facets joined together into a whole. Why would you limit yourself to just one?

[thistle-nightshade]

What's in an alter ego

“We are a restless breed, we dragons, never really satisfied…” — Donn Kushner

Though a lot of stories talk about the wealth in the dragon’s lair, money isn’t the only thing these massive reptiles amass. Eliot Grayson has a cute romance called Devon and the Dragon in which the dragons hoard any numbers of things, whatever it is they find most valuable. I was especially drawn to the one who hoards old books. Annie and I also hoard books in our own ways, and for this we have chosen the monikers: Book Dragon & Book Wyrm.

Annie reads a lot of books, taking in stories quickly. They read close to three hundred books over 2023, though not all of them were worthy of claiming on Goodreads. They also hold on to the stories in their mind, cherishing them even without the physical copy of the book. They have stories that they read in middle school that still hold great significance to them all these years later, and they are happy to share this magic with you. Book Wyrm is obviously a play on words, one that felt accurate. To best appreciate their collection, you may want to check out their youtube channel.

Annie's Youtube

Alyx reads a lot of books at once, some stories spanning years before they finish. They’re currently reading list has been know to creep up to almost thirty books. In recent years they have become aware of the term mood reader, and begrudgingly accept this as accurate. They don’t make themself finish a book before picking up a new one, finding that this actually allows them to finish more books and enjoy the experience more. They also love having large book piles stacked upon every available surface, all the better to live up to the Book Dragon Aesthetic. If you’re curious what books they’ve actually finished, you may enjoy their book reviews.

Alyx's Book Reviews

Thistle & Nightshade Newsletter

[thistle-nightshade]

Why We Chose Our Name

Thistle is prickly and defensive, but it is also an important provider for pollinators. To belong to the thistle family means you are resilient, strong, determined, devoted.

As for nightshade? Well that’s being a little wicked… a little toxic. And with more research we discovered something even better: Nightshade is a family of plants that includes tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, and peppers. Nightshade is deadly… and a little ridiculous! We loved that blend!

This is what we strive to be: a little wicked, ridiculous, strong, resilient, and determined. We hope that you will find that spirit in Thistle & Nightshade Bookshop.

[thistle-nightshade]

Two Weirdos with a Dream

“The world can witness a start and so it becomes history, but all stories begin out of sight, with a thread only you can choose to pick up and retrace for the telling.”

— Hannah Gadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette

The dream began as wishful thinking in December 2022. It was the very end of the year when Annie and I whispered something into existence: What if we owned a bookstore? This was a silly dream we shared between ourselves to give us a break from our jobs and the chaos of the world. Every time work became too stressful, we could run away into the fantasy of a bookshop that was a safe place for queer people, that centered minority voices, that shared the magic of good books.

Early 2023, we turned it into a hobby. Books make us happy and we have a tendency to acquire a giant pile of dead, tattooed trees. We both went through our collections to see what we could part with and sell online. Initially we ended up with three large, black and yellow tubs full of books. We photographed every one and listed it online just to see what would happen.

The first book we ever sold was Citizen by Claudia Rankine and we were absolutely ecstatic. This was one out of Annie’s collection, and they had been meaningfully impacted by the book. We wrapped it up and they wrote a heartfelt note on it before we sent it off to a new home.

After that, it felt more tangible. We browsed yard and estate sales and took in generous donations from friends and families. And it quickly became apparent that we needed more space. Plastic tubs weren’t going to cut it anymore. So we got a little office and began to stuff it with bookshelves laden with books, all the while selling them online and doing a little happy dance every time we got to ship one.

Fast forward a year and some change and we are so excited to open our space up for in person shopping. We can’t wait to see what this change brings for our little business.

Subscribe to our newsletter to follow along on our journey.