#because i am a sucker for well done historical fiction | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

carriagelamp · 1 year

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I had an impulsive July! Some of these books are continuations that I more or less expected to read, but I sure did just grab some random books this month. Most of which pleasantly surprised me! A couple of which just simply surprised me...

A Marvellous Light

A Marvellous Light was probably my favourite book this month and it was one of my random impulses! I saw some fanart that intrigued me so I grabbed it from the library on a whim -- by now I have bought my own copy because it was just that well done. I am always a sucker for a well executed period adventure, especially when it can work in magical elements (I’m looking at you Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue) and this did everything I could possibly want from this sort of novel. It’s set in the Edwardian period and was such a perfect blend between action, tension and mystery, comedy, and romance; I was completely invested in both of the main characters the whole way through. Oh, and it felt like it fit in the time period, that the dialogue, narration, manners, stage dressing were all appropriate. There's nothing worse than a historical novel where the writing feels painfully modern.

The story starts out with baronet Robin Blythe who is having a no-good very bad day at work. He holds a civil servant position in the government and was just demoted to a shoddy little nothing position that he’s never even heard of by someone with a grudge against his parents. He quickly realizes how in over his head he is though when he finds out that the “special” part of “Special Liaison” actually means “magic”. Something that definitely doesn’t exist, except apparently it does, and now he has to navigate this strange new world with a very exasperated magical coworker, Edwin Courcey. His day only gets worse from there...

A Rover’s Story

A charming little novel told from the point of view of a fictionalized Mars rover. I admit I’m not a very science minded person, but from my inexpert opinion it seems quite well researched, with their Rover being heavily modelled after the previous rovers that were sent to Mars. I appreciated the author's note at the back that discussed some of the research that went into the novel, what was and wasn't accurate, and what was changed for the sake of narration.

It is a very neat journey that starts with Resilience still in pieces in a lab, as it gets to know the scientists around itself and what its eventual mission will be, and how its life goes from there. Though it can't communicate with the humans, it is able to communicate with all sorts of other electronics in the lab! The story is counterbalanced by the daughter of one of the scientists who writes to the rover as a sort of journal to deal with her mother so rarely being home. It was a quick read but very sweet.

American Girl: Meet Addy // Addy Learns A Lesson // Danger at the Zoo

I have continued to read the American Girl books after being pleasantly surprised by the Kit book I read last month (Kit Saves The Day). Their strongest point is definitely what strong historical fiction stories they are! At least from the ones I’ve read so far, the time period is never just a backdrop, the authors do take the time to ensure that the novel’s plot and problems are directly tied into what makes that point in time unique, and even as an adult I found myself learning interesting tidbits of information. The little “looking back” nonfiction section at the end of the books is especially neat!

I really enjoyed both of the Addy books I read. These stories take place in 1864 during the Civil War. Addy’s family are slaves on a southern plantation, and the first book is about Addy’s escape from captivity with her mother, while the second book looks at the continued hardships and inequality that even free black people in the North suffered. They did a good job balancing the intended age bracket with the seriousness of the subject matter, and it didn’t feel like it shied away from making its point.

The Kit Mystery book, Danger at the Zoo I was less impressed with, which disappointed me because I really enjoyed Kit Saves The Day. It wasn’t bad, per se, just rather middling. A fine read, but not dazzling. Maybe I had overinflated my expectations; given that it was a bigger book, I had hoped that it would up its game a bit, but it felt rather the opposite. It was a fine story, it dealt with historical details well, but it did a poor job creating the sort of tension I would want from a proper “mystery” novel. It often felt like we were treading water, where a quicker pace would have helped.

Doctor Who: Deep Time // Silhouette // Mission to Venus

My Doctor Who kick is still going strong. Relentless. Silhouette and Deep Time were both fine, basic examples of a decently written Doctor Who novel. Deep Time was rather forgettable... the side characters never really succeeded in interesting me, and it often felt like it suffered from pacing issues. It was about the Doctor and Clara on a doomed space mission that gets stranded in deep space, but I enjoyed listening to it in the background while I was doing other stuff.

Silhouette was actually pretty great, probably because I’m a total sucker for the Paternoster Gang. It was a fun mystery set in a ~mysterious carnival~ during a frost fair on the Thames. It had the characters splitting up and exploring different avenues to solve a set of murders. Lots of good Vastra and Jenny stuff, and Strax was absolutely hilarious, he stole the show every time he was featured. Love him. The whole thing was a pretty solid plot, pretty funny, and I thought both The Doctor and Clara got pretty decent characterization throughout. Would recommend this one if you want a solid Doctor Who read.

The last one, Mission to Venus, was hands down the funniest though, albeit unintentionally. Did you know there were really trashy Doctor Who Choose Your Own Adventure books written in the 80s? I didn’t, but I do now and obviously I had to get my hands on one. It is Exceptionally Bad but in the funniest possible way. I had a blast reading through this and I really don’t know what to say about it besides look at the cover. Look at it. Amazing. The Doctor, Peri (and You!) wind up on a spaceship that is trying to transfer dangerous by highly nutritional plants to a stricken colony, but is very soon imperiled.

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation v4

I creep every closer to finishing the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation series! Not much I can say about it that I haven’t said about the others that wouldn’t enter outright spoiler territory, so I’ll just say that this was another great volume. Some of them have felt overly bogged down by some of their flashbacks (like the entire back half of volume 2 and the endless Yi City arc. I'm not saying it wasn't interesting but my god this was a Victor Hugo level diversion) but this one went at a great pace and it’s nice to feel like we’re actually making progress in the main plot even if, romantically speaking, WWX and LWJ continue to be two of the dumbest human beings alive. Bless this slow burn, I’m gonna kill them both. Also enjoyed the side characters we got in this book — I loved how great the Juniors were, loved my dear, cranky, miserable Jiang Cheng, loved Wen Ning Doing His Best. Great book. I’m dragging my feet about reading the fifth book because I don’t want this to end.

Love Beyond Body Space & Time: An Indigenous LGBT Sci-Fi Anthology

A really neat anthology of short stories written by Canadian Indigenous authors that are all focused on queer sci-fi stories. It’s way too easy to box Indigenous stories into the singular genres of “historical” or “contemporary” so it was great having an entire book devoted to various Indigenous perspectives on science fiction. Like any anthology there were some weak stories and some phenomenally good stories. I picked this one up specifically because Cherie Dimaline (author of The Marrow Thieves) wrote for it, and she did not disappoint, but all the stories were so different and so interesting that I can’t recommend it enough.

Short story collections like this are especially good for people without a lot of time or who are trying to revitalize their reading attention span imo because it gives you fully formed, bite-sized stories that put a lot of care and detail into their telling.

Nimona

Obviously I had to finally read Nimona. It’s been on my TBR for ages, and, like absolutely everyone else I think, I figured I had better read it now that the movie is out. I enjoyed both the comic and the film very much! It was interesting to see two slightly different takes on the same narrative, and I think both expressed the point they were trying to make very well. I honestly couldn't say which version I enjoyed more. I doubt I have anything to say that someone else hasn’t said much, much better, so I'll leave it with that.

Torchwood: Skypoint

One of the better Torchwood books I’ve read so far, I think! It had some pretty solid characterization tbh. The story wasn’t anything mind blowing, but a survival adventure in a high tech apartment was a fun setting, and I am literally never going to say not to a fake marriage plot line 👀 so a story about Owen and Tosh going undercover as a newly-wed couple in a sinister apartment building that might be eating its residents was just plain old fun. It also delivered me some truly delicious Tosh/Owen angst. Mwah. It was all around a pretty darn good Owen book, which he deserved after being slandered so badly in Something in the Water. Though I was a little disappointed by how Tosh was handled — I kept expecting her to have a bigger role than she really got by the end.

Yuri Bear Storm v1

…I have no words. I bought this one on a whim because the description on the back made me laugh:

Every night, 16-year-old Kureha has a strange dream involving lilies, storms, and... her classmate Ginko as a bear?! At school, Kureha's unassuming personality and looks render her practically invisible. Sometimes, it feels like no one notices her at all... until cute and energetic Ginko asks Kureha to talk privately one day during lunch. Maybe she really is a bear... or maybe she's just got a crush on Kureha!

but frankly there were too few bears. I thought I was getting a bear-themed magical girl book with lesbians. I have no idea what I actually got. You can tell there’s some sort of metaphor at work here — and I’ve got an Honours Degree in English Literature, dragging bullshit metaphors out of the text kicking and screaming is like my whole thing — but I’ll be damned if I could actually tell you what it is. It’s either wildly inconsistent and deranged, or genius. Or maybe there's no metaphor at all and the authors just really wanted to draw bear ears and panty-shots *shrug* I cannot emphasize enough how little sense this book made. Every time I thought I maybe had a handle on things it got progressively more inscrutable, it was actually rather impressive.

May get the second book, we’ll see how weak my resolve is not to waste my money.

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cleopatras-library · 1 year

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📚🗓 Mid-Year Freakout Tag 2023 🗓📚

jumping on the hype train because it’s fun

How many books have you read so far?

69 including comics & graphic novels (nice)

What genres have you read?

Mostly fantasy and sci fi, but also a bit of historical fiction.

Best book you’ve read so far in 2023?

The Tyrant Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson! The first two books in the series were dubious, but things really came together for me in this one and I'm so excited for the conclusion. Also Baru is the character ever.

Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2023?

Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir; it really recontextualizes the first two books and is therefore the best at being a sequel.

New release you haven’t read yet, but want to

Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway (saw it at a festival), Translation State by Ann Leckie (I really liked her other books), and also New Suns 2 (I read New Suns last year and it had some really good stories!)

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

Alecto the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir! After reading Nona I need to know.

Biggest disappointment

It's a tie between The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (boring and somehow shallow-feeling worldbuilding, and managed not to get me very invested in the characters even with over 1000 pages?), Dune by Frank Herbert (all the worst parts of 60s sci fi), La passeuse de mots by Jennifer and Alric Twice (all the worst parts of 2000s YA fantasy), or Der Dunkle Schwarm by Marie Grasshoff (somehow uninteresting despite what could be a very compelling world). I can't choose between any of these because none of them really got under my skin, they were just meh in ways I wasn't expecting them to be.

Biggest surprise

The Well by Jake Wyatt; I convinced myself it was going to be mediocre despite the awesome cover, but it's actually my favourite graphic novel of the year so far! The art is gorgeous and the story is a fun spin on traditional quest narratives.

Book that made you cry

Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club by Megan Gail Coles. This book reminded me why I don't read sad literary fiction, even though it was really good (highly recommend if you can tolerate it!)

Book that made you happy

A Pho Love Story by Loan Le; I really appreciated how the characters learned to live with their immigrant parents and also the romance was really sweet!

Most beautiful book cover of a book you’ve read so far this year

Either Even Though I Knew The End by C.L. Polk (I am a sucker for vintage anything) or Squire by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas (I am also a sucker for clouds)

How are you doing with your year’s goal?

Don’t have one!

What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

De Profundis, The Secret History, Lord of the Flies, The Origins of Political Order, and After the Victorians (I think I've given up on reading War and Peace, at least for the moment). Oh, and Alecto, when it comes out. (There are, as always, Too Many Books)

(and since they haven't done it yet I tag @maddiesbookshelves and @yourneighborhoodbibliophile (but only if they feel like it))

#mid year book tag #mid year book freak out tag #bookblr #book tag

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randomestroleplays · 2 years

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Verse List

inspired by @hvbris, a collection of verses that I have for my muses and would love to explore in rps. This list is by no means complete, though I will try to update it with new muses and ideas as they hit, and I’m very very open to talking about other verses!

𝔞𝔦𝔰𝔩𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔤𝔯𝔢𝔶𝔧𝔬𝔶 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫

( primarily shipped with Jamie Lannister, happily open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders! My other dream ships for her would be Robb Stark, Jon Snow, Sansa Stark, Oberyn Martell, and Margaery Tyrell, but I am entirely flexible and willing to talk about other ideas )

Arranged Marriage Verse

Within her canon, Aisling is forced to marry Jamie Lannister as a prisoner in King’s Landing, but I’d be very happy to explore an arranged marriage with another ship

Aisling leaves Kings Landing with Sansa

Instead of staying in King’s Landing with Jamie after Joffrey’s death, Aisling follows Sansa into the godswood and onto the boat. She severely distrusts Littlefinger and is constantly butting heads with him due to her desire to protect Sansa from his predatory nature.

Aisling grew up in Pyke

Instead of taking both of the youngest Greyjoys to Winterfell, Ned Stark only took Theon, leaving Aisling to grow up in Pyke, angry and trained for war, and neither able nor willing to be a proper, quiet, used and manipulated, little girl

Historical Fiction

taking away the dragons, white walkers, and warging, Aisling Greyjoy in any era of history

Modern verse

21st century AUs, from boarding schools to modern royalty, college to a specific fandom, anything that takes place in the modern world

𝔞𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔥𝔶𝔰𝔱 𝔞𝔫𝔡𝔯𝔢𝔴𝔰 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫

( primarily shipped with Sweet Pea and Jughead Jones, as well as a queerplatonic relationship with the other teen serpents, very tentatively open to other romantic relationships, happily open to other platonic dynamics for her — my favourite dynamics for her are malachai, archie andrews, kevin keller, fred andrews, and fp jones, but I am willing to talk about other canon and oc ideas! )

Fake Dating verse

Ghoulie Amy AU

Wherein Amy, furious that Jughead was made Serpent King over her, defects to the one place where she has always felt valued and respected — her rightful place at Malachai’s side. Can be done as a ship with Jughead, Sweet Pea, or Malachai himself

Road Trip

In the aftermath of Judgement Night, Archie’s arrest, and the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, Amy needs out of Riverdale. Along with any combination of Jughead, Sweet Pea, Toni, Fangs, and Joaquin, she hops in a car and leaves Riverdale in her rearview mirror, no idea where she’s going or when she’ll be back, only planning to drive until she feels like she can breathe

Reality TV verse

With the seemingly endless tragedies striking Riverdale, a producer with limited morals and a strong desire for a profit, decides to start a reality show about the once peaceful town

𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔞𝔫𝔫𝔢 𝔪𝔞𝔯𝔱𝔦𝔫 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫

( primarily shipped with Stiles Stilinski, Scott McCall, and Erica Reyes, happily open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders! My other dream ship for her would be Derek Hale, but I am entirely flexible and willing to talk about other ideas, and I do call her my crossover bicycle for a reason )

Fake Dating verse

Dating to go undercover? Dating for the press / Ari’s social media? Dating just because someone won’t take the hint? Whatever it may be, and whoever it might be with, Ari has wanted a chance to fake date someone since she was 13

Boarding School verse

A boarding school for Supernatural creatures? Fame but with werewolves? No magic at all, just rich brats and scholarship kids who live at school? Open to any ship or platonic, OP here is just a sucker for this at all times

Celebrity verse

Does another member of the pack become famous? Are werewolves traded away for child stars? Is someone shoved into the spotlight because of their connection to Ari? Any Hollywood-based AU that plays with Ari’s existing teen idol status is welcome, any ships or platonic

Holiday Fling

Arianne left Beacon Hills for Hollywood again and hasn’t looked back. But now it’s Christmas and she’s heading home for the season — is she bringing someone along with her, or having a fling with someone she left behind? Open to any ship or platonic, bonus points for Tis The Damn Season vibes

Reality TV verse

Arianne Martin is pretty damn iconic, but so much of her life is shrouded in mystery. A producer with more balls than brains decides to be the one to unpack the True Story behind the teen star, dragging her friends and family into it whether they like it or not

𝔟𝔯𝔦𝔤𝔦𝔡 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫

( primarily shipped with Tony Stark, Druig, and Ikaris, happily open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders! My other dream ships for her would be Thor, Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, Sam Wilson, and Sif, but I am entirely flexible and willing to talk about other ideas, and I would love to explore platonic dynamics with any avenger or eternal )

Royalty Verse

Where instead of, or as well as, being heroes from another planet, the Eternals are royalty

Period verses

Connected to canon or not, Brigid set in any time period that she would have spent on earth

𝔠𝔞𝔪𝔦𝔩𝔞 𝔫𝔢𝔩𝔰𝔬𝔫 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫 ( coming soon )

( primarily shipped with Steve Harrington, happily open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders! Some other potential ships could be Nancy Wheeler, Carol Perkins, Tommy Hagan, Eddie Munson, or Chrissy Cunningham, and I would also enjoy exploring a toxic dynamic with Billy Hargrove, but I am entirely flexible and willing to talk about other ideas )

Hunger Games verse

Camila Nelson always knew that she could be reaped, that the odds might not always be in her favour, But she was fast, she was stronger than she looked, and she had an instinct to survive that had gotten her this far. So when her name is called, she knows that it could be a death sentence. But she also knows that she could win. Until little Will Byers is reaped as her district partner, and Camila knows that she’d lay down her life in a heartbeat to get him home

Fake Dating verse

Umbrella Academy verse

On the 12th hour of the first day of October 1989, 43 women around the world gave birth. This was unusual only in the fact that none of these women had been pregnant when the day first began. Camila Nelson was one of those children, and one of the lucky ones to avoid Reginald Hargreeves’ clutches. But luck was no power of hers, and Camila can’t outrun her destiny forever, not when the world is set to end within the week.

𝔠𝔞𝔯𝔬𝔩𝔦𝔫𝔢 𝔰𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔯𝔰𝔢𝔱 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫

( as a completely original muse, I don’t have any set ships with her, but here on her wanted list I have a collection of fandoms, ships, and dream casts that I would love to play with for her, along with any original or fandom platonic dynamics )

Arranged Marriage verse ( modern )

Boarding School verse

Political verse

Fake Dating verse

Celebrity Verse

Reality TV verse

Gossip Girl vese

Gossip Girl Reboot verse

Caroline Somerset is really the only person at Constance Billard who rivals Julian Colloway in terms of notoriaty, instagram fame, and followers. They always put their friendship first, but with the rise of Gossip Girl, keeping up appearances is what matters the most. No matter the cost.

The Perfectionists verse

Wherein Caroline Hotchkiss has been keeping as many secrets as her twin brother, Nolan. But when Nolan turns up dead one night, it’s all Caroline can do to try to keep both her secrets and her life

Harry Potter vese

𝔣𝔦𝔫𝔩𝔢𝔶 𝔯𝔦𝔡𝔢𝔯 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫 ( coming soon )

( primarily shipped with Ben and Jay, happily open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders! Some other potential ships could be Evie, Harry, or other original characters, but I am entirely flexible and willing to talk about other ideas )

Fake Dating verse

Anastasia AU

Many years ago, the princess Finley disappeared and was considered dead. Years later, a clever conman meets a lovely blonde girl with no memories of her past and sees her as his opportunity for riches — he never expected her to actually be the long lost princess that he was teaching her to impersonate.

Pirate Finley

Instead of being found by Jay, a certain Harry Hook finds Finley Rider when she arrives on the island. Brought into the pirate crew, Finley will stop at nothing to help get her friends off of the isle, even if it means returning to the life she’d sworn was only in her past.

𝔤𝔦𝔫𝔫𝔶 𝔠𝔯𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔞 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫

( primarily shipped with finnick odair, happily open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders! )

Fake Dating verse

Boarding School verse

Instead of victor districts having training academies, the capitol takes all children from ages 12-18 and puts them into a single boarding school, where they can only be taught the knowledge that the capitol wants them to have, and once a year 24 of them are still reaped for the hunger games

Modern AU

𝔥𝔬𝔩𝔩𝔦𝔰 𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔡𝔢𝔢𝔫 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫

( primarily shipped with finnick odair, happily open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders! )

Fake Dating verse

Boarding School verse

Modern AU

Reality TV verse

With the sheer captivating drama of Katniss and Hollis’ back to back games, and the capitol’s love for the Everdeen sisters, Caesar Flickerman has the brilliant idea to start a reality show centred around the Capitol’s favourite family, as two of their beloved daughters learn to navigate the world of victors

𝔧𝔲𝔩𝔦𝔢𝔱𝔱𝔞 𝔡𝔯𝔞𝔨𝔢 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫

( primarily shipped with jason todd, tentatively open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders! Would also love to explore platonic / familial dynamics with damian wayne, tim drake, dick grayson, and any other gothamites )

Fake Dating verse

Boarding School verse

All of the batkids-and-co at boarding school

Marriage before romance

Knowing that Jason is one of Bruce’s children, and with Julietta carrying Damian, Ra’s and Talia want to give Damian as strong of a bloodline as possible, and arrange for Jason and Julietta to be wed in Nanda Parbat

Nanda Parbat verse

Dark verse, before Jason and Julietta get out of Nanda Parbat, either while Julietta is pregnant or when Damian is a baby

Jason remembers her

Julietta returns to Gotham in search of her son and her baby brother only to run into a pissed off Red Hood — only this time, he remembers her, and their past together

Julietta & Jason raising Damian verse

When Talia helps Julietta escape Nanda Parbat, she sends Damian along with her so that he’ll be safe from his grandfather — and just to be cautious, she pulls Jason out of his revenge mission in Gotham and tasks him with protecting his former family

𝔨𝔞𝔱 𝔰𝔪𝔦𝔱𝔥 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫

( primarily shipped with dean winchester, open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders! )

Cross country road trip

Fake dating for a mission

A monster is attacking a couple’s retreat, a couple raises less suspicion than insisting on “just friends”, a husband and wife thinking of moving to town, there are a lot of times where a couple is less memorable than two friends asking too many questions

Princess of Hell

Where Kat can’t avoid her preordained destiny forever, becoming the host of Lilith and the little girl queen of hell

Spy / Secret Agent verse

Instead of hunting monsters, Kat hunts criminals and crime syndicates across the country

Criminal verse

Think Bonnie and Clyde, think Thelma and Louise, think criminals travelling around the country trying to stay one step ahead of the police

Role Reversal

Teen Wolf Verse

While tracking the monster of the week, Kat Smith finds herself in Beacon Hills, California. She recognizes Chris Argent as an old friend of her father’s, but she never expected him to be practically a part of the local wolf pack. ( potential for a Derek ship! )

𝔨𝔶𝔩𝔞 𝔨𝔢𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫 ( coming soon )

( primarily shipped with Max Wolfe, happily open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders! Would love to explore any slightly toxic dynamic, with max or another character, involving a lot of negging and a bit of classism, as well as anything involving the seven samurai as a group )

Fake Dating verse

Dating for the press / social media? Dating for Julian’s brand? Dating just because someone won’t take the hint?

Vacation verse

Does the entire group go on a vacation together? Does someone take ‘pity’ on Kyla and invite her on a two-person vacation? Travel, unresolved feelings, very open to smut if that’s up your alley

Reality TV Verse

With so many rich, famous, and influential teens in one place, it was only a matter of time before a producer realized just how much money could be made off of a “behind the scenes” look at Instagram’s It Kids

Heathers Verse

Kyla Keller didn’t necessarily like her friends, but she definitely didn’t want them dead. But when one person gets into her head that they can make Constance Billard a better place, Kyla soon finds herself in over her head. ( Kyla as Veronica, Julian as Chandler, Monet as Duke, Luna as McNamara, JD is flexible! )

𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔢𝔶 𝔱𝔞𝔫𝔫𝔢𝔯 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫

( primarily shipped with finnick odair, happily open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders! )

Fake Dating verse

Modern AU

Reality TV verse

Between her historical Hunger Games win at only 12 years old and her friendship with the other most beloved victors, of course the Capitol would find one more way to profit off of their best and brightest stars

𝔩𝔶𝔯𝔞 𝔩𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩𝔩 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫

( primarily shipped with Jughead Jones, happily open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders! Some other potential ships could be Sweet Pea, Toni, Fangs, or other original characters, but I am entirely flexible and willing to talk about other ideas, and I would love to explore platonic dynamics with other characters from Riverdale or other original Toledo characters )

Fake Dating verse

Boarding School verse

Instead of Toledo, Jughead finds himself sent to boarding school after his father’s arrest, where his tour guide is none other than fellow Riverdale escapee and chronic overachiever, Lyra Lovell

Road trip

Secret relationship

𝔬𝔭𝔥𝔢𝔩𝔦𝔞 𝔴𝔞𝔶𝔫𝔢 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫

( ophelia does not have a set ship, but I am very happily open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders, and I would also love to explore platonic relationships with Bruce, Alfred, or OCs, or any dynamic with other gothamites, whether from Gotham itself or elsewhere in the DC / Batman universes )

Ophelia in The Batman

exactly what it sounds like; Ophelia Wayne but instead of being the older sister to a traumatized 13 year old, she’s the older sister to a grown ass traumatized vigilante

Fake Dating verse

Victorian Era verse

In the late 1880s, Ophelia Wayne’s parents are murdered by none other than Jack the Ripper, and her younger brother becomes the new head of the family, all the while Ophelia has to keep him from hunting down their parents’ killer himself

Prohibition verse

Ophelia Wayne in the 1920s, where Gotham’s underground is firmly against the prohibition with none other than the Iceberg Lounge itself as the most infamous speakeasy around. Ophelia herself has no objection to partaking in certain depravities, but her attention is torn as she struggles to keep her younger brother from getting himself killed

Boarding School verse

Before returning to Gotham and witnessing her parents’ murder, Ophelia Wayne was just another spoiled brat in a European boaring school

Royalty verse

The Waynes are royalty that’s it that’s the verse, with both modern and period variations

Arranged Marriage verse

as part of a business deal, Ophelia Wayne finds herself in the middle of an arranged marriage, one that not even her parents’ deaths can get her out of

𝔭𝔢𝔤𝔤𝔶 𝔣𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔱𝔬𝔫 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫 ( coming soon )

( primarily shipped with Anthony Bridgerton, happily open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders! Some other potential ships could be Simon, Benedict, Colin, or other original characters, but I am entirely flexible and willing to talk about other ideas! Would also be very interested in any platonic dynamics within the Bridgerton universe, with her sisters, the Bridgertons, or anyone else in the ton )

Modern AU

Arranged Marriage

Wherein Portia Featherington is a bit more clever than she seems, and manages to secure an incredibly desirable match for her eldest daughter

Fake Dating

When Peggy Featherington finds herself betrothed to a truly horrendous man, she only has one last idea for how to escape it — convince her mother that she is already courting with someone with a superior standing to her current fiancé. The obvious suitor? A man under as much pressure to wed as she, also looking for a way to postpone his fate

Marriage Of Honour

When Peggy Featherington is caught in a compromising position with a man of the ton, he has no choice but to propose to her to protect her honour. But with only her mother’s word to go on, Lady Whistledown wonders if such a situation ever happened, or if Portia Featherington is simply more conniving than anyone thought

𝔯𝔥𝔦𝔞𝔫𝔫𝔬𝔫 𝔟𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔞𝔯𝔡 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫

( primarily shipped with Steve Harrington and Eddie Munson, happily open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders! Some other potential ships could be Nancy Wheeler or Jonathan Byers, and I would also enjoy exploring a toxic dynamic with Billy Hargrove, but I am entirely flexible and willing to talk about other ideas. I would also love to explore platonic relationships with Eleven or anyone else from the lab, and her extremely toxic relationship with her father )

Fake Dating verse

Runaway Verse

Instead of staying put in Hawkins, Rhiannon Ballard runs much farther from the lab; who knows who she might meet along the way, or what they might be running from

Umbrella Academy verse 1

Martin Brenner had a knack for finding miracle children, for taking them from their homes and raising them in his lab, a fucked up mockery of a family all being trained into the perfect weapons

Umbrella Academy verse 2

On the 12th hour of the first day of October 1989, 43 women around the world gave birth. This was unusual only in the fact that none of these women had been pregnant when the day first began. Rhiannon Ballard, now Rhiannon Hargreeves, was among them. Eventually she left, running away and never once looking back — until Reginald Hargreeves died. But her homecoming is only made worse when her long deceased brother shows up, with warnings of an apocalypse only days away

Umbrella Academy verse 3

The one where Henry Creel was one of the original miracle children, and his daughter Rhiannon is taken to be raised as a new — and hopefully more successful — generation of the Umbrella Academy

Boarding School verse

Period verses

𝔯𝔬𝔴𝔢𝔫𝔞 𝔞𝔟𝔟𝔬𝔱𝔱 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫

( primarily shipped with Dick Grayson, open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders! I would love to explore platonic dynamics with other Titans members, whether from the shows or the comics )

Fake Dating verse

Friends with benefits verse

Umbrella Academy verse

Where teen heroes and sidekicks are raised in a boarding school designed to train their powers and create the next generation of heroes

𝔰𝔦𝔢𝔯𝔯𝔞 𝔫𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔫𝔤 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫 (coming soon)

( sierra does not have a set ship, but I am very happily open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders, and I would also love to explore platonic relationships with any of the Hargreeves or any ocs in the universe )

Fake Dating verse

Sierra Nearing is nothing if not helpful, of course she would pretend to date a friend in need

Stranger Things verse

A few, not many but a few, of Martin Brenner’s experiments never made it to the lab, disappearing before he could get his hands on them. Such was the case for Sierra Nearing, waitress and aspiring detective. People tell her things, they always have, and when Will Byers goes missing one night, she can’t resist the gut instinct telling her that there’s something worth investigating ( can be played as young 20s or high school age )

𝔰𝔳𝔢𝔱𝔩𝔞𝔫𝔞 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔦𝔨𝔬𝔣𝔣 ⊱⋆⊰ 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫

( primarily shipped with Aleksander Kirigan, which can be as loving or as toxic as desired, tentatively open to shipping her with other characters, canon or oc, of any genders! Would also love to explore platonic / familial dynamics with alina and mal )

Arranged Marriage / Marriage Before Romance

Still new to the Little Palace, people are already talking about Svetlana as the General’s Little Pet. Soon, Svetlana finds herself receiving a speech about morale, unity, and doing one’s duty, which turns out to be a flowery way of informing her that she is to wed the much older, still often frightening, General Kirrigan.

Enemies To Lovers

Despite her history with the General, Svetlana’s loyalty will always be to Alina above all, no matter who she has to protect her from. Unfortunately, in the midst of her desperate attempts to protect Alina from the General, Svetlana can’t help but fall for the man

Royalty

Modern Verse

#oc roleplay #roleplay muses #roleplay blog #roleplay plots #rp blog #𝔤𝔯𝔞𝔳𝔦𝔱𝔶 𝔩𝔦𝔣𝔱𝔰 𝔞𝔰 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔭𝔯𝔬𝔧𝔢𝔠𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔦𝔰𝔱 𝔯𝔬𝔩𝔩𝔰 𝔱𝔞𝔭𝔢 #⋘ ─ ∗ ⋅◈⋅ ∗ ─ ⋙ ooc

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horse-girl-anthy · 2 years

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Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before.....Thanks..

tbh this is extremely hard to answer because I have many interests. I’m sure I’ll feel bad when I remember the hundred other characters that should have made the list. I’m not putting any Ikuhara characters because it’d been too hard to pick and honestly I’d have to go through each work individually.

1. Tenma from Naoki Urasawa’s Monster. I don’t claim to be a complicated person, alright. I just think he’s nice. every time I read Monster I get more attached to him like a little baby duck, which is what all the other characters in that story do as well so I’m valid. trying to put it into words is hard--he’s just an alluring combo of pathetic, ridiculous, cool, strong, and kind. plus he kinda becomes a religious figure by the end and I’m a sucker for that shit.

2. Xie Lian from TGCF/Heaven Official’s Blessing. I read the novels this summer after watching the donghua. I was just expecting a decent BL, but what I got was epic historical supernatural fiction (and BL). Xie Lian is such an impressively written character. his story helped me deal with my own fall from grace, as it were, and was overall cathartic and engaging. plus he’s my type. step aside Hua Cheng, I’d die for him first.

3. Orel from Moral Orel. I love this show a lot because of its focus on the cruelty and hypocrisy of WASP America, and Orel is relatable for struggling to understand the bulltshit answers he gets to all his questions. he’s a lot more innocent than I was as a kid, but I think his kind of purity plays well against the satirical, dark edge of the show.

4. Reki from Haibane Renmei. most of the reasons I love her aren’t revealed until the very end of the show. I’ll say that I love her because she’s the ultimate manifestation of the story’s themes of guilt and redemption.

5. Ishida from Koe no Katachi. I just finished rereading this manga recently. if you want a character who does wrong, suffers, tries to change himself, but finds it isn’t that easy, Ishida is your man. he’s such a funny, well-written teen boy, but also someone I think anyone from any background can see themselves in--the good and the bad.

6. Naruto from... you know. Naruto was the first anime I became really obsessed with, when I was in middle school, and Naruto himself is the first character I can remember becoming attached to in an intense, lasting way. I loved him so much and I still have that attachment to him. he’s so, so cute, and so, so lovable. when I’m done with my first round of Ikuhara vids, I’m going to download Naruto so I can make my friend a Sasuke fancam and I’m also gonna make a Naruto edit just for me :)

7. Miyuki from Naoki Urasawa’s Happy! I’ve read everything by Urasawa except for Yawara, and I’m one of the only people who seems to have read Happy! I gotta say, would I pick it as one of his best works? no. I love everything he’s done, but something like 20th Century Boys or Billy Bat is clearly a more serious, meaningful story than Happy!, which comes out of his transition phase between writing romantic comedy sports manga and his later thrillers. however... Happy! is one of those works which makes me lose my mind regardless of quality. and Miyuki, the main character, is just so damn adorable. I find her a very appealing, sweet character. beyond that, kind of like Monster, the entire story is about people trying to break her down, but she refuses to ever give up and I love that sort of thing when played right.

8. Ged from Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea series. I am still digging into Le Guin’s body of work but I’ve read most of her novels and short story collections. I could absolutely make a top ten list with just characters from her books. however, I managed to narrow it down to just three from this list, all from the Earthsea books. Ged is the only character who appears in all six books, and the reader gets to experience close the entire course of his life. he starts as an arrogant, careless boy and grows into a wise man. Le Guin decided not to leave him after he does his final great act, and his story continues after he loses his power. Tehanu, the fourth book in the series, is probably my favorite book I’ve ever read, I’ve thought about writing an analysis comparing it with RGU, and one of its main themes is life after loss and trauma. his story interwines with the next two characters on this list.

9. Tenar from Earthsea. like Ged, we get to see most of her life throughout the books. book 2 contains her coming of age story, while Tehanu features her as a widow, struggling between the life of an ordinary woman and her status in the mythology of Earthsea. she brings so much fire, mirth, and strength to the series. she’s someone I wish I had in my life, and if you really pressed me, she’s my favorite character Le Guin ever wrote.

10. Tehanu from Earthsea. this character is a strange one to try to write about. I’ve seen people criticize her writing by saying there’s nothing to her, she’s just a vessel for the story. but I can’t agree. as someone who’s known people who went through severe childhood trauma, I think that Tehanu is written with thought and care. I love how unnerving and unknowable she is, but also how she is written like she’s any other child. the ending of her story in the final book made me sob and sob and sob.

sources for the last three images because they’re fanart: 1, 2, 3

#these are in no particular order btw..........#ty for the ask #i do love to talk about things i love!#i took off Oofuri characters #more Le Guin protagonists #some of my fav movie characters #other Urasawa characters #theres v minor characters whove made a huge impression on me like Misae from Paranoia Agent #but this is a p good summary of the characters who make me the craziest

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anytimebitchess · 1 year

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top 5 books and/or movies?

Thank you for asking Swaggy 💖

I gonna give you both!

Books:

I read quite many book from different genres, so it’s difficult for me to really pick, so I’m just gonna list my fav books by women, because why not?

(In no particular order)

Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

This a sci-fi book from the 1969 and was banned for quite some time due to its questioning on binary concepts of gender. It is a feminist anthropological science fiction novel. It was recommended to me by my former professor. It is a groundbreaking work of science fiction, about a human emissary to a winters planet whose inhabitants can change their genders. His mission is to convince the inhabitants to be a part of the growing intergalactic civilization. The planets politics aren’t extremely interesting, as they didn’t value things that are material (masculine/patriarchal) like weapons, money or power.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Jane is the first fictional character that I relate to on so many levels. I am sure this book opened something inside of me. This is also the only book that made me cry for hours, even days, but that’s due to it touching me greatly.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Book with another character that I strongly relate to. It’s also about a very interesting time of the 14th century Russia. The sorry is told rather like a fairytale, yet grounded in reality. I’m not really a fan of historic fiction, but this one has just this good mix of fantasy/reality. It’s a must read during winter. The characters are complex but really well written. Very captivating and enchanting story.

Shatter Me series (especially Ignite Me) by Tahereh Mafi

Aaron Anderson Warner. Do I have to say more? He’s my book husband. No man could ever compete with him. He is superior. He is the blue print to all of my book boyfriends. I hope my future partner would understand that if Warner would come alive..sorry to my partner, but I’ve made my choose loooong time ago. I don’t think you can comprehend my love for this man.

Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Ride

There is no dull moment in this book. I would take this book to the grave. I don’t think you understand how much I love Evelyn’s character. It’s phenomenal, spectacular, outstanding, never been done before. Nothing negative to say about this book, NOTHING!

Honorable mention:

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (couldn’t not include it)

Movies:

There are so many I want to add but I sticked with ones that moved me in some way after watching them.

Interstellar by Christopher Nolan

This is probably my all time fav move. Hands down! I love astrophysics and this movie is a great introduction for it. I’m a sucker for movies about interstellar travel and have science in it and a good plot. The scientific accuracy in this movie is just something that I respect. I’ve watched this movie so many times and it just makes me cry ever damn time. Also I would watch anything Nolan makes. AND the Soundtrack…Hans Zimmer took his whole out and created a spectacular soundtrack. I also just love watching stuff about time being irrelevant.

Before Sunrise by Richard Linklater

I want what Jesse and Celine have. It’s a movie about human connections and soulmates. Meeting strangers randomly and them being an extremely significant person in their life, even though they would never meet again. It’s a movie about what love really is. Strangers who express their most intimate feelings through conversation during only day they get to spent time together. It’s truly a masterpiece.

Eat, Pray, Love by Ryan Murphy

It’s not maybe a cinematic masterpiece, but I like the story of a woman trying to heal herself from a severe emotional and spiritual crisis. There are few quotes from the movie that I like to listen to feel better whenever I’m in a crisis.

The Geographer Drank His Globe Away by Alexander Veledinsky

It’s a Russian comedy about a geography teacher that is actually a biologist with a mid-life crisis and his ordinary life.

Mother by Darren Aronofsky

I watched this movie in the cinema and though “What the fuck did I just watch?” and everyone at the end started laughing about how buzzard it is. But then I though about it and realized what it was actually about, and not I love it!

The Pianist by Roman Polanski (I know, I know)

I love classical music, especially piano pieces and the story of Władysław Szczypman is very touching, especially for someone who has Polish roots. It’s a sad movie about survival against oppression, which is visceral and detailed in the movie. The redemptive power of music and the good of humanity that makes the movie.

Honorable mention: any comedy with Louis de Funes + the James Bond franchise

#get to know nat!

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melonslibrary · 2 years

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The Island of Sea Women - Review

Overall Rating: 4.8/5 melons 🍈🍈🍈🍈!!! It really was such an enjoyable book, but it did hurt my heart. The next book is This Blood that Binds Us by S.L. Cokeley!

Story Concept: This was a book recommended to me by my mother-in-law. She read it with her book club and enjoyed it so I bought it for myself! The concept sounds really cool, and it's even cooler considering it is a historical fiction novel. I am also a sucker for Asian stories as an Asian woman myself. The story concept is easily a 5/5 for me!

World Building: As mentioned above, historical fiction, but the author did a fantastic job of describing the small village the characters lived on. I've read a decent amount of historical fiction and have had relatives live through war, as well, and the building up to climatic events were so well done. Another 5/5!

Writing: As one may guess from my two scores so far, the writing was also great. It was kind of weird, I usually fly through books I enjoy but this book took me a while to complete. Things were descriptive in a way that things were so clear to me in my mind. It really felt within it's time. There were parts of the book where I was content/happy for the characters and then I felt heartbreak over and over again. I remember one point where I had to put the book down and just figure out whether I could continue on because I was so effected by a scene. It takes a lot to get a reaction like that out of me. 5/5

Characters: I love and hate when I can see and understand the "antagonists" position. All of these characters were so dynamic and unique. I wanted to peer deeper into their lives away from the main protagonist. I love seeing things through her eyes and her narration but everyone else seemed so rich as well. They were so human and they felt so familiar to me. 5/5

Aesthetic: I feel like it is not right to judge a real life location's aesthetic is an interest choice in terms of book reviews so I will judge this main, reoccurring environment: the sea. There actually wasn't a ton of descriptions of underwater or sea life other than a few sentences here and there. I am a romantic so I would have preferred more, especially since the main character finds comfort in the sea. So, I will give this a 4/5.

#book blog #bookworm #book review #bookish #books and reading #booklr #booknerd #bookaddict #bookblr

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toomanybandstocare · 2 years

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Hello hello hello, I’m finally here with some oddly specific questions for you! If you want to answer them that is.

1. Favourite Aaron Taylor Johnson character?

2. One of your favourite songs from childhood?

3. Favourite hot drink?

4. Do you have a comfort film?

5. And finally the classic, you’re having a dinner party and you can invite 3 people of your choosing dead or alive. Who’s coming and why?

yesyesyes! i love oddly specific questions so always send them my way <3 i think they're so fun.

It would have to be Count Vronsky, because *phew* I am a sucker for historical romance/fiction as well as horses. Plus his eyes just look so pretty in this movie, more so than usual. No, but all seriousness I love how the two Alexei's parallel to Anna's two identities. Please feel free to ask about my thoughts on the overall production and storytelling, because I will go off on how much it is amazing. But a close second would have to be Quicksilver as well <3 I just love how boyish and teasing he is in that role.

Viva La Gloria (Little Girl) by Green Day: I love how melancholy the song reads contrasted to the upbeat tempo that builds.

Hot chocolate! There's a Belgian brand that we're able to get at the supermarket that I just adore. It's on the darker side on the chocolate scale, but when made with milk it becomes this sweet tangy tastes.

When I was a kid, it was Avatar (2009, blue people). As graphic and brutally realistic it is in its parallel to the self inflicted destruction of Earth, I was enraptured by the beautiful landscape and intricate connection to spirituality. Currently in my 20s, I would have to say either Indiana Jones, Laura Croft, or the Scream movies. I always wanted to be an archaeologist, so I love the first two for obvious reasons nothing to do with how much I'm in love or find the leads/supporting characters attractive what no. I love Scream, because it does such a job job at exploring storytelling mechanics, patterns, and tropes without breaking its own universe.

Edgar Allan Poe: I have done three research papers on him, and I think he is a fascinating individual from a literary, historical, and true crimes stand point. I want to know what inspired his macabre pieces and learn from him. Anne Rice: Again, a literary powerhouse and such an amazing woman in history. She wrote Interview with a Vampire, an dI am currently reading it. She had such a grasp on the current socio-political environment during the late 70s and early 80s of America. You can see that in her character designs and relationships. Ella Fitzgerald: She is such an incredible singer and song writer, and she a monumental individual during the Civil Rights Era. Her work documents the history and struggles of African American and Black communities during this time. I would just want to listen and learn from her experiences.

#camper ask #camper my my only angel #camp halfwit letters

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trekkele · 6 years

Text

If you make Helen of Troy blonde/blue eyed you're a coward and I ain't watching it.

#ok maybe i will #because i am a sucker for well done historical fiction #but give me brown skinned freckled helen with tumbling aubern hair and laughibg dark eyes #give me golden skinned helen with hair as black as blood and eyes like stars #give me helen who looms fucking greek at the very least #with the greek nose and olive skin and dark hair and eyes #blonde and blue is pretty sure #but watercolor pretty #i bet the most beautiful woman to rival the gods was as vibrant as an oil painting #dark and lush and alive #shutting up now #oh yeah #xena

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theheelerbooklifereads · 3 years

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TITLE: The Bones of Ruin

AUTHOR: Sarah Raughley

PUBLISHER: Simon Pulse

RELEASE DATE: September

GENRES: YOUNG ADULT FICTION---Historical, Fantasy

BUY LINK: https://bookshop.org/a/11727/9781534453562

SYNOPSIS:

As an African tightrope dancer in Victorian London, Iris is used to being strange. She is certainly a strange sight for leering British audiences always eager for the spectacle of colonial curiosity. But Iris also has a secret that even “strange” doesn’t capture…

She cannot die.

Haunted by her unnatural power and with no memories of her past, Iris is obsessed with discovering who she is. But that mission gets more complicated when she meets the dark and alluring Adam Temple, a member of a mysterious order called the Enlightenment Committee. Adam seems to know much more about her than he lets on, and he shares with her a terrifying revelation: the world is ending, and the Committee will decide who lives… and who doesn’t.

To help them choose a leader for the upcoming apocalypse, the Committee is holding the Tournament of Freaks, a macabre competition made up of vicious fighters with fantastical abilities. Adam wants Iris to be his champion, and in return, he promises her the one thing she wants most: the truth about who she really is.

If Iris wants to learn about her shadowy past, she has no choice but to fight. But the further she gets in the grisly tournament, the more she begins to remember—and the more she wonders if the truth is something best left forgotten.

REVIEW:

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

To be honest I contemplated going between a 2 star or a 3 star rating and decided to go with a 3 star reading after really thinking about it. I am on tour with Turn the Page Tours and I go to their Instagram a lot and look at their new tours and I signed up for this one because the cover is absolutely stunning. I’m a sucker for picking up books because of their covers. Anyway, then I read the synopsis and thought it really sounded interesting. I thought the premise was done well for the book and I really liked the mystery of Iris’ memories and her true identity. I liked the side characters with their powers. The biggest problem I had with this book was that I had a hard time connecting with the characters. Like I felt like they were there, but it was hard to see them more than one dimensional and be able to feel their emotions. It was as if there was a wall or a block and because of this, it made it really hard for me to want to pick up this book to read. I may read the sequel and we will see with time. Thank you to the publisher, netgalley, the author, and Turn the Page Tours for this opportunity.

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Sarah Raughley grew up in Southern Ontario writing stories about freakish little girls with powers because she secretly wanted to be one. She is a huge fangirl of anything from manga to SF/F TV to Japanese Role Playing Games, but she will swear up and down that she was inspired by ~Jane Austin~ at book signings. On top of being a YA Writer, she is currently completing a PhD in English, because the sight of blood makes her queasy (which crossed Medical School off the list).

She is represented by The Bradford Literary Agency.

So far, you can also find her on Twitter, where work ethic goes to die.

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

Up for grabs will be TWO (1) finished copies of The Bones of Ruin by Sarah Raughley. This giveaway will be open to U.S. residents only and will run from August 29th to September 13th at 11:59 PM CST. Two winners will be chosen. To enter, click the link below!

Rafflecopter Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1e4a114d49/?

#bookstagram #book review #booklover #bookworm #bibliophile #bookish #booklr #books #must read books #book

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portmanteaurian · 3 years

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Book ask- 7, 15, 16!

7. Favourite Series Now

I think the one I spend the most time thrusting at people is Robin Stevens’ Murder Most Unladylike books, they’re SUCH smart middle-grade mysteries. Would have loved to have them as a kid. Also a big fan of C L Polk’s Kingston Cycle!! 15. Favourite Fiction Genre I am unfortunately a huge sucker for historical (or history-inspired secondary world) fantasy. I say unfortunately because it’s a genre sphere where it’s really easy for people to uncritically replicate some very fucked-up stuff. But when it’s done well it hits sooo satisfyingly for me.

16. Favourite Nonfiction Genre I read a lot less NF than fiction, but my favourite books tend to be by Indigenous thinkers! Mostly stuff abt Indigenous sovereignty in a historical context and how that echoes into our present-day lives. I also sometimes flirt with biographies.

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retvenkos · 4 years

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Okay so I’m personally offended with myself for not having found you earlier? Like, YOURE AMAZING! Your writing is super awesome and I’m glad I finally did find you. Anyways, I was hoping I could request a 🔥 ship/HCs? For BBC Merlin, PJO/HOO, and ATLA (or LOK, whichever you’d prefer or is easier for you). I am bisexual so I’m down to be shipped with whatever gender (although I am kinda leaning towards men rn). I’m a Ravenclaw and my Myers-Brigg personality type is INFP-T. I’m kind of a nerd and I love learning new things. I tried to learn Latin at one point but it was while I was in school and I didn’t finish before the school year was up. I love reading, writing, singing, listening to music, watching movies and watching musicals. I also really love physical affection (both giving and receiving). I love any and all animals SO MUCH. I can be kinda silly sometimes but I know when to get serious. I love having fun with my friends but I also just love the days that I can just sit with them and relax. I’m pretty protective of the people I’m close to. I’m also kind of stubborn. I have a small obsession with dragons and kind of just mythical beings in general. I feel happy when I make others happy. I like helping people when I can. My main love languages are physical touch and words of affirmation. If I were a bender in the ATLA/LOK universe, I would be an earth bender. I’m also a sucker for soulmate AUs, which you might have noticed when I was reblogging your stuff earlier. I think that’s all?? If you need anything else, just let me know! And thank you so much!!

PS: CONGRATS ON 2.5k

thank you for your kind words about my blog! i’m glad you like it here, lol. and, as always, disclaimer that it’s been a while since i’ve read pjo and so the headcanons might not be the best. bear with me.

Merlin:

I ship you with Gwen!

alright, i was debating between gwen and sir leon, but i 100% believe gwen is the perfect match-up for you - both of you are sweet and kind yet clever with the potential to be teasing, annoying idiots.

the two of you would get along famously, and you would be the sweetest, most supportive couple - literally everyone wants what you have, and i can’t blame them.

both of you are caring and love your friends dearly, you are the ultimate mom friends. you love to make everyone happy, and so both of you are always looking out for the other.

furthermore, gwen would love to hear all about interests - she loves to hear you talk about your reading and writing, and she loves how you learn with such a fervor. learning something new is a great way to increase the quality of your life, and gwen loves to hear about what you’ve discovered - so much of her day is spent in routine, being a servant and all, so when you can tell her something good - something other than castle gossip, she loves it.

also, i have this headcanon that gwen can sing really well, so you know she loves music. she’ll sing in the early mornings, when the two of you are getting up before the sun itself, and it never fails to make you smile.

i think that both you and gwen have great versatility to your personality - you both can get very excited and giddy but then come back down to earth and be stable and strong. this is good because both of you can support the other in whatever situation you may be up against.

furthermore, you are both witty and teasing. the two of you have a lot of ongoing banter that makes your otherwise monotonous days exciting and fun. you’re upbeat personalities bring joy to your lives, and that’s important.

also, the two of you would be very affectionate toward each other - gwen has no qualms with hugging you or holding your hand, so she is able to accept your affection and return it in a similar manner. and gwen is very good at giving sincere compliments! whenever she praises you, you can’t help but think it’s true.

also, modern! au gwen is an avid movie watcher, so the two of you have marathons together. gwen always brings the popcorn.

PJO/HOO:

I ship you with Travis Stoll!

okay, you cannot tell me that this pairing isn’t chaotic as hell.

you are the smarts to travis’ mischievousness, and the two of you bring a lot of fun to camp half-blood. you help travis and connor with their pranks, but you are also there to make sure that no one gets hurt, because a good prank is one that makes people laugh, but has minimal casualties. (ngl, chb is kind of glad that you and travis got together because the pranks are a lot safer now.)

i definitely think that travis would be the one to bring you out of your comfort zone, but he does it so earnestly, with only the best of intentions, so it’s hard to say no. the two of you go on adventures together and you have a lot of laughs.

the good thing is that you also bring a lot of calm and stability to the relationship - you are one of like two (2) people who can get travis to just,,, chill with you. he likes to play videogames with you, so you hang out a lot in the hermes cabin, legs tangled together as you chill out.

at your core, i think both of you are very determined people, and that’s what initially drew the two of you close together. you both have a fire in your hearts, and while that comes out in different ways, you’re both very ambitious and goal oriented people.

and you know that travis has the greatest taste in music - you are going to be introduced to some very interesting and cool songs. maybe he’ll nick a cd or two for both of you to listen to. and what’s cool about his music taste is that it’s adventurous and all over - he loves everything and so do you.

you both explore and learn about the world in different ways, and you are both incredibly knowledgeable in opposite ways, so when you put your heads together, the genius that comes forth is insane.

i imagine that the two of you hang out in the strawberry fields a lot. you listen to music or talk while walking through the fields, and then travis ends up stealing some of your strawberries and you end up chasing after him (damn his tall legs)

LOK:

I ship you with Mako!

this is the complete opposite of your previous ships, but stick with me for a minute

you are perfect for mako because you can be serious and stable, but at the same time, you can bring out his silly side. mako needs someone who can get down to the core of his being and pull out that happy, childish side of himself that he hasn’t found in a long time. he’s had to grow up fast, and he needs someone who is serious and sincere, but is also lighthearted and oh-so caring.

the two of you are so protective and caring about the ones you love - you’re like the parents of the group who are trying to wrangle your unruly children, and it’s a dynamic i am here for.

and when you encourage some of korra or asami’s wild plans, mako sighs, like “disappointed by not surprised.” but then you bring him to the side with a plan on how to make their optimistic plans more secure, and he’s like,,,, alright.

also, the banter the two of you would have is legendary. mako is known as the #done, sarcastic one, and he was not expecting you to come out with amazing wit, but here you are. the two of you have the best side commentary, and it’s almost a competition now. you’ve yet to get mako to laugh at your well-timed jokes (some of which are terribly corny), but he does crack a wry smile almost every time, so you know it’s only a matter of time.

also, convince me otherwise, but mako is a reader. he likes a lot of historical fiction, but also stories based off of legends, and the two of you will often spend your weekends inside, reading on the couch. he’ll make you lunch and then the two of you will talk about what you’ve read, sitting cross legged with your knees touching. mako is usually a little vague with the details on what he is reading, but what often happens is that he’ll have recommended the book you’re reading, so he’ll listen to you ramble about your favorite parts with a lovestruck smile on his face.

you definitely introduce mako to more music - he’s never been super into music, it was always more bolin’s thing, but he’ll listen with you. he has a few favorites, and you have to coax him into telling you what they are, but he’ll tell you anyway because he’s very much in love.

also! the two of you go to see bolin’s movers, and you whisper to each other throughout the show, making jokes and funny comments, and ngl, bolin gets a little concerned. mako should never enjoy himself so thoroughly, that only ever leads to disaster.

anyway, you would be great for mako because when you two hang out, you bring mako out of his shell, and he is always there to support and protect you, should anything go awry.

i get big vibes of “the serious one is soft for the fluffy one” except both of you are the serious one and the fluffy one, depending on the moment, and you wildly fluctuate between the two.

#2.5k celebration!#celebration #lxncelotships #i hope you like them!

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boldlygowriting · 4 years

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Character Development Tips

In the middle of June I decided to begin writing a novel. I’ll openly admit that this story was originally fan fiction. Following the long line of authors before me who have done the same. I barely associate the content I based this off of with the content I’m writing now and I had to make everything original. Gripping backstories, physical features, mannerism, speech, names (can you tell naming them was stressful yet?).

So how did I go about creating these characters (especially ones from other’s fiction)?

Well, for a lot of them I kept the basic traits that I originally saw in them. I expanded on the ones I liked best, did away with the ones that didn’t interest me and have added new ones throughout plotting the story.

A perfect example would be the one of the main character’s best friends. His original counterpart was weak-willed, apathetic, sweet, and blindly devoted.

I did away with weak-willed and apathetic, but kept sweet. His apathy turned to a floaty, hedonistic, wish-washiness that has to do with a strong belief in fate and astrology. His spinelessness turned into a temper that’s easily triggered when someone tries to hurt him, his friends or an innocent bystander.

His original counterpart has a fear of being left behind which I adapted into a high school setting, which became a fear that his friends might outgrow or replace him.

*Side tip!!*: This is the main character’s best friend (one of three, actually) and notice how not only have I given him personality traits, but an underlying fear that affects the story. Give your secondary character’s lives and motivations too! They don’t have to be big, just there.

But what if I’m starting from scratch?

Everyone makes characters differently. When starting from scratch, be creative and have fun, this is the fun part. Look at face claims on the internet and imagine a personality. Look at archetypes and tropes that interest you. How can you subvert them or build on them? (*this also helps you develop a concept!) Maybe you’ve already got some personality traits in mind, in that case...

Tip #1: Be discerning when picking traits.

The most important thing is to think about how these personality traits help and harm them throughout the story. If the trait doesn’t excite the reader (even if that reader is just you right now) or affect them throughout the story, it might not be necessary or it requires some tweaking.

My example: Cameron is a people-pleaser. It helps him because he’s able to quickly get into people’s good graces which he needs to do in the story, but it also harms him because he has trouble saying no to people and is easily manipulated. Both sides of this trait affect the story.

Tip #2: Their backstory should affect them now.

I’m guilty. I am a sucker for a sad backstory. Not that every backstory has to be sad, but it should affect who they are in the present story and, if you’re really crafty, who they’re going to be. Not every moment of their past should drive them, but certain incidents or one big incident should.

Tip #3: What’s their motive?

Give them a motive that supports their traits and actions throughout the story. Sometimes the motive comes before the trait even like in my example...

My example: Ava is a character in my novel who serves as a maternal figure. Although a minor character, when developing her I had to think about her motives, in her case, it’s to maintain the status quo within her house. Why? Because security means she can live the way she likes to. You see how, as a maternal figure, that’s a bit selfish. Ava’s insistence on keeping her home in order, might mean she spends a lot of time making sure it looks nice, making sure her family looks presentable.

If you were writing a character know that their traits, motives, and actions throughout the story all overlap.

As much as I talked about naming characters it’s getting pretty late and I’m pretty tired BUT here are some quick tips!!!

Naming your Characters

Use charts to help figure out what your character’s names are. For example, if you’re writing a historical fiction it might not hurt to look up the most popular names from that year.

Go with your character’s (or your) vibe. Sometimes a name just fits without rhyme or reason. That’s okay! Are they tough? Maybe name them Axel. Do they live in the country? Annabelle could work. Are they the moody, emo type? Try Ebony Dark’ness Dementia Raven Way.

Use name meanings. I personally love using name meanings. You don’t have to but if you’ve got some names in mind try looking them up and see if the meaning relates to who they are

PLEASE be culturally accurate. People get names all sorts of ways, maybe they named themselves, maybe they’re adopted, maybe they’re Cornelius Montgomery the Sixteenth. But please take the time to research your character’s race and ethnicity and see what names might be common. This applies for first and last names.

Ask a friend. Or heck name them after someone.

And because I love shamelessly talking about my characters here is an example or two:

Cameron’s name process was a lot less arduous than Zaire’s. Cameron is relatively plain. His name isn’t supposed to stand out and neither is he so I chose a fairly common first and middle name: Cameron Benjamin. It doesn’t stand out, and it’s relatively timeless. Also as an added bonus people who are close to him are shown because they call him “Cam.” If he had a name that was harder to shorten, I wouldn’t be able to have all those sweet, sweet moments. Note: I didn’t place a last name because I haven’t come up with one yet, sometimes it takes a minute and that’s okay. Keeping plugging away at other stuff.

Zaire’s name on the other hand...is a bit...extravagant. His full name is Zaire Apollo McClaine. Zaire’s first name doesn’t have a significant meaning but it sounds eerily similar to the word Sire. As the most popular kid in school, one could say the king of the school...You see what I did there. ;) Secondly, I wanted his first name to tell the reader something about him. Not to dance around it because I could write a whole rant about article titles like “Chinese Names that Make You Want to walk the Great Wall” or “Baby names for Black Panther Wakanda Lovers,” but you don’t commonly see a white person named Zaire and that’s the point. Sometimes a name should give an immediate clue about a crucial part of who they are.

Apollo also gives of a god-like connotation and points to the fact that his parent clearly have high aspirations for him with a name like Zaire Apollo. Also Apollo was the god of music (among many other things), and one of Zaire’s main interests is making music.

For his last name, McClaine, I wasn’t thinking of Zaire. I was thinking of his father Pierce McClaine. It suits him. Together Pierce McClaine sounds like a classic Hollywood name, but attached to Zaire Apollo you don’t get the same effect, which was intentional. This hints at their relationship, which is to say, Zaire doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of his family. So this wasn’t much of an update on what I did today so much as it was helping you all figure out character development, but that’s all good with me!!! I hope this helped.

Let me know what your character’s names and traits are and if you used any of these tips!!!

#writeblr #writing advice #character development #naming characters #novel writing #creative writing advice #writing tips #OCs #main character development #character design #creative writing

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dreamingthroughbooks · 4 years

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Journal Entry #1 --- 12/26/2020

Hello everyone who even bothered to read this! I’m @dreamingthroughbooks here, but I think I’ll start calling myself Blossom here just for the sake of it.I’ve decided to start journaling a bit again. Of course, you are under no obligation to read my ramblings or even care about my life. I would like to just shout out my thoughts about my day into the vast void of the internet. Not many people I know in real life follow me here (and if they do they are for the most part inactive), so I figured here would be a relatively okay place to talk to someone.

Anyway - I woke up pretty late today, at like 2 pm. I’m a night owl so I went to sleep pretty late too. Ah well. I just woke up, had lunch, showered and got ready for yet another day at home. I wore my new NASA hoodie from Christmas with a navy skirt I have, cuz I shaved two days ago to wear a dress for Christmas so heck yeah I’m gonna make use of the nice feeling even though it’s for no one other than myself.

I watched the new Disney Pixar movie Soul with my family. Although it was a little slow I really did enjoy it. The animation was amazing; I loved how they animated the right keys for when Joe Gardener plays piano.

After that we watched the first episode of the Mandalorian’s second season. Baby Yoda is adorable and I really liked how they put in more little clips of The Child’s mannerisms - like it’s ears flopping in the wind or it hiding in the spit bowl. I did fall asleep at the end of the episode though because I generally find action movies predictable.

For dinner we just had punsit that my Lola made, and lazed around for a bit.

Next I watched Netflix’s new series Bridgerton with my mom. It was sooooooo good. We only watched the first four episodes so no spoilers please. But man am I a suckers for anything enemies-to-lovers and pretend-dating. Also the string quartet covers of pop songs was also fun.

I hopped on a discord call with my boyfriend and his friends (I suppose they’re my friends now too since I work with them all and have joined them on these calls for a while). My bf (let’s call him Ben) asked where I was because I joined a bit later than usual and so I told him about Bridgerton and all that it was about and I suppose I went on a little rant because as I was almost done speaking, our friend “Carter” said “No offence, but is anyone actually listening to her?”. It was all in good humor but it did sting a little because I could tell that even Ben wasn’t listening. Ah well. I can’t expect them to when 1. they’re also playing video games and 2. Bridgerton is not the type of show they’re into. They’re more into animes and action movies whereas I’m more of a fantasy, historical fiction, romcom kinda girl.

Anyway, that was my day for the most part. Nothing too strenuous because it’s still Christmas break.

Thanks for listening if you made it to the end, dear reader!

Sincerely,

Blossom

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ephemeral-winter · 4 years

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the year in books

okay so nobody asked but i am Going To Do A Blog about the books I read this year (minus most of the scholarly ones) please reserve all judgments but also remember that i am always correct

Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson

i was seriously underwhelmed by this. only read it because everyone on this hellsite loves posting anne carson quotes. well there was nothing good in here to post. wtf is up with that.

Once, Twice, Three times an Aisling by Emer McLysaught and Sarah Breen

The Importance of Being Aisling by Emer McLysaught and Sarah Breen

Oh My God What a Complete Aisling by Emer McLysaught and Sarah Breen

the above three are a romance series about a hapless irish girl in her twenties and i read them out of order and was mildly bored but also i loved them???

Hey Ladies! by Michelle Markowitz and Caroline Moss

based on the series of the same name that used to run on the-toast.net (RIP). meh.

American Royals by Katharine McGee

first in a YA series about what if america had royals (as the name implies). dumb af but i’m a sucker for stories about rich people doing stupid shit.

Making Medieval Manuscripts by Christopher de Hamel

i read this in preparation for the paleography class i took this past spring. somehow taught me nothing new?

The Virgin of Chartres by Margot Fassler

500 pages of excellent excellent history, and instrumental in writing my thesis now. obsessed with this book.

Christopher and His Kind by Christopher Isherwood

i’d been trying to finish this for about a year and a half. i love isherwood’s fiction but his (auto)biography is harder to read?

Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan

could not for the life of me tell you what happens in this one but i did have fun!

The Driver’s Seat by Muriel Spark

i love muriel spark but again have no idea what it’s about. we got sent home from campus the week i was reading this; that’s probably why

The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson

you know what is a great idea? reading a terrifying book about a historical outbreak of cholera at 2am the night before you get sent home from campus on account of a brand new worldwide pandemic! highly recommend!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling (reread)

i’ve always hated this one, and hadn’t reread it in about 10 years. still hate it!

The Relic Master by Christopher Buckley

i think i would have found this funnier if i wasn’t actually a scholar of the late medieval period.

The Abbess of Crewe by Muriel Spark (reread)

love.

Death in a Tenured Position by Amanda Cross

my mom told me to read this one, so i did. a murder mystery set in the 1970s harvard english dept... i simply have to lol

Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia

this was really well done and also i have already forgotten what it’s about

Supreme Courtship by Christopher Buckley (reread)

reconfirmed my belief that buckley is at his best when he’s satirizing the american political system of the early aughts.

The Violins of Saint-Jacques by Patrick Leigh Fermor

fermor’s only published fiction with a fascinating frame narrative. would recommend

Normal People by Sally Rooney (reread)

i can’t talk about this book. fukc.

The End of Policing by Alex S. Vitale

essential reading.

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney (reread)

can talk a little bit more about this one, but again i say: fukc. i am not a college student in dublin and i’ve never had an affair with an older man but goddamn if rooney didn’t see inside my soul.

Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld

i love sittenfeld usually but this was not it.

The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton

her second book (the luminaries) is better.

Midnight Blue by Simone Van Der Vlugt

good for a beach read.

The Collected Works of T.S. Spivet by Reif Larsen (reread)

i was obsessed with this book when i was 11 or so. less obsessed now; newly amazed by this way of writing a novel.

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (reread)

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams (reread)

it’s douglas adams! what’s not to love?

The True History of the First Mrs. Meredith and Other Lesser Lives by Diane Johnson

read this for the book club of two i have with my grandmother. i enjoyed it; she did not.

The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy

okay so today i’m really sad about how last year on NYE i was in paris and drank a lot of wine and ate a lot of cheese and this year i am home with my parents (drinking wine and eating cheese). this book is about being a stupid young american woman in paris in the 60s and it made me about as sad as i am today, except then in august.

Imagined Communities by Benedict Anderson

i know nothing about south asian nationalist movements, but hoo boy did the theory in this book expand my mind in some new and important ways.

Playing the Whore by Melissa Gira Grant

essential reading.

Love in a Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford (reread)

ugh mitford’s work is such a comfort reread. i’m working on the sisters’ collected letters right now and i can’t believe how fucking brilliant they all were.

Enter the Aardvark by Jessica Anthony

probably the best book i read this year. a stunning little novel in about 120 pages. if you like taxidermy and congress and gay people and history and love, this is a book for you.

Don’t Tell Alfred by Nancy Mitford (reread)

more mitford. self-explanatory, really.

The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey (reread)

this is one of the books i credit with my interest in medieval history. gives me something new each time i come back to it.

Majesty by Katherine McGee

a sequel to american royals, described above. still stupid af; still a delight.

The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon (reread)

i reread this for my minyan’s book club, even though i only attended one of the meetings. my mom first read this to me when i was literally nine years old-- what a parenting choice! this book taught me how to curse. still a masterpiece of a novel.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling (reread)

needed a comfort read yesterday. fuck jkr for all the usual reasons, but damn, this hits.

#rare pic of me in the wild #year in books

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hecallsmehischild · 5 years

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Recent Media Consumed

Anime

Fruits Basket (2001). Third re-watch. I think that it is… middling. I like the concept, it isn’t always played out well but it’s fun. Though I am actually a lot more bothered by the casual verbal (and physical) abuse toward Kyo by people we’re supposed to like. That really stuck in my craw this time.

Fruits Basket (2019). This is the real reason I re-watched the old one. Definitely has better humans-actually-talk-like-this dialogue flow. There’s more explanation of the little moments that didn’t make a lot of sense, while other aspects were toned down (like a LOT less of the more contrived shapeshift moments). And there was LESS Kyo abuse, though it was still there. PERSONAL ISSUES AND MOTIVATIONS ARE MUCH MORE FLESHED OUT. And we gOt MoRe CoNtEnT!!!!!!!! YOU MEAN THE FIRST SEASON COVERS NEARLY ALL THE ORIGINAL CONTENT AND WE HAVE A WHOLE OTHER SEASON TO LOOK FORWARD TO, WHAAAAAAAAAAAT 9/10 YES SIGN ME UP WHEN THE NEXT SEASON IS fully aired because I can’t take a weekly update, I’m a binge-watch type.

Books

The Firebird Trilogy, Wind And Shadow, and Daystar (a five book series) by Kathy Tyers. I’m gonna hold off on this for now. I’ve actually been very slowly re-reading a lot of my Christian fiction from the old days and VERY slowly compiling a post of the main themes I’ve drawn from them, and this will be included on that list. For now, suffice it to say I’ve really blasted through this series recently. (edit after reading the final book) So at first I was disappointed by Daystar. It felt a lot more confusing and rushed at the beginning. But as I kept reading, it absorbed me absolutely. Completely. I’ve read this over the course of three days and I’ve had dreams about it for two nights. The Jesus-story-in-another-time-or-universe story has been done to death and I have issues reading that type of book because of that, but only the 5th book covered that and it did it… very differently. I don’t even know what to say about this book. It sits so heavy in me. But in a good way. Especially the last chapter. I’m so glad she added two more books to this story.

Healing from Hidden Abuse by Shannon Thomas. I can recommend this book without the hesitation I have for the Boundaries books. The Boundaries books are great, but they are written with Christians in mind through and through. Healing from Hidden abuse talks about recovery from psychological abuse and only brings up Christian theology in the segments where it deals with church/pastoral abuse, aka spiritual abuse. This is my second read and I’ve underlined and written notes in so many parts of this book that flipping through will flash a rainbow of colors. It’s a very good and accessible read.

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire. I read this a couple times growing up and it still holds up. This is the sort of story I wouldn’t normally care to read; hardship, romance, and the rise and fall of fortunes in 17th century Holland. But framed as a backdrop to the Cinderella story? My sucker-for-a-fairytale brain demands I keep and continue to re-read it every few years. Rich in description and in character study, this is a good book to come back to after many years.

TV Shows

The End of the F***ing World. Dark. Crazy dark and FUNNY. Brittish-style-dark-humor. Probably not something I’d watch over and over, and definitely a little hard to stomach from time to time, but brilliant all the same. Feels like the same theme of The Unicorn Store (absolutely flailing in transition to growing up, kids trying to navigate being an adult) but with a polar opposite lens and tone. (edit after watching the second season) so, about as funny as the first season was, the second half of the second season is about as tragic. It ends… well? But it’s also very painful to watch. Kind of profound. It’s a very, very well done show, but I don’t think I will be revisiting it.

Movies

Harriet. I’ll say it up front. This is not my peoples’ story, and I don’t know enough to tell you how historically accurate it is, but this movie is stunning. Ten out of ten. Go. See. It.

Fanfiction

Wish by tinyquill. MSA fic (incomplete). What seems like a lovely bonding and restoration moment, the post-reunion gang celebrating Lewis’ birthday, goes TERRIBLY WRONG. AUGH. It got me in the feels and it is unfinished! Unfortunate!!!

Blur by Dont_Feed_Da_Elves. MSA oneshot. Read this one a while ago but wanna shine a spotlight on it again. An interweaving of before-and-after telling, with Lewis and Arthur as roommates on one side, and a begrudgingly reunited gang going on an absolutely terrifying haunted asylum on the other. Laughter and chills and feels all around.

#child loves anime #child loves books #child loves movies #wrestling with God

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