#but w/ mikki. not w/ theo

[gwendolynlerman]

Books I want to read in 2024

I was inspired by @fluencylevelfrench to write this post, so here are the 50 books I want to read in 2024, which is my provisional Goodreads goal. (I always set a lowish number and adjust it throughout the year depending on how my goal progresses.) Last year, I read 121 books, so I'm hoping to be able to read at least 100, but I have no idea what my year is going to look like.

1Q84 Book 1 by Haruki Murakami (currently reading)

1Q84 Book 2 by Haruki Murakami

1Q84 Book 3 by Haruki Murakami

Hamburg – hin und zurück by Felix & Theo

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Die Verwandlung by Franz Kafka

Words and Rules: The Ingredients of Language by Steven Pinker

Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

International Relations Theory by Stephen McGlinchey

You Are What You Speak: Grammar Grouches, Language Laws and the Power of Words by Robert Lane Greene

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt

Meditations on Diplomacy: Comparative Cases in Diplomatic Practice and Foreign Policy by Stephen Chan

Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich

Reflections on the Posthuman in International Relations: The Anthropocene, Security and Ecology by Clara Eroukhmanoff

In Cold Blood: A True Account of Multiple Murder and Its Consequences by Truman Capote

Haus ohne Hoffnung by Felix & Theo

Effi Briest by Theodor Fontane

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer

Migration and the Ukraine Crisis: A Two-Country Perspective by Agnieszka Pikulicka-Wilczewska and Greta Uehling (eds.)

Writing Systems: An Introduction to Their Linguistic Analysis by Florian Coulmas

Nations under God: The Geopolitics of Faith in the Twenty-First Century by Luke M. Herrington

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell

Herr der Diebe by Cornelia Funke

Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser

Park Statue Politics: World War II Comfort Women Memorials in the United States by Thomas J. Ward

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Restoring Indigenous Self-Determination: Theoretical and Practical Approaches by Marc Woons

Veronikas Geheimnis by Friedhelm Strack

The Sacred and the Sovereign by Özgür Taşkaya

1984 by George Orwell

Sounds of War: Aesthetics, Emotions and Chechnya by Susanna Hast

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Feminists Don't Wear Pink (And Other Lies): Amazing Women on What the F-Word Means to Them by Scarlett Curtis

Into the Eleventh Hour: R2P, Syria and Humanitarianism in Crisis by Robert W. Murray

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams

Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit

Life, the Universe and Everything by Douglas Adams

Women & Power: A Manifesto by Mary Beard

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish by Douglas Adams

The Sources of Russia's Great Power Politics: Ukraine and the Challenge to the European Order by Taras Kuzio

Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams

Women, Race & Class by Angela Y. Davis

Feminism without Borders: Decolonizing Theory, Practicing Solidarity by Chandra Talpade Mohanty

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

The “Clash of Civilizations” 25 Years On: A Multidisciplinary Appraisal by Davide Orsi

Making Space for Indigenous Feminism by Joyce Green

It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

[undxunted]

out of BAZARI + GABE + MIKKY + ELI+ THEO + AARON + ROMEO, rank the most-to-least likely to... ╭〻◕`w´◕〻╮ visit an art museum? donate to a panhandler? unironically enjoy reading/watching a love story whether they admit it out loud of not? graduate as valedictorian in a situation where they all went to a standard high school? solve a math problem faster than the other two? hold a petty grudge? recognize annona bright in public? pass out in a public place? drop acid? break a heart? punch a wall?

WOW. I have like two people in this goddamn site who know about my characters and I think I know who sent this. For practical purposes, I will use the BrightLights rp!AU for Zach, Mikky and Riley. Anyways, back to business:

Visit an art museum: 

Zach

Romeo

Eli

Gabe

Aaron

Basil

Riley

Theo

Mikky.

Zach is the son of two serial killers who were absolutely obsessed with art, design and perfection. He has a very well trained mind regarding the artistic area and considers himself an expert, even though the only strong artistic abilities he possesses are music and theater ( he loves theater ). There’s nothing interesting to say about the rest.

Donate to a panhandler:

Riley

Zach

Aaron

Eli

Gabe

Basil

Mikky

Romeo

Theo

Riley grew up in a very very poor family and knows about struggle. Very few extended him a hand when he and his family needed it and seeing someone go through the same makes him feel ( surprisingly ) bad. Zach is ridiculously kind, Aaron is involved with the church, Gabe is the middle point between kindness and personal interest in this list. Basil hang around horrible places because unlike what people think, the powerful people are below, not above. Romeo probably thinks panhandlers are a myth since he barely uses his own feet to move from one place to another and he is dropped right at the front of red carpets. Theo is just a prick who sees the rest of the world as scum.

Unironically enjoy reading/watching a love story whether they admit it out loud of not?: 

Eli

Gabe

Aaron

Mikky

Zach

Riley

Romeo

Theo

Basil

Eli is a HUGE teddy bear, the only one who is actually looking to become fully good and change his life around. He is secretly very cheesy and probably the only of the list who is not afraid to speak about feelings. Basil on the other hand is painfully cold and neutral, at one point I even thought he was aromantic, but he ended developing a huge crush on his current girlfriend at the group. Still, he is learning how to deal with feelings and how to express them.

Graduate as valedictorian in a situation where they all went to a standard high school?:

Basil

Gabe

Romeo

Theo

Riley

Aaron

Eli

Zach

Mikky

Even due Basil’s cold personality, he knows his way around people and he is also very smart. He wasn’t born with a ridiculous amount of brains like Riley, but he was always very witty and intuitive, aside of extremely scholarly and capable of noticing details that others would usually oversee. This helped him to get to the top of the list. Dangerously close, there’s Gabe, but since he has this weird vibe, not all teachers trusted him at all. Riley could have won, because he has an uncanny intelligence (think of any of the Holmes), but he is too lazy and too much of a curious and party guy, so he spends his time in the detention room alongside Eli and Mikky. Eli is a big Gryffindor who is always getting in petty fights, Mikky is just a yandere witch trying to sleep with all the teachers. Zach doesn’t have very good grades, except for History of Art and Aaron is a fucking hypocrite nobody really tolerates, but ironically, this fanatic child of mine hangs a lot with Mikky because she is the only one who can stand him. Theo is a golden boy, but he stabbed a guy with a pencil once, so nobody really trusts him much anymore and Romeo would be the perfect valedictorian, but he probably missed a point or two in a class while flirting with the cheerleaders.

Solve a math problem faster than the other two?:

Riley

Theo

Basil

Eli

Gabe

Romeo

Aaron

Zach

Mikky

Riley is my smart boy, anything you can do, he can do better. He is a fucking mess with a short attention span ( and interest ) but he can solve anything math-y in seconds. Prolly Theo and Basil follow him next, even though Riley already solved 3 problems while the other two are finishing the first one. Mikky simply wouldn’t do it, she is too pretty and goth for that.

Hold a petty grudge?: Are you kidding me? Literally all my characters can’t let shit go and that’s why they are the way they are.

Basil

Gabe

Riley

Theo

Mikky

Aaron

Romeo

Zach

Eli

Basil murdered his little sister out of vengeance against his mother. Gabe is… well, you know, he thinks he is an angel and must punish men for their bad deeds. If Riley is fooled, lied or tricked, oh boy, you are in BIG trouble. From there, the rest are mostly petty bitches. Eli is the most calm one unless you get to piss him off which is hard, but careful if you do.

Recognize Annona Bright in public?:

Gabe

Theo

Mikky

Zach

Basil

Romeo

Eli

Aaron

Riley

The heir, socialite and also horror fan? ( all my kids are horror fans, tho ), he is a big fan of Annona and wouldn’t miss a chance to meet her. He probably tried to flirt with her A LOT. Theo is a sadist and most likely has had HORRIBLE fantasies with her he would love to bring out of his dreams. Mikky likes the feminine representation in the industry and loves her wardrobe.

Pass out in a public place?:

Theo

Aaron

Zach

Eli

Riley

Mikky

Romeo

Basil

Gabe

Theo is a drama queen, either real or not, if passing out gives this obnoxious bastard the required attention, he will do it. Aaron is that guy that screams like a girl when he is startled or scared and even though he is starting his own cult, seeing dirty stuff would make him pass out. Zach sometimes gets heavy headaches ( in both the Plath and Bright Lights verses ) and this can knock him down. Basil is a doctor so usually can sense if it is going to happen and find a safe place to do it or call someone before it happens. Gabe is a diva who wouldn’t be allowed to be seen weak in public.

Drop acid?:

Romeo

Riley

Mikky

Theo

Eli

Gabe

Aaron

Zach

Basil

Romeo is a rich party boy. He likes having fun spending lots of money, even if that includes drugs for everyone. Riley was in a cage for 18 years ( he is 23 in the current verses, I should update that ), so now he was to experience it all. Zach is a prude and wouldn’t really do it unless the peer pressure is too much. Basil thinks drugs are stupid.

Break a heart?: HA!

Romeo

Riley

Theo

Mikky

Gabe

Aaron

Zach

Eli

Basil

Romeo and Riley like to collect “pets” aka people they can use whenever they want and then dump them just to go after them when they get bored again. Eli is too much of a good person to do that and Basil is not someone you crush on?? And even if that happened, he would get sure the pop the bubble really quick because he has no time for stupid feelings or whatsoever.

Punch a wall?:

Zach

Riley

Eli

Aaron

Theo

Romeo

Mikky

Gabe

Basil

Zach and Riley are the most impulsive ones. They can snap quickly with the correct trigger, that’s why in their brotherhood, Basil is also the one who calms them down, he barely shows any real emotion and after being a crybaby in his childhood years, he learned how to shut himself down. Eli’s feelings are very strong and as your stereotypical Gryffindor, his own ego and pride get in the way sometimes.