#concept of love getting a sequel song make me feel things.

[zelterxc]

no spoilers, but a quick gush about brc-

as a followup to my last post before the game came out, I recently finished Bomb Rush Cyberfunk- aside from some collectibles and 100%ing the whole game- and man. man. okay no you dont get it (unless you know jsr and the fans' history of begging for a new game or SOMETHING).

I think a lot of people I've seen in the brc/jsr tags agree that this is what we wanted. Team Reptile did in 3-4 years what sega couldnt do in 20+

the whole thing, the style, the graffiti and trick system, the ost, all holds up to jsr/jsrf's standards imo, it did not disappoint , even the plot held up and i didn't even expect much of a plot. It had a somewhat silly absurdity to it towards the end (not spoiling anything) but they made it fucking cool. (as did jsr/jsrf tho tbh)

literally my only criticism for the gameplay or anything is a skill issue that's my own damn fault or minor unproblematic bugs that could easily be patched.

this game in my opinion Fucking Delivered on the JSR/F experience while also standing on its own two legs as an original game. its not just "JSRF 2"

it has heart. it has soul

people made affectionate jokes that this game looks like it understands the concept of love.

It does.

and this is where i add a corny followup like "and it understands Da People" --

[a-cloud-for-dreams]

Okay, I caved and downloaded Romance Club😭😭 Does anyone have any good story recommendations? I'm still gonna be on Choices and post Choices content (and finish off the books on my reading list). I just feel like I need to stop relying on one storytelling app

Ugh, this is such a weird feeling! It reminds me of when I switched from Episode to Choices and I had to acclimate to the better quality of stories imao. I just wanna ✨expose myself✨ to more interactive apps and since Storyscape or wtvr doesn't exist anymore this is the closest I can get

Kali: Flame of Samsara (UP TO DATE)

Astrea's Broken Heart (UP TO DATE)

Heaven's Secret: Requiem (UP TO DATE)

Chasing You 2 (UP TO DATE)

W: Time Catcher (UP TO DATE)

Love, Sin, and Evil Vol. 1 (UP TO DATE)

The Desert Rose (UP TO DATE)

Garden of Eden (UP TO DATE)

Soulless (UP TO DATE)

Song of the Crimson Nile (CATCH UP NEXT DIAMOND RUSH)

Legend of the Willow (NEXT DIAMOND RUSH)

Heart of Trespia (NEXT DIAMOND RUSH)

Psi (NEXT DIAMOND RUSH)

Chasing You (STARTED...)

Sails in the Fog (STARTED...)

Dracula: A Love Story (STARTED...)

Rage of the Titans (STARTED...)

Hell and Highwater (STARTED...)

Shadows of Saintfour

COMPLETED

Kali: Call of Darkness: 9/10; love the MC, the characters, the story progression, the Dozen lore, replayability, etc. but gets a point off for its problematic depiction of Indian culture and Hinduism) tbh it deserves an extra point or two off because I despise the way Remy clearly wrote from a Eurocentric perspective, but this is also the first RC book I read after the slew of mid Choices books so I got attached unfortunately

Theodora: 9.6/10; I got the ending where I was only able to save my soul and it made me sad 😭 the story was well written but there were parts where I was just a lil bored. At least, that’s how I felt initially before I became obsessed with the book. It's objectively amazing etc. but I feel kinda robbed from screentime with the OG characters if that makes sense? Either way the writer did a great job writing them into the plot in later seasons and the MC is so amazing I love her <3 it’s not easy to write the progression of multiple relationships already but to have a different set of likable LIs every season is incredible!

Arcanum: 9.8/10; THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD omg I love how the plot came full circle and the MC was interesting and well-written (her character design was also top tier). It's such a unique concept for a book I love it. I feel like S3 could have gone by a lil quicker (along with a couple of other nitpicky things) but that could just be because S2 was so full of action

Heaven's Secret: 9.9/10; I just started its sequel, but I was pleasantly surprised at how engaging this book was! I like the gradual progression from being a new student to slowly learning the truth behind your death and about the academy. The final battle scene was super cool, and I feel like everything had a logical explanation (ex. Shepha only having power over light). I also like the different pathways of being an Angel, Demon, or Harmony Bearer (which I was!) it was really fun and seems like a replayable book <3

Vying for Versailles: [review pending, check later]

Sins of London: [review pending, check later]

Heaven's Secret 2: [review pending, check later]

[alexturne]

Fic rec: 5 fics I've enjoyed recently

This is just a small list of 5 stories I've enjoyed recently, in no particular order.

1. Some Velvet Morning by @musette22 / @subtle-as-an-earthquake

(14k words)

It happens at the OIympia in Paris, just after the show. Their hundredth show. A memorable one for more than just that reason, as it turns out. (Or, the fic in which Alex's body starts talking before his mind does, forcing him to finally realise a thing or two about his relationship with his best friend Miles).

This is like the perfect friends to lovers fic. The progression and realization is just so natural, the dialogue is impeccable and I was hanging on the edge of my seat, dying to know what would happen next. It's Milex telepathy at its best, it's, like the summary says, bodies knowing what they want before the mind can catch up, and it's just incredibly lovely written. It's so soft and fluffy, their love is so evident through it all, so intimate and intense, and just so beautiful.

2. Baby, He Can Find You by @elorianna

(11 chapters, 56k words)

It's been three weeks since their escape from Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino, and Alex feels like he's forgotten something important. He's tormented by the unfinished song that he brought home with him, and by the secret which he keeps hidden from Miles at the back of the wardrobe. Miles keeps on telling him the hotel wasn't real. That it was nothing but a drug-induced dream. He begs for Alex to move on and forget. But Alex is haunted by the vanished hotel in the woods, and he can't let it go. There's a hole in his memory where something ought to be. A riddle he has to solve. All he knows for sure is that he has to finish the song. It consumes his waking thoughts and his sleepless nights. He must find a way to discover the missing lyrics. Only then will he remember what really happened to him at Tranquility Base...

This incredible sequel to Somewhere Darker was worth the wait! I read it in a couple of hours, couldn't put it down. It really draws you in, amazing attention to detail, foreshadowing, the characters going through so much, growing and finding themselves different by the end of it. Astounding writing, so captivating and meaningful, layered and intelligent, amazingly beautiful and interesting concepts. Scared the shit out of me, 10/10.

3. No Rules In Breakable Heaven by @yellowloid

(8k words)

It’s not sane how much he wants it. It’s not sane how much he wants nothing but to feel him, all around him, his senses completely inebriated by him – Alex, Alex, Alex. Nothing, no one else. Just Alex, just him. Or It's Summer 2013 and Miles comes visit Alex in Los Angeles. When too much alcohol gets in the way of what was supposed to be a regular night out between friends, things rapidly start to degenerate.

This was everything I wanted it to be and more! Reread this again, and it's just incredible. It's super hot, such vivid imagery, and the connection between them is sizzling. It's longing and tension, it's intense and sexy, it's friendship with hidden feelings they deep down knew were there all along, and that making it all ever more satisfying. The queen of deeply romantic smut is back and I enjoyed every second!

4. no one belongs here more than you by @stereobone

(8k words)

"I think it's been a love story the whole time," Alex says.

This is the most gorgeous trip down memory lane, the story of their love through tasty little slices. I'm a sucker for stories like that, and each moment is just jam-packed with the most meaningful dialogue and imagery. I eat up every word, eager for more. It's incredibly poignant, so much is left unsaid and that's the beauty of it. It's the most beautiful and natural progression from friends to lovers, endlessly romantic and perfect, it's been there all along.

5. Here Comes The Sun by CosmicZombie @uhbasicallyjustmilex

(5 chapters, 34k words)

Miles doesn't ever question it. Until he does.

I've read this before and returned to it, and it was just as wonderful as the first time I read it. The portrayal of their friendship is just so natural and believable, and as I finished it, I only wanted more! It's poignantly beautiful, filled with tension, realizing feelings, deep longing, smoldering sexiness, miscommunication, essentially everything a EYCTE fic should be!

💜💜💜💜💜

Feel free to make a little list of your own, and share the love for all of our amazing writers 💜

[nayeonline]

My Top 15 K-Pop Songs of 2023

I genuinely don't know how, but somehow we have made it to December 10 2023, exactly 1 year after my top songs of 2022 post which I've decided to make a permanent thing on this blog. This year I was a lot more organized with formulating this list - I created a spotify playlist in January, and any kpop songs I cared about this year I added to it in chronological order. This list includes songs released between 2022/12/10 and 2023/12/10, and is entirely based on my personal opinion - feel free to let me know ur top songs of the year in the comments and rbs <33

(15) BYOB (bring your own best friend) (English Ver.) - Billlie

I just know some eyebrows are being raised but HEAR ME OUT, this song just speaks to me. It’s not a club banger, it's not an anthemic stadium hit, but it is something for the girlies, and I love it.

(14) Girls' Capitalism - TripleS LOVElution

What a hilarious concept for a song, TripleS is too good. Is this song literally just ‘Generation’ the sequel? Yes! I don’t care!! It’s really good!!!

(13) Standing Next To You - Jungkook (BTS)

Now I’m not an army, and none of Jungkook’s previous singles really spoke to me, they were catchy of course but not for me. This song, on the other hand, is artistry. His passion for what he does is so obvious in this song, I am severely impressed.

(12) Spicy - aespa

Aespa just KNOWS how to do a concept. So many other groups would feel stagnant with the futuristic concept, but aespa keep reinventing themselves perfectly while retaining a sound that is so distinctly them. Spicy is peak girl pop; Ningning you outdid yourself on this one.

(11) Drama - aespa

Can aespa release a bad title track??? Drama would probably be higher if it came out earlier, but based on the month I’ve been listening to it, this is an absolute punch up for aespa. Our stint in the real world was fun and all, but we’re in kwangya again and it feels fucking good. Aespa, keep doing what you’re doing, and I’ll keep streaming.

(10) Fast Forward - JEON SOMI

People didn’t like this song this year, but I fucking loved it and this is my list. As a UK resident and 80s music enjoyer, this spoke to me on a molecular level. I know it's trashy, I know it's been done before, I don't care. Fast Forward is amazing.

(9)  In Bloom - ZEROBASEONE

Category is: Boy Group Kpop (but it's actually good). Pure excellence, this is how to sample a classic song, this is how to debut, this is how to break the mold of boy groups and do it with actually good music (cough cough boynextdoor cough cough). Imagine if they kept this energy for their first comeback. Imagine lol

(8) Cherry Talk - TripleS +(KR)ystal Eyes

People (including tripleS stans) loooveee to shit on this song but it’s literally their best song since Generation, and I will stand by that. This is extremely LOONA coded, if you don’t like it, that must suck for you. BOOM CHERRY TALK CHERRY CHERRY TALK.

(7) Cool With You - NewJeans

They’re literally too good. I have no words.

(6) ETA - NewJeans

NewJeans said this year that being consistent hitmakers is easy actually, this song is fucking excellent. Controversially, I love the production, it's so funky and subversive. I got this song from day dot, if you get it you get it, if you don’t you don’t, and if you don’t I feel sorry for you xx

(5) Attitude - fromis_9

This is fromis_9’s second time showing up very high on my yearly roundups, I’m thinking I need to pay more attention to them. This song is the shit I live for in kpop, its SO HIGH QUALITY. Not a second wasted in this song, just pure goodness throughout. Fromis’s ability to be so extremely on trend never ceases to amaze me. This song is really fucking good, and the whole album is too good as well. Fromis_9, you have my attention. (that actually wasn’t on purpose lol)

(4) Air Force One - ODD EYE CIRCLE

Utter euphoria. That’s what this song feels like. LOONA had a rough 2022, and orbits were feeling it. We were boycotting and fighting for the girls to be free of that fucking company, and when we won, we were happy of course, but mostly exhausted. Then Odd Eye Circle dropped ‘Air Force One’. This song feels like a second wind, it builds up and up from the first second, tension rising, exhaustion fading and then ‘ready set and GO’ and its ANTHEMIC. You can exhale now, the work is done, LOONA is fucking back.

(3) OMG - NewJeans

Oh look, more NewJeans. The audacity to release one of the best songs of the year on January 2nd is crazy. ‘OMG’ is so effortlessly catchy, it’s ridiculous. It’s full to the brim of hooks and creative melodies, this is pop music at its best. It’s serotonin in a song, and the ability and self assurance of the members in their skills is palpable, and oozes from the seams of the track. In a somewhat forgettable year of Kpop, NewJeans were constantly reinventing and redefining what a hit is, and OMG is the physical form of that. Congratulations NewJeans, nobody is doing it like you.

(2) Sugarcoat (NATTY Solo) - KISS OF LIFE

I am being deadly serious when I say this song altered something in my brain. I struggle to comprehend how much I love this song, and I’m struggling even more to express that in words. I found Kiss of Love’s other debut songs to be quite fun, but this song eclipses anything they have ever and will ever release. Natty is such a powerhouse, I am in awe of her skill. If you haven’t heard this song, which is upsettingly likely as while this song had a moment on TikTok earlier this year, it was still a quite niche trend that didn’t last long, PLEASE go and listen, this was the best song released in 2023. But, this list doesn’t just include 2023. It also includes that tiny window after December 10 when literally no one releases music. No one except…

(1) Ditto - NewJeans

Ditto is one of those songs where you listen to it for the first time and you’re left a little bit speechless at the end. I don’t think I’m ever going to forget this song, or how it makes me feel. Ditto has changed the kpop industry forever, and it will go down in history as a defining moment of the genre. It’s melancholic and nostalgic and heartfelt, it's laughing through your tears, it’s hugging your best friend before you go your separate paths in life. I still get a little tug on my heart whenever Hyein’s beautiful intro vocals come in, and I think I always will. NewJeans, you’ve released a lot of amazing music this year, but thank you especially for this one, I’ll love it forever.

[starrlikesbooks]

Happy May! The best month! 💖🌷

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli is one of the few books on this list that I have had the great fortune to have already read, and it easily and quickly became one of my favorite books. I love this story of bi-realization and what queer infighting and virtue signaling does to our community, and I love the tender newness of this love story! Thinking about this book makes me feel weepy, and I desperately want all of you to read it.

To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose is a Native led fantasy about dragon training and colonization. This book sounds really, really cool, and seems like it could be a bit of a more diverse Dragon Prince, but academic.

All the Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley would have made it on this list even if it didn't look so intriguing, because I trust McCauley so much to make a captivating story with strong, vivid characters. This time, however, things are going Gothic! This is a creepy story of nannying and old houses and horror writers that I'm sure will be stunningly atmospheric.

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee is a queer romance starring two Chinese men and looks so fluffy and cute. This one has a fake dating of convenience to help boost business and just from that cover alone I'm sure it's going to be sweet as anything.

Painted Devils by Margaret Owen is the sequel to Little Thieves, and while it very much does feel like a middle book in a trilogy (which I'm still so excited about!) it gives all the meddling Vanja and low gods vibes as before, now with more romance and absolute need for therapy. I have read this one, and need the next book in my hands like a month ago thank you.

Venom & Vow by Anna-Marie McLemore and Elliot McLemore is the queer romantic fantasy of my dreams! This one has mistaken identities and hidden identities all due to nefarious plots and fluid genders! I love Anna-Marie McLemore and everything about this screams that I would love it, so I'm gnashing at the bit to get this one!

We'll Never Tell by Wendy Heard is yet another book I know I'll probably love based first and foremost on the author. I loved Dead End Girls, and Heard's 3rd book feels like it'll be a similar vibe. This one is about a group of teen investigators accidentally biting off more than they can chew and causing one of their group to get murdered.

Something Like Possible by Miel Moreland I've already read and have been looking forward to seeing it out on the shelf since last year! If you loved the politics of Red White & Royal Blue but would love a YA, sapphic take- grab this book! The politics here are mostly class president based but everything feels more significant and the themes are just heavy enough to do real heavy lifting. Plus, of course, the romance is impeccable.

Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou claims to be a bit of a mix of Percy Jackson and Song of Achilles, following descendents of Greek figures who inherit their power. The main character of this is a descendant of The Fates (amazing concept right there!) and must use her powers to solve a string of brutal murders

[imthepunchlord]

Tonal whiplash of Betterfly’s theme song aside (because let’s be honest the whole series has a serious issue with that at this point anyway) there’s an AMAZING Re-Verse AU being done by revolutionary-thoy that I think you’d really like given your preferences. It’s not like a set webcomic to catch up on either, moreso character design and worldbuilding at this stage, so if you do decide to check it out, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it as well.

https://revolutionary-thoy.tumblr.com/tagged/reverse/chrono

Oh yeah I've seen some of it through Zoe's reblogs.

Art is cool and I'm liking a lot of the designs. But it's not going to be an au I'm going to click with, cause it's really working off what's rolled out in the Paris Special, which are things I don't click with, the biggest being the concept of the Supreme, which them being all build up but no show, I got to question why bother with the invention of them. He/they aren't even good sequel hook cause we never see him/them ultimately despite all the build up. Typically you want to visually hint the next big villain. Which the no show kinda tells me they probably don't even know who or what the Supreme is (though I assume it's Fu).

Even more so that it feels like the Supreme was made to add to the dArK aNd EdGiNeSs of this Special. Which is a tone they really wanted for it, even though I feel like it should've gone comedic cause there is no way you can look at these design changes and not laugh, cause they felt like a blast to the past of... gosh was it the early 2000s when we got all those punk/goth/emo aesthetic? Marinette and Adrien felt like a reference to that, and Gabriel/Betterfly (I cracked up everytime I heard that name) reminded me of Damocles, playing hero, and probably gets teased by kids and be so cringey.

It feels like the Special was a fanfic that is trying waaaay to hard to go for that tone, especially with Supreme, and it just feels unnecessary as you got preexisting plausible reasons for Adrien and Marinette to go antagonistic. You don't need the Supreme's existence to push this villainous agenda along.

Chloe apparently is the same (which what's the point of a reversal world if you're not going to commit to doing reversal of everything?) and no one backing Marinette ever, she can go down a dark path from snapping and getting fed up. Lashes out against Chloe and everyone that abandoned her. You can also work off everyone having demands and expectations and her constantly expected to give and prioritize others over herself and she can never put herself first as that's "selfish", and it leads to her snapping. There also seems to be implications that PS Marinette doesn't have a happy home life, at least with Sabine? That can definitely push someone to be antagonistic.

With Adrien, playing off that this is Gabriel at the core, even if he's a better person, he's still a controlling and neglectful father who isolates his son and puts a lot of expectation and busy work on him, and wasn't there to help him through the loss of Emilie. So Adrien lashes out. He gets destructive. Lets that anger, frustration, and anguish loose.

Supreme wasn't needed to bring out plausible reasons for them to go antagonistic. And it feels like they made things darker and edgier than necessary, and just makes things confusing cause Gabriel is implied to be running a successful fashion industry, but the way he talks about his Paris and by the intro, it sounds like it's constantly on fire and is a war zone? Maybe that's why the Special is set in OG Paris cause maybe they don't even know what Special Paris is even like.

Anyway, with Re-Verse, I'll appreciate the art when I see it, cause it's really good; but it's not going to be an au I'll get into as it works with the existence of the Supreme and rolls with that dark edgyness that I rolled my eyes at. It's not going to be for me.

[ambloom]

I wanna get into precure, do you have a fav or ome you think people should start with?

Ye!! I want to preface this by saying Precure is basically a collection of advertisements to sell children toys, but it's fun head empty activity if you like magical girl stuff. I think it's best to just scroll through the Wikipedia page and pick whichever one looks the most interesting to you, but I'll talk about the ones I like and dislike below:

1. Heartcatch

My favorite season. Great characters, art, feels so incredibly full of love. Character design is by Yoshihiko Umakoshi (Magical Doremi). The stylized animation really adds to the fight scenes. I've seen a lot of trans girls resonate with a particular character and it's fun to keep that headcanon in mind when watching. Theme song plays in my head everyday.

2. Hirogaru Sky

The newest season. Really easy to get into and features a lot of firsts in the series such as a blue main cure, first magical boy on the main team, and adult cure on the main team (she's only 18 though lol). I just wish the fight scenes were more punch-y since the protagonist, Sora, is an athlete.

3. Kirakira Pretty Cure a la Mode

This one is hated by a lot of people because there's no hand to hand combat, but I feel like it more than makes up for that with the characters and general bubbly vibe. Has a budget Haruka/Michiru cat girl x dog girl couple for the yuri fans. I never skip the transformations.

4. Futari wa Pretty Cure

The original. Fight scenes only went down in quality after it imo. Really distinctive among magical girl shows.

5. Fresh Precure

The art isn't really up to par with other entries, but if you don't mind that it has a character who really tugs at the heartstrings. Invented the concept of a mid season cure (cure joins halfway through) and no one else has done it like her. Truly believe she suffered more than Jesus.

Others I recommend are Star Twinkle, Tropical Rogue, and Suite.

As for the ones I'm like... Eh about..

Go! Princess is a fan favorite. It has a nice storybook feel, dynamic fight scenes occasionally, and the transformations are stunning. But as an Utena fan it felt weird to watch them go "no it's okay to want to be a princess actually! princesses can be strong too!" Very annoying message to see be sent to kids to buy products lol

Yes 5... There are two episodes I think are like the best in this franchise and then the rest was ruined by a chipmunk I wish was roadkill. The romance is between the protagonist and her teacher (who also happens to be the mascot character lol). It's the season that got a sequel that's currently airing with the cast all grown up, but they had to bring that ugly flea-ridden fuck back.

Huggto. The thing is I was spoiled for this and it was a spoiler that made my neurons kind of short circuit so I decided it definitely was not for me.

Sorry, I know I rambled a bit but I hope you have fun! (Disclaimer that this is just my opinion, I'm aware it's a kids show for kids in case green cure anon is following me)

[angelica4equity]

"About the Blogger" Meme

Thanks to @currymanganese for tagging me 💕

Star Sign(s):

Aries Sun, Leo Moon, Gemini Rising

Favorite Holidays:

Christmas because it's coldish and I am finally not sweaty 😭

Last Meal:

Two pork tamales with a sunny side up egg on a bed of Mexican fried rice 🤤

Current Favorite Musician:

Spanish band called Shego. I know I know, I hate the ethpanyoles most of the time but damn I love whiny rock music that tells men to go fuck themselves 😍

Last Music Listened To:

Love Me Like You Do by Ellie Goulding ( yes I was watching a fanvid that's the only song legally allowed as a background)

Last Movie Watched:

Mr Monk's Last Case. SO GOOD I literally cried. I loved USANetwork so much as a kid and I grew up with these shows. Yes the treatment of OCD wasn't totally accurate but Mr Monk did make me feel seen as someone who, because of their brain, just can't stop themselves even when they know everyone is frustrated. When I heard they were making a movie I was so excited bc I love the Psych movies so much and I was thrilled Monk was getting his sequel too 😭.

Last TV Show Watched:

The Bear. On my third rewatch 😍👌🏽

Last Book/Fic Finished:

Get a Life, Chloe Brown! By Talia Hibbert. 1, I am a slut for well written romance, 2 I love books about marginalized bodies and 3 I love supporting Black women. This book is part of a series called The Brown Sisters novels and each book focuses on a different sister's romance. It's so good! I accidentally read the third one first but now I've read 2/3. Funny and a lil freaky. I love it!!!! 10/10 would recommend but I also recommend checking it out at a library to boost circulation markers.

Last Book/Fic Abandoned:

I tried reading another romance book called the Right Swipe but so far it hasn't grabbed my attention so I haven't really finished it.

Currently Reading:

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert (second of three in Brown Sisters novels)

AND

Falling Twice by Myst867 this is a Harry and Hermione Fanfic don't @ me

Last Thing Researched for Art/Writing/Hyperfixation:

Pegging and how to do it, SPECIFICALLY for my fanfic although I'm sure I'll need that info in my life eventually 🤭

Favorite Online Fandom Memory:

Probably the DashCon Ball Pit fiasco

Favorite Old Fandom You Wish Would Drag You Back In/Have A Resurgence:

Elementary 😭😭😭😭. I love and miss this version of Sherlock Holmes and Joan Watson so gutturally. It was tender, it was loving, and goddamn it was FUNNY.

Also Charmed (Original) bc if we had ao3 when it was airing it would have been OVER

Favorite Thing You Enjoy That Never Had an Active or Big "Fandom" but You Wish It Did:

There's too many to write but I will start with

Legend of the Seeker a show based on the Sword of Truth novels which was game of thrones-y without the rape scenes being showed and a smaller cast. Loved the chemistry between Craig Horner and Bridget Regan 😭

Pitch This show was done so dirty, I LOVED the concept of this which was the first woman baseball player in the MLB and Mark Paul Gosselaar with Kylie Bunbury dynamic was INSANE. I loved how they tackled certain issues 😭.

Tempting Project You're Trying to Reign In/Don't Have Time For:

Starting another Regency Era fanfic (as if I don't already have one I haven't finished lol)

[m0chigang]

April Wrap Up ✨

I have my iPad back, I can get back to books I really really really wanted to read, but I had a hard time picking up some books bc I was too focused on fanfics (I blame Ben Barnes). As always, spoiler alert just in case.

1. Circe - 5/5

LISTEN I AM A CHANGED WOMAN. I HAVE NEVER FELT THE FEELINGS I FELT IN THIS BOOK. My heart broke and restored at the same time, I was sadly happy, happily sad. Like... I felt my heart physically rip with the last chapter. Madeline Miller is already the owner of my wallet, I will pre-order everything she writes and I will cry when the time is right. I think I liked this more than The Song of Achilles...

2. As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow - 5/5

I was halfway through the book and I cried 4 times... FOUR TIMES AND THE BOOK WASN'T OVER. The plottwist made it a 5 star immediately. I remember thinking "this better not happen" and BAM! my world changed. The romance was just so innocent and beautiful, and then you had the most terrible things happen 2 lines later and you came back to reality. It makes you think of the world and what really matters. And the book is so hopeful. I love it.

3. The Six Deaths of the Saint - 4/5

The only reason it is not a 5 star is because I NEEDED MORE. Bro this was so beautifully written. I usually can't stand 2nd person POVs, but in this book it had a purpose that left me SHOOK. The way the violence and war was written here was beautiful. I need more.

4. The Year of the Witching - 4/5

A friend told me to read it. I loved it. I was shooketh by it, and I want more. Bring Lilith to ANY book and I will read it. Ezra is literally the bestest man I have ever read?? Let me marry him?? I was kind of expecting a non-happy ending, but then we wouldn't have a sequel. ALSO *spoiler* I would have let everyone die and join the witches with the condition that Ezra stayed alive.

5. The Midnight Library - 3.5/5

Ngl, I read this because of BTS, but last time I did that I found one of my favourite books so I had to read it. It made me understand the song Zero O'clock better. As for the book itself, it has an interesting concept, but it made me have mini existential crisis? Which I didn't like?? It did feel like a help book but I was not the target audience for it, it was good, but it is not the way I see life.

[womaninwinter]

for the fic writer asks: 8, 12, 19 (for the luckiest man in London bc I miss our boy Ollie), and 23!

8. What song would make a great fic (to either write or read)?

I have so many answers to this one, I think Purple by Wunderhorse would be such a good song for a Lucy centric fic (and I very nearly used it for a title of my funeral sequel)

12. Are there any tropes you used to dislike but have grown on you?

I feel like I’ll buy any trope if done well, it depends on the writer more than the trope. You personally do have a gift for taking tropes that I wouldn’t have thought I’d care about much (sick fics, characters dating other people, IYKYK) and made me insane about them though.

19. If you wrote a spin-off of The Luckiest Man in London what would it involve?

Ollieeeee our special lil guy!!! Well if it were a spin-off, I think I would have write about Ollie’s continued adventures as a DEPRAC agent, and obviously his life would keep entangling with Lucy and Lockwood’s. It would be fun to see him reach a little more closure over the whole thing, while also showing the development of their relationship from an outsider perspective. Orrrrr, I could continue my horrible Ollie 3.0 AU where Lucy and Ollie get married and Lockwood is like awkwardly invited around to their house for dinner occasionally and everything’s horribly tense, but Lucy and Ollie’s kids like adore Lockwood, and he’s just quietly resigned himself to being alone forever… oh I’ve made myself miss the horrible AU 3.0.

23. What’s a trope, AU, or concept you’ve never written, but would like to?

I would love to try my hand at a high school AU. I know, it’s the tackiest of all AUs, but L&co would map so beautifully onto a school setting because they’re teens anyway… but I shall not touch it until I get some other stuff off my plate!

[jikanet-tanaka]

Ideas for stories and such...

I'm a bit overwhelmed with plot bunnies right now, and I think writing them all out is the best way to get 'em all straight. So... here are a few ideas for future fics I'd want to write. I dunno which one(s) I should focus on first...

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

A Saga Most Ordinary : I have ideas for two more chapters, one about Eivor playing Dungeons and Dragons with the three Good Boys, along with Hytham, Randvi and Tewdwr, and another about her and Valka Staging An Intervention because she thinks Sigurd went and joined some cult because of his new girlfriend (ie Fulke).

Untitled/maybe it’ll just be chapter two of an existing fic, I dunno: A new companion piece/sequel of sorts to ‘Nornir's Curse, Nótt's Counsel’ about Randvi and Valdis just hanging out (on the beach while their respective spouses watch over the young ‘uns) and talking about their (rather similar, really) lives.

Dishonored

Take Your Silver Spoon (Dig Your Grave) : A two-shot about two bastard-born princesses of the Kaldwin line. Part of it is already written, I just need to get off my ass and do something about it lol

You and Me and The Leviathan Makes Three : An AU where Daud survives the events of DoTO, and Billie is stuck trying to find new purpose in her life while teaching a god-turned-boy how to Human and a suicidal old man how to… not be a total wreck of a person . Oh, and the Abbey of the Everyman is falling apart all around them (which makes the Boysider happy, since his two newfound biggest goals in life are 1) to destroy organized religion and 2) to save the whales. Every chapter would be set in a different isle, with titles based on sea shanties.

Dracula

Untitled : A little one-shot about how Drac might have gotten to Mina on the night of October 3rd. Because the details are kinda hazy on that, right?

Final Fantasy XVI

The Tale of the Telamonides : Before the mission to Drake’s Head, Mid shows up to the Hideout to Bring Chaos and Shenanigans to everyone’s live. Because I was sad that we never did see her interact with Cid.

Gravity Falls

Dungeons and Dummies : …I need to finish this you guys, I already have it all planned out. I feel weirdly anxious about this story, mostly because I don’t happen to have the whole of the rules of D&D stamped in my brain (shocking, I know). It’s like I’m afraid I’ll have someone go, ‘hey, that’s not how it goes in the Player Handbook, page so-and-so blah blah blah ’ so I don’t even try, you know?? It’s a weird thing.

The Awesome Mixtape of the Apocalypse: A story where Dipper and Mabel’s parents join both sets of twins on a roadtrip to Gravity Falls. The concept would be that Mabel made a mixtape with songs for everyone in her family (so for example Ford definitely gets weird prog rock like this, listen my dad was a happier, most well-adjusted Ford, and that was his shit, car trips in my family were trippy), with each character represented by a particular musical style (the Pines mom’s got punk ska like Reel Big Fish and Streetlight Manifesto lol…) and each chapter corresponding to one song. I got every big story beat and character moment planned out, I just… need to get off my ass and write, I guess.

Horizon Zero Dawn/Forbidden West

Untitled : Aka Aloy watches Varl and Zo together, gets confused/frustrated, and shares a convo with Erend that helps her figure out she’s asexual. Sweet!

Untitled Rost and Ersa fic : Rost and Ersa, as ghosts, hang around Aloy and Erend for the events of the first game (and have a mini ship war about the merits of Ereloy as a couple). Also known as ‘Rost Gets Another Grumpy Daughter Because These Are Sure Fun To Collect Or Something’.

Mass Effect

Untitled : Just a little Shakarian ficlet about Shepard listening to Thane’s story about how he met his wife after the events in Garrus’ loyalty mission and her being like, oh, oh boy, oh no.

Radiant Historia

Will You Learn to Love (Without Consuming): A little one-shot set in the Apocrypha ‘verse which is not compliant with the canon shown in Perfect Chronology. Basically my take on who became the big Mana Monster causing the desertification (and why he’s a foil to both Heiss and the Conuts Guy).

Déjà Vécu : A one-short about Ernst and Heinrich (and, by association, Stocke and Heiss) because I guess that’s what I always write about in this damn fandom.

This Sweet Corrupting Reality : Basically the only parallel history I would have liked to see in Perfect Chronology, that is, Stocke wakes up and realizes he is now King Ernst of Granorg.

[waitingonavision]

Encanto and T’shuvah: “Atonement” and Righting Wrongs from a Jewish Lens

So, we’re at the end of the month of Elul in the Hebrew calendar, and the High Holidays, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, are just around the corner. One of the themes of this period is t’shuvah, which frequently gets translated as “atonement” or “repentance” (words that sound too Christian, tbh), but whose meaning is really “return.”

What t’shuvah entails is a “return” to the right path. In Judaism, we believe that Gd can only forgive one’s sins against Gd, such as breaking Shabbat. Gd cannot forgive one’s sins against other people. Instead, a person who wrongs another must take action by:

acknowledging the wrongdoing;

expressing regret;

and asking for that person’s forgiveness, making restitution as needed;

vowing not to do it again, and taking conscious steps to change.

I just love the emphasis on justice, interpersonal relationships, and inner character development in Judaism.

And when I watch Encanto, the ending always makes me think about t’shuvah... How t’shuvah—atonement, repentance, return, what have you—appears in Alma’s journey, because she’s the one who has the moment(s) of clarity, who apologizes to Mirabel, Bruno, and her family. (Though I think it’s valid to argue that what we’re shown maybe wasn’t quite enough... these are important first steps.)

And anyway, it’s not only Alma. The townspeople have to do t’shuvah. The family has to do t’shuvah. In a way, I feel like “All Of You” is a song about t’shuvah.

What’s more, the medieval rabbi, Maimonides (who was a Spanish Jew!), described a complete “return” as being confronted with the same opportunity to do the wrong thing again but choosing to do otherwise/the right thing.

This is something we don’t fully get to see in the film. But I love that the fandom has so many fan works that essentially deal with the concept of t’shuvah. Post-canon fics that show the learning process—or even the lack of learning—if not necessarily the complete return.

A while ago, I had a discussion with someone IRL about how it might be interesting to see some kind of sequel where the focus is on the next generation, like the great-grandkids. Where we could see that the Madrigals aren’t making the same mistakes and are closer to making a complete t’shuvah. I don’t think we’d actually get anything like that as canon... I’m not sure if I’d even want that as a sequel, since we haven’t spent much time with the current characters. But worth exploring in fic, etc. (not that they don’t already exist out there!).

[paperlovesadness]

9 people you want to get to know better tag

i was tagged by the lovely @perfectly-clear-from-here and @uhbasicallyjustmilex - Thank youuu! 🩷

fav color: this is one of those questions that makes me go into Interview-Alex-mode. It's simple. I should just throw out an answer - and yet I can't. Quickest way to say it is:

Baby/light blue is probably the main answer? Like the color of the aquamarine gem. Or lighter variations of the blue topaz gemstone. It speaks to me.

Yellow [especially neon yellow] was my favorite color for my entire childhood and I always feel a weird obligation to my old self to mention it whenever I answer this question.

Forrest/bottle green for some reasons seems very me. I identify with it.

Baby/pastel pink is also kind of my weakness. And I'm passionate about girlhood and healing your inner girl so... important.

and clothes-wise I'm not too original. I wear lots of black (but not strictly!)

Phew! (I would absolutely fail Jo Whiley's speed round of questions, that's for sure).

currently reading: “The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop” - sequel to “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe” which I finally recently read after years & years of it figuring on my TBR list.

last song: “One Man Band” by the one and only Miles heartbreaker Kane of course!

last series: hm. Haven't watched anything new in a while; but one thing that's almost always true (like right now) is “Gilmore Girls” - because I'm kind of on a neverending rewatch at all times. It's my comfort show.

last movie: “Howl's Moving Castle” (@kiray1991 🙆‍♀️🩷) which is... pretty much my first Ghibli movie (I know, I know!) (I'm not counting the one I saw as a child that traumataized me and I therefore completely blocked out).

currently working on: music theory! As in I bought myself a book and I'm trying to finally grasp the basic concepts instead of just instinctively moving around this beautiful, complicated universe.

I very much am not on track with who hasn't been tagged yet - I'm doing this pretty late too. So I'll just list off a few people off the top of my head but please feel free to ignore if you don't want to and also feel very free to do this if you do want to and haven't been tagged (I'm tagging *you*)

@haemoglobinheights @inourownshadows @28-destiel-505 @homoirrealis @alexturne @mileskanex @lalaballa1977 @iamchernika @depressedraisin

[lifestreamsblog]

Foamstars: Splatoon is Tired. Try Square Enix.

(Click here for image source)

Before I begin, let me preface this by saying I have never played the single player story modes in any of the Splatoon games. My experiences are all about generic Turf War mode, so this has coloured my experiences.

When I first played Splatoon, I was amazed by the fresh concept, the brilliant mechanics, the unique spin on retro-future (replace “synth” with “punk,” and you’ll get the idea), and the unbelievable music. It was like the 90s met the mid-2010s in every way, and it was glorious. It was the most refreshing online shooter I’d ever played, and I couldn’t get enough. I could hardly wait for the sequels.

Then came Splatoon 2. It felt like more of the same, with a few minor changes and additions that made things better, but it felt like the same old song and dance.

(Click here for image source)

In short, it wasn’t fresh any more.

Not long after this, we got the first Splatoon-like: Ninjala. Being free-to-play, it was accessible to anyone with an internet connection and an online play subscription. I thought it was a great concept, but I let this one pass me by; I never played it. I was too afraid of the potential for toxic microtransactions, and beyond that, I felt it strayed too far from the concepts that made Splatoon so great.

Then we got Splatoon 3. Ugh. This one was a mess. They made the hub world gargantuan, and added lots of extra stuff to do. On the surface, this sounds great, but it just makes the game a confusing mess. They added gimmicks like being able to decorate a locker, but it’s purely there for your enjoyment only. It’s fun for the first ten minutes, but the novelty wears off fast (this is coming from someone who loves novelty).

Last but certainly not least: the mechanics. They’re abysmal at best and downright awful at worst. The balancing for every single weapon has been completely borked. Even if you use a weapon you are very used to using from past games, you will have to re-learn it because they changed all of the balancing. In short, nothing works properly when it comes to weapons. The absolute worst is how they weigh Splatfest results. The scoring system and its metrics are so out of whack, that the team that worked the hardest could potentially lose a Splatfest, or get absolutely no credit at all in the end.

In short, Splatoon has Jumped the Shark. It is worlds away from the original product, and it has lost everything that made it special, and replaced it with tonnes of meaningless rubbish padding.

That brings us to tonight, when I saw this:

This is the reveal trailer for a Splatoon-like called Foamstars, currently in development by Square Enix, to be released on PS4 and PS5.

Let’s begin with the aesthetic. It’s retro-future again, but this time in the synth way, making it very fresh, especially for the target market of Splatoon, which cut their teeth on a punk retro-future aesthetic.

(Click here for source)

I finally saw my classic Splatoon gameplay again (unlike with Ninjala), this time with a twist: instead of ink, you shoot foam. And instead of the foam just sitting there, it creates hills and ledges if you shoot it right, making gameplay dynamic.

In addition, tonnes of new subweapons, all of which feel like an homage to Splatoon classics. It’s as if 岩田さん (Iwata-san) had come back from the grave (Splatoon was his baby).

Long story short, Foamstars is the game I’ve been waiting for! This will be the killer app for the PS5 as much as Splatoon was the killer app for the Wii U. This game has finally prompted me to begin saving for a PS5, and I will be pre-ordering both the PS4 and PS5 versions of this when they are put up for pre-order. Time to watch news about the game’s development like a hawk.

It’s time to throw away your tired old Splatoon 2 and Splatoon 3, and pick up some Square Enix magic, along with a PS5~

[purposelynana]

What Did I Watch: #31

This week, I learn to say goodbye.

What is it with goodbye? If feels scary but necessary. Goodbye gives us closure. An end to a journey. In life alone, there's no perfect goodbye, but in fictional world a perfect goodby could exist.

To me, a great ending is not necessarily wanting me to wish for a direct sequel. A great ending is supposed to be tighten the loose ends. Also gives room for our imagination to explore what could happen after the camera stopped rolling. Moreover, a great ending is the one that left you wanting more but not selfishly enough to make you craving more because we all know deep down a sequel never guaranteed to replicate the exact quality of its predecessor.

My School President is a wonderful journey through and through. 10/10. Landed smoothly without having too much angst or humor. It's already up there with Skam. Perhaps on some other day, it'll be higher than Skam. What a pleasantly beautiful little show about what it means to be young, and having the courage to dream.

I didn't have any of those things which presented during my high school run. A friendship that last for so long or even a significant other who made my life bearable enough. My high school years was boring and literally nothing happened. I don't really any friend that I still contact from that period of time. So to me, at first the concept of My School President was already laughable. But well if it wasn't happen to me, it certainly happened to everyone else, eh?

In addition, I could confirm My School President landed smoothly. Got a beautiful ending. The song still slapped. There's no better word to describe it other than it was charming. This show was charming. Even I couldn't stop grinning ear to ear writing this.

The scene that broke me. Ah young love.

Never Let Me Go, to me felt like not exactly wasted potential but definitely not something I would praised until seven generations. It was good but never been great. I would love to recommending it but not necessarily you have to watch it.

Because there were many what-ifs scenario forming in my brain while I was watching it. For example, what could've happen if it was starring someone else entirely? How the scene would sound like if they had better sound designer? What if the screenwriters decided to rewrite the whole thing so that the characters could talk like they were in real life instead of lakorn?

Because I couldn't help but to raised my eyebrows during certain scenes. It wasn't technically bad acting. It was an okay but the way Neung convey his feelings sometimes I felt like I was watching a play. It did feel like the whole time Phuwin just pretending to say those words, instead of actually saying those words. Plus sometimes the sentences that coming out from his mouth just didn't make any sense. It was clearly intentional because it kept going until the screen fade to black. I know P'Jo was trying to make a homage to classic lakorns, so perhaps Thais would appreciate a lot more. But I'm not Thai, and I just went "no shit sherlock" the entire time.

Despite all of that though, it was beautifully shot. Honestly this show got the best cinematography ever. Without having too much contrast, P'Jo played a lot with lights and compositions. Colors looked so deep yet soft at same time. There was a sense of longing and yearning radiated from the screen. It was magic to see something that I learned from being an amateur cinephile to get materialize.

Lights on this. And the color. I love the colors. It wasn't trying to be gritty as fuck like Batman movies. It wasn't on the same tone with In The Mood For Love but the use of color and lights and framing to convey devotion are just utter brilliance.

It was a struggle to watch Moonlight Chicken. Like I said in previous post, it seemed I take a peek on my own life. Eventually, I'll probably never get the happy ending I deserve so much, not like these fictional characters.

10 minutes into episode 5, was solidify my thoughts and prayers on this. I got called out, dragged, faced to one of bitter memories I've had on a past relationship. Because yes, one day people just decided not even bother trying to save their relationship. It already happened to me once, and no I don't want to relive that, even in fictional zone. Therefore, as I was watching episode 5, I undergo so many different feelings. If week 2 felt like a gut punch, week 3 seemed one hell of torture, and week 4 was an utopia that I've never get to lived on.

This ain't it.

Because Wen got his happy ending. Liming got his happy ending. Me? Well, it wasn't like I don't want to open up to other people. There was no other people trying to get close to me.

I liken this to my experience watching Brokeback Mountain. It was a good storytelling, but do I want to experience it all over again? No. Because it was just too close to home. And I still don't know what kind of my ending is. It was scary. Shit got real this time. I think I'm never going be the same. I tried to shift my focus into something else, e.g. Formula 1, it gets worse. Possibly because Ferrari looked and sounded shit. Everything just didn't help anymore.

me during the whole shitty shit bahrain gp free practice, watching aston martin became way too more OP, and red bull still being red bull. me as tifosi:

[hollyvorpahl]

For the WIP ask game: ❄️, ⚽️, and 🎶

So I'm working on a few projects at the moment so I'm gonna answer for at least three of them. I hope that's okay.

The WIPs I have currently are:

1. The Princess Guide to Love and Necromancy (there's also joke typical YA genre title, A Tale of Lace and Bone but I like the other title better)

2. Tales from the Drunken Duke (and its sequel The Guild of Lesser Glories)

3. A Vow from the Winter Lord

4. Of Glass Pens and Enchanted Treats

Toughest aspect of my WIPs:

1. This one is newish. I've wanted to write a story like this for a while but I had doubts anyone would actually like it or want to read it. I still have those doubts but I want to write it anyway. 

2. So, this one has a lot of... self criticism. I have the hardest time believing the concept that other writers/authors don't pen excellence in the first draft. I start to compare my drafts to finished books and it makes me feel like crap. I want this one to be light and sweet but as I write, I read things like Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree and I feel the ease of his words and then spiral. Why can't I write like this? There's no way he struggled or had to change anything. 

3. I have the most for this one yet I continuously doubt my abilities to pull off a serious Fantasy Romance like this. I guess you can say I'm intimidated by the scope of it?

4. There's a lot of the story that I don't have and I find that really daunting. 

Genre of my WIPs:

1. Fantasy Romance. This is the only one of them that I guarantee gets spicy.

2. Slice of Life Fantasy with a touch of Romance. 

3. Fantasy Romance

4. Slice of Life Fantasy with a touch of romance. 

WIPs Playlists:

So I don't really make playlists. I have an easily distracted mind and I write in quiet. If I have music going I find that my mind gets sucked into the music and I just listen. Music is a form of art I wish I could do. It's an art form I admire with my whole being. That being said, I'll share some of my favorites that remind me of how I'd like a score of my books to sound if they were turned into an animated movie or tv series. A lot of these were used as ambience while I wrote until I came to terms that I get more done in quiet.

-The score for the movie Stardust

-The score for the videogame Fable 

-The themes written by Aiden Chan for The Mighty Nein and Vox Machina. "A New Kind of Hero", "Beyond" (Pike's Theme) are a couple of favorites. 

-The Rise Undaunted's "Long May He Reign"

-There's a little piece of the score for A Knight's Tale called "Guinevere Comes to Lancelot." This has been something for me since I heard it. I downloaded it onto my iPod back in high school. It carries this small memory for me. My little sister and I didn't get along well, but the night before she had to do something (I don't remember what, probably a presentation or something) she asked if I was still awake. I was and asked what was wrong? She told me she was nervous and couldn't sleep. She asked for help so I played her the song. After that, she would ask me to play it for her or tell her a story to help her fall asleep when she was nervous. Sorry to get mushy.

Thanks for the ask! I hope these were okay answers lol