#enjoy my inconsistent brushes suckers!!!

[foileadeux]

girls girls girls

[takaraphoenix]

Shadowhunters, of course. And Buffy!

Thanks for playing, dear! ^-^

Shadowhunters:

the character i least understand: Maryse, her characterization was so inconsistent, I don’t understand how you go from the neglective-bordering-abusive, homophobic, racist, cold-hearted ice-queen to the hugging, happy, sunshine mom in like a month, that was something that even years of stretched-out, actual character development would have struggled explaining but this show just went “she is nice and supportive now” and like what that’s not how a redemption arc works, you can’t just slap “redeemed” on their forehead and be done with it

interactions i enjoyed the most: what little scraps of platonic dynamics we got - Jace-Alec, Luke-Clary, Jace-Simon, Magnus-Raphael, Magnus-Catarina

the character who scares me the most: I don’t think any of them are really... scary, not even Valentine, he’s disgusting, but not scary, to me

the character who is mostly like me: Simon, maybe, but then I doubt I’m even half as pure of heart as him, but the rambling, the freak outs, the lost in this whole mess? That’d be me

hottest looks character: Depends. Generally, y’all know I am screaming Jace very loudly. Personally though, to me, Imogen, Jia and Maryse, judge me all you want, this show has quality MILFs

one thing i dislike about my fave character: he’s a push-over. I love Jace, I love him to bits and pieces, but he is such a push-over, he just blindly follows all that Clary says or suggests even if it’s the most obvious suicide mission, when his grandma suggests “hey it’d be a good idea to chip Downworlders!” he is too intimidated by the idea of losing her that he actually pulls through with that bullshit instead of speaking up, he lets people walk all over him because he is so desperate to please them

one thing i like about my hated character: her face. I mean, come on, Nicola Correia-Damude is ridiculously gorgeous

a quote or scene that haunts me: every time Jace tries to kill himself. Hits too close to home, I am not good at handling suicidal storylines and I am disgusted by just how much this show brushed the severity of it all off and how the other characters just didn’t give a damn

a death that left me indifferent: most? Like? I mean, who died? Alaric and Gretel, who we never really explored as characters, Valentine, which YAY and because he died twice DOUBLE YAY, Jocelyn, which YAY, Dot had me “she dead now?” like three times to the point that I am still not sure if she ACTUALLY died in the end or if she’s around still after all like what was that I just what, Jace immediately got better after dying, so did Simon, Sebastian’s was just way too rushed, the only one that really fucked with me was Imogen

a character i wish died but didn’t: listen, the Lightwoods should be orphans, potentially should have been for a while, maybe things woulda played out differently

my ship that never sailed: I’m not big on my ships having to be canon, I genuinely don’t need Magnus/Jace to be endgame, but there is one ship I wish had been canon and that’s Luke/Catarina, I genuinely think those two would be a great fit, it’d have been so easy to work off it after they met at the hospital, the cop and the nurse, the Downworlder power couple, Magnus as a matchmaker, this could have been a great canon ship

Buffy:

the character i least understand: each character has their moments/storylines where I don’d understand where they come from, but I guess the one I least understand is Dawn, she is so selfish it drives me up the wall, like I get she’s a teenager but ffs she can’t cut anyone some slack, she’s not a little child and she supposedly grew up with this... I just have zero tolerance or understanding for her selfishness, never had, never will

interactions i enjoyed the most: scoobies, especially the OG three - Buffy-Willow-Xander with each other, but also each time a new member slots in and how they adjust to it, how they interact with each of the scoobies and get established, definitely Giles-Buffy because he is the father she deserves, I have a particular soft-spot for Willow-Spike too

the character who scares me the most: Syd but like. I know he’s a good guy and all but he is a moving, talking, walking puppet and I have an inherent fear of puppets. Every time I rewatch, I forget that he is a good guy because the fact that he is a creepy, creepy puppet overrides it

the character who is mostly like me: Tara probably? She is shy, awkward, doesn’t know her place in the group, can get bright and loud and excited about the things she likes but when she notices everyone looks at her weirdly for her outburst she goes silent and averts her eyes and pretends she’s not there

hottest looks character: SPIKE AND BUFFY. preferably together

one thing i dislike about my fave character: Seeing Red

one thing i like about my hated character: listen, I hate her, but I do love the way Dawn’s character elevates others; be that how it gives Tillow the chance to be adorable lesbian moms, or having Spuffy co-parent her

a quote or scene that haunts me: In a negative manner, the above mentioned Seeing Red. Look up which episode that is and you know what scene I am talking about. In a “it kills me internally” manner, when Buffy sings “I think I was in heaven” because Sarah Michelle puts so much emotion in there and I am a sucker for a public reveal of fears and horrors and how this was put out in the open, man, that gets me every time

a death that left me indifferent: none aside from villain deaths, I guess? I mean, Tara and Jocelyn and even Jenny in how it was executed and what it did to the other characters and yes even Jesse, I am also still hung up on how Willow and Xander lost their best friend in the first storyline and I do think that it should have had more of an effect on them and would have been a good way to introduce their inner workings by showing their grief, but on the pure base of me knowing this would have had said unexecuted effect, it works on me too, like, he was the first person Buffy lost in Sunnydale, the first she couldn’t save

a character i wish died but didn’t: Dawn and no not the way you think, just because I hate her, but because I still think the “Dawn is the key, she was made of mystical energy and she, her whole being is the key” somehow translating to “well, since the monks made her human, we conveniently don’t need the whole Dawn, only her blood and that runs in Buffy’s veins too so we can kill Buffy off”, that just makes very little, very twisted sense because all of Dawn was the mystical energy, not just her blood and why would the mystical energy quality transfer onto Buffy? It was a cheap cop-out and I think Dawn should have died instead of Buffy because she was the key and for all intends and purposes, Buffy dying in her stead shouldn’t have worked because the key was never supposed to be HUMAN, it was never supposed to have blood, so why did the whole thing hinge on a blood-ritual, like the monks coulda turned the key into an actual physical metal key and that wouldn’t have had blood so what did Glory want to bleed out then? This twist was only clever at first glance but the more you think about the less sense it makes so yes, this is the one big plothole and I think Dawn should have died instead of Buffy so there would not be a plothole

my ship that never sailed:GILES/JOYCE. I will die on this hill. He should have become Buffy’s stepdad, he should have NEVER LEFT HER alone there, those two, it was teased, it should have actually sailed (* I consider Spuffy sailed. It has sailed. They are together)

Send me a fandom and I’ll tell you

[i-see-london-i-see-klance]

Voltron Season 8 - Overall Thoughts and Reactions

Okay so let’s break this down a bit. Into the good, the bad, and the eh???

The Good:

I love that this season took the time to give us some character moments. Moments when it was just people talking about their feelings or just spending time being people. At points it was clunky, but even then I appreciated that they took the time to actually let us see the characters, not just the plot.

The Allurance romance was also really organic to me. It wasn’t in your face, but it wasn’t brushed off once they’d hooked up either. The show gave them moments together, but didn’t make it a major focus. I also loved that, yeah, they loved each other, but it wasn’t one of those true love, destined to be together romances. They loved each other like normal people did. And so when Allura...became one with the big bang(?), Lance was sad, yes. But he wasn’t emotionally destroyed. He was able to move on, which is totally realistic for a relationship that new. Just, slow clap for the writers on that one

Honerva. God, Honerva. She was just amazing. I don’t think the series did a very good job as setting her up as the ultimate Big Bad; she was kind of on the sidelines and in the shadows too much for it to feel completely organic that she kind of took over at the end, but GOD the season worked her up beautifully...well, up until they castrated her character right at the end, but I’m choosing to focus on the good. She was ruthless, she was powerful, she was badass. And her motivation was so refreshing. She was evil, but her drive was love of her family, and my god I loved that. She was amazing this entire season. I ADORED what they did with her.

The character cameos were incredible. I don’t remember that many new characters, if any, getting added, which makes sense because there’s no point in introducing us to new people and expecting us to care about them at this point. The cameos were mostly well used, and I loved how many old characters they managed to cram back in. Most shows make their characters a one off and the fact that Voltron doesn’t was something I loved about this show in general, not just this season. It was sweet to see so many familiar faces.

While I was NOT a fan of the last 2-3 episodes, the last 5-10 min of the final ep actually managed to be really touching and sweet, and I thought it was well done. Allura’s sacrifice kind of came out of nowhere, but at the same time it made sense. She’d been showing off all these fancy quintescence powers since the first season, when it became clear that it was going to require fancy quintescence powers to save the day it’s perfectly logical that she’s the one to do it. And having her have to sacrifice herself to save everything feels more realistic after the extent of the damage that was done rather than have her and Honerva just fix everything and then carry on like nothing happened. It makes her seem less overpowered, even though SHE AND HONERVA ARE TOTALLY GODDESSES YO. And then I’ve always been a sucker for those “where are they now” type endings where we can get a brief bit of final closure when the show doesn’t really have time to spend on the aftermath. And the end results seemed very fitting and in-character for the team, unlike some “where are they now” segments I could mention (*coughDIGIMONcough*)

The Bad:

Ugh so many things

The writing felt all over the place this season, and a lot of details were handwaved or really badly explained. I don’t need an in-depth explanation for everything that’s happening, but too many times the answer the show gave for things happening was “Whoa that’s weird but hey moving on!” and it felt really lazy to me. Worse is there were a few times where they actually acknowledged the gaping plot holes and then never explained them (i.e. Earth’s defenses, Voltron and the Atlas fusing) which just draws more attention to the poor writing. I wouldn’t mind it so much if there had been a precedent for this kind of thing throughout the show, but the only example I can think of where some random superpower shows up out of the blue without explanation was when the Atlas turned into a giant mecha the first time, and it pissed me off just as much then. I get that this is the final season. I get that the stakes have to be raised because this is the climax of the entire show. But if you’ve upped the danger so high that the only way you can make the heroes believably triumph is by giving them random new powers, you have done a really shitty job of writing your climax.

Bringing back the original paladins. Don’t get me wrong, I love the characters, and any extra screen time for Alfor and OG!Zarkon brings me so much joy. But the entire segment felt really unnecessary and out of nowhere. These characters had already gotten their arcs, we already had closure when it came to them. Sure, it was sad. They all kind of died. But there was no need to bring them back. They were really dead and gone. Not to mention having them interact with the new paladins just made it more obvious that they were supposed to mirror the original team, where Lance piloted Blue, Keith Red, and Shiro Black. Blaytz and Allura had pretty much nothing to do with each other, they weren’t foils to each other’s characters, and their interaction was just kind of weird. And while Alfor chatting up Lance was kind of cute in the “meet the parents” kind of way, once again the personalities don’t match. It was awkward and out of place and overall those episodes felt really meaningless and forgettable

A lot of Allura’s actions this season kind of bugged me as well. She did something risky and stupid, starting doing questionable things, and then in the end she essentially faced no actual consequences for these actions. I mean, sure, in the end she kind of DIED, but that wasn’t related to her mistakes so I don’t think that counts.

The meh:

The fanservice. I’m kind of torn on this one because while it’s nice that the show took the time to add in little extras to please the fans who have been with this show all along, a lot of it was really blatantly fanservice. Lance’s altean markings come to mind as an example. They just appear, they never get explained or acknowledged or have any reason to exist or impact on the story. He’s just got altean markings now. And the only reason I can conceive why they added that in was for the fanservice.

The season’s treatment of Coran really irked me too. It was really inconsistent with how it treated his relationship with Allura, sometimes making it very clear that he’s her closest remaining thing to family, and other times ignoring that connection completely. I THINK what they may have unintentionally implied based on when and who was showing the emotions was that Coran cares a lot more about Allura (acting as her guardian when Lance asks her out, weeping in the flashback when Alfor asks Coran to stay by her side) than Allura cares about him (telling Lance on their date that she has no family left at all), which, yeesh. As if I didn’t already have problems with Allura’s writing this season

The lions were a mixed bag this season. I can’t say they had personalities anymore, and I suppose they haven’t for a long, long time but at least they had a few moments here and there where they were acknowledged to be their own characters, rather than just machines. It just wasn’t enough. Remember when Red was actually finicky and temperamental? Remember when the Black Lion actually seemed to care about her paladin? Remember when Blue had sass? The show clearly doesn’t

Overall, did I think this was a good season? Yeah, I’d say it was decent. Not the best by far, but also definitely not the worst. And considering the path the show has taken over the last few seasons, I think we got an ending that was as satisfying as we could expect. It didn’t blow me out of the water, it didn’t change the world, but it met my (admittedly low) expectations. It’s over and I walked away being okay with how it ended, rather than disappointed or frustrated. I’m sure I’m one of many people who will say that the show definitely started out way stronger than it finished, and that it never quite lived up to the potential of the first few seasons, but at least I can say I saw it through, and I did enjoy at least seeing how it ended. But I’m also really glad it’s over, because I think it was starting to wear itself out, and that’s why the quality slipped. It got too big and epic, and it needed to end before it turned into Supernatural, where there’s always got to be a bigger threat. I don’t know if I think the good of the final season outweighed the bad or vice versa; while I think there were more little things and moments that made me happy this season, the problems I had with it were pretty huge. And they REALLY ticked me off. But it’s probably close enough that I can say they balance each other out.

I guess I’ll just say that while I’m kind of sad it’s over, and I wasn’t entirely thrilled with how the series progressed, I’m still happy I watched it and I got to be a part of this fandom and phenomena. Someday I might watch the whole series again, for nostalgia’s sake.

But I also might just stick to the beginning, when all we had was a small team of misfits, and a universe of possibilities :)

[goforwardgreenwriter-blog]

The Worm Reads: Empire of Storms, Ch 47 - 48

My therapy bills have been steadily rising ever since I took on the challenge of reading this book.

If you recall correctly, last time we left off where some Ilkens attacked their ship and revealed the big baddie Erawan knows of her Wyrdkey. Chapter 47 picks up immediately after that reveal.

What, were you expecting an angry rant from me? Sadly, this book has crushed my very soul, and the quicker I stop criticizing SJM’s glaring flaws, the quicker I am freed from this demon.

Rowan hauled ass back to their ship, his magic near-flinging him through the air.

Man, I see why everyone says SJM’s writing is amazing. Love it when epic fantasy medieval Fae characters describe themselves as hauling their asses around, and getting all pissy at one another. Love it!

But Aelin wasn’t moving. Gavriel and Aedion, bloodied and limping, were barely moving. Fenrys, his chest a bloody mess with greenish slime —poison …

I’m sure these very painful injuries will never be brought up after this chapter. Rowboat decides to be the hero of the day and picks up a bow to shoot down the Ilken.

“A gold coin says he misses,” Fenrys rasped. “Save your breath for healing,” Aelin snapped. “Make it two,” Aedion said behind him. “I say he hits.” “You can all go to hell,” Aelin snarled. But then added, “Make it five. Ten says he downs it with the first shot.”

If these characters weren’t assholes, maybe I’d enjoy this banter. Also Fenrys, your chest is ripped open and soaked with poison, you should be knocking on death’s door by now, not making witty remarks.

Rowboat gets a clean headshot because of course he does, then tells Assdion and Fenrys to pay up, pricks. His words, not mine. The scene ends. Oh, I can totally see why a cliffhanger was necessary, so much happened after the last chapter ended.

Assdion is thinking about the battle and how he and his father fought side by side. Oh, fuck you SJM, give me that father son content!!!! I want Gav being a good dad damnit show me, don’t tell me!

[Aelin] still knelt over Fenrys, offering Rowan nothing more than a pat on his thigh as he stormed past to help with the other wounded. A pat on the thigh— for making a shot that Aedion was fairly certain most of his Bane would have judged to be impossible.

Another reason I hate Assdion’s POVs: they’re 95% him splooging over Rowboat and Alien. Like ungh we get it, Rowboat is the best warrior ever you don’t need to beat us over the head with it.

Aedion set down the pail of water [Aelin]’d asked him to get for Fenrys, trying not to wince as she wiped away the green poison that oozed out. A few feet away, his father was tending to a blubbering pirate—who had barely more than a tear to the thigh.

Hey man, not everyone can deal with pain the same way, especially not someone’s who mortal. Have you ever considered the pirate might be horrified and shaken up after witnessing his friends being eaten alive, that he might be in shock right now? Also, Gav is such a sweetheart for helping to comfort him. Lowkey shipping nameless pirate and Gav right now.

Fenrys tries to get Alien to tend to the others, which admittedly is rather noble and selfless of him, but dude, you got poison leaking out of your chest. Alien asks Fenrys how his magic works under the excuse of keeping him awake, but it’s actually so SJM can info dump at us.

“No one knows where it comes from—what it is,” Fenrys said between shallow breaths, fingers curling and uncurling at his sides. “But it lets me slip between folds in the world. Only short distances, and only a few times before I’m drained, but … it’s useful on a killing field.”

Oh, of fucking course nobody knows where it comes from. This is SJM on her knees begging you and I not to think about how her world works or why her magic is so inconsistent. She just slaps abilities onto her ocs and gives no thought as to how it all works in the big picture.

“What’s your shield made of, then?” Fenrys tried and failed to shrug. But Gavriel muttered from where he worked on the still-whimpering pirate, “Arrogance.” Aelin snorted, but didn’t dare take her eyes off Fenrys’s injury as she said, “So you do have a sense of humor, Gavriel.” The Lion of Doranelle gave a wary smile over his shoulder.

I love Gavriel..... I’m stanning him..... Wait every time I want to stan someone in this novel, SJM ruins them. Shit. Never mind.

“Lorcan was a bastard in Maeve’s palace, don’t worry,” Fenrys smirked, his bronze face wan.

Unghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh bronze

“Your parents?” Aedion pressed when Aelin herself seemed to be straining for words. He’d seen her heal little cuts, and slowly repair Manon’s wound over days, but …

Fenrys is almost dying because of the massive wound on his chest but we really out here focusing on Alien getting exhausted, huh.... that’s the level you’ve stooped to, SJM............

Rasping, laboring breaths from both of [Fenrys and Aelin]. Aedion shifted so that Aelin could lean wholly against him, biting down on the weight it put on his already-swollen knee.

OH MY GOD WE REALLY ARE. I don’t give a fuck if Alien is a “”little tired :((”” from using her magic, FENRYS IS GODDAMN DYING. SJM STOP METAPHORICALLY SUCKING ALIEN’S DICK FOR ONE GODDAMN SECOND PLEASE.

Fenrys says that serving Maeve fufills the male Fae need to serve and blehhh its gross. But I don’t care, Gav decides to finally spill the beans on his backstory and HOLY SHIT I AM READY. GIVE ME THE CONTEXT.

Gav was a soldier who came from a noble family. Being the youngest of three brothers, he wouldn’t inherit or rule ever, so he became a soldier. That’s why Maeve took interest in him, and why he joined her.

[Gavriel] rolled his shoulders. Fidgeting. “I only hated [serving Maeve] once. Only wanted to leave once.” He didn’t continue. And Aedion knew what the unspoken words were. Aelin brushed a strand of hair out of her face. “You loved [Aedion’s mom] that much?”

I-I CAN’T BELIEVE... IN A SJM NOVEL... I’M FEELING EMPATHY AND SORROW FOR A MAIN CHARACTER....

So Gav fell in love with Assdion’s mom and was willing to attempt to break the oath to Maeve to run off with her. That’s just... so sad but so good for his character hhhhh Gav deserves the world........

Honor is my code,” Gavriel said. “But if Maeve had tried to harm either you or her, Aedion, I would have done everything in my power to get you out.

Shit, I’m such a sucker for this kind of parent/child relationship. Assdion also feels bad for being a dick to his father, so that felt amazing to read. Overall, this was a good scene. A lot is left unsaid and not jammed down our throats, but it clearly shows Gav was a selfless and as good a father as he could’ve been. Did someone break into the editing room just to patch up the scenes with Gav? Nameless editor, you are my hero.

Aelin pushed off Aedion at last, trying and failing to get to her feet. Aedion reached for her as the focus went out of her now-dull eyes, but Rowan was already there, smoothly sweeping her up before she kissed the planks. Too fast—she must have drained her reserves too fast, and without any food in her system.

Normally I’d bitch about poor wittle Alien’s feefees getting all the attention while there are men dying on the ship but whatever, that last scene put me in a good mood so we’re not complaining today, folks.

The chapter ends with Assdion keeping watch during the night with Lysandra. I can’t believe that chapter was actually decent and made me choked up... how will SJM ruin it? Let’s find out in chapter 48.

A low, rumbling growl sounded, and Dorian looked across the deck, to the prow. The witch was still there. Still tending to Abraxos’s wounds, as she had been all night.

P-PURE....WHOLESOME......Manon and Abraxos are truly a treasure in this dumpster fire of a novel....

Manon had not let anyone near him. Aelin had tried once, and when Manon snarled at her, Aelin had cursed enough to make everyone else halt, saying she’d rutting deserve it if the beast died. Manon had threatened to rip out her spine, Aelin had given her a vulgar gesture, and Lysandra had been forced to monitor the space between them for an hour, perched in the rigging of the mainmast in ghost leopard form, tail swaying in the breeze.

Manon: Hey so I have no reason to really trust any of you and you’ve made threats to me before, so don’t get near my only friend on this ship.

Alien: what a slutty bitch!! you deserve to have your only friend die!!! fuck you you bitch!!!!

Words cannot describe how much I hate Alien is there a scene where someone finally kicks her ass? Please I need it.

Dorito and Manon ““banter”“ for a while and I’m already falling asleep zzzz

[Manon] met [Dorian’s] gaze, as if willing him to see a century of all that she’d done. “I am not mortal. I do not play by your rules. I have killed and hunted men for sport. Do not mistake me for a human woman, princeling.” “I have no interest in human women,” he purred. “Too breakable.”

W.....what.....

WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK AM I READING

Is this a reference to Sorscha???? The healer who died rebelling against the evil king??

YOU CONSIDER THAT BREAKABLE. YOU CONSIDER HUMAN WOMEN WEAK AND BENEATH YOUR FEET NOW. SJM. YOU FUCKING, TYOU DHAHKFGDJFGS DHFAGJFD HDSFGJD

I AM SO FUCKING FURIOUS LIKE HOW, HOW IS THIS IN A YA SERIES. THIS IS GOING TO TELL YOUNG GIRLS THEY’RE WEAK FOR FALLING IN LOVE AND NOT HAVING SPECIAL POWERS LIKE MANON. WHAT THE EVER LIVING HOLY FUCK SHIT IS THIS.

FUCK YOU, SJM. FUCK. YOU.

“So you miscalculated,” Manon said. “So [the ilken] tracked you. Don’t get distracted with the minor defeats. This is war. Cities will be lost, people slaughtered. And if I were you, I would be more concerned about why they sent so few of the ilken.”

Manon is absolutely right, of course, but Alien shuts her down and everyone pats her on the ass for it. God I am fucking sick of the narrative bending over backwards to praise Alien for breathing.

Manon said a bit numbly, as if it was the first time she’d even spoken it to herself, “I am the last Crochan Queen—the last direct descendant of Rhiannon Crochan herself.”

Because literally nobody can not be royalty in this series. Average people from normal backgrounds rising up to do extraordinary deeds? Pfffft, nobody will read or like that. I am going to proceed to cling to my copies of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and cry now.

Two queens—there were two queens among them, Dorian realized.

And two princes - Rowboat and Assdion were described as princes for whatever the fuck reason - and a king, which is Dorito’s crusty ass. No wonder my favorite character, Gav, isn’t royalty, everyone who is is an asshole.

“Maybe [Maeve] told Erawan [that Aelin is alive],” Aedion said. Fenrys whipped his head to the general. “She’s never had any contact with Erawan, or Adarlan.” “As far as you know,” Aedion mused. “Unless she’s a talker in the bedroom.”

Great, so now we can add Assdion slut shaming Fenrys to the list of his sins. Oh, but since Fenrys is a guy, it’s played off as a joke because of course men can’t be slut shamed, tee hee! I fucking hate you, SJM.

Fenrys says something that makes Alien think of Baba Yellowlegs, a character in the carnival in Cr0wn of Midnight. Turns out she was a fortune teller who is now connected to this plot because SJM totally didn’t pull the Fae shit out her ass for H0F, nope!

Rowan knocked on the door of their private bathing room. [Aelin]’d locked it. Walked into their room, then into the bathing room, and locked him out. And now she was puking her guts up.

Indoor plumbing.....private bathrooms...... on a medieval ship..... they have functioning toilets......in the medieval century......

THIS GODDAMN WORLDBUILDING. So what goddamn time period is this in? Clearly its like medieval Britain, they have monarchies and castles, and use swords/arrows but then they have shit like toilets?? You have to pick a time period and stick to it, gdi, you can’t pick and choose!

Rowboat flips because she locked him out. Maybe she’s sick and wants to be left alone, fuck face??? Seriously he’s being so possessive and controlling this is not healthy!!!

Ten seconds. Ten more seconds seemed like a fair enough amount of time before [Rowan] crunched down on the handle and splintered the lock.

Holy fucking possessiveness. Batman! I fucking hate this asshole.

Rowan looked at the bucket [Aelin]’d half filled, then at her bloodless lips. At the sweat beaded on her brow.

Oh, so this means no toilets? Well, I suppose I’ll have to apologize a bit for my rant, but having private bathrooms is still dumb. later Rowboat sees that everyone has gone to shit on the nearby islands.

Eyllwe. Eyllwe was burning.

Greaaaaaaaat can’t wait to see how these people’s suffering is reduced to nothing but angst for Alien’s feefees......

[redscullyrevival]

The Beekeeper’s Apprentice: Mary Russell Rundown

Oh boy oh boy I do love a good bump and dig into Holmes canon - especially if it has the potential to ruffle male fans! @sonnetscrewdriver knows me so well.

Plot/Setting/Narrative

So what’s the live or die, sink or swim, aspect of a non-Conan Doyle Sherlock-like tale?

Surly its not Sherlock’s characterization.

A child can get Sherlock right.

Is it the mystery? Is it the logical detective steps or flights of barely believable deductive ability key to the kingdom? 

Nah. 

While the ride is important and a big draw most every Sherlock versed individual typically learns not to put their eggs in that widely inconsistent basket. 

How about the narrative expression explaining and driving the Sherlock-like things in the story? 

You friggin’ bet ya! That’s the important stuff.

And Laurie King can certainly write a Sherlock-like narrative!

Holy hell.

King is as close to emulating a Doyle style narrative I’ve ever personally read but injects it with a wonderfully feminine perspective. 

And not overtly flowery and romantic lyrical male-writing-feminine but feminine in the ways important to a Sherlock-like story; in the detail observations our Mary Russell is often to share.

 The cases I feel could be a bit tighter other than the Kidnapping of Jessica which was surprisingly moving and really when I started to connect to Mary. 

Mary Russell

The elephant in the room, “is Mary Russell a Mary Sue?”

I don’t really care but very brief digging has resulted in learning many people do. 

Personally I think the best and most important thing to know about Mary Russell and by extension her creator is that on the official website there is a downloadable PDF titled “Information for the Writer of Mary Russell Fan Fiction” and is 17 pages of free organized information for fic writers and fans.

That’s simply beautiful. 

Seems to me Laurie King knows what shes fuckin’ about and what she owes in debt. 

And I don’t care if Mary Russell is viewed as some sad woman power fantasy by a wider Sherlock fanbase - but I won’t necessarily argue that she isn’t that either. 

Mary Russell most certainly is a Mary Sue as viewed by some people and the argument is easily kindled. 

And that’s not inherently bad is it? A little frustrating as its pretty obvious female characters get labeled Mary Sue disproportionately to male ones, to the point where there is no doubt in my mind that if Mary Russell were simply Russell hardly anyone would question or doubt his ability or companionship with Sherlock. 

To get to the point: 

I think Mary Russell is many things and like Sherlock as a character is adaptable to many reader views and interpretations - and ultimately its the controversy and wider discussion of her that makes Russell “valuable”.

I also think a big clue into the author’s intent with the character has to do with how her gender is discussed and made pronounced in text.

If Mary Russell never questioned her abilities or strength or worth as tied to her being a female in a very (very) male narrative space both within the one presenting her as well as the history of the character(s) she is tied to then the “Mary Sue” argument would have a lot more ground to claim, but as it is I am of the opinion that Mary Russell is meant to be a bit much and slightly antagonistic to what readers understand and unquestioningly accept regarding Sherlock and Sherlock canon. 

I’m also pretty certain she is meant to be just a good time as well!

Lots of humor and love in this first book and it’s easy to like Mary, it really is, and while she initially comes off a bit pious as her story goes on she becomes more honest and open with her readers.

The first person narrative is uncharacteristically Sherlock and probably what drives a lot of “Mary Sue” arguments I’d imagine (“It reeks of self-insert!”) but works well enough and allows us insights into Mary we need. 

Sherlock Holmes

This is a good Sherlock.

Very much a woman’s Sherlock. 

And I mean that in the nicest way possible and not a comment on the impending romance. 

‘Cause it’s going to happen and I might as well come to terms with it.

I’m actually really upset how okay I am with it to be completely honest.

I’m a romantic turd and I’m a sucker for relationships rooted in trust and belief in the other’s abilities so for me the impending romance (which is more “Mary Sue!” fodder and actually probably the biggest sore spot for anti-Russell folks I bet) is a combination of irritate and excitement. 

Sherlock has always been an attractive figure for a lot of people - the age old “Smart is Sexy” at work. 

I am one such people.

Very much a Spock vibe with Sherlock amirte???

The aloof disengaged approach to viewing relationships and emotional response paired with the logic and brains makes those characters someone you’d reallllly enjoy seeing crack (hence how their common and intense pairing with their closest ((of happen to be male)) confidants is so deeply satisfying). 

The age gaps between Mary and Holmes is intense though innit? 

YIKES.

A part of me wants to wax and wane on how irritating that is but then another part of me is practical and knows I can a.) ignore it b.) can’t help BUT ignore it because Holmes has the permanent visual image of stinkin’ Jeremy Brett in my traitor mind and I’m cool with watching him snog just about anyone! 

So. 

Hard to get up in arms about that really. 

A third part of me also doesn’t give a shit.

Why am I so certain romance will bloom?

Because this is a woman’s Sherlock and I don’t mean that then obviously romance must present its self but what I mean is that this Sherlock isn’t alien and convinced that romantic feelings are unintelligent. 

Kind of hard to explain but know it comes from years and years of reading various Sherlock Holmes fan fiction from various Sherlock Holmes properties and I know a “female holmes” when I see one. 

Eh, I’m not explaining this well I’m loosing steam here but yeah.

*shrugs*

I’m not being negative!

Highlighted Passages 

“As both I and the century approach the beginnings of our ninth decades, I have been forced to admit that age is not always a desirable state. The physical, of course, contributes its own flavour to life, but the most vexing problem I have found is that my past, intensely real to me, has begun to fade into the mists of history in the eyes of those around me.”

So, yes, I freely admit that my Holmes is not the Holmes of Watson. To continue with the analogy, my perspective, my brush technique, my use of colour and shade, are all entirely different from his. The subject is essentially the same; it is the eyes and the hands of the artist that change.

He was, as the writers say but people seldom actually are, openmouthed.

It was none other than the long-suffering Mrs. Hudson, whom I had long considered the most underrated figure in all of Dr. Watson’s stories. Yet another example of the man’s obtuseness, this inability to know a gem unless it be set in gaudy gold.

“Youth does not inspire confidence, in life or in stories, as I found to my annoyance when I set up residence in Baker Street.”

“I suppose you know I was prepared to hate him,” I said finally. “Oh yes.” “I can see why you kept him near you. He’s so…good, somehow. Naïve, yes, and he doesn’t seem terribly bright, but when I think of all the ugliness and evil and pain he’s known… It’s polished him, hasn’t it? Purified him.” “Polished is a good image. Seeing myself reflected in Watson’s eyes was useful when contemplating a case that was giving me problems. He taught me a great deal about how humans function, what drives them. He keeps me humble, does Watson.” He caught my dubious look. “At any rate, as humble as I can be.”

Looking back, I think that the largest barrier to our association was Holmes himself, that inborn part of him that spoke the language of social customs, and particularly that portion of his makeup that saw women as some tribe of foreign and not-entirely-trustworthy exotics.

It was a mad time, and looked at objectively was probably the worst possible situation for me, but somehow the madness around me and the turmoil I carried within myself acted as counterweights, and I survived in the centre.

It was the same, but I was different, and I wondered for the first time if I was going to be able to carry it off, if I could join these two utterly disparate sides of my life.

“Thank you, Mr. Holmes, I hope—” She looked down. “If my fears are correct, I have married a traitor. If I am wrong, I am myself guilty of traitorous thoughts against my husband. There is no win here, only duty.” Holmes touched her hand and she looked up at him. He smiled with extraordinary kindness into her eyes. “Madam, there is no treachery in the truth. There may be pain, but to face honestly all possible conclusions formed by a set of facts is the noblest route possible for a human being.”

“Are you telling me the butler did it?” “I’m afraid it does happen. Shall we search the woods for the débris?”

“It is, I can even say, a new and occasionally remarkable experience to work with a person who inspires, not by vacuum, but by actual contribution.”

Somehow me Da’ had raised a drunken mob in this tiny place, had summoned thick voices in song, and was driving them down the lane with the goad of his mad fiddle—a magnificent Welsh chorus, singing Christmas carols, in English, in an infinitesimal Welsh village, on a warm August night. Suddenly nothing seemed impossible, and as if the thought had loosed the house from stasis there was movement within.

“Is it always so grey and awful at the end of a case?” He didn’t answer me for a minute, then rose abruptly and stood looking down the road towards the house with the plane trees. When he looked around at me there was a painful smile on his lips. “Not always. Just usually.” “Hence the cocaine.” “Hence, as you say, the cocaine.”

The amazed adoration in her eyes was too much. I pulled her to me so I did not have to look at it. Her hair smelt musky-sweet, like chamomile. I held her, and she began to cry, weeping oddly like a woman rather than a young child, while I rocked us both gently in silence. In a few minutes she drew a shuddering breath and stopped. “Better?” She nodded her head against my chest. I smoothed her hair. “That’s what tears are for, you know, to wash away the fear and cool the hate.” As I suspected, that last word triggered a reaction. She drew back and looked at me, her eyes blazing. “I do hate them. Mama says I don’t, but I do. I hate them. If I had a gun I’d kill them all.” “Do you think you really would?” She thought for a moment, and her shoulders slumped. “Maybe not. But I’d want to.”

“Yes. They are hateful men, who did something horrid to you and hurt your parents. I’m glad you wouldn’t shoot them, because I shouldn’t want you to go to gaol, but you go ahead and hate them. No one should ever do what they did. They stole you and hit you and tied you up like a dog. I hate them too.” Her jaw dropped at so much raw emotion aired. “Yes, I do, and you know what I hate them for most? I hate them for taking away your happiness. You don’t trust people now, do you? Not like you did a few weeks ago. A six-year-old girl oughtn’t to be frightened of people.”

“You were brave, you were intelligent, you were patient. And as you say, it isn’t really over yet, and you’re going to have to be brave and intelligent and patient for a while longer, and wait for the anger and the fear to settle down. They will.” (And the nightmares? my mind whispered.) “Not right away, and they’ll never go away completely, but they’ll fade. Do you believe me?” “Yes. But I’m still very angry.” “Good. Be angry. It’s right to be angry when someone hurts you for no reason. But do you think you can try not to be too afraid?” “To be angry and—happy?” The incongruity obviously appealed to her. She savoured it for a moment and jumped to her feet. “I’m going to be angry and happy.”

No, I refuse to accept gallant stupidity in place of rational necessity.

“I dislike the idea of a murderer employing children,” said Holmes darkly. “It is, I agree, bad for their morals, and interferes with their sleep.”

The more I thought about it, the curiouser it became. What kind of human being would need a refuge capable of sustaining life in a siege?

“Good God, Holmes, where have you been to pick up such a stench? Down on the docks, obviously, and from your feet I should venture to say you’d been in the sewers, but what is that horrid sweet smell?” “Opium, my dear protected child.”

“The admission then caused me some shame. But, that was half a lifetime ago, and since then I have learnt, slowly, and painfully, that time and distance can prove a powerful weapon.”

The thought of telling someone, and having to see their face afterward, had always clamped my mouth down on the words, but now, to my exquisite horror and relief, I heard the words trickle from my mouth.

“I was merely going to say that I hope you realise that guilt is a poor foundation for a life, without other motivations beside it.”

[cover2covermom]

*Books included in this batch of mini book reviews: Normal People by Sally Rooney, The Nickle Boys by Colson Whitehead,  How to Stop Time by Matt Haig, and The Book Worm of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

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» Normal People by Sally Rooney

Normal People is about two characters, Connell & Marianne, and their evolving relationship as they grow from adolescence into adulthood.

Normal People is one of those books that you don’t necessarily enjoy while reading, but it is a compulsive type of read.  Despite the fact that I didn’t necessarily enjoy reading this, I flew through it in one evening and the following morning.  I just had to know how the story was going to pan out.  Normal People is a very interesting look at themes like mental illness, insecurity, toxic relationships, abuse, the importance of communication, coming of age, identity, etc. 

Normal People is very much a character driven novel.  It is an in depth look at relationships, and how insecurities and lack of communication can stand in the way of two people who truly love each other.  These characters will frustrate you, baffle you, and make you want to knock some sense into them.  Despite the fact that Connell & Marianne are not really likable characters, I can say that they feel very real.

This was my first experience with Sally Rooney’s writing.  Rooney’s writing was very quiet & understated, which suited the tone of the story well.  I must forewarn you, Rooney does not use quotation marks around dialogue, which can be a bit of an adjustment on the reader’s part.  I did find it challenging at times to decipher where the dialogue started and stopped, but this eased as I adapted to the writing style. Another thing I noticed about Rooney’s writing was that she left certain aspects of the story up to the reader’s interpretation.  Some may say that these were plot holes or unresolved portions of the book, however I feel it was intentional on Rooney’s part. 

I found the tone throughout Normal People to be very foreboding.   If you enjoy tragic stories like Wuthering Heights that are more on the dismal side, I’d give this book a go.  However, if you enjoy lighthearted reads with happy endings, Normal People is not going to be the book for you.  This book also had a few similar elements to A Walk to Remember, but without the happy parts.

Even though Connell & Marianne start out as teenagers in this book, I would not classify Normal People as young adult.  The intended audience is more in the new adult to adult range.

***Trigger/content warnings: toxic relationships, mental illness – depression, suicidal thoughts, sibling abuse, etc.***

» The Nickle Boys by Colson Whitehead

The Nickel Boys is a fictionalized account of the abuse and misconduct of the Dozier Reform School in Florida.  Set in the 1960s, The Nickel Boys follows a promising boy named Elwood.  Elwood is sentenced to The Nickel Academy after he innocently accepts a ride from a stranger, and that ride results in dire consequences.  Now he finds himself in a hostile environment and must survive the atrocities that occur within the walls of Nickel.

Whitehead tells Elwood’s story in two different timelines, one in the past that includes the lead up to Elwood’s sentencing and details his traumatic experience at Nickel, the other timeline occurs in a modern day setting where we see the lasting effects of the abuse Elwood suffered.  At first, I was not sure about the dual timeline structure for this story, however it all becomes clear at the end why Whitehead chose to tell this story this way.   This structure ended up complimenting the story well.

After reading the description, I was anticipating a plot driven story, however The Nickel Boys is more of a character driven novel.  At the core, The Nickel Boys is about Elwood’s struggle to stay true to his convictions based of the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr, that there is good in the world, despite his current horrific situation.   Elwood’s ideals are challenged numerous times throughout the novel, but he always remained hopeful.

To be completely honest, I was a bit underwhelmed with this story.  I read Colson Whitehead’s previous book, The Underground Railroad, and was blown away with his portrayal of slavery and the plight of the runaway slave.  The Underground Railroad was raw, brutal, and uncensored, which is what I was expecting here in The Nickel Boys.  This story felt watered down in comparison.  Instead of showing the reader the abuse these boys suffered, it is implied.  While I do not think a book needs to be overly graphic to get the point across, I think Whitehead did the story an injustice by just glossing over the scenes of abuse.  

I was set to give The Nickle Boys 3 stars, but I was blown away at that plot twist!  I was caught me completely off guard, and it redeemed this book for me.  Bravo Whitehead!

I appreciate when authors bring lesser known history to light, especially horrific history such as this.  It is important for these types of stories to not be brushed under the rug or forgotten.  After reading books like this that are rooted in history, I am always motivated to do some research of my own.  I was horrified by everything I read about The Dozier School of Boys and the ongoing investigations.

***Trigger/content warning: physical, sexual, and mental abuse – not graphic, but implied – racism***

» How to Stop Time by Matt Haig

*2.5 Stars*

How to Stop Time is about a man named Tom.  Now Tom looks like your average 40-something man… except he is over 400 years old.  Tom doesn’t age like a typical person, but rather ages 1 year after every 15 years that go by.  In order to survive, Tom reluctantly joins a secret society of individuals that also share his condition.  Every few years Tom starts over as someone new in a new place.  After centuries of loneliness, Tom yearns for something more, but can he have more without blowing his cover and bringing down the wrath of the society?

I loved the concept of individuals that age at a very decelerated rate, thus live hundreds of years.  How to Stop Time includes themes like aging, mortality, time, love, memory, grief, and loneliness.  This books brings about the though provoking question: is living “forever” worth it if you can’t have lasting relationships?

How to Stop Time follows Tom in his present life he is living in London, while jumping back into time as Tom is flooded with memories from his past.  The story line occurring in the past is not linear, which was a bit confusing at first, but didn’t take long to overcome.  This structure actually suited the story well.  You know that feeling when something jogs a memory that takes you back to another time & place?  This is how we experience the story and we slowly get to know Tom in bits and pieces as he reminisces about his life.

Despite the fact that the premise for How to Stop Time was interesting, unfortunately the execution of this story was off.  There were so many plot holes & underdeveloped portions of the plot: the secret society aspect, the love story, Tom’s daughter, etc.   Basically there were many different subplots thrown in but they were never fully explored.

How to Stop Time felt like an attempted mash up between The Time Traveler’s Wife with Tuck Everlasting, but didn’t generate the same level of attachment to the characters or emotional reaction that those books did.  I’d also like to note that the synopsis is very misleading.  From the synopsis you are lead to believe that How to Stop Time is going to be a beautiful love story, but this is not the case at all.  If you are anticipating a romance, you are not going to find it here.

Haig’s writing can be very dense at times.  It felt almost as if Haig was trying too hard to be philosophical, which made the writing feel forced.  This isn’t to say it was bad by any means, but that it didn’t feel natural to me.

By the end, I must admit that I was skimming.  While I think the concept for How to Stop Time was interesting & thought provoking, the plot was lacking & full of inconsistencies. 

» The Book Worm of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

*4.5 Stars*

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a historical fiction set in the 1930s in the hills of Kentucky.   We follow Cussy Carter, a legendary blue person of Kentucky.  Not only does she face discrimination due to her gender, but also her skin color.   Cussy is a tenacious young woman who loves her job as a pack horse librarian.  It’s Cussy’s job to deliver books and other reading material to her fellow neighbors on her dangerous route across Kentucky’s unforgiving mountains.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is what I refer to as a “bookworm’s delight.”  I admit it, I am a sucker for any book that centers around a reader, books, libraries, bookstores, etc.  How could I NOT love a book about a pack horse librarian that braves the unforgiving land to deliver books to impoverished families?  Be still my heart!   I remember first hearing about pack horse librarians a few years back after an article circulated on Facebook.  I was tagged multiple times by friends and family in the article, which just goes to show you I am known for being a crazy book lady 🙂  Had I lived in Kentucky back in 30s & 40s, I would have definitely applied to become a pack horse librarian!  In fact, I’d totally deliver books via horseback today!  You can read more about pack horse librarians here ⇒ Horse-Riding Librarians Were the Great Depression’s Bookmobiles

Despite her terrible name, Cussy was a lovely main character.   Cussy is extremely passionate about promoting literacy to those that do not have access to books, so of course I adored her for that reason alone.  I think Cussy was a very realistic feeling character because despite her strength and determination in her role as a pack horse librarian, she is insecure about the color of her skin.  I enjoyed watching Cussy’s growth and character development over the course of the book.

If you enjoy historical fiction where the author really focuses on setting the scene and taking you back in time, I’d definitely recommend this book!  However, if you do not enjoy extremely descriptive writing, this might not be your cup of tea.  Richardson pays close attention to the smallest of details, even the mundane.  I could definitely see where her writing would not be for everyone.

My only criticism of this book was that it did feel a little unbalanced.  Cussy experiences one tragedy after another in this story line, which bogged the plot down.  There needed to be more lighter hearted moments to break this up.  It felt like Richardson was throwing Cussy one curve ball after another for the sake of moving the plot along.

***Trigger/content warning: racism***

Have you read any of these books?  If so, what did you think?

Comment below & let me know 🙂

Mini Book Reviews: August 2019 - Part 2 #BookReview #BookBlog #BookBlogger #Reading #Books #BookWorm *Books included in this batch of mini book reviews: Normal People by Sally Rooney, The Nickle Boys…

[cashcounts]

Suroin Drop review | Leak-free and making a splash

Suorin Drop review intro

The Suorin Drop is a stylish refillable pod vape designed to look like the shape of a teardrop. It comes with a 2 mL empty pod with a resistance of 1.3 ohms, and a tight draw that works exceptionally well for MTL vaping.

Fitted with a low-capacity 300 mAh internal battery, the Drop measures a mere 73 mm x 49 mm x 12 mm – which fits easily into the 5th pocket of my jeans. But although the Suorin Drop is small in stature, it has a notable heft and at ~65 grams with a full pod.

Retail Price: $34.99 Empty Pods: $$3.99 Colors: Black, Yellow, Tiffany Blue, Brushed Gunmetal, Red

Suroin Drop gallery

Suorin Drop specs and features

Kit Content

1 x Suorin Drop battery

1 x 2 mL cartridge

1 x USB cable

1 x User Manual

Specifications

Size: 73 x 49 x 12 mm

e-Juice Capacity: 2 mL

Battery Capacity: 300 mAh

Resistance: 1.3 – 1.4 Ohm

Charging time: 45 min

Charging Port: Micro USB

Water-drop design with portable size

Air switch for easy vaping and operation

Notable Remarks

A drop of this, a drop of that

Being a bit of a sucker for vape novelties, I bought a Suroin Drop out of sheer curiosity. And, well, because I think it looks awesome! I just had to have it. Plus, of the five or so vape shops I got to, I was told these kits have been selling fast. That’s how I ended up with a Tiffany Blue Drop. Not my choice. Just what was left.

I’ve used it for almost two weeks now and have a few things to say about my experience with it. Spoiler alert: I like it a lot more than the Suorin Air! But all is not perfect. Hopefully this short review can help you make an informed decision about whether you want to buy the Suorin Drop.

Design of the Suorin Drop

That body! The flattened teardrop form of the Drop is akin to the Vype Pebble but with a much more solid feel and refined design. It’s finished with an easy-to-grip rubber coating which has a soft & smooth feeling. The Drop feels secure in the hand, especially because it has a button that gives your fingers something to grab onto. But the button has no real “button” function – it’s not even an LED. But I do like having it there. Still kinda odd though.

Onto the pods. They’re leak resistant, spitback-free, and devoid of hot-pops. They are filled best filled with needle-tip droppers. The plugs to access the chamber for filling are attached (like on the Air), so you won’t have to fear losing them. One interesting aspect to the pods is that they have two chambers that are separate from each other (that have to be filled separately). I can’t tell if this was intentional or just necessary for the design of the pods (making way for the air path), but it’s odd.

The two separate chambers are attached to one wick – but frequently only one side of the pod’s two chambers seems to be getting depleted. I have left it like that overnight and the pods do equalize, but I can’t say how long it took. Normally when I see one side empty, I just refill it. No need to risk a burnt hit. But that also means I have to refill after only using half the pod’s capacity.

A few more issues with the pods: The Drop’s dark tinted pods can be hard to see through unless holding it up to a bright light (despite how it looks in pictures). You can hardly see the battery-level indicator light unless you’re in a dark room looking in a mirror (the pod lights up from the bottom as you draw on it). And though the pods should feel secure in the battery, the pods do not click into place. At all! It’s mush. I can take a pod out of the battery with just my mouth. Not cool.

Performance

For my preferred style of vaping, the Drop has a top-notch hit. It’s a satisfyingly warm MTL draw. It’s not super tight (like on the Phix), but it’s tight.

The flavor is good too. It’s accurate, and the vapor is quite dense for the size (akin to a bulkier Aspire Breeze). In general, I love the vape from this thing. It hits kinda hard, so you might want to step down your nic a bit. Either way, it’s a great hit for salt eliquid.

But, I have had issues with the performance. Inconsistent hits, misfires, and it takes a little too long – over a second – for the device’s automatic draw to be activated from a cold state. The inconsistent hits could be all in my imagination, but the misfires are not! Every once and awhile, I go to take a draw – which is already a bit slow to be activated – and a few seconds in I realize I am sucking on air. Ugh!

Likes

No leaking

Can vape two juices at once

Refillable

2 mL capacity

Short break-in for the coils

Pass-thru

Top-notch MTL draw

Dislikes

Misfires

Typical battery life with only 300 mAh

Barely visible battery indicator light

Split second delay is annoying

Pods mush into the battery (no click)

Pods not very secure in the battery

The pods two chambers don’t deplete at the same rate

Did I say misfires? (Might need to be said twice)

Verdict

The Suroin Drop is more than an aesthetically pleasing design. It’s reasonably priced and a big plus is the refillable pods are only $3.99. My one pod has lasted over two weeks with no drop off in flavor or vapor. It’s a helluva vape.

But I think the issues need to get worked out… like in a version two. The unsecure pods, slow-to-ramp coils, the odd wicking of just one side of the pod, and especially the misfires are my biggest gripes. I am still able to enjoy the device though, like, a lot! I just wish I would’ve known about those issues before buying. I likely would’ve waited for a sale.

I recommend this device if you are a pod chaser and also a big fan of a tight MTL draw. The Drop gives good flavor and killer hits. If that’s not enough for you to look past its shortcomings, you just saved a minimum of $30.

What do you think about the Drop? Sound off in the comments section below.

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