#every body shines

[queerauntie]

December Reads

As the end of the year comes to a close, I wanted to reflect on my latest hyperfocus- books! It's been a lot of fun the past few months diving in deep and enjoying a wide variety of stories, and December was no exception. This year rounds us out with a total of FOUR books! And the titles are, in order of when I read them:

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab

Ten Steps to Nanette by Hannah Gadsby

I Think I Love You by Auriana Desombre

Witchful Thinking by Celestine Martin

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez

Every Body Shines Edited by Cassandra Newbould

The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman

ain't i a woman by bell hooks

Let's start with the Shades of Magic series. This series was absolutely phenomenal. I couldn't put it down, that is to say, my friend and I sat in silence for 12+ hours (for each book) so I could get through them. From the characters to the plot twists, this book is God Tier and definitely is going in the "Read Again" file of books to enjoy when I feel like revisiting that magnificent world. After reading The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue I was sure I would enjoy the series and was more prepared for the world-building I knew would require my attention. It did not let me down!

Ten Steps to Nanette by Hannah Gadsby was a really enjoyable read, it made me learn some things about myself, connecting those childhood dots to their adult patterns. My friend always asked me if Gadsby's special, Douglas, made me feel as autistic as they did when I watched it, and while I didn't quite get what they meant, in this memoir, I completely understood what they were asking. Hannah goes into even more depth about how their diagnosis came around (and all the signs that should've been picked up on) and it hit very close to home. It was frustrating and hilarious and heartbreaking. It gave me even more respect for my queer elders and the road they've paved for us. For any fan of comedy, autism, and lesbians, I highly recommend this book.

Now, I Think I Love You was a completely different tone shift from the previous books this month, I picked it for two reasons. I saw it here on tumblr looking for lesbian love stories. and secondly, because of all the books I saw, this was the only one that was available instantly in the Libby App. All that to say it wasn't one I was extremely invested in and therefore I didn't pay extreme attention to it. Similarly to sitcoms, I tend to zone out on additional characters and scenes and then tune back in when it's the main character talking, the plot is pushed forward, and conflict is being created and resolved. I did enjoy this story, while some teen fics hit me hard, this one did feel like it was for the younger (middle school) grades. But while no tears were shed, I did enjoy this sweet story!

Witchful Thinking was a book I put on hold around October (Halloween theme). It was another book I saw at Target, so now we're getting a feel for the Target Tier as I am now calling it! I would say it's a 3.75 on my personal scale. I really really like the books, but I just can't say that I loved them. This book was right in there, and I honestly don't even believe it's the book's fault. I am quickly discovering that books that don't include or center queer characters are really boring. The trials and communication problems that cishet characters go through are a little tired out for me. I love a will they won't they, but when it's high school sweethearts and he's too cool to commit, and she's scared to get what she wants... It's like nah that's not my vibes thank you though! Now what I was NOT expecting was for the breeders to get hot and HEAVY! Suddenly nipples were getting hard and thrusts were being matched, I was wholly unprepared and thankful I was in private 😂. All in all, it was a fun ride and I'm certainly glad the girl got her happy ending. Good for him too I guess but who cares about a MAN?! I swear we're going for all non-male protagonists for next year lol I can't stand myself!

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter was a book that caught me off guard a bit. I don't read the book trailers or try to learn anything about a book before getting into it, I like the surprise you know? I thought this book would be very relatable, and it was, but it wasn't from my perspective, family dynamically speaking. While I am the oldest, the third parent, and the one whom all the expectations were put upon, my character was dead. So, this book felt a lot like reading from my younger sister's perspective. When my parent's gaze falls off me, who would they have next to target? It worked through a lot of cultural family dynamics that were very relatable. Julia goes through the hardest thing imaginable and doesn't come through unscathed.

Every Body Shines was a random book that I picked up because I saw a teacher that I follow on twitter was hosting the book club for this book, and I had a day to read it so, challenge accepted! What I didn't know is that it was a series of short stories, not a non-fiction about body acceptance. Now, I have tried reading collections like this but the short stories just always fall a little flat for me, that being said, there were a few stories that stuck out to me so it was worth the read after all. What was the most disappointing was I couldn't find out access to the book club so I ended up not getting to read others' thoughts which was what I was really looking forward to!

I came across The Complete Maus at the library and grabbed it without a second thought. I remember when the last school year started and certain (read antisemitic and racist) people were trying to ban this book in schools. I ended up reading over 70% of it in one night and finished it the next morning. It was beautifully told, devastating to witness, and immensely kind. I have continually used that word to describe books, but it's the highest compliment I can give a story. In this age of shock culture, it's a popular trend to create untrustworthy stories and be deceitful as writers. It's been ongoing for years now, and it's scary when you don't know if you can trust that a writer will be mindful of your emotional journey. But Spiegelman does a phenomenal job showing his capturing of the story within the story. It helps the reader to ease in and out of these extremely difficult and dark moments. It was also beautiful to be able to get into the author's head a little more as he tells his story. I think it's insane that it was ever attempted to be banned and instead believe it would be a great alternative to The Boy In The Stripe Pajamas which is taught in middle school! Regardless, it's a very good piece of writing and art.

We're here, the last book of the year! I finished ain't i a woman by bell hooks earlier today and will definitely need to read it again because i was distractedly cleaning while listening. But it was a really good read, discussing how Black Women have been left out of both Black liberation movements and White Women's feminist liberation movements. I don't know what I could say that hasn't been said far more eloquently and it's just the tip of the iceberg for me, so keep an eye out for more thoughts as I get through her writing. But just from this first exposure, I can already tell that hooks is going to be a brilliant teacher in the next upcoming year.

Well, that's it y'all! 32 books in 6 months! I am very impressed with myself, this has been such a fun journey and I am so excited to continue this lovely hobby into the new year. This averages around 5-6 books a month which is so wild and very sprinty of me, so I'm going to be subtly ambitious with my first intentional reading goal: 50 books in 2023! I'm looking forward to sharing them all with you and getting much better at these reviews along the way! If you have any suggestions for me please feel free to drop an ask or send a message!

Happy New Years to everyone celebrating the gregorian calendar and I hope we all have a fantastic adventure ahead of us!

Yearly Book Count: 32/32!!

[junkanimate]

Trying to draw the boys

[nyatbinary-81]

@vulpixisananimal sifstem art jumpscare!! more specifically i got bored and decided to mess around with sif and mal's outfits.

[soullessjack]

6am exhaustion posting but it’s very funny to me that jack is compared to so many serpents, the biblical serpent in the garden. the ouroboros. the black snake. and then he loves fantasy movies with heroes that crush villains. he reads fairy tales like sleeping beauty, fairy tales that predominantly have knights in shining armor slaying the dragon or the serpent. obviously with him wanting to be a hero he’d follow the KISH archetype, but also look. serpents are medievally satanic symbols. fairy tales are majority stemmed in European Christianity. He’s literally a dragon that wants to be a knight . A satanic if not Thee Satanic Serpent wanting to be a hero and a Knight In Shining Armor and actively partaking in slaying other beasts for acceptance. this vision came to me with caffeine and zero sleep but do you see it .do you see how this is insane and also funny. Do you understand it …..

[kismetconstellations]

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart) x.

[ohmuqueen]

240629 Music Core in Japan “Guilty” part 1

part 2

[moe-broey]

Got inspired to revisit this FEH comic redraw I did when it first dropped! Specifically these panels:

Ended up freestyling that second Xane though LMFAOO he is just so impish to me...

If you wanna get Old Art Jumpscared I'll also include the original sketch under cut!

AAAAAAAAA JUMPSACRE AAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!

In a way though, I'm glad that I dropped it and picked it up again later... like I feel like this isn't even from that long ago (guy who has no sense of the passage of time voice), but the characterization and even design of Moe is so different. The Scrunch and :< face were game changers for it LMFAOOO (also just making it autisticer 👍)

Beyond that I think everyone looks a lot better and closer to how I envision them, esp Loki!

[abtheb]

April 28, 2023

Despite everything, it's still you.

[nc-vb]

if it’s gotten to the fucking point that the Ministry of Education has to announce that “the school year is cancelled” for part of Gaza because all its students have been murdered, humanity has failed, failed at everything— flat out, point blank, and unequivocally failed.

[m1d-45]

kaeya having his mandela catalogue moment seeing the copy of his brother… can’t wait for him to meet shade! that definitely won’t fuck him up at all! - teddy anon

oh he’ll totally leave that interaction 100% sane (lying)

brief note, diluc and shade would be over in .2 seconds. putting aside the impossibility of shade leaving your side willingly, diluc has long since memorized the microexpressions on kaeya’s face, and knows that he isn’t him.

brief note two, shade is much better at passing as kaeya than red is diluc. aside from the very obvious detail of red borderline growling at people all the time, red carries himself differently. diluc, while often awkward and sometimes unintentionally cold, is still approachable, a trait that red could never manage. shade, however…

shade is a bandit. a master of disguise mixed with kaeya's already clever personality, able to mask himself as kaeya—and has, on occasion, to lead a patrol away or to snatch some medical supplies from the city for you or nikki. the difference is that he has a diluc to fall back on, one that he can trust with his entire self. kaeya can't let himself be honest with diluc and vice versa, but shade and red can. who better to tell your homicidal urges to than your fellow reflection?

imagine with me. post hunt. you're entering mondstat, without red at nikki's request. you, nikki, momo, and shade, making your way toward the gates. everyone knew about the old copy of diluc you had made, about the mirrors your friend taught you to use to summon the archons of old. even night, elusive as she was, was known throughout the knights.

but shade was new. shade was quick on his feet, always swift to pull you through the impossible tangles of forest, into thickets that would knit behind you so the patrols couldn't follow. shade was a well kept secret, only glimpsed in rumors throughout the city that the cavalry captain was occasionally seen in a new set of formal wear.

kaeya had heard these rumors. he'd also known that your 'diluc' was your closest guard, and had himself witnessed him going into the city. he'd thought nothing of it, assuming the people had simply seen someone that looked like him. they hadn't.

once youre close enough for him to actually recognize shade, its like his whole world falls apart.

"divine one..." jean, at his side, likely also recalling the rumors. "your company..."

"this is momo and nikki," you introduce, "and this is shade."

shade. some part of that feels ironic.

hes not surprised by the talking cat, barely registering nikki's polite hello as he locks eyes with shade. same height, same hair, same patch over the eye and sharp smile when he knows he's won.

"shade, say hello."

shade blinks, then flashes a fake smile. "greetings."

the meeting is a blur for kaeya. all he can see is shade, shade and how clearly you and him are attached. his hand held in yours, the adoring look in his eyes as he watches you speak-

he'd passed as kaeya. his mask was so paper thin someone he's never even met could imitate it flawlessly, putting on his identity like a costume on the world's stage and doing it better.

shade was the one at your side. shade led you away with a polite smile—you didn't see the way it dropped so he could shoot kaeya a glare—and a hand around your waist. shade was the one that believed you, that kept you safe.

kaeya had invented the frostwind swordsman. he'd crafted his persona by hand, making a shield out of his words and behavior, and yet it was somehow shade that had perfected it.

[takecarelove]

having the ability to cry again would solve ALL my problems

[snowychicken]

MEET ME IN THE TIME OF HARMONY

SIP ON SUNBEAMS 'TILL THE NEW MOON

I'M NOT SURE OF ANYTHING I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S TRUE

I KNOW THE GLOW YOUR ESSENCE TENDED IS THE ME I CHOOSE

[sysig]

Little guys (Patreon)

[clairaworlds]

art practice. I tried to work on body types but I don't know how successful I was. Either way, massive thanks to @wolfertinger666 who's awesome art has encouraged me to try to give my OCs the body types I always imagined them with (emphasis on TRY, I don't think I quite pulled it off this time but I'll keep practicing.)

Crystal (she/her) (in the dress) and Nova (genderfluid) Crystal is a no op transwoman, she's amazing and I love her, I think I made her too skinny in this one (she's supposed to have some muscle on her, and I don't think I made that clear, she's also supposed to have broader shoulders, she's also tall) She's got a sun and peacock motif bc she's a queen and I ADORE this peacock dress! Nova is supposed to be fat, they spend their time kicking ass and taking names. I think I did a better job making them fat this time, and I wanted to give them just a hint of sext while still covering them up not for modesty reasons but bc Nova looks like me, and like me, has to avoid direct sunlight for health reasons, I wanted to draw a character who could be cute and a little sexy while still being safe! anyways enjoy some previous attempts.

here's crystal in full color! I LOVE her, the colors look so good, and the peacock design is so lovely, I also can't decide on her hair, she looks so pretty either way!! if anyone has advice I'd love it, I think she looks so pretty in both pictures, like I said, I think I got the body type more correct on the more recent Crystal, but there are aspects of this design I like more. tbh, I don't think either is quite right, body type is HARD, but I'm going to keep practicing. Nova, I think I still drew her a bit to thin in the new drawing, but I think proportionally she looks better, like the fat is more realistic rather than just having made her wider lol, I want her crop top tho... I should make myself one..... I mean I'd kill to get a gown like crystals, but I think I could just make Nova's top.

[simgerale]

just amoria being simtimate 🌿

[greenbling-shenanigans]

Greenblings managing to go on a nice walk without getting lost this time

"Kanna? Kanna, can you slow down? I know it's a nice bridge, but I'm getting *coff* worn out...I only had half of a granola bar, I don't have a whole lot of energy...*inhale HACK HACK COUGH* Kanna, I really don't want to die here today..."