#i have loved the nimona graphic novel for so long and the movie did it so much justice i am elated

[sheepbunmonster]

someone please tell me i'm not the only one who thought this when nimona turned into a whale

[p-h-a-n-t-a]

Nimona was the first piece of media i found after realizing i was nonbinary that spoke to me, i read the webcomic every wedsneday in my history class in 7th grade. Middle school was hard for me because i was one of two kids in my whole grade that was out as some form of queer (pan, i didnt come out as nb until high school) and i lost a lot of friends from it. But also from just being "weird." I tried to come out to my dad at one point and heard nearly the same line balister says to nimona in the new movie "wouldnt it be easier to be a girl?"

I am now 21, working in a library where i see kids gravitate more and more towards graphic novels and we have the nimona graphic novel on our shelves, and i have waited so long to watch the movie, that when i finally watched it, i could not believe it was not just speaking to me, but screaming to me. Im a nonbinary individual that loves men in a queer way, and yet has been a weird little girl outcast for things other people did not understand. I have seen grown adults attack children online for not being straight or cis, and seen them say it is under the guise of protecting their kids. In the time between now and reading the webcomic in my history class, i have felt so many different ways about my identity and my existence, and holy shit does the nimona movie speak to me. In almost every stage of my life.

N D Stevenson, and all the people who made this movie survive and be possible, you were able to reach into the core of my being and make me feel just as seen as i first did when i laughed about shark boobs in a middle school computer lab. Thank you so much!!

[small-strong-bookish-butch]

Thoughts on Nimona (because a good friend asked):

Source: me, an expert on the webcomic (joking)

Okay SO:

There is so much foreshadowing in the beginning of the movie, which technically also happens at the beginning of the book, with Nimona's little red drawings too, but somehow for me it was different to see it animated

Goleth in the book Is Not A Thing. Doesn't exist. There IS no "1,000 years ago the kingdom was cursed" stuff. They said Goleth and I mentally went "who the FUCK is Goleth??"

In the book/webcomic/graphic novel, Ambrosius is the one who cuts off Ballister's arm, on purpose. Yes, Ambrosius, the twink gay boyfriend guy. (Also, in the book they both have long hair)

It's not super important, but in the book there's a bank heist that they do complete together and it kind of sets the stage for everyone to realize Nimona is a shapeshifter and is with Blackheart

In the book, part of the 'framing the director' thing is that she & the government agency (or whatever it is) have this massive supply of jaderoot, which is like, this poisonous plant (more on that later)

I didn't fully understand that 'the Director' was like, basically the queen until I was literally watching the movie. I guess I understood her to be like, almost a head-security person? You really only see her in the book being like "guards! Capture Ballister!" or "the plan didn't work 😡"

OH. Very important. At the end of the book— in the part of the movie where they put all those spidey webs on Nimona and capture her— in the book, they bring her to.... basically an experiment lab, they put her in a tank with a lot of jaderoot and shock her and do all this torture stuff and they're basically like "Tell us how you got like this", and she talks about how she was cursed by a witch who gave her shapeshifting powers BUT they were very loose (in that she can transform into literally any animal/creature/etc) ("She wasn't a very good witch," she says)

On that note! If I remember right, basically her parents abandoned her after she became a shapeshifter (or maybe before?) and in the book, she did pillage and burn down villages in the meantime— which she references at the beginning of the movie, but it's never fully explained or expanded upon

There's this really good dialogue between Ballister and Nimona at the end of the book, which I don't think was in the movie-- where, Nimona is being tortured and they're using all the stuff to try to punish her for being 'a monster', and she says to Ballister, "You're not the only one who thought you could change me. Who thought you'd fix me until you saw who I really was" (or something like that, I'm blanking on the exact words right now), and it's at that point in the book where she turns into a little girl, and then turns really big and into that dark shadowy thing

Also, when she's a little girl, in between being different monsters (so to speak), in the book she looks at Ballister and says "You came back for me?" And he says "Of course I did"

There are references to Nimona "doing this before" in terms of being the 'monster', but there isn't the whole Goleth/chosen one backstory like there is in the movie

Nimona's voice doesn't sound like that To Me. In my head I always thought she'd be like, grittier and spunkier? She was almost like, trying too hard to be carefree and cool in the movie, IMO. Also, in the book, it is a thing where Ballister asks questions about her life and she gets Very Distracted by like, random weapons or different poisons or whatever

ALSO. This has been killing me because I don't fully remember, but. I think in the book, Nimona does almost certainly die or disappear... but there's also this really bittersweet panel with different red animals where Ballister is basically like 'Sometimes I hope you're out there and that I'll see you again someday'. And in the movie she DIED-died and I don't think she deserved that, honestly

Thank you for asking @grayscale-kaleidoscope <3 I'd love to hear your thoughts on the movie too

[monkey-network]

Good Stuff: Nimona

or How to Not Worry & Channel Your Inner Limp Bizkit

In the year before 2020, it was announced that Blue Sky Studios was adapting ND Stevenson's hit graphic novel. Everything changed though when Disney was on that bullshit post-Fox buyout, where to our surprise Blue Sky and Nimona would be shut down. The latter's cancellation hit especially hard understanding it was almost finished anyways, but that's Disney for you. Long as you don't say gay and give 'em your money, they'll stay out of the way. Leave it to Netflix to let the film rebound from Super Hell and finally make it to both the big and small screen; makes you forget they're garbage at anything else. All in all, Blue Sky had the last laugh one more time but was Nimona able to bring the flavorful fireworks or did we get a weak flare that fumbled before the 4th of July?

Well, I will declare now that the film... is fun. If it wasn't fun, that means Disney made it and would remake it live-action around 2040. This film is a ride-or-die by its titular protagonist and lads, I can't lie...

PROTECT. THIS. GODDAMN. SMILE.

Nimona is both a bundle of chaotic joy and an entity that deserved far better. She's like the manifestation of Limp Bizkit, 2000s punk, and B-tier shitposting rolled into an unapologetic but deeply frustrated rebel. I've seen naysayers before release going, "She's another attitude girl archetype" and like no. She has that raw gremlin bastard energy, but she's never an annoying bitch and that's big difference. The best thing is that you're with Ballister in getting to know her; it surprisingly hard for folk to be accepting of somebody harmless who's more comfortable with themselves than anyone lets on. She's not a character I felt forced to sympathize with nor was intrusive on Ballister's story. She's not exactly the focus, but she earned being the star of this movie.

I got major Haruhi and Kyon vibes from their dynamic and it's great

Plotwise, there's a good flow to it all that makes this rewatchable thrill. If there's one major gripe I have is that while Nimona and Ballister have a great dynamic, there's a part in the 2nd act involving them and the villain that was a bit rushed. I will admit to not have read the book, but while I do know the tone is different given they were probably going for an all age rating, I say things didn't feel too compromised. My mind is blown enough that we got an animated kids movie with two, COUNT 'EM TWO, openly queer protagonists. No winks and nudges towards Ballister being gay, no scatterbrained subtlety on Nimona's genderfluid existence, and thank balls their story exists as more than being a preachy memoir. These two get to just BE and live to go on a crime spree justice adventure. That is what I've wanted for longer than any of you think and this delivered. Any criticisms I could have I felt was diluted by the actual fun this was.

And if you've seen Iron Giant, you probably will love this movie

To conclude, I am wondering of a timeline where this wasn't originally cancelled and Blue Sky didn't get axed. This was as much their movie as it is Annapurna and DNEG who helped finish it. People said it looked "unfinished" but then again, given the situation I can cut it some slack because it still plays out gorgeously. Like you know Blue Sky got most of it done, but you think about the changes in direction and ponder if this was the best outcome for the film. It is poetic though, a phoenix forced to burn out but gets to revive as a stronger, if not more so, being that people finally get to see. For Nate, this is undoubtedly a dream come true. As for me, not since Puss in Boots The Last Wish have I been delighted to call this a...

9/10 ABSOLUTE BANGER

[milkbreadtoast]

I WATCHED NIMONA!!! As someone who read the original nimona webcomic when it was updating (roughly a decade ago??) and was rly impacted by it, I was so excited to watch the film and... they did a really good job!!! it was so beautiful i cried omg... it's def worth a watch!! (long ramble under the cut BWAHA spoiler warning)

...and it was rly completely diff from the original comic but im not complaining?? like its a v loose movie adaptation and the plot/setup was v diff but still v well done... like the comic and movie r both good in their own right... & i laughed and cried a lot... i was surprised at the extent of some of the changes but the emotional parts hit hard(my eyes r swollen from crying) and it was written v well... and visually it's just gorgeous... my jaw kept dropping at the beautiful lighting, and they brought the futuristic medieval setting to life so well i could cry😭

it's funny bc one of the main things i was afraid of was them changing nimona's backstory from the comic, bc even after a decade that's one of the things that stuck w me the most... i love nimona as a chara sm... I was so worried abt them changing it and... they ended up changing it completely... but it was actually really good?! like i cried so hard, it was well done... so I'm glad I didn't have to worry after all jdjfjd🥺 like they Did change it but both ver r good in their own right...

I understand that they had to rewrite the plot completely to fit within the time length of a single movie while still being a contained story, as is always the case w movie adaptations of books, graphic novels, etc which r much longer... Series have a chance to follow the source more closely but that just isnt the case w movies... and as far as movie adaptations go they did an amazing job!! I can rly appreciate both the comic and the movie as their own thing... and I rly liked some parts that were added to the movie, like ballister(blackheart)'s backstory in the beginning, and the addition of gloreth (and her relationship w nimona) was surprisingly compelling... And I really really love that they made Ballister and Goldenloin canon POC 😭😭😭 like that made me so happy!!!❤️‍🔥 When i first saw the casting of riz ahmed and eugene lee i was sooo happy, i was like YAYY IDC IF THEY LOOK WHITE IM GONNA HC THEM AS POC🥰 but the fact that i dont even have to hc bc its canon now... 🥹 SOUTH ASIAN/EAST ASIAN KINGS🛐... and they also didn't hold back with showing them openly as a gay couple... Even tho their dynamic changed a lot from the comic I rly appreciate that...

And there were things that I did miss from the webcomic, like the original setup with goldenloin and blackheart as staged nemesis, them being exes (and some time having passed since their graduation, so they're older, unlike in the movie when it just happened), etc. but the whole setup and plot and everything I completely understand why they had to change it to make it work/fit as a movie, so I get it... so not complaining there tbh bc they did what they had to do... But tbh... TBH... my one(1) complaint(/lh) w the movie... IS I REALLY MISS GOLDENLOIN'S BEAUTIFUL LONG HAIR😭😭😭💔 He would've looked so pretty with long golden locks in the movie artstyle, esp w the gorgeous lighting... glowing gold and flowing in the wind... And I think it would've fit perfectly well with the movie ver of his chara/lore too?? like the new lore of him being a descendant of Gloreth... I could imagine him growing out his hair and bleaching it blonde to fit the image/pressure of being a descendant of gloreth, and to look more flashy and heroic to the public (They did tone down his vanity a lot but im sure he still retains some of it... like he still has that pretty popular celebrity image)... And him having long hair doesnt contradict with him being asian too or the modern setting... modern asian men can and do have pretty long hair😭 Like he couldve still been Asian, just w long blonde hair... It doesn't contradict w his new personality either... And I wish they kept the golden color bc the white/silver makes him look less like a "goldenloin"... (i also love black/gold color combos personally lol)... And i just aldjskd can u imagine movie Ballister stroking Ambrosious's long hair affectionately... pls🥲 WE COULD'VE HAD IT ALL... canon asian madeleine cookie qkjdksdj... I also do miss his original stupid vain arrogant himbo personality from the comic, but I understand why they changed it (for one, charas like that might start out obnoxious but then slowly develop and gain depth over the course of the story, but in a movie's short length, there's less time to slowly grow on ppl so it'd be easier to make them more likeable from the start... so like i get it.) but I think it would've been perfect if they just kept his long hair even w his new personality😭😭 LIKE IT WOULDVE BEEN 100000% PERFECT THEN!!! So that's literally my one lighthearted complaint/dissatisfaction w the movie LMFAO... I'd be happy if ppl draw fanart of movie ambrosious w long hair... TTwTT i miss it sm DKDJZ /end rant OVERALL I HAD A GOOD time ^^ LMFAO

[fvriva]

my nimona take:

loved it visually. I'm kind of a basic bitch when it comes to animation (easily pleased as long as there's something relatively different to latch on to) and the stylizations of everyone's shapes were fun

I'm not gonna pretend i didn't go through and obsessively capture my favorite nimona faces and in-betweens because i absolutely totally did

that said, it does feel like while the environments were on the whole nice, individual elements felt a little bit... i dunno, utilitarian? serviceable? they were more of an afterthought in comparison with the characters, but i also get that they weren't the focus so they probably didn't really need that same polish

i didn't read the graphic novel (not overly fond of nd stevenson's kind of adventure timey noodle-bean style) but i do hear that because of its more grey handling of the subject matter that it probably had more to really latch on to

i do feel like the overly heavy-handedness of the metaphor, while effective for the message, did kind of damage the world's integrity. like Bigotry Bad™ but one thousand years is a LONG TIME to justify having the institute when the supposed threat was basically a little girl that hasn't been seen in a millennium (where'd she go lol). it removes the ability of the audience to believe that a fear of monsters is reasonable in any way when we haven't actually met one yet, though this was also probably by design

where were the close calls? the rumors? there were kiddified dragons and whatnot in media to demonstrate the banality of the society's blind hatred, but no bad actors? even if there were more than just the one monster at the beginning of the millennium, that would've been more than enough to justify having the institute around (look at our military system in the usa when the last real existential threat was nearly one hundred years ago during wwii) AND long enough to call into question the modern need for the institute

it's a shame there's so few animals within the city as well, getting to see more of nimona vibing with the beasts™ and/or continue to get reflected by them throughout the story would have just been juicy

this movie did a NUMBER on me going back home to my [queerphobic] parents. like ohhhh man that shit hurted

all in all, it was fun, i enjoyed it, it made me feel things, but it's not perfect. i might be checking out the graphic novel maybe. 6/10

[secretlystephaniebrown]

Books I read in July 2023

20 Books this month! Uh... this list got long, so I'm putting it below the cut.

Weyward by Emily Hart - a solid 'meh" from me. Historical fiction, follows three storylines across three eras. Has vaguely... weird vibes about women/motherhood/witchy stuff. Not a fan. Pretty cover though.

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casate - Listen, I love a Greek Myth retelling. It's fun, and doesn't really girl-boss the story. It's not a favorite, but it's solidly enjoyable.

A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Egan - A solid nonfiction book, presented as a narrative. It talks about the rebirth of the KKK in the 1920s in the American Midwest. It's interesting and well written, if a bit over-reliant on Big People of History theory.

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor - Binti is very good, but has the issue that a lot of lore-heavy novellas have, which is that there's no room to breathe and absorb the world. Highly recommend though.

Genderqueer by Maia Kobabe - I mean, I did a whole podcast about this one. But it's excellent, and generally a fascinating example of graphic memoir.

The Fiancee Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur - Fake engagement but make it gay! Not perfect, but it's a fun time and a quick read.

Witch King by Martha Wells - MARTHA WELLS STRIKES AGAIN. Probably my favorite thing this month. Fascinating world building, compelling characters, a great narrative.

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan - I was going to read China Rich Girlfriend but then I realized it's been four years since I read Crazy Rich Asians so I grabbed this back from the library. Still a fun time. Crazy Rich Asians and the sequels read like Regency Romance novels to me, because they're so unhinged from reality in terms of these people's lives. But I love it.

China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan - A fun sequel, with some fun twists, some great expanded cast, and a delightful premise.

Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan - Sigh. Last book of the trilogy, and it... doesn't really have a main character, and it suffers a bit from it. The storylines intersect in a kind of artificial way. I liked most of them, but the connective tissue was weaker, so it was my least favorite of the series.

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin - *chef kiss* Ursula my beloved.

The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill - I'm actually not... particularly familiar with the Crane Wife as a story? Never was part of my life growing up. But this is a delightful little novella about a girl whose mother brings home a crane one day. Check the trigger warnings for this one, but it's fun.

Nimona by N.D. Stevenson - I watched the movie then read the graphic novel. I love both. They're so different, but I love both for their own strengths, if that makes sense? It's just so good.

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang - I've read a few other Kuang books, and I think this one is my favorite. Because it's a satyr, the problems in Babel with her lack of subtly doesn't really drag it down. It can be broad, and obvious, and project everything, and it's just funny, rather than frustrating.

Paper Girls volume 5 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, Matt Wilson, Jared K. Fletcher - Finally wrapping this one up! I love this series, it's a fun time.

Paper Girls Volume 6 - Thank you Hoopla app for letting me check out the final volume immediately after I finished the fifth one. A SOLID story overall.

Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie - I've had this weird little project going for a while to read all of the Poirot stories in order, and this short story collection is #3. Not sure this one worked for me as well as the others. But I felt satisfied when I finished it.

A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow - Mm. not for me. I liked the Harrow novel I've read previously, but this "modern fairytale" thing didn't do it for me. Very short though, and the illustrations were fun.

Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See - I did NOT expect to read this one in a day. I picked it up, fully prepared to read this slowly, since I often take my time with historical fiction before it clicks. But no. This was amazing. I couldn't put it down. I really appreciate a historical fiction that doesn't... push contemporary values onto the characters, but goes "yeah this is what people felt and thought at the time". Like this character is going to be on board with footbinding, and be upset that she had daughters, and it's wonderful! The other candidate for top book of the month.

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld - "what if SNL romance?" A female comedy writer for not-SNL falls in love with a musician who guest-hosts. The story is divided into two parts; their first meeting, and then their reunion during COVID isolation times. The first part is fun; a quirky little meet-cute odd couple thing. And then... uh, the separation is kind of random and I don't like the 2020 section as much. It's... fine? But I enjoyed it less than the first part, and often felt like the characters were having the same conversations over and over again. But still enjoyable and fun if you enjoy an m/f contemporary novel.

[entamewitchlulu]

so i did a reading challenge this year and i wanna talk about what i read

transcription under the cut

i did Popsugar 2019 and wanna talk about what i read:  Book Reccs and Anti-Reccs 

1.) Becoming a Movie in 2019: Umbrella Academy (vol 1) by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba

4/5. A fascinating take on superpowers, dysfunctional families, and the apocalypse. Can get pretty gory, confusing here and there and you have to pay close attention to panels for lore, but overall an entertaining romp.

2.) Makes you Feel Nostalgic: Circles in the Stream by Rachel Roberts

4/5. Middle grade novel about the magic of music, belief, and of course, friendship. Definitely written for kids, and has some unfortunately clumsy Native rep, but overall an absolute joy to dive into once again.

3.) Written by a Musician: Umbrella Academy (vol 2) by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba

4/5. Ramps up the confusion to ridiculous degrees with some absolutely bonkers, unexplained arcs, but still fun to watch this dysfunctional family do its dysfunctional thing.

4.) You Think Should be Turned into a movie: All That Glitters by Rachel Roberts

4/5. Continuation of Circles in the Stream, but with more unicorns, more rainbows, and more fae, which makes it automatically even better than the first.

5.) With At Least 1 Mil. Ratings on Goodreads: 1984 by George Orwell   

1/5. I understand why it's important and all but wasn't prepared for some of the more graphic scenes and the overall hopelessness of the message.  Would not recommend or read again.

6.) W/ a Plant in the title or cover: The secret of Dreadwillow carse by Brian farrey

5/5. A fantasy world where everyone is always happy, save for one girl and the princess, who set out to solve the mystery of their kingdom. Poignant and great for kids and adults.

7.) Reread of a favorite: Cry of the Wolf by Rachel Roberts

4/5. Yet another installment in the Avalon: Web of Magic series, which clearly I am obsessed with.  Please just read them.

8.) About a Hobby: Welcome to the Writer's Life by Paulette Perhach

5/5. A welcome kick in the pants, chock full of great advice told without condescension, and full of hope and inspiration for writers both new and old.

9.) Meant to read in 2018: The Poet x by Elizabeth Acevedo  

4/5. Absolutely beautiful coming of age novel told in verse.  Do yourself a favor and listen to the audiobook version.

10.) w/ "pop," "sugar," or "challenge" in the title: Black Sugar by Miguel Bonnefoy

2/5. I think maybe I just don't understand this genre.  Or maybe the translation was weird. I was confused.  

11.) w/ An Item of Clothing or Accessory on the cover: Our dreams at Dusk by Yuhki Kamatani

4/5. It had a lot more slurs/homophobia than I was prepared for, but otherwise is a very touching, relatable collection of queer characters living in a heteronormative world.

12.) Inspired by Mythology or Folklore: Ravenous by MarcyKate Connolly

3/5. A girl goes on an impossible quest to save her brother from a child-eating witch. Really wanted to like it more because I loved the first one, Monstrous, but it dragged a little.

13.) Published Posthumously: The Islands of Chaldea by Diana Wynne Jones

3/5. I adore Diana Wynne Jones, but this one was missing some of the magic of her other books. Not sure if it was because it had to be finished by someone else, or if I just grew out of her stories.

14.) Set in Space: Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

4/5. Powerfully written story of a girl straddling tradition and innovation, who wields power through mathematical magic, surviving on a spaceship alone with a dangerous alien occupation after everyone else has been killed.

15.) By 2 Female Authors: Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

2/5. Ostensibly a story about a revenge pact in a small island town, but leaves far too many dangling threads to attempt alluring you to the sequel.

16.) W/ A Title containing "salty," "bitter," "Sweet," or "Spicy": The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith  

3/5. It's okay but I literally just never know what anyone means at any time. Are they being reticent on purpose or do i just not understand communication

17.) Set in scandinavia: Vinland Saga by Makoto Yukimura

2/5. Technically and historically accurate and well made, but the story itself is not my cup of tea.  Very gory.

18.) Takes Place in a Single Day: Long WAy Down by Jason Reynolds

4/5. A boy goes to avenge his murdered brother, but ghostly passengers join him on the elevator ride down. Stunning and powerful character-driven analysis.

19.) Debut Novel: Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

4/5. Charming and then surprisingly heart-breaking comic about Nimona, a shapeshifter who wants to become a villain's minion. Really love the villain/hero dynamic going on in the background, along with the dysfunctional found family.

20.) Published in 2019: The Book of Pride by Mason Funk  

4/5. A collection of interviews with the movers, shakers, and pioneers of the queer and LGBTQ+ community.  An absolutely essential work for community members and allies alike.

21.) Featuring an extinct/imaginary creature: Phoebe and her Unicorn by Dana Simpson

4/5. Incredibly charming, Calvin and Hobbes-esque collection of comics featuring the adventures of Phoebe and her unicorn best friend.

22.) Recced by a celebrity you admire: The Emerald Circus by Jane Yolen

2/5. Recced by my fave author Brandon Sanderson. An unfortunately disappointing anthology proving that any story can be made uninteresting by telling the wrong section of it.

23.) With "Love" in the Title: Book Love by Debbie Tung

4/5. One of those relatable webcomics, only this one I felt super hard almost the entire time.  Books are awesome and libraries rule.

24.) Featuring an amateur detective: Nancy Drew: Palace of Wisdom by Kelly Thompson

4/5. REALLY love this modern take on Nancy Drew, coming back home to her roots to solve a brand new mystery. Diverse cast and lovely artwork, though definitely more adult.

25.) About a family: Amulet by Kabu Kibuishi

4/5. Excellent, top tier graphic novel about a sister and brother who have to go rescue their mother with a mysterious magic stone. LOVE that the mom gets to be involved in the adventure for once.

26.) by an author from asia, Africa, or s. America: Girls' Last tour by Tsukumizu

4/5. Somehow both light-hearted and melancholy. Two girls travel about an empty, post-apocalyptic world, and muse about life and their next meal.

27.) w/ a Zodiac or astrology term in title: Drawing down the moon by margot adler

3/5. A good starting place for anyone interested in the Neo Pagan movement, but didn't really give me what I was personally looking for.

28.) you see someone reading in a tv show or movie: The Promised NEverland by Kaiu Shirai

4/5. I don't watch TV or movies where people read books so i think reading an adaptation of a TV series after watching the series counts. Anyway it was good but beware racist caricatures

29.) A retelling of a classic: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy by Rey Terciero

5/5. We can stop the Little Women reboots and retellings now, this is the only one we need. In fact, we can toss out the original too, this is the only one necessary.

30.) w/ a question in the title: So I'm a spider, so what? by Asahiro Kakashi

4/5. Cute art despite the subject matter, and a surprisingly enthralling take on the isekai genre. Love the doubling down on the video game skills.

31.) Set in a college or university campus: Moonstruck (vol 2) by Grace Ellis

2/5. An incredibly cute, beautiful, and fascinating world of modern magic and creatures, but unfortunately falls apart at the plot and pacing.

32.) About someone with a superpower: Moonstruck (vol 1) by Grace Ellis

4/5. Though nearly as messy plot-wise as its sequel, the first volume is overwhelmingly charming in a way that overpowers the more confusing plot elements.

33.) told from multiple povs: The Long way to a Small, Angry Planet by becky Chambers

4/5. Told almost in a serial format, like watching a miniseries, a group of found-family spaceship crew members make the long journey to their biggest job ever.

34.) Includes a wedding: We Set the dark on fire by Tehlor kay mejia

4/5. Timely and poignant, a girl tumbles into both love and resistance after becoming one of two wives to one of the most powerful men in the country.

35.) by an author w/ alliterative name: The only harmless great Thing by brooke bolander

3/5. Much deeper than I can currently comprehend.  Beautifully written, but difficult to parse.

36.) A ghost story: Her body and other parties by Carmen Maria Machado

4/5.  It counts because one of the stories in it has ghosts. A sometimes difficult collection of surrealist, feminist, queer short stories.

37.) W/ a 2 word title: Good omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

4/5. Charming, touching, and comical, probably the best take on the apocalypse to date. Also excellent ruminations on religion and purpose.

38.) based on a true story: The faithful Spy by John Hendrix

4/5. Brilliantly crafted graphic biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and his assistance in fighting back against Nazi Germany.

39.) Revolving around a puzzle or game: the Crossover by Kwame alexander

4/5. The verse didn't always hit right with me, but the story is a sweet, melancholy one about family, loss, and moving on.

40.) previous popsugar prompt (animal in title): The last unicorn by peter s. Beagle

5/5. Absolutely one of my all-time favorite books, it manages to perfectly combine anachronism and comedy with lyricism, melancholy, and ethereal beauty.

41.) Cli-fi: Tokyo Mew Mew by Mia ikumi and Reiko Yoshida

4/5. Shut up it counts

42.) Choose-your-own-adventure: My Lady's choosing by Kitty curran

3/5. Cute in concept, a bit underwhelming in execution. Honestly, just play an otome.

43.) "Own Voices": Home by Nnedi Okorafor

3/5. The storytelling style was definitely not my style; while the first book was slow, too, it felt more purposeful. I found my attention wandering during this installment.

44.) During the season it's set in: Pumpkinheads by rainbow rowell

3/5. Cute art, but precious little substance.  The concept simply wasn't for me in the first place.

45.) LITRPG: My next life as a villainess: All routes lead to doom! by Hidaka nami

5/5. An absolute insta-fave! Charming art, endearing characters, an incredible premise, and so much sweet wholesome fluff it'll give you cavities.

46.) No chapters: The field guide to dumb birds of north america by matt kracht

3/5. It started out super strong, but the joke started to wear thin at a little past the halfway point.

47.) 2 books with the same title: Unfollow by Megan Phelps-Roger

4/5. A brave and enduring personal story of growing up in and eventually leaving the Westboro Baptist Church. Really called to me to act with grace and kindness even more in the future.

48.) 2 books with the same title: unfollow by rob williams and michael dowling

1/5. How many times do you think we can make Battle Royale again before someone notices

49.) That has inspired a common phrase or idiom: THe Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

4/5. Definitely good and deserves it's praise as something that pretty much revolutionized and created an entire demographic of literature.

50.) Set in an abbey, cloister, Monastery, convent, or vicarage: Murder at the vicarage by agatha christie

3/5. I just cannot. physically keep up with all of these characters or find the energy to read between the lines.

ok that's all i got, what did y'all read and like this year?  (oh god it’s gonna be 2020)

[pagesaplenty]

Freddy’s 10 Books to Read to Date Me (Friends can date too!)

Although I am married and not looking to start a harem of book loving spouses, I loved Pete’s book list and wanted to create my own! There are a few books on my list that my husband did read per my recommendation, though I hope he eventually reads all of them. It was hard to pick only 10 books, so I picked a couple books to represent a genre of books. Honorable mentions go to “Station Eleven” by Emily St. John Mandel, “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen, “My Side of the Mountain” by Jean Craighead George, “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” by Ann Brashares, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by Willliam Shakespeare , and “Dracula” by Bram Stoker. Sorry if this is cheating, but I’m probably the most indecisive person you’ll ever meet, well I mean maybe. ;)

In no particular order…

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson - I can’t remember the first graphic novel I picked up and read, but they’ve always been important to me. It was tricky picking just one for my list, but Nimona will always stand out. When you find a form of media with a “message” there is a fine line the creator treads to not make you, the consumer, feel like they’re shoving their opinions down your throat. Noelle does an amazing, hilarious job with this book! Good and evil are not always black and white, and friendship comes in all shapes, sizes, colors, and sharks!

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton - I was “forced” to read this book in school, and I am all the more happy for it! I credit this book with awakening my love of poetry. Though I’d read and enjoyed poems before, Ponyboy’s feelings about poetry and the world made me feel connected to it all, instead of just a reader.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - This was my Grandma’s favorite book. She read it every year. I wish I could say that is why I read it, but unfortunately I watched a film adaptation first. However, sometimes movies are a great way to make books feel more approachable. Jane is intimidating, but once you get to know her (like some other people I know) you see her for the fiery treasure she is.

Fairy Tales by Whomever - I wanted to have fairy tales included on my list, but couldn’t pick just one collection or author. For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted the world around me to be magical. I can remember sitting perfectly still outside hoping to see a fairy, or creeping quietly to my room anticipating that I’d catch my stuffed animals walking around and having fun. I love how all over the world different cultures have their own stories that have been passed down. We create our own magic in the tales we spin.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie - I read this book one year in celebration of Banned Books Week, and I’m so glad I did. Sherman Alexie gives you a glimpse into a life I knew hardly anything about. You can hear his voice throughout the book and all of his emotions. I felt like my world was so small after reading his book that I needed to read bigger and learn more about all of my fellow human beings.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith - This book will be on all of my book lists! Similar to what Pete said about Wives and Daughters, this was the book that made classics approachable for me. I wanted to be friends with Francie Nolan and her family. I want to write a book someday that made readers feel as this book made me feel.

A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter - I could really pick any of Gene’s books for this list, but this was my introduction into her writing. Thanks to our Mum, my siblings and I were brought up in a nature loving environment. She always had rocks, leaves, bugs, and more around the house and shared a love of all these natural wonders. You can feel Gene’s love for the outside world in her books and her passion for preserving it for years to come. Also there’s a really sweet love story and that’s always a bonus!

Poems by Maya Angelou - I’d always hoped I could one day meet this lovely poet, or at least attend one of her readings. When I read her poetry I hear her voice in my head spinning a passionate and beautiful world of emotion and desire.  “Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.” You’re hooked now, aren’t you?

Matilda by Roald Dahl - This is one of those rare books where I love the movie almost as much as I love the book. Roald Dahl was the master of children’s books, perfect in his silliness and magic in the everyday world. Matilda helped me feel less alone. That it was wonderful to be different and I shouldn’t try to hide what makes me different.

[plantpages]

do i have that book challenge

Do you have a book with deckled edges? hmmm weird but i don’t actually think so

Do you have a book with 3 or more people on the cover? yeah i was born for this has dozens of people on the cover 

Do you have a book based on another fictional story? yes! the lunar chronicles

Do you have a book with a title 10 letters long? not many but i have paper towns. so many books have exactly nine letters in their name though?

Do you have a book with a title that starts and ends with the same letter? the miseducation of cameron post. and it’s suuuuch a good book

Do you have a Mass Market Paperback book? a few i think? i’m mostly just judging by the size of the book so i’m not 100% sure. but yeah for example the memory of water (in finnish though) 

Do you have a book written by an author using a pen name? no..? well i don’t know all the authors so well that i can guarantee it but i’m still gonna go with no

Do you have a book with a character’s name in the title? quite a lot actually. it seems to be very common in realistic fiction. but let’s pick will grayson, will grayson for this one

Do you have a book with 2 maps in it? ohh yes six of crows

Do you have a book that was turned into a TV show? i own most books in the mortal instruments series

Do you have a book written by someone who is originally famous for something else? (celebrity/athlete/politician/tv personality…) i’m gonna go with the same answer as @thereadingchallengechallenge did here: an absolutely remarkable thing by hank green. i just finished it a few days ago and i loooooved it. and yeah hank green is mostly known for his many youtube channels and he is pretty great. dftba

Do you have a book with a clock on the cover? the watchmaker of filigree street. i haven’t read it yet and might actually not read it at all

Do you have a poetry book? does one by sarah crossan count? it’s a novel but it’s written in verse. if not, then no

Do you have a book with an award stamp on it? aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe has like four

Do you have a book written by an author with the same initials as you? huh.. i don’t actually

Do you have a book of short stories? my true love gave to me

Do you have a book that is between 500-510 pages long? that is very specific but yes the bane chronicles has 503 pages

Do you have a book that was turned into a movie? yes a lot of them apparently so i have a ard time picking one. but i’ll pick lotr cause the movies are great too.

Do you have a graphic novel? i love graphic novels so much! i wish i had more but they’re just so expensive... but i’ll go with an old(ish) favorite nimona

Do you have a book written by 2 or more authors? illuminae by amie kaufman and jay kristoff

i wasn’t really tagged but i was kind of tagged by @thereadingchallengechallenge so thanks em! i’ll do the same as she did though so if you feel like doing this, do this and tag me as your tagger cause i’d love to read all of y’all’s answers!