#i just love laura collins

[justjyve]

All this aside, I love this Cassadine story.

And I love that Laura is in the thick of it.

She deserves it. She deserves to be in this. To end it.

She’s gotta END it. Get her some peace, get her some closure.

Unless Helena is secretly alive but like...... LET LAURA END HER TOO IDC!

[widowshill]

— I couldn't care less about your future. — Well, you'd better care, because you're part of it, and so is your wife.

r/v/b for @tortoisesshells.

[pasdetrois]

The closest thing [Marian] feels to romantic impulse circumscribes her sisterly intimacy with Laura and is presented in nearly sexual terms. Collins excised certain passages from the manuscript that might have brought the suggestion of lesbian erotic devotion to the forefront. Of her sister’s impending marriage, Marian laments in the manuscript, “In less than a month, she will be his Laura instead of mine! [italics hers] The bare thought of it throws my mind into such confusion that I can neither look back nor look forward. I can only ask myself—must the sacrifice be made? Is there no way of escape for us before the twenty-third?”

Camille Cauti's introduction to The Woman in White

[deanbrainrotwritings]

— MORE

SUMMARY : director jensen ackles gets a little too sexy.

PAIRING : jensen ackles x fem!reader

CHARACTERS : jared padalecki, misha collins, laura (oc), mariana (oc)

WARNINGS/TAGS : nsfw(18+), smut, spanking, banter, jokes

WORD COUNT : 4.3k

A/N : title from the song by j-hope of bts. I love danneel, but she can’t exist for these stories, lmao. also, I wrote this while I was sick and I was exhausted at 1.00 am :D XX

Jensen and her had a very professional relationship on set despite being married. She didn’t really joke around or do anything inappropriate unless it was okay for them to be doing that, if it was part of a scene and they accidentally messed up, or unless Jared and Jensen themselves were acting alongside her with Misha. But when Jensen was directing, it was a whole other case of professionalism. A case that she secretly loved and found very hot, something she was pretty sure she could hide from everyone but him.

He was a very private man with everything that had to do with his personal life, but she was a little more open about certain things, definitely not about her business in bed with Jensen, since he got flustered and embarrassed about it being said to others. Unless he was in that mood, unless he was comfortable around the people surrounding him.

For example, Jensen had no trouble talking about his sex life with her if he was talking to Misha and sometimes Jared, but he wasn’t too graphic. He could be a bit lewd, forgetting himself around the boys, and she’d play along because it was fun to either get the upper hand on him or to remain under his.

Still, she couldn’t be fooled by his prudish behaviour in the public because behind closed doors, Jensen was extremely naughty, almost more than her.

The makeup artist, Laura, was putting gel on Y/N’s brows, lip tint on her soft lips, touching up a few other parts of her face to make her look good for the cameras while the hair stylist, Mariana, began gently fixing and spraying her hair in place. Y/N stared at the photos of Jensen, Misha, and Jared, a little smile on her face admiring her friends and herself being silly in them.

“Ready?” Someone asked from the door after knocking, Laura and Mariana responded with a rushed yes and quickly finished up what they were doing before letting Y/N go to the set where she’d previously had a scene with Jared and now, she’d have one with Jensen. A spicy one.

She saw Jensen was already there wearing a black suit and a mossy-green tie, a serious expression pinched his brows together, and he made motions with his hands for the cameraman to know where the cameras had to be angled and what his vision was for the scene. It was hot, watching him be in the zone, directing and leading, giving advice, and correcting certain things. He was brilliant, a genius at these things, and he was so captivating and kind, enthusiastic and thorough, it was not surprising how amazing things turned out thanks to him.

“Y/N,” Jensen said, a serious tone in his voice, so she quickly made her way to him and waited for his instructions. He finished up with the cameraman and a few of the other crew members. Y/N just watched and listened to him, mostly. It was distracting to see the suit tighten around certain areas of his body, like his broad shoulders, his ass, his waist… “…back to you, gorgeous,” he turned to face her, and she smiled, inhaling sharply.

He raised a brow at her for that, immediately figuring out that she wasn’t paying attention to him, but had her mind somewhere else. He chuckled softly, his own train of thought derailed by the way she tried to play innocent. Despite her soft and serious smile, he carefully cupped her jaw and kissed her cheek before pulling away to demonstrate and explain a few things he wanted to change about the script and the things they’d do.

He walked her through the sex scene thoroughly, explaining to her what he’d be doing to her, even guiding her through it physically, putting himself over her and showing her the simple but intimate scene. Part of her was amused, but another part of her was aroused at the way Jensen touched her, or the way he made her touch him.

He remained serious, treating her the way he treated the other crew members and she didn’t even feel the slightest bit guilty about how hot she thought he looked every time he bossed her around.

“Got that?” He asked, once he finished, brushing her hair over her shoulder gently. She eyed his movements, then focused back on him, smiling softly with a nod of her head. “Okay, ready to start shooting?” She nodded again, murmuring a yes to him while trying to stop herself from laughing.

For the most part, the scene was PG-13, but her thoughts weren’t. When Jensen entered the motel room, loosening his tie as he spoke the lines in Dean’s sexy baritone, she was glad the camera wasn’t on her to catch the sharp inhale of breath or the way her lips parted in delight.

She never got tired of looking at him. Every time, he looked more beautiful than ever before and even in her own fantasies when they were separated, the memory of him in her mind didn’t do him justice. This. Him, slipping off his jacket and flinging it onto the bed as he debriefed her on the details on the monster case they were working on, it made heat rush up her face and heat blossomed in her tummy.

She said her lines smoothly, settled on the table like she was supposed to, grateful for that because her knees had become weak when he started to roll his sleeves up, and even more when he walked away, arched beautifully to find a beer in the refrigerator. The slacks tightened around his pert ass and his thighs, she squeezed her legs shut, nearly screwing up when the camera moved to her.

And she said her lines, looking Jensen straight in the eyes when he started walking towards her, easily popping the lid off the bottle and throwing it into the sink before he settled down in the seat in front of her. His legs were spread and when she looked down at his crotch, she didn’t care if the audience thought it was scripted or not because who wouldn’t stare at him down there.

Even the way she licked her lips and the way she said her next line wasn’t part of the script. Now, getting so close to the next part of the scene that she always enjoyed because she got to tease him, and he always got more than what he asked for. When he leaned forward seductively, playing his part as Dean when he delivered his next line, flirting with her still made her blush. Even though it was something Jensen wouldn’t really say, it made her smile genuinely because she had a soft spot for Dean as a character.

Thanks to Dean and her character, she and Jensen got together in real life. All that pretending to be in love, and then spending those months apart during the writer’s strike made things clear to both of them. It wasn’t the acting, it wasn’t the script, it was real. And they gave in and started to date, and it worked, so well that now they’re married. Now, he was hers.

“So? We got time to kill before Sam’s back, sweetheart,” he smirked at her, playing with the sleeve of her dress. She grabbed his hand, moved it away from her dress, his warm fingers wrapping around hers when she kissed the inside of his wrist. It was a tiny act of affection that drove him crazy, and he knew, in that moment, what she was up to. But he played it cooled, when she continued to hold his hand and stood up the way he told her to minutes before.

“Why don’t we skip the flirting then, Winchester?” She murmured, watching him sit back in his chair, his hands sliding up his thighs, puffing out his chest so seductively, the buttons of his white shirt became tight across his chest.

“Sorry, thought you liked it,” he smirked, grabbing her hips and pulling her forward. She stumbled into his lap gracefully, laughing softly. She cupped his face tenderly, admired the way his eyes shined like a puppy-dog before she kissed him. She kissed him as herself and she kissed him as her character, full of love and passion.

“Only when we’re not being rushed,” she mumbled against his mouth, moaning unintentionally, surprised when he stood up, holding her tight against him to sit her on the table.

“Son of a bitch,” he whispered, kissing down her neck. She was glad her face wasn’t really showing in the scene and doubted that the mic picked up his words. Her face became hot when she moved her hands down to his belt to undo it and he fumbled around under her dress, just pretending to get her underwear out of the way. Although, secretly, they both wished the cameras were shut off and that they could do the real thing because sometimes when Jensen flirted as Dean, he meant every word, and the flirting worked the way it was supposed to on her.

She panted dramatically, buried her fingers into his hair and tousled it when she tugged gently. His little grunt was real, but no one needed to know that, no one needed to know how wet she was right now, and when he lifted his face up from her neck, the deep blush that painted him couldn’t be hidden by the camera and she couldn’t care less. Not when he pressed his lips to hers roughly, pushing and pulling against her body, her other hand clinging to his back, twisting his shirt tightly.

It was so good. It was torture. His hand on her thigh, fingers digging into her squishy flesh, pain that was so arousing to her, his arm was wrapped around her waist to keep her upright on the table. It shook under them, the wooden table gently bumping against the weak wall, and when he pulled away from the sensual kiss, his nose bumped against hers. His warm breath fanned over her wet lips, making her mind hazy, but not hazy enough so when she whispered a name as she was supposed to, it was Dean’s.

And that was it. The next scene would cut with Dean being cocky, helping her fix her dress and lowering her off the table minutes before Sam arrived with news from the coroner. But he pulled away, looked at her intensely as the crew started to talk and Jared came up with Misha. Y/N smiled at them, relaxing on the table despite how aroused Jensen had made her.

“Wow, felt just like porn,” Misha snickered, Jared laughed loudly, smacking Misha’s chest with the back of his wrist. She rolled her eyes at them, turned to Laura so she could fix anything the scene messed up and Mariana fixed Jensen up a little, getting them ready for the next scene.

“Least he gets some action,” Jared cackled and Jensen laughed softly. “In and out of set,” he ‘whispered’ to Misha, who chuckled and shook his head, smiling peacefully at Jensen who was rolling his eyes and Y/N shook her head.

“Well, it’s always better than watching you with a woman,” Misha joked and Jared pretended to sulk, throwing a little bit of popcorn towards Misha, which he caught and ate triumphantly with a grin. “Seriously, it was good, guys.” Misha patted Jensen’s back and he thanked him quietly, watched them scurry off when they were ready to shoot the next scene.

“Was that too much?” Jensen asked quietly, pecking her lips innocently.

“I wanted more,” she murmured quickly, smiling innocently over at the crew members who were giving them a thumbs up to start shooting. He blinked down at her and smiled shyly, he bit his lip and nodded over at the crew to show his own ‘ready to go’ sign. He looked down at his feet and she inhaled deeply, both of them getting into character again.

He started to put his belt back on and she shimmied her dress down her legs, looking down at herself when she slid off the table. He stayed close to her, his breath against her cheek, his warm body nearly touching hers so she could feel her skin buzz with desire. He smirked down at her in a way that made her beam when she looked up at him, enamoured by that dazzling look in his eyes. He towered over her like the moon, his beautiful face just a little pink, his eyes fluttering close when he leaned down to kiss her a final time. His fingers tangled in her hair, her hands curled into his shirt, clutching his thin waist and forgetting just for a few seconds that they were being filmed until Jared came into the motel room as Sam.

“Guys, I-” Sam stopped at the door with a grimace on his face, shutting the door loudly which broke them apart. She looked down at her legs and licked her lips to taste Jensen’s lips again, but Jensen smirked when he turned dramatically to face Sam. Emphasising that he was in a good mood after ‘fucking’, making it really obvious to Sam that they’d definitely done it, but not saying it out loud.

“Whatcha find, Sammy?” He asked, swiping his thumb across his lip. His fingers collected a phantom layer of her saliva, and he popped it into his mouth, in way too enthusiastically when he took his beer and drank it. Sam continued to cringe and cleared his throat before he stepped towards them, ignoring Dean’s weirdness.

“Uh, anyway,” Sam started awkwardly, trying to brush off Dean’s clear arrogance, “it might not be a dragon after all, just a weird, kinky vamp.” Sam put the Manila folder on the table and Dean sat down, looking up at her with a smirk because she still looked a bit dazed.

This time she cleared her throat, glaring at him when she snatched the file from his hands, “a vamp?” She asked, opening it up and looking at the graphic photos of four dead girls, all pretty young. Her face softened, imagining that while maybe monsters weren’t real, there were different kinds of monsters in real life that did things like this.

The rest of the day, it went on that way.

The sexual tension that seemed acted out, but they all knew was real. It was an unspoken thing amongst everyone because Jensen was far too professional to do anything that gets in the way of his job. He takes it seriously, for the most part. His role as Dean means the world to him and she knows that because of the moments back home when he’d naturally slip into Dean. Either in his voice, mannerisms, or words, he was always falling into the endless beauty of Dean Winchester, loving him similar to—but more purely and more intensely—how the thousands of other people around the world did. Including herself.

Jensen flirted, he was sad, and a million other things as Dean while they wrapped up just part of another scene. The wardrobe was impeccable and she found it adorable and amusing when he stole shirts from the set, bringing them home and reminding her of the great times they had together at work. All of them joking, teasing, taking things sometimes a little too far, but nothing too extreme.

She made her way back to her trailer, eyed her next outfit and the robe on the rack in her little space. She smirked after a few minutes of consideration, removed her clothes and took the ones she’d need next with her, sneaking out to find Jensen who was nearby in his own trailer.

She knocked on his door, looked around anxiously for anyone who could be around while she waited for him to open, which he thankfully did rather quickly. He looked tired, but smiled with a little surprise when he came face to face with her, his eyes trailing down her body.

“Hi, Jay,” she greeted shyly.

“Hey, honey.” He moved out of the way when she made her way in, and continued to stare at her body when he shut the door behind him. She made her way to his sofa, laid her clothes neatly over it and he came up behind her, lifted the robe and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her underwear.

She laughed, looking at him over her shoulder when his hands fell to her hips naturally under the robe. He had his ring back on, she could feel the cold metal against her hip bone, his nearly-soft hands rubbing up and down gently.

“Come to seduce me again?” He asked, kissing the back of her head.

“Me?” She asked, checking him out and noting that he now wore a tight, black t-shirt, jeans that electrified the skin of her legs, and those loud and heavy boots that made him taller. “You’re the one who likes pretending you’re Dean in and out of work,” she teased, replacing his hands with hers to pull her underwear down her legs.

“Fuck,” he murmured, stepping back just to see her a bit more, partially to stop himself from wasting time trying to have sex when they could all easily get off work early by finishing up the scenes as soon as possible. He didn’t really hear her words, his reply simply faded into nothingness when she bent over the couch, her underwear hanging on to her thighs when she parted her legs. “Baby, later,” he swallowed, feeling his body start to warm up, his cock stirring in his jeans.

“Need you,” she pouted, pressing the side of her face against the soft sofa, watching him turn pink. His green eyes darkened and his jaw locked, he gripped her hips, positioning her right where she had to be for him to easily slip in and out of her. He kneaded her ass, trying to talk himself out of doing this, but parting her cheeks to see how slick she was for him. “Please,” she begged, wiggling her hips to encourage him, her cunt clenching around nothing when he bit his bottom lip at the sight of her pussy.

“I said later,” he murmured, striking her ass with an experimental and rough slap. She squealed, tensing up at the sting of his hand on her flesh before it became an arousing bolt of electricity that went to her clit, wetness beginning to pool between her legs all over again. She squeezed her thighs together when the throbbing of her clit nearly became unbearable and his eyebrows shot up, surprised and aroused by how much she clearly liked to be spanked.

“That’s so Dean of you,” she smirked, playing it off casually when it turned her on to see him so immersed in being Dean. She wiggled her ass playfully again and pushed her hips back against his crotch, feeling his grip on her hip tighten before he grunted.

“Sweetheart,” he warned, but she moaned softly at his voice. The sound of him so pathetically fighting against her antics encouraged her to keep talking, to keep teasing him, hoping that maybe he’ll give in.

“Won’t be the first time we have a quickie in the middle of work,” she reminded him with a little grin. He spanked her again, his hand falling on the other side of her ass and she yelped, repeating the same actions as before, a squeeze of her thighs and another teasing little wiggle of her bottom.

“I’d fire you if you worked for me,” he threatened halfheartedly.

“Thank goodness that you’re not my boss then,” she chuckled, shrugging the cotton robe off her shoulders so she was completely naked now. She threw it over her clothes with one hand and groaned in annoyance when he just stared at her face. “Jensen, I swear, if you don’t-”

His hand landed roughly on her ass again to shut her up, the flesh jiggled and turned red, so he gently kneaded it with a smirk on his flushed face. Once again, she squeezed her thighs and cursed softly under her breath, this time glaring at him for interrupting her, hating that he may have discovered something she liked and was now going to start using it against her.

“You’re unbelievable,” he said quietly, starting to unzip his jeans. Her eyebrows rose at the sound and she held her breath, excitedly waiting, looking back at him when he lowered his jeans and boxers, revealing his erect penis. He wrapped his hand around himself before the leaking tip could stain his shirt and she couldn’t stop her little moan, watching him tug gently at his cock to prepare himself for her.

“You’re gonna complain about having sex?” She asked, baiting him. He looked over at her, narrowed eyes taking in her face to see what her intentions were, so with his freehand, he spanked her again. He didn’t wait much longer for her to feel the sting, pressed the soft head of his dick against her slick entrance, sliding in slightly to feel the way she tightened and pulled him into her.

She moaned again, fisting the soft cushions of the couch when he pulled out all the way, choosing to slide the length of his dick through her wet folds. He’d focused on brushing against her clit, enjoying himself for a few moments, watching her squirm and pant while she was bent over the couch he napped on occasionally.

“Mister Later? How about you get started now?” He nearly laughed, frozen by her sudden joke in the middle of pleasing himself. She didn’t seem to find it very funny, observing her mostly pouting lips with her brows pinched together, so he rolled his eyes and easily slipped inside her.

He didn’t plan on letting her off easily, his hand shot down sharply, spanking her again, just to feel how much she liked it when he pushed and pulled his hips. He loved it, groaned at the feeling of her slick walls clamping down on him, warmth gushing around his cock. He lifted his shirt, held it up by tucking his chin against his chest and stared shamelessly at himself disappearing inside her. Her walls stretched around him, making him breathless.

She moaned wantonly, snapping him out of his daze when his cock throbbed inside her as a response. He pushed his softer thoughts out of his mind and focused on her needs and desires for him, quickening his pace, focusing on the way she responded to his speed.

He delighted in the sight of her moving upward with each of his thrusts, didn’t change the pace or the way he pulled nearly all the way out and slammed back into her, pulling gasps and quick whispers of his name from her shaking body. He already knew the answer to his questions, seeing her shut her eyes in ecstasy and hearing her moan into the couch loudly, but he still had to ask.

“That okay?” His thighs smacked loudly against her ass, taking in the soft red handprints that marked the skin of her ass. He felt her quiver around him, elated to feel the effect of his voice, so he leaned over her. He draped himself over her back carefully, his lips brushing against her cheekbone lovingly, his hands right next to hers, holding on nearly as tight as she was to the cushiony surface. “Does that feel good?” He whispered breathlessly into her ear.

“Oh, God, yes,” she moaned, her stomach tightening and flipping excitedly. In this position, he couldn’t pull out as much, opting for rolling his hips against hers which she was clearly enjoying far more. She squirmed under him, mewled and clamped down on him again, making him groan so he could feel his own orgasm approaching quickly.

“Better?” He asked, knowing that the head of his cock was repeatedly brushing against her g-spot. She didn’t answer, just nodded mindlessly while moaning his name loudly. He just knew he shouldn’t stop, so he kept at it. The force of his hips remained the same but his thrusts were much more shallow, bringing her closer and closer to her release. While her breaths got heavier and heavier, his own hitched the tighter she squeezed him in her.

Keeping the same pace, he shifted his weight onto one arm, snaking his hand around the front of her body to draw quick circles on her clit. It was the last bit of pressure she needed before she fell apart beneath him. She let out a strangled moan, squeezed him so tight he felt himself throb and spill inside her while she mumbled little praises for him.

She trembled under his body, his fingers on her clit elongating her orgasm until he’d filled her up with every last drop of his semen, his own body becoming exhausted and heavy. He panted against her ear, felt her slim fingers wrap around his wrist as she relaxed and caught her breath with him.

It must have been uncomfortable for her now in this position, their sweaty skin pressed together, his weight mostly on her. So he pulled out of her lazily, hissing at the feeling of her walls pulsing from sensitivity when he pulled out. He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifted her body with his and kissed her cheeks, waited a few moments for her to recompose herself.

“Better?” He mumbled, kissing her shoulder. He moved back slightly and pulled his pants up. She turned around on her shaky legs and smiled at him, standing on the tips of her toes to kiss him. Her hands held the sides of his blushing face to pull him down slightly for a kiss, but he leaned down all the way to meet her lips so she didn’t have to stand on her toes.

“Still yes,” she whispered with a smile, giving him a little peck on the lips. He smiled, continued to give her lips small kisses until they both parted to get dressed again and fix themselves for the rest of the day.

taglist

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do not steal, plagiarise, translate, or republish my work on another platform

[monsieuroverlord]

Letterless Preview Pages of NYX #1 have been released!

source here

Written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, art by Francesco Mortarino

We also have some more details on the initial premise:

As the article says, Prodigy is the most likely to be the one teaching, and I have to agree with that.

I'm very much feeling "Let's wait and see" right now, but I'm also feeling a little uneasy about how they 're going to characterize Laura

(They haven't officially "confirmed," but I'm at least 80% sure that "The Krakoan" is Julian Keller -- green power signature, red/black costume, looks like he has metal hands, telekinesis, etc.

MAYBE its a fake out, but I am not convinced of that. Also, it would be WAY too easy to tie in Laura's previous romance, and I just don't care for the pairing. Let my girl thrive on her own!!!)

Though, I will admit, it would be very interesting to see Laura in a college class -- I think the relative normalcy would be good for her, plus it opens up the opportunity for her to be her awkward, factually correct self, like how she was with her cousin Megan in high school.

Or at the very least, a beautiful moment for character growth, perhaps Laura reflects on how she was, but still corrects the teacher's flawed data in a more tactful way. (or something similar, I think the opportunity is there!!)

It's definitely different than what I initially expected:

But I am cautiously optimistic it could be good -- a balance between action and post-Krakoa worldbuilding sounds lovely in theory, so we'll see!

[the-forest-library]

April 2024 Reads

Just for the Summer - Abby Jimenez

Only and Forever - Chloe Liese

Say You'll Be Mine - Nana Kumar

The Governess's Guide to Passion and Peril - Manda Collins

The Lying Game - Sara Jane Woodley

The Prospects - K.T. Hoffman

The Husbands - Holly Gramazio

Begin Again - Helly Acton

One Moment - Becky Hunter

Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice - Elle Cosimano

Interesting Facts About Space - Emily R. Austin

Nothing to See Here - Kevin Wilson

The Tusks of Extinction - Ray Nayler

The Reappearance of Rachel Price - Holly Jackson

Every Time You Hear That Song - Jenna Voris

Rules for Rule Breaking - Talia Tucker

Hawkeye, Volume 3: L.A. Woman - Matt Fraction

No One Returns from the Enchanted Forest - Robin Robinson

Dear Sophie, Love Sophie - Sophie Lucido Johnson

Out of Left Field - Jonah Newman

Continental Drifter - Kathy MacLeod

Fiona the Hippo - Richard Cowdrey

Woodland Dreams - Karen Jameson

Mushroom Rain - Laura K. Zimmermann

Bluets - Maggie Nelson

Sociopath - Patric Gagne

Grimoire Girl - Hilarie Burton Morgan

I Am the New Black - Tracy Morgan

The 2000s Made Me Gay - Grace Perry

The Bookseller at the End of the World - Ruth Shaw

Dear Fahrenheit 451 - Annie Spence

Why We Read - Shannon Reed

Says Who? - Anne Curzan

The Anxiety Sisters' Survival Guide - Abbe Greenberg, Maggie Sarachek

The Microstress Effect - Rob Cross

Overcome Anxiety - Lilly Andrew

Mindfulness Now - Jesse Sands

The Cure for Burnout - Emily Ballesteros

Grown Woman Talk - Sharon Malone

Unfiltered Enneagram - Elizabeth Orr

Dear Prudence - Daniel M. Lavery

Bold = Highly Recommend Italics = Worth It Crossed out = Nope

Thoughts: 

A few standouts this month: Only and Forever brings the Bergman Brothers series to an end, and it was a worthy wrap up to these stories featuring MCs with disabilities and neurodivergence.

Just for the Summer is my new favorite Abby Jimenez book with several laugh out loud moments - especially the raccoon scene - which was hilarious on audio.

The Bookseller at the End of the World is not the cozy bookseller tale you might expect. Ruth led a varied and adventurous life filled with heartbreak and hope.

And I really enjoyed Says Who? - a super accessible and fun guide to English style and grammar.

Goodreads Goal: 150/200

2017 Reads | 2018 Reads | 2019 Reads | 2020 Reads | 2021 Reads | 

2022 Reads | 2023 Reads | 2024 Reads

[tortoisesshells]

do you have any favorite headcanons about Burke you'd wanna share? :3c

I don't think I've gone very far off the beaten path; he's got a well-established past (well. maybe not the last five years.) in-show that works, I think? There's not a lot of gaps that need filling in - this is more like some light embroidery on information that's already in the show? Also - I think he's really interesting as a character that others react to - that forces other characters to adjust, or to reveal something to the audience about themselves in how they react to him - that Joe Haskell, who hates Burke's guts, can still draw a straight line in between what happened with Roger, Burke, and Laura and what's happening with Burke, him, and Carolyn now? Or that he and Vicki are in no small ways mirrors of each other - Vicki representing his past as a poor kid working for the Collinses; Burke representing a bad possible future for her of what happens when the Collinses throw someone under the bus to protect themselves? If that makes sense? But! In order of most-to-least textually supported!

He dropped out in high school: he reminds Bill Malloy that he (Bill) paid him a man's wages working for him when he was just a boy, but later mentions physics class. Given his father abandoned the family when he was nine, and Burke doesn't mention his mother ever (I know there's a cut line of dialogue that says she worked in the cannery, but.), or any siblings, or close relatives, I tend to assume he did it for money? Besides. He's a poor kid from the wrong side of the tracks in Collinsport: he was always going to end up working for the Collinses one way or another. Senior year English wasn't going to change that.

He's not touchy about doing what he had to to survive and get ahead as a teenager, but he's nowhere near as educated as most people he's socializing with now, and that is a sore spot with him - buying and bullying only gets someone so far, I think. He may be richer than the Collinses but it's a little hard to buy respect or belonging outright.

There's cut dialogue (I can't remember which episode, maybe @widowshill does) that implies at least one of the times he ran away from home as a kid was because his mother died - the dialogue itself doesn't quite square with what he says about when his dad walked out on "us", but I buy it in broad strokes - Burke talks mostly fondly about recreational fishing with his father, but even so, his dad beat the hell out of him at least once. On the whole, and I don't think I'm going out on a limb here, I think he had a much better relationship with his mother - while she was alive.

(I think, too, that's backed up by his past good relationship with the Evanses? Maggie says he was always around when she was younger; Sam says he was so used to him being around that if they didn't see him for a few days he'd send Maggie to look for him? The implication being there wasn't much keeping him at home.)

(Which makes the revelation that it was *Sam* whose testimony was the clincher devastating. Absolutely maddening to me that they dropped that in one scene and it never got revisited. but that's not a headcanon.)

Absolutely hilarious to me that apparently everyone but him seems to think that David's his son, not Roger's. I go back and forth on whether I think David is, biologically, his - on the one hand, it makes everything worse for Burke - that he's become an absent father just like his; on the other hand, it makes it a matter of biological determination that he and David get along like a house on fire, and not that Burke's one of the few people who treat David like a person and not The Last Heir To The Collins Line or a whipping boy?

speaking of David: I tend to read what happened ten years ago less as a love triangle and more as he, Roger, and Laura were all involved simultaneously.

Lastly, and strictly because it amuses the hell out of me, not because I think it's remotely likely: as far as I can tell, Burke's never been an amazingly popular first name for men, and certainly didn't crack the top 200 names in the 1920s or 1930s. Either it's a family name - his mother's maiden name, maybe? - or, I argue, his parents were weird about 18th century English political philosophers: his full name is Edmund Burke Devlin, he'll just never admit it. not even Laura or Roger know.

Thank you for the ask! I'm not sure what it is about my brain, but the minute this hit my inbox I suddenly had never thought about Burke at all. ever. head empty.

[ofliterarynature]

JULY 2024 WRAP UP

Overall this was a very good month, so rather than italicizing everything I decided to note my favorites :)

[loved liked ok nope bookclub* (reread)]

Come Tumbling Down • Fly Trap • In an Absent Dream • The Orchard • (Beneath the Sugar Sky) • Vanishing Monuments* • Fly by Night • What Feasts at Night • The Woman in White • (Down Among the Sticks and Bones) • A Grave Robbery • (Every Heart a Doorway) • Dandelion Fire

* * * * *

Dandelion Fire (4 stars) - book 2 of the 100 Cupboards series. Not much to say, honestly - it's an interesting story, but the writing doesn't always give it the life it needs and drags sometimes. A solidly serviceable mid-tier middle grade fantasy that hasn't aged too poorly.

Every Heart A Doorway/Down Among the Sticks and Bones/Beneath the Sugar Sky/In an Absent Dream (4 stars) - I've been meaning to catch up on this series forever (I only read the first 3 books? really?), and luckily I can count at least 5 of them towards my physical tbr goals, so here we go! I don't think they shine quite as bright as they did in my memory, but honestly I don't think I've tried any Seanan McGuire that I didn't enjoy reading. In An Absent Dream is the earliest one I hadn't yet read, and it was ok - seeing individual character's stories is proving interesting, but there's something about the ensemble novellas that I think just hook me more.

A Grave Robbery (4.5 stars) - what can I say, it was fun! I'm coming to realize that this series is pulling plots from a very specific type of sensational classic novel that I don't know enough about to name, but I very much want to read some of them.

The Woman In White (4 stars) - my second Wilkie Collins! If I could rate this based ONLY on the portion narrated by Marion this would be my new favorite book, 5 stars, no notes. Unfortunately we do have Walter, blandly nice and polite and heroic Walter, narrating most of the book, and he is SO boring, and I hate that his role as a love interest is supposed to be this great moving thing? I'm glad the book skipped most of the "romance" actually, but ultimately I was extremely uncomfortable with the circumstances under which he and Laura eventually marry (did I also kind of want him and Marion to get married instead? Maybe). Also extremely disappointed in how Laura and Anne were both completely sidelined in a story that is ultimately theirs (if anyone knows of a retelling that improves on things let me know!!). The highs were high and the lows were low, but overall I did enjoy reading this. Now to figure out what Wilkie Collins to read next now that I've read the two I'd heard of.

What Feasts at Night (4 stars) - I didn't reread the first book so I can't really compare them, but I liked it! A good spooky time that I did partially listen to while walking through the woods, which was maybe not my brightest idea haha.

Fly by Night/Fly Trap (4.5/5 stars) - FANTASTIC. I've discovered that there's a specific blend of things that I look for in middle-grade books these days (as an adult), and these completely nailed it - characters (not just kids!) who are flawed and selfish and petty but capable of kindness or doing the right thing, and writing that is not only smart and intelligent but funny! There are (maybe) too many layers going on in Fly by Night, but I still really enjoyed it (and Mosca's attack goose), and I think where Fly Trap really pulls ahead is that it has all of the introductory spiel out of the way and the story is allowed to be much more focused. Did we really need a second book? No, but I'm glad we have it and would be happy to read more!

Vanishing Monuments (4 stars) - This month's read for book club, by the author of previous favorite, My Volcano! It felt deeply personal, intimate, dark, and harder to process all the intense emotions, but still showed as much depth of craftsmanship and artistry in its writing. I didn’t love it as much, but I hope someday I’ll feel smart enough to understand it more. cw for unreality, mental illness, and all kinds of gender stuff.

The Orchard (4 stars) - this the (unfinished!) memoir of a young woman who tried to single-handedly run her family's orchard during the Great Depression, and the events that lead to the manuscript's publishing are nearly as interesting! I didn't leave myself notes, so I'd say positive feelings, but I'm learning I don't really like memoirs the hard way (I'm always a sucker for tough women doing the hard things though).

[lizbethborden]

Hi again! Yeah, from your bookshelf! You seem well informed and I wanna know the type of stuff you read and might recommend. I don't even know what to tell you for my interests because I feel like I'm just begining. Sorry I'm young and dumb still haha.

#1 you're not dumb and #2 nothing to apologize for :)

Here's some books I've got on my shelves or that I've read:

Men Who Hate Women: From Incels to Pickup Artists, Laura Bates

Pro: Reclaiming Abortion Rights, Katha Pollitt

Women, Race, & Class, Angela Davis

American Girls, Nancy Jo Sales

Lesbian Culture: An Anthology, eds. Julia Penelope and Susan J Wolf

Lesbian Studies, Margaret Cavendish

Hood Feminism, Mikki Kendall

Against White Feminism, Rafia Zakaria

Sister and Brother: Lesbians and Gay Men Write About Their Lives Together, eds Joan Nestle and John Preston

Another Mother Tongue, Judy Grahn

Aimee & Jaguar, Erica Fischer

Mouths of Rain: An Anthology of Black Lesbian Thought, ed. Briona Simone Jones

Same-Sex Unions in Premodern Europe, John Boswell

The Mary Daly Reader, eds. Jennifer Rycenga and Linda Barufaldi

Hidden from History: Reclaiming the Gay and Lesbian Past, eds. Martin Duberman, Martha Vicinus, George Chauncey Jr.

Testosterone Rex: Myths of Sex, Science, and Society, Cordelia Fine

Speaking Freely: Unlearning the Lies of the Father's Tongue, Julia Penelope

The Resisting Reader, Judith Fetterley

The Double X Economy, Linda Scott

Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture, ed. Roxane Gay

Home Grown: How Domestic Violence Turns Men Into Terrorists, Joan Smith

Intercourse, Andrea Dworkin

The Trials of Nina McCall: Sex, Surveillance, and the Decades-Long Government Plan to Imprison "Promiscuous" Women, Scott Stern

The Politics of Reality: Essays in Feminist Theory, Marilyn Frye

Only Words, Catharine A. Mackinnon

Everything Below the Waist: Why Health Care Needs a Feminist Revolution, Jennifer Block

Witchcraze: A New History of the European Witch Hunts, Anne Llwellyn Barstow

Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the New Girlie-Girl Culture, Peggy Orenstein

Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men, Caroline Criado-Perez

Lesbian Ethics: Toward New Values, Sarah Lucia Hoagland

We Were Feminists Once: From Riot Grrrl to CoverGirl, the Buying and Selling of a Political Movement, Andi Zeisler

Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and Institution, Adrienne Rich

On Lies, Secrets, and Silence: Selected Prose, Adrienne Rich

Feminism, Animals, and Science: The Naming of the Shrew, Lynda Birke

The Female Body in Western Culture: Contemporary Perspectives, ed. Susan Rubin Suleiman

Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza, Gloria Anzaldua

Flesh Wounds: The Culture of Cosmetic Surgery, Virginia L Blum

Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment, Patricia Hill Collins

Pornland: How Porn has Hijacked our Sexuality, Gail Dines

Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women, Susan Faludi

From Eve to Dawn: A History of Women in the World, Marilyn French

This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color, eds. Cherrie Moraga and Gloria Anzaldua

Seeing Like a Feminist, Nivedita Menon

With Her Machete In Her Hand: Reading Chicana Lesbians, Catriona Reuda Esquibel

The Disappearing L: Erasure of Lesbian Spaces and Culture, Bonnie J. Morris

Foundlings: Lesbian and Gay Historical Emotion before Stonewall, Christopher Nealon

The Persistent Desire: A Butch/Femme Reader, ed. Joan Nestle

The Straight Mind and Other Essays, Monique Wittig

The Trouble Between us: An Uneasy History of White and Black Women in the Feminist Movement, Winifred Breines

Right-Wing Women, Andrea Dworkin

Woman Hating, Andrea Dworkin

Why I Am Not A Feminist, Jessica Crispin

Sapphistries: A Global History of Love Between Women, Leila J Rupp

I tried to avoid too many left turns into my specific interests although if you passionately want to know any of those, I can make you some more lists LOL

I would suggest picking a book that sounds interesting and using the footnotes and bibliography to find more to read. I've done that a lot :) a lot of my books have more sticky tabs or w/e in the bibliography than in the text so I don't lose stuff I'm interested in.

Hope this helps!

[thethirdromana]

Favourite Woman in White villain?

Oof, it has to be Sir Philip Fairlie, deceased embodiment of the patriarchy, right? Sir Percival was suitably hateable for a while, but it feels like he turned out to be too much of a loser in the end. And there's too much weird stuff going on with Fosco, from the fatphobia to the effeminacy to whatever it is that Collins has with foreigners.

But Sir Philip Fairlie is the villain who manages to be villainous from beyond the grave. Without him, there wouldn't be a story: if he'd encouraged his daughter to marry her own choice of husband, she would never have chosen Sir Percival Glyde; if he hadn't cheated on his (lovely) wife, the Laura/Anne switcheroo could never have taken place. I think he's done fucking up Laura's life now, but I wouldn't be surprised if something else sneaks out in the final chapters.

There's just something impressive about someone who is so awful in a novel that he's not even alive in.

[dr-nero-is-god]

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Boiiiiii it's SHELBY TIME!

(Picrew credit)

Playlist: Shelby (She's a Hippie Tho)

My current interest project is listening to the top 200 albums of the 1960s, so I decided to mix it up and give Shelby a hippie vibe. Perhaps who she would have been if she were in an Austin Powers movie.

1. go where you wanna go (the mamas & the papas) 2. all my loving (emily loveless) 3. wildflowers (dolly parton, linda ronstadt, emmylou harris) 4. sunshine on my shoulders (john denver) 5. great divide (ira wolf) 6. in my life (judy collins) 7. leaving on a jet plane (peter, paul, and mary) 8. don't think twice, it's all right (joan baez) 9. i'll never find another you (the seekers) 10. both sides now (judy collins) 11. make your own kind of music (cass elliot)

You can listen on Spotify here.

Fanfic: Pending

I sincerely tried to write something only 10k words but. It ran away with itself. And I just started an accounting class so it definitely did not get done. Please enjoy my favorite comment from @shelbytrinity, who has been kind enough to Beta for me, as a sneak peek:

Wing and Shelby: not on speaking terms, falling out over morals and ethics tied to both of their beings, financially iffy, matching tattoos that are permanent

Otto and Laura: We parallel play by cutting veggies and studying :) We are in love!

I will update with the link soon!

Art: Snoozin

This is not particularly high-quality knitting but does represent some growth for me as a knitter, because this is the first project I have finished with double pointed needles. Ough

Prompts to Share

1. Shelby scores detention with Colonel Francisco, Pike, Ms. Leon, Ms. Tennenbaum, and Raven in the same month. What did she do, and how does she spend her detentions?

2. What was Wing and Shelby's first date like?

3. Shelby picks an unexpected karaoke song.

4. Shelby has a special hiding spot when she's upset. Where is it, and who finally finds it?

5. What is Shelby's biggest regret?

A huge shout-out to everyone who has participated in this year's birthday bundle!!! I have been so blown away by people's work and I am so delighted to share a fandom with such fun and creative people. Rock on dudes.

[mzannthropy]

Sam Claflin and Adaptations (there's a lot more than you think!)

Articles and interviews be like: Sam, you have done so many book adaptations and then name at most three titles. Every fucking time. Luckily, I'm here to tell you about them! (Under the cut as it got long.)

Hunger Games Catching Fire and Mockingjay (books written by Suzanne Collins) - YA dystopia. The most obvious, of course. Sam plays Finnick Odair, the coolest character. (He's not dead, Katniss is lying.)

Daisy Jones and the Six (book written by Taylor Jenkins Reid) - story of a rise and fall of fictional band in the 1970s. Sam is Billy Dunne, the main male lead and a real rockstar!

My Cousin Rachel (book written by Daphne du Maurier) - Gothic thriller, 19th century. Sam is the narrator, Philip. This is my personal favourite.

Their Finest - adaptation of Their Finest Hour and a Half (book written by Lissa Evans) - Drama with bits of comedy. Set during WW2 in the film industry. Sam plays screenwriter Buckley, a member of a film crew working on a film about Dunkirk evacuation. Also features a side character who is gay and is alive at the end. More people should watch this film, imo.

Enola Holmes (book written by Nancy Springer) - kiddie Sherlockian pastiche. Sam plays Mycroft Holmes, at least that's his character's name, but it's not the usual Mycroft; his version is dumbed-down and cartoon-villainised so that the eponymous teenage girlboss can have her story.

Adrift - adaptation of Red Sky in the Mourning (book written by Tami Oldham Ashcroft) - survival drama of a seafaring couple lost at sea after a hurricane. Sam is the main character's love interest, Richard.

Two mini series from Sam's early career (that I haven't watched so can't give you any info):

Pillars of the Earth (book written by Ken Follett) - TV mini series set in 12th century about building of a cathedral. This was Sam's very first role.

Any Human Heart (book written by William Boyd) - TV mini series, chronicles a life of a writer in 20th century. Sam plays the youngest version of the main character, Logan.

Adaptations of plays - it counts, okay?

Journey's End (play written by RC Sherriff) - WW1 war film, but not a regular one (there's no battles). Covers a week in the trenches in March 1918. Sam plays Captain Stanhope, an officer at the edge of nervous breakdown. One of his best performances, if not the very best.

Riot Club (play written by Laura Wade) - contemporary film about a posh elite club at Oxford. Sam's character, Alistair, is a spoiled brat, Draco Malfoy-like. (Not the good fanon version, the bad canon version.) Btw, this is no Dead Poet's Society, no dark academia - the titular club is based on Bullingdon Club (of which Boris Johnson was member). They book a table at restaurants, trash them and then hand the owners a cheque to compensate. You see now why we have all these problems...

You can make an argument for:

Snow White and the Huntsman - (folk tale recorded by Brothers Grimm). It's a darker retelling. Sam plays William, the prince charming of the story.

Snow White and the Red Shoes, (as above) an animated film, he voices a character named Merlin. No idea what this is as I haven't seen it.

Okay now I'm stretching it

Pirates of the Caribbean On Stranger Tides - adapted from a Disneyland ride. BUT the ride itself was inspired by legendary tales of pirates, among others the books of Emilio Salgari. So, not that crazy. Might be the weakest of the franchise, but Sam's storyline--he plays the missionary Philip--is what saves it, his romance with the mermaid is just the cutest!

So that's it. Thank you for reading and I hope you check some of these out.

[widowshill]

part 6.

[jules-has-notes]

Aca Top 10: Disney Heroes — VoicePlay music video

Disney animated movies are probably best known for their music, and almost all of them have a showstopping tune for their main characters. Singing or listening to those songs can feel empowering. So, sit back, relax, and spend a few minutes being inspired and entertained by these goofballs.

Details:

title: Aca Top 10 — Disney Heroes (feat. J.None)

original songs / performers: "Go the Distance" by Roger Bart as Hercules in Hercules (1997); [0:37] "When Will My Life Begin?" by Mandy Moore as Rapunzel in Tangled (2010); [0:55] "You'll Be In My Heart" by Glenn Close as Kala & Phil Collins as the narrator in Tarzan (1999); [1:24] "One Jump Ahead" by Brad Kane as Aladdin in Aladdin (1992); [1:44] "Colors of the Wind" by Judy Kuhn as Pocahontas in Pocahantas (1995); [2:06] "Reflection" by Lea Salonga as Fa Mulan in Mulan (1998); [2:33] "Part of Your World" by Jodi Benson as Ariel in The Little Mermaid (1989); [3:00] "How Far I'll Go" by Auliʻi Cravalho as Moana in Moana (2016); [3:23] "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" by Jason Weaver as Simba, Rowan Atkinson as Zazu, & Laura Williams as Nala in The Lion King (1994); [3:40] "Let It Go" by Idina Menzel as Elsa in Frozen (2013)

written by: "Go the Distance" by Alan Menken & David Zippel; "When Will My Life Begin?" by Alan Menken & Glenn Slater; "You'll Be In My Heart" by Phil Collins; "One Jump Ahead" by Alan Menken & Tim Rice; "Colors of the Wind" by Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz; "Reflection" by Matthew Wilder & David Zippel; "Part of Your World" by Alan Menken & Howard Ashman; "How Far I'll Go" by Lin-Manuel Miranda; "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" by Elton John & Tim Rice; "Let It Go" by Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez

arranged by: Geoff Castellucci

release date: 21 September 2017

My favorite bits:

J.None's clear, hopeful tone on "Go the Distance"

the rhythm section being confused as to where they're supposed to be looking before their parts begin

Eli shrugging off his own muscles compared to Earl and J 💪

Layne's little finger wiggle from the beginning of "You'll Be In My Heart" being redirected at Geoff

the crunchy harmonies on the ♫ "Whoa-o-o-oa, number seven" ♫ transition

Layne's scampering percussion riff in "One Jump Ahead"

Geoff looking over at Layne while singing ♫ "why he grins" ♫, and Layne shrugging

J's flirty little wave to the camera during "Reflection"

Eli and J following the lyrics for ♫ "jumping, dancing" ♫

that lovely bell chord on ♫ "street street stree-ee-ee-eet" ♫

the back row dramatically looking left and right as they sing the words

everyone's befuddlement at Geoff taking the lead on the beginning of "Let It Go" ("That's not your song, bass man.")

Earl's adorable power pose at the end

Trivia:

○ VoicePlay had recorded and/or performed several of these songs previously:

"How Far I'll Go" was in their "Moana medley" video just one month before.

"I Just Can't Wait To Be King" was included in The King Returns medley on their 2012 album "Once Upon an Ever After". It was also part of the "aca-Disney" mashup they created for the Disney On Broadway 20th anniversary celebration.

"When Will My Life Begin" was in their condensed Tangled performance at the 2015 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration.

"Let It Go" was part of their "Wow! Vol. 1" medley during the 2015 Sing-Off tour. Layne also snuck it into one memorable rendition of "Road Trip".

○ A couple of these songs were revisited in later videos:

"Part of Your World" was, of course, included in their "Little Mermaid medley" with Rachel Potter in 2020.

They recorded a full version of "Go the Distance" with EJ Cardona in 2021.

○ Eli's incredible riff and declaration of "Xtina for life!" at the end of the "Reflection" excerpt are in reference to the pop version of the song that Christina Aguilera recorded for the movie's end credits.

○ J.None had sung "You'll Be In My Heart" as part of his audition process to perform at Disney World in 2013. He was cast as Nakawa in the Festival of the Lion King live show.

○ The YouTube description includes a parody verse for "Reflection" — "Whooooooo is that Earl I see… / Staring straight at Eli? / When will my REFLECTION show / Jellied ham and RICE!!? / Yummmmmmmmm… "

○ The guys are all wearing graphic t-shirts featuring characters from the movies included in the countdown:

J.None — Hercules flexing his biceps, surrounded by a circle of text reading, "Don't act like you're not impressed"

Earl — Pua the pig from Moana with the inscription "I'm no bacon"

Eli — Ariel and Sebastian in a circular frame with "Little Mermaid" in jagged heavy metal style lettering across the top

Geoff — Genie from Aladdin with a microphone in hand and a blue neon sign reading "Applause" emerging from his shoulders

Layne — Mufasa's face from The Lion King with the word "king" in black letters across the top

○ This is the first in a mini-series within their "Aca Top 10" series, that was followed by countdowns for "Disney Sidekicks" and "Disney Villains" over the next year and a half.

[edwinspaynes]

In ur HC, what novels and fandoms would AU Modern day, Historical TSC be into rn?

Follow up, if each of them had a Tumblr , what would their blogs about be and why?

I'm just going to do my favourite characters, hope that's alright!

MATTHEW

Tumblr handle: @/wilde-wanderer. He posts travel content and dog pics a lot, and there's a lot of crossover with his travel Instagram. He also is in the Oscar Wilde fandom for sure and posts a ton of Ben Barnes thirst traps (@belle-keys, thinking of you).

5 books he'd love, because he's a romance and fantasy lover like me (queer books are blue):

The Charm of Magpies seriously. It's got Wildean weird vibes and also is just genuinely an oddball series unlike any other.

Don't Want You Like a Best Friend by Emma Alban (this is NEW btw and incredibly good, an immediate favourite

By Any Other Name by Erin Cotter

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

The Carnivale of Curiousities by Aimee Gibbs

ALASTAIR

If he had Tumblr, I think his handle would be @/grumpycatcarstairs. But he'd post minimally and just let it sit and sit forever. Periodically, Thomas would remind him it exists. He'd just post aesthetic paintings and cPTSD content.

5 books he'd love, because he likes mysteries and philosophical works that make him think:

The Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo

The Scythe trilogy by Neal Shusterman

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Sins of the Cities series by KJ Charles

Not really modern, but after his time. I think Maurice by EM Forster would hit him hard in the solar plexus.

THOMAS

His handle is @/thomas-the-tree. He's a pretty active Tumblrina and he posts a lot of his own content, mostly aesthetics and moodboards. Maybe some stimboards ala @caterpillarstims. He also posts a lot of positivity for people with mental illness.

5 books he'd love because he loves both action and comfort literature:

The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn

Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian

The Heartstopper comics by Alice Oseman

A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall

Stalking Jack the Ripper series by Kerri Maniscalco

CORDELIA

I am of the strong belief that her handle would be @/kickitwithcordy and she'd have a sideblog for Cortana pics called @/kickitwithcortana. She and Alastair would also have a joint blog called @/kickitwiththecarstairs, but it's mostly on YouTube and they just have gossip videos. There's a full one where they roast Matthew's famous travel Insta.

5 books she'd love about kickass women:

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

A Stitch in Time by Kelley Armstrong

The Divine Rivals duology by Rebecca Ross

Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir

The Rhapsodic series by Laura Thalassa

James, of course, always reads them aloud to her even when they're not to his personal taste. <3

[monsieuroverlord]

This week's X-Men Monday features NYX writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing!

We got some early preview pages for issue #1 (above) plus the cover for #4 (below)

source here

This interview does do a lot to explain the inspirations for this series, how the characters were chosen, plus some general plot points to look forward to (I hope).

This series does seem like it will have a heavy focus on interpersonal relationships -- anole's dating life is specifically mentioned, whereas during the Krakoa era, he was "trapped behind a bar." so, they're looking to explore that.

Tommy and David are broken up :(

(apparently "amicably" but still)

And David has a new love interest in this series.

This interview also does absolutely nothing to assuage my fears regarding Laura:

I just -- really? A love triangle for Laura? I'm trying really hard to think positively and stay hopeful, but right now it seems like they'll shove Laura into a Logan-esque triangle, akin to Jean Grey/Scott/Logan.

Especially since they're hinting (basically confirmed) that the Krakoan is Hellion. (Officially, it's "no comment" but c'mon.)

And we also have this regarding the choice for Laura:

We haven't even seen Laura's dialogue yet, so I'm waiting to see how they actually characterize her, but I'm still being a huge worrywart about this. Character growth is good, and it could be interesting, but I don't think I'm really a fan of the details I've seen so far.

But we'll see! I'll reserve full judgement until it actually comes out!

It's a good interview though, I think it explains quite a bit of the dynamics we can expect.