#just because she a fictional character doesn't mean saying shit like that is okay

[tearlessrain]

please help me- i used to be pretty smart but i’m having so much trouble grasping the concept of diegetic vs non-diegetic bdsm!

gfkjldghfd okay first of all I'm sorry for the confusion, if you're not finding anything on the phrase it's because I made it up and absolutely nobody but me ever uses it, but I haven't found a better way to express what I'm trying to say so I keep using it. but now you've given me an excuse to ramble on about some shit that is only relevant to me and my deeply inefficient way of talking and by god I'm going to take it.

SO. the way diegetic and non-diegetic are normally used is to talk about music and sound design in movies/tv shows. in case you aren't familiar with that concept, here's a rundown:

diegetic sound is sound that happens within the world of the movie/show and can be acknowledged by the characters, like a song playing on the stereo during a driving scene, or sung on stage in Phantom of the Opera. it's also most other sounds that happen in a movie, like the sounds of traffic in a city scene, or a thunderclap, or a marching band passing by. or one of the three stock horse sounds they use in every movie with a horse in it even though horses don't really vocalize much in real life, but that's beside the point, the horse is supposed to be actually making that noise within the movie's world and the characters can hear it whinnying.

non-diegetic sound is any sound that doesn't exist in the world of the movie/show and can't be perceived by the characters. this includes things like laugh tracks and most soundtrack music. when Duel of Fates plays in Star Wars during the lightsaber fight for dramatic effect, that's non-diegetic. it exists to the audience, but the characters don't know their fight is being backed by sick ass music and, sadly, can't hear it.

the lines can get blurry between the two, you've probably seen the film trope where the clearly non-diegetic music in the title sequence fades out to the same music, now diegetic and playing from the character's car stereo. and then there are things like Phantom of the Opera as mentioned above, where the soundtrack is also part of the plot, but Phantom of the Opera does also have segments of non-diegetic music: the Phantom probably does not have an entire orchestra and some guy with an electric guitar hiding down in his sewer just waiting for someone to break into song, but both of those show up in the songs they sing down there.

now, on to how I apply this to bdsm in fiction.

if I'm referring to diegetic bdsm what I mean is that the bdsm is acknowledged for what it is in-world. the characters themselves are roleplaying whatever scenarios their scenes involve and are operating with knowledge of real life rules/safety practices. if there's cnc depicted, it will be apparent at some point, usually right away, that both characters actually are fully consenting and it's all just a planned scene, and you'll often see on-screen negotiation and aftercare, and elements of the story may involve the kink community wherever the characters are. Love and Leashes is a great example of this, 50 Shades and Bonding are terrible examples of this, but they all feature characters that know they're doing bdsm and are intentional about it.

if I'm talking about non-diegetic bdsm, I'm referring to a story that portrays certain kinks without the direct acknowledgement that the characters are doing bdsm. this would be something like Captive Prince, or Phantom of the Opera again, or the vast majority of bodice ripper type stories where an innocent woman is kidnapped by a pirate king or something and totally doesn't want to be ravished but then it turns out he's so cool and sexy and good at ravishing that she decides she's into it and becomes his pirate consort or whatever it is that happens at the end of those books. the characters don't know they're playing out a cnc or D/s fantasy, and in-universe it's often straight up noncon or dubcon rather than cnc at all. the thing about entirely non-diegetic bdsm is that it's almost always Problematic™ in some way if you're not willing to meet the story where it's at, but as long as you're not judging it by the standards of diegetic bdsm, it's just providing the reader the same thing that a partner in a scene would: the illusion of whatever risk or taboo floats your boat, sometimes to extremes that can't be replicated in real life due to safety, practicality, physics, the law, vampires not being real, etc. it's consensual by default because it's already pretend; the characters are vehicles for the story and not actually people who can be hurt, and the reader chose to pick up the book and is aware that nothing in it is real, so it's all good.

this difference is where people tend to get hung up in the discourse, from what I've observed. which is why I started using this phrasing, because I think it's very crucial to be able to differentiate which one you're talking about if you try to have a conversation with someone about the portrayal of bdsm in media. it would also, frankly, be useful for tagging, because sometimes when you're in the mood for non-diegetic bodice ripper shit you'd call the police over in real life, it can get really annoying to read paragraphs of negotiation and check-ins that break the illusion of the scene and so on, and the opposite can be jarring too.

it's very possible to blur these together the same way Phantom of the Opera blurs its diegetic and non-diegetic music as well. this leaves you even more open to being misunderstood by people reading in bad faith, but it can also be really fun to play with. @not-poignant writes fantastic fanfic, novels, and original serials on ao3 that pull this off really well, if you're okay with some dark shit in your fiction I would highly recommend their work. some of it does get really fucking dark in places though, just like. be advised. read the tags and all that.

but yeah, spontaneous writer plug aside, that's what I mean.

[bite-back-in-anger]

I have HAD it with people commenting on Luke Newton`s appearance, and acting...I swear to God, a lot of you have become way too comfortable gossiping and talking about people's looks and I'm for real sick of it. How the fuck would any of you like it if random people started calling you talentless and ugly? Bet you'd feel like shit and start 'boohooing' to everyone about it.

You don't find him attractive? Okay. Don't like his acting? Fine. Put your energy into your faves and move the fuck on. Stop talking about him. Stop acting like shitty bully fifth graders. Because that's literally what all of you are at this point. Being a 24/7/365 hater is boring and I promise it's not impressing anyone.

The abuse and hatred I've seen thrown at this man is actually insane. What I find most amusing is how most of the comments come from those who hate Penelope. You all like to cry that she's "sO mEan" and this and that and blah blah blah. Meanwhile, you're on your blogs and twitter doing the same only worse because the thing is, Penelope is a character. She's not real or actually hurting anyone. You, on the other hand, are spending your days shit-talking or spreading rumours about a real person(!!!) You're actively calling another human "ugly" (which lol rip your eyes) and mocking their work. I'm sorry, what are you doing with your life that's so much better, that you feel entitled to make fun of him? How perfect is every one of your physical features?... Spare me the fake morality speeches cause congrats, you're worse than a fictional character. And the thing is, I know why and where the hostility is coming from and you know what, I couldn't give less of a fuck. Grow up and get over it.

Just because you don't get his appeal, does not mean it isn't there. Just because you don't see his talent, does not mean it doesn't exist. I'm sure a lot of people would say the same about actors you like and I just know it would piss so many of you off... This is a fandom of grown-ass adults yet so many of you need to be spoken to like 12-year-olds. How embarrassing for you.

[blacktofade]

Gemtho Fortnight Day 4

Prompt: rpf with the hermits talking casually about fics and someone (maybe bdubs) is like "man there's barely any fics about me and etho anymore they're only writing about him and gem" (or whatever. just so the topic comes up) but gem has such a hugeeee crush and she's so flustered and embarrassed and doesn't want etho to be uncomfortable and meanwhile etho's worried about /gem/ being uncomfortable

cw: rpf

“You know,” Bdubs starts, and Gem can almost picture his expression behind his computer screen — thoughtful, a little sly. “I don’t think they ship me and Etho like they used to.”

Gem’s elbow slips off her desk, her character in-game suddenly looking straight down at the ground, and she can hear the soft exhale of laughter Bdubs lets out, like he’s noticed.

She wonders if she can get away with pretending she never heard, if she can say Winnie got loose and distracted her and, oh, look at the time, she has to go for a thing she promised someone else —

“What are you saying about me?” Etho suddenly asks, his voice in her left ear as he moves closer, and Gem takes her hand off her keyboard to cover her eyes with one palm, face burning as she tries her best to silently beg the universe for mercy.

There’s no such luck.

“Do you remember that lecture I gave you about Dark Twitter?” Bdubs asks, and she can hear it in his voice, how he’s almost laughing, delighted at the opportunity to shit-stir. “Y’know, the shipping stuff that fans do? Pretending that we’re in love.”

Gem’s next best hope is that the ground will open and swallow her. 

“Bdubs,” she warns, because she might not be streaming, but that doesn’t mean that no one else is. Anyone could fly by and catch a snippet of what he’s saying, and she can only imagine the fallout online if that happens.

“It’s fine, Gem. Etho knows all about it, don’t you?”

She’s not worried about Etho.

“I, uh,” Etho starts and she can tell by his tone that he already regrets showing up and interrupting them.

“It’s okay,” Bdubs interrupts. “All you need to know is that Gem’s your new love interest.”

“Gem’s my new what?”

The head of Etho’s character swivels to stare right at her and Gem suddenly finds herself needing to pace in-game, her fingers tapping at the keys nervously as she parkours across the terrain around them.

“I have no idea what he’s talking about,” Gem lies and now Bdubs is staring at her too.

“I mean, it’s not surprising with the amount you two hang out together now. I happened to think the footage of you both digging the tunnel between your bases was cute.”

“Was it?” Gem questions, hoping that acting clueless will save her instead, but Bdubs hums quietly, like she won’t like what’s about to come out of his mouth.

“You keep saying you’re an Ethogirl, right? That you grew up watching him. It’s a cute match-up.”

Gem thinks about pulling the ethernet cable straight out the back of her desktop. It would be easy to blame it on a power-outage.

“I think you’re confusing fact and fiction again,” she mutters and Bdubs laughs.

“Oh, you’re right!” he says, too chipper for his own good. “It sounded like I was suggesting you two date in real life.”

Etho makes a noise, like a grunt of surprise, and Bdubs finally turns his view away from her to stare at him instead.

“Though, I mean, you’re both in Canada, right? It’s not beyond the realm of possibility.”

Bdubs apparently doesn’t know when to quit.

“Have you thought about dating Impulse?” Gem snaps, and Bdubs laughs before she even finishes the thought. “You’re both in the States. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility.”

Even Etho joins in, almost like his laughter slips out without permission. “She’s got you there, Bdubs.”

“If Impulse asked me out, I would be a perfect gentleman,” Bdubs tells them, and Gem has a headache brewing that might put her on the couch for the rest of the day. “How many bases do you think he’d let me round after one date?”

“I’m going,” Gem says suddenly, because if there was ever an out, that’s it. “You two can talk about Bdubs’ romantic exploits, but I have stuff to build.”

Bdubs laughs, but doesn’t try to argue, apparently done with his teasing, and Gem can almost taste freedom.

Until Etho says, “I’m sure a date with Gem wouldn’t be the worst I’ve been on.”

And Gem logs off.

[cherries-in-wine]

My thoughts on Colleen Hoover:

okay hear me out: colleen hoover is for the people who skipped their fan fiction phase.

Hi just a warning this contains spoilers for colleen hoover books and English isn't my first language so I apologise for any mistakes. These are just me sharing my thoughts feel free to disagree just please don't be mean about it.

So I read a few of her books because I love torturing myself and just wanted to feel something (also my cousin was obsessed with her) and honestly I don't regret it because now I have valid reason shit on it. 

Just fyi I'm a teenage girl in high school so I'm definitely in her target audience, and here's what I've gathered:

None of her main characters really have a personality. they feel more like shells that the reader can self insert themselves into. The books aren't really about two people getting to know each other and falling in love it feels more as a bunch of tropes and generic scenarios thrown together. I think this is one of the reason booktok girlies act with Colleen Hoover the way I did when I found out fanfics exists. 

It also just reads like fanfiction? like because there's not much to dwell on and they're so easy to digest you can finish them in just a few hours. plus the main characters just feels like y/n: a shell to self insert yourself into, dead/abusive father, just normal girl who finds herself in these situations etc.

Here's the thing about fan fiction though: the reason why it's so fun to read is because you already know the people/characters in it so you can get right into the scenarios and imagines because they don't really need any background or development. 

But the difference is when you write these books you have to develop these characters and introduce them to the readers otherwise I'm just like "I don't even know these people so why the fuck would I care?"

Comparing her to fanfic is honestly an insult to fanfic writers because at least they have the decency to tag their posts properly (calling the abuse, abuse dark themes, dark themes etc) plus they're just so much better.

Colleen Hoover fans will say that she brings up difficult topics in her books in order to defend her but here's the thing: writing about difficult topics doesn't exactly exempt you from criticism + she doesn't even write about them?? they just feel like lazy add ons to spice up the story and add some drama. if you're gonna write about difficult topics you need to discuss and write them properly not just use them to further the plot.

I don't like any of the love interests either. 99% of them are just abusive, piece of shit bland boiled chicken ass people with the unsexiest names I've ever heard of.

Also a lot of these have very much women hating women undertones? I feel like it's the author's misogyny being reflected in her books (extra heart breaking coming from a woman herself). It's very much "you're not like the other girls you're different" kinda themes.

I thought maybe people just enjoyed it because of the smut but the smut is SO BAD oh my god I wanted to kms.

My thoughts are a little all over the place right now (they always are) but maybe i'll update if I remember any more points

thank you so much for reading mwah <33

[urfrenfishy]

Do You Hear Marimbas?

A New Jersey Rats Short Story - M4A - Implied Masc Presenting Listener

I do not own these characters they are all made by the wicked @escapedaudios , this is a fan fiction of said characters :)

notes: this is my first time writing on tumblr please be nice idk how to format this shit, also this takes place a month after the new orlean rats

Intern breathed in, breathed out. This is meant to be fun, it’ll be fun...right?

It had been weeks since Jean and the brothers had told them about Stacy. It had been weeks since they and the brothers planned this. They had weeks of rehearsals. Alone.

Why was this so different? Jean and the brothers the only audience members and they rented out the whole fucking building! Jean won't care if they mess up, he wasn't even aware this was happening to begin with.

God, what were they thinking?! Oh yeah, let's put Intern on a stage in some fancy clothes and they'll sing all sexy for Jean! At a rented-out jazz club! They're sure that's exactly what Jean would like as an impromptu seven-month anniversary gift. A reminder of his ex.

God, they'll probably look so pathetic. Like really? Jazz singing just because his ex was a singer? Talk about insecurity.

But...wait no- this was never a jealousy thing. At least, they never wanted it to be. Well, maybe a little- but come on, you find out your lover's ex was a sexy jazz club singer, and he settled for an accounting intern who has about the same amount of social skills as a Batman villain. You'd feel a little insecure too.

So- no, they wouldn't say this was a jealousy thing, because they knew that Jean wouldn't leave them, or at least, wouldn't leave them over Stacy. They weren't worried about Stacy. Maybe...maybe they just wanted to prove they could be as...cool as she was? Yeah. Cool. They'll try their best.

----------

"Aight Jean, sit right...there," Badaboom explained as he gripped Jean's shoulders.

"Guys- what's- what is going on right now? I mean, when you put a sack over my head and shoved me in the driver's seat of a car- only to make me drive. With the sack still on my head. Honestly, I don't even know how we survived the trip but- Anyway! What- what are we doing at a jazz club? And why-"

As Jean prattled on, Badabing sat him down, front row. And cut him off because Jesus Christ, Jean.

"Okay okay okay- Jean- Jeany boy, just- just chill out alright? You're gonna like this, we promise!"

The music started (a slightly pitched-up version of Michael Bublé's Sway) and Jean couldn't help but grunt a witty remark.

"You promising anything doesn't actually promise any-"

Then they walked out, he heard them even before he saw them. The click of heels against waxed tempered hardboard. As he turned his head, he felt time slow. They..He had never felt like this before. There was no way to describe it. He couldn’t believe they settled for him. 

At first, he only saw their shoes, he didn't realize they would be so close. Then their legs, god- their legs. Finally, he was able to meet their eyes, only to find they were already locked on his. They weren't wearing their glasses, could they even see him? Doesn't matter. The spotlight behind them, a halo. An angel.

Then they started to sing.

Jean wasn't even listening to the lyrics. Just them. Just their tone. Their cadence. Their eyes. God, he loved them so much.

As the first verse began, they lifted the mic off of its stand and started walking, never breaking their gaze. Jean had never seen them like this. Sure, they knew how to set a mood, and they were pretty charismatic when they wanted to be, but this. Their confidence. Even the way they walked- it was a strut, honestly.

He could feel Badabing staring at him with a shit-eating grin.

"Yeah you're definitely bi-cycleul or however you say it..."

Jean couldn't afford to look away so he just sort of.. whacked his hand around the shorter man's general vicinity to shut him up.

A music break. A moment to focus on the physical alone. And god knows there was a lot to focus on.

Where did they even get that outfit? Jean had never seen it before, did they buy it just for this? Well- yeah that would make sense they had enough money for a lifetime supply of new outfits if they wanted.

Their skin shined under the spotlight, so did their clothes, their hair. But somehow their eyes were always visible- never drowned out in beams.

And soon they were singing again.

"Other dancers may be on the floor,"

Every sway and footstep was a dance. Jean couldn't even imagine how much time they put into this.

"Dear, but my eyes will see only you,"

They stared at him, into him. They reached their hand out to him and it took everything for him not to reach back, he could even feel his hand starting to rise all on its own.

"Only you have that magic technique,"

They receded their hand, twisting the mic back onto its stand and jutting it beside them as if it were their dance partner.

"When we sway, I go weak."

Their knees bent and the mic was dipped, their eyes shut as they held the note, and their eyebrows curled upwards; they almost looked sad. It was beautiful. Jean wasn't ashamed to say he was pretty envious of the mic at that moment.

As they seamlessly transitioned from lyric to lyric, Jean was positively awed. How could they sing a line so- so...seductively? Then immediately jump to the next lyric like it didn't even happen! It was like magic. Hypnosis.

The last chorus, the last verse. Jean didn't think he would survive.

Each note just kept climbing higher, he didn't know they had a range like...like this. Sure, he had heard them singing in the shower occasionally, or in the kitchen when they thought he couldn't hear but...never like this.

They held onto the mic and reached down to Jean, their glove becoming God's hand, and Jean had become their Adam. If only Michelangelo could see humanity now.

The final note was held. Their head momentarily snapped to the left to briefly bend into the mic before it snapped back forward again. And the performance was over. Jesus. Christ.

----------

They did it. They actually did it. Holy shit, they- they didn't think they'd actually be able to. Knowing their luck they would have tripped on a cord or had a voice crack so bad they'd permanently lose their voice or something but, no they- they really did it!

Sure they probably strained some notes at the end there, and they were so sweaty. Those lights were so hot. They hoped it didn't show. Jean was still staring. Did he like it? He looked like he liked it, but- you can never tell can you?

They were breathing so heavily. This outfit felt so heavy. They really hoped he liked it. They just kept their eyes on him.

Clapping. Oh- The brothers were clapping. Cheering even. And Jean followed. He stood up, cupping his mouth and practically yelling in support. He was always so supportive.

Jean ran up to the edge of the stage as they walked to him. He practically jumped them as he helped them off the edge. Just as their shoes grazed the floor, Jean's arms were already around them.

"Sweetheart that was- I- I don't even have the words-"

They laughed, and he laughed with them. They were so relieved. He didn't think it was weird.

"I'm...I'm just glad you liked it," They rested their hand on his chest, his heart was pounding.

"Liked it? Of course, I liked it, you- you were...I mean- you were fucking gorgeous," His voice grew quiet as his forehead rested on theirs. They loved it when he did this. They felt so close.

They felt even closer when he kissed them. Definitely closer then.

"Alright lovebirds, cut it out, don't make us singles feel too homicidal," Badabing blurted as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"I don't know, I 'tink it's sweet," His taller brother defended.

"Well, no one asked you, did they?"

Intern always was amazed how those two could turn anything into an argument. The 'lovebirds' chuckled to each other at the sight. Then they felt him tugging on their hand. They turned, he was pulling them towards the stage.

As they walked, the intern gripped his hand tightly and whispered, almost overtaken by the noise of the brothers.

"What are you doing?"

Jean smiled and turned his head to them as they both walked up the steps of the stage, "Taking us backstage."

Oh? Backstage? Alone? Well damn, they thought they performed well but not that well, but they're not complaining.

As soon as the two of them got into the wings, the intern was met with another kiss, a deeper kiss than before.

"Baby- Do- are we really gonna do this here? I mean Badabing and-"

Jean cut them off. His hands gripped their arms.

"You didn't do this because of Stacy right?"

And just like that. Mood, gone. Jean had an unparalleled ability to do that. Intern probably wasn't much better. It took them a second to respond.

"That's...a good question actually, I don't...think so?"

He stared at them, his lips pursed.

"You don't...think.. so?"

"Well- I- Okay it's not- I'm not jealous. I swear to god I'm not. I just...I don't know- I guess- I guess I just wanted to prove myself," They looked down, smiling at the stupidity of it all.

He tilted his head in confusion and inched closer.

"Prove yourself of what?"

"To prove to myself that I'm worthy of you?"

Jean sighed, managing a sad smile. His hands slid from their arms to their back, pulling them towards him. A hug. He breathed in the scent of their hair and they breathed in the scent of his shirt.

"You don't have to prove anything, honey, you've already got me," Jean comforted while he rubbed their back.

"I know," They dug their fingers into his shirt, the fabric felt cool compared to how high their body temperature was.

He slid his hands down and hugged their waist and began to shift his weight back and forth. Soon, so did they. Swaying.

Jean kissed the top of their head.

"I love you so much."

They smiled into the crook of his neck, he felt it.

"I love you too." 

[messrsbyler]

here comes a rant about billy so if that's not your cup of tea keep scrolling...

it's crazy to me that a piece of shit like billy hargrove is more liked than jonathan.

if you are one of billy's fans, i don't mean this in a sarcastic or jokingly way, you seriously disgust me. people be out there saying they love max but they also love billy. they love lucas but they also love billy. get. a. fucking. grip.

i'm all about letting people enjoy what they enjoy, but when you idolize a fictional character that's an abuser and a racist, that's just not it. and it's not about "oh i like morally gray characters", because billy's fans don't even acknowledge he is a bad person.

all it took was a five minute scene showing his tragic past and you were okay with everything he did? you know who also had a sucky past? el. and still, she remains a good person. also jonathan byers, with his abusive father and emotionally dependent mother, growing up as his little brother's father figure. both these characters decided to break the cycle of abuse.

having a traumatic past doesn't make you entitled to being an abuser. being a white dude in the 80's doesn't make it okay to being racist. i mean, billy literally threatened max with killing three of her new friends by running them over. he was about to fight and commit a hate crime on a black kid. it was hinted that he physically abused max by the way he grabbed her in the car and how scared max looked. max hated him so much she wished he would die. and yet some people in this fandom love him and have him as their favorite character? tell me you didn't understand shit about the show's theme without telling me you didn't understand shit about the show's theme.

all billy has going for himself is his basic white boy looks and y'all are quick to forgive him and pretend he had his redemption in s3 lmao. him giving his life wasn't a fucking redemption. it doesn't work like that. billy fans really turn a blind eye to everything he did but then go against characters like jonathan for taking those pictures in season one, even when he apologised for it and then showed us he regretted it through actions.

so, yeah. to any billy fans, you really disgust me. i'm sure you don't care about my opinion and that none of this will make it through your thick delusional skull, but if you are the type of people to excuse racism and abuse in fiction, you are only a step away of doing the same in real life.

anyhow. billy sucks.

needless to say, if you like billy in any amount unfollow me right now. i have no interest in having any type of interaction with you.

[medusas-daughter]

https://www.tumblr.com/medusas-daughter/756745829152374784/i-had-to-block-so-many-alicent-stans-bulldozing-my?source=share

"to raise her sons to believe they are better than women simply because they're men."

They live in a patriarchal society, are you seriously going to blame her for being a woman of her time and raising her sons in accordance with the norms of that time? Because yes, in the Middle Ages, a woman is better than a man. Deal with it.

I don't usually answer these and just choose my peace but you caught me in a feisty mood so here we go.

First of all, this isn't the Middle Ages, this is Westeros, it's fictional, it's not real, whatever inspiration GRRM took from real history, Westeros is not real.

Second of all, pleanty of women had actual power in Westeros. Aegon didn't conquer shit on his own, Visenya and Rhaenys were right there and did most of the leg work. Dorne didn't have male primogeniture. The eldest became prince or princess of Dorne. Yes granter not in Westeros, not at the time, but it wasn't such a foreign concept to Westeros people. Half of the seven gods they believe in are in female form. Women weren't second class citizens not allowed to speak or think or act, Westeros isn't inspired by Taliban rule.

Viserys chose his eldest daughter as his heir, all of the Westeros Lords swore their fealty to her, and even after her brothers were born and Viserys had died, half of the Westeros Lords were still loyal to Rhaenyra and to that oath they once swore to her, Lady Arryn fought and won for her right to be the head of the Vale. All of these things happened during those "Middle Ages" you speak of, happened right in front of Alicent's eyes. She had a choice between accepting Rhaenyra as heir during a time where women were publically getting mroe official power or following her father's scheme and usurping her. She could have raised her sons to respect their sister and they would have received high places in court, like most princes and princesses and siblings of royals in medieval and modern times. But she chose to follow her father's ambitions and raise her sons to both despise women and fear their sister. Aegon, canonically, in both book and show, did not want to usurp Rhaenyra; don't get me wrong once he got a taste for power he didn't want to let it go, and once he lost his kids there was no going back; but he did not want it initially. He states in the show that he will not challenge Rhaenyra, and in the book he says "what kind of brother steals his sister's birthright", during those "Middle Ages", he acknowledged that his sister is the rightful heir. But Alicent has to convince him to usurp his sister, and she does that first by instilling paranoia and fear in him that if he doesn't become king Rhaenyra won't allow him to live (as if historically first borns were known to kill their younger siblings to keep their crowns...) and second by raising him and his brothers to intimatelye believe that a man is better/smarter/more capable of ruling than a woman and that a woman in power would ruin the country, just like Otto repeats multiple times.

Just because something has been the norm doesn't make it okay and it doesn't mean it's not possible to change it . If some people are capable of change, others are too. And I will absolutely blame anyone who stands in the way of positive change, whether in fiction or reality. Alicent wasn't the only once who stood in the way of rhaenyra getting her birthright, obviously, but she wasn't innocent in it and I will not spare her of any responsibility or view her as a poor innocent maiden with no agency just because she's a woman.

I don't even hate Alicent as a character, I do blame her for what she did and I pity her for what was done to her and I've acknowledged multiple times that she's a very realistic complex far right women for trump type of character (and if you don't like me saying that, go fight Olivia Cook who has literally described her character the same way this is a very lukewarm take considering the material). But yall green stans are making me hate her out of pure spite.

Istg green stans have got to be the most annoying group of people I have ever had to deal with in this fandom. Do you see me running around green blogs and forcing my opinions down their throat? Go read a fanfic, go rewatch the show, go enjoy your show/media/material the way you want to and leave me the fuck alone. I've blocked so many but they keep coming back. tf

[lylahammar]

Give it to you straight? Well I can’t do much of that cause I’m a lesbian but okay.

Flat out.

Attack on those predators

Zelbosa, is NOT okay.

But, please listen to this, shipping her with Zelda is not okay, Zelda was 16 until the day Urbosa died, and that means she is a MINOR. Urbosa in her diary states that she held Zelda as a baby, and was close friends with her mother the queen who was an adult when she had her daughter, meaning Urbosa was too. Urbosa is an adult, likely in at LEAST her forties, and is also confirmed by the creators to be a stand in mother to her. That also makes this borderline incest. Since this is the case; this ship is both pedophilia, and incest, and a minor legally cannot consent to a relationship with a man adult, that also makes it rape. It is also hugely uncomfortable to have someone raise you and then be in a relationship with them, that doesn’t happen

Look, imagine this. You were held as a baby by an adult woman who played a big role in raising you. You then are a 16 year old who has a MOTHERLY CONNECTION with said woman.

Then people say you should fuck and shit and start shipping you. Pretty disturbing right??

It doesn't matter that they're fictional, that's not an excuse because supporting a minor x adult relationship is still RAPE. A minor cannot consent to ANY relationship with an adult it will always be RAPE.

Anyone who ships Urbosa with Zelda?? That’s not Urbosa buddy. You don’t know shit about who Urbosa is. For one, she is a character from a children’s game and guess what??? Children’s characters don’t fuck!!! Second, Urbosa is a motherly character, and she’s a sweetheart. She doesn’t rape people, and yeah, sex with minors is rape. Third. That’s just. Not Urbosa buddy. Idc what you name her but that piece of shit doesn’t deserve to be compared to Urbosa, it should be put down tbh.

By saying “they’re fictional it doesn’t matter” or “all characters are depicted as 18+”, that is a sorry excuse to “justify” child porn and pedophilia. It doesn’t change the characters, and you still present them as they are in the game. As MINORS. Stating that they’re aged up doesn’t make you any less of a pedo, they’re still minors. Also, if you spend your entire life being raised by someone??? That’s borderline incest. You don’t fuck them. Aging up doesn’t change that.

By shipping this?? You are supporting incest. While Zelda and Urbosa aren’t actually related (still pedophelia btw) it’s still borderline incest as she is explicitly stated to be a stand in MOTHER to her. If you’re one of those FREAKS who thinks incest is qUirKy or HoT. No it’s not. Incest causes genetic defects because it biologically is NOT supposed to happen it isn’t cute or quirky, it is morally wrong and causes harm to both the other person and their offspring if they have any.

If you need an alternative to ship with Urbosa, make an oc for Zelda’s mom!! They were known to be close friend and are a very cute ship

bro I did one shippy drawing in 2018 when I was playing the game for the first time before I realized how much older urbosa was chill

[butterrats]

ATTENTION 2012 TMNT FANBASE I HAVE A PSA

I love 2012 Donnie

I severely dislike 2012 April, one could say I hate her.

I am allowed to have my own opinions on these not-real-people characters because it. Is. A. Cartoon.

No, I am not a misogynist because I hate 2012 April. I actually love literally all five female characters they put in the show except her (Wow writers...) I'm a fucking feminist lesbian. Disliking a female character does not make you a misogynist. I honestly think a lot of her slander is undeserved, but I'd be a goddamn liar if I didn't say I kinda (ok I love it) enjoy participating in it. HOWEVER, I do not think she is a bad person. Is she snippy, rude, entitled, and kinda a brat in my eyes? Yeah, no dip. Do I think she's evil and intentionally trying to seduce every guy she sees into being her man slave? Uh no. I think she's annoying and I dislike her, but I don't want her to burn in hell. I want what I want for every character I see on a show: *clears throat* OWNING UP TO THEIR SHIT AND CHANGING FOR THE BETTER AND NOT BEING A MARY SUE AND MANY OTHER THINGS I DON'T FEEL LIKE GETTING INTO AT 11:30 PM. This goes for literally all the characters on the show. I wanna see Donnie and Casey apologize to April for being weird with her, AND I want April to apologize to them for being weird with them. THEY ALL DESERVED BETTER. They all could have developed amazingly if the writers didn't stick their heads up their asses and spew whatever shit they inhaled onto the script. I have so many other examples of this: I want Splinter to realize the generational trauma he's inflicting on his sons, Karai developing her relationships with all her brothers, Casey going into his backstory, insert other example.

No, I am not encouraging "nice guy" behavior by loving on Donnie. Oh wow, a kid with zero social interaction outside of his three brothers an strict dad gets weirdly obsessed with the first person he develops romantic feelings for? Who could've seen that coming? He should have left her alone when she wanted to be left alone and given her space, yes, but goddamn people, these characters are children. They're always making dumb choices. It's TEENAGE mutant ninja turtles. My boy never once tried to force himself on this girl. Never tried turning her no into a yes. Never wanted her to do anything she wasn't okay with. He's not a "nice guy" or an "incel" or a "stalker" he's a smart boy who made some very dumb choices. So did literally every other character in the goddamn show. You wanna talk creepy? Leo knowingly had the hots for his motherfudging sister but that's a whole 'nother can of worms I ain't touching tonight baby. I just personally think Donnie has so many more redeeming qualities to his character. Honestly, in my opinion, his apology to April was good enough for me. Not perfect by any means, but good enough. Donnie is literally one of the only characters who quickly owns up when he messes up, I think that' worth something considering the characters. Honestly, Donnie is a sweetheart, super smart, sassy, and fun to watch, and I think his qualities outweigh his flaws, unlike how I feel about April. (How I feel about her.)

My morality should not be called into question when I have an opinion on a fictional character for fuck's sake. This franchise is beloved, BELOVE IT. Have your opinions, love April, hate April, love Donnie, hate Donnie, just enjoy yourselves (except you, Tcesters, stay the fuck away from me and my son.) These characters aren't perfect, they're flawed, they're young, they're children. It's not their fault they were written like shit. They're ALL good people at the end of the day.

I hate 2012 April's guts and I love 2012 Donnie to death. But that doesn't mean you have to as well. LOVE YOUR CHARACTERS.

Holy jumping Jesus on a hoagie sandwich why did I waste an hour of my life writing this? I need to get to bed, I have work tomorrow. Anyways, hope this gets to someone who needs it, love yourself, love characters, don't fucking ship siblings, eat your homework, and enjoy your life. Love you <3

[majesticcorn2000]

ok im kinda pissed off and i think everyone should know about it

first of all, im fully aware that verbalase is a huge dickhead. like, no doubt. but all of you are focusing on that amv commission too much instead of him spreading queerphobia self-shipping is nice, nothing wrong with that. why people don't talk about verbalase being a bigot? every post about him i see talks about that animation and how it is very inappropriate due to the fact that he is married or something like that. who fucking cares if he has a wife? who fucking cares about what his wife would say? sorry but it seems like you're projecting. i'm fine if my partner loves a fictional character more than me. i will never be jealous because i know that he loves me no matter what. same goes for him, he is chill about me loving my favorite character more than him. he isn't mad or upset either!! my love for my partner and my love for a character can co-exist!!!!!!! it's ok to be like that!!! this is called "a healthy relationship", good morning!!!!!!!!! and who fucking cares if charlie has a gf? first of all, as far as i know she is bi. second, polyamory exists. and third. the most important. why do you care about it at all??????? are we out of the problems here???????????? people freaking out about spending so much money on that amv are weird. did you know that animation is expensive. if a person can and want to spend so much money on it, it's okay. don't act like you wouldn't like to get a three minutes long animation with your fav character and your self-insert for the love of chirst, talk about verbalase being an asshole to queer people. just because he is a douchebag it doesn't mean you can shit on him for self-shipping. i truly believed that we were trying to kill cringe culture, but looking at how the majority of the internet is acting now proves the opposite. if you think i'm trying to support him here, you're just fucking stupid. all i'm doing here is pointing at you choosing the wrong reason to hate him for, and if your mind can't comprehend this thought, then i don't even know how to explain it in more simple words to you.

[gauchestardust]

uhh... i think i have enough courage to confess something now. if you hate this, feel free to block me.

I'm pro-ship / pro-fiction

umm... okay, feel free to block me for this. but let me explain first. what is being pro-ship?

look, i know most people think it means "problematic shipper", although it doesn't even make sense. PRO means "in favor of", and "ship" means.... well, shipping and making couples.

in other words: you are free to ship what you want. ship and let ship. basically the golden age of fandom where no one judged others for their ships. the most important thing is: have fun!!

i really don't get where the "problematic" thing came from. because in this logic, if you are, for example... pro-democracy or pro-feminism, would the pro mean problematic democracy/feminism? no. the pro means you support it. that's exactly what pro-ship means. it's not an exception.

"oh, but proshippers are into incest, pedophilia and rape!!!!" not all of us are into it, and if someone is, it should he STRICTLY JUST IN FICTION. why? because a fictional character has no feelings, a real person has. i'm pretty sure Remilia Scarlet doesn't give a shit about being shipped with Flandre or Sakuya, because she doesn't exist. now i'm pretty sure the mrs. smith from your school would be VERY uncomfortable if she was shipped with a co-worker or even a student. i wonder why, maybe because she can feel happiness, sadness, anger and other emotions, unlike fiction characters. i'm not the best at wording my sentences but i hope it's understandable 😭😭

and if you're an anti... just block me immediately. antis aren't normal. normal people don't harass people, don't doxx people, don't send rape/death threats, normal people don't tell people to kill themselves, don't invalidate someone's trauma or coping mechanism, don't use such silly names to describe things such as CSEM or SA (for example: cheese pizza or touching), normal people don't bully people to suicide over a drawing. normal people don't do ANY OF THESE. antis think they're morally correct and normal but they aren't. "but i don't do any of this, i just don't feel comfortable with these ships!!" you're a proshipper then!! proshippers aren't forced to feel comfortable with EVERY TROPE. it's called having a squick, an ick! but you should just block and move on. or even better, you should curate your experience on-line. you should black the tags that make you feel uncomfortable, you should not interact with what you hate – it IS that easy.

really, if you're an anti saying someone should be bullied for shipping, you're just like those old moms who say videogames cause violence or something. y'all are EXTREMELY PURITAN.

and if you're into darker themes in fiction such as lolisho, incest, etc; you're a comshipper/darkshipper. you don't use the word "proships", as it isn't a verb, but a stance.

well, you came 'till here? that's nice :) i really hope you understood everything i discussed in this blogpost.

even with this, this blog WILL NOT be used for discussing things like pro-ship / anti-ship discourse; fandom discourse; etc. i already have a blog for this but i'm not comfortable in sharing it publicly.

uhh... if you hate me for this now, it's okay. feel free to block me.... but i'm glad i said all of this #faleitoleve

[katyspersonal]

What are your opinions on our Lord and Savior Gywn?

He didn't save SHIT!! He took the perfectly (?) functioning humanity and ruined it! Look at it, it got Hollowing!!

Okay, I am making the 'Marika is a MILF Gwyn' jokes here and there, but 1) Marika is a bit more of a straight up cold and mean person, all things considered 2) Yet she still has enough nuance, and a lot of her actions might be written on reasonable fears and 3) Gwyn is even MORE nuanced than Marika, from what I have concluded so far! Laurence is a similar kind of sinner too. Comparison of the characters that share a trope is helpful for my thought process, so bear with me a little! With Marika I see a more direct disdain and fear before the very nature of life, cyclic and treacherous, uncontrollable, being meant to perish one day but with new life sprouting from it, and thus doing lovely things like shunning Crucible-related lifeforms. With Laurence, we have enough evidence so far that beasthood was not created by Healing Church but something already lingering in the human code after Pthumerians and Loran, so ambition to seize and control it it was risky but understandable!

But with Gwyn, we are confirmed that human nature itself is dark, undesirable an terrifying, as well as how he sorta had the chance to see it 'in action' during uniting with humans to take war on dragons. And also in Dark Souls the cyclic nature of Ages is just a fact, and it would make sense that should Age of Dark come, he and his family would be the first to go as beings of Light. It is a combination of things: his kind being in true danger and not just "risking to lose power", the treacherourness of how political allyship simply works (your today's ally country against the common enemy could tomorrow ally with someone else to start the war on YOU) and simply the not-so-metaphorical horrors of the Dark itself! is not a speculation, the dangers are RIGHT here!

Gwyn messed the natural order of humanity in a way that I personally dislike and express it on multiple occasions: trying to get rid of what's barbaric and dangerous yet natural and not accepting that there is no light without shadow, or life without death. But I also feel sympathetic because he had a legit reason to fear the darkness within men. In is not as much philosophical but a literal concept in Dark Souls lore. He acted out of fear, backed up with a precedent, and it brought the ruin to himself and everyone else. Writing this I'd say he sorta falls for the type of a person I can only like in fiction but resent in reality. I guess I don't need to explain what kind of people this is, paranoid "but for a valid reason", being "preventive" with their drastic measures.. Good intentions path to hell self-fulfilling prophesy blablabla. His specieism doesn't help his case in the slighest. Ironically, all extremely human behavior of him!

(LOL thank you based Goldmask as usual xddd) At the same time, he is not entirely corrupt with the power he seized and used to strip humanity of what was natural for them; he, in the end, committed to what he believed was better for everyone and sacrificed HIMSELF too. I can respect the cunning and machiavellian person who, in the end, is above the vanity of a 'savior' and can give themselves too, not only others. He also did share his power with some humans, showing that he can take kinda benevolent choices even with those he fears. Yeah, part of calculated risk could be there; dude gave the city and his daughter to the Pygmy to, again, preemptively avoid some animosity. But in the case with the four kings, did he HAVE to? Or Seath for that matter, who is a dragon, another species he doesn't like?

I find it hard to detect 'truly' corrupt people in Soulsborne setting in general, and yeah we can fiddle with 'nuanced character' and 'everyone is morally grey' forever and never discover THE big bad we'd love to hate. But, out of those big bads, I think he deserves the benefit of being seen as a way more nuanced character than the corrupt leader the most! It is the case where he should not have done anything, but also should not have NOT done anything.. Soulsborne is eager with placing characters in a position and knowledge where every choice is wrong and they just pick a poison for themselves (and everyone else xd). Jokes about "haha people in power moment" are still mostly jokes for me. He is sympathetic in a way not like I think I'd have done the same (let's be real, I revel in darkness gfjjghk) but in a way where I understand too much to feel negative 🤔

[xsoulxsilencex]

There is almost something funny in seeing how most people on tumblr are really upset about what Yuamu and Yuga are doing and then I check other places where people are actually happy about what's going on?

One side is angry at Yuga, hates Yuamu's decision, call it bad writing, nonsensical etc. while the other side says stuff like "girl boss Yuamu", "Go Rush is cooking/peak" and "this is what Yuamu's character needed".

Ngl, I'm somewhat in the middle:

I really wouldn't call the recent events as "peak fiction" and I still feel like this is a weird way to involve Yuamu in the arc final + potentially explaining why she's not on the season 3 poster. I don't buy her being Otes at all. At least not the one we saw in Sevens. I don't even really see what would be so great about her being Otes? Like is it only cool because a girl could potentially be the previous show's central antagonist? Also Yuamu empathising with Yuga could've been done better imo. Just saying that the ep where they landed in Goha City as cats was like the "starting point" for her feels random and not really like it was built up properly. At least to me. Also not sure how people seem to easily forget/forgive Yuamu's irrelevance over the season just for what she's doing now. The writers do nothing with her until now and suddenly she's cool again because she sides with Yuga?

But I will also say that I don't hate Yuga for doing what he does. I mean, Yuga experienced what bad shit Monster Reborn caused in his time. He doesn't want a repetition of that. And I think for us it's easy to say "well, screw the future kids, the Velgearians matter more" since they don't exist in GR. They aren't characters we saw interacting with Yudias and co. We got to know the Velgearians so their deaths hit us harder and we want them back since what happened to them was just not fair. But it's not like Yuga is happy about letting the Velgerians stay dead. He would've gladly helped reviving the Velgearians if he knew a way that doesn't involve the use of Monster Reborn. After all, why would he have helped Yudias, given him a deck and duel disk and even dueled at his side if he didn't care at all? Even Yudias and co. don't think he's just evil by doing what he does rn. And well, Yuga is just 13. A 13yo saying he will become the enemy just to save the future is kinda crazy. Yuga actually cares a lot up to the point he wants to solve everything on his own so others don't suffer/get hurt. That's how he was in Sevens too. And ngl, that annoyed me a little even back then. (Luke called him out for that once too) He means well but needs to understand that it's okay to take help. Btw: I've seen people angry at Yuga and Yuamu only caring for the kids and implying that adults are bad? Tbh, I don't think they really believe that since in both, Sevens and Go Rush, we had some adults playing Rush Duel and having fun with it. I think it's more about adults influencing the game so much up to the point it's only fun for them but not the kids anymore. So when Yuga wants dueling back in the hands of children, he probably means that they should have fun too and not just the adults. Maybe he and Yuamu could've phrased it better but I never took it as "kids are cool, adults are evil so RD should just be played by kids".

I still believe that in the end, both the future and the Velgearians can be saved so I don't feel like arguing with any side here. Both make points I can understand but I also feel like some get either over emotional or just blindly call everything awesome.

[ly0nstea]

Zelbosa, is NOT the “woke” or “best” ship. It is NOT okay.

But, please listen to this, shipping her with Zelda is not okay, Zelda was 16 until the day Urbosa died, and that means she is a MINOR. Urbosa in her diary states that she held Zelda as a baby, and was close friends with her mother the queen who was an adult when she had her daughter, meaning Urbosa was too. Urbosa is an adult, likely in at LEAST her forties, and is also confirmed by the creators to be a stand in mother to her. That also makes this borderline incest. Since this is the case; this ship is both pedophilia, and incest, and a minor legally cannot consent to a relationship with a man adult, that also makes it rape. It is also hugely uncomfortable to have someone raise you and then be in a relationship with them, that doesn’t happen

Look, imagine this. You were held as a baby by an adult woman who played a big role in raising you. You then are a 16 year old who has a MOTHERLY CONNECTION with said woman.

Then people say you should fuck and shit and start shipping you. Pretty disturbing right??

It doesn't matter that they're fictional, that's not an excuse because supporting a minor x adult relationship is still RAPE. A minor cannot consent to ANY relationship with an adult it will always be RAPE.

Anyone who ships Urbosa with Zelda?? That’s not Urbosa buddy. You don’t know shit about who Urbosa is. For one, she is a character from a children’s game and guess what??? Children’s characters don’t fuck!!! Second, Urbosa is a motherly character, and she’s a sweetheart. She doesn’t rape people, and yeah, sex with minors is rape. Third. That’s just. Not Urbosa buddy. Idc what you name her but that piece of shit doesn’t deserve to be compared to Urbosa, it should be put down tbh.

By saying “they’re fictional it doesn’t matter” or “all characters are depicted as 18+”, that is a sorry excuse to “justify” child porn and pedophilia. It doesn’t change the characters, and you still present them as they are in the game. As MINORS. Stating that they’re aged up doesn’t make you any less of a pedo, they’re still minors. Also, if you spend your entire life being raised by someone??? That’s borderline incest. You don’t fuck them. Aging up doesn’t change that.

By shipping this?? You are supporting incest. While Zelda and Urbosa aren’t actually related (still pedophelia btw) it’s still borderline incest as she is explicitly stated to be a stand in MOTHER to her. If you’re one of those FREAKS who thinks incest is qUirKy or HoT. No it’s not. Incest causes genetic defects because it biologically is NOT supposed to happen it isn’t cute or quirky, it is morally wrong and causes harm to both the other person and their offspring if they have any.

If you need an alternative to ship with Urbosa, make an oc for Zelda’s mom!! They were known to be close friend and are a very cute ship

Argue with my mommy issues and projection onto zelda lil bro i aint readin allat

You're just making shit up in your head to get mad at 😭😭

[princessefemmelesbian]

Do any other femme lesbians ever feel excluded or distanced from femininity compared to straight/bisexual women because so much of it is revolved around liking boys?

Because I sure do and I don't think it's talked about enough. Like whenever I see something talking about a girl or woman or fictional female character being feminine/girly(or just the concept of being feminine in general) and they list liking boys or being obsessed with boys as an example of their "girliness", yk the posts, like when they say something like "just because a girl likes pink and dresses and makeup and jewelry and BOYS doesn't mean she's weak!" it's like "yk I would agree with you because I'm tired of being told that my girliness makes me weak but then you had to go and exclude every feminine lesbian just like that" and I immediately tune out.

At this point I won't be liking or reblogging any post, no matter how well-intentioned, that goes "she's such a girly girl who likes fashion and shopping and BOYS/is totally boy-crazy/obsessed with her favorite boy band" because news flash you can do all of that shit without giving a shit about boys. I sure don't. Even if the character is like that it's like "okay but liking boys isn't part of what makes her feminine, I need y'all to realize that". I think stuff like this adds to why femme/feminine lesbians are never believed or taken seriously because of our appearances/presentations/interests, people literally see femininity as conformance and adhering to the cisheteropatriarchy and it shows here, the fact that femininity is associated with liking boys so much(which is quite ironic don't you think???), as if EVERYTHING WE DO IS FOR BOYS, is that deeply entrenched and idk it's fucking sad and maddening as all hell. Like look at me and fucking tell me...do you really think that I dress like this for boys? Think again.

And yet in the goddamn 21st century I still fucking see people say that a girl/woman can't be a lesbian because she likes feminine things, or that femme lesbians "look just like straight girls, you'd never know they were gay teehee" as if we want men to think they have a chance with us, as if our identity is connected with men and attraction to them in any way when this is the exact OPPOSITE of what we want and are(and besides is there even a way to "look" like you like men anyway? losers). This tight association with femininity/liking boys inherently excludes femme lesbians because we don't fit the mold. That's why I won't stand for anyone saying this shit about us because our identities are inherently revolutionary and contrary to the norm. Please just don't forget that femme lesbians exist when you make your "girly girl positivity" posts or whatever. Or act like all feminine girls are automatically attracted to men or that boys are someway somehow an inherent part of femininity, it's an incredibly limited and inaccurate depiction.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

reading updates: october 2023

hi everybody!!! things (by which I mean everything) have been a little bit hectic lately (by which I mean it feels like everything is one fire 100% of the time), which I guess explains why I'm late posting this AND why I only finished four books in all of October.

I would be very sad about this if the number of books I read had any correlation to my value as a person, but luckily it doesn't! so I don't give a shit, I am literally just vibing and trying to have a good time reading my silly little stories. here's a book report about it.

what I've been reading:

The Goblin Emperor (Katherine Addison, 2014) - okay, so picture this: you're the fucking elf king's least favorite son. you're not a bastard, but he didn't love your mom and after she died he basically banished you to a miserable little estate in bumfuck nowhere with no one but your abusive older cousin for company. probably he was going to leave you out there forever and hope that you would die quietly so no one would ever have to remember you existed. (un)fortunately, your shitty dad and all of his male heirs just died in a blimp accident and now you're the emperor. GOOD LUCK. this book is political fantasy of the highest order, with loads of machinations and intrigue and chewy worldbuilding interspersed with genuinely sweet moments between characters as one very good boy befriends his way to power. blah blah empires are inherently evil, obviously yes but this is a made up empire with 0 real consequences and Maia is my little dude. the only way I could love him more would be if he'd just nutted up and kissed his boy secretary on the mouth.

Happy Hour (Marlowe Granados, 2020) - I kept seeing this book enthusiastically as kind of a light fizzy funtime celebrating being young and free and running around New York City with no plans, and man... that was not my experience! Isa and Gala are maybe the most stressful girls I've ever encountered in fiction: perpetually broke and hungry, absolutely lacking in direction or ambition, always ricocheting listlessly from one situation to another in search of a good time and mostly only discovering disappointment, I need these girlies to get their lives together for my sake as a reader. there's one scene in particular where Isa is crashing with some disgustingly wealthy friends at the beach and keeps getting callously dismissed while sweating profusely and trying to figure out how she's going to convince them to keep paying for her food and it was so visceral that I developed a second, worse anxiety disorder because of it. Granados' writing is stylish, to be sure, but drama was not worth it for me.

The Magpie Lord (KJ Charles, 2013) - this historical fantasy romance is quick, dynamic, and horny. I can't actually say that I'm particularly charmed by the quality of the writing, which is there to hurtle you at warp speed between scenes of homoeroticism and bald exposition about magic, but I do admire Charles' panache. the book opens on a rather gruesome scene of our protagonist, Lord Crane, attempting to slit his own wrist; it quickly becomes clear that this isn't because he's genuinely suicidal, but because he's been cursed by persons unknown in an attempt to drive him to ruin. enter Stephen Day, a magic practitioner who hated Crane's deceased father and brother but is determined to help him all the same. some plot happens, but also a lot of flirting and (spoilers) sex that comes with an actual power-up for Stephen due to the wonders of blood magic. a pulpy good-time all around, and short enough that it doesn't overstay its welcome.

The Fervor (Alma Katsu, 2022) - The Fervor is a historical horror with a tantalizing premise: in the 1940s, Japanese demons begin to manifest inside of an Idaho internment camp for Japanese-Americans, adding a swirl of the supernatural to a situation that's already rife with mundane horrors. the actual execution is... lacking. Katsu's prose is blunt at best; when I call it "unsubtle" I don't mean the way some racist might mean when they inevitably go on a ramble about how Katsu beats her readers over the head with how racism is bad. racism is bad, duh, and it's hardly unrealistic to emphasize the fear and hatred that dogged the lives of Japanese-Americans during WW2. when I say this book is unsubtle I mean Katsu approaches each chapter like her readers have maybe forgotten everything they read leading up to that moment; you will be reminded frequently of characters' names, relationships, and straightforward motivations. and yet, somehow, the actual plot is still pretty murky. much is hinted at in the protagonist's past in Japan, then never actually elucidated, a main POV character falls clean out of the plot without resolution just before the climax, I still don't know what was up with those goddamn demon spiders. disappointing!

there was also one very specific, GLARING thing in the ending of The Fervor that I did not care for in the slightest, but that's tucked away on my Patreon in the monthly hater post. pay me if you want to hear about some CRAZY copaganda!