#sarah fox my beloved

[cubile-animussy]

MBAV

[xx-completely-in-ur-car-xx-blog]

MBAV Villain Posters VIII— Blood Drive

The vampire nurses were definitely a lesbian power couple, right?

[my-babysitters-a-lesbian]

piercings i think the fang troupe would get

ethan would go in to get something simple like his ears and then see the needle and faint, resulting in getting dragged out by benny. Later on he gets yelled at because “What the hell dude?! We were supposed to get piercings together and you faint on me? Not cool.” The second time he goes he’s become more tolerant to needles and gets his lobes done. 

benny goes in to get his lobes done with ethan, but he faints before they get anything done and he’s pissed. The second time he goes without ethan (rightfully) and gets his lobes done. It hurts so bad benny thinks he leaves this plane of existence and only gets one side pierced. He decides to take it out a couple days later because he thinks he looks stupid with only one side done.

sarah goes with erica her first time but she’s hesitant. she gets a belly button piercing per erica’s request. She loves it and a few months later asks erica if they can go get more. Obviously erica says yes and she gets her nostril done with a stud jewelry in.

erica. loves. piercings. The first one she gets is a smiley and she falls in love with the art. Not too long after she goes in to get her eyebrow pierced and loves it even more. The next time she brings sarah and erica gets an industrial. When sarah asks to go again she’s ecstatic and gets her belly button done like sarah previously had.

rory gets his snake bites done and it was the only thing he talked about for months after. Afterwards he tried to pierce his own septum and it went horribly wrong and ended with a needle in his eye. When he came to his senses he went to go get it done professionally and he was happy with the result of that. 

[stagefoureddiediaz]

WITH FURTHER INVESTIGATION (I am so sorry for the millions of asks as I go through my thinking process 🤣🤣🤣) the tiny bit of dress you can see behind the camera looks a lot like the fabric Tracie is wearing in that one bts with aisha which means KAREN 😍😍😍😍😍😍 (and a parallel to the scene in 3x1 👀 parallels my beloved 😍🥰🥰🥰)

Sarah

I still love you and your spam attack on my inbox 😘

and yes the 3x1 parallels are strong and a bit insane - I am vibrating at the potential of this scene and what we might get (I've got my fingers crossed that Karen might give Buck some inadvertent advice about family etc which will resonate with him - she is after all the wisest of the extended firefam - maybe not straight away, but something he might come back to a bit later on when stuff starts adding up and making sense for him!)

anyway I waffled on in another post I tagged you in about this scene and the 3x01 paralllels so hopefully you'll scream about it again 😂

💜💜💜

[frozenfirecats]

Pirate101 ask Meme!!!

Questions 1, 2, 4, 5, 6,7, 9, 10, 12, 18,27, 28, 34, 38, and 41!!!

oh man that's a lot of questions, ok lets go

1 - Favorite crew member/companion?

bonnie anne my beloved. she’s so cool I wish foxes were real.

2 - Favorite world?

marleybone. the aesthetics and music go hard and the story peaks here

4 - What is your favorite class to play as and why?

musketeer for soloing cause it's the easiest imo and also the most fun, privateer for group play cause I like playing support

5 - What are the backstories for your Pirate? (Parents' death, where were they trained, Etc.)

Esmee: armada/skull island. Grew up among the rats in the sewers, having to steal what she could to get by, leading to her being quite adept at sneaking and using daggers. Strongly despises the Armada since she lost her parents to them, so she tends to be a lot more reckless whenever in a battle against clockworks.

Remmy: storm/marleybone. Was aboard a ship with his parents and sister, Maeve, when a storm struck. His parents died in the storm while he and Maeve where separated. After which, he was found by a Marleybonian ship and the dogs took him in. He grew up in Marleybone training to be a privateer but eventually found ranged weapons to be more to his liking. Was aboard a cargo ship tranporting weapons to Port Regal when he got captured in ambush by the Armada, and met Esmee that way.

Brynn: lost/marleybone. AU character of my ice wiz Brynn, just thought it would be fun to have her as a pirate so yeah no backstory.

Flint: mutiny/mooshu. haven't really worked out a backstory for him, this is just what it says in game. Will likely be change once I develope him more.

Maeve: squid/krokotopia. As mentioned earlier, she is Remmy's sister who was seperated in a storm (that a squid may or may have not been present in idk yet). Ended up in Krok where she learned magic.

6 - Who is your LEAST favorite crew member/companion and why?

wing chun, his voice and personality is a bit grating. idk I don’t really hate any of the mainline companions, and most of the non-story ones aren’t memorable and are lackluster combat-wise so they all meld together, so again I don’t have strong negative feelings towards any one in particular.

7 - How many Pirates do you have?

six, have five maxed out, the sixth was actually my first pirate I made, a musketeer named Ingrid, but I didn't make it that far into the tutorial before stopping. Later I made Esmee and it was then I got super into the game. I don't plan on questing with Ingrid anytime but I don't really feel like deleting her so she's just kinda there

9 - Any headcanons for your crew?

uuuuhhhheeeeuguh i got nothing sorry

10 - What does your flag look like? What are your crew colors?

Esmee

Remmy

Brynn

Flint

Maeve (hopefully I stay settled on this one instead of changing it a fifty more times)

12 - Do you headcanon anyone as LGBTQIA+? If so, who?

yeah I got a few. Bonnie: Lesbian, Ratbeard: gay, Toro: bi, Gracie: aro/ace, Sarah: lesbian. I would include Catbeard but that's canon now so.

as for my pirates, Esmee: ace, Remmy: bi, Brynn: pan, Maeve: trans mtf.

Flint is the token straight who's on thin ice

18 - Opinions on Cool Ranch?

love Cool Ranch. Visually it's gorgeous and the music absolutely slaps, however some parts of it drag and I don't like having to choose between wearing something culturally offensive or having shitty stats for my witchdoctor.

27 - Is there anything you wish was in the game? (Crafting? Fishing?)

tbh I find crafting really annoying in wiz so I hope it never comes to pirate. But I would love to see events akin to wiz's lost pages/five boxes. Especially five boxes I would love to see pirate get its own version of that.

28 - How long have you been playing Pirate101?

at least 3 years, can't remember exactly when I started

34 - What are the hardest and easiest parts of the game to play for you?

easiest is pretty much everything up until Cool Ranch, which is where the difficulty starts to ramp up. hardest is definitely the new updates, Tartarus and Wheeler especially.

38 - Is there anything you hope for in a future update(s)? What would you like to see?

would really love to go to Albion sometime. as for features, pretty much stuff we already have in wiz like character name/appearance changing, option to hide quests, and setting a minimum player requirement for team up, and please for the love of all that is holy give us the option to trash doubloons

41 - How did you first discover Pirate101? (Commercial, a friend, fanart, etc.) What inspired you to play?

kind of always knew about it through wiz, wasn't until around 2020/2021ish that I got interested in playing

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🌸 Queer Books for AAPI Heritage Month

✨ Good evening, my beloved bookish bats! AAPI Month, celebrating the rich histories and cultures of Asian American and Pacific Islanders, isn't over! Here are a few books for AAPI Month you can add to your ever-growing TBR stack!

❓How are you spending the long weekend and what are you reading?

✨ Young Adult ✨ 🌸 Rana Joon and the One & Only Now - Shideh Etaat @shidehetaat ❤ Forget Me Not - Alyson Derrick @whoisalysonanyway 🌸 Firebird - Sunmi @sunmi_comics ❤ Catfish Rolling - Clara Kumagai @clarakiyoko 🌸 A Bánh Mì for Two - Trinity Nguyen @thetrinitytran ❤ Wish You Weren't Here - Erin Baldwin @erinbwrites 🌸 True Love and Other Impossible Odds - Christina Li @christinaliwrites ❤ The Breakup Lists - Adib Khorram @adibkhorram 🌸 What a Desi Girl Wants - Sabina Khan @sabina_writer ❤ All the Yellow Suns - Malavika Kannan @malavika.kannan 🌸 Gorgeous Gruesome Faces - Linda Cheng @lychengwrites ❤ Kwen - Vichet Chum @vichetchum 🌸 Just Happy To Be Here - Naomi Kanakia @naomikanakia ❤ The Fox Maidens - Robin Ha @robinhaart 🌸 Gay the Pray Away - Natalie Naudus @natalienaudus ❤ The Dark We Know - Wen-Yi Lee @wenyilee_ 🌸 Fake Dates and Mooncakes - Sher Lee @sherleeauthor ❤ They Bloom at Night - Trang Thanh Tran @nvtran_ 🌸 I Will Find You Again - Sarah Lyu @sarahlyu ❤ She Is a Haunting - Trang Thanh Tran @nvtran_ 🌸 The Dark Becomes Here - Judy I. Lin @judyilinauthor ❤ Chasing Pacquiao - Rod Pulido @rodapulido 🌸 Girls Like Girls - Hayley Kiyoko @hayleykiyoko ❤ Only This Beautiful Moment - Abdi Nazemian @abdaddy

✨ Adult ✨ 🌸 Flux - Jinwoo Chong @jinwoochong ❤ Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion - Bushra Rehman @writerbushra 🌸 Your Driver is Waiting - Priya Guns @priya.guns ❤ Chlorine - Jade Song @jadessong / @chlorinenovel 🌸 Medusa of the Roses - Navid Sinaki @navidsinaki ❤ The Brides of High Hill - Nghi Vo @nghivowriting 🌸 I Will Greet the Sun Again - Khashayar J. Khabushani ❤ Exhibit - R.O. Kwon @ro.kwon 🌸 Greta & Valdin - Rebecca K. Reilly @edeka.k.reilly ❤ Your Love is Not Good Enough - Johanna Hedva @bighedva 🌸 The Emperor and the Endless Palace - Justinian Huang @justinianhuang ❤ Cinema Love - Jiaming Tang @ajiamingtang

[anincompletelist]

get to know me tag! :D

OKAY @bigassbowlingballhead I am combining your tag with the ones from @littlemisskittentoes and @read-and-write- even though those were SO LONG AGO NOW but I realized I haven't ever really posted much about myself on here (unless you've followed me over from @soldouthaz ) sooooo HERE IS THAT? <3 thanks for the tags friends I loved reading about y'all!

First Set

Last Song: JAPANESE WHISKEY by Ruel

Last Film: No Hard Feelings jshdkjshd

Currently Reading:

the books sitting beside my laptop right now are:

- War of the Foxes / Richard Siken - Letters to Father / Franz Kafka - Time is a Mother / Ocean Vuong - On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous / Ocean Vuong - Devotions / Mary Oliver - The Cinnamon Peeler / Michael Ondaatje - Little Weirds / Jenny Slate

and fic-wise:

- I am hoping to finish the newest chapter of a sea of hope by acastle tonight - I just read A Thing of Beauty by @orchidscript last night (was wonderful!) - and I just compiled a list of all my January favorites here !

Currently Watching: The Bear is the next one up on my watch list if I ever manage to get around to it! love ayo so much!

Currently Consuming: a large diet coke from sonic skjhdkshd my beloved <3

Currently Craving: a cinnamon roll?

Three ships:

Firstprince

Sterek

I used to write Larry so I guess that counts? skjdhsdjkh

First Ship: oh gosh, I think sterek, but also technically Eddie and Loren from a show called Hollywood Heights when I was in middle school skjdhkjshd

+

Second Set

Were You Named After Anyone?

yes! the story of Sarah in the Old Testament of the Bible! she was described as faithful, loving, caring, stubborn (ha), and loyal, and also ties into my adoption story :)

When Was The Last Time You Cried?

oh gosh, several days ago, I think? it was my birthday skhdkjshd (no further explanation needed)

Do You Have Kids?

I do not, although I am the certified and confirmed 'Mom Friend'

What Sport Do/Have You You Played?

no <3

Do You Use Sarcasm?

not typically unless it's with someone I am very comfortable with. I work in a lot of mental health conscious areas and am studying to be a therapist so I try not to use any type of humor that could be negatively interpreted!

What's The First Thing You Notice About Other People?

usually body language! I'd say I pick up on energy fairly well, so that too, if applicable.

What's Your Eye Color?

blue! (surprise I am Henry)

Scary Movies or Happy Endings?

cannot watch scary movies, I have far too much anxiety in general to have a need to induce it intentionally jshdkjhs. it doesn't have to be a happy ending though, so long as the theme/lessons are well done. I adore digging into films and picking apart all of the layers and symbolism, so anything with some emotional weight is right up my alley! but I enjoy a bit of everything :)

Any Talents?

I'm a photographer both as a job and as a hobby, and I work part time as a makeup artist as well! I enjoy writing in my free time (obviously) and I like painting and drawing, although I definitely wouldn't consider myself very talented in those areas skjdhksd. honestly anything creative I will try and probably enjoy!

Where Where You Born?

Texas (I am Alex actually)

What Are Your Hobbies?

I touched on it earlier but photography, makeup, reading/writing, anything creative and anything psych related pretty much!

Do You Have Any Pets?

I have three! all dogs, two chihuahuas and a dachshund :)

How Tall Are You?

5'5? (I have been telling people my entire life I'm 5'7 and at my last doctor's visit they informed me that I was a liar!)

Favorite Subject in School?

english and psych!

Dream Job?

any place I can help people. I would love to be involved in a cause larger than myself while also getting to do something I'm passionate about, so anything from an english teacher to an editor to a therapist to volunteer work!

+

open tag to anyone who would like to share! <3

xx

[spacesurfing]

Ma'am, may I please get a crumb of Luke fic 🥺 (maybe even a Dark Prince Luke fic?)

YES! YES YOU MAY! I HAVE MISSED WRITING SPECIFICALLY LUKE SO MUCH!!

•--•

The Redress

Imperial Prince!Luke Skywalker x Reader Fluff

Summary: Your past wedding wasn't enough for him, the way it happened and the scene you were in. He needed more, he wanted you to have more.

Warnings: fluffff, suggestive tone in one piece of dialogue

GIF NOT MINE!!

•--•

"What's troubling you?" you asked, placing your fork down, handle against the edge of your plate with pasta still rolled around the bottom of the forked edges.

Your dress billowed off your arms, the close to transparent fabric dyed a deep, royal blue, same as the ones that flowed over the black silk underneath it, torso a solid black color with embroidered golden edges.

Luke had handpicked your gown, chose the restaurant you sat at accordingly to you, the prettiest scenery in the open air balcony. And he picked the prettiest place to stay, a cottage in his family name, two stories tall and cozy. It was secure in the woods alone, forests only packed with deer, wild foxes, birds, tame animals.

The lush forest of Batuu, accompanied with a village outside of the secluded foliage helped him finalize his idea. He knew the way you were, the way you wanted cozy and quiet, but not completely alone. Much different from his father, he learned to respect your never-ending want to see life and watch things, and others, grow.

You were the soft part of the Empire, as his dad put it. But everything evil had a soft spot. And everything Luke was made of didn't allow him to hide his own - being you.

He sighed and planted his elbow on the table, resting his cleft chin on his hand and let his index finger run across the scar that trailed over his lips. A bad habit he developed when he got nervous.

"I want to speak to you about something. It's very last minute, and you might not be ready for something like this and-"

You interrupted him, "Did the Emperor want a heir already?"

"I- No!" Luke said, blushing intensely, something you didn't see too often, "No, I want to.. correct our wedding. I want to do it our way. Well- technically it would be my way but you've spoken about your ideal wedding before. I just want you to be happy with it. Happier."

You looked at him with pure shock. You'd remembered the pain that went through your heart one day when your mind started running a million miles and hour. And when Luke had sensed it, sniffed it out and hunted you down to ask what could be wrong, you'd confessed to him. You confessed that you wanted something more real, where you could actually feel the wind billow in your hair and your dress. And so you could feel like you weren't being watched.

You wanted it to be you and him. In a secluded place with high trees and friendly animals and plants surrounding you. You told him you wanted something beautiful, something original. And he would do anything to make his beloved princess happy.

And he had just made you so happy, knowing that the event would be happening soon. Knowing that he meant this place. It was mid-day, and maybe that's why he had taken you to eat so early on. Everyone would be settling in a few hours, leaving the trees near your cottage alone for good that day.

You had never interrogated Luke on who he talked to, but you should've known when you'd overheard him ask for Sarah, the woman who ran all of your wardrobe decisions with yourself and Luke included, that he had a plan unfolding.

Your heart skipped a beat. Of course Luke listened to you, you should've known he would. He never settled for hearing you say you wanted something. He would only settle if you had it. His determination made you soften inside.

"Really? When is it? Is it soon?" you asked, face lit up with interest, watching your whole self begin to smile.

Luke laughed at the way your eyes locked onto his own, watching him like he created every planet, every sun and every moon. Like he created every star and starship in the sky.

"When do you want it to happen, we are here for a few days, you can have control over our plans from here on, my dove," he spoke evenly, lifting his head from his hand and letting it rest on the table, waiting for yours to rest intertwined with his own.

You rested your hand in his and watched your grin become contagious.

"Would you- Can we do it today? Would you want to do it today?" you asked, hoping that if he were to say anything, it would not be a no. Your heart took a pause before you saw something flicker in his crystalline blue eyes, spiked deeper shades in the irises.

His eyes had softened, "I was hoping you would say something like that."

His hand reached up to brush hair behind your ear, running the side of his finger over the cartilage and flitting over your jawline, "Maker, I will forever muse over how gorgeous you are. When they told me about you, how you were the most beautiful girl on Tatooine I almost laughed because I didn't think it was possible. And when I saw you, I wanted to laugh harder because you were the most beautiful girl in the galaxy. It was ridiculous how they could undermine your beauty."

You felt your cheeks start to hurt, so tensed from the smile that you couldn't seem to swipe away. You wished there was a way to describe how it felt like you were swallowing down your pulse, how your head felt like it was being turned inside out , wrung out like a wash-cloth. And the way your muscles seemed to warm with a want to reach over and kiss him.

You kissed his finger, grabbing his hand to kiss each and every one of them. Fading into reality, you looked around the empty balcony before resuming to your food, flashing your lover a quick smile.

And once again. It was a contagious smile.

•--•

You slipped the dress on, your gut clenching with guilt at the fact that outside, the dress could collect dirt from the hardened ground. But when you called to Luke to tell him that, he only brushed off your concern and assured you that the Empire has cleaned worse.

You had flats on, easier to walk in. And seeing them didn't matter much because Luke would be the only eyes. You had left your hair down, treating it a way you so pleased. And then you took a moment, looking at yourself in the full-body mirror set in the cottage. You looked... gorgeous, even to yourself. You felt tears well up in your eyes and you felt the urge to rush to Luke, who was outside the door.

How many times had you truly felt this... pretty? You can't recall, all you can recall is the fact that you hadn't felt this way in that cold, holoprojected room with its holoprojected walls and its holoprojected wind.

You hated being in that room, where Vader could watch his son get married to a bride from a planet that he used to reside. In the place that wasn't truly real, just a video on a wall. You didn't want to pretend to get married on that stone ledge on Naboo. You wanted to get married here, alone with your lover.

You stepped outside into the pouring rays of light. Planets seemed the brightest when the sun was setting, pulled streaks of yellow bursting through the trees like they had something to say to you. And they must've been speaking to Luke. Because when you turned your head to him, he almost looked entranced.

You see the gold light flashing over his back, wrapping him in this warm glow that you'd never seen him in. And he's gorgeous. He's so fucking gorgeous, awestruck like he was watching a goddess float down from the heavens above, bringing this halo down with her. And the halo hugged him, wrapping around his waist and his arms and embracing his legs like they begged to be worshipped. The way his scar was brightened, in the shadow but still clearer than it's ever been. It made him even more the handsome.

How was he allowed to be so perfect? How was he allowed to love you when his flaws made him even more perfect?

You made your way towards him without even commanding your feet to move, body begging you to touch him, see him up close, make sure he was real.

"Y/n," he spoke, voice cracking off at the end. Luke wasn't one to say your name a lot, he loved the pet names that he gave you and he loved the way you reacted to them with warmth.

His eyes sparkled with the call of your name, shining this bright blue that seemed like it could cut glass, scar others. But to you, oh to you they traced the contours of your face with their sharp edges. They shred your hair into the tiny strands they were and watch it flow with grace. Luke's eyes were shallow pools, ones that narrowed into a lake when his enemies threatened him.

And to him, you were the hard push of winds, shoving sand at him. Only when you were with him did that blue become so shallow, collect so much surface.

You neared him, smiling so widely, grabbing him by the forearms. The texture of his sleeves underneath your finger reminded you of his status. Of how important he truly was. Yes, he had always been important to you, but he was important to so many more people. He was important to his father, to his legacy, to the Empire.

But in his eyes, you only saw your own reflection.

"Luke," you slid your hands down his arms, gliding over the delicate cuffs and clutched his hands in yours. You felt bare skin against your own, a fact that made you beam with joy. His fingernails were cut down and manicured, hands smooth even through all the callouses that the lightsaber hilt should have applied.

"You look gorgeous," he whispered. His voice was gentle, like you'd disappear if his tone had raised. You left out an equally as gentle laugh puff out of your lungs, feeling your face warm at his compliment. He had never failed at making you blush.

You opened your eyes, seeing his cheeks dusted pink, scar crinkling with his skin as he let his smile shine, straight teeth blaring the color white.

You leaned in, kissing the cleft in his chin twice, looking up at him from such a close angle almost didn't allow you to see him through your eyelashes at all. But you knew that this was the reason. The reason why you loved him so much because of this close perspective of the man you had already married so many months ago. He was someone that brought genuine safety to you, even when he was angry he always made you feel comfortable. When you were this close, being able to inhale his exhales, you knew you could truly never be safer. He was where you belonged and felt comfortable with.

"I swear to you, my whole lifeline, my star that shines through the night, that if there was another life that I couldn't live with you, I'd hate it. You are what I fight to keep, what I fight to protect. As... cruel as it may sound, to me there are no lives I fight for if they aren't your own. If anything were to happen to you, I do not know what I would do," he spoke, holding your hands tightly, "My future is clear to me where we stand. If anything were to happen, if you wanted something more, or something less, I'd leave the Empire to give that life to you. If you begged me to stay here, or to not return to the Death Star, I wouldn't deny you."

You leaned up to press your forehead to his. His hair tickled you, a fresh smile on your face.

"Oh Luke," you said. He opened his eyes, looking at you with something like childish wonder. The way you said his name so softly always sent him spiraling.

"I had often heard your name on Tattooine. It was a small town where a lot of word got around. Divorces, marriages, pregnancies, new hires, it always spread fast. And the Empire spread faster. When they had said that the Emperor found his son, that he was handsome and powerful, all the girls gushed over you. And I'll admit, I was jealous I would never be able to grab your attention like they could have."

Luke pressed a kiss to your lips, "I assure you, you outshine every face I've seen."

You giggled, "But- But I remember when that hysteria went away and everyone started looking at the people around them. I was with this boy, and he treated me the best someone could get on that sandy planet; he apologized when he felt like it, he left when he wanted to and he argued with me only to shut down every opinion I had. And I thought that's how life was meant to be. I thought that loving meant to listen and wait. But you've made me realize- there is so much more. You are so much more than I ever could have wanted. I love you, Luke Skywalker. I love you."

Your prince, ever so stoic, ever so elegant. Ever so respected. Yet he melted in your hands, at your words. He removed his hands from yours and planted them on your face before kissing you passionately, lips molding in a kiss so fervent that the ground around you wanted to shake.

I love you. His response echoed through the caverns of you mind.

•--•

Masterlist

[musingsofmonica]

February 2024 Diverse Read

February 2024 Diverse Reads:

•”My Beloved Life” by Amitava Kumar, February 27, Knopf Publishing Group, Historical/Literary/World Literature/India

•”Whiskey Tender: A Memoir” by Deborah Taffa, February 27, Harper, Personal Memoirs/Women/Cultural, Ethnic & Regional/Native American & Aboriginal

•”I Love You So Much It's Killing Us Both” by Mariah Stovall, February 13, Soft Skull, Contemporary/Coming of Age/Friendship/African American/Women

•”Private Equity: A Memoir” by Carrie Sun, February 13, Penguin Press, Personal Memoirs/Women in Business/Business/Finance/Wealth Management/Investments & Securities

•”Village in the Dark” by Iris Yamashita, February 13, Berkley Books, Mystery & Detective/Police Procedural/Thriller/Suspense/Women

•”Redwood Court” by Délana R. a. Dameron, February 06, Dial Press, Literary/Coming of Age/Women/African American/Southern

•”Wandering Stars” by Tommy Orange, February 27, Knopf Publishing Group, Literary/Cultural Heritage/Native American & Aboriginal

•Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop

Hwang Bo-Reum & Shanna Tan (Translator), February 20, Bloomsbury Publishing, Contemporary/City Life/World Literature/Korea

•”Dreaming of Ramadi in Detroit: Essays

Aisha Sabatini Sloan, February 20, Graywolf, Essays/Cultural, Ethnic & Regional/African American & Black/LGBT/Anthropology/Cultural & Social

•”The Things We Didn't Know” by Elba Iris Pérez, February 06, Gallery Books, Literary/Coming of Age/World Literature/Puerto Rico/20th Century

•“The Fox Maidens” by Robin Ha, February 13, Harperalley, Comics & Graphic Novels/Historical/Fairy Tales/Folklore/Legends & Mythology Fantasy/Romance/LGBT/World Literature/Korea

•”Hope Ablaze” by Sarah Mughal Rana, February 27, Wednesday Books, Magical Realism, Poetry/Religious/Muslim/Social Themes - Activism & Social Justice

•“ASAP” by Axie Oh, February 06, Harperteen, YA/Romance/Contemporary/Coming of Age/Asian American

•”Smoke and Ashes: Opium's Hidden Histories” by Amitav Ghosh, February 13, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Nonfiction/Historical/Travelogue/Memoir/Family History/Essay in History/Globalism/Capitalism

•”Fathomfolk” by Eliza Chan, February 27, Orbit, Fantasy/Action & Adventure/Dragons & Mythical Creatures/East Asian Mythology 

•”Ours” by Phillip B. Williams, February 20, Viking, Literary/Historical/African American/Magical Realism

•”Neighbors and Other Stories” by Diane Oliver, February 13, Grove Press, Short Stories/Literary/Historical/African American & Black

•”Greta & Valdin” by Rebecca K. Reilly, February 06, Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, Literary/Romcom/Family Life/LGBT/Cultural Heritage/World Literature/New Zealand/Cultural, Ethnic & Regional/Russian-Maori-Catalonian/Indigenous/Polynesian 

•”The American Daughters” by Maurice Carlos Ruffin, February 27, One World, Historical/Civil War Era/Saga/African American/Women

•”My Side of the River: A Memoir” by Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez, January 13, St. Martin's Press, Personal Memoirs/Cultural, Ethnic & Regional/Hispanic & Latino/Public Policy - Immigration

[cubile-animussy]

every time i watched this scene i thought she was referring to some kind of vampire tax the council put on fledglings but i'm just now realizing she was probably just talking about having to purchase a plane ticket 😭

[nikethestatue]

The smartest decision for SJM would be to make a trio between JurianxvassaxLucien.

One of the things that criticize Sarah the most is the lack of diversity in her stories, the criticism was so much that many of us think that Mor is only bi due to the pressure of the masses, in the same way in ACOWAR "convenientemente" fue introducido Helion (who fucks everything that moves) and Thesan the only gay HL Yes, I know that they had already been named and shown in ACOTAR, but it was only until then that we learned about their sexual/emotional preferences.🤷🏽‍♀️

So it's the smartest way to deal with that criticism by showing a beloved character like Lucien in a polyamorous relationship (plus the woman seems to be obsessed with the idea of ​​threesomes).

So my thought on this is that there is definitely a lot of reluctance from mainstream published authors to go somewhere which is 'controversial'.

Look at the backlash that JLA received over Poppy/Casteel/Kieran hookup. Of course there is a lot of 'it didn't make sense narratively!' complaints--but, apparently, it made sense to the author, and that's where she wanted to take the story, but people were very unhappy about it. What's more, there is always a loud crowd of those who come after authors and say that they didn't write something 'correctly'. As in 'that's not how this ____ group of people behaves!' You can fill in the blank with whatever group is being depicted. They don't do it like this, they don't do it like that.

Readers either have to accept that the author decided to portray a relationship or a person in a certain way, or they will choose to complain regardless. Like, SJM is not gay, she is white, she is (probably) not into BDSM, and neither does she participate in orgies or lives in a poly relationship. So, if she is going to depict anything like that, there will inevitably be a lot of backlash and lots of unhappy people. Because 'that's now how it is' in real life. Well....it's also a book about an imaginary world, and Fae. So it's not really supposed to be 'how it is'. It's the author's vision of how it is, for her characters.

Of course Lucien, precious Fox boy, somehow not getting his HEA and his promised mate bond, would cause a huge backlash (yet again). Even if it would totally make sense that he might end up in a poly relationship in the books.

There is a reason why most of the reverse harem and 'unconventional' relationships books began and are being published by self-published authors. They have more freedom and can explore things that unfortunately, established authors tend to avoid. Den of Vipers, probably one of the most well-known RH books out there, is a self-published book, and regardless of what people might think about it, no established author would dare come up with something like that.

I'll be honest, I think most authors who write 3+ way smut just want to write 3+ way smut, and not deeply explore the intricacies of polyamorous relationships in a Fae society.

[devoutjunk]

RE: end-of-year book ask: 2, 3, 4, 6, 19, 25

Did you reread anything? What?

I'm a chronic rereader, so yes. I reread In the Woods (Tana French), The Likeness (Tana French), The Bloody Chamber (Angela Carter), Ballad (Maggie Stiefvater), Arcadia (Tom Stoppard), Flyaway (Kathleen Jennings), The Master Letters (Lucie Brock-Broido), Mr. Fox (Helen Oyeyemi), The Scorpio Races (Maggie Stiefvater), and Midnight Riot (Ben Aaronovitch). This is honestly a pretty low number of rereads for me—I read a lot of new stuff this year and didn’t reread as much as I sometimes do.

What were your top five books of the year?

You’re getting six, sorry!

Bring Up the Bodies (Hilary Mantel)

Menewood (Nicola Griffith)

My Cousin Rachel (Daphne Du Maurier)

The Vaster Wilds (Lauren Groff)

The Citadel of The Autarch (Gene Wolfe)

Chain-Gang All-Stars (Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah)

Was there anything you meant to read, but never got to?

So much. Ways of Seeing (John Berger), The Essex Serpent (Sarah Perry), The Memory Theater (Karin Tidbeck), Freshwater (Akweke Emezi), The Bluest Eye (Toni Morrison), Beloved (Toni Morrison), The Chandelier (Clarice Lispector), Trust (Hernan Diaz), and Black Leopard, Red Wolf (Marlon James) are all things I wanted to get to at some point but haven’t yet.

Did you use your library?

Yes, but not as much as I should, and I’m terrible about returning things on time.

What reading goals do you have for next year?

Read more widely and diversely!

[stagefoureddiediaz]

waaaaait, no, I forgot that under the right lighting and with only the hint of it, Karen's hair might also look that light in the corner of the screen in the buck bts 👀👀👀👀👀 Karen 🥰🥰🥰🥰 I an so giddy that we are getting this much karen content soon 🥰🥰🥰🥰

Sarah!!!! I love you spamming my inbox and you're right it is definitely Karen standing next to Buck!

I too am giddy at this much Karen content - I adore her and I'm so glad we're getting some really juicy stuff with her (and although I don't want her to get hurt I'm actually looking forward to seeing Tracie get to flex her acting muscles and be in danger - its going to be immense!)

🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[critical-quoter]

November Books

(Woohoo! The year is coming to a close and I blew my reading goal out of the water months ago.)

House of Sky and Breath - Sarah J. Maas ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Devil You Know - Veronica Eden ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Heir of Broken Fate - Mads Rafferty ⭐⭐⭐ The Devil's Kiss - Gemma James ⭐⭐ Of Mist and Shadow - Jenna Wolfhart ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Of Ash and Embers - Jenna Wolfhart ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Of Night and Chaos - Jenna Wolfhart ⭐⭐⭐ A Veil of Truth and Trickery - Analeigh Ford ⭐⭐⭐ A Veil of Stardust and Savagery - Analeigh Ford ⭐⭐ Don't Kiss the Bride - Carian Cole ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Fall of Us - Kennedy Fox ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Lose Me - M. C. Frank ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Save Me - M. C. Frank ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Little Wilder - Serena Bell ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Double D Ranch - Rochelle Bradley ⭐⭐⭐ Iron Flame - Rebecca Yarros ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Made and Marred - Samantha Goode ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Irish - Brittanee Nicole ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Cruel Prince - Holly Black ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Wicked King - Holly Black ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Queen of Nothing - Holly Black ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Chasing Love - Kat T. Mason ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Chasing Us - Kat T. Mason ⭐⭐ The Last Storm - J. D. Linton ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Last Draig - J. D. Linton ⭐⭐⭐⭐ When You Were Mine - Cindy Tanner ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ends of Being - Mercyann Summers ⭐⭐⭐⭐ What Doesn't Kill Us - Mercyann Summers ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Flowers for the Devil - Vlad Kahany ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fate Calls the Elf Queen - J. M. Kearl ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Brooklyn Cupid - Lexi Ray ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Crown the Fae Forgot - Eden Beck ⭐⭐ A Court of Dragons and Vows - G. Bailey ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Carnage - Shantel Tessier ⭐⭐⭐ Court of Ravens and Ruin - Eliza Raine ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Court of Greed and Gold - Eliza Raine ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Court of Monsters and Malice - Eliza Raine ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Court of Serpents and Secrets - Eliza Raine ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Between Love and Loathing - Shain Rose ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I Always Did - Evangeline Williams ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Love and Tequila Make Her Crazy - Brittanee Nicole ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Heir of Monsters - G. Bailey ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Possession of Monsters - G. Bailey ⭐⭐⭐ The Grand Pact - J. C. Hawke ⭐⭐⭐ Heart of a Monster - Shain Rose ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Love of a Queen - Shain Rose ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Moonlit Temptation - Penelope Black ⭐⭐ Pour Judgement - Heather Orgeron ⭐⭐⭐ Reign of the Dragon Queen - Cadence Connor ⭐⭐ Whispers of You - Catherine Cowles ⭐⭐⭐⭐ It Figures - Melody Tyden ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Figuring It Out - Melody Tyden ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Court of Thorns and Roses (Dramatized Adaptation) - Sarah J. Maas (Graphic Audio) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Wood You Rather? - Daphne Elliot ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Off to the Races - Elsie Silver ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Echoes of You - Catherine Cowles ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Court of Mist and Fury (Dramatized Adaptation) - Sarah J. Maas (Graphic Audio) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hopeless Romantic - Julie Capulet ⭐⭐ Beloved - Corinne Michaels ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beholden - Corinne Michaels ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Watercolor Skulls - L. M. Terry ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Cracked Foundation - Bex Dawn ⭐⭐⭐ Lotus - Jennifer Hartmann ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Truly Madly Deeply Mine - Katherine Jay ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Two-Date Warning - M. L. Chambers ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Cordially Hexed - Lyra Winters ⭐ Under the Stars - Laura Pavlov ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 67 total books read in November.

[the-celluloid-correspondent]

BEST OF SIFF: ROUND 3

YEAR OF THE FOX: DIRECTED BY MEGAN GRIFFITHS

A 17-year-old, Ivy, who was adopted as an infant into a wealthy and notable Aspen family, is navigating the fallout of her parent's bitter divorce.

Nearly all coming-of-age stories are identical, with the teen learning to cope with their life and self in a self-discovering fashion. So I was surprised to see Year of the Fox take a much darker approach to the classic story. Though the story implementing Eyes Wide Shut Aspen addition may not have worked due to its predictability and unbelievability, I still respect it for taking a different approach. Sarah Jeffery shines in her performance of perfectly capturing a teen coming of age, with all the hormones and emotions that come with it. Overall, I enjoyed this movie for what it was, and I respect it for taking a different approach to its story.

My Rating: B

**************************************************

STELLA: DIRECTED BY TYLER DOEHRING

Chef Ciro Oliva wants nothing more than his Neapolitan pizzeria Concettina ai Tre Santi to be the first of its kind to earn the converted Michelin Star, but that's easier said than done with the notoriously secretive organization.

If you are not craving pizza by the end of this documentary, then you have no soul. Stella is a mouthwatering documentary of the quest for a pizzeria to attain a Michelin Star. It masterfully showcases the art of pizza making like no one has before. It truly honors the chefs behind the pizza making, where you wonder how haven't they earned a Michelin Star. Overall, if you have some pizza cravings, their movie is perfect for you.

My Rating: A-

*****************************************************

FILIP: DIRECTED BY MICHAL KWIECINSKI

941, the Warsaw ghetto. Filip, a young Polish Jew, with his beloved Sarah, are getting ready to perform in a cabaret to earn a living. During the premiere, a shootout takes place, during which Sara, as well as Philip’s relatives sitting in the audience, are killed. Two years later, the man works as a waiter in the restaurant of an upscale hotel in Frankfurt.

As for Holocaust and WW2 movies, the era has been pushed to all the boundaries you think they could. However, 80 years after the war, the era can still reveal some unique stories. Filip gives up a glimpse of a Jew hiding in plain sight in Frankfurt, Germany, as he struggles with his race and his sexual desires in a country that wants to see him hang. It's a fascinating character study into the psychological trauma and strength needed to survive Nazi Germany. Eryk Kulm is the heart of this film with his powerful and heartbreaking performance. If you have a chance to see this, definitely go watch it.

My Rating: A-

****************************************************

IRATI: DIRECTED BY PAUL URKIJO ALIJO

Western Pyrenees, year 778. When his land is threatened by the ruthless armies of the Frankish emperor, a Basque warlord asks for help from his ancestral gods.

When the official program was released for SIFF, the moment I saw the picture for Irati, I knew I was done with it, and it did not disappoint. Irati is a fun fantasy adventure that highlights an underrated mythology. The story is fascinating as it's filled with great characters and stunning character design. The story masterfully weaves Spain's pagan mythology that highlights its unique nature. Furthermore, the battle sequences are spectacular, given its limited budget. Overall, Irati is a lot of fun and definitely worth a theater experience.

My rating: B

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🌸 Queer Books for AAPI Heritage Month

✨ Good evening, my beloved bookish bats! AAPI Month, celebrating the rich histories and cultures of Asian American and Pacific Islanders, isn't over! Here are a few books for AAPI Month you can add to your ever-growing TBR stack!

❓How are you spending the long weekend and what are you reading?

✨ Young Adult ✨ 🌸 Rana Joon and the One & Only Now - Shideh Etaat @shidehetaat ❤ Forget Me Not - Alyson Derrick @whoisalysonanyway 🌸 Firebird - Sunmi @sunmi_comics ❤ Catfish Rolling - Clara Kumagai @clarakiyoko 🌸 A Bánh Mì for Two - Trinity Nguyen @thetrinitytran ❤ Wish You Weren't Here - Erin Baldwin @erinbwrites 🌸 True Love and Other Impossible Odds - Christina Li @christinaliwrites ❤ The Breakup Lists - Adib Khorram @adibkhorram 🌸 What a Desi Girl Wants - Sabina Khan @sabina_writer ❤ All the Yellow Suns - Malavika Kannan @malavika.kannan 🌸 Gorgeous Gruesome Faces - Linda Cheng @lychengwrites ❤ Kwen - Vichet Chum @vichetchum 🌸 Just Happy To Be Here - Naomi Kanakia @naomikanakia ❤ The Fox Maidens - Robin Ha @robinhaart 🌸 Gay the Pray Away - Natalie Naudus @natalienaudus ❤ The Dark We Know - Wen-Yi Lee @wenyilee_ 🌸 Fake Dates and Mooncakes - Sher Lee @sherleeauthor ❤ They Bloom at Night - Trang Thanh Tran @nvtran_ 🌸 I Will Find You Again - Sarah Lyu @sarahlyu ❤ She Is a Haunting - Trang Thanh Tran @nvtran_ 🌸 The Dark Becomes Here - Judy I. Lin @judyilinauthor ❤ Chasing Pacquiao - Rod Pulido @rodapulido 🌸 Girls Like Girls - Hayley Kiyoko @hayleykiyoko ❤ Only This Beautiful Moment - Abdi Nazemian @abdaddy

✨ Adult ✨ 🌸 Flux - Jinwoo Chong @jinwoochong ❤ Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion - Bushra Rehman @writerbushra 🌸 Your Driver is Waiting - Priya Guns @priya.guns ❤ Chlorine - Jade Song @jadessong / @chlorinenovel 🌸 Medusa of the Roses - Navid Sinaki @navidsinaki ❤ The Brides of High Hill - Nghi Vo @nghivowriting 🌸 I Will Greet the Sun Again - Khashayar J. Khabushani ❤ Exhibit - R.O. Kwon @ro.kwon 🌸 Greta & Valdin - Rebecca K. Reilly @edeka.k.reilly ❤ Your Love is Not Good Enough - Johanna Hedva @bighedva 🌸 The Emperor and the Endless Palace - Justinian Huang @justinianhuang ❤ Cinema Love - Jiaming Tang @ajiamingtang