#star struck mini master list

[dizzydancingdreamer]

The Art of Losing at Mario Kart | Tony Stark

Hi my lovelies I hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday!! Please enjoy some fluffy Tony and do take care of yourselves!!

Appetizers (Tags): Fluff

Entres (Pairing): Tony Stark x F!Reader, slight Platonic!Peter Parker x F!Reader (Third Person)

Sides (Prompts): 5: “You’re small, but you’re talking loud.”

Notes: Tony says line, Requested by Anon

Word Count: 1.5k

Dinner at Dizzy’s Master List

Her hands clutch the controller so tight her fingers hurt, her eyes locked on the TV screen like her life depends on it. It kind of does. The peppy music has long stopped being fun— now it sounds like a threat. Don’t lose, y/n. She grits her teeth, leaning forward until her elbows hit her knees, eyebrows creasing together as she completes another lap.

“That’s not going to help you win, baby.” Tony snickers, posture relaxed and a sly grin on his lips.

She scrunches her eyes as she narrowly avoids a shell he launches at her. “Shut up won’t you?”

He only laughs, continuing to hold the controller like this is the most boring thing he’s ever done. It makes her vision haze with red, her skin flaming from the inside out. How is he so effortlessly good at Mario Kart? She taps down on the a button relentlessly, head cocking, veins thrumming as she approaches the red car on the screen. Maybe she spoke too soon.

“Ooh—” she taunts, tapping the button to launch the banana peel she’s been saving— “what were you saying again? Who’s not going to win?”

As she says it her smile widens, teeth flashing at the man who’s smirk has significantly dropped. Now he’s leaning forward too, elbows on his knees and lip between his teeth.

“Oh it’s on now.”

For a moment all she can hear is the rapid tap, tap, tapping of buttons. The race becomes neck and neck, the pressure building— there’s no way she’s letting him plan a whole day together by himself; she doesn’t have a death wish. She has to win—

“Hey, Tones?” She mumbles quietly, a stark contrast to her previously snarky tone.

His eyes shift in her peripheral, eyes softening slightly. “Yeah, baby?”

She bites down on her lip, swallowing lightly. “I, erm, I think I know what I want to do after this.”

His hands falter, his head turning fully to look at her. “Go on.”

—She has to win even if it means playing dirty. God he’s so easy.

“I want to celebrate my win.”

“Wait, what?”

By the time he catches on it’s too late. With his head turned she pushes the toggle forward harder, smashing the a button to accelerate past the finish line. As soon as the First Place banner flashes across the flatscreen she’s out of her seat, arms thrown high in the air, jumping up and down like a child. She doesn’t care— the fact that she won— that she beat Tony Stark, the man who plays too much Mario Kart with Peter— is too exciting. Only the spider-kid can beat this man and now she has as well!

“Did you see that! Did you? That was amazing! I can’t believe that actually worked!” She lowers her voice, deepening it to match his “Go on, baby. You actually fell for that!”

She can’t stop the giggles as they come, hunching over to steady herself on her legs.

Tony groans, falling back on the cushions behind him, the controller landing with a defeated thud beside him. “You know, you’re small, but you’re talking loud.”

She giggles harder, scampering over to the man who looks like he wants to roll his eyes at her but is too busy staring at her like a love struck puppy. Despite losing— something which everyone in the compound— no, the world— knows he hates— he still watches her with a lazy smile, holding his arms out for her. She happily accepts the invitation, climbing onto his lap warm, hands falling to his face.

“Oh you love it, you’re just a sore loser.” She scratches her fingers through the stubble on his jaw, chest bubbling with warmth when he leans deeper into her touch.

“Only because I don’t lose.” He mumbles back, eyes closing with a content sigh.

She rolls her eyes at the man, letting the easy smile creep over her features. How did she end up with the most arrogant man in New York?

“You just lost, honey.” She points out, slipping her hands up and into his hair.

Scratching at his scalp she sinks deeper into his arms. He doesn’t open his eyes, only tilts his head back to follow her hands, fully absorbed in her touch. She follows suit, leaning her head on his shoulder. She could get used to this.

“Did I, though?”

She springs back up. “Of course you did.”

Tony cracks an eye open, the arrogant smirk back on his mouth. “Maybe I let you win.”

Her heart stutter, her gut twisting— he didn’t!

She narrows her eyes, pulling her hands from his hair. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Did he?

Leaning back towards her, ducking his head to nudge against her fingers, Tony laughs. She swats his head gently, grumbling at the man. Did he let her win? He better not have— she wants bragging rights. Well, bragging rights and to not die when he decides that the planned day he won means going skydiving or something else equally ridiculous. He may enjoy heights but she certainly does not.

When she doesn’t sink her fingers back against his scalp he takes her hands in his, wrapping them around his neck and passing her a smile that appears to be more like a laugh that’s been frozen on his lips. She has to bite back her own grin when she sees it. Instead she stares at the wall behind his head, glaring at the painting to keep from looking at him and cracking— she’s too soft for him, it makes being mad impossible.

“Baby c’mon, I’m just joking.” He pleads, massaging his fingers over hers. “You won just come back.”

She flicks her eyes to his half delighted, half worried gaze, letting the smile creep into place once more. Damnit. Maybe she’s the one who’s too easy.

“You swear?”

His warm hands find her cheeks, pulling her face down to his and pressing a quick but firm kiss to her lips before mumbling. “I swear— now let me properly congratulate you for your win.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Later that day she stumbles into the kitchen, a sheen of sweat coating her heavy limbs and a dopey smile on her face. As she rounds the corner to the fridge, feet slipping on the linoleum, she bumps into a similarly happy face.

“Oh, Peter, hey kid! Haven’t seen you around these past few days.”

She holds her fist out, waiting for his knuckles to bump against hers before turning back to her original task— water. So much water.

He laughs, grabbing a cup from the cupboard and passing it to her. “Yeah, been busy with SAT’s. They’re coming up soon. I’m kinda’ worried.”

She hums and passes him a grateful look, filling her cup from the jug in the fridge. “Ah, yes— the good old days. I remember taking those. I did terribly. Aren’t you, like, boy wonder or something, though? Kid genius? I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

Eyes wide, cheeks pink, he stammers. “Oh well, no, I wouldn’t say gen—”

Rolling her eyes, she interrupts him with a laugh. “Don’t downplay yourself— you’re a genius. You’re good at everything! It’s almost annoying.”

Honestly it is annoying but he deserves— she’s seen how hard he works.

Peter laughs, awkwardly shrugging his shoulders. “Maybe.”

At least he’s humble.

She scrunches her nose, hopping up onto the counter as he opens the fridge next, pulling out a loaf of bread and the strawberry jam that Natasha has bought a few days ago. For a smart kid he really has a death wish. She nods at the jar and he holds a finger to his lips, the message clear— don’t tell. She giggles back, holding a hand over her heart— scout’s honor, boy wonder.

She kicks her feet, curling her toes to bring some of the feeling back, continuing with the conversation at hand. “Name one thing you can’t do.”

He pauses, butter knife clutched in his fist as he tilts his head, thinking. Of course he has to think about it. He’s like a mini Tony— too smart for his own good.

Finally his eyes fill with light, his brows raising as he comes to an answer— “Got it— I can’t win at Mario Kart against Mr. Stark.”

For a moment she giggles. He still calls Tony Mr. Star—

Wait.

Did he just say he can’t win against Tony at Mario Kart? No, that’s not possible—

“But I’ve seen you win.” She points out, setting her cup down a little too harshly, the glass thudding off the counter.

Peter, not noticing, laughs, shaking his head. “No, he only lets me win to impress you.” He flicks his eyes up from his sandwich, his face shifting when he sees her furrowed brows— “You didn’t know that?”

The glare on her face is enough of an answer. “Shit.”

He starts to shake his head but it’s too late; she’s already hopped off the counter, bare feet pounding on the floor as she starts storming out of the kitchen.

“Tony you have some explaining to do!”

Not long after she hears a groan followed by a—

“Not cool Parker!”

[magicdepressive-blog]

Meet The Harveys

NWI native and Chicago resident Charlie Evans wants to introduce you to his one man band The Harveys, whose debut album, after over a year in the making, is nearing the completion stage. As Evans labors through the finishing touches of the LP and prepares it for public release, he sits down with me to talk about the project and tells us what we can expect from his esoteric alter-ego.

HW: You're getting ready to release your first LP; a collection of songs you're putting out under the name The Harveys. But essentially The Harveys is just you. What made you decide to release music as a fictional collective rather than under your own name?

CE: The Harveys isn't a real band right now, so the idea that it can be locked into only one thing doesn't appeal to me since I don't have to fight other people to have it be whatever it needs to be. I’ve never been comfortable with the idea of existing as a solo act. I feel like the idea of the Harveys started as a crutch of being afraid to do this on my own. For whatever reason, the idea of having a fictional band made it seem like a more viable project in my head, and more approachable as something to present out to the world.

HW: But you're not literally the only player on the record. Who else appears on the album, and in what capacity?

CE:  One song is an old one that was written as a group by Patrick Biancardi, Sam Evans, and myself....

HW: Right...that's Werewolf Teacher, isn't it? That's a great song and I remember you telling me that it has its origins in your time as a member of (now defunct Region band) Greenstone.

CE: Greenstone was a great time as a band, and helped form a lot of the stuff that I wrote and created on this album. When I began working on recording I wanted to get an old song down that we had never had the chance to properly record. It was a great point to learn how to use recording software and to test the viability of the fictional band project. A lot of the music I wrote afterwards feels similar in some ways to what we were working on with that project, but definitely is a different animal. Not writing in collaboration with other people or having to compromise things is both a blessing and a curse.

HW: Who are some of the other people who pitched in to help make this LP?

CE: Alex Akers contributed trumpet to I Sit Differently at the Piano. I met Alex while I was working for New Oberpfalz brewery, and we struck up conversation pretty naturally. I had completed about half of the the track, adding in the vocal snippet and guitar, but I felt that guitar all the way through would be frankly boring. I basically asked Alex if he wanted to add trumpet to a weird track that I had made and sent it over. About a week later he sent me his layered tracks and it was amazing! My primary instrument is the electric guitar, so it's always really awesome to work with other instrumentalists that can bring a completely different feel to a track. That song wouldn't work without Alex's contribution. Jake Egli plays the keyboards on The Somnambulist and helped me mix and master the record along with production work.

I'm definitely open to the idea of adding a more collaborative element to The Harveys. I would love to be able to flesh it out into a full band setting. I think a lot of these songs would translate pretty well to a live setting, and there's lots of song ideas in reserve. There's always ego involved in adding other people to a band, but I enjoy the collaborative aspect of writing music a lot. Sometimes it's okay to come in with an idea and see how it gets morphed into something completely new, original, and different that way.

HW: Having grown up as an aspiring musician in NWI and now living in Chicago, can you compare the two locales where musical heritage is concerned?

CE: I would say that both have a lot in common with each other, with Chicago getting the edge of diversity simply through pure numbers. Not unlike most other suburbs of Chicago, NWI filters a lot of its musical identity from Chicago, which I think is great. The Chicagoland area has an abundance of amazing music that doesn't always get the attention it deserves on the national stage.

HW: You recorded this LP at home on your computer. Were there any technical limitations that you encountered while making the record that, had you been in a studio, you might not have had to deal with?

CE: I think the biggest hurdle for doing all recording on my own is that my ear wasn't as trained, especially in the beginning, at what was good and what was bad. I improved rapidly, but especially early on I think that having a 2nd set of ears to hear everything is very helpful.

HW: Why did you decide to release a physical LP and how do you plan to market it? What streaming formats will you be utilizing?

CE: I love the idea and the ritual of vinyl...placing the vinyl on the turntable, setting it to the right speed, and letting the needle hit the record. There’s an art to creating a track list and an album that flows correctly from side to side. I think the best records still work with that duality; breaking it down into two shorter playlists and making sure those statements stand on their own and complement each other. That being said, I think the songs stand on their own, so I don’t mind pushing it to streaming as well where the majority of people (myself included) discover their music. I’m planning on releasing The Harveys on all major streaming services. The LP version of the album will be funded through a Kickstarter.

What I like about the idea of a vinyl release and giving yourself those limitations is that it really forces you to look at how songs flow as a cohesive unit. Balancing the amount of time you can put on a side along with making sure that each track is keeping the listener along for the ride is so important. Additionally, the 2 side nature of vinyl makes you look at it as a mini suite for each side. My process was mostly trying to balance all of these things to make the strongest single unit of an album. Sifting through all the songs I had written to put together what I feel is a cohesive album was a bit difficult at first, there’s definitely enough material left off to have an extra EP in the future or work towards another album. For me, I think the unifying threads that make this album stand as a whole are some of the themes touched on like growing up and the somewhat lonely existence that adulthood can be. There’s plenty of humor on the record, though, as well, which I feel is always needed. I don’t trust people who are too serious about everything. There's a lot of genre exploration that I wasn't able to make work cohesively on this record that could definitely fit in better on a slightly different project. I would love to create a great medley style suite, ala Abbey Road. I'd love to do something soaring, epic, and heartfelt like that.

HW: There are very few recording artists who so confidently pull off such a varied palette as what you've proven capable of on this LP; some that come to mind as exceptions are Ween and Captain Beefheart and Zappa and Guided By Voices. Were any of those artists a lighthouse for you while you were crafting these songs?

CE: All those bands and artists are huge influences, Ween in particular. Reading and getting into Ween was a huge part of what made me finally get off my butt and start making music again. The independent spirit that drove each of these artists to create despite not necessarily having the big push of a label was a huge inspiration. Learning about Ween using a drum machine and writing silly songs and just generally not caring what other people thought of them was a liberating idea, and also made my excuses for why I wasn’t doing anything seem like just that: excuses.

HW: Speaking of tracks that DIDN'T make the record, Feed Me, Human is one of your standout songs and I feel like it exists in a world of its own stylistically; some kind of avant garde heavy metal oddity...definitely something I haven't heard before. Is metal a big part of your musical tastes, and if so what can you tell me about this track? It sort of skirts a strange territory that's both playful and sinister.

CE: I love metal! Metal as a genre is so tongue in cheek, and I love that about it. I never trust any metal band that takes themselves 100% seriously. I remember reading a story that Adam Jones from Tool told about how when he met Buzz Osbourne from the Melvins he told him that Boris was his favorite song and was a foundation for a lot of how he built his songwriting and sound, and Buzz responded something along the lines of, "Thanks, it's about my cat." Metal is so great because it can occupy both territories of sinister and silly.

HW: Let's focus on what did make the album. Metropolitan Malaise is unabashed power pop exuberance; Hydration is Key is a blissed out, psychedelic signal from another galaxy. You cover Big Star's 1972 acoustic masterpiece 13, and then there's the aforementioned I Sit Differently at the Piano; four minutes of Badalementi-esque guitar and trumpet noodling atop which sits a bizarre sampling of an interview with a mental patient from the early 60s. The Funkalator struts and swaggers with ballsy, bell bottomed moxie, and Werewolf Teacher is textbook singer-songwriter gold. And that's just HALF the album. But maybe the standout track here is The Somnambulist, a disarming number that begins with a tribal, measured acoustic bounce before exploding into a veritable roman candle of life-affirming guitar-fueled adrenaline.

CE: I'm particularly proud of The Somnambulist. It has the most overdubs of any track, and took me the longest to assemble out of any of them. I'm particularly proud of my vocal performance, which incubated in my head for a pretty long time, and took even longer to build up the ability to properly sing. It's the classic rock track I always wanted to write.

HW: What's your writing process like? What do you find is the most challenging part of the formula?

CE: Wake up, make some coffee pick up my guitar and start playing something...pulling up Garageband and a virtual drummer and see if I can get anything useful out of it. Record it, and see if there’s enough there to develop. Sometimes there's something good there for a full song, sometimes there isn't. I built a lot of songs on the fly, and would do multiple takes of things to see what worked or didn’t work. Having a good feedback network of people to send songs to certainly helped as well to guide the directions that were working and not working in the music. I think the most challenging thing for me with this project was not really working with other musicians to create. If I wanted to finish the song, it was on me!  

HW: I really appreciate you taking the time to offer a little insight into what we can expect from The Harveys. I really think you've assembled a great collection of songs and I'm really looking forward to the vinyl.

CE: I think the biggest thing I’m hoping to offer is a bit of a blast of nostalgia that isn’t hopefully too derivative. Power pop and dad rock have reached the level of being uncool, but I still love making it. I’m hoping that I can bring some uncool music to people and hopefully get them to dig into the same things I love too.  I was talking with Jake while we were mixing and mastering and we both said waiting for lightning to strike will involve you mostly waiting. It’ll happen, and does happen, but you have to work at it no matter what.

-End-

The debut LP from The Harveys will be available soon pending a Kickstarter. Please stay tuned to Charlie's Facebook page for more info and show your support for this gifted musician. You can stream the unmixed demo of Metropolitan Malaise on Bandcamp here:

https://theharveysarentreal.bandcamp.com/track/metropolitan-malaise

Album art by Grace Calderone, 2019. Bar photos by Harvey Woodlawn, 2018.

[puckyou-forpuckssake]

My Favorite Imagines

Finally gotten around to reading the imagines I’ve liked in the past. This is a master list of some of my favorites. I’ve also reblogged them too. Probably going to make a part 2. All recommendations (these plus more) can also be found under #recommendations.

- Ignoring the Good in Front of Me @thirstyfordjoos

This one isn’t under a certain guy because it is a Tom Wilson and Madison Bowey. This a nice, realistic imagine. The ending is really great and positive and something we should all remember.

Morgan Reilly

- Twins @hockeygods14

Really adorable and fluffy.

- Do What You Do Best @thundersstruck

I freaking love soft Morgan Reilly. This man needs to be captain.

- A Fruit Basket or Something @mjau29

Shy Morgan in love.

Andre Burakovsky

- Never Letting You Leave Again @hockeygods14

So cute and adorable. Andre cares so much.

- Don’t You Cry No More @thundersstruck

Soft sweet Andre. Someone just love this boy!

- Family Matters @rosey-nols

Sweet and caring Andre interacting with your fam and showing how much he loves you.

- T.M.A.B @hockeyplayerstories

Andre + baby = cuteness overload

- Traditon @prettyhockeybois

As a girl who is curvy and struggles with weight and mental health issues, this imagine means a lot to me. It makes me believe that someone like me can be with someone like Andre.

- Everything @prettyhockeybois

😍❤️

- Stanley What Now @n-h-limagines

They win the cup and Andre really loves you and you really love him and everyone loves you and you love everyone. Oh, and TJ Oshie is your bro(shie).

Matthew Tkachuk

- Best Friend’s Brother @love-nhl

Amazingly written with so much potential. You will definitely get sucked in.

- Win Me Over @nhl-imagines-posts

This imagine reminds me why I wish I had a boyfriend. It’s so realistic and cute. Why am I alone? I want this.

- Attached at the Hip @nhl-imagines-posts

I’m really liking possessive Matthew. I don’t know why. I was never a Matthew Tkachuk fan until I read @nhl-imagines-posts Tkachuk imagines. So good.

- Inseparable @rosey-nols

It’s so fucking beautiful 😭

Jimmy Vesey

- Rangers Youth Camp @nhl-imagines-posts

Sooooooooo cute. I absolutely love it. I’m a sucker for anything with kids interacting with hockey players. So I attached the link to part 2. A link to part 1 is in part 2.

- Mini Jimmy @write-write-fanfiction-write

I’ll say this a million more times: I’m a sucker for anything involving hockey players being sweet and children.

- Shy @diaries-of-pucks-and-purses

Cute and fluffy meet.

- Opposing Player @nhl-imagines-posts

Awkward Jimmy ❤️

- untitled request @babrielandeskog

Brady and Kevin being good friends to a love struck Jimmy.

Michael Latta

- Baby and Brobeans @nhl-imagines-posts

Absolutely adorable. A baby and the brobeans 😍 What could be better and cuter than this? Nothing.

Sebastian Aho

-Albums @nhl-imagines-posts

Cute and fluffy with bashful Sebastian.

- Board Game Night @nhl-imagines-posts

Adorable. I want this to be a real thing. Game night with Sepe, Jeff, and Teuvo? Sign me up!

Alex Nylander

- Unsteady @rosey-nols

It’s so beautiful 😭 Gentle and caring Alex is amazing.

- Mini Me @hockeyplayerstories

It’s so cute and fluffy.

Tyler Seguin

- Tyler Seguin #14 @drabblemesilly

Tyler and child. Need I say more? Adorable af.

- My Forever @puckyeahhockey

Tyler and child once again. Plus he’s an adoring husband.

- *Won’t Go Slowly @psychospeak-blog

If you haven’t read this series then there is something wrong with you because it is the greatest thing ever. The plot is fantastic and well written. Tyler is a great human being. I freaking love this so much. READ IT!!!!! (Ongoing)

- How You Get the Girl @mjau29

BFF Jamie playing cupid.

Auston Matthews

- To the Grave @thundersstruck

Another adorable af one. Auston is a total sweetheart in it.

- I Call the Shots Bub @thundersstruck

The prequel to the above. Sassy Y/N and corny Auston.

- Just Watch @two-minute-minor

Auston tries to be cool and fails. Plus Mitch meddles.

- My Person @juiceboxmatthews

What a relationship should be ❤️

- Wedding Date @alisonwritesimagines

Cute

- The Younger Marner @pacific-matthews

You and Auston trying to be a thing but you are a Marner.

- Marry Me @ronaldhainsey

This reminds me of the song Marry Me by Thomas Rett (which I love). Happy tears people.

Zach Werenski

- Babysitting @love-nhl

So freaking cute.

Elias Lindholm

- Tech Manager @nhl-imagines-posts

Funny and cute.

Colton Parayko

- Glasses @nhl-imagines-posts

Colton the big softie. Plus I have glasses so I want this.

- Under the Same Stars @macdaddymackinnon

It’s so adorable and fluffy and sweet. I love this man.

William Nylander

- The Ten Day War @whockeywhore

A series that makes your heart ache and love. The link is for part 1. All parts are in the blog’s master list.

Teuvo Teravainen

- Requested 1 @jonesygirl31

Cute!

[melodramaticfanatic-blog]

Window to your soul(mate) - Ch. 4

Pairing: Sebastian Stan x reader

A/N: originally this chapter was WAY too long so I divided it in half...now it’s shorter than I’d like...but the next section became longer anyway so maybe it evens out? (Plus the next chapter is my FAVORITE so far!!)

Warnings: Fluff and slow burn. It’s safe to assume that all my stories are going to have at least a little NSFW, 18+ and language. Just how I write.

Summary: 3 months after moving to New York City, Y/N feels like she has finally found her footing. She has a great apartment, is making friends and has a steady enough job to pay the rent. She’s even gotten used to the empty apartment across from hers…but all that changes when a handsome film star returns home after months of being away.

Master list

Ch. 1   Ch. 2   Ch. 3

Gif not mine, credit to owner

Sebastian stood in his kitchen putting together a small tray of appetizers. He didn’t really cook but he could at least manage to assemble some easy bites for friends. The actual meal was being delivered by a catering service, thank goodness. If it had been left up to his culinary skills, it would have been sandwiches all around...and not even particularly good or creative sandwiches at that. Still anyone can manage to skewer a grape tomato, a piece of mozzarella cheese and a basil leaf before topping it with a drizzle of oil. 

“Mini caprese salad bites!” he said proudly as he held one up to inspect it. “I’m ready for my cooking show Food Network. I am the fucking god of appetizers!”

Just then a soft knock drifted over the low music humming in the background of the apartment. Sebastian quickly rinsed his hands free of the oil and then proceeded to the front door of the apartment, grabbing his wallet from the end table near the couch as he passed by. 

“That was really fast, thanks so much,” Sebastian said as he opened the door. He was looking down at his wallet and leafing through the bills inside. “How much do I owe you?”

“Well, in ‘Pretty Woman’ Julia Robert’s character got paid $3,000 for the week, but as you only wanted dinner, I don’t think I can get away with asking for quite that much.”

His head shot up in surprise when he recognized the teasing voice of his neighbor, Y/N. She stood in the hallway outside of his apartment with a taunting smirk on her face, holding a large tray covered in foil. She had dressed casually as he had stated the get together was nothing fancy but still managed to look incredibly beautiful in her floral romper dress. The outfit fit as though she had had it tailor made for her body and the shorts beneath the draping fabric of the skirt put her long legs on display. He couldn’t refrain from dragging his eyes along the slender lengths, studying the curving design of the tattoo that danced along her right leg. 

“Although, you keep looking at me like that and I may decide to start charging you by the minute, mister.”

Sebastian let out an easy laugh and gave his lips a quick lick before smiling. “Depending on what you decide to charge, I think it would be worth it.”

Y/N rolled her eyes at him and huffed out an exasperated laugh. “Yeah, except you’ve already seen the whole package, remember? Our rather unconventional first interaction?”

“I have no idea what you’re alluding to,” Sebastian retorted with conspiratorial wink before stepping out of the doorway. “Come on in, you’re the first to arrive.”

“Am I early?” she asked uneasily as she lingered on the threshold of the apartment. 

“Not at all, my friends are all chronically late. You’re probably just more polite than the rest of them. Can I take that tray from you and pretend to be a gentleman by the way?”

Y/N glanced down as though surprised to see the tray filling her arms. “Oh, right! I forgot all about this due to our negotiations over my hourly rate.” She let out a wry chuckle as Sebastian grinned lasciviously at her. “I made dessert. I wasn’t sure how many people were going to be here so I just went with big.”

Sebastian stepped forward and scooped the tray from her arms. “That was too kind, you shouldn’t have!”

“My mother raised me right: never go to someone’s house empty handed.”

“You really shouldn’t have but since you did, I’ll happily enjoy dessert. What’d you make?”

“Tiramisu. I figured it took care of coffee and dessert all in one fell swoop.” Y/N gave an easy shrug and followed Sebastian as he led her into the kitchen to set the tray down.

“Wow...you hit on two of my weaknesses simultaneously. Tell me...how much would you judge me if I just kept this whole tray to myself and didn’t mention dessert to any of the others?”

“A lot,” she deadpanned in return. 

Sebastian narrowed his eyes at her and pursed his lips as though debating whether or not it might be worth it to have her judge him. The performance got a few chuckles and an eye roll from Y/N, which was reward enough for Sebastian. He really enjoyed her laugh. 

“It’s very different actually being in this apartment as opposed to looking into it through the windows.” Y/N wandered a few steps away from him looking around the spacious residence. 

“Spend a lot of your time peering into my place, do you?”

She turned to look over her shoulder at Sebastian and scrunched up her face while sticking out her tongue at him. “You’ve never even been in here since I moved in months ago; it’s not like I was spying.”

“Of course not; your mother raised you right after all,” he replied with a mockingly serious nod, his face a mask of solemnity. 

“I cannot even deal with your sass, Sebastian. When do you leave again?”

Before he could even open his mouth to speak, Y/N had jumped in and cut him off. 

“Not soon enough, that’s right!”

Her words would have been cruel if not for the clearly teasing tone she used and the innocently mischievous expression playing across her face. As it was, Sebastian couldn’t help but respond to her the way all young boys respond to teasing: he stuck out his tongue in retaliation and reached out to tug a lock of her hair gently. 

“I’m rubber, you’re glue,” he mocked childishly.

Y/N laughed and strolled over to the windows that looked out onto her apartment. “I think your view is nicer than mine.”

“Oh?” Sebastian walked over to stand next to her. “Why’s that?”

“Because you get to look at me, obviously!” Y/N struck a cheesy pose before shaking her head jocularly and continuing in a more serious tone as she gazed outside. “You look out of the city. If you gaze far enough, you can start to see water in the distance. I look further into the city. Beyond your place, all I get to see is more and more buildings.”

“You don’t like the city?” Sebastian had turned his head slightly to study Y/N as she spoke. 

“It’s not that,” she replied with a shrug. “The city is fine, even beautiful. I really enjoy people watching here. You can create whole life stories for the people around you and never even meet them. But...” Her voice trailed off and she gave another noncommittal shrug. 

“But you’re used to open places.”

“I guess.” For a moment, Y/N seemed to slip into a headspace that made her sad. Before Sebastian could decide what to do about it however, she had turned to look at him again, her face hitched back into a broad smile. “Can I try your couch?”

A bright laugh rumbled up from Sebastian’s belly. “What?”

Y/N looked down as she shuffled her feet and gave him a bashful smile. “I’ve been staring at that couch for months now and I’m a naturally curious person. You don’t know how crazy my brain can make me with questions.”

“Help yourself,” he replied giving a broad gesture around the room as there was another knock at the door. “Feel free to roam as your curiosity demands while I get that.”

Sebastian strolled to the door, throwing an occasional glance over his shoulder as he walked, while Y/N went around to the couch and settled herself primly onto it. 

“You haven’t been waiting months to sit at the edge like some debutante,” he chided. “Make yourself comfortable!”

Y/N gave him a roguish smile and then squirmed against the couch, cuddling herself deeply into it. “It’s even better than I guessed!”

Sebastian tipped his head back, laughing at the absurdity of it all, before opening the door to reveal his catering delivery and another two guests. 

“Dude, you didn’t even get the food here before the guests? Weak, Seabass,” Anthony Mackie stated, standing in the hallway and shaking his head. 

“Considering how you guys are always late, I wasn’t too concerned,” he quipped back, ushering the delivery and guests inside. 

“I’m very sorry,” Tom Holland gushed sincerely. “I asked Anthony if he could give me a ride since I hadn’t been here before and I’m not terribly familiar with New York. Are we incredibly late?”

“Tom, down boy.” Mackie said with a smirk. “He’s joking. It’s no fair teasing him, Seabass. The kid’s a damn puppy.”

“Don’t worry about it, only one other person beat you here and she had a short commute,” Sebastian soothed Tom’s frazzled nerves with a gesture to Y/N. 

Her face was peering over the top of the couch where she had been balled up, suddenly incredibly aware that her famous actor neighbor probably also had famous actor friends. “Hello,” she said shyly. 

“Hello yourself, Gorgeous,” Mackie responded with a smile that would put Prince Charming to shame. “Seabass, who is this incredible creature?”

“Anthony Mackie, Tom Holland, this is my neighbor, Y/N,” Sebastian said as he waved his hands between the members of the group, making introductions. “Y/N, this is the Mack Attack and...Tom.” His brows furrowed for a moment and he seemed more puzzled than the situation warranted. “I guess I don’t have a nickname for Tom.”

Y/N laughed and shook her head at his expression. “Very nice to meet you both.”

“He’s only been back a couple of days and he already hooked you, huh, Y/N? That’s how irresistible my boy is! Way to go Sexy Seabass!” Mackie was thumping Sebastian on the back as he spoke and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. 

“Not quite,” Y/N said with a laugh. “Just neighbors. And what on earth is a Sexy Seabass?”

“Oh, come on now,” the dark man chided as he waved his hand along Sebastian’s body the way Vana White would present a new car. “Look at all this!”

Sebastian had begun to blush furiously as Mackie teased and by the time the man had finished speaking, he had put his hands over his face to conceal it. “Alright, well, I’m going to go check on the food and maybe put my head in the oven. Drinks, anyone? Mackie, beer? Tom...glass of milk?”

The two men and Y/N laughed as he left the room, the back of his neck glowing a bright red. Less than five minutes into introducing Y/N to his friends and he was already regretting it. This might turn out to be a very long night. 

Next

WTYS tags: @ajosieface  @lolabean1998  @shynara51 @secretoktober  

[thomasroach]

Monster Hunter World: All Guild Card Titles

The post Monster Hunter World: All Guild Card Titles appeared first on Fextralife.

Ever wondered how many titles are available in Monster Hunter World? Wonder no longer as this guide will list and detail how to obtain all the titles for your guild card.

Monster Hunter World: All Guild Card Titles

Players of Monster Hunter World can enjoy some extra fun by customizing their Guild Card with countless titles. Guild Cards can be customized by editing their titles, backgrounds, greeting, sticker, equipment, and poses. They play a small role in the realm of Monster Hunter World allowing hunters to give them out to players they have met.

First & Third Slot titles

Available from the beginning:

(None)

Newbie

First Year

Beginner

Fledgling

Rookie

Hunter

Fisher

Fighter

Sniper

Sword

Rapier

Blade

Great Sword

Lance

Spear

Hammer

Mallet

Dual Blades

Twin Swords

Light Bowgun

Crossbow

Heavy Bowgun

Ballista

Katana

Long Sword

Arrow

Bow

Gunlance

Blast Pike

Horn

Flute

Hatchet

Switch Axe

Glaive

Staff

Halberd

Charge Blade

Squad

Now Recruiting

Newcomer

Helper

Courageous

Meowster

Ms.

Knightly Order

Hunting Crew

Man

Girl

He

Me

Lone Wolf

Love

Stranger

Thrilling

Exciting

Solo

Duo

Trio

Party

Potion

Honey

Red

Blue

Green

Promising

Klutzy

Third-rate

Offense

Defense

On Sale Now!

First Fleet

Second Fleet

Third Fleet

Fourth Fleet

Fifth Fleet

New World

Commission

Good

Bad

Expedition

A-Lister

Scoutfly

Reach hunter rank 6

Romance

Lemon

Head

Mask

Body

Mail

Vambraces

Guard

Waist

Coat

Leggings

Boots

Armor

Assassin

Grand

Buster

Strider

Saber

Slayer

Brave

First-Class

24/7

Self

Anima

Pure

(Self-)Trained

Instructor

Exaordinaire

Trooper

Adventurer

Frontier

Miss

Cheery

Oasis

Protector

Arcadia

Buddy

White

Black

Shadow

Gloom

Dark

Jade

Pink

Crimson

Vermillion

Yellow

Rainbow

Shiny

Ravine

Reach hunter rank 11

Raw

Rough

Family

Stubborn

Amphibious

Fang

Youngster

Shot

Debonair

Proven

Fresh

Ultraviolet

Unforgiven

Capable

Phoenix

Prodigy

Genius

Dashing

Vanguard

Amnesiac

Mushroom

Nectar

Vale Tudo

Diversion Team

Pied Piper

Gunslinger

Angler

Berserker

Mercenary

Assault

Bride

Rambling

Eagle Eye

Soldier

Entomologist

Bomber

War

Killer Bee

Bearer

Tragedy

Sweet

Tomorrow

Papa

Battalion

Peach

Diet

Army

Foreman

Original

Amateur

Reach hunter rank 16

Leader

Ace

Limitless

Veteran

Raid

Cleave

Melody

Cannon

Mutant

Spinning

Dancing

Stalwart

Romantic

Shooting Star

Quickdraw

Beautiful

Nostalgic

Powerful

Unrivaled

Kid

Dude

Best

Lucky

Challenge

Fleet

Lady

Mr.

New Land

Relaxing

Monthly

Artisan

First

Armed

Cunning

Punk

Technician

If Only

Painful

Slowpoke

Advanced

Pro

Beloved

Devoured

Hard-Boiled

Masterful

Giga

Strawberry

Cute

Nearly

Pretty

Reach hunter rank 30

Lord

Shinobi Freedom

Dream

Altair

Kunoichi

Vega

Vagrant

Iron

Breaker

Samurai

Model

Traveler

Slash

Wing

Break

All

Weapon

Anonymous

Fan

Crisis

Heroine

Finest

Natural

Heartthrob

Boy

So-called

Tiny

Former

Casual

Madam

Professor

Winner

Loser

Fever

Coward

Skilled

Singed

Beast

Free

Chicken

Bug

Silent

Kinda

Treasure

Full-Auto

Compound

First-Time

Soft

Fate

Reach hunter rank 50

Tail

Shaker

Sheathed

Headshot

Coordinated

Hardcore

Exacting

Divine

Very Stubborn

Salvo

Surefire

Strategist

Eco

Ebon

Unlucky

Slim

Unbelievable

Story

Cataclysm

Ore

Messy

Value

Derring-do

Country

Petit

End of an Era

Sealed

Graduate

Specialty

Apprentice

Neo

Sister

Acrobatic

Maiden Name

Myself

Walker

Alchemist

Thief

Captive

Mining Master

Transporter

Guardian

Grizzled

Safari

Trolley

Minion

Experienced

Mecha

Brand-new

Researcher

Reach hunter rank 100

Complete

Sage

Perfect

Ruler

Big Bang

Blademaster

Beastmaster

All-or-nothing

Indiscriminating

Machine Crew

One-shot

Gamble

Prism

Faint

Cocky

Exclusive

Team

Mostly

Reborn

Wonderful

Viva

Pseudo

Disciple

Not for Sale

Radiant

Beauty

(Temporary)

Ripe

Favorite

Squishy

Darling

Charmer

Big

Intermittent

Max

Fishmaster

Rodeo

Excellent

Regular

Stroll

Love-struck

At First Sight

Luv

Roving

Rare

Second-rate

Mascot

Partner

Like

Popular

Reach hunter rank 250

As Always!

Sufferer

Agent

Riled-up

Shuddering

Terra

Archdemon

Requiem

Ballad

Marvelous

Dauntless

Bushido

Avenger

Double

Hilarious

Role Model

Class Leader

President

Exhausted

Indestructible

Royal

Blushing

Chaos

Retired Number

Of All Time

Sexy

Awesome

Flex

Unbeaten

All-out

Joy

Group

No. 1

Mrs.

Born

Nameless

Giant

Sorta

Mini

Lad

Syndrome

Anti

Crew

Captain

Passion

Special

Half

Respect

Bargain

Mega

Reach hunter rank 500

Legend

Champion

Hero

Clear

Reincarnated

Strongest

Top-class

Unparalleled

Jet-black

Emperor

Robot

Baby

Gorgeous

Short

Foremost

Anger

Life

Witch

Person

Forbidden

Snowflake

Famed

Long

Audacious

Extreme

Constant

Gourmet

Maid

Magistrate

Weakling

Unthinkable

Huh

Macho

Research Team

Campaigner

Scholar

Bounty

Illusion

Intelligent

Sapphire Star

Blinding

Ultra

Disappointing

Human

Smart

Hunt

Flower

Right-hand

Men

Women

Super

Complimentary

Alias

Hope

Pioneer

Freed

Knight

General

Imperial

Supreme

Crack

Opportunistic

God

Terror

Squire

Mettle

Karma

Star

Dragon

Czar

Fearless

Brand

Drink

Egg

Dumpling

Friendly

Hunt-crazy

Monster Hunter

Nailed it

Tempered

Trailblazer

Challenger

BFF

Vibe

Tracker

Titan

Observer

Mission

Go

Handler

Quirk

Fly

Miracle

Fantasy

Chockablock

Big Sis

Specimen

Smitten

Aerial Battle

Charming

Reach hunter rank 999

Monster

World

Top

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Rathian

Rathian Hunted

Land Hunted

Duchess Hunted

Wyvern Princess Hunted

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Pink Rathian

Cherry Blossom

Valkyrie

Queen

Graceful

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Rathalos

Rathalos

Skies

Prince

King

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Azure Rathalos

Azure

Sapphire

Soul

Regent

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Diablos

Diablos

Berserk

Desert

Horned

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Black Diablos

Violent

Piercing

Devil

Demon

Slay 10, 15, 20, and 30 Kirin

Kirin

Stormy

Thunder

Flash

Slay 10, 15, 20, and 30 Kushala Daora

Kushala

Gale

Cyclone

Soaring

Slay 10, 15, 20, and 30 Teostra

Teo

Shimmering

Kaiser

Flame Emperor

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Lavasioth

Lavasioth

Amber

Magma

Red-hot

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Barroth

Barroth

Charge

Tyrant

Strong

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Uragaan

Uragaan

Destruction

Rolling

Sledgehammer

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Anjanath

Anjanath

Bully Hunted

Wild Hunted

Brute Wyvern

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Great Jagras

Great Jagras

Gluttonous

Gobbling

Shaggy

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Pukei-Pukei

Pukei-Pukei

Venomous

Pop

Teacher

Slay 10, 15, 20, and 30 Nergigante

Nergigante

Power

Rebirth

Consume

Slay 10, 15, 20, and 30 Xeno’jiiva

Xeno’jiiva

Winged

Energy

Honcho

Guide Zorah Magdaros

Zorah

Volcano

Advance

Colossal

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Kulu-Ya-Ku

Kulu-Ya-Ku

Burglar

Dexterous

Raptor

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Jyuratodus

Jyuratodus

Mud

Water

Owner

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Tobi-Kadachi

Tobi-Kadachi

Fulgur

Flying Squirrel

Agile

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Paolumu

Paolumu

Balloon

Floaty

Pearly

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Legiana

Legiana

Elegant

Speedster

Twister

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Great Girros

Great Girros

Ravenous

Fear Hunted

Paralyzing

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Odogaron

Odogaron

Watchdog

Predator

Fierce

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Radobaan

Radobaan

Bone

Spiral

Thorns

Slay 10, 15, 20, and 30 Vaal Hazak

Vaal Hazak

Zombie

Corpse

Destination

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Dodogama

Dodogama

Drill

Dignity

Bold

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Bazelgeuse

Bazelgeuse

Trickster

Trouble

Raider

Hunt 20, 30, 40, and 50 Tzitzi-Ya-Ku

Tzitzi-Ya-Ku

Flashy

Spotlight

Mirror

Hunt 50 Tempered Monsters

Adept

Commander

Charisma

Slay 50 Elder Dragons

Valiant

Mythic

Legendary

Already

Feral

Comet

Hunt 100 Large Monsters

Maniac

Tough

Enraged

Hunt 500 Large Monsters

Master

Fairy-tale

Unprecedented

Complete a quest in the Ancient Forest

Ancient Tree

Forest

Complete a quest in the Wildspire Waste

Wildspire

Wastes

Complete a quest in the Coral Highlands

Coral

Highlands

Complete a quest in the Rotten Vale

Rotten

Vale

Complete a quest in the Elder’s Recess

Elder

Recess

Complete 50 optional quests

Liberty

Guide

Guidance

Complete 50 Investigations

Seeker

Knowledgeable

Fair Wind

Complete 10, 30, and 50 Arena Quests

Black Belt

Arena

Chosen

Expert

Hardened

Decidedly

Gladiator

Glory

Admired

Respond to 10 SOS and complete the quest

Backup

Great

Interceptor

Complete 100 Multiplayer Quests

Comrade

Friend

Lonely

Collect 50 Guild Cards

Bond

Spread

Link

Recruit a Tailraider

Tailraider

Stray

Meow

Grimalkyne

Gajalaka

Obtain 100,000 research points

Insect

Plant

PhD

Earn 1 million zenny

Tycoon

Celebrity

Resort

Acquire 5 pieces of Rarity 8 gear

Gear

Obsession

Quintessential

Arm

Collector

Lofty

Join a Squad

Sensei

Prime

Business

Active-duty

Sweetheart

Real

Troupe

Princess

My

Trendy

Heir

Famous

Killer

Telepathic

Unmovable

Eternal

Service

History

Final

Homemade

Warrior

Archer

Bug-catcher

Farmer

Book

Dapper

Curmudgeon

Maiden

Moxie

Grillmaster

Fisherman

Tracks

Item

Prize

Specialist

Skill

Using

Wobbly

Rider

Schemer

Hide-and-Seek

Well-done

White Wind

Participate in the Kulve Taroth Siege

Kulve Taroth

Hoard

Exhilarating

Highly Prized

Obtain from Deviljho Update

Deviljho

Demonic

Destroy

Invader

Obtain from Lunastra Update

Lunastra

Flame

Regal

Incandescent

Obtain from Horizon Zero Dawn PS4 Collaboration

Zero Dawn

Override

Machine

Nora Tribe

Outcast

Obtain from USJ Collaboration

Universal

Studios

Wonder

World’s

Cool Japan

Obtain from Street Fighter V Collaboration

Rival

Destined

Living Legend

Bandana

K.O.

Obtain from Devil May Cry Collaboration

Stylish

Must Die

Ebony

Ivory

Force Edge

Obtain from Mega Man Collaboration

Dr.

E-Tank

Classic

Rush

Rock n’ Roll

Complete “A Visitor from Eorzea (Extreme)”

Warrior of Light Completed

Slay Behemoth to complete the Final Fantasy XIV Collaboration

Fantasy

Crystal

Dragoon

Behemoth

XIV

Obtain Bayek Layered armor or Assassin’s Hood from the Assassin Creed Collaboration

Origins

Assassins

Bayek

Scarab

Pharaoh

Stealth

Slay a Leshen from The Witcher 3 Collaboration

Witcher

Geralt

Ciri

Leshen

White Wolf

Igni

Solved all of the mysteries in Contract: Trouble in the Ancient Forest

Wild Hunt

Partake in the Spring Blossom Fest

Spring

Bloom

March

April

May

Partake in the Summer Twilight Fest

Summer

Ocean

June

July

August

Partake in the Autumn Harvest Fest

Autumn

Pumpkin

September

October

November

Partake in the Winter Star Fest

Winter

Snow

December

January

February

Partake in the Appreciation Fest

Anniversary

One Year

Congrats

Celebrate

Birthday

Second Slot titles

(None)

By

An

For

And

Plus

On

With

Is

No

To

From

Per

Who

What

When

Are

Why

His

Her

Upon

Our

Your

Until

But

Colored

Lacking

Shrouded

Called

Dancer

Swift

Town

City

Using

Looking

Gang

Devotee

Type

Ally

Or

Boss

Assistant

Teacher

Limited

Occasional

Vs.

Worker

Fusion

Minus

Circle

In

Of

Less

The

At

Around

Across

Division

&

+

–

x

?

!

=

~

.

/

:

€

$

★

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

α

β

γ

Except

Meaning

If

Pre

Post

Only

During

Again

Also

Since

Use

So

Very

Wait

Try

☆

Just

Hate

Else

Besides

If you enjoyed this guide be sure to check out next Monster Hunter World: All Guild Card Backgrounds to see the array of Guild Cards Backgrounds you can attain.

Don’t miss out on the upcoming Monster Hunter World: Spring Blossom Festival 2019 Contents.

For all your Monster Hunter needs stop by our Monster Hunter World Wiki. You can also check out the most recent guides in Monster Hunter World: Arch Tempered Nergigante and Monster Hunter World: Patch 6.00 Notes & Witcher Collaboration Event.

If you are looking for more Monster Hunter World info, you can go in-depth with our featured guides: All Armor Limits, Everything about Kulve Taroth, Long Sword Elemental Limits, Dual Blades’ Max Element & Status Limits,  Attack Values & You, Crown Sizes & You, Monster Hunter World: The Canteen Explained With Ingredient Guide or Monster Hunter World: End Game Guide.

The post Monster Hunter World: All Guild Card Titles appeared first on Fextralife.

Monster Hunter World: All Guild Card Titles published first on https://juanaframi.tumblr.com/

[sushigirlali]

I Spy (Reylo MiniFic)

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or anything that relates to Star Wars.

Rating: T

Continuity: Post TLJ

AN: This mini fic omg nvm this got super long one-shot is dedicated to @luminoustunes and @reyl-hoe for their great Saboteur!Kylo exchange 💙❤️ You can find my multi-chapter Reylo fanfics and one-shots on my blog, ff.net, or AO3.

Master list –> sushigirlali’s Reylo fanfiction 

——————

I Spy By: sushigirlali

——————

Ben wiped the sweat from his brow, peering around the next corner carefully. With the exception of two service droids, the corridor was clear. Taking a deep breath, he moved into the long hallway, skimming close to the wall as he approached the hanger bay.

With the latest attack against the Resistance ending in disaster for the First Order, Hux would finally have confirmation of Ben’s interference. Knowing that he had limited time to escape the Absolution before Hux tracked him down and had him executed for treason, Ben was making a break for his shuttle.

Coming up to the control room where the flow of traffic in and out of the Star Destroyer was managed, Ben listened at the door intently. Only sensing one person in the room, he quickly darted inside and took control of the young lieutenant’s mind.

“You will release the landing clamps on my command shuttle and approve it for immediate takeoff.” Ben ordered smoothly, holding out an authoritative hand.

“Yes, sir.” His former subordinate said stiffly, bound by the compulsion laced in Ben’s statement.

“Ready my starfighter as well.” Ben added for good measure. It was always better to have a backup. “And disengage the tractor beam and shield gate while you’re at it.”

“Yes, sir.” He said again.

Ben watched the officer do his bidding for what felt like an eternity, monitoring for activity in the vicinity in the meantime. Sighing in relief once every security measure had been disengaged, Ben knew that if he could just get to one of his ships, he would be home free.

“Sorry about this.” Ben muttered, waving a hand over the lieutenant’s head so that he slumped into a dreamless sleep. “But I can’t have you alerting anyone after I leave.”

Cracking the door open again, Ben slipped back into the empty hallway and continued toward the hanger. Stopping to the left of the open blast doors, he covertly surveyed the area. The command shuttle was stationed directly across from him in the officer’s wing, untethered and ready for him to pilot, while his TIE silencer was a bit further along with the other starfighters.

Although there were fewer people on this side of the platform, he would still have to cross in front of a fair number of stormtroopers and dock workers to board the shuttle. It would be near impossible to control that many people at once, but Ben had little choice but to go for it.

Hux must have been informed about his betrayal by now, and the lack of alarm was telling. The General had always believed he was smarter than Ben, and was no doubt forming some convoluted plan to capture him instead of just issuing a ship-wide warrant for his arrest.

Ben thought of Rey then, desperate to see her again in case his plan went wrong, but knowing he didn’t have the time. The stormtroopers stationed near the officer’s vessels would be changing shift soon, giving him a small window of time to cross the hanger bay relatively unnoticed.

If he didn’t make it out alive, he hoped she would find out what he had done for her and the Resistance one day. Since taking over as Supreme Leader, Ben had been able to scrap or sabotage every mission the First Order had launched against the rebels, stalling all efforts to track down the woman accused of killing Snoke.

Regretting his hasty words that fateful day on the Supremacy, Ben had been doing his best to protect the woman he loved ever since. Unfortunately, he had showed his hand today when a First Order scout ship literally tripped over the Millennium Falcon while refueling at the Garang Spaceport on the remote planet of Dantooine.

To protect his father’s ship, which likely housed both Rey and his mother, Ben had ordered the starship to stand down. But when the captain belligerently refused to give up her tactical advantage over the Resistance’s flagship, Ben used his access as Supreme Leader to remotely activate the scout ship’s self-destruct system, blasting the vessel clear out of the sky before it could get a shot off.

Having blown his cover in front of the entire bridge crew of the Absolution, Ben knew there was no going back now; his reign as Supreme Leader of the First Order was over.

As the stormtroopers left their posts, Ben forced himself to focus on the task at hand, dashing toward the command shuttle. He made quick work of the distance between him and freedom, but just as he reached up to lower the entrance ramp, Hux’s insufferable voice sounded behind him.

“Going somewhere, Supreme Leader Ren?” Hux asked nastily.

The thundering of boots filled Ben’s ears as an entire regiment of soldiers filed into the docking bay, armed to the teeth with blaster rifles and riot control batons. He could sense their hostility toward him, their thirst for his blood, and knew that Hux must have briefed them about his traitorous actions. It had been a mistake to allow the General so much control over the stormtrooper training program, he realized now.

Ben turned to face his enemy, smirking despite the dire situation. If he had to go down fighting, he was taking Hux with him.

“This is the end, Ren.” Hux’s eyes narrowed, unnerved by Ben’s lack of fear. “There’s nowhere left to run, nowhere left to hide.”

“Who’s hiding?” Ben asked sardonically. “Call off your war dogs and we can settle this once and for all.”

“And why would I do that?” Hux replied snidely. “I have an army! They can destroy you for me!”

“Are you really so weak that you would risk the lives of your men instead of facing me yourself?” Ben taunted.

The soldiers shifted uncomfortably at his words, and Ben could tell that Hux was measuring his next statement carefully.

“Tell me, Ren, who really assassinated Supreme Leader Snoke, hmm? Certainly not that desert rat pretending to be a Jedi.” Hux skillfully changed the subject. “Still, she’ll have to be punished for her interference.”

“Leave her out of this!” Ben growled, taking a threatening step forward. “Rey is innocent!”

“So you admit it, then? You admit to murdering our exulted leader?” Hux pressed.

But Ben refused to answer, to give Hux the satisfaction of prying a confession out of him. Unsheathing his crossguard lightsaber, Ben switched it on aggressively.

“Enough talk.” Ben sneered. “Let’s fight.”

Hux hurriedly stepped out of reach, motioning for his men to come forward. Two burly stormtroopers advanced in response, brandishing riot control batons capable of resisting the plasma blade of his lightsaber.

Ben let them come to him, knowing that his superior strength and skill would more than make up for the meager protection their non-lethal weapons offered. Stretching out his senses, he anticipated the first strike of baton against lightsaber, dodging out of the way at the last minute and splitting his enemy’s armor down the back.

As his first foe fell to the ground, the second charged forward with a bellow, swinging wildly. Ben parried the clumsy strokes, bringing his lightsaber down hard on the baton. Electricity crackled between the combatants, but Ben didn’t flinch, pressing his advantage as the stormtrooper lost his balance.

Pulling his crossguard back, he snapped it forward again, smoothly running his opponent through. Placing a large foot on the man’s torso as he slumped, Ben kicked him backward into the crowd.  Straightening up, Ben resumed a defensive position, ready for more.

“Kill him!” Hux shouted, looking fearful as his men hesitated. “Someone kill him!”

A third stormtrooper lunged at Ben, knocking him backward with the force of his attack. Ben surged against his adversary, locking their weapons together. Hux’s latest champion seemed better trained than the riffraff he had dispatched just moments ago, and Ben struggled to get the upper hand this time.

A sudden shift in the Force distracted Ben for a split second, allowing the stormtrooper to push him back a few paces. Readjusting his grip, Ben shifted slightly under the weight of his opponent’s weapon, peering through the unguarded shield gate to receive the shock of his life: Rey piloting Luke’s X-wing, hovering just outside the entrance of the hanger bay.

“Rey!” He exclaimed through their bond, momentarily forgetting about the stormtrooper bearing down on him.

“Ben, watch out!” Rey warned as a fourth soldier struck at his back.

Sidestepping him on instinct, Ben was barely aware of his two assailants crashing into each other, landing sprawled on the floor at Hux’s feet.

“You’re here.” He said in awe, eyes fixed on the cockpit.

“Of course I am.” Rey said warmly. “After what you did on Dantooine, I knew you would be in trouble.”

“How did you find me?” Ben wondered.

“The Force led me to you.” She whispered gently in his mind.

“Rey, I’m—” Ben tried.

“Ben, I need you to move now.” Rey interrupted him. “Take cover behind your shuttle and I’ll clear the deck.”

“Rey, wait!” He shouted, surprising the garrison around him.

But she had already zoomed through the gate, opening fire on the stormtroopers surrounding him. Pushing a group of stunned soldiers out of his way, Ben closed his lightsaber and ducked behind the left side of his command ship.

Recovering from his momentary shock at Rey’s entrance, Hux ordered his men to open fire on the X-wing. Rey rolled to avoid the oncoming stream of blaster riffle fire, flying out the open shield gate before making a hair pin turn and charging back into the fray.

After catching his breath for a moment, Ben reignited his crossguard and dashed out to help, stealthily taking out enemy after enemy as Rey provided cover. When the turrets stationed on the far side of the deck suddenly opened fire, Rey changed course once again, swerving to deal with the heavier artillery.

“Are you okay?” Ben asked unnecessarily, cutting his way across the room.

“Doing great.” Rey responded distractedly as she blasted the turrets to pieces with a well-placed proton torpedo. “You?”

“Never better.” He panted, swinging his lightsaber with everything he had. “Now that you’re here.” Ben could see her smile as if she was standing right next to him, giving him the strength to finish off the last of the ground troops pressing in on him.

Within a matter of minutes, Rey had completely decimated the enemy forces on the far side of the docking bay and crippled their starfighters to prevent retaliation.

Running forward as she swung the X-wing around to land on an empty platform in the middle of the hanger, Ben caught her easily as she jumped over the side of her ship and into his awaiting arms. Rey immediately wrapped herself around him, hugging him tightly.

“I was so afraid when the First Order ship blew up at Garang.” Rey confessed in a rush, pressing her cheek against his. She seemed unable to get close enough, not that Ben minded.

“I’m sorry, Rey, I didn’t mean to frighten you.” He apologized. “I ordered the captain to stand down, but she refused. I had to make a split-second decision in order to protect you.”

“No, you misunderstand me, Ben.” Rey pulled back to cup his face in her small hands. “I was scared because I knew Hux would want your head for it, not because of the explosion.”

Hearing that she was afraid for him rather than of him was almost Ben’s undoing. “Rey.” He whispered achingly, touching his forehead to hers.

“You saved the Resistance, Ben.” Rey told him as she lovingly stroked the long scar marking his pale cheek. “We were on Dantooine to negotiate for supplies, so all of the officers were aboard the Falcon, including your mother. If not for you, the galaxy would have lost its last hope.”

“Rey, you give me too much credit.” Ben groaned, leaning into her touch. “You must know... surely, you must know it was all for you.”

Rey leaned forward, kissing his trembling lips gently. “I know, Ben.” She murmured tearfully. “I know.”

Ben swept her up against him, putting all the longing and loneliness he had felt while they were apart into one searing kiss. She responded in kind, tangling her slim fingers in his raven locks and tugging him as close as possible. Ben could feel her love, like a bright ray of light, filling up his being until he wasn’t sure where he began, and she ended.

But an abrupt disturbance in the Force shocked them back to reality. Still holding onto each other, they turned as one, both throwing out a hand to prevent the bolt of plasma fired by General Hux from striking them. He was bloody and disheveled, his eyes bright with rage.

“Why won’t you just die, Ren?!” Hux screamed, firing his blaster again and again, only to have each shot cast off by the powerful Force-users in front of him.

Ben watched trepidatiously as fire rose behind the General, inching toward their position as it consumed specks of fuel and fragments of debris along the way. As soon as the fire reached the coaxium reserves stored on the other side of the dock, he knew the Star Destroyer would be toast.

“We’re going now. If you want to live, don’t try to stop us.” Ben said firmly, shifting Rey towards the X-wing. “And my name is Ben Solo. If you make it out of this, remember that.”

“No! You can’t get away! I won’t let—ahh!!” Hux yelled as his cloak caught fire, dropping his weapon to try and extinguish the flames.

Ben quickly scaled the side of Luke’s ship while their enemy was distracted, pulling Rey up with him. Settling her smaller body in his lap, they worked together to close the cockpit and engage the starfighter’s starting sequence in record time.

“We need as direct a route as possible to the Resistance, R2.” Rey told the droid as she turned on the beacon strapped to her wrist and brought up the navigation screen. “Yes, that will work. Finn has the other half of the binary beacon, so you can follow the signal.”

“Do they know I’m coming back with you?” Ben asked uncertainly.

“Yes, they do.” Rey said soothingly. “It’s going to be okay. Okay?”

“Okay. I trust you.” Ben replied solemnly.

Rey turned her face to place a kiss against his chin. “Are you ready to go home then?”

Ben titled her chin up to kiss her properly, savoring the balance she brought to his once torn soul. “R2?” He called to the astromech droid. “Punch it.”

-FIN-

[hannahsfanficsforyou]

A Whole New World pt. 3

Me and Aaliyah walk up to Fairy Hills and get settled into our new dorm rooms, they are next to each other but it’s nice to have my own room. It’s got the main room a bedroom and a bathroom. Thank god it has plumbing and “Ahhh a full bathtub, I can soak in this for houuuuurs” I say dreamily, “screw it I’m taking one now, I’m sweaty from that hike” 

I fill the tub up and check under the cabinet and find some bottle of liquid, I read the properties of it and it says it has remedy effects for sore muscles and when you pour it in the bath to say the color then what you want it to smell like. “What.. No way it can actually do that” I pop the bottle open and pour it in the tub, “Pink and mint” As soon as I say it my eyes go wide as the bathwater turns a bright pink color and I can smell a fresh mint smell wafting up from the bath. “Holy shit, magic is fucking awesome, I think I love it here.” I climb into the bath and my muscles immediately relax and I let out a sigh, I haven’t felt this good in so long, It’s like all my tension floats away and melts in the hot water.

The water finally turns cold and I get out wrapping my body in a towel and look at the time. “Hmmm it’s only 10pm but I’m exhausted. Forget it I’m passing out now.” I say flopping into bed not bothering to put any clothing back on. I drift off into a dreamless sleep.

My eyes crack open and I give an annoyed growl because the sun was not up yet, “God, I knew I wasn’t going to sleep the full night if I went to bed before 1am” I say rubbing my eyes and seeing the clock saying 3am I let out a pained groan, “you know, I really am not one for walking around alone by myself at 3am in a city I don’t know yet BUT I can’t sleep and currently have nothing to keep myself busy with and hey apparently I’m super powerful sooo...Screw it.” I get up and put my clothing on “Ew, these smell gross, first on the list when I get money, new clothing.” 

I open my door and look outside to make sure no one else is out and about, I don’t think there is a curfew, I mean we are adults we can come and go as we please but, just in case. I also have my camouflage so I think I would be fine either way, not that I’ve really mastered using it, but whatever. 

I get out of the building and take a breath of fresh air, it really is beautiful here, the stars are out and the moon seems extra bright tonight. I smile as I walk down to the city, the lanterns light up the deserted streets and it’s oddly serene. The warmth of the late summer air feels so nice on my bare arms. Then the next instant the hairs on my neck stand up, what is this sensation? It feels like... terrifying magic power. My eyes widen and a cold sweat breaks out over my skin, chilling me, the power is so intense it doesn’t even feel human.

I whip my body around to look for the person who was emitting that terrifying aura but I see no one, and I hold my arms suddenly feeling exposed in my tank top and shorts. It’s 3am jeez who else is out, damn go to sleep... pff like I’m one to talk. I giggle despite still feeling a bit petrified as the chills go away. 

What was that, God that magic power felt insane, I wonder who it was or if they are part of a guild... or, was it even human... I speed up my pace as I decide now would probably be a good time to go back home. I let out a shaky sigh as I make my way through the streets again, I walk down an alley and- wait. “Oh shit, where am I?” I look around but “Yep, fuck I’m lost, damn it” I hear some chuckling and turn around again, Is it the same person as before-no, these people are emitting magic but it’s, lesser and different than what I felt before, and I feel multiple presences, hmm three of them. Its strange I can tell from just feeling their magic near me, they are weak- how do I even know that.

It’s such a strange thing, but I can also feel them through the ground. It’s like I’m communicating with the earth itself, I could feel every step they took and what direction they were headed. Which happened to be right towards me. It was dark down this alley and eventually the three men came into where my eyes could make them out. All three were well built and tall, they were getting closer to me and I could smell the alcohol all the way from where I was standing. Fucking drunks. 

My arms and legs were braced. My whole body tensed up with the stupid situation I’d gotten myself into. Jesus Hannah you know this kind of stuff happens to young women who go out alone at night, how can you be so dumb to think it wouldn’t happen to you. But there eyes on me, I shivered feeling their magic energy coming off them, it wasn’t as strong as mine but I still felt so small and scared under their evil smiles and piercing gazes. 

Could I really take three people on in a fight? I have magic now but I haven’t even fought anyone, ever. My hands start to sweat and my heart beats faster, I- I can’t, how do I breath? I feel my chest tighten up and my anxiety makes me feel like I’m going to pass out. The three men are getting even closer “Ohh, look at this cutie, I bet we can have some fun with her.” The other two snicker menacingly as one reaches to grab me “n-no please, don’t touch me” My eyes start to tear up as I back away from him more tripping and falling backwards, magic, I have it now, use it Hannah. My brain is stuck with fear and I can’t even start to think about how to even use my magic. 

I close my eyes trying to stop the tears of fear as the men reach for me. I’m so helpless, even with magic I can’t stand up or protect myself. Such a helpless idiot. Then suddenly it was like the sky came down from heaven itself and three giant lightning bolts struck the men in front of me. My mouth falls open and my eyes go wide as I see another man standing in front of me, he is taller than the other three, wait.. that spiky blonde hair, I’ve seen it before. Oh my lord, it’s hunky lightning man. God, I really need to find out his actual name so I can stop calling him that.  Jesus his magic, it’s the most powerful thing i’ve felt.

Wait this magic, it feels familiar.. Suddenly it goes off in my head, the power I felt earlier, it’s the same. So he was back there then too, he was who I felt. I look up at his face and honestly almost shit myself, he has the most terrifying look I’ve ever seen, If his lightning didn’t kill them already it looks like he is about to with his bare hands. But instead he just tsks and starts to walk away and in the process he steps on one of the dudes to walk over him, without even looking at me.

I stand up quickly and rush forward, without thinking I grab the hem of his coat and a surge of electricity courses through my body. I gasp, I was so shook up I didn’t even see the mini lightning bolts surrounding his body. He looks back his face not as scary as it was when he was looking at the dudes who tried to attack me but still I couldn’t read it at all. His eyes pierced right through me, it’s like they could see right into my soul, fuck this is why I hate eye contact, the eyes always give you away. 

“I- just- erm, thank you..” I say while my face turns redder than Ariel’s hair, hopefully he can’t see it since it’s so dark. He doesn’t say anything, still having the blank look on his face staring at me, God this is awkward, I wouldn’t feel like this if he wasn’t so damn hot, I mean look at him, I could melt right now. I don’t even feel like I was about to have a panic attack a few seconds ago, I feel so safe being close to him, but so nervous and scared too, and insecure. 

“You’re welcome” I look up surprised and if my face was red before, after hearing him talk for the first time my body went from a regular temperature all the way to a fever that could cause brain damage, actually I think I do have brain damage now, because I can’t remember how to speak or form words. Note to self when clothing shopping buy new underwear. He starts to walk away again but “shit” I mumble “A-actually, I’m... I got lost, can you help me, I- Live at Fairy Hills, the girls dorms for the guild. I’m a new member I joined today.” 

His face remains expressionless, albeit bored, but he nods and turns away with his hands in his pockets, “Oh thank God” I say quietly as I speed up trying to keep up with his long legs, Jeez I thought I was tall but my legs are nothing compared to his fucking 6′4 legs. 

We make our way through the city and it seemed like in no time we were climbing the hill towards the dorms, the whole trip we didn’t say anything. I guess hes not much of a talker.. Mmmm sexy silent type, I dig it I think to myself while trying not to drool staring at his back as I walk behind him. Ahhh I wish I could see him shirtless, I bet he looks amazing, I can just tell even with a shirt and jacket that hes ripped. Wow Hannah this is how you think about the man who just saved you? Jeez, damn virgin. I cover my mouth to laugh at my own little joke but he turns his head with one eyebrow raised and I just blush again and look at the ground. I guess he heard that, gosh he probably thinks I’m crazy laughing to myself. 

He walks me to the door of the building and I open it and walk inside “Uhm, thanks again, for- hah everything I guess, helping me with those guys and helping me find my way back, I um I owe you one, or two really.” I say looking up barley able to make eye contact, god his eyes are too much to take looking at for more than a few seconds, his gaze alone could kill someone. 

He nods and turns to leave but stops and turns his head and with a little smirk says “The names Laxus by the way not hunky lightning man.” And with that he turns around fully and walks off into the night. My eyes almost roll into the back of my head and I feel like my body could explode right there in embarrassment. “H-how, when, what, when did he even, how did he hear that,” I manage to crawl back up to my dorm room while being mortified and drag myself back into bed. “How am I ever going to look at him again, this is insane.”

I didn’t manage to fall asleep and keep playing back our interaction the whole night in my head.

[iancsc-projects]

Beyond Oasis Review

If you're like me and have reread the same best-of retro games lists a million times over the years, it's likely that you've seen Beyond Oasis (The Story of Thor JP/EU) pop up on no small number of lists for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. Comparisons to The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past and colorful screenshots, depicting a pleasantly cartoony blond protagonist from above, scimitar in-hand, always made it stand out from other entries for me. With the game readily available and the thought of those beautiful screenshots in the back of my head, and while I was still on a bit of a Zelda-like kick after having finished Anodyne and nearly all of its post-game content, I decided to pop in Sega Genesis Classics for my Nintendo Switch and get started. Instantly, I was struck by the full scope of the game's art, which blends a bit of Disney's Aladdin with contemporary (for 1994) anime and a dose of Link to the Past. Rocky cliffs, beaches, forests, villages and fortresses all have unique color schemes and seamless, natural tilesets, which establish concrete environments for enemies to patrol, NPCs to idle and protagonist Prince Ali to explore. And every piece of animation in the game complements the art style, with even the simplest enemy or NPC depicted with large sprites. The real stars of animation though are Ali and his elemental familiars, who sport big, expressive movements and attacks. All of this is accompanied by a Yuzo Koshiro score, which, while very suited to the Disney-esque high-adventure mood set by the art and sound effects, fails to stand out much aside from a few tracks, most notably Evil Territory, a haunting synth loop that kicks in after the climax, when Prince Ali finds himself drawing closer to the end of his quest. But not once does the music seem unfitting or not enjoyable, it's just not particularly impressive like you might expect out of Koshiro. Structured like many action RPGs and Zelda-likes of yore, Beyond Oasis features a compact overworld, with access to certain regions and dungeons gated by ability or plot. While the gating of new areas is mostly linear, after descending through the first dungeon and gaining the ability to summon Dytto the water elemental, I managed to stumble across the second dungeon, only accessible through Dytto's powers, before ever returning to the castle, seat of Ali's father the king, to be briefed on the next steps of my mission. Each of the game's dungeon excursions rewards Ali with an elemental power, special item or plot progression, and they're consistently well-paced. Like the overworld, the dungeons don't encompass particularly large areas, and they aren't terribly long, but the designers made great use of limited space, with shortcuts always waiting at the end of a challenging section to lead the player back to where they need to be, in the classic Zelda style. And mastering the movement to run and jump quickly through dungeons helps alleviate any backtracking woes. While the traversal mechanics are brisk, Beyond Oasis does reward careful play. As Prince Ali wanders into uncharted territory, it's often wise to proceed in increments, on the lookout for an ambush from charging or ranged enemies. And while the enemies are varied, the majority of encounters tend to rely on throwing multiple grunts at you while you contend with one or two tougher foes. These situations, I feel, don't take full advantage of Beyond Oasis's beat-em-up like attack inputs. Using his default knife, Prince Ali can perform a spin attack, which is akin to Link's, and the best ways to escape a crowd of enemies; a powerful flipping-slash, which is great for taking out flying enemies; a lunging stab, whose easy input makes it one of the more important tools in your repertoire; and the triple back-flip, a powerful move, but one whose utility is somewhat lost in a swarm of enemies who can hit you before you've finished the input. I think that mini-bosses could have been used to good effect and allowed players to experiment more with Ali's special moves. With heart containers and puzzle-dungeons, Beyond Oasis wears its inspiration on its sleeve, but Ancient did beat Nintendo to the punch on one divisive mechanic; weapons that Prince Ali pulls from treasure chests — various types of crossbows, bombs and swords — have a certain number of uses before they break. The reasonably high number of uses per weapon makes it more akin to The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild's weapon degradation than to a simple arcade power-up. I actually found myself enjoying combat with the knife enough that I eventually amassed an abundance of side weapons, which came in most handy during boss fights and for taking out large swaths of enemies quickly to ease traversal. His most important permanent upgrades are Ali's four elemental spirits, representing water, fire, shadow and earth, which can be summoned from bodies of water, flames, reflective crystals and certain plants, respectively, amongst other sources of those elements found in the environment. The spirits each provide two active abilities and one passive ability which range from a simple healing spell or flame breath attack, to catching Ali and carrying him back up to a platform after a missed jump. That last one comes in particularly handy eventually, because while the game poses a decent challenge, the most frustrating bits take the form of platforming sections. The actual platform detection and jumping feel great, but dealing with enemy projectiles during can be a pain. Though by the final test of that skill in the end-game dungeon, I had become fairly adept at timing slashes to deflect bullets and patiently waiting for an easier chance to jump. Beyond Oasis comes from the late 16-bit era when developers had plenty of good examples of what and what not to do in this type of game and benefits from it greatly, as well as from Ancient's mastery of Sega's hardware, having just come off of Streets of Rage 2. While the soundtrack and enemy encounters are somewhat less creative than the rest of game, as a whole, Beyond Oasis would certainly make my personal Sega Genesis best-of list. Stay tuned for that never.

[cover2covermom]

Today I am sharing my favorite reads of 2019!  I read 130 books in 2019, so narrowing down my list to only 10 books was not going to happen #SorryNotSorry

Here are my favorite 24 books of 2019….

» The Winter of the Witch (Winternight #3) by Katherine Arden

Now Moscow has been struck by disaster. Its people are searching for answers—and for someone to blame. Vasya finds herself alone, beset on all sides. The Grand Prince is in a rage, choosing allies that will lead him on a path to war and ruin. A wicked demon returns, stronger than ever and determined to spread chaos. Caught at the center of the conflict is Vasya, who finds the fate of two worlds resting on her shoulders. Her destiny uncertain, Vasya will uncover surprising truths about herself and her history as she desperately tries to save Russia, Morozko, and the magical world she treasures. But she may not be able to save them all.

The Winter of the Witch was the perfect conclusion to the Winternight Trilogy. The Winternight Trilogy really has it all: political intrigue, Russian folklore, magic, action, adventure, a bad ass leading lady… I cannot recommend this series enough.

You can read my mini review here ⇒ Mini Book Review: Winter of the Witch

» The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart–he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season’s first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone–but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees. This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.

There was so much that I adored about this book: the beautiful writing, the characters, the plot inspired by Russian folklore, the magic realism elements, the frontier setting of 1920s Alaska…

You can read my mini review here ⇒ Mini Book Review: The Snow Child

» Moloka’i by Alan Brennert

This richly imagined novel, set in Hawai’i more than a century ago, is an extraordinary epic of a little-known time and place—and a deeply moving testament to the resiliency of the human spirit.

Rachel Kalama, a spirited seven-year-old Hawaiian girl, dreams of visiting far-off lands like her father, a merchant seaman. Then one day a rose-colored mark appears on her skin, and those dreams are stolen from her. Taken from her home and family, Rachel is sent to Kalaupapa, the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Moloka’i. Here her life is supposed to end—but instead she discovers it is only just beginning.

This book was absolutely heartbreaking on so many different levels. I cried on two different occasions while reading it, and I seldom cry while reading books.

Moloka’i included themes like family (traditional and nontraditional), friendship, freedom, hope, love, religion/faith (Christianity vs. Paganism), illness, loss, and grief.  This book blew me away.  I read it along with one of my book clubs, and every member enjoyed it.

You can read my mini review here ⇒ Mini Book Review: Moloka’i

» Circe by Madeline Miller

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.

I adore how Madeline Miller weaves her Greek Mythology retellings. The more of Madeline’s retellings I read, the more I want to read Homer’s The Illiad & The Odyssey. Even though I have not read Homer’s books, from what I’ve researched, Miller stays true to the original story while creating an entirely new spin on the story.  Honestly, I hope she will continue this trend because I will read every one she comes out with.

Circe includes themes like complicated family dynamics, mortality vs. immortality, sexism/gender inequality, destiny, motherhood, sex positivity, and love. I was engaged from beginning to end.

You can read my mini review here ⇒ Mini Book Review: Circe

» The Poppy War (The Poppy War #1) by R.F. Kuang

When Rin aced the Keju, the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies, it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard, the most elite military school in Nikan, was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.

If I had to sum up The Poppy War in a few words, they would be epic, brutal, and morally gray.  I flew through this book despite it being 544 pages!  I cannot wait to get my hands on the second book next month.

You can read my mini review here ⇒ Mini Book Review: The Poppy War

» Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

The first ten lies they tell you in high school.

“Speak up for yourself—we want to know what you have to say.”

From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, she becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication.

In Laurie Halse Anderson’s powerful novel, an utterly believable heroine with a bitterly ironic voice delivers a blow to the hypocritical world of high school. She speaks for many a disenfranchised teenager while demonstrating the importance of speaking up for oneself.

Speak was a 1999 National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature.

Books that explore sexual assault victimization are so important, especially in the YA target age range, because they can inform, increases empathy, and challenge problematic rape culture.  Speak needs to be required reading for all high school aged kids.

You can read my mini review here ⇒ Mini Book Review: Speak

» Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity . . . until now.

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.

Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.

The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice.

I know this book has very mixed reviews due to its format, but I LOVED this book.  Since Daisy Jones and the Six is told in interview format from many different characters, many people were turned off.  Since I knew this was the format going into the book, this read like a classic rock band documentary playing out in my mind.  This book was meant for TV or film adaptation.

You can read my mini book review here ⇒ Mini Book Review: Daisy Jones and the Six

» The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

As surprising as it is moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love.

We are not quite novels.

We are not quite short stories.

In the end, we are collected works.

A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died; his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history; and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island—from Chief Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who’s always felt kindly toward him; from Ismay, his sister-in-law, who is hell-bent on saving A.J. from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who persists in taking the ferry to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.’s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, he can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly.

And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It’s a small package, though large in weight—an unexpected arrival that gives A.J. the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn’t take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J., for the determined sales rep Amelia to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light, for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.’s world. Or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn’t see coming.

What bookworm doesn’t love a story about books, bookstores, and the people that love books?  The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry was heartwarming, funny, and emotional.  I’d recommend this book to fans of quirky characters & fans of books like A Man Called Ove.

This made for an excellent book club discussion with the moral dilemmas in the story.

You can read my mini book review here ⇒ Mini Book Review: The Storied Life of AJ Fikrey

» With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

With her daughter to care for and her abuela to help support, high school senior Emoni Santiago has to make the tough decisions, and do what must be done. The one place she can let her responsibilities go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness. Still, she knows she doesn’t have enough time for her school’s new culinary arts class, doesn’t have the money for the class’s trip to Spain — and shouldn’t still be dreaming of someday working in a real kitchen. But even with all the rules she has for her life — and all the rules everyone expects her to play by — once Emoni starts cooking, her only real choice is to let her talent break free.

I adored Elizabeth Acevedo’s debut novel, The Poet X, so I was very excited to read her next book.  I listened to her first book via audiobook, and fell in love with the author’s narration.  I chose to listen to Fire on High via audiobook as well.  I loved this one just as much as her first!  Elizabeth Acevedo has a beautiful way with words & I adore her characters & plotlines.  I typically stray away from YA contemporary, but I’ll read anything Acevedo writes!

You can read my mini book review here ⇒ Mini Book Review: With the Fire On High

» The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease

Recommended by “Dear Abby”, The New York Times and The Washington Post, for three decades, millions of parents and educators have turned to Jim Trelease’s beloved classic to help countless children become avid readers through awakening their imaginations and improving their language skills. Now this new edition of The Read-Aloud Handbook imparts the benefits, rewards, and importance of reading aloud to children of a new generation. Supported by delightful anecdotes as well as the latest research, The Read-Aloud Handbook offers proven techniques and strategies—and the reasoning behind them—for helping children discover the pleasures of reading and setting them on the road to becoming lifelong readers.

The Read-Aloud Family is about the the reasoning and the research/evidence behind why you should be reading aloud with your children.   Since childhood literacy is a passion of mine, this book was absolutely fascinating!  This book should be read by all parents, educators, and librarians!

You can read my mini book review here ⇒ Mini Book Review: The Read-Aloud Handbook

» Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor #1) by Mark Lawrence

I was born for killing – the gods made me to ruin.

At the Convent of Sweet Mercy young girls are raised to be killers. In a few the old bloods show, gifting talents rarely seen since the tribes beached their ships on Abeth. Sweet Mercy hones its novices’ skills to deadly effect: it takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the ways of blade and fist.

But even the mistresses of sword and shadow don’t truly understand what they have purchased when Nona Grey is brought to their halls as a bloodstained child of eight, falsely accused of murder: guilty of worse.

Stolen from the shadow of the noose, Nona is sought by powerful enemies, and for good reason. Despite the security and isolation of the convent her secret and violent past will find her out. Beneath a dying sun that shines upon a crumbling empire, Nona Grey must come to terms with her demons and learn to become a deadly assassin if she is to survive…

From the very first line, I was completely captivated by Red Sister.   The characters are complex.  The world is well developed and fascinating.  The plot was fast paced, action-packed, and an adventure from start to finish.  This book has everything I love in my fantasy books: bad ass leading lady, action, magic abilities, school/training setting, political drama, and an emphasis on friendships.

You can read my mini book review here ⇒ Mini Book Review: Red Sister

» A Game of Thrones (A Song of Fire and Ice #1) by George R.R. Martin

Here is the first volume in George R. R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hailed as a classic, George R. R. Martin’s stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.

A GAME OF THRONES

Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.

Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

Game of Thrones is full of action, adventure, humor, political intrigue, plot twists, and lots of death.  I was completely engrossed in this book from start to finish.  I cannot wait to read the rest of the books in this series!

You can read my mini book review here ⇒ Mini Book Review: A Game of Thrones

» The Library Book by Susan Orlean

On the morning of April 29, 1986, a fire alarm sounded in the Los Angeles Public Library. As the moments passed, the patrons and staff who had been cleared out of the building realized this was not the usual fire alarm. As one fireman recounted, “Once that first stack got going, it was ‘Goodbye, Charlie.’” The fire was disastrous: it reached 2000 degrees and burned for more than seven hours. By the time it was extinguished, it had consumed four hundred thousand books and damaged seven hundred thousand more. Investigators descended on the scene, but more than thirty years later, the mystery remains: Did someone purposefully set fire to the library—and if so, who?

Weaving her lifelong love of books and reading into an investigation of the fire, award-winning New Yorker reporter and New York Times bestselling author Susan Orlean delivers a mesmerizing and uniquely compelling book that manages to tell the broader story of libraries and librarians in a way that has never been done before.

In The Library Book, Orlean chronicles the LAPL fire and its aftermath to showcase the larger, crucial role that libraries play in our lives; delves into the evolution of libraries across the country and around the world, from their humble beginnings as a metropolitan charitable initiative to their current status as a cornerstone of national identity; brings each department of the library to vivid life through on-the-ground reporting; studies arson and attempts to burn a copy of a book herself; reflects on her own experiences in libraries; and reexamines the case of Harry Peak, the blond-haired actor long suspected of setting fire to the LAPL more than thirty years ago.

Along the way, Orlean introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters from libraries past and present—from Mary Foy, who in 1880 at eighteen years old was named the head of the Los Angeles Public Library at a time when men still dominated the role, to Dr. C.J.K. Jones, a pastor, citrus farmer, and polymath known as “The Human Encyclopedia” who roamed the library dispensing information; from Charles Lummis, a wildly eccentric journalist and adventurer who was determined to make the L.A. library one of the best in the world, to the current staff, who do heroic work every day to ensure that their institution remains a vital part of the city it serves.

Brimming with her signature wit, insight, compassion, and talent for deep research, The Library Book is Susan Orlean’s thrilling journey through the stacks that reveals how these beloved institutions provide much more than just books—and why they remain an essential part of the heart, mind, and soul of our country. It is also a master journalist’s reminder that, perhaps especially in the digital era, they are more necessary than ever.

The Library Book is an ode to libraries, and how they are such an important staple in a community.

You can read my mini book review here ⇒ Mini Book Review: The Library Book

» The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Alaska, 1974. Unpredictable. Unforgiving. Untamed. For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.

Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.

Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if it means following him into the unknown.

At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.

But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.

In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska―a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature

 This book was a roller coaster of emotion & heavy topics.  Themes included in The Great Alone include survival, coming of age, PTSD, domestic violence, family, & resilience.

You can read my mini review here ⇒ Mini Book Review: The Great Alone

» The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) by R.F. Kuang

The searing follow-up to 2018’s most celebrated fantasy debut – THE POPPY WAR.

In the aftermath of the Third Poppy War, shaman and warrior Rin is on the run: haunted by the atrocity she committed to end the war, addicted to opium, and hiding from the murderous commands of her vengeful god, the fiery Phoenix. Her only reason for living is to get revenge on the traitorous Empress who sold out Nikan to their enemies.

With no other options, Rin joins forces with the powerful Dragon Warlord, who has a plan to conquer Nikan, unseat the Empress, and create a new Republic. Rin throws herself into his war. After all, making war is all she knows how to do.

But the Empress is a more powerful foe than she appears, and the Dragon Warlord’s motivations are not as democratic as they seem. The more Rin learns, the more she fears her love for Nikan will drive her away from every ally and lead her to rely more and more on the Phoenix’s deadly power. Because there is nothing she won’t sacrifice for her country and her vengeance.

The sequel to R.F. Kuang’s acclaimed debut THE POPPY WAR, THE DRAGON REPUBLIC combines the history of 20th-century China with a gripping world of gods and monsters, to devastating effect.

I’m happy to report that there was no second book syndrome for this epic series! The Dragon Republic was an excellent follow up to The Poppy War.

You can read my mini book review here ⇒ Mini Book Review: The Dragon Republic

» Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

I am learning how to be sad and happy at the same time.

Jude never thought she’d be leaving her beloved older brother and father behind, all the way across the ocean in Syria. But when things in her hometown start becoming volatile, Jude and her mother are sent to live in Cincinnati with relatives.

At first, everything in America seems too fast and too loud. The American movies that Jude has always loved haven’t quite prepared her for starting school in the US—and her new label of “Middle Eastern,” an identity she’s never known before. But this life also brings unexpected surprises—there are new friends, a whole new family, and a school musical that Jude might just try out for. Maybe America, too, is a place where Jude can be seen as she really is.

This is such an important middle grade book because it deals with a refugee experience with mild tones of Islamophobia.  Warga handles these topics with care & authenticity

You can read my mini book review here ⇒ Mini Book Review: Other Words for Home

» Heroine by Mindy McGinnis

An Amazon Best Book of the Month! A captivating and powerful exploration of the opioid crisis—the deadliest drug epidemic in American history—through the eyes of a college-bound softball star. Edgar Award-winning author Mindy McGinnis delivers a visceral and necessary novel about addiction, family, friendship, and hope.

When a car crash sidelines Mickey just before softball season, she has to find a way to hold on to her spot as the catcher for a team expected to make a historic tournament run. Behind the plate is the only place she’s ever felt comfortable, and the painkillers she’s been prescribed can help her get there.

The pills do more than take away pain; they make her feel good.

With a new circle of friends—fellow injured athletes, others with just time to kill—Mickey finds peaceful acceptance, and people with whom words come easily, even if it is just the pills loosening her tongue.

But as the pressure to be Mickey Catalan heightens, her need increases, and it becomes less about pain and more about want, something that could send her spiraling out of control.

This book is one the best portrayals of drug addiction that I’ve ever read.  It was raw, gritty, and deeply unsettling.

You can read my mini book review here ⇒ Mini Book Review: Heroine

» The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

In the early 1900s, a young woman embarks on a fantastical journey of self-discovery after finding a mysterious book in this captivating and lyrical debut.

In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out of place.

Then she finds a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure and danger. Each page turn reveals impossible truths about the world and January discovers a story increasingly entwined with her own.

Lush and richly imagined, a tale of impossible journeys, unforgettable love, and the enduring power of stories awaits in Alix E. Harrow’s spellbinding debut–step inside and discover its magic.

  I adored this heartwarming story of love, grief, and perseverance.

» Brave by Svetlana Chmakova

In his daydreams, Jensen is the biggest hero that ever was, saving the world and his friends on a daily basis. But his middle school reality is VERY different – math is hard, getting along with friends is hard…Even finding a partner for the class project is a big problem when you always get picked last. And the pressure’s on even more once the school newspaper’s dynamic duo, Jenny and Akilah, draw Jensen into the whirlwind of school news, social experiment projects, and behind-the-scenes club drama. Jensen’s always played the middle school game one level at a time, but suddenly, someone’s cranked up the difficulty setting. Will those daring daydreams of his finally work in his favor, or will he have to find real solutions to his real life problems?

The charming world of Berrybrook Middle School gets a little bigger in this highly anticipated follow up to Svetlana Chmakova’s award winning Awkward with a story about a boy who learns his own way of being Brave!

LOVED this graphic novel from the illustrations to the story.  A wonderful depiction of the struggles of middle school.

» Emily of New Moon (Emily #1), Emily Climbs (Emily #2), &

Emily’s Quest (Emily #3) by L.M. Montgomery

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Emily Starr never knew what it was to be lonely — until her beloved father died. Now Emily’s an orphan, and her mother’s snobbish relatives are taking her to live with them at New Moon Farm. She’s sure she won’t be happy. Emily deals with stiff, stern Aunt Elizabeth and her malicious classmates by holding her head high and using her quick wit. Things begin to change when she makes friends: with Teddy, who does marvelous drawings; with Perry, who’s sailed all over the world with his father yet has never been to school; and above all, with Ilse, a tomboy with a blazing temper. Amazingly, Emily finds New Moon beautiful and fascinating. With new friends and adventures, Emily might someday think of herself as Emily of New Moon.

If you enjoyed Anne of Green Gables, you’ll enjoy this series too!

» Educated by Tara Westover

Tara Westover was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her “head-for-the-hills bag”. In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter she salvaged in her father’s junkyard.

Her father forbade hospitals, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education and no one to intervene when one of Tara’s older brothers became violent.

Then, lacking any formal education, Tara began to educate herself. She taught herself enough mathematics and grammar to be admitted to Brigham Young University, where she studied history, learning for the first time about important world events like the Holocaust and the civil rights movement. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge. Only then would she wonder if she’d traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

Educated is an account of the struggle for self-invention. It is a tale of fierce family loyalty and of the grief that comes with severing the closest of ties. With the acute insight that distinguishes all great writers, Westover has crafted a universal coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of what an education is and what it offers: the perspective to see one’s life through new eyes and the will to change it.

This memoir was absolutely heartbreaking & horrifying.  Educated makes for a perfect book club selection.

» All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney

Allie Abraham has it all going for her—she’s a straight-A student, with good friends and a close-knit family, and she’s dating cute, popular, and sweet Wells Henderson. One problem: Wells’s father is Jack Henderson, America’s most famous conservative shock jock…and Allie hasn’t told Wells that her family is Muslim. It’s not like Allie’s religion is a secret, exactly. It’s just that her parents don’t practice and raised her to keep her Islamic heritage to herself. But as Allie witnesses ever-growing Islamophobia in her small town and across the nation, she begins to embrace her faith—studying it, practicing it, and facing hatred and misunderstanding for it. Who is Allie, if she sheds the façade of the “perfect” all-American girl? What does it mean to be a “Good Muslim?” And can a Muslim girl in America ever truly fit in?

ALL-AMERICAN MUSLIM GIRL is a relevant, relatable story of being caught between two worlds, and the struggles and hard-won joys of finding your place.

This was a beautiful coming-of-age story about a girl that is struggling with her identity and feels the need to hide her true self.  I loved the growth of the main character, Allie, from start to finish.  I also think this book does a beautiful job of laying out what Islam is, and what it isn’t.

Did you read any of the books on my list?  If so, what did you think?

What are some of your favorite books of 2019?

Comment below & let me know 🙂

Favorite Books of 2019 #BookBlogger #Bookworm #Bibliophile #Books #Reading Today I am sharing my favorite reads of 2019!  I read 130 books in 2019, so narrowing down my list to only 10 books was not going to happen #SorryNotSorry…

[getseriouser]

20 THOUGHTS: Mid-season shaft

GEE it’s getting cold in Melbourne.

Left my half-finished Farmers Union iced coffee for just a second, came back and it had become a Masterchef-esque espresso semifreddo. Ridiculous.

But it still ain’t as cold as what we witnessed between B.Scott and D.King at Marvel Stadium on Saturday arvo.

Their relationship, or lack thereof, would give you a full, frozen ice cream in seconds.

Bit to unpack with that, and lots more happening too.

 1.       Let’s go all Brad Scott stuff up front. On the David King stuff firstly, let’s not forget, he is ‘a Scott brother’, who was coached by Leigh Matthews, and then tutored as a coach-in-waiting by Mick Malthouse. This ain’t a man brought up to make the romance with arachnids, so to speak. Therefore nothing to see here, Kingy ain’t exactly a precious flower either, so the idea Scott should be reprimanded, please, whoever’s saying that wasn’t hugged enough by their mother growing up, clearly.

2.       Where to for now for Scott? Don’t know. When you’re a bourgeoning assistant, any jobs a good job. When you’ve done ten years, and impressed, you can afford to take your chances. I don’t think he is any certainty to coach anywhere next year, in fact the idea he does some media next year and ends up following paths similar to say Rodney Eade or Neil Balme sounds pretty plausible.

3.       Here’s one thing though, and where one must be careful – a handful of Giants players knew about Brad Scott’s departure before any Kangaroos players. Obviously Rhyce Shaw knew really early on, let slip to the younger brother playing up in Sydney, next thing Heath is smashing up WhatsApp with the latest scoop before anyone at Arden St, or Brad’s wife, were aware. Two words – classic Heater.

4.       So, John Longmire. Two schools of thought and I favour the second – first, is that after such a long time away from Melbourne he’d like to return to where he spent 12 years as a player and lead his old club into its next chapter, fully resourced, starting afresh given Sydney’s impending plight. Or secondly, if he wasn’t entertaining the idea of leaving his home state (born and bred Corowa on the banks of the Murray), why all of a sudden does the North job persuade him, might as well stay the course he was on before Brad Scott’s decision.

5.       So my shortlist for the North job next year, chuck Rhyce Shaw in that group as he’ll have enough of a go to make a fist of it, chuck Longmire in too, why not, then also Brett Ratten is the incumbent senior coach for anyone who is looking (Clarko’s 2IC, dare I say more), plus Michael Voss I think too would be a chance after his good work at Port. My smokey would be Blake Caracella at Richmond, master tactician; he came to the club after 2016, and look what happened thereupon.

6.       Mid-season draft, don’t mind for the minutiae of it all, its either kids who you’ll never see play or Marlion Pickett who ends up being in Richmond’s best 22 by year’s end. But, SANFL CEO Jake Parkinson released a statement last night I have to empathise with, where aside the positive yarns you’ll read about in most of the press, his view was rather different.

 "We will continue to stand firm in our opposition to a mid-season draft," he said, “(it) will have a significantly detrimental impact on SANFL clubs who work hard to develop their players and teams lists and position themselves for success”. He continued “it will not be possible for ... [the] clubs to find replacements for their players taken," and “affected SANFL clubs now face the remainder of their 2019 season without key players”.

 Very hard to not agree with Parkinson – if we’re going to do this again it needs a re-think and a more respectful approach the lower leagues affected.

7.       People having a go about seeing the injection by the Brisbane doctor down in the race Sunday. Please. Firstly, why would you have a go at the doctor, he did the right thing and did it away from spectators, but secondly, whilst it’s not exactly what you tune in to watch footy for, I don’t see it as being offensive, or indeed inappropriate to small children who face the reality of needles from an early age. Unless this is part of that whole ‘anti-vaccination’ thing which in that case I’m moving on…

8.       Great piece of commentary on that final play in the Dockers-Lions balltearer on the weekend by a caller you mightn’t know – Adam Paplia gets the odd Perth game or the dud games in the Fox Footy roster, but delivered “he has made every post a winner” in the immediate aftermath of Michael Walters winning behind. Thought it was very sharp.

9.       Earlier Sunday the Giants eroded their MCG hoodoo. No they didn’t – it never existed. Last year they played two preliminary finalists over three games for one win and two losses, year before that played only two MCG games, against Richmond, who ended up winning the flag. If losing games to good teams interstate is a hoodoo then maybe those anti-vaxxers might have a thing after all, not sure…

10.   What’s Christian Petracca doing? Went pick two almost five years ago, and is lumbering around the half forward line looking muscly but doing seven-eighths of stuff all. Hasn’t got a tank, or a defensively-minded bone in his body. Oh, but he has strengths that could work as an effective mid-sized forward you say? Well three picks after him was Jordan De Goey, whose had enough time to be a pest off-field, do penance and announce himself as a gun forward six months ago. Time to get serious Christian, we’re bored.

11.   And whilst we’re on those who need to get serious, Mitch McGovern, stolen a moustache from one of those Debra does American cities doco’s and has seemingly taken it upon himself to skip training to in order to smash carbs. That boy needs to not play away games, that figure in a slim-fitting white jersey would be a sight no-one needs to see in 4K.

12.   And another one – Jesse Hogan. Has reputation and presence like Clint Eastwood walking into a country town in ‘insert Western film here’, but seemingly hasn’t got any bullets, to keep the metaphor going, nor do I think he even has a gun in either holster. Jaryd Roughead can’t get a game, nor can Josh Jenkins, but eight goals in nine games, four in his last five, Hogan’s getting a sweet ride.

13.   Brissy, gee, bless them, look almost assured of an elimination final even before we leave Autumn, its an impressive season to date. They were super stiff not to take the chocolates on Sunday and be nudging top four. Impressive stuff from the Lions.

14.   Carlton though, I tell you what, you wouldn’t want to be Brendan Bolton, but you do want to coach them in 2020, which is a bizarre scenario. This is a team teetering on the edge of clicking into a winning, finals-bound unit, but Bolton ain’t doing himself any favours. Damien Hardwick’s winning without his best half-dozen players, Nathan Buckley has his team idling but doing enough when it matters, even John Longmire’s coached a really competitive outfit for three weeks now for two wins and a narrow loss, Bolton needs one if not two of the next three to survive probably.

15.   Chris Judd, another balancing a serious footy role in club land with media gigs, has always deflected pretty well the Bolton stuff on Footy Classified, but on Monday he was different. His body language suggested decisions or conversations with impending outcomes had been now had, and recently, and it was less defensive of his senior coach and more ‘what will be will be’. My view, if not reading too much into it, Scott’s departure or otherwise, is that the Blues board see the time as now to make a call on Bolton, and to support Damien Barrett just this once, a sacking around the bye should those two or so wins not realise is increasingly likely.

16.   Sad about Paddy McCartin ey? Lots was reported with him hitting media street on Sunday, but my main takeaway was Billy Brownless, his pseudo father-in-law, talking on the Sunday Footy Show. Billy spoke really sombrely about how his daughter’s boyfriend struggles with headaches constantly, and whilst usually a very enthusiastic and jovial media performer, to have Brownless so forlorn talking about someone he cares about really struggling, it really struck a chord. Wish you well Paddy.

17.   Gotta call out the Doggies, I’m a fan but surprised they’re not copping more heat. 13th, four and six, a decent percentage, sure, but have now lost to Gold Coast, North and Carlton. That Richmond win in Round Seven is counting for a lot right now.

18.   Daniel Wells, probably a career-ending injury in what now seems decided is his last year. But he has opted to go for one last crack, looking for the moons to align where the Pies make the finals and go deep, he gets himself fit to be considered, and the makeup of the team at the time warrants his selection. He might be able to kick two or three in a winning final if all those moons align, but otherwise this knee injury has drawn curtains on a great career.

19.   West Coast, I’m a critic and not just because of Dom Sheed’s annoyingly accurate set shot last September, but I wasn’t buying what they were selling thus far in 2019. And aside from Luke Shuey’s genius, who along with Elliott Yeo are carrying that midfield right now, in the last quarter they lose to a plodding Adelaide whose captain has gone missing. So how’s their form then, six and three, looking good? I’m still subscribing to a ‘gift of a run’, where off the back of two bad losses to Port and Geelong, they have starred down the barrel of a bad loss in each of the four games since but have just managed. That all said, they’ll win at least four of their next five looking ahead so a top four finish, despite all of their shortcomings, looks on.

20.   Gaz and his punch, who cares whether he deserved it or not, whether it’s karma for the two elbows he got off, or whether he is playing angry. Its perfect management of a 34-year-old who was already scheduled to stay up in the Gold Coast longer than the team for a mini-break, so his forced week off actually just makes those plans even tastier and freshens him up a couple weeks before the bye. Seriously, Geelong are just crunching this season so far, it’s a right laugh.

[allcheatscodes]

bulletstorm pc

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bulletstorm pc

Bulletstorm cheats & more for PC (PC)

Cheats

Unlockables

Hints

Easter Eggs

Glitches

Guides

Achievements

Get the updated and latest Bulletstorm cheats, unlockables, codes, hints, Easter eggs, glitches, tricks, tips, hacks, downloads, achievements, guides, FAQs, walkthroughs, and more for PC (PC). AllCheatsCodes.com has all the codes you need to win every game you play!

Use the links above or scroll down to see all the PC cheats we have available for Bulletstorm.

Check Xbox 360 cheats for this game

Check PlayStation 3 cheats for this game

Genre: Action, 3D Platform Developer: Epic Games Publisher: Electronic Arts ESRB Rating: Mature Release Date: February 22, 2011

Hints

Currently we have no tips for Bulletstorm yet. If you have any unlockables please feel free to submit. We will include them in the next post update and help the fellow gamers. Remeber to mention game name while submiting new codes.

Cheats

Blood Symphony Pack DLC Achievements

Barber (10) : Kill an enemy by thumping them into a helicopter in the MiniCity map Beat ’em down (40) : Kill every enemy in a wave using only the Teleportationin the Ulysses map Environmentalist (30) : In the Rock Quarry map kill an enemy using a MineCart, Oven, Fan, Smasher and Lava Cart in one wave Fast Track (25) : On Mean Street, kill all the snipers on the rooftop beforethe DNA bomb explodes Up-Lifting (20) : On Monorail Factory, kill all enemies whilst riding thelift

Unlockables

Secret Skillshots

There are 19 Secret Skillshots in Bulletstorm. They are: Pancake (1-2) – Flatten an enemy with an environmental object Sucker (2-1) – Send an enemy into a fan blade Kill-O-Watt (2-2) – Send an enemy into an electric sign Mass Extinction (2-2) – Stomp an enemy with the Mechaton Fish Food (3-1) – Kick an enemy into standing water Floater (3-2) – Kick an enemy into flowing water under a bridge at the marina Man Toast (3-2) – Fry an enemy on a reactor in the dam Grinder (3-2) – Send an enemy into a water wheel at the dam Halloween (4-1) – Kick an enemy with a Nom on his head into an electrified object Weed Killer (4-2) – Defeat the flytrap boss Ding Dong (4-3) – Drop rubble from the trap doors on the ceiling onto an enemy in the collapsed building Tenderizer (4-3) – Use an elevator to kill an enemy Steady Hand (5-2) – Hit a burnout’s orange growth/weak spot to kill it Minced Meat (5-2) – Kill the muta-burnout boss Dino-Sore (5-3) – Hit Hekaton’s neck wound with the banshee’s chaingun Outburst (6-1) – Knock an enemy into the gamma radiation storm Forced (6-3) – Send an enemy into an EM pulse barrier in the Ulysses generator Grilled Meat (6-3) – Defeat the second muta-burnout boss Ejaculated (7-2) – Hit the switch to eject enemies in the cargo hold

Unlock Alternate Leash Color

You need to beat the demo – if you do, you’ll unlock the alternate leash color in the main game.

Easter eggs

Currently we have no easter eggs for Bulletstorm yet. If you have any unlockables please feel free to submit. We will include them in the next post update and help the fellow gamers. Remeber to mention game name while submiting new codes.

Glitches

Currently we have no glitches for Bulletstorm yet. If you have any unlockables please feel free to submit. We will include them in the next post update and help the fellow gamers. Remeber to mention game name while submiting new codes.

Guides

Currently no guide available.

Achievements

Gun Sonata DLC Achievements

Bell End (10)Kill 5 enemies at the same time using “Dung” in the Villa map Extinguisher (20)In the Sewer map Kill 5 enemies in 1 wave by setting them on fire then extinguishing them Heart Attack (40)Kill a Boss using the Hot Dog cart in the Hotel Elysium map Hell Razor (25)Kill a Burnout using the helicopter that arrives in Crash Site Last Blood (30)At the end of Guns of Stygia, kill all the enemies on the walkways before the explosions do

DLC #2 Achievements

Barber (10)Kill an enemy by thumping them into a helicopter in the Mini City map Beat ’em down (40)Kill every enemy in a wave using only the Teleportation in the Ulysses map Environmentalist (30)In the Rock Quarry map kill an enemy using a Mine Cart, Oven, Fan, Smasher and Lava Cart in one wave Fast Track (25)On Mean Street, kill all the snipers on the rooftop before the DNA bomb explodes Up-Lifting (20)On Monorail Factory, kill all enemies whilst riding the lift

Achievement List

All Bow To Heavy Metal (15)Big head, big headache Anarchy Master (30)Achieve a score of at least 50,000 as a team in Anarchy mode Armed and dangerous (15)Grow as a person, experience betrayal. Again. Big Cheese (30)Perform 50% of the Single Player Skillshots Blood Symphony (50)Complete the Campaign on Very Hard Difficulty Bounty Hunter (20)Have a total of at least 75,000 points in Echoes Mode’s total high score Brutal Chorus (40)Complete the Campaign on Hard Difficulty Celebrity (40)Perform 75% of the Single Player Skillshots Chop-Chopper (30)Kill the enemy inside the airborne helicopter in the park Damsel in Distress (15)Rescue the princess Destroyer of Worlds (15)Cause major destruction Destructive Beat (20)Complete the Campaign on Very Easy or Easy Difficulty Disco Inferno (10)Kill all enemies without leaving the dance floor in the city outskirts Enforcer (20)Get at least 15,000 points in one Echo round Environment Master (20)Perform every Anarchy environmental Skillshot Final Echo (40)Achieve level 65 in Anarchy mode Fits Like a Glove (15)Meet your new best friend Golden Idol (50)Perform every Single Player Skillshot in the game Grilled Meat (15)Prepare a big meal using an improvised electric stove Guerrilla Tactics (10)Execute at least 25 different Skillshots in one Echo round Halfway There (15)Get at least 21 stars in Echoes Mode Hoarder (40)Have a total of at least 150,000 points in Echoes Mode’s total high score I might be late (20)Kill all enemies during the sprint to the jumpship Insecticide (10)Destroy 50% of the Electroflies in the Single Player Campaign Just one last thing (20)Kill all enemies before you reach the escape capsule Like A Boss (5)Defeat a miniboss in Anarchy mode Major Malfunction (10)Destroy 50% of the Newsbots in the Single Player Campaign Master of Disaster (40)Earn 2000 points or more at once Minced Meat (15)Take out the Mall’s biggest customer No Man Left Behind (20)Kill all enemies while escaping from the collapsed building Old School (15)Finish an Echo round without executing a single Skillshot Om Nom Nom! (10)Feed a flytrap with a Nom parasite Patched Up (15)Receive a software update for your leash Pest Control (20)Destroy all Electroflies in the Single Player Campaign Pointless (10)Execute at least 10 Headshots before you find the first DropKit Red Barrels (10)Explode all the red barrels on the rooftop while in a helicopter Remembrance (10)Play three different Echoes Shooting Star (10)Get at least 1 star on each of the first 14 Echoes Size Matters (15)Use your biggest weapon Somebody (20)Perform 25% of the Single Player Skillshots Space Pirate (10)Drink at least 20 bottles of Nom Juice in the Single Player Campaign Star struck (10)Get 3 Stars on 10 different Echoes Stowaway (15)Catch a ride Straight Edge (10)Destroy at least 20 bottles of Nom Juice in the Single Player Campaign Supernova (40)Get 3 stars on each of the first 14 Echoes Team Player (10)Complete 200 team challenges in your career in Anarchy mode Total Malfunction (20)Destroy all Newsbots in the Single Player Campaign Violent Melody (30)Complete the Campaign on Normal Difficulty Wannabe (10)Perform 10 different Single Player Skillshots Weed Killer (15)Tidy up the back yard