#the books were like a fun little modern twist on greek mythology

[es-3]

did i love the pjo tv show? yes

do i think that they completely left out what made me fall in love with the books in the first place? also yes

[tozettastone]

i would like the lore review :3c

Sure. Note to readers: the following contains some spoilers for the 2021 YA novel by Alexandra Bracken, "Lore." It's also pretty critical (because as I mentioned in my previous comment: my review of Lore is that you should read Tithe instead), so if you're not feeling like reading a moderately negative review, give this one a miss.

--

"Lore," is a young adult mythologically-inspired fantasy novel set in modern New York City. It has an interesting central idea. In short, a bunch of major gods of the Greek pantheon offended against their leader and were cast down to be mortal for a week out of every 7 years, during which time killing them could pass their god-powers on to whichever mortal struck the killing blow. The gods are hunted by families who descend from ancient heroes, like Perseus or Heracles. This week long time of hunting is called the "Agon." It's a little convoluted but it's pretty fun, right?

The story centres on a young woman named Lore who fled this hidden magical underworld. Her god-hunting family, experiencing reduced circumstances due to internecine politics, were all murdered during the Agon, and then she lived with her mother's extended family who treated her poorly. At the beginning of the next Agon, she is drawn back into the fray via a message from her childhood friend, Castor.

Lore receives this message when Castor finds her and fights her at an illegal fight club, which somehow genuinely has nothing to do with the events of the plot, and is never spoken of again. This will set the tone for the whole story.

So, the good stuff: the central concept is fun. The writing is technically proficient. The characters are pretty consistent. The central plot (although not the sub plots) takes some twists and turns and arrives at a completely coherent conclusion. The entire central idea of the Agon is resolved in a thematically coherent way.

My major criticism of this book — and it is a really major, structural thing — is that the novel attempts to tackle an enormous array of ideas, and does so poorly. It races around trying to take on all of them in a half-assed way, instead of committing to two or three central concepts with its whole buttocks. This book will pick up a thought or idea, run with it for a bit, and then forget it even occurred while it careens off towards another, equally ill-explored idea. This has its most profound and regrettable effect on characterisation, where we get incidents like:

illegal fight club irrelevant to the plot is never again mentioned by any character, or

entire story propped up by the trembling buttress of convenient amnesia that disappears in the epilogue, or

character learns that her whole family was murdered by a totally different person than she thought, which impacts the events of the plot, but appears to have minimal effect on her thoughts or feelings

These are not the only examples, they're just the ones that stand out to me at 1:22 AM on Saturday.

In general, my conclusion is that this book has a convoluted but fun central idea and the actual writing reads well, but it is shallow and confused by trying to do too much all at once. "Lore," would have read better to me if it had been a simpler (and shorter, bloody oath) story which cut half the subplots and weird character threads and instead focused on developing strong characters and a nuanced central thesis.

I'm going to end this with a speech from Athena, made on a topic that she never again mentions:

"No. That is she men have portrayed her [Medusa] as, through art, through tales," Athena said. "They imagined her hideous because they feared to meet the true gaze of a woman, to witness the powerful storm that lives inside, waiting. She was not defeated by my uncle's assault. She was merely reborn as a being who could gaze back at the world, unafraid."

Cheers, Athena.

[danpuff-ao3]

ten books to get to know me

Thanks for the tag @wolfpants!! And @consistentsquash!! :D

Tagging: @perverse-idyll, @writcraft, @lizzy0305, @arrisha-ao3, @liladiurne, @bluesundaycake, @cindle-writes, @ripeteeth, @givereadersahug, @broomsticks, @charlotterhea, @ashesandhackles, @teacup-tai, @sugareey-makes-stuff, @mrviran, @yletylyf ....no pressure! Apologies if you've already been tagged or done this! And if you've not been tagged and want to play along, go ahead and consider yourself tagged!

Under the cut cuz LONG. (Y'all know I like to talk.)

The Harry Potter series

....I'm in the HP fandom, so that's probably 0 surprise. Also feels icky due to being written by Terf McTerfington. Buuuuuut. Well. The universe needs balance and HP's power was so great it could only be stopped by Great Evil, or so I like to tell myself.

The series was published in the U.S. when I was 7. I was already a big reader. I was a big reader from the moment I could read at all. But HP was the first series I fell well and truly in love with. I discovered fanfiction at 11, and started writing it at 13. The story and this fandom were there through the worst moments of my life. I'm not sure it will ever not be important to me.

The Percy Jackson series (Rick Riordan)

Honestly, I can't lie, I'm a big sucker for kids' books. They're just fun, dang it. Great literature? No. But I don't read to impress, I read to have a good time, and Percy Jackson is a good time. Also all the related series. Magnus Chase? Trials of Apollo? The Kane Chronicles? Yes yes yes BRING THEM TO ME.

There's a Potter-esque feel to the PJO series. Dark haired green eyed hero who didn't know he had magical abilities? Also the Cabins make me think of the Houses, even though it's more parentage than traits. It's a vibe, okay? And on top of that...mythology???? I'm a big ole mythology nerd, especially for Greek mythology. And let me tell you, I inhaled those books. And I still love them a lot, actually.

The Twilight series (Stephenie Meyer)

To round out the list of "stories Little Danni loved" is Twilight. Yes, I was a Twi-hard in junior high and high school. What's funny is all the modern "this is problematic because Edward is stalking Bella, and also he's a vampire and immortal and there's an age gap!" jabbering is probably what sold me on the story to begin with. Listen: I like what I like, okay? Also: vampire + human? Does that count as monsterfucking? Idk but it's at least different species which ticks some boxes, okay?

Honestly everyone talking about how effed up Twilight is was just a lightbulb moment for me of like "oh. No wonder I was so into it."

Twilight also played a role in my writing journey! In high school I joined a Twilight themed RPG site on proboards. I created a mega evil vampire named Danna Deville, whose face cast was Hayden Panettierre. This weirdly made me super popular because no one else was creating/playing villainous characters. Let me tell you, it did loads for my self esteem. Also it's funny to think about all those old friendships born of "hey let's RP together. I really want your character to torture my character."

Mistborn (Brandon Sanderson)

This one I have big opinions on. On the one hand, I really enjoy Brandon Sanderson's stories. On the other hand, while his magic systems are often highly praised, I hate them. Hate, loathe, and despise them. I'll not say more than that. I don't like to hate on things. And my partner really loves Brandon Sanderson and his magic systems. (I'm just over here muttering about "they eat metal" and have to actively not think about it.) It's just not my jam. I much prefer softer magic systems. Hard magic systems tend to throw me a bit. But Brandon Sanderson sure knows how to tell a story, dang it. He's super creative and smart and has these big sweeping ideas, with all these twists and turns! His worldbuilding is also insanely good.

Mistborn (Era 1) is probably my favorite of his works. One as an overall story (Vin, my love!) But also the connection to my Eddie.

You see, when my partner and I first met, it was in the book section of an entertainment store. Where we stood in the aisles and talked for hours. My very first impression was "who is this goofy man?" and I left the interaction fully smitten. And anxious, awkward lady that I am, my grand plan was to read the books he'd been raving about to have something to talk about. Idle chit chat? No can do. Book talk? That I can do! So I read Mistborn, for a start. Then worked my way through other book recommendations. And now that goofy nerd is mine. All's well that ends well!

The Wheel of Time series (Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson)

Once I worked my way through Brandon Sanderson's books, I moved onto The Wheel of Time, which was much more up my alley! I could not put those books down. (At least until I hit The Slog, at which point I still couldn't put them down, but I was mostly charging through waiting for it to get good again.) This was also the first time I tried to not look up spoilers before reading a book. (Blasphemy, I know, blah blah. Look: I have anxiety. Spoilers make my life easier and happier, okay?) Eddie is very staunchly anti-spoiler, so I did my best to try a spoiler-free experience. I made it most of the way through. Towards the end I accidentally spoiled myself on a big event. It was a bit foolishly done but I'd consulted google to refresh my memory on an event from an earlier book, and my Google excursions warned me of a few deaths ahead of time. Whoops. On the whole, though, me making it 10+ books with no spoilers was pretty dang impressive.

Also the book series is great. And I'm side-eying the show a bit. Just a little bit.

(Bonus: the band Blind Guardian has a song called "Wheel of Time" about the books and it's 10/10. At least if you like symphonic metal, which I do.) (Oh, "Ride Into Obsession" from the same album is also WoT inspired.)

Flowers in the Attic series (V. C. Andrews)

The fact that I read this series as a child might explain a lot. Also you should know my mother gave me these books to read. Child abuse, forced imprisonment, murder, and incest? Sign me up! It's all sortsa messed up and dark and to this day it's still my # 1 guilty pleasure series. I like...just don't care. You can tell me how badly written it is or how problematic it is, I don't care. This is the book equivalent to eating a whole bag of Flamin' Hot Cheetos while watching true crime videos. This is indulgence, my friends. I'm having a great time, please leave me in peace.

Till We Have Faces (C. S. Lewis)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Idk what to say other than this book is perfect, I will hear no slander against it, and I really need to reread it, like, ASAP. Another link to Greek mythology this one. Also: I really love Orual.

(Does anyone wanna read/reread it with me? Lmk.)

The Song of Achilles (Madeline Miller)

Gorgeous, amazing, perfect, wonderful. Patroclus/Achilles forever. Ouch my heart. God it's beautiful. MORE GREEK MYTHOLOGY OF COURSE. Also all of Madeline Miller's stuff is stellar. (Circe and Galatea!!!! Read those, too!!!!) I have every feeling on planet earth about this one.

Widecare trilogy (Phillippa Gregory)

Beatrice Lacey is wonderful and amazing and also really messed up in the head. Historical fiction. Little Beatrice is in love with her family's land, Wideacre. And is HORRIFIED and OFFENDED when she realizes that, as a girl, she will not only not inherit, but will have to leave one day???? Cuz as a lady it is her purpose in life to get married and pop out babies???? But Beatrice is ambitious, clever, manipulative, and passionate and she doesn't let lady parts or the patriarchy keep her down!! And by that, she goes to rather dark and taboo extremes. Which I admire and respect. (I grew up watching horror films and reading darkfic. Trust me, I was having a great time with this story.)

Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)

I stg this book gets no respect. Is this a really toxic, dysfunctional romance? Absolutely. What else do you want in a story???? Oh OBSESSIVE, PASSIONATE, UNDYING LOVE??? GOT THAT, TOO. This book lives in my heart and soul. I can fully quote Heathcliff's speech to Catherine ("I cannot life without my life, I cannot live without my soul") on demand. I have read this book to death, through resurrection, and back to death.

...also it's hella Snarry, isn't it? That explains a lot.

(Also shoutout to other teenage obsessions: The Hunger Games and Divergent. Also the Three Dark Crowns series???? Loved that. Hannibal???? Yes please. Dan Brown's Robert Langdon series??? MORE! Oh and R.L. Stein's The Nightmare Room were the books of my childhood. Oh! Oh oh! And another thing! The Wonder by Emma Donoghue????? Incredible. Blow my mind. Oh and She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb is another case of "this is a very dark messed up story that a family member gave me that I inhaled because I really liked messed up stuff, actually.") (Is this cheating? Probably. But I've been a major bookworm since words even made sense to me, please cut a gal some slack.) (Please don't judge me.)

[vampirechatroom]

17, 36, 57, 66 for the ask meme?

17. Did you have imaginary friends? Do you still have them? when i was little i spent a lot of time talking to gods/spirits that i'd read about in books—mostly greek mythology. in elementary school i would pretend that i was hanging out w/ my favorite fictional characters (like they were invisible to everyone but me at school and i'd talk to them in my head). this continued into early middle school and yes, it included naruto characters.

36. Have you ever met someone who had a very similar personality to your own? Did you get along? yes, my best friend from college is so incredibly similar to me that it's wild. we're both somewhat introverted, deeply empathetic (to a fault sometimes), non-confrontational, traumatized in very similar ways, creative, we see the world in very much the same way. we do get along really well, although we're definitely working on the whole non-confrontational thing, and i'm actually seeing her in a couple of weeks and couldn't be more excited!

57. Do you thinks humans are obsessed with escapism (books, video games, movies, etc.)? Are you looking for an escape? Do you think that’s a bad thing? i do—i believe that we've always sought understanding of ourselves and the world around us through art; i think that we often go for narratives in which characters who reflect some core part of humanity that related to find themselves in extraordinary circumstances. i'll refrain from too much ranting about capitalism but modern capitalism has certainly made escapist media more appealing. i don't think it's a bad thing, because i believe that stories are a crucial part of how we relate to ourselves and our world—plus, fuck it, i like feeling good and watching/reading things that are fun!

66. How do you feel about the idea ‘an eye for an eye’? whew, this is complicated for sure. logically, i understand that seeking revenge often only leads to perpetuating cycles of harm—the whole 'if you go looking for revenge, dig two graves', etc.. that being said, i've certainly indulged in daydreams where i track down my abuser or my loved one's abusers and beat the everloving shit out of them. that twisted, hurt, scared kid inside me wants them to suffer the way they made me suffer. i know it wouldn't bring me peace, really, and it's something i'd likely never act on. as an abolitionist, this is something that is on my mind often wrt the death penalty. so, like many other things, an ever-evolving personal line of inquiry!

thank u sm for asking!!

[ainews]

Mocha is a popular coffee drink loved by many, but there has been a recent trend that has sparked curiosity among coffee lovers. Many juniors, specifically those who are fans of fantasy creatures, have been opting to order their mocha drinks incognito for a specific reason - to pay homage to fauns.

For those unfamiliar with fauns, they are mythical creatures with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a goat. They are often depicted as playful and mischievous beings who enjoy music, dancing, and a good drink. In popular culture, fauns have been heavily featured in books, movies, and TV shows, with the most notable example being the faun character in the classic novel and film, "The Chronicles of Narnia."

So why are juniors choosing to order their mocha drinks incognito for fauns? The answer lies in the history of these creatures and their connection to coffee. In ancient Greek mythology, fauns were often associated with wine and festivities. However, as coffee became more popular in Europe in the 16th century, these mythical creatures began to develop a taste for the drink as well.

Legend has it that fauns would often sneak into taverns and steal sips of coffee from the cups of unsuspecting customers. They were also known for adding a touch of mischief by spiking the coffee with other ingredients, such as alcohol or spices.

In today's modern society, the tradition of fauns and coffee has been kept alive by fantasy enthusiasts. Some even believe that by ordering their mocha drinks incognito for fauns, they are paying tribute to these creatures and their love for coffee.

Aside from the mythological aspect, there is a sense of mystery and intrigue associated with ordering a drink incognito. It adds an element of fun and playfulness to the coffee-drinking experience, especially for younger generations.

Furthermore, this trend allows people to express their love for fantasy and imagination in a subtle and unique way. It also serves as a reminder to not take life too seriously and to embrace the childlike wonder and joy that fauns are known for.

In conclusion, the recent trend of ordering mocha drinks incognito for fauns may seem like a simple act, but it holds a deeper meaning for those who are passionate about both coffee and fantasy. Whether you are a junior or simply a coffee lover looking for a fun twist on your order, consider giving it a try and join in on the homage to these mythical creatures. Who knows, maybe a mischievous faun will sneak into your cup and add a little extra magic to your day.

[yamayuandadu]

Circe by Madeline Miller: a review

As you might have noticed, a few of my most recent posts were more or less a liveblog of Madeline Miller’s novel Circe. However, as they hardly exhausted the subject, a proper review is also in order. You can find it under the “read more” button. All sorts of content warnings apply because this book takes a number of turns one in theory can expect from Greek mythology but which I’d hardly expect to come up in relation to Circe. I should note that this is my first contact with this author’s work. I am not familiar with Miller’s more famous, earlier novel Song of Achilles - I am not much of an Iliad aficionado, truth to be told. I read the poem itself when my literature class required it, but it left no strong impact on me, unlike, say, the Epic of Gilgamesh or, to stay within the theme of Greek mythology, Homeric Hymn to Demeter, works which I read at a similar point in my life on my own accord.

What motivated me to pick up this novel was the slim possibility that for once I’ll see my two favorite Greek gods in fiction, these being Hecate and Helios (in case you’re curious: #3 is Cybele but I suspect that unless some brave soul will attempt to adapt Nonnus’ Dionysiaca, she’ll forever be stuck with no popcultural presence outside Shin Megami Tensei). After all, it seemed reasonable to expect that Circe’s father will be involved considering their relationship, while rarely discussed in classical sources, seems remarkably close. Hesiod’s Catalogue of Women and Apollonius’ Argonautica describe Circe arriving on her island in her father’s solar chariot, while Ptolemy Hephaestion (as quoted by Photius) notes that Helios protected her home during the Gigantomachy. Helios, for all intents and purposes, seems like a decent dad (and, in Medea’s case, grandpa) in the source material even though his most notable children (and granddaughter) are pretty much all cackling sorcerers, not celebrated heroes. How does Miller’s Helios fare, compared to his mythical self? Not great, to put it lightly, as you’ll see later. As for Hecate… she’s not even in the book. Let me preface the core of the review by saying I don’t think reinterpreting myths, changing relations between figures, etc. is necessarily bad - ancient authors did it all the time, and modern adaptations will inevitably do so too, both to maintain internal coherence and perhaps to adjust the stories to a modern audience, much like ancient authors already did. I simply don’t think this book is successful at that. The purpose of the novel is ostensibly to elevate Circe above the status of a one-dimensional minor antagonist - but to accomplish this, the author mostly demonizes her family and a variety of other figures, so the net result is that there are more one dimensional female villains, not less. I expected the opposite, frankly. The initial section of the novel focuses on Circe’s relationship with her family, chiefly with her father. That’s largely uncharted territory in the source material - to my knowledge no ancient author seemed particularly interested in covering this period in her life. Blank pages of this sort are definitely worth filling. To begin with, Helios is characterized as abusive, neglectful and power-hungry. And also, for some reason, as Zeus’ main titan ally in the Titanomachy - a role which Hesiod attributes to Hecate… To be fair I do not think it’s Hesiod who serves as the primary inspiration here, as it’s hard to see any traces of his account - in which Zeus wins in no small part because he promises the lesser titans higher positions that they had under Cronus - in Miller’s version of events. Only Helios and Oceanus keep their share, and are presented as Zeus’ only titan allies (there’s a small plot hole as Selene appears in the novel and evidently still is the moon…) - contrary to just about any portrayal of the conflict, in which many titans actually side with Zeus and his siblings. Also, worth noting that in Hesiod’s version it’s not Oceanus himself who cements the pact with Zeus, it’s his daughter Styx - yes, -that- Styx. Missed opportunity to put more focus on female mythical figures - first of many in this work, despite many reviews praising it as “feminist.” Of course, it’s not all about Helios. We are quickly introduced to a variety of female characters as well (though, as I noted above, none of these traditionally connected to the Titanomachy despite it being a prominent aspect of the book’s background). They are all somewhat repetitive - to the point of being basically interchangeable. Circe’s mother is vain and cruel; so is Scylla. And Pasiphae. There’s no real indication of any hostility between Circe and any of her siblings in classical sources, as far as I am aware, but here it’s a central theme. The subplots pertaining to it bear an uncanny resemblance to these young adult novels in which the heroine, who is Not Like Other Girls, confronts the Chads and Stacies of the world, and I can’t shake off the feelings that it’s exactly what it is, though with superficial mythical flourish on top. I should note that Pasiphae gets a focus arc of sorts - which to my surprise somehow manages to be more sexist than the primary sources. A pretty famous tidbit repeated by many ancient authors is that Pasiphae cursed her husband Minos, regarded as unfaithful, to kill anyone else he’d have sex with with his… well, bodily fluids. Here she does it entirely  because she’s a debased sadist and not because unfaithfulness is something one can be justifiably mad about. You’d think it would be easy to put a sympathetic spin on this. But the book manages to top that in the very same chapter - can’t have Pasiphae without the Minotaur (sadly - I think virtually everything else about Pasiphae and Minos is more fun than that myth but alas) so in a brand new twist on this myth we learn that actually the infamous affair wasn’t a curse placed on Pasiphae by Poseidon or Aphrodite because of some transgression committed by Minos. She’s just wretched like that by nature. I’m frankly speechless, especially taking into account the book often goes out of its way to present deities in the worst light possible otherwise, and which as I noted reviews praise for its feminist approach - I’m not exactly sure if treating Pasiphae worse than Greek and Roman authors did counts as that.  I should note this is not the only instance of… weirdly enthusiastic references to carnal relations between gods and cattle in this book, as there’s also a weird offhand mention of Helios being the father of his own cows. This, as far as I can tell, is not present in any classical sources and truth to be told I am not a huge fan of this invention. I won’t try to think about the reason behind this addition to maintain my sanity. Pasiphae aside - the author expands on the vague backstory Circe has in classical texts which I’ve mentioned earlier. You’d expect that her island would be a gift from her father - after all many ancient sources state that he provided his children and grandchildren with extravagant gifts. However, since Helios bears little resemblance to his mythical self, Aeaea is instead a place of exile here, since Helios hates Circe and Zeus is afraid of witchcraft and demands such a solution (the same Zeus who, according to Hesiod, holds Hecate in high esteem and who appeared with her on coins reasonably commonly… but hey, licentia poetica, this idea isn’t necessarily bad in itself). Witchcraft is presented as an art exclusive to Helios’ children here - Hecate is nowhere to be found, it’s basically as if her every role in Greek mythology was surgically removed. A bit of a downer, especially since at least one text - I think Ovid’s Metarphoses? - Circe directly invokes Hecate during her confrontation with king Picus (Surprisingly absent here despite being a much more fitting antagonist for Circe than many of the characters presented as her adversaries in this novel…) Of course, we also learn about the origin of Circe’s signature spell according to ancient sources, changing people into animals. It actually takes the novel a longer while to get there, and the invented backstory boils down to Circe getting raped. Despite ancient Greek authors being rather keen on rape as plot device, to my knowledge this was never a part of any myth about Circe. Rather odd decision to put it lightly but I suppose at least there was no cattle involved this time, perhaps two times was enough for the author. Still, I can’t help but feel like much like many other ideas present in this book it seems a bit like the author’s intent is less elevating the Circe above the role of a one note witch antagonist, but rather punishing her for being that. The fact she keeps self loathing about her origin and about not being human doesn’t exactly help to shake off this feeling. This impression that the author isn’t really fond of Circe being a wacky witch only grows stronger when Odysseus enters the scene. There was already a bit of a problem before with Circe’s life revolving around love interests before - somewhat random ones at that (Dedalus during the Pasiphae arc and Hermes on and off - not sure what the inspiration for either of these was) - but it was less noticeable since it was ultimately in the background and the focus was the conflict between Circe and Helios, Pasiphae, etc. In the case of Odysseus it’s much more notable because these subplots cease to appear for a while. As a result of meeting him, Circe decides she wants to experience the joys of motherhood, which long story short eventually leads to the birth of Telegonus, who does exactly what he was famous for. The final arcs have a variety of truly baffling plot twists which didn’t really appeal to me, but which I suppose at least show a degree of creativity - better than just turning Helios’ attitude towards his children upside down for sure. Circe ends up consulting an oc character who I can only describe as “stingray Cthulhu.” His presence doesn’t really add much, and frankly it feels like yet another wasted opportunity to use Hecate, but I digress. Oh, also in another twist Athena is recast as the villain of the Odyssey. Eventually Circe gets to meet Odysseus’ family, for once interacts with another female character on positive terms (with Penelope, to be specific) and… gets together with Telemachus, which to be fair is something present in many ancient works but which feels weird here since there was a pretty long passage about Odysseus describing him as a child to Circe. I think I could live without it. Honestly having her get together with Penelope would feel considerably less weird, but there are no lesbians in the world of this novel. It would appear that the praise for Song of Achilles is connected to the portrayal of gay relationships in it. Can’t say that this applies to Circe - on this front we have an offhand mention of Hyacinth's death. which seems to serve no real purpose other than establishing otherwise irrelevant wind god is evil, and what feels like an advert for Song of Achilles courtesy of Odysseus, which takes less than one page. Eventually Circe opts to become mortal to live with Telemachus and denounces her father and… that’s it. This concludes the story of Circe. I don’t exactly think the original is the deepest or greatest character in classical literature, but I must admit I’d rather read about her wacky witch adventures than about Miller’s Circe. A few small notes I couldn’t fit elsewhere: something very minor that bothered me a lot but that to be honest I don’t think most readers will notice is the extremely chaotic approach to occasional references to the world outside Greece - Sumer is randomly mentioned… chronologically after Babylon and Assyria, and in relation to Persians (or rather - to Perses living among them). At the time we can speak of “Persians” Sumerian was a dead language at best understood by a few literati in the former great cities of Mesopotamia so this is about the same as if a novel about Mesopotamia mentioned Macedonians and then completely randomly Minoans at a chronologically later point. Miller additionally either confused or conflated Perses, son of Perseus, who was viewed positively and associated with Persia (so positively that Xerxes purportedly tried to use it for propaganda purposes!) with Perses the obscure brother of Circe et. al, who is a villain in an equally obscure myth casting Medea as the heroine, in which he rules over “Tauric Chersonese,” the Greek name of a part of Crimea. I am honestly uncertain why was he even there as he amounts to nothing in the book, and there are more prominent minor children of Helios who get no mention (like Aix or Phaeton) so it’s hard to argue it was for the sake of completion. Medea evidently doesn’t triumph over him offscreen which is his sole mythical purpose. Is there something I liked? Well, I’m pretty happy Selene only spoke twice, considering it’s in all due likeness all that spared her from the fate of receiving similarly “amazing” new characterization as her brother. As is, she was… okay. Overall I am definitely not a fan of the book. As for its purported ideological value? It certainly has a female main character. Said character sure does have many experiences which are associated with women. However, I can’t help but think that the novel isn’t exactly feminist - it certainly focuses on Circe, but does it really try to “rehabilitate” her? And is it really “rehabilitation” and feminist reinterpretation when almost every single female character in the book is the same, and arguably depicted with even less compassion than in the source material?  It instead felt like the author’s goal is take away any joy and grandeur present in myths, and to deprive Circe of most of what actually makes her Circe. We don’t need to make myths joyless to make them fit for a new era. It’s okay for female characters to be wacky one off villains and there’s no need to punish them for it. A book which celebrates Circe for who she actually is in the Odyssey and in other Greek sources - an unapologetic and honestly pretty funny character -  would feel much more feminist to me that a book where she is a wacky witch not because she feels like it but because she got raped, if you ask me. 

Circe evidently having the time of her life, by Edmund Dulac (public domain)

[spaceshipkat]

Predictions for CCity: Bruce become a full Fae/angel hybrid complete with gold wings and pointy ears. There will probably be a fae half-sibling (a super supportive brother or an evil sister). Bruce will be called something like "Star of Death" and end up being crowned "Empress of All". Haunt will growl at anyone who tries to look at Bruce. At the end there will be a seer reciting a prophecy about three worlds colliding and then we get an Alien and Ricey cameo. Fade to black, end credits!

i agree 10000% on all of the above, and given how little we know of the book, lemme compile what i can from the Pinterest board

this is clearly the gateway to Prythian and this is clearly the gateway to Erilea

ruk-like beings? there’s also this. 

Bruce is reborn a la a phoenix

that, or Hunt dies and is resurrected a la a phoenix

angels will likely have trueforms

familiars?

bounty hunter sent by Bruce’s father; Bruce will be captured by the end of the book, leading into book 2 when she wins over her father’s people a la faerug’s “cleverness” 

sj///m labeled this pin “The Gates of Dawn,” so maybe a portal of some kind to the Dawn Court? or to a dawn-type land? given there are fae, there could even be another Dawn Court here

this guy shows up a lot so maybe he’s someone Bruce knows from work?

part of Bruce’s backstory

hmm maybe an Amren analogue? she’ll likely know Hunt

Bruce getting wings?

Danika features a lot, so i’m wondering if sj///m will try dual timelines to feature her more so we actually care about her, given she’s dead before the story even begins. either that, or a twist will be that she wasn’t dead, either at all or permanently

Hunt? either him or one of his inevitable cadre

modern rowboat (this isn’t a prediction, though i’m sure it could be)

token brown character, likely a fae of some kind

sj///m labeled this Fury Axtar and i’d just like to ask wtf is that name

this will word for word be one of Bruce’s lines following a death (unlikely to be Danika’s, given she seems to be over it by the time the story begins based on the summary, but someone close to her)

no predictions, but here’s a collection of every pin labeled Bryce: x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x

if Hunt isn’t endgame, this guy will be

sYmBoLiSm. either that or angels are hatched from eggs

there are so. many. pins. of people with horns, tails, bird legs, deer centaur bodies, 

alien analogue? 

baby Bruce being rescued by the guy she works for?

word for word what Hunt will say at some point

oh isn’t this nice. lovely to see that Hunt will have a rowboat/riceman backstory

token black character, likely one of the archangels Hunt works for

knockoff Suriel? either that or sj///m thinks oracles exist in Roman mythology, since she labeled the pin The Oracle. Roman mythology is, yes, basically a copy/paste of Greek mythology, but sybils existed in Rome, not oracles 

she labeled this Crescent City CB

she labeled this In The Old World

is Fury white or Asian, sj///m??? she’s used so many Asian women for her, as if they’re fucking interchangeable! 

here’s another Asian Fury

Hunt pre-fall? 

so this is labeled teenage Bryce, which likely means she’ll be at least 20 bc sj///m is ageist and likes pairing young girls with old men

this is labeled Lehabah, which google tells me is from the Old Testament

a character named Pollux appears twice, but i didn’t grab the first pin for some reason. i assume he’s part of Hunt’s cadre? but then my first thought was “Bruce’s gay friend,” so make of that what you will

i wonder if we’re gonna have endless descriptions of guns on top of the endless descriptions of abs, penises, and dresses

knockoff Bone Carver? (it’s labeled Reaper) 

there was speculation that Rune could be the replacement for Hunt as love interest given his name starts with R

aaaaaaaand here’s Gabriel, likely plucked straight from the Bible, backstory and all (does this mean there’s a Virgin Mary? is she Bruce? is Bruce her daughter?) 

she’s labeled The Viper Queen, so maybe someone from the underbelly of CCity that’s talked about in the synopsis? 

she’s labeled Sandriel, so perhaps another archangel? 

yaaaaay more human hating (honestly one of sj///m’s strangest habits)

this is labeled The Autumn King, so maybe fae are royals and not lords?

Balthazar is name-dropped, but his mother and sister aren’t named, so that’s predictable (also, why do angels have parents? are they not ethereal beings crafted by the almighty in this world?)

i’ve seen Juniper with light skin, medium brown skin, and now dark brown skin, so that’s great

maybe the Polikos is her version of the Colosseum? 

orrrr maybe not. what is it, a rank? 

this is labeled The Bone Quarter

this is labeled The Under King, so i hope he’s not a Hades-equivalent

wait, so we have Rune and Ruhn??? (please tell me Rune isn’t an Aedion knockoff)

huh. this is labeled Hunt and Bryce. maybe they are endgame? 

this is labeled The Red River, so maybe a Styx knockoff? and this is labeled In The Red River, so Styx seems likely

well, we did hear mermaids were in the story

yooo first black man on the board! 

this is labeled The Old Square, as is this and this, and for fuck’s sake sj///m, these are not Roman!

this is labeled The Sixth Ward, and i’m happy to report this is also not Roman for fuck’s sake

this guy’s name is fucking CONNOR? 

this is labeled The Central Business District, and those might be Roman Doric columns in the back? they’re not a perfect match thanks to the echinus and capital

siiiigh are these going to be some hint toward her mating bond with Hunt?

we’ll probably see this and this parroted around CCity 

this is labeled A Long Time Ago

this is labeled The River Queen. maybe of the Red River? 

this is originally labeled (not by sj///m) “vanity is my favorite sin,” so i suspect we’ll see that thrown around bc it does sound cool

rest assured we’ll see this everywhere. maybe while Hunt trains Bruce?

this is labeled The Bayuk, which google tells me is Choctaw for bok and helped create bayou? and bok is a river, stream, or creek. 

okay, i should’ve been keeping track of world-building, too, but here we go while deep into the board: not Roman, not Roman (though this is more nebulous, i’ll admit), not Roman, not Roman, not Roman, not Roman, not Roman, not Roman, not Roman, blood tw: not Roman (they had public baths, not private), not Roman, not Roman, not Roman, not Roman, not Roman, not Roman, not Roman and i’ll stop there

well that was fun. good thing i had a couple hours to kill since my brother’s friend is over (and i suspect wants to ask me out, which i do not want). now see, with most authors, i wouldn’t put any stock in their pinterest boards bc most of them don’t lift and steal directly from others’ work, but sj///m does, and given she sold CCity off this pinterest board it stands to reason this is a good example of what we can expect from CCity

[incorrect-diviners]

Natalie’s Top 10 Favorite Books of 2019

Hello everyone, and welcome to my top ten book list for 2019! I read a lot of books this past year (102 to be exact, and to brag, just a little bit). I also read a lot of good books (probably roughly 75), a lot of really great books (probably 20-25), and a few truly phenomenal books. This list is about those ten books (well, actually thirteen because I cheated just a little bit.) 

While compiling this list I noticed a couple of interesting trends. First of all, the majority of the books I chose for this list were published in 2018. (All the sequel books I will mention were published in 2019, but that messes up my math a bit so we are going to ignore that.) I don’t think there is any particular reason for this, I just find it interesting so I decided to mention it. Second, the vast majority of my list features books written by women. Eight out of ten, or eleven out of thirteen if we are counting sequels (damn it, now I’m just confusing my own rules). The reason for that? Women authors are awesome, and were really on their A-game when it came to writing fantastic books that I read in 2019. Third, I read all of these books on my list in the second part of the year. May came, and with it something seemed to flip over in my reading choices from good to great. Then again, that might just be recency bias. 

Without further ado, here is my list of top ten books of 2019:

Ten: Truly Devious -YA, 2018 

(and the sequel, The Vanishing Stair -2019)

by: Maureen Johnson

Truly Devious is so fun. There is no other way for me to describe this book, and this book series. It is just so fun. Yes, I know people die in the book and all that, but, by god it is just so irrepressibly fun to me. I love mysteries. I love murder mysteries. And I love murder mysteries set in schools. The main character is charming and relatable, and the extended cast of characters are intriguing. This book manages to be a better modern day Sherlock Holmes adaptation than most books that are actively trying to be modern day Sherlock Holmes adaptations could ever dream of being. Now that all that has been said, Maureen, could I have the next book now please?

Nine: Out of the Easy -Historical Fiction, 2013

by: Ruta Sepetys

This book might be the most “normal” of all the fictional books on my list. It does not feature any spies or mystical powers. A story alternately uplifting and heartbreaking about a young girl who wants a better chance for her life and for herself, but who has to fight to get there. I finished this book in a single day, and I loved it so much.

Eight: Killing November -YA, 2019

by: Adriana Mather

I picked up this book randomly at the library one day, in the NEW BOOK section, half thinking it would be a fairly generic spy boarding school fluff piece of a book. (This isn’t an insult, I LOVE generic spy boarding school fluff!) What I got was so much more interesting. This book is a twisty compelling thriller, set at a school where the students occasionally kill each other (because reasons that I will not spoil you for). This book might not be for everyone, but boy howdy was it right for me. Personally, I am now counting down the days until the next one comes out.

Seven: Finale -YA, 2019

by: Stephanie Garber

This book is unique in this list in that it is the third and final (hence the title) book in a series I have spent the last few years hooked on. All the other books were new worlds to me this year, except this one. I loved this series about a magical game and the two sisters at the center of it all. Honestly, this book is not the best in the series, that honor still goes to the first book Caraval, but for me it offered a satisfying ending to the story. Not all book series get that distinction after all (looking at you Divergent series, still looking at you.) 

Six: A Winter’s Promise -YA, 2018

(and the sequel, The Missing of Clairdelune -2019)

by: Christelle Dabos

How do I begin to describe this book, and my feelings about it? I genuinely don’t think I can. I could attempt to explain the basic plot, but I fear I would do it a great disservice. It is far more interesting and compelling than I could ever adequately explain. It features a future that feels like the past, and magical powers that are so fundamentally different from anything I have encountered in books before. It features some sort of love story, except not at all. It feels like it is paying homage to Greek mythology, but doing so in such a unique way that even that doesn’t feel like an accurate description. Let me put it this way: this book made me want to learn how to read French. Why? Because these books are originally written in French and the idea of having to wait so much as a day longer than necessary to be able to read the next installment feels like an agonizing eternity. That’s how these books make me feel. Is that dramatic? Yes, but it is also accurate.

Five: The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle -Mystery, 2018

by: Stuart Turton

Remember before when I was talking about how much I love mysteries, and how much I love murder mysteries? Well, this book really delivered it to me. The unique plot structure of this book sucks you in as a reader, and keeps you firmly in its grip the entire time. The twists and turns are truly surprising, purely because it is impossible to tell where this book is going to take you next. As if all of that wasn’t enough, it offers a powerful lesson in crime, punishment, and forgiveness. Read it, read it now.

Four: Becoming -Autobiography, 2018

by: Michelle Obama

It’s a book about Michelle Obama by Michelle Obama. I really don’t think I need to offer any further explanation, do you? 

Three: Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland -True Crime, 2019

by: Patrick Radden Keefe

Before reading this book I knew relatively little about the Troubles in Northern Ireland. However, before reading this book I thought I knew a decent bit about the Troubles in Northern Ireland. This book proved me wildly wrong, and I have never been more engrossed in being told how wrong I was. This book breaks down the Troubles in a compelling way, and brilliantly entwines the personal story of one family irrevocably affected by the Troubles along with the stories of the IRA and it’s members. I read quite a few nonfiction history books this past year (former history major and all that, it comes with the territory) but this was far and away the best one. This book made me want to read more books about the Troubles, except I worry now that I have been ruined for reading more books about the Troubles. I just know none of them could be as good as this one was.

Two: The Poppy War -Adult Fantasy, 2018

(and the sequel, The Dragon Republic -2019)

by: R.F. Kuang

I did not know this book was missing in my life until I read it. A fantasy book about the Second Sino-Japanese War? This turns out to be a big yes for me and my reading habits. A masterpiece of a book written by a young Asian woman? That’s an even bigger yes for me. (It’s so good I have no choice but to forgive R.F. Kuang for being the same age as me but being so much more accomplished. I hate her, but I love her more.) This book, and the sequel, is spectacular. With that being said, this book is very firmly for adults. There is nothing YA about this, please be aware of that. This book features absolutely brutal violence, violence that becomes even more sickening when you realize it was more or less pulled directly from the books of history. I am a full grown adult woman, and it made me feel deeply ill and uncomfortable at times. Which is what the author was aiming for. These are books about war, real war, not the sort of bloodless fantasy war you find in YA books. These books are beautiful and terrible all at once.

One: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo -Fiction, 2017

by: Taylor Jenkins Reid

What is there that I can say about this book that has not already been said by others? This book is everything you could want and more. Reid’s writing is sublime, and it frequently made me forget that the people in the book were not real. I had to hold myself back from googling “Celia St. James,” had to remind myself that none of these events actually took place in Hollywood and New York. That’s the beautiful part about this book, it all felt so real, I wanted it to be a tell-all book about a real former movie star. But it wasn’t, it was instead an exquisitely crafted fictional book. You know how people talk about book hangovers? Where you read a book that is so good, it ruins you for reading anything else?. Man, let me tell you, this book gave me the worst book hangover of my entire life. I can think of no higher praise.

[haveamagicalday]

My 2019 reads

My top ten reads can be found here

4 Stars

All the Bad Apples by Moria Fowley-Doyle

Deena’s family is cursed. Any “rotten apple” in the family is doomed for a a tragic end. When Deena’s sister Mandy goes in search of the cause of the curse, Deena and friends go after her. This book alternates with stories from the past and present dealing with strong feminist themes throughout.

House of Salt and Sorrow by Eria A. Craig

A darker more horror story retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses. Personally, I felt that connection to the original fairy tale was kinda weak and this could have been pitched as its own fairy tale. It was definitely creepy and kept you on your toes throughout.

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

Riley Sager is becoming one of my favorite thriller authors but this one was probably my least favorite of his 3 books so far. Don’t get me wrong, it was still really good but while the twist was good, I figured it out fairly early on. I kept waiting for another twist that would blow me away but it never happened. Still, this was fun to read and I still stand by the 4 star rating.

Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly

After Cinderella leaves with her prince, her stepsisters are left in shame. This story covers the stepsisters lives after happily ever after, and maybe they will get their happily ever after too. This book was sweet and creative. Isabelle, are evil stepsister, was a flawed character but still deeply likable. There was some magic and greek mythology woven in that really made this story stand out for me.

The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen

Sarah Dessen does it again in this heartfelt tale of a teenager trying to find her place in the world. Emma Saylor’s mother was an addict and now that she’s gone, Emma only has her stories to remember her by. So where does Emma’s life fit in to these stories and how does the story end?

Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

A non witch detective is called in to a high school for the magically gifted to solve a gruesome murder. This was a fun and unique read. It plays out like a typical mystery but the added element of a modern day world with mages and a magic boarding school made it it's own thing. I would actually love to read a series in this world as it was well built and intriguing. A big strength of this novel was I actually was interested in the main character's storyline as I was with the mystery. Sometimes with mysteries, the main character is just there to solve the mystery and nothing more. This was not the case for this book.

The Window by Amelia Brunskill

Jess’s twin sister is dead. She fell out their window one tragic night. But what was Anna doing sneaking out of their window? In this thrilling and emotional book, Jess discovers some of her twin’s secrets and sets out to learn what really happened that fateful night.

The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm by Christopher Paolini 

A fun short read that brought me back to my middle school years. Eragon holds a special place in my heart and this was a welcome return to the world. It hints at more in the future and I'm excited to see were this story will continue to go. I will admit though that I preferred the in between chapters with Eragon than the short stories themselves. The Urgal story was probably the best but it seems like Paolini is setting up for another full sized novel in the series and it really had nothing to do with the story at all. Still, it was enjoyable!

The Dark Days Deceit by Alison Goodman

A satisfying ending to the Lady Helen trilogy. There was a twist about the main villain that I honestly would have hated in any other book but it worked so well in this one. I’m going to miss this fun series.

3.5 Stars

Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer

Echo North is a retelling of East of the Sun and West of the Moon. This one had its deviations but was more of straight retelling of the fairytale. There are two parts to this book. The first one is about 280 pages and the last part is the last 120 pages. I think I would have preferred if they were an equal length. The first part could have been shorter and the second part could have been longer. There was a lot of interesting content in the second part that I would have loved to explore more. Still, this was a lovely read and a good retelling of the popular fairytale

Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Berube

Skye is our main character. A high school girl that moved to a new town and just wants to be normal, maybe even date her cute neighbor? What stands in her way is her 13 year old sister Dierdre. Deirdre is weird, she’s creepy and she refuses to grow up. And now she is missing. All in all, I thought this was a worthwhile and exciting read. While I was personally left a tad disappointed in the direction it took, I know there are a lot of others that will absolutely love it. And the strength of the first half and the themes it deals with, is enough for me to recommend it! Read my full review here.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Based on Russian mythology and lore. This is a perfect fairy tale to read on a cold winter night. The characters are well developed and the conflict is subtle. It's a slow build up but never felt boring at all.

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus

For the most part, I really enjoyed this book! It was quick paced and kept you guessing. However, while I didn't think the ending was predictable, I did think it was a bit cliched. I was surprised by the twist but but it still felt cheesy. The rest of the book was really solid though. There were plenty of red herrings that kept you guessing and it was an enjoyable read with good characters. I liked that this one only had two main characters as opposed to One of Us Is Lying had the four but if I had to pick one though I would say One of Us Is Lying is the stronger book.

3 Stars

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

A retelling of the fairytale of the same name. It was such a sweet story! I thought that Ani/Isi's transformation and growth throughout the story was very well done. The romance was put on the back burner but I didn't mind. It was cute but a little rushed too. It was also very obvious who Geric really was but I don't think it was suppose to be this amazing twist or anything so I didn't mind. I liked the added elements that Hale put into the fairytale. Ani's wind talking ability was a great addition whereas in the fairy tale, she just talks to the wind and it’s never explained why. It stuck to the fairy tale very closely and I really enjoyed reading it.

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

Chloe lives with her older sister Ruby, the girl everybody wants to be. But when a night of fun with Ruby goes wrong, Chloe is taken to live with her father, leaving Ruby behind. But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back and make things right for her. This was a strange book. I read it quickly because I wanted to know what was going on but the ending just left me more confused. I don't understand what the point of any of this was? However, the writing was beautiful and I loved the creepy and hazy atmosphere.

Teeth in the Mist by Dawn Kurtagich

This was pitched as a Faust retelling but I found little connection between it? I loved the Dead House by Kurtagich but her next book was a disappointment for me. While this one was better, I was still left wanting more. It’s strange that the story in the past is the main one, whereas the one in the present is done through transcribed video recordings and journal entries. Honestly, she probably could have done away with the story set in the present. I think many would like this book but it just wasn’t for me.

Twice Dead by Caitlin Seal

Naya lives in a world where necromancy is common, but the wraiths they come back are treated as second class citizens. When a solo trading mission goes wrong, Naya awakens to find herself the very thing she always found disgust in. Wholly creative with lots of twists, this was a strong debut novel.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

I read Bardugo’s series of short stories A Language of Thorns last year and absolutely loved it. I was...surprised this was written by the same person. It was a very basic YA novel with a love triangle and super special main character. I think I would have enjoyed this a lot more if I had read it as a younger teen.

Truly Devious/The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson

I went into this book expecting a lot of murder and creepy riddles left behind. That's not exactly what I got though. This book was just a tad bit too slowly paced. The murder doesn't happen until a little after the half way mark so the first half of the book felt unnecessary. I feel like 100 pages or so could have been chopped. What I really liked was the mystery behind the school that happened in the 1930s. For me that was the strongest part and I'm more interested in that than the modern day mystery. Which was sort of solved by the end anyway? I think there's more to it but if not it's rather underwhelming. Overall though, I enjoyed the book and the sequel was enjoyable too. Oh, and I need to set the record straight, there's a line in the sequel where someone mentions that the country bear jamboree doesn't have a movie based on it... but it does!!!

Hidden Pieces by Paula Stokes

Embry is the town hero for saving a homeless guy from a fire at an abandoned hotel late one night. But what would the town think if they knew she was the one who started the fire in the first place? Now Embry is receiving notes from someone who knows what she did. Now she must choose between letting the truth get out or given in to her mysterious tormentor’s demands. Hidden Pieces was a fairly solid mystery but it bordered on unrealistic at most times. Still, it was definitely a page turner.

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

This is one of those rare cases where I found that the movie was better than the book. Don’t get me wrong, it was still a good book but the movie fine tuned it a lot. The book was surprisingly long and the movie cut out some unnecessary stuff. I was surprised that there was two love interests in the book and I honestly preferred the one that was cut from the film. He was a much better fit for Willowdean and Bo in the book was much more of a jerk who was initially put off by being seen with Willowdean. The fight that Willowdean and her best friend have was much bigger and more dramatic and Ellen was actually pretty nasty throughout it. The movie definitely fleshed out these characters in a much softer light. The relationship with her mother was also much sweeter in the movie than in the book. It felt kind of emotionless and less inspirational here.

Pretty Dead Girls by Monica Murphy 

Popular girls are turning up dead and our main character, Penelope, fears she may be next. I went into this expecting more serious take on Scream Queens. I read this back in September and I honestly don’t remember much other than the characters barely reacted to their classmates/friends deaths and the murderer was impossible to guess and was utterly lame. If the killer has to explain their motives with brand new information that was not found anywhere else in the book, it’s not a good twist. 

The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher

This had a lot of potential and I know a lot of people have loved it but it fell flat for me in some places. The book is based on and sort of a sequel to the short story The White People. You definitely need to have read the short story first or this will make zero sense to you. Our main character, Mouse, spends much of the first third of the book cleaning out a hoarder’s house. It gets very tedious but picks up pace when the Twisted Ones are introduced. There are some good moments of tension but Mouse tends to ruin these moments attempting to be funny (which she’s not). The White People works best as a type of horror that is never truly explained but this book does just that. It’s at this point that the book lost me again. I think it’s mostly a matter of taste but I just wasn’t in to it. 

Five Dark Fates by Kendare Blake

I loved this series as a whole but I did not like the ending. Mostly because my least favorite characters ended up as the “winners”. That’s all I’ll say about that.

The Invited by Jennifer McMahon

Helen and Nate decide to leave their cozy life behind to build (literally build) their own little house in a small superstitious town. Problem is, the land they’ve bought is where Hattie Breckenridge a women accused and murdered for witchcraft, lived a hundred years ago. This reads more like a murder thriller that just happens to have ghosts in it than a true ghost story. There were some great twists but it was slow in some places. Like learning about all the ins and outs of what goes into constructing your own house from scratch. Helen and Nate also suffer some martial problems, brought on by the ghost, that just made me anxious and probably wasn’t necessary. I know it adds to the drama and suspense but ugh.

The Best Lies by Sarah Lyu

There’s a murder. There’s a mystery. But that’s not really what this book is about. Remy’s boyfriend is dead and her best friend Elise is the one who killed him. But it was self defense. Probably. The majority of the book takes place in flashbacks starting with Remy and Elise meeting and becoming friends. What starts as a normal friendship slowly turns into a toxic and emotionally abusive codependent relationship. Ultimately, that’s what the book is about. It’s honestly a fantastic portrayal. It’s toxic on both sides but you understand why they care about each other and stay friends. Not all toxic relationships end with a death though and perhaps this would have packed more of a punch had our main character came to some conclusions about her best friend in another way.

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw

Nora is a Walker and Walkers are witches. How do I know this? Because she mentions it every other page. For the most part this book was enjoyable but extremely predictable. I would still pick up the next book this author writes though.

2 Stars

The Dead Queens Club by Hannah Capin

A modern day retelling about Henry and his 6 wives but this time they are high schoolers. The story is narrated by Annie “Cleaves” Marek, Henry’s fourth wife girlfriend.  I'm pretty much assuming everybody knows about Henry and his 6 wives at this point. So where the book really lost me was at the half way point where it turns into a murder mystery type book. If you know your history, you know who did the murder in this book. So the murder mystery angle doesn't work here, The characters don't know for sure, but we the readers do. It becomes somewhat tedious honestly. Our main character also sucked. Cleves was your typical quirky girl. She says witty things that really aren't witty. She claims to be a hardcore feminist but demonstrates this by kind scolding Henry when he says something sexist...and that's about it. This book was entertaining enough to keep me reading but I had my problems with it. Especially the second half. I think there are some people that will really like this spoofy tongue in check retelling but it just wasn't for me. You can read my full review here.

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Let me just start by saying that I don't get the hype for this book. It’s an interesting concept but this book just did not work for me. It's somehow not long enough but nothing really happens throughout. The girls were not very "wild" and I don't know what the point of any of this was. This book has been called "feminist horror" and I don't understand that at all. The tox didn't empower them in any way and there wasn't any feminist themes throughout. The gore/body horror was minimal and not very creepy or disgusting at all. Overall, this book was not for me.

The Missing Season by Gillian French

Our lead character moves to a small town where kids go missing every year. The adults find logical reasons for these disappearances but the children of the town believe it is a monster named The Mumbler taking them. Interesting concept that wasn't fully realized. Nothing happens in this book until the last 20 pages. there's no build up or clues that led up to the big twist in the end. When the climax finally happens, it's over within ten pages and then the book ends another ten pages later. Minor plot points lead to nothing and the mumbler was barely played up to make this book suspenseful.

The Babysitter’s Coven by Kate Williams

Adventures in babysitting meets Buffy. Sorta. I went into this super excited and was hoping for something akin to Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. I did not get that. This reads more like a middle school book and was overly cheesy. I think younger teens would enjoy but I wasn’t a fan.

How She Died, How I Lived by Mary Crockett 

Kyle texted five girls one night. Only one responded and met up with him. He killed her that night. Our unnamed narrator was one of the girls who didn’t answer his text and now she’s dealing with the aftermath of knowing it could have been her. f this book had ended differently, I would have rated it higher. I had major issues with the romance. The narrator starts a relationship with the slain girl’s boyfriend and it was so insanely toxic though it was written to be romantic.

Rereads

Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen (5 stars)

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen (5 Stars)

Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray (5 Stars)

Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins (5 Stars)

Heartless by Marissa Meyer (4 Stars)

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (5 Stars)

The Refrigerator Monologues by Catherynne M. Valente (5 Stars)

Short Stories

The White People by Arthur Machen (2 stars)

I like the story itself but the way it was written was horrendous and hard to follow. It was a huge rambling block of text.

Bridal Boot Camp by Meg Cabot (4 Stars)

The Grownup by Gillian Flynn (5 Stars)

[lilpee-pee]

Hilda is even more obscure than I initially thought; a mythological masterpiece!

I’m not sure how many other people have noticed this, but here’s the list I’ve made from lots of research! This post will consist of no specific spoiler. But if you don’t want to know about anything yet, DO NOT READ THIS!!!

So after re watching the entire show, I noticed something rather interesting. Each episode features a creature or culture derived from ancient mythology. 

Episode 1;

The Elves: At first, I assumed this was about fairies. The tiny civilizations they must have. But after looking at the landscaping of the backgrounds, it hit me. These are based off of Iceland’s Huldufolk. This translates directly to hidden people. Said to be protectors of their good fortune, the government of Iceland made completely illegal any construction or interference with what is supposedly land that belongs to these small, invisible elves, who live in miniature houses called alfhols. Wait. Alf? Alfur? Coincidence? I think not. 

Episode 2;

Giants: The giants of Hilda are solely based off of Norse mythology. Legend tells of a tribe of beautiful giants, who once lived between the Sierra Nevada and the Rocky Mountains. There were hundreds of species, living in hundreds of habitats. The Great Spirit, however, grew tired of their aloof and mighty behaviors toward each other, so he allowed their enemies to conquer them; the humans. Only two giants survived: Paiute and his wife. Sounds about right. 

The Woodman: This monotone cryptic of Hilda’s assorted friends took me quite a bit of research to track down the origins to. But finally, I found him. Based on Greek culture, he’s actually a dryad, or “oak nymph”. These walking, wooden creatures exist to look after the oak tree they were forged from. So let’s suspend some disbelief and assume Hilda’s ancestor used the Woodman’s tree in order to build the cabin Hilda lives in. Why else would he have stuck around, since he’s always minorly annoyed and yet indubitably shows up in many of Hilda’s childhood crayon drawings? Just a thought.

Episode 3;

Thunderbird: These birds originate from Native American beliefs. By flapping its gigantic wings, it creates thunder and lightning, controlling the storm season and bringing excellent harvest. With storms, come rain, so the arrival of the thunderbird was always a promising sign. Present in their dances, tattoos, and carvings, he protected them from the great horned serpent and it’s destructive tendencies, bringing whoever favored him good luck and prosperity. Slides right in with Trolberg’s annual parade, don’t you think? And it brings a whole new connotation to the city’s “statue”, when the Great Raven explains how he had sat on top of it; his symbol was always present at the very top of a totem pole. 

Episode 4;

Vittra: These stinky little onions are more than they seem to be. From Northern Sweden, these underground dwelling nature spirits are very aggressive, territorial, and hated humans. They’re also known to have invisible cattle, which they milk for food and commonly steal from mortals who have wronged them. Really explains the cows, huh? They’re known to make humans’ lives miserable, especially when they meddle with their tunnels, lifestyle, or even cross their borders. Even in modern day, people have moved their homes away from any nearby “vittraställe”, or vittra way, just in case. 

Episode 5;

Trolls: Another Icelandic folktale, trolls are said to have been dim witted, man eating creatures that turned to stone upon contact with sunlight. Even in Lord of the Rings, they used these concepts. So why wouldn’t Hilda? If you visit the beaches of Iceland, it is said that the huge boulders scattered about the shores, and in the water, were once trolls. They were caught by the dawn as they attempted to crush the ships returning to their homes, carrying fishermen finding food for their families. These “troll rocks” are their bodies, reaching out to the sea, now forever entrapped in stone. 

Episode 6; 

Marra: Originally known as mare, which eventually attributes to the word “nightmare”, the Hungarian marra are malicious entities that possess humans with certain amounts of negative energy. Teenagers with depression, mostly, which also helped create the possessed, creepy kid trope in horror movies. While you sleep, they perch on your chest, and expose your mind to its deepest fear. Eventually, the marra evolved into the legend of the boogey man, so in retrospect, they never actually disappeared. 

Episode 7;

The Bragga: These outcasted group of elves, who made a failed contract with the Aldric family over “No Elf’s Land”, aren’t just coincidentally donning beard braids and helmets, obsessed with fighting physically, drinking ale, spitting, and riding rabbits like they’re jousting horses. They’re based off of Nordic Vikings, their separation from Scandinavia, and the culture that they eventually developed. Their tendencies to favor combat over reason is made evident, too, however stereotypical it may be. This is pretty much the only example the show has used so far to allude to a historical period of time. 

Episode 8;

Tide Mice: Taken from Mapuche mythology, these voodoo rodents are actually supposed to be colo colos. Evil, rat-like creatures, they hide in your house to feed on your saliva while you sleep, eventually bringing about comatose states and long term memory loss. Once all of your life juice has been depleted, your soul is completely sucked from your body and the colo colo consumes it in order to go on living. Despite their complete irrelevance with wicca, the way the show manages to assimilate the two is genius. 

Episode 9;

Ghosts: I feel like this speaks for itself. They’re very commonly used, but the show does a good, unique job of connecting a ghostly presence not with a negative haunting that needs to be handled or else everyone will die, but with a helpful spirit, just hanging around a house because it’s linked to a specific item or object. 

Episode 10;

Wind Spirits: The wind spirits, which were based off of Roman Anemoi, minor wind gods that each represented a cardinal direction, are shown in Hilda as debaters who couldn’t come to a conclusion. Their fighting is what makes gigantic natural disasters. This is mocking a bit of fun of Roman philosophers, who were known to sit around in their forums, arguing until the entire town couldn’t stand it. The irritated citizens would call these prolonged discussions, “storms of the intellect”. 

Episode 11;

Cursed Cottage: I have no clue where this myth derives from, and I couldn’t find much else except Into the Woods songs, but this is basically adopting the enchanted cottage trope. The gingerbread house that actually houses a wicked witch, the lone hut that holds everything Goldilocks longs for except for its occupants; so many fairy tales center their setting around a manipulative house that tries to snatch you up and never let you go. So this one is probably just a primal usage of that timeless idea, combined with a cool twist of inter dimensional neurotics. Pretty cool!

Episode 11;

Nisse: Also fondly known as house brownies, nisse are Norweigian dwarves, living inside of your home. Sometimes known to mischievously steal your things, like socks, car keys, old toys, jewelry, etc, they make nests in your walls or your abandoned, most frequently forgotten to check spots. If you are kind to them, leave them food, and treat them well, they will go out of their way to do good things for you, like wash your dishes, dust your desk, or, yknow, purge evil energies from your body. But if you anger them, they can be quite a hassle; breaking things is a usual reaction. Either way, if you ever catch them, you have the right to forcefully evict them from your home. 

Episode 12;

Black Hounds: Black hounds, throughout the history of mythology, are always seen as a dark, ominous omen, warning you of potential suffering, struggle, pain, turmoil, chaos and death. So pretty darn bad. Seeing a black hound, or even owning one, is still a superstition, today. They’re literally called the “accumulation of everything that is evil on this plane of existence.” But, if you haven’t already watched Hilda, keep Sirius Black in mind, and his patronus, which reminds us, “don’t read a book by it’s cover.” 

That’s all I’ve got to say, gamers! There are some that I skipped, like the lindworm, water spirits, stuff like that. But all in all, Hilda is a mythological masterpiece. Watch it whenever you can if you appreciate lore in any way, because it’s not just a beautiful, naturally diversified show about a socially anxious girl assimilating into a new culture. It’s taking incredibly interesting and obscure pieces of mythological history and braiding it into a perfectly constructed storyline. Whether or not it’s educational is up to you. Not even including here how breath takingly gorgeous the animation, use of color, and backgrounds are. Just... please. Don’t sleep on it! 

[themildestofwriters]

Writing Ask Game

Thanks to the magnificent @gottaenjoythelittlethingzz​ for tagging me in this wonderful little tag.

I don’t think I’m going to choose one WIP rather just the universe itself – The Divine Intervention universe. By that, I mean I’ll be doing it for these two novels I’m working on: Divine Intervention or: What Comes After Immortality? & The Trials and Tribulations of a Virgin Goddess.

1. Describe the plot in one sentence.

Divine Intervention or: What Comes After Immortality? 

A goddess and a girl meet at a bus stop and while things are a bit awkward at first, they soon begin hitting it off and begin regular correspondence, however, there’s something more lurking under the surface that neither of them wish to peruse and that one thing is forgiveness and love respectively.

The Trials and Tribulations of a Virgin Goddess

Sex and Babette go together as well as water and oil, yet it was not always this way and in this story she decides to heal herself, to improve herself, and to choose love over her almost selfish desire to dwell on the past and wallow in a pit of guilt and suffering.

2. Pick one sight, smell, sound, feel, and taste to describe the aesthetic of your novel.

Divine Intervention or: What Comes After Immortality?

Flashes of blood, death and gore in the small hours of the night. The smell of petrichor as rain descends. The sound of deathly silence. The feel of soft arms holding you tightly. The metallic taste of blackened blood coughed from the lungs.

The Trials and Tribulations of a Virgin Goddess

Bodies intertwined in a lover’s embrace. The smell of lust in the air. The sound of ceaseless screaming. The feel of suffocating pain and smooth stone. The bittersweet taste of lip balm.

3. Which 3+ songs would make up a playlist for the novel?

Because I’m not very knowledgeable on music myself, this list is filled only with songs I have on my phone.

Divine Intervention or: What Comes After Immortality?

“Viva La Vida” by Coldplay; “Accidentally In Love” by Counting Crows; “Superman (It’s Not Easy)” by Five for Fighting; “Stressed Out” by Twenty-One Pilots; “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran

The Trials and Tribulations of a Virgin Goddess

“Somewhere Over The Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole; “All of Me” by John Legend; “Let Her Go” by Passenger; “Like A Virgin” by Madonna; “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri

4. What’s the time period and location in which the novel takes place.

Both books take place in the modern era and mostly in Salisbury/Adelaide, South Australia. WCAI? takes place in 2016 and TTVG takes place in 2017. However, at least specifically in TTVG, it does take place in other countries with Babette visiting Japan, America and perhaps even England as either a part of her job (Street Performer) or as the plot demands.

5. Is this a standalone or a part in a series?

Well…

6. Are there any former titles you’ve considered but discarded?

For WCAI? I only had Divine Interruption and for TTVG there was “Babette Visits A Sex Shop” “Babette Visits An Adult Shop” and The Weird and Wonderful Sexual Awakening of Babette Mewlyn.

7. What’s the first line of your novel?

I have a tendency to only have a single line to begin a book.

Divine Intervention or: What Comes After Immortality?

“The sky was a dark crimson haze.”

or

“It was supposed to be a bright and sunny Saturday morning in suburban Adelaide.”

The Trials and Tribulations of a Virgin Goddess

“We had planned this for nearly an entire week now and today was the day.”

8. What’s a dialogue you’re particularly proud of?

“ “心配しないで,” she said, a devilish smirk twisting onto her lips. “少なくとも 見る かわいく 、ジョセフィーン様.” “ – Divine Intervention or: What Comes After Immortality? Chapter 2(draft)

If you’ve got a problem with my Japanese, please tell me because I’m winging it on Google Translate and outdated information.

“ “It—it hurts.” It took all my power to just say that and once I did, I was hit by a new wave of grief—of agony—of heart-rending guilt. ” – The Trials and Tribulations of Babette Melwyn Chapter 3(draft)

9. Which line from the novel most represents it as a whole?

“It—it hurts.”

10. Who are your character faceclaims?

Babette… well, I’m tossing up between these girls: Jaimie Alexander; Abbey Lee Kershaw; Amanda Seyfried; Astrid Berges-Frisbey; Zoey Deutch; and Willa Holland.

For Josephine, she’s a bit difficult to find a face claim for. If you’d like to help, that would be appreciated but so far, I’ve not found anything that fits her yet.

11. Sort your characters into Harry Potter houses!

Babette Melwyn – Slytherin

Josephine Williams – Hufflepuff

Henrietta Phillips – Ravenclaw

Maria Camhain-Schmidt – Gryffindor

Kurt Schmidt – Gryffindor

Flynn Camhain-Schmidt – Hufflepuff

Adrien Williams – Hufflepuff

Samuel Meric – Gryffindor

Sofía Meric – Hufflepuff

Harrison Williams – Ravenclaw

Alyssa Williams – Gryffindor

Samantha Bailey – Ravenclaw

12. Which character’s name do you like the most?

Respectfully, I love them all, specifically the girl’s names. Henrietta, Josephine, Babette, Alyssa, Maria, Sofía.

13. Describe each character’s daily outfit.

Babette Melwyn; Babette’s daily outfit could be summarised as well cared for rags with a history with radioactivity. By this I mean, Babette hasn’t changed out of the dress she wore when a group of revolutionaries decided to nuke her. While incredibly old, magic makes a great cleaner and preserver for the cloth and during the course of this novel, she’s usually seen wearing it often. It’s a plain black form fitting V-neck dress with long sleeves that reach up to her hands. The skirt used to be long and flowing, but since being nuked, it’s much shorter, ending around her calves—jagged and looking like some kind of tattered flower blooming from her waist down.

Aside from the dress, she wears leather strapped calf-high sandals and her ruby necklace—her ruby necklace is a constant with every single last outfit she wears.

After settling down on Earth, she finds herself wearing other bits and pieces. She feels comfortable outside her tattered remains and has a small wardrobe filled with a verity of clothing. Her aesthetic could best be described as gothic and Victorian gothic. Expect lots of lacy black dresses of varying lengths along with several sundresses and perhaps a few gowns. Hats are usually wide-brimmed and floppy, and she will not wear heels.

Josephine Williams; Josephine doesn’t have a daily outfit because she’s a normal person who doesn’t have a set outfit and often changes as the clothes she wore previously gets dirty. However, she has that kind of… art student vibe to her, befitting her artistic inclination, though she does were certain jewellery or outfits that have a certain Hellenic aesthetic. What you’ll mostly see her around in is either some kind of cardigan, perhaps a really large jumper while wearing a dress, whether short or long with some leggings underneath. She mixes it up, shirts and shorts, pants and with different colours as well. She keeps her options wide and varied but if you spent enough time with her and paid attention, you’d notice similarities.

Heels, like her girlfriend, is a no-no, but her outfits are certainly more colourful then Babette’s who prefers black and occasionally other colours.

14. Do any characters have distinctive birthmarks/scars?

Babette has a lot of scars but specifically there’s the scars across her heart—two, specifically, one on her back and on her chest, both from being impaled by a weapon that wiped out all life in a galaxy. It wasn’t fun getting that one.

Josephine once had a scar on her calf, but I think she might not have any major scars nor any tattoos—yet. I might give her a distinctive back tattoo that’s basically a string of astronomical symbols which relate to the Underworld in Greek Mythology.

15. Which character most fits a character trope?

I wouldn’t be able to say for sure but I’m sure that Babette and Josephine both fit into a character trope/archetype.

16. Which character is the best writer? Worst?

Babette, hands down. Babette’s not so good at writing songs and whatnot but she’s an academic and a Bard, having transcribed ancient texts, her own stories and a few she’s plagiarised from Earth because Earth Copyright doesn’t exist outside of Earth. Out of the main characters, I’d say that Josephine isn’t so good at the writing of things and prefers visual art. Like, she could write a story, but it’d read like a synopsis.

17. Which character is the best liar? Worst?

This entirely depends on when we take the characters. Before Babette was unceremoniously dethroned, she was a magnificent liar who would often use the skill in her youth on the run. However, at the same time, she’s spent literal aeons alone and her skills at lying have atrophied. She still does it, she’s just noticeably worse. I would say the worst liar would probably be Adrian because out of the children characters, he’s younger and got the biggest tells out of the lot of them. And yes, I have to pick children because everyone else are massive liars whether it’s lying to themselves, their parents, or others. In my experience, everyone lies at least once and their skill isn’t proportional to how much they

18. Which character swears the most? Least?

Henrietta swears like a fuckin’ sailor, Josephine can swear but only does it rarely—or at least where people can’t hear her.

19. Which character has the best handwriting? Worst?

Babette, again due to living for millions of years and the necessity she had to perfect her handwriting. So far, I’ve described her handwriting thusly:

‘…it was clear that it was one-hundred per cent handwritten, and it was a masterpiece. Each letter, each word was written in a way that made reading it clear and easy to read, but also incredibly pleasing to the eye. Cursive, almost like calligraphy but written in clear bull-point pen, as if someone managed to distil handwriting into an artform then decoded to perfect it because why not?’ – Divine Intervention or: What Comes After Immortality? Chapter 4(draft)

Unfortunately, she’s not so good at art unless it’s literally putting the image in her mind onto paper using magical means. Nevertheless, I could see her girlfriend asking Babette to do some calligraphy for her blog.

Flynn has the worst but honestly you can’t blame the kid… he’s a kid!

20. Which character is most like you? Least like you?

I’d probably have to say Babette, but it’s a close tie between her and Josephine because both of them contain facets of me but are also their own people with different desires and personalities.

Least like me are the other characters, pretty much. Henrietta, Maria, Kurt, Samuel, Sofía, Flynn, Harrison, Alyssa, I’m not really like these characters at all.

21. Which character would you most like to be?

Josephine. Hands down, Josephine. Listen, I like Babette and all and she’s an extension of myself in some ways, and, honestly, I’d feel a lot more comfortable in her skin then my own, but Josephine is just a quiet suburban girl with her own slice of the Earth doing her own thing. She’s an artist, she’s got a loving family, a healthy online presence, a healthy sleeping schedule, and… yeah.

To tag some folks, I think I’ll tag: @randomestfandoms-ocs; @rose-writes-and-drinks-tea; @ariellaskylark; @focusdumbass; @i-tried-and-i-loose; @undinisms; @alixismad; @sweet-scribes; @sunlight-melodies and literally anyone else who wants to try it!

[ramajmedia]

Ranked: Every Version Of Vampires On TV/Movies | ScreenRant

Vampire stories seem to have existed in one form or another nearly as long as stories have existed at all. It's an absolute classic piece of supernatural lore whose popularity has waxed and waned over the years, however, it's a genre of storytelling that has never and likely will never disappear from the world completely. Of course, that genre has changed and adapted with the times, going from classic legends to books, films, and television.

RELATED: Twilight: 10 Most Underrated Supporting Characters

There has been an almost incalculable number of iterations of vampire stories in film and television, or at least films and TV shows that incorporate vampire lore in some way. More importantly, clearly some vampire stories are better than others. Sometimes they're classic or modern, sometimes they're fluffy and light or completely horrifying, and sometimes they portray vampires as feral animals or as almost people. Here are all of the most well-known versions of vampires in films and TV, ranked.

10 Twilight

To be honest, Twilight is the vampire saga for people who hate everything about vampires. The vampires that populate this story are only vampires in name, and the only thing they seem to share in common with any traditional bloodsucker is just that, the fact that they happen to drink blood.

Twilight deserves to be acknowledged for introducing vampire lore to a new generation, but it's hard to say whether it deserves to be lauded or shamed for that fact, given it offers a rather underwhelming representation of vampires.

9 The Vampire Diaries

Oh, The Vampire Diaries. If The Vampire Diaries had ended sooner, then it would probably earn a spot much higher on this list, but sadly this show is one that presented itself as the anti-Twilight only to transform into Twilight as the years went on (with vampire babies and all).

Scream writer Kevin Williamson did a great job of balancing the romance and horror elements during the show's early years, but eventually, the horror elements all but disappeared. If the vampire version of 90210 sounds appealing, then TVD is probably for you. If you're a vampire fan, then it is probably best to skip The Vampire Diaries.

8 Hemlock Grove

For a few years, vampires were a pretty big trend, so it's no surprise that Netflix decided to jump on that bandwagon. Although it only lasted three seasons, their absolutely bananas original series Hemlock Grove was a fun and exciting supernatural show that tackled vampire lore from an unusual angle. 

RELATED: Hemlock Grove Characters Sorted Into Their Hogwarts Houses

Their version of vampires drew from the Eastern European legend of the Upir; Olivia and Roman, the show's main Upir mother and son, seemed to be in competition to determine who is crazier and more deranged. The special effects were cheesy, but the show and its vamps were undeniably entertaining.

7 True Blood

Twilight is probably the biggest vampire story juggernaut in recent history, but HBO's adaptation of Charlaine Harris' True Blood series took that trend and gave it some much-needed darkness and prestige. True Blood really leaned into the campy and fun aspects of vampire horror, and they certainly made it sexier and geared towards a more adult audience.

True Blood takes a lot of its mythology from classic vampire lore, but the show also adds a bit of fluff to make it more appealing to a modern audience. What the show really excelled at was not taking itself too seriously, which is tragically uncommon in a lot of vampire stories.

6 Being Human

It doesn't matter if you're talking about the original Being Human or the US adaptation of the hit UK series, the vampires in Being Human are actually some of the most fun and interesting characters in mainstream media of the last few years.

This pair of shows kind of flew under the radar, but they developed their own cult following, and with good reason. The story revolves around a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost who are all roommates, and clearly their attempts at "being human" don't always go as planned. It should go without saying, but Mitchell and Aidan will win over any vampire fan.

5 Interview With A Vampire

Anne Rice is kind of the Bram Stoker of the late 20th century. When it comes to writing her vampires, Rice goes for the absolute classics but she's also not afraid to make vampires as weird and creepy as they truly can be.

RELATED: The Vampire Diaries: 10 Most Underrated Supporting Characters

Many of Rice's big-screen adaptations have sadly fallen short of the source material, but Interview With A Vampire is an exception. It's hard to screw up when you have Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt as your leads, but this decades-spanning story of Louis and Lestat is everything that any vampire fan can hope for.

4 The Lost Boys

If anyone is ever looking for a vampire flick that is spunky, fun, and oh so delightfully '80s, then The Lost Boys will undoubtedly tickle your fancy. If Kiefer Sutherland with a mullet isn't enough to catch your attention, then the story of this squad of teen vampires running rampant in a coastal California town while being hunted by some even younger comic book fans certainly should be an attention grabber.

The Lost Boys miraculously manages to feel completely dated as well as totally timeless, and it's a must-see entry into the edgy teen vampire subgenre of vampire TV and movies.

3 Blade

It's both a blessed miracle that the Marvel Cinematic Universe decided to resurrect and reboot Blade and a near Greek tragedy that it took them this long to do it. Yes, Black Panther was epic, but let's not forget that Marvel already had an epic black superhero with some smashing box office success thanks to the original Blade.

RELATED: True Blood Characters Sorted Into Their Hogwarts Houses

The tale of this half-vampire vampire hunter is a fantastic comic book adaptation as well as a fantastic movie. It certainly fusses around with traditional vampire lore, but the way in which its vampires adapt to modern life still feels creative, edgy, and relevant today.

2 Let The Right One In

As if children aren't terrifying enough on their own, why not make them into savage blood-sucking animals that are legitimate wolves in sheep's clothing? The Swedish film Let The Right One In understandably won worldwide accolades for its incredibly unique vampire story.

It's a surprisingly soulful tale, with the friendship between child vampire Eli and human child Oskar taking center stage, but that kind of classic childhood story is turned on its head due to Eli's terrifying violence and unsettling way of navigating through the world. And for any vampire fans who were bullied as a child, Let The Right One In is absolutely essential viewing.

1 Buffy The Vampire Slayer

It seems a little ironic that the best vampire adaptation in television or film is mainly focused on a girl whose mystical destiny is to kill vampires, but that is undoubtedly how Joss Whedon and the rest of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer squad wanted it.

Buffy and its spinoff Angel were masterful about both embracing the conventions of vampire horror as well as completely flipping those conventions upside down to keep the audience surprised and impressed. However, what makes Buffy's vampires so exceptional is that they were truly exceptional and unique characters in their own right.

NEXT: Buffy The Vampire Slayer: 10 Biggest Twists, Ranked

source https://screenrant.com/vampires-ranked-every-version-tv-movies/

[gloomyandtwisty2196]

#30: Starcrossed

This is a modern YA adaptation of Greek mythology, retelling the story of Helen of Troy. This book explores the story of 17 year old Helen Hamilton who possesses hidden talents but fails to live up to her potential because of her timidity. Or so it seems. Following the entrance of a new family into little Nantucket, Helen’s abilities are triggered. Especially when she meets Lucas Delos who she feels compelled to kill, thanks to the three fates.

Granted, it took about 120 pages for the book to find its kick but when it did, it was just transcendental. The storyline was intriguing and has completely raised me standards for modern adaptations of mythologies. 

The characters in this book all contributed to the progress of the storyline in one way or another. Claire Aoki, Helen’s best friend, served as a source of comic relief and moral support for Helen when things went south. The Delos family’s acceptance of Helen when she was becoming one with her powers was also very honorable. I liked that they didn’t abandon her just because she was from a different house even though her face reminded them  of the alleged killer of their brother, Ajax.

The character of Helen was fun to read; there were different layers to her and as the book progressed, we got to witness her character unravel and it was a beauty to read. I liked that there was a mythological reason to justify why Helen was always underachieving; because at the beginning of the book, we got to see her go through a lot of self doubt and shyness. And while I have nothing against traits like these, I just liked that there was a mythological reason for why she always held back and never reached her full potential.

The romantic element to this storyline was very interesting, at first. The hatred of each other caused by the Furies that came from being in different houses and the almost dying for each other and the little flirtations, that was all fun at first but I found the fact that Lucas kept pushing her away very infuriating. This is not to say that I didn’t enjoy it when they did finally get together, even though it was just for a short while.

The twists and turns within this book all caught me by surprise (as a twist is supposed to). The entrance of Daphne, Helen’s mother, also served as a cause for concern as I did not trust her from the very beginning.

Overall, the first installment of the Starcrossed trilogy was quite fun to read. Josephine Angelini made proper use of the greek mythology and incorporated it into the plot quite nicely.