#⊹ ・ michelle jones. ⤻ prose !

[swornfate]

“hey, look. it’s you,” mj says, a proud grin on her lips as she flips her sketchbook to show off her best interpretation of her newest miserable muse. a spitting image if she does say so herself. “hope you don’t mind. your misery inspired me.” she chuckles as she returns the sketchbook back into the safety of her lap. it seems this island has no shortage of people in crisis. “you can have it. if you want.”

[swornfate]

“hm? as useless as what?” mj asks with feigned confusion only to release a chuckle a moment later. “sorry. i shouldn’t be messing with you. i’m listening.” normally, she wouldn’t take this kind of attitude from a complete stranger, but the girl’s overdramatic mannerisms make it hard to take the insult to heart. “so you’re a princess. that uh, explains things. i mean, if it helps, there’s a chance your friends will show up if they’re not here already. and i'm sure your kingdom has a king or queen to look after it while you're gone, right? not that i support outdated institutions that depend on keeping the working class poor, but y'know.”

"Is everyone here as useless as this?" she asked, her hands clenching into frustrated fists. "You should have been listening while I was talking to you," she sighed. Stella let out a groan. "This is a travesty," she said. "What am I going to do? My friends and the entire magic dimension can't survive without me. My kingdom needs it's princess."

[writerscafehub]

𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐑❜𝐒 𝐂𝐀𝐅𝐄 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

/) /)

( • ༝•)

c /づ づ 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐄 all the works made by the very talented members of the writer's café server in the month of JUNE. we ask, and highly encourage, that you reblog them in support. ♡

ALL WORKS ARE FOR THOSE 18+ ONLY.

𖥔 indicates smut

✶ indicates dark elements

By ☁︎☽ Cocoa ☁︎☽ @cocoamoonmalfoy @darksideofthecocoamoon

𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐌𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 | Novacane!Michelle Jones x black!Reader

You say space will make it better and time will make it heal.  I won't be lost forever and soon I wouldn't feel.  Like I'm haunted, woah, falling

𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐄 | Life’s Perfect Ache!Paul Atreides x Pharao Hekau (OFC)

Please call me your baby, baby, baby.  Look how long that you have kept me waiting.  I'm all in, look at all that I have given.  Ooh, I knew your love before I kissed you.  And now you’ve only made me miss you.  Come get me, come love me, baby, come love me.

𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐌𝐄 | Paul Atreides x black!Reader

Are you with me?  Are you in or are you out?

𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐄𝐈𝐕𝐎𝐑 | Eivor Varinsdóttir x black!reader

you’re out on a date with Eivor and a guy sends you a drink thinking yall are just gal pals

𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 | Michelle Jones x Black Cat!Reader

MJ only knows you as Black Cat. When she doesn't hear from you for weeks and hears from Peter that he’s been with Black Cat a lot lately, she can only assume….

By ★ Jen ★ @jen-with-a-pen

𖥔 𝐂𝐎𝐂𝐎𝐎𝐍 | Steve Rogers x Bucky Barnes

A chance encounter one night at a house party sparks the hottest hookup Bucky and Steve ever have.

By ☆ Stella ☆ @a-lumos-in-the-nox

𝐌𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐀

✶𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐏𝐘 & 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 | Fred Weasley x black!fem reader

Villainous duo doing bad shit.

𖥔𝐌𝐀𝐌𝐀 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄’𝐒 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐃𝐀𝐘 | Neville Longbottom x black!female OC

The Morgan's take their kids to a family reunion in Louisiana to celebrate Mama Gene's Birthday, and Ruby and Neville have some fun themselves.

By 𓆺 Witch Aunt 𓆺 @moonlight-prose

𝐌𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐀

By ✬ Astro ✬ @eulalielatibule

𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐆𝐄𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐀 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐆𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐘 

Original Character Bio

By ⎈ Navy ⎈ @navybrat817

✶𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓: 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐓𝐖𝐎 | Club Owner!Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Fic Summary: The owner of The 107th wants you to be his girl whether you like it or not.

Chapter Summary: You're anxious before your date.

𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐄 | Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Bucky doesn't think he's good enough for you, but still wishes he could be your guy.

✶𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓: 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 | Club Owner!Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Fic Summary: The owner of The 107th wants you to be his girl whether you like it or not.

Chapter Summary: The date is just beginning, but you're not sure if you can keep it together.

By ❥ Courtney ❥ @chasingmidnights

𖥔𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆 | camp owner!Max Burnett x secretary!reader

Max comes to the camp to see how things are going, when he meets you, one of the newest secretaries to join the staff. Max is immediately smitten with you and wants to make you his. 

By ✾ Annie ✾ @nekoannie-chan

𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐍 | Steve Rogers x reader

Steve broke your heart

By ✧Bella✧ @madwomansapologist

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐔𝐌𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐌 - 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 | Thranduil x female!reader

Thranduil thought the recent attack of spiders on a periphery village was the only thing deserving of his attention. If he could've imagined what he would found there, who he would found there, the Elvenking would wait a millenia in front of that river so he could see her sooner. Or: how Gandalf managed to keep a secret for 14 months.

By ఌ Bam Bam ఌ @buzzkillers

✶𝐅𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐑𝐁 | Namor x fem!reader

namor comes to the call

By 𓆸 Rika 𓆸 @fushic0re

𖥔𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑!𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐎 | Choso Kamo x fem!reader

what it is like to date the choso kamo.

© all works belong to the respective writers of the writers café server.

[permanentreverie]

top 9 books

rules: list your top 9 books (duh) but i will be cheating a little bit - combining authors and giving honourable mentions, because i can

tagged by @wherepoetsdie, thank you michelle i love ranting about my favourite books but also this is gonna be SO. HARD.

1 : the starless sea / the night circus by erin morgenstern - both of these books are exactly my kinda vibe. the worldbuilding, the romance depicted, the portrayal of magic and surrealism, both books remained in my head for MONTHS after first reading them. i think both of these books perfectly fit my criteria for 5 star reads on goodreads - books that cracked open my skull and altered my psyche

2 : the youthful you who was so beautiful by jiu yue xi - so is your comfort book an incredibly niche chinese book that doesn't even have a proper english translation and publication, or are you normal?? i read this book late last year, reread it early this year, and already have been wanting to reread it for months. the writing is by no means perfect, but there is something about this story that i will never get enough of. chen nian and bei ye's relationship, the stress on their characters and the trials they face, it all just. it all breaks me i want every single person to read it but also they have to GET IT.

3 : jane eyre by charlotte bronte - this book has remained a staple for me for years. the first time i read it (when i was 12) i actually didn't like it, but every reread since has solidified my love for jane's character and the beautifully twisted love story of her and rochester.

4 : little women by louisa may alcott - again, a childhood staple. there is something so incredibly magical and intimate, the story of the march sisters, and so many good lessons on love and childhood and family and ambitions! jo march has and always will be *my* heroine, she gets me and i get her and she pulls the strings in my heart in an aching way

5 : i'll give you the sun by jandy nelson - this may be my no. 1 favourite book of this year. it's just such a beautiful story of grief and sibling relationship, a book that truly feels like a coming of age and is written in a way that some would call pretentious - which means it spoke to me, personally <3

6 : deathless by catherynne m valente - i guess you can tell that i prefer books that have prose > plot lol. again, this book is just so beautifully told and i'm a sucker for slightly-fucked-up relationships akfjdsk <3

7 : pachinko by lee minjin - this is possibly my favourite historical fiction i've read. there is So Much to this book, talk of femininity and motherhood and immigration and race and so much more. it's all beautifully told and has some of the best characters i've ever read.

8 : beartown by fredrick backman - if you know, you know. i am going to read anxious people soon (will probably be my next read) there is just something in the ways that fredrick backman writes and weaves dozens of narritives on community and girlhood and friendship and parenting and love and loss and grief and everything that these books are about.

9 : all for the game by nora sakavic - listen. listen. listen. i feel like i HAVE to include this series. not everyone will get it!! but i do!! this series is literally crack cocaine. batshit insane plot and the most intricate of characters and messy dynamics and found family and made me feel feral. enough said.

honourable mentions - howl's moving castle by diana wynne jones, northanger abbey by jane austen, if we were villains by m.l. rio, the folk of the air by holly black, a good girl's guide to murder by holly jackson, six of crows by leigh bardugo, beach read by emily henry, alone with you in the ether by olivie blake

tagging @hollyfhumberstone @mixtapedoh @acotars @thebirdandhersong @daydreaming-optimist @andsjuliet @sandrson @delilahsbard

[jxrm]

book log - 2022

his last wife by gia pere

a very merry bromance by lyssa kay adams

behind the messages by ella-may williams

the wife upstairs by rachel hawkins

pride, prejudice, & turkish delight by k.c. mccormick ciftci

the long way to a small, angry planet by becky chambers

honeymoon for one by rachel bowdier

let it snow by beth moran

resting scrooge face by meghan quinn

window shopping by tessa bailey

the family upstairs by lisa jewell

poster girl by veronica roth

x by sue grafton

queen bee by nina manning

the vibrant years by sonali dev

untamed by glennon doyle

book lovers by emily henry

the zookeeper's wife by diane ackerman

daisy darker by alice feeney

mating in captivity by esther perel

miss meteor by tehlor kay mejia

carrie soto is back by taylor jenkins reid

a good girl's guide to murder by holly jackson

the lesbiana's guide to catholic school by sonora reyes

fat chance, charlie vega by crystal maldonado

lakelore by anne-marie mclemore

you love me by caroline kepnes

happiness for beginners by katherine center

not my daughter by barbara delinsky

last tang standing by lauren ho

no filter and other lies by crystal maldonado

the southern book club's guide to slaying vampires by grady hendrix

does my body offend you? by mayra cuevas

i'm the girl by courtney summers

the expatriates by janice y.k. lee

emily, gone by bette lee crosby

after hours on milagro street by angelina m. lopez

i'm glad my mom died by jennette mccurdy

my best friend's exorcism by grady hendrix

#murderfunding by gretchen mcneil

looking for jane by heather marshall

midwife murders by james patterson

final cut by s.j. watson

darling rose gold by stephanie wrobel

all the pretty people by barbara freethy

when i was you by minka kent

been there, married that by gigi levangie

malibu rising by taylor jenkins reid

covery story by susan rigetti

the paris apartment by lucy foley

stiletto sisterhood by fallon demornay

her perfect secret by t.j. brearton

take a chance on me by beth moran

the watcher girl by minka kent

no conscience by phil m. williams

reminders of him by colleen hoover

her last move by john marrs

we were dreamers by simu liu

the book of cold cases by simone st. james

all i stole from you by ava bellows

violeta by isabel allende

once of us is next - karen m. mcmanus

just the way you are by beth moran

the latecomer by jean hanff jorelitz

klara and the sun by kazuo ishiguro

the sorority murder by allison brennan

one italian summer by rebecca serle

what lies between us by john marrs

the maid by nita prose

sex and vanity by kevin kwan

funny you should ask by elissa sussman

the seven day switch by kelly harms

three perfect liars by heidi perks

everything must go by camille pagan

no ex before marriage by portia macintosh

the other mother by carol goodman

california girls by susan mallery

one little secret by cate holahan

apples never fall by liane moriarty

the promise by teresa driscoll

ghost boy by martin pistorius

close to you by ana jolene

oona out of order by margarita montimore

the stepson by jane renshaw

all adults here by emma straub

his & hers by alice feeney

mexican gothic by silvia moreno-garcia

anatomy by dana schwartz

the resting place by camilla sten

will by will smith

good me, bad me by ali land

while we were dating by jasmine guillory

the lion's den by katherine st. john

when we left cuba by chanel cleeton

left neglected by lisa genova

the suspect by fiona barton

park avenue summer by renee rosen

group therapy by b.b. easton

the half sister by sandie jones

shipped by angie hockman

when we were sisters by emilie richards

the chain by adrian mckintu

not a happy family by shari lapena

clap when you land by elizabeth acevedo

if the shoe fits by julie murphy

the girlfriend by michelle frances

let me hear a rhyme by tiffany d. jackson

death by dumpling by vivien chien

yoga pant nation by laurie gelman

the cousins by karen m. mcmanus

in a holidaze by christina lauren

people we meet on vacation by emily henry

the candy house by jennifer egan

you've been volunteered by laurie gelman

broken by jenny lawson

you can't be serious by kal penn

the final girl support group by grady hendrix

home before dark by riley sager

one of us is lying by kate m. mcmanus

the vanishing half by brit bennett

the cross and the switchblade by david wilkerson

the henna wars by adiba jaigridar

the fashion orphans by randy susan meyers

the good girl by mary kubica

the comeback by ella berman

the magician's nephew by c.s. lewis

the bright lands by john fram

[ofdecode]

@tearscaught​​ sent: ❝ if you can’t sleep, there are other things we could do. ❞

ever since she'd fallen asleep in his arms during one of their late study sessions the pair had formed a bit of a habit. she found herself kind of enjoying sleeping near him, feeling his arms wrapped around her waist as she slept upon his chest comfortably, listening to the sound of his heartbeat it’d become kind of addictive, in a weird way and so the two sort’ve came up with a plan, mj telling her parents she was sleeping over at betty brant’s house when really she was just going over to spend time with gabriel. it was kind of fucked up to lie about, knowing very well she shouldn’t be sleeping over at his place as much as she has but...it was comfortable and she was a bit greedy when it came to him. her head rests against his chest, deep sigh falling past her lips. she was having trouble sleeping, brain hyper focused on this stupid upcoming science project for school, deep down she knows she’ll probably do well...considering she almost always does well but it doesn’t ever seem to calm her stress regardless of what a top student she might be. she knows her restlessness isn’t exactly helping gabriel sleep which is both comforting but she also feels bad for keeping him awake so long...that is until he sparks a suggestion. cheeks are warm, almost sure they’re burning. she almost hates the effect he has on her, how easily he can get to her like this with even just an implication of what was on his mind. dark eyes flickering up to meet his own though her head doesn’t lift off his chest, far too comfortable with him now that it feels almost intimate. ”yeah? like what...” she knows what.

[lovlettres-moved]

Hey do you have any book recs? :) thx and have nice day❣️

hii i do have some :3

fiction

goodbye tsugumi by banana yoshimoto

banana heart summer by merlinda bobis

howl's moving castle by dianna wyne jones

jazz by toni morrison

the haunting of hill house by shirley jackson

notes of a crocodile by qiu miaojin

the sword of kaigen by m.l wang

love by toni morrison

invisible planets by ken liu

earthcycle series by ursula k le guin

short stories

with fate conspire by vandana singh

jadein (roots) by ismat chughtai

the haunting of tram car 015 by p.djeli clark

his footsteps, through darkness and light by mimi mondal

the husband stitch by carmen maria machado

a handful of rice by vandana singh

sultana's dream by rokeya sakhawat hossain

bring your own spoon by saad z hossian

a dead djinn in cairo by p.djeli clark

poetry

women poets of china by kenneth rexroth, ling chung

night sky with exit wounds by ocean vuong

the selected poems of wendell berry by wendell berry

red suitcase by naomi shihab nye

honeybee: poems and short prose by naomi shihab nye

barri ammi by palvashay sethi

red bird by mary oliver

selected poems by marina tsvetaeva

almond blossoms and beyond by mahmoud darwish

the veiled suite: the collected poems by agha shahid ali

non-fiction

saving beauty by byung chul han

pedagogy of the oppressed by paulo freire

19 ways of looking at wang wei by eliot weinberger, octavia paz

my grandmother: a memoir by fethiye çetin

azadi by arundathi roy

crying in h-mart by michelle zauner

braiding sweetgrass by robin wall kimmerer

the great derangement: climate change and the unthinkable by amitav ghosh

hollow land by eyal weizman

kim ji-young, born 1982 by cho nam-joo

manga

nausicaa of the valley of the wind by hayao miyazaki

witch hat atelier by shirahama kamome

blue period by tsubasa yamahuchi

skip to loafer by misaki takamatsu

blame! by tsutomo nihei

natsume's book of friends by yuki midorikawa

mushishi by yuki urushibara

the little forest by daisuke igarashi

hoseki no kuni by haruko ichikawa

[aegissi]

I was tagged by beloved @oldblood to share some of my 2022 to read list 🥰

giovanni's room by james baldwin (already started it and loving the prose)

the brothers karamazov by fyodor dostoevsky (started it two years ago and never finished it lol)

goodbye tsugumi by banana yoshimoto

cyrano de bergerac by edmond rostand

le horla by guy de maupassant

the metamorphosis by bestie kafka (started it years ago but stopped bc I saw a cockroach in my room)

howl's moving castle by diana wynne jones

wild iris by louise gluck

crying in h mart by michelle zauner

I tag @lovlettres @syrejaden @heavenlyyshecomes @orienta1ism @dogsongs @mossyshadows @lubixings @vympr 💗☁️

[thinkingisadangerouspastime]

1, 2, 3, 8, and 11 for the writers ask game! 👀

1. do you know how you want the story to end when you start, or are you just stumbling through the figurative wilderness hoping to find a road?

most of the time, i know at least the Gist of how a story will end as i start writing it. things can and do change during the writing process, but because i have a history of Not Finishing Fics, i am now loathe to commit myself to writing (much less posting) a story if i haven't at least outlined the way in which i expect said story to end. and that's especially so for multichaps! with oneshots, im a little more flexible, mostly because there's fewer threads of continuity to keep straight lolol

2. talk about a notable time a narrative or character has looked you dead in the eyes and said “fuck your plan, here’s what we’re actually doing.”

oooooh this is tough! mostly because my memory is terrible rip

well, in this thing of darkness (i acknowledge mine), there's an upcoming plot development that i can't speak too directly of (since it's not posted yet lol), but i can say it was not something i had planned from the start, and i think it opens doors for me in the potential sequel(s) i want to write someday re venom's motivations as a character. ALSO, re if memories could fade away (an mj bday fic i wrote), that story was supposed to be a little mj&ned friendship piece that exploded into something which toes the line between prose and poetry and tentatively offers a backstory for mcu mj (who currently lacks but very much deserves actual depth as a character). simply put, i am not immune to the power of michelle jones-watson

3. on a scale of 1-10 how much do you enjoy incorporating romance into the average story?

depends on the fic! i think my mjflash plot in this thing of darkness (i acknowledge mine) adds a lot to the narrative im constructing, but i also think including mjflash in Walls or kataang in my children will listen series, for example, wouldn't have benefited either story, hence why they're gen fics

8. what’s your relationship with constructive criticism and feedback like? do you seek it out? how well do you take it?

i Love constructive criticism (it's the only way for my writing to improve!) and i like to think i take it well, but only when i ask for it, and note that i only ask for feedback a) from my friends and professors and b) on original writing and academic work. fanfic is a hobby for me, i am not getting paid, and im sorry but i just don't want criticism on something i only do for fun 😂 like i cannot FATHOM the arrogance a person must possess to leave unsolicited criticism on a story they are literally getting FOR FREE!! what!! imagine going to a free orchestral concert and telling one of the violinists afterwards why you think they played x, y, and z badly. HELLO??? IT'S SO RUDE??? now, it's totally different if an author requests critical feedback, of course, but when they don't??? this is my biggest pet peeve fr, especially bc there's no way to be totally sure how old a fanfic writer is, if the language their writing in is their first language, how long they've been writing, etc. etc. if people had left some of the "critical" comments i've seen across fics on the work i was writing at 12, i promise you i might not be writing fic today!

in sum: i love concrit, just not regarding my hobbies

11. what’s something neat you’ve learned while doing research for something you were writing? also, how much do you worry about doing research in general?

butterfly kisses is full of bug facts i researched, including that when left on a car in the heat for too long, the dead bodies of love bugs are so acidic they can erode the paint (not so much now bc car paint is made to withstand that, but still). for match point, i did a lot of googling about what people need to wear when riding motorcycles (and ended up having to disregard several things bc Plot, but i was very intrigued by the fact that many motorcyclists have custom-made boots).

overall, i don't Hugely worry about research for my fics. if something needs to be researched, i'll do so, and if nothing does, then nothing does, yk? i tend to be more focused on character dynamics and introspection in my writing, meaning i rarely find myself needing to research, for example, worldbuilding (if that makes any sense lol)

[nyehilismwriting]

hi, I was wondering as to what some of your favorite books are? :)

you ask me this and the memory of ever book i've ever read is immediately wiped from my mind

umm lemme just name some books i've enjoyed that i can see from my desk..

the luminous dead by caitlin starling is a really good, spooky, atmospheric horror scifi about a girl trapped in an underground cave network with only her handler on the radio as company. very claustrophobic, incredible character work, the relationship development is chef's kiss and the whole book is beautifully written.

the only good indians is another excellent horror by stephen graham jones, a native american author - extremely haunting and beautifully written, very visceral at times with a genuinely chilling twist partway thru.

dark matter by michelle paver, another horror (see a trend?) about a guy on an arctic expedition in like 1930s(?) and obviously everything goes horribly wrong. pleasantly short, spooky, atmospheric, very tense.

children of time by adrian tchaikovsky - speculative scifi, evolutionary biology, really interesting character development, giant spiders. we love to see it.

grief is the thing with feathers by max porter, very short story about a dad and two young sons grieving his wife/their mother. very speculative, beautifully crafted prose.

wuthering heights by emily bronte. yeah i know but. i love toxic romance i love dramatic victorians i love spooky moors.

other minds by peter godfrey-smith. nonfiction. octopus intelligence!! this is fairly niche, but it's MY niche. godfrey-smith is a philosopher not a neuroscientist, so he brings a really interesting twist to the usual style of neuroscientific writing.

arctic dreams by barry lopez - nonfiction writing about travels in the arctic. a really beautifully written combination of personal, historical and speculative writing. takes a very compassionate, hopeful view of the future.

sapiens by yuval noah harari - nonfiction, a combination of historical and anthropological writing abt the evolution and history of humanity.

[isfjmel-phleg]

October 2021 Books

From the Shadows by E. L. Bates

Scifi is not typically my genre, but this was lovely. I enjoyed it more than I expected to.

The Great Brain Robbery by P. G. Bell

Sequel to The Train to Impossible Places. Not as effective and I can’t put my finger on why.

Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie

Not one of Christie’s best but gets points for being bizarre.

A Clock of Stars: Beyond the Mountains by Francesca Gibbons

A very worthy sequel to The Shadow Moth. Gibbons’s characters are well-drawn and surprisingly complex for middle-grade, and at least one arc went a direction I wasn’t expecting. Quite a page-turner. The cliffhanger ending has me eager for the next book, which won’t come out for another year. The illustrations continue to be marvelous.

A Candle for St. June by Rumer Godden

Since this was set at a ballet school, I think I was expecting something more like Ballet Shoes. The plot and characters didn’t do much for me, but Godden’s prose is always stunning.

Remarkables by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Haddix’s thrillers always surprise me with how well-written they are. I was also impressed by her treatment of religion. The protagonist and her family seek out a church after moving to a new town; this is handled as very matter-of-fact, and although matters of faith aren’t the centerpiece of the piece, they’re handled positively and respectfully.

A Pinch of Magic by Michelle Harrison

Charming fantasy with a strong relationship among three sisters at its core. I enjoyed this one more than I expected.

Earwig and the Witch by Diana Wynne Jones

I normally at least enjoy most of Jones’s works, but this one fell flat for me.

The Game by Diana Wynne Jones

Slight but interesting, incorporating a characteristically Jonesian technique of reimagining mythological characters in a contemporary setting.

A Tale of Time City by Diana Wynne Jones (reread)

Reread on a whim.

Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kästner

Charming and often funny, more so than I expected.

Afternoon of the Elves by Janet Taylor Lisle

Beautiful, profound, and disturbing. I can’t remember the last time I was so terrified while reading as I was during one scene in particular.

The Wrinkled Crown by Anne Nesbet

The worldbuilding in this one was striking.

The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane by Julia Nobel

I expected more from this one than it delivered, but I’m interested enough in the mystery established to maybe seek out the sequel.

Fog Magic by Julia L. Sauer (reread)

Eerie! I had entirely forgotten the content of this one.

And Condors Danced by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

I don’t remember a lot about this one beyond the protagonist’s having to come to terms with the fact that her grieving/depressed mother doesn’t love her (although other people in her life do and are there for her), but how it was treated didn’t really resonate with me, and it’s about as disheartening as it sounds.

Libby on Wednesday by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

I appreciate the use of a (formerly) homeschooled protagonist, although her experience of homeschooling isn’t much like mine or that of most homeschoolers I know. Maybe not the most original story, but the character interactions and depictions of the writing group experience are amusing.

The Trespassers by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

Snyder does the exploring-old-abandoned-places-and-making-them-one-own well but tosses in a side of unsettling.

Marianne and Mark by Catherine Storr

Not as brilliant as its predecessor Marianne Dreams, of course, but it was interesting to see a different perspective on Marianne, as a teenager wrestling with themes of self-fulfilling prophecies, and of course her finally getting to meet the boy she befriended in dreams as a child.

The Grave Robber’s Apprentice by Allan Stratton

Very self-consciously Shakespearean.

Malamander by Thomas Taylor

Whimsical and amusing! I’ll definitely be looking for the sequels.

The Secret Garden on 81st Street by Ivy Noelle Weir and Amber Padilla

Reviewed in detail here.

[sarah-sandwich]

can i hear about michelle.mp3? 👀

oh boy oh boy oh boy

michelle.mp3 my beloved

SO it’s Michelle’s POV and it starts out with her having just broken up with Peter and left NYC. There’s a lot of reasons but the breaking point is a song that gets really popular. It’s about a secret high school crush of years passed referred to only as “MJ” in the song and the fans decide that the secret MJ is our beloved Michelle Jones based on circumstantial evidence. The name of the band? The Mary Janes.

It’s not about the song. She doesn’t hate the song. She doesn’t have a personal vendetta against the drummer for writing it and making it so ambiguous and then disappearing off the face of the planet while all of her fans chase their tails to find the girl it’s about.

It’s a good song. It makes her… it makes her wish it was about her. It makes her wish she was the object of secret admiration and longing. Her and Peter fell into place like it was pre-ordained, meant to be, effortless. Like someone looked at them and said, “Ah yes, Peter and MJ. They belong together and so they shall be.” Beginning, middle, end. Over and done without the chase or the pining or the fall.

Where’s her story? Where’s her tender, wistful love song with its haunting melody that worms into your ear and your heart until you ache with it? What her and Peter have is simple and sweet and good. Comfortable.

But what if she wants complicated? What if she wants the struggle? The unknown. The fear, the hope, joy, relief, and the ecstasy. The satisfaction of a hard battle won.

What if she wants more?

So she moves to upstate NY to a property in the country that her grandma owns. The deal is she can stay there rent-free as long as she fixes it up while she’s there. Which is great! Because the whole point of breaking up with Peter and moving out of the city she’s spent her whole life in is to get more experience. To live. To try new things. Right?

“Gramma Jones, what fresh hell have you handed me?” she murmurs as she throws the station wagon into park and cuts the engine. She keeps a tight grip on the steering wheel as she eyes the insulation poking out of the vent in the attic. “If you gave me the gift of freaky country critters when I asked for space and a project I am gonna lose it.”

Enter literal girl next door: Gwen Stacy

“Ohmigod, he’s not some creepy douchebag, right? MJ, I’m seriously worried now.”

“Ned, relax. She is very nice, okay? She even offered to let me use her tools whenever I need to.”

Ned is silent for a long moment. “Oh.” Another pause. “She’s nice?”

She pulls a face. “She has her moments. I’m in good hands, alright? You just focus on Peter and make sure to take care of yourself too, okay? Call me if it gets to be too much and I’ll figure something out.”

“Good hands?” Ned echoes, a teasing note creeping into his voice.

She hangs her head and pinches the bridge of her nose. Sometimes he’s impossible to have a conversation with.

“Drummer, chainsaw, tools…” Ned continues. “I bet she’s very good with her hands. How close are you two again?”

“I’m hanging up.”

“Ah-ha! So you admit—,”

“I admit nothing. Goodbye, Nedward.”

I think you know where this is going. Gwen is the drummer that wrote the song and then moved out in the country to write more music but also so she wouldn’t have to deal with the fallout of coming out until their next tour. She’s bored as hell and her new neighbor is the most interesting thing to come her way in weeks. She’s constantly pestering MJ for lack of anything better to do and over time they grow closer and feelings develop and it’s all very rom-commy and snarky and nice

Oh yeah and MJ is completely hopeless at even the most simple home care tasks so that’s fun for me specifically.

Each chapter is going to start with an excerpt of a song written by Gwen (inspired by Michelle) which is a dumb choice that I’m very excited about. I’m not a poet! Prose is my weakest skill as a writer!! But fuck what I’m good at I’m doing it anyway and we’ll see how it turns out lol

Ask me about a WIP on this list

[thejugheadparadox]

1, 104, 129 for the book ask!

1. a book that is close to your heart

its gotta be something im nostalgic about... maybe goodnight mister tom? which is, as i assume every british teen knows, by michelle magorian. first book 2 ever make me cry and i do think about it all the time.

104. a fluffy, sweet read

christ i really dont read enough happy books thisll be kinda hard 😬 can confirm i have spent approx 15 mins thinking about this one. wtf. i read so many books where horrible shit happens all the time. the only one ive managed to come up with is the year of griffin by diana wynne jones but i should say.. thats not all fun and games either

129. a book with beautiful prose

trumpet by jackie kay!!!! oh my god its GORGEOUS. thats a fucking brilliant book

BOOK RECS ASK GAME

[ao3feed-petermj]

by Dawg1515

“Years ago, in a fight with Mom,” Peter said, “you said some old dude had two weeks to chose between a litany of talents and a soulmate. Were you being serious?”

Realization dawned on Richard’s face in a slow and sloppy manner as his jaw hit the floor.

“Does this have anything to do with the fact that you’re wearing cargo pants?”

 Or: Peter navigates crushes and soulmates as he has to make a pivotal decision.

Words: 4200, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 7 of Elle's Assorted Spidey-shots

Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M, Gen

Characters: Peter Parker, Michelle Jones, Ned Leeds, Mary Parker, Richard Parker

Relationships: Michelle Jones/Peter Parker, Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Mary Parker & Peter Parker & Richard Parker

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, i made yet another random and elaborate soulmate universe, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, Spideychelle, Peter Parker Has a Crush, Confused Peter Parker, Light Angst, richard and mary live and everything, Fluff, very tiny mention of lesbian ocs, prose, Teen Romance, peter parker is head over heels, Awesome Michelle Jones, Slice of Life, or at least those sorta vibes, Author's Favorite

[lira-starlights]

2020 Wrap Up!

Hi everyone, hope you’re enjoying your holidays! I can’t believe it’s almost the end of 2020. So, before 2020 ends, here are my top 5 reads of this year (and some honorable mentions)!

1. “The Night Circus”- This is now one of my favorite fantasy stories. The circus was so magical and enchanting, I yearned to be part of it.

2. “The Midnight Library”- Combined with beautiful prose and an important message about life, the Midnight Library made me want to stop regretting about my actions, and live in the moment.

3. “The Starless Sea”- Another work by Erin Morgenstern! Quite different from “The Night Circus”, but still magical (filled with painted doors and hidden libraries)! The plot is so unique, I was blown away.

4. “Becoming”- This autobiography by Michelle Obama was so inspiring, and made me realize once again how she is such a passionate, kind, and beautiful human being.

5. “The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle”- This is a thriller that completely blew me away! The plot of the main character having to embody different characters to find the murder was something new. I didn’t expect the plot twist at the end, either. 

Now some honorable mentions!

“With the Fire on High”- Besides the touching storyline, the descriptions of the food alone made me so hungry!

“Daisy Jones and the Six”- Because of Reid’s amazing writing, the characters were vibrant, and seemed so real. 

“The Goldfinch”/”The Secret History”- These are a bit conflicting. I didn’t love it, but both left me thinking for a very long time. Also, the fact that I read “The Goldfinch” (around 800 pages!) in 2 days shows there was something about that book. 

“Again, Again”- Similar to “The Midnight Library”, it made me reflect on life. 

What were everyone’s favorite books of the year? Let me know!

[ofdecode]

@tearscaught​​ sent: ❝ so, what would you be? if you had the power to change all the things making you unhappy, what would your life look like? ❞

they’re sat up on the rooftop of the school in between classes, mj was leaning up against one of the graffiti covered walls as she’s working on one of her latest crisis pieces from earlier today. coach wilson nearly losing it today on of the students, poor guy was seriously about two seconds away from a mental break down at this point but at least it made for a fun sketch project. gabriel was placed right in front of her, doing his own thing with their legs sort of intertwined between one another due to them both being rather lanky and well, perfect excuses to be close to one another. she’s just doodling away when his words catch her attention, dark eyes flickering up at him. it wasn’t really uncommon for them to have these weirdly deep and philosophical conversations, really it was kind of obnoxious how much they chose to talk about life and making changes in the world but mj actually kind of enjoyed having someone to actually talk to about these things and not think she was a total freak for it either. this one was a hard one however, most people would probably ask for like a million dollars, fame and fortune or some might say something like become the next iron man and use all that wealth to save people...whatever it may be this question just wasn’t so simple. “i don’t know...” she mumbles, eyes going back to the sketch on her page. “i mean obviously i could give you some bullshit answer about like ridding the world of all hate and poverty some or like, wishing i had the perfect family.” she pauses. “or wishing we both did.” noting that his life was likely ten times harder then she could ever imagine. often wishing she could just...take him away and give him everything he deserves.  "but it’s unrealistic you know? to have that kind of power...if there isn’t some level of bullshit in our lives then what’s the point? i mean not to sound morbid or anything but it’s what makes us human isn’t it? otherwise we’d be a bunch of robots.” she finally looks back at him. she didn’t mean to get all dark and shit, most of the time she actually kind of hated how her brain worked but she knows he won’t judge her either. “besides i like the way my life is now, who i am and all and if things change and get better then that’s great but i have everything i need right here. i’ve got you, that’s all the power i need.” she feels her cheeks go warm just as she says that quickly looking away from him again. “i also have coach wilson’s misery which is always, always a good time.”