#(this isn’t the ghost lesbian book)

[deadandphilgames]

oversharing in the tags time :)

[wildevenusian]

i just don’t understand. why say ur ready to talk if you aren’t?

can u believe this post is what got me to reach tag limit

[daisdu]

Oh my gd, homoerotic birdwatching

[coldest-bowl-of-soup]

In response to the Neil Gaiman news I would like to share some other authors and books that I think people who like Neil Gaiman’s books would like. Since while Neil might not be the person we all thought he was, his stories are undeniably good. Though there are also so many other authors that write amazing stories. So hopefully this might help someone find another author whose writing you will love just as much. Please share other books and authors you like.

If you liked: Coraline -

The Babysitter Lives by Jones Stephen Graham

High school senior, Charlotte babysit twins the night before Halloween only to find out that she isn’t the only one haunted by the past. This book features a POC lesbian protagonist and an alternate universe.

If you liked: Anansi Boys

The Aunt Who Wouldn’t Die - Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay

A story of three generations of women. Pishima died at 70 years old is intent on haunting her family for forcing her in perpetual widowhood since her husband died when she was 12. Somlata marries into the once proud family and attempts to save the family while being haunted by her husband’s aunt. Then there is Boshon a rebellious teenager yearning for love. It’s a story of family, magical realism, womanhood.

If you liked: Stardust

Nettle & Bone - T. Kingfisher

Marra, a third born Princess goes on a journey to save her sister from an abusive husband. Unfortunately, her target is a crown prince of a powerful country so she must search for help before starting her journey. Filled with impossible tasks, a gravewitch, fairy godmothers, and magic this book is a fun yet dark spin on traditional fairy tales.

Thornhedge - T. Kingfisher

Dark retelling of sleeping beauty told in the point of view of Toadling a human raised by fairies tasked to protect the young princess. A novella that puts a new point of view of a classic tale.

If you liked: Good Omens

The Golem and the Jinni - Helene Wecker

A story about a golem created to be a wife of a man who died coming to America and a Jinni released in New York City. Set in 1899, this story is about friendship, love, and finding a place in a new world. Featuring slow burn love and a bit of excitement.

The Golem of Brooklyn - Adam Mansbach

A Brooklyn art teacher accidentally creates a golem, a creature made of clay to protect the Jewish people during times of violence. After learning to talk after binge watching tv the golem becomes determined to take down a group of white nationalists.

I also liked the following authors:

Darcy Coates - she writes amazing ghost stories

Darcie Little Badger - read Elatsoe, it is so good

[padfoot-lupin77]

Watching Dead Boy Detectives and, well, thoughts while watching:

The cat king is so much worse than I imagined.

“You know you can think things without saying them. Edwin’s obviously jealous” jkfjxdkdkfkhfkd Crystal out here solving the real mysteries

Charles Rowland you are a fucking genius (episode 4, after kicking the bitch lady in the fish)

Why the FUCK are Charles and Crystal making out

Do I want Monty to get out of the way? Absolutely. Do I want him to have a character development and call Esther out on her shit? Of course. Do I still hate him a little? Yeah just a little

Crystal don’t drink that, Maren is about to drug you. (CALLED IT!)

Psychopath lesbians weren’t what I was expecting out of this

Clutching your heart after hugging your best friend isn’t usual platonic behavior. Just saying, Edwin.

David is my mortal enemy. Well. He’s not mortal. But he’s my enemy so still.

“I have feelings for you too” GOOD FOR YOU MONTY! BUT: the feelings he has, are NOT for you so 🤷‍♀️

Tragic Mick’s is Magic Tricks with the first letters swapped

Monty DON’T make me change my mind I don’t quite hate you yet DON’T waste your chance of being on my good books LEAVE my boys alone pls and ty

Can people PLEASE start respecting Jenny’s boundaries

EDWIN DESERVES THE WORLD

Jenny has had enough near-death experiences by now she should be able to see the ghosts (update:🙃)

Can someone murder Esther or send her to hell or smth

Go kiss somewhere else not in front of Edwin you motherfuckers (affectionately)(but also pls stop hurting my boy Edwin)

If Esther isn’t dead and my boys aren’t free by the end of the season I’m suing Netflix

Monty be useful FOR ONCE and turn back to human to save your ex crush and his crush

If the snake starts speaking I’ll lose it

I love Charles so much

Jfkhfdkdkjfdgjdgsgfshfs

[cabeswaterdrowned]

book recs? My fav books are trc, aftg, soc, shadowhunters/riordanverse etc and the likes (so basically the most basic literature taste known to man) thanks!

well I enjoy all of those and trc is my fav series so will give you a couple of my main fantasy recs along those lines or not dissimilar and throw in one of my fav thrillers which is very gay and explores dark themes for aftg adjacent rep, and then another suspense book i love. I sort of went with books i could draw some type of lines of comparison to at least one of the books you mentioned.

•The Diviners series by Libba Bray — this is my go to ya fantasy rec these days, it’s historical urban fantasy with some horror and mystery elements. It’s set in 1920’s New York, book one opens focusing mainly on Evie and a specific case of a ghost serial killer but introduces other chars, after the first book it becomes more about an ensemble cast of Diviners who have different supernatural powers and their dynamics, also the main antagonist is bigotry and hate which I’m aware is a concept that can be done poorly in fantasy and I won’t pretend every beat of it is flawless but it is my favorite example of a fantasy series take on that concept that I’ve read. More importantly stunning character work I especially adore the female chars among the diviners Evie Theta and Ling, Ling is one of the most special characters ever and these books should be worth reading because of her INTP canon ace lesbian with autistic swag realness alone. 

I definitely would recommend it to TID/TLH fans for the historical setting and atmosphere as well as some of the playing with man vs machine + to TRC/TDT fans for the characterization and also the second book is largely about Henry and Ling learning about their dream powers and developing a friendship through this and also Ling has a narrative foil in dreamspace she’s gay with just think some of those idea would resonate with trcers + to SoC fans for the ensemble dynamics. 

•The Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray

This is one I used to describe to people as The Gangsey all girls au set in Victorian London and that’s not fully accurate but it works enough to be a pitch, but basically it’s about this group of four girls who go to a boarding school together and discover a sort of parallel world where they can bee free and realize their ambitions detached from society, but in the real world they’ve awakened horrors they must deal with too. I need to reread this one but it was deeply formative, if you love messy complicated female friendship dynamics and paranormal/mystical plots that are just creepy enough this is for you. Also my favorite character in it is a gay blonde mean girl character who is ambitious and wants autonomy above all else but does also love her friends fiercely Felicity Worthington you will always be famous <3 if you enjoy Jessamine Lovelace and Grace Blackthorn from TSC she has strong parallels to both those chars imo and is better written/handled arc wise. But I will tell you that the other wlw char in the book who is her love interest dies there is byg, just so you no one gets mad at me for that. But still very worth the read imo. 

•The Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy by Laini Taylor

this series is a mix of urban fantasy and high fantasy, the first book is set mainly in Prague but large parts of the other books take place in a fantasy world called Eretz so there is a fun parallel worlds element. But it’s about Karou who is one of theee protagonists of the 2010s yet got paid dust justice for my girl, and she’s an art student in Prague who was raised by a family of monsters (chimeara), her surrogate father is Brimstone and he has a business of selling wishes for teeth that Karou sometimes helps with but is frustrated that she isn’t allowed to know why or what they’re for. Karou’s dynamics with the chimearas and with her best friends Zuzana who is also a wonderful character and inspo for my letterboxd url rabidfairy09, are really lovely and the prose is so beautiful… but the story really takes off when the love interest Akiva is introduced I won’t go into details about that because spoilers, but they have one of my absolute favorite romances in the genre that does subvert and play with those paranormal forbidden star crossed romance tropes in ways I think are quite fascinating. Books 2 and 3 are more complicated to describe there is an essential conflict between chimeras or devils vs angels in this world so there’s your modern tsc connection, and very lyrical prose although I find Lainis even lusher and more elegant than trc prose. 

• Sawkill Girls by Clara Legrand 

Ya horror book that I remember reading over the summer in high school and I think it’s a good summer read tonally, part of the plot is one of those stranded on an island survival stories but it’s less intense than like Yellowjackets (no cannibalism), I don’t actually have much to sell about the plot I just enjoyed the vibes and also there are lesbians one of whom is an ambitious driven abuse survivor who had an arc I remember really liking.

•Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie Mclemore I actually really love all the books by her I’ve read but I think this is a great one to start with. Basically there are multiple generations of women who are all witches living together (300 fox way vibes), and Estella has several cousins and she and them are all in love with the same woman who is the daughter of the man who owns the estate, and there’s a thing where boys and this family keep disappearing and then one of them shows up and resulting drama. The main romance is m/f but like all the female chars being bi, it is a good romance from my memory but the main event is the familial dynamics, the main character Estella’s arc around dealing with her internalized self hatred and a lot of anti colonial themes those anti colonial themes and themes of multigenerational trauma are very relevant in all the Mclemore I’ve read so yes, very much would read her starting with this book. Also very gorgeous prose as is in all her magical realism stuff. 

•this one is already quite popular on tumblr so you may have read it but The Folk of the Air series by Holly Black, if you enjoy the cutthroat gang in SoC and that high fantasy world I think you would enjoy it I also get some Zoya vibes as well as Kaz vibes from Jude the main heroine. Won’t bother with detailed description because again, very popular books. 

•Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire

basically a series of portal fantasies or fairytales for adults, they are all novellas and it’s an ongoing series following several different chars not all of whom appear in each book. But I enjoy them and I think if you like Riordanverse this is like an adult fantasy take on similar concepts in a way, even though it’s not directly mythology based.

•The Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir

This is the other tumblr popular series on the list and has a good amount of overlap with trc/aftg/soc fans so will only give the brief pitch that it’s adult sci fantasy and about lesbian necromancers in space. You will be very confused at least some of the time but it is worth it, trust me. 

•Black Iris by Leah Raeder 

new adult psychological thriller with a sapphic romance that slaps so hard. Delaney Keatings is one of my favorite unreliable narrators and also just an A+ character, there’s not a lot I can say about the actual plot because a lot of it is psychological but will give one other plot hint: vigilantes. Definitely look up trigger warnings before reading this there’s a lot about homophobia and also references to sexual violence, drug use a lot more it’s very in line with Aftg in terms of like, grittiness in that regard. Do highly recommend. 

•Dare Me by Megan Abbott 

like with Mclemore I love this author in general and would recommend everything I’ve read by her but this was my first book of hers so it’s a good introduction, and also a lot of it is about girls on a cheer team having homoerotic psychosexual dynamics as well as the murder, so it’s also in line with aftg thematically in that way. gay sports media. 

There are a lot of others but I don’t want to make this list ridiculously long so… here are some recs <3 thank you so much anon for letting me ramble and I hope you like them!

[thepunkmuppet]

OKAY SO HEAR ME OUT

take this with a massive huge grain of salt, this is NOT a theory, or even necessarily a proper prediction, just a possible plotline for cinderella’s castle that my brain cooked up in the shower just now. I don’t expect this to happen, I won’t be upset if it doesn’t, it’s just a thought I had and I wanted to share it.

SO we’re all thinking this might have elements of the movie labyrinth in it right? with the font, costumes, the addition of “trolls”, and the frog and mouse characters being similar in concept to the side character puppets in that movie, I think it’s pretty likely to be a sort of mish-mash of cinderella and labyrinth.

so my idea is this: to begin with, cinderella lives with her nasty troll stepfamily, and she either has a baby sibling like in labyrinth, OR a high and mighty prince boyfriend who only comes to shag her and then treats her like a peasant around other people. either way, she gets mad at that person, wishes they would disappear, and boom kim’s character arrives, and she’s basically the jared of this story. she whisks the baby / prince away to her castle (which may be at the centre of a labyrinth?? idk) and says that if ella doesn’t come for them by the time the clock strikes twelve, they’ll be hers forever.

ella sets off on this quest, meets the little puppet characters along the way, whatever. she gets to the castle, and faces off with kim’s character, who reveals that none of this was about the person ella was trying to save, but about ella herself. and she summons her stepmother and stepsisters, and ella fights them, finally taking revenge for her real family and facing up to her fear, as they are the real villains of the piece.

now I want this to be a lesbian show as much as anyone else, and it still could be, but basically my idea is that kim’s character actually isn’t a villain at all, but the fairy godmother, and this whole thing was to equip ella with the skills and life lessons to be able to face her step family. she is either presented as a homoerotic love interest for ella (obviously in that case with a title other than “godmother” lmfao), or she is in fact the ghost of her mother. I reckon if the baby was stolen, she would be ella’s mother, if the boyfriend was stolen, she would be ella’s love interest, make sense? it changes the dynamics a lot I feel.

the book that details the basic story lore in this video says that “the lady ashmore was burned at the stake for the crime of witchcraft”, so this could very well be her! the spirit of a witch returned from the grave to help her daughter get revenge and take her life back.

oh and there would be a ball theme / setting in the castle in the final battle because. well yk :)

but yeah that’s just my deranged idea, probably gonna be a nerdy prudes situation where I come up with a whole ass musical in my head and the real thing is NOTHING like it, but yeah idk I thought this was pretty cool :) lmk what you think in the notes!!

oh and the prince would be played by curt mega btw. he would be annoying asf but very cunty

[richincolor]

New Releases Week of July 17, 2023

What a week! There are so many books to get excited about this Tuesday.

Just a Hat by Shanah Khubiar Blackstone Publishing

It’s 1979, and thirteen-year-old Joseph Nissan can’t help but notice that small-town Texas has something in common with Revolution-era Iran: an absence of fellow Jews. And in such a small town it seems obvious that a brown kid like him was bound to make friends with Latinos–which is a plus, since his new buds, the Ybarra twins, have his back. But when the Iran hostage crisis, two neighborhood bullies, and the local reverend’s beautiful daughter put him in all sorts of danger, Joseph must find new ways to cope at home and at school.

As he struggles to trust others and stay true to himself, a fiercely guarded family secret keeps his father at a distance, and even his piano teacher, Miss Eleanor–who is like a grandmother to him–can’t always protect him. But Joseph is not alone, and with a little help from his friends he finds the courage to confront his fears and discovers he can inspire others to find their courage, too.

Firebird by Sunmi HarperCollins

Caroline Kim is feeling the weight of sophomore year. When she starts tutoring infamous senior Kimberly Park-Ocampo–a charismatic lesbian, friend to rich kids and punks alike–Caroline is flustered . . . but intrigued

Their friendship kindles and before they know it, the two are sneaking out for late-night drives, bonding beneath the stars over music, dreams, and a shared desire of getting away from it all.

A connection begins to smolder . . . but will feelings of guilt and the mounting pressure of life outside of these adventures extinguish their spark before it catches fire?

I’m Not Here to Make Friends by Andrew Yang

Terrace House meets Loveboat, Taipei in this fun, frothy, incisive YA debut, following two teens and their unforgettable summer on a reality show.

When Sabine Zhang is picked for Hotel California, a teen reality show with an all-Asian cast, she jumps at the opportunity. As one of few Asians at her high school in the Midwest, she’s always felt as if she was playing a side character in someone else’s story. But on this show, she’ll finally have a chance to step into the spotlight.

All Yoona Bae wants is to get away. The girls at church think she’s mean, her mom thinks she’s a troublemaker, and she’s tired of fighting against her unearned bad reputation. So when she’s invited to appear on Hotel California, Yoona sees it as an opportunity to chill out, make some friends, maybe even get a tan.

But life on the show isn’t all sunshine and self-actualization. The producers want drama at all costs, even if it means pitting Sabine and Yoona against each other. With the season finale looming, can the girls figure out a peaceful way forward, before they lose control of their own narratives?

Frontera by Julio Anta, Jacoby Salcedo (Illustrator)

Mateo makes the dangerous journey back home to the United States through the Sonoran Desert with the help of a new friend, a ghost named Guillermo in a supernatural borderland odyssey by debut graphic novelists Julio Anta and Jacoby Salcedo. As long as he remembers to stay smart and keep his eyes open, Mateo knows that he can survive the trek across the Sonoran Desert that will take him from Mexico to the United States.

That is until he’s caught by the Border Patrol only moments after sneaking across the fence in the dead of night. Escaping their clutches comes at a price and, lost in the desert without a guide or water, Mateo is ill-prepared for the unforgiving heat that is sure to arrive come sunrise. With the odds stacked against him, his one chance at survival may be putting his trust in something, or rather someone, that he isn’t even sure exists. If you’d asked him if ghosts were real before he found himself face-to-face with one, Mateo wouldn’t have even considered it.

But now, confronted with the nearly undeniable presence of Guillermo, he’s having second thoughts. Having spent his afterlife guiding migrants to safety, Guillermo knows things about the Sonoran Desert far beyond what could be explained by a mere hallucination. But even as Mateo forms an uneasy partnership with Guillermo, survival is still uncertain. The Sonoran Desert, with its hostile temperatures and inhabitants, is teeming with danger as the Border Patrol and rogue militias prowl its deadly terrain. As his journey stretches on, Mateo will have to decide exactly what and who he’s willing to sacrifice to find home.

A Guide to the Dark by Meriam Metoui Henry Holt

You can check out of Room 9, but you can never leave.

The Haunting of Hill House meets Nina LaCour in this paranormal mystery YA about the ghosts we carry with us.

Something is building, simmering just out of reach.

The room is watching. But Mira and Layla don’t know this yet. When the two best friends are stranded on their spring break college tour road trip, they find themselves at the Wildwood Motel, located in the middle of nowhere, Indiana. Mira can’t shake the feeling that there is something wrong and rotten about their room. Inside, she’s haunted by nightmares of her dead brother. When she wakes up, he’s still there.

Layla doesn’t see him. Or notice anything suspicious about Room 9. The place may be a little run down, but it has a certain charm she can’t wait to capture on camera. If Layla is being honest, she’s too preoccupied with confusing feelings for Mira to see much else. But when they learn eight people died in that same room, they realize there must be a connection between the deaths and the unexplainable things that keep happening inside it. They just have to find the connection before Mira becomes the ninth.

Under This Forgetful Sky by Lauren Yero

In the spirit of Paolo Bacigalupi and Laini Taylor, this futuristic star-crossed love story follows two teens in a starkly unequal world struggling to find their place.

Sixteen-year-old Rumi Sabzwari has spent his entire life behind the armored walls of St. Iago, which protect citizens of the Union of Upper Cities from the outside world’s environmental devastation. But when rebels infect his father with a fatal virus, Rumi escapes St. Iago, desperate to find a cure.

In the ruined city of Paraíso, Rumi meets fifteen-year-old Paz, who agrees to guide him on his journey. As they travel together, Rumi finds himself drawn to Paz—and behind her tough exterior, she begins to feel the same way. But Paz knows more about Rumi’s father’s illness than she’s saying and has her own agenda. With the powerful forces at play in their cities putting them at odds, can the two learn to trust in each other—enough to imagine a different world?

Clementine and Danny Save the World by Livia Blackburne

You’ve Got Mail gets a YA twist in this rom-com that spotlights the power of activism and community organizing in the face of gentrification.

Clementine Chan believes in the power of the written word. Under the pseudonym Hibiscus, she runs a popular blog reviewing tea shops and discussing larger issues within her Chinatown community. She has a loyal, kind following, save for this one sour grape named BobaBoy888.

Danny Mok is allergic to change, and the gentrification seeping into Chinatown breaks his heart. He channels his frustration into his internet alter ego, BobaBoy888, bickering with local blogger Hibiscus over all things Chinatown and tea.

When a major corporation reveals plans that threaten to shut down the Mok’s beloved tea shop, Clementine and Danny find themselves working together in real life to save this community they both love. But as they fall hard for this cause—and each other—they have no clue that their online personas have been fighting for years.

When the truth comes to light, can Danny and Clementine still find their happily-ever-after?

I Am Not Alone by Francisco X. Stork Scholastic Press

Alberto’s life isn’t easy: He’s an undocumented immigrant from Mexico who lives with his sister’s abusive boyfriend—but he’d always accepted his place in the world. Until he starts hearing the voice of a man called Captain America, a voice that wants him to achieve more, no matter the cost.

Grace has it all: She has a supportive boyfriend, she’s on track to be valedictorian, and she’s sure to go to the college of her dreams. Still, nothing feels right to her any more after the divorce of her parents, and feels she needs something more.

When Alberto and Grace meet, they have an immediate and electric connection. But when Alberto is present at the scene of a terrible crime, he becomes a suspect. And with his developing schizophrenia, he’s not even sure he believes in his own innocence.

Can Grace find a way to prove Alberto’s innocence to himself and the world?

This is a page-turning thriller and a sensitive story about mental health, love, and community that will appeal to anyone who has struggled with their place in the world, from award-winning author Francisco X. Stork.

What a Desi Girl Wants Sabina Khan

The romance of Becky Albertalli meets the nuanced family dynamics of Darius the Great is Not Okay in this YA novel from acclaimed author Sabina Khan.

Mehar hasn’t been back to India since she and her mother moved away when she was only four. Hasn’t visited her father, her grandmother, her family, or the home where she grew up. Why would she? Her father made it clear that she’s not his priority when he chose not to come to the US with them.

But when her father announces his engagement to socialite Naz, Mehar reluctantly agrees to return for the wedding. Maybe she and her father can heal their broken relationship. And after all, her father is Indian royalty, and his home is a palace–the wedding is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime affair.

While her father still doesn’t make the time for her, Mehar barely cares once she meets Sufiya, her grandmother’s assistant, and one of the most grounded, thoughtful, kind people she’s ever met! Though they come from totally different worlds, their friendship slowly starts to blossom into something more . . . Mehar thinks.

Meanwhile, Mehar’s dislike for Naz and her social media influencer daughter, Aleena, deepens. She can tell that the two of them are just using her father for his money. Mehar’s starting to think that putting a stop to this wedding might be the best thing for everyone involved.

But what happens when telling her father the truth about Naz and Aleena means putting her relationship with Sufiya at risk . . .

The Legacy of Yangchen (The Yangchen Novels #2) by F.C. Lee Amulet Books

Avatar Yangchen has succeeded in bringing a measure of stability to Bin-Er, but her successes have been limited to a single city, and rumors concerning Unanimity—a weapon capable of total obliteration—have led to increasing tensions among the Four Nations.

Desperate to restore diplomacy, Yangchen attempts to de-escalate hostilities between heads of state. But in the wake of a brutal assassination and the freeing of Unanimity, Yangchen is forced to bring Kavik—the trusted former companion whose betrayal crushed her—back into her fold.

As the Four Nations teeter on the brink of conflict and she begins to unravel the power-hungry Zongdu Chaisee’s true agenda, Yangchen is forced to measure the worth of humanity, and how much can be sacrificed in the name of balance.

This taut and provocative fourth installment in the Chronicles of the Avatar series follows Avatar Yangchen as she charts the course of her legacy, finally making peace with her choices and facing Avatarhood with the courage it demands.

Splintered Magic (The Mirror #4) by L.L. McKinney Disney Hyperion

Can dreams come true when you’re living with a family curse?

NEW YORK CITY, 2000

Twins Trey and Tai are not like other high schoolers. Trey struggles to suppress his surging magical abilities, which continually impede his dream of making first chair cello in orchestra. A budding photographer, Tai just wants to take pictures and maybe find someone to take them with. But disturbing images keep appearing in Tai’s camera lens, reigniting the twins’ search for their mother, who mysteriously disappeared ten years earlier. As the two discover more clues, Trey and Tai also uncover strange secrets about their magical ancestors and about a cunning villain who threatens their very survival. Together, Trey and Tai must work to unearth the past and preserve the future of their family.

The Mirror: Splintered Magic is the fourth book in the innovative YA fairy-tale quartet following one family—and the curse that plagues it—over several generations.

[feral-writer-do-not-feed]

Alright guys. I know I never post and I know no one’s gonna see this but I’m tryna get some writing done and to do that, I need to yap and brain storm and have people to bounce ideas off of and this hellscape echo chamber seems like a cesspit I’m unlikely to damage or traumatize by shouting into so without further ado, introducing a book that I sorta kinda have to write for my senior thesis and which I am not making any progress on currently:

Where the Fire Never Goes Out

A murder mystery following four dysfunctional siblings whose parents were recently murdered in their childhood home and the numerous people, dead and alive, who haunt these siblings as they try to hold onto any scrap of normalcy they’ve ever managed to grip at any means necessary.

The book will include

Explorations of childhood trauma, how it impacts teens and young adults, and what the true meaning of “guilty” really is

Abusive family dynamics including children

A serial killer or two

A shit ton of religious symbolism

The American coastal south (yes this means the religion is Christianity; I know I know, we’re all very sad it isn’t Greek mythology)

Gay people

Graphic violence

Stupid twists

Terrible people

Drugs

Tortured Poets Lesbians

Ghosts (the sad psychological kind; not the fun kind)

Characters I am still in the process of developing

Romcom elements (yes I’m serious)

Implied sexual violence and emotional incest (no one is ever raped or assaulted sexually; this is a hard rule)

Dogs (they do not die)

Fish (some of them might die idk)

Other animals (there’s a character named Noah if you can’t tell)

A lot of pathetic men

Possible gender fuckery, as of yet undecided

Mental illness

Present tense

Except in flashbacks of which I’m sure there’ll be many

Dark comedy

Discussion of abortion, infanticide, and medical abuse

Other stuff I’m as of yet unaware of because I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK I’M DOING

If anyone is at all interested in knowing more, helping, or brainstorming with me, feel free and relentlessly encouraged to comment, or use my asks. I am struggling.

[ecargmura]

Whisper Me A Love Song Episode 4 Review - Aki, No!

Of these three, which one is the worst in your opinion? Powerpoint transition slides, showing a band practicing via slideshows or unexpected lesbian love drama? For me, it’s the second one. This is an anime that has singing and a band as a premise, yet you cut the band practice? Heresy.

Yori’s decision to join the band officially was so she could get Himari to fall in love with her genuinely. At first, she only took music as a little hobby that she indulges in to express herself, but she decides to take it seriously. It’s actually a nice feeling to find a drive when you want to do something you like. For example, I like writing, so the drive to want to take writing seriously is something I totally understand. 

Because Yori decides to join the band, the time she spends with Himari lessens, which upsets Himari, but she knows she can’t have her to herself all the time. This causes Himari to think about joining a club on days she doesn’t meet with Yori. After searching around, Himari decides to join the cooking club as there’s only one active member and two ghost members.

Two new characters make their debut. The first is the other member of the cooking club, Momoka Satomiya. First off, I love her design. The side bun with the light brown hair is just the good mix of ladylike and cute. While she’s like a big sister to Himari and that she likes cooking, she’s rather mysterious in a way. She looks as if she could be a potential love rival to Yori and she gets that feeling too, especially since Yori got all jealous of Himari constantly mentioning her, which, in turn, affects her music. However, whether she’ll be another of Himari’s suitors or a side couple with the girl with the long blue hair is unknown. Her voice actress is Reina Ueda and I didn’t expect to see that name pop up in a yuri anime; she’s in everything now! What’s next, she’s going to be in a BL anime as a side character? Will she be in Yugioh? Digimon?

The second is that girl with the long blue hair. She has a guitar or a bass on her back, showcasing that she’s in a band. However, she doesn’t seem to be in SSSGirls and is in a different band. Given that the anime is about bands, it makes sense that there should be several bands or at least a rival one at that. This girl seems like she’s a rival band member. Does she have a love line with Momoka, given that she’s a ghost member of the cooking club and she asked her to feed her banana bread?

The tension in the air I felt when Aki revealed her feelings for Yori to Himari was sharp. It was a bit obvious she liked Yori and it was hinted at, but for her to actually go in and declare herself as competition to Himari makes me worried. Aki, don’t be a snake or I’ll throw a book at you. Since I’ve never watched a yuri anime until now, how bad are love triangles in yuri shows? Are they messy? Are they dramatic? If they are, I’ll be both excited and worried.

Gosh, I just hope nothing bad happens afterwards. I just hope that this doesn’t cause Himari to rush things through and hurt Yori by asking her out when her feelings aren’t mutual yet. The last thing I need is for Himari to be reckless. Despite that, I think the little twist with Aki is a good sign that the romance in this show isn’t all sweet, pure and straightforward. It’s got some seasoning and that’s okay! I like my sweet romances and the seasoned ones too! What are your thoughts on this episode?

[ancientphantom]

It’s time to see what happened in Phantom adaptations in February! I hope you’re all as excited as I am. (I know some of you must be!)

The Phantom of Vienna by Erick Gothenburg is a short story set at the opera in Vienna, where an eagerly-awaited premiere is pre-empted by a mysterious person bent on destroying the show.

This Great & Sombre Stage by Craig Janacek is a collection of four Sherlock Holmes pastiche stories, the last of which, “The Adventure of the Stolen Voice”, is another one for the Sherlock/Phantom crossover file! A secret Phantom causing problems, singers who mysteriously get ill right before they have to go on, and love everlasting are all mentioned.

Belongings and Possessions by Deidre S. Owen, K.B. Bailey & J.B. Rockwell is a collection of three vallet-themed horror stories, and we’re interested in the first one, “They Belong to Her”, in which a new ballet theater appears to be haunted by a ghost with a fixation on a very specific dancer, and chaos erupts when a visiting ballet troupe sets off its jealousy.

Omega of the Opera by Lilith Ramsey is a story that has it all: lesbians! werewolves! lesbian werewolves! A Phantom who IS a lesbian werewolf! Yes, this is of course set in the infamous Omegaverse, but we mustn’t let these things stop us in our quest for academic truth.

The Last Play by Nikita Valischenko is a weird little one: it’s a standalone set in a sci-fi cyberpunk universe (the rest of the series does not appear to be Phantom related) featuring a young woman trying to deliver a package in Paris, only to run into a very mysterious masked man. If you know anything else about what’s going on, you know more than I do!

And down here in the maybe file...

The Vampire’s Opera by Joy Crozier & Joseph Floyd is one of those books where it’s hard to tell if the Phantom is an inspiration or just hanging out in several adjacent genres. The book follows Nicolas and Giuliana, a pair of Italian vampires putting on Nicolas’ genius new opera only to be assaulted by misfortune. I can’t say for sure it isn’t another vampire!Phantom, but I also would have to read it to know if it is.

Universal Monsters Tarot Deck & Guidebook is most likely a good call, but I’m missing key information! It’s an official tarot deck based on all the Universal classic horror movie monsters, which should presumably include the Phantom (probably in his Lon Chaney incarnation, though you never know, sometimes Hammer comes in for a rally!). The packaging only directly mentions Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, and The Mummy, with advertising copy adding in The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Wolf Man, but poor old Erik goes unmentioned. Surely there’s room for him to have an arcana or two?

You know, I always expect February to be Phantom Central for romantic adaptations, and I always get to March and realize that of course if they’re being WRITTEN in February, they probably won’t come out until April or May at the earliest. So stay tuned!

[inairbinad]

Characters Out of Context Tag

Rules:

Include one character quote — of your choosing ⁠— from each chapter of your WIP (or as many chapters as you'd like)

Give absolutely no context, save for what's between two parts of an interrupted sentence, should that occur. You may mention who said it.

Have fun, no pressure!

Tagged by @patchworkgargoyle!! Thanks so much this was fun

These are from a s4 rewrite (that I swore I wouldn't do again) from my Barb Lives!Verse, because it's the only multichapter I have enough to pull from right now lmao

Chapter One: "You do realize we can hang out with other girls without immediately being outed as lesbians, right?"

Chapter Two: “I’m not gonna like, come out of the gate with a book of poems from Sappho, or anything. I’m just gonna…try to suss out the situation some more. Make a new friend. Be a good wingman."

Chapter Three: “Fine,” Eddie relented, unable to say no to Lucas’s pleading little face. “We can reschedule. But you better score me a basket, kid.”

Chapter Four: “What do you mean this isn’t weird? I just told you a ghost with no nose is stalking my dreams and you're shrugging it off like it's just another Tuesday.”

Chapter Five: “Oh—my—god,” Steve wheezed, “you’re wearing ruffles.”

Chapter Six: "Why do you have rope in the back of your van, though?"

Chapter Seven: "Do you want the Aquanet or the Farrah Faw—holy shit!"

Chapter Eight: "I'm sorry. Did you just say that Chrissy Cunningham is joining Hellfire?"

[eva-reviews]

Briefly, A Delicious Life by Nell Stevens -- A Review

Book Trigger Warnings: Sexual Assault, death, mentions of the afterlife, suicidal ideation, chronic illness, sexism, homophobia, mental illness, rape, grooming, child abuse, alcohol, pedophilia, eating disorders

My Rating

I give this book a solid 7/10. I really enjoyed this book, and I would suggest it to anyone. It was confusing at times, because of the constant switching of times, and if read over long periods it can be more confusing, goes between Present day, Blanca's perspective, and George's perspective. So you have to remember where you left off at some points, and at others points it skips for months at a time. It does mention the rape of a minor in the second chapter (pages 9-11), which leads to a pregnancy, it is not detailed but it can be triggering. You can skip those pages if you need to and it doesn’t change anything. I wish we had gotten a little more of how people reacted to Blancas death, it did feel a little rushed, but other than that it was really enjoyable.

Overview

Our main character, Blanca, has been dead for 300+ years and can not move on in her afterlife. She flits through her mundane existence watching others enjoy the simplicity of life, the fearful kisses of men, the passions of sex, the sweetness of an orange, the grumblings of hunger, and the feeling of heartbreak when losing someone. She is able to enjoy the simple pleasures of life by sharing a conscience with living people around her.

Blanca resides on the top of the hill on the island of Valldemossa, in a little town called Mallorca; in the Charterhouse, which is an old monastery. Blanca has watched secret relationships bloom and crumble, families move in and out and people live their lives to the end very end, waiting for someone to join her. On this specific November in 1838, an unconventional family moves into the Charterhouse, and Blanca falls in love with the mother, George. Their relationship is entirely one-sided and is more admiring than a relationship; Balance watches as George writes her book, the children play and fight, and Chopin lives a dying life.

My Thoughts

I went into this book only knowing that it was a lesbian relationship between a woman and a ghost. Which it is, but it is also so much more and nothing like that at all. We start with the very first sentence “Of course, it wasn’t the first time I’d seen two men kissing”, you can probably see where this is going. In most books, they try to ease you into the romance, they don’t start with a 300+ year old ghost watching two monks making out and progressing to having sex. Blanca is very lonely, as most would be if they were not able to communicate with others and watch all of their family members die off. She flits around the Charterhouse and across the island, often visiting her last living relative, her great-great-granddaughter, Bernadita; and making The Sacristan's life a living hell by sprinkling bread crumbs into all of his food, as he has celiac disease; he raped a young girl. It isn’t until George and her family move in, does Blanca have something to do with her time. When I started this book, I thought it was a love story between a ghost and a mortal woman that was reciprocated on both sides. Not a relationship where George is being watched all day, every day. Blanca steals Georges's shirt to smell and imagen that George is with her, she imagens what inside of George's vagina would feel like and how it would be to kiss her. She often caresses George as she sleeps and kisses her neck.

George is not your typical woman, not like a “I’m not like other girls” kind of way more of a “dresses suck, I wish I could fuck women all the time and not be questioned about it” kind of way. George wears shirts and pants in a time when women wore dresses, she smokes cigars, she writes books, has sex with women, and is generally unwomanlike for the time she is in. George was married, that's how her kids came about, but she and her husband divorced. It wasn't a typical relationship either way, he had sex with the maids and any other woman that would have him , while she handled the finances and wrote her books. She jumped from man to man, and the occasional woman, she went to parties and lived alone in Paris, this is where she met her most prominent partner, Francis Chopin. Yes, the real famous pianist. Although they thoroughly enjoyed each other, they did not do well together. Chopin is needy, “girlish”, and babies Solange (George's daughter) and George is controlling, adventurous, and rash, she can’t stay in one place for long. Chopin possibly has consumption disease (ie. TB) or some other unidentified ailment. And they go to Mallorca, Spajn in hopes it will make him better. It doesn’t work, and he gets much worse.

The book jumps between the present, Blanca's past, and Georges's past. I’ll focus on one character at a time. First Blance. We learn that Blanca was 14 when she died, she had a pretty ok life. It was going fine, until Ham fucked it up. Ham is a novice Monk from the monastery that Blanca notices when the monks go on a walk. Ham diverges from the group and goes to the beach instead, and Blanca follows, which is when her fate was sealed. They meet on the beach multiple times, and Ham convinces Blanca they should have sex. Which is an A+ idea, Ham! Blanca doesn’t really enjoy it, because screw women's pleasure right! Only men should enjoy sex. Ham tells Blanca to wash her vagina out after as to not get pregnant, great idea Ham. And… it didn’t work, Blanca got pregnant, it's obviously her fault because a monk/man could never cause that. Nope. Never. I hate Ham so much, who's nickname is Ham anyway? It's so stupid. And when Blanca and her mom confront him about her being pregnant and how they have to get married, he blames her for running his life! Like what? NO. Just because you found out your actions have consequences for the first time in your life does not mean you can blame everyone else for an issue you helped cause. And then after she breaks down because she doesn't want this baby he asks her to have sex again?? NO! Anyway, Blanca ends up dying of childbirth in his room with blood everywhere, so I guess that's payback enough.

Now on to George. As a child, George was sent to a boarding school taught by nuns. I love the queer religious trauma already. She meets a friend here, nicknamed Boy for her boyish nature. She is rebellious and punched George at their first meeting. They begin meeting up at night, playing and talking. They have a game where they have to save the lost princess and when George asks what Boy is going to do when they save the princess, she responds “I’ll kiss her”, this is Georges's first experience with a non-heteronormative idea. George admired Boy for her willingness to not conform to society norms, like women wearing dresses, and reading books not writing books. George is most likely bisexual, and she was in straight relationships, like her husband, a poet names Jules, and Chopin, however when she was with Jules she also met an actress named Marie. They start off as friends, exchanging letters, moving on to longing glances and later on it is implied that she and George had sex when Jules leaves for the night. George admits to fantasizing about having sex with her, mentioning what she would imagen touching another women's vulva.

Conclusion

As I finished the last few pages, I found myself reflecting on life, genuinely, I hadn't thought of the nuances that I pass over just because I do it all the time. Like enjoying the subtleties of fruit, the laughter I hear when on a walk, the breeze that flows through the trees — unconventional love, and the pursuit of identity. "Briefly, A Delicious Life" is a testament to the power of storytelling to shed light on the human experience in all its complexities from the point of view of someone whose life ended too early.

In short, this book is a worthy addition to anyone's shelf, especially if you like ghosts, queerness, and revenge.

[reviewsthatburn]

CHANGLESS is a pretty good book which is utterly ruined by a terrible ending. 

CHANGELESS begins with annoyances and crises, the regiment has appeared on the lawn and a mysterious plague of mortality has fallen upon London’s normally supernatural residents. This introduces Madame Lefoux, a hat-maker and inventor who affects masculine dress as a matter of course. There’s an entirely new storyline related to Madame Lefoux, Ivy, the mortality plague, and a sudden need to travel to Scotland. This doesn’t wrap up anything left hanging, though it is nice to see Alexia and Conall as a married couple. Several things related to the mortality issue and Conall’s past are introduced and resolved. This isn’t the final book and has a very sudden cliffhanger which demands to be addressed in the next volume. Alexia is still the main narrator and her voice is consistent, though there are some sections following other characters. I like Madame Lefoux, she's a great addition to the ensemble of characters.

Full Review at Link

[sophia-sol]

When the Angels Left the Old Country, by Sacha Lamb

I got this book from @bookelfe's review, and like, reading through this book I could ABSOLUTELY see how it is obviously the poison for Becca, Becca's poison, but also: I read the first two pages and was immediately confident I would like this book too. And I was right!

It is a historical fantasy novel with three main characters. The first two are an angel and a demon who live together in a Jewish shtetl in Poland as chevrusas, or study partners in their study of the Talmud, but who for a variety of reasons end up immigrating to the US. The third, Rose, is an extremely lesbian Jewish teen girl who immigrates to the US as well, for opportunities and for adventure and for getting away from her best friend Dinah who had the temerity to marry a man. Then they all get involved with labour activism! And also dealing with ghosts and dybbuks and gentile demons and oppressive immigration policies and more.

The three main characters are all so different from each other and I adore all three of them so so so much!  Never ever a moment of disappointment on switching viewpoints, just excitement to spend time with that character again. Also: the narrative itself is a character with an "I" which I love too. Actually I would have loved if this was an even more prominent feature too! Love me a book where the narrative isn't trying to disappear into the background but has its own opinions separate from that of the characters it's writing about.

Plus the book as a whole is suffused both with very Jewish and very queer vibes and I love this about it. I am not Jewish myself so cannot speak in detail to that aspect of it, though I always love to read books that go all in on depicting very specific experiences like this! And the queerness....ohhhh it was beautiful. This book not just a book with queer characters; the whole narrative is queer in its soul, and I love that for it. And for me, reading it!!! It's just like, this is a book that understands me.

My biggest complaint (and it is a very small one, in comparison with all the great things about the book) is that I wish we'd gotten more of Actual Essie. She's the macguffin of the plot, the inciting incident that gets the angel and Little Ash to leave their shtetl and eventually end up in the US, and finding her and saving her continues to be a goal that is returned to throughout. But she barely shows up on page at all, and I want to know more of what she's like! From what little we see, I really liked her!

Plus, do I believe that a 16 year old girl who has had a VERY exciting time of it of late and has gone through a bunch of real big life transitions would transfer her affections from her best friend she's been pining over forever to the girl who was the focus of the adventure and who got to see Rose being cool and badass and admiring her for it? Absolutely, but something about how, after barely knowing her, she sees in Essie's eyes what Dinah must have seen in Saul's (and then forgives Dinah easily as a result) doesn't quite sit right. Idk maybe this is me being too aro again! But she knew and loved Dinah very specifically as a person in her life, and she barely knows Essie at all. This is too fast!! Anyway more of Actual Essie would probably have helped with this too.

At any rate, thank you Becca for the rec because this was a GREAT read.

[itsthemysterykids]

What Teen titants go did to you? Robin was annoying you all but what the rest?

*Recess*

Lili: It was awful! Utterly humiliating! They had her hug a rose bush! I don’t even get how that’s part of the trial!

Norman: They’re just trying to get a rise out of us… And it’s working! I know damn well Raven cast a ghost-spotting spell on Nathan or whatever he’s named! He’s an actor; he pretends to see ghosts!

Mabel: You think that’s bad? Mandy is an out of control party animal who wears scarves! SCARVES!

Dipper: *Reading* At least yours isn’t a lame bookworm… *Sets his book down* God, are we really like that? Wh-what if they’re right, guys?

Neil: No. No, that’s no true! We are nothing like them!

Raz: Nick plays field hockey and has a lesbian sister.

Neil: … We’re screwed.

Coraline: No we’re not, guys! I think I’ve got an idea that just might work.