#2023 Reading Journey

[therubyreader]

See previous year's reading journeys

Book Goal: 30 50

Read So Far: 61

Books to Be Read:

Dark of the West - Joanna Hathaway

Books Read this Year:

These Violent Delights - Chloe Gong ~ Review

Our Violent Ends - Chloe Gong ~ Review

The Nature of Witches - Rachel Griffin

Of Cages and Crowns - Brianna Joy Crump

Gods of Jade and Shadow - Silvia Moreno Garcia ~ Review

Foul Lady Fortune - Chloe Gong ~ reread ~ Review

Anatomy: A Love Story - Dana Schwartz ~ Review

American Royals - Katharine McGee ~ Review

Ever the Hunted - Erin Sumerill

Ever the Brave - Erin Sumerill

Once a King - Erin Sumerill

Serpent and Dove - Shelby Mahurin

Six Crimson Cranes - Elizabeth Lim ~ Review

Last Violent Call - Chloe Gong ~ Review

The Dragon’s Promise- Elizabeth Lim

Shadow and Bone - Leigh Bardugo ~ Review

Skin of the Sea - Natasha Bowen

Soul of the Deep - Natasha Bowen

Siege and Storm - Leigh Bardugo ~ Review

Ruin and Rising - Leigh Bardugo ~ Review

Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo ~ Review

Crooked Kingdom - Leigh Bardugo

King of Scars - Leigh Bardugo

The Raven Boys - Maggie Stiefvater ~ Review

The Dream Thieves - Maggie Stiefvater ~ Review

Blue Lily, Lily Blue - Maggie Stiefvater

Rule of Wolves - Leigh Bardugo

The Raven King - Maggie Stiefvater

Call Down the Hawk - Maggie Stiefvater

Mister Impossible - Maggie Stiefvater

Greywaren - Maggie Stiefvater

Caravel - Stephanie Garber ~ reread ~ Review

Legendary - Stephanie Garber

Finale - Stephanie Garber

The Poppy War - R. F. Kuang

The Inheritance Games - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Hawthorne Legacy - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Final Gambit - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare ~ reread

Clockwork Prince - Cassandra Clare ~ reread

Clockwork Princess - Cassandra Clare ~ reread

Legendborn - Tracy Deonn ~ Review

Bloodmarked - Tracy Deonn

The Shadow of Perseus - Claire Heywood

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins ~ reread ~ Thoughts

Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins ~ reread

Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins ~ reread

Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes- Suzanne Collins

The Atlas Six - Olivie Blake

Guardians of Dawn: Zhara - S. Jae-Jones ~ Review

House of Salt and Sorrows - Erin A. Craig

Foul Heart Huntsman - Chloe Gong ~ Review

Atalanta - Jennifer Saint

The Enchanted Hacienda - J.C. Cervantes

Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros

This Vicious Grace - Emily Thiede

The Curse of Saints - Katie Dramis

Iron Flame - Rebecca Yarros

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night - Amélie Wen Zhao ~ Review

The Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan ~ reread

The Sea of Monsters - Rick Riordan ~ reread

The Titan’s Curse - Rick Riordan ~ reread

[kalopsic-lagomorph]

^2 kids redesigns + mary-su

[carrinth]

BOOM! Force Powers may have been slightly exaggerated for Dramatic Effect~! Caleb flashbacks to his old squad! And Gregor calls it like it is >:3

Hello guys! We begin 2023 with the long awaited continuation of Finding Fulcrum AU! As a special bonus to celebrate, ye shall receive THREE new pages at once. WOO! Thank you all for continuing to follow this crazy, meandering story! ( •̀ ω •́ )✧ 💖

Read the first page: https://carrinth.tumblr.com/tagged/finding+fulcrum+au/chrono

Read the latest pages: https://carrinth.tumblr.com/tagged/finding+fulcrum+au

Thumbnail overview: https://carrinth.tumblr.com/archive/tagged/finding%20fulcrum%20au

(Note: If you’re having trouble with the links on mobile/app, try clicking the ‘Finding Fulcrum AU’ tag. Or view in a web browser)

[readingoals]

It's pride month so ofc I have to post about being aromantic lmao. Although I actually read this book last month - I'd had it on preorder since the beginning of the year. I'll put my review under the cut for length

Aro And Ace Journeys is, I think, a good entry into understanding the aromantic and asexual spectrums.

I've been identifying as aro for around 5 years now (and as ace-spec for like a few months) so a lot of what was in this book was not new information to me. But it was interesting. The section on history of ace and aro terms was especially interesting for me, and I really liked the way the books was sectioned into different phases of understanding and accepting an ace or aro identity. It made it feel very approachable, no matter what stage in their journey the reader is in.

Some of the latter sections that revolved around coming out and examining what sort of futures exist for ace and aro folks felt especially relevant to me since I have been identifying as aro and ace-spec for so long, but there were definitely other parts that were just very validating to read and really helped confirm some of my feelings about my identity. I did find parts a little repetitive but I think that's natural for a book trying to cover all the basics for anyone starting at the very beginning.

It does go into some discussion about how an ace or aro identity might intersect with other queer identities, race, religion, etc. I think there was some really valuable points made but a lot of those discussions were fairly brief due to the nature of the book. So if more detailed discussions about that sort of thing is what you're looking for, this may not be the book for you.

Otherwise, I'd definitely recommend it. Especially to anyone who is questioning if they might be aro and ace-spec, or for allo folks who just want to learn a little more. People more familiar with the aro and/or ace communities may not get as much out of it but I don't think the experience of reading about people with similar experiences can be underestimated. Especially with lesser known/talked about identities like those on the ace and aro spectrums. It's just really nice to see physical confirmation that you aren't alone. There is also a very thorough glossary at the back, further resources like links to useful websites and other books (both fiction and non-fiction), as well as a couple of amusing 'coming out bingo cards' which defs gave me a good chuckle.

I have another book on pre-order which is specifically about being aromantic. It's due to be released at the end of July so look out for my review of it in a couple of months lmao. I'd curious to see how it will compare with this one.

[summertimemusician]

Linktober Shadow Day 6

Shadow Beast

The Twilight Princess fan in me really came out on this one huh? I blame the sleep deprivation. We never quite addressed the effects of the Twili Magic on Twilight and how it's only sheer force of will and the fact he's so darn kind, Midna's influence and Time teaching him the Song of Healing first being the main factor in making sure he doesn't fall huh? Even more so than the One Cutscene. We also need to talk more about the fact we technically kill Midna's people and how by the end of it all Twi is so changed by the Twilight Realm who's it's own can of worms that, much like Time he can't quite go home as himself me thinks, as a treat to myself

Mostly Twilight x Reader, this goes out to all of the folks who never quite recovered from Twilight Princess and the fact we never got that sequel (I mean it gave us BOTW and TOTK and Wild, but at what cost?), but can be read as Link x Reader either on the platonic or romantic.

Don't think there's any warning this time but might edit later if needed.

Actually yeah there is one warning

TW:

References to body horror typical to Twilight Princess, though I recommend not reading it I'd you're squeamish period.

Even after so long, you and Twilight could still remember the beauty and solemnity of the Twilight Realm, with it’s zircon skies with clouds of trapped fire and rains of viper obsidian.

The silence of the infection upon the realm of light broken only by the echoes of the howling elegy of the Twili and Interlopers who came before creeping over the land like rot and wither over flowers, the lament of the lost spirits of the people and animals of Hyrule falling over your spirit like a shroud, a shared hymm from two worlds reality had been twisted, only both of it’s princess, one filled the luster of empyreal sorrow in her mind and one with the scorch abyssal fury in her heart knowing to see the reflective tragedy befallen to their people. With Link as the one who restored the memory of what once was in both worlds as divinity and calamity sang in his bones and you a witness to the restoration of harmony to the discordant symphony, the two different songs of light and shadow refusing to let go of either of you in an eternal duet.

(Once touched by magic, it shall never leave the one if holds onto Twilight may have been the one with the Beast in his soul, with the howl of a wolf, the bite of shades in his veins and the lament of innocents taking precedence over anything purely because he learned how to silence the whispers of the one’s who made a grab for heaven’s throat and we’re pushed in the cracks of reality for their prideful vánitas even as he could taste it in the back of his tongue, twining around his ribs and overgrowing into his shattered mirror heart like vines, flowering with the divinity and eternal nature of the Hero’s Spirit, already having the hunt of the Fierce Deity in it’s veins and the remains of cursed divinity welcoming the new aspect merrily so he could bear it. The song of the innocent wrongly punished among the sinners rang into your mind, scratched at your skin and dug it’s claws around your throat, chocking you with sorrow and regret, more willing to leave gouges than to let go of someone’s who’s looked into the reverse side of the sacred realm and wept with grief for it’s people and the curse of it’s beauty.

It would never leave you, Link or Zelda, who learned who love the darkness the way Midna did, madness and unsightly delight and all.)

While the people of Hyrule merely became trapped as observers at best, if they were lucky, Midna’s raging grief and resentment quickly became obvious, once she revealed that rotten Zant had done to her and her people, twisted into a new form, distorted in body and trapped in mind like the animals and beasts of Hyrule, their pain driving them in becoming feral attack hounds for the usurper, their howling screams as much sorrow, wailing in an attempt to let their agonized, tortured souls to escape from it’s mouth, a futile attempt to flee from the strain of reality forgetting their true form in favor of Zant’s twisted design, of being used as sentient canvases for cruelty and ruthlessness, of their will being stepped over in favor of corrupting recreation.

Of how it only didn’t quaff down at Midna’s mind because of the nature of her ephemerality, fully beloved by the Realm of Darkness, of how she loathed him for it and wouldn’t wish her fate of that of her people’s on any living or dead soul, once she came to love the Realm of Light through Zelda’s sacrifice.

Which was why, when you saw three of the victims of the telltale twisting from darkness utilized with the intent to drive one insane, a familiar looking plate of stone engraved on the remains of ashes from their identity, the curling of distorted, solid darkness making crooked mishapen manes, bent out of shape from their too long torso and long, long arms adorned with twitching, deformed claws, you feel very justified in way your blood froze, holding onto Wild’s arms and yanking with all you had so his shot will miss, his yelp of surprise swallowed by the bone cracking, blood curdling screech from one of the beasts as a Skyward Strike grazed it’s petrified flesh.

You feel something warm drip down your ears, taste the promise of violence and the cry of lost souls on the back of your tongue and swallow it down as the memory of the Twilight Realm attempted to bite and crack your ribcage to quaff down your heart, to devour it bones and all, calling out in desperation, “Don’t! That’s a person!”

Sky freezes, as still as a statue, Legend curses the heavens crimson in a way you are so glad Wind isn’t around to hear as he retreats Twilight snarls, the wolf in him revolted and disgusted, you wonder if the Twilight is singing in his mind too as he restrains himself from reaching for the crystal as nails just a tad too sharp invite droplets of blood to one hand, grimm as a graveyard “We need to get them together anyway, felling just one won’t be enough.”

You grimace, releasing Wild, keeping your eye on the Shadow Beasts and another on your group, pointedly not mentioning the twitch in Four, amethyst clouding his gaze and the prism of his eyes turning gray with memories you and Twilight both knew all too well, of the grimace in Time’s otherwise stony countenance, you’d wished to avoid bloodshed of whoever was turned against their will, but you and Twilight both knew that might not be possible, death, unfortunately, might be the greatest mercy you can grant these poor souls.

(The Twilight is harmonizing in your ears, jeering, you feel the Interlopers insanity and the Twili’s lament on your teeth. As lovely as it could be cruel, the merry feeling upon meeting, the sorrow at a parting.

If you ever see the Shadow, you might just try indulging the echo by offering it’s blood as tribute. You'd make it hurt. The fact it learned the spell used to deform reality in such a way was cruel and vile.)

“Legend, how is your magic?” shoots Warriors, analyzing, calculating, it snaps the purple back into Four’s gaze, brings his mind back to focus as he reaches into his inventory for his Moon Pearl, Twilight is circling the beasts with single minded purpose, herding them together and prowling as he would as a wolf, Wild thankfully listened to your warning and had switched from the more destructive Flame and Lightning Arrows to ice ones. It doesn’t contain them for long but it gives a few precious seconds to strategize.

Legend catches on, switching to the Ice Rod on one hand and grasping his own Moon Pearl with the other, Sky has another Skyward Strike ready, but doesn’t release it, you switch from your sword to accepting a Magic Rod tossed at you from Wild, “Good enough.”

You breath in shakily, the symphony of the Twilight Realm has quieted, more lament than anthem as it’s Hero steps back, returning to your side, he nods grimly, “... Then, let’s end this quickly.”

You know your will boys will do their best to heal them, and failing that, you hope that they’ll hear the requiem of the Twili rather than the lament once they’re at peace, that they'll find some form of threnody.

It is a horrible thing, to be forced to die as a beast.

[oceanic-sunsets]

i'm tired of pretending i don't want to read a fic with a time-period-accurate portrayal of the party's reaction to will and mike coming out/dating. i do i want to read it so badly

[Disclaimer: no i do NOT mean i wan't to read the party being homophobic outright. I mean confused, curious, unaware, and ignorant reactions. A natural journey of learning how to support your friends and not make it weird, with some mistakes along the way.]

[coffeeisfortheresponsible]

bro the ninjago to lego monkie kid to reading journey to the west pipeline is so real

[luxuryandlilacs]

I actually met my reading goal of 50 books! It’s such an accomplishment for me especially since I only read 15 books last year! Next year, I want to hit 60 books. I already have at least 30 unread books on my shelves.

[rainyfestivalsweets]

One book finished, million more to go.....

My book list this coming year is ambitious and pretty schizophrenic, pulling from Russian classics, various book talks and seminars, lgbt authors and members, and literal schizophrenia.

Happy to walk into 2024 full of books n stuff

[thresholdbb]

My P+ subscription just renewed, which means I have been on this Star Trek high for exactly a year now

[aroaessidhe]

2023 reads // twitter thread

The Meister of Decimen City

a chaotic superhero satire

a genius who’s labelled a villain by the government after her super intelligent dinosaur children get loose is put under supervision 

and has to confront her past / deal with the trauma of her complicated family/sibling relationships

and also the realisation that she might be asexual

[the---hermit]

De Profundis by Oscar Wilde

This book is a long letter that Wilde wrote to Lord Alfred Douglas, his lover and the main cause of his incarceration. It was written as Wilde was still in the Reading Gaol. This was pretty intense to read. Wilde talks directly to a man with whom he had a pretty toxic relationship and between stories from the past and reflections on how he ended up in prison the author adds thoughts about life and art. It's not easy to describe this piece of writing, as I said it's very much intense. I heavily annotated it, in this Wilde gets incredibly personal and honest and the writing just pulls you in and makes you wish you could actually talk to this incredible man. The more I read his words the more I am fascinated by his character and the way he carried himself using words. I took my time with reading this book and I am glad I did because I ended up reflecting much more on each passage I read. I would very much recommend reading this book, it is indeed very long if you consider it's a letter, but if you take it as a book it's quite short (my edition is precisely 130 pages). It's one of the closest things you can get to a conversation with this man, and I feel like it was a great way to get to know him better. I haven't read all of his works (yet) but I was definitely inspired to read more of his production after this.

[silverdragonreads]

Chapters: 11/11 Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark Characters: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, T'Challa (Marvel), James Rhodes, James "Bucky" Barnes, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Sam Wilson (Marvel), Maria Stark, Sharon Carter, Pepper Potts, Peggy Carter Additional Tags: Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Smoking, Medical Inaccuracies, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Physical Abuse, Child Abuse, NO sexual abuse of any kind, Jealousy, Panic Attacks, Guilt, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Torture, Italian Tony Stark, Italian Maria Stark, Original Female Grandma, Tourism, Synesthesia, Tony has synesthesia for absolutely no reason AT ALL, a disgusting amount of symbolism, Sharing a Bed, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, POV Alternating, Pining Steve Rogers, Pining Tony Stark, Fix-It, Civil War Fix-It, Steve Feels, Tony Feels, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt Steve Rogers, Crying, Mutual Pining, Bearded Steve Rogers, Domestic, Height Differences, Slow Burn, Explicit Sexual Content, Bottom Tony Stark, Bottom Steve Rogers, Top Tony Stark, Top Steve Rogers, Switching, Blow Jobs, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Rimming, First Time, Virgin Steve Rogers Series: Part 1 of almeno tu Summary:

Tony drives off.

Well, he wants to.

But he can’t.

Because.

Steve Rogers is in front of his car.

Steve fucking Rogers. Is in front of Tony’s fucking car.

[godzilla-reads]

January Reading Challenge 2023: Choose a book that you enjoyed as a teenager to reread.

Ok, I’m kinda cheating on this one, but it works. Back in high school, I had a dog named Pluto who was prone to seizures due to a brain injury before we got him. Whenever he’d be walking it off, I would read to him. I got through several books this way and we started to read Sheila Burnford’s THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY, but Pluto passed away halfway through.

I’ve never been able to finish the book on account of the grief from his passing. For my January reading challenge, I’m taking this book that I love and I’m going to start from the beginning and try to read it all the way through.

Wish me luck.

📖 The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford