#Any Old Diamonds

[poisindonottouch]

Queer reads: K.J. Charles

As we leave fantasy, I bring you the last category of my recommendations: smutty smutty smut. 

Okay, these are romance novels, but in my reading of romance novels, I’ve discovered that I thoroughly enjoy the spicier end of the spectrum. The smuttier the better. 

So, for day 22, I bring you my favorite romance author KJ Charles. 

I’m putting this under a cut, because it’s going to be long. 

KJ Charles has written loads of books, but I’ve narrowed it down to my favorite 9. 

I’ll take these by series. 

First off, I give you the Will Darling Adventures. These books take place in 1920s London (and surrounding environs.) They are post WWI. Will Darling served in the war, came home to no one, and ended up inheriting a book shop. He’s gruff, manly, and really a giant cinnamon roll. Kim did not serve in the war (it’s a whole thing), and he’s anything but a manly cinnamon roll. He’s sharp and devious and manipulative. And of course, they fall in loooove. This trilogy follows the same pairing over three books, and it’s nice to see how KJC handles the deepening of their relationship from HFN to HEA. (That’s happily for now & happily ever after.) 

The next two books, Proper English and Think of England, are actually in the same world as the Will Darling books, and you’ll see a cameo or two in the later trilogy. Proper English, set in 1902, tells the story of Pat and Fen meeting at a house party that involves a murder mystery and some sexy times. After all, if a murderer is on the loose, you can’t sleep alone, right? Think of England, set in 1904, tells the story of Archie and Daniel, at a different house party. Archie is there to investigate some shady business, but he’s a straightforward kind of man, and he is woefully out of his depth. Luckily, Daniel is there. 

Any Old Diamonds and An Unnatural Vice are set in the same world, about 20 years apart. They aren’t the only books in their series, but they are my favorite of each. Any Old Diamonds follows Alec and Jerry as Alec hires Jerry to steal some jewels. There’s a great twist to this one, and I love Alec and Jerry. I want more of them. An Unnatural Vice is book two of the Sins of the City trilogy, but Justin Lazarus is the very best character ever, and Nathaniel is good for him. I recommend the all the books in both series, but these two are my favorite in the bunches. 

Band Sinister is a stand alone novel, telling the story of Phillip and Guy, who have some bad history between their families, but unforeseen circumstances bring them together, and chemistry does the rest. I would love to read a book series about every side character in this book, but alas. I’ll keep reading fanfic instead. 

Which brings us to The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen, the most recent book out by KJC. It’s the first of a duology, and I’m super excited for the next one to come out in September. It’s marked on my calendar in my kitchen. This is a dual pov book switching between Garath, who recently inherited his late fathers title, home, and secrets, and Joss, the boss of the local smuggler family. This is a lovers to enemies to lovers book, and I love it. Really, one of KJCs best. 

(Ack! I missed Spectered Isle, which is also fantastic. I really enjoy the relationship in this one, and I’d happily read a bunch of books set in this world, but alas, I think this series is over. Spectered Isle follows after The Casebooks of Simon Feximal (also good. Think smutty, magical Sherlock Holmes.) Like the Will Darling books, Spectered Isle takes place post the Great War, and everyone in the novel is scarred from it. It’s not a shared universe though, because this one has magic, and the Will Darling books are not fantasy, but similar time frame.)

[overflowingshelf]

July 2024 Reading Recap

Well, August didn’t start off how I expected, which is why I’m a bit delayed in getting my recap up for July. Unfortunately, my cat Fox was unexpectedly hospitalized again last weekend with congestive heart failure, but she’s back home now with a new dose of meds to help keep that in check. But that’s putting her kidneys at higher risk as she also has kidney disease, so it’s a delicate balance. I…

[kyonshi-8610]

no ref hand practicey the sequel: dwarven women

[puppyeared]

i feel like im not making any sense but does anyone else feel like there are stories that let u run with them and ones that spell everything out for you

[crystalverse-project]

shameless danaurus art dump and ramble

sooo last april/may i did a personal 30 day shipping art challenge with the main pairing in my crystalverse au, dan/trayaurus

here's my best ones (my art style has shifted since then)

holding hands

cuddling

wearing each others clothes

different clothing style (dark academia!)

kissing ><

sleeping together

cooking/baking (cupcakes!)

and the appreciation

this is my comfort ship. and i might be the only one doing art of it. i know i was the first person to tag it on ao3 (if you go onto DanTDM/Dr. Trayaurus you'll see my one tagged fic lmao) (there was the same one but tagged as past on a shitpost so i'm the first to put it as current)

i nearly didn't post this on tumblr because all the posts i found for it were like 'no this is weird' but i couldn't help it.

i'm ngl i'm surprised it's not bigger than it is. i get dan is married irl (and now has kids) but he got shipped with stampy in mcsm, maxo in qsmp, so yeah why not trayaurus

(if one of the why nots is because of something he did in a fake video, fuck that.)

i feel like their dynamic has changed in the new dan and tray series. they don't seem to like or support each other as much, or at least trayaurus doesn't to dan. it's fine, but it's a shame. i do think they genuinely like each other.

i don't know how many people have read the graphic novel but the way they were interacting in that book as just scientist and assistant supporting each other (with occassional pranks and sillies between them) is what i love to see. i eat it up.

idc if this seems cringe. i love them. i think they're adorable and i love drawing them being happy and silly and hugging and breaking the laws of the universe and sitting together watching the sunset and taking grim on walks together in the desert.

i adore them

[toxicroyjamie]

Teacher Ted AU where he moves to London in the midst of his divorce to teach a group of rowdy and disrespectful year 3's at a boys' school under the supervision of Headmaster Rebecca, who has no faith in him and is trying to get the kids to fail miserably so that she can have the school shut down and use the property it's on (which she owns) for something more profitable. But of course he gets through to the kids and turns the school around with the power of Believe and shit <3

Coach Beard gets a job alongside Ted as the gym (or whatever they do in the UK) teacher. He's very committed to his craft and takes the strategic aspect of their in-class football matches unreasonably seriously. Has the children running complicated plays

Nate is Ted's extremely shy teaching assistant who the kids push around and do not listen to in the slightest until he goes on his whole confidence journey and the kids learn to like. Be less mean

Higgins teaches the other year 3 class (2nd team?) and he and Ted frequently strategize together (this diamond dogs)

Jamie is a bully and a troublemaker who terrorizes the other kids and makes it difficult to manage the classroom, and Ted finds it really hard to make any progress with him until he finds out that Jamie is going through hell at home and is able to get through to him and work with him

Roy is a year 11 who got in trouble at his own school for his involvement in multiple fistfights and is being forced to "volunteer" (not voluntary) to help out in the little kids' classroom as part of a rehabilitation/mentoring program. He "hates it" (loves it) and "can't wait for it to be over" (is going to kill himself when it's over) and "can't stand the little pricks" (would both kill and die for them)

Keeley is also 15-16 and (actually) volunteers around the school during her free hour, because she loves it and is great with the kids <3 she runs their school insta and it looks incredible

[paintedxangels]

AEKA NATSU — ♡

❥ Name: Aeka Natsu

Stand: Strawberry Fields Forever (The Beatles)

❥ Partner: Josuke Higashikata

She/They | Bisexual | Demigirl

16yo Student (May 14th, 1983)

Height: 5’1 / 155cm

❥ Fandom: JJBA Part 4 DIU

Aeka’s Toyhouse | Ship Playlist

[sysig]

Challenge level: Impossible (Patreon)

[koushuwu]

[carry-on-every-neverland-magic]

Perhaps Merlin was never naturally immortal but instead chose to be and used his magic to keep himself alive after he heard Kilgharrah's words about how Arthur would rise again. You could see in Merlin's face the moment he decides to wait for him. He may not have fathomed the enormity of the wait at this point but he certainly knew it would be beyond a normal lifetime. He would never want Arthur to feel like he was alone, he wanted to be by his side, always, and so he was. He chose to be.

[skeleetrom]

Would yall lose all respect for me if I said that Superhero Movie was one of the funniest things I ever watched and I genuinely liked it?

[tyrilstarfury]

At this point I would rather read Passport to Romance than hearts on fire, I don't know what's going on at pb but if this is a indication of what's to come, I believe it's the end for this app... Who wants to read badly writting AI romance... Like if anyone likes this book I'm legit scared of you, you might be a danger to the public and yourself lol... Tbh I don't really mind reading corny stuff, I mean I'm still reading filthy rich & all thar corny power stuff... For filthy rich you have turn your brain off at points but with hearts on fire you need a frontal lobotomy... I'm not even joking, that's the sad part... I'm so disappointed. This new ceo sucks, why green light such a bad quality clearly ai written book... They didn't even try ya'll... Is it a test to see if we will read anything... Do they think people will read just anything?

[team7-headquarter]

For my Diamond Girls au : Team Anko.

( picrew link here )

“ Three young girls who found in Orochimaru's program the guarantee of their independence. As now allies of Konoha, they often support the diamond girls in their operations. With Anko as their sensei, you don't want to cross them. ”

Tayuya : sound specialist. often stays behind coordinating mics + headphones, deciphering recordings and toying around with the enemy's signals. quiet but really mean when provoked. she's actually the best fighter of the squad.

Kin Tsuchi : sound specialist. Tayuya's woman in the field. often disrupting the enemy lines to provide coverage, plant mics and webcams, or collect vital info. her training taught her to not be overconfident. hates vain, shallow people.

Karin Uzumaki : image specialist. common job is to physically guide the girls in their missions. the best at keeping track of targets and places and predicting time and space frames. perfect awareness of the context around her. amazing at restrictions. quick temper, very flirtatious.

[adhdbisexualramblings]

“Fusion is a metaphor for sex-“ shut up shut up shut the fuck up I’m going to come to your house and strangle you if you don’t stfu you illiterate dumbass

[BRIEF rape mention in tags]

[irrec]

OG Tumblr girlies link up

[oriharakaoru]

my summer reading, more or less in order (excludes fanfics)