#Historical Dead Ladies Club

[pomeraniandancer]

There's a part of me that wonders if the Dead Ladies Club of ASOIAF might (intentionally or unintentionally) also work as a deconstruction of the Dead Ladies Club either IRL, or in fiction.

The average and median life span of women historically, and in many parts of the world today, is pretty brutal. The most dangerous period is of course the child birthing years, which in IRL is honestly an even more brutal and dangerous thing than is portrayed in ASOIAF. If you survive that period (a massive "if"), then chances are you'll live a reasonably long life, but that was assuming you survived both childhood (a remarkable feat in its own right) *and* childbirth.

If you managed to survive both of those things, then yeah, chances are you were going to live a decently long life because you've already proven that you're a fucking indestructible bitch. No wonder Olenna Tyrell is so kickass.

It just makes me ponder the possibility that the Dead Ladies Club is a reflection, and potentially a literary deconstruction of the risks and dangers posed to women's lives regardless of their class or station, and by extension a reflection of their absence from historical records.

I realize this runs the risk of giving GRRM more credit than he deserves, but I'm also pondering over the potential depths to be plumbed in exploring this subject in a literary way more broadly, not just in terms of how GRRM might intentionally or unintentionally be doing so.

which member of the dead ladies club would you have loved to have seen throughout the asoiaf series?

I don't know and have no means to know. Which is the criticism. These characters have no role in the story but to be dead. We don't know who they were or what they wanted. There's almost no trace of them in the narrative to tell us who they were and who they could have been. There's little for me to be interested in, no handle for me to get on their characters.

And they are disproportionately female.

[goodnightmemes]

AGATHA ALL ALONG SENTENCE STARTERS

❛ You don't seem like yourself. ❜

❛ If you wanna be in control, you can be. ❜

❛ Is this really how you see yourself? ❜

❛ Do you remember why you hate me? ❜

❛ The things that you're roasting me for are the things that make me dangerous. ❜

❛ How long have I been here? ❜

❛ Call me "nosy," I'll cut out your tongue. ❜

❛ Can you put on some clothes? 'Cause you... 'Cause you're naked. ❜

❛ Do you remember pain? It kind of tickles, doesn't it? ❜

❛ Maybe I can't kill you, but I can make you wish you were dead. ❜

❛ I am not the only one that wants to see you dead. ❜

❛ Ugh! It really warms the heart. ❜

❛ You don't have a heart. ❜

❛ Be sure to tell the vengeance-seekers I said hi. ❜

❛ That's why I saved you from the spell you were under. ❜

❛ Wherever you are, a coven there shall be. ❜

❛ I feel really optimistic about this. ❜

❛ So you're a bit of a kook. Every witch has their process. ❜

❛ Witches like you are the reason people think we poison apples, and steal children, and eat babies. ❜

❛ Don't you miss the glory days? ❜

❛ The path you're currently on leads nowhere. ❜

❛ Hey! Where do you keep your jade eggs? I'm fresh out of marbles, and my pelvic floor is all over the place. ❜

❛ I haven't seen you since I made a really pointed effort to never run into you again.❜

❛ Historically, we as a group don't do well in courtrooms. ❜

❛ People like you are dangerous. ❜

❛ Are there any real witches in the house? ❜

❛ What a team of rejects. ❜

❛ This is just a really, really, really horrible party. ❜

❛ It's giving "middle-aged second chance at love" vibes and I'm here for it. ❜

❛ Okay, so a witch is really just another name for a bad girl, is that right? ❜

❛ I'm not saying that I wanna join the club or anything, but I would drink the blood of a virgin if it would smooth out some of these wrinkles. ❜

❛ So the hallucinations seem chill. ❜

❛ I can't protect you! ❜

❛ I do not wanna die here. This is not where I die. ❜

❛ They can take your power, but they can't take your knowledge. ❜

❛ I didn't think you had it in you. ❜

❛ We were supposed to look out for each other, but we didn't. That was our fatal mistake. ❜

❛ I wish we could go home. ❜

❛ People can't be replaced. ❜

❛ Are we in trouble? Like, more than we were ten minutes ago? ❜

❛ Honestly, I don't know how to feel. Do I hate her? Or do I want her phone number? ❜

❛ I'm feeling impatient. I'm feeling like I wanna cause some damage. ❜

❛ Once vengeance is loosed, you can't reel it back in. ❜

❛ The only way to end a curse is to face it. ❜

❛ Sad is better than angry. ❜

❛ You don't have to know a person's name to know who they are. ❜

❛ Are you really defending a noted serial killer, you creepy lurker? ❜

❛ The moral of the story, kids, is always finish what you started. Also, mercy is overrated. ❜

❛ Who better to commune with the dead than someone who's put so many in the grave? ❜

❛ I mean, or we could just slit her throat. ❜

❛ But we were getting along, weren't we? We were clicking. There was unity. ❜

❛ She's possessed! For real this time! ❜

❛ I hate ghosts. ❜

❛ Why do you hate me still?❜

❛ You were born evil. ❜

❛ Please take me with you. ❜

❛ She was protecting you. But you don't deserve it. ❜

❛ I couldn't... I couldn't control it. ❜

❛ Death comes for us all. ❜

❛ You're so much like your mother. ❜

❛ We love you more than we could ever hope to communicate in human words. ❜

❛ You don't need to be a psychic to see that you're a good egg. ❜

❛ Enjoy the now, baby. It's the only thing that's certain. ❜

❛ Nothing in my life has felt normal until I met you. ❜

❛ I want you to know the real me. ❜

❛ You're so adorably trusting. ❜

❛ Word to the wise, don't go sniffing around there. ❜

❛ You seriously don't know what kind of crazy that lady eats for breakfast. ❜

❛ I panicked, so I ran. ❜

❛ Could we, like, maybe not, with the physical violence? ❜

❛ Power doesn't interest me. ❜

❛ Yeah. Well, what you did was ehhh … but life goes on. Yours, anyway. ❜

❛ I mean, I've killed...uh...my share. But you don't see it holding me back. ❜

❛ Don't you dare feel guilty about your talent. You survived. ❜

❛ So you broke the rules. Big deal. That's what kept you alive. That's what makes you special. ❜

❛ I don't need you anymore. I don't know if I ever did. ❜

❛ If you really wanna finish this together, just know that I do not trust you. At all. ❜

❛ You'll get a nosebleed trying that hard to read my mind. ❜

❛ Hey, you want straight answers, ask a straight lady. ❜

❛ Tell me what more I should see, when I look at you. ❜

❛ You know, we really hated each other from the beginning. But now...I love you, guys. ❜

❛ I'm a forgotten woman. ❜

❛ Death comes for us all. It is what we all have in common. ❜

❛ I can see all the pieces falling into place. The gaps are filling in. ❜

❛ I'm telling you now because soon I'm not going to remember any of this. ❜

❛ I hope you'll join me. ❜

❛ I needed you. My coven. ❜

❛ What can I say? I like the bad boys. ❜

❛ I loved being a witch. ❜

❛ That's it? That's all the... That's all the time I get? ❜

❛ This can't be the end. It has to be the beginning. ❜

❛ I watch you. Just as closely as you watch everyone else. ❜

❛ No one in history has had special treatment like you. ❜

❛ You gave me nothing. You took. ❜

❛ Why do you let them believe those things about you, hmm? ❜

❛ What fresh horrors await us! ❜

❛ You seem relaxed. Usually at this point you're either complaining loudly or freaking out loudly. ❜

❛ It's nice. That feeling when your body knows it's safe. ❜

❛ Sometimes...boys die. ❜

❛ Congratulations, my love! I'm sorry I didn't have a ribbon for you to run through. ❜

❛ Why don't you want me? ❜

❛ Power looks good on you. ❜

❛ You do this and I will hate you forever. ❜

❛ Please let him live. Please, my love! ❜

❛ If you want to survive, get used to this feeling. ❜

❛ I cannot protect you from what's coming. ❜

❛ I saw you die. ❜

❛ And now, I'm a ghost. Can you dig it? ❜

❛ By the way, I did not sacrifice myself for you. I took a calculated risk. ❜

❛ You're making fun of me. This is just one of your tricks. ❜

❛ You have something of mine. I know you took it. ❜

❛ Why are you still here? Why won't you just die? ❜

❛ I'm sure he would forgive you for... whatever you did. ❜

❛ We could make a good team. You and me. ❜

[bookcub]

Chappell Roan Book Rec

like many other, I am currently obsessed with The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess so here are a few book recs based on the songs!!

(you can message me for questions about content warnings!)

Femininomon

A Guest in the House by E. M. Carroll (horror graphic novel)

What happens when you marry a mediocre liar and there's a ghost you are definitely attracted to in the house (that might be his dead wife)?

Relevant lyric: Stuck in the suburbs, you're folding his laundry/Got what you wanted so stop feeling sorry

Bonus Rec: Romancing the Inventor by Gail Carriger (adult steampunk romance)

Red Wine Supernova

Satisfaction Guaranteed by Karelia Stenz-Waters (adult romance)

Imagine inheriting a sex toy shop with a enchanting stranger who you feel incredibly connected to. . .

Relevant lyric: I heard you like magic/I got a wand and a rabbit

Bonus Rec: Sunstone by Stjepan Šejić (adult romance graphic novel)

After Midnight

Ash by Malinda Lo (YA fantasy)

I had to choose a queer Cinderella for this one, especially one whose mother warns her away from the forest at night.

Relevant lyric: This is what I wanted, this is what I like/I've been a good, good girl for a long time now

Bonus Rec: A Restless Truth by Freya Marske (adult historical fantasy, sequel)

Coffee

The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec (adult fantasy)

When your ex is the trickster god Loki and you have prophetic futures, you know you can never just have coffee.

Relevant lyric: Here come the excuses that fuel the illusions/But I'd rather feel something than nothing at all,

Bonus Rec: Seven Days in June by Tia Williams (adult contemporary)

Casual

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi (adult gothic)

Remember that toxic homoerotic best friend you had a child? Who believed in magic and was also the most manipulative person you've ever met? It never was a casual relationship, was it?

Relevant lyric: Hate that I let this drag on so long, you can go to hell

Bonus Rec: Ben and Beatriz by Katalina Gamarra (adult romance)

Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl

A Spindle Splintered/A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow (adult fantasy)

Entering the fairy tale multiverse always leads to the strangest (and funnest) relationships (platonic and romantic) of your life.

Relevant lyrics: We're leaving the planet and you can't come

Bonus Rec: Cash Degado is Living the Dream by Tehlor Kay Mejia (adult contemporary)

HOT TO GO!

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz (graphic novel)

What if I dressed up as a count to inherit my father's fortune and you were a princess and we both liked grilled cheese???

Relevant lyric: I could be the one, or your new addiction/ It's all in my head but I want non-fiction

Bonus Rec: Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert

My Kink is Karma

Mrs. Martin's Incomparable Adventure by Courtney Milan (adult historical romance)

She said, let's destroy my terrible nephew's life, and how could you say no to such a romantic proposal?

Relevant lyric: Wishing you the best, in the worst way

Bonus Rec: Girl Serpent Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust (YA fantasy)

Picture You

A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall (adult historical romance)

Oops, I faked my death and reinvented myself and you were way more distraught than I thought you would be. . .

Relevant lyric: Do you picture me like I picture you?/Am I in the frame from your point of view?

Kaleidoscope

The Scapegracers by H. A. Clarke (YA urban fantasy)

What if we formed a coven and what if we were all a little in love with each other?

Relevant lyric: And love is a kaleidoscope/How it works we'll never know

Bonus Rec: The Girls I've Been by Tess Sharpe (YA thriller)

Pink Pony Club

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang (graphic novel)

He was a drag queen, she was a seamstress, can I make it anymore obvious?

Relevant Lyric: And I heard that there's a special place/Where boys and girls can all be queens every single day

Bonus Rec: Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo (YA historical)

Naked in Manhattan

Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake (adult romance)

Isn't it romantic, designing a house with someone with your entirely opposite tastes?

Relevant lyric: Boys suck and girls I've never tried

Bonus Rec: Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust (YA fantasy)

California

Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers (adult contemporary)

If a PhD can't save you, maybe a drunken marriage in Vegas can?

Relevant lyric: Cause I was never told that I wasn't gonna get/The things I want the most

Guilty Pleasure

Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner (adult romance)

Fake dating your boss? 0/10 recommended. . . right?

Relevant lyric: I want this like a cigarette/Can we drag it out and never quit?

Bonus Rec: That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming (adult fantasy romance)

Bonus:

Good Luck, Babe

Sorry, Bro by Taleen Voskuni (adult contemporary)

Relevant lyric: You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling

Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie (YA contemporary)

[fancyfeathers]

Okay I was scrolling through one of my favorite blogs, @yandere-wishes, and reading through their posts about ballet in yandere content and then I saw their posts about a certain William James Moriarty and then it clicked…

He would have a ballerina darling.

I need you to bear with me on this one, but I know a lot about ballet and the history of it because I am a ballerina. Historically, especially around the time Moriarty the Patriot takes place, ballerinas were also female entertainment after performances. Opera houses and theaters were essentially gentlemen’s clubs after performances, men of the higher classes would visit these girls and young ladies, who were basically living off of pennies, and in exchange for their time and sometimes their bodies the girls would receive gifts like just enough money to pay for rent, better point shoes that would only last a few weeks at most, better clothing that they wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise. Even if they didn’t want to this is what they needed to do in order to survive and even parents of these woman made them do it.

So just imagine all three brothers go to the ballet together to perhaps look into the owner of the theater due to rumors of abuse of their employees. After the show when they go backstage they hear the sound of yelling and following it to see a frightened young lady who looks like she is about to cry being scolded by the ballet mistress. She apparently messed up during the performance and while she did it was for a reason. She tries to explain to the instructor why she was so tired during the performance but the older lady won’t hear any of it, only telling her to wipe away her pathetic tears so she go out onto the floor like the other girls to “mingle” with the guests, since she was just expressing how she needed new shoes. The girl sighs as her superior walks off and she goes off to one of the vanities to freshen up and as she is reapplying her makeup and wiping away her tears, Williams sees what she was crying about…

He spots finger shaped bruises on her wrists along with more bruises just barely hiding under her costume.

She looks like she is about to break down crying again as she cries to readjusts her makeup and hair in the mirror, knowing that it is only going to end up being ruined again by the end of the night. That’s when a larger hand grabs the brush from her own hand, that was trembling so badly that she almost dropped it. She looks in the reflection of the mirror to see a handsome man behind her with blond hair and scarlet eyes. He smiles at her ever so kindly as he begins to help her brush through her hair…

“Now why do you stain you face with such tears? What is wrong, my dear?”

And she cracks, telling this near stranger everything, what she has to do to earn her living, what people do to her, she cries as quietly as she can so no one can hear her as she tells him how she just it wants it all to stop. He smiles at her as he tries her hair up with the ribbon she had in it before during the performance and simply tells her…

“Then your wish is my command.”

He gives her money so that she doesn’t have to perform any unsavory activities with the people here tonight and she can just go home to get a good night’s rest. She doesn’t get his name as she nods and runs off to get changed and while she is out of sight, William asks one of his brothers to follow her home so she gets back safely while he goes to speak with a few of the others that are there that night, not to get her address because he already knows it, an apartment in a poorer area of the city. He also knows that her mother forced her into this and then kicked her out when she told her that she didn’t want to do it anymore, he knows that her father is dead, he knows that she only continues this job because she has no where else to go and if she looses it because an incident happened to the owners of the theater that ended in their untimely deaths then she would have no source of income.

She would come home in tears when she lost her job, both in relief and sadness, and be told by her landlord that a young gentleman was here to see her, with a mention that rent was due by the end of the week that she had no way to pay for. So she goes up to her apartment to see that same gentleman from that night sitting in her apartment, smiling at her…

After all she is going to need some place to live once she can’t pay rent anymore.

[sapphicbookclub]

Author Spotlight: Lee Swanson

In a follow up to our previous club read, No Man Is Her Master, the Sapphic Book Club is excited to participate in another virtual book tour for Lee Swanson. This time, we're celebrating the release of the last book in the series, She Serves the Realm. Check out the full article below to hear more about lesbians in the Middle Ages, the No Man Is Her Master series, and stay tuned to Goodreads for club member reviews.

In my historical fiction series, No Man is Her Master, the novel’s protagonist and the married Lady Cecily Baldewyne engage in a torrid illicit romance. What makes their love affair doubly dangerous is that the recipient of Lady Cecily’s affection, Christina Kohl, is another woman who leads her life in the male guise of her supposedly-dead brother, Frederick. In the soon-to-be-released fourth novel in the series, She Serves the Realm, Lady Cecily learns her husband is dead and she is at last free to wed her beloved. Consequently, according to 14th century English law, Cecily is no longer guilty of adultery. But, if the authorities discover the truth of Christina’s gender, would they punish the two lovers for the crime of homosexuality instead? Probably not. First, medieval society largely viewed sex as a penetrative act aimed at procreation. Consequently, by this interpretation sex between women was impossible because, if it was sex, one of the participants must be a man and what they were doing then did not fall under the definition of an unnatural act. Is the fact Christina and Cecily engage in lovemaking an unusual act for lesbians of the Middle Ages? Apparently not. Etienne de Fougeres, the chaplain of King Henry II of England, authored a satirical poem in 1170, Le Livre des Manières, alluding to women’s desire for sex within their own gender: These ladies have made up a game: with two bits of nonsense they make nothing; they bang coffin against coffin, without a poker stir up their fire. They don’t play at “poke in the paunch,” but join shield to shield without a lance. They have no concern for a beam in their scales, nor a handle in their mold. Out of water they fish for turbot and they have no need for a rod. They don’t bother with a pestle in their mortar nor a fulcrum for their see-saw.

Then did lesbians in the Middle Ages feel free to pleasure themselves and each other sexually without fear of legal repercussions? Seemingly so, as there are only about a dozen recorded instances of civil or ecclesiastical trials of women associated with the practice. Of these, most of the accused had ignored one of the key elements in the definition of the punishable crime of sodomy. In one of the extremely few cases prosecuted against a woman, the German imperial court sentenced Katherina Hetzeldorfer from the Rhineland town of Speyer to death in 1477 for wanting to “have her manly way” with women, some of whom testify against her. Upon examination, the defendant admitted that she used a piece of wood held between her legs and had constructed a wooden device covered with leather and stuffed with cotton to penetrate her partners. Although obviously still incapable of procreation, the good burghers of Speyer consider her acts sufficiently heinous to drown Katherina in the Rhine River for her crime. Christina hides the secret of her true gender well, as revealing herself as a woman would ruin her standing as a Hanseatic merchant and clearly perturb King Edward II who had seen fit to knight her. It’s reassuring to know what she and Cecily share in their bedchamber will probably not be the potential cause of their demise.

Lee Swanson is author of the No Man Is Her Master sapphic historical novel quadrilogy. The series concluded with She Serves the Realm, which released June 11, 2024.

[tailsbeth-writes]

🍍🍓🍒🍊🥝🍇 for the fruit ask game!

🍍 What kind of AUs do you like? Are there any AUs you hate or just generally have beef with?

I've not written a ton of AUs myself but I like reading vampire or paranormal AUs, historical/royal AUs & sex club/work AUs (the dynamics are fascinating in relation to character building). I don't have anything I hate, I don't tend to read kidfic very often but I think that reflects on me being afraid to grow up (lol I'm 31) than anything else 😂

🍓 What’s a fic you’ve written you feel is underrated?

I could speak (or just let my body explain) - the third installment of Bigender Alex AU and also my first collaboration. I reread it a lot myself cause I love it.��

🍒 What’s your favorite character dynamic to write? (Can be romantic or platonic, specific or general!)

I love sibling banter, I'm an only child so I think I live vicariously through it 😂 I also love a grumpy/sunshine combo (romantic/platonic), I've working on some potential Dead Boy Detectives fics with a lot of this. 

🍊 Who’s a character you don’t write for that often, but keep meaning to write for more? (They’re so interesting! But maybe you have trouble pinning them down, or keep getting distracted by another blorbo…)

I have so many ideas for Beatrice (RWRB). And in general all the characters in other fandoms that aren't RWRB 😅

🥝 What’s your favorite trope/AO3 tag to write?

Probably canon-conpliant if I'm honest. Even when I was writing fanfic years ago for Skam etc, I stuck with canon mostly. I like getting to explore the internal vibes of characters once the dust has settled. I also like a bit of angst or hurt/comfort, while I explore darker topics on occasion, I don't leave the fic without resolution or support.

🍇 Is there a particular scene/episode/book/etc that you want to just write a million fics about, over and over? Which one?

I mean I feel like the 33 RWRB fics speak for themselves 😂 but I do have plans for Bridgerton, Dead Boy Detectives & My Lady Jane fics, especially now I have a little more free time (I say this but this year has just been so busy! Honestly so rude, people don't think to look at my writing schedule when they plan their life events)

Send me a fic writer fruit ask 💌

[aurumacadicus]

Well, it's time to pick our club's book for May! If you're interested in book club, shoot me a message for an invite. All summaries are underneath the cut! Happy reading!

A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal

On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by night, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—and she can’t do the job alone.

Calling on some of the city’s most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the sinister, glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not everyone in her ragtag crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it. Dark, action-packed, and swoon-worthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.

Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez

In these wildly imaginative, devilishly daring tales of the macabre, internationally bestselling author Mariana Enriquez brings contemporary Argentina to vibrant life as a place where shocking inequality, violence, and corruption are the law of the land, while the military dictatorship and legions of desaparecidos loom large in the collective memory. In these stories, reminiscent of Shirley Jackson and Julio Cortázar, three young friends distract themselves with drugs and pain in the midst of a government-enforced blackout; a girl with nothing to lose steps into an abandoned house and never comes back out; to protest a viral form of domestic violence, a group of women set themselves on fire.

But alongside the black magic and disturbing disappearances, these stories are fueled by compassion for the frightened and the lost, ultimately bringing these characters—mothers and daughters, husbands and wives—int a surprisingly familiar reality. Written in hypnotic prose that gives grace to the grotesque, Things We Lost in the Fire is a powerful exploration of what happens when our darkest desires are left to roam unchecked, and signals the arrival of an astonishing and necessary voice in contemporary fiction.

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

Mors vincit omnia. Death conquers all.

London, 1883. The Veil between the living and dead has thinned. Violet-eyed mediums commune with spirits under the watchful eye of the Royal Speaker Society, and sixteen-year-old trans, autistic Silas Bell would rather rip out his violet eyes than become an obedient Speaker Wife.

After a failed attempt to escape an arranged marriage, Silas is diagnosed with Veil sickness—a mysterious disease sending violet-eyed women into madness—and shipped away to Braxton’s Finishing School and Sanitorium. When the ghosts of missing students start begging Silas for help, he decides to reach into Braxton’s innards and expose its guts to the world—so long as the school doesn’t break him first.

Featuring an autistic trans protagonist in a historical setting, Andrew Joseph White’s much-anticipated sophomore novel does not back down from exposing the violence of the patriarchy and the harm inflicted on trans youth who are forced into conformity.

Gold Diggers by Sanjena Sathian

A magical realist coming-of-age story, Gold Diggers skewers the model minority myth to tell a hilarious and moving story about immigrant identity, community, and the underside of ambition.

A floundering second-generation teenager growing up in the Bush-era Atlanta suburbs, Neil Narayan is funny and smart but struggles to bear the weight of expectations of his family and their Asian American enclave. He tries to want their version of success, but mostly, Neil just wants his neighbor across the cul-de-sac, Anita Dayal.

When he discovers that Anita is the beneficiary of an ancient, alchemical potion made from stolen gold—a “lemonade” that harnesses the ambition of the gold’s original owner—Neil sees his chance to get ahead. But events spiral into a tragedy that rips their community their community apart. Years later in the Bay Area, Neil still bristles against his community’s expectations—and finds he might need one more hit of that lemonade, no matter the cost.

Sanjena Sathian’s astonishing debut offers a fine-grained, profoundly intelligent, and bitingly funny investigation into what’s required to make it in America.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

One cruel night, Meggie’s father reads aloud from a brook called INKHEART—and an evil ruler escapes the boundaries of fiction and lands in their living room. Suddenly, Meggie is smack in the middle of the kind of adventure she has only read about in books. Meggie must learn to harness the magic that has conjured this nightmare. For only she can change the course of the story that has changed her life forever. This is INKHEART—a timeless tale about books, about imagination, about life. Dare to read it aloud.

A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins

The widowed Lady Katherine Bascomb has little use for the rules of society—instead, she engages in such “vulgar” activities as managing The London Gazette and writing about crimes against women. But when her latest article leads to a suspicious arrest, the attractive detective in charge of the case is incensed that she’s interfered with his investigation. Only before Kate can make amends, she stumbles, quite literally, upon another murder entirely.

Detective Inspector Andrew Eversham is appalled that Kate is entangled in one of his cases—again. Yet when he asks her to kindly keep away, Kate offers a bargain: She’ll refrain from writing about the case—if he allows her to study his methods. Before long, Eversham can’t deny his attraction to both her beauty and brains. But with a killer lurking in the shadows, will they learn to trust their instincts, each other, and the undeniable passion that is blossoming between them before it’s too late?

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

reading update: july 2023

I don't have a cool and witty opening for this one. I read a fuck of a lot of books this month and I want to tell you about them LET'S GO

Black Water Sister (Zen Cho, 2021) - Black Water Sister has a very fun premise: a closeted lesbian and unemployed recent graduate moves back to Malaysia with her parents and is already having a bad enough time when she starts hearing the voice of her dead grandmother, who turns out to have been deeply involved in supernatural organized crime. our hapless protagonist becomes a medium against her will, and has to navigate to world of Malaysian spirits and superstition to lay her grandma to rest. unfortunately the actual style of the story wasn't more me; although definitely adult fiction, the prose is breezy in a way I affiliate strongly with YA, which is not to my personal taste but is still so hashtag valid. if you're one of the countless people trying to make that jump from YA to adult fiction and you like queer urban fantasy then Black Water Sister might be a great fit for you, although I should provide a warning for a pretty surprisingly graphic near-rape in the book's climax that really took me by surprise in a story that's otherwise pretty zany in its violence.

The Bride Test (Helen Hoang, 2019) - I think I said last month that Alexis Hall's A Lady for a Duke was the best so far of the romance-novel-every-month scheme I'm trying to pull off this year. the Bride Test has pretty swiftly displaced it; have I finally discovered the really good romance novels? (worry not; I know what I'm reading for August and my hopes are. low.) our two protagonists, Mỹ/Esme (her chosen American/English name) and Khai, are both genuinely charming and are pretty strong characters independent of each other, which cannot be said for A Lot of romance protags. despite the absolute insanity of how they met (yes, Khai's mother went to Vietnam and offered, uneducated a poor single mother a tourist visa in exchange for trying to seduce her autistic son. yes, that's shady. don't think about it too hard) and Esme waiting until WAY too late in the game to reveal the existence of HER LIVING HUMAN CHILD, I liked this book a lot. it's silly and heartfelt and I had fun; what else do you need? 5/5 eggplant emojis.

Giovanni's Room (James Baldwin, 1956) - there's probably nothing I can say about Giovanni's Room that I could say that someone smarter and gayer hasn't already said, but god. it really is breathtaking. I so often see this book talked about as a gay tragedy, and honestly that feels like almost too glib of a description. it's a really meticulous dissection of white male masculinity and the claustrophobic constraints there of, and our narrator's claustrophobic fear of divesting himself from the power that he's entitled to by virtue of being a white American man perceived as a heterosexual. this man would rather live in repressed misery for his entire life than risk being like those effeminate faggots at the gay club, but spoiler alert! being miserable doesn't make you better than your fellow fags; it just means you're miserable AND a fag. sharp and painful and so so so smart. also I'm going to summon @zaricats because I was supposed to tell you what I thought about this book. oops!

Lone Women (Victor LaValle, 2023) - okay so listen. did I just say Black Water Sister wasn't really for me because of the simplistic prose? yes. did I really enjoy the very sparse, straightforward style of Lone Women? also yes. leave me alone, I contain contradictions. anyway, Lone Women is a ripping piece of historical fiction spliced with supernatural secrets, based on LaValle's research into 19th century Black women homesteaders who made their lives in Montana. LaValle opens on a scene of irresistible intrigue - Adelaide Henry, lone woman, sets out for Montana with a mysteriously heavy trunk after burning down her family's California farm with her parents' mutilated corpses inside. and boy, does it escalate from there! it's a story about isolation and community and the people who are failed by so-called close knit small towns, and the ways in which vulnerable people band together to protect one another. it also makes the compelling point that maybe, just maybe, the real monsters were your local transphobe and her husband's lynch mob all along.

Black Disability Politics (Sami Schalk, 2022) - what a cool book! Schalk's argument begins with the idea that Black disability politics are distinct from predominantly white mainstream disability politics, and are therefore often overlooked in conversation, activism, and academia. Schalk analyzes the historical work of the Black Panthers and the National Black Women's Health Project to showcase what she describes as Black disability politics in action. in Schalk's conception, Black disability politics take a much more holistic approach to disability, conceptualizing as just one form (and, frequently, as a result of) of oppression tangled up with a myriad of others that cannot be meaningfully addressed when they're treated as separate issues. the book concludes in interviews with contemporary Black disability activists and organizers that shed light on ways in which the wider movement is often unwelcoming to folks of color, and an exhortation from Schalk for readers to continue the conversation well beyond the confines of the book. in a killer show of praxis, the entire book has been made available to read in PDF form, and I strongly recommend giving it a look!

The River of Silver (S.A. Chakraborty, 2022) - mentally I am kicking myself a little for waiting so long to read this continuation of my beloved Daevabad trilogy, because it did take me a minute to get back into the swing and mythology of the world and that did make me feel unpleasantly like I wasn't appreciating these character-focused short stories as much as I could be. but even having said that - man! fuck I love the world of Daevabad, and I adore these characters so much. getting to see them again, even briefly, was a delight, and I am once again congratulating Nahri and Ali on being the invention of heterosexual romance. (also, on a related note, but I ADORE the way Chakraborty writes her characters having crushes. they crush SO hard and it's very sweet. these books are such big drama all the way down.)

Men We Reaped (Jesmyn Ward, 2013) - an absolute powerhouse of a memoir, and devastating the whole way down. in Men We Reaped Ward attempts to make sense of a series of tragedies that befell her community when five young Black men - beginning with Ward's younger brother - died between 2000 and 2004. the word 'unflinching' is hopelessly played out, but it's difficult to figure out how to describe the head-on way Ward explores each young man's life and ultimate end and her own upbringing. the men in Ward's history - her brother, the friends she lost, her father and other male relatives - are never idealized; their demons, miseries, infidelities, addictions, and violence are placed on full display. but Ward is also insistent on displaying these men with dignity, compassion, empathy; showing them at their best and, most importantly, as men who were loved and deserved better than the violence that poverty and racism wrought on them. it's a furious memoir, one that will leave you mourning too.

Nimona (ND Stevenson, 2015) - did I only read this so I can make more informed complaints if/when I end up watching the netflix movie with my wife? YES. but listen, it wasn't JUST petty hater behavior. Nimona is just really good, and I think I got a lot more out of it this time around that I did when I first read it years ago. this comic is wild and unfettered and so spectacularly weird; I wish more things felt the way Nimona does. I also with more things starred small girls begging to kill cops and stage a violent overthrow of the government, that rules hard. also man I love Ballister, he's SUCH a good protagonist. he's curmudgeonly, he's deeply principled, he's held a grudge for years, he's paternal, he's even gay. what a guy!

[mermaidsirennikita]

Any stalking historical romance you would recommend?

A Rose at Midnight by Anne Stuart. He doesn't stalk her at first, but he DOES after she poisons him with the intent to murder him (justified) and it doesn't really let up from there. Very dark, check your TWs.

Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt. Obviously. Valentine lives in his walls spying on Bridget for like. Months. Duke of Pleasure has some heroine-on-hero stalking with Alf acting as like a vigilante and watching the Duke of Kyle. Duke of Desire has some stalking as well. All of these are on the darker side, so check your TWs.

I just finished (and loved) The Gentleman Who Loved Me by Grace Callaway. The hero is 14 years older than the heroine and knew her when she was a kid--she was very much a little sister to him, she doesn't remember him because again, she was very young. Years later, when she's an adult, he comes across her again and begins keeping a look out for her, paying off people spreading gossip about her, threatening people who want to do her wrong, following her.... NORMAL BIG BRO STUFF.

Lady Charlotte's and The Seductive Spymaster by Grace Callaway. Charlie thinks her husband's long dead, but he's very much alive and has recently started following her around and fucking up her attempts to move on (after like OVER A DECADE). Very funny, and weeeeeirdly hot.

Beyond Scandal and Desire by Lorraine Heath. It's LIGHT here, but I do think that Mick Trewlove following Aslyn around as part of his Revenge Plot (and also staring out his window broodingly while rubbing a strand of pearls she lost in a bet at his club, which he immediately took from the winner) comes off as pretty stalkerish.

Rules for a Proper Governess by Jennifer Ashley. More heroine on hero stalking! The heroine is from the gutter and becomes obsessed with the stern lawyer hero, following him around all over town.

Melissa and The Vicar by S.M. LaViolette. Magnus hunts Melissa down like a DOG when she leaves him. And it takes him weeks and he doesn't sleep well during that time so he looks like SHIT and is completely deranged. I. Love. It.

In Which Matilda Halifax Learns the Value of Restraint by Alexandra Vasti. Some light heroine on hero stalking from afar. The heroine draws the hero in some of her personal porn, which is, as we know, one of my favorite things.

Tempt Me at Twilight by Lisa Kleypas. Lmao Harry most definitely stalks Poppy everywhere and basically ruins her life to force her to marry him. Kinda king shit tbh.

Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale. GLORIOUS STALKERY. Allegreto does some mastermind.mp3 shit to get Elena in his clutches, only to realize.... she's kind of A LOT.

The Duke Who Knew Too Much by Grace Callaway. Again, some heroine on hero stalking, I think. Emma is stalking her hero to prove that he committed a murder because she saw him doing thing against his mistress's will before she died! And he has to explain what CNC is to her. Bless.

I would also say that Pippa and The Prince of Secrets has a good deal of stalkery vibes? Cull is Keeping His Eye on Pippa because she's getting into trouble and he's now like, the leader of a bunch of CHILD THIEVES LMAO. A lot of Grace's books have stalkery elements, tbh, and fortunately I do love that.

The Lady Hellion by Joanna Shupe has a heroine who dresses as a man to go fight for justice at night, and a hero who's all "NOW WAIT ONE GODDAMN MINUTE" and starts stalking her as a result. It's all fun and games until you're following some broad around through brothels at night, boys.

Never Seduce a Duke by Vivienne Lorret has a hero who becomes obsessed with the heroine and follows her on a wild goose chase across Europe because he's convinced that she stole his special secret demented Arthurian cookbook. She.... just thinks he likes her, lmao.

[qbdatabase]

Welcome, readers and writers! The theme this month is Lawless Librarians–or any other historian, archivist, book binder, or secret romance novel enthusiast 🤠 📚 👀

Full list of titles, authors, and blurbs below the cut!

The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow

YA Sci-Fi Dystopia; fat black demisexual female MC with anxiety goes on a road trip with an alien to save her illegal books

*The Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley

Adult Historical Romance; nonbinary grifter teams up with a demisexual High Society lady to rescue a priceless manuscript and decode a military cipher

The Binding by Bridget Collins

Adult Fantasy / Historical; a gay book binder who seals painful memories in the pages of his books falls in love with a Lord seeking his services

Meet Cute Club by Jack Harbon

Adult Romance; a black man with anxiety running a romance book club can’t afford to turn down new members–even his obnoxious bookstore rival

*Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman

Adult Paranormal; a Jewish vampire archivist falls in love with the genderfluid widow donating new papers, but strange things start happening within the collection …

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Robinson

YA Fantasy; a library warden guarding against magical grimoire-beasts must team up with a hated bisexual sorcerer when a monstrous book is accidentally set free

The Deep by Rivers Solomon

Adult Fantasy; an autistic mermaid must serve as the Historian for her people, the descendents of slaves tossed from ships–but instead she flees to the surface, forming a bond with a human woman

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Adult Fantasy; a gay man discovers an ancient library hidden beneath the surface of the earth …

The Library of the Unwritten by A. J. Hackwith

Adult Fantasy; a pansexual woman serving as the Head Librarian in Hell must track down a Hero who has escaped from his book in search of his Author

*Archivist Wasp by Nicole Kornher-Stace

Adult Fantasy / Sci-Fi; an aro-ace woman fights to remain the Archivist of ghosts in post-apocalyptic world, until she discovers one that can talk …

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey

Adult Western; a pansexual woman stows away in the Librarian’s book wagon to escape marriage

*titles with an asterisk have been featured as a Daily Book on my wordpress blog, and the link leads to that post

[workersolidarity]

Photo: Grigory Sysoyev/Pool/Sputnik/AFP/Getty Images

🇷🇺 RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN'S FULL SPEECH AT THE PLENARY SESSION OF THE 20TH MEETING OF THE VALDAI INTERNATIONAL DISCUSSION CLUB IN SOCHI

President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin: Participants in the plenary session, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,

I am glad to welcome you all in Sochi at the anniversary meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club. The moderator has already mentioned that this is the 20th annual meeting.

In keeping with its traditions, our, or should I say your forum, has brought together political leaders and researchers, experts and civil society activists from many countries around the world, once again reaffirming its high status as a relevant intellectual platform. The Valdai discussions invariably reflect the most important global political processes in the 21st century in their entirety and complexity. I am certain that this will also be the case today, as it probably was in the preceding days when you debated with each other. It will also stay this way moving forward because our objective is basically to build a new world. And it is at these decisive stages that you, my colleagues, have an extremely important role to play and bear special responsibility as intellectuals.

Over the years of the club’s work, both Russia and the world have seen drastic, and even dramatic, colossal changes. Twenty years is not a long period by historical standards, but during eras when the entire world order is crumbling, time seems to shrink.

I think you will agree that more events have taken place in the past 20 years than over decades in some historical periods before, and it was major changes that dictated the fundamental transformation of the very principles of international relations.

In the early 21st century, everybody hoped that states and peoples had learned the lessons of the expensive and destructive military and ideological confrontations of the previous century, saw their harmfulness and the fragility and interconnectedness of our planet, and understood that the global problems of humanity call for joint action and the search for collective solutions, while egotism, arrogance and disregard for real challenges would inevitably lead to a dead-end, just like the attempts by more powerful countries to force their opinions and interests onto everyone else. This should have become obvious to everyone. It should have, but it has not. It has not.

When we met for the first time at the club’s meeting nearly 20 years ago, our country was entering a new stage in its development. Russia was emerging from an extremely difficult period of convalescence after the Soviet Union’s dissolution. We launched the process of building a new and what we saw as a more just world order energetically and with good will. It is a boon that our country can make a huge contribution because we have things to offer to our friends, partners and the world as a whole.

Regrettably, our interest in constructive interaction was misunderstood, was seen as obedience, as an agreement that the new world order would be created by those who declared themselves the winners in the Cold War. It was seen as an admission that Russia was ready to follow in others’ wake and not to be guided by our own national interests but by somebody else’s interests.

Over these years, we warned more than once that this approach would not only lead to a dead-end but that it was fraught with the increasing threat of a military conflict. But nobody listened to us or wanted to listen to us. The arrogance of our so-called partners in the West went through the roof. This is the only way I can put it.

The United States and its satellites have taken a steady course towards hegemony in military affairs, politics, the economy, culture and even morals and values. Since the very beginning, it has been clear to us that attempts to establish a monopoly were doomed to fail. The world is too complicated and diverse to be subjected to one system, even if it is backed by the enormous power of the West accumulated over centuries of its colonial policy. Your colleagues as well – many of them are absent today, but they do not deny that to a significant degree, the prosperity of the West has been achieved by robbing colonies for several centuries. This is a fact. Essentially, this level of development has been achieved by robbing the entire planet.

The history of the West is essentially the chronicle of endless expansion. Western influence in the world is an immense military and financial pyramid scheme that constantly needs more “fuel” to support itself, with natural, technological and human resources that belong to others. This is why the West simply cannot and is not going to stop. Our arguments, reasoning, calls for common sense or proposals have simply been ignored.

I have said this publicly to both our allies and partners. There was a moment when I simply suggested: perhaps we should also join NATO? But no, NATO does not need a country like ours. No. I want to know, what else do they need? We thought we became part of the crowd, got a foot in the door. What else were we supposed to do? There was no more ideological confrontation. What was the problem? I guess the problem was their geopolitical interests and arrogance towards others. Their self-aggrandisement was and is the problem.

We are compelled to respond to ever-increasing military and political pressure. I have said many times that it was not us who started the so-called “war in Ukraine.” On the contrary, we are trying to end it. It was not us who orchestrated a coup in Kiev in 2014 – a bloody and anti-constitutional coup. When [similar events] happen in other places, we immediately hear all the international media – mainly those subordinate to the Anglo-Saxon world, of course – this is unacceptable, this is impossible, this is anti-democratic. But the coup in Kiev was acceptable. They even cited the amount of money spent on this coup. Anything was suddenly acceptable.

At that time, Russia tried its best to support the people of Crimea and Sevastopol. We did not try to overthrow the government or intimidate the people in Crimea and Sevastopol, threatening them with ethnic cleansing in the Nazi spirit. It was not us who tried to force Donbass to obey by shelling and bombing. We did not threaten to kill anyone who wanted to speak their native language. Look, everyone here is an informed and educated person. It might be possible – excuse my ‘mauvais ton’ – to brainwash millions of people who perceive reality through the media. But you must know what was really going on: they have been bombing the place for nine years, shooting and using tanks. That was a war, a real war unleashed against Donbass. And no one counted the dead children in Donbass. No one cried for the dead in other countries, especially in the West.

This war, the one that the regime sitting in Kiev started with the vigorous and direct support from the West, has been going on for more than nine years, and Russia’s special military operation is aimed at stopping it. And it reminds us that unilateral steps, no matter who takes them, will inevitably prompt retaliation. As we know, every action has an equal opposite reaction. That is what any responsible state, every sovereign, independent and self-respecting country does.

Everyone realises that in an international system where arbitrariness reigns, where all decision-making is up to those who think they are exceptional, sinless and right, any country can be attacked simply because it is disliked by a hegemon, who has lost any sense of proportion – and I would add, any sense of reality.

Unfortunately, we have to admit that our counterparties in the West have lost their sense of reality and have crossed every line. They really should not have done this.

The Ukraine crisis is not a territorial conflict, and I want to make that clear. Russia is the world’s largest country in terms of land area, and we have no interest in conquering additional territory. We still have much to do to properly develop Siberia, Eastern Siberia, and the Russian Far East. This is not a territorial conflict and not an attempt to establish regional geopolitical balance. The issue is much broader and more fundamental and is about the principles underlying the new international order.

Lasting peace will only be possible when everyone feels safe and secure, understands that their opinions are respected, and that there is a balance in the world where no one can unilaterally force or compel others to live or behave as a hegemon pleases even when it contradicts the sovereignty, genuine interests, traditions, or customs of peoples and countries. In such an arrangement, the very concept of sovereignty is simply denied and, sorry, is thrown in the garbage.

Clearly, commitment to bloc-based approaches and the push to drive the world into a situation of ongoing “us versus them” confrontation is a bad legacy of the 20th century. It is a product of Western political culture, at least of its most aggressive manifestations. To reiterate, the West – at least a certain part of the West, the elite – always need an enemy. They need an enemy to justify the need for military action and expansion. But they also need an enemy to maintain internal control within a certain system of this very hegemon and within blocs like NATO or other military-political blocs. There must be an enemy so everyone can rally around the “leader.”

The way other states run their lives is none of our business. However, we see how the ruling elite in many of them are forcing societies to accept norms and rules that the people – or at least a significant number of people and even the majority in some countries – are unwilling to embrace. But they are still urged to do so, with the authorities continually inventing justifications for their actions, attributing growing internal problems to external causes, and fabricating or exaggerating non-existent threats.

Russia is a favourite subject for these politickers. We have grown used to this over the course of history, of course. But they try to portray those who are not willing to blindly follow these Western elite groups as enemies. They have used this approach with various countries, including the People’s Republic of China, and they tried to do this to India in certain situations. They are flirting with it now, as we can see very clearly. We are aware of and see the scenarios they are using in Asia. I would like to say that the Indian leadership is independent and strongly nationally oriented. I think these attempts are pointless, yet they continue with them. They try to portray the Arab world as an enemy; they do it selectively and try to act accurately, but this is what it comes down to. They even try to present Muslims as a hostile environment, and so on and so forth. In fact, anyone who acts independently and in its own interests is immediately seen by the Western elite as a hindrance that must be removed.

Artificial geopolitical associations are being forced onto the world, and restricted-access blocs are being created. We see this happening in Europe, where an aggressive policy of NATO expansion has been pursued for decades, in the Asia-Pacific region and in South Asia, where they are trying to destroy an open and inclusive cooperation architecture. A bloc-based approach, if we call a spade a spade, limits individual states’ rights and restricts their freedom to develop along their own path, attempting to drive them into a “cage” of obligations. In a way, this obviously amounts to the dispossession of part of their sovereignty, often followed by the enforcement of their own solutions not only in the area of security but also in other areas, primarily the economy, which is happening now in relations between the United States and Europe. There is no need to explain this now. If necessary, we can talk about it in detail during the discussion after my opening remarks.

To attain these goals, they try to replace international law with a “rules-based order,” whatever that means. It is not clear what rules these are and who invented them. It is just rubbish, but they are trying to plant this idea in the minds of millions of people. “You must live according to the rules.” What rules?

And actually, if I may, our Western “colleagues,” especially those from the United States, don’t just arbitrarily set these rules, they teach others how to follow them, and how others should behave overall. All of this is done and expressed in a blatantly ill-mannered and pushy way. This is another manifestation of colonial mentality. All the time we hear, “you must,” “you are obligated,” “we are seriously warning you.”

Who are you to do that? What right do you have to warn others? This is just amazing. Maybe those who say all this should get rid of their arrogance and stop behaving in such a way towards the global community that perfectly knows its objectives and interests, and should drop this colonial-era thinking? I want to tell them sometimes: wake up, this era has long gone and will never return.

I will say more: for centuries, such behavior led to the replication of one thing – big wars, with various ideological and quasi-moral justifications invented to justify these wars. Today this is especially dangerous. As you know, humankind has the means to easily destroy the whole planet, and ongoing mind manipulation, unbelievable in terms of scale, leads to losing a sense of reality. Clearly, a way out should be sought from this vicious circle. As I understand it, friends and colleagues, this is why you come here to address these vital issues at the Valdai Club venue.

In Russia’s Foreign Policy Concept, our country is characterised as an original civilisation-state. This wording clearly and concisely reflects how we understand not only our own development, but also the main principles of international order, which we hope will prevail.

From our perspective, civilisation is a multifaceted concept subject to various interpretations. There was once an outwardly colonial interpretation whereby there was a “civilised world” serving as a model for the rest, and everyone was supposed to conform to those standards. Those who disagreed were to be coerced into this “civilisation” by the truncheon of the “enlightened” master. These times, as I said, are now in the past, and our understanding of civilisation is quite different.

First, there are many civilisations, and none is superior or inferior to another. They are equal since each civilisation represents a unique expression of its own culture, traditions, and the aspirations of its people. For instance, in my case, it embodies the aspirations of my people, of which I am fortunate to be a part.

Outstanding thinkers from around the world who endorse the concept of a civilisation-based approach have engaged in profound contemplation of the meaning of “civilisation” as a concept. It is a complex phenomenon comprised of many components. Without delving too deeply into philosophy, which may not be appropriate here, let’s try to describe it pragmatically as it applies to current developments.

The essential characteristics of a civilisation-state encompass diversity and self-sufficiency, which, I believe, are two key components. Today’s world rejects uniformity, and each state and society strives to develop its own path of development which is rooted in culture and traditions, and is steeped in geography and historical experiences, both ancient and modern, as well as the values held by its people. This is an intricate synthesis that gives rise to a distinct civilisational community. Its strength and progress depend on its diversity and multifaceted nature.

Russia has been shaped over centuries as a nation of diverse cultures, religions, and ethnicities. The Russian civilisation cannot be reduced to a single common denominator, but it cannot be divided, either, because it thrives as a single spiritually and culturally rich entity. Maintaining the cohesive unity of such a nation is a formidable challenge.

We have faced severe challenges throughout the centuries; we have always pulled through, sometimes at great cost, but each time we learned our lessons for the future, strengthening our national unity and the integrity of the Russian state.

This experience we have gained is truly invaluable today. The world is becoming increasingly diverse, and its complex processes can no longer be handled with simple governance methods, painting everyone with the same brush, as we say, which is something certain states are still trying to do.

There is something important to add to this. A truly effective and strong state system cannot be imposed from the outside. It grows naturally from the civilisational roots of countries and peoples, and in this regard, Russia is an example of how it really happens in life, in practice.

Relying on your civilisation is a necessary condition for success in the modern world, unfortunately a disorderly and dangerous world that has lost its bearings. More and more states are coming to this conclusion, becoming aware of their own interests and needs, opportunities and limitations, their own identity and degree of interconnectedness with the world around them.

I am confident that humanity is not moving towards fragmentation into rivaling segments, a new confrontation of blocs, whatever their motives, or a soulless universalism of a new globalisation. On the contrary, the world is on its way to a synergy of civilisation-states, large spaces, communities identifying as such.

At the same time, civilisation is not a universal construct, one for all – there is no such thing. Each civilisation is different, each is culturally self-sufficient, drawing on its own history and traditions for ideological principles and values. Respecting oneself naturally comes from respecting others, but it also implies respect from others. That is why a civilisation does not impose anything on anyone, but does not allow anything to be imposed on itself either. If everyone lives by this rule, we can live in harmonious coexistence and in creative interaction between everyone in international relations.

Of course, protecting your civilisational choice is a huge responsibility. It’s a response to external infringements, the development of close and constructive relationships with other civilisations and, most importantly, the maintenance of internal stability and harmony. All of us can see that today the international environment is, regrettably, unstable and quite aggressive, as I pointed out.

Here is one more essential thing: nobody should betray their civilisation. This is the path towards universal chaos; it is unnatural and, I would say, disgusting. For our part, we have always tried and continue to try to offer solutions that consider the interests of all sides. But our counterparts in the West seem to have forgotten the notions of reasonable self-restraint, compromise and a willingness to make concessions in the name of attaining a result that will suit all sides. No, they are literally fixated on only one goal: to push through their interests, here and now, and do it at any cost. If this is their choice, we will see what comes of it.

It sounds like a paradox, but the situation could change tomorrow, which is a problem. For example, regular elections can lead to changes on the domestic political stage. Today a country can insist on doing something at any cost, but its domestic political situation could change tomorrow, and they will start pushing through a different and sometimes even the opposite idea.

A standout example is Iran’s nuclear programme. A US administration pushed through a solution, but the succeeding administration turned the matter the other way around. How can one work in these conditions? What are the guidelines? What can we rely on? Where are the guarantees? Are these the “rules” they are telling us about? This is nonsense and absurd.

Why is this happening, and why does everybody seem comfortable with it? The answer is that strategic thinking has been replaced with the short-term mercenary interests of not even countries or nations, but the succeeding groups of influence. This explains the unbelievable, if judged in Cold War terms, irresponsibility of the political elite groups, which have shed all fear and shame and think of themselves as guiltless.

The civilisational approach confronts these trends because it is based on the fundamental, long-term interests of states and peoples, interests that are dictated not by the current ideological situation, but by the entire historical experience and legacy of the past, on which the idea of a harmonious future rests.

If everyone were guided by this, there would be far fewer conflicts in the world, I believe, and the approaches to resolving them would become much more rational, because all civilisations would respect each other, as I said, and would not try to change anyone based on their own notions.

Friends, I read with interest the report prepared by the Valdai Club for today’s meeting. It says that everyone is currently striving to understand and imagine a vision of the future. This is natural and understandable, especially for intellectual circles. In an era of radical change, when the world we’re used to is crumbling, it is very important to understand where we are heading and where we want to be. And, of course, the future is being created now, not only before our eyes, but by our own hands.

Naturally, when such massive, extremely complex processes are underway, it is hard or even impossible to predict the result. Regardless of what we do, life will make adjustments. But, at any rate, we need to realise what we are striving for, what we want to achieve. In Russia, there is such an understanding.

First. We want to live in an open, interconnected world, where no one will ever try to put artificial barriers in the way of people’s communication, their creative fulfilment and prosperity. We need to strive to create an obstacle-free environment.

Second. We want the world’s diversity to be preserved and serve as the foundation for universal development. It should be prohibited to impose on any country or people how they should live and how they should feel. Only true cultural and civilisational diversity will ensure peoples’ wellbeing and a balance of interests.

Third, Russia stands for maximum representation. No one has the right or ability to rule the world for others and on behalf of others. The world of the future is a world of collective decisions made at the levels where they are most effective, and by those who are truly capable of making a significant contribution to resolving a specific problem. It is not that one person decides for everyone, and not even everyone decides everything, but those who are directly affected by this or that issue must agree on what to do and how to do it.

Fourth, Russia stands for universal security and lasting peace built on respect for the interests of everyone: from large countries to small ones. The main thing is to free international relations from the bloc approach and the legacy of the colonial era and the Cold War. We have been saying for decades that security is indivisible, and that it is impossible to ensure the security of some at the expense of the security of others. Indeed, harmony in this area can be achieved. You just need to put aside haughtiness and arrogance and stop looking at others as second-class partners or outcasts or savages.

Fifth, we stand for justice for all. The era of exploitation, as I said twice, is in the past. Countries and peoples are clearly aware of their interests and capabilities and are ready to rely on themselves; and this increases their strength. Everyone should be given access to the benefits of today’s world, and attempts to limit it for any country or people should be considered an act of aggression.

Sixth, we stand for equality, for the diverse potential of all countries. This is a completely objective factor. But no less objective is the fact that no one is ready to take orders anymore or make their interests and needs dependent on anyone, above all on the rich and more powerful.

This is not just the natural state of the international community, but the quintessence of all of humankind’s historical experience.

These are the principles that we would like to follow and that we invite all of our friends and colleagues to join.

Colleagues!

Russia was, is and will be one of the foundations of this new world system, ready for constructive interaction with everyone who strives for peace and prosperity, but ready for tough opposition against those who profess the principles of dictatorship and violence. We believe that pragmatism and common sense will prevail, and a multipolar world will be established.

In conclusion, I would like to thank the forum’s organisers for your fundamental and qualified preparations, as always, as well as thank everyone at this anniversary meeting for your attention.

Thank you very much.

#source

[whimsicaldragonette]

Blog Tour & Arc Review: The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman

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Publication Date: May 30, 2023

Welcome to the Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies book tour with Berkley Publishing Group. (This blog tour post is also posted on my Wordpress book review blog Whimsical Dragonette.)

Synopsis:

A high society amateur detective at the heart of Regency London uses her wits and invisibility as an ‘old maid’ to protect other women in a new and fiercely feminist historical mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman. Lady Augusta Colebrook, “Gus,” is determinedly unmarried, bored by society life, and tired of being dismissed at the age of forty-two. She and her twin sister, Julia, who is grieving her dead betrothed, need a distraction. One soon presents to rescue their friend’s goddaughter, Caroline, from her violent husband.   The sisters set out to Caroline’s country estate with a plan, but their carriage is accosted by a highwayman. In the scuffle, Gus accidentally shoots and injures the ruffian, only to discover he is Lord Evan Belford, an acquaintance from their past who was charged with murder and exiled to Australia twenty years ago. What follows is a high adventure full of danger, clever improvisation, heart-racing near misses, and a little help from a revived and rather charming Lord Evan. Back in London, Gus can’t stop thinking about her unlikely (not to mention handsome) comrade-in-arms. She is convinced Lord Evan was falsely accused of murder, and she is going to prove it. She persuades Julia to join her in a quest to help Lord Evan, and others in need—society be damned! And so begins the beguiling secret life and adventures of the Colebrook twins.

Author Bio:

Alison Goodman is the New York Times bestselling author of Eon and Eona and The Dark Days Club series. Learn more online at www.alisongoodman.com.au/

Author photo credit: Tania Jovanovic

My Rating: ★★★★★

*My Review, Favorite Quotes, and Non-Exclusive Excerpt below the cut.

My Review:

This was utterly delightful. I love a good regency adventure, especially with a feminist bent and a woman who defies societal norms to solve crimes and right wrongs. What I did not realize I was missing, however, was for said society-norm-defying-women to be a pair of 42-year-old spinster sisters. It was delicious. I was immediately struck, upon starting, with how familiar the storytelling felt and how appropriate it seemed for someone setting out to solve mysteries. It reminds me of the Sherlock Holmes stories with the first-person narration of Dr. Watson. In this case we have the first-person narration of Lady Augusta Colebrook, using a similar dry and slightly amused tone. It also reminds me of the narration of the Enola Holmes novels (which are likely based on those about Sherlock). I like that the mysteries Lady Augusta elects to solve and the crimes she seeks to address all involve women being wronged, from the initial retrieval of a packet of incriminating letters to the final adventure of rescuing the inhabitants of a brutal madhouse. Each is a step farther along the path and take her a step away from the 'neither seen nor heard' proper lady her brother wishes to force her to be. Her relationship with her sister was wonderful (despite the less-than-likely entire conversations held entirely in gestures -- alongside the multi-sentence exchanges those gestures are purported to represent). Lady Julia is suffering from breast cancer (a disease which killed their mother and aunt) and is much more concerned with propriety than her sister, but she gamely shows up for Gus again and again, lending her skills to their rescue attempts and occasionally threatening the villains at gunpoint. The love and trust between the sisters really shines. The disgraced Lord Evan - escaped convict, horse thief, and charming rogue - makes a wonderful partner in crime for Gus and it quickly becomes clear that he is her perfect match. I loved seeing them work together from the beginning and how their schemes grew more complicated each time but often relied on standing together and winging it moment to moment. The villains in this are truly villainous and the misogyny and brutality against women of all ages and statuses are hard to stomach. From brothel to madhouse, the many, many ways that men have invented to be cruel to women are on display. It is hard to read in places and each encounter stokes Gus' (and the reader's) righteous fury. Things worked out just a little too easily in some of the later more complicated schemes, but never enough that it took me out of the story. I'm glad that Julia gets a love interest by the end and doesn't have to sink back into mourning for her deceased fiance forever, and greatly enjoyed how that happened and how Julia seems much more in control of the situation. I can't wait for more of Gus and Julia and Lord Evan and Kent. It's clear by the end of this that their story is only beginning which makes me very happy what with how much I enjoyed this one. *Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an early copy for review.

Favorite Quotes:

“Is he truly senseless? Can we be sure?” It occurred to me that I had been checking people’s vitals far too often in the past few hours.

---

“So, finis,” I said as the front door closed. “Not at all,” Julia said. “He will be back.” “What makes you think that?” She smiled. “Because he did not need to come this time.”

Non-Exclusive Excerpt:

"We should have worn half boots," I said. "I can feel every pebble through my slippers." "One cannot wear half boots with full dress," Julia said firmly. "Even in circumstances of duress." I stifled a smile. My sister's sense of style and occasion was always impeccable, and rather too easy to poke. Julia glanced sideways at me. "Oh, very funny. Next you'll be suggesting we wear unmentionables." "If only we could," I said. "Breeches would be far more convenient than silk gowns." "How would you know?" Julia demanded. "Heavens, Gus, you haven't actually donned Father's clothing, have you?" She knew I had kept some of our father's clothes after his death; he and I had been much the same height and wiry build. By all rights, the clothes belonged to our brother on his succession to the title-as all our father's property did-but I had taken them, anyway. A connection to him and a memento mori of sorts. "Of course not. I am only surmising." Julia settled back against my arm. "To even try them would be ghoulish." She nudged me gently and angled her sweet smile up at me. "Even so, you would look rather dashing in, say, a hussars uniform. You have the commanding height for it, and the gold trim would match your hair." I snorted. Julia was, as ever, being too loyal. My brown hair did not even approach gold-in fact, it now had streaks of silver-and my five foot nine inches had so far in my life proved to be more awkward than commanding. She, on the other hand, had been blessed with the Colebrook chestnut hair, as yet untouched by age, and stood at a more dainty five foot two inches. When we were children I had once cried because we were not identical. Our father had taken me aside and told me that he found such duplications unsettling and he was well satisfied with his two mismatched girls. He had been a good father and a better man. Yet in the eyes of society, his sordid death atop a rookery whore five years ago had become the sum of him. It had nearly tainted my sister and me, too, for I had recklessly gone to the hovel to retrieve my father-I could not bear to think of his body gawped at by the masses, or as a source of their sport. As fate would have it, I was seen at the brothel. An unmarried woman of breeding should not even know about such places, let alone debase herself by entering one and speaking to the inhabitants. I became the latest on-dit and it was only the staunch support of our most influential friends that silenced the scandalmongers and returned us to the invitation lists. A small group of middlings-the women with shawls clasped over dimity gowns and the men in belcher neckerchiefs and sober wools-clustered around a singer at the side of the path. The woman's plaintive ballad turned Julia's head as we passed. "'The Fairy Song,'" she said. "One of Robert's favorites." I quickened our pace past the memory; fate seemed to be conspiring against me. We attracted a few glances as we walked toward the gloomy entrance to the Dark Walk, mainly from women on the arms of their spouses, their thoughts in the tight pinch of their mouths. "Maybe we should have brought Samuel and Albert," Julia whispered. She had seen the matronly judgment too. "Charlotte does not want our footmen knowing her business," I said. "Besides, we are not quivering girls in our first season. We do not need to be chaperoned all the time." "Do you remember the code we girls made up to warn each other about the men in our circle?" Julia asked. "The code based on these gardens." "Vaguely." I searched my memory. "Let me see: a Grand Walk was a pompous bore, a Supper Box was a fortune hunter . . ." "And a Dark Walk was the reddest of red flags," Julia said. "Totally untrustworthy, never be alone with him. It was based on all those awful attacks that happened in the Dark Walk at the time. Do you recall?" I did-respectable young girls pulled off the path and assaulted in the worst way. "That was more than twenty years ago, my dear. We are women of forty-two now, well able to look after ourselves." "That is not what Duffy would say."

Indeed, our brother, the Earl of Duffield, would be horrified to know we had gone to Vauxhall Gardens on our own, let alone braved the lewd reputation of the Dark Walk. "Duffy would have us forever hunched over embroidery or taking tea with every mama who saw her daughter as the new Lady Duffield." "True," Julia said, "but you are so vehement only because you know this is beyond the pale. Not to mention dangerous." I did not meet her eye. My sister knew me too well. "Well, we are here, anyway," I said, indicating the Dark Walk to our right. Huge gnarly oaks lined either side of the path, their overhanging branches almost meeting in the middle to make a shadowy tunnel of foliage. One lamp lit the entrance but I could see no other light farther along the path. Nor any other person. "It lives up to its name," Julia said. We both considered its impenetrable depths. "Should we do as Duffy would want and turn back?" I asked. "I'd rather wear dimity to the opera," Julia said and pulled me onward. I knew my sister just as well as she knew me.

---

Excerpted from The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman Copyright © 2023 by Alison Goodman. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

[sometimesrosy]

Do you want to share some titles of your historical romance?

Some of the books I love? Sure. I'll try. I'm not great with names and titles (they start blending together imo), but these historical romances often go in series anyway.

So lets say you saw Bridgerton and loved it and wanted more. Definitely read Julia Quinn. I thought the first season was a good adaptation of The Duke and I, but there was no reason to add that awful sister-love triangle. The book was funnier, more romantic and less soapy. Although the casting is amazing. I like all eight of the books but the third (which they are skipping out of order for some reason) is actually my least favorite. Cinderella story but just a bit boring imo.

My first reintroduction to Historical (I read A Rose in Winter by Kathleen E Woodiwiss as comfort reading when I was a teen. It's old fashioned by our standards) was Lisa Kleypas, particularly the Wallflower series (Devil in Winter is famous [maybe infamous]) The Hathaways, and the Ravenels, which is still going. They all share characters and a universe but the Ravenels is the next generation.

Tessa Dare is more of a romcom vibe and her books tend to be a little lighter. Spindle Cove is about a little resort village full of spinsters, bluestockings and scandalized ladies. (A Week to be Wicked is on everyone's favorite list.) Also Girl Meets Duke and Castles Ever After series. Tessa hasn't put out a book since the quarantine so we're still waiting for the next Girl Meets Duke.

Courtney Milan is also a favorite. She's half Chinese and an ex lawyer and famously shut down the Romance Writers Association for racism the month before the quarantine. She's very active on twitter. I loved the Brother's Sinister (especially Countess Conspiracy and Suffragette Scandal) and... oh look I haven't read the other series but I did read two other books.The Devil Comes Courting, set in China with a Chinese engineer heroine and The Duke Who Didn't, with a half Chinese duke and a Chinese woman living in a little village full of immigrants.

Oh. Right now my historical romance book club is doing a season of Cat Sebastian, who mostly writes queer romances. Not mostly. She writes queer romances. Even her m/f pairings are queer. Bisexual, non binary, asexual, etc. A good portion of them are MLM and some are WLW. One of my favorites so far was Unmasked by the Marquess, where a house maid dresses as her charge's dead brother so she can get her a good marriage and ooops. Falls in love with the pan marquess.

You know. I could literally go on and on with this. So let me just end with some authors. I'll mark if they're on kindle unlimited so you can try them out without $$$)

Lorraine Heath

Elisa Braden (kindle unlimited)

SM LaViolette aka Minerva Spencer (kindle unlimited)

Eloisa James

Beverly Jenkins (Ms. Bev, she writes Black american stories)

Joanna Shupe (she mostly write Gilded Age american stories set in NYC)

Mary Balogh (not quite as spicy, lots of trauma healing, welsh)

Stacy Reid (kindle unlimited and hit or miss for me but I loved her latest The Wolf and the Wildflower [tarzan H+h who dresses as a man to be a psychiatrist it's bonkers]) Stacy is black but her characters are mainly white.

Sarah MacLean

Kerrigan Byrne (kindle unlimited)

I hope that helps. :)

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (4-10 Jun 2023)

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

🙂 i've been having a horrible time pulling myself together (deadratz) - steddie, 74K - angsty getting together fic

🥰 Red Queen to Overwatch (BootsnBlossoms, Kryptaria) - excellent 00Q AU - Bond moves in across the hall from freelance tech genius Q but Q think his oldest brother Mycroft might be a problem…

😊👂‍ Rotten To The Core (Lady Hardcastle Mysteries #8) (T.E. Kinsey, author; Elizabeth Knowelden, narrator) - back at it again with Emily & Flo in this cozy mystery series

🥰 A Man of Good Fortune (softestpunk) - 43K, Dreamling regency omegaverse AU - absolutely delightful, warm and fluffy; great worldbuilding

😊 Baby, You're the End of June (Oh_i_swear & thiccbuckybarnes, author; britbrit99, artist) - 155K, stucky no powers omegaverse mpreg - quite enjoyable, loved the very slow burn - great embroidery art!

🥰👂‍ We Could Be So Good (Cat Sebastian, author; Joel Leslie, narrator) - imma just quote TJ Alexander's review bc they're a great writer and better than me with words: "It's late 1950s New York City, and two reporters for a liberal pinko newspaper are falling in love with each other. Nick and Andy are exquisite. The vibes are immaculate. And for those of us who are wary of reading about queer historicals because we’ve all read That Type of Story Where Things End Terribly: this is not that. And thank fuck." Cat continues her incredible streak of 'low angst, mostly vibes' which I absolutely adore.

😍 Paper Things (saltandanchor) - 73K, Inception Pretty Woman AU - the PW is really just the initial set up for this incredible fic, loved loved loved it even tho I know nothing about inception except that JGL & TH had insane chemistry [this fic was begun 10.5 years ago and the author recently finished it after an 8 yr hiatus!!!! so never give up hope!]

💖💖 +108K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

(Baby, Baby) Can't You Hear My Heart Beat? (E_Greer) - Ted Lasso: Keeley/Roy/Jamie, 37K - my fave tag for this story: "author's shameless adoration of cranky older partners"

your blood is my territory (saltandanchor) - Shameless (US): Ian/Mickey, 10K - canon-divergent (i think) AU where Ian dances in a club and Mickey won't look at him - I don't think I watched Shameless past s3 but this felt very true to their characters

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Hot Ones - LL COOL J - this was possibly my fave Hot Ones ever

Hot Ones - Jenna Ortega

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

Re: Dracula - June 5: Simple Seriousness

Into It - While Writers Strike, Special Effects Artists Try To Unionize

Vibe Check - Welcome to Club Renaissance

Culture Gabfest Plus - The Spider-Verse Proliferates

⭐99% Invisible #539 - Courtroom Sketch

The Waves Plus - Finding Love Without Romance

⭐Sidedoor - Recording the World

⭐Outward Plus - Pride Special: Is “I Do” Best for You?

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Fairy Castle

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Temple of Pythons

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Frozen Dead Guy

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Tabor Opera House

Re: Dracula - Bonus 3: Antisemitism and the Gothic

Twenty Thousand Hertz+ - Seventh-Inning Stretch

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

Alive: 2007 (Live) [Daft Punk] {2007}

Random Access Memories [Daft Punk] {2013}

Presenting The Prodigy

Nitzer Ebb

Sister Machine Gun

Electronic Radio • 2000s

My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult Radio • Party

Sneaker Pimps Radio • Chill

My Mix #5 [Duran Duran, ELO, etc]

The Age Of Pleasure [Janelle Monáe] {2023} - I just put this album on repeat all day long from 7:30 to 17:30

Save Ferris

Tomorrow Never Comes [Rancid] {2023}

Rancid

[hydralisk98]

Why we celebrate Halloween / Samhain like a silly parade of costumes and candy trickery

Hey fellow nerts, guess what time it is?

It’s "Helluva Boss" talkshow time on here, the thing you were awaiting for by far it seems. Sorry for the delays.

Anyway, you may need some context here:

I commissioned a Etsy email letter impersonating Stolas (real or fake correlation, at this point I don’t care.) to provide some comfort reading to myself, my family, my friends and you online observers over my passions.

And from said letter he asked a interesting question worth researching over. About the why / how we came to celebrate this Holiday like a silly pride parade with candies & costumes.

So here I am diving into such a response out of my genuine curiosity and care of all free-will gifted sapients. (not kidding over that monster club attitude)

As for most things we humans did and do in this reality, it comes down to historical traditions, games/questions and the overall social & playful core vibe of Homo Sapiens Sapiens as a species. (for most of such anyway, and no the constant is not that directly "Love" you hopeful romantics, that will be worth talking about another day...)

Turns out if I am to add to Halloween with insight from the contemporary relevance of such celebrations in the last century or so, it is a twisted way (derived from Celtic Samhain and other iron age traditions) from our ancestors to celebrate the dead, deter nefarious Hell's entities (or rather agents as I like to call each individual with free will and a sole body) from making Faustian / Mephistophelian bargains / pacts (you are doing fine enough Stolas, not everybody here are worth catering to...) or animistic tricking to encourage the respect of social etiquette guidelines (which is also worth pointing that it serves some axial age safety purposes too and ain't exclusively a anti-demons matter).

And as far as why I still decide myself to attempt disguising myself into the custom dark academia studious demon lady dress-up of my very own for this year's edition of Halloween? Well, first the Helluva Boss YouTube cartoon show trend obviously, the last few generations of young adults (mostly Gen Z but could apply to Millenials and the generation in between both to which I belong) overall tinkering alot with cultural prejudices as to celebrate pride in novel ways due to how radically right-wing and Wilsonistic-ally Fascist the status quo in the West became as of the last decade to fail at discourage deviation amongst more matters... But also because I do like to show my sympathies to other sapient phenotypes and make advantage of mundane plane's life on my very own terms (but not insulting others ofc) as well as the spiritual autistic transfeminine human I am.

Hopefully you all get a better glimpse at the human biases we have and to Stolas specifically I hope that is a enjoyable read with pertinent trivia information about this reality's human culture.

As for Octavia, I will be happy to provide her the safe-space she needs as we both learn and exercice the esoteric arts in a relatively remote rural environment. Caring is sharing and I am sure a constructive relationship is best for all parties involved here, no matter what specific reality we inhabit. Also applies for whoever polite enough to respect that mutual agreement.

The actual letter written from Etsy store indie seller "LettersFromTheWeb" at ( https://www.etsy.com/ca-fr/shop/LettersFromTheWeb ) if you are wondering:

Until we meet (again? Maybe in the flesh and bones perhaps?), farewell to you all and hoping that things get better for all of us.

[oblivionsdream]

2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 15, 19

2. top 5 books of all time?

Starting with a really hard one. It’s so tough to narrow it down to only five but here’s my current choices 😅

-Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (this was one of my favorites for YEARS. The angst is just top tier)

-I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga (still my lived goal to make more people read this book)

-The House In the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (this book is just like a warm hug and makes me happy)

-All for the Game by Nora Sakavic (I cannot pick a specific book from the series so it’s all going)

-The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (I just love them so much and have so much nostalgia for this series)

5. where do you buy books?

I buy the majority of my books second hand- at my local used book store, thift shops, Thrift Books, or ebay though if I buy them new its Books-A-Million or Amazon

6. what books have you read in the last month?

-The Husky and His White Cat Shizun

-The Alchemy of Moonlight by David Ferraro

-Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

and I’m currently reading From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

8. what is the first book you remember reading yourself?

Probably those Dick and Jane books that help kids learn to read

10. do you have a guilty fav?

All for the Game (this series is far from perfect but I love it so much)

15.recommend and review a book.

-A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall! My usually go to book rec is I Hunt Killers but I’ve already mentioned it so I wanted to give some love to a book I adored last year. It’s a historical romance featuring a trans woman who gets reunited with a childhood friend who had believed her dead for a few years. It’s both so emotional and so sweet and wholesome and just made me so happy.

19. most disliked popular books?

-ACOTAR (I have come to loathe this series for various reasons)

-A Curse So Dark and Lonely

-Also not really a fan of Colleen Hoover