#Lore Olympus Season 1 Review

[afabstract]

Lore Olympus Season 1 Review

Hades, the Greek God of the underworld, falls for Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, but doubts if someone as young, beautiful, and vibrant as her would want to be his queen. Rachel Smythe's "Lore Olympus" reinterprets their romance in a modern context.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4 out of 5. Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram) Greek Gods and legends are all about war, violence, love, hate, lust, curses, vengeance, incest, betrayal and a whole lot of not so pleasant themes. So, Rachel Smythe in her webtoon “Lore Olympus”, takes those larger-than-life tales about Gods, Goddesses, Nymphs, Monster and humans, wraps them up in colorful-cute dreamy…

[godsofhumanity]

Opinions on lore Olympus ?

i've only read season 1 of Lore Olympus. you might be interested in reading my review here.

i gave it a 5/10. from what i can remember, my biggest grievance was the characterisation of Persephone. i felt she was quite an unlikeable protagonist. i wasn't rooting for her, but as the protag, i should have been compelled to. Hades was alright i think. a bit of an emo, but that's ok, it suited the storyline.

i didn't like the art style, but i did like the colour palettes! i thought it was cute how all the characters had their own colour.

ultimately, i thought it was just so and so. i wouldn't read it again, but im not sure that it deserved all the hate it gets. it's just one person's interpretation of the myth at the end of the day.

speaking of LO. i've seen recently a redo of the comic? except the art is a lot cleaner, and i think the storyline has been modified. i see it reblogged by people who use the "anti-LO" tag a lot, which led me to believe that this project is a redo of LO not affiliated with the original author. which is interesting to me.. does Smythe know about this project? what's the deal with it? i couldn't really find much about it but hrmmm... if anyone has more info, lmk!

[cupids-chronicles]

Hades X Persephone Saga: A Touch of Darkness #1

Author: Scarlett St. Clair

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Mythology

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5.

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶

Goodreads rating: 3.8/5

Pages: ‎‎400

Published: 23 May 2019

A Touch of Darkness Review

Note: This book is intended for mature audiences over the age of 18 due to explicit content (steamy chapters).

Ah, Greek gods! The OG drama queens (and kings) of ancient lore. You think your life is dramatic? Wait till you read the modern-day saga of Persephone and Hades in "A Touch of Darkness." One moment you're at a nightclub trying to fit into your mortal shoes, and the next you've unwittingly signed up for a timeshare in the Underworld. Classic Tuesday night, am I right?

Set in the hip metropolis of New Athens, a city where one might bump into a deity sipping on a latte, this retelling has all the modern twists you'd expect. Our protagonist, Persephone (or Perri to her mates), is your quintessential student of journalism who enjoys the simple pleasure of baking. Probably whipping up ambrosia cupcakes on the weekends, I'd imagine.

Let's talk about the "Touch of Darkness" himself, Hades. The broody and magnetic owner of Nevernight is the very embodiment of "it's complicated" on Facebook. He's your typical misunderstood bad boy. Dark, tall, mysterious, and probably the type to leave you on read for a couple of hours just because he's ruling the Underworld or something. However, the depth he carries is akin to the layers of the Underworld he governs – intricate, complex, and occasionally a tad hot.

Now, for all you spicy lovers out there, prepare to fan yourself at Chapters VI, VII, XVIII, and XXIII. Let's just say if this book was food on a menu, it'd come with a little chili pepper next to it.

My favorite quote from the book has to be: “I have waited lifetimes for you, I know it." Now, if that doesn't make you swoon, you might just be a stone statue in Medusa's gallery.

While the book has a playful and electric energy, it's essential to note that it touches on some sensitive themes. Please be aware of trigger warnings, including alcohol, bullying, child abuse, drugging, sexual assault, toxic relationships, and sexual content. The narrative's duality showcases the dappled light and shadows of romance, making it a poignant and authentic reflection of love in the modern age.

The story unfolds like a decadent dish, seasoned with the spicy, enemies-to-lovers trope with a side serving of fated mates, making it a treat for romance nerds. And remember, "A Touch of Darkness" is the entree in this scrumptious series banquet. Be sure to dine in order, or you'll miss out on all of the flavors.

So, dear reader, if you're itching for a romance that combines the allure of age-old myths and the vibrancy of today's world, this is your must-read.

Pulitzer Prize? Maybe not. But will it win over your heart and make you daydream about underworld deities during your daily commute? Absolutely!

Happy reading, and may your love life always be less convoluted than a Greek myth. But if it isn't, at least you've got some entertaining company.

Please note that this book is part of a series and can not be read as a stand alone. Lucky for you this can be your little weekend binge as almost all the books in the series has already been released !

Wait a minute boys and girls, check out these trigger warnings first:

Alcohol

Bullying

Child abuse (emotional)

Drugging

Sexual assault

Toxic relationships

Romance Tropes, you ask ?

Enemies to lovers

Fated Mates

Who do we meet in this book ?

Hades

Persephone (Perri)

What to read next:

Neon Gods (Dark Olympus) by Katee Robert

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Drag Me Up (Gods of Hunger) by R.M. Virtues

Or just like read the next few books in this series.

[manhwanews]

Understanding Manhwa Slang: A Glossary for Beginners

Manhwa-the exciting world of Korean comics-is a treasure of art and storytelling. To people who are new to manhwa, diving into this unique culture might seem pretty overwhelming due to all these unfamiliar terms and concepts. In any case, here's your helpful glossary of necessary terms to get you introduced into manhwa. Be it learning about the Top 10 Manhwas, keeping up-to-date with Upcoming Manhwa, or reading the Popular Manhwa, the guide will help a person in better understanding and moving forward.

Key Manhwa Terms Every Reader Should Know

1. Webtoon

Webtoons are digital comics created to be read on the web. They have a vertical format and can easily be read on mobile phones.

Why It Matters: So many popular manhwa, such as Lore Olympus and Tower of God, started off as webtoons.

2. Manhwa vs. Manga

Manhwa is Korean comics, while manga is Japanese. Manhwa frequently comes in full-color pages and uses vertical scrolling.

Tip for Beginners: Some in the Top 10 may share themes with manga but be different in terms of storytelling.

3. Season and Episode

Most Manhwa publishes in season, and each season contains multiple episodes (or chapters, whichever you'll prefer).

How It Helps: If you are waiting for an Upcoming Manhwa, its release schedule can give you valuable information.

4. Free to Read/Paywall

Most manhwa platforms offer free initial episodes, but advanced chapters often sit behind a paywall. Some services also use a "wait-to-read" system.

Platforms to Check: Apps like Webtoon and Tappytoon host many Popular Manhwa titles with various access models.

5. Artist (Hwaga) and Writer (Gakka)

In manhwa creation, the artist, or hwaga, handles the visuals, while the writer, or gakka, crafts the story.

Why It's Important: Most Top 10 Manhwas owe their success to this collaboration, just like the duo behind Solo Leveling.

6. Genres and Tags

Manhwa genres include action, romance, fantasy, and slice of life, often accompanied by tags such as "isekai" (another world) or "shoujo" (targeted at young women).

Explore Genres: Knowing tags can help you discover Upcoming Manhwa that match your preferences.

7. Serialization

This refers to periodic releases of manhwa. Most manhwas are released on a weekly basis but sometimes take breaks between seasons.

Common Watch: Announcements for upcoming manhwas most often include serialization details.

8. Cliffhanger

Manhwas are quite notorious for their cliffhangers at the end, which keep the readers yearning for the next release.

Pro Tip: Popular series in Top 10 Manhwas often master this technique to keep engagement going.

9. Side Stories and Spin-Offs

Side stories provide further details or delve into minor characters, while spin-offs are separate stories within the same world.

Fan Favorites: Side Stories of Popular Manhwa, such as The Remarried Empress, exist and are loved by fans.

10. SFX (Sound Effects)

In manhwa, sound effects usually appear as stylized text embedded in the art to make the experience even more engaging.

Pro Tip: Familiarity with common Korean SFX enhances your appreciation of the art.

How to Join the Manhwa Community

Fan Translations vs. Official Releases

While fan translations may offer early access, supporting official releases ensures the creators are compensated for their work.

Legal Platforms: Most Top 10 Manhwas and Upcoming Manhwa are available on platforms like Webtoon, Lezhin, and Tappytoon.

Manhwa Forums and Discussions

Online communities are a great place to share recommendations, reviews, and theories about Popular Manhwa and new releases.

Join the Conversation: For more discussions, check out platforms like Reddit or Discord about your favorite Top 10 Manhwas.

Recommended Reads for Beginners

Those new to the Manhwa scene, it is highly recommended to view these works:

Action: Solo Leveling, Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint.

Romance: True Beauty, What's Wrong with Secretary Kim?

Fantasy: Tower of God, The Beginning After the End.

Drama: The Remarried Empress, Sweet Home.

Keep an eye out for upcoming manhwa releases that might just be the next big hit.

Final Thoughts

Understanding manhwa terminology is the first step to fully appreciating this dynamic medium. Be it diving into the Top 10 Manhwas, looking forward to an Upcoming Manhwa, or catching up on Popular Manhwa, having a grasp of these terms will enhance your experience.

Bookmark this glossary, then, and take your first step into the colorful world of manhwa today!

[jeanmoreaux]

*✧ — AUGUST WRAP UP

you all remember the text post i wrote about how overreading is a sign i am not coping well with something and actually procrastinating life. and how an anon in my inbox said “i tell my sister's boyfriend the number of books i read this month and he thinks he should congratulate me, but it's literally a shameful catholic confession that i should atone for with penance.”? this post is my shameful catholic confession. nothing more to add. if things keep going like this september might look similar.... someone pls send help. (don’t worry, i am doing fine, i’m just being dramatic.)

highlights of my months were all the new favourites, my reread/kind-of-buddy-read of loveless (shout out to jo for putting up with me) AND my reread of the hunger games and catching fire. these books still slap so hard. can’t wait to start mockingjay once i am done with my library books.

2022 reading goal: 169/100 books

2022 pages goal: 59,566/35,000 pages

previous wrap ups

as alway, feel free to drop book recs, questions, or opinions in my inbox; i am always happy to talk to you about books! <3

* –> newly added to my favourites shelf

follow: my goodreads | my storygraph | my bookstagram

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

* Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus | ★★★★★

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig | ★★★☆☆

Youngblood by Sasha Laurens | ★1/2☆☆☆ | review

Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson | ★★★★★

Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa, translated by Alison Watts | ★★★☆☆ | review

Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church by Megan Phelps-Roper |  ★★★★1/2

Heaven by Mieko Kawakami | ★★★★☆

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende | ★★★★★ | review

The Trees by Percival Everett | ★★★★☆

Upgrade by Blake Crouch | ★★1/2☆ | review

Lady Susan by Jane Austen | ★★★★☆

Out There: Stories by Kate Folk | ★★★★3/4

* Briefly, A Delicious Life by Nell Stevens | ★★★★★ | review

Sanditon by Jane Austen | ★★★★☆

In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens | ★★★☆☆

Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong | ★★★★★

* Kindred by Octavia E. Butler | ★★★★★

Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney | ★★★★1/2

Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow | ★★★★☆

Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton | ★★★1/4☆ | review

Lore Olympus (Season 2) by Rachel Smythe | ★★★★☆

The Mirror Season by Anna-Marie McLemore | review

Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho | ★★★1/4☆

* All the Lovers in the Night by Mieko Kawakami | ★★★★★ | review

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler | ★★★★1/2

Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman | ★3/4☆☆☆

Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler | ★★★★★

Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley | ★★★★1/2

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton | ★★★3/4☆

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia | ★★★★☆

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

reread

Loveless by Alice Oseman | ★★★★1/4

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins | ★★★★★ | review

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins | ★★★★★ | review

Sadie by Courtney Summers | ★★★★★ | review

[fangirlforthewin]

I posted 1,743 times in 2022

221 posts created (13%)

1,522 posts reblogged (87%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@thestenchofcheeseandregrets

@bitofanerdingeneral

@aethersea

@runcibility

@flippityflapjack

I tagged 496 of my posts in 2022

#yashahime - 106 posts

#yashahime: princess half demon - 80 posts

#yashahime spoilers - 71 posts

#half demon princesses - 71 posts

#hanyou no yashahime - 69 posts

#half demon princess yashahime - 68 posts

#inuyasha - 66 posts

#yashahime season 2 - 65 posts

#princess half demon - 62 posts

#moroha - 45 posts

Longest Tag: 87 characters

#and i never learned how to study because i didn't really need to up through high school

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Kirinmaru: In a few hours, Sesshomaru will likely perish Rin: Then I'll fight you Sesshomaru: *struggling to live* *eye twitches* God damnit

184 notes - Posted January 15, 2022

#4

Webtoon Recommendations

If you haven't already, I highly recommend downloading the webtoons app on your phone and then check out these amazing webtoons, some of which are coming out in books, which I am super stoked about.

If you have any suggestions or think I missed some really good ones, let me know! There are tons more that I read, but these are my top 20.

Ongoing Webtoons

Lore Olympus

Let's Play

Twilight Poem

I Love Yoo

The Witch and the Bull

The Remarried Empress

Like Wind on a Dry Branch

Wish You Were Dead

My In-Laws are Obsessed with Me

Happily Ever Afterwards

When Jasy Whistles

Brimstone and Roses

Midnight Poppy Land

Winds of Spring

SubZero

Monster Duke's Daughter

Another Love

Act Like You Love Me

Your Throne

No Marriage is Perfect

Completed Webtoons

Sirens Lament

A Good Day to be a Dog

Freaking Romance

My Dear Cold Blooded King

Age Matters

See the full post

237 notes - Posted February 6, 2022

#3

InuKag Family

280 notes - Posted March 19, 2022

#2

See the full post

489 notes - Posted March 26, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I cannot get over how good the Forger family is together. Each one of them knows it's fake and temporary, but they are all willing to put their best foot forward and make it work. Because of this, they are all so understanding of each other and yet feel self conscious they're not doing enough because they know it won't last forever.

Knowing this is all a cover, they could seriously do the bare minimum, do enough in public to make it look like they are the perfect family. But Yor truly cares about making sure she's a good wife and pulling her weight, and she's come to really care about Anya and I do believe she sees herself as her mother. Loid, while usually always thinking of the mission to justify his decisions, does a lot for Anya and is always quick to reassure Yor. He goes above and beyond to make their family happy. Anya's just willing to do whatever she can to keep this family together.

Like I know I've said this before and other people have said this before, but I seriously can't get enough of this family. They're the fakest family but the best family.

1,725 notes - Posted July 31, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[rosereview]

Favourite Webtoons Part 1

Recently I’ve gotten really into Webtoon and all the different comics there are on there, and I thought I would make a list of all my favourites. These are only the ones I’m reading and obsessed with currently but I’m sure there will be many more in the future that become obsessed with too. But for now, here they are in no particular order, and I tried not to put spoilers in there but I suck at non-spoilery things. 

Cuckoos Three by Cassandra Jean & Mosskat

This is an adorable story about two guys falling in love (although we’re not at that part yet) after one of the characters, Jacob, moves to the country from the city and meets his neighbour Murry. I’ve been following this story since the first time Cassandra Jean mentioned making it here on Tumblr and even though it’s been full of multiple starts and restarts, I am so happy that it seems to be continuing officially on Webtoons (and on Cassandra Jean’s patreon). It is just a super heartwarming story that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe

This is like the number one story on Webtoon and for good reason. I love this story so much! It’s a Hades and Persephone retelling in a modern Olympus (although an ancient human Greece) that is full of adorable moments. It is so well done and the art is spectacular and the story covers lots of emotional topics. I’m also super excited that it’s coming out as a physical graphic novel soon as well, so if anyone is interested in starting it, but likes to read physical books, I’m pretty sure it’s the first 25 episodes that come out in the first volume October 5th. For sure worth the read and deserving of the hype. 

SubZero by Junepurrr

This is the next story that I became obsessed with and even though Junepurrr’s on a hiatus to get ready for season 2 right now, it is worth it to read the whole first season. It’s about two enemy rulers— who can turn into dragons— being forced to marry to stop the war between their two kingdoms. It is a romance and has the whole arranged marriage trope and a love triangle situation, so if your into that then you’ll love this. But also if you just love dragons and fantasy stories that have royals, which I love, then you should also check this out because I loved reading it and the art is gorgeous!

Midnight Poppy Land by Lilydusk

Midnight Poppy Land is also on a hiatus right now, getting ready for season 2, but again it is so worth it to read season 1! I love this story so much and the art is also so beautiful and makes me fall in love with the characters even more. This story is also a romance and is about this girl getting caught in some mafia stuff without meaning to, which is where she meets the main male lead who is one of the mafia tough guy killers who takes it upon himself to protect her. It’s such a cute story and a really nice escapism story that I was really excited for every week that a new page came out.

True Beauty by Yaongyi

Now we have True Beauty which is still going and it’s already on season 2 so if you’re interested to start it, you have to get through a lot to catch up. It’s also a romance with the love triangle trope about a girl who goes to high school and wears her makeup like a mask because without it she looks like a very different person and it’s just her story about that. I became really obsessed with it in the first season and I like it enough to keep reading, but the main character is really frustrating because she’s so naïve and honestly kind of stupid most of the time, just waiting around for her boys to save her, and it feels like the makeup aspect, which I thought would have the message of loving yourself even without makeup, was lost for the second season and kind of also went away. So kind of mad about that since that’s why I started reading it, thinking it would have that type of positive message, but that went away and now I just read it for the dumb drama, the hot guys, and beautiful art. So if you’re into that, I recommend checking it out.

Love Me Knot by Sophia

This last one here I more recently got into and it still seems to be getting to the really good parts, because the first pages have been a good setup for future drama I think, but it’s a very cute story. I love all the characters because they’re just so cute and likable and I also love the whole concept. So the concept is that everyone has these strings connecting them to their soulmate, but they’re invisible to most people but not the main character. The main character’s string is actually cut (like doesn’t attach to anybody) but she can see everyone else’s strings and who they attach to. Because of this she thinks that she’ll never be in love but then she meets a guy who also has his string cut and who can see strings and it goes from there. It also has a sort of love triangle aspect later on, but like I mentioned there hasn’t been much drama and I feel like since there aren’t that many pages yet, the foundation is still being made for the story and more stuff will come soon. In other words, I see a lot of potential for this story and I can’t wait to see where it’s headed!

So that’s it for this first part and I’ll have a second part coming soon since I couldn’t fit all of my recommendations onto this list because there are so many, and I think I will be doing even more in the future. So I hope that someone found an interesting Webtoon on here that they want to read because I think that all of these creators deserve all the support they can get (and yes even the well known Webtoons, because they’re well known for a reason!) So if you’re interested please check them out. 

Until next time!

~Rose Reviews

[alatismeni-theitsa]

16 anti LO anon opinions

All under the cut

(1) Fastpassers are also probably mad bc when smythe post fastpass title on twitter(which was heathers musical song ripoff) everyone was so hyped up and excided, they thought this gonna be about "Underqold badass queen Persephone " or something with her trail or something big with her, but no, they got Minthe flashback that didnt change anything in the story

(2) Fastpassers are annoyed bc this episode was flashback of Minthe. Two previous fastpasses got pretty big(and stupid) revals(leto is bad guy,apollo and artemis may be zeus child and last but not least Cronus awakening) so they were hopping for something more not a filler wpisode that changes nothing in to the story bc there were wpisodes that make Minthe more "symphatetic" than this one.

(3) Am i the only one a bit concerned that a Minthe episode made LO fans demand their money back but apparently episodes and a planned redemption over Apollo, who R*PED the main character, was met with fans sympathizing with him and feeling bad for judging him "too soon"?  They can accept a sexual assaulter having mommy issues to excuse his bad actions, but a boring filter episode about Minthe, who we know will be killed by the end anyway, gets outrage? That doesn't sit well with me.

(4) oh my god the LO fans hated the minthe fast pass so much they actually made LO's rating start to go down 😭 most of us here dont even like the comic but none of us would purposely review bomb it over a boring episode over a character we didnt like, thats so entitled!

(5) Adding on to the recent fastpass, it was extremely boring. I get that you can't please everyone but the fact that Minthe is having a backstory now just feels like filler.

This is the main issue I have with Rachel's story, she has so many characters but chooses to develop them at the worst times. If we got this backstory earlier in season 2, this would make sense. However, the fp before this one ended on a cliffhanger. You'd think it'd continue but no, we just get Minthe backstory.

I'd rather see an Apollo backstory, he's an active villain and would be interesting to see his motive.

Minthe doesn't have a compelling motive other than jealousy.

(6) I can't be the only one who thinks the new hairstyle updates for characters like Apollo or Eros look weird right? Eros literally looks like an adult version of one of his siblings Storge (who has curly permed hair and was holding a hamster)

(7) That Lo eros panel ... oof. Wheres his hairline going? He had a damn 7 head. Also at least for awhile the men had a different face from the women, but I guess they’re also women now, facial features wise?

(8) On a side note: why the fuck is Eros so ugly in this episode😭

(9) SMYTHE DOES NOT ONLY HAVE A DD/LG KINK, SHE A L S O HAS A PREGNANCY KINK!!! WHY ELSE HADES WAS SO *SMIRKY* ABOUT THE WHOLE FERTILITY GODDESS THING BACK WHEN HE AND PERSEPHONE WERE AT THE BEACH???? i swear to Allah this shit gets even more and more disgusting.

(10) This is something i see so much but LO especially but why do all of them have boring ancient clothes? It's always white or tan sheets or maybe black if it's someone in the Underworld. I'm going more off ancient images but shouldn't the gods especially have more grand and detailed clothing options? i get it's probably harder to design based off colorful skin tones but it's not impossible. it just seems so much of the comic design feels very flat, so if the story can't hold up then the art should.

(11)  The main problem I had before with lore olympus was its cliffhanger syndrome. Like, why do some many chapters leave on a cliffhanger and for no reason at all? Like when Hera got hit and nothing happened. When I was experiencing the episodes coming out in real time, it drove me mad.

It's gotten better recently but that's probably because the three recent episodes (fastpass) felt more like filler.

That's the main reason why I feel like the plot is being dragged out. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for cute character moments and creators getting money but, LO is slowly becoming less and less interesting. I literally skipped around in most of the fasspasses because it really wasn't interesting. The only thing memorable about all of the fp episodes is the beginning and end, the middle is just kinda there.

(12) Ampelus (psyche)'s eyes used to be golden/yellow but now its coloured purple lmao

(13) Wtf is happening in lore olympus?! Now they want to bring cronus back and do another war?!? Are they crazy nothing like this didnt happen in mythology and obviously not bc of persephone(in comic her pink tree in underwold will give crounus power and life). It supposed to be romance not whatever fuck this is now.

(14) I feel like if I was at Henson Co. or Webtoons with a tv deal on the line, I would make Smythe to hand writing duties to a pro or take a hiatus seriously plan everything out, because all these new plots are distracting from what people signed up for, which is to see HxP get together and the myth. It seems like filter seeing as any TV adaption wouldn't cover most of it anyway, so why even include it? If RS wants it over sooner than later, this isn't how you do it, she's just procrastinating now.

(15) I find Demeter in LO just confusing. If she’s so overbearing and controlling, why would she ever allow Persephone out of their domain to live with Artemis in the city? Even the most liberally easy going parents don’t let their naive children out into the world like that with people they barely know, yet the supposed helicopter parent does. Why not literally literally lock her up? Especially when Persephone can’t control her powers and is desperate to hide that she killed a village of people? Demeter knows she’s a danger to others yet let her out anyway? That doesn’t sounding overbearing to me. It sounds like she’s right to want to hide her away. Persephone is a bigger threat to everyone else than they are to her. More so, actual controlling parents do give their children phones to keep easy tabs on them, yet LO Demeter doesn’t? She could constantly call Persephone or check up on her without physically needing to be there, yet they don’t do that. What modern parent would let their child leave home without a way to contact them? If anything, she’s extremely loose on parenting her and lets Persephone do/have whatever she wants. The controlling helicopter parent premise too is undercut by the fact LO Demeter ends up being right in wanting to hide her daughter away because within a month of leaving home Persephone is drugged, kidnapped, threatened by several people, r*ped, blackmailed, is close to dropping out of school, attacked by shades, and had a mental/emotional breakdown, many of those things being linked to her future “caring” husband. I just don’t buy it. Demeter ends up looking correct by anyone who isn’t blinded by the rose colored glasses of HxP.

(16) If I'll ever bother to read LO I'll do so only to see how horrible exactly it is.

[a-duck-with-a-book]

June 2021 Book Wrap-Up!

Total books read in June: 13

Total books read in 2021 so far: 92

Average rating in June: 4.08

Average rating in 2021 so far: 3.86

Favorite book of the month:

Least favorite book of the month:

Biggest disappointment:

Biggest (pleasant) surprise:

Hidden gem:

Novels:

Traitors of the Black Crown (Black Crown #1) by Cate Pearce // My Review // ★★★★★

Amok (Absolution #1) by Anna Tan // My Review // ★★★★★

Equal Rites (Discworld #3, Witches #1) by Terry Pratchett // My Review // ★★★★★

Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb, #1) by Tamsyn Muir // // My Review // ★★★★★

The Bone Way by Holly J. Underhill // My Review // ★★★☆☆

Trickster's Queen (Daughter of the Lioness #2) by Tamora Pierce // My Review // ★★★☆☆

The Turn of the Screw by James Henry // My Review // ★★★☆☆

A Tempest of Shadows (A Tempest of Shadows #1) by Jane Washington // My Review // ★★☆☆☆

Non-fiction:

Tracking Classical Monsters in Popular Culture by Liz Gloyn // My Review // ★★★★★

Graphic Novels:

Lore Olympus (Season 1) by Rachel Smythe // My Review // ★★★★★

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal Edition (Vol #2) by Naoko Takeuchi // My Review // ★★★★★

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal Edition (Vol #1) by Naoko Takeuchi // My Review // ★★★★☆

Audiobooks:

The Wee Free Men (Discworld #30, Tiffany Aching #1) by Terry Pratchett, narrated by Stephen Briggs // My Review // ★★★☆☆

[mahaartworld]

I posted 14 times in 2022

13 posts created (93%)

1 post reblogged (7%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@chiiinken

I tagged 14 of my posts in 2022

#digital art - 9 posts

#my art - 8 posts

#artwork - 5 posts

#art - 5 posts

#digital drawing - 5 posts

#webtoon - 4 posts

#drawing - 4 posts

#netflix castlevania - 3 posts

#dracula castlevania - 3 posts

#castlevania fanart - 3 posts

Longest Tag: 23 characters

#persephone lore olympus

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

"Hello useless Miwa here!"

I love her 😂❤️❤️❤️

9 notes - Posted May 7, 2022

#4

See the full post

21 notes - Posted July 26, 2022

#3

Lisa Tepes ✨

Was trying to paint in the style of the painting in castlevania but I gave up 😅

Anyway I am still not over what they did to her in season 1 #myfavoritequeen

61 notes - Posted April 29, 2022

#2

Persephone and Zeus team up ❤️💜

203 notes - Posted July 2, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Castlevania x art nouveau

I am thinking about making it a series, so get ready for more castlevania art

227 notes - Posted June 24, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[patheticphallacy]

It was a busy bee month for me!

While I took a semi-break from blogging- which means I limited myself to only 1 or 2 posts a week, instead of my usual 3 or 4- I took that time to plan out future blog posts (June, specifically) and read a lot.

#PanelAThon happened, which was the absolute best time. I smashed my TBR, in my opinion. Comic-heavy read-a-thons seem to suit me best, so I know how to sort my TBR for future read-a-thons now!

I also started up a brand new Bookstagram which I’m very proud of, even if my sister is helping me with most of the pictures due to her better camera quality. It’s like a project for us both, really: I provide the books and the good cat content, and she helps me position the shots and take pretty pictures!

Towards the end of the month I went to a gig that my best friend’s boyfriend was doing with his band, which was a great time. I also moved my things out of my Uni house! Next year, I’m living in a flat by myself, which is very expensive but will hopefully be worth it.

In June, I’ll be predominantly reading LGBT+ books, which I talked about more in my Pride Month TBR post! I can’t guarantee I’ll finish everything, though, as my twentieth birthday is on the 18th June and I’ll be spending the last two weeks of the month basically with only friends and family for the entire time, which I’m really looking forward to.

Also, last off: all my posts this month are twenty themed. So it’s all lists of twenty things, catered around my birthday and also my general life. I really hope you’ll check the posts out as they come out, I spent a lot of time making the lists and formatting everything for maximum good content.

READING WRAP UP

      This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers– this was a very human look at the way teenagers would cope in the apocalypse, extremely dark and very upsetting, from the point of view of a suicidal girl. It did let me down in that I wasn’t fully immersed in the story, but it definitely picked up towards the end.

NENENE by Shizuko Totono– while I really wanted to love this, the massive age gap between the two characters really ruined it for me. It tries to make up for the age gap by saying the characters will wait till the main girl is 20, but that honestly makes me quite sick thinking that the only reason they haven’t done anything is because the rest of society are telling them it’s nasty, not because they have any understanding of the massive imbalance of power in that relationship.

The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin– I’ll be honest, I read this because of BTS’s Spring Day music video, but I’m glad I did. It’s a very dark look into a utopian-esque society that only thrives based on the suffering of a child. I really love the distant narrative voice in this piece. 

It Only Happens In the Movies by Holly Bourne– this is one of the most disappointing reads of all time for me. I did a long review of this on my Goodreads breaking down issues I had with the characters and the narrative that really ruined the whole experience. I know I don’t drop star ratings anymore, but this was a definite 1 star. 

      The Case For Jamie by Brittany Cavallaro– This had probably the weakest beginning in the series, with it not picking up until the 160 or so page mark as it relied a lot on info-dumping about Charlotte’s life and didn’t really have much happen. However, the last 150 made up for the weak start, and I really ended up enjoying this and I cannot wait for the final book!

The Unbreakable Code by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman– I really didn’t enjoy this and I am sad. I’m pretty sure it’s a ‘me’ thing, for the narrative, but I will say that there’s a lot of telling instead of showing, which really does lessen my enjoyment as we don’t see characters have any major realisations bar a few. 

By Night #7-#10 by John Allison– this series has flown by! There’s only two issues left now, and I’ll be very sad to see it go, but I definitely think it’s coming to its end.

Labyrinth Coronation #12 by Simon Spurrier– I AM DISTRAUGHT that this series has ended. So so upset. I’m not completely content with this conclusion because a character does something that seems very OOC for them, after their development throughout the series, but I don’t really know how I could have been 100% satisfied with a beloved series coming to a close. 

      Why Photographers Commit Suicide by Mary McCray– this is a poetry collection I’ve had for literal years, a lot based on space and Mars. I was disappointed with this one and didn’t really connect with it overall or gleam anything valuable from it, although there were a few decent poems in there.

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden– I love this! Very atmospheric and creepy middle grade horror about some kids, terrifying scarecrows, and a long history of mysterious deaths and disappearances. 

Nuclear Winter Volume 1 by Caroline Breault– Nuclear Winter is a fun story about a Montreal full of mutants that is in its ninth Winter after a power plant exploded. I love Flavie, the main character, and the art style is perfect for a slice-of-life adventure full of mutants, partying and bagels!

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell– God, I’m still scared of this book. It’s basically like the terror of the weeping angels, combined with commentary on female hysteria, and is one of the most Gothic settings I’ve ever read. It’s honestly a masterpiece.  

    Haikyuu!! Volumes 1-  by Haruichi Furudate– This is a GOD TIER sports manga, and probably my favourite, volleyball is just great. I absolutely adore these characters and their dynamics, the competitions, the illustrations– it’s all amazing. I have watched the first season of the anime, which means I was already familiar with most of these volumes, but I honestly do prefer the manga over the anime and highly recommend it.

The Walking Dead Volume 2 by Robert Kirkman– OK writing although it’s nothing special, but the art style change was very evident and I highly dislike it. Has a terrible case  of ‘tiny font’ that really ruins any reading experience for my short sighted ass, so I don’t know if I’ll carry on. I just don’t think I carry about the characters enough.

The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James– this completely blindsided me. It goes from a sci-fi romance to a sci-fi horror survival story, and I think it’s great. Definitely my favourite Lauren James, she truly is the queen of UKYA sci-fi stories. Apparently her next one is a soft-apocalypse novel, which, YES. 

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson– really disliked this. I think I’ve grown out of the picture perfect beautiful YA characters. Clark never leaves the house and never exercises but apparently has perfect abs and the most chiselled of jaws. It’s just unrealistic, fellas! It doesn’t appeal to me at all. Also suffers from a case of ‘long-book-itis’ and is at least 200 pages of unneeded scenes too long, and is very predictable. 

    Lore Olympus by Rachel Smithe– this is a very pretty adaptation of the abduction of Persephone myth. The art gets better the further you get in, and I really do love the personalities of these Gods and other miscellaneous mythological creatures personified (EXCEPT FOR APOLLO APOLLO SUCKS). Content warning for rape and victim blaming, as well as a character being roofied (unrelated to the rape, though). 

Uzumaki by Junji Ito– very strong first two thirds, but a very dissatisfying conclusion. However it is suitably creepy and has stunning art, and Kirie and Shuichi have a great relationship that I loved seeing develop throughout the story. 

Welcome To Wanderland #1-3 by Jackie Ball– such a lovely series! It’s about fantasy realms and theme parks, magic and rebel princesses, and is very great. Unfortunately #4 won’t be out for a while as the illustrator had to leave for health reasons, but I’m hoping the new illustrator will be able to give this series a good end when it eventually comes out!

Go For It, Nakamura! by Syundei– a very cute manga about gay sixteen year old Nakamura and his pursuit of Hirose, a boy in his class. While this doesn’t end with a romance, it’s still a soft read seeing these characters become friends, and I can only hope another volume will one day be released.

    Coady and the Creepies by Liz Prince– not one of my favourites, but it was enjoyable to read. This follows triplets on the road with their punk rock band collecting pins from all the biggest punk venues in the country, and also has ghosts. Probably my favourite part was commentary on punk rock being inclusive and how so many dudebros have lost sight that the movement was built going against a a discriminatory regime, not upholding it!

I Want To Eat Your Pancreas by Yoru Sumino– this manga literally knocked me TF out for absolutely no reason at all other than wanting to purposefully break my heart. The last 100 pages made this one of my favourite manga of all time just for how slyly it managed to make me care about these characters.

When I Arrived At the Castle by Emily Carroll– an erotic, Gothic graphic novel from a literal master of her craft. I love everything Carroll puts out, although I don’t think this ranks above Through the Woods. It’s very unnerving and has wonderful art, although I’m still just a tad confused by it. 

Nuclear Winter Volume 2 by Caroline Berault– I’m not putting this with volume 1 just because I didn’t like this one as much. It moved way too quickly and I wasn’t as invested in the storyline. However, I do enjoy seeing older-younger sister dynamics, and Flavie and her younger sister Elsie really reminded me of how I am with my younger sister. 

  Teen Dog by Jake Lawrence– an incredible, quirky coming-of-age comic with anthropomorphic animals, best friends, chess, prom, and a dope pug called Thug Pug! I really loved this, it’s one of my new favourite all-time reads. 

Honey So Sweet Volume 1 by Amu Megura– this was OK; not my favourite shoujo manga, and I’m not a big fan of this kind of art style, but it was fun to read and I like the softness of the main boy!

Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu by Junji Ito– SO TRUE TO LIVING WITH CATS. Cannot express how much I could relate to this, I giggled so much. Ito and his wife do have a little bit at the back talking about Yon’s passing, however, so prepare yourself for that, I ended up crying.

Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 9 by Hiromu Arakawa– I don’t want to talk about it. I’m heartbroken this series is over. I loved this ending, but I’m heartbroken. I cried so many tears of joy, especially at the ending it gives Hohenheim. 

  Smooth Criminals Volume 1 by Kiwi Smith– another OK read! It wasn’t really stand out in comparison to a lot of the other comics I picked up this month, but it’s a quick read, and it has sapphic spies and hackers, if that’s your jam!

Turf Wars Volume 2 and 3 by Michael Dante DiMartino– Finally picked these two volumes up after procrastinating for months! It’s a really cheesy and much deserved conclusion to this graphic novel series, and I’m very much looking forward to the next series coming out. I’m keeping my hopes out for Wu to return, I miss him.

Bungo Stray Dogs Volume 1 by Kafka Asagiri– Very funny detective agency manga where all the characters are inspired by famous literary authors, each possessing powers that aids them investigations. It quickly gets into the main arc and villains. My main issue is that it has that creepy manga trope of having that sibling relationship that’s a bit too close, just for laughs, and it’s something I absolutely despise, so it kind of ruined how much I was loving it for an issue.

My Hero Academia Volume 16 by Kohei Horikoshi– it’s the start of the Overhaul arc, properly! Some decent character development in here, especially for Tamaki, Kirishima and Fatgum, who are the ultimate team, to be honest. 

The Avant-Guards #1 to #5 by Carly Usdin– Carly Usdin genuinely writes some of the best diverse comic series currently. I love this as a sports comic, although I wish there were more issues to develop the characters and their relationships gradually as it does come across as quite rushed at points!

No.6 Volume 1 and 2 by Atsuko Asano– I really love the anime, so I figured it was about time to read the manga! It’s really fast moving, with great characters and a wonderful breakdown of the Utopia/Dystopia dynamic, and I really enjoy it. Shion is genuinely one of the best characters in manga in my opinion.

Faithless #1 by Brian Azzarello– A very dark new series about a woman who experiments in magic and accidentally summons something very dark. It’s strange and unsettling, and I really loved this first issue!

Slam Volume 1 by Pamela Ribon– This wasn’t that great, to be honest. It’s told in a very third person voice that stopped me from ever connecting with the characters, and although I love the roller derby parts and enjoyed the art, it’s not really a standout comic.

And finally, I read the Save Me Webtoon! Pardon my French, but this was so fucking good, and it’s really reminding me why I love both friendship-focused stories and time loop narratives. I think the art is great and I love the story, but I would not recommend this if you’re unfamiliar with the BTS cinematic universe and basic theories. Not all theories- I only knew basics so I could form an opinion on timelines, conclusions, etc.- but just the basics on the time loop theory. I talk more about all this later on in this post, though!

And my June TBR Jar pick is…. HUNGER MAKES ME A MODERN GIRL by Carrie Brownstein!

ESSAYS/ARTICLES

I read this article analysing BTS’s Spring Day, one of my favourite music videos of all time, and it really hit me hard. BTS in general have stunning music videos, so I highly recommend them for anyone who wants interesting visuals and/or a brand new narrative to invest themselves in with the BTS ‘cinematic’ universe.

TV SHOWS/MOVIES/VIDEOS

BTS’s Spring Day music video. Are any of you surprised?

THIS AMAZING CYPHER PT.3 ANIMATION. There are so many little easter eggs! Fans are amazing.

Another BTS video: their Go Go dance practice video is amazing. They all dress up as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

Literally my whole month was spent watching BTS videos. Their whole cinematic universe with their music videos? INCREDIBLE. It starts with the uncut version of I Need U (content warnings for most of the videos discussing suicide, abuse and has a lot of violence), and I realised later on once I’d watched them that the Japanese versions of some of the songs are part of the series! You can find playlists and lists online to help you navigate which videos to watch first. I look at Spring Day as being the conclusion to the cinematic universe with Jin finally saving them all by helping them save themselves, as dramatic as it all sounds.

MUSIC I’VE ENJOYED

I basically spent all month listening to BTS. Particular favourites include Silver Spoon/Baepsae, Answer: Love Myself, Mikrokosmos, Cypher Pt.4, and GoGo!

Nightmare by Halsey is top notch, I got really into Halsey’s hopeless fountain kingdom again this month literally a day before Nightmare came out, so I recommend her! Obviously Boy With Luv is great too, I decided to get into BTS just because the Boy With Luv MV was so great and now look at me!

OTHER POSTS I’VE DONE 

Graphic Recommendations: #PANELATHON

TTT: Characters That Remind Me of Myself

TBR Alphabet Tag

MM: Playlist Book Tag #2

TTT: Books That Should Be TV Shows

Panelathon TBR

TTT: Favourite Books Released in the Last 10 Years

June 20th Announcement

May Wrap Up & June TBR Jar Pick It was a busy bee month for me! While I took a semi-break from blogging- which means I limited myself to only 1 or 2 posts a week, instead of my usual 3 or 4- I took that time to plan out 

[godsofhumanity]

LORE OLYMPUS S1 (WEB COMIC) | REVIEW

okay folks so your gal just finished LO season 1, thought i might just give my two cents about the whole shebang. spoilers below cut.

OVERVIEW: LO S1 pretty much just revolves around Persephone in a modern-day AU (kind of?? idk i’m still unclear about this) where she manages to convince Demeter to let her move to Olympus, where she lives with Artemis. Shit happens and she meets Hades, CEO of the Underworld (literally tbh) and they fall in love, but they both have lots of issues and obstacles that they must first get past before they can like, get together. 

RATING: idk.. 5/10 ?? it’s not a favourite, and i wouldn’t read it twice.. but yeah. i really think reading it for yourself is a lot better than just going by other people’s opinions (which is what i did previously). it’s honestly, quite a quick read.

AVAILABLE ON: webtoon

THINGS I LIKED:

> the author’s artistic choice to keep all the characters related to a single colour scheme. visually speaking, this is very appealing and helps the reader differentiate between characters considering they all the freaking same.

> exploration of other myths on the sidelines of the main story. i particularly liked the twist on the eros-psyche myth where aphrodite actually calms down and decides to test how much eros really loves psyche, because she doesn’t want her son’s heart broken again.

> aphrodite’s whole family in general. ares, eros, aphrodite and the little kids are so fucking cute... i’m not a fan of aphrodite in most interpretations but i actually like her in LO. she’s questionable at the start but she gets better i think.

> zeus, poseidon and hades having “compulsory” family brunch where it’s just “bonding time” with the bros. i thought that was pretty funny.

> HERA!!! during *that scene* (y’all know the one) when Hera could sense that someone was in pain, that they were in distress but she wasn’t sure who... aghhhhhh like a mother concerned for her child... 

> also hera teaching Hebe that it’s wrong to snoop around... Hebe.. so cute

> helios having a chain around his neck. don’t get me wrong, i HATE that he’s being used for labour, like a punishment, he deserves so much better!! BUT, i like that the consequences of war are actually shown,, and that the olympians aren’t as hot as they think themselves to be, like everyone pretty much hates them.

> pomegranate soda or whatever it was.. clever

> i like Minthe as a character. it seems to be that she genuinely wants to be better, and that she does in fact like Hades, but she is really struggling with her emotional state, and i hope she gets help. soon. i said before that i thought hades x minthe would be better than hades x persephone, but now i realise that actually no, that’d be very toxic.. but i am wondering about minthe x thanatos because it seems to me they are actually pretty good to each other (EXHIBIT A: thanatos bringing minthe food when she was an emotional wreck and wouldn’t leave her apartment after hades broke up with her).

> fave characters so far: hera, poseidon, ares, eros, aphrodite, hermes, thanatos, hades, helios, and controverisal but... zeus (idk.. i’m still deciding)

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE

> alright let’s talk about hades-persephone’s relationship. first of all, i think that even in a “modern au”, if Persephone had been like 2000, and Hades had been like 4000, that at least would have made sense because like, they’re gods, so comparatively that would’ve been alright. BUT, Persephone is NINETEEN (19). not converting from goddess-to-human years.. i mean she has actually been alive for 19 fucking years. she is not just a child compared to Hades, she is a fucking BABY!!!!!! she’s a newborn!!!! and Persephone’s “youthfulness” is clearly demonstrated in her immaturity (which is natural because she’s a fucking teenager) AND her lack of awareness about the real world.. she has no experience (don’t get me wrong, this isn’t exactly her fault)

[EG] persephone trying to give the poor souls on the beach money so that they can get a ride with charon, and then a riot starting because that was a stupid decision and she doesn’t know any better...

> Hades, on the other hand, is like a grown-ass man who is running a company and managing the souls of the underworld, etc, etc. Hades thought it was OKAY to pull out the eye of a news reporter because he slandered Persephone (an eye for an eye is a pretty archaic principle, which makes since because, oh yeah, Hades IS archaic!).Hades has soooo many years of experience more than Persephone. he literally fought in the olympian-titan war!! Hades treats Persephone well, for sure... but honestly?? she is just too young... and the weirdest thing about it?? most of the characters in the story ALSO AGREE THAT SHE IS A CHILD!!!!!!

> related to the above^^, Hecate literally, when she first hears about hades-persephone from the newspaper, SCOLDS hades, and tells him that she is wayyy too young for him.. but then literally the next chapter comes, and she’s suddenly okay with it?? she’s like shipping it too???????? HELLO???? make up your mind hecate.

> Persephone The Naked Butterfly scene where she fucking falls on top of Hades, naked....... how necessary was that?

> let’s not even talk about ap*llo in this comic.. that was fucking disgusting, and that’s all i’m gonna say about that.

> zeus setting demeter’s crops on fire because she was sick of having to cover for zeus’ affairs and finally put her foot down. you go, girl! but zeus.. that definitely did make me dislike him a little..

> thetis... HATE HATE HATE HATE her!!!!!!! ughhhhhhhhhh

> why does daphne have like.. a crush on ap*llo??? shouldn’t she hate him?

> Persephone The Mass Murderer scene.......... i do NOT understand at all how some mortals digging up flowers = the death of a nymph. if this was the case, then there shouldn’t really be ANY nymphs left.. i mean so many people dig up flowers... also, idk about y’all but i’m certain that in a chapter Persephone was seen to be making flower crowns for Cerberus.. does that not require the flower to be yanked from the ground??? hello??? i feel like the author knew that she wanted Persephone to do something tragic and dangerous in order to win the name Persephone, but wasn’t sure exactly what so she just quickly put this together, because the logic is fairly lax in my opinion.

[godsofhumanity]

Hey what do you think of lore olympus? It seems to have a large fanbase but ppl into Greek mythology seem to dislike it because of its inaccuracy and problematic messages. I have a really complicated relationship with it, i like some characters and plot lines but there are things that don't let me enjoy it. ( like the HUGE age gap of hades and persephone, Apollo being a rapist???? And the toxic ass Fandom) what do you think of it vans? :))

hiiii you can read this review i did of season 1 :)))

uhmm quick spoiler: it’s OKAY, but on the whole, i didn’t really like it.. and some characterisations i find extremely disagreeable :/

i can’t comment on the fandom, since i’m not part of it and haven’t experienced it, but yeah i’ve heard that it’s pretty toxic. then and again, a lot of fandoms are 😬

[a-duck-with-a-book]

REVIEW // Lore Olympus (Lore Olympus, Season 1) by Rachel Smythe

★★★★★

I devoured this in one afternoon. I opened the app just to check it out, telling myself I would only read the first chapter or two to see what all the hype was about. Except that, when I looked up, it was 1:30 AM and I was on the season 1 finale.

// image: official cover of Lore Olympus, Vol. 1 by Rachel Smythe //

The art is stunning, and captures the humor and tension of the story incredibly well. One of my favorite aspects was seeing the modern clothing, technology, and cityscapes of the world of the gods, and then finding out that humanity is still in ancient Greece.

I didn't expect that I would get so emotionally invested in Hades and Persephone's relationships, but they are so compelling as individual characters that I couldn't help but root for them to escape their respective toxic environments and team up to find happiness together. I legitimately disliked some characters (read: Minthe and Apollo) to the point where I am eagerly awaiting their downfall in season 2.

I'm almost glad I waited this long to jump into this webtoon, primarily because there were some chapter cliffhangers that would have absolutely sent me into hysteria if I had to wait to see how the story unraveled. I might even wait for season 2 to end before I pick it up-that is, supposing I am able to control myself and not fly through the published chapters today. (edit: nope, I caught up to the latest chapter today. oops.)