#Nevada Saunders

[assvagegvilt]

Can I have a kiss in exchange for a coin?

Nevada’s plain and straightforward request earned a prompt reaction from Theo, as the younger one looked on rather amused. "Just a kiss?" He could barely keep a straight face; he wasn’t about to pass up an opportunity like that. "I'm kidding. Come here, you.” With a reach, Theo curled his fingers gently against the man’s nape, pulling him into a feverish kiss that ought to satiate some curious hunger.

[assvagegvilt]

Bless. Nevada didn’t want to start a scene, wherein he was frankly rearing to go and give his acting chops a good flexing. But of course, the other man was right; they didn’t need to trouble anyone just because he was feeling the need to have some mouth-to-mouth going on. “Just so you know, I’m taking note of that.”

The more they danced around the subject, the more Theo’s smile grew cheekier. Surely, Nevada being near naked already in front of him had a massive effect as it is, but all the games added on to the thrill of the fun. Sneaking a casual, coy peek up and down the lifeguard’s figure, there was no denying the ‘smitten kitten’ look on his own features. “Oh?” Scrunching his nose affectionately paired with a highly tickled grin. “Perfect.” As soon as the word was uttered, Theo reached out to promptly grab the other’s face and pull him closer, capturing his lips in a swift move, unable to resist any more.

“If we weren’t in a crowd full of bystanders, I would say go for it but we wouldn’t want to make anyone worry or give any old timers a heart attack,” he joked. “So, maybe, we can play that role out another night when there’s no one around to witness.”

“Everyone else is too busy fawning over each other.. how can they night. This island is basically like Ogygia and the King brothers are Calypso,” he snorted.  Nevada pressed his lips in a thin line, shaking his head. “That’s why we have doctors here,” he cooed, “So, if you do any toe stepping, they can fix them right up.” He scrunched his nose, shrugging casually. “As for having my eye on someone…. he just happens to be standing right in front of me,” Nev smirked.

[countyflagchampionship]

On to Round 2!

This is a wrap-up of the current standings. Polls for round 2 will be published starting this Saturday (12/16).

Congratulations to all the counties that progressed!

The state that is standing the strongest is New York, with 39 counties progressing to round 2! Albany, Allegany, Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Delaware, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Jefferson, Kings, Livingston, Nassau, New York, Niagara, Oneida, Orange, Otsego, Putnam, Rensselaer, Richmond, Rockland, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Schuyler, Steuben, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westchester, and Wyoming.

Next most powerful state is Virginia, which has 36 winning counties. Alleghany, Alleghany, Amherst, Augusta, Bedford, Brunswick, Caroline, Carroll, Charlotte, Chesterfield, Fairfax, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Gloucester, Goochland, Grayson, Halifax, Isle of Wight, James City, King and Queen, King George, King William, Lee, Louisa, Montgomery, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Prince Edward, Pulaski, Rockingham, Scott, Smyth, Southampton, Tazewell, Warren, and Wise.

Ohio is also standing strong with 27 advancing counties. Brown, Butler, Columbiana, Coshocton, Crawford, Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Geauga, Holmes, Jackson, Lake, Lawrence, Licking, Madison, Mahoning, Medina, Mercer, Monroe, Muskingum, Perry, Pickaway, Ross, Scioto, Seneca, Trumbull, and Van Wert.

North Carolina is up next with a solid 24 wins. Beaufort, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Camden, Carteret, Craven, Currituck, Granville, Harnett, Henderson, Hoke, Jackson, Johnson, Lenoir, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, Mecklenburg, Northampton, Onslow, Person, Robeson, Tyrrell, and Wake.

Only 1 more state has over 20 counties that made won their match-ups and that's my wonderful Washington. Adams, Asotin, Chelan, Clallam, Cowlitz, Ferry, Garfield, Grant, Grays Harbor, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Whitman, Yakima. Stay strong my soldiers.

A much higher number of states are comfortably in the middle of the pack. They are as follows:

Texas: 19 counties. Bosque, Collin, Dallas, Denton, Fort Bend, Goliad, Hockley, Jones, Lipscomb, Live Oak, Llano, McMullen, Milam, Ochiltree, Orange, Panola, Parker, San Patricio, and Travis.

California: 17 counties. Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Imperial, Lake, Mariposa, Monterey, Orange, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Tulare, Tuolumne, and Yolo.

Pennsylvania: 16 counties. Allegheny, Blair, Butler, Carbon, Dauphin, Franklin, Greene, Jefferson, Lancaster, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montgomery, Perry, Potter, Venango, and York.

Tennessee: 15 counties. Blount, Campbell, Carter, Cumberland, Hardin, Houston, Johnson, Knox, Madison, Maury, McNairy, Obion, Union, Williamson, and Wilson.

Nebraska: 13 counties. Adams, Buffalo, Cass, Cherry, Dakota, Keith, Knox, Nuckolls, Platte, Saunders, Stanton, Thayer, and Webster.

Nevada: 13 counties. Churchill, Clark, Douglas, Esmeralda, Eureka, Lander, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Pershing, Storey, Washoe, and White Pine.

Illinois: 12 counties. Cook, DeKalb, Franklin, Jasper, Kane, Marion, McDonough, McHenry, Morgan, Peoria, St Clair, and Winnebago.

Maryland: 12 counties. Anne Arundel, Calvert, Carroll, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, Talbot, Washington, and Worcester.

Michigan: 12 counties. Barry, Berrien, Clinton, Genesee, Gogebic, Kalamazoo, Lake, Oceana, Ottawa, Rocommon, Sanilac, and Wexford.

Iowa: 11 counties. Dickinson, Fayette, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Humboldt, Jefferson, Jones, Polk, Pottawattamie, and Wright.

Louisiana: 11 parishes. Ascension, Bossier, Cameron, Catahoula, Concordia, Jefferson, Lincoln, Natchitoches, St Bernard, St James, and St Tammany.

New Jersey: 11 counties. Bergen, Cumberland, Essex, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Salem, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren.

Kentucky: 10 counties. Boone, Boyle, Breckinridge, Daviess, Leslie, Logan, Pike, Shelby, Trimble, Woodford.

Many of these poor cute states are barely hanging on. Please wish them luck.

Florida: 8 counties. Alachua, Bay, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okaloosa, Osceola, Palm Beach, and St Johns.

New Mexico: 8 counties. Colfax, Curry, Doña Ana, Lincoln, Mora, Otero, Roosevelt, and Socorro.

Georgia: 6 counties. Bartow, Cherokee, Floyd, Fulton, Pierce, and Rockdale.

Indiana: 6 counties. Benton, Elkhart, Jennings, Marion, Marshall, and Starke.

Minnesota: 6 counties. Aitkin, Clearwater, Hennepin, Hubbard, McLeod, and Pipestone.

Wisconsin: 6 counties. Calumet, Fond du Lac, Osaukee, Portage, Racine, and Sheboygan.

Wyoming: 6 counties. Big Horn, Converse, Lincoln, Natrona, Park, and Teton.

Missouri: 5 counties. Clay, Gentry, Greene, Newton, and St Louis.

South Carolina: 5 counties. Anderson, Calhoun, Dillon, Dorchester, and Lexington.

Utah: 5 counties. Beaver, Summit, Utah, Washington, and Wayne.

Alaska: 4 boroughs. Anchorage, Juneau, Matanuska-Susitna, and Wrangell.

Arkansas: 4 counties. Cross, Searcy, Washington, and White.

Colorado: 4 counties. Douglas, El Paso, Fremont, and La Plata.

Oklahoma: 4 counties. Bryan, Payne, Rogers, and Washington.

West Virginia: 4 counties. Fayette, Marion, Monongalia, and Roane.

Alabama: 3 counties. Bullock, Cleburne, and Mobile.

Arizona: 3 counties. Coconino, Maricopa, and Yavapai.

Maine: 3 counties. Androscoggin, Hancock, and Washington.

Idaho: 2 counties. Bannock and Bonner.

Kansas: 2 counties. Atchinson and Johnson.

Massachusetts: 2 counties. Barnstable and Berkshire.

Montana: 2 counties. Gallatin and Silver Bow.

North Dakota: 2 counties. Benson and LaMoure.

Some states only have 1 county that progressed. They are: Delaware (Kent County), Hawaii (Maui County), Mississippi (Adams County), New Hampshire (Hillsborough County), Oregon (Linn County), and South Dakota (Bennet County).

```

In addition to all the winning counties above, there will be 83 new county flags folded into round 2!!! (Because of math reasoning this had to happen) Get hyped

They are as follows:

Alexander NC, Allen OH, Alpena MI, Alpena MI, Alpine CA, Arapahoe CO, Ashe NC, Avery NC, Baldwin AL, Baltimore MD, Bell KY, Benzie MI, Bernalillo NM, Black Hawk IA, Brevard FL, Camden NJ, Campbell WY, Canyon ID, Centre PA, Charles City VA, Cheatham TN, Chester PA, Clark WA, Clarke VA, Cleveland OK, Cochise AZ, Columbus NC, Coweta GA, Darke OH, Davidson NC, Elko NV, Erie PA, Florence SC, Garrett MD, Goshen WY, Greene VA, Grundy IL, Gwinnett GA, Hidalgo TX, Highland OH, Hocking OH, Holt NE, Hot Springs WY, Howard MD, Huntingdon PA, Ingham MI, Island WA, Kankakee IL, Lackawanna PA, Lawrence PA, Leelanau MI, Lehigh PA, Leon FL, Liberty TX, Lucas OH, Madera CA, Mahaska IA, Manitowoc WI, McLennan TX, Meigs OH, Milwaukee WI, Nashville and Davidson TN, Northumberland VA, Orleans NY, Page VA, Porter IN, Sacramento CA, Salt Lake UT, San Diego CA, Sangamon IL, Sevier TN, Shelby TN, Skamania WA, Spotsylvania VA, Stafford VA, Sussex VA, Terrell TX, Trinity CA, Tulsa OK, Tuscarawas OH, Ventura CA, Wahkiakum WA, Yuma AZ

[cmcgt]

The Divorcees: The sun-soaked atmospheric summer page-turner everyone is talking about by Rowan Beaird | Goodreads

"Lois Saunders thought marrying the right man would cure her loneliness, but as picture-perfect as her husband is, she is suffocating in their loveless marriage. In 1951, though, unhappiness is hardly grounds for divorce―except in Reno, Nevada.

At the Golden Yarrow, the most respectable of Reno’s famous “divorce ranches,” Lois finds herself living with half a dozen other would-be divorcées, all in Reno for the six weeks’ residency that is the state’s only divorce requirement. They spend their days riding horses and their nights flirting with cowboys, and it’s as wild and fun as Lake Forest, Illinois, is prim and stifling. But it isn’t until Greer Lang arrives that Lois’s world truly cracks open. Gorgeous, beguiling, and completely indifferent to societal convention, Greer is unlike anyone Lois has ever met―and she sees something in Lois that no one else ever has. Under her influence, Lois begins to push against the limits that have always restrained her. But how much can she really trust her mysterious new friend? And how far will she go to forge her independence, on her own terms?"

November 2024

[holley4734]

The Divorcees: #bookreview

@rebeaird @NetGalley @Flatironbooks @ZaffreBooks #BookBloggers #Blogging #BookPromo #BookTwitter #booktwt @_teamblogger #Teamblogger #theclqrt @BiblioblogR @BloggersHut @bloggernation

“I’ve done what I could, but sometimes people prefer to stay where it’s safe, to stick to what they know, even when what they know is a prison.” The Divorcées by Rowan Beaird tells a story about a topic that I have never heard of before – a divorce ranch. The Golden Yarrow, divorce ranch in Reno, Nevada, is the home to Lois Saunders for the next six weeks until her divorce is finalized. The…

[audaxprocella]

ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴜᴅɢᴇ

𝐈𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠.

Thunder rolled proudly beyond the luscious juniper mountain with a thick fog masking the valleys. The temperature was chilly, but not to the point of discomfort. Instead, I found it quite comforting and reflective of the sombre mood that I had to face. Creighton was silently driving, Joanie had her phone in her hand, undoubtedly checking reservations and accommodations because she was a perfectionist in that way. My eyes followed the droplets on the window as they zig zagged with every bump of the road. Anxious thoughts were crushing my skull. Three months on location with hardly any room to breathe. The bravado from a few days ago was gone. Scenes of physical closeness, lips touching, bodies moving together. Thud. Thud. Thud. My heart felt like it weighed a ton, locked in my chest.

As we rolled along the hills, the building came into view. The stone architecture adorned in mossy vines. Sharp points and gargoyles on top. The castle was quite simply put–breathtaking. The teary day couldn’t stun its beauty and I knew that when captured on film, it wouldn’t be done justice. Creighton pulled the car into the circular driveway and stopped at the main entrance. There were different filming crews scattered across the grounds. I stepped out of the regulated car, under the umbrella that he held for me. 

“Ms. Dubois! We’re so happy to see you’ve made it here safely.” The voice came from the main producer on site, Mr. Cole Saunders. He has worked with our director on three academy award projects and that’s what I needed for my career. Prestige and honour. “Leave your bags and the staff will get it, I need to introduce you to the rest of the cast.”

I gave a curt nod as I followed him through the foyer into one of the rooms that would serve as our working room. I smelled the notes of cedar, sage and tobacco before I saw him. I could pick out the scent of Intenso even in a crowded room. He was animatedly sitting by one of the writers, giving a bravado performance like he always does. Everyone was captivated by his presence–he was a star. A true star. A charismatic man. 

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞.

【Ｆｏｕｒ　Ｙｅａｒｓ　Ａｇｏ】

Yellow fabric wrapped tightly around my body accentuating every curve of my hips and the dip in my back. Steady breaths escape me, but nothing could combat this nervous energy. After meeting prolific child star, Sean Brown, he gave me his number to call him and I … didn’t. I chickened out because I was still raw from my breakup with Professor X. Not to be deterred, I found that the next time I was on set, he sent his PA with a phone and a note saying that since I didn’t want to call him from my phone, he would give me this phone and his number was already programmed in it. It was ridiculous. I caved. 

Now, here I was sitting in a dive bar in nowhere Nevada, staring into his stormy gaze as he paid the bill. I couldn’t act as though it wasn’t incredibly insane to think that I, a young woman with $30 in her bank account, was on a date with a famous actor. A date!

“Have I told you how breathtaking you look?” His voice was assured, oozing confidence. “I bet you look even better without it on.” My heart was in my stomach. I was grateful for the fact that my cheeks were already rosy from the pink blush that I had put on today. He took my hand and pulled me closer to him in the secluded booth. His lips whispered softly against my hair, “You’ll be a better dessert than what’s on the menu.” 

He cradled my face between his hands. His forehead pressed against me, breathing me in. He smelled like cedar, sage and tobacco. His lips touched mine, stealing my breath and my heart. The stupid feeble thing.

𝐌𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞.

【Ｐｒｅｓｅｎｔ　Ｄａｙ】

“Alright everybody!” Cole spoke loudly, alerting the room of our presence. Sean’s head shot upward, his gaze immediately seeking mine. “Our leading lady has arrived. Zuri, you’ve met Sean previously, here are your other costars Clara Stone and Xavier Lyons…” 

He proceeded to introduce the writing team, other assistant producers and a few other cast members. It was a bit overwhelming but most of it was blocked by Sean’s presence. I didn’t prepare myself the best way that I could for this encounter and I knew better. 

“We’ll have a staff dinner later tonight in the family dining room. As you all know most of this site will be used for filming and there’s restrictions on filming areas. Sean and Zuri, our director requested you work with Vernon for the intimate scenes.” My head bobbed as I listened, bile threatening to surface. He rambled on for another ten minutes before dismissing us. Tentatively with a sudden lack of energy, I began to rise from my seat when Sean’s hand touched my elbow. 

“Zuri.. or should I refer to you as Ms. Dubois?” His tone was steady with his telltale charm. His fingers aimlessly grazed the pebbled skin of my arm. My eyes scanned the room to see who else was present—it was just the two of us. 

“I’d rather you not refer to me at all, Mr. Brown.” I tugged my arm away from him, increasing the distance as I made my way to the door. His hearty chuckle meshed with the scent of his cologne. 

“Why have you been giving me such a cold reception?” He was behind me in an instant, spinning me to face him with a beguiling smile. “You know that I’ve missed you. I want us to be friends again.” 

Friends? When were we ever friends?

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐢𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐭.

【Ｔｈｒｅｅ　Ｙｅａｒｓ　Ａｇｏ】

Sean’s lips trailed along my jaw, his hands were under my skirt rubbing my thighs. He was overjoyed because he finished filming the upcoming season of his show. He squeezed my ass, grinding against me. His breath was thick with vodka. 

“Baby, my girl. My precious girl.” His words were slurred as he tugged me closer to sit in his lap. We were at his house in Palm Springs. We’ve been dating for about a year now and it still doesn’t feel quite real. He was kind, sweet, and loving. The kind of man I’d always hoped to find. 

The jarring bell of my ringtone interrupted our time together. Frustrated, I grabbed the phone to answer but he took it from me and answered the call. 

"𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰, 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘡𝘶𝘳𝘪? 𝘐’𝘮 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘴. 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘮 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨—"

Sean ended the call, the venom in his eyes was as clear as a perfectly blue sky. 

“Sean? Who wa-”

His fist connected with my jaw, my body fell backward onto the cushion. My eyes blinked rapidly, a sense of fear shackled my body. Did he? Did he just hit me? He leaned over me then hit me again and again. When he was satisfied, he smoothed his thumb over the forming bruises, clasped my jaw and forced my teary gaze to meet his. 

“Don’t cry, you’re too pretty to cry, my love.”

Four times. He hit me four times because a man that I didn’t know called me by my name. 

Z U R I. 

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐬𝐨 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐲?

【Ｐｒｅｓｅｎｔ　Ｄａｙ】

“Stop touching me.” The words were spoken with conviction. A confidence that I wasn’t quite sure I held. I pressed my hands against his chest, shoving him away from me. His brawny frame knocked the chairs behind him. His face was stunned, but the brief flicker of confusion made way to amusement. 

“Are we playing rough?” He grinned, fixing himself to stand up. His gaze darkened like it always did when he got ready to make me his punching bag. My face was impassive.. No guts. No glory. “You know..” He walked closer to me.

There was a sudden boom followed by one of the PAs rushing toward us. 

“Mr. Brown, can I steal you for a sec?”

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭, 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐭, 𝐦𝐚𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥.

I slammed the bathroom door shut, tossing my bag on the floor and immediately grabbing the small bag of coke. My skin was itching me, I wanted to rip it off. The deep panic was settling in all over me. Breathe. Zuri. Breathe. Tears streaked my cheeks. My fingers turned the knob for the tap water, filling the sink's basin. The world was closing in on me. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t see. I cut the powder into two skinny lines, sniffing them. The water in the sink was sufficient. Freezing cold. I plunged my head into the water. 

Peace. Serenity. Calm. 

Floating. Stars. Solitude.

𝐈𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈'𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐈'𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐭.

[dwellordream]

The Divorcees by Rowan Beaird. Historical fiction/drama. Against her straitlaced father and husband’s wishes, Lois Saunders is determined to get a divorce and live independently. In order to achieve this, she travels to Las Vegas, where quickie divorces can be granted in a matter of weeks- even in 1951, when ending a marriage labels a woman defective. At a luxury ranch for wealthy divorcees, Lois meets Greer, a charismatic socialite with more than a few dark secrets, and the obsessive friendship that develops between them threatens Lois’ future.

Last Seen Wearing by Hilary Waugh. Mystery/thriller. Lowell Mitchell is a typical upper middle class college student; her days are filled with classes, dates, and gossip. Until one day she vanishes without a trace- plunging her small all women’s college and the surrounding New England town into a panic. Two police detectives are assigned to the case- has Lowell run away to elope? Or to procure an abortion? Is it suicide? Or murder?

Consequences by Penelope Lively. Historical fiction/drama. In late 1930s London, upper class Lorna elopes with an idealistic artist named Matthew Faraday. The couple settle down in the country to raise their daughter, Molly, but the family is torn apart when war breaks out and Matt is drafted. A generation later, Molly is a lonely young woman working as a librarian, where she encounters a charming older man who makes her his mistress- but wealth does not equal happiness. And a generation after that, Molly’s daughter Ruth researches her family’s past, which takes her all the way back to where it first began.

Gifts by Ursula K. Le Guin. Fantasy. In the bleak and dangerous Uplands, warring clans use their hereditary magic- called Gifts- to forge alliances and seize territory. But Orrec and Gry are both outsiders in their families- Orrec fears his Gift, the power to unmake any living thing or object, while Gry refuses to use her Gift, the power to summon animals, to aid hunters. When Orrec’s mother falls ill and a feud erupts with a rival family, the two friends must decide what they are willing to risk to map their own futures.

The Dove in the Belly by Jim Grimsley. Historical fiction/romance. In 1970s North Carolina, 21-year-old Ronnie is adrift- his mother has remarried and moved to Nevada without him, and his homosexuality puts him in danger in an often violently macho and aggressive college community. But an odd friendship with Ben, a star football player with a hot temper and surprising introspection- allows Ronnie to begin to imagine that happiness and freedom are possible- until fate threatens to rip him and Ben apart.

Fatima Tate Takes the Cake by Khadija VanBrakle. Drama/romance. 17 year old Fatima dreams of becoming a pastry chef, but her strict Muslim American parents want her to choose a more reliable career. While in the midst of secretly applying for a scholarship program to the Culinary Institute of America, Fatima falls for Raheem, a handsome and charming college student. After a few months of secretly dating, Raheem approaches her parents to ask for her hand in marriage. But as her engagement unfolds, Fatima begins to doubt that Raheem is as perfect as he appears- or that marriage is what she wants.

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson. Drama/thriller. Enchanted Jones dreams of becoming a singer. While participating in a talent show, she catches the eye of Korey Fields, a world famous R&B singer. Sparks fly between them- but Korey is 28 years old, and Enchanted is 17. When Korey offers to mentor Enchanted and take her on tour, she is thrilled- but his fame and charm hide a vicious predator. When Korey is found dead, all the evidence points to Enchanted- but she has no memory of the night Korey was murdered, and her freedom is on the line.

That Dangerous Energy by Aya de Léon. Romance/drama. After a lifetime of struggling to make ends meet, Morgan has found her Prince Charming- Sebastian Reid, CEO of ReidCorp, one of the world’s most famous energy companies. But ReidCorp’s environmental record is a nightmare, and once Morgan becomes aware of the scope of their corruption and pollution, she becomes determined to take Sebastian down.

Books Recs of 2024

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. Mystery/fantasy centered around Din, a young assistant investigator assigned to help an eccentric and infamous detective, Ana Dolabra, solve a series of murders. Din is an engraver, his brain altered so he has a photographic memory. However, no one is quite sure how he got his current position, since he failed every single one of his final exams except the combat portion. Ana is an exceedingly odd woman who refuses to go to any crime scene in person and often performs mad science experiments in her spare time. As Din struggles to keep up with the case, which revolves around a bioweapon being unleashed on a series of the empire's best engineers, he also worries what will happen when Ana finally uncovers his secrets.

Highfire by Eoin Colfer. Urban fantasy (very comedic fantasy) about a dragon called Vern (short for Wyvern), who teams up with a juvenile delinquent named Squib (real name Everett Moreau) to take down a corrupt sheriff who is plaguing the Lousiana bayou. Vern is a very small (seven feet long) dragon who is the last of his kind (as far as he knows). When he is spotted by a local troubled teen, his first instinct is to hunt Squib down and kill him, but he quickly realizes the two of them have a common enemy- the murderous sheriff who is running drugs through their territory.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi. Magical realism about a romantic-minded art historian who is swept off his feet by a mysterious and charming heiress. After a whirlwind courtship, the happy couple return to her childhood home; a Gothic manor on a lonely island. The more time our narrator spends around his wife's past, the more questions are raised- increasingly sinister ones about who she is and what exactly she is capable of. Once upon a time, she was best friends with an equally odd and dreamy little girl named Indigo. But no one has seen Indigo for many years now- and the Flower Bride may be behind her disappearance.

Chlorine by Jade Song. Horror/magical realism. Since childhood, Ren's entire identity has been wrapped up in swimming. If she can be strong enough, fast enough, special enough, success is sure to come her way. As the end of high school approaches, Ren's passion for swimming becomes less about her future, and more about past legends of mermaids and sirens dragging sailors into the deep. School, friends, and her parents' expectations all fall away- Ren will make her home in the water, no matter what she has to do.

We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride & Jo Piazza. Realistic fiction. Jen and Riley have been best friends for as long as they can remember, despite their vastly different childhoods. Riley is from a middle class Black family; Jen was raised by an impoverished white single mother. After twenty years of doing almost everything together, their lives are at a crossroads- Riley is a news anchor about to take Philadelphia by storm, while Jen is expecting her first child with her police officer husband. When Jen's husband is involved in the murder of a Black teenage boy by a fellow officer, Riley finds herself expected to cover the story- and Jen finds herself expected to answer for her husband's actions- and her own beliefs about what racism looks like.

Queenpin by Megan Abbott. Crime thriller/noir. Our nameless heroine lives a mousy existence working as a bookkeeper for a rundown local night club, but her life is turned upside down when the infamous Gloria Denton, a gun moll and smuggler, takes her under her wing. Gloria transforms her young protege from a timid girl to a sophisticated, cunning woman capable of handling gangsters, conmen, thieves, and bookies, but when she falls for the wrong man, her relationship with Gloria is strained, and they must decide just how far they can trust one another.

Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch by Rivka Galchen. Historical fiction. Based on the real life trial of Katharina Kepler, mother of the famed Johannes Kepler, Imperial Mathematician to the Holy Roman Empire. Katharina is a busybody, a domineering and devilishly clever woman with a particular talent for healing. She is also a fiercely loyal mother to her adult children, but when an old neighborhood grudge flares into accusations of poison and witchcraft, Katharina is determined not to meekly confess and beg pardon. The more she lashes out at her neighbors and the authorities, the more charges begin to pile up against her- despite her son's desperate attempts to save her from torture and execution.

Bury Me Deep by Megan Abbott. Crime thriller/noir. Based on a real life murder case in 1931 Phoenix Arizona. Naive and sheltered Marion Seeley is deposited in Phoenix by her disgraced doctor husband, who is forced to take a job with a mining company in South America after his medical license is revoked. Marion befriends the vivacious Louise and Ginny, two fellow nurses, who introduce her to the underground party scene in Phoenix. Politicians and businessmen flock to the secret parties held by them, and it's a quick way to make money on the side. Drawn in by the luxury and thrills, Marion falls in love with Joe Lanigan, a powerful local politician, but as their affair intensifies, her friendship with the other women fractures, culminating in a gruesome crime.

[alekimala-a]

Aleki looked over the dates of The Grotto, majority of them were here for the start of the blind dates, something that Aleki himself was a part of. He still had no idea who his date was, but he knew he would have to wait till after he closed his set. There was no way that he would miss one of the bigger nights to make tips on. Guitar in hand and his head tilted into the microphone, Aleki sang a melody of love songs, some cheesier than others.  His eyes scanned the room again, noticing Nevada down the way, he had became friends with the other, playing music together from time to time here and at the ball they had a few weeks ago. They didn’t really talk outside of stuff like this, but Aleki didn’t know that was about to change.

Closed Starter for @nev--saunders​

[doutzensaintjames-blog]

@nevada--saunders

[hallowletter]

TO: Nevada Saunders FROM: Doutzen Saint James MESSAGE: You = Candy CANDY: Hot Tamales

@nevada--saunders

[jackleighton-blog]

@nevada--saunders & @miraleroux replied to your photoset “boydswan: What’s the worst thing you ever done?”

“That’s a bunch of bullshit.” Mira and Nev both saying in unison.

“I’m off—” Jack attempted to say, but failed on account he couldn’t stop laughing since he knew he was no saint and that both his brother and Mira were correct.

[nevadaxsaunders]

Introducing....

                                             Nevada Raistlin Saunders

~~~ Overview ~~~

Name: Nevada Raistlin Saunders

Nicknames: Nev, Nevy

Gender: Cismale

Pronouns: he/him

Age: 35

~~~ Physical ~~~

Height: 6′5″

Hair: Brunette

Eyes: Dark Brown

Appearance: Hairline scar that stands out, more so when his head is buzzed. Several tattoos that cover his arms, back and legs. 

~~~ Preferences ~~~

Kinks: Oral, Rimming, Biting, Voyeurism, Light Bondage, 

Anti-Kinks: Age play, Puppy play, Incest, Degradation, 

                                                      BIOGRAPHY

Nevada Saunders was not born in the state of Nevada, nor had he ever been there. Instead, brought in on a cold, bitter winter night in Detroit, Michigan. It was his parents who had been to Sin City, where they first met, just like any other stereotypical love story. His mothers' romance was like any other: two college students on a Winter Break vacation who fell in love at first sight. When Nevada came into the picture, the couple married young just months before the birth of their son. Everything seemed happy-go-lucky; in fact, Nevada’s father was his best friend growing up. They scavenged during camping, hiking, and fishing trips, and this was how the boy found his love for nature. It all seemed blissful until the kid turned eight when he found himself hiding in a corner watching his parents quarrel. Later, his father would show up late for dinner until that one night when he never came home again. After that day, Nevada never heard from his dad back, not even on birthdays or holidays. His whereabouts were utterly unknown.

Once the divorce was final, Nevada and his mom shipped off to California, leaving their home and memories behind. Los Angeles became a new awakening for the single mother. It was a perfect place to settle and start over again with family just a few hours up north. For months, his mom was a mess. She even stopped calling him Nevada but instead called him Nev, and ever since, the nickname stuck. The single mother spent most of her time working several jobs to keep up with all the bills. Summer was over by the time they became comfortable with the city, and school was starting up again. Enrolling the boy in a private school was costlier, but better for his education. With the last few months of school he spent back in Michigan, Nevada was close to getting kicked out after many backlashes and refusals to do homework. She wanted the best for her son, even if it meant an extra expense.

When high school rolled around, Nevada entered public school after private schooling became too expensive for his mom. The boy did great for the first three years, having an average GPA and focusing on his career in music, and learning to play the guitar as a hobby in which he found comfort. His senior year, everything came crashing down. Out of nowhere, Nev’s father started showing up after school, sitting across the street. It was weeks before the stranger finally approached the teen, this left Nev outraged, and wondered how exactly his father had found him and why he had appeared suddenly. The intrusion went Nevada stressed and distracted, and slowly, he started to fall behind in his classes; soon enough was threatened with being kept behind if he didn’t step up. Within a few short months before graduation, he dropped out and promised his mom he would work his way toward earning his GED. As the weeks went by, Nevada never told his mom of the reappearance of his father, worried that she would fall back into her emotional state just as she had started dating again. Not long before his father noticed Nev’s absence from school, he showed up at their front door one day. Infuriated, Nev lashed out, telling the man to disappear from his life and never come back.

Three years later, after balancing several jobs and studying, Nevada earned his GED. Better yet, his mother found love and remarried, moving up north to San Francisco. Nev figured he was better off in LA after feeling he didn’t quite belong with his stepdad and stepsister. Throughout the years, he worked different jobs but finally came to settle at a small cafe and pie shop as well as walking dogs for a nearby animal shelter. At the age of 26, Nevada needed more friends and, on a whim, joined a social website. That was where he met someone dear to him almost two years after joining, but nearly half a year later, things didn’t work out on his part. Along with the split, his mother suffered a miscarriage, making things for him even more stressful. Hours away in Los Angeles, Nevada worried about his mother’s health. Months later, after selling some of his belongings and packing, he moved up to San Francisco.

While there, he put it upon himself to start considering the future after so much time worrying about the welfare of others and not himself. Nevada decided he needed something eye-opening, and that something was called the PCT. After delivering newspapers and walking dogs for the local neighborhood as well as helping his grandmother with housework, Nev had saved up enough to buy all the equipment and necessities for the trip. The trip would take up the whole duration of his summer, precisely 2,659 miles of hiking through deserts, mountains, rough terrains, and unbeatable weather. Starting from the border of Mexico and just beyond the boundary of Canada. After one hundred and thirty-eight days of rediscovering himself, Nev flew back to LA. During his trip, Nevada received from his mom a letter claiming that his birth father had grown ill. In it contained a note was one from his dad, as well as a check for all the years he hadn’t paid child support. The one request his father had was for Nev to visit him, which Nev refused. Just a few days before Nev finished his hike, his dad passed away. Guilt-ridden, Nevada found it wasn't right to spend the check but was convinced otherwise by his mother.

When he arrived back in LA, Nev had enough money saved over the years to find a better apartment than the last. He also picked back up his jobs at the Pie Hole and the animal shelter, but another thing Nev took upon himself was to go to college to become a music teacher. Four years later, the boy graduated with a degree in Music Education.  even used in movies and television shows. He got a job as a Music teacher for an element. One thing he never imagined was falling in love with working with kids. There was something about getting to see the joy on a child’s face when he shared his love and passion for music. Despite, loving his job Nevada still battled with his depression, and no matter how much he tried couldn’t find happiness in Los Angeles.

Flash forward to the current day time, Nevada is thirty-five and decided to take a year or two off from teaching. Instead, trying to focus more on his mental health and wanting to thrive in a new environment. Though his dating life could use a few tweaks here and there, after several that had ghosted him and the last had cheated on him. It came to the point where the man thought-- maybe, it was him doing the wrong. The musician wants to find happiness, whatever that meaning could be but right now, he wanted to get out of Cali and experience something different for a change. That’s where he finds himself at Haus of Perses.

[emorysinclair-blog]

What’s the News? || Emory & Nevada

"What’s with this new look you’ve got on your face?” Emory had waited long enough before he asked his friend what was up. He leaned over slapping the other man on his shoulder to make sure he’d had his attention. “You normally look like a love sick puppy, but today you’ve got the whole cat’s swallowed the canary face going. What’d you get into?” The two men were laid out on a couple of beach chairs on the Lille private beach side of the lake. And though it was a private beach, it was surprisingly busy with plenty of attractive people, but neither man was giving any of the other patrons much mind. Though not as busy as the other side of the lake which was majority of the reason they weren’t on that side. 

@nevada--saunders

[prescottmatthew-archive]

location; gates hardware with; @nevxsaunders​ - closed

Moving to a new town and taking on a family he wasn’t prepared for was already a lot on Matthew’s plate, but adding in the fact that half the shit in his sister’s house was falling apart and needed to be fixed only gave the man more shit to worry about. He was browsing the aisles looking for a few specific items to make the house a little more safe when he noticed someone spill the entirety of their basket on the ground and his head turned in that direction. “Oh shit, man.” He took a few steps towards the man and started to help him pick up the pieces as he looked up at him. “What the hell are you trying to fix? Or build? This is a lot of shit dude.” 

[rivieraestateshq]

Full Name: Nevada Saunders

Age: 34

Faceclaim: Casey Deidrick

Role: Staff, pianst at The Grotto

Occupation: composer

Residence: The Mermaids Walk

Nevada Saunders was not born in the state of Nevada, nor had he ever been there. Instead, brought in on a cold, bitter winter night in Detroit, Michigan. It was his parents who had been to Sin City, where they first met, just like any other stereotypical love story. His mothers’ romance was like any other: two college students on a Winter Break vacation who fell in love at first sight. When Nevada came into the picture, the couple married young just months before the birth of their son. Everything seemed happy-go-lucky; in fact, Nevada’s father was his best friend growing up. They scavenged during camping, hiking, and fishing trips, and this was how the boy found his love for nature. It all seemed blissful until the kid turned eight when he found himself hiding in a corner watching his parents quarrel. Later, his father would show up late for dinner until that one night when he never came home again. After that day, Nevada never heard from his dad back, not even on birthdays or holidays. His whereabouts were utterly unknown.

Once the divorce was final, Nevada and his mom shipped off to California, leaving their home and memories behind. Los Angeles became a new awakening for the single mother. It was a perfect place to settle and start over again with family just a few hours up north. For months, his mom was a mess. She even stopped calling him Nevada but instead called him Nev, and ever since, the nickname stuck. The single mother spent most of her time working several jobs to keep up with all the bills. Summer was over by the time they became comfortable with the city, and school was starting up again. Enrolling the boy in a private school was costlier, but better for his education. With the last few months of school he spent back in Michigan, Nevada was close to getting kicked out after many backlashes and refusals to do homework. She wanted the best for her son, even if it meant an extra expense.

When high school rolled around, Nevada entered public school after private schooling became too expensive for his mom. The boy did great for the first three years, having an average GPA and focusing on his career in music and learning to play the guitar as a hobby in which he found comfort. His senior year, everything came crashing down. Out of nowhere, Nev’s father started showing up after school, sitting across the street. It was weeks before the stranger finally approached the teen, this left Nev outraged and wondered how exactly his father had found him and why he had appeared suddenly. The intrusion went Nevada stressed and distracted, and slowly, he started to fall behind in his classes; soon enough was threatened with being kept behind if he didn’t step up. Within a few short months before graduation, he dropped out and promised his mom he would work his way toward earning his GED. As the weeks went by, Nevada never told his mom of the reappearance of his father, worried that she would fall back into her emotional state just as she had started dating again. Not long before his father noticed Nev’s absence from school, he showed up at their front door one day. Infuriated, Nev lashed out, telling the man to disappear from his life and never come back.

Three years later, after balancing several jobs and studying, Nevada earned his GED. Better yet, his mother found love and remarried, moving up north to San Francisco. Nev figured he was better off in LA after feeling he didn’t quite belong with his stepdad and stepsister. Throughout the years, he worked different jobs but finally came to settle at a small cafe and pie shop as well as walking dogs for a nearby animal shelter. At the age of 26, Nevada needed more friends and, on a whim, joined a social website. That was where he met someone dear to him almost two years after joining, but nearly half a year later, things didn’t work out on his part.

Along with the split, his mother suffered a miscarriage, making things for him even more stressful. Hours away in Los Angeles, Nevada worried about his mother’s health. Months later, after selling some of his belongings and packing, he moved up to San Francisco.

While there, he put it upon himself to start considering the future after so much time worrying about the welfare of others and not himself. Nevada decided he needed something eye-opening, and that something was called the PCT. After delivering newspapers and walking dogs for the local neighborhood as well as helping his grandmother with housework, Nev had saved up enough to buy all the equipment and necessities for the trip. The trip would take up the whole duration of his summer, precisely 2,659 miles of hiking through deserts, mountains, rough terrains, and unbeatable weather. Starting from the border of Mexico and just beyond the boundary of Canada. After one hundred and thirty-eight days of rediscovering himself, Nev flew back to LA. During his trip, Nevada received from his mom a letter claiming that his birth father had grown ill.

In it contained a note was one from his dad, as well as a check for all the years he hadn’t paid child support. The one request his father had was for Nev to visit him, which Nev refused. Just a few days before Nev finished his hike, his dad passed away. Guilt-ridden, Nevada found it wasn’t right to spend the check but was convinced otherwise by his mother.

When he arrived back in LA, Nev had enough money saved over the years to find a better apartment than the last. He also picked back up his jobs at the Pie Hole and the animal shelter, but another thing Nev took upon himself was to go to college to become a music teacher. Four years later, the boy graduated with a degree in Music Education and had composed a handful of pieces that became popular, even used in movies and television shows; this added a useful pocket of money for him to save up for traveling. Nevada still battles with his depression, and no matter how much he tried couldn’t find happiness in Los Angeles. Flash forward to current day time, Nevada is thirty-four and still excelling in his music career. Though his dating life could use a few tweaks here and there, after several that had ghosted him and the last had cheated on him. It came to the point where the man thought– maybe, it was him doing the wrong. The musician wants to find happiness, who or what that meaning could be.

@nev--saunders​

[alansaunders]

via Twitter https://twitter.com/Apikrite