#OMG! Vampire series review

[afabstract]

OMG! Vampire Review - Tomfoolery in Thaiwilight City

Looking for a vampire series that's more comedy than horror? Thai series 'OMG! Vampire' takes viewers to Thaiwilight City where a group of goofy young vampires are ready to take their first bite in the human world.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram) O-M-G! There’s no way I can objectively rate the Thai series “OMG! Vampire” because it swings from inanely hilarious to quite cringe-y. I nearly died of laughter when the city of Vampires was introduced as “Thaiwilight City,” so whoever came up with that name, high-ten to them. Directed by Phadej Onlahung, the 10-part series, also known as “Red Wine Vampire”…

[crappymixtape]

crappymixtape recos

going to try and do this at least once a month – sharing fics that have just blown me away ❤ so many talented writers on here omg 🥺 show them some love and BE KIND, REBLOG! xoxo, 💿

❤ whispers of 'are you sure?' *18+ – @forevermoreharrington ( steve plans a group trip just to spend time with his favourite girl  • steve harrington x reader )

❤ max mayfield HC – @steveharringtonscarkeys ( headcanon about kate bush being max's favorite and why *sobbing* • lumax HC )

❤ its okay to cry – @lovebugism ( request, you tell steve it's okay to cry • steve harrington x reader )

❤ i will wait: chapter two – @abibliophobiaa ( a soulmate!fakemarriage!au • rockstar!eddie and personalassistant!reader ) ❤ love you to death *18+ – @abibliophobiaa ( a halloween spent in steve's bathroom with vampire!eddie • eddie munson x reader )

❤ steve's a tease *18+ – @lilacletter ( just everything about how steve is such. a. fucking. tease. and we love it • steve harrington HC )

❤ casual dominance *18+ – @lilacletter ( more smutty steve brainrot and how casual he is with his dominance everywhere • steve harrington HC )

❤ into open flames: part 3 *18+ – @sailor-steve ( part three of the series! do yourself a favor and read all the parts nowww • steve harrington x reader )

❤ honey *18+ – @roanniom ( honestly this is one of the best little smut blurbs of all time • steve harrington x reader )

❤ whatta man *18+ – @loveshotzz ( 90's AU at the bar where steve and eddie work and hot damn • bartender!eddie x reader )

❤ size queen *18+ – @usedtobecooler ( okay, my reviews at this point are questionable, but this shit SENT ME INTO SPACE • steve harrington x reader )

❤ modern au bartender!steve – @upsidedownwithsteve ( request, steve's your bartender for the night and damn • steve harrington x reader )

❤ sweetness *18+ – @upsidedownwithsteve ( just the sweetest, hottest, mind melting smut of all time • steve harrington x reader )

❤ post-night out *18+ – @lfaewrites ( okay, hands down the most fire eddie smut, god tier, so good • eddie munson x reader )

❤ sick day – @sw34terw34ther ( eddie takes care of you when you're sick and whiny and omg <33 • eddie munson x reader )

❤ invisible string, series - @lilacletter ( this series just started with part one, but omg can’t wait for more • roommates - steddie x reader )

[cultivating-wildflowers]

You’re on the third book already?? Omg!! Do you mind if I ask your thoughts?

I just started it! My library has the audiobooks 😅 And ABSOLUTELY I will share my thoughts!

First, on the audiobooks themselves, I LOVE the narrator. She does a fantastic job with the dialogue and pacing. My only complaint is that she mispronounces Sidheag's name. She says "sid-hey" instead of "she-ah" (or "she-ak"??).

The books themselves are so so much fun. The cast is obviously the best part, and I love how every character, even the minor ones, stands out. I keep getting a couple of the teachers mixed up, but otherwise they're all very distinct characters who serve the story well. Sophronia's friend group is delightful. And Sophronia herself was a pleasant surprise. Based on her introduction, I was worried we'd get the usual fare of a girl going "Oh, but I don't want to go to finishing school and be made into a lady! I want to wear trousers and climb trees and read books and be independent!" and then sulk for the whole story. Sophronia took it as an intriguing challenge and leaned into the quirkiness, and doesn't complain about corsets and dresses all the time, which I loved. (As the overarching story progresses, she's turning more toward the very special, very cool young person poised to stun the world with her prowess, which I'm iffy about, but I still love her character.)

And I ADORE a good steampunk Victorian setting, and Carriger writes hers so well. Some reviews point out that this is a YA spin-off of an existing adult series, so she spends less time explaining the world of the story, but it doesn't feel like the world-building is lacking; for me it's a perfect balance of explaining some details and letting the reader extrapolate the rest. The characters have relatively historically appropriate sensibilities and tastes and approaches to life (insofar as they can when vampires and werewolves exist), which I really appreciate.

The writing itself? Splendid. There's fun and hijinks balanced by moments of gravity, like when Sophronia realizes this isn't all a game and her actions can have devastating consequences. The pacing flows so well without feeling rushed. I would have liked to see more of the classes, especially in the first story, but it makes sense why those were summarized in favor of developing character arcs.

The only thing that confuses me is character ages. Sophronia starts out at 14, and I assumed it was a young-ish 14, but then about a year later she's already 16 and I don't think there was any mention of her birthday. I do like her being a little older given the developing romance plot line, but I'm still a bit lost there. (Also, this is just personal taste, but it's weird to me that the werewolves are functionally immortal and [I think??] women don't turn into werewolves. Weird choices to me.)

Oh, and I'm not a fan of the grumbling about how restrictive corsets and skirts are but, again, that's mostly personal taste lol.

Anyway, it's all very fun and light-hearted and a good change from the volume of horror I read in October. I would love to hear more of your thoughts on them! But keep in mind that I'm only like four chapters into the third book.

[gizkasparadise]

2023 wrapped: webtoon edition!

my final 2023 wrapped post for the year! unlike previous ones, this list is every series i read this year vs. ones that started this year. previous lists for this year:

cdrama edition

kdrama edition

ranked from least favorite to most favorite, which doesn't mean objectively best, just ones that hit me more. ones that are completed series will have a * after the title

15 my deepest secret*. omfg i hated this webtoon. the twist was asinine and frankly ignorant. none of the characters were likeable by the end. hate quit this one with like 5 chapters left to go i just couldnt

14 my second husband. seemed promising at first! i was hooked for the first 40 chapters or so but then it just started getting weirdly paced, had big plot holes, and nothing ever felt like it was getting resolved. the ML had like 0 charisma as well. dropped.

13 to love your enemy. this one was REALLY fun until the cult arc hit and then it was the biggest wtf is happening. dropped it shortly after

12 i dont hate us*. i liked this one until the timeskip ending, where then everyone and everything just felt really off. the second female lead gets a special mention because i HATED her at first but by the end she was my favorite character <3

11 romance 101.* this was okay. the art style was really cute and i loved the FL. but there never seemed to be any chemistry with the main ship to me, and the plot became really focused on the app/programming club which bored the hell out of me. dropped this one around chap 100

10 shadow bride. nothing bad but nothing particularly noteworthy for me. fluff read.

9 high spirits neoma. im not very far into this webtoon yet, or it'd be higher up the list im sure. im around ch 5 and finding it really charming and i love the color palette for it

8 dreaming freedom/freedom in dreams. although the art style isnt my cup of tea, i really enjoyed this fucked up high school revenge/romance webtoon but where im currently at (ch. 111ish) it's starting to feel a little circular. hoping it goes back to what it does best which is Unsettling Shit

7 my reason to die*. man this would've been in my top 3 but the ending arc is just. really boring??? like i dont want to watch them search for a pot farm for 10 chapters. i havent finished this one yet, but ive been putsing getting back into it ever since post reveal. the drama is very pretty though and the reveal chapters hit me like a truck in a good way

6 operation true love. i borderline hated this webtoon when i first started, but the reviews had me wanting to stick it out and im so glad i did!! around ep 10ish it really finds its footing and just keeps going for it! very kdrama in flavor and endearing FL.

5 unholy blood*. a fun, dark, and nostalgic webtoon about vampires and vampire hunting that brought me back to my tween years in the best way. the character designs are really awesome. it's a little lower on the list because the ending felt a bit rushed, but it's a really solid horror/action comic with a lil romance

4 surviving romance*. this one's complete but i got about 10 chapters left. it's a really fun horror comic (NOT romance, dont be fooled by the title) that reminds me of extraordinary you but if the plot was focused on the metaphysical horror of it a little more. fun characters and relationships. a little lower just because the second "return" arc feels tedious/unneeded so far. we'll see. TEAM RINA.

3 maybe meant to be/fate found by chance. ive found that i tend to gravitate toward darker webtoons, so this is my c-c-combo breaker! cute, funny, quirky, and really endearing. standard contract marriage plot but between two delightful weirdos

2 purple hyacinth. this series is everything. the art is gorgeous, it has its own OST built into the reading. the characters are nuanced and complicated and omg it's a ride and a half so far.

1 olgami/trapped*. INCREDIBLE characters and such an intense look at enemies-to-lovers. the drama starts as a psycho-thriller about gravedigging for a vampire and ends up about two leads who have never learned how to love willing to try it with one another in their fucked-up way. dysfunctional. hot. SO GOOD. the art evolution for this series was great as well

[befuddledcinnamonroll]

Before this week's GMMTV announcements, I thought it was a good time to review my bingo card from Part 1, and do some manifesting for what we haven't gotten yet.

What I got right on my bingo card from Part 1 (which in hindsight, I did better than I realized based on announcements):

- Enemies to lovers, Pond in a comedic role, and if you squint, sort of AouBoom as leads because it's an ensemble cast - all covered by We Are.

- BL series with new actors - a safe bet, yes, still counts, Only Boo (which is actually turning out quite cute).

- Workplace romance - The Trainee

- GemFourth in something cute & innocent - My Love Mix-Up

- Paranormal romance & Gawin in a new lead role with a new partner - My Golden Blood, now to be joined by The Vampire Project for the paranormal part

- I'm also pretty sure I picked ViewJune as a side couple before they were confirmed as one for 23.5, so I'm gonna take credit for that as well.

What seems likely in Part 2:

- Mark Pakin in a lead role. He kind of spilled the beans already, plus it would be fucking dumb to not give him a lead at this point.

- 2 GLs in 2024. Pluto takes one spot, and based on rumors of a particular author posting about the event, another seems likely. (Pluto might also technically qualify as my secret identity romance pick but it remains to be seen).

- FirstKhao romcom. We want it, they want it, it's basic math. Give it!

- Neo paired with someone new and in a non-comedic role. I haven't heard much rumorwise, but I got the impression that Mark may be partnered with someone else. Which I think is good! They worked in Only Friends, but I think it's good to have a roster of flexible BL actors. I know Neo will be in My Golden Blood, so that sorta already counts for a serious role, but I assume he'll get more as well. (Omg, what if he hooks up with Mond as villain boyfies).

Less likely but not impossible:

- Remake of a Korean series. But after mining Japan so successfully, they might want to attempt more (especially if Korea is more flexible with airing rights).

- BL series with actors over 30. Their actors and audience are all getting older, let's bring in some maturity (Yes, of course this is about Papang making out onscreen for my enjoyment, I apologize for nothing).

Not gonna happen and I will be salty about it:

- JoongDunk vampire series. The Vampire Project is right there. Joong as a serial killer is also acceptable. (But of course I will watch them in whatever they get. I would just love for them to not be in university once again.)

- Midnight Museum 2. You give me such beautiful weird chaos and a perfect BL setup for season 2. And we won't get it, because god forbid that Gun ever get to kiss a man who isn't Off. Let him make out with other people, goddammit!!

Not in my card but manifesting all the same:

- Something worthy of Perth. Look, I like Chimon. He is very talented. And I had fun with Dangerous Romance. But I can't deny there was a chemistry problem. I think they can get past it, I really do, but they need the right series, the right coaching - heck, hire Saint to come do a one-on-one class of "how to make out with Perth like you mean it".

- Keep breaking out of the predictable BL settings. They've started to, and they need to keep it up. I'd love a strong sci-fi.

- More trans characters. More gender diversity. More breaking stereotypes.

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Sunday, December 8th

BUFFY: Forget it. I'm not playing by anyone else's rules any more. (gets up) I'm done. She staggers drunkenly over to the table, opens the basket and tips it over, setting the kittens free. All the demons yell in protest. DEMON: Hey, I won those two! BUFFY: Be free, kittens! DEMON: They're getting away! Buffy turns and leaves as the demons frantically try to re-capture the kittens. The kittens run around under the table, meowing.

~~Life Serial~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Dead and Alive Again by apachefirecat (Buffy/Spike, Clem, soft R/M)

can you say that again? by properlyirregular (Willow & Buffy, Willow & Xander, T)

Withers and Dies by fizzy31funny (Spike x Drusilla, T)

Don’t Ask (But Please Do Tell) by fortes775 (Buffy/Spike, R)

A Big Holiday Party by Flyora (Buffy/Spike, G)

Baby, it’s cold outside by Julikobold (Buffy/Spike, G)

Dust Devil by ClowniestLivEver (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

White Poinsettias by Maxine Eden (Buffy/Spike, R)

Aunt Arlene’s Recipe by veronyxk84 (Buffy/Spike, T)

[Chaptered Fiction]

I Love You (and The Horizon Hides You in Vain) - Chapter 1 by ConcernedReader (Buffy & Dawn, Buffy/Spike, canon ships, M)

[Images, Audio & Video]

Gifset: TARA MACLAY & DAWN SUMMERS ➤ Outfit Parallels by clarkgriffon (worksafe)

A Wicked manip by confused-bisexual (Buffy/Faith, worksafe)

A Dawn/Faith manip by bratsallwomansized (everyone's clothed)

Wanted to try drawing Faith during one of her peak looks like she's dying eras. by sideartblog999 (worksafe)

A Drusilla collage by slut-jpeg (worksafe)

Collage 258: I find myself wondering what cologne Spike would wear... by thedecadentraven ()

Collage 259 (When She Talks, I Hear the Revolution) by thedecadentraven (Buffy/Spike, worksafe)

Collage 260 "stay, stay, stay, stay, stay." by thedecadentraven (Buffy/Spike, worksafe)

Buffy by the-temperance (worksafe)

Embroidery: Out for a Walk, Bitch by Urbanfauna (probably worksafe)

Spike character exploration by Nik Virella (Spike, Drusilla, worksafe, stylized blood)

[Reviews & Recaps]

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered by amusementofaprincess

Buffy the Vampire Slayer S5E20: 'Spiral' Analysis & Breakdown | Passion of the Nerd

[Recs & In Search Of]

andaere seeks a copy of Coming of Age/Age of Unreason by glassdarklyuk (Glassdarkly)

murphysletsdraw seeks writings (links to papers/articles for example) or thoughts about BtVS sexual politics

Recs: part 2 of my favorite spuffy fics! by userslayer

Buffy board game - for sale by here4wandavision

exiledfan seeks information about official Spuffy merch that was sold while s6 aired

[Community Announcements]

Rarepair Bingo 2025 at otherworldly_chemistry - posting opens Jan 1st

I Will Remember You Fic Marathon 2024: Masterlist

Voting for I Will Remember You Marathon 2024 Fic Superlatives is open until Dec 14th

[Fandom Discussions]

Spike uses his kitten poker winnings to open a Cat Cafe by aphony-cree

Thoughts on Bangelus [critical of Angel and Bangel] by goblins-riddles-or-frocks

Re: Omg you're a Buffy fan? Please give me an overview on all your opinions... by thinkatoryprocess

I've been drafting a bangel fic for months.... I'm having a heck of a time getting these two to choose each other. by desicat-writer on Tumblr

I feel bad for Brian Thompson (the actor) by fshoulders

the more i think about it the more transfem angel just kinda solidifies in my mind... by xaeyrnofnbe

btvs vampires are person-shaped cats by xaeyrnofnbe

Influences on Buffy/Angel [the series] (cont'd) by thrasherpix

Something I never realized about Doppelgangland by BrianTheReckless

How would angel have defeated Glory, Adam and Caleb? by FoxIndependent4310

Is Angel the best strategist in the Buffyverse? by FoxIndependent4310

Theory - Kendra was kidnapped by the Watcher’s Council by bcruzcruzcruz

Buffy's assault (forcing Angel to feed off her in the season 3 finale) by Senorpuddin

Appreciating the Master for being a fun first villain... by MrPuroresu42

Which of the Buffy characters could be persuaded to work with/take control of Wolfram and Hart? by sadhungryandvirgin

If Doyle was half demon on his father’s side. Does that mean demons and humans can procreate? by Scopeburger

It’s wild how little connection there is between Drusilla and Faith... by murdered800times

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

James Marsters GalaxyCon Columbus 2024 Reports, Pics & Videos via dontkillspike

James Marsters' next scheduled con appearance is FAN EXPO New Orleans Jan 10-12 - via jamie_marsters

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

[bl-bam-beyond]

BL 2024 YEAR IN REVIEW. RATINGS. BEST AND WORSE etc..

My Top 20 Worse BL Series

This list is my personal opinion for my personal reasons even though some are super popular.

20. Deep Night

19. First Note of Love

18. Live in Love

17. Bad Guy My Boss

16. Sunset X Vibes

15. Battle of the Writers

14. Boys Be Brave

13. OMG Vampire

12. Close Friend 3: Soju Bomb

11. Time: The Series

10. Two Worlds

9. Although I Love You, and You?

8. Kidnap: The Series

7. This Love Doesn't Have Long Beans

6. City of Stars

5. Monster Next Door

4. Anti Reset

3. My Love Mix Up Thailand

2. Love Is Like A Cat

1. My Strawberry Film

[bookishbethanyerin]

• Series Review: The Crowns of Nyaxia •

Hi, hello, I have entered my Carissa Broadbent ✨era✨and I hope it never ends.

And good news for me: The Crowns of Nyaxia series is actually going to be six books, so we still have a ways to go!

But! If you’re the type who doesn’t like a drawn-out series, then this will still work for you because it’s told in duologies.🤩

And this first duology follows Oraya, a human who has been raised by a vampire king whose land is in the midst of a civil war and who enters the Kejari – which is basically a competition to the death designed by Nero. There, she’s pretty much forced to ally with Raihn (your new book boyfriend, you will lose your mind), a vampire who hates her father, in order to survive.

And y’all – there is action and tension and *so much* intrigue and angst (love is a weakness dialed up to 11) and spice, and omg the end of the first book had me by the mf throat because I thought I knew where it was going and it turned out I did not at all!!!

And then the novella introduces you to Lilith, a sickly human scientist trying to cure her cursed people from a mysterious disease, and Vale, a mostly retired vampire general whose blood she thinks can save everyone, AND HOLY BAZOO IT IS! SO! GOOD!

AND THEN!!!! The second book is all angst and bitterness and betrayal and politics and the emotional journey is extremely well-done, and will have you screaming and swooning and gasping and very literally sitting on the edge of your seat because that’a the only posture that makes sense while reading.

In sum: I loved these books. Read them immediately.

5🌟 | 2.5🌶️

[thenightling]

Agatha All along episode 7 review

Short review and spoilers within.

First... Patti LuPone was brilliant in this episode as Lilia. That woman deserves an Emmy. I will admit I am NOT a fan of her experiencing time out of order / nonlinear thing. To me it felt like a dementia metaphor and I never liked those in comic book or fantasy stories. Everyone thinks they're being clever about it but really they're not, they're tired and cliche and often feel ham fisted and even out of place. I didn't like it with Martian Manhunter's father in CW's Supergirl (formerly CBS) and I don't like it here. HOWEVER it was so well acted I'll over look the clumsy and tired metaphor that I don't feel belongs in fantasy. Before this episode was released I saw a fan theory floating around that Rio is not really there and just a figment of Agatha's imagination, like Lestat's added scenes in season 2 of Interview with The Vampire. I was going to call out how ridiculous this theory is but decided to wait until my own belief (that she's Death incarnate) was confirmed. That came with this latest episode. One big reason why the theory that Rio isn't really there and / or is only in Agatha's head doesn't work, is the other characters have already interacted with her, sometimes without Agatha there or paying attention. This is why you shouldn't come up with fan theories when multitasking or not really paying attention to what you're watching. If you were surprised that she's Death go back and watch the first episode carefully and pay attention to the language. Also the lyrics about Death are in both versions of The Witches' Road, the Sacred Chant version and the Ballad version. "I hold Death's hand in mine." and "I dance with Death." I can't help but think that the obvious metaphor is the witches' road is a witches' life. And the end is... well, Death. If you (you know who you are) STILL don't think Agatha is of the LGBTQAI+ community and think they're just good friends, YOU belong on the "OMG they were roommates!" meme. Because, honestly, I'm getting deja vu of when I dealt with an Interview with the vampire fan in a Louis themed Yahoo group in the late nineties who insisted Louis is straight... "MY PRINCE CHARMING IS STRAIGHT!!!" (How's that working out for you, honey?) I am slightly disappointed that Patti LuPone hasn't released a solo cover of The Ballad of The Witches' Road song.

I kind of hope that at the end of the mini-series either Agatha or William use their prize to restore the lost members of the coven. That might piss off this version of Death though. I'd gotten a bit too used to sympathetic and kindly versions of Death such as Death of Discworld, The Angel of Death from American Horror Story, Azrael in Lucifer, and Death of The Endless in The Sandman. It was a very well-acted episode but certainly not my favorite. As I said, I don't like the symbolism of the non-linear life experiences. My favorite episode is still episode 4, I'm a sucker for a good song number.

[moonstruckme]

this was from a whilee ago but i wanted to say THANK YOU to that anon who recommended the interview with the vampire show, i don't think i've ever liked a show or just piece of fiction this much, like it's just so perfect and accompanied by that beautiful soundtrack, I AM MOVED, i even started reading the book series to really understand it better, anyway sorry for blabbing sm, but yh thank you anon you have exquisite taste!!!

Omg yay anon you’re creating a whole fanbase here!! Once I have access to streaming again I really have to watch that, these are so many rave reviews !

[selkiestudies]

Hypothetically, you are only able to keep 20 of your books. Only one book per author/series. So what books are you keeping?

Oooh!! Thanks for tagging me @fluencylevelfrench ! This is so hard omg… okay here we go:

The color of magic by Terry Pratchett

Tigerlily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

The Council of Mirrors by Michael Buckley

The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green

American Gods by Noel Gaiman

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

The Green Book by Jill Paton Walsh

The Dorito Effect by Mark Schatzker

Other Minds by Peter Godfrey-Smith

Refuse by Julian Randall

The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant by Drew Hayes

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher

Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera

I tag @bennistudies @alexistudies and anyone else who wants to do it!!

[linkysmommy]

im also reading bb3 rn we are in this together 🤝🤝🤝 eagerly awaiting ur future reviews/reactions idk about you but I went in kinda blind and a part of me still can’t believe what I thought was a sexy vampire ceo book is actually an intense gothic romance/horror about three vampires very fucked up interrelations and the cycle of violence and abuse they are trapped in and working to break and that’s literally the tip of the iceberg i’m never judging anything again actually ive been humbled. 😭

omg this is amazing, I love how like three years after the game releases or however long it’s been, you and I are just HAPPENING to be reading it for the first time 🥹 so fun knowing that someone else is experiencing the same thing as I am right now! Can’t wait to share my overall reviews and reactions when I finish 🤭

I actually played book 1 when it first came out but I’m pretty sure I only bought ONE diamond scene and it was the one with Adrian in the cabin. oh wait no I also bought the diamond scene to chase down Nicole. Anyway, idk why but while I didn’t hate it, I didn’t like it that much? So I never bothered reading the sequels and like you, I kinda figured it just turned into a cheesy steamy vampire story for some reason 😭 but I decided to give it another shot and since diamonds are way easier to come by now I got all the tapestry scenes and that is SUCH a game changer… i genuinely haven’t had this much brainrot about a Choices game since It Lives. Feeling embarrassed I’ve also been lowkey judging this series for so long fjdkkd

Although PB’s marketing of BB is pretty criminal… like whyyy are the metadata tags “sexy, vampire, CEO” like they marketed it as vampire 50 Shades or something and then it’s this incredible story with unforgettable characters and meaningful themes but I digress

[wurmeatworld]

omg yes! Ive already seen a bunch of these and they are super amazing (2, 5, 7, 9)

For anyone looking to get into more video essays, here's some more I reccommend!

A Full GamerGate Retrospective | DEEP DIVE by Savy Writes Books - A deep dive chronicling every detail of GamerGate, from the events leading up to it to its impact that lasts to this day.

Anti-Whiteness Is Good, Actually by Philosynoir - An essay explaining Whiteness as a construct designed to oppress people of color.

Hogwarts Legacy, JK Rowling, and Trans Advocacy by Ro Ramdin - A look at the ethics of buying Rowling's merchandise given her rampant transphobia.

Do You Remember Marble Blast? A "Series" Retrospective by Patricia Taxxon - An review of the mechanics and design of Marble Blast and its biggest mods.

Debunking Matt Walsh's "What is a Woman?" by Jessie Gender - A thourough rebuttal to transphobic rhetoric that explores some of the deeper connections it has to fascism and racism.

The Evolution of Vampires in Pop Culture by Shanspeare - A history of the vampire and how the trope has evolved over time in pop culture.

The Romanticization of Problematic Content by Mia Cole - An examination of how creators can still thrive after being called out online.

Billions of Dead Genders: a MOGAI retrospective by Lily Alexandre - An essay examining MOGAI and why so many genders that have been coined have faded away into obscurity.

The Path - Psychological Horror in the Woods by Izzzyzzz - An analysis of a niche psychological horror game about girls in the woods.

The Lies of the Satanic Temple by Dead Domain - An exposé of the fascism and corruption of the founders and leaders of The Satanic Temple, and their attempts to cover it up.

The Neurosis of Cat Valentine by CJ the X - An analysis of the character traits and development if Ariana Grande's character in the Disney Channel show "Victorious".

How Fat Went Black by Foreign Man in a Foreign Land - A history of public perception of fat, and how racism turned it on its head.

Is it Okay to have Genitalia Preferences? by Kat Blaque - A nuanced take on genital preferences by a trans woman.

How "Anti Vaping" Ads Manupulate You by Maggie Mae Fish - A comparison of anti vaping ads to the war on drugs, and what that could mean.

Line Goes Up - The Problem With NFTs - by Folding Ideas - An in-depth look at cryptocurrency, NFTs, and Web 3.0, and their unsustainability.

ROBLOX_OOF.mp3 by Hbomberguy - If you havent watched this yet what are you doing. A deep dive into the true origins of the Roblox "oof" sound that descends into chaos once certain facts about a certain man are uncovered.

some recent very good video essays <3

James Baldwin and the Annihilation of Gender by Anansi's Library - stunning essay about gender, sexuality, and Blackness in the works of James Baldwin, and Moonlight (2016).

astronomy has a colonialism problem by Dr. Fatima - Libyan-American and former physicist Dr Fatima discusses the links between colonialism, scientific academia, and the Palestinian liberation movement.

Saltburn: The Tumblr-ification of Cinema by Broey Deschanel - fun essay on how Saltburn is a cheap rip-off of The Untalented Mr Ripley and refuses to admit it, and how such pastiche is a growing problem.

How Shirley Jackson exposed the horror of home life by Books n Cats

This Video Isn't Just About Taylor Swift. It's About You. by Alexander Avilla - a juggernaut of an essay about how so much of Taylor Swift's success is just about the weaponisation of whiteness in marketing.

Time Travelling While Black by Aishyo - comparative essay about media that portrays Black characters who time travel.

Why We Can’t Build Better Cities by Philosophy Tube - Abigail Thorn investigates the ideological links between gentrification and the 15-minute-city conspiracy theory.

Why Sci-fi Can't Fix Its White Savior Problem by Princess Weekes - an essay about how white supremacy and white feminism is baked into science fiction.

Eminem and the White Rapper Problem by F.D Signifier - a retrospective on Eminem's impact on rap, for better and worse.

Why YouTubers Hold Microphones Now by Tom Nicholas - a fascinating piece about how the slow corporatisation of YouTibe has impacted content creators' aesthetics over time, and how this is also a wider trend on the internet.

[outofthemouthsof]

My QL Year in Review (part 1)

This was my first full year as a BL/GL watcher, so I wanted to do a wrap up of 2024 from my POV!

I watched 131 shows all the way through (many of them shorts) and abandoned 13, so my total attempted was 144.

Of those, 74 were from previous years (some of them very old as I caught up on the history of BL. So I’ll only focus on ones that ended in 2024, 70 in all.

I’m gonna start with my “bottom 50” and then do a second post with my top 20.

I think I’m very easy to please overall so there were pretty few I couldn’t finish or were so WTF I couldn’t give them a grade. So I liked almost everything I watched even on these lower-rated shows.

I rate shows in 9 categories of adjectives but I tried to assign them letter grades so it’s easier to see what I mean. Oh and they’re not ranked within each grade category, just chronological by when I finished them.

So here we go!

BOTTOM 50 QL SHOWS OF 2024

Great (B+)

21. Perfect Propose

22. Love for Love's Sake

23. I Became the Main Role of a BL Drama

24. Your Tie Is Crooked (microfilm)

25. City of Stars

26. VIP only

27. VIP only (special ep)

28. 23.5 (GL)

29. Stay By My Side (special ep)

30. Cityboy_log vol 3

31. Knock Knock Boys

32. Love Sea

33. The Secret of Us (GL)

34. Ayaka Is in Love With Hiroko (GL)

35. Affair (GL)

36. The Loyal Pin (GL)

37. Meet You at the Blossom special episodes

38. Love in the Air (Japan)

39. Love Sick (2024)

Pretty good (C+)

40. Bagan Beginning

41. 1000 Years Old

42. You Are Mine (special ep)

43. AntiReset (special ep)

44. at 25:00 in Akasaka

45. The Sign special ep

46. My Love Mix-Up (Thai)

47. Love Sea special episode

48. I Hear the Sunspot

49. The Trainee

50. Kidnap

Okay (C)

51. Khar Taw Mi (short film)

52. Only Boo

53. SunsetXVibes

54. Bad Guy

55. Cityboy_log vol 4

56. Bad Guy My Boss special episode

57. The Renovation (short series)

Pretty bad (C-)

58. Deep Night (special ep)

59. OMG Vampire

60. Dream (GL)

61. Bad Guy My Boss

Uhhh (ungradable)

62. Playboyy

63. Love Syndrome: The Beginning (movie)

64. Spare Me Your Mercy

Dropped and/or skimmed (F)

65. For Him

66. Senior and Junior

67. Seoul Blues

68. The Time of Fever (Unintentional spinoff)

69. Battle of the Writers

70. Addicted Heroin (Thai)

[katherine-villyard]

Critics Are Raving!

What are reviewers saying about Immortal Gifts?"This was a strong start to the Immortal Vampires series, it uses the vampire element in a way that worked with the overall storyline being told. The characters were everything that I was looking for and enjoyed how they worked in this world. I enjoyed how good Katherine Villyard’s writing was and was glad I got to read this start. I’m excited for more in this series and from Katherine Villyard."--Kathryn M on NetGalley "This was such a unique book and genre mash up. Part romance, part horror, part historical fiction, part mystery. A literary vampire story with multiple times lines and POVs that tackle romance, grief, sadness/depression, love, acceptance, religion and even vampire pets. Pacing was a little off but the parts that dragged didn’t last long. This book made me chuckle out loud a few times but is also so much about grief and losing those you love deeply. Such an interesting way of looking at relationships when people are in different religions and how love and respect within those relationships can make it work. Probably one of the weirdest books I’ve read this year but also one I’ll think about for a while."--Nikki on NetGalley and Goodreads "Immortality has never been introduced in this way. I appreciated the heart, love, humor and tragedy that was swirled within the pages. The lengths one must go to to keep the gift a secret and the moral dilemma when you want to give it away. This stirring novel was all at once witty, gritty and surreal. I will be recommending this read to everyone!"--Tracey S on NetGalley "Omg this is the best book ever epic , you get three main characters telling you what was happening from their point of view, I shed a few tears along the the way and laughed too this has a cast of great animals that could have a book of their own , I couldn’t recommend this book more highly it will stay with you forever I think 5 stars is a paltry amount but that’s all I can give it but a bright shiny 5 stars it’s got from me"--Margaret on Goodreads "Abraham has a gift for music. Born in the 1800s, he lied about being Jewish to attend the Berlin Academy of Music and secure a patron. But, it also gets him turned into a vampire. When his lie is found out, it puts him in the crosshairs of zealous bigot. His tale spans centuries of him trying to be true to himself, his religion, and coming to terms with death. At the heart of all of this, the story is one about death and grief. And while these are not unusual themes to be found in a story with vampires in it, I thought it was handled beautifully. Each character handled their grief and pain differently and each had their own thoughts on what it meant to be immortal."--Rose on Goodreads and Instagram "I do not typically read vampire or fantasy books but I LOVED this book! The main character, Abraham, is a talented violinist, vampire, and Jew. From this book I learned a lot about Jewish traditions, something I did not expect from a vampire book! The story is told from the point of view of several different characters. Personal relationships and love are highlighted throughout the story. This book far exceeded my expectations and was a joy to read!"--Michele on Goodreads "I must admit, at first, each short chapter starting at a different date and in the words of a different character was a little jarring. However I’m glad I persevered because I loved this book and know that you will as well."--Diane on Goodreads "This was a lot of fun to read. The periods of time that it takes place in keeps it interesting. The characters are at times complicated. Good backstory which is nice to have."--Timothy on Goodreads Read the full article

[unhingedreviews]

Carmilla the show ft. something broke

So I didn't live review the majority of S3 because I was eating, or too busy trying to figure out what the writers were thinking. but I did keep a few notes and I do think I'd make a great critic. and by great I do mean, beloved by audiences and loathed by creators because despite being a qualified, experienced-ish storyteller I have clearly no fucking clue what is going on in other people's heads. BECAUSE IF I DID, I WOULD UNDERSTAND THIS SHOW. anyway, the notes:

Sherlock S3 ignore haha At least they can't put their feet up on the furniture if there's less furniture Who's restocking the vending machines? The yoga scene is actually very funny Ginger haired girl was a lot more fun when she was ginger Omg DAD 'I have faces too' oh dude How. How. Is Carmilla putting her boots on the chair Omg Dad and the stories WHERE DID THE TELEPHONE COME FROM AND WHERE CAN I GET ONE also, yeah, kissing good There's no way podcast girl has been in a cave for two months and has eyebrows that well groomed "Cultural Chernobyl" this dad is so much better than Le Fanu's dad 'Technical difficulties' ahahaa Dad is the only sensible person Carmilla's new philosophy is actually quite good Is it in their contracts that the more evil the character gets, the more not-quite English the actor must pretend to be 'you couldn't stab a swimming pool if your body was a knife' They waited until the end of series three for a Good Omens reference OH MY GOD I have no idea how this show ended because I got distracted by Carmilla in short shorts in the parallel universe and never really zoned back in. But I am confident that a vampire, when confronted by her dead girlfriend, could TURN HER INTO A FUCKING VAMPIRE