#Philippe Book Club

[kazu-naito]

yall have been sleeping on vfv's 🔞 cgs

[lilmeowmeowsagelesath]

i’m gonna miss my prince 🥹💙

[richincolor]

New Releases for July 16, 2024

Here are the new releases we're watching for this week.

Grief in the Fourth Dimension: A Novel by Jennifer Yu Amulet Books

A moving and unique speculative YA novel about the afterlife and the unexpected connections that can be made in death In life, high school classmates Caroline Davison and Kenny Zhou existed in separate universes—Caroline in one of softball practices and family dinners; Kenny in one of NASA photo books and late-night shifts at his parents’ Chinese restaurant. But after their deaths, they find themselves thrown together as roommates in a mysterious white room—one that seems to exist outside of time and space, shows them their loved ones’ lives on a large hi-def TV, and grants their wishes with a sardonic sense of humor.

As Caroline and Kenny watch life continue to unfold back on Earth, they realize they can influence events through radio signals, psychic mediums, and electromagnetic interference. In their efforts to console their families, they also start to understand the tragic depth of how their lives and deaths were connected and how to help their families—and themselves—heal from the losses.

The Ping-Pong Queen of Chinatown by Andrew Yang Quill Tree Books

Perfect for fans of Ben Philippe and Mary H. K. Choi, this charming, insightful YA novel follows two high school students who form a complicated, ground-shifting bond while filming a mockumentary. On the eve of Felix Ma’s junior year of high school, his parents hires a college admissions coach to help him find a marketable activity. Cynically trawling for extracurricular excellence, Felix decides to start a film club at school.

But then he meets Cassie Chow, a bubbly high school senior who shares Felix’s anxieties about the future and complicated relationship with parental expectations. Felix feels drawn to Cassie for reasons he can’t quite articulate, so as an excuse to see her more, Felix invites Cassie to star in his short film.

While the project starts out as a lighthearted mockumentary, at the urging of Felix’s college admissions coach, who wants to turn the film into college essay material, it soon morphs into a serious drama about the emotional scars that parents leave on their kids. As Felix and Cassie uncover their most painful memories, Cassie starts to balk at opening her wounds for the camera.

With his parents and college admissions coach hot on his heels, Felix discovers painful truths about himself and his past—and must decide whether academic achievement is worth losing his closest friend.

Portrait of a Shadow by Meriam Metoui Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

A missing sister. A mysterious boy. And a painting that holds the truth beneath its peeling edge…

Inez is missing, but missing things can always be found.

Mae knows this as a fact, even though the police investigation has come to a standstill, even though her parents are moving on. But when she goes to clear out her older sister’s studio, she finds a mess of research and a white canvas that seems even older than the ornate frame it is set in. The closer Mae gets to the canvas, the more difficult it is to pull her eyes away from its mottled surface, its heavy layers of white paint, its peeling top corner she is tempted to pull to see what’s beneath. But she doesn’t. Not yet.

Mae decides to trace her sister’s last steps in the hopes of finding answers, certain that Inez’s disappearance is related to the painting. And she knows she is desperate enough to let the strange boy who claims to have been Inez’s neighbor tag along. Even if his good looks don’t help distract from his avoidance of her questions. So begins a scavenger hunt piecing together what they can find from what Inez left behind. One that leads to centuries-old questions best left unasked and secrets best kept in the dark.

The White Guy Dies First: 13 Scary Stories of Fear and Power Terry J. Benton-Walker (Editor), 

Tor Teen

13 SCARY STORIES. 13 AUTHORS OF COLOR. 13 TIMES WE SURVIVED THE FIRST KILL.

The White Guy Dies First is a powerful and entertaining collection for YA readers featuring thirteen scary stories in which the white guy dies first.Edited by Terry J. Benton-Walker, including stories from bestselling and critically acclaimed Adiba Jaigirdar, Alexis Henderson, Chloe Gong, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, H. E. Edgmon, Kalynn Bayron, Karen Strong, Kendare Blake, Lamar Giles, Mark Oshiro, Naseem Jamnia, Tiffany D. Jackson, and Terry J.

[labete-du-gevaudan]

This image of the Umguza Monster was drawn by Philippe Coudray in his 2009 book Guide des Animaux Cachés. In 1950, this glowing octopus-like creature was seen at the Umguza River, near the Umguza Dam. It was first reported by a butler at the nearby Umguza Yacht Club. It had also been seen by a worker on the dam. The creature reportedly crawled out of the water and onto a nearby pier. It was large enough to cover the width of the pier.

Bernard Heuvelmans believed that the Umguza Monster could have been bioluminescent microorganisms that are often seen floating in the water. However, others disagree considering the creature crawled out of the water. Heuvelmans also suggested that it could have been a species of bioluminescent freshwater octopus.

[nesiacha]

Fate of Marie Angélique Lequesne wife of Ronsin

While searching for information about the widow of Charles Philippe Ronsin, namely Marie-Angélique Lequesne, here is what I found. She supposedly remarried with Turreau (one of the characters I detest the most from the French Revolution period). Here is an excerpt from a text by Catherine Allgor, and the title of the book is Dolley Madison: The Problem of National Unity.

« She ( Dolley Madison) enjoyed a deep connection with Marie-Angélique Lequesne Ronsin Turreau. This diplomatic wife was a remarkable person, a commoner who (…) husband married her out of gratitude after she helped him escape from imprisonment during the French Revolution. Dolley « loved the womens for her singularity which are scarcely know to others ». Dolley described her as « good natured inteligent, gernous plain and curious ». They genuily enjoyed each other.(…)

Madame Turreau played a part in « finishing » Dolley, preparing for her life as a prominent political wife(….). Marie-Angélique did a jood job as Dolley became more proficient in the official langage of diplomacy and so was able to communicate with all future foreign emissaries.

But Dolley also understood their relationship not to be merely one of personnal affections but to have national and international relationships implications. Dolley did not like Marie Angélique’s husband, the French minister, Louis-Marie Turreau. She found his treatment of his wife shocking. Western Countries allowed for husband to « correct » their wives with corporal punishment. But Turreau’s cruelty to his wife went too far ».

Mini reflections: I do not know Dolley Madison, so I will leave those who are familiar with the subject to address it. I am not sure if the statements reported by this text are true, so I am expressly asking you if it is correct or not. Nevertheless, it is regrettable to think that if it is true, it is sad to see Marie-Angélique Lequesne, after suffering the loss of her husband Charles Philippe Ronsin, who was guillotined as a Hébertist in 1794, having to endure the violence of her second husband. Especially in view of the qualities attributed to this woman. It also seems that she was very politicized, but this aptitude has been eclipsed, just like with the wives of other revolutionaries (Elisabeth Le Bas, Lucile Desmoulins, Sophie Momoro, Sophie de Grouchy, etc.), and it should be discussed more.

Regarding domestic violence, I do not like the implication that it was seen as the norm for husbands to beat their wives. Perhaps this text explains that unfortunately, it was too common, but we cannot excuse it by saying it was their time. For example, Jean-Paul Marat, also a man of his time, strongly condemned in his journal and writings the violence women suffered in their homes and encouraged them to leave if they experienced violence.

But it does not surprise me coming from a man like Turreau. I find him detestable, incompetent, and he displayed such cruelty that instead of quelling the rebellion in Vendée, it only intensified, which is logical (sorry to his fans, I confess that I hate him). From a cruel man, the fact that he would subject his wife to violence does not surprise me. I wonder if he married Marie-Angélique Lequesne out of regard for Ronsin or simply because she had married a former member of the Club des Cordeliers, a general-in-chief of the revolutionary army who proved to be an honest and competent administrator, and that this could enhance Turreau’s reputation (I am not saying that Ronsin was perfect, far from it, he also had his faults, but clearly not as much as Turreau and it seems that he was much more competent than him). To be fair with him he was not the only responsible for the atrocities committed in Vendée, far from it, but he remains detestable. But I am surprise to read that Marie Angelique Lequesne helped him get out of prison. I thought it was because he was acquitted by a military tribunal on December 19, 1795.

In short, it is sad to see how competent women were sidelined due to sexism and poorly protected by society.

[jun3lily]

˒ ⋮ apps: romance club (2019 – ∞); league of dreamers (2023 – ∞); seven hearts stories (2023 – ∞)

˒ ⋮ my fav books: legend of the willow; arcanum; kali: call of darkness; lullaby of witches; tablet of isis; wandering spirit; legend of the celestials

˒ ⋮ my lis: ratan; max; hunger; takao; masamune; liam; kingu; ivo; philippe; dooyeong; loki; waiting for rc anubis🙏🏻; nikolai; anubis; nicholas; quanah; guan

˒ ⋮ currently reading: song of the crimson nile; psi; kali: flame of samsara; vampyrus novus; the dragon saga: ragnarök

[divinesymmetry]

Pride Month list part 2: book edition

I read a lot (and I mean a lot) of queer books, especially during my YA phase ages 15-17, but here are a few that have particularly stood out to me, and why you should read them:

Maurice by E.M. Forster (published posthumously in 1971): everything you'd want from an early 20th century romance, except it's gay, and arguably the best piece of 20th century queer literature

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (2019): absolutely heartwrenching, will have you gasping for air in between sobs, and it's written by a poet so you KNOW the prose is amazing

Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart (2022): set in 1990s Glasgow, will absolutely rip your heart out and tear it to shreds

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo (2021): 1950s lesbian coming of age during the red scare, need I say more?

Don't Cry for Me by Daniel Black (2022): written in the form of letters, from a Black father to his gay son

Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski (2020): for some reason, no one seems to have read this, and they absolutely should have. will, once again, leave you in sobs (I am beginning to suspect I might cry easily)

My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson (2022): another underhyped one, about race and sexuality during the AIDS crisis

Un Garçon d'Italie by Philippe Besson (2003): one of the narrators is literally a rotting corpse, that should be intriguing enough

A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood (1964), Confusion by Stefan Zweig (1927), Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown (1973) and Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin (1956) because, if you're like me, you're desparate to find queer literature from before the 1990s

Angels in America by Tony Kushner (1993), much quicker to read than to watch though, unfortunately, you do not have Andrew Garfield as Prior Walter in the written version

Ace of Spades by Faridah Abiké-Iyimidé (2021) starts with a quote from Get Out and that tells you everything you need to know

Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon (2019) is surprisingly rich for YA, exploring homosexuality in the 1970s, conversion therapy and Native American identity

Crush by Richard Siken (2005) if you're more into poetry, particularly the kind that will bring you physical and emotional pain

Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel (1986) because you can't not read Alison Bechdel

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun (2021), The Feeling of Falling in Love by Mason Deaver (2022), and She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen (2021) are the perfect romcoms if you want to switch your brain off for a few hours (or emotionally recover from half of the other books on this list)

For the similar list I made about movies, click here

Happy Pride!🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

[uwmspeccoll]

Milestone Monday

On this day, July 24 in 1802, French novelist and playwright Alexandre Dumas was born in Picardy, France. With the help of his father, a general and aristocrat, Dumas acquired writing work with Louis Philippe, Duke of Orléans, setting the stage in his career for early success. Dumas lived a decadent life that he allegedly often could not afford, and in turn traveled regularly, fleeing creditors and relations with whom he had fallen out of favor. He spent time in Spain, Italy, Germany, England, Belgium and Russia, before returning to France in 1864. Dumas’s journeys inspired the adventurous themes of his many books and plays and left a legacy of prolific publications including The Count of Monte Cristo, The Nutcracker, and The Black Tulip, along with several illegitimate children.  

Amongst Dumas’s most well-known works, The Three Musketeers stands out as a classic historical adventure novel that has been translated into nearly one hundred languages and multiple mediums. First published serially between March and July 1844, The Three Musketeers was written in collaboration with Auguste Maquet, and while inspired by a true encounter between three young Béarnese it is in a whole a work of fiction. This two-volume, 1932 Limited Editions Club production of The Three Musketeers was illustrated by Pierre Falké (1884-1947) with vibrantly dynamic hand-colored prints, designed and printed by A. A. M. Stols at the Halcyon Press in Maastricht, Holland, in an edition of 1500 copies signed by the illustrator.  

After a life of writing, Dumas died of natural causes in December 1870. He was buried at his birthplace but was later re-interred at the infamous mausoleum of the Panthéon where his casket was carried in by Republican Guards costumed as the Musketeers. French President Jacques Chirac spoke at the re-interment doting on Dumas, “With you, we were D’Artagnan, Monte Cristo, or Balsamo, riding along the roads of France, touring battlefields, visiting palaces and castles-with you, we dream.”

-Jenna, Special Collections Graduate Intern

View more Milestone Monday posts.

[thatwasthenightthingschanged]

books I've read in 2023!

I love doing these (3rd year running!) so these are the books I've read this year! as always, the numbers in brackets indicate a ranking out of five points (with 5/5 being the highest ranking and 0/5 being the lowest)!

Delilah Green Doesn't Care - Ashley Herring Blake (3.5/5)

The Tower of Nero - Rick Riordan (4/5)

Never Ever Getting Back Together - Sophie Gonzales (4/5)

Solitaire - Alice Oseman (5/5)

Radio Silence - Alice Oseman (4/5)

Mrs Dalloway - Virginia Woolf (4/5)

Even Though I Knew the End - C. L. Polk (2/5)

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - V. E. Schwab (2.5/5)

System Error - Solveig Engel (4/5)

Und ich leuchte mit den Wolken - Sophie Bichon (2/5)

Die Brandstiftung: Mythos Reichtagsbrand - Uwe Soukup (4/5)

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot - Marianne Cronin (4/5)

Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution- Kacen Callender (5/5)

Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier (3/5)

Ophelia After All - Racquel Marie (4/5)

Imogen, Obviously - Becky Albertalli (5/5)

Blood & Ash - Jennifer L. Armentrout (2/5)

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky *re-read* (5/5)

Sorry, Bro - Taleen Voskuni (2/5)

All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens throughout the Ages - ed. Saundra Mitchell (4/5)

The House on the Cerulean Sea - T. J. Klune

Peter Pan - J. M. Barrie (3/5)

Girls Like Girls - Hayley Kiyoko (2/5)

Last Night at the Telegraph Club - Malinda Lo (4/5)

The Guest - Emma Cline (3/5)

The Gravity of Us - Philipp Stamper (3/5)

Under the Whispering Door - T. J. Klune (4/5)

A Scatter of Light - Malinda Lo (3/5)

Felix Ever After - Kacen Callender *re-read* (5/5)

Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail - Ashley Herring Blake (4/5)

Wie Wellen im Sturm - Alicia Zett (3.5/5)

The Sun and the Star - Rick Riordan (4/5)

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - Suzanne Collins *re-read* (5/5)

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins *re-read* (5/5)

Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins *re-read* (5/5)

The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall - Ali Standish (4/5)

Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins *re-read* (5/5)

Meet Cute Diary - Emery Lee (2/5)

Old Enough - Haley Jakobson (4/5)

The Chalice of the Gods - Rick Riordan (4/5)

Going Bicoastal - Dahlia Adler (2/5)

The Bones Beneath my Skin - T. J. Klune (3.5/5)

James - Percival Everett (2/5)

[lesbianboyfriend]

@boyjoan tagged me!! ty partridge this is so fun hehe ^_^

book that pleasantly surprised you: lessons in chemistry by bonnie garmus! we read this in my book club and the marketing for this book is seriously confusing…it makes it look like a romcom which it is not. it definitely still had still some flaws but was still really enjoyable overall and fun and nothing at all what i expected from the cover and title

book that disappointed you: i just read feed them silence by lee mandelo last night. it wasn’t even bad but i think it had so much potential beyond what it did. i think it dipped its toe into some interesting topics and themes and i wanted to go deeper but it didn’t. it ended too neatly and i wanted it to be messier and more ambiguous

your current read: listening to an indigenous peoples’ history of the united states by roxanne dunbar-ortiz rn! just finished my other reads so that’s my only one rn but i’m about to pick up some other ones soon

top 2 books on your tbr: the most due library books. lie with me by philippe besson trans. molly ringwald and nothing but blackened teeth by cassandra khaw. lie with me is due like tomorrow and i haven’t started so good luck to me for that one

an author you’re loving: ahh i am very bad at reading like the collected works of one author…i always intend to and then get distracted…perhaps kurt vonnegut? i read two of his books last year and greatly enjoyed it! i’ve definitely been wanting to read more—or maybe helen oyeyemi, i just read my second book by her as well and would like to read more!

rec a book to the person who tagged you: ooh i am thinking in this quiet church of night, i say amen by devin kelly. a poetry collection that is very near and dear to my heart <3

gna tag my beloveds @ibuprofengirl @transgirl-catra @ziggystardustbarbie @kittysghost @yoggybloggy @folkdances if u would like kiss kiss <333

[adilqalbi]

well hello traveller

༶•┈┈⛧┈♛♛┈⛧┈┈•༶

name: lucien

age: 19

pronouns: she/her/he/him/they/them

location: india

༶•┈┈⛧┈♛♛┈⛧┈┈•༶

I made this blog to have a place for my RC ramblings, opinions, fangirling and maybe perhaps, if the stars align, fics.

༶•┈┈⛧┈♛♛┈⛧┈┈•༶

ROMANCE CLUB BOOKS: detail

note: only completed stories will be recorded

arcanum

status: 1st playthrough

path: emperor

reputation: high redemption

endgame li: robert steltz

replay for: bert

achievements: none

heart of trespia

status: 1st playthrough

path: rationality

reputation: high influence

endgame li: reinhold

replay for: wyatt

achievements: a proper farewell (dine with your uncle one last time), the matchmaker (unite gisella with delias, bring taki and reyna together, and help cyril find his happily ever after with caine), glory to trespia (acquire the highest support from allies, win the war with minimal losses, and keep all your friends alive)

kali: call of darkness

status: 1st playthrough

path: loyalty, kindness of goddess

reputation: high respect

endgame li: ratan vaish

replay for: killian lightwood and amrit doobay

achievements: none

the flower from tiamat's fire

status: 1st playthrough

path: fire

reputation: high willpower

endgame li: kingu

replay for: iyar

achievements: none

vying for versailles

status: 1st playthrough

path: hedonism

reputation: bright influence

endgame li: alexandre bontemps

replay for: philippe de france

achievements: aphrodite's golden apple (you're as beautiful as a goddess and the court knows it), snaring the spymaster (you caught the spider in his own web), the dauphin's savior (you saved the dauphin from the hostage - takers), brotherly love (you helped prince philippe reconcile with louis xiv)

the desert rose

status: 1st playthrough

path: Rebellion, balance path (chose The Desert Flower)

reputation: n/a

endgame li: adil (see: username)

replay for: everyone but mostly, jack and mustafa

achievements: brilliant detective (you found an important clue in your father's box), rebellious heart (you have a very close relationship with Adil), treacherous as a snake (you saved the snake, and it helped you), sefer's hope (you saved everyone at the crucial moment), the legendary desert rose (we are the 'desert roses'. a bit broken, but very strong!)

the one: volume 1

status: 1st playthrough

path: following your heart

reputation: n/a

endgame li: luka

replay for: deshawn

achievements: the secret sister (you patched things up with your estranged sister)

the one: volume 2

status: 1st playthrough

path: playing the flirt

reputation: high charisma

endgame li: joel

replay for: ben

achievements: the queen of paintball (you gained the maximum amount of points during the paintball game)

path of the valkyrie

status: 1st playthrough

path: path of change

reputation: path of high glory

endgame li: ullr

replay for: thor, andvari, loki

achievements: hel's kiss (you showed respect to the mistress of the halls of the dead), family values (when you saw thrud forgive her father thor, you witnessed the true power of love), snake charmer (through your courage and cunning, you defeated nidhogg and brought the light of victory to the battle of jormungandr), single path follower (you have not backed down or strayed from your chosen path), echo of greatness (your fame has transcended the boundaries of the nine worlds, becoming a legend that inspires tales and songs), creator of einheim (you helped loki create a new world and a bunch of new problems)

chasing you

status: 1st playthrough

path: path of logic, path of kindness

reputation: path of high authority, highest businessman points, highest survival points

endgame li: alexander nielsen

replay for: samuel, ellia

achievements: big and heavy (kiss dante while stealing the key [ew]), burn brightly (auntie's house burned down), por una cabeza (dance the tango with alexander), fair day (have fun at the skansen fair), legolas in a skirt (beat olivia at archery), judge and executioner (kill christopher), the price of madness (kill edward), winter michelangelo (win the snow sculpture competition), in the grip of the cold (fight and defeat yuki - onna), at all costs (survive the story's finale)

legend of the willow

status: 1st playthrough

path: path of coldness, path of the pearl fox

reputation: n/a

endgame li: kazu

replay for: masamune

achievements: illusion master (collect enough pearl fox points), refined taste (unlock enough premium outfits), elegance (unlock enough premium hairstyles and accessories), loyal friend (none of your friends were injured), kazu's heart (have a very close relationship with kazu), leader (gain recognition for your leadership)

theodora

status: 1st playthrough

path: romantic's path, high demonic essence

reputation: n/a

endgame li: lawrence (s1 + s3), blaine (s2)

replay for: blaine, friedrich, john

achievements: represented journalist (enlist the magazine's support during your trip to europe), to the roots (become mortal again), once and forever (find peace with your love interest from the first season)

༶•┈┈⛧┈♛♛┈⛧┈┈•༶

[kazu-naito]

one thing about me is when you go low i go lowER

[paunchsalazar]

what are your favourite books you read this year?

this is maybe my top 18!! across all types and genres

Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout

Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori

Notes of a Crocodile by Qiu Miaojin

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

On A Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

M Train by Patti Smith

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Lie With Me by Philippe Besson

Talk To My Back by Yamada Murasaki

Uncomfortably Happily by Yeon-sik Hong

Mr. Palomar by Italo Calvino

Breast and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami

Maison Ikkoku by Rumiko Takahashi

Astral Season, Beastly Season by Tahi Saihate

Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4/5

Book Blurb: Perfect for fans of Ben Philippe and Mary H. K. Choi, this charming, insightful YA novel follows two high school students who form a complicated, ground-shifting bond while filming a movie.

High school junior Felix Ma wants to prove to his parents that he’s not a quitter. After crashing out of piano lessons and competitive ping-pong, Felix starts a film club at his school in a last-ditch attempt to find a star extracurricular for his college applications.

Then he meets Cassie Chow, a bubbly high school senior who shares Felix’s anxieties about the future and complicated relationship with parental expectations. Felix feels drawn to Cassie for reasons he can’t quite articulate, so as an excuse to see her more, he invites Cassie to star in his short film.

The project starts out as a lighthearted mockumentary. But at the urging of Felix’s college admissions coach, who wants to turn the film into essay material, it soon morphs into a serious drama about the emotional scars that parents leave on their kids. As Felix and Cassie uncover their most painful memories, Cassie starts to balk at opening her wounds for the camera.

With his parents and college admissions coach hot on his heels, Felix discovers painful truths about himself and his past—and must decide whether pleasing his parents is worth losing his closest friend.

Review:

A great story about friendship, growth, and what it means to change. When two high schoolers who constantly run into each other end up working on a film, their friendship begins to change... and the question of who they are becoming forces them to face difficult questions. Felix Ma is a high school junior who constantly finds himself into Cassie Chow, a bubbly high school senior. Felix and Cassie begin a friendship and Felix knows he has to do something to make his college app stands out so he decides to make a film and asks Cassie to be the main star... but the story of the film begins to feel a little too real, a little too much about Cassie, and thus the question between what the movie means to both of them begins to change as well as their friendship. Felix has to face difficult questions about himself and how he treats his friends, about the costs of wanting to please his friends but at the cost of hurting his closest friend... and what he's going to do about it. This was a really interesting story about a teen coming to understand his feelings and treatment of people in his life, of growing and trying to decide who he wants to be. Felix isn't a bad person, he is growing and he is learning to change, his friendship with Cassie was really the highlight of the story and I really enjoyed how this book ended. This is a great read for anyone who enjoys a coming of age story.

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, Quill Tree Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[aloysiavirgata]

I am busy all day today and my brain is a hot slurry of fawning adjectives for reasons you will see but I absolutely had to jot SOMETHING down.

Finished When The Ink Dries last night by @somekindofseizure, recorded by @scullymakesmefeelautopsyturvy on the @audiofanficpod

I have so many thoughts about how this fic could have gone wrong at nearly every possible step but never once did, how this kind of writing puts me in mind of Philippe Petit’s high wire crossing between the World Trade Center towers.

Hours. I could absolutely go maundering on for hours and navel gaze in the most self absorbed way but I will leave you with the following:

Fiona’s voice is breathtaking and someone ought to give her money for simply having it. Like the opposite of a Darwin Award - here you go, you have a spectacular phenotype and we wish to give you this trophy.

The writing in this story is real and hard and honest and it’s not twincest and it’s not gratuitous smut and it’s not any of the things I thought it was that kept me from reading it sooner.

Mulder is in it and he’s a vital character and he is loved and loving and again, it’s not the story you think it is. It’s certainly not the story I thought it was.

Anyway. 15 of my friends are coming over tonight for our monthly book club. I chose Lessons in Chemistry (delightful read!) for this month. Imagine that, I picked a book about an emotionally reticent lady scientist in a world that doesn’t quite understand emotionally reticent lady scientists.

I wish I could talk about this story instead.