#Simon Mallory’s day off

[of-sea-and-light]

…

*carbine is, for once, entirely silent*

Caramel apple added to inventory.

…

is nobody going to even try and get this party train even more off the rails

[silhouette-anon]

“Heh…the people I’ve met here makes it all worth it.”

She intertwines their fingers.

“Especially you. I wouldn’t trade being with you for the worlds.”

He smiles.

I wouldn't either.

As they walk, he looks at the ground, seeming to think for a moment.

You know, I realized.. I haven't seen much of the circus outside of Candleton and the main area. Even with the ability to teleport, I haven't explored very much..

After we get home, go on that date, and relax for a while, then maybe.. We could go on a sort of trip? We could see the world, or, rather in this case, the circus..

[thursdaygrl]

i just added a lot of newbies and i'm itching to use them so i can see who i wanna keep. so, like for a one liner from one or a few, i'll come to you for who! list under the cut, this time with all info i have on them listed for ease of access but it's a little long, sorry.

crash cross, 32, straight, he/him, james marsters fc / drummer with a very slight substance abuse problem, he promises. will destroy himself for a good time. good at heart but bad in action. 

cricket farrow, 26, bisexual, she/her, mallory bechtel fc / former child star and ‘kid detective’ who worked with her famous father solving fake cases until the show was cancelled when she was twelve. crashed out in her teens and got it back together in time for college, kind of. had enough money to go but nothing left afterwards. aspiring journalist trying to get her foot in the door with what little nepotism she can still access now that her dad is a washed up famous detective turned unemployed asshole. her mother, still a producer for other exploitative shows, never calls and she prefers it that way. 

davie choi, 28, lesbian, she/her, jeon jong-seo fc / formerly a brainwashed contract killer. now being hunted down by the company that made her impossible to kill.

gisela meyer, 23-50, bisexual, she/her, madchen amick fc / witch who runs a little store in new orleans. adoptive mother to a group of younger witches that make up her coven. played at a number of ages depending on what best suits the plot, more tba.

heidi laslow, eternally 30, bisexual, she/her, rebecca breeds fc / tiny but feisty vampire. turned in the seventies when she was protesting and travelling around with her boyfriend at the time. her morals have waned a little over time, but she’s as good as she can be. 

january visoka, 23/42, lesbian, she/her, eliza dushku fc / law student in her younger verse. lawyer in her older. can be played as either, more tba. 

jeremy oliphant, 35, straight, he/they, kyle gallner fc / librarian in a small town. lover of true crime and cryptids. always investigating something and always doing it alone. always trying to quit smoking. 

josephine van wyck (nee painter), 22/50, bisexual, she/her, jennifer connelly fc / small town girl turned model figuring herself out in her younger verse. bored housewife looking to dominate those she cheats on her husband with in her older verse. emotionally closed off, quiet unless she has something important to say. 

kellan mills, 27, straight, he/him, dylan sprouse fc / mechanic. occasional getaway car driver, but he always says those days are over. general dumbass. 

maude catlett, 35, bisexual, she/her, maya erskine fc / romance novelist who writes the kind of explicit scenes she’d probably never actually take part in. a bit of a recluse, really. 

molly thaxton, 37, lesbian, she/they, lily gladstone / construction worker. in night school to eventually start her own business. grew up surrounded by men, but ended up quiet rather than rowdy. 

oscar sato, 48, straight, he/him, hideaki ito fc / businessman, owner of a number of las vegas nightclubs. perpetual bachelor and occasional sugar daddy. 

raphael baker, 34, straight, he/him, sinqua walls fc / app developer. made enough money to take care of himself and his whole family, so now he doesn’t know what to do with himself. more awkward than he looks. 

rochelle yue, 29/52, bisexual, she/her, lucy liu fc / heiress, can be played in her younger or older verse. more tba. 

sylvia ‘six’ minami, 27, lesbian, she/her, devon aoki fc / criminal, former and still occasional street racer. works for a boss she resents. '

vienna laurendeau, 25, bisexual, she/her, zaria simone fc / former ballerina, current postgrad student. possesses an almost sociopathic work ethic. intense, manipulative, beautiful. likes to come across as old money in her aesthetic, but her parents just got lucky when she was a kid. she’s determined to never let go of that luck. 

yessica vidal, 21, bisexual, she/her, maia reficco fc / college student. reckless party girl. sweet at heart but her impulse control is always at a zero. 

[roundtabletea]

Day in the Life of Launcelot

Similar to Guenevere’s day in the life post, we are again going to ask you to imagine a character as a modern day influencer--but this time it’s her lover, Launcelot Du Lake!

Hey guys… Launcelot here. Guenevere told me to get on here and give you a narration of a day in my life. So let’s look at the clips. Oh! Here I am after I’ve awoken in the morning, attending mass in the chapel like the great knight I am. I go here before I even eat breakfast. 

Let's move onto the next clip... Here I am dropping Guenevere off with King Arthur after mass. Guys, I'm only doing this because she's my patron, not because I love her or anything. Stop saying I do, guys.

Ok... anyways... This is me in the middle of a tournament. This was our midday break because at this point we had been fighting for hours. Obviously I'm the guy in the blue, as I never go to a tournament undisguised. It takes the drama out of it. And as an influencer I can't live without the drama.

Speaking of disguises. Here’s a picture of me dressed up as a pilgrim to scare Guenevere. No other reason. Why would there be another reason?

And finally… Here I am at the end of the day taking a nap under a tree. For some reason some queens stumbled upon me and seemed super interested. But, of course I ignored them as I’m loyal to Guenevere. Wait, what was that. My bad....

Image sources:

First painting: Launcelot at the Chapel, 1902 CE Book of Romance, Published by Amy G, 2019

Second painting: Launcelot brings Guenevere to Arthur, E1902 CE Book of Romance, Published by Amy G, 2019

Third painting: Illustration p.38 of the Boys King Arthur, Sir Thomas Mallory and edited by Sidney Lanier, 1922

Fourth painting: Illustration from Skylocks version of  Merchant of Venice Act II Scene 5, Shakespeare and edited by Peter Simon and Robert Smirke, 1795

Fifth painting: How Four Queens Found Launcelot Sleeping, Aubrey Beardsley, 2014

[elfboyeros]

Brier's Three

Raining Academics

So I didn't expect this to come out at all, but I did it. Yes, I did give away the plot of Bridgehidien Forest, I'm sorry. This is a start to Brier's Three the little story about Indigo and Calvin's children and their Shenanigans, please and enjoy and of course, read about the nerds!

“Come on! Come on!”

“Simon, give it a break!”

“No! I need to see if I’m at the top of the dean's list!”

“It’s just a list.”

“It’s not just a list—”

“If you two are going to argue, can you please do it outside of the rotunda!”

Three students within the glided rotunda, one an academic, one a sportsman, one a child of worship. Simon, Mallory, and Bridget.

“AH! HA HA! FINALLY!” Simon exclaimed quickly clicking the email that had just arrived in his inbox, “Couri… Couri… Couri-DAMN IT!”

“I take it you didn’t make the dean’s list,” Mallory laughed.

“The Bookstone kid is at the top of the list!” Simon groaned.

“Which one? There are three of them.” Mallory remarked.

“Can you two not do this while, I’m praying,” Bridget muttered, kneed in front of the largest statue of the goddess Bridgehid in the cupola used to hide the entrance to the catacombs under the store as sort of an open secret, but also as a capital of worship for the more religious students on campus.

“How did Alexandria get to the top of the list! They barely pay attention in class!” Simon groaned.

“I will never know peace,” Bridget sighed.

“They're probably at the top because of Mrs. Bookstone,” Simon huffed through gritted teeth.

“Oh, come on!” Mallory groaned, “They are not on the top of the dean list just because their mom is the dean!”

“Then how did they end up at the top, Mal? They do nothing in class, how are they an academic genius?” Simon vented.

Bridget huffed and finally got up dusting off her skirt before heading toward the exit and passing her friends on the way, “Are Aurora and Finnegan on the list?” she asked quietly.

Simon quickly skimmed the list, “Not that I can see.”

“Then there is no favoritism,” Bridget retorted as her friends followed her out of the dome and across the paved walk to the main campus under cloudy skys, “Alexandria, regardless of what you believe, must be a rather distinguished academic if they are at the top of the list.”

Simon groaned pulling at his hair, “I don’t understand!”

“Maybe it’s something you don’t need to understand,” Mallory chuckled, following him into the main building.

“GOOSE!”

While slinging into the main foyer, passing their fellow students before hearing that familiar voice piercing their ears, the small dean’s list with the goofiest smile ever waving at the person who seemed to be their academic rival.

“My name is Simon,” he grumbled, passing Alexandria and their siblings and leaving Bridget and Mallory behind to go to there respective classes.

“What the hell is his problem,” Finnegan asked mumbling.

“Simon’s always been standoffish,” Florian mentioned, an arm around Aurora’s shoulders, “Don’t take it personal, brother.”

“I wonder why he never wants to talk to me,” Alexandria muttered with a frown, “I just wanna be his friend.”

“Maybe you could ask Aunt Georgia, how to make friends,” Aurora mentioned.

“Good idea!” they yelped, before running down the mage hall, “Thanks Aurora!”

“This isn’t going to end well, is it?” Florian asked, looking to his girlfriend to which she shrugged.

“It’s a gift from the goddess,” Finnegan joked, before heading down the hallway to his class, “they’ll leave us alone for the day.

Alexandria checked Georgia’s office, unable to find her there she searched through the mage wing of the college to find their magic genealogy teacher.

“Auntie Georgia? You here?” Alexandria entered the great mage’s classroom seeing their mother’s former student and their adopted sibling’s partner socializing, “UNCLE ELIAS!”

“Hey Alex!” He exclaimed as Alexandria ran up to him and hugged him.

“Where’s Rowan?” Alexandria asked with stars in their eyes.

 “In the infirmary, along with Nemo and Elle.” Elias sighed shaking his head.

“Did something happen?” Alexandria asked concerned.

“The normal hunting trio shenanigans,” Georgia giggled, “Do you need something, Alex?”

“How do I make friends,” Alexandria asked.

Elias and Georgia both laughed, “You’ve never had a problem with making friends before, Alex, what makes this any different?” Elias chuckled.

Alexandria let out a little groan, “It’s this guy named Simon—”

“Goose?” Georgia asked.

“Yes Goose,” Alexandria nodded, “I think I’ve done something that makes him not want to be my friend and I have no idea what to do.”

“I have found it easiest just to talk to other when trying to make friends,” Georgia mentioned, “If that isn’t working you may want to talk to Elle or Rowan.”

“Huh?”

“That does sound like Elle and Rowan,” Elias stated, with a little laugh.

“Aunt Elle and Rowan didn’t get along?” Alexandria asked, a confused tilt to their head.

Elias and Georgia nodded, “when they first met, yes.” Elias explained, “All over something that seems so trivial to them now. I bet if you asked them what to do, they would both say to just ask him what’s wrong.”

Alexandria nodded with a smile across their face, “Just talk to him, okay, I can do that I can talk!” they remarked before running toward the exit, “Thank you both!”

“See you later Alex,” Elias called.

“Describing Elle and Rowan as simply not getting along is an interesting choice,” Georgia remarked.

Elias shrugged, “How else would you describe it,” he chuckled.

“The terrifying summer when Elle was still processing her abuse with Duke caused her to pull Rowan into a dream state to conferment them about not remembering her when they were not experimented on as children and put us all in danger in the forest,” Georgia relayed.

“Yeah, they didn’t get along,” Elias joked, with a chuckle.

With the advice from Auntie Georgia and Uncle Elias, they marched to their Magical Chemistry Lab and immediately found Simon there, “Simon!” they exclaimed, approaching him at his little lab table.

“What do you want?” he scoffed.

Alexandria sat down next to him, “I’m sorry if I have done something, or offended you somehow,” they apologized, “But I would like us to be friends so if we could restart and become friends—”

Simon laughed, “You think we can just restart? Re-introduce ourselves and everything can be fine!”

“I was kinda hoping—”

“How do you expect me to be friends after everything?!”

“Everything? What did I do?!” Alexandria questioned.

Simon scoffed out a laugh, “What didn’t you do!”

He left the lab table moving to one in the back of the room, before class started leaving Alexandria upset, confused, and unwilling to pay attention in class. With the summer semester giving them only one class for the day they sat dejected with their brother at a cafeteria table as he ate his lunch.

“I’ve been trying to think about what I have done, and I’m just lost!” Alexandria sighed, head resting against their arms, “I mean what could I have done!”

“Been annoying?” Finnegan questioned.

“Finn, you’re not helping!”

Finnegan swallowed the food in his mouth, “Look I doubt you did anything—”

“Then why is he mad at me!”

“Because you are you!” Finnegan retorted, “You are friendly and caring to a fault, you are tremendously talented, you are the child of Indigo and Calvin Bookstone-Corals, your brother is an asshole, and you are powerful. Simon probably hates you for many reasons and no reason at all.”

“You sound like mom,” Alexandria giggled.

Finnegan rolled his eyes, “she would probably say the same thing,” he remarked, “I don’t get why someone would hate you, but I’m not Simon and if he doesn’t want to be friendly with you then it’s a lost cause.”

Alexandria huffed chin still digging into her arms crossed in front of her, “and his loss,” Finnegan added.

Alexandria smiled, “You’re a good little brother, you know that.”

“Did you have to add the little part?”

“Yes, because you are my little brother!”

“We’re twins!”

The pair bickered back and forth before Mallory approached the small cafeteria table, “Hey, Alex, congratulations,” she remarked, sitting down with them.

“Congratulations for what?”

“The dean’s list,” Mallory answered.

“What about it, it’s just a list,” Alexandria remarked with a shrug.

“Alex you’re at the top of it.” Mallory added.

“Wait really?!”

Finnegan sat his phone in front of his sibling, humming in agreement. Alexandria looked at the PDF in front of them seeing their name at the top of the Dean’s list for the spring semester and Simon’s name right below it.

“Shit,” they muttered, “Mal, where is Simon?”

“He was going to the dorms, I think,” Mallory answered.

Alexandria jumped up and raced out of the cafeteria running through the grass as it started to drizzle, “SIMON!” they yelled as they reached the dorms, while he was descending the steps small porch connected to the entrance.

Panting with their hands on their knees, Simon looked at Alexandria in disgust, “What do you want?”

“You’re mad at me, I get that—”

“Clearly you don’t, you are still attempting to talk—"

“Will you shut up for five seconds and stop interrupting me!” Alexandria bit back still panting looking up at Simon, “I’m sorry that I made the dean’s list, I understand that school is important to you, and I never wished to upstage you in any way. I would like nothing more than to sit down and chat with you and get to know you better beyond just knowing that you are an intelligent person who deserves to be on the top of the dean’s list. We don’t have to be friends, but I hope we can get to that in the future.”

When Alexandria finally straightens up, they aren’t greeted with the empathic gaze from Simon rather he looks at them with angry eyes, a defined scowl, and narrow eyes clearly angrier than when they started talking.

“You’ll never understand,” Simon tsked as it began to rain, “This is more than just not being the best! I don’t hate you because you are the best, I hate you because you clearly don’t try—”

“I work hard—”

“NOT AS HARD AS I DO!” Simon shouted, “EVER SINCE I WAS LITTLE, I HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO BE THE BEST, LIKE MY PARENTS WANT, I’VE GOTTEN THE TOP GRADES, I HAVE SACRIFICED HOURS OF MY TIME AND LIFE TO BE THE CHILD MY PARENTS CAN SAY THEY ARE PROUD OF! I WAS THE BEST AND I AM THE BEST!”

“Simon—”

“But that changed! I came to college like my parents wanted, and I met you and thought at first things would be fine, you wouldn’t be a threat, and I was still the best at one of the best schools in the world. Yet, you are not only one of the children from this untouchable family, but you are one of the most intelligent people in this entire school!” Simon clarified angrily before running his fingers through his hair frustratedly, “I first thought that Mrs. Bookstone or even Mr. Corals was pushing you to be better than the rest of us because you were their kid! Yet they don’t care! You don’t care! The work is secondary to you, what your grade is doesn’t matter, you sit in class day daydreaming, but still answer the question right if you are called on! I hate it! I hate you, and I hate myself for hating you! I have no logical reason to hate you! You are always smiling, you care about the people you don’t know, you are a friend to the world and here I am thinking with my emotions and hating you just because you are better than me! I’m supposed to be the best, that's what I’m for! My parents made me to be the best!”

His tears mixed with the rainwater soaking his skin, leaving Alexandria more upset than they had been. They only stared at him, shocked at his explanation, shocked at his inference, shocked at his hatred. They open their mouth, yet nothing is vocalized, before saying, “I’m sorry.” Before leaving him. They went home, without telling their siblings, and locked themselves in their room for a while. Simon's words repeat in their brain while also trying to think of some kind of solution.

Calvin sighed, in the comfort of their bed with his head in her lap as she carted his fingers through his long ebony curls, fingernails grazing his scalp, “Is there something wrong with Alex?”

“Not that I am aware,” Indigo answered, “Georgia did say there was a kid that they were trying to be friends and get along with, I doubt they didn’t come to dinner because of that. Knowing Alex they are probably studying.”

Calvin sighed once more turning his in such a way that allowed him to wrap his arms around Indigo’s middle, “I don’t like it when they don’t eat,” he mumbled like a toddler.

“I don’t either.” Indigo cooed.

There is a knock on their bedroom door before they can continue any kind of conversation, “Mom, can I talk to you?” Alexandria asked opening the door a crack.

“Of course, Alexandria,” Indigo cooed before patting a place on the bed, “Come here.”

Alexandria climbed into their parent's bed, before at their father and mother with a crestfallen gaze. Indigo placed a hand on their arm rubbing their skin with her thumb, “Tricker, what’s wrong.”

“Can you take my name off the dean’s list,” they croaked.

“Alex,” Indigo mused, sadly, “You worked and studied so hard.”

“Sunflower, you deserve to be on that list just like anyone else,” Calvin added softly.

“I know,” Alexandria choked, “but there’s this guy—”

“Is he bullying you?!” Calvin retorted quickly becoming a protective father with his chest puffed out before Indigo rested a hand on his thigh.

“Who is he?” Indigo asked calmly.

“Simon Couri,” Alexandria sniffed, “His parents wants him to be “the best” and force him to get the top grades, and I know because I’m not top of the list he’ll get in trouble for not being the best.”

Indigo and Calvin side-eyed each other before Indigo said, “Tomorrow morning, I’ll put him at the top, so it looks—”

“No! I want to be off it!”

“Alexandria?” Calvin sighed as Indigo wiped their tears with her thumb.  “I already know I work hard, and I know you are proud of me regardless of my grades, I have nothing to prove to anyone,” Alexandria explained between their crying, “Simon needs this, and I just wanna help him.”

Indigo and Calvin sighed, “I will take your name off the list first thing tomorrow,” Their mother replied, “Alright?”

“Thank you, Mommy,” Alexandria yearned, hugging her.

“We are incredibly proud of you Alexandria,” Calvin added rubbing their back.

“I know, Daddy.”

Revised Dean’s List

Apologize to all the original dean’s list for the past Spring Semester in the May 20th email shared with you. The revised dean’s list is enclosed with this email. For any other news or information about upcoming events is in the Bridgehid College newsletter sent out on May 19th on the Bridgehid College Website.

Regards,

Indigo Margot Bookstone-Corals

Dean of Bridgehid College for Magic and Alchemy.

“Look at that,” Mallory muttered in an extremely tired tone while sitting next to Simon on the porch of the dorms, “You are not the top now.”

Simon stared at his phone wide-eyed, his name was now on the top, as if that truly mattered in the grand scheme of things. Although Alexandria’s name is no longer on the list, however. He never expected them to go so far as to get his name moved up the list or even remove their own.

“Why did they do that?” he muttered.

“Why don’t you ask them,” Mallory mentioned pointing to them across the yard where Alexandria was talking to Professor Kowalski.

He got up from his place on the dorm steps and ran over to them as Percy dismissed herself off to do whatever she did when she wasn’t teaching, “Oh hi Simon,” they remarked as they turned around to face. Looking at him with a large, friendly, smile.

“Why did you—”

“To help you,” Alexandria interrupted, “And before you say: I don’t need your help.”

Simon looked at them with narrow eyes when they did an impression of him, “I have nothing to prove to anyone,” they added, “My mom and dad allow me and my siblings to pursue the things that we enjoy. They are proud of me yes, but if I were to get just average or even below average grades that’s not something they are concerned with.”

They describe the kind of parents he wishes he had, the parents that love their child and take an interest in their child’s happiness regardless of their accomplishments and achievements.

“It’s very obvious that your parents aren’t like mine.” Alexandria continued, “So I got the list changed. Not for you to be friends with me or for you to feel like you owe me, just because I know it would help you out.”

Simon let out a little laugh before letting out a genuine, “Thank you.”

Alexandria continued to smile at him before getting ready to leave him, “Hey,” he called making them turn around, “Do you maybe want to study together sometimes?”

“Sure.”

Simon was able to walk to the dorms with a smile, only to lose it once he was faced with Mallory lying unconscious at the bottom of the steps. “MALLORY!”

[thesettablewithcitymagazine]

Dear Reader, Welcome, Ses freutmich, and Bienvenue to The Week, my name is Simon Fork. This week we are discussing the surging trend of space exploration amongst members of the Majority Party. Since I took over this post from Mallory Panwar 11 years ago, I would not have expected ‘space travel’ to be on my political-term bingo card for topics brought to the Bundesradt by the majority party. It is a niche subject and less-likely to be more popular than my famous survey of flan in my first year at the Magazine. However, I caution you Dear Reader, because within the folds of this pastry reside a complex filling, interconnected by threads that stretch across the whole Continent of Europe into the Levant. While the moving of fluids and electrons at high speed may surprise you as a concrete example of the indicative lightning rod of our time, it has all the elements of a great story, but a taut melody that stretches far back into history and forward in such a way that our choices on this issue may define our very future.

As I am more conversant with berries than baryons, we will be speaking to Professor Wilfred Bowens of the University of Berlin and Dr Marina Madjechi of the the Sol Society of Budapest. I thank both of them for being here in Edena to speak with us, and look forward to our conversation. First, let me take you back more than one thousand years, to twenty years before the Fall. It is a subject that Europe has never dominated, with my apologies to Toulouse, but the history of space travel has been dominated by cultures centered in Texas, Florida, Moscow, Kazhazstan, Beijing, and Wenchang island and whose rocket roar has gone silent from our perspective. The last great dream was being built in Africa, but it lies as a monument to the last colonial reach, and it was a failure associated with the Fall itself, according to some scholars. Their space debris revolves still in some cases, caught in the eddies of Einstein around stones and banks formed between planets and their moons. NASA, the famous institute of space studies in the American empire, not the neo-punk band act, the European Space Agency, and the Chinese Imperial Space Force were engaged in a vaguely fraught national competition that had all the hallmarks of a love triangle where no one knew who would end up married. The archives show that a considerable amount of the world’s press were interested in this race to establish a permanent settlement of civilians on Mars, the Red planet. The Moon, our Moon, did have a permanent settlement, though the fact that no one has seen any returning space-fairing humans, leads us to believe that their last days were of privation and horror like the rest of the Human world after the Fall. Ships were sent to Mars, but I do not know if their settlements worked. All of us know the names of the NASA astronauts who landed on the Moon in 1969 CE, and we have likely seen footage of it, just like we have seen footage of the joint NASA/ESA mission that crash landed on Mars in 2046, and the Chinese memorial to those fallen heroes on the first successful mission two months later.

IT has long, before the Fall, been the preoccupation of the human mind to stare upwards and contemplate the plate of stars above our heads, and so many reasons were given for pressing for expansion, the manifest destiny of the human race to conquer and dominate the stars and (implied) other planets and life forms was chief amongst them. Likewise, an argument of survival, to protect from cataclysm from above rather than that caused by our own hand. And it is this theme that some Eastern Majority Parties have brought back into the News. Here with us today is Dr Marina Madjechi of the Sol Society of Budapest, “Thank you for being with us this evening Doctor, now why should we spend up to 15% of the republic’s budget getting humans off the planet within the decade?”

[florashifting]

i wanna hear about your narnia dr, pls

OMG OMG IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE

So basically in my narnia dr it's modern day for me but the pevensie siblings are still back in the 40s/50s. Live in a house with my parents and my 3 siblings (I have 5 but they don't live at home) but the first time I go to narnia I'll go without my siblings

Basically the first time i go to narnia it's caspians era and how I get there is through my bed

So basically instead of curtains I have doors that are kinda like cabinet doors so one night when I go to sleep I close my bed doors and in the morning I open them and am in narnia.

at first I start off alone but then end up with the pevensies and eventually caspian joins. Tbh in this dr I add little to nothing to the plot I'm just there to vibe n shit. So basically after the prince caspian shit goes down we stay in narnia for a bit (I removed that age limit bs) and then I go home

BAM two to three years pass I'm back in narnia, so are the pevensies + scrubb BUT with the added addition of my 5 siblings(in order from oldest to youngest, Iris, Anita, Mallory, and Jared and Simon who are twins, and me) more chaos YAY

So voyage of the dawn treader, I don't really have a plan for this one I might give myself the power to shapeshift into any animal or mythical creature I want cause why not.

Tbh I'm just there to see shit unravel 😭

[sh4tt3rg1rl]

Sighghhhhh

Northa as an Alice in wonderland metaphor because why not

(Yes, this assumes that the “Northa is Alice Mallory” hc is real. For everyone’s convenience, I will be referring to Alice Mallory and Northa both as Northa, and the book character as Alice.)

Northa gets lost in a field. Cool, we know this. In the original book, she runs off following a Bnnuy. Now, we don't know what got Northa to wander off. So we honestly probably don't have a Bnnuy character if we're being strictly adherent to the book. The personality doesn't really fit anyone in particular, let alone Lonn, but...

FRICK THAT, LONN'S THE BNNUY AND HERE'S WHY.

What's important is the Bnnuy’s ROLE: guidance. Lonn and Northa, while basically the same age, have a dynamic of older-brother-younger-sister because he ended up being a sort of guiding figure due to her situation. Northa knows nothing of this place and family she's found herself in (wonderland lol), so Lonn is the one who shows her the ropes. Thus, Bnnuy!

Northa's adventures in general tend to shove her into new and increasingly unfamiliar situations, similar to how Alice runs around wonderland and constantly ends up in new locations. Northa goes from home to home and only really sticks around/properly feels attached to Lonn’s. Alice doesn’t seem to get very attached to most places she ends up, sans one or two.

While I can’t attach any more characters to Northa’s companions, especially because she just doesn’t have any until modern day, the general vibes are the same. She meets people, doesn’t really go back to them except a select few, etc.

Aaaand what of the queen of hearts’s trial? Well, we spend the entire book building up to dealing with this lady/finding a way out of here. We spend all of Northa’s story building up to her final mental break, and her escape. The queen of hearts could right well be Northa’s trauma from her stay in the “wonderland” of her insane childhood, and the threat of her execution being the threat of her sanity/stability falling apart. It’s just that these two “escapes” are very different and honestly opposites. Northa escapes reality, Alice escapes wonderland. Note that, iirc, the rabbit shows up with Alice outside of wonderland, and is the only character to do so. Similarly to how the only person we see from Northa’s past that she properly remembers and talks about is Lonn. Also, Alice’s journey is kinda treated like a fever dream, similarly to how northa treats her backstory. This bit is kind of a stretch, but Alice returning to her (very confused) siblings (see: the only real world relatives we know of) mirrors Northa showing up in the circus. because guess who’s there? The only other Mallory we know of existing, Simon.

…

yeah idk what I just did it’s too late for this, I just…threw my stream of theorizing thought onto my ask and let it burn lol

crack theories!

*faceplants into a pillow*

HMMMMMMMM

i love alice = northa crack theory its so dumb /aff

[khaleesiofalicante]

"I'm sorry you were not truly loved and that it made you cruel." -Warsan Shire

Great, so we got rid of David-being-the-Prince-of-Darkness problem! Now we have the we-don't-know-who-is one!

Shadowhunters are so stupid holy fuck

Oh, mirror mirror in the sky!!! It makes sense now!!! I support Lexi's idea 100%. But I do feel this is going to leave some issues left...

The irony of finding a way to kill something that can't be killed 🥰

Something poetic about the fact that they are going to use the resources of the Devlins for themselves.... But also there's an itch I can't figure about it...

Jace and Simon are idiots 😂😂 but also, mood

I would like to personally thank you for the throne sex references kshskdjd

They had won. But it didn’t feel like it. For some reason, it felt like the worst was yet to come. yeah this feels odd

He can call Manus just by tapping the floor oh my god kshdkdk

David stop stealing demons and making them pets!!!

I agree killing Mallory would solve everything, but I am proud of my rosewood tho🥺

“Our memories are part of our identities too,” David whispered. “Who are we if not for the memories of who we have been and memories of who we wished to be?” David is a better person than me bc I would take the memories of that bitch right away, but he is also right

I agree with Rafael bc Anjali in that throne would be HOT AF🥵

Yes to Malec solving inmortality nerves in a hell dimension💙

Who tf does Hunter think he is to demand a different trial?? Its so ridiculous is kinda funny lmao

Yeah I don't love that decision either but there's nothing left to do so...

My queen is too good for you❤️

A clean fight. Nice😎 also “Even if we’re family,” Alec said. “You mistake me for someone who gives a shit.” ???? Damn, this man is gorgeous!!!

No Max, she is a crazy bitch, I promise

No one in my life has tried to kill me before, but I don't automatically assume they love me for it, Mallory!!

Yes he met Merlin!!! They are the cutest 🥺💙💙💙

My moral compass is whatever Gigi says😌

WHAT. THE. ABSOLUTE. FUCK. JUST. HAPPENED??????? HOLY FUCK SHIT. WHAT?? HOW??? WHEN?? WHY?? HOW?? ISTG I JUMPED AND I FELL OFF MY BED BC OF THE SHOCK OH MY GOD😭😭 I KNEW IT!!! OTHER MAX IS FUTURE MAX!! Also it makes sense Nico asked for him, maybe he knows warlock math and can figure this shit out?!?!!!

I... I don't know how I am alive after that last part. I have a lot of questions. And I almost cried. And then I went to tell everything to my mom even if I knew she didn't understand shit of what I was saying but I don't care because wtf?!?!!!

Questions (I know you probably can't answer them but I will ask them bc my mind is chaos):

What did Leviathan meant??? Everything that needed to be done?? What does Legacy mean?? Although yes, the competition is not even close, obviously David wins!!

“It’s not a romcom,” Max shook his head. “It’s a love story.” WHEN I TELL YOU MY HEART STOPPED-

Who cried for eleven days??? David?? What did Mallory do?? And how?? And what was horrible enough to make Max do this??

Also the parallels here😭 Louder said first from David to Max, them from Mallory to David and finally Max to Mallory in different context, and Max saying there is nothing that could make him like her but also this and- god I want to make an analysis of this but my phone is dying 😭😭

AAAAAAHHHHHHHH

This was in equals parts satisfying, terrifying and just fucking confusing.... HOW ARE THERE JUST THREE CHAPTERS LEFT???

There is not amount of words or time that can express correctly the feelings I have rn. This was an absolute fave. I am confused. I loved it. I have questions. The quotes were on some other level. Wow. You never not surprise me!!

💙.💙.💙.

But also bold of you to asume I won't come back with more screaming

Aight aight aight. Let's look at these questions.

Oh wait.

The answer for all the questions is "you'll find out soon" lmao bye

[onmywaytobe]

Rejected Lines From My WIP

In celebration of my WIP Descendants of the Earth nearly being done, I’m going to be posting lines that I cut from the book as I was editing that I wanted to do something with. Most of the time, they were OOC, or they were too repetitive, or too purple prose-y. 

So here they are for you to enjoy! Hope this is enough to whet your appetite while you wait for me to publish it somewhere y’all can read it... some of these are pretty wacky out of context so I guess you’ll have to just stay tuned for the final book so you can find out wtf is going on 

Chapter 1

He hated the feeling. It happened to him often enough that he was used to it, but that didn’t make him like it any more. 

Chapter 3

There was no sound but the crickets and the occasional frog as his friend disappeared into the deepening gloom.

Chapter 5

He was having enough fun that he had nearly been able to get his mind off of his father. He thought back to all of the long, sudden “business trips” Sam would take and wondered how many other missions he’d gone on for Brian Percival.

Chapter 9

He caught Margot and Logan’s voices the most, but couldn’t make out what they said. Owen started to worry. Am I dying? he wondered.

Chapter 11

They resembled little more than an undershirt and a loose pair of shorts, both cut from odd tan fabric. Cam of course looked like a model with all his bulging muscles, and Owen felt slightly self-conscious next to him, though less so when he looked at the other boys who wore the same thing.

Chapter 12

Cam gestured down to his leg, which was wrapped in a bandage made from fabric strips torn from his shirt. His toned stomach was now exposed, but that seemed a small price to pay for covering his burned flesh.

Chapter 13

Owen wasn’t completely sold on the idea, but as no one had a better one, they all began to prepare for an attack the following night. 

Chapter 15

“Leave that to me,” Logan interjected. “I think I know a way around that.”

Owen frowned at Logan’s eagerness, but he supposed that if he were trying to prove his loyalty as a reformed bad guy he would also be eager for chances to help. The one thing that bothered him was that Logan hadn’t already gotten a car for them at the airport.

“Would you just tell us what the plan is already?” Owen said impatiently. “I wouldn’t keep interrupting if you just went a little faster,” he explained, seeing Margot was about to tell him off.

“I was just getting to it!” she exclaimed, but continued on a bit more quickly.

Cam looked slightly surprised that Owen was so confidently making a plan, and Owen was honestly a little surprised at himself, but he carried on.

Owen was starting to feel hopeful again, and it looked like Margot and Cam were feeling it too. Logan was the only one who still seemed dour, but that was his normal disposition.

Chapter 16

He felt like he could fly. He wanted to jump above the trees, touch the sun. He nearly tried, but common sense stopped him before he did anything too ridiculous. He had forgotten his mission and his friends, so absorbed was he with this newfound sensation of power.

There was altogether too much mountain behind him now.

It hit him in a sort of anticlimactic way how his life had become unbelievably strange.

Chapter 17

Owen wondered how he could take something so magical for granted. Yes, the sun went down every day, but what an exit it made! And every day would be different. Every sunset he saw was a sunset he had never seen before and would never see again. Something about this sunset hit him hard, left him feeling like his soul was gasping for breath. He felt reinvigorated to take on the world and keep on swinging.

Owen was unable to describe the sensation of Fire using words, he just knew that Cam was looking in the wrong place.

Chapter 18

But he’d made it this far; he wasn’t going to stop trying now. Mostly because he didn’t have much of a choice if he ever wanted to get back to civilization.

Chapter 19

When they had the ability to make anyone breathe underwater…

Owen turned away quickly to hide his grin. He didn’t want to scare Logan off with too much newfound camaraderie. 

Now that they had stopped moving, Owen realized just how tired he was. The deep, heavy sort of tired that weighed down his bones. The sort of tired that pinned him down and when he blinked he forgot how to open his eyes for a moment. The trials of the last few days hit him all at once and he stumbled, grabbing onto Cam’s shoulder for support.

“I think we should rest,” he managed.

Cam nodded, drawing his arm across Owen’s waist to keep him upright. “Yeah, we can work out an escape plan tomorrow.” Margot didn’t look particularly tired, but she agreed nonetheless. Logan, too, was starting to fade, now that the adrenaline had worn off.

Cam helped Owen into the cave, and the moment his head hit the sand, he was out.

Chapter 20

They started back at camp. It was eerily quiet, none of the vibrant life and laughter that Owen had become accustomed to during his time there. He stood by the flagpole, turning in place to catch a glimpse of something, anything normal.

Lucas Mallory marched out of the dining hall, his footsteps echoing in the silence. He was wearing a long black cloak for some reason, and trailing behind him was Simon, who was looking much better than the last time he’d been with Owen. He was paler than usual, and his arm was wrapped in a sling, but he was upright. Clearly the Darkness had some kind of healing power over wounds inflicted by shades. Owen glared at the two of them and tried to go stomping over to confront them, but his feet felt glued in place. He was simply an observer, not allowed to interfere.

“Cabins! Roll call!” Lucas barked, his voice unnaturally amplified. Simon looked bored as campers hurried out of their cabins and stood in shaky lines. Owen had never realized how small a group of eighty kids could look until he saw them like this. He scowled as Lucas and Simon stalked down the lines. Most of the campers averted their eyes, but some, like Fabian, were giving the two of them death glares.

Owen’s heart leaped into his throat when he saw the Fire Head Boy. Fabian looked tired, and he had a black eye. The more he looked, the more Owen noticed campers with various injuries, more severe than the normal scrapes and bruises that came with balancing. He wasn’t left wondering why for very long– as Simon shoved an Earth boy roughly into place, someone with a bandaged hand stepped into his way. Lucas backhanded the boy, sending him sprawling to the ground. As he lifted himself to his feet, groaning, Owen recognized the boy as George.

“Careful, Mr. Evans,” Lucas Mallory purred. “You don’t want to end up like your friend Ms. Wallace, do you?”

Wallace? Owen didn’t know anyone with that last name. But as he looked around frantically, he realized that he didn’t see Diana anywhere. Oh no... What have they done to her?

Once again, Owen tried to pull himself free and rush towards Lucas and Simon as they continued through the ranks, but he was sucked into another dream.

He watched as several people in dark clothes ran past, trying to get away from a tornado that was hot on their heels. He was suddenly very glad that he and his friends never had to face anything like that to get the Air Ring, and realized what he was seeing was not in order.

One of the Darkness’s followers was unfortunate enough to be pulled into the sky with a scream, but another raised their hand and forced the tornado to take another path.

Chapter 21

It was one thing to go to the Darkness, and quite another for him to know they were there. 

[of-sea-and-light]

well dang ok

[silhouette-anon]

“Mhm. I desperately needed a decent sleep schedule, heh- And I feel pretty good.”

She kisses his cheek and snuggles against him a bit.

He blushes, and returns the kiss.

You know.. I was wondering.... how big is this circus? I've only ever seen Candleton and the surrounding areas..

[oosteven-universe]

The Boys: Dear Becky #01

The Boys: Dear Becky #01 Dynamite Entertainment 2020 Written by Garth Ennis Illustrated by Russ braun Coloured by Tony Aviña Lettered by Simon Bowland    The issue was decided in one final battle against a massed superhero army, when a plan concocted by the “supes” to overthrow the US government went horribly awry.  Now, twelve years later, Hughie and his lover Annie January have returned to his home in the Scottish town of Auchterladle--their battles fought and won, their torment over.  The days when Colonel Greg Mallory led The Boys are firmly in the past.  So too are the times Billy Butcher shared with a woman who strove to send him down a different road.  All that is over and done with.  Finished.    Well all things considered I have to say that this is more than a delightful surprise.  Don’t know what inspired Garth to write another chapter, the television show or whatnot, but this is just what I needed right now.  The first page here speaks volumes and it is so extremely nice to see wee Hughie again even as we do.  So what led to seeing Hughie like this that’s what we’re going to find out.  I absolutely adore this and I was a huge fan of the entire run, and I’m sorry but I still think of the Russian with his ginormous cock so for me I couldn’t wait to dive in.    So seeing Hughie in his now normal life having a few pints with Bobbi well it’s just like stepping back in time to something so utterly familiar.  The way Garth writes, the way we see the characters and how they speak and their interactions with one another just feels familiar like seeing your chosen family during the holidays.  The character development is phenomenal and I guess when you’ve written characters for so long it is easy to fall back into their lives.  What we see here is fantastic and how the characters just are is a real treat.  The pacing we see is sensational as it takes us through pages revealing how everything works together to create the ebb & flow for the book.      After this issue I may love Bobbi as much I do Love Sausage, now there’s a team-up screaming out to happen.  Also I am really enjoying how the scenes with Hughie solo time is spent between the different sub-plots and how this ties it all together is brilliantly handled.      The interiors here are fabulous!  The linework is stupendous and how we see the varying weights being utilised to draw out this level of attention to detail is simply marvellous.  The complete upside to this is also how we see Bobbi in all her transgender masculine and feminine glory.  The melding and dichotomy of her life is astoundingly beautiful.  The utilisation of backgrounds that we see and how the work within the composition of the panels to bring us depth perception a sense of scale and that overall sense of size and scope to the story is brilliantly done.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show this great eye for storytelling.  I love the colour work we see here as well.  Again from the way we see Bobbie to the way we see everything else the way that the various hues and tones within the colours utilised to create the shading, highlights and colour work is beautifully rendered. ​    The story is off to one hell of a great start here and if this is how it begins then by golly I canny wait to see what’s still in store.  I feel like an old friend has come and paid me a visit on holiday and for the time being I don’t want them to leave.  For something that is generally a set-up issue this does that and so much more!  It makes me excited to see what’s coming, what I have missed with them being gone and at the prospect that there’s still more to tell.

[tothemattresses]

2020 Reading Challenge - E-Book Edition!

According to Amazon, I have exactly 294 e-books currently sitting in my Kindle library. 

Granted, some of these books have been read and are being saved for a second (or third, or fourth) re-read, but when it comes down to it, that number is around 40 books, give or take. 

Which means I still have over 250 books that need to be read. 

And it’s not like I haven’t tried! There are plenty of titles that, when opened up, will go to the last place I left off - that being chapter 5, or maybe chapter 10. But sometimes life gets in the way. Or a sudden interest in another author. Or a new season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. But whatever the reason may be, it’s over 250 books that haven’t been read. Challenge accepted! 

For 2020, I commit to not buying any new books to add to my Kindle library (checking out books from the library is ok, because you’ve gotta support your local library!), and instead focus on the books I already have. So no addition of 99 cent books, or Kindle Unlimited books, or books that are suddenly 75% off. Only the books that I currently have. 

As the reading commences, and after the book is finished, I’ll update my list to indicate what has been completed, along with the date purchased, and a short review (or a reason I just couldn’t finish it at all). 

Below is the list for future reference - and to clarify my what my favorite genre is. Spoiler: it’s romance novels. 

Here we go!

Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 535 Easy(ish) Steps – Kelly Williams Brown

An Affair with Mr. Kennedy (Gentlemen of Scotland Yard) – Jillian Stone

All About Love (Cynster Book 6) – Stephanie Laurens

All Afternoon with a Scandalous Marquess: A Lords of Vice Novel – Alexandra Hawkins

Almost a Scandal: A Reckless Brides Novel (The Reckless Brides Book 1) – Elizabeth Essex

Alpha – Jasinda Wilder

A Duke’s Guide to Seducing His Bride (Chase Family Series- The Jewels Book 4) – Lauren Royal

The American Heiress: A Novel – Daisy Goodwin

When an Earl Meets a Girl (Chase Family Series- The Jewels Book 1) – Lauren Royal

The Andy Cohen Diaries: A Deep Look at a Shallow Year – Andy Cohen

Angel in a Devil's Arms: The Palace of Rogues – Julie Anne Long

Angel in Scarlet: A Bound and Determined Novel – Lavinia Kent

Anything He Wants & Castaway – Sara Fawkes

The Astronaut Wives Club – Lily Koppel

At Any Price: A Billionaire Virgin Auction Romance (Gaming the System Book 1) – Brenna Aubrey

At Any Turn: A Billionaire Romance (Gaming the System Book 2) – Brenna Aubrey

At Your Pleasure – Meredith Duran

The Awakening of Ivy Leavold (Markham Hall Book 1) – Sierra Simone

Badd Motherf*cker (The Badd Brothers Book 1) – Jasinda Wilder

Bare Ass in Love (Hard, Fast, and Forever Book 1) – Sasha Burke

Because of Miss Bridgerton: A Bridgertons Prequel (Rokesbys Series Book 1) – Julia Quinn

The Bed and the Bachelor (Byrons of Braebourne Book 5) – Tracy Anne Warren

Betrayal (Infidelity Book 1) – Aleatha Romig

Beware That Girl – Teresa Toten

Beyond Scandal and Desire: A Sins for All Seasons Novel – Lorraine Heath

The Big Bad Office Wolf (Kings of the Tower Book 1) – May Sage

Bittersweet (True North Book 1) – Sarina Bowen

Blame It on Bath: The Truth About the Duke – Caroline Linden

Bound by Your Touch – Meredith Duran

The Bride (Lairds' Fiancees Book 1) ��� Julie Garwood

Bridget Jones's Diary: A Novel – Helen Fielding

Burn (The Breathless Trilogy Book 3) – Maya Banks

Burning Offer (Trevor's Harem Book 1) – Aubrey Parker

Captivated by You (Crossfire, Book 4) – Sylvia Day

Captive of Sin – Anna Campbell

Cash: A Power Players Stand-Alone Novel – Cassia Leo

Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson – Peter Ames Carlin

Catching Sin (Las Vegas Sin Book 2) – J. Saman

Catholicism For Dummies – John Trigilio

A Certain Age: A Novel – Beatriz Williams

Chasing Lady Amelia: Keeping Up with the Cavendishes – Maya Rodale

Checkmate: This is War (Travis & Viola, #1) (Checkmate Duet) – Kennedy Fox

Claiming the Courtesan (Avon Romantic Treasures) – Anna Campbell

Collide: Book One in the Collide Series – Gail McHugh

The Controversial Princess (The Smoke & Mirrors Duology Book 1) – Jodi Ellen Malpas

Crave: A Billionaire Bachelors Club Novel (Billionaire Bachelors Club Series Book 1) – Monica Murphy

Dating You / Hating You – Christina Lauren

Deal with the Devil (Forge Trilogy Book 1) – Meghan March

Desperate Duchesses – Eloisa James

Desperate to Touch (Hard to Love Book 2) – W. Winters

Destiny – Sally Beauman

Devil's Daughter: The Ravenels meet The Wallflowers – Lisa Kleypas

Dirty Sexy Inked (A Dirty Sexy Novel Book 2) – Carly Phillips

Dirty Sexy Saint (A Dirty Sexy Novel Book 1) – Carly Phillips

Double Down: Game Change 2012 – Mark Halperin

The Duchess Diaries: The Bridal Pleasures Series – Jillian Hunter

The Duchess Hunt (House of Trent Book 1) – Jennifer Haymore

The Duke and I (Bridgertons Book 1) – Julia Quinn

The Duke Is Mine (Fairy Tales Book 3) – Eloisa James

Duke of Scandal (Moonlight Square, Book 1) – Galen Foley

The Duke of Shadows – Meredith Duran

Duke of Sin (Maiden Lane Book 10) – Elizabeth Hoyt

The Duke's Holiday (The Regency Romp Trilogy Book 1) – Maggie Fenton

Dusk with a Dangerous Duke: A Lords of Vice Novel – Alexandra Hawkins

Edenbrooke: A Proper Romance – Julianne Donaldson

Elite (Elite Doms of Washington Book 1) – Elizabeth SaFleur

Entwined with You (Crossfire, Book 3) – Sylvia Day

Everything Is Perfect When You're a Liar – Kelly Oxford

The Fall of Legend (Legend Trilogy Book 1) – Meghan March

The Fight for Forever (Legend Trilogy Book 3) – Meghan March

A Fine Imitation: A Novel – Amber Brock

The Fix Up – Kendall Ryan

Flowers from the Storm – Laura Kinsale

For Everly – Raine Thomas

For the Earl's Pleasure – Anne Mallory

For the Record – K.A. Linde

Gabriel's Inferno (Gabriel's Inferno Trilogy Book 1) – Sylvain Reynard

Gabriel's Rapture (Gabriel's Inferno Trilogy Book 2) – Sylvain Reynard

Gabriel's Redemption (Gabriel's Inferno Trilogy Book 3) – Sylvain Reynard

Going Down Easy (Billionaire Bad Boys Book 1) – Carly Phillips

A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin: The Debutante Files (The Debutante Files Series Book 1) – Sophie Jordan

Good Girl: A Rockstar Romance (Wicked Book 1) – Piper Lawson

The Good Luck Charm – Helena Hunting

Grayson's Vow – Mia Sheridan

Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian (Fifty Shades of Grey Series Book 4) – E.L. James

Hard As Stone: Heart of Stone Series #8 – K.M. Scott

Hard to Love – W. Winters

The Hardest Fall – Ella Maise

Hating The Boss – Natalie Wrye

The Heir (Windham Book 1) – Grace Burrowes

Heiress in Love: A Ministry of Marriage Novel (The Ministry of Marriage Book 1) – Christina Brooke

Heiress Without A Cause (Muses of Mayfair Book 1) – Sara Ramsey

Hello Stranger: The Ravenels, Book 4 – Lisa Kleypas

Her Forbidden Love Match (A Willow Cove Novel, #1) – Theresa Paolo

Her Husband's Harlot (Mayhem in Mayfair Book 1) – Grace Callaway

Hidden Gabriel: Formerly Winter Peril (Hidden Alphas Book 1) – Victoria Pinder

Highland Surrender – Tracy Brogan

Highlander Betrayed (Guardians of the Targe Book 1) – Lauren Wittig

His Favorite Mistress: A Novel (The Mistress Trilogy Book 3) – Tracy Anne Warren

His Virgin: A First Time Romance (His and Hers Book 1) – Vivian Wood

Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling – Bret Hart

Hollywood Dirt – Alessandra Torre

Hollywood on Tap (Sweet Salvation Brewery) – Avery Flynn

The Hotel – Lola Darling

House of Scarlett (Legend Trilogy Book 2) – Meghan March

How a Lady Weds a Rogue: A Falcon Club Novel – Katharine Ashe

How to Marry a Duke Vicky Dreiling

How to Ravish a Rake – Vicky Dreiling

How to Seduce a Scoundrel – Vicky Dreiling

If He's Wicked (Wherlocke Book 1) – Hannah Howell

The Imperfectionists: A Novel – Tom Rachman

In the Arms of a Marquess (Rogues of the Sea Book 3) – Katherine Ashe

In the Unlikely Event – L.J. Shen

In Total Surrender – Anne Mallory

An Irresistible Temptation (The Cavallo Brothers Book 2) – Elsa Winckler

It Had to Be You (Chicago Stars Book 1) – Susan Elizabeth Philips

It Happened One Midnight: Pennyroyal Green Series – Julie Anne Long

It Started with a Scandal: Pennyroyal Green Series – Julie Anne Long

It's Not You: 27 (Wrong) Reasons You're Single – Sara Eckel

Just Roll With It (A Perfect Dish Book 4) – Tawdra Kandle

Kaleidoscope Hearts (A brother's best friend romance) – Claire Contreras

The Kingmaker (All the King's Men Duet Book 1) – Kennedy Ryan

Lady of Desire (Knight Miscellany Book 4) – Gaelen Foley

The Last Arrow (The Medieval Trilogy Book 3) – Marsha Canham

The Last Summer – Judith Kinghorn

Lead by Example: 50 Ways Great Leaders Inspire Results – John Baldoni

The Legend of Lyon Redmond: Pennyroyal Green Series – Julie Anne Long

Legend (The REAL series Book 6) – Katy Evans

Let's Do It: A Journey's End Novel – Ann Christopher

Life with My Sister Madonna – Christopher Ciccone

Lily and the Duke (Sex and the Season Book 1) – Helen Hardt

Lord of Scoundrels – Loretta Chase

Losing It – Cora Carmack

Lost Without You (The Debt Book 1) – Molly O’Keefe

A Loving Scoundrel: A Malory Novel (Malory-Anderson Family Book 7) – Johanna Lindsey

Luck Is No Lady (Fallen Ladies Book 1) – Amy Sandas

Lucky (Elite Doms of Washington Book 4) – Elizabeth SaFleur

A Mackenzie Clan Gathering (Mackenzies Series) – Jennifer Ashley

Mad About the Earl: A Ministry of Marriage Novel (The Ministry of Marriage Book 2) – Christina Brooker

Maid for the Billionaire (Book 1) (Legacy Collection) – Ruth Cardello

A Man Above Reproach – Evelyn Pryce

Manwhore (The Manwhore Series Book 1) – Katy Evans

Marriage For One – Ella Maise

Masques of Gold (Casablanca Classics Book 0) – Robert Gellis

Melt For Him (Fighting Fire Book 2) – Lauren Blakely

Midnight Angel (Stokehursts Book 1) – Lisa Kleypas

Midnight Pleasures With a Scoundrel (Scoundrels of St. James Book 4) – Lorraine Heath

Mine (The REAL series Book 2) – Katy Evans

Mine Till Midnight (Hathaways Book 1) – Lisa Kleypas

Miss Hillary Schools a Scoundrel (Beau Monde Book 1) – Samantha Grace

More Than Charming (Book 3 Dashing Nobles Series) – JoMarie DeGioia

The Most to Lose (The Redeemed series Book 1) – Laura Landon

Mr. Corporate (The Mister Series Book 3) – JA Huss

Mr Imperfect: Lost Boys #1 – Karina Bliss

Mr. Mysterious (The Mister Series Book 4) – JA Huss

Mr. Romantic (The Mister Series Book 2) – JA Huss

My Lady, My Lord: A Twist Series Novel – Katherine Ashe

My Notorious Gentleman (Inferno Club Book 6) – Gaelen Foley

My Reckless Surrender – Anna Campbell

My Ruthless Prince (Inferno Club Book 4) – Gaelen Foley

My Scandalous Viscount (Inferno Club Book 5) – Gaelen Foley

The Nearness of You – Iris Morland

Never a Mistress, No Longer a Maid (Kellington Book 1) – Maureen Driscoll

Never Let Me Go – Kazuo Ishiguro

No Good Duke Goes Unpunished: The Third Rule of Scoundrels (Rules of Scoundrels Book 3) – Sarah MacLean

No Mistress of Mine: An American Heiress in London – Laura Lee Guhrke

A Notorious Countess Confesses: Pennyroyal Green Series – Julie Anne Long

Notorious Pleasures (Maiden Lane Book 2) – Elizabeth Hoyt

Once a Soldier (Rogues Redeemed Book 1) – Mary Jo Putney

Once More, My Darling Rogue (Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James Book 2) – Lorraine Heath

One Last Time – Corinne Michaels

One Night in London: The Truth About the Duke – Caroline Linden

One Taste (The "One" Series Book 1) – K.A. Berg

One with You (Crossfire Series Book 5) – Sylvia Day

Only With Your Love (Vallerands Book 2) – Lisa Kleypas

The Paris Wife: A Novel – Paula McLain

Party Animals: A Hollywood Tale of Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll Starring the Fabulous Allan Carr – Robert Hofler

Perfect (Elite Doms of Washington Book 3) – Elizabeth SaFleur

The Phantom of the Opera – Gaston Leroux

The Pleasure of Your Kiss – Teresa Medeiros

Prince of Dreams (Stokehursts Book 2) – Lisa Kleypas

Princes at War: The Bitter Battle Inside Britain's Royal Family in the Darkest Days of WWII – Deborah Cadbury

The Princess and the Peer (The Princess Brides series Book 1) – Tracy Anne Warren

Princess Charming: A Legendary Lovers Novel – Nicole Jordan

Pulse: Book Two in the Collide Series – Gail McHugh

A Rake's Midnight Kiss (Sons of Sin Book 2) – Anna Campbell

Reason to Wed (The Distinguished Rogues Book 7) – Heather Boyd

The Rebel Queen (The Rebel Queen Duet Book 2) – Jeana E. Mann

Refining Felicity (The School for Manners Series Book 1) – M.C. Beaton

Reflected in You (Crossfire, Book 2) – Sylvia Day

The Revenge of Lord Eberlin (The Secrets of Hadley Green) – Julia London

Ripped (The REAL series Book 5) – Katy Evans

Rock Me (Bodyguard Bad Boys Book 1) – Carly Phillips

Rogue (The REAL series Book 4) – Katy Evans

The Royal Arrangement (The Rebel Queen Duet Book 1) – Jeana E. Mann

Royally Bad (Bad Boy Royals Book 1) – Nora Flite

The Rule Book (Rule Breakers 1) – Jennifer Blackwood

The Scandal in Kissing an Heir: At the Kingsborough Ball – Sophie Barnes

Scandal Wears Satin (The Dressmakers Series Book 2) – Loretta Chase

A Scoundrel by Moonlight (Sons of Sin Book 4) – Anna Campbell

Seduced By A Scoundrel – Olivia Drake

The Seduction of Lady X – Julia London

The Seduction of Lord Stone (Dashing Widows) – Anna Campbell

Shattered With You (Stark Security Book 1) – J. Kenner

The Shoemaker's Wife: A Novel – Adriana Trigiani

Shutdown Player: Game On in Seattle (Seattle Sockeyes Book 7) – Jami Davenport

Signed (The Agency Series) – Marni Mann

A Single Glance (Irresistible Attraction Book 1) W. Winters

A Single Kiss (Irresistible Attraction Book 2) – W. Winters

A Single Touch (Irresistible Attraction Book 3) – W. Winters

The Six Wives of Henry VIII – Alison Weir

The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy (A Sleeping Beauty Novel) – A.N. Roquelaure

The Soldier (Windham Book 2) – Grace Burrowes

The Stolen Mackenzie Bride (Mackenzies Series Book 8) – Jennifer Ashley

The Studying Hours: How to Date a Douchebag – Sara Ney

Suddenly You – Lisa Kleypas

Summer Heat: A Storm Inside Novel (The Wild Pitch Series Book 1) – Alexis Anne

A Summer Seduction (Legend of St. Dwynwen Book 2) – Candace Camp

Tangled Beauty (Tangled, Book 1) – K.L. Middleton

Tank (Blue-Collar Billionaires Book 1) – M. Malone

Tempt the Devil – Anna Campbell

Tempted to Kiss (Hard to Love Book 3) – W. Winters

That Woman: The Life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor – Anne Sebba

Thief of Shadows (Maiden Lane Book 4) – Elizabeth Hoyt

This Man (A This Man Novel Book 1) – Jodi Ellen Malpas

This Side of Paradise – F. Scott Fitzgerald

Three Nights of Sin – Anne Mallory

Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood – William J. Mann

To Beguile a Beast (Legend of the Four Soldiers series Book 3) – Elizabeth Hoyt

To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee

To Seduce a Sinner (Legend of the Four Soldiers series Book 2) – Elizabeth Hoyt

To Taste Temptation (Legend of the Four Soldiers series Book 1) – Elizabeth Hoyt

Too Distracting (The Lewis Cousins Book 3) – Bethany Lopez

Too Wicked to Kiss (Scoundrels & Secrets Book 1) – Erica Ridley

The Trouble With Being a Duke: At the Kingsborough Ball – Sophie Barnes

The Trouble with Dukes (Windham Brides Book 1) – Grace Burrowes

Troubles (Beekman Hills) – K.C. Enders

Truth or Beard: Enemies to Lovers Small Town Romantic Comedy (Winston Brothers Book 1) – Penny Reid

Twilight with the Infamous Earl: A Lords of Vice Novel – Alexandra Hawkins

Undisputed: How to Become the World Champion in 1,372 Easy Steps – Chris Jericho

Untouchable (Elite Doms of Washington Book 2) – Elizabeth SaFleur

Untouched – Anna Campbell

Victoria Victorious: The Story of Queen Victoria (Queens of England Book 3) – Jean Plaidy

The Viscount's Wicked Ways – Anne Mallory

Wallbanger (The Cocktail Series Book 1) – Alice Clayton

The Way to a Duke's Heart: The Truth About the Duke – Caroline Linden

We Two: Victoria and Albert: Rulers, Partners, Rivals – Gillian Gill

Well Hung (Big Rock Book 3) – Lauren Blakely

What a Duke Dares (Sons of Sin Book 3) – Anna Campbell

What Color Is Your Parachute? 2019: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers – Richard N. Bolles

When a Duke Loves a Woman: A Sins for All Seasons Novel – Lorraine Heath

When the Duke Found Love (The Wylder Sisters Book 3) – Isabella Bradford

Where Good Girls Go to Die: A Second Chance Romance (The Good Girls Series Book 1) – Holly Renee

Wicked Becomes You – Meredith Duran

Wicked in Your Arms: Forgotten Princesses – Sophie Jordan

Wicked Intentions (Maiden Lane Book 1) – Elizabeth Hoyt

Written on Your Skin – Meredith Duran

[ice-cream-nekogirl]

“We are “Amy and Garfunkel”.”

“Quiet! Quiet You!”

Inspired by this video~: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rScgwCYrWXo

And I see your true colors Shining through I see your true colors And that's why I love you

If there’s one thing Amy regrets it’s not participating at the first Culture Festival, albeit there were personal reasons why she staunchly refused to help 1-A, but she somewhat regrets it. Instead, she would go on to help her best friend Shinsou’s class out, as he was in the General Course at the time. Then quitting UA didn’t help as she fell into a depression and stood at her mansion with her witch sisters. And Shinsou was almost always there every single day (unless she wanted space) to make sure that she was okay and hung out with her just to make her feel better.

Then following a rather difficult couple of months after is when Amy finally returns thanks to Shinsou, Mallory and even Madison’s encouragement, as well as a new friend she made online (wink, wink~). Feeling apologetic to her class she takes them on a trip to New Orleans, things are still a TAD bit awkward but the class welcomes her back with open arms.

And because Shinsou is such a good friend and a hype-man for Amy, he fulfills and helps her get what she wanted to do at the Culture Festival by taking her to a festival in New Orleans and pulled a few strings (via Brainwashing) to let her perform one of her favorite songs. Shinsou gets to show off that he knows how to play the guitar and Amy got to show off her own decent singing voice (helps that I actually like to imagine Anna Kendrick voicing her) to both her classmates and a group of people in New Orleans. 

Entirely platonic and pure, they are very much like brother and sister and this is a piece of evidence that Shinsou will do anything to ensure Amy’s happiness. Cuz he’s not the type to sing in front of people, but he did it for Amy because after months of depression and self-destruction he wanted to see her happy again. And he found out that he’s actually a better singer than he thought.

It’s a memory she’s very fond of, although she was very happy that she was able to participate in the second year Culture Festival with less caveats AND she got to do it with BOTH her best friends Shinsou AND Ashlen. 

P.S: Funny how Shinsou’s hair looks like one of the trolls’ XD

P. S. S: Doesn’t Amy and Garfunkel (like Simon and Garfunkel) sound like a cool group name? Amy and Shinsou are very much the ideal singing duo to go perform on America’s Got Talent XD

So don't be afraid to let them show Your true colors True colors are beautiful Like a rainbow Oh oh oh oh oh like a rainbow...

[thesportssoundoff]

“A bittersweet ESPN Fight Night” UFC Rozenstruik vs Overeem Preview

Joey

December 1st

It's been an "interesting" experience on ESPN, one with plenty of ups and downs and roundabouts but we come to an end on December 7th withwith a finale card for ESPN from DC. It's a good card on paper but one that a) has been besieged by injuries and b) overshadowed by some truly heartbreaking circumstances. It's headlined by a heavyweight fight pitting Alistair Overeem in the midst of his 3rd (fourth?) renaissance run taking on rising HW Jair Rozenstruik. Underneath that we have a bevy of solid women's fights that have also been somewhat shaken by injuries as Cynthia Calvillo faces solid Brazilian striker Marina Rodriguez in the co-main event with Aspen Ladd vs Yana Kunitskaya settled in underneath that. After that we've got some  great fights at bantamweight, a few fights at HW and MW and then some action filler. It's not the worst card in the world and it's got some merit especially if you're in the midst of this rather gross MMA drought we got goin' on.

Fights: 12

Debuts: Billy Quarantillo, Jacob Kilburn, Joe Solecki

Fight Changes/Injury Cancellations: (Claudia Gadelha OUT, Mariana Rodriguez IN vs Cynthia Calvillo/Walt Harris OUT, Jair Rozenstruik IN vs Alistair Overeem/Courtney Casey OUT, Mallory Martin IN vs Virna Jandiroba/Carlos Condit vs Mickey Gall CANCELLED/Chris Fishgold OUT, Jacob Kilburn IN vs Billy Quarantillo/Alonzo Menifield OUT, Makhmud Muradov IN vs Trevor Smith)

Headliners (fighters who have either main evented or co-main evented shows in the UFC): 8 (Alistair Overeem, Cynthia Calvillo, Ben Rothwell, Aspen Ladd, Yana Kunitskaya, Stefan Struve, Ricky Simon, Thiago Alves)

Fighters On Losing Streaks in the UFC:  Ben Rothwell, Trevor Smith

Fighters On Winning Streaks in the UFC: Alistair Overeem, Cynthia Calvillo, Marina Rodriguez,Yana Kunitskaya, Song Yadong, Bryce Mitchell, Jair Rozenstruik

Main Card Record Since Jan 1st 2017 (in the UFC): 34-15-1

Alistair Overeem- 4-2 Jair Rozenstruik- 3-0 Cynthia Calvillo- 5-1 Marina Rodriguez- 2-0-1 Aspen Ladd- 3-1 Yana Kunitskaya- 2-1 Stefan Struve- 1-3 Ben Rothwell- 0-2 Rob Font- 3-2 Ricky Simon- 3-1 Cody Stamman- 4-1 Song Yadong- 4-0

Fights By Weight Class (yearly number here):

Women’s Strawweight- 2 (30) Heavyweight-  2 (39) Bantamweight- 2 (57) Featherweight- 2 (59) Women’s Bantamweight-  1 (21) Middleweight- 1 (47) Welterweight-  1 (73) Lightweight- 1 (75)

Light Heavyweight- (44) Women’s Flyweight-  (33) Flyweight-  (15) Women’s Featherweight- (8)

2019 Number Tracker

Debuting Fighters (40-62-1)-  Billy Quarantillo, Jacob Kilburn, Joe Solecki

Short Notice Fighters (32-41-1)- Marina Rodriguez, Jair Rozenstruik, Mallory Martin, Jacob Kilburn, Makhmud Muradov, Virna Jandiroba

Second Fight (56-40)- Makhmud Muradov, Virna Jandiroba

Cage Corrosion (Fighters who have not fought within a year of the date of the fight) (23-40-1)-

Undefeated Fighters (42-40-2)- Bryce Mitchell, Marina Rodriguez, Jair Rozenstruik

Fighters with at least four fights in the UFC with 0 wins over competition still in the organization (12-9)- Tim Means, Matt Wiman, Trevor Smith

Weight Class Jumpers (Fighters competing outside of the weight class of their last fight even if they’re returning BACK to their “normal weight class”) (33-26)-

Twelve Precious Ponderings

1- First and foremost, this is the saddest main event in UFC history. Jair Rozenstruik is fighting in place of Walt Harris who right at the peak of his UFC run was forced to step away and endure a situation you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. As much fun as we may poke at Walt Harris the fighter for some of the sillier moments in MMA that are attached to his name (a six fight non fight series with Mark Godbeer, fighting Werdum on two hours notice, his first UFC run), professionally speaking he had finally begun to put everything together and was on a 5-1 run that really should've been a 5-0 streak if you remove a fight vs Fabricio Werdum that he took on a days notice to help save the card. That doesn't even account for his other loss being a silly DQ loss where he clearly fouled Mark Godbeer during a break in rather controversial fashion. It's sad on a professional level but heartbreaking on a personal one as Harris pulled out of this fight due to the then disappearance (now confirmed murder) of his stepdaughter. What Walt Harris and his family are going through currently pales in comparison to anything fight related and is truly one of the worst things a human being has to endure. Walt Harris put his fighting career on hold as his personal life crumbled around him through no fault of his own and that is tragic. As intrigued as I am by this main event, it's the epitome of "With a heavy heart" because in a just, fair and loving world this is Walt Harris going for the biggest win of his career. Rest in peace Aniah Blanchard and may the Harris family find the strength to get through this trying time.

2- Is Alistair Overeem essentially blocked off from the title picture? Let's say Overeem beats Jair Rozenstruik and does it impressively. That's now three wins in a row. Normally three wins in a row at HW gets you a title fight but ahead of him in terms of contenders you have Curtis Blaydes (beat Overeem), Ngannou (almost killed Overeem), Volkov (likely fighting Ngannou) and DC (this would've been a hell of a fight 2-3 years ago).  Derrick Lewis is about to be tied up in an utterly meaningless fight and OVereem probably beats or HAS beaten everybody behind him. As such---what's really his place in the division? Is he the official Keith Jardine/Kenny Florian/Mark Munoz gatekeeper to the title shot who never gets the title shot?

3- Had this discussion a few weeks ago but is Alistair Overeem a top 5 HW of all time?

4- Why are allowing Aspen Ladd to fight at 135 lbs? It just feels needless.

5- A lot has been made about the lack of contenders for Amanda Nunes but I think we can have a genuine conversation about Yana Kunitskaya taking none of those spots if she can beat Aspen Ladd. Kunitskaya with three straight wins over the likes of Lina Lansberg, Marion Reneau and Aspen Ladd would probably at worst put her in a #1 contender fight if not directly into being Nunes' next opponent. With Amanda Nunes basically being a better Mighty Mouse in terms of name value, it's not like you need to be a big name to get a fight.

6- Tim Means vs Thiago Alves in 2019, eh? Fine. You guys do you.

7- The same should be said for this rather blegh Ben Rothwell vs Stefan Struve fight. Rothwell has not been the same guy since coming back from his USADA suspension and Stefan Struve really should've gone through with his retirement.

8- Is this too much too soon for Song Yadong? To this point, Yadong's fought guys ranging from fun but limited (Bharat Kandare) to established quality veterans lacking a defining trait (Felipe Arantes and Alejandro Perez). Alejandro Perez was a fine but safe step up since Perez's defining traits (consistent workrate, a solid kicking game at range) weren't going to do much against Yadong unless we were all wrong about him. Outside of a blip here or there, Yadong has passed every test but Stamman is IMO a genuine top 10 bantamweight who brings high level strength with him. We've seen that Yadong does some of his best work in tight but we've never seen him have to wrestle with a strong compact wrestler type. Stamman is also probably the most polished fighter Yadong has ever faced in his time in the UFC with experience against elite dudes like Aljamain Sterling. This is a really good fight and perhaps a bridge too far for China's best male fighter in the UFC.

9- Matt Wiman's long awaited return to the UFC was about what you'd expect for a dude who basically missed out on the rise of the athlete/real sports era of the UFC. Wiman looked woefully out of his depth vs Luis Pena and while he didn't humiliate himself in terms of heart, it was certainly not one of the highlight reels. Wiman is back and taking on debuting fighter Joe Salecki in yet another "old school UFC LW vs DWCS guy" fight. Perhaps Wiman can get some good vibes after Joe Lauzon boxed up Jonathan Pearce and had one of the cooler moments of 2019 in his out of nowhere win. Remember debuting fighters have bad numbers in 2019!

10- Cynthia Calvillo vs Claudia Gadelha was on paper a tremendous fight with plenty to discuss but Marina Rodriguez vs Cynthia Calvillo feels like one of those weird throwback style clashes. Rodriguez is a fantastic muay thai striker with good movement who cuts a frenetic pace. On the other hand, Cynthia Calvillo eats up this kind of fighter with her grappling and quick takedowns. Rodriguez allowed Randa Markos to spend 10 minutes taking her down at will. As such, I get the feeling things are about to go real bad for Rodriguez unless her takedown defense has grown overnight.

11- Ricky Simon is subjecting us to more Urijah Faber fights so let's just say that I hope he has a great performance to make up for that.

12- Should there be a limit to the number of DWCS guys on one sole card?