#a corgi who may or may not be a spy

[wannabe-british-fangirl]

~ books read in 2023 ~

#21: The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones

The farmer had four ordinary children, which was why the magic of the fifth came as a surprise.

Rating: 5/5

[rthstewart]

More blather about TSG, Peter Pevensie and Mischief and Murder

So, @nasimwritesagain mentioned in a comment to Mischief and Murder about the origin of Peter’s resistance to Rat and Crow (espionage, spying and skullduggery).

You can just move along and not bother with the blather and rambling below. But I was thinking a lot about all this while at my Corgi's playdate this morning and after posting this about TSG, John Pevensie, and whether he is the villain of TSG, wanted to take a swing at this issue too

In the final scene of Mischief and Murder, in the early Spring at the beginning of the second year of their rule, the Four narrowly survive an assassination attempt and this gives rise to the creation of the Royal Guard.  Willa and Sallowpad revive the espionage they undertook during the Long Winter to form the Queen Susan’s Royal Mischief and the King Edmund’s Royal Murder, the Narnian Intelligence Service, “Rat and Crow.”  Peter is not thrilled about this and Dalia and Merle pose a solution:

The High King held up his hand. “Yes, I see now.“ He sighed. “Tell me, truly. Must we have watchers and spies everywhere?” King Edmund and Queen Susan both started to speak but the High King cut them off. “I know what you both think. I want to hear from our advisors.” “Yes,” Willa replied immediately. “Today proved that. You were lucky and they underestimated Narnia tooth and claw. That won’t happen again if they’re smart. Never rely on luck, or your enemy’s stupidity.” “We need to be where those who would harm your Majesties and Narnia might be, High King.” The High King glanced at his brother and sister and they all nodded. “Very well. Please organize your recommendations and present them to me…” Dalia lashed her tail and mewled. “Yes, my Guard?” “Willa already assists Queen Susan as her maid. Sallowpad and King Edmund intend to discuss this and other matters. I recommend you let them do this work and report its results to you.” The High King started to object, Dalia growled again, and Queen Susan and King Edmund started talking over him and each other.  Merle's loud voice boomed over the squabbling, “That’s a great idea, Dalia, since all this Rat and Crow makes Pete sad and angry and Ed and Su like it.”

I thought about a couple of things as I was responding to nasimwrites’ comment.  First, is that in PC, Edmund is annoyed that Peter doesn’t push his advantage over Miraz at one point during their combat and observes, well, that comes of Peter being both a Knight and a King.  (We’ll ignore that Edmund is also a Knight and King).  Asim observes several times in TSG that Peter is true and shining like the sword that was his symbol.  He’s not comfortable in the shadows, though he is smart enough to recognize the necessity of espionage and skullduggery. 

In my head canon, Peter’s resistance to Rat and Crow stems from this innate sense of honor and personal ethics.  This isn’t uncommon – being comfortable with immoral acts to pursue moral ends vexes philosophers and is a reason most people aren’t comfortable with being spies.  As much as it comes across as judgmental (which Peter tries mightily to not do as he knows it makes him a huge hypocrite), this is a legitimate, ethical viewpoint.  At least I’ve wanted readers to see that even if our sympathies all tilt to Susan, Edmund, and the Rats and Crows.  

This little act of delegation by Peter to Susan and Edmund in Mischief and Murder, done when they are angry, frightened children, becomes a huge character arc for all of them over the course of these stories.  

Peter really struggles with what the British (and Susan) are doing in TQSiT. He’s angry at Asim for not being forthcoming; he is uncomfortable now in retrospect with what Susan and Edmund did or may have done in Narnia (under the authority of his knowing delegation).  The whole “My brother and High King, do you want the truth or the lie?” is their gallows humor when Peter responds, “Lie to me.” Edmund later clarifies that he will never lie to Peter – but would, at least at this point in time, commit the sin of omission. 

In contrast, Susan and Tebbit, who deeply care for and respect one another, lie to each other all the time, and/or omit things of enormous consequence.  Hey, I’m 15!  Hey, I’m sending you to Normandy and this stuff about an invasion at Calais is all a lie; you’ll be ground zero for the largest military operation in the history of the world!  They do this to Win The War, deeming truth, mortality, and fidelity necessary casualties in the greater battle.  

In the AW chapter, The Queen Susan in Finchley, Susan and Peter have a heart to heart and Peter is thinking that this whole Rat and Crow business is unseemly and should stop once they win the War.  It angers Susan but they don’t really resolve it.  Peter says he doesn’t blame or judge Susan; he knows he’s responsible too.  But given his discomfort, and his essential character as a knight of Narnia (and Pentacles) and the sword of Narnia, he is regretting immoral acts done for moral ends and he’s resolving to be less tolerant of it going forward.

As I later develop, his refusal to accept Susan’s continuing role in espionage once the War ends becomes a huge source of conflict for them and ultimately leads to the damning, “not a friend of Narnia.”

Something I realized only today is that, in fact, Peter has two significant issues of unresolved guilt – his decision to chase the White Stag to get an heir, thereby ripping Edmund and Lucy from their bondmates, and his decision to delegate Rat and Crow to Edmund and Susan while still enjoying the fruits of it and coming to condemn it later. The man’s got issues and his guilt, his belief that he must please everyone else first, and his moral immaturity may not be resolved until the train crash.

[books-to-add-to-your-tbr]

Title: The Drowned Woods

Author: Emily Lloyd-Jones

Series or standalone: standalone

Publication year: 2022

Genres: fiction, fantasy, retelling, mythology, romance

Blurb: Once upon a time, the kingdoms of Wales were rife with magic and conflict, and 18-year-old Mererid “Mer” is well-acquainted with both. She is the last living water diviner, and has spent years running from the prince who bound her into his service. Under the prince’s orders, she located the wells of his enemies, and he poisoned them without her knowledge, causing hundreds of deaths. After discovering what he had done, Mer went to great lengths to disappear from his reach...then her old handler returns with a proposition: use her powers to bring down the very prince that abused them both. The best way to do that is to destroy the magical well that keeps the prince’s lands safe. With a motley crew of allies - including a fae-cursed young man, the lady of thieves, and a corgi that may or may not be a spy - Mer may finally be able to steal precious freedom and peace for herself. After all, a person with a knife is one thing...but a person with a cause can topple kingdoms.

[mercerislandbooks]

Short Take: The Drowned Woods

You could say I have a fascination with Wales. It began when I picked up Sharon Kay Penman’s Welsh Princes Trilogy as a teenager and devoured them. Historical fiction set in 13th century Wales filled with romance, royal machinations and more than one prince called Llewelyn. Totally hooked. Then I finally read Susan Cooper’s outstanding The Dark is Rising series. The last two are set in Wales, complete with a short primer on Welsh pronunciation, and I ate them up. It was in the final book of this series, Silver on the Tree, that I first heard of the Drowned Hundred, a mythical kingdom swallowed by the sea. When I caught sight of The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones, a YA historical fantasy, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was a connection. Indeed, it is set in Wales and involves a heist, so I was definitely in.

Merirad (Mer) is just trying to keep her head down and escape the notice of Prince Garanhir, the man who bought her off her family when it was discovered she was a water diviner, a human touched by the fae and able to manipulate water. He raised her to be used as his weapon but when Mer couldn’t live with the damage she’d inflicted any longer, she ran. Trouble comes looking for her in the form of her old mentor, the Prince’s spymaster. Renfrew offers her the opportunity to get free of the Prince forever with one last job. Together Mer and Renfrew assemble a crew, including a young man touched by Death, the heir to the Thieves Guild and a corgi called Trefor who may or may not be a spy of the “other folk”. Their aim? A magical well on a remote island guarded by an otherworldly boar said to protect the Prince’s kingdom by holding back the sea. Plus all the treasures the well contains. Ruin Garanhir and finance their new lives all in one fell swoop.

Of course nothing is straightforward when magic and spies are involved, and the nonstop action kept me riveted. I listened to The Drowned Woods on audio, a bonus because for once I heard all the Welsh names and places as they are supposed to be pronounced instead of making my best attempt based on that long ago lesson Bran gives Will in The Grey King. Lovers of historical fantasy and fans of Six of Crows will find this a good fit. Lloyd-Jones balances tension with humor, because nothing beats a corgi that sneezes when magic is in play. And for those who have series fatigue, this is a stand-alone. Though if you want more of Lloyd-Jones’ historical fantasy Wales, you can also pick up her previous YA, The Bone Houses. A perfect escape for the end of summer!

— Lori

[publishedtoday]

The Drowned Woods - Emily Lloyd-Jones

Once upon a time, the kingdoms of Wales were rife with magic and conflict, and eighteen-year-old Mererid “Mer” is well-acquainted with both. She is the last living water diviner and has spent years running from the prince who bound her into his service. Under the prince’s orders, she located the wells of his enemies, and he poisoned them without her knowledge, causing hundreds of deaths. After discovering what he had done, Mer went to great lengths to disappear from his reach. Then Mer’s old handler returns with a proposition: use her powers to bring down the very prince that abused them both. The best way to do that is to destroy the magical well that keeps the prince’s lands safe. With a motley crew of allies, including a fae-cursed young man, the lady of thieves, and a corgi that may or may not be a spy, Mer may finally be able to steal precious freedom and peace for herself. After all, a person with a knife is one thing… but a person with a cause can topple kingdoms.

tw: death, violence

[theyforcedmetogetablog]

I read a book! And I am about to make it everyone's problem. Buckle up for "The Drowned Woods" by Emily Llyod-Jones review that no one asked for.

Mer, short for Mererid, is the last living water diviner in all the kingdoms of Wales. Not only can she locate water, but she can also manipulate it at will. I am talking boil, freeze, push, pull, if you can think, it she can do it kind of manipulation. Naturally, this makes her very valuable and people kill to possess that kind of skill. And people do! An evil Prince abuses her powers for his own gain and she escapes.... or at least until the Prince's former spymaster *cough Mer's pseudo father cough* finds her and asks her to help him bring down the Prince. Together, they find a fae-cursed man, a princess of theives, and a corgi who may or may not be a spy for the fae, but will 100% steal your boots. Will they manage to bring the prince down? Or will secrets among them prevent them from overthrowing the corrupt leader? Advertised as part fairy tale, part heist, it will keep you turning pages!

So here be potential spoilers as I pour my own thoughts out. This book is well written! Don't get me wrong! It has a bi mc who has lover to enemies to I need your help going with the princess of thieves! Which was something I didn't expect, but thoroughly enjoyed! But I still want to shake the author! There's something about the way Emily Llyod-Jones ends her fantasy books (I have only read this one and The Bone Houses so I can't comment on all her books) that does not sit well with myself. For no good reason? Like, all the lose ends are tied up! All my questions are answered! But I'm left feeling... meh? At the end? If anyone else reads this, message me if you agree OR disagree!

TO CLARIFY! I STILL RECCOMEND THIS BOOK! It is very good!

[libraryinthecountry]

★ Do you tend to prefer US or UK covers? I always find myself gravitating toward UK covers, but then there’s books like @em_llojo’s The Drowned Woods and both covers are so, so stunning (my last post features the Illumicrate edition!). Actually The Bone Houses is one of my favorite covers of all time, so no surprise at all that The Drowned Woods would be incredible, too! Description: Once upon a time, the kingdoms of Wales were rife with magic and conflict, and eighteen-year-old Mererid “Mer” is well-acquainted with both. She is the last living water diviner and has spent years running from the prince who bound her into his service. Under the prince’s orders, she located the wells of his enemies, and he poisoned them without her knowledge, causing hundreds of deaths. After discovering what he had done, Mer went to great lengths to disappear from his reach. Then Mer’s old handler returns with a proposition: use her powers to bring down the very prince that abused them both.

The best way to do that is to destroy the magical well that keeps the prince’s lands safe. With a motley crew of allies, including a fae-cursed young man, the lady of thieves, and a corgi that may or may not be a spy, Mer may finally be able to steal precious freedom and peace for herself. After all, a person with a knife is one thing… but a person with a cause can topple kingdoms.

The Drowned Woods—set in the same world as The Bone Houses but with a whole new, unforgettable cast of characters—is part heist novel, part dark fairy tale. Thank you to @thenovl for sending me a copy of the book. ★ HASHTAGS // #TheDrownedWoods tour #TheDrownedWoods  #EmilyllyodJones #thenovl #storygramtours #bookcart #tbrcart #shelfie #homelibrary #stencilededges #thebonehouses #bookstagram #fantasybooks #yabooks #bookseverywhere https://www.instagram.com/p/ChnVKqaPxSQ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[meettheprivate]

Pet Headcanons [TF2 X SO]

Because I am that person.

Absolutely on board with a pet no questions asked: Scout, Soldier, Pyro, Engineer

Hesitant at first but will comply eventually: Demoman, Heavy, Sniper, Medic

Non: Spy

--

Scout: Has always wanted a pet, but with so many brothers his ma saw no reason to have yet another animal in the house. If you ask for a dog he will just be ecstatic! He’s always wanted a Boston bullterrier, or maybe a Rottweiler. Something cute but tough just like him! He may complain if you ask for a cat though, and absolutely no birds - traumatic memories of a certain dove come to mind.

Soldier: Let’s be honest, Soldier has a soft spot for cuddly things - he just doesn’t show it, like, ever. Sure he would much rather have a bald eagle as a pet, but that’s illegal and you (being the smarter of the two of you) have to deny him his right to possess an illegal pet. When you come to a compromise of a dog, he’ll say something to the tune of, “I want the fluffiest, softest, squishiest one they have.” Because he doesn’t want a dog that makes him think of the eagle he couldn’t have. He’d also accept a cat, as long as it’s the biggest asshole they have - which isn’t too hard of an ask.

Pyro: Admittedly, you’re reluctant to ask Pyro if they want a pet with you, as you’re kinda worried they might do something crazy while in Pyroland to your precious new addition to the family. So you recommend a sturdier pet, like a calico cat. You figure the cat can escape if necessary, and ya’know, they’ve got nine lives (right??). Surprisingly, you find out quickly that Pyro and your cat have formed such a tight bound that they can communicate to one another. Turns out Pyro can make cat friends easily!

Engineer: This sweet man is no stranger to owning pets. When he was growing up, his family had the sweetest pupper out there: a Golden Retriever named Austin. You decide to surprise him one day by bringing home a golden Labradoodle who you’ve humbly chosen to name Bee. He immediately falls in love with the sweet pup and goes to work to build the dog everything from a bed, toys, their own fancy collar, the works! He even made a metal dog tag shaped like a bee. You start to wonder if he loves the dog more than you - don’t worry, he loves you more than before for getting Bee, but he may love Bee more. Also, don’t be surprised if one day he comes home to surprise you and Bee with a little corgi puppy - so Bee can have a little sibling!

Demoman: There are a number of reasons why he is reluctant to getting a pet; they’re a lot of work, they can be messy, and they crave attention. He likes dogs, but doesn’t know the first thing about taking care of one, and cats? They remind him of his mum a bit too much. But when you suggest the wild card that is a parrot? SOLD. You both pick out a parrot that matches his team colour and happily take the sweet birb home with you. Demo adores his new friend, because now he feels like a true pirate king. Plus, the bird listens to his drunk ramblings, how could he not love his new friend?

Heavy: Unlike the others, he has never really had a connection to animals in any way. He used to eat bears to survive, he lived in a gulag, to say concept of a pet was abnormal was an understatement. When you ask, he at first shuts you down immediately, saying he’s too big, and he’d worry about hurting the poor creature. However, you show him the wonderful word of BIG puppers and he’s intrigued, but only slightly. Then you show him a Saint Bernard puppy, and then a full sized one. Heavy finally agrees when you tell him how it is near impossible for him to hurt the sweet big boys, just so long as he doesn’t try to ride one. When you bring your new pup home, Heavy immediately falls in love.

Sniper: It doesn’t take long to convince him. At first he says no because he doesn’t like normal pets like cats, dogs, birds, etc. But then you throw out the crazy idea of getting a pet wallaby (which is legal in some areas). The man was in TEARS. Now getting the wallaby was no easy feat - let’s just say it pays to know SAXTON HALE! - and when you finally got your joey you both were so pleased. The best part? It was cheap to feed your new pet as they primarily eat grass! A free lawnmower anyone? However, now Sniper’s asking if you’d be on board with getting a koala too. What have you started?

Medic: His doves are his babies. He thinks you should view them as your babies too and stop fantasizing about getting more pets. That is until you suggest the crazy idea of...Mice. Yes, mice plural. He thinks its a crazy idea, but then thinks about the irony of a doctor, a man of experimental science, and a whacko having pet mice and it just sounds so comical and crazy that he agrees to it. So now the med bay is filled with dove and mice excrement. Delightful. Medic also decided to name each of the mice after his teammates. For some reason he always liked to play with “Spy” by moving him around in his hands. Don’t tease mouse Spy.

Spy: Two words: Pet. Hair. Does he think animals are cute? Sure. He once thought about gifting Scout a bunny to prove a point. But he refused to own one himself, less he ruin his perfectly tailored suit by getting it coated with fur. He offers to buy you anything else to make up for this though, so at least he feels bad for rejecting your request? Also he doesn’t know why, but he feels like he’s begin rocked on a boat or something right now...Maybe it has something to do with Medic’s new pets somehow.

[schakira]

THERE WAS LEAKS ON GYM LEADERS??? LIKE THESE JUST GOT CONFIRMED TO BE REAL?? EYE EMOJI THE FUCK

This leak dates back from like end of May, a week or so before the direct, and it reads smth like:

Your rival is named Hop, but you will also be facing of against Bede and Marnie

Team Yell is the gang in this game, who are well meaning fans of Marnie causing trouble

To become part of the gym challenge, you will have to get an endorsement. Bede gets an endorsement from Chairman Rose and his secretary Oleana

Eternatus is the evil legendary. The other legendary will be a wolf, who will either have a shield mane or hold a sword like Great Wolf Sif. Don't recall its name

Dynamaxing and Gigantamaxing are new dynamics that will supersize pokemon in specific areas. Gigantamaxing is different from dynamax as it changes what the pokemon looks like. Meowth looks like long cat. Lapras gets layers like musical bars to its shell and musical notes. Pikachu looks like retro fat pikachu

Sonia is Leon's former rival who is researching the dynamax phenomenon at the behest of her grandmother and professor of the game.

Some pokemon, like Farfechtd, will get regional evolutions, like Sirfechtd. Meowth looks like a ball of spiky grey fur

Skwovet and Greedunt iirc are chipmunk pokemon who will hide in berry trees and attack randomly if you shake for too many berries. If they attack, you lose half the berries that dropped.

The fourth gym is the first Fairy type gym, led by an actress named Opal. Milo, Nessa, and Kabu are the first ones.

Before fighting the gym leaders, you have to complete the gym challenges.

- Milo has you herding sheep pokemon named Wooloo, but Pamper, electric corgi pokemon, will startle them and send them rolling elsewhere.

- Nessa has you running through a maze where water blocks the way

- Kabu requires you to catch pokemon and get 5 points, but you have to be in a party battle with another trainer who's also trying to catch it

While there is a transit system, you will have to go through the Wild Area at times, an open world biome that has a weather system and little pockets where wild pokemon dynamax and have to be beaten in a for person raid. You will randomly see nearby players and interact with them to get their league cards and items

Camping is how you play with pokemon now. You'll get two toys, a feather toy and toy pokeball, which can raise friendship. You can make curry which will raise starts and friendliness

Pokémon will not walk beside you in the overworld map

Scorbunny will have fighting moves, but is pure fighter (i hope they meant pure fire). It becomes Raboot, but I don't remember the final evolution, except that it looks like a fighter. It looks humanoid

Sobble becomes Sizzile and then Intelleon, a chameleon with a spy theme

Grookey will end up as a giant gorilla that beats a wood drum to attack.

There's a lot I'm missing, but I wasn't planning on leaking until now. I'm angry and upset, and while I liked what I saw, I didn't get too far.

The best Pokémon so far is the blue seagull who when it dives, either gets a barracuda in its mouth or a pikachu, which it launches at its enemy

so yeah the leaks are very very very real

[dontdoitluke]

We Could Be Heroes - Ch 6

Sky High AU, but instead, it’s a superhero University. 

Summary: Skyler decides it’s time to play detective with Michelle, things get a little muddy between Jenna and Ashton, and Michael shares his big news. 

Chapter: 6/?

Word Count: 3,638

CHAPTER INDEX

Let me know if you want to be added to my tag list!

Tags: @calumamongmen   @myloverboyash   @wildhearthood @vintagehoods @lukescherrypie   @burncrashbromance   @dukesnumber1  @calsophat @kindahoping4forever @lockthisheartinchains  @babylon-corgis @lfwallscouldtalk  @badguycal  @justhappytoobehere

“Sky, the man can hear a butterfly burp from a mile away and you want me to spy on him?”

Skyler shrugged and halfheartedly stabbed one of her tortilla chips into a bowl of salsa next to her. She had just spent the last ten minutes explaining the details of her interaction with Michael, from the argument with the librarian to him running out of the room. It was all very un-Michael-like, and Skyler was very concerned. And by concerned, she meant nosy. In the best way possible, of course.

“He can hear a lot of things, but he can’t hear your thoughts. So as long as you don’t say anything you should be good, right? Come on, aren’t you just a little bit concerned as to why he’s running around all frantic-like? Or why he’s being so distant with us?”

Michelle took a sip of her water and raised an eyebrow. “Actually... he has been kind of distant these past couple of days.”

“See?”

“But I don’t think it’s anything suspicious. I mean, he could just be enjoying his time with Mickey, you know they’re inseparable now.”

“And I don’t think it has anything to do with Mickey at all,” Skyler said through a mouthful of chips and salsa. “I think he’s trying to drop out of school.”

Michelle furrowed her brows and reached for one of the chips in the basket between them. “What? What makes you think that?”

“I mean, when he came into the library, he got on one of the computers that was facing away from me so I couldn’t see, and normally he doesn’t care about that. He didn’t let me see what he’d printed either, he hasn’t been very vocal in class-”

“When is he ever vocal in class?”

“I mean, you’re right, but he’s been especially quiet lately. And he always takes notes at least, but he hasn’t even been doing that. He’s just been on his phone the entire time.”

Michelle froze mid-bite; realization slowly dawned on her face. “Yeah, he... he always takes notes. He’s very serious about his school work. Now that I think of it, this morning, during Chem, the professor had to tell him to put his phone away.”

“And when we were in first aid class, he spoke up like he was paying attention, but he was on his phone the whole time, remember?”

Both girls stared silently at the table, thinking back on the past few days and remembering all the things that had changed in Michael. Aside from the fact that Mickey was now there, no one had noticed any changes until now.

“So... why would he suddenly stop paying attention in class? Because he’s not going to have those classes anymore.”

Michelle took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. This whole ordeal was giving her a headache, and she couldn’t stand to think of Michael leaving.  

“It has to be something else. Maybe he met someone?”

Skyler tilted her head to the side, considering the idea, then shook her head. “No, it can’t be that. It would explain the phone, but not the forms.”

“Maybe they’re unrelated. I don’t know. I just really don’t think we should spy on him and if you’re really that nosy about it-”

“Concerned. I’m concerned.”

“Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Anyway, I think if you really want to know what’s going on, you should just ask him.”

“Yeah, I thought about that, too. I don’t think he’ll tell me the truth.”

Both girls sighed, sat back in their chairs, and closed their eyes, completely exasperated and at a loss for a solution to the problem. All the clues did seem to lead to Michael dropping out, which neither of them wanted, and they were sure that none of the rest of the group wanted it either.  

Michelle reluctantly agreed to listen for anything that may lead to an answer, even if she wanted nothing more than to stay out of it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the common room of their dorm hall, Calum and Val sat at one of the round tables with their first aid binders open in front of them, discussing scenarios for their homework. Val had come up with some pretty good ones for herself, but Calum was still stuck. He couldn’t think of anything other than getting rid of parasites, and Val, bless her heart, tried her best to be serious about it and help him, but all she could think about was what it would be like to have him tuck her away in his stomach pouch.

The whole thing with Calum swallowing Val had started out as kind of a joke, but now they’d been joking about it for a few months and she was genuinely curious. She’d seen him take things out of the pouch; during one of their classes he was dared to swallow Ashton’s driver’s license, and he had done it without a single thought. He just swallowed the little plastic card whole and brought it back up, completely dry, with nothing but a tiny cough to show for it, and Val was enamored. It was mostly due to the fact that she’d had a huge crush on him since the day they met, but it was also partly due to her fascination with the human anatomy. And right now, she wanted to be up close and personal with Calum’s anatomy.

He began mumbling to himself, trying desperately to come up with just one more scenario, and Val couldn’t help but watch the way his mouth moved as he spoke. She couldn’t tell what she wanted more in that moment; to throw herself at him and press her lips against his, or shrink herself down and take a nap in his belly. She was in the middle of one of her many tummy fantasies when she noticed that Calum’s mouth was no longer mumbling. She looked up into his waiting eyes and realized he had been speaking to her.

“Sorry, what was that?”

He smiled softly and looked back down at his binder. “I asked if you were alright. You zoned out on me for a minute there.”

Val twisted her face in mock disgust and blew a raspberry with her mouth, placing her hand on his forearm. “Why? Do you care about me? Getting all concerned?”

Faking a gag, he chuckled and used the eraser end of his pencil to push her hand away from him. “Fuck no, crawl down a hole and stay there for all I care.”

“The only hole I wanna crawl down is your throat.”

“You’re sick.”

“No, you. Let me be your Val-ium, already.”

“I’m n... wait, what’s that smell?”

Val furrowed her brows and sniffed. She didn’t notice anything at first and was about to shrug it off, but then the smell of burnt popcorn filled the air around her. Calum, always a curious one, stood and motioned for Val to follow him to the kitchen on the other side of the common area.  

Opening the door, they were greeted with the sight of Ally and Luke arguing over whose fault it was that the popcorn had burned. Ally was insisting that Luke distracted her by asking her to make more peanut butter cups, and Luke claimed that it was Ally’s fault because she put the timer on for three minutes instead of two and a half.

“I could have listened for the pops to slow down, but nooo, Lukey needs his candy NOW!”

“You wouldn’t have to listen for the pops if you would have put the timer on for less time!”

“Yeah, well you... fuck it, I’m calling Jenna to come and drown your ass.”

“No, no, wait, put the phone down, just make another bag.”

“There isn’t another bag!”

Calum covered his mouth to stifle his giggle, but Val let out a full belly laugh, gaining the attention of the banshee and the human xerox machine.  

“What’s so funny?”

Val looked up at Luke, still laughing. “I just realized that you two were like a Venti and a Tall at Starbucks.”

Ally let out an exasperated sigh and snorted. “That’s what you’re laughing at?”

Calum looked down at Val questioningly. “So, what does that make you?”

“Why don’t you take a sip and find out?”

“Can you call Jenna to drown those two instead of me?” Luke whispered to Ally, who had started picking out the burnt kernels in the bowl next to her.

“I can call her, but her water bottle only has eyes for you. Speaking of which, there she is right now... I think.”

Ally pointed behind Calum and Val, where Jenna and Ashton were waddling into the common room, completely covered from head to toe in a thin layer of mud and dirt. They laughed to themselves and carried their mud-caked shoes in their hands as they headed toward the stairs to the dorms.

Calum called out to the two and they looked up, wide-eyed.

“What the hell happened to you guys?”

Ashton and Jenna glanced at each other, mouths opening and closing at a loss for words. Ashton looked down at his mud-covered shoes and nudged Jenna’s arm, urging her to speak for them.  

“We were dueling in the courtyard,” she started. “It got messy... earth and water, you know.”

“I can see that,” Val mumbled disbelievingly, narrowing her eyes at her water-bending friend.

“We’re gonna... we’re gonna go. Gotta, you know, shower before dinner, because... yeah, this is itchy,” Ashton stuttered out, taking off for the stairs and leaving a trail of muddy footprints behind him. Jenna waved goodbye to everyone and followed him, running up the stairs two at a time.

“Uh... are they?”

“Oh, definitely. Did you notice Jenna was wearing his shirt?”

Luke hummed and stuffed his mouth with a handful of popcorn. “I don’t get it.”

Ally rolled her eyes. Not a whole lot was able to reach the top of Luke’s head, but apparently this had flown right over it.  

“Fucking. They’re fucking, Luke.”

Luke choked on his popcorn and dropped the bowl, sending the rest of what Ally was able to save flying all over the kitchen floor.

“Aw, nice going, jackass!”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Michelle had situated herself at the end of the hallway near Michael’s dorm, focusing on his thoughts. For the past couple of hours, he hadn’t been thinking about anything other than the game he was playing, and occasionally his thoughts turned to colorful images as he pictured the different outcomes in his mind. She was about to give up for the day when the images of his gameplay turned to images of him and Mickey sitting in a classroom with other students. It didn’t look like a memory. Memories are usually much clearer, and this image was fuzzy and distorted. It seemed as if Michael was daydreaming while he was gaming.

She perked up and focused a little harder on the images that were fading in and out with the thoughts of his game, trying to spot anything that could relate to what she and Skyler discussed that afternoon. It looked like they were in a regular class with other students, but Mickey was sitting next to Michael in his own chair instead of hiding in his backpack like he usually does. The two looked at each other and smiled, Mickey’s crooked mouth opening wide with happiness, and Michael simply took off the headphones he always wears. Was he trying to listen for something important? Maybe they were just getting too hot? Maybe he’s just imagining a life where he doesn’t have to wear them? Michelle was beyond confused as daydream Michael put the headphones into his bag and turned his attention to the professor at the front of the room.  

Then, the daydream changed from a classroom setting into images of the pair at a concert, again with his headphones off. Michael had expressed his desire for concert-going many times before; he’d never been able to due to his power. Michelle could almost hear the music blaring from the imaginary speakers, she could feel the joy that Michael was feeling, and somewhere in the back of her mind, she sensed another feeling coming from him. It was almost a feeling of need, or excitement. She pinpointed the feeling as best she could, and decided that what she sensed was a feeling of hope.

Bringing herself back to her own thoughts, she left Michael to his imagination and left the dorm hall, smiling to herself. She didn’t sense anything that she could connect to forms or secrecy, but she was glad that Michael was thinking happy thoughts for once.  

She decided that she’d try once again to convince Skyler to let him keep his secrets. If he really wanted them to know, he’d share it. And if he was really going to leave S.A.V.E.U., she figured he had a good reason to. Michael usually knows what's best for himself, and who were they to stand in the way of what he wanted?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, Michael woke up bright and early. He was in an especially good mood, and he sang softly to himself while he showered, hummed a cheerful tune while he brushed his teeth, and even did a happy little dance as he got dressed for the day. Mickey mimicked every movement and sound in his own cheerful little way.  Once he and his tiny copy were dressed, Michael picked up his phone and sent a group text to his friends.

“lets meet up for breakfast, I have something I need to share and I wanna do it in person.”

Over the next few minutes, the replies started rolling in, and although most of them were not morning people and would rather spend their day off in bed, they knew that if Michael had something to say, it was important. They all agreed to meet at 10 a.m. in the dining hall, since most of the other students that usually come down for breakfast would have been gone already, and none of them had to change out of their pajamas. Which was something that Carly, Ashton, and Viv were very adamant about.

Michael headed to the dining hall with Mickey riding in his backpack about a half hour early, hoping he’d have some time to really collect his thoughts before revealing his news to his friends. However, when he stepped off of the stairs and opened the door, everyone was already seated at a table farthest from the rest of the students and staff occupying the room.  

“Wow, I thought I’d have to wait for the rest of you, not the other way around.”

“Skyler forced us all to get here early,” Emma yawned, laying her head down on the table sleepily.

“You said you had something important to share, and I wanted everyone to be here and awake for it. I was concerned about-”

“Nosy, you mean?” Carly sang mockingly.

“CONCERNED, about what you had to say to all of us.”

Michael scratched the back of his head nervously and looked toward the ground, turning toward the tables and trays filled with various breakfast foods. “Ah, well that’s good, then. Let’s, uh, let’s go get food, and I’ll... I’ll tell everyone my news then, I guess.”

Luke, always the first one to get excited over the mention of food, jumped up out of his chair and led Michael to the serving line. The rest followed after, grabbing their trays and piling their plates with whatever they could fit. Jenna and Ashton briefly fought playfully over who deserves to have the last Belgian waffle before deciding to share it. Exchanging knowing glances, Val and Ally subtly fist bumped, and Calum scrunched his face together in disgust as he picked out his breakfast.  

Once the group had paid for their meals and gotten settled at the table, Michael anxiously began to pick at his breakfast. He was so excited to share his news with his friends, but now he was tearing his toast into tiny pieces, unsure of how to start. His news wasn’t even big news, at least not to anyone other than him and Mickey, and that’s what worried him the most. He was afraid that his friends would be angry at him for dragging them out of bed for something so minuscule. He calmed himself down little by little, handing the tiny bits of bread to Mickey, who devoured them with glee and held his tiny hands out to Michael’s plate for more. He broke one of his slices of bacon in half and handed it to him when he heard Michelle’s soothing thoughts in his head.  

“It’s okay, Mike. No matter what it is, we’re gonna love and support you through it.”

He glanced up and looked over at her, giving her a shy nod. She smiled comfortingly and nodded back, urging him to begin.

Taking a deep breath, Michael scooted his chair back a few inches and pulled Mickey onto his lap. He cleared his throat to gain everyone’s attention, and after a few nudges and some shushing from Emma and Viv, the entire table eagerly awaited Michael’s announcement.

“I... well... I’m not sure how to start. But I guess I should... thank you all for coming?”

The group murmured words of encouragement and smiled brightly. They all knew that public speaking and being the center of attention was Michael’s worst enemy, so they were always quick to cheer him on if he needed it.

“So, the past few day’s I’ve been doing some research, because... I noticed something strange happening, and... ah, fuck it. Let me put it to you this way; I don’t need these anymore.”

Michael slipped his noise cancelling headphones off of his head and set them on the table in front of him and Mickey. Almost immediately, everyone began speaking in hushed tones, and Michelle covered Luke’s mouth before he could screech something stupid.

“What are you doing? You’re going to give yourself a headache!” Carly whispered worriedly.

“No, that’s the thing. I don’t need them. I don’t know what it is exactly, I couldn’t find anything in my research... but the first night Mickey was born, I noticed that something was off, and my power was either not working, or something else was going on, I don’t know. That’s why I started doing research about what was going on. It has something to do with the fact that we’re the same person, technically. I know it doesn’t make sense, and it probably never will, but...”

Michael smiled widely, his entire face lighting up with happiness. In his lap, Mickey beamed proudly.

“Mickey can turn my power off.”

If you had ever heard the sound of eleven people gasping all at once, you’d think it sounded like something out of a cartoon, or a sitcom. And that’s exactly what it sounded like. And Michael reveled in it. The sound was clear, and at a normal volume. It wasn’t the painfully loud, muffled sound that he was so used to. And he loved it.  

“I can go out and do things like a normal person, now. I can go to concerts, movie theaters, festivals... and all I have to do is have Mickey by my side.”

“Wait a damn minute,” Skyler started. “So that’s what all the sneaking around and being glued to your phone was for? Research?”

Michael nodded and softly bounced Mickey on his knees.

“What about the forms you were printing yesterday?”

“Certification forms. I was getting Mickey registered as a therapy companion so that I can take him with me wherever I want to, since apparently some businesses want to treat him like some kind of animal and won’t let him in.”

Ashton, who had been silent up until now, shook his head and stuttered confusedly.  

“Hold on. You’re telling me that he’s like a service animal now?”

“Kind of. He’s my Emotional Support Clone.”

The friends at the table sat slack jawed and silent for a solid five seconds before they all burst out laughing. Michael inhaled deeply and sighed. It was so nice, being able to comfortably listen to his friends howl with laughter. Even if they were laughing at his expense.

“Skyler had us all so worried, she told us you were dropping out of school!” Viv exclaimed. Skyler stood and held her hands up in defense.  

“Hey, now. I said I THINK he’s dropping out, I didn’t say it was confirmed.”

“What? What makes you think I’d drop out? I wouldn’t leave you guys for the world.”

Emma faked a gag and jumped up to hug Michael. Carly and Michelle followed suit, creating a domino effect; everyone else stood and joined in the group hug much to Mickey’s distress. He slid out from under the hug and moved away to breathe, and Michael tried his best to hug everyone at one time as he cried tears of joy. Being able to hear normally, having so many friends that love him and his clone, it was all too much for his heart, and he felt like he was going to explode, or puke rainbows and glitter, he was just that happy.

“Don’t scare me like that next time!” Skyler whined, smacking Michael’s arm.

“Don’t be so nosy next time!”

Back at his seat, Luke screeched loudly, like nails on a chalkboard. Everyone, including the other students and staff in the room, covered their ears.

“That still hurts, though... what the fuck, Luke?”

“Your Emotional Support Demon Child stole my strawberry!”

Mickey sat in Ally’s chair, absentmindedly munching on the berry in question and waving Luke away with his free hand.

“Am Mickey, Mick-Mickey.”

“What the fuck did he say, Mike?”

Unable to stifle his laughter, he shrugged and wiped his eyes.  

“He said ‘fuck off, breadstick’, and I won’t get on to him for it, either.”

Luke pouted, turning beet red as he sat back down to childishly pick at what was left of his pancakes.

“But I was saving it for last...”

[larryssunflower]

TRR AU- The Non-Royal Romance (part one)

Summary- just read this short post here. It will explain everything :)

Pairing- Drake x MC

All rights reserved to Pixelberry- just borrowing their characters :)

Tagging my lovelies (just in case you will like this series too! If not, no problem 💕)- @simplyaiden-blog @butindeed @mfackenthal @confessionsofabrokegirl @american-duchess @drakelover78 @monosodiumglutamateme @crookedslimecreatorpasta @mrsdrakewalkerblog @traeumerinwitzhelden @gardeningourmet @speedyoperarascalparty

—-

Drake’s Pov-

I stand near the doors of the palace, waiting for my cue to respond to my next position. The group of suitors outside the ballroom doors slowly get larger and larger as more noblemen file in. As I wait, standing with my hands folded, I overhear some of them talking in their whiney voices. “We haven’t even met the princess yet, who knows what she looks like?” one asshole asks, making a lot of them mumble in agreement. “Yeah, for all we know, she’s a pig! Maybe that’s why they hid her for so long!” Some guy shouts, making almost all of them laugh. A guy near the back shakes his head, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. I would feel the same if I had to be one of the infuriating nobles. So entitled and rude, only caring about money and status. I despise them. Suddenly, the order to go to my position sounds in my earpeice. I nod, confirming quietly into the mic. As I start to walk away, heralds start announcing the suitors and they start joining the ball.

I wait in my position, scanning for any potential threats. Like nearly everyone in the palace, I have never met the princess. The only difference is I’m not obsessed over what she will look like, or how she will act. The only thing I care about is keeping her safe and doing my job. To follow in my father's footsteps of protecting the royal family.

I hear the click of heels nearing me and the rustle of gowns. I don’t bother looking over at them, waiting for them to pass into my eye range. It would seem unprofessional to show any emotion, especially curiosity. They pass me and stop at the door, and I finally allow myself to look at her.

My breath hitches in my throat as soon as I rest my eyes on the princess. Her dark silky hair is pulled back in an effortless way and her white gown perfectly frames her body, clinging to her waist and exposing her back. I’m close enough to admire the freckles dotted on her arms and the way her hair moves so swiftly as she turns her head slightly to the side, glancing back at me.

I cant help my mouth parting slightly as I make eye contact with the woman in front of me. Her face is breathtakingly beautiful. I can’t get over the gorgeous way her dark hair frames her face, her expression soft and inviting. Her large bright eyes look directly at me, boring a hole through my head. I stare at her, dumbfounded at this effect she has had on me. Her cheeks tint a shade of red as we continue to gaze at each other. I’ve been staring too long. I need to stop. I just can’t. She isn’t looking away either... This amount of eye contact isn’t normal between strangers. But It feels normal with her. Why?

A noise startles her suddenly and she looks forward, straightening her posture. When she looks away I release a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I inhale slowly, trying to return myself to normal. Get a grip, Walker. The doors open and I watch her as she gracefully walks in with her mother. I can partially see her stunning smile and she walks in, her face sheepish as the huge crowd of people cheers for her. I suddenly wonder what it would be like to be a suitor. To have the opportunity to be closer to her. To marry her. I shake my head, looking down. What the hell is wrong with you Drake? You make eye contact with some random girl for less than a minute and think about marrying her? Get a grip man.

I jump slightly at the sudden sound of someone’s voice in my ear. “Walker, we need you to change positions to the thrones, Silverman’s wife is in labor. Remember, watch out for anything- this is a huge moment for Cordonia and a perfect time for someone to strike,” Mage informs me in the earpiece, as Silverman quickly rushes out of the ballroom, his face red. “Roger that Mage,” I smirk, knowing how much it annoys her when I say that as I walk in, standing in Silverman's place next to the princess’ throne. “Ugh don’t say ‘roger that’ it’s fucking annoying,” Mage snaps, making me crack a small smile, hiding it quickly. “okay, no more cliche spy codes. All clear all clear, over.” I say and can’t help snickering as I hear my good friend curse angrily, before she turns off the mic, mumbling about how she ain’t paid enough for this shit.

I glance over to the princess, who is looking at me with a curious look. Shit, she heard me. I turn slightly, pointing to my earpiece. Her eyes widen slightly with realization and she nods, a smile on her captivating face. “And now, the suitors may come and introduce themselves to Princess Alana!” Queen announces, and the large crowd of suitors stumbles over quickly, eager to meet her. The smile fades away from my face and I turn forward, clearing my throat. I stand there for about thirty minutes, painfully enduring the stupid men saying nearly exactly the same thing every time. A wimpy man comes up, kneeling down in front of Alana. “Oh dear Alana, your beauty knows no bounds! You are truly made to rule such an equally beautiful country! It will do me great honor to be your king!” Alana nods, at this point clearly tired, leaning her head in her hands. She just mumbles, “Thank you so much, I’m excited to get to know you more,” in a monotone voice.

I feel bad for her. Alana sighs, looking away. A man comes up, the same one who was shaking his heads at the assholes before. “Hey!” He shouts angrily, making the queen gasp, and Alana to jump, looking down at surprise. I’m about to call backup in case this guy is dangerous when Alana squeals, running down and throwing her arms around him as he twirls her around, making her laugh. “Maxwell! I can’t believe you made it!” She exclaims, squishing his cheeks together. “I couldn’t miss my bestie’s birthday!” He says, his ‘anger’ fading quickly making her laugh, as all the suitors glare at him. I exhale slowly in relief as she grabs his hand, leading him back for some more privacy, a little bit behind me, still in earshot. I can’t help listening in. “Thank god you are here, dude I’m about this close to losing it!” Alana says desperately, taking me by surprise. “Don’t worry hoe, I gotchu,” Maxwell says, making her laugh lightly. They seem to be pretty close.

“Hey, but why are you here? Why are you a suitor, like what about Allie?” She asks, and Maxwell sighs loudly. “You know Bertrand. She isn’t a noble and she isn’t rich so he doesn’t see the point of us even being together,” Maxwell says, and I hear movement, and this time Alana’s voice sounds muffled. She must be hugging him. “I’m sorry. You two are so cute, always making each other laugh. It’s like you guys are meant for each other. I can tell you are, so don’t let your older brother get in the way. But hey, you can make it through the season, you can save me from these idiots, and you can come out unscathed. I mean no offense, but I ain’t picking you,” Alana jokes, making Maxwell laugh. “I wouldn’t expect you too, I mean, so far all I’ve seen you doing is checking out that security guard-“ Maxwell says, making my stomach lurch. Is he talking about me?

“Maxwell! Jesus!” Alana says quickly, making Maxwell cackle. “Oh come on! He’s your type. Tall, brown hair, rough beard...” Maxwell trails off suggestively and my heart starts beating faster. “I swear to god I’m going to feed you to Alfred, you wet napkin!” Alana says, angrily. Wet napkin? What the hell? I can’t help smiling at their conversation.“Did you just threaten to feed me to your corgi?”He asks amusedly, breathless front the laughing I suppose. “Yes! He can be very menacing if he needs to!” Alana says defiantly as Maxwell snorts, and I hear footsteps nearing me. “Oh I’m sure..” Maxwell says, and they pass me, Alana’s face red, her hand delicately shielding her face from me. They stop just before where everyone else is, in front of me so I can see them clearly.

“Now get back out there tiger,” Maxwell says, and she groans, resting her head on his shoulder as they watch everyone dance and mingle. “Come on, if you can down fifteen shots of whiskey in under a minute, you can do this,” Maxwell says, making Alana gasp and my eyebrows to raise. Damn. She glances over at me, and looks away quickly, her face reddening. She mutters something between her gritted teeth, and Maxwell looks over, waving happily at me before Alana pulls him away roughly. I can’t help the amused smile that forms on my face as she pulls him away.

—-

A couple hours later, I’m still at my position, waiting for this damn thing to end. The party is starting to wind down and most of the security is leaving. Silverman's position requires that I stay until the end. Wonderful. I watch Alana glade effortlessly on the dance floor, in the arms of some greasy man-child. He looks down at her in a creepy way, his long black and greasy hair falling in his face. Alana looks like an angel in his arms, her face carefree as she dances. How can she just do that? Lose herself so easily?

The man leads her over to the bar and they start chatting. I don’t know why she’s talking to him. Maybe to be polite, but I find it fishy. I make sure to keep my eyes trained on them as they talk at the bar. I admire how Alana laughs, throwing her head back, her cheeks tinted. What could that rat could have possibly said to make her laugh? A noblewoman comes up and starts talking to Alana, distracting her. The rat takes this opportunity to slip something into her drink, the pill fizzing in her champagne flute. I grit my teeth and start marching towards him. What does this asshole think he’s doing?

“Uh- Drake what the fuck? Return to your position!” Mage says into my ear, but I just switch it off, marching right up to the rat. “Uh, can I help you?” He asks a look of disgust washing over his face. You fucking grease ball. I clench my jaw and grab his collar, hoisting him up from his barstool angrily. People around me gasp, and I hear people backing away. “Uh sir, what are you doing to Neville?” Alana asks from behind me, but I don’t respond, looking into this assholes’ eyes. “Neville huh? What did you just put into the Princess’ drink Neville?” I ask, my grip tightening around his neck as I say his name.

“I-I don’t know what you're talking a-about you peice of commoner trash,” Neville spits, yet I still see the fear in his eyes. I scoff and with my free hand, I reach into his jacket pocket and bring out a plastic bag labeled ‘Rohypnol’. Roofies. I throw Neville to the ground and he whimpers as he hits the floor. McKinley and Smith quickly run up, grabbing Neville and dragging him away. I turn to Alana and she throws herself at me, hugging me tightly. My mind goes blank as I feel her body pressed up against mine. I keep my arms away from her. I can’t touch her. “Thank you,” She says quietly against my shoulder, all I can muster is, “Its just my job,” and she pulls away, tears in her eyes as she smiles gratefully at me. I can’t help my heart bursting as I look down at her.

The Queen rushes over, bringing her daughter into a quick embrace. “Thank you so much young man, You saved my precious baby!” The Queen cries as I stand there awkwardly. “It’s really alright your highness, I was just doing my job-“ “-what job is that exactly?” The Queen asks. Strange question. “I’m a part-time palace security detail, ma’am,” I explain, and she nods, holding Alana’s face to her chest. “And your name?” She asks. “Drake Walker ma’am,” I respond and she looks up at me, something behind her eyes.

“Well Mr. Walker, I’m promoting you to my daughter's personal bodyguard.”

—-

Ahhhhh! What did you guys think? Did you like it? Did you not like it? Let me know! 😊 I have so many plans that I’m so excited for you have no idea! Love you all 💕💕

[reviewsthatburn]

This feels similar to THE BONE HOUSES in many of the ways that made it just okay for me. In particular I find myself disliking the animal companion, this time it’s a Corgi. I want the guy to be broody instead of just quiet, I have very little sense of what anyone thinks, and I’m just not having a good time, so I’m stopping.

Full Review at link.

[booksread121]

eBook [Download] The Drowned Woods BY : Emily Lloyd-Jones

EPUB & PDF The Drowned Woods | EBOOK OR PDF ONLINE DOWNLOAD

by Emily Lloyd-Jones

  Ebook PDF The Drowned Woods | EBOOK ONLINE DOWNLOAD If you want to download free Ebook, you are in the right place to download Ebook. Ebook/PDF The Drowned Woods DOWNLOAD in English is available for free here, Click on the download LINK below to download Ebook After You 2020 PDF Download in English by Jojo Moyes (Author).

 Download Link : [Downlload Now] The Drowned Woods

 Read More : [Read Now] The Drowned Woods

 Description

Once upon a time, the kingdoms of Wales were rife with magic and conflict, and eighteen-year-old Mererid ?Mer? is well-acquainted with both. She is the last living water diviner and has spent years running from the prince who bound her into his service. Under the prince?s orders, she located the wells of his enemies, and he poisoned them without her knowledge, causing hundreds of deaths. After discovering what he had done, Mer went to great lengths to disappear from his reach. Then Mer?s old handler returns with a proposition: use her powers to bring down the very prince that abused them both.The best way to do that is to destroy the magical well that keeps the prince?s lands safe. With a motley crew of allies, including a fae-cursed young man, the lady of thieves, and a corgi that may or may not be a spy, Mer may finally be able to steal precious freedom and peace for herself. After all, a person with a knife is one thing? but a person with a cause can topple kingdoms.The Drowned

[thediaryofareader]

The Drowned Woods is a dark fairytale about a thief, a prince, a fae-cursed man, and a corgi who may or may not be a spy as they attempt to destroy the magic well that keeps the prince 🇱 🇦 🇳 🇩 '🇸  🇸 🇦 🇫 🇪  Have you read #thedrownedwoods yet? ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ #bookworm #bookish #bookblogger #amreading #bookgram #instareads #bookishlove #readmorebooks #bookstagrammers #bookcollector #readinglife #bookwormproblems #bookobsessed #bedtimereading #readerforlife #bookshark #bookpicture #bookishphoto #bookreviewer #booksaremagic #bookblog #goodreads #bookster #bookishproblems #bookstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CiWS9uLOVa9/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[whimsicaldragonette]

ARC Review: The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones (e-ARC and audiobook ARC)

Order

Add to Goodreads

Publication Date: August 16, 2022

Synopsis:

Once upon a time, the kingdoms of Wales were rife with magic and conflict, and eighteen-year-old Mererid “Mer” is well-acquainted with both. She is the last living water diviner and has spent years running from the prince who bound her into his service. Under the prince’s orders, she located the wells of his enemies, and he poisoned them without her knowledge, causing hundreds of deaths. After discovering what he had done, Mer went to great lengths to disappear from his reach. Then Mer’s old handler returns with a proposition: use her powers to bring down the very prince that abused them both. The best way to do that is to destroy the magical well that keeps the prince’s lands safe. With a motley crew of allies, including a fae-cursed young man, the lady of thieves, and a corgi that may or may not be a spy, Mer may finally be able to steal precious freedom and peace for herself. After all, a person with a knife is one thing… but a person with a cause can topple kingdoms. The Drowned Woods—set in the same world as The Bone Houses but with a whole new, unforgettable cast of characters—is part heist novel, part dark fairy tale.

My Rating: ★★

My Review and Favorite Quotes below the cut.

My Review

Iwanted to love this one. In fact, I expected to love it like I loved the Bone Houses. But I just.... didn't. It *should* be everything I like. Set in the same world as Bone Houses, a heist with magic, characters with mysterious pasts... But it just felt flat. I tried reading the book and listening to the audiobook and neither one could keep my interest. In fact, it sent me into a bit of a slump where I just couldn't bring myself to pick up any book because I dreaded returning to this one. It just felt like a slog? I'm finally calling it and DNFing at 60% of the way through. I mean, if you're 60% into a standalone heist novel and you're still slooooowly introducing characters / gathering the crew and none of them have been fleshed out enough to have personalities (and you can barely remember their names and certainly not what they look like) and you have almost no idea about the bigger picture or more than the sketchiest details about the characters' pasts or the heist itself then that’s a problem. The one thing I did like was the relationship between Mer and her former mentor. There is obviously fondness there on both sides, mixed with quite a bit of mistrust on Mer's and a tendency for her mentor to go into teacher mode and/or fail to disclose critical pieces of his plot so that Mer has to follow him with a dose of blind faith. In the end, too much is kept a mystery both from the characters themselves and from the reader. Mysterious pasts and gifts and magic and plans can intrigue the reader. But if so much is kept in the dark that all you can do is stumble around hoping to figure out what the heck is going on, it does not make for a pleasant reading experience. The audiobook narrator, Moira Quirk, is one of my favorites. She has a great range of character voices and a good grasp of the pronounciation of the various Welsh names. However, even her excellent narration can't make up for the foggy vagueness that encompasses this novel. *Thanks to NetGalley, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and Hachette Audio for providing an e-arc and audio arc for review.

Favorite Quotes

The third time a customer grabbed her, Mer considered drowning him.

---

“Cities like these, with all the people and the iron — both in their blood and all around them —it pushes back the old ways. Makes me wonder how things will fare in the future.” “What do you mean?” “I mean,” Fane said, “that humanity has a tendency to push into every corner of a place. And with their iron and their armies, it may be only a matter of time until someone like Garanhir turns his attention on Annwvyn.”

[tandewrites]

The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones [ARC REVIEW]

The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones [ARC REVIEW] ★★★★☆

She could not slay her own fears. But as for the men who’d made her afraid – they could bleed. The Drowned Woods is another book that I’ve fallen completely in love with due to it hitting so many of my niche interests. A water diviner girl (the last of her kind), a fae-cursed boy, a chaotic-good heir to a thieves guild, and a corgi who may or may not be a spy. Along with three other characters,…