#a romance book (my fav genre)

[galaxseacreature]

next month's queer bookclub theme is booktok, but all social media is fair game. so please recommend me a non-booktok queer book to read

[luvistqrzzz]

Not me wanting to buy books even tho i have 28920292 to be read

Like i literally went to the store, hunted some nice books, checked the price, kept it and noted the names cuz buying those online is way better???

[dulcewrites]

Also, since you mentioned that you read the Mistborn trilogy I was wondering what other books you’re into 💚

I had a book recommendation ask that I could find. But currently I’m reading trust exercise by Susan Choi and actually decided I’m gonna reread the beautiful creatures series 😭. That tetralogy changed middle school me so I want to revisit it and see if still holds up. Or if baby me had bad taste 💀

[sageshifts]

just bought 4 new books, I'm so excited RAHH the bookshelf is expanding

[hazbinbabbling4ever]

(p.s. also I love when polls do this crescent kind of scheme and then it's fucked up at the very end lol)

1000 Books You May Have Actually Read

[shiqingxuanz]

little reading update btw

i finished fgep and interpreter of maladies and i'm reading qjj now along with the catcher in the rye

[beamorgan]

Favourite Reads of the Year

I will not be ranking these, because that would hurt my heart. Buckle up folks, there are a lot of amazing books out there

The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells

I know, I KNOW, I'm late to the party but omg this whole series is just as good as people say!!! I know I said I wouldn't be ranking, but if I was these would be fighting for the top spot. I have already relistened to all the audiobooks. I anticipate rereading them literally every year from now on. I would die for Murderbot, which it would think is a stupid thing for a human to do when there is a SecUnit right there. [adult, scifi]

Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett

Sequel to last year's fav Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, this follows a bullheaded academic trying find the magical door that will let her faerie boyfriend back into his faerie kingdom. Chaos ensues in the Alps. It's fabulous, and the author's approach to using folklore is very similar to my own writing, which I love and also get imposter syndrome about. 10/10 recommend [adult, historical fantasy]

Model Home by Solomon Rivers

Would you like to be repeatedly punched in the gut? Look no further than this story of racism and child abuse in a Texas McMansion, with gorgeous prose and a genderqueer protagonist and the laundry list of content warnings you can expect with the genre. It hurt so good. [adult, contemporary gothic horror]

You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian

This love affair between a baseball play and a sports reporter was recced to me by the lovely @colubrina and boy was it worth the two-day binge it inspired! Romance can be very hit-or-miss for me, but this knocked it out of the park (please enjoy my pun). I didn't even have to know anything about baseball to love it! [adult, historical (1960s) romance]

The Locked Tomb Series by Tamsyn Muir

Another tumblr fav, FOR A REASON. Gideon is hilarious. Harrow is an absolute mess. Nona is BABY, my beloved. (Camilla and Palamedes have my whole entire heart). Also, the audiobook narrator is fantastic. In the words of the author, the buns are also fried chicken. [adult, sci fantasy]

Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian

This one is @elodieunderglass's fault. Historical buffoonery on boats. The main characters are ridiculous. The sailing jargon is incomprehensible. It's great. [adult, historical fiction]

All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung

This is a gorgeous memoir of an interracial adoptee trying to make contact with her birth family while pregnant with her own child. It grapples thoughtfully with reconnecting to a lost culture, the complexities of family history, and the social and legal barriers adoptees face to learning about themselves. [adult, memoir]

Death in the Spires by KJ Charles

I devour everything Charles writes, so I was EXCITED for this mystery. She made it very clear on social media "It's not a kissing book!!" (it's kinda still a kissing book). She wrote a stonking book, as usual, with an underdog protagonist revisiting the murder that happened during his toxic time at Oxford university. [adult, historical mystery]

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

My favourite literary fiction read of the year, this meditation on Iranian diaspora identity is written by a poet and you can tell. I would suck the prose up through a straw if I could. The protagonist is an addict and also quite suicidal. It was fun :) [adult, literary fiction]

She Who Became the Sun by Shelly Parker-Chan

and the sequel, He Who Drowned the World. I don't even know how to sell this, all I want to do is flail incoherently about how amazing it is. IT'S AMAZING. JUST READ IT. (wait I know: this satisfied the part of me that was obsessed with Mulan as a kid) [adult, historical fantasy]

A Little Trickery by Roseanna Pike

The voicey-est book I've ever read. I screenshot like every other page. It follows an orphaned girl trying to survive in Tudor England through various means, such as faking a miracle in the church where her gay best friend is priest. [adult, historical fiction]

At the End of the River Styx by Michelle Kulwiki

My friend wrote a book! It made me cry!!! They were delighted with this!!! Please give this to any teenager in your life who needs to see thoughtful representation of grief and depression and boys in love. [YA, contemporary fantasy]

[enhastolemyheart]

IN THE HONOUR OF SPOOKTOBER, HERE ARE SOME FIC RECS THAT WERE VERY ENTERTAINING AND SCARY AT THE SAME TIME

These fics can be a bit disturbing, so read at your own discretion. contain smut/suggestive themes. warning has been given, pls beware with your decisions.

∞ THE DOLL HOUSE | @ja3yun

synopsis: when you're strapped for cash and an opportunity arises to help you out, you're stuck in a mansion with 4 human-like dolls who do anything but sit still.

BOY WAS THIS A JOURNEY! The concept is just very interesting and i think it is PERFECT for this month. All the dolls have different personalities and their dynamics compliment each other. As you're reading the series, you might fall for jake or jay or sunghoon. nah nah honey, JUST WAIT TILL YOU GET TO HEESEUNG!! it is absolutely insane but i quite loved it! he is ultimately the alpha (please💀) and you might not agree at first but just you wait. I love how they all are so different from each other, like jake is that submissive shy one, jay is your iconic flirty one and sunghoon i believe was cold to the mc at first. and heeseung, he was just a mix of all but nowhere a sub LMAO. if anyone wondering, hoon is my fav 🤭 I RECCOMEND, READ THIS!!!!

∞ DEVIL KNIGHT'S PREY | @/dollyun

HELP SHE'S GONE 😭😭😭 I REALLY DK WHAT HAPPEND BUT I STILL WANT TO SHOW HER APPRECITAION FOR WRITING SUCH AN AMAZING FIC. IF SHE EVER COMES ON HERE AND SHE SEES THIS, HI KNOW THAT THERE ARE PPL HERE WHO CARE ABOUT YOU AND ONE OF THEM IS ME.

it was so so so interesting and horrific but very intriguing all at the same time and I truly loved her fic. ALL PARTS OF IT IT WAS JUST SO GOOD. i remember sending as ask to her saying it was nothing like what i usually read but I enjoyed all through out. I don't remember much but I loved the 'devil games' it gave like mafia irl but no one does anything. in this fic, hee was my fav. ever since he was introduced (i believe he was silver mask), you could just sense the main character energy from his character and the way he talks to mc. there was something about her writing and it was jus very alluring how each character's story was written. my fav was the maze scene (ifykyk). If you love dark romance books, you would've loved this one. TRULY LOVED THIS ONE, I WOULD'VE SAID YOU SHD READ IT BUT WE CAN'T ANYMORE SOO-

∞ I WOULD GIVE UP HEAVEN IF I HAD TO | @drunkhazed

genre. step-siblings AU, pwp, dubcon, love triangle, fluff smut humor angst etc

it's not really as dark (now that i think about it maybe not dark at all) as the other two but i do think it's perfect to read during this season. ik ik it's not one but two step brothers and ppl hate it but hey, give this one a chance, trust me. im not a fan of step-sibling trope myself but this blew my mind. the whole time you read it, you forget they are step-siblings and you have to lowkey remind yourself. i like the plot, it honestly felt like watching a movie and i loved the humor. in this one, its sunghoon. he was just the type to tease and be cocky and behave all push and pull but im all for it. heeseung was sweet and cute, but sunghoon's character definitely dominated over hee's for me. the paris trip was everythinggg it just gave so much potential to sunghoon and he was just all swoony and ughh. IF YOU DON'T MIND THE STEP SIBLING PART, I RECCOMEND YOU READ THIS.

[sxfterhearts]

keeho dating a shy bookworm headcannons, i feel like hed be so sweet <33

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ highschool!au - theatre kid!keeho x student librarian!reader ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅

♡ genre/warnings: fluff fluff fluff (i miss writing soft fluff and just writing in general omfg)

♡ word count: 1,171 words

♡ author's note: im crying anon thank you so so much for sending this!! it's my first ever p1h request and it made me so happy :") i'm sorry it took so long (life has been crazy lately) but i really hope this meets your expectations <33333

//

omg this is kinda giving our beloved summer (if you havent watched it, its my fav kdrama ever!!)

ok this might be cliche but i <3 highschool!au so let's roll with it

yoon keeho as a theatre kid (are we surprised) who practices his lines everywhere around school, has friends in every single class and is always being his friendly, extroverted self

y/n as a diligent, reserved student who is also a student librarian - you're usually stacking shelves or scanning books at the library after school on most days

your relationship blossomed through shy glances and soft whispers - keeho used to take note of the days you were on duty and purposely stayed behind to get closer to you

you were in the same english class - and being a theatre nerd, he was quickly intrigued by your ability to not only analyse shakespeare to a tee but also recite the plays word for word, line by line, without missing a single beat

keeho felt his heart speed up whenever he saw you in class, losing yourself in your work. in his eyes, you were always beautiful, but with the sunlight shining through the windows, illuminating your concentrated expression as you muttered to yourself and scribbled in your notebook - he thought that was when you shone the brightest

in the early days of getting to know each other, keeho would disrupt your peaceful reading sessions behind the library reception desk with endless requests of book recommendations earning many shushes from the head librarian

"i really like romance novels... what's your favourite?" hah, very smooth, keeho

you were confused, at first, because why was yoon keeho of all people taking an interest in you?

but then as you got to know him better you realised you shared more in common than you thought. despite your seemingly opposite personality types, the two of you had similar tastes in books, and music, and food, the list goes on

"hey y/n, have you tried the new bakery across the road? they're doing an opening deal - iced americano and a croffle for really cheap. should we try it together tomorrow for breakfast? only if you want to, of course..."

"y/n, have you listened to the new sza album? what's your favourite track? i love all of them, it's so hard to pick..."

"y/n, y/n, do you remember the author i was telling you about last month? they're writing a new book in the series! we should read it together when it's out, i wanna hear your honest review!"

even as a child, you were quiet and mostly preferred to read a book or draw and colour quietly while others played outside. this was both a result of your personality and also a few friendship fallouts that made you more wary (kids can be so mean...)

fast forward to high school, you retreated further into your shell, only keeping a handful of close friends. you preferred to bury your nose in your books and lose yourself in the fictional world of your favourite characters

that is, until keeho came along

the boy was as warm and bright as a summer's day. he had a way about him that just made people feel at ease. perhaps it was because he was so comfortable with being himself, that it helped others open up too

you were no exception. initially you were unsure of what to make of his unexpected friendliness and kindness, but you quickly realised that he was just a genuinely nice person who wanted to get to know you better

and you had to admit - after one too many mornings sitting on the bench overlooking your school field together, munching on your breakfasts and sharing an earbud each, listening to the summer's latest tunes under the gentle morning sun - you wanted to know more about him too

you could feel your cold walls getting dissolved by the warm, toothy smiles he always wore around you, and his melodious laughter

a few weeks into your daily ritual (consisting of breakfast in the morning and doing homework or stacking shelves in the library after school together), keeho finally made the first move

one morning, the two of you were nearly done your with your breakfast croffles when all of a sudden, the cloudy sky turned ominous and lightning flashed before your eyes

before either of you could react, the skies opened up, unleashing heavy raindrops all around you

"quick, y/n!" keeho grabbed your hand and interlaced your fingers with his. the two of you ran to the nearest school building, trudging past wet grass and muddy soil, staining your white school shoes

when you finally made it under the awnings, you both looked down at the state of your uniforms - mildly soaked, and burst out laughing at how ridiculous you looked

naturally, your gaze wandered towards your joined hands, and you slowly looked up, only to find keeho staring at you as if you were the only person in the world

you couldn't read his expression - there was a hidden intensity behind his eyes

he hastily unbuttoned and shrugged off his button-down shirt, leaving him in his white t-shirt, and promptly placed it around your shoulders to keep you warm

"keeho, you'll get cold, i - "

but he cut you off, "i can't help myself anymore, y/n..." it's now or never, he thought to himself

"huh? what do you mean, keeho? i don't - "

"i like you, y/n." he whispered softly, so soft that it nearly blended in with the sound of rain. he stuffed his hands deep into his pockets to stop himself from fidgeting

"what?" you thought you misheard, cos there's no way...

"y/n, i... i like you!" keeho closed his eyes and repeated again, already blushing red, embarrassed

you had an inkling that he was interested in you, but you never allowed yourself to daydream for too long whenever keeho entered your thoughts, for fear that you would only disappoint yourself. but now that you knew his true feelings...

you inched forwards and stood on the balls of your feet. why is he so tall, you thought to yourself as you bravely planted a brief peck against his warm cheeks

keeho's eyes shot open in surprise. it was so quick, his brain failed to process it. "wait, did you just - "

you giggled, eyes crinkling up into the little crescents he adored, and held onto his wrists before leaning in once more

the first meeting of your rain-stained lips was clumsy, as most first kisses are, but the two of you made it up with an eagerness that mirrored your initial desires to learn more about each other

when you both ran out of air, you laughed against each other's lips, basking in the tenderness of a new relationship, blossoming like a flower bud after a bit of sunshine and rain

"so... will you be the juliet to my romeo?"

"they both die, keeho!"

"oh, true... but it's romantic, right?"

[dvnyaaa]

i saw your post about arranging your bookshelf :) may i ask if you have any book recommendations? 🤍

of course! 🤍 since i don’t know what kind of books you read, here is a list of my fav books from each book genre:

classics:

pride and prejudice by jane austen (fav book)

emma by jane austen

the art of war by sun tzu

the book of disquiet by fernando pessoa (not really a classic, just an autobiography; collection of his thoughts)

faust | and || by johann wolfgang von goethe

the metamorphosis by franz kafka

the little prince by antoine saint-exupéry

the sandman by e.t.a. hoffmann

romance books:

book lovers by emily henry

better than the movies by lynn painter

the deal by elle kennedy

the final offer by lauren asher

heartless by elsie silver

reckless by elsie silver

when he was wicked by julia quinn

twisted games by ana huang

king of wrath by ana huang

king of pride by ana huang

a spanish love deception by elena armas

the hating game by sally thorne

sad books:

the kite runner by khaled hosseini

a thousand splendid sounds by khaled hosseini

the book thief by markus zusak

dark romance books:

the sweetest oblivion by danielle lori

the maddest obsession by danielle lori

corrupted chaos by shain rose

god of wrath by rina kent

the predator by runyx

brutal vows by j. t. geissinger

fantasy books:

harry potter by j. k. rowling

frostblood series by elly blake (3 books)

evermore series by alyson noël (6 books)

bride by ali hazelwood (also romance)

***************************************************

i guess that’s it for now haha, i have a lot of books on my tbr that i haven’t read yet 🥲

if you have further questions, let me know 💌

[j4desblurbs]

RESIDENT EVIL CHARACTERS AT THE MOVIES

hello from your fav cinephile (ugh)

inspo from @yurozo, their restaurant au and vape shop au made me giggle

apologies in advance if i disgustingly mischaracterize your fav. i tend to only focus on one version of them in my mind cuz i’m not 100% familiar with RE yet so pls bear with me.

enjoy :)

ashley graham (re4r)

ashley is the type of person to dress up for movies. not all the time, but when it’s right to do so. when barbie came out she dragged leon to the theater on opening day in an all pink outfit.

ashley also cries during movies and has no shame. she was blubbering her way through wicked.

as for the kinds of movies she likes, she’s mostly into romances, comedies, classic fantasies, and the odd animated film.

examples: 10 things i hate about you, enchanted, harry potter, moana.

carlos oliveira (re3r)

carlos definitely laughs out loud in a movie theater, even if the joke isn’t very funny. he mostly catches super late shows so it’s not a rare occurrence for him to be the only one in the theater.

want to see a movie you’re not sure other people will want to see? call carlos! this guy will watch almost anything and have a good time with it. when ashley wanted to watch wicked, she went with carlos because no one else was free/interested. they ended up having a great time and he even wore whatever outfit ashley had created for him. (he also blubbered his way through the movie).

because carlos seems like he’d be into so many different genres, it’s hard narrow down specific ones. but i’ll have to go with action comedies, occasional superhero/comic book flicks, and sci-fi.

examples: the nice guys, rush hour, deadpool, star wars.

chris redfield (death island)

chris is the guy who doesn’t go to the theater on his own. it’s almost always in a group outing or if claire manages to drag him.

even so, he will be out like a light without fail. the longest he managed to stay awake was an hour. one time he even fell asleep during the previews. he vastly prefers to watch a movie at home.

chris is into the classic action movies. he also enjoys buddy cops.

examples: die hard, rambo, rocky, lethal weapon.

claire redfield (re2r)

i think if anyone in this list is close to being a movie buff it’s claire. she’s at the theater the most out of everyone and always manages to drag at least one person with her too.

she enjoys the previews, loves a good post movie debrief at a restaurant, and will smack chris awake when he starts to nod off but then give up after a few times.

with that, claire is very much a “if it’s good, it’s good” type of gal so it’s hard to say exactly what kinds of movies she’d like, but i think she’d be into both sci-fi, action, and drama, as well as more lighthearted comedies.

examples: star wars, little women, the hunger games, whiplash.

jill valentine (re3r)

the movies aren’t jill’s first choice of a pastime but when she’s with a group of people, she enjoys it. usually doesn’t start out too invested in whatever it is she’s watching but ends up getting more into it as time goes on.

i’d say jill would be into a good thriller and would also appreciate some sci-fi or horror movies as well.

examples: prisoners, interstellar, the silence of the lambs, se7en.

leon kennedy (re4r/death island + infinite darkness)

leon is also like chris in that he’d prefer seeing a movie at home rather than in the theater, but he’s also less susceptible to falling asleep in the theater. leon also lets himself get dragged to movies a lot (as mentioned previously, ashley took him to barbie and he even wore a pink shirt. how sweet).

leon is a basic bitch and likes basic action movies but hey! they’re popular for a reason. he also enjoys a good comedy.

examples: the equalizer, deadpool & wolverine, the matrix, ferris bueller’s day off.

[aroaessidhe]

aro & ace book lists masterpost

#aspec books / aro & ace books database (tinyurl.com/aspecbooks)

A couple notes:

These are books I have read, with the occasional exception. I always state when I have not read a book I’m including in a post. May add to and edit posts when I read more relevant books.

I mostly include books I recommend, but to varying levels (and sometimes I'll include some I dislike but they might be worthwhile for someone else) There will of course be some of my personal bias to what I prefer (SFF, YA contemporary)

I prioritise books with aspec main characters. Will include the occasional side character if I have a gap to fill and it’s reasonably significant and/or the author is aspec. Like, would it be worth it to read the book just for this character?

however, when it's a main POV character, that doesn't necessarily mean it's extensively explored within the story, sometimes it's just a brief mention

The things I am choosing to group by are based on commonalities I’ve noticed. If I group by one thing but not something similar it's because there's not enough I've read to make a worthwhile post!

Most posts encompass ace & aro & the spectrums (because there's a lot of overlap in the books) but some are one or the other, and I've generally marked them as such here

sometimes I say [id] and sometimes [id]-coded in the descriptions - for modern settings that usually means the difference between uses-the-identity-word-explicitly or not using the word; and in fantasy/historical the difference between a clear description and like...vaguer allusions to it. I realise this is not exactly what coding means but I'm just trying to differentiate clearly but briefly because in many of these books it is only vaguely alluded to!

under the cut, as I will be frequently updating as I post more

asterix* & smalltext means the same post is being linked for a second time (for example if it's gender and genre specific, it might be under both sections)

identity

gender/sexuality

trans part 1 / part 2

nonbinary (YA/MG)

nonbinary (adult/NA)

aroallo books (just updated!)

aroace girls (contemporary YA)

ace girls (contemporary YA)

ace girls (YA low sff)

ace boys (YA contemporary/real world)

aroace men/boys

demisexual (YA contemporary)

relationship

queerplatonic

ace/ace

f/nb

f/f (ace, YA)

f/f (adult)

m/nb

m/m (ace, YA)

m/m (adult/NA)

other

autistic aspecs

aro books by authors of colour

aro books by Black authors

genre

broad

YA contemporary (aro)

YA contemporary (ace girls)*

YA contemporary (aroace girls)*

YA low sff (girls)*

YA speculative fiction (aro)

YA dark high fantasy

middle grade (aro)

adult: high fantasy (aro)

adult: historical/contemporary fantasy/etc (aro)

historical (1900-1990)

space (opera, or general space setting)

specific

assassins

dragons

fairytales

fey

ghosts

multiverse/portals

parents & parent/mentor figures

pirates

robots/cyborgs

TTRPG/DND inspired

university setting

vampires

format

Graphic novels

with illustrations

other/misc

some no-romance books centering a friendship

a few fav aro books

[crystaloregarden]

made a visual bingo sheet for doing @batmanisagatewaydrug 's 2025 book bingo since my memory is a lot better with images + I'm not a person who remembers or pays a lot of mind to genres so I'd just forget anyhow B)

also, a few of my friends and i are doing this book bingo together in my server, if any of my moots want to join in!

book titles & my reason for choosing them under the cut:

Literary Fiction: If We Were Villains - M.L. Rio (blind pick from storygraph)

Short Story Collection: The Collected Short Stories of Roald Dahl - Roald Dahl (roald dahl is on this list already so i figured i'd read some of his other stuff, too!)

Sequel: Two Hearts & The Way Home - Peter S. Beagle (sequels-ish to the last unicorn which is one of my top fav pieces of media of all time I NEEEED THESE)

Reread a childhood favorite: Matilda - Roald Dahl (LOVE THIS BOOK & MOVIE SO MUCH!!!)

20th century speculative fiction: The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin (i've been trying and failing to read Wizard of Earthsea due to lack of time + its juvenile tone so hoping i can find something i like in this book instead!)

Fantasy: Iron Widow - Xiran Jay Zhao (been on my TBR forever and finally have an excuse to prioritize it)

Published before 1950: The Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux (ALSO been on my TBR forever, attempted to read it once via audiobook but the audiobook reader was so bad at reading that i had to put it down. hopefully my library has a print copy!!)

Indie Publisher: Those We Do Not See - Angie Gallion (looked on the list that the tumblr post recommended, ended up at red adept publishing and blind picked)

Graphic Novel/Comic Book/Manga: Dragon Quest - Adventure of Dai (recommended to me by luca! he first recommended dragonball to me and i had to decline because that's is SO many chapters FHSJDFKL)

Animal on the Cover: The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World - Robin Wall Kimmerer (obsessed with all of kimmerer's works and need to read them all NOOOWWWWWW)

Set in a Country You Have Never Visited: The Fox Wife - Yangsze Choo (this was recommended to me right before i left kansas by the person who did my hair so it's only been on my TBR a short while, but i'm always super eager to read books that were personally recommended to me!!)

Science Fiction: Time Shards - David Fitzgerald, Dana Fredsti (was on my TBR in storygraph, i don't remember adding this so it might as well be a blind pick FHKSJDHF)

2025 Debut Author: The Woman In The Wallpaper - Lora Jones (blind pick!)

Memoir: Leading Lady: A Memoir of a Most Unusual Boy - Charles Busch (recommended to me by my coworker at my old job who was an elderly gay man who spent his life in theatre, extra excited to read this one!!)

Essay Collection: Fanged Noumena: Collected Writings 1987-2007 - Nick Land (on my storygraph TBR, i think i saw some quotes from a tumblr post and added it?? i THINK)

2024 Award Winner: Dance with Me - Georgia Beers (blind picked from the Lambda Literary Awards since they focus on LGBT+ works!)

Nonfiction: Conflict Is Not Abuse: Overstating Harm, Community Responsibility, and the Duty of Repair - Sarah Schulman (recommendation from a tumblr account i follow for book recs on activism and mental health)

Activism/SJ: Revolting Prostitutes: The Fight for Sex Workers' Rights - Molly Smith, Juno Mac (same as above!)

Romance Novel: Norwegian Wood - Haruki Murakami (was on my storygraph TBR)

Horror: Annihilation - Jeff VanderMeer (i am vaguely aware that the movie version of this book is dogshit and i've heard the book is LEAGUES better so i want to take a peek for myself)

Published in 2000-2009: Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them - Francine Prose (ohhh i added this to my tbr recently-ish but i don't remember where i found it, i am SUPER interested in this though as both a writer and an avid reader!)

Historical Fiction: Babel - R.F. Kuang (blind pic, partially influenced by the fact that luca brings up the tower of babel so often that we have a spiritual "mentioning tower of babel" jar in place)

all i need now is the library rec (i'll be moving in walking distance from a library in a couple weeks), the read & make a zine (i'll poke around archive.org to find some interesting ones & potentially want to make one myself about my old cat who passed) and read & make a recipe (i cook at home rather than eat out most of the time so this is gonna happen prolly within like a week of 2025 anyways)

[theorist-fox]

Theo's favorite books 📚

Welcome to my list of favorite books divided by genre and with a mini-review. I might update it every once in a while—in the meantime, enjoy!

Masterlist 🦊

Dividers made with Canva by yours truly

Thrillers

Henning Mankell

I'm a huge sucker for Northern European thrillers, and Henning Mankell is my all-time fave. His clumsy but clever Detective Kurt Wallander is just the best. Mankell is a legend, and there’s never gonna be another writer (or man) like him. My favorites:

The Fifth Woman (My fav)

One Step Behind

Sidetracked

Jussi Adler-Olsen

Again—big sucker for Northern European thrillers. There’s something about the icy colors of winter that goes hand-in-hand with cold-blooded murder. Adler-Olsen’s Department Q is a must, especially with Carl Mørck and my all-time fave, Hafez el-Assad. Whatever you do, avoid the adapted movies—they’re absolute rubbish. My favorites:

The Absent One (My fav)

A Conspiracy of Faith

The Purity of Vengeance

Camilla Läckberg

My God I'm being repetitive, aren't I? Same as the previous two, blah blah blah—Läckberg wrote one of my favorite and most brutal thrillers ever (The Stone Cutter). My favorites:

The Stone Cutter (My fav)

The Ice Princess

The Girl in the Woods

Gillian Flynn

You've heard of her, you know her. Flynn gave us the best psychopathic women in thriller history, from Amy Dunne, to Adora and Amma Crellin. These women can be found, respectively, in:

Gone Girl (The movie adaptation is great!)

Sharp Objects (My fav—and the TV show adaptation is even better!)

Paolo Maurensig — The Lüneburg Variation

Let me be proud of my heritage for once. The Lüneburg Variation is a short but subtle story of vengeance that builds up suspense, all based on the game of chess and how it was played in concentration camps.

Patrick Süskind — Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Perfume is a well-known thriller. It’s deranged and obsessive, telling a story of depravity and passion taken to the extreme. It's a haunting read that still makes me feel sick to this day, but it's also beautifully crafted. And for once, the movie adaptation isn’t half bad!

Bernard Minier — Don't Turn Out the Lights (My absolute favorite Thriller)

If you're a fan of suspense, this book is a masterwork. Honestly, it's one of the best thrillers I’ve ever read—chilling, cruel, and leaves you breathless, unable to put it down. It’s a story about murder and stalking—ugly, dark, and unforgiving. A true page-turner that had me looking over my shoulder even (actually, especially) when home alone. Slept with the light on for a few days afterwards. Didn't turn out the fucking lights for sure.

Agatha Christie's classics

A thriller list wouldn’t be complete without Agatha Christie’s books. If you're looking for classic detective stories, hers are among the best. My favorites:

Murder on the Orient Express (duh)

Elephants Can Remember

And Then There Were None (My fav)

Romance

Katherine Center — The Bodyguard

A sweet romcom where the roles are reversed: Hannah Brooks is the bodyguard of a famous actor, Jack Stapleton. The main character is sarcastic, funny, and thankfully not annoying (Ha! For once!). Caution: severe mommy issues ahead. It’s a chiffon cake of a book—sweet and fluffy.

Katherine Center — Hello Stranger

Hello Stranger has such a unique concept that I haven’t found anywhere else. Sadie, the main character (okay, she’s a bit annoying, but bearable), is a portraitist who suddenly starts struggling with face blindness. It’s incredibly sweet, and while the plot twist isn’t mind-blowing, I really did like it. Perfect comfort book for when I’m feeling down. Caution: severe daddy and mommy issues ahead.

Sarah Hogle — You Deserve Each Other

A sweet book about two people who are desperate to break up but just can’t. They decide to make it their mission to create chaos in each other’s lives, hoping the other will call off the engagement. It’s a story about rediscovering each other and what’s kept them connected all along. A little childish at times, but overall, it’s sweet and funny.

Fantasy

Holly Black — The Cruel Price Saga

Behold, the only main character in fantasy books that I don’t find annoying. Jude Duarte is actually relatable, clever, and human. She doesn’t stand out because of some superpower or a gift bestowed upon her by a god or whatever—she stands out because she’s worked her butt off for it. It’s an enemies-to-lovers with a lot of plot and a well-built political backdrop.

Stephanie Gerber — Caraval

Ah, the first book of the Caraval series was such a fun read. I devoured it in a couple of days! The plot is super innovative and full of great twists. The main characters are a bit annoying, but the rest was so very nice that I decided it didn’t matter much. The sequels? Not my favorites. I don’t really talk about them. If I see them in a bookshop, I hide them behind other books. Save yourself (I’m being dramatic, I didn’t like them—but hey, if you did, then good for you!).

Stephanie Gerber — Once Upon a Broken Heart Saga

This is a spin-off of Caraval, and honestly, it’s so much better than the original. The first two books are super entertaining, they flow really well, and the romantic tension is chef’s kiss—ugh, first blond crush ever. Forbidden enemies to lovers, plot twists, fates, vampires, curses—it’s got it all! Big shame about the last book, though, it felt a little rushed. But overall, I’ve got nothing but good memories of it!

Fiction

Toshikazu Kawaguchi — Before the Coffee Gets Cold

A warm hug of a book. It tells the story of a café that serves a special brewed coffee—one that lets customers travel briefly back in time to face their fears and losses. But they have to come back to the present before the coffee gets cold. It’s a bit slow, but it mended my heart in ways I didn’t think possible.

Kaho Nashiki — The Witch of the West is Dead

I unfortunately found out that this book hasn’t been translated in English, which is heartbreaking because I really wanted to recommend it to you. It tells the story of a young girl who refuses to go to school, so her mother sends her to spend the spring at her grandmother’s house. It’s such a tender book that I’ve read over and over. The descriptions are so vivid, and I was fully immersed in the story the whole time. It’s about family relationships, the innocence (and fear) of being a child in a big world, and the beauty of small things, like strawberry fields and forget-me-nots. Kaho Nashiki is one of my favorite writers, and I really hope you’ll get to experience her works one day.

For my Italian followers, if there are any, its Italian title is Un'Estate con la Strega dell'Ovest.

Durian Sukegawa — Sweet Bean Paste

Sweet Bean Paste tells the stories of people affected by leprosy in Japan, how they were forced into specific sanatoriums because of the 1956 Leprosy Prevention Law, and how their lives changed even after the law was abolished in 1996. It’s a heartbreaking tale about prejudice and unfounded fear, told through the eyes of a man who owns a dorayaki shop and his dear friend, Tokue. The writing is some of the best I’ve ever read, and I hold this book dear to my heart.

Gabrielle Zevin — Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

I have no words for this one. It’s a book about friendship, family, love and loss, motherhood, and video games. I know, it sounds impossible to fit all that into one novel, but Zevin pulled it off. I’m completely in love with it, and I’ll never forget it.

Taylor Jenkins Reid — The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The only time BookTok hasn’t disappointed me. This book is wonderfully crafted, weaving together the past and present of Evelyn Hugo’s life while also shedding light on the cruel, unforgiving world of Hollywood. It has (unexpectedly) a really good plot twist, and every day I couldn’t wait for the evening so I could close my uni books, get cozy in bed, and dive into it.

Shelby Van Pelt — Remarkably Bright Creatures

This book. Oh, this book. It tells the story of an old lady who lost her son many years ago. She works at the local aquarium, where she befriends a Giant Pacific Octopus. Yes. You read that right, but it's just not in the way you think. It’s such a sweet book, with chapters alternating between the main character’s perspective and the octopus’ perspective (Ha! It’s so good. I think about that POV switch fondly every time it pops into my head).

Banana Yoshimoto — Kitchen

A book about loss, solitude, and how to overcome it when you're surrounded by the right people. The protagonist finds comfort in kitchens, which she sees as the heart of the house—where food, a basic need, is prepared to be shared with those you love. I cherish Kitchen, one of the first literary fiction books I ever read. It’s short, but no less deep. A little gem.

Dystopian, Adventure

William Golding — Lord of the Flies

I won’t bore you with my thoughts on this book. I’ve read it a thousand times, wrote an essay about it in high school, and spent hours on podcasts explaining it. I love it to bits—from the writing to the story to the meaning behind it. You’ve probably all read it by now. 10/10.

Ray Bradbury — Fahrenheit 451

A great classic, this one. I’ll admit, it’s a bit slow, especially if you're not a fan of the genre, but it’s worth reading nonetheless. It tells the story of a world where reading is forbidden. In this reality, firemen don’t put out fires; instead, they set houses on fire to burn books—targeting those who hide and collect them, those who defy a government that doesn’t want an educated public, only an easily controllable one.

Yevgeny Zamjatin — We

One of the earliest dystopian novels in history! We is told from the perspective of the protagonist, D-503, in a diary format. It’s set in a world where houses are made entirely of glass, so everyone can see inside. The people are controlled to the fullest, all named by numbers and codes. This book even inspired Orwell's 1984, and it's sad to see how easily it's being forgotten.

Reading allows us to keep an open mind. It’s a way to escape our own reality while stepping into the lives of others—exploring their minds, walking in their shoes, and seeing through their eyes. No matter the genre or its tone, reading offers endless possibilities. Imagination never runs out; it’s the only form of energy that’s perpetual and unique.

Use yours to travel where your body can’t.

Love, Theo. 🦊

[nevernonline]

✧.* sweet disposition; hjs

the innocence of youth, isn't it blissful? your youth was your childhood crush, joshua. a pretty boy from your hometown who became your best friend.

✧ paring: non-idol! joshua x fem! reader

✧ genre/s: high school crush! joshua, f2l.

✧ word count: 4.0k

✧ warning/s: swearing, kissing, some smutty scenes, mentions of substances (alcohol&weed mainly) mentions of illness, minors dni.

✧ note/s: sweet disposition by temper trap is one of my all time fav songs, and i was watching old sytycd episodes for my soul and when I heard it I knew I had to write a silly little fic. also def unedited so sorry. atp I'm just making a svt song series. lol. ily.

When he first met you in high school Joshua knew he liked you, something about your soft smile and ease of fitting into every social situation made him want to be your friend.

You were a transfer student from a public school into his much more prestigious private one and almost automatically fit in with everyone.

He admired you for that, but it wasn’t until the first year of knowing you passed that he realized he loved you.

You were sitting on a bench watching him and his team practice for a big lacrosse match, well not exactly watching the boys play and run around the field. But, sitting on a bench reading one of those romance novels you loved, like Wuthering Heights or some Jane Austen novel. Something about them made you invested in reading, Joshua tried, but he couldn’t shake the fact that someone in a period romance is dying of the plague or having a maid clean out their chamber pot before the rest of the royals arrive.

He was distracted by you more than ever that day. your glasses were changed into contacts, your legs longer, and your hair plaited into braids on each side of your head tied together with matching blue hair bands.

You felt your ears burning as you looked up from your novel, finding Joshua standing in the center of the field as the opposing team members scored a goal on his side and celebrated, but he was stuck. Stuck in a moment of noticing you before the coaches whistle dragged him out of his dream state.

He never confessed his feelings for you, not yet. He didn’t want to seem selfish now that you weren’t the nerdy girl he once met, but a girl transitioning into her own womanhood. Well, at least on the outside.

Time seemed to pass whenever you were with him and suddenly he realized it was the start of your senior year, just like that Joshua was back dreaming about asking you to the homecoming dance, a dance that you helped organize.

Joshua had an entire day planned to ask you on your first date, he would come over carrying a bouquet of flowers, carrying a dress in your favorite shade of blue, and him in his matching suit. He made dinner reservations and even made a book of things he loved about you, like your own Austen novel just from him.

When he rang your doorbell, a familiar face answered, but it wasn’t yours it was Soonyoung from his lacrosse team, dressed in a white suit adorned with a red sash, a sash he came to find out matched your beautiful long dress, and even the small flower placed in your hair.

A missed chance, now he looked like a fool standing in your doorway, but he lied. He just lied and told you that he needed your help asking someone else to the dance. Aside from the book he made, all the effort he put in for you was wasted on someone else.

After all was said and done, Joshua was happy you ended up going with Soonyoung. You were smiling, laughing, and dancing with someone who deserved your happiness. He was a nice guy, as nice as you were.

The book that Joshua made for you was still in his closet at his parents house, just like the rest of your memories together.

A few days later his flight landed on the route back to you. Stepping off the plane a gush of warm air and the smell of peaches hit his nose, something about it felt like you and that stupid peach flavored lip gloss you always wore.

Joshua looked around the airport feeling that maybe you would be here too, but he knew that you were off with your friend celebrating her birthday for the next two nights.

His mom pulled up on the curb in her black suv, greeting him with a comfortably tight hug and a small peck on the cheek and he was home.

He tried to ask her about you, maybe seeing if she had any information on where you went or if you were single, but she had no idea. She just told him to be patient and ask when he saw you.

After two days of going around to all of his old favorite places, some closed or turned into boutique clothing or vape shops, he still was met with the emptiness of not seeing you yet.

On that second night at home he met up with his friends and some of their significant others at a new bar that just opened a few months prior, to catch up and also to distract him from you, just for one night at least.

A few hours went by and his buzz grew stronger, he felt guilty he hadn’t thought about you most of his night, but why should he?

Soonyoung took the open space on the red leather couch next to Joshua and sat down two shots of tequila, a ritual for the two of them to keep their buzz going.

“What’s gotten into you tonight, Shua? You seem sad.”

“Uh, nothing I guess I just missed being here. I miss you guys.”

“Aw, we missed you too, but I don’t think that’s it. What’s going on?”

“I haven’t seen y/n yet, I’m nervous I guess?”

“Of course. You had the biggest crush on her, sorry for taking her to that dance.”

“No, it’s okay. I just- Well, I guess it’s dumb to be nervous. We still talk every day, but I just haven't seen her in real life in too long. It’s just weird I guess.”

“Are you still in love with her?”

“I don’t know, maybe. She’s probably just moved on from me.

“Is it eating you up inside? Wait, that's a dumb question clearly it is. You think she’s dating someone?”

“I’m not sure, I don’t think so. Unless you know something I don’t.”

“Na, last time I saw her she sat in the corner of the room on her phone the whole time texting you.”

“Really? See, she doesn’t even tell me when she goes out to parties.”

“Are you that jealous? You know y/n, she’s not like that, Joshua, stop getting weird and in your head about it.”

Soonyoung handed Joshua his phone that was placed face down on the table and then handed him a shot of liquid courage.

“Call her, ask her out. Don’t be a bitch.”

“You're right, thanks Hosh.”

Pulling up your contact information on his phone, two rings in you picked up, clearly half asleep from just getting back home.

“Shua? Hi, sorry I got home an hour ago. What are you doing?”

“Oh my god, sorry I woke you. I was just calling to see if you wanted to hangout tomorrow? I was thinking maybe Leslie’s for lunch and then the arcade or something?”

“Yeah, should I pick you up or meet you?”

“You can meet me, if that's okay? I’m going to a church thing with my mom, I’ll have her drop me off.”

“Sure, I’m going to go back to bed now okay? I promise I’ll be less tired tomorrow, Love you.”

“Okay y/n, I’ll see you then, okay? Sleep good, love you.”

“Oh, and Shua.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t let Soony give you too many shots okay? Save some alcohol room in your belly for me.”

“I promise, night angel.”

“Night, loverboy.”

Joshua’s nerves were beginning to get the best of him as he walked into the dim light of the italian restaurant and informed the host that he was here meeting his friend, as he was being ushered to the back he saw you seated at a small corner table, lit with a candle, wearing a slick black top and a pair of matching pants, a simple denim jacket was placed over your shoulders shielding you slightly from the air conditioning.

“Hi.”

You got up from your spot against the wall and greeted Joshua with a big hug when your giggles filled his ears realizing you were both dressed in nearly the same outfit.

“I see you got the memo, Joshua.”

“I see you still copy me after all this time.”

Gesturing for you both to sit back down, he noticed how casual you were after all this time spent apart, possibly just as a front knowing soon he’ll be back to teasing you once he snaps out of his awkwardness.

“So, how's your dad? Is everything okay?”

“He’s alright, he’s been in remission for a few months now.”

“I’m happy to hear that, really. I always loved your dad.”

The waitress came over at a perfect moment, a chance for Joshua to collect his thoughts and place an order for a bottle of wine to calm his quick heartbeat.

“So you have a boyfriend?”

“No, I’m too busy with med school and taking care of my dad to date, you know that. What’s with the weird questions? You want to know the next time I’m supposed to be on my period too? You sound like my mom.”

“Sorry, I just-”

And just like that, the waitress made her second entrance, bringing along the bottle of red liquid and your two meals, delaying Joshua’s chance once again to ask you his set of weird questions.

He let the moment pass while the two of you ate in silence and each had a glass to ease the awkward tension now lingering over your table.

“So-”

You both spoke up at the same time, you decided to let him finish his thought first.

“Okay, wait I just thought of another question. Why did you take Soonyoung to the dance and not go with me?”

“Because I had a crush on him, duh.”

“No way you had a crush on him? He used to pick his boogers and wipe them on his jeans.”

“I’m kidding. He was just a good friend, I was too shy to ask the guy I wanted so I asked him instead.”

“Who was the guy? Jun from your biology class? He was cute.”

“No, he was cute. But, this dude's name was like Joshua Honk or something, not sure if you knew him.”

“You had a crush on me?”

“Obviously, but you’re kind of a fucking idiot.”

“Okay, well how do you feel about me now?”

“This is the first time I’ve seen you in years and you're asking me what I think about you?”

“Yep, I need to know why I was your secret sexy crush.”

“Disgusting.”

“I’m waiting.”

You looked Joshua up and down, his hair was longer than normal, his eyes still big and wide, catching every glimmer of light inside of them like a cluster of stars, his lips were turned into a toothy smile. He was perfect.

“I think you’re okay.”

“Just okay? Damn. Whatever.”

“Want to take some dessert to go? I think we have some unfinished business.”

Waving over the waitress and paying your bill as she picked up your box of tiramisu, you and Joshua ran down the streets where you grew up to the very arcade you’d spend hours in after school.

“Okay, the winner gets what? I think we’re betting with more than tickets these days.”

“Well, y/n. I’m glad you asked. How about if I win, I get to take you home with me and if you win you get to take me home.”

“Seems like we’d both be getting what you want out of it.”

“Are you saying you don’t want to be with your super sexy secret lover, Shua Honk?”

“Win, and you’ll find out.”

“You’re on, but I’ll warn you I’m very good in bed.”

“Horny and sarcastic and horny very interesting combination for you, Honk.”

“Shut up and play.”

After hours of playing multiple games around the arcade you and Joshua were tied and his anxiety had been eased, all that stood between him and winning was a game of ski ball, a game which you were notoriously bad at.

“Need help with your game, y/n?”

A nod from you made Joshua push his chest against your back and wrap his arm around your waist, the other one held your hand helping you aim the ball on the black trackpad, a pull of your hips backwards into his sent a strong vibration down to your panties, that were now as wet as the saliva burning in your mouth.

“50 points? Not bad for a rookie.”

“You threw me off.”

“You really think you would’ve won even if I didn’t help you?”

“Well maybe if you weren’t so distracting, yes.”

“I was just trying to help.”

“What? By thrusting into my ass?”

“I didn’t thrust? You pushed your ass into me?”

“No, I did not, you clearly made contact first.”

“Okay, well then that was a practice round, prove you can win with no help. I'll buy all your drinks tonight and if you lose, open your wallet, rich girl.”

“Fine, try to control the friend in your pants, loser.”

Joshua wanted to respond with some sarcastic remark not promising anything from the way he was watching you bed over to roll the ball from behind, but he decided to shut up and let you win, he wouldn’t have you paying for him anyway.

“You let me win, but I will be taking the drinks.”

“How did you know?”

“You threw the ball backwards twice to skip your turn, you’re good at many things but subtly is not one of them.”

“Okay, but still let me buy the drinks.”

“You were always going to pay anyway, I’m not wasting my cold hard cash on you, california boy”

“Ha-ha, very funny.”

Walking into the familiar dive bar you spent many late nights in after studying, you were hit with the sweet smell of beer and the crunching of peanut shells under your feet. You caught a glimpse of Joshua looking around at the various world flags on the wall.

“What? Not fancy enough for you?”

“No, I love it. I didn’t even know this was here?”

“Yeah, my dad told me about it. He comes with me sometimes to watch soccer, it’s cozy.”

“Sit down, I’ll go and order what would you like?”

“Just grab me a beer, maybe with a lime wedge?”

“And a shot?”

“Ugh, fine Joshua but I do not want to be responsible for carrying your drunk ass home.”

“No promises.”

Joshua strolled up to the wooden bar, greeted by the big man with facial hair behind it and placed the two matching orders, a shot of tequila and a beer with lime.

“You’re here with y/n?”

“Oh, y/n? Yeah, you know her?”

“I know her dad, good man. You her boyfriend?”

“No, just her friend. Nice to meet you..”

“Alan.”

“Alan, hey. I’m Josh.”

Alan shook Joshua’s outstretched hands and denied his card from being swiped for the alcohol.

“It’s on the house, if you’re friends with the y/l/n’s you’re friends with me. Enjoy and treat our girl well, if you’re the Joshua she tells me about, then I hope she gets her happy ending.”

“Wait what does that mean?”

“Oh, nothing you can’t figure out for yourself.”

Walking back over to your small bar table, Joshua decided to take the spot directly next to you in the booth and not across the table, maybe to hear you better and maybe so he can figure out what Alan was putting down.

“You met Alan?”

“Yeah, he told me to take care of you.”

“He’s protective, he normally scares the weird drunkards away from my table."

“I’m playing your bodyguard tonight, cheers.”

Throwing back your shot, you tried to calm the burning taste of alcohol from showing on your face, Joshua held up a slice of line to your lips and let you bite down on it before placing it between his.

“Ew, why didn’t you just use your own lime.”

“Oh, I don’t know. Sorry.”

“Want to kiss me that bad huh?”

“What are you talking about?”

You slapped his arm, taking a swig of your fresh beer.

“It was a joke, be quiet.”

“I do want to kiss you.”

“Oh, right. Okay, save the jokes. You don’t have to tease me for my crush anymore. I get it.”

“Do you still like me?”

“ I probably always will. At least some part of me. Why do you ask?”

“ I don't know, I asked you before what you like about me so do you want to know what I like about you?”

“My body?”

“No, but that doesn’t hurt. I like how kind you are. I like that everyone who meets you falls in love with you instantly because you’re so charming. I love that when you laugh or cry too hard you start wheezing a little bit because you’re embarrassed that someone could see you like that. I love that you, even after all this time, have the nicest heart of anyone I’ve ever met.”

A tear fell down from your eye, and Joshua’s long finger came up to cup your cheek, wiping it away with his thumb.

“Why are you crying?”

“I’m sorry. I just missed you.”

“You know I have something for you, it’s old but I've never had the chance to give it to you.”

Joshua pulled the brown leather bound notebook from his bag that had a laminated front titled ‘ The Girl from Nowhere.’

“What is this? Did you write a book?”

“Remember the night of the dance when I showed up at your house?”

“Yeah, when you needed me and Hosh to help you ask Suki?”

“Right. Well, I was actually there to ask you, but I saw Soonyoung and I couldn’t. He’s too good of a friend and you were happy. So, I lied. I actually had a dress for you to match me and this book. I wrote it for you because you were so obsessed with all those books, so it’s your own Austen novel.”

“You wrote me my own romance book?”

“Yeah, it’s outdated now, but it ended with me kissing you after the dance.”

You couldn’t believe your eyes, it was the most thoughtful thing he’d ever given you or anyone for that matter.

“Joshua, this is so nice. Seriously, when did you even have time to do this?”

“My mom gave me the idea. You and her always watched Pride and Prejudice together, she has the same taste. So technically it’s co-written by her, but she gave me all the credit.”

“Wow. I don’t really know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.”

“Okay, then I’ll be right back. Give me like two minutes, don’t move.”

You peeled yourself off of Joshua and strutted up to Alan to ask a favor before running back to your table.

Suddenly the only lighting in the room was coming from the sporting matches on the flat screens and a few neon branded signs as a song Joshua hadn’t heard in years played over the speakers, Sweet Disposition by Temper Trap.

“Joshua Hong, will you do me the pleasure of dancing with me?”

“You’re so corny.”

“Get up, you’re embarrassing me. Let it happen.”

As the song rang through the speakers, he wrapped his hands around your lower back and pulled you in tightly, swaying you to the perfect song to describe falling in love in his youth, with the only person he ever pictured by his side. His own version of a romance novel.

You pulled away slightly as the beat got faster and grabbed his hands, running around to the other patrons in the familiar bar, crushing sounds of peanut shells under your feet.

Suddenly the whole bar was dancing along with you to the sound of nostalgia, even Alan was behind the bar top swaying along and singing into a broom.

It was this charm, the charm only you had to get the entire group of people dancing along with you.

After the song ended Alan handed out a round of shots and you took back your respective seats.

“Thank you, y/n.”

“Why are you thanking me?”

“You made a weird childhood dream of mine come to life, it’s stupid, but it’s the truth.”

“It’s not stupid. And you did the same for me so it was only fair, want to go?”

“I’m not done with you yet.”

“I know, but there’s somewhere else we have to go.”

“Are you okay to walk?”

“Honk, I am not the lightweight here. I should be asking you that.”

“I am not a lightweight.”

“Okay, stand up.”

“Give me one second.”

“Exactly. Come on.”

Waving goodbye to Alan and the rest of the team at the bar, you pulled a very drunk Joshua down the old streets of your hometown, until you reached the best park bench in town.

It was older than both of you and maybe even your parents, carved with names and years of all the couples who sat right here. It was your favorite spot, even as a kid.

You and Joshua have a countless number of photos together on the very wood you sat upon now, staring at the calm sight of the nearby lake.

“Remember when we ditched that weird one year reunion party to come sit here?”

“Yeah, you had a joint that some weird guy dressed as a hotdog gave you.”

“Yes, it was someone that knew Soony, not sure why but his nickname is Dino? We just sat here all night and smoked it. So, I may have gotten his contact from someone and picked up a couple.”

“Y/N you did not.”

“Yes, it’s in my purse. I’m not letting you smoke it though, you’re too drunk. So it’s just a prop, but-“

Out of your small leather bag, you pulled a perfectly rolled joint and held it up to Joshua's face.

“I thought it’d be funny to bring one, that was the first time I ever took a hit so it’s special.”

“You know most people have their first kiss on this bench, not their first joint.”

“I had my first kiss in sixth grade at a roller rink, this is more important.”

“A roller rink? What the hell.”

“Yeah, a story for another time.”

Joshua grabbed the brown wrapped object from your hand and pulled a match box from Leslie’s out of his pocket.

“For old times sake?”

“Fine, but you really need to stop talking like you're in your eighties.”

With the strike of the match and the smell of sulfur hit your nose and the flame between you ignited. A corny thought, but it was the truth.

Taking in a large inhale and holding it in your lungs before passing it off to Joshua, you sat and stared at the blue water.

“By the way, I like everything about you just so you know. I was being stupid before. I think you’re maybe the only person in the world I’ve ever trusted.”

As the flower kept passing between you, Joshua scooted closer, resting his hand on your clothed thigh awfully close to the crease of your pelvis.

“Me too. Not about myself, about you. Tonight proved to me that moving back was the right choice.”

“Wait, you're back for good? Why the fuck didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“Would that have changed tonight?”

“Yeah, I would’ve probably been in your bed by now. I was too scared to confess how I felt. But, fuck I’m in love with you. I always have been.”

Choking on the cloud of smoke in his lungs, Joshua stuck the small roach of the joint in his pocket and kissed you.

“Does that mean I can take you home?”

“I don’t fuck on the first date.”

“Classy girl, I like that.”

“You’re so annoying.”

“I love you too.”

“So when’s the second date? Tomorrow?”

“Yeah, come sleep over on the couch and we can go for breakfast.”

“The couch? Like a dog?”

“ My dog sleeps in my bed.”

“Kick her out for one night, I reserved the spot first.”

“Okay, let’s go. No funny business, Honk.”

“Can we brainstorm a cuter nickname, I don’t know like Hunk?”

“No, Honk stays. Let’s go to bed.”

Holding hands and kissing at stop lights on your way, he was back and you were never letting him go again.

[aquareus]

✨book recommendations✨ based on my last three years of active reading, out of 108 books, & listed in read order (* = a personal favorite)

A Psalm for the Wild-Built & A Prayer for the Crown-Shy, Becky Chambers - sci-fi, lgbtq, novella duology. utopian future post-robots. heart-warming messages/commentary with plenty of robot-companion fun.

Know My Name, Chanel Miller - memoir. very important read.

In The Dream House, Carmen Maria Machado - memoir. a beautifully and uniquely crafted perspective on abusive lesbian relationships.

A Strange & Stubborn Endurance, Foz Meadows - (tw: early on-page rape) fantasy, lgbtq. this book was a much needed comfort during a very hard time. despite that, the m/m romance and character arcs were well-done and satisfying. the tw section made for a bumpy start, but I enjoyed the rest without a hitch.

* The Jasmine Throne, Tasha Suri - fantasy, lgbtq, magic. w/w romance between someone that should be dead and the rightful heir to a throne. really lovely world-building, characters, and angst. the final book in the trilogy is sitting on my table staring me down as we speak (and will likely make this a favorite series).

* The Obsidian Tower (* entire trilogy), Melissa Caruso - fantasy, magic, lgbtq. this is my favorite series so far and it's completely based on personal preference - epitome of "if I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more". the characters, the world, the magical elements, everything hit exactly right FOR ME.

Angles Before Man, Rafael Nicolas - mythology retelling, lgbtq. this is an interesting one: the story of lucifer with a fresh new perspective. i need to buy and annotate this badly.

Finding Me, Viola Davis - memoir. beautifully written, beautifully narrated, and another important read.

* The Mask of Mirrors (* entire trilogy, but especially *Liar's Knot), M. A. Carrick - epic fantasy, magic, lgbtq. where do I even start. i love these bitches like family.

Educated, Tara Westover - memoir. wild ride.

I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy - memoir. this one's pretty self-explanatory.

* Chain-Gang All-Stars, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah - the last two lines of this book killed me on the spot. such an important and impactful read.

A Memory Called Empire, Arkady Martine - scifi, space opera, lgbtq. amazing premise, and very memorable first book. curious what the rest of the duology will bring.

All of Us Villains & All of Our Demise, Foody & Herman - YA, magic, fantasy. just a really fun and unique tournament duology. the second book especially ate for me ('cause my fav wishful pairing got together and I love being insane and correct).

* Thistlefoot, GennaRose Nethercott - mythology, magical realism, lgbtq. book about a living chicken house with hard-hitting commentary on the importance of bearing witness.

Wings of Fire, Tui T. Sutherland - MG, fantasy, dragons. just a precious little series that I can always trust to be a good time.

Spin of Fate, A. A. Vora - fantasy, YA, future lgbtq hinted. loved the captivating world, magic, and interesting main characters. dying for the next book.

Strange the Dreamer, Laini Taylor - fantasy (duology), magic. first book was immersive, dreamy, and highly engaging. i wish the second book was granted more time + pages/another book to do everything and everyone justice.

The Bullet Swallower, Elizabeth Gonzalez James - historical fiction, magical realism. the first historical fiction to actually make me want to try the genre again.

my goodreads for any interested parties.