#alary tag!

[intertexts]

im so sorry for the length of addition on the reblog of the fic rec ask that will be occuring shortly. deeply, deeply sorry

oh i am SO excited!!!!!

[intertexts-moving]

HAPPY HALLOWEEN :) trick or treat [i give you a nice little wood puzzle]

ALLLLL HI HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

wei wuxian the birthday boy for u!!!! >:333

[starlitplum]

i am once again returning to making fanart for indie visual novels. anyways fenir autism drop is huge and i love him (character belongs to @crescencestudio )

[martyrbat]

pierre alary

[ID: black and white artwork of Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. Harley is standing up with one of her legs lifted behind her to bring her foot up near her calf. She's holding a gun as she reaches a hand out, her slightly curled fingers facing the ground. Underneath her, Pam is leaning back as leaves flutter out from around her, starting at her legs and going all the way up the left side of the page. Her arm is thrown out as the other is bent and slightly in front of her chest, almost in a defensive pose as she looks to the right. They're both sneering and are in front of a plain white background. END ID]

[dao-the-starlight]

testing testing 1 2 3... okay!

Hello Hello! It's a pleasure to meet you!

My name is Saengdao, but you can call me Dao! ヾ(☆▽☆)

Some basic things to know about me and my blog:

☆17 years old ☆Agender with He/It pronouns ☆Mixed Blasian 🇹🇹🇹🇭 ☆VN Megafan! ☆Generally I prefer if people 14+ follow and interact with this blog ☆This blog is primarily dedicated to VN content, but don't be surprised if I sometimes talk about other things as well ☆My ask box should always be open for letters so don't be afraid to pop a message in there! But don't be mean, I have zero tolerance and will just block you.

Palestine Fundrasiers List 🍉🍉🍉

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

As for what things I'm a big fan of...

☆Our Life (both Beginnings & Always and Now & Forever) ☆Blooming Panic ☆Mushroom Oasis ☆Alaris VN ☆Andromeda Six ☆Lost in Limbo VN ☆Fields of Mistria ☆The Summer Hikaru Died ☆Novae Webcomic ☆Obey Me SWD

And a shit ton of other stuff, but this is the basic gist of what you can expect to see from me (*´▽`*)

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Aaand I believe that's it! Thank you so much for looking at my blog and have an enchanted day!

p.s. don't expect me to post really frequently, at least not for a while. Actually posting things can easily slip my mind in between my irl responsibilities

[crescencestudio]

ALARIS SIGHTING IN BELOVED WUDGEY'S @/HEROTOME DEMO WAAAAAAAAAH

binged my first playthrough and i unfortunately have to go to sleep BUT I HAD TO UPLOAD THIS REALLY QUICK BECAUSE WAH

ALSO GRIFFIN & JADE U HAVE WOOED ME.......

[spring-bud]

end of clownvanguelion :) redraw of the screenshot below (ft Atlas Alarie of @awe-24 fame)

[alyxmoonstrike]

“You just give them a little NUDGE!” -Vivienne before shoving Reg.-

ft @space-diablo​ ‘s character, Flo! <3  and the CroFiStale gang.  Reference picture:

[crossdressingdeath]

Huh. My brain's been mostly on a 24/7 BG3 lockdown and now suddenly it spits out "Hey if Alaris was saved from Templars by an actual literal bear as a kid wouldn't that add something tasty and fun to the Dirthamen stuff". I mean it's right, it's just odd timing.

[lqveharrington]

The Black Dog | C.S.

summary: Coriolanus left you alone after he realized he had a better life in the Capitol. He didn’t know your ghost would come back to haunt him.

pairing: President!Coriolanus Snow x ex!reader

includes: angst, abandonment, pregnancy, narcissism, a singular use of Y/N, manipulation

a/n: i love and hate coriolanus snow.

When you won the Tenth Annual Hunger Games and your name was spread across all pages, you thought you were finally through with all the pain and torture the Capitol would put you through. You thought that you were able to be sent back to District Twelve with no repercussions. The thought of just being able to exist with the Covey and the music. But the Universe had a funny way of showing you that your actions were disgusting.

They sent you your mentor.

You didn’t expect to see him anymore, especially when they found out you both cheated. Yet his gorgeous blue’s still allured you when he caught your gaze down at the Hob. The familiarity in them made you smile and the supposed love you both shared were fanned once more.

While he was peacekeeping in District Twelve, he spent all his free time with you and the Covey, learning about all your little quirks and how you grew up here. He was so obsessed in love with you that he would trade positions with the other peacekeepers to stay with you for longer or steal you away from the Covey whenever he thought you were spending too much time with them. He was absolutely smitten.

Or so you thought. You never thought he would leave after everything you went through together.

“Why are you up so early?” You put your chin on Coriolanus’ shoulder and tilt your head ever so slightly to see his face, smiling when he pressed a kiss to your temple.

“Just thinking.” He murmured and messed with his dog tags. “Do you think we’ll ever get out of here?”

You hum and sit up straight, looking at him with curiosity. “I do… Why? You already thinking about leaving this horrible place? Not to your liking?”

“The only thing I like about this place is you.” He moved his dog tags over his head and put it around you, smirking when you held them tightly in your hand. He moved closer and pressed a light kiss to your lips, only partially moving away to speak. “That’s for you now.”

“Don’t you have to head back soon?” You whisper back and glance down at his lips then back up to his eyes. “Won’t you be in trouble?”

Coriolanus pressed another feathery kiss to your lips before standing and rolling his shoulders back. “I won’t be.”

You watched him begin to leave before you quickly ran over to him and grabbed his hand, smiling brightly at him and earning a curious look back. “When you get back, I have a surprise for you! I think you’ll like it considering everything you’ve told me before.”

He raised his brows and shook his head, kissing your forehead. “Can’t wait to see it, darling.”

But he never did come back. He left for the Capitol that night and you were left heartbroken and pregnant.

Over the years, Coriolanus’ power grew. He was a politician everyone feared and soon the President everyone feared. The Hunger Games soon became more and more ruthless, the humanity taken away faster than ever.

Although he grew in power and wealth, he lacked the empathy and emotion. All he felt was the need to be the best and be better than ever before. By the 28th Annual Hunger Games, he felt no remorse from anyone in the Districts. He wanted to forget the girl’s face he fell in love with all those years ago.

“The female tribute for District Twelve is…”

As the crowd hushed to hear the news, Coriolanus scanned the crowd for a familiar face even if he didn’t want to. When the announcer finally pulled the ticket out of the glass ball, Coriolanus stood faster for the person than he had ever done in years.

“Rose Alarie!” The announcer smiled into the microphone as the eighteen year old girl made her way to the front.

When her image flashed across the screen, Coriolanus knew exactly who her mother was. Rose was a spitting image of you. From the eyes to the nose. The only difference was the hair color. Yes, it was your hair, but the entire front of her hair was platinum blonde.

“Get that girl in the Capitol now.” Coriolanus looked over to his council and paused the television, staring at the eyes that haunt him in his dreams. “And get me her family history.”

“Me? Here? But this isn’t where the tributes go. My counter part—“ She was struggling to understand why she was being sent to the President’s quarters. She looked around the expensive material she would have never seen until now, eyes and mind memorizing every way to escape if everything went to shit.

“The President has some questions for you. He’s… Intrigued with you.” His advisor spoke with distaste and opened the office door, guiding her to step inside before shutting the door tightly behind her.

Her shaking hands reached up to play with her father’s military tags as she saw the President himself stand only a few feet away from her. She felt for the name her mother scratched out, only leaving the identification number on it. Rose had memorized it long ago.

5263099.

She still wondered why Snow wanted to see her. She was probably the least interesting tribute out of all the others. There were some who seemed incredibly gifted, and Rose only knew the music her mother introduced to her. Maybe because her mother was once in the games, but that was years ago. The footage was erased and her name was long gone from everyone’s memory.

“Rose Alarie.” Coriolanus spoke, sending shivers down Rose’s back. He shifted around and glanced at her, messing with files in his hands. “Do you know why I called you here?”

She shook her head but caught herself, averting his icy gaze, although the shine from the window was glaring through. “Uh, no, sir.”

He raised his brows at her mannerisms and noticed her fidgeting, knowing all too well who she got that from. Coriolanus slowly approached Rose and only stopped when she took a small step back in defense. Now that he was closer, he could see more features that resembled her mother and her… Father.

“What are you playing with?”

Rose felt her face shift to shock before schooling it, handing him the military tags her father once wore. “They’re my father’s, sir. My mother gave it to me when I turned ten. She said my father gave it to her when he was still around.”

Coriolanus held the silver chain to his eyes, reading the familiar numbers that once haunted him eighteen years ago. “And your mother? Where is she?”

“Dead, sir.” She murmured as he clutched the tags in his hands tightly. Thinking that he was going to break it, she quickly spoke again. “She died a year ago… The tags are uhm,” Coriolanus’ azure eyes met her eyes, making her eyes widen in fear before she cleared her throat and finished her sentence. “My mother scratched them out so the name is gone. I never met my father.”

He hummed and tossed a manila envelope to her, watching confusion make its way onto her face. “I had the officials search everyone’s family history and it seems like your father isn’t in the data base at all.”

Silence took over the room as Rose flipped through the many faces and names of her relatives, stopping at her smiling mother. She swallowed a lump in her throat before shutting the folder, looking up at him.

“I don’t understand, sir.”

“You know,” Coriolanus moved to sit in his office chair and spun to look outside the garden full of beautiful roses that his grandma’am loved so much. “I knew your mother. Quite well actually.”

Rose stepped closer to him, “You did?”

He nodded and waved a hand in the hair, the sun catching his silver ring he wore on his left hand. “I mentored her in the Hunger Games. She was quite a talent and beauty.” Coriolanus clenched his fist around the metal tags before breathing. “She had the wits. It’s how she won her game. Sadly, we had to erase that from Panem’s history.”

She took another step closer and tilted her head to look at his expression, noticing the longing look in his eyes. She was still quite perplexed by everything. After all, Rose’s mother never mentioned her mentor being the President of Panem.

“Your mother was Y/N Alarie, yes?” He cleared his throat and looked at Rose with recognition. Coriolanus felt his heart pound when she nodded and messed with her clothing. “She was kind to the other tributes and myself… She was always very sweet.”

He paused and handed Rose the military tags back. He caught the small smile tugging on her lips at her mother’s praise as she slipped the dog tags back on. Immediately, her fidgeting habit was back, her thumb following the indents in the tag. But before Coriolanus could comment on it and finish his small speech about her mother, his advisor walked in to collect her.

“Sir, we’re here for the girl. Ten minutes is up.”

“Leave her be. She won’t be competing in the games anymore.” Coriolanus barely looked over to his advisor, not caring for him or anything he had to say. Really, he just wanted to spend time with Rose. And his surprise was coming up anyway.

“But—“

Coriolanus put a hand up and immediately shut him up, glaring at the man with annoyance. “Pick another tribute or find a deadbeat from the streets, I don’t care. But leave this one here.”

His advisor raised his brows in surprise and left, leaving the pair alone once more. The silence continued, leaving an uncomfortable tension in the air. The sun began to hide behind a cloud of white as Coriolanus huffed and spun his ring around his finger, jaw ticking in thought.

“What do you want from me?” She whispered after he left, eyes dropping to the information on his computer screen. She felt ice pierce her veins as she read the contents, meeting his eyes again. “You’re my father.”

“I won’t have my daughter be in the games like an animal.” Coriolanus stood from his chair and grabbed his coat, beckoning her to follow. He handed her an extra coat, sending Rose a small smile. “Your mother would have talked my ear off if you did.”

©lqveharrington - all rights reserved. do not copy, translate or share my work on other media platforms

[midnightminx90writings]

Fandom: Dragon Age: the Veilguard

Pairing: Rook/Emmrich Volkarin

Characters: Rook, Emmrich Volkarin

Rating: T+

Tags: ending spoilers, Happy Ending, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, manfred lives, Romance, musings, Not Beta Read

—-

“You never asked me why gold is my favourite colour,” Alaris muses, teasing a question from the love of his life.

“Hmm, I must have been otherwise distracted during that particular conversation. Would you care to tell me now dear?”

“Because of you. Because of the way you look decked out in it. Ever since you gave that lecture, that first time I saw you, the way your arms and hands glinted in the light. It took me a long time to figure out what it meant, that sudden attraction to something I couldn’t put into words. It was brand new, and I had no one to ask about it.”

[intertexts]

here's my fun ballpeen interjection. when i was younger i thought a ballpeen hammer was one where the head of the hammer was a balloon or like, made out of rubber. why? god only knows.

NO NO NO THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE ACTUALLY. it sounds so fucking made up!! why would a BALL PEEN hammer be a real tool.it does sound like some fucking looney tunes ass shit forreal.

[intertexts-moving]

vibrating out of my skin i have SO many thoughts about the changes they made between cql and mdzs

LMAOO IT WAS. yr mdzs posting on the dash recently that reminded me i gotta read the original actually. hehe. target audience reached!! anyway i vaguely know likee... some? changes? like wwx keeping his original face in cql vs inhabiting mxy's body + vague character differences + apparently different pacing & stuff but. nothing more than that... anyway i think i'm definitely going 2 start mdzs soon!! u should 100% tell me yr thoughts on the changes 👀👀👀

[daydreamervalchen]

magst du vielleicht ein paar facts über deinen good luck OC teilen für den tumblr at-choice overview? :)

Soo bevor ich gar nicht mehr dazu komme, beantworte ich die Frage endlich auch mal und passe sie gleich dem Overview-Post an. Ich lade auch hier gleich nochmal das Moodboard von Ask hoch🩷

name Viviette 'Vivi' Alarie

alter 24 Jahre | 14. März

nationalität US-Amerikanisch-Französisch

gender female (she/her)

sexualität bi (vielleicht nur bi-romantisch, noch nicht sicher)

pairing option [yes]

charakter kreativ, aufmüpfig, hartarbeitend, bossy, einfallsreich, selbstbewusst

💄 Viviette ist süchtig nach Cream Soda und Coca Cola, besonders mit Kirschgeschmack. Sie trinkt die Zuckerbomben beinahe täglich.

💄Sie besitzt einen auffälligen Modegeschmack und achtet sehr auf ihr Äußeres. Vivi kleidet sich im, aus Japan stammenden, Lolita-Stil, genauer gesagt ist Steampunk-Lolita genau ihr Ding.

💄In der Kfz-Werkstatt in der sie arbeitet, ist Viviette die einzige Frau und sie hat ein Faible für Oldtimer und Vintage-Autos.

💄Zu ihren liebsten Plätzen gehören neben Flohmärkten auch Schrottplätze. An diesen Orten beschafft sie sich gerne "Kleinteile" für ihre selbstgemachten Lolita-Outfits.

💄Ihre Mutter ist Französin und ihr Vater Japaner, der jedoch in den USA lebt und arbeitet. Obwohl ihre Eltern heute geschieden sind, ergibt sich aus der Familienkonstellation, dass Vivi neben Englisch auch Französisch und Japanisch spricht.

💄Man sieht Vivi so gut wie niemals ungeschminkt und sie ist jemand, der selbst zum Müll raustragen Make-Up aufträgt. Sie selbst würde sich auch die die Kategorie "dress to impress" einordnen und auch im Alltag wird Vivi von ihrem Umfeld typischerweise als overdressed eingestuft.

💄Vivi verwendet den französischen Nachnamen ihrer Mutter, weil sie nicht mit ihrem Vater assoziiert werden will. Das liegt nicht daran, dass sie sich nicht mit ihm versteht, aber eigentlich stammt Vivi aus gut betuchten Verhältnissen. Sie müsste eigentlich keinen Tag in ihrem Leben arbeiten, aber sie möchte auf eigenen Beinen stehen und liebt ihren Mechaniker-Job über alles. Vivi ist auch viel zu stolz um ihren Vater um Geld anzuschnorren, auch wenn sie sehr oft knapp bei Kasse ist.

💄Zu ihren Eltern hat Vivi nur sporadisch Kontakt, ihre Schwestern Coco (Cosette) und Mai-Mai (Maisie) trifft sie sich jedoch regelmäßig.

💄Außer ihren Schwestern besteht Vivis Sozialleben beinahe nur aus ihren männlichen Arbeitskollegen, die ihrem "Prinzesschen" gegenüber sehr beschützerisch auftreten. Vivi geht mit diesen oft auf ein Feierabend-Bier und spielt mit ihnen Billiard/Pool.

💄Neben dem Herumschrauben an Autos hat Vivette außerdem noch eine große Vorliebe für Cosplays und schneidert sich regelmäßig Kostüme für Conventions und Veranstaltungen selbst.

💄Vivi ist auf Sozialmedia äußerst aktiv und versucht sich, eben Fotos und Videos zu ihren Cosplays auch als Beauty Influencer.

💄Sie ist ein großer Manga/Anime Fan und ihre liebsten Genres sind Mecha, Romance und Magical Girl.

💄Des weiteren ist sie begeistert von Star Wars und ihr Lieblingsfilm des Franchise ist Star Wars: Episode V – Das Imperium schlägt zurück (1980), weil sie die AT-AT Walkers während der Schlacht auf Hoth verdammt cool findet. Ihr Lieblingscharakter ist General Grievous, besonders in der Clone Wars Serie und weil er ein Cyborg ist. Ihre Jedi "Crushes" sind Jedi Meister Quinlan Vos und dessen ehemaliger Padawan Jedi Meisterin Aayla Secura. Viviette ist eine wandelnde Star Wars Enzyklopädie und kann einen stundenlang damit volllabern. Wenn man mit ihr befreundet ist (oder sein will) zwingt sie einen früher oder später dazu sich mit ihr die Original Trilogy und die Prequel Trilogy anzusehen, darum kommt man nicht herum.

[goodluckgoodbye]

at-choice: VIVI ALARIE (hephaistos)

name Viviette 'Vivi' Alarie

alter 24 Jahre | (14. März)

nationalität US-Amerikanisch / Französisch

gender female (she/her)

sexualität bi (vielleicht nur bi-romantisch, noch nicht sicher)

pairing option [yes]

charakter kreativ, aufmüpfig, hartarbeitend, bossy, einfallsreich, selbstbewusst

💄 Viviette ist süchtig nach Cream Soda und Coca Cola, besonders mit Kirschgeschmack. Sie trinkt die Zuckerbomben beinahe täglich.

💄Sie besitzt einen auffälligen Modegeschmack und achtet sehr auf ihr Äußeres. Vivi kleidet sich im, aus Japan stammenden, Lolita-Stil, genauer gesagt ist Steampunk-Lolita genau ihr Ding.

💄In der Kfz-Werkstatt in der sie arbeitet, ist Viviette die einzige Frau und sie hat ein Faible für Oldtimer und Vintage-Autos.

💄Zu ihren liebsten Plätzen gehören neben Flohmärkten auch Schrottplätze. An diesen Orten beschafft sie sich gerne "Kleinteile" für ihre selbstgemachten Lolita-Outfits.

💄Ihre Mutter ist Französin und ihr Vater Japaner, der jedoch in den USA lebt und arbeitet. Obwohl ihre Eltern heute geschieden sind, ergibt sich aus der Familienkonstellation, dass Vivi neben Englisch auch Französisch und Japanisch spricht.

💄Man sieht Vivi so gut wie niemals ungeschminkt und sie ist jemand, der selbst zum Müll raustragen Make-Up aufträgt. Sie selbst würde sich auch die die Kategorie "dress to impress" einordnen und auch im Alltag wird Vivi von ihrem Umfeld typischerweise als overdressed eingestuft.

💄Vivi verwendet den französischen Nachnamen ihrer Mutter, weil sie nicht mit ihrem Vater assoziiert werden will. Das liegt nicht daran, dass sie sich nicht mit ihm versteht, aber eigentlich stammt Vivi aus gut betuchten Verhältnissen. Sie müsste eigentlich keinen Tag in ihrem Leben arbeiten, aber sie möchte auf eigenen Beinen stehen und liebt ihren Mechaniker-Job über alles. Vivi ist auch viel zu stolz um ihren Vater um Geld anzuschnorren, auch wenn sie sehr oft knapp bei Kasse ist.

💄Zu ihren Eltern hat Vivi nur sporadisch Kontakt, ihre Schwestern Coco (Cosette) und Mai-Mai (Maisie) trifft sie sich jedoch regelmäßig.

💄Außer ihren Schwestern besteht Vivis Sozialleben beinahe nur aus ihren männlichen Arbeitskollegen, die ihrem "Prinzesschen" gegenüber sehr beschützerisch auftreten. Vivi geht mit diesen oft auf ein Feierabend-Bier und spielt mit ihnen Billiard/Pool.

💄Neben dem Herumschrauben an Autos hat Vivette außerdem noch eine große Vorliebe für Cosplays und schneidert sich regelmäßig Kostüme für Conventions und Veranstaltungen selbst.

💄Vivi ist auf Sozialmedia äußerst aktiv und versucht sich, eben Fotos und Videos zu ihren Cosplays auch als Beauty Influencer.

💄Sie ist ein großer Manga/Anime Fan und ihre liebsten Genres sind Mecha, Romance und Magical Girl.

💄Des weiteren ist sie begeistert von Star Wars und ihr Lieblingsfilm des Franchise ist Star Wars: Episode V – Das Imperium schlägt zurück (1980), weil sie die AT-AT Walkers während der Schlacht auf Hoth verdammt cool findet. Ihr Lieblingscharakter ist General Grievous, besonders in der Clone Wars Serie und weil er ein Cyborg ist. Ihre Jedi "Crushes" sind Jedi Meister Quinlan Vos und dessen ehemaliger Padawan Jedi Meisterin Aayla Secura. Viviette ist eine wandelnde Star Wars Enzyklopädie und kann einen stundenlang damit volllabern. Wenn man mit ihr befreundet ist (oder sein will) zwingt sie einen früher oder später dazu sich mit ihr die Original Trilogy und die Prequel Trilogy anzusehen, darum kommt man nicht herum.

OC (und facts) by @daydreamervalchen auf dem blog gibts auch noch ein moodboard :)

[liminalmemories21]

9 Books To Read in 2024

tagged by @jesuisici33. Thank you!

In release date order:

1- Holly Black - The Prisoner's Throne

After the shocking events of The Stolen Heir, Prince Oak is in deeper trouble than ever before. As his situation grows more precarious, Oak is desperate to find a way out, before all of Elfhame is caught in the coming storm.

I love pretty much anything Holly Black writes, but I particularly love the Folk of the Air series. I'm a sucker for a good dark faerie court drama.

2 - K Ancrum - Icarus

Icarus Gallagher is a thief. He steals priceless art and replaces it with his father’s impeccable forgeries. For years, one man—the wealthy Mr. Black—has been their target in revenge for his role in the death of Icarus’s mother. To keep their secret, Icarus adheres to his own strict rules to keep people, and feelings, at bay: Don’t let anyone close. Don’t let anyone touch you. And, above all, don’t get caught.

Hi yes, I am predictable.

3 - EK Johnston - Pretty Furious

In the small town of Eganston, Ontario, five good girls have had enough. They’ve experienced the best of what their community has to offer, but they’ve seen the darker side too. Together, they’ve decided that it’s time for a reckoning and that justice is their privilege to give.

If you have not read her earlier novel Exit Pursued by a Bear, go read it. It is so angry, but also so beautifully about healing and friendship.

4 - Leigh Bardugo - The Familiar

Set in the Spanish Golden Age, during a time of high‑stakes political intrigue and glittering wealth, The Familiar follows Luzia, a servant in the household of an impoverished Spanish nobleman who reveals a talent for little miracles. Her social‑climbing mistress demands Luzia use her gifts to win over Madrid’s most powerful players but what begins as simple amusement takes a dangerous turn. Luzia will need to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even the help of Guillén Santángel, an immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.

I like most things Leigh Bardugo writes, so curious about this.

5 - Tess Sharpe - The Girl in Question

Four teens. Three henchmen. Two thousand acres of remote forest. One very bad man. And a whole lot of new secrets to unearth. The unmissable, thrilling follow-up to The Girls I've Been.

First go read The Girls I've Been. Then Five Times We Almost Kissed. Then Barb Wire Heart. Tess Sharpe is such a fantastic writer - and the heart of her books is always people making the best choices they can when none of the choices are good or easy. Also, Barb Wire Heart is kind of like if S2 of Justified had been about the women.

6 - Anna-Marie McLemore - Flawless Girls

The Soler sisters are infamous in polite society—brazen, rebellious, and raised by their fashionable grandmother who couldn’t care less about which fork goes where. But their grandmother also knows the standards that two Latina young ladies will be held to, so she secures them two coveted places at the Alarie House, a prominent finishing school that turns out first ladies, princesses, and socialites.

Younger sister Isla is back home within a day. She refuses to become one of the eerily sweet Alarie girls in their prim white dresses. Older sister Renata stays. When she returns months later, she’s unfailingly pleasant, unnervingly polite, and, Isla discovers, possibly murderous. And the same night she returns home, she vanishes.

I will read anything they write. No questions asked. They're books are always so gorgeous and lush.

7 - Kristin Cashore - There is a Door in This Darkness

Wilhelmina Hart is part of the infamous class of 2020. Her high school years began with the election of Donald Trump and they ended with COVID. Now Wilhelmina, like so many of her peers, is in limbo, having deferred college because of the pandemic. Compounding the national trauma of 2016 to 2020, Wilhelmina has wrestled with the devastating loss of one of her three beloved aunts shortly after the 2016 election. This is a loss she felt so keenly that she’s spent the last years deep in her personal depression, only obscured by the seemingly endless waves of national trauma. Now on the cusp on the most consequential election in living memory, Wilhelmina may have found a door in her darkness and perhaps the courage to pass through it, if she can decipher the bizarre messages that keep appearing in her life.

I love Kristin Cashore's Graceling novels, so I'm curious about this.

8 - Jennifer Lynn Barnes - The Grandest Game

Seven tickets. An island of dreams. The chance of a lifetime.

Welcome to the Grandest Game, an annual competition run by billionaire Avery Grambs and the four infamous Hawthorne brothers, whose family fortune she inherited. Designed to give anyone a shot at fame and fortune, this year's game requires one of seven golden tickets to enter. With millions on the line, those seven players will do whatever it takes to win.

Is this series a little silly? Sure. Is it a lot of fun. Yes. Kind of like a grown up Westing Game.

9 - Margaret Owen - Holy Terrors

third book in the Little Thieves series - which on the surface is a heist story about what if the protagonist of the Goose Girl was the servant not the princess. And at it's heart is about recovering from trauma and loss, and learning how to let yourself be someone different. 

tagging @lemonlyman-dotcom, @ladytessa74, and @strandnreyes