#allie recommends

[beepboopappreciation]

Is this anything

[vermwerm]

GRAB HIM BY HIS STUPID HOTDOG SHAPED HEAD !!!!!

[pinkd3mon]

This is a bonus from the last comic I made

You can find the context here

[jessread-s]

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review

✩🐉✨Review:

A strong start to a romantasy series with endless potential!

“Fear the Flames” follows Elowen Atarah, an exiled princess, as she teams up with Cayden Veles, the feared Commander of Vareveth, to free her dragons and save her people. As forces beyond their control try to keep them apart, the pull between Elowen and Cayden becomes irresistible. 

The concept of this book immediately grasped my attention. It was the reluctant allies-to-lovers romance that drew me in further! Elowen and Cayden’s knife to the throat meet-cute put me in a chokehold and I was living for their banter. Their dynamic is truly incredible and the tension had my heart pounding.

Unfortunately, the pacing and aspects of the writing are what lost me. While Cayden fell first, he also fell very fast. Many readers might like this if they prefer instantaneous chemistry, but I tend to like books where the relationship development moves more slowly, so I did not enjoy how quick it felt. Much of their dialogue, aside from the banter, was also clunky and cringey at times. 

As far as the plot, the heist was the main focus, so I was a bit let down when it missed the mark. There was a lot of build-up surrounding it only for it to be done and over with so quickly. Nearly everything was executed perfectly without a hitch, so it just ended up being anticlimactic. 

Overall, I appreciate this book’s vision and really liked some of its elements despite its setbacks. I’m interested to see what direction Darling takes the next book now that the groundwork has been laid.

Cross-posted to: Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | StoryGraph

[riveluart]

Let’s go break some stuff

[constantblatheringsstuff]

What to expect:

A magical road trip with stunning landscapes.

The sharp, witty banter you love.

Hidden dangers and surprising allies.

A touch of slow-burn romance amidst the wild Australian coastlines.

New Chapter Now Live on AO3! Explore the story here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/56518390

[hickeygender]

researching how a guy could feasably induce and survive an abortion on a ship frozen in the arctic for years has truly nuked my search history

[xenosagaepisodeone]

I don't see this as much as when I was a teenager but when you see someone online talk about being an irl yandere or Cute but Crazy it's like "girl. girl you're just upset and self-flagellating because your boyfriend isn't paying attention to you or perhaps his attention just isn't the kind that you need right now. girl you need to dump him and pick up some otome games. girl they are so good now."

[newmusickarl]

Top 50 Albums of 2024: #30-21

30. A Dream Is All We Know by The Lemon Twigs

Last year, Everything Harmony from The Lemon Twigs finished at 35 on my year-end countdown. However, since revisiting the D’Addario brothers’ instant classic several times in the last year and it just getting better with every spin - as well as seeing them live for the first time in October - it’s an album that would definitely place higher if I were to redo that list again now. This year though, The Lemon Twigs go five places better with A Dream Is All We Know and this time around, the placing feels right.

While Everything Harmony just edges it still for me, The Lemon Twigs have to be commended for returning a year after that superb album with another excellent, timeless-sounding opus. Named as our Album of the Month once again back in May, it continues everything that was great about its predecessor, with big nods once again to the music of The Beatles and The Beach Boys. From infectious lead single My Golden Years to the charming How Can I Love Her More? and Status Quo-emulating Rock On (Over and Over), it’s a fun and joyous collection of songs that you can’t help but love.

The big question is now – can The Lemon Twigs keep their winning streak going with another album in 2025? I guess we will wait and see!

Best tracks: How Can I Love Her More?, Peppermint Roses, Church Bells

Listen here

29. Clouds In The Sky, They'll Always Be There For Me - Porridge Radio

Although an album I haven’t officially reviewed this year for either the podcast or the blog, I have been absolutely infatuated with this the latest offering from Porridge Radio, the Brighton rock band led by Dana Margolin, ever since its release back in October.

A band I discovered through their great Mercury Prize nominated sophomore effort Every Bad, Porridge Radio just seem to get better with every new release. Their previous effort – the exceptional Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky – may have finished slightly higher, landing in my Top 20 of 2022, but believe me - this latest record edges even its predecessor.

Born out of burnout, lost love and intense bouts of self-loathing, Clouds In The Sky… is understandably a dark and melancholic experience at times, but it is also lifted by some cathartic choruses and soaring instrumentation. From hard break-up number and one of the songs of the year, God of Everything Else, to the soft, spellbinding sounds of Pieces of Heaven and everything else in-between, this is an album that will make you feel something deep in your core at every single turn.

Best tracks: God of Everything Else, Pieces of Heaven, A Hole In The Ground

Listen here

28. Girl With No Face by Allie X

One of the biggest surprises of 2024 - an album I picked for our February podcast simply based on enjoying Allie X’s previous album Cape God back in 2021, Girl With No Face has turned out to be one of the best art-pop records of the whole year.

If you have been enjoying the music of Chappell Roan and Charli XCX in 2024 but have yet to get round to this one, you need to correct that immediately. Billed superbly by Apple Music as New Order and Kraftwerk meets Madonna and Lady Gaga, its pop music built in the electronic music world. This is evident on incredible lead single Black Eye, which is how I imagine Kate Bush would sound if she was performing New Order’s Blue Monday.

It's one standout on an album of many, which also includes the medieval stylings of Off With Her Tits, a genius track focussing on self-acceptance and gender identity, and the Eurovision-esque Galina, which is an ode to a revolutionary eczema cream manufacturer. No, you didn’t misread that – it is indeed what the song is about!

This type of quirkiness runs deep within Girl With No Face and it is what has made this album such a joy to revisit over and over again since it dropped back in early February. The sound of an artist hitting their creative stride!

Best tracks: Black Eye, Off With Her Tits, Girl With No Face

Listen here

27. People Who Aren’t There Anymore by Future Islands

One of my most anticipated records of the year and one that did not disappoint. Baltimore synth-pop outfit Future Islands served up their incredible seventh studio album all the way back in January - People Who Aren’t There Anymore - a record that I’m pleased to say delivered on its early promise. Playing out almost like greatest hits record at times, the more I spun it throughout the year the more it quickly became my favourite record of theirs – which given their discography is saying something!

Capped off by seeing them live for the first time at Live at Leeds back in May, here’s what I had to say in my review for Clash back at the start of the year:

“Whilst ‘People Who Aren’t There Anymore’ ultimately isn’t an album that breaks the Future Islands mould, it’s hard to hold that against them. This is their sound, and they prove here they can still do it better than any of their peers. And whilst the sonic evolution from their previous work may only be subtle shifts, the biggest change comes with the band leaning on personal stories this time around rather than more observational lyricism. Most importantly though Future Islands’ fans will find plenty to love with this album, with some of the songs here already instant favourites and others feeling like some of the best, most fully realised of their career thus far.”

Best tracks: King of Sweden, Deep In The Night, Say Goodbye

Listen here

Read my full review for Clash Magazine here

26. In Lieu of Flowers by Aaron West and The Roaring Twenties

The final part of a trilogy that had been a decade in-the-making and the brainchild of The Wonder Years’ frontman Dan Campbell, there were few better alt-rock records in 2024 than In Lieu of Flowers.

Blending all my favourite genres of music into one unique, heartfelt sound, Aaron West and The Roaring Twenties served up an incredible collection of songs that are as sonically satisfying as they are lyrically moving. On this record, you’ll find elements of indie, folk, Midwest-emo and even a dash of pop-punk too, while Campbell spins beautifully written stories of heartbreak, touring life and battles with the American Healthcare system.

Full of passionate vocals, delicate orchestration and anthemic choruses made to be sung full lung, every single song on here can be considered highlight. From the acoustic-angst of Roman Candles, the bluesy waltz of Whiplash and the triumphant burst of horns on the album’s title track, this is another highly acclaimed 2024 record that rightfully deserved all the praise in the world.

A truly captivating third act in what has been a sublime trilogy of albums – here’s hoping there is still more to come!

Best tracks: Paying Bills At the End of the World, In Lieu of Flowers, Alone At St. Luke’s

Listen here

25. Cartoon Darkness by Amyl and the Sniffers

Back in 2021, Aussie punk outfit Amyl and the Sniffers would finish in my Top 10 Albums of the Year thanks to their blistering sophomore record, Comfort To Me. While their new album places a bit further back this time around, the chances are if you loved Comfort To Me like I did, you’ll certainly love Cartoon Darkness as well.

Their latest album is mostly more of the same but in the best way possible, with the band doubling down on their straight-talking, in-your-face lyrics and face-melting guitar solos. Not a single moment is spared as the band shred their way through highlights such as stomping lead single U Should Not Be Doing That, the X-rated Jerkin’ and the impressive full-throttle riffs from Declan Mehrtens on Motorbike Song.

There is also at least one moment that suggests progression too with Big Dreams. It’s a more mellow moment with a terrific vocal performance from enigmatic frontwoman Amy Taylor, where she invites the listener into her apathetic internal monologue about being fed up and wanting more out of life.

Overall though, just another fantastic record from the Aussie quartet, one that looks at the state of the modern world and then violently spits it back out in these thirteen brutally honest, no frills punk tracks. A deserving winner of our October Album of the Month title!

Best tracks: U Should Not Be Doing That, Big Dreams, Motorbike Song

Listen here

24. Where’s My Utopia? By Yard Act

While I enjoyed The Overload upon release, the Mercury Prize-nominated debut album from Leeds post-punk outfit Yard Act, it was an album I went off quite quickly. So much so, it didn’t even make my year-end list in 2022.

Wrongfully writing them off as a flash in the pan, soon to be lost in the rapid oversaturation of the post-punk genre, I didn’t really have high expectations going into their second album, Where’s My Utopia, back in March. Thankfully, the record marked a noticeable sonic shift for the band and is an improvement on its predecessor in every single way.

With this record maintaining Yard Act’s witty, observational lyrics but musically seeing them be much more explorative and adventurous, Where’s My Utopia has been a delight to experience all year round. Blending elements of pop, soul, disco and funk into their classic post-punk palette, this one is an ambitious and enjoyable rollercoaster ride. From the super catchy We Make Hits, the Pulp-esque The Undertow through to the Katy J Pearson and David Thewlis featuring bop When The Laughter Stops, it is just an absolute blast from start to finish.

Successfully breaking free of their post-punk mould, this album was a big sonic evolution from Yard Act that impressed all of us on the podcast back in March, and has personally left me incredibly intrigued to see where they go next.

In short, it’s Ace! Top! Mint! Boss! Class! Sweet! Deece! Not bad!

Best tracks: Dream Job, When the Laughter Stops, The Undertow

Listen here

23. Foxing by Foxing

With Foxing’s last record Draw Down The Moon finishing well within my Top 20 for the year back in 2021, I certainly expected good things from this self-titled record. But even then, I don’t think I was prepared for this colossus of an album from the American post-rock/emo outfit.

Back in September, Foxing delivered easily one of my favourite first spins all year, knocking me for a loop straight away with their much heavier sound and ambitious scope. The record is a natural step forward from Draw Down The Moon, with Foxing finessing the experimentation from that record for an album that feels fully realised and more assured.

From the aggressive stomps, whirring synths and violent screams of Hell 99, through to the dreamy, synth-soaked 8-minute odyssey that is Greyhound, Foxing try their hand at everything here and the result is never anything less than scintillating. This is captured perfectly in album highlight Gratitude, which sees Conor Murphy deliver an outstanding vocal performance amidst a glorious barrage of static instrumentation.

Without a doubt one of my favourite heavy records of the year, Foxing delivered a masterfully crafted and eclectic sonic thrill-ride with this self-titled, which also ranks right up there with their very best work.

Best tracks: Gratitude, Hell 99, Greyhound

Listen here

22. Filthy Underneath by Nadine Shah

Whilst everyone was going through their own personal turmoil during the last few years, much revered musician Nadine Shah was going through a particularly tumultuous time. Not long after releasing her 2020 album Kitchen Sink, Nadine would tragically lose her cancer-stricken mother during the height of the COVID-pandemic. Locked in isolation with her grief, Nadine entered a downward spiral that would play out over the next two years, with heavy substance abuse leading to depression, divorce and even an attempt to take her own life in 2022. Thankfully Nadine survived, agreeing to enter rehab where she would get the help and support she desperately needed.

Now out of rehab, substance-free and most importantly finding her happiness again, Nadine thankfully returned with new album Filthy Underneath earlier this year - and it is just an absolute tour de force from beginning to end. Playing out almost like a cathartic exorcism of all the demons that have plagued her the last few years, Filthy Underneath is the sound of Nadine laying everything bare for the listener. Brutally raw, deeply personal and gracefully honest, the heavy lyrical inspiration for each track is carefully balanced with liberating, synth-drenched and  rhythmic instrumentation, with the live-sounding production adding a theatrical touch to proceedings too.

While it’s an album best experienced as a complete work from start to finish, there are a few standout moments here too. None more so than Greatest Dancer, a song where Nadine recalls getting high on her mum’s prescription medicine in front of an episode of Strictly Come Dancing, with pulsating synths reverberating and tribal drums pounding away as she recounts her feelings in that moment. Sad Lads Anonymous is another high point, a poetic spoken word confessional that sees Nadine describe her woes to a work experience kid in an awards show bathroom. Both these tracks present the whole album as a microcosm, filled with sounds that draw you in and make you want to dance, whilst the stories at the core are quite dark and harrowing. It all eventually culminates in the album’s hardest moment, French Exit, an ominously tense track on which Nadine openly confronts her suicide attempt. It’s a truly devastating end to an utterly enthralling record.

It’s no secret that often the darkest times can produce the greatest art. Filthy Underneath is a testament to that, with Nadine bravely and openly sharing her story as both a lesson to others but also, no doubt, her own personal catharsis. Shocking and upsetting at points yet always refreshingly honest and completely captivating, this is without a doubt one of the most powerful albums released all year.

Best tracks: Greatest Dancer, Sad Lads Anonymous, See My Girl

Listen here

21. The New Sound by Geordie Greep

Momentarily going back to my Honourable Mentions blog where I shared the basic criteria I look at when choosing my Albums of the Year, you’ll notice point three: showed ambition or had something unique to offer. Now, if I judged these 2024 albums on that basis alone, there would arguably be one clear winner - this spellbinding solo debut from Black Midi’s Geordie Greep.

Having raised eyebrows with the out-of-the-blue announcement of Black Midi’s demise, the concern quickly turned to rapturous applause as The New Sound instantly became one of the most critically acclaimed records of 2024 – and for good reason too.

Fusing prog-rock with jazz and plenty of theatrical flair, The New Sound makes for a dazzling and dramatic hour-long listen. From the vintage swing of Terra to the Steely Dan-inspired lead single Holy Holy, through to album highlights such as the punky Motorbike, 12-minute epic The Magician and the waltzing finale of If You Are But A Dream, The New Sound is a breathtaking masterclass in inventive genre-fusion.

Weird, wonderful and completely unique, The New Sound is no doubt far too out-there for some listeners to stomach. But for those with the patience to fully process the wild musical arrangements they are hearing, Geordie Greep’s music will no doubt leave you astounded.

Best tracks: Holy Holy, As if Waltz, Motorbike

Listen here

The Albums of the Year countdown is nearing its conclusion - up next is the penultimate part, highlighting albums #20-11!

[jaylynx1412]

of course you have blue hair and pronouns...

[inclusivefuture]

Queer book recs from IFM's editors

Mantha's Rec(s)

Lynn Flewelling's Nightrunner Series and Tamír Triad

Any chance Mantha gets they recommend Lynn Flewelling's Nightrunner Series and Tamír Triad. Both set in the same world but in two different eras, these fantasy series have become so dear to them over the years.

The Nightrunner books are part fantasy, part political intrigue, part murder mystery, all while exploring themes of belonging and identity. And while they don't have genders outside the binary, the two main characters are bi, cis men (with a little gender-nonconformity in there, too.)

The Tamír Triad tells the coming of age story of a trans girl at court in the midst of political upheaval: think Knights of the Round Table but King Arthur is trans.

Flewelling's writing is impeccable. She has a gift for character, detail, and setting that creates immersive worlds. Though not recent publications - the first book came out in 1996 - they were the first books Mantha read that showed them that the sky was truly the limit in fantasy writing.

Lydia's Rec

All the White Spaces by Ally Wilkes

Not for the faint of heart, All the White Spaces by Ally Wilkes is a historical thriller in which a trans man stows away on an expedition ship bound for the Antarctic from England.

Set just after WWII, the stakes are quickly raised when the ship - the only way the expedition is getting home - is destroyed just shy of their destination. Missing most of the crew and nearly all their supplies, the few remaining members of the expedition must find a way to survive the winter in Antarctica.

Stumbling across a German expedition's camp seems like a stroke of good luck - but where did the Germans go (and would they even believe the war was over?), and what lurks in the darkness just outside of the lamp light?

Sione's Rec

Life Ceremony by Sayaka Murata

If you're a short story reader who loves weird, slightly dark speculative fiction (think George Saunders, Miranda July, Alexander Weinstein, Carmen Maria Machado), Sione highly recommends Sayaka Murata's book of short stories, Life Ceremony, which came out in paperback in May.

While the stories don't contain genders outside the binary, there is gay rep, asexual and aromantic spectrum rep, and neurodiversity rep.

But what really gets zir excied about this book are the themes! This is basically an entire short story collection about what's normal, who decides, and how changeable our social norms and taboos are, which opens a window into a future with many queer and neurodivergent possibilities. Ze hasn't been this excited about a new book in a very long time.

Originally published in our newsletter on July 31st, 2023.

[checkoutmybookshelf]

When Your Murder Mystery Party Goes A Little Too Well

Ally Carter has not missed yet with her adult novels. The Blonde Identity was a delight, and so was this book. The marketing pitched this book as a "Knives Out Christmas romance," but I haven't actually seen Knives Out, so I can't comment on the comparison. What I can comment on is how Agatha Christie meets James Bond the setup and characters are (I also got a few Castle vibes at points), and how fluffy and fun that was. This book also had quite a lot to say about gaslighting and recovering from being gaslit, which I deeply appreciated because seriously, people have got to STOP gaslighting their partners. It's BAD, actually. So let's talk The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year.

Hey, hi, hello. This is your SPOILER WARNING because I am going SPOIL THIS BOOK below the cut. Be warned.

When Maggie's publisher gently bullies her into going to a secret Christmas party thrown by Maggie's favorite author of all time, the publisher neglects to mention that Maggie will be travelling with Ethan Wyatt--former secret service agent turned writer (again, I told you I'd spoil the book) who is also the vessel Maggie has transferred all her self-loathing to in the wake of her nasty divorce and significant career setback.

The two have a somewhat contentious five-year history, which comes to a head while they're trapped in an old English Manor House in a blizzard. The communication between them has a great arc, and the use of time jumps is handled beautifully--by the time the reader is like, "what the heck WAS this incident!?!?" We get it and invariably we get some new context or perspective that just makes Maggie and Ethan's relationship even more fun to watch.

I will say, Maggie's ex, Colin, is the kind of raging douchecanoe we love to hate, and I deeply appreciate that the book didn't try to get empathetic or redemption arc-y with him. For fucks sake, the man took HALF OF MAGGIE'S COPYRIGHTS in the divorce and made her buy him out to get them back. The sheer LEVEL of dick move on that one floored me, and I adored that even a deeply hurt and gaslit Maggie understood that those rights MATTERED and that she got the important thing when she got them back.

The fact that Ethan also sees that and was like, "yeah no, you got YOU back and that's worth it" might have made me melt a little.

I also really enjoyed the bit of nuance in Ethan's backstory. Ally Carter LOVES writing spies. Like absolutely adores it. But what was interesting this time is that Ethan is a former spy who was pretty aggressively put out of commission by a severe injury, and his arc is really squaring his two identities: spy and thriller writer. It doesn't get as much page time as it maybe could have, because this is a fluffy Christmas romance, not a hard core novel about squaring identities, but its there and drawn clearly enough that it made sense and was fun to watch.

Overall, the whole book feels like just a slight shift could have brought it darker or more serious, but it stays light and fluffy, and I'm not complaining about it, because it was a sheer delight to read.

[more-profound-bond]

Queer Books for Pride Month:

"Liar City" by Allie Therin

The idea behind this one is really unique.

A world where empaths exist, but they're feared for their abilities. Where the line between being a monster and being a hero is thin. 

Also the worldbuilding is so well done! The alternate universe of Seattle created here is truly superb.

As you probably already noticed, I'm a huge fan of mystery and suspence. And in Liar City it was delivered absolutely flawlessly.

And the characters! Oh my god! Allie Therin did it again. She created characters, that feel so alive and real, you can really forget you are reading a book.

Reece is a softy, but he's sassy and witty, and I love him with all my heart. And Grayson is a character, that slowly creeps his way into your heart and the more you get to know him, the more you love him.

I absolutely adore their dynamic, although we don't really get much romance in this one.

The story is truly amazing and I really, really recommend this masterpiece.

[allie131313]

Yall!! I officially got my first anonymous hate message on tumblr calling me old even though I’m a freshly new 25 year old!!!!! Does this mean I’m getting tumblr famous?!? This is wild considering I really do nothing on this!!!

Im excited!! Thank you so much anon!!! I feel so seen!!! Keep it up sweetie!!! Thank you fr for taking time out of your day to make me feel this way!! I can’t believe I made it!!!

[jessread-s]

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review

✩🌊🖤Review:

A dazzling adult debut from Saft!

“A Dark and Drowning Tide” follows Lorelai Kaskel, a sharp-tongued folklorist, and Sylvia von Wolff, her academic rival, as they pair up to solve their mentor’s murder whilst on an expedition to find a magical spring for their king.

Saft’s atmospheric writing contributes to her immersive world-building. Her story is set in the fictional kingdom of Brunnestaad, a country heavily inspired by Germany, that is populated by both Brunnestaaders and the Yevani, akin to the Jewish community. Saft tackles problems of nationalism and antisemitism through the perspective of her main character Lorelai, a young Jewish woman whose determination to make a name for herself in being a part of the Ruhigburg expedition stems from her experiences in being “othered”. I really appreciate the Jewish representation and how Lorelai’s rich knowledge of Jewish and German folklore contributes to the reader’s understanding of the country’s history, culture, and politics.

I could not get enough of the murder mystery Lorelai tasks herself with solving as well as the sapphic, academic rivals-to-allies-to-lovers subplot! Sylvia is the only suspect that Lorelai can rule out following their mentor’s murder. These circumstances push them to strike a begrudging alliance as they work together to prevent the murderer from striking again. I love the slow pacing of their relationship development as they are forced to confront their feelings while in each other’s proximity. I thoroughly enjoyed occupying Lorelai’s mind during this time. Lorelai is fascinating to follow as she draws on her knowledge of folklore, quick wit, and keen observation skills to find the Ursprung and the killer. At the same time, she is actively fighting against her love for Sylvia by burying her emotions and masking them with self-loathing. I adored watching Syliva break through Lorelai’s stubborn and guarded personality with her unrelenting optimism! They are truly opposites in every sense of the word and complete each other. Nothing was more satisfying than watching them capture the culprit and each other’s hearts!

Cross-posted to: Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | StoryGraph

[beevean]

With overhype, while I try to be give things a chance within reason, I also tend to get burned hard and frequently by overhype, even back in the day. Whether that be standard Peak of All Time thrown everywhere, walls of text about how it's so much deeper/mature than whatever it is that I enjoy, or using bad faith critiques as an excuse to dismiss valid criticism altogether. All of this is why I could never get into Black Knight, Steven Universe, Undertale, and most things hyped up by Tumblr.

I was very lucky to have caught Undertale in time and that a friend recommended SU to me before joining Tumblr. Considering how their fandoms turned out to be... man.

I know it's unfair. I joked about being a contrarian, but while yes sometimes it's fun, other times I feel robbed, because I feel like I too could enjoy something I'd like with other people, but unfair factors like a vocal asshole minority or inflated expectations stop me.

A similar thing happened with SA2: I played it after five years of straight up hype that placed it as the pinnacle of the series (or 3D games, at least), even more so since they spanned the nadir of the franchise's reputation... and let me tell you, it soured my perception a lot, because I was promised perfection and I did not get it at all. Had I tried it today, I would have been more charitable, perhaps.

It depends, I think. I regret not watching Gravity Falls as it aired, because without the hype of the mystery, the show didn't stick with me. But Avatar? Oh, joining the party 10 years after it was over was the best decision I could have made lmao, I spared myself the worst of the ship wars and got all the intriguing analyses for free <3