#also I'm glad you like Fan Joy July!

[kikker-oma]

This is going to sound really dumb and random, but I call my grandma "Oma", so whenever I read your username, hear it as "kick yer Oma" and I'm like :0 noooooo

Anyways, you're CRUSHING this Fan Joy July! Love your art <3333

HAHAHAHAHA OMG THATS SO FUNNY😂😂😂😂😂

LOL I'm going to remember this so fondly lololol

No Grandma smackdowns happening here for sure🤣🤣

If it helps at all, Kikker means "frog" in Dutch🤣

Oooh that's so funny tho lol you've made my night, thank you Anon❤️

[redgoldsparks]

July reading and reviews by Maia Kobabe

I post my reviews throughout the month on Storygraph and Goodreads, and do roundups here and on patreon. Reviews below the cut.

Practical Anarchism: A Guide For Daily Life by Shuli Branson 

I picked this up after listening to the author's excellent interview on Gender Reveal. I'd never read an explanation of anarchy before and found this one accessible, intersectional, and rich with references to follow up on. Branson's basic argument is for recognizing that the state exists only to perpetuate its own power, and aids citizens only incidentally and when doing so doesn't conflict with maintaining control. In light of this, citizens should seek to gain as much freedom in daily life as they can by supporting community and mutual aid, by refusing hustle culture and separating self-worth from productivity, by spending as much time as they can on things that bring pleasure, joy, peace, and stealing from corporate workplaces among other things. Many sections of this book I found myself simply agreeing with, while other chapters (especially the sections on Work and Art) really challenged a lot of my internalized beliefs. I'm very glad I read this and imagine I will return to it in the future, especially when I'm able to read more on this topic.

How I Attended An All-Guy’s Mixer vols 1-6 by Nana Aokawa (fan translated) 

College students Tokiwa, Asagi, and Hagi are invited to a mixer with some college girls, but when they arrive they are greeted by three handsome boys at their reserved table. It turns out the girls they planned to meet at all work at a cross-dressing bar! Suo is a devastatingly charming and confident prince; Kohaku has a prickly exterior but a soft, shy interior; and Fuji draws smutty fan comics in her free time and is constantly on the lookout for new models. This goofy premise turns into a very sweet and funny slice of life comic as three couples with very different dynamics begin to develop. Sadly, I cannot find these books available in English so I am reading them at a sketchy online site, lol. I hope they get translated at some point because I've been completely sucked in and read four volumes in like 24 hours :3

Barda by Ngozi Ukazu

Barda is the captain of a soldier unit from a torture/hell world called Apokolips. Her backstory includes being kidnapped as a child and tortured into serving as the perfect weapon in a very black and white interplanetary war. Her torturer is an old woman named Granny Goodness. They work for a classic evil emperor named Darkseid, who has the son of his major enemy locked in his dungeons. At the beginning of the book, Barda is told to investigate how this guy, named Scott Free, keeps managing to almost escape. This is challenging material to make something out of. It feels so ridiculous, so campy, so over the top, I had a hard time taking the premise seriously- especially as this torture world has to obey PG-13 movie rules about not showing any blood or actual human mutilation. All that being said, I think Ukazu wrote about the best modern take as you possible could with these characters. The writing is quippy, smart, empathetic; I enjoyed the page layouts, color palette choices, and the emotional arc she takes Big Barda on through the book, even though I wanted it to go a little farther at the end.

We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds

Avery is a queer biracial teen, uprooted from her DC home just before senior year of high school by a family emergency which relocates her and her parents to Bardell, Georgia. Avery's grandmother, Mama Letty, has cancer and the prognosis isn't good. Avery is also fresh from a breakup with her first ever girlfriend. Her early years of high school were ruined by Covid, and she doesn't want to waste her last year as well in a back-woods town. But despite herself, Avery is drawn towards the people of Bardell and the ways she learns their histories tangle with her own. There's Carol, the woman next door, who was Avery's mom's best friend in high school but who know barely speaks to her. There's Carol's daughter, Simone, whose colorful locs catch Avery's eyes immediately. There's Jade, Simone's best friend at school whose family is linked to more than one tragedy in the town's history. And there's Mama Letty herself, who Avery wants to get to know, but time is running out. I read this book in just under a week while on vacation and really enjoyed it! It felt refreshingly grounded and real after some of the YA I've tried and DNFed recently.

Yotsuba vol 10 by Kiyohiko Azuma

Utterly charmed by the entire chapter that's just Yotsuba learning how to cook pancakes. What a good reminder that fine motor control is a learned skill! I also liked how Yotsuba's dad handled a lie about some broken dishes. This is such a great series.

Sunhead by Alex Assan 

In Tel Aviv, teenage Rotem spends her free time hanging out with friends and obsessively re-reading her favorite book, Sunrise, a vampire romance. She doesn't know anyone else into the series and has to wait for the next book to come out in Hebrew. But she does meet another reader, Ayala, who sits out of gym class every single week, sometimes with a Jane Austin novel. Rotem lends Ayala the vampire book and suddenly she has a fandom friend. This book very delicately, and at times wordlessly, explores the way a fictional story can act as a lens for teen questioning of gender and sexuality. The book feels almost memoir like with its groundedness in very real teen emotions and relative lack of external conflict. It's a simple story but beautifully illustrated and relatable.

Witch Hat Atelier vol 12 by Kamome Shirahama

This is an action packed volume that sticks more closely to Coco, which is what I want out of the series. I'm still frustrated by the overload of new characters who I'm struggling to keep tract of. But the art is so stunning I'll probably keep reading.

Otonari Complex vol 1 by Saku Nonomura (fan translated)

Akira is a tall tomboy who befriended a shorter, prettier boy named Makoto in elementary school. In college, they are still inseparable, and many people mistake them for a straight couple- though usually they think Akira is the boy and Makoto the girl. Makoto only adds to this confusion by frequently cross-dressing. I enjoyed the friendship and gender mix-ups, but I don't love how every single secondary character either wants to date one of the two leads, or whats to separate the two leads because their close friendship might prevent them from dating in the future. Get out of their business, randos! They are clearly on a very slow friends to lovers arc, leave them alone to figure out their shit.

Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen read by Vikras Adam 

At the start of this book, in 1959, Andy Mills is at rock bottom. The former San Francisco cop was fired after being discovered in flagrante with another man at a gay bar. He is seriously considering suicide because he can't see any other options. Then a well dressed older woman, Pearl, sweeps into his life and asks him to solve a weeks old murder that occurred on her private Marin estate. Pearl is a lesbian and widow; her wife was the owner of a well known floral soap company and she died under mysterious circumstances. Pearl was unable to call in the police at the time because nearly everyone who lives on the soap flower farm estate is queer. A small group of biological and found family has made a safe, gated community for themselves- safe, that is, until one woman fell to her death from a second floor balcony. Andy isn't too hopeful about solving a case with little to no evidence, but he gives it a try, and he is blown away by seeing multiple queer couples living opening together in the same household. This was a solid story, though it didn't have that magic spark that sometimes captures me in murder mysteries. I was all ready to say I probably wouldn't continue the series, and then a 15 minute sample of the second book played after the end of the first in the audiobook. The second one already sounds MUCH more fascinating than the first, in part because Andy starts the sequel in touch with an intriguing queer community and setting up a new PI business. So I might try the next book after all!

Mabel McKay: Weaving the Dream by Greg Sarris 

A wonderful, lively memoir of Pomo basket weaver and medicine woman Mabel McKay, as written by Greg Sarris, who knew her for most of his life until she passed in the early 1990s. Sarris is currently the chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria based in Sonoma County which serves the local Pomo and Miwok populations. Sarris is very much also a character in this story, which lays out many conversations had on long car rides up and down the California coast, while Sarris drove McKay to give talks at universities and museums or to visit her relatives. The story is non chronological but still immersive, telling of McKay's childhood, her early years doctoring and making baskets, and her life-changing friendship with Essie Parrish, another basket weaver and important figure in Sonoma county. I'd highly recommend this book, especially to anyone interested in West Coast history, and very especially if you grew up in California.

[bigcats-birds-and-books]

Books of 2024: July Wrap-Up.

This month, I picked my knitting back up with a vengeance, started a Three Sentences Writing Challenge, AND participated in several work-adjacent Social Events (who am I, even), On Top Of accidentally nerfing myself with several brick-like books, so! This little stack isn't half bad. Photos and/or reviews linked below:

ORDINARY MONSTERS - ★★ This was a miss for me, y'all, AND it was a brick, so it took a hot minute to read. I wanted it to be better than it was, but it rambled and wandered Too Much (which, coming from me, you KNOW is bad). Salty also-rambly 1.5k review linked.

IF FOUND, RETURN TO HELL - ★★★½ Way cuter than I was expecting!! I had a good time with the second person. Hugely relatable (which. wild. all things considered.).

THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE - ★★★½ Funnier than anticipated, and very readable for something out of the '50s! I see why it's a cornerstone of the (sub)genre. Glad I have a copy on hand now.

THE ACTOR AND THE TARGET - ★★★★★ This Rewired My Brain. It took me three (3) weeks to get through. It was so good. If you're a writer, definitely check this out, 10/10 recommend.

WHEN AMONG CROWS - ★★★½ I checked this out from the library because hardback novellas are Expensive if you're not sure you vibe with the author's style, but I had a good time! Witcher fans should descend on this, I think.

ALWAYS COMING HOME - 76*/618 pages read; will report back later. I asked the People about this one, and the People have Spoken (read: this won my What Do I Read Next Poll), but I may or may not have miscalcuated how many brain cells I have available lately between work and writing, so I may or may not be cutting this with library books. I'll finish it. Eventually. (*asterisk because she keeps referencing Other Pages In Line, and every time she does I jump ahead to read those pages instead and then come back to where I was. I'm dual wielding bookmarks through this tome, it's an Experience™ so far!)

Under the Cut: A Note About ~*★Stars★*~

Historically, I have been Very Bad™ about assigning things Star Ratings, because it's so Vibes Heavy for me and therefore Contingent Upon my Whims. I am refining this as I figure out my wrap up posts (epiphany of this month: I don't like that stars are Odd, because that makes three the midpoint and things are rarely so truly mid for me)(I have hacked my way around this with a ½). Here is, generally, how I conceptualize stars:

★ - This was Bad. I would actively recommend that you do NOT read this one, no redeeming qualities whatsoever, not worth the slog. Save Yourself, It's Too Late For Me. Book goes in the garbage (donate bin).

★★ - This was Not Good. I would not recommend it, but it wasn't a total waste or wash--something in here held my interest/kept my attention/sparked some joy. I will not be rereading this ever. Save Yourself (Or Join Me In Suffering, That Seems Like A Cool Bonding Activity).

★★★ - This was Good/Fine/Okay/Meh. I don't care about this enough to recommend it one way or another. Perfectly serviceable book, held my interest, I probably enjoyed myself (or at least didn't actively loathe the reading). I don't have especially strong feelings. You probably don't need to save yourself from this one--if it sounds like your jam, give it a shot! Just didn't resonate with me particularly powerfully. I probably won't reread this unless I'm after something in particular.

★★★½ - I liked this! I'll probably recommend it if I know it matches someone's vibes or specific requests, but I didn't commit to a star rating on Goodreads. More likely to reread, but not guaranteed.

★★★★ - I really enjoyed this!! I would recommend it (sometimes with caveats about content warnings or such--I tend to like weird fucked up funny shit, and I don't have many hard readerly NO's). Not a perfect book for me by any means, but Very Good. This is something I would reread! Join me!!

★★★★★ - I LOVED THE SHIT OUT OF THIS, IT REWIRED MY BRAIN, WILL RECOMMEND TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE AT THE SLIGHTEST PROVOCATION (content warning caveats still apply--see 4-star disclaimer). Excellent book, I'll reread it regularly, I'll buy copies for all my friends, I'll try to convince all of Booklr to read it, PLEASE join me!!

[ajscico]

Fan Joy July Day 31

multiple fics! I nicknamed this set in my head "abandoned, orphaned and deleted, or why I have a fic hoard." 😅 and the post got long so I'll spare y'all's dashboard with a read more...

Let’s not and say we did. By SincerelyMystic

This one was abandoned and I'm so glad it wasn’t deleted but... yeah. I hope the author is doing well wherever they are. Good fic. Good angst.

This art would be a couple images from the last published chapter. Twilight and Sky are sitting stunned as shock hasn’t worn off yet, Sky broke a leg in the fall and the pair just got dramatically introduced to Mipha’s Grace so... Wild is sitting up amidst the remains of the teal flames.

Wild groaned and sat up, pressing a hand over his eyes. “Where’s the Talus,” he muttered, and Twilight blinked in astonishment.

“There isn’t one,” He breathed. “You joined Sky in his decent to death and managed to die just fine without a Talus.”

Amidst everything else that happens in the fic, a little morbid humor to break the tension. Maybe one day I'll have to follow my own trend and write something to resolve this... and maybe then it will not haunt my wips?

A True Love of Mine Morigenos (orphan_account)

Orphaned fic. Watch the triggers on this one please. It’s...a lot. I am aware I have really weird tolerances for certain topics but the song behind this fic and how it was tied in beautifully... I couldn't leave it out. 

It's the scene after Wars has finished telling the tale to Legend. He’s a mess. He’s bared his soul and revealed more than he really meant to tell the Vet and Legend helps him close the locket, covering the trinket and the precious contents of it in both their hands. 

Legend was also crying, eyes wide at the horrors that were just described to him, and was at a completely lose for any words. What do you say? What do you say to someone who lost everything in the most brutal way? What do you say to the person you do nothing but argue with since you met them, and they just shed their soul in front of you? There was nothing to say, only actions can speak for you at this point, and he wanted to make his count.

Still blubbering, he got on his knees with Warriors, and slowly closed the locket in his brother’s hand. He put it in Warriors’ left hand and closed said hand around the locket, Wars looking at him the whole time.

Father Time Series By Heroine of Twilight 

So the series is taken down from Ao3, but I did download most of them before that happened. So my choice out of the wonderful series is: Not A Father but a Dad

This series is full of lovely Dad!Time content. And the series as a whole is one I pull up when I miss my dad. This fic is a highlight of three times Time got to play dad to members of the Chain. And the art would be summary scenes of these three in particular. The fic includes the instances of: teaching Legend to shave, taking Sky for his first drink (and giving him advice on marriage), and showing Wild how to fix a roof while Wild confesses he wants to rebuild the ranch ruins and make it a place that is even a shadow as home-like and welcoming as Lon Lon is. Alas, I cannot link the fic.

31 days, wow, not bad for the first time I managed to do an event, even if it was not the traditional way this should have gone. Thank you @/kikker-oma for proposing this wonderful event. We should do it again next year. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[spnscripthunt-inactive]

🧵⤵️

In this episode, I feature fans and organizers who give back to their community, both within #SPNFamily and impacting those far outside fandom.

First up? The resource sharing group @spnscripthunt (who also provide prizes for raffles that are used to raise money for good causes, like the Trevor Project.

And who remembers the hilarious #GrumpyJensen memes during charity campaign run by @spn-family-giving? (And @/TrendyKittyKat says they're looking for other fans to partner with for future campaigns!)

I'm also glad I got to highlight the importance of mental health resources, though both fans a La @/SPNsurvivors & @/abeautifulswan, as well as through @jarpad's #AlwaysKeepFighting activism

The next section brought me so much joy, personally! I even got to bring up my day job & the math podcast I make: https://www.imsi.institute/feed/podcast/

That's right, I finally got to talk about @/GISH! And, though @/LadyMalchav, I learned how it all started.

I only got to participate in #GISH one year with my team, Off-Grid GISHERs, before sadly the scavenger hunt came to an end. At least I had @/NorthernSprw give us the inside scoop on the suspending/ending of GISH.

You want to support @/gilesduley's Legacy of War nonprofit (sans GISH), I've included a link here: https://www.legacyofwarfoundation.com/donate

The final section of this episode takes a look at @/RandomActsOrg, with voices from all over the org, including Jennifer Willis Rivera, @/RachelMiner1, & @/Rea79

The hyper local focus of the Acts of Kindness program is really special to me. I've used one of their grants to even help at my local soup kitchen!

And if you feel inspired to do an "Act of Kindness", here's the link! I promise, it's an easy process: https://www.randomacts.org/acts/

As I mentioned in the show, @/mishacollins is still raising funds to de-mine Ukraine 🇺🇦 & you can support the effort here:

And did I mention the lovely artist for this pod, @/__ellie is ALSO a Random Acts volunteer?! 💕

Anyways, thanks to @/DrAnnaFunk for editorial support when I get too ramble-y & @/ChrisPScott1984 for writing the shows music.

You can support the pod here: https://ko-fi.com/in_defense_of_fandom

Just a point of clarification: our World Central Kitchen fundraiser kicks off on Sat, July 29 (we needed more time to finish getting autos at cons, we've gotten them from cons here in the states, as well as in Canada, UK, and Italy). The raffle closes on Sat, Aug 26 and we'll announce winners on Tues, Aug 29. More info to come.

[forbidding-souda]

Hello, been lurking for awhile, figured its time I send an ask to one of the best Danganronpa blogs I've found. I'd like to kindly request Junko, Mukuro, Miu, and Mikan with an Ultimate Mad Scientist SO.

When I say Mad Scientist, I mean the Jekyll and Hyde chaotic energy type, whose totally willing to experiment in the most sketchy ways.

Thank you so so much in advance, take all the time you need because I know whatever wait there is will be worth it.

Junko Enoshima, Mukuro Ikusaba, Miu Iruma, and Mikan Tsumiki with the SHSL Mad Scientist S/O

happy forth of july

Tbh I need to read that strange case of jekyll and hyde book mmmm my mom loves that character

And thank you for waiting!! And thank you for reading my stuff. Here it is, I hope you like it, I love you <3

currently watching: white chicks

✯✯✯✯✯

-Mod Souda

✯✯✯✯✯

Junko Enoshima

✯ It's the type of vibe she desires in somebody. The lack of restraint and the weak sense of ethics makes her reminisce: you have the personality she has wanted in a partner ever since she was a child. Before she even approached you she would watch you from afar, as she is an observer and always has been. You are just so authentic and so very interesting. When the two of you were in class together she would sit at her desk with her chin in her palm, watching you sit at yours. You'd tap the pencil against your lips in thought - the thought never had anything to do with the lecture. You were always planning, she guessed. She knew what you were planning, of course she did, but she always wanted to hear it from your lips.

You put your fist ontop your open hand, mischief in your smile before you motion to play rock-paper-scissors. Her own smile grows. Are you really going to play against her? She thinks about it a little harder. Playing rock paper scissors with her is equivalent to asking her for her final say. With her analytical skills, she decides who wins and loses, therefore it is nothing like a game of chance. You know that, and she knows you know that. "Fists first." Your smile never fades. She repeats it with less enthusiasm. You win, of course, and you bounce in joy. "Oh, that's excellent," you glance around. "That means I get to mix the concoction, okay, stand back with the shield in case it explodes."

✯ She always helps you get away with shit. This means that she will both assist you in carrying out a project and assist in getting you out of trouble.

✯ She is 100% your number one fan, though. You'll be showing her this amazing chemical (definitely not toxic) cloud you can make and suddenly she's holding up a 10[/10] sign.

✯ Talks about you a lot to other people.

✯ Though, she does use some of your concoctions for evil, especially the ones of the dissolving sorts. Or she gives some to "Chikatilo~" for some event you're not informed of.

✯ Every day you step into your lab and find something missing. You don't worry about it. You know she is up to no good, and that is a valid reason.

.

Mukuro Ikusaba

✯ She was used to surrounding herself with chaotic energy. You differed, however, because you actually offered her a house filled with love. A house of contravening can also be a sanctuary in which she is welcomed. There's something alluring about you, your unpredictable energy and your passion are things she likes. Even when the two of you were first in class together, mere strangers, she noticed your passion, and it put her into deep thought. Is she passionate about her SHSL, or does she just indulge in it because she is good at it? She looks up to you!

When she walks in on you holding one of her guns, she does hesitate for a second - a second - but it goes unnoticed by you, as by the time you notice her she's already continuing with what her goal was. She talks without even looking at you. "What's the idea with this one?" "Well, I'm so glad you asked." With your finger off the trigger you playfully point the gun at her, and as if she had a third eye, she glances over at that exact moment. You continue: "do you think I can create an acid that can dissolve a bullet faster than it flies?" She comes and takes the gun from you, examining the model before pointing it at the wall. Her finger twitches on the trigger. "Hmmm..." She seems to be in deep thought. "Maybe... Do you want to try?"

✯ If you accidentally launch something into the air, she can catch it very quickly. You can throw vials at her and she will be able to catch them before they shatter.

✯ ^ The gloves she wears are very valuable.

✯ ^ You always grab her hand and lead her over while you're in the middle of working, and she doesn't worry about being put in danger because god damnit she is wearing these gloves for a reason.

✯ When she feels as if she is missing you she will go to the little lab you have set up in the house and she will scold you for working so hard (a lie to get you to hang out with her).

✯ She will sometimes hide in the shadows and just watch you work.

✯ ^ The way you will randomly smile to yourself is unsettling.

.

Miu Iruma

✯ You bet your ass she did everything she could to try and seduce you. The two of you were like magnets. She almost felt as if she needed you, as if being with you would be the final puzzle piece that would finish her project of living the ideal life. She needed somebody who could understand her at a psychological level, and not just somebody who will think she's amusing and be supportive. When she explains her ideas to you, you look at her with excited eyes and share other suggestions that she can bounce off of. She has never met somebody who indulges in her crazy ideas. She has never met somebody who never hesitates when it comes to being a person she can depend on.

You look over at her, stopping and holding the turkey baster, trying to carefully put a totally controlled amount into the tiny container. When the noise stops you continue, holding your breathe as you hold your face close to the counter.

But there the noise is again: her loudly slurping her noodles. You glance over.

She is looking right at you.

"Miu."

"Yeah?"

You blink.

When you try and finish your project, she just starts slurping again.

"Alright," you put your stuff down and jump on her, not caring if you spill any of the food.

✯ You are absolutely brilliant and it drives her crazy sometimes. The two of you will get into an argument and it is hilarious because she is stubborn, and you are always right, so it doesn't go hand in hand.

✯ She looks at you with love blazing in her eyes, and sometimes it weirds you out. She will notice the expression on your face and then say some brash joke.

✯ There aren't many layers to the relationship and she is happy for that. She doesn't want to feel as if her partner is peeling her back layer by layer, she wants to feel as if all the layers have melted together. She isn't a bundle of different traits, she is herself. You get that.

✯ Tbh sometimes when you're working on something she'll probably just purposely spill something all over you just to try and convince you to take off your clothes mmm.

✯ Probably jokes about chemicals and brain hormones. I'm not smart enough to think on one myself.

.

Mikan Tsumiki

✯ She relates to you a bit. She understands the need to go beyond rules and regulation in the name of discovering new things. Does she go through with it? Not really. She'd never hurt anybody on purpose, but if they were already hurt, then what's the harm? You can see that in her. The admiration she looks at you with goes beyond any verbal sense of agreement or any opposing thoughts of compliancy. Still, sometimes she questions it. Why do you chose to do this, or words that go along those lines.

✯ Oh, if you don't stop stealing her syringes. She even hid the needles, the different gauges she has, but you then got your own. Whenever she tries to sneak into your lab to take them back, she always bumps into something and falls.

✯ She will often just quietly sit in the corner of your lab and study. The reason she will do this is simple: she wants to be around you.

✯ But yeah, sometimes you set her up for failure by asking her to carry some potion into the kitchen (knowing she might drop it). It's never something hazardness, but whenever she leaves the room you are just waiting for that clatter and yelp.

✯ You never see her move as fast as when she dodges your hand when you reach out to her with your dirty hands. She knows a bit about bacteria and contamination, and she does not know about asbestos and lead.

[simplyclary]

The Flash: Start With War, End With Love

(Photo credits: The CW)

[WARNING: MAJOR Spoilers ahead for the Season 7 finale of The Flash "Heart of the Matter Part 2"]

Okay, to kickstart things, let me just say that this has got to be my most favorite finale of all the finales of the show. I lost my voice screaming, drained my eyes crying and fangirled my heart out the entire time. This episode just had me off my seat the entire time. But hold that for a moment, let's back up here.

Aired yesterday, July 20, 2021, was the 151th episode and the finale of the 7th season of the hit CW series "The Flash" and it was a finale that had fans excited and emotional.

The episode started where last week's episode left off, with Barry (Grant Gustin) inside the mind of August Heart, a.k.a Godspeed (guest star Karan Oberoi), to figure out his entire agenda. In a conversation scene, Heart revealed to Barry that he wanted organic speed because he wanted to be faster than Barry's son Bart (guest star Jordan Fisher). When Barry finally woke up, he told his entire team, including August, what he had witnessed inside, which left August devastated and worried for his future.

The GodSpeed clone wars (aha, a little Star Wars reference there) was still ongoing, and Barry had to find a way to stop this once and for all, while ensuring that there would be no casualties. He then got the help of fellow speedster Jay Garrick (guest star John Wesley Shipp) and the human form of the speedforce, Nora (guest star Michelle Harrison). His children Bart and Nora (guest star Jessica Parker Kennedy) and the love of his life Iris (Candice Patton) also joined in the fray of speedsters. With the knowledge of what they are about to face, Speedforce Nora gave them a little boost of speed and they all sped into action, with Mecha-Vibe (Carlos Valdes) and Frost (Danielle Panabaker) as backup.

With all speedsters all boosted up, a fight scene ensued, with all the speedsters displaying various abilities. Bart firing "shurikens" out of his lightning, Nora using her "lightning lasso", Jay going Captain America, throwing his helmet like a shield, Speedforce Nora snapping away lightning at the clones, Barry and Iris fighting back to back. This scene seriously gave me Avengers: Endgame flashbacks. Of course, let us not forget Chester (Brandon McKnight) talking Allegra (Kayla Compton) into aiding the speedsters with her microwave blasts.

Just when I thought it was all well and done, August Heart gained access to his dormant abilities through a "Tachyon-Enhancing" device with a little organic speed boost from Barry and he became GodSpeed, which is a lot badder than the clones. He then fought Barry, and when Barry thought he was going to be zapped to death, Reverse-Flash (Tom Cavanagh) showed up. What had me crying the second time was when a fight in the style of the famous "Duel of the Fates" scene from Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace ensued between Flash, Reverse-Flash and Godspeed. All of them wielded "lightning sabers" and fought each other. GodSpeed was only defeated when Reverse Flash stabbed him. Guess that's goodbye for now. Barry also showed his full speed to his arch-nemesis, which also started a mini fight between the two speedsters.

The most magical and emotional moment of the episode was probably when the titular couple of the show, Barry and Iris renewed their vows, with Bart, taking after his father, serenaded the lovely couple with a sweet song. Cisco also officiated the renewal of vows and it ended with a sweet kiss that is filled with love. This renewal of vows scene honestly had me bawling because I admit that I'm a weakling when it comes to proposals, weddings and reunions. Plus, the whole season, fans haven't gotten a West-Allen kiss and I'm glad they saved a kiss for the very end of the season.

Honestly, there is not a show who can bring joy to me more than The Flash. I have been so attached to the characters that I get really happy every time I see them happy. I pray that this show will last until season 10 or beyond, because I can't imagine my life without this show. Kudos to all the cast and crew who put so much dedication and hard work to this show.

I cannot say more about this episode rather than it is a perfect way to end the season. So far, there are no cliffhangers that will give a hint as to what Season 8 will give, but I'm willing to wait for the premiere of the next season to find out what's next.

This is how you end a season, folks. Start it rough, full of war and being separated from one another, yet at the end, everything will fall into place and love, forgiveness and peace will remain victorious.

Watch out for the 8th season of The Flash airing November 16th at 8/7 central on the CW.

[julies-butterflies]

I can't tell whether you're just really good at describing people or making fan casts because holy shit, that is EXACTLY how I pictured them, Nicky especially. He is precious!!! All I want to do is hug him! So so badly. Wow, Ethan really does look like his dad. And the twins!!!!! Ohhh they're adorable! Erica and Nicky... I love them so much. Nicky being such a wonderful father is so powerful. Him remembering Reggie never fails to destroy me. The end of regenisis haunts me. I swear, I've read the whole thing at least 6 times and every time, it hits hard.

And yeah, that Nicky and Reggie prompt was me. Shocking, I know. I wish I could tell you how many prompts I sent in, but honestly, I don't even remember at this point. I kind of freaked out when you opened prompts, and impulsively sent as many as I could think of.

(Oh yeah, I also sent in the Julie and Carrie and the Alex and Reggie prompts. And I loved them both so so much. But that tends to be a given with your writing. I'd read your grocery lists dude, I'm sure they'd be riveting)

off topic, but! I checked out your playlists! "All I've Ever Known" is SUCH a jukebox song, I was happy to see it there! I'm curious, do you happen to have any songs that you associate with any of your universes? I like linking songs to stories, plus, you have great taste in music.

Anyways I'm still lowkey screaming about your update tonight!!!! That was seriously so good. I love how you write Julie and Carrie's relationship SO SO MUCH. You just get the nuance of that tension, the awkwardness, that specific flavor of pain so well. I'm so glad the band is getting gigs! The boys plans to haunt Carrie are hysterical. They are such himbos. I love that premise and how you executed it so so much.

I didn't even think about the POSSIBILITY of you writing something for the Pattersons in that universe! When I tell you that I have literally been thinking about that all day, I mean it! Oh my god. OH my god I am not ready. I am going to sob through it, I just know. Your Patterson pieces are just...god I don't even know where to begin. You write them EXACTLY how I imagined their relationship the first time I watched the show. Emily and Luke's relationship is utterly fascinating to me, and you just find all the little things, all the broken pieces that make up the tragedy and pick through them to create the most stunning character studies. I'm so excited ( and terrified) to see what you do. And I've never seen anyone explore the messy possibilities such a revelation would bring, and I've been thinking about that since I watched the show and now YOU'RE WRITING IT and I shall scream with joy.

I've seen you talk about your sister before and i'm so sorry for your loss. The catharsis is clear, the emotions in everything you write... There's just so much love in your stories. There's so much power, so much honesty and understanding. It feels like you're sharing your heart with us. That's the only way I can think to put it.

With love,

-Vampire Anon

oh god, vampire anon, you're going to kill me!! i just... thank you so much. thank you. a little piece of my heart goes into every story i write... and these past few months, it's been almost a relief to give some of them away.

you know that feeling when you've broken a glass, or a figurine, and there's just... pieces everywhere? tiny shards, jagged little fragments, and you think to yourself "... okay. maybe i can fix the bigger pieces, i can put it back together close to what it was before, but i don't know what to do with all these little, painful pieces?" and every time you touch them, they jab you, and you regret it??

that's what i've felt like, and writing has helped me get rid of those awful pieces. i'm thinking specifically, like... if i didn't know better, probably magic, cuts like broken glass. those are the pieces i'm most proud of, i think... the most cathartic ones?? like, regenesis (specifically the chapters where they're dealing with "reggie might be dying, can we really let him go") was so cathartic for me, because it really mirrored losing my sister. it's... funny what comes out when you need it to the most.

being able to look back at a painful period of life and see something you've accomplished, something worth being proud of... something that didn't just make you happy, but spread joy to other people?? like... being able to make people laugh, and cry, and feel so deeply that they connect with every word in a story... that's the gift of a writer, i think, and it's insanely powerful!

okay, so listen, i'm gonna take a while with the prompts (slow bitch with 20 wips here) but they will all get done!! hopefully they'll all be pretty good, or at least entertaining lol.

i've been working a lot on the carrie fic right now --- the outline is all finished, it's freaking going places! let me tell you, there's gonna be so much himbo activity (with a huge focus on female friendships, and repairing that painful rift between carrie, flynn, and julie!! and a bit of soul stealing, potential character death, and general spookiness in there). hopefully it will actually get finished!!

and i, uhh... threw another patterson fic out there today, so hope you're doing alright, baenon.