#also queer Francesca lets fucking go

[buzz-cow-man]

What if eloise meets a woman in scotland and thats who she starts sending letters to instead of phillip (im holding out for queer eloise)

What if benedict meets a man and a woman at that ball instead of just sophie (he got one taste of a threesome and didnt want to go back)

[k3n-dyll]

Was (and still am) so excited for the sapphic pairing that's going to be in Bridgerton, but of fucking course straight women that are only 'allies' when it comes to mlm relationships (because they fetishize gay men, but that's another convo) had to act like it was the end of the fucking world that Francesca could possibly be attracted to a woman.

All of a sudden these fuckers care about historical accuracy in a show that is very blatantly not historically accurate the minute they see dykes on a screen.

"Oh but her infertility"

Please don't piss me off and act like queer women can't also have that experience. Not to mention they aren't even together right now, she's with a man, they can show her infertility experience and still let her be fucking gay.

Every new season that comes out these mfs act like they're new. If you really wanted book accuracy your favorite Bridgerton brothers would still be abusive pieces of shit like they were in the fucking books.

I hope they scissor for several minutes on screen multiple times just to piss people off good lord.

[aster-petrichor]

Bridgerton S3 - brainrot rant

EVERYTHING

IT WAS EVERYTHING

SO YEAH

I'm struggling to find words so lets just get right into it. Ep5 itself was wow. and did they have to end every episode on basically a cliffhanger (i loved the tension, delicious).

It was. steamy. that scene with the yk mirror and the sofa and they talking and giggling.

'The firmness of your lips parted just so.. and then there are other parts I've been.. dreaming about' - Colin Bridgeron (a total fucking simp)

and then the cut to Anthony and Kate to Franchesca totally infodumping on this dude in the cutest fucking way <3<3<3

not to mention Benerdicts whole entire arc of s1 bicoded to s2 cishet to s3 bi-poly vibes in a very slay girlypop way and I genuinly think the show in this season has managed to do queer representation correctly and I'm just so happy about that.

Also I'm all over the place rn cuz I just finished watching but like for people who know book stuff. I was NOT expecting that for Francesca WOW YES (did anyone else notice the mirroring between that meeting and the one her mother had with her father?).

Also in the final ball the way Pen's dress looks green and then looks blue when she gets on the stage is !!!!! so yes wow pretty yes.

Did anyone else notice the way Violet fixated on the guys mouth when he was eating. The Bridgerton's really do all be like that. I appreciate the attention to detail from the showmakers there wow.

On the note of Francesca's upcoming arc. I somehow expected El and Ben to be it. But there are NO complaints from my end about this development.

more colin quote: "If my only purpose in life is to love a woman as great as you. Then I will be a very lucky man indeed."

Also Pen and her mother and that entire dynamic was a Moment and a half and I could try and write essays on it when I'm more awake.

Yk what lets talk Cressida. And her evil to good to sad evil arc she had going on. Because wow she has me feeling so many emotions both for and against her. Did they really end her arc the way they did were her being shipped off with evil aunt because I really was hoping she would either get away or marry debling (who seems to have vansihed) and that really sad. Like the blackmail was so wrong of her and I do think Pen may have just helped her if she had asked in a nice person way but she was desparate and alone and young and like she knew her actions were bad, but she was trying to save herself from worse and that sucks. She is giving August from YR but less intense and more tragic. I do wish she had a better outcome but also penance? Idk unsatifying end.

Tilly. Wow. She is kinda awesome and like. yeah. slay.

Danbury as always just ate. She walked in and slayed the floor down. I did like that little reference to the spin off Queen Charlotte they did there with the scene with Violet refering to the paper crowns and friendship. That felt like cracking a knuckle.

I think I'll go and reblog other s3 posts now and lose my mind elsewhere. Farewell and happy watching!!

[katnissdoesnotfollowback]

Do you have a favorite Bridgerton book/storyline?

Favorite/Least Favorite changes book to show?

So let me start this answer by saying that I haven’t watched any of season 3 yet. 🫣 Part of that is money reasons. We pared down our streaming services to the minimum when money was tight and I just haven’t gotten around to renewing my Netflix. Probably will once the rest of season 3 drops because… (book spoilers below the cut)

My 3 favorite books/storylines are:

1) When He Was Wicked (Francesca & Michael Stirling) because holy damn and hell and everything holy in between. Michael Stirling is the epitome of making consent sexy. That's all I'm gonna say about that, but I've seen enough talk and gif's floating around here to know that they've introduced John Stirling already and I am HERE for them laying the groundwork for a season five or six focused on Francesca and Michael Stirling.

2) Romancing Mr. Bridgerton (Colin & Penelope) asfklsjfksanfs. I loved how sweet their story is, enough that I am mildly concerned about how they're going to deal with the massive change on the show, i.e. the fact that book!Lady Whistledown didn't nearly bring ruin and humiliation down on the Bridgerton family at all, let alone twice. On the one hand, I understand why show!Penelope did this and I kind of love that they've given her this massive mistake, this huge flaw for her and Colin to work through. But also 🫣 I don't have an excessive amount of faith in them handling these kinds of changes well on the show because the show is all about The Drama. Which brings me to...

3) The Viscount Who Loved Me (Anthony & Kate) Look. I absolutely love some of the changes they've made while translating the books to screen. And I don't even care all that much for the historical accuracy of the show. They threw it out the window with season one and made it a brilliant alternate universe that allows them the freedom to not only give us a diverse cast but also give the middle finger to anyone who says "that' never would've happened." So I'm willing to forgive a lot of changes. Buuuuutttt.... having Anthony actually propose to Edwina, having Edwina actually believing she wanted to marry Anthony, changed the characters in a way that didn't sit very well with me. At least not with the way it was handled on the show.

So that covers my least favorite change they've made on the show so far, now for my two favorite changes.

Benedict. Gah he's so much better, such a more interesting and fleshed out character on the show than he is in the book. They've maintained his fantastic sense of humor and relationships with his siblings and somehow made it better by bringing in the pseudo underground culture of artists, the introduction of queer characters, and his cravats! I could write an ode to show Benedict's wardrobe it is FABULOUS. And while I know I said above that I don't really care for the changes made to Anthony's story, I'm kind of hoping they flip book!Benedict's story on it's head and see where they can take it. Because that book was one of my least favorites. Give him a man. Or give him a woman built like Luisa Madrigal but who sometimes dresses as a man and can pull it off. I don't care but do SOMETHING ELSE besides the nonsense that happens in his book and GIVE HIS PARTNER SOME FUCKING AGENCY.

Queen Charlotte. Look. She's not even in the books, but she's one of my favorite characters on the show. She and Lady Danbury own my whole heart, okay? And her spinoff show... I've only been able to watch it once because (other than the money issue mentioned above), I was crying literal buckets starting somewhere around episode five until the end and I binge watched that shit so what is that like six hours straight crying???? Also, having her as a character gave us Brimsley and Reynolds. (*whispers my poor overworked and beleaguered babies*) I wasn't overly fond of the role she played in dragging out the drama surrounding Anthony and Edwina, but that could've been avoided entirely if you'd given show!Edwina even an ounce of book!Edwina's compassion and understanding of her sister and had her do something equally dramatic like, oh I don't know... TURN HIM DOWN?!?!? (Can you tell I'm still salty about this?)

Alright, that's enough of that. I have a job interview to prepare for, but this was a nice distraction from my inevitable nerves.

Love,

kdnfb

[harbingerofsillies-reblogs]

You know it's bad when you make a playlist about the hyperfixation

Anyway I tried to put songs I didn't see on other playlists cause I feel like everyone defaults to mother mother

Some highlights under the cut, i would put them all if i didn't have a 30 images limit lol

I like to put songs in order based on the chronological order of the story so the mood of the lyrics actually fits the vibe and all

Also so many of these are Toga POV

The Garden is a song about being queer in a religious community and idk I feel like Togachako's whole "weird" thing they had going on was also for being queer and anyway, Ochako repressed her feelings a lot and I like to see this verse as Himiko telling her to stop repressing herself

I can only imagine this as them talking to each other cause some things fit Himiko and some Ochako and this song generally just makes me depressed tbh

They're so Dear Arkansas Daughter coded. The "as my love for you dies" are Himiko after Ochako tells her she deserves whatever's coming to her.

Himiko again, same thing as before.

Still Himiko cause despite it all, despite how mad and angry and "that's strange cause I don't think about you anymore" she's still hung up about it.

This one is both of them tbh

Depending on the verse it fits them both

Himiko during the second war with the sad man's death parade

Their fight in general tbh

This song is about a relationship that's basically over but neither of the people in the relationship actually end it and like,,, Himiko,,,, cause Togachako was doomed and Himiko didn't want anything to do with Ochako but Ochako wouldn't let her quit and kept reaching for her,,,

Himiko.

I'm still replaying my strangers edit in my head 24/7 like it's rotating inside a microwave. (Also this song's actual meaning is definitely not romantic but the theme of cannibalism with these two breaks me cause like,,, yeah Ochako lived in the end but imagine her body reacted badly for a bit to Himiko's blood like,,, "If i'm turning in your stomach and I'm making you feel sick",,, i fucking love this song,,,)

both.

Ochako cause she could literally spot her tears in a sea of clones.

Do I even need to explain myself.

Francesca by Hozier THE love song. Also obvious Ochako pov along with the next few songs.

This song is SO important to me, no one gets "we'll never have sex" like I do ok- that said: Himiko.

Ochako. I'm making myself cry over my own playlist.

I literally plan on tattooing this song on my skin, NO ONE GETS HUNGER LIKE I DO, again Himiko, I'm starting to see a pattern maybe I kin her.

Between two lungs is about sharing a breath during a kiss literally and i feel like it fits their blood transfusion so badly-

Himiko's resolve as she dies happily. I'm in denial sure but it's what happened. But I'm in denial.

Ochako's grief process yay (kill me)

The end. I'm sad. I'm gonna go cry.

[elliizzzabeth]

One (or two) sentence reviews of all of the books i read in 2024.

1. A Power Unbound by Freya Marske (4/5 stars)

End to gay magical edwardian england trilogy. Wrapped everything up nicely but still slightly meh on whole series.

2-8. Secrets and Scrabble series by Josh Lanyon (4.5/5 average)

Cute, sweet murder mystery series set in New England. I want to move to pirates cove :)

9. The Dawnhounds by Sascha Stronach (4/5 stars)

Maori eco-futurism pirates. Interesting concept, too much going on.

10. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (3.75/5)

Saccharine sweet found family in a magical foster home. Too sweet in fact, should have been a kids book.

11. Dinner Lady Detectives by Hannah Hendy (4/5)

Sweet old lady lesbians solve a murder mystery. Funny and silly but didn't blow me away.

12. This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar (5/5)

Star-crossed time-travelling killing machines on opposite sides of an intergalactic war. So short and yet packed such a punch!

13. Nine Liars (Truly Devious book 5) by Maureen Johnson (3/5)

Teenage detective prodigy comes to england to solve a murder. Also happens to be most annoying character of all time!

14. Heartstopper vol. 5 by Alice Oseman (5/5)

Nick and charlie so sweet and lovely forever

15. The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw (5/5)

Short stories about southern black women and their relationships (and sometimes the church). Felt like i could step right through the page every single time.

16. Hidden in Snow by Vivica Sten (3.5/5)

Translated swedish murder mystery. Suffered from fatal combo of slow pacing and predictable plot :/

17. Babel by R.F. Kuang (4.75/5)

What if language magic was used for colonialism? Unfortunately the tiktok girlies are right about this one it slays

18. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (3.5/5)

The Tiktok girlies were NOT right about this one. Not unless you like listening to two people hate each other for 13 hours

19-22. The Singing Hills Cycle by Nigh Vo (4.75/5 average)

Nonbinary monk travels around asia collecting stories and folklore. Again, how can such a short books pack such a fucking suckerpunch!!!

23. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (4.75/5)

What if you made a deal with the devil and then he fell in love with you? How can you live 300 years and only manage to meet white people 😭

24. Thieves by Lucie Bryon (5/5)

Dumbass Lesbians hatch a plan to un-steal people's belongings. Silly and cute as hell

25. Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (5/5)

Nona I love you!!!!!!!

26. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Oseman (4.5/5)

Pensioners solve a murder at their retirement home. Pleasantly suprised for such a popular book, looking forward to the rest of the series

27-29. The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin (4.5/5 average)

Earth magic + racism + the world is ending + colonial power is the root of all evil = everybody having a bad time forever (but in a good way). The Fifth Season slapped so severely that I was let down a little by its two follow ups.

30. The Spirit Bares its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White (4.5/5)

Violent and unflinching look at how they treated women, queer people and the mentally ill in the victorian era. I am so so so brave for sitting though all the medical descriptions are you proud of me

31. Everything is Under Control: a Memoir with Recipies by Phyllis Grant (4/5)

Memoir of a recipie blogger but tbh i don't really think she had anything that groundbreaking to say.

32. Ring of Solomon by Aden Polydoros (4.25/5)

Percy Jackson but he's gay and jewish. Fun and funny but middle grade and I could feel it

33. Cultish: The Language of Fanatacism by Amanda Montell (4.5/5)

How cults will use language to trap you and keep you in their greasy little hands. Also why you should never ever join an MLM

34. Saltblood by Francesca De Tores (4.25/5)

Was famous pirate Mary Read a Non-binary icon? We literally have no way of knowing but its a nice thought I guess

35. On Earth We're Breifly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (3.75/5)

A long and emotional letter from a traumatised son to his traumatised mother. Unfortunately i am nauuuurt a literary fiction girlie and I could feel it

36. Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (4.75/5)

Musings of a lesbian daughter on the suicide of her closeted gay father. More academic than I expected but still real good

BONUS - my 3 books I am currently reading

37. House of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski

Sooo confusing and yet sooo compelling. Whoever is holding this hostage at my local library please give it back please please please pl-

38. Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

What if the local gay conversion camp/cult was a little bit tooo into demons. Chuck Tingle really said I know I've made a career of writing gimicky gay porn books but what if I wrote this slam dunk of a mystery/queer horror/sensitive look into the relationship between faith and queerness Chuck you can't do this to me why is it so good

39. Half Arse Human by Leena Norms

Been a big fan of Leena's youtube channel so I am very excited to read! Its been getting a lot of promo so I hope it does well for her :)

[thewingedwolf]

We do agree then. Most of my timeline is filled with black women so that is what I'm most exposed to. My main gripe is that black women are always used as the rage bait in these shows. I'm truly tired of the racism and wish that new stories are created for us without the need to replace them for us to get representation. Sorry if I offended you for the 'black' comment.

sorry if i sounded suuuper annoyed lmao, i Am annoyed but at twitter not u aksksk. (also, was working children’s and there were just so many screaming kids today 😭). and that's definitely fair! i know The Interwebs in general is feeling very upset right now because of that romeo and juliet production that tom holland was in, because not only did they not really stand up for that poor actress, or turn off comments, they were just being sooo weird about her on social media. it's really nasty to just cast a black actress, especially one who is dark skinned, knowing she's going to get a shit storm of racism hurled at her and then not defend her and even actively make it worse by refusing to take basic precautions so she's not having people call her slurs in every damn post. and this show itself obviously also has a bad track record with that - not just with all the main black characters of color excluding agatha being light skinned and/or Mixed With White specifically (where's the blasian rep!!! where's the afrolatino rep!!!! why are mixed characters always mixed with white!!!!!!! also i love the sharma’s but not letting anthony and kate have their own fucking wedding OR a sex montage and then giving colin a bunch of annoying sex scenes is so!!!!!!) but also the way marina's storyline was handled was nauseating and pen never makes up to marina for doing something so egregiously awful, and on top of that poor ruby barker had a hard ass time on the set and on the internet. it sucked!!! i hope i didn't sound too mad lol, but my whole tl was either white women having a MELTDOWN over the show "ruining" michael (this is a paper thin character, there is nothing to ruin!!!) or other people (largely black women but also a lot of queer women in general) being like "sucks to suck anywayyyy hope francesca and michaela scissor on screen just to spite you personally" alkjdf and it hasn't even been 24 hours, i'm so over it 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

and yeah, that's something an author i like (i like her as a person, i don't love her romances haha) has mentioned - there are plenty of romances that are explicitly about black characters or indian characters or caribbean characters or jewish characters or whatever you fancy that take place in the regency/georgian/victorian era that could have been adapted but instead they went with julia quinn, who has explicitly talked about how she doesn't write characters of color because they ~don't get happy endings in this time period. and mind you, this is a woman who writes a duke living on every corner in london getting a love match!!! not to mention if they really just wanted to do some funky color blind/racebending, there are so many authors out there who have written longstanding romance series' with all white characters who are just better writers than julia!!! i mean, i have a lot of beef with tessa dare for what i feel is performative allyship (though i don't want to discount the way she has privately been a rock for a lot of authors of color, especially after the rwa blowup, she's still annoying to me tho haha), but she's just leaps and bounds better of a writer and also hasn't gone on record saying she would never write a black main character the way julia quinn has! it's unendingly annoying!!! courtney milan and diana quincy and beverly jenkins are right there!!!!

[mermaidsirennikita]

So I know you’re not watching that show anymore but they recently came out with an article about a possible lgbt storyline later. What would you think about a genderbent Michael?

I think based on things that I've heard that

a) that's the most likely thing to happen if that show has a queer Bton (as in, a member of the Bton family)... like.... if I had to bet $$$ RIGHT NOW, that's what I'd say is gonna happen

b) I fully support it

I think that back when the "omg should a Bton be gay" wars were going on when I watched that show, I said that I was down with any one of them being queer, and I stand by that. And I mean... I think that ANY person who's read that show should realize by now: no matter what they do with "your" couple.... the chances of them really adapting the book closely in any way are out the door post s1. S1 was surprisingly close to the book, tbh. S2 significantly less so, and s3 even less, it appears. So like. Even if they adapted WHWW, which is my favorite book in the series... the chances of it being like the book I enjoyed at all are pretty low. With that logic in mind--like, you might as well give any Bton an entirely new love interest. Because if we're being fuckin' real. The Kate from the show doesn't have a lot of deep things in common with the Kate from the books if we never get into the deep things that affected the Kate from the books. Doesn't mean that she isn't a lovable character; she's just not the same, so if you're not gonna quibble with that, why would you quibble with genderbending?

Like. The Kate from the books had an entire traumatic backstory we never got into because the show.... sucks.

The Penelope from the books never ruined an unwed pregnant woman's life because she was jealous about Colin and his interests.

When the text is that different from the adaptation, you might as well genderbend whoever you want. A random guy named Peter who moonlights as Lord Whistledown has about as much in common with book!Penelope as show!Penelope does.

I say that as someone who like... yeah. I do love book!Michael. I actually really like his book, which is saying something as I'm either "meh" on or dislike 6/8 of those books lmao. I DO NOT REMEMBER what happens in books 7-8. Especially book 8. And that doesn't mean they're bad, it just means that those books by and large made little impact on me, and WHWW sticking out does matter. If I thought this show would actually give WHWW a good adaptation, then maybe I'd be like "aww, I wish I got book!Michael". But I ain't gonna get him either way, so do something cool with it and make it wlw if you want.

Do I think the show will do anything cool with a wlw storyline? lol no because the show is kinda rancid, you know?

So the thing about flipping Michael into a female character is that I don't even think you can call it "WHWW but genderbent". Because that storyline can't be genderbent and be that storyline. Michael's guilt isn't only built in him wanting Francesca when John was alive. It's also built in him inheriting John's title, something women in this show's universe can't do. He's "becoming" John in his mind. (He was also a rake, which I think is also difficult for a woman to be in this universe, but much more plausible.) Francesca's plot drivers also surround her infertility and her desire for children--Michael is very conscious of that, and is basically like "so what the fuck, are you only gonna marry me after I get you pregnant?" Francesca can excuse fucking him out of wedlock because it's like "let's see if he gets me pregnant, and if he does, I mUST marry him, oH NOOOOOOES". Francesca marrying Michael without knowing that she's pregnant with his baby is Francesca making a decision she has avoided making throughout the back half of that novel.

If Francesca's husband dies and she's left a wealthy widow... she can just be with his female cousin, tbh. Like. ON THE LOW. But that shit happened and it was much easier for a widow to be with her female partner as "companions" than it would be for a woman who was never married, right? The central tension of Francesca having to choose to be PUBLICLY with someone the way she'd have to be with Michael is gone, because according to the show's own logic, she can only be with a woman on the low. And that's an interesting story in itself, it's just not the same and it doesn't present the same emotional conflicts.

I say all this to argue that if they do that, they're not so much adapting WHWW as they are replacing it. And if people have a problem with that... Like, dude. It's whatever. They weren't gonna give you the WHWW you wanted anyway. I'm sure many will be up in arms.

And like, as someone who's always been pro "put Benedict with a man" (and I still am) I'll totally acknowledge that Sophie's story is dependent on her being a woman. Genderbending Sophie would change her story to an unrecognizable degree, the same way genderbending Michael's would/will his. But like. I think Benedict's book is shitty, and I think WHWW is not shitty. So to me, it always made sense to just totally change the bad book.

I know people are gonna hate that I just said "go ahead and change it because I think it's bad" but. That's my truth lmao. I have no great logical leap over why I would genderbend An Offer From a Gentleman over When He Was Wicked (if I had to choose) aside from "change the book that sucks, keep the book that is good overall the same with some changes because did Michael have to go to India and did we have to talk about an Indian princess being obsessed with him I think not Julia Quinn".

My IDEAL queer Bton would be Eloise because I think that.... not only does she read as a lesbian to me on the show............ her book is like, the worst, and it could actually be genderflipped while retaining its core, unlike Benedict's book or Francesca's. If SP was a widow with two kids and Eloise went to visit this widow friend and fell in love and they stayed in the country.... I mean, it's still different, but I don't think SP's character arc is necessarily as rooted in gender as Sophie's and Michael's are.

And there's a cynical part of me that says that if they do go with Francesca being queer, it's because they know they're gambling on whether or not they'll get renewed beyond s4, and they're making the Queer Bton the one who's kinda new to the audience and will have a b-plot for s3-s4 versus someone the audience knows, who may have a main love story, like Benedict or Eloise. Like. I see this show giving us a sapphic love story in the background for two seasons and being like "GIVE US OUR FLOWERS". I don't see them centering a sapphic love story as a season-leading romance. Dude, I can barely find a good historical romance novel that centers sapphic women lol.

ALL THAT BEING SAID. I support a queer Francesca. I support any queer Bton. Do I think the (online) fandom will? Meh. Do I think they should just get over this idea that the show is adapting their favorites like they would the books anyway? Yes for sure. THIS IS ALL A DIFFERENT THING. It being a different thing isn't why I'm over it, tbh; it being a bad different thing is the issue.

[arynathome]

A few thoughts on Bridgerton

I like shiny things so I liked this!

Polin is not interesting to me, not because of any of the actors' weight or height or looks or acting abilities, or all the reasons people are getting excited about. I just find their scenes to be shot weird, the pacing is too fucking slow, and the scenes are repetitive. It's more of a direction/writing issue in my eyes. Maybe more experienced actors could bring more life to the scenes, but idk.

The costumes were so wildly anachronistic, I did get distracted, but they were also so fascinating and sparkly to look at, I didn't hate it. Penelope's acrylics and Tilley's whole look did to me get me though. Like come on lol.

Love to see Benedict getting this threesome on. Like damn, that boy is charming the pants off of everyone and looking good doing it.

I get why people might be upset about Francesca/Michaela. But like. Hear me out.

I have not read the books. Michaela is hot and they presented her as exciting and breath-taking and I am excited for the lesbian awakening arc. I love some pining-for-what-you-can't-have threesome situation. I adore a trope where like everyone's in love but society rules say you gotta have problems. I eat this shit up give me dumb sexy tragedy I literally do not care about the gender (but I would like them all to have good hair). At the same time, I GET it. If you have spent a long time in the pages of a story and you have fantasized your own personal little romance with the characters and it's fulfilling your personal fantasy, then seeing the character change might be jarring and feel unfair. Now it's no longer fulfilling your personal fantasy. And like honestly, that's fair. I think people are allowed to feel disappointed. Just as people are allowed to be excited. At the same time, my message is: be cool and not let disappointment result in attacking queerness or queer stories in general. Sometimes a story isn't for you. There will be so many more that are.

Like for me...basically ALL of season 2 was SO not for me. I do not care for the enemies to lovers trope at all. It's not my jam. It does not butter my toast. But like I'm not going to hate on the people who write and enjoy and participate in this trope.

I can't wait to see what crazy fashions they think up next for future seasons! I hope I am blinded by glitter

[ctimenefic]

Okay I'm gonna stack my Bridgerton thoughts here and then go back to relentless F1 posting

Alas, Lord Debling, who tragically fell down the hole to nowhere that Edwina did, but this time mid season. Luckily it appears he'll be able to dig his way out to a one-line marriage in India. No word on where the Queen's German princeling nephew is though.

Colin looked like he got hit by a brick in every love scene with Pen. Not saying that's a bad thing, just maybe someone should check. For concussions.

Eloise, my love, my life. The cheeky shot of her pouring Violet's champagne into her own glass - this is the life she should be living. None of the "Reveal yourself! No, wait, hide yourself! No, wait, let's go back to reveal!" between Eloise and Pen made any sense, either the first time round with Colin or the second with the Ton. (I will say, however, that Nicola and Claudia fully sold the emotions of it all so brilliantly I could almost forget the complete lack of logic.) Therefore, I am giving her a pass on the "viper" drive by on Cressida because, well, nothing made sense in those scenes.

However, I adored Cressida calling her out for not listening and her self-centredness, and that is why I am fully pledged to the idea of a third queer Bridgerton sibling. Eloise can make her run for it in the gap when she's travelling back from Scotland, divert to Wales, and Cressida can TRUST A WOMAN. Beautiful. (Also, in true Eloise fashion she should be blind to every Francesca/Michaela vibe and believe she has invented lesbianism.)

Tilly, Tilly. I love you dearly, but dear me you left so easily. No poly break up in history has ever been so smooth. Shuffled off amicably like so many girlfriends in fanfiction so Benedict can rededicate himself to the altar of Fucking Around in time for Finding Out next season.

"Soma-” ”You think you can call me by my born name" The absolute agony and depth of her voice here I died.

Finally I would still watch this show if it was just four hours of Polly Walker looking over her shoulder. Mother. Queen. Wolf bitch in green clothing. Give her someone (better) to kiss next season.

Gays??? In my Bridgerton???

It's more likely than you think!

[alwaysahiccupandastrid]

I’m sorry but if your fans are too scared to voice their actual opinions about your show on Twitter because they’re afraid you’re going to reply sarcastically and then play the victim, you need to log the fuck off twitter.

Also, if your fans are telling you that multiple POC characters and actors are whitewashed, especially if those fans are POC themselves, you don’t get to play the victim or complain that fans are “bullying” you. I was rewatching some episodes of the show yesterday with my sister and dad, and they were flabbergasted when I showed them what Francesca’s actress looked like because they deadass thought she was white.

If you need to go on Twitter after your show drops just to explain why you made a certain decision regarding a character or plot line you’ve written - if the fans NEED you to explain it on Twitter after the fact - then you frankly haven’t written it well enough. And if you’re going to let your fan favourite be extremely queer-coded, then don’t be surprised or annoyed when fans actually start saying they’re gay/bisexual/not straight or when fans start shipping that character with your lead character who they have buckets of chemistry with.

Lauren Hissrich needs to stop interacting with neo-Nazis and playing the victim on Twitter, I’m getting so fed up. I don’t agree with the misogynistic/racist/bigoted fans but the way she’s playing the victim over fans trying to voice their opinions and have open discussion is so irritating and off putting. If people are being actual bigoted assholes, don’t give them the attention they’re desperately craving - block them and move on. Stop trying to talk things out with them, stop saying you’re just trying to have a dialogue with actual neo-Nazis, just stop.

[bamf-jaskier]

Who the Fuck is Philippa Eilhart?

I don’t know if you’ve been following Witcher news lately but Philippa has just been cast!

Of course, many show-only fans might not be familiar with her character and game-only fans might not know how different her story is in the books, so I’m here to give a relatively brief overview of her plot line in the books. Warning: lots of book spoilers ahead as well as the standard graphic violence that is the norm in the books.

With that, Hi! I’m Aaliyah and this is Part 6 of my WTF Series - a crash course in subject from The Witcher books.

The first time we meet Philippa in Blood of Elves, she is an advisor to the King of Redania. Dandelion is brought before The Redanian Secret Service because they wish to know Geralt’s whereabouts. 

Excerpt:

Dandilion glanced at the fourth person present at the meeting, who until then had remained silent. Philippa Eilhart must have only recently arrived in Oxenfurt, or was perhaps intending to leave at once, since she wore neither a dress nor her favourite black agate jewellery nor any sharp make-up. 

She was wearing a man’s short jacket, leggings and high boots – a “field” outfit as the poet called it. The enchantress’s dark hair, usually loose and worn in a picturesque mess, was brushed smooth and tied back at the nape of her neck.

“Let’s not waste time,” she said, raising her even eyebrows. “Dandilion’s right. We can spare ourselves the rhetoric and slick eloquence which leads nowhere when the matter at hand is so simple and trivial.”

Here are some of Dandelion’s thoughts on Philippa:

Dandilion divided women – including magicians – into very likeable, likeable, unlikeable and very unlikeable. The very likeable reacted to the proposition of being bedded with joyful acquiescence, the likeable with a happy smile. The unlikeable reacted unpredictably. The very unlikeable were counted by the troubadour to be those to whom the very thought of presenting such a proposition made his back go strangely cold and his knees shake.

Philippa Eilhart, although very attractive, was decidedly very unlikeable. Apart from that, Philippa Eilhart was an important figure in the Council of Wizards, and King Vizimir’s trusted court magician. 

She was a very talented enchantress. Word had it that she was one of the few to have mastered the art of polymorphy. She looked thirty. In truth she was probably no less than three hundred years old.”

Then, Dandelion leaves to go back to Geralt and Philippa follows him in the form of an owl:

A big grey owl glided down to the sill without a sound. Shani cried out quietly. Geralt reached for his sword.

“Don’t be silly, Philippa,” said Dandilion.

The owl disappeared and Philippa Eilhart appeared in its place, squatting awkwardly. The magician immediately jumped into the room, smoothing down her hair and clothes.

“Good evening,” she said coldly. “Introduce me, Dandilion.”

“Geralt of Rivia. Shani of Medicine. And that owl which so craftily flew in my tracks is no owl. This is Philippa Eilhart from the Council of Wizards, at present in King Vizimir’s service and pride of the Tretogor court. It’s a shame we’ve only got one chair in here.”

Geralt is trying to hunt down a wizard, Rience, who is trying to get Ciri. When Geralt is about to kill Rience, Philippa lets Rience portal away and Geralt, Shani and Dandelion are quite upset:

“Philippa!” shouted Dandilion, still holding the weeping Shani. “Have you gone mad?”

“No,” said the witcher with some effort. “She’s quite sane. And knows perfectly well what she’s doing. She knew all along what she was doing. She took advantage of us. Betrayed us. Deceived—”

“Calm down,” repeated Philippa Eilhart. “You won’t understand and you don’t have to understand. I did what I had to do. And don’t call me a traitor. Because I did this precisely so as not to betray a cause which is greater than you can imagine. 

A great and important cause, so important that minor matters have to be sacrificed for it without second thoughts, if faced with such a choice. Geralt, damn it, we’re nattering and you’re standing in a pool of blood. Calm down and let Shani and me take care of you.”

Of course, this is all a part of Philippa’s larger plan to hold a coup and gain political power. Vilgefortz hired Rience and if Geralt had found that out then Vilgefortz would be revealed as a traitor to the Brotherhood and Philippa couldn’t have that happening before her coup.

The next time we see Philippa is in Time of Contempt at the banquet on Thanedd Island. She talks to many of the guests, here is a short conversation between her and Geralt:

“There’s no caviar.’ (Geralt)

‘One moment.’ (Philippa)

She looked around quickly, waved a hand and mumbled a spell. The silver dish in the shape of a leaping fish immediately filled with the roe of the endangered shovelnose sturgeon. The Witcher smiled.

‘Can one eat one’s fill of an illusion?’

‘No. But snobbish tastes can be pleasantly titillated by it. Have a try.’

‘Hmm… Indeed… I’d say it’s tastier than the real thing…’

‘And it’s not at all fattening,’ said the enchantress proudly, squeezing lemon juice over a heaped teaspoon of caviar. ‘May I have another goblet of white wine?’

‘At your service. Philippa?’

‘Yes.’

‘I’m told etiquette precludes the use of spells here. Wouldn’t it be safer, then, to conjure up the illusion of the taste of caviar alone, without the caviar? Just the sensation? You’d surely be able to…’

‘Of course I would,’ said Philippa Eilhart, looking at him through her crystal goblet. ‘The construction of such a spell is easy as pie. But were you only to have the sensation of taste, you’d lose the pleasure the activity offers. The process, the accompanying ritual movements, the gestures, the conversation and eye contact which accompanies the process… I’ll entertain you with a witty comparison. Would you like that?’

‘Please do. I’m looking forward to it.’

‘I’d also be capable of conjuring the sensation of an orgasm.”

She is quite ruthless and cutting and while Geralt remains upset about Rience, Philippa, in true sorceress fashion, has already moved on. As well, she is explicitly queer in the books which I talk about here

Later, Geralt gets up in the night to go to the bathroom and stumbles upon Philippa attempting a coup. Triss temporarily blinds Geralt and Philippa and Tissaia exchange tense words. Philippa sends Geralt away with Dijkstra, offering him mercy despite him finding out about her coup. 

However, Geralt gets away from Dijkstra and goes back to Thanedd where a full-battle is going on. 

Turns out, Tissaia and Philippa’s fight cumulated in Tissaia releasing Vilgefortz and lowering the barrier as seen in this passage:

“They’re still fighting,’ said Carduin, grinding his teeth. ‘It’s hot down there, one spell after another…’

‘Spells? In Garstang? But there’s an anti-magic aura there!’

‘It was Tissaia’s doing. She suddenly decided whose side she was on. She took down the blockade, removed the aura and neutralised the dimeritium. Then everyone went for each other! Vilgefortz and Terranova on one side, Philippa and Sabrina on the other… The columns cracked and the vaulting collapsed… And then Francesca opened the entrance to the cellars, and those elven devils suddenly leapt out… We told them that we were neutral, but Vilgefortz only laughed.”

Geralt then runs in Keira Metz who was thrown out a window and she explains that after Vilgefortz was released the Scoia’tael (Elven and Non-human fighters who are allied with Nilfgaard sort of) attacked: 

“Sorry. How did the Scoia’tael get here?”

“They were hidden in the cellars. Thanedd is as hollow as a nutshell and there’s a huge cavern under it; you could sail a ship in if you knew how. Someone must have told them the way—Ouuuch! Be careful! Stop jolting me!’

‘Sorry. So the Squirrels came here by sea? When?’

‘God knows when. It might have been yesterday, or a week ago. We were preparing to strike at Vilgefortz, and Vilgefortz at us. Vilgefortz, Francesca, Terranova and Fercart… They conned us good and proper. Philippa thought they were planning a slow seizure of power in the Chapter, and to put pressure on the kings… But they were planning to finish us off during the Conclave… Geralt, it’s too painful… It’s my leg… Put me down for a second. Ouuuch!”

Later, there is a flashback to Philippa and Tissaia’s fight:

‘Enough!’ Philippa slammed her fist down on the table. ‘I shall satisfy your curiosity, Carduin. You ask who is preparing a war? Nilfgaard. They intend to attack and destroy us. But Emhyr var Emreis remembers Sodden Hill and has decided to protect himself by removing the mages from the game first. With this in mind, he made contact with Vilgefortz of Roggeveen. He bought him with promises of power and honour. 

Yes, Tissaia. Vilgefortz, hero of Sodden, sold us out to become the governor and ruler of all the conquered territories of the north. Vilgefortz, helped by Terranova and Fercart, shall rule the provinces which will be established in place of the conquered kingdoms. It is he who will wield the Nilfgaardian scourge over the people who inhabit those lands and will begin toiling as the Empire’s slaves. 

And Francesca Findabair, Enid an Gleanna, will become queen of the land of the free elves. It will, of course, be a Nilfgaardian protectorate, but it will suffice for the elves so long as Emperor Emhyr will give them a free hand to murder humans. The elves desire nothing so much as to murder Dh’oine.”

Tissaia states, “That is a serious accusation. Which means the proof will also have to be as weighty. But before you throw your proof onto the scale, Philippa Eilhart, be aware of my stance. Proof may be fabricated. Actions and their motives may be misinterpreted. 

But nothing can change existing facts. You have broken the unity and solidarity of the Brotherhood, Philippa Eilhart. You have handcuffed members of the Chapter like criminals. So do not dare to offer me a position in the new Chapter which your gang of traitors–who have sold out to the kings, rather than to Nilfgaaard–intend to create. 

We are separated by death and blood. The death of Hen Gedymdeith. And the blood of Lydia van Bredevoort. You spilled that blood with contempt. You were my best pupil, Philippa Eilhart. I was always proud of you. But now I have nothing but contempt for you.”

I won’t go into detail for the sake of brevity, but Philippa ends up escaping Thanedd unharmed after her failed coup and we don’t see her again until Baptism of Fire when she is forming The Lodge. 

Here is an excerpt of her pitch speech about The Lodge to the other mages:

Philippa Eilhart stood up, her dress rustling.

‘Distinguished sisters,’ she said. ‘Our situation is grave. Magic is under threat. The tragic events on Thanedd, to which my thoughts return with regret and reluctance, proved that the effects of hundreds of years of apparently peaceful cooperation could be laid waste in an instant, as self-interest and inflated ambitions came to the fore. 

We now have discord, disorder, mutual hostility and mistrust. Events are beginning to get out of control. In order to regain control, in order to prevent a cataclysm happening, the helm of this storm-tossed ship must be grasped by strong hands. 

Mistress Laux-Antille, Mistress Merigold, Mistress Metz and I have discussed the matter and we are in agreement. It is not enough to re-establish the Chapter and the Council, which were destroyed on Thanedd. In any case, there is no one left to rebuild the two institutions, no guarantee that should they be rebuilt they would not be infected with the disease that destroyed the previous ones. 

An utterly new, secret organisation should be founded which will exclusively serve matters of magic. Which will do everything to prevent a cataclysm. For if magic were to perish, our world would perish with it. 

Just as happened many centuries ago, the world without magic and the progress it brings with it will be plunged into chaos and darkness; will drown in blood and barbarity. We invite the ladies present here to take part in our initiative: to actively participate in the work proposed by this secret assembly. We took the decision to summon you here in order to hear your opinions on this matter. With this, I have finished.’

Then, later on in Baptism of Fire at the first official meeting of the Lodge Philippa discusses how she wants to make Ciri Queen of the North. 

“Who, then, is to be this Queen of the North?’

‘A girl from a royal family,’ Philippa calmly replied, ‘in whose veins flows royal blood, the blood of several great dynasties. Very young and capable of producing offspring. A girl with exceptional magical and prophetic abilities, a carrier of the Elder Blood as the prophecies have heralded. A girl who will play her role with great aplomb without direction, prompt, sycophants or grey eminences, because that is what her destiny demands. 

A girl, whose true abilities are and will be known only to us: Cirilla, daughter of Princess Pavetta of Cintra, the granddaughter of the Queen Calanthe called the Lioness of Cintra. The Elder Blood, the Icy Flame of the North, the Destroyer and Restorer, whose coming was prophesied centuries ago. Ciri of Cintra, the Queen of the North. And her blood, from which will be born the Queen of the World.”

After this, Yennefer, who was brought to the Lodge agains her will (although she is a member) escapes with Fringilla’s help in order to find Ciri and Philippa is furious. 

The next time we see Philippa is in The Tower of the Swallows and it is when Yennefer is hunting down Vilgefortz and contacts Philippa for help:

Philippa stared at her from under lowered eyelids. “If you believe,” she said finally, “that you've won peace, time, or security with this declaration, then you've miscalculated. Make no mistake about it, Yennefer. 

When you fled from Montecalvo, you made your decision. You chose to stand on a different side of the barricade. If you are not with the Lodge, you are against the Lodge. Now you're trying to forestall us from finding Ciri, and the motives that guide you are opposed to ours. 

You act against us. You do not want to allow us to use Ciri for our political purposes. You shouldknow that we will also do everything in our power to make sure that you cannot use the girl for your sentimental purposes.”

“So, it’s war?”

“Competition.” Philippa smiled toxically. “Competition only, Yennefer.”

“Decent and honorable?”

“You must be joking.”

“Obviously. Though on at least one specific issue, I would like to have an honest and genuine conversation. And, incidentally, it involves a favor to me.”

“Speak.”

“Over the next few days, maybe even tomorrow, events will occur whose consequences I cannot foresee. It may happen that our competition and rivalry suddenly has no meaning. For the simple reason that one of the competitors will not be there anymore.”

Philippa Eilhart narrowed her blue-shaded eyes. “I understand.”

“Ensure that I posthumously gain back my reputation and good name. I will no longer be held for a traitor or an accomplice of Vilgefortz. I ask this of the Lodge. I ask this of you, personally.”

Philippa was silent for a moment.“I deny your request,” she said finally. “I'm sorry, but your exoneration is not in the interest of the Lodge. If you die, you die a traitor. You'll be a traitor and criminal to Ciri, because then it will be easier to manipulate the girl.”

“Before you do something that could be fatal,” Triss said suddenly, “leave something behind for us…”

“A will?” Yennefer said.

“Something that allows us to… continue. To find Ciri. Because we are primarily concerned for her health! For her life! Yennefer, Dijkstra has found some traces of… some traces of certain activities have been found. If Vilgefortz does have Ciri, then the girl faces a horrible death.”

“Be quiet, Triss,” Philippa Eilhart hissed sharply. “We are not trading or bargaining.”

“I will leave you the information,” Yennefer said slowly. “I'll leave you the information on what I've found and what I plan. I’ll leave a trail you can follow to her. But not in vain. If you will not facilitate my exoneration in the eyes of the world, then to hell with you and with the world. But at least grant me exoneration in the eyes of the witcher.”

“No,” Philippa denied the request almost instantly. “That is also not in the interest of the Lodge. You will also remain a traitor and a mercenary sorceress to your witcher. It is not in the interest of the Lodge for him to furiously attempt to avenge you. If he despises you, he will not attempt to take revenge. By the way, he's probably already dead or will die any day now.”

“The information,” Yennefer said dully, “for his life. Save him, Philippa.”

“No, Yennefer.”

“Because it's not in the interest of the Lodge.” A purple fire kindled in the sorceress’ eyes. “Did you hear that Triss? There, you have your Lodge. You see their true colors, their true interests. And what do you think of them? You were a mentor to the girl, almost – as you put it – a big sister. And Geralt…”

“Do not attack Triss’ relationships, Yennefer.” Philippa retaliated with her own fire in her eyes. “We will find and rescue the girl without your help. And if you succeed, that's fine, a thousand thanks, because you will have saved us the trouble. You tear the girl out of the hands of Vilgefortz and we will be happy. And Geralt? Who cares about Geralt?”

“Did you hear that, Triss?”

“Forgive me,” said Triss Merigold dully. “Forgive me, Yennefer.”

“Oh, no, Triss. Never.”

I know this is a long scene, but it’s so important and isn’t one I felt right in slicing up. This establishes Triss’ true betrayal of Yennefer. Just prior to this, it is practically stated that Triss and Philippa slept together and despite Triss’ love for Yennefer her loyalty to Philippa is stronger in this moment which makes this hurt so much more. Philippa is also so cruel to Yennefer in this scene, denying both Geralt and Ciri the truth of her motivations as to better manipulate them. It really showcases how her lust for power overrides her empathy. 

The final time we see Philippa is in Lady of the Lake when Ciri is brought before the Lodge. Here, Philippa describes what their plans are for Ciri:

“You are coming with me,” Lady Owl (Philippa) said, breaking the heavy silence, “and Sile to Kovir, to Pont Vanis, the summer capital of the kingdom. As you are no longer Cirilla of Cintra, during the course of the audience you will be presented as an adept of magic, being protected by us. 

At that audience you will meet a very wise king, Esterad Thyssen. You will meet his wife, the Queen Zuleyka, a person of singular nobility and goodness. You will also meet their son and heir, Prince Tancred.”

Ciri was beginning to understand and rolled her eyes. Lady Owl did not miss that detail.

“Yes,” she confirmed. “First of all you must impress prince Tancred. Because you are going to become his lover and give him a child.”

“If you were still Cirilla of Cintra,” Philippa continued after a long pause, “still the daughter of Pavetta and granddaughter of Calanthe, you would become Prince Tancred’s legal wife. You’d be the princess and later the queen of Poviss and Kovir. Unfortunately, and I tell you with genuine regret, fate has deprived you of everything. Including your future. You will only be his mistress. His favourite.”

Then Later: 

“Your’s and Tancred’s child,” Philippa watched here with dark eyes, “will ensure the future and status of this Lodge. Take note that it will be a great thing. You will be a part of it, because right after the birth you will sit with us at this table. We will teach you. You are one of us, even if you do not want to admit it yet.”

“On the island of Thanedd,” Ciri overcame the tightness in her throat, “you said I was a mindless tool, even a monster, Lady Owl, and now you say that I am one of you.”

Then, the Lodge asks Ciri what her last name will be, Philippa and others offering theirs but Ciri declines in favor of choosing Yennefer’s:

“Thank you, Lady Philippa,” Ciri said after a few moments, squeezing the head of the sphinxes in her hands. “I also feel honoured with the proposal to take the surname de Tancarville. However, it seems to me that my new last name is the only thing that I can choose for myself, I thank the two mistresses. But I want to be called Cirilla of Vengerberg, daughter of Yennefer.”

Ciri requests to go and see Geralt and The Lodge votes on this and Philippa is the deciding vote. At first, she is hesitant but then Ciri shows her a vision and Philippa says this: 

“This Lodge,” Philippa said at last in a firm voice, “is to decide the fate of the world. So, this Lodge must reflect the world. Here, equilibrium and wisdom does not always mean cold and selfish, calculation and vileness, and sentimentality is not always naive. On one hand, iron discipline and on the other responsibility, resistance to violence, gentleness and trust. Cool reason… And heart.”

“I,” she said into the silence that reigned after her introduction, “cast the last vote. I will take into account one more thing. An element that without balancing anything, balances everything.”

“Following her gaze, everyone looked at the wall, to a mosaic of many multicolour tiles depicting the snake Uroboros, biting it’s own tail.

“That thing,” she continued, staring with her dark eyes at Ciri, “is destiny in which I, Philippa Eilhart have only begun to believe in recently, which I have only recently begun to understand. Destiny is not the way to providence or comfortable fatalism. Destiny is hope. I am full of hope that it will become what we want to happen, so I give my vote to Ciri - Child of Destiny, Child of Hope”

In the pillared hall of Montecalvo the was silence for a long time. From outside of the window came the hunting cry from a sea eagle.

“Lady Yennefer,” Ciri whispered. “It means…”

“Come, my daughter,” Yennefer whispered back. “Geralt is waiting for is and it is a long road ahead.”

This is the last time we see Philippa, but based on what we hear at other parts of Lady of Lake, we know she does not have a happy ending. After this, the Witch Hunt begin, a period of time when the Clergy hunted and murdered sorceresses and destroyed their pictures and images. The Witcher Hunts themselves could be an entirely separate post there is so much there. 

Many sorceresses, Philippa included as later considered Martyrs but she was killed viciously by the clergy as described in this passage from Lady of the Lake:

…As well as many of the other faithful, St. Philippa was also besmirched with betraying the Kingdom, inducing riots and plotting a coup. Willemer, a heretic and sectarian, unlawfully appointed himself the title of archpriest, and ordered St. Philippa to be thrown into a dark dungeon, and to plague her with cold and hunger, until she confessed to her sins of which she was accused and repented. 

Also various instruments of torture were used to try and break her spirit. But St. Philippa with disdain, spit in his face and accused him of sodomy.

The heretic had her disrobed and whipped her with barbed wire and placed sharp splinters under her nails. While unceasingly preaching about his faith and denouncing the Goddess. But St. Philippa laughed at him and recommended to him to heal his sick mind.”

“Willemer then gave the order to have her taken to the rack and stretched, while tearing her body with sharp hooks and burning her with candles. Although thus tormented, St. Philippa showed no weakness in body and indeed her resistance and endurance seemed almost superhuman. 

The executioner’s arms went limp and with fear they retreated from her. Then the filthy heretic, Willemer, began to threaten them and told them to continue the torment. They burned St. Philippa with red-hot irons, pulled her limbs out of their joints and pulled at her breasts with blacksmith tongs. And although she passed away from this torment, she confessed nothing.

The shameless heretic Willemer, we read in the books of our holy fathers, later suffered for this punishment and it was that lice and worms began to eat him alive, his entrails rotted away and he died miserably. 

His carcass carried with it a foul stench and nobody wanted to bury him, and so he was dropped in a swamp.

For the suffering and death of St. Philippa the eternal memory of a martyr’s crown rightfully belongs. Let us give the Great Mother Goddess praise for her lessons and teachings. Amen.

The Life of St. Philippa, Martyr of Mons Calvus

The Book of Martyrs Compiled in the Breviary of Tretogor, For the 

Contemplation of the Holy Fathers and Mothers.”

Needless to say, Philippa’s hunger for power and The Lodge end in ruin. There are very few happy endings in The Witcher and this is just another example. 

So that’s my overview on Philippa! I had to cut some scenes and moments in the hope of keeping it short, but I hope it was still an enjoyable read. If you want another character/topic WTF post leave something in my inbox and I will get to it when I can. 

[weirdthoughtsandideas]

VIOLETTA UNPOPULAR OPINIONS, GO!

OH FUCK YES

Tomas was very whiny. I can understand how you could like him and why you’d want him and Violetta to be endgame, but tbh he was just. Always whiny and blamed everyone else. I lost all respect for him as an 11yo when I first watched the episode where he was like ”The kiss you gave Leon was my kiss. I can’t get over it”

Lara was NICE. She was SUPPORTIVE and WANTED THE BEST for Leon. She didn’t even dislike Violetta. Sure, she could make some comments towards her, but nothing was mean spirited. I don’t know why she just disappeard

Same for Braco, Napo and Luca. I absolutely support Tomas going back to Spain (lol) but the rest?? Where are you, come back!

I think Jade and Matias were just uneccessary after the first season. I feel like they were only there for comic relief, but tbh they just take up scenes I feel like other characters can get. Like BRACO AND NAPO AND LUCA.

It would have been pretty fun in my opinion if Esmeralda were out for stealing German’s money herself, without having Jade and Matias there. Like, her seeming like the perfect woman, and then as we go by, we realise something is not right, and we find out before the wedding exactly what has happened

I don’t mind the english dub, but it fucking sucks in season 1, sorry not sorry, and I think that is a reason Violetta never got as popular in english speaking countries. Plus, Violetta’s english singing voice is weird in season 1. But in season 2 her english singing voice got a complete GLOWUP, so I like that. But also, the english dub sometimes don’t translate correctly. They changed funny lines as ”Oh, a mexican” and ”What is up with this girl and astronomy?” to ”Oh, they’re arguing!” and ”I wish I learned astronomy in kindergarden”. Why??

I understand that, in season 2 when the characters were gonna sing in another language, the english dub had to come up with a new language. The only problem is that I personally don’t understand french at all and I didn’t know Camila was pronouncing everything wrong. I sort of wish the swedish dub (that I grew up with) had the original spanish songs, because we got the english dubbed songs, and swedish kids know english better than french, so I think we would understand if Camila pronounced english wrong

I did not care for Clement and Gery at all and I sometimes forget they exist

Sometimes I think Angie would’ve been happier if she ended up with Pablo

The last 10 episodes of season 2 >>>>> all other episodes

The end of ep75 of s2 always makes me emotional. Just... Violetta crying on stage, not being able to sing, LEON SAVES HER. Leonetta may not be the most stable couple but THAT IS LOVE

And also ep76-80 in season 2, where everyone is so bummed out and sad. I feel for them and I get so happy every time when they DO finish the song, Vilu DOES get her father back, everything is GOOD again.

The Roxy and Fausta storyline was always weird to me, it felt a bit ooc. But it was at the same time kind of funny. I think what I would do if I rewrote it is to still make them dress up as them, but not to spy on Leon. They... just dress up for another reason. Maybe to sneak into the kareoke bar because they weren’t allowed there anymore or something

Honestly season 3 is just in general a little off to me. Nothing is really the same. Maybe it’s this... less colorful filter it has on it? Idk it feels like s3 has this lighter shade on it. Maybe to reflect that the characters are older now. Or smth

I also feel like some characters in season 3 just changed personality. Violetta is much more stubborn and short tempered than before. They try really hard to show that DIEGO HAS CHANGED, HE IS NICE NOW. Which, yeah, I get it, but it’s just a little funny seeing him be a manipulative stalker and now he’s sweet Diego on guitar

I tbh never cared about Francesca’s love life. Everyone was like ”OMG DIECESCA IS MY OTP” and I’ve been like ”??? Fran hated him last season what?”. I’m not hating on Diecesca, they are a lovely couple, but I just never really... cared? I didn’t care about Marco much either. They were sweet? Then he couldn’t stop sending flowers and I’m like ”dude calm down”. And Fran’s relationship with Tomas wasn’t very good. The only relationships with Fran I cared about was her friendships and her relationship with her brother

Priscila is SUCH a psychopath and the second she showed her true sides I wanted to hug Ludmila. Please I hope Ludmila seeks therapy. Poor girl.

Season 3 felt like a fanfiction but the biggest fanfiction in this universe is Tini the movie. We don’t talk about that. What WAS that. I’m so confused. If they wanted to make a Violetta movie they could make a ”reunion” movie or smth, not WHATEVER THAT WAS. Though the visuals and angles are pretty nice.

Llamame with the cowboy hats are the funniest thing I have seen in my life and it felt so off from all the other songs, but ESPECIALLY the version with cowboy hats really gets me cackling

They wasted potential to have LGBTQ+ characters. I get it, it’s Disney, it’s a kids show, it was made in 2012. But I still just feel like... the POTENTIAL. There’s so many characters that gives off queer vibes and I- I don’t know. I feel like the majority is bisexual and then some of them are fully gay/lesbian and the rest are either straight or homophobic

I have since the ripe old age of 11 been a Leonetta shipper, and I still have a very soft spot for them. But recently I have been like ”Francesca and Violetta? Would make a good pair. Germán would approve, Francesca’s not a boy”.

I’m glad Maxi and Cami didn’t end up together, but I also wish they explored that storyline a bit more. Because they kind of just ended it, but then it was still a thing with Marco being mad at Francesca after she didn’t want to tell him Camila kissed Maxi, but then they just... dropped it. Never discussed it ever again. I feel like it just ended on a weird note.

Maxi and Naty are super cute, I love every time Maxi has to turn his cap backwards to kiss her. But Naty also gives off huge lesbian vibes, so now i’m conflicted

I think Gery’s half shaved eyebrow is ugly and now you know

Leon is very chaotic and I think we don’t appreciate him for that. Like, searching his girlfriend up on his motorcross to tell her ”let’s skip school and go and almost kiss at a secret spot in a public park”, calls girlfriend’s overprotective father ”future father in law” before running away, that whole ”LoVe Is LIKe a tHuNDEr” scene-

Diego had more chemisty with Leon than with anyone else in s2

I don’t remember Milton at all and I forgot he was a teacher. What did he do? Like... he yelled at students and that’s all I recall. Then he disappeared? What???

I have lots more but now I can’t come up with more

[thelanguageoflovers]

so you’re trying to understand sophia and i’s jatp universe

@localspacelesbian​​ and I never intended for this to get so out of hand, but then it did, so here we are. We’ve got a few wips going, so I figured it was about time to get around to one of these.

it’s okay if you’re lost, because so are we! here’s a little guide to help you out (:

CHARACTERS:

The Lacrosse Team:

Spencer Montgomery-Wright: Our pride and joy. He’s on the lacrosse team, and can be seen being bewildered with Nick when the guys show up during ‘Bright’. Some have referred to him as the guy who is called ‘Letterman Jacket Guy’ on IMDb - these people are wrong. Letterman Jacket Guy is a white blonde guy. Spencer is black. He’s in the design program at their school and designs costumes for all the ballets. 

He and Nick have been best friends since they were little, and have exchanged stuffed animals (Nick gave Spencer a stuffed penguin named Texas, and Spencer returned the favor with a stuffed elephant named Oklahoma). They’re total astronomy dorks (Spencer calls Nick ‘Tor’ after Copernicus, and Nick calls Spencer ‘Cass’ after Cassini). They’re also in love, but they’re still working through that. 

Connor Nesbitt: The aforementioned ‘Letterman Jacket Guy’. He’s the captain of the lacrosse team, the very definition of a himbo. He’s in the cinematic arts program, but, like, really likes history.

Nick Danforth-Evans: Pretty self-explanatory, but the Danforth-Evans theory is canon in the SACU (Sophia and Adalie Cinematic Universe).

Chris McMillan: Chris is a sweetheart. He’s in the theater program but wants to be a farmer and raise sheep when he grows up. He just really likes farm animals, okay?

Barry O’Hara: A good dude! He’s in the dance program, and his Special Interest is linguistics and communication.

Rasheed Bakir: Rasheed!! He’s a bit of a running joke in our work, as he constantly hurts his legs and feet. He’s been known to ride in Connor’s car with a broken ankle hanging out the window. It’s fine. He’s in the theater program, hates Shakespeare more than anything, and is dating Ari Price.

Ari Price: Just a lil visual arts program kid. Constantly so worried about Rasheed. The Ultimate mom friend; his backpack is the equivalent of Alex’s fanny pack, and he makes a very good soup when one of the guys is sick.

Leo Montgomery: He’s Spencer’s cousin! Very buff and a little bit scary but is a whole teddy bear. He’s in the music program, and is so tired of watching Nick and Spencer pine. He’s a science nerd, except for biology. Fuck biology. All his homies hate biology.

Percy Mayer: We love Percy so much. He’s a Ballet Boy, and he’s fake dating a girl in ballet named Constance Hansen. He’s probably aro, but is still a little confused about that.

Oren Summers: Oren is a freshman in the visual arts program. Kind of just one of those nice guys you meet in school who are just cool to be around.

Grayson Radcliffe: Grayson plays the french horn in the music program, and is in our token heterosexual relationship with Jennifer Brickaday.

Dirty Candi

Kayla Lavelle: Y’all know Kayla. We named her ‘Lavelle’ because we went with a color based system and, yk, lavender.

Jennifer Brickaday: Yellow Candi! Dating Grayson, and we just don’t deserve her. Brickaday is a reference to the yellow brick road.

Andrea Turkis: Miss Turquoise Candi! Probably our favorite candi - she’s a lesbian and just gives the best hugs. (Turkis means turquoise in several languages.)

Velma Williams: Orange Candi! Straight up the coolest person alive. She’s aro, and helps Percy sort out his sexuality. Just really likes dinosaurs, you know? (Williams is for William of Orange)

Mary Brooks: Not a member of Dirty Candi, but their manager. Totally not in love with Julie what are you talking about that’s bananas (Mary - marron (brown) and Brooks is just a slightly less on-the-nose version of Brown).

Those Done Dirty:

Flynn Chadwick: Chat means cat in french, but we wanted Chadwick because it sounded neat.

Willie Greenwood: He just gives us green vibes I don’t know what to tell you

The Families:

The Danforth-Evans Family: Nick, Ryan, and Chad are a given. Nick also has a little sister named Phoebe Danforth-Evans. Phoebe is a gymnast and general rascal.

The Montgomery-Wright Family: Buckle up, y’all. Spencer has seven pets. - Laura Montgomery: Mom #1. Very chill, but very protective. - Francesca ‘Franny’ Wright: Mom #2. Just the sweetest, but is willing to cause harm to a bitch if necessary. - Dog: Herbert Fitzhoover (the light of all of our lives) - Cats: Tongs, Spoon, and Spatula. They’re just like old gay men. No further comment. - Bird: Chicken the parakeet. Spencer found him at the airport and just... brought him home. - Roomba: BoBo. Very Good Boy. - Kinda Penguin: Texas (a lesbian icon, married to Oklahoma)

The Chadwick Family:  - Dad: Nico Chadwick. Just, like, a really good dad. Living the life. - Older Brother: Andrew Chadwick. Absolute nerd, away at university, drinks his respecting women juice every day. - Younger Sisters: Rachel & Eliza Chadwick. Twins - they love tormenting Flynn. - Cat: Snoopy. The love of my life.

The Wilson Family:  - Cat: Peanut!! love him

The Mercer Family: - Alex’s Younger Sister: Annabelle ‘Annie’ Mercer. Deaf, has a bright pink hearing aid. Wants to be just like her big brother (is already halfway there, being that she is wildly queer).

RUNNING AND INSIDE JOKES:

Octoslashers III: Octoslashers shows up as some form of media in every fic we write. Every single one.

Twister: Alex is a GOD at Twister, and there’s no debating this.

Rasheed’s Leg: Rasheed breaks his leg, foot, or ankle somehow in every fic. He’s trying.

The Caleb Chew-Out: Let’s just say I’m making it my mission to write a scene into every fic of ours where a character yells at Caleb, and everyone is going to get their turn. 

Oklahomas: Oklahoma and Texas are soulmates in every universe. 

questions? let me know! i’ll add the answers (:

[shark-myths]

2017 Writing Reflection

*All answers should be about works published in 2017.

@horsegirlharry tagged me in this! I have been in a brief writing hiatus while I study for my licensing exam (read: I am all the way dead inside) and I miss it so, so much! Looking back over this year made me HYPE to return to the Peterick motherland in 2018.

1. List of works published this year:

Processions

V Day

Be Careful Making Wishes

Small Things

Love’s A Universe

If It Helps You Control Yourself

Fall Out Boy: Live In Tokyo

Like A Chapel In A Hospital

Yes Or No, But No Maybes

Romance Is Dead

Joe Troh Band Ho

Leaves a Mark

The Mad Key

In Every Universe

Saint Anthony

The Difference Between Real Love and the Love On TV

Smash The Mirror, Break The Palm Reader’s Hand

Girl Out Boy

The Opposite of Amnesia

2. Work you are most proud of (and why):

This can’t possibly be a surprise to anyone because it’s all I can talk about, but GIRL OUT BOY. I found so much of myself in that story, far more than I ever expected to. I have never written anything more important or more impactful. Every single person who read it and told me it was important to them too, that they felt something, that it allowed them to understand their young selves differently or more kindly, made me cry. Literally every one of them. It’s the best thing I have ever done.

3. Work you are least proud of (and why):

I don’t know if I’ve ever published anything that I wasn’t proud of? I’m either arrogant or self-assured, idk. There’s stuff that turns cringey or embarrassing with age, of course, but I think everything I’ve put up this year is solid writing and good storytelling. The closest answer I have to this is that it’s really surreal that I posted two AFI fics this year, because it feels like it’s been a literal lifetime since I was in that headspace. I have an awkward-guilty relationship to my works in that fandom now, but I think that they are still good technically, and Small Things was an intensely personal and important piece about my ED experience, so I’m still glad I wrote it and proud of the work I put in.

4. A favorite excerpt of your writing:

My favorite single scene I wrote this year was the horseshoe crab scene in Girl Out Boy. It makes me laugh so hard. I almost copied and pasted the whole thing here before deciding on this:

What’s ‘boyfriend’ but another word for ‘someone who fucks other girls when you’re not looking’? No, Pete doesn’t belong to anybody anymore. Not even herself. Pete leaves grim, surly Andy at the bar, saying nonsensically, “Be our lighthouse. Guide us home” before she drags Pat out onto the cramped, sweaty dance floor.

Jo, of course, is already in the center of it, just as drunk as Pat and spinning like she personally was elected club disco ball. Pete grabs Jo by the hips and dances up on her, laughing when Jo realizes it’s her and starts grinding and booty popping with abandon. They dance til the club seems to spin of its own accord, three girls linked by heat and heartbeat and meant to be. Pete feels like the brightest thing in the room. She tips her head back, shows her throat to the ceiling ‘cause the sky’s all that she’ll submit to, laughs and laughs. If enough people see her having a good time, she must be. Happiness is brittle and splintery. It’s other people’s eyes that make things real.

Pete gets distracted for a little while by a Tall Dark and Random who hooks her by the belt loops and moves his body with a passion that moves her in return. She feels manageable under his big hands—like she can be broken down, bite-size, and swallowed. It is good to feel hands on her, like someone else is holding her together for once. His mouth is on her neck, stubble and teeth, and she thinks about how soft and vulnerable she is in all the places she gives away, how bitter and rough she is in those few hardscrabble places she keeps for herself. She’s just drunk enough to be strung between caring too much about everything and not caring about anything. His hands on her body either feel good or like nothing at all.

5. Share or describe a favorite comment you received:

Okay, like I said, literally every comment I got on Girl Out Boy is basically etched on my heart forever, so this is impossible. One person said “Your writing is always where fic and lyrics collide” though, and that was pretty amazing, because I spend a lot of time steeping in lyrics and then weaving them into fic, and I’m always delighted when people have a positive response to that. Another amazing comment was when someone proposed marriage to my tryst theory and then we planned the wedding together. (It’s next Halloween. You’re all invited.)

6. A time when writing was really, really hard:

I very nearly died while writing Smash The Mirror, Break The Palm Reader’s Hand. I was so absolutely stuck and running up against a deadline, and I felt like every word of it was garbage, and it sucked to have to fight and struggle so hard for each word when it seemed like I was producing crap. Luckily my amazing beta @immoral-crow came along and said kind, soft things, and I started to see value in the work and get excited. I’m really fond of the fic now, and I love how it came out all dreamy—I was trying to channel Sarah McCarry or Francesca Lia Block and I think I did okay at that. I’m a pretty lazy writer—when it’s not working or doesn’t feel good, I’ll usually stop and come back later when things are flowing. Which means that I have noooo self-discipline when I’m up against a wall, and I get very pitiful. I complaind more in the month I was writing that fic than I did in the rest of 2017 combined, probably. Me every 2 seconds: why is it sooooooooo hard, why is my life like this, cut off my hands I shall never write again

7. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you:

They surprise me constantly! I’m a discovery writer—it’s fun for me because I generally have no idea what’s going to happen next and I’m delighted when the characters show me. One surprise was when I was writing The Difference Between Real Love and the Love On TV, and I had to write a sex scene but it kept ending itself in a fade-out and then I’d have to go back and try again. That’s why the big sex scene in that fic plays like the end of Lord of the Rings. I couldn’t write it through without a million cut-aways.

8. How did you grow as a writer this year:

- I wrote about queer women and their interiority in a really intentional way, which challenged me and moved me and helped me know myself better.

- I did Bandom Big Bang, wrote a fic-by-request for a fundraiser, and participated in Bandom Bingo 2017. That’s a lot of writing for specific prompts and on specific timelines that was different for me—usually I just write what I feel when I feel it. I’ve definitely been learning better discipline as a result.

- I’ve always been a really personal writer, but somehow it took me this long to realize that instead of writing out my issues through band member proxies, I could literally make them queer women and figure out my shit directly. An unusually large bit of what you’ve read of my work this year is cribbed directly from my life or my experiences.

- I made more writer friends and deliberately read and commented on more fic and I started working with a beta for the first time in my life!

9. How do you hope to grow next year:

I want to do even more of the above! Especially reading other people’s fic. I read a ton of traditionally published books, but I learned how to write from fanfiction and I want to get back into the habit of reading more of it! Yeah, that’s an open invitation to send in your recs.

I’m also hoping to work with my new pal @conditionsofhappiness to learn how to do that neat writerly thing called ‘revision’ and get more disciplined. And I want to focus more on representation in my work, especially making room for POV characters of color, because that’s something we aren’t great at in fandom and I think we could do better. (That’s why I wrote Saint Anthony, and it’s the best short thing I’ve written in ages! I’m hoping to do more of that in 2018.)

10. Who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer or beta or cheerleader or muse etc etc):

@immoral-crow, who is there for me for every problem whether it’s in-story or not. She betas my life as well as my work, and she always has something to say that I need to hear. She helps me celebrate women and rage at the heteropatriarchy, we read amazing books together, her kindness may well be bottomless, and sometimes, if I am very very good, she Facetimes me drunk and pink and silly. She’s my first beta after 15 years of writing rogue, and I have no idea how I ever lived without her.

@horsegirlharry, who journeyed out of the black pit of AFI fandom with me this year (we climbed a ladder of rainbows to escape) and has celebrated fandom community and girlhood and softness and vulnerability with me all year. She is the staunchest supporter of my commitment to the FOB fandom, to goodness and love, and to whatever project I’m excited about. I am so proud of both of us for how we’ve let ourselves grow!

And any of you who have read my work and told me how it impacted you. That shit literally keeps me going. This year and every year, I would not exist without you guys. 

 11. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year:

Always. I am more obsessed with my relationship with myself and my own past than Pete Wentz, istg. The most egregiously stolen-from-my-life things this year are the entire fic Small Things and the Girlsploration of Pat Stump in Girl Out Boy, when she’s reviewing her history and realizing belatedly how incredibly gay it is. Every story about every girl Pat recalls in that bit literally actually happened to me. My life is so specifically embarrassing.

12. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers:

> Write! The most amazing thing about writing is that you can package up something deeply personal and true about you and just—send it out into the ether. That means people who are ideally suited to befriend and care for you are likely to find it, to find you. I make most of my friends by posting fanfiction on the internet and letting nice strangers bound up to me and start conversations. It doesn’t matter what you’re writing or if it’s ‘good enough.’ The way to get connected to your community and find your people, the way to get better and to learn, the way to get involved in something that will inspire and motivate you and possibly change your life, is just to write and put it out there. I didn’t expect a single person to read Girl Out Boy but I wanted to write it anyway, so I did, and it’s the best thing I did with my whole year. So seriously. Write.

> Some people are assholes and that’s okay. You’re writing for yourself and your friends. Anyone who doesn’t fall into those categories is humbly invited to choose any dick in the world and suck it. Seriously—if someone is hurting you, you don’t need to listen to them, and that doesn’t mean you’ll be a bad writer. Relatedly: if you aren’t enjoying your work, put it down. Write something else. This should feel good.

> Write 20 Minutes. This is how I bully myself when I’m procrastinating or having trouble getting into a flow. Make a commitment to spend 20 minutes really writing—no tumblr, no cell phone, no distractions. Turn off the wifi. Put your phone under a pillow in the other room. And just write, or try to, really honestly for 20 minutes. When the timer goes off, if it still feels sucky, stop! Writing isn’t working today so don’t worry about it! You made a serious attempt, and now you don’t have to feel guilty. Seriously, guilt will kill you. It will never help you produce more words. Try being kind to yourself instead. You’re doing great, even if you only got seven and a half words down in that whole 20 minutes.

> Take a notebook out in public and write! This is one of my favorite treats to myself, even though it’s hard to make myself actually leave my cozy house when the moment comes. In public, you will be so bored and avoidant of stranger small talk that you’ll be forced to focus on your work. It’s also really nice to get a change of scenery, and signal to your brain that it’s time to be intentional and engaged! Try coffee shops and libraries and parks and whatever the most beautiful places are in your town.

13. Any projects you’re looking forward to starting (or finishing) in the new year:

If you saw the length of the “Peterick Ideas” doc in my phone you would be horrified. Um, I want to write everything all the time! I’m already thinking about the next installment of Girl Out Boy (it has a playlist), I’m planning a StormPilot fic, and I’m open to suggestions.

14. Tag three writers/artists whose answers you’d like to read.

@leyley09, @immoral-crow, and @beckettsthoughts!

[useyourrwords]

Down the TBR Hole // – To Read Soon – Part 2/4

It’s Down the TBR Hole Time Again!

I mean honestly, at this point, when isn’t it???

Today we’re back with my To Read Soon Shelf!

Slowly, but surely, I will have defeated my TBR and will rule them all!

I swear, I am never going to let it get out of hand like this AGAIN!

If you would like to buy any of the following books please consider using my Book Depository Affliate link!

     Added November 2016

1.│My Lady Jane│The Lady Janies #1│Nov 2016│ I added this because…This sounds like some nice light fluff and sometimes that’s all you really need. Stay or Go? Stay!

2.│This is Our Story│Ashley Elston│Nov 2016│ I added this because…I’m really digging the mystery thrillers lately and am thanking my past self for adding them, at least occasionally, to my TBR in the past. Stay or Go? Go! Unfortunately this one doesn’t like that it’s as good as I would probably go in hoping it would be.

3.│The Arsonist│Stephanie Oakes│Nov 2016│ I added this because…I was in it for the mystery thriller and that cover. Stay or Go? Go! I was out of it for basically everything else.

4.│The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly│Stephanie Oakes│Nov 2016│

│ I added this because…“You’re in a cult, call your dad!”Oh wait. What do you do when your dad is in the cult???? Stay or Go? Stay!

5.│Little Peach│Peggy Kern│Nov 2016│

│ I added this because…My mum’s ideal career would be helping kids escape sex slavery/prostitution so I feel like I definitely need to read this so that if it’s good I can recommend it to her, especially since she only ever reads books I tell her to read now. Stay or Go? Stay!

6.│All the Light We Cannot See│Anthony Doerr│Nov 2016│ I added this because…Everybody has read and loved it and I probably should too. But am I actually ever going to? No, probably not. Stay or Go? Go!

7.│You in Five Acts│Una LaMarche│Nov 2016│ I added this because…Sounded like a call new spin on contemporary. Stay or Go? Go! Yeah, I’m never gonna get around to it.

8.│Soulmates│Holly Bourne│Nov 2016│ I added this because…I love Holly Bourne’s books and I will get to this one. Probably. Stay or Go? Go! Listen, I have loved all of her other books but there’s clearly a reason why I still haven’t picked this one up and it’s probably because it’s the one I’m least likely to enjoy and it focuses on romance more than the others and blah. I’m sorry I gotta be strict with myself.

9.│All American Boys│Jason Reynolds│Nov 2016│

│ I added this because…This sounds interesting and like a good critique on racial profiling. Stay or Go? Go! Look, I have a lot of books on my TBR and a very shitty memory and yet I can remember just about everyone, they stay on my radar for the most part. This one has not, like at all. When I clicked on the title and couldn’t remember adding, and thought it was about something wildly different. I don’t even know how i came across it because although I have friends who have read and reviewed it, they’re none of the people who usually sway me to pick up a book, so I think I’m just gonna give this one a miss.

10.│What We Saw│Aaron Hartzler│ I added this because…Its another rape narrative, this time told from the friends POV which I think will be interesting. And it’s based on a real life case. Stay or Go? Stay!

11.│Dreamland Burning│Jennifer Latham│

│ I added this because…I go through history phases and this was one of them. Stay or Go? Go!

12.│One│Sarah Crossan│ I added this because…I have a lot of twins in my family! There’s 3 sets just in my generation and I have aunts who are twins as well. My mum believes she would have had twins if she hadn’t stopped at 2 kids (She was hoping to have twins the first time round so she could do pregnancy just the once). But we don’t have any conjoined twins so I was curious to read about them. Stay or Go? Go! I’m not really too interested anymore.

13.│Even this Page is White│Vivek Shraya│

│ I added this because…I really love poetry and I love the title of this one! Stay or Go? Moved to my Poetry shelf.

14.│A Monster Calls│Patrick Ness│ I added this because…Basically everyone has read this and almost everyone has loved it and I really should get around to it soon! Stay or Go? Stay!

Past Down The TBR Hole

Down the TBR Hole 1.12 // Unreleased – Part 3/4 2019 Month Release Unknown

 Down the TBR Hole // Unreleased – Part 4/4: 2020 & Beyond

 Down the TBR Hole // To Read Soon – Part 1/4

Added December 2016

15.│It’s Kind of a Funny Story│Ned Vizzini│

│ I added this because…I tend to gravitate towards psychiatric hospital narratives. Stay or Go? Go!

16.│I Hunt Killers│Jasper Dent #1│Barry Lyga│ I added this because…Um!!!! This is about the son of an infamous serial killer, who used to bring his son to work with him! That sounds bloody brilliant (I am not ashamed of the word play, not even a little)!!! Stay or Go? Stay!

17.│Split│Swati Avasthi│

│ I added this because…As someone who has lived through different kinds of abuse throughout my life, I tend to pick up abuse narratives because it makes me feel less alone. Stay or Go? Go! This one is too hard for me to get a hold of.

18.│Sabriel│Abhorsen #1│Garth Nix│ I added this because…This is a well loved and read book! Stay or Go? Go! If I am honest with myself, I’m never going to get around to picking this up. Also I just listened to talk Garth Nix did and was so bored I could cry.

19.│Alif the Unseen│G. Willow Wilson│

│ I added this because…HACKERS! Stay or Go? Stay!

20.│Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine│Gail Honeyman│ I added this because…People seem to really love it! I am starting to see this is too often the only reason i add things to my TBR. Stay or Go? Go! I’ll catch the film when it comes out instead.

21.│The Secret Science of Magic│Melissa Keil│ I added this because…This just sounds super cute okay??? Stay or Go? Go! Look at me being strict with myself!

22.│Faking Normal│Faking Normal #1│Courtney C. Stevens│

│ I added this because…This another rape narrative. Stay or Go? Go! I think I’m going to give this one a miss.

23.│Modern Monsters│Kelley Work│ I added this because…I will add just about any book with the word monsters in the title to my TBR. Stay or Go? Go!

24.│Promiscuous│Isobel Irons│ I added this because…This seemed interesting enough to begin with. Stay or Go? Go!

25.│The Pain Eater│Beth Goobie│

│ I added this because…This is another rape narrative that sounds really interesting. Stay or Go? Stay!

26.│Eliza and Her Monsters│

│ I added this because…It’s about fandom, anxiety and being a child of the internet. Stay or Go? Stay!

27.│Made You Up│Francesca Zappia│

│ I added this because…My mum has helped several people with schizophrenia in the past, and I think it’s something close to her heart because my great uncle had schizophrenia and committed suicide. It’s a deep fear of mine that I’ll start showing the symptoms. It’s an even deeper fear of mine that it will start presenting itself in my brother after a life of heavy drug use because he’s already a very paranoid person and I’m worried about whether it’s something he could live with. So when I saw this book on Goodreads, I was drawn to it. I still am. Stay or Go? Stay!

28.│Allegedly│Tiffany D. Jackson│

│ I added this because…This sounds incredibly fascinating. Stay or Go? Stay!

29.│American Street│

│ I added this because…This is an immigrant narrative, again, fucking relevant af. Stay or Go? Stay!

30.│Salt│Nayyirah Waheed│

│ I added this because…I really like poetry. Stay or Go? Go! Going to give this one a miss.

31.│Rhapsodic│The Bargainer #1│Laura Thalassa│Dec 2016│ I added this because…It sounded interesting enough. Bit like ACOTAR? Stay or Go? Go!

32.│Not a Drop to Drink│Not a Drop to Drink #1│Mindy McGinnis│ I added this because…This sounded like a new spin on the dystopian genre. Stay or Go? Go!

33.│Good Me, Bad Me│Ali Land│ I added this because…This sounds like the mother/daughter equivalent of I Hunt Killers. Stay or Go? Stay!

Past Grey Reads

Book Review // Everything Leads To You – A Quite Love Story

 Book Review // Girl Made of Stars – I Am Broken

 Grey Reads // Everything’s On Fire and I Couldn’t Be Happier – Girls of Paper and Fire

Added January 2017

34.│Norse Mythology│Neil Gaiman│ I added this because…I love mythology! Stay or Go? Stay!

35.│Between the World and Me│Ta-Nehisi Coates│

│ I added this because…Described as important and good makes this my kind of memoir. Stay or Go? Moved to my Memoir Shelf.

36.│The Bear and the Nightingale│Winternight Trilogy #1│Katherine Arden│ I added this because…Again this is one I added because everyone has read it and almost everyone loves it only this time I think it’s worth holding on to. Stay or Go? Stay!

37.│Red Sister│Book of the Ancestor #1│Mark Lawrence│ I added this because…“I was born for killing – the gods made me to ruin.” Stay or Go? Stay!

38.│A List of Cages│Robin Roe│

│ I added this because…Pretty sure I added this just for the ADHD rep back when I wasn’t sure if I have it or not (I do). Stay or Go? Go! It’s not really enough to get me to pick this up.

39.│Paper Butterflies│Lisa Heathfield│

│ I added this because…Another abuse narrative that sounds super interesting. Stay or Go? Stay!

40.│The Name of the Wind│The Kingkiller Chronicle #1│Patrick Rothfuss│ I added this because…Again, everyone has read it, everyone loves. Stay or Go? Stay! Fine I’ll read it. When you’re fave author rates it 5 stars, you gotta.

41.│Dreadnought│Nemesis #1│April Daniels│

│ I added this because…Queer superheroes! Stay or Go? Stay!

Added February 2017

42.│Strange the Dreamer│Strange the Dreamer #1│Laini Taylor│ I added this because…Everybody has read it, everybody loves it, I need it. Stay or Go? Stay!

Past Grey’s Shelves

 Bookish Bits // Series TBR – Extra Down the TBR Hole

 Bookish Bits // Library Love – 2018

 Bookish Bits // I’m Finally Participating in A Readathon and Challenge! – Late-A-Thon + January Jam Jar

Added March 2017

43.│City of Saints & Thieves│Natalie C. Anderson│

│ I added this because…Added it for the thrill. Stay or Go? Go! I’m no longer feeling the urge to pick this up any time soon.

44.│Gracefully Grayson│Ami Polonsky│

│ I added this because…Honestly? It had Grayson (one letter off!) in the title. Stay or Go? Go! Apparently this is very similar to George and I’ve already got that on my TBR.

45.│Boring Girls│Sara Taylor│

│ I added this because…This sounds really dark and I love dark books! Stay or Go? Go! This one is too hard for me to get a hold of, unfortunately.

46.│Kindred: A Graphic Novel│Octavia E. Butler│

│ I added this because…I’ve not read the original novel, and seeing that I tend to not do so well with older books I thought I’d give the graphic novel a try instead! Stay or Go? Moved to my TBR Graphic Novel Shelf.

47.│Marriage of a Thousand Lies│S.J. Sindu│

│ I added this because…A fake marriage hiding a couple of gays??? Why not?? Stay or Go? Go! Too hard for me to get a hold of.

Added April 2017

48.│Hunted│Meagan Spooner│ I added this because…Beauty & the Beast was one of my favourite Disney films growing up. Stay or Go? Stay!

49.│Eon: Dragoneye Reborn│Eon #1│Alison Goodman│ I added this because…I really only added this because it’s by the same author who wrote The Dark Days Club. Stay or Go? Go!

50.│He Said/She Said│Erin Kelly│

│ I added this because…It’s another thriller that caught my eye. Stay or Go? Stay! This looks so fucking good.

51.│Contagion│Dark Matter #1│Teri Terry│ I added this because…Honestly, I think it was the cover? Stay or Go? Go!

Past Grey Quotes

 Beautiful Quotes // Beastly Bones – You Need to Read This Series!

 Beautiful Quotes // Ghostly Echoes – The Quotes Hit Hard in This One

 Beautiful Quotes // The Dire King – No, It Can’t Be Over

So I managed to dump 26, keep 22 and move 3 books!

I seemed to go on a full adding binge in November and December of 2016! Jesus, there were still 33 books that had survived past TBR purges. They weren’t so lucky this time!

Do you have any of these books or your TBR? Anything I should get to reading ASAP?

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