#also stop asking me for recs i have only read 2 books this year so far 😭😭

[essercipertuttienonperse]

being a woman in stem or whatever is funny bc I can barely read 1 book per month and still my classmates treat me like I have a literature degree 😭

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again 1/23/2024

listen i got my last job through one of youse on here so weirder things have happened: i got fired bc the nonprofit wasn’t doing so hot. let me know if you have a weird data/database or market/tech research job. i promise my worksona is so so so nice and pleasant to work with. remote only, looking more in the $75k range but can be a bit flexible if it’s a cool enough job, i am in the central time zone of the USA and will not need sponsorship anywhere but DO need the cadillac of healthcare and dental plans. portfolio, publication list, and linkedin with my government name available on request!

listening

both of these are from my sister! this is another FULL ALBUM rec (good lord). The Offline’s album La couleur de la mer is a soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t exist, inspired by his long walks in the fog on the French Atlantic coast. a little spacey, a little soul, very sixties/seventies neonoir. i am quite fond of the very first track, Thème de la couleur de la mer.

she’s also sent me a bunch of tiktoks with Perfect (Exceeder) by Mason and Princess Superstar. hell of a goddamn music video for this thing. mid-aughts clubbing music at its finest. stopped me from dissolving into a puddle of emotions on the way to and from the vet today bc it’s too goddamn bouncy to be sad around

reading

im reading a trilogy i want to discuss as a whole whenever the third one comes through as a library hold, and a book by a friend. i do not typically talk about books or fics by friends here bc none of them have ever asked for critique, and i dont want to play favorites or inadvertently miss someone’s work. so here’s a story about porn on Wikimedia, which is the kind of database drama and technical arguments that fascinate me.

given the number of articles from 404 Media i shout about here and elsewhere i really should sign up for their $5/mo subscription tier when i have a steady income again

watching

somehow missed Star Wars Visions 2, their second anthology of weird little shorts. i was not super impressed by the overall storytelling this time around, but it was fun to see them reach out to more global studios and see a wider range of styles. there’s some goddamn incredible stop motion in here.

i particularly enjoyed Journey to the Dark Head, which not only has some interesting fringe Force believers and beliefs but has one of the sickest anime bullshit lightsaber fights in this season. this one is by Studio Mir, most known for the Legend of Korra.

also really liked The Spy Dancer by Studio La Cachette, partly bc it’s incredibly beautiful and i like when Star Wars leans into art nouveau, and partly bc it felt the most like a complete short story. emotional arc and everything! strong beginning middle and end! this IS a really low bar, but a lot of the shorts this season did not have a coherent little story to tell or a strong emotional arc, or fumbled their arc partway through, and were just kind of vibes and animation showcases? nothing necessarily wrong with that, also how i felt about most of the last collection. my expectations are underground for any Star Wars media.

playing

as is tradition i dithered about this section the most. this is more of a What’s Next? planning ramble.

the laptop gets shipped back to my old job today so i will no longer have a working modern computer. i have to dig the switch out and see what’s up. maybe start a whole new run in breath of the wild or whatever the last pokemon game was. i think i also have the sword boyfriend game everyone was up in arms about two years ago? and i think i am somehow part of a switch family plan that lets me have some older games?

this section may look very different in the next ??? amount of time until i get a company laptop again. or finally replace the motherboard on my personal desktop but that sat in my car for several weeks during the heat wave this summer while i did not have an apartment and i am really REALLY afraid to open that box.

oh the free epic game this week is a platformer, a genre i have historically not cared about. godspeed to those of you who do

making

soup bc aldi had alphabet pasta and that jolted me out of myself for long enough i was briefly convinced making alphabet pasta soup would fix me. so i found this recipe while in aldi. despite this not being a very good soup or a very good recipe, i feel a little triumphant bc i now know enough to brown the tomato paste before putting it in the soup. unfortunately i overcooked the pasta. there’s kind of a lot of texture happening here, and i wish i had chopped things finer, but i will probably steal my best friend’s blender tomorrow and blitz some of it down.

it’s edible. im going to eat it all. it will not be going in the rotation

[queenofbaws]

(Sending this in before I pass the fuck out in like 2 minutes dhdhsjsh)

🔪🪅🎁

And of course 💞💞💞💞💞

SLEEP WELL, MY SWORN NEMESIS FRIEND!!! heheheh >:)c

🔪 which project challenged you more than you expected?

mannnnnnnnnnnnnnn absolutely like wringing blood from a stone :( i had such high, HIGH hopes to get a whole mess of it done this year, but unfortunately (as i'm sure i'll detail very melodramatically in my next author's note once i finish the next chapter lmao) it turns out writing Dysfunctional Family: The Fic hits a little too close to home when your own family is Going Through the Horrors, so. i didn't get nearly as much down for it as i had wanted 😔

i am very, VERY hopeful that will change now that my family situation is different, and i have a little more distance from my own personal hackett house, though......so fingers crossed! i'm way too invested in this story (and have way too much already written asdlkfjaslkdjf) to get disheartened now!

🪅 brag about any project you want to! tell us why we should be reading it RIGHT NOW!!!

sjkdfhskjdf OKAY i have to be so honest with y'all, writing my first control (2019) fic - reading & other fun rituals: what to do when your book club is [redacted] - was so much fun, it was such a breath of fresh air, and i actually stopped and reread it earlier this week and just. WAAAAAGH i love it so much asdlkjfskljdfkjsdf

the basic premise is this: there are a bunch of super haunted books on the loose in the FBC. super haunted books that our beloved director jesse has no choice but to < collect/return/fetch-quest > for the good of the bureau. the thing is, that involves dealing with one of the panopticon's most deeply, deeply unsettling denizens: THE CURATOR sdkfjskjdf

it's a fun little crossover where i toyed with the idea of the curator's repository being a part of the FBC, because...well...if you ask me, it just fits :P there are a bunch of fun supermassive easter eggs and jokes, and it was just such a fun exercise in writing a bunch of character voices i'd never written before! i love it, i still think it's incredibly fun, and i intentionally wrote it so that if you ONLY know control (2019), you should be able to understand everything without being a supermassive freak like i am hehehehe

🎁 hype up one of your writing buds! what of theirs did you enjoy this year?

@mrs-theirin!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHH look, i've said it before, but i'll say it again (and just keep on saying it until i lose my voice), quill's writing is so, so gorgeous. you want expressive, believable dialogue? she's got you. you want emotions so vibrant you feel your heart racing along with them? she's got you. you want to laugh, cry, clutch at your chest and gasp "NO?!" QUILL 👏 HAS 👏 GOT 👏 YOU!!!! 👏👏👏👏👏

she's also just, like, a really sweet person in general, and way too cool to be following me back, so. there's also that ;P

i want to rec all of her stuff, and i WILL rec all of her stuff, so you should go read ALL OF HER STUFF, but if i have to pick one (1) piece that stuck with me the most this year, hot damn, it'd have to be the road, the hidden truth, & you (revisited), a vhawke story that absolutely owns me, heart and soul. it should be on EVERY da fan's required reading list, if you ask me.............................which you did, soooooo...................

year in review writing asks!

[sitp-recs]

Can I ask what made you leave the fandom and what made you come back to it?

I have a love/hate relationship with it, in the sense that I love it soooo much that it can take over everything else. It’s addictive and I often find myself consuming an unhealthy amount of fics, and I can’t stop it. I feel it’s a blessing and a curse at the same time.

I feel you anon 🫂 hyperfixations are self-care but can also get unhealthy very quickly and it’s hard to manage our fandom engagement when we’re “in the zone”. I used to feel bad about it but now I indulge small breaks at the slightest sign of burnout, just to take a breather. I must have taken at least 3 breaks in the past 2 years (the blog was still active, I just wasn’t reading or reccing anything for a while). The reasons vary between feeling overwhelmed with too many new fics, feeling disconnected from fandom in general, or finding competing obsessions that take my fic time and energy away.

The longer breaks I mentioned before had other reasons: first one (2008-2011) due to an intense studying time between high school years and university entry, I barely did anything else and only came back to fandom because AO3 was launched and I found RurouniHime 🙌 then I got fully immersed in the MCU between 2013 and 2019, following the first Avengers movie.

Stony was a short-lived but very passionate ship phase for me, I was almost as obsessed as I am with Drarry and joined Tumblr to interact with the community, not a shy lurker anymore! But Civil War effectively killed the ship for me and I moved onto another OTP before losing interest in the MCU completely after Tony was killed off. Major kudos to @quicksilvermaid for dragging me back into Drarry by unknowingly posting the incredible Who we are in the shadows on my birthday, felt like a sign 💘

I used to come back because I loved the HP universe and was constantly revisiting the books and movies. Now JK has ruined that, so I come back for the sense of community, and to share this experience with the friends I’ve made here. Creating this blog and connecting with people changed my whole fandom experience - even if sometimes I still enjoy being a lurker and exploring smaller, less overwhelming fandoms! Take care of yourself, anon. Enjoy the ride but don’t let the addictive aspect take you away from enjoying life and your other hobbies! 💜

[kimodraw]

do you have any recs for other peter pan media? i love your art and just read peter darling and i feel crazy

thank you so much! sadly i don't have many because i think a lot of peter pan media is. bad and misses the point.

If you haven't read the original book, i can't recommend it enough! I find sooo charming and well written. Other than that my favorite adaptation ever is the 2003 movie it drives me up the walls how good this movie is. The disney movie is fine and very well animated but you dont need me to tell you abt the disney movie.

As a kid i LOVED Peter pan in scarlet by Geraldine McCaughrean!! Wendy and the lost boys go back to neverland as adults and find it has gone to shit, peter wearing hook's coat and becoming more and more irritable. I actually just learned its the 'official' sequel, authorised by the Great Ormond Street Hospital, so that's neat

Huhh I saw a peter pan musical 2 years ago lol? its french and definitly wasn't recorded, i was the only adult without kids and i had a great time, smee was a woman (double win for feminism AND homophobia ) and they didn't take advantage of the room filled with 6 years old to ask them to all scream they believe in fairies. boo, don't know why i told you abt this. movin on

I haven't read the loisel peter pan series yet so i can't exactly recommend them but i love the art

it seems very edgy and also probably misses the point, and i bet its filled to the brim with early 2000s sexism but. loisel art. yummy. need to check out my local library rn actually

I also liked peter darling quite a bit! heard the audiobook version and had to listen to gay erotic scenes narrated by an old british man on the subway. great experience

i hated lost boy by christinia henry with a PASSION: bad writting, made hook straight, doesnt get peter by making him litteraly evil (hes meant to be a child!! the most child ever!! when he does bad things its because he's selfish or doesn't get it or is angry he's a child!!!) anyway i hate how much this book gets recommended to me whenever my peter pan posts get some traction stop talking to me abt lost boy you guys tricked me into reading it already!! only good thing it does is replacing the native americans by. giant spiders. so i guess less racism than most peter pan works. great

idk ive heard of hooked recently. you guys know abt hooked? from booktok? seems bad

i have a short and mediocre playlist abt my peter pan,, thing too (title translates to 'im mad because 'lost boy' really is the perfect title for this' lol)

thanks for allowing me to ramble abt peter pan!! sorry for not having a lot of positive answers, have a peter i havent posted here yet

if anyone has recs THAT ARENT LOST BOY BY CHRISTINNIA HENRY!!!! feel free to drop them, both me and anon would love that im sure

[monsterhunting]

I like your fanfic and we share some of the same ships. Do you have any book recs? My tbr list is long but I don't mind adding more books

firstly: thank you so much!!! secondly i have TONS of book recs. honestly i could’ve kept going but i was getting a little crazy so lemme stop here. thank you for asking!!!

fiction:

the lincoln highway by amor towles: bildungsroman, beautiful story, satisfying ending, long but worth it

ask again yes by mary beth keane: family drama, turning point halfway thru that made me gasp and screech

such a fun age by kiley reid: a Black babysitter gets stopped by a grocery store security guard and a video of it goes viral and a bunch of other stuff also happens. lots of really good discussions on racism. her other book that just came out this year was really good too!!!

fantasy/sci-fi:

the last binding trilogy by freya marske: finally read these a few months ago and i loved them so much 😭 great romance great characters exciting plot with high stakes FOUND FAMILY!!

silver under nightfall by rin chupeco (and the sequel court of wanderers)… vampire couple x vampire hunter throuple of my dreams what more can you want

ocean’s echo / winter’s orbit by everina maxwell: queer scifi romance!!!! stand-alones set in the same universe but both are great

station eleven by emily st. john mandel: this is a pretty well known book but it was GOOD! takes place in a post-apocalyptic world and centers on the importance of living as opposed to just surviving and also the beauty of creating and sharing art ❤️

romance:

cat sebastian writes really good queer historical romance, I’ve read like 6 of her books this year. we could be so good and the ruin of a rake are my favorites so far

lex croucher!!! she has three historical novels, one is a sapphic romance (I’ve only read two) and then she has a YA called Gwen & art are not in love that’s a queer Arthurian legend retelling

love hate & clickbait by liz bowery: m/m fake dating where the two MCs are politicians who kinda suck and are trapped in a PR stunt. a better red white & royal blue. i’ve read it like 3 times

sarah hogle is my oomf but also writes great romance. you deserve each other and just like magic specifically

the charm offensive by alison cochrun: the new bachelor falls for the producer of the reality show instead of his contestants. probably my favorite romance ever. also great asexual rep!!

horror:

the lost village by camilla sten: a group of people filming a documentary go to an abandoned village where everyone in the town just up and disappeared one day and were never seen again and weird stuff starts happening. i read this in like 2 days. also i based the town in the stoncy ghost files au off of this lmao

the whisper man and the shadows by alex north: crazy as fuck plot twists that made me close the book and run around my house. he has a third book too but unfortunately I didn’t like it very much

night film by marisha pessl: reporter obsessed with elusive director who’s daughter just mysteriously died investigates director and his family. very good mixed media element and very immersive

mister magic by kiersten white: child actors from children’s tv show mister magic — a tv show that ended suddenly and tragically, with no surviving video footage or evidence of the creative team behind the show whatsoever — gather together for a reunion as adults. kinda like if IT by stephen king was combined with a weird creeypasta and throw in some religious trauma also. sooooo good

graphic novels:

check please! by ngozi ukazu: duh

bubble by jordan morris: guardians of the galaxy esque but also a criticism of capitalism. very fun

hooky by miriam bonastre tur: i DEVOURED these last october. perfect cozy fall vibes. just a cute fun story. they’re technically for children but idc 😭 so many characters and i loved them all, i can’t wait to reread again in the fall

[lobotomydaughter]

coryyyy!! 2, 16, 35, 57, 93, 110, 117 from the book ask game <333

hi maya thank you for stopping by /ᐠ - ˕ -マ all but one of these recs are written in english; the last one, compañeras, is written in a mix of spanish & 'spanglish'.

2. a book with a blue cover

i was so ready to say my husband by maud ventura for this but it turns out that??? the cover! is not blue. only the title is. so. with that said i'll go with all's well by mona awad.

i wasn't too sure about reading this at first but i had read and loved bunny by this author, so i figured i'd give it a chance despite my hesitation regarding the topic. glad i did, i'd give it 4 out of 5 stars. it could have been higher, but the ending was... well i don't want to spoil it if anyone is reading it/wants to read it, but it was definitely a very awad-esque ending in that it was neutral and honestly? a bit unsatisfying.

we follow a vengeful actor turned theatre director with debilitating chronic pain who slowly over time loses her sense of empathy as she gets lost in her anger. very, very unhinged. i saw dominique defoe say that it was disturbing to dive into a feminine rage book that wasn't set in a fantasy world where a lack of morality could be smoothed over by the greater good; all's well is a modern contemporary with real world problems. lots of references to two shakespeare plays (which you could probably tell by the title anyway lol).

my usual advice to ppl when they go to read a mona awad book is to have something fun and light to read after because rarely will you be happy with the 'resolution' in her writing.

16. a book you'd recommend to your younger self.

listen. little me was a pretentious fuck lol. i was walking around reading plato's the republic in middle school. i read electra by sophocles for the first time when i was like? 13 i think. both great reads but i really could have benefited from some less heavy material back then. something comforting and silly. with that said, and taking into thought what was already published by that time, i would say any of the lizzie mcguire books.

35. a book featuring the found family trope.

i actually don't read much found family outside of fanfiction but ig six of crows by leigh bardugo. i haven't touched that book since it was published but i remember really enjoying the dynamics between the characters, particularly kaz and wylan. i was also shocked by the huge improvement in the quality of writing compared to her shadow and bone series which i ended up never finishing.

57. a book you want to hit your head with

(assuming this means in a frustrated way) i'll go with the secret history by donna tart. it took me over a week and a half to finish that damn book. for reference normally i can finish a book of that length in two-three days. it was so slow. in over 100 pages the only thing that happened was the main character was able to get into a class he wanted and one of the female characters cut her?? finger?? foot?? smth. it wasn't a life threatening injury either.

the pacing was unbearable but the atmosphere made up for it. i spent some of my formative years where the book is set in the beginning so i did enjoy that aspect, and once i got over half way through it really picked up in intensity but yeah. it's a modern classic for a reason but i think in the future if i want to read a classic, i'll stick with dostoevsky.

93. a book featuring an unreliable narrator.

(the secret history also fits this but since i used that for 57) i'll say we have always lived in the castle by shirley jackson. if you haven't read a book by jackson before,,, do so. immediately. she does NOT disappoint.

this book is about two sisters taking refuge in their family manor together after almost their entire family is killed via poison. the townspeople, naturally, point the finger at the sisters and their surviving uncle but are unsure which one of the three committed the crime.

the narrator, 18 year old sister mary katherine, is very childish (to the point that ppl forget she and her sister aren't children). very much a story of sisterhood and trauma and a house is haunted by the living.

110. your favourite psychological thriller.

i can't think of anything off the top of my head so i'll just suggest the one i'm going to read at the start of the new year: a flicker in the dark by stacy willingham. I've heard excellent things about this book. the main character's father was convicted of her murder two decades ago, and while he's behind bars, someone with the same motive---or perhaps the actual killer all along---starts kidnapping young girls again.

117. your favourite anthology.

this really depends on the genre for me but the first to come to mind is one i recently read: compañeras, which is a collection of oral histories, short stories, poetry and essays by and about lesbian latinas.

my own experience with being a bisexual latina woman made this an especially meaningful read to me. in our culture, you don't really discuss your sexuality with your family if you aren't straight. there's a lot of shame in it. i had it a bit easier, given i didn't grow up around many other latines; so the cultural shame wasn't as prevalent for me outside of family. but it was still there.

being a hispanic/latino queer still very commonly results in being disowned once you come out or are outed. i remember when i spoke to my abuela about it (after having already come out) she nearly drove us into a tree.

this collection digs deep into the shame and familial and cultural expectations put on latina women, and it dives into how confusing and lonely it can be to learn about your identity in a household where you can't speak about your experience with the people meant to guide you (elders).

this anthology was also originally published in the late 80s by the latina lesbian history project! and even all this time later, we still face many of the same issues with oppression and family disownment and expectations that the women were talking about in this collection.

a lot of this was written in english, but some were in spanish & spanglish so if you don't speak spanish and want to read this you will have to look for translations for some of the content.

talk books with me

[cultivating-wildflowers]

2024 Reading - January

January was one of my busiest reading months in both 2022 and 2023, but I had no expectation of replicating that this year. For one thing, I am a very slow reader when it comes to nonfiction (2024 is going to be interesting); for another, I have a lot of new reads on my list, whereas last January I binged a reread of the City Between series. And then there's all of the chaos in my personal life. So I'm pretty pleased with what I managed this month.

*Note: I'm starting a new thing where I'll include a few book recs at the bottom of a review if the book reminded me of them.*

Total books: 5  |  New reads: 5   |   2024 TBR completed: 3 (1 DNF) / 3/36 total   |   2024 Reading Goal: 5/100

December | February

potential reading list from Jan 1st

#1 - Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach - 4/5 stars ('24 TBR, Top Five Anticipated Read, audio)

Content notes: What can I say? It's a book about dead bodies. Check out the chapter list for an idea of what you're getting into. Among other things, there's murder, gore, medical abuse, sexual abuse, cannibalism, and more gore. The author explores all of this with compassion, scientific curiosity, and a good bit of dark humor.

I was expecting to come away having learned an interesting tidbit or two, but my reading experience was even better than that: Mary Roach is an engaging and well-organized storyteller, my favorite kind of nonfic writer.

Admittedly, a couple of the chapters were almost too detailed for my tastes, but that's what we have listening at 3x speed for. My only other complaint is a mild one: an occasional cropping-up of bias on Roach's part. It wasn't excessive but a little irritating at points.

Other intriguing nonfiction in this vein (featuring notably less gore): "Suffering Succotash" by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic; "Salt: A World History" by Mark Kurlansky; "The Soul of an Octopus" by Sy Montgomery; "The Ghost Map" by Steven Johnson [ok this one is pretty gross].

#2 - A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher - 5/5 stars ('24 TBR, Top Five Anticipated Read, audio)

This book was a delight, which was no surprise; what was a surprise was how it touched on one of my favorite little threads in children’s adventures in a way I haven’t seen before: “How did things get so bad that a CHILD has to fix them?” (Which goes hand-in-hand with a child finding the parent and assuming everything will be fixed, only to realize the parent is not all-powerful and the danger is still present, like in A Wrinkle in Time and the Underland Chronicles.)

Mostly I haven’t seen this before because not many children’s stories ask this question. Sometimes the adults are fighting their own battles at the same time; sometimes the adults CAN’T or won’t help. Those are all fine and are a great way to tell a children’s story. The stories that annoy me are the ones where the adults are actively useless for no good reason.

But I digress. This book is good. It’s full of heart, it’s full of fun, it has a flesh-eating sourdough starter named Bob, it has an amazing magic system, and while most twists are familiar to the seasoned reader, they all worked well. My favorite part was Mona herself. She was plucky and kind and, most importantly to me, she was clever. This is no blundering heroine who never asks questions and needs people to spell it out for her. Almost as soon as I stopped to consider how a new reveal could play out, Mona was already on top of it, prodding it and looking for weaknesses.

My one minor complaint is that the transition from the false victory to the final contest was a little rocky. I would also hesitate to recommend this to a lot of the kids I know because it has some language and I know their parents wouldn't appreciate that.

More like this: Ursula Vernon's graphic novel "Digger" is one of my eternal favorites. I love her storytelling style. I will always recommend it. [T. Kingfisher is Vernon's alternate pen name. Also, she's on tumblr. She's running a polls-based choose-your-own adventure story right now.]

Others: anything by Diana Wynne Jones, but especially her Chrestomanci series; "The Wizards of Once" by Cressida Cowell; "Anya and the Dragon" by Sofiya Pasternack.

#3 - Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett - 5/5 stars (mixed audio and print)

Absolutely delightful. Splendid. No notes. Shout out to @imissthembutitwasntadisaster for the brainrot.

More like this: I wouldn’t say it’s strictly like "Emily Wilde", but I had "Howl’s Moving Castle" in the back of my mind almost constantly while reading this. It's also a bit like "Sabriel" and a bit like a grown-up "Thirteenth Child" and sequels by Patricia C. Wrede. There are a few books on my tbr for the year that may turn out to be similar, but at present? This is something of a standout for me.

#4 - Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett - 4/5 stars

I have got to read "Macbeth".

#5 - Are Women Human? by Dorothy L. Sayers - 5/5 stars

[this review finds me face-down and screaming into the carpet]

DNF

Plenilune by Jennifer Freitag ('24 TBR) - This year's reading got off to a rocky start when I DNF'd this on January 1st. Even the negative reviews insist the writing style is beautiful and lyrical and well-crafted but I wasn't seeing it; and Margaret was a dull, unimaginative main character. I'm sure she gets everything she could possibly dream of and more. Note to future me: If there's a mirror description in the first chapter, I should just take it as a sign to bow out.

The Puppet Masters by Robert A. Heinlein - This reads as a horrible spoof of an X-Files episode. I realize this predates X-Files. I stand by my assessment.

The Spy in the Silver Palace by Jordan Rivet - Considering I've had this book and its sequels, borrowed from a friend, on my shelf for...over a year, I really wanted to be able to say I finally read them. And I tried. I tried so so hard. But I couldn't manage it. I've read one other book by Rivet and the easiest way to describe her writing is that it's just entertaining. There's nothing horribly remarkable about her books, but they aren't terrible either. They just aren't for me.

Currently Reading:

Wanderlust: A History of Walking by Rebecca Solnit (since the end of December)

[alosyair]

Tagged by @whatevsbla thank you very much :D

Rules: List ten books that have stayed with you in some way, don’t take but a few minutes, and don’t think too hard - they don’t have to be the “right” or “great” works, just the ones that have touched you.

In no particular order:

1. Pet Sematary by Stephen King. I read it once when I was a kid, haven't reread it since, but due to the young age it really did stick with me. Been remembering it a lot this spooky season.

2. The Red House Mystery by Alan A Milne. A childhood favourite from the very start of my mystery novel phase; I was so invested in it that I drew out the layout of the whole house for myself. I also just like the fact that my favourite detective is written by the Winnie Pooh guy hdhvdhbfb

3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Simply a favourite classic, the language is easy to follow, and I enjoyed the characters as well. Used it for 2 uni assignments the semester I read it.

4. More Than This by Patrick Ness. I rated it 4 stars upon finishing and then changed it to 5 a few days later because I couldn't stop thinking about it. Realized it probably just hit too close, and I was mad about it. Very captivating, very good.

5. The Whispers by Greg Howard. A pretty quick read, pretty sure I read it in a single day myself. I make sure to mention it every time someone asks me for book recs. I only bought it because there was a dog on the cover, but that was a good decision.

6. The Room by Emma Donoghue. I don't actually own this one because I took it from a library back then, but the atmosphere was great, I read it sitting in my living room armchair and felt like I myself haven't left the house in months.

7. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. It's not my favourite book anymore, but back when I first read it, it was the first book I read outside of school in some years, and it got me back into reading as a hobby. Made me realize modern fiction is fun actually.

8. The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa. I bought his new book yesterday, and I fear it because of the tears I shed over this one gdhbdhbfhnf

9. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I'm not even sure I'd like it so much now that I'm not 16, but back in the day it did leave an impression, especially since I went into the book blind, somehow VDHBDHVDG

10. The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness. Okay I wanted to do it a book per author but nah I can't not mention Chaos Walking. Highlighting book 2 because while book 1 did already hook me, book 2 is probably what cemented it as my future favourite series. I wrote my bachelor's thesis about it, come on!

I'm out of touch with most of my tumblr mutuals so I'm only gonna tag @rynloveshats and @summersizedmii ; no pressure to do this, but if you do — have fun!

[givereadersahug]

2023 reading asks! 4, 6, 8

Squash! <3

4. Do you plan to read any genres you haven't read much before?

Horror! I'm a big scary cat. I can't even watch horror films without stopping the film every five minutes. (Have you seen the trailer for Skinamarink? F that. I stopped the 2 mins trailer so many times. I also need to see the film...with someone beside me holding my hand. 😂) The last horror novel I read was TELL ME I'M WORTHLESS by Alison Rumfitt. It is a scalding indictment of the UK today, esp over the lack of trans rights & the dangerous prevalence of terfs rhetoric. I need to read more horror! The book was such a brilliant read and I need to see what else this genre has in store.

Another genre I'm dipping my toes in is danmei! I'm currently working my way through The Husky and His White Cat Shizun and I'm planning on starting The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System next.

6. Do you have any conceptual reading goals? E.g., I plan to read books on food history.

I'm trying to see if I can read books from at least 15 different nations this year! I noticed my picks skewed American, British, or Southeast Asia (with Japan outpacing the others). I'm definitely missing out on some great works from other parts of the world. If you have any Brazilian or Egyptian etc etc etc recs, let me know!

8. Are there any reading challenges you want to try?

I'm currently in a few reading discord servers, so I'm trying to participate in their challenges this year. Other than that, the only other reading challenge I want to do is @fanfic-reading-challenge! I also definitely need to expand my fanfic reading horizons (and I desperately need a kick in the rear to get started), so I'm trying out the challenge. <3

Thanks for the ask, Squash!

2023 reading ask game

answered - 4, 6, 8

[flashflashhundredyarddash]

Also, here are some of my favorite fics I've found over the years! These are going to be DC/Batfam fic recs.

Running Headlong into My Arms by gleesquid

"Bruce doesn’t like to credit one thing for saving his life, but if he did, it would be Haly’s Circus that Friday night in September, just as summer was beginning to die.

(He'll always be a sucker for kids with sad eyes, no parents, and more fight than the world knows what to do with.)

Or: in a universe where superheroes don't exist, Bruce Wayne finds his family."

Been a while since I read this one, but I remember thinking it was pretty good!

It All Started Fairly Normally by @kazyre

"When Wally doesn't show up at the cave one day for training, Dick immediately knows something happened to his best friend. The League is called in to help once they do find him. As well as the entire speedster family."

Probably one of my favorite fanfics EVER. I still to this day routinely reread the whole series

Robins and Other Flightless Birds by @ionalottabookmarks

"It begins with another Bruce, looking around his cave and asking, “So where are the kids?”

Bruce has never thought about having a family before. But once the idea occurs to him, it's hard to think about anything else."

*puts head in hands* This fic is just. So good. Bruce clearly trying so hard but also failing over and over again so hard. I love this characterization of Bruce so much.

Quiescent by kira892

"Wally wakes up to an empty bed.

He mourns the absence of warmth at his back and the familiar comfort of heavy, sleep-slack limbs draped over and around him before his brain processes the soft whisper of music drifting in from the left, in the direction of his desk. He cracks his eyes open and takes a moment to stare because the sight that greets him is certainly one to be appreciated."

A quiet, intimate birdflash piece that I really enjoy.

you lost the starlight in your eyes by @novaviis

"So, Dick collapses.

It comes out of nowhere. They’re in the kitchen one rare morning that they both have off. Wally is trying to follow his dad’s old recipe for French Toast, and Dick is doing the laundry. There’s easy banter and flirting and tired kisses with too much stubble because neither of them have shaved yet. Wally jokes about growing out a beard. Dick says he’ll leave him first - and easy on the sugar, he’s watching his hips. Dick goes into the laundry room and Wally calls to him down the hall about grabbing his phone or something from the bedroom.

No answer.

Wally calls him again. Dick walks out of the laundry room in a bit of a daze. Wally asks him what’s wrong. Again, Dick doesn’t answer. He just looks up at Wally and... drops."

I started reading it and just couldn't stop. Novaviis does a great job at building up the tension and really writing a strong, committed relationship, and the whole fic is incredibly cathartic.

Life Happens by @cdelphiki

"While walking home from an event at Wayne Enterprises, Tim and Damian are kidnapped and sent to an alternate dimension. In a world where superheroes are merely comic book characters and the idea of the multiverse is only a theory found within the pages of science fiction, how are Tim and Damian going to return home? How long will they be stranded on this strange Earth? And will the boys murder each other before they figure it out?"

This is a fic with a very interesting premise that is executed beautifully and is very bittersweet. A fantastic development of a Tim and Damian relationship.

An Old Lullaby by @faramirsblessing

"Tim and Damian are injured in an accidental explosion that destroys Gotham High and Gotham Academy. Damian's injuries are more severe than Tim's, leaving his life hanging by a thread, and the Batfamily struggles to come to terms with his injuries. They must learn to rely on strangers to help their littlest member while coping with their own grief, confusion, and guilt."

This fic is a WIP and I'm loving every update.

Watch This by snackbaskets

"Hal and Barry are worried about Batman's new partner. Being around the Batman all the time can't be good for a kid, right?

Robin insists otherwise, and for $15.36 of betting money, is happy to demonstrate."

This fic makes me laugh every time I read it, it's hilarious.

This post got long so part 2 is here. I also have quite a number of Star Trek, Marvel, X-Men, Haikyuu, and MXTX fics, so if anybody's interested in those feel free to send me an ask! Again, this is by no means a comprehensive list of all the fics I'd recommend.

[youreyeslookliketheocean]

youreyeslookliketheocean’s DSMP Fic Recs!!

Figured it was about time for one of these... :)

Mostly SBI-centric because they’re my favorite dynamic. I’ll probably add to this list as time goes on, and I also want to go back through my ao3 history and find some lesser-known fics I really enjoyed to rec them all. But for now...

* oneshot  ** unfinished work

** the lights go out (my heart goes still) by curseworm

With his old home unwelcoming and his new one gone, Tommy is alone. After hours of staggering through the freezing snow, he finds a cabin.

Technoblade’s cabin.

He hides himself away in the deepest corner he can find, taking only what he needs to survive, wasting away in the cold and the dark. He’s petrified at the thought of being found out, terrified of what he thinks Techno would do to him.

When Techno finds his injured teenage brother huddled in a filthy little cave beneath his basement, the rage he feels is immeasurable. The voices demand blood, and blood he will give them. Dream won’t be getting away with this one.

(On the other side of the world, in a country that floats on a man-made lake, Philza gets himself in a bit of a pickle.) 

** The hearth down under by Crystalquill

A tiny change gives Tommy the courage to flee to the Nether instead of the cold tundra, finding an unlikely ally in the midst of a fiery hellscape.

But tiny changes can alter the course of history. The SMP will never be the same.

(Lots of cool Nether worldbuilding in this one!!)

to be a wanderer, wandering by hydrangeasheart

Tommy's feet drag in the snow.

It's so, so cold. He's so cold. His toes are freezing. His exposed shins feel like they’ve been cut open-- even the one that’s bandaged. His wings have gone numb, which is almost, almost good, because now he can’t feel the shifting, broken bones inside of the left one, just under feathers and muscle.

He doesn’t know why he’s still walking.

-

Or, Tommy leaves the exploded ruins of Logstedshire behind, and walks until he finds somewhere safe.

And things keep going from there.

(A canon-divergent AU, splitting off somewhere around when Tommy started hiding out below Techno's house.)

that’s, like, a hundred miles by No_one_you_know (and then “as long as i’m here”, and “he’s my brother, i just raise him”)

Dream would kill him. Dream was going to kill him- he was going to- no, he wouldn’t. Dream was his friend- friends don’t hit each other- Dream was supposed to take care of him- Dream /was/ taking care of him.

It hurt to breathe. It hurt to think. He couldn’t clear his thoughts as he stumbled to the family computer, pulling up a tab on google and frantically typing the name into the search bar.

The words Technoblade Watson stared back at him, the little black bar at the end of the letters blinking slowly, mocking him.

Why, of all people, did it have to be Technoblade?

in short: the one where dream sucks as a parental figure, tommy runs away, and visits his least favorite family member technoblade.

passerine by thcscus(blujamas)

Do I really need to put the summary here? Pretty much everyone knows this fic. Also, though, if you enjoy this one you should totally read thcscus’ connected fic, “shrike”!! It’s only at 2 chapters right now but it’s already really good and has this dark, foresty aesthetic I love...

not with a bang but with a whimper by dip_dyed_ghost

He knows Tubbo doesn’t care about him anymore. He knows that. He’s been shown that. But it doesn’t stop Tommy from caring about him. He brushes the pads of his fingers over the compass’s glass and wonders how he’s doing, if he’s tired of it all yet, if he needs help. He watches the way it points strongly in the direction over the ocean. He hopes he’s alright.

Even after everything, he hopes he’s alright.

During his exile, Tommy finds a drugged and hurt Tubbo on his doorstep. He can’t not help him.  

(This one has a neat take on potions, in my opinion. Also it’s only 4 chapters so it’s a quick read!)

take this compass, follow it home by lightning_anon

Tommy's a fuck up, he can't pay attention, and never sits still. He taps his hands, pushes people away, and has never had a best friend. He's a screwed up, forgotten kid lost in the foster system. He's also just been placed with a new family. Tommy knows how this goes, he never ends up staying long. After all, no one wants a fuck up like him.

Why would this house be any different?

Or: the obligatory sleepy bois foster fic, but with a focus on the neurodivergent kids that inevitably get lost in the system.

(Genuinely want to see more books like this in original fiction. It’s part of what inspired my newest og wip, “To Build a Home.” So sweet and I feel like I had my eyes opened to some neurodivergent tendencies I never knew existed. I read this in a day and can’t rec it enough.)

bloodlines by youreyeslookliketheocean

Tommy’s an orphan on the run from his previous guardian. Philza’s a king who prides himself on keeping his kingdom in an era of peace. Wilbur’s the crown prince, and Techno’s right beside him as his adopted brother. When Phil’s kingdom of Pogtopia is threatened by the bloodvines—a strange, brainwashing plant infecting many of the surrounding kingdoms—the four must work together to keep the kingdom, and their family, safe. --- A royal au sbi fic... + the bloodvines, for spice.

(Yes I’m self-promoting. But, in my defense, I’m very proud of it. If you checked it out it would mean the world to me :’))

Heat Waves by tbhyourelame

Dream has always held a gentle admiration for George, but when their nuanced friendship trickles into his sleeping mind, he awakens to a new world of conflicting emotions and longing. Lost in the midst of a heat wave, he continuously listens to a song that works itself in to the very core of his heartache. Floridian nights, unsent messages, spiraling infatuation, and terrible, terrible weather.

Another fic I think pretty much everyone knows about. Listen, listen... I was once an idiot who said “Oh no, I’ll never read Heat Waves. It’s irl, not characters, and it’s probably cringe”... No. I was so wrong. This fic is wonderfully written, with a pretty quick moving plot and great characterizations. You do need an ao3 account to access it, though. Just to let you know. (Also read “Helium”, unfinished and hasn’t updated in awhile, but it’s the continuation). 

Guitar Strings and Keyrings are What it Takes to Build a Home by Anonymous

Techno was adopted by Phil when he was 12 years old.

He'd been enjoying his morning before Phil came to him asking if he would mind them taking in another kid. Against his better judgement, Techno agrees and ends up with two new foster brothers who he was determined to not get attached to, no matter what.

Tommyinnit’s unbeatable method of avoiding sudden death by eneliii

“I uh,” Tommy starts, not knowing how to break this to the hero lightly. He hates to be the bearer of bad news. “I think your powers are broken? It’s not a bad thing of course, but like, I swear you tried to mind control me and it like, totally failed. Which is fine, honestly, don’t feel insecure. Everyone’s power stop working sometimes… I think.”

Sheesh, this is very awkward. Why is no one else talking? Why is Philza looking at him like he grew three heads? Why is the Blade staring at him so intensely? Why is Willow still frozen?

“Did I, did I hit a nerve? Yikes,” Tommy hisses, “Well um,” He steps back, bracing his legs and bending his knees, “This was like super fun, but I’m - I’mma head out.”

or,

in which Tommy manages to annoy the hell out of Phil, Techno and Wilbur by being both impossible to catch and irritatingly endearing.

or or,

a crack fic where Tommy is a vigilante and Phil, Techno and Wilbur are the heroes hunting him down.

(Feel like I am obligated to say how incredibly funny this fic is. Seriously. I have a distinct memory of sitting on my neighborhood park’s swing, giggling hysterically, while reading this. Well...until the end... but we won’t get into that...)

** bones in the ocean by bunflower

“Your reputation precedes you, y’know.”

“Does it, now?” Philza watches him coyly from where he’s now leaning against the wall, arms folded around his chains and gaze half-lidded, his lips curled in an arrogant, cat-like smirk.

“The Angel of Death, the ferryman of the Styx, the terror of the western seas. One of the most feared captains ever to sail, and yet, I have to wonder… how did a man like you end up all on his own? We searched the area where you were found—not another soul in sight. So,” He fixes him with a long look, allowing the silence to hover like a dark cloud, the words rolling off of his tongue with all the venom and smugness he can muster, “—tell me, Philza. Where is your crew?”

OR: Technoblade is a naval captain, and Phil his unwilling prisoner. Somehow, they manage to come out of it as friends in the end.

(Is this fic considered popular like passerine/Heat Waves now? Cause I feel like it’s reputation precedes itself, at this point... Pirate au.)

****

Okay! That’s it for now. Like I said, though, I want to add to this over time and also dig back for some older things I’ve read. Also, if you have any recs feel free to send them in! I’m about to go back to school and therefore might not have time for reading fun stuff, but whenever I get the chance I’d love to check them out!!!

Happy Reading!!

[twinkubus]

As many odds on the book ask list as you feel interested in doing!

sick let's see how far this goes

book you’ve reread the most times?

okay so if we counted most times IN MY LIFE it would be something like hitchhiker's guide or maybe a geel naiman. i don't reread books AS often anymore but if i do it is any gay/trans book that i own. also the end of the affair by graham greene and mariette in ecstacy by ron hansen.

3. what is your favorite genre?

man...in my HEART it's fantasy but the books i have enjoyed the most recently have been contemporary fiction or horror!!

5. where do you buy books?

mostly i procure them from the library. but i have recently been gettign into (checks to make sure there isn't a guilty pleasure ask down the line) wh40k novels which are NOT at my library and many of them are even out of print, so those have been sourced from ebay/abebooks/thriftbooks.

7. is there a series/book that got you into reading?

i definitely don't remember back that far. but i also don't remember a time i wasn't "into" reading so it'd be like, one of those board books for 2 year olds.

9. when do you tend to read most?

on public transpo/at meals/before bed

11. what non-fiction books do you like if any?

the "if any" on this Q is so sad, RIP. can't really do an "all timer" on this one but recently have been reading about 1) eunuchs (a cultural history), eunuchs (in the byzantine empire); 2) tibetan buddhism; 3) permaculture/DIY home ec stuff; & 4) just picked up an ILL on mortuary and memorial practice in contemporary russia.

13. do you have a goodreads?

technically but i only track books via excel spreadsheet

skipping 15 bc i just did a lot of book recs here

17. top 5 children’s books?

was almost going to skip this one too but I must stan

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede

anything by Bruce Coville (love a bi king)

...okay it has been a long time since I've read any children's books so I am going to stop there while I am still convinced of the quality of my recs

19. most disliked popular books?

this one will get me kicked off tumblr. you might have seen me post abt them on twitter a little bit? maybe? i don't HATE them hate them and reading some of the posts about it are fun. but i have several problems with the sf book series written by a certain homestuck bnf :P

[evilwickedme]

Rec list! 👏 Rec list! 👏 Rec list! 👏

(oh and for Good Omens too, if you don't mind 😇😈)

Ok let's go rec list for good omens (bc Murderdock deserves his own post I think. Feel free to send more asks I won't complain)

These are all ineffable husbands bc I'm basic idk what to tell you

The first one is one that is so long even I haven't finished it. It's called Crown of Thorns and it's entirely book canon, predating the show. It's based entirely on the long lasting word of God by Neil Gaiman that after the book ends, our heroes get themselves a little cottage by the coast and live out the rest of their days. It's soft, slow burn, and even though I "only" made it two thirds of the way into the story (there's a lot of story, to be fair, it's 275k) I still think about it all the time.

Another long one (133k this time) is the Demon and Angel Professor series. It's basically a series of interconnected oneshots and short 2-4 chapter fics, all of which can be read by themselves but I think a lot is to be gained by just sitting and reading them together. Ineffable husbands are teachers at a school, and every year the student body takes a really long time to figure out that the beloved husband Azira is talking about is actually Crowley. Featuring so much found family it's mind boggling. Lots of OCs, too, but in the good way where they help create a bigger world for our characters to inhabit.

They're getting shorter but still pretty long, Demonology and the Tri-Phasic Model of Trauma: An Integrative Approach (99k) made me ugly cry, full on sobbing. The premise is this: Crowley goes to therapy. It's from the point of view of the therapist, who is wonderful and does a great job. Another one I think about literally all the time, except I finished this one in a day and it ruined my entire evening cause I couldn't stop reading.

If you just want to have some silly fun in two thousand words or less, I also really like this concept where people are sharing their advice as to how to get into Azira's bookshop and then, yes, actually make a purchase. Adventures In Attempting To Purchase A Book From That Weird Old Soho Bookshop, A. Z. Fell & Co., plus a sequel from a different author, So You Need To Get Into A.Z. Fell & Co.; Now What? (A Guide For Unfortunate Bookworms). I just love me a good social media au, sue me.

Finally, Azira and Crowley start an advice podcast? Azira and Crowley start an advice podcast. it's a new craze is less than 6k and a lot of fun the whole time.

Enjoy!

[blouisparadise]

Upon request, here is a rec list of fics where Louis or Harry are obvlious, often to each others’ feelings. We hope you enjoy these amazing fics! If you enjoy our rec lists, please be sure to like and reblog to spread the word. Happy reading!

1) Signed, No Name | Mature | 4647 words

Harry doesn’t know Blue, he just knows that he leaves random notes in the corners of the books he checks out, and he’s head over heels for him.

2) Have A Little Bit Of Pride | Mature | 5906 words

Harry is Louis' really hot boyfriend who keeps getting flirted with at pride, so Louis confronts Harry. Sex ensues.

3) If I Was Your Vampire | Not Rated | 6890 words

His neck was exposed, and it was pretty clear Louis was waiting for Harry to claim the naked skin as his.

When there was no reaction, however, Louis opened his eyes and looked up at Harry from a somewhat awkward angle. The wide, downright hungry stare he was receiving from Harry who seemed like he was in an entire other universe kind of scared him, and when he didn’t see Harry blink for several following seconds but his tongue continued to wet his lips, Louis, now growing afraid, asked,  “Harry? Are – are you okay?”

4) I'm At Your Mercy Now (And I'm Ready To Begin) | Teen & Up | 10552 words

Louis' soulmark was leaked, Harry keeps his private. They're both famous popstars. Louis is waiting for his soulmate, Harry has a feeling it's him but Louis is completely oblivious.

5) What's Stopping You? | Mature | 14511 words

The one where Harry wants to get over his crush on Louis, so he makes a Grindr account to find someone new. Of course, Louis messages him, not realizing H's real identity. It only takes a few days for them to figure it out.

6) The Future Is Now | Explicit | 16281 words

Louis has a great life, really, he does. He studies hard, has great friends, a boring but decent job at the carnival, and of course, he has Harry, the best flatmate anyone could ask for. All that’s missing is someone to love. But when a strange new fortune-telling machine appears at the carnival, Louis’ life takes an unexpected turn. Could this be his chance to finally find love and will it be where he least expects it?

7) Practice In Pencil, Seal It In Pen | Explicit | 16486 words

Harry is in love with Louis but he doesn’t know.

8) Oblivious | Explicit | 19095 words

Where Louis gets a little crush on Luke and for some reason Harry starts acting weird.

9) Runnin' Like You Did | Explicit | 20061 words

A college AU where Louis knows how to hold a grudge and is definitely not in love with Harry Styles.

10) The Dream That You Wish | Explicit | 21543 words

Disneyland!AU where the park's Peter Pan is rumoured to be fooling around with Prince Charming in the castle. There's also Baymax desperately trying to capture the heart of Pooh Bear while shift manager boyfriends Niall and Shawn are tired of watching it all go down in the happiest place on Earth.

11) Listen To Your Heart | Explicit | 35019 words

Louis has always been comfortable being Harry’s one and only. When Harry starts to branch out, Louis has a hard time letting him go.

Harry is very lucky to have someone who listens to what he has to say, despite the fact that he’s deaf. He’s finally feeling like he’s coming into himself, but Louis seems bothered by his newfound confidence.

12) The Sidelines | Explicit | 47078 words

Harry and Louis play hockey for Penn state and can't stand one another, since they can't keep their hatred off the ice their coach and team do what they can to keep their hard earned spot in the playoffs and their two star players from killing each other.

13) The Way You Make Me Feel | Explicit | 47353 words

The one where Louis is forced to go to Jazzercise, and Harry is the hot, English instructor.

14) A Silent Whisper (That’s Left Unsaid) | Explicit | 50842 words

A Fake Relationship & Exes to Lovers AU ft a failed proposal ten years ago, an oblivious Harry, an overworked Louis, Zayn as the protective best friend, a meddling aunt and a lot of talks about weddings and rings.

15) Never Let Me Go | Explicit | 55949 words

Harry and Louis have been friends forever, but they couldn't be more different. One night, with a little too much alcohol, they make a pact to marry in ten years if they're both still single.

Now, one month before the deadline, Louis is willing to do whatever it takes to avoid ending up with his best friend. But is he, really?

16) Quite On The Contrary | Explicit | 63818 words

Neighbors x High School AU where it all started with Harry moving next door to the Tomlinsons, a balcony break in, mixed feelings, a poorly thought-out initiation, several missing sweaters and a lot of non-platonic activities.

17) You're Supposed To Be Smart. | Teen & Up | 83318 words

Louis is an oblivious idiot who gets high scores in exam and will probably graduate with flying colors and Harry Styles is a right idiot who swore to always protect Louis but can't ask him out on a date.

18) Don't Let It (Me) Break | Explicit | 168580 words

The one where Harry is oblivious, Louis is broken, Zayn and Liam are in love, Gemma and Lottie are lovely, and Niall is just waiting for everyone to get their shit together.

And it's all Malcolm's fault.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

[morrow-dim]

I came across “Remember, I Am the One Who Took Off Your Cape” the other day and can’t stop thinking about it 😭 Thank you so much for writing it!! 🖤💛 Have you been enjoying Triple Crown so far (and are there any other BL webtoons you’re enjoying)?

Hello, Anon! I haven’t posted on Tumblr in nearly a year (11 months!). I had to reset my password. 😅 But it’s great that Tumblr’s notif system still works because I’m so keen to talk about BL webtoons! 😍

But before that . . . wow. “Remember, I Am the One Who Took Off Your Cape” will (probably) be my sole contribution to the fandom, but it’s close to my heart. I’m touched that you’re touched by it! 😭 I’m also embarrassed to say that I’m only 4 episodes in to Triple Crown. (Yikes!) I had a lot of hesitation because I have issues with Tappy Toon (I’m only on Lezhin or Tapas these days). Then I got distracted by Solo Leveling (yes, I’m about to rec the webtoon), which I devoured in roughly three weeks. Am now waiting for the side stories. Whatever hype you’ve heard about Solo Leveling is true (and I’m currently trying to finish a fic). Although it’s not BL, you don’t have to squint very hard to find those ships. 😉 But getting back to Triple Crown . . . I’ll get there eventually! Though I have to say that the ‘Prologue’ is the perfect webtoon. ❤️

So, aside from Solo Leveling, I have two BL webtoon recs for you and both can be found on Lezhin. They’re character-based stories with art styles that I enjoy. Neither are as gorgeously drawn and colored as Kingmaker, but really, how many webtoons are? What these two webtoons have going for them is brilliant storytelling.

1. “Do You Still Like Me?” Technically, this is an ABO webtoon but it features two alphas, which is the most interesting dynamic to me. The relationship between the two leads is fantastically developed and very rich. The webtoon is a slow burn that begins with a ‘fuck buddies’ trope. (It’s a contract relationship. Literally.) I’m also attracted to the inter-racial aspect of it since one of the characters is Korean and the other British. Most of the story takes place in London. I’d go so far as to say that the way this creator treats the alpha-alpha relationship has fundamentally changed how I view alpha-alpha dynamics moving forward. The structure of the webtoon is also complex, moving between multiple (contemporary) time periods and places. If some parts don’t 100% make sense the first time you read them, have a little patience. The creator always rewards you. When the pieces fall into place, I’ll go over certain episodes and think, ‘Wow. That has even more layers than I originally thought.’ Highly recommended. (This is an ongoing webtoon in its second season.)

2. “The Beast Must Die” This webtoon is my favorite webtoon of all time, BL or otherwise. It’s also one of the darker webtoon I’ve read because the central character – Kang Moo – is a true psychopath. The creator clearly researched psychopathy so that his/her depiction of it is fairly accurate and the situations created very plausible given the conditions of the webtoon. When I decided to jump into fanfic, I read the two books that are referenced in the webtoon just so I could have a basic understanding of the condition. I won’t spoil the plot for you, but I love this webtoon to pieces. It begins when the two main characters are university students and spans over a decade. Like the rec above, the dynamic between the two leads is truly unique. I have never read anything like it in the webtoon world. However, I’d warn you that the weakest part of this webtoon is the second side story (it was infuriating, tbh), but the main fic, the first side story, and the side tracks/collections are exceptional. (This is a completed webtoon.) Kang Moo is an utterly compelling character. (And gorgeous. Really gorgeous.)

That’s it from me, Anon! I bet you’re a little sorry now that you asked for webtoons I’m enjoying after reading all my rambling. 😂 There’s more! (There’s always more. 😉) But these two are a cut above the rest, as is Kingmaker. ❤️