#because at this rate I would have never publish it because it was not perfect

[cabi-leodrann]

[First] [Previous] [Next] Fight part 1/? I wanted to do the fight in one sitting initially. But it got pretty long pretty fast- so it's gonna be cut in two or three, depending on how much time I do the drawing- Funfact of this update: On my second party of COTL, I two or three tap Baal. Aym was more of a problem, but the two cats where quickly put in baby jail.

[seneon]

waiting for hours ──── seishiro nagi x fem! reader.

about. in which, nagi awaits your arrival at home for hours. pure fluff oneshot. wc of 1.2k.

notes. this is like, the highest rated chapter in my my oneshot book in wattpad. so im slapping this in tumblr too and happy belated bday to koala boy!! for @hyoismbbg ♡

𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘 was the first time during this year that nagi was able to arrive home early from his football practice. and by early, earlier than the time his lover's work finishes.

he freshened himself up, ate some food in the fridge and waited. it was 8:42pm, almost an hour and a half for you to finish your work.

the football player, now playing for a professional team, was basically bored out of his mind. he could play games until you've returned, but the man had played every game in the universe.he could watch anime, movies or anything. but those would bore him instantly.

honestly, everything is boring to him nowadays. the only thing that would keep him entertained is football and you.

you were practically the same as him, a lazy person who somehow managed to be a successful writer and be in a relationship with another lazy athlete.

nagi waited and waited and waited. for what seemed like hours, he kept waiting for your presence to shine in his day. but every time he checked the clock, only a few minutes passed from the previous.

as tired as the white-haired male is, he decided to make you some simple yet cute supper, prepare your essentials for when you returned from work. nagi even set up your little table in your shared room by the window for when you read or do some planning for tomorrow.

he eventually lost track of time while trying to make everything in the house perfect so you didn't have to do anything else when you came home. an hour or so had passed, and nagi still didn't hear the door twist open.

you yawned, tired from the meeting you had at your publishing company. really, sometimes you wish you could boss around rude people and shut them up from their shitty opinions. but business is business. and rude people didn't really matter anyways.

you set everything the way it is, and stop in your tracks when you see the kitchen counter filled with a plate of delicious food.

the apartment looked pretty neat and clean too. when you looked around in suspicion and curiousity, some of the recognisable things belonging to your boyfriend were laying around freely.

that was when a smile crawled up your cheeks. your mind traveled to nagi who prepared the food and cleaned up the house— just as he walked out the room, an annoyed expression on his face.

"i thought you were never coming home, after i prepared everything for you," he pouted with a poker face, definitely disappointed at how late you arrived home.

"ah— my bad. thank you. you're home early," you shot him a lazy smile before he walked towards you and pulled you into a lazy hug, completely embracing you in his huge form.

"yeah, practice kinda got canceled because coach's wife got into trouble.”

since you were way tinier than him, you practically squished under his body, melting in the warmth of your lazy, sweet loving boyfriend.

he smelled like mint and fresh sugary frosting, from the body wash you gave to him as a present on his birthday. it was a scent that pulled you in so much it froze and destroyed all the negative comments that were written about your books.

as much as you didn't want to separate the hug, nagi gently plucked himself away from you, sternly looking into your eyes.

"eat, and go take a bath. then we can sleep together. practice might be cancelled tomorrow too if coach's wife's trouble is still ongoing.." he trailed off and shook his head. "ehh whatever just go. i made food for you without burning the kitchen and prepared stuff for you in the room."

you chuckled and nodded your head repeatedly, trying to keep in the laugh with his ridiculously sarcastic get funny words. pretty much whatever nagi said could be funny to you.

"i won't doubt your effort. thank you again," you tiptoed and gave him a quick peck on the lips, heading over to the kitchen counter to eat your supper.

the peck made nagi blush. it was the first kiss you gave him this week. it is monday night, the start of the week. and you kissed him yesterday. hah. humour. nagi keeps track of kisses he gets from you.

anyways, he wanted more kisses from you later so he watched you eat while conversing a little about both your writer job and athlete jobs.

then, he waited for you to take your bath, freshen up before you bailed out your little window corner and jumped into bed with nagi.

"thank you, sei," you thanked him again, as he buried his face into your hair, inhaling the fresh scent of your shampoo. "you've thanked me three times already. you're welcome though..."

your fingers moved to lace themselves in the soft fluffy hair of the male, moving around to ruffle and gently play with it.

nagi's hair was fairly soft, like cotton candy that would melt when it came in contact with liquid. it could even be on par with the clouds albeit you've never felt clouds before. but you just know it was more soft and fluffy than anything else.

you found it awfully cute that his love language is physical touch, so much that you often see him as a cat. and for a fact that nagi only needs and wants your attention, not from anyone else because you are everything to him.

the male hummed when your fingers played with his hair, an odd calmness filling over the mind and body of the athlete. you always managed to calm him down, physically and mentally. he loved that it was a good trait of you that he fell in love with.

"i love you," he said against your neck, his breath touching your skin as you couldn't help but smile at his words. he was random, sure, but you know when nagi was being genuine and sarcastic. now, he meant every word of it.

"i love you too," you replied softly, your fingers moving, trailing down to his cheeks to caress his chiseled jawline and softly stroke his cheeks.

such a work of art, you thought to yourself when you faced him and looked into his eyes.

how could a man be as angelic as your boyfriend?

you felt so blessed to have nagi in your life, never regretting that you made the first move for being friends and eventually he would later on give you a lazy confession that was conducted by his friend, reo.

"you're really beautiful, love," he felt himself smile when the both of you were staring into each other's eyes lovingly. "so beautiful.."

"and you're very handsome," you chuckled, going closer to his face. you kept the tiny distance for a moment, having a small time to admire nagi's grey eyes.

nagi then closed the distance between you both, his lips ever so softly closing in on yours to give you a lovely kiss.

it was filled with the purest intentions of showing how much he loves you, nothing else than an innocent kiss that was focused on appreciation and love.

you both pulled away at the same time, your arms wrapping around his neck as his own snaking around your waist to pull you close.

gosh, you love hugs when it comes to your lazy gigantic boyfriend. he always gives you the best ones.

"let's sleep now, okay?" he placed a soft kiss on your forehead, letting you reply with a nod before pulling the soft blanket over you two.

"i've been waiting for hours to cuddle you to sleep. good night, y/n.”

© SENEON 2024 ♰ do not repost, alter, or translate.

[physalian]

In Defense of Fanfiction (Or the perfect starting point for your original novel)

Fanfic gets a bad rap pretty much everywhere except Tumblr. It’s misunderstood and misrepresented by its average works, seen as juvenile and cringey, or a banal point of contention between a famous person or piece of media and its fans.

Outside of fanfic that writes about real people, especially smut fics of real people, I support the art wholeheartedly. Fictional characters are one thing, but personally, caricaturing a celebrity’s life for public consumption and writing or drawing them in compromising content without their consent is a little weird. You do you. Don’t like, don’t read, as they say.

Fanfic is the perfect starting point for a few reasons:

It places you in a creative box and forces you to work within those constraints

It does all the worldbuilding and character concepts for you

It lets you write way outside your comfort zone

When published and receiving feedback, it boosts your self-confidence

It's incredibly flexible

It’s practice. All practice is good practice

—

Behold your creative box

When I was little I had no idea the majority of fanfic was shipping fics. I always pictured and looked for canon-divergent alternate universes. Like, what if X happened in this episode instead of Y? What if this character never died?

Fanfic demands you work within someone else’s canon, whether it’s an OC in the canonical world, or the canonical characters in an AU. These are like little bowling bumpers saving you from the gutter, but also keeping you on a straight-ish path toward the pins.

The indecisiveness of too many choices can be too intimidating when you’re first starting out. You want to be a writer but you have no idea where to begin, what genre to pick, what characters you want to chronicle, what themes you want to explore.

Even if it sits on your computer never to see the light of day, you still got those creative juices flowing.

Pre-packaged worldbuilding

Sometimes all we want is to get to the good stuff. Maybe I want to write a story about elemental magicians but Last Airbender already exists and I just want to play in a pre-existing sandbox. So I write some OCs into that world and have a free-for-all.

I don’t have to come up with my own lore, world history, magic system rules and mechanics, politics, geography—any of it. I get to just focus on the characters.

Even if you’re writing an AU, like say a coffee shop AU, you don’t have to think about brand new characters, you can just think “What would M do?” and go from there. The trade-off is your readers will expect canonical characters to behave in-character, but I think it’s worth it.

Stretch beyond your comfort zone!

Do you hate writing action scenes? Go practice with a shonen anime fic. Need work on dialogue? Write some high-fantasy fic, or a courtroom drama. Practice a fistfight by watching fistfights and writing what you see, and do it over and over again until what you read makes you feel like you're watching what’s on screen.

But beyond that—practice genres that you aren’t super familiar with. If you’re new to fantasy, write fantasy fic. Or a mystery novel/show, thriller, comedy, satire, adventure, what have you. The nature of fanfic still gives you those “guardrails” and you can get some brutally honest feedback on how you’re doing.

And, of course, the realm of M-rated romance and smut fics. I haven’t because I think I would die of embarrassment if I tried and I never intend to include sex scenes in my works anyway, but if you do want to, use the internet as your test audience. Post it on a throwaway account if you’re nervous.

Build that self-confidence!

The fandoms I used to write for are super dead, so it’s insane how I still get email notifications that so-and-so liked my fic to this day. Comments are as elusive as ever, but random strangers on the internet telling me they liked my work is a magical reassurance that my writing isn’t actually awful.

Random strangers on the internet are, as we all know, beholden to no moral obligation to be kind to your little avatar face, or be kind to be polite. So a rando taking the time to like my work or even leave a positive comment can feel more honest than one of my friends telling me what they think I want to hear.

I tend to avoid the more present aspects of fandom like online communities, forums, social media, what have you, so I get a delayed and diluted aspect of any given fandom through completed works. Which means, in general, I get to avoid the worst and most toxic aspects of fandom and get to sift through positive feedback and critique.

Even if your fanfic isn’t written with stellar prose, it’s fanfic. We don’t expect Pulitzer-prize winning content. And if your work isn’t up to snuff, people are more likely to just ignore it than put you on blast (at least in my experience, I never got a bad comment or a “flame” in the old FFN days).

Fanfic doesn’t care about the rules of published literature

On the one hand, try not to practice bad habits, but with this point I mean that your layout, punctuation, formatting, paragraph styles, chapter length–all of it is beholden to no rules. I get as annoyed as the next reader with giant blocks of paragraphs, or the double-spacing between pages of single-sentence paragraphs, but if the story’s good enough I might ignore it.

There’s more than just straight narrative fics, though. People write “chat” fics, or long streams of text and group chat conversations. The scene breaks can come super rapidly–I’ve seen fics with a single sentence in between line breaks to show the passage of time. And without the polish of a traditionally published novel, I’ve never seen a purer distillation of author voice in any medium more than fanfic.

All practice is good practice

Even if it’s crack fiction, or a one-off one-shot, or something meant to be lighthearted and straightforward and free from complex worldbuilding and intricate plots. It really helps break writer’s block when you can shift gears and headspaces entirely and you can get relatively instant feedback to keep you motivated.

Beyond that, the “guardrails” help you stay consistent as far as character growth and personality if you struggle with designing rich characters.

The most recent fanfic I wrote was just a couple years ago, for a dead fandom I didn’t think would get any traffic whatsoever. It wasn’t my original works, but the feedback on that fic gave me the kick in the butt I needed to get back into writing more seriously.

—

In short, I support fanfic. I may not be proud of my earliest fics' prose now, but I am proud that they walked so I can now run.

[captainblou]

2024 FIC Roundup

A big thank you to everyone who either mentioned or tagged me 💛 @missunderstoodlyrics @eybefioro @itsscottiesstark @bellisima-writes love y’all brilliant people 💛💛

What fandom do you write in?

Good Omens 😇😈

How many words have you published in 2024?

255 363 words 😮‍💨😮‍💨 it will keep going up until Dec. 31

What is your greatest achievement this year?

Having consistently written through the year. 2023 was my comeback to writing after 15 years of nothing and I’m so happy it lasted like that. I’m seeing a tremendous amount of progress in my writing and story telling and I’m very grateful for that 💛

What are your top three fics you wrote this year?

Drive me to the moon: (complete, rated E)

At GOMENS, world-renowned sports brand and sponsor, one takes pride in endorsing the UK’s most talented athletes. On the other hand, one would like to ignore the fact that their two top of the bill, Aziraphale and Crowley, have heartily hated each other since the day they met. But what should be expected, when one knows these two? Aziraphale is a professional dancer, Crowley a rally driver. While the former switches between fierce competitions and prestigious stages, the other goes from one track to another across the world, clearing out every prize from behind the wheel of his racing car. Two beings, two worlds, two universes that everything should keep apart. But an unprecedented charity event is getting set up at GOMENS, and quickly, their own athletes will have to compete with and assist each other in turns. Two worlds, two personalities. But if they want to run for a cause that matters to the both of them, Crowley and Aziraphale are going to have to find an Arrangement. 

The Angel I knew : (WIP but 100% written, rated M)

Twenty years after his divorce and the loss of their child, Aziraphale finds his former partner and childhood sweetheart to have happily transitionned. Together they begin a healing journey. A very soft and fluffy fic despite the themes.

Richfront Valley: (WIP, rated E)

Aziraphale lives a very secluded life in Richfront Valley national park. That is until a stranger comes and turns his life upside down, their one night stand turning into the most intense three weeks of their lives.

What was your biggest pit of despair moment?

I am not sure I understand that question? Every time I lose interest in one of my WIP is a pit of despair moment I guess? Because I hype myself (and my friends lol) and feel bad that I'm not able to go through with the idea??

What have you learned?

OUTLINE.

I'm still fighting myself over the "first draft doesn't need to be perfect" thing, BUT, I have learned that outlining my fics helps me write them to the end. I'm still working a lot with the flow because I need to write to keep writing, but I know where I'm going.

What fic did you want to do but never made it off the ground?

UUURGH. So, OK. I wrote a very dark Human AU that I called No Place to House our Love, where Aziraphale is a prison priest and Crowley is a convicted fellon. This resonates a lot with me, as prison was my work environment for years, and I really wanted to finish it. It's currently 30k words and on hold. I really hope to finish it someday. Sad ending. But comes from my guts, I suppose.

Did you beta any fics?

YES YES YES!!! I had the joy to help my dear friend @eybefioro polishing up a couple of their fics: Forgive me, Father, and Vavooming part2 at different stages of writing so it was a tremendous fun!!

Also currently lurking on one of @itsscottiesstark's next work and it's YUMMY.

What three fics have you read this year that you love?

Oh boy.

OK, I declared myself the official propaganda officer for @itsscottiesstark 's fic Undone it's sooooo good guys... An AU where Crowley and Aziraphale realise just in time that Adam is the real Antichrist and decide to help raise him? HELLOOO??

In your own time, by @ineffabildaddy ... What can I say... How soft can something really be??? (I had to chose between this and I'm Beginning to See the Light and oops... seems that I've mentionned both now...)

And last but not least, Take Some Pictures or Something stole my fucking heart... By His_infinitevariety (if that person is on tumblr please wave at me!!)

What ideas are percolating for next year?

SO. MANY. IDEAS. BREWING

I have a Space Race fic idea that promises to be A BIG PIECE OF WORK. Pretty much based on the Hunger Games concept, but in space, and in a race. It's still a brewing thing and will most likely be super long to write.

I am currently writing The Angel's I Knew 's prequel! So if you're in love with those two lovebirds and wonder what they were like as teenagers... It's coming your way!

I am writing a Ghost Story, with WW2 RAF Pilot Crowley!

And last but not least, @elenthyaolyenths and I are outlining a through the ages, loss memory fic that we hope to start writing soon!!!

And well... so many plot bunnies ready to be adopted, I'm opening a bloody shelter at this point. But those are the main ones.

Who do you want to thank?

So many people... damn, starting with @eybefioro, @crowleys-bentley-and-plants and @fearandhatred -- our groupchat is still so dear to my heart <3 love you guys

@itsscottiesstark -- for having me open the Nice and Accurate Network on discord and allowing me to meet with all the wonderful people on it <3 And for being just the sweetest <3

And well... My very own internet wife, my partner in crime, my faithful reader and illustrator. @elenthyaolyenths You've made this year so much more fun, I can't wait to continue brain rotting with you in 2025!

Cheers everyone, here's to 2025! To our world!

Tagging @beerok23, @pineappleonbread, @ineffabildaddy on this <3

[massharp1971]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers! Spread the self-love 💞

Oooh, thanks for the ask! Gosh. This is going to be hard. I have to do this without looking through the list because I'll die of indecision otherwise.

1. Unbroken 16K, M rating

“I’ll protect you. All of you,” he said, because he thought that was what was expected, but much as he desperately wanted it to be true, he knew this wasn’t a storybook. His heart clenched painfully at the thought of something happening to Rodney.

“Dumbass,” Rodney said in between still slightly panicky breaths. “Go read the SGC reports and then come back and tell me who usually saves who. Spoilers: It’s science. It’s always science… still, I appreciate the thought. I believe you want that to be true.”

This fic never fails to get enthusiastic reactions from the readers that venture in. It's not an easy read, as it's about trauma and all the layers of it that go unaddressed in the show. It was one of those stories that demanded to be written. it's ultimately a healing story and one that chimes for a lot of folks.

2. Awakenings >100K, E rating

‘Hi, Mer McKay, PhD, PhD, autistic, genius, gender ambivalent, queer and kinky as fuck, compulsive over-sharer.’ Some people think this is just a smut fic, but what I like is the story - what would happen if McKay knew he was autistic and queer and had come to terms with himself more? Well, in this case, it changes the entire timeline. There are some tough bits about trauma in there too, but it's mainly about John having a sexual awakening, thanks to McKay. Lots of polyamorous and kinky fun and games. Also, of course, a mcsheppy love story.

I'm currently writing the third main part of the series and horribly stuck, but if I'd actually published it, that would be my favourite.

3. Home for Christmas 25K, M rating

He went into another store, intent on buying novelty socks or something equally silly, when suddenly he caught the strains of Judy Garland and the most heartrending Christmas song ever written.

>Someday soon we all will be together If the fates allow Until then, >we'll have to muddle through somehow

John had no resistance anymore – the tears spilled easier than rain in a monsoon, and there was no choice but to duck out of the store and hide himself behind a convenient pillar while he sobbed, not even mustering a shred of masculine indignation to be getting weepy over Judy Garland. Yeah, he was a sad old queer and he didn’t much care anymore who knew it. He didn’t have to care and he didn’t have the energy left.

I wrote this for secret santa but felt it was a bit bleak, having poured all my difficult xmas feels into the fic, but looking back i feel like it might be my perfect xmas fic. It balances the sweetness of Christmas with the reasons we need the lights to chase off the darkest times.

4. Just Friends series 7K, M rating

They talk and they talk. Into the night. John wishes he’d learned to use his mouth for something other than sucking cock long ago.

“I had it all wrong. I thought you just settled…”

Rodney frowns. “For what?”

“For the look of it… power couple. I thought you chose,” he says.

They’re in his room, sprawled against each other, the mood sad.

“I didn’t let myself think you were trapped. Didn’t know how beat she had you.”

“Yes well I pretended to myself,” Rodney says. “Easier to believe the cage is comfortable than dash yourself to pieces on the bars.”

It started as a simple fic, but then the fic needed some follow-up and I ended up writing a whole lot of drabbles. Sharing here because I'm super proud of how drabble-writing developed me as a writer and I love the soft way it all turned out. Expect lots of gentle, sprawling found family and polyam vibes with a mcsheppy centre. It starts with Keller's canonical controlling intensity developing into a truly toxic relationship for Rodney.

5. Time's come to live a real life 4.5K, E rating

“You act like we played a game and you won, and Jen’s the prize,” Ronon says. “Maybe it’s connected to what you just said. You acting like you finally got the rules of this game figured out. Only I’m not an Earther and I don’t play by your rules. To me, whatever game you’re playing? It’s not real.”

Mcdex, with background shepdex, sheplorne and mcshep and kellerdex feels. Ronon can't understand what jennifer and rodney are trying to do with one another and he shakes rodney into a wake-up call. A more Keller-charitable fic about why McKeller is bullshit.

tagging @notenufcaffeine, @sgatazmy, @acrowbyanyothername, @wonkyelk, @dedkake

[eightmakesonebraincell]

GOING FERAL AS I SPEAK LIKE WHAT IS THIS BEHAVIOUR KANG YEOSANG. LIKE HE LOOKS SO AHDBHJDBNDAKS

okay but imagine this

michelin chef!yeosang who runs a fancy high-end three-star restaurant that takes months in advance to get a booking at. he's renowned for his incredible cuisines that combine flavour with art but he's notorious amongst his staff for being cold, blunt and intolerant of any dish that is less than perfect

you're a distinguished food critic who has travelled the world and dined at more michelin-star restaurants than you can count. it hasn't been long since you've arrived back in korea after reviewing a restaurant in spain. you have a booking for a restaurant that has rapidly made a name for itself over the last two years, under the tight reign of kang yeosang. you're intrigued to see the skills of a pretty face

as you're served course after course, you can see why his restaurant has its three star rating. each dish is presented with delicacy and finesse, the textures and flavours exquisitely balanced in harmony, setting luxurious and servers graceful. but as with any work of art, it's subjective to the consumer. and quite frankly? there's nothing particularly special about kang yeosang's cuisines that make them stand out in the long list of three-star restaurants

and you're honest with such. you publish your review and it quickly garners attention because you're one of the first critics to stand on the other side of the fence in terms of what kang yeosang's restaurant can deliver to its patrons

yeosang has had plenty of critics, journalists, bloggers and tourists review his restaurant before; people with huge social media followings and people who simply review for their own keepsake. regardless, he's never been concerned over the reviews. he knows his restaurant and his skills are the best out there. and yet, it would be a lie to say that yeosang is indifferent to your review

one of his staff had passed him a tablet, your published words glaring on the screen. yeosang thumbs through it noncommittally before thrusting the tablet back into the wringing hands of his staff. "you think this shit is worth any of my time?" he scoffs and the employee scurries away

he turns back to his countertop, fingers gripping the edge a little harder than he would like to admit while he stares at the puree and spiced crumb he has been preparing. one corner of his mouth lifts up in a sneer as your name repeats itself in his mind

y/n, huh. he's going to prove you wrong and make you eat your own words

[manuscripts-dontburn]

The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien

Author: John Hendrix

First published: 2024

Rating: ★★★★★

I am not even sure where to begin. It is a graphic novel but also a joint biography decorated with literary lessons, it explains with much feeling the basis and depth of the remarkable friendship between "Jack" and "Tollers" and what each of them brought to the other. It is an exploration of lives, careers and writing styles. The art style is carefully crafted and playful, but never infantile. It clearly shows the importance of the Christian faith both these authors created with and the fact that is exactly why their work is still relevant and celebrated. It made me cry.

Infused: Adventures in Tea

Author: Henrietta Lovell

First published: 2019

Rating:  ★★★★★

You do not need to be a lover of tea to fully enjoy this beautifully written book, which indeed feels as comforting and lovely as a properly brewed cuppa on a cold and rainy day. Henrietta Lovell brings a perfect balance between her personal life, adventures in the tea industry and some solid science behind the making of the beverage (including some truly handy tips). She also makes you think about issues which threaten not only tea but pretty much everything we know and love, about the absolute evil of the capitalist world market, about mass factory production which lessens and cheapens the meaning and importance of actual tea. Most importantly she makes a case for help and protection of traditions, dignity of the workers and their way of life.

I am Tama, Lucky Cat: A Japanese Legend

Author: Wendy Henrichs, Yoshiko Jaeggi (Illustrator)

First published: 2011

Rating: ★★★★★

I love cats. I wanted something short and sweet. SO this tiny little paperback was exactly what I needed at the moment. The best part, though, is the pictures. I would happily frame more than one of these and have them on my walls at all times.

The God of the Woods

Author: Liz Moore

First published: 2024

Rating: ★★★★☆

This was a step into a genre I do not tend to read because I like to ponder over my books and return to those I love. Mystery/thriller/investigation stories very rarely have a repeat value. This book was rather tame on the thrill and suspense but offered a clever and satisfying unravelling of a detective case. I enjoyed it a lot, but the problem remains. There is no point in reading it again.

Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege, 1942-1943

Author: Antony Beevor

First published: 1998

Rating: ★★★★☆

I heard about a man who returned from Stalingrad and he never slept properly again, having night terrors every time he closed his eyes. And even though I have seen documentaries and listened to others speak about this particular battle before, the book gave me perhaps an even clearer idea of the hell the battle of Stalingrad was for anyone who found himself near it. Antony Beevor presents the how/why/when facts with great accuracy and backed by research, there is enough humanity in his narrative that the writing never feels dry, but he also manages to refrain from sentimentality. In the end, his work serves as a poignant reminder of the futility of war and how those who make the decisions are largely unconcerned about those they send to die. I would have liked a chapter at least focused on the city itself and the civilian population after the war, but I suppose that was not the main objective.

Great Expectations

Author: Charles Dickens

First published: 1861

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Perhaps if I had not known the major plot points before reading, I would have been more taken by this story. I appreciate it is objectively GREAT, but my EXPECTATIONS were even greater I suppose. I would rate it more like 3,5 than 3, but oh well, the Goodreads is still stuck in the ancient days.

We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled: Voices from Syria

Author: Wendy Pearlman

First published: 2017

Rating: ★★★★★

An important book for anyone trying to educate themselves on the situation in the Middle East, anyone complaining about immigration and anyone who cares to listen to those who had the courage to share their pain, confusion and loss.

From Here To the Great Unknown

Author: Lisa Marie Presley, Riley Keough

First published: 2024

Rating: ★★★★★

Clearly, this memoir meant a lot to both its authors. To Lisa Marie it was one final attempt to understand her own life and herself, hoping to deal with the traumatic experiences she had gone through and I truly felt that she worked on this book more for herself than the public. Riley largely takes over in the last third, and for her, the project was clearly meant as a tribute to her much-loved mother as well as a coping mechanism and a love letter to her childhood. You cannot really connect to the lives of the people populating the book, because those are simply too abnormal, but the feeling of companionship and deep, deep familial love, is something that grabs the reader and makes you appreciate the opening of hearts in this literary offering.

The Star Rover: Graphic Novel

Author: Jack London, Lenka Pipková, Kristýna Krausová

First published: 2024

Rating: ★★★☆☆

The Star Rover by Jack London is one of the most captivating and beautiful books I have ever read, which may be why I am quite harsh on this graphic adaptation. While it does give you the overview of the plot, it also has a very choppy feeling and to be completely honest, I was not the biggest fan of the art style. It did remind me, though, why I so loved the original. I think it is time to re-read that.

We

Author: Evgeny Zamyatin

First published: 1924

Rating: ★★★☆☆

One cannot take away the fact that this is a remarkable piece of literature and how impactful it truly was. It is just unfair that we all know 1984, but hardly anyone speaks about We, though without the latter there probably would never have been the former. And in some ways, We is better than 1984. But as a reader, I also have to admit that though very short, the book felt just too long. Every time I felt I got into the story, it would jump from one thing to another and leave me baffled and slightly disoriented for a while. The three-star rating is really a deal between me trying to be objective and being honest as to how much (or rather little) I enjoyed the reading.

Manuscripts Don't Burn

Author: Mikhail Bulgakov, J.A.E. Curtis (Editor)

First published: 1991

Rating: ★★★★☆

What a complex personality, what a wretched, unending fight for what he wanted to do and to be, what a sad, tragic life. There is much to be gleaned from the fragments of letters and diary entries and the factual summaries at the start of each chapter too help shed light on the documents. But at the same time, I wished the story was told only from the documents alone (with a possible explanatory note in the margins), even if that meant including things from other sources (Bulgakov´s other contemporaries, newspaper articles etc). There is a perfect example of how to do a splendid job with just that in A Lifelong Passion: Nicholas and Alexandra: Their Own Story for example.

Frenchman's Creek

Author: Daphne du Maurier

First published: 1941

Rating: ★★★★☆

I was in need of a Daphne du Maurier fix and this served me very well. More of a Harlequin romance than the Gothic mystery the author is mostly known for, but beautifully written and so easy to read that I inhaled it in a day.

Bringer of Dust

Author: J.M. Miro

First published: 2024

Rating: ★★★★☆

While I believe that some more editing would have made this book tighter and better, I cannot deny this is, yet again, a wild ride. Besides magical realism, it does, in some parts, plunge straight into horror (more often than not the body-kind one). The worldbuilding seemed a little over-complicated, but I never really could predict anything and I became genuinely attached to the characters. I am now miffled because there is no information on the third installment and I need it soon! (because there is a lot of information and characters and plot points and I have a memory of a goldfish).

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear

Author: Seanan McGuire

First published: 2025

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Is this the last one If so, it feels a strange choice somehow. Whimsical in tone and middle-grade in style, it is the most fairy-tale-esque of all the books in this series. Unfortunately, what I liked about some of the books was the grittiness and horror touches. None of that is here, though it would do good to anyone seeking a cosy read.

Twilight of Empire: The Tragedy at Mayerling and the End of the Habsburgs

Author: Greg King, Penny Wilson

First published: 2017

Rating: ★★★★☆

While the biography of Rudolf by Brigitte Hamman remains unsurpassed as far as the psychological portrait goes, nobody can deny that Greg King can spin and tell an engaging story. The guesswork he loves was unnecessary but mostly unleashed only in the last bit of the book. He also repeats much of the information already given, which can get tedious. Still, the impact of the affair and the readable style are quite powerful.

[mediaevalmusereads]

The Count of Monte Cristo. By Alexandre Dumas (trans. Robin Buss). Penguin, 1996.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Genre: 19th century literature, French literature

Series: N/A

Summary: Thrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantès is confined to the grim fortress of If. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo and he becomes determined not only to escape, but also to use the treasure to plot the destruction of the three men responsible for his incarceration. Dumas’ epic tale of suffering and retribution, inspired by a real-life case of wrongful imprisonment, was a huge popular success when it was first serialized in the 1840s.

***Full review below.***

CONTENT WARNINGS: suicidal ideation/suicide, rape, blood, violence, Orientalism, slavery, animal cruelty

OVERVIEW: I'm biased when it comes to this book. This story had a huge impact on me when I was younger, so when the 2024 French film came out, I thought it would be fun to do a re-read. And my re-read was just as delightful as I remember the story; my 5 stars is not an indication of the book's perfection or lack of problematic themes (there are plenty of those). Rather, this book holds a special place in my heart and, as a lover of literature, I find a particular delight in analyzing all the little things Dumas does with his narrative.

WRITING: If you're going to pick up an English translation of this book, I'd recommend a non-expurgated ("non-censored") version. Fortunately, the Penguin Classics edition by Robin Buss is both complete and fairly inexpensive, so it's not hard to get a good copy.

Buss's translation does a good job replicating the feel of 19th century prose while also providing notes for references or cultural idioms that are difficult for contemporary readers to understand. Personally, I like having notes so that I don't feel like I'm missing out on important points, so if you're like me, you'll appreciate the Penguin edition.

Readers should be aware, however, that this book wasn't initially a stand-alone novel, but the story was published serially. Thus, the prose has a tendency to be overblown and sensational, reveling in the heightened emotions and dramatic twists of each chapter. I love this kind of storytelling; it's pulpy and fun and not necessarily concerned with deeper philosophical introspection. Of course, you can absolutely still do that analysis (this book is great for thinking about how revenge changes a person), but I'm sure Dumas (and his co-authors) would be delighted if you just showed up for the shenanigans.

PLOT: How to explain this plot...? There's the one everyone knows: the story of Edmond Dantès, a sailor who is unjustly prisoned and, after more than two decades, returns to tale revenge on his foes. But there's so much more than just that: Dantès is undoubtedly the protagonist and holds the narrative together, but a number of side characters get their own arcs and find themselves tangled up in Dantès's plot.

Thus, the plot of this book meanders and shifts focus from chapter to chapter. For some, the pace may feel tedious. This book is, after all, more than 1000 pages long. But I loved this rich tapestry that stretched through multiple decades and multiple countries. I liked that we went from prison break to treasure hunting to rich people trying to out-maneuver one another (not to mention the politics). I personally never felt bored; there was too much going on, in my view, and all of it felt related because it fell under the domain of Dantès and his plans.

I should warn readers, however, that there are some elements to this book which are uncomfortable: namely, the rampant Orientalism and casual references to slavery. Dantès poses as a Count who spends a lot of time in the East, but his attitude very much reflects the Orientalism of the 19th century. Even with Dumas being mixed race himself, this book isn't really progressive; personally, I find the faults interesting to talk about, but if you're bothered by them, this book might not be for you because the Orientalism is not just throw away lines - it's constant.

CHARACTERS: There are way too many characters to talk about individually at length, so I'll try to keep things brief.

Edmond is such an interesting protagonist. I love that we start the book with this kind-hearted little sailor who just wants to please his father and marry his beloved. But over time, we see how not only hardship and the desire for revenge change him, but what doors are unlocked by him becoming rich and titled. I loved the little descriptions of his emotions after he becomes the Count and I was utterly delighted by all the disguises and lengths he would go to achieve his aims. He also has some amazing lines that I'm glad were incorporated into the 2024 French film.

Supporting characters are also very fun to watch, especially Dantès's foes who we know are going to get their comeuppance. Caderousse, Dantès's former neighbor, was irritating in his greed and contrasted nicely with those whose betrayal felt more personal. Fernand, Danglars, and Villefort were easy to root against because they were so terrible; watching Dantès set up their fall was satisfying in so many ways.

TL;DR: The Count of Monte Cristo is not without its problematic elements, but the tale of revenge is satisfying and remains a favorite nevertheless.

[emachinescat]

A Year in (Book) Review: My 2024 Reading Journey 📚

#46 - The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Low Fantasy / The Ascendance Series #1 / 352 pages / Published 2012 / Finished May 27

One Sentence Review: I've read this book more times than I can count, and I love it just as much every time - Sage is the perfect narrator (sassy, secretive, and too clever for his own good), and the twists and turns throughout the book never fail to keep me on the edge of my seat (even though I know all the twists and turns by heart).

Favorite Quotes (possible spoilers)

"'You have a clever tongue and an arrogant tilt to your head. I'm surprised Mrs. Turbeldy hasn't beaten it out of you.'

'You mustn't blame her. She beat me the best she could.'"

*

"My father said a person can be educated and still stupid, and a wise man can have no education at all."

*

"If you can't give anyone pain, you can't give them joy either."

*

"'Have you come to kill me?' I asked. 'Because I'll scream when you do and it'll wake up the princess and probably a whole lot of other people, and you'll get into trouble.'

'You'll be dead.'

'Yes, but you'll be in trouble.'"

*

"You should always choose on the side of hope."

*

"'You won't kneel?'

'Would a prince?'

Connor raised his voice. 'You're not a prince until I say so.'

'I don't need you to say so, sir. As you see me standing here, I am the prince of Carthya.'"

*

"'Hail His Majesty, the scourge of my life,' Connor said to Roden and Tobias as he stomped up the stairs. 'I fear the devils no longer, because I have the worst of them right here in my home!'"

My rating: 5/5

A Few More Thoughts (Spoilers):

This is one of my favorite books - and series - and Sage/Jaron is one of my favorite narrators / main characters. The book is fast-paced, full of action and political intrigue, and it has one of the most impressive unreliable narrators I've read. It's filled with adventure, secrets, loveable but flawed characters, and fantastic, complex villains. It's one of Nielsen's best (though book 2 is probably my favorite in the series).

The. Whump.

Every time I read this book (this was 7? 8? More?), I find myself in awe at Nielsen's expertise at writing an unreliable narrator. It's rare to find a book with a main character who has such a huge, plot-shaking secret that they are able to effortlessly keep from not only the other characters, but also from the readers, without it feeling contrived.

I have such a deep and abiding love for this book and this series (and author!), as well as the world and the characters. This is a fast, exciting read with an enormous twist, and even after knowing said twist, I can read it over and over without getting bored.

[catras-breakup-song]

Hi.

I won't reply to you anonymously because I'm not scared/ashamed to debate openly, but first I wanted to ask: What do you mean Shadow Weaver would be raised by "mom" and Adora would be raised by "dad?" Hordak and SW literally had no romantic feelings for each other, they never dated, they were never married/divorced.

Adora and Catra would both have been raised by a single mother/father and them being childhood friends would have made sense since they wouldn't share an adoptive parent like they do in canon.

And even if the sources I mentioned about C//A being sisters aren't canon or what the show was going for, they kinda uh... Still put that dynamic IN the show? And since it's there, it's not illogical that some people are turned off by the ship. This person explained it perfectly: https://www.tumblr.com/anti-catradora-receipts/631728237468401664/the-fact-that-apparently-these-2-started-out-as?source=share

Not to mention that it basically resembles ANOTHER sibling relationship in fiction, which the same person talked about: https://www.tumblr.com/anti-catradora-receipts/637045171905789952/i-have-only-seen-clips-of-the-show-on-youtube-and?source=share

If C//A brings you happiness though, continue enjoying the ship and don't mind me. Also, if you wanna publish my reply to the public, go on.

with respect (which i genuinely appreciate you giving first), i think you may be confused, because i wasn't actually proposing a romantic dynamic between hordak and shadow weaver or them working together as parents; the context was that the person i was reblogging from had seen someone make a claim that what should have happened in canon was catra & adora were raised separately, and i challenged that logic, hence why i put those phrases in quotes when i compared it to a hypothetical realistic situation.

as far as the rest of your message goes, i think we just see shadow weaver differently and to me that's okay. i read through the first* post you linked (embedding it to make it more conveniently accessible), and i can see where they're coming from about her gestures towards the girls being maternal in an objective sense, but personally as i stated in one of my original post's points (which you may want to read through again if you haven't already), i think they both end up rejecting her as having ever truly been a mother as opposed to an assigned guardian. what i mean by this is, i suppose, how people say the title of mother should be earned, or else they may just be called an "egg donor" since that relationship was disowned by the child but doesn't take away from the fact that they gave birth (and a similar equivalent along those lines for adoptive ones, like SW).

*i briefly glanced through the other one, but i'm not sure i would understand since i've never known of that media.

considering everything she did was so manipulative, including body language, i just have a hard time accepting that her intentions were ever motherly (whether her actions actually were or not are up for debate & interpretation, in my opinion). the girls obviously wouldn't have understood this while they were kids, but once they grow older and the events of the story kick off, it seems to me like they deny having a mother in the past at all as they start learning to heal, because ideally having been orphans would be a less disturbing implication to them than what they got to experience instead.

that being said, i can't ignore the very last part of that receipt blog's post of the confession about the little girl. however, i think it goes far beyond just the discourse about them being sisters or lovers, considering some of the show's greater themes revolve around mature topics such as war & abuse. the writers have to be very careful about all the messages they're sending to a Y7-rated audience, such as "how far can someone go before crossing the line?" and "can certain people even be redeemed?" and "does not being a perfect victim by perpetuating the cycle of abuse mean you don't deserve to heal and be loved?" ─ i think these two analysis videos by "the sin squad" on youtube, that came out both before and after season five released respectively, cover this very valid concern pretty well, and they're worth a watch if you're still interested!

i hope this makes sense and what i'm trying to convey here comes across as i want it to. if not though, you're free to ask more questions and i'll do my best to communicate! i'd be happy to talk more since you're coming to me in good faith and don't shut out what i have to say. have a nice timezone, wherever you are! 𖹭

by the way, these banners are not here for you specifically, i just don't want nasty antis to come in and start arguing with me where they weren't invited, since they take a lot of mental effort to deal with. you are not one of them, in case that's not obvious! and thank you for clarifying that i can post this publicly or else i wouldn't be sure.

[nekoannie-chan]

Proposal

Proposal

Title: Proposal.

Fandom: Marvel, Captain America.

Ship: Brock Rumlow X OFC.

Word count: 572 words.

Square: 8 “Dreams do come true.”

Rating: Teen.

Summary: Brock asked Grace to marry him.

Major Tags: Proposal, fluff, Brock is nervous.

Additional tags: This is my entry for the @fandom-free-bingo Valentine’s edition.

Links: Wattpad, Ao3, Spanish version.

@saiyanprincessswanie

My native language is Spanish so I wanna improve my writing skills in English if you notice any mistakes, please let me know and I will correct them.

I don’t give any permission for my fics to be posted on other platforms or languages (I translate my work myself) or the use of my graphics (my dividers are included in this), I did them exclusively for my fics, please respect my work and don't steal it. There are some people here who make dividers that anyone can use, mine is not this type, please look for the other people. The only exception is the ones I gifted 'cuz now belong to someone else. Please let me know if you find any of my works on a different platform and are not one of my accounts. Reblogs and comments are always welcome.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's characters (unfortunately), except for the original characters and the story.

Add yourself to my taglist here.

My other media where I publish:  Ao3, Wattpad, ffnet, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter. 

If you like it, please vote, comment, and give me feedback to improve my skills and reblog.

Tags: @sinceimetyou @unnuevosoltransformalarealidad @navybrat817 @angrythingstarlight @shield-agent78 @charmed-asylum @pandaxnienke @real-fbi @Smokeandnailz @white-wolf1940 @tenaciousperfectionunknown @xoxonotme @bluemusickid @leyannrae @Harrysthiccthighss @Marvelatthisone @caplanbuckybarnes @sapphire-rogers @lizzieolseniskinda @notyourtypicalrose @hallecarey1 @nana1000night @talia-rumlow @writingshae @alexxavicry @azulatodoryuga @daemonslittlebitch @chaoticcollectivenightmare @endlesstwanted @chemtrails-club  @marigoldreamer @whiskeytangofoxtrot555 @Here4thefanfics @theestorm @patzammit @kmc1989 @somegirlfromasgard @rogersbarber

Brock had been thinking about this day for months, planning every detail meticulously. For him, everything had to be perfect, because it wasn't just about anyone; it was about Grace Rogers, the woman who had changed his life in a way he had never imagined. He never imagined this day would ever come.

They had planned a casual date, or so Grace knew. She thought they were going to dinner at one of her favorite restaurants. What she didn't know was that Brock had reserved a place on the terrace of the most exclusive restaurant in town.

“You look beautiful,” Brock said when he arrived to pick her up.

“Thank you; you don't look bad yourself.”

Brock chuckled and offered her his arm.

“Ready for the night?”

During the ride to the restaurant, Grace talked about her day; Brock listened to her intently, though a part of his mind was still going over every detail of the plan. He had the ring in his pocket and all the while he was nervous that it was going to fall out of his pocket and ruin the surprise.

Arriving at the restaurant, Grace raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“I didn't think we'd come here,” she commented.

“I wanted to do something special for you,” Brock replied as he led her to the elevator that would take them to the terrace.

“This is... unbelievable,” Grace whispered, taking Brock's hand.

“Nothing is too incredible for you.”

As the night wore on, Brock began to feel nervous. The moment was getting closer and closer. Finally, dessert arrived, and with it, the perfect opportunity. Brock took a deep breath and got up from his chair, then walked over to Grace's side. She looked at him, a little confused at first, but when he pulled a small box out of his pocket, her eyes widened in surprise.

“Grace,” Brock began, kneeling in front of her, ”I never thought I could have a life like the one I have now. But since you came into my life, everything changed. You are my light, my strength, and I can't imagine a future without you by my side.”

Grace held a hand to her mouth; her eyes were trying to hold back the tears of emotion that threatened to spill out. Brock opened the little box, revealing the ring.

“Stella Grace Rogers, will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

“Brock... “she whispered, barely finding the words, tears rolling down her cheeks as she nodded. “Yes, Brock, yes. Yes, Brock, yes, I will marry you.”

Brock stood up, wrapping his arms around her, and before Grace could say anything else, he kissed her.

“I thought I couldn't love you any more than I already did, but at this moment, I realize I was wrong.

Grace laughed softly, caressing his cheek.

“I never thought I could fall in love with someone like that,” Grace admitted, taking Brock's hand and looking at the ring that now sparkled on his finger.

“Neither did I,” he replied, ”but when it comes to you, Grace, anything is possible.

“You know?“ Grace said suddenly, leaning her head on Brock's shoulder, “If you had told me years ago that I would end up here with you, I never would have believed it.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?“ Brock joked, stroking her back gently.

“It's the best thing that ever happened to me,” Grace replied.

[simplyclary]

Alex and Henry in Another Universe

(Edit by yours truly)

*Alexa, play Jump Then Fall and I Knew You Were Trouble by Taylor Swift*

This is more of a rave review for a story that I literally just finished hours ago and I could not get it out of my brain and it might take me weeks to recover from the insane story I just read.

The fic is an AU with the title 'I Knew You Were Trouble When You Walked In" and it was written by the lovely writer @doeyedgirlyevil (send this writer some love over on Ao3 or on Twitter/X). This is an AU where Alex is Henry's equerry.

Let me now rave about this gem of a story....

OH MY HEAVENS, is it possible to rate a fic infinity stars out of 5 because if it possible, I would rate this fic like that. Like everything about it was utter perfection. This is one of the best RWRB AUs that I have ever read. I swooned, I cried, I gasped, I laughed, I got frustrated, you basically made me feel every emotion possible.

I wanna say that by my standards (which are not very high to begin with), you can already publish like an actual book because the way you wrote this fic is just amazing and the storyline is top-notch! I adore your writing so much!

The storyline, OH MY GOSH, it was just amazing. If this were an actual book, I would buy it. I love the storyline so much. Reminded me a lot of one of my favorite books "Twisted Games" by Ana Huang. It's a romance story between a princess and her bodyguard and this fic reminded me of that but will an Alex and Henry spin to it which is lovely all the same.

Equerry Alex was emanating so much alpha male energy and I normally do not like alpha male characters but in this universe, dang, I was living for it. I'M ON MY KNEES FOR EQUERRY ALEX! Like reading Alex's dialogue with Taylor's voice in my mind and him sounding commanding and possessive just made me transcend into another world. Like I'M DOWN BAD!!

Another thing, the teasing, the pining, the smut, PERFECTION!! I love everything about the way the teasing and the smut scenes were written. I was screaming, crying, kicking my feet every time Alex would tease Henry when they make out.

For me, you are in the same level as Sarah J. Maas (ACOTAR series) and Ana Huang (Twisted Series) when it comes to smut because the words in the spicy scenes in your story, I have only read them in the ACOTAR and Twisted series. The dialogues like "Make that noise again, sweetheart?" or "How are you going to kill me, beautiful? Looks to me you're the one dying for it." had my insides turning and butterflies fluttering.

To add, the pet names!! I'm so down for the pet names. Every "Baby", "Princess", "Sweetheart", "Love" made me tingle inside. Like I was swooning so hard.

Also, you may have unlocked a new fetish (is that what it's called, I don't know) from me because every time Alex nips on Henry's ear or kisses his neck, I have a visceral reaction as if a vampire was biting me in the neck and I'm loving it. Never in my life have I experienced having such a reaction so this is new to me.

I also loved how you incorporate some lines from the original book to your story. I jumped and smiled every time I saw a line from the book in your story.

Clearly, I had an amazing time reading your fic and I might go back to it and download it in order to highlight and annotate some of my favorite quotes to revisit in the future because how can I not revisit such amazing dialogue and lines and scenes.

I could rave about you and your writing all day long if I can. I just wanna say a big thank you for writing this amazing story. I'm willing to read any of your upcoming RWRB related works.

Sending you a big hug and lots of love from my heart to yours.

P.S: you just made me imagine Taylor as a vampire or a commanding alpha male character and I'm all here for it! I WANT IT!

To those who haven't read this gem of a fic and you're in the RWRB fandom, here's the link to the infamous equerry fic.

[lia-land]

A Curse For True Love by Stephanie Garber

2.5/5

Spoilers for A Curse For True Love by Stephanie Garber

Why was this one of the worst books I have ever read? It's definitely the worst series finale. I’m too disappointed to even be mad. I’m being so generous with the rating.

I think this whole series is a perfect example of when an author has one good character that they really like, but doesn’t know what to do with them.

I’ve said in other reviews how much Jacks has stood out as a character in Garber’s books all the way back to Legendary. He’s an interesting character and was consistently more developed than any of the other characters. That isn’t enough to carry a whole three book series, though.

I read all the spoilers and discussions on this book before I finished it because it was just dragging on and we were given more questions than answers. I skimmed a lot of this and pretty much only read the dialogue because half of this book was just a recap of the previous two books. I can see why that might not be that jarring if you’d been waiting a year for this to come out, but I’ve been reading this series back to back. Someone on Reddit mentioned that all the recaps might have been to get the word count up and I think that’s very accurate, especially considering how short this was overall.

Apparently Garber turned off her insta comments at some point because of all the criticism? It would have been a DNF if I wasn’t still hoping for a glimpse of the Jacks we knew in Caraval. I also thought maybe it would be worth it when they got together but that was disappointing, too. We got like five pages.

I knew there was no hope when in the last quarter of the book, she introduced the storyline of Jacks giving up his heart. That’s not a storyline you should throw in at the end of a book. It was so incredibly rushed and then Aurora turns up saying Jacks beat her up and stole his heart back. That should have been a much bigger plotline. As I have said about a lot of recent books, how did this make it past an editor??? What’s going on in the publishing industry right now?

And where is Luc? Marisol?? Was there not more to Evangeline’s parents’ death? Is Castor going to keep going on killing sprees? Is Jacks now mortal since he’s in love? Where has Aurora gone off to? Why were the apples different colours? So many unanswered questions. This was all most likely set up for a spin-off series, but I will no longer be investing my time in an author who was happy to publish such a lazy book after knowing how big of a fanbase she had.

I really don’t get the point of the Valors. If this series was just set up for the Valors to get their own series in the future, it barely did a good job at that. I also feel like Apollo kept being forced into the series. It’s not like this is a TV show where the actor for Jacks had other commitments and they had to fill up screen time with Apollo. There was fully no need for him to have such a big part in this book. I can't imagine many people who read the first two books thinking 'I would really love the third book to focus on Appollo and his POV' so why was that even a thing? Evangeline was so unnaturally attached to him just to keep him a part of the plot. It got very tiring. He has barely any depth. Why was he in so much of this book? The author knows we’re mostly all reading this series for Evangeline and Jacks so why would she make the final book focus so much on Apollo and barely on any parts with Jacks? It was very lazy overall. Maybe because she knew that since the anticipation was so high for this final book, it would sell regardless? I guess you can go out with a bang or just go out with bank.

And to add to that, if it just wasn’t the right time for her to write it, then maybe don’t write it until you’re ready. She had this great legacy with her previous books and then we get this. Does anyone remember Michelle Hodkin, the author of the Mara Dyer books? She never released the last book of the sequel series and just disappeared off the internet. I don’t know if that was perhaps a better option than writing a lazy book like this.

[izunias-meme-hole]

Turning it around, give me all of them for Doom >:) plus the same wildcard (or smth different if you want)

1- Favourites thing(s) about this character? - His ego, his intellect, his entire "magic meets science" aesthetic, did I mention his ego?

2- What song(s) remind you of this character? - The Imperial March, Be Prepared, and Ruler of Everything

3- Do you like this character? - I freakin' love him.

4- Would you write about this character? - I'd focus on his reign in Latveria if I were to make a standalone story for Doom, but for literally anything else I feel like I'd go full "moriarty" writing-wise and just let him operate from a far as he weaves a metaphorical web to take on his enemies (Mainly Richards).

5- What do you not like about this character? - The unthinkable arc in the comics. I know Doom is irredeemable, but that entire arc is just showcasing his worst traits in a wrong way. That and the fact that no director (outside of Roger Cornman ironically) has made a good live action version of him.

6- Favourite thing this character has said? - This man has a few memable quotes and some genuinely great quotes, but this is the most memorable to me.

I love this because while it is a display of arrogance... he's also saying this because he DID have real godhood in his grasp and it didn't do shit for his soul.

7- What do you like most about this character? - His ego. The same ego that got wounded after Reed Richards was proven right about a miscalculation Doom made, the ego that made Doom GRAFT A MASK TO HIS FACE WHEN IT HAD ONE SCRATCH, the ego that has bit him in the ass several times, the ego that defines who he is as a villain. Victor is a brilliant man who's capable of good, but he's so fueled by his ego to the point where he has to ensure that he is above everything.

8- Do you think this character is underrated or overrated? - Perfectly rated tbh.

9- What’s your favourite headcanon(s) for this character? - Doom has probably written some books that he'll never publish, and no they're not propaganda. He's written stories inspired by several old myths, each one telling the tale of a young man who would grow into a perfect hero, liberate his homeland, face off against several corrupt forces, and unite the world in an era of peace. These young men that he'd write about would be kinda inspired by how he was before everything unfolded the way they did, so these are basically just Victor writing about his ideal self in different ways.

10- Who do you like to ship with this character? (If you do of course) Is it another character from the cast or is it an OC? - I don't really ship him with anyone, but by god this man has a LOT of chemistry with so many characters to the point where you can say "Yes Doom and Namor are exes."

11- Who do you not like to ship with this character? - Reed. I don't hate the ship, but canonically this man HATES Reed with his soul to the point of homophobia. Like he'll gladly take care of Valeria and put aside his differences depending on the occasion, but Doom is still Reed's biggest hater.

12- Have you read any fics about this character? (if it’s not an OC)? Can you recommend anything good? No fits, but a few comics. Secret Wars (1984), Triumph and Torment, Books of Doom, Blood Hunt, Emperor Doom, anything written by Jonathan Hickman, Blood Hunt, X-Men: House of Doom, Fantastic Four #258, and Fantastic Four Annual #2.

13- Contrary wise if it is an OC, what’s your favourite story with them in it you’ve written? I unfortunately haven't written a fic or script of this man, though I'd REALLY like to do so as an exercise.

14- What outfit would you really like to see this character wear? Or what’s your favourite outfit of theirs? - The MvC3 iteration of his classic look just has so much aura.

15- Favourite line of theirs? (A duplicate question, but I'll oblige)

16- What do you think would improve this character? Like, character-arc wise? I can't think of much critique for Comic!Doom, but we NEED a good live action version of the character that isn't Joseph Culp.

17- Have you ever had a crush on this character…? - Nope.

18- What’s something you associate this character with? E.g. a certain colour, object or scenery? - The color green, the smell of iron, and medieval scenery.

19- What would the show/book/movie be like if this character wasn’t present? (if it’s not an OC) - Depends on the book, but his presence is never unwelcome.

20- Contrary wise, if this character is an OC, how does their presence change the story? - He's no OC, but his presence definitely is another addition to the affairs that he's active in.

21- Wild card! Talk about anything to do with this character! Anything at all! - He appreciates animation as an art form... but hates how it's barely used for actual art with a few exceptions.

[neoaya]

Hot take!!! (Nuclear tbh)

People are way too shitty to the LW devs, especially Yumeno Rote.

This guy is responsible for every single piece of non-story card character art in the game, that includes units, costumes, alts, expressions, Music Video CGs, etc. Seeing as a new unit is released per week, along with 2/4 event costumes and 2/3 rebirth costumes at the end of the month, this guy is at MINIMUM drawing 8 fully detailed illustrations and backgrounds per month, for three and a half years straight.

The only other gacha to my knowledge that has one artist doing all the character art like this is Limbus Company, which even then has a significantly longer period between new art being added to the game. (I'm aware there are likely a lot more, but most to my knowledge have multiple artists)

So when I see a post criticising Lost Word, what do you think is being criticised 90% of the time?

Is it:

The fact it's a gacha game

Genuine criticism of the game itself and its mechanics or story

Hell, even criticism of the questionable work practice of having one guy do all the game's art

If you guessed 4, "near insignificant nitpick of Rote's art, AUs shown, or a VA (in a game where you can pick from 3 for every character) because it doesn't fit within their headcanon in a game about multiple different universes" you'd be correct!

Don't get me wrong, I have seen the first two plenty of times, but they're always either fair critiques or people who just don't want anything to do with gacha games and don't care which is understandable.

But for 4? The sheer amount of hatred and seething vitriol people express for details most people wouldn't think twice about is insane to me. It never seems to come from a sincere place of disappointment but rather fear to fit in, like "Oh this relates to me, I better lay in to it as much as possible since everyone else shits on it, wouldn't want to give people the impression I'm weird for liking it after all". It just seems depressing to me that people feel the need to act miserable out of peer pressure and not wanting to stray from the popular opinion.

As someone's who played the game since launch at this point I feel more than qualified to tell you it's FAR from perfect, hell I wouldn't even call it all that good. Gameplay fluctuates from playing the game for you to forcing you to have a full understanding of the meta, grinding is a chore, drop rates are far too low, the nature of the game forcing normally evil aligned characters to act more reasonably, and I unironically think the lack of representation and downright bad writing for Aya until now is singlehandedly responsible for making her drop by one place 3 years in a row in the THVote popularity poll.

So why do I still play it after all this time? Because I genuinely just want to see what they do next. I like seeing what new takes on characters they come up with, I like seeing where the story goes, what the next event will be and I love Rote's art and all the other art contributed by the JP community, I even think the Hifuu and RoM section of the story is genuinely good. It's nice to have a constant and reliable stream of Touhou media to read through in-between the wait for actual new games.

Somehow I don't feel that guy in the middle would want to come on livestreams 3 and a half years after launch if he didn't find it fun, same goes for all the artists and doujin circles that have contributed their art and music, especially those with more than one card or song.

If you want anyone to blame, blame GoodSmile for publishing this game and making this the complete extent they're willing to promote it and Touhou as a whole. (Last new character from them was a Reisen nendo from six years ago btw!)

In conclusion, I think LW has objectively done more good for the series than harm. You can not understate the fact that this game is responsible for introducing Touhou to so many new people and giving the spotlight to characters that are otherwise overlooked. Inaccurate character portrayals are rarely an issue when the series embraces differentiating itself from the source material, that's the nature of doujin culture. That and it seems silly to try and gatekeep people who got into the series through Lost Word, telling them they're experincing it wrong only serves to turn them away and I don't blame newcomers when official touhou media is still hard to come across in the west and the three most popular games in the series still don't have a digital release.

As a tangent, I used to have a problem with how Aya was depicted in a lot of fan media, even from people here, but a friend taught me I shouldn't let those alternate interpretations ruin my enjoyment of her and that I shouldn't fault them for seeing her that way. I feel others should be able to learn from that.

(I definitely forgot some stuff but this is ranty enough as is, I just wanted to get it out of my system)

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4.5/5

Book Blurb:

A recently dumped TV heartthrob enlists a jaded romance novelist to ruin romance for him—one rom-com trope at a time—so he never gets swept off his feet again . . .

Sawyer Greene knows romance. She’s a bestselling author of the genre—or she was, until her ex left her with nothing but writer’s block and a broken heart. But when she gets stuck in the elevator with a handsome stranger, she sees their meet cute for what it is: just a one-night stand. It might have worked, too, if they could stop running into each other.

Actor Mason West sees Sawyer’s reappearance in his life as a sign. Obviously, they’re meant to cure each other. Him of the hopeless romanticism that only ends in heartbreak—and tabloid trainwrecks—and Sawyer of her writer’s block. Their agreement is simple: 1. No (more) sex, and 2. No matter how swoony the circumstances, absolutely no falling in love. 

It’s a foolproof plan–until Sawyer and Mason find that, once set in motion, some plots can't be stopped—and that they might be hurtling towards a happy ending...

Review:

She's a romance author who doesn't believe in love after a terrible breakup and is facing a writer's block for her fourth book and he's a famous actor and an incurable romantic who has a reputation as a playboy who wants nothing more than to learn to stop falling in love so easily, yet what started off as a one night stand turns into something more as they keep running into each other and when they agree to help each other... they just might be perfect for each other. Sawyer Greene is a romance author, she's a best selling author but ever since her big breakup with her ex, she's now dealing with a broken heart and writer's block because she just can't think of anything to write about. Mason West is a famous actor who is an incurable romantic but has had a bad reputation from the press as being a playboy, and after his recent breakup he's determined to stop falling for people so easily and find a way to just find "the one". When Sawyer and Mason meet on an elevator and have a one night stand the last thing they expect is to keep running into each other. They come up with a plan: Mason will help Sawyer come up with romance scenarios for her book and let her see through his rose tinted glasses while Sawyer will help Mason temper down his tendencies to fall in love easily and prove to him that love isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Yet the more time they spend together, the more their feelings for each other are beginning to grow... but can they really separate their pact from their feelings and can Sawyer finally get over her fear of opening her heart after what happened with her ex and open herself up to Mason? This was just a sweet and charming read. The romance was cute and Mason was an adorable love interest for Sawyer. I had a fun time reading it and it was definitely a quick and easy book to read. It's cute, it's funny, and the romance is really adorable. I would absolutely recommend it!

Release Date: January 14,2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*