#but in the second trilogy MC starts learning about who she is piece by piece and so I think that having original chapter titles might

[ileftherbackhome]

so my novel series is coming along (well the planning for it is at least)

[myusualnerdyself]

After the Sun sets (Ethan x F!Mc)

Book: Open Heart

Word Count: 1.1k

Warnings: None

Song recommendation: ‘Crowded Room’ by Selena Gomez

A/n: It’s just a little idea that popped into my head after watching the ‘Before’ trilogy. Needless to say, it’s inspired by it. It’s my first fic so I am really nervous about it. Let me know how you guys like it. Please enjoy!

Ethan Ramsey hated the yearly doctor’s convention, trying to avoid them at all costs. According to him, they were a waste of money and time, precious time that could have been better utilized towards patient care instead of schmoozing with other doctors and pharmaceuticals companies’ executives.

But this year was something different, he was excited about this year’s convention, probably as much as his first convention or maybe more. The reason for his excitement was the keynote speaker, the speaker who had made a path-breaking discovery in the medical world, a discovery which was going to help so many patients around the globe, everyone was gushing about it but nobody more than him. 

She was probably the youngest person to ever give the key address. He was so proud of her, his rookie had finally achieved her life goal, the one she told him about years ago in this very same hotel. How fitting for the event to be held here tonight, he thought.

Even after eight years, he remembered that night very vividly, and why not, something about that night had changed him, made him feel things with such passion that he was blown away by the intensity of it all.

Time is a funny concept, sometimes things that happened a month back felt like a lifetime ago and sometimes things that happened years ago felt like they happened yesterday. And looking at her now, making her appearance, he felt like that fateful night in Miami happened only hours ago because he was yet again blown away by the force of his feelings for her, the feelings that had resurfaced with full might after actually seeing her in person after four years. She looked spectacular as usual, the dark green off-shoulder dress complimenting her pale skin and emerald eyes perfectly, her red curls were swept back into a side bun for the occasion, leaving her neck and collar bones exposed, the sight was enough to make him weak in the knees.

She was crowded with doctors, everyone wanting a piece of her, he could tell she didn’t like it much, the fake smile on her face and the slightly bored look in her eyes were indications enough. Of course, none of the crowd could tell that, after all none of the crowd knew her as well as he did. Finally their eyes met and his heart started beating a bit faster, he can see in her expression that she was surprised to see him, it was years since he made an appearance in such an event and after seven years of no contact, it was obvious she didn’t expect him to be here when the chances of stumbling into each other were too high. He gave her a tentative smile, hoping to ease some of her tension. He so badly wanted to go and congratulate her and tell her how proud he was of her but he knew it was going to be awkward and he wasn’t ready for it, at least not yet. She returned his smile with a small one of her own, and to Ethan’s relief, it was definitely not fake.

XXXXX

“Dr Valentine.” After having a few drinks at the bar, Ethan finally built the courage to go up to her.

“Dr Ramsey,” Casey said, trying to hide her shock, despite his friendly smile before she wasn’t sure that he would try to talk to her tonight. They hadn’t exactly parted on great terms or any terms for that matter. He had just vanished, leaving her alone without any notice, any contact.

“Congratulations on your research, it’s truly outstanding and for what it’s worth, I am really proud of you.” Ethan said, hoping to convey the sincerity of his words.

“Thank you.” Casey replied, smiling. Those words coming from him meant a lot to her, even after everything that happened between them, he still was her mentor and to make him proud gave her even a higher sense of accomplishment.

“Why are you here tonight, if you don’t mind me asking?” She questioned, it just didn’t make sense to her, him being here after avoiding her for so long.

“Isn’t it evident?” He answered with his eyebrows raised on the inanity of the question.

She waited silently, waiting for him to continue.

He sighed, “I am here for you Rookie…. I mean Dr Valentine, you have achieved something so remarkable, you are finally doing great things, things that I knew you were destined for, obviously I couldn’t miss such an important milestone of your career.”

Before she could reply, they were interrupted by a doctor who wanted to offer her congratulations to her. After she had left, Casey swallowed and looked at him, trying to comprehend the meaning of his words.

“So you came here for me?”

“Yes, and I am so glad I did, because that speech that you gave, it’s been so long that I have enjoyed the keynote address so much. Only a truly dedicated doctor would have the guts to talk about how our flawed medical system has failed to help the masses in an address meant to honour her.” He said.

“Why, thank you, Dr Ramsey, I learned from the best.” She replied.

He cracked a smile at her words. “It is good to see that you still remember all of my teachings.”

“Of course I do, you would think it’s easy to forget your difficult, grumpy and ruthless attending but it’s not.”

He didn’t know whether the words were meant as a joke or an accusation, so he stared at her, trying to decipher the meaning of the statement in her eyes.

“Dr Valentine, Dr Ramsey, the two great minds of medicine together, what a sight.” A doctor chose that very moment to enter the discussion and Ethan was thankful for the distraction. He knew the conversation was bound to take a turn like that but he didn’t think it was going to be so soon.

They talked to the doctor with all the politeness that they could muster, answering all the questions about their recent work patiently but there was an undercurrent of tension in the air now, and they both could feel it.

After they were once again alone, Casey continued, “You know, we’ll keep getting disturbed here. It’s been a long time and I really want us to have a proper conversation.”

“Yeah, I would like that too.”

“Let’s go to my room then, we can sit in the balcony and talk, what say?” There was a purpose in her voice now, she wanted answers, answers that were denied to her for so long, answers that were her right.

“Are you sure? I mean, there are plenty of people here that still want to talk to you.” He was a bit afraid from the determination in her voice, it was as if she was ready to unleash her fury on him, the fury that he fully knew he deserved.

“Yes, those people will be here tomorrow, I’ll meet them then.”

Seeing no out, Ethan gulped, “Well, okay then, lead the way.”

To be continued...

Continue to Part 2.

P.S. This is going to be a part 2 series, I will upload the second part very soon. Let me know if you want to be tagged in it. 

Thanks for reading! Please like, comment and re-blog.

[carriagelamp]

A Bear Called Paddington

One of those childhood classics I had never gotten around to reading, though I definitely grew up very aware of Paddington. For those who somehow haven’t heard of him, A Bear Called Paddington is about a little bear from Darkest Peru who is forced to immigrate to England. The Brown family runs into this little bear at the Paddington train station (where he gets his name) and decide to take him in since he had no where else to go. The rest of the story follows Paddington’s various well-meaning hijinks. It has a similar feel to the novels of Winnie the Pooh and Mary Poppins. Definitely a slower book than a lot of children’s novels these days, but still super charming; this would make a great bedtime sort of story.

Battle Bunny

One of the funniest picture books I’ve seen in ages. It’s made to look like someone took an old Golden Book (“The Birthday Bunny”) and rewrote it as The Battle Bunny. You can read the “original” wholesome story about a little Bunny visiting his friends around the forest on his birthday, and then the relentlessly goofy, violent version of the Battle Bunny on his quest to conquer the forest.

Black Clover

...Okay but this is just Naruto. It’s about a spiky pale-haired boy in a headband with a dark-haired rival. Said spiky-haired boy is absolutely talentless but makes up for it with relentless determination and despite this complete lack of skill is convinced he will become the hokage- I mean, the Wizard King. He takes a ninja- wizard test, and when he passes he gets a new headband and joins a small team where he goes on missions for the community. His first mission involves him going to a mist-covered island where the village people are being tormented by a mercenary with ice magic...

Despite all this, it was an okay read and was kind of charming. If you liked Naruto, it wouldn’t hurt to check out Black Clover. On a more serious note, it’s about a world where everyone has magic abilities, to greater or lesser degrees, and when they come of age they receive a magical grimoire that gives them access to more abilities. The main character, however, has absolutely no magical potential and receives a grimoire that, instead of casting magic, has the ability to cancel out other people’s magic.

Bug Boys

A very charming graphic novel about a pair of beetles (Rhino-B and Stag-B). These stories are episodic little adventures of this pair as they meet other bugs and explore the land around the Bug Village. The tone is kinda wild because it goes from very simplistic goofy comic stories, to shockingly deep and metaphoric. Kind of has an Adventure Time like vibe?

Emily of New Moon

A Canadian classic. This is a second series written by L. M. Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables and it has the exact same style as Anne. In some ways one might argue that it’s repetitive of the last series, but honestly it’s exactly what I want. While I love Anne of Green Gables I never cared as much for the rest of the series, all I wanted was more Anne as a child, not Anne as an adult, and that is exactly what Emily of New Moon delivers.

It’s the story of Emily Starr, an imaginative, sensitive child, who is orphaned when her sickly father passes away from TB. Rather than leave her to an orphanage, her late-mother’s estranged family, the Murrays, adopt her out of familial duty and bring her to live on the strange, old-fashioned New Moon farm. There Emily learns to contend with the Murray pride, starting school, making new friends, and blossoming into an avid writer.

I’ve read this book plenty of times, and listening to an audiobook of it again was such a relaxing experience. I would recommend this to anyone that likes period pieces about whimsical childhoods and strongly written young girl characters.

Minecraft: The Island

This was my Completely Shocking Book Of The Month because I started it as a joke and, to my total amazement, kinda fell in love with it. But then again it is written by Max Brooks, author of World War Z. This ended up being a survival-horror isekai that actually sticks the landing, and this is coming from someone with zero interest in a) Minecraft and b) isekai. It’s like Hatchet, if Hatchet took place in a video game world and involved amnesia. I love stories that involve needing to learn a new set natural laws to navigate a world and this book has that coming out its ears.

It’s about a main character (with no specified gender) who wakes up and finds themself in a strange, cubed world, with a baffling array of rules. The MC needs to come to terms with being in complete isolation, surrounded by monsters, and constantly contending with starvation, fear, and confusion as they try to learn how to survive and understand this strange world they’re trapped in.

The Nameless City

Written by someone who worked on the Avatar: The Last Airbender comics, which isn’t surprising because this series has a very strong Avatar vibe, in all the right ways. It takes place in a politically volatile city. As it’s the only pass through the mountains, this city is constantly conquered and reconquered by neighbouring powers. This book is about Kaidu, a child of the Dao empire, the current occupying force. He was sent to the City to meet his father, one of the local generals, and in the meantime meets Rat, one of the city children who is actually affected by the constant violence and control of the occupiers. If you liked Avatar you should give this trilogy a go because the characters are very endearing and the art is beautiful.

Peter & Ernesto

Years back I enjoyed the weird little cartoons made by this fellow, when he was using the name The Grickle; I didn’t realize he was now making graphic novels. These graphic novels very much have his humour and art style all over it. These books are about two sloths: adventurous, optimistic Ernesto, and anxious, fretful Peter. Despite their differences, they’re best friends and are there to pull each other out of scrapes.

Rick

I’ve read Alex Gino’s other middle grade novel, George, which was about a transgirl coming to terms with her identity in grade four. This new book, Rick, takes place in the same world, though you don’t need to have read George first. Rick is about a boy who was best friends with the bully of the first book, and, now in middle school, is coming to realize that not only is his friend not the sort of person he’d always believed he was, but that his own sexuality might not be so clear cut either. On a positive note, this is the first time I’ve read a middle grade novel that deals with asexuality, and Gino creates rich, warmhearted, living worlds in their books. However, it also felt like it was trying to take the past ten years of tumblr queer discourse and cram it almost verbatim into one book which was… a lot to deal with. It felt rather preachy and repetitive of debates I’ve already been forced to live through, and I don’t always appreciate the conclusions the author draws on those debates.

Honestly, more than anything I would say read George instead, it felt like the much stronger book of the two to me.

The Rock From The Sky

Fascinating children’s book. Jon Klassen’s books are always bizarre and strangely toned for children’s books, and this one is no exception (this is the author who wrote Where Is My Hat and the like). I don’t know how to explain it without spoiling it, so honestly if you want a deranged children’s book, give it a read. All I can say is that, yes, a rock comes from the sky. Does it ever.

Sweep: A Story of a Girl and her Monster

An amazing novel! This takes place during the Industrial Revolution, about a chimney sweep named Nan Sparrow. After being abandoned by The Sweep, the only guardian she can ever remember having, she’s been scraping a living under the cruel thumb of the master sweep to whom she’s indentured. However, when she gets stuck in a chimney fire, certainly about to die, she finds that the char she’s kept in her pocket, the only thing left to her by The Sweep, has woken up and is, in fact, a tiny soot golem there to protect her. Nan and her tiny monster now have a chance to escape Nan’s servitude, and carve out a life for themselves in the grimy London streets — and more importantly, hidden up on the grimy London rooftops.

You Should See Me In A Crown

I decided to read this because I’ve always heard rave reviews for it, but honestly, it wasn’t for me. I can see why people do like it, it’s very much a cottoncandy sort of read, but it’s also very much not my genre. I didn’t love high school slice of life stories even when I was in high school, and it’s only become less appealing as I’ve grown up. And this high school in particular feels like it was lifted directly from a Disney Channel original movie. Way too much American prom culture. So yeah, if you’re into that sort of story, then it lets you experience that genre with a queer protagonist, but personally I didn’t bother finishing it.

[shield-maiden-of-sherwood]

Author Interview

Thanks  to the awesome @schattengerissen​ for the tag! :)  Name: Ana (No relation to my Warden OC. Her full name is Analise, Ana for short. I am just Ana. Not short for anything). 

Fandoms: This has changed over time. I’ve written for the WWE, Robin Hood BBC and Dragon Age fandoms so far, Dragon Age and Robin Hood BBC being the most recent. WWE fanfiction is how I started writing though.

Where You Post: AO3, FF.Net, Wattpad

Most Popular One-Shot:  Views wise - I’m Yours (Dragon age).  Comments/review/favorite wise - Homecoming (WWE)

Most Popular Multi-Chapter Story:   

Views-wise: 

                      - (Of all time)    My Big Fat FAKE Wedding                      - (Dragon Age)    Forgotten

Comment/review/favorite-wise:

                     - (Of all time)    My Big Fat FAKE Wedding                     - (Dragon Age)    Forgotten

Favorite Story You Wrote:  

                     - (Of all time)    My Big Fat FAKE Wedding  &  Betrayal  because they were two stories that allowed me to basically make up everything as I went and had the most in-depth storylines involved.                     - (Dragon Age)     Fated  because it was the second story I started writing based off a video game. In Forgotten, I was sticking way too close to the actual gameplay rather than creating an actual story of my own and incorporating pieces from the games. With Fated, I learned how to do my own thing while also sticking to the main lore of the universe.

Story You Were Nervous to Post:  EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.  You never really know how your stories are going to perceived or liked by readers and it’s nerve-racking to pour your time, heart and soul into something you love and then have it be completely hated or have people find it not interesting at all. 

How You Choose Your Titles: Depends on the series. With my WWE stories, I typically named the stories off the main idea. My Big Fat FAKE Wedding was about the MC faking an engagement to her best friend to get a title shot. Dream Come True had to do with the MC dreaming of making it into the WWE and finding the love of her life.  

With my Robin Hood BBC series, I wanted to keep the title short and give readers and idea of what the book was about. Betrayal is about the MC and those she cares about being betrayed. Vengeance is about the MC seeking out Vengeance and Risen is about the MC and her friends rising up from all the betrayal and rising above all the newfound adversity in the wake of their vengeance. 

With my Dragon Age series, I decided to stick with the simple names with the main theme in mind and also wanted all the titles to start with F. No real reason, just happened that way. From Ostwick With Love, Fated, Foregone, Fallen, Forgotten, Forsaken.

Complete:  13 stories (may be more but only ones I’m finding right now)

                       - 11 one-shots ( almost all WWE, 2 song fics, and 1 Dragon age)                       -  1 Robin Hood BBC

                      -  1 WWE

Incomplete:  A lot, lol. I currently have at least 5 stories in progress, maybe 3 or so on-hold and quite a few stories I lost interest in writing and just abandoned.

Do You Outline?  Sometimes. Sometimes I have a lot of ideas for stories but get overwhelmed since I’m unsure how to incorporate them into the chapters. Outlining sometimes helps me at least get an idea for how things should play out.

Coming Soon/Not Yet Started:  I have whole series and also a lot of upcoming installments to current series. 

For my Robin Hood BBC series, Risen is the last book in the trilogy but I’m still working on book 2, Vengeance. 

For my Dragon Age Series, there’s multiple books in the series along with mini-spin-offs already in progress. However, the books that are coming soon are Foregone, Fallen, and Forsaken.

Do You Accept Prompts?  Sometimes! Due to some stuff I’m dealing with at work and with my mental health, my inspiration and motivation tend to be pretty low but every so often, I will try my hand at prompts. Feel free to send them to me!  They may even spark something for current stories! :)

Upcoming Story You Are Most Excited to Write: 

Foregone and Risen. 

Foregone because it’s book 3 in my Heroes of Thedas Series and part 2 for Ana Cousland’s story. Fated is book two and basically sets the basis and shows the development of Ana’s character. Foregone is a darker and somewhat different take on the events from Fated. Ana is thrown back in time and relives the Battle of Ostagar and everything all over again and she uses her previous knowledge and learned skills from the first time. She gets to remeet Alistair for the first time which is difficult for her since the last time they were together, they were head over heels in love and planning a future and now he has no idea who she is. It’s a very interesting perspective that I’m excited to write! Risen on the other hand is part of my Shadow Hunters Trilogy  from the Robin Hood BBC fandom. It’s the final installment. Eva and Robin are reunited, Delvin is dead, Isaac is married. Everybody’s lives are basically on the rise but they find out that their king, King Richard the Lionhearted is ALIVE! It’s a crossover with Assassin’s Creed and basically Robin Hood, his gang, the Shadow Hunters (assassins) and everybody gears up and reaches out to Altair and the Brotherhood for help in taking down King John. It’s gonna be awesome. I tag (no pressure): @mediaeval-thotte, @enchantment1385, @ladyinquisidork, @andrastini, @ladycremecaramel and whoever else wants to do this! 

[masseffectspotlight]

This week we’re featuring @dragonwyrd316!

What got you started writing Fanfic? I was in a slump, major writer's block, and had been for years. Was browsing deviantArt one day when I came across some fan art for a new game I had just started playing - Dragon Age. Next thing I knew I was coming up with fanfic and, thanks to a friend of mine pushing me to try it even though I was unsure of myself, not knowing a lot of the lore at the time, branched into Mass Effect. Are there any authors, published or fanfic, that inspire you in anyway? Evil Sapphyre, Sia, erunyamarine (I think I spelled her pseud correctly), Matyrfae, SolarDiamond (all friends, sisters even, that I met through the fandoms and writing fanfic) What Mass Effect character comes easiest for you to write and why? This can be a canon character, an OC, or one of the MCs (Shepard/Ryder) Anyone who has a smart mouth, so Joker is my top pick along with the Shepard, Kara, I paired with him. 2nd place is Zaeed, Vega, and Thane, along with my other Shepard, Eve (she's with Thane). 3rd place is everyone else I love writing - My Shepards Phoenix (Vega pairing) and Vali (psycho Shep paired with Zaeed), as well as Wrex, Grunt, Jack, Drack, Reyes, and Liam. I do, however, have another soft spot for Hackett and will get back to his romance with another one of my Sheps some day. Yes, I love writing a lot of them. Are there any characters you want to tackle writing but haven't yet? Why? Garrus and Evfra - Garrus because I've read so many amazing fics written by others that have him as the main character alongside their Shepard. I'm worried I may not be able to do him the justice he deserves alongside the other fics already out there. Evfra, while I love his personality in game, I'm just too worried I'd accidentally go too OOC with him. Time to talk about your fics! What's your favourite story you've written / are working on? Lost and Found - it's my fic with Kara Shepard-Moreau and Joker. I started it back in 2011 I believe and, sadly, haven't finished it. One of these days I will. It starts during ME2 when the two of them learn that they both had, what they believed, an unrequited love for each other during their time chasing after Saren. It details their life together and their interactions with the crew through ME2 and continues into ME3. They're the first ME couple I ever wrote and because of their snarkiness, they're so fun to write and that's why this is my favorite, even if it's not finished yet. It needs polishing since my writing has improved since those days, but I still think it's a decent read. What's your second favourite story you've written / are working on? Add a synopsis, talk about why you like writing it, and add a link here! Enchantment is my second favorite story. It was born of a request from a friend of mine on deviantArt who wanted to see what I could come up with in regards to a Dragon Age/Mass Effect crossover. They even gifted me with an amazing piece of fanart for the story as a thank you. It's a one shot featuring my Warden Ana Cousland who happens to be married to Nathaniel Howe, my Hawke Amberlynn who I paired with Orsino, along with Kara Shepard and Joker. Something goes horribly wrong when Ana asks Sandal to enchant something for her and they end up being somehow transported onto the Normandy. Hilarity ensues. Sebastian gets a good look at a half naked Jack (as it's set during ME2's timeline). It's just a fun story in my opinion. Link:  Fanart link: https://coupleofkooks.deviantart.com/art/DA2-ME2-Enchantment-I-212274461 What's your third favourite story you've written? Never Gonna Be Alone - my first ever finished multi-chapter fic that I submitted for MEBB 2017. It's a crossover between the ME trilogy and Andromeda. Thanks to her friends, Shepard is frozen for around 600 years, relays have been built, and she's able to travel to Andromeda to meet up with her main squeeze, one Reyes Vidal. I loved writing this because I enjoy coming up with rare pairs and ideas that others usually tend to raise their eyebrows over. What are your greatest challenges when writing? Distractions and loss of motivation. I get really into writing a pairing I adore and then get distracted with another couple that pops into my head and end up being the loudest of the voices that reside there, start writing about them, and it may be a good chunk of time before I even get back to what I was writing to begin with. It's why I, unfortunately, have so many stories started but, outside of my MEBB 2017 piece, and a handful of one shots, nothing is finished. And then when I start thinking about that, or when real life stress hits me too hard, I lose all motivation to write and I end up with a depressingly long lasting slump. Sadly, I haven't written since last year's MEBB. What are your greatest strengths when writing? My smut. Yes, sadly, that is very much a strength of mine according to some friends who had dubbed me the 'smut queen' from back during the days I posted most of my works on deviantArt. I'd also say the relationships between my characters, the way they interact, their friendships, dialogue, and my ability to come up with some very random plotlines and rare pairs (such as the Dragon Age/Mass Effect and ME trilogy/Andromeda crossovers). Okay, we're almost done! Any WIP or sequels or anything you'd like to give a hint about? ​I'm working on some ideas to get back into a few of my works in progress, as well as having signed up for MEBB 2018, though I'm not quite sure what my focus will be for that quite yet... or maybe I know and you'll just have to wait to find out! :D

[63824peace]

Friday, 25th of november 2005

Female detective Sunny Randall is the heroine of Robert B. Parker's latest novel, Melancholy Baby. During the course of the story, she consults the lovely psychiatrist Susan Silverman. Silverman has also appeared in Parker's series of Spenser novels.

Sunny learns that her ex-husband lately re-married, and the knowledge instills her with a suffering sense of loss. She has a dream one night, and she asks Silverman about the dream's meaning.

"What are our dreams?" Sunny asks. "Do they reveal our desires?"

The psychiatrist answers her without digging deeply into Freudian dream analysis. "Sometimes dreams exaggerate the circumstances of the dreamer's waking life."

I cried out from another nightmare this morning. I felt emotions and stresses like those felt during the dream that I recounted in my October 2 blog.

I always forget good dreams, but I remember all my nightmares.

I don't know whether the dream's circumstances were good or bad... but I was about to accept a tremendously prestigious award. Imagine some combination of the Emmy Awards, the Grammy Awards, and the Academy Awards. Multiple entertainment media qualified-movies, music, and games could all compete equally.

The ceremony would start soon. I needed to head over to the ceremonial hall, or else I would arrive late. I didn't understand why, but I was still fixing an anime clip that I had planned to show at the ceremony.

I don't know why it was specifically anime. I only knew that I needed to edit a segment from the footage --- no, I needed to edit several scenes! The presentation had screwed up somehow.

I hastily tried to correct each scene, but my anime support staff was slow. They were positively inflexible. The corrections shouldn't have taken long, but my staff worked at a snail's pace. We could have edited everything digitally, but everyone insisted that we shoot from animation cells. They couldn't understand the concept of digital editing -- and all of the studio's technology was over ten years old.

Nevertheless, we somehow finished the corrections. I ran to the ceremony hall.

I couldn't find my outfit when I arrived at the dressing room. I asked someone where to find it, but he explained that he couldn't open the suitcase that held my costume. He didn't have the key!

I noticed the gigantic suitcase in the corner. It looked large enough to have held a few corpses.

"Why is it in the suitcase?" I asked. "Who has the key?"

"Well," said the fellow, "The guy with the key left for the airport."

"What?! The airport!?"

I couldn't go onstage in casual clothes. The event had a dress code. Everyone had to dress formally for the live broadcast, even the camera crew.

"Hey, come on! You're up!"

A man opened the dressing room door. I could only see his upper body. He pressured me to come onstage. He had a foreigner's face, but he spoke perfect Japanese.

"All right, we're running out of options," he said. "Put on anything, just hurry!" Strangers surrounded me. They dressed me in a costume covered with patches.

Someone pushed me from behind, and I appeared on-stage beneath dazzling lights. I could still see the faces beyond them though.

The audience stirred. They seemed surprised to see that I had dressed like a street performer, or a vaudeville comedian. The MC froze on the spot.

A musician was supposed to have handed me the trophy... he looked like Mick Jagger. He whispered into my ear, "What the hell kind of costume is this? Is this some kind of joke?!"

He slandered me with words that sounded as though they had been translated, and then he laughed out loud. The ceremony hall's audience erupted into a storm of booing.

They threw all sorts of things at the stage. Something hit my head…

And I suddenly awoke.

It hadn't been a frightening dream, but it was definitely unpleasant. I've had these types of dreams before... dreams wherein I lose or forget something, or I can't proceed according to plans, or all my teeth fall out.

"What sort of dream is this?" How would Parker's Susan Silverman respond? Was this merely a menagerie of "exaggerated forms of circumstances from the dreamer's waking life?"

I ate a combo plate for lunch at Del Sol, followed by a double Macchiato. I looked into my coffee cup and saw the shape of a heart. I stirred the surface to erase it. I don't need any more hearts... hearts are troublesome.

I'd rather fill myself with something more substantial -- something more stable.

We left the restaurant and headed back to the office. On our way, Kenichiro found a provisional booth selling lottery tickets. Was this fortune?

"What's up?" I said.

"I thought that I'd like to buy some lottery tickets."

I hadn't seen one of those booths until yesterday, and then I remembered. They start selling End-of-the-Year Jumbo Lottery tickets today.

"Do they usually sell winning tickets here?"

"Well, I wouldn't know. I'm generally lucky at the lottery."

I looked more closely at the booth. The sign above it read, "Sister shop to Yuurakucho Daikokuten, seller of many big winning tickets!"

"Ha! Looks like it's the sister of the real winning booth."

"Well, that's hardly persuasive, is it?" said Kenichiro.

"We'd better get tickets from the real seller instead of its sister."

"I don't even need to buy them. I'm just that lucky with lotteries." Kenichiro recounted his many lottery victories as he walked away from the booth.

I've never won the lottery -- and what's more, I usually lose games like rock-paper-scissors. I never draw a winning raffle ticket, and I've never won a game of Bingo. Consequently, I don't expect gold to rain upon me. I never gamble or take huge risks... I'm better suited for work that requires steady, serious pacing.

Kenichiro, on the other hand, seems to have good luck.

I've theorized that everyone has received an equal distribution of luck, and each person's luck has a limit. You'll run out of luck if you squander it on lotteries and gambling. We're not like Fortune from MGS2. We won't have luck stored for important things like work if we use it excessively.

If I win the lottery, then I've spent that piece of luck. I try not to use my luck frivolously since I want to save it for my games.

Kenichiro boasted that he always wins back what he spends on lotteries, even though he's never won the big prizes. I said, "Don't you think that's why you've never made a hit game?"

"What are you talking about? I've already done that."

"For example?"

"You know… that game!"

"Oh, that," I conceded. "That was definitely luck."

"I'm lucky with women."

"Same here."

Neither one of us could laugh at that.

I've looked for Masaki Yamada's book Magic Opera since yesterday. It's printed by the Hayakawa Publishing Corporation. I finally chanced upon the set of books today at the Aoyama Book Center.

Mr. Noriyoshi Ohrai made the cover, of course. His composition and layout are fascinating as always!

Magic Opera is the second book in a trilogy. I started with the first book, Mystery Opera, which I had bought back in August. I've just read Magic Opera's first sixty pages, and the story has already captivated me. It looks interesting.

Mr. Masaki Yamada's most notorious recent work is Kamigari-2. Russian Roulette isn't as popular, but I still found it outstanding and interesting. The Opera Trilogy is his newest saga; it's part of the Kiichiro Midashi series that started after the Kami Trilogy. I'm looking forward to its narrative development.

I learned that he'll title the third book Final Opera.

Mr. Masaki Yamada contributed an article for the limited release of MGS: The Twin Snakes on the Gamecube. He always responds whenever I mail him my impressions of his books. He is such a remarkable, intellectual man.

I first discovered Mr. Yamada's writing when I read his novel Agni-wo-nusume. I was either a junior high or high school student back then. Agni-wo-nusume was an adventure novel. Some salary-men had been deceived, and then they received company orders to infiltrate a Himalayan fortress. They risked their lives at the fortress, fighting against the CIA and the special assault team.

I have read so many books published by Hayakawa Publishing Corporation. I might say that they practically raised me. They have really bustled for their sixtieth anniversary. Since the beginning of the year, they've released a variety of reproductions and reissued books.

This month they distributed a short story collection by one of their more unusual authors. They've only done this once before. Hayakawa Publishing Corporation's line-up included Theodore Sturgeon's collection titled One-Horned Beast, Many-Horned Beast. They also featured my much-loved Richard Matheson's collection, 13 Shocks.

They've reissued the books in the B6 standardized publishing format, so we can carry the books around more easily. We can also read the larger print more easily. So many interesting books remain in this world... I'd like to see the good, older book reprinted more often.

I bought the mook-book for the film that I saw yesterday, Always: San-cho-me-no-yuuhi. Nippon TV published it, and they included a pair of red and blue 3D glasses in the back. Solid Eye ought to recall memories of the Shōwa Era now!

Later in the day, Tojin the sound director burst into my work booth. "Director! Can you spare a moment?"

I looked up at him. "What is it? Another problem?"

Tojin wore a huge smile. "I registered my marriage on November 22! That's the day of Ii and Fuufu!" Ii and Fuufu are the old-style Japanese numbers. They have double meanings: Ii means "good," and Fuufu means "married couple."

His face didn't betray any self-consciousness or embarrassment. I could sense the willful pride of man who has taken a wife.

Well then... Ii Fuufu, eh? A good married couple?

Tojin's romance was dramatic from the start. He and his new wife met on top of Mount Fuji, at the eighth and highest checkpoint. She had loved Mount Fuji so much that she chose to live and work in the hut at the top for the summer.

Tojin would climb Mount Fuji just to see her. In other words, Tojin had climbed the whole mountain again every time they shared each other's company. I wonder how many times he climbed Mount Fuji that summer.

One day he realized that he had become an expert at climbing Mount Fuji. He hadn't even paid attention to his growing prowess! He has organized every summer trip up the mountain for the sound team because of his experience. Unfortunately, I had to miss it two years in a row.

I'll never forget the time when he proposed to her.

We had met with some creative staff members from outside the company. Right in front of our guests, Tojin whispered an apology into my ear. "I'm so sorry, but I need to go to the panoramic viewing platform at the Hills. I need to propose to my girlfriend. May I leave now?"

"You're making her wait?" I said. "As cold as it is tonight?"

"Yes, well... I thought about staying here until the end, but...." He was obviously worried about the time.

"You go on," I said. "It's better on the rooftop lookout point, by the way. They've got a heliport up there, and it's much less crowded. It costs five hundred yen to enter."

"Got it."

Everything was so serious that I couldn't keep it to myself. I explained the situation to our guests.

Tojin's spirit and determination had moved them too.

"Hurry on up there!" we yelled, bidding Tojin farewell. It seems as though it happened only yesterday.

It turned out that the rooftop had already closed, but I don't think we need to guess her answer. He's said everything by informing me about Ii Fuufu.

Congratulations, Tojin!

Today I led the MGS4 project meeting in the glass room. Only three of us attended -- Murashu, Rettsu, and myself.

Between the meetings I autographed the placards to send with the Subsistence gifts. These are totally different from signing the MGA2 cards. I have so many presents to send, it's no joke!

I just handled the cards for the Japanese version today. I had only taken care of one-third of the total. It was still some hard work though. Whew!

We received the sample Ghillie suit that we had ordered. We bought it in case we're unable to make one during training.

Toyopy tried it on. He looked like the monster Waiaaru Seijin from Ultraman.

In the evening, I had a small dinner party with Ms. Yamanaka and Ms. Miyamoto, KojiPro's assistants. I occasionally throw them a small party to express my thanks for all their support.

We're able to make good products thanks to them. If game-makers need to present an ordered list of people who deserve thanks, their staff and fellow workers come first, then everyone's families, and then the office assistants. Game-makers ought to recognize themselves last.

Kenichiro is Ms. Miyamoto's supervisor. We four went to a sushi bar in the Roppongi area. I drank a white wine called Sushi Wine, and I got pretty tanked.

I had a couple of sidecars in my Nishi Azabu hideout after that. The Kansai bartender doesn't seem to work there anymore.

I was in a mellow mood, so I turned my thoughts to last night's dream. I felt as though I were forgetting something about it... but I just couldn't remember what. I didn't get anyone's help explaining last night's dream -- no Susan Silverman for me. I decided just to find an answer myself.

If the costume had disappeared, then I should have just bought a new one. I think I got the hint that my dream had left me... "Get a new leather jacket this winter!"

I'll sleep well if I can keep thinking like this.

[justanotherdumpingground]

Chapter Reviews: April 30-May 4, 2019 + Thoughts on Upcoming Stories

Wishful Thinking Chapter 4:

I actually replayed the book again just to get the cat, and it was worth the purchase. Her lines amuse me.

Anyway, back to the chapter. The part where MC helped Louis and Sara reconcile was sweet, though I laughed at Sara saying that she received anti-wrinkle cream by accident. Nevertheless, it's a good start for MC to explore and develope her mind reading ability.

I have a soft spot for most animals, and the puppy is no exception. Even his dialogue is so adorable, especially when coupled with Jinx. I hope to see more of those two.

The library investigation was kinda fun, especially with the premium choice to go after the guy with the documents. Seriously, that got me intrigued. And hello again, Anna. It's nice to finally see her again despite being away for her boss, who happens to have a recycled model.

Bah, I can't stand Alec. First, he's initially dismissive towards the MC's ideas unless proven otherwise. Then, he forces Ellen to overwork only to shut her down (she may be no saint, but she's still entitled to fair working conditions as well as therapy). Seriously, I'd like to have him ejected and replaced with a better boss. I don't care that he takes back his word on the library after the MC's investigation. What really matters is that he should stop playing favorites. Nothing against my MC, just wishing that Alec would just behave or beware.

Gee, playing Wishful Thinking makes me miss Hero. It's not super good, but I still had fun playing it. Oh, how I wish Book 2 will be released soon. At least Wishful Thinking is fun to play so far.

High School Story: Class Act Chapter 12:

For the candidate I picked to stay, I chose Rory. Arts are underappreciated in Berry High and one one with the least focus compared to sports, which already has played significance on the plot (Book 1 of the first trilogy, for instance). I get that the twin's family, but they're still a freshman and probably not the strongest candidate, as well as particiapting in the election just because instead of having a more concrete motivation like Rory. I didn't go see Emerald with Rory and the twin, however.

I'm glad Ajay has found a support system in the form of talking with kids with divorced parents. He needs help as soon as possible, and I'm glad Emma has provided it. I wonder why the first trilogy MC is absent. After all, they mentioned in a premium scene that their parents are divorced as well.

Didn't attend Rory's cousin's wedding because Rory's not my love interest, so no interest in discussing it. Anyway, I just want this election drama to end and Lorenzo to realize that his platform is futile.

Across the Void Chapter 20:

Dang, that was another intense chapter. Sucks that I have to pay diamonds to save Aquari's life, but I did it anyway. Not to mention that the operation was a success with only one injury. Glad everyone's okay.

I'm gonna skip through the romance bits and jump straight to the upcoming landing on Cyber. I'm glad the MC is smart enough to ask Lyra about the meeting between the Vanguard and Jura on Cyber. After she said it was Barlow's idea, I'm now worried how the Atlas can disarm the trap the Void laid on them. I'm excited to see what's next.

America's Most Eligible Chapter 16:

I'm not surprised that Adam wears a tux and proposes to the MC, especially when Omar grabbed something from him in an earlier chapter. It was kind of romantic to propose after he was voted the most eligible because I chose not to pick the premium option to talk to the jury. Oh, well. Glad to see that my MC and Adam will spend the rest of their days in bliss, though I don't think an extra book just to get them married is necessary.

Ugh, can Piper be any more intrusive? If boasting about the Game of Love with Jen was bad enough, she had to barge into the mansion and bring up the smack talk. Glad Jen rejected the offer to join Piper's show, and Wrenn stood up against Piper. I didn't pick the option to give Piper a piece of my mind, but at least it was satisfying enough to watch Jen become showrunner.

Overall, I find Book 2 much weaker than Book 1. The double eliminations pretty much ensure that multiple people get eliminated, especially most of the new contestants. It's a shame, especially since Bianca could've been a proper love interest but was shoved aside in the end. While I appreciate Ivy, Vince, and Slater espousing a gray morality in their view of things, it remains untapped potential. Like, how can it be used to develop them further, especially Ivy because she's a contestant since Book 1. It gets worse when Ivy and Slater are practically interchangeable, effectively watering them down to the same person. And why do we need another marriage-based book? Do we already have enough?

Nightbound Chapter 3:

Luc seems nice and helpful, though I'm not still not sure whether my MC will pursue him. And the same goes for Cal, who seems to be a nice guy despite being a werewolf. I'm not pleased to run errands, but he does sound like he cares for his brother. And what's with Kristof having Nikolai Petrov's model? Made me wince, thought at least the octopus tattoo is gone.

Great. Another collection set. This time, it's similar to the portrait fragments in Bloodbound. I wonder what secrets do they unlock. I wouldn't be surprised if it allows us to learn more about the person who's after the MC by sending that bloodwraith.

Anyway, I'm still excited for this despite my lack of concrete thoughts on it because it's still too early.

Passport to Romance Chapter 8:

Great, sibling drama between Elliot and William. Not only is their arguing forgettable, but Elliot sounds so entitled. He left his responsibilities on his company to his brother, who also misses their parents. Seriously, what's with this guy? I was initially relieved that he's out of my group to recover, only for him to reappear in the last scene. Oh well. He better behave, though.

So far, this story's just meh. Not too excited for Marisa's birthday, though I'm expecting drama along the way.

Open Heart Chapter 12:

This chapter is emotional, and I love it. First, it stings that the nurses except Danny are no longer nice to the MC. I have my top suspects, but I still think everyone is innocent until proven guilty. That includes Aurora and Landry. There's no reason why I should hate them both.

Did I adopt all three animals? Yup. I'm a sucker for these lovely creatures, and they're already a joy to have with me. The turtle's the one I like the most so far. 

If there's one character in this chapter continually gives an emotional punch, that would be Mrs. Martinez. It was fun and satisfying to steal the needed medication from Declan Nash. I was overjoyed to see Mrs. Martinez getting better and traveling around the world after the hospital held a farewell party for her. Most of all, hearing that she died in her sleep was so painful to hear that it left me shocked and speechless. Even though she went out in a blaze of glory by living out her dream of traveling the world, I still couldn't contain my grief. Even more aggravating was when Harper said that Mrs. Martinez's family is suing Edenbrook, particularly the MC, for malpractice. And let's not forget that Dr. Banerji has a month left to live, yet another point of anxiety.

Ride or Die Chapter 16:

That was a fun showdown to watch. It was fun to see Mona's impressed reaction to the MC outwitting the Brotherhood, them pointing their guns at one another amidst their confusion, Mona taking the bullet for the MC, and Jason getting arrested by the FBI and MC's dad. If there's one thing that I'm annoyed at is that I have to pay diamonds to take Mona to the hospital while the free option is to leave her behind. I'm not upset that Mona gets arrested. I'm upset that the free option doesn't save the cops more time to ensure Mona's recovery, even if she disregards herself.

The graduation may be short, but I'm glad to see Ingrid being friendly towards the MC, and that they'll be attending Langston together. The ending just feels oddly surreal on the MC's uncertainty of her future, though.

Honestly, I'm disappointed but not surprised that RoD will get a second book. The story's overrated and full of clichés and wasted potential. Not to mention that it has one of the most irrational fanbases in the Choices fandom that partly ruined the story for me. A lot of the vocal fans, especially on Instagram, worship it like it's groundbreaking or revolutionary. At least there are some rational fans out there who acknowledge its faults while still enjoying it.

If there are any ways the second book could improve on the first one, I'd say introduce a morally gray setting and execute it better. There are traces of it, though they aren't well done because the narrative depicts the Brotherhood as just evil when their members should be just as varied as the Mercy Park Crew. Same goes for the MPC, since defining them as black or white doesn't work on them.

The Elementalists Chapter 8:

I thought Atlas was gonna die from the MC's attack, but I'm glad he survived and is put under care. I just wish he'll trust his twin and their friends again.

Honestly, I need to keep an eye on Alma. She's still really fishy and may have an ulterior motive for descending on the earth, especially when the MC receives another letter from Kane. Is the MC a plaything or what?

Since I roleplay my MC as a typically curious Air-Att, I picked the premium option to go to the gardens with Beckett so he could have a leg up for a future class with Professor Kontos. A bit miffed that the gardens of Aurelia are recycled, but here's hoping there will be a leg up.

Helping Griffin with his scholarship is kind of fun, and I'm glad I picked the choices that give me scholarship points. Even more so when I chose to help him rather than sabotage Amy. The second option sounds counterproductive, to be honest.

After touching the treasure chest and a vision of Kane's followers, I have a feeling that I'll encounter this hidden group of pranksters at some point in the story, and there might be an option to join them, especially with the letter from Kane. It may also be part of the morality system like many choices before, which leaves me excited.

Thoughts on upcoming stories:

Honestly, the only stories I'm looking forward to are Bloodbound and the new fantasy story. Platinum could surprise me, but I have low expectations of it. The Royal Heir looks like an attempt to milk as much money from die-hard fans as possible, though a part of me misses playing as the MC. BSC's just meh. RCD's an utter mess since the beginning, and any potential it once had is dead and buried since the end of Book 2. Sunkissed and Bachelorette Party just scream forgettable, so not excited for them. This is gonna be one bleak summer.

[walkingthroughthepages]

One of my absolute favourite part about the holidays has to be the fact that it means seeing my family. Even though Belgium’s not really that big? All my aunts and uncles, cousins and their children are basically spread out of the entirety of it. So getting to see all of them? And at the same time? It’s busy, it’s loud, it’s madness… And it’s absolutely amazing to be reunited for the holidays!

I was offered these ARCs by Netgalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are strictly my own.

A Christmas Gift, Sue Moorcroft

The story

Georgine loves Christmas. The festive season always brings the little village of Middledip to life. But since her ex-boyfriend walked out, leaving her with crippling debts, Georgine’s struggled to make ends meet. To keep her mind off her worries, she throws herself into organising the Christmas show at the local school. And when handsome Joe Blackthorn becomes her assistant, Georgine’s grateful for the help. But there’s something about Joe she can’t quite put her finger on. Could there be more to him than meets the eye? Georgine’s past is going to catch up with her in ways she never expected. But can the help of friends new and old make this a Christmas to remember after all?

The opinion

Last year, I got the chance to read The Little Christmas Village, which was also written by Sue Moorcroft. At that point, I wrote something to the extent of me really loving it when chicklit actually has a story to tell. Basically, The Little Christmas Village had character development, so many people to fall in love with, and of course: Christmas! Well, guess what? Sue Moorcroft’s done it again with A Christmas Gift. First of all, there’s Georgine who is, just weeks before Christmas (and, let’s be real, in the months before that as well), faced with money-problems and all the bad memories that go hand in hand with that. She starts out as someone who lets herself be manipulated quite easily, maybe even walked over (a realisation she reaches about halfway through the book!). In just a couple of weeks, though, she is faced with elements of various stages from her past – ranging from the “okay” to the “terrible” that face her to do a lot of growing. Two of the main reasons for that growth? Joe, who, as it turns out, is an old friend and has a bit of a hidden past ànd present himself. And Blair, Georgine’s sister who is trying so hard that even when things went terribly wrong? I couldn’t help but root for them. That is probably one of the main reasons I loved this book either way: whenever things go wrong (and, trust me, that happens quite regularly)? You can still see how those situations originated, you understand the why and the how. Sue Moorcroft has that most precious of gifts for an author of knowing just when to give up what piece of information to make for the most natural of progress – in relationships as well as in plot! What’s more, I’ve noticed recently that I’m finding it increasingly difficult to find books, especially cosy and fluffy books, that really hit the spot for me. I mean, if your characters fall in love, fine, but at least show your reader why, you know? Reading A Christmas Gift came as something of a relief, in that aspect. Sue Moorcroft manages to get the set-up of every piece of her story just right so that when fear, betrayal and joy hit? They hit not only the characters, but you as well. So if you’re in need of the kind of book that’ll have you smiling along, rooting for that happy ending and definitely some Christmas spirit? This is the book for you!

Rating: 3.5/5 (Goodreads)

Another Day in Winter, Shari Low

Story

On a chilly morning in December forever friends Shauna and Lulu touch down at Glasgow Airport on a quest to find answers from the past. George knows his time is nearing the end, but is it too late to come to terms with his two greatest regrets? His grandson Tom uncovers a betrayal that rocks his world as he finally tracks down the one that got away. And single mum Chrissie is ready to force her love-life out of hibernation, but can anyone compare to the man who broke her heart? After the success of the No1 best seller ONE DAY IN DECEMBER, comes the second unmissable read in Shari Low’s Winter Day trilogy.

Opinion

If there’s anything studying literature and linguistics will teach you, it’s to appreciate a well-executed multi-perspective story. This one is a couple of steps above well-executed. Within the span of 24 hours, these Shauna, George, Tom and Chrissie’s paths will cross, their stories will meet and – as it turns out: it really is a small world after all. There are few things as difficult as making sure that every loose thread of a multi-level story gets tied up at the end. Making sure that the tone for each of the characters is distinct enough that as a reader, you don’t even need the name on top to know who you’re reading? That’s a gift not too many people have. I honestly loved every single thing about this book. I loved the strong friendship between Shauna and Lulu. I love their willingness to do something that most people would – rightly so – call a bit crazy. I loved Chrissie and the way her friends of all ages pushed her to go beyond what she dared to do. And that she actually took on that chance, that she was willing to look back to the past to be able to face the future. Also – her son? The cutest smart-mouth I’ve read in a while. I love George and the backstory of him and his two sisters, in this totally different world and time. For someone so near to death, he really did have a lot to say. And considering some rather important conversations took part on his bedside? I’m quite happy he turned out to be such a good listener. And then there’s Tom who, in the span of 24 hours, has his world turned upside down more times than most people could handle in a year. He just takes it all in stride – somewhat, at least – and still manages to hand out maybe the most satisfying type of punch: the warranted one. A thing which definitely shows, as you’ll learn in this book as well, that he takes after his grandfather. With Christmas running in the background, as a decoration, as a motivation, but never as a plot point? This was maybe the best winter book I’ve read so far, this year.

Rating: 4.5/5 (Goodreads)

Snowflakes over Holly Cove, Lucy Coleman

Story

As the snowflakes start to fall, the village of Holly Cove welcomes a new tenant to the beautiful old cottage on the beach… For lifestyle magazine journalist Tia Armstrong, relationships, as well as Christmas, have lost all their magic. Yet Tia is up against a Christmas deadline for her latest article ‘Love is, actually, all around’… So Tia heads to Holly Cove where the restorative sea air, and rugged stranger Nic, slowly but surely start mending her broken heart. Tia didn’t expect a white Christmas, and she certainly never dared dream that all her Christmas wishes might just come true… Set in Caswell Bay on the stunningly rugged Gower Coast, the cottage nestles amid the limestone cliffs and the woodlands; the emotions run as turbulently as the wind-swept sea.

Opinion

I really seem to have a thing about reading books with journalists as the MC. Or, maybe journalists just make for easy people to push into new situations. Either way, this particular journalist starts Snowflakes over Holly Cove with some serious hard break. As Tia has suddenly had pointed out to her: she’s an orphan now. Doesn’t matter what age you are – that’s never an easy thing to handle. That actually brings me right to maybe my *favourite* point about this book. It deals with working through loss so carefully, so respectfully. Lucy Coleman doesn’t shy away from the ugly parts of grieve – from that feeling of not knowing how to handle anything to maybe getting a little *stupid* because of it. Snowflakes over Holly Cove tells the story from the last Christmas Tia Armstrong spends with her mum, giving some background to exactly how deep their relationship is, to the next Christmas – her first without her mum. Considering that she’s been working on a Christmas feature for months by the time Christmas rolls around? The reader could easily have grown tired of Christmas already. That, instead, I was sat here just checking my countdown app *yet again* (yes, I’m that person)? Just shows how nuanced Coleman’s writing is. Now, I know that this book is at least partially a romance novel, but, for once, that is not the main thing making we want to immediately reread this book. Rather, it’s the attention to detail, the beautiful descriptions of the Welsh scenery and of course… That one plot twist near the end. And then that dramatic twist at the end… I honestly was not okay. And need to get back to this book ASAP.

Rating: 4/5 (Goodreads)

Now, as I said – I now the entire “reunited for the holidays” can be a bit busy. And loud. And overwhelming. So if you’re in need of an escape from the reality of it? Why not hide out with some stories showing its possibilities? Don’t worry – it’s my backup option too! Or, you know… You could go ahead and read the rest of my Christmas tag or check out this year’s blogmas-posts!

-Saar

Mini Reviews #9: Reunited for the Holidays One of my absolute favourite part about the holidays has to be the fact that it means seeing my family.