#but the author is a black american and i did find this novel in my librarys afrofuturism section. so. ill go with it.

[wanttotalkaboutbooks]

The Prey of Gods

by Nicky Drayden

This is an Afrofuturist novel that weaves together elements of sci-fi and fantasy to create a story of five main characters, who are tangled up in the dangerous, fantastical rise of the old gods.

My Rating: 4/5

If I had to describe this in the simplest way possible, I'd say that the book was really fun to read! You get to follow five characters who are VERY different from one another, and see how somehow their paths intersect into this crazy, larger-than-life story, and end up in ways that they absolutely could never anticipate in their wildest dreams. There are so many twists and turns of varying levels of hilarity, absurdity, and questionability, and it can get so weird, in ways where you really have to have fun with it and go along for the ride.

I ultimately did enjoy this book a lot, but I wasn't confident enough in my liking of this book to give it a 5/5; I also have some criticisms which I feel were substantial enough to knock it down to a 4/5 at least for me.

Content warnings (which might be spoilery) and full review under the cut!

The content warnings for this book include death, sexual assault (including brief depictions of SA on children), child abuse, animal death, drug use, medical procedures, and torture.

Let's start with what I liked about this book, of which there was a lot. One specific thing I want to shout out is the author's ability to develop character voice. Giving five different POV characters a unique voice is hard, but Drayden does it and she does it well. I especially like a lot of the chapters in the POV of Nomvula, who is a child, somewhere between 6-10 years old (I can't quite remember). Nomvula genuinely narrates like a child - a child that has been through a lot of trauma and hardships, sure, a child with strong moral fiber, but a child nonetheless. Other POVs that are worth mentioning are Muzi, a teenage boy, and Stoker, a politician - their character voices both reflect their respective personalities and way of speaking based on their ages and roles in society.

Drayden's writing style was unique, in a way I almost struggle to describe, because while its not flowery or prosaic, I also feel like "concise" is the wrong word to use. It's crisp but it's also very animated, which ties into what I said earlier about her strong character voice. It adds to the overall funky vibe of the story, and helps the book stand out against those written by authors who employ a more traditional, typical style of writing.

The plot itself has a lot of fun twists and turns, including a more sci-fi plotline that I won't reveal to you. From the start, the book is weird, and I mean that in a positive way. You have to laugh and enjoy the absurdity of some of the things written, and the good thing is that those absurd sounding things still tie into the plotline, and make sense later. Speaking of plotlines, one of the fun things to see is how the five characters become involved in the same crazy events by the end of the novel. Even at the beginning of the novel, there are tiny threads that show how the characters are loosely connected to each other; by the time the action ramps up, the five characters are at the heat of the conflict, probably wondering how the hell they ended up here.

Each character came from a unique background, and it is a very diverse cast in terms of race and other identities - there are gay characters, trans characters, and disabled characters. I think plugging diversity as a feature of a story can be dicey, because I think that runs the risk of tokenism, but in this story the characters and their various identities are done well - their experiences aren't angst fodder, but they do impact the characters and therefore the whole story in profound ways. There isn't any in-your-face messaging about their identities or any other social issue, for that matter, which I think is important because ultimately, our identities are deeply personal and should mean more for a character than just being a way to preach to the audience.

So while the majority of the things I have to say about this book are positive, there are some things I didn't love that I do have to mention.

One thing is that while I appreciated the author's brisk writing style, I do think it led to certain pitfalls when it came to character development or introspection. There were several instances in this book where I felt like a character changed their mind on a certain thing or had "character development" so quickly that it gave me whiplash. I didn't feel like there was very good buildup to all of these character developing moments - quite literally I felt as if someone had snapped their fingers and the character had changed their mind. I was able to overlook it because I enjoyed the overall story, but I really wish that the author had allowed for more gradual development and introspection for the characters. I attribute this to the writing style because I feel like the way Drayden writes really isn't introspective in general - the text doesn't really try to get deep into the characters' heads, which is fine, but there are some parts where this is sorely needed. There is one specific scene where the change in a side character's attitude to one of the main characters was so abrupt that I think it was, plainly, just badly written, but I won't say more because spoilers.

There were also one specific thing that peeved me enough to mention it here, which is that at one point in the second half of the book, Nomvula, the character who is under 10 years old, starts talking to older characters in a way that's very "wise beyond her ages". There's no reason for this to occur, especially since in previous chapters she clearly talks like a child. I absolutely detest child characters talking like adults, and it makes zero sense to me that Nomvula would start acting like another character's emergency therapist, talking about grief or some shit, while she is quite literally fighting for her life and also about seven years old.

In general, I think that there were certain heavier topics that the book should have addressed with more deliberation and depth. For example, one character is a politician, and while the book's main purpose isn't social commentary, there's clear corruption and all sorts of political mishappenings in the government they work in. Given that, I think the way the author wrote their political career and attitudes towards politics came across as naive - the character had a level of sincerity and optimism towards politics and the governing system that definitely doesn't exist in real life. This is just one example - there are other aspects of both character and world-building that I think should have been explored more to give the story additional depth.

Overall, though, I think this is a good book that I'd recommend to anyone who likes interesting, funky types of storytelling. I think it's important to read these sort of non-traditional styles to make sure we aren't bound by made up constraints of genre or any other standard we have for "good writing", and this book in particular created a fun and compelling narrative that I think can be enjoyed by a wide group of people.

[lovelytsunoda]

purple haze // charles leclerc

summary: writing a novel is a long an arduous process. luckily for y/n, she has a very supportive partner in crime, and when it all works out, he's the only person she would want by her side.

pairing: charles leclerc x author reader

warnings: alcohol consumption, talk of deadlines, book referenced is a good girls guide to murder by holly jackson. gets a lil steamy towards the middle but nothing comes of it. still not sure how i feel about this one, but i havent written for charles in forever and i got an idea i really liked but i don't know if it worked out when i put it on paper.

by the time y/n closed her laptop, she felt like her fingers were going to fall off. she leaned back in her desk chair, gutted to find that the monaco cityscape outside her living room window was now pitch black, as might had fallen on the city.

her first book had been a red-wine and oasis fuelled fever dream, the last three chapters being written to ‘don’t look back in anger’. and now, the final edits were done.

“I’m so proud of you, mon tresor.” charles gushed, bringing her another glass of wine.

“the last three years are finally paying off. a good girls guide to murder is done, and the world is ready to meet pippa and ravi.” she grinned, clinking her glass against her boyfriends.

she had poured three years of her life into that book, and Charles had been by her side for all of it. through numerous rejections, edits and late night idea-vomit, nobody was prouder than charles was so see it work out for her.

and now he knew she needed a break.

taking her hand in his, he gently dragged her out of the desk chair and towards the couch, placing their wineglasses on the coffee table as he urged y/n to sit on the ground between his legs.

his hands were warm as he began to massage her shoulders, attempting to release the tension caused by the last round of edits, which she had worked on almost from sunup to sundown.

“there’s still so much to do.” she whined, tilting her head back to look up at her lover. “now there’s arcs and extra promotions and finding advance reviewers and-“

charles cut her off with a kiss. “none of that right now. right now, you and me are going to finish this bottle of wine and watch something pointless on tv.”

smiling to herself, y/n got up from the floor and moved to the leather couch, slipping seamlessly into charles' lap and nestling against his chest. his body was warm, and his sweater soft. even if his cologne was a little bit too strong, he made her feel safe. treasured.

"that sounds perfect." she hummed, gently turning his face so she could kiss him. "thank you for supporting me."

"always, my love." charles smiled before kissing her again.

SIX MONTHS LATER

it was half past five in the morning when the phone rang. charles could sleep through just about anything, but it was the vibrations of the phone against her side table that woke y/n.

she looked over at her sleeping lover, pressing a gentle kiss to the smooth skin on his shoulder blades before slipping out of bed and creeping into the hallway to answer a call from her agent, cecelia.

"cece, its five in the morning. couldn't this have waited?"

ceclia cleared her throat. "i've just heard from the american office. the preliminary numbers for the new york times list are in."

"fuck. how did we do?" she closed her eyes, holding up her crossed fingers and praying to every god she wasn't sure she believed in.

and when cecelia spoke again, she almost dropped her phone.

"okay. thank you for letting me know, cece."

she slipped back into the bedroom, bare, dry feet sinking into the plush carpet at the end of the bed before she sat down at the end of the bed, gripping the phone so tightly that her knuckles had gone white.

"mon amour." charles rasped, exhaustion in his voice as he rolled over onto his back. "what's wrong?"

"i just got a call from cecelia." she started, trying not to let her emotions show through. "she's just been on the phone with our american agent with the new york times numbers."

charles sat up, one of his warm hands going to rest on her thigh. "and?' he asked hesitantly, his piercing eyes meeting her uncertain ones in the dark.

"i made the top ten." she shouted, grin spreading all across her features.

making the new york times list had made everything worth it. all the sleepless nights when she had woken up with an idea she was scared to lose, all the rewrites, the weeks of writers block. the rejections, the aggravation, the insecurity.

this was it.

she had done it.

"i'm so proud of you." charles beamed, folding her into a hug. "i knew you could do it, my brilliant girl."

she dropped her phone on the bed, red-faced and giggly as she kissed him, allowing her hands to wander across his toned chest. "wanna show me just how much?"

THREE YEARS LATER

the theater was almost silent when the lights came up, the end credits of the final episode fading out on the screen. she held her breath, fingers gripping charles' hand so tightly that she thought she might break the fragile bones in her husband's fingers.

oh, yeah. they had gotten married about a year after her book had come out, while she was in the middle of writing as good as dead, the conclusion to the series.

since a good girls guide to murder had come out, her life had changed for the better. she felt more secure in herself and her talent, and the words had never come easier when she started writing the sequel, eager ton continue the story. she had since written two more books to complete the trilogy, as well as two standalone novels: five survive and the reappearance of rachel price. around the time that rachel price was announced, she had gotten another call from cecelia, asking if she and charles could come to london and meet with representatives from the bbc.

they wanted to turn her first book into a tv series.

she had been hands on from the beginning, throwing herself into her work and doing her best to make sure that the version of the story the readers saw on screen was the version that she had visualized when she'd first explained the storyboard to charles, the driver helping her connect everything on their living room wall with red yarn.

and now was the time. the time to see if it had all paid off. the theater was filled with minor celebrities, influencers, and the tiktokers who had made her book blow up in popularity.

it all came down this night.

"it's okay. whatever happens, you know you did your best." charles whispered in her ear, running one hand up and down her bare back. underneath the flimsy straps of her red dress.

she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath when the roar off applause began to drown her.

she rode the rush of emotions, allowing the tears of gratification and relief to ruin her mascara as she let her body go slack, resting against charles as she watched the room rise in a standing ovation for pippa and ravi.

"we did it. we made it, charles." she laughed, tilting her head up to kiss him.

"no, cherie. you did this. they're all here for you."

she watched as the event's host, a former spice girl that charles knew through his paddock connections, stepped out into the middle of the small stage set up at the front of the theater.

"and now, the moment i'm sure you've all been waiting for, a few words from y/n /y/l/n-leclerc!"

she wiped her eyes and fixed her hair, taking a deep breath before she walked across the stage, taking the microphone from geri halliwell, and turning to face the crowd.

in the front row, there was charles. her one true love. her biggest supporter.

and in that moment, she truly allowed herself to believe that she had made it.

[liyawritesss]

ᴊᴀꜱᴏɴ ᴛᴏᴅᴅ + ᴄʟᴀꜱꜱɪᴄ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇʀꜱ

-> synopsis: there's no denying that Jason Todd Is the intellectual boyfriend we all crave - so let's take a peek into his repertoire and see what are some of his favorite black artists, authors, and philosophers!

         -> characters: Jason Todd | Red Hood

-> from: batman universe

         -> contains: can be read as either pre- or post lazarus pit, 3rd person

-> a/n: here's the first hc post from the batman poll i did! currently taking an intro to black writers class, and I wanted to make a spin on some classics I think Jason would like, specifically from black contemporaries from the like late 1800's to the 1990's. And yes, I know these authors and stories dont necessarily tie in to the canon timeline of things - I honestly just wanted to have fun with this, so please take it with a grain of salt, and if you don't like it or find yourself wanting to comment something mean, just scroll! Save us both the commotion.

         -> join my taglist!

-> tags: @mbakuetshurisprincess @shuriszn @writingintheshadowsforever @cafehyunji @niyahwrites @marsfunzon22 @briology @asensitivecookie @moon-bo-young @flo-milli-shit-hoe @romiantic @shuinami @badass-dora-milaje @uranometrias @insomniac-jay @punkeropercyjackson

      -> Paul Lawrence-Dunbar

             -> dunbar was a young novelist, writer, and poet during the 1880's and 1890's. His writing style is distinct with dialect, which earned him a lot of criticism despite his much popular portrayal of black life in southern America after the end of slavery. A lot of the tone in his pieces depict that of the African Americans struggle for survival post-slavery, as without adequate resources to gain their footing into society, the formerly enslaved were left to fend for themselves. What a lot of people at the time missed in his writings - and what Jason actually gravitates towards - is the fact that his particular style is actually intentional. It acts as a reclamation of what was mocked and dehumanized, reinstating power into it in a way that seems regressive, but is more powerfully progressive in retrospect. ‘Sympathy’ was a poem he didn’t know he needed until he read it, and now he either has the poem taped on his wall somewhere or it’s written/screenshotted in his notes on his phone. Similarly, he finds that the poem ‘We Wear The Mask’ is an allegory to the path he himself has taken.

      -> “Passing” by Nella Larsen

  -> this novel tells the story of two colored women - Irene and Clare - and how they navigate the world with the ability to pass as white women. There’s so much that goes into this novel, from the question of race as a moral ground, sexuality in the form of envy, the loss of community when one crosses the racial lines…. I feel like jason would love this book DOWN, the complexities and intricacies are right up his alley. While the book is not in production, Jason definitely finds some way, shape or form to get his hands on a copy….don’t ask a fanboy his methods okay!

       ->Toni Morrison

             -> Toni Morrison is one of my favorite black authors and by extension it is now Jason’s favorite. The way she writes is just so raw and passionate yet delicate and it really speaks to your soul. She’s one of those authors that’s in a completely different league of her own. I feel like Jason would really love Sula and A Mercy from her. He definitely cried while reading Beloved (everyone cries while reading Beloved). The Bluest Eye is his number one favorite book ever in life and I will die on this hill!!!

       -> “Sonny's Blues” by James Baldwin

             -> I honestly think anything by James Baldwin, Jason would like, but I choose Sonny’s Blues because of the struggle with brotherly love. There’s no secret that Jason has a tumultuous relationship with the rest of the Batfamily, and although for the most part the majority of it has been reconciled, tension lingers. Jason has his reservations, hes brash, and he’s the one that often clashes heads with people. This dynamic reflect that of the narrator and his brother, Sonny, who are constantly at war with one another because of Sonny’s desires and dreams, and the narrator being unable to see them. I feel like this is one of Jason’s comfort novels; it’s bittersweet, heartbreaking, and truly a testament to what people do when they think they’re doing what's best for those they care for.

       -> Other Books and Essays Include…

             -> “Letter to my Nephew” by James Baldwin, “Native Son” by Richard Wright, “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” by Harriet Jacobs, “Sweat” by Zora Neal-Hurston, The Parable Duology and “Bloodchild” by Octavia E. Butler

If you enjoyed, please leave a like, comment, and reblog for others to see! And don't be shy to send in a request!

[inkcurlsandknives]

Happy to be invited to contribute to this article (even if I think the interviewer minced my words a bit 😆 I said that the right is utilizing similar accusations of groomer/ pedophilia /general endangerment to the sexual purity of white women/children against queer and BIPOC writers as the clan used to weaponize southern communities against black men during the era of lynchings and jim crow)

However the point does stand that the demonization of an entire group of people is dangerous and rhetoric that we need desperately to push back on

If you'd like to do something to support queer and BIPOC authors and push back against book banning

Share a Call to Action against Banned Books!

Did you know that according to PEN America’s Banned Book Index, 41%of banned books include LGBTQ+ themes. 40% feature characters of color and 21% address issues of race or racism.

Sign Now:

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Head to my page to find more fun pride events coming on the #SaintsOfStormAndSorrowPrideAdventCalendar to celebrate the Launch of her debut novel Saints of Storm and Sorrow coming out June 25th with @titanbooks

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again 8/29/2023

my ENTIRE SUMMER has been either worrying about moving or actually moving. ALL OF IT. however an incredibly hot butch milf on the gay community bulletin board/dating app lex has finally answered my piteous call for gun safety classes with an invitation to her private range. unfortunately she is a landlord who owns a VERY large apartment complex. houston is a land of contrasts

listening

more joywave! one of my favorite bands bc they are best listened to in full album format, and i did a fuck of a lot of driving this weekend. little lies you’re told has an opening like a big machine warming up while you are in a control room way high up on a gantry somewhere. spotify

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reading (2x bonus round)

All The Trimmings by Tesni Morgan (published 2001 in the UK) is a gift from @believerindaydreams. it is “erotic fiction written by women for women” (debatable) and “the publishers recommend that this book should be sold only to adults”. also, “Black Lace novels contain sexual fantasies. In real life, make sure you practise safe sex.” idk i’ve ever seen that kind of notation on an american novel before? fascinating precursor to the saccharine little “stay safe kids” ao3 authors notes

i do find the premise genuinely fun and compelling— two divorced milfs opening a hotel/bordello with historically themed rooms. i have had to look up a lot of british purple prose and i refuse to believe anyone says “rogering” in real life.

im being edged with glimmerings of bisexuality. every time one of the milfs gets turned on and goes out roaming to distract herself from being turned on, i go “oh?” like at a pokemon go egg, but so far all the dalliances and encounters have been dudes.

had a very strange experience with cormac mccarthy's blood meridian. i don’t normally interrogate whether or not i am the intended audience for a work except when it’s literally made for children, bc i as a modern bisexual woman am the intended audience for vanishingly few works. for example, many entire genres (westerns) are very challenging to enjoy.

a western has never made me go "wait so why DO i like westerns at all" so hard. like, what AM i doing here in this genre that is often deeply fucking uncomfortable to consume as a woman, and where the most foundational american and european works of the genre often uncritically embrace the worst parts of the american mythos in the most violent way possible? i do believe critics when they say mccarthy is not embracing violence for the sake of, and in fact has something to say with his revisionist western, but my god is it hard to wade through. anyway, dad media will not fuck me and i still have only a tenuous grasp on why i try so hard to glean enjoyment from it.

i know what mccarthy is trying to do and the overall tone of “weird old maybe-uncle” spinning a yarn to a big group of you and your cousins around a fire somewhere is pretty effective. unfortunately I have less tolerance for mccarthy’s style now than when I read The Road thirteen years ago in high school. i was immediately super invested in The Road’s single dad and how he and his kid were surviving, which does not need a lot of interiority.

blood meridian also has very little interiority. the first five chapters are a teen falling in and out of various fights. i was not, and am still not invested. if im reading A Man Goes On A Journey western (as opposed to A Stranger Comes to Town western) i would like to know two or three things about the man, especially if it seems to be angling at a bildungsroman. i don't typically care for third-person objective narration when it is this closely focused on one guy, and i really don't care for loving descriptions of maggots. comforting to know a lot of critics were also squicked out by this book. so it goes.

-

watching

finished watching s1 of spy x family! a Legally Not West German spy in Legally Not East Berlin has to go into deep cover and pose as a family man in order to gain access to Legally Not Erich Honecker, because the only social events Legally Not Erich Honecker goes to are the ones at his son's elite prep school.

this man FLINGS himself into being the absolute best husband and father possible. for the mission, of course.

i found the first few episodes the best, which is generally the opposite of my normal anime experience. i think it does a really good job of balancing high-octane spy hijinks and chases and explosions with very domestic concerns (he PROPOSES. with a THE RING OFF A HAND GRENADE. AFTER THROWING IT), and once you're really hooked on these characters it turns into a bit of a curtainfic. curtainanime? i had fun with all of it and anxiously await season two, but the actual applied spycraft does drop off significantly as the series goes on.

-

playing

we're going to continue with out of context genshin screencaps for the duration. the watery land of fontaine has a neat smorgsabord of visual style-- freshwater but also saltwater but also the aquarium section at petsmart.

-

making

unpacking mostly. acquired this coffee table and its mother. needs a very deep cleaning and some touchups but is intact. the individual tables are a bit large for like individual party drinks tables but all six together are QUITE large. four tigether would be a comfortable coffee table size for many apartments imo but! bc everything truly is bigger in Texas including my apartment it works for right now. for the first time in my life i am considering a sectional sofa bc the living/dining room is that dang big.

[highlordofkrypton]

CHAPTER 2 UPDATE

SUMMARY: Tamlin is sent by his father to mentor under the famed Bruce Wayne at Wayne Enterprises, and perhaps steal some insider information. Bruce and Clark are a married Alpha x Alpha couple trying for their first child, all while helping Tamlin learn about himself and love. Oh, and Rhysand is some hotshot club owner Omega pretending to be an Alpha.

This chapter has a little Lucien cameo, too!

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I couldn't post the first chapter on Tumblr because it was way too smutty.

READ ON UNDER THE CUT OR ON AO3.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come? It’s not too late to book a flight.”

The airport bustles with life, and Tamlin presses the phone against his ear. He picks up his luggage, just a few key items in an overly expensive bag. Anything else he needs can be purchased here, or already has been as is his parents preference. Everything in his life, from clothes to purpose, has been selected for him by his father. On less important occasions, his mother might have a say instead.

“I’m sure. I think it’ll be good for you, Tam, really. I doubt Bruce Wayne is going to report your every move to your father.” On the other end of the line, Lucien shuffles some things around and gets comfortable. “This is your chance to let loose. Have fun. Do things you wouldn’t normally do back home.”

“Hm, like date a beta? I’m sure I’ll have room in my apartment here for Jes too.”

“Don’t start. You and I both know if I leave, I’m never coming back. She has family here. I can’t just whisk her away.”

“Take her family, too,” Tamlin suggests, even if he knows it isn’t as easy as that.

A driver awaits him; there’s no whiteboard with his name, just a recognition and a nod. The suited man confirms his identity while taking his bags and loading them into the car. Tamlin slides into the backseat, refusing to hang up—that would mean he’s truly alone here, across an entire ocean from everything that’s familiar to him.

“Did you forget who my father is? He will find me,” Lucien sighs. “You can do this. Call me whenever you need, but promise me you’ll try to be a bit adventurous.”

Tamlin sighs. It’s not a promise he thinks he can keep. His life has been so deeply rooted in his father’s routine that this must be a test. His father must have other means of surveilling him, and the second he deviates from his training, he’ll know and call him back. The punishment— gods —the punishment—

“Tam? Promise me? I can hear you overthinking all of this.”

“Yeah,” Tamlin says softly. “I’ll try.”

Gotham City is crowded. It lacks the beauty of home , and the history of it. There’s a smell that irritates Tamlin’s nose, though it’s much more faint inside the car. He watches the people on the street and the dark buildings with curiosity. Which of these will be his home for the next year? Will he have favourite little shops? Lucien told him to try, and maybe he should. He’s never been a regular at a coffee shop. That seems like a novel idea. Yes, that will be his one thing. That and American jeans . Lucien will get a kick out of that.

The car pulls up to the tallest building in the city, a black intimidating structure with a large W at its very top. It’s impossible to mistake it for anything other than Wayne Enterprises. The driver opens his door, and promises that all his things will be delivered and unpacked at his apartment—a penthouse at the fanciest hotels in Gotham. Tamlin thanks him politely, and makes his way up to the meeting. Leave it to his father to plan back to back appointments. There is no time to rest, Tamlin should always be moving or learning. Something productive. Time is money and his third unplanned child is an expense that needs to start paying itself back.

He’s not made to wait at the entrance; security welcomes him in, as if he has always been under Bruce Wayne’s care. They greet him by name, and offer him water, coffee, tea and everything else he can imagine at every turn. Tamlin is set up in a meeting room with glass walls—one side that overlooks the skyline, and the other facing the hallway. Tamlin chooses a seat near the entrance, facing it, but also staying close to the head of the table. This way, he will greet Mr. Wayne accordingly and in a timely fashion. On his feet before Mr. Wayne ever needs to tell him how to be a proper heir.

Bruce is nothing like Tamlin imagined. He looks younger than his age, a man in excellent health and clearly a dominant alpha, but he also seems… older than the rumours. Both he and Lucien had looked up the famous Brucie Wayne —playboy, philanthropist and billionaire. It seemed almost unbelievable that Tamlin’s strict traditions-driven father would leave him in the hands of someone so wild , which is why this has to be a test. In recent years, Bruce Wayne has stayed out of the spotlight. Aside from the expected mentions of him in regards to Wayne Enterprises, the scandals have been… non-existent.

Bruce is nothing like Tamlin imagines, grinning happily in the hallway, shooing away a glasses wearing… employee? The way they look at each other is intimate. Tamlin flushes, and glances away, granting privacy they did not ask for, but surely deserve.

Lucien would be a better fit here .

He’d know what to do, or say, if there’s anything to say at all. He’s experienced with the break in etiquette. All Tamlin can do is scramble to his feet when the older man enters, and carry himself with the pride his father beat into him.

“Mr. Wayne, thank you for taking me in.” Like a stray, unwanted by his family. “I look forward to learning from you. I’ll make sure not to inconvenience you.”

The smile on Bruce’s face fades into something more muted. The cock of his dark brow is much louder, questioning and confused. Did Tamlin… make a mistake? Bruce motions to him to have a seat.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too. No need to be so formal.” He unbuttons his jacket, sitting beside Tamlin. Bruce looks perfectly at home in the meeting room, even in the standard bulk-bought office chair. He belongs here, like the building itself was built around him; he didn’t just pin his name onto it. “I run things a little differently than your father does. I’m a little less… Hm,” Bruce hums, tipping his head to the side. He searches for the right word. “More relaxed . You should think of this more as a sabbatical than a mentorship.”

“I… Don’t understand, sir. I came to work under you and learn from someone as accomplished as you.”

A soft chuckle escapes Bruce. “Privileged is the word you’re looking for. Anyone else would have done greater things than I have, but I try my best. That’s what matters.” He rests his hand on the table, watching Tamlin with his blue eyes. Tamlin shifts, uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

“What are your interests,” Bruce asks.

“I…” Don’t have any .

This meeting is slowly turning into Tamlin’s worst nightmare. He’d much, much prefer it if Bruce would just tell him what to do, then send him off. He should have had Lucien in his ear telling him what to say. He scrambles to sprout a personality in the next thirty seconds.

“I like sports.”

It’s a horrible recovery, but Bruce doesn’t question him. He just nods, asking more about the types of sports that Tamlin enjoys. Bruce is nice , but the lack of formality means that there are no rules to this interaction. Bruce is supposed to be his superior, and Tamlin should shape himself to him.

“Breathe, Tamlin. We’re just getting to know each other. Was there something you wanted to learn, more specifically? Or anything you wanted to do?”

God, did he forget how to breathe ? He’s suddenly overly conscious of the cadence of his breath.

“Anything you need help with, or wherever you’ll place me is fine.” There’s an eagerness in his voice, either to be done with this conversation, or to just get moving . With a role, the lines will be much, much clearer.

Bruce’s expression softens. “Alright, how about we start with a tour? Maybe you’ll see something that sparks your interest.”

The tour is much easier to deal with. Simple greetings, and listening to Bruce talk. Granted, he’d expected his assistant to be the one to take him around, not the CEO himself. Tamlin speaks when spoken to. Accounting, finance, human resources, information technologies—all of these are more or less the same as his father’s company. Tamlin receives a crash course in the different industries Wayne Enterprises dabbles in, and while it’s interesting , nothing strikes him.

No, it’s lunch that captures Tamlin’s attention.

Yes, the food, but Bruce is pulling out a very childish and very embarrassing Superman lunchbox. There’s a full spread of gourmet sandwiches in front of him, along with a salad bar for two people, and yet, Bruce unpacks his own pre-cut homemade sandwich, cut fruit, cheese and nuts. Bruce looks completely unbothered by the ridiculousness.

“If you keep your mouth open like that, flies will get in,” Bruce says casually, while sliding Tamlin half of his sandwich. “My husband made it, and since you’ve already seen him, I figure we can skip the pretenses.”

Tamlin’s hand goes immediately to Bruce’s ring finger.

“We’re mostly private,” says the older man, clocking Tamlin’s instinct to check.

“I can’t have your sandwich, sir. Your husband made it for you.”

“On the contrary, he’d be offended if I didn’t share with the doe-eyed newcomer.”

“D-Doe eyed?”

“Well, it’s a lot closer to deer-in-headlights, if you ask me,” Bruce grins.

Tamlin flushes, embarrassed. He’s being made fun of, isn’t he?

Bruce says nothing, biting into his sandwich happily. He doesn’t feel the need to fill the air, and Tamlin simply follows his lead. The lettuce crunches between his teeth, and there’s a moisture inside the sandwich that is unlike any other. His mother rarely cooks, and while the food made by their chef is always good, this is so different . This is homemade , the kind of food they always talk about on television and social media. The kind of food children come home for in college.

“It’s good.” Tamlin sounds almost shocked.

“I’ll let him know, he’ll be pleased. Don’t be surprised if you get invited for dinner sooner or later.”

He doesn’t say anything more, enjoying his share of the delicious sandwich. He’s too shy to eat more, but Bruce slides the rest of his snacks over, which Tamlin is also too polite to refuse. 

“When did you… get married?” 

The question is asked cautiously, for fear of intruding on Bruce’s personal life. He’d made a point to say they were private. Perhaps it isn’t too late to retract it.

“Five years ago, but we’ve known each other professionally for decades.” Bruce smirks, leaning on his elbow. “Why? Are you looking to settle down? How old are you? Twenty-four? Twenty-five?”

“I turn twenty-seven this week.”

“ This week? And your father sent you here?”

“My education is important.”

“Agree to disagree. We’ll have a party.”

“I, no, that’s not—”

“Have you ever properly celebrated like a kid your age?”

“I don’t need a party, I’m not a kid either.”

“Well, have you?”

“My brothers took me drinking when I turned eighteen.”

“And?”

“I threw up. A lot.”

Bruce sighs, sitting back in his chair. He waves the memory away, more than ready to help Tamlin make new ones. “No, that’s not how you do it. There’s a fine line between getting shit-faced and having a real blast. It’ll be your first lesson in letting go .”

Tamlin doesn’t really have a choice, does he? He just smiles awkwardly, accepting his fate. How does he manage to convince Bruce to give up on his peaceful life on his first day ? His father is going to kill him. Oh, without a doubt.

[between-a-ship-and-a-hard-place]

fic writer tag game

Thank you for tagging me @somanywords 🥰

Rules: 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. Let’s spread the self-love 💖

I'm doing favorite = most enjoyable to write & reread. Self-indulgence, baby!

📱🔥Spelling Out Desire (post-endgame stucky fix-it)

With the Snap undone, the stones returned and the shield passed on, Steve Rogers would ask for nothing more than a quiet, simple life for them in Brooklyn—much like the one they had before. There’s just one thing he hasn’t factored into his plan: Bucky. “If you want a life as someone other than Captain America, maybe you should get to know people as someone else. As Steve Rogers. Or—as anybody.” “That's your grand plan: catfishing people on a dating app?” Or: the one where Steve Rogers experiences 21st century online dating and learns some things about himself along the way. This is a story about guilt, forgiveness and rebuilding.

🚙🌙a black sky prickled with small lights (post-endgame fix-it cont.)

There's this: The July heat. A wide open road. An obnoxious country song on the radio. Bucky in the driver’s seat. Or: Two hundred-year-old men and their Great American Road Trip.

☣🦾it’s bloody and raw (but I swear it is sweet) (stucky, post-apocalypse au)

The rifle was a hard, solid line across his back. Somewhere above his head the sun was still floating high in the sky. Everything further than ten paces was covered in the same brown, putrid soup. They called it fog, but it was more like a gaseous sludge rolling up from the bay, the smell of burning chemicals and garbage left out to rot on a hot summer day. In a world that's gone to hell, everybody needs something to anchor them in the moment. Sometimes that thing is the person you thought you'd let go. A rescue mission gone badly might be what tips the scales.

🕺🕺East Coast Swing (pre-war stucky)

“Please?” “Quit it, Buck.” Bucky pulled out the second chair and straddled it with his elbows resting on the table. If Steve looked up he’d no doubt see him batting his eyelashes. (They were longer and thicker than any girl’s he’d seen, which wasn’t really fair any way you looked at it.) Some moments that define a relationship. And Bucky, who just wants a dance with his best guy.

🏰👻Don't let the past haunt you, my dear (wartime stucky feat. spooky season)

The sight of the castle with its towers and turrets shifted him into a state of surreality; like they'd somehow stepped onto the pages of a novel, Arthurian knights or undead Romanian nobility waiting behind those walls. Dernier was the first to open his mouth, letting out a string of rapid French interspersed with curses. He switched the grip on his gun to his left hand and crossed himself. "He's sayin' it's haunted," Gabe translated helpfully.   Or, finding quiet moments in the dark.

I feel like I missed most of these when they went around so I'm just tagging some ppl and would love for you to point me to your posts if you already did this 😘 @dharmasharks @voylitscope @hipsterdiva @dreamsinthewitchouse @sparkagrace @cable-knit-sweater

[maddie-grove]

The Top Twenty Books I Read in 2023

Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (1949): I thought somebody would make me read this book in school, but no one ever did. Now that I've read it, let me just say...mark me down as horny and scared! No, I will not explain what I mean by that.

Prairie Fires by Caroline Fraser (2017): In this examination of Laura Ingalls Wilder's life and work, Fraser skillfully weaves a portrait of two complicated women (Wilder and her daughter/editor Rose Wilder Lane) with an overview of large swathes of American history. The examination of how Wilder and Lane adapted Wilder's life experiences into autobiographical fiction and why they made those choices is particularly interesting.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (2022): This is a retelling of David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, transplanted to Appalachia in the 1990s-2000s. Kingsolver retains the warmth and the pathos of the original, and the narrative voice is great.

Song of the Magdalene by Donna Jo Napoli (1996): Miriam, a Jewish girl in first-century Magdala, finds her life altered by unexplained seizures, which she must keep secret, and a first love that ends in tragedy. Napoli often brings it when it comes to thoughtful portrayals of disability and unexpectedly weird sensuality, and this novel is one of her best.

My Sweet Audrina by V.C. Andrews (1982): Audrina Adare, a young girl with severe memory problems, lives in an isolated Virginia mansion with her domineering father and various deranged female relatives...and it gets worse. This is V.C. Andrews at her most deliciously perverse and lurid, and I was definitely rooting for Audrina to close the portal.

I Never Asked You to Understand Me by Barthe DeClements (1986): Faced with her mother's terminal cancer diagnosis and the unhelpfulness of most adults in her life, fifteen-year-old Didi ends up at an alternative school for truancy and finds a friend in Stacy, a would-be runaway whose home life is even more dire. This 1980s YA problem novel always gets me, thanks to the author's gentle, empathetic treatment of her messy teenage characters.

Black Swan Green by David Mitchell (2006): Jasons, a thirteen-year-old boy in early-1980s Worchestershire, copes with brutal grade-school politics, a tense home life, various small losses of innocence, and the odd supernatural event over the span of a year. My favorite stretch of the novel was where half a dozen scary/weird/sexually confusing things happen in the course of Jason taking one meandering walk through the countryside.

Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut (1963): I'd been intending to read a Kurt Vonnegut novel since he died in 2007, so don't say I never follow through on anything. This book is extraordinarily fun and absurd, which just enhances the horror of the eventual climax.

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton (1905): Cash-strapped socialite Lily Bart struggles in turn-of-the-century New York society, mainly because she can neither fully commit to gold-digging nor figure out a viable alternative. Her crumbling state, both social and psychological, is horrifying yet fascinating to witness.

The Fell by Sarah Moss (2021): In November 2020, English waitress and single mother Kate breaks quarantine to take a walk through the countryside, with disastrous results. This short novel is lyrical, compassionate, and impressively stressful.

Old Babes in the Woods by Margaret Atwood (2023): This short story collection is split between vignettes featuring elderly couple Nell and Tig, and several standalones that vary wildly in tone and form. All are well-written, but I generally enjoyed the standalones best, especially the poignant "My Evil Mother," the chilling "Freeforall," and the thought-provoking "Metempsychosis."

Beware the Woman by Megan Abbott (2023): Pregnant Jacy goes with her new husband to visit his widowed father in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, but a pleasant vacation soon turns into a paranoid nightmare. Abbott's lush descriptions--kind of sexy and kind of gross, as always--enhance a truly disturbing thriller.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925): This is another book I assumed someone would make me read in school, but I think all my teachers and professors were like "yeah, yeah, The Great Gatsby, we all know what that is." What you don't get from the Baz Luhrmann movie and pop-cultural osmosis, though, is the exquisite secondhand embarrassment of watching Gatsby pursue a married woman who is actually more into her husband, or just how fucking bizarre that husband is.

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix (2023): Single mother Louise is pulled from San Francisco to her hometown of Charleston by the sudden death of her parents and has to coordinate funeral arrangements with her ne'er-do-well brother Mark...and it gets worse. This isn't the best or the scariest Grady Hendrix novel, but the sibling relationship is compelling and it features the incomparable Pupkin. I love that fucked-up lil hand-puppet.

Seventeen and In-Between by Barthe Declements (1984): High-school senior Elsie Edwards is beautiful, brilliant, and talented, but she's still plagued by the lingering trauma of childhood bullying, her terrible parents, and her complicated feelings for her long-term boyfriend (slightly older and jonesing to Go All the Way) and her male best friend (also trying to figure things out, albeit through working in the lumber industry in Forks, Washington). The Elsie Edwards trilogy is great overall, and Elsie's struggle to figure out how to move beyond her unhappy past is especially moving.

Don't Look and It Won't Hurt by Richard Peck (1972): Carol, the sixteen-year-old middle daughter of a poor divorced waitress, gets a front seat to her older sister's disastrous relationship with a scumbag, experiences her own first romance, and sorts through her feelings about her strained family and stultifying small prairie town. This is a sweet, understated early YA novel that offers a look into the last few years before Roe v. Wade.

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy (2022): In this memoir, McCurdy recounts her relationship with her controlling, abusive late mother and her dispiriting time as a child star on Nickelodeon. I really enjoyed her writing style--clear, conversational, and bracingly pissed off--and she offers some good insight into the acting industry.

Just Like You by Nick Hornby (2020): Joseph, a twentysomething black working-class Londoner balancing his musical aspirations with babysitting gigs and a job at a butcher's shop, stars a romance with Lucy, a fortysomething upper-middle-class white single mom and schoolteacher. This is a pleasant, easygoing love story with some insightful commentary on how ordinary people form political opinions.

The Fourth Grade Wizards by Barthe DeClements (1988): Fourth grader Marianne is distracted in class and adrift at home after her mother's sudden death, but she has a good friend in Jack, who struggles in class because he's hyperactive. You might ask why this list is so dominated by one 1980s middle-grade/YA author, and the answer is that I love her. Also, I did not read all that many new-to-me books last year.

How Do You Lose Those Ninth Grade Blues? by Barthe DeClements (1983): Elsie Edwards, no longer the emotionally battered class pariah she was in Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade but not yet the maturing young woman she'll become in Seventeen and In-Between, starts high school with everything going for her...except her horribly low self-esteem and her still-terrible home life. This is definitely the slightest installment of the trilogy, but it still makes an impact.

[carriagelamp]

I had an impulsive July! Some of these books are continuations that I more or less expected to read, but I sure did just grab some random books this month. Most of which pleasantly surprised me! A couple of which just simply surprised me...

A Marvellous Light

A Marvellous Light was probably my favourite book this month and it was one of my random impulses! I saw some fanart that intrigued me so I grabbed it from the library on a whim -- by now I have bought my own copy because it was just that well done. I am always a sucker for a well executed period adventure, especially when it can work in magical elements (I’m looking at you Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue) and this did everything I could possibly want from this sort of novel. It’s set in the Edwardian period and was such a perfect blend between action, tension and mystery, comedy, and romance; I was completely invested in both of the main characters the whole way through. Oh, and it felt like it fit in the time period, that the dialogue, narration, manners, stage dressing were all appropriate. There's nothing worse than a historical novel where the writing feels painfully modern.

The story starts out with baronet Robin Blythe who is having a no-good very bad day at work. He holds a civil servant position in the government and was just demoted to a shoddy little nothing position that he’s never even heard of by someone with a grudge against his parents. He quickly realizes how in over his head he is though when he finds out that the “special” part of “Special Liaison” actually means “magic”. Something that definitely doesn’t exist, except apparently it does, and now he has to navigate this strange new world with a very exasperated magical coworker, Edwin Courcey. His day only gets worse from there...

A Rover’s Story

A charming little novel told from the point of view of a fictionalized Mars rover. I admit I’m not a very science minded person, but from my inexpert opinion it seems quite well researched, with their Rover being heavily modelled after the previous rovers that were sent to Mars. I appreciated the author's note at the back that discussed some of the research that went into the novel, what was and wasn't accurate, and what was changed for the sake of narration.

It is a very neat journey that starts with Resilience still in pieces in a lab, as it gets to know the scientists around itself and what its eventual mission will be, and how its life goes from there. Though it can't communicate with the humans, it is able to communicate with all sorts of other electronics in the lab! The story is counterbalanced by the daughter of one of the scientists who writes to the rover as a sort of journal to deal with her mother so rarely being home. It was a quick read but very sweet.

American Girl: Meet Addy // Addy Learns A Lesson // Danger at the Zoo

I have continued to read the American Girl books after being pleasantly surprised by the Kit book I read last month (Kit Saves The Day). Their strongest point is definitely what strong historical fiction stories they are! At least from the ones I’ve read so far, the time period is never just a backdrop, the authors do take the time to ensure that the novel’s plot and problems are directly tied into what makes that point in time unique, and even as an adult I found myself learning interesting tidbits of information. The little “looking back” nonfiction section at the end of the books is especially neat! 

I really enjoyed both of the Addy books I read. These stories take place in 1864 during the Civil War. Addy’s family are slaves on a southern plantation, and the first book is about Addy’s escape from captivity with her mother, while the second book looks at the continued hardships and inequality that even free black people in the North suffered. They did a good job balancing the intended age bracket with the seriousness of the subject matter, and it didn’t feel like it shied away from making its point. 

The Kit Mystery book, Danger at the Zoo I was less impressed with, which disappointed me because I really enjoyed Kit Saves The Day. It wasn’t bad, per se, just rather middling. A fine read, but not dazzling. Maybe I had overinflated my expectations; given that it was a bigger book, I had hoped that it would up its game a bit, but it felt rather the opposite. It was a fine story, it dealt with historical details well, but it did a poor job creating the sort of tension I would want from a proper “mystery” novel. It often felt like we were treading water, where a quicker pace would have helped.

Doctor Who: Deep Time // Silhouette // Mission to Venus

My Doctor Who kick is still going strong. Relentless. Silhouette and Deep Time were both fine, basic examples of a decently written Doctor Who novel. Deep Time was rather forgettable... the side characters never really succeeded in interesting me, and it often felt like it suffered from pacing issues. It was about the Doctor and Clara on a doomed space mission that gets stranded in deep space, but I enjoyed listening to it in the background while I was doing other stuff. 

Silhouette was actually pretty great, probably because I’m a total sucker for the Paternoster Gang. It was a fun mystery set in a ~mysterious carnival~ during a frost fair on the Thames. It had the characters splitting up and exploring different avenues to solve a set of murders. Lots of good Vastra and Jenny stuff, and Strax was absolutely hilarious, he stole the show every time he was featured. Love him. The whole thing was a pretty solid plot, pretty funny, and I thought both The Doctor and Clara got pretty decent characterization throughout. Would recommend this one if you want a solid Doctor Who read.

The last one, Mission to Venus, was hands down the funniest though, albeit unintentionally. Did you know there were really trashy Doctor Who Choose Your Own Adventure books written in the 80s? I didn’t, but I do now and obviously I had to get my hands on one. It is Exceptionally Bad but in the funniest possible way. I had a blast reading through this and I really don’t know what to say about it besides look at the cover. Look at it. Amazing. The Doctor, Peri (and You!) wind up on a spaceship that is trying to transfer dangerous by highly nutritional plants to a stricken colony, but is very soon imperiled.

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation v4

I creep every closer to finishing the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation series! Not much I can say about it that I haven’t said about the others that wouldn’t enter outright spoiler territory, so I’ll just say that this was another great volume. Some of them have felt overly bogged down by some of their flashbacks (like the entire back half of volume 2 and the endless Yi City arc. I'm not saying it wasn't interesting but my god this was a Victor Hugo level diversion) but this one went at a great pace and it’s nice to feel like we’re actually making progress in the main plot even if, romantically speaking, WWX and LWJ continue to be two of the dumbest human beings alive. Bless this slow burn, I’m gonna kill them both. Also enjoyed the side characters we got in this book — I loved how great the Juniors were, loved my dear, cranky, miserable Jiang Cheng, loved Wen Ning Doing His Best. Great book. I’m dragging my feet about reading the fifth book because I don’t want this to end.

Love Beyond Body Space & Time: An Indigenous LGBT Sci-Fi Anthology

A really neat anthology of short stories written by Canadian Indigenous authors that are all focused on queer sci-fi stories. It’s way too easy to box Indigenous stories into the singular genres of “historical” or “contemporary” so it was great having an entire book devoted to various Indigenous perspectives on science fiction. Like any anthology there were some weak stories and some phenomenally good stories. I picked this one up specifically because Cherie Dimaline (author of The Marrow Thieves) wrote for it, and she did not disappoint, but all the stories were so different and so interesting that I can’t recommend it enough.

Short story collections like this are especially good for people without a lot of time or who are trying to revitalize their reading attention span imo because it gives you fully formed, bite-sized stories that put a lot of care and detail into their telling.

Nimona

Obviously I had to finally read Nimona. It’s been on my TBR for ages, and, like absolutely everyone else I think, I figured I had better read it now that the movie is out. I enjoyed both the comic and the film very much! It was interesting to see two slightly different takes on the same narrative, and I think both expressed the point they were trying to make very well. I honestly couldn't say which version I enjoyed more. I doubt I have anything to say that someone else hasn’t said much, much better, so I'll leave it with that.

Torchwood: Skypoint

One of the better Torchwood books I’ve read so far, I think! It had some pretty solid characterization tbh. The story wasn’t anything mind blowing, but a survival adventure in a high tech apartment was a fun setting, and I am literally never going to say not to a fake marriage plot line 👀 so a story about Owen and Tosh going undercover as a newly-wed couple in a sinister apartment building that might be eating its residents was just plain old fun.  It also delivered me some truly delicious Tosh/Owen angst. Mwah. It was all around a pretty darn good Owen book, which he deserved after being slandered so badly in Something in the Water. Though I was a little disappointed by how Tosh was handled — I kept expecting her to have a bigger role than she really got by the end.

 Yuri Bear Storm v1

…I have no words. I bought this one on a whim because the description on the back made me laugh:

Every night, 16-year-old Kureha has a strange dream involving lilies, storms, and... her classmate Ginko as a bear?! At school, Kureha's unassuming personality and looks render her practically invisible. Sometimes, it feels like no one notices her at all... until cute and energetic Ginko asks Kureha to talk privately one day during lunch. Maybe she really is a bear... or maybe she's just got a crush on Kureha!

but frankly there were too few bears. I thought I was getting a bear-themed magical girl book with lesbians. I have no idea what I actually got. You can tell there’s some sort of metaphor at work here — and I’ve got an Honours Degree in English Literature, dragging bullshit metaphors out of the text kicking and screaming is like my whole thing — but I’ll be damned if I could actually tell you what it is. It’s either wildly inconsistent and deranged, or genius. Or maybe there's no metaphor at all and the authors just really wanted to draw bear ears and panty-shots *shrug* I cannot emphasize enough how little sense this book made. Every time I thought I maybe had a handle on things it got progressively more inscrutable, it was actually rather impressive.

May get the second book, we’ll see how weak my resolve is not to waste my money.

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

Every week I will post various reviews I've written so far in 2024. You can check out my Goodreads for more up-to-date reviews HERE. You can friend me on Goodreads here.

Have you read any of these? What were your thoughts?

___

337. Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I finished GAMEBOARD OF THE GODS and immediately came onto Goodreads to see how the rest of the series was and if they would be nearly impossible to buy because it was an older one...only to find that Mead never had book 3 published. So...I'm never going to read book two, sadly, because I don't want to be left hoping.

And it truly is too bad because this was an entertaining read! It was definitely a product of its time--meaning it came out when this genre was very popular in fantasy. I can think of a few series that this reminded me of, but this one had more of a dystopic feel.

For all intents and purposes, this is a detective novel set in a dystopia, featuring a badass FMC and a down-on-his-luck-but-very-smart-and-persuasive man. This type of duo was not uncommon in the 2010s, so I'm surprised this one didn't take off like Mead's prior big series. Maybe it was the wrong time to jump from YA to Adult Fantasy.

I liked the mystery and the character dynamics. Everyone worked off each other so well and there were some reveals that were pretty impactful. The banter between the characters was entertaining, and their sexual chemistry was pretty great too--this was a lot spicier than I expected (and though we don't get a lot of spicy scenes, the ones we got were only spicy to me because I wasn't expecting it in this book).

The world-building was great and I really liked the realistic touches here and there that morphed this from a fantasy to dystopic novel for me. I wasn't expecting it and actually really enjoyed it. The pacing was also great.

Essentially, there was a lot of "great" things about this book and I'm sad that it will never be finished and if going by what the author wrote on the synopsis of book 3, we will never get a conclusion to this series because of low sales. Alas.

I'd recommend this one to those who love confident women who kick ass in a dystopic mystery novel. But be aware that this series will never be completed.

___

338. All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I finally picked this book up and honestly, I'm really glad I did. Even though it had moments that were really hard to read, it was eye-opening and powerful. Cosby truly didn't miss with this one.

ALL THE SINNERS BLEED explores racism and how it can take many different forms. These scenes were jarring, but so important. It goes to show that no matter where you are in the power hierarchy, you can still be the target for racist rhetoric. But this was also a heartbreaking look into how society, specifically North American society, treats missing Black children. The fact that no media coverage had spoken on the missing children in this book before that fatal shooting that starts the book is very telling and very reflective of today's society.

Some of the best parts of this book, beyond the obvious, were the moments where the MC was a total badass against the racists in the town. I think the irony of the Black main character being the sherif in this town isn't lost on the reader, but beyond the obvious of having this MC be a strict law-abiding citizen, he does not let the badge overshadow who he is at his core (no matter what others accuse him of).

The pacing of ALL THE SINNERS BLEED was great and kept the story flowing pretty well. And the side characters gave this book a lot of personality beyond being just a murder mystery--which, by the way, was incredibly compelling. Much like the MC, I really wanted them to catch the remaining killer. It kept me hooked until the end.

There was a love interest in this, but much like the MC, I think the reader will lose focus on her and just want answers regarding the murders. It's sad to say and it could be because of how Cosby wrote her with such disregard, or like a side note, but it was to the point where the book could have survived without her. I think the MC would have benefitted from having this character be more developed. But it definitely helped to show that he was very much a flawed character. But it's kind of sad that this female character with so much potential was so easily disregarded because of the male main character's fickle affection.

Shock-full of commentary on social justice issues that make this a very timely read, ALL THE SINNERS BLEED should be on most people's TBRs--I say most because there are some very triggering moments in this.

___

339. Phantom of the Auditorium by R.L. Stine--⭐️⭐️⭐️

I enjoyed PHANTOM OF THE AUDITORIUM for what it was.

I think this is one of those GOOSEBUMPS books where it can be a very entertaining October read because it had that spooky atmosphere of the school and the being that haunts the underground of the school. The whole concept of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is creepy to me, so it only makes sense that this one was kind of the same for me.

We had, yet again, more adults being jerks to kids and not listening to them. Sigh. I think narratives like this feed into the mistrust that kids have in adults and in the idea that if you talk to an adult, they won't believe you.

Anyway, I really enjoyed the ending and it finally pulled my attention fully to the story. This wasn't a favourite, but I was entertained.

___

340. Adam & Evie's Matchmaking Tour by Nora Nguyen--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First off, I know reading is subjective but I need to say that this book is better than the rating it currently has (it used to be worse than what it has now).

ADAM & EVIE'S MATCHMAKING TOUR had so much going for it--culture, adventure, romance, wit and banter, and characters who worked so well off each other. I really enjoyed the push and pull between them because they're also fighting familial expectations.

I also liked that author had the complexities that come those above-mentioned familial expectations, mainly reputation, how difficult it can be to navigate familial relationships, and how to follow your heart despite having that family be so heavily against what you want.

One of the best things about this book is that not only is the FMC is on her own journey of rediscovering herself while grieving, but the MMC is also on his own journey. These two characters were perfectly suited (despite others saying otherwise), because he was so set in his course and she was trying to find a way to break that life track she thought was meant for her. They are both helping each other in bettering themselves.

There was some spice, but it wasn't the made point of the story. I think it won't be spicy enough for most romance readers, but this book is so much more than the potential spice. For example, it has some pretty great side characters that give this book so much personality.

If it isn't obvious, I really enjoyed this one. I was hooked from the first chapter. And while this might not be a life-changing read, it was great for what it was. Plus, you get the chance to go on this gorgeous tour with the characters!

___

341. Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio--⭐️⭐️

This is a novella, but it felt like a full novel. The pacing was not great. Man, it was an exhaustingly long read.

I think this was another case of me going into a book with high hopes. I loved Rio's IF WE WERE VILLAINS, so I was really hoping to get some of that writing in this one. And while the writing itself is actually very good, it was the pacing that killed me and where the story went.

The draw of this book was the promise of a creepy atmosphere (or at least, that's what the cover felt like for me), but the creepy set lasted for about a chapter. What followed after was a mystery that...kind of lacked reasoning. I get that need to solve the mystery of the sudden hole in the cemetery, but it felt like it went off the rails a bit. I would have loved more exploration of the night life surrounding this cemetery or the old abandoned church. THAT would have been cool.

I did like that we got to see from different perspectives--some a bit more relevant than others. Hannah was a particular favourite because of how unhinged she was. I could probably read a whole book from her POV. And seeing as how the author also comments on how she has a complicated relationship with sleep, it makes sense that this would be the most intriguing character because it is the one with the most personality in the whole novella.

GRAVEYARD SHIFT was one of those books that both felt like it belonged as part of a longer book, but also definitely shouldn't have felt as long as it did. Rio makes a comment in the introduction of the book about how she was approached by the publisher to write a novella, and while she mentions that this story has lived in her head for years, it kind of shows that this was an...approached story.

Anyway, that cover is stunning and creepy, but the story is not. Some will love this, because again, the writing itself is beautiful, but phew, that pacing and SO MUCH potential. It all tied up at the end, so at least we got that, but man, it had so many ways it could have gone.

___

342. The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

THE MESSAGE by Ta-Nehisi Coates was a great collection of essays that explored various topics that are all incredibly timely. One being about identity and how important it is to acknowledge and learn more about who you are. I liked this essay because of how it felt like Coates was truly learning more about himself and his heritage and we were lucky enough to hear about it.

Admittedly, I first picked this up because of that awful interview Coates had about Palestine and I wanted to see what he had written. I wanted to see why this Z was so hot and bothered about the section on Palestine. I wasn't disappointed. That section was incredible and I liked how he experienced Palestine with multiple guides. And his genuine fear during some moments were palpable. This section unfolded much like when a person first finally understands the truth.

THE MESSAGE was POWERFUL and had some great and insightful commentary on various issues plaguing society regarding racism, apartheid, and the internalized racism built on trauma.

This may have been a short read, but it packed quite the punch. I think this should be a must-read for a lot of people. Especially when Coates dives into his own difficult past with a learning disorder and how fraught the American education system is and how learning disorders are looked at by society. And also, how book banning not only has affected so many authors throughout the The States, including Coates himself.

While THE MESSAGE was sad in its truths, it still held a note of hopefulness.

___

343. The Rule Book by Sarah Adams--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

THE RULE BOOK was such a fun little surprise. Adams wrote one of my favourite second chance romance tropes, which is that of young lovers who come back together and don't immediately fall back into love. That added bit of "enemies" to lovers made this even more enjoyable for me.

The banter between these two was so much fun and heated. I loved seeing the MMC slowly thaw out as the book progressed, but I also liked seeing the FMC gain confidence through their banter and his unfair treatment born out of long-held anger and heartache.

The MMC had to deal with his anxiety and confidence and it was refreshing to see an athlete acknowledge his insecurities (even if it IS a fictional character). But it was still nice to have that incite into his character, especially because we had that perspective. Truly, one of the reasons why I love dual perspective so much. But I also liked that despite his fears, he was genuinely good at his sport.

The FMC was a badass. Not only did she have to deal with the raging sexism in her work space and career, but she didn't let it ruin her goals. Her confidence was incredible and she would definitely be someone I'd like in my corner.

Finally, I loved the communication between the characters AND the surprising spice. It wasn't overly spicy, but it was spicier than book one.

If you like sports romances, second chances, and a sassy FMC that the MMC stands no chance against, then this might be one to add to your list! Also, to add, there are SOME allusions to the couple in book one, but I'd almost say that you can read this without having read book one.

___

344. A Shocker on Shock Street by R.L. Stine--⭐️⭐️⭐️

A SHOCKER ON SHOCK STREET had a pretty great ending and I enjoyed that.

This would have absolutely kept me up at night as a kid--both to keep reading it, and because of all the creepy crawlies that the characters faced. This was a fun and creepy adventure perfect for an October night of reading for a kid.

I will admit that some parts were a bit confusing, but i think that can be expected for a story that is so fast-paced and focused on getting to that ending. I think this is definitely one of those Goosebump books that would have benefitted from being just a bit longer.

I think that ending was on par with another one of Stine's books that I really liked and it saved the book for me. BUT the creepiness wise was definitely one of the better ones. It was a lot of jump scares and honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if people would actually love to go on the ride in this book.

___

Happy reading!

[pandoramsbox]

Sci-Fi Saturday: Destination Moon

Week 26:

Film(s): Destination Moon (Dir. Irving Pichel, 1950, USA)

Viewing Format: DVD

Date Watched: 2022-01-21

Rationale for Inclusion:

As noted in many posts, a lot of the films selected for this survey came to my attention via consulting Wikipedia lists. However, what motivated doing this survey in the first place was an excuse to watch our favorite sci-fi films and works deemed to be classics that we had not gotten around to seeing yet. Destination Moon (Dir. Irving Pichel, 1950, USA) was one of the films that I had been meaning to see for years because I knew it had noteworthy special effects, thanks to a featurette I saw on American Classic Movies once upon a time in the 1990s. Digging a copy of the out of print 50th anniversary DVD from the bins at Amoeba Records was one of the first purchases I made towards this survey. 

Reactions:

Despite being in competition with Rocketship X-M (Dir. Kurt Neumann, 1950, USA) to be first into release, the films are thematically, as well as aesthetically, quite different. Apart from Destination Moon being filmed in Technicolor, as opposed to black and white with selective use of red tinting cinematography of Rocketship X-M, the independently funded film pushes the argument that private industry will be the leaders in space travel technology, and the government will have to purchase or lease the technology from them. Spaceships in prior films were either implicitly government funded or privately funded by wealthy men of science, but more often than not, the filmmakers did not think that aspect of creating and testing experimental spacecraft was not worth spending screen time on.

Destination Moon being an outright libertarian science fiction film is novel for its time, but not entirely surprising given that its script was co-written by author Robert A. Heinlein. Most write-ups on Destination Moon celebrate Heinlein's hard sci-fi sensibilities shaping what is regarded as the most scientifically accurate depictions of space flight since Woman in the Moon (Frau im Mond, Dir. Fritz Lang, 1929, Germany), but fails to take into account the author's politics. Granted, Heinlein's politics shifted and evolved throughout his life, and his beliefs circa 1950 were not as libertarian as they would become by the mid-1960s, when he wrote the Ayn Rand inspired The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Still, anyone familiar with the arch of Heinlein's bibliography would look at the politics espoused in Destination Moon and say, "Well, that makes sense."

Something that may not make sense to modern viewers is the presence of Woody the Woodpecker in the promotional film to raise funds for the Luna project. Beyond the fact that many may not realize that Woody was a popular cartoon character in the 1940s (since the character, his shorts, and later revivals lack the popularity enjoyed by his contemporaries created by Warner Brothers and Disney), he was created by Walter Lantz, who was best friends with producer, and former Oscar nominated animator, George Pal. In fact, Pal, who went on to produce the spectacular H.G. Wells adaptations The War of the Worlds (Dir. Byron Haskin, 1953, USA) and The Time Machine (Dir. George Pal, 1960, USA), would regularly find ways to insert his friend's anthropomorphic woodpecker in subtle ways throughout his cinematic output.

As for the lauded special effects that interested me in Destination Moon in the first place, they were quite enjoyable. The Academy Award for Best Special Effects deservedly went to this film for its depictions of weightlessness in space and G-force stresses make-up effects. 

The film's lush use of color also gave way to a favorite game of mine whilst watching movies made with the Technicolor process, last referenced in my post about Doctor X (Dir. Michael Curtiz, 1932): "Is this Technicolor abuse?" As a reminder, for something to count as Technicolor Abuse by my definition, the use of color is for spectacle more than contributing to the overall diegesis of the film. 

For additional context, Technicolor's Color Director Natalie Kalmus, infamous amongst filmmakers for her combative insistence that the color process be used to replicate natural colors and not garish over theatrical ones, had exited her position with the company in 1948. While she did contribute to projects that were released as late as 1950, Destination Moon was not one of them, opening its production crew to make more liberal use of color.

My partner called attention to the vividness and abundance of red smoke being used during the Luna's takeoff. I dismissed it as Technicolor Abuse, because it wasn't theoretically unrealistic for that to be the color produced by the ship's atomic propellant system.

As soon as the EVA suits were shown, however, I indicated, "Now THAT is Technicolor Abuse!" Each suit was a different color--orange, yellow, green, or blue--with a white helmet and neutral black and chrome accessories. 

As the movie went on, I realized I might have been wrong in my assessment, however. Against the black vastness of space, with limited communications, being able to identify individual crew by a bright, unique color is actually a practical option. I also can't help but think it inspired the single color space suits later shown in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (Dir. Stanley Kubrick, 1968, USA). Compared to the mostly monochrome suits actually used by astronauts and cosmonauts in the coming years though, the EVA suits in Destination Moon are downright flamboyant and fanciful.

Another major difference between Destination Moon and its rival Rocketship X-M, and a lot of 1950s sci-fi movies actually, is the lack of women scientists and spaceship crew. The upside of this sexism by omission is screen time is not spent on flirting that is actually sexual harassment or performative heteronormativity. The downside is patriarchal gender role promotion by this omission. Not surprisingly, the all male crew is also all white. The closest attempt at diversity of crew that Destination Moon makes is the blue collar Joe Sweeney (Dick Wesson), whom my partner described as resembling a "Budget [Humphrey] Bogart," becoming the substitute radar and radio operator on the expedition.  

My biggest negative criticism with Destination Moon is not its homogenous characters, colorful aesthetics, or Libertarian politics, but its ending. Due to technical difficulties experienced by the crew throughout the film, it is clear to the audience that they may not be able to safely land back on Earth. As the Luna approaches the Earth, the film cuts to a title card that reads, "This is THE END...of the Beginning." The film does not make it explicit either way if the crew safely returned home or burned up upon reentry.

Maybe the audience is supposed to infer that there's a happy ending to Destination Moon. Crewed ships returning safely had not regularly been shown in space travel films to date, the Space Race had not fully begun yet, and audiences did not have the trauma of the 2003 Columbia Shuttle disaster that modern space nerds would bring into the film. Those things aside, if, like my partner and I, they had seen Rocketship X-M prior, might they assume that the crew's death on return was conceivable, as shown in that film? I don't dislike open endings normally, as they often are more appropriate notes to end narratives on, but after so much peril being introduced the lack of closure reads as a flaw.

Still, Destination Moon is one of the better space travel sci-fi films of the 1950s, and I do recommend genre fans watching it. In fact, if you live in the San Francisco Bay area, Odyssey Film will be screening a 16mm print of the film on September 10 at the Roxie Theater. If time and distance don't make that advantageous for you, the film can be found on DVD or Amazon streaming.

[rynnaaurelius]

I'd really love the sci fi reading list, if it's not too difficult! Thank you for your explanation

Yes! Okay, requisite this is Not Authoritative Or Comprehensive claim, I'm a dork with a Russian degree, but here we go:

(I tried to organize this chronologically because if I did it thematically we would be here all day. Also, I still have more books, but they get increasingly niche. This is a Greatest Hits playlist, and if you look these people up, you will find their contemporaries)

(Long list below the Read More)

Jules Verne — 80,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth. Excellent continuations of that exploration/'ostracized' genius figure, so popular in the previous century. French, so English translations. Kinda marks the transition point between 19th c. pure spec exploration and what we would call sci-fi. BUT BEFORE HIM...

Mary Shelley — Frankenstein is probably the first sci-fi novel as we know it. BUT BEFORE HER...

Margaret Cavendish — Okay, the 'first sci-fi novel' is hard to define for obvious reasons, but The Blazing World has as good a claim as any. Published in the 17th c., so it really traverses the genres, but includes a utopian kingdom accessible via the North Pole. Her husband was so impressed that he composed a sonnet for her, which serves as the epigraph for the novel; it's a wild read in the same way Robinson Crusoe and other early novels are, and I'm mostly including it here because it's so, so wild to read in 2023.

John W. Campbell — That dude. The hero's journey guy. His short story Who Goes There? Has been adapted a million times into a little movie called The Thing. Unfortunately got really into race science, so Isaac Asimov told him to fuck off. Edited the magazine Astounding Science Fiction, which in 1939 published Black Destroyer by Alfred Van Vogt, usually cited as the beginning of Golden Age sci-fi.

H. G. Wells — Big critic of class divisions in Victorian English society, coined the term 'time machine' as we think of it in his novel...The Time Machine. A lot of what we consider 'classic' time travel tropes were, if not invented here, had their seeds planted here. Also famous for War of the Worlds, leading to a MINOR disturbance when Orson Welles did a dramatic radio reading.

Edgar Rice Burroughs — the man, the myth, the legend. If I could persuade you to read one white English sci-fi author with rather dubious politics, it would be him, if only because of how influential he was. Mostly famous for Tarzan, but he also wrote a whole series about Hollow Earth that crosses over with Tarzan at some point (Pellucidar), as well as the series Barsoom (A Princess of Mars and its sequels), and Amtor (Guy named Carson Napier gets transported to Venus, which was a watery hellscape, as was popularly theorized for a while).

They're basically pulp comics before pulp comics, published in magazines, extremely lurid and dramatic, and he did write his own crossovers. These were what the first modern superhero comics writers often grew up reading and what inspired them—John Carter's cultural cachet was borrowed by Superman until it became his cultural cachet.

They're very fun, but also supremely products of their time, and extremely fond of the British Empire.

Judith Merrill — prolific writer and editor, who also wrote one of my personal favorite reactions to the atomic bomb in Shadow on the Hearth.

Gabriel García Márquez — we're gonna take half a sidestep into magical realism here (which is, to define quickly, a genre incorporating the fantastic into otherwise realistic narratives, often formed and associated with decolonial and post colonial Latin American fiction, but not always. It's a fuzzy genre). He wrote in Spanish, but I read him in English. One Hundred Years of Solitude is probably one of the great novels ever written. My mother is also telling me to rec Love in the Time of Cholera and she wrote about the man, so listen to her.

Jorge Amado — the sixties were the big magical realism heyday. Amado was Brazilian and his Dona Flor and her Two Husbands is a book my Spanish high school teacher made me swear to read some day.

Andre Alice Norton — Deserves a spot for being one of the most prolific sci-fi authors of all time during a time when sci-fi was INCREDIBLY inhospitable to women. Over 300 books!

Robert Heinlein — This man is the poster child for "male author who writes groundbreaking sci-fi novels but cannot be normal about women with a gun to his head". The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress is excellent and incredibly important for how comprehensive the creation of Luna and its workers was, even if it is very sixties free love. Also wrote Starship Troopers, the novel.

Edward Smith — you haven't seen drama until you read what they said when Lensman (first book is Triplanetary) lost to Foundation for the Hugo in the sixties.

Larry Niven — Fleet of Worlds! Ringworld won a whole host of awards and deservedly so in 1970. Fair warning, his stuff decidedly falls under "hard" sci-fi (lots and lots of discussion for plausible alien artifacts), though it is awesome just in terms of how he can communicate scale. If you see a big ring-like structure in space, you can thank this guy, basically (the term ringworld comes from here). Also did a bunch of co-writing. I haven't read his other stuff, but CoDominium is on my list (he co-wrote it. First book is The Mote in God's Eye). If you liked the TV show The Expanse when it did the alien stuff and the later books it never got to adapt, you'll love this guy.

Samuel R. Delaney — Dhalgren is a book I am forbidding you to research before reading. Go in prepared. You have been warned. You will either love this book or set it on fire.

Stanislaw Lem — Solaris. I started this novel last week after watching the Tarkovsky film and. It's doing something to my brain, that's for sure. It's a book where I have to read every sentence twice. If you read it, find a good translation if you don't speak Polish. The author famously is very mad at critics who use Freudian analysis for it, so tread carefully (it's about the limits of rationality and our ability to understand, so. Fair).

Joanna Russ — The Female Man is a seminal work of feminist sci-fi. It's—fascinating, to be honest. Discusses socially enforced dependence of women on men and the creation of a different gender, a "female man", when the protagonist chooses to reject it and thus her socially enforced gender. I wouldn't call it a transgender manifesto (written in 1975, features insufficiently masculine men undergoing sex change surgery, so...yeah) but it definitely awoke something in my brain when I was 16 lol. I would LOVE to see it revisited in literary criticism from a modern perspective, especially from trans people.

C.J. Cherryh — If we talked about female sci-fi authors from the 1950s-70s writing under gender ambiguous aliases, we would be here all day, so I'm picking the one whose books I got for cheap at a book sale. Her Foreigner series has such a good premise with descendants of a lost Earth ship and interstellar court drama, and it's SO fun.

Poul Anderson — the name is not a typo, do not look up Paul Anderson, you will never find him. I actually have a copy of Three Swords and Three Lions currently collecting dust on my shelf and judging me right now as I wait to read it. Tau Zero is one of the greatest things I've ever read. The time dilation stuff gets kinda dense at times, but he incorporates some interest in his Swedish history and folk tales into it, and his explanation of travel at the speed of light and incorporating that into his discussion of nationalism is incredible. The ending where they survived [REDACTED] and landed on what may have been [REDACTED] has been bouncing around my brain for a bit now.

Laura Esquivel — Like Water for Chocolate is from the magical realism reading list.

Salman Rushdie — Midnight's Children is one of those bucket list books, for better or worse. Recontextualized Indian independence from the British and the Partition through framing of a husband telling the story to his wife, as he actively tells the story to her. Really uses the fantastical versus the real w/history versus truth so well.

Nancy Farmer — The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm, for the kids lying about their age on Tumblr dot hell. Three kids try to escape a kidnapping after sneaking out—in 23rd century Zimbabwe. With the help of three mutant detectives. It rules.

Ben Okri — Okay, I have not read his stuff yet, but it is on my list. Other people here have discussed his influence on them in post colonial sci-fi. His big one is The Famished Road, first in a trilogy, and renowned for its discussion of the spiritual and realist world coexisting in African animist spiritual life.

Nnedi Okorafor — I have read one of her short stories, Remote Control, and currently have an book list with her other stuff on it. Other people I know vouched for her work. She specifically writes Africanfuturism and Africanjujuism centered around her Nigerian background, and follows on from the likes of Okri and Octavia Butler. I'd also add if you're a Stephen King fan when he's in Dark Tower mode, she's probably gonna have things that appeal to you.

Mentions that are absolutely influential but don't need explaining on this website: Franz Kafka, Ursula K Le Guin, Douglas Adams, N. K. Jemisin, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, Alduous Huxley, Philip K. Dick, Orson Scott Card, Kurt Vonnegut, George Orwell, Octavia Butler, Neil Gaiman, Toni Morrison.

(to be clear: you SHOULD read them, but you probably know who most of them are and/or why they're big deals. Most of them are also incredibly prolific, and explaining their bodies of work are other posts. Trying to make a list about other folks)

For more on Afrofuturism,(not to be confused with Africanfuturism), I recommend the shit out of Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture, full of short stories and guides to art and music. I, alas, lack similarly useful authoritative guides to other genres, but I have read that one, so wanna toss it out there. There's so much.

[ninja-muse]

July was a reminder of why I don't generally walk into strange bookstores, because I ended up on an accidental bookstore crawl and came out of the evening with two books (Hatchet, Hrafnkel's Saga) and a mildly distressed colleague. I did make up for this by reading more off my TBR than I usually do, including Gaudy Night which I picked up just last month and am therefore congratulating myself on getting to so quickly.

My other hauls for the month are Labyrinth's Heart, which was worth the wait, and Interference, which was on sale when I had a gift card. Having read a very good gentle first-contact novel this month, I don't see myself getting to it anytime soon. Labyrinth's Heart, I picked up as soon as I was able, naturally.

Otherwise, it wasn't much of a month, doings-wise. I've been working a lot on my WIP and have gotten back into jigsaw puzzles. Turns out if I've done a puzzle before, I can redo in a matter of days. Or one day, if I'm not working. It's also been a month of stalking my library holds list with very little to show for it. September, though. The library's going to be very good to me in September.

My next big thing is a holiday! I'm at the stage of packing right now where I start to second-guess the quantities I'm bringing. Is five shirts enough? More importantly, is three books? I'm going to be off-grid for most of the time, so there'll be lots of reading time but also no way to get an emergency ebook or recharge my devices. Inviting people to weigh in here.

And as always, if you've got questions about the books I've read, why I rated and ranked them a certain way, any of that, ask away! I know I'm not really active on here these days but I check comments every day and am still down to chat.

And now without further ado, in order of enjoyment…

A Half-Built Garden - Ruthanna Emrys

We’re doing good work to address the climate crisis but the newly arrived aliens want us to leave the planet anyway.

8.5/10

🏳️‍🌈 main character (sapphic), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (sapphic, non-binary, trans men and women, genderfluid), Jewish main character, Jewish secondary characters, disabled secondary characters (prosthetic arm, partial blindness), main character with depression and anxiety, poly-norm world, 🏳️‍🌈 author, #ownvoices

Labyrinth’s Heart - M.A. Carrick

The troubles in Nadežra are coming to a head just as Ren’s tangle of identities begins to loosen.

8/10

🏳️‍🌈 POV characters (bisexual, sapphic), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (mlm, trans man), 🏳️‍🌈-norm world, 🏳️‍🌈 author

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich - Deya Muniz

It’s an old story: girl refuses to marry men, girl dresses as boy, girl bonds with girl over fashion and dairy products…

8/10

🏳️‍🌈 protagonists (sapphic), Brazilian-American author, 🏳️‍🌈 author, #ownvoices

Nick and Charlie - Alice Oseman

Nick’s about to go to uni. Charlie’s worried about going long-distance.

7.5/10

🏳️‍🌈 main characters (gay, bisexual), 🏳️‍🌈 author

Gaudy Night - Dorothy L. Sayers

Harriet Vane’s Oxford college falls victim to sinister pranks and, as a mystery writer and alumna, she’s called in to find the culprit.

7.5/10

warning: classism, equating of mental illness to criminality, misogynists

The Wager - David Grann

A secret mission in the Age of Sail. A shipwreck and a mutiny. The perils of the sea—and your fellow man.

7/10

warning: fairly graphic depictions of illness, injury, and violence; historical racist language

Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz - Garth Nix

A knight and a puppet-sorcerer travel the world to rid it of proscribed gods.

6.5/10

warning: a high percentage of female characters wind up injured, dead, evil, or some combination

An Accident of Stars - Foz Meadows

When Saffron jumps through a portal outside her school, she finds herself in another world on the brink of civil war.

7/10

🏳️‍🌈 main character (bisexual), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (aromantic, trans, poly), Black British secondary character, brown-skinned secondary characters, secondary character with chronic illness (similar to fibromyalgia), secondary character with disability (similar to stroke paralysis), poly-norm world, 🏳️‍🌈 author

warning: misandry, violence and injuries, death of a child

Hrafnkel’s Saga and Other Icelandic Stories - Anonymous, with Hermann Pálsson (translator)

Short medieval pseudo-histories.

7/10

warning: violence, murder

The Dragons at Crumbling Castle and Other Tales - Terry Pratchett

Early writings by a master author.

6.5/10

Occasional Indo-British secondary characters, occasional unspecified BIPOC characters

warning: reliance on racial stereotypes for bit-part characters

Misfortune Cookie - Vivien Chien

Lana’s attending a restaurant convention in California when her aunt’s journalist friend falls mysteriously off a roof.

6/10

Taiwanese-American protagonist, Taiwanese-American secondary characters, Asian-American secondary characters (unspecified), Chinese-American author, #ownvoices

Kill Show - Daniel Sweren-Becker

A teen goes missing after running back to her school bus for a bag. Forget podcasts: time for the reality show! Out in October

7/10 warning: missing child, murder

DNF

Thief Liar Lady - D.L. Soria

Aislinn’s met her Prince Charming. Unfortunately her stepmother isn’t happy about how slow the con is going, and there’s another prince who keeps getting her to drop character.

Love Letters For Joy - Melissa See

Joy’s on track to be the first disabled valedictorian at her high school, but that'ss held her back from a High School Relationship™. Will writing to the school’s anonymous love letter writer help?

🏳️‍🌈 main characters (asexual, pansexual), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (lesbian, bi, gay), main character with cerebral palsy, Black and Latina secondary characters, author with cerebral palsy, 🏳️‍🌈 author, #ownvoices for cerebral palsy

Currently reading:

Board to Death - CJ Connor

Ben turns down a suspiciously good deal on an old board game, only for the dealer to turn up dead that night.

🏳️‍🌈 main character (gay), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary character (gay), 🏳️‍🌈 author, #ownvoices

Music from the Earliest Notations to the Sixteenth Century - Richard Taruskin A history of early written European music, in its social and political contexts.

Stats

Monthly total: 12 Yearly total: 87/140 Queer books: 5 Authors of colour: 0 Books by women: 4.5 Authors outside the binary: 2.5 Canadian authors: 0 Off the TBR shelves: 4 Books hauled: 4 ARCs acquired: 1 ARCs unhauled: 6 DNFs: 2

January February March April May June July

[bookcub]

romance rec 2.0

seven days in june by tia williams - a more serious romance novel, a second chance romance about two authors who reconnect after a week long romance in high school. they have been writing books about each other ever since. it's also inspired by romeo and juliet but i got persuasion vibes as well. not as fluffy as most romances i read, it is well worth your time. check trigger warnings in advance!

m/f, Black representation, disability rep, romeo and juliet inspired, persuasion vibes, second chance romance, mutual pining, single parent, both mcs are authors secretly writing to each for years

that time i got drunk and saved a demon by kimberly lemming- a laugh out loud romance with a fantasy setting. a spice farmer saves a demon who explains to her that her belief system is actually a manipulation of another demon *yikes* full of sexual tension and adventure, i was never bored reading this! the familial and platonic relationships were as heartwarming as the romance! i am so excited to read the next books!!

m/f, fantasy au, demon au, dragons are real, Black representation, questing, featuring Cinnamon the spice farmer, soulmates au

something to talk about by meryl wilsner- i didnt think id want to read a boss/employee romance (and i probably wont again) but i was pleasantly surprised by this book where a showrunner and her assistant fall in love. if this hadn't been sapphic, i wouldnt have read it however it did hold up on reread as well. it is worth considering if you are on the fence about it!

f/f, boss/assistant, hollywood au, slow burn, fake dating adjacent, discussions of sexual harassment, discussions of racism, Chinese American rep, Jewish rep, lesbian rep, bi rep

ben and beatriz by katelina gamarra- set in 2016 at a college (possibly harvard idr) this retelling of much ado about nothing is filled with passion! while it was occasionally heavy handed, i really enjoyed the way this classic story was adapted and the updated made for a modern audience.

m/f, college au, much ado about nothing retelling, enemies to friends to lovers, Black Latina rep, pansexual rep,

sorry bro by taleen voskuni- this is the first book ive read with an armenian character, so i am very biased to add it here. this is a little more of a self discovery book, although the romance is very prevalent throughout. i really loved seeing the main character reconnect with her culture, as well as the people within it. she is also bisexual and trying to figure out how to come out to her family.

f/f, journey of self discovery, bi mc, armenian rep, strangers to lovers, lots of descriptions of food, reconnecting with your culture

satisfaction guaranteed by karelia stenz-waters- dont tell the other sapphic romances but . . . this is my favorite of all of them. an account and an artist meet at a funeral of a woman they both were both close to and find out they both inherited her sex toy shop. its a little chaotic and i really enjoyed the nuanced conversations around sex as well as the actual romance itself!

f/f, sex toy shop setting, bi rep, lesbian rep, grumpy/sunshine

[richincolor]

[Images are the covers for Gloria Buenrostro is Not My Girlfriend, Permanent Record, and When You Wish Upon a Lantern]

On the Job

This week I visited a bookstore and there were young people skipping through the store making lively instagram posts while they were working. It struck me that they would be awesome characters in a young adult novel and I would totally read that. Here are a dozen titles that feature young people hard at work. Of course the list begins with a story that takes place in a bookstore.

This is All Your Fault by Aminah Mae Safi Feiwel & Friends

Rinn Olivera is finally going to tell her longtime crush AJ that she’s in love with him.

Daniella Korres writes poetry for her own account, but nobody knows it’s her.

Imogen Azar is just trying to make it through the day.

When Rinn, Daniella, and Imogen clock into work at Wild Nights Bookstore on the first day of summer, they’re expecting the hours to drift by the way they always do. Instead, they have to deal with the news that the bookstore is closing. Before the day is out, there’ll be shaved heads, a diva author, and a very large shipment of Air Jordans to contend with.

And it will take all three of them working together if they have any chance to save Wild Nights Bookstore.

The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds Atheneum Books for Young Readers [K. Imani's Review]

Just when seventeen-year-old Matt thinks he can’t handle one more piece of terrible news, he meets a girl who’s dealt with a lot more—and who just might be able to clue him in on how to rise up when life keeps knocking him down—in this wry, gritty novel from the author of When I Was the Greatest.

Matt wears a black suit every day. No, not because his mom died—although she did, and it sucks. But he wears the suit for his gig at the local funeral home, which pays way better than the Cluck Bucket, and he needs the income since his dad can’t handle the bills (or anything, really) on his own. So while Dad’s snagging bottles of whiskey, Matt’s snagging fifteen bucks an hour. Not bad. But everything else? Not good. Then Matt meets Lovey. She’s got a crazy name, and she’s been through more crazy than he can imagine. Yet Lovey never cries. She’s tough. Really tough. Tough in the way Matt wishes he could be. Which is maybe why he’s drawn to her, and definitely why he can’t seem to shake her. Because there’s nothing more hopeful than finding a person who understands your loneliness—and who can maybe even help take it away.

When You Wish Upon a Lantern by Gloria Chao Viking

Liya and Kai had been best friends since they were little kids, but all that changed when a humiliating incident sparked The Biggest Misunderstanding Of All Time—and they haven’t spoken since.

Then Liya discovers her family’s wishing lantern store is struggling, and she decides to resume a tradition she had with her beloved late grandmother: secretly fulfilling the wishes people write on the lanterns they send into the sky. It may boost sales and save the store, but she can’t do it alone . . . and Kai is the only one who cares enough to help.

While working on their covert missions, Liya and Kai rekindle their friendship—and maybe more. But when their feuding families and their changing futures threaten to tear them apart again, can they find a way to make their own wishes come true?

Café Con Lychee by Emery Lee Quill Tree Books [Audrey's Review]

Sometimes bitter rivalries can brew something sweet

Theo Mori wants to escape. Leaving Vermont for college means getting away from working at his parents’ Asian American café and dealing with their archrivals’ hopeless son Gabi who’s lost the soccer team more games than Theo can count.

Gabi Moreno is miserably stuck in the closet. Forced to play soccer to hide his love for dance and iced out by Theo, the only openly gay guy at school, Gabi’s only reprieve is his parents’ Puerto Rican bakery and his plans to take over after graduation.

But the town’s new fusion café changes everything. Between the Mori’s struggling shop and the Moreno’s plan to sell their bakery in the face of the competition, both boys find their dreams in jeopardy. Then Theo has an idea—sell photo-worthy food covertly at school to offset their losses. When he sprains his wrist and Gabi gets roped in to help, they realize they need to work together to save their parents’ shops but will the new feelings rising between them be enough to send their future plans up in smoke?

Darius the Great Deserves Better (Darius The Great #2) by Adib Khorram Dial Books for Young Readers

In this companion to the award-winning Darius the Great Is Not Okay, Darius suddenly has it all: a boyfriend, an internship, a spot on the soccer team. It’s everything he’s ever wanted–but what if he deserves better?

Darius Kellner is having a bit of a year. Since his trip to Iran this past spring, a lot has changed. He’s getting along with his dad, and his best friend Sohrab is only a Skype call away. Between his first boyfriend, Landon, his varsity soccer practices, and his internship at his favorite tea shop, Darius is feeling pretty okay. Like he finally knows what it means to be Darius Kellner.

Then, of course, everything changes. Darius’s grandmothers are in town for a long visit while his dad is gone on business, and Darius isn’t sure whether they even like him. The internship isn’t what Darius thought it would be, and now he doesn’t know about turning tea into his career. He was sure he liked Landon, but when he starts hanging out with Chip–soccer teammate and best friend of Trent Bolger, epic bully–well, he’s just not so sure about Landon anymore, either.

Darius thought he knew exactly who he was and what he wanted, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe he deserves better.

K-pop Confidential by Stephan Lee Point [Crystal's Review]

Candace Park knows a lot about playing a role. For most of her life, she's been playing the role of the quiet Korean girl who takes all AP classes and plays a classical instrument, keeping her dreams of stardom-and her obsession with SLK, K-pop's top boyband-to herself. She doesn't see how a regular girl like her could possibly become one of those K-pop goddesses she sees on YouTube. Even though she can sing. Like, really sing.

So when Candace secretly enters a global audition held by SLK's music label, the last thing she expects is to actually get a coveted spot in their trainee program. And convincing her strict parents to let her to go is all but impossible ... although it's nothing compared to what comes next.

Under the strict supervision of her instructors at the label's headquarters in Seoul, Candace must perfect her performance skills to within an inch of her life, learn to speak Korean fluently, and navigate the complex hierarchies of her fellow trainees, all while following the strict rules of the industry. Rule number one? NO DATING, which becomes impossible to follow when she meets a dreamy boy trainee. And in the all-out battle to debut, Candace is in danger of planting herself in the middle of a scandal lighting up the K-pop fandom around the world.

If she doesn't have what it takes to become a perfect, hair-flipping K-pop idol, what will that mean for her family, who have sacrificed everything to give her the chance? And is a spot in the most hyped K-pop girl group of all time really worth risking her friendships, her future, and everything she believes in?

A Pho Love Story by Loan Le Simon Pulse

If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he’d say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. His grades are average, his social status unremarkable. He works at his parents’ pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parents’ fifth favorite employee. Not ideal.

If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she’d say she was a firecracker. Stable when unlit, but full of potential for joy and spark and fire. She loves art and dreams pursuing a career in it. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways they’re not willing to admit, including working practically full-time at her family’s pho restaurant.

For years, the Mais and the Nguyens have been at odds, having owned competing, neighboring phở restaurants. Bao and Linh, who’ve avoided each other for most of their lives, both suspect that the feud stems from feelings much deeper than friendly competition.

But then a chance encounter brings Linh and Bao together despite their best efforts and sparks fly, leading them both to wonder what took so long for them to connect. But then, of course, they immediately remember.

Can Linh and Bao find love in the midst of feuding families and complicated histories?

Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers [Crystal's Review]

After a year of college, Pablo is working at his local twenty-four-hour deli, selling overpriced snacks to brownstone yuppies. He’s dodging calls from the student loan office and he has no idea what his next move is.

Leanna Smart’s life so far has been nothing but success. Age eight: Disney Mouseketeer; Age fifteen: first #1 single on the US pop chart; Age seventeen, *tenth* #1 single; and now, at Age nineteen…life is a queasy blur of private planes, weird hotel rooms, and strangers asking for selfies on the street.

When Leanna and Pab randomly meet at 4:00 a.m. in the middle of a snowstorm in Brooklyn, they both know they can’t be together forever. So, they keep things on the down-low and off Instagram for as long as they can. But it takes about three seconds before the world finds out…

The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo Farrar, Straus and Giroux [Jessica's Review]

Clara Shin lives for pranks and disruption. When she takes one joke too far, her dad sentences her to a summer working on his food truck, the KoBra, alongside her uptight classmate Rose Carver. Not the carefree summer Clara had imagined. But maybe Rose isn’t so bad. Maybe the boy named Hamlet (yes, Hamlet) crushing on her is pretty cute. Maybe Clara actually feels invested in her dad’s business. What if taking this summer seriously means that Clara has to leave her old self behind?

Symptoms of a Heartbreak by Sona Charaipotra Imprint [K. Iman's Review]

The youngest doctor in America, an Indian-American teen makes her rounds―and falls head over heels―in the contemporary romantic comedy Symptoms of a Heartbreak.

Fresh from med school, sixteen-year-old medical prodigy Saira arrives for her first day at her new job: treating children with cancer. She’s always had to balance family and friendships with her celebrity as the Girl Genius―but she’s never had to prove herself to skeptical adult co-workers while adjusting to real life-and-death stakes. And working in the same hospital as her mother certainly isn’t making things any easier.

But life gets complicated when Saira finds herself falling in love with a patient: a cute teen boy who’s been diagnosed with cancer. And when she risks her brand new career to try to improve his chances, it could cost her everything.

It turns out “heartbreak” is the one thing she still doesn’t know how to treat.

In her solo debut, Sona Charaipotra brings us a compelling #ownvoices protagonist who’s not afraid to chase what she wants. Symptoms of a Heartbreak goes from romantic comedy highs to tearjerker lows and is the ultimate cure-all for young adult readers needing an infusion of something heartfelt.

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee G.P. Putnam’s Sons [Crystal's Review]

Atlanta, 1890: By day, seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady’s maid for the cruel daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for the genteel Southern lady, “Dear Miss Sweetie.” When her column becomes wildly popular, she uses the power of the pen to address some of society’s ills, but she’s not prepared for the backlash that follows when her column challenges fixed ideas about race and gender.

While her opponents clamor to uncover the secret identity of Miss Sweetie, a mysterious letter sets Jo off on a search for her own past and the parents who abandoned her as a baby. But when her efforts put her in the crosshairs of Atlanta’s most notorious criminal, Jo must decide whether she, a girl used to living in the shadows, is ready to step into the light. With prose that is witty, insightful, and at times heartbreaking, Stacey Lee masterfully crafts an extraordinary social drama set in the New South.

[julictcapulet]

👀💗😶(these are my 3 favorite emojis rn the book rec doesn't necessarily need to match)

send me an emoji and i’ll give you a book rec! i've been giving a fiction and nonfiction rec per emoji so congratulations you get 6 book recs bestie!

fiction: east of eden by john steinbeck. heartbreaking news: the world-renowned author who wrote several 'great american novels' in his lifetime is actually a good writer and this 600-page multigenerational tale loosely based off the story of cain and abel is a straight fucking banger. by coincidence, i happened to be watching season 4 of succession while reading this book and the combination was dangerous to my mental health, i highly recommend. cathy ames, you will always be famous to me.

fiction: the bluest eye by toni morrison. trigger warning for child molestation. this book is devastating, following the life of a young black child growing up after the great depression who begins to develop internalized racism and an inferiority complex. i'm never really ever going to forgive my 11th grade english teacher for assigning this book in class but also i'm eternally grateful to him and i think it's a book that everyone needs to read at least once in their life.

fiction: act your age, eve brown by talia hibbert. this is a cute little romance book that sets a lighter tone to the rest of the books in this rec list <3 technically, this is the third book in the brown sisters trilogy but it's the only one i really enjoyed and you can read it as a standalone. it follows eve, a flighty rich girl who gets cut off and has to find a job quick. enter jacob, dealing with an understaffed bed & breakfast, who doesn't really have other available options but to hire her. cue opposites attract.

nonfiction: men who hate women: from incels to pickup artists, the truth about extreme misogyny and how it affects us all by laura bates. lol this book made me so miserable it took me a month to read it, i don't know how she did it. essentially, this is half laura bates going undercover (when possible) in misogynistic communities and offering her experiences and half a comprehensive view of the hellscape that is the manosphere with each chapter dedicated to a specific subcategory of, well...men who hate women.

nonfiction: everything i know about love by dolly alderton. this collection of essays/short stories/vignettes of alderton's life is the equivalent of a warm hug. read it if you want to be reminded of how deeply you love and appreciate your friends, and also if you want to laugh about someone else's mistakes during their 20s instead of reminiscing on your own.

nonfiction: know my name by chanel miller. does everyone remember emily doe, the anonymous woman from the stanford assault case? great, because this was her memoir and i think it should be required reading. i don't think anyone doubted this book would be popular, but chanel miller is an incredible writer and she did not leave a single thing out in telling her story. she lets you know that the trauma she's endured isn't just from that party, but also from the trial and media storm that followed, even when she still had her anonymity. it's not just a story of a woman detailing how she's begun healing, it's a statement towards the way the american justice system fails the majority of the people and the way people refused to let her reclaim her own story.