#can’t draw realistic tigers lol

[jillyb2004]

Happy 10th Anniversary to Uncle Grandpa!

Based on this image

⚠️TW: This image is very dark so please don’t scroll down! ⚠️

[p-artsypants]

I’ll Handle This (6)

In Which Plagg is Annoying

So, my beloved Fiancé really likes Magic: The Gathering. He’s taught me how to play it, and talks about it a lot, but I still don’t really understand it. It’s a complicated game. So this chapter has sections of me purposefully badly explaining the game, sorry if that bothers you lol. 

Ao3 | FF.net

—

Adrien awoke curled in a ball. His bed was extremely soft, and he sunk right into it. 

Oh, except it was a pillow. He was still in Plagg’s tiny Kwami body. Great. 

He yawned and stretched, realizing that he was alone in his bed. 

“Plagg?” He asked the room. 

There was no answer, but the bathroom door was closed. 

Plagg was most likely getting him ready, or his human body, ready for school. 

Before Adrien could imagine the worst case scenario, the bathroom door opened, and Plagg emerged. 

Adrien stared, and then declared loudly, “NO.” 

“Yes!” Said Plagg, flouncing into Adrien’s closet. 

“How—why? When?!” 

Plagg brought his pre-chosen outfit into the main room, and started to get dressed, carefully slipping the purple tiger striped shirt over his expertly gelled Mohawk. 

“Did you not see me buy that ultra super strong hair gel yesterday?” 

“I didn’t see anything you bought yesterday,” said Adrien with frustration. “I was in your pocket the whole time, remember?” 

“Oh, then you’re in for a treat!” He slipped on an over shirt, that was black with orange leopard spots. 

“Oh god...”

“You should have been more careful about what you brought home from shoots,” Plagg sang. “Love the leopard spots. Though I’m just a black cat, mixing up my coat on occasion would be fun.” 

“I kept that shirt because I thought it was funny, or it would be good for a costume. You can’t honestly wear it!” 

Plagg blew him a raspberry. “Oh suck it up buttercup! It’ll be fine!” 

Adrien watched with other things on his mind as Plagg finished dressing. Brown pants, rolled up with mismatched argyle socks, and then the same green sunglasses to cover his cat eyes.

“I think I have a photo shoot with Lila after school,” said Adrien. 

“And?” 

“And you should probably attend it. I know you want to piss off my dad and blow off responsibilities that aren’t Miraculous related, but modeling is my job. I’m still under a contract and I get paid for it. That money goes to my college fund, which I intend to use to pick my own career.” 

“What’s one missed shift to the son of the company?”

“A strike against me, and a loss of around a thousand euros.” 

Plagg swiveled his head to look at him. “That much? Is Lila making that too?” 

“No.” Adrien chuckled. “I am in high demand and so I make more. She makes around 15 euros an hour. That’s why she always drags photoshoots on for so long. Me and some of the other models get paid per gig.” 

Plagg scoffed. “That’s stupid.” 

“So will you behave for three hours?” 

“No,” said Plagg, smoothing his shirt and hair. “But I’ll participate in the shoot and play nice with the photographer. Lila, on the other hand, I have plans for.” 

Adrien looked at him warily. “...alright.” 

Doing a once-over, Plagg declared, “just one more accessory, the piece de resistance...” he reached into a plastic bag from his shopping yesterday. 

Adrien gaped in horror. “NO. NO NO NO!” 

—

Gabriel walked from the kitchen back to his office, coffee mug in hand. Dealing with Adrien’s rebellion had been a PR nightmare, but he was able to spin Adrien’s outfit yesterday, as out of character as it was, as merely a phase. A phase which he would grow out of soon, but one that was necessary for Adrien to grow, to explore his own style, to learn fashion in his own mind. The media ate it up, and several articles would be coming out in the next week or so. 

Then the boy in question streaked by him in a kaleidoscope of color. 

Gabriel sputtered on his coffee, staining his suit with the brown liquid, but not caring a bit.

“Adrien?!” He shouted, beyond horrified. He couldn’t tell what was worse, the patterns? The colors? The hair? NO. 

“Where did you get crocs?” Gabriel asked, as Adrien reached the unfortunately unlocked door. 

He turned for just a second, long enough to shout. “Ask my butt, old man!” Before the door shut behind him. 

Gabriel had to call those magazines back. 

—

Plagg arrived at school, drawing the attention of every student mingling there. Some stared in horror, while others held in laughter. 

A student passed Plagg and raised a fist. “Nice duds, dude! Stick it to the man!” 

Plagg responded with a gleeful grin and matching fist bump. 

“Oh my god,” said Nino, as he arrived. “You look amazing.”

“My dad spilled coffee on himself this morning, and the look on his face was totally worth it.”

“God, I wish I could have been there.” Nino sighed. 

“It was pretty amazing, not going to lie.” 

“Oh, while we have a second...I was hoping to have a sleepover this weekend. Marinette and Alya would come over for the evening, and then leave in time for dude’s night. You in?” 

“Just you and me?” 

“Yeah, if that’s cool.” 

“Absolutely! After school tomorrow?” 

“Yeah! Marinette said your schedule was open.” 

“Marinette knew that? I didn’t even know that.” 

“I think she keeps track of that stuff for class activities.” He cleared his throat, not looking at him. “And for no other reason besides that.” 

Plagg chuckled to himself. God, Nino was the worst liar. “I understand. Someone’s got to know my schedule if I don’t.” 

“Marinette is the best, after all.” Nino puffed up his chest, doing his damndest to be a good wingman. 

Plagg didn’t think he needed to try so hard, but props. “She is the best, isn’t she?” 

Nino smiled widely, like he had a secret joke that wouldn’t make sense to anyone. 

A pair of arms wound around his own, squeezing tightly like a boa constrictor. “Good morning Adrien!” Lila chirped. 

“Morning,” Plagg returned, playing casual in front of Nino. 

“I need to talk to you about the photoshoot after school.” She turned to Nino. “Can I borrow your buddy for a minute?” 

“You can have him for five minutes.” Nino winked. 

Lila giggled, sounding pretty realistic to an untrained ear. “Thanks Nino!” Without waiting for Plagg’s permission, she dragged him away to a sequestered corner of the courtyard. 

Before Plagg could even ask what was in her mind, she turned and faced him, expression full of vitriol and rage. It was not a face he’d seen on many mortals. 

“Don’t think I can’t see what you’re trying to do, Adrien.” Her voice was cold, sharp, and harsh. 

Adrien shivered in Plagg’s pocket. 

“And that would be...?”

“Trying to weasel your way out of our little agreement.” 

Plagg blinked, remembering the arrangement they had prepared a while ago. It’s what had gotten Marinette un-expelled. Just schmooze with the brat and she’d leave Marinette alone. But it was very apparent she was ready to take any violation of this agreement as an invitation to jump right back into her conniving ways. 

Plagg would hold out for now, play the long game. He had a plan, and if that failed for some unexplainable reason, then he had another one lined up. It was just a matter of finding out what bait Lila would take. 

He feigned a gasp, as well as she would, and laid a hand on his chest. “Oh Lila, whatever are you talking about? I’m just having a little disagreement with my dear old dad. It’s nothing against you! Honest!” 

She squinted at him. “You’re still on the schedule to model with me later today, so I’m assuming you didn’t actually quit modeling. If you had, this would have turned sour.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Modeling is our ‘fun friendship’ activity, and if you try to get out of it, I’m going to assume you don’t care about Marinette after all.” She shrugged. 

He laughed, a dark sinister laugh that didn’t belong on his handsome, sweet, cherubic face. “You mortals are just so cute when you think you can win against me.”

The look on Lila’s face was perfect. Part confused, part terrified. “What?” 

He spoke with a voice older than time, conjuring magics from the ancient unknowns. “Dos valok th’um krosis!” 

“Did...did you just cast a spell on me?” 

“I don’t know, you tell me. How do your lips feel?” 

She pursed her lips. “I don’t know, a little—“ 

“CHAPPED?” Provided Plagg, with a shit-eating grin. 

“Oh my god.” 

“Do not test me, Lila Rossi. You won’t win.” He gave her a pleasant little smile. 

She stared in bewilderment, before chuckling right back. “Boy, you had me for a second.” She pulled out a tube of chapstick and applied some. “Are you trying to psych me out? Cause it’s not going to work.” 

“Well darn,” said Plagg with a little snap of his fingers. “Thought my necromancy could spook you off. Well, if that didn’t do it, I guess you really do want to be my friend, no matter how quirky I can be.” He gave a happy little sigh. 

Lila was immediately suspicious. “Sure, I want to be your friend...?” It wasn’t supposed to be a question, but Lila wasn’t convinced. 

Unless Adrien really was that naïve. 

“Great!” Plagg clapped. “I have to go talk to Marinette, but we’ll hang out at the shoot! It’s going to be so much fun!” And he hurried off. 

Lila narrowed her eyes back in his direction. There was definitely fishy about that exchange. She couldn’t very well text Gabriel and say, “there’s something suspicious about your son. He actually wants to be my friend. Also he chapped my lips.” That would be too confusing and send all the wrong messages. 

So she resigned to wait until the photoshoot after all. Since, of course, he couldn’t keep up this act for several hours in a row. She could, but she was a professional. 

Her musings came to a halt as she heard the wonderful noise of Marinette’s scream. “MY EYES!!” 

Lila hurried from her nook to find out what had happened. Had someone sprayed her with mace? Pocket sand? 

No. Adrien was merely striking poses in front of her, and she had recoiled in horror. 

“Adrien!” She stated, aghast. “How could you?!” 

He posed again, butt in her direction. “You like?” 

“It’s foul. Are those crocs?!”

“Yep! I contemplated on getting the little ladybug plugs for the holes, but I didn’t really think it was worth it. After all, how often do you look at a man’s feet?” 

“In that outfit, it’s going to be too hard to tell what part is the worst.” Her eyes bounced over the competing patterns and made her dizzy. “Well here,” she handed over a hanger covered with a trash bag. “Your sin against fashion has been committed. I’m willing to do more, but don’t attach my name to it.” 

Adrien just laughed. “Don’t worry, Pooh Bear, your secret is safe with me.” 

Lila’s lips curled in disgust at the nickname. Obviously, she would tell Gabriel that Marinette was enabling his behavior. Maybe she could spin it as her influence all together. Yes, yes, that would work. Two stones and all that. 

—

After school, Lila rode with Adrien to the photoshoot. 

Boy, if she wanted a taste of what the day would be like, she certainly got it. And she should have taken the chance to run. 

“So Nino and I started playing this game with the guys in class,” Adrien had begun, without so much as a greeting. “Have you heard of Magic: The Gathering?” 

“...no?”

“Oh okay, so I’ll tell you all about it.” 

As a master manipulator, Lila understood the masterful art of conversation. There were several strategies she had developed over the years. Her favorite was ‘talk passionately and allow for natural lulls in explanation so they can ask questions’. It made people feel engaged and kept them coming back for more, while she was perceived as interesting and smart, but also humble.

However, it seemed that Adrien was utilizing the beginners mistake of ‘poorly explain a subject you’re not really passionate about without letting the other person talk’. Like an underpaid substitute teacher filling in for a class they don’t know much about.

“So like, there are these cards with different landscapes on them, and they’re all different based on color, right? So there’s water or islands for blue and mountains and stuff for red, right? And each one is worth mana. And you have to use mana to play a card. Except for lands, I think. You can play those whenever, except you have to draw them, you can’t just go searching through your deck. Unless a card tells you you can.” 

Finally, they arrived at the shoot, and Lila nearly fell out of the car in her haste to get away for some peace and quiet, just for a second. 

Who knew that boy could talk so much? 

—

Plagg and his mohawk were led to the makeup trailer. Thankfully for the hairstylist, it came with a salon sink, so Adrien didn’t have to go home and shower. 

“Sorry, Mr. Agreste,” the stylist said as she draped a cape on him. “We have to flatten the mohawk.” 

“That’s alright,” Plagg assured with a polite smile. “It served its purpose.”

“It was very well done, honestly,” she said with a laugh. “For not having the sides of your head shaved, that is.” 

“I had to work with what I had.” 

The stylist just hummed in understanding, as she started to rinse his hair, the gel melting and washing down the drain. 

The stylist sighed, and gave a little huff to herself. 

Plagg normally wouldn’t care, but if his meddling had inconvenienced someone else’s job, that would reflect poorly on Adrien. So, he asked. “Is everything alright?”

“Umm...” she paused, biting her lip. “Look, we’re friends right?” 

Plagg didn’t even know this person’s name. “Of course.” 

“Are you close to Miss Rossi? I know you guys are friends...” 

“I hate her guts.” Plagg declared with a broad smile. 

“Oh good!” She relaxed. “I really really hate working on her. And so does everyone else, and last time she was here, she was just—Ugh, the worst. I got so frustrated because Giuseppe and your father like her, so even if I complained, nothing would happen. Likely, I’m the one that would get in trouble. You remember Alexander, right? The lighting assistant?” 

No. Not one bit. “Yeah?��� 

“Well, she yelled at him one time during a shoot, in the back. Apparently, she wanted coffee and he wouldn’t get it for her, even though that’s soooo not his job. So she complained to Giuseppe and got him fired! Honestly, I don’t know how he didn’t get akumatized over that.” 

“I don’t either!” Plagg said, with surprise. “I knew she was a pain, but yikes...” 

“I think you’re a really cool kid, Adrien. But she’s going around and telling everyone you got her this job and—“ she sighed. “People are getting resentful.” 

Now Plagg was mad. It was immediately apparent that Lila had a ‘if I can’t have them, no one can’ attitude, turning the staff on Adrien if she couldn’t win them over with her outlandish lies. Adrien couldn’t afford having that many enemies. He was too soft. 

“Actually...” Plagg began to explain how Lila had wound up with her job, lying to Nathalie and Gorilla to get access to his house, lying to his father to get on his good side, and all the things she did to Marinette, who he took the bullet for to protect. “She means a lot to me,” Plagg said, in regards to Marinette. “So I didn’t mind having to pretend to be Lila’s friend if it meant she could come back to school and not be harassed anymore. It seems that Lila has a loose form of friendship.” 

The stylist wiped her eyes. “Oh Adrien, you’ve got such a heart of gold. I’ll set everything straight with the team. Don’t you worry!” 

“I actually have a plan, that you might let everyone in on. And I apologize in advance.” 

“Lay it on me.” 

—

By time Lila was called in to get ready, Plagg had been groomed into a normal looking boy with normal looking hair and clothes. Though normal protocol usually had Lila in hair and make-up alone with the stylists, Plagg sat in a chair nearby, separated from her by a curtain. 

“Adrien? Shouldn’t you be out there?”

“Oh it’s okay, I wanted to keep telling you about this game.”

“Oh, well, you shouldn’t keep Giuseppe…”

“He won’t mind. So, there’s a bunch of colors, right? Red, Black, Green, Blue, White, and…one more. I think there’s one more.” 

A sigh was heard from the other side of the curtain. 

“No, no I was right, there’s only five. But you can combine them. But not like, mix them? It’s like, Blue-Black, and Red-Black. And Green-Blue. And so different colors have different themes, right? And the themes are different based on the set. Oh yeah, there’s different sets and Wizards of the Coast release like, two or three sets a year. I think. Like they had this one that was all about Dinosaurs and pirates. But they usually aren’t that wacky. Unless it’s a joke set. Which that one wasn’t. I can’t remember the name of it right now, but it started with an ‘I’.” And he was off, explaining all he could remember of the game, from what Adrien had told him, to what he had heard while the boys played at school. If he could find a point to elaborate on, he did. 

Every once in a while, he’d make eye contact with a staff member, who would in turn grin and give a secret thumbs up. 

He started to run out of steam while Lila was in makeup. 

Thankfully, one of the technicians with a grudge noticed, and helped him out. “Would you ever play competitively?” 

Through the mirror, Plagg could see the lightbulb go off over Lila’s head. “You know, my grandfather was one of the chess masters of the world. He won lots of tournaments, and I’m sure he’d love to give you some pointers if you were interested, Adrien.” 

The technician answered for him. “Chess? We’re talking about Magic: The Gathering. Two totally different games. The tournaments are pretty fun too, but I really enjoy playing at pre-releases. They usually only allow you to play with the set you’re buying, so you can’t look at them beforehand…” 

Plagg beamed at the guy, thrilled with how quickly he had shut Lila down. 

Lila, however, was undeterred. She met the eyes of the female stylist and just shrugged. “Boys, right? So, this weekend—“ 

“Shh,” the stylist hushed. “I’ve been trying for weeks to learn this game.” 

Lila crossed her arms and sat silently for the rest of the session.

Once the models were all dolled up, they were escorted out to the set, and Giuseppe got to work with posing. 

Here’s where Lila tried to make up for lost attention. 

“Oh Giuseppe! I had such a wonderful idea for the shoot today! Since the gardens are in full bloom—“

“Which reminds me!” Plagg snapped his fingers. “Green-Black combination cards are really unique because they create a bunch of minions. Like, the cards in them have the ability to spam the battlefield with like a bunch of little guys called tokens that take a lot of extra work to get rid of. Well, like, not a ton of extra work, because they only have like one HP, but like, it's more work then you would have had to do. Wait, white, not black. Actually, I think white is the best at tokens, my mistake.” 

Despite her best efforts, Lila could not suppress a full body eye roll. 

It was exactly what Plagg was waiting for, and he jumped in for the finisher. He turned his sad kitten eyes to her, looking like Puss in Boots from Shrek, and asked, in the most pathetic voice he could muster. “Am I annoying you?” 

Lila stared at him, as the staff and Giuseppe looked right at her, to see her response. 

“I…I…” she stammered. “N-no, not at all, Adrien. I…love hearing about this game.” 

He beamed. “Good! Because I have to tell you about my favorite combination of Blue-black. It’s really high in conditions and making things difficult for the opponents, right?” 

Lila’s nostrils flared, but she held back any other sign of frustration. It was remarkable, really. 

Plagg was quiet while Giuseppe gave directions, and during the actual shooting, but in between takes, when he didn’t have to be ‘professional’ he filled in the silence with whatever jargon he could find. He was wearing her down. 

“Alright,” Giuseppe finally said. “We’re all done with you, Lila. Now it’s just Adrien’s solo shoot. But you can stay if you like.” 

Lila was already halfway to the trailers. “I’m so sorry Giuseppe, I have somewhere I have to be this evening, so I’m going to head out. I’ll see everyone next time!” And she practically sprinted off set. 

Once she left, Giuseppe gave a loud sigh of relief. “Now let’s get some real work done.” 

—

Later that evening, when Adrien and Plagg had returned to the mansion, Adrien sat on the desk as Plagg scrolled online. Homework had been completed with ease, and it was still too early for bed.  

“What are you reading?” Adrien asked. 

“I’m trying to slog my way through the lore of that video game you like, the one with the Dragons. I have to have more ammunition the next time I deal with Lila. I almost ran out today.” 

“Is that what I sound like?”

“What?”

“You today, when you were talking about Magic. Is that what I sound like to you? Do I ramble on?” 

Plagg screwed up his lips in thought. “Mmmm, sometimes.” 

Adrien hunched in on himself. 

“But look. Culture and creative medium has grown astronomically in the last 200 years since I’ve been asleep. I want to know about what’s out there. I like hearing about things that you enjoy. Even if it is annoying sometimes, I still care about you. The reason I pulled this strategy is because Lila likes to talk, and she doesn’t like to listen. Even if I was talking passionately about something I knew a lot about, I doubt she would have cared. I hear how often she interrupts class.” 

Adrien hadn’t thought about it like that. 

“You know who Pavlov is, right?”

“Uh, the guy that did the experiment with the dog, right? He rang a bell and gave his dog a treat, and eventually the dog came to associate the bell with treats.” 

“Precisely. Humans are the same way. Knowing this principle is the easiest way to win people over. You have to make them associate you with good feelings. If you treat people well, be friendly, courteous, and funny, eventually, people will like to be around you. The same works in reverse. If I can associate myself with frustration and annoyance for Lila, she won’t want to be around me. Being straight up mean to her won’t work because she’ll see that as a challenge.”

“So you have to be subtle,” Adrien concluded.  “Thats…that’s genius.” 

“I know.” 

“So you don’t think I’m annoying?” 

Plagg rubbed him between the ears. “I only found you annoying when you would complain about Ladybug, your dad, or Lila. But now, in your shoes, I’ve realized how easy it is to get frustrated about these things. But hopefully soon enough, you won’t even have to worry about it.” 

Adrien smiled brightly. “Thanks Plagg. I hated this at first…but you really are making some progress.” 

“Told you. Now, help me pack. You have your first sleepover tomorrow night.” 

“My first sleepover, and I’m going to spend it crammed in a bag!”

[wollfling]

Hi Allie! I wondered if I could ask you for some advice. I want to draw really badly and create art but I really don't have any skill! I know that in order to get better at art I have to actually do it, but I feel so overwhelmed by how I'm not where I want to be with it right away, and also with where to start with learning to draw. Do you ever feel that way when you draw? And if you do how have you gotten past it?

[I am literally so sorry this is so long oh my God. My mind has been very jumbled lately so I accidentally rambled too much, but I hope it still helps you in any way orz] Oh sweet little anon.. ;^; I do feel that way, a lot of the time if not all of the time! Just recently this week, I felt like I just couldn't draw despite picking up my pencil and scribbling, it just wasn't working partly for that exact reason! Overwhelmed by not being where I want to be with it! These things happen and its frustrating. It's hard for me to imagine as a beginner artist because I've been drawing since I can remember but I will still do my best to offer you some meaningful advice!

But first, to answer your very last question, getting past it can be a little random sometimes. This whole week after being unable to draw, I was laying in bed trying to sleep while reflecting on some heavy feelings ive been having and memories. Suddenly part of an image flashed in my mind and I got up to immediately try drawing it. (The drawing I recently posted and captioned "parade"!) I worked on it completely driven by my heart, and so it didn't matter at the time if it looked good or was anatomically correct, etc. Right now I am working on another heart-driven drawing, but if I tried to work on lets say a study or character drawing instead.. I dont think i could!

My point in all this is that, I think that its important to know/understand why you want to create art, and I think my advice would change slightly depending on your answer. For me personally, I am an emotional artist. I create art that (usually) reflects how I'm feeling or topics I am emotionally drawn to. Illustrations, drawing characters, writing comics, etc.. I think this week, while I'm definitely struggling with my skill level, I was so burdened by some things I've been feeling lately that I couldn't focus on or enjoy anything that I was trying to create, until I was able to release it all in a drawing. (And I'm still not done with them hence why I am now working on another related drawing, but im making SOMETHING and feeling passionate which cannot be said with any of my other attempts this week.) So since these drawings purpose outweigh my current issues regarding my skill, I am able to work on them. If that makes sense?

Okay im sorry with how long-winded this all is so far and all about myself orz but I wanted to give context on how I view art and I think if you asked someone who creates like. Hyperrealistic drawings their answers would be completely different. So! I wanted you to be able to judge if my advice would work for you if that makes any sense at all...!!! Moving on to my actual advice then..!

This is a little general ofc because I dont know what sort of art you are creating, or what your passion behind it is. And if after this you would like to tell me more about your art I would love to hear! 🥺💗 you are welcome to dm me or if you send another anon/ask i think that would be good too since.. well other artists who see can also give their own advice too!

Okay. So anyways lol, first I want to tell you that your desire to create art makes you an artist, despite your skill level. And therefore, everything and anything that you make even now has value. Even if right now you're drawing wonky shaded spheres and cubes! I understand its frustrating when wanting to make something but you feel like your skill isn't "there" and how that can prevent you from making anything to begin with!! But I really want you to try and work through it! Ignore it, disregard it, give your worries about your skill the silent treatment!! And I know its near impossible to do but if its getting in the way of you actually creating well.. thats the worst! We can't have that. If you really want to draw, then you really NEED to draw, you know what I mean? You deserve to draw! The hardest part for like 80% of artists is working around their skill level. I promise you will get there, but for now, you can't let it get in your way. And I realize me saying "oh you feel like you're not good at drawing and its hindering you from doing it? Just do it" sounds like Chad advice but ;---; unfortunately its the reality that comes with being an artist. If you tell me more about what you like to/why you want draw then maybe we can find some alternate lines of thinking that will help you (for example "this tiger i drew looks like shit but drawing all of her stripes was therapeutic and made it worth it!" If lets say you draw as a stim, opposed to "this tiger im drawing looks so bad I can't even look at it anymore " dhsjhd I really hope that this all makes sense lol.)

Moving on, learning how to draw.. this also depends on what you enjoy drawing but my main piece of advice here is study from real life. I grew up drawing cartoons and anime, and now that I want to draw a little more realistically.. its so hard!! If you study real shapes/people/animals/etc it might be easier later on when you understand fundamentals to bend them if you decide to create stylized or surreal art. However if right now you like to draw stylized art, I would recommend to keep working on your personal style while studying from real life on the side simultaneously! Any way you look at it, understanding how shapes, lighting, colour, etc work in the real world will help you out even with the most obscure pieces. And since art is a learned skill yknow you need to build those brain..pathways..and such. Im not a scientist but you get what i mean. Studies are the equivalent to lifting weights! I would recommend the website quickposes (com) they have a library of images that they throw at you at random. The site can explain itself better than I can lmao, check it out!!!

I really hope i was able to offer you something of value here, I didnt mean to ramble so much. I'm excited for you to grow as an artist, I love when I hear about others deciding to learn how to draw ;-; please feel welcome to ask for any clarification (as im having a hard time articulating my thoughts lately) or if you really just want to ask or say anything! ♡♡♡ again sorry if this was more than you bargained for length wise dhsishskshksj

[zeldaismyhomegirl]

Cat’s Masterlist of Recs Part 2

Another week, another long, long list of recs! I’ve discovered so many gems in the past couple of days and I can’t wait to share them with you so you can go and love them too ^.^

caidy:

Gold Plate (translated into English by amanuensis)- Then he adds, “We broke up yesterday.” Mila chokes on her coffee, and in a moment of childish cruelty, he smiles.“What?” she says, wincing. “Wait, yesterday?” Yuri shrugs. He thinks he should probably be sad, but he isn’t. Maybe because it was mostly his decision.“What happened?” “Nothing special. We had eleven great years.” He’d be lying to deny it, he thinks. “But we reached the end of our relationship,” he adds. “That’s all. We agreed it was time to end it.”

(I stumbled across this accidentally and have not stopped thinking about it since. Beautiful. So beautiful. I want this fic engraved onto my tombstone.)

@blownwish-blog :

Bizarre Love Triangle- Yuri Plisetsky met them both on his knees in the boys' room. One would stay, the other could not. America was one fucked up country.(The 80s high school au you didn't ask for.)

(I can’t believe I hadn’t read this before this week, but this has got to be the best damn Otapliroy I’ve ever read- so so good! The setting was incredible, the feelings, the details. Just incredible.)

magicalyoyo:

A Heart Beats At Night- A lone figure ran along the sidewalk. Otabek would have mistaken him for a motivated jogger, if not for the sinewy, fluid movements and familiar figure. He jerked his bike over, skidding to a halt in front of the runner.Otabek’s heart was pounding a sickening, dizzying rhythm, but he schooled his face into stoicism as he pulled his helmet off to get a better look.“Yuri Plisetsky died two years ago,” he growled. “What the hell are you?”

(I’ve been reading this for months now and after a certain development in today’s chapter just had to kinda shout about my love for it. It’s  paranormal au. I’m not gonna lie, that put me off reading it for MONTHS but PLEASE PLEASE don’t let this disaude you as althought it’s definitely a plot line, it’s not the cominating factor of the story, not by a long shot. It’s got angst, the most beautifully written plot and descriptions, love, affection. @ded-i-am-just-ded  I’m actually just gonna rec this to you straight up right here right now so you can cry with me because I’m sure you’ll love it like I do.)

@phaytesworld : 

Yuri!!! On Circus-  Yuri!!! on Circus! In this AU you will have Victor as an albino, Yuuri a contortionist, Yuri the cat boy, Otabek a giant mute, Georgi the Fortuneteller. The cast will all be acts with in the circus. We will follow as Leo has run away with the circus, different acts, troubles and just in general the circus life set in early 1900's.

Hung- Prompt - Imagine what the fandom would be like if Yuri was the one with 19 cm... I might have made him larger......

Sand and Salt- Summer romances are always the best. Guang Hong, local surfer kid at the beach falls for the lifeguard in town for the summer.

(She’s done it again. My eyes have been opened to the beauty of LeoJi, Hung Yuri and fucking fortune teller Georgi because YES I live for that. Phayte is a miracle worker with words and imagination- I can barely keep up with everything she writes, I honestly have no idea how she does it!)

@the-stoned-ranger

Only Losers Go To School- When Otabek Altin's employer discovers his diploma is fake, he loses his job as a pharmacist and enrolls in Detroit Community College. Forced to take an advanced-level French literature class taught by the deranged Monsieur Lee, Otabek starts a study group in order to impress his crush and makes the friends he never knew he wanted in the process.Yuri Plisetsky is the pint-sized art student with the brilliant wit and bad attitude who immediately captures Otabek's attention. Though Yuri rejects Otabek's advances at their first meeting, together they survive a French professor obsessed with ennui, a psychology professor fixated on sex, and study group shenanigans. As the semester progresses, Yuri and Otabek slowly draw closer. Are they really just friends, or could they be something more?

Eat Your Heart Out, Adonis- The year is 2021. The Beijing Winter Olympics are just around the corner, and Yuri Plisetsky is forced to take a break from skating in order to recover from an ankle injury. His friend Otabek comes to Russia to keep him company during his time off the ice. UST follows.

(I love me some good goddamn unresolved sexual tension and beautifully written smut! I would read anything they threw at me, I’m not going to lie- everything is just so well crafted and feels so realistic. I especially love in Only Losers the whole psychology paper and getting those little glimpses into the other characters and their sexual personalities- so so clever!!!!)

@onotherflights

Almaty’s Fire- They were like the lost boys, and of course Otabek was Peter. Yuri was fine with being Wendy if it meant he got to keep the thimble at the end of everything, when the sirens would be drowned out by the sounds of drums and the blue and red lights would flash something gorgeous against his skin.

Or; The lead singer is supposed to have a ton of groupies. Otabek only has the one.

Start of Everything-  He didn't realize someone could fall in love with their best friend, but watching Yuri light a sparkler and chase the other Yuuri around his own garden made something click. The way he threw his head back in laughter, his hair and his face equally lit in the golden twilight. It was just a little ache in his heart, something he hadn't felt before. It confused him, made him furrow his brows together.

Or; Otabek has tried really hard to be good enough for everyone in his life, but Yuri is easy to please.

(I’m so happy I stumbled back upon these works- I remember reading the first chapters of both way back before I even had an ao3 account (which isn’t even that long ago lol) and being absolutely blown away with how well they are written. Especially in Start of Everything- the way Beka’s feelings and anxieties are presented- gosh it felt so so real)

@doitforthefics :

The Law of Life- By nineteen Yuri Plisetsky thinks he's got his life figured out. He's one of Russia's top male skaters and will defend his title tooth and claw.Then Otabek, Yuri's best friend or boyfriend - he's not quite sure what the hell they are - hits him with an actual sledge hammer; he's leaving the ice to become a professional DJ.Yuri comes to realise then that he, in fact, has nothing figured out at all. With his support system screwed up, he finds himself sucked into a world where sincerity is superficial, and vindictiveness cuts twice as deep.

(I know there can be a lot of schtick with A/B/O but this one is amazing. There is undeniable sexual tension between Beka and Yuri in this that makes me want to scream, and the fact that there’s still so many chapters to come makes me so happy ^.*) 

JBankai89:

Lost in the Sound of Separation-  Following the Grand Prix Final in Barcelona, Yuri Plisetsky disappears. Only Otabek seems to be concerned about him, while his friends and family seem to care little about where he may have gone.Two years later, Otabek has moved from his home rink to one in a small college town in Québec, Canada, and a late-night stop at a nearby convenience store proves to be the small rocks that start an avalanche.Everything was about to change.

(Another A/B/O, albeit this one is much much darker, so please be aware of the tags. I love how this is from Beka’s point of view showing his struggles with Yuri’s absence, and then reappearance in his life.)

vivevoce:

what did you expect- At some point, Yuri makes the Best Decision/Worst Mistake of his young life in befriending the flaming trainwreck that is Otabek Altin. He can't quite bring himself to regret it, so he decides on enjoying the ride and Not Screwing Things Up.

(I love this so so much! I’m not sure what you’d classify this au under, neighbours? Friends to lovers? But again it focuses on Beka’s struggles with being an ignored only child, and how he deals with it. It’s definitely bittersweet and although it hasn’t been updated in a while, I highly recommend the read!)

@cashryley :

Prima’s Pleasures- Having almost everything he could possibly want, a very wealthy Otabek Altin decides to do something he's never done before: hire an escort.

(Okay this is so so good! The last update has left me on the edge of my seat because there’s so much developing between Beka and Yuri, there’s been shifts that I can’t wait to read more about! And Yuri as a protective cat mom with the tiger lillies made me smile like fucking crazy!)

Faylette:

This Man Is Mine- Yuri Plisetsky is over people thinking he's girly. At least, he thinks he's over it, until he sees people react to his relationship with Otabek Altin. But he'll keep telling himself he's over it. He can keep this up. Who cares what they think?Yuri. The answer is Yuri cares.

(this is one of the first fics I ever came across on ao3, back when the first chapter came out in Feb. I was hooked instantly. I think by now people know I’m a sucker for insecurites and this shows Yuri’s and how eventually he comes to terms with it so well. Plus, the smut is hot (; )

@ded-i-am-just-ded

Dead Air- You looked me in the eye and lied.

(Mind the tags again! But it looks like the angst off has begun (; If you want a guaranteed cry go and check this out!)

@theinsanefox : 

The Drabble Chronicles- A series of drabbles focused mainly on Otayuri, but could also eventually include other pairings from YOI

(There’s some light hearted fluff, there’s some angst that’ll make you cry, but my love’s drabbles are so good and will make you smile ^.*)

@aphhun : 

we just need a human touch-  What happens on a tour stop in Almaty will stay in Almaty. Well — probably.

“Give me your phone,” was the next thing out of his mouth, and Yuri found himself near squinting at the other.

 “What?”

“Your phone. I’m going to give you my number,” persisted the DJ, and if Yuri had been more devoted to getting drunk earlier on in the evening, he knew that he would have handed it over without a second thought or a question. Sober Yuri, however, was more rational and undoubtedly skeptical.

“You literally don’t even know my name."

(Oh my god, I love love love this DJ/Dancer AU so much. I just went back to reread it and I fell in love all over again!)

@aftgonice:

Not a random one-  He found that those fluffy and sweet fan fictions were starting not to be enough anymore. His feelings for Otabek weren’t of the innocent type, and while he was already used to fantasize about them, he’d gotten so used to actually reading that one day he just slipped. He found a pretty vanilla one, and promised himself that it would be enough. It was a one time thing, it had to be. It wasn’t.

(this is so creative, such a great format and an original idea! It’s fluffly as well as smutty- just perfect!)

Right, now I need to go back to planning chapter 11 of Just a Spark and actually writing chapter 3 of Summer On Your Skin. I said I was taking the weekend off, but there’s only so much binge watching of OITNB I can do before actually working on my own fics xD Have a lovely week everyone!

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #86

“will we make our mark this time?  will we always say we tried?”

what is your opinion on homesexual people? they're just as human as heterosexuals. are you an atheist? why? no. because the idea of this world existing as it does by pure chance is ludicrous. are you a skeptic? why? on certain things, sure. you gotta be lest you wanna be naive. do you know what anime is? yes? do you tolerate people who are against, or just don't like your opinions? why and how? of course. people think differently, get over it. that's how and why i do it. do you watch youtube? constantly lol do you draw often? not anymore. :( do you make art (any form of it)? photography regularly, drawing very, very rarely. are you a leader, or a follower? i'm a follower unless i need to be otherwise. are you an introvert, ambivert, or extrovert? i'm a massive introvert. are you an optimist, realist, or pessimist? mix between realist and pessimist. would you punch me in the nose for $20? i wouldn't punch anyone. do you think your country is better than other countries? if so, explain. absolutely not. all countries have their flaws. civilization itself does. if you had to be stuck in one age for the rest of eternity, how old would you want to be? 21. do you accept constructive criticism easily? sometimes. i'm very sensitive, so i sometimes take it as someone being disappointed in me. would you rather have immense physical strength or strength of character? strength of character, of course. lions or tigers? hmmmm... tigers. how is your life going right now? where do you want it to be in 5 years? things are actually going great. all i want in five years is to have a steady job, hopefully as a photographer. what is your favorite quote? by who?  "plant trees you know you'll never sit under the shade of," by mark fischbach. do you button your shirt from the top or the bottom? the bottom what was the last song you listened to? "rooftops" by the lost prophets do you like snow or see it as annoying? i love the snow!! what was your favorite disney movie as a kid? is it still your favorite? "the lion king," and yes. do you ever think about embarrassing moments and cringe? a lot, actually. do you watch scary movies on your own? yeah. have you ever been called vain? do you agree with them? no. what is your favorite condiment to go with french fries? ketchup what color is your mp3/ipod? hot pink have you ever laid in a hammock? yeah. we used to have one. have you ever lost a pet in a tragic way? how did you cope? we had to put our dog dale down when he got horribly sick with spleen cancer, and watching him die so quickly... that was awful. my chinese water dragon also died horribly; it was agonizingly slow and he was obviously in pain. :( have you ever ate a zucchini? fried zucchini, yes. what type of art would you hang up in your room? morbid/goth shit. what are your pet’s names? teddy, cali, bentley. and i'm adopting my snake whom i'll be naming venus very soon. (: honestly, do you think that you’re going to be an overprotective parent? i don't want kids. but if i ever do, i know i'd be overprotective as all fuckhell. would you rather have ice cream, freeze pops, or popsicles in the summer? ice cream is love, ice cream is life. do you ever read someone else’s survey site and know pretty much what’s going on or what went through in their life? lmao yes have you ever encountered a ghost? 100% positive i have. would you rather be at the beach right now? yes, actually. i went to the beach last may, and this question's got me thinking about it. it was fun. do you know any parent that lets their kids smoke or drink? my friend, who has a pretty conservative mother (i think), lets her. i mean, this girl flaunts it on facebook, and she's friends with her mother. i don't get it. would you ever let your kid smoke weed? over my dead fucking body. are you currently in love? no. do you swear regularly? yes. do you believe in abortion? N O are you homophobic? no. have you ever done anything illegal? illegally downloaded things. what’s your favorite time of day? dawn. do you prefer to be called by a nickname or your real name? real name. what's the farthest you’ll go on a first date? just hugging. have you ever been to a rave? no. are you racist? not at all. do you ever find yourself daydreaming? i do that a lot. what is the lowest thing you’ve ever done? inadvertently getting my friend's boyfriend to break up with her because he was interested in me. is their someone in your life you know you couldn’t live without? my mother. where do you stand on body piercings and tattoos? fuckin' awesome. if you were granted one wish what would you ask for? to not be mentally ill. if you wear glasses, are they dirty right now?  not really. do you put your hair up when you cook?  i don't cook. do you prefer mountain dew or sprite?  mountain dew. i don't like sprite. does anybody in your contacts have a heart after their name?  no. what did you last use a q-tip for? cleaning my ears. who was the villain in the last superhero movie you watched? don't recall... i don't watch superhero movies a lot. but the last occurrence that comes to mind when i saw the batman movie with bane in it. so it's been years. well, i saw "logan" recently. is wolverine considered a hero?? silver or gold? gold. i'm allergic to silver. what is your favorite unisex name? hmm... good question. i just went through a list of unisex names just outta curiosity to see if i could find one that really resonated with me, and i like blair, dakota, and hayden. name a movie that you think is completely stupid: "the purge." the concept is so fucking stupid. does your phone have hole for charms? no. do you like the color green? no. was it your fault your last relationship failed? it was no one's "fault." he wanted something i wasn't. what time zone do you live in? est. who do you wish you would never see again? why? rachel. because she's a motherfucking bitch. who have you hurt the most so far in your life? what did you do to them?  idk? probably my mother. what was the first movie you can remember seeing at the cinema? probably "finding nemo." have you ever been physically or mentally abused? how did it effect you? no. do you consider yourself a vengeful person? if so, why’d you think that is? not really. have you ever been in a physical fight? what started it? no, but almost. what one quality do you have that you are proud of?  i'm passionate as fuck. have you ever been hospitalized? what for? i've been to mental hospitals five times. who’s the last person you talked to about sex? my doctor. she asked if i was sexually active. where is the biggest scar on your body? my left shin. it was itchy as all fuck one day and i scratched it to the point that i left a pretty big scar. would you date someone who was addicted to drugs?  fuck no. are your parents divorced?  yes. do you have any friends that are emo?  yes. would you ever live with any of your best friends?  sure. how many people in your life have you kissed? two. are you photogenic?  HAAAA would you ever date anyone your parents disapproved of? yes. who i date isn't their business. i mean of course i'd take into account why they think i shouldn't date him, but ultimately, they don't decide. how many tattoos do you have? and how many do you want? i have four, but i have over 100 ideas saved. i wanna be covered. the only area that's off-limits to me personally is my face and actually on my boobs. do you think it’s a bunch of bull shit when people say “i have no regrets”? honestly? yeah. i know damned well everyone's got at least one thing they wish they hadn't done. do you get scared during scary movies? no. they're just movies. where do you want to live when you’re older?  in the mountains of nc. do you miss your past? little parts, but not really anymore. do you slam doors when you’re mad? sometimes. have you ever been out of your home country? sadly, no. do you consider yourself pretty? no. do you consider yourself brave?  no. if you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be?  zoey. do you think you’re indecisive? i'm the most indecisive person you will EVER meet. what’s something you want to change in your life? i want a career. what brand’s your winter jacket? i don't have an exclusively winter jacket. how many books have you read this month? none. is it hard to find parking where you live? no. welcome to the south. have you ever taken a picture with santa when you were little? yeah. have you ever dyed your hair and if so, what color? it's been black, purple, red... are you a secretive person? yeah, honestly. what’s something you’re attracted to? usually tattoos. who was your first celebrity crush? jesse mccartney lmao describe as much as you can remember of your first kiss. we were tickling each other on his bed, he pinned me, his face was close to mine, so i kissed him and he blushed and it was adorable. i know a lot of first kisses are awkward, but ours was actually wonderful and super cute. favorite romantic movie? "the notebook" Weeps is there anywhere you rather be? where?  i'd always rather be at the zoo lmao who is the first person that you know will respond to your messages asap?  mom. name one unpopular opinion of yours:  abortion is fucking repulsive. is there anybody you wish to open up to but just can’t for the sake that they will judge you? lots of people. if you either had the choice of being able to teleport anywhere or being able to read anyone’s mind, which would you pick? teleportation, 100% favorite holiday? H A L L O W E E N ! ! ! would you rather go to california or texas on vacation? texas to visit two of my friends, but cali in general. do you call it fall or autumn? autumn can you fall asleep in a car? usually, no. do you live in an area that gets all four seasons? usually. are you closer to your mother or father? mom do you have a best friend of the opposite sex? he's not my best friend, but i have a guy friend. name's girt. ever been to a bar or club? no. have you ever been in a secret relationship? kinda... but it wasn't an official relationship. do you like rollercoasters? i've never been on one. i'm scared of getting sick. tell me about your first break up, if you had one. it was easy. i wasn't into him like that, so i told him via a note because i'm lame as fuck. where do you want to travel next?  i wanna go to south africa to photograph. what is your favorite gif at the moment?  hm. i don't really have one? what is your favorite word? "rigorous" if you had the chance: would you go to space?  no. no one goes to space for a short period of time. do you like the beach boys? sure! their songs are so happy to me and make me think of summer. can you blow bubbles with gum? yeah. does your last ex deserve to die? absolutely not, jc. who do you tell the most to?  sara. has anyone ever told you they want to spend the rest of their life with you?  yeah. how long does it take for you to take a shower? like 10 minutes. do you like the smell of gasoline? NO would you rather date a person with a british accent or an irish accent? BRI'ISH how many kids do you want to have? none. have you had the chicken pox?  no. which makes me nervous 'cuz i know it can be fatal when you're older. have you ever been around someone who was high?  yes. do people ever spell your name wrong? yes. lots of people spell it as "britney." do you sleep on your side, stomach, or back? side is it easy for you to accept loss? NOOOOO are you wearing a ring? yes. do you think it’s possible to fall in love with someone in just 2 weeks? hell no. what kind of signs do you use when you pose for pictures? (i.e peace signs, thumbs up, rock, etc) none. where do you find new bands? youtube recommendations. what math subject is your favorite? (i.e. algebra, statistics, business math, trigonometry, geometry, etc.) uhhh, none? how about science?  genetics. would you ever dye your hair? if so what color? lots and lots of colors. do you wish during 11:11? no. do you flush the toilet with your hand or your foot? hand. i ain't that flexible, brother. what’s your myers-briggs type indicator (ex: entp)? infj what’s your favorite game show? "family feud" how many times a day do you use the restroom? lots. i drink a lot. do you still speak to your ex’s parents? no. who was the last person who drew you a picture?  tyler. are any of your siblings married?  yes. ashley. maybe tiffany, but i don't know her, so. what do you usually put in your omelets? cheese, bacon bits. have you ever tried to go vegetarian and if so, how long did you last? no. what kind of exotic animal do you think you could keep as a pet? i wish i could have a fox, but it's not legal in north carolina and their urine is horrendous. what’s the largest body of water near your hometown? do rivers count? in that case, the tar river. do you like kiwis?  hell yeah! at school, which area of science did you prefer, biology, chemistry or physics? biology. i had a hard time with parts of chemistry. which did you prefer between geography and history? geography. i hated history. have you ever had a main part in a play? no. when do you prefer to take a shower, in the morning or night?  night. what’s your most recent mistake? hmmm. if you could live in one country, where would you live?  here's fine. who inspires you the most? mark edward fischbach<3 what’s your opinion on fast food?  it's fine. at the moment, what song you listen to the most?  "rooftops" by lost prophets what was the last liquid that you choked on?  *shrugs* when you kiss a person, where do your hands usually go?  neck. when drinking hard alcohol, do you take shots more or make mixed drinks? i don't like hard alcohol. have you ever been told you’ve punched someone in your sleep? lmao yeah. poor jason. when can you legally go to an american bar?  i can now. if a bug is in your car, do you kill it or try to push it out your window? i try to get it out the window if it's flying. what was your first pet? do you still have this pet? the pet my family had when i was born was a female collie named trigger. my first personal pet was a guinea pig named squeak, i think. where was the last place you went on vacation?  the beach. do you know anyone who self-harms? sadly. if you were president, which one would you legalize first: abortion or marijuana? well i mean both are legal in most places, but if they weren't and i had to pick, marijuana. what are your parents’ names and what do they do for a living? donna- pharmacist; ken- mailman. do you have any siblings? what are their names, age and grade they are in? katie (30-something, not in school); bobby (30, not in school); misty (29, not in school); tiffany (???); ashley (24?, not in school); nicole (19, college student). do you know a schizophrenic person? my half-sister. did you ever watch sailor moon? if so, who is your favorite? yes, but i don't remember who was my favorite. have you seen the game show “baggage”? yeah. it was so fucking scripted but seeing people's secrets was kinda interesting. would you ever dye your hair pink? sure, but i'd wanna be skinny. i don't believe certain hair colors look good on certain weights. have you ever liked someone of the same gender while otherwise classifying as straight? no. are you saving it for marriage? i am. have you ever had sex with someone as a favor? no. do you worry more about other people’s happiness than your own? not anymore. my happiness comes first. name five people you care about more than anything: mom, dad, ashley, nicole, and i honestly can't pick between a fifth?? what is your favorite accent or tone of voice? british favorite game of all time? "silent hill 2" is a motherfucking masterpiece worst injury you’ve ever had?  i skinned the everliving fuck out of my knees. do you collect anything? meerkat stuff, "silent hill" memorabilia do you like hot sauce?  yes. what is your heritage? german, irish, polish are you rich?  hell no. do you prefer writing with black or blue pens? black what was your favorite book as a child? i really liked "how to make a rainbow" and "stellaluna" what is your most used emoji? probably ;v; did you ever consider getting your tongue pierced? yes, snake eyes. i didn't though because it's really unsafe when you have a metal retainer. if you had to only use either shampoo or conditioner, which would it be?  shampoo. i don't use conditioner anyway. type of music you dislike most? rap what kind of back pack do you have, and what’s in it? the one i had in college is a ouija board design. have you ever had to be put to sleep for an operation? i actually don't know. i had tubes put in my ears as a young child, but idk if you're put to sleep for that? are you scared of giving birth? more like horrified. it's part of the reason i don't want kids. do you prefer boys to shave down there? i honestly don't care at all. it's natural. if your doctor told you TODAY that you were pregnant, what would you say? that's physically impossible. do you have a funny last name? does anyone make fun of it? what's it start with? no, and "d" what color is your cell phone? black. would you rather sing or dance? dance. if you were a witch, which animal would be your familiar? a sphinx which country would you NOT want to travel to? well i mean, obviously north korea. would you ever visit a ghost town? sure! which natural disaster scares you the most? T O R N A D O S what is your favorite phase of the moon? full. if you get a one-word response like “lol”, do you still bother to reply?   no. do you know your blood type?  a- what was your favorite board game as a child?   "mall madness" lmfao d o n o t j u d g e m e would you cry if you found out you were pregnant?  more like sob. have your parents ever smoked pot?  idk have you ever met any bands/band members before?  no. are you stuck in the past?   not anymore! (: ready for winter to come?  hell yeah.  make this spring+summer quick. do you think the person you like is cute?  he's adorable what kind of dog do you find most ugly?   i don't think any dog is "ugly," but i'm not particularly fond of chihuahuas. which show is better spongebob or the fairly odd parents?   "fairly odd parents" was the bomb.com do you have a reoccurring dream?   no.

[renafreefall]

2020 is here and with it comes another Goodreads Reading Challenge. This year I set the challenge for 50 books, I have no idea if I’ll surpass that or not hit it at all since my reading challenges are always all over the place but, hopefully, I’ll surpass it again like this year… or, last year as of today!

But while I read a lot, (great distraction from when I should have been researching for my dissertation) I am WAY behind on my blog. Like the last one was in the middle of the year and most of my reading was after that! Not to mention how far behind I am on my proof/ARCs readings! >.<

So while I start my 2020 challenge, I figured I’d start my year with an overview of the books I read after my last read/review (which was Alex in Wonderland (great book, check it out)).

Some of these books/series I’ve decided to do actual full reviews for but for the most part, very few stood out to me. That or they were rereads and I probably won’t do reviews for them, but who knows. I’ll probably reread them again so I might actually get around to taking notes as I go.

But! Last year’s theme was almost exclusively M/M fiction. So if you want an idea of M/M series to pick up, this is the blog for you, lol!

So without further ado, following on from Alex in Wonderland:

  Surreal Estate:

Sasha Michaels is a psychic with an affinity for houses. And he’s homeless. Go figure. After months of sleeping rough, he stumbles upon an abandoned house, and the lonely place beckons him inside. He’s finally safe . . . until someone comes blundering into his hideaway.

House-flipper Nick Cooper lost everything in the recession. Desperate to revive his business, he turns to a loan shark to fund his comeback project: flipping an abandoned house full of potential. But it turns out the house has an unexpected occupant.

Nick and Sasha make a deal: Sasha can stay in exchange for helping with the renovation. To both of their surprise, the closer they get to the loan shark’s due date, the stronger their feelings for each other grow. Problem is, Nick isn’t the only one with feelings for Sasha, and now the house doesn’t want to let Sasha go.

This was the type of book where I remember the punny title and I remember the gist of it – and for some reason I really remember Nick’s description of how Sasha moves when he finally learns that Sasha has a psychic connection to houses – something about him basically hugging the walls when he moved through rooms because he’s avoiding walking into ghost furniture, but the ins and outs of the story, I couldn’t really tell you.

I think I was hoping for something a bit more Haunted House-esque but horror this book is not. Overall, I remember it as a fine, quick read. Nothing monumental. Something to pass an evening when you’re between books, or need a break from another book that’s taking it out of you and need a breather lol.

Book 1 – Wolfsong:

Ox was twelve when his daddy taught him a very valuable lesson. He said that Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then he left.

Ox was sixteen when he met the boy on the road, the boy who talked and talked and talked. Ox found out later the boy hadn’t spoken in almost two years before that day, and that the boy belonged to a family who had moved into the house at the end of the lane.

Ox was seventeen when he found out the boy’s secret, and it painted the world around him in colors of red and orange and violet, of Alpha and Beta and Omega.

Ox was twenty-three when murder came to town and tore a hole in his head and heart. The boy chased after the monster with revenge in his bloodred eyes, leaving Ox behind to pick up the pieces.

It’s been three years since that fateful day—and the boy is back. Except now he’s a man, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

Book 2 – Ravensong:

The first two books in the Green Creek Series. These will both get their own reviews so I won’t get into it. Overall, these books were SO much better than I expected. I had seen Wolfsong around for ages and seen it talked about loads but just wasn’t interested until I finally decided to give it a go – can’t really remember why. The books are long – over 400 pages each, I think. There’s a LOT of backstory – which I could find tedious but was also important – and a lot of repetition but still a very good pair of books. I’m currently about 80% of the way through Heartsong and honestly… meh. It’s been sat at 80% pretty much since it came out now because I just don’t feel it. I haven’t enjoyed it nearly as much as these first two but I’ll get into that when I finish it and write its own review.

Overall, good solid first two books though, and a decent werewolf series.

    THIRDS series:

Book 1 – Hell & Highwater

When homicide detective Dexter J. Daley’s testimony helps send his partner away for murder, the consequences—and the media frenzy—aren’t far behind. He soon finds himself sans boyfriend, sans friends, and, after an unpleasant encounter in a parking garage after the trial, he’s lucky he doesn’t find himself sans teeth. Dex fears he’ll get transferred from the Human Police Force’s Sixth Precinct, or worse, get dismissed. Instead, his adoptive father—a sergeant at the Therian-Human Intelligence Recon Defense Squadron otherwise known as the THIRDS—pulls a few strings, and Dex gets recruited as a Defense Agent.

Dex is determined to get his life back on track and eager to get started in his new job. But his first meeting with Team Leader Sloane Brodie, who also happens to be his new jaguar Therian partner, turns disastrous. When the team is called to investigate the murders of three HumaniTherian activists, it soon becomes clear to Dex that getting his partner and the rest of the tightknit team to accept him will be a lot harder than catching the killer—and every bit as dangerous.

So this is another series that will get its own blog, though I’ll review all ten main books in that one post. This is both a great series and a ridiculous series. If you’re looking for exquisite writing, realistic characters and manly manly men, these books aren’t for you. If you’re looking for a wild ride with characters and writing that is funny AF, you want this series.

Seriously, I don’t remember a series making me laugh as much as this. Like all the comedy is supposed to be comedic, these books are wonderfully funny, some of the characters are hilarious.

However, there was so much wrong with these books. The men don’t speak like men, the characters don’t grow naturally, there’s a whole lot of Tell, Don’t Show, and more. But even with everything wrong with it, I forgive it because it made me laugh so much. Except Book 5: Against The Grain – I don’t forgive that book. That was just a genuinely bad book, but more on that later.

    Big Bad Wolf Series:

Book 1- The Wolf at The Door

Hunting for big bad wolves was never part of Agent Cooper Dayton’s plan, but a werewolf attack lands him in the carefully guarded Bureau of Special Investigations. A new case comes with a new partner: ruggedly sexy werewolf Oliver Park.

Park is an agent of The Trust, a werewolf oversight organization working to ease escalating tensions with the BSI. But as far as Cooper’s concerned, it’s failing. As they investigate a series of mysterious deaths unlike anything they’ve seen, every bone in Cooper’s body is suspicious of his new partner—even when Park proves himself as competent as he is utterly captivating.

When more people vanish, pressure to solve the case skyrockets. And though he’d resolved to keep things professional, Cooper’s friction with Park soon erupts…into a physical need that can’t be contained or controlled. But with a body count that’s rising by the day, werewolves and humans are in equal danger. If Cooper and Park don’t catch the killer soon, one—or both—of them could be the next to go.

So… I really liked this series when I first read it (the first three, the fourth book wasn’t out then, I’m not sure it’s even out now but I will read it when it is)… however, now that I come to review it… I don’t really remember much of it. Which I think could be more down to just how many books I was reading at the time I read this. Like, I was burning through a book a day on top of my uni studies and my own writing so I think that’s more a statement to my state of mind then rather than the books. All I can tell you is that I remember really enjoying these books when I was reading them, outside of that, this is a bit of a dud review… so moving on.

    Prey (Infected Book 1):

In a world where a werecat virus has changed society, Roan McKichan, a born infected and ex-cop, works as a private detective trying to solve crimes involving other infecteds.

The murder of a former cop draws Roan into an odd case where an unidentifiable species of cat appears to be showing an unusual level of intelligence. He juggles that with trying to find a missing teenage boy, who, unbeknownst to his parents, was “cat” obsessed. And when someone is brutally murdering infecteds, Eli Winters, leader of the Church of the Divine Transformation, hires Roan to find the killer before he closes in on Eli.

Working the crimes will lead Roan through a maze of hate, personal grudges, and mortal danger. With help from his tiger-strain infected partner, Paris Lehane, he does his best to survive in a world that hates and fears their kind… and occasionally worships them.

Another book that I don’t really remember enough about to write a decent review on, but I do remember being impressed by how this book was tackled. It makes a change reading about a couple that’s been a couple for a while and is comfortable and set in their ways and just getting on with life. But it also made me so sad because of the direction the series would eventually have to take – but there was also something so incredibly intense about that because, as far as I know, there’s no way to avoid the inevitable. I didn’t continue the series after this one but that’s purely because this is another LONG series and I’d just come out of the THIRDS series and didn’t want to start another marathon so soon. I have the second book and shall read it in time.

  Enhanced World:

Book 1 – Five Minutes Longer:

Talon Valdez knew when he transformed into an enhanced human, his life and his dreams were finished. Reviled, mistrusted, and often locked away, the enhanced were viewed as monsters, despised by the public, and never trusted to serve in the military or any law enforcement agency.

Years later he gets a chance to set up a task force of enhanced to serve in the FBI, but with one proviso: each enhanced must partner with a regular human.

Finn Mayer dreamed of joining the FBI from the time he was fourteen and made every possible sacrifice to make it happen, including living with his selfish mother and bullying, homophobic brother and never having a boyfriend. But his undiagnosed dyslexia stopped his aspirations dead in their tracks. His last chance is to partner with Talon, an enhanced with deadly abilities who doesn’t trust regular humans with their secrets and wants Finn to fail.

Four weeks to prove himself to the team. Four weeks for the team to prove itself to the public. And when another group threatens their success—and their lives are at stake—four weeks for them to survive.

Yeah, this whole series was fairly meh. I think there might be more than 4 books, but I only read these four. Frankly, it just reminded me of a lesser THIRDS series – me and quite a few other reviewers from what I could see. I don’t really remember anything about these books other than thinking it was one of the first books where I’d seen a dyslexic character and finding it interesting to see how he was portrayed, and then very much sighing over the whole thing.

I like Finn – he’s pretty much the only thing I remember from the book – but, kinda, the whole first book was about how he could actually make it in this special agency despite his dyslexia and then he was kind of useless outside of public relations and then he eventually all but gets relegated to public relations anyway and it all just felt redundant. Just play to the man’s strengths in the first place. I just remember feeling kind of insulted as a fellow dyslexic when he was pushed out of fieldwork after trying so freaking hard.

Everything else about this series, I don’t remember. Three stars might even be a bit much since I remember so little, but there was obviously something I liked about it, I just don’t remember what. Not a glowing endorsement but just unfortunately not for me.

    Zero at the Bone:

After witnessing a mob hit, surgeon Jack Francisco is put into protective custody to keep him safe until he can testify.

A hitman known only as D is blackmailed into killing Jack, but when he tracks him down, his weary conscience won’t allow him to murder an innocent man.

Finding in each other an unlikely ally, Jack and D are soon on the run from shadowy enemies. Forced to work together to survive, the two men forge a bond that ripens into unexpected passion. Jack sees the wounded soul beneath D’s cold, detached exterior, and D finds in Jack the person who can help him reclaim the man he once was.

As the day of Jack’s testimony approaches, he and D find themselves not only fighting for their lives… but also fighting for their future. A future together.

OMG, I loved this book! This will get its own post soon but ARGH! I did not expect to love it as much as I did. It’s a looong book but so worth it. It’s just so sad that it will probably never get a sequel! The end sets up for a second book and there was talk of one, but that was so long ago, I don’t think it will happen. I hope Jane Saville eventually comes back to it but even if she doesn’t, SUCH a good book. EEY! Loved it.

  Ok, these next few books are all Book 1’s of different series. Two I really liked, most I don’t care about – but I basically can’t remember enough about any of them to bother going through the motions of finding images and blurbs etc. So just short notes. This is what happens when you read a TON of books that can be quite samey without making any notes and doing a lot of other stuff at the same time. And I used to never forget a plot, now I’d have to go back and reread the first few paragraphs to remember the full story – I’m getting old man -.-

Among the Living (Psycop 1) :

Apparently, I liked this book enough to give it  4 stars but hell if I know why. Probably just because it was a decent M/M who done it, and my favourites are M/M FBI or the likes so this was clearly close enough.

Clinch (Low Blow 1) :

… Clinch what now?

Prince of Killers (Fog City Book 1) :

I liked this book! I know I did – though I haven’t finished the second book yet (I think something about it annoyed me). I think I just wanted MORE from the characters, but I still remember liking this first book. Assassins and Spies and Crime, Oh My!

Origins (Gods of War Book 1) :

Don’t remember it but I remember I didn’t like it. I found all the characters annoying and didn’t care about anyone or anything that was happening. Pretty sure Warren (A former Navy SEAL) spent most of the time being a damsel in distress who always needed protecting while apparently being the leader of this team of misfit army rejects who never worked as a team. Just no positive impression.

Cutting it Close (Code of Honor Book 1) :

… Well, Goodreads says I read it so, apparently, I read it. I have a vague feeling I enjoyed reading it while I did, but clearly there was no lasting impression.

The Phisher King:

Eh, it was something to read. I did start the second book but finally decided I just couldn’t be bothered with the series and ditched it.

  Bedknobs and Broomsticks Series

Mainly by Moonlight:

Cosmo Saville guiltily hides a paranormal secret from his soon-to-be husband. Thanks to a powerful love spell, uncertainty threatens his nuptial magic. But when he’s arrested for allegedly killing a longtime rival, he could spend his honeymoon behind bars…

Police Commissioner John Joseph Galbraith never believed in love until Cosmo came along. Falling head over heels for the elegant antiques dealer is an enchantment he never wants to break. So when all fingers point to Cosmo’s guilt, John races to prove his fiancé’s innocence before they take their vows.

As Cosmo hunts for the real killer among the arcane aristocracy, John warns him to leave it to the police. But with an unseen enemy threatening to expose Cosmo’s true nature, the couple’s blissful future could shatter like a broken charm.

Can Cosmo find the lost grimoire, clear his name, and keep John’s love alive, or will black magic “rune” their wedding bells?

I buried a Witch:

Book, Bell and Scandal (out 2020)

I usually adore Lanyon’s work, and 3 stars because it IS a Lanyon work, but I have ISSUES with these books. I’ll discuss it more in a separate post but I’m not comfortable with the relationship in this series so far. It feels like it needs a serious overhaul but, currently, it doesn’t feel remotely healthy. Not a fave in the slightest.

    The Way of Kings:

According to mythology mankind used to live in The Tranquiline Halls. Heaven. But then the Voidbringers assaulted and captured heaven, casting out God and men. Men took root on Roshar, the world of storms. And the Voidbringers followed…

They came against man ten thousand times. To help them cope, the Almighty gave men powerful suits of armor and mystical weapons, known as Shardblades. Led by ten angelic Heralds and ten orders of knights known as Radiants, mankind finally won.

Or so the legends say. Today, the only remnants of those supposed battles are the Shardblades, the possession of which makes a man nearly invincible on the battlefield. The entire world is at war with itself – and has been for centuries since the Radiants turned against mankind. Kings strive to win more Shardblades, each secretly wishing to be the one who will finally unite all of mankind under a single throne.

On a world scoured down to the rock by terrifying hurricanes that blow through every few day a young spearman forced into the army of a Shardbearer, led to war against an enemy he doesn’t understand and doesn’t really want to fight.

What happened deep in mankind’s past?

Why did the Radiants turn against mankind, and what happened to the magic they used to wield?

Oh. My. Lord. I did not expect a new obsession to arrive through this book but there we go! I LOVED this book. Of COURSE, it’s getting its own post! But THIS is a book to be read. This is a series to be started. Go read it! This is a perfect book for people who aren’t big High/Epic Adult Fantasy readers – such as I – because it is top quality High Fantasy and is SO easy to read. READ IT!

  The Haunted (The Haunted Book 1):

Hendricks Becker-O’Malley is new in town, and she’s bringing baggage with her. With a dark and wild past, Hendricks doesn’t think the small town her parents moved her to has much to offer her in terms of excitement. She plans on laying low, but when she’s suddenly welcomed into the popular crowd at school, things don’t go as expected.

Hendricks learns from her new friends that the fixer-upper her parents are so excited about is notorious in town. Local legend says it’s haunted. Hendricks doesn’t believe it. Until she’s forced to. Blood-curdling screams erupt from the basement, her little brother wakes up covered in scratches, and something, or someone pushes her dad down the stairs. With help from the mysterious boy next door, Hendricks makes it her mission to take down the ghosts . . . if they don’t take her first.

Last completed book of 2019, and it was a GOOD one. I love me a good haunted house story and this nailed it. Shall get its own post – I think it’s up next actually – but I LIKED this horror. If you want a good YA horror, this is a great one. The ending kind of devastated me, but that’s what we have sequels for! I am ready for book 2, please!!

  And so that brings an end to this catch-up post before getting into the individual books of 2019. It didn’t include my rereads (such as The Art of Murder Series, which is a series by Josh Lanyon that I LOVE), nor all the mangas but there were some alright books in 2019. Not many STAND-OUTS but still, a mostly entertaining collection.

What were your standouts of 2019? And what are you hoping will take your breath away in 2020?

2019 Goodreads Reading Challange Recap 2020 is here and with it comes another Goodreads Reading Challenge. This year I set the challenge for 50 books, I have no idea if I'll surpass that or not hit it at all since my reading challenges are always all over the place but, hopefully, I'll surpass it again like this year...