#cece harper

[elshells]

🍕 ❤️ 💚 🧠 let’s dooooo Jade and Cece

AHHH love these two!! I'm always excited to see you in my inbox :D

🍕 - What is their favorite food?

For Jade, it's her grandmother's Caribbean guava tarts. It was one of the first things she learned how to bake and she requests it for every birthday dessert.

For Cece, I don't think I'll always have the same answer, but right now I have a feeling she has a real soft spot for crappy bar food. Fried chicken, onion rings, nachos, mozzarella sticks, etc. You can't deny that she's living life glamorously XD

❤️ - What is one of your OC’s best memories?

Jade's is going to high school prom with Harley and Max—or technically, when they didn't go. After about an hour when they realized that prom was lame, they left early to get milkshakes at a burger shack, then drove to the bay to dance and laugh in the rain. I'd like to say this was based on my personal experience, except I went to prom alone before meeting a group of friends at Denny's, and that didn't feel nearly fun or exciting enough to replicate 😅

Cece's is probably meeting her best friend Isaac. It's no spoiler to say that Cece had it rough her whole life, and by her late teens/early twenties she struggled with mental health and substance abuse. She once called an Uber while high to take her home (though she no longer remembers where she had been and is too embarrassed to ask) and in a weed-induced bout of brilliance, invited the driver to stay over at her apartment and keep her company. Isaac, who was at the end of his shift but surprisingly invested in this cute girl and her wild stories, agreed, and the two actually hit it off extremely well and decided to keep in touch. Over the years, Isaac helped Cece by supporting her as she cut back on drugs and alcohol and by offering her a place to stay at his apartment when she got evicted. By Encore's beginning, the two have grown close, but haven't taken their friendship into any further yet.

💚 - What is your OC’s gender identity and sexuality?

Jade uses she/her pronouns and is a lesbian.

Cece (also she/her) never confirms her sexuality at any point in Encore, but it's heavily implied that she's attracted to both men and women at the very least, so I'd say she's probably pan.

🧠 - What do you like most about the OC?

I wrote Jade to basically a quilt of the best qualities of some of my favorite people, so there's not much to dislike about her in my eyes. Of course, she has her flaws like everyone else (occasionally naive and absolutely fucking stubborn like no one's business, for one thing), but her loyalty towards her friends and her determination to find the good in every misfortune are both traits in her that I really admire.

Cece has little in common with Jade, but I still think she's awesome! After everything she's been through, she's understandably jaded, but she refuses to be a passive participant in her own life. No matter what other people perceive of her, she's the driving force; if she wants something, she will achieve it. Even if it kills her, at least she was always in charge.

[alecmagnuslwb]

Carly & Harper have that Jess & Cece/Ann & Leslie energy and that’s the highest compliment I can give them

[seastarblue]

happy sts!

how do you choose your characters names?

happy sts!

———

uh. Well I mostly just go with a placeholder name at first, because I tend to change names a lot—then once I’ve gotten the basics of a character down (I like matching names to personality, story, etc) I start looking for names online, or I just brainstorm names.

Once I have some names down, maybe 4-5, I narrow it down until I have a name!

Sometimes I just use the placeholder name as the actual name (ex: Harper, Evangeline, Felix, Zenith), sometimes I use the above method (ex: Kamaria, Najma, Li Hua, Kaiden, others), and sometimes I just wake up and have a name (ex: Fiamma, Cece, Mehri, Noha (although it was originally Noah))

and yeah! that about sums it up!

———

thanks for the ask, @cepheusgalaxy !

[obsessedwithlarkin]

WELL-KNOWN DANCERS COMPETING AT 24/7 SAN DIEGO:

4 PM DANCE:

• Adelynn Meusse - Witch

CSPAS:

• Coco Gonzalez - The Devil Wears A Suit And Tie

• Tabitha Nan- The Nurse's Diary

• Brooklyn Ward - Into The Ground

• Naomi Harper - Didn't Know I Was Lost

• Penelope Pranger - Voila

• Stella Binkerhoff- I Disappeared Under The Sea

CLUB DANCE STUDIO:

• Ellary Day Szyndlar- TBD

• Lucia Piedrahita- Fear Of Exposure

• River Sergerman - Escalate

• Paislee Perkins - If

DANCE DELUXE:

• Lauren Allison- Moi Elsie

DANCEOLOGY:

• Aria McCrea - Shadow Journal

• Zsabrina Grenevitch - Whispering House

• Soleil Lynch - From Manipulation

• Penny Harris - PYT

DMITRI KULEV ACADEMY OF CLASSICAL BALLET:

• Esme Chou - Contemplation

K2 STUDIOS:

•Neriah Karmann - Crumbling

• Abby Viramontes - Do You Feel Real

MATHER DANCE COMPANY:

• Camilla Shuck - Broadway

• ChaCha Shen - Logical

• Skye Harrell - Starvation

• Leighton Brandt- Battlefield

• Helena Olaerts- New York New York

• Kennie Shen - Scars

OCPAA:

• Kourtney Gampol - Snowing

PAVE SCHOOL OF THE ARTS:

• Addison Sebellius - Just A Girl

PROJECT 21:

• Lilly Bajaras - Foolish Games

• Sara Von Rotz - Calling

• Kira Leiberman - Cognitive Shift

• Bristyn Scifres- Pleasently Blue

• Berkeley Scifres- Upside Down

• Stella Fisk - Whole Lotta Shakin'Goin On

• Cece Chung- Cuban Pete

• Liv Matson - Leaving

• Lexi Blanchard - Clay Pigeons

• Brielle Lieberman - Mirari

• Sienna Carlston- In Your Heart

• Richie Granese - Richie Solo

STARS DANCE STUDIO:

• Tristan Jones - Crest With In

STUDIO 1 DANCE ACADEMY:

• Kenly Carver - Daises

STUDIO X:

• Bella Mendez - You'll Find A Way

• Aubrey Horacek - Slow Me Down

• Braxy Varner- Bang

• Baileigh McJimson - Crystal Ball

SUMMER'S DANCE WORKS:

• Jewel Moody - My Anxiety

• Olive Hampton - C'est Magnifique

THE COLLECTIVE PHX:

• Kenny Opaska - Finding Her

THE COMPANY SPACE:

• Stella Marcodes - This Bitter Earth

• Piper Perusse - WOMAN

• Vivian Marcodes - Splintered

[xoxoproject21]

TDA Orlando Predictions

Mini Female

Winner: Sylvie Win Szyndlar (Club)

Top 3/4: Aliya Yen (P21), Sienna DiPietro (The NINE ), Avery Altobelli (Epic Dance Complex)

Top 10:

Amelia Burres (3' N Motion Dance Studio)

Amaya Rodriguez (Dance Unlimited)

Mila Simunic (Legacy Dance Studio)

Elizabeth Pugach (Elite Danceworx)

Tinsley Wallace (Renner Dance Company)

Navy Forrest (Club)

Harper Schwalb (Club)

Mikaela Florez (Stars)

Leighton White (South Tulsa)

Top 20:

Reese Braga (Stars)

Ellianna Buck (CDC)

Remi Hilson (Starstruck Performing Arts Center)

Valentina Cancellara (Vlad's)

Alexis Yu (Vlad's)

Lainey Hess (West Florida Dance Company)

Cece Chung (P21)

Charlotte Watters (SpotLite Dance Studio)

Lyric Simmons (South Tulsa)

Junior Female

Winner: Regan Genera (P21)

Top 3/4: Anita Rodriguez (Stars), Bristyn Scifres (P21), Amabella Tarrago (Stars)

Top 10:

Ashley Otano (Stars)

Camila Giraldo (Stars)

Amabella Tarrago (Stars)

Helena Olaerts (Mather)

Berkeley Scifres (P21)

Sara Von Rotz (P21)

Isabella Zhong (Vlad's)

Elsie Sandall (Club)

Madeleine Shen (Northpointe)

Rylie Borden (Dance Unlimted)

Dakota Casteel (Spotlight)

Top 20:

Leiliani Lawlor (P21)

Kendyl Miller (club)

Keringtyn Spencer (Denise Wall)

Cydnee Abbott (CDC)

Bianca Rebellato (Vlad's)

Skye Harrell (Mather)

Reagan Hess (West Florida)

Malia Gazda (Dance Enthusiasm)

Francesca DeMartinis (Loperfido Dance Academy)

Kendall Brown (South Tulsa)

Teen Female

Winner: Gracyn French (P21)

Top 3/4: Kylee Casares (Stars), Bella Rose Penrose (Evolve), Hudson Benayon (Elite Danceworx)

Top 10:

Giselle Gandarilla (Stars)

Bella Rey D'Armas (Stars)

Hayley Marshall (True Dance and Company)

Lekha Rajkumar (Elite Danceworx)

Savy Luechtefeld (Carolina Collective Dance)

Leila Winker (Millennium Dance Complex - Nashville)

Desa Jankes (West Florida Dance Company )

Miyah LaGrant (CCJ Conservatory)

Stella Eberts (P21)

Brooklyn Ladia (P21)

Top 20:

Makaylyn Lewis (Northpointe)

Shayla Blair (Studio 412)

Ava D'Ambrosio (Westchester)

Jazmine Raine Werner (Dance Enthusiasm)

Kynlee Schultheis (South Tulsa)

Haileigh Brennan (Impact)

Elizabeth Bilecki (Impact)

Malaya DiMonte (Art&Soul)

Onna Williams (Evolve)

Senior Female

Winner: Sierra Drayton (Elite Danceworx)

Top 3/4: Sophie Garcia (Stars), Angel DiMartino Palladino (Vlad's), Dyllan Blackburn (Mather)

Top 10:

Catherine Clayton (Stars)

Arianna Quant (Stars)

Brooklyn Law (Elite Danceworx)

Kennedy Clouse (Elite Danceworx)

Tatiana Hagee (Evolve)

Ashley Choy (Art & Soul)

Sammi Chung (P21)

Lexi Blanchard (P21)

Top 20:

Savannah Manning (CCJ)

Isabel Joves (Impact)

Preslie Rosamond (Studio 413)

Elyse Wingertsahn (Evolve)

Kaitlyn Ortega (Mather)

[entangledmuses]

“Hey, watch where you’re going.” to cece roachford from @c4merons

Cece grabbed for the nearest object to steady herself once they had collided. "Sorry." She said, "I wasn't really looking." She admitted, then lift her head to look up at him.

She was still getting used to this place. "Just a little lost, and my battery is dying." She then admitted to him. "Erm... I couldn't possibly ask you to point me in the right direction...?" She asked. "I'm looking for my Dads office, he works in the Lawyers office on Harper street?" She said softly, her blue eyes looking into his, hoping that he wouldn't mind, even after their Collison of bodies.

[manyfandomocs]

The Bright Sessions Fancast

(For my The Bright Sessions fanfics, here are the heard characters)

(for those that are actually familiar with The Bright Sessions, this is only for the original series so no AM Archives or College Tapes rn and I'm probably missing a few minor characters but maybe I'll do them another time) And as with my last fancast, anyone is free to use these

Joan Bryant Dr. Bright, therapist - Lucy Liu

Samantha Barnes, time traveler - Alycia Debnam-Carey

Chloe Turner, telepath - Ashleigh Murray

Caleb Michaels, empath - Mason Gooding

Robert Gorham Damien, mind manipulation - Jack Falahee

Mark Bryant, mimic - Harry Shum Jr

Frank Sawyer, empath - LaKeith Stanfield

Rose Atkinson, dreamwalker - Maisie Williams

Adam Hayes, student - Jordan Fisher

Owen Thompson Agent Green, bureaucrat - William Jackson Harper

Annabelle Whitney Ellie Wadsworth, director of the AM - Viola Davis

tagging @randomestfandoms-ocs @ginevrastilinski-ocs and @cecexwrites because Maddie and Cece convinced me I should do this and Greta wanted more fancasts lmao

[sentintheclowns]

Who are some not as well known larkins to watch this season? In all age groups?

i don't know who is really considered "not as well known" so i'm sorry if you already know some of these but here ya go!

peewee - Maisy Anderson (6), Claire Hansen (7), Jade Glyzinski (7), Bella Harris (7), Sailor Stormoen (7), Clara Ziemke (7)

mini - Ava Fraser (8), Emilia Padesky (9), Ginny Hickenbotham-Westeren (8), Brooklyn Williams (8), Maddie Kulenkamp (8), Salina Nelson (9), Hayden Haider (8), Charlotte Tracy (8), Harper Kill (9), Jayla Xiong (10), Eleanor Lamers (10), Truett Ziemke (10)

junior - Elle King (11), Vivian Greenig (11), Kennedy Deuth (11), Hailey Turnbull (11)

teen - Ava McCraine (13), Sarah St. Cyr (13), Ava Munos (14), Brynn Kostka (15), Ava Rothmund (14), Lola Boisen (13), Gigi Mourad (13), Harlow Pike (14), Kira Reissner (14), Juan Pacheco (15), Olivia Shelton (15)

senior - Delaney Rosewell (16), Kenzie Karges (16), Ashley Gutz (16), Cece Thielen (17)

[elshells]

🫂- What was your inspiration for your WIP?

Thanks for the question! I think I've answered this before but it's lost to the void now so I'll happily answer again!

EMBR of the Earth: Years and years ago (I don't remember how old I was, maybe early teens), I was trying out my uncle's VR headset. There were a bunch of simulated scenarios to experience that lasted maybe two minutes; you could explore a sunken ship, walk with dinosaurs, ride a roller coaster, things like that. But the one that I tried was about an extraterrestrial encounter. It was a simple concept. You were just alone in this forest at night, walking past the wreckage of a spaceship. Everything was quiet until you hear a noise, and then you see a robotic shape in the distance and round, glowing blue eyes watching you. And that's how the scene ended; the rest was left up to your imagination. I didn't actually start writing EMBR until years later, but I thought about that scene a lot and it definitely spurred forth a lot of ideas and speculation about where I wanted the story to go, even if I haven't found a clear path yet.

Agent Ace: It's a combination of reworked fanfic and a Wattpad writing prompt. When I first started sharing my writing online, I wrote fanfiction and then branched out to original fiction (bonus points if you can guess which fandom I wrote for!) Back in the day, when I was primarily a Wattpad user, I participated in writing contests run by Wattpad officials (I don't do that anymore because those competitions became sketch as hell). One such contest was to write a novella in the span of (I think) six months, based on one of the many writing prompts offered by the judges. I don't remember what my prompt specifically said, but the gist of it was that a detective infiltrated a vigilante group. I had been flirting with the idea of writing a superhero story for some time before this, and so it felt like the perfect time to jump into a new project! At this point, I was solely writing original fiction, but I ended up reusing some plot beats from my old fanfiction that got me started. That's the only element of that story that stayed the same; characters, setting, and everything else developed on their own.

Encore: The idea for this one came from my era of watching YouTube let's plays. I love playing horror games, but I don't have a PlayStation, so if I was interested in a game that wasn't compatible with the Xbox, I would look it up online and watch other people play it. One of these games was called Until Dawn, which, if you haven't heard of it, is basically an interactive horror movie. You play as a cast of cliche teenagers trying to survive monsters in the mountains, and there are multiple endings based on how well you did (i.e. how many people died). One of the characters (I think her name was Sam) was unique in that she was designed to survive no matter what choices you made, at least until the big climactic scene at the end. If you made one wrong move, she would die, but that was literally the only way you could kill her, so it was like she was the game's 'Final Girl.'

During the credits, there's a cut scene where she's in a police interview after getting rescued, and depending on your actions and on who's still alive, she blames herself for the death of one of the other characters. She says something along the lines of, "It was my fault that he died, and I would do anything to stop it from happening." Later on, this line got the wheels in my head turning. What if the Final Girl wasn't the only one to make it to the end? What if she could save the others? And what would she give to subject herself to the horrors all over again if it meant that she wouldn't have to be the last one standing.

Enter time travel, Final Girl Cece Harper, and the contract binding her to a shady musician, and the rest is history. :)

[hxneyfaerie]

future plans

Griff is working on some chores on the farm when he spots two women approaching the cottage. Great, Macey and Harper.

The two have been doting on Celia since she entered her second trimester, and Griff can't fault them for their care. Their questions, however...

"Hey, Griff!" Harper calls. "Beautiful day, right?"

"Yep," he grunts. "Coffee date?"

"It was," Macey replies. "But Celia isn't feeling too hot, so we've brought the date to her."

"Right." Shit. This is the first he's heard of her illness.

Macey narrows her eyes at him. "Yes. She's getting on now, not long until baby arrives. Do you pair have any plans?"

She doesn't have to say it. He knows she means marriage. But they want to wait until the dust settles with CeCe before they flaunt their relationship around Henford. Surely Macey would understand?

"Oh come on now, Macey," Harper says and digs her elbow into her friend's side. "You can't rush love. Let them decide when they're ready."

"Who knew you could be so... profound?" Macey says dryly, and the three burst into a round of awkward laughter.

[radioisntdead]

𝓐𝓬𝓮'𝓼 𝓫𝓻𝓸𝓪𝓭𝓬𝓪𝓼𝓽 𝓬𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷

Vol. 3: Oc edition

🧵= X reader

🧸= Tooth rotting fluff

🎞️ = Alive and [Probably] well

🎬 = dead and buried

⚰️ = Death

🥀 = Angsty

🩷 = Romantic

💛 = platonic

🪡 = Familial

🐦‍🔥= Set in the hazbin universe

🪼 = Set in it's own separate universe

🌟 = not a fic

[and just until I get headers drawn and edited we're going with emojis, in no particular order but there are hints scattered around majority is set in the hazbin universe but there are Au's because I like to mess around with my OCs]

✒️🦌♠️ Ace

[Playlist]

Is it cold outside? ⚰️ [No longer canon]

Deck of four, no more ⚰️

Fresh start 📻🥀

💌♥️🦢 Clementine

[Playlist]

I wish you were a boy 🩷🥀🎞️

Stupid heart 🩷🥀

♣️🥂🎉 Christopher

[Playlist]

🪖🌌♦️Thomas

[Playlist]

🧵🪡🍷 Deyanira

[Playlist]

🦋🍰🍖 Theodosia

[Playlist]

🧸🪽🌼 Nyla

[Playlist]

📰 📘🪻Rory

[Playlist]

Do I look like her?🌟

🎤🎶🎻 Harper

[Playlist]

🐦‍⬛🇮🇹🪀 Madeline

[Playlist]

🔫🥂🔪 Ezra

[Playlist]

Late night after work walks

🗡️🪽🦊 Cleo

[Playlist]

🍭🧁🎭 Cece

[playlist]

🦜🏴‍☠️🐙 Kirby

[Playlist]

Background OCS 🌟

Beautiful fool

[seastarblue]

happy sts!

talking about books... what would be your ocs reading habits? do they enjoy reading? do they prefer nonfiction or fiction? which genres do they read the most, which ones do they hate?

writblr: @vsnotresponding

happy sts!

———

a lot of my characters like reading, now that I’m thinking about it.

Kaiden, Kamaria, Fiamma, and Arbor like reading fables and fiction. I don’t think they’d like nonfiction—the reasons being either “The real world sucks” or “it’s boring” or both!

Cece, Harper, Evangeline, and Li Hua like reading books on runes and magic in general. Don’t think they’d like historicals—just not their style. Maybe Evie might like that, idk.

Meanwhile the Others (Najma, Rowan, Noha, Mehri, Felix, Aleksi, any others) are Not Fans of Reading. Period. They prefer to listen to stories.

———

thanks for the ask, @vsnotresponding !

[obsessedwithlarkin]

Hi everyone! Here's a recap of the popular dancers that are competing for BD at TDA Orlando by studio!

CANADIAN DANCE COMPANY:

• Sophia Van Heestrecht ( The Process)

• Madison Van Heestrecht ( Zodiac)

• Cydnee Abbott ( A. I.)

CLUB DANCE:

• Harper Schwalb ( Gilded Swan)

• Sylvie Win Szyndlar (Magic Within Me)

• Lily Knopps ( Unchained Melody)

• Navy Forrest ( Storm)

• Elsie Sandall ( Beneath The Mask)

• Kendyl Miller ( The First Time)

DANCE UNLIMITED:

• Grace Nunez (The Moon)

• Olive Rauser ( Sounds Of Silence)

• Beccy Crucet ( Fade Away)

• Amaya Rodriguez ( Altered)

• Ella Venerio ( Hypnosis)

• Alliette Valdes ( Find Yourself Lost)

ELITE DANCE PRO:

• Madisyn Amos ( TBA)

LEGACY DANCE STUDIO:

• Mila Simunic ( Oh Canada)

• Madeline Fossick ( Buisness Of Love)

MATHER:

• Maddie Ortega (Found)

• Audrina Mossembekker ( Forever)

• Nyla McCarthy ( Fabulous)

• Hadley Schulz ( Think)

• Kennie Shen ( Scars)

• Dyllan Blackburn ( Le Jazz Hot)

• Audrey Mata ( Lonely)

• ChaCha Shen ( Feeling Goregous)

• Leighton Brandt ( That's Life)

• Skye Harrell ( Anything Worth Holding On To)

• Helena Olaerts ( She Used To Be Mine)

P21:

• Lilliana Bajaras ( Falling Inward)

• Stella Eberts ( Nothing More Simple)

• Gracyn French ( Chemtrails Over The Country Club)

• Brooklyn Ladia ( Middle Is The End)

• Leighton Werner ( Back To Black)

•Aliya Yen ( Before It Ends)

• Cece Chung ( Copacabana)

• Sammi Chung ( The Silent Word)

• Olivia Armstrong ( When I Go)

• Leilani Lawlor ( Taking Note)

• Bristyn Scifres ( It Cannot Be)

• Berkeley Scifres ( Cornet Man)

• Regan Gerena ( That's Life)

• Sara Von Rotz ( Champagne Taste)

SCENIC CITY DANCE:

• Ansley Matchack ( Mein Herr)

SPOTLITE DANCE STUDIO:

• Amaya Miller ( Icon)

• Charlotte Watters ( I Gotcha)

• Olivia Mulligan ( Sounds)

• EmmaKate Caires ( Stuff Like That There)

• Brooke Peery ( Bitter Earth)

• Calleigh Eaton ( One Monkey Don't Stop No Show)

• Dakota Casteel ( Do Right)

• Maddie Morton ( Streamless)

SPAC:

• Remi Hilson ( Don't Leave)

THE SOUTHERN STRUTT:

• Lilly Buckley ( When I Look At You)

• Brinley Evans ( Where Did All The Sailors Go?)

• AnnaCameron McGlohoren ( Let's Work)

• Marley Evans ( Trouble)

• Finley Clarke ( About That Walk)

• Sloane Hall ( Bitter Earth)

• Addie Goodwin ( Which Witch?)

•Collins Glenn ( Fallen Angel)

WFDC:

• Lainey Hess ( Between These Hands)

• Vesper Woo ( The Maze)

• Marlow Hess ( St. Jude)

• Lola Bryant ( This Mortal Coil)

• Lily Hackney ( The Audio)

• Regan Hess (Glass)

[thexgrayxlady]

What I Read in February 2024

Witch King by Martha Wells - 4.25/5.00

This is an incredibly deep and complex fantasy that puts so much trust in the reader's intelligence and reading comprehension. I didn't take too many notes on this one because I was so captivated by the richly realized world and complex characters. The plot switches between two timelines, both of which provide vital context to the story. It's a bit dry and distant, but I liked that tone and found it fitting for the story being told. There are some things near the end that I wish were better foreshadowed, but I also may have missed it. The author does so much with both what is and isn't said to create a rewarding experience.

Love Theoretically by Ali Hazlewood 3.75/5.00

These books are becoming a bit of a guilty pleasure, and I hate it. I think this is definitely better than The Love Hypothesis, and it is infinitely better than Raiders of the Lost Heart. The main character is mostly enjoyable and relatable. As someone who was in a similar professional position, I relate very strongly to the main character. Being set up to fail like that sucks so much. Honestly, she's a much better person than I am because I was not so forgiving.

Elsie is a pretty good main character. The idea of her scouring reddit forums for stories about being a librarian for her professional fake dating thing is pretty funny. I was cheering for her when she started to break out of being a compulsive people pleaser. I would have cheered harder if she had gone after her roommate from hell/bestie a lot harder. Cece deserves so much worse than Elsie telling her that her taste in movies is pretentious. The love interest is a little bland, but serviceable.

It was cute, enjoyable, and ultimately, I don't have many thoughts about it.

Jade War by Fonda Lee - 4.50/5.00

I love this series so much. The author takes advantage of a slower pace to build a tense and uneasy ceasefire between warring clans, leading to an explosive finale. The characters remain complex and fascinating, and I can't wait to see where the author takes them next.

The Doomsday Vault by Steven Harper - 1.75/5.00

The tonal whiplash in this book is strong and jarring. This book has bursts of fun steampunk action, marred by dull, melodramatic character interactions. It's too bad because when it's fun it's really fun. There's tempered glass swords and mechanical cats. There's a really fun escape sequence from the crumbling mansion of a mad inventor. Then, when the plot isn't revolving around an annoying and dull arranged marriage, it runs on moon logic. The villain's plan is absolutely BANANAS. When the heroine says, "What the bloody fucking hell is going on?" I was right there with her.

The Unbound Empire by Melissa Caruso - 4.25/5.00

This was a fun and satisfying end to a great trilogy. The fight to take back the mews is an unpleasant slog in the best possible way. What happens to Marcello is horrifying, and I appreciate that he's grounded by his sister instead of Amalia. I liked getting to see Zaira let loose with her powers and all the horror and destruction that entails. I appreciate that the author lingered on the aftermath for several chapters, yet it never really felt like it dragged. Amalia sleeping in the chair in Zaira's room afterwards and trying to comfort her after she did terrible things, even though Amalia is really bad at it is peak. The deep bond between these two characters is at the heart of the series and I love that for them.

[90secondnewbery]

El Deafo by Cece Bell

2015 Newbery Honor Book

Adapted by Harper and Lilia of Lloyd Harbor School (2024)

From Huntington, NY

Judges' Remarks: I loved the fantastic energy and enthusiasm of this movie. The actor playing Cece turned in a truly funny, sometimes bonkers, and frequently over-the-top performance that kept me riveted, even though the story was kind of all over the place and way too long at over five minutes (this movie spent literally 20 seconds just on the scene of Cece getting a shot from the doctor). I was amused by Cece's manic overreaction to everything, like when she's told she has to move, or when she's playing with her friends, or when she gets that shot—and her gymnastics skills were truly impressive! There was a resourceful use of green screen too, and I liked the original way that transitions between scenes was handled, by putting up a few icons or emojis (of, say, sushi or a bus or hearts or shaking hands or pencils) against a blue background to indicate what to expect from the next scene. For a movie about a story about deafness, there wasn't much engagement with the issues of hearing loss—most of the time, it seemed like Cece could hear everyone just fine ("I'm deaf?" "Yes." "I can't hear?" "Yes." "Nooo!") and we didn't get much about Cece and her hearing aid until about four minutes and thirty seconds in. That said, this was a movie full of delightful little touches, and I appreciated the attention to detail like giving a doctor a white lab coat and stethoscope, or switching to black and white briefly when Cece is telling the viewer about how she feels "when everything changed." I would have liked to have seen this Cece lean into the "superhero" aspect of the plot more—she certainly has the flamboyant, fun-to-watch moxie and verve for it—and although I don't remember the book ending with Cece apologizing to everyone, this movie ended on a sweet note. A little chaotic and out of control, but entertaining and frequently funny!

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[dancers-forever]

Larkin: Scarlett Manzel, Neala Murphy, Hallee Anderson, Lilly Anderson, Malia Scott, Cece Thielen, Isabella & Alexandra Charnstrom, Ava Mccraine, Kate Monge, Hailey Turnbull, Tahari Conrad, Laci Bloss, & Savannah Werner

CLUB: Harper Schwalb, Elsie Sandall, Kendyl Miller, Navy Forrest, Kinley Harper, Kennedy Marble, Tatum Self, Caitlyn McKenzie, Cambrie O’haver, Aspen Brandt, & Elliott Smith

What dancers do you guys wanna see finally get their flowers this season?