#clare devil

[sapphiccharacterstournament]

Sapphic Characters Tournament Bracket 4 Round 4 Masterpost

Clare Devlin vs Anne Lister

Van Palmer vs Jade Claymore

[sweetestcaptainhughes]

Going to the fair with Jack...

If there was one thing you and Jack could agree on it was the summer was the best time of year. While you loved everything about summer, the colder drinks, the warmer weather, the more relaxed Jack was at the lake house. The one thing you missed was going to the local fair.

In order to go to the fair with Jack, it would have to do with a lot of begging at first, purely because he didn't want to risk running into fans. But once you pouted ever so slightly and widened your eyes, both of you hell even Luke knew you both were going to the fair that night.

Going to the fair with Jack would include, a night time visit because with the hope of running into less kids Jack would say. It would include bumper car rides where it became a competetion between the two of you for who could bump the other more. Of course, you won but Jack would make a comment about how he let you win.

A night at the fair would be riding all the sketchy rides twice, stolen ferris wheel kisses and starring at the pretty lights. A night at the fair would include eating all the classic 'fair food' from cotton candy, to funnel cakes, to ice cream, to BBQ and more. Jack would definitely be complaining about how bad he cheated on his diet. But you would choose to ignore him until his complaining became unbearable where you would joke that next year you will just bring Luke. Your small comment causing you Jack to literally chase you around the fair for even daring to say you would bring his little brother over him "your boyfriend of almost a year."

A night at the fair would definitely include Jack spending way too much money at some random stand trying to win you the stuffed animal that happened to be your favorite animal. Finally after winning you the stuffy after what seemed like forever and $100 dollars later. Jack and you would spend even more time at the dart stand trying to pop as many balloons as you both could. Both taking turns chirping each other and laughing at how terrible you both apparently were at something that seemed so simple.

Going to the fair with Jack would be the best night of the summer. A night filled with laughs, stolen kisses and both of you radiating pure happiness and a lifetime of memories. The night would definitely end with you both exhausted coming home where you attempted to join Luke and Quinn in a movie night but fell asleep cuddled together on the floor out of pure exhaustion. Somehow neither of the brothers waking you, just throwing a blanket over you both and calling it a night themselves.

[melphss]

@nestaarcheronweek | Day 07: Free Day

This art was inspirated by ''Sympathy for the Devil'', written by @saphie3243, which is a retelling of "A Court of Thorns and Roses" series, told through Nesta's perspective. Thank you @/talitasami for creating this beautiful art!

Art by: @/talitasami

Commissioned by: @melphss

Characters belongs to: Sarah J. Maas

[clareleeclare]

remember when chainsawman had that episode where everybody was happy yeah me too :’) 

[wolfstargazer]

Jan 14 - Devil - @wolfstarmicrofic - word count: 295

"Speak of the devil," James teased, digging Sirius in the side with his elbow to get him to look over in Remus' direction.

As Remus crossed the Gryffindor Common Room and sunk down in the armchair before the fireplace, he had the uncomfortable feeling that whatever James and Sirius had been talking about had been giving them great amusement.

The ghost of a smile still lingered on Sirius' face as he looked down at the copy of the Daily Prophet he was pretending to read. He affected a tone of disinterest and said, "Maybe we should ask Moony for tips?"

"Tips?" Remus' voice wavered.

Sirius smirked down at the paper.

"Oh yes. I'm sure there's a great deal we could learn."

Remus looked imploringly in James' direction.

James grew a little pink as he said, "Oh, there's just this rumour going round.. well, not a rumour. Just some girls were overheard talking and...erm..." James looked at Sirius and said, "Well, you heard it, Padfoot."

Sirius folded his paper and fixed his attention keenly on Remus' face as he said, adopting a voice a few octaves higher than his own, "That Lupin boy is an amazing kisser."

Remus felt his cheeks burning, heard James snort, and wished the ground would swallow him. There were worse things to hear that people were saying behind your back. But he'd rather not get into all this, right now, with them.

Especially not him.

"Well, Moony?" Sirius asked. He was not going to leave it.

Remus had no choice but to laugh as though he didn't care. He ran his hands through his hair in what hoped appeared to be a relaxed manner and was gratified to see a dark look cross Sirius' face when he said with a shrug, "Mischief managed."

[moviemosaics]

My picks for the best film performances of 2023

Petri Poikolainen as Jaako Järvinen—The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic

Clare Perkins as Cleve—Medusa Deluxe

Babetida Sadjo as Marie Cisse—Our Father, The Devil

Gael García Bernal as Saúl Armendáriz/Cassandro—Cassandro

Catalina Saavedra as Vero—Rotting in the Sun

Denis Ménochet as Antoine—The Beasts

Greta Lee as Nora Moon—Past Lives

Natalie Portman as Elizabeth Berry—May December

Kōji Yakusho as Hirayama—Perfect Days

Souleymane Sy Savane as Father Patrick—Our Father, The Devil

Emma Stone as Bella Baxter—Poor Things

Jeffrey Wright as Thelonious “Monk” Ellison—American Fiction

Rossy de Palma as Masilda—Carmen

Vivian Oparah as Yas—Rye Lane

Teo Yoo as Hae Sung—Past Lives

You can see my full list of 100 favorite performances of 2023 at this link!

[retroillustrates]

The Demon Hunter, the King of the Undead, the Dragonlord, the Witch, the Witcher, the Wretched Weapon and the Chosen one

[kitty-gray]

"Hear that, Tessa? I'm the devil. So are you" is soooo fascinating taking into account Will does think he is cursed but at the same time by this point he already sees Tessa as his equal.

[tinkerbitch69]

Broke: I think it’ll go really well.

Woke: yo, we be ballin’ fr fr no cap

Bespoke:

‘our affairs will go with the wind in the poop’

Hugh Bourke, 1641

Source: Jackson, C. (2021) Devil-Land: England Under Siege 1588-1688, p.260

[thatapologisttoyourantis]

This is legit my face when the Feysand, Rhysand & Feyre stans say something along the lines of this when it comes to Tamlin not being able to help Feyre UTM

Them: Tamlin could have helped Feyre, could have done something & not just sit there & watch her suffer

Me: erm…Tamlin sent Feyre BACK OVER THE FUCKING WALL BECAUSE HE KNEW HE WOULD’NT BE ABLE TO HELP HER, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE HIM DO??!!

Them: I don’t know do something to help her

Me: are you slow? What part of HE WAS IN NO POSITION TO EVEN REACT TO FEYRE MUCH MORE GET CLOSE ENOUGH TO HER TO HELP HER DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND!! He literally sent Lucien to aid her because he could not & as a result of that Tamlin had to whip his own best friend for trying to aid her, before that Lucien told Feyre that Tamlin couldn’t get anywhere near her because he was being watched like a hawk, did you also forget Rhysand REITERATING THE EXACT SAME THING LUCIEN SAID FIRST?!?!!! Did you forget what Amarantha did to Clare Beddor when she thought Clare was the one Tamlin loved? How did Clare end up? Oh yeah that’s right DEAD, DEAD AS ONE CAN FUCKING BE, more than that DID YOU FORGET THAT TAMLIN HAD NO ACCESS TO HIS MAGIC, why?…BECAUSE THE SHE-DEVIL TOOK THEM!! How do you expect someone who is practically being tied to the hip to a sadistic psychopathic tyrant, who has no access to his magic & to our knowledge minimal knowledge of his way around UTM to get himself out ALIVE & the love of his life out ALIVE?! Not to fucking mention RHYSAND STILL HAD ACCESS TO A PART OF HIS MAGIC & DID NOTHING TO GET HER OUT!!

Them: he still could have done something

Me: he wha-🤬🤬🤬😤😤😤🫠🫠🫠😃😃😃🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint Veronica Giuliani

1660-1727

Feast day: July 9

Saint Veronica, an Italian Capuchin Poor Clare, whose baptismal name was Ursula, is one of the greatest mystics in the Church. Her life was one of the cross and pain, uniting her sufferings with Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection, eventually receiving the stigmata. In her Diary of 22,000 pages, we learn of her ecstatic visions of Jesus, saints, souls in purgatory and of the devil. St. Veronica was devoted to the Eucharist and Sacred Heart, trusting God totally, abandoning herself completely to His will. Her heart is incorrupt to this day.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

[elizabethan-memes]

While Elizabeth often started her letters to Roe with the salutation ‘honest, fat Tom’, she teasingly addressed another ambassador, John Hay, earl of Carlisle, as ‘ugly, filthy camel’s face’

Clare Jackson, Devil-Land: England Under Siege

[queer-book-character-tournament]

Quality Control Time

okay everyone: realistically despite having read some since last tournament I can't have read all of these books as I am one person running a blog for funnies

so I'm posting a list after I've gone through the submissions and I'm counting on you guys to tell me if any of these submissions don't count (or if someone typoed something in the submission I didn't catch)

that said here are your (tentative) competitors:

Rune Saint-John- The Tarot Sequence by KD Edwards

Quinn Saint Nicholas- The Tarot Sequence by KD Edwards

Layne Dawncreek- The Hourglass Throne by KD Edwards

Silas Bell- The Spirit Bares it's Teeth by Andrew Joseph White 

Daphne Luckenbill- The Spirit Bares it's Teeth  by Andrew Joseph White 

Benjamin/Benji Woodside- Hell Followed with us by Andrew Joseph White 

Sideways Pike- The Spacegracers by HA Clarke

Tayend of Tremmelin- Magician’s Guild series (The Novice, The High Lord) by Trudi Canavan

Gideon Nav- The Locked Tomb by Tamsyn Muir

Ianthe Tridenarius, Ianthe the First- The Locked Tomb by Tamsyn Muir

Harrowhark Nonagesimus- The Locked Tomb by Tamsyn Muir

Dekka- Gone series by Michael Grant

Therem Harth rem ir Estraven- The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

Seregil í Korit Solun Meringil Bôkthersa- Luck in the shadows/the nightrunner series by Lynn Fleweling

Victor Vale- Vicious by VE Schwab

Alucard Emery- Shades of Magic series by VE Schwab

Rhy Maresh- Shades of Magic series by VE Schwab

Elliot Schafer- In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan

Sebastian Black- The Sacred Sins of Father Black by St John Starling

Father Victor Ardelian- What Manner of Man by St John Starling

Wenren È- Devil Venerable Also Wants To Know by Cyan Wings

Zhu Chongba- She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

Ouyang- She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

Giovanni- Giovanni's room by James Baldwin

David- Giovanni's room by James Baldwin

Danny Tozer- Dreadnought by April Daniels

Magnus Bane- The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

Alec Lightwood- The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

Thomas Lightwood- The Last Hours by Cassandra Clare

Alastair Carstairs- The Last Hours by Cassandra Clare

Alex Fierro-Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series by Rick Riordan

Magnus Chase- Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series by Rick Riordan

Nico di Angelo- The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan

Frances Janvier- Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

Nick Nelson- Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

Charlie Spring- Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

Tori Spring- Solitaire by Alice Oseman

Gwen (Princess Gwendoline)- Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher

Jack Alston/Lord Hawthorn- The Last Binding Trilogy by Freya Marske

Maud Blyth- The Last Binding Trilogy by Freya Marske

Robin Blyth- A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske

Silariathas “Silas”- Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

Nathaniel Thorn- Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

Ballister Blackheart- Nimona by N.D. Stevenson

Ambrosius Goldenloin- Nimona by N.D. Stevenson 

Neil Josten- All for the game by Nora Sakavic

Andrew Minyard- All for the game by Nora Sakavic

Nicky Hemick- All for the game by Nora Sakavic

Xie Lian- Heaven Official's Blessing / Tian Guan Ci Fu by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu / mxtx 

San Lang/ Hua Cheng- Heaven Official's Blessing / Tian Guan Ci Fu by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu / mxtx 

Luo Binghe- The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu / mxtx

Shen Qingqiu- The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu / mxtx

Lan Wangji/ Lan Zhan/ Han Guang Jun- Mo Dao Zu Shi (The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu / mxtx

Wei WuXian/ Wei Ying/ Yiling Patriarch- Mo Dao Zu Shi (The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu / mxtx

Kelly Bennett- Heartsong by TJ Klune

Linus Baker- The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Arthur Parnassus- The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Laurent- Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat

Damianos (Damen)- Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat

Will Kempen- Dark Rise Series by C.S. Pacat

Sarcean- Dark Rise Series by C.S. Pacat

James St. Clair- Dark Rise Series by C.S. Pacat

Ronan Lynch- The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

Adam Parrish- The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

Loki- Loki- Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee

Theo Bell- Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee

Daniela- We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Carmen- We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Seonid Traighan Sedai- Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan

Siuan Sanche Sedai- Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan

Shallan Davar- The Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson

Jasnah Kholin- The Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson 

Jesper Fahey- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Wylan van Eck- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Nina Zenik- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Evelyn Hugo- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Moiraine Damodred Sedai- The Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan 

Yan Wushi- 千秋 /Thousand Autumns/Qian Qu by Meng Xi Shi

Shen Qiao- 千秋/Qian Qiu/Thousand Autumn by Meng Xi Shi

Alex Claremont-Diaz- Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor- Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Biyu "Jane" Su- One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

August Landry- One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

Jolene Whitaker- Stars Still Fall by Jules Kelley

Jude St. Francis- A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Francis Abernathy- The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Ishita Dey- Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar

Carmilla Karnstein- Carmilla by J Sheridan le Fanu

Murderbot- The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells

Shuos Jedao- Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee

Achilles- Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 

Patroclus- Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 

Yin Hanjiang- Devil Venerable Also Wants To Know by Cyan Wings

Daja Kisubo- The Circle of Magic series, The Circle Opens series, The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce

Simon Torquill- October Daye Series by Seanan McGuire

Kade Bronson- Wayward Children Series by Seanan McGuire

Jack Wolcott- Wayward Children Series by Seanan McGuire

Sundew- Wings of Fire by Tui T Sutherland

Zanja Na'Tarwein- The Elemental Logic Series by Laurie J. Marks

Karis G'deon- The Elemental Logic series by Laurie J. Marks

Thaniel Steepleton- The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, The Lost Future of Pepperharrow by Natasha Pulley

Raff Barden- One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny

Penn de Foucart- One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny

Alec Campion- Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner

Richard St Vier- Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner

Nico Ferrer De Varona- The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

Parisa Kamali- The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

Sam Black Crow- American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Salim- American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Hunter- Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Islington- Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Tsukiko- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Zachary Ezra Rawlins- The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Dorian- The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Katrina- The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Katherine- The Privilege of the Sword by Ellen Kushner

Geraldine- Christabel by Samuel Coleridge 

Priya- The Jasmine Throne/The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri

Malini- The Jasmine Throne/The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri

Henry Gaunt- In Memoriam by Alice Winn

Sidney Ellwood - In Memoriam by Alice Winn

Benji Ovich- Beartown by Frederik Backman

Renly Baratheon- A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF) by George R.R. Martin

Loras Tyrell- A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF) by George R.R. Martin

Oberyn Martell- A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF) by George R.R. Martin

Ellaria Sand- A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF) by George R.R. Martin

Ead Duryan- The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Thara Celehar- The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison

Iäna Pel-Thenhior- The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison

Vanyel Ashkevron- The Last Herald-Mage Series (Magic's Pawn, Magic's Price, Magic's Promise) by Mercedes Lackey

Galen- Paladin's Hope by T. Kingfisher 

Doctor Piper- Paladin's Hope by T. Kingfisher 

Eliot Waugh- The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Simon Spier- Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Bram Greenfield- Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Leah Burke- Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

Abby Suso- Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

Jay Gatsby- Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie Mclemore

Harold Hutchins- Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey

Eric "Bitty" Bittle- Check, Please! By Ngozi Ukazu 

Jack Zimmermann- Check, Please! By Ngozi Ukazu 

Ollie O'Meara- Check, Please! By Ngozi Ukazu

Pacer Wicks- Check, Please! By Ngozi Ukazu

Maurice Hall- Maurice by E.M. Forster 

Alec Scudder- Maurice by E.M. Forster 

Clive Durham- Maurice by E.M. Forster 

Cal Stephanides- Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Therese Belivet- Carol or The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith 

Carol Aird- Carol or The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith 

Baz Pitch- Carry On Series by Rainbow Rowell

Tennalhin (Tennal) Halkana- Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell

Evander (Andy) Mills- Lavendar House by Lev Ac Rosen

Kaiiestron (Kai) l, Prince of the Fourth House of the Underearth- Witch King by Martha Wells

Max Owen- Magical Boy by The Kao

Remy Pendergast- Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco

Ben De Backer- I Wish You All The Best by Mason Deaver

Nathan Allan- I Wish You All The Best by Mason Deaver

Genevieve Lefoux- The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger

Maddie Morrow- Havenfall by Sara Holland

Catherine St. Day- The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite

Lucy Muchelney- The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite

Fetter- The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera

Leonie Jackman- Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

Red- This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone 

Blue- This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone 

Rose- Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

Li Shimin- Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

Cliopher Mdang- The Hands of the Emperor by Victoria Goddard

Lily Hu- Last Night At The Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Patrick O’Hara- The Guncle by Steven Rowley

Ambrose Cusk- The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

Kodiak Celius- The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

[ithebookhoarder]

🎄Spending the holidays with Matt (Matt Murdock x Reader)

A/N: It’s officially the festive season and for some reason my inspiration has returned with a vengeance. Apologies for my absence the past few weeks, but I am back. Keep your eyes peeled for some more festive content in the coming days - oh, and happy holidays to everyone celebrating this time of year! 

Warnings: N/A

Masterlist

So Matt may not be that festive by nature, but you can bet he’s willing to indulge every one of your whims when it comes to the holidays. 

Honestly, it makes a nice change to have someone to spend it with. It gives him a reason not to spend the entire evening out on patrol, knowing you are back at home, watching an endless marathon of Christmas movies whilst you wait up for him. 

He wouldn’t care if you want to decorate the apartment or the office as he can’t really see it anyway so he isn’t bothered by flashing lights or reams of tinsel. As long as it makes you happy, then it’s worth it. 

He may pretend he’s above it, but he enjoys the happiness he can feel radiating off of you. Well, that’s his reasoning for his festive cheer even if you have your own theories. 

After all, the Devil of Hell’s kitchen is more like Santa than the Grinch - or so you point out one night: ‘I’m just saying, Matty. You run around at night, wearing a red suit, looking for people who have been naughty to punish them, and by default reward people who have been nice-’

‘-I swear to god-’

‘Should I start leaving out cookies for you? Maybe some milk? I-’

Needless to say, he quickly tackles you onto the bed and puts a stop to that line of reasoning.

Matt would almost die with joy if he came home to smell the warm scent of you baking in the kitchen at any point. The mixture of ginger, cinnamon, and freshly baked cookies is heavenly. Almost as heavenly as the soft hum of your voice whenever he catches you singing along to your Christmas playlist. 

He’d never say, but it’s enough to warm his ‘cold Scrooge-like heart’ - as Foggy calls it. He’s often stood just outside the front door, listening to you, too afraid to enter incase you stopped. 

You have a fairly decent voice, which he appreciates. 

Not naming names but Matt wanted to jump out the window when he caught you and Foggy duetting ‘All I want for Xmas is you’ with the radio in the office. Foggy is many things but a singer is not one of them. Luckily, Matt loves him too much to say. He just grins and laughs the whole way through, only able to imagine the ridiculous expressions you must be doing as you dance about the space.  

Speaking of singing and dancing and festive cheer, you can bet you’d all make your way to Josie’s at some point, for Christmas drinks with the gang before everyone goes their separate ways for the big day. 

Jessica makes a brief appearance, just long enough to down a glass of whiskey, as does Clare when she get off shift from the hospital. 

It’s safe to say you all come out the bar a little worse for wear, even Matt, which is a nice surprise. It isn’t very often you get to see your boyfriend grinning like a small child, carefree, and drunkenly trying to pull you under the mistletoe - ‘cause it’s tradition’

When it comes to gifts, Matt would know exactly what to get you - that man has been gathering intel all year long and is ready to surprise you as it’s one of the rare opportunities he gets to show you how much you mean to him. 

He’d probably drag either Foggy or Karen along with him to pick it up, just to make sure he gets it right. 

When he gives it you better be prepared for a ‘sorry if this gift looks like it was wrapped by a blind man joke’ - which is insane as he still somehow manages to wrap it beautifully (which is incredibly unfair considering wrapping gifts is like the hardest thing ever). 

Also. Matt may be blind but he can hear everything. It’s a nightmare. He can hear it when you try to silently cut wrapping paper, or when the gifts you’re hiding under the bed rustle when you put another one under there. 

You have to banish him from the place if you even hope of trying to wrap them without him guessing what it is. 

He’s good though and would never open them, knowing how much it means to you to surprise him on the big day. 

You also decide to do something for him, offering to attend mass with him at the nearby church, knowing how much it means to him to go. 

Sitting there together, nestled in the pew, it’s hard not to enjoy the carols and the peace that seems to radiate from Matt. That in itself is worth more than any material gift you can give him.  

[volturialice]

I have a crazy stupid question: if you had to think about the Cullens and Co (or just Jasper and Alice if you'd rather) in terms of a wings!au, daemon!au and soulmate marks!au, what would you give them?? Thinking about Jasper with ragged dangerous looking sandy wings and Alice with humming bird or dove wings, Emmett with a bear familiar, Esme and Carlisle proud of their soulmate marks.... don't mind me, currently obsessed

oh funnnn. love a good AU. I myself have written a short jalice soulmate words piece, and have a (also jalice) soul scars AU in the drafts (because holy shit were they made for that scenario.)

and I happen to know that @goldeneyedgirl has written a daemon AU before! the main thing I remember from it is that Alice's daemon was unsettled into adulthood due to Trauma. I'm gonna try to forget as much as possible about the rest so I can answer without cassandra clare-ing lexie, wish me luck

daemon AU ideas

emmett - you're right, bear is a MUST. specifically a grizzly, let's be real. his daemon fights all his meals before he eats them, and everyone thinks he's a weird cannibal for it

his parents would have named his daemon a rootin tootin mountain/southern gal name. Alma or Luella or Abilene or something, idk

bella - the obvious answer is a deer but I think it would be so funny if her daemon was a sheep. the lion and the lamb!! my next idea was a pelican because of the morbid fact that they will rip off parts of their own bodies to feed their young. extremely bella-coded. I also liked that time in canon when she called herself a sloth. feels right. three-toed for sure. look at his long brown eyes

renee and charlie would have named her daemon something classic but up-and-coming for the era. bonus points if it had a vaguely italian feel, like Luca or Rafael

edward - on the flip side, I think a lion is too obvious an answer for edward, and also not an emo enough animal. his daemon should be a beetle (kafkaesque) or a new world porcupine (solitary, likes to hang out in trees.)

his daemon would have a fancy frilly old-world name, maybe roman-sounding. Priscilla or Portia or something. Faustina would be hilarious

esme - something delicate but cozy. a butterfly? a wren or mourning dove? a guinea pig or rabbit? I'm leaning rabbit. for those of you who insist on girlbossifying esme, she could maybe be a hyena—I've heard that at least one subspecies will adopt and raise orphaned cubs. can't remember if it was spotted or brown? hyena experts weigh in

esme's parents gave her an unusual name for its time and place, so her daemon would probably get the same. Jory or Ari, maybe something more french like Benoit

rosalie - could also get a hyena tbh, since they're girlbosses who are unfairly villainized in fiction. also feel like a tasmanian devil would be a cool mammal option for her. other than that, I could see her with a cool bird of prey daemon, maybe a falcon

her daemon would also get an elegant name, maybe one that hasn't aged well. Maximilian, Isidore, Clement, Reginald

carlisle - my first thought was an orangutan because their 'solitary intellectual' vibes remind me of him during his pre-family era. or maybe something else intelligent but more social, like an elephant. very compassionate guys

and I know carlisle was raised anglican, but i think it would be so funny if his daemon had like a mayflowerass pilgrim name. Temperance or Chastity the elephant

jasper - honestly just like a scarred up, one-eared doberman rescued from a dogfighting ring. I know canon compares him to a lion nearly as often as it does edward, and I guess a big cat could work too (but I wouldn't pick a lion. something more solitary, like a leopard or puma.)

and I think his parents had boring-er name taste than "jasper" suggests. maybe something nicknamey, like Hattie or Lil

alice - a tough one because there are so many possible answers. maybe some kind of flashy bird like a quetzal, or an agile small mammal like a tamarin or lemur. tbh she could just have Mort

his name would also be something vaguely classic. maybe Cecil or Marcel or Claude

(yes I realize I just gave everyone cool birds and mammals. and what about it)

wings AU ideas

you have some fun ideas there too! I'll admit I've never really written or read a wings AU. I think jasper should get some ragged buzzard wings since he's desertcore. alice could totally have hummingbird, or magpie would also be cool since they're kinda mod.

I think esme could get the dove wings, or maybe finch or bluebird. bella would obviously need something brown since that's her favorite color. emmett could get the classic red-tailed hawk coloring, carlisle maybe a barn owl. rosalie something cool like a kestrel

aaaand this post is already way long so I'll save any soulmate mark ideas for a different one. whew! thorough question there anon

[thetypedwriter]

The Grandest Game

The Grandest Game Book Review by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I feel like I’m writing about Jennifer Lynn Barnes constantly. 

Thankfully, this is not a case of diminishing returns. 

In fact, this might be Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ best novel yet, which is astounding to me. 

The Grandest Game is now the…fifth book in the Inheritance Games series which is insane, but it’s also the first installment in a spinoff series.

So related but not a direct sequel, although you would be lacking in a significant amount of understanding if you had not read the first four books of the Inheritance Games.

At this point, Jennifer Lynn Barnes is becoming the new Cassandra Clare.

But back to The Grandest Game, one of the key differences is instead of focusing on Avery and the Hawthorne brothers, this novel focuses on other players that have either been invited to play or won themselves a nomination. 

The Grandest Game itself is not that noteworthy, but the plot essentially boils down to this: Avery has set up a competition game where the prize money is $26 million.

Most of the game includes the players getting involuntarily put into teams and trying to solve a series of riddles and puzzles while attempting escape-room antics. 

Avery and the Hawthrone brothers are in the novel, but they’re in the periphery and largely unimportant other than the history they have with the players and the fact that they have masterminded the game. 

However, I can not emphasize enough how much better the book is by not focusing on them. Avery was never much more than a Mary-Sue from the get go and the Hawthorne brothers were all largely one-dimensional cliches.

The side characters who take center stage in this novel are a huge improvement, personality and interest wise. 

Rohan we know from the last book, The Brother Hawthorne, and his POV is fascinating. I’ve always had a soft spot for characters who are selfish and conniving, two characteristics Rohan has in droves. 

However, he also has a good motivation for playing the Grandest Game—getting money to take over the Devil’s Mercy, a secret club that he’s been a part of since he was a child. His penchant for winning always makes his POV fun to read. 

His relationship with Savannah, while predictable, was also really charming. I love relationships that are fierce and fiery, have cat-and-mouse banter, and are between two very stubborn people who don’t want to admit defeat. Every chapter with them working as a team was titillating. 

The POV I enjoyed the most was Gigi’s. Her fun, bubbly personality and bright way of connecting with people and seeing the world was fresh, fun, and authentic.

Her interactions with Knox and Brady were hilarious, but also strangely deep and intriguing, as they were both new characters with a sordid and complicated past with each other. 

Gigi’s intellect shone through while others constantly underestimated her, a plot point that never got old. Gigi trying to piece together what happened with Knox and Brady, while at the same time learning she’s bugged and trying to untangle the larger mystery of who’s on the island, was the most riveting part of the story for me. 

The last POV was for a character named Lyra Kane. Essentially, she’s Avery 2.0. I disliked her POV the most, especially as her motivation to win–saving her childhood home—while nice, was boring.

She also had the hackneyed story arc of being attracted to Grayson Hawthorne while incessantly telling herself to stay away from him (without success). 

The most interesting part of this POV was Grayson’s and Lyra’s interaction with their third teammate, Odette, an older woman who was once involved with Tobias Hawthorne.

I liked Odette’s backstory and the diversity of having an older character, but she was too cryptic throughout the whole novel and then decided to give up her spot at the end, a choice that riddled me with frustration and made her character dip in the favorite department. 

That being said, these three POV’s were still a huge improvement from the banality of Avery’s mind and the vapid love triangle she found herself in of the previous books. 

Instead, we have two interesting perspectives (plus Lyra) to carry this new spinoff series forward, a journey I am wholeheartedly ready to embark on.

Plus, all the riddles are a lot of fun to try and piece together as a reader. It may not be the most complicated of plots, but it’s entertaining and the characters propel it forward with their intersecting relationships and personal motivations. 

Recommendation: The best Jennifer Lynn Barnes novel yet. Read it and try to solve as many of the puzzles as you can (I got two of them!).

Score: 8/10