#currently reading most ardently by gabe cole novoa

[infernalcrypt]

i got an e reader for my birthday and i immediately loaded like 6 transgender books into it. good times

[pagesandpothos]

I love this series of remixed classics and this one, in particular, is so good. It's cute and joyful and I highly recommend it!

[thatmexisaurusrex]

So, I saw a weird ask going around and thought - good idea, sad and pathetic execution. So, new tag game! Tell me what you're currently reading and watching as well as what's been your favorite books, films, and shows this year!

CURRENTLY WATCHING: I'm currently watching Make Some Noise, which has been fun to binge. Highly rec it if you or a kind friend has Dropout. Also watching Evil which is such a highly underrated show.

CURRENTLY READING: To be completely honest, I'm in a bit of a reading slump. I had my reading binge at the beginning of the year. Buuut I am at the very beginning of both The Legacy of Yangchen by F.C. Yee as well as Diamond Ring by KD Casey.

FAVORITE MOVIES AND SHOWS SO FAR THIS YEAR: Can't recommend Challengers enough. Truly, probably my favorite movie of the year so far? Twisters was really fun too. I know this came out last year, but I'm pretty sure I watched Bottoms this year and I can't recommend that enough either, it's so good. I think I also got around to watching Sense8 for the first time this year and wow I really missed out. That show fucking rocks. I watched House of the Dragon and while it was a slow build-up season, I'm excited to see what happens next? While the latest season of The Bear was a bit all over the place, I still loved it dearly. The latest season of The Dragon Prince was so good too. Also started watching RWBY for the first time (RIP Rooster Teeth).

FAVORITE BOOKS SO FAR THIS YEAR: Oooh I told y'all I had a reading binge at the beginning of the year. Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa was great, as well as So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole, Escaping Mr. Rochester by L.L. McKinney, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: The Druid's Call by E.K. Johnston, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: The Road to Neverwinter by Jaleigh Johnson, The Bewitching Hour: A Tara Prequel by Ashley Poston, The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan, and okay I'm cheating a bit but I read it in December last year, Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao. Also reread the most of Rick Riordon's demigod universe. All the Greek, Roman, and Norse demigod series in the universe, at least. I highly recommend The Trials of Apollo series as well as The Sun and The Star which is actually written by both Mark Oshiro and Rick Riordan (like the book somehow gets away with a MONTERO reference, how can you not love that?). The Magnus Chase books, while imperfect, hold a special place in my heart too.

No Pressure Tags For: @lavenderleahy @dadbodbuck @ohithankyou @buckhastwohands @half-oz-eddie

@katatonicimpression @jemgirl86 @funsized-loser @siancore @six2vii and whoever wants to do this! I want recs! 🥰

[tm-trx]

currents.24[2024]

selections from my week in media [9-15 june 2024]

[anticipating]

Khemjira - paranormal BL - I need it to premiere yesterday. Yes, "never trust a Thai BL trailer" but my hopes are so up. That trailer is amazing.

The Rebound - sports BL - The lead pair's acting has improved by leaps and bounds since their first drama together, so I'm looking forward to seeing them in something new. Meen is apparently a very good basketball player so that bodes well for a more than usual amount of on-court action in the show.

Sunset x Vibes - workplace romance with a supernatural twist BL - I'm excited to see MosBank in a new drama together.

[listening]

"Fancy" / Twice

"FWB" / Great Sapol, Wandee Goodday OST

"Like It" / SHINee

"Next Level" / aespa

"Satellite" / SHINee

[reading]

How a Resurrection Really Feels by LiarsandThieves22 - Steve/Eddie Stranger Things canon-divergence fix-it fic - I loved this story so much: nice and long, Steve-centric, and chock-full of all the found family vibes.

Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa {4 stars} - A queer YA Pride and Prejudice retelling - I enjoyed it a lot and thought the author did a great job reinterpreting the familiar story beats.

[watching]

House of Stars, ep 1-3 - I don't remember why I had this on my watchlist for the year, but I powered through the first three episodes and now I'm kinda hooked. Toey is the standout and I hope he gets his own little plot. I will never get tired of his reactions to Pitch's nonsense.

Lovely Runner, ep 1-4 - I am loving it so much, wow. The time travel mechanic is different than any I've seen before, so that is keeping me guessing. I'm curious to see how it evolves over the rest of the series now that the (seemingly) big reveal about how it works has happened. I didn't know that Kim Hye Yoon was the female lead or I would have started it sooner. I adored her in Extraordinary You and she's still a delight.

Wandee Goodday, ep 7 - Another great episode this week. The fake breakup for their fake relationship actually hurt quite a bit to watch. Yak taking his necklace back was physically painful. I loved it though. The less said about Ter, the better. ugh, Ter. But, I finally remembered to look up the theme song and discovered that Great sings it?! He sounds so good, I love it.

previous Currents posts

.

[aleksiej]

i am currently reading most ardently by gabe cole novoa (trying to read more actual books to better write fanfiction lol) and i am AGOG I AM AGAST

this book is perfect, swept me off my feet in the first chapter and continues to do so more and more

the depiction of darcy and oliver's relationship is so sweet

oliver overall has such a wonderful, supportive social circle

the queerness practically vibrates off of that book and it's wonderful to read, as a genderqueer and otherwise queer person

literally kicking my feet in the air, this is perfection

[rivulet027]

Tagged by @wrennette

Last song = "Same Sky" Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies

Last movie = Into the Spider-Verse

Last thing googled = Paczki, the student I'm teaching hadn't heard of them

Favorite color = green

Relationship status = single

Sweet/Spicy/Savory = depends on my mood, all are good!

Current obsessions = Reading any DC I can get my hands on? I'm currently in a consume canon mode (So if you have suggestions feel free. Currently reading the Mark Grell's Green Arrow, Peter David's Young Justice, and Scott Lobdell's Red Hood and the Outlaws.)

Last book = Last audiobook was Into the Bright Open by Cherie Dimaline, last physical book was Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa, last e-book was Queer (In)Justice: The Criminalization of LGBT People in the United States by Joey L. Mogul and Andrea J. Ritchie, last arc I read I'm not recommending because those last thirty pages took a turn and if I hadn't been almost done I'd have DNFed, so the last arc before that which is worth recommending is A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey

Looking forward to: I bought a steak when I went grocery shopping today and I've got two days off in a row coming up next week

-

no pressure tagging: @mapleowl18 @dlwrites @thesecondbatgirl @pockysquirrel @noxelementalist

[redheadgleek]

March Books

My parents were here for 10 days and we were doing work around my house, so I did not get as much time as I would have liked for reading. So I focused on some shorter books.

What I Read: 

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. The latter half struggled a bit and lost a plot, but it was still good and the ending was lovely if a little wistful. I do feel like it's one that would benefit from a rereading, so I'm listening to it on audio. 

Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey. It's a short book. It could have been a New Yorker article and that would have been sufficient. One of the reviews suggested thinking of it as a sermon, which helps somewhat with the framing, but it still needed help.

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory. The last 1/4 of the book infuriated me so much I nearly DNF, even though I had enjoyed the first 3/4. The MC completely and totally pushes on FC's established boundaries and then throws an absolute fit when she doesn't give into him.

Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa. A sweet trans retelling of Pride and Prejudice. A few minor quibbles: the author aged Oliver/Elizabeth down to 17 which was not needed and was annoying and the setting was moved to London, which did not work with the scene where Oliver tramps across mud to take care of Jane. 

The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles by Malka Older. The second book of the Mossa and Pleiti murder mystery series that takes place on Jupiter. Overall, I enjoyed the story a lot; I have issues with "does she really like me or is she just spending time with me" internal diatribes with adults.

Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn. I've enjoyed the Netflix Bridgerton series as the smutty cotton candy that they are and the ebook was on sale. It was fluffy and light (and light on the smut too, hurumph) and I didn't appreciate that the plump herione slimmed down before she was attractive.

How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith. Audiobook. He's a sociology professor and a poet, which made for a wonderful combination in this exploration of how slavery is written into our foundation and our current mindset. Excellent book.

At First Spite by Olivia Dade. The story was a touch unbelievable, but it's a romance so that's forgivable. There were some really lovely scenes in this book as the protagonist battles depression. The medical stuff was almost believable. But. I'm not sure if describing plump female characters as "lush" is any better than "voluptuous."

A Short Stay in Hell by Steven Peck. The author is LDS and I'm not sure that he really realized that his version of Hell (that we are all young and white and delightful and the same) is what the church has taught as what eternal life with God would be like and why I had nightmares at 12 about dying. 

The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. Such beautiful prose. There were some descriptions that will linger with me for a long time, I think.

What I'm Reading:

Howl's Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones. Audiobook. It's been more than 20 years since I last read these books, so it's been a treat. 

The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence. I think I'd be a little more excited about it, if it felt like hadn't just finished a book with a similar sort of theme (Cloud Cuckoo Land).

Still making my way through A Short History of Nearly Everything. It was so engrossing in the first couple of chapters ...

What I'm Reading Next:

I'm in a middle of a reading lull right now. So many books to read and just having a hard time picking one.

[multiicolor]

LAST SONG LISTENED TO: D.O.A from The Lightning Thief ( that musical is so good i take it over the show tbh )

LAST BOOK FINISHED: idk if comics count bc that'd be The Odyssey ML.P retelling- otherwise, Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa

LAST FILM WATCHED: The Last Unicorn ( currently watching it again for the second time as im typing lol )

CURRENT OBSESSIONS: aouhg, my little pon.y and the last unicorn per usual, they've never left and never will

CURRENTLY READING: Nothing rn- planning on reading Murtagh tho

CURRENTLY WORKING ON: Nothing yet

LOOKING FORWARD TO: Going home and kissing my sisters cat bc i miss him sm rn ( and also im gonna host a ml.p ttrpg with friends soon!! hype!! )

MEMES YOU RELATE TO RIGHT NOW: family guy death pose

tagged by: yoinked from @rathalascendant >:3 tagging: uhhhhhhhhhh DRINK WATER ( steal from me idc )

[arwainian]

Reading This Week 2024 #39

I have the growing impression this week that I can't quite call myself a homebody anymore. I called myself one to my roommate today and she disagreed, which I suppose can be chalked up to my increasing social business. I keep getting involved in things that have me getting out of the house to attend them, or having friends invite me to events that they want to go to. It feels good!

Finished:

Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa, audiobook narrated by Harrison Knights I said a lot about this in last week's update but as a note: there is a full page in my reading journal taken up by my thoughts on this book. A few notes I will make here: 1. It switches the setting of the pride&prejudice story from the English countryside to London itself in a way I found quite jarring. 2. I feel like the entail/primogeniture stuff with a trans boy Bennet should have come up way earlier in the book than it did (at the end. as a solution to everyone's problems because well its turns out the second oldest bennet child is a man! english property law is inexplicably trans-affirming!), like I would have loved to see Oliver frustrated and indignant that because everyone thinks he's a woman he won't rightfully inherit his family's property throughout the book! i find anxieties about financial stability and future prosperity really key to Austen works, so that would have made the inspiration feel more grounded than it did. personally I am less interested in Most Ardently's very modern version of queer & trans-ness, since I tend to come to historical fiction with an interest in engaging the ways that gender feelings might have been embodied and articulated prior to our present language of trans-ness. Nonetheless! I'm sure many teenage gay trans boys will find this book and feel seen. The loving and detailed descriptions of Regency men's fashion was absolutely a highlight of this book for me.

Love Me Like You're Real by Cynthia Yuan Cheng this is the comic I linked in a little post gushing about it this week. it's advertised as a BL comic (though produced in English from the start) about a transmasc hopeless romantic falling into the post-canon of their favorite fantasy novel and directly into the arms of their fictional crush. it's a really lovely story about growing out of passive longing and yearning and into an active pursuit of romance and love as Terr takes lessons from their fictional romance forward into their day-to-day

The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 3: Commercial Suicide written by Kieron Gillen, art by Kate Brown (#12), Tula Lotay (#13), Jamie McKelvie (#14), Stephanie Hans (#15), Leila Del Duca (#16), & Brandon Graham (#17)

The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 4: Rising Action written by Kieron Gillen, art by Jamie McKelvie I have come out of these volumes a bit confounded by the motivations and choices made by the main antagonist. she really seems to just be making a bunch of problems for herself that don't need to be problems. and secondly i don't like the twist that we didn't see a whole chunk of events that took place at the end of volume 2. that felt like a cheap reveal, and i liked what i had imagined was the case better

Fantasy Island: Colonialism, Exploitation, and the Betrayal of Puerto Rico by Ed Morales, audiobook narrated by Sean Duffy part of my ongoing efforts to learn about the history and colonial present of Puerto Rico (where half of my family is from). reading this led to some emotional rambling in a friend's DMs about the really shitty bind PR is in currently

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 1 original story by Natsu Hyuuga, character design by Touco Shino, manga by Nekokurage ohoho? spunky smart girl protagonist and a beautiful eunuch as well? sign me the fuck up I love the court intrigue vignettes

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White, narrated by Shaan Dasani, Graham Halstead, and Avi Roque I read this for october's queer lit book club (YA post-apocalypse horror). I would have absolutely loved to read this book in high school at the peak of my violent fantasies of sprouting wings in painful bloody glory. however it was published in 2022 so i cannot do that, and the book was okay to read as an adult a bit removed from those feelings. excited to hear that Lilly Wachowski is working on a movie for it!

"Take His Memory to Your Grave" by Shelley Parker-Chan this is a short smut story that Parker-Chan released initially as a preorder reward for He Who Drowned the World but is now available on their website. it's toxic hate sex between Lord Wang and Ouyang prior to their appearances in She Who Became the Sun, and it is so funny in a way that only these two tragic idiot assholes could be. a friend said that my description of this was the best pitch i've made for the series yet

Ongoing:

Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey, narrated by Gregory St. John I am reading this to keep up with Shelved by Genre and really loving it. I might have to check out some of Mercedes Lackey's other work after they finish with this trilogy

Rethinking Rape by Ann J. Cahill

Lady Eve's Last Con by Rebecca Fraimow picked up a copy at the library this week. only read the first chapter. got a lot else on my plate but i will Try because i've heard good things

Frieren, Beyond Journey’s End, Vol. 2 by Kanehito Yamada

DNFs:

The Shabti by Megaera C. Lorenz, narrated by Matt Haynes i picked this up based on a good review from KJC comparing it to Jordan L Hawk's work. I should have remembered that I don't like Hawk's books all that much. There was nothing egregious that made me drop it, but I realized 75% through that I actually didn't care about any of it. sorry, i just wasn't interested in either the shitty ex-boyfriend plot nor the angry ghost plot, and i wasn't terribly hooked on the romance. not really worth the time i gave it

Lord of Eternal Night by Ben Alderson, narrated by Shaun Grindell this was on my TBR from my time searching a year and a half ago for gay vampire romances. i found the audiobook narrator so grating and I didn't find the dynamic between the vampire and the witch sent to kill him sexy enough to push through. 25% into the book and they've barely interacted? come on...

[alt-air]

13 Books

Saw this floating around and wanted to do it

1.) The Last Book I Read

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman trans. by Ros Schwartz

2.) A Book I Recommend

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez

3.) A Book That I Couldn't Put Down

Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee

4.) A Book I've Read Twice (Or More)

The Bone Key by Sarah Monette

5.) A Book on my TBR

The Gideon Testaments Trilogy by Freydis Moon <- found out this author is a white brownfacing as a latinx author so I will not be reading their books anymore. Another book on my TBR is If Found, Return to Hell by Em X. Liu

6.) A Book I've Put Down

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini

7.) A Book on my Wish List

The Queue by Basma Abdel Aziz

8.) A Favorite Book From Childhood

All my favorite books from childhood have super racist/transphobic authors unfortunately

9.) A Book You Would Give to a Friend

If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English by Noor Naga or The Last One by Fatima Daas

10.) A Book of Poetry or Lyrics You Own

I don't read poetry really

11.) A Nonfiction Book You Own

The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Daley

12.) What Are You Currently Reading

Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H. and Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa

13.) What Are You Planning on Reading Next

The Angel of Indian Lake by Stephen Graham Jones

[pagesandpothos]

WWW Wednesday (April 17, 2023)

What Are You Currently Reading?

I started Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa yesterday and love what I've read so far. It's adorable and pretty short, so I'll finish it either tonight or tomorrow.

What Did You Recently Finish Reading?

I last read a digital ARC of Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel. I absolutely loved it!

What Do You Think You’ll Read Next?

I think I'm going to finally read Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir next. I'm trying to prioritize reading books that I've been really excited to read for a long time and Project Hail Mary is at the top of that list!

[pagesandpothos]

WWW Wednesday (April 10, 2023)

What Are You Currently Reading?

I'm about halfway through an ARC of The Sins on Their Bones by Laura R. Samotin. I really like it so far.

What Did You Recently Finish Reading?

My last read was an ARC of You Should Be So Lucky By Cat Sebastian which I gave 5 stars. I loved it so much!

What Do You Think You’ll Read Next?

I recently got a copy of Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa from my library, so I might read it next. It depends on what mood I'm in when I finish my current book though because I have a lot of options.

[pagesandpothos]

April Reading Plans

I've been in a very odd reading mood recently, so I don't want to plan my reading too strictly. Instead, I made a list of books that I may want to read this month with only four that I 100% will be reading. This should leave me some time to mood-read which I hope will help me recover from the very minor slump I've been in.

Books marked with 💯 are my top priorities and the only ones I am certain to read.

Currently Reading

I'm currently reading A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab (about 50% in). I expect to finish this in the next few days.

Library Books

Only one of my library books is due in April and that is Projections by S. E. Porter. I will be reading that one. The others, I may get to or I may wait until May.

💯 Projections by S.E. Porter

The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang

Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa

Netgalley Books

I try to read my NetGalley approvals at least a month before they're due. I have 3 that release in May, so I will be trying to read all of these in April.

💯 The Sins on Their Bones by Laura R. Samotin

💯 You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian

💯 Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel

Book Box Books

I’m trying to catch up on books I’ve gotten through my subscription boxes. Here’s my list of books I would love to read in April.

A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross

The Adventures of Amina Al-Serafi by S.A. Chakraborty

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

Continuing Series

I'm working on finishing (or catching up on) as many series as I can in 2024. My goal is to read one book from a series I've already started each month.

Where The Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire