#ember bauer

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

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

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232. The Quarterback by Tal Bauer--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

THE QUARTERBACK had some of my favourite tropes, so I initially started this duology with the excitement of getting to this book in the mini series. While I (surprising myself) enjoyed the first book more, this one still kept me fully engaged and in love with the characters.

One of the things I really liked about this was how both characters were essentially at a point in their lives where they had to figure out who they were and what they wanted for their lives. Obviously one character was more at a crossroads than the other, but their mutual attraction was definitely something that set off their introspective search for who they were and who they wanted to become.

The age gap was expected and one of the reasons why I was anticipating this read, even if at times it felt a little questionable because one MC had very, very clear daddy issues. But besides those moments where I was wondering if this relationship would have happened if there weren't any of the aforementioned issues, there were some seriously sweet and romantic moments.

Bauer is really, really good at creating relationships that form over time, where love just naturally becomes a comfort blanket for both characters. Bauer's grasp on romance and how to make the reader feel that palpable connection has always been masterful and THE QUARTERBACK was no different in romantic levels than his other books. And one of my absolute favourite things is when we, the readers, are wholly aware of that creeping love but the characters are ignorant to their impending romantic doom (LOL). There's always this sense of "finally" when the characters look at each other in a certain way, or finally just give in to what they're feeling.

Anyway, this book had a lot of tender moments and some surprisingly spicy ones (even though it was a lot tamer than I was anticipating). The love between the two characters was very different from the first book--where the first couple's love was a whirlwind of desire, this one was the slowly growing ember of love that has to be stoked over a period of time.

The biggest conflict of the book had me frustrated, so that also affected the rating. But other than that, this book was such a perfect summer romance read.

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233. The Day Tripper by James Goodhand--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

THE DAY TRIPPER blew me away and I wasn't expecting it to. While the beginning took a bit to get into, the body of the story had me completely hooked.

I love the concepts explored in Goodhand's book: time travel, speculative fiction themes, cause and effect, and the play on the concept of Schrödinger's Cat. I love the idea of what if and the exploration of everything surrounding it. I was just so deeply fascinated by it and how the MC's actions could have certain consequences.

I also enjoyed that the MC's character had so much character growth throughout the book, whether it was self-realization of the flaws we're aware of from the beginning, or the ones he slowly reveals that traumatized his life enough to have a negative effect on his choices. I like that he forged a new life for himself DESPITE the things that plagued him in the past.

Ugh, I'm just so in awe of this book and how much I enjoyed it. It was fun, but heartfelt; hopeful, but terrifying. I loved it, so much.

I need to read more books by this author!

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234. The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I had a lot of fun reading this one! I really enjoyed finding out what was going on with the MC alongside him, especially because of the memory loss. The adventure, the humour, the artwork in the physical book, and the fun interludes in between chapters made this such a fun and memorable read.

I think that also because of the way this book is written and the world the MC lives in, this kind of book could technically branch off into a bunch of other books. A world where people can travel to different dimensions that sometimes mimics our owe history? I'd read another book set in this world!

The mix of fantasy and sci-fi was also a lot of fun because there was that typical fantasy aspect of magical beings and fae-like creatures and gods, but then you had nanotechnology. I was surprisingly entertained by it!

Finally, this MC experienced one of my favourite tropes in fiction: people underestimate him, A LOT. And as we learn more about him, it all makes sense why, but the important thing is his character growth showing him that he can be more than the perceived image of him just beyond his memory's grasp. I REALLY enjoyed that.

Sanderson's novel caught my attention from the beginning and the adventure, humour, and the underestimating of the MC made this a really, really fun read for me!

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235. The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm a huge fan of Katherine Center. Save for two or three of her backlist titles, I've read most of her books and have enjoyed them all. THE ROM-COMMERS wasn't a different experience for me--I enjoyed this new book by her immensely. I loved the enemies to lovers aspect, the concept of it, the slow fall into romance, and the forced proximity.

Both characters brought a lot to the table and I loved that they embodied the definition of rom-com while actively trying to write one. Watching them do really adorable things with each other made me feel all giggly and excited for them. Especially because the FMC slowly brings the MMC out of his shell--but at the beginning, this is the very definition of "don't meet your heroes".

One of my biggest issues, however, with this book that I was kind of surprised by, was one situation where the FMC refuses to apologize for some pretty cruel things she said to her sister. THIS MAY BE A SPOILER SO BE WARNED: the sister apologizes profusely and it's reluctantly accepted, but other than a reminder that the FMC should apologize to the sister, she never does. It sat so wrongly with me for the remainder of the book that a part of me stopped enjoying the story as much. It was like, trauma inducing level of bad if the sister were a real person.

The majority of the book was enjoyable and was that typical Center cute and clean romance between two people that didn't like each other at first, but that blip near the end made me so uncomfortable.

I'd still recommend this cute read, but be aware that there are definitely some darker aspects of this book that could be triggering.

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236. Not In Love by Ali Hazelwood--⭐️⭐️⭐️

I've gotten to the point with Hazelwood where I tend to sort of feel on the fence whenever she releases a new book. I initially loved her first series because it had stem and some good romance between enemies, then promptly DNF'ed the third in that series because it all felt so...similar.

NOT IN LOVE is like that strange middle-ground between those very similar books in that first series, and different enough to break up that monotony. The differing factor in this one? Every time the characters met up, they had some form of sex. They were like the horny teenagers who are always off somewhere "discovering different parts of each other", even though they swear up and down that they hate each other.

While I'm normally a huge fan of smutty romances, this one felt a little forced at times? Don't get me wrong, these two had some good times. And if Hazelwood had gone through with it, it would have been an interesting exploration of a type of sex we don't typically see in smutty romances, but of course, he was "not like other men" and proved that she could indeed enjoy the typical sexual acts.

Their sexy rendezvouses WERE fun though and I remember listening through my audiobook and thinking, "Damn, okay, Ali." I liked watching these two take down each others' walls and fall into their love. Even if it was forbidden.

The MMC of course matched the physical descriptors of previous Hazelwood MMCs, and the FMC was also that quirky, slightly bitchy, curvaceously gorgeous FMC that Hazelwood also loves to write about. And I mean, I don't dislike that because I love some good rep for curvy girls, BUT it's also like falling into that Hazelwood formula that has become her character standard.

One of the main things, however, that I discussed with others who'd read this book is how STEM, the one thing that set Hazelwood's romances apart from all others when she first debuted, took a backburner to the smut in this book. Sure, it made an appearance every once in a while, but it was definitely a background character.

Look, my review nitpicks this book but you know, *shrug*, I actually enjoyed this book--for what it's worth. It was entertaining, sexy, and SLIGHTLY different enough from her previous stuff that it kept me wanting to read the rest of the story. It wasn't perfect, but it was fun for the summer. I'll still be wary of her future books, but this one was entertaining in its own way.

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237. This Book Won't Burn by Samira Ahmed--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

THIS BOOK WON'T BURN was an incredibly powerful book, but it was also from the perspective of a very young MC--yes, she's a senior in high school who was about to graduate, but some of her decisions felt very young and it was jarring, especially when those said decisions happened alongside her more mature moments.

But keeping that in mind, some of the adults in her life also let her down intensely--which, to be honest, is very realistic, especially with how North America is right now.

I wouldn't be surprised if this book gets banned because it focuses so much on what is happening right now. The racism in small town America, the idea that certain people have the power to control what other people do with their own time and what they read, and the threats that minorities face when they stand up for what is right was all scarily timely. And this made for a very uncomfortable read. Add to it that this is all from the POV of a teenager who was originally from an incredibly diverse city/school and is also dealing with the grief of her father's abandonment.

There was also such an underlying current of animosity in this book that breached the seemingly calm waves every so often, until the bigots and racists felt comfortable enough to come up for air more often. The one character remaining silent proved that silence was also the perfect example of how evil can flourish when there isn't anyone or anything stopping the abuse.

While the ending of this book is incredibly idealistic, I thought it was perfect because it adds that touch of hope that we are all wanting in such a difficult time. Real life may be a shit show of lost expectations, but at least fiction can show us what it COULD be like.

At times hopefully (because of the allies that find their bravery to stand up), and at other times terrifying, THIS BOOK WON'T BURN will definitely leave you thinking after the last page. And if you're an adult reading this book (like I am), it will make you wonder what you would have done if you were a teenager during this current political climate.

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238. The Only Light Left Burning by Erik J. Brown--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ugh, this sequel was soooooooo good!!

When I read the first book in this series years ago, I thought that it would have been great to get another book because I wanted to read about more adventures. Erik J. Brown definitely delivered in THE ONLY LIGHT LEFT BURNING and I'm so, so, so happy we got to have this conclusion!

One of the things I'm so grateful for is that this is a dual POV story. There are so many moving pieces in this book and so many instances where the MCs need to grow as characters on their own, that having dual POVs allowed for us to get the full stories.

I had forgotten how addicting Brown's writing is, too, because I was immediately hooked with this one. And there is ALWAYS something happening. There were some wild moments in this book and some that genuinely made me so itchy with anxiety and fear. Add to those scary moments a group of small kids and that's an extra level of horror.

But probably the thing I love the most about this duology is the love the two MCs feel for each other. They're young characters--I think sixteen?--but the love they share and the care they have was perfect. Plus, the guilt and PTSD of survival and past actions/choices haunting them was realistic, especially when putting into consideration just how young these two boys are (even if they're put into mature situations that challenge their survival).

I can barely put into words just how much I adored this book and how great it was. I definitely see myself re-reading this series in the future! The characters, the situations, the survival, and the adoration from one character to the next--this series is a MUST read.

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239. Rise of the Earth Dragon by Tracey West & Graham Howells (Illustrator)--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ADORABLE.

I've been wanting to read this one for a while because of how popular it is with the littles who come into the bookstore to buy this series. And I have to say that I can understand the hype. It's obviously simpler because it's for younger readers, but it's a fun adventure with characters who slowly gain confidence in their abilities.

I think young reader me would have devoured these books!

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240. Nanny Negotiations by Merry Farmer--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Quick, fun, dramatic, and caught my attention quickly.

NANNY NEGOTIATIONS was a surprising read because while it was entertaining af, it also read like a Harlequin novel. It was quick on the romance, deliciously spicy with drama, and an adorable toddler to off-set the tension between the characters and the antagonist.

I loved the idea of this single dad returning back to a gentlemen's club after a nasty divorce. And that club? It's exclusively for queer people. This club was like a safety net as the single dad MC meets and hires a new male nanny and then, of course, falls for said nanny.

While the romance between the two MCs was a little insta-lusty for me, I still liked seeing this cold and jaded man bluster his way through a conversation with the nanny because he's nervous af. I will say, though, with the size of this book and how quickly paced the story was, insta-lust to love made sense.

The drama was telenovela-worthy. It was ridiculous but I couldn't look away from the book. You know those really bad ads for those reel short videos? The acting is questionable and the climax of the story is over-the-top? Yeah, this is like the novelization of that, but more entertaining than cringe.

Anyway, I enjoyed this for what it was. I'd recommend it if you're looking for a romance book with the nanny trope, especially if that nanny is a man and the parent is also a man.

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

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Happy reading!

[katriniac]

Thanks for pointing me towards a glorious new picrew, @yarnnerdally ! I LOVE IT!!!! 😍

Of COURSE I had to create one for a few of my OCs, myself, and my D&D character. 😉

To help keep this from becoming a giant thread on anyone's dash, I'll put my images under the cut:

First up is my OC Katarina Koser. She gets two because she has a Succubus form with horns, wings, and tail. Too bad the picrew didn't have bat wings as an option. Most often used in Ikemen Vampire stories.

The next four, clockwise from top left:

Athelrin "Rin" Daneely - Fae shape-shifter, but prefers to take human female form the most often. Messanger/courier for the Court of the Fae.

Kirvahilshtok "Vahil" Stemward - Space Elf (no, not a Vulcan! Lol), personal assistant extraordinaire.

Sylbur Moreno - No-nonsense warrior, also happens to be a princess. Has latent unknown mutant powers.

Kathryn Aquaneaux - Knight or Security Specialist, depending on the setting/technology timeline. Most often used in Midnight Cinderella and Ikemen Prince stories.

The next four, clockwise from top left:

Miss Katie Kelly - Librarian by day, erotica novelist by night. Most often used in Ikemen Revolution stories (with Blanc).

Ember - (my D&D character) Earth Genasi Cleric. Amber resin for hair, Pipestone for skin. Simply glad to be out of the house/temple.

Noema Esbizi - Bored Genius. Also a mutant with ability to bend light, depending on the setting/story.

Perdita Weist - Vampire, museum curator (also the founder, shh that's not commonly known).

The last four, clockwise from top left:

Alyce Gardner - She can find fun no matter where she is, whether she's working on the farm or forced to stay in the palace. Most often used in Midnight Cinderella and Ikemen Prince stories.

Leta Bauer - Retired. Tired. Lonely. And occasionally horny. Extremely relatable.

Me, the mun. I'm quite happy with how this one turned out! Chubby face and purple hair. 😍 Pretty awesome to find a picrew that has options to make it look like ME. 🥰

Yokeena Axiom - Her background depends on the story setting. My favorite is from the game system Rune Punk: planet of Scatterpoint, where DNA is warped by the intense cosmic energy, and individuals are burdened with cruel curses as a result. Yokeena's curse is related to her artistic talent.

Tagging anyone who wants to have some fun with picrew: @rosyangel95 @briars7 @bestbryn @lyds323 @xxsycamore

So I found this amazing picrew and it needs so much love??? Like, I can't speak for the amount of POC representation, but I feel like it's much more inclusive than a lot I've seen. There's the option for a character to have a bindi, hijab, turbans, Star of David necklaces, cross necklaces, and the HAIR options! Also disability inclusivity with the option for adding hearing aids and a wheel chair?? I'm in love and I'm going to make so many of my OCs in this. OH AND THE BODIES! Fat bodies! Bodies that aren't just thin. And faces that have double chins. And clothes that fit them!

Djarn really needs so much credit for this maker. I'm gonna see if I can't find a place they post regularly and tag it/link it once I find it here!

Edit: apparently their twit is djarn_ but I haven't found a working link to their account. So. T.T

This is what I imagine more or less most of my self-inserts look like. :)

I'll tag people just to get this going, but no one is obligated to do it ofc!

@violettduchess @aquagirl1978 @scorchieart @jozhenji @venulus @mllorei @katriniac @strawberry-scum @maries-gallery @dear-mrs-otome @ikemen-writer @dark-frosted-heart @solomons-poison @kissmetwicekissmedeadly

[cervicrazed]

Happy pride from Blenny and Ember!

[paganimagevault]

Loki finds Gullveig's Heart by John Bauer 1911

"A heart ate Loki,-- | in the embers it lay, And half-cooked found he | the woman's heart;-- With child from the woman | Lopt soon was, And thence among men | came the monsters all." - Hyndluljóð 43

https://paganimagevault.blogspot.com/2019/12/loki-finds-gullveigs-heart-by-john.html

[tobbpenztazembereknek]

Mondjuk nem tudom, miért ajánlotta ezt a videót nekem a Youtube, de lehet, hogy azt szeretnék, hogy Gyurcsány Ferencre ikszeljek 2022-ben? Hát baszki, a derék Huth Geri 5 percben el tudja érni nálam, hogy LESZAVAZZAK FERIRE. Esküszöm, hogy ha ezt a faszkalapot még egyszer meghallom germánozni vagy fritzezni, akkor jövőre akkora kövér ikszet teszek Ferenc és összefogása mellé, és a nem mellékesen kibaszott nagy GERMÁN rokonságom minden tagját elzavarom Ferire szavazni, hogy Putyin adja a másikat. Hát bazmeg, hát ez az új szint, hogy ha Hardy Mihály a DW-ben nyilatkozik, akkor friccezünk? :D Karácsony Gergőnek meg KUTYACSÖCSEI vannak? :D Hát baszki, esküszöm, hogy beikszelem Ferit 2022-ben, de Vásárhelyi Marist is simán, meg a Vágó Pistát, de még akár Bauer Tamást is.

Bónusz: rendes ember zakóban megy a stúdióba. :DDDDDD

[thebirdandhersong]

THANK YOU :D I have written all your recommendations down!

My sister (she reads FAST!!) has read Patricia Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles, a lot of Gail Carson Levine, Jessica Day George's Castle Glower books and Dragon Slippers books, City of Ember, Redwall, a lot of Edward Eager, Shannon Hale (Books of Bayern and Princess Academy), Fablehaven, the first few Septimus Heap books, Spiderwick Chronicles, Warriors (nearly all), Wings of Fire (all of them, I think), The Girl Who Could Fly, Tony diTerlizzi's WondLa books, and The Thief. She's not the rereading sort (she only rereads the books she REALLY loves, such as AoGG, Little Women, Wingfeather), so it's been a bit difficult to find new ones for her to read that are appropriate for her age and also challenging enough to help her grow, too

so far I have on hold for my city library:

Oliver Twist

Tom's Midnight Garden

Sweep (Jonathan Auxier)

a bunch of LMA books

Inkspell

Scarlet Pimpernel

and I shall keep an eye out for:

Charlie Bone (they don't have it in our city, which is sad.... I shall have to go to my uni's city library for those, I think)

Mistress Marsham's Repose

Elizabeth Enright (I remember loving her Melendy Quartet books)

E. Nesbit

ND Wilson

Blackthorn Key

Wednesday Wars

Dear America/Canada/Royal Diaries

Joan Bauer (I remember Joan Bauer!! I loved her)

Rosemary Sutcliff (we have two of her books at home, I think!)

13 Treasures

Enemy Brothers

Kate Seredy

The Little White Horse

HiIlary McKay (Casson books)

Any book recommendations for a 11 year old girl who is a voracious reader (she likes Narnia, Wingfeather, The Penderwicks, MBS, Harry Potter, The Borrowers; classics like Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, Secret Garden, Wizard of Oz; she recently read Bridge to Terabithia and loved it), who has a pretty advanced level of reading comprehension but sticks to 'easier' and less challenging books, and who doesn't like (and I quote) scary stuff?

[killem-all-if-they-wont-eat-cake]

Image: Freja och Svipdag (1911) by John Bauer

My text "Freyja en Svipdag" published in Covidnine-zine, a magazine edited by the wonderful Winnie Sluis, idealized by Winnie and Lisa @oppergod, with collaboration of several amazing artists.

“With her eyes closed and very sleepy, she could feel the sea breeze on her face and hear the sound of the tide breaking in nine waves, one after the other, until she finally managed to open her eyelids.

At first, she discerned arches and pillars through the blurred image, which she later identified as the ruins of an old cathedral. The stone foundations of this structure immediately reminded her of Glastonbury Abbey. The sound of the violin came to her, as well as the seagulls’ song and the gallop of a gray horse mounted by a masked young man, who headed in her direction. On the beach, an old lady recited the stanzas of ancient poems. Coffins swept across the sand, such as fragments of a shipwreck. The corpse of the violinist, who once was Yorick, the court jester, suddenly stopped the music, marveling at the horizon and contemplating his next song, as follows:

'Oh  Páter if I only knew who she was...  I swear I would have sought her earlier!  Oh Páter, here comes Gwena, who traces  This plot, full of diminished chords...

Tis  fire, aye, ‘tis pipe’s ember,  Burning slow and steady, steaming  And if I inhale, choke and clear my throat  Bitter-sweet is her surrender, such a delight  This woman...

Yet  I think she keeps  Something restrained  For the One of the strings...

She  dares not look but only glimpse

Her  bearing ever so high,  Still entrapped in a gilded cage  From which one tries to break  With a treble clef... Egnis! Egnis!

Aye,  see as it burns strong,

It is painful for Gaius,  Her way of walking and fluttering  Always a promise of the foreign

 Though  beware not to cut yourself;  For she is like As-Sirāt,  Even if broken, she remains sharp.

More  so she is intricate and complex,  Full of ardor and nothing else,  And seems entirely anti-flustered  Ah! ... but if there is a breach...

 “Tis  for sure the apple-tree”  I answer myself.  Since when I wandered haphazardly,  Wandering, wondering, though not seeing  If there was indeed an olive tree...

 Thus,  if the fire she already brought;  And I always have some cider;  Only the gold is wrought...

What  fire is that?  Mighty and aristocratic,  Convoluted and anti-pragmatic.

Alas,  we get to the story’s end,

If  you expected me to be light-hearted

To  speak of her beauty or noble

character,

 You  don’t see me for who I really am

For  only the sublime pain of a burn

Compares  to shall be required

To  conquer her troublesome

Spirit.

 Nevertheless,  if I allow myself

A  final indulgence, I think it goes

Without  saying.. that she’s beautiful,

Dignified,  and a relief to the eyes,

(Though  quite difficult to contain)

That’s  why I have fallen...O Páter!”

The rider dismounted and removed his mask, revealing a quite familiar face.

Then he burst into tears, moans, and screams, calling out the name “Sophie! Sophie!” A cacophony of chimes and carillon began at an Episcopal belfry, the imposing figure of a castle appeared behind the mist. Brísingamen, the fiery torque, sparkled around her neck as she rose, entirely dressed in white. The young man, who wore black garments, offered her his hand, and spoke:

 “Dear Sophie, your father awaits us.”

 The strangest thing happened; she felt her lips moving without having ordered so. “My darling Joris, at last you have come for me.”

 Although she did not know exactly how, she remembered the young man in front of her was her betrothed, and that they referred to each other by the names of the saints which the ephemeris fell on their respective birthdays. His on the feast day of Sint-Joris van Cappadocië, and hers on that of St. Sophie van Rome.

 “Sophie, the owl told me the baker shall hold a banquet in our honour!”

 “O, here, have a daisy” she said, taking a flower from the garland adorning her long blonde hair. “I would give you give you some violets, but they all withered when the fishmonger sailed to Crete.”

 “Indeed, Aerope told me that Catreus’ ashes are still warm.”

 They walked side by side, with hands intertwined, wearing wicked smiles as they climbed the hill where the castle's Tor stood. Upon arriving, they were received by the King of Guilder and the rest of his progeny.

 “Welcome, my children, to Kasteel Groninger! Our earthly paradise. Pray, remember the road ahead is still long. Fredegund anxiously awaits Siegbert's return, in deep sleep at the Mountain of Obstacles. Do not forget that: Fafnir must yet perish and Sigrdrífa still needs to be stripped of her armour” King Aegir affectionately warned, embracing both Sophie, whom he recognized as his youngest daughter, and Joris, his future son-in-law.

 "Your majesty, I assure you I shall be worthy enough to wed Lady Menglöð" replied Joris, referring to Sophie, the princess of Guilder, by her true name.

 “Heer Valentijn,” asked King Aegir, also calling Joris by his birth name “I believe the sacrifice of Galswintha will not have been in vain: Faith, Hope and Charity shall be glorified, but do not forget to greet your new sisters.”

 With their faces veiled and sitting on the stairs of an old church, the nine daughters of Aegir, presented themselves one by one. The oldest was called Schnecke, “Bloody-hair”, thus called in virtue of her red hair; the second went by the name of Mimi, the “Billow”, therefore known due to her being prone to fits of nervousness; the third was called Caroline, the “Comber”, because of her explosive temper; the fourth answered by Lily, “Pearl-transparent”, on the account of her translucent complexion; the fifth was named Henriette, the “Small-Wave”, due to her short height; the sixth answered by Olga, the “Lifting”, on account of her extraordinary intelligence; the seventh was called Hannah, the “Great-Wave”, thus known for her bulkiness;  the eighth daughter was Jeannette, called the “Well of Origin” for having the habit of reciting prophetic riddles every time somebody asked her something; the last of them, Friederike, the “Cool-Wave”, was therefore called on account of her cold manners.

 Each of them, as Joris approached, answered him with witty sentences related to each of their epithets. At the end of these parables, King Aegir once again addressed him:

 “Valentijn van Florin, I give you my word as sovereign of Guilder that the most beautiful flower in my garden is your dear Sophie, who at this very hour tomorrow you shall take as your wife. Such a marriage will unite our two rival kingdoms under a single crown, as intended your kinsman, Prince Humperdinck, though in far less auspicious circumstances.”

 The bride and the groom waltzed through the castle, covering the walls of each room with snow. Whenever Joris asked if she wanted to be his wife, Sophie burst into hysterical laughing, which echoed throughout the stairs. Sometimes she replied she first owed vassalage to another lord, who was certainly sterner and bonier. This ‘danse macabre’ continued until they faced the stained windows of the cathedral, when the black priest signaled them to stop. For this reason, the nine waves blew out the candles on the candelabrum, one by one, forming a fairy-ring around the two of them and joining their dance wildly.

 Joris mused for a moment and said:

 “Three times nine girls, but one girl rode ahead,

white-skinned under her helmet;

the horses were trembling, from their manes

dew fell into the deep valleys,

hail in the high woods;

good fortune comes to men from there;

all that I saw was hateful to me.”

 For the celebrations to continue Sophie was taken to the hall of Suttungr, while Joris was given the task of finding the severed head of Mimir. Locked up in the chamber of Invitation to Battle, Sophie was punished for exercising her prerogative in choosing differently from what the All-father had commanded. There, Huginn and Muninn, her liege's crows, whispered bad omens at her ears as she repeatedly painted a Byzantine icon of the Virgin of Mercy.

 “Torture me all you want,” she said to her tormentors “a tearing joy overwhelms my soul. Plato's aesthetic dictates the beauty of forms is equivalent to the greater good and that which is purer. I merely follow the example of Paris in his preference for the ‘kallistei’; the beloved is always chosen for blind love, and only love. I admit I may be wrong, but I still believe that his heart is as good and generous as I sensed on our first meeting. The world is sustained by hope, we believe in what we want to believe and how we want to believe; it does not matter if nature and experience tell us otherwise. My dreams have never betrayed me, my heart has never lied to me: it is necessary to follow one’s deepest desires, for they are ordained by the Norns.”

 In retaliation, the crows of the one-eyed king pecked at her ears until her neck was covered in blood. Ignoring the pangs of pain, Sophie continued to draw the icon that depicted a beautiful sleeping maiden, whose closed eyes showed an expression of tenderness and parted lips outlined a tenuous, albeit provocative smile, as though she was caught in a sensuous dream.

 Hence, Sophie chanted in low voice:

“What sort of dream is that, Odin?

I dreamed I rose up before dawn

to clear up Valhöll for slain people.

I aroused the Einheriar,

bade them get up to strew the benches,

clean the beer-cups,

the valkyries to serve wine

for the arrival of a prince.”

At the same time, Joris rode up to the Mountain of Obstacles, where the earth shook and a pit of flames reaching the sky surrounded the red gold of the gods. In this desolate place, the guardian at the gate, who was also the chieftain of the dwarves, gave Joris the sword of anger and the shield of wisdom with which he was able to defeat the horrible serpent, Jörmungandr.

After licking a drop of the creature’s blood on his finger, Joris was given the gift of understanding the crows’ language, which then instigated him to come to the chamber of Invitation to Battle. As soon as he entered the room, he blew on the horn he carried on his neck by a chain. The Virgin awoke from her feverish dream.

Sitting on a golden throne, the queen-like Sophie gladly received him in her father's hall:

“For nine lives I have awaited you, and for nine days you have hanged on the Sefirotic Tree. To you I give my gray horse, so you can ride to Gamla Uppsala; for Memory can only be restored when Gjallahorn descends to the well of origin. There, Heidr will offer you one of her full tits. Drink patiently, but steadily.”

“Frigga, my dear wife, all I ask is for you to grant me knowledge of the nine worlds.”

Before proceeding with her husband’s request, Sophie prayed for eloquence and intelligence, taking her lute in her hand, singing the most beautiful song of shadow and dawn. She praised the day, the night, the gods and goddesses, and the Holy Land where the Nazarene was crucified. After prayer, she harvested liquid from three of her father’s most precious cauldrons and prepared the elixir of life and death, stating it contained enchantments, blessings, songs and runes of power, manliness and pleasure of the flesh and soul.

Sophie told Joris that in the beginning there was nothing, and this nothing was called Njörun. When Njörun became aware of herself, she begot Njöðr. From the union between these two, Mardöll was born. The latter was self-suficient, loving herself and being therefore happy. However, curiosity caused the goddess to create a mirror from her own breath, and when she contemplated her own reflection, she fell madly in love with it. Since then, she divided herself in two: Mardöll of Fire, who saw the image, and Mardöll of Ice, the image seen. After tracing a runic symbol on her body and whispering over it, her reflection became Yngve, her twin brother. The two of them began a frantic dance that culminated in intercourse, from where emerged the rest of the runic spirits.

Sophie then told him how Mardöll first taught the runes to the All-father, how he held the head of Mimir and uttered wise words; and that from them flowed the worlds of the Æsir, Vanir, giants, elves, and humanity. She went on to count all the kinds of runes that Joris needed to know and how to use them. At last asking him if he would like speech or silence from her. To which Joris replied he was not afraid of knowing his fate, even if that meant death.

Shortly after, she took his horn, in which she poured the Mead of Poetry, while rambling: “The beautiful should not perish; the fair should not perish. Eternal love of immortal soul, glittering through my skin like fins. Drop by drop, your spirit will return to me, the first drop will be heavenly!”

The moment Joris took the last sip of this precious drink, the walls opened, and the drums played. King Aegir and the nine waves were finally welcomed to the wedding feast. Circling an oath-ring on a trunk, the sovereign of Guilder joined the hands of his daughter and son-in-law, making a cut on each of their palms so that their blood could mix. Joris and Sophie intertwined their fingers and together declared:

“Ubi tu Askr

Ego Embla;

Ubi tu Embla,

Ego Askr.”

“When thou art the Ash

I shall be the Elm;

When thou art the Elm

I shall be the Ash.”

“Grímnir, the greatest of all gods, is here, he proclaims you to be one flesh, consecrated to him” decreed King Aegir as the newlyweds resumed their bridal dance, accompanied by the nine waves, who happily sang:

“Stampa hårt i marken,

Låt säden flyta  runt,

Ta emot den unga  flickan,

Frej i älskog,

Freja i älskog.”

“Step hard on the ground,

Let the seed fly,

Welcome the Young Maiden,

Freyr in lovemaking,

Freyja in lovemaking.”

Joris enveloped Sophie in a lustful embrace, with each whirl more ardent than before, ‘til they both lost their balance and fell backwards in the hay. At this moment, Thanatos, the black priest showed up uninvited:

“I am a polar bear who has floated here from Greenland on an iceberg. May the gods bless your matrimony with such perennial beauty as that from the coupling of Zeus and Leda. As a wedding gift, I bring you a veil made for an Arabian princess. Please, accept it. O Vanadís, daughter of the king of kings.”

Upon hearing this, Sophie let out a long shriek. She understood what those words meant. For three nights, she and Joris made love at moonlight, in the presence of the court of Guilder and all the creatures of the universe. On the morning of the fourth day, he had to leave her side to wander the nine worlds, bringing the sacred knowledge he acquired to whichever mortals he found. Weeping, Sophie bade adieu to her husband with the following greeting:

“My will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom as great. My sisters receive the heroes at Fólkvangr, serving mead to those slain in battle. When the ash commune with the elm, you shall return to me. Not a second after, not a second before.”

The black priest then proceeded to lead them to the calvary, placing two wreaths of thorns on their heads. “I crown thee, Freyja and Óðr.”

For nine days and nights, Sophie bitterly mourned her lost husband, crying tears of gold for his sake. Once again trapped in the Mountain of Obstacles, she cried out for mercy to the one who was older than time itself:

“That man hon fólkvig fyrst í heimi,

er Gullveig geiru studdu

ok i hǫll Hárs hana brendu;

thrysvar brendu thrysvar borna,

opt, ósjaldan, tho hon enn lifir!

Heidi hana hétu, hvars til húsa kom,

vǫlu velspá,  vitti hon ganda

seid hon hvars hon kunni,

seid hon hugleikin,

æ var hon angan illrar brudar.”

“She remembers the first war in the world,

when Gullveig was hoist on the spears

in the High-One’s hall they burned her;

three times they burned the three times born

often, not seldom; yet she lives! 

She was called Heidr at the village,

the wise völva knew how to cast spells

she practiced seiðr whenever she could

with ravished soul, she performed seiðr,

She was always sought by wicked women.”

As she asked for divine intervention, Sophie devoted herself to the hard work required by the spinning wheel. As though passing in a trance through Psyche's trials, she was accompanied by her sisters, who danced around her, hand in hand. The first branches of the elm emerged from her heart, which enwrapped her in just a few minutes. From her withered body, the most majestic tree of Fensalir was formed. Three times she was struck by lightning, three times she burned; only to be three times reborn the next dawn.

When Joris at last returned from his travels around the world, finding her in such a state he declared:

“Nu em ec aptr kominn,

fát gat ec thegiandi thar;

margom orthom melta ec i minn frama i Suttungs sǫlom.

Gunnlad mer um gaf gunom stóli á

drycc ins dyra miathar; ill ithgiold

let ec hana eptir hafa

sins ins heila hugar

sins ins  svara seva.”

“Now I have come again,

I’d have hardly made it so far;

without speaking great words to my advantage in the hall  of Suttungr.

Gunnlöð gave me, from her golden throne

The precious drink of mead; a poor payment

I gave her in return

for her whole soul

for her  burdened spirit.”

With these sorrowful words he also became an ash tree, his roots becoming entangled with hers. From their union emerged a magnificent swan egg which cracked in two beautiful girls. The Æsir called them Hnoss and Gersemi, the Twin Treasures.’

[saradobiebauer]

Woot woot! Teaser excerpt from ENCHANTED: MAGIC EMBER, coming Tuesday!!!! What happens next in the witchy world of Liam and Cyan? 

[nemzetinet]

Megerőszakolták, majd lovakkal tépették szét a szovjetek

Hét évtizeddel a második világháború vége után még szerencsére még élnek emberek, akiknél hitelesebben senki sem tudná elmondani, mit tapasztalhatott egy civil a budai oldalon 1944-45 telén.

(Magyar Nemzet)

Ilyen kortanúra a perbáli Bauerné Palányi Mária, aki tizennégy évesen látta meg a háború legborzalmasabb arcát.

Kilencszáznegyvennégy december 24-én délelőtt, amikor a Budapest körüli szovjet ostromgyűrű már majdnem bezárult, a városlakók szürreális módon karácsonyi bevásárlásaikat intézték. November eleje óta megszokták a közeli ágyúzást, de legalább az angolszász légierő felhagyott a terrorbombázásokkal. A küszöbön álló apokalipszis azonban távolinak tűnt számukra.

Így volt ez a perbáliakkal is. A Lánchíd budai hídfőjétől huszonhat kilométerre, a Zsámbéki-medencében fekvő települést a háború utáni erőszakos „lakosságcseréig” svábok és tótok lakták, mindössze két magát magyarnak és egy zsidónak valló család volt a kivétel. A félig tót, félig sváb családból való Bauer Antalné született Palányi Mária akkor még csak 14 éves volt. Félárvaként anyai nagymamája és bácsikája nevelte, de új családjával élő édesapja és rokonai is mind falubeliek voltak. Kivétel nélkül gazdálkodók, borosgazdák, mesteremberek. Ő ma is Perbálon él lányával, teljes testi és szellemi frissességben. Az ostrom és a kitörés napjaira hetvennégy év távlatából is tökéletes pontossággal emlékszik.

– Szenteste délelőttjén tíz magyar huszár érkezett Szomorról – idézi fel Palányi Mária. – Bevezették lovaikat az istállónkba, ahol ellátták őket, a nagymamám pedig felkarikázott kolbásszal, szalonnával, kenyérrel és lila hagymával, valamint itteni borral kínálta meg a „vitéz urakat”. A valóban úriemberként viselkedő magyar katonák nem akarták összepiszkolni a tiszta szobát, felkérezkedtek a padlásra aludni pár órára, mielőtt szürkületkor továbbindultak Nagykovácsi felé.

Bauerné Palányi Mária 14 évesen volt szemtanúja a februári harcoknak

Az akkor 14 éves Marika felült az egyik katona mögé, elkísérte őket a malomig, ahonnan már csak a hegyen átvezető erdei utat kellett követniük. Visszafelé gyalogolt már, amikor feltűntek a falu határában a szovjetek. Harckocsival elöl, mögötte Katyusákkal (teherautóra szerelt rakétasorozat-vető) érkeztek a Zsámbék felőli úton.

– Ekkor az egyik udvarról két motoros magyar katona farolt ki, pánikszerűen próbáltak menekülni Piliscsaba felé, de az oroszok a harckocsiból tüzet nyitottak rájuk. Mindketten meghaltak, majd utánuk másik kettő is erre a sorsra jutott. Én ijedten szaladtam haza, de kisvártatva bejöttek hozzánk is az oroszok. Két szobánk volt, a nagyobbikból kizavartak minket. Behordták a málhájukat, pokrócaikat. Sokan voltak. Reggel felé hallottam a felnőttektől, mit csináltak mindjárt az első éjjelen.

Sok nő az ablakon kiugorva próbált menekülni, bele a téli éjszakába, isten tudja, hová, de elkapdosták őket. Én vékony, fejletlen kislány voltam még, szerencsére sem engem, sem a nagymamát nem bántották. De ettől kezdve minden este elmentek. Sejtettem, mit csinálnak, ami utólag bizonyossággá is vált. Amíg ott voltak áprilisig, megerőszakolták szinte az összes nőt, aki olyan életkorban volt.

Palányi Máriát még ma is felzaklatják az emlékek. Miközben mesél, kezét tördeli az asztalra terített csipketerítő alatt, majd remegve mutatja meg kevés megmaradt tárgyi emléke közül nagymamája portréját: jellegzetes kendős falusi nénike tekint ránk a fényképről, aki emberségből jelesre vizsgázott – mint megtudjuk később. Ahogy azt is, hogy az asszonyok megbecstelenítésén túl az oroszok a házakat is kifosztották. Náluk osztották el a lopott holmit egymás között.

– Ahogy ott válogatták az összehordott dolgokat, belestem a szobájukba, és felismertem a pap ruháját, meg másokét is. De volt ott mindenféle érték, ezüst, órák, hasonlók. 1945. február 11-én, a kitörés napján este az oroszok bezavartak minket a házba, és ránk parancsoltak, hogy nem jöhetünk ki. Nagy volt a harci készülődés. Nagymama éppen kelesztette a kenyeret a teknőben, másnap reggel vitték volna el a pékhez kisütni, de ezt sem engedték az oroszok, hiába könyörgött, hogy különben tönkremegy!

Éjszaka iszonyú lárma volt. Az ablakon át torkolattüzek, robbanások fényeit láttuk. A falu határában csata bontakozott ki, még másnap is tartott. Éjjel behoztak egy sebesült orosz katonát, aki meglepetésemre magyarul is tudott. A mi szobánkba került, így kikérdeztük. Azt mondta, „nagy baj van”. Tőle tudtuk meg, hogy a nagykovácsi erd��n keresztül és Tinnye felől is özönlenek a kitörni próbáló mieink, akik el akarnak jutni Szomorra, mert ott van az első német alakulat. Éppen nálunk állták útjukat. Éjjel hallottuk, hogy az oroszok rohamoznak: hurrá-hurrá! Utóbb tudtuk meg, hogy Perbálnál csak 16-17 ember jutott át a több ezerből.

Később Palányi Mária megtudta, János bácsikája – akit, német lévén, a Volksbundba soroztak be – szintén Szomorig verekedte át magát valahol. Onnan társával oldalkocsis motoron Sárisápra hajtottak, majd az utolsó percben menekültek Németországig. Ő a budapesti csata szerencsés túlélőinek egyike. A németeknél várta be a háború végét, munkát vállalt, aztán egy év múlva hazatért.

– Perbálon másnap reggel kilenc óra tájban csendesedett el a harc, ekkor kiengedtek a házból. Én csak azt láttam, hogy fönt, a pincesornál volt a németek és a magyarok arcvonala, a másik oldalon, a Szamár-hegyen az oroszoké. A falu határában lévő Békás-patak partja tele volt magyar és német halottakkal, de máshol is feküdtek elesettek, akiket a kertünkből is láthattam. Amint ott nézelődtem letaglózva, láttam, hogy megmozdult az egyik „holttest”. Intett, hogy menjek oda hozzá.

Nyilván sebesült volt, és segítséget kért volna tőlem. Sajnos ezt az integetést egy orosz, aki a ház falát támasztotta, szintén észrevette. Felemelte a puskáját, és messziről belelőtt a sebesültbe. A foglyokat nem kímélték. Volt egy 17-18 éves fiú. Szegénykém, ő csak egy levente volt, ma is emlékszem az arcára. Úgy kínozták, hogy órákon át mezítláb kellett állnia a hóban. Aztán hozzávágták a bakancsát, hogy menjen a többiekkel. Úgy tettek, mintha szabadon engedték volna őket. Futott szegény fiú is minden erejéből a temető felé, ott aztán már várták, és legéppuskázták valamennyit. A temetőben nyugszanak ma is.

Ezek a hadifoglyok még aránylag „olcsón” megúszták azzal, hogy golyót kaptak. Palányi Mária számára a legfelkavaróbb emléket mindmáig annak a fiatal nőnek az esete jelenti, akinek a példája nem egyszerűen idézőjelbe teszi a „népünket felszabadító dicsőséges Vörös Hadseregről” szóló legendákat. Esete ép ésszel egyszerűen felfoghatatlan.

– A csata másnapján feltartott kézzel közeledett egy magyar katonaruhában lévő nő, karján egészségügyi karszalaggal. Azt kiabálta, hogy „nekem jönni kellett!”. Az oroszok elfogták, elvitték a parancsnokukhoz. Ezek után többé nem láttam élve, de harmadnap az utolsó háznál, a patakban ott feküdt a széttépett holtteste, tanúja voltam. Az emberek, akik tudták, mi történt, azt suttogták, hogy rengeteg katona megerőszakolta, majd, hogy ne mondhassa el senkinek, a két bokájára kötöttek egy-egy kötelet, azok végére pedig két lovat. Még élt, amikor a lovakat ellenkező irányba elindították. Rettenetes kínokat élhetett át szegény! Állítom, ezek beteges, kegyetlen, elfajzott emberek voltak!

A többi fiatal nő, akiket az orosz katonák egyszerűen „csak” megerőszakoltak, szintén sok borzalmat élt át. Őket sokszor pincékbe vagy istállókba rángatták be megbecsteleníteni, de sokakat szervezetten vittek az erdőbe. Volt ott egy földbe mélyített állás, oda vitték ki legtöbbjüket Perbálról és a környékbeli falvakból. Két nőt is ismerek, aki teherbe esett, és ki is kellett hordania a gyereket. Az egyikük úgy várta haza a férjét a fogságból, hogy volt egy gyereke egy ismeretlen, aljas férfitól.

A perbáli ütközetben elesett holttestek közül az oroszok csak a sajátjaikat temették el. A magyar és német katonák elhantolását a helybéliekkel végeztették. Többségüket vagy a temetőben helyezték örök nyugalomra, vagy az erdőben, sokukat sehol.

Amikor a harcok végeztével kezdett ocsúdni az élet, a helybeli asszonyok gyalog, vállukon túróval, sajttal és más terménnyel megrakott batyuval indultak Budára, hogy kereskedjenek. A hegyi utakat róva még hónapokkal, sőt évekkel később is botlottak az avarból előbukkanó holttestekbe. Valószínű, hogy a budai hegyek földjében mindmáig százak nyugszanak jelöletlen sírgödrökben.

Megerőszakolták, majd lovakkal tépették szét a szovjetek a Nemzeti.net-en jelent meg,

[mournfulminds]

The part of Sherine that could no longer look at the estates that progressed around her with such awe also felt the urge to scoff at the manner in which Elizabeth spoke as if it's in some realm of normalcy that people can just commission great arts of work to be made to grace their walls. She supposed for the budding heiress it was ─ that was just the way society was created; there would always be the commissioner and the painter, only Sherine was more uncertain who she was more invidious of. Instead, a curious glimpse was chanced the other woman's way as they stepped into the grand hall, her cheeks instantly reddening in the warmth. "How lucky you are Miss. Parker, to be surrounded by such bewitching things. Though I can't think of a painting that would brighten up a room the same way you do." Her words were not shy, nor lacking in any truth since even a fool could see how fulgent the Parkers raised their daughter to be, no doubt for much more lavish states that would carry on a part of their legacy and name. "Do tell me, what sort of art do you enjoy?"

They strolled past the staircase and to an open room adjacent to the parquet that housed a few works from the Byzantine years, careful eyes flickering back to the flower that was now perched in Elizabeth's hands and already losing some life. A brusque longing for some sort of magic spell that could keep the vitality so that the young woman could place it on a windowsill or perhaps even at her desk when she sat down to pen, and look at it always. But, such a notion was quite inept for someone of Sherine's standing, embers settling on the tip of her tongue as they finally made their way to the snowglobe exhibit. "Mrs. Ansel Bryce will be throwing a soirée the Friday after next, as you know, so I will call on you at eight, and we shall arrive together. I think a Mr. Bauer is coming all the way from Germany, my boss and your mother, in particular, would like you to meet him. I've been told his looks are something of a lore in Bavaria, I think he will suit you very much."

elizabeth felt butterflies fluttering about in her stomach, although it was less from nerves and more from excitement. the day was already a beautiful one, a sign of what would be a wonderful day. elizabeth was sure of it. although the young heiress found beauty in every season, she had to say winter was probably her favorite season after spring. the ground was covered in a delicate blanket of snow and the air had a lovely breeze to it, hints of what remained of the sun peeked from the clouds to offer a soft glow and a sign that spring would soon be approaching. but elizabeth couldn't appreciate the beauty of it for long. after all, she had an important meeting to get to. one she looked forward to more than she cared to admit. it wasn't necessarily due to the subject matter itself but rather, her companion whom elizabeth felt a strong fondness for. as elizabeth approached the metropolitan museum of art to meet sherine, she sees the woman up ahead and she can't deny the way her heart flutters inside her chest. the heiress chalks it up to unadultered joy rather than anything else. she quickens her steps, a bright smile on her carnarion colored lips as she approaches the older woman.

"miss rouhana," elizabeth responds with a nod of her own. "i love art very much. my parents already had several pieces commissioned for the house and one just for me." she says it so mindlessly, not even thinking that such a thing was uncommon for the lower class. elizabeth had been raised with the entire world at her fingertips ( even despite being trapped inside such a beautiful, golden cage ). "oh!" elizabeth smiles when handed the flower, gingerly holding onto it with gloved fingers. "it's so beautiful, thank you." the heiress nods at sherine's words of advice, well aware that she was teaching her everything she needed to know before she prepared to meet with suitors desperate for her heart and her hand in marriage. every wise word was to be memorized. "i won't accept anything less," elizabeth swears before she links her arms with the older woman's, "of course. i've heard about that. i've always wanted to see it for myself but my parents wouldn't let me." they didn't think it wise for their delicate flower to go out into the real world on her own. she was a sheltered dove, seemingly destined to stay trapped inside forever.

[mokhosz]

Just for the record. Az ember ugyanis hajlamos elfelejteni/atirni a szamara kellemetlen emlekeket. Igen, a DK jeloltjere, Bauer Tamasra szavaztam a 2018-as orszaggyulesi valasztasokon. Kosz Orban es kosz Gyurcsany, a tetves kurva anyatokat!

[hellobonasera]

Bauer Barbara: A fényfestő

Májusi közös könyv a NIOK csoportban.

Abszolút nem ismertem az íróját, tehát eddig nem is olvastam tőle semmit, viszont esélyes, hogy eztán sem fogok. 🙂

Maga a történet tényleg nagyon jó lenne, tetszett az alapsztori, de olyan bénán van kivitelezve, hogy néha már számoltam a lapokat, hogy mennyi van még hátra egy-egy fejezetből...

A regény annyira "sejtelmes hangulatú, váratlan fordulatokat kínáló", hogy nagyjából a harmadik fejezet után már lehet tudni, mi a csattanó.

A jellemábrázolás elnagyolt, a párbeszédek teljesen és zavaróan életidegenek, a magyar történelmi események baráti dialógusokba való beleerőltetése (stréber felmondása) pedig fájdalmas.

A Coelhót megszégyenítő, majdnem minden lapra jutó bölcsességeken meg már csak mosolyogtam. "Ha belül érzed, hogy mire vágysz, akkor előbb-utóbb úgy alakul az életed, hogy beteljesüljön a vágyad."🤦‍♀️

Vegyes érzéseim vannak a könyvvel kapcsolatban, mert a szereplők traumái miatt könnyed kis olvasmánynak mégsem nevezném, de ha ettől valahogy eltekintünk, olyan, mint egy bugyuta lányregény, amin nem kell sokat gondolkodni.

Sajnálom is, mert az egyébként tök jó alapötletet sokkal rendesebben ki lehetett volna dolgozni, és akkor valóban méltó helye lenne a kortárs szépirodalomban.

***

"... magyarnak lenni nem jelent mást, mint érteni a magyar művészetet, részévé válni a magyar kultúrának, beszélni és olvasni magyarul. Talán mindez még fontosabb, mint ott élni."

"Rágódni a múlton és várni a holnapra egyet jelent azzal, hogy az ember elmulasztja az élet legfontosabb pillanatait, elszalasztja mindazt, ami ott van karnyújtásnyira."

[transnames]

Some two-syllable neutral names

(One-syllable names)

You can also combine initials, e.g. AJ, although this does not work for all initials and it can be gendered masculine.

A: Aaren, Abbott, Adair, Addi, Adren, Aerie, Afon, Aiden, Aiken, Ainsley, Alder, Alex, Ali, Alix, Alpha, Altair, Alto, Alton, Alva, Amal, Amore, Andy, Angel, Angie, Anise, Arbor, Ari, Ariel, Arlen, Arley, Arrow, Arya, Asa, Asher, Ashlen, Ashley, Ashton, Aspen, Aster, Aston, Aubrey, Auburn, Auden, August, Aura, Austin, Avery, Avis, Aviv, Avon, Aya, Ayan, Aza, Aze, Azure

B: Bailey, Baldwin, Banner, Barrett, Basil, Bauer, Baylor, Benson, Bentley, Berkley, Berry, Beryl, Billie, Birdie, Blakely, Bobbie, Booker, Bradley, Brady, Brayden, Brennan, Brewer, Briar, Brighton, Brinsley, Bronte, Brooklyn, Bryant

C: Cadence, Caelum, Calder, Camden, Cameron, Camille, Campbell, Canyon, Carey, Carlyle, Carmen, Carol, Carter, Cartwright, Carson, Casey, Cedar, Chandler, Chandra, Channing, Charlie, Charlton, Chatham, Cheyenne, Citron, Clancy, Claudie, Clover, Cobalt, Coby, Cohen, Coleson, Collins, Colver, Comet, Condor, Connell, Connie, Cooper, Coral, Corbin, Corin, Corey, Corley, Cortney, Cricket, Cyan, Cypress, Cyrille

D: Dallas, Dana, Dani, Darby, Darcy, Darrell, Darren, Denver, Devon, Diamond, Diaz, Dillon, Douglas, Dustin, Dusty, Dylan

E: Eagle, Early, Easton, Ebon, Echo, Eddie, Eden, Efe, Eiffel, Eissa, Elli, Ellis, Ellwood, Ember, Emer, Emerald, Emlyn, Emmett, Emry, Emryn, Enfys, Ennis, Eren, Errel, Essence, Esme, Evan, Ever, Everett, Eyrie, Ezra

F: Fable, Falco, Falcon, Fallon, Farah, Fargo, Farley, Farrell, Faulkner, Feldspar, Fennel, Fifer, Finley, Finney, Fiore, Fischer, Fletcher, Floren, Florence, Forest, Francis, Frankie, Freedom, Friday, Fulton

G: Gabi, Galen, Galway, Gannet, Garden, Gardner, Garey, Garland, Garnet, Gavi, Germaine, Gerry, Glenwood, Golden, Grady, Granite, Guthrie

H: Hadley, Halcyon, Hallow, Halo, Happy, Harbor, Harley, Harlow, Harper, Hartley, Haven, Hawking, Hayden, Henley, Heron, Hollis, Honor, Hopper, Hudson, Hunter

I: Iman, Imory, Indi, Innis, Io, Ira, Isa, Isha, Islet, Iver, Ivor, Ivory, Ivy, Izzy

J: Jacinth, Jackie, Jaden, Jael, Jalen, Jamie, Janis, Jarrah, Jarrell, Jasper, Jensen, Jessie, Joey, Jody, Jonquil, Jordan, Journey, July, Juneau, Junior, Juno, Justice

K: Kali, Kameron, Karey, Karson, Kasey, Kato, Keaton, Keegan, Keelan, Keenan, Kelby, Kellan, Keller, Kelly, Kelsey, Kendall, Kenyon, Kenzie, Kerry, Kestrel, Kevyn, Kieran, Kingsley, Kirby, Klaudie, Koby, Kody, Korbin, Korin, Korey, Krishna, Kyler

L: Laker, Lakyle, Lander, Landry, Laney, Langley, Larkin, Larkspur, Lashawn, Laurel, Laurence, Leighton, Lennox, Leopard, Leslie, Lethe, Lexie, Lexis, Linden, Lindsay, Lindy, Linnet, Logan, London, Loren, Luca, Lucky, Lyric

M: Maddox, Magic, Major, Malloy, Manu, Marley, Marlow, Martell, Marty, Mattie, Maury, Maurice, Maxie, Maxwell, Meadow, Mercer, Merlyn, Merritt, Merry, Micah, Mika, Miller, Misha, Monday, Morgan, Murphy, Murray, Myers

N: Narcisse, Nasim, Navdeep, Navy, Neal, Neptune, Neo, Nicky, Nico, Nika, Nike, Nimbus, Noam, Noel, Nori, Norris, Nouvel, Nova

O: Oakley, Oberon, Ocean, Odell, Ollie, Olive, Onyx, Opal, Ori, Oriole, Orion, Orrin, Osborne, Owen, Ozzie

P: Paisley, Paris, Parker, Pasco, Patience, Patrice, Paxton, Penrose, Pepper, Peregrine, Perrin, Perry, Peyton, Phelan, Phoenix, Piper, Placid, Porter, Prairie, Presley, Prosper

Q: Qaisar, Quarry, Quasar, Quetzal, Quila, Quincy, Quentin, Quillan

R: Raleigh, Rainbow, Rainer, Randy, Raven, Redmond, Regal, Regan, Reggie, Reynold, Rhythm, Ricki, Ridley, Riley, Rio, Rishi, River, Robbie, Robin, Ronnie, Rory, Roscoe, Rowan, Royal, Rudy, Ryder, Ryen, Rylen

S: Sabah, Sadler, Saffron, Salem, Samar, Sandy, Satchel, Saturn, Sasha, Sawyer, Saylor, Season, Selby, Seren, Seven, Sevy, Shale, Shannon, Shelby, Shelly, Shiloh, Sidney, Silver, Sinclair, Skylar, Skylark, Skyler, Snowdrop, Snowy, Soren, Sorrel, Sparrow, Spencer, Spirit, Springer, Stanley, Starling, Sterling, Summer, Sunday, Sunny, Sunshine, Sunset, Sutton

T: Taffy, Tali, Talon, Tanner, Tarian, Taylor, Teagan, Teddy, Tempest, Temple, Terry, Thursday, Tibby, Tiernan, Tiger, Timber, Tobin, Toby, Topaz, Torrey, Tracy, Trenton, Tristen, Tucker, Turner, Tuesday, Tully, Tyler, Tyson

U: Ulfie, Ulli, Ulri, Ulysse, Umber, Umbra, Upton, Urban, Uri, Ursa, Usher, Uta

V: Valen, Vega, Verdi, Vernon, Verrill, Vesper, Vivi, Vivien, Volta, Voltaire

W: Walker, Wallace, Waylan, Webster, Wednesday, Weston, Whimsy, Whitley, Whitney, Wilder, Willow, Wilson, Windsor, Windy, Winslow, Winter, Wisdom, Wolfram, Woody, Wylie

X: Xander, Xavie

Y: Yael, Yaven, Yannick, Yarrow, Yven

Z: Zailey, Zaki, Zander, Zandy, Zavi, Zelig, Zeno, Zephyr, Zero, Zevi, Zion,  Zohar, Zola, Zorey, Zuri

[cervicrazed]

All parts of my OC pride series previously shared on Instagram

Happy Pride everyone 💕

[lo-sojourns]

Pack- Osprey Aura 65L

Shelter- ENO DoubleNest hammock, Atalas straps, Ember 2 Underquilt, and Profly XL tarp

Sleeping Bag- Sierra Designs 3-Season Backcountry Bed

Kitchen- JetBoil Flash, titanium spork, Katadyn BeFree 3L filter, 3L CamelBak, UrSack bearbag, lighter with a picture of a pickle that says “Pickle!” 

Camp Clothes- Patagonia sweatpants, Eddie Bauer quarter zip fleece, Columbia fleece lined wool socks (the most Sacred of Sacred Socks), CHACOS! 

Miscellaneous- Ultra light trowel, Black Diamond headlamp, Black Diamond trekking poles, Leatherman Wave, paracord, two Osprey dry bags, DivaCup, hand Sani

First Aid Kit- Bandaids, moleskin and alcohol wipes, Neosporin, Immodium, DayQuil pills, NyQuil pills, The Most Aleve 

Luxury- Kindle Paperwhite and charger, iPhone 6 and charge and earbuds, Anker Powercore 20100 and charger

[biegampoksiazkiiczekolade-blog]

Plany planami, a co uda mi się przeczytać w 2018?

Długo, długo zastanawiałam się nad tym postem - moja TBR lista rośnie i rośnie, obecnie ma ponad 2000 pozycji. Nie jestem pewna, czy mi życia starczy, więc priorytety, priorytety... Stąd ten rok będzie rokiem serii - czas wziąć się za te długie, krótkie i niedokończone.

Plan jest taki, żeby przeczytać 100 książek, ale znając mnie - i moje zamiłowanie do długaśnych fanfików (jak nie ma minimum 150k to jest takie sobie) oraz namiętne czytywanie mang - może być ciężko, ale po to są wyzwania, żeby im sprostać!

Przede wszystkim wezmę się za absolutnie wszystkie serie Anne Bishop, bo nasłuchałam się o nich tyle dobrego, że szkoda byłoby to odkładać na przyszłość. Po Anne Bishop - albo pomiędzy, bo mogę potrzebować odpoczynku - chciałabym dokończyć serię Addicted Kristy i Becci Ritchie. Tom pierwszy mam za sobą, czas na resztę. Łaszę się również na cykl Mercedes Thompson Patricii Briggs, bo badassowe dziewczyny to coś, co lubię. Co oznacza, że zaraz po tym czas na Alfę i Omegę tej samej autorki. Jak już o autorkach mowa, Jennifer Estep przykuła moją uwagę serią Black blade, więc czas na Akademię Mitu oraz Elemental Assassin. Z dokańczanych serii Angelbound Origins Christiny Bauer czeka na mnie i mruga zachęcająco. Trylogia ognia i cierni Rae Carson też mnie ciągnie. Oraz w końcu wypadałoby przeczytać coś Juliet Marillier - chociaż nie jestem jeszcze pewna co, bo ma tyle ciekawych serii. Kusi mnie też Sabaa Tahir z An Ember in the Ashes, choć nie wiem czy nie czekać na większą ilość tomów. Podobne problemy mam z Sandersonem i jego Archiwum Burzowego Światła - niby ciekawe, ale duuuużo tomów przed nami... A ja nie lubię czekać.

Z re-readów czeka mnie Raven Cycle Maggie Stiefvater, bo jeszcze ani razu w całości nie przeczytałam po polsku, i Dary Anioła Cassandry Clare. Wypadałoby w końcu przeczytać, bo Mroczne Intrygi ciężko czytać bez Darów Anioła, a już zdążyłam je zapomnieć.

Jak o zapominaniu mowa, jest to kolejny rok, gdy nie sięgam po moje ukochane Koło Czasu Roberta Jordana oraz po Władcę Pierścieni Tolkiena. Obiecałam sobie zrobić re-read obu cykli w 2020 i była to dobra decyzja, bo wciąż zbyt wiele pamiętam i jestem nawet w stanie cytować. A bardzo, bardzo chciałabym przeżyć je na nowo, a przynajmniej na mniej-więcej nowo.

Prawdopodobnie będę czytać też jednotomówki, jest kilka, które mnie ciekawi - jak choćby An Enchantment of Ravens Margaret Rogerson, The hating game Sally Thorne, Iron cast Sorii Destiny czy If I was your girl Meredith Russo. Oraz Narzeczona księcia Williama Goldmana, która będzie wydana na początku 2018 roku przez Wydawnictwo Jaguar.

A ponieważ nie wiem jak wy, ale ja KOCHAM listy (wspominałam, że mam Excela z TBR, w którym mam sześć różnych sposobów sortowania?) oto lista pewniaków:

Anne Bishop - Czarne kamienie

Córka krwawych

Dziedziczka cieni

Królowa ciemności

Serce Kaeleer

Splątana sieci

Niewidzialny pierścien

Przymierze ciemności

Pani Shaladoru

Świt zmierzchu

Anne Bishop - Efemera

Sebastian

Belladonna

Głos

Most marzeń

Anne Bishop - Inni

Pisane szkarłatem

Morderstwo wron

Srebrzyste wizje

Naznaczona

Zapisane w kartach

Lake silence

Anne Bishop - Tir Alainn

The pillars of the world

Shadows and light

The house of gaian

Krista i Becca Ritchie - Addicted

Ricochet

Addicted for now

Kiss the sky

Hothouse flower

Patricia Briggs - Mercedes Thompson

Zew księżyca

Więzy krwi

Pocałunek żelaza

Znak kości

Zrodzony ze srebra

Piętno rzeki

Żar mrozu

Night Broken 

Fire Touched 

Patricia Briggs - Alfa i Omega

Wilczy trop

Hunting Ground 

Fair Game 

Dead Heat 

Burn Bright 

Jennifer Estep - Akademia Mitu

Dotyk Gwen Frost

Pocałunek Gwen Frost

Tajemnice Gwen Frost

Wina Gwen Frost

Midnight Frost 

Killer Frost 

Jennifer Estep - Elemental Assassin

Spiders bite

Web lies

Venom

Tangled threads

Spider's revenge

Thread of dead

By a thread

Widow's web

Deadly sting

Kiss of venom

Heart of venom

Spider

Poison promise

Black widow

Spider's trap

Bitter bite

Unwanted

Unraveled

Nice guys bite

Snared

Christina Bauer - Angelbound Origins

Scala

Acca

Thrax

The dark lands

Armageddon

Rae Carson - Trylogia ognia i cierni

Dziewczyna ognia i cierni

Płonąca korona

Gorzkie królestwo

Juliet Marrilier - Sevenwaters

Daughter of the Forest 

Son of the Shadows 

Child of the Prophecy

Heir to Sevenwaters 

Seer of Sevenwaters 

Flame of Sevenwaters 

Maggie Stiefvater - The Raven Cycle

Król kruków

Złodzieje snów

Wiedźma z lustra

Przebudzenie króla

Cassandra Clare - Dary anioła

Miasto kości

Miasto popiołów

Miasto szkła

Miasto upadłych aniołów

Miasto zagubionych dusz

Miasto niebiańskiego ognia

Opowieści z Akademii Nocnych Łowców

Cassandra Clare - Mroczne Intrygi

Pani Noc

Władca cieni

Margaret Rogerson - An Enchantment of Ravens

Sally Thorne - The hating game

Soria Destiny - Iron cast

Meredith Russo - If I was your girl

William Goldman - Narzeczona księcia

Zobaczymy ile z tego uda mi się przeczytać, a co niespodziewanie pojawi się na liście przeczytanych w 2018 roku.