#i need to reread narnia this summer

[margindoodles2407]

It's about Edmund Pevensie. It's about how he was a greedy, selfish brat of a kid. It's about how he allowed himself to fall into sin. It's about how he was willing to sell out his own siblings for a position of power. It's about how he became enslaved by the White Witch. It's about how he almost died in sin. It's about how Aslan died in his stead. It's about how Edmund felt true shame for his actions. It's about how Edmund repented. It's about how Edmund, the greedy, selfish brat of a kid, repented, and came back from sin, and it's about how he couldn't repair his relationship with his siblings or the damage he'd done, but that wasn't the end because Aslan did it for him. It's about how Edmund, the greedy, selfish brat of a kid, grew up and became a King of Narnia, known as the Just, because he knew what it was to act unjustly and decided he wanted no part of that ever again. It's about how Edmund the Just, a King of Narnia, came back to earth, but he wasn't a greedy, selfish brat of a kid anymore, because he who is once a King of Narnia is always a King of Narnia. It's about Edmund Pevensie, and why he's my favorite of the Pevensie Children.

[fictionadventurer]

Beloved 📚

Here is a stack of books that were so beloved that I made a special point to buy my own copy. I've left out some of the obvious series--Narnia, the Fairy Tale Novels, and Anne of Green Gables--on the grounds that the first two have shown up in a bunch of stacks already, and I don't particularly love the copies I have of the Anne books. There are complicated shades of nuance behind choosing books for the stack--there are several very beloved books that were easy to find, so buying them didn't have quite the same treasure hunt feeling, while some slightly-less-beloved books made the stack because their acquisition was more purposeful or felt more exciting. Because of that, I'm going to give a little info for why I chose each book.

Books In the Stack:

The Electrical Menagerie by Mollie E. Reeder: I read the ebook and loved it so much that I made a point of ordering print copies for myself and a friend.

Baby by Patricia MacLachlan: I read it so many times in middle school (because it's short and it's about a baby) that I had to buy a copy when I found it at the thrift store, even though it's nothing particularly amazing.

The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers: My favorite of the Wimsey books I read from the library, so I made sure to order a print copy of my own.

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff: When I finished this book, I wanted nothing more than to buy my own copy at a used book store. The next time I went to one, I happened to find it.

Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke: Such a fun little graphic novel that, when the opportunity arose to get a signed copy, I jumped at it.

Tales from the Blackberry Bushes by @isfjmel-phleg : I love these stories so much that I hand-bound my own copy so I can have it on my shelves forever

Entwined by Heather Dixon: One of my favorite retellings, so I ordered myself a copy as a Christmas present one year

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne: I had so much fun listening to the audiobook that I bought the very first copy I found at a library book sale.

Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton: I read it on Gutenberg, and it's so important to my worldview that I bought my own copy from the religious book store.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery: This is just such a cute little book that I couldn't resist buying a falling-apart copy from a garage sale, and later buying a replacement copy in better condition from a thrift store. It's not quite beloved, but for some reason I'm very fond of it.

Matched by Allie Condie: The library book left my head spinning with concepts of free will. When I got a Barnes and Noble gift card, I bought my own copy. The story is rough, but the concepts of the world only get more relevant as time goes on.

A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis: Such a heartwrenching look at grief. When I happened to find a nice used copy, I couldn't leave it behind.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: After I read the series, I bought ragged copies of my own from garage sales. They're far from difficult to find, but at the time, getting my own copies was exciting.

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery: It became one of my favorite romances, so I ordered my own copy online. Then I bought a replacement copy when I happened to find a much better edition last summer.

Persuasion by Jane Austen: Of course I have print copies of all Austen's novels, but the others are mostly just the copies I happened to find. With this book, I saw the Word Cloud Classics edition in a Youtube video and knew I needed that specific edition, so I ordered it online. I haven't regretted it--it's a pleasantly-designed book.

World Series by John R. Tunis: The Dodgers books are some of the only books that stuck with me from my teenage years. I happened to find copies of The Kid from Tomkinsville and The Kid Comes Back, both of which are more beloved. But after my last reread of Tomkinsville, I wanted to continue the series, found my library had gotten rid of their copies, so I ordered my own copy of the second book. (And then never reread it, but that doesn't mean I don't love it).

The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander: I saw it at the religious bookstore, decided to read it from the library instead of buying, and then loved it so much I eventually went back to the same store and bought it.

[happytapirstudio]

April 2024 Book Log

(bold means new this month)

The Balkan Wars: Conquest, Revolution and Retribution from the Ottoman Era to the Twentieth Century and Beyond by André Gerolymatos

Bosnia: A Short History by Noel Malcolm (finished)

The Chronicles of Prydain Book 1: The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander (half-reread)

Dinosaur Summer by Greg Bear

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Orochi Volume 2 by Kazou Umezz

Pegasus Book 1: The Flame of Olympus by Kate O'Hearn

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (reread)

Ranger’s Apprentice Book 2: The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan (finished)

Safe Area Gora��de: The War in Eastern Bosnia 1992-95 by Joe Sacco (reread)

Guess who kept going back to the library and getting new books before the old ones were finished.

Like Graceling and (from last month's log) Ranger's Apprentice, the Pegasus series was one I always saw hanging around shelves and in other kids' book piles. It's a thick volume, so it definitely stands out. I'm enjoying it so far, but I must confess that I cringed when I read that our main character's dad is a cop. Funny how that would've gone straight over my head if I'd read it as a kid. What probably wouldn't have gone over my head, even back then: the soldier who's serving in Iraq. What a way to date your book.

I'm gonna be honest I would not have guessed there'd be such a strong mythological component to this book? I thought I remembered reading the backs of one of these books--though it might've been another series, come to think of it--and getting the impression that it was its own universe, and a pretty mature one at that. But it's not, and that only makes sense...Pegasus is a mythological figure, after all! Not just some horse with wings! It's still giving Horse Girl, though, and I appreciate that.

One little detail I love is the fact that Pegasus, as an Olympian, subsists on ambrosia in his home world, but the best we have on earth is ice cream and sugary cereal. So he just chows down on that. Completely disregards normal horse food. Reading that made me cackle.

You'll notice Goražde is back on the list. I finished Malcolm's Bosnia and wanted to reread Goražde immediately now that I had clearer historical context.

Another graphic novel nonfiction reread up there...Persepolis! I think I initially read this when I was in high school, so I really didn't know nothing. Like nothing, nothing. Still, it left a really big impression on me. Originally I started rereading it on a whim when I was in Baltimore--just picked it up at a library and read a few chapters before I had to leave--but then after we got home we made a dedicated trip to a special branch to get The Book of Three, and Persepolis was there, so I grabbed it, too.

As for The Book of Three...let's just say checking out books and needing to return them before I finished reading them is one of my oldest and strongest talents. I had just gotten my rats when I first tried reading this, and they were still quite scared of and aggressive towards me, so I read part of this out loud to them in hopes of trying to bridge that gap. I guess it's no surprise that I didn't finish it.

Well the scene in the barrow has haunted me ever since, so I've been meaning to get back to it for a while now. Already halfway through in only a couple days, well past the point I originally stopped at, so I'd say we're doing good! I keep wondering how many of the authors whose work I read as a kid had read this book when they were kids. Everyone in fantasy always cites Lord of the Rings or maybe Narnia, but The Chronicles of Prydain (from the 60's) must've been right up there. There's something sort of ubiquitous about this story. I'm not even at The Black Cauldron, but already I can say the Disney adaptation did not do this series justice.

[perfectlyfadingmusic]

I will be traveling a lot this summer and need things to read to avoid the reality of being stuck on trains and planes. What are your faves or go-tos?

Narnia is my favourite book series of all time

A series of unfortunate events

Rereading kids books is always really good for your soul

[aromantisk-fagforening]

The actual books btw:

ok wait no that's a lot

the winning book, 188/267 (now 222/267) is:

Farvel Syria - om eit folk på flukt (goodbye Syria - about a people who are fleeing) by Emil André Erstad. (newnorwegian)

Emil André Erstad is a (Norwegian and a) previous KrFpu [christian people's party youth division] politician, political commentator (newspaper) and political advisor. He has a bachelor degree in comparative politics. (via wikipedia)

Which yeah is a (nonfiction) political book about the refugee crisis caused by the civil war in Syria. Published in 2016. It mostly argues that we need to have more of what in Norwegian is called "kvoteflyktninger" and possibly in English quota refugees, which the author also says are cheaper than asylum seekers (bizzarely enough). The author also spends a lot of time arguing against the right-wing (e.g. FrP) argument that the syrians can just be helped in the nearby area (using examples from interviews combined with statistics). The book is full of interviews, first hand accounts (well, translated), of how things are/were in Syria, how limited the rights to assembly and freedom, gay rights and more are. In addition to the struggle of transport (money, drowning on the way, travelling through Russia and other routes, etc). And some of the political choices made in various countries, from Poland (unaccepting because monocultural) to Sweden (accepting, always asylum seekers not quota refugees) and Canada (private sponsorships) and so on. Oh and ofc Norwegian politics.

That got long huh. Well anyway. (btw if you have any knowledge of this topic please do discuss or share sources with me)

book 2, 118/192 (now 132/192):

Narnia, Hesten og hans gutt (the horse and his boy) by C S Lewis, translated by award-winning translator Tormod Haugen. (booknorwegian)

Obviously this is a fiction book in the Narnia series. I thought I'd read it before, but because I wasn't sure I figured "yeah Narnia is always worth a reread anyway". The book is about speaking horses and two children/teens escaping their old lives to go to Narnia.

I have been doing a challenge with this one where I read it outside (originally I was gonna finish it when it was, yk, summer), and I stuck with it, just dressing for the weather.

third place (10/430) I already mentioned, it's a book about a guy with PTSD.

304 days by Simon Stranger. Norwegian guy fought in the Afghanistan war (big yikes), got PTSD, he's really suicidal. He gets asked by his mom to stay alive 304 days. The book has 304 chapters (sometimes less than half a page, it's fascinating). (booknorwegian)

sidenote this isn't even the first book I've read about Norwegians who go to war. (the first was Bli hvis du kan dra hvis du må (stay if you can, leave if you must) by Helga Flatland). From the first one I already knew going to war is Stupid As Fuck if you can avoid it. Which the average Norwegian can. And yeah, Norwegians just fight other people's wars (NATO) or they just destroy military equipment (simplification) so that we spend enough on military to be a part of NATO (according to friends of insider sources).

pick what book I'll read. based on pages: formatted as pages read/page total (excluding any sources or notes and such). But do note that I won't necessarily finish all the books.

[wingedflight]

tag some people you want to get to know better!

Tagged by @eidetictelekinetic

favourite colour: anything teal, turquoise, minty-greeny-blue

currently reading: I'm a couple of chapters into Babel, but then my copy for Nona the Ninth showed up and I realised I needed to reread Harrow the Ninth first, so that's the one I'm halfway through at the moment.

last song: Is There Anyone Out There by Delta Rae

last series: I've been watching The Imperfects on Netflix, and enjoying it so far!

last movie: Good question, um. It might have been Moana? I haven't been in a movie watching mood lately. This did remind me that I desperately want to go see that djinn movie with Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton, though.

sweet/savoury/spicy: Savoury for SURE. I cannot handle spice at all. I do enjoy sweets as well, but I'll always go for something like chips over cookies.

currently working on: Working on a Danny Phantom AU featuring Paulina at the moment! And then at long last I will have finished all the fic sign-ups from this summer (two Narnia ones going live this weekend, plus the Invisobang I just finished posting) and I'll be able to return to my poor neglected ghosty novel.

Tagging: @dp-marvel94 @notoverjoyed @modordracena @catmiint

[hxlyhead-harpies]

The Last Dream of My Soul part 1. (R.L.)

hello everyone! This is the first part of the Remus Lupin series that i’m starting and i am soooo excited. i am still new at this so any feedback is appreciated!! i hope you enjoy!!

Pairing: Young!Remus Lupin x Reader

Summary: The very bookish (Y/n) has spent most of her life alone, aside from her best friends Lily and her beloved books. But when the infamous Marauders get thrust into her life, how could she resist the beautiful and unattainable Remus.

Warnings: Cursing

Word Count: 3.1k

The yellowing and rough pages of old books had always felt like home to you. The smell of the aging parchment and the worn and weathered covers had always offered you more comfort than any real person ever had. On a bad day, you’d be able to curl up in your bed, lulled to sleep by your favorite characters, and adventures more exciting than your own life. As the years pushed forward this was how your life was. You didn’t have many friends but that was okay because you had your books. Who needed a best friend when you could spend your afternoons in Narnia with the Pevensie siblings or tumble through rabbit holes with Alice? For the early years of your childhood, you were content with the reality that you wished you could be in any world than your own. Your boring, magicless, and unmysterious world.

But that all changed the year you turned eleven. You remember the day as if it were yesterday. You were laying on your bed, your legs tangled in the quilt your mother had made. A Nancy Drew book sat in front of you, the plot of which now escapes you but at this point, you had already solved the mystery yourself. It was a perfect summer afternoon. The sun was out and you could hear the other neighborhood kids shouting from outside your window. They never invited you out to play but you were okay with that; you had far more exciting things to read. You were turning a page, nearly halfway through the book, when you heard tapping from your window. Your head shot up- your reading induced trance was now broken- only to be met with the sight of a snowy owl. You furrowed your eyebrows in confusion. You had never seen that type of bird around here. And you had certainly never seen one clutching a letter between its talons. You carefully marked your page in your book and quickly hopped out of bed. You made your way to the window and attempted to open it, a task that proved difficult for your small eleven-year-old body. After a few moments of a struggle, you finally pried it open. The owl dropped the letter inside your room and flew off. You bent down to pick up the parchment from the floor to see that the letter was addressed to you, and was from someplace called Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

From that moment on your world had been flipped upsidedown, at least in the sense that everything now had to change. But to you, if anything, the world had finally been made right. Magic was real- and you had the pleasure of possessing it. It was like some part of you had always known that magic existed beyond the pages of your favorite books. It was as if everything finally made sense.

You dragged your family down the streets of Diagon Alley, absorbing every bit of magic culture that you could. You reveled in the lights and the feeling of warmth that coursed through your veins when you finally picked up the right wand at Ollivanders. You squealed with delight when your parents purchased you an owl and you nearly died of excitement when you realized that pictures plastered on posters in the alleys moved. And when you ran through the seemingly solid barrier at Kingscross station you thought you would pass out from the thrill. And when you got on the train you curled up by yourself in a compartment, hurriedly reading through your History of Magic textbook, attempting to soak up every bit of knowledge that you could.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

During your first year at Hogwarts, you came to the slow realization that you might actually need friends. Now that you knew that magic was real you wanted to experience as much of it as you could, and it felt rather lonely to experience it all on your own. The characters in your books had always had sidekicks and best friends on their grand adventures, and being accepted into Hogwarts marked the beginning of yours. Now you just needed someone to share it with. Luckily, the pretty girl with brilliant green eyes and glowing red hair that shared your dorm had the same idea.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

By your fourth year, you and Lily Evans were attached at the hip. You spent nearly all your time together, inside and outside of class, and told each other absolutely everything. She knew everything about you, every detail and every secret, and you knew the same about her. Sure you had other friends, Marlene and Alice were nice and you hung around them quite often, but it was nothing like your relationship with Lily. She was the Elizabeth Bennet to your Charlotte Collins. Nobody understood you as she did, and you didn’t think you’d ever find anyone else who did.

But despite your closeness, you always felt a tinge of jealousy towards her. She was everything you weren’t: she was strong and outgoing, she felt no fear when talking to strangers, and it seemed that everyone instantly took a liking to her. Everyone loved her. She had flocks of friends, granted she wasn’t as close to any of them as she was to you, but it occasionally made you feel unimportant. It also seemed as if half of the year was in love with her. James Potter was evidence of that, constantly making a fool of himself to impress her. Lily always scoffed at him, not finding any of his antics even slightly attractive. And out loud you agreed with her that he was just a silly boy, but deep down you wished someone would give you at least a fraction of the attention that he gave her. But that was how it always went. Lily was the type of girl that boys would fall in love with. You, on the other hand, her quiet and shy sidekick, went largely unnoticed. But everything was fine. Because in moments when you felt lonely or inadequate you could turn to your books just as you did when you were young. Fingers tracing over the words of Mr. Darcy’s declaration of love or Romeo and Juliet’s final moments. And at the time, it was enough.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was your seventh year when things really started to change. After years of begging, Lily finally said yes to James. You were happy for her of course, she seemed to really like him. And he obviously really liked her. The way that James looked at her could only be described in the words of your favorite novels. But with her new relationship came uncharted territory: Lily now sat with him at most meals, though every few breakfasts she’d make a point to sit with you, and the spot you usually occupied next to her in the common room was now occupied by James. And the worst part was that you were now alone on Hogsmeade weekends, a time that was usually reserved for you and Lily to walk arm and arm around the small village. But despite all of this you couldn’t be mad at her. You saw how happy she was- and her happiness made you happy as well. But you couldn’t help but feel a tad jealous that she got to feel an emotion that you yearned to feel with your entire being. Love.

“(Y/n) come on!” Lily exclaimed, throwing up her hands in exasperation. You groaned, looking up at her from the book in front of you. You were currently rereading A Tale of Two Cities, a favorite of yours that was littered with dogeared pages and underlined phrases. You made eye contact with your best friends, noticing the frustration in her eyes.

“Can you please just come eat breakfast with us?” she asked, rubbing her temple with her fingertips.

“Lils you know I want to eat breakfast with you but I don’t want to interrupt your time with James,” you replied, starting to look back down at your book.

“You’re not interrupting anything! All of his friends sit with us too!” she said desperately. When you didn’t respond to her exclamation she reached down and snatched the book from your hands.

“Lily!” you cried, sitting up and attempting to steal back your book.

“No (Y/n) I’m not giving this back until you come eat with me! I feel like I never see you anymore,” she said.

“Yeah, that’s because you’re always with James,” you responded while making another sad attempt to reclaim your novel. Lily’s face fell.

“Do you think I’m spending too much time with him? I swear I don’t mean to ignore you, I’ll stop eating meals with him and we can go to Hogsm-” she rambled, practically shoving the old book back into your hands.

“No Lily!” you shouted, cutting her off. “You’re not spending to much time with him! It seems like a perfectly acceptable time to spend around your boyfriend. I just miss you that’s all,” you said quietly. Lily’s face softened.

“Then come eat breakfast with me. I want you to get to know James better. You two are my favorite people I want you to get along,” she once again urged.

“Lily I’m not sure… I don’t really know anyone else there and you don’t have to worry I already like James plenty,” you replied.

“Just come, please! I promise that you’ll like his friends!” she practically begged. You sighed in defeat, finally giving in.

“Fine Lily,” you grumbled, standing up to gather your things.

“Yay!” Lily exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

“But, I can only promise today. If his friends suck I won’t come back,” you exclaimed sternly. Lily nodded solemnly.

“Understood.”

The two of you made your way down to the Great Hall for breakfast as Lily attempted to give you a rundown on the group of boys that you were about to meet.

“Ok so obviously you know James, he plays quidditch and is studying to become an Auror. His best friend is Sirius who, I know, has a reputation but I swear he’s no that ba-”

“Lily I know who they all are! We’ve been in the same house for the last seven years,” you said, interrupting her with a laugh. Lily rolled her eyes at you.

“Yes I know you know them but you don’t know them,” Lily replied.

“Fine fine,” you said, throwing your hands up in surrender. “Continue.”

“Thank you,” Lily smiled. “As I was saying, Sirius is not as bad as everyone makes him out to seem. Yes, he hooks up with quite a few girls but he’s actually very funny and is secretly a sweetheart. Then there’s Peter, who I’ll admit is a little odd, but he’s harmless. And finally, there’s Remus. He honestly reminds me of you: he’s quiet and he reads a lot like you do. But he’s kind of a smartass sometimes so watch out for that,” she said, finished with her rundown. By this point, the two of you had reached the great hall. Breakfast was already in full swing and the room was swarming with students. Lily grabbed your arm and led you to a spot about midway down the table. She plopped down next to James, kissing him quickly on the cheek, causing Sirius to make a fake gagging face, before pulling you down to sit next to her.

“Boys,” she said, attempting to catch the attention of all four boys.

“This is (Y/n), my best mate in the entire world, so you all better be nice to her,” Lily stated matter-o-factly. You looked up to give a meek smile to all the boys. James greeted you warmly, Sirius gave you a small nod, Peter waved excitedly, and Remus didn’t even look up at you. You frowned for a moment before Sirius smacked Remus’s arm from his spot next to him.

“Hey Moony, pay attention we have a guest,” he said jokingly before shooting you a smile. Remus’s head shot up quickly, looking from Sirius to you, locking his eyes with yours. Once he seemingly realized what was happening he shot you a quick smile. You smiled back, attempting to hide the blush that the momentary eye contact had caused. You had always found Remus attractive, but you had never been so near him before. Something about the proximity made you jittery and made your palms sweat.

“Sorry about that,” he said, lifting a book from underneath the table. He flashed the cover of the book towards you. The title, Crime and Punishment, was sprawled across the worn cover. You felt your nose crinkle, reminded of how much you disliked the book. Remus’s eyebrows furrowed.

“What? Not a fan of Dostoevsky?” he asked. You shook your head.

“I guess the plot was interesting enough but oh my Godric was it dense,” you replied with a groan. You heard Remus chuckle from his spot across from you.

“Yeah, I suppose I can see where you’re coming from. I am enjoying it so far though,” he replied. You hummed in understanding before reaching for a piece of toast.

“Oh come on Lily,” Sirius said with a grin. “I can’t believe you would bring another nerd along. We already have Remus, we don’t need another one,” he continued. You felt your face heat up, ducking your head as you bit into the piece of toast. Lily narrowed her eyes at Sirius.

“Sirius I told you to be nice,” she said before throwing a piece of her roll at him. He laughed before throwing his hands up in surrender.

“Sorry (Y/n),” he apologized. You sent him a quick nod to let him know that it was okay, before pulling out your own book. As you stared down at the pages in front of you, you missed Remus perking up in interest.

“What are you reading?” he asked, setting his book down. You looked up quickly, showing him the cover.

“A Tale of Two Cities. It’s one of my favorites,” you answered shyly. You felt Lily shift beside you before speaking.

“She’s read that book probably a million times,” she said. You rolled your eyes.

“I wouldn’t say a million times, but yes I’ve read it quite a few times,” you replied before shifting your eyes back to Remus. He let out a soft laugh.

“I’ve never read it before. I’ll have to pick a copy up when we go to Hogsmeade. One of the shops sells muggle books,” he said with a small smile.

“You can borrow mine!” you said too quickly, causing yourself to blush. He looked at you, surprised.

“Oh, uh sure. I’ll borrow it when I’m done with this,” he replied, once again holding up Crime and Punishment. You heard Lily snicker from beside you.

“Good luck trying to read one of her books,” Lily said. “There’s so much writing in the margins it’s nearly impossible to get through.” You turned to her and smacked her lightly on the shoulder.

“Hey! It’s not that bad,” you said with a slight pout.

“I don’t mind,” Remus said, causing your eyes to turn back to him. “I’ll be interested in reading your thoughts as well as the book,” he said earnestly. You felt yourself smile involuntarily. You were about to reply when James stood up suddenly.

“Damnit we’re going to be late to potions,” he exclaimed. And with that, you all gathered your things and left.

Potions was generally a subject that you were good at. You often found yourself shooting your hand up during class to answer questions and Professor Slughorn had taken a liking to you. However, you found yourself unable to pay attention to the lesson. From your seat on the far side of the room, you had caught yourself staring at Remus. He was joking around with Peter, his potions partner, and had a wide smile spread across his face. He had scars running down his face, though they didn’t make him less attractive. In fact, they only seemed to add to the allure. His hair was messy and fell into his eyes. You felt yourself sigh when he ran his finger through his hair to get it out of his face.

“(Y/n)? Are you all right?” Lily asked, startling you. You nearly jumped from your seat, hand pressed to your chest.

“Merlin Lils! You scared me,” you replied. She squinted her eyes at you.

“(Y/n)? What’s going on with you?” she asked, scanning your face.

“Nothing!” you swore, stealing another quick glance at Remus. That was when the realization hit her. A teasing smile quickly spread it’s way across Lily’s face.

“Oh my goodness you fancy Remus don’t you?” she inquired, making your eyes widen and face flush. You pushed her shoulder lightly.

“Lily hush! And no I don’t!” you exclaimed as you glanced around the room to make sure that no one had heard her.

“Oh, you totally do! All that book talk this morning must’ve really got to you huh,” she said, waggling her eyebrows at you. You put your head in your hands and groaned.

“Shut up Lily!”

“Only when you admit it,” she responded.

“Fine! But you can’t tell anybody! Not even James,” you warned. Lily grinned from beside you.

“Oh, this is perfect! The two of you are perfect for each other!” she exclaimed.

“Lily! Just be quiet. It’s not like it’s ever going to happen,” you said. Lily looked at you, confusion was written all over her face.

“What do you mean it’s never going to happen?” she asked. You sighed, glancing at Remus once again. He was stirring the potion in front of him, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

“Lily why would he ever like me?”

“Why wouldn’t he?” she replied, clearly exasperated. You turned to her, giving her an incredulous look.

“We have seven years of evidence that boys don’t like me,” you respond. Lily rolled her eyes beside you.

“Well, this is different trust me,” Lily responded. You stare at her.

“How could this possibly be any different?”

“Because you could actually talk to Remus, get to know him He’ll obviously fancy you once he learns more about you.” Then it was your turn to roll your eyes.

“Lily, it’s never going to happen so just drop it,” you responded. You picked up the recipe for the potion that you were assigned to make that day.

“Now, can you please hand me the adder’s fork,” you said, listing off the first ingredient. Lily sighed.

“Fine. But we’ll be talking about this later.”

[ghost-roads]

Tagged by the babe herself @sarcasmisalifechoice

Tag 9 people to learn more about their interests!

MUSIC

fav genre? indie pop? folk? musical theatre? idk

fav artist? Taylor Swift

fav song? I don’t really have an all-time favourite but I really love This Is Me Trying by Taylor Swift

most listened song recently? The entire Heathers: The Musical album

song currently stuck in your head? Any Way That You Want Me by Radio Company

5 fav lyrics?

Who could ever leave me darling? / But who could stay? (The Archer, Taylor Swift)

This is the first day of my life / Swear I was born right in the doorway // Yours was the first face that I saw / I think I was blind before I met you (First Day of My Life, Bright Eyes)

How rare and beautiful it is to even exist (Saturn, Sleeping at Last)

I’m a fire and I’ll keep your brittle heart warm / If your cascade ocean wave blues come // Would it be enough if I could never give you peace? (Peace, Taylor Swift)

Maybe won't you take it back? / Say you were tryna make me laugh / And nothing has to change today / You didn't mean to say "I love you" / I love you and I don't want to (i love you, Billie Eilish)

radio or your own playlist | solo artists or bands | pop or indie | loud or silent volume I slow or fast songs | music video or lyrics video | speakers or headset | riding a bus in silence or while listening to music | driving in silence or with radio on

BOOKS

fav book genre? Anything as long as it’s psychologically interesting

fav writer? Jane Austen

fav book? Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

fav book series? I’m gonna be honest I haven’t read a single book series since I was a teenager so from that time I remember really liking the Hunger Games series?

comfort book? New Moon by Stephenie Meyer I just love Bella’s little internal monologue

perfect book to read on a rainy day? Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

fav characters?Jane Bennet, Charles Bingley, Mary Bennet, Bella Swan (yes she’s an idiot and what about it), Remus Lupin, Luna Lovegood

5 quotes from your fav book that you know by heart?

What are men to rocks and mountains?

My good opinion once lost is lost forever.

I certainly have not the talent which some people possess of conversing easily with those I have never seen before.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book!

hardcover or paperback | buy or rent | standalone novels or book series | ebook or physical copy | reading at night or during the day | reading at home or in nature | listening to music while reading or reading in silence (it depends if i need to drown out the sounds of other people around me or not) | reading in order or reading the ending first | reliable or unreliable narrator | realism or fantasy | one or multiple POVS | judging by the covers or by the summary | rereading or reading just once

TV AND MOVIES

fav tv/movie genre? musicals

fav movie? Hairspray

comfort movie? The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 

movie you watch every year? Clueless, it’s a summer classic

fav tv show? Supernatural

comfort tv show? Friends / Gilmore Girls

most rewatched tv show? Friends

ultimate otp? Destiel 

5 fav characters?

Dean Winchester (Supernatural)

Rachel Green (friends)

Alexis Rose (Schitt's Creek)

Steve Rogers (MCU)

Susan Bunch (friends)

tv shows or movies | short seasons (8-13 episodes) or full seasons (22 episodes or more) | one episode a week or binging |one season or multiple seasons | one part or saga | half hour or one hour long episodes | subtitles on or off | rewatching or watching just once | downloads or watches online

Tagging : @essercipertuttienonperse @amaryllis-daydream @certifiedmoth @colourmeastonished @all-my-bi-myself @mscalifornication @nexter2nd @opheliamauve @creativesinning

[starlingchildgazingatthestars]

1, 3 and 14 for the fanfic reader asks!

1: are there any fics that you wanted to leave multiple kudos for, and were disappointed when you could only leave one?

Oh definitely! 

I’ll list the more recent loves of mine (or continuing old loves) that I read/reread over quarantine in 2020, because there are simply too many to count overall: 

Inuyasha: 

- Catching Feelings, by @dyaz-stories. The way she just captures everyone’s emotions so beautifully and painfully is just... *chef’s kiss* It’s so raw and full of feels and fluff and makes my heart CLENCH FGHLFDTUFYGKUHLVH 😭😭😭

- From the Ashes, by princess-j3ss (does anyone know her Tumblr???). Historical setting in Ancient Rome (specifically Pompeii), slow burn/quick romance through intense situations, clear concise language that flows well??? *chef’s kiss x10* This AU is highly underrated, but I’m so glad it’s finally picking up a larger audience lately! Count me among the bigger fans akhsrgkjhkghd I cannot WAIT for the finale! 😍😍

- I Hate That Fucking Well, by @kstewdeux. I’m so glad I rec’d this so many times on the Inuyasha server, because it is GODDAMN INGENIOUS LOL XDD. 85% hilarious, 15% heartfelt FEELS, I always love revisiting this gem of a fic. 

- You Rescued Me, by @keichanz. I revisited the first 14 chapters over the summer of 2020, and oh my goddddddd. The angst! The drama! The romance! HkHFJKLJG<KXHFCBVNMVKJ 😍😍😍 I still need to read the latest chapter jfdkgjd but seriously, you want a LONG romantic slow burn, read YRM! 

Harry Potter: 

- The Potter of the Ages, by Anera527. A Harry Potter/Star Wars crossover, one of my oldest faves, and one that gave me great comfort rereading in the earlier days of quarantine. This fic has not been updated in 4 years and is one of my few favorited “hiatus” fics that I deeply, truly love and look forward to any future updates (if ever). It’s the kind of “non-ship” indulgence I never knew I needed until I first discovered it several years ago 😍😍😍

- Time is the Fire, by Oddment Tweak. Further below, I mention that I’m not really an HP AU fan, but this? This is PHENOMENAL. Technically, it’s an AU that is canon compliant and canon-divergent and post-canon AND a Time Travel AU all in one bundle and it’s fucking BRILLIANT. I went into it apprehensively, but I devoured all 97k+ words in less than 24 hours which is INCREDIBLY rare from me! I recently reread it again, taking a slower pace this time, and I just!!!!!!!!! It gives me all my Harmony needs, WITHOUT sabotaging canon or other characters and it makes me so happy jhdfkdbgkfjewsfghekjrghfbg 😍😍😍

- can you light the fire?, by elixirsoflife. Congrats, author. I, a hardcore Harmony shipper, fell head over heels IN LOVE with your Hinny fic! XDD 

- you will bleed to death with the pain of it, by @lullabyknell. SOULMATE 👏 AU 👏 GOALS!!!! 👏👏👏 A canon-compliant gen fic that inspired me to write more of my own soulmate AUs. Absolutely beautiful. 

- you’re in love with her, idiot, by natasharomanhoffs. Another exception of an AU, except this one is an (long-ish) oneshot, and I LOVED IT! Harmony indulgence through the ROOF!!! 

Percy Jackson

- if i were to pluck on your heartstrings and its companion piece, would you strum on mine, by seaweedbraens. Soulmate AU + angst? Yasssss, gimme more!!! 👏👏👏

Narnia

- just.... this entire series of beautiful oneshots, by dirgewithoutmusic. You don’t even have to be the biggest Narnia fan, the prose and details in every single of these “retrospective” fics are just.... amazing. Writing GOALS, right there!!! 

3: slowburn or established relationship?

ESTABLISHED 👏 DOMESTIC 👏 RELATIONSHIP 👏 FLUFF ‘N’ SMUT 👏 PLEASE 👏👏👏

okay okay, yes I’ve read a handful of excellent slow burns, but many of my ships already had canonical slow burns, so I go to fanfiction searching for that sweet, sweet INDULGENCE 👏👏👏. That said, sometimes my favorite form of slow burn is the “10-20k+ oneshot” so that way I read it one go and not be driven up the wall by how LONG it’s taking lmao XD

14: what’s your favourite AU setting?

Depends on the fandom. Harry Potter, I prefer no real AUs, just post-canon, maybe canon-divergence. Inuyasha, for Plot Fics, I like me some good Historical AUs or post-canon/canon-divergence; for Shameless Smut, I love the College or Modern setting lol XD 

But across the board, for all fandoms/ships, I fucking LOVE fan art featuring any and all AU concepts! Historical, steampunk, fantasy, fairytale, crossovers, etc etc, it’s all so amazing in the form of artwork! 😍😍

Fanfic Reader Questions Here! :)

[thereadingchallengechallenge]

Do I Have That Other Book Challenge?

taking advantage of @myownlittlebookcorner ‘s open tag :D

1. Do you have a book with a fox on the cover or part of the plot? Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa :)

2. Do you have a book that was published the year you were born or in a three year radius? Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman :D

3. Do you have a book with music as a weapon or magic? hmm does Mr Tumnus play the flute in the book the way he does in the movie? that brings the fire to life? if so, I’ll go with that (gosh I really need to reread the Narnia books)

4. Do you have a series with mismatched covers? I try my best to avoid this these days but my copies of The Worst Witch sereis are all higgledy-piggledy because I wasn’t careful enough ordering them online 😅

5. Do you have a book with a shapeshifter? even though the books are overall very painful, I did like the shapeshifters in the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris

6. Do you have a book signed by the author? I’ve been very lucky to get quite a few. my copies of Aurora Rising, Neverwhere, Euphoria Kids, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing and the Red Queen series are all signed. I’ve never gotten to go to a book signing though so they’re not personalised or anything

7. Do you have a book with a mostly red cover? The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson :)

8. Do you have a book between 287 and 306 pages? let’s go with ... Please Don’t Hug Me by Kay Kerr, for the #OwnVoices autistic girl rep :)

9. Do you have a book with a main character who wears glasses? Sophie from The BFG! I felt so represented by her when I was nine. the world could always do with more bespectacled characters though imo

10. Do you have a book with a title that has the same number of letters as your first name?  one of my current reads - Sadie by Courtney Summers

11. Do you have a book with cyber crime/technology as a plot point? would Nerve by Jeanne Ryan count? I actually enjoyed that book, the movie too

12. Do you have a book written in another language or translated to English? a few. the Mirror Passage books by Christelle Dabos were translated from French. the Inkheart books and Kerstin Gier’s books from German. and Let the Right One In from Swedish :)

13. Do you have a book written by an Asian author? I really wanna get to this one soon: The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim

14. Do you have a book with a moon on the cover? I have the movie edition of Coraline that has a moon on the cover :)

15. Do you have an illustrated children´s book? lots, ‘cause I’ve got young nephews lol my favourite is probably The Curvy Tree by Chris Colfer though

16. Do you have a collection of fairy tales or myths? a few. the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen and Charles Perrault all have a spot on my shelves :)

17. Do you have a sci-fi or fantasy with an alliance of races? back to Chris Colfer! his Land of Stories series has the Troll-Goblin allegiance and they live together in, wait for it, the Troblin territory 😂

18. Do you have a book with a narrow front cover? (paperback with a front cover that is slightly trimmed shorter/narrower than the rest of the book) I have a few and it drives me nuts :C I always feel like I’m gonna damage the pages somehow

19. Do you have a book that includes the first chapter of the sequel? a few, but I never look at them

20. Do you have a book with a broken spine? yeah, a couple. I try to be really gentle with my books but accidents happen

I’ll leave this an open tag too so anyone who wants to join in can :D

[geeky-roleplayer]

An Eternal Thing

A self indulgent Edmund Pevensie X Oc.

I'm in the midst of rereading the books so I apologize if it doesn't make much sense when compared with the source material..

---

The sprawling halls of Cair paravel were clamoring  with mirth as the guest of the night flitted about.  Eccentric ball gowns skimmed the marbled floors, and the echoing steps of hooved creatures resonated with the music.  Couples swayed about in a daze; drunk on the ambience of the ballroom. This was often the case, at celebratory events such as these.  This event happened to be the anniversary of the end of the eternal winter. It is true that many years had already passed, but the castle on the oceanside clung to the memories of the four siblings who helped free Narnia from the Witch’s frigid grasp.  

One by one those siblings made an appearance. Peter the Magnificent, the eldest of the four who was known for his iron hand and decisive blows.  Armies quaked beneath his feet, and his people bowed at his side with deep-rooted respect. Susan the Gentle, a woman who could make men swoon, and her heart kinder still.  Her aim was deadly, and yet her hand was extended with the gentleness of mercy. The next of Kin of course, is Edmund the Just. History would never forget his betrayals, and neither would he.  The King was a master of the sword and of a silver tongue. None would ever wish to challenge him in a battle of wits or blade; for he would call them out for their wrong doings as he tried to make up for his own.

Finally there was Lucy the Valiant, a girl of legend, a daughter of Eve, and for all intents and purposes, the true savior of Narnia.  She was the last in the line of siblings, and the most legendary. Her open heart and brave mind was what pulled the creatures of the country from their frozen wasteland.  Her resolve and will was enough to melt the snow, and to welcome Aslan back into the lives of all. She was a miracle some would say, and her acts of courage would be shared through the generations, long past her life.

The third sibling was balancing delicately on the arm of his throne chair.  His feet swayed, and his raven hair fell into his eyes dangerously. He couldn’t quite make out those who entered and left the room, but he would prefer not to speak to them anyway.  He was listening, with a tilted head, for anything amiss. Edmund would let his siblings enjoy one night, as he kept vigilance with the guards. A group of noble women passed by, and he offered them a smile.  It didn’t take much for them to erupt within a fit of giggles. Their delicate hands brushing through their hair, or covering their painted lips. He regarded their laced skirts and corsets for only a moment before looking away.   

“Come on Ed,”

He didn’t jump at the familiar voice, Peter was stumbling about, obviously not worried about keeping up appearances. He’d heard his brother coming from halfway across the room, even if he couldn’t find him amongst the crowd.   “Any of those women would love to have you as a suitor, or a dalliance.” His voice was still firm, but as he climbed the stairs to stand beside his sibling, Edmund could smell the liquor on his breath.  He wrinkled his nose.

“They’d be much happier with you, I’m sure.”  

“You’re right.”  

Edmund swung his head around at that, and fixed his brother with a hard stare. “You don’t have to be an arse Peter.” As he spoke, he jerked his thumb in the direction of the ladies who were now clinging to every word that was falling from Lucy’s lips. He could only assume the stories his little sister was telling.  “You can have them, I’m not looking for a..a plaything.”

Peter’s brows furrowed, and for a moment Edmund thought he had overstepped, but the older man simply shrugged. “They don’t have to be all fun and games, there could be someone worth keeping in that lot, if you took the time to look.”   Edmund rolled his eyes.

“You’re awfully sentimental tonight, brother.”

“I’m drunk.”  Peter responded with an exhale.

They both unwinded with a laugh, and Peter gave his brother a playful nudge to the shoulder. “I’m only teasing you, they aren’t your type anyway.”  

The Just hummed,  and his eyes traveled upwards, as he studied the large pillars which held up the delicate, arching, ceiling. “Oh, and what’s my type?”

“She is.”

His dark gaze  snapped away from above, and fell to follow Peter’s pointed finger.

Edmund couldn’t help his sharp intake of breath, and how he bit the inside of his cheek.

The Lady of the Forest  was not known for her social appearances, and yet there she was, as radiant as ever.  Her long black hair was left loose, shifting against her back, and flowers clung to the strands as if she was a garden in full bloom.  He eyed her own dress, with green silks and olive ribbons. It was loose, and the straps fell to hang from her shoulders. He knew he’d never catch her wearing a grand outfit, all fluff and extravagance like their other guest, but he preferred it that way.   

“I didn’t notice her arrival?” He stated, his words hanging in air like a question.

Peter grunted, and turned about so that he could fall back into the seat of his own throne. Others danced by them in a whirl, and they both watched them with soft amusement.

“She didn’t wish to be announced, she isn’t much for small talk.”

That was the truth, she was a woman of conviction and far off thoughts.  She loved to talk of their world, and of his old one. She seemed to hold all the answers, and if she didn’t know, then she would make it her mission to learn.   

“Does that mean I shouldn’t go say hello?”

“You’re kidding, right? You’re the only one who can get a word out of her.”

That was also true, the Lady and the Magnificent had a rocky relationship, and often kept each other at arm's length.  However, they both knew the importance of the other, and did their best to work together without stepping on the other’s feet.  As a result of this, it was often Edmund’s job to be the mediator, while his sisters let him scramble. They were often the diplomats, so they enjoyed watching him squirm.

He pushed himself to his feet, and gazes turned to watch him for a moment, nobles hungry to see what he would do. The animals and creatures, the actual citizen’s of Narnia, tensed. As if they were awaiting his word, or an order.  Gradually they all returned to their previous conversations when he didn’t stir further.

He sighed.  “Wish me luck?”

Peter dismissed the request with a wave of his hand, and instead offered his  sibling a smile.

“You don’t need it.”

Edmund pushed through the crowd, and to his relief only a few from his neighboring countries stopped him along the way. It was always work, and it was almost never ending, but it was his other sister who came to his rescue this time.  As Susan came to his side, he offered her a look of relief as she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“Gentlemen, I do believe my brother has some place to be, but please, if the matters are urgent you may discuss them with me.”  

Before they could protest, Susan bumped Edmund with her hip and sent him on his way.  He picked up his pace until he reached the open doors of the balcony. He hesitated, and instead waited a moment before interrupting her solitude.  She was leaning against the railing, and the wind brought her hair up to dance along the edges of her face. She seemed so serene in that moment, her body slacked as she watched the waves crash into the rocks below.  

The formalities were long behind them.

“Do you mind if I join you?”

She startled at his sudden appearance, but as she gazed over her shoulder there was nothing but warmth in her green eyes.  “I would like nothing more.”

He stepped farther out into the open, and stopped at her side. “It’s nice to see you again Noel,” he offered as her attention  returned to the water, but she smiled all the same.

“Likewise, your Majesty.”

She knew he hated being called that, and he knew that she hated smalltalk.

“Would it be wrong of me to admit I didn’t think you would show?” At the time he couldn’t bring himself not to extend an invitation.

She laughed, and he felt his heart lift with the sound. “No, for a moment I considered staying home, but there was something here I wanted to see.”

He found himself arching an eyebrow in question. Surely it couldn’t be the ocean below she was watching so intently. The beach was open for any, and it was even more marvelous to look at during the day.  “Something?”

“Someone.”   She corrected herself promptly, and planted her heel firmly on the ground so she could turn to him.  Her arms were crossed, and the emerald jewelry that hung from her neck glinted in the light. “If you don’t mind me being so bold in saying so.”

“Gracious no,  I'd prefer it.”

She took a step closer then, and he didn’t shy away.  Her sweet aroma of summer lilacs snagged at his senses, and he resisted the urge to close that gap between them, as he has already done numerous times before.  

“Then dare I say it was you, my King, that I came to see?”

He watched her earthly eyes, and the haunting mischief that reflected in them.   

“Do you dare?”

“I do.”

A chill crept up his spine, at the thought of kissing her there, hungrily and out of depth.  Where people could see, and murmur, and repulse. She was no noble, and he was no man that had the pleasure of running away with her.   She caught onto his hesitancy, and offered him another smile.

One that told him that it was okay, she could wait.  They could wait.

“Love is a fragile thing.” He murmured, sadly, watching her expression soften as they both turned back to the dark waves, and the sky above.

“Edmund?” She inquired softly after a few moments, and he hummed, as her hand intertwined with his for a painfully fleeting moment.

“Love is an eternal thing.”

[ashknife]

Looks like this summer will be filled with reading. Only three short months before I have to dive back into school for the next degree. I need to compile a list of titles that I hope to get to. Hopefully, this will feed back into my writing.

I reread Dear Mr. Henshaw this week, partly in honor of Ms. Cleary, may she rest in peace, and partly to relive something positive from my childhood. I will be picking up Strider again when it arrives on ILL. In the meantime, I have other books that need reading.

So, a list of titles waiting to be finished so far:

My Father, My Father! by Sam Soleyn

S. by Doug Dorst

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

At least Mort of the expansive Discworld series, all by Terry Pratchett

The latest comics for Over the Garden Wall

I'm sure more will come up as I dig in. Reading and writing are never really done.

[igsy-blog]

BBC 100 books (with commentary)

thanks for the tag @thegreatorangedragon  As an English major I was compelled to read a lot of these, and I may only have skimmed/read chunks of some of them if I could get away with it....

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen: not my favorite Austen, actually (Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility are 1 & 2) The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien - OMG, SO many times. My siblings and I had rituals around the reading of LOTR.

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte.  Yes - it’s OK Harry Potter series - JK Rowling - Yes!  My kids grew up to them and the experience was almost as good as the books.  But I also really enjoyed watching Rowling mature as a writer over the course of the series.  I don’t ask for perfection from my writers, but warmth and growth.  :-)  Also, they got my stubborn non-reader sons to READ. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee  - like probably every other person who went to MS/HS in the US. The Bible - yes, and twice all the way through.  once at about 10, and then more recently along with Slate’s Blogging the Bible (ok it was just the Old Testament).  That was a stage on my journey to my current fallen-catholicness 
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte - yes, but prefer the Pat Benatar song :D Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell - yes and really need a re-read 
His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman - No, keep meaning to. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
.  Yes, and can I say I love Dickens - LOVE Dickens - but I hate this book.  I think it’s always assigned because it’s shortish.  I regularly reread the glorious messes that are Pickwick Papers, Bleak House, A Tale of Two Cities, and my fav, the insane Our Mutual Friend (but ONLY the Lizzie Hexam/Eugene Wrayburn segments). Little Women - Louisa M Alcott - and the sequels.  I think Jo’s Boys might actually be my favorite. Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
.  yes - I am pretty sure??? Catch 22 - Joseph Heller.  read enough of it to count Complete Works of Shakespeare - William Shakespeare; yes! my mom was a Zefferelli Romeo & Juliet junkie - we had the album of the film - and I must have heard it 3 dozen times before I was 7.  She bought a complete works and I read all of it over the years. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier. No 
The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien - Yes.  My husband’s favorite book.  And I really liked the Rankin-Bass film, when I was young.  Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk  No Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger - yeah The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger  Realllly?  This is a good book but I’m not sure it belongs on this list.  First novel and feels fresh out of an MFA program.  My other complaints I won’t say here because I tend to get very snarky about this book. (Another book I read around the same time [mid-oughts] was Then We Came to the End, the debut novel of Joshua Ferris - much better, like DeLillo without the air of self-importance.) Middlemarch - George Eliot; love me some Eliot (but prefer Silas Marner, mainly because of a very good tv adaption). Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell - Again: really?  I read this book because I spent the summer between HS and college in a really small town with a teeny library and I basically read my way through the fiction stacks.  Won’t say more than that, because I would get political. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald Yes, but not a favorite. Bleak House - Charles Dickens. A great, great book for which two amazing miniseries have been done in my lifetime.  But rightly criticized, IMO, for the annoying tone of its first-person narrator, Esther.  Dickens was dazzlingly, spectacularly wrong in writing about women.  Not to mention other groups.  But my god did he skewer institutions on behalf of the (British) poor - none better. This book wins for the Jo’s death scene and its sweeping, bitter, critique of church and state and society and everything - and so human.  “Dead!  And dying thus around us, everyday.”  I was 12 when I first read that, recovering from chicken pox, and I sat straight up in bed.  This is the book that made me a socialist. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy This is so horrible, but I haven’t! The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams.  Yes, fun, but not a favorite. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh - No.  I started to and have a copy at work, for some reason I don’t even remember.  But not enough to county Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky  No :( Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck.  Yes, oh and my grandma’s family were Okies.  Everyone in my family has a copy of the Sacramento Bee front page story sneering about the dust bowl immigrants arriving in town and my great-grandmother is mentioned by name (though they mistakenly think she is her widowed father’s wife).  I love Cali, and Sactown, but we have a long history of being not-so-welcoming to everyone at certain times (was it in the 80s where the “Welcome to California, Now Go Home” bumper stickers were everywhere?).

Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll - yes The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame - yes but so long ago I don’t remember it at all Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy yes. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens.  Yes, not his best by far.  Another “easy” read like Great Expectations Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis - and many other of his works, when I was trying NOT to be an atheist - Mere Christianity, his sci-fi trilogy and Til We Have Faces, a retelling of my favorite myth, Psyche and Cupid.  I like the more obscure books in this series best - The Silver Chair and The Horse and his Boy. Emma - Jane Austen Persuasion - Jane Austen - oh, here it is!


The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis .... uh, yes The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini - was a group read at work a couple of years ago.  recommend. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres 
Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne - yes Animal Farm - George Orwell - another book I want to re-read. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown - nope 
One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez; YES A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving 
The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins ... did I?  I’m pretty sure. Or was it The Moonstone? Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery.  YES.  Anxiously awaiting the new adaption.  Why is it so hard to get Anne of Windy Poplars on kindle?  That is the funniest one.  And Rilla of Ingleside so heartbreaking 
Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy 
The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood, yes and ever so long ago.  Another book to re-read soon (haven’t started watching the series yet) Lord of the Flies - William Golding Atonement - Ian McEwan; LOVE this book and his writing in general.  He also wrote the screenplay, and the movie and the book are a perfect match in tone. 
Life of Pi - Yann Martel No, but on my list Dune - Frank Herbert - no Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons - yes, Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen - yay! 
A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon 
A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens - my intro to Dickens, though not his best Brave New World - Aldous Huxley - starting to get depressed at all this dystopian fiction that needs to be re-read as a primer for the present times 
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez - lives at my desk at work.  Not even a favorite book of mine, but I love diving into his words every once in a while Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov The Secret History - Donna Tartt The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold  - when I saw the movie it reminded me why I wasn’t into reading the book Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas - plot better than the story 
On The Road - Jack Kerouac Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy - yeah, I had to read so much Hardy Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie - no, want to though 
Moby Dick - Herman Melville; I can’t even think about this book without remembering our class discussion of the “circle jerk” chapter.  I remember literally nothing else. 
Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens - meh Dracula - Bram Stoker 
The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett  - an ALL-TIME favorite Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson Ulysses - James Joyce; all hail the master, and the bastard responsible for my sick dependence on the em-dash The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome Germinal - Emile Zola Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray - unfortunately, yes Possession - AS Byatt A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens; of course Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell The Color Purple - Alice Walker - excellent The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry Charlotte’s Web - EB White: yes The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Yes.  I prefer Dorothy Sayers’ Lord Peter series hands-down, but despite her association with Tolkien, Lewis, et al, she got squashed between Conan Doyle and Christie.  Her Gaudy Night is one of my top five books.

The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad - yeah The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery heck, yeah The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks Watership Down - Richard Adams yes A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole - my kids read this book in HS, so I have a copy lying around, but have never read it A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas Hamlet - William Shakespeare - yes, probably too many times.  What are my favorite Shakespeare dramas?  Maybe King Lear, Richard III? Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl. yes 
Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

[metteivieharrison]

I still remember reading A Wrinkle In Time when I was in eighth grade. I remember closing my bedroom door and turning on my reading light and hoping my parents didn't notice that I wasn't going to bed. I remember checking the time on my clock as it turned over from 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. and then to 3 a.m. I'd never stayed up so late reading a book before. It felt delicious and deviant. I finally finished the book, went to sleep for a few hours, and got up for school. I was tired that day, but to my surprise, I didn't regret having stayed up so late to read for a moment. I loved that book and though I tried to read other books in the series, they never gave me that same feeling.

At my house, book reading was only allowed as a "dessert." That is, I could read a book after I was finished doing my chores and my homework. On Saturdays, my father used to make a big list of chores for each kid and we were expected to do them. I was the kind of kid who would always finish my jobs. However, I noticed that if I did that and my dad saw me reading, he'd invent new chores for me to do, which seemed unfair. This was because my father thought of reading fiction as a waste of time. Only nonfiction was of value to him. (My mother was a big fiction reader and read to me a lot when I was little and took us all to the library each week).

So I figured out two secret reading spots. In the summer, I'd climb up the big tree in the front yard and be hidden by the leaves there. I wrapped my legs around one of the big branches, leaned against the trunk, and was as comfortable as in any easy chair. In the winter, I'd hide in the furnace room (the warmest room in the house) with a flashlight and read for as long as I could without needing a bathroom break or food. Sometimes I'd hear my parents calling for me, but would ignore them.

As an adult, I've tried to reread A Wrinkle In Time and I can't get through it. While I still love C.S. Lewis's Narnia books as an adult despite the painfully obvious Christian messages in them. Some books truly are just for kids. Some books you read once in a fever and then the moment passes and you never want to reread them. Some books you read and reread every year or so as your life changes and the book remains the same. Some books grow and change with you. Books are wonderful things and I try to remember as a parent that my kids aren't going to love the same books that I did (though I have tried) and sometimes will devour a series I don't think is very good. A book is a personal experience. But any time I see one of my kids so engrossed by a book that they skip meals and stay up late to read, I remember A Wrinkle In Time for me and I honor their choice.

[foxesbettingpool]

tagged by @cxrnys

1. A book you finished in one sitting: Vicious by V.E Schwab

2. Were you always into reading or did something spark your interest? I grew up in a family of readers so I guess it’s always been engrained in me to read.

3. Any songs you relate to a certain book? Yes, too many songs and too many books. I really vividly remember reading The Song Of Achilles and “From Gold” by Novo Amor was playing in the background so now, listening to that song or reading that book, I can feel my heart grow heavy.

4. Season you get the most reading done: Probably in the spring and summer. I will tend to disappear into the woods with books and music and just read out in the open air.

5. Book character you most relate to: Oddly enough, Victor Vale. And I’m not saying that to seem cool or edgy. I just really get where he’s coming from? I also really relate to Gansey, in the sense of intense wanderlust and continually searching for something. 

6. Reading goals for 2017? What are they? I just have a lot of Roman/Greek/Byzantine history books that I’ve got on my list, really. And Hitchhikers Guide To the Galaxy. And the Shades of Magic books.

7. Any books that you feel like you need to read or else you’ll miss out on things at booklr? Um, what is booklr...? But, no not really. If I really want to read something I will, but I never really feel like I’m missing out, tbh.

8. Most books you’ve ever read in a week/ month/ year? In a week? Probably fifteen books. A month and a year, I’ve lost count.

9. One character everyone else absolutely loved but you despised: How about a whole entire series? Sorry but I really honestly couldn’t stand the Captive Prince trilogy. They just didn’t give me good vibes AT ALL.

10. Any books that remind you of a certain place? The Chronicles of Narnia reminds me of where I grew up. Like, very vividly. The Iliad and The Odyssey remind me of first moving into my apartment, laying on the couch and listening to the rain as I reread them. 

11. Number of books you own: Oh sweet heavens. Let me go count. 256 books not including any textbooks.

I tag mostly: @theordinaryvegan @andrwsinyard and @kirawalshii (if they’re interested. And whoever else wants to join in.

[usedtoberoselol-blog]

me rambling about random things I do and don't love, miss..

Hi I'm Rose, I love red. I love the sun on my skin and I love the feeling of being free. I love walking down the beach alone and the sound of waves crashing but I do also love wooden cottages in the middle of a forrest. I love the feeling of physical touch. I love working on myself. I love eating food I like and feeling better day by day. I love my dog and I love my family. I love my dad and I hate fighting with my mum. I love my grandparents and I love my aunt and uncle. I love Mia and Angie. I love my friends and I love spending time with them. I love traveling. I love the feeling of belonging and home. I love music. I love clothes that I feel comfortable in. The feeling of being clean and pampered, the feeling when I do something good and when I make someone feel proud of me. Feeling when someone cares about me. I love watching my favorite TV shows. I love taking care of myself and seeing myself happy in the mirror. I love feeling hot in a dress and high heels. I love being told that I looked beautiful. I love other people looking at me. I love seeing people i love happy and I love to make them happy. I love feeling nice in the morning, i love the taste of my coffee. I love the feeling of accomplishment and being proud of myself. I love being blunt and honest. I love being wild and free. I love the feeling of being loved. I don't depend on anyone else. I don't like commitment. I don't like bonding with people that I am not sure will stay. I love familiar things but I also love discovering new and unknown. I love fresh air in the morning and morning lightning. I love sun so much. I love my brows being on point. I love nice bronzed complexion and a touch of highlighter. I love huge salads. I love smell of vanilla. I love blood red color. I love clean white sheets. I love Christmas time. I love presents and surprises. I love black leather jacket. I love to go shopping and I love new stuff. I love being close to Freiya. I love animals. I love fresh sunflowers. I love the feel of cold water on my hands. I love my Amber crystal that I always carry with me. I love those exciting conversations with a person that shares my interests and attitude towards something. I love when I smash a workout. I love living alone. I love clear blue sky. I love arguing about the things I'm passionate about. I love new shoes. I love the way I am. I love that I'm brave, independent, strong-willed. I love to fight for the things I love. I love the feeling of my dog beside me when I sleep. I like not feeling alone. I like feeling anything but emptiness and dullness inside. I love feeling comfortable. I love that I'm ambitious. I would love to fall in love. I do and don't love my birthday at the same time. I love new beginnings. I love to lock my door. I love black and white photos. I love long dark brown hair. I love hazel eyes. I love fit and skinny. I love living without eating disorder. I love positivity. I love listening to the same song over and over again. I love my favorite songs. I love flirting with boys. I love warm hugs. I love when my hair is all nice. I love my Lonely Hearts Club. I love being best at something I love. I love sports. I love black workout gear. I love Nikes. I love when my nails are short and polished. I love when my skin is clear. I love to be the best version of myself. I love being talked about. I love history. I love that I'm smart and intelligent. I love feeling productive and worth. I hate toxic people. I love when things make sense. I love French Riviera. I love Sankt Peterburg. I love Italian vineyards. I love Alps. I love to ski. I love airports. I love my passport. I love my air dried hair. I love Australia. I love watching tv shows about animals. I love having a nice instagram feed. I love to wear my pajamas everywhere besides to bed. I love my pink hello kitty pajamas that are god knows how old. I love my ripped black backpack. I love using the same perfume over the years. I love being recognized by it. I love to wake up to clean and collected bedroom. I love to set my alarm to non-round numbers, for example 6:32am. I love when my battery lasts my whole day because I don't use my phone much. I love the smell of my blanket and my new-moon shaped pillow. I love my dog way too much. I love rereading my favorite book. I don't like reading other books that much. I love knowing something but have no idea how. I love being out partying late late. I love lions and wolves. I love fire. I love neck tattoos and belly piercings. I love Dean Winchester and Rose Hathaway. I love being active. I love ballet. I love ticking of an accomplished goal. I love hiking. I love being challenged. I love changing. I love Ben Barnes. I love black dresses. Imiss my dad. I love feeling strong. I love to talk with intelligent people. I love overcoming things. I hate forgiving myself for the things i should not have done, it kind of makes things okay when the aren't. I miss summer. I love taking my vitamins. I love the thought that I am a warrior. I hate not happy endings. I love my fave quote "She wears strength and darkness equally well, the girl has always been half goddess, half hell." I love that there is a possibility for me to go study abroad. I love nice black high heels. I love feeling like a badass. I love that I have parents being the way they are. I hate that they are divorced. I love my childhood. I believe that everything happens for a reason. I love satin dresses. I love the way Phoebe Tonkin looks. I hate when I feel like I need someone. I love sweet child o' mine by guns n roses. I hate forgetting. I love when I don't give up. I love Supernatural and Grey's Anatomy. I love cheekbones. I love nice photos. I love simple food. I love drinking lots of water. I love man buns. I would love to learn how to fight (boxing or krav maga). I love when I know why is something happening to my body. I love number 64 for some odd reason. I hate when memories fade. I love disney movies. I love almond milk. I love opened window while I'm sleeping. I miss my childhood home. I love photo albums. I love to sit in bathroom floor of empty bath. I love either boiling hot or ice cold water. I love fuzzy socks. I love spring. I hate crying and feeling weak. I hate following the pattern. I hate obsessing over celebrities and people doing that. I love Narnia. I love apple pie. I hate being sick. I miss volleyball. I miss dog that I grew up with, Fluffy. I am grateful for all the chances I have ever had. I'm proud of all the choices I made, whether they were good or not. They made me the person I am today, and I am proud of myself.