#if you have recs for such where ghost is not baby child whose personality consists of being cute do share. pretty please

[aewrie]

rambling about grimm hcs/au lore. and i mean rambling

my hc is that grimm adores kids & cares about them a lot, and i will die on that hill. like, if he were a regular guy with regular guy aspirations he'd love to be a kindergarten teacher. or run an art/craft club or such. something where he'd get to he'd get to spent time with kids, and encourage them to be creative and weird.

he doesn't hand grimmchild over to the summoner because he doesn't care, but because it's a necessary part of the ritual; the rare occasion where things do go wrong aside, he knows it's for the better, for the child to travel with the summoner. it allows him to rest before he burns (something he desperately needs, because once the child is in the picture, he is actively dying). it allows the child to experience things and grow beyond the scope of the troupe.

he is so protective of his child. yes, it is his reincarnation, but even if it wasn't, he would be. he was ready to die for the child when he did not realize what it was, when he did not want to be responsible for any child at all and was freaking out about the whole thing until he got too depressed about it to be freaking out. he was miserable, had nothing to gain from the situation as far as he knew, and the #1 priority was still the child.

(though, once he knew, and especially once he had trauma related reasons to be extra vigilant? yeah he might have overreacted to some truly, really, genuinely not-a-big-deal situations a few times.)

also, if an actual child did show up for his ritual somehow, he'd rather burn himself alive than go through with it. he can improvise with the ritual when circumstances are less-than-ideal and he cannot find a replacement summoner on short order, though it's not fun for anyone involved. least of all him. the course of action he would take is to find a home/caretaker for the child, gather what flames he can with the troupe's assistance, and torch himself. very much preferably in that order, so the kid wouldn't need to deal with him dying and whatnot; it is not a pretty thing to witness, even indirectly, and he will need more of an adjustment period after. not the best time to be dealing with a stray child.

just, him going up against a child (combat prodigy or not) for his own gain does not fit into the picture at all.

(i started this typing this whole thing bc i realized this specifically is a part of why child ghost bothers me so much lmao. and then i started going off on tangents)

(maybe he did do a double-take when someone tiny waltzed in, but i also think a great amount of variety in size depending on species just makes sense for bug people. and canon does have that kind of variety, too! regular mortal adults range from sly to old stag wait i forgot about bardoon he's the hugest actually, kids from millybug to marmu (these two are spirits but the sizes appear to reflect what their physical bodies were, given we have markoth and galien with actual corpses to compare to). it'd be really awkward and rude to assume shit based on size alone, i feel, if you can't clearly tell based on other features.)

grimm would also be very interested in an explanation as to how and why a child came his way in the first place.

basic rundown: there's these bugs who live apart from the troupe, keeping watch for dying kingdoms and potential summoners. the bug we dreamnail in the cave? was supposed to choose a summoner from amongst survivors, travelers, what have you. it would have been their job to set up and to light the lantern; and also to explain the task at hand and to guide the summoner to the troupe. from there, grimm handles things. alas, the bug died before they could fulfill their duty. good thing ghost had the dreamnail.

speaking of: if the dreamnail is a moth artefact associated with radiance only, it makes no sense for grimm to rely on it for his ritual. he either would have to have alternative means to achieve the same effect that all summoners can utilize, or do something else by default. in my version, no dreamnailing required. when things go as planned, at least.

when the ritual nears its end, conventionally, the nightmare king will find the summoner in their sleep, not the other way around. individuals with unusual skills or tools to reach dreams exist, thought they are rare. so while it was a surprise, it wasn't too odd for ghost to just pop in unexpectedly rather than being 'invited' (read: the nightmare king has found you! now it's time for the asskicking).

the summoner will be allowed into grimm's chambers, because the proximity makes things easier, but that's optional. not everyone can easily fall asleep when he's right there. some manage, and then wake up when they get trounced, and cannot relax again until they get some distance to grimm.

[lamiaward]

Books

the inspiration for this were the books recs I sometimes see/reblog and my never-ending frustration because there are awesome series that don’t get enough acknowledgment

Stravaganza

-dimension travels! The other dimension is like Italy but then two centuries ago ( although there are some differences with ‘our’ Italy from two centuries ago. Like how Bellaza- the dimension’s Venice- doesn’t have a doge but a duchessa : D) , although it definitely has its differences.

-each book ( there are 6 but there might be more!! The author said she has plans for more books) has a new protagonist. Protagonists are really diverse!! You have girls, boys, black people, white people.. one guy has dyslexia, another one is suffering from cancer, there is a girl who self-harms, one that is bullied et cetera.  I mean, I am pretty sure there could be improvements (I don’t remember any gay characters, for example/ there was only one non-white protagonist I think?) but it does have diversity. The characters themselves are definitely round characters, and I remember liking all of them .

-okay so one of the mayor plot points is this family called Di Chimici ( like the entire alternate dimension it is based on reality, in this case on a family called de Medici’s ) that threaten to kind of ruin everything. They are really powerful ( we are talking grand dukes and all that shit). They are kind of like the Borgia’s. So spies and murder and all that.

 it is well-written, never boring, sometimes hilarious and has cool characters and a good plot.

Site : http://www.stravaganza.co.uk/

Every day – David Levithan

-this book. I love it. SO MUCH

okay so plot: the protagonist doesn’t have their own body but instead wakes up every day as another person. Which is okay- until they fall in love when they are in the body of someone’s boyfriend. Cue them trying to figure that all out

it is really thought-provoking/ smart.

Because A( the protagonist) wakes up as someone else every day, we get a lot of different people. BTW A also say they do not get attracted to genders, they are attracted to people/ that they do not really feel like they are either boy or girl.  there is just a lot of respect for all kinds of people, that is what I get from this book. Like there is one person with depression and the way A talks about it- about how difficult it is and everything, that just hit a note with me [ also the general way A reacts when they are in a new body ]

it is just really well-written and touching and amazing y’all

Wardstone Chronicles / the last apprentice

I already made a post about this one once, but I am going to include it anyways

-it is about a boy, Tom, who becomes the apprentice to the Spook. The Spook is a guy who fights the Dark ( witches, boggarts, and so on) and only the seventh son* of a seventh son has the abilities that you need to become a Spook.  The Spook is kind of a grumpy asshole but he will probably grow on you because he is actually pretty awesome beneath all the layers of assholery.

There are three characters that are the most important ( although you have some that reoccur and are pretty central to the plot) : Tom, the Spook and Alice. Alice lives with Bony Lizzy, her relative who is hella dark. Like, she uses blood magic and just kills people. Alice is a really complex character, who struggles a lot because her family consists of dark witches but she doesn’t really want to be that way. She is witty, strong and a very good friend. Tom is the protagonist. He is sweet, brave and courageous ( also such a momma’s boy wow). He also tries really hard to do the right thing, which I mention because there are some moments in the series where this becomes really difficult for him. The Spook is grumpy, anti-social and really strict. He does actually care  though, and your opinion about him will probably change because he does change when the series continues.

Something else that I love about this series : GRIMALKIN: she is a witch assassin who carves her sign, a pair of scissors ( the same one she uses to take her victims’ thumbs because the thumbs are obviously the very powerful magic) on trees so everyone gets terrified. I love her because her character isn’t just one of the bad guys. She seems that way but there is so much more going on.

-Okay, the creatures in this series are really cool. You notice that the author has actually put a lot of thought in his Universe.

There are strong female characters. Oh and I don’t know whether the author has done it on purpose but Grimalkin  definitely seems asexual/aromantic. There is no talk of people she has loved or anything, and the only ‘relationship ‘ she had was when she boned the Devil so he would leave her the heck alone ( the witches can make a deal with the Devil where if they carry his child, he can no longer bother them) [ sorry for that spoiler btw] I am not sure whether there are any official lbgtqa characters. I don’t remember – I read the last book about 2 years ago and I have reread parts of the series but I haven’t had time for a complete reread. And I think most of the characters are white although Grimalkin looks like this:

 ALSO there is a ship that is so amazing. It is the enemies to best friends to babies in forbidden love thing and they are both amazing characters ( although I like the girl character a lot more oops) and there is a lot of build-up and everything

I wouldn’t read the last book in the series, as it pissed me off for months. The rest of the books are generally amazing though

*in Delaney’s second series based in this universe, there is actually a seventh daughter who has powers but in the Wardstone Chronicles they say it is the seventh sons of a seventh son that become spooks, not daughters

Site: https://www.spooksworld.co.uk/qa-page

Anna dressed in blood

!!!!!!

*our main characters : Anna and Cas. Cas is a sassy, kind of cynical teenager that has ‘inherited’ his dad’s job to hunt and kill ghosts. Anna is his latest ‘target’, but there is a lot more going on than you would think with her. Cas also has two friends : Carmel ( the most popular girl at school who is kind and smart and doesn’t shy back from kicking ghost ass if needed to defend her friends ) and Thomas ( who is a witch and kind of a dork).

*this book has a lot of flow , and you will read through it pretty fast. It also remains interesting all the time – partly because Anna is kind of a mystery.

there is a second book. Don’t read that unless you like your soul to be crushed ( it is still pretty good actually, but I much prefer the first book)

I don’t remember there being any lgbtqa characters : (  :  (  I am not sure about the ethnicities of the four main characters, but I will edit this post as soon as I know.  

The author’s site: http://kendareblake.com/books/

Rainbow Rowell – carry on

[ lots of people probably already know this one but oh well. I really liked it! ]

*magic school with the ‘chosen’ one except a chosen one who can’t really make their powers work properly. And whose roommate is a vampire

*there are a lot of things that will remind you of Harry Potter, but it also has its own rules of magic/ plot points and so on.

the characters are pretty amazing. Simon ( the ‘chosen’ one) kind of reminds me of a big puppy, my poor child. Baz- his vampire roommate- is really snarky and they ‘hate’ each other ( wink wink) , mainly because Baz is part of one of the families of ancient powers and Simon’s ( I am gonna call him foster parent because I don’t have a better word for him) kind of took away all their power and is , in fact, pretty shitty to them. Anyways, Baz is the ‘seems evil but is actually a cinnamon roll who can’t deal with emotions’ person. Other characters include Agatha- pretty, popular, just wants to be Normal and none of this magic shit damn it- who is a really good friend to Simon and his girlfriend ( it doesn’t last, they don’t really work)  - and Penny-  Simon’s best friend who is super talented, confident and doesn’t want too many friends lol . No but really, they’re all pretty great. Although my favourites are Penny/ Baz.

there are gay characters and bisexual characters[ okay I have to admit I don’t remember whether they actually said they did love the opposite sex as well/ it wasn’t just heteronormativity thing or whatever but I am pretty sure they are bi]  and Penny isn’t white.

Pretty much anything by Rick Riordan to be honest

[ another well-known author but I am going to include him because I love his series okay?]

Okay so basically all his series are kind of modern au’s of mythology ( Greek/Egyptian/Norse) focused on the demi-gods of today/ with guest appearances of their godly parents.

Percy Jackson – pro’s :  it kind of makes being dyslexic a supertalent because demigods all are. Strong female characters. It is very funny( Percy is the sassiest little shit, I swear) but also has really serious/ even pretty dark moments. Also, the universe is so awesome?!  Cons : it is the whitest, straightest series Riordan has written . HOWEVER, it is all kind of really deceitful , as we learn in later series where characters from this series resurface . [also the hunters of Artemis literally have to swear off men so… you could make a case for them being aro/ace or lesbians or ….]

Heroes of Olympus – very compelling, very diverse characters. Also still has Percy[ although the first two books he has amnesia ] tell parts of the story so lots of sarcasm and all that. The Greek gods now also have Roman aspects [that kind of drive them _literally _crazy btw]. The universe Riordan created in PJO is expanded – we have some of the old characters paired with new characters and it is _beautiful. _Also a gay character, my poor baby. And some other characters who def. aren’t straight.

Kane chronicles- Egyptian gods. It is about a sibling duo ( who have actually been separated for quite a while) Sadie and Carter. They are both compelling characters in their own way, and I think the sibling relationship is pretty on point. They take turns telling the story btw. I really love these series as well, partly because I think Riordan just creates really rich universes that just draw you in. Carter isn’t white, Sadie is, and I don’t think that there any lgbtqa characters. There might be some implied ones?  [ again, read this series a while ago. Didn’t have time for a reread]

The Apollo trials- Apollo loses his godhood and has to go on a quest. He is so bisexual, I LOVE it. Also, we discover more about the gods’ sexuality and gods in general because Apollo comments on it and it is pretty hilarious because he, too, is snarky. There is also character development. ALSO IT IS REVEALED THAT A MALE GOD CAN HAVE A CHILD WITH A MALE HUMAN ISN’T THAT AWESOME? [ and I am 100% sure a female goddess can also have a child with another woman- especially because Athena’s kids are brain kids so she doesn’t get them by having sex]

I am going to read ( I have just purchased the first book) Magnus Chase as well, which is Norse mythology and I heard it had a trans character and a Muslim one :  ) [ don’t know for sure whether it is the same one ]  

 Okay, I am going to stop now but I will take a look at my bookcase and maybe continue this list/ make another post about it. [ oh and I didn’t reread anything I read so sorry for any grammar mistakes or whatever]