#it’s definitely interesting and I like it so far so solid rec

[polysyndetonaddictsupportgroup]

in my defense, i was like 90% sure u already knew what banana fish was and i thought u would call me out on my bs right away. i did have a moment of panic when it turned out that u didn’t so 🥺

Hahaha it’s totally fine. I’ve actually never heard of it before today but I did start watching it because of this because I was curious. I like it so far

[allyricas]

I love gay Eddie and bisexual awakening Steve. It's solid and popular for a reason. It works, makes a lot of sense.

But...I also love flirty-cluelessly-queer Eddie and comfortable-with-his sexuality Steve.

Eddie does flirt. With everyone. It was pretty clear he was flirting with Chrissy. He was flirting with Steve. Calling him big boy and getting up in his personal space, being all cutesy.

So, imagine Eddie just casually flirting with Steve and it doesn't mean anything to him. He's just being Eddie. He isn't even aware that it's flirting. He really considers it teasing. The man is dramatic and silly. He loves to make a scene. So "teasing" people is fun for him.

Eddie who is a super senior running a DnD club for outcasts, loves Lord of the Rings, plays in a metal band. I think Eddie is always into some sort of hyperfixation to be trying to bang chicks or dudes.

There was totally a phase were he was obsessed with folk and old country music (Woody Guthrie much). There was the Jane Austen phase (It fits, c'mon). The time he tried to learn to crochet. His lasting phase with fantasy novels. His intense love of metal music. He knows a lot about music in general. Obscure shit. Oh, those handcuffs-definitely from his magic phase. Tell me, 12 year old Eddie didn't want to be a magician. He probably did card tricks, the whole deal.

Eddie would be the kind of guy who'd spout all sorts of random knowledge. He probably has one specific time period in history he could rant about for hours.

The man has raging ADHD (takes one to know one). He's a self-professed nerd and outcast. The only thing that might be considered "cool" is that he plays in his band. But even then, he's a total nerd about it.

Eddie is hot as hell. That is undeniable. But Eddie has been too damn busy being a fucking nerd to date or hook up. I think he's so focused on his interests, it could easily not have been on his radar. Same way he's failed senior year twice in a row despite being smart as hell. The shit they are trying to teach doesn't interest him and that makes Eddie fucking struggle.

He's bouncy and hyperactive. He probably has terrible tunnel vision when he gets into a book or movie or campaign. Dating has thus far not been interesting enough especially combined with how he's treated by the people in Hawkins.

So, yeah- he flirts and teases. He thinks it's harmless fun. With Chrissy, it was a way to make her feel safe and lighten the mood. With Steve, it's a way to disarm him. It's King Steve afterall. Why not play up the metalhead freak persona. Let him think he's weird.

It isn't until Steve starts flirting back and gives Eddie butterflies that Eddie realizes this is not heterosexual behavior. And he knows a lot about that because he was accidentally flagging for a whole goddamn year. Because he wanted to look metal as fuck and thought the bandana was badass.

Steve calls Eddie princess. Calls him pretty boy. Throws in a babe. Everytime Eddie refers to him as big boy or Stevie, Steve just smirks and comes up with a new pet name that wrecks Eddie (who has no idea what is fucking going on). Throw in the boys getting high together with no inhibitions and Steve actively trying to romance him and Eddie's in a full blown sexuality crisis.

best part: Steve thinks Eddie is gay because of the bandana that he wore all year. Add in all the flirting and then Steve's really putting the moves on totally clueless Eddie. And say what you want about Steve, but he has game. I can just imagine Eddie trying to frantically figure out why all of the sudden he wants to make out with Steve "the hair" Harrington and Steve's like...aren't you gay?

(if anyone knows of steddie fics anything like this, please rec them!)

[blackbatcass]

I really really wanna know more about Donna Troyyy, so far I love her so much but I don't wanna be the type of person who claims they love a character then can't name 5 things about them. I wanna do her justice and really understand her character and purpose. I also don't wanna read something that completely mischaracterizes her because I'm aware that there's a LOT of that these days. I was hoping you could give me some recommendations to read after my tests?

Thank you so much if you do, and have a wonderful day! <3

I think I can help with that! Luckily donna's characterization is pretty solid & consistent in any comic up to around 2006. i would be wary of more modern interpretations of her but for most of her older appearances you don't really have to worry about bad writing.

The number 1 rec for donna is always New Teen Titans, that's where pretty much the majority of her appearances and character development take place in the 80s and 90s. The whole series is very long though so if you want more specific recommendations that focus on her I would definitely read ntt vol 1 #38, vol 2 #7-9, #18-21, #47, and #50-55. Issues 18-21 especially are probably my number one rec for donna if you're interested in seeing her flaws and struggles; those four issues took place when the titans were kind of falling apart, donna had to step up and call the shots, and it's a really neat insight into her character that i don't think gets quite as much attention as arcs like her origin stories. You'll probably honestly get a good feel for her if you pick any couple of arcs from NTT and read them through.

Wonder Woman (1987) #126-136 is a very important arc that reiterates donna's borderline horror dimension-bending origin weirdness. Titans '99 is a must-read for her, and jumping off that the Return of Donna Troy miniseries is like... Thee donna comic of all time so i would definitely recommend that. In between ntt and titans 99 she was in things like green lantern and darkstars but honestly the biggest things for her character you have to know from that time are that she and terry got divorced, she was dating kyle rayner, terry tried to take custody away from her, and terry & robbie died in a car accident.

There are way more detailed and comprehensive rec lists you can find in my donna tag if you're interested- I left out arcs like total chaos which are narratively very important for her but i don't think are quite as good a showcase for her as a character- but I think if you just want to get a feel for her character these are a good place to start. if you want like a primer on some of her major character traits i can definitely provide that lol:

donna is an incredibly emotionally intelligent and kind person who is a very good listener and always ready to help, which is why she's pretty much the #1 trusted person every single titan goes to when they need to vent. unfortunately being the appointed Fixer of All Problems Mom Friend when you're like barely an adult gets pretty overwhelming and is a very unfair weight to put a person; you can see this start to grate on her in titans 99 especially. something I like about donna is how open and honest she is with people about her struggles. most characters in the superhero genre would rather die than admit they need help and will never ever talk about their problems without being forced to, but donna isn't like that. if you ask her what's wrong she's going to be honest and tell you what's bothering her. she struggles a LOT with trying to appear 'perfect' in everyone else's eyes, and is really motivated by seeming to have it all together even when she doesn't. this is fueled a lot by her not being born an amazon and not knowing where she came from; the fact that for a lot of ntt she doesn't know her own history really gets under her skin. donna's identity issues are a HUGE part of her character especially later on as retcons and reboots get folded into her story. her past doesn't make sense. she has like nine competing backstories. she's one of the only people to remember the world pre-crisis on infinite earths and has literally been been forced out of existence and remade through pure memories, not to mention all the times dark angel forced her to live different lives until she reached rock bottom as a punishment for diana lol. in one origin she literally is not a real person and was just a mirror twin of diana. the main tagline associated with her is 'who is donna troy?' lol. which i think is fascinating and a very fucked up existence.

Anyway! I can talk about my girl all day. I hope this was at least a little bit helpful!

[dustorange]

Hi! I'm a big fan of your Dick Grayson works but also kind of new to the character. And I've learnt that getting reccs from people who's characterization I like is worthwhile, so any comic recs?

HEY thank you so much you are so sweet ! i can’t give you ONLY comic recs that people will think r respectable but i can get you to my dick characterization lol

this is pretty much exactly the order i used when i started reading dick comics so i think its a solid intro reading order for Dick’s characterization OVERALL……it definitely will give u the Dick-as-a-character foundation but it will give u him outside of his element so u see his Essence as opposed to him blending in w the plot/setting BUT TLDR:

Robin Year One

Grayson (2014-2016)

Dick’s run as Batman — i think for streamlining purposes u can start with Damian’s first appearance in Batman #656 and sorta just keep going in Batman issues until you want to stop. There’s also a separate series for Dick-as-Batman: Batman & Robin (2009). I would say gives issues #1-6 a try and see if you like it. THEN READ SCOTT SNYDERS BATMAN BLACK MIRROR

New 52 Nightwing but mainly #1-17

Nightwing (1996)

After that u r free to explore the wonderful deeper worlds outsiders titans etc at ur whims equipped w a solid dg education BE FREE

explanation:

AFTER ROBIN YR 1 I SAY START WITH GRAYSON (2014-2016) because it will make you love reading comics, and it will make you love dick grayson. All (maybe most but mostly all) of my Dick Grayson characterization is a footnote to Grayson. Every DG fic i write is me playing with the Dick who appeared in Grayson. my favorite favorite favorite dick run ever (and my fav comic ever). it’s only like 20 or so issues so it’s VERY manageable. i read it when i was 12 and it was first coming out and its superb its jumpy and funny and warm and clever and just generally fun. its also. FOR THE FIRST HALF. very very VERY well written. To me it’s a skeleton key for dicks character—how hes bright and dark and intelligent and calculating and detached and passionate and contradictorily TOO attached and willingtodowhatmustbedone but above all, most of all, how he’s a performer. This series can get you REALLY FAR in dick’s character. I’ve read a lot of dick stuff but like when i write dick stuff i m writing the dick i learned from Grayson when i was 12. A lot of people rly hate it and they hate Tom king and seeley but Grayson is proof to me that they’re genuine talents. the end of Grayson does fall off but Grayson’s highs are so astronomically high you can’t begrudge it anything. it’s a mostly isolated series and takes place in a weird context but it explains EVERYTHING u need to know abt how Dick got there in the series pretty succinctly . i think it’s a GREAT GREAT GREAT starter series for dick if you’ve already got his robin origin down and it’s genuinely fun and a joy (albeit sometimes emotionally crushing) to read

Robin Year One and then just randomly pick and choose some 1940s detective comics they’re just sweet and good grounding

then i think u should read DickBats. i think it would be really interesting to read Dick-as-Batman before Dick-as-Nightwing because in DickBats, you get SO MUCH characterwork and you FEEL how much Dick loved being Nightwing so it would be a cool experience. i LOVED grant morrison’s dickbats run and I then scott snyders run so HARD REC THOSE some people say they don’t like them but this is also boiling dicks character down to the very foundational essential aspects because it’s placing him in a new situation instead of his typical one (nightwing)

As far as getting introduced to dick specifically as nightwing, i do think n52 nightwing is a good introduction to comics and it’s fun/enjoyable/angsty. Dick suffers a LOT. I also looooooove dick’s red suit and the way he’s drawn by brettbooth and i LOVE the storylines with the circus and Raya Vestri so i think this is a good and accessible intro. I think it gets worse after #17 (MY FAV SIDE CHARACTER DIES) so u can stop there or keep going

Nightwing 96 is very important so u should read it at some point it is the keystone but only read it from the beginning after u already like dick as a character bc I think some of the early issues with Dixon writing r soooooooooooo boring. it is like 25% devastatingly utterly boring and 75% sparkling super gem. which is a pretty good percentage!! but u can delay reading it . people will also tell u that New Teen Titans is critical dick reading. i also think that one is boring but unlike NW96 all of NTT is boring to me but reading NTT is ALSO important TO DO AT SOME POINT but for now u can def skip it

[nakedmonkey]

It's halfway through the year! Got any favorite albums/books/tv shows/whatever to recommend?

oh hiii!!! <3

Yeah! I've read a few of books I've really enjoyed:

Elliot Page's memoir, Pageboy (heartbreaking, beware of so many triggers)

Private Rites by Julia Armfield, which I didn't love as much as I loved Our Wives Under the Sea, but it was a solid read. Her style is really beautiful, so it was still enjoyable. It's about sisters, and about living in a world that is essentially dying. The use of rain is super effective here, and provides a haunting, at times claustrophobic reading experience. It really adds to spook factor. It is also very queer, which is all I'm interested in as of late.

A Good Happy Girl by Marissa Higgins is SO good. I love a messy queer girl with many many issues. I've noticed that's sort of a current trend in modern queer lit, I've read tons of it lately, but this was a standout for me. It's about a girl who becomes involved with an older lesbian couple (I believe they're both lesbians) and they have a very interesting dynamic, the three of them.

Death Valley by Melissa Broder. I'd read Milk Fed before this and I didn't love it, but her writing intrigued me enough that I wanted to give this one a try and I actually really loved it! It's really funny and the protagonist is just such a loser (my favorite) - it takes place primarily in the desert. Our lead character is a writer, off on a writing trip that is really an excuse to avoid her chronically ill husband, and her equally ill father. Such a quick easy read, super entertaining.

Exalted by Anna Dorn. this was unexpectedly fun to read! It's about the 2 most annoying women on the planet. Shallow, self centered, selfish etc., and they're obsessed with astrology. I feel that's all I can say without spoiling anything but I loved it. Hilarious book. Since reading this, I've read Dorn's first book, and I didn't love that one, primarily because I started to see a pattern in the author's material that I haven't decided I like yet. it seems like all her books are set in LA, and they all exist in either the same universe or a sort peripheral/parallel universe to one another?? Not sure. BUT as a stand alone book, it was solid. Currently reading her latest. We'll see.

(a lot of white ladies in this rec list i'm noticing. If you have any recs by queer authors of color, I'd love some pls!)

Film: I have been really immersed in horror lately. I've been finding the distance from reality very comforting and these have been the standouts in past months:

The First Omen. My god. So good! So refreshing and bold. A gorgeous homage to 70's horror. Definitely recommend.

Birth/Rebirth. Wow wow wow. I LOVED this. Such a cool film. I'm such a huge Judy Reyes fan, and I've always really enjoyed Marin Ireland, and they fucking ATE. Their chemistry is amazing in this, the writing is great. I haven't been this excited about a new director since Rose Glass. I'm pumped to see what they do next!

TV: Currently obsessing over Interview With the Vampire. Gorgeous flawless bloody show. Can't say enough good things about it. And Under the Bridge!

Thank you for the ask, doll! xoxoxoxo

(curious to know what you're reading these days! Your taste is unmatched)

ETA: as far as music goes, I've been revisiting some older albums. The Colour and the Shape by Foo Fighters, all of The Walkmen, early Interpol, and some early Bette Midler with splashes of Chappell Roan <3

[dracula-enthusiast]

for the horror movie asks: 1, 5, 10, 19, 23, 26, 30 (sorry if i asked too much, i just love horror movie recs!)

OOO ur totally fine i LOVE talking abt horror so u have come to the right place!!!

gonna put this under a read more bc its gonna be a long one 👇 but links to the imdb page for all the movies mentioned will be embedded in the post for synopsis sake :3

1. Top 5 favorite horror movies?

in no particular order:

Black Christmas (1974) Dir. Bob Clark i think this movie is an absolute classic, and while the acting can be silly at times, i think its solid when it needs to be and i think the scares and suspense definitely hold up!

Saw (2004) Dir. James Wan anyone who has followed me for any length of time knows i love the saw movies LOL but the original saw holds such a special place in my heart. i do think its a genuinely good film with a solid story and good acting (yes even Leigh Whannell's acting) and i think that if you let yourself get immersed in the suspense of it all u can have a really good time (and its NOT anywhere near as gory as the film's reputation will have u believe)

Creep (2014) Dir. Patrick Brice i loveeee this movie so much. found footage is my favorite style of horror movie, and this is such an interesting premise for a found footage movie that i think was executed very well!! Mark Duplass' performance is incredible in this film, he freaks me out every time i watch it. (there is also a sequel, Creep 2 (2017) which is just as good in my opinion)

Rec (2007) Dir. Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza i do love a good zombie movie and rec is by far my favorite. its another example of a creative way to use the found footage style and i think that the acting and story are both really engaging, and it has a good mix of suspense and outright scary shit. (same as with creep, i love rec 2 just as much as i love the first one <3 however 3 and 4 are like. totally different movies which. i will not speak on here)

Alien (1979) Dir. Ridley Scott i know some people wouldn't consider this to be a horror movie BUT i would consider them to be wrong. i love this movie so much, its an absolute classic, what else is there to say

5. Underrated film(s)?

one movie that i absolutely loved that i dont think people talk abt a lot is Vivarium (2019) Dir. Lorcan Finnegan. its a weird one and i love it. the premise is fun and creative and its just uncanny and unsettling and i liked this movie a lot.

also!! 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) Dir. Dan Trachtenberg is really good and pretty slept on. i love the suspense in this movie and i always love a good big scary alien

10. Horror movie(s) that made you love the genre?

not technically a movie but Marble Hornets the youtube series by Troy Wagner and Joseph DeLage was a huge landmark in my own experience with horror. this one is special to me for like. sentimental personal reasons. but also because when i watched it for the first time, i had never seen anything like it. it was just so cool and original and it did scare me which was so fun! if u have a couple hours to spare and have never seen it before i highly recommend checking it out bc the whole thing is still up and free on youtube.

also Pan's Labyrinth (2006) Dir. Guillermo del Toro is another one that is very near and dear to me. it's also special to me for sentimental personal reasons lol but it's also the first Guillermo del Toro movie i ever saw and i just adore his work

19. Favorite 2020s film (so far)?

OGH this is hard because there have been so many good horror movies lately but i love love love Talk to Me (2022) Dir. Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou. the best way i've heard this movie described was by youtuber Mista GG who said abt this movie "they're not reinventing the wheel here, but that wheel? fucking wheels." and i couldn't agree more. it felt like such an instant classic to me in that it hit all of the typical horror movie beats in a very fun and fresh way

23. Favorite Body Horror?

i will admit im not very well versed in body horror yet!! its a genre im only recently getting into, so i dont want to say i have a favorite yet but!! The Bay (2012) Dir. Barry Levinson has some pretty cool body horror elements that i really enjoyed! i think this is a fun and kinda gnarly movie in general.

26. Favorite Psychological Horror?

hands down my fave psychological horror is Black Swan (2010) Dir. Darren Aronofsky i love how ambiguous and unsettling this movie is. and ofc if ur talking abt black swan u have to mention her predecessor Perfect Blue (1997) Dir. Satoshi Kon which is an absolute classic and is so beautifully animated and delivers that same sense of ambiguity and dread. (these movies are the epitome of why pit two bad bitches against each other to me. lets enjoy both of them together <3)

30. A fun movie fact that you like sharing with people?

OK THIS ONE IS EASY i love practical effects forever and ever amen and i especially love the practical effects in the saw movies!! almost all of the traps in the movies are fully functional in some capacity, but my favorite movie trivia is that in Saw 3 during the pig vat scene, the maggots that you see in all of the pigs and in all of the goop and all over Barry Flatman are real live maggots that had been sterilized so that they were totally safe to accidentally (or purposefully i suppose) ingest! here is a super fun video from the saw 3 dvd bonus features talking abt the making of the pig vat trap that talks abt the maggots

thank u for this ask!!!!!! i love talking abt horror movies and my dms are always open to do so!!!!!!!

[platoniccereal]

Firstly if you find that Adoribull fic I hope you share and second if you have any fic recs for Bull in general I want to know 👀

Also autocorrect nearly made his name Bill. The Iron Bill, a legal juggernaut. Don't call him William.

...he's pretty well versed in fiscal affairs.

i'm going to rummage through ao3 as a treat so maybe i'll be lucky haha i'll send it to you if that's ok and if i find anything.👀

i started reading fics on ao3 not so long ago, so my collection is humble and classic, still...

these are purely gen/plot and character focused with rare nsfw scenes:

small secret spaces – i adore this absolute gut punch of a fic, it's about 2k words and is written from bull's tama perspective. absolutely heartbreaking as anything regarding bull's time on seheron.

there's also i can see us gather at the gates from the same author, a 36k words work in progress, bull x f!trevelyan. it studies them both in opposition to each other, this one got me thinking and feeling for days.

there's also a very short the sea is unchanged in the same series, i recommend lilith_morgana's works in general, because just as this one, they're always written with such love for the characters, as well as with wise, mature understanding of them.

ebasit – a different author, another character study, 12k. so far the only inquisitor!bull fic i've seen, not even on ao3, and by god it's tasty. it's adoribull and bull x josephine, but still mostly a character study. bull seems to be more serious and tough here than as a companion. there is also one thing about adoribull that'll absolutely break your heart in the best way possible.

but there's a twist is an almost 60k words modern au adoribull fic that's definitely worth checking out because i'm not overestimating when i'm saying that it's got everything. this will be painful, this will be sweet and rewarding. and the title does not lie. again, this fic seems to be just one of a kind, very glad a thing like this just exists. also, lilacsolanum is overall an amazing writer,

and vasaad proves it. i respect any fic that touches on vasaad's character because there's just so much angst potential in just a few words cole says in canon, and this one? nailed it. it's also 6k words adoribull. bull's got some baggage, bull's gotta understand that dorian's not afraid of it.

(there's also my father and his father before him from the same author, but even though it's an adoribull fic, it's more of a study of dorian. also highly recommend, gets you very invested in dorian's depressed shenanigans. also the best portrayal of halward i've seen.)

continuing with the vasaad theme, triptych is probably one of the most well-known works on this list. adoribull 41k words soulmate au. it's got such a good grasp on bull's grief. the soulmate au reality only enhances it. i was fascinated at how the system of qunari names was intertwined with the significance of names for the soulmate au. and vasaad? oh. he haunts the entire work, and frankly, it feels right.

cassandra and the chrysanthemum caper is going to be right up your alley if you enjoy older characters exploring pining and slow burning in 16k words while being rather oblivious about it. cassandra x bull, the divine and her bodyguard, and everything you can expect from these two. bonus points for bull with a disability.

stuck on the puzzle – ok, actually this one is the most well-known on this list. i don't really interact with content about cullen, and it's his pov in this cullen x bull 200k beast. but this is a very well-crafted and thoughtful work. plus, there is also an interesting exploration of characters and non-sexual bdsm. just very solid writing.

darkened room – sigh, who doesn't like good ol' ptsd-flavoured nightmares? especially when it's adoribull.

maraas kata – somehow whenever there's qunlat in the title you know it's gonna be good. i consider this to be a bull's trauma exploration. dorian and bull are visiting seheron, very bittersweet. bitter because of course, it's seheron, sweet because bull's got support, and he's not alone.

another country – and another fic from venndaai whose works are absolutely beautiful. not very long. it's adoribull, and i'm weak for time traveling. especially for meeting your loved one in the past. especially when it's this sweet and touching.

so shall it be – rather short bull x adaar, consists of a very technical approach to bondage while also being non-sexual. and it's just sweet!

also, there is some stuff i'm in the process of reading, but still enjoy and find interesting:

run home – i'm only starting reading that one, but i already know it's a high quality work that studies characters in-depth, bull x f!lavellan, bull is an adoptive father of a kid!krem, plus, it's little league au.

better angels – i'm still in the process of reading it, but so far i find it lighthearted and like writer's inquisitor and sense of humor. the plot of m!lavellan x bull losing their memory and trying to piece everything together seems interesting!

aneth ara – as it's easy to realize, i'm in the process of reading many fics. but whenever i see f!lavellan x bull exploration that's over 100k words, i just can't help myself. :) plus, i really like how it's written, it seems very well-built to me.

since it's bull, there's also a good chunk of pretty hot purely pwp stuff:

kindle and char and enflame and ignite – adoribull playing pirates. :) it's pretty lighthearted and sweet, very nice experience!

the summit shrouded in fog – this cullen x bull and x dorian will be your jam if you like more intense scenes. it explores how violent bull is and how it interacts with him being a dom among other things. that's actually not the thing i've seen discussed much before in various texts, so that's cool.

got 180 degrees (and i'm caught in between) – this is a pretty recent work on dorian x krem x bull, made me go !!! i just love krem very much.

come on, get higher – just wanted good ol' bottom!bull and i got it. this is adoribull. also, i know that justjasper created a big amount of works for adoribull in general, and afaik they all are worth checking out,

such as katoh, for example. a very touching compilation of moments between dorian and bull that are sharing the common theme of communication. i like when authors work with the watch word use, it's as important as a good scene.

rivers in the sand – i dunno how explicit it might be considered, so it goes here. adoribull, bull sees similarities between the seheron and the hissing wastes, definitely has a ptsd episode running as an app in the background. bonus points for dorian finding bull being a nerd hot because same.

anyways, thank you sooo much for asking and giving me a chance to rumble about fics i love about a character i love! sorry if i took the task way too seriously, haha. surely there can be much more even with my little experience of ao3, but i'll stop here.

[mermaidsirennikita]

Hello! Happy Valentines day! I love your blog, and I’m wondering if you have recs for books with really solid friendships for the heroines? I’m rereading the wallflowers rn (my first historical series i ever read!) and I’m just delighted by how much the four of them like each other, and also how they get to do kinda silly stupid stuff together bc friends DO encourage each other to be deranged sometimes lmao

Yes! (And thank you.)

Offbeat rec, but I really love the way Lucia and Regin love each other in IAD--specifically Pleasure of a Dark Prince (Lucia's book) but in general. They're *technically* sisters, as all valkyries are, but they're really best friends and so ride or die for each other. When Lucia is like "I need to go on the run so my werewolf fated mate can't find me" Regin is all "I'm ON IT" and goes with her and helps her like, push Garreth down a ravine and attempt to crush him with cars. It's great.

The Mating Habits of Scoundrels by Vivienne Lorret has great, funny friendships. The girls are really supportive of each other, but they're also like... encouraging one another's worst fears. I think Wallflowers fans would really like this series--my favorites are The Wrong Marquess, How to Steal a Scoundrel's Heart, and Never Seduce a Duke.

Oooh The Fifth Avenue Rebels by Joanna Shupe has fabulous friendships. This is definitely a "friends encourage friends to go goblin mode" series, especially on Nellie's part. Nellie is like, always steering Maddy to cheat on her fiancee with Archer (to be fair, Nellie had.... a conflict of interest there, but she was Right) and taking Katherine to French balls to go hook up with masked men and stuff. And in her book especially, I think you really see how much she adores her friends, and how much she feels that "everyone is getting married and growing up and moving on without me" thing, which leads to a lovely friendship moment between all four.

Hell's Belles by Sarah MacLean OBVIOUSLY has an amazing girl gang that encourages women's wrongs.

Grace Callaway's Lady Charlotte's Society of Angels series by Grace Callaway has a group of crazy young vigilante girls, led by a much calmer, but secretly insane, Lady Charlotte. I just love how these girls will be like "LET'S KICK FLIP VILLAINS AND KISS BOYS".

Jennifer Ashley's first four Mackenzie books especially have really lovely, supportive friendships between the Mackenzie brides. Beth and Isabella are probably the closest, but they're all really tight and understanding of one another.

Adriana Herrera's Las Leonas series is only two books in thus far, but I've been LOVING the female friendships in that series. The women really GET each other, and I super enjoy the fact that there is like... an acknowledged bonding that goes beyond them being women in the 19th century, and goes into them being woc in a predominantly white European society especially.

And for books that have great friendships between men and women, I looove Frannie's relationships with the Scoundrels of St. James, especially Jack. Like, all these guys are a little in love with her (Jack least for sure because he actually gets that their love is platonic lol), but it's pretty quickly clear that it's like, this trauma bond situation where they actually just really GET each other and where they're coming from. So it's not like, objectifying in any way and she's more like the heart of the group, while also being great at forging things and such as that lmao.

[pygmypyncher]

Hello, hope this is ok. Just to say how much I have enjoyed your writing for Bodies. Your writing is so beautifully detailed, and the internal nuances are delightful to wander amongst. I have read all TRC books, not my favourite, but I really like your fics, but Oh boy, I can see how your writing has developed since then. So, just a big thank you for writing all these pieces. (Do you have any recs for queer media that you have enjoyed?)

Thank you so much for messaging! It's really lovely of you to say!

Also very glad to hear my writing has come on since the TRC days! I was very proud of those fics at the time, and really do still think of them fondly, but I am aware of how much I've grown as a writer since then (hence the slight jumpscare this morning, for which I can only apologise!).

Queer media! Let me dredge my memories for a bit, and I will no doubt mention stuff you've heard of or watched/read already. There are doubtless SEVERAL things I've forgotten, as it is well past my bedtime, but if any glaring omissions occur to me I'll send them on! Shows: Recently I've really enjoyed Our Flag Means Death - you've probably at least heard of it (and as you've been looking at my AO3 you'll have seen I've written for it), and it's completely different from either TRC or Bodies tonally bc it is, in essence, a pirate sitcom, but there is honestly nothing so unashamedly and joyously queer out there at the moment. The fandom is a bit of a terrifying juggernaut, so I suggest treading neatly round the edges and delving into some absolutely top-tier fic (of which there is no shortage) if the whim takes you. On the other side of the pirate scale is Black Sails (DO NOT compare these directly they are very different beasts). Excellent story, very dark and gritty, great pay-off. Deadloch is another great show - Australian detective black comedy, filled to the brim with lesbians! The Haunting of Bly Manor is just a gorgeous ghost/love story with some brilliant characters. Feel Good is one of these unexpectedly heart-breaking sitcoms that I can't recommend enough even though it took me a year to build up the courage for a rewatch A League of Their Own (TV) is just brilliant, and i am GUTTED we're not getting a s2 I'm gonna stick Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries here too, bc even though it isn't actually all that queer (but it DOES have Miriam Margolyes, which definitely qualifies it), it's super camp and has what is possibly the only straight mc romance i've ever been invested in which is saying something Books: KJ Charles is a favourite of mine. She writes really great, quick-to-read queer historical romances that always have a great mystery and body count. The Will Darling Adventures (1920s pulp action-mystery with a romance between an ex-soldier who now runs a second-hand bookshop and a disgraced aristo) are my absolute favourites of hers, but everything she writes is very solid. I've also really enjoyed The Locked Tomb by Tamsyn Muir series so far - very complicated Space Opera, again chock-full of lesbians. Sex: Lessons From History by Fern Riddell is a really interesting non-fiction book about, shockingly, attitudes to sex through history, and takes a delightfully non-heteronormative approach to it that I wasn't expecting going in. As Meat Loves Salt by Maria McCann is an all-time favourite read of mine, but is quite challenging as the main character is Not The Greatest Guy and it does carry some hefty stuff and warnings. Girl Meets Boy and How to Be Both by Ali Smith are both just brilliant stories with some great Gender Stuff going on.

Like i say, I'm sure I've missed stuff! And it's a bit all over the place because, as well as replying to your AO3 comments too early this morning, I am now answering this too late at night. I am sorry, but can do nothing about it :P I hope this is a little bit helpful at least! <3

[newhologram]

New's T skincare (and more) recs🏳️‍⚧️🥄

Hello! I'm a enby spoonie trying out a low dose of testosterone for gender and health reasons. Some of you asked how I'm managing my skin now that it's oilier on T, so here are some recs. If you find any of this information helpful, please consider dropping a tip in my ko-fi, becoming a Patron, or donating to my GoFundMe. Every bit helps me afford medical care and stay afloat when I'm too sick to work. ❕ Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor or an expert, just an ex-retail worker with a special interest in skincare. These are products/routines that work for me, so you'll have to experiment to find out what your skin responds to. Always patch test and if your skin really struggles on T, definitely talk to a dermatologist. This isn't my entire collection of skincare, just stuff that is especially good for managing/healing acne. I'll still be listing some products I don't have yet but plan to get in the future as suggestions. If you want to know about other things like under eye care, send an ask and I'll try to answer. Also, you don't have to be on T to try any of this stuff out. If you have some of the same skin concerns I do, then some of these things may be a good match for you. Even before T, it took work to keep my skin clear. It just takes more intensive care now.

ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ᴡᴇ ɢᴇᴛ ɪɴᴛᴏ ɪᴛ: 𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

✨Keep in mind that I'm really extra and having a fancy routine like this is part of how I self-regulate. I also have different routines depending on time of the year, time of day, my cycle, whether or not I wore sunscreen/makeup/a mask that day, etc. You absolutely do not need to go as hard as I do with so many products. If you're completely new to skincare, it's fine to keep it simple with cleanser, toner, and moisturizer (and sunscreen when going out!), with masks or spot treatments as needed. 💊A little more info on my situation: I'm on T in short cycles for subtle changes and it turns out that T is really good at treating some chronic illness as well, especially autoimmune disorders. I'm diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, type 2 narcolepsy, fibromyalgia, myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS), and more. I've been "suspected" for RRMS for a few years due to all of my neurological symptoms but my MRI's don't show much other than some bulging discs. I'm not officially diagnosed yet but am suspected for endometriosis, with an enlarged ovary, backed-up kidneys, unidentified lesions on my colon/bladder, and daily debilitating pelvic/back pain. My periods kill me dead but even when not on them, I'm still in a lot of pain all the time. So far the T really helps with fibro pain and definitely gives me more stamina. My periods have been easier too. Still not pleasant, but not killing me as much. The fact that I've been able to work even one day on my period the past few months is a huge improvement, even if I'm still doubled over with a heating pad. One concern I had with starting T was my skin. I've never had severe acne, but I'm still acne prone as an adult. Luckily I worked in skincare for a while, so I've had a solid skincare routine for a long time now. Since starting T, I've been refining my routine in order to minimize breakouts and heal ones that do happen. The same goes for my hair/scalp routine since I have psoriasis and have to do clarifying treatments twice a week anyway. T can carry the risk of more oil, clogging, and fall out. This post will mostly be about skin but I'll add some of my hair and other recs too. ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

♥𝚃𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜♥ I: Skincare 1. 𝘾𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝘢. 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘣. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘴 2. 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙠𝙨/����𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝘢. 𝘞𝘢𝘴𝘩-𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘴 𝘣. 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘴 𝘤. 𝘚𝘱𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 3. 𝙏𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 4. 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙪𝙢𝙨 𝘢. 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘴 𝘣. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘴 5. 𝙈𝙤𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝘢. 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘣. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘳𝘴 6. 𝘽𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙖𝙘𝙣𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 7. 𝙀𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 8. 𝙀𝙭𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝘢. 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘣. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦

II: Haircare (coming soon) III: pH care (coming soon)

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦ Skincare 1. Cleansers

I have a lot of cleansers because I like to be prepared for every situation, so only a few are pictured here and only ones related to acne care will be listed below. If you want to know what other kinds of cleansers I use, send me an ask! a. Morning Cleansers - In the morning, I usually just do wipes to avoid stripping too much. I'll only actually do a cleanser with water if I feel particularly oily or if I'm actively breaking out and need to start the day with something that's more of a treatment. Senka All Clear Water White - Shiseido, the makers of Senka Pure Whip (one of my fav cleanser lines!) now has a micellar water line. I've tried a lot of micellar waters over the years and this is definitely my favorite one. The Fuji Sakura essence and licorice root are brightening for dark spots (a problem I have after acne) and the Uji Green Tea essence is to remove excess oil and keep the skin matte. I wanted to try the Fresh version which is better for oily/acne prone skin, but was only able to get my hands on the White version but it works great. If I end up finding it, I'll update this post with my results. Fourth Ray Beauty Detox Sesh Purifying Cleansing Wipes - These are fabulous for oily break out mornings. Lots of good stuff like tea tree, witch hazel, and willow bark to treat acne. Can sting a little bit if you're sensitive, but hasn't given me any major issues. Sometimes I use it with a little bit of the micellar water to get an extra cleanse.

Trader Joe's Tea Tree wipes - Been using these for a really long time. They're quite strong, with tea tree and alcohol, so I mostly use them on my neck, chest, and shoulders for break outs there. But I still use them on the face a few times a week as needed for acne. There's also witch hazel, chamomile, ginger, neem, and more. Just a good combo of stuff. Since it's a bit stripping, be sure to tone and moisturize after.

b. Evening Cleansers - In the evening, I usually focus on double-cleansing, especially during a T cycle or if I've been out wearing sunscreen/makeup/mask. Double-cleansing is usually when you use an oil-based cleanser or balm to first cleanse other oils/gunk from skin, and then you use a foam or scrub-type cleanser after (or over) it to get that extra deep cleanse. Just make sure to tone/moisturize well after (will cover those steps too!). Trader Joe's Tea Tree Face Wash - A really simple but effective lathering oil cleanser. CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser - CeraVe products are great to start with, as they feature essential ceramides to maintain the skin's barrier. 4% benzoyl peroxide to clear acne, but also with hyaluronic acid to retain moisture and niacinamide to soothe. Senka Perfect Whip - One of my longtime go-to cleansers. It's perfectly soft and foamy, with a bunch of different types now for different skin needs. The original is great during warmer months when I'm oilier anyway, but in the winter I usually switch to Perfect Whip Collagen In for a little more moisture. They have a new Perfect Whip Acne Care foam with the inflammatory agent found in licorice root. I just got my hands on it in May and have been loving it. It's gentle but still potent enough to keep my skin super clear. Momo Puri Peach Moist Cleansing Wash - BCL is a brand I use a lot and their peach line is amazing for the probiotics and peach ceramides. Another great foaming cleanser to replenish the skin barrier but still get nice and clean.

Dark Angels - One of the only LUSH products still worth buying in my opinion (as an ex-employee). I've used this since it came out and it never lets me down. Charcoal and rhassoul are great for pores that get clogged easily, and it's got avocado oil to condition the skin. I scrub this one all over my face, neck, and chest to leave on for 5-10 minutes as a mask while I hang out in the tub. It clears me up fast without irritating my skin. How do I use foam cleansers? Four ways, depending on my needs/spoons that day:

Apply directly to wet skin and massage gently with hands

Apply directly to wet skin and use a very soft handheld brush in small circles. I got mine at Tokyo Central/Marukai Market, but can't recall the brand, sorry!

Use a foamer device to make big whippy clouds, then apply to skin and rub in circles/let sit for 20-60 seconds. Mine is from DAISO.

Apply cleanser to face and/or automatic cleansing brush. I use COSLUS brand. It was affordable and came with a lot of different brush heads, so you can use the one that's right for your skin's sensitivity. I love this thing! I normally use it maybe 1-2x a week, but now on T I use it a little bit more to make sure I get a deep cleanse. ⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹

2. Masks/treatments

a. Wash-off masks - Such as clay masks, gooey masks, or scrub/dissolving type treatments. Tsururi clay packs - Another great product from BCL. I've used these masks for a long time too, definitely my go-to for a quick but effective clay cleanse. These dry in less than 10 minutes. They have a few different types and currently I'm using the Mild Sea Clay pack with Okinawan clay and moisturizing things such as honey, collagen, and olive oil. This one is good if you're more sensitive, but I still find their regular mask gentle enough. They have a limited edition red clay and ghassoul pack that I really want to try as it'll be even better for blackheads. (Tsururi also has a white clay foam cleanser that I tried a few years ago, it's really nice) Tsururi Pore Cleansing Power Hot Stone - I've used this since I was a teenager, it's like magic. It warms up and dissolves gunk in the pores, so I save it for when I'm especially clogged or if I need my face to be extra clean before/after makeup. It's meant to be rubbed in for 60 seconds and rubbed off, but I tend to leave it on for a few minutes to let it do its work. I know this is fine for my skin, but be careful trying it out if you're extra sensitive. Ghassoul, zeolite, grapefruit extract, witch hazel, peppermint - just lots of good stuff for problem pores. SKINFOOD Pear Mint Mask - I'm fairly new to SKINFOOD but have been loving their products so far. This mask is a winner. The mint is cooling and refreshing, and so is the pear with the added benefit of moisture and nourishment. The base is kaolin clay so it's mild but still effective at cleansing pores. This brand has a bunch of other popular masks, so I can't wait to make my way through their lines. Next I want to try their Black Sugar Strawberry Mask. Mad City Soap - Tea Tree & Mint Foaming Facial Scrub - I've bought soaps and body scrubs from this Etsy shop for a decade but only now started trying their skin and hair products. This one is more of a cleanser than a scrub but I use it as a treatment with my other cleansers. It's soo nice. It's creamy and soft, so minty and tingly and wonderful for current breakouts or for preventing them. I use it 1-3x a week as needed. Very potent and a little goes a long way. I'm From Honey Mask - My all-time favorite mask, it leaves me glowing. It's a little bit on the pricier side for me, but it's always worth it. I've been using this for several years and I save it for skin emergencies or special occasions. Honey is a recurring ingredient in a lot of my skincare because it's just so good. It's anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, soothing, and helps with elasticity and moisture. So it's not just great for acne, but for anything, really. This mask is very deeply healing so I usually use it after I've had to go hard on harsher acne products and I'm wanting to soothe and repair my skin barrier. This can be a quick 10-20 minute mask but I also leave it on for a full hour when I really need the extra help. This mask uses honey from the Jiri Mountains in South Korea, which have such an abundant variety of flowers that the honey is just jam-packed with healing properties. TONYMOLY I'm Honey Deep Moisture Rescue Mask - If you're on a budget and can't afford the I'm From mask, this one is a great alternative. Honey, propolis, and royal jelly all soothe and hydrate. Still really effective for soothing after harsher acne treatments or during colder weather.

b. Sheet Masks - These masks are great for delivering a bunch of moisture and treatment to the face. I typically save these for emergencies or special occasions but they're also great to use once a week. Make sure to squeeze out what's in the bag too, you can rub it on your neck and chest if you like. Most sheet masks are meant to be left on 10-20 minutes. Ingredients I use a lot are: tea tree or charcoal for break outs, honey or aloe for soothing/healing, strawberry or other fruits for exfoliation, snail mucin for barrier restoration. Naisture - A brand I've used for over a decade, with a lot to choose from. Their tea tree mask is great for break-out days and they also have really soothing aloe and honey ones too. There are a lot of sheet mask brands out there. Other brands I like are Lululun, Kose, and My Beauty Diary. BCL has a 1-minute all-in-one morning sheet mask line called Saborino. They cleanse, moisturize, and prime. I usually use them on work days or tired mornings. I've only tried the grapefruit/avocado one so far but they have so many now. They even have night time masks which would be soothing especially after acne care and covers toner, lotion, essence, cream, and mask in just one minute (but you can leave on for 5-10 if you really need to). ⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹ c. Spot Treatments

MediHeal Tea Tree Trouble Pads - These are great because I don't always want to do a full sheet mask when I have just one or two problem areas. These are like mini sheet masks that come in square pads. I like to cut them in half so I can more easily place them in strips on my face.

Sunday Riley Saturn Sulfur Spot Treatment - I've used this spot treatment for years, it's wonderful for clearing current break-outs and preventing more. Though it can be a little strong and make me red/itchy, so I use it sparingly and always do soothing care afterward.

MAREE Acne Patches - Pimple patches are life-changing. Great way to not just heal acne with the hydrocolloid gel plus ingredients like tea tree and green algae gel, but it covers the acne up to protect it while you go about your day. A very fast and gentle way to heal stubborn pimples. ⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹ 3. Toners

A lot of people skip toners completely and so I get asked a lot why they matter. Toner is an important step for a few reasons: after cleansing, sometimes we can be stripped of natural sebum (oil), so toning is a good way to replenish that moisture. But it also helps prime the skin for moisturizer. The skin's like a sponge, so it's going to absorb moisturizer better if you wet it first with a toner. These days, there are so many kinds of toners with different ingredients and purposes. So I choose a different toner depending on the time of day, weather, how my skin is acting, etc. Fourth Ray Beauty Fresh AF Mist - A very gentle rehydrating spray toner made with rose and cucumber water. Great for refreshing throughout the day too. SKINFOOD Peach Sake Toner - This is from SF's Peach Sake line which is fabulous for oily skin. Sake is astringent but peach is nourishing and rehydrating. I use this on my face, neck, and chest to control oil production. Super matte! Momo Puri Peach Moist Barrier - another peach line that's amazing, with peach ceramides and probiotics to restore the barrier. BCL has a few different kinds of this toner for your needs. I go with this regular light version but they have a milky version if you're on the dry side. Naturalism by Baeville Turmeric & Honey Glow Toner - Another great Etsy find. Turmeric is great to even out skin tone, but this one also has a lot of other great ingredients for acne prone skin such as witch hazel, rose water, aloe vera, rosemary, chamomile, tea tree, green tea, and more. Another one I love to use on my face, neck, and chest. COSRX Full Fit Propolis Synergy Toner - My current evening toner. Not only anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial for acne, but very soothing and moisturizing for glowing skin. ⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹ 4. Serums/essences/emulsions - I typically use different serums for morning and evening, rotating them as well or switching it up as needed. This is just what works for me. Some people prefer retinol only at night, for example. So listen to your skin and find what works. a. Morning Serums

SKINFOOD Black Sugar Serum - This one has been highly rated for years for sebum (oil) control, so when I had the extra money to get it, I was so excited. It's really nice, both hydrating but also helps to control oil. Definitely keeping my skin clear. SANA Nameraka Honpo Isoflavone Essence - Sana's Isoflavone products have been a staple of my skincare for over a decade. They have soy and arbutin which is great for collagen production and brightening hyperpigmentation. I've used their cleansers, toners, masks, moisturizers, eye creams, and spot treatments. They never disappoint! And they even have so many lines depending on your needs, such as CoQ10, acne control with extra arbutin, and more. This particular essence is one of their basic products, I use it mostly to keep my skin tone even. It's also super soft and moisturizing. Definitely something I use a lot in the winter. SKINFOOD Peach Sake Pore Serum - More Peach Sake because it's so good. This serum is so softening and helps the skin stay matte. CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum - An amazing must-have retinol serum to fade acne marks. It's also brightening and uses ceramides to maintain the skin barrier. Retinol can be a lot on the skin, so I only use it every other day. If you're new to this ingredient, definitely start slow and see how you do. Retinol can cause peeling if you go too hard. Always, and I mean always, wear a good sunscreen if you leave the house on retinol days. b. Evening Serums

Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Whitening Emulsion - This brand has been getting popular online. I don't usually use emulsions but this one is highly rated for fading post-acne hyperpigmentation and sun damage. It has vitamin E, C, hyaluronic acid to moisturize and nourish. Glycyrrhizic acid (from licorice) is also anti-inflammatory so it seems to even help prevent acne. It's very light too, so I haven't felt like it was too heavy for my oily T skin. This stuff works so well! One day I'll try their other products. COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence - I've used products with a little snail mucin before and they were nice, but this is the real deal. My friend let me try it at the bath house one night and I was hooked. Snail mucin is intensely hydrating, healing, softening, and calming. It works great with harsher serums such as vit C or retinol. Perfect for barrier-rebuilding. This is great for any skin type, so I've been able to use it no matter what condition my skin is in. This is something I will be buying probably forever, it's really effective and feels great. They also have creams and other snail mucin products, I can't wait to try! Dear Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Serum - I've used this serum probably 8 years by now. Also super soothing and hydrating while not being heavy. This one is great if you're having a sensitive skin day or spent time in the sun. There's also a moisturizer in this line which is really great. Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum - Another new try for me this year. Propolis and niacinamide are great for inflammation, controlling oil, and treating hyperpigmentation. The reviews for this one said it was great for preventing acne and also healing it. It really does give the skin a lovely glow and it's gentle enough to use on sensitive days. (This brand also has a retinol + ginseng eye serum and it's seriously the best eye care I've ever used. Revives my tired spoonie eyes well.)

Fourth Ray All Clear Purifying Serum - A very potent acne clearing serum. Salicylic acid is usually my go-to for an active break-out. Also has tranexamic acid for those pesky post-acne marks. It's supposed to be gentle enough for daily use but I'm extra sensitive so I only use it as-needed, a few times a week usually. Momo Puri Booster Serum - This serum is so powerful that I save it for skin emergencies or special occasions. Seriously intensely healing, and so thick that each little "peach" pack lasts me two uses. ⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹ 5. Moisturizers - I rotate moisturizers a lot, so my line up typically changes year to year. But I usually use gels more than creams (or mixed gel-cream types) because they don't clog my pores.

a. Morning moisturizers SKINFOOD Peach Jelly - For a while I was using pure aloe vera gel as a morning moisturizer, which works great. When I saw SKINFOOD had a peach version, I immediately got it since I'm super into peach skincare lately. It's just really great for repairing the skin barrier and retaining moisture. This one might be a limited edition though, it seems to run out fast. They have a plain aloe version too. Another brand I'd recommend for super sensitive skin is Aloderma, they have a ton of great aloe products. Sana Honey Shca All in One Gel - I've used this product for almost a decade. It's really gentle and soothing while technically covering all your bases: toner, serum, cream and mask. So this is good if you're in a hurry in the mornings. Lately it's been running out of stock online but I always see it at Tokyo Central/Marukai Market. b. Evening moisturizers Momo Puri Sleeping Jelly Cool - A cooling sleep-mask version of their gel that really helps calm inflammation overnight. Feels great in the summer. Can sometimes be hard to find, but I also recommend their gel cream. Fourth Ray After Hours Detox Face Oil - Aa powerful oil for treating acne during sleep. Bamboo charcoal, salicylic acid, tea tree, watermelon seed all help to unclog pores and keep bacteria from causing trouble. This stuff packs a punch. Sunday Riley U.F.O. acne treatment oil - This one's more on the expensive side with the smaller size being $40 so I haven't bought it in a while, but I wanted to include it because it's really good. 1.5% salicylic acid, tea tree, black cumin to clear skin, licorice for hyperpigmentation. To prevent drying it also has cucumber seed and there's chamomile to soothe inflammation. ⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹ 6. Body acne care - Body acne has been a recurring struggle since I was a teenager. Sometimes I'll go long stretches without it but then once summer or a bad PMS time hits, I break out on my chest, neck, back. T has definitely made it harder for me to manage at times, but here's what I use.

Dove Acne Clear body wash - A solid salicylic acid and bamboo extract wash for body acne. Amazon Basics Clarifying Grapefruit body wash - also with SA. DemiDoeNaturals Turmeric Carrot Honey soap - Excellent soap for fading acne marks. My skin turns very red when I break out and the marks take a long time to fade, so ingredients like turmeric and carrot are just what I need to heal.

To reach my back and exfoliate, I use the brush with the long handle. The smaller brush is used on my chest and neck. I got the big one at the 99c store and the smaller one is from a boar hair dry brushing kit. AcneFree SA body spray - body sprays are really useful! This one works really well. I did have some trouble with the actual spraying sometimes because of my weak grip. This one's a little more expensive, around $20, but it lasted me a long time. It dries nice and quick too. Nature's Cure body spray - Another good spray, easier to use. Trader Joe's Tea Tree Oil - Any tea tree oil will do but I've used TJ's since I was a teenager. I add it to other oils for scalp treatments or spot treatments on my body/face. Make sure you dilute it, it's very strong. ⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹

7. Extra things that can help - These are things you don't necessarily need, but have been worth the investment for me. Face powder - A small compact translucent powder can make a huge difference, especially during the hot weather. I've recently started using Skin Food's Peach Cotton Pore Blur Pact, a sebum-controlling powder. It's very silky and gentle, with a mild peach scent. Keeps my face nice and matte without drying out. On especially oily T days, I reapply it once or twice. Ice Globes - Very cooling and soothing, helps with inflammation. Also great in general for headaches, chronic pain, etc. Glass ice globes are popular because they're pretty, but they can break easily. I'm clumsy and didn't want to take that chance, so I use stainless steel. I keep mine in the freezer and use as needed. If you're sensitive, maybe start out just keeping them in the fridge, because the cold can be intense. Gua sha - This has gotten popular in the past few years, love to see it. I mostly use gua sha on my body for circulation and pain management. But facial gua sha can be really helpful in keeping the skin clear. I wouldn't use it on an aggressive active break-out, but it's great for prevention. The roller kind is good for gentle use and the flat kinds are good for when you need to get some deeper work. Red light therapy - This has been a big one for me. I initially got a red light panel (with red light and near-infrared light for deeper penetration into organs and bones) to help manage chronic pain (osteoarthritis, endometriosis, ulcerative colitis, kidney issues, etc), but the first thing I noticed was how well it worked for my skin. Just 5 minutes a day on my face keeps me really clear, heals inflammation super fast and also boosts collagen production. I have a Hooga which I find simple and effective. I don't hang it, but simply prop it on the floor while I do yoga. If I need to concentrate on my back for an acne or pain flare, I just lie on my side and rest while basking for about 10-15 mins. Chlorophyll - I've been taking this in liquid form for over a decade. Initially it was for anemia and to help my colitis, but it does seem to make a big difference in my skin's condition when used consistently. Mulberry silk pillowcase - Even washing my old pillowcase regularly, I felt like it was time for an upgrade that would be even better at keeping my skin fresh. This one is a little pricey, but it's already made a big difference. Plus it's so cool and comfortable. Mine is by Alaska Bear. Clean your phone! - This one can be hard to remember since I don't talk on my phone all that much. But our phones are nasty, seriously. That can transfer to our face and cause problems. So I try to keep electronic cleansing wipes near my desk as a reminder to wipe my devices down every now and then. ⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹ 8. Example routines - Just some examples of what my line up might look like. a. Example morning routine: Let's say I'm not breaking out yet, but maybe just a little, so I want to try a preventative approach. I might cleanse with the Detox Wipes and micellar water, use the Peach Sake toner to keep my skin from being too oily, then retinol serum to help with cell turnover. To give my skin some nourishment, then I'd use the Sana Soy Isoflavone essence and top off with Sana's Honey all in one gel. b. Example evening routine: Later, I'm still trying a preventative approach but my skin needs some soothing. So I might wash first with the tea tree oil cleanser, then scrub with Dark Angels and leave it on for a few minutes like a mini-mask. Synergy propolis toner and snail mucin to soothe and keep my barrier strong. Then Hada Labo emulsion to bring down inflammation, and the Detox Oil to keep the break-out at bay. I hope this was helpful. I may add haircare and other things to this since T definitely affects my scalp too.

[sanguineterrain]

Hi!! I'm back with some recommendations for the webcomics!!

In terms of something you may be able to pull inspiration from for the dynamic, Under The Oak Tree would definitely be similar to the Knight!Jason au. Though, the Reader is definitely different from the comic's protagonist, I think the set up (the webcomic's protagonist is in an arranged marriage with a "scary" knight who's always in battle, and has a small territory to rule over when he's not in battle. Despite thinking he isn't good enough for her ((she suffered from parental abuse, though no one knows, at least up to the point I read)), he definitely dotes on her. At times, he can get over-protective, and not in the best way, but their growth is solid imo!) You can find it on Manta (usually you have to wait 24 hours to read the next episode after the first few, unless you pay for a subscription), but you may be able to find it on other translation sites. I ended up dropping it, only because the site I read it on got taken down.

My Husband Changes Every Night is interesting (it's free on Webtoon!!), with the magic plot and all. Plus, the main couple actually is super sweet. It does have quite a lot of chapters, and it's been through a lot of sub-plots, but they flesh out the characters who help the protagonists the most.

Tapas ends up using their own currency (which you have to buy) to read some episodes, unless they have the "unlock for 72 hours" thing. Even then, that's also one a day. (Though some, you only have to wait 3 hours until you can use your next unlock.) Philomel the Fake is a really interesting one to look at, but this has some pretty intense bits, in terms of abuse.

The Broken Ring: This Marriage Will Fail Anyway is probably my favorite because of the reincarnation aspect. (I'm fascinated by that idea, along with immortality lol.) It's interesting to see someone reincarnate into their old self after like. 2 or 3 tries, after things go wrong, and to see her do what she thinks will benefit herself, while also keeping her husband happy. (She thinks he doesn't like her, he's in love with her and intrigued by how she acts.)

I Tamed My Ex Husband's Mad Dog is also a good one, and has some similarities between the Knight!Jason au, mainly with the whole "soldier being sent to battle and war so often" aspect. But I will say it is pretty nuts to see the female lead (who's also the protagonist) go back in time, and then raise said knight. I haven't gotten far in it, so I can't say much else about it, I only got to episode 7 so far.

Thank you for the recs! Under the oak tree sounds super interesting (love me a scary guard dog man who's secretly soft <3).

And lol, I didn't expect people to like the knight Jason so much! But I'm very pleased 😎 more to come!

[gwynndolin]

Kitschke recs, Hejira by Joni Mitchell

So, funny story, since I think Joni Mitchell was literally only added to Spotify like, a few weeks ago or something like that, I ended up not listening to this until this very moment (The last two albums and a few of the future ones, I actually listened to a few months ago; I'm only just now getting back into writing these reviews 🙃). I actually must've not noticed this actually though, because I ended up listening to another album by a band called Hejira... Incidentally, I found that album to be quite interesting anyway, so honestly I'm not too upset about that mistake. Maybe I'll take a moment to review that album sometime soon LOL

Anyway, I've always known Joni Mitchell to be a pop darling, and admittedly, the only reason I think I put off listening to her for so long is, one, laziness, and two, I think for like, 4 out of the 5 jobs I've worked in my 9ish years of retail service, "Big Yellow Taxi" in some form or another has been on the store's music playlist, and I am so awfully tired of that song. Far too much of an ear worm to be played so often!!

Anyway, "Coyote" is a fantastic intro track. Joni Mitchell's singing is so velveteen and luscious, whoever produced this record really mic'd her up super well. I really enjoy the pacing on this song too, the delivery on her singing is really evocative to me of some of Paul Simon's faster paced song, while remaining super chill to fit in with the rest of the track. I really love how prominent the bass guitar is on this song too! The guitar is mostly kept rhythm and the drums are also similarly understated, compared to the bass which feels like it is carrying the lead here.

Speaking of being "evocative" I have to imagine Jeff Buckley was a big fan of Joni Mitchell's, "Furry Sings The Blues" sounds like a track Buckley would get on to me. The sort of mix of spoken word mixed with singing, the story telling, the almost Shakespearean delivery... It's really interesting to see where these musical fonts tend to come from!

The titular track, Hejira, is a really cool one. The guitar here really reminds me of some of Pat Methany's work. Apple Music's description of the album describes this album as a travel journal, and I feel like this track really hits that most out of all on the album. It's tonally very grounded, yet foreign enough to feel as though you've found somewhere you'd like to move to, if that makes sense.

Joni's lyricism is really quite something too. Her prose is such that I often forget to even really listen to the music; I get too caught up in just feeling it. People often describe certain artist's voices being an instrument in and of themselves, and although her vocals aren't necessarily technically impressive on this record (though its not as though I'm saying her voice is bad, not by any stretch, just that this album is pretty reserved all around, not a lot of room for any particularly belt-y verses or big runs, stuff like that) her voice fits the vibe of it all so well. It sounds silly to say this album was made for her, like she's literally one of the producers of the album, but like. Idk, it's kinda perfect in that way.

Fave Tracks: Coyote, Furry Sings The Blues, Hejira

Definitely a pretty solid 7/10. I can see why this is listed as one of her quintessential albums pretty much everywhere, and I'm excited to dip into some more of her music when I have the time. I think I have always been more of an 80's music fan, and haven't really dipped into much from the 70's. Likely just because both of my parents were born in the 70's, the music they ended up listening to around me was mostly 80's stuff.

I definitely wanna spend more time with this record too. I feel like this initial first brush review hasn't done it nearly enough justice. But I have other stuff to get to!

[bonesandthebees]

Hi!! I just reread starman waiting in the sky last night and I forgot how good it was, honestly the way you write crimeboys is fucking epic, I admire a lot of your writing lol, it actually inspired me to write as a hobbie :D thanks for that :))

Anyway I saw you've watched at least a couple animes and I was wondering if you have any suggestions? Trying to get into it but so far I've only really watched a couple studio Ghibli movies, some of bleach and weathering with you +your name

-🐦‍⬛ anon if that isn't already taken :D

aww thank you so much!! man it always means so much to hear that I inspire people to write. seriously that's wild to me, writing is something I've loved ever since I was a little kid so giving someone else the drive to try it out is just aaaaa ty <3

oooo okay I definitely haven't watched a ton of anime or anything but I definitely have a solid amount of shows ticked off my list

(this got long surprise surprise so I'm putting it under a read more)

so based on what you said you've watched so far, you mostly seem to be into anime that's more of a mix of slice of life with vague fantastical elements. the only thing off the top of my head I can think of that fits that vibe is fruits basket, which I'll be honest I only got a couple episodes into but didn't end up completing. that's not because it was bad or anything, I actually really liked the characters, it just didn't grab me. but I've heard amazing things about it! also, when I'm talking about it I'm referring to the more recent remake from 2019 as I've heard that's the better one (?) but also I've never watched the og version (which is like from 2001) so I can't say that for sure that's just what I've heard people say

now onto recommendations of things I've actually watched

I haven't seen bleach but from what I know it's a shōnen manga, so if you like action/adventure kind of stuff the best anime I have ever watched (and tbh one of the best pieces of media I've ever seen hands down) is the anime Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. like, it's widely considered one of the greatest of all time and for good reason. the series is so well-written. all of the characters are so interesting and well-formed, their relationships are nuanced, the story itself deals with a lot of very heavy topics very skillfully while still keeping a lot of moments for humor. and also if you like my crimeboys fics, the center point relationship in fullmetal alchemist is between two brothers who love each other so fucking much just aaaaaa Ed and Al my BOYS. seriously I would not have the crimeboys brothers brainrot today if I hadn't been obsessed with fmab as a teenager. now fullmetal alchemist: brotherhood is on the longer side (like 5 seasons I think) but it's so so worth it I promise. also, if you do watch it make sure you're watching Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. like with the aforementioned fruits basket, there's an older version of the series that was made in 2003 (just called Fullmetal Alchemist) and the plot of it deviated from the manga, and from what I've heard it isn't considered to be as good as FMA: Brotherhood. Brotherhood was made in 2009 and follows the manga completely, and while I haven't watched the 2003 version and can't say for sure if it's worse, the general consensus is Brotherhood is the far superior version.

okay that's my one long ramble the rest of the recs I'll give quicker blurbs for

Death Note (yes I know I'm basic but I love it ok): great if you like watching two guys play mental 4D chess. one guy basically has the power of a god to kill people with so he decides to execute criminals with it, the other is the investigator trying to find out who the dude with magic powers killing people is. very fun on the mind games front

Ouran High School Host Club: COMPLETELY different tone to the rec above. Ouran is very goofy and silly with a surprisingly nuanced take on gender for being made in 2006. it's genuinely such a funny show but the characters also have real heart and you really do love watching the relationships that form. it's such a classic I'm pretty sure most people who like anime have watched it. just trust me on this.

Madoka Magica: magical girl anime except, uh, it's not all fun and sparkles. saying anything more will ruin the twist so I won't tell you too much, but I will say this show has very fascinating relationships and GORGEOUS animation like holy shit. if you like my fic starman I feel like you'll enjoy this. if you do decide to watch it try to finish at least up to ep 3 before deciding if you'll continue with it or not, bc that's when the show 'properly' starts imo

okay that's all I'll say for now! hope you find something you like out of these!

[thisultraviolet]

🔥 + ST

I love that you still sent this to the Taylor blog lmao but HERE WE GO

(Also a lot of these will be hot takes within the Byler community but may be agreed among other fans idk I’m just in this corner of the fandom 90% of the time)

Steve actually IS that good a character? Like I understand it can be annoying when he clogs up every tag and ship but there’s a reason he’s that popular. He was basically DESIGNED to be the fandom’s favourite and it worked, I don’t think anything’s wrong with that. I adore this funky bi himbo and his kids and lesbian bestie and loser bf. And I *will* continue to project parental issues on him based on like 4 lines of dialogue bc frankly in this fandom that’s so far from the biggest leap we’ve made it’s not even funny. He’s my second favourite character and if he dies I will be genuinely inconsolable.

The only Byler proof I need is the s3 finale moving scenes. Finn’s acting choices in the El vs Will scenes, the parallels to the quarry scene, the shot of him looking back at the house? That’s all it took to solidify it for me. And the master doc is fun but I do think a solid 70% of the stuff on there is a huge stretch and is honestly harming more than helping our case lmao. If I want to convince people I just use that one scene and it works 90% of the time.

If you ship H*rringrove I think you’re genuinely a bad person. He’s a racist abuser and I’m glad he’s dead <3

STEDDIE IS SO CUTE MY FAV STEVE SHIP EASILY? It’s such a fun dynamic to work with, Eddie is CLEARLY queer coded much more than certain other characters we will get to, and the tropes that emerged in the fics post s4 were super fun and also SO interesting. Genuinely some Steddie fics I’ve read are just some of the best fics I’ve read period. (If anyone wants recs ESPECIALLY if you love a time loop fic hmu).

I wouldn’t hate them bringing back Eddie if they could pull it off in a way that made it seem genuinely planned and not just fan service. His death actually did piss me off (not just bc I was sobbing lmao) bc it seemed so rushed, and only getting to see Dustin’s reaction just felt like either terrible writing or a very purposeful lose thread. Also I’m still thinking about the profile picture colours bc I feel like we moved on WAY too fast.

Stonathan is fine. Good even but I just don’t see the appeal the way the rest of y’all do. Same with Ronance, I just genuinely prefer their dynamic as friends. I do love Stoncy in theory but post s3 I just don’t see it really working anymore, early Stoncy fics still hit though.

Lumax>Elumax>>>Elmax. The girls are adorable together ofc but I think Lumax is easily the best written relationship in the show rn and completely ditching it just seems odd to me? Obviously ship whatever you want I just can’t imagine not liking them together? I’m not blanket stating it’s for racist reasons but we all know Lucas is treated like dirt by the fandom in a way none of the other kids are

Dustin is my least favourite of the kids. I still love him, I just find him by far the least interesting. I obviously adore him and Steve but I feel like separating him from the party really has put him at a disadvantage these last few seasons. I’m really hoping the loss of Eddie will take him in an interesting direction though.

I will be genuinely upset if Jancy aren’t endgame but also I’m equally worried their issues won’t get addressed next season, idk they were my fav couple in s1/2 so I just hold them very close to my heart.

Flickergate is the superior Bylergate, especially if I had to pick one to actually happen in the show, it’s so romantic it makes me want to pass out.

I definitely have more but this is already way too long and I have 1989TV Clownery to get to so take this mess I guess

[impromptu-sketches]

✴ MANHWA REC! ✴

Under the Green Light - manhwa by Jaxx | Ongoing: 37+ chapters

— tags —

BL | Yaoi | Noir | gangster x art student | older uke x younger seme | inexperienced x very experienced | switches* | orphans | rich x poor | fuck buddies | socially awkward seme | age gap | reencounter 

— summary —

Jin is the most perfectly beautiful man Matthew’s ever seen. He’s also a high-ranking and violent criminal full of frustrated ambitions and equally frustrated appetites. But Matthew, a sculpture student prodigy, can only see the beauty—not the darkness. One way or another, Matthew will pay the price for his muse, with his body... or with something far more costly. (official summary from Tapas)

— review with spoilers —

I just re-read this manhwa because I was missing them and damn, it just brings it every single chapter!!

There is definitely a solid plot here, but it was their interesting, awkward dynamic that had me wanting to read more. I loved seeing each one of their interactions and was intrigued by how they acted around each other - Matthew: oblivious, awkward, pretty much going with whatever Jin suggests and Jin: flirty, forward, but also holding back. And as the story goes on the more they’re both wrapped around the others’ finger. Such an amazing push and pull with them ♡

I literally flipped out every time Matthew blushed - just like Jin, I too want to know what he’s thinking!! The blushes were so cute though~

I -loved- the initial implication that Jin was going to be the top but ended up wanting to bottom. I love BL with switches and while they don’t actively switch with each other (yet) I loved that Jin was shown to top often and that Matthew said he would bottom (and literally do whatever Jin wanted). 

Overall, so freaking sexy (*´ ˘ `*) Each spicy scene better than the last ~~ The only thing that I didn’t like was that the lightsabers were way too big!

Some funny scenes I liked - Jin’s comment about Matthew’s flannel shirts and his reaction after Matthew changed into expensive clothes. Every time Jin had to try so hard to get Matthew to get the hint and get him in bed. I also thought Jin’s underwear was hot and unexpected haha (◍＞◡＜◍)

The art is amazing and beautifully sets the tone for the story. I honestly don’t remember the first time I read this, but I do remember being engrossed in their dark noir world from the very first chapter. And again when I re-read it this time. Damn, definitely lives up to the hype!!

I’m so curious how it will continue! So excited for season 2 whenever it comes out ♥♥♥

[cafeacademia]

Honestly the writing isn’t terrible. On my scale they have been a solid 3.5-4 stars on the ones I’ve read so far. Couple of plot twists that you can kind of see coming and some things that have you screaming but like if you’re looking for a fast-mid pace reading of a book series this is definitely the one you should be reading.

Do you have any book recs to start off the new year with?? (Asking as if my tbr isn’t already super high 🤣)

Maybe I'll put it on my list for a quick read! It sounds pretty good, considering some books of that genre are um... Interesting? But we love them all the same lmao (I jest, I enjoy these as much as you).

Oh my god, now that's a question with a limitless answer 😂 my tbr is extensive too haha

Here's a little list of some of my recs! Ninth House Six of Crows Before The Coffee Gets Cold (wholesome, will make you cry) Vita Nostra XOXO (a rare romance amongst the dark books lmao) Anything by H.P. Lovecraft The Flat Share (I think you've already read that but it had to be mentioned)

It would be longer but we'd be here for a long time lmao

Do you have any recs?