#it’s such a beautifully executed slow build

[uhbasicallyjustmilex]

slightly shit day: *occurs*

me: well i guess it’s time to re-read shy of a spark for the 163748275th time

[howlettloki]

Less smut, more meaningful words with such eloquence, well executed plot, characterizations and world building.

A Loki (Marvel)/Reader Fic Recommendation

If you’re like me, who loves to read longer fics then this blog post is for you. This list features beautiful books I have read featuring Loki and the reader for the past 5 years. This is long overdue I have been planning to do this for a while now. I’ll do my best to share all of them in one post (might probably edit this once I remember more). One thing, I really love when an author finds a way to not use Y/N. Enjoy the list!

Completed Fics

Frostbite by Maiden_of_Asgard

Synopsis:

Iceland is nice - sure, you probably should’ve picked a time of year when the weather was a little warmer, but it isn’t too bad, and at least you’re away from your desk job, right? It’s a pretty big adventure.

You’ve always said that you wanted more adventure in your life.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This one you’ve probably read, if not go check it out. It’s one of the best out there. I mean, need I say more?

The Proposal by BirdsofHermes

Synopsis:

An AU gender-reversal of the 2009 romantic comedy The Proposal. You work for Loki Laufeyson at Asgard International Publishing. He accidentally lets his work Visa expire and is about to be deported back to England, so he blurts out that he's marrying you. Now you have to convince an immigration inspector as well as your own family that you're in love with Loki or he gets deported for life and you face five years jail time.

Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have read this more than one can count fingers in their hands.

Broken Crown by Michelleleahhh

Synopsis:

Your betrothal to Thor was convenient - brokered as an alliance between two powerful families.

Your marriage to Loki... is unimaginable.

Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Please proceed with caution and read the tags. When I read this the first time, I was new to this world but I remembered enjoying reading this piece. I just recently re-read this, and I just found some minor stuff I didn’t really enjoy. Overall the story and the plot got me hooked however, there’s just few chapters that I feel could’ve been explored more and executed better. Still, I enjoyed reading this the second time around.

Fǫruneyti by Evaldrynn

Synopsis:

A story in which a herbalist makes a decision that will drastically change her life, and in which a prince begins to realise that there might still be hope for him yet. A tale of danger, adventure, friendship - and, ultimately, love. 

Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

This one I stopped reading at 70%, I have certain icks when it comes to reading and once I reach that ick jar I’m done. It was still beautifully written, got me hooked and all, loved the progress. What can I say, I love slow burns.

The Devil Inside by Ursus_minor

Synopsis:

You're a free lance artist and just running short of rent money for the month, so when your good buddy Thor offers you a one-off job at his sister's company, you take it - even though helping his little brother out with some paperwork sounds awfully tedious

I always wondered what Loki, Hela and Thor would do if they were 'mere mortals'

Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

It’s deleted but I was lucky enough to have read this way back 2020. It was one of my favorite back then, because it was hard to find a long fic where Loki is not the God of Mischief but just a mere mortal living amongst us. I honestly forgot most about this story, I only remember bits and pieces, you’re Thor’s best friend and he helped you gain money by working under Loki, like the synopsis said.

A Study In Suit by lowkeyorloki

Synopsis:

You've worked too damn hard to get into Professor Laufeyson's course, and you're not about to let your pesky attraction to him get in the way. Your Professor, however, has other plans.

Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Professor Loki. That’s it.

From the Void, With Love by pilotisms

Synopsis:

Torn from time, you have to navigate the TVA with the one person who singlehandedly tried to conquer NYC. Turns out you & him have a future-past. Time is weird.

Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is one of the best I’ve read, this is my second to The Proposal. I fucking love this you have no idea. Wished there was a longer sequel though.

Litklœði by GoldTrimmedSpectacles

Synopsis:

“And the sire promised that he would spend the rest of his days searching for the cure of the flower disease which took his friend. And he did find this cure, but not without a cost,” Frigga explained and stroked Loki’s head as the illusions vanished. “But now, when one is fraught with flowers in their chest, a völva can remove these flowers with seiðr – saving the victim’s life and removing the vines from their lungs.”

The Allmother paused and looked at your small, childish face. Her smile was kind and full, but her eyes lay empty and sad. The knowledge of yet to come lay heavy on her features.

However, be warned my child, that with the removal of lung flowers the feelings of unrequited love will be removed too. As will any remaining trace of friendship. So be careful how you give your heart, my dear. You may never know what you could lose.

Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hanahaki Disease AU? Anyone? This one is from my previous blog post. Pure feelings. Loved young loki and young reader.

In Progress or Abandoned Gems

Mea Culpa by OlympianWine

Synopsis:

Six years ago yours and Loki's relationship came to an abrupt and messy end, leaving resentment and hurt in its wake. Now you haven't heard a whisper of him in years, until he turns up at his brother's wedding, seemingly changed for the better, and you're thrust into facing both him and the memories you had buried. But a dangerous figure from Loki's past looms overhead, and Thanos is determined to hunt Loki down and make him pay for betraying him.

Review:

💔💔💔💔💔

I mean based on the synopsis who wouldn’t want to read that? Last update was last year, here’s to hoping it’ll update more or I’m gonna have to kms.

Anagapesis by OlympianWine

Synopsis:

You have a perfect life; a loving husband, a beautiful baby. But when it all comes crashing down, you must put survival ahead of sentiment and turn to a darker prince - your husband's brother. Loki is cruel and cold, and he hates you with a burning passion. Or so you think.

Review:

💔💔💔💔

Just when you think you’re falling, he makes you remember what type of person he is. I feel for Loki, but he’s just cruel man. I wish there was more so I could understand him a bit more.

Seiðmaðr by GoldTrimmedSpectacles

Synopsis:

Amidst the fallen brethren of the Vanaheimr war against Muspelheim, the dark prince of Asgard finds himself lost and riddled with amnesia. His words are barbed, his tongue is gilded and his eyes are sharp. He has no recollection of his name or family, but he soon comes to realise that perhaps it is best for the past to be shadowed by the future, and that life as a beloved commoner is better than life as a miserable prince.

Review:

💔💔💔💔💔

I’m a sucker for fantasy and a well executed world building. I love how I’m instantly transported into the world created by the author and I feel alive inside. I wish there was a way to find out what happens next. I just love this so much I wish there was more.

[david-talks-sw]

When 'Star Wars' dilutes the impact of a "Kurosawa samurai standoff"...

It's no secret that one of the major inspirations for Star Wars was Akira Kurosawa movies. The Hidden Fortress influenced the basic structure of the first film, was a basis for Lucas' character archetypes and his use of narrative POVs.

But, really, all of Kurosawa's films were an influence on the making of Star Wars. Including the duels seen in his and other samurai films from the 60s.

Dunno if you've seen a kendo fight, but they're pretty similar.

The duelists size each other up, and there's a lot of mind games going on before the strike actually happens.

If you hold your sword this way, the other guy adjusts his stance.

You move your foot that way, the adversary responds accordingly.

Cinematically, this process allows you to play with a whole treasure trove of elements to build up the drama and suspense. We see this slow-yet-tense approach to dueling reflected all over the Original Trilogy. And we've seen it again in recent Disney-released content.

The perfect and first real example of this in Star Wars is the fight between Ben Kenobi and Maul, in Rebels.

The tension increases more...

... and more until the two fighters move, the music swells...

... and then it reaches its climax.

Beautifully executed.

Dave Filoni's done his homework, it shows, and while it's an awesome homage, narratively it also holds weight. There's a reason why this fight is so quick:

This time, Obi-Wan isn't fighting to avenge the death of his master, he's not fighting to save his own life... he's fighting to protect Luke's. And that means there's no time to fuck about. He'll end the conflict swiftly and decisively, he won't let it come to a prolonged acrobatic fight. So he lures Maul in by making him think he's taking Qui-Gon's form, and strikes true when Maul, increasingly consumed by his own rage to the point of blindness, falls for it.

Again: a wonderful fight and an excellent homage.

Then we get to Luke's stand-off with Kylo on Crait, in The Last Jedi.

An interesting take on the trope, also with meaningful narrative impact. As Rian Johnson writes in the TLJ screenplay:

"This is not like a saber fight. This like an old-fashioned samurai duel."

Here too, the tension gets built up...

... and every time we're close to getting that climax, Luke dodges.

It leaves a feeling of dissatisfaction, which is exactly what Kylo is feeling as he boils with rage.

Suddenly, we do get the climax...

... and a twist. Luke was never actually there. Boom. Those inserts during the build-up phase? If you look at them again they're clues (Luke doesn't leave a mark on the ground, salt doesn't land on his clothes, etc). Luke wasn't engaging because he wasn't actually there, he was buying time for the Resistance to escape.

Okay. Cool.

Next time we see a "Kurosawa" duel... it's here, in The Mandalorian.

Again, a lot of posing, slow movements and patience, as is expected from the trope.

But we know nothing about the opponent Ahsoka is fighting other than her name is Morgan... so no emotional impact, there.

At some point, Ahsoka loses a lightsaber. The apprentice to the Chosen One is struggling against some rando.

We find out later on that Morgan is a Nightsister from Dathomir, and that's cool... but we already know how Jedi-trained folks fare against the Dathomiri.

If you ask me, it feels like manufactured stakes. But that's beside the point. In fact, y'know what? It's fine.

Though the impact of this duel isn't as great as its predecessors, the whole episode is filled with visual homages to Kurosawa's work.

It makes sense that the duel would be too. Also it's the first time we're seeing Ahsoka in live action, in a lightsaber duel, the hype is real. Let's cut 'em some slack.

So we come to the series Ahsoka... where almost every duel in the the show has the Kurosawa posturing and tip-toeing and... I dunno. I was bored?

Like, the primary purpose of this approach to duels is that it's meant to be suspenseful and intense... and now it's not.

Because we know Ahsoka is gonna beat the crap outta these droids...

... so why even bother faking some semblance of "what's her next move gonna be?" suspense? There's a hole right behind her, gee, I truly wonder.

Oh, you think putting her against an Inquisitor's gonna make us fear for her life, wonder if she's gonna get outta this situation unscathed?

She was wiping the floor with two of them at the same time, a decade prior. At 17, she was killing Inquisitors while disarmed.

Do you really expect your audience to fear for her life in a fight against Marrok?

So we get to the fight with Baylan, and the posturing and studying opponent's next move would be welcome here (two Order 66 survivors, knew Anakin, both well-trained former Jedi)...

... if we hadn't literally seen that same dynamic with Marrok who, again, we knew was gonna die.

No tension was built in either moment, the only thing it achieved was me pressing >> on my keyboard.

It's not captivating anymore, it's just slow and un-dynamic.

Bottom line:

Tributes to Kurosawa are nice. They're part of what makes Star Wars what it is. But c'mon, we get it already.

Lightsaber duelists don't need to tiptoe around each other and change poses at every fight. Because when the actually meaningful duels come up (like the one with Baylan), the impact will be lessened.

The "Kurosawa samurai duel" is artistic and interesting, but it should be used sparingly in order to maintain its charm and not get old and trope-y. AKA too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing.

[darth-noona]

episode 8 spoilers below the cuff cuz i’m going insane

Okay okay okay. First off the slow kyber crystal bleed of Sol’s lightsaber after Osha kills him? A stuff of Star Wars dream baby. Beautifully executed. Insane brain Lesley Headland to break the saber so that Osha’s hand was touching it when she succumbed to her emotions. You can honestly tell this woman loves this franchise so much.

Am I sad Sol died? Yes absolutely. Do I believe there is a chance he might be still alive? Yes, but I’m delulu and I love Lee Jung Jae so we move on. But if he is actually dead, what a cool arc. Like he died at the hands of the padawan he lied to and was toxically obsessed with. This really is the story of the Sith, not some redemption of the Jedi. And I fucking love it.

Okay now to the good stuff. All the Oshamir. So yeah I think some of this makes sense that it was originally planned for Season 2. I think it would have all hit harder if we’d had a whole season of them first. BUT I also think it was the right move with their episode lengths and Disney’s tendency to cancel shows. Cuz like Manny Jacinto’s arms will renew this season. They just will. Like Leslye understood the assignment when she said she rewrote the whole season after seeing Manny’s screen test.

But even though I would have liked more time with the ship to build them up to this point, man did they convince me that these are star crossed dyad evil partners in crime. Like Osha’s betrayal feels so tangible with Sol’s lies, I totally understand why she’d dark side over this.

And if we remember that Osha and Mae are two halves of one person, I like the idea that they have very opposite personalities. Mae just wants a family and was pursuing revenge only because there was no other option. Now that she has an option, she’s like “nah I’m out, I don’t want to anymore let’s actually find a way to solve this that lets me keep my sister and have a family again”.

Whereas Osha has been lied to for a decade. Manipulated to think that her sister killed her whole family, all for the “greater good” and Sol’s saviour complex stuff. So it stands to reason that she feels no hope for regaining some family or trust in the Jedi. And the only thing she can do? Save her sister from Qimir and take her place, while also exploring the Force in a way no one let her do before. And I love it.

Last thoughts: seeing new sides of Qimir is so fun. How petrified he was when she had the helmet on. How scared he looked of Venestra. The little look he made when he found out Osha and Mae are the same person. I can’t wait to see Manny absolutely smash a season 2 arc.

Renew the Acolyte! Please please please!

[bestworstcase]

This is probably outside of your purview, but do you think the fights in RWBY have gotten worse, or just different from what came before?

i think there has been a shift away from tightly-choreographed showcase fights toward a more naturalistic approach prioritizing setting and character over rhythm and composition. whether or not this is aesthetically preferable is a matter of taste, but it is absolutely to the benefit of the narrative as a whole.

there’s this beat during the group fight vs tyrian in volume four where tyrian kicks ruby and her aura ripples out from the point of impact in such a way to create the illusion of deeper motion: it looks like her ribs buckling as that force moves through her body, it feels like we’re seeing this formidable new adversary break her fucking ribs after throwing JNR around like ragdolls. it isn’t shot with any particular artistry or stylistic finesse; the shot is instead lined up to emphasize the violence.

that serves a more important narrative purpose than aesthetics: it makes it believable that ruby just cowers in dread after taking this hit, it viscerally drives home how dangerous tyrian is, building tension, setting the stakes for the upcoming fight with qrow, and thus it also underscores the contrast between tyrian’s wild brutality and qrow’s discipline when they fight and qrow tips the scales not because he’s stronger but because he doesn’t let tyrian rattle him… it’s doing quite a lot of work for a mere handful of frames.

compare, say, the nevermore fight, which is beautifully shot and choreographed but doesn’t have a lot to say: ruby can plan elaborate tactics on the fly and communicate them to her team well enough to execute the whole thing flawlessly, and… that’s kind of it. RLR2 does all the narrative heavy lifting. and that’s fine, to be clear, because this is a point where the story is still setting up the board and introducing us to these characters.

but the nature of rwby as a story is that the fight scenes cannot stay that way. and this isn’t even a “monty/not monty” thing, you can see the experimentation with using fights as a medium to develop character and theme starting early in volume two: ruby calling out team attacks and narrating yang’s semblance during the mech fight, splitting up the team on the train so wby can each duel an opponent who represents their personal struggle*, doing the battle in breach as a sequence of character moments, etc.

(*weiss feels disgusted by what the SDC has become and wants to reclaim the schnee name -> she faces a white fang officer who loathes her for being a schnee; blake is torn up about not knowing how to solve all these big social problems and reeling with the emotional fallout of leaving adam’s white fang -> torchwick tries to push those buttons; yang feels rootless and hollow and worried her current outlook is unsustainable -> she has to fight somebody she literally cannot touch and her increasingly frustrated attempts to punch through get turned against her the instant she overextends.)

in early volume two it all feels a bit clunky and uncoordinated in part because the mech fight is still so stylized. the fights on the train and the battle in vale are less so; you still get those tightly-choreographed sequences, but balanced out with moments that are more raw and real—the fake-out “slow-motion killshot” that turns out to be just weiss’s time dilation catching up, followed by the lieutenant grabbing her face and yanking her out of the air, is a particularly effective example with the grapple being shot with the same intention as tyrian kicking ruby in the chest—and also just more grounded in who the characters are (weiss gets in trouble trying to be fancy, yang’s frustrated determination is both a strength and a weakness, blake takes torchwick down with brutal efficiency because she’s used to fighting people but she also lets him say his piece before knocking him out because that matters to her).

so like—waves hands—volume two sets the course that is followed in the latter volumes where the fights become increasingly less about style and more about substance. the style is very much still there, it’s just not The Main Event anymore. it’s garnish on fight scenes you can write robust character analysis about.

[cfr749]

Hi! I’m new to this fandom, just finished binge watching all 5 seasons. Who do you think had feelings first - Tim or Lucy? Also who realized it first? I always felt that Tim realized it first when Lucy was taken by Caleb, but then he was ready to marry Ashley so idk 🤪 Would love to know your thoughts 😊

Hi anon!

I feel like a massive jerk for sitting on this, and taking so long to welcome you to the fandom!

But also... it's kind of your fault for asking such an impossible question to answer simply because canon is riddled with examples of things like you mentioned above and trying to figure out what they were thinking in seasons 4 and 5 feels like this (to me):

It's worth mentioning that there are amazingly thoughtful people in this fandom that have done an incredible job of filling in the blanks; @theflyindutchwoman and @makeitastrength come to mind off the top of my head, but I know there are many, many others as well (feel free to drop any faves in the comments) .

Unfortunately, I have a brain that really struggles to let go of inconsistencies, which has resulted in a wildly volatile love-hate relationship with this show for me.

I was hoping if I held on to the ask, I'd be able to give you a thoughtful answer, and I'm not sure that this is it, but for what's it worth, I'll just share where my head was at some key points, beginning with the early days...

Early Chenford Era (S1-3x07):

My headcanon here has always been that there was some level of a mutual attraction, first physical and then emotional. Not anything either would act on, but a level of chemistry between them nonetheless.

As far as awareness, I'd score Tim as somewhere between oblivious and so highly compartmentalized that even if it had popped into his head on occassion, he never gave it any actual space to breathe or grow.

For Lucy, I think she was generally somewhere between mostly compartmentalized but also aware of the fact that he's hot and it's fun to push his buttons because he's such a hardass. So possibly a bit of awareness of the attraction, but zero intention to do anything more than have a little fun with it in an attempt to soften him up a bit. And zero belief or desire that it would be anything more than that.

GIF Credit: @thesweetnessandthesarcasm

There's definitely an awareness of the fact that aren't afraid to test each other's limits -- sometimes it's intense and other times it's fun and flirty, but either way, it starts to build some delicious tension.

But in moments of high stress or vulnerability, we got glimpses of just how much their emotional connection was growing, whether they were willing to admit it or not.

Needless to say, this was my favorite Chenford era. I think it was beautifully executed (even if it was all by accident 😂). I think the development was organic and believable and what the very best slow burns are made of.

Thanks for the thoughtful and kind ask, anon! If this is at all interesting to you, feel free to drop me another ask and I will continue in a separate post with my thoughts on the infamous feelings prank and what followed.

Welcome to the fandom!

[ramonathinks]

5 Husbands by @kingkonoha review contains spoilers under the read more

playlist of a lot of songs that i think fit the vibe of my reading experience and what i felt matched up with the story

Playlist: crack rock by frank ocean, dreamer and valentine by laufey, when im in your arms by cleo sol, ophelia by pinkpatherress, daydream by Ariana Grande, miss romantic by cleo sol, fall in by Esperanza spalding, rain by fauna hues, slow motion by karina pasian, sunshine cleo sol, k by cigarettes after sex, used to love by chloe x Halle, sunset by the internet, pain is inevitable by daniel caesar (fawk him), cinnamon girl by lana del rey , let me know by winona oak, lost by frank ocean, butterfly by corinne bailey rae, piano song by eryn allen kane, float by fauna hues, how does it make you feel by Victoria monet, ivy by frank ocean, step on me by the cardigans, sad girl by lana del rey, wet by dazey and the scouts, frank’s ballad (wiseman) by Alex mankoo, who gets your love by margie joseph, what it is, between the cheats, will you still love me tomorrow, the girl from ipanema by amy winehouse the entirety of amy winehouse back to black album, take the box by amy winehouse

General Review:

Just wow. I did in fact spend like all day reading this and I do not regret it and even though it’s not done… this is literally a 5/5 read. Firstly the way that my baby Tay writes is so phenomenal and the depictions of the relationships and the amount of emotions and thought they she puts throughout the story makes everything so worth it. I really felt so attached to the characters and the overall story like i didn’t care how long the chapters were because i was so interested in the world she build and the CHARACTERS. Like it just keeps getting better and better; the amount of drama and messy that kept me on my toes every chapter. I cannot wait for the next chapter. The amount of stuff that went down in this fic and the route it’s going down idek how she got the life depicted in the first chapter because it’s shit happening every second like whew. I literally got so emotional reading this especially the more recent chapters because my heart hurtssss for reader so bad and it’s just so much strain on her and idgaf that’s my girl! I support women’s wrongs and she got a lot of them but that’s my baby like omg!

Now let’s delve in to my reactions ofc 🙈

CHAPTER 1: okay so obsessed with the fact that reader has a daughter firstly. The way you describe reader’s relationship and the dynamic she has with Armin and even the shift to his pov was very seamless and perfectoooo. The way you got in his head and i feel immersed inside of his thoughts about her and i just thought it was really well written and so beautifully executed. “Being with you but not truly being with you was like having an itch that begged to be scratched.” Like that line right there? It burneddd me and make me feel for him and overall i got invested. Can I add that Armin working in a bakery was very on par with his character lol? Like i love it. Your description of anything is very addicting as well let me add, im a sucker for details so i loved it. I was cheesing DOWN during their moments and when he took her to their childhood hangout place and the hold “date” bit came up and the “but even so, the implication of romance with him felt as natural as breathing.” Likeeee omg i was blushing. “I was always planning on leaving, but…not without you.” Oh that moved me like bad. I’m a sucker for childhood friends to lovers and hearing them reminiscing and just wanting to move out of where they are to make a lifeee was so good. “Since when was he ever so lucky? Since when did fate decide to show him a little bit of pity and mercy? The universe had taken everything from him before he was even old enough to know how to spell the word “universe.”” UGHH you’re killing meeee. And then armin’s backstory stop 😞😞😞. WHEN ARMIN SAID HE WANTED TK MARRY HERRRR OH MY HEART like 😭 crying omg!! Munch Armin Agenda >>>>

Mikasa Cameo yesss. Armin sending reader money 🥲🥲 even though he’s literally going through it ugh, my loveee. The proposal and reader finally getting her steak & lobster please love that for themmmm. Eren… pmo!! … “What they loved more, however, was the fact that he never took his eyes off of you the entire time.” 😄😄😁😁 oh okayyy, don’t know who im rooting for after eren two second cameo. “Nowadays, you had seen more of him than your own husband, and that broke your heart into pieces.” Naurrrrr 🥲 please… ““Is it ‘cause we’re all alone, baby?”” Eren… ERENNN R YOU KIDDING ME MOVEEE like moveee “Can’t control yourself when it’s just us, can you?” MOVEEE

“If you were with me, you’d only be making money for yourself. No one else, baby. It’ll take you wherever you wanna go, buy you whatever want, fuck you however you want. You’d like that, right?” OH FAUK YEWWW, but … omg that’s sexy like please don’t piss me off😭😭

OH FAWK HERR??? FAWK HER MY GODDESSS IS READER SERIOUS RN?? FAWK HER SO BAD FOR THIS IDC

CHAPTER 2: “It was an indisputable fact; scientists measured the elements of his face and declared the handsome man as the literal definition of physical perfection.” Oh that ate !

Eren defending reader yesss #RealMan . “Still though, it’s Eren. Same man who took you away from the person you’re writing about. There’s no way he’d be okay with this.” Jean clocked her im sorry LMAOO??

“You were more than just a pretty face. You were more than just a lovely voice. You were a distraction.” Real… so real.

“You’re such a damn jerk,” Jean snapped. “You can’t take everything you want like you rule the goddamn world, Eren. You stole her away from her ex-husband, but no one’s allowed to steal her away from you, right? Not until you get tired of her and move on to someone else?” CLOCKED LMAKDKA CAUSE WHY WAS I LITERALLY THINKING THE SAME THING LIKE PLEASE MOVE LMAOOO

“Is it true that your ex-husband pushed for your success? And you left him for Eren Yeager?” JEAN MIGHT AS WELL THAT BEEN THE ONE TO ASK THAT BECAUSE INTREEVIEWER CLOCKEDSD HER ! Marriage 😞 please move 👎🏾 why they just pissed me off. J-JEAN ! SIR!!

“Well now, Sarah, there is the possibility that she could have been having an affair! She did leave her first husband for Eren. Who’s to say that she wouldn’t leave Eren for someone else?” THEY CLOCKING HER 😭😭😭😭😭😭 back to back!

Reader locking down all the munches like that’s queen right there! “It was the first time you had ever slept next to him without his arms wrapped around you.” 😞😞 and Jean leaving the band omg… Levi so real lmaoooo

JEAN SO MESSY??? EREN COMING OMG?? EREN ACTUALLY BEING THEREEE OH MY GOSH PLEASE MOVE!!! “But, apparently, all of it was stupid. He felt stupid as he stood there, watching his best friend kiss and touch you. He felt stupid as he thought about the day he proposed to you. He felt stupid as he thought about how much he loved you.” Naur… MY GOSH READER SO ??? she done pissed me off!

CHAPTER 3:

Mikasa clocking her 😁😁🤷🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️ karma x3 and “i want him back” and “that’s not the same thing” LMAOO CLOCKED! LIKE GOT HER

“I didn’t even know that Eren was there! He was avoiding me for weeks a-and said he wasn’t gonna show up. I fucked up, I know that, but he stopped speaking to me. Stopped looking at me. He acted like I didn’t exist…and I was fucking lonely.” She kinda ate idk she back to winning me over. FAWK EREN 😭😭😭

Levi…is he crazy telling her to come with him?? 😭😭😭 like he finna get fucked up about her too is he MAD? “You’ve fooled around with three guys back to back. It’s a little hard to tell which one of them you like the most.” FUCK CLOCKED HER SKSJSK ?? “You’re a homeless woman who’s sleeping at her manager’s house because she cheated on a famous rockstar with his bandmate.” Levi it’s 10am in the morning 😭😭😭😭 please chill. “Last thing I need is for the public to start making rumors about us.” He so damn funny lmaoo

“Yes. Men like Eren and Jean took pure advantage of your naiveness. If you ask me, you should have been the one doing the punching. Don’t sit back and let them walk all over you.” Okayy Annie period queen.

“The singer with more failed relationships than original songs.” 😭😭😭 i be giggling down like the industry is clocking herrrrr bad

Annie and Sasha correct actually 🤷🏽‍♀️ coming from the uno champ myself. “Did I just make you laugh? And smile?” 👀 he better relaxxx he see the reader effect !

Not even divorced and literally got a meeting and kissing on Reiner like 😭 is she mad??

CONNIEEEE??? I AINT EVEN PWEP

“Gonna punch me too? Try it. Go ahead. Do it, and let’s see what fucking happens.” CLOCKED! Lmaoooo

Hickey… why i already knew something like that was gonna go down. Broke my baby heart omg 😞!

“If you loved him, you wouldn’t have cheated on him. If you loved me, you wouldn’t have left me. So you’re still fucking lying.” Armin just came back and clocking her lmaoooooo “I think it’s easier for you to act like you’ve never cared about anyone than it is to take responsibility for your actions. It’s less painful to pretend that you’re completely the victim in this situation than it is to accept that you broke my heart. Eren and Jean’s heart as well. I’m not saying that anyone is in the right or wrong, but I know you. I know you loved me, even if it was just a little bit.” Tea… like girl it’s okay.

CHAPTER 4:

Connie is crazyyy 😭😭? “You know your life is in my hands” & “don’t make me do some easy shit” OHH he crazy

Marco…. Yo?? And they wondering why Connie went mad like be serious.

Arminnn, glad to see he okayish. “You never thought he’d use it on you.” Welllll?? The love of his life fucked him over 😭😭😭 um be serious.

“I love you, and I understand what money and influence can do to a person, but I just miss you. I miss the old you, the person who made everyone laugh during card games and didn’t treat everyone like garbage.” 🙂🙂🙂 ohhh he clocked her this like one of the worst ones.

“No ordinary human being enjoyed the realization that they had changed for the worse. It felt like your insides were twisting up, as if the old version of yourself was begging to come out, buried underneath this new, shallow, perfect celebrity.” ☹️☹️☹️ nooo queenie.

“You’re so in love with Hollywood now, I didn’t think you’d come at all if I told you the truth.” 😟😟 oh um! this is crazy to say ?? why even invite her at all lmaoo??

Reiner’s place is so lived in and loved around like your description really got me cause I can feel it all around and buzzing so lively whew i felt home! Reiner is EXACTLY the type of man who would bring you to meet the family and to propose so i smiledddd because yes just yes!

Jean messy as HELL! THE BREAK IN IS CRAZY AND HER JUST ASSUMING ITS ARMIN

HER SUCKING LEVI IS CRAZY???? MARRIED FOR HALF A SECOND IS SHE MAD?? LEAKED PHOTOS AND ALL THAT IS CRAZY AFTER THE BREAK IN OMG??? 😭😭😭 she cannot catch a break, she been famous for like maybe 2 years what is her problem.

CHAPTER 5:

ARMIN AND EREN GETTING JUMOED BY CONNIE MEN IS SO INSANEEEE. Levi OKAYYY king shitttt yesss. Why is Connie so messy?? Why is he trying to ruin her like omg…

“Y/N’s the only client you give a damn about now. You don’t even give a damn about yourself. Your life is ruined, and yet, here you are, worrying about her.” CLOCKED LMAOO?? JEAN BE CLOCKING EVERYONE LIKE LMAOOO

Album called Heartbreaker, she kinda mother for that 😹😹 like literal queen shit. The story… my eyes almost popped out my head like okay.. Not jean and eren popping out yo! Um Connie and Flint is so…messy for all this. They really getting a personal fuck you.

😹😹 Eren just clocked Flint like I hope he don’t get beat up later but he ate. OH MY GOSH?? What the fuck is wrong with Connie yo?? He can’t hate eren this bad like he’s literally a monster….

NAH READER STFU?? BEFORE HE GET SOMEONE TO WHOOP YOUR ASS TOO LIKE OMG?? BUT WHY SHE VERY MUCH SO CLOCKED HIM LIKE IM GIGGLINGGG 😭😭😹😹 GET HIM AGAIN!

Someone gotta kill Connie like wtf is his problem and to even threaten Levi and the way he doing reader, not even letting her see Reiner… like i feel for her so bad omg. Why is he ruining her lifeeee omg ?? Like im finna cry ??? And then to do that to Reiner :((( omg i feel for everyone in here omg

NAH CAUSE LEVI RIGHT ACTUALLY?? LIKE CONNIE IS LITERALLY OBSESSED WITH HER!

Them being worried about who she gonna end up with is kinda crazy like she being held hostage 😭😭? Thank you Levi for getting them back in order. WHY REINER JUST CLOCKED ALL OF THEM LIKE LITERALLY ALL OF THEM LMAOOOO

CHAPTER 6:

ERWIN JUST FUCKED EVERYTHING UP ??? YO??

“She doesn’t have any loved ones, just a bunch of stupid guys hoping to crawl into bed with her. That’s all she’s good for.” Alright?? Fuck you??

CONNIE SHOOTHIM HIM IS MADDDD OMG

The car ride having me on the edge of my seat just paragraphs in. Connie trying to do small talk like please move…

“Because that would mean leaving, and you knew better.” I’m crying like idgaf she don’t deserve none of this 😭😵‍💫😵‍💫???

“Really? You’re working on your eighty-seventh marriage and you wanna lecture me about being a good person? You cheat and get remarried every season, so shut the hell up.” He tried to clock her but it’s tired at this point so 😭😭😭 please gtfo. Connie trying to be lonely too he can get out like i really dgaf.

Nah Reiner clocked it… I wasn’t even seeing Mikasa fr until he just said that because yes I can see it fr! Like wowww. This Mikasa and Reiner conversation is >>> like i love it.

Poor reader like idgaf, she did that to keep them safe obviously! Why would Jean just say that to eren tb licking connie’s boots like his mom’s life was at risk please ??😭😭😭

THE ENDINGGGG OMG??? I canttttt

[theboytatu]

on my youth - wayv: a review

it's not often that i look forward to an album as much as i did with this one tbh, so it was a little hard to accept the song description SM dropped for on my youth before it was released. "low tempo emotional hip hop ballad" is definitely not what i look for in kpop/cpop (this term will be used interchangeably sorry to the way is cpop purists following me) and i immediately let my expectations drop to nearly zero when this came out. SM has had a very, and i mean VERY hit or miss year - probably a combination of the hybe/kakao takeover fiasco and industry-wide creative exhaustion - for all their idols, with long-awaited comebacks missing the mark abysmally or simply putting out subpar "fine at best" insipid music.

wayv's last (and only) full album was released in the midst of the 2020 lockdown - a time so different in every aspect but specifically in the kpop world it feels like it could have been a lifetime ago - and after their 9/11, lineup changes, months of delays and two mini albums with mixed results, it's safe to say this album was make or break for the group. with that lengthy foreword out of the way i am very happy to inform that wayv not only delivered - they surpassed all my expectations and managed to deftly execute what was in their case their most awaited comeback ever. here are my highlights from the album:

on my youth

like i said, i really didn't know what to expect for an emotional hip hop ballad but this song packs a punch like few other low tempo title tracks do. it seems to hit every mark for a minor key progression - the slow start, the build-up, the emotional first verse being delivered beautifully by xiaojun's superb ability to emote, along with a really nice, kinda muted instrumental that consists of piano, some synths and a restrained percussion.

it even manages to deliver on the required second verse slow rapping about how people say we're too young to know better - thanks to yangyang's personality shining through on these verses the shtick manages to go from cheesy to enjoyable, and even hendery allows himself a moment or two of true sincerity in his rap.

the chorus is a welcomed switch-up with a catchy hook that quickly becomes an ear-worm. it's the perfect balance to make this song go from b-side to title track material. the final chorus has an amazing instrumental climax that matches the grandiose, emotional vibe of the song's theme and it translates amazingly in the performance video's choreography.

overall this song might be top 3 wayv's title tracks depending on who you ask. for me it's definitely up there and i actually love the english version better because well, you can tell this was originally meant to be an english language song. i give it a 9/10 (and i famously hate slower songs)

poppin' love

a lot of people would say that this should've been the title track and they might be right. i'm not sure what the artistic direction for this comeback was built around, but the emotional title track was definitely picked for a reason over a more conventional, easy sell like this one. but this one is not only an easy sell, it's yet another hit that proves wayv is the best and most 90s boyband coded group in kpop right now - because they are perfect for it. they fit the vibes and the sound in a way that few, if none, other current groups can pull off without feeling gimmicky.

the chorus is sultry enough to keep it in the r&b territory but the added hip hop elements keep it super energizing. it's like if love talk and nectar had a baby. the selling point for me is the added harmonization they included in the refrain of "you're the only one" and it's so cool. it feels like the entire song is tightly built around the bassline and the high melody of the chorus - at 3:05 minutes it gives you the exact amount you need of everything. nothing lags behind and nothing fizzles out too quickly. it has enough grit to stick your hands into while reimagining the classic boyband elements enough to keep you on your toes. a HIGH 10/10 from me.

rodeo

this song is just bonkers. is it that groundbreaking or original? not really, but it manages to make it feel soooo exciting it's like i've never heard a dj snake beat drop in my life lmfaooo 😭 the vocals are crunchy enough to give me asmr when putting on my headphones. the instrumental while very basic edm still punches in with some cool drums - but of course the star of the show is the bass drop.

referencing lil jon in this should be enough to give them an award tbh. like this is giving nct 127 unserious club banger in the best of ways.... and they still hold it down with their own personalities. this is not markyong going crazy with himalayas, this is yangdery showing they can pull off subunit songs (and winwin is there too i guess) while doing whatever in the recording booth. rodeo is just a VERY enjoyable kpop rap line playground and trust that i will eat it up every time it comes on. 9/10

moonlight

there are songs that can be amazing when you play the album, and there are songs that you just instantly know will be superior if you hear them performed live. moonlight is the second kind, and the entire vocal structure is enough to make me want to see wayv at a concert at least once in my life.

the chorus is insane. the stacked vocals give it a depth that is almost cinematic and i do need to give kun, ten and xiaojun their tens for this accomplishment, but specially kun. sure - xiaojun might be the most technically gifted vocalist in the group and i am in love with his tone, but this song has kun all over the foundations. i dont have the stems for the track but i can bet my life that kun recorded at least five layers for that chorus. his tone is so distinctive i can almost only hear him during the high points of the song.

anyway, this song is super pretty. it's just gorgeously designed. i actually wish it was a vocal line only song because the compulsory rap additions do not fit with the rest of the atmosphere at all. still, this gets a 10/10.

lighthouse

when i heard this the first time i wrote "wayv outsold both exo AND shinee for ballad of the year at sm" and i stand by it. again, this style is just classic boyband slow tear jerker and they execute it perfectly. i'm a notorious hater of ballads in kpop and yet not only can i sit through this every time i put on the album, i actively seek it out. like holy shit, this only happens with exo for me.

the song is very straightforward - a heartbreak song about missing the girl they lost. but it's so well made it just works perfectly. another point where wayv need to be praised is their ability to emote. xiaojun specially is amazing at this - you can hear the yearning in his voice. i actually think ten has also learned from him because he comes across just as sincere in this. (kun does famously stiffen up which is not an issue here but still, xiaojun carries this ballad for sure). the instrumental is very cozy and i like how the whole track is designed to sound as if they're singing from just slightly behind you. 9/10

[themosleyreview]

The Mosley Review: Lisa Frankenstein

Often the question the same question comes up in cinema. Why don't we have any more romantic comedies? Where are the quirkie coming of age films that tackle the age old themes of teen life struggles, social constructs within the popularity of each group or just the classic build up to a date to prom? Where are those films?! Well, here's a film that illustrates why that film genre has been buried and is slowing being unearthed. Like many of you, I enjoy a darker and off beat rom com from time to time and how it reflects the current youth lifestyle. Unfortunately, most of today's youth is online instead of in the real world. It was refreshing for this film to strip away modern tech and go back to the often romanticized era of the 80's and fully embrace the sorely missed awkward teen trope and macabre tone of early Tim Burton films. This film excels in that many times when it focuses on that vary grove it tries to stay in. Where it falters is in its weird pacing issues and lack of personal identity. It ultimately had nothing to say that I haven't heard already and it rushed its way through the magical nature of the heartfelt story that exists inbetween the seams.

Kathryn Newton was fun as the shy and distant teen Lisa Swallows. What I liked in the beginning was her innocence and sort of quiet demeanor in the way she would interact with people in her life. For a few moments she had a mystery to her that gave her that needed silent edge. She was a teen of very little words and when she finally finds her confidence, that's when the character really comes to life. I wish we could've played with her psychological decent and how she copes with things. Liza Soberano was really perky and loving as her lively sister step sister, Taffy. I liked their dynamic and how Taffy is always lifting up Lisa from her more secluded nature and gets her to come out of her shell more. The chemistry between them was really good and made for a lighter version of an almost "Heather's" situation. Joe Chrest was good and essentially a little more attentive version of his character from Stranger Things, Ted Wheeler. Carla Gugino was fantastic as always and as Lisa's stepmother Janet Swallows, she was very much the wicked stepmother from Cinderella. Now the real standout of the film and the most charming character was Cole Sprouse as The Creature. His beautifully tragic story was told expertly in the opening credits and he was a joy to watch once he comes back to life. The physical comedy and sometimes micro expressions he made were brilliantly executed and I loved every second he was on screen. The chemistry between him and Lisa was the heart of the film and even though not a word is spoken from him, his intentions are clear. The two of them together bring out the Edward Scissorhands love story aspect of the film and it felt like a gothic fever dream at times.

The score by Isabella Summers was good and serviceable, but I wish she leaned more into the horror a bit more which was also a problem with this film. For the majority of the film, I felt as if the film was really living its namesake. It was a greatest hits collection of all the best parts of the 80's horror comedies and early Tim Burton love stories that had so much heart, but this film failed many times to stay focused on those tropes. Where it was succeeding was when it would go down the implausible and fantastical fun of the love story, but it makes sharp turns away from it as things started to get more serious. The best way I could describe my feelings here is if you just look at the first trailer for this film. You get that exact macabre and comedic horror feel the film wanted to be. You get that, but it feels more watered down. Maybe if the film just focused on her coming out her shell and got rid of the stepsister and the other goth girl bully in the film, then maybe this would've been what that trailer promised. Also, I don't know if it was the theater I was in, but the sound mixing in this film was atrocious in the first 20 minutes of the film. The dialogue and score was turned down so low that I had to really focus on what was being said and I almost lost a god chunk of the story. Overall, this was a gothic rom com that had potential to be a new standout among the other same type of films we get each year, but I think it was bogged down by too many characters and the lack of expertise in the field. It could've been so much more. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

[transread]

Book Review: The Beauty of the Moment by Tanaz Bhathena

Tanaz Bhathena’s The Beauty of the Moment is a heartfelt and beautifully crafted romance that explores love, identity, and self-discovery through the eyes of two teenagers who are navigating their personal journeys in a world full of complexities. The novel captures the tender, slow-burning love story between Cassie, a Korean-American photographer, and Shaun, a Pakistani-American trans man, as they meet by chance at a rooftop pool party in New York City during the summer of 2013.

What makes this story stand out is its authentic portrayal of a trans character, Shaun, whose experiences are depicted with nuance, care, and respect. Bhathena avoids stereotypes, providing a refreshing and honest representation of Shaun’s transition, his struggles with identity, and his quest for acceptance. Through Shaun, the novel sheds light on the challenges trans people face, all while celebrating his resilience and humanity.

The romance between Cassie and Shaun is touching, and Bhathena takes her time building their relationship. Cassie, a thoughtful and introspective character, and Shaun, who is learning to embrace his true self, face internal and external obstacles as they grow closer. Their relationship is a beautiful exploration of love and vulnerability, as they each come to terms with their own insecurities, societal expectations, and family dynamics.

Bhathena’s writing is poetic, vivid, and evocative, bringing New York City to life as a backdrop for the romance. She balances the beauty of first love with the harsh realities of life, seamlessly integrating themes of cultural identity, family pressures, and the challenges of being an outsider. This novel also provides a sensitive and empowering look at the intersections of gender, culture, and the immigrant experience.

One of the book’s most striking qualities is its emotional depth. The characters’ journeys of self-acceptance are universal, and Bhathena writes with compassion, offering readers a thoughtful exploration of identity, love, and the complexities of being young. However, the secondary characters could have been more developed, as some feel a bit one-dimensional, but this doesn’t detract significantly from the main story.

Overall, The Beauty of the Moment is a moving and beautifully executed romance. Bhathena’s debut novel is a celebration of love in all its forms and an important addition to LGBTQ+ literature, offering a sensitive portrayal of a trans boy’s experience within a tender love story.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Recommendation: If you enjoy contemporary YA romance, books with strong LGBTQ+ representation, or stories that explore identity and cultural expectations, The Beauty of the Moment is a must-read. Fans of Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell or The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon will find themselves captivated by this heartfelt story. This novel is a beautiful testament to love, hope, and the beauty of self-discovery.

Amazon.com: The Beauty of the Moment: 9780374308445: Bhathena, Tanaz: Books

[kanerallels]

Top 6 Reasons You Should Read the Tyme trilogy by Megan Morrison

Reread a fantasy series I love and appreciate, so now it's time for you guys to love and appreciate it too

It's a fairy tale retelling series. Which is always an endorsement in my mind, but here are some more reasons that's great in this series. The takes on the fairy tales are so cool and refreshing, and well executed-- Cinderella fighting for the working class, the Frog Prince going through a redemption arc where he becomes a better person, and the absolutely shaped storyline that Rapunzel has. And most of them (particularly books one and three) combine multiple fairy tales in such a smooth, natural way.

The world building is INCREDIBLE. The tiny details and the way the different countries are introduced are so cool!! And they really go into smaller details, like the main exports that keep the country going, or the traditions of each country when it comes to dealing with loss. The magic systems are SO COOL, too!!

The characters are all really well done-- they're beautifully developed, both as characters and their relationships with each other. Syrah (main character of book three) has one of the best redemption styles arcs I've ever seen where he goes from unlikeable jerk to a caring, kind individual. Even the villains have well thought out motivations and in depth backstories

The romances in each of the three books are PERFECT because you have a slow burn, a couple that get together in the same book but help each other grow in powerful ways, and a book where the main character doesn't get the girl. The trope breaking! The following of the tropes but in just the perfect way! The level to which I am obsessed with Jack and Rapunzel! It's INSANE

All of the books and their stories are deeply intwined. There are cameos and small details in each book that lead you back to the other three, details that pop out and blow your mind at a reread or even the first time around!

It's really funny and charming and delightful writing. And There are these fascinating implications of other stuff going on in the world you're reading about-- stuff that we'll probably never find out about, since the last book was released in 2019 and there's no sign of another, which is really sad

Anyways, this is a super good series, you won't regret it if you read it! Oh my stars and I didn't even mention SERGE MY BELOVED FAVORITE CHARACTER FOR SURE THE FAIRY GODFATHER LEGEND HIMSELF listen just. read this series. Good talk

[magaprima]

Okay, so I have mixed feelings about the finale. Generally, it fell short of what I was expecting, but there were good and bad aspects in general (in my personal opinion. I am not a marvel fangirl, I actually like the Thor movies that general opinion seems to call rotten, and I came to this show because anything witchy draws me in and because I really enjoyed WandaVision. So, before any solid Marvel fans come at me, be aware that this is my personal opinion and those are the conditions for where I'm coming from).

And any stuff I rant about below in regards to Billy's story/his part in the dynamic is not a criticism of Billy, I actually really like Billy and love the connection he seems to have with Agatha and she with him. Any complaints below are about execution and timing.

I think the Rio/Agatha relationship was well explored, even though I do not feel Rio is the 'bad guy' in any way shape or form, that she is a natural thing, and the way she gave Agatha extra time with Nicky and the gentle way she took him, without scaring him, while Agatha was asleep so it wouldn't be agonising. But I also get Agatha is so blinded by grief (she hasn't removed the three swords from her heart, because the Three of Swords does mean grief and heartbreak generally but it also tells you that the only way to escape that pain is to remove the swords yourself) that she can't get that. And I think the conclusion that she had literally been running from death and finally embraces it was an inevitable and beautiful conclusion, BUT I feel we didn't get anywhere near as much back story or exploration of their relationship as we seemed to be promised

However, I feel Agatha's death was sudden, I had a feeling since I learned she was a ghost mentor to Wanda in the comics that she, as a character, was heading in that narrative direction, but the execution felt rushed in the wake of this beautiful build-up and character exploration in the previous episodes. Similarly, I felt Billy's realising of his power was rushed in the final episodes too. It was like slow burn slow burn slow burn RUSH RUSH.

I do wonder if this show is suffering from what many shows suffer from now; being given less than 10 episodes to tell a whole story. I feel this show needed at least 15 to be able to arrive at the finale at the same pace at which we arrived at everything else.

Debra said there was more of Sharon's story and she was either outright lying to us or they cut it. Either way I'm annoyed.

And despite, as I said above, suspecting Agatha would eventually be ghost mentor girl, I feel...I don't know, it feels empty. Perhaps because of the suddenness of how she became a ghost, perhaps because we've taken a little of her bite by making her a ghost, declawing her essentially, perhaps because it feels she has been made a background character when both her writing in WandaVision and AAA showed she was much more than that (I can only hope they go a Penny Halliwell type way with her in other appearances so she's a little more present as a ghost rather than this floating CGIness). I just feel we needed to get to this more slowly.

And probably my heart and soul doesn't sit well with the idea that the conclusion of the series had Agatha becoming a ghost and supporter to boys, that even though we knew this series would help launch Billy's character into other projects, they made the entire finale about a guy when we'd had it as such strong women the whole time. I'm not criticising Jac for this, as she is working within instructed parameters for where the story needs to go, I'm mad at the whole franchise for the fact even when we get strong powerful women who carry the story beautifully on their own it all has to centre around a man in the end. I like Billy and I enjoyed his journey and Joe did great with the character, but couldn't his story have been balanced with everyone else's?

I mean that last trial was so bloody rushed. And we get Jen's 'escape' and crawling her way out and getting back in her own power for such a brief moment. Our climax with Rio (no pun intended) is big but over completely, and, even for Billy's storyline, his growth as a witch happens off screen and he arrives to the scene pre-powered up.

Also, while I get that we see the Witches' Road is a lie and the song was something Agatha used to sing with her son, for me it took away a little of the power and energy of the lyrics, because, again, it ties back to a boy and also to attacking other women, rather than the power of women shared.

Similarly, that's how I feel about Billy creating the road, that it was all the invention of man. Again, how I feel about Billy the character is irrelevant here, it's about the fact an empowering series ended up, every second of it, centring around a man.

And the reality is, that even though Agatha was bound for three years, she was safe, as was everyone else, but basically they got everyone together for Billy's sake on Billy's imaginary road and every single one except Jen died.

I did however love the following;

That Billy trusted Agatha with his power (although this proves she was lying when she said she can't control it. But I do agree with people's theories that she's like an addict and so couldn't stop with Alice because she was a junkie who hadn't had a hit for three years. The flashbacks and how she was hungry and then gets their powers suggests her siphon power is also a drain, that she doesn't just want the power of others, she needs it.

That Lilia telling her to duck when Rio calls her a coward didn't save Agatha's life completely, but allowed Agatha to choose her end, her death, on her own terms just as Lilia did

Agatha being a ghost will piss Rio off as she hates ghosts. This was clearly part of her decision making.

That we see Alice being taken by Death, and Death telling her that she died protecting someone, so her death had meaning. And by saving Agatha, Alice has, by extension, saved Billy and Tommy and also given Jen her powers back

We didn't see Rio take Lilia, because her life is a loop, out of sequence, ever moving, so her soul is alive somewhere in time and so Death can't take it.

[manuscripts-dontburn]

The Morning Gift

Author: Eva Ibbotson

First published: 1993

Rating:  ★★★★☆

I adored this story! A romance born on the eve of WW2, that holds the foreboding but still shows you that people still lived their lives and had their hopes. I was happy to note that for once the main female character of Ibbotson´s is not a sheer perfection (this girl has actually some issues to go through), though I admit I could still do without the comically evil rival (it would have been so much more interesting if there actually at least appeared a possibility the other girl might succeed). But all in all, especially because of the last third of the book, I thought this was a well-crafted romance with some, perhaps cheesy, but well-used tropes. Just, for the love of god, DO NOT listen to this as an audiobook recorded by Kate Lock, who insisted on using a fake German accent and squeaky voice for the main character, making her sound like a stupid child of 10. (And that is not the only horrible thing she does to the selected characters).

Jane, the Fox & Me

Author: Fanny Britt

First published: 2012

Rating: ★★★★☆

A beautifully executed graphic novel in which the story somewhat fizzles out and feels unfinished, definitely could have been longer and yet I rate it quite high simply because it hit me like a train. I was not a fat kid but all my life I felt I was, even if in my case there was no bullying. I felt this little girl´s pain deeply.

The Witches: Salem, 1692

Author: Stacy Schiff

First published: 2015

Rating: ★★★☆☆

I think Stacy Schiff is an excellent historian and has an extremely readable style of writing. I also think she has done a stupendous job putting this mammoth project together, but I need to agree with those who complain about the density and slowness of the text. It is next to impossible to keep track of the names and the accusations/descriptions of the alleged witchcraft are so similar (or completely the same) that it is very taxing to keep up. I am not sure whether I should be complaining though, because, after all, I DID want a book about these events and I got it. I would recommend an audiobook though, makes it easier to get through.

The Clockmaker's Daughter

Author: Kate Morton

First published: 2018

Rating: ★★★★☆

This is a story of a house and people connected to it in an intriguing web of connections. It spans from the 1860s to the modern day, not always in chronological order, and I must say that Kate Morton managed to jump through the timelines quite effortlessly. There is a great number of characters but I had no problems following who was who, though admittedly some of the timelines were less interesting than the others (notably and predictably for me I enjoyed the modern one the least). I also had trouble when some things, already revealed to the reader, were "revealed" again. The main voice is that of a ghost (trust me, this is not a spoiler), and while I did not mind it, I also believe the book would have been stronger had that been completely committed and we only got to know that particular character from the other stories it touches. Even after all that I have to say I was surprised at how easy this was to read (it IS a chunker) and how much I enjoyed it.

A Face Like Glass

Author: Frances Hardinge

First published: 2012

Rating: ★★★☆☆

I adore the fact that Frances Hardinge does not talk down to children, because this is undeniably a middle-grade book, but does not shy from some pretty heavy stuff. However perhaps I have read too much Frances Hardinge at this point because I tend to really like/be intrigued by the start of her books, her world-building and her unique ideas, but then it all became too much with this one and I was impatient for the story to be over.

Brigid of Kildare

Author: Heather Terrell

First published: 2009

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

I am sad to report that this book was kind of a mess. The historical bits would have been just fine on their own, even if I had wanted a little more depth, many a time I felt like we were merely dipping our toes into the fascinating story of Brigid. But then the author decided to weave in a "mystery" set in modern times and those chapters, apart from being unnecessary to the story, felt just tedious to the point I was considering skipping them altogether. A bummer.

When Women Were Dragons

Author: Kelly Barnhill

First published: 2022

Rating: ★★★☆☆

As long as it was a family tragedy infused with the elusive and unexplained, I was enjoying this book quite a lot. But then, in its second half, it becomes too wordy, too idealistic, too uninteresting.

The Silent Unseen

Author: Amanda McCrina

First published: 2022

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

The good thing: the topic, even if you have read loads of WW2 books, is an unusual one. The bad thing: the story is extremely weak (walking and talking do not an intriguing narrative make), the characters shallow, the motivations extremely basic, the romance needless and not particularly well done. No matter how many betrayals posing as shocking twists you cram into the last third, you cannot make me invested in this.

Charlotte's Web

Author: E.B.White

First published: 1952

Rating: ★★★★☆

As a non-UK and non-US child, I have never read this book when I was its target audience. I picked it up now more for the super cute edition than anything else. And indeed throughout I kept thinking: sure, it´s cute. But is it that great? And then I got kicked in the guts by that friggin ending.

Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands

Author: Heather Fawcett

First published: 2024

Rating: ★★★★★

Just as enjoyable and delightful as the first volume! I love the tone, the language, and the romance (I am SHIPPING Emily and Wendell so hard), it can be both touching and humorous at the same time. Cannot wait for the conclusion of this series which so far I find to be one of the most joyous literary events in years.

The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time

Author: John Kelly

First published: 2005

Rating: ★★★★☆

The Black Death epidemic of the 14th century remains one of the most gruesomely fascinating events in European history and I dare say this book is a very accessible, informative and well-organized study of it. It is strictly chronological, leading you in the steps of the disease, and adding stories and explanations that make it all less clinical and more humanly tragic. Just perhaps the ending sounds way too much like "but in the end it was a good thing" felt like a very, very weird conclusion.

Psyche and Eros

Author: Luna McNamara

First published: 2023

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

I finished this book out of spite more than anything else. The myth of Psyche and Reos may just be my favourite of all the Greek myths, unfortunately instead of crafting it into something fresh and memorable Luna McNamara tried her hand at mixing every Greek myth you have ever heard of and made Psyche insufferable during the process for good measure. It is not even subtle mixing, instead, she goes full Marvel Universe of Greek gods on you, twisting the story to incredible lengths just to cram more of the mythology into her book. I would also say that the original myth takes quite a beating in this reimagining, being stripped of much that made it so appealing to me as a reader. Sometimes less is more.

A Middle-Earth Traveller: Sketches from Bag End to Mordor

Author: John Howe

First published: 2018

Rating: ★★★★★

Beautifully executed "sketchbook". It would seem that while Alan Lee was more concerned with the Elven stuff, John Howe focused on Dwarves, Orcs and the more gritty parts we saw in the movies. There are, however, also illustrations from the Silmarillion included. I would imagine this is a perfect book to take with you outside, where you can sit under a tree and just leaf through, dreaming of Middle-Earth.

[lazyypumpkin]

Vampire movies I have been watching to keep me sane until season 3 of iwtv (Part 2)

Moving on to the sapphic vampire movies I’ve watched thus far

Wir Sind Die Nacht/ We Are The Night 4/5🌟

•does this movie really deserve 4 stars? Maybe not but I love it dearly anyway

•has the same feel as those slightly shitty fantasy books one consumes as a pre teen when one grows up in the 2010’s (based on a purely hypothetical example of course, I personally obviously never did that haha ha ha)

•could be SO good if they would’ve had the balls to make the main character bi

•shitty cop character that you just have to ignore to enjoy the movie

•One of the characters (Louise) is low key a genderbent Lestat?? Blonde ✔️ Obsessive about her love interests ✔️ Also insane but in a glamorous way ✔️

And did I mention a lesbian???????

•anyhow can you tell I’m obsessed with her

•loved the other characters as well, specially Nora and Charlotte (the main character is ok too)

•loved the atmosphere& cinematography

•the first 2/3rds of this movie are fantastic

•one of my favorite vampire turning/transformation scenes

•one of my favorite vampires being vampires and messing around montages

•this could really be a cult classic imo (specially if they just would have committed to the gayness even more)

•LESBIAN VAMPIRE YEARNING!!!!

The Hunger (1983) 4/5🌟

•didn’t like this one much either on my first watch and then rewatched it and was utterly convinced I loved it until right before the ending happened lol

•starts off with a goth club scene where Bela Lugosi Is Dead is playing (it’s so iconic)

•very cool cinematography

•Bisexual Vampire Yearning& Angst

•like seriously this movie is beautifully queer

•thought all the characters were interesting but did not buy that Catherine Deneuve was a vampire from ancient Egypt lmfao

•honestly feels quite anne rice-esque in essence to me

Carmilla (2019) 3,5/5🌟

•didn’t like it the first time I watched it but appreciate it more upon rewatching it several times

•i loved the idea of this movie but am not sold on the execution

•needed more scenes to build up the romance

•actors sort of have a face that looks like it knows what an iPhone is and that took me out of it

•Miss Fontaine was low key annoying and not in an intentional way

•loved the anatomy scenes, the insects& scenes of slow decay

•loved the cinematography& visuals

•BLOODY! SAPPHIC! KISSES!!!!!

•like genuinely when the movie was good it was very good but when it wasn’t good it was kind of meh???

•it could have been such a good movie smh

I still have a lot of lesbian vampire movies from the 70’s on my list so I will expand this sapphic section considerably (and probably cringe at a lot of male gaze-y shit lol)

[bcbdrums]

Soul Eater NOT - part 10 and conclusion (MAJOR SPOILERS)

Let's actually talk about the main characters.

Tsugumi Harudori, age 14, weapon, "in love with love." This is how she describes herself repeatedly. She's a halberd who can't fully transform yet. She's at the academy to learn to use her weapon form so as to not hurt herself or others.

Anya Hepburn. Also 14, a meister. Secretly a princess (Anastasia...). Came to the academy to be among common folk, but still acts a snobby princess. Lonely and jealous. Major waster of money.

Meme Tatane. Also 14. A meister. Sleepwalking mildly nudist ditz whose memory gets worse and worse with each page. Can't remember what she did five minutes ago, can't remember anyone's name... Can't remember major important things that happen to her friends. No real explanation why she's at the academy.

The "main plot" of NOT is introduced as...these three meet in an introductory class for new students, and both Meme and Anya want Tsugumi to be their weapon. Tsugumi cannot decide. The story goes on with the three being roommates and becoming close friends, and in the very end Tsugumi chooses...both of them.

As I said previously, the majority of the manga is a lot of silly antics and friendship building with these three. The whole of it can be described overall as... Tsugumi and Meme are touchy and flirty, Anya is jealous... They teach Anya a bit about commoner life, Meme forgets everything, Anya acts snobby but not offensively so it's just a cover, and...there's never...really any point.

Now, overall the story did in fact hold my attention! But it all feels like it's just...slightly not there, if that makes sense. Like it keeps scratching the surface of wanting to be meaningful and deep, and never quite breaking through. And if it didn't have the constant cameos (and story take-overs like all of book two) by the main Soul Eater cast...I don't know if this could have kept my attention. But the cameos were constant, and reading this felt like...looking for info about the ones who are beloved, searching for canon secrets, universe facts.... And oh yeah these other three girls (and Clay and Akane sometimes) are here too.

I will compliment the writing again in that Meme's insomnia, ditzy behavior, and memory loss being secretly due to the witch's poisoning the entire time truly was a surprise in the end, and it was set up beautifully. Just like many things in Soul Eater, when the reveal happens you suddenly realize it was right there in front of you all along. Truly, very good writing. The author is consistent in this type of storytelling throughout Soul Eater... Laying a foundation that as soon as you know it's there, it's so obvious, but in the process of the slow reveal it's just brilliantly executed and you don't suspect a thing. This applies both to character development and things that move the plot along. I applaud him in both NOT and SE for this excellent work!

But when it comes down to it, let's again mention how weak the villainous plot was... How a lot of the main SE characters appear in cameos that make no sense, and how one seems to be reading the books just for them. The only ones given actual presence are the "hot girls" (Liz, Patty, Kim, Jackie) and the only ones who get actual story development are Kim and Jackie (the lesbians gasp) and there is far too much underage nudity in this manga.... And, why did we get an entire book and then some on the SE characters when this is supposed to be...about the NOT characters? Or did the author not really have a plan for them at all... One wonders indeed.

Notice how I left the main characters for last in this commentary and barely mentioned them at all? It's because they simply...aren't that engaging. The potentially interesting plot (the villain arc) doesn't really involve them until the very end which we've established makes no sense, and too many things aren't explained, and the other interesting plot points are just about the SE canon characters... Namely Kim and Jackie, some of Ox, some of Stein, and some of Sid. Even Akane and Clay (even with all of the issues with Akane's character) are more gripping in the end than the three girls.

Soul Eater NOT has given me many curious wonderings, has confirmed headcanons about the universe, has inspired some headcanons.... But nothing whatever about those three girls or Akane or Clay. Just things about the main SE chars and the universe. The girls are so...flat to me, see, that I can't even refer to them by name like I do the boys. And heck, when I was telling a friend all about the manga as I read through it (as one does in fandom) I only ever called Tsugumi "main char girl" and Anya was "the princess" and Meme was "the ditz." These characters just...don't have anything to them. Which is a shame.

What it comes down to.... NOT feels like Mary Sue fanfiction. And I don't mean that insultingly, simply as a statement of fact as I view it. The majority of the books are pointless middle school girl antics with too much nudity and flirtation. One entire book is about Kim and Jackie. The villain-side of things is just pathetically thin and...eugh. Akane upsets me so much that I can't do anything with Clay, whom I like, because as meister/weapon they're a set. And the girls, while sweet and likeable and fun...just don't inspire anything.

If I wanted to be harsh, I'd say the author used this story to take a popular brand and capitalize on it, and also live out his teen lesbian fetish dreams. Is it any wonder Kim and Jackie got basically an entire book... And other than them, the only SE characters who get a lot of screen time are Liz and Patty...always wearing skimpy waitress outfits and exist in the story solely for that reason, since their part of the "plot" adds nothing and confuses the original canon. (I will never be okay with sexualization of minors.) But anyway...

The entire thing...feels like the sort of thing that I'd read and immediately see the potential and want to re-write to improve (which ironically is how a lot of people see Soul Eater itself, but I'll disagree there; SE is very rich imho). In the end, I'm very glad I read it. It's an enjoyable read, and I would even re-read it. I already want to. But it would only be to memorize tiny details of world-building, universe mechanics, and to cherry-pick things I want to headcanon about the main characters before I return the books to the kind soul who let me borrow them.

I hope you've enjoyed this exhaustive commentary. Time to go finish the anime~

[throneofsapphics]

Your writing is so freaking amazing!!! I read through all of your fics a while ago, and it's so nice to see that there are more of your fics for me to go through now that I have time to catch up on tumblr stuff.

Old Faces has breathed life back into my TOG obsession. That fic has such an intriguing concept, and it's being so beautifully executed by you! I have so many questions, thoughts, and feelings about this fic that it's insane; I have never been so impatient for an update for a fic. On that note, can you please tag me in the next part?

Also, just in futile hopes of satiating my insatiable curiosity, what was your inspiration behind writing Old Faces???

Ah thank you so much, that's such a high compliment, and that makes me so happy you enjoy them! Absolutely I'll tag you in the next part, it'll be out sometime today.

Old faces was only intended to be the one-shot, but a lot of you encouraged me to continue it as poly!Rowaelin, and it snowballed from there. I wanted to try my hand at a slow burn, and explore what it would look like to build a relationship in those circumstances. As well as more about Rowaelin post-KOA and how they function without doom hovering over them at every moment, and forcing them to be patient. I also like diving deeper into some of the little snippets throughout the books and this gave me a good outlet to!

(I'm honored it it brought your TOG obsession back, it definitely re-kindled some of mine - especially re-reading parts of Tower of Dawn)