#its by markus zusak // i am the messenger

[angelofbenignmalevolence]

3 and 11 :D

3) What book(s) are you impatiently waiting for?

I am currently awaiting most impatiently The Atlas Complex by Olivie Blake, The Marble Queen by Anna Kopp and illustrated by Gabrielle Kari, and Masters of Death also by Olivie Blake.

I read the first two books in the Atlas Trilogy last year (well, read them on audiobook on my 45 commute to work) last year and OMG the audiobook was so good. I loved the narration and it helped to immerse me in the world and it was so well written and the characters just jumped off the page (regardless of whether I loved or hated them). The Atlas Complex is the last book in the trilogy and I'm desperate for it but it doesn't come out until January 2024. 😣

While searching for the preorder for The Atlas Complex during a preorder sale from my local major book retailer, I came across the preorders for more of her books, including Masters of Death. When I read the premise it just sounded so amazing. It's coming out in early August as far as I know, so I'm very excited about that.

The Marble Queen is a YA sapphic graphic novel that a coworker mentioned to me as one she was excited for and I checked it out and it sounds so interesting! A good graphic novel is hard to come by!

11) If you could only read three authors for the rest of your life, who would you choose?

Whooooooo. This was a bit difficult to narrow down.

I would say Olivie Blake is a given at this point. She has novels across all kinds of genres. Everything I have read by her has been very well done and incredible. I'm working my way through her catalog of books now.

The next one that immediately jumped into my mind was Markus Zusak, mainly because The Book Thief is one of the only books where I have gotten to the end of the book and my whole worldview was tipped on its head. It was like I was seeing the world differently. I Am the Messenger was also a very good book and was also one to make me think, so I think I would say he solidly belongs in my three author list.

I would say the other would be J.R. Ward. Back in the day, I went through a romance novel reading phase and I picked up the first book of her Fallen Angels series and got hooked on it. I dabbled a bit in her Black Dagger Brotherhood series and got to a book I just couldn't get through because I didn't like the character that was the focus of that book. I loved her Bourbon Kings trilogy and I started her Firefighters books before I went through a very tumultuous move so I have to go back to that one but I would say her writing is good enough that I would keep it on the list of three authors I could read for the rest of my life. (Honorable mention here for Kresley Cole's Arcana Series and Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series, who got me through my voracious romance reading phase alongside J.R. Ward and I could probably read them forever too.)

Thank you so much for the question!! If anyone else is curious about answers to the book list of questions, check them out here and join the fun!

[squarerice]

thinking of deleting my 'favorites' goodreads bookself from when i was a teenager since i dont trust my taste from back then. i mean for gods sake john green and eleanor and park used to be on there. and i dont even remember a majority of these anyway.

i already started a new one that only has things i've read in the last year or so and vetted as being good in my twenties. so here's a list of what was on the old one. putting it here so its not lost forever.

teen-faves (strikes are things i removed at some point after 2015)

john green - looking for alaska

richard siken - crush

john green - the fault in our stars

markus zusak - the book thief

jesse andrews - me and earl and the dying girl

gavin extence - the universe versus alex woods

rainbow rowell - eleanor and park (an extra special fuck you to this book)

lauren oliver - before i fall

madeline miller - the song of achilles

david levithan - every day

yann martel - life of pi

jandy nelson - the sky is everywhere (idk if this is placed in the proper spot bc i accidentally removed it at one point and had to re-add it)

lois lowry - the giver

elizabeth wein - rose under fire

elizabeth wein - code name verity

emily m danforth - the miseducation of cameron post

benjamin alire saenz - aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe

joy kogawa - obasan

susan beth pfeffer - the dead and the gone

gillian flynn - gone girl

stephen chbosky - the perks of being a wallflower

j.d. salinger - the catcher in the rye

markus zusak - i am the messenger

kazuo ishiguro - never let me go

erin morgenstern - the night circus

teen-fave-series

mira grant - feed (newsflesh)

lauren destefano - wither (the chemical garden)

michelle hodkin - the unbecoming of mara dyer (mara dyer)

lauren oliver - delirium (delirium)

mira grant - parasite (parasitology)

ben h winters - the last policeman (the last policeman)

gayle forman - if i stay (if i stay)

--

jan 2024

current faves (only writing this list so i can remove #6 lol)

markus zusak - the book thief

donna tartt - the goldfinch

yann martel - life of pi

emily m danforth - the miseducation of cameron post

angie thomas - concrete rose (the hate u give #0)

lois lowry - the giver

also here's the "owned" list

lois lowry - the giver

roald dahl - the witches

jeff kinney - diary of a wimpy kid (1-5 + film tie-in)

susan beth pfeffer - last survivors (1-3)

john green - books 1-4

roland smith - peak

richard siken - crush

rainbow rowell - attachments

william golding - lord of the flies

george bernard shaw - pygmalion

bo burnham - egghead

joy kogawa - obasan

richard siken - war of the foxes

charles wheelan - naked economics

joseph fink - welcome to night vale

dante - divine comedy

kabi nagata - my lesbian experience with loneliness

anne rice - interview with the vampire

rec by tmt

julia armfield - our wives under the sea

amal el-mohtar & max gladstone - this is how you lose the time war

--

may 2024

psst im thinking of moving things around on my updated list so.,, whatever here it is

goldfinch

life of pi

catcher in the rye

((^ faves))

middlesex

the book thief

the end of the world (hunger games fanfic lmao)

miseducation of cam post

concrete rose

((^ 5 star but not "faves"))

dorian gray

never let me go

((^ 4 star lit))

code name verity

unwind

the giver

((^ 4 star middle-grade/ya))

--

july 2024

favorites

the goldfinch

we have always lived in the castle

perfume: the story of a murderer

life of pi

the catcher in the rye

the miseducation of cameron post

gold medal ribbon (good lit)

(the library of babel)

the yellow wallpaper

middlesex

stoner

the picture of dorian gray

the virgin suicides

never let me go

honorable mentions (good YA/middle-grade)

the book thief

the end of the world (thg fanfic lol)

concrete rose

the hunger games

code name verity

fall 2024

it's hard to rank so my ranking is a mix between a tier list and chrono descending)

2024 highlights

we have always lived in the castle (no. 1 / fave)

the stranger (fave)

parable of the sower (fave)

rebecca (fave)

the great gatsby (fave)

perfume: the story of a murderer (fave)

the yellow wallpaper (almost fave)

the secret history (almost fave)

middlesex

stoner

2022 highlights

the goldfinch (fave)

201x highlights

crush (fave)

the book thief (fave)

life of pi

the miseducation of cam post (fave)

the catcher in the rye (fave)

the hunger games

code name verity

dec 2024

atm i'm using a "favorites" list and a "highlights" list but i'm thinking of culling the faves and using the "[year] faves" format instead. i also got rid of the numbering system and i'm just thinking of things as chrono descending now

highlights

the stranger (faves)

parable of the sower (faves)

rebecca (faves)

the haunting of hill house

a monster calls (eh... youth lit)

the great gatsby (faves)

frankenstein (eh... good lit merit but not my taste)

the secret history

the virgin suicides

perfume: the story of a murderer (faves)

we have always lived in the castle (faves)

stoner

the yellow wallpaper

middlesex

dorian gray

never let me go

the hate u give (eh... youth lit)

the goldfinch (faves)

the miseducation of cam post (faves)

code name verity (eh... youth lit)

crush (faves)

the catcher in the rye (faves)

the book thief (eh... youth lit)

life of pi (eh... don't like as much anymore)

the hunger games (eh... youth lit)

dec 2024 thoughts for the future

*favorites (all-time favorites)

we have always lived in the castle

the goldfinch

crush

2024 favorites (chrono desc)

the stranger

parable of the sower

rebecca

the great gatsby

perfume

we have always lived in the castle

201x favorites (chrono desc)

the goldfinch

miseducation cam post

crush

catcher in the rye

book thief

*highlights (same as above)

youth highlights (new category)

a monster calls (yes)

unwind (maybe)

howl's moving castle (no... good book but not my taste)

the end of the world (thg fanfic) (maybe)

the hate u give (yes)

code name verity (yes)

the universe versus alex woods (havent reread to vet it yet)

looking for alaska (maybe)

the hunger games (yes)

the giver (maybe)

a series of unfortunate events (havent reread to vet it yet)

[ravingsofamadsoutherner]

Another Father's Day

Another Father's Day #Blog #Blogger #Blogging #Fathers #FathersDay #Memories

“That was when the world wasn’t so big, and I could see everywhere. It was when my father was a hero and not a human.” ― Markus Zusak, I Am the Messenger Its Father’s Day and I can’t help but think about my father.  I don’t have enough memories…I’ve now outlived him by over a decade.  He died when I was twenty-six as I was just beginning my own pathway to adulthood, a sometimes twisting, bumpy…

[wongki]

I.M for Cosmopolitan July Issue ‘21

for @imnameimss♡

picture credits: changkyunpicss 

[wecandoit]

hi I came across your account a few days ago and I’m in love with it <3 here are some random questions hehe

personal questions (only if you’re comfortable sharing!)

what is your age ?

what is your gender?

do you have any pets?

where do you live?

what is your major?

do you enjoy going to your school? why?

what are some of your hobbies?

how does one become your mutual?

routines / tips

what is your study routine?

what is your night routine?

what is your morning routine?

how do you spend your free time?

do you have any study tips?

speaking of which do you have any study apps to recommend ?

books / movies / songs

do you like musicals? if yes what are you favourite musical?

top song right now?

top artist right now?

one direction yay or nay?

a song that you listen to while studying

a song that keeps you grounded

a song that you know all the words to

a comfort song / album

what is your comfort movie?

what is your comfort tv series?

what is your comfort kdrama?

what is your most anticipated movie / tv show / kdrama of this year?

do you have any show recommendations?

book time! what is your favourite genre?

what is your favourite book?

favourite series?

favourite author?

who is / are your comfort characters?

harry potter vs percy jackson?

any ya / fictional book recommendations?

name your fandoms!

random

do you like bubble tea? if yes what is your favourite brand and go to order?

matches or lighters?

do you enjoy the sound of rain?

how late do you sleep?

favourite animal?

what was the last message you sent ( on tumblr / any other apps)

what was your last phone call about?

do you sleep with the windows open?

reading when its raining under your blanket yay or nay?

—-

yay I think thats all sorry for the loooonnngggg list <3

thank you so much, i'm glad you like my blog :))))

personal questions

1. I'm 18 2. I'm cis female 3. i don't have any pets but we might get a dog soon 4. i live in Australia 5. i'm majoring in Psychology 6. i hated going to high school. university is a lot more bearable for me, because there's a lot for freedom 7. some hobbies include reading, dancing, scrapbooking, running, plant care 8. interact with me through posts, inbox, DMs <3 i consider all my followers friends

routines / tips

1. not a big musical person but i really loved Hamilton 2. top song right now is probably MY BAG by (G)I-DLE 3. top artist right now is definitely j-hope 4. one direction yay 5. i've actually been listening to a podcast called You're Wrong About while studying 6. honestly nothing's keeping me grounded right now. i'm struggling 7. a song that i know all the words to, among many, is Want You Back by 5SOS 8. some comfort albums: BE by BTS, Manic by Halsey, Cry Baby by Melanie Martinez 9. comfort movie: any Ghibli movie 10. comfort tv series: Anne with an E and Brooklyn Nine-Nine 11. comfort kdrama: maybe Reply 1988? i don't rewatch dramas much 12. most anticipated movie this year: Everything, Everywhere, All At Once 13. i have so many show recommendations: Anne with an E (for my cottagecore lovers), Derry Girls, Brooklyn Nine-Nine (in case you've been living under a rock), The End of the F***ing World, I am Not Okay With This, Kim's Convenience, Money Heist 14.i mostly enjoy literary fiction books, though i don't mind a crime novel 15. my favourite books are probably All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, Still Life with Tornado by A.S King and The Messenger by Markus Zusak 16. i haven't read many book series but I did enjoy the Chaos Walking series 17. i don't have a favourite author 18. comfort characters in books include Sarah from Still Life with Tornado, Finch from All the Bright Places, Ed from The Messenger, Guillermo Garcia from I'll Give You the Sun haven't read harry potter or percy jackson (i have commitment issues okay) 19. i'd recommend all the books i've already mentioned, also any 20. ya books by jandy nelson and john green 21. my fandoms: 5 seconds of summer, bbc merlin, bts

random

1. i don't like bubble tea actually, don't like any tea (but bubble tea looks so pretty) 2. matches for sure, but lighters are cool too i guess 3. i do enjoy the sound of rain (did you know it has a name-- petrichor) 4. i generally just sleep whenever i get tired, so sometimes 9pm, sometimes 4am 5. my favourite/spirit animal is the sloth 6. last message i sent was on Instagram and i literally just said"oh good" 7. my last phone call was to my mum to pick me up from work 8. i don't sleep with my windows open 9. i can't see under my thick quilts so unfortunately, nay to reading under the blankets though it sounds like a vibe

[bookishjules]

shakespeare, notes and candle for the chaotic academia asks ✨🌻

Shakespeare: what is your favorite book?

aside from the obvious ones (pjo and tsc lol)? man idk favorites are so hard. If I narrow the answer down to stand-alones, and not kid-lit, I think I'd either say I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak or The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgeson Burnett?? (this answer is very subject to change lol)

Notes: bookstore or library?

bookstore tbh it's so quiet in libraries and I simply cannot handle that as the talkative, extroverted person I am lol plus I love indy bookstores and how they all have their own personalities that show through the books they stock idk I think its so special

Candle: if you could pick any time period to live in (for the aesthetic), what would it be?

the late 1800s-early 1900s, I think? specifically thinking in the US/Canada--think Anne of Green Gables or the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. small town single schoolhouse vibes hehe

(send me chaotic academia asks!)

[peachcitt]

okay, so style reference you say? I'm 👀

YES STYLE REFERENCE I SAY

this is going to be. a very long post i think with probably a lot of tangents and probably with a lot more thorough explanation than you could ever want but. here we go

because all of my theory/explanation posts end up So Long, i like to organize myself by keeping myself to a structure, and i also like to think if i put stuff in sub categories with bolded titles, people reading can skip ahead to the stuff they want if they're low on time or don't feel like slogging through everything. so here's the structure of the official Peach Style Reference Narrative

1. Early Days - how i started writing, my early inspirations, origins

2. Current Days - discussions of current style references plus examples and comparisons, discussions of original content versus fan content

3. Future Days - where i expect my writing to grow, trajectories i want, conclusory thoughts

without further ado, let's get into it!

1. Early Days

like i mentioned on the discord server, ive been writing creatively for. a very long time. i just turned 20 (like. literally today. we love to see it) and that seems very young, but i remember writing creatively when i was maybe six or seven, and before that i played with dolls a lot, which meant every day i was creating little narratives for myself. in addition to this - and this is probably why i started writing so young - i was (and am!) a very avid reader. i was that little jerk in elementary school reading chapter books and going into the older kids' section in the school library because i'd already mentally surpassed the books in the section meant for kids my age. so, basically, ive been writing for maybe 13 or 14 years at the least.

when i was young, my favorite books that i remember trying to copy in my own stories were: the magic treehouse books, harry potter, and percy jackson.

the magic treehouse

i honestly could not tell you which magic treehouse book it was, but i remember reading a specific magic treehouse book where the magic lady that left the treehouse for the kids sends the kids (jack and annie??) a note in distress, and she didn't get to finish signing her name because whoever had gotten her had interrupted her. it had been printed in the book with the ink on her name running.

i could not tell you anything else that happened in that book, but i can tell you that at some point in time soon after i read that book i started writing a story with an interrupted letter just like that. i loved the drama, the mystery of it all. i wanted to do something that was a little scary like that, a little exciting.

harry potter

harry potter isn't much of a style reference, but it was a huge impact of my childhood. truth be told i kind of hated the books when i was really young because i grew up watching the movies, and when i tried to read the books when i was in elementary school, the teenage angst that hits about book 5 simply Did Not make sense to me. i also find the language of harry potter to be super cumbersome, and sometimes it feels to me like the books are long just for the sake of being long. they have a huge cultural impact, but i feel the same way about harry potter's style as i do about dickens. cool and interesting, but, like, could you get to the point already? (and also my opinion of j.k. rowling has steadily been growing worse and worse over the years, for obvious reasons. harry potter is nostalgic for me, but i can't look at it now without thinking about it critically, which really lowers my opinion of it)

however, you could probably call my first fanfiction a harry potter fanfiction. i started it when i was maybe six or seven, and it was a rewrite of the chamber of secrets with my childhood best friend as the main character (she didn't know about it, i just had her as the main character because i thought she was cool). i of course never finished it, but harry potter probably did a huge part of planting that seed of magic in me. everything i want to write included some form of magic - although my perspective on what can be considered magic has steadily expanded over the years.

percy jackson

of all my childhood "style references" that still influence me to this day, percy jackson has got to be the biggest. for starters, it's magic. second, it's main themes are about friendship and family - things that i like all my stories now to always include. third - and most important - is the narrative voice.

in terms of narrative voice, percy has a huge personality. he's witty and snarky, but also very thoughtful and poignant. a lot of my early writing was in first person, and it's probably because of percy. also, percy jackson was the first fandom i really got into, and it was the first media that i started officially writing and posting fanfiction for. percy's voice is so clear and hooking, and i wanted to be able to write something funny and real like that.

also - chapter titles. the original pjo series is famous for its weird and hilarious chapter titles, and even though i didn't really start writing fics or stories that were long enough to need chapter titles until a while later, i loved the idea of putting in a chapter title that would make a reader laugh, or maybe even make a reader feel a little apprehensive about the events to come.

but back to percy's narrative voice. i loved that style, almost conversational, so much that i started thinking like it. when i wasn't doing anything, like walking home in middle school, i often found myself narrating my life in my head like percy would, trying to find that humor and spark in my every day surroundings. i still find myself doing that very often, but not necessarily in the classic pjo style. now i narrate everything in my head a little differently, but that practice narration in my early days really helped my shape my voice, i think.

other series i read when i was younger include: a a series of unfortunate events and the name of this book is secret. i don't remember seeing a lot of influence in my early writing from those books, but i definitely think the styles of those books hit me a little later, which i will talk about in the next section.

but, yeah. these were the big three of my childhood. i also read a lot of ya romance, children's mystery books, princess stories, and various types of fantasy, which i think you could probably tell from the genres i like to stick to now. except i don't write a ton of mystery because, as much as i admire the complicated plots, im not sure if i'd have the patience to plan all that out.

in terms of the rest of the genres, a ton of my earlier writing included classic ya romance and fantasy tropes - chosen girl, love triangles, angsty overpowered teens, etc etc. even though those kinds of stories are not necessarily the kinds of stories i want to write or read now, i think my early writing of those kinds of things was really valuable. it's kind of a dirty secret with finished or unfinished works generally considered 'cringe' - often that writer is a new writer, or they're trying something new, or they just haven't found their voice yet. all of those things are perfectly okay and normal, and a lot of people in the writing community preach that kind of thing, but i don't necessarily see people cutting new writers slack in actual practice. writing "overrused" tropes isn't cringe, it's normal, and, besides, what trope isn't overrused? people have been writing and telling stories for thousands of years - nothing is really new. what matter is that someone new is telling the story, and that's what makes it valuable.

so, yeah, a lot of my childhood writing is cringe to me now, but i wouldn't be where i am without it.

with that being said, let's actually look at where i am now

2. Current Days

im going to break this section down into two parts, sort of: original fiction and fanfiction. because i think both of these things have become really important to me, and i don't believe i personally could exist as a writer without one or the other. it's a symbiotic relationship.

we'll start with fanfiction.

my relationship with fanfiction is relatively positive in online spaces: i write what i want to see from media that i like, and i have fun doing it. i also get some comments on my fics by lovely people that detail exactly what they like - some even go so far to talk about narrative style, voice, or tone - and that's really helpful. generally, i see fanfiction not only as a fun hobby and vent space for my strong positive feelings about certain media, but also as a place for me to try new things, experiment, and earn positive feedback.

i don't often share my original fiction online (and if i do, never at the same scope as my fanfiction), so i don't get that same opportunity to see what "works" with readers. fanfiction gives me the space to see that, and i apply new knowledge ive learned to my original fiction. that's what i mean by a symbiotic relationship.

in terms of specific style references for specific fics (which is what i know you probably most want to see), i'll try my best to pick them all out and give specific examples.

those benevolent stars and i am the messenger by markus zusak

in my favorite book list, i saw you mention tbs, so i'll start there. to be honest, i had no idea what my style reference for tbs was when i first saw your tags, and i almost didn't think there was anything specific. style references are a bit sneaky like that - if you've been referencing for someone for a long time, it becomes less of an intentional reference and more of just a you think, so it gets harder to tell.

lucky for this post, i just finished doing my yearly reread of zusak's i am the messenger, and as i was reading, i noticed a few spots where i was like wait hey i remember doing that.

for starters, iatm has been my favorite book for about six or seven years now, so i would say that some aspects of my style certainly comes from zusak because of how much i love iatm but also his other books. zusak has this huge talent for writing short, punchy sentences that convey so much in just a few words, and i think i've ended up trying to do that in my own writing. often, in my writing you'll see fragmentary sentences such as "He stopped. Blinked. Looked at her." that's not from anything specific, but i know ive written something like that maybe a million times over. zusak doesn't do the same thing - often his fragments are jam-packed with imagery in a way that mine aren't - but there's a thoughtfulness in his fragments that are in mine, too. a sort of pause. a hint that there's thinking happening in the narrator or a certain character. for example, i did a quick flip through of my copy and we have:

"We stare across the table.

Just briefly.

At each other." (I am the Messenger, p.144)

so you see how my common sentence fragment of "he stopped / blinked / looked at her" tracks with a fragment like this? i like the way zusak broke up sentences to make you dwell on them a little longer, consider the importance of each section, so i started doing that wayy before i wrote tbs i think.

also, at the time i wrote tbs, i think i was in the process of, or had just finished doing my reread of iatm, and, like i said, zusak loves imagery. tbs is a very imagery-heavy fic. tbs was influenced by a lot of music - a lot of the scenes have very specific pieces of music that i wrote imagining the tone and vibe of. iatm also references a lot of outside media sources, mostly music and films.

there are a couple of scenes in tbs that i think i wrote specifically mimicking or accidentally referencing from iatm. for example, we have this scene in tbs:

"It was almost like he could feel Marinette’s eyes on his back, steady and gentle. 'But you still love her.”

'Yeah,' Adrien said quietly, 'I still love her.' His eyes moved along a streak of purple that bled into a dark blue. 'I hate her a little bit, too.'

Marinette was silent.

He turned around, giving her a smile." (Those Benevolent Stars, chapter 3)

and this scene from iatm:

"'Do you hate me, Ed?'

Still stupid with bubbles and vodka in my stomach, I answer. Very seriously.

'Yes,' I whisper. 'I do.'

We both smack the sudden silence with laughter." (I am the Messenger, p. 233)

obviously there are differences, and i don't think i did it on purpose, but the interaction is very similar. i love the gentle intimacy of that scene in iatm, that weird complication relationship between the main character and the person he loves, the hurt, the brushing it off with laughter. so i wrote a scene that incorporated those things

zusak is also really good at writing moments of quiet into his books that aren't necessarily important to the plot, but are still important. if you've ever read that ghibli meta post talking about the 'quiet' between scenes in studio ghibli scenes, meant to give both the audience and the characters space to breath, it's like that. nothing in iatm is not imporant - it all serves a purpose, even the quiet moments, and i try to do the same thing. there's moments like that in tbs i think, like:

"Marinette gave him a small smile before turning back to her ice cream. Adrien tried to eat his ice cream a little faster, licking up where it had dripped onto his hand.

They were quiet for a while longer, and Marinette finished her ice cream. She leaned back on her hands and looked up at the dark sky, littered with stars.

He could see them all in her eyes, too." (Those Benevolent Stars, chapter 3)

and in iatm, you get scenes like:

"Our feet dangle.

I watch them, and I watch the jeans on Audrey's legs.

We only sit there now.

Audrey and me." (I am the Messenger, p.120)

so i definitely think tbs is a very i-am-the-messenger/markuz zusak-inspired fic. there's a lot of zusak's quiet, and there's the pieces of zusak's style that i've picked up along the way that really shine in tbs

tomorrow and this body's not big enough for the both of us by edgar cantero

ive talked about cantero a few times recently, but, as you've probably noticed, in relation to my fic called 'tomorrow.' i wrote tomorrow pretty soon after reading this body's not big enough for the both of us, and i used tomorrow specifically to experiment with cantero's visual writing style. in all the books by cantero ive read, there's this kind of hyper-awareness of a film gaze - how a certain scene would be shot on a camera, dialogue as script writing, and other things like that mixed with prose. i thought it was fascinating, and after finishing this body, i really wanted to play around with that idea. so i wrote tomorrow keeping in mind a "film gaze." for example:

"Two figures sitting on a rooftop, silhouettes. The moon hovers over them carefully, a crescent afraid to break the silence. One of the figures takes a breath, looks up into the sky at the hesitant moon, and he sighs. He closes his mouth again." (tomorrow)

versus in cantero's work, where we get descriptions like:

"And then, like a high-heeled coup de grace, she arrived.

She paused briefly outside the door, her hourglass silhouette cast upon the glass panel with the fresh shiny vinyl letters" (This Body's Not Big Enough for the Both of Us, prologue)

the tone of the two excerpts are very different, but there's a very visual sense to both of them, like they are being described from a shot in a movie rather than a regular work in prose. in tomorrow i also work a lot with specific camera imagery - saying where the camera goes in the scene, what it focuses on - and this body doesn't do this too much, but cantero's meddling kids does at least once that i remember.

regardless, after finishing this body, i wanted to try my hand at the visual structure that cantero uses in his works, so i really leaned in to the idea.

chat noir's white french man hit list for feminist purposes and grasshopper jungle by andrew smith

this is, as of right now, the most recent fic on my ao3, and i started it the literal day i finished grasshopper jungle. i think you might be getting a theme here - i read a really good book, and then immediately after i start writing something. the easiest way to get inspired as a writer is to read.

chat noir's hit list is a fic that is very much aware of the fact that it is a story being told - you don't know by who or for what real reason until the end, but it's a self aware sort of story. it's also very snarky and sarcastic, and it expands past just the confines of its own story; it's about chat noir and his hit list, but it also talks in depth about emilie agreste, chat noir's relationship with ladybug, and his relationship with himself. this is very much the kind of thing that you would find in an andrew smith book - grasshopper jungle is a story being told to you, and it's also about more than just the original pieces of the plot. the narrator tells the story that expands past regular confines of the story he means to tell - he's telling the 'history' of his life and his town, but he also talks about his great-great grandfather, the origins of the ketchup his girlfriend's dad eats, and what's happening in other parts of the country as he and his best friend are hanging out. the line in chat's hit list of "stars exploded, the sun did not, life continued on" was very much a grasshopper jungle and andrew smith-inspired line.

at the end of adrien's narration in chat's hit list, he says:

"It should be mentioned at this point in time that this story is not over, although I’ll stop telling it here.

So that’s the story of Chat Noir, who is also Adrien Agreste, who was very much a normal boy, except for the fact that he wasn’t. It’s a sad story, but it is also a happy story, and it is highly confidential. I’m sure you understand." (Chat Noir's White French Man Hit List for Feminist Purposes)

and at the end of grasshopper jungle, as the main character is closing out his narration, we get:

What I have written here is not the history of Eden. It is the history of the end of the world. All real histories will be about everything, and they will stretch to the end of the world.

The end of the world started when Andrej Szczerba slid into the cold sea as his boy, Krys, watched and wept and drifted closer and closer to the United States of America.

Nobody knew anything about it." (Grasshopper Jungle, p.382-3)

It's not overtly similar, but the structure is the same: recognition of the end, short summary of where we started and left the story, tag phrase that was used prior in the work. when i was writing the end of adrien's narration, i didn't mean to mirror grasshopper jungle so closely, but sometimes things just happen that way - honestly, so many of the things i do in my writing aren't intentional, they're subconscious. when i make a conscious choice, it's related to plot or to a new strategy im applying to style or voice that i'm not used to, but a lot of the things i do fly under the radar in my brain unless im purposefully trying to piece them apart like i am here.

i will say the meta-story of chat's hit list was pretty directly inspired by grasshopper jungle because i love meta stories, and i like using opportunities to put them in. i just love the idea of reading a story of someone telling someone else a story, which is what the two books by andrew smith i've read have been, and i think that's just fascinating, which is why i used it here.

ive gotten a couple of comments on chat's hit list that liken the narrative style to pseudonymous bosch's the name of this book is secret and lemony snicket's a series of unfortunate events, which i thought was really interesting, because i was purposefully trying to make the voice an impression of andrew smith's voice adapted to the tone of ml, but i could definitely see their reasoning.

andrew smith, like i mentioned before, likes specifics - what exactly people were doing at certain times, where a specific bottle of ketchup came from, etc. from what i remember of the name of this book is secret and a series of unfortunate events, i remember the descriptions included in those books chock full of highly specific, snarky details that aren't truly necessary, but do a whole lot in terms of adding a certain flavor to the narration. i won't try and look up examples from unfortunate events and the name of this book, but here are a couple examples:

"See, the thing about Emilie Agreste, formerly Emilie Graham De Vanily, is that she was what could be generously called a ‘radical.’ Born in 1969, like most amazing and world-altering things, Emilie Graham De Vanily grew up in London alongside her twin sister, who is a nice enough woman and who is not really that important to this story, and she was raised with the firm and gentle hands of people who had witnessed war and cruelty and had found that they did not like at all. Emilie Graham De Vanily grew up learning about the true history of England, which is not a very nice history, truly, and she grew up knowing that people with white skin like her were historically not all that great. That, historically, was a very radical thought." (Chat Noir's White French Man Hit List for Feminist Purposes)

from chat's hit list, and this:

"In 1905, being seventeen years old made you a man. In 1969 when hungry Jack fought in Vietnam, seventeen years old was a man. My brother, Eric, who was somewhere in Afghanistan, was twenty-two.

Krzys Szczerba came across the Atlantic with his father. They planned on working and earning enough money so Krzys's mother, brother, and two sisters could come to the United States, too. People who did that were called Bread Polacks. They came here to make money." (Grasshopper Jungle, p. 68)

from grasshopper jungle. once again, obviously very different, but you can tell im playing around with that same feeling of giving a surplus of facts in my narration in the same way that andrew smith does. you can't really tell in the grasshopper jungle excerpt, but oftentimes the surplus of 'facts' serves almost a comedic effect, which is definitely something that you can feel in chat noir's hit list.

[REDACTED] and six of crows by leigh bardugo

as a reward for sticking around through this, i'll give out something fun here. the current long fic that ive been working on recently has proved to be very bardugo-inspired, particularly six of crows-inspired.

in six of crows, bardugo gives us action right off the bat and then integrates flashbacks into lulls of action so that there's never truly a dull moment. i found [REDACTED] to be a fic where i wanted to use flashbacks in a similar way, so that i would get something like:

"She doesn’t stay for the whole parade, but she stays for enough of it. Nothing unusual happens, just like always, but she still makes cursory patrols around the city, ending up at the Eiffel Tower, just like always. She sits on the railing way up at the top, and she crosses her ankles, swinging her legs back and forth and humming softly to herself as she watches the sun set.

'Little kitty on the roof, all alone without his lady,' he used to sing when he’d gotten back to their meeting point from patrolling his half of the city before her. It was just a silly little song, one that he’d clearly made up for himself."

It didn’t hurt until he’d been akumatized, and she’d seen that one version of the future - the one where he’d destroyed the whole world because of Gabriel Agreste. She’d seen him then, a lonely figure in white, humming his little song to himself. Who knows how long he’d been like that before she’d been transported to him, how long he’d been really and truly alone. (REDACTED, chapter 1)

and in comparison, we get a lot of scenes in six of crows like:

"Kaz leaned against the ship's railing. He wished he hadn't said anything about his brother. Even those few words raised the memories, clamoring for attention. What had he said to Geels at the Exchange? I'm the kind of bastard they only manufacture in the Barrel. One more lie, one more piece of the myth he'd built for himself.

After their father died, crushed beneath a plow with his insides strewn across a field like a trail of damp red blossoms, Jordie had sold the farm. Not for much." (Six of Crows, p.205-6)

bardugo uses most of the flashbacks during a time in which the main characters are on a long sea voyage, which means they have a lot of time to reflect on their pasts and what brought them to these situations - it's a smart way to fill the empty space of the sea voyage and to really dwell on how important the voyage is. in a similar way, i chose to use the flashbacks in dull or lulling moments in the events of the story, ones in which marinette lets her mind wander or sees something that makes her remember something specific.

however, here's a situation where you can see me adapt the style into something that makes more sense for me, personally: in my excerpt, the tense changes between the current events and the flashback events, while in bardugo's excerpt, the tense stays the same at a comfortable past tense. when i was writing my fic with the flashbacks, i thought the constant, sometimes abrupt, switching would get confusing, so i made sure to always have a clear line using the past and present tense that readers could consciously or unconsciously take notice of.

so there are a couple of instances within some fairly recent fics i have that have specific callbacks to specific books. there are a whole bunch more, i think, but these are the ones that ive played around with intentionally the most recently or the most often.

3. Future Days

based on my recent rapid experimentation in fics (the most recent four fics on my ao3 have been very experimental in comparison to most of my works), i really anticipate a lot of growth in my overall style. ive been having a lot of fun experimenting and throwing in things that a few years ago i would've never even thought of, so im really excited to see where that might lead me, style wise.

i think as a writer there's always room for growth and learning, and that kind of growth and learning comes from not only practicing writing, but also reading. i cannot stress enough how valuable and impactful reading is on writing. considering ive been trying to read a lot more than i have been in recent years, it makes a lot of sense that ive been making a lot of weird decisions and learning more about what i want to see in my own writing.

honestly, if you ever want to know about any of my other fics, or you want to see how this kind of thing translates to my original works, just shoot me an ask! this post is already long enough, so i think i'll go ahead and end it here, but just know you can always ask questions<3

thank you so much for asking me this question and letting me indulge, and thank you for reading!!!<3<3<3<3

[tthael]

I really admire so many things about your writing - the introspection and deep meaning, the realistic and sensitive way that you handle topics. Do you have any recs for fav media/books/tv shows/fanfics ? I guess I'm curious if there are any you think might have similar qualities/themes?

This is a tough one because basically everything I consume gets picked apart and reused in some way. However, I’ll give it a shot:

The Book Thief and I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak. There’s quite a lot I like about Zusak’s use of language and have since 2007 when I read The Book Thief for the first time, and there’s something very cinematic and magical about I Am the Messenger (particularly in the chapter with the young track runner).

The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell. He’s most commonly known for Cloud Atlas, but he has an ongoing theme of vampires and cannibalism reappearing in his work (I just read Slade House for the first time while I was in quarantine) and there’s something deeply satisfying about the way that all of the disparate pieces come to fruition at the climax of The Bone Clocks. Not a perfect book, but deeply satisfying.

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver. Again, she’s most commonly known for The Poisonwood Bible, but I liked that well enough to read The Lacuna in 2013, and I completely hated it for the first half of the book until finally something clicked in my brain and I activated the literary critic within, who doesn’t care so much about whether they enjoy something and more cares about how well something is done. The description of US American rationing during World War II really got me onto the novel’s side, if that makes sense; and I do love a good family epic, and while this only focuses on one protagonist instead of generations of them, it’s interesting in a similar way to The Bone Clocks where you see everything start to snowball together.

Literally anything by Ursula Vernon/T. Kingfisher. I particularly recommend The Raven and The Reindeer, which I read shortly after being diagnosed with my chronic illness and really helped me to understand the irrelevance of shame. There’s something very satisfying about saying “a reindeer doesn’t care if it smells bad, so I’m going to lean into that particular apathy and not allow a bully to take me down over it.” Something comforting about taking shelter in the animal and in survival, when you and your body are in one place and working on the same side, and it’s your brain that’s ready to give up first but your body will keep dragging you through because that’s what it does. Certain lines in Indelicate were inspired by her adaptation of Tam Lin in Jackalope Wives and other Stories (https://www.amazon.com/Jackalope-Wives-Other-Stories-Kingfisher-ebook/dp/B071946RLN). Lots of her short stories are available at this link for free: http://www.redwombatstudio.com/portfolio/writing/short-stories/

TV’s a little harder to unpack, since I don’t always think in terms of visual media, I tend to default to words first. Recently I’ve been enjoying New Amsterdam on NBC--it’s nice to see the radical socialist doctor doing his damnedest to secure the right thing--and Call the Midwife--similar reasons. There’s a lot about meeting someone where they are in both shows that I appreciate.

There’s also a lot of music that inspires my writing so I’ll have to dedicate a post specifically to that in my methods and materials.

Fanfic, though! Lots of my favorites, lots of genres. Here we go:

we are all stardust by synergenic (Losseflame) (https://archiveofourown.org/works/5682496) Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, pairing Finn/Poe Dameron. Sexually explicit, but also leans a lot into physicality. You can probably see the influence on the very first chapter of Indelicate when Eddie’s waking up in pain and Richie’s at his bedside. It’s very much inspired by a similar sickbed scene here.

If They Haven’t Learned Your Name by silentwalrus (https://archiveofourown.org/works/6329503) Captain America/Marvel Cinematic Universe Steve Rogers/James “Bucky” Barnes. The holy grail of Steve/Bucky fanfiction. If you want independent character exploration, this is the place to go. Natasha shaving her head? Yes. Sam pleading with Steve to keep his shit together while thirty Koren grandmothers assume they are American celebrities? Yes. Bucky defiantly hunting down his sense of self while bingeing romance novels in a space ship? Yes. Pay particular attention to the Sam chapters, because they’re a beautiful way of defining Steve’s characterization from an outside perspective, and I’m trying to do the same with Eddie looking at Richie in Indelicate.

An Ever-Fixed Mark by AMarguerite (https://archiveofourown.org/works/8523001) Pride & Prejudice (Jane Austen) Elizabeth Bennet/Colonel Fitzwilliam, Elizabeth Bennet/Fitzwilliam Darcy. Soulmark AU. This is one of my longtime favorite fanfictions and what it taught me was cause and effect. The characters move the plot forward based on their assumptions and decisions. Definitely very helpful when I was writing TTHAEL by the seat of my pants.

You Can Keep Holding On by NorthernSparrow (https://archiveofourown.org/works/7233709) Supernatural Dean Winchester/Castiel. Sexually explicit. A lot of the summary I can give here is spoilers, but if you read this one through, you’ll be able to see the inspiration for the “Can you tell me where I can get another Eddie Kaspbrak?” scene in Indelicate.

Work of All Saints by antistar_e (kaikamahine) (https://archiveofourown.org/works/15006644) Coco (2017) Imelda Rivera/Héctor Rivera/Ernesto de la Cruz. Sexually mature. Oh my GOD this is a beautiful coming-of-age story set in turn-of-the-century Oaxaca, this is the best complete expansion of canon that I’ve ever seen; the author takes the pieces and runs with them and it is WONDERFUL.

Lycanthropic Studies by Eiiri (https://archiveofourown.org/series/575263) Harry Potter, Remus Lupin/Sirius Black canon-divergence AU. I very much enjoy the meditation on lycanthropy as a chronic illness and I sometimes reread this for comfort. Particularly early on Remus has a rant about how he’s sick and he’s always sick and his life doesn’t stop for it, despite holidays and birthdays he still has to deal with the consequences of his illness and take the devastating medication, and there’s a lot about that that speaks to me. I haven’t kept up with the series for some time, though.

Careful Truths by SassySnowperson (https://archiveofourown.org/works/12111966) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Bodhi Rook/Luke Skywalker canon-divergence AU. Sexually explicit. Honestly identity p!rn fics are a good inspiration for that third-person limited perspective I’ve been working on in Indelicate. Also I love love LOVE Bodhi Rook. It’s fun watching him run in circles trying to conceal his identity from Luke while completely oblivious to Luke doing exactly the same thing.

Stammtisch by chaya (https://archiveofourown.org/works/15060152) Critical Role: Season 2, Caleb Widogast/Mollymauk Tealeaf, AU. Sexually explicit. Long before Caleb actually leveled up enough to cast Mordenkainen’s Magnificent Mansion, chaya speculated about what kind of spaces he might create for each of his friends. I think it’s a very good resource for really condensing characterization down into lots of images and concepts and deciding what other characters know about them. The idea of making space for someone else is something that I lean into a lot when I write Ben, who’s the kind of man who will set himself on fire to keep those he loves warm, and even though Critical Role has far more material than even IT for determining characterization, and even though this particular moment has already occurred in canon--it’s just a wonderful homey story, and has the kind of found family vibes I like for the Losers as well.

I know that’s a lot to unpack there, but all of those fics are very good and I recommend reading any assortment that appeals to you. (Work of All Saints in particular you don’t have to be familiar with the source material beyond the basic premise; it stands on its own.) Thank you for asking, and thank you for reading!

[the-blind-assassin-12]

30 Questions

Tagged by @pheedraws, @something-tofightfor @its-my-little-dumpster-fire @suchatinyinfinity & @valkblue   Thank you!! 

Rules: answer 30 questions then tag some others to do the same

Tagging: @gollyderek @malionnes @beautifuldesastre @delos-mio @markcampbells @zaffrenotes   and whoever wants too!

Name/nickname: Lyss, Lissie, Lyssa- the more interesting ones are no longer in use. 

Gender: Female

Star sign: Libra

Height: 5′ 7′

Time: 1:05 pm

Birthday: September 24th 

Favorite bands: Florence + the Machine, Snow Patrol, Explosions in the Sky

Favorite solo artists: Brian Fallon, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Nicks 

Song stuck in my head:  Yours is Mine by Cold War Kids because I just added it to a playlist for something I am writing 

Last movie: I watched Love Actually yesterday and then had a very pleasant dream where they decided to remake the film and Ben Barnes was cast in Colin Firth’s original role. Just... imagine the pond scene! Or the restaurant! UGH. 

Last show: Bar Rescue is on in the background if that counts for anything? I need recommendations for new shows. 

When did I create this blog: April 2019 

What do I post: Music, lyrics, poems, giraffes and fanfiction with large gaps in between chapters because I am a hopeless cause when it comes to productivity. 

Last thing googled: The California Bar Association 

Other blogs: Not anymore. I left it floating in internet space in case anyone wanted to find something that I’ve posted, but I no longer log in or use it. 

Do I get asks: .A few but not many. My ask box is always open if anyone has any questions! 

Why I chose my url: It’s a book by my favorite author. I’m also very visually impaired and can choke a man to death so... it fits.

Following: 77

Followers: 441

Average hours of sleep: 5ish? On a good night. 

Lucky number: 11

Instruments: Nope none a musician I am not. 

What am I wearing: Gray sweatpants from fricking high school and a tank top. We just had a huge snowstorm and it is freezing outside but when my downstairs neighbors have their heat on it’s like a sauna in here. 

Dream job: published author 

Dream trip: Ireland 

Favorite food: TACOS. 

Nationality: American 

Favorite song (at the moment): 

Last book read: I’m re-reading I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak 

Top three fictional universes I’d like to live in: Oh man. Fantasia from the Neverending Story, The Harry Potter world where I can do all my mundane chores with magic, or I suppose Westworld, pre-robot rebellion.

[treyrositas]

"Our footsteps run, and I don't want them to end. I want to run and laugh and feel like this forever. I want to avoid any awkward moment when the realness of reality sticks its fork into our flesh, leaving us standing there, together. I want to stay here, in this moment, and never go to other places, where we don't know what to say or what to do." Markus Zusak, I Am the Messenger

[thecruciblegavemeyou]

tagged by @infinityonhighvevo thanksss 

1. name: nat 

2. gender: female

3. sign: virgo

4. height: 5′1 

5. time: 11:26 am

6. birthday: none of your business 

7. favourite bands: reo speedwagon, rem, boston

8. favourite solo artists: billy joel, angele

9. song stuck in my head: there isnt one thank god 

10. last movie i watched: ender’s game 

11. last show i watched: big bang theory 

12. when i made this blog: not a clue, it’s ancient and im too lazy to check 

13. what i post: idek anymore, about gay shit that i cant/wont say out loud

14. last thing googled: canada border restrictions

15. sideblogs: multiple but none are very active 

16. do i get a lot of asks: hard to say since i went dormant for years

17. why i chose this url: its from carry on 

18. following: 105

19: followers: 1459

20: average hrs of sleep: 7-8

21: lucky number: 26

22: do i play an instrument: no

23. what im wearing: pajamas

24. dream job: geoscience research 

25. dream trip: iceland. so many rocks 

26. favourite food: idk, falafel? chana masala? 

27. nationality: irrelevant 

28. last book i read: finished? read white & royal blue. in the middle of the messenger (markus zusak) 

29. favourite song: idk, something by billy joel. depends on my mood 

30. favourite fictional universe: how dare you ask me to choose 

[kckenobi]

Edna St. Vincent Millay and Virginia Woolf? 💞

Edna St. Vincent Millay: Do you have a favorite poem or one you can recite?

Oh god yes I totally do, there’s sO MANY I love but a few faves:

(1) The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Elliot (fave line: “For I have known them all already, known them all: // Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons, // I have measured out my life with coffee spoons—“)

(2) Kindness by Naomi Shihab Nye (also good GRACIOUS read anything by Naomi Shihab Nye and you will not be disappointed) (fave line: “it is only kindness that makes sense anymore, // only kindness that ties your shoes // and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread, // only kindness that raises its head // from the crowd of the world to say // It is I you have been looking for...)

(3) Sonnet 5: Likeness by Phil Hamak (fave line: “...and try to memorize // the answers that you give, the jokes I told // that got your loudest laugh, and where you stand // on matters great and small. All this I hold // and more, for times you are not near at hand. This portrait in my mind preserves me too // Sustained by but a thousandth part of you.”)

Virginia Woolf: What book has been on your TBR longer than a year?

Ooh okay so I’ve been meaning to read Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak for like, 2 years because he wrote the book thief (my fave book ever) and I Am The Messenger which I also enjoyed, and I literally BOUGHT it and it’s just been....sitting on my shelf untouched. Why Kasey why—

[from these asks]

[codedcore]

17 Questions, 17 People

 I was tagged by @goatpants-satyr ! Thanks for the tag!

Nicknames: On here I go by Coded, but I also go by Mady, and Lee. I’m fine with any of these if anyone wants to address me as these lmao I like all of them

Zodiac: Gemini (its funny too cause I do actually have a twin). I don’t believe in zodiac stuff but I think its a really interesting and fun concept, and I wanna look more into it.

Height: 5′3″ ;.;

Last Thing I Googled: “institute scientist fallout 4″ I needed a reference for something I was drawing

Song Stuck In My Head: That one song the dad sings in Coraline wtf

Number Of Followers: 478

Amount of Sleep: Around 7 hours

Lucky Number: 2

Favorite Song: I can’t think of any at the moment but if someone played Mr. Blue Sky 20 times in a row I wouldn’t complain

Favorite Instrument: I really like the violin, its an instrument I’ve always wanted to play (I only learned the clarinet and the piano).

Dream Job: I want to own my own entertainment business, so I guess CEO?

Aesthetic: Okay so like I have no idea, I took two quizzed that said I was indiecore and vintage aesthetic, so idk. But I also like orange, I like art, travel, but I have no idea how aesthetic boards work so jagllgjklwJEGL;wj

Favorite Author: I don’t really read books, I more read fanfics, but there was this one book that I really liked and the writing style was really good too, it was I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak.

Favorite Animal Noise: When my cat purs or meows, its just serotine to me

Random: Uhhhhh idk, I’m an INFJ. And a Slytherin. Hiss hiss bitch LMAO

Tagging:

I feel like I’ve been tagging a lot of people recently so I’m not going to, but if you read this and want to do it, just say I tagged you lol

plus i dont even know 15 people theres no way i could list that much lmao

[deviant-reads-stuff]

Books I Read Throughout 2020-Part One

For many of us this year has been incredibly stressful and difficult. There were times throughout this year that my mental health had suffered, but there were also times where I couldn't have been happier. If I were to make any comparison to what the year was like, I would say that it was like the scariest and exciting roller coaster that anyone has ever been on. During the year, while the world seemed to burn around us and everything terrible happened, I managed to surpass my reading goal for the year. Something I did not expect to do, especially since I had months where it seemed that I couldn't finish anything. In times like this, I think it's important to take a step back and look to the positive things, even if they are small.

Here I am going to give a brief description of the first 10 books that I read, with a small snippet of what I thought of the books at the time.  

Book One - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Finished Reading on January 4, 2020

"It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.

By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time."

For years I have heard good things about this book and for many, this is an all time favorite. I was excited to pick this one up, especially since I had read

I am the messenger

by this author and loved it.  While I do not view this book as an all time favorite for myself, I do think it was beautifully written. I just personally wished that it was a bit shorter at times as it seemed to drag on. Despite feeling that it was a little long, my favorite part of this book was the role in which Death plays. I won't mention anything more in case some of you are still contemplating picking this one up.

Book Two - All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1) By Martha Wells

Finished Reading on January 5, 2020

"In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety.

But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn't a primary concern.

On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied 'droid—a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as "Murderbot." Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is.

But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth."

This was a novella that I greatly enjoyed, but unfortunately I have not kept up with the series. I believe my library did not have the rest of the books and at the time I didn't want to purchase them. As my library continues to get the rest of the series, I will gladly continue to read them. I thought the story was unique, and at times funny. I would highly recommend this series to anyone who wants a science fiction book that is quick and easy read.

Book Three - Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them By Newt Scamander

Finished listening to an Audiobook on January 7,2020

"An approved textbook at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since publication, Newt Scamander's masterpiece has entertained wizarding families through the generations. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an indispensable introduction to the magical beasts of the Wizarding World. Scamander's years of travel and research have created a tome of unparalleled importance. Some of the beasts will be familiar to readers of the Harry Potter books - the Hippogriff, the Basilisk, the Hungarian Horntail ... Others will surprise even the most ardent amateur Magizoologist. This is an essential companion to the Harry Potter stories, and includes a new foreword from J.K. Rowling (writing as Newt Scamander) and six new beasts!"

I am not one who will usually listen to audio books. I have an incredibly difficult time listening to anything that is over 3 hours because it's hard for me to really concentrate on the storyline. On occasion, though I will listen to them, depending on the length of the title and if the general consensus is that the audiobook is better. Fantastic Beast was a great audio book to listen to when I took my daily walks. I was able to delve a bit deeper into the wizarding world and learn more about the creatures briefly mentioned in Harry Potter.

Now, I do want to briefly bring into attention that I will no longer purchase anything written by JK Rowling. I have always distanced myself from creators as I use books and music to escape, but it has come to my attention that JK Rowling has repeatedly done harm to the trans community. That's not something I agree with or can support in any way shape or form. For those who do continue to purchase and read JK Rowlings work, that is your choice and I will not say anything about it (unless it is actively causing harm here). This is my own personal choice and opinions on JK Rowling.  

Book Four - The Near Witch

Finished Reading on January 9, 2020f

"The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.And there are no strangers in the town of Near.These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger-a boy who seems to fade like smoke-appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi's need to know-about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab's debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won't soon forget."

I am going to be perfectly honest. I will pick up everything that V.E Schwab writes eventually. Including this book, I have read 10 of her books and I have enjoyed every single one of them. The Near Witch is one of V.E Schwab's earlier works that had previously gone out print. Recently, the book has gone back into print and received a cover change. The story takes you to another world with superstitions, magic, and adventures. While it is apparent that this is an early work of V.E Schwab that does not mean that it's not a great book to pick up. This book brought me back to the type of books that I read when I was younger and it was an overall great experience.

Book Five - How's Moving Castle By Diana Wynne Jones

Finished Reading on January 12, 2020

"Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle.

To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye."

Howl's Moving Castle is probably one of my favorite stories of all time. I first watched the animated film by Studio Ghibli. In all honesty, I have a hard time determining which version is my favorite. The movie and novel do have some differences, but I think both can be enjoyed. Howl's Moving Castle shows how the pressures placed upon us and how we view ourselves can have a negative impact on ourselves, but only if we let it. Sophie struggles with being eldest daughter, and struggles with seeing her worth, but as the story progresses, we see how resilient and strong she is.

Book Six - Bird Box By Josh Malerman

Finished Reading on January 21, 2020

"Something is out there, something terrifying that must not be seen. One glimpse of it, and a person is driven to deadly violence. No one knows what it is or where it came from.

Five years after it began, a handful of scattered survivors remains, including Malorie and her two young children. Living in an abandoned house near the river, she has dreamed of fleeing to a place where they might be safe. Now that the boy and girl are four, it's time to go, but the journey ahead will be terrifying: twenty miles downriver in a rowboat—blindfolded—with nothing to rely on but her wits and the children's trained ears. One wrong choice and they will die. Something is following them all the while, but is it man, animal, or monster?"

I had originally watched the Netflix movie before listening to the audio book. I was curious about the book as I noticed a lot of people was divided on whether or not the movie was better than the book. Although I thought the audio book was great, I definitely enjoyed the movie more. Normally this is never the case, but I thought the book was adapted well onto the screen. What are your thoughts on it? Was the movie better than the book?

Book Seven - Skyward By Brandon Sanderson

Finished Reading on January 25, 2020

"Defeated, crushed, and driven almost to extinction, the remnants of the human race are trapped on a planet that is constantly attacked by mysterious alien starfighters. Spensa, a teenage girl living among them, longs to be a pilot. When she discovers the wreckage of an ancient ship, she realizes this dream might be possible—assuming she can repair the ship, navigate flight school, and (perhaps most importantly) persuade the strange machine to help her. Because this ship, uniquely, appears to have a soul."

Skyward was the first Bandon Sanderson book that I've ever picked up, shocking I know. I was not disappointed at all. Skyward brought me out this world and I found myself rooting for the girl who fought for everything that she's ever had. If you haven't picked this ne up yet, what are you waiting for?

Book Eight - The Name of the Wind By Patrick Rothfuss

Finished Reading on January 30, 2020

"My name is Kvothe.I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep. You may have heard of me.

So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature--the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man's search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend."

I first read this book in 2015 and picked it up again earlier in the year. I personally feel like I enjoyed the book more the second time around. It's a lengthy and often slow story of a man telling the story of his life. I have often described this book as having a similar ambiance to The Lord of The Rings and Harry Potter. Don't get me wrong though, this is a completely different story of those two series, but I couldn't help but draw a comparison.

Book Nine - Red, White, and Blue By Casey McQuiston

 Finished Reading on February 15, 2020

"First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations.

The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince. Alex is busy enough handling his mother’s bloodthirsty opponents and his own political ambitions without an uptight royal slowing him down. But beneath Henry’s Prince Charming veneer, there’s a soft-hearted eccentric with a dry sense of humor and more than one ghost haunting him.

As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. And Henry throws everything into question for Alex, an impulsive, charming guy who thought he knew everything: What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?"

I needed something lighter and easy to read after The Name of the Wind. Red, White, and  Blue did not disappoint, and I was whisked into the life of Alex Claremont-Diaz and Prince Henry. This LGBTQ+ book is full of entertainment, self-discovery, drama, and love.

Book Ten - Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3)

Finished Reading on February 17, 2020

"In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a higher price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has."

The Lunar Chronicals is a guilty pleasure of mine. Each book in the series is a re-telling of famous fairy tales. Cress, the third book of the Lunar Chronicals, is a sci-fi/ fantasy re-telling of Rapunzel. While each book follows a different fairy tale, the whole series comes together and forms an epic story. As we follow a shy young girl, who spent her life locked away from everyone suddenly get swept into the resistance, we learn that hope is always possible even in hopeless situations.

[lal-ffxiv]

Get to Know Me

Rules: Always post the rules. Tag 11 new people you’d like to know better. 

1. Dogs or Cats?

Dogs are chaotic good. Cats are a neutral evil. Both are great pets. I am a fish pet person.

2. YouTube celebrities or normal celebrities?

I would get way more excited about meeting some Youtubers than I would about most celebrities.

3. If you could live anywhere where would that be?

Alaska. Too cold for bugs, sun never sets, but also night never ends.

4. Disney or DreamWorks?  

Dreamworks! 

5. Favourite childhood TV show?

Uhhh, probably a PBS TV show that I can’t remember anymore. 

6. The movie you’re looking forward to most in 2020

Wonder Woman 1984

7. Favorite book you read in 2019?

The Beetle by Richard Marsh. I had to read it for my Victorian Lit class. It is period typical problematic, but also really good if you get past that.

8. Marvel or DC?

DC. I love Batman and his adopted children and his actual child.

9. If you choose Marvel favorite member of the X-Men? If you choose DC favourite Justice League member?

Not counting the Trinity or Mera or Jessica Cruz Green Lantern, I would say Barry Allen The Flash.

10. Night or Day?

Night.

11. Favourite Pokemon?  

Vulpix!

12. Top 5 bands:

I listen to lots of music without regard of who its by so on the top of my head.

Fox Academy

Of Men and Monsters

Calpurnia

Backpack Party

Vitamin String Quartet

13. Top 10 books.

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater, which is three books, Messenger by Lois Lowry, I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak, Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Dracula by Bram Stoker, Two Boys Kissing & Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

14. Top 4 movies

Star Trek Beyond

Speed Racer

Ultraviolet

Contagion

15. America or Europe?

I always want to go to Europe for backpacking, but at the same time an America road trip sounds fun.

16. Tumblr or Twitter?

Tumblr. It is the only social media I have.

17. Pro-choice or Pro-life?

People who can have babies should be offered enough support and resources for their choices.

18. Favorite YouTuber?

Jamie Jo. She is so positive, funny, and sweet. All her videos are chill and amazing.

19. Favorite author ?

Maggie Steifvater. I aspire to achieve in writing what her writing has made me feel.

20. Tea or Coffee?

Hot bean juice or hot leaf juice, how can I really make a choice?

21. OTP ?

The love story and tragedy that is Mikototsu.

22. Do you play an instrument/sing ?

I use to sing when I was little and I played piano for one week, but I think that works out to, No on both accounts.  

 @seina-kurokiba​ and @esme-selah​, thanks for the tag!!

[panicinthelibrary-blog]

the 20 books I want to read the most in 2020

1. IT - Stephen King                                                                                   

Genre: Horror

For someone who loves the horror genre, it’s surprising that I haven’t read any of Stephen King’s books. I’ve decided that this year I’ll read my first King book and start with IT, as it has been recommended to me by friends (though a certain scene has gained mixed responses).

2. The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton

Genre: Young Adult

Last year I was given this book, and despite wanting to read it badly, I still haven’t read it - hopefully next year I will finally read it. S. E. Hinton also started writing this when they were fifteen, so bonus points.

3. Lord of the Flies - William Golding

Genre: Allegory

Commonly referred to as a “modern classic”, I really want to read ‘Lord of the Flies’. I’ve actually started this book before, but gave up (that’s not a reflection on my enjoyment of the book, it’s a reflection on my crippling migraine). This book is also responsible for me discovering that there is a Nobel Prize for Literature - I previously had no idea that that existed.

4. A Street Cat Named Bob - James Bowen

Genre: Autobiography

I saw the film adaption of this when it first came out in 2016, and even though I loved it, I never got around to reading the book - fingers crossed 2020 is the year I finally get around to reading it.

5. Mythos - Stephen Fry

Genre: Non-fiction

I absolutely love Greek mythology (eleven year-old me was a Percy Jackson stan to be honest), so I’m very excited to gain a more in depth understanding of Greek mythology by reading ‘Mythos’.

6. Why Mummy Doesn’t Give A ****! - Gill Sims

Genre: Comedy

The ‘Why Mummy...’ series is probably one of the funniest book series I’ve ever read - lighthearted and hilarious, I will probably read this in between some of the heavier stuff I plan on reading.

7. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

Genre: Thriller

I tried reading this book earlier on in the year, but gave up about one-hundred pages in - I really want to like this book, so I’ll try it again in 2020.

8. The Messenger - Markus Zusak

Genre: Young Adult

‘The Book Thief’ is one of my favourite books ever, if not my favourite book of all time. It’s so well written, and if ‘The Messenger’ is half as well written, I’ll enjoy it thoroughly.

9. The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman

Genre: Fantasy

In May I was given this book, and, surprise surprise, I didn’t get around to reading it. Apparently it’s amazing, so I look forward to reading it next year.

10. Autoboyography - Christina Lauren

Genre: Young Adult

Out of all of the books on this list, I am probably looking forward to reading this book the most. Even though I haven’t read any of Christina Lauren’s previous books, I am very excited to read ‘Autoboyography’ - really hoping that this doesn’t disappoint.

11. The Invention of Wings - Sue Monk Kidd

Genre: Historical Fiction

Recommended to me by my history teacher last year, I’ve been desperate to read it ever since. My grandparents have also spoken very highly of this book, so I really hope that it doesn’t disappoint.

12. The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins

Genre: Non-fiction

As someone who finds religion to be a very interesting topic, I am very excited to read ‘The God Delusion’. Though to be honest, I am only aware of this books existence because Camilla and Jamie mentioned it on Love Island in 2017.

13. Precious - Sapphire

Genre: Urban Fiction

I brought this book all the way back in August of 2018, but lost my copy and only found it again yesterday. With a wide range of positive review, I am looking forward to this book a lot.

14. Mirror, Mirror - Cara Delevingne

Genre: Mystery

I’ll be the first to admit that I am only reading this because it was written by Cara Delevingne - it’s not the type of book I’d usually gravitate towards; it was the authors name that grabbed my attention. However, I do like Cara Delevingne, and I am interested to see how good a writer she is.

15. Surrounded by Idiots - Thomas Erikson

Genre: Non-fiction

As someone who is very interested in psychology, I am very excited to read ‘Surrounded by Idiots’. A bestseller in Sweden, I have high hopes for this book.

16. The Miseducation of Cameron Post - Emily M. Danforth

Genre: Young Adult

The film adaption of Danforth’s novel is one of my favourite films, and I really recommend that anyone with a Netflix account checks it out. Another book I have very high hopes for, there’s a strong possibility I will be crushed if this book disappoints.

17. Becoming - Michelle Obama

Genre: Memoir

I absolutely love the Obama’s, and am so excited to read Michelle Obama’s autobiography. I am so inspired by her, and cannot wait to read about her life experiences.

18. Turtles All the Way Down - John Green

Genre: Young Adult

John Green is one of my favourite authors, and I’ve loved almost every book of his that I’ve read - ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ and ‘Looking For Alaska’ are some of my favourite books ever (though I was disappointed by ‘An Abundance of Katherines’). Hopefully ‘Turtles All the Way Down’ is one of Green’s better books, and fingers crossed it will bring me to tears.

19. The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Genre: Tragedy

Not only is ‘The Great Gatsby’ a classic, it’s one of my grandparents favourite books - another book I really want to like, I’m really hoping this book will live up to its reputation.

20. Two Boys Kissing - David Levithan

Genre: Young Adult

Another book centred around LGBT teens, I am very excited to read this book. Maybe I’m so excited to read this because I find it easier to relate to queer characters, but whatever the reason, I’m incredibly excited to read this.