#joshua mcguire

[surprendslejour]

[alexlacquemanne]

Romola in The Hour appreciation: 5/12

Romola Garaï as Bel Rowley (2011-2012) : Season 1 Episode 5

Director of photography : Chris Seager

[camyfilms]

ABOUT TIME 2013

We're all traveling through time together, every day of our lives. All we can do is do our best to relish this remarkable ride.

[oceanusborealis]

The Gentlemen: Season One – TV Review

TL;DR – While the characters are a delight in this wacky world, the story struggles in the end.   ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3.5 out of 5. Disclosure – I paid for the Netflix service that viewed this series. The Gentlemen Review – It wasn’t all that long ago that I sat down to watch a truly bonkers yet very rough film called The Gentlemen. I hadn’t thought in a while, but as I was watching, snippets came…

[oof-i-did-it-agaaiiin]

I can’t find a video of the actual production but here are some pictures of mcguire hamlet cause I think he’s silly. I’m partial to the poses in that 6th one.

[sasa-chan]

Day 15:

Artemis Fowl (2020)

[nikethestatue]

Now the Antis are saying that Aelin giving Chaol the ring back is Elain giving back the necklace to Azriel which is why Gwynriel is endgame and I have never rolled my eyes so hard before!!!!

A woman giving back a present that her endgame gave her because something happened in like the oldest trope in the literature.

"The Unhoneymooners" by Christina Lauren Olive Torres, the FMC, and Ethan Thomas, the MMC, are forced to go on a honeymoon together despite disliking each other at first. Throughout the story, Olive has moments of pushing back against Ethan’s gestures, including rejecting or giving back gifts, but eventually, the couple finds love and ends up together in the end.

"The Hating Game" by Sally Thorne In this enemies-to-lovers office romance, Lucy Hutton returns a gift from Joshua Templeman during a tense moment, symbolizing their antagonistic relationship. As they continue to clash and then grow closer, the couple eventually ends up together, overcoming the initial misunderstandings.

"Fifty Shades of Grey" by E.L. James Anastasia Steele, the FMC, and Christian Grey, the MMC, have a complex relationship full of power dynamics and emotional depth. At one point, Ana gives back a significant gift from Christian (a car) as she tries to regain control of her independence. Despite the challenges, they work through their issues and end up together.

"Beautiful Disaster" by Jamie McGuire In this new adult romance, Abby Abernathy and Travis Maddox have a fiery, tumultuous relationship. Abby returns gifts from Travis at certain points, especially when she’s unsure about her feelings and the direction of their relationship. But by the end of the book, they overcome their challenges and end up together.

"The Deal" by Elle Kennedy In this college romance, Hannah Wells is dealing with the trauma of her past while trying to navigate a fake relationship with Garrett Graham. Garrett gives her a gift, and at one point, she gives it back, signaling her reluctance to fully open up. However, as the story progresses, they both confront their issues, and they end up together in a heartfelt conclusion.

"The Rosie Project" by Graeme Simsion Don Tillman, the MMC, and Rosie Jarman, the FMC, develop an unconventional romance. Don gives Rosie a gift, and there’s a moment when she returns it, highlighting her own internal conflict. Despite their differences, they find their way to each other by the end of the book, embracing their unique relationship.

"Roomies" by Christina Lauren In this romance, Holland Bakker, the FMC, ends up in a fake marriage arrangement with Calvin McLoughlin, the MMC, to help his career. At one point, Holland rejects or gives back a gift from Calvin, signaling her inner turmoil. As they navigate their evolving feelings, they come to realize they love each other, and they end up together.

"Archer's Voice" by Mia Sheridan In this emotional romance, Bree Prescott, the FMC, returns a gift from Archer Hale, the MMC, as she tries to navigate her past and the complicated nature of their relationship. Their emotional journey is filled with misunderstandings, but they ultimately work through their issues and end up together.

You want more? Sure.

"Serpent & Dove" by Shelby Mahurin In this witchy romance, Louise "Lou" le Blanc, the FMC, is forced into a marriage with Reid Diggory, the MMC, as part of a larger conflict between witches and witch hunters. There are several moments where Lou rejects or gives back gifts from Reid due to her reluctance to trust him. However, by the end of the book and the series, their relationship has evolved, and they are together.

"The Bridge Kingdom" by Danielle L. Jensen Lara, the FMC, is sent to marry the MMC, Aren, in a political arrangement. Initially, Lara struggles with the idea of being with Aren, and there are moments where she rejects his gifts or gestures. Over time, she realizes she is falling for him, and their bond deepens. By the end of the book, they’re together, having overcome the tensions and secrets in their relationship.

"The Priory of the Orange Tree" by Samantha Shannon This epic fantasy involves multiple POVs and a slow-burn romance between Tané, a dragon-riding warrior, and various other characters. While the main focus is not solely on the romantic subplot, there are moments where Tané has to reckon with her feelings for those around her, including rejecting or giving back gifts from romantic interests. By the end of the book, characters find resolution and come together.

"The Bone Season" by Samantha Shannon Paige Mahoney, the FMC, and Warden, the MMC, have a complicated and tense relationship, with moments of rejection or emotional distance between them. Warden gives Paige a significant gift, and she must navigate whether or not to accept it. Despite the danger and conflict surrounding them, they end up together by the end of the series, with their relationship deepening.

"Wicked Saints" by Emily A. Duncan In this dark fantasy, Nadya, the FMC, has complicated relationships with the MMCs (Malachiasz and Serefin). While the romance is not the primary focus of the story, there are moments of rejection and emotional tension, including the return of gifts, as Nadya navigates the complex political and magical world around her. Eventually, the relationships evolve, and the couple(s) find resolution by the end.

"Kingdom of the Wicked" by Kerri Maniscalco Emilia, the FMC, and Wrath, the MMC, have a tumultuous romance, full of betrayal, magic, and dark secrets. Emilia returns or refuses gifts from Wrath at different points as she questions his motives and struggles with her feelings for him. The couple works through their emotional struggles and their complex relationship, eventually ending up together by the end of the book.

"The Wrath & the Dawn" by Renée Ahdieh

Premise: This is a retelling of One Thousand and One Nights, where Shahrzad volunteers to marry the Caliph, Khalid, after he’s been executing brides every night. Their relationship is full of tension, with Shahrzad initially rejecting the Caliph’s advances and gifts due to her quest for revenge. Over time, they unravel each other's secrets and develop a deep bond. Despite the dark start, they end up together after overcoming various challenges.

2. "The Queen of the Tearling" by Erika Johansen

Premise: Kelsea Glynn, the FMC, ascends to the throne of a kingdom in turmoil, facing both external threats and her own internal struggles. One of the key romantic subplots is her growing relationship with the Red Queen's former guard, who is a complicated figure in Kelsea’s life. Throughout the book, Kelsea rejects or is uncertain about gifts and gestures, but as the series progresses, the romance develops in parallel with her political challenges, and the couple ultimately finds each other.

3. "Court of Midnight and Deception" by Madeline Martin

Premise: This is a fantasy romance where Lady Rosalind is thrust into the world of court politics and magic when she becomes entangled with Prince Darius, the MMC. As they navigate betrayal and deception, Rosalind struggles with trust, rejecting gifts and gestures from Darius. However, through their shared experiences and growth, they eventually come to be together, realizing their love and commitment.

4. "The Gilded Wolves" by Roshani Chokshi

Premise: Set in a lush alternate history of Paris, this novel follows a group of thieves and scholars, including the main characters, Severin and Laila. There’s a complex romantic tension between Severin and Laila, with some moments where Laila is hesitant to accept his advances or gifts due to her own emotional barriers. The romance evolves as they face personal challenges and unravel a mystery together, with a slow-burn romance that culminates in their union.

5. "The Poppy War" by R.F. Kuang

Premise: While not primarily a romance, The Poppy War features a slow-burn romance between Rin, the FMC, and Altan, a fellow soldier with his own tragic backstory. There are moments where Rin struggles with trusting Altan, rejecting his attempts at gifts or emotional connection, especially as she comes into her power. Their complicated relationship is central to the story, and though the series is brutal, they share a bond that lasts through the turmoil.

6. "A Curse So Dark and Lonely" by Brigid Kemmerer

Premise: This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling where Harper, a modern-day girl, is pulled into the world of Emberfall and meets Prince Rhen. The relationship between Harper and Rhen is tense at first, and there are moments where she is resistant to his attempts at affection, even rejecting gifts. However, as they face the challenges of breaking the curse that holds Rhen’s kingdom in a cycle of repetition, their bond deepens, and they ultimately end up together.

7. "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

Premise: Set in a brutal, militarized world inspired by ancient Rome, An Ember in the Ashes follows Laia, a slave, and Elias, a soldier, as they both navigate a dangerous and oppressive regime. There’s a romance that develops between them, with moments of distance and hesitation, particularly when Laia is unsure whether she can trust Elias. They grow closer through their shared struggle for freedom, and despite many hardships, they end up together.

8. "The Hundredth Queen" by Emily R. King

Premise: This fantasy romance features a young woman named Kalinda, who is chosen to be the Hundredth Queen in a kingdom ruled by a tyrant. Kalinda develops a relationship with the king’s general, who initially gives her gifts and treats her with care. There are moments of tension as she navigates her growing feelings for him, but through political intrigue and magical challenges, Kalinda and the general end up together in the end, facing a united future.

9. "Sky in the Deep" by Adrienne Young

Premise: In this Viking-inspired world, the FMC, Eelyn, is a fierce warrior who is forced to fight alongside her enemy clan after her brother’s death. Fiske, the MMC, is from the enemy clan, and while they initially fight each other, their relationship grows through shared experiences and battles. There are moments where Eelyn is resistant to Fiske's attempts at affection or gifts due to their history, but as they learn to trust each other, they ultimately end up together.

10. "Wicked Saints" by Emily A. Duncan

Premise: This dark fantasy novel follows Nadya, a cleric with the power to speak to the gods, and her complex relationship with Malachiasz, a prince with his own dark secrets. There are moments of mistrust, and Nadya gives back gifts or refuses Malachiasz's advances because of their fraught relationship. Despite the political and magical conflicts, they find love and understanding, ending up together despite the odds.

Additional books?

The Love Hypothesis" by Ali Hazelwood

The Kiss Quotient" by Helen Hoang

"The Duke and I" by Julia Quinn 

I think you get the point. Elriel aren't breaking up.

Not to mention, Miss Nesta Archeron rejected Cassian's gift and look at them now!

[alexlacquemanne]

Romola in The Hour appreciation: 7/12

Romola Garaï as Bel Rowley (2011-2012) : Season 2 Episode 1

Director of photography : David Luther

[milliondollarbaby87]

Saltburn (2023) Review

When Oliver Quick starts studying at Oxford University he is a total outsider and looked down on for not being part of the aristocratic world. He is drawn towards a charismatic classmate named Felix Catton and everything would change during his summer at Saltburn. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Continue reading Untitled

[ninja-muse]

2025 Release TBR

🏳️‍🌈 - queer MC     🇨🇦 - Canadian author    ⭐️ - BIPOC MC ���� - have an ARC bold - new added

The Songbird - Stacy Lynn Miller (historical fiction) - January 7

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear - Seanan McGuire (fantasy) - January 7

Rebellious Grace - Jeri Westerson (historical mystery) 🏳️‍🌈 - January 7

The Betrayal of Thomas True - A.J. West (historical mystery) 🏳️‍🌈 - January 14

An African History of Africa - Zeinab Badawi (history) ⭐️ - January 14

Haunting and Homicide - Ava Burke (cozy mystery/urban fantasy) - January 21

Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales - Heather Fawcett (fantasy) 🇨🇦 - February 11

Upon a Starlit Tide - Kell Woods (fantasy) - February 18

Wooing the Witch Queen - Stephanie Burgis (romantasy) - February 18

Greenteeth - Molly O’Neill (fantasy) 🏳️‍🌈 - February 25

The Amber Owl - Juliet Marillier (fantasy) - February 25

Once Was Willem - M.R. Carey (historical fantasy) - March 4

The Boxcar Librarian - Brianna Labuskes (historical fiction) - March 4

May Contain Murder - Orlando Murrin (cozy mystery) 🏳️‍🌈 - March 11

The Tomb of Dragons - Katherine Addison (fantasy/mystery) 🏳️‍🌈 - March 11

Installment Immortality - Seanan McGuire (urban fantasy) - March 11

The Duke at Hazard - KJ Charles (historical romance) 🏳️‍🌈 - March 11

Malinalli - Veronica Chapa (historical fiction) ⭐️ 📘- March 11

Alterations - Kate Maruyama (historical fiction) ⭐️ - March 11

What Wakes the Bells - Elle Tesch (YA fantasy) 🇨🇦 - March 11

A Gentleman's Gentleman - TJ Alexander (historical romance) 🏳️‍🌈 - March 11

Love and Other Paradoxes - Catriona Silvey (time travel/romance) 📘- March 11 NDF

The Hymn to Dionysus - Natasha Pulley (fantasy/retelling) 🏳️‍🌈 - March 18

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter - Stephan Graham Jones (horror)⭐️ - March 18

The Mesopotamian Riddle - Joshua Hammer (history) - March 18

Aunt Tigress - Emily Yu-Xuan Qin (contemporary fantasy) 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈 - March 25

Murder by Memory - Olivia Waite (cozy science fiction/mystery) 🏳️‍🌈 - March 18

The Chow Maniac - Vivien Chien (cozy mystery) ⭐️ - April 1

Direct Descendant - Tanya Huff (cozy fantasy/horror) 🇨🇦 🏳️‍🌈 - April 1

Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) - Jesse Q. Sutanto (cozy mystery) ⭐️ - April 1

The Ashfire King - Chelsea Abdullah (fantasy) ⭐️ - April 15

Saga, Vol. 12 - Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (graphic science fiction) 🇨🇦 - April 15

Great Big Beautiful Life - Emily Henry (contemporary romance) - April 22

The Lilac People - Milo Todd (historical fiction) 🏳️‍🌈 - April 29

Overgrowth - Mira Grant (science fiction/horror) - May 6

Austen at Sea - Natalie Jenner (historical fiction) 🇨🇦 - May 6

The Country Under Heaven - Frederic S. Durbin (weird western) - May 13

Strange New World - Vivian Shaw (urban fantasy) - May 20

Baking Across America - B. Dylan Hollis (cookbook) 🏳️‍🌈 - May 20

Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Except Me) - Django Wexler (fantasy) 🏳️‍🌈 - May 27

The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association - Caitlin Rozakis (comic fantasy) - May 27

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil - V.E. Schwab (horror/fantasy) 🏳️‍🌈 - June 10

Amelia if Only - Becky Albertalli (YA contemporary romance) 🏳️‍🌈 - June 10

The Mercy Makers - Tessa Gratton (fantasy) - June 17

A Far Better Thing - H.G. Parry (historical fantasy) - June 17

The Rushworth Family Plot - Claudia Gray (historical mystery) - June 17

Stone and Sky - Ben Aaronovitch (urban fantasy) ⭐️ - July 8

The Frozen People - Elly Griffiths (science fiction/mystery) - July 8

Algospeak - Adam Aleksic (linguistics) - July 15

Mayhem at a Halloween Wedding - Emmeline Duncan (cozy mystery) - July 29

Automatic Noodle - Annalee Newitz (cozy science fiction) - August 5

The Magician of Tiger Castle - Louis Sachar (fantasy) - August 5

Hemlock and Silver - T. Kingfisher (fantasy) - August 19

Katabasis - R.F. Kuang (dark academia/fantasy) - August 26

Boudicca’s Daughter - Elodie Harper (historical fiction) - August 28

Hot Wax - M.L. Rio (fiction) - September 9

The Haunting of William Thorn - Ben Alderton (gothic horror) 🏳️‍🌈 - September 9

A Tangle in Time - Josiah Bancroft (steampunk/mystery) - September 9

Lady Like - Mackenzi Lee (historical romance) 🏳️‍🌈- September 9

The Summer War - Naomi Novik (fantasy) - September 16

Audition for the Fox - Martin Cahill (fantasy) - September 16

Replaceable You - Mary Roach (science) - September 16

Ladies in Hating - Alexandra Vasti (historical romance) 🏳️‍🌈 - September 25

The Gnomes of Lychford - Paul Cornell (contemporary fantasy) - September 25

What Stalks the Deep - T. Kingfisher (horror) 🏳️‍🌈 - September 30

Silver and Lead - Seanan McGuire (urban fantasy) - September 30

Cinder House - Freya Marske (horror/retelling) 🏳️‍🌈 - October 7

The Bakery Dragon and the Fairy Cake - Devin Elle Kurtz (cozy fantasy/picture book) - October 7

He’s So Possessed With Me - Corey Liu (YA horror) 🏳️‍🌈 🇨🇦 - October 14

The Isle in the Silver Sea - Tasha Suri (romantasy) 🏳️‍🌈 - October 21

The Everlasting - Alix E. Harrow (fantasy) - October 25

The Keeper of Magical Things - Julie Leong (cozy fantasy) ⭐️ - November 4

Brigands and Breadknives - Travis Baldree (cozy fantasy) - November 11

Audrey Lane Stirs the Pot - Alexis Hall (contemporary romance) 🏳️‍🌈 - December 9

[oceanusborealis]

The Gentlemen: Refined Aggression – TV Review

TL;DR – This was a weird, odd, yet profoundly compelling opening to a series.   ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4 out of 5. Disclosure – I paid for the Netflix service that viewed this series. The Gentlemen Review – It wasn’t all that long ago that I sat down to watch a truly bonkers yet very rough film called The Gentlemen. I hadn’t thought in a while, but as I was watching, snippets came back to me, and I…

[writing-for-life]

The Ultimate Sandman Character Tag List!

I recently published a tag list for all female Sandman characters I have written about or posted art for (I’ve just added to it and tidied it up. The tags auto-update, so feel free to bookmark it if you want to stay in the loop about the Sandwomen), which made me think:

Why not do that for all the characters for quick reference?

So if you’re interested in one particular character, you can just quickly go to their tag on my blog. These are character tags, so you’ll find anything from metas to fics/poetry and art in no particular order. If you are looking for something more specific, please have a look at my pinned post.

I will not pretend I wrote and posted equally for all of them (some might just have one entry), and a few are missing (I’ll add tags when applicable). But right now, I have roundabout 100 Sandman characters waiting to get explored, and existing tags will auto-update whenever something new gets added, so feel free to bookmark this post.

I tag pretty consistently (some characters have two tags because I initially didn’t 🙈), but the odd one might slip through and float around on my blog without being tagged; you can also try to use the search function on my blog.

So without further ado, here they are (and now I’ll need to lie down):

The Endless

Destiny

Death

Dream (Morpheus only | Daniel only)

Destruction

Desire

Despair

Delirium/Delight

Dream’s Lovers

(Yes, they get their own space for quick reference)

Alianora

Calliope

Killalla

Nada

Thessaly

Titania

Denizens of the Dreaming

Brute and Glob

Cain and Abel (Cain here, Abel here)

The Corinthian

The Cuckoo

Eve

The Fashion Thing

Fiddler’s Green/Gilbert

Gault

Goldie

Gregory

Guardians of the Gate/Gatekeepers

Jessamy

Lucien (comics)

Lucienne (Netflix)

Martin Tenbones

Matthew the Raven

Mervyn Pumpkinhead

Gods, Demons and (Fallen) Angels

Azazel

Bast

Beelzebub

Duma

The Fates (Furies, Kindly Ones, Hecateae etc)

Hades

Ishtar

Loki

Lucifer Morningstar

Mazikeen

The Creator/Presence and Glory

Persephone

Remiel

Fae

Auberon

Cluracan

Nuala

Immortals and Long-Lived Humans

Bhartari

Hob Gadling

Mad Hettie

Orpheus

Mortal Beings and Humans

Alex Burgess

Augustus

Barbie

Barnaby Farrell (Uncle Barnaby)

Bette Munroe

Carl/Carla

Chantal

Clarice Farrell (Aunt Clarice)

Ethel Cripps

Foxglove (Donna Cavanagh)

Funland (I hit the 100 link limit, just type “funland” in my blog search)

Garry Fletcher

Gwen

Hal Carter

Hazel McNamara

Hector Hall

Hope Beautiful Lost Nebula

Jed Walker

John Constantine (Comics)

Judy Talbot

Kate Fletcher

Lady Johanna Constantine (Comics)

Modern Johanna Constantine (Netflix)

John Dee

John Hathaway

Joshua A. Norton/Emperor Norton

Ken (I hit the 100 link limit, just type “ken then sandman” in my blog search)

Lyta Hall

Marco Polo

Nimrod (I hit the 100 link limit, just type “nimrod” in my blog search)

Paul McGuire

Philip Sitz (I hit the 100 link limit, just type “philip sitz” in my blog search)

Prez Rickard

Rachel Moodie

Richard Madoc

Roderick Burgess

Rosemary

Rose Walker

Ruby

Unity Kinkaid

Wanda

Wesley Dodds

William Shakespeare

Zelda

Other

Barnabas

Night

Time

[blackinperiodfilms]

Blitz — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

A boy’s journey. A mother’s love. Miles of burning city between them.

Sir Steve McQueen’s “Blitz” follows the epic journey of George (Elliott Heffernan), a 9-year-old boy in World War II London whose mother Rita (Saoirse Ronan) sends him to safety in the English countryside. George, defiant and determined to return home to his mom and his grandfather Gerald (Paul Weller) in East London, embarks on an adventure, only to find himself in immense peril, while a distraught Rita searches for her missing son.

Written and directed by Academy and BAFTA Award-winning McQueen, the film stars Academy and BAFTA Award nominee Ronan and newcomer Heffernan, with Harris Dickinson, Benjamin Clementine, Kathy Burke, Paul Weller, Stephen Graham, Leigh Gill, Mica Ricketts, CJ Beckford, Alex Jennings, Joshua McGuire, Hayley Squires, Erin Kellyman and Sally Messham rounding out the cast.

In select theaters November 1, streaming on Apple TV+ November 22.

[book--brackets]

Once & Future by Kieron Gillan (2019-2022)

When a group of Nationalists use an ancient artifact to bring a villain from Arthurian myth back from the dead to gain power, ex-monster hunter Bridgette McGuire escapes her retirement home and pulls her unsuspecting grandson Duncan, a museum curator, into a world of magic and mysticism to defeat a legendary threat.

Ashtown Burials by N. D. Wilson (2011-2013)

For two years, Cyrus and Antigone Smith have run a sagging roadside motel with their older brother, Daniel. Nothing ever seems to happen. Then a strange old man with bone tattoos arrives, demanding a specific room. 

Less than 24 hours later, the old man is dead. The motel has burned, and Daniel is missing. And Cyrus and Antigone are kneeling in a crowded hall, swearing an oath to an order of explorers who have long served as caretakers of the world's secrets, keepers of powerful relics from lost civilizations, and jailers to unkillable criminals who have terrorized the world for millennia.

Zachary Ying by Xiran Jay Zhao (2022)

12-year-old Zack never had many opportunities to learn about his Chinese heritage. His single mom was busy enough making sure they got by, and his schools never taught anything except Western history and myths. So Zack is woefully unprepared when he discovers he was born to host the spirit of the First Emperor of China for a vital mission: sealing the leaking portal to the Chinese underworld before the upcoming Ghost Month blows it wide open. 

The mission takes an immediate wrong turn when the First Emperor botches his attempt to possess Zack’s body and binds to Zack’s AR gaming headset instead, leading to a battle where Zack’s mom’s soul gets taken by demons. Now, with one of history’s most infamous tyrants yapping in his headset, Zack must journey across China to heist magical artifacts and defeat figures from history and myth, all while learning to wield the emperor’s incredible water dragon powers. 

And if Zack can’t finish the mission in time, the spirits of the underworld will flood into the mortal realm, and he could lose his mom forever.

Lady Sally's by Spider Robinson (1989-1992)

Wife of time traveling bartender Mike Callahan, and employer of some of the most unusual and talented performing artists ever to work in the field of hedonic interface, Her Ladyship has designed her House to be an "equal opportunity enjoyer," discreetly, tastefully and joyfully catering to all erotic tastes and fantasies, however unusual. Like her famous husband, Lady Sally doesn't even insist that her customers be "human."..as long as they have good manners.

Small wonder, then, that she and her staff encounter beings as unique and memorable as the superhuman Colt, whose banner never, ever flags...Diana, the deadly dominatrix who "cannot" be disobeyed...Tony Donuts, the moronic man-monster even the Mafia doesn't want to mess with...or Charles, the werewolf with a distinct difference...

Thomas the Rhymer by Ellen Kushner (1990)

A minstrel lives by his words, his tunes, and sometimes by his lies. But when the bold and gifted young Thomas the Rhymer awakens the desire of the powerful Queen of Elfland, he finds that words are not enough to keep him from his fate. As the Queen sweeps him far from the people he has known and loved into her realm of magic, opulence--and captivity--he learns at last what it is to be truly human. When he returns to his home with the Queen's parting gift, his great task will be to seek out the girl he loved and wronged, and offer her at last the tongue that cannot lie.

Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz (2013)

Be careful what you believe in.Rudy's life is flipped upside-down when his family moves to a remote island in a last attempt to save his sick younger brother. With nothing to do but worry, Rudy sinks deeper and deeper into loneliness and lies awake at night listening to the screams of the ocean beneath his family's rickety house.Then he meets Diana, who makes him wonder what he even knows about love, and Teeth, who makes him question what he knows about anything. Rudy can't remember the last time he felt so connected to someone, but being friends with Teeth is more than a little bit complicated. He soon learns that Teeth has terrible secrets. Violent secrets. Secrets that will force Rudy to choose between his own happiness and his brother's life.

SERRAted Edge by Mercedes Lackey (1992-2020)

Seeking to make their fortunes in human society, the elves of the underworld involve themselves in stock car racing, child pornography, and worse, and three runaway kids find themselves in a heap of trouble.

The Summer Dragon by Todd Lockwood (2016)

Maia and her family raise dragons for the political war machine. As she comes of age, she hopes for a dragon of her own to add to the stable of breeding parents. But the war goes badly, and the needs of the Dragonry dash her hopes. Her peaceful life is shattered when the Summer Dragon—one of the rare and mythical High Dragons—makes an appearance in her quiet valley. The Summer Dragon is an omen of change, but no one knows for certain what kind of change he augurs. Political factions vie to control the implied message, each to further their own agendas.

And so Maia is swept into an adventure that pits her against the deathless Horrors—thralls of the enemy—and a faceless creature drawn from her fears. In her fight to preserve everything she knows and loves, she uncovers secrets that challenge her understanding of her world and of herself.

Klaus by Grant Morrison (2016-2019)

Set in a dark fantastic past of myth and magic, Klaus tells the origin story of Santa Claus. It's the tale of one man and his wolf against a totalitarian state and the ancient evil that sustains it. 

Birthright by Joshua Williamson (2014-2021)

For the Rhodes family, losing their son was the most devastating thing that could have occurred...but it couldn't prepare them for what happened when he returned.

[thoughtportal]

All the books I read in 2024

Felicity -by Joyce Y. Ng Pacific Dream -by Vincent Lau Memento Amoris - by Anya Martin SACRED BODIES - by VER Here Be Monsters Bones In Fair Verona - by Val Wise by Val Wise Leaf Litter - Jarod K Anderson A Taste of Life - Sara Paretsky Autism Is Not a Disease: The Politics of Neurodiversity - Jodie Hare Love, Pamela - by Pamela Anderson read by Pamela Anderson Cat Pictures Please - by Naomi Kritzer How to Hide an Empire - by Daniel Immerwahr read by Luis Moreno It Eats What Feeds It Vol. 1 - by Max Hoven, Aaron Crow illustrated by Gabriel Iumazark The Mushroom at the End of the World Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing Three Rocks: The Story of Ernie Bushmiller: The Man Who Created Nancy - by Bill Griffith illustrated by Bill Griffith Palestine - by Joe Sacco illustrated by Joe Sacco An Age Of License - by Lucy Knisley illustrated by Lucy Knisley Disquiet - by Noah Van Sciver illustrated by Noah Van Sciver Collapse - by Vladislav M. Zubok read by David De Vries The Mere Future - by Sarah Schulman Postcards From Congo - by Edmund Trueman The Night Eaters #1: She Eats the Night - by Marjorie Liu illustrated by Sana Takeda The Night Eaters Book 2: Her Little Reapers - by Marjorie Liu illustrated by Sana Takeda Bandit - by Molly Brodak Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio - by Derf Backderf illustrated by Derf Backderf Womb City - by Tlotlo Tsamaase From Conflict to Community - by Gwendolyn Olton Ephemera: A Memoir - by Briana Loewinsohn illustrated by Briana Loewinsohn This Country: Searching for Home in (Very) Rural America - by Navied Mahdavian illustrated - by Navied Mahdavian Misnatched - By Anne Camlin Illustrated by Isadora Zeferino 12 Rules for Strife - Jedd Sparrow and Sam Wallman Legalization Nation - Brian Box Brown My Monster Girlfriend - Smut Peddler All the Violet Tiaras - Jean Menzies Here - Richard McGuire Far Distant - A Liang Chan Spores - Joshua Barkman Taproot -Keezy Young Dreamtoons - Jesse Reklaw Stages of Rot - Linnea Sterte