#just ignore that my TBR is super full right now

[ramblingandpie]

She also went to the bookstore and picked up my Surprise Pre-Order!!!

(When I see a book for pre-order and I want it I email our local bookstore with ZERO idea of when the book is actually coming out and then promptly forget about it so I can surprise myself. Highly recommend! It's enrichment for my enclosure!)

I Am An Adult Who Can Be Trusted To Go Alone To The Library And Not Return With Even More Books (and other lies I tell myself)

[alexsfictionaddiction]

Alex Recommends: May and June Books

I must apologise for the late arrival of this post. It should have been up days ago but I’ve been struggling to read much for the last month or so. My head has been very foggy and dark with all of the confusion, anxiety and hate that has been filling my news feeds and I’ve been filled with a desire to combat it. Before this month, I’d have run in the opposite direction from any kind of confrontation but recent events have given me the kick up the butt to actively do better. I’ve been calling out bigotry when I come across it and I’ve noticed that some people, notably my older relatives, haven’t necessarily reacted favorably to the changed, more outspoken Alex. It has been pretty daunting and I’ve worked myself up into fits of rage and tears several times over the last couple of months.

A lot of things have changed for me since my last Alex Recommends post. I’m currently temporarily living in Staffordshire with my boyfriend because my depression got too bad for me to stay at home for much longer. I missed him unbelievably much and I knew that spending some prolonged time with him would help -and it has. Both him and I have spent 12 weeks religiously following all of the rules, so we’re both extremely low-risk for catching and spreading COVID-19 and being together was something that we simply really needed to do. Please don’t hate me for it! In other news, I have also started writing again, which feels amazing. I’m now a few thousand words into a queer Rapunzel retelling that I have lots of ideas for. Maybe I’ll even post an extract or two, when I feel it’s ready to show you.

In the centre of the renewed energy of Black Lives Matter and the undeniable exposure of the horrors that is police brutality, the book blogging and BookTube worlds vowed to uplift Black voices. I wrote a very long, in-depth blog post full of Black-written books and Black book influencers. Please check it out to diversify your TBR and educate yourself on Black issues, which is what every white person should be doing now and always.

June was Pride Month and I tried my best to compile a series of recommendation posts in honour of it. These included gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, ace, pansexual and intersex lists. I’ve had some great feedback on this, so I hope you find some fantastic new reads. It felt especially poignant to put them together the same year that one of my childhood heroes came out as an ignorant trans-exclusive feminist. As a lifelong Harry Potter superfan and someone who has repeatedly publicly supported Rowling in the past, I feel the need to clarify where I now stand. I do not support or agree with a single thing that she has said in recent times with regard to transgender people. I’ve never felt my own status as a cisgender female threatened by trans people wanting more rights or believed that children or women were at risk due to their existence. 

I read her words more than once and struggled to find any semblance of the woman who wrote the books that have most defined my life. I’m hesitant to say that we can always successfully separate the art from the artist but I will say that it makes sense to me that the Rowling of 2020 is not the same Rowling that wrote Harry Potter. She was a destitute single mother when Philosopher’s Stone was published in 1997 and of course, she is now a million worlds away from that lifestyle. It breaks my heart but it makes sense to me that she has changed beyond belief because her life has changed beyond belief. I’m not and never would make any excuses for her recent behaviour and I have stopped supporting her personally but I will not be getting rid of my Harry Potter books and I will undoubtedly re-read them several more times. However, I am now hugely reluctant to buy any more merchandise or special editions of the books, which saddens me but at the moment, it feels right. There is no coming back for her from this and I will make a conscious effort to keep Harry Potter and Rowling away from my future content. It can be really tough to admit that the people you once really admired aren’t great humans but it’s something that we all have to acknowledge in this case, in order to move forward with our own quests to become our best selves.

It didn’t feel right to post my May recommendations last month as I didn’t feel comfortable promoting my own content in the midst of boosting Black voices. So today I’m bringing you a bumper edition of Alex Recommends. Here are 10 books that I’ve enjoyed since the start of May that I’d love to share with you. Enjoy! -Love, Alex x

FICTION: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Set in the affluent neighbourhood of Shaker Heights, Ohio in the 1990s, two families are brought together and pulled apart by the most intense, devastating circumstances. Dealing with issues of race, class, coming-of-age, motherhood and the dangers of perfection, Little Fires Everywhere is highly addictive and effecting. With characters who are so heartbreakingly real and a story that weaves its way to your very core, I couldn’t put it down and I’m still thinking about it over a month after finishing it. 

FICTION: Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

When coding nerd Chloe Brown almost dies, she makes a list of goals and vows to finally Get A Life. So she enlists tattooed redhead handyman and biker Red to teach her how. Cute, funny and ultimately life-affirming, this enemies-to-lovers rom-com was exactly the brand of light relief that I needed this month. The follow-up Take A Hint, Dani Brown focuses on a fake-dating situation with Chloe’s over-achieving academic sister and I can’t wait to get my hands on that.

FICTION: The Rearranged Life of Oona Lockhart by Margarita Montimore

Just before her 19th birthday at midnight on New Year’s Eve 1983, Oona Lockhart finds herself inexplicably in 2015 inside her 51-year-old body. She soon learns that every year on New Year’s Day, she will now find herself inside a random year of her life and she has no control over it. Seeing her through relationships, friendships and extreme wealth, this strange novel has echoes of Back To The Future and 13 Going On 30 with a final revelation that I certainly never saw coming.

NON-FICTION: The Five by Hallie Rubenhold

Atmospheric and engaging, The Five details the previously untold stories of Polly, Annie, Elisabeth, Kate and Mary-Jane -the women who lost their lives at the hands of Jack the Ripper. Full of fascinating research and heartbreaking accounts of what these women’s lives may have been like, Rubenhold paints a dark immersive portrait of Victorian London and gives voice to these tragic silenced lives. Although we can’t know for certain if these accounts are entirely accurate, they feel very plausible and in some ways, The Five exposes how little time has moved on, when it comes to the public portrayal of single, troubled women.

NON-FICTION: Unicorn by Amrou Al-Kadhi

From a childhood crush on Macaulay Culkin to how a teenage obsession with marine biology helped them realise their non-binary identity, Unicorn tells the story of how the obsessive perfectionist son of a strict Muslim Iraqi family became the gorgeous drag queen Glamrou. Packed full of humour, honesty and heart, this book will give you the strength and inspiration to harness what you were born with and be who you were always meant to be.

MIDDLE-GRADE: The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates by Jenny Pearson

When fact-obsessed Freddie’s grandmother dies, he discovers that the father he has never met may actually be alive and living in Wales. So he has no choice but to grab his best friends Ben and Charlie, leave his home in Andover and go to find his dad! I laughed so many times during this madcap adventure and I know the slapstick crazy humour will hit the middle-grade target audience just right. It’s also a wonderful depiction of small town Britain with a focus on the true meaning of family.

MIDDLE-GRADE: A Kind Of Spark by Elle McNicoll

When Addie learns about her hometown’s history of witch trials, she campaigns tirelessly to get a memorial for the women who lost their lives through it. This wonderfully beautiful novel gives a unique insight into the mind of an 11-year-old autistic girl with a huge heart. Busting myths about neurodiversity while tackling typical pre-teen drama, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry but most of all, you’ll close the book with a huge smile on your face. 

HISTORICAL FICTION: Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell

In 16th century Warwickshire, Agnes is a woman with a unique gift whose relationship with a young Latin tutor produces three children and a legacy that lasts for centuries. This enchanting, all-consuming account of the tragic story of Shakespeare’s lost son, the effects that rippled through the family and the play that was born from their pain will send a bullet straight through your heart. Wonderfully researched and beautifully written, Hamnet is worth all of the hype.

HISTORICAL FICTION: The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

When a vicious storm kills most of the men of Vardø, Norway, it’s up to the women to keep things going but a man with a murderous past is about to come down with an iron fist. At the heart of this dark tale of witch trials, grief and feminism, two women find something they’ve each been searching for within each other. Gorgeously written with a fantastically slow-burning queer romance, Kiran Millwood Hargrave’s first adult novel is an addictive, atmospheric read with a poignant, tearjerker of an ending.

SCI-FI: Q by Christina Dalcher

When one of Elena’s daughters manages to drop below the country’s desired Q number, she is sent away to one of the new state schools and Elena is about to find out something she’d really rather not know about the new system. Packed full of real social commentary and critique of life as we know it while painting a picture of how things could be even worse (yes, really!), this pulse-racing, horrifying sci-fi dystopian gripped me from the first page and refused to let me go. 

[neonnhoney-rec]

Kim Seokjin

Here are a few jin recs, most of them I've read and love, some are in my TBR. Tbh most of them are smut, but some are fluff and angst mostly angst. I will keep updating this woop woop.

I hope you enjoy tehee!

urs- @floralseokjin

first time with jin

seokjin’s been dreaming of this moment for so long… 

what 2 do- @floralseokjin

what happens when the college roommate you thought was definitely going to be girl turns out to be the most gorgeous guy you’ve ever encountered in all your years of life? It’s a stupid misunderstanding on your part, but maybe, just maybe, it won’t be so bad after all…

corrupting oppa- @tayegi

you find out jin’s a virgin after watching a sex scene, and you’re about to change that

the pretending- @tayegi

jin’s in heat and he wants you to give a helping hand

a helping hand- @jjungkookislife

two old friends at a party, drunk, only one thing can happen really, let’s be honest

teach me- @kingsuckjin

Your reputation was no secret in school even before you hit eighteen and nineteen. You were trouble and everyone knew it, you weren’t about to ease up with the final few months left either, you were going to go full force. You wanted one good last big stunt to pull before the end of the year, your last year. Only one thing could top the things you’ve done, you were going to have sex with the hottest teacher in your school.

burden- @neonlights92

After the death of his wife during childbirth Kim Seokjin is unable to hold his baby daughter without grief taking control. Just three weeks after the love of his life is taken from him so suddenly, Jin is expected to marry somebody new.

You are foolish and have spent your whole life pining after Kim Seokjin from afar, even after he marries your best friend, Seul.  But suddenly Seul is gone and you are expected to marry Jin and raise his child. You know your heart is already in it, but what about his?

I though I was alone @aroseforyoongi

On the day your boyfriend cheats on you, Seokjin is there to provide comfort and some greatly needed affection. He is the perfect roommate and friend. Always patient and willing to lend an ear. It is then, when you’re with him, that you realize that maybe you want more

slayer: only human- @gimmeyoon

Being the Slayer is not how you imagined spending your life, let alone your first year in college. You try to keep it together, but when an empath demon rolls into town you can’t help but vent to him. Now he knows exactly what makes the Slayer tick.

my last- @imsarabum

Jin smut where it’s your first time and they’re loving to you and you had doubts and you were nervous

club zombie- @floralseokjin

In a world overrun by zombies, you’d think everyone was a goner, but the reality is much different. A steady diet of brains lets a zombie exist as a fully functioning human. Just ignore the part where they’re technically dead… In fact, these days, the amount of zombies outweigh the humans. A lot jump at the chance to be turned. Beg for it. 

Kim Seokjin controls the underground of Seoul. No one would dare cross him. That’s how most of the world goes these days. You wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of a zombie now, would you? However, you don’t quite see it like that. Spending most nights dancing at the club he owns, you catch his eye. It’s never the wrong side if you’re underneath him, right…?

insatiable- @heartbeatan

The mortal man with a broken heart and confidence. You, a succubus, donned with the task of restoring both.

the medical man- @call-me-bha

It was no surprise to anyone who knew Dr. Kim that he was the fantasy of many women, even the ones who weren’t his patients. His talents were known all across the city and you were no exception to the list of “fans” he had

a little slice of heaven- @alittlesugaorspice

You have been out of a job for a while until an ad caught your eye in the paper. After that, everything had quickly changed with the addition of a handsome CEO and six, quirky, kids in your life

roomie- @hobibliophile

When you first moved in with Jin, you thought you had hit the roommate jackpot. Turns out, living in the same apartment with this gorgeous man is a lot harder than you thought it’d be. He didn’t do anything wrong, and neither did you. It’s just this pesky thing called sexual tension.

base to base- @randombtsprincessa

You reminisce about your relationship with your boyfriend over the course of four bases.

hazy- @yoonia

Jin + “You have no idea what you have gotten yourself into.”+ Pub au

peach parfait- @jamaisjoons

you and seokjin have always been at odds as the top two chefs at big hit academy of culinary arts. enemies to lovers au

the stranger @btssmutgalore

When your plane hits turbulence, you start panicking and tell some of your biggest secrets to the attractive stranger sitting next to you.

washing machine- @btssmutgalore

Jin shows you another way to use the old washing machine.

off limits @floralseokjin

you’ve been lusting after your brother’s best friend for a while now, ever since you met him at a house party, flirting it up a storm as you failed to realise who the other was. That was months ago now and things are still awkward, but you can’t ignore the sexual tension that’s simmers between the two of you…and it keeps getting worse…

father of six (wolf pups that is)- @army-author

There are rumours going around our school about a pack of werewolves that live close by. Of course, I don’t believe it, but you have been acting kind of weird lately…

currents- @yeoldontknow

Jin thinks he’s loved you since the moment he saw you, back when you were teenagers; Jin knows he’s been in love with you, the soul burning kind of love, since he saw you on your wedding day. He doesn’t mind that you don’t reciprocate on his level, he’s just happy to show you he cares. Until one day, he simply can’t anymore. Until one day, you realize you need to show him you care, too.

petals- @bloomsuga

After a tense conversation the previous day leaves you unsure of your relationship status, your boyfriend, flower shop owner and single dad, Kim Seokjin, finds an unprecedented way to make it up to you…

sharing is caring- @littlemisskookie

Jin graciously decides to loan you to handsome Park Jimin for the night.

perfect- @btssmutgalore

Your roommate seems to have it all - great grades, amazing friends, good job, beautiful girlfriend. However, after a bad breakup and a long recovery, you realize there’s one thing he’s missing

lovely little mess- @guksheart

telling seokjin of your pregnancy should not be so daunting, but you keep it hidden from him as long as you can—at least until you are sitting with him in a bathtub and the secret comes spilling out. (expecting parents au)

London calling- @talie98

Camera operator Rory James thinks she is going to another filmmaking conference. Everything changes when she gets on the same plane with Kim Seok-jin. 

daydream- @dom-joonie

Your literature professor has a bit of a…gift. A gift that let’s him see other peoples thoughts when he wants to. And despite the fact that he warns his class openly about this gift, one day you forget, and find yourself in a bit of pickle when Kim Seokjin reads your mind, and finds you imagining some not so school appropriate scenarios…involving him.

sexploration- a little tied- @joopiterjoon

sub jin get’s a little tied up

a kiss of marble- @jinpire (kimtrain ao3)

His gaze trails down your nose and lingers on your lips, before falling to the curve of your neck and the tiny bend of your shoulder visible above your t-shirt, the attention so acute and suggestive that it feels like a tangible brush on your skin. “Hmm… I’ve got a few ideas.” [Vampire!Seokjin, donor! reader]

lost control- @floralseokjin

you’ve always wondered what it would feel like to take control in the bedroom for once and Seokjin’s more than happy to let you do as you please…

sunrise- @ironicarmy

During the trip to his parent’s lakehouse, you and Jin decide it is now the perfect time to Marvin Gaye, after years of waiting for the right moment. However, with your friends tagging along and their own emotional baggage to deal with, having the perfect night is proving to be a challenge. So, will you, or won’t you?

dear ophilia- @noir0neko

The most dangerous people can be the most exciting…(bit dark, just a warning)

the devil wears armani- @floralseokjin

You never imagined accidentally attempting to sell your soul to the devil would lead to this…

float like a butterfly swim like a fish- @bangtaninink

pool sex with college senior and captain of the swim team jin

burgers, fries, and some ice- @moononthejoon 

saying i love you to someone for the first time should not be in a diner in the middle of nowhere, but things never go the way you want them to be

definitely you- @moononthejoon

money can buy you everything, well, not everything, it can’t buy love. seokjin had found that out and now he remained wifeless. little did he know he would find love where he least expected it.

bite!- @nottojay

Jin’s calm and collected; you’re anything but. Jin’s got fangs and super strength, and you can put up with Taehyung and Jimin’s antics.

just a coffee- @mind-of-a-hardstan

Jin comes back to visit a few months after he moved away to study. You invite him over for coffee and naturally you end up talking for hours. And then you end up in his lap… 

the green light- @nottojay

Seokjin has the looks. He has the money. He has the success. He has the friends. He has it all. Well, all except you. The light at the end of the dock.

before the after- @ddaengyoonmin

The end of the world kinda happens

“I wouldn’t fuck you if you were the last man on earth”

first time with jin- @inkjam-moon

reader’s first time

carnival rides- @geniuslab

Working at your parents’ funnel cake stand during the summer sounds like a decent enough gig. But you didn’t quite plan for the exhausting heat or the cute gelato guy who would make it his mission to get you to like him. Warning: This ride will get you wet!

sleeping with a friend- @underthejoon

friends to loves, a classic

big dick, big heart- @floralseokjin

your new boyfriend has a really big dick

guarded- @kpopfanfictrash

 “Was that supposed to be a wink, or did you blink at different times on purpose?”- life guard au

under the coven’s protection- @army-author

I’m a vampire, and you’re a human who’s prone to getting hurt. Please take better care of yourself, or I might not be able to control myself!

bound for life- @versigny

ummm pegging? 

best friend- @littlemeowmeowschimmy

Being away from your best friend for years suddenly sparks some sexual tension which both of you don’t have a problem releasing 

dimple- @floralseokjin

What’s the rule again? How many dates does it take for you have sex with a guy? Three? Five? Ten?! What if all this waiting and you can’t remember how to do it? It’s been so long since the last time you swear you’ve forgotten! You’re desperate, and that’s how you end up asking your roommate for help. Only trouble is, you get much more than you bargained for…

enraptured love- @kookscrescent

You are still in the beginning stages of your relationship. Still learning about each other, and both enjoying taking things slow, but at this stage you are both more than ready to take things a step further. 

rock hard- @jiminspjm 

“recreational activities make me hard” - rock climbing au

the man in the pink cape- @randombtsprincessa

You reminisce about your relationship with your boyfriend over the course of four bases.

love bite- @taetaesbaebaepsae

Seokjin knows he’s handsome, but he can’t shake the feeling that maybe you want him for something other than his good looks…

serendipity- @iq-biased

A string of events after a one night stand have you getting closer to a single dad than you’d initially intended.

(s)ex calling- @mintedmango

Your life was in shambles. No job, no money for your next semester in college and your roommate won’t let you mooch off of him again… What are you supposed to do when you see an ad for the HOTLINE app? Turn down easy money? This summer was going to be one you never forget!

softy- @gukptune

a freshman and senior seemingly despise each other, one says the other acts older than they are and one says the other acts like a child, a feud brewing within the estranged pair

golden boy- @kpopfanfictrash 

The golden boy of the porn industry, prettier than half his female co-stars. Will sue if you pull his hair. Always bothering his neighbors with pizza delivery.

amaranthine- @versigny

vamp Jin Drabble

the stalk- @versigny

single mum reader

Piece by piece- @underthejoon​

a collection of drabbles where your love life is muddied up by two men – the one you love and the one that loves you.

[whirofinvention-blog]

My Brief Encounter With the Sun

It has been a while since I've posted here, at least relative to the rate I would like to be posting and to the events I would like to be attending. To start, I guess I should come clean and admit I didn't attend GP Portland. By now I've drafted three separate posts about my not attending, but they all sounded self-indulgent. Instead of a dedicated post, here's the bullet points:

- I did not know anyone playing in the main event. When I started this blog, I knew two people locked in to the event, but leading up to the event they all dropped out. This is not the end of the world, but it is nice to have friends around to celebrate and commiserate with.

- My deck choice was up in the air. As I have mentioned before, I own Hardened Scales and Lantern Control. My results leading up to the GP with Scales were middling at best. Lantern on the other hand has a better track record, but underperforms against skilled opponents. Plus both are faced with the daunting amount of sideboard hate present for KCI decks right now.

-Lastly, and most importantly, social anxiety was the big roadblock. This is something I have struggled with for awhile. It is far from crippling, but it is stifling at times. I get in my own head about it. Though the other two points were factors, they probably could have been ignored. My anxiety just let them become excuses.

There were still silver linings. I had a great time at the event site with friends playing EDH, and I bought and sold a lot of cardboard.

Plus, the Friday of the GP, I registered for Oakland. Maybe that little bit of disappointment in myself was the perfect push to get me to register for Oakland.

If you're reading this, it means you probably keep up with Magic pretty frequently and are already aware that I did not top 8 the GP this past weekend. It was the most successful weekend (in fact it was pretty heartbreaking), but I had a great time. Friday night I got into Oakland pretty late so did not have time to go to the convention center. Instead I went to the home of my friend David and his partner Kayla who graciously housed me this weekend. We ate some dinner and stayed up way too late drinking, catching up and playing games of Scales versus Mono-Red Phoenix.

Saturday, we got up and made our way to the hall for what was going to be a long day. Before Round 1, I got my beautiful full-art Bolt promo as well as my not-so-beautiful Tigtone playmat and sat down for my first round. Unfortunately for me, I got paired against a pretty rough matchup to start my tournament: UB Faeries. If you have never read the card Mistbind Clique, I would suggest giving it a look cause it is a very messed up card. We went to game 3, but ultimately, the tempo power of his deck combined with his suite of removal and counters proved to strong for my robots.

Round 2 can be described pretty easily. If you are playing against TitanShift and your opponent fails to ever draw a Primeval Titan or a Scapeshift, then their deck looks pretty atrocious.

The following round was the one that really hurt. Most of it is a blur besides the last turn. My opponent was on Grixis Death's Shadow and sitting at 5 life with a few cards, two shocks, a fetch, and a Gurmag and Death's Shadow. I had three lands (2 Nexus, 1 Citadel), a Hangarback on 4 counters with and activation up, a Mox, and a Ravager on three counters at 15 life. My opponent cantrips main phase, plays a second fetch, and goes to combat swinging with both. I know that if he has a Temur Battle Rage, and I don't block the Death's Shadow, I am dead, so I immediately block the Shadow. He then goes to 1 life by fetching a  shock and fetching a basic and TBR's the Shadow. I activate Hangarback and the Inkmoth and sacrifice all of my permanents besides the Welding Jar and a Thopter to the Ravager. We do the math. I have a 13/13 Ravager to his 12/12 Shadow. He tramples over for 11 and deals 5 with the Gurmag for lethal. There were two mistakes I made here. The first you may have noticed. If I was going to sac the Hangarback, why not block the Gurmag first. This one felt bad. The other was that I simply did the math wrong and thought the attack put me to 14.

This round spawned the quote of the weekend when I texted Dave: "I just punted my round 3 into the fucking sun." Unfortunately for Dave, he also made a round losing misplay this round, so we vented to each other which helped. Having a friend around can really help alleviate the anger/stress/sadness from moments like this.

Round 4 is where my tournament ended. My opponent was on Devoted Evolution. Game 1 I had a Hardened Scales and Ballista and was able to kill all his creatures easily. The other two games he assembled infinite mana and a mana dump with the first four turns. The only really relevant statistic I have is that all of the games where I resolved a Hardened Scales and was able to put a +1/+1 counter on a creature while it was out, I won easily. The deck felt extremely strong in those instances, and it won a couple games without the Enchantment. Overall, I can't be too disappointed given the amount of preparation I put into things and walked away proud of the fact that even though I scrubbed out early, I took my opponents to game 3 every time and had a nice time.

The rest of the weekend was side events which were super fun. I managed to play a couple Battlebond drafts with Dave which were great, but I want to quickly tell you about my ridiculous Ultimate Masters draft. 

The draft started with me taking a Demonic Tutor and getting passed an Unholy Hunger followed by a blue card. Pick 4 I saw a Spider Spawning and went all in. By the end of the draft I had an absolutely insane U/B/g self-mill deck that's win cons were pretty much just a Spider Spawning, Rise from the Tides and a Lab Man I picked up pack 3 pick 7. Round 1 I was paired against Dave, of course, and proceeded to slowly crush his U/W Heroic deck and killed him with Lab Man in 2 quick games. Round 2 didn't go as well. I got paired against the only other competent drafter at the table who was on G/W Heroic and made a 4/4 on turn 3 both games while holding up protection for it. After the games, my opponent told me that she thought my deck was the sweetest and probably the only other good deck in the pod which was nice.

There's not much else to say about the event, except it was a ton of fun, and I am already looking forward to the next one (GPLA in March maybe?).

Before I end things, I feel obligated to talk about the bannings announcement scheduled for two weeks from now. I know most of the world will never read this, but I want to stake a claim and call my shot now.

Modern has a problem that needs to be fixed: KCI. In a typical tournament 4 of the top 8 decks being the same archetype isn't the end of the world, but KCI has been showing a dominant performance in the modern metagame for months now. No matter how many copies of Stony Silence and Rest in Peace are running around, the deck still puts up amazing results. Plus the addition of Sai has made it so some games they just attack you to death. None of this even takes into account how the deck can have 10 minute turns and is a nightmare to sit down across at your local FNM.

As I see it there are a few different permutations for possible bans and unbans that may be on the horizon.

The first, and perhaps most vocalized ban, is Ancient Stirrings. This card is probably the best card draw spell in Modern and sees play in KCI, so it seems like the logical card to target with a ban. Unfortunately, I don't think banning it would actually do too much to KCI. If it were banned, I would expect the deck to just abandon green in favor of more blue sources to take advantage of Whir of Invention. Plus, if you ban Ancient Stirrings, then you are also hurting Tron, Amulet, Hardened Scales, and Lantern/4-Color Prison. Some people might say that it is for the good of the format to take the card out of it, but I have to ask, when is it good for a format to hurt 5 different decks with one banning?

The next most likely banning in my eyes is Faithless Looting. Much like Ancient Stirrings, this card is extremely powerful and is the only other card in the running for most powerful draw spell in the format (at least in my eyes). Looting is almost never used as a fair card and has shown how strong it can be in the recent resurgence of Dredge as well as the new Arclight Phoenix decks. The only reason I write about it here is I believe you cannot ban Ancient Stirrings without also banning Looting. If you get rid of Stirrings it will make the Looting decks stronger in the format. Now, if you ban both of them, you would be hurting a huge chunk of the format. Maybe this is what WotC wants. A fairer looking field of decks in modern. Personally, I don't want to play a format where the combo decks are Storm and CoCo with the other decks all being things like GBx, UW Control and Spirits. I cannot imagine a world where they ban just Looting and not Stirrings as well.

This brings me to the card that people have been asking about banning almost as much as Stirrings. Krark-Clan Ironworks. KCI as a deck obviously couldn't exist without the card KCI. The free sacrifice outlet is powerful and maybe is too powerful for Modern. It creates the mana to cast the spells. If WotC banned KCI, I think it would be a fine decision while only impacting one deck in the format. 

Still, I don't think banning KCI is the answer. The card has potential and provides a unique effect to the format, that could see other uses. Maybe people start turbo-ing out their Emrakuls or making giant Walking Ballistas with it. I don't know, but the options are there. Scrap Trawler on the other hand doesn't really seem to have the same potential and is the card I would most like to see banned. If KCI makes the mana, Scrap Trawler is the part that makes the loops actually happen. It gets you back the Spheres and Stars to draw the cards. Plus, it is hard for me to imagine this card ever doing anything other than degenerate interactions with egg-like artifacts. Just like with KCI, banning this would have no effect on the format other than hurting KCI, but I think KCI has more potential for fair things and for that reason should be left in the format. 

A few other thoughts I have on the current ban list. Though at this point in time it is pretty much a meme, I do believe Stoneforge Mystic would be a safe unban. It is rare that I find myself in a game where Stoneforge Mystic would be too good. Though it is a powerful card and will assuredly see play in fair decks, modern has become a strong enough format over the past few years that I doubt it would be an issue right now.

The other unbanning I could see happening, and actually want to happen more, is Preordain. Green and Red should not have the best one-mana cantrips in modern. Blue is the card draw color and blue deserves the best cantrip. There are a few worries with unbanning Preordain, specifically blue based combo decks like Storm would become oppressive. That may happen, but I believe that has more to do with storm being a bad mechanic than Preordain being too strong for the format. Plus, I think this might be the best solution to avoid having to ban Stirrings and Looting anytime soon. Maybe this would make the format too combo-centric, but this isn't Legacy where we have Ponder and Brainstorm. Fair blue decks would play Preordain and be better off for it.

Also, they should unban Punishing Fire just to see what the fuck happens.

Well, then. See ya soon I guess. Next time I will probably write about an EDH deck.

[sahibookworm]

I’m so glad Tova @ Petyr Baeish Books tagged me for this one because I have grown up watching and loving Indian movies and this tag is perfect for me 😍😍😍 And please go ahead and checkout Tova’s blog because she writes such hilarious posts that you won’t stop laughing. Now without further ado, let me get started on this fun post…!!!

Also, feel free to use the images below if you are interested in doing this tag 🙂🙂🙂

1. Raja Babu

Name a classic that has held the test of time.

Firstly, I don’t think Raja Babu is a classic, but I can understand how Govinda fans might feel so. I’m also not a big reader of classics but I have read my fair share in my teenage years, and the only ones I still have fond memories of and wouldn’t mind rereading again are Sense and Sensibilty AND Pride and Prejudice. They definitely have held the test of time for me.

2. Shah Rukh Khan & Kajol

Name a fictional couple, who have chemistry (doesn’t have to be romantic)

Writing a six book romance series about a single couple is not easy and making the readers feel invested in them is quite remarkable. So, my answer for this one would have to be Tate and Logan from the Temptations series by Ella Frank. Their chemistry is off the charts right from the first time they meet and it sustains throughout.

3. Padmaavat

Pick Your Favourite Controversial or Problematic Read

It’s not surprising that I would choose A Court of Thorns and Roses series for this prompt. As much as I enjoyed this trilogy and reread ACOMAF multiple times, in hindsight I can’t ignore the issues related to the various characters’ actions, including Tamlin and Rhys.

4. The Three Khans (Shah Rukh, Aamir & Salman)

Name your favourite trio

This is quite a simple answer because no trio has ever left a lasting impact as much as Harry, Hermione and Ron.

5. Fawad Khan

Name a Fictional Character You Would Die For

Credit: Phantom Rin

I just finished Kingdom of Ash, so I’m still completely immersed in that world. Even without that, I would still choose Aelin Ashryver Galathynius because I really really love her character, flaws and all.

6. Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham

Name a book with complicated family dynamics … because it’s all about loving your parents

There is not another book/folktale/epic in the world that has more complicated family dynamics than the Mahabharata. A Spark of White Fire, YA retelling of the epic set in space definitely tries to live up to that potential and I would recommend this brilliant book to everyone.

7. Hrithik Roshan

Name a fictional character whose name you struggle to pronounce correctly.

SJM is good at making up complicated names and we see all that mastery in Throne of Glass, where every character’s name needs some thought before pronunciation.

8. Khoobsurat

Name a book with a beautiful cover (that you wouldn’t feel guilty about taking a selfie with).

The upcoming (going to be awesome) book by Sandhya Menon is There’s Something About Sweetie and that cover is gorgeous and I have never felt more represented before.

9. Arjun Kapoor & Ranveer Singh

Name Your Bookish Bromance to End ALL Bromances

Fence is a very recent favorite graphic novel series and Harvard and Aiden’s friendship is just goals. Aiden is a typical arrogant playboy while Harvard is the nicest guy around, but they are really wonderful together and I can’t wait to see where their bromance goes next.

10. Dev Patel

Name an author you NEED more from

This is actually a very long list and I wish all my favorite authors would write many more books in quick succession. However, I would choose C.S. Pacat and I wish she writes many more full length novels because graphic novels are not enough of a fix for me anymore.

11. Bend It Like Beckham

Name a book that made you extremely happy

I have mentioned this before and I will again that this year’s most happiest read of mine is My So-Called Bollywood Life. And all my joy went through the roof when I got a chance to meet and talk to Nisha Sharma recently.

12. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Pick two books with beautiful covers, one that did live up to your expectations and one that did not.

I knew I would love Dance of Thieves before it even released and it was so much better. Mary Pearson can do no wrong in my eyes and it was such a joy to be back in the Remnant universe. On the other hand, I had very high expectations from Furyborn and unfortunately, it didn’t live up to them. However, you can’t deny that both the covers look totally stunning.

13. Raazi

Name a book that more less broke your very soul

Another book that I keep talking about all the time, A Charm of Finches. This book will break you, put you through an emotional wringer but will ultimately give you hope. It’s one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read in my life.

14. Anushka Sharma

Name a Female Character You Admire

In recent months, one of my favorite female characters is Hazel from Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating. She is charming and quirky and eccentric and she never apologizes for being herself, despite what anyone thinks of her. She is such a sweetheart and I admire her quiet strength.

15. Slumdog Millionaire

Name a book with an underdog that you rooted for from the first page you met them

Nicholas Fox is the underdog from page 1 of Fence – the fencer with raw talent and speed but not the technical training that can make him a champion. And I am still waiting for the day he will beat Seiji.

16. Vicky Kaushal

Name a precious fictional character

Credit: Morgana0anagrom

In the latter half of the series, he has been tortured and broken, he has shown remarkable strength, and he has always been slightly arrogant. But Dorian Havilliard will always remain my sweet precious cinnamon roll – the one I fell in love with in Throne of Glass.

17. Dostana

Name a book that you think could have been done better?

Everyone loves Fangirl and after the super entertaining book that was Carry On, I expected the same. However, it was a disappointment because I could never really connect to the characters, especially the romance. I do feel that the author could have done a better job because she makes it work so well for Simon and Baz.

18. Shahid Kapoor & Ishaan Khattar

Name a book with some fantastic fictional siblings

Devon and Foster have a fraughty relationship at the beginning of First and Then, but as the book progresses, they grow closer and it’s one of the most wonderful parts of this story.

19. Deepika Padukone

Name a book with positive mental health representation

I’ve only read one book by Holly Bourne, Am I Normal Yet? and this has one of the most realistic portrayal of OCD I’ve read in my limited bibliography.

20. Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi

Name some of your most anticipated releases of 2019

This is a long list and half my Goodreads TBR shelf contains 2019 releases, but my most anticipated ones are King of Scars and The Tiger at Midnight.

21. Karan Johar

Name an iconic author

KJo is a celebrity icon and I love him, so I had to think hard how to answer this one. But I have no choice ultimately, because Sir Arthur Conan Doyle‘s Sherlock has shaped my reading life more than any other character.

22. (BONUS) Select your favourite Bollywood film & or performer (or even song) and create a question

BAAHUBALI

Name a book or series(or author) that literally blew your mind

First, I’m going to shamelessly plug one of the earliest posts from my blog about my favorite movie ever – Baahubali (click here for link). I wrote it with a lot of love but no one ever read it 😒😒 but if you have a lot of patience, feel free to check it out.

Befitting the masterpiece that is Baahubali, I am going to choose two brilliant authors:  Leigh Bardugo and Robert Jackson Bennett, whose scale and depth of worldbuilding just amazes me every single time. If you love fantasy, then you have to pick up their books, because I promise you, you are missing out on all the fun.

I TAG: Please feel free to ignore if you are not interested. And anyone not tagged, I would love it if you wanna do it and link back to me.

Ruqs @ Many Things Bookish

Nandini @ Unputdownable Books

Simant @ Flipping Through The Pages

Charvi @ Not Just Fiction

Gayatri @ Elgee Writes

Shruti @ This is Lit

Neko Neha @ BiblioNyan

Kaleena @ Reader Voracious

Sara @ The Bibliophagist

Justine @ Bookish Wisps

The Bollywood Book Tag I'm so glad Tova @ Petyr Baeish Books tagged me for this one because I have grown up watching and loving Indian movies and this tag is perfect for me 😍😍😍 And please go ahead and checkout Tova's blog because she writes such hilarious posts that you won't stop laughing.

[beyondforks]

Playing Catch Up! How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather

Playing Catch Up has really been helping me through my ever growing TBR list. I'd like to welcome all other blogs to participate too! If you do, be sure to post your links in the comments section. I'd love to see your Playing Catch Up Reviews, and I'm sure others would too!! *wink*

Want to know more about Playing Catch Up? I'll tell you all about it here!

How to Hang a Witch (How to Hang a Witch #1) by Adriana Mather Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal) Date Published: July 26, 2016 Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

It's the Salem Witch Trials meets Mean Girls in a debut novel from one of the descendants of Cotton Mather, where the trials of high school start to feel like a modern day witch hunt for a teen with all the wrong connections to Salem’s past.

Salem, Massachusetts is the site of the infamous witch trials and the new home of Samantha Mather. Recently transplanted from New York City, Sam and her stepmother are not exactly welcomed with open arms. Sam is the descendant of Cotton Mather, one of the men responsible for those trials and almost immediately, she becomes the enemy of a group of girls who call themselves The Descendants. And guess who their ancestors were?

If dealing with that weren't enough, Sam also comes face to face with a real live (well technically dead) ghost. A handsome, angry ghost who wants Sam to stop touching his stuff. But soon Sam discovers she is at the center of a centuries old curse affecting anyone with ties to the trials. Sam must come to terms with the ghost and find a way to work with The Descendants to stop a deadly cycle that has been going on since the first accused witch was hanged. If any town should have learned its lesson, it's Salem. But history may be about to repeat itself. 

How to Hang a Witch is the first book in the How to Hang a Witch Series by Adriana Mather. Although I love Paranormal Fiction, I typically don't like it when it involves witches and witchy type magic. Plus add in the ghost... All that in one book? It's just not what I prefer to read, and I almost didn't. But I like reading about the Salem Witch Trials. It's a sad and scary part of history that has always interested me. So, I decided to give this book a go. Boy, am I glad  did!

There are so many things going on within this story. There is a subtle romance. The magic was not too hocus pocusy, which I really appreciated. That's where witch books usually lose me. The ghost aspect wasn't hoaky. He was believable, and actually quite endearing. So many things went wrong, or right, depending on who you ask, in regards to the the Salem Witch Trials. This story brings some of that to your attention and allows you to draw you own conclusions and encourages you to think for yourself on how some things may have occurred in history, and it does so without affecting the plot and making you feel like you've missed out on something. All of this was cleverly woven together, bringing the past into the present. It shows how, as a society, we really haven't changed much. We like to think we're so much more civilized, but we're still trying to "hang witches" in some form or fashion. It surprised me with the level of emotions it brought out while I read. 

I was extremely impressed with this story and all the detail and thought that went into it. Sometimes, you can just tell when a book is close the the author's heart, and that's how this one felt. With good reason too, the author has a pretty personal tie to someone who was at the heart of everything going on during the Trials. Her last name will give away who. I listened to the audio version. It was narrated by the author herself, which I think added to the enjoyment, because I feel like I was hearing the story the way she meant it to be told, and she told it well. 

Chapter One Too Confident Like most fast-­talking, opinionated New Yorkers, I have an affinity for sarcasm. At fifteen, though, it’s hard to convince anyone that sarcasm’s a cultural thing and not a bad attitude. Especially when your stepmother can’t drive, ’cause she’s also from New York, and spills your coffee with maniacal brake pounding. I wipe a dribble of hazelnut latte off my chin. “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. I love wearing my coffee.” Vivian keeps her hand poised over the horn, like a cat waiting to pounce. “All your clothes have holes in them. Coffee isn’t your problem.” If it’s possible for someone to never have an awkward moment, socially or otherwise, then that someone is my stepmother. When I was little, I admired her ability to charm roomfuls of people. Maybe I thought it would rub off on me—­an idea I’ve since given up on. She’s perfectly put together in a way I’ll never be, and my vegan leather jacket and torn black jeans drive her crazy. So now I just take joy in wearing them to her dinner parties. Gotta have something, right? “My problem is, I don’t know when I’ll see my dad,” I say, staring out at the well-­worn New England homes, with their widow’s walks and dark shutters. Vivian’s lips tighten. “We’ve been through this a hundred times. They’ll transfer him to Mass General sometime this week.” “Which is still an hour from Salem.” This is the sentence I’ve repeated since I found out three weeks ago that we had to sell our New York apartment, the apartment I’ve spent my entire life in. “Would you rather live in New York and not be able to pay your father’s medical bills? We have no idea how long he’ll be in a coma.” Three months, twenty-­one days, and ten hours. That’s how long it’s already been. We pass a row of witch-­themed shops with dried herbs and brooms filling their windows. “They really love their witches here,” I say, ignoring Vivian’s last question. “This is one of the most important historical towns in America. Your relatives played a major role in that history.” “My relatives hanged witches in the sixteen hundreds. Not exactly something to be proud of.” But in truth, I’m super curious about this place, with its cobblestone alleys and eerie black houses. We pass a police car with a witch logo on the side. As a kid, I tried every tactic to get my dad to take me here, but he wouldn’t hear of it. He’d say that nothing good ever happens in Salem and the conversation would end. There’s no pushing my dad. A bus with a ghost-­tour ad pulls in front of us. Vivian jerks to a stop and then tailgates. She nods at the ad. “There’s a nice provincial job for you.” I crack a smile. “I don’t believe in ghosts.” We make a right onto Blackbird Lane, the street on the return address of the cards my grandmother sent me as a child. “Well, you’re the only one in Salem who feels that way.” I don’t doubt she’s right. For the first time during this roller coaster of a car ride, my stomach drops in a good way. Number 1131 Blackbird Lane, the house my dad grew up in, the house he met my mother in. It’s a massive two-­story white building with black shutters and columned doorways. The many peaks of the roof are covered with dark wooden shingles, weathered from the salty air. A wrought-­iron fence with pointed spires surrounds the perfectly manicured lawn. “Just the right size,” Vivian says, eyeing our new home. The redbrick driveway is uneven with age and pushed up by tree roots. Vivian’s silver sports car jostles as we make our way through the black arched gate and roll to a stop. “Ten people could live here and never see each other,” I reply. “Like I said, just the right size.” I pull my hair into a messy ball on top of my head and grab the heavy duffel bag at my feet. Vivian’s already out of the car, and her heels click against the brick. She makes her way toward a side door with an elaborate overhang. I take a deep breath and open my car door. Before I get a good look at our new home, a neighbor comes out of her blue-­on-­blue house and waves enthusiastically. “Helllloooo! Well, hello there!” she says with a smile bigger than I’ve ever seen on a stranger as she crosses a patch of lawn to get to our driveway. She has rosy cheeks and a frilly white apron. She could have stepped out of a housekeeping magazine from the 1950s. “Samantha,” she says, and beams. She holds my chin to inspect my face. “Charlie’s daughter.” I’ve never heard anyone call my dad by a nickname. “Uh, Sam. Everyone calls me Sam.” “Nonsense. That’s a boy’s name. Now, aren’t you pretty. Too skinny, though.” She steps back to get a proper look. “We’ll fix that in no time.” She laughs a full, tinkling laugh. I smile, even though I’m not sure she’s complimenting me. There’s something infectious about her happiness. She examines me, and I cross my arms self-­consciously. My duffel bag falls off my shoulder, jerking me forward. I trip. “Jaxon!” she bellows toward her blue house without saying a word about my clumsiness. A blond guy who looks seventeenish exits the side door just as I get hold of the duffel strap. “Come take Samantha’s bag.” As he gets closer, his sandy hair flops into his eyes. Blue. One corner of his mouth tilts in a half smile. I stare at him. Am I blushing? Ugh, so embarrassing. He reaches for the bag, now awkwardly hanging from my elbow. I reposition it onto my shoulder. “No, it’s fine.” “This is my son, Jaxon. Isn’t he adorable?” She pats him on the cheek. “Mom, really?” Jaxon protests. I smile at them. “So, you know my dad?” “Certainly. And I knew your grandmother. Took care of her and the house when she got older. I know this place inside and out.” She puts her hands on her hips. Vivian approaches, frowning. “Mrs. Meriwether? We spoke on the phone.” She pauses. “You have the keys, I assume?” “Sure do.” Mrs. Meriwether reaches into her apron pocket and retrieves a set of skeleton keys rubbed smooth in places from years of use. She glances at her watch. “I’ve got chocolate croissants coming out of the oven any minute now. Jaxon will give you a tour of—­” “No, that’s alright. We can show ourselves around.” There’s a finality in Vivian’s response. Vivian doesn’t trust overly friendly people. We had a doorman once who used to bring me treats, and she got him fired. “Actually,” I say, “do you know which room used to be my dad’s?” Mrs. Meriwether lights up. “It’s all ready for you. Up the stairs, take a left, all the way down the hall. Jaxon will show you.” Vivian turns around without a goodbye. Jaxon and I follow her to the door. Jaxon watches me curiously as we go inside. “I’ve never seen you here before.” “I’ve never been here before.” “Even when your grandmother was alive?” He closes the door behind us with a click. “I never met my grandmother.” It’s weird to admit that. In the front foyer are piles of boxes—­all of our personal belongings from the City. Vivian sold everything heavy when she found out this place was furnished. We step past the boxes into an open space with glossy wooden floors, a wrought-iron chandelier, and a giant staircase. Vivian’s heels click somewhere down the hallway to the left—­a sound that follows her around like a shadow. As a child, I could always find her by listening for it, even in a roomful of women in high heels. I wouldn’t be surprised if she slept in those shoes. I take in our home for the first time. Paintings in gold frames hang on the walls, separated by sconces with bulbs shaped like candles. Everything’s antique and made of dark wood, the opposite of our modern apartment in NYC. This is some fairy-­tale storybook business, I think, looking at the curved staircase with its smooth wooden banisters and Oriental rug running up the middle. “This way.” Jaxon nods toward the staircase. He lifts my bag off my shoulder and starts up the stairs. “I could’ve carried that myself.” “I know. But I wouldn’t want you to fall again. Stairs do more damage than driveways.” So he definitely saw me trip. He smiles at my expression. This guy is too confident for his own good. I follow him, holding the banister in case my clumsiness makes a second appearance. Jaxon turns left at the top of the stairs. We pass a bedroom with a burgundy comforter and a canopy that any little girl would go bonkers over. After the bedroom, there’s a bathroom with a giant claw-­foot tub and a mirror with a gold-­plated frame. He stops at the end of the hall in front of a small door that looks like it could use a fresh coat of paint. The doorknob’s shaped like a flower with shiny brass petals. A daisy, maybe? I twist it, and the wood groans as the door swings open. I gasp.

Adriana Mather is the 12th generation of Mathers in America, and as such her family has their fingers in many of its historical pies – the Mayflower, the Salem Witch Trials, the Titanic, the Revolutionary War, and the wearing of curly white wigs. Also, Adriana co-owns a production company, Zombot Pictures, in LA that has made three feature films in three years. Her first acting scene in a film ever was with Danny Glover, and she was terrified she would mess it up. In addition, her favorite food is pizza and she has too many cats. To learn more about Adriana Mather and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Instagram and Twitter.