#katherine’s a magical girl and shelby’s a witch LIKE

[pocket-sized-nightmare]

my second entry for @mcyt-yuri-week!

prompt: post-canon

ship: nature wives (shelby/katherine), post-witchcraft smp!

There’s so much that’s changed since Empires, but the one thing that will always stay constant is the inordinate amount of blaze powder Shelby goes through in a month.

She has a new blaze farm now, far away from the Evermoore. It’s bigger and fancier, but unfortunately, it’s also a bit farther from her new house. Shelby usually goes alone, but Katherine insisted on coming along today. (She says it’s just to protect her partner, but Shelby is convinced she wants to test out her new battleaxe on some monsters.)

They hold hands as they walk across the nether wastes, and Shelby rambles about something new she’s learned. “I have to be really careful tomorrow. I don’t know if it’s totally true, but Cleo told me something back during the witch trials about penumbras messing with weather magic. I think it’s something about the shape of the shadows–”

“Penumbras?”

“Those weird shadows from a partial eclipse. There’s supposed to be one tomorrow.”

“Oh, no way!” Katherine gasps. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen one.”

“We should have a midnight picnic!” Shelby realizes. She stims with excitement for a moment, then scribbles the idea down on a crumpled piece of paper in her pocket.

To her surprise, when she puts the paper away and turns around, there’s a child in front of her mimicking her stims.

“Oh, hello!” Katherine says. The girl turns and runs away, then peeks out shyly from behind a boulder of netherrack. She’s clearly an Origin – not quite human, but not quite a full mob, either. Her hair is pink with a large white streak, and she’s short and chubby. Judging by her upturned nose and the sharp, fang-like teeth that show in her wide grin, she’s probably a piglin hybrid. She looks to be about nine or ten years old, and she clearly isn’t used to being around other people. Shelby notices the way the piglin nervously fidgets with her hair every time she sees Shelby or Katherine’s expression change, while Katherine realizes that her clothes are singed and ripped in ways that indicate she hasn’t been taken care of in years.

“Hold on a second,” Katherine says. She takes something out of her inventory and walks over to the girl. As Shelby watches from farther up the path, Katherine hands the piglin a tiny golden star charm from a necklace she’s been making. “This is for you!”

The piglin takes the charm and stares at it, moving it around to watch the way it catches the light. She smiles brightly. Katherine is about to walk away when she notices the piglin brush her tangled pink hair out of her eyes for what seems like the fifteenth time that minute. She reaches into her inventory and notices the two pink hair ties she keeps around for emergencies. “Hey, do you want me to tie your hair back? It’ll keep it out of your eyes.”

The piglin cautiously nods and sits down in front of Katherine. She takes out the hair ties and gently styles the girl’s hair into two pigtails. “There. Much better, right?”

The piglin makes a few happy squeaking sounds, squeezes Katherine’s hand gratefully, and scampers away. Katherine laughs as she walks back over to Shelby.

“Aw, you’re so good at that,” Shelby says. “She’s so sweet. I hope that little sprout’s okay.”

“Little sprout?” Katherine asks. “That’s adorable.”

“That’s what my grandma used to call me when I was a kid,” Shelby says with a sentimental smile.

They walk for a few more minutes before Shelby notices something wrong. “Whoa, stop!” She grabs Katherine by the arm and pulls her back.

“What happened?” Katherine looks around, then notices the source of Shelby’s concern. The ground below her is mostly netherrack, but she nearly stepped onto a large patch of gravel – gravel with nothing below it. “Oh, void. Thanks.”

“Anytime.” Shelby smiles and wraps an arm around Katherine. Katherine leans into her and rests her head atop Shelby’s.

“You’d think we’d be better at this whole Nether exploration thing by now,” Katherine chuckles. Shelby grins and elbows Katherine playfully. “Hey, speak for yourself. I’m great at this–” Katherine holds out an arm to stop Shelby from falling into a shallow pit.

Shelby puts her head in her hands, then rests her head against Katherine’s shoulder, laughing all the while. “What are we even doing today?” Katherine asks.

“Not well. We are not doing well.” Shelby picks up a piece of glowstone from the ground and studies it, then hands it to Katherine. “Here. A good-luck charm.”

“Why, thank you!” Katherine says in a jokingly formal tone, then takes a flower out of her pocket and tucks it behind Shelby’s ear. “And one for you, too.”

“Why, thank you!” Shelby says with a curtsy. 

They giggle together, then keep walking towards the blaze spawner. From out of the corner of Katherine’s eye, she sees a small blur of movement.

“Oh, hey!” Katherine grins and points to the other side of the path. The girl they saw before is back, hopping across the netherrack to collect tiny pieces of glowstone. She sees Shelby and Katherine and beams with excitement.

“Hi, kiddo!” Shelby calls. The piglin waves, thinks for a moment, then leaps forward and does a cartwheel for her new friends.

Katherine laughs and nudges Shelby. “Aw, she’s got so much energy. Reminds me of you.” Shelby giggles. 

Across the path, the piglin notices the gravel floor that Katherine nearly stepped on earlier. 

Shelby panics, grabs Katherine’s arm, and calls out to the girl. “Hey, little sprout, that isn’t stable–”

It’s too late. The tiny piglin girl joyfully dashes out onto the patch of floating gravel and digs her feet into it. As she kicks up tiny rocks, she realizes just a moment too late what she’s done as her feet sink through it.

“No!” Katherine shrieks as she watches the gravel give way and fall towards the lava below, taking the piglin with it.

The piglin manages to catch herself on a ledge and tries desperately to grip the netherrack and catch herself. Her nails dig into the cliff for a moment, but she isn’t strong enough to stop her fall. She slips off the ledge and falls into the ocean of lava with an awful squeak of terror.

Shelby and Katherine race to the edge of the cliff and look over it. There’s a terrifying moment where they both think she’s dead, but her head finally peeks out of the lava as she struggles to swim and reach the netherrack shore.

The second Shelby sees that the piglin is alive, she impulsively jumps into action. She takes out a fire resistance potion with one hand and grabs her broom with the other. Before Katherine can react, Shelby takes flight and dives towards the lava herself. “Be careful!” Katherine calls after her as she drops downwards.

The tiny piglin is putting up a good fight to survive. Shelby knows piglin hybrids can survive in lava for extended periods of time, but that doesn’t mean they’re immune to it. The girl is covered in burns, and she’s crying, but she’s alive, and her eyes light up when she sees Shelby come closer on her broom.

Shelby’s feet dip into the lava (thank goodness for fire resistance potions) as she comes close enough to reach her new friend. “I’ve got you! It’s gonna be okay!” She holds out her hand to the piglin, but she can tell from how stiff the girl’s grip is that her hands are burned too badly to hold onto anything.

Shelby takes a deep breath and murmurs a silent wish of please don’t let my broom catch on fire, then dips deeper into the lava to scoop up the tiny piglin herself.

The child goes limp in her arms as Shelby picks her up, but her heavy breathing makes it clear that she’s still alive. Shelby holds her closer and tries to untangle some of her singed pink hair. “Hold on, all right? My partner and I are gonna help you.”

Shelby’s used to flying fast and making sharp movements, but she does her best to work against her instincts and give her new friend a gentle ride. She still reaches the top of the cliff with ease and comes to a just-slightly-too-sharp stop at the top. Katherine reaches out and gently takes the piglin from Shelby’s arms. “She’s burning up.”

“You’d be hot too if you just came out of a lava lake.” Shelby flicks a few remaining drops of lava off her boots to prove her point. “Can you help?”

“On it.” Katherine gently lays the piglin down on the netherrack, then scans through her inventory and finds a small red shulker box with “first-aid kit” written in cursive handwriting. She turns back to the girl and says in a soft voice, “It’s okay. I have to patch myself up when I get hurt all the time. And don’t even get me started on her.” She points to Shelby, who laughs. The girl giggles a bit, too.

Katherine takes out a few things from the kit. “Okay. I’m gonna put some magma cream on your burns first, all right? It might hurt a little bit, but it’s gonna help them heal faster.” 

The piglin nods. Katherine takes a few dollops of magma cream and rubs them into the red, burned patches of the girl’s skin. She winces and squeaks as the touch stings, but she slowly relaxes as her burned skin slowly fades back to its normal pale pink.

“There. That feels nice, doesn’t it?” Katherine ruffles the piglin’s hair. “Okay, I have some potions for you now.”

The girl sticks out her tongue and shakes her head. Katherine bursts out laughing. “I know, little one. Potions taste bad sometimes. But Shelby makes really, really good ones. Like this one–” she takes out a level two healing potion– “tastes like watermelon and lemonade.”

The piglin takes the potion suspiciously, uncorks it, and takes a tiny sip. A grin spreads across her face as she drinks the rest of the bottle in seconds.

“See? Told you it was good. You can have this one, too. It’s strawberry- and mint-flavored, and it’ll help you heal even more!” Katherine takes out a level two regeneration potion, and the piglin happily drinks it. She squeaks happily and curls up against Katherine as the potions take effect. Katherine gently hugs her back. Shelby sits down next to them, and the girl leaps into her arms for an even tighter hug.

“What’s your name, little sprout?” Shelby laughs as she ruffles the piglin’s hair. The girl stops smiling.

“Can you talk?” Shelby asks softly. The girl shakes her head, thinks for a moment, then tilts her head sideways to indicate kind of.

“Sometimes, but not right now?”

The piglin nods. Shelby holds out her communicator so the piglin can type instead.

no name

“Did you ever have one?” Katherine asks.

not sure

i’ve lived here forever and ever

i think i had a name once but then everyone left

and so now i have no name

“Would you like a name?” Shelby asks. “I think I’m okay at naming things. I know a lot of magical weather and space things, if you want something like that.”

what’s weather?

Shelby freezes. “Oh, right, you’ve lived here forever. In the Overworld, we have a big, warm sun that shines over everything and helps green plants grow. And sometimes fluffy clouds cover the sky, and water falls down. That’s called rain. And at night, we have a moon that glows and a bunch of bright stars in the sky. You haven’t even seen the sky���”

i like the moon

and the sun

they sound pretty

“What was the thing you were telling me about?” Katherine asks. “The weird shadow when there’s an eclipse? That’s the moon and the sun at the same time.”

“That’s called a penumbra,” Shelby remembers, and the piglin nods and jumps up and down.

pretty!!!

“Do you want that name?” Shelby asks. Penumbra nods happily.

“And we can call you Penny, if you want!” Katherine adds. Penny hugs Katherine tighter than she’s ever been hugged before.

Shelby joins the hug. “Aww. It’s nice to meet you, Penny.”

Penny stays wrapped in their arms for a minute. As they hug Penny tighter, Shelby hears the piglin take a deep breath and murmur, “Let me stay?”

“What?” Shelby asks.

“Stay with you. Go home.”

Katherine and Shelby look at each other with the same expression of hope and love in their eyes.

“Of course,” Katherine whispers as Shelby scoops up her newfound family member and puts her on her shoulders. “Let’s go home.”

In the end, Shelby thinks as she steps back through the Nether portal with a smile on her face and a tiny piglin on her shoulders, this was always how it was going to turn out, wasn’t it? At the start of Empires, she and Katherine were just lost kids looking for acceptance. It’s been eleven years since then. They’ve found each other, they’ve found a family, and they’ve found a world that believes in them.

It’s their turn to show that same love to someone else.

[hybbart]

remember your magical girl au from way back

well I was wondering if you had anything else to share about that au like the hypothetical plot or the other characters and their roles or more information on the characters that are already astonished

I’m sorry I asked on the other blog first but here the ask is on the right blog

What other blog there's no other blog...

Well most of what I've thought of is them dancing to the ending of various precure season endings and also imagining transformation sequences in line with hirogaru precure's.

My idea's sorta solidified into Jimmy and Lizzie being a duo at the start so they get the most transformations and power ups. They meet their familiars together and have no idea what theyre getting into. Katherine joins next, being dound with Shelby, the witch that connects them to the magical world. She's a vigilante type who puts in the work even before she gets her familiar. Scott is the last to join, he's been Around since the start and used to be a magical girl with his own team but they were defeated and he gave it up, and mostly acts as an on and off mentor until his old team is thretened again and he is convinced to join them to finish things.

The main power up they all get (Jimmy, Lizzie, Katherine, and Scott) are charmix style earrings they get from others offering their magic to them. Lizzie at first has one from Scott before he returns to being a magical girl and joins the team but later recieves one instead from King Ren (king of the faeries) and Jimmy gets one from Tango after they defeat him (Tango is the first villain minion who gets redeemed). Katherine gets one from Shelby (a witch she saves and acts as a connection to the magical world for them) and Scott has them from his old teammates, Pearl and Cleo, after they reunite. (The villain stole their familiars)

King Ren is the one that sends the familiars out to save their realm by awakening the magical powers. Dunno who the big bad is. Shelby isn't a magical girl but a powerful witch who can connect to the magical world and acts as a much more consistent mentor than Scott.

Cleo and Pearl tried to continue being magical girls without Scott but when the villain quieted down Cleo left also, leaving only Pearl for the last several years. Pearl gets kidnapped and when Scott refuses to help Cleo goes to save her on her own. They both end up with their familiars stolen but the current team with Scott a part of them now save them at the last minute, and they offer the last of their magic to help even if they can't transform anymore.

Jimmy's powers manifest pretty purely into elemental physical powers and he most uses kicks. Lizzie uses ranged elemental attacks similarly. Katherine has a giant axe and punches if not, and Scott creates thing out of ice, usually shields and swords.

Tango's the first villain, super silly and comical and very quickly wears his boss's patience thin with his failures. He's too friendly and cowardly to do much about the heroes. He isn't nearly as big a pushover as he himself thinks, though, and his final fight is him at full power out of control. When he is defeated and calmed down thanks to Jimmy he abadons the villains and gives Jimmy the last of his magic.

Lizzie and Jimmy are siblings, obviously. Lizzie is the defacto leader of the group, while Jimmy is the heart of the group (he tries to be the leader at one point but it goes horribly) lizzie also has a pair of pet axolotls that may or may not be faeries that occasionally guide her. Joel is the only familiar able to take on a human form.

Oli is there. Somewhere.

[seven-homosexual-dinosaurs]

Nature wives au where Katherine is a princess running away from an arranged marriage and Shelby is the witch accused of kidnapping her when in actuality she’s helping Katherine escape. It sounds like Tangled but I promise it’s not

Rambles under the cut

- Katherine is the kind but mysterious princess of a powerful kingdom who mainly exports in the form of fabrics and tailoring materials

- She’s not mysterious on purpose, it’s just that her parents are protective and don’t let her get out much

- She knows a lot about tailoring and actually quite enjoys it, finding it freeing

- She also likes snooping in on the knights and blacksmiths at work

- Her parents arranged her to be married to a far off sailor prince named Joe

- Katherine doesn’t want to marry some guy she doesn’t know, so she runs away

- Shelby is a witch who journeyed to the kingdom to try and find someone to make her a witch hat

- Unfortunately, this kingdom is not super witch friendly. Ergo, she’s generally shunned and kicked out of any towns she enters

- She tries not to get discouraged and makes it to the castle town, renowned for its tailors, hoping it’s the witch hate is a small town thing

- It’s not

- As soon as she’s spotted by a guard, she’s chased down

- She gets away on broomstick, but not before offering the girl she saw also running from guards a ride

- Katherine takes the ride and whoops, Shelby accidentally kidnapped the princess

- Once safe, they talk a bit and get to know each other, learning of each other’s plights

- Katherine offers to make Shelby a witch hat if Shelby gets her out of the kingdom

- Now Shelby normally wouldn’t get involved in something so dangerous just for a hat, but she did embark on this solo quest for a hat from a kingdom notorious for its tailors. Plus, everyone back home expects her to fail

- Motivated by spite, desperation and her quickly developing crush on this cute princess, Shelby agrees

- Now they’re on this gay magic road trip/mad escape from the kingdom

- Shelby has two familiars. Tortoise the toad, who was a gift from her grandmother, and Nimbus the crow, who showed up around when her magic turned weather-wise and is closer attuned to her elemental magic

[chaoticevilbean]

Katherine x shelby x Joey headcanons if you will

It tends to end up 2 v 1 in most interactions. Sometimes it's Shelby + Joey getting into mischief or squabbling, sometimes it's them attempting to stop Katherine from fistfighting a zombie who she thinks groaned that her dress is stupid.

Joey usually cooks. He was raised as a pirate, so he helped out the cook a lot, if only to get away from some of the more irritating of his crewmates. Shelby preps ingredients, which she can do w/great skill as it's vital to being a witch. Katherine is no longer allowed in the kitchen the same time as the other two.

Joey has that disorder where you can't recognize faces. He relies on voice, outfit/hair, + general personality/vibe. He couldn't recognize Katherine as a monster-slayer until she spoke, + he relies on her dresses, her weapons, + her voice, primarily. Shelby is easier, as she's always wearing either her hat or Tortoise, + she tends to announce her presence loudly.

Katherine wants a pet, since both of the others have them. They are adamantly against her getting a pet, as it is likely to be deadly, dangerous, + growly. ("A pet like a bunny?" "No, bunnies are too soft to fight with." "... you mean fight beside, right?" "..." *walks off*)

There's been several reports of suspicious activities around Glimmer Grove. It is a combination of monster-slaying, unlicensed magic, + general piracy.

Joey is actually the reasonable one. He might follow the girls' lead when he doesn't know what to do, but he will drag both away w/all of his strength + powers of reasoning. He has selfish reasons, which means everything that he cares about (Katherine, Shelby, the three's lives) is the most important thing ever.

Shelby met Joey in the swamp + immediately decided to make several potions for him (mostly fire res + speed, bc piracy knows few bounds). She met Katherine + made a separate set (random ones to be fun. Then Joey comes to her in a panic to declare that he just had to pull Katherine out of the water bc she was fighting a drowned... w/a broken arm. There is a lot of ranting abt reasons to not do that, + reasons for every potion to be created + dropped on the monster-slayer's doorstep weekly.

Honestly, a lot of their lives is that. But Shelby also experiments w/potions, which comes with... explosive reactions. And then Joey tries the potions, or decides to rush off towards the nearest shiny thing.

There are many attempts to prevent theft. It does not always succeed.

All three are fashionable in wildly different ways.

Joey's crew tease him abt managing to fall in love w/a witch + a princess. His insistence they're both pirates does nothing, bc Katherine + Shelby tend to come in to do many witchy/princessy things.

Princessy things include singing while killing monsters, always looking perfect despite any state of health/injury, + somehow having a magical transformation btwn outfits.

Witchy things include picking things from the ground, putting random items in a cauldron, + cackling.

Joey once fought a bear bc it was standing near a buried treasure chest. Shelby fought a bear bc it looked funny at her. Katherine fought a bear bc she could.

Shelby adores chocolate, but can rarely get it. She confronts Katherine abt the boxes of chocolate that appear on her doorstep. Katherine says she knows nothing abt them. In honesty, she does! She knows Joey has been robbing several of the more prissy nobles in the lands. If it just so happens that he's taking their plentiful supply of treats along w/their gold... she knows nothing, honest.

Katherine has self-esteem issues, but is honest when asked + is best at accepting compliments. Shelby denies hers a bit, but ultimately lets the other two reaffirm her + accepts it okay. Joey vehemently denies having any issues whatsoever, to the point of Katherine tackling him as an excuse to hug him.

Shelby doesn't hide the relationship. She just, y'know, doesn't talk abt it. Ever. Except w/the other rulers, of course.

When they were pining, both Joey + Shelby came to Fwhip. Their reasoning? He was the only person who was courting Jimmy who actually "succeeded". Fwhip, being unaware of how Upworlder courting works, agreed he was qualified. Surprisingly, the technique of working together to create a pretty but useful item for Katherine worked amazingly.

Joey refuses to eat cake. Purely bc he isn't there to make sure it isn't poisoned.

Katherine once tried to have a pet pufferfish. It went missing. On an unrelated note, Joey seemed incredibly helpful the next few days, + Shelby gave her water-breathing potions to get a new one. She chose not to, instead getting a pet salmon.

Another unrelated note, Katherine created an aquarium for every type of fish except axolotls.

Hope this is adequate!

[skydoesthings]

@mcyt-halloween gift exchange for @sand-stinger! Hope you like it :3c

______________________________________________________________

God, was Shelby scared. The sculk was spreading, and it was spreading FAST. It had covered her body, it had taken over her empire, and the ghost of the area was even more mad at her than usual. Yeah. She hated this. And the worst thing of all, she had blown Katherine away so rudely, when all she wanted to do was help! But, she also knew that it wasn’t her that shouted at the princess. Every little while, her memory would start to go fuzzy but remain there, as if she was watching a movie where the main character’s going to make a decision that will make the entire story make a turn for the worse, and there was nothing she could do or have done to stop it. And she wanted to stop it SO BADLY! Yup, you know the feeling. It was making her do so many things that she didn’t want to do, just the other day she blew up a potion that she’d been working on for days! Everything was happening, and all of it was happening to her. Oh yeah, some evil being just shows up and starts living in your body and making you do things you don’t want to do? Not. Cool. It was infuriating! Now Katherine’s been talking so much more to Joey, and that was just one of Shelby’s problems! (No Joel, she doesn’t think about girls all the time. Just, like, 70 percent of the time.) Anyways, many problems. Yeah. Like, she overhears all her citizens talking about her, like she’s changed from the benevolent, clumsy witch they once knew to a slightly more rugged, more violent being. And there was always that voice, that little voice that just showed up in the back of her head, telling her to give in, and keeps repeating that weird mantra ‘spread the souls, spread the sculk’. Oh no, that reminded her of Cub! Poor Cub, that rift thing had unwillingly taken him from his ‘hermitcraft’ or whatever it was called world, and dumped him here, in empires! And then stupid Shelby, with no control of her stupid magic, turned him into a sculk monster! Thankfully, she had somehow managed to cure him before he crossed over to his world again, but that was a SCARE. She can’t let that happen ever again. But it seems, her magic was failing her once again. Every potion, every spell cast, they all did nothing. When she got close to Tortoise, he looks at the sculk and walks a step back. All her magic could do was make it appear like the sculk was gone, even when it wasn’t. She just doesn’t think that she can survive like this. It’s all getting too much. And she hasn’t even started on the fact that she’s a wanted fugitive in the witch world, and got expelled from her academy! All the negative things in her life were consuming her, ripping away the fibres of her skin, making her feel like she wasn’t human. “And,” she chuckled, “I don’t think I am anymore at this point.” Shelby walked out of her hut, and took a step back to look at it. The hut, that she had lovingly made, as soon as she came to empires, trying to make it as cosy and cute as she possibly could, now looked harsh and unwelcoming. The kingdom of Evermoore, which she had built up with nothing but her bare hands and a few spells, now looked dreary and chilling, full of citizens casting worried looks and her and then hurriedly whispering to their friends. The mangrove swamp, which seemed cold at first, but soon became home, now looked just as scary as it did as when Shelby first came there. Of course, not to mention the sculk that had spread everywhere. She suddenly heard whispers, and noises that sounded like howls of dogs.

“You started this…you’re the reason that all of this is happening…pathetic…you couldn’t even do anything in your first life…”

“Huh? What? Who are you? What do you mean by first life? HELLO???”

Just as mysteriously as the voices started, they disappeared. But the voice in her head got stronger. “Spread the souls, spread the sculk. Spread the souls, spread the sculk. Spread the souls, SPREAD THE SCULK!”

And, you know what, maybe it was right. She didn’t have anything left to lose in her life. She’s realised, that she never felt stronger, and more in control of her magic, than now, when the sculk possessed her. She’s realised that she should have had revenge on Joey a long time ago, and maybe on the witches’ academy too, while she’s at it! If that makes her immoral, if that makes her the bad guy, then so be it! She’ll be the bad guy. She’ll redeem herself, no matter what it takes, no matter what anyone says.

She walked into the center of her empire. She saw the place where the sculk had begun spreading. She got down on her knees and gently touched the substance. She felt the power, the anger and the sadness these souls that disintegrated into the sculk felt, and she felt it surge into her body, and provide her with power. She had fully embrace the sculk now, she couldn’t take the things happening to her any longer. She slowly undid the overalls and took of her shirt. Ah, yep. That felt better. She could feel the power flowing through her veins much better now. She slowly got up, and took of her hat and threw it away, watching it fall to the ground. The old Shelby was gone now, and she would never come back. Suddenly, she heard footsteps.

“Hey Shelby, I haven’t seen you in some time and I wanted to check oon yyoouu…Shelby?”

Shelby turned around, a manic grin on her face, sculk all over her body, highlights missing from her eyes and a glint in her eyes that would make anybody sure that she was insane.

“Hello Oli,” she crooned. “You’re just in time to witness the marking of my new change.”

And then she pulled out her scythe and lashed out at him.

*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-~*

Somewhere, locked deep in her mind, the uncorrupted Shelby shook the bars of her sculk cage, tears streaming down her face, being able to do absolutely nothing as this new version of her killed her friend.

[lostacelonnie]

if you want just. a Lot . all the time. so much. every episode. so much lore. and also innuendos. mythicalsausage

if you want a lot of lore but played off as a joke and also a guy who makes Very pretty and difficult minecraft builds: joel smallishbeans

a lot of lore but with unreliable narrators: falsesymmetry

a good amount of plot but also shes just a little gay witch who sucks at magic. shelby shubble

not a LOT a lot of plot and she is so confused all of the time but she has cute builds and a magical girl transformation: katherine elizabeth

^ the ones i watch off the top of my head

OKOK I WILL CHECK THEM OUT. it might take me a while because school has just started for me again BUT they sound way too interesting to just. ignore. also she sounds like my type of char i NEED to check her out

[tev-the-random]

HI HAVE YOU CONSIDERED VOTING FOR FAIRYTALE TRIO YET? NO? OK, LET ME PAINT YOU A PICTURE:

We have Katherine Elizabeth: a princess whose birth brought about terrible natural disasters to her kingdom. Her own people fear her, believing her to be cursed, and despite her insistence that she is not, the weirdest stuff keeps happening to her. One half of her kingdom is bright and colourful and the other half is death and darkness. She literally sat on a horse and it got hit by lightning, turning it into a half-unicorn-half-skeleton-horse thing. Suffice to say, she's a bit stressed all the time, and she's really trying her best to rebuild her empire and make her people happy.

But then there's also the fact that she doesn't want to sit around being all princessy all day long. No, Katherine also happens to carry a double life as a professional monster hunter with a magical transformation and an animeass giant axe. She makes cute clothes and plays around with fairies, but she also has a massive body count and is buff af.

We then have the Great Witch Shelby: a witch who's been sent to live in a desolate, haunted swamp by the Witch Academy because she has a tendency for disaster and her grades are terrible. Still, she insists to the other emperors that she is the greatest witch of all and offers them help with potions and spells, which... occasionally works. Her newfound reputation leads Katherine to ask Shelby for help solving her empire's curse. Shelby's powers are great, though she doesn't really know what to do. She's trying her best.

She also has a massive crush on Katherine. Like, Katherine showed up in her monster hunter uniform, muscles on display, and you could hear Shelby sweating. The princess is a massive inspiration to her. Ah, to be asexual and also the gayest witch in town...

And then there's Pirate Joe, otherwise known as Joey: a captain whose ship has been taken by his mortal enemy, Skeletron, and who wishes to find his crew again and have his revenge on his rival. But he got a bit distracted. This piratesexual man thinks Katherine is a pirate princess and asks her hand immediately upon meeting her. Obviously, she says no. But Joey does not give up and proceeds to be the most annoying creature you've ever see, simping and crime and all. Dude is legit delusional about it, but he eventually learns to drink his respect women juice.

Shelby and Pirate Joe develop this rivalry, not only because they have to be rivals in every universe where they exist together, but also because they both have a crush on the same princess. They bicker, compete, and then have a duel to the death about it — which Katherine disapproves of.

She's too busy with her cursed kingdom to think about relationships right now! All she wants is for them to get along, seen as she likes both their companies. So the witch and the pirate form a truce. And the whole dynamic changes, because now all three of them are friends, though Shelby and Joey cannot help but be a bit protective of their dearest princess. At least they do it together now.

A powerful witch who fights her insecurity in order to help her friends.

A secret monster hunter princess who seeks to balance both protecting others and being a kind ruler.

A pirate who loves so fiercely, his greatest treasure is his crew and the two girls above mentioned.

And then Shelby goes through a whole villain haunting arc, but that's a long story-

In the end, Shelby and Katherine save Joey from Skeletron, and together, the three of them defeat the skeletal pirate and sail away together into the sunset. Although there is no definitive ending to their story, it is implied that at least Shelby and Katherine go out together after all this.

And honestly, the open ending gives so many interpretation opportunities! Did the three of them remain best friends? Did Katherine and Shelby get together, with Joey as their greatest supporter? Did all three of them get into a polyamorous relationship? Whatever it is that you prefer, you can have it! Regardless, their dynamic remains as one of three people who love to annoy each other but will go to the end of the earth together.

The winner of this poll will go on to face Wither Rose Alliance (GeminiTay, fWhip, MythicalSausage)

PROPAGANDA:

Fairytale Trio:

I always love seeing Joey and stubble’s rivalries they love doing, and them fighting over a remarkably aro-coded princess and then end up as weird friends is genuinely one of my favorite arcs.

They cannot stand each other and that's beautiful. It's a love triangle between a witch, a pirate and a princess, except the princess wants neither of them and they still fight each other for her love. Despite how done they are with each other, they're still very funny together and make a beautiful team when they do try to work together, simping aside. Very good frienemies with a potential for future romance or not, there's really no losing with this one.

L'mantrio:

brothers in arms. nothing much to say here I'm bad at propaganda sorey

They're brothers your honor, they're the original 3 members of l'manburg, they're so underrated, they're literally my favorite ever trio

[lunarblazes]

it’s real. it’s canon. they can’t just be nature wives anymore they gotta be magic wives now

[eyelessfog]

“Have you ever kissed someone before?” Shelby asks, tapping her fingers against her cheek. She’s trying to build a tower of cards with magic.

“Yeah,” Joey replies, just as the tower comes crashing down.

“Not Katherine, I mean,” Shelby clarifies.

“Yeah,” Joey agrees.

Shelby squints at him. “Or Jimmy,” she adds.

Joey makes a face from where he’s taking apart his spare gun for the fourth time. “… You can’t keep adding people,” he tells her.

“That’s a no,” Shelby recognizes. “That’s fine. I’ve never kissed anyone.”

Joey’s head snaps up to look at her. “For real?

“Yeah. Not a lot of people to kiss when you get bullied a lot. And then if I wasn’t sucking at school, I was trying really hard to not suck at school. Busy life for a hot witch like me.” She huffed, then waved her wand again, piling cards up, bit by bit.

“I mean, Shelby, not to imply anything-“

“Isn’t that all you’re good for?”

“-but, you objectively are really hot.”

“I get to call myself hot,” Shelby tells him. “You gotta find some other words, fishboy.”

“You’re pretty. You’re strong. Golden eyes are pretty fuckin’ cool, girl. And you’re telling me no one ever wanted to kiss you?”

The card tower falls again and Shelby falls back onto her bed. “Yeah, Joe! That’s what I’m saying! Can I make fun of you now?”

“I’m not making fun, Shelby, I’m just… Do you want your first kiss?”

Shelby sits up to glare at him. A card rises from its spot on the floor and smacks him flat in the face. “Not with you, that’s for sure.”

“Cheers to that!” Joey agrees raising his lukewarm fruit punch. “I don’t want to kiss you either. I was more talking about getting Katherine? She kisses me for funzies all the time, I bet she’d be willing to give you a smooch.”

Shelby’s face turns bright red. “Oh, I don’t know if I can do that… I still have a crush on her, you know.”

“I do know! Actually!” Joey tells her. “We talk about it all the time!”

Another card in his face.

“Stop that. Anyway, doesn’t having a crush on her make it even better? Like! Your first kiss is with a girl you like! That’s great!”

Shelby presses her hands to her cheeks. “But what if I like it too much! She’s never gonna like me back…”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I don’t know why we’re bringing the whole ‘she won’t like you back,’ into it. I know she won’t. You know she won’t. Apparently you can’t just stop having feelings for her - that still sounds fake, by the way-“ Joey rolls his eyes, as if he thinks she’s been lying to him about it for the past month, “-So why not just go about life as normal?”

“And normal life includes asking her to kiss me?”

“When you’re me, it does!”

Shelby scrunches up her face. “You’re weird.”

“You’re weird!” Joey shoots back.

“Weaaakk,” Shelby sings, and then starts cackling when Joey leaps onto the bed to wrestle with her.

Five minutes later, they’re giggling and only a little bit bruised. Joey does that big sigh that means he’s done laughing and wants to say something, so Shelby quiets to listen.

“Tomorrow morning we’re gonna go ask Katherine to kiss you,” he says.

Shelby smacks him lightly. “I really wanna throw you in the pond. Can I throw you in the pond?”

“Is that a yes?”

“I’m gonna throw you in the pond.”

Shelby rolls over and stands, then throws him over her shoulders and starts down the ladder. It’s a game they’ve perfected over many sleepovers, and in less than a minute, he’s splashing around the amethyst pond, fins fluttering in excitement. Shelby dusts off her hands, and pretends to get spooked when he grabs at her ankle.

“Fish boy!” she yells as she dips a toe into the water and kicks.

“Witch!” Joey calls as he rears back to make as big a splash he can.

(They head back inside, soaking wet and amused. The next morning, they’ll go over to Katherine’s and Joey will tell Katherine that Shelby wants her first kiss to be from someone she trusts. And someone who isn’t Joey.

Katherine will oblige, a humoured smile on her lips, and Shelby will blink rapidly for a couple seconds after. “Thanks,” will be the stupid first word to come out of her mouth afterwards.

On the way to Eversea, Shelby will tell Joey that it didn’t actually feel like all that big of a deal. Joey will laugh, and tell her that it’s because it wasn’t that big of a deal. The only difference now is that she’s kissed someone. “Not that big of a difference overall, is it?” Joey will say.

Shelby will touch her fingers to her lips thoughtfully. “No. I guess not!”)

[gardenergulfie]

KATERINE EP TIME

MONSTERSLAYING!!!! MY GIRL!!!

And a lore tree ooooo

SHE GOT THE MANGEOVE SORIUT FROM SHELBY

“Out of all the gifts I’ve been given lately, I love this one the most” NATURE WIVES FANS WE STAY WINNING

SHELBY’S SIPLE MAGIC MANGROVE MEABS MORE TO KATHERINE THAN ALL IF JOEYS MEANINGLESS PRESENTS AND THATS WHY NATURE WIVES SUPREMACY

SHE PUT IT IN THE SECRET BASE

Awwww she’s singing her own magical girl transformation!

One thing that stays consistent with Katherine is that she loves collecting mob heads

WAIT KATHERINE ALSO GOT AN “I know your secret” SIGN??? LIKE SHELBY DID????

….nvm she’s advertising for her Roblox channel. Never change Katherine

Oooooo cool battle montage music

“Death be with you” Katherine’s so excited to KILL. She kinda thinks raid farms are “too easy” and “cheating” but she’s having fun!

…Katherine really wants a witches head. I’m sure there’s no ominous statement that could be taken from that, not at all!

NVM WE GOOD

Wait she needs a trident to get her next set of heads… oh no…. (oh yes the drama!!)

JOEY DONST RECOGNIZE MONSTER SLAYER KATHERINE LOL

At least now he appreciates her strength. Finally. Late to the Buff Katherine party dude

Interesting that he’s now calling her a princess and not a pirate hmmmm

I think Joey and Katherine actually have a funny dynamic, they’d be killer best friends (Joetherine fans don’t come for me I’m sorry I don’t like your ship)

….he took off his sleeves for this

I can’t wait for joeys pov of this it’s gonna be hilarious I can tell

KATHERINE EXPLODED HERSELF LOL. At least she got that zombie head.

SHE CANT STOP DYING LOL

Shelby 🤝 Katherine

Ignoring their problems

But hey the Monster Museum is cute! And spooky!

Ok ep over! But one last thing…

I see you Katherine. I see you

[eloquentornot]

Alphabetical List of Empires Problems:

Falsesymmetry: Haunted/possessed by Something that turned her against her twin sister on Hermitcraft when the Rift opened and had her memories messed with and knows how to make amnesia potions and doesn't want to be evil but is too used to wanting to be evil but aaaaa-

...ahem.

fWhip: Sculk maybe given Deep Dark proximity? Is antagonising Jimmy? (on a meta level, is admin and likely involved behind the scenes with the fae stuff, but probably not anything in-character about it)

Geminitay: Despite being a celestial being who chose her fate as a human princess in this world and can leave at any time just by taking a nap, she is bothered by magical things she didn't ask for, including the fae but also some strange soul flame wisps that may or may not have something to do with the Deep Dark near her area maybe?

Jimmy: Is Not A Toy, villain arc, declared his loyalty to the fae... (I won't spoil his latest stream here but that may or may not change maybe idk it's a bit unclear anyway...)

Joel: Not much I guess, his lore is LORE in a not taken seriously yet still fully in-character way as proven by the interaction with his past self that one time, (I headcanon that something about the way he was human and got turned into a god by the wishing well thing at the start will turn out to cause a problem later but that seems to be getting less likely as time goes on and no-one seems to remember that he was human at the start... but yeah that's just my own thoughts really)

Joey: Is a pirate so kind of villainous himself, is also opposing the evil skeleton pirate Skeletron, also there was a thing in a few of his earlier episodes about plants growing over the inside of his storage area that never seemed to go anywhere? Was that just someone pranking him, or...?

Katherine ((sorry for putting you right next to Joey it's alphabetical even if I used the names of the empires instead, I checked)): Literally half of her kingdom is cursed, making the ground unable to sustain life and turning any cute buildings dark. (Also her magical girl transformation gives her the aesthetic of the dark side which is probably just a less flashy colour so her parents don't notice her going out at night but still...?)

Lizzie: Nothing specific at first but she is (secretly a cat and) keeping animals in various places including having taken bats out of their cave and also as a fae book in Shelby's episode today reminded me, she had some sculk spreading long before Cub arrived, that time she had stuff in her attic including a catalyst I guess and she killed a zombie there and it spread and she didn't do anything about it!

MythicalSausage: Evil Sausage keeps trying to get rid of him by sending him to other dimensions where Bubbles can't quite reach, and right now seems to have succeeded possibly and is currently impersonating him!

Oli: ????? Hatched the dragon egg etc? Also is the most isekaied out of anyone and at first seemed to be fighting the narrative but is now fully in character as the bard?

Pixlriffs: Is the DM. May cause problems for others in the form of custom dungeons and storylines but isn't a villain in character. Is actively helping remove the sculk menace Cub caused. Wears the Crown currently. Stole Oli's house. (I know for a fact I have had several moments this season of realising that Pix was causing/escalating conflict on purpose a little bit, but the only example I can think of right now is how he played up the story of Grumbot being evil when he of all people should have known that Grumbot just wanted Mumbo... I know there were other moments too... does it count that he seems to want Jimmy to be a toy?)

Scott: Had his eye stolen and replaced with a magic eye by an evil magic skull. Steals things.

Shelby, Great Witch: Failed at the academy and lied about it, accidentally did dangerous dimensional magic and got expelled and tried to hide it, eventually embraced her status as a criminal at the same time that she started getting corrupted by the sculk which turned out to come from the soul-filled fog of her area!

The Fae: Honestly I don't have time to list out everything that's happening with them, I just want to say I don't even know if they're actually evil and tricking people or if they genuinely think they're trying to be nice and they're just weird and alien and, well, fae... They do seem to be trying to gain power and stuff, but that could just be how they interact with the world? They're probably a problem, either way...

This got surprisingly long so I bolded the names of everyone I think could be counted as a villain currently. Like 5-6 total, lol!

fr im obsessed with the way that empires 2 is evolving into a battle ground for ominous magical entities. theyve got the fog. theyve got sculk, introduced by the fog. theyve got evil sausage just kinda kickin around. theyve got the fae. theyve got whatever is up with e!false. theyve got jims villain arc. this is a nightmare server and i love it.

[empiressmpheadcanon]

submitted by yin yang anon:

(Hi I am back with angst whilst I try and come up with ideas for ESMP S2 Older Sisters AU have S2 Katherine angst based off of Living in a State of Dreaming by Marina and the Diamonds, and Look who’s Inside Again by Bo Burnham, references to another mini-fic I’ll send in later)

Katherine’s life had always been fake.

All her citizens thought that she was the perfect princess they wanted. That she was dainty, elegant, straight as a line, and would never hunt monsters at night. But they also hated her, because she was cursed.

And so, after many failed attempts by the academy partnered with The Glimmer Grove (the most recent rang out in her mind, making her flinch in how she had been so stupid as to think they we’re trying to do anything but kill her), Katherine had been staying in a ‘more remote location’, aka Shelby’s.

One night she had a dream. It had a blue-ish purple overlay for some reason, but otherwise it was the outside of Shelby’s house. But there was a wizard out front, making their way there. And she be crazy, but it looked like Honored Wizard Layla, the one who tried to kill her, and the headmistress of the school. A voice rang out in the dream, “Princess of Night, the deity of Demina warns you of danger. Run.”

Then she woke up, in Shelby’s arms, to the door being flung open, and after that it was a blur.

After multiple days- Katherine didn’t know how many -It was almost time for her to die.

The gaurds had told her that her parents thought she had been willingly taken her testing by another school or something, and that when she died they would say it was an animal attack or something. That her parents thought the academy trying to kill her was an accident, but still wouldn’t send her there.

Waiting in her cell, she remembered being grounded in her room as a kid, always so bored, until she would sneak out and fight monsters, or play with frogs, or hang out with Princess Gem, King Scott, and Pearl from Demina the Dream Kingdom. Until she would sneak back before her parents woke up and changed into clean clothes.

The gaurds took her out of her cell. She would die.

She was laying in the back of a carriage, being taken back home. Shelby, Pix, and a girl Stacy who was Joey’s sister had saved her. When Layla had shot the magic blast, Shelby had pushed Katherine down, costing herself an arm and her hair turning blonde in spots, and Katherine had no damage.

Katherine looked down at Shelby, the Witch who had saved her life and stolen her heart, who was sleeping in her lap, and both felt guilt, and hope.

She couldn’t ask for a better girlfriend.

(That got longer than expected, sorry. Also since I don’t think False’s kingdom was a name yet I’m calling it Demina, and Pearl lives there. -☯️)

- ☯️ Anon

[theselfhelphipster]

I still read every night before bed and when I love a story, I burn my way through it in a matter of days. Hours if I really put my mind to it.

It is scientifically proven that reading is one of the most relaxing things you can do (more than other things even) - it slows down your breathing and your heart rate, which is why it's perfect to incorporate in a bedtime ritual.

Here's the list of my favourite books of the past year or so.

*Affiliate links below!

Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J Maas

This series is not as steamy as the Court-series I wrote about in the previous blog post. However, technically speaking this is definitely a better saga, if you will.

Sarah J Maas has created this epic tale around Selena Galynthius in an epic world full of old-time fantasy characters like elves and fae and witches and wyverns. It's very cool.

The series wrapped up with a stunner of a finale last fall and it was some of the best fantasy I've read in a while. Book 1 is kind of weirdly written if you compare it to the rest, but in book two she really gets the show on the road.

If you like epic fantasy? This is IT.

I'm thinking about buying this box myself (I've read them on Kindle but these are so epic I want them on print) but if you want to start, start with Throne of Glass AND Crown of Midnight.

The Meredith Gentry Series - Laurel K Hamilton

I'm including this one more for lolz than for anything else.

I LOVED these when I was a teen, such smutty books in a fantasy world. Turns out it was either hormones kicking in or I just had terrible taste back then. (Probably both.)

These are TERRIBLE!

They make zero sense, the story is incredibly convoluted and I don't even think the sex scenes are that well-written or hot anymore. They're no Court of Mist and Fury, if ya know what I mean.

I reread them for old time sake, and if you're into Harlequin-esque elf books with a lot of descriptives and dialogues, in a story that only BARELY goes somewhere, go off I guess. If not, steer clear.

Bol.com is like 'fuck you we're not selling this drivel' but Amazon Kindle always comes through for us perverts.

Good Omens - Thierry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

When I saw that wickedly cool trailer for Good OmensI immediately started reading Good Omens. I had had it on my Kindle forever, and it really is a classic.

It's fun, funny, great story and great writing. I'm going to do that online storytelling class by Neil Gaiman and read a lot more by them both the upcoming year.

I've read Neil Gaiman's American Gods, The Ocean By The End of the Lake and Graveyard Boy, but nothing by Thierry Pratchett yet.

I'm excited.

Where to buy? A paperback at Bol.com is just 8,99 right now.

(Also, WATCH THE AMAZON PRIME SERIES, it is SO FUN!)

Caraval & Legendary - Stephanie Gaber

A magical story about two sisters (there's quite a few books I read the past year with sisters) get invited to a once-a-year, exclusive magical live performance where the audience participates. The protagonist has been obsessed with this Caraval as long as she lives. To escape a betrothal of her sister, they go and during the Caraval a lot happens that changes everything.

Apparently there is a third book called Finale, which makes me think I maybe haven't finished Legendary and I need to, because I thought there would just be two.

You can buy the paperback here, and if you want to read it in Dutch you can too: My favorite online writer to follow on Instagram, Chinouk Thijssen translated the book!

Circe - Madeline miller

I've read both this one, Song of Achilles and Galatea. The only one I wouldn't really recommend was Galatea, I just didn't really think that one is interesting. The other two are, though.

I love Greek mythology and when people retell a classic in an interesting new way, and Madeline Miller has done so with this book. I really liked Circe.

The paperback is only 9,70!

Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller

One f the most beautiful and tragic lovestories I've ever read. I recommend it to everyone, especially anyone who likes Greek mythology. It's about Patrocles and Achilles, and their lovestory.

I cried like a baby during the last bit.

If you want to purchase this stunning story in paperback, click here.

A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara

SPEAKING OF CRYING.

If you'd like to be emotionally destroyed and sob incontrollably through the entire last half of this book, go read 'A Little Life'

At first I resisted, and during the first chapters of this book I was mostly confused about who was who, but once you've got it, it is one of those stories that touches you, breaks you and then changes you.

English paperback here, Dutch paperback here.

Fireblood Trilogy - Elly Blake

I read this only a few weeks ago and I burned through these books, if you will. Finished all three in less than a week.

These are SO GOOD. The world is divided into three types of people: Regular, Firebloods and Frostbloods, the last two types having magic abilities that they train and can use, and with the Firebloods and Frostbloods being enemies of sorts.

A Fireblood girl is taken by Frostbloods to help them take down their evil king, but it turns out everything is a lot more complicated than it seems.

Lots of plot twists you can't easily see coming, a lot of friendships, a little romance, and a really good story. It's absolutely lovely.

Paperback here, Amazon Kindle below.

The Bear and the Nightingale Series - Katherine Arden

The prettiest trilogy I've read all year.

Set in Russia, a fairytale of sorts, and the protagonist is a strong girl who believes in freedom, her own decisions and heart, and who falls in love.

Three books to enjoy and swoon over. Try the first one hereor get the ebook below.

Small Spaces - Katherine Arden

By the same author as the previous trilogy, perhaps a children's book, but a good scary story that is easy to read.

A girl who has lost her mom goes on a field trip and turns out, farms and scarecrows are still as scary as they were during Children of the Corn.

I highly recommend; easy and fun scary story, fun to read with a child I think.

You can get it here, or here:

The Mermaid's Sister - Carrie Anne Noble

This is such a beautiful story.

You meet Clara, Maren and O'Neill. Claire was brought to her aunt by a stork, Maren came out of a shell, and O'Neill was found by the woman's husband under an apple tree. As Maren slowly turns into a mermaid, Clara and O'Neill try desperately to save Maren and return her to the ocean.

It's kinda like Frozen with the sisterly love, but has more to it.

Easy to read, with lovely and beautiful sentences, and I cried at the end.

Where to buy? For 12 euros you can buy the paperback here, or the Kindle version for 3.99$ below!

Numina Series - Charlie N Holmberg

This is such a good series, I can't wait for the third book - it's coming out in September.

In this world, magic is a scary underground thing where you need slaves to get possessed by numen, fiery beings from a different plane of existence.

A girl escapes her master who as it turns out, wants to bring the worst numen from that plane to destroy the world. With the help from a charming thief, she tries to save the fellow slaves and prevent world destruction.

Get the first one hereor below:

Magi Bitter, Magic Sweet - Charlie N Holmberg

By the same author, really interesting and pretty fairytale, kind of.

It's about a magical baker, and you should just read it. Buy it here, or below. It's cheaper on Kindle and it's such a breezy book, it's fine as an ebook.

My Absolute Darling - Gabriel Tallent

Horrible but gripping story about a girl called Turtle who grows up with her survivalist nut job of a dad in the woods, and then meets a few boys and a little girl that change the course of her life.

It's hard to read sometimes because the writer has made Turtle into what into my eyes is an eerily accurate portrait of the abused and traumatised. You're rooting for her but you don't always understand her, and you don't always understand her but you're always rooting for her, you know?

You can buy the paperback here for 12 euros or do as I do and buy the Kindle version via the link below!

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein - Kiersten White

I'm a sucker for reinventions of the classics, especially if suddenly we see everything from a woman's perspective. This story is about Elizabeth Frankenstein, the girl who grew up with the boy who will become Doctor Frankenstein and who loves him, and goes looking for him when he disappears from the place he was studying.

It's a very interesting and scary story, and it shows exactly how sometimes the things we do for love, are the very things that make the person we love into a monster.

I'm going to read a lot more by Kiersten White upcoming year, that's for sure.

You can buy the paperback herefor 12 euros, or click below for the Kindle version, for only 8.32$. Fun fact: The copy of the actual story about Frankenstein's monster by Mary Shelby is the second half of the book!

Strange the Dreamer & Muse of Nightmares - Laini Taylor

By the author of some of my favorite books EVER (Daughter of Smoke and Bone series), such a well-written and ethereal story. Full of legends, poetry and love.

It is well-written, heartbreaking and especially during Muse of Nightmares it is so great to see how everything pans out.

Buy the paperback herefor 12 euros , or below:

Grim Lovelies - Meghan Shepherd

I literally finished these last weekend, and really fun! Good story, set in France, in which 'Beasties' are animals turned people and used to help magical people like witches.

Can't wait for the sequel that is coming out in a couple of days!

Get the paperback here, or below.

A Blade So Black - L. L. Mckinny

This is such an interesting take on Alice in Wonderland, scarier and darker, but also more fun. The series is called the Nightmare Verse, I haven't gotten around to reading the second instalment: A Dream So Dark.

Incredible about this book is that the protagonist is a black girl and the book also touches upon the horrible terror that you can get attacked or killed just because of the color of your skin.

You can buy the paperback for 11,99, or on Kindle below.

The Luminous Dead - Caitlin Starling

This might be one of the most terrifying books I have ever read. It combines a few of my greatest fears (caving, being underground and diving) into a goosebump-filled adventure as you follow Gyre, an inexperienced caver who lied on her resume in order to get this job, go deeper and deeper into the cave -- as well as into the complicated backstory of her handler, Em.

Guys. It is so scary. And so good. Go read it. It's 14 euros here, or available on Amazon.

The Girl From Everwhere - Heidi Heilig

Timetravel always gives me a headache, but this piratey-spin on int is really fun.

You can buy the paperback for 9,99 on Bol.com and I was pleased to find out there is a second book now: The Ship Beyond Time. Definitely reading this as soon as I finish Frost!

Phew, a whale of a post

As always, I'd love it if you reciprocate with your own (non)-fiction recommendations: Let me know in the comments below what books you loved the past year.

Have a lovely Sunday!

[the-arson-author-gamer]

Alright, after that hellfire of a ending, I present you some semi-serious, semi-crack propaganda:

COME WATCH EMPIRES SMP S2, WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING:

*Note that watching hours upon hours of S1 episodes are not needed, though they will occasionally reference or build plot lines off of S1 things, if you have any questions, one of us will be kind enough to explain!*

13 empires and pov's to choose from! All with an interesting storylines, beautiful buildings, and in general a different style/vibe! Presenting:

Mythical Sausage, who I would consider to be the most lore-heavy out of the bunch, while you don't need to watch S1 to watch his pov, it is very based off of S1, as said in the note above, any questions, one of us will answer! Sausage's empire, Sanctuary, is inspired from Encanto (yes he talks to animals), he has some very fun lore and an interdimensional dog (Bubbles) and some very dirty jokes!

Joel, also known as Smallishbeans, who decided that last season's giant palace was not enough and decided to build two (2) empires, his videos are shorter, so catching up is easy, any 'lore' that he does is clearly fakely acted (last season he denied the demon, yes there is a demon), but it is very hilarious and he is the 2nd contender for dirtiest jokes in empires (Sausage is 1st). He also has a child with Sausage, Hermes, where they had some form of a one night stand and a child appeared.

Lizzie, like Joel's videos, Lizzie's are shorter videos, and she finds glorious ways to commit animal-based atrocities to villagers and several scams (This is Lizzie, cmon), within the city/town of Animalia, Lizzie's videos are always fun to watch!

Fwhip, the scrunkly little goblin man that lives in a cave and has great stonks. Not as lore heavy, but there are various hints and various worldbuilding things you can pick apart within the empire of Gobland. Fwhip is an insane builder and always has something interesting going on. His videos are longer, but he is also juggling a hardcore world where he does lots of mega-projects. Check those out as well!

Scott, I almost want to say he's the true #1 of dirty jokes, but Sausage's are more prominent. Either way, Scott as probably everybody knows of, is the ruler of the Empire of Chromia, where he sells various dyes. I will admit, I haven't watched Scott's pov, so most of the stuff I am gathering are from my dash and other things from people's videos. Though Scott is always a good watch!

The Great Witch Shelby, or Shubble, is a witch with questionable morals and a secret great power, don't worry about the mysterious fog... don't worry about it! As I know of, Shubble does not have as many episodes out, but she has been fairly busy last I have heard! Shubble, as always is fun to watch!

Joey Graceffa, the pirate with a grudge against Skeletons and a need to steal from others. His gunpowder farm is better than Jimmy's, yes. I haven't been watching his POV as well, since I am busy person myself, but Joey is a very fun POV to watch and the only non-pg person on the server, though the definitions of 'pg' in minecraft smps is iffy, for here being pg is not swearing, anything else like dirty jokes are applicable and subject to change depending on the creator.

Solidaritygaming, also known as Jimmy! Or even better, The Sheriff. His export is supposed to be gunpowder, but his gunpowder farm sucks, don't worry, Jimmy loves being the butt of the joke and even requests it from his friends! The Sheriff is slightly corrupt in his 'ruling' over the server, which will be a fun plotline to see unravel later! His videos are a bit on the shorter side, and in the mid-range lore wise!

KatherineElizabethGaming, or just Katherine, is a princess with a dark secret, by night she slays various monsters with a giant axe and a cool outfit (yes there is a magical girl transformation!). As I know off, there is a very interesting plotline with Katherine that I don't know much about since I'm not watching her POV, but I think it's corruption based!

Geminitay, or just Gem, another princess (but she's just larping shhh), with a sun themed empire and lore! Gem's empire I would consider to be the most medieval-fantasy based with her build style and palette. Gem does not have as many episodes as the others because she is also in Hermitcraft! Which I will get to in a moment!

Falsesymmetry, or just False, the ruler of Cogsmead, who got iskaid into Empires and is wary of everybody except for the dead bodies who clothes she robs. False is also part of Hermitcraft and has less episodes, but I believe her episodes are around 20 minutes or so and are fairly lore-heavy for empires.

Oli. Yes. Oli. He has 2 videos out now, but my god are they worth it! Oli has to be one of the most funny and entertaining people I have ever watched. Oli's POV is always worth the watch and wait! He was also iskaid into empires but doesn't have amnesia and is totally aware of the people around him who all think he's a bard.

Pixlriffs, while not playing a character exactly, is bringing an empire back from the ground as the archeologist and preserver of the server. He keeps his supplies inside a tomb, and thought the pain of being murdered was actually the loss of deepslate emerald ore. Pixlriffs is also a part of the Hermitcraft recap!

ANSWERING SOME QUESTIONS FOR THE SAKE OF IT

SO. Hermitcraft!

Why are there a bunch of Hermitcraft members in Empires?

Fwhip and Grian have been planning a crossover event for several months now where in Hermitcraft, Grian has a rift underneath his base and it's counterpart in Empires S2. When Grian's rift went from a foggy glass effect to an actual portal he sent notes through which showed up in empires and a game of telephone ensued. To the point that Grian and a bunch of other Hermitcraft members went through the rift and showed up in Empires SMP.

As of now the rift has closed behind the hermits and something lore related will allow them to return to Hermitcraft.

Watching hermitcraft I find will not be necessary for watching any recent episodes, though references will be made throughout!

You said 'episodes' not 'streams'?

Yep! Empires is all on Youtube, allowing you to easily go back and watch any episode when you please. Any streams on empires are just people chilling, gathering resources, ect.

Who do I watch?

Up to you! With 13 members, you can pick and chose who you want to watch and who you vibe with! I watch Pixlriffs, Mythical Sausage, Joel, Fwhip, Oli, and Gem!

Discourse?

Not that I know of, and if you want to have petty arguements on the internet over characters, please tag correctly so people can filter out if need be.

Does Empires have any PVP?

Ehhh, not necessarily, there are arena's and PVP fights, but no main PVP based creators, everybody in Empires I would consider to be builders or redstoners, rather than PVPers. Though Joel I would consider to be the strongest PVP wise!

Empires is PG?

Yeah, it is, Joey isn't though and I think that the dirty jokes make up for it!

---

Wow, I haven't made a post this big in a while, if you have any other questions, feel free to send me an ask or ask your question on the comments or reblogs! I am always happy to help!

SO COME WATCH EMPIRES TODAY!! TRUST ME IT'S WORTH IT!

[phantom-swing]

This is in no way a ‘little rundown’ but here we go:

Everyone is in charge of their own empire and their season 1 characters aren’t the same as their season 2 characters. Season 2 Empires takes place a thousand or so years after Season 1 (which ended in ‘the rapture’ which is basically the apocalypse)

fWhip is a goblin king who was deputy to Jimmy until he gifted him a warden as thanks for going to his irl wedding and is refusing to give the badge back.

Lizzie is a cat pretending to be a human, mayor of a Critter City which has secret exploitative farms under the buildings

Scott was an adventurer who lost his eye to a magic skull and got a magic seeing yellow eye from a trickster wizard, is now best friends with llamas.

Joel fell into the magical lore fountain and became the god of lore, says he’s 11 feet tall and when his cheeks clap thunder happens.

Sausage is on the run from the evil king of his old kingdom. He can talk to animals and after his mum died he was raised by a blacksmith named Eddie. He is currently going through some inter dimensional vision stuff.

Hermes is the child of both Joel and Sausage. In game, they’re an armour stand the two of them trade around to give gifts to each other.

Jimmy is the sheriff, aka The Law. Is teased for being Woody from Toy Story and is fighting allegations that he is actually a tiny toy man.

Gem is a princess who follows willow wisps around for lore. Has butterfly wings, worships the sun and is non-violent.

Katherine is a princess, whose birth caused half of her kingdom to lose it’s light so her citizens don’t like her every much. She’s a tailor by day and secret monster slayer by night (magical girl transformation included) She wants to find a way to cure her kingdom

Shelby is a witch and was a bad student so she kinda sucks at magic. She accidentally teleported stuff in between realities so now the witch council wants her to stop doing magic and she’s hiding from them. Has a grandma and has a huge crush on Katherine and her big muscles

Joey was a pirate captain until his ship got attacked by Skeletron. He washed up on shore and is now saving his crew mates and rebuilding his ship to defeat Skeletron. Canonically Piratesexual, thinks Katherine is a pirate princess and was convinced the two of them were going to get married

Pix is a historian/ archaeologist. Out of lore, he’s basically the DM and is constructing the backstory of the land, building dungeons or the others to play.

False woke up on empires with no memories and a ton of paranoia. She stole clothes off a corpse and is getting strange dreams that inspire her to build various ways to get back to her home. There’s a pumpkin guy named Jack that keeps coming closer to her house and a sign that has a different ominous writing on it every episode.

Oli ascended from Afterlife SMP, met God, fell down into Empires before anyone else, spedrun killing the dragon, got trapped in the credits for who knows how long and returned to see civilization everywhere. Stole Gem’s horn, got trapped in goblin prison for months and is now in massive dept to fWhip. Silly little bard guy who is roasting the dragon egg to eat

Saint Pearl is a god, living in her S8 base in the clouds, watching tv. There’s a statue of her at the Ancient Capital, a church to her in Sanctuary and Joel has vague memories of her. She does not play in Season 2 but cameod in Oli’s and Sausage’s episodes briefly. She looks like Season 1 Pearl, who died in the rapture.

So can anyone who watches Empires give a little rundown of the lore for us Hermitcraft people? I though I knew enough but I do need t.

[recentanimenews]

Monthly Manga Review Index: September 2017

I’ll resist that hoariest of September cliches — the “back to school” lede — and cut to the chase: this month’s review index is bursting at the seams with new manga, from She and Her Cat to Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight, Queen’s Quality, and I Hear the Sunspot, as well as robust selection of older titles. Here at the Manga Critic, I was more productive than I was in August, posting reviews of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Elegant Yokai Apartment Life, After Hours and My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness, and the Hergé à Québec exhibition at the Musée de la civilisation. I also added two new sites to the Monthly Manga Review Index: Anime Nation, which posts good (if infrequent) manga reviews, and Boston Bastard Brigade, a pop-culture blog with Masshole swag. (I say this as someone born and raised in Boston, and who now lives on the North Shore — in other words, a fellow Masshole.)

Wondering what to read next? If the list below doesn’t help you find a great new title, Brigid Alverson’s got you covered with her picks for October’s best manga.

REVIEW OF THE MONTH

All-Comic contributor Siddarth Gupta is rapidly becoming one of my favorite manga critics. His reviews are thorough, thoughtful, and stylish, transcending a simple good/bad assessment to get to the heart of the work. In September, for example, he posted a lengthy article comparing Atsushi Okubo’s Fire Force with Okubo’s monster hit Soul Eater, in the process helping non-fans like me better appreciate why Okubo is so popular with teen readers:

While there is a lot to praise in Fire Force’s first volume, fans of Soul Eater may find it a slow burn. Atsushi Okubo’s storytelling and artwork are defined by a gothic-punk style, and deviant, morbid sensibility. Despite the saturation of ghoul fighting battle manga, Soul Eater popped with its pop aesthetic. Okubo’s character designs were fashionable and distinctive, and it was one of the few school-centered series where characters wore different sets of clothing instead of the same uniform. Every character had a unique look and design that unmistakably reflected their personalities, transcending their archetypes with unforgettable characterizations. In Soul Eater, Okubo seemed unbound to convention, and put all manner of crazy concepts, characters, and ideas into a world where both the sun and moon had creepy, smiling faces. But while hints of Okubo’s underground tastes are evident in Fire Force, it doesn’t recapture the same attitude and aesthetic that made its predecessor stand out.

And while Gupta’s review hasn’t inspired me to pick up Fire Force, he has inspired me to give Soul Eater a second look.

FROM THE TOP: DEBUTS AND FIRST VOLUMES

7th Garden, Vol. 1 (Nic Willcox, No Flying No Tights)

After Hours, Vol. 1 (Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading)

Aho-Girl: A Clueless Girl, Vol. 1 (Al Sparrow, Comic Spectrum)

Aho-Girl: A Clueless Girl, Vol. 1 (Justin, The OASG)

Ajin: Demi-Human, Vol. 1 (Evan Bourgault, Boston Bastard Brigade)

Anonymous Noise, Vols. 1-2 (Allen Kesinger, No Flying No Tights)

The Art of Pokemon Adventures (Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin)

The Art of Pokemon Adventures (Brigid Alverson, Good Comics for Kids)

Beasts of Abigaile, Vol. 1 (Anna N., The Manga Report)

Captain Harlock, Space Pirate: Dimensional Voyage, Vol. 1 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

The Case Study of Vanitas, Vols. 1-2 (Megan Rupe, No Flying No Tights)

Chihayafuru, Vol. 1 (Che Gilson, Otaku USA)*

Clockwork Planet, Vol. 1 (Al Sparrow, Comic Spectrum)

Delicious in Dungeon, Vol. 1 (Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading)

Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju, Vol. 1 (Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading)

Domestic Girlfriend, Vol. 1 (Amelia Cook, Otaku USA)*

Don’t Meddle With My Daughter, Vol. 1 (Al Sparrow, Comic Spectrum)

Dreamin’ Sun, Vol. 1 (Jason Thompson, Otaku USA)

Evangelion: Legend of the Piko Piko Middle School Students (Che Gilson, Otaku USA)

Frau Faust, Vol. 1 (Sarah, Anime UK News)

Frau Faust, Vol. 1 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

The Full-Time Wife Escapist, Vol. 1 (Amelia Cook, Otaku USA)*

Generation Witch, Vol. 1 (Theron Martin, Anime News Network)

Ghost Diary, Vol. 1 (Che Gilson, Otaku USA)

I Hear the Sunspot (Sarah, Anime UK News)

I Hear the Sunspot (John, Anime Nation)

I Hear the Sunspot (Danica Davidson, Otaku USA)

In/Spectre, Vols. 1-3 (Che Gilson, Otaku USA)

Kakeguri: Compulsive Gambler, Vol. 1 (Helen, The OASG)

Kigurumi Guardians, Vol. 1 (Rebecca Silverman, Anime News Network)

Kigurumi Guardians, Vol. 1 (Sarah, Anime UK News)

Kigurumi Guardians, Vol. 1 (J. Caleb Mozzocco, Good Comics for Kids)

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight, Vol. 1 (Demelza, Anime UK News)

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight, Vol. 1 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight, Vol. 1 (Aaron, Manga Energy)

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight, Vol. 1 (Matt, Taykobon)

Kounodori: Dr. Stork, Vol. 1 (Jordan Richards, AiPT!)*

Land of the Lustrous, Vol. 1 (Dil, Taykobon)

The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up (Katherine Roth, Associated Press)

Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, Vol. 1 (Dil, Taykobon)

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz, Vol. 1 (Matthew Boss, BentoByte)

Museum, Vols. 1-2 (Jason Thompson, Otaku USA)*

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness (Erica McGillray, 6’7″ and Green)

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness (Cierra, Cierra’s Heart of Books)

My Lesbian Exprience with Loneliness (Maggie Derrick, MaggieDerrick.com)

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness (Jason Thompson, Otaku USA)

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness (Lydia, Pinklover)

Naruto: Chibi Sasuke’s Sharingan Legend, Vol. 1 (Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin)

Queen’s Quality, Vol. 1 (Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin)

Queen’s Quality, Vol. 1 (Anna N., The Manga Report)

Queen’s Quality, Vol. 1 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers, Vol. 1 (Megan Rupe, No Flying No Tights)

Sekirei, Vol. 1 (Justin, The OASG)

She and Her Cat (Eric Cline, AiPT!)

She and Her Cat (Rebecca Silverman, Anime News Network)

She and Her Cat (Patrick Moore, BentoByte)

She and Her Cat (Evan Bourgault, Boston Bastard Brigade)

She and Her Cat (Justin, The OASG)

Shojo Fight!, Vol. 1 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Siúil, a Rún: The Girl from the Other Side, Vol. 1 (Al Sparrow, Comic Spectrum)

Siúil, a Rún: The Girl from the Other Side, Vol. 1 (Helen, The OASG)

Smokin’ Parade, Vol. 1 (Matt Morrison, No Flying No Tights)

Sweet Blue Flowers, Vol. 1 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Vol. 1 (Theron Martin, Anime News Network)

Tokyo Ghoul, Vol. 1 (SKJAM, SKJAM! Reviews)

Tokyo Tarareba Girls, Vols. 1-3 (Amelia Cool, Otaku USA)*

Toppu GP, Vol. 1 (Jason Thompson, Otaku USA)

Wave, Listen to Me!, Vol. 1 (Amelia Cook, Otaku USA)*

ONGOING SERIES

7th Garden, Vol. 6 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Aho-Girl: A Clueless Girl, Vol. 2 (Aaron, Manga Energy)

Anne Happy, Vol. 6 (Krystallina, The OASG)

Anonymous Noise, Vol. 3 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Anonymous Noise, Vol. 4 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Anonymous Noise, Vol. 5 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Blood Lad, Vol. 9 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Bloody Mary, Vol. 8 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Vol. 2 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Bungo Stray Dogs, Vol. 3 (Keith Hendricks, NerdSpan)

Bungo Stray Dogs, Vol. 4 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Delicious in Dungeon, Vol. 2 (Helen, The OASG)

Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju, Vol. 2 (Austin Price, Otaku USA)

Dreamin’ Sun, Vol. 3 (Aaron, Manga Energy)

Everyone’s Getting Married, Vol. 6 (Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading)

Everyone’s Getting Married, Vol. 6 (Anna N., The Manga Report)

First Love Monster, Vol. 7 (Krystallina, The OASG)

Food Wars!! Shokugeki no Soma, Vol. 18 (The Outerhaven)

Golden Kamuy, Vol. 2 (David Brooke, AiPT!)

Golden Kamuy, Vol. 2 (Matthew Alexander, The Fandom Post)

Goodnight Punpun, Vol. 6 (Gabe Peralta, The Fandom Post)

Goodnight Punpun, Vol. 7 (Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin)

Goodnight Punpun, Vol. 7 (Keith Hendricks, NerdSpan)

Haikyu!!, Vol. 2 (Julie, Manga Maniac Cafe)

Hayate the Combat Butler, Vol. 30 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Horimiya, Vol. 8 (Helen, The OASG)

Idol Dreams, Vol. 4 (Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading)

Idol Dreams, Vol. 4 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Vol. 2 (Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin)

Love at Fourteen, Vol. 6 (Kory Cerjak, The Fandom Post)

Master Keaton, Vol. 10 (Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin)

Master Keaton, Vol. 12 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Monster Collection: The Girl Who Can Deal with Magic Monsters, Vol. 5 (SKJAM, SKJAM! Reviews)

Monster Hunter: Flash Hunter, Vol. 4 (Kate O’Neil, The Fandom Post)

Monster Hunter: Flash Hunter, Vol. 5 (Kate O’Neil, The Fandom Post)

Monster Hunter: Flash Hunter, Vol. 6 (Kate O’Neil, The Fandom Post)

Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, Vol. 8 (Helen, The OASG)

Murcielago, Vol. 3 (Erica Friedman, Okazu)

My Love Story!!, Vol. 13 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

My Love Story!!, Vol. 13 (Anna N., The Manga Report)

Nichijou, Vol. 10 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

One Piece, Vols. 52-54 (Renay Williams, B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog)

One Piece, Vols. 55-57 (Renay Williams, B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog)

One Piece, Vols. 58-60 (Renay Williams, B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog)

One-Punch Man, Vol. 12 (David Brooke, AiPT!)

One-Punch Man, Vol. 12 (Keith Hendricks, NerdSpan)

Platinum End, Vol. 2 (Nick Creamer, Anime News Network)

Plum Crazy!! Tales of a Tiger-Striped Cat, Vol. 2 (Aaron, Manga Energy)

Skip Beat!!, Vols. 37-38 (Shelby Strong, Anime Feminist)

Sweetness & Lightning, Vol. 5 (Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading)

Toriko, Vol. 39 (Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin)

Twinkle Stars, Vol. 3 (Keith Hendricks, NerdSpan)

Until Death Do Us Part, Vol. 10 (Matt Morrison, No Flying No Tights)

Until Death Do Us Part, Vol. 11 (Matt Morrison, No Flying No Tights)

Vinland Saga, Vol. 9 (Ash Brown, Experiments in Manga)

Waiting for Spring, Vol. 2 (Aaron, Manga Energy)

The Water Dragon’s Bride, Vol. 3 (Anna N., The Manga Report)

Welcome to the Ballroom, Vol. 6 (Jordan Richards, AiPT!)

Welcome to the Ballroom, Vol. 7 (Jordan Richards, AiPT!)

Welcome to the Ballroom, Vol. 7 (Matt, Taykobon)

Wolfsmund, Vol. 8 (Justin, The OASG)

FROM THE VAULT

Angel Sanctuary (Megan R., The Manga Test Drive)

Brilliant Blue, Vol. 1 (Kate O’Neil, The Fandom Post)

Brilliant Blue, Vol. 2 (Kate O’Neil, The Fandom Post)

Cheeky Angel (Megan R., The Manga Test Drive)

The Drops of God, Vol. 2 (Library Girl, A Library Girl’s Familiar Diversions)

Electric Hands (Patricia Beard, The Fandom Post)

Emma, Vol. 5 (Josh Begley, The Fandom Post)

Fallen Moon (Megan R., The Manga Test Drive)

FukuFuku Kitten Tales, Vol. 1 (Eric Cline, AiPT!)

FukuFuku Kitten Tales, Vol. 2 (Eric Cline, AiPT!)

GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class, Vol. 7 (Marissa Lieberman, No Flying No Tights)

Negima?! neo, Vol. 1 (Matthew Alexander, The Fandom Post)

Nodame Cantabile, Vol. 5 (Gabe Peralta, The Fandom Post)*

The Official xxxHolic Guide (Matthew Alexander, The Fandom Post)

Showa: A History of Japan, 1953-1989 (SKJAM, SKJAM! Reviews)

Tomie: Complete Deluxe Edition (Marissa Lieberman, No Flying No Tights)

* Denotes a digital-only release

By: Katherine Dacey