#lace reviews

[adelle-ein]

cleared the beta main story (it's five chapters, for anyone wondering, all set in wishfield), there's loads of side quests etc to potentially do but i think i'll probably spend the rest of the time dressing up nikki and wandering around - don't want the first several dozen hours of the full game to be a drag when it comes out lol, want to leave some stuff. nikki also decided to mix things up on me by getting stuck *above* the ground in the last few cutscenes so that was fun

positives: really is just a gorgeous, gorgeous game. the dress up mechanics are stellar, lots of options and things to mess around with. i don't even really have a ton of clothes yet but have still spent tons of time dressing up, it's great, i've never played such an hd fashion game and it's exciting. so much love and detail has gone into the world - npcs will be standing around knitting, tons of tiny items and details in houses and storefronts. some of the animals are supremely cute, there's so many flowers, there's lots of little like...sewing/weaving/knitting/crochet/art details lying around. there's no part of the world that feels unfinished or like an afterthought. even the goddamn treasure chests are beautiful. it's very much a "see a place, go to it" open world. photo mode is really just fantastic and everything i want other games' photo modes to be. generally gameplay feels pretty easy and accessible - it's a little overwhelming at first when they're throwing terms at you (might be easier for nikki veterans) but you can get the hang of things after a bit, and the combat's easy. no lag, loading screens are pretty minimal, runs gorgeously on max settings on my computer (which is a very good gaming computer but not like a custom rig or whatever.)

negatives: don't love some of the platforming but i've gotten by ok without needing to call my sister to come do hard parts for me, so that's good lol. if i can manage probably most people can. the gacha really seems awful, odds of naturally pulling anything good are low, currency rare, hardly anything in the common pool, all that good stuff. and at least so far, some categories of items like eye colors and capes for momo are locked to pulling heavily, which sucks. while most of the bugs i've experienced are visual glitches, and i've had way less crashing since they pushed out hotfixes, said glitches can get pretty annoying at times - mostly nikki sinking into or hovering above the ground which can impede all kinds of things, and sometimes buttons to skip or advance scenes not working properly, (though usually if clicking didn't work, hitting f did and vice versa, still a pain). voice acting is flat as a board, and the last few cutscenes had some pretty gnarly typos/translation issues (there's some otherwise, but not enough to really impede the game imo.) these are pretty predictable complaints i think. not optimistic that the gacha will improve but i think the bugs etc can be smoothed out. also i got a little dizzy/motion sick at times but nothing awful, just needed breaks.

but yeah, excited for full game, shame about the gacha but hoping the rest of the game is strong enough to stand without it

[lacependragon]

2024 Book #1: The Hanging City by Charlie N. Holmberg

Intended Audience: Adult Genre: Romantasy (Romance-focused fantasy) Length: 335 pages Finished: February 17th, 2024

Narration: single narrator, first person pov

Summary: In a fantasy world consumed by an endless drought, a young woman on the run from her father has arrived at the last place that might take her in: the troll city under the greatest bridge ever built. But in order to get in, she must tell the leaders of her strange magic ability - she can push fear onto others, though she'll feel it too. As Lark, our MC, tries to fit into trollis (their preferred term) society, she finds herself struggling to fit in when kindness and compassion don't get you far in a society of strength. But some trollis soften to her, especially a handsome one named Azmar that Lark can't stop thinking about, no matter how dangerous it is.

Review: This is a very good book. Lark is a fun, compassionate, and quick thinking main character whose mistakes are understandable and who uses all the information at her disposal in clever ways. I loved how her compassion and struggle to fit in led to so much of the conflict in the story, and I loved how it also was a huge part of her success in the story, too. Lark's relationships with other characters, including Azmar and Unach, who she lives with, are just so, so good. I loved the job that Lark ended up with - monster hunting - and I really appreciate how it never stops being relevant to the story, both in activity and in social situations. In fact, this is just a very tightly written little book and everything circles around in some very fantastic ways.

The writing is lovely, too. I really enjoy the way this author writes books - I own a few of them - and I find there's a nice cadence to the words. It's smooth to read. And that spreads into how information is given to the reader, as well. Everything feels very smooth and easy flowing.

And, just to come back around, I really, really love compassionate protagonists. I love when characters want to help others, no matter the cost, and sometimes make stupid decisions because of that. Lark is such a fantastic protagonist who works around everything she is given. I love her. I love Azmar, too.

I think my biggest problem is that this is a seriously closed door romance. A few on-screen kisses and that's about it. Some light references. I would have loved to see more - I prefer my romances a little smuttier - but YMMV.

Just a fantastic book, seriously. So glad it was my first of the year.

Things I liked, specifically:

The romance was good. I understood why Lark was attracted to Azmar, and even though we never get Azmar's point of view, it was clear to me why he liked her. Watching them fall for each other was just adorable. Also, I love when a romance doesn't rely on badly done miscommunication for its third act drama. This does something SO GOOD that has nothing to do with that!

The worldbuilding was really neat. This is a standalone, so there's a lot of questions left unanswered, but the answers we got were fun. I also loved how it tied into the plot, as well as the culture of the trollis. You really get a sense for what their people value when the architecture is described. It's very evocative. And the cultural bits we get, the government and tax and law systems, the currency and caste stuff. God it's all so good and intriguing. Layered in just enough, in my opinion.

The friendships. There are so many good supporting characters in this story, including Unach, the trollis woman originally assigned to look over Lark. She's Azmar's sister and she's basically my fave. She's so gruff and short-tempered but also fantastic. Love her. I loved all of the supporting characters. All of them were well-written, well-rounded, and had motivations that were clear to me.

LARK. Again, emphasizing that Lark is just a fantastic, compassionate and kind protagonist. She is tired of fighting. Tired of having to hurt others. She wants a family, friends, and peace, and it is beautiful to watch her strive for her.

The themes. Sometimes you can't change a place, only you can change. Family isn't what your born into, but the people who will accept you no matter what you are. It is always right to try and save others. What is a monster? What is a man? Just to name a few that I personally pulled out of the story that I just adored the execution of. It's so good. And the trollis society embodies both good and bad, and you get to see the way it echoes into the themes and guh.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars.

Recommended for: Fans of romance who enjoy good worldbuilding, fans of Holes, fans of Gentle Giant men.

[bixels]

Very recent tag on my last post, but all credit goes to my partner again. They were sitting next to me while I cycled through Google image search "1920s flapper dress," going 'no. no. no. god no. no. absolutely not'.

[sageadvice]

[ Dragon Age: The Veilguard Spoilers ]

Well…I reached the end.

And I mostly survived.

Varric 😭

I’m not going to complain about the bits that I took issue with. It’s 3:30 am and I’m too emotional for objectivity.

I did all that work to get the Solavellan ending…and then I gave it all up to punch the egg man in the face. And I don’t regret it for a second. (Chalk it up to my Rook being a girl’s girl, I say.)

One day, I’ll reload and do the whole “secret ending” thing but my gosh, keeping Varric’s…what, spirit? Tethered between Solas and Rook through BLOOD MAGIC?? Even Merrill would not approve of this. I knew he was manipulating Rook. I thought I understood betrayal. But that…that really cemented his place as the villain in this story for me. Even to the last, he believed himself a god.

I lost Harding. That…really got to me. I sort of knew it would happen; her or Davrin, the game didn’t make some big secret of it. And, to be honest, the whole game had a lot of easily-predictable plot revelations, and I think that was one of its major strengths. You could always point out the traitor during the first conversation, and then feel that sense of “ha! I knew it.” If they’d tried too hard to subvert your expectations, it would have come across as poorly written.

I ended up being very glad that I got all the companions to Hero status, and all the factions to three stars, because that meant that I didn’t lose anyone else. It felt right, like I personally did put in those hours and make those careful choices to save those people, and they didn’t just get a free pass due to plot armor. It was all Rook.

And I did enjoy the end of Rook and Lucanis’ romance. To be honest, if that scene hadn’t been waiting for me after she got out of the veil prison, I would not have been able to keep playing. Was it enough? I think so, for Rook. I will be writing my own fanfiction embellishments though.

Scrolling back a bit, the moment in the game that first made me cry was Manfred waking up with magical powers and squealing with excitement. “Magic! Like you!” Instant waterworks. The depressing moments are never as meaningful to me as the shockingly touching ones, and Manfred embodied that sentiment wonderfully.

What else can I say? I loved it. 10/10 for me, especially after waiting 10 years. They honored Varric, and even if I’m still mad about it I guess it’s more than we got for any of our other past beloved NPCs. In my head, he’s hunting Hawke down in the Fade. One day, Cassandra will meet him there and they’ll be reborn as wisps who can dance around the Necropolis together. Emmrich will make sure they’re properly cared for.

[genericpuff]

yeah i don't think this is the kind of advertising rachel needs right now-

[saccharine-dreamer]

Rave Review 2024 Spring/Summer Collection

[lacewise]

The Lace Guild Books, review:

Let’s start with “Basic Technical Instruction”. It is very good at making the basics comprehensible for first time needle lacemakers, and it (very fortunately for me) will stop you from making the worst and easiest possible mistakes. I always like to revisit the first part of the pamphlet when I’m tacking down a new cordonnet… Mostly because from experience, I know if I don’t, it will be disastrous. This is because it’s one of the slowest possible things to do, so it can be several months between projects, even if I’m working every day and have multiple ongoing projects at different stages. The diagrams are VERY easy for beginners to understand, the instructions are well-written, in-depth, and build upon each other, the stitches are named so you can research them further, and there are a bunch of patterns with different motifs that get more complex and in-depth as you progress.

It also does assume you’re working with thinner thread (dentelle 80 from DMC, I think) but… like… don’t do that if you don’t have oversight from a professional? I know some people recommend size 3 crochet cotton but size 10 or 12 is fine (and is where I started). As a little tip (and sidenote): don’t use knitting thread. I’ll demonstrate in a video later but if you use knitting thread you are asking for trouble. Knitting thread (and some embroidery thread, I promise I will get threads and film it to show you exactly why) can’t really stand the constant rubbing against paper and metal you’re going to be doing. It’s asking for knots and other problems. Use crochet thread! Or really, really thick sewing thread! Stuff that is made for weirdness and rough handling!!!

Back to the review: the main problem (and the reason people try to skip it or might choose to buy a Doreen Holmes book on the subject instead) is the basic instruction manual is very easy to outgrow. Because it’s for the absolute fundamentals, there’s very, very little talk about stylistic choices and lace traditions.

That’s where the “Intermediate Technical Instruction” comes in. Sort of. It’s not really fully intermediate, but it assumes you’re comfortable making stitches and know basic terminology and are ready for more. It transitions you into intermediate but adding new skills and showing off different traditions a new (but not novice!) lacemaker can theoretically accomplish. I highly recommend doing several patterns from “Basic Technical Instruction” before starting this, but please at least complete the first one before starting on a more advanced pattern!

Speaking of patterns, all of the patterns in these books are basically decorative samplers. It’s more interesting and teaches more skills than simple squares, but it’s not meant to make *make* anything (which you can absolutely ignore). Pat Earnshaw, Margaret Stephens, and Catherine Barley’s books all do have patterns you can put to use, but only Catherine Barley and Margaret Stephens’s teaches how to make traditional lace in the way you think to use traditional lace.

[freshthoughts2020]

[hazeltailofficial]

WORLD GOTH DAY

JustFab Vera Combat Boot Review

@hazeltailofficial / hazeltail on youtube / hazeltailofficial on tiktok / hazeltailofficial on ig

[pookiethebloodsucker]

Happy new years!!!!!!!!! Hoping yall a kind year.

[anadorablekiwi]

… I wanna make an Amber cosplay

[adelle-ein]

i keep meaning to write down my thoughts about fashion dreamer and just not feeling like it

But anyway: It's fun, I enjoy it, I have an embarrassingly high number of hours in it. There's something to be said for the "sandbox" nature of it all, and I really do like making outfits for and being dressed up by real people, as well as being able to download and use others' clothes. You're not limited by stock/inventory/customer requests a la Style Savvy. I can't even count how many fucking times I had to do that toothpaste hairstyle request in Fashion Forward, so many white side ponytails wandering my town... I also really like that you can have and save four muses.

That said, there's downsides. The gameplay ends up being limited without any of those options, and it's a shame that you can't change others' hair/makeup. I'm glad that the NPCs are still very silly, although I don't think they quite capture that just...slightly unnerving bizarreness of Style Savvy ones lol, maybe because they're more like cartoon characters. I'm okay with all this, since it's a different game with a different goal -- the thing that bugs me is that aspects of the dressup have become limited. Way fewer options for layering tops compared to SS, no separate neckwear/bracelets, no bags, no nails. In a sandbox game, you feel those changes. Fewer clothing items in exchange for full customization makes sense to me, but taking out entire categories feels super limiting and it's really a shame. I also, as always, wish the clothes were unisex and that there were more body type options -- both of these are improved from SS but still nowhere near what I would like. There's lots of gorgeous clothes and outfits, but it feels harder to put together something that's your own, even with the customization.

And of course, idk how much longevity the game has, since one day the servers will be gone and then there won't be much game left. Finally, it's buggy/laggy/crashy...which is true of almost every switch game I've gotten in the last three years or so, but I'm still not happy about it.

I do think the updates have significantly improved if not totally fixed the game. Gacha sucks less, color sorting, other little tweaks that make things a lot smoother. The fairs and their completely over-the-top outfits are fun too, and I've seen datamined clothes that I can't wait to have from the last few updates.

Anyway yeah, it's not really style savvy 5, but it's a good dress-up game option for switch and I'm happy about that.

[himluv]

DA Review Series: The Missing

<<< Previous Review: Dragon Age Day Stories

This is my second to last review. All that remains in my marathon of Dragon Age tie-in media is the Vows & Vengeance podcast, and we only have two more episodes of that!

When I started this project, we didn't even know for sure DA4 would release this year. And now we have less than four weeks to go until launch?

I have WAY too many feelings about that.

Title: The Missing Author/Illustrators: George Mann/Fernando Heinz Furukawa/Tomás Aira/Álvaro Sarraseca/Keiran McKeown Publication Year: 2023 In-World Year: 9:45+ Dragon Verdict: Plot-wise there isn't much happening here, but if you want to meet some of the factions and their representatives, this is a must read. Plus, it's more Varric!

The Missing seems to take place after Tevinter Nights. Varric is Viscount of Kirkwall, and Charter has a big favor to ask: take Scout Harding and chase down a lead on Solas. Varric is reluctant, not just because of his duties to his city, but because Lace is young and has people she cares about. And he isn't so sure this is a job they'll be coming back from.

Lace isn't swayed by Varric's warning, and so the pair take off to follow a lead into the Deep Roads. While there they meet up with Wardens Evka Ivo and Antoine and help them fight back some deep stalkers and an ogre! They do find an austere little room that appears to belong to Solas, but the only new info they find is an invitation to a Magisters house in Vyrantium.

So, Varric and Harding say farewell to the Wardens and hustle on over to Vyrantium. And by hustle I mean they get into a montage of misadventures that seems to span quite a bit of time. Varric's hair grows longer and even grayer, and he inexplicably bears a nasty pair of scars on his face by the time they sneak into the Magister's house.

Inside, they her turned to stone and two familiar Antivan Crows asking pointed questions. That's right babeyy, Teia and Viago are back, and they had a contract to kill this Magister for being a suspected Venatori.

(Side note here that Lucanis was working in Vyrantium hunting Venatori and you can see in one of the panels a little "Wanted" poster that I'm pretty sure is supposed to be him. Are Teia and Vi searching for him as well?)

After a bit of a scuffle with the Magister's husband, their next clue sends Harding and Varric to Arlathan Forest in search of an artifact called the Crucious Stone. The Venatori want it, so Varric hopes to get to it before they do. But, something is wrong with Arlathan Forest. The Veil is splitting open in places, distorting time and reality in little pockets. If they want to find the Stone, Varric and Harding are going to need some help.

Enter the Veil Jumpers, particularly Strife and Irelin. They lead our dashing duo through a gauntlet of Arlathan's idiosyncrasies, and while they get to the temple before the Venatori, the Stone is gone. Solas beat them to it. He even left a little note for Varric, basically begging his friend to trust him. That he's trying his best to fix the world with as little collateral damage as possible.

But, in frustratingly typical Solas fashion, he's a little too lean on the details of his plan, and Varric is more convinced than ever that Solas must be stopped. With the Stone gone, their next stop on this little tour of Northern Thedas is Minrathous. Because if anyone has a lead on Solas, it's Neve Gallus.

We finally see the woman herself and she is magnificent. She reveals that "Solas" is a popular name these days, and that he's been freeing Elven slaves all around the city. He's a veritable hero to those he's freed, and he seemingly asked for nothing in return for his generosity.

This fact more than anything else seems to bolster Varric's belief that Solas can be saved. That his friend is still in there somewhere under all the Elvhen Glory. And they are so close to catching him, until it's revealed that the Venatori have a plot to take back their slaves.

Harding, Varric, and Neve all agree that preserving the elves' freedom is more urgent than chasing Solas. So away they go to save the day.

Which I believe sets us up directly at the start of Veilguard. Varric and Harding are in Minrathous, working with Neve to find Solas. I think this comic covers a bit more time than is evident on a single read through. I'm really curious if we'll get to learn how Varric got his scars?

But mostly I'm just so excited to actually SEE this slew of characters we've met in tie-in media over the past decade. So soon y'all! So soon!

[gigginox]

i like that guy who does the archery videos in slutty little outfits. im not particularly interested in archery and hes not my type or anything i just enjoy seeing men wear slutty outfits

[sarahdawnsdesigns]

Alright, I'm happy to say, I've finished the Eyelet Skirt and finally got photos of the finished skirt (my selfie-taking skills are non-existent, so I enlisted my photographer's help for that one!)

[ahb-writes]

Book Review: 'As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I'll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World' #1

As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I'll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World #1 by MiraijinA, Jimmy, Tristan K Hill

castle politics

fantasy

isekai

political science

social commentary

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Navigating the treacherous course of a territory in turmoil, Ars Louvent is too young to know what he's actually doing. Or, he should be. It's not as if he has much of a choice. His father is ill, his neighbors encroach his borders, and the regional duke's two sons are about to kick off a civil war. Ars is too young to know what he's actually doing. Or is he?

REINCARNATED ARISTOCRAT v1 is a gem. Not because it's exceedingly original and difficult to find, but because this story is nestled comfortably in a niche genre and the author executes its narrative to absolute perfection. This is not a reincarnation story with overpowered heroes, a harem of young hybrid animal ladies, or tales of gruesome death around every corner. This novel is about political gamesmanship, the methodical merging of economic and military interests, and the people-management calculations made in the shadows of increasingly corrupted statecraft.

This novel focuses on the people who manage the land, as well as the personal relationships, economic hardships, and territorial disputes that come with being a minor lord in a much larger chess game. Readers who want their feudal lordship brimming with bloodshed should look elsewhere. Similarly, readers who want their isekai narratives packed with inexplicably outsized magecraft should look elsewhere.

Ars's ability to view people's skills and abilities via an old school RPG status screen forms the foundation of the book's trajectory. He knows when a soldier might fare better as an archer, rather than as a hand-to-hand combatant. He also knows when a political leader is more heavily inclined toward betrayal than facile loyalty. And in the case of his unexpected engagement to a friendly lord's young daughter, Ars also knows when someone is shockingly skilled at political subterfuge.

AS A REINCARNATED ARISTOCRAT, I'LL USE MY APPRAISAL SKILL TO RISE IN THE WORLD v1 is a fun book but can be difficult to follow. The novel wields dozens of place names (territories, counties, countries), people (attendants, lords, dukes), and alliances (mercenary groups, duchy coups), and it pays to have a notepad at the ready. For example, Ars, the acting lord of the Lamberg territory, finds himself thrust into the spotlight, lending needed information and aid to House Pyres, which is guided by Count Lumeire Pyres, governor of the County of Canarre, in his support of Lord Couran Salemakhia, eldest son of the ailing Lord Amador Salemakhia, the Duke of Missian, of the Summerforth Empire. Got all that? The more complex version includes Lord Couran's rival (brother), Count Pyres's rivals (neighboring counties), a plausible assassination attempt, and more. This is not a book one can put down one day, and nonchalantly pick up a week later.

Layered and complicated though the character dynamics may be, the novel is written very loosely. The book is full of clever writing and amicable characters. Ars is overly cautious but more sarcastic than not. He shudders at the thought of using his appraisal skill to climb the political ranks ("Could you imagine just how much of a pain in the ass being an emperor would be?" page 54). Unfortunately, some supporting characters earn more space on the page than others, but there's plenty of room for them to grow.

Ars recruits a skilled mercenary as his personal retainer, locates and hires a marginally intelligent but comically vain mage to lead his army, and strikes a lucrative deal with a crossdressing information broker whose intelligence and combat prowess are second to none. Ars may find it a royal pain to seek out those capable of helping him achieve his or his greater lord's goals, but the deeper he wades into the waters of governance and intrigue, the more he values the hunt for what it is ("I was starting to appreciate that there was always a lot more to a person deep down than what my little power could tell me about them," page 273).

The novel's pensive approach to domestic statecraft, as well as its deliberately obsequious view of domestic political relations, includes social commentary on enslaved peoples, arranged marriages, feuds among royalty, the economics of betrayal, the imperatives of nursing a good strategist, and more. REINCARNATED ARISTOCRAT v1 goes deep, intentionally, and the book can feel like a tome packed with entertaining but immaterial lore, but in reality, everything boils down to "medieval territory management," as the author says in the afterword. Still, it's a gem.

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