#lead review

[faelapis]

is it cringe to admit i'm genuinely excited for the wicked movie

[sanguine-fangs]

Yeah, sure, sex is great and all, but have y'all ever tried being lounged on by a guard dog who's stronger and meaner than you? Serving as a weighted blanket, casually pinning you down beneath them under the guise of cuddling whilst watching a show/video. Their hands roam wherever they please, just softly exploring your skin with their fingertips and nothing more. Their lips are even more explorative whenever they're not pressed firmly against your own: panting hot breaths into the crook of your neck, leaving bite marks and hickeys all over your throat and shoulders. They growl each time you shift, any attempt to move making them more handsy out of spite. Any whining only makes them chuckle at your helplessness and bite/claw at you harder. You're stuck there, helpless to move, and so deeply content to be dumb and teased and frot against another, bigger dog who loves to watch you squirm beneath them.

[libraryleopard]

the true detective reddit is primarily full of haters but this post did make me laugh

[theatrevampire]

i know i run the risk of pissing off my favorite anon who came into my inbox to call me names BUT i'm seeing a lot of reviews for iwtv s2 that are basically just whining about the lack of lestat. i can only speak for myself, but as someone who LOVES lestat i did not think the season suffered because he was not there. i think those reviewers should open their minds a bit more. also, to my knowledge, no one has seen episodes 7 and 8, so who knows what could happen?

[occidentaltourist]

bbc: Some sweet #Silvacre content for your FYP ❤️

[lindoesntwin]

FROM A KNIGHT TO A LADY

A popular and accomplished knight finds herself being beheaded by her closest comrade during war and when she wakes up, she finds herself in the body of a count's daughter in her rival kingdom.

[the-monkey-ruler]

I know this has nothing to do with jttw, but, I have seen people say that the game Black myth Wukong should not be bought because it is made by bad people. However, there are people who say that these rumors are malicious, with the intention of damaging the reputation of the game. Do you think you could investigate the matter? However, I will understand if it is too much to ask.

I don’t think I have time to investigate the matter myself honestly, but I have heard other people talk about how these rumors have been spread as well.

Mostly coming from the devs saying that they did not want DEI consultants and want to stick solely to the Xiyouji script rather than add/subtract any more content that might make the game marketable to a wider audience rather than being so focus on only Chinese mythology. Also that IGN might be exaggerating the story because of this stance and hence giving the game a bed rep on purpose. I am not familiar with gaming consumption or the relationships between game critics and developers. But I do hope that perhaps IGN did embellish a lot of these takes and that the game devs where trying to come from a place of wanting to keep the game Xiyouji focus rather than a place of any discrimination.

But I would love to hear what other people have to say and if there’s any links or reported conversations of how these rumors could have gotten started. I know a lot of people are looking forward to these games and I do hope that if more information comes to life then there can be a reasonable discussion.

[mediamatinees]

Breakin’ All the Rules: Think Like A Man’s Unsung Predecessor

Content Warning: Breakin’ All the Rules contains toxic relationships and manipulation, serial cheating, and some questionable theories about love giving you some kind of superpower? There’s also a relationship dynamic I view to be based on sexual assault because someone’s lying about their identity to get another person in bed. Viewer discretion is advised. Spoilers for Breakin’ All the Rules…

[sneezarify]

oh allergies, I adore you 🥺

(I was looking through my drafts, and noticed I had made two very similar posts a year apart 😂 maybe I should make it an annual thing?)

Essentially, my nose in allergy season is the nose I want all year round! I’m so jealous of sensitive nose/all year allergy people.

Well, feels timely to share as my nose goes back to being boring 😝

2024:

“Some notably fun things to report from this allergy season so far:

I have become a red wine sneezer (!!)

I am more or less a morning sneezer now (I sneezed myself awake today).

I can’t drink ginger beer without triggering sneezes.

On a bad allergy day that becomes any sparkling drink.

I can often induce some stuck sneezes by rubbing the roof of my mouth with my tongue and can help stuck sneezes along by hitching or breathing slowly and purposefully.

On bad allergy days I can rub/press my nose the wrong way and trigger sneezes.

Inducing triggers FITS.

I’m much more sensitive to dust.”

2023:

(lol I was a lot more passionate this year)

“Ok ok, hear me out!

because I’m sick n tired of people not liking allergies more than colds.

Reason #10,000 that allergies are better.

During allergy season, my nose becomes x100 more sensitive, and trust me, I don’t have a sensitive nose. (I wouldn’t even sneeze from shaking pepper in my face normally)

Here’s a list of the weirdest things that have made me sneeze

The wind

Vaping

Rubbing my nose

Kissing someone

Drinking a fizzy drink

Grazing my tongue on the roof of my mouth

Like are you fkin joking me? What does a cold give you? A stuffy nose??? 😤

allergies are ELITE.”

see you next year 🤪

[hrtiu]

You know what? I am done equivocating. Dragon Age the Veilguard is really freaking good. I don't feel the need to qualify that. There is so much juicy lore, I love the characters, the combat is fun, the environments are amazing... I love it. Especially if you have immersed yourself in deeper lore and other Dragon Age media, there is so much payoff.

[kostektyw]

Villainess anime reviews

went on a bit of a binge, so here's a compilation:

I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss

rating: lots of fun

one of the funnier entries on this list in my opinion, i actually laughed out loud multiple times

the protagonist is a capable and determined lady, as well as slightly unhinged which i always enjoy, i love weird women

breakneck pace, speedrunning like 3 games in the 12 episode, so it is the opposite of boring

this anime has everything: ducks, crows in bowties, crossdressing, ducks, video game brain rot, and ducks

Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss but I'm Not the Demon Lord

rating: at east somewhat interesting (still ongoing, episodes watched: 5)

aside from the gimmick a pretty standard isekai with pretty eh animation

a lot of this show is kinda boring, but there are still interesting and enjoyable moments

the protagonist is charming and probably the strongest part

i will probably be continuing to see what happens next so depending on that my opinion may change

The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior

rating: charming

one of the series from this list that i enjoyed most, even if the story and the world are a bit simple, the characters and their struggles still work and aren't too difficult to get invested in

a bit more drama in this one, with tragic flashbacks (or whatever they're called if its abt an alternate plotline) that i found maybe a little too frequent

here the protagonist is also capable, driven, and quite traumatized, i wanna hold her in my hands like a baby bird

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!

rating: cute!

the bisexual harem is a breath of fresh air

bakarina's dumbassery is a great source of comedy, she's also pretty lovable so the harem around her is believable. and i love a gal with a hobby

I'm in Love with the Villainess

rating: eh

kinda disappointed with this one, i was hoping for some fun gl story, but it could barely watch the first episode and had to force myself to try a few more in hopes it got better (it didnt)

the romance part felt more like harassment in those first episodes, and sure, ive read that it progresses further, but the protagonist didnt really endear herself to me with that

given the comedy tag on mal there were probably some jokes in it, i just couldn't identify many good ones

7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy!

rating: hell yeah! (still ongoing, episodes watched: 6)

the best one of all shows listed and the only one that's not an isekai

much more grounded, with good worldbuilding and another capable lady as the protagonist, but this one even more so, as well as much more mature

very pretty, even if i find some character designs questionable :v

definitely got me hooked and i will be watching more

[kazz-brekker]

people who enjoyed larys strong on this season of house of the dragon should also check out the shardlake books by cj sansom and the tv adaptation. the main character is not an evil adviser (sorry) but he's a disabled lawyer with scoliosis solving murders during the tudor dynasty and there's a lot of similar exploration of historical ableism and having to rely on your mind rather than your body when making your way up in the world. also they actually cast a disabled actor as the main character in the tv show which i appreciate.

[the-crepuscular-queen]

Something about this quote. Something about how trust is a major factor to Gideon's and Harrow's relationship to work together and how that snowballs into more. It's just going to rotate in my mind forever.

[tinytimism]

if art gatsby doesn't have a broadway transfer then what's the point of living

[radashes]

Book recommendations with 'Powerful Male Lead X sweet soft Female lead' dynamic

You know how some readers are into those Cold ML X Soft FML dark romance stories? Well, count me in! I have some recommendations for you. Please let me know if you have any recommendations as well.

Let's get into characters.

Male lead: I'm all about those tales where the guy's got this intense, possessive streak, loaded with cash and power. He's got this whole vibe, this aura that screams power. Everyone's shaking in their boots around him. But here's the twist: he's icy to everyone except for this one girl.

Female lead: She's the complete opposite—soft, sweet, not into playing the tough card. And you know what? I'm not into it when she tries those cringey, embarrassing stunts to outsmart him. No thanks. I'm more into the submissive kink, where she's polite but definitely not stupid. Smart, knows when to use her brain.

It's like this delicate balance between power and innocence, dominance and submission. Alright, for all my fellow readers of the "Cold Powerful Male Lead X Sweet Female Lead" trope:

When She Unravels by Gabrielle Sands (My favourite female lead. Mafia romances can feel repetitive/overdone. This felt fresh and different to me. The plot was interesting and I enjoyed Vale. She’s exactly how I like my fmc in a Mafia romance. Sure, she was a caged princess but she had a backbone and stood up for herself.)

The Mafia And His Angel series by Lylah James (Mafia X Runway fml ends up working as maiden in his house)

Hooked by Emily McIntire (Club owner X Enemy's daughter. Female lead was surely sweet)

Stolen Heir by Sophie Lark

Stolen Beauty by T.O. Smith

Broken Whispers (Perfectly Imperfect, #2) by Neva Altaj (This Russian mob is addicting and devilishly good. Age gap. Single Dad. “Touch her and I’ll kill you.” Damaged, unloveable hero and a mute heroine.)

Hidden Truths (Perfectly Imperfect #3) by Neva Altaj

Stolen Touches (Perfectly Imperfect, #5) by Neva Altaj

Burned Dreams (Perfectly Imperfect, #7) by Neva Altaj

Silent Lies (Perfectly Imperfect, #8) by Neva Altaj

Darkest Sins (Perfectly Imperfect, #9) by Neva Altaj (Female lead is the most understanding character. She stumbles upon a stranger with a gunshot wound and saves his life, thinking she'll never see him again. He stalks her for months, then cuts his forearm open just so he can have a reason to go talk to her again.)

Tempted by the Devil (Kings of Mafia #1) by Michelle Heard

Craving Danger (Kings Of Mafia #2) by Michelle Heard

Hunted by a Shadow (Kings of Mafia #3) by Michelle Heard

Beauty and the Assassin by Nadia Lee

An Improper Deal (Elliot and Annabelle #1) by Nadia Lee

The Darkest Temptation (Made, #3) by Danielle Lori

The Maddest Obsession (Made, #2) by Danielle Lori

Twist Me: The Complete Trilogy by Anna Zaires

Once You're Mine duet by Morgan Bridges

The Sordid Duet (Sordid, #1-2) by Nikki Sloane

The Annihilator (Dark Verse, #5) by RuNyx (It's somehow little bit like Hunting Adeline. I'll admit this was different, but the similarities.. Shadow man, Roses, Stalking, Human trafficking, Heterochromia. It just feels TOO similar.. Granted, this was way lessss dark compared to Hunting Adeline.)

The Finisher (Dark Verse, #4) by RuNyx

The Predator (Dark Verse, #1) by RuNyx

Beautifully Cruel #1 by JT Geissinger

Lorenzo by Sadie Kincaid

His Pretty Little Burden by Nicci Harris

Deadly Vows by Haley Stuart

Captured by a Sinner (Sinners, #5) by Michelle Heard

Stolen by a Sinner (Sinners, #3) by Michelle Heard

That's all that's on my mind right now. I'll add more later if anything else pops up. And, if you've got any recommendations for books with that "Cold Powerful Male Lead X Sweet Female Lead" vibe, hit me up!

[unpopularopinionbydemand]

Top 10 BL Series of 2024 !

Another list nobody asked for, but I'm bored, so here we are.

Overall, I saw 39 series this year (lower than it ever has been before, but I was not on my zoom for the first 6 months of 2024), and what I've noticed is that it has steadily gone down ever since I've been watching since 2020.

Previous years:

2020 - 60 series

2021 - 44 series (not sure what happened here??)

2022 - 68 series

2023 - 46 series

Even still, with 2021 and 2023 also being pretty low, I still can't believe that I only managed to watch 39 series within a year.

Ratings of 2024:

10 stars - 3 series

9 stars - 8 series

8 stars - 10 series

7 stars - 10 series

6 stars - 4 series

5 stars - 3 series

4 stars - 1 series

1-3 stars - 0 series (if i think it's that bad, then what's the point of watching...?)

I think with this year, I scored a lot differently than I did in the past, and I let the overall flaws or critics of a series overpower my overall enjoyment of it, which kinda stinks, but that's okay.

My Goal for 2025:

I can't really predict what I see and if I'll like it or not, but I'd like to at least rate 6 series with 10 stars.

I wanna pay more attention to the music and OSTs in series! I basically rate music between 5-7 because I never care to pay that much attention to it, and really only rate it a 7 if it was something I can remember. This time, I'll try to not skip through the intro and be able to remember the OST/Music.

And Lastly, my biggest goal that I have zero effing idea if I'll be able to do or just completely fall straight on my ass: watch at least 60 series this year. We'll see...

Anyways, getting into the actual point of this post, my top 2024 BLs! This list is as predictable as any other list seeing as I only watched what was popular or most talked about instead of going off of my usual list. I still haven't even watched a couple of the standout BLs of 2024 like My Stand-In, The Curse of Taekwondo, 4Minutes, Love in The Big City, or Monster Next Door (I will be on it this year 🫡).

From Most Favorite to Least Most Favorite: I will link my review for each series through the title (Potential Spoliers!!)!

1. Anti-Reset (9-stars)

I know, it shocks me too, but the reason it's my overall number one series of 2024 is because it was able to get me out of my very occasional BL slump. I desperately needed something new, something that wasn't a bunch of uniforms or office jargon, and this series was just perfect. It's the first in the BL genre (to my knowledge) that takes on the robot/human trope and I ate every single second of this series up.

Now the story isn't perfect, but it provided me with everything I usually love in a series, and all of it was wrapped in a pretty bow and left on my depressing door step.

2. I Became the Lead in a BL Drama (10-stars)

With only 3 episodes, each about 45 minutes long, IBTLIABLD hits hard in all aspects, specifically making me laugh my ass off, but also hitting you in the heart where it hurts. 

The leads' dynamic was so heartwarming to me. The perfect height difference, the perfect balance of cheeky and cute, portraying moments that made me pause so I could laugh, or moments when I had to pause so that I could regain my composure and not cry. A truly lovely pairing, played by some really fantastic actors.

3. Takara's Treasure (10-stars)

How can one be so perfectly handsome and incredibly endearing simultaneously? I'll tell you who, Eito, the mastermind behind the character Taishin who's an all-around cutey that I wanted to put in my back pocket. But besides how adorable he was, I thoroughly enjoyed this JBL. It balanced out the actual story plus romance very well, and I watched this without being bored or skipping through or wanting to scream at my laptop.

Taishin and Takara's relationship is my cup of tea. The stoic seme and the bubbly uke, urgh, they were perfect. And again, what added just the perfect cherry on top was Eito, who's the prettiest, cutest, most handsomest man I've seen in BL in a while, and he can also act!

4. Century of Love (9-stars)

I'm amazed at the amount of focus I had while watching this BL. I was able to watch it thoroughly and throughout without getting bored, or skipping past, or fast-forwarding. The entirely of the plot flowed perfectly, it never strayed into unwanted or unnecessary side arcs, it all was told in favor of the main couple, and I loved it. 

San as the man that waits 100 years to be back with his love, and Wee, the uncanny Ms.Wad reborn. This had my name written all over it. It reminded me a lot of the Korean series "First Love Again" which I adored for the longest time, and this trope has made it's way up the ranking of things I hope to see more of.

5. Two Worlds (9-stars)

I'm so happy that I decided against my better judgment and decided to watch this series because, in the end, I actually really liked it. Some parts give you a run for your money, and others I'm not so sure about, but overall, this series has more ups than downs, and tells a story interesting enough to keep me engaged.

Some of the best NC scenes in BL, and I don't say that because they were naked and we saw everything (and I mean everything), but because there was so much love poured into the way it was acted out, and you can tell it was genuine and organic. Great job to Max and Nat.

6. My Love Mix-Up! (7-Stars)

Had I been discussing the first 8 episodes of this series, I would've told you it was an amazing, jaw-dropping, brilliant series. Except, they went on for 4 more episodes and it completely plummeted on its face after that. What could've been a really neat and tidy 8 episode series was stretched to fill that usual GMMTV 12-ep series, but in reality, it should've just stayed 8 episodes.

Then you ask, "why is it in your top 10 of 2024?", because I loved Half and Mudmee more than I can explain in words... literally. There was one point I was specifically watching for purely only them, and even skipped through some of the boring stuff between Kong and Atom. Even though by the end of the series, Half and Mudmee are done terribly wrong, it doesn't matter cause that's just how much I stinking loved them.

7. This Love Doesn't Have Long Beans (9-Stars)

They executed this series so well, and it's seriously why I love this production company so much. They don't do the unnecessary long stares or dragged-out conversations or irrelevant side plots. They stick to the story, going from point A to point B, and everything that we see in the series happens for a reason. The conversations are all what they need to be, and the story flows with little to no unnecessary bumps.

They took their NC scenes to a completely different level, one that I don't feel like I see often. it's obviously well acted out, and the actors were comfortable enough with one another to execute such amazing scenes. But even with the jaw-dropping sex scenes, my utmost favorite part of the series is Oab holding Wan accountable for his actions and them having an open and honest conversation before getting back together. Lots of time the plot can be lost for a quick resolution between two characters, but the writers ensure to the audience that it's going to take much more than that, and that made me happy. 

8. We Are (7-Stars)

I actually really enjoyed this a lot, initially. The set up of the characters, their dynamics, the start of their relationships, I really really enjoyed it. However, once you get past the 11th episode, with some little hidden gems in the latter, this series falls completely on its face.

Tan and Fang. They were everything to me. The stoic uke and bubbly seme, literally my favorite trope ever, I absolutely loved it down to pieces. Aou, hands down, played the best out of all the characters. His personality doesn't waver, he continues being supportive and protective and clingy, and I loved him. There the reason this series makes it into my top 10.

9. Cherry Magic Thailand (8-stars)

The few first episodes were the best out of the entire series. The building of the characters and the setup of the overall plot was golden. I was sitting on the edge of my seat throughout it all, feeling so intrigued with Achi listening to Karan's thoughts, the connection between Achi and Jinta, the office relationship, and the overall pleasantness of the series. I'm glad they kept the iconic elevator scene and they executed it perfectly.

Junior (Jinta) was by far my favorite actor/character. He took this quirky role and made it work perfectly in this remake. His conversations with Achi, his reactions to MIn, his way of analyzing and thinking and reacting, all of it was legit perfect. It was also so nice to see Mark (min) again since Sky in Your Heart. He did an incredible job in this -- showing how versatile his acting is compared to his character in SIYH. Their setup was nearly perfect, and their continued build-up was so good that I was rooting for them more than I was for Achi and Karan at one point (even though their story was a bit upsetting).

10. Sahara Sensei to Toki-kun (8-Stars)

In the first couple of episodes, I was immediately hooked on the story. Toki, a delinquent falls for his PE teacher who is everything opposite, and it starts the tale of a wild, hilarious, and rather touching romance story.

There are some parts that hit the nail on the comedy, and while this series is heavily overexaggerated, that is probably my favorite part. Rinataro as Toki plays up the dramatics so perfectly in this, it's insane. From his facial expressions to the way he talks, to his body language, I loved all of it. 

very VERY excited to see what the new year brings us. A few of my most anticipated series of this year (in order) that I'll most likely do episode reviews on:

Happy Ending

The Next Prince

Boys In Love

Burnout Syndrome

I'm the Most Beautiful Count

Thanks for reading all of this :)