#like i love a good complex story with intense world building and characters with a ton of layers but some simplicity is good sometimes yk

[skyler10fic]

In the Tyler Family panel, Billie recalls the 2000s fashion as a strange time in fashion history but loved Idiot's Lantern, and they agree Jackie would have shared Rose's clothes to be the Cool Mom. 🤣

Shawn says he was surprised to be asked back at first since his character died, but it made sense for him to come back in a multiverse story.

He says it was easy to come back and Camille adds it's the quality of writing makes it easy because you know who you (the character) are at that point because you can trust the writers are guiding it.

Billie says she struggles with how much she didn't understand how it was going to take over her life before s1 airs. Before social media, even though everyone hated it and the idea of her doing it, but it wasn't the constant stream of trolls the new actors have to hear about now with social media. She says with RTD, Julie, and Phil, there was so much confidence and joy, it was easy to believe it would be good.

Camille says her neighbors and friends were surprisingly fans. She didn't realize how many people she knew who loved it and knew about it.

They talk about how cold it was filming the Cybermen. Billie says her jaw locked because it was so cold!! The trick to getting through them was "youth" and she doesn't do night shoots anymore if possible because of that experience.

Camille talks about how Jackie "grew a pair" lol

Billie: "She's a boss!

Camille: "It's Russell, really."

Billie: "No, it's you!"

Love that Jackie's speech and situation in Love and Monsters got a shout-out. Especially going off on Elton for taking advantage of her: "Many people can relate to that moment, I think."

Talking about Pete not being the perfect husband:

Billie: "Why did they break up again?"

Shawn: "Because I died!"

Billie: "I forgot!!!" 🤣

They banter so well! Total family vibes between them all.

Fun moment where Shawn thought Billie was saying "old Pete" when she was saying "alt Pete!" Lol

Rose having the "rose-colored glasses" taken off: Billie says many can relate to realizing their parents are flawed people, and things are more complicated than you thought.

Camille says the Tylers spoke a language people understood, making something fantasy into a relatable story that was relevant to the audience.

Mod jokes that Rose "parent trapped them" across multiple universes!

Billie talks about how she enjoyed the overall romance and human element of their series, as opposed to the more sci fi feel in other later seasons.

Camille says Chris's intensity helped launch the reboot, but David's "Labrador" energy was different and special too to keep it going.

Billie says there was a totally different energy after they knew it was a success, allowing for more playfulness with David's Doctor and in general on set.

Billie says she always thought there was something complex about the romance with the Doctor, it's weird for a 19 year old to just take off in a box, and maybe wasn't written with Chris but it was there in spirit, and then was written in more explicitly in their relationship with David. Hard to keep that intensity of awe and adoration platonic! Camille adds the chemistry between them was a big element as well.

Billie says it was always a thrill to get the script, eager to read the script as soon as she got it to see what new world they were building with each episode. She says she didn't want to go to set when shooting Tooth and Claw because she was riveted reading the Doomsday script! Haha

Billie says the costume tricks can help body language shifts when changing character, like with Rose possessed by Cassandra, the push-up bra helped develop a unique physicality for the previously (literally) flat character!

Camille says they got in trouble for talking a lot because they got on so well!

Billie says she loves the new episodes, especially the dance numbers and theatrics now, and that's exactly where the show should go. "It's super fun again." Sitting down and watching a family show with the kids, an event for everyone to watch together.

Camille said it was good but it would be better if the Tylers were there! 😁

They love Ncuti as well. Excellent casting.

Billie praises RTD's heart and rooting for all walks of life. Everyone can feel represented. Camille says he is so good at pulling heartstrings and "that's what we want as Doctor Who fans." They also love his joy but also his power if they are being unkind. He defended the actors from stupid questions from the press and "told it like it was" when he needed to be the man in charge.

[mushiemellows]

✨UPDATED!✨

All of my Frobin fics I have written from December 2023 when I first started writing, up through my most recent work posted October 2024, stored in one convenient place! 🌸

🍔 Staying Right Here (and not a step closer)

RATING: E

words: 317,056 status: COMPLETE chapters: 14

Set the week Post-Enies Lobby. The core lore mostly canon compliant getting together fic. Weird sex, fast food, and an accidental wedding. My first big fic, and an adventure into writing smut. Epilogues go up through timeskip/Fishman Island reunion.

🐊 These Foolish Things

RATING: M

words: 14,178 status: ONE SHOT

Includes the Wanihana ship to tell a story of Robin's healing over time. A songfic that uses a whole catalog of Frank Sinatra songs to frame Franky and Crocodile's differing relationships to Robin. A bit more serious, as it discusses abuse. This one was a practice in writing in complex tense.

✈️ Floating Through the Stratosphere

RATING: E

words: 30,742 status: COMPLETE chapters: 2

Modern day airplane pilot AU except they are only rarely on the plane. Half one-bed-rom-com, half amnesia medical drama. This was a really fun world to build up, and I've been considering writing more stories within this world.

🕵🏻‍♀️ The Sunday Affair

RATING: E

Words: 68,078 status: ONGOING chapters: 8 (/10)

Robin is a Russian spy, Franky is an American spy. Its 1967 Cold War DC. Franky is assigned to find and kill an assassin named Sunday, Robin has to assassinate an agent named Flam. Oh, and they're married.

⏱ Another Day in the Sun

RATING: T

words: 43,413 status: ONGOING chapters: 7/ ???

The crew is stuck in a time loop, living the same day over and over again, but only some can tell. Matchmakers Robin and Franky have to get everyone to kiss each other. A thinly veiled fun little excuse to make everyone make out. And also its a bit (lot) poly (Paradise+EB5). An adventure in keeping things T.

🍼 Super Troupers

RATING: M

words: 11,130 status: ONGOING chapters: 1 (/3)

A baby fic! Chapter 1 is mostly set up, pregnancy, and delivery. But I'm still working at the follow up chapters, I want to tell more little stories with each of the boys. A bit sweet and sappy and emotionally indulgent but I don't care I love this fambly. M rating only for blood and a few intense discussions around pregnancy.

⚡️ What Makes a Man

RATING: M

words: 47,592 status: ONGOING chapters: 14 (/20?)

Putting the Franky in Frankenstein. A reanimation fic. Franky dies at Laugh Tale but leaves behind instructions for Robin to put him back together. Mainly meant to be little pocket character studies. BACK FROM THE DEAD, NOT ABANDONED FIC! I told ya I'd update it.

💀 For the Thrill of It

RATING: E

words: 46,551 status: COMPLETE chapters: 2

Nasty spooky Thriller Bark monsterfucker erotica. Brook joins the party and things get Weird. 5+1 but more like a 5+2. Established Frob with added skeleton. Chapter 2 has now been added, Robin's pov + bonus scenes. And perhaps a chapter 3 still lives in the back of my brain.

🤖 Handle With Care

RATING: E

words: 13,365 status: ONE SHOT

More nasty erotica for the sake of itself. Franky gets hurt, needing significant repairs and a full service tune up. This one is distinctly T4T. This one was written simply because no one else had written like, proper robot shit with Franky on ao3 and I was so appalled to see the hole in the market that I just HAD to fill it.

🧰 Showoff (the devil’s in the details)

RATING: E

words: 16,929 status: ONE SHOT

Even MORE pwp. Post-Egghead on the run to Elbaf, Franky shows Lilith Sunny and all of his little inventions. Things heat up between him, her, and Robin, but Vegapunk keeps all the praise to herself. This one was written in gut reaction to the most recent chapter, and I think I wrote it for entirely personal reasons lol. Franky just wants to be told he did a good job.

That's all I wrote! 610,000 words this year (of just my posted fics, not counting other works and wips) (and 45,000 words posted Halloweek alone!). I'm really proud about how my writing has developed over the year, I hadn't written much in the past so this was a huge journey, but a really fun one. Thanks for growing with me! Enjoy the works!

[galactickohipot]

I'm done with Dawntrail's msq! Here are some of my thoughts! The new zones are really cool and varied! It's a pleasure to explore. There are little settlements and villages scattered all around the maps and I LOVE IT! It feels so lived in and credible. It's really nice seeing npcs go about their little lives there. The graphical update really helped in seeing this vision realized and it's so nice to see. I've come to notice more details in previous zones too! Overall the battle content is real nice this expac, mechanics are more engaging than in EW. As a casual sch main (rip smn), I'm happily peeling dps off the ground in expr dungeons. I also liked the vibes and the job quests in Tural; it reminds me of early AST questline, which was a pleasure to go through. As for the rest, unfortunately msq is absolute trash tier. Some people are comparing it to ARR, but that's honestly underselling 2.0 in a lot of ways. Spoilers ahead!

First, I must confess, I am an ARR enjoyer. I love its world building, its slow pace, how lived in and carefully crafted everything is, how rewarding it is to pay attention to lore details, how incredible it is at hinting at something bigger. My favorite expac is HW, and while I haven't found anything quite like it since, I still find the rest of the story at least entertaining. Now, with that said, I didn't set my expectation especially high with this new expansion. It was supposed to be the start of a new saga and so I imagined it would start slow, with what I assumed would be a lot of settup. I was sorely disappointed. Honestly, I don't even mind Wuk Lamat, but the fact she is so present in the adventure makes it hard to ignore how poorly written she ended up being. Her character flaws never have actual consequences, every problem is resolved within one or two cutscenes and none of her victories feel earned. Several times they could have meaningfully challenged her character, but they never went past surface level banalities like "friendship is magic". As a result, she feels like a broken record half of the time. A shame!

What gave me a good laugh was how Krile kept hitting us on the head with her whole "OMG Zoraal Ja is Evil!" everytime she sees this character. It would've been nice yknow... to let us wonder about who he really was, his family ties , and what his intensions truly were. but no, they told us everything from the get go.

The characters say what they mean and mean what they say. The heroes are never wrong, never mislead, always have the purest of intentions. Their beliefs are never challenged. There's no subtext, no wonder, no mystery. So why care at all? All of it is a big fat missed opportunity. DT's characters deserved better.

In recent expacs, I've been annoyed with their tendency to solve issues like unemployment or poverty in a few lines of dialogue. For example, in ARR and HW, you would deal with the symtoms of an issue, like refugees being preyed upon, or people in need being taken advantage of. When done well, you would be given a good overview of the situation, several angles and hopefully, a bit of nuance. In later expacs, you get 16yo Alphinaud telling you if you are poor you should find work lol. The npc's agency is often cast aside so your character can look good, so you can come up with every solutions, so you can be the hero. They don't feel like a people you're trying to help, they are plot devices to facilitate your power fantasy. Writers find ways around complex situations, to reassure the player that no no their way is the best, there was no other choices. It thoroughly reduces the impact of the story imo. I really believe some issues need to stay unsolvable in a story. Not everything can be resolved by killing gods, and that's fine. It's mature, it's humbling.

In Dawntrail however, this has been taken to the extreme! A lot of these problems end up feeling very one note, and the solutions, condescending. One scene and it's dealt with! Concepts, questions or consequences don't really have time to stay with the characters or the player. It feels like characters are written in little boxes, rarely interracting with a rich world and its history, and are conveniently pushed along by little plot devices. As a result, the over-arcing narrative isn't cohesive at all. The only part that worked on me was Cahciua's questline, because we are left somewhat wondering about her or Erenville's feelings for a little while. Otherwise, nothing lingers between questlines, and things really feel badly pieced together. Now, I was really looking forward to the world building in DT! I know past expacs also had cultures based on rl ones, but the focus of the story wasn't tourism then. By drawing attention to it, it becomes apparent that every zone is rushed, reducing the tribes there to one or two easily digestible trait for Wuk Lamat to understand. She'll either solve their problems with a grand monologue about peace and love or pretend she grew from the 2 hours tutorial on "trading for dummies". It's so frustrating! Either they don't trust in their own writing ability or they don't respect the player's intelligence.

Dawntrail is shiny, pretty and colorful, but the moment you scratch the surface, it crumbles down. The plot falls apart if you think about it for more than two seconds. The elements are all there but this feels like a first draft. It's just so inoffensive and bland!!! It is ironic that the dawn of a new saga, the golden legacy of FFXIV, completely forgot how ARR came to be. How painstakingly and carefully the new game was crafted when 1.0 crashed and burned. It's a game about heritage, and yet it didn't take time to properly consider its past strengths. idk man... Time to go back to the drawing boad!

[tallysgreatestfan]

Begging everybody who even just slightly liked the Uglies movie a bit and who can stomach reading to read the book series (not just including Uglies, but two continuations and several spinoffs as well, though Tallys main story is wrapped up after the third).

The main story beats, worldbuilding and message are the same, but the books can go into all of this much deeper. The characters are so complex and flawed and feel so real. The worldbuilding. Scott Westerfeld is so good at worldbuilding, so many details that just make sense and the characters feel so at home in this world. The message is much more nuanced and detailed.

Also for those loving Tally/Shay in the movie: They actually toned it down for the movie. It is sadly still not canon in the books, but it is even more intense, and also much more toxic and complex.

Never liked Tally/David that much, but that too feels much slower and more organic in the book.

The book also has a great sense of slowly building tension and scale and pacing the movie sadly lacks.

Only movie fans I can not recommend the book to are Tally/Peris shippers. Peris storyline is widely different in the book, it is platonic the whole time, and he also barely appears.

[twopoppies]

I absolutely love all of your fic recommendations. Thank you so much for this. Do you know of any fics, especially lesser known, where H &/or L have blue collar jobs? Construction, assembly line, mechanic, farming, etc? Thank you for your service to the fandom! 💝

Hi, darling. Oh, that’s a fun question. I think I can pull something together for you.

Ever Since I Tried Your Way by flowercrownfemme / @lesbianiconharrystyles (E, 26K) I loved everything about this fic, from the setting to the characterizations to the slow way Harry discovers himself and how Louis supports everything about him. It’s just beautifully written and wonderfully moving. Rancher Louis / eventual rancher Harry

An Invincible Summer by Brooklyn_Babylon / @twopoppies (E, 45K) this one is mine, I hope you like it. Farmer Harry / Temporary farm hand /author Louis

Never content to stay in one place for long, a few months down south researching for his novel seemed like an idyllic, slow-paced summer to Louis. He wasn’t ready for the blistering heat, the backbreaking work of watermelon picking, or how stifling the attitudes in rural Georgia would feel. And he definitely hadn’t anticipated falling in love with the farmer’s son.

The summer of 1946 would turn out to be everything worth writing about.

our little corner of the world by brownheadedstranger (E, 30K) This fic reads like original fiction in the best sort of way. The whole fic makes you feel like you’re stuck in the hot, dusty little town along with the boys. It’s beautifully written – slow and wistful – and I really need to re-read it now that I think of it! Line cook Harry / diner worker Louis.

The Road Less Travelled by freetheankles / @anymerrylilthought​ (E, 98K) Also known as “the lumberjack fic”, this fic is an instant classic. The author makes widowed Louis’ pain and depression so real and so moving. The characters are three-dimensional and complex and the well written sexual tension is finally relieved with super hot smut. Link is to a download. Lumberjack Louis

So Darling, Just Say You’ll Stay Right By My Side by supernope (E, 28K) Another fic I read too long ago to recall details of, and my rather unhelpful notes read, “LOVE! Slow build up, but so sexy!” So…here’s to trusting old me. I’m not too worried, this author is pretty sure bet. Chief of police Louis. Deputy Harry.

Divine Intervention by Awriterwrites / @a-writerwrites (E, 6K) This fic is short, but super sexy and bittersweet. Something about the way Louis is so gentle in it just gets to me. Building inspector Harry

where the tide takes you, I will follow by @pinkcords (E, 40K) First of all, I’m so happy this author is writing again! Second, everything about this was just lovely. The slow, dreamy tone of their writing fit the setting and the way Harry and Louis fell into each other so, so well. I love how descriptive their writing is without being flowery or pointless. The smut scenes were toe-curlingly sexy, and gave us beautiful insight into both of the boys. I just wanted to live inside this fic. Fish shack worker Louis

may we all have a vision now and then by momentofclarity / @gaycousinlarry (M, 4K) This author is one of my favorite writers in this fandom and everything they do is infused with so much delicacy and tenderness. I literally cried through this fic because of how wounded Harry’s character feels. Read it and then treat yourself to their whole AO3 catalogue. Trucker Louis

it’s time to find your wings again by we_are_the_same / @why-let-your-voice-be-tamed (T, 12K) I just loved the fairytale quality of this story––not cute and cuddly, but dark and curious and intense–– more like a Grimm fairytale. So unique and so worth reading. Prison guard Louis

Naked & Proud by kiwikero (E, 19K) Farmer Harry runs an organic store. Lust at first sight. Summer love. All sorts of good stuff in this really well-written story.

O’ Christmas Tree by @justalittlelouislove (M, 15K) I love this author’s writing and this one is just 100% wonderful fluff that still managed to make me cry! It’s sweet and charming and one of the very few kid fics I actually enjoyed. Christmas tree farmer Harry.

Lambing Season by @helloamhere (E, 26K) This is beautiful little emotional fic and it’s one of my favorites. If you’ve ever wanted to leave your shitty work environment, escape to an idyllic countryside, and find love along the way, read this one. Farmer Louis.

Coup de Foudre by angelwarm (M, 15K) The characters (particularly Louis) are pretty OOC, but god this fic is gorgeous. After I read it I just sat there not knowing what to do with myself. It’s sad and hopeful and just gorgeously written. Diner Worker Harry

Wild and Unruly by 100percentsassy, gloria_andrews / @gloriaandrews (E, 124K) One of the OG classics in this fandom. If you haven’t read it yet, you’re missing out. It’s just a great, original story. Plus, cowboy Harry, city boy Louis, bad guys to hate, nail biting drama, hot af sexual chemistry and smut, and a super satisfying ending. Rancher Harry.

————

You might also check my Military AU fic rec for jobs like soldiers, engineers etc.

[thedragonagebigbang]

Bang Creator Interview: Tumblr: @bardandbear 

The Collaboration period has begun! In these quiet months before works are due, we want to foster a sense of excitement, camaraderie, and celebration among our participants. To that end, all participants were given the option of a formal interview by our mod, Dema, or an informal “ask-game” survey. We hope you enjoy getting to know our phenomenal creators as much as we have!

Interview with Kes

Kes and Dema talk DA homecoming, tragic plotlines, and inlfuencing you (yes you!) to buy a [redacted]

Dema: As an artist who creates a lot for the Dragon Age fandom, what inspired you to start?

Kes: Well, I've always loved stories and fantasy, but I wasn't really able to get into the visual (gaming) side of things until I built my first PC with my dad when I was 15. The first thing I did was dump an extraordinary amount of time into Skyrim, and then I was recommended Dragon Age Origins as a similar game on Steam. I'd always been sort of arty but never people - Dragon Age Origins really changed that and I desperately needed to draw a bunch of the stories I'd imagined (and written) for my Warden. The reader/writer to artist pipeline if you will. The DA storytelling was like getting to read a book, but instead I could interact with it and see it. Totally changed the game for me.

Dema: Were you playing them as they came out?

Kes: I think that was a little bit after DAO came out, but I played DA2 and DAI on release

Dema: Have there been any lulls in your Dragon Age devotion, or has it remained pretty steady?

Kes: My interest built up steadily but I went properly unhinged around DAI's release and the 3ish years following. Adulthood was a good distraction in the hibernation period between Trespasser and DA4, and I actually foolishly thought I'd been reformed, then the DA4 news really started dropping and I've completely fallen for it all over again. It feels like coming home.

Dema: I'd love to ask what specifically about it feels like a homecoming 💖

Kes: Nothing since DAI and Trespasser has quite scratched the Dragon Age itch - that very specific combination of its exploratory lore, very unique takes on magic and world-building and the character complexity. I've spent the whole time hungry for more of Thedas and wanting to know what happened/what will come next, nothing could actually fill that void. Enough time made me sort of forget about the intensity of said Dragon Age itch but after the gameplay reveal I was like, oh yeah, this is what I have been missing.

Dema: Right?? I think it's the depth of the character development for me, in particular. Do you have a favorite character or plotline? Something you get your teeth into and want to shake like a dog?

Kes: Oh so many. I adore the loneliness and isolation and despair of the warden Mahariel questline, Alistair actually asking your Mahariel what the Dalish do to mourn their loved ones in a game that had up until that point largely ostracised her continues to alter my brain chemistry to this day. Morrigan and Flemeth's deeply troubled mother daughter relationship is always so meaty to dig into, every time they resurface I think we get more tragic layers. I think the evolving plot over what spirits are is probably my favourite in the series though, the way they interact with the world, what they've become vs what they were? Makes me insane actually.

Dema: I am losing my mind over that glimpse of Morrigan in the DA4 trailer. Since this is also an artist interview: did any visuals in the game particularly strike you? A demon's design, a location, an object, or something else? And related to that, is there something from DA that you particularly enjoy as an art subject?

Kes: Like basically every artist in the DA fandom I'm fairly sure the DAI tarot card art style changed me as a person. In general the progression from DA2's stylisation to the DAI stylisation I think is really lovely and I've been trying to incorporate some of that texture and movement and composition into every artwork I've done ever since. Surprising absolutely no one, I've actually really loved drawing DA elves, so many of them fit what I call the 'elf lines theory' where they have this very 'geometric' shape / proportions. I feel like Solas does this in the most exaggerated way because there's no distraction of hair, but all elves are my favourite to draw for this reason.

Dema: Do you have any tools you can't live without? 

Kes: Unsure if this is allowed because it might sound like a bit of a shill, but I would like to shout out my trusty tablet that I've had for almost a decade and I still love using. For anyone who has been a Wacom user their whole lives, I really urge you to try Huion tablets.

Dema: Not a shill, I for one love to know what other artists like using! When you're working on a collaboration like this, what does that process look like for you?

Kes: Generally I will read/watch something and an idea will really 'catch' me while I'm doing that which I want to draw. What's really fun about this collaborative process is getting access to the artist that inspired me to really pick their brain and test my ideas against their vision.

Dema: Oh that's exciting! How's your progress on the Bang piece? Are you feeling excited about it?

Kes: I think the challenge has been the story I'm trying to capture has a lot of really rich progression of character over a long period, so I've had a lot of different ideas I wanted to represent, and I had a lot of original concept ideas that I've sketched and combined and discarded and taken elements from. It's been an evolutionary process but I think I did finally get to turn a lot of those ideas into a cohesive main piece I'm really excited to see finished.

Dema: I am very excited to see it, too! Thank you for taking this time to be interviewed, Kes, it's been delightful.

Kes: No problemo!

[cathedralofghosts]

If you’re after a gripping psychological thriller, Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn is one of those rare stories that keeps you glued from the first page to the last shot of the TV series. Here’s why I recommend both the book and the HBO series—they each offer something slightly different but equally chilling.

Sharp Objects is Flynn’s debut novel, and she really goes deep with it. The story revolves around Camille Preaker, a journalist with a complicated, traumatic past, who’s sent back to her hometown to cover the murders of two young girls. It’s dark, intense, and full of messed-up family dynamics. Camille’s return home brings back her personal demons, especially with her toxic, controlling mother, Adora.

Flynn does a great job of getting inside Camille’s head. The book’s first-person perspective makes you feel every ounce of her emotional pain, self-harm issues, and the overwhelming sense of dread lurking in the town of Wind Gap. The way she writes Camille’s mental state is disturbing but fascinating.

Flynn’s sharp, uncompromising writing pulls you into Camille’s world, where you can almost feel the oppressive small-town atmosphere.

The psychological depth of Camille’s self-harm and how it connects to the broader mystery is explored more fully here than in the TV series.

If you enjoy complex, flawed characters, you’ll appreciate how the book doesn’t shy away from Camille’s raw, unfiltered thoughts.

The HBO adaptation of Sharp Objects took what was amazing about the book and translated it into a visual nightmare (in a good way). Amy Adams is perfect as Camille. You can practically feel her tension in every scene, and Patricia Clarkson as Adora? Absolute gold. The show sticks closely to the plot, but it adds a layer of atmospheric unease that’s hard to capture on paper.

Director Jean-Marc Vallée, who also directed Big Little Lies, brings his signature style—disjointed editing, quick flashbacks, and haunting imagery. It’s like you’re stuck inside Camille’s head, constantly flashing between her childhood trauma and the disturbing present.

Amy Adams' performance—she’s vulnerable, broken, but also determined. It’s some of her best work.

The way the show uses visuals and pacing to build suspense is masterful. Every shot feels intentional, drawing out psychological tension even more.

The creepy atmosphere of Wind Gap is captured so well on screen, with eerie shots of Adora’s Southern Gothic mansion and the town’s dark underbelly.

Book or TV First? I’d say read the book first if you want to immerse yourself in Camille’s inner turmoil and the psychological layers that Flynn writes so well. But if you prefer to see everything unfold visually with a bit of suspense and a phenomenal cast, go for the show. Either way, both formats complement each other, and together, they deliver a complete and unsettling experience.

Whether you read the book, watch the show, or both, Sharp Objects is a wild, dark ride that will stay with you long after you’re done. If you love dark mysteries with complex characters, it’s an absolute must!

[catofthecanals289]

hi! i love to read your works, i think they are so passionate and raw, ure so talented and have such an interesting pov on love, sex and relationships, so i'm rlly curious to know your headcanon about maxiel's age difference and how they feel about it

when i read about them, i always feel that their age difference has an important impact on their dynamic but i do think daniel is the one who feels weighted by it the most - i imagine that it overwhelms him, being all of max's firsts and lasts, max's only. maybe he feels like he is stealing something from max bc when daniel was max's age it was so different. he had many relationships, sexual and romantic, with many people and he feels like everything he experienced formed him and max won't have that bc daniel is not strong enough to ever let max go so he knows that he is all that max will ever know, in relationships and sex, which most of the time he feels good about it bc it tweaks his possessive trait like max is really all his, he's the one who taught max how to fuck and how to be in a relationship but sometimes daniel feels guilty about it because daniel enjoyed so much being single in his 20s and it feels like he is robbing max from this.

i wanted to know what's your opinion bc i think youre an amazing relationship analyst, youre so intentional with your writing and yours characters have so much heart and complexity and i found myself being really compassionate towards them bc they are so tender and delicate but have all of this fire burning underneath, they are so desperate for their loved ones, their words and touches are so intense i feel breathless

youre so amazing

x

Wow thank you so much for this message, I don’t even know what to say. I feel like you give me way too much credit, but you are right that the relationship aspect is what’s most important tome in my writing. I am not big on plot or mysteries or that type of stuff, I’m not good at it. I can’t do world building, I don’t come up with interesting set ups. The characters and their feelings are at the core of my writing, so I’m very very glad that you like the way I approach those things.

My thoughts on the Maxiel age difference  are that it is definitely more important to Daniel in the sense that he feels guilt about it. Especially early on? Because Max is so young and like when you are 25 and 33 the age difference doesn’t matter as much as when you are 18 and 27 for example. So the age difference gets less important the older they get. But Daniel will always be the guy who (in most of my stories/versions of them) was Max’s firsts and yeah also his lasts whereas Daniel had his wild phase. He does worry sometimes that Max is missing out but at the same time he doesn’t really want Max with anyone else. And Max doesn’t want that either. For Max it’s simple. He found the person he wants to be with early on. And that is very nice and he is very happy about that. He wouldn’t change a thing. Then of course there is the aspect of Daniel worrying about how when Max fell in love with Daniel Daniel was in his prime and now he is past his prime. If he brings that up to Max though Max has to hit him over the head bc what the fuck is Daniel talking about whatever version of him Max is faced with is always the most beautiful to Max. I think I’ve touched on that in some of my writing before but to Max seeing Daniel (and himself age) is something beautiful because he wants to grow old together.

I think age and aging  in general is such an interesting concept to play with. Especially in the current obsession with anti aging shit but yeah. Daniel is definitely the angsty one when it comes to their age gap  ;)

[red-dyed-sarumane]

kyuuyakus so good not only bc its like the only song heavy enough i can tolerate at loud volumes that can Almost drown out my coworker who never shuts up but ALSO for the points ive said 74times & will continue to,

aru sekai shoushitsu set us up for something super sci-fi, which. yes. the series very much is. but it was so technical and almost coldly indifferent. and then we're given the whole "old testament" in the title & the whole intro reading that isnt far from dantes inferno type content as my good friend emimin pointed out. we've got this new aspect added in and at the same time the lyrics let you know this character's still dealing with the complex technical stuff, from the terms down to the second kanji in ashita being incomplete as though because of a program error or interruption or some other similar reason.

and it feels even more different because theres just so much emotion in this one compared to shoushitsu. all the "bye-bye"s written in ways that express deep pain, the fact that the "see you tomorrow"s are cut off in the way they are the first time, and so drawn out the second time. the genre's not the spacey, distant trance type that shoushitsu is; its heavy, its intense, its got as much to it musically as there are details in the story. it's not just to sound cool, it's getting her state of mind across just as much as the spoken words. the world's being destroyed physically & metaphorically, everyone's suffered this over and over, they've parted ways so many times and its just never something they can get used to, especially not if they want to keep trying to end this whole loop, she's stressed past imagination trying to keep everything in check when its just not possible, & the intensity of the music just emphasizes all of that. there's less intense parts too, sort of like a forced focus on what she's doing that all too quickly builds to a panic. or the in the second part where everything gets so dire, the bell's tolling and she's running out of time, the piano over top of it giving such an uneasy feeling, and then right back to that heavy panic. theres so much emotional charge in it you know the long notes aren't just magu having fun with it; you just know they're meant as screams. i dont even think i can say screams for help, i think she knows shes past the point of help or at least that she's supposed to be everyone else's source of help that it's just stressed lamentation. she's doing everything she possibly can and its not working so all thats left is to cry out about it.

and then u have the rute furute wo a motif in here that's added in under the "fractal wa/kurikaeshita" parts that really hits harder now with kannagi for extra context. knowing that this is in the past & can't be changed and everyone else is using this as a point of reference. then u of course have the nami no ne wo motif, & the longest & clearest instance of it aside from maybe oumen mokushiroku so u know she's herself & gets to live, gets to keep doing this & watching other people die. (although i have absolutely no frame of reference for how long she lives given this is a past event & she doesn't seem to be present in the more current time songs. we dont really have that context yet) & then we're back to the rute motif on top of what still sounds like a jumble of nothing. but i also thought the rute line was nothing and here its a big deal so i cant wait to realize what this other jumble is, considering its also under the last ima kizanda parts.

theres just so so much to it, so many little intricacies that build such a full picture from whats otherwise one of the more simple series songs & i cant love it more.

[rookie-critic]

How to Blow Up a Pipeline (2023, dir. Daniel Goldhaber) - review by Rookie-Critic

My full-length review this week was going to be over Renfield, but I saw this last night and felt like talking about it more (plus Renfield is very cut-and-dry: good, not great. Could have used more Nicolas Cage because his performance was awesome). Also, I felt like I was getting in the habit of only doing full-lengthers for the big blockbuster releases of the week and not giving love to the indie films.

I was very excited to see this film because it looked like a well-made eco-thriller that would show the complicated nature of fighting back against a corrupt system built to punish those trying to enact change. I will say that it is very well-made. The low-budget, sometimes handheld nature of the camerawork did wonders for the overall vibe of the film and the script, from a story standpoint, was very solid and had my anxiety high from beginning to end. The score was also something I picked up on immediately as being both really good instrumental music and really good at servicing the film's intensity. Another aspect that really works in the film's favor is a stunning and quite remarkable cast of up-and-comers, including Ariela Barer (Marvel's Runaways), Marcus Scribner (black-ish/Grown-ish), Forrest Goodluck (The Revenant), Sasha Lane (American Honey), Jayme Lawson (Till & The Woman King), Jake Weary (Animal Kingdom), Lukas Gage (Assassination Nation), and Kristine Froseth (Looking for Alaska). I just went ahead and named all of them because they all deliver such fantastic performances with what they were given. Special mention should specifically go to Goodluck, though, for making me very interested in a character the film doesn't give you a ton of information about.

The part that bugs me about Pipeline is that, despite a solid script and an ensemble cast that is both diverse and extremely talented, the film doesn't critically analyze it's morality or do much to call into question if our characters are truly doing the right thing or not. Of course, there are throwaway lines here and there about how what they're doing is an act of terrorism, and one character in particular brings up more than once the ethical grey-area of what they're doing, but she is the lone voice in a crowd of bullheaded individuals that believe what they're doing is altruistically the right thing to do. It makes a less-than-baseline attempt at holding a mirror up to the ensemble and treats them as heroes when, at best, they're anti-heroes. Well-intentioned anti-heroes, but anti-heroes all the same.

I think one of the biggest proponents of this is the film's character writing. We are given flashbacks throughout the film providing a little backstory for all of our main cast of characters, which, in and of itself, is a great device, but it is used aimlessly and doesn't provide anything close to the kind of insight into our characters' motivations that I was looking for. We seem them all from a bird's-eye-view, getting more of a template of a person than something more fully realized. We see the triggering event that pushed some of them over the edge, but we don't get the context, the build-up, the lifetime of constant reminders that their-world is dying and there is nothing truly substantial that they can do about it. In the case of some of the characters we don't even really get an inciting moment, merely just a footnote onto the film that explains how they got entangled in their current situation. It's character backstory that moves the plot forward, but doesn't necessarily move our characters forward, and that's Pipeline's biggest detriment. It cares more about sending a very black-and-white, blunt-force-trauma message to the audience through plot beats as opposed to a very thought-provoking, nuanced message about complex morality and the pitfalls of well-intentioned extremism through its characters. There are whispers of the latter, moments where the film opens itself up for you to ascribe your own biases to a character and sympathize with their logic, but it is all very surface level.

It's an expertly crafted film with a lot of great things going for it, but it takes a much less effective soap-box approach to a story that would have been way more well-suited to a humanistic one. If you take the good with the bad, all things considered, it is very entertaining. There's something to be said that there are multiple moments when the theater audibly gasped and even more moments where I was literally, physically on the edge of my seat. It was good enough to make me interested in reading the book (something I hardly ever do anymore) and watching director Daniel Goldhaber's first film, Cam. I'll be keeping an eye out for future projects from him, for sure.

Score: 7/10

Currently only in theaters.

[theraininthestars]

Review of In The Afterlight

This month's book was In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken, and I didn't have the energy to read this book. It is part of a trilogy / saga of Darkest Minds, it is the third part and follows the story of Ruby. There is a fourth book that relates other perspectives and fragments of other characters.

Ruby can't look back. Fractured by an unbearable loss, she and the kids who survived the government's attack on Los Angeles travel north to regroup. With them is a prisoner: Clancy Gray, son of the president, and one of the few people Ruby has encountered with abilities like hers. Only Ruby has any power over him, and just one slip could lead to Clancy wreaking havoc on their minds.

They are armed only with a volatile secret: proof of a government conspiracy to cover up the real cause of IAAN, the disease that has killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others like her with powers the government will kill to keep contained. But internal strife may destroy their only chance to free the "rehabilitation camps" housing thousands of other Psi kids.

Meanwhile, reunited with Liam, the boy she would-and did-sacrifice everything for to keep alive, Ruby must face the painful repercussions of having tampered with his memories of her. She turns to Cole, his older brother, to provide the intense training she knows she will need to take down Gray and the government. But Cole has demons of his own, and one fatal mistake may be the spark that sets the world on fire.

The author has a gift with descriptions and metaphors to draw the audience into what Ruby and all the other characters are feeling. One of the strengths of this story are the characters, the author manages to build characters that feel real and complex, have such strong values and moralities that they are not lost in the narrative, and actually contribute and strengthen it.

Now, the main antagonist or villain is not badly written, instead, it is just as complex and shows all the talents of the author. But something that personally bothered me is that it seems like a certain event from the first book is ignored that I feel goes against what his angle is. It doesn't break the character, but it is something that I wish she would have highlighted differently. Although I understand the reasons why the author does not want to highlight it so much, and it is her right.

After reading this trilogy, I loved the relationship between Liam and Ruby. Liam is definitely a man written by a woman, and he is divine, beautiful, understandable, noble, and everything good in this world is Liam. He won me over when he said “Darling��, and I hope you do too.

This story is a clear descendant of The Hunger Games in the best of ways, capturing everything a dystopia should be, innovating the genre, and contributing to the social discussion about youth activism. I am going to give this book a 9 out of 10, because I can admit that the author's descriptions can be tiresome from time to time. The total rating for the entire saga is 9.5 out of 10 because I had a hard time finishing the saga because of the traumatic events that happen in these books, take breaks while reading it because sometimes they get heavy.

Have you read this book and saga? What're your thoughts on these books? Which other dystopia books you recommend? Which books have you read so far this year?

[moonwaif]

Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Thanks....

Ahh such a challenging question! Ok I will do my best.

Also I included video games because I can't control myself. Sorry!

1. Wei Wuxian (MDZS/CQL)

The bae. The boo. The blorbo of blorbos. I love everything about him. His stubborn adherence to justice and defending the weak, his clarity of personal values, his genius, his boldness, his wit, his sense of humor, his disaster antics, his teasing, his tendency to challenge, the fact that he plays a flute, his chaos, the way he will do anything for those he loves and will not stand to let them be insulted, his successes, his failures, his intensity, the way he mellows out a little after resurrection, the way he [redacted], etc etc etc. If I even imagined him looking at me intensely or with interest I would DIE.

So yeah I feel a normal amount about him.

2. Ardyn Lucis Caelum/Final Fantasy 15

This guy got SO fucked over. It's like if Jesus died but then god didn't resurrect him, he let another person take the credit. That's kind of what happened to Ardyn!! I can see how he ended up on the trajectory that he did, I would be pissed off and probably lose sight of myself too. Anyway yeah super interesting back story. On top of that he's got awkward uncle energy and just the most bizarre fashion sense.

3. Kamishiro Rize/Tokyo Ghoul

I just vibe with her for some reason. Love her style, she likes books. She eats a lot, that's cute. Learning more about her history later on in the series added some complexity, but she was already striking to me from the start. She refused to be tamed. (I mean. She was definitely doing bad things, lol. But in terms of a character I like her a lot.) Oh, and I think the friendship she sort of had with Tsukiyama Shuu is hilarious.

4. Zack Fair/Final Fantasy 7

Just a genuinely goodhearted, goofy guy. But also excellent at what he does. Even in the corrupt world of Shinra, he never loses sight of what being a hero means to him.

5. Aerith Gainsborough/Final Fantasy 7

Sweet, playful, fun, with hidden power. At the same time she has gone through huge challenges: loneliness, isolation, loss, incarceration, etc. She's really good at building community and bringing people together. Absolute wife material.

6. Xie Lian/Tian Guan Ci Fu

I love how comprehensive of a portrait that TGCF gives of him. Even when he was young and overconfident, he was still kind. He wasn't arrogant. He went through suffering and still came out the other side committed to kindness. He contemplated cruelty and still chose kindness. At the same time he can be a total bitch sometimes, and I love him for that. Mostly, I love that he's like a cool, dashing hero with a silly and self-conscious side. Nothing ruffles his feathers (except Hua Cheng).

7. The Room

I like Lisa's mom. And the football.

8. Hancock/Fallout 4

This crusty ghoul mayor who lives in post-apocalyptic United States, dresses in 17th century getup, and does a lot of drugs. He has a strong sense of justice though. Lives by his own moral code. Stands up for those who need a defender. Rebel with a cause. I have a type.

9. V from Cyberpunk 2077

Main protag of the game. You can play them many different ways in terms of personality, but i think the situation they are put in is extremely interesting. I got very attached to this character, moreso than I usually do to build-your-own protagonists from other open world games.

10. Boxcar from fallout new vegas

There's this character in the game fallout new Vegas who you find sitting alone in a ghost town that just suffered an attack. He's an escaped convict. He survived the attack but his legs are broken. He's super pissed off and rude and bitchy. You're able to help him and give him medicine, but he just continues to sit there being pissed off for the entire rest of the game. I have played this game so many times and I always enjoy talking to him. I wish he could leave after you give him the medicine.

Bonus: Zhen Huan from the Legend of Zhen Huan.

This historical palace harem drama has so many good characters but the protagonist has interesting character development over time.

So many different telenovela villains.

I would need a whole separate post. No one does evil quite like a telenovela villain. They just do bad stuff to be doing bad stuff.

[readwithmiaa]

Furtive Rebels

The Black OPS Series #1

Author : M.H.Cali

Illustrator: Liana Kangas

Page count: 422

Blurb:

Oliver Anderson is a former black-ops operative turned Private Investigator who mostly helps people on the wrong side of the law get away with shady deals.

He doesn’t seem to care much about following rules anymore. His soul has been tainted by an imperfect system he now hates.

That is until Agent Mila Jenkins gets sent undercover to look into his practice and singular way of dealing with things, just as one of the biggest criminal master plans the country has ever seen is slowly unfolding.

In a world ruled by chaos and deception, enemies lurk in the shadows, the line between right and wrong gets blurrier at each passing second, and trust doesn’t come easy.

In the midst of such adversity, Oliver and Mila’s beliefs will soon be tested.

For better or worse, he is mayhem, she is turbulence.

Will it be their demise? Or will it make them stand stronger?

One thing is for they’ll have to face their truths and all it entails whether they’re ready for it or not.

Review:

"𝒀𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒆"

Furtive Rebels is wild, fast, and absolute page-turner. Oliver and Mila were a great couple, and the secondary characters were the book's best part. This was quite a ride where Mila, having lost her mother, learns to let her walls down enough to let Oliver into her life and with someone who reads her mind in and out, makes her believe in almost everything. She's tough and insightful and courageous and able to strike that balance in everything.

"𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇. 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒖𝒔. 𝑰'𝒎 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 '𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒅. 𝒀𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒓𝒖𝒈 𝑰'𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅"

There is lots of action, romance and banter in the beginning between the two of them, intense banter (Iykyk) and it was great to follow their relationship blooming with each other. Oliver and Mila got attracted to each other right from their first meet but they took their time to explore each other's mind that makes it a slow-burning romance, but with that heightened intensity between them makes it worth it. The chemistry between Mila and Oliver causes sparks to fly and the result is a highly entertaining romance with suspense and thrills going behind.

I mean, how can you not love a book that explores a smart, independent, sassy heroine and her extraordinary hero with a dark past having playboy history but for her he'll do anything to get into a relationship with name tags, getting together? I cannot possibly gush enough. This book was too good to describe, and had me flipping pages like mad, grinning endlessly and laughing and squeezing out-loud more times than I could count!

Liana Kanga added extra depth to the book by curating a freaking good character sketches.

Having said all of that, I thoroughly enjoyed this story!

Rating : 5/5

Highly Recommended

About Author:

.H. Cali writes character-driven romances, romantic suspenses and thrillers books as well as the occasional comic or graphic novel.

The world is complex and flawed, and so are the characters inhabiting the universes she builds. If you ever read any of her works, you’ll notice that she loves writing layered characters, having a diverse cast, and that to her quiet moments are just as important than action-packed ones.

Storytelling is all about harmony in the emotions and events throughout the narrative. It's her motto.

If she manages to make you feel what the characters are going through, live the events with them, and wonder what is going to happen, then she succeeded.

Make sure to follow her on BookBub at https://www.bookbub.com/profile/m-h-cali for all sales and preorders alerts!

[darthjess-book-reviews]

REVIEW: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

Summary (Provided by Goodreads)

I long for the days before the Last Desolation. Before the Heralds abandoned us and the Knights Radiant turned against us. When there was still magic in Roshar and honor in the hearts of men.

In the end, not war but victory proved the greater test. Did our foes see that the harder they fought, the fiercer our resistance? Fire and hammer forge a sword; time and neglect rust it away. So we won the world, yet lost it.

Now there are four whom we watch: the surgeon, forced to forsake healing and fight in the most brutal war of our time; the assassin, who weeps as he kills; the liar, who wears her scholar's mantle over a thief's heart; and the prince, whose eyes open to the ancient past as his thirst for battle wanes. 

One of them may redeem us. One of them will destroy us.

My Review: 5/5 Stars

"Life before death. Strength before weakness. Journey before destination."

"The Way of Kings" by Brandon Sanderson is honestly one my favorite books I've ever read. This book is a bit of a slow burn, but I truly enjoyed every second of it, even the slower parts, because they are clearly building to something, even though you'll have no idea WHAT until it slaps you in the face.

Sanderson's prose is simple and clear. His writing is easy to understand and he doesn't use overly flowery language or lengthy descriptions that distracted me. And where his writing was simple, the things he was writing about were deep and complex, posing questions like: what does it mean to live? What does it mean to be a good leader? Is it okay to do something wrong to make something right? And more. And while the characters make decisions based on these questions, we are never really given an answer.

Also, if you're one of those people who tried to read this book and stopped because there was a bunch of "random stuff that didn't matter"... you stopped reading too early. Like the stuff with the spren? Trust me, it matters. If you don't have the patience for a book like this, that's fine. There are plenty of books that I've heard are incredible that I tried, then did not have the patience to finish (*cough cough* "Midnight's Children" by Salman Rushdie). Definitely no shame in that, but also don't blame the book. There are just some books that aren't written for you, and that's fine.

Things I Loved:

1. The world - Roshar, the giant continent where "The Way of Kings" takes places, is incredibly unique. Sanderson has built his own fantasy world with its own creatures and ecosystems completely different from our own. While this might sound overwhelming, all of the details about the world are revealed over time, and the important details are repeated often enough (in different ways that do not seem repetitive) that it is easy to learn and remember.

2. The main characters - They are vibrant and are just as unique as the world itself, which makes them memorable and easily distinguishable. There are four main characters (Adolin, Dalinar, Kaladin, and Shallan) but they are supported by a beautiful cast of secondary characters that I came to love.

3. The struggles - THE STRUGGLES OF THESE CHARACTERS. I loved how Sanderson has his characters struggle, not just in their respective environments, but also in their own heads. Kaladin struggles with intense depression that comes in waves, and yet his part of the story manages not to feel depressing to the reader. And I love that he has kind of struggled with depression his entire life. I feel like you often don't see mental health problems talked about like this in fantasy, and it was very refreshing. Dalinar struggles with self doubt, Shallan struggles with guilt. And of course, Adolin struggles with the normal problems of growing up as heir to a High Prince's throne.

4. The "secondary" characters - Remember those "secondary" characters I mentioned? They are not just background people or NPCs who help move the story along. Sanderson has transformed them into actual, living breathing people, with their own incredible stories and personalities, people who could easily be main characters in their own right. Even though there are quite a few names thrown around in this book, it is done so with great care, to the point that I think even my sister (who hates books with "too many names") could read this without an issue if she really gave it a shot.

5. The philosophy - it's hard to go into this one without spoiling too much, but there's a lot of things in this book that make you want to take a good long look at our own world. Good fantasy is generally seen as escapism, but I think the best fantasy is escapism with realism hidden inside it. And "The Way of Kings" has exactly that. Even though the world of Roshar is so different from our own, humanity in any reality remains: in all its beautiful good and its terrible evil.

6. The twists - I really can't say anything about this at all without spoiling, but goddamn those twists at the end. I was literally screaming in shock and excitement and honestly a little bit of horror. When I finished the book, I proceeded to stare at the wall for about 10 minutes, trying to fully take in everything I'd just experienced. Honestly, wow. What a ride.

Things I Didn't Like:

...for a book that's literally over 1000 pages, you'd think I'd be able to come up with SOMETHING I didn't enjoy. Well, here comes the shocker. I literally can't think of anything.

As a writer, I have so much to learn from Sanderson, and as I reader I am so excited to read everything else this genius of a man has written. So thankful that this was recommended to me (thanks Katie) and so thankful to Sanderson for writing this book that literally got my fiance (who is 26 and hasn't really read since high school) BACK into reading.

I recommend this to anyone who loves fantasy and has a little patience. I promise, it's worth it.

[twopoppies]

like a boomerang by youwill (M, 48K) Very loosely based on the movie Groundhog’s Day (essentially just the concept of re-living a day over and over), this fic is delightful and charming and really worth a read. Link is to a download.

my heart is breathing for this moment in time by usedtothebeach (E, 160K) Probably my absolute favorite time travel fic. I’ve read it more times than I’d like to admit, and every time I love it more. One of the things I like most is how organically the author weaves in canon events…every little moment is an easter egg without it being so obvious that it pulls you out of the fic. Anyway, this one is so moving and so absorbing, I hope you like it if you give it a try! There’s an 18K companion piece to it as well, but you’ll see the link at the appropriate time when you’re reading the main fic.

your quietest voice by flimsy (E, 8K) Beautiful writing (like, just savor the sentences…they’re so pretty) and a really unique concept for time travel.

as we move slowly by snk (GA, 3K) A canon fic tinged in magic and truly gorgeous, poetic writing.

feel the chemicals burn in my bloodstream by togetherwecouldbealright (M, 123K) I read this one so, so long ago that all I remember is that I loved it, that there’s some really romantic and sweet moments, and that my notes from way back when only say, “OMG this one is so good! And I’ve barely gotten to the smut!” HAHAHAHA! (Link is to a download)

every universe but ours by @28finelines (E, 50K) This fic isso touching and funny and sexy and I read it all in one go! Please go read it because it’s like reading multiple Larry fics in one, each one with that “I would find you in any lifetime” vibe.

Soul of the Sea by vurdoc (E, 33K) A gothic romance set in a small Scottish village. Mysterious, melancholy, tender, and such a pleasure to read.

The Woods are Lovely, Dark and Deep by @helloamhere (WIP, 4 part series, mixed ratings, 128K) Amazing world building, complex characters, beautiful writing.

Black With Autumn Rain by Whimsicule (T, 93K) This writer is a favorite. If you like intense, creative stories, with complex characters and tight dialogue, you should read all of their fics. This one has the flavor of a Daphne du Maurier novel – dark, creepy, and moodily romantic. Plus a supernatural edge. It’s so good.

i was at an all night diner by @yoursongonmyheart (6K, NR). This is more of a prose poem, and i really enjoyed the way the author built such an intimate portrait of the 5 boys in so few words. It’s beautiful and dreamy and I think about it still.

I Won't Let You Forget by graceling_in_a_suit / @graceling-in-a-suit (T, 7K) I love the writing in this one. It’s one of those fics that has that kind of melancholic, dreamy feel to it that I really enjoy. Plus, it has a “no matter what, I would find you in any lifetime” vibe. So good.

Take Care Down By The Water by shyserious (M, 37K) Oh my goodness I loved this fic. Magical realism, mythical creatures, dreamy/moody atmosphere, beautiful writing. The link is to a download.

The Haunting of Louis Tomlinson by @helloamhere (T, 31K) Like everything else this author shares with us, this is so well paced and so well written and just charming. Great dialogue, great zouis friendship, and this one also has one of my favorite tags ever: Harry is a complete drama queen and also A GHOST

Loyal Knight And True by rainbowninja167 / (E, 52K) Really original story, mystery and magic, great characterizations. All around a very good read!

the bearded stranger by juliusschmidt (E, 2K) This is a wild twist on strangers to lovers and it’s fun and funny and really kind of hot.

You Take Me Over, You’re The Magic In My Veins by supernope (E, 36K) I read this years ago and my notes are not terribly helpful: “medieval princes. Pining forever! Sexy though.” 🤦🏻‍♀️ But I like this author, in general, so if that sounds good, give it a whirl!

For more magical fics, check out these recs:

Time Travel AU fic rec

Mermaids and Other Mythical Creatures

Witches and Wizards

Magical