#omg the who did that as well at the end of 2013 and then a few months later i became obsessed

[eggmeralda]

thinking about in 2013 when i almost became obsessed with homestuck bc i watched eridan's united states of wwhatevver and thought it was funny and then became obsessed with homestuck for like a week despite not knowing anything about it. but then i listened to the clash, changing the trajectory of my life forever, and my homestuck obsession-to-be never happened. jilted at the altar

[mwebber]

normal ask i hope! ur fave underrated martian moment ?!

omg hi i have. so many underrated martian moments. maybe they're less "underrated" and more like martian just has soo much history to it that we physically cannot remember everything but i shall endeavour to include as much as i can <3

#1. "if i'd got no competition about me, no real fire or desire, then i'd get on with seb like a house on fire"

#2. TEAM FILMING DAY 2012 i think they were very buddy buddy and cute here, they shared a segway and looked like they were having fun :)

#3. JEREZ 2005 aka seb's first test in a car! seb saying in his abu dhabi 2022 interview:

"what people don't know is i did my very very first test in 2005, and mark was there as well! we shared the car, i mean i had the deal with bmw that i was allowed to do a couple of laps. and i remember the test very well because i was a bit scared, you know, after?"

+ this in aussie grit:

"my eyes were [huge], i was full of adrenaline, and after the couple laps i had, i wasn't able to hold onto my neck. and, you know, mark was so kind and gave us a lift to the airport! so that's really when it started.... we always had a straightforward relationship, there were some moments where we disagreed, let's say? but i think we always had respect for each other, and that respect helped us--and helps us--to get along the way we do!"

#4. BMW CHRISTMAS PARTY 2005 bom did a whole thing on this but to summarize, bmw hosted a winter party and mark and seb were in attendance and they sat across from each other in a carriage and it's possibly the most winter fairytale thing they could have possibly done together <3

#5. "I always thought that if you look at other team pairings, there are far worse ‘couples’ than we’ve been in terms of mutual respect."

#6. SEB WENT TO MARK'S FAREWELL DINNER. i have no official source for this it's been on my to-do list to find forever but the posts are there

#7. "IT'S FOR BOTH OF US." cota 2013 when mark was given a model car and seb looked at it and mark was like it's for both of us! martianblr at the time thought mark said "we can share it" after but i've listened to the clip and im hearing "we can sign it." who knows! i think it's rlly cute that a decade ago this place was losing its shit over the same things though

#8. MATCHING CAMPBELL SOUP SHIRTS and in their opposite matching porsche colours..

(post)

edit 6 hours after starting this answer i forgot my train of thought bc i ended up going outside for half the day lol but um. yeah! them <3 if i remember more and have time tmrw i'll reblog with a few additions because i'm sure im missing things!

[crybyemissamericanpie]

Gn!Actor!Reader talking about Josh Hutcherson through the years(2012-2023)

tell me if you guys wanna see more of these :)

Gn!Actor!Reader talking about Josh Hutcherson through the years(2012-2023)

TW:none

2012 - The Hunger Games Era

"So, y/n, you've been working with such talented people, who's the one who you really grew close to"The interviewer asks with a smile as he shifts in his seat a bit

Y/n chukles a bit at the question"It was probably with Josh Hutcherson we just kinda got each other instantly"They say with a small smile

"Any memorable moments behind the scenes with him?"He asks

"Oh,there was a time when they-the team-ere filming scenes when me and Josh weren't in so they let us go into the bakery,that is actually a bakery and make something" They say with a smile, the memories flooding back

"Well how tasty were the goods?"He asks with a small smile

"Let's just say, we're better actors than bakers" they say with a small laugh

2013 - Catching Fire

"Well people love you and Josh,so what do you think about further movies together?"The interviewer asks with smile as she fixes her own hair a bit

"There will definitely be more movies together, and I don't know why people cast us together all the time"Y/n explains, with a small smile while furrowing her brows

"It's the dynamic between the two of you"She says with a smile

"Maybe!"

2014 - Escobar: Paradise Lost

"Another film with Josh in one year,how was it? What happened off screens"She asks

"Well.. Not a lot actually"They say with a small chukle"uhm,he basically tutored me in Spanish all the time behind the screens,so there were no 'omg we did this!' Behind the scenes but it was fun"They say

2018 - Future Man

"You and Josh have both directed and acted in the show,correct?"the interviewer asks, fixing his glasses

"Correct" They say,giving a small nod

"Its a very humorous movie with many... interesting scenes, how did those came to mind?"He asks

Y/n chukles knowing what kind of scenes he meant"while we were writing the plot and the script one of us would go like 'wouldn't this be funny' and the other one would say ''thats hilarious' and then we wrote it in"They explain with a small smirk"it was interesting,let's just say that!"

2018 - The Disaster Artist

"How did you and Josh prepare for that role, since both of you had to play a very different character pairing it to other movies?"She asks, looking between y/n and Josh

"We did Method acting,actually"Josh says, as his gaze moves to y/,a smile creeping on his face

"Yeah, we attempted to make our worst movie, ever" They says with a smile"but it ended up pretty good"

2023 - Mockingjay Part 2

"Back to the 'Hunger Games' franchise with 'Mockingjay Part 2.' How does it feel knowing that you were apart of such a famous and beautiful trilogy with such amazing actors?"

"It's bittersweet, but I can't complain.I made many friends in the way,Jen,Josh,Sam and I could go all day" They say, with a smile

"Could you even say that it's the best cast you ever had"He asks with a small smile as he raises his eyebrow

"I could and I would say that,everyday when I go to bed I wish that when I wake up I will be back in 2012 in the filming set, but you know all good things must come to an end eventually"

[geronimomo-spd]

here is a list of what was in this show, and in what ways they updated/changed the pieces of music they played, and what they never played before. with a dash of commentery:

i am the doctor is the first track, neat, they did the Proms version, which combines the Pandorica speach theme right at the end

all the strange strange creatures, which yeah another Proms staple, it had a few touches of fresh violins in the end we did not hear before

they did a suite for the entire classic who themes they did play that night, apperently the two people behaind the rediophonic workshop were there to play it as well! that's neat, the 60s cyberman theme, (i love it dearly, got obsessed with it pretey recently lol), they also did some stuff that i would not know to recognize if there is anything new about them: the sea devils theme, the city of death, and the 5 doctors! the same classic who themes they played i the proms 2013, either way they sound very nice, the orchestra really nicely blends in with the syntonizer and it feels like a loving hug.

oooh and they have a mini interview with mark and peter from the radiophonic workshop!

Abigail's Song (Silence Is All You Know) is very neat as well, no changes but its very nice. and they dedicated the piece to Michael Gambon, that's sweet

omg Steven Moffet hello, i did not remember seeing him on the cast list. they are using the season 4 intro as like an in between piece to welcome guests on stage by the way, his interview in nice but short, mostly talking in short about his time as a show runner and the diffrence between Matt and Peter.

sylvester mcCoy is here in the audiance apperently!

This is Galiffray is next, pretty standard but again beutifully played

the long song is next, no child singer, the same singer as Abagail's song as well, but gosh!! they included in it the part of the theme of this song that played when 11 regenerated?? and the new singing then payerd over it. it is the same theme part that played when the actual speech of the long song played, in front of the living planet, but without the speech itself it really takes you back to his regeneration in my option, they then layerd the singing part over it in a very nice harmony that made me tear up 😭 . once again just like they did in the proms 2013, but this version feels very updated

the companions suite, they went Rose - Amy, which sad no clara, bill or any other companion, but its nice to hear those themes again, also Martha's theme got a little bit more Wind Instruments and violins then usual! which extended it a little and that was very nice. it also felt like Donna's theme was a little bit quieter then usual, they also combined Amy's theme little starting notes to fuze organicly into the theme itself, the xylophone very imbeded into the theme instead of it standing out like in earlier performances. and gave it a little bit of extra notes right at the end.

Emily Cook interview! she apperently played in the orcestra in the show as well with the saxophone. and talking about the doctor who lockdown project! (i cannot believe i never knew about this thing's existance??? holy shit,)

Doomsday, had a fancy and really funky gaiter solo, much similer to when it was preformed at the proms in 2008, but this time its very distinctive, not playing along singing at all, just pure gaiter goodness, really enjoyable

Vale Decem was really funky! nothing new but as bombastic as ever, screaming its way to your ears

Am i a good man!! very nice to see a Peter theme finally making its way to the fold, though a lot of them were preformed at Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular 2015, it was a much smaller scale as to the proms and this show is definitly bigger, god i used to be so obsessed with this themeee its not even funny, the version is very similer to there and you can reallly feel the drums punping at the start and its really energetic

omg twice upon a time?? damm, actual music released from something past season 9??? insane about this actually, oh i have never heard this before, its so gentle and remenicit of am i a good man in such a beautiful way, giving them theme a call back with emotinal and more action based end, it also adds the known and notable singer and some stuff from rtd era doctor theme?? and some funky violins from i am the doctor?? all leading to a fine finish?? i am in shock and aw. its like a finishing theme from Marry Gold to his era of the show. damm (if you are worried about The Shepherd's Boy, that will come later!)

a chris chibnall and Segun Akinola interview! Chris talking about the scrutiny he got for his era, and excitment about the whole thing, and Segun Akinola talking about the stress of the job and the freedom he got. THEY ARE ALL SO EXCITED FOR THE FACT THAT HIS THEMES FOR DOCTOR WHO ARE FOR THE FIRST TIME BEING PREFORMED AND I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT IT AS WELL HOLY SHIT

FINALLY the woman who fell to earth suite! confirmed to have: the woman who fell to earth, spyfall, power of the doctor, and a few suprises?? 👀 god i am once again becoming emotinal, i love 13's theme so much. the spyfall theme is so recognizable for its bond influence and so fun!! 13 era loves will know a lot more then me on the rest of it but god its so fun. DEMONS OF THE PUNJAB!! TRADITINAL INDIAN MUSIC WITH A FANTASTIC SINGER, god i wish we could watch this visualy. 13s regeneration theme is so GOOD IM CRYING, what can i even say, they didn't have the libraty of changes as this was the first and might be the only preformance of these themes, as little changes as possible for what i've noticed, but still, what a rollercoster of emotions

The Life of Sunday (Ruby's Theme) ...oh? piano? a lone and qiuet piano? a quiet and sad sounding theme? oh it expands! omg the slowely building violins?? the violins are truly the stars of this evening, and then the hopeful theme ends and now the violins are not celebrating the piano, they are moving towards a sad but nice main part. oh we are jumping forwad a little! oh wow, this is truly like a valce. the piano is the star but to what end? its slightly hopeful but very mournful existance

a lot of the versions had a little bit of a rytham change in most of the peices, little bits where you would think "oh is it out of rythem?" but no, its just a slight change in tempo, i guess to make the versions played here to stand out a little.

Marry Gold interview! hello! omg its so weird to hear his voice again. talking about his new era and coming back to who.

Fifteen, WHAT THE HELL THIS IS STARTING LIKE A SUPERHERO THEME?? oooh we are leading to an action based middle, the bassons are controling the theme! the trumpets!! its bloody danceable!! i am stimming all over the room! its fucking danceable!! it feels very action based very much like i am the doctor, a lot of rising violins, usually singeling hope, this feels like... such a fresh and new doctor. but it doesn;t sound... excited, it feels like a man on the run, it has a very clear dessperation going in, and i am neglecting to find any quiet moment if and they exist at all. the rising of the hope comes very sparadicly, much like Ruby's . it feels like they are contredicting each other simply by nature, but both of them are constantly searching for hope and i guess happines? accept he feels like he is searching for... quiet, peace, DAMM i gotta relisten to this to get more understanding of it

russel t interview! ok talking about his his history with who and coming back, mostly about appreciating the music in the show overoll

The Shepherd's Boy!!! FIRST TIME PREFORMING. god i am emotional once again, you can clearly hear the diffrent instruments individually at the start, the violins are lovely the chelos and everything else is really beautifully building up itself, the drums. the choir! all rising! they added the chior to the part right before the end!! added chior overoll andmakin it much more stand out as opposed to the soundtrack version. the drums were eceptinal!! in all of peter's era music. god its great

Doctor Who Theme (2023 version), lets go! the pianos! the quiet violins!! people have pointed out its similer to the movie middle eight and that's very true, the piano is truly the star of this theme and it shows!(edited) i am buzzing this was as great and better then i expected

[ivysangel]

Omg I’m watching yj rn cuz I haven’t seen the show since maybe 2012 or 2013 so it’s been a while for this girl and I have no one else to talk to about this.

~Mild spoilers ahead for those who haven’t caught up~

But I just have to say that the writers are gonna be fending off more then just these hands for the bloody time skips they did. When s1 ended I was so excited for season 2, and then after a quick recap of the new years scene we get blasted 5 years later!!!?!?!?! uHMMMM HELLO?!?!???? WTF IS THIS ??? I WAS EXPECTING TEAM BEHAVIOUR AND THIS IS SO NOT TEAM BEHAVIOUR!!! I WANTED GROWTH!! I WANTED TO GET TO LIKE THESE CHARACTERS MORE AND UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIPS!! And they hit us with the oop aqualad is now an enemy, yeah Tula joined the team but died, Dick and Zatanna aren’t together but he’s with Barbara now, Barb is also disabled, Jason was a part of the team for a while but of course died, etc etc like it was huh after huh after HUH cuz a lot can happen in 5 years and I’m cheesed we didn’t have season 2 to ride the wave a little longer with the team while they were midteens before we got a switch up and suddenly they’re in their 20s and mentoring, and we got introduced to a new team like 2 or 3 times

And with each time skip I’d just get more and more steamed cuz this feels like when you have a friend that you’ve known for ages but suddenly decides to drop new lore and you’re like 👁️👄👁️ what do you mean you were pregnant at 15 and found out at a Wendy’s bathroom????? Like it felt like being hit with a truck hearing all the things that happened during the time skip cuz as of right now I’m on the latest season and there’s queer relationships that were dropped like a bomb. Don’t get me wrong I’m not mad about it at all but with kal I was like who?when?? And with Lagoonboy I was like aww he looks so happy with her! Wait did she just say husband??? But that’s not….. omg this dude is a home wrecker!!! ohhhhh ok he’s in a poly relationship…. WAIT A MINUTE A POLY RELATIONSHIP??? It was just coming out of nowhere unless I missed hints being dropped in earlier episodes or seasons. Probably the sap in me but I would’ve liked to be introduced to these other characters and see how they caught feelings and got together instead. We’ve had a few episodes about Halo figuring herself out both with sexuality and gender preferences, and her religion as well which does make sense when you were previously a living machine. But nothing for Kaldur or lagoonboy???? I would’ve loved to have seen that unfold instead of some other episodes that were more of a snooze fest for me

hihihi sorry this has been sitting in my inbox for so long, i got this crazy influx of yj related asks that were all so long so i've been spacing out my responses!!

but you are so right, the time jumps are so heinous because half the time we don't even get flashbacks to supplement any of the missing plot. they fully just drop bombs on the viewers and expect everyone to just accept it. it's very jarring to get attached to a team and then see the whole team split up the next season with absolutely no warning.

(also idk why this just came to mind but does anyone else remember when orm was camped out in that house trying to kill everybody at that birthday party???? what the fuck was that about??? was that crucial to the plot...did i miss smth)

BUT YEAH. there's a whole lot of "did i miss something"s floating around for s2-4. i would literally sit in front of a paused screen and try to figure out if any dots connected bc i was so lost.

i also really liked how we got halo's sexuality and gender identity arc but i do wish they had done the same for kaldur since he's such a massive part of the show. i wouldn't be mad at one for lagoon boy either, but his plots generally don't mean as much for me since he was really only there as a piece of the m'gann + conner plot.

[meat-wentz]

I would love to hear your stories from your time as a dark fashion blogger >:3 !!!

omg so the era of being a dark fashion blogger mostly spanned from 2011-2013 for me. the key was that i had established myself around 2010-2011 in a group of really big photography blogs so my mutuals were powerful. it was very, how do i say, like teenager-y, like early olivia bee and petra collins and tavi gevinson type photography and aesthetics (very big emphasis on olivia bee), pics of kissing and pillow forts and twinkle lights and skateboarding and swimming pools, and hair illuminated by the sun which was this sort of very youth fueled aesthetic that you might clock as something that later became a huge phenomenon that has a chokehold on millennials still blogging. anyways, i made my switch into fashion after i graduated high school, and by that time a few of my mutuals had become tag curators, so instead of algorithm-based assortments of posts under discovery tags, they were hand selected blog features. i kept up every day with new fashion spreads, editorials, runways from all over the world to keep my blog up to date and current, and was constantly featured in the fashion tag so i amassed about 10,000 followers. during this time period, i was also going to college and independent-ish for the first time so i started partying hardcore and my music scene kind of revolved around dark electronic music and we worshipped at the altar of alice glass, we were effie stonem-kinnies to the highest degree, smoking cigarettes and covered in glitter and smudged eyeliner. the only color lipstick i wore was black and i would also scrounge all my allowance money for new clothes which were essentially black basics and hooded leather bombers and velvet shoes and shit with silver hardware especially spikes. this was also a huge time for casual bdsm porn blogging so that was a huge inspiration for a lot of us to get into more bondage based fashion and sex-inspired looks like latex and leather and rope, and it was reflected in a lot of high fashion at the time as well. jeffrey campbell and the blondes and alexander mcqueen were like the blueprints, all we wanted were litas, literally all we wanted were litas. we blogged almost exclusively about party drugs, wanting to die, fashion, and music. this was also a time for taking requests on tumblr and since i was the most popular blog in my friend group, we would usually host requests on my blog, like the first time i did ketamine, was extremely documented by anons asking for pics of four way kisses, tit pics (with my friends covering my boobs with their hands), stripping, etc. we would also well document any wounds we got, like knee scrapes, bite bruises, cigarette burns etc. anon hate was OFF THE CHARTS, especially as i got more and more depressed and only wanted to use my very public blog as an outlet and people did not give a shit about me, they only gave a shit about my posts, so they'd constantly be telling me to shut the fuck up and blog, and also because the very same people i was blogging about personal turmoil with WERE LOOKING AT MY BLOG AND THEN FIGHTING WITH ME ABOUT MY POSTS IRL. it was extremely fucking messy, but also probably my most notable time as a blogger. if you ever see a pic of a white dude's chest covered in stickers that made the rounds on tumblr about ten years ago that's my ex. also one time i blogged about an upcoming model so much that we ended up hooking up. the teenagers followed me and i cried on the floor and i'm still friends with some of the members on facebook as well as the former editorial director of tumblr.

i just wanna express none of this was glamorous, i had a lot of fun but was very unsafe and out to passively harm myself, please take my reminiscing with a grain of salt i have friends from this era who are still some of my best friends and some of the best people i have ever known so i have A LOT of great memories with them, but on the whole this was the most depressive period in my entire life and i dropped out of college and started a twitter account so i was clearly unwell.

[officialtayley]

heyyyy ash hope you're well! since you're The Source for tayley I have two questions, 1. do you have the video of h&t at the mwY show last year where you can see them in the balcony cuddling/kissing? I have tried to find it for a while and it's like it disappeared lmao and 2. idk if it's just me who rmrs it but back in 2013/2014 during self titled era they did a radio interview where hayley says "i tell taylor all the time I'll take him on dates if he wants to go places, we can eat from opposite ends of the same taco" and idk if you know what I'm talking about/you maybe have a link or something but I'm dying to find it so. help?

you're the best fr fr fr

i'll try and find the mwy thing later cause i quite literally spent so long searching for the taco date thing cause i remember it so well but the source is just..... gone, but i found the part that was posted on here (which also took forever bc the op deleted it or smth) ANYWAY.....

🔗 https://www.tumblr.com/halfemptyygirl/94885536670/marrymebuttonyork-omg-here-it-is-tayley-for

[mrawkweird]

I finally got see Scooby Doo Mystery Inc, and much like Spectacular Spiderman it lived up hype. It really does feel like it's everything what other bigger bolder Scooby projects tried to do and fails. It's more mature but not overbearing, has a very solid and subtle crossover with other Hanna Barbera series like Blue Falcon and Johnny Quest and a over arching story. Plus shit's just mad funny. I think the only downside is the romance specifically the one with Shag and Velma, it's focused on so much but they're both very unlikable during it, Velma for being overbearing and controlling and Shaggy for being so passive and refusing to commit plus Scooby being mad jealous for no reason. Later he has no problem with Shaggy dating the one china girl and Scoob himself get's a girlfriend so I can't see the problem.

Also from what I heard about Hot Dog Water I would assume she was in way more episodes be she's in so little that personally I find her big ship with Velma unearned.

Also I hate her chicken legs, like she looks like her legs should immediately break just by standing up

For me Mystery Incorporated will always be my favorite Scooby-Doo series because they really took the typical formula and asked "What if Scooby-Doo had an arc?". They took it to a new level and they didn't lose sight of the characters and what makes Scooby-Doo, well, Scooby-Fucking-Doo. You know, unlike certain things that fell off 4 episodes after my first initial half praise.

I honestly just use this series to push me to get back into drawing now.

Also, if I had to compare the whole Shaggy/Velma/Scooby thing to something I would definitely say it was their Troy/Britta/Abed moment from Season 4 of Community. The writers created a situation to show why they thought the pairing wouldn't work out but in my heart I'll always know what could have been if handled better. Fortunately like Community it's just a minor stumble that doesn't bring down the whole series.

They did also feed my years of Shaggy X Daphne curiosity so that brought the points back up.

And the thing about Velma and Hot Dog Water is that I wouldn't necessarily say it's unearned but more so that people did a little too much hyping it up for what we got. That sort of hype personally drives me crazy these days because it's like, if this is supposed to be natural then treat it naturally. Let's not start bouncing off the walls making it seem like an anomaly just occurred in front of our faces anytime a show or movie does this. I say "these days" but this was back in 2013 so I guess I can give it something of a pass because they touched on the possibility of Velma canonically being into women in anything before anybody else. Now fast forward to last year where everybody went "OMG; Velma's gay in the latest movie" . When I tell you this was one of the least breaking news things I ever heard. Like "Congratulations on finding out Velma likes every candy in the store. We been here".

Needless to say Mystery Incorporated is something I feel a lot of people who are into Scooby-Doo should experience. Especially if they're looking for something a little more mature than they're used to. Between this and Scoobynatural they won't need what HBO Max is pushing. We would have gotten more with them but just like Spectacular Spider-Man they got cancelled out their plans for a third season. Thankfully unlike Spectacular they were able to end in a way that can feel like a definite series ending. RIP to them chicken legs. May they be getting worn out somewhere.

[hyuckmov]

hiii moon anon here i have a lot to say but first off: i've been analyzing the title song settle down and i've been listening to it over and over again and is the story gonna parallel the lyrics itself?? "and i don't seem to be having any effect now" like thats… oooh the angst is gonna be delicious. i hope you take this as a compliment when i say this but the whole fic takes me BACK to 2013-2015 YOU KNOW THAT ERA HAHAHA the tropes, the ambiance, the CHARACTERS!! side question: is mark or jisung gonna play bigger roles? or did they just act as plot devices for reader and haechans development. would not mind either way but given the concept of the story i can totally imagine reader coming back and just wreaking havoc on the band. sorry i love mess lol. maybe i'm delusional or maybe its the fact that it's haechan but it makes me more understanding of the character?? i trust you when you say that there's more to rockstar hc than meets the eye, and especially from his perspective it's pretty realistic that he has his guard up when it comes to really connecting with people, and we see his walls slowly crumbling down by the end too. and even in the earlier parts of the story i didn't expect him to have his sweet moments?? i honestly expected him to be worse but god him calling her PRINCESS has me on my knees i will defend reader's choices with my life because i'd do the same, i'd probably still go to the concert by the end she's so much stronger than me helppp (tho DISCLAIMER i would not be doing this for just any man its bc its haechan why i am easily swayed by the little things,,, just like reader), but i liked how she decided to take a step back this time, especially when at that point haechan is basically offering her what she has always wanted, but knowing his past actions it won't be truly easy to hang onto every word said. this is the culmination of every mixed signals and rejection that haechan gave her, and the build up to it is veryyy well done. also im still reeling from reading the fic i felt sooo many emotions and dk how to fully articulate it yet,, maybe i'll come back when i do. i even made a playlist of my own w songs that reminded me of the fic to help me move on (at least until pt 2 gets posted, cant wait tho!!)

MOON ANON.... when i say my jaw dropped.... my heart rate actually spiked i can't believe you wrote such a detailed review and theorized this makes me so happy especially since you basically inspired me with this idea !!!! giving you a huge hug rn 🫂🤍 

omg ngl this fic encouraging people to listen to settle down makes me so happy because it's one of my favorite songs 😭 it makes me feel so honoured to know that you are analysing the lyrics and anticipating the plot like that really means so much to me !!! i definitely picked it because it had themes i wanted to explore throughout the song...but the lines kind of contain both hyucks and readers pov hehe so i'm excited to explore that in part 2

i take that as a DEFINITE COMPLIMENT i was so invested in that era it was so formative for me... hence a lot of the song choice in my playlist too... i don't know if i genuinely nailed the idea of rockstar in rockstar haechan (because truly...what is a rockstar...) but i did want to give it that 2013 band on tumblr vibe lmfao so i'm so glad you brought that up !!!!

AAAA the band still definitely continues to play a role... they have stuff to work out but i've thought about their characters a lot and i definitely want to show more of their opinions on haechan and reader (it wouldn't be a rockstar au without that). someone else i want to add in is jaemin because ngl reader needs someone purely on her side

i hope i'm not promising too much with haechan HAHA i'm not someone who likes to give too much backstory to characters so i'm just putting it out there: i'm not going to explain that he's this way becaue he was cheated on before or he had family problems etc. i just want it to be genuine layers of his character and personality that's put to the test (love making it hard for myself LOL)

i'm so relieved to know you still managed to feel for his character and appreciate the softer sides of him and a bit of his struggle... i was worried i promised a super terrible character with the preview and people would be disappointed he ended up being so gentle with reader 😅

and her standing him up at the end!!! i'm glad you thought it was justified but at the same time recognise she probably was going to...it really could go both ways and idk if i'm still going through with my original plot arc !!! we will see :)

this was already so articulate omg once i appreciate it sooo so so so much that you shared such a detailed review with me, it literally blows my mind and i will reread your ask again and again !!!! omg and if u want please share your playlist with me too!!! i want to see what songs there are that give him vibes ~~

thank you sm again...you are too nice to me ily!!!!

[words-after-midnight]

Good day! I had a couple of questions for you, no need to feel pressured to answer if they don't apply ^~^. I've recently run into an issue while writing and I'm looking for advice.

Do you have beta readers? If so, how do you handle the ones that try to take over your writing? I.E. They try to bully you into writing in a different voice, they assume to know more than you about the story and try to tell you how characters act, or tell you that you're writing your own plot wrong- including any foreshadowing bits or lack thereof (for plot reasons, of course). And finally, how do you handle the ones that act like their your friend only to steal major elements of your story because "I can do it better than you"? (Or conversely accused you of stealing from them just because something you did was apparently really close to something they did?) I ask it in this manner bc I've had whole character arcs I've spent years crafting be copy-pasted by other writers who I thought were my friends. I'm talking beat-for-beat the exact same arc I had planned, just with their character.

Thank you for your time!

Omg, I'm so sorry for the delay in responding to this. These are really good questions, and I really had to think about my answer to the second part for a good while.

I do have beta readers. I've mentioned this a few times, but my main wip is ending-centered, meaning I can't re-use the same beta readers for many aspects of the story I'm working on, because previous beta readers' perspective of the story and characters should be fundamentally different from those of new beta readers (ie. knowing the ending should radically change your perspective and experience of the story when you read it a second time). Therefore, to get "unbiased" feedback, I need new beta readers for every version. All in all, I've had about a dozen beta readers over the years for Life in Black and White, for every version of the manuscript since the first (2013; no one reads my drafts, other than snippets).

In my opinion, beta readers, and/or a critique group/critique partners, are absolutely crucial to the process of getting a book ready for publication (whatever publication looks like for you, whether that's self-pub, indie, or trying your hand at tradpub like I am). I can say with absolute certainty that my novel would not be as good as it is now without the outside perspectives and commentary that I get from my beta readers, and I honestly believe this is the case for most long-form works (and many shorter works as well). No matter how intricate your vision for your story is, epecially for a story as complex as a novel, you're just not going to be able to see all the angles and pick up on all the tweaks that could really make your story better yourself. Good beta readers come armed with relevant knowledge (eg. they might have pro editing experience, or personal experience with an aspect of your story that you've had to research), tips, and most importantly, a different perspective than yours. They'll often be able to pick up on things that don't work in your story better than you can, because you're attached and invested. They might notice things that should be worded or framed differently. They might interpret something wildly differently than what you intend, or make suggestions for things you can do to condense your story or present it differently. They can tell you if something is predictable when it needs to not be.

At this stage, my beta readers receive very specific questions from me at various stages of the story. Their answers help me fine-tune different aspects that, based on previous feedback, still need some work. For the first version of the manuscript, I had larger/more vague questions and was really looking for mainly general feedback. Conversely, my beta readers for the final version will be specifically chosen for a purpose (eg. specific knowledge or experience they have) and will include at least one sensitivity reader and one professional beta reader.

So those are my general thoughts on beta readers and having them. Now, to address your specific questions:

Once you've had multiple beta readers, I feel like you really come to learn to do this automatically, but you have to kind of take and leave feedback based on what you know works for your story and characters. Beta readers are vital, but at the end of the day, you're the author, and no one knows your story like you do. You absolutely don't have to take a suggestion from a beta reader if you disagree with it. However, when I get a suggestion I don't like, I always ask myself why I don't like it. If it's not because it fundamentally wouldn't fit the character(s) in question or the plot/structure of the story, I will usually at least consider the suggestion unless I just straight up don't like the idea. Sometimes, you initially won't like a comment or suggestion because it stings a little to hear, lol, or challenges something you feel strongly about or are emotionally attached. But here's the thing: would it ultimately make the story better? In situations like this, I usually just sit with the suggestion a while, and most of the time, I end up using it. There are aspects of my story that I'm absolutely unwilling to compromise on, but these are few: it's good to know these in advance, especially if you plan to query. There are a few things about my story I wouldn't change even for representation or a book deal. In general, it's good to be open-minded about these things, and having honest beta readers will usually help you in that regard. I am much better at taking criticism about my work now than before I had beta readers, for instance.

Re: stealing parts of your story, I hope you know that's completely unacceptable - from anyone, but especially from a "friend." For me, that would be an instant cut-off situation. It doesn't solve your problem, though, and unfortunately, not much will unless you have your stuff copyrighted, so I'm really sorry to hear you're in that situation. This is part of why I really recommend exercising caution when selecting beta readers. My beta readers have, with only one exception, always been people I know in real life - either friends or other writers/members of a critique group. I don't actually recommend only having either of those as beta readers (friends especially will not be unbiased readers, though I've had many friends provide me with EXCELLENT feedback), but it's really scary to hand the product of your blood, sweat and tears over to someone you don't know well. Personally, for readers who aren't people I trust, I'm budgeting to hire professionals. This isn't an option for everyone, obviously, but that's my approach. Theft is unfortunately a risk we take when having beta readers or even doing book swaps - I personally feel the benefits usually outweigh the risks because most people will not do this, but it really sucks when they do, especially when it's someone you trusted. If anyone else reading this has tips for anon on this situation, please be my guest!

[queenofthedorks]

Last March I was officially diagnosed with ADHD after being unofficial diagnosed twice. Once my freshman year of high school when both my brother and father were diagnosed, the shrink was like “Oh yeah. She definitely has signs, but she’s doing fine in school. We don't need to do anything.” I then proceeded to deliberately flunk 8 classes in the next two years because I did not want to be in those classes, but no one did anything. BECAUSE I WAS FINE.

The second time I was unofficially diagnosed was in Fall 2013. I was working a full-time job and taking 9 credit hours of studio art, and I was getting close to graduating and trying to decide what to do, and it was just too much. Every time I sat down to make art, I had a meltdown. So I’m like okay. It’s time. I need meds. But I didn’t understand that sometimes you have to really push, and the doctor was like you're fine. Once you graduate, it will be fine.

I proceeded to almost tank grad school at least once a year for 3 years, and after a hardware failure, forgetting to back up, and in general, just being unmedicated ended up writing 60 pages of thesis in 2 weeks in a sheer fucking panic. BUT I WAS FINE.

Anyway, that's not what this is about.

Last March I WAS NOT FINE. (IDK how anyone could possibly be fine coming out of 2020/21, but that's also not what this is about.) So I took advantage of an online service, because finding a shrink to meet with in person after the previous instances was just TOO FUCKING MUCH.

And the online service was like GuuurRL. Congrats. You got both the inattentive type and the impulsive type. Well done. Well done indeed. We recommend medication. Also, some therapy, cause we’re a little worried about you.

At my med appointment, the shrink and I talked and eventually ended up with Concerta because, as I pointed out, I don’t remember to drink water or eat my lunch half of the time. I won’t remember to take my meds more than once a day.

And I was incredibly lucky because it worked pretty much straight out of the gate. I’d heard some horror stories so I was prepared to throw a fit, but the preauthorization was approved in like two hours, and I started taking my meds I wasn’t always 100%, but OMG, it was a night and day difference between being medicated and not. It took less energy to focus on the big stuff, which meant I wasn’t exhausted and frozen when I attempted the little stuff. And the constant low grade grind of anxiety I felt on a daily basis almost completely disappeared.

Then in January, I picked up my prescription and was like huh. The shape of my pills changed. Which should have given me a moment of pause, but this is the first long term prescription I’ve taken. About three-quarters of the way through January, I realized I was struggling. It wasn't quite as bad as not being medicated at all, but suddenly the little things like working out, cleaning, and packing my lunch became next to impossible to do again. And I don’t know, maybe it was actually worse, because I now know what I should feel like and I wasn’t. But still, I’ve been so gaslit by my previous experiences that I thought it was maybe me. January was especially grey this year, so I upped my vitamin D. Made some effort to sit in the sun when it was available and poured some effort into focus. And still I struggled. Anxiety kicked back up; small things slipped further through the cracks. I was really getting down on myself, because I should be fine. And I was not. So clearly I was fucking up some how.

And then I saw a tiktok from someone who was essentially in the same situation, but even worse. They’d been great for like a decade, but in the last two months it has been a constant struggle. And oh btw they were also taking Concerta. I decided maybe it wasn't just me, being me then. Maybe, there was something wrong. So, I started digging and discovered three things that happened at essentially the same time.

My insurance stopped covering the name brand.

The one manufacturer whose generic was precisely the same as the name brand stopped manufacturing it.

The generic that the pharmacy is giving is a bilayer tablet instead of a trilayer and is supposed to be time release, but????

The reason Concerta really works for some people is not the meds inside so much--it's just Ritalin--it's the way it's delivered. It's designed to do an initial dump of about 20% of the drug in the first hour or so, and then it does a really slow release of the rest of the drug for about 10 hours. Unfortunately, it's a proprietary delivery system, and with Janssen no longer producing it, it's the named brand or nothing.

Whatever this generic is doing it’s not doing it the way I needed to. And I should be fine, but I’m not. So after being kind paralyzed by anxiety and executive dysfunction for several weeks I am finally gonna talk to the doctor today about I don’t know? A new med? I don’t even know how this works. I just know that I know how functional feels now, so I’m not going back to not if I can at all help it.

Anyway, the American healthcare system is bullshit. Like I get that I’m incredibly privileged to have the meds covered at all, but fuck they should not be able to just suddenly decide I can only take a generic that’s not really equal to the named brand.

So after much dithering about if I should talk to someone, I finally made an appointment today. And after I made the appointment I realized they the only reason I dithered was because I’m concerned that someone is going to tell me I’m fine.

[heizours]

THE TAYLOR SWIFT SONG IN YOUR DESC????!?? SCREAMS OMG??

If its alright may i ask which girl group and boy group you stan?? (mine is red velvet and txt<3) OHOH!! AND IF YOU WATCH KDRAMA DO YOU HAVE RECS?? I ONLY WATCHED HOTEL DEL LUNA (bc i love iu) AND I RLLY WANNA WATCH MORE HEHE </3

AH HELLO FELLOW SWIFTIE!!! <33 AND YES, MIDNIGHT RAIN SUPREMACY

i stan bts, seventeen and enhypen for the b-groups, while i stan twice, blackpink and red velvet as well for the g-groups!!

I ALSO WATCH KDRAMAS!! AND IM THINKING THAT YOU HAVE ASKED THE RIGHT PERSON, so here's my list, and i hope you will like it <33 (along with my ratings) :

crash landing on you - ♾ / 10 (highly recommended, i swear you won't regret watching it, especially if you like the trope where the ml fells first and falls harder)

the uncanny counter - 10/10 (if you like something thay involves powers or supernatural with action, then this is what you might be looking for)

business proposal - 11/10 (a romcom series, an adaptation of it's manhwa series, characters are very relatable, employee and ceo relationship trope with a pinch of fake dating)

love alarm - season 1 is 99.9/10 while season 2 is 5/ 10 (ngl, i prefer s1 better than s2, and as much as i would like to spoil why, i believe you should watch it on your own to find out. if you like angst so much, then here it is)

sweet home - 100/10 (this is a thriller and suspense series, every episode hits that impact, just a heads up that s2 is also on the way, so you won't have to be annoyed at the ending of s1!)

start-up - 1000/10 (another romcom series, however this is has something to do with starting a business? i forgot the plot, but then again it's actually a good kdrama to watch, let me know if you've already fallen for the second male lead of the series 😉)

school 2015 - ♾/10 (OH TO WATCH THIS SERIES LIKE IT'S YOUR FIRST TIME TO DO SO, i highly recommend this as well, the plot is very 🤌, the second male lead deserves so much, I REPEAT HE DESERVES SO MUCH BETTER LIKE WHY DID THEY DO HIM LIKE THAT 😔)

school 2013 - 8/10 (not too bad but not too good as well, higschool romcom series!)

20th century girl - ♾/10 (THIS MOVIE, ISTG THIS MOVIE COMES SECOND BEFORE TITANIC FOR HURTING ME SO BAD, a he fell first but she fell harder trope, i suggest you prepare a couple of tissues...but overall, a really great movie! it would somehow make you realize that time is short and so can be love, so yeah let the people around you know how much you love them)

it's okay to not be okay - ♾/10 (i highly recommend this as well, there are some scenes where it can be emotional or confusing, but trust me it's really good, i'd say that it's about two people who are broken yet are also trying to love each other 🙁)

[meraki-yao]

You Taynick has amazing chemistry when you see gifs ana videos of their characters from their other movies and it's still believable! Like I've seen Luke and Alex or Luke and Marco and I'm like OMG Id can that!

yeah that's why 拉郎 La Lang (Alternate character pairings) is so popular on the other side of the fandom :D

Oh by the way, in the Chinese RWRB fandom, the most popular alternate pairing is Marco x Tom

There was this... semi crack fic on Weibo that I followed for the lols, rps and mpreg warning below the cut (although it's so fucking crack it might as well be original characters)

So the premise is, Tom and Nick are cousins who are of age but in their last year of high school, Marco is a year older than them and Taylor's son and Taylor's a super-rich older man like, in his mid-30s, Marco was an accident and the mom didn't want him so Taylor raised him alone.

Also for reference, Nick looks like how did when he first started acting, so like 2013-2015, and Taylor looks like how he did during the Ferrari show

And well

Tom and Marco are dating

Nick had a crush on Marco but that's no longer possible because he wants his cousin to be happy

And then he and Taylor had a situationship

And then Nick... uhhhh... got pregnant but Taylor made an off hand comment about their relationship being some fun and nothing serious

And then a lot of soap opera drama and Taylor grovelling

Anyways in the end they cleared the air got back together had a baby girl happily ever after yada yada yada

.... yeah

And the title of the fic is

"My Cousin's Boyfriend is My husband's Dad"

... yeah

I don't... I don't even know (that being said if you ignore how fucking bizarre everything is it's a fun read)

But like, you can see how fucking crack and OOC this is right? It might as well be original fiction. Might write an essay on Chinese perspective of fanfic someday.

I went on a tangent but my point is actually for every chapter update, the author put photos of Tom Marco Taylor and Nick at the end of the fic update, and yeah, just from that, there's chemistry, it's kinda beliavable

ok I officially lost it 🤣

[sitp-recs]

Hiya Liv! Absolutely loving your hidden gems series. I was wondering... Are you back to doing reclists? I was reading a fic (from a hidden gems post) and I started thinking about competent!Harry. I love when Draco is super smart but I'm also really into Harry being very talented (at what is up to the author haha). Have you made a reclist about that before?

Have a great day!

Thank you, I’m so happy you’re enjoying the hidden gem series! Omg yes, I can’t resist a smart, capable Harry either 😍 I’ve been in the mood for doing reclists lately but in a chill, no-pressure kind of way? Let’s see how long this excitement lasts haha I did a powerful!Harry list before but not necessarily competent!Harry, so here are a few additional recs. Hope you enjoy these!

Stupid Love by @the-sinking-ship (2020, E, 16k)

Harry Potter, how does Draco Malfoy hate thee? Let me count the ways.

Unfinished Business by cupiscent (2003, E, 20k) - everyone’s badass here: Harry, Draco, Ginny… we love to see it!

Ten years after the War ends, Harry and Draco still haven't got their act together. But maybe it's not too late.

A Song Without Words by Omi_Ohmy (2013, E, 20k)

When a violin goes missing, Draco has to work with Potter to clear both their names.

Phoenix Repair Services by carpemermaid (2017, E, 20k)

Draco hires a suspiciously private wizarding handyman to fix his kitchen when he returns home to find it destroyed. He expects a middle-aged wizard with greying hair and a pudgy gut to show up. Instead, he gets Harry Potter—with a utility belt and a charming smile—who is more attractive than he has any right to be.

Better To Burn Than To Fade Away by Ren (2017, E, 23k)

Harry Potter is a legend in the world of broomstick racing. He's won almost every cup, trophy, and bowl – except for the historical London-Nome which has been on hiatus for the past several years. Now the London-Nome is starting again, and Harry will do anything to pull off one last big win.

Safe As Houses by @xanthippe74 (2021, T, 24k)

After five years abroad, Harry’s thrilled to be home and working at the most prestigious ward-building firm in Britain. But everything gets turned upside down when he's assigned to work for Draco Malfoy—who somehow grew up to be just the sort of sexy bastard Harry goes for.

The Curse Slayer by @isamijoo (2021, M, 36k)

Harry Potter is the first and only Curse Breaker in the world capable of killing Curse Demons, which are condensed forms of Dark Magic that manifest as monsters. Because of this, he is called the Curse Slayer. On his first night back in England after eight months away, Harry finds himself reunited with Draco Malfoy, who is now trapped in Malfoy Manor as a result of an ancient curse placed on the last heir of the family.

Eternally Consistent by kitsunealyc (2016, E, 44k)

Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter assumed they would never be anything but civil enemies, until Potter lands on Malfoy's doorstep, bleeding, covered in curses, and acting very strangely indeed.

REVOLVEVLOVER by firethesound and zeitgeistic (2014, E, 46k)

The work Harry does is justifiable. It’s justice. He works for his country, and his country is a republic—the magical side, anyway. It’s not laudable work, it’s not work he’s proud of, but it’s necessary work. Harry has always taken the necessary jobs that no one else has the stomach for.

The Darkness Before the Dawn by Ren (2016, E, 55k)

A mysterious creature is loose in London, stalking and killing people. Auror Harry Potter requests the help of a liaison from the Beast Division and gets saddled with Draco Malfoy. Will they be able to stop the creature before it claims more lives?

Timecode by Rasborealis (2019, M, 73k)

Harry Potter has been dead for two years, and Draco would laugh in the face of anyone claiming differently. Well, anyone but Hermione Granger.

Among Ancient Pines by @graymatters (2021, M, 74k)

Every day, Draco Malfoy tries. With every fiber of his being he tries. But he doesn’t much think about what he’s trying for. In his final term of Healer training, Draco is unfortunate enough to find himself on a plane, the only means of traveling to a small, magical town in rural Alaska.

By the Grace by lettered (2020, T, 140k)

Harry is an Auror instructor. Malfoy wants to be an Auror.

[hannigramficrecs]

there's a hannibal extended universe?! omg pls, it would be incredible if you could recommend any fics related to this. thank you so much!!

OMG yes. I’m actually thinking of starting a section of my index of just HEU fics! I currently have a Spacedogs tag— which is the ship of Hugh Dancy’s character from the movie Adam (2009) and Mads Mikkelsen’s character from Charlie Countryman (2013), but I was thinking of adding more from all the different universes I’ve read so far as well! Anyways, here are a couple of the more popular pairings to get you started!

Spacedogs:

Space Invader by Devereauxs_Disease [words: 28,512]

Nigel isn’t handling his divorce well. When a good Samaritan starts leaving him gifts on his balcony, Nigel gets suspicious. What could go wrong?

The Set Up by Devereauxs_Disease [words: 4,178]

Nigel decides if he can’t have Adam, someone great should. So he plays wingman for his friend/secret crush and sets Adam up on a date with a gorgeous woman. What could possibly go wrong? OR—The fic where Beverly Katz learns to see the fun in blind dates.

Beth Finds Out by victorine for Devereauxs_Disease [words: 3,160]

Beth doesn’t want to date Adam. She doesn’t really want to date Nigel either, but he’ll work as a temporary measure to discourage Adam. Of course, she’s not expecting the two of them to hit it off…

Marbles by Llewcie [words: 5,561]

Adam moves to a new neighborhood and promptly loses a prized possession to the neighborhood bully. But when the tables are turned, Adam extracts a promise from Nigel that will follow them through the years. The friendship that develops as a result will end up meaning more to them than they ever could have anticipated.

Pochemuchka by slashyrogue [words: 1,441]

Alpha Nigel gets roped into taking the empty bartender spot on Omega Speed Dating Night where he happens to meet a certain blue eyed omega.

I Was Still Blind, But Twinkling Stars Did Dance by DarkmoonSigel [words: 12,010]

Beth sets Adam up on a blind date. Sex happens.

King Arthur (2004) — which Mads and Hugh both starred in!

To the Place I Belong by halotolerant [words: 14,823]

“I am going to have to see you eventually, Galahad,” Tristan pointed out. “Or else undertake this mission blindfolded.” Abruptly, the door in front of him was flung open. He had to fight not to take a reflexive step backwards. “If you even begin to laugh…” Galahad threatened, hissing. Tristan surveyed the sight of him. No, he still didn’t feel like laughing at all.

Over the Mountains and Under the Stars by starkaryen [words: 19,397]

Galahad wasn’t a fool. He knew perfectly well that the feelings he had harbored for Tristan for some time now would never be requited. But Tristan had never joined the knights’ jokes about this particular matter, and he had always inwardly thanked him for that…

Not-So-Innocent by QueenofLit [words: 1,238]

Tristan had been warned off Gawain's little brother quite violently. In fact, he wasn't allowed to so much as see the younger man until Gawain was certain he wouldn't try to seduce him. As a brunette angel serves Tristan's coffee with promises of sweeter things to come, the universe proves how monumentally bad that decision was.

The Tale of Sir Galahad and the Ridiculous Chicken by Devereauxs_Disease [words: 4,928]

Tristan's hawk takes a sudden interest in Galahad, stealing his things whenever Galahad isn't looking. Tristan is unhelpful at solving this problem. Fluff and crack in the time of chain-mail.

Courtship by Chifuyu [words: 2,837]

Galahad can't stand Tristan. Tristan can't stand Galahad. Everybody else is pretty much done with their antics.

Alphabet by cognomen [words: 2,392]

"I don't know how to get through to him, Gawain," he laments. It is pointless to protest - they have been brothers in arms long enough to read each other this well at least. "Have you tried getting in his tent and arranging yourself naked on his bedroll?" Gawain suggests outlandishly, but Galahad is willing to consider even such a dramatic gesture.

Late Bloom by victorine [words: 4,318]

Galahad and Tristan are constantly arguing. The other knights are done. There's only one way to sort this... FIGHT!

Skirts by stratumgermanitivum, whiskeyandspite [words: 3,702]

Come nightfall, the boy’s stance had developed a bit of a falter, but he had no complaints. He sat by the fire, one knee drawn up, and Tristan knew that if he shifted just an inch, he’d flash the lot of them. Something had to be done. Otherwise, the skirt would be nothing more than a belt by morning.

Blood Red Apples by kipsi [words: 1,032]

He had always been secretly jealous of how Tristan handled his knife, his movements precise and steady.

A Bride's Price by Devereauxs_Disease [words: 5,930]

Galahad doesn't know how to woo Tristan, so he asks for advice from the knights. All of their advice is terrible. Please don't ever ask these idiots for advice.

Bondless by Llewcie [words: 9,305]

Galahad runs an Omega club with the best security on the eastern seaboard. Tuesday nights are Alpha Night, where alphas can pay dearly for the privilege of buying an omega a drink. Tristan is willing to pay just to look on Galahad from behind the glass security wall. Galahad is pretty sure he wants more.

Hugh’s character from Ella Enchanted (2004) and Mads’ character from Vallhalla Rising (2009)

 Found You by Kateera [words: 5,151]

Prince Charmont was born without a soul mark and hidden from his kingdom to keep the shame a secret. When his parents send him away on a diplomatic mission, he's forced to watch a man fight for his life and is inexplicably drawn to the silent warrior. He has to meet him.

Trope: From Sex To Love (Valhalla Enchanted) by TigerPrawn [words: 14,355]

In a land where alphas and omegas are rare, the omega prince Charmont is in need of an alpha to see him through heat until his betrothed arrives from a distant kingdom. The recently freed slave one-eyed mute is just hideous enough to be the perfect temporary alpha to service the prince. Falling in love is the last thing anyone wants.

Trope: College AU (Valhalla Enchanted - Modern AU) by TigerPrawn [words: 9,186]

When Char mistakes an alpha’s true appearance for a costume he means to apologize, but ends up doing much more than that!

Blood on Steel by MonstrousRegiment [words: 9,488]

Inside was—a man. Something like a man. There was a shackle around his neck, like a dog’s collar, and the heavy chain it was affixed to run through a thick ring hammered into the wall, and then to a strong-looking anchoring post several feet away, well out of reach of the cage.

Forgemaster by Llewcie [words: 11,946]

Charmont, the newest Dionysus, loses a bet to his roommate Aphrodite, and is required by her to go on three dates with a god of her choosing. Before he even gets out the door, he scathingly insults the gentle, mute Hephaestus, and then must scramble to make amends. Char is not prepared when it's the gentle, one-eyed Forgemaster that refuses to take HIM to bed.

Hel by Llewcie [words: 4,285]

On a road trip to find something he has been missing, Char's car breaks down and leaves him in a quiet suburb of Chicago, with only a seedy hostel and a strange little pub open late at night. Forgoing soiled mattresses for a late drink, he encounters a bartender who doesn't speak but pours a mean pint of mead. Its a better place to lay his head than he thought he would get.

[talesofafangirlwithadvr]

April 2021 Picks

And we’re back with the end to another month. April! Wow! Lots more great picks to talk about this time. Lots of new ones to the list too. So, let’s dive in!

Spoiler territory ahead!

THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER

or should I say Captain America and the Winter Soldier

I just finished the finale last night, so it felt right to start off with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. I really enjoyed it and I feel the episodes got stronger as the series went on. Each one felt like a mini-movie and I was upset it was over and had to wait another week for another one. I think the finale was my favorite. Especially the reveal of Sam as Captain America. I love his suit, his speech and the montage of everyone watching him. The last part of the episode was definitely my favorite and one I can watch on repeat. I loved seeing happy Bucky and him goofing off with the kids in Louisiana. He deserves so much happiness as he has now accepted he’s no longer who he once was. Bucky and Sam’s relationship is fantastic and I can’t wait to see it more. I know there’s a possibility of a second season and they have to be in a future MCU movie. Regarding the villain, I feel I was confused for most of the show as to what their objective was. I’m curious if this is because they had to reshoot parts during the pandemic. I also am mad with Sharon. Like what happened with her? She is definitely the true villain of the show. I also don’t love that we haven’t seen the end of Walker (but Wyatt Russell did a fantastic job). I also loved Torres and I hope he becomes the next Falcon. Definitely so different vibes from Wandavision, but just as good!

THE IRREGULARS

This is a show that more people need to be talking about! It was SO GOOD! I feel like I heard some buzz about it when it first came out, but not much after. It follows the teens featured about who live on the streets during Victorian London. The leader of their group, Bea gets approached by Dr. John Watson (that’s right...as in Sherlock and Watson) to take on a case that has more supernatural qualities. The story takes off from there. I think the group dynamic was fantastic. There wasn’t a character I didn’t like and each one brought something else important to the group (which they even bring up towards the end of the show). [I’ve watched a few cast interviews since finishing the finale and they seem like they get along really well in real life too.] There is a kind of love triangle, but it didn’t bother me and was over fast. I did like both combinations though. Lots of twists and turns along the journey. I have no idea if there will be another season, but there should be. It didn’t end on a major cliffhanger, but definitely ended in a way where it could continue nicely. Come on Netflix. 

HBO’S THE NEVERS

From one show set in Victorian times to the next. The Nevers just premiered on HBO and HBO Max earlier this month. It follows an ensemble of characters, similar to other HBO shows, ranging from characters who are called “the touched” to men in government who are against them. Being “touched” means they have a special talent or power, which can range from healing to speaking other languages, being extremely tall, or being an expectational inventor (I seriously love Penance. I just don’t know how to explain her ability). Amalia True and Penance Adair are two of the main characters and they help bring in others who are touched to a remodeled orphanage that is a safe haven for people like them. Of course there are those who are against them existing. This seems to be at least two groups as someone is abducting and experimenting on some of the touched, but we don’t know who they are...yet. I love the fusion of a historical setting with a fantasy element. I am very excited to see where the show is headed. I also love seeing so many of my favorite British actors on the screen together.      

ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND

Time for a throw back. Fans of ABC’s Once Upon a Time might remember the short lived spin off following Alice in Wonderland (and some of Aladdin). It only lasted for one season of 13 episodes, but I remember loving it and I am so happy I can rewatch it on Disney Plus. It reminds me of why I enjoyed OUAT so much and I think this show deserved another season or more crossover with the original show. (Luckily the Knave got that opportunity.) I think it should have aired as a summer show or when OUAT was on hiatus, this way more fans would have tuned in. It is something I’ll believe forever. 

Anyway, I’ll stop ranting now... I love Alice. I think she’s a badass and a fierce warrior. If you follow some of my posts on my other blog, Lydia-yougowith-Stiles, you’ll know that I love a warrior romance and Cyrus and Alice fit that perfectly (even if they are apart for much of the series). I also love Alice’s hair and outfits. Everything about her is cool. Her relationship with the Knave is one of my favorite friendships ever. I think they balance each other out so well and how they spend most of the journey together. Back in the day, I totally shipped them, but now I definitely don’t. (Even though I don’t love Anastasia.) This is definitely worth the watch if you’ve ever heard of Once Upon a Time or not. There is very cheesy CGI especially for 2013, but once you get pass that you’ll love it. 

ZOEY’S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST

It was on a longer break than I expected, and I didn’t miss it as much as I thought I would (which I know doesn’t sound good for a show), but I am still loving all the episodes this season. It feels like there are more musical numbers, which I love. Mandy Moore is killing it with the choreography. There are so many amazing moments. I also was a big fan of the newest glitch episode. Everyone is so talented and I also like that we’ve started to hear from more like Jenna and Tobin. Leif has become one of my favorites. I don’t love the new neighbor next door, but I think we’re done with his storyline. I’m not loving the Zoey love triangle, but I do like her with either Simon or Max. She seems really happy with Simon now. (FYI: I haven’t watched the most recent episode yet. The glitch one was my latest.) Can’t wait for more!    

KUNG FU

CW’s newest show this month was Kung Fu, which I just learned was a reboot. It follows Nicky who returns after 3 years to her home in San Francisco. Her family has mixed feelings as she has had no contact with them for the last 3 years. She is now a Kung Fu master and warrior, out to avenge her mentor’s death and stop a villain from acquiring mythical weapons. The show gives me Arrow vibes every time I watch it. It has similar flashbacks each episode to an earlier time in Nicky’s life. While Nicky’s mission is different, the style just gives me early seasons of Arrow vibes, which I am not complaining about. It stars Legacies’ Alyssa Chen, who I didn’t love on Legacies, but instantly fell in love with Nicky. I think she’s a bad ass character and love how she’s fighting for the underdogs on the streets of San Fran, while also taking down a bigger evil. The love triangle is heating up and I’m definitely team Henry (even though there’s some mystery there). I think he’s great and once again we have an awesome warrior romance. They balance each other so well and it’s only been like 3 episodes. Now they’ve also been sleuthing together and it’s just amazing. 

NANCY DREW

Are you sick of hearing me talk about CW’s Nancy Drew? I hope not because I’m going to fangirl again. I LOVE THIS SHOW SO MUCH! I can’t wait till Wednesday comes and I tune in a little after it starts, so then I can fast forward on my DVR. Then when the episode is over I basically start it all over again and watch select scenes that were awesome. (More specifically, they tend to be Nancy and Ace scenes because I love them and we’re entering so much angst I don’t know if my heart will be able to handle it!!!) 

I’ll say it a thousand times: THIS CAST IS EVERYTHING! Their dynamic is amazing. You can have any match ups and it’ll be a great time. There is not one person I don’t like. I was so upset that there wasn’t a new episode last week (especially because it was my birthday). I loved the last one with the Hardy Boys and that Nace reveal! OMG! I’m so sad that Grant has left again because we barely had him, but I feel he’ll eventually come back. He has to. I loved the ending when he spoke to Thom by signing to him. (My heart!) I seriously can’t say enough great things about this show. It is not your typical CW show and deserves more love and views. So happy a third season has already been confirmed!! 

LAST NOTES

Just started Shadow and Bone on Netflix and am loving it! I’m sure I’ll have an entire post dedicated to it when I’m done. (Currently going to start episode 6.) I have no background on the universe or the books (just what my sister is filling me in with as we watch). I definitely plan on reading Six of Crows after this!

So what are you enjoying? Let me know. I’m always looking for more shows to add to the list! Can never have enough.