#on the plus side there are fantastic character edits

[transingthoseformers]

"oh too many people are attracted to this one adult character in this movie I like, they're in the wrong about this" people have always wanted to fuck the robots, cry about it

[dollypopup]

"all the negativity is killing the vibe"

"just be grateful for what you got!" "was it perfect? no! but we got some good stuff!" "people are just being so down about season 3"

There is a reason people are displeased.

We are consumers of this media. We PAID for this media. With time, with money, with subscriptions. We bought the merch, we watched the promos, we paid in attention, we paid financially, we paid literally and metaphorically.

And they did not deliver.

So, yes, we have a right to complain because objectively speaking, it was a bad ending. It just was! It was poorly written and poorly edited, it did not leave viewers happy, and there is a REASON the engagement of part 2 is much lower than part 1. Polin is not the problem, sidelining Polin is the problem. Writing Polin poorly is the problem. Shoving Colin to the side (half of the pairing) is the problem. Inconsistent characterization is the problem.

the fact that we came in with high expectations and they were let down for us? makes it a bad ending. makes it bad writing. the fact that we waited 2 years for it and then another month in between and did not walk away feeling as though that time was worthwhile? makes it a bad ending.

the writing was disjointed, characters were underutilized, Colin was pushed aside in his OWN SEASON, they tried to do a #girlbossfeminism narrative and then threw Cressida to the wolves because she did a few things that hurt the main heroine's feelings, even after showing us as viewers we should (and do) empathize with her. I mean, for fuck's sake, there was literally a big speech and everyone clapped moment. stakes were defanged, there were threesome scenes that cut any and all tension building between Polin, Eloise's character was written inconsistently for the sake of swift forgiveness, they threw Babies ever After at us, momifying the one character who was said to be plus size representation at NINETEEN, there were more sex scenes for Benedict than there were for the main couple Polin. Lady Whistledown was a black hole for good quality because instead of writing a narrative that suited the couple's ending, they wrote a narrative to keep her as a plot device by any means possible. This season was a roller coaster that went up up up and then stagnated.

there are legitimate criticisms to be had about this season. as if we don't have a right to demand good quality from something we paid for.

and the worst part of it is that they set it up SO. WELL.

I ended Part 1 pacing my apartment, giddy and kicking my feet and rewatching the ending over and over. Part 2? None of that. And the reason people have been so negative about it is that IT SHOWS.

Yes, in part, some negativity is homophobia for Michaela, who I honest to god adore and am so happy to see on screen. Yes, in part, some negativity is for Polin from haters, a couple I love with all my heart.

But most of the negativity comes down to poor writing. Inconsistency. A lack of bravery for dropping a plot device (Lady Whistledown) that the show has held onto not for Penelope or for Polin, but for Bridgerton's story moving forward that writers do not feel confident portraying without a narrator so it might crutch them.

Stop licking a plate of crumbs and claiming it a meal. They had 2 years to deliver a fantastic season. They didn't do so. That is not at all on the actors, because they are FANTASTIC, it is on the writers, and on the production. Was it beautiful? Sure. Was it well acted? Absolutely. Was it good? Well edited? Well written? Meaningful? Fun?

No.

There are parts of it that are, but when you fumble an ending, it sours the entire experience. The reason people loved Part 1 so much was because of the ending of Episode 4, which was done beautifully. It felt satisfying. And then Part 2 felt like an entirely different beast. If you settle for mediocrity, that is all you will get. So yes, I demand better of this season. I demand that we get more than just one thirty second scene of Pen and Colin being intimate after their marriage. I demand more characterization and time devoted to the main couple instead of useless side plots. I demand better writing. I demand better EDITING. Cressida was done dirty, Colin was done dirty, Eloise was done dirty, Penelope was done dirty. And at the end of it, VIEWERS were done dirty.

There's a reason Part 1 had such glowing positivity and then Part 2 is garnering horribly mixed reactions. It's because one is better than the other. And if this show is CAPABLE of delivering content like Part 1, then yes, I will absolutely demand it of part 2. One day, Bridgerton will learn how to write a proper final episode, a proper closing to an arc.

That day was not in Season 3.

[eyeritestuff]

Eddsworld x Reader Drabbles

———

Characters: Tom

Warnings: None! Might get suggestive though…

Author’s note: This’ll be split into parts :3 How many ? Idk !! I’ll edit this post to add the links if i ever get to it.

—————

First impressions

> Tom is of particular interest to anyone he encounters. He stands out, and not just because of his literal voids-for-eyes, but because of that damn attitude.

> In 2024, it’s addressed as the sassy man apocalypse, but universally, Tom is dubbed an asshole… amongst a bunch of other very colorful colloquialisms.

> When Tom chooses to speak to anyone, it’s not the accent that swings first, it’s the quickness of his “don’t care” response that uppercuts, and he relishes in watching people struggle to find the words to respond.

> For whatever fantastical and universal reason, when he came across you, things were different… and no, he didn’t change overnight because he saw you and it was “love at first sight”. More so, your ability to rebuttal his stupidity stood out.. and he wanted to know what made you.. you.

> Admittedly, when you met Tom, you were hooked. Something about having a taste for men with a less than stellar track record.. and that’s putting it lightly.

> The light and unintentional tan, the eyes, the dirty blonde hair, the piercings, the way the moles on his face were placed in an aesthetically pleasing way… need you go on?

> You pondered if he had any muscle to match the verbal punches he gave those around him.

> He definitely smells like alcohol.. but you’re also picking up the scent of ‘male manipulator’ cologne.. it’s soft but it’s there.

> Totally random, but are those fuzzy dice hanging off the side of his jeans? Amazing. Goes well with the mini harpoon gun keychain next to it.

> “..and this is Tom! Tom, say hi to y/n!” The taller boy in green motioned to the freak in blue, and you beamed as you waved at him. He came prepared, however, with an umbrella that naturally blocked your rays. In other words, he had a resting bitch face.

> Cliche, but you knew that if push came to shove, he cared about hurting others— he has emotions. You just didn’t know how much it would take for him to show them.

> You had all the time in the world… well! Technically, as much time as your landlord wanted to give you when renewing the lease. You and the three taller boys in front of you lived in the same complex. You needed a place to stay while studying away at uni.. and this place was perfect. The fact new friends came with it was a plus you didn’t really see coming.

>“Twiddling with your hair isn’t gonna make it grow any longer.” a gruff voice said. You looked up to match the voice with Tom. His voice sounds like he just woke up from a bad hangover, and honestly you wouldn’t be surprised if that was the exact scenario. Considering, well…

> “And drinking more won’t make the problems any better,” you retorted and gestured towards him and his flask , “exhibit A.” The blue boy was taken a back, clearly by the way his facial expression illustrated confusion.

> “Some people do it for the fun of it.”

> “Some people should really pick up a book if they consider taking a swigs’ a hobby..”

> “Oh really?”

> “Make the book high school biology, yes.” what a nerdy response , you say you yourself.

> The two of you stared each other down. Honestly though, what was there to stare into? Trying to find his soul was like walking in the dark, really. Your peripheral vision caught the redhead and the green hoodie boy fidgeting in place, so you knew to stop here.

> To your surprise, Tom’s face then broke character with a smile.

> Oh.. his smile.

> Toothy, sly, and alluring. Your face was heating up. The way his lips curled.. it was something you wanted to see more often. It’s decided then.

> “You’re different, y/n, I’ll give you that.” You then snapped back into reality after feeling his hand land on your shoulder a little rough like.. especially since the spiked bracelet he wore on that hand jabbed a little into your skin.

> Make no mistake, you were attracted to him surface level. However, you wanted to know more. Little did you know he shared the same sentiment.

How did you find out

> Tom sucks at compliments. No, really! Especially when he’s crushing on someone.

> He doesn’t want anyone to find out. Which is code for he doesn’t wanna seem vulnerable to anyone. His rationale is if he were to compliment someone, that person and the others around them will get to thinking.

> You, however, are blissfully unaware.

> Tom sucks at hiding his feelings. Shit, he sucks at hiding anything in general. He wears his emotions on his sleeves, and then expresses them in a pretty fucked up way. So, no, your ignorance isn’t because he’s good at bottling things in. It’s because you’re genuinely empty in the noggin.

> Everyone around you knows. Tom knows everyone knows. It’s just better if he gaslights himself into thinking otherwise, it helps him sleep at night.

> Your presence amongst the group is almost a daily occurrence. Edd tries to throw hints, but they’re drowned out but Tom’s sudden outbursts.

> Sudden outbursts could range from burping, shouting vulgarities, injuring himself ‘by accident’ and then channeling his inner sailor some more, or punches to the arm of the messenger. You take your guess, he’s probably done the latter.

> Back to the compliments. There was a particular time where Matt and you decided to have a silly little shopping trip. His invite! You guys went around 10 in the morning, only to come back to Matt’s apartment around 8 in the night. To your surprise, you see Edd and Tom already comfortable on the couch. Tom was in a tight band t-shirt and some sweats, while Edd wore a silly creeper onesie.

> “How was the adventure you two?” Edd hums and smiles. You struggled with your bags and gently placed them down to the side. You had quite a few and your arms felt a wave of relief once you set them down. “I had so much fun! Matt was super helpful in my wardrobe cleanse mission.”

> Matt frowned slightly as he set his bags down and his hands magnetized to his hips, “ What’dya mean cleanse? We didn’t buy cleaning supplies!” You giggled at his empty headed moment and changed the subject.

> “Want a fashion show?” You smiled once you noticed Edd’s visible excitement at the prospect. You also couldn’t help but notice Tom shifting in his seat at the mention. You took a glance in that direction and decided to be a little direct.

> “How about you, Tom?” He cringed at your question. Again, not because of your doing.. necessarily… but because he was nervous. His head was being imaginative, put it like that.

> “…Whatever..” He mumbled, and you shrugged it off. Fashion show time!

> You and Matt were having fun doing silly poses and pretending to vouge. Edd was super encouraging, loved every outfit, and even clapping to the music that was playing. Tom, however, was sunken in the sofa with his arms crossed just glaring at the floor.

> Tom isn’t and wasn’t going to praise you. Again, he had a weird stigma about compliments.

> However, those lowrise bell bottom jeans with that studded belt and that fitted sleeved shirt in what he knows is your favorite color. He couldn’t help but stare at your waist and what little view of your chest your shirt had to offer.

> You noticed how Tom rose in his seat, and felt your face break into a sly smile at the realization that he was interested. His face screamed that sentiment. Everyone noticed it too, and it quickly got silent.

> You try to poke. “What’s with the face, nerd.”

> He deflected next. “You look stupid.”

> “Do I really?”

> “Not gonna repeat myself twice.”

> “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say I’ve piqued your interest.”

> “You fucking wish. I’d never be into someone like you. Honestly, you’re such an air—”

> “Hey Tom, your face is really red… are you okay?”

> “Yeah.. Tom… you look like you’re suffocating! I’ve never seen you so-”

> Tom threw up his hands in surrender and shouted “I’m out!” With that, he stood up and walked out. There was a brief moment of silence before there was a slam of the door. You looked back at your friends and sighed, “Sorry guys.. maybe I took it too far..”

> “Seriously..?” Matt facepalmed.

> “What..! I Already said s—“

> “What Matt means to say is, have you really not noticed yet?” Edd asked genuinely concerned. You looked at him and laughed awkwardly before realizing he was serious. “What’s.. what.. huh..? What did I do.. wait- what’s going on?”

> “Tom is whipped for you, y/n,” Matt exclaimed, “Even I knew that!” You felt your face heat up and your head whipped around to face both at them.

> “Huh..?” is all you could manage out before you focused on Edd.

> “Yes! He just doesn’t know how to express it.“ You swing your head to look over to Matt and begin to twitch, “He needs to figure it out then!”

> “That’s the thing y/n, he doesn’t do that all the time. It’s just with you. Sure him and I have our moments, and then there was Tord, but those two genuinely couldn’t get along. Have you not noticed that after your arguments how he hides his face-” Matt then interjects, “Or that time when it was your birthday, and he helped you clean cake off your face after arguing about how much of a slob you were,” Edd then copied Matt, “or when you had just failed your chemistry exam, and all you could do was sulk and watch My Little Pony, and so he stayed the night with you saying the excuse that-“ and in unison the two sung: “I’m bored, and terrorizing y/n sounds like fun.”

> You felt your face heat up recalling just those handful of moments. “I thought he was just being a friend…” you mumbled.

> “It would…! If it was anyone but Tom, of course.” Edd chuckled and shrugged. He was right.

> The MLP binge watch weekend should’ve been so obvious. I mean, come on, you two shared a throw blanket and your legs intertwined with his. Tom isn’t touchy with anyone. You had failed a chemistry exam, yes. It got especially emotional since that week you were already feeling homesick, and you had sacrificed phone time with your family to study.. and failure. When Tom came over, you’d cry everytime the episode had a familial lesson— it sucked. Next thing you knew, Tom put aside your one sided beef when he wrapped you into a tight hug.

> “Well what now…?”

> “Run to him!!!” Matt exclaimed dramatically.

> Do you even wanna give the punk rock boy a chance?

How did he find out

> Laying there sprawled out across his bed was Tom. His bed was the safe haven in the mess that was his room.

> Dirty room. Very Cluttered. Clothes scattered the floors, clean and dirty. It smelled like his cologne took a stroll through a bar.. minus the pungent scent of stomach acid.

> His bed consisted of his precious Tomee bear, two pillows with gray cases on them, and 6 blankets. Half of those blankets were throws, but still.. why so many blankets?

> Posters scattered across his room walls. Old band posters, classic anime franchises, and a few posters of video game crushes he had over the years. In the corner was a cluster of polaroids of all his friends! Yes, Tord included… and yes, even you.

> Tom found himself shifting his gaze from the white ceiling to that corner. There was a picture you took where he was caught mid laugh and you took the opportunity and posed with your polaroid. He loved that picture, to the point where he placed it in a position where it would be the first one his eyes went for. That day, he thought you looked the prettiest. Not like you don’t look pretty everyday, it’s just that one he appreciated because you were in bliss. All he could do that entire night was fight back a smile when you smiled, when you laughed, and when you looked at him with those caring warm eyes.

> “What am I thinking…” He groaned and threw his hands over his face. He wants to tell you, trust, he really does! He’s just.. afraid of rejection.

> It’s a pretty typical fear amongst many people. So he wasn’t alone. He just feels humiliated and embarrassed for having weaknesses. What if those feelings transferred to the relationship? Is there even a potential relationship.

> Gosh you were so pretty to him. He loved every detail about you. There wasn’t a moment he didn’t fantasize about you. He’d probably take you to a museum for a first date.

> Tom loves art. It’s kinda obvious. Unless you view music and art as separate catagories that never merge.. then I don’t know what to tell you.

> He noticed what kind of media you consume, which was a lot of animation, and he wanted to explore other genres with you on that first date. So what better place than a museum?

> There was a knock.

> It shook the man out of his fantastical wonderland, and he shot up.

> Tom has this terrible habit of opening the door without checking the peephole. Opening the door he found himself devoid of air coming face to face with the person in front of them.

> It was you.

> You weren’t wearing the outfit you were modeling earlier. To be fair it’s been about 2 hours since then. You were wearing a silly cat onesie, and in your hand was a reusable grocery bag. Unknown to him, you gambled on having a sleepover with him, and in your bag was a bunch of ingredients to make milkshakes.

> He didn’t have the energy to disguise the emotions he was feeling, and leaning against the door frame, he spoke to break the ice.

> “Uhh, what’s- What’s up ?”

> “Wanna have a sleepover?”, you smiled and shifted the bag to the front of your knees and grabbed it with both hands.

> “Uhmm..” he shifted off the doorframe and let out an unsure sigh. Grabbing the ends of his fitted band tee, he pulled and looked behind him.

> “If it’s a mess you’re worried about, I don’t mind! I can even help you clean up.” you offered.

> “Oh no- you.. you don’t have to do that. Uh. I’m down, I was just caught off guard because when you showed up I was zoned out.” he nervously laughed and opened his door wider, gesturing for you to walk in.

> You walked in and set the grocery bag down on the kitchen island to the left. He went straight for the bag and started snooping while you started picking up items to clear the space you were going to get comfortable in.

> “Smirnoff…?” He said in an almost childlike wonder way.

> “Ah, yeah,” you started, “I remembered it was your go to at bars, and I wanted to see how it would taste in a milkshake.”

> Oh you were perfect.

> “Also, Tom, We need to talk.. but don’t get mad with me.”

> Tom scoffed and turned around to start the dishes, “I could never be mad at you y/n, don’t be stupid.”

> “I don’t, actually. I feel like some of our bickers are not jokes.”

> “Well to clarify, I’m only teasing.”

> “Back to the point, Tom,” you started and he hummed in response, “I like you Tom.”

> No.

> “Yeah me too y/n. You’re fun to be around.”

> “Nono, Tom, I mean.. romantically.”

> The sound of dishes stopped with a crash of glass. Nothing broke, but it was loud enough to startle you.

> You stood up and turned to look towards Tom to see him standing there with wide white eyes and a red face.

> “What..?” He said like a child, and it made you laugh.

> “Yeah, I love being around you, I like your presence.. albeit I could live without the insults, but I love your sass and your jokes. You’re funny, you’re pretty, and I wanna know more about you.. more than the Tom I know.”

> “y/n.”

> “Yea?”

> “I don’t even know what to say in this situation, but know I do feel the same. I feel strongly..? If I could jump off the walls like a damn molecule, I would. Y/n, I really like you too.”

> “Oh what a relief. For a second, you had me believing that the boys were wrong.”

> Tom laughed.. out loud. It made your heart melt because it was a genuine one for once, “You dummy! I’m sure you had Edd and Matt biting their fingernails in frustration over this.”

> “i’m sorry I didn’t notice sooner!”

> “I’m just happy you noticed at all.”

[bowieandqueen11]

Tobey!Peter Parker Dating A Plus Size Reader Would Include...

Request: Hello! I know I sent requests for "random request go!" so feel free to ignore me. I was just wondering - I was reading again your Spider-Man stuff (cause it is FANTASTIC <3 ) and I saw that in your note to "Andrew!Peter x Plus Size!Reader" you said that if anybody would ever want to, you'd be willing to write Tobey!Peter x Plus Size!Reader too. I was wondering if that's still the case. Cause if yes, I'd love to see it one day! No pressure of course, you can skip it if you want! Have a great day!

Oh my gosh lovely of course I will thank you so much, I didn't think anyone actually read those notes aha but I'm so happy you did!! Between Across the Spiderverse (which I still haven't seen yet I'm so slow!) and the Insomniac Spiderman trailer I am being well fed :)

Warning: mentions of blood/injury!

(I do not own Spider-Man or its characters, all rights go to creators. Gif credit goes to @fmribeiro01.)

☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°

I'm not joking even THINKING about this as a concept is making me squeal because like?? Tobey Peter?? Omg. Absolutely adores you. 24/7, non stop heart eyes motherfcker. Be ready for him to give you looks of such gut wrenching love and vulnerability that you'll just want to squish his cheeks together and kiss his forehead like the puppy he is.

You were 100% Peter's childhood crush, no question asked. You were always invited around to Peter's birthday parties, where the two of you would be thick as thieves for the whole night. Even poor exasperated Harry would find it oddly adorable when it was time to give Petey his cake, and he would bashfully pull out the chair beside him at the table for you to scoot onto. He thought he was so slick, bless his heart, when he reached over to fix your wonky party hat with his tiny shaking fingers, or shyly looked over at the rim of uneven frosting towards you when Aunt May carried out the homemade cake and told him to make a wish. You were always the last one to be picked up, despite living right next door: Ben, the sly old fox, could see how enamoured Peter was. How he had the firmest grip he had ever seen his nephew squeeze out around your arm, and how Peter stood holding the present you had given him in his other hand, not even noticing it because he was too busy fervently nodding and being strung along by every word you would say.

Ben would stall your parents at the door, blocking the way in by pretending to lean on his elbow, and spouting off about whether he was going to paint the living room a periwinkle or an egg shell blue. When your parents finally started to get impatient, you kissed Peter on the side of his cheek and left with a big wave, not really noticing the way he was standing stock-still, his fingers tentatively touching the side of his face and his mouth agape, blubbering like a blow fish. May has never seen him run so fast up the staircase, but Peter's so desperate to curl up alone under his duvet and thank whatever he can think of for making his wish come true, touching the wet imprint of your lips with a revered awe. Eventually, his giggling gets so loud during the night, that Ben has to come out and close over his door so he and May can get at least a little sleep.

A lot of your teenage years is spent with you jumping over your chain link fence in the middle of the night to meet a very anxious looking Peter, whose face quickly grows into a bright smile when he pulls the latest edition of the comic series you've been share-reading out from behind his back. Sitting on the cold tile by his garage, the night would slowly weave diamond dust through the sky, and sparkling joy through the irises of Peter's eye as the two of you stuck your heads together and poured over the pages. Every so often he would have to blink away, pretending he was fixing his glasses because you would catch the side-eye look he was giving you.

By the end of the night, you've fallen asleep, slobbering onto Peter's shoulder. He hasn't moved an inch: as still as marble, and doing his best to hold his breath so he doesn't rustle you, and so he can memorise the way your gratifying weight feels against the side of his shoulder. So he can imprint into his mind how tender your skin feels against his burning neck. It's only when Aunt May comes out to shake the two of you awake from the school bus that he runs into the kitchen all flustered. He grabs his backpack, and says goodbye, but refuses to change his jumper because he can still feel your imprint against the coarse wool.

From time to time that day, you'll peer round the door of your locker to catch him leaning into his, so giddy he's almost vibrating on the spot, which is probably why he's so distracted he bangs his head on the metal top of his own locker door oops.

Lunch that afternoon is even worse! Sitting diagonal across from Peter, you slide into the table next to an already frustrated looking Harry, whose kicking Pete's feet under the table and making incredibly unsubtle raised eyebrow points your way. He's so sick of the way his best friend will spend every minute of his time with you just staring: peering over his fruit pot, blabbering incoherently to himself with ruddy cheeks when he passes you the salt and your pinkie fingers brush, looking at your reflection in his spoon, pretending to stretch his arms and yawn just so he can 'look around the room', which also just so happens to be only the part that you're sitting in. He just wants his friend to be happy, and honestly, he's kind of dumbstruck that the two of you aren't together already, considering his eyes light up like gold-struck dawn every time he sees you.

It's only when Flash Thompson passes by and knocks Peter's elbow out from under him that he finally stops staring over at you. Mainly because his eyes are too busy slamming into his lunch tray, and breaking the bridge of his glasses down hard against his nose. The spell you wisp around his heart is finally broken when the blood starts gushing down his nose, and you have to half-carry him to the medical office. He spends 50% of the time walking there apologising to you, and the other 50% of the time is spent trying to stop his fingers from clenching into your arm. You've tucked him into your side, holding half his torso against you so he can spend most of his effort on pinching his nose, but he doesn't even care that he's swallowing blood anymore, he's so focused on how close he's pressed up against you. The feeling only grows more fervent, more needy, until he's twitching his thighs against the nurse's table to try and get himself to calm down, when you stay with him for the rest of the period to try and wipe some of the blood away. The way you're so close to his lips, the way that your gentle fingers are dabbing so close to his mouth that he can feel his rushing breath brush against your hairs is making him go cross-eyed with how much he's trying to focus on you.

'You know...', you start after a minute, biting your bottom lip nervously as you continued to dab at peter's nostril. 'I have eyes, Petey.'

'I-I know that, silly', he says, his breath coming out in a confused gasp. 'Me too!'

'I- I know you've been looking at me. Because I've been looking at you, too.'

His heart seems to be slamming into the caged cavity of his ribs, and yet everything seems to simultaneously be standing still: caught in a hazy, gliding, wavering dream as you slowly... ever so slowly drop the cloth into the sink, and break through the few inches between the two of you to press your lips against his top one.

For a moment, Peter is so shocked all he can do is widen his eyes, not even processing that the thing he's spent every moment of his waking and sleeping life wishing for ever since he was a child was happening right now. He tries really hard to stop his whole body from shaking, as his silky lashes finally falter shut against the top of your cheeks and he tries to focus his whole attention on the way your plush lip seems to press so perfectly against his own. After a few seconds though, when he hears the clattering of trays fall to the floor and the darkness he was letting himself fall willingly down into seems a little harder to blink out of, he realises the sound was him.

You're worried you've upset him, or stepped too far, or misconstrued his intentions when Peter falls backwards off you, but that's quickly replaced by frantic concern when he starts sliding to the floor. Thankfully, your reflexes are almost as good as his, and you're quick to wrap your arm around his back and cradle his head against your breastbone before he can slam his head against the floor again. He has to spend the rest of the day lying in the office's bed waiting until Uncle Ben can pick him up, but it was completely worth it. As he gazes up at the inane, plastered ceiling, suddenly everything else in life seemed so silly and pointless. All he cared about was rubbing his pointer finger over the wet patch of your saliva still dotted against his bottom lip, his eyes filled with a million bursting stars as he saw beyond the ceiling and into the skies, thanking it for making his birthday wish come true.

The two of you move into his crumby apartment after high school, and honestly? It's the happiest time in Peter's life. Sure, it may be small, and the walls may be flaky and they may shake every time a train rolls past the tracks outside, but every time he comes home to them he's greeted by the memories of the two of you laying against them like when you were kids, falling asleep against each other's heads as you read into the night. Sure, Ditkovich may hound the two of you constantly for rent, and the afternoons may be drowned out by the sound of his friends playing poker a couple of doors over, but they were so easy to forget in the evenings when you turned on your slightly dented radio and made a flustered Peter dance with you across the room, not stopping until you had him held tightly in your arms and he was so embarrassed with his two left feet that he was hiding his head in the curve of your luscious neck.

And sure, you may have picked up pretty quickly that Peter was Spiderman, considering he keeps hopping out the balcony at random hours and leaves his suit sometimes crumpled at the bottom of the closet, but you love him. And he adores you more than anything any universe could throw at him. So life, for the most part, is good.

Honestly, it's so cosy living with him?? Peter literally has spider strength, so he adores it when you lie on top of him in your bed. After a while of just nattering peacefully to each other about your days, winding down by playing with each other's fingers and sneaking kisses through the brackets of your arms, he feels so at peace to feel your weight familiarly resting on top of him. This need increases tenfold after he loses Ben, I think there's something so comforting to him, to know and feel that you're still so close to him, that he can synch the anxious patter of his heart against your own. He's so sweet bless him. he gets so sleepy that his head keeps falling down on top of your own, but he's so quick to lift it up again. He blinks languidly, that honey-sweet, silvery smile shadowed only by the tempered glow of the warm moonlight drifting through the balcony as he tries desperately to keep himself awake, giving his full attention to you.

There's just something about drifting off to the sound of your voice, knowing that for once, he's safe. That he's wrapped up, looked after, comforted by the love of his life. It just feels really nice to be the one coddled from time to time.

Sometimes, you'll jolt awake in the dead of night by the sound of some strange, wistful whispering echoing from somewhere in the near empty room. It takes your brain a little whirring time to realise it's coming from the hand that's spooning your waist, and the nose that's pressed tightly against the back of your thigh. Turns out Peter spends a lot of his sleepless nights tracing over your stretch marks, nestling down your back and reverently dancing his fingers up and down the tiger stipes on your waist. Every so often, he would rub his nose against their aureate lines in a fond kiss, gingerly resting his cheek against your bare skin again as he tried not to wake you up. What really made your heart melt, though, was the way an awe-struck 'wow' would slip from his lips in such a reverential tone, that Peter became so overwhelmed and could do nothing else but leave a small kiss against the side of your leg, dotted by slick tears.

This man picks you up on his scooter after your shift at work, mainly because 1) you are a much better driver than him, and it actually gets home in one piece rather than being tangled under a car wheel somewhere, and 2) when he's super stressed he finds it so comforting to wrap his arms around your side and press his forehead tightly into your back, letting the whole world melt away until nothing but whirling air and the scent of you is left. He always arrives outside your office building ten minutes early, making your secretary laugh when she spots him straightening his best flowery tie in the reflection of the waste bin by the bench outside. He has his best suit on, freshly pressed, and is nervously stepping from foot to foot with a crumpled bouquet of roses in his hand, like a teenager waiting to ask his crush to prom.

Every. Single. Day. You honestly just wait for the secretary to buzz you so you can grab your coat and run outside; you know far too well that Peter either dumps his Spidey suit through the window, or just wears his proper suit underneath so he isn't late. Doesn't matter if he has to catch five buses from the Daily Bugle, or has to 'borrow' his moped from 'Joe's Pizza' to get there on time, he's always there. And he always wants to look his best for you, even though he's still so surprised that someone as ethereal as you would even bother to look his way that he has to shuffle a handkerchief out of his trouser pocket and dab at the sweat beading on his forehead.

It's either that, or Peter scaring the bejesus out of you by picking you up with his webs. You'll just be minding your own business, walking down the sidewalk on your way back from your lunch break, only to be hoisted, screaming into the air and past an equally petrified looking pigeon. Peter does feel bad the first time he did this, since you were screaming the whole time he swung you, but you've settled into a better routine now. You've found it easier to watch the scattered tiles of churches and the blurred crests of building whiz by while you're holding on tightly to his waist, and your feet are firmly pressed on top of his own so he can keep you steady against him. I mean, you might still bury your head into his shoulder blade in absolute terror, but he makes it up to you by landing you down gracefully on top of your office a couple of minutes before you go back in.

The adrenaline from swinging about New York makes the kisses far more heated, and it's always helpful to have a little privacy when you pull the edge of his latex mask harshly up past the bridge of his nose and nearly knock him flying over the cornerstones with how fervidly you smash your lips against him. His arms instinctively come to wrap around you, and even he's grown a little more emboldened by the knowledge that you actually do love him and this isn't some cruel villain trick or high school prank, to open his mouth and press his tongue lovingly against yours. He never wants to let you go, so before he lets you go back to your job he gives you a tight hug, and presses a million warm little kisses in a treasure trail down the pulse point in your neck.

This man literally has like... two outfits, so he's constantly wearing your clothes! Surprise! You come home to find him sitting criss-cross on the bed, face bruised and tired worn from his latest clash with Doc Ock, but your sweatshirt tucked over him and lifted up against his cheeks like a little hidden koala bear. Surprise! You plan a surprise birthday party for him with Aunt May, only for him to turn up after work wearing one of your jumpers! It's just so snug, and homey, and it reminds Peter of when he was ten years old; when you came round to sleepover, and the two of you would crash on his mat after spending so long pouring through and excitedly talking about the new quantum theories in the science magazines he used to buy with his pocket money, Peter would shuffle up beside you. With a sharp breath, he would tentatively turn on his side and pray he wouldn't wake you up, curling into the foetal position. With a smile like dawn breaking through the soft tufts of a cloud, he would press his nose into your shoulder and just breathe you in, hoping he would never forget it as long as he lived.

This man loves to take you out dancing, mainly so he can grin wildly and show you off to every other customer in the restaurant. Every time he passes the waiter, or the Maitre d', he points wildly at your back and mouths ecstatically 'that's my Y/n!'. He legitimately pools all the money he's made from the photography, and from the pizza delivery together so he can take you to a fancy restaurant uptown. He feels so nervous when he gets up with that breathless smile and offers you his hand, but all his troubles just immediately melt away once he feels your hand brush over the strands of hair at the nape of his neck. He falls against you, easily caught just like he was all those years ago. Your fingers feel so soft, so perfect as they slot between his own, although his left hand never stops rubbing over the supple skin of your waist as he sways the two of you back and forth in time to the dream-like lullaby of the string quartet.

[imorphemi]

A Coven of the Wicked Witch character that I had the idea for! She is an Autumn Eladrin Witch from the Worlds Beyond Number playtest, started as Coven of the Heart and is now Coven of the Wicked.

I don't have a name for her yet lmao I'm open to suggestions EDIT: her name is now Saffron! thank u @foooxobsessedperson!!

More about her under the cut!

I got the idea for her when a friend introduced me to the spells Swineskin and Wyrding, where it was an idea for a character who you would encounter surrounded by magical talking animals and fantastical beasts. However, to experienced witches, those animals and beasts are actually Swineskinned people and one particularly monstrous one is a Wyrd.

Her story is that she is an Eladrin with a very strong fey presence and lineage. However, she got lost from the Feywild and ended up in the Material Plane, where she ended up becoming the local witch of a small village. There, she helped the people, generally with health and magical healing. She also enjoyed baking goods for the people around her, and in general she was well beloved by the village. She became especially close with one girl.

However, the girl ended up selling her out for money to witch hunters. The witch managed to escape from the witch hunters, and returned to her village angry and vengeful. Because she is a Fae and much of the village had eaten her food, plus she knew many of their names, she turned the whole village against the girl and drove her out.

Because of this action though, the townspeople no longer trusted her, and visits to her cottage started to dwindle. The witch dearly missed the visits from the townspeople, and eventually ended up forcing them to visit her instead. The townspeople decided that this was too far, and sought out to burn her. They recruited adventurers to help, additionally, the girl who betrayed the witch. Enraged, the witch swineskinned many of the people, especially the ones who used to be closest to her, and killed the rest or sent them running.

Now, a group of adventurers may come across an innocent cottage and find a friendly witch surrounded by her animal companions. But don't stay for long, or you'll become one of them.

Wicked Witches have a virtue that is anathema to them, and I decided to choose loyalty, or more so trust, for this witch. I thought it was appropriate as she keeps her thumb on the animals by her side. The only animal who is truly loyal to her is her familiar, a cinereous vulture. Additionally, there is no part of her design that is symmetrical, because she does not play fair and will fight dirty.

[anarchic-miscellany]

2024 Film Retrospective: Part 1 - The Honourable Mentions

Honourable Mentions of 2024: There were actually a lot more good movies this year than bad, so I was delighted at that, and a fair few pleasant surprises too. However, the bad things I saw this year were absolutely atrocious. Honourable mentions: "Kneecap"

Anarchic, debauched and utterly hilarious, whilst having the absolute gall to be a glorious call to arms for culture and language preservation. It's the fresh shot in the arm we need in cinema more often. Funniest ketamine and "dirty taboo" sex scenes I've seen in film too. "Dunc 2"

Spellbinding and a visual banquet which far surpasses the first. How it stuck the landing of the book is nothing short of a miracle. "Hit Man"

A delightfully low key little slice of quirk, with a lovable leading performance(s) from the rising Star of Texas Glen Powell. Great to see Adria Arjona in good movies too for a change. Man I love Linklater. "Blink Twice"

Speaking of Adrija Arjona! Okay, this was more a showcase for Naomi Ackie in a much needed leading role, and a damn solid debut for Zoe Kravitz. It's a good movie, well edited and stylish, about men doing exactly what you think they're doing when they have any modicum of power, and those who enable them. Plus it's ALWAYS welcome to have Christian Slater and Simon Rex in movies.

"Cuckoo"

Absolute fucking lunacy. I love it.

"Out of Darkness"

Audacious, yet back to basics (hah!) Stone Age horror film about mankind tearing itself apart, the outsider and that primal fear of the dark... It still manages to end on a hopeful note, is INCREDIBLE with its use of language, and has a star making turn from Safia Oakley-Green.

"Civil War"

A gripping, gorgeously shot tale about the loss of journalistic impartiality and humanity in the face of war: it doesn't matter who started it, who has the right side, it tears all of us apart... Fantastic stuff.

"Monkey Man"

My most popular post on this shitshow of a website was about this movie.

"A Different Man"

An incredibly clever, Kafka-esque (used correctly) black comedy about how we view disability, letting Sebastian Stan stretch his wings, and also allowing Adam Pierson to steal the show. I always read his character as the most British joke ever: there's nothing more annoying than being befriended by a better, confident, vibrant, nicer, friendlier, dynamic, perfect version of you.

"Boy Kills World"

Pitch perfect blood-drenched cartoony insanity. I get to see Jessica Rothe in a crop-top biker jacket. Incredible.

[satoshi-mochida]

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition announced for PS5, Xbox Series, and Switch

From Gematsu

Publishers XSEED Games and Marvelous Europe, and developer Voracious Games have announced Potionomics: Masterwork Edition for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and Switch. It will launch this fall.

The shop simulator and RPG about the business side of potion brewing first launched for PC via Steam on October 17, 2022.

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition will offer a “bevvy” of new features, including voice-overs, Endless Mode, “Cozy” and “Capitalism” difficulty levels, and additional languages. The new content and features will also be made available for the PC version of Potionomics simultaneously with the release of Potionomics: Masterwork Edition.

A physical Limited Box Set will also be available for all console platforms in North America. Available for pre-order soon through XSEED Games Store and participating retailers for $49.99, the Limited Box Set will include a copy of the game, a physical version of the original 120-plus pages digital art book, a two-disc soundtrack featuring all 58 tracks from the game, and a set of 12 trading cards with new character illustrations.

Here is an overview of the original release, via XSEED Games:

About

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition is an expanded port of Voracious Games’ award-winning magical shop sim. Building on the success of the 2022 PC release, with an 89 percent positive user review score on Steam, Potionomics: Masterwork Edition will bubble up on consoles with all the post-launch updates and improvements released to date, plus new voice acting, a fresh Endless gameplay mode, additional difficulty levels, and more. The art of Potionomics begins with perfecting your potion-brewing craft and building your deck of haggling cards to help you make the most of each sale. In order to succeed in Rafta’s lively economy you’ll need to get to know the colorful residents who will help you collect new recipes, elite ingredients, and even all-new cards for your deck. Whether it’s your first day on the job or you’re a sorcerer’s salesman, the magic of capitalism has never been more alive than in Potionomics: Masterwork Edition.

Key Features

Wheel and Deal – Negotiations can be tense when every coin counts, but you’ll manage Sylvia’s stress with ease by playing your cards right. Develop friendships with adventurers and other shopkeepers on Rafta to learn even more advanced negotiation tactics.

Recipe for Success – Choose the best ingredients to make even basic potions extraordinary, perfecting the taste and aroma to please your pickiest customers. But beware—if you aren’t careful, you’ll get some pretty gross results!

Fantastic Friends and Foes – Rafta, home to some of the world’s most potent magic, is packed with big RPG personalities, each seeking a leg up in their adventures. Befriend and recruit them to help you level up your own potion game, but don’t expect everyone to be friendly…

Your Shop, Your Rules – Make your shop really pop with customizable decor. Style points aren’t the only perk; decorating your shop just right can improve your prices, make better quality potions, and more!

Watch the announcement trailer below.

Announce Trailer

[birlwrites]

How goes Bloodfinch! Are you at the stage of writing parts yet? Is there a particular area of writing (dialogue, point of view etc) that's particularly fun with it?

And another hopefully answerable but somewhat generic question (to give you the power of surprise yet if you want it!): what person and tense have you gone for? or have you varied it according to a pattern of your own design?

If there's stuff to say about the process of writing concerning what brings you joy (and not further worldbuilding/plot details necessarily that I'm sure time will reveal) it'd be interesting to hear it!

Also, as a side note, you said you very much identified with the sliding meme of your opinion on your skills varying. Hence, I desire to communicate that I think you're consistently brilliant! I am curious why you feel that way though, as I was shocked it was somewhat widespread (I have days where things don't go so well writing, naturally as consistency isn't quite how it works as an area, but find my faith in my skills is rather solid and veers only between "I'm fine at it I suppose?" to "oh yes, it's an area of skills I've worked on that I'm good at" with more sporadic bursts of "I'm a genius! I'm so great at this!" never reaching more despairing "I'm hopeless, utterly hopeless").

it goes well!!! i'm having fun!!! i'm nearing 2.5k now - i had a longer draft, but had to frog that since i decided to start the story in a different place. i'll probably grab and reuse snippets of it later on though. and the outline is complete!! i'm hoping that it'll be similar to lachrimae in terms of time it'll take me to write, although unlike lachrimae i'll then do at least one round of editing once i have a full draft, plus then i'll need to do like. layouts and get cover art and stuff

finch, the pov character, is a singer, and i'm having a WILD time being able to write a very highly trained singer - her tutor (dulceis) definitely has. some traits in common with. certain singing teachers i've had. just wrote a line about dulceis standing on the opposite side of the room from finch yelling 'WHERE ARE YOUR CONSONANTS I CAN'T FIND THEM' and. yes

it's first person present tense and it'll stick to that - normally i'm a third person present tense writer by default, but i'm going for first person here because a) we are VERY deep inside finch's head and b) that was the best way for me to make clear that despite her calling herself finch, that's not what other people call her

i also just created yet another saint today, the sea-saint, who's associated with the sea (duh) and those who make their living from the ocean (sailors, fishers, etc), AND ALSO rhetoric, poetry, and all of the word-arts. the sea-saint is associated with fluidity (duh), impermanence, but also a certain type of control - navigating uncertainty. there is a story about the sea-saint calming choppy waters just by speaking to them and persuading them to settle. they're represented with a wave, a seashell, or a siren (this tends to be the less positive side of the saint, representing fickleness, hunger, and misleading appearances)

oh and i also just wrote up a little story about the origins of bloodfinches, because i was going to type up my handwritten notes but writing up notes was boring and writing up a story that conveyed the same information was far more interesting - so perhaps i'll post that! in a different post though, so it can just be its own thing instead of being buried in this response

naturally from finch's pov i also get to go wild with the auditory imagery which is fantastic, and i'm also having a great time with introducing original characters - even though i work with very, very, very, very, VERY minor characters in hp fanfiction, so minor that in many cases i am inventing characterization out of wholecloth, people still already have certain impressions about characters' appearances, personalities, and general vibes. that is not at all the case with completely original characters and figuring out how to introduce them and convey impressions of them is SO MUCH FUN i forgot how fun it was

i think that the reason my perception of my own writing tends to swing back and forth wildly is because i associate it with ease. words are flowing? plot details are blooming? everything feels great! but if i am not living up to my own expectations, if trying to write feels like banging my head against a wall, or if a scene isn't coming out the way i imagined it and i don't know what the problem is, or i DO know what the problem is and it's going to be a shitload of work to fix, or if it's not connecting with readers the way i thought it would, then i do have a tendency to spiral

logically, i am a fairly confident writer, but emotionally, i'm of course more inconsistent, and emotions tend to rule the day when it comes to how i'm feeling about my skills at any given moment. fortunately, i'm at least aware of that, and i know that feeling like it's hopeless means a) it's not actually hopeless, my brain just likes to latch onto worst-case scenarios, and b) it is well past time for a break

a central issue here is that i often expect very high levels of productivity from myself, and so then even if i know it's time for a break, i then am fighting a separate battle in which i have to convince my brain not to beat me up over needing Break Time, and it all leads to me staring at the wall wishing i could put my brain in a washing machine

[brainbuffering]

Anime/Donghua 2024 Wrap-Up!

 This was a great year for women in Anime! More and more series by female creators are making it into people’s all time favourites. From Apothecary Diaries to Delicious in Dungeon to A Sign of Affection, it’s been great to see so many women making huge successes! I also don’t think we’ve seen so many series gracing people’s top 10s that have so effortlessly passed the Bechdel-Wallace test! Frieren: Beyond Journey's End and Dandadan both featured main female characters who talked with their fellow named female co-stars about things other than men! 

Whilst obviously passing the Bechdel Test is not the be and end all for feminism, given how many beloved series have absolutely failed to pass this basic test, it’s certainly something to be celebrate! Heck, if the test was to all be about Lesbians being able to see themselves in media, then look no further than the flood of Falin X Marcille art, meta, edits, and fanfic that’s been all over my feeds. 

For me, personally, I was delighted to see the Female Centric arcs of Blue Exorcist getting animated at long last, showing why the manga sucked me in to begin with! We got an actually good traitor reveal that felt like an actual betrayal of trust, and fantastic development for a character who had previously been just another Tsuendere. Even as Izumo has her agency taken away as part of the narrative, Katou-sensei gives it back to her at every opportunity to ensure that this is her story and her arc. And that shone through in the anime too! Even with the tiny budget, she was still the one given the biggest moments. 

Heaven Official’s Blessing, A Sign of Affection, and Cherry Magic? 30 Years of Virginity can Make you a Wizard?! were all fantastic non-heteronormative romances that shone in their own unique ways! Heaven Official's Blessing had some of the best dubbing I've seen all year with so many side splitting jokes and swoon worthy sentences! Cherry Magic perfectly caputred the heart and humour of the series and I was especially excited to hear Kurosawa's internal song monologues. A Sign of Affections blew me away with its beautiful animation, in particular the care taken in animating the sign language. Which were all perfectly encapsulated in its elegant opening:

There were plenty of other series out this year that were just made of pure fun. Vampire Dormitory and Demon Prince of Momochi House both had me binge-reading their mangas. Mr Villian’s Day Off was the perfect slice of life comedy for these dark days. Sasaki and Peeps was an unexpected reverse-isekai X salary-man X evil-magical-girl mix up directed by Mirai Minato. The dub was great too, with Tyeson Reinhart perfectly encapsulating the exhausted middle aged man who just wants to have an easy life, and Erin Nicole Lundquist showing their incredible range as both a stoic, power magician… and an adorable little birb. Plus I loved both the original Japanese Gag of hiring a bunch of actors called Sasaki for the background characters, and the English Dub matching it with a bunch of Chris-es!

There were also a lot of great films that came out in the UK this year! Blue Giant was a great way to start the year, with the music being so good I felt like I was at an actual concert. It was followed by Spy X Family: Code White which had everything a weeb to ask for: MILFs with knives, DILFs with shirt sleeves rolled up, Cute Dogs, and the most beautifully animated poop joke ever put on screen. Look Back Short got brought to UK Cinemas, and was just as good as I thought it would be! Although I would have liked to see it dubbed because I think some of the subtitle choices took away some of the emotional impact felt in the manga. My favourite by far though was the Lord of the Rings Anime, War of the Rohirrim. It hasn’t been performing as well in cinemas as I would have liked, and I’m disappointed by the lack of merchandise available for it. But it was definitely a series made with me in mind specifically! With epic fight scenes, sword lesbians, horises, and an Incel getting his just desserts. It’s definitely the film I’m gonna be recommending the MOST out of this year! 

Overall, I had a great time this year. Whilst some seasons were definitely more jam-packed than others, there was still always at least SOMETHING I wanted to watch! I had my favourites, sure. But whilst I’m sure that at some point this anime bubble is gonna burst again as it did back in the 2000s, I’m happy to be enjoying all the great art currently being made!

[thebroccolination]

Listen, Between Us is my child. My joy. My raison d’être.

But I do kind of have separate ratings for the series as a whole vs. WinTeam’s part in it. WinTeam Rating: 12/10, perfect my babies miraculous string music. The series…has a different rating. Undisclosed. Unimportant. New and Sheep did their best under extraordinary circumstances and I will defend their series to my last breath.

That said, I want to make a WinTeam supercut for myself.

‘Cos as far as I know, New didn’t just direct the series—he edited it as well, and I understand that he had a lot on his plate. But I do…kind of wish he’d delegated the editing to someone else. The mic noises, the music crowding some scenes, the flashbacks that go on for a really long time—much longer than they had to—presumably to pad out an episode, etc. Plus, well. BeePrince should have had their own series. Bee is already a side character, and Prince only has Bee and his manager to flesh him out. I think Tae did a fantastic job as Bee, but Benz as Prince never really grabbed me emotionally. Their plot felt sort of sped-run to me, and I started fast-forwarding past them in later episodes. I don’t dislike them, to be clear, I just didn’t feel much of anything in any direction. Love Bee, neutral on BeePrince.

I wish I could fix all the muffled noises from the actors squishing their body mics during hugs and oh my god New kept playing the instrumental version of Prem’s song in a painfully sharp/high-pitched key that felt more like a horror soundtrack than the uplifting/happy instrumental they played in the locker room scene of episode two. But I can’t fix those issues because I’d probably need the original high quality dialogue tracks in order to isolate and remove parts of them. And aaahh, more than anything I wish I could remove the music from some scenes—the late-night “if I asked you, would you have an answer for me” conversation has, like, four or five music cues in it and it’s ONE SCENE, NEW. I’m a huge champion of sound engineering as an art form that should be respected, and so a lot of scenes genuinely felt to me like wasted opportunities. Sound and music aren’t supposed to hammer viewers in the face with the mood of a scene. And BounPrem were at top form in this series, so I wish they had had more scenes where they aren’t interrupted by a song in the middle. Where they just got to have quiet and New let their acting carry the scene.

(This is something New also did in UWMA. Like, as much as I enjoy the cabin scene and the dorm room scene, neither of them needed that song blasted over them. Let the actors carry the scene!!!)

Basically, my only major issues with Between Us were editing-based. Hence why I wish New had let someone else do it. Maybe he didn’t have the money to spare. Maybe he just didn’t want to. No idea.

But that’s why I want to make my own WinTeam cut so I can binge their storyline when I’m having a rough day and I don’t want to fast-forward to get to them. (That’s not to say I didn’t like everyone else! I did! But y’know. WinTeam. My babies.) I’ll include some of the other pairings when their scenes are relevant to WinTeam’s story, but mostly I just want to zero in on WinTeam. (I’ll keep all of WanTul since they’re the pairing with the closest storyline to WinTeam, and the two pairs converge later in the series, but I’m tempted to play with the timeline and see if I can’t blend them in elsewhere.)

I know why BeePrince didn’t have their own series. Side pairings are a profitable and inevitable marketing element of the BL industry, and I don’t begrudge New for trying to advertise some of his actor stable in a highly anticipated series that was guaranteed to have thousands of potential fans watching it. It’s tough out there, and New’s got a purebred cat family to feed and Boun’s salary to provide. Sell what you gotta sell, babe.

(I’m actually a little tempted to do this same thing for SOTUS S because HOO boy do I not care about the side couples in Arthit’s office. KongArt + TewDae + seven seconds of sapphics is all I want.)

Anyway! I’m gonna make this my li’l project. I’m not sure I’ll post it publicly because I don’t want to step on the official versions, but I’ll probably post some isolated scenes while I experiment with editing. For my first step I’ll try to cut down some of those flashback scenes. Like Win in the shower remembering his entire conversation with Dean and Pruk? For multiple minutes? Win might have relived the entire thing, but we shouldn’t. The series is only twelve episodes, New, and that conversation wasn’t that long ago even for those of us who watched it live. We remember. We got it.

If New needed more footage to pad out the episode, just have Boun do his hair and skin care routines. Literally who would complain? “Look, a beautiful human being. Stare.” WITH PLEASURE.

“Oh no the episode is short. Prem, pout for thirty seconds.” I WILL TAKE A THOUSAND SCREENSHOTS.

“Ohm, do some push-ups.” I’m sure he does those!

“Prem, Sammy, ad-lib an argument.” More Team and Manaow bickering! Grand!

“Fluke, be perfect.” PHARM’S APPEARANCES IN THIS SERIES WERE FLAWLESS I HOPE HE GETS THE RESPECT HE DESERVED THE FIRST TIME AROUND.

So you see, there are workarounds when you need to pad out time. No need to show us the same scenes again.

Anyway, in addition to writing fic, this is how I’m coping with our collective loss.

[katarh-mest]

finished Apothecary Diaries Vol #4

Holy smokes it's an absolute shame that the first two couers of the anime are likely only going to make it through the first two novels. And even the manga itself is only scratching at the start of volume 4.

It is, plain and simple, a delightfully well written narrative.

I say this as an avid reader, a sometimes writer, and a general appreciator of a well crafted story.

(Minimal spoilers through volume 4 follow)

Clues are laid down. Maomao acknowledges them by dint of being so observant, then immediately forces herself to forget them or not think too hard about them (her biggest character flaw, but obviously one that came about as sort of an instinctual survival coping mechanism in Verdigris House and later on the rear palace. No client would like a nosy little serving girl learning too much, after all.) She can recall them when she's forced to, but it's an interesting masking trait in and of itself. Feign ignorance or die.

The writer's choice of omniscient third person lets us flit from mind to mind, character to character, and know things that would otherwise have to remain a mystery. And confirm that characters live or die, even if Maomao has to stay ignorant for now. I appreciate that sense of closure.

So far, Chekov's feifa hasn't remained unfired. It's great! Vignettes that seem like cute little slice of life moments have major plot implications two volumes later. (The ghost stories chapter from Volume 2 is a fantastic example of that. Shisui's surprisingly good acting skills, plus the mystery of the organizer being dead. At first I thought it was Hyongang since she said she wanted someone to continue the tradition, but then later I was pretty sure it was the elder woman from the clinic... who wouldn't have been above having another dozen women in the gardens dead..)

I love that every character in the La family so far has their own variation of neurodivergence. Lakan with his face blindness and military savant, Lahan with his ASD number and pattern recognition, Luomen with his brilliant mind but occasional ADHD-like problems, and of course Maomao the autism queen herself. Pretty sure she got that straight from her mom, for that matter.

Anyway, I'm already chewing on volume five. I haven't binged this much on a book series in years. I'm hyperfixated to the point of tuning out reality. Glad it hit during Christmas break because I quite literally might get through all 12 volumes before New Year's Day.

I'm giving to understand that the original web novel is a hair on the darker side, and a lot of the things I'm gushing about are no doubt results of a solid editing process after the fact for the light novels.... but isn't that a good thing? There's no shame in a good clean up editor.

[dontjudgemeimawriter]

WIP Questionaire

Using an open tag from @sleepy-night-child

1. What’s the first part of your WIP that you created?

A character that no longer exists. I guess the first thing that is still there is Mika actually! Mika is a major character, but not exactly a main character (Like I rank Terran and Raymond above her as MCs), and she was a major character in the original draft, too. Her character is mainly the same, except the original MC saw her sweeter, gentler sides and Terran mostly sees her petty, angry sides. After that I'd saay Zachary, who's also been there from the beginning. Both Mika and Zachary were created before Terran was even born.

2. If your story was a TV show, what would the theme song/intro be?

Ooh. I think if this was a show it's be a netflix original miniseries-- idk it just has that vibe I think? But probably a Sam Tinnesz song since I have a ton of him on my WIP playlist and they all definitely fit. I also thought of Landmines by BELLSAINT.

3. What are your favorite characters that you made? Why?

Damn, I love all my characters. I don't think I could have characters I don't love. I do think Terran is in a way my favorite-- like, this was a story I had abandoned, but I loved Terran so much I went back to it and took him and had the others follow suit. So yeah, he's my fave. I guess i love his struggle, how scared he is of himself, and how much he tries without even realizing he is-- and how much he is growing.

4. What other pieces of media do you think your fanbase would share?

I'm assuming this means other things they would also like? I kind of hope I Hunt Killers fans find it. But also there are a ton of books I know of that feel a similar genre, basically the things I read... trying to think of more well known things or non-books, I think... Maybe White Collar? XD. I don't know.

5. What has been your biggest struggle with your WIP?

Can I say writing it? I guess the biggest one is finding time and energy to work on it. Lately I haven't done anything with it because I have work, social commitments, and dnd to plan every week. Plus rest, doing chores/errands, and reading. No time.

6. Are there any animals in your story? Talk about them!

Not really, I don't put a lot in. There's a cat that shows up at one pint that Mika is petting before she and Terran have arguement, but that's about it.

I will say, in Second Chance I decided the MC has a cat names Spoons.

7. How do your characters travel/get around?

Walking. Terran hates doing anything but walking, and they're in a city that's not so big that he can't. Right now though they are venturing outside the city and traveling by train.

8. What part of your WIP are you working on right now?

I guess I'm leading into Act 3 or right at the beginning of it? I know I've passed the midpoint, and it's been a bit since I have. And I think I can see the climax in sight.

9. What aspects (tropes, maybe?) you think will draw your audience in?

I think what would most interest me about the WIP is the moral struggle and the crime aspects. Like, "Assassin who saved someone's life and now doesn't know if he can escape or should just pretend he never did that" is just super appealing to me and I hope it is to others. Also I kinda hope Rayran will draw people in because they're fantastic.

10. What are your hopes for your WIP?

To finish it? That this one is able to be edited into something really good, that it can be published and enjoyed.

Tagging: @cowboybrunch @writingamongther0ses @betweenthetimeandsound @late-to-the-fandom @surroundedbypearls @cljordan-imperium @junypr-camus @thegreatobsesso @scribe-of-stories @ceph-the-ghost-writer and anyone else who wants to feel free

[mk-wizard]

Top 10 Video Games that DON’T Need a Remake/Reboot EVER

Note that this list is subjective, but I felt I had to make it because we are living in the age of remakes and reboots. And just like some movies don’t need a remake, neither do timeless video games.

1- Chrono Trigger - It’s not for nothing this game not only aged well, but also stands as one of the best plot driven games with time travel as its theme. It also introduced the concept of the same game having multiple endings and the “NewGame+�� mode. While remastering it would be fine, the game is already emotive, fun and advanced as it is and doesn’t need a remake or to be turned 3D (shudder). Let’s not try to improve upon perfection.

2- Mother (1, 2 and 3) - Considering the themes these games have are really from their time which was the 90s (especially the alien invasion concept), you really can’t remake them or make them like new without changing everything to the point where it just isn’t the same game anymore. You might as well just make a sequel rather than attempt to remake an existing instalment and pretend it is the same when it isn’t. Plus, the pixelated and 2D look ADDS to the charm of the game. When you take it away, it just isn’t the same.

3- Sonic the Hedgehog (1, 2, 3, CD and Sonic & Knuckles) - Like Mother, these games are games of their times which would translate very poorly in 3D and everything that makes them fun to watch and play would be lost. While remasters and fixing the bugs in these games would be fine, we don’t need to give it the 3D treatment. There are enough 3D Sonic games as is.

4- Super Mario World - Like the classic Sonic games, there are enough 3D Mario Bros games. Let’s keep the classic ones as is with just a remaster at best. Plus, side scrollers are such a lost art now. Do we really want to erase the last of them?

5- Tetris - It’s bad enough we tried to make a sequel that no one asked for when it comes to this game. Does it really need a remake? The thing that makes Tetris iconic is its simplicity. There’s nothing to remake because there’s nothing to add. It has everything it needs. Period.

6- Street Fighter 2 - If there is one game that should finally stay retired and be remembered as is, it’s this one simply because it literally died of over-rebooting. There’s Street Fighter 2 Alpha, Street Fighter 2 Turbo, Street Fighter 2 Arcade Edition, Super Street Fighter 2, etc. Yeah. While doing that helped flesh out the iconic characters, let’s stick to just making sequels. We exhausted the remaking and rebooting process enough with this instalment. Let it rest in peace.

7- Team Fortress 2 - This is online player game meaning it evolves and expands on its own. There is no need to reboot it because game like this simply don’t work out with being rebooted. By the time the game is not popular anymore, it is because the craze has passed and even if does get rebooted, no one will buy it. The smarter thing to do is to wait a while and then just make a sequel just like how TF2 is in fact just a sequel. Don’t get me wrong. It’s a great game, but rebooting just isn’t its style.

8- Any video game based on a celebrity - I think it is obvious why we shouldn’t waste our time rebooting video games like this. Unless it was an exceptionally amazing game and the celebrity is STILL popular, nobody of newer generation will play it simply because they won’t know who these people are. Plus, these games were not a hit even when they were new simply because people would rather play fantastical fiction characters than grounded real people even if they are celebrities. So, just don’t, folks.

9- Any video game that is based on a movie, show or product - Just as movies based on video usually fail, so does the reverse. Plus, as with most of these entries, these video games were games of their time based on stuff that was popular at the time. When the newer generation sees these games, they’re going to much prefer watching the movie, watching the show or using the actual product. The only case of which the game will be worth their time is if it based on the movie or show while expanding on it by adding to the lore, filling in gaps and being its own story while still being a great game like Alien Isolation. Other than that, it’s not worth it.

10- Any game that was best left forgotten - Sadly, some video game are just bad not because they were too ambitious, too ahead of their time or had too many bugs. They were just lackluster and didn’t leave an impression. They were bad ideas and rebooting them with better graphics and fancier features won’t suddenly make them good. Sometimes, it just makes it worse. If you’re going to use time, energy and money to reboot something, do so on something people want to see a comeback of. Otherwise, just make a new game.

Bonus - Other honourable mentions here I will add are every Legend of Zelda (just make a sequel), every classic Mario Bros game, Final Fantasy 1 to 6, every Pokemon game since every new game is technically just a reboot of the first two (Red and Blue) that started it all, Word of Warcraft, Starcraft, the Sims, the Phantasy Star series, Secret of Evermore, Secret of Mana which technically did get a reboot and it stank, every Mortal Kombat since it always gets a sequel anyway, and every Simulation, Hidden Object and Tycoon game.

[dany36]

well, i did it! i finished the main story for granblue fantasy: relink :) junk thoughts below (with spoilers)!

first, the things i liked!

the gameplay. i love love love how dynamic and fast-paced it is! i'm boring and my main character throughout the entire playthrough was djeeta: i tried playing as katalina but idk lol i think i was just too used to djeeta to fully switch to her. plus i think her CPU does a much better job of playing as her. when i played as io during one of her sidequests was also pretty fun but i just had to stick with djeeta! leveling up her Artes and then going ham on enemies with them all leveled up never got old. also doing link attacks and skybound arts is soooo satisfying, especially when it would deal the final blow to a boss! i have to admit at first it took me a while to get the hang of it, especially dodging/blocking enemy attacks and i kept going into critical condition or whatever, but once i got better at it, doing quests and fighting bosses was something i would really look forward to.

the bosses. ok i gotta say, granblue fantasy:relink has some of the best boss fights in a video game i've ever played. i mentioned it in my previous posts but i swear almost each boss had a different interesting gimmick instead of it just being "keep attacking until it's dead". i think my favorites were excavillion, when you fight the machines using rolan, fighting as bahamut, and of course the final battle where you're trying to rescue Id. like the boss battles were just so insane and a lot of stuff would be happening at once especially when they'd go into overdrive, but running around jumping trying to evade their attacks, although intense, is part of the fun of these battles!! idk i'm just really impressed with how dynamic these boss battles were and just gotta say hats off to the team that designed them, just super fun and satisfying to play through.

main character selection. ok as someone completely new to the series and not having looked up anything about this game beforehand other than what i saw in the official trailer shown in one of the state of plays, i had no idea you could choose the gender of the main character, so this was a pleasant surprise! i mean, other than her atrocious first outfit before you get to chapter 4 or whatever it is when you get your real armor, it's cool that you can just decide what gender your character is cus i mean, it doesn't really affect the story in any way so at least i'm not stuck with the default silent male protagonist :P

the music. coming from having played the last few entries of the tales of games, it was definitely great to hear some music that actually makes me feel something and isn't just background noise. i'll have to give the full OST a proper listen without me being distracted with a fight, but yeah for sure looking forward to reliving the experience with the music! edit: ok now that i'm listening to the OST with headphones on i can honestly say this is one of the best video game soundtracks i've ever heard in a game. like, i knew it was good and i knew there were some bangers in there but my god i just wasn't paying enough attention to it because i was too focused on the battles. like yeah the folca theme and the first forest section you entered i remembered being so good but like. excavillion primal III. managarmr primal II. seedhollow castle battle. ruined city vallion battle. and i'm not even done yet. what the hell what the hell the OST alone is enough to make this into a fantastic game holy shit.

post-ending content?? ok i only did the first quest as Id but i thought it was cool that, although the main story only took me 19 hours to complete, it looks like there is a LOT left to do as part of picking up where rolan left off + new quests?? plus i still need to finish the side chapters for the characters i'm interested in, so yeah, even though i finished the main story, there's still much to do!

rolan. what a cool chill dude. i mentioned in my post that i thought it was really neat how he turned out to be one of the most powerful characters in the game (i thought he was going to betray us or something), and was so sad when he first "dissolves" when fighting angra. i thought it was Id who was going to be sacrificed at the end but, glad that Id joins the party even if that means that rolan is now...floating in between dimensions or whatever. but don't worry, we will save you, mr fix it dude!

the story. again, as someone completely new to the series, i think the game did a pretty good job at catching you up with what happened in the previous game and giving you the background story of each of the crew members that are already there. and even so, the main story that develops throughout the game was interesting enough to keep me hooked. i mean it's nothing out of this world like i'm used to with other JRPGs i've played: there wasn't really any character development other than Id and MAYBE Rolan (Zathba also?? idk), since the crew that you're traveling have already traveled together in the previous game so they all know each other and whatever development had to happen happened in the first game (from what I understand), so i mean, i guess that was also different but can't complain too much since it looks like this game was born from a mobile game.

ok just something i thought was cool was in the final battles where your former enemies (i forget their names...it's the sword lady and the huge dude) join you in the fight and THEN zathba + other people you helped along the way bring their ships and help you against angra...like...damn, that shit was cool! another instance of these boss battle keeping it interesting!!

and now....for the things i didn't particularly like + other misc. thoughts.

the character side chapters. ok i think the first two or so of each starting character are great for catching up us newcomers, but then after that....idk, i wasn't really interested in the story that they'd be trying to tell. like, i know i'm not done with all of the chapters for any of the characters, so my mind might still change, but so far, not really impressed lol. they aren't really engaging enough for me yet and can...actually be quite boring with the storytelling! but oh well, we'll see if my mind changes once i'm done with the starting characters quests!

the overworld. i can't say i really missed having an overworld that would connect all of the levels. thinking back, most of the overworlds of other JRPGs i've played are quite boring to traverse through and the only reason you go through them is for treasure or finding new armor, which here in granblue you get them through quests. so, while not having an overworld is not something i'm used to, i'd say for this game it was fine not to have it.

the town sidequests. i mean, they're your typical fetch sidequests/defeat X monsters which don't really involve any interesting engagement with the NPCs that are requesting your help, so i'm a bit disappointed that that's all these sidequests are instead of something a bit more appealing.

the characters talking during boss fights. A LOT. like, i decided to play it in japanese and man, sometimes it'd be hard to keep up with what they were saying + paying attention to what's going on in the battlefield. especially in the last battle lol rolan was going on and on about...idk SOMETHING and i'm out here trying to stop Versa from fucking destroying the world haha. i mean just a minor nitpick but yeah

ok this is getting longer than i thought it would lol but despite the few negatives there at the end, i gotta say, i'm now a fan! i DOUBT i'll play the first granblue since...it looks like it's a turn-based game and i am terrible at those, but i'm really looking forward to where the series goes from here! i'm glad i decided to pick this up and kinda regret not getting the deluxe edition lol but oh well! there's always next time! :) but heck yeah, just overall had a pretty damn good time and can't wait to do more quests!

[thefirstcourtesan]

Misha’s Replay Ratings Pt2

My first post was getting too long to keep editing and I was only on ‘H’, so I realized that I needed to split my post up into multiple parts. Specially since I will eventually have to go back and edit part with some of the books currently updating.

Link to Part One

Immortal Desires

Story: A (I thought the story was pretty solid, a little rushed in places, but I love a good vampire story and I love that this book balanced the supernatural elements and the romance. Plus, since it now won’t be a standalone, that being is intriguing instead of frustrating)

Art: A- (the art in this book is good but there is very little that is super unique, it borrows a lot from Bloodbound)

LIs: A+ (not only are Cas and Gabe amazing, they balance each other so well and the love triangle/rivalry is so well done)

Romance Scenes: A (The romance scenes definitely improved in book two and the love triangle really had added a lot of flavour and depth.)

MC: A+ (I love this MC. She is feisty and brave, but also human. She mouths off to her mom and can’t pick which boy she loves more. She is thrust into a scary world and handles it well, but still feels like a teenager)

Friend Group/Side Characters: B- (the mom is great and I love Seth, but a lot of the other side characters are underdeveloped and the ‘best friend’ is a reused asset we barely interact with).

Villain/Antagonist: A- (overall, the villains in this book!but I feel like we are missing a piece of the puzzle and ai hope book 3 will bring it all together).

Paywall: D (the charm bracelet came into play a lot, which means that the book would be harder without it, and almost all the lore was paywalled. I feel like without diamonds, you would be missing a lot of the emotional depth)

Overall: A (This is such a fantastic book and I can’t believe it took me so long to finish it. I loved the setting, the characters, the romance, all of it.)

Previous Ranking: N/A

New Ranking:

IL: It Lives in the Woods

Story: B+ (the story isn’t bad, it is a well crafter horror story but I don’t like horror, so I had a hard time getting invested)

Art: A- (the background art and CGs are phenomenally creepy, but this book loses points for having the ugliest MCs ever)

LIs: B- (they are all fine, but underdeveloped and none of the really stands out. This is a group that feels like it was crafted primarily as a friend group and romance is an afterthought)

Romance Scenes: D (they are short and they don’t really have any depth)

MC: A- (honestly, this MC is an extremely traumatised teenager. It’s really hard to judge her, but she is mostly likeable, if underdeveloped)

Friend Group/Side Characters: B- (so the problem with the characters in this book is they are mostly LIs, even if they are written as a friend group, but it means the actual friend group is lacking.)

Villain/Antagonist: A+ (the villain of this book is actually great, it is a solid twist and the minor villainous characters also have their role to play)

Paywall: C+ (everyone can survive without diamonds, but you have to play smart. The lore doesn’t even really add much, even if you do pay for it. You can play this book without diamonds and mostly understand it, it is just harder)

Overall: B- (This book is fine, but it’s not my thing at all, and I wasn’t particularly invested or attached to the story or the characters. I do get why people love it though)

Previous Ranking: 39*/50 (I previously ranked ILITW and ILB together)

New Ranking:

It Lives Beneath

Story: A- (not my personal cup of tea and I felt like it dragged at times, which is crazy since the timeline is about a week, but the story is pretty solid)

Art: A+ (the art in this book is super creepy and detailed)

LIs: B+ (the LIs are decent, none of them are excellent, but they are all solid characters and add something to the story)

Romance Scenes: A (the romance actually does matter here and influences your relationship, including how your LI reacts to your love confession)

MC: A (I mean, this MC is a badass. She climbs out of a watery grave and kicks ass. I don’t love her the way I do some MCs, but she is definitely pretty cool)

Friend Group/Side Characters: B (so this book suffers from the “LIs your only friends” syndrome but it also has the world’s coolest little brother and his boyfriend, so it gets point for that)

Villain/Antagonist: A+ (creepy cult, rich people willing to do anything for power and a pissed off ghost who has every right to be angry. It makes for a pretty awesome combo)

Paywall: D+ (the lore is pretty important to the backstory and character motivations, plus all the collectibles and how it affects character’s nerve and their ability to survive. You can do it without spending, but it is harder and you have to play smarter and you would definitely miss stuff)

Overall: B+ (this is a solid story, even if it is not really my thing)

Previous Ranking: 39*/50 (I previously ranked ILITW and ILB together)

New Ranking:

Kiss of Death

Story: A+ (the start was a little slow, but when it picked up, it really picked up. It is an excellent mix of romance and action and honestly while the ending was predictable, it was set up in a way where I asn’t quite sure until the end.)

Art: B (some cool art mixed with a bunch of re-used assets. This is a book that relied more on story than visuals)

LIs: A (I refuse to go higher than an A for single LI a books, but I did love Vic and I loved the dynamic between Vic and MC. The tension, the longing, the miscommunication… I have a soft spot for the sad and angry lost boy type and male Vic definitely fits that 😂)

Romance Scenes: A+ (OMG. This is where the book shines. The romance scenes are great but the story also builds. One romance scene will be referenced in another. You lean things about the characters, the romance grows. There is tension and teasing and the diamond scene in chapter 18 had me feeling all kinds of things).

MC: A- (I thought she was a tiny bit bratty at times, but she grew on me. I do like the stubborn MCs, and she is definitely that).

Friend Group/Side Characters: A (While there wasn’t really a friend group, there were several strong side characters and Faith is a pretty kick-ass bestie. Plus book made me cry and it was because of my attachment to one character.)

Villain/Antagonist: B+ (As I said, the villain was obvious, but also not because I second guessed myself a lot. The motives were believable, but at the same time, it was kind of handle in a rushed way because the identity of the villain felt like the least important element)

Paywall: C+ (I think this is one of those “diamonds make it easier/better” books and I feel like a lot of key background stuff is locked behind paywall, but the diamond scenes were cheaper than most books and there was a lot of call backs to previous scenes, which I always love)

Overall: A (I really, really loved this book. It isn’t perfect, but it drew me in and I felt invested in the characters and the world and the romance. I was surprised by how much I loved this book)

Previous Ranking: N/A

New Ranking:

Knock Knock

Story: A+ (This is a short text story but it is a fun little murder mystery and it tells a good little scary story.)

Art: F (obviously this is text based)

LIs: D+ (You get to pick between a male and female friend to romance but there is very little actual interaction).

Romance Scenes: F (there is one diamond scene text with your LI but it fades completely to black and there is zero real interaction)

MC: A- (the MC is pretty good actually, pretty smart and level headed given the situation. A decent final girl.)

Friend Group/Side Characters: C- (We don't really get to bond with them but the best friend is pretty smart and resilient, so that is a plus.

Villain/Antagonist: D- (Uh, we don’t really learn anything about the killer or their motivation, plus I guessed who it was halfway through the book. Could have been done much better).

Paywall: A+ (Honestly, I bought all three diamond scenes and still ended up ahead in diamonds just by playing through.)

Overall: C- (My ranking system isn’t really set up for text based stories but I enjoyed this one more than The Shadow and I thought it was good for what it was.)

Previous Ranking: N/A

New Ranking:

Laws of Attraction

Story: A+ (The story of these two books is excellent. In both case, the leaf up to the main case is done well. There is good pacing and balance between character development and story development and I was invested in the cases and their outcomes).

Art: B- (A couple CHs, but most of the art in this book is pretty basic. This is not a book that relies on art and it shows).

LIs: A- (I like both Gabe and Aislinn, they are great characters but the romance dynamic felt shaky at times, specially in book 2)

Romance Scenes: A- (This book is weird in that it was trying to balance the relationships with the one night stand mechanic and it affected how the actual romance develops.)

MC: A+ (I love this MC. She is confident, she is capable at her jon, she doesn’t hesitate. She is also definitely a mess on a personal level, but I am ok with that)

Friend Group/Side Characters: A (Book 2 brought this rating down slightly. I loved the side character dynamic in book 1. Beau and Gigi are treasures and the whole group worked so well together in book 1, but book 2 lacked that and I understand the plot reasons, but it still didn’t have the charm of book 1 and recurring members of the law firm barely did anything).

Villain/Antagonist: A (Book 1’s villain was better than book 2’s, but I like that this series balances their villains. There is the corrupt powerful figure (ceo, politician) and then someone in MC’s sphere who is aiding them, giving it a more personal connection)

Paywall: D (This book paywalls a lot. You will lose some cases, you will have to fight harder in the book one rankings and for your firm’s reputations, etc.)

Overall: A (I like this series a lot. It has one of the best actual stories and plot of any Choices series, as well as some truly likeable characters)

Previous Ranking: 8/50

New Ranking:

Love Hacks

Story: B (The plot is pretty thin, but it’s ok, it is supposed to be a slice of life sitcom and for what it is, it works)

Art: B (Nothing ground-breaking, but there are some cool features like the Dopey Cat game and Ben’s art, plus the Burning Sands backgrounds)

LIs: B- (None of the LIs are particularly ground-breaking, they are all decent characters but they don’t really stand out and are not particularly memorable)

Romance Scenes: C+ (The scenes in this book are super short and don’t really add much to the relationships).

MC: B- (This MC is very much a placeholder MC. She could be anyone. She isn’t even the clue of the group like in TF series. there’s nothing bad about her, but nothing interesting either)

Friend Group/Side Characters: A+ (The friend group is the best thing about this book. They are charming, they are zany, and the chemistry and hijinks work).

Villain/Antagonist: C- (While awful bosses and skeezy dude-bro co-workers are the worst, Martin and TJ are mostly just annoying and the conflict never feels high-stakes.)

Paywall: C+ (generally it’s not too bad, a lot of getting side characters together and you still succeed in many ways, but the first book does stuff like making you wear the opposing team’s colours to a baseball game which sucks and the diamond scenes are short and not particularly worth it. You also have pay to keep Leah around in book 1, which really sucks

Overall: B- (This book has its charms, mostly the characters, and it’s not bad, but it is not great either. It is just ok, but good for when you and a lighter read)

Previous Ranking: 24/50

New Ranking:

Most Wanted

Story: A (The story itself is solid, a gritty case with twists and turns and a pair of opposites forced to be partners).

Art: C- (This is really early Choices, so I will give it some slack. The art is jarring, like most early books, but there is nothing stand-out or unique to redeem it).

LIs: F (There aren’t any. There are characters who could be LIs if the writers had chosen, but we never get more than hints, even with Sam and Dave themselves)

Romance Scenes: F (Again, there aren’t any. Dave can kiss Alyssa Griffin, Sam can kiss Ryan Summer but the romances don’t go anyw where. There is no player choice in the final beach scene. The diamond scenes are also super short)

MC: B (Multiple POV books are not my favorite . This time I actually preferred Dave to Sam and if I’d had a choice, I’d have played as him the whole time and I never play as men 😂 but I did not particularly enjoy Sam and I at least liked Dave)

Friend Group/Side Characters: B (We don’t have a ton of interactions with them, but the interactions we have fun and the side characters have distinct personalities)

Villain/Antagonist: A+ (Honestly the villains were well done. The combination of the in-your-face villain of the psychotic serial killer and then the more subtle villain of the bad girl pretending to be something she is not and willing to kill to keep her secret, was actually excellent)

Paywall: A (I have played this book with and without diamonds and honestly, having diamonds just makes it easier. You don’t miss much, detail-wise, and it’s not like there is a ton of character interaction to miss anyway)

Overall: C+ (My ranking system really works against this book because I highly prioritise romance and this book doesn't have any. But it is also super short and boring, even if the story itself is well crafted).

Previous Ranking: 49/50

New Ranking:

Mother of the Year

Story: B- (This book is well written and I think it’s supposed to be heart-warming, but it’s just struggle after struggle and that is not my idea of a good time. It just makes me so anxious and sad).

Art: B (This book is basic, nothing really extraordinary art-wise, but most of the faces are new, so that is something)

LIs: A (The LIs are actually all pretty great. They are distinct characters and they all fit well into the story and have a natural place in MC’s life).

Romance Scenes: A (Again, these are pretty good. The romance develops well and you learn a lot about the LIs in their scenes).

MC: B+ (I struggle a little with this MC, I find parts of her character frustrating but I like what a good mom she is)

Friend Group/Side Characters: A+ (This is the book’s biggest strength. The side characters are excellent, our sweet daughter and Luz, and Alma who is very much in the running to the best bff in the whole app)

Villain/Antagonist: D+ (I am grading the villains in this book harshly because they are so one-dimensional. They are easy to hate, but they are all so over-the-top villainous. I get Guy is supposed to be like that, but Vanessa? She is a badly written villain, with no redeeming qualities and yet we can say we might be friends? Yeah, no.)

Paywall: C (You miss out on the memory wall, the custody suit is harder and the game will play on your heart strings by having you disappoint your sweet daughter).

Overall: B+ (This isn’t a bad book, it has many redeeming qualities, but it is a depressing book and it feels like a lot to get through.)

Previous Ranking: 35/50

New Ranking:

Ms. Match

Story: B (This book is cute, but the premise is pretty thin. I get that they wanted to balance the sex to love with the completion element, but the way they did it was flimsy. Enjoyable, but flimsy)

Art: B- (The art in this book is fine, except the MC hair options. Those are atrocious)

LIs: A- (I like cocky LIs with troubled childhoods, so of course I like Jack. He can be frustrating at times but he also had really good growth)

Romance Scenes: A+ (This book balances hot and funny and emotional all in one. There is a lot of depth in the romance scenes and the relationship builds in a natural way)

MC: B- (This MC bugged me a bit, with her attitude towards the competition and her lack of compassion for Jack. She acknowledges it herself later, so I will give her some credit, but I still found her a little annoying)

Friend Group/Side Characters: A- (This is a pretty good cast. A small cast, but,Maggie is a treasure and I really like both Drew and Veronica)

Villain/Antagonist: C- (This was not a villain, he was both obvious and not present enough and his motivations were shallow)

Paywall: B+ (I don’t think it was that bad. You win the completion regardless, you end up happy. You just don’t make as many matches and the storyline with the bar plus Drew and Veronica goes a little rougher)

Overall: B (This book is cute and it is an enjoyable read. Sometimes that is all you need. It is also a good use of the single Li dynamic) .

Previous Ranking: 13/50

New Ranking:

Murder At Homecoming

Story: A- (This was a pretty solid mystery story with lots of layers. The only real failing was the Perdita story that went nowhere, not even her disappearance since that motivated MC but the stuff with Kyle and Jeremy which was obviously setting the ground for a book 2 that never happened)

Art: A (The murderous April sprite was creepy as Hell and generally this book had nice art and great LI CGs).

LIs: A+ (I liked all three LIs. I felt they balanced each other well and they all had logical reasons for getting involved in investigating the murder and I liked the times the personalities conflicted)

Romance Scenes: A (These were the good, advanced the romance and built the emotional connection)

MC: A (I liked this MC a lot. They did a good job of fleshing out this emotionally scarred teenager who fuels her pain into helping others, trying to solve their problems because she couldn’t save her sister)

Friend Group/Side Characters: B (I adored Johanna Morgan and think she deserves the world, but this book does the “LIs are the fiend group” thing for the most and I get it, you don’t want your mystery crew to be too big. But it does work against the book in this category 😂)

Villain/Antagonist: B (I understood what they were they were going for, but I think they failed a bit with the execution and the villain went to crazed killer just a little too easily)

Paywall: D+ (There was a lot of evidence to pay for and without the evidence and the back stories, mysteries are harder to follow because you are missing information)

Overall: A- (I liked this book a lot more than I expected too. I think they did a good job with the Veronica Mark-style mystery. I especially liked how they never forgot that the characters were all human and that they were grieving and they had emotions get the best of them at times)

Previous Ranking: N/A

New Ranking:

My Two First Loves

Story: A- (I hate the Principal Jennings storyline, truly hate it, but otherwise I actually like the story in this book. The story of a teenage girl trying to figure out who she is and what she wants and navigating parental pressures, crippling loss, and complicated romantic feelings.)

Art: A- (This book is pretty basic but the boys CGs are well done and there are a few cool art moments)

LIs: A+ (I struggled a little with this because of the poor treatment of Ava, but I do genuinely like Ava and I think for all the poor treatment, she is a good character and Mason and Noah are fantastic and the teen romance drama is perfect).

Romance Scenes: A+ (The romance scenes in this are sweet, they deepen the romance and let you know more about the LIs, but they also do that high school romance well and that tension and hestiancy and pushing boundaries).

MC: A+ (I know this is a controversial opinion, but I love this MC. She is messy and dramatic and self-centred but she feels real. I adore her. She is one of my all-time favorite MCs).

Friend Group/Side Characters: B-. (This book doesn’t really have a group. The only friends are the LIs and even that is late game. But Mackenzie Price is a gem and one of my all time favorite Choices characters.)

Villain/Antagonist: B (This book really has two villains and Lauren is actually an excellent villain, because we all went to school with a girl like Lauren. Principal Jennings on the other hand was a bad, cartoonish villain).

Paywall: A- (There were a couple things that came up later, like Noah’s knife, but for the most part this story kept the diamond scenes to romance and outfits).

Overall: A (I like this book. Is it perfect? Nope. It mistreats the lone female LI and the principal plot is bad, but it is still a fun book with good characters and one that I can personally relate to and it makes me feel nostalgic and happy)

Previous Ranking: 3/50

New Ranking:

The Nanny Affair

Story: C+ (This series is basically a cheap romance novel crossed with a soap opera. At times it is entertaining, it is certainly smutty, but it’s not particularly good and there are times where the plot really drags).

Art: A (The art in this book is actually pretty great, from the smutty cut scenes to the CGs to the sweet pics with the twins).

LIs: D+ (I strongly, strongly dislike Sam Dalton, he grew on me a little in book 3 to the point where I no longer despised him but I do not like him. Not at all).

Romance Scenes: A+ (This book delivers on the smut. This book is super steamy, but there also plenty of heart warming diamond scenes, it is a good mix,p).

MC: B (I like that this MC has a career and ambitions but she also annoyed me at times, overall she is fine. A middle of the road MC).

Friend Group/Side Characters: B+ (The twins are darling. I would do anything for them. We also love Carter, Robin and Sofia. I even like Jenny. The problem is the friend group is weirdly patched together, like when we did become besties with Marisol?!)

Villain/Antagonist: D- (The villains in this series are all right. Sofia, Robin, Addison, they are all justified in being pissed off and are more interesting than Sam and MC but we are supposed to hate the:and there are more options to be awful to them than not.)

Paywall: A- (I was choosy with my diamonds and I don’t think you miss much other than smut and some family moments. There were a few times where diamond scenes gave boosts and made certain things easier, but I don’t think this series really hides much in diamond scenes except smut),

Overall: C+ (Honestly, this book promised smut and some cute kids and it does deliver, but since I hate the LI, the smut didn’t really do much for me and the story is meh at best.)

Previous Ranking: N/A

New Ranking:

Nightbound

Story: A- (The story had some serious pacing issues, but overall it was a pretty solid plot and good world building)

Art: B (A few creepy monsters but most of the art is pretty basic and nothing really stands out)

LIs: A (I like all the LIs, they are all unique from one another, with varied backgrounds and add to the main story)

Romance Scenes: C (There are a few deep emotional moments but this is the book that is known for the 30 diamond fake our and the diamond scenes also felt short and a little rushed),

MC: A- (This MC is pretty decent. One of the less irritating MC’s although not as memorable as some of the others. But I don’t constantly want to shake her, which is more than I can say for many MCs).

Friend Group/Side Characters: A- (The LIs make up the “main” group, but there are also the Graveyard shift gang, who are all delightful and enhance the story)

Villain/Antagonist: A+ (Thomas is actually a great villain: completely awful and terrifying, but with a backstory that evokes sympathy).

Paywall: D. (Between the 30-diamond fake our, the fate’s tears, locked most of the relevant information about the LIs behind a paywall and then final insult of having to pay to stay with your LI, this book is definitely a “pay-to-play).

Overall: A- (It took a bit to get into and it has serious pacing issues but overall it is enjoyable and there is some really interesting world building and some fantastic characters.’’)

Previous Ranking: 38/50

New Ranking:

Open Heart

Story: A (The series has some rises and falls and there were some decisions by the writing team that I do not agree with and glad they walked back, but over all the story is engaging and it builds well, it feels like a complete trilogy, with each book building on the last).

Art: B+ (This is not a book that people are reading for the art. The art is good but a lot of books have better art, the backgrounds are nice and the characters are attractive, but there is nothing that makes you go ‘wow’)

LIs: A+ (One of the best cast of LIs in the entire series, hands down. They are all distinct individuals with their own personalities and stories. Are there some writing imbalances and poor decisions? Hell yes, but these LIs are all excellent.)

Romance Scenes: A+ (This actually is one of those things that builds as the series went on. The book one romance scenes were good but by book 3, they were excellent and there is a lot of building on previous scenes and choices, the LIs you have romanced start making default romantic overtatures, which I always prefer)

MC: A+ (This is one of my favorite Choices MC’s ever, I love my sweet, emotional girl who has such a big heart and a desire to change the world. There are times where the MC is impulsive and frustrating but overall, I love her story arc.)

Friend Group/Side Characters: A+ (The side characters are one of the things that makes this series so special. Open Heart has a full, well-developed cast of characters and MC gets to spend lots of time with people other than the LIs and gets to build meaningful relationships and connections.)

Villain/Antagonist: A- (Each book has it’s own villains but the over-arcing villain is the medical system and all the red tape and limitations that doctors fact that sometimes prevent them from helping people in need and that makes for a pretty compelling narrative. So do jealous man-baby intents and ego-fed tech billionaires, honestly).

Paywall: B (This is one of those rankings that kept going down with each subsequent book because the first book isn’t really pay-walled in terms of the MC’s career but after MC joins the diagnostic team, things become a lot more locked behind diamond scenes. I do like that this is one of those books that often ties outfits to actually getting a bonus scene and overall it still isn’t as bad as many series are).

Overall: A (Is this series perfect? No and there were some definite poor judgement calls made by the writing team but overall it is really, really good and it has one of the best cast of characters of any choices book ever).

Previous Ranking: 25/50

New Ranking:

Passport to Romance

Story: C+ (I mean the story is exactly what it says it is, a travel blog. It is just not particularly interesting and there are no real twists.)

Art: B+ (This book was mid-Choices and it shows, but it does have a nice Sumire CG and it does a few cool things with the blog art, but nothing out of the extraordinary)

LIs: C+ (The LIs in this book are bland. I guess they are all individual characters? But none of that has that much personality to be honest.)

Romance Scenes: C- (The romance scenes are short, not particularly inspired and they don’t really give you a lot in terms of the relationships or character development).

MC: B+ (Do I particularly like this MC? No. But unlike some, she has a personality and I kind of admire her grifter nature.)

Friend Group/Side Characters: D- (The LIs are the friend group, are the first two chapters with Ahmed’s teammates, we barely interact with another character unless they are an antagonist and this group of LIs is not charismatic enough to do double duty).

Villain/Antagonist: F (The two main “villains”, Yvette and Elliott’s brother, are just two people trying to get people to live up to their responsibilities and vilified for it.)

Paywall: B (I mean there is a lot of blog content that is paywalled but the book does also offer a lot of rewards and bonus scenes for getting followers, so at least there is payoff.)

Overall: C (There is a level of ridiculousness to this book that makes it impossible to take it seriously and that makes it fairly entertaining. This is one of the most unhinged MCs, so it has that going for it, but overall it is not particularly good or memorable.)

Previous Ranking: 45/50

New Ranking:

Perfect Match

Story: A (It starts out slow but it builds up and there are a lot of layers to it. It is not my favourite genre but it is still a very well done story and it keeps you guessing the whole time)

Art: A (The art is really good, especially for the time. The CGs of Hayden and Harley particularly stand out).

LIs: A (This is a solid cast of LIs, the main three and the two they let you semi-romance, plus this book lets you be poly and acknowledges it, which is great. The LIs are all interesting, distinct characters, which is always nice).

Romance Scenes: A- (There is a lot of building off scenes which U like and layered romance reactions, as well as some deep emotional moments with each LI, but the scenes do often feel a little short)

MC: A (I do like this MC a lot, she has a lot of personality and is good at being the leader and I like where there are some default characteristics to work with, in this case, the fact that MC is a terrible cook. I am not as emotionally attached to her as some of my MCs but I do appreciate her)

Friend Group/Side Characters: A (This book has a little bit of the LIs are the main group, but there are enough other characters to balance them out and those characters are all delightful and the group dynamic is fantastic. Plus Dipper is the best girl.)

Villain/Antagonist: A- (Eros makes a good villain and Cecile and Rowan were both appropriately evil, but they lacked the emotional punch of some other villains. It was neat to see how often they managed to be one step ahead.)

Paywall: B (I have played this with and without diamonds. It is still very playable without diamonds, you just miss out on extra scenes and some tasks are harder. You do get a lot of value for diamond scenes as there is a ton of building onto other scenes, but it does that thing I hate where it makes you pay to have characters around, yes, in this case they’ll both join you later but the principle of the issue still applies).

Overall: A (This is probably the series where my opinion changed the most when I sat down and gave it a fair and balanced play through. Is it one of my top 10? No, but overall it is a very good series),

Previous Ranking: 50/50

New Ranking:

The Phantom Agent

Story: B- (The story did pick up at the end and the twist [that wasn’t really a twist] was well done, but the pacing wasn’t great and certain elements were dragged out far longer than they should have been).

Art: A (This book had some beautiful art and the backgrounds were all very nice).

LIs: C- (Single LI books live and die on the LI and this one was not great. There were a couple of good moments, but generally I did not particularly like Callum Gray and I found the dynamic with MC more annoying than anything else)

Romance Scenes: C- (The romance scenes have some heat but not a lot of depth and they don’t really build the relationships or expand Agent Gray’s character)

MC: C- (The only credit I will give this MC is that they are good at their job but since every line of dialogue made me cringe and I found them genuinely unlikeable, the competence doesn’t really affect my general opinion of them)

Friend Group/Side Characters: A (Normally, I take away marks for small casts but that is more when there are multiple LIs and they dominate the friend group. In this case, the main cast was only 3 characters and Vivian was the only one I liked. She was by far the best part of the book)

Villain/Antagonist: A (The Architect was a good villain, he had a solid backstory but had let his pain truly corrupt him, so he was never redeemable. The Contractor was also a great villain, with the twist and the personal connection. You had the villain who felt remorse and the one who didn’t and it was a good combination).

Paywall: B- (So this book did lock a lot of backstory and resolution behind a paywall, but it also had a lot of buildable diamond scenes and for the most part, the diamond scenes just made the tasks easier, which I always appreciate as a player as I hate timed choices. This book is playable without diamonds, it is just harder and you miss some character details).

Overall: C+ (I did not particular enjoy this story, but it did have some good elements and the story itself wasn't bad, just the main characters sucked)

Previous Ranking: N/A

New Ranking:

Platinum

Story: B+ (There is nothing new or exciting about this plot, this story has been told several times in Choice but this variation is decent and it flows well. I really love the pacing of this story and that each quartet is it’s own arc) Art: A+ (This book has original songs. Tons of them. But it also has some gorgeous art. I love the magazine covers at the end of each chapter). LIs: A+ (I love the LIs in this book. I love that they are each unique individuals with something to offer the story and MC, although Shane was done a disservice in terms of writing and screen time, I still enjoy him as a character. There is something for everyone with the romances in this book). Romance Scenes: A (The scenes in this book are good, if a little short, but they do a good job of progressing the romances and giving the LIs depth). MC: A- (This MC is frustrating at times [*cough* the vinyls] but generally pretty likeable and I actually like that we have an MC who struggles with feelings of self doubt and anxiety and most of the time, I was rooting for her). Friend Group/Side Characters: A+ (This is one of the best casts in all of choices. Fiona, Micah, Sadie and Hank are all treasures.) Villain/Antagonist: C- (At the end of the day, I think the music industry is the real villain, but it is not something that is executed well at all and none of the people who could be a villain are really villainous. I get what the writers were attempting but the execution is a miss.) Paywall: D+ (You miss out on a ton of fans and most of the songs if you don’t pay. This is a book where you have to pay to enjoy it to its fullest.) Overall: A (I love this book. It’s not particularly original but it is fun to play and it has one of the best casts of any book.) Previous Ranking: 9/50 New Ranking:

The Princess Swap

Story: B- (The story is basic but cute. It is a classic story with a new twist and it mostly works, but the ending is rushed and they spend way too much time on the sorority drama).

Art: A (This is a very pretty book and I especially love the transitions between the two sisters)

LIs: B (They are both fine, but neither of them is anything particularly unique or special. Clark just feels like a rework of Blaine from FA while Devin is your toroidal nice guy and doesn't have much individual character development).

Romance Scenes: A- (The romance scenes did a pretty good job building the relationships, especially given that this was a split MC book and things had to be condensed because of it).

MC: A- (This book has two MCs. They are both fine and I like the way they interact with each other. The smart and the spunky sister is a trope for a reason, but it works here and both MCs are likeable and they play well off each other).

Friend Group/Side Characters: A- (The side characters of this book were actually very likeable, especially the sorority sisters, as much as I hated how much the story focused on that plot. The dad was great, if under developed. Overall, I liked the assorted cast of this book.)

Villain/Antagonist: D- (The villains are the worst part of this book. They are infuriating, but not in a good way. They just suck and have no real clear motives, they just suck.)

Paywall: B (I have never played this without diamonds, but I always make the guess based on how much easier the diamond scenes make it and the extra content that you get and this feels like a book where spending money makes the challenges easier and you learn more about the characters, but the general story is the same).

Overall: B (This is a solidly “ok” book. It is cute, the characters are likeable, but it doesn’t have a lot of replay ability and there is nothing really unique about it).

Previous Ranking: N/A

New Ranking:

The Promise of Forever

Story: A (This book is short but the story is engaging. The arranged marriage angle, the fact that neither of them wants an arranged marriage and yet they fall in love anyway and aren’t sure how to handle it.)

Art: A- (This book refuses a lot of assets, but it does it well and the new art is really beautiful. This book has some of hte best outfits in all of Choices).

LIs: A- (I liked Rishi and I enjoyed his layers, but because the books is so short, I fell like we did not get a chance to know him well and I would have liked a little more depth).

Romance Scenes: A+ (The book shines here, the scenes with MC and Rishi are beautiful and they build the connection and the longing and show the spark between them and let us get to know them better).

MC: A (I like this MC. I like that she is torn between tradition and her own desires and that she wants to be a good daughter but also her own person and I like that she is not afraid to speak her mind,)

Friend Group/Side Characters: B+ (Cousin Preeti is awesome and the parents add a lot to the book and highlight the expectations that MC and Rishi feel obligated to meet).

Villain/Antagonist: F (There is none. Not even an antagonist).

Paywall: B (All the outfits are free and there are only a few diamond scenes but those scenes add so much depth to the story and really flesh out the romance).

Overall: A- (Overall this is a fun little story and I really enjoyed it. It manages to mix instant love and enemies sto lovers in a delightful way. I am excited to read the sequel.)

Previous Ranking: N/A

New Ranking:

Part Three

[jurassicparkpodcast]

Fanattik Launches Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary Line

Celebrations for Jurassic Park’s 30th Year continue – this time with friends of the Podcast Fanattik announcing a brand-new line of products which have been inspired by the legacy of this iconic line.

Fanattik’s new line comes in the iconic red, green and yellow colours of the classic Jurassic Park branding – and it also incorporates elements which fans will recognize, such as Ian Malcolm and Mr DNA. There are four products in the assortment – plus a host of other complimentary Jurassic Park inspired products which Fanattik have released in the past.

Up first we have the 30th Anniversary Jurassic Park Opening Weekend Ticket. Fanattik have released opening weekend tickets in the past, but this one is adorned with the 30th Anniversary logo and also comes packaged in the gorgeous Jurassic Park colored packaging. This, much like many of Fanattik’s items, will look absolutely fantastic displayed on a shelf.

Following on from this we have the Vehicle I.D. Card – and I love how the Fanattik team packed extra detail into the back of this including reference to both the night vision goggles seen in the film, and also wearing appropriate attire at the park. This is a fun representation of an in-universe item and also features the iconic classic yellow Jurassic Park logo.

Following on from this we have the new coin which joins this assortment – the ‘Life Finds A Way’ coin, featuring the iconic Doctor Ian Malcolm on one side, and the Tyrannosaurus Rex logo and ‘June 11, 1993’ on the other side of the coin. Malcolm is a very popular character in his own right, so it’s cool seeing him immortalized on a coin.

Lastly, we have the limited edition ‘How To Make A Dinosaur’ print – featuring some fun graphics from the Mr DNA animation which features in the original film. I absolutely love this print. It takes inspiration from a fan favorite moment within the film and looks wonderful. I may need to pick this one up!

Overall, the JP30 line brings a handful of cool products to the lineup of merchandise which Fanattik has been offering to fans. All of the items we have mentioned are set to release in June of this year – meaning fans will have the opportunity to celebrate Jurassic June in style!

You can preorder the full line right now at the Fanattik website: https://www.wearefanattik.com/jurassic-park-m30

Let us know what you think of this product line in the comments below, and also on Social Media. As always – stay tuned for the latest news on Jurassic Park’s 30th Anniversary!

Written by: Tom Jurassic