#percy you beautiful loyal idiot

[beeistrying]

Show! Percy, a summary:

[dracaesusurro]

I don’t even recognize you Beth

Percy Jackson x annabeth chase

Themes: angst, Percabeth fighting, cheating, swearing, aged up characters (17 year olds), mentions of kissing etc

Summary: percy and annabeth have a huge fight, everyone’s on their toes, and it goes downhill so fast during the annual camp party….

Percy and annabeth were soul tied, everyone knew it, it was no secret really the way they cared for each other was unmatched. But they were not without their flaws, both headstrong and stubborn, fights were common but always to an extent, they could never be away from each other for longer than a few short hours, Percy was like a loyal dog, visibly more attached and dependent on his girl.

But this was different, this fight, the emotions suffocating the air, their words, the look in their eyes, nothing about this atmosphere was recognizable, like familiar strangers attacking neck and neck, and it worried them both.

Annabeth knew percy loved her there was no doubt about it, but what she feared was that she wasn’t the only one he cared so deeply about. It had been years that he hid it from her, for reasons she can’t understand, he lied to her and kept his truth and that broke her. Percy had spent a potent amount of time on an island, Ogygia, apparently deciding wether he wanted to spend his never ending, immortal life with calypso, a girl he wasn’t not attracted to, or come home to pitiful, mortal annabeth who couldn’t match to the island girls beauty. That fact alone broke her heart.

“Annabeth please your reading this all wrong I never wanted to stay there with her! I came home to YOU” they had been arguing for a few minutes now. Percy had pulled her into his cabin after she had spent the entire day avoiding him, and it was eating him up. “Oh come off it Jackson, you wanted to come to me? Is that why you spent months, months on that island Percy while I waited here like an IDIOT worrying and believing that you cared enough about me to come back to me alive” she fought so hard to keep her composure, keep up her strong wall and resist to show weakness but this of all things crumbled her self-control and allowed for the limitless, angry tears to drown her face as she continued to yell at him, gasping for air in between sentences. “Your nothing but a liar Jackson, you tricked me and li-” but he cut her off, moving closer, grasping her shoulder with one arm and cupping her cheek with the other,  cautiously attempting to brush away her tears. God he hated when she cried, and it killed him that he was the reason why. “No-no beth, listen to me please wise girl listen, there is no one else I care about but yo-” she was trembling, she shook in order to push him off, trying to back away from his touch, “stop it annabeth listen to me, I only love you, you are not an idiot annabeth- god I only thought about you all those months, how I wanted to come back to you..stop pushing me away Beth just believe me, I would never lie to you”

But she did just that, pushed him off and staggered backwards, raising her finger at him to keep him away and she scowled, “you did lie to me, for three years you never thought to mention ANY of this and your still lying to me now, I can’t believe you Percy I won’t, because I don’t trust you! I hate that I still want to believe it, believe you, gods i HATE that I still want to be that 13 year old girl waiting for her seaweed brain to come home, I hate….” Her mouth was salty with tears, her eyes so blurred, she was suffocating in her sorrow and she gulped for air-or strength to continue. “I hate that I let m-myself be tricked, I-I hate that I let you in…and I hate you…for doing this to me” she was loud and forceful, but when it came to the end of her sentence she whispered it softly, like a venomous sting she couldn’t allow to leave her mouth, but she did and the look on his face, the red glow in his cheeks and the faint tears threatening to drop from his eyes made her feel an ounce of regret for her words. But she wanted him to feel what she felt.

And he did, Percy’s chest stung, like a dozen blades were staked into his heart, he felt dizzy, and angry and hurt and confused and desperate for this feeling, this fight, her words to go away so she could love him a again and he wouldn’t be this afraid. It’s ironic that the world of monsters, the literal hell his faced doesn’t compare to the fear that racks his body and stabs at his soul from the girl Infront of him. The idea of losing her, he couldn’t even comprehend. “You don’t mean that Annabeth, you don’t hate me, please don’t say shit like that ok? Your freaking me out- why wont you believe me Beth I fucked up alright? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you it was stupid…I’M stupid but please Beth I have never lied about how I feel for you” he was becoming alarmed, his words spurting bout fast and almost inapprehensible. What the fuck was he supposed to do? How could he make this headstrong and beautifully stubborn girl understand him?!

With every step he took towards her, she took two backwards. He was becoming agitated, more with himself than her, but overall impatient and he couldn’t hand it anymore. “Annabeth you have to believe me, STOP moving away and just listen to me, its me Beth it’s Percy, when have I ever given you a reason to doubt I love you?! Stop doing this to me please we can talk, I’ll explain, but don’t run away from me” it was a long pause, his skin itched, his eyes burning, his head felt like it was about to explode and he only then realized just how tired fighting with annabeth makes him, he hated it, they shouldn’t even be fighting why is she being so goddamn ridiculous? “I can’t do this anymore Percy..” what? No, what?! “What are you talking about? Do WHAT annabeth, trust me? Fucking listen to me? Why are you making this such a huge deal” he was growing louder, he couldn’t tell if it was anger or fear that made him act up so suddenly but he couldn’t repress it. “Stop it percy, I’m done, I’m tired please just stop. We- i need a break for a while, just respect that…” she was quiet, her words slurred and slow like she had no fight left, funny cause Percy had a whole storm brewing, “you can’t be fucking serious annabeth! This is stupid.. WHY are you being so ridiculous?! Breaking up with me over this stupid shit, Bet- annabeth why are you doing this? Treating me like I’m some fucking old dagger you can throw out when you feel like it? Like I mean nothing to you?!” His blood was boiling and despite being the son of Poseidon, his skin always cold, he felt like he was burning alive. “Percy stop it, just stop” “no don’t tell me to stop chase, you can dump all this shit on me, ram me with accusations and then dump me? You know sounds like your looking for an excuse to get out…” he didn’t know what he was saying, annabeth was confused and no longer willing to continue, “what are you talking about Jackson?” “You know what, is there someone else chase? Is that why your doing this?” This was getting out of hand. “Oh percy that’s enough, you don’t even know what your saying” “oh I KNOW what I’m saying annabeth, look- I…you….you know what, if you don’t want to believe me, then I can’t force you to chase, if you want it to be over then it’s done whatever” his mind was drawing a blank, his breathing sped up and he couldn’t be in there anymore or he’d break, so he drew a defensive guard and left before he fully bled out all over annabeth.

Annabeth couldn’t help but feel guilty, she hurt him but he hurt her first, he was being defensive as if this wasn’t his fault to begin with, but he looked so broken that it fractured her heart. But she wouldn’t be weak, not anymore. She had to move on before she lost her mind over this boy completely. She had to forget love, however hard it may be.

Percy felt like the biggest fool on earth, he had just dug his own grave, let annabeth break up with him and now he was dying slowly in his lonesome cabin. In that moment, for the first time in so very long, he felt like a child. Curled up in his bed, head under the covers as he sniffled, hand over his face to muffle his quiet cries. It was outrageous to think the offspring of a literal god could sit in bed and cry like a desperate mortal, but that’s what he was, and that’s what his heart felt like. He didn’t know what to do, where to go, what to even think. Nothing made sense without her.

Grover had stormed his way into his cabin, allegedly after hearing about their fight. It made sense for him to be upset by this, they were all best friends and this effected him too. He attacked Percy’s bed and ripped the covers away. “Perseus Jackson get the actual freak up right now and go fix this” he only received a weak groan in return. “Go away Grover” the audacity of this water boy! “Hades no, get UP, change into something not so snotty, go to the camp party and talk to her you seaweed brain” seaweed brain, that was her name for him….oh gods the party, they were supposed to go together, he felt like screaming at and kicking everything near him, including Grover. “Don’t call me that, and I’m not going grove, I can’t”. That statement didn’t last particularly long, as Grover dragged Percy out, quiet literally dressed him up himself, shoved him out the door and yanked him to the party by the ear. Zero protests were heard or cared about.

Annabeth saw the party as an opportunity to forget about Percy, sneak some of the wines  Dionysus has brought to him, despite his ban and let loose so this feeling of being crushed by a Minotaur would hopefully go away. As piper put it for her plain and simple, the only way to forget about a heartbreak is booze and boys (excluding the only boy she actually cares to be with but can’t). On a normal day, annabeth was smart enough to disregard pipers weird advice, but tonight her mind was in shambles and her heart was split in two, so she would try about anything to not feel this way.

Grover and Percy stood near a tree, Grover observed and quietly thought of a plan while Percy chugged down his fourth cup of liquor (having about zero clue what it actually was) and thinking about the girl who has him gripped by….realistically the balls. What was she wearing? Fuck how is she feeling? Is she even coming?

Percy’s self pitying thoughts were cut short but a crowd cheering loudly somewhere closer to the fire, Grover’s interest was immediately peaked and he stormed over to see what the excitement was about, Percy on the other hand had no interest but was dragged along either way. As they approached closer to the crowed, snippets of a gold fabric flowing in the air caught Percy’s eyes. A dark arm was snaking around a body hidden by the people In front of him, wearing rare gold bangles. He was suddenly interested by ab arm he was sure he recognized, so he pushed through a few loudly, cheering teenagers and got to where he now had a clear view, he wished he stayed away or someone would come suddenly and blind him.

Annabeth stood on a huge, tall log, dressed in a mesmerizing gold dress, her hair braided with flowers and jewelry, she was the most beautiful girl he’d ever laid eyes on. But there she stood, dancing drunkly, next to some scum of the earth camper kid, with his hands sprawled all over her body and Percy wanted to throw up, grab the nearest sharp object, stab the kid to death and then kill himself. What the fuck was she doing? The fuck was she doing with him?! Grover was observant enough to notice Percy on the verge of loosing his shit, so he hastily grabbed his shoulder and turned him away from the horrifying scene. “Calm down, just take a breath, this it’s not what you think…I think?” Well at least Grover was trying. “Grover let go of me, I’m gonna die, I’m gonna kill him and then I’m gonna die I can’t do this” Grover didn’t doubt he would for a second, “no no just wait let’s figure this out-” but Percy shoved him away, eyes blank like he was going mad, his breathing was shallow but deep, and Grover was slightly afraid. A lot afraid. “Why is she doing this? Wh- letting him- with his hand just- I’m gonna be sick…I’m gonna drown him and watch his eyes go blank grove you hear me?” He was actually going insane, who the fuck was supposed to hold him back?!

Percy made his way over back to where annabeth was willingly letting this piece of shit grope her. He storms closer and now they’ve advanced to this fuckers mouth on HER NECK, latched on like a fucking leeche. Annabeth felt like she was in a daze, no consciousness of what was happening around her, the booze blurred out the world, she could only feel the music, her body moving and a warmth behind her. Nothing made sense but she didn’t mind. One moment the music played loudly and she moved to its rhythm, the next a large scream erupted form multiple people and she opened her eyes just in time to see a godly wave traveling towards her…and some guy next to her?

The monstrous tsunami-like wave splashed down around the fire, engulfing her and the stranger beside her, she was afloat within the water for only a moment, long enough for the cold water to sober her up until she was placed back down on the log on her back, gasping for air. The wave resumed to pick up the boy and raise him so high up in the air a drop from there would be lethal. Her panicked eyes search around her only to find a fuming Percy, so angry she had only witnessed him like this twice. He was facing the wave his arms remained on his sides but his wrists circled and moved in action, he was doing this! “PERCY! PERCY STOP IT” she yelled as loud as she could muster, but he was either to far away to hear over the loud splashes of the waves, or chose to ignore her. “Percy, Percy please stop this Percy WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Your going to kill him” she pleaded loudly but it felt pointless like she was drowned out if his thoughts. But he finally responded “why would you do this annabeth? I can’t even recognize you anymore Beth.” His voice was low, scarily quiet. “Percy please what does us fighting have to do with him!? your killing him stop this” but he remained silent, the boy in the water continued to struggle for air. Grover out of gods know where came running at full speed tackling Percy to the ground causing the wave to disassemble in the air, and the boy was about to fall to his death.

It was hard to comprehend what happened in the moment after Percy fell, water exploded in every direction, the boys fell remaining in the ground, one boy in the air too far up, annabeths intoxicated mind worked without her conscience. She jumped from the log, and sprinted beneath the boy, almost in an attempt to catch him? What? “Annabeth no!” Grover’s protest caused Percy to snap out of his daze and look to what was happening. She what? No Beth…. Percy moved in an attempt to get up and run to her, but he didn’t have enough time, he only made it less than half way before Chiron galloped to the scene, unintentionally, roughly shoving Annabeth to the side and catching the boy in his strong arms. Oh god.

Percy moved faster to make his way over the the half conscious annabeth on the ground. “H-hey wise girl can you hear me? Beth I’m so sorry Beth please wake up” his hands cupped either side of her face, raising her head to his as he called out for her. He placed multiple kisses on her forehead waiting for her to wake up. He missed doing that. “Beth?” No response. “Annabeth? Can you hear me” it was Grover this time, but still no response. Don’t do this please. Beth please. She stirred slightly awake, groaning as she held her forehead. “Oh thank god’s, hey Beth can you hear me sweetheart?” She only moved her glare from the ground to his face, she looked mad, betrayed and more mad. “Don’t touch me Percy. Move away.” She demanded and piper came over quickly to help her up slowly. “Annabeth can we just- I’ll take you to the infirmary..” “no don’t worry about it Jackson I don’t need you right now” he was beginning to feel the same pain he felt before, only tenfold now. Grover placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a sympathetic look. What now?

Umm idk how this got so long 🫣. Might do a part two with a happy ending butttt idk!!

Give me any requests if you guys have any 🫡

[khr-guilded-cage]

As the matter of Luciana's teacher, I choose Persephone, and I am changing Percy to Zagreus for Skull's identity, he can interact with his mother

For one Queen of the Underworld for another, Persephone casually begin in the Vongola Mansion if she owned the place

Timoteo's protests were ignored, Luciana politely told him Vongola was hers now and she would do whatever she wanted with the family, if he tried to stop her, Luciana would murder him.

Persephone, the Dreaded Queen of Death, was terrifing as she as beautiful. Gained everyone's fear by easily showing how stronger she was than any Element Vongola could produce, casually beating the crap out of any mafiosi that tried anything, while wearing a bright spring dress and flowers

Luciana matched her aethetic to Persephone, surrounding the Mansion with asphodels and skulls, beyond many many greek aesthetic.

Nono keep trying to shove tutors at her, Luciana made the habit of killing them, she disliked murder, but those people won't listen otherwise. She is tired of the old man trying to control her.

Hades also keep showing up to his daughter now's house, any Vongola guard attempt to stop him got themselves killed, the god of death was not patience with those arrogant mortals

When Hades politely told Timoteo Luciana as his daughter, he had all the right to visit her any time he wanted. Iemitsu nearly had a aneurism, this powerful unknow begin the heir's father was bad news

CEDEF was running off like headless chiken attempts to find out more about Luciana's relatives who keep showing up and overclassing everyone

Hades keep showing up to the Vongola Mansion like he owned the place, nothing the guards did could stop the god, Luciana welcomed him happily and refused to make him leave like Timoteo wanted

'This is Family matter, young lady'

'He is literally my father'

Hades merely smiled amused at the mortal man, he is old and would be in his realm soon, the death god had a special punishment for those people

Thanatos visisted often, every time she killed a mafiosi, to see their reactions to death itself

The dark man clearly had a good relationship with his daughter and a level of influence over her, this wasn't good for the Famiglia

'Well, he is my father, can do whatever he wants, he is family, different from you. A mere distant cousin I barely know.'

Nono already had so little control over Luciana and her pack of Guardians, her vast paternal family was a danger, the heir needed to be loyal to their Famiglia, having outsider loyalities was bad, having another family, one she actually cared about, was not good.

The man was a threat to the Vongola Famiglia and need to be...taken care of

He needed to get Luciana's family under his control, in the Vongola, a way to turn Luciana's loyality to the Vongola. Make them part of the Vongola, therefore family

Luciana Allegri was too brash, too angry, to rebellious, too furious, she wasn't like sweet kind civilian Tsuna. Yoshida Kazue was equally bad, so different than his sister, Nono expected him to be calmer, softer like Nana, a way to calm down his fiance's temper. But the boy just supported her anger, encouraged her desire for revenge for his nephew instead of seeking a more peaceful approach. Kazue would happily drown a man in gasoline while Luciana set him on fire, he would hold a man down while she behead him.

Iemitsu keep trying to appease his brother-in-law, they were family after all

Sawada Nana had been brought to Italy, in attempts to...soften the relationship betwen Nono and his heiress, the woman keep arranging dinners between her brother and husband, to ensure the things didn't escalate and in hopes to make Luciana more open to listening to their advice

It didn't worked, one particular dinner ended up with Chiara, the Storm, slapping Nana across the face and calling her a worthless delusional bitch

'Now Kazue-kun, its not nice to talk to family like that.' The blond idiot said. 'As I was telling Nana, we are making a deal with Luciana-chan, it good to have her help on this, don't it Nana-chan?'

'Shut up, Sawada.' Kazue snapped, tired of his brother-in-law's manipulations

Nana stared wided-eyed 'Kazue! Don't talk to Iemitsu like that!'

Luciana cut her off 'No, we will not, as I said before, Sawada, multiple times, I won't help you, Basil won't be CEDEF. Mei will be my CEDEF Head. And my relatives won't join Vongola, you are to leave them be.'

Iemitsu frowned, clearly not liking begin told no. 'C'mon, Kazue-kun, Nana-chan would be upset, you don't want to break your sister's heart, do you?' He said, grinning.

'No, Sawada, my wife already said no, end of the story, you fucker.'

'Kazu-kun, please.' Nana cried, tears falling down her eyes. Why they just don’t listen to her darling husband? She wanted to make him happy, why her half-brother couldn't just do what Iemitsu wanted? Her husband would stay with her more and Nana would her perfect happy family again, Nana though in frustation 'why Kazue-kun is such a terrible child?' She sobbed. Why those people dont obey her beloved Iemitsu-kun?

Chiara casually walked over Nana and slapped her hard, making her fall on the floor crying.

'We are leaving' Luciana declared. 'Go fuck yourself, Sawada Iemitsu.'

Vongola's reputation took a heavy hit eith Tsunayoshi's death, four dead heirs and one ilegitimate rebel, Luciana's absolute and open hatred of Timoteo wasn't helping his image, he needed the girl on his side, the Famiglia needed to be united and strong in time of striffe, with Xanxus's coup it had already weakened

The girl was uncooperative with Nono's plans, refusing to even begin polite to him, loudly calling him a old bastard and telling to get the fuck away from her in the middle of a important ball of the Alliance, her Guardians around her. She called him the Kisnlayer

[electronictimetravelmoose]

Ginny Weasley Twin HCs

Warnings: mentions of death

Word Count: ~2,4k

Request: Okay can I get some Headcanons about the reader being Ginny's twin sister and while (at least book) Ginny is brave and courageous and really badass, she's just really shy and small and silent and loves flowers and all that and (just because the gist of it) she's still in Gryffindor (she is extremely Loyal (which is kinda more hufflepuff), but because she'd immediately jump in to save everyone she's in the house. And long story short how the fam and the trio (who all see her as a smol sister) 'deal' with her and maybe what would happen if she'd fall in love with someone you choose (idk, malfoy, neville, Luna, you decide)

Requested by my sweetheart honeybee queen

A/N: I got tired towards the end but here you guys go

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Before Hogwarts:

when Arthur and Molly got you two they were over the moon

they told each other they would stop getting children when they had a daughter and now they got two beautiful baby girls at once

but also they lowkey hope you don’t turn out like your rambunctious older twin brothers

So first of all you two get absolutely adored by your older brothers, especially Bill and Charlie

those two will carry you around the whole day long and talk to you and play with you, adorable

when Percy starts learning how to read he will read to you two every evening and he won’t take a no from his parents

getting older Fred and George saw new victims for their pranks and Ron being the closest to your age got annoyed by always having to play girl stuff with you two

from a young age on you were quieter than your siblings and often shied away from the activities they did, you wouldn’t even interact with other children that lived close by

Molly and Arthur were concerned about this but let you be, they thought that you would eventually get around to it and boy were they wrong

you were always more interested in nature, the flowers and plants and what different traits and effects they had

besides that you also started learning how to read fairly early on thanks to our favourite family nerd Percy and stuffed your nose in every book that your tiny hands could grab

cooking and baking with your mother was also high on the list of things you enjoyed

honestly your more laid back and quieter demeanor was a blessing for Arthur and Molly

but whatever you did you could never run away from your sister

Ginny was still able to drag you into her stuff

stealing your brothers brooms and going for a ride, putting spiders in Ron’s bed, making tea out of plants that give weird side effects… you did it all and never got blamed for it. i mean, Fred and George usually did those things after all

Hogwarts 1st + 2nd year:

when Ginny and you went to Hogwarts it was quite a surprise for you and your family that you were sorted into Gryffindor

okay hear me out for a second, everyone in your family got sorted there so why would it be a surprise? well you were always far more loyal and hardworking than brave or courageous and your family knew that. besides that the sorting hat took literally five minutes to sort you in because he was in a Hufflepuff/Gryffindor dilemma but non the less here you were standing as a Gryffindor

your first year was far too eventful for your liking and it all started with Ron and Harry driving your fathers car to school on the first damn day, then there was the whole heir of Slytherin thing, students being paralyzed, Ginny being dragged into the chamber of secrets and almost dying, and Harry and your older brother Ron getting down there to save her

what kind of shitshow was this?

after everything that happened in this school year and your siblings getting in danger you promised yourself you would become strong enough to protect them and with that in mind you went into your second year

second year went… better than the first

i mean if you ignored the fact that a mass murderer broke out of Azkaban and the school being guarded by dementors

but at least you now had a competent Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher, I see this as a win

you spend most of your time learning and hanging out with your sister and friends you made, one of them being Neville Longbottom, a gryffindor boy one year above you

you two became quick friends during your first year at Hogwarts over your shared love for herbology and you bonded over being shyer individuals

with him you had the most fun and talked was by far the easiest no matter the subject

another friend of you made was Luna Lovegood, a ravenclaw girl in your year which was a more weirder individual but still a lot of fun to be around

and because of Ron your circle of friends expanded to Harry and Hermine

Harry thought you were a really nice contrast to your siblings and Hermine immediately adopted you as her little sister, no questions asked

shortly said, they loved you as well

the year went by mostly uneventful which was nice, then the third year came

Hogwarts 3rd and 4th year:

it started absolutely fantastic even before the school year started because your father and siblings went to the Quidditch World Cup which got run over by Death Eaters at the end of the day while you were at home with your mother

that already warned you about the year to come

at Hogwarts Dumbledore announced the Triwizard Tournament which your school would host that year, which also brought students of two different schools with it, great

also, hahaha, your new DADA teacher was absolutely terrifying in your eyes, good luck

but thankfully stuff went as normal as it can be

then… “Come on Y/N why don’t you help as for once!” “Yeah nobody will know anyways!”

“I am not going to brew you two a bloody aging potion so you can put your names in the goblet of fire and enter that stupid tournament! People have died in it! Besides that if you don’t stop pestering me I will tell this professor McGonagall.”

“You would rat your own brothers out?” “Nobody likes someone like that,”

you blankly stared at them for 20 seconds before they got scared by your expressionless face and left

they left you alone after that, idiots

two months later, the champions got announced, the first task was over, which made you able to see your brother Charlie for a few days, and then the yule ball got announced which meant you got dancing lessons by non other than your head of house professor McGonagall

after the lessons you and Neville would go hang out in one of the green houses and take care of some of the plants, just like now

“It’s so unfair, you are allowed to go to the yule ball but I don’t and I still have to take the dancing lessons.”

“But what if a fourth year asks you to go with him?”

“Oh please Neville nobody would want to go with me!” 

“I would like to go with you.”

cue silence and intense blushing

well if he says it like that…

the evening of the yule ball became yours and Neville's first date and many came after that and so also the start of your relationship

your dates mostly consisted of trips to Hogsmead, picnics and walks along the Hogwarts grounds and study dates

it was amazing

and your first kiss happened in March during one of your many walks

none of you knew how exactly it happened and who made the first step but it was very sweet and innocent

also cuddling while the two of you are on your own is a must, nobody can stop it

you and Neville decided to keep your relationship a secret for the time being and it worked, nobody knew, not even Ginny

then the school year ended and you had to say goodbye for two long months

it was also the time when the order of the phoenix came back and your parents and two oldest brothers became a part of it

you moved into the headquarters at Grimmauld Place and everything got turned upside down

you weren’t supposed to tell anyone about this, which you didn’t, but you couldn’t resist writing letters to Neville

and then someone found out, a little shit by the name of Sirius Black

i mean sooner or later it would have happened but it was a surprise that it was nobody from your family

did he tease you? yes, but he promised not to tell anyone and gave you really good advice on relationships and how to handle problems and fears you might have

Sirius quickly became someone you could confide into about almost anything you could talk about with your family and for you he became part of the family

you even called him ‘uncle Sirius’ the day you left for Hogwarts again and boy was this man in tears

with that one of the worst years in your life started and all thanks to one person

Dolores Jane Umbridge, not one word was bad enough to describe her because the word was still better than her

if someone was the bane of your existence it was her

you finally wanted to stand up for yourself and you did but then detention came and threw you back down

your siblings, Neville, Harry and Hermine quickly noticed the shift in your demeanor and how you became closed off which you never were before

shy and held back but not closed off

they soon found out what happened and “The Y/N Protection Squad” was founded, be ready to get bothered by them at all times, you never going to be alone

then the DA came around and you of course joined alongside your siblings, friends and boyfriend Neville

it was one of the best things that happened to you in months

finally you could show what you got in you

you and Ginny became a power duo, your brothers were shocked to say the least

and you and Neville finally decide to make your relationship official 

your siblings, shocked that their pure innocent sister has had a boyfriend for over a year, but not surprised it’s Neville

protective annoying older sibling squad activated

but you nor Neville cared, you were happy and as long as you two stayed that way everything would be okay

then you went to the Ministry of Magic with Harry, Ron, Hermine, Ginny, Neville and Luna

everything turned upside down when you got attacked by the death eaters and when they got a hold of you all

you were afraid, but you were more afraid of your siblings and friends than yourself

especially when you saw that Bellatrix LeStrange had her grip on Neville

he told you about his parents and he even wanted you to meet them but now you were afraid that it might never come to it

insert Sirius and the rest of the order of the phoenix, they saved you but a price was paid in the form of him dying

it changed you in so many ways that you had to question yourself and the things you knew

Hogwarts 5th and 6th year + Battle of Hogwarts:

your fifth year went pretty much as normal as your third for most of the time

school was finally quieting down and you had more time to process what happened at the ministry and all the years before

you concentrated more on school and your still building relationship with Neville, being able to walk through Hogwarts while holding hands and hugging and kissing him whenever you wanted

it was nice, you also found more time you could spend with Ginny and Luna which was much needed

but all good things had to end

the death eaters made their way into the castle and wreaked havoc

they destroyed everything they saw, they made Hagrid's hut go up in flames, they killed Dumbledore and after that put the dark mark up in the sky

changes happened quickly after that

thankfully the summer break came and with that the wedding of Bill and Fleur

even after everything that happened towards the end of the school year and when the order brought Harry to the burrow it was relieving to have something as exciting and somewhat normal as a wedding in these dark times

you helped where you could and you were allowed to invite Neville

it went amazing for most of the day but bad things just seem to come your way

Harry, Ron and Hermine left to find the horcruxes Voldemort made and you had to get back to school

it was different than before, everything was and you should have been used to it but you weren’t

this was the most tiring school year of all and it took a toll on every single student

then the day came and the moment you saw your brother and friends again you knew you would be doomed but it didn’t hinder you to sprint towards them and give them the longest and strongest hugs you could muster up

the battle started only a while after that and you gave all that you got to fight them off with the others

it was long and tiring but in the end the dark lord got defeated once and for all but there was nothing to celebrate

many people died and under them your brother Fred, you broke after that

Neville held you in his arms the whole time until you fell asleep

After Hogwarts:

you continued and finished school with good grades and started training to become a potions master

it just fitted with your love for herbology and your interested in the different effects they could have when put together and made into something entirely else

Neville upgraded from boyfriend to husband only a few months after you graduated

you two knew the other was the one for you and nothing would change that so why don’t put a label on it to say that one is mine for forever

Neville became the new herbology teacher after professor Sprout and you became new potions teacher after professor Slughorn

you just couldn’t be separated from each other

the future brought also two beautiful twin boys your way and a lot of chaos but with the family you already had you were used to it

Neville was not

you still manage it just as you do with everything

and with your other siblings getting kids as well family meetings were getting much more crowded to say the least

you stared at your nieces, nephews and sons while they were running around playing games and screaming at each other

“honestly love, I am regretting being pregnant again.”

“you aRE WHAT?!”

oh what a sweet life

Taglist: @satans-bae-and-queen

[aloera]

PJO for the character game! You seemed excited for that one :D

RUNE ILY I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS ONE

this is Strictly PJO bc. i have too many goddamn faves so i will not be including hoo!! (hint hint wink wink)

Send me a fandom and I’ll tell you my:

blorbo (favorite character, character I think about the most)

percy!!!!! tbh its magical how rick really made me like the Protagonist the most its monumental innit like hes so funny and so sweet and so powerful and the FATAL FLAW BEING LOYALTY?????? truly nothing has ever fucked harder i think hes incredible

scrunkly (my “baby”, character that gives me cuteness aggression, character that is So Shaped)

annabeth chase...... i want 2 squish her into a little ball. shes like. idk. i have never not loved her shes so SMART and the way she is so aggressive and so shoot first ask questions later and the way her mind moves a mile a minute,,,, love her love her love her

scrimblo bimblo (underrated/underappreciated fave)

CLARISSE!!!!!!! bc literally how could i not. her character arc is one of the most beautiful things of all time ever and shes so loyal like the way she stayed,, w/ chris,, when he was recovering from insanity after the labrinth,,,, i think shes so cool and so strong and put you in your place from the tlh musical murdered me in cold blood

TIED WITH THIS IS ZOE MFING NIGHTSHADE "i can see the stars my lady" HER LAST WORDS AND SHE STILL DEFERRED TO ARTEMIS????? AND ARTEMIS SAID "let the world honor you my huntress live forever in the stars" MY??? MY. THEY WERE GAY. THEY WERE IN LOVE IDC IDC. WRITING ARTEMIS/ZOE FANFIC RN LITERALLY AS WE SPEAK

glup shitto (obscure fave, character that can appear in the background for 0.2 seconds and I won’t shut up about it for a week)

paul my beloved <33 completely out of his depth. man is an english teacher. still was swinging wholeheartedly at shit he Could Not See during the battle of manhattan. king shit, i love him

poor little meow meow (“problematic”/unpopular/controversial/otherwise pathetic fave)

ANNABETHS DAD LMFAO hes just so funny to me. had a baby dropped on his doorstep and said "no thank u" and he tried??? to give it back???? he tried to give a baby back to a Goddess. hes such an idiot i love him

horse plinko (character I would torment for fun, for whatever reason)

tantalus lmfao the scene in sea of monsters where he couldnt eat anything was so fucking funny i would do that but worse

eeby deeby (character I would send to superhell)

zeus. self explanatory i think.

ask prompt

[dilfbatman]

Would love!! to know of your hc’s of how percy is a good boyfriend :3

YES I AM SO GLAD YOU ASKED! (the prev ask got deleted so i’m so happy you came back!)

—

- do y’all remember when percy took annabeth on a date to the eiffel tower in paris that is still something i hold near & dear to my heart (i imagine them going to the louvre to look at sculptures & art, walking the streets of montmarte to look at beautiful prints & paintings, and just admiring the architecture & always going into a restaurant every moment they’re on the street to get a bite to eat)

- i think at percy’s core he is someone who is very empathetic and sincere - he often doesn’t have any room or need for fake pretenses and he always says what’s on his mind even if the people closest to him disagree! but he is someone who values honesty, trust, and family/found family - he inspires these traits in others and gets inspired by the people around him! whether they’re his s/o or friends, he is loyal to them and holds them very close to him

- i also think he’s an amazing boyfriend bc he’s so perceptive! he can tell when annabeth is feeling down and can move like clockwork w her - half the time he can read her mind and know exactly what she needs/wants to say & other times he is there to give her blunt & honest advice while making sure she can still solve her own problems (but he lets her know she doesn’t have to do it alone and he is THERE for her ALWAYS)

- percy is just someone who CARES like i know that sounds super obvious but having someone that cares about your wellbeing, how certain things affect you/check up on you after those things happen, and notice lil quirks about your personality and find them endearing when others may not is just like !!!!! like he fr is in love w annabeth and she is in love w percy and i am so glad they started out as like a friends -> lovers trope bc that established friendship/trust/respect/admiration for one another is at the core of not only their relationship & friendship, but of themselves as individuals

- just for fun i also think they’re both fucking DORKS, absolute soft DUMBASSES and like i’m just being honest w you! they’re both whipped for each other and blush around each other and jumble their words and their eyes twinkle when talking to each other and everyone can sense their genuine love bc you can always find either one of them smiling softly while talking about the other even if they’re talking about some dumbass shit they did like they’re idiots in love and i think that’s very valid of them

[justanotherdumpingground]

Chapter Reviews: March 12-16, 2019 + ATV's Comeback

High School Story: Class Act Chapter 5:

Did I just support Rory's campaign after supporting the twin's? That I did. I laughed at the options to hold the dance off at the parking lot and pick a heartbreaking ballad. That would be an interesting choice.

I'm starting to dislike the twin for disrupting Rory's campaign. Not once did Rory disrupt the twin's bake sale, and the fact that the twin had the gall to not wait shows their foul play. I debated a bit to supoort the twin or Rory, and ended up going with the latter. Not to mention that the twin's support for more sports falls flat because there's more emphasis on it than cheer and band. Back in the first trilogy, Book 1 focuses on getting a new quarterback after Brian transfered to Heart, and Book 2 has Ashley Faris diverting funding from cheer and band to the basketball team as part of her embezzlement scheme with her brother.

Skye's birthday party is sweet, though I don't want mine held at a graveyard. The irony is that there's a cemetery in the same street I live in. Anyway, what's more important is that Skye's happy. She deserves true happiness, away from her horrible family.

Right now, I'm just curious to see how the trip with friends turns out. I wonder whether there will be more election-related drama, even though I dread it.

The Heist: Monaco Chapter 15:

Yes! I succeeded in getting Sonia to my side. For a moment, I thought she'll stay loyal to Ansel. And that premium scene with her is hot. It's like I finally stole her heart after she stole mine. So glad I picked her as my main love interest because she's the one I find most compelling. Even better was when she distracted Ansel and helped me escape.

Glad to see my training with Jones and Ulrich's gloves paid off. They were worth the diamonds because I got to see my MC being badass and making good use of important tools for the heist. I even stole a necklace that looks like Zenobia's along with the diamond. And the scene where I called Carlisle out for his exploitation of customers was much needed to blow off steam towards him.

The premium escape scene was really badass as well. Seeing Rye and Eris escape in style was cool, and having Fabien drive the main trio to safety was a relaxing calm before the storm. Now all I gotta do was punch Ansel in the face. It's now or never.

Desire & Decorum Chapter 12:

The corgi's back! I missed him! Just kidding. That's just another corgi with the same model as the one in TRR. Nevertheless, I miss the TRR corgi, and it's nice to see some Welsh because it's not a widely spoken language. Too bad I didn't watch the street performers, but after seeing how many of them have recycled models from TC&TF, I cry a little bit inside.

Anyway, it was fun being deceptively polite to Duke Richards and snarky at the same time. Makes me feel good about playing this series. Oh, and Felicity's back even though she's meh.

If there's one thing this book should do regarding the conspirators led by Duke Richards, it's to do justice to the showdown against them. It better not be like The Junior, where Nathan monologues and gets easily exposed, and the clues don't give any special advantages besides putting Beau and/or Kassidy in jail. Seeing that it closely involves the MC being married to Duke Richards, I say have that duke killed in the end.

America's Most Eligible Chapter 9:

Honestly, Piper's still the same smug snake like before. Even when her new show is doing well, I still don't trust her.

After seeing Eden wanting to confess her feelings to Kiana, I say why not? At that time, I thought she could get eliminated, so last chance, perhaps? Even after I've been proven wrong, I still don't regret my decision. It was sweet to see Eden mustering her courage.

Man, Bianca gets done dirty in All Stars, brought back only to have just one premium scene and she gets eliminated this chapter or earlier. I seriously wonder whether or not Pixelberry disregards the potential she brings just because she's female, and PB just wants to cater to its "target audience" despite their illogical demands. Anyway, she deserves better than this.

I really should be careful of Ivy not honoring our deal, especially since I have a negative relationship with her. Nevertheless, Slater gets eliminated, leaving me with one less tough competitor to deal with. The funny thing is that he's still friends with me. Let's see if he and Ivy wind up being interchangeable because of their pragmatism.

The Elementalists Chapter 1:

The opening scene with the girl Goeffe tried to protect and Discount Dorian Pavus got me thinking that the new book's plot will focus on the nine masters of each attunement. From the fight between them and his assumption that the other masters are weak for not realizing their potential, it seems that the nine elements rests on some sort of delicate balance, and the villain wants to use his powers to the hightst potential possible.

Anyway, back to Penderghast. I'm so glad Atlas and Aster have enrolled. I can't wait to see more of them, especially since Aster was severely sidelined in Book 1. I was shocked and amused to see that Greygarden Waithe looks like Yusuf Konevi with blue hair, blue skin, and yellow eyes. Boy, Pixelberry sure loves recycling character models. On another note, I hope I get to see more of the dynamics between the different races of the setting, especially since Aster mentioned the Wand Wars being a sour point in relations between humans and wood nymphs. It's too good of an opportunity for Pixelberry to pass.

I'm thinking of renaming the friend group from Five Stars to something else, probably The Week, with each member for each day of the week. As for the tour around Penderghast, I encouraged Atlas and Aster to focus on their studies. They're in a place of learning, so they should make the most of their enthusiasm for learning. I know Aster's the kind of person who wants to learn more, so that's a plus.

I like the element symbols on the choices. It makes me easier to choose which kind of spell depending on the situation at hand. Especially when it comes to the environment. It's helpful.

So we can get impression points with Discount Dorian Pavus, eh? Well, He's probably lying when he said that he knew MC and Atlas's parents, but I also think it means impression points will have more impact than before. I hope this new villain has a complex characterization and is very effective at his actions. So far, he has a colorful personality, which is better than Raife Highmore, who is bland and forgettable.

Ride or Die Chapter 9:

Why does it sound like Mona traded one undesireable situation (jail time, which shouldn't be bad for her) for another (ending up with the Mercy Park Crew)? It doesn't help that she has no problems continuing her life of crime. And why destroy a functioning car even if it's old? I swear, she doesn't have much of a personality besides being a criminal who doesn't regret her actions, but then again, I pick her out of "pity" and not because of her personality.

Because I sided with Darius, he visited my MC as well as calling her in the previous chapter. As part of me roleplaying (or trying to) her as an informant dedicated to justice, I told him to just trust me, since the Brotherhood is implied to be the antagonists, and he better stay away from being collateral damage.

Colt and Kaneko, you idiots! I get that the Brotherhood is E.V.I.L., but recruiting Salazar despite how much of a snake he is? Hooray for MPC logic! Another reason to throw them under the bus, though it's part of my plan all along anyway.

Open Heart Chapter 5:

I enjoy the friend group of this series, but I also worry that this competition for the diagnostics team position will jeopardize their friendship. As for Aurora, I told the group that she's not as bad as people say. Despite her aloof personality, disregard of small talk, and an unacceptable remark, there's more to her than meets the eye. She resents being associated with her aunt, is actually good with patients like Annie, and makes no attempt to ruin oter people's performances. It's extremely naïve to assume she shouldn't be a complex character, given her understandable annoyance of being seen as Harper's niece and hidden depths with Annie.

Hello, familiar faces. I kinda laughed at Senator Lucius, Kyle Garza, and Percy Mendoza's faces at the baseball match. Pity I didn't buy the premium outfit, but thr baseball manager's so darn relatable on his lack of familiarity with medical terms.

So, Rafael is a love interest? Not surprised because of his popularity among the fanbase. Didn't pick the premium option to fly with him, so I watched on YouTube, and it was okay. I get to know a bit about him and that he looks up to his uncle, which is nice. Not to mention that the sunset view is beautiful.

More thoughts on Across the Void's return:

As I've said earlier, I'm not excited for it to return. I'm wary of Pax and Eos for being nuisances, the love interests lacking sufficient development for me to care for them, and the Vanguard vs Jura conflict lacking enough focus to the point that I don't know enough of them to care. Maybe Pixelberry will fix this issue by focusing more on the gray vs gray conflict they've set up. After all, this story is supposed to be an adventure that allows us to experience various areas of the conflict.

[underworldystuff]

Happy New Year, @deathbydiangelo! I hope you like your @pjolgbtnet secret santa gift (although it’s a bit late for a secret santa)

Have some fluffy Pipabeth:

AO3 Link

I See Rainbows - by @underworldystuff (leakyfountainpen)

Words: 1087

12

“You know Annabeth, these fireworks are almost as beautiful as you, except their beauty only lasts a few seconds, but yours will last forever. It was a great idea to come out here tonight.”

“Shut up, Piper.”

“No really, you’re amazing and I don’t know what I’d do without you. I love you so much.”

“Aw thank you Pipes. I love you so much too.”

11

“Piper, this is my friend Annabeth. We went to school together.”

“Damn.”

“Oh wow. I never thought I’d see the day when Piper McLean was rendered speechless.”

“‘M not speechless, she’s just really pretty.”

“Well, I think you’re really pretty too, Piper McLean. Can I buy you a drink?”

“She’s mine now, Percy.”

~~~

"So..."

"What do you want, Percy?"

"You and Annabeth..."

"We just had a drink and chatted. I didn't even get her number."

"I can fix that."

"I know what you're trying to do Percy..."

"Hey, you're like my little sister, I want you to be happy. Besides, look me in the eye and tell me she's not your type."

"Fine, you got me."

~~~

"Annabeth. Break her heart and I'll break your legs."

"Don't worry, she hasn't even asked me out yet."

10

“So, Annabeth, can I take you out for dinner sometime?”

“Well, I wouldn’t mind a repeat of this morning’s breakfast.”

“Great. I love breakfast, especially when it’s with you.”

“Well, I did live off eggs and bacon when I lived with Percy.”

"Is he still into Star Wars?"

"Ask the giant Han Solo cutout in his living room"

"Oh wow, that sounds terrifying."

"At least he's not keeping it in his closet anymore; I once went to borrow a shirt and lost about seven years of my life."

"Enough about Percy now, tell me about you..."

9

“Annabeth? It’s 3 am. What do you want?”

“I’m craving a milkshake from Olympus and you have a car.”

“But Olympus is all the way across town!”

“Please, Piper, please!”

“Okay, you monster. But I'm just doing it because I like you. Too much, maybe."

"You won't regret it!"

8

"What's this?"

"It's a key to my apartment. Percy told me your lease was finishing soon."

"So you want me to move in?"

"Well duh, I gave you the key and half of your stuff is already there. Besides, Daedalus likes you more than me."

"Your deciding factor was that your cat likes me better? God I love you."

"I love you too."

7

"Remind me again why I wanted to go to that party? I've got everything I need right here. Netflix, cookies, fuzzy blankets..."

"And?"

"The most wonderful girlfriend ever, who convinced me to stay in and binge watch Netflix with her."

"Damn straight."

"Or not."

"Damn right."

"Seriously though, these cookies may have replaced you on my list of favourite things."

"I might have to stop making them, then..."

"No! You're the best and I love you to the end of the Earth and back!"

"Shut up and watch, Piper... I love you too, though."

6

"Happy birthday, Annabeth!"

"Piper, you didn't have to!"

"But I wanted to. Now, open your present.”

“Piper!”

“Annabeth!”

“Is this a joke?”

“Nope.”

“You shouldn’t have.”

“Come on, you know you want it…”

“Thank you, Pipes.”

“Happy birthday, Annabeth.”

5

“So. You caught the bouquet.”

“Yup. Never thought I’d see those two tie the knot.”

“But what about the bouquet?”

“What’s so special about a bouquet?”

“Really Annabeth, do you not know what the bouquet toss is?”

“Nope.”

4

"Gotcha McLean. 3-2 to me."

"I can't complain though. I've got my extremely hot girlfriend on top of me."

"You're incorrigible."

"I'm yours."

"I wouldn't want you any other way."

"I love you Annabeth."

"I love you too Piper."

"Get a room, you two!"

"Shut up Leo, it's our yard!"

"I have to agree with him; let's continue this inside, Annabeth..."

3

"You wear a lot of bronze jewelry, Annabeth."

"Yeah, my mom wears it a lot, and she gave me some of her stuff a while ago."

"What are the patterns?"

"They're Ancient Greek; it's a family tradition. My pendant says 'Wit beyond mesure'; even my mom is a huge closet nerd."

"Cool."

2

"Your hands are freezing, Annabeth!"

"To be fair, it is really freaking cold out there."

"Have you never heard of gloves?"

"Of course I have, mother, I just forgot them at work."

"Well, come in, idiot. I've got hot cocoa ready."

"Thanks Piper."

"You know the only reason I'm doing this is because you look like some sort of angel when you're covered in snow."

"Yeah, right. You always think I look like an angel."

"You're not wrong there."

"Well, you look like a wood nymph then."

"Girls, girls, you both look pretty, now shut up and kiss, you're standing under mistletoe."

1

"Why is everyone always so excited for a New Year?"

"Because it's a new start, I guess."

"You're probably right. In that case, Annabeth Chase, marry me."

"Marry you?"

"Yeah. I had a whole speech about sharing a life together and stuff, but really, I just love you so much I see rainbows just looking at you and I want that to last forever."

"Well, it would be an honour, Piper McLean."

"Happy New Year, Annabeth."

"Happy New Year, Piper."

And then, they kissed.

0“Do you, Annabeth Chase, take Piper McLean to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love, honor, and trust her in sickness and in health, in adversity and prosperity, and to be true and loyal to her so long as you both shall live?”

“I do.”

“Do you, Piper McLean, take Annabeth Chase to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love, honor, and trust her in sickness and in health, in adversity and prosperity, and to be true and loyal to her so long as you both shall live?”

“I do.”

“You may now kiss.”

“My baby is married! My beautiful, *sniff* wonderful daughter Piper!”

“What do you say we head straight to the hotel to avoid everyone, including but not limited to my mother?”

“You know we can’t do that Piper. Besides, I thought you couldn’t wait to see what Rachel got us?”

“But my mother!”

“But cake!”

“Alright, but only because I kind of have a crush on you.”

“I think it’s a bit more than a crush.”

“You sure about that?”

“Absolutely.”

“Good, because I’m sure that you’ve got more that a crush on me too.”

“Well, you’re right.”

[melonoverlord]

obscure asks for the biscuit

What convenience store food would be their go-to at a 7-11 (Fantasy or otherwise)?

When he simply can’t cook anything or make something, he’ll just walk in, grab a microwavable burrito and fill a bucket with cherry slushie and leave.

Who is their drinking buddy? If they don’t drink, which drunk friend would they watch over?

It’s been Luna since they were teens, but when she’s busy or on a mission, his next go-to is Val. They’re the unlikely friends but are good drunks together.

Who would be their go-to character in Clue?

Professor Plum because he looks nerdy and is purple.

If they ever had to go to college, what major would they pick?

Music. And you bet your ass he got into Julliard.

Do they have a signature color(s)?

Purple and black.

What would be their favorite vine?

He is a big fan of the Misleading Compliments, but his favorite has to be “Parents be like ‘Here comes the airplane!’ It’s not an airplane. It’s just spoon.”

If they had a social media account, what would it be about?

His tumblr is either full of original music he composed or recipes. His instagram is partly pictures of his family, him playing his violin, or pictures of food he’s made.

Who would they invite to be their best man/maid of honor at their wedding?

Luna without a doubt. Oberon would be walking him down the aisle because he sees Oberon as a father he never had.

Alternatively, who’s best man/maid of honor would they be?

Again, Luna, definitely. He would never pick anyone else.

What would be the title of their sex tape/mixtape?

‘My baguette’s in your donut hole’

If there was no prejudice, what time period/place would they love to visit?

The 1940s was perfect for the Biscuit. Everyone was so well dressed and he just got to be himself and dance with a beautiful girl. He also has that nerdy look that is perfect for the 1940s.

What three words would they use to describe themself?

Shy, Good Musician, Protective

What three words would their friends/family use to describe them?

Ciri would say: amazing, loving, warm, affectionate, supportive, thoughtful, honest, brave, intelligent, loyal, caring, wonderful, sweet, and a fantastic hugger

What nicknames do they have? Any particular stories behind them?

Luna calls him ‘Tim Tam’ and Oberon calls him ‘Idiot Kid #2′. And of course everyone on the ship calls him ‘Biscuit’.

Do they consider themself a good person? Why or why not?

After much consideration, yes. He still blames himself for what happened on Caritain, but he knows he’s done more good than harm.

If they were a cryptid, what would they be?

Werewolf; Makes a scene once or twice a month and then prefers to stay in the shadow the rest of the time. He’s a nervous boy and doesn’t like attention.

What is the one thing they wish they could’ve said to a loved one, but never did?

He wishes he could’ve argued a little harder for Cael and Evie to come with him because now he doesn’t know if they’re even alive or dead.

What would they tell their ten year old self?

‘Don’t try to reason with Cael or Evie. Just take them and run.’

Who would be on their team in an all out prank war? Who would they be against?

Ciri, Luna, and Nivviah would obviously be on his side, along with the kids. And against, probably just Adrian because he doesn’t want to hurt anyone.

Can they drive a car? Are they good at it? (If cars don’t exist, would they be able to drive if they existed?)

He would have a license but never use a car. He would be that driver that’s excruciatingly careful. He has to look both ways ten times before he makes a turn.

Tell the story behind their most stupid injury/scar.

In his early training with Luna, he was afraid to hit her so when she swung at him, he took it head on and she sliced him in the arm. Oberon had to stop training because both of them were crying so much.

What word(s) would they freeze up at if someone said it to them?

“Selfish”, “You let them die”, ‘You’re bringing down the entire team because you’re so scared of everything’

Who is someone that they don’t talk to much, but would probably get along with?

He doesn’t talk to Percy a ton, but they both have the chill attitude and would get along.

Have they ever done something they think is unforgivable?

Absolutely. Even after talking to Ciri, he still thinks that he should’ve fought harder to take Cael and Evie with him and Luna.

What type of soda would be their favorite?

Ginger ale. He doesn’t really drink soda, but ginger ale makes his tummy feel good.

What do they want more than anything?

To live free without fear of being recaptured by Genesis. And live in a nice house with his wife Ciri and children Ravi, Crumb, and Psyche.

What is their fatal flaw?

He is too shy and doesn’t want to face situations head on and would rather not deal with awkward situations.

What Greek God would they be most like?

Apollo, god of music and medicine.

Who do they looks the most up to?

Luna and Oberon. They both helped him break out of his shell and become a more useful part of the revolution.

If they had to pick between their best friend or significant other, who would they pick?

He couldn’t pick between Luna or Ciri. He’d kill himself on the spot so he wouldn’t have to choose between the two most important people in his life.

[ink-splotch]

you know what would have been great? if ron got sorted into slytherin.

imagine-- we have this kid on the train, the first friend harry meets, with his corned beef sandwiches and smudged nose. ron is eleven years old and he wants gryffindor, because he's a weasley and that's what always happens. but it doesn't happen.

what a way to redeem slytherin house-- or, god, at least complicate it. because ron is petty. he is mean and sharp and ambitious and jealous-- and he is loyal to the ends of the earth. he is all those things, and he is and always has been good.

potter becomes before weasley in the alphabet, so harry says not slytherin please and gets told might as well be gryffindor. percy and fred and george are all sitting there in red and gold, ruffling the already-ruffled hair of the boy who lived, smug, and then ron sits down and the hat spits out slytherin!

c'mon it'd be fun. just imagine--

the weasleys freaking out-- but even that first christmas molly sends him a sweater in beautiful green and silver.

snape taking points from gryffindor when ron breaks rules or mouths off. "i'm in your house." "hm, couldn't tell which weasley it was..." /drifts away

sitting with harry in potions and in flying-- whatever classes they happen to share. meeting up to study. scarfing down their breakfasts at separate tables so they can go hang out in the empty classrooms before the day starts. hermione reads while they play exploding snap.

the trio signing up for all the same electives third year. this friendship being something they earn and work for; not just the one that looked easiest. (not to bash canon ron&harry, the bros to end all bros, but by putting this very obvious obstacle between them-- it makes it that much clearer to the reader that this is a love worth fighting for, because they're fighting for it).

ron being jealous that harry and hermione get to share this house, this home, these hours, while he's stuck with malfoy and parkinson and goyle-- because that would eat him up some days, some months, this insecure kid who's been the last at everything all his life. this kid who always leaves and always comes back.

ron, who constantly compares himself to his brothers-- not as smart, not as popular, not as good. one more nail in that coffin, here, yeah? he's not a prefect, not a quidditch star, not a troublemaker-- and even when he becomes those things, someone else has always gotten there first. 

well, i guess he got to this house first at least

ron still snaps at snape in potions, after hermione's been ignored three times, "you know, sir, i think hermione might know the answer." he still pulls the bars off harry's window with a stolen, flying car. he still shows harry around the burrow shyly, not knowing what a wonder a warm home is. he still stands up in the shrieking shack as best as he can with a broken leg and tells a mass murderer that if he wants harry he'll have to go through him first. 

ron weasley is a lot of things, but one of them is absolutely a true friend.

in their second year:

when everyone calls harry the heir, they eye ron at his side and sniff.

when hermione lays petrified in the medical ward, ron sits at her side and reads her homework assignments aloud and thinks my house this was my house. 

when ron hugs ginny's damp, shaking frame after the chamber, ron says sorry and sorry and are you okay and i'm so sorry and ginny calls him an idiot.

the trio spends more time in the library with hermione, since ron can't come to gryffindor tower to study, and homework remains a thing that has to happen. fred and george constantly try to sneak him into the tower anyway. 

"c'mon, ronnykins, you belong here, you deserve it, no one's gonna fuss, it's your BIRTHRIGHT," and ron fusses and rolls his eyes at them

and then in fourth year in one of those periods where he's not talking to harry and harry's not talking to him-- he just snaps at the twins

because it's not, alright?

not his birthright, not his house, and maybe no one would fuss if he snuck in, maybe no one would care, and that makes it worse not better, because then he's just that weasley who should've been gryffindor

and isn't

(and harry overhears this caterwauling, feels his heart fall to his toes, and goes and awkwardly asks ron if he wants to go a few laps on his firebolt). 

(because, god, harry-the-chosen-one, harry-in-the-cupboard-under-the-stairs, harry-who'll-save-us-all-- he knows what it's like to have should have beens on your shoulders, and he knows what it's like to not be wanted).

ron cheers for gryffindor during quidditch matches in those first few years, and sits with hagrid and hermione and neville. harry's seeker, and fred and george are beaters, and ginny becomes chaser eventually, and honestly screw the slytherin team. they have each and every one of them said disparaging things about ron's mother.

harry and hermione badger ron into trying out for keeper fourth year; he and harry have been practicing on the quidditch pitch because its a non-library-shaped place to hang out where both of them are allowed. ron makes the slytherin roster, and malfoy grudgingly provides ron a team broom after the captain chews him out for a bit.

"he may be a weasley, but he's our keeper, don't you want to win, draco"

but the sort of things they spit in the locker room, the words the players hiss or snigger, the slurs that come easy to their tongues-- ron would like to say that he considered just walking out of the cesspit, but instead he snipes and sasses and shouts and sometimes tries to spell slugs at the worst of them. 

it doesn't do much, that one irritated voice of protest-- except that it does. and he's got a new (hand-me-down) wand, after the gilderoy fiasco, so the slugs even come out the right end.

fred gives him a black eye with a bludger one time (though ron does manage to block the quaffle) and molly sends a howler to gryffindor table with the morning post. ("RON DID YOU TATTLE") ("IT WAS CLEARLY PERCY, FRED, SIT DOWN")

(the weasleys often have family conversations across the great hall, with hufflepuffs and ravenclaws covering their ears long-sufferingly between them)

in the lake, it's still ron hanging there in the water, still and bloated. it's still harry's heart that stutters in his chest, for all it's just a game, just a game, just a game, right?

ron listens hard and tries to talk himself out of fist fights, all that next year in the slytherin common room as they read aloud rita skeeter articles.

when hermione calls dumbledore's army to its first session in that pub, there are green scarves in that crowd-- ron and one of the beaters who ron's gotten to help glare to rest of the slytherin quidditch team into submission.

ron beats draco to being prefect (i think i remember it was dumbledore and not mcgonagall who seemed to award prefect status-- snape doesn 't get a say).

percy is SO PROUD, as usual, but so are fred and george. "did you see the little malfoy git? green with shame, my god."

when harry has the dream about sirius, ron isn't there to wake. but when draco's pulled out of bed to be a professional bully-- er, i mean inquisitorial squad member-- ron follows at a careful distance and curses draco from behind. 

they ride thestrals over london. harry finds the prophecy and ron thinks about the sorts of things that get decided at your birth.  

sirius black was a son of slytherin who had a lion living in his chest that he couldn't hide away. 

ron was meant to be gryffindor, and through a haze of injury and fear he watches sirius die just out of harry's reach.

just imagine: ron with his temper and his sharp words and his fierce loyalty. ron who looks into the mirror of erised and sees house cups and prefect badges and ambitions earned-- he could belong in slytherin. there is nothing wrong with wanting things, and he wants them so bad.

there are so many reasons to fight a war, and so many ways. harry and his sacrifices, his loving resignation. hermione's good right hook and bottomless bag of supplies. luna, brilliant and a bit batty. lee jordan's radio and mcgonagall's burning patience and brittle, certain bones.

just imagine: when the last battle comes, there is a slytherin on the field who is not snape.

when draco and his parents walk away, in that last battle, ron--

who slept in the same dormitory as the boy for six years

who heard draco's nightmares and saw him paling and desperate all sixth year

who is as pureblooded as lucius's spoiled whelp

who remembers grimacing at the thought of squibs

who has known magic all his life

who spotted draco penning letters home to his mother every sunday and hiding them when the other boys could see--

ron sees them going.

he sounds no alarms. he says no farewells.

he turns back to his friends, and his fight, and lets them be.

just imagine: when harry kneels on the train platform and his second son asks him "but what if i get sorted slytherin, dad?" harry can say, "the bravest man i ever knew was in slytherin house. whatever you are, wherever you go, we're going to be so proud of you." 

and they can both gaze over to where ron is squawking beside his daughter's trolley of luggage because crookshanks (who will live to be forty eight million years old) has latched onto his shins with a violent fondness.

[callistoandfaye]

A Callisto and Faye Book Review: The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by MacKenzie Lee

Plot :

On his year long Grand Tour of Europe in the 18th century, Henry “Monty” Montague assumed his time would be spent in gambling halls, with bottles of spirits, and nursing his crush on his lifelong friend and traveling companion, Percy. But as usual with Monty’s life, things took an unexpected turn on his journey and he would find himself entangled in a mysterious quest along with Percy and his sassy younger sister Felicity. The thrilling and comedic twists of the journey force Monty to come to terms with himself and his understanding of the world.

Diversity: 5/5

Re-Readability: Very high

Who Would Like This Book?

Fans of LGBT literature

Anyone looking for a book portraying diversity with mixed race and disability

Anyone interested in traveling, historical fiction, Gothic mystery, feminism, or romantic comedies

Plus like…there’s pirates so everyone should read it??

Favorite Quotes:

“We are cracked pottery mended with lacquer and flakes of gold, whole as we are, complete unto each other. Complete and worthy and so very loved.”

I thought this quote was such a lovely way to wrap up the story and also described Monty and Percy’s relationship so very well! 

- Faye

“There’s really nothing to do but pretend I’m fully clothed and in control of the situation”

This quote sums up Monty’s character in the beginning of the tale. He is rebellious and always cracking a joke, but he still tries to hold onto a thread of gentlemanly dignity. You have to give him credit for trying.

- Callisto

Intro to Main Characters:

Monty

Monty is a young gentleman still stuck in his rebellious teenager phase even as he is pressured to take over his father’s estate. Monty has a knack of getting into trouble, even when he tries his best to stay on the straight and narrow. Luckily he is able to get out of sticky situations with the help of his charm, and his friends. Monty also happens to be fabulously bisexual and incredibly oblivious.

Some of Monty’s likes: Percy!, messing around, partying in the 18th century, freedom

Some of Monty’s dislikes: Responsibility, his father, not having a drink in his hand, the gentry, RICHARD PEELE

Percy

Percy is a lower member of the English gentry and Monty’s best friend (and crush). Percy is heartwarmingly loyal, kind, and brave. He is passionate about music, art, and travel. He happens to be unapologetically mixed race and very emotionally strong!

Some of Percy’s likes: His violin, music, art, travel, his friends

Some of Percy’s dislikes: Unkind people, Monty’s moments of insensitivity, also RICHARD PEELE

Felicity

Monty’s younger, but much more mature, sister. Not only is she smart, sassy, and a feminist idol, but she is truly supportive of her brother even when he is being imbecilic. She tends to take over as the leader of the group, especially in times of panic and chaos!

Some of Felicity’s likes: Education, reading, bossing people around, helping in times of need

Some of Felicity’s dislikes: Kissing, being told to “act like a lady”, Monty being an idiot

Writing Style

The story follows Monty’s narration which includes a surprising mix of humor and poetry. The reflective nature of Lee’s writing allows us to see the slow progression of Monty’s character as his perspective on life changes and as he acquires a greater understanding of himself. Lee also includes modern phrases alongside 18th century lingo in a lighthearted style that reminds us of the period, but also its connection to current issues. It seems as though we can easily imagine a version of Monty living in the 21st century, making him almost painfully relatable. Lee’s attention to detail and painstaking research of the period should be praised.

Character Development

The character development in this story is so well written that it’s a reason in itself to read the book. We see all of the characters, even more minor characters, grow and nurture closer relationships and learn their place within the world. Their journey of discovery wasn’t easy, and sacrifices were made, but in the end the reader is left with a very emotionally satisfying conclusion that eases heartbreak with hope.

Theme Messages 

The book deals with sensitive topics like sexual identity, race, disability, depression, abuse, and women’s empowerment. Although some of the topics are heavy, they are approached with humor and compassionate reflection. The reader follows Monty as he navigates these sensitive subjects in a irresponsible and unprepared way. The reader finishes the story with an expanded awareness about how these subjects have effected identity throughout time and up to modern day. One quote, which Faye mentioned previously, seems to sum up the theme of the story, “We are cracked pottery mended with lacquer and flakes of gold, whole as we are…complete and worthy and so very loved”. We are all worthy of the love and compassion of others, but that is something we have to discover on our own. We discover to trust and to see the beauty in ourselves as well in others.

[loveforhp]

hey, which weasleys do you like the best and the least? why?

This is kind of hard as it depends a lot on the perspectives from which I look at them lol. The Weasleys in general are sometimes problematic and very fucked up tbh, but I still love them all. Molly really really really annoys me though XD she’s a good person and she has been through a lot, but oh my fucking god..

So here’s my list (for the moment, at least)

Bill (He’s not exactly my favourite, but since I don’t have anything bad to say about him, let’s say he goes at the top of this list lol. I always loved him. Little me thought he was so cool! xd He has a lot of style and a nice smile, he’s funny, he does not take anybody’s bullshit, he’s always himself (even after Greyback bit him). He’s always ready to help and to take risks. He’s responsible, intelligent and logical, knows how to have fun… he always respects everyone, isn’t bigoted or sexist. He is very reliable, doesn’t try to control anyone but rather gives advices, etc. etc. )

Ginny (she used to annoy me a bit in the books, and she’s not always very sensitive, but in fact she just gets bad representation all the time. it’s crazy how badly they all treat her. even her own family. they always seem to forget what she has been through (even harry duh), and she’s often slut-shamed by people around her (even Pansy Parkinson seems to have more respect for her sometimes, which tells a lot). But despite all that, Ginny is still a strong woman and she’s a beautiful person, full of love and now I just love her so much hahaha. She’s also very energetic, I like that! oh and she has a lot of nerve, but everybody knows that xd! and she’s very humble and loyal. you don’t see her whining. and, for example, she just knows and understands what harry has to do, and she just lets him do whatever he has to do, even if it hurts her. Her love is pure. Awh and she defends Luna too :D. She doesn’t take anybody’s bullshit either lol :P and she loves cute animals, so that’s cute too.)

Arthur (I love how he protects his family, how cute he seems to be with molly, how he is always ready to help everyone, and how he tries to be neutral. He doesn’t treat the others like they’re babies and he says the true stuff. He works hard, he’s patient, and he really tries to do his best. His hate is generally justified and even there, he doesn’t really hate. He’s great! His fascination for muggles is kind of weird and very awkward, but he doesn’t mean it in a bad way. He’s just clumsy and kind of ignorant, which isn’t that bad).

Charlie (I didn’t know where to place him in the list as we don’t have much information on him tbh. He loves dragons and that’s pretty much it lol. I love him, though. He’s courageous, etc. And he loves being outdoors, nature, animals, etc. He has a lot of respect towards everyone, and he’s always ready to fight and to go back to England or Hogwarts when it’s necessary. He lives far away from everyone, but somehow he’s always there, he keeps in touch with everyone. He just lives from his passion and that’s kind of cool I guess. It’d be nice if he can find a dragonologist girlfriend though haha. He deserves someone.)

Ron (I love Ron and the way he protects and defends his friends and family. How he is usually ready to make people (he likes) feel better, how generous and courageous he is, etc. I love how intelligent and logical he is. I love his humour, etc. However, I don’t like his extremely short-temper, the way he treats women in general (fleur, hermione, lavender, cho, his own sister, etc.). He’s not a bad person, he probably doesn’t even realize how problematic some of his views are. Also, he doesn’t really think before acting or saying stuff. He has a lot of prejudices too and they’re very long-lasting, the latter detail being something I really despise and can’t stand in real life. He really just can’t let go, about most things anyway, and he’s somewhat jealous and careless. I don’t know if I would love him as much if he wasn’t one of the main characters. But he’s still adorable. He isn’t always authentic, but that’s probably because he’s not very.. self-confident, which is understandable. Overall, he’s a great friend though.)

Percy (Percy is very ambitious and he definitely loves his family so so so much. He even named his daughter after his mother. But he felt somewhat detached from them (which is normal, considering the way they used to make fun of him) and he had difficulty believing them when Harry said Voldemort was back. Percy loves order, and he used to trust the ministry. He probably didn’t want to believe in the return of Voldemort either, which is normal. It isn’t much different from, idk.. seamus finnigan, for example. However I really don’t like how much time it took him to come back to his family, to admit he had been wrong, but!!! at least he did.. And he definitely admitted he had been a prat xd, and so many other stuff. He was awesome at the battle of hogwarts. And let’s be honest, he had always been there for everyone too, ready to help and to answer all their questions. He’s the first person Ginny went to when she was in trouble in CoS, etc. Percy is just a very serious and studious guy, who’s not really about having fun, at least when compared to his very loud brothers. But eh, that’s perfectly alright. And he probably wasn’t that bad if Clearwater went out with him :). And he really seemed to love her. Percy doesn’t get enough credit, imo.)

Fred (Fred is cool. There are a lot of problematic stuff about him, though. Same with George. The way they treated people sometimes is just downright awful. They didn’t mean any harm most of the times, but they are just really careless. Fred is always there to defend his family and friends (and even other people) however, and that even if he is often very very nasty to them (especially to ron and percy). I don’t like what he and George did to Dudley either. And that whole love potion thing is fucking weird (which is true for Fred, George and Molly too – and Ron too in tcc, but that’s another story; ron in tcc is extremely problematic tbh, in the way he treats hermione especially.) I wouldn’t say Fred is a bully (it’d be hard to apply this to him and george, as they always stand up against injustice), but he definitely has bullied people too. Dudley, Montague, etc. He’s not exactly innocent or fair. But he’s definitely courageous, and he’s not an idiot either. He is perfectly capable of forgiveness (for example, when he forgave percy), etc. But it’s hard to hate him… he and George are very important in the books; Fred is very loud, and he gives a lighter and ‘funny’ touch to the story (even if when you really think of it, there’s nothing exactly funny about what he does/says, etc.)

George (I suppose pretty much everything I said about Fred applies here too. George is just somewhat more prejudiced and more short-tempered than Fred, but ehm, that’s weird because at the same time he is more sensitive and also understands people better. He also cares less about money than his twin. He’s always there for Fred too. Moreover, even in the worst moments, he’s able to crack a joke, which I think is cool. It’s so sad he had to lose his twin brother during the final battle.)

Molly (at-the-very-bottom-of-the-list™) (She just really annoys me. I don’t like how she seems to treat everyone like they’re all babies. I don’t like how controlling she is as a mother, even though it is obvious she really really cares about her kids. She has no tact. The way she treated Hermione in GoF is just downright awful. She’s prejudiced, stubborn, stern, but.. happily Arthur is there to help her with that xd. She’s been through a lot, and I definitely understand her hate for everyone linked to the death eaters or voldemort, as her two bros were killed, etc. etc. Like.. she certainly will defend her family to not end, which is good, but damn she could even go as far as killing (even draco, who could go to no end and could sacrifice himself for his family too, is incapable of such a thing). I do understand why she killed Bellatrix, and I do understand that they were in the middle of a battle, and that Bella had started (with ginny) and that Bella is a fucking bitch, but that’s still awfully wrong. I really do understand why Molly did it, and that was probably deserved and I forgive her, but.. it’s more the fact that Molly probably never felt any remorse for what she did, despite Bellatrix being an awful woman (that’s not even the question here), that makes me cringe. The way she treats Sirius like he’s nothing and unimportant for Harry, like she’s actually more important duhh, is disgusting too, and I don’t like how naive she is (for example, she used to read that crap from Rita Skeeter, and she was acting so weird and childish around Lockhart, etc.) Like ok, Molly is awesome, she’s so nice sometimes and wants to be a good mother to everyone, even to Harry, and she’s fucking generous and she’s an amazing cook, but plleeeeease, just let people breathe woman and don’t force your bullshit on them. And OMG I almost forgot. the way she treated Fleur. Oh shit. What the fuck. That was just horrible, immature, and disrespectful.)

Well, that’s pretty much it haha. I’m not exactly sure about the order, but anyway :P 

[tkbstpaul-blog]

Book Review: Lockwood & Co., The Whispering Skull by Jonathan Stroud

Reader: Rayna Grace C.

Age: 15

Title: Lockwood & Co., Book 2 The Whispering Skull

Author: Jonathan Stroud

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Pub Date: 09/16/14

Galley: Yes

Top 25: Yes

Convince us to read the book: “WELL [JONATHAN STROUD] SURE KNOWS HOW TO MAKE AN IRRITATINGLY PERFECT CLIFFHANGER, NOW DOESN’T HE? UGH. I AM SO DISGUSTED RIGHT NOW.”      - Me, said to an empty room at 3:00 AM after finishing The Whispering Skull

I am not sure if I have been living under a rock or accidentally joined some sort of cult that banned British authors, but I had never heard of Jonathan Stroud until about a month ago. After reading the first two installments of the Lockwood & Co. series, I am definitely adding all his works onto my "To Read" list.

    Now, my only disclaimer for potential readers is this: If you like ghost stories that make you so afraid that you keep the lights on at night for three weeks straight, these are not really the books for that. I would compare this series more to a mystery/crime novel, where ghosts just so happen to be both the victims and perpetrators of crimes, rather than the nail-biting campfire tale you might expect.

    I admire this series because it is not just about this crime-solving trio and their slowly changing relationships with one another, or the impossible situations awaiting for these unsuspecting heroes once they walk into each haunted house, or even about the strangeness of each ghost and the story surrounding their death; this series combines all of those elements and builds a multi-faceted story with them. I cannot stress enough how important it is for any sort of book, YA or otherwise, to combine and emphasize all literary elements equally.

    Also, I really dig the fact that Lucy is more protective of George in this book than in the first, describing him more like an actual human being and less like a pile of spoiled sausage. Even though every time Lucy made a rude comment about her comrade in The Screaming Staircase I laughed really hard, I always silently pitied George because I relate to his awkwardness, mismatched clothes, unfortunate face and all. Furthermore, this character development proves that even though Lucy is quick to judge and slow to trust, once she decides to befriend an individual she is completely loyal to them. In other words, this tells the reader that a) George is not, in fact, a pile of spoiled sausage and b) Lucy is a kind person, despite the aggressive way she describes herself.

    I really am not sure where I should end this since I have no cons to list in this review, so I will just say I will be happily waiting for the third book in this series (hopefully I will see it in the collection room..?) and in the meantime I will be trying to find other novels like it.

Memorable or Forgettable: This book was memorable for me personally because it was the first book in a series I have found in the collection room that I have wholeheartedly enjoyed. This book had very detailed descriptions and realistic characters, yet was surprisingly laid-back in the delivery of the plot development (I mean this in the most endearing, lovable way possible).  This meant the reader could feel engaged and intrigued while reading the book, but if they were forced to set the book down for dinner it would throw them into a white-hot rage (do not think this is a ridiculous occurrence in my household, I have gotten myself into more than one argument because I was interrupted while reading). The Whispering Skull was one of the only books I have liked where I did not feel as if I was being held hostage by suspense, which was one of the most uniquely relaxing book experiences ever. Overall, this series is just really solid from every angle and I respect that. Keep doing what you’re doing, guys.

Cover: I like the cover for this book generally speaking, considering it was the main reason I checked the book out in the first place (skulls and green smoke are definitely promising when looking for a creepy fantasy/mystery novel.) However, I want the cover of this book to be created by the same artist (or someone with a similar style, if they are too busy or something) as the first novel because as strange as it sounds, three days before I checked out The Whispering Skull from the collection room in the Metropolitan State Library, I had ordered The Screaming Staircase from my local library after hearing about it on Tumblr (I had to repeat the title and author in my head as I was walking to the library since I could not find a pen, so I had the facts ingrained in my mind) and yet when I checked out The Whispering Skull, I had no idea that it was the sequel to the book I had just ordered. Now, I like to think that I am not a complete blubbering idiot when it comes to making everyday connections like this, but the cover threw me off so much I did not even consider the brother novels to be related. If anything, they looked like second cousins. This needs to be fixed, soon, because this seemingly small change can greatly impact this book’s return audience and overall earnings.

    Also, artist-drawn covers will always scream quality to me as a reader, since almost every successful YA Fantasy novel I have personally come to adore (ex. The Fablehaven series, Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus series, 13 Treasures Trilogy,, etc;) has an amazingly intricate artist-drawn cover.

    So, in short, all publishers need to give all their most promising YA Fantasy books artist-drawn covers because that decision shows that someone actually took the time to read a scene in the book, care enough about it to scrape up the motivation to create their own detailed and accurate rendition of said scene, and put their heart and soul into something that other people will see.

    I am sorry this section became so lengthy, I just cannot advocate enough for artist-drawn book covers and this novel gave me the proper opportunity to so.Age Range: Under 12 through 17

Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book

Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal

Additional Comments: Also, just want to throw this out there: kudos to making a female protagonist that is not gorgeous. Thank you for not making Lucy’s beauty (or lack thereof) necessary for her to be accepted by her peers or respected by her superiors. Thanks for creating a character that does not fret about her physical features day in and day out, even if society thinks she should. This is important. Thanks.

Annotation: Anthony, George, and Lucy are back in the daily grind, fighting ghosts/solving crimes for the city of London. However, life for Lockwood & Co. becomes a little less ho-hum when the ominous skull in a jar at the crew's home speaks after months of silence, and better yet, he seems to have a personal connection to the group's newest case.