#plus vishas there too

[piiinkfreak]

Lil tanya sketchs i did in class yesterday...

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[dailydegurechaff]

Have you ever read the Youjo Senki Restaurant manga?

Weiss and Erich are so moe in them, Weiss' sweet tooth is adorable characterization and Erich's poor tummy is way too endearing.

Plus, Visha and Elya flashback!

I have!! It’s so fun I love it sm. I love watching Tanya scheme and suffer on the frontlines, but some honest to goodness pure fluffiness really is healing for the soul, it’s so cute.

I count myself among the believers that the Restaurant designs are among the best designs we have. Everyone is so pretty… Perhaps most importantly to me, all of those pretty panels of Erich are near and dear to my heart.

[chibitorra]

Hey Torra! I wanted to send an ask in for the OC questions 🥰 could I ask for 13, 35, 63, 74, and 90 for Visha? I'm interested in hearing more about her!! Thank you for your time ❤❤

kjdflkdsahfdskfhsdf Thank you, Sea!! I’m so happy you’re interested in my girl, Vi! :D Thanks for asking!

13. What do they do for fun?

Visha loves to whittle things, especially post-Eneru when she has easier access to real wood. She used to work at a furniture store before Eneru destroyed Angel Island, and though she was just a mundane saleswoman, she took an interest in trying to replicate the intricate patterns she’d see, plus it helps her focus on something else when things get stressful. She likes to make people little wooden trinkets of their favorite animals. Of course she always has a blast when training with Kamakiri too!

35. What is the easiest way to annoy them?

To put it simply: People being rude. She gets really pissed off when Skypiean folks make assumptions about the Shandorians, especially after she starts getting to know them and their culture. Go ahead and call them savages if you want an earful from her. 

63. What is always guaranteed to make them smile?

Cheesy af, but: KAMAKIRI! They’ve been through so much together, and though their relationship started out with just sparring sessions, they’ve grown and learned so much about each other and the different worlds they live in. In some ways he’s become her guiding light in a world that had previously been so dark and unknown, just seeing his face and knowing he’s there makes her smile. 

74. What weather is their favorite? Do they like storms?

Oh boy, Visha actually developed severe anxiety over storms since the Eneru Incident. I don’t know if Skypiea even gets thunder and lightning storms naturally, being above the clouds n all, but if they do, she becomes terrified. 

90. Are they right or left handed?

Y’know I never thought about this one much, but I suppose I’ll be boring and say she’s righty... Possibly ambidextrous because later on, she wields a pair of daggers, but I don’t know enough about daggers to know if one has to be ambidextrous to use two at once. (I’d assume so but I just don’t know lmfao...)

[aliceflutez]

@duskthicketbonepicker​

Here you go! I’m hiding this under a cut because, well

Soot:

               Mercenary queen with way too much attitude and a triple coal? I love her already tbh. Plus, what lesbian doesn’t love antiquing? She kinda just seems like every protagonist I’d love way too much.

 Kizmetto:

                 A+ dragonsona, definitely has this adorable look of “scattered but ridiculously friendly” to her. She kind of reminds me of an old friend of mine in all the best ways. I’d let her decorate my house for sure, although I’d have to tell her to stick with jasmine since I’m not a fan of sandalwood. Some amazing art in her bio too!

 Lotus:

               So, my impression from just looking at her was geek, and then I read her bio and realized that she’s more of a socialite with her life 1000x more together than mine will be for years! I love her colour scheme, and all the little touches in her bio that make her really come to life. She just seems like she’s one of those people who it would be calming to even just be near. I love her.

 Tolarian:

                 Tolarian just looked like a friend right from the start and oh boy was I right. I just want to sit with her somewhere in the resort and relax and chat about whatever she felt like that day. I think she’d have the same sort of vibe as my best friend. I’ve gotta ask, was she intended to be kind of autistic coded? The friend I mentioned has Asperger’s, and so many of her quirks seems similar to him.

 Itzel:

                 Itzel seems like she’d be the sort of person who would be coming through my work ordering eight shots of espresso three times a day along with her boss’ coffee. Always weighed down with at least one massive bag and a list of things to get done before she could stop to think. I love the feeling of ambition and energy I get from her though? I’m guessing her relationship with Xoco is mostly strained because of her sister’s… religious choices?

 Caius:

                 Caius just seems like he should be giving me a quest already. I’ve got such a clear image of him from just his bio though, I love it! Plus he’s got such gorgeous colours and an amazing outfit to go with it… I’d definitely spend a day chatting up that mysterious old guy on the beach. I think I’d learn a lot.

 Rhonda:

               Okay so I’m in love with this adorable lifeguard already? Her and Ketut seem like such a great couple, especially since you go into how much they’ve grown as a pair. I’m not generally into reading romance stories but oh my god I want to read about those two. Plus, she just seems like such a kind person in her own way? It just makes me happy that she’s happy.

 Ketut:

                 The other half of the happy couple! And he’s a fellow bisexual who’s a little useless with his feelings, I love him already! He’s also another one who just falls into a personality type that I love the second I read about them. Totally unrelated to most of my thoughts on him, I have a feeling at some point he’s tried to make a drink to match Rhonda’s scales, but given up since he can’t make it half as beautiful as her.

 Aria:

               I remember seeing Aria when you first hatched her, of my gosh she’s so pretty gened up with  that accent! I’m weak for skydancer girls even on the worst of days, but she just looks so delicately beautiful I want to protect her with my life? I can see her just lounging in the shade on the beach, watching some hatchlings splash and play in the surf and just loving life.

 Jaya:

                 Right off the bat I just got the vibe of “Queen” from Jaya, but I couldn’t be more happy that I was a little bit off. The area where I live is a semi-desert, so the feeling of a warm summer wind is one that I’ve known all my life. All the dangling trinkets in her outfit are such a cute touch, I’m guessing it’s kind of a sensory thing with all the sounds of them moving in the wind when she flies?

 Noir:

                 OH my gosh his backstory makes me want to cry. He definitely didn’t deserve to lose his charge, and yet he hasn’t let it make him bitter. I just want him to find a nice, loving home and settle down. He deserves it.

Aegis:

                 I have a vague memory of seeing him in posts of yours before since the second I read his name I thought “Oh you little shit.” I hadn’t read his backstory before though, and that would certainly explain some of why he might be a bit of a hooligan! I think he and my random progen Karmanor would probably get along really well, but get into way too much trouble.

 Angelo:

                 My first thought with him was “What a soft boy” and then I read the first line of his bio and burst out laughing. I just want to sit with him in his garden by the lavender and relax? Also I hope that mysterious tundra gal is his sister, but if she hurts him I might die.

 Rinoa:

                 Oh sweet, she IS his sister. And a ranger too! She seems pretty mellow, although that might just be the feeling I get from anyone who likes the smell of pine. It reminds me of hiking in the summers with my family, there’s not a more relaxing smell in the world.

 Xoco:

                 Back to the little sister! I love her aesthetic, it’s an unexpected mix but it works so well. It adds so much depth to her character that she isn’t just your stereo typical vicious “A sacrifice for my gods” type. I like her more than I expected to when I heard about her rocky relationship with her sister?

 Quill:

               I had such a clear feeling of who he was from the first three paragraphs of his bio, oh my god! I’d love to be able to write like that. Plus, I’ve always got a soft spot for calligraphers since I dabble in it a bit myself. Do you think Lotus plays at his exhibitions?

 Trellis:

                 The last sister! I love how each of them has such a clearly different personality from their apparel without sacrificing the colour scheme that makes it so clear that they’re related. It’s cute that she’s so shy with Dahlia, do they end up together eventually? Also, does she ever braid some of her flowers into Xoco’s mane? I’d kind of like to think that’s where she gets the roses from.

 Karazh:

                 Oooh, progen time! He seems so nice and relaxed! I’m not much of a tea person myself, but I’d definitely give his a shot. I like that he has almost the same feeling to him as Caius, but almost… gentler?

 Almasi:

                 And progen #2! I love how her personality is a bit of a foil to Karazh’s. It’d definitely take a lot of mutual respect for that relationship to be work well. Her bio seems to hint that she did something in the past that it felt like she needed to be punished for, was that how you switched from your old lore clan to the new one?

 Apollo:

                 Oh my gosh, I love Apollo’s aesthetic, but that boy is just so damn bitter. Like, bought an entire hot topic and writes terrible poems bitter. I hope he gets a happy ending, but he’d better change that damn attitude to deserve it.

 Zanthe:

                 I love the concept behind her backstory! I’m not generally a huge fan of pearlcatchers, but the kelpie mane looks great on her and really adds to that half-imp look. For her singing, is there a person you have in mind that she might sound like?

 Ylva:

               Ylva is tough as nails, and I’m not talking physically! I’m guessing she was a bit of a therapeutic character for you, and I’m so glad you let her have a happy ending! She kind of reminds me of my girl Nemesis when it comes to looks, although Nemesis is shade-touched.

 Dock:

               To be honest, all I can think to say about Dock is that he’s so completely dumb and I love him. Also he looks great with that skin! Seems like a nice buoy overall

 Raine:

                 She almost gives off a kind of burlesque/jazz vibe? I love the mystique and charm in the way you write her, it makes me want to go hear her sing. I can see her singing Don’t Know Why (maybe not the original version by Nora Jones though)

 Pjeper:

                 Pjeper just seems like such a chaotic little imp and I love him. So much energy and nothing to do with it, poor guy. Hopefully he gets a job soon.

 Dahlia:

                 She’s such a stubborn, gentle mess and I love her? I’m always 1000000% here for ace nerds, and she just seems so sweet with her tea and her cats. I think she’d get along well with my progen Khione, although Khione’s research mostly focuses on magic.

 Apex:

                 I love the fact that in spite of being an antisocial person Apex still does an incredibly important job at the resort! It kind of surprises me that she’d ever leave, even for important research. Is the resort her charge or does she not have one yet?

  Toxicity:

                 Ooh, the radioactive version of my boy Visha! He’s definitely quite the character. I can’t decide if I love him or hate him, and I think that’s exactly the perfect place for him to be as a character. I wonder how a lab coat would look layered under his jacket, but I doubt he’d ever bother to wear one.

 Nylon:

                 She gives off the creepiest vibe and I love it. Toxicity may be love/hate, but she’s definitely more love-to-hate. I feel super bad for their kid tbh.

 Baleful:

                 Oh my gosh I want to rescue this potentially sweet child. I’m sure one of the dragons in my clan could make her some special sunglasses and noise cancelling headphones so she could go out and enjoy the world. Visha’s used to leaking toxins, I’m sure he could help with the spines.

 Jargon:

                 I love this clumsy formerly little nerd? I mean, he might not have much in the way of social skills but by golly he knows what he likes. I feel kinda bad for Raine, Zanthe, and Khayyat though. Hopefully he gets the hang of dealing with things like that.

 Glyph:

                 It hurts me a little that Glyph isn’t an Arcane dragon but I love her anyways? I bet she can do a lot just by humming with a bogsneak throat. Her art is so cute too, I love how innocent and sweet she looks in it!

 Arjun:

                 At least he’s honest about being a jerk? Honestly though, all I can think about is which of the girls in my clan could kick his ass in the most humiliating way possible because pretty much all of them would hate him.

 Fafnir:

                 Oh my gosh she’s so beautiful! Too bad she’s stuck with Arjun. I think my girl Nerio would literally love her to pieces. Her accent is amazing too, I might have to see if I can hunt down a copy.

 Kataki:

                 Honestly from the feeling I get of her, that chibi in the top of her bio sums up Kataki perfectly. I feel like she’s always diving headfirst into literally everything in her life, and it’s such a beautiful mess. I doubt Fafnir always appreciates it though xD

 Rosyth:

                 He seems like such a friendly, quirky guy? If he ever stopped by my clan he’d get along great with Nyx! I love that in spite of being an astronomer he’s still so social and charismatic, it’s a neat little detail to him.

 Rug:

                 Ooh, another little twerp!! I can see some of his personality really suiting a ridgeback, but he’s so perfect as a mirror. Another boy Karmanor shouldn’t be allowed within a few hundred kilometers of or they’d somehow cause even more trouble than they normally would.

 Fatalis:

      ��          Her art looks so cute oh my gosh! I love the concept behind her revival, and the detail with the wings. Hopefully she settles into modern Sornieth soon, she deserves it.

 Xiack:

                 I just knew he was going to be a bit of a dick just looking at him. Awesome fandragon though, and I love all the little details about his radio station! (I’d probably listen to it)

 Prompto

                 I love all his pets oh my gosh! I bet his room is stuffed full of photos of them all. I have a feeling he’s a fandragon for something I don’t know, but even without knowing he’s a really neat dragon. Based on his looks and the theoretical photos of his pets it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s made a ton of “memes”  (or whatever Sornieth’s equivalent might be) based on them

 Melon:

                 Oh my gosh that drink sounds delicious. And I’m so glad melon is as sweet as her drink! I bet she and Ketut get along great!

 Pina:

                 Tiny dragon with a mouthful of a name there! She seems like such a sweet kid, I’m glad she’s found a great older sister! And that art is so sweet,  it’s a whole story in one photo.

 Levia:

                 Oh my gosh she’s beautiful! I have a feeling there’s some great big myth about what might’ve happened when someone ticked her off that she just laughs at. Her accent is incredible though, I might need a copy for Artemis.

 Thayne:

                 Baby sis sea monster! She’s just so sweet and ethereal. I love that choice of gif for her bio too, bioluminescent algae is neat stuff.

 Voltaic:

                 Oh my gosh poor boy! He did so much for Mercury… I don’t see him in your lair so I’m guessing nothing there ended well at all. I hope he gets over it…

 Dune:

                 Oh my gosh that boy is so impossibly lucky! I bet his honey gets used in a ton of wines around the resort. And with all of Trellis’s flowers around they’d taste amazing!

 Max:

                 Her bio really makes me want to finally play life is strange. I love the layout on it too, it was incredibly easy to keep reading through. Overall she’s a really great fandragon!

 Chloe:

                 She’s so beautifully blue oh my gosh! Her outfit matches the character so well too.  A great match for your Max.

 Rachel:

                 Her outfit is simple but I like it? The fire is a nice touch from what I’ve read in her bio too, plus is brings out her tert so well! Maybe the teardrop jade earrings would match the ones she wears in the gifs?

 Ixalan:

                 I love how humble Ixalan is about his skills! He seems like an incredible person to work with/under, I’d love to have a mentor like that someday myself. That’s some awesome pixel art in his bio too, it’s a great touch.

 Swampthing:

                 Oh my gosh she’s the most catlike griffin I’ve heard about in a long time. Hopefully the hatchlings stop treating her so badly eventually, she’s just trying her best. Also, I feel the pain of that scatter history, that’s why I stopped keeping them.

 Aquila:

                 I just looked at him and gasped tbh. That accent looks so gorgeous with his colours! He may not have much lore, but damn that boy is a warrior.

 Aerie:

                 Oh my gosh she’s so striking! If she’s a little arrogant at times she’s earned it in my opinion. Who’s her main contact at the resort? I can see so many funny communication errors happening with her and a few of the dragons xD

 Escha:

                 Almost as striking as Aerie, but so much gloomier, geez. He’s like the worst traits of a vulture and a magpie all rolled up into one. I’d say he’s quite the character telling stories around the fire, but he probably avoids them like the plague.

 Odary:

                 She may not have lore yet but oh my gosh she’s so elegant! I could totally see her being some type of priestess or dancer. Either way she’s amazing.

 Horus:

                 Well this boy is just a recipe for disaster. Amazing outfit and accent though, I love how the light plays against the dark.

 Gil:

               Oh jeez Gil don’t let Tox and Nylon make the next Frankenstein. I love his colours though, that greyscale with the hints of blue and red is incredible. I never realized powerpack added those extra horns until I saw it on him. I think my brain is broken now.

 Matoya:

                 Such a gorgeous geode oh my gosh! Now if only all her grandkids weren’t so darn ungrateful… At least she has Jaya and Angelo around. I didn’t realize her name was from final fantasy until I clicked on the theme song link, but I forgot how much I love the soundtrack for those games! (Never played them, just love orchestral/classical music)

 Eirin:

                 Jeez, what a nerd xD He’s such a sweet boy though, and I love that idea of the comet being used as a lens/projector! Maybe since he’s from wind he could even have enough magic to stir up a fog and do some 3d?

 Able:

                 Such a cute messy boy! I love that autumn aesthetic, and the flower nymph is a perfect match!

[health-andfitnessinfo]

[health-andfitness]-Fungal acne isn’t *really* acne at all—it’s more like facial dandruff

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When I heard that my coworker was dealing with a fungal condition on her skin, it sent shockwaves through my very acne-prone skin. There’s another form of the zits that I have to worry about?! Then, after perusing skin-care threads on Reddit, I saw post after post of people claiming that they’re afflicted with fungal acne and showing off their fungal acne-safe beauty routines. So I had to dig into the issue to ensure that there was not a fungus among us.

My colleague caught her skin fungus from working out, which actually makes sense…because Athlete’s Foot is among the most notorious. “Fungal acne is also known as pityrosporum folliculitis,” explains Joshua Zeichner, MD, a New York City-based dermatologist. “Especially in warmer climates, high levels of sweat and oil allow normal yeast on the skin to grow to higher than normal leavers. The yeast can then promote inflammation within your hair follicles, leading to red bumps and pus pimples.” So it’s not exactly acne even though it appears almost the same. What it’s triggered by, instead, is malassezia or the same type of yeast that causes dandruff.

While this kind of fungus most commonly shows up on the chest, according to Dr. Zeichner, it can also appear on your arms, back, and face (ugh). You’ll know if it’s fungus if your typical spot treatments aren’t working. “If you have pus pimples not responding to traditional acne treatments, it could be this condition,” he says. “The good news is that you may already have a good treatment in your shower—common dandruff shampoos like Dove Dermacare Scalp ($5) contain an ingredient called zinc pyrithione which lowers levels of fungus and yeast on the skin.” And yes, even though it’s for your hair, he notes that you can use it as a body wash (just let it sit for a while before washing off).

That’s not it, though—Purvisha Patel, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare says that the most common fungal condition is called seborrheic dermatitis. “It’s caused by p. ovale or m. furfer and it’s essentially dandruff of the face,” she says. “It manifests as scaling of the eyebrows, sides of nose, and ears.” Or you could get ringworm (which, don’t freak—isn’t actually a worm), which is caused by dermatophytes, says Dr. Patel. “It presents as round, itchy scaling areas and is usually transmitted from pets.”

Regardless of what kind of fungus you have, beware—it’s a fickle breed. If you’re a devotee of facial oils, it will only make the problem worse. “Fungus loves warmth, moisture, and oil, especially olive oil, which is the best way to make it grow in a culture,” says Dr. Patel. “If you have seborrheic dermatitis, stay away from edible oils on your face and scalp, such as coconut and olive oil—because if you can eat it, bacteria and fungus can eat it, too.” That can be tough, especially if you’re into clean beauty, which has plenty of skin-care products infused with all types of facial oils—so be sure to double check the ingredients list before slathering something on that’ll just feed the fungus. Instead, look to zinc pyrithione and tea tree oil (which has super anti-fungal prowess) to do the trick.

On a related note, here’s how to prevent athlete’s foot (another fungus). And these are the signs of toenail fungus (ugh). 

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[vosphere]

tbh I actually kinda hate Tanya as a person and believe she deserves all the pain that’s going her way. I can tell it’s gonna be an unpopular opinion as the anime’s getting more attention, but ya’ll gotta remember she’s actually a sociopathic 40 year old douche that gives no shits about anyone’s lives and WILL throw you under the bus to get a promotion. 

And don’t got shipping her with anything for godsake, Tanya may have the soul of a 40 Japanese businessman, but she’s still like 10 years old in that body, so it’s super fuckin weird to have her shipped with Visha who’s like 16, period. Don’t care if you’re coming off the Izetta:The Last Witch Yuri high, it’s still a fuckin 10 year old, no matter how you look at it. 

That all being said I actually like the show because I love stories like Breaking Bad where the main character claws their way to the top with bloody hands only to have it all come crumbling down, at least that’s what I hope this story is gonna turn out to be, where in the end Tanya looses all that she holds dear and sees herself for what she truly is. God that’d be so fuckin good if they did that, but the manga hasn’t gone too far and I ain’t reading the LN, so for now I’m waiting to see where this train wreck goes. 

Also the animation is solid and I’m a huge nerd for world war era warfare, so that’s a plus.

[margueritegibson]

Most Anticipated Debut Author Reads of 2017!!!!!

2017 promises a lot of really fantastic new reads and releases, particularly from debut authors!! There are some books on this list I've been waiting for since this time last year, so I am more than ready to start reading. I order my most anticipated debut author list by release date (though, being super honest, Wintersong is my most anticipated debut author read of 2017, just saying).

Let's start!

Poison's Kiss (Breeana Shields) Released: 10th January, 2017.

A teenage assassin kills with a single kiss until she is ordered to kill the one boy she loves. This commercial YA fantasy is romantic and addictive like-- a poison kiss-- and will thrill fans of Sarah J. Maas and Victoria Aveyard. Marinda has kissed dozens of boys. They all die afterward. It s a miserable life, but being a visha kanya a poison maiden is what she was created to do. Marinda serves the Raja by dispatching his enemies with only her lips as a weapon. Until now, the men she was ordered to kiss have been strangers, enemies of the kingdom. Then she receives orders to kiss Deven, a boy she knows too well to be convinced he needs to die. She begins to question who she s really working for. And that is a thread that, once pulled, will unravel more than she can afford to lose. This rich, surprising, and accessible debut is based in Indian folklore and delivers a story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats

Really excited for this one. My copy is on its way and I'm looking forward to starting immediately.

 Wintersong (S. Jae-Jones) Releases: 7th February, 2017.

Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell. All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns. But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts. Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.  

I've been talking/blogging/generally gushing about this book since early 2016, so to say I'm excited for this is the biggest understatement of the year. The second I get my hands on a copy, I'm doing nothing else but reading.

 Empress of a Thousand Skies (Rhoda Belleza) Releases: 7th February, 2017.

Empress Rhee, also known as Crown Princess Rhiannon Ta’an, is the sole surviving heir to a powerful dynasty. She’ll stop at nothing to avenge her family and claim her throne. Fugitive Aly has risen above his war refugee origins to find fame as the dashing star of a DroneVision show. But when he’s falsely accused of killing Rhee, he's forced to prove his innocence to save his reputation – and his life. Madman With planets on the brink of war, Rhee and Aly are thrown together to confront a ruthless evil that threatens the fate of the entire galaxy. A saga of vengeance, warfare, and the true meaning of legacy.  

 Doesn't this book sound amazing? Gives me The Diabolic vibes, which I loved, plus isn't the cover just gorgeous!

 Gilded Cage (Vic James) Releases: 14th February, 2017.

Not all are free. Not all are equal. Not all will be saved. Our world belongs to the Equals — aristocrats with magical gifts — and all commoners must serve them for ten years. But behind the gates of England's grandest estate lies a power that could break the world. A girl thirsts for love and knowledge. Abi is a servant to England's most powerful family, but her spirit is free. So when she falls for one of the noble-born sons, Abi faces a terrible choice. Uncovering the family's secrets might win her liberty, but will her heart pay the price? A boy dreams of revolution. Abi's brother, Luke, is enslaved in a brutal factory town. Far from his family and cruelly oppressed, he makes friends whose ideals could cost him everything. Now Luke has discovered there may be a power even greater than magic: revolution. And an aristocrat will remake the world with his dark gifts. He is a shadow in the glittering world of the Equals, with mysterious powers no one else understands. But will he liberate—or destroy?

 I just came across this book recently and it looks really interesting. Another early release for 2017.

 Heart Blade (Juliana Spink Mills) Releases: 14th February, 2017.

The Heart Blade will rise in light, or in darkness. Teenage half-demon Del Raven wears a promise in scarred letters upon her skin. Now, pressured to make her first kill and seal her demon nature forever, she flees her pack and forges a dangerous partnership with young angel-blood Ash. But Del isn't the only one on the run from the demons. For seventeen years the Guild of Saint Peter has done its best to hide orphan Rose, a key player in the centuries-old Heart Blade prophecy. The threads tangle, and soon Del, Ash and Rose find themselves in the crosshairs of an ancient war between demons and angels... and the hunt for a mythical weapon that could change the balance of power forever.

 Really looking forward to this one! Looks like a fun, interesting read.

 Daughter of the Pirate King (Tricia Levenseller) Releases: 28th February, 2017.

A 17-year-old pirate captain intentionally allows herself to get captured by enemy pirates in this thrilling YA adventure. Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship. More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

Pirates. That is really all I have to say about this book. Just like with Blackhearts last year, anything to do with pirates will interesting take my interest, so I'm looking forward to reading this one!

 Blood Rose Rebellion (Rosalyn Eves) Releases: 28th March, 2017.

The thrilling first book in a YA fantasy trilogy for fans of Red Queen. In a world where social prestige derives from a trifecta of blood, money, and magic, one girl has the ability to break the spell that holds the social order in place. Sixteen-year-old Anna Arden is barred from society by a defect of blood. Though her family is part of the Luminate, powerful users of magic, she is Barren, unable to perform the simplest spells. Anna would do anything to belong. But her fate takes another course when, after inadvertently breaking her sister’s debutante spell—an important chance for a highborn young woman to show her prowess with magic—Anna finds herself exiled to her family’s once powerful but now crumbling native Hungary. Her life might well be over. In Hungary, Anna discovers that nothing is quite as it seems. Not the people around her, from her aloof cousin Noémi to the fierce and handsome Romani Gábor. Not the society she’s known all her life, for discontent with the Luminate is sweeping the land. And not her lack of magic. Isolated from the only world she cares about, Anna still can’t seem to stop herself from breaking spells. As rebellion spreads across the region, Anna’s unique ability becomes the catalyst everyone is seeking. In the company of nobles, revolutionaries, and Romanies, Anna must choose: deny her unique power and cling to the life she’s always wanted, or embrace her ability and change that world forever.

 This is another book I've been looking forward to since early in 2016. Blood Rose Rebellion features everything I love in a good book - a fascinating setting, historical undertones, romance, action and mystery! Also, the author is running a fantastic preorder deal at the moment for a map print, signed bookplate and bookmark which you can check out HERE.

 The Traitor's Kiss (Erin Beaty) Releases: 9th May, 2017.

No Cover Yet!

An obstinate girl who will not be married. A soldier desperate to prove himself. A kingdom on the brink of war. With a sharp tongue and an unruly temper, Sage Fowler is not what they’d call a lady―which is perfectly fine with her. Deemed unfit for marriage, Sage is apprenticed to a matchmaker and tasked with wrangling other young ladies to be married off for political alliances. She spies on the girls―and on the soldiers escorting them. As the girls' military escort senses a political uprising, Sage is recruited by a handsome soldier to infiltrate the enemy ranks. The more she discovers as a spy, the less certain she becomes about whom to trust―and Sage becomes caught in a dangerous balancing act that will determine the fate of her kingdom.

 This looks like a really intriguing read!

 Shimmer and Burn (Mary Taranta) Releases: 8th August, 2017.

To save her sister’s life, Faris must smuggle magic into a plague-ridden neighboring kingdom in this exciting and dangerous start to a brand-new fantasy duology. Faris grew up fighting to survive in the slums of Brindaigel while caring for her sister, Cadence. But when Cadence is caught trying to flee the kingdom and is sold into slavery, Faris reluctantly agrees to a lucrative scheme to buy her back, inadvertently binding herself to the power-hungry Princess Bryn, who wants to steal her father’s throne. Now Faris must smuggle stolen magic into neighboring Avinea to incite its prince to alliance—magic that addicts in the war-torn country can sense in her blood and can steal with a touch. She and Bryn turn to a handsome traveling magician, North, who offers protection from Avinea’s many dangers, but he cannot save Faris from Bryn’s cruelty as she leverages Cadence’s freedom to force Faris to do anything—or kill anyone—she asks. Yet Faris is as fierce as Bryn, and even as she finds herself falling for North, she develops schemes of her own. With the fate of kingdoms at stake, Faris, Bryn, and North maneuver through a dangerous game of magical and political machinations, where lives can be destroyed—or saved—with only a touch.

 THIS. BOOK. SOUNDS. AMAZING. Oh, and the cover - sooooooooooo pretty. Also, a handsome magician you say, well, that can only end well.

Wicked Like a Wildfire (Lana Popovic) Releases: 15th August, 2017.

All the women in Iris and Malina's family are born with a gleam—a unique way of manipulating beauty through magic. Seventeen-year-old Iris sees flowers as fractals and turns her kaleidoscope visions into glasswork, her twin sister Malina interprets moods as music, and their cold, distant mother Jasmina bakes scenery into decadent treats at her confectionery in Old Town Cattaro, Montenegro. Jasmina forbids Iris and Malina to share their gleams with anyone, and above all, she forbids them to fall in love—being discovered could shatter the quiet lives they’ve built in their tucked-away, seaside town. But Iris and Malina are tired of abiding by their mother’s rules and rebel in secret whenever they can. Yet when a mysterious, white-haired woman attacks their mother and leaves her hovering between life and death, the sisters unearth an ancient curse that haunts their line—a wicked bargain that masquerades as a blessing, and binds the twins’ fates—and hearts—to a force larger than life. To save each other, they must untangle a thousand years of lies and reveal their own hurtful secrets. But even the deepest sacrifice might not be enough. Wicked Like a Wildfire is the first book in a sumptuous, bewitching duology about the power of love, death, magic, and the many faces of beauty.

 I am not going to dance around it - it is the gorgeous cover that first drew my eye. Then I read the synopsis and I was 100% sold. This book sounds amazing!

 Mirage (Somaiya Daud) Releases: 6th November, 2017.

No Cover Yet!

A YA fantasy/SF trilogy inspired by the author's Moroccan background, in which a poor girl from an isolated moon must become the body double to the cruel imperial princess, and learns that life in the royal palace is far more dangerous and complicated than she imagined. Publication of the first book is planned for fall 2017.      

 Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!! This book sounds incredible!!!!!!!!! Another book giving me The Diabolic vibes. I really love the body double/ secret life stories and then perhaps there may be some awesome romance.

 Those are the books that have caught my attention at the moment, but 2017 is young, so I'll probably be coming across many more amazing debut author reads later in the year. I might even do a mid-year most anticipated list, as many of these books release in the first three months of 2017.

[recentanimenews]

The Saga of Tanya the Evil: Plus Ultra

By Carlo Zen and Shinobu Shinotsuki. Released in Japan by Enterbrain. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Emily Balistrieri.

So in the afterword to the second volume of Tanya the Evil, the author talks about how much his editors and readers want to see more of the guys in the cast rather than Tanya herself, and how he is adamant about keeping Tanya front and center. And I get that, he’s correct as far as it goes. But I also understand the feelings of the others, because too much Tanya, particularly when we’re smiling and nodding along with her point of view, is not only overpowering but actively harmful to a degree. The Saga of Tanya the Evil works best when it shows us the disconnect between what Tanya is thinking and what the rest of the cast thinks she is thinking, and there are several very amusing moments here where we see that. But it’s not nearly as many as the first book, and pure, unfiltered Tanya, which we get here for long stretches at a time, risks the reader coming over to her point of view. Which is not, I suspect, what the author is going for.

The title is, as are all the titles in this series, Latin, and means “further beyond”. It’s also the national motto of Spain, one of the few countries in Europe that doesn’t have an equivalent here. The “plot” of the second volume reads almost like a book of short stories, and those who expect to see more of Tanya vs. Being X beyond her constant grousing are going to be disappointed. Instead, Tanya and her unit perform like the A-Team, dropping into war zones and magically coming out successful even when they’re unaware of it. We hit the Tanya equivalents of Romania, Norway, and France here, and also take a little bit of time to perform a few wartime atrocities. There are occasional flashforwards to reporters discussing these events as history, and it’s made pretty clear that history is not going to be happy with Tanya’s actions. It’s also made pretty clear the Empire is not going to be on the winning side when the war eventually ends. Now that we’re getting England… sorry, The Commonwealth into it, who knows where the books will take us next?

But again, as I said, there’s a whole lot of Tanya point of view in this book’s 7,963 pages. (That’s a slight exaggeration, but is is punishingly long. Readers may feel better knowing that, although all Tanya volumes are long, none in the future are QUITE as long as this one.) There are a few exceptions – we’re introduced to a new recruit whose job is to boggle in horror at war and Tanya (possibly not in that order), and we also meet a man who looks like he’s being set up as a major antagonist, Anson Sue (whose daughter, god help us, is named Mary Sue)… except he’s promptly killed off without Tanya even knowing who he is, so the whole thing ends up being anticlimactic. We occasionally see some of the Empire higher-ups, or a brief POV of the other side. Even Visha gets very little to do in this book besides be Tanya’s adjutant. The readers want more of the other characters because it provides some balance and different coloring. All Tanya is like eating potatoes every day.

I’m still not ready to drop this series, which is odd given “this is too dark” is the main reason I tend to drop light novels these days. I think Tanya’s odd historical and military tone works in its favor – the book may be filled with ludicrous amounts of discussion of ammo, shells, and the rules of war, but its dry tone sets it at a remove from the actions it describes. And I can’t deny that I find Tanya fascinating, and I’m still not sure how much the author wants us to like her. If you enjoyed the anime (which I admittedly haven’t seen), I can only imagine this is a must buy, as there’s lots of stuff that must have been cut to ribbons in adaptation. As for me, I will read on, but I can’t deny that at the end of the day one word comes to mind reading The Saga of Tanya the Evil: Exhausting.

By: Sean Gaffney