#read so far

[ohnostalgia]

kind of funny to me that in 1998 both savage dragon and wildstorm introduced their gay batmans

[aroaceoutinspace]

What I Read in July!

For so long now I have been in the worst reading slump, getting through a book a month at most, but I got so much read in July and I'm so proud of it. I finally feel a bit more like myself 🥰

1. Babel by RF Kuang

I was dying to read this book for so. long. and it didn't disappoint! This was a fantasy story set in 1800s Oxford in a fictional Translation Institute, Babel. The storyline and imagery was just incredible, and everything felt so accurate to that timeline. The way it explored linguistics and meanings that got lost in translation fascinated me, the characters broke my heart, and the way RF Kuang handles racism in the story was just as educational, accurate and raw as always. Anybody who read this and said 'oh it made me feel guilty for being white!'.... you're the problem.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

2. Gallant by VE Schwab

This was a really satisfying fast read in my opinion, or maybe after the monster that is Babel anything would seem fast 😂. Since many pages are taken up by illustrations and journal pages with little writing, the story itself is fast but still really good. It explores a girl in an orphanage who has always been able to see ghosts, and the only possession she has is her mother's journal who tells her she will be safe as long as she stays away from Gallant. I am a sucker for dark fantasy and the concept of entities entering from other worlds, and really loved this story. I did feel slightly underwhelmed at the ending, but the story and atmosphere was enjoyable nonetheless.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

3. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Trust me when I tell you that this is what Shadow and Bone wishes it could be. Murder, secret societies, college campus, magic and a girl who can see ghosts. What's not to love?! I adored Alex's sarcastic character, and her back story was so raw and unjust. If you like dark academia vibes and fantasy, just read it. One of my top books without a doubt.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

4. Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

If course I immediately devoured the sequel and was not left disappointed. Finding out more about a certain ability interested me so much, and so many elements came full circle! Fair warning however, this is not the end, and now I must endure the wait for book 3 🥲. Story of my life.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

5. A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

Honestly I tend to stay away from romance books for the most part because of amatonormative themes that often crop up, but in my experience gay romance is more modern in that sense, and this plot was far to amazing sounding for me to skip. Yet another historical setting, a misunderstanding that plunges somebody not magical into the magical world, curses, and forbidden gay love. What's not to love! That twist at the end of something unrectified was brilliant and I will have to read the second book very soon!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️/5

Other

Now this isn't technically a book.... but I mean audiobooks count as reading so audiodramas do too? Right? 😂

I am currently in the depths of a Magnus Archives obsession, and finished season 2 in July. I am now halfway through season 3 and so much is happening I am enraptured. I need to know everything-

The Magnus Archives is a horror audiodrama (but more the slightly gorey than jumpscare type. As someone who reads dark fantasy and not horror I still enjoy it). The Magnus Institue deals with researching paranormal cases and investigating their credibility, but everything mentioned becomes important at some point. That is how beautifully crafted it is. Names and themes crop up over and over and you find yourself trying to make so many connections. Its just amazing

If you do plan on listening to it, don't worry if you don't notice connections at first. It's at MAG 16-20 you should start noticing the similarities. Season 2 (MAG 40-80) was a bit of a drag, but trust me when I say it crawled so Season 3 could run like a maniac. New obsession here I come.

3.5-4 stars for Season 2 but 5 stars for season 3 so far!

Thank you for reading, I hope you'll give one of these a try!

[bisclavaret]

a day late to my 6 years on t anniversary ✨🏳️‍⚧️ a short comic about looking back

[sparkleofstardust]

in light of the recent news that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has been found dead after a helicopter crash you might be wondering 'who the hell is this guy and why are so many people celebrating his death??' and i'm here to answer that!

to fully understand what's going on we need to look into Iran's history: when the Iranian revolution in 1979 happened the authoritarian king who was ruling at that time was overthrown, but the ensuing power vacuum lead to the islamic regime seizing power and establishing Iran as an islamic republic

the following years were incredibly cruel to the Iranian people; thousands of people (especially minorities) have been protesting against the strict islamic regime leading to many being jailed, tortured and executed.

and this is where Raisi played a big part: in 1988 he was part of a committee that ordered the execution of thousands of political prisoners who were protesting the islamic regime, earning himself the title of "the butcher of tehran"

do not be fooled by what the state media wants you to believe, the Iranian people are celebrating his death. he was a cruel mass murderer who has destroyed the lives of thousands of people, his death should be used as a time to mourn for all the suffering he has caused, and bring new attention to the political prisoners still being held in Iranian prisions today

because sadly the fight is far from over. many of you have probably heard of the murder of Mahsa Jina Amini back in 2022, causing a new wave of nationwide protests and establishing the "woman, life, freedom" movement. the regime has gotten increasingly cruel in their treatment of the Iranian people, especially women, but the people of Iran are not deterred and keep fighting for a free Iran.

if you want to know how you can help, please keep talking about us. the one thing the regime hates is international attention, and in the past it has been proven that international pressure has stopped the regime from executing various political prisoners. people like Toomaj Salehi are under imminent threat of execution and spreading their names could save their lives. so whether you share social media posts or talk to your family and friends about what is happening in Iran, anything helps 🙏🏼

jin, jiyan, azadi ✌🏼

[froopa-coopa]

"I live a lonely life without you. And I may be troubled, but I'm gracious in defeat."(in dreams - ben howard)

fanart inspired by the fic "buried my love in a shallow grave" by iamcringebutiamfree on AO3 / @grahamfolgersdeliciousnotebooks !!Set right after Jon made it out of the buried. I love it so much🍊💙

[cj-the-random-artist]

Ok hear me out: Narilamb but they're both aroace and in a qpr.

I've been rolling around in my head for like a long long time this idea that Narinder and Lambert could both be aroace and (after like. A couple of centuries or so) end up in this like very comfortable very close relationship that neither of them define as anything specific other than calling it a "companionship". But on the other hand most of the cult thinks that they're dating in secret or something despite the fact that both of them have said they don't take lovers, because they are clearly very tight but maybe not super openly so, so maybe the cultists thing they're being secretive and hiding something or something like that. Idk but my aroace brain loves thinking about extremely close (mostly) platonic relationships and for some reason my brain decided hmm. I'm going to take this and throw it at Narilamb and see how I like it.

So then I decided to make a ridiculous joke comic about Narinder asking Lambert's hand in marriage specifically because he wants to get out of paying taxes. Because like, I know that spouse followers do actually still have to pay taxes in the actual game but. Hey Narinder and Lambert have presumably never married so they probably don't know that...? Honestly the only reason I made this was because the concept tickled me and I spent too much time on this for no one to see it, so. This comic and all it's absolute ridiculousness be upon ye.

While there's a tiny part of me that's been thinking about making this into an AU (which I'd probably call something like the "Strictly Platonic AU" or something), I know for a fact that I would blatantly not do anything legitimate with it so. It's an unofficial AU I guess?? But. Anyways. I thought this would be funny. Enjoy my ramblings and I hope you enjoy this thing that I spent. Actual time on. Lol

[mebis-art-dump]

She is so cool

[aarchimedes]

for context: I read the hobbit first over the course of two years when I was like 13, but I'm only now starting to read lotr. having a blast tho!

anyways, reblog if you feel like it 🙌🏻

[ba1laur]

2023 darkstalker floating in space doing nothing grinning evily and scary. png 1 and 2

[vivid-vices]

the way chuuya immediately looks down at his shoe with that curiously hopeful look on his face is the cutest thing in the world. "i don't care about dazai at all" chuuya, my guy, you want his approval of your fucking shoes

[rollingoverinmynonexistentgrave]

Norris: “I lost someone I love </3 and they came back wrong </3 </3”

Chester: “do NOT GO TO THE MAGNUS INSTITUTE DON’T GO TO THE MAGNUS INSTITUTE DON’T GO TO THE MAGNIS INSTITUTE YOU WILL DIE DO YOU HEAR ME DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT THE MAGNUS INSTITUTE”

Norris: “sometimes I can still hear his voice”

[communistkenobi]

reading blackshirts and reds. 1) having a great time 2) I remember Toscano in Late Fascism gives a bunch of definitions of fascism and one of them was that fascism is bourgeois class consciousness. applying that label to fascism seems to be pretty productive while reading Parenti

[welcometogrouchland]

[ID in ALT] I've made posts before about Talia/Dick co-parenting Damian moments (will never happen but let me dream) and this came to me in a vision. Took me ages to finish for some reason 😭 and then even longer to post

[inkskinned]

i got my isbn today for the book. 8 months to go. my mom and i were talking about what the next steps are. i was eating trail mix, standing on one foot, phone tucked into my ear.

"yeah," i said. "the problem is that tumblr as a market is like, not something that can be studied." there's this weird wave of nostalgia and affection for this place that came up over me: how lovely we avoid consumerism. okay, it sucks as a creator. but also? keep stickin' it to 'em.

my mother made the sound at the back of her throat that i also make, the one that means i've got an idea. "you should figure out some kind of reward for presale amounts. maybe you give out poems or a mug or a signed book or something. would your followers like that?" my mother is sweet, and kind, and i have no idea how to explain on this website you can buy someone crabs.

i put more m&ms down the hatch. i had to speak through peanuts and almonds. "if it passes 25 thousand i will print the book out in its entirety and eat it live on camera."

"oh god. no, you don't have to do that." she was anguished. "just tell them that you'd love them to read it, and that they've inspired you to write. you got started on that site, and they helped you keep going. raquel, you love these people. the community? you talk all the time about the other writers and artists and whatever else. tell them that you're hoping for their support, they'll come through."

"no," i assured her. i discovered i had dropped an m&m, but an ant had already found it, so it belonged to him now. i will let his little life have a surprise blue treasure in it, too. "i'm gonna fuckin' eat the book."

[anouchard]

So, there we have it!

Season One is complete (well ... ish). I've had an absolute riot playing Gwen, and it's been so lovely seeing your reactions every week.

To you: thank you for being the most enthusiastic, engaged, and earnest fandom I have ever encountered. Y'all are an absolute JOY.

To the entire team at RQ, to my gorgeous castmates, and to every single writer who worked on this one: thank you, and congratulations.

And to Gwendolyn Bouchard? Well ... Good Luck, Babe!

[starvinginbelair]

the best explanation of the pre-flashpoint batfamily i think i've ever seen