#readblog reads

[eyeswaitingfortuesdaynight]

the helmet saga

[airlealilac]

Currently reading ...

I love the cottagecore witch lifestyle of the characters!

[corrosivelikeacidd]

growing up

lately I have found myself missing what it was to be a small child, when everything had a sense of protected foggy ness about it and my biggest worry was combing the tangles out of my hair or loosing my ring in a lonely field

I know my childhood is coming to an end, I have known for a while now and although sometimes I put on a visage and pretend I am prepared for adulthood, I am not ready for this to end.

I know to savour what small time I have left but it seems the more I try and hold on to my days the faster they slip away like sand falling through my fingers as I try to close my hand with no avail

looking back on these nostalgic memories makes me want to cry, all the times when we would sneak out of the house on a foggy morning before my parents awoke, the moments when we decided to be brave - using each other has human ladders to reach to biscuits at the top of the cupboard which seemed almost a thousand miles away, when we drew all over the attic walls and made it our secret club base where we would conduct many meetings over the years.

so many fond memories to reminisce upon and yet I think I am most afraid of forgetting. that one day I will wake up to a truly grey world and my memories will be stripped from me.

but then I think I’ve always been scared of forgetting. from the young age of five I would lug around my mothers camcorder and a digital camera I got for my birthday following my siblings and parents around through some misplaced desperate need to capture these moments as they were happening, a practice that continued well into my teenage years.

I wish I could be at peace with leaving this part or myself behind and maybe I will one day but for now I am stuck wishing I was back in my neighbourhood climbing the magnolia tree in my elderly neighbours garden.

I think that to an extent everyone struggles with letting go.

it is so tragic to be conscious of our lives slowly slipping away right before our eyes, and our hands are tied condemned to do nothing but watch.

this is both a blessing and a curse because I think living forever would be far worse.

but who knows maybe I don’t have to let go and maybe I never will

[theliterarygnat]

Reading Summary: 1. May, 2024 (The Hunger of the Gods, Chapters 50-78)

CHAPTER 50 | ORKA I actually like Vesli and Spert, though I do wish they were more developed and had more nice interactions with Orka to help play up the emotions in this scene. Spert's scenes and appearances usually boil down to 'Spert hungry. where porridge?' and Vesli, while having had more scenes, feels like she's brushed off by Orka more than not.

I also wish we'd have gotten more scenes with Vesli and Breca in the first book to help solidify her motivation. There's not much going on there, even though Breca was the one who found and saved her. I wish that Orka's story in the first book was organized differently to allow us to get more invested in her family. I knew since chapter one that they'd be killed and abducted, so it was hard to get into their presence since I knew they'd be gone soon. Because of how distant Orka felt from them at times, I also think I didn't really get the emotional undercurrent in their relationships. I wish there was just more there in general. More feelings, more substance, more conflict too; I wish Orka was struggling harder to be a good mother and feeling guilty about her failures and needing to get her son back not just because she needs and loves him, but also because she feels like she has to make up for failing him thus far. I want her to think more about Thorkel, and I wish they'd had more genuinely romantic moments, like a kiss here and there.

There's just a lot, I think, in the pacing of both books that makes it hard to get into the characters as much as I know I could.

CHAPTER 51 | VARG Okay at first I thought they were revenants but now I'm thinking maybe vampire thralls??? Because of the tongue with teeth. Like maybe it's only one guy that's an actual monster (the one with the worm-tooth-tongue) while the rest are people he killed and 'revived' or started mind-controlling. It's a very fun battle-scene. The second one I've liked so far I think. There was a bit too much snarling and snarls but I can imagine one runs out of synonyms at some point. I also wish that Varg's wolf being set free was a bit better described, since it feels like we do the book equivalent of cutting to black even though we were getting to the coolest part of all.

CHAPTER 52 | GUÐVARR I really enjoyed the way everything fell into place here. I'm even almost happy for Guðvarr here; not because I like him, but because his chapters were finally interesting, and only because this dumbass finally spoke up and used what little brains he's got to make shit happen. I wish his self-awareness had been more consistent through his chapters instead of flip-flopping like it does sometimes, but I liked its implementation here. I just wish Gwynne gave up on the 'pissing his pants' characterization already. It's tired, it's grating, it doesn't add anything when it happens every chapter, and it's boring.

CHAPTER 53 | VARG I fucking LOVE tungumaturs!!!! Oh my god what a concept. Beautiful, amazing, showstopping, it's so disgusting and I absolutely love it. I never would move to Iskidan either, Varg.

pg. 454

"I think he's dead," Æsa said as she ran past him, grinning wildly as she sprinted after a handful of men and women who were running from the settlement, fleeing into the gloom of the beech-wood beyond. "Best be after them," she said, "don't think we want any of these parasite-spreading niðings getting out of here," and without waiting she was running after them. Varg broke into a run after Æsa, Einar saw them and followed.

These paragraphs are both very awkward. Right off the bat, the first one is an entire sentence even though it would flow better if it was split up more. As an example:

"I think he's dead," Æsa chuckled as she ran past him. Grinning wildly, she sprinted after a handful of men and women who were fleeing into the gloom of the beech-wood beyond.

"running from the settlement" is implied by "fleeing", so I feel it would have been best removed.

The second paragraph also has some formatting issues. "Best be after them" and "don't think we…." are both full sentences, so the dialogue tag should end in a period, and the following sentence should be capitalized. "Einar saw them and followed" also does not feel connected to the first clause of the last sentence. It'd have been more natural if instead of a comma, that passage was split into two sentences with a period.

Furthermore, Æsa is described on multiple occasions as running/sprinting, or in general moving further away at high speeds. However the way she is described as speaking and running "without waiting" does imply that she had stopped at some point to impart this information to him. Either she should have been shouting so we'd get the sense of growing distance between her and Varg (dropping the "without waiting" clause), or we could have had Einar speak in the second paragraph instead. As an example of how the two edited paragraphs could have looked:

"I think he's dead!" Æsa told him as she ran past. Grinning wildly, she sprinted after men and women fleeing into the gloom of beech-woods beyond the settlement. Einar lumbered up close. "Best be after them," he noted and patted Varg on the pack, shoving him forward. "We don't want any of these parasite niðings getting out of here!" Before he could finish speaking, Varg broke into a mad dash after Æsa. Einar swiftly followed.

Einar would maybe have said it in a different way, but I'm not here to do that much work. But I do think that having Einar speak in the second chapter is more clear regarding the action. I also varied the language a little bit, since we get "ran", "running" and "run" quite close to each other. This is a first pass, something that would probably go through an edit or two during editing proper.

I want to note that while I do rag on the language and formatting in this book a lot, it is with the knowledge that Gwynne is probably a victim of his publishing house here. It is a publisher's duty to make sure that a book goes through edits and is improved and polished before it is sent out to the public, and it is rather clear to me that this either did not happen, or that it was not done enough. That's not Gwynne's fault. From what I gather, he lost his daughter whilst working on The Hunger of the Gods. My theory is that Orbit forced this book to get published before it was ready. So while I will continue critiquing the prose in this novel, it is done with the knowledge that Gwynne isn't the culprit here.

pg. 455 "like a wild thing" is a rather weak simile. I think maybe "struggling and bucking like a frightened/wild horse" could have had a better effect? Not sure on that, but I just know that "like a wild thing" isn't working for me here.

"Einar hacked tongue-people to the ground, trampled them" feels… maybe not clunky, but incomplete. "trampling" could have worked better in this instance.

pg. 459 First of all, with how Vol is called 'Glornir's woman', I thought that 'I am the prince's man' meant they were together. Presumably I am wrong about this.

Second of all, EINAR!!!! BEST BOY EINAR!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

CHAPTER 54 | BIÓRR pg. 463 "I'm worried about Kalv, Papa." TOT Lik-Rifa doesn't really have the charisma of a cult leader. Not with the way she's portrayed. I'd have wished she had been given more gravitas and spoke more to the hearts of her followers, even if she didn't exactly mean what she'd say. This would have been a great opportunity to show how she frames this to her followers, how they're asked to think about their deeds. "It is us who shall end the ruination of this world, who shall bring freedom and prosperity to all. No more shall the Tainted be hunted and shunted, no more shall you be beaten and bruised, no more shall you know the terror and fear of hated and isolation. You shall walk upon these lands equal with all around you, the Tainted and the untouched, and none shall ever again feel the weight of a collar around their neck." Like, that would make everyone's devotion a lot more believable. It would also make Lik-Rifa feel actually cunning and dangerous beyond her threatening to eat people, which gets old fast (to me, the reader). Giving her a moving speech would genuinely be a great addition.

CHAPTER 54 | ORKA pg. 469 Why, why, WHY is Sæunn referred to as 'the Hundur-thrall' in ORKA'S POV? Why not 'the woman' or something along these lines? I can understand why Orka hasn't taken the collar off yet, since she needs Sæunn and there is a chance she might escape if she doesn't keep it on, but like. I can see Sæunn still helping out, for one, and for two, give her some dignity and personhood beyond thralldom. It's Orka's POV! She's Tainted too! She shouldn't be dehumanising people like that. Just say 'the woman'! Same goes for 'the Hundur-blood'. It's so demeaning, especially with how it calls back to Elvar's treatment of Ilmur and the supposedly impactful moment when Biórr told her Ilmur has a fucking name.

pg. 473 I saw the 'Halja only humps women' conversation on tumblr and thought that maybe it will come off forced or out of the blue but actually, I love how it's implemented. It feels natural, especially the fact that the Bloodsworn aren't actually sure what her deal is; and it plays nicely into how they tend to lovingly bully Lif in general.

CHAPTER 56 | ELVAR I'm wondering if Gwynne means for Skuld's confidence and borderline narcissism to excuse Elvar's treatment of her. Skuld clearly thinks herself to be a higher lifeform over the humans she is surrounded by, which is to be expected from a god, but that doesn't really mean she deserves being enslaved and abused as she had been. Honestly I hope Elvar gets hella humbled or dies at some point; I am so sick of her being handed everything on a silver platter by the story even though she hasn't really struggled for it and doesn't have enough substance for me to care about her. Few of the characters do, but at least they aren't as infuriatingly horrible people as her.

CHAPTER 57 | ORKA pg. 484 Again, teeth usually don't draw back; but lips sure do!

pg. 487 The ravens paid off their debt already. They do not have to be here. Why are they here? Are they trying to make Orka indebted to them?

pg. 489 Ahh, I see. It's nice that the ravens have a reason for appearing beyond helping Orka out again like some Deus Ex Machina. It's also nice to see that there are more people like Orka who are able to work with non-humans on friendly terms.

pg. 490 Please don't tell me the ravens will do the favour for free, citing her saving them from the frost-spiders. They paid that off already, as they said.

CHAPTER 58 | BIÓRR Finally a Biórr chapter when him mentioning Agnar and Elvar doesn't piss me off. I do like that he was so quick to let Bjarn and Kráka go. I had been waiting for Gwynne to pay-off the bloð svarið on Kráka and I really like how he's done it. The fact that Biórr got it, that he put up some resistance but knew at heart he needed to let them go… beautiful. The fact they got caught so easily though…. a bit less beautiful. I like Breca putting up a fight, I like Rotta being actually kinda scary with how he is nice (whether genuinely or not) in a convincing way, how he is smart and knows things and leverages it, and with how ruthless he gets. It's something I wish Lik-Rifa was capable of as well. It was overall a very good chapter. I legitimately wondered if Biórr was gonna get out of it alive and well!

CHAPTER 59 | VARG Varg's slice-of-life chapters are a nice breath of fresh air. It's fun seeing everyone bully him so fondly and I love Røkia choosing to match hairstyles with him. There's also a lot of growth shown in this chapter, with Varg actually being interested in what he is learning and asking questions. The others were right to call him out on it, because he truly never really seemed to have that drive to actually work on that aspect of his character. I miss the focus we had on his motivations and Frøya, but it might be the wiser choice considering that he wouldn't be able to do anything about it while chasing after Vol.

CHAPTER 60 | GUÐVARR Guðvarr is becoming the funniest coward on earth. What a pathetic, whiney cunt. This was a great chapter, honestly. Frek being a dick to Guðvarr was so funny. Guðvarr has a knack for lying and acting though, just a little bit. It's interesting to see the shit he gets himself into over and over again; every fit of fear leads to another fit of pathetic attempts to beg for his life, however that may actually manifest. It's borderline relatable? Digging yourself a deeper grave whilst trying to hold up a web of lies because you know the consequences are shit if anyone breaks that web down.

CHAPTER 61 | ELVAR pg. 526 I feel a little torn about Skuld thanking Elvar. On one hand, Skuld has been characterized as extremely proud and stern, indignant at the abuse and disrespect she receives. On the other, Elvar has hurt her significantly and lords her power over Skuld every chance she gets. I can see Skuld trying to keep to Elvar's "good side", but I also wish that she hadn't said anything; too prideful and righteously angry at her treatment to say thank you, but too afraid of Elvar's power over her to go on a tirade about her anger at being parted from her sword and how she finally has what is rightfully hers or something like that. I guess my position is "I hate it, but I get it."

pg. 529 Agnar said that saying once in the entire Shadow of the Gods novel, in the very beginning. I wish he'd said it once or twice more so that the reader would understand it's a saying he uses often and not just something he said in the spur of the moment when he found out who Uspa is.

pg. 530 Bragging about all the people Elvar hunted down and/or enslaved is not as cool as she might think it is. It only doubles down on the suffering she is responsible for.

CHAPTER 62 | BIÓRR PLEASE let us see Orka find Breca in this book and then fail to save him. PLEASE that would be so juicy. And maddening. But so juicy.

CHAPTER 63 | VARG Why did this chapter have to be so short ToT I wanted to see them get ready to kick Jaromir's ass NOW. Dammit :(

CHAPTER 64 | ORKA pg. 541

Something glinted up ahead, catching Orka's eye, and Sæunn stopped, hand raised. "Frost-spiders," the Hundur-thrall hissed.

Again, why is Sæunn objectified/demeaned by being referred to as 'the Hundur-thrall' multiple times on this page? In this instance, 'she said' would have worked well, since she is the last to have performed an action.

Likewise, in this passage:

"Stay behind me," she said to the Hundur-thrall.

the dialogue tag did not have to specify that Orka said this to Sæunn. If that had to be mentioned, it'd be much better to define Sæunn as either a person with Hundur-blood (instead on focusing on her status as a slave, focus on her personhood), by a feature of her appearance, or by an action she was doing. There aren't that many spaces in this book where a person is constantly spoken of this way in the narrative (such as in Varg's or even Elvar's chapters anymore), with their names usually getting repeated or dropped because specification like that isn't needed. It is quite off-putting that Sæunn is being treated this way by the text. Not to mention that this is not less repetitive.

CHAPTER 65 | ELVAR pg. 547 I wish Elvar had been the one to either say or think Grend's dialogue here; and I wish she had the wherewithal to group herself in with all those who arrived. She is no better than them, her only motivation being battle-fame/fair-fame and money. She would not have gone on to do anything else if not for the bloð svarið.

CHAPTER 66 | VARG Gods, please, don't let this be Varg's last chapter. There's like a hundred pages left and I NEED to see this shit go down.

CHAPTER 67 | ELVAR pg. 556 SO MUCH of that should have played a major part in The Shadow of the Gods! We should have learned all that back then, the first time Elvar has returned to Snakavik, when her father tried to manipulate her into coming back with the shallowest offer possible. It feels like this information wasn't taken into consideration at all when Gwynne had written that whole-ass chapter; it seemed like Elvar didn't have anything of that happening in her life at that point. This feels almost like a retcon. There had been no sense of this bitterness or this past when Elvar was here last time, when these emotions should have been at their peak.

Likewise, in the first book, when Elvar came back, it was supposedly a big deal that Jarl Störr was her father. But I never wondered about her parentage because there was never any hint that her parentage was important. When she apparently had an issue returning to Snakavik, familial issues were only one of many potential backstory conflicts, so it wasn't really anything that resonated when there was an explicit confirmation that yes, the major conflict of her past was family-related. There wasn't really any weight to the reveal nor to the offer she received, and that chapter was one of the weakest and most frustrating. She should have festered in her hatred for her father during her time away, made her return to Snakavik impactful in the first book, instead of her having fuckall feelings and thoughts back then only now to suddenly sprout a backstory that affects her while she returns for the second time.

pg. 558 I'll give this one and one compliment only; "Hello, Father" is a damn good callback to the first book.

CHAPTER 68 | VARG YES he is still in the game! I have checked some reviews for this book and one claimed that the book gets worse once Varg's chapters disappear at the end, and so I am dreading when that happens.

It's nice to see Varg actually use some wits and the skills he's been taught to find good opportunities to attack instead of running into battle with nothing in his head but chop, chop, chop. About time really. This battle was generally very fun to follow, though it does make me question how many Bloodsworn there are exactly. They seem to be sprouting like daisies and multiplying like rabbits.

CHAPTER 69 | ELVAR pg. 570 I wish Elvar had said 'I will not' instead of 'I cannot'. "I cannot" implies she would be willing to ally with her father under other circumstances, which does not sound right to me; not with all the hatred she is supposedly holding towards him for the abuse and manipulation she had endured at his and Thorun's hand.

CHAPTER 70 | VARG pg. 574 Varg should have been a fuckin' acrobat! Perhaps he will be known as Varg Wall-Scaler in the future.

pg. 582 Oh my god???? Was Jaromir, or someone he's associated with, trying to resurrect their own gods in Iskidan????

CHAPTER 71 | ELVAR I guess Gwynne meant for this to be a feel-good victory maybe? But I don't feel much of anything. "Oh, great, Elvar got another thing handed to her on a silver platter because she owns slaves". What a wonderful, joyous occasion. Wahoo. It's honestly rather annoying that Orka and Varg have stronger motivations with actual deep meaning that affects them greatly but keep losing or being veered off-course, whereas Elvar's just out here, a selfish cunt who's doing all this only because she has taken the blod svarid and doesn't actually give a shit, and gets everything. Guðvarr's struggles are more compelling than this, because he at least gets constantly humbled and thrown around; Elvar just… gets things, even things she never seemed to real care for until she got them and suddenly it's supposed to matter?

I hope her POV stops here or doesn't get used too much after. We have other characters actually wanting something important to them to follow (and also Guðvarr and Biórr, but at least Biórr is rare.)

CHAPTER 72 | ORKA Lif strikes back! He was taught not only how to fight, but also how to bully folk. Well done, little man. And Orka actually does have a different plan this time! Still lacking the deep-cunning a little bit, but maybe this is yet another strategy to be made off-page (ughhhhh) to come back with a vengeance later.

CHAPTER 73 | BIÓRR Whining about Elvar and Agnar again… gods. If Agnar and Elvar had been character I liked or respected to some degree, maybe it wouldn't have been so bad, but it is annoying regardless, made worse by my dislike of these characters specifically.

Was this chapter… truly necessary? I had thought we switched to Biórr to see Orka attack, or at least getting close to it. Without that explicit tie-in, I just feel like this chapter should have been cut, really? It doesn't feel like it adds anything meaningful enough, neither to plot nor character (even with Myrk).

CHAPTER 74 | ORKA Okay, many of these late chapters are actually really good (if we ignore a small handful). Lif saying he won't sleep through this job is hilarious. The parallell between Myrk and Biórr and Revna and Gunnar was also a little funny? But not really. I have stopped pointing out awkward sentences and other choices made prose-wise but I do want to note that they do happen pretty much every chapter, including this. It's not bad, not entirely, but yanno. Also, Harek… see, I don't really feel much here? I don't feel like there has been enough focus on how Harek was doing, pretty much only following Breca and Bjarn through Biórr's POV, which makes it kind of difficult to be surprised or care or be angry. Some children were in general described at being into this whole Lik-Rifa business, but since Harek has been set up all the way in the first chapter of the first book, I feel like there should be more to him than getting mentioned a couple of times only for him to then bring about the failure of Orka's rescue mission (which is what I'm guessing happens here). It might have been by choices, but if everything is a choice here, then the choices have made this book very difficult to care about, because nothing seems to have any tangible impact. Not on me.

CHAPTER 75 | BIÓRR Not gonna lie, Ilmur saying he'll kill the Bloodsworn for Biórr and then immediately dying was…. a moment of dark comedy for me. I don't know why he thought that was the best choice for him instead of getting reinforcements, considering we never saw him learn weaponscraft.

Some chapters, such as this, I don't really have much to say; it was quite nice.

CHAPTER 76 | ORKA SPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERT MY BOOOOOOOOYYYYY!!!!!

CHAPTER 77 | GUÐVARR DAMN. They REALLY brough back Orna just for her to die IMMEDIATELY. That was actually so fucking funny. Idk if we were supposed to laugh but I sure did. I'm also not surprised Sigrún sided with Lik-Rifa; it is a game of guile, and when faced with a power one cannot stand against, it is smarter to join it. Unless you disagree significantly with it. I expect both Guðvarr and Sigrún to be killed since they're not Tainted, which would actually be a nice ending here.

CHAPTER 78 | ORKA You know, it only now occurred to me that if Glornir and Thorkel were birth-brothers and not just brothers because they were both berserkers, shouldn't Glornir have known that Thorkel was alive all these years? Varg knew that Frøya lived and died and so did Storolf and Fain with Kalv; why'd he not feel Thorkel's life nor his death?

_____________________________________

What an ending!

It definitely got my adrenaline pumping, though I understand why some people said it had been rushed. There is a lot happening, build-up that took place across multiple books lasting a chapter or two before being more or less resolved (or, in Varg's case with his sister, not really addressed). There are many things that felt like they should have been explored deeper in this book, and a lot seemed to happen because it needed to but didn't really strike through emotionally or thematically, nor was it always enjoyable to read.

While I do rag on how many chapters were from Guðvarr's perspective he is…. an unfortunately major player in many of the events at play, so I understand why he'd be such a frequent character. That doesn't change the fact that out of 5 POV characters, I consistently only cared about Orka and Varg, mildly disliked Biórr for being somewhat whiny and indecisive and lacking conviction, disliked Guðvarr but laughed at him, and actively hated Elvar. So many elements were underutilized, the gods at Elvar's disposal no less.

The frequency of magic also raised an issue I mostly forgave in the first book; how the hell does Galdur-magic and Seiðr-magic work? Why is it so easy to revive a dead god and build them a new body but so difficult to free Lik-Rifa? Why didn't the Battle-Grim have Uspa raise Agnar from the dead? This I haven't really touched on but really! They all seem to care so much about Agnar but they raise a god from the dead with nothing but bones, grow him a completely new body, and Agnar is just… allowed to stay dead? They don't even seem to consider it. They're just like "oh well, our chief is dead… shucks :/" and then they re-make a god. Y'all. What the fuck.

I cannot believe I read 210 pages in one day. How the fuck.

[imanetalbii]

[witch-riot]

On the Notion of Caring about : Attention and Books

I refuse to go into the new year with all these half-read books. I should have stuck to one, but I got carried away with posting a new book on a schedule (to my Instagram) .

No one tells you how hard having a “professional sorta” social media account is actually. People constantly friend and unfriend. You join follow trains just for half to not follow you back and a bunch to decide to unfollow anyway. They change algorithms so while your posts got a fair bit of attention with tags before, now they get barely any.

Given that kept happening I stopped actively trying to gain new followers. And, just doing what I want when I want. And what I want is to finish these books! That I’m not reading because I’m enjoying the audiobook of Stephanie Foo’s journey through cPTSD. It’s almost over though so I will have to read stuff again.

[genspiel]

i outgrew this series ages ago. i don't like her. i have several complaints about how the series as a whole is written. the increasing focus on romance is one of them. however, that is a traumatized child

HOT TAKE TOURNAMENT!

PRELIMINARY #261

Submission 493

Sophie Foster from Keeper of the Lost Cities is a terrible protagonist.

I cannot think of any likeable qualities that Sophie has. She also has little to no flaws, and the ‘flaws’ that she DOES have don’t impact the story in any way, and they’re only played off for laughs and are, essentially, meaningless. Additionally, all the fucking characters are either in love with her, like her, or are evil. I hate it.

Spoiler territory after this.

At this point in the series, Sophie has FIVE FUCKINF ABILITIES (where most characters only have one, or maybe two if they’re lucky). She is honestly…so fucking stupid. Like, it’s not even funny at this point. Not only has she burnt down a storehouse with enough evidence to basically convict all of the bad guys, but she also tries to JUSTIFY her actions, saying that she was burning all their supplies (while also burning the things her organization needed). She’s also said to be clumsy throughout the series, but the SECOND she needs to use a knife, bam; she’s amazing at it, and has perfect fucking aim. Also, all of the guys are in love with her.

All of them.

I also find it annoying how she always goes on and on about how she has a different view on the world, since she was raised by humans or whatever (she lives in a world with elves), but she actively avoids and/or tries to sympathize with elves that have no ability, making them feel worse in the process. She has no idea what it’s like to feel powerless in a world where you’re surrounded by power, and I fucking hate that about her.

Finally, she decided that even though her friend was fucking going to die/being tortured/black swan secrets were going to be leaked/being forced to betray all of his friends, it was more important to get a hot date instead.

My hate for Sophie Elizabeth Foster is a burning, inferno of passion. Hate does not even describe it.

Propaganda is always encouraged!

And remember to reblog your favourite polls for exposure!

[25centsoda]

Put Some Respect On C-3PO’s Name

Many thanks to @spell-cleaver​ for sharing this article with me: https://www.tor.com/2023/05/24/a-reminder-that-talking-to-ewoks-is-the-most-important-thing-that-ever-happened-in-star-wars/?utm_source=exacttarget&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_term=tordotcom-tordotcomnewsletter&utm_content=na-readblog-blogpost&utm_campaign=tordotcom&e=e6aac7f658657e693c0121a448ee957f11d961422e3e7c4b1528b7c900c5bddf

The author, Emmet Asher-Perrin, makes some excellent points in here! Threepio gets a lot of flack for being chatty, worried, and having mobility problems, but he shouldn’t! That’s mean! And he’s essential! You don’t win a war just by blowing all your enemies up, you need to communicate with your teammates and your allies, and Threepio helps them do that by translating for Artoo, the ships, and being the translator with the Ewoks.

As a now-graduated anthropologist (bachelor’s degree! *confetti*), COMMUNICATION IS SO SO IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY WHEN Y’ALL DON’T SHARE A COMMON LANGUAGE. I am SO inarticulate atm but. believe it!

Read the article, and I look forward to more fics where Threepio’s communication skills are valued :)

yes including my own

[ciooutlookmagazine]

Understanding the Aspects of Growth in the MarTech Sector

In the ever-evolving landscape of marketing and technology, the fusion of these two realms has given rise to a dynamic sector known as “martech” – a portmanteau of marketing and technology. The martech sector has witnessed substantial growth in recent years, driven by innovative solutions that enhance marketing strategies and streamline business operations. In this article, we delve into the key aspects contributing to the growth of the martech sector and explore its implications for businesses. Scope of Martech: Martech encompasses a wide range of tools, platforms, and technologies designed to facilitate marketing activities. This includes customer relationship management (CRM) systems, analytics tools, automation software, social media management platforms, and more. The goal of martech is to enable businesses to create targeted, data-driven marketing campaigns, enhance customer experiences, and optimize processes. Marketing Automation:

Automation lies at the heart of Martech’s growth. Marketing automation platforms enable businesses to streamline repetitive tasks, such as email marketing, lead nurturing, and social media posting. By automating these processes, marketers can focus on strategy and creativity, leading to more efficient campaigns and improved results.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning:

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies has revolutionized the martech landscape. AI-powered tools can analyze vast amounts of data, predict trends, and recommend personalized content for consumers. Chatbots and virtual assistants powered by AI enhance customer support and engagement. Measuring ROI and Attribution: MarTech tools have significantly improved the ability to measure Return on Investment (ROI) and attribute marketing efforts to specific outcomes. This is crucial for understanding which campaigns and channels are driving the most value and which ones might need optimization. Advanced tracking and analytics allow businesses to allocate resources more effectively. Marketing Compliance and Data Security: As data privacy regulations become more stringent (such as GDPR and CCPA), MarTech tools have adapted to ensure compliance and data security. This includes features like consent management, data encryption, and secure storage, enabling businesses to maintain trust with their customers while utilizing data for marketing purposes.

Challenges and Future Trends:

While the martech sector offers numerous opportunities, it also presents challenges. Integration of various martech tools, data privacy concerns, and the rapid pace of technological advancements can pose obstacles for businesses. However, the sector continues to evolve, with trends such as voice search optimization, influencer marketing analytics, and augmented reality marketing on the horizon.

In conclusion, the martech sector is experiencing rapid growth due to its ability to harness technology for more effective marketing strategies and improved customer experiences. Businesses that embrace martech solutions stand to gain a competitive edge in an increasingly digital and data-driven world. As technology continues to advance, the martech landscape will likely evolve, presenting new possibilities and challenges for marketers and businesses alike.

Read More: https://ciooutlookmagazine.com/understanding-the-aspects-of-growth-in-the-martech-sector/

cioutlookmagazine #blog #dailyblog #readblog #technicalblog #ciooutlookblog

[genspiel]

I am an adult, aromantic and asexual, and an exvangelical atheist.

I am willing to use tone indicators with you if you ask. I am also willing to specifically avoid using them with you if you ask.

If you need me to tag something so you can filter it out, please let me know.

Fandoms I'm in and tags I use are below the cut.

Original Posts

#tre reads - me yelling about books

#tre plays - me yelling about games (mostly Genshin)

#tre watches - me yelling about shows and such

#tre yells into the void - me yelling about anything else

Fandoms

(this is NOT an exhaustive list; it's mostly just the ones that i see myself sticking around for in the long term/making a lot of posts for)

#broken earth #broken earth spoilers

#critical role #cr2 - the Mighty Nein campaign #cr2 spoilers #cr3 - the Bells Hells campaign #cr3 spoilers

#death parade #death parade spoilers

#fate the traitor soul

#genshin impact spoiler tags are specific to the current version and use the format "#4.2 spoilers"

#in stars and time #isat spoilers

#pandora hearts #pandora hearts spoilers

#piranesi #piranesi spoilers

#the inheritance trilogy #the inheritance trilogy spoilers

#the southern reach trilogy #the southern reach trilogy spoilers

#vocal synth - catchall tag for stuff related to vocaloid, utau, synthv, cevio, producers, etc.

(fandom tags are usually accompanied by any relevant character tags, but I won't be listing all those out here)

Miscellaneous

#aspecs - catchall tag for posts related to the a-spectra. identities relevant to the specific post will be tagged separately #aro and/or ace - old tag; no longer used.

#art - for non-fandom art #fanart - for fandom art #fics #gifs #polls #videos

#exvangelical - for posts about being an ex-Christian

#i don't go here but this is cool - for posts that seem to be about fandoms i'm not in, which i may not be able to tag correctly or consistently

#just fic thoughts - interesting character interpretations, headcanons, writing prompts, etc.

#n - sort of a weird catchall tag for reblogs that don't fall under any of my other categories

#quotes - for fandom quotes

#readblogs - for book-related reblogs

#tag this later - for when i don't have the energy to fully tag something atm

#described #id in alt text #undescribed

I do occasionally tag content warnings. If you follow me and there's anything particular you would like me to tag for, just lmk. Some that I've used multiple times: #blood #body horror #caps #death #reblog bait #religion

[eyeswaitingfortuesdaynight]

the art in this chapter is so good.........................weeps

[sudarshanfamilystore]

Blog Alert!! . .

Lehenga Blouse Designs: Ideas to Amp up Your Ethnic Look!! . . Lehengas are an essential aspect of Indian cultural clothing, and the blouse design is critical to the whole aesthetic. A well-designed blouse can elevate a plain lehenga to a gorgeous combination. In this blog post, we will look at some unique and fashionable lehenga blouse designs that will improve your ethnic style and make you stand out at any event.

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Lehengas are an essential aspect of Indian cultural clothing, and the blouse design is critical to the whole aesthetic. A well-designed blouse can elevate a plain lehenga to a gorgeous combination. In this blog post, we will look at some unique and fashionable lehenga blouse designs that will improve your ethnic style and make you stand out at any event.

 Off-Shoulder Blouses: Off-the-shoulder blouses are a trendy style among fashionable women. They provide a modern and elegant touch to classic lehengas. Off-the-shoulder blouses with exquisite embroidery or decorations can add a fascinating visual contrast to a plain lehenga. To add to the allure of this design, choose a sweetheart or a boat neckline.

 Sheer Sleeves: Sheer sleeves are an excellent method to give your lehenga blouse a delicate and ethereal touch. Depending on your style and comfort, try several sleeve lengths, such as full-length sleeves, three-quarter sleeves, or even cap sleeves. Embroidered or lace embellishments on sheer fabric can improve the blouse's overall attractiveness and produce an elegant and feminine appearance.

 Peplum Blouses: Because of their attractive silhouette, peplum blouses have grown in favour in recent years. The fitted waistline and flared lower half of the blouse update traditional lehengas. To add a touch of glitz to your attire, choose a peplum blouse with elaborate mirror work, sequins, or thread embroidery. This style flatters both thin and voluptuous forms.

 High Neck Blouses: High-neck blouses convey sophistication and elegance. They give lehengas a regal and sophisticated appearance, making them excellent for formal occasions like weddings. To make the high-neck blouse more visually appealing, add exquisite embroidery, zari work, or masonry. Long tassels or a keyhole back design might lend a unique touch to the overall look.

 Cold-Shoulder Blouses: Cold-shoulder blouses are a great way to put a modern and fashionable twist to your traditional lehenga. These blouses have shoulder cut-outs, which provide a modern and elegant touch. Cold-shoulder blouses with ruffles or flared sleeves can up the stylistic ante even more. Combine them with a lehenga in contrasting colours for a dramatic aesthetic impact.

 Backless Blouses: Backless blouses are an excellent alternative for individuals who wish to make a dramatic fashion statement. They ooze sexiness and offer a beautiful touch to every outfit. Experiment with various backless patterns, including deep back, crisscross back, and sheer back with embroidery. To minimise wardrobe mishaps, make sure the blouse provides enough support and comfort.

The designs of lehenga blouses play an important role in boosting the beauty and charm of traditional Indian apparel. There are numerous possibilities to enhance your ethnic look, whether you desire a modern and sleek look or a classic and regal vibe. Each style, from off-the-shoulder blouses to sheer sleeves and peplum designs, has its own distinct charm and versatility. Experiment with various designs, fabrics, and embellishments to find the ideal lehenga blouse design that complements your style and makes you feel confident and attractive on any occasion.

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To read more 👉 www.sudarshansaree.com . . #blogpost#readblog#sudarshansaree#saree#lehenga

[alicesoftpvtltd]

Difference between ERP and CRM | A basic information guide for Real Estate Industry:

In the business world, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) are two of the most essential technologies that companies use to increase efficiency and profitability. But what makes these two applications so popular? What’s the difference between them, and how can they help a company achieve its goals? In this article, we will explore what sets ERP and CRM apart from each other, so that you can make an informed decision on which technology is best for your business needs.

#business #technology #management #planning #realestate #crm #erp #best #choose #help #difference #software #SoftwareDeveloper #softwareengineering #softwareengineer #SoftwareDevelopment #softwares #softwaretesting #softwarehouse #softwaresolutions #softwaredev #softwareselebgram #softwarefollowers #softwareinstagram #softwaredesign #softwarefollower #softwaremurah #softwareengineers #softwareCompany #softwarefollowersasli #softwaredevelopers #softwareparagimnasio #softwaresupport #softwaretester #softwarelicensing #softwareasaservice #softwareassetmanagement #softwarearchitecture #softwareentwicklung #softwaretools #softwarelivre

Read More: https://alicesoft.co.in/blog/readblog/1014/erp-vs-crm-a-basic-information-guide-for-real-estate-industry

[theliterarygnat]

Reading Summary: 30. April, 2024 (The Hunger of the Gods, Chapters 41-49)

Wasn't able to read as much as I'd have wanted. Such is life when one gets to go to work.

CHAPTER 41 | GUÐVARR A strong, shocking start. Guðvarr's capable of apologizing and admitting failure? Damn. It's also quite interesting that Guðvarr can recognize and feel thanks towards his aunt's help, even feeling responsible to return the good deeds. Also I think this might be the first chapter (that I noticed) where there's no mention of Guðvarr almost pissing or shitting himself, or having otherwise unfortunate reactions in his crotch area. Progress!

CHAPTER 42 | BIÓRR The godsfall isn't much of a godsfall if only like 2-3 gods died.

CHAPTER 43 | GUÐVARR Gwynne, please, I beg of you, why are we in his brain so much. Stop.

I'm having a hard time picturing the events of this whole shield-dance, but honestly this doesn't truly feel all that important so maybe that doesn't matter.

pg. 386 No joke, I wish Gwynne had cut that thought "I wish I was getting paid", because that is just an objectively funny thing to say about anything ever.

CHAPTER 44 | BIÓRR I do love the conversation between Rotta and Lik-Rifa. Exactly the type of genuine (at least genuine-seeming) affection and emotion that I've been wanting from her! It's also interesting that on pg. 391, it's mentioned only Kráka and Bjarn were quiet; even Breca is having fun, it seems!

pg. 392 Tannbursta… tannbørste… toothbrush…. Idk if I like it or not, but it is a little funny.

CHAPTER 45 | ORKA pg. 395 "Myrk's teeth drew back and she hissed at them" I mean I do hope you mean lips and not teeth, because those don't really tend to do that.

CHAPTER 46 | GUÐVARR pg. 407 I just cannot stop laughing at this man.

pg. 408 Im imagining Guðvarr's reaction is that bloated emoji face.

CHAPTER 47 | VARG Funny. Not much else happened. I honestly would have preferred the chapters to be more meaningful sometimes, and longer. It's becoming a little exhausting to have to jump this much between the different characters' heads without any payoff or time to get invested into their story again.

CHAPTER 48 | GUÐVARR I am getting second-hand-embarrassment just from reading "Guðvarr lurched to his feet, upending the table". I had to actually skip some lines just to avoid my face cringing into the fourth dimension.

pg. 418 Ughhhh and here I thought we finally left this bladder quirk behind. I genuinely don't think it does anything for his pitifulness when it's used so many times; mans probably got a medical condition at this point.

CHAPTER 49 | ELVAR pg. 424 Why is Gwynne allergic to question marks and the 'asked' dialogue tag? If it's a question, mark it so! Use tone indicators! More varied punctuation! Use mood and tone to make dialogue more impactful!

[sambhav1223]

Choose best real estate developers in navi mumbai. for best residential projects with great facilities and amenities by sambhav groups.  Trusted builders in navi mumbai.

[lindsayslife]

Starting my 24in48 Saturday 8:50am with red white and royal blue 👑