#recommedations

[maleyanderecafe]

omg there was this blog and they had yandere recs too but it was in a diff language I can’t find them anywhere all their stuff was in like red too do yk who I’m talking abt 🥲

Are you talking about @lovesick-boys-club?

They have a lot of good recommendations, though a lot of it is in Russian so you'd have to find a way to translate it.

[giggly-squiggily]

yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo little rant here but

i don’t think you read hero killer but like

engen is so hot to me for absolutely no reason. like this dude is NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THAT GOODLOOKING 💀 his whole character design has a scar across his face to look like a evil grin (or something like that) and i find that hot (kill me)

anyways, please read hero killer if you haven’t 🙏 i swear it’s really good (the mc is super hot too)

YOO I JUST GOOGLED IT HOLY- He's so hot??? Like- he's got that Alien Stage Till vibe with his face and hair and just overall attraction on my goodness YES! :D I'm definitely gonna check it out!

You've recommended a webtoon to me- and now I will recommend a webtoon to you! The Mafia Nanny! It's so GOOD. The main character has major Yor Briar vibes and the Mafiosso is so freaking gorgeous holy canonli- *dies in simp* Plus it's full of action and funny moments and makes my heart race just- AHH! They're all hot- you gotta check it out! :D

Thank you for the recommendation! :D

[chaoticgoodthief]

Now that you're free!

This is what I wanted to share with you: It's a YouTube channel that creates absurd humour shorts based on real animal facts :)

Natural Habitat Shorts

Thank you!!! I'll add ot to my list of Check It Out hahaha. Running out of recomemdations since I really don't usually have that much time to explore new media but here we go:

Sam O'Nella Academy. Maybe you already know about this one but might as well try see. It's pretty educational about interesting history tidbits while also being really funny.

(ps. nooo I'm not competive at all what do you mean?)

[the-irreverend]

Small site fixes that I think will help with the war on bots

1. Add an option to disable the "Are you sure you want to block...?" message.

It's can be a bit of a nuisance to have to go through the windows that ask you if you want to block this account and then go through the other message telling you that this account has been blocked. So if you could add an option to disable this warning, that would things a lot easier

2. Add a feature where you can select multiple accounts at once.

Because some people have to deal with waves upon waves of bots, can be a real hassle to have to block/report bot accounts one at a time as you're only restricted to just tapping the three-dot icon in order to block/report an account. So to fix this, add a feature where you're able to select a whole group of accounts for blocking/reporting so that you can deal with multiple accounts all at once.

3. Don't make reporting and blocking separate things on the mobile act.

Even though you're able to block and report an account at the same time on the desktop, for whatever reason you can't automatically block an account when you report it. So if you can change it so that reporting on mobile automatically blocks the reported account, that would be great.

4. Make reporting bot accounts on desktop a less time-consuming process.

Reporting bots on desktop can be a time-consuming process because you have to go to the help desk page to specify why this account is being reported. So to make sure that bots are reported in a more effective manner, maybe alter reporting so that it only takes you to the report page if you're reporting it for something other than spam (i.e. harassment).

Hope you're listening to this.

@changes

@staff

[theanimeview]

Anime To Look Forward To – Spring 2024

It is now the start of the Spring 2024 season, and we’re finally returning from our long hiatus. As we return, I thought it would be nice to start off with something a little easy–like a few quick recommendations for those watching things this season.

In upcoming/ongoing works to consider watching this season, I (Peggy Wood, Editor of The Anime View) recommend:

Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken 3rd Season

That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime is a personal favorite of mine. The anticipation for the upcoming third season is truly exciting, and I look forward to seeing where this story will continue now that we’ve had a movie which seems canonically related. If you’re already a fan of this incredible series, you won’t want to miss the upcoming season either! I hope we get to see some further character developments too, as they’ve been hinting for a long period about the summoned children and the expanded role the older “children” will play in Rimuru’s story. A definite must watch!

Ookami to Koushinryou: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf

I watched Season 1 of Spice and Wolf years ago (2008). It was a very cute romance then, with an interesting approach to merchant life in a historical fantasy. The second season as also pretty good.

Judging from the trailer, it seems like this upcoming season will serve as a reboot for the series. So, if you’ve been contemplating giving it a try, now seems like an excellent opportunity to dive into the fandom!

In general, the series revolves around an older-looking merchant who embarks on a journey with a wolf spirit. The romantic elements build slowly, the business strategies are practical for the story, and the overall progression is delightful. Throughout much of the early series, it maintains a historical slice-of-life vibe that I believe many viewers will find appealing. Don’t miss the chance to explore this engaging world and join the Spice and Wolf fan community anew!

Kuroshitsuji: Kishuku Gakkou-hen

Black Butler holds a special place in my heart, and one of the standout arcs that I wholeheartedly recommend is the Public School Arc that is getting an animated adaptation this season. This particular storyline showcases Ciel Phantomhive navigating challenges independently, a departure from the usual dynamic where Sebastian Michaelis takes the lead in many situations. Witnessing Ciel’s problem-solving skills and collaboration with others in the absence of Sebastian adds a unique and compelling layer to the series. For fans who appreciate character development and intricate plot twists, I believe that this arc is a true gem in what has been published of the series thus far.

Lv2 kara Cheat datta Motoyuusha Kouho no Mattari Isekai Life

I’m thrilled that this series is getting an anime adaptation. Having read about the first 20 chapters, it appears to be a highly promising work. The narrative introduces a “hero” summoned from a world with slight similarities to the one he finds himself in, yet he doesn’t fit the mold of the anticipated hero—at least, that’s the initial belief, though I suspect otherwise!

While there are elements of fan service, the series offers a thought-provoking exploration of a world where a country depends on individuals from other realms. Additionally, pay close attention to the summoning number—it introduces intriguing details that spark theories and contemplation. Overall, the storyline provides a fascinating twist on the isekai genre, centering around a progressive-minded merchant who seamlessly adapts to his new environment. So, for those who haven’t added this to their watchlist yet, I highly recommend it!

Dekisokonai to Yobareta Motoeiyuu wa Jikka kara Tsuihou sareta node Sukikatte ni Ikiru Koto ni Shita

This one is new to me, but it definitely caught my attention with its promising premise. The protagonist is a reincarnated hero aiming for a more laid-back life this time around. Despite possessing hero skills, these abilities go unnoticed during appraisals, and the absence of the “gift of God’s bounty” results in his family deeming him a failure and subsequently casting him out. However, things take an interesting turn when he’s taken in by his (former?) fiance, who recruits him as a bodyguard.

The storyline seems to promise an entertaining comedic twist within a fantasy world and I am excited about the potential. It looks like a delightful blend of humor and fantasy, making it a show worth checking out. With that said, I’m planning to pick it up this season and wholeheartedly recommend it here!

Tadaima, Okaeri

This is an Omegaverse BL story, and as far as I can discern, it’s the first of its kind to be adapted into an anime. Having previously explored the series, I can confirm that it comes with several expansions, including a sequel(s), doujinshis (djs), and at least one spin-off. If you’re on the lookout for an Omegaverse BL narrative, this one seems like a reliable choice, offering a complete and well-established storyline with a dedicated fanbase.

While the story might not align perfectly with my personal preferences, I believe it has a well-crafted narrative, complete with clearly defined rules for the world it presents and a harmonious blend of slice-of-life elements. If you have a penchant for slow-burning romances and heartwarming family dynamics, this series might be a perfect fit for you. It has certainly piqued my interest, and I’m eager to see how the unfolding narrative captivates viewers this season!

Code Geass: Dakkan no Rozé

Calling all fans of mecha and socio-political narratives, brace yourselves—it’s Code Geass time once again! As an avid enthusiast of mecha stories, the allure of colossal robots engaged in epic battles never fails to captivate my attention, making any series featuring giant robots an instant addition to my watch list. However, Code Geass stands out prominently, even overshadowing the iconic Gundam series in terms of its ability to grip my interest.

With great anticipation, I await the unfolding events involving Ash and Rozé, eager to see how their roles contribute to the overarching storyline. Code Geass has a proven track record of offering thought-provoking plots, and this season is hopefully one of no exception. Fingers crossed!

[skillreporters]

AMHSSC on Government’s Forward-Thinking Budget: Chairman A. Sakthivel

The Apparel, Made-Ups & Home Furnishing Sector Skill Council commends Budget 2024 for its focus on youth skilling, women's economic participation, and job creation initiatives, particularly through internship opportunities and employment-linked incentives, while also promoting green finance through a new climate finance taxonomy.

Read more for details : https://www.skillreporter.com/editorial/amhssc-apparel-budget-2024-chairman-a-sakthivel/

[idontreallyexistyet]

I need fanfic recommendations. I just finished the Icing those Hurts series for the fifth time, I’ve read to many Zombie apocalypse and far aus. I don’t care if it’s reader insert, familial, etc. just now smut. Please help

[joeytalyor0108]

can yall recommend me some nu-metal bands?

[jagzii]

“Listen, while I love my fantasy and horror and fiction, it’s been a hectic week, and both these shows helped bring some peace and simplicity back into my life. Because sometimes you don’t want to sit around trying to unravel the mysteries of a fictional universe for entertainment. Sometimes you just want to sit back, watch someone make delicious food, and bask in the phantom warmth bleeding through the screen.”

Read the rest here: https://open.substack.com/pub/ananyajagoorie/p/hunger-strikes-back?r=7dcr2&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

[abirddogmoment]

I saw a reel yesterday that was like "top 10 hikes in Canada" and they were, as predicted, 100% mountain hikes in Banff and Jasper National Parks (and not even hidden gems! The ones on tourist brochures!). Someone made a comment like "you need to see more of Canada" and the 🌟influencer🌟 replied that the rest of Canada wasn't worth visiting when there are views like that in Banff.

Anyway here's a phone photo from a hike I drove four hours round trip to do in a part of Canada that "isn't worth visiting" 😂

[shobolanya]

I made some moodboards for the Rammstein boys and one of my favorite Lana del Rey songs I associate with each of them

Till - Cinnamon Girl

Richard - Brooklyn Baby

Paul - West Coast

Flake - Blue Jeans

Christoph - Art Deco

Oliver - Ride

I got the inspiration from the wonderful fanfics by @headoverhiddles Lana del Rammstein on Ao3, here is the link:

enjoy y'all i guess :D

[smoosnoom]

the great big mystery of mike wheeler's no good, very bad, terrible feelings

It’s at that very moment that, for reasons completely and utterly unknown to anyone at all, every single possible word he has ever learned from any language ever has suddenly disappeared from his brain, and his throat feels relevant to the Sahara Desert.  None of this, of course, has to do with the fact that Will is very, very, very – shirtless.  Will blinks at him. “Are you okay?”  “Shoulders,” Mike says, sounding vaguely chipmunk-like, and he hears Max barely choke down a snicker.

Will comes back for the summer, and Mike deals with it. Kind of. Not really. for @bludnik-a !

[imhere-imqueer-ilikedeer]

Fic recommendations

Has anyone got some good orange sanders fics?

I'd like to read some but navigating ao3 is like walking through a maze for me

if anyone could drop a link that would be amazing!

[plush-rabbit]

Sorrows and Partings

TW: A bit of suicide ideation, like a tad bit but is not expressed further than one statement

Word Count: 3.6K

A/N: this is part of the cut up chapter posted previously!!

Twisting the doorknob, the soft glow of your lamp fills the room, and you sit in bed, curled up against the bed frame. He hadn’t noticed it before, but your room is a mess, clothes strewn about, knickknacks and figures collecting dust, and books layered above each other in a tower of spines. 

“You stayed,” you say in a soft voice that if not for the night, he would have never heard your words.

“Of course, I did.” 

You smile sadly as the confession. Scooting over on the bed, you pat the space beside you. 

Even with the mess, your bedroom is as he still remembers it. It’s cluttered with your things, pictures are placed on the wall- pictures for your friends and family, posters of your favorite films, candles stacked and strewn on flat surfaces. And on your nightstand, is a picture of him and you, pressed close together as his arm is stretched out, and he remembers the day. He remembers the warmth of the sun, the soft press of your lips against him, the way that you had sugar on your tongue and the way that he became addicted to it in a matter of seconds. 

He steps on the soft rug on the floor, and taking your invitation, he sits on the bed. It’s soft, and the blanket that touches his thigh, still tickles the way it used to. Your hands flutter over his, and they grasp onto his wrist. You tell him to make himself comfortable, and as if it were like the first time that he was in your room, you stay still, trying not to think about how you tug on him, how your hands are much softer now, how he can recall what it was like to lay on your bed. 

He turns and twists, and he lays on your bed, and you’ve let go of his wrist. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to just grab you. But you just sitting there seemed like an uncomfortable way to have a conversation.”

“You don’t have to apologize.” He’ll take a chance, just to have you touch him again, to feel your touch, to know that you’re real and he’s in your room and not shivering in his bed, thinking of what ifs. “You can touch me if you’d like.”

As if he were made of porcelain, you grab his hand in both of yours, lifting the mass and watching as his fingers tremble from being touched. Holding his hand in yours, you turn it around, examining it as if it were anything more than a hand. You circle your thumb and index over his wrist, trying to pinch your fingers close together but giving up quickly. You turn his hand over, palm face upwards and you trace over nothing, your index curving around a spot. There is nothing to trace, and yet, you continue to ghost your finger over his hand in a touch so soft that if he weren’t paying attention, he wouldn’t have noticed it. 

“Your skin feels different,” you mumble.

“What does it feel like?” You press your thumb over the swell of his palm, right under the ends of his fingers. 

Humming, you massage and pinch at his skin. “Rubber, I think? Wait, no.” Your mouth pulls into a thin line. Your eyes drag down, heavy with sleep, but you stay determined to stay awake. “Latex?” Turning to him, you give an apologetic smile. “I’m bad at recalling textures.”

“What are you doing?” He asks.

“I miss your freckles.” You ignore his question.

If he could frown, he would. Actually, he’s sure that the spot on his face emotes; maybe it could emote frustration. “I still have my freckles. Technically.” With his free hand, he points to a small cluster of spots that float near his collarbone, right under where the bone would protrude. “Some of the spots move, but there are some that usually remain stationary.”

Nodding, you keep your focus on his hand. “You said it's- your white- that it’s all skin?” He makes a noise of confirmation. “So you’re like naked, right now?” His spots pulse in a moment of surprise, and you drop his hand. “Oh! Sorry.” You look at him sheepishly, and he hopes that you grab his hand again. “I just- You’re like gallivanting all over New York- naked.” There’s a smile teasing its way, and he straightens him, trying to keep what little resolve he has left.

“I wear clothes!” He says defensively. 

“Like what?” You lean back against the bed frame, and give him a teasing smile.

“Like jackets and- and hats.” You roll your eyes, and pull the blanket closer to you. Your hands have found their new home in a blanket. “I don’t have a lot of options now- things stretched out.”

He’s gained your attention again. “No pants?”

“Well- it’s not like I have to,” he says in an almost squeaking voice. You crane your head, and he’s covering his crotch with both hands. Your name is yelped, and there’s a phantom of what the two of you used to be laced into your name. 

“What?” You say through a laugh. “I’ve seen you before, remember? Plus, you're literally like you know-” you skirt around saying the word, and he can’t stop looking at you- “on my bed. And-” your hands pat on the blanket and they flat- “you walk around without pants!”

“It’s different! That’s different!” 

“I’d argue that it isn’t.” Your legs shirt under the blanket. You take another glance. “Not even boxers?”

“It’s not necessary,” he mumbles, and he can’t stop looking at you. He won’t stop. “Most people think I’m wearing something anyways,” he confesses in a quiet voice. “Most of my clothes don’t fit now. The sleeves bunch up-” he stretches an arm and his hand circles around his forearm where the jackets usually begin to bunch- “and really, if I just hide my face, most people think I’m some eccentrically dressed man.”

“You always did wear bright clothing.” You lay on your side, your arms bent to cushion your head more than the pillow ever could. 

“I did not,” he pouts.

“Yeah, you did.” You try to sink yourself deeper into the bed. “You had that one button-up. It was um, it was bright blue with like white shapes all over it. Or- Or your orange one! With the design on it.” Your grin is growing, and he can’t help but be captivated by you. You laugh, and it’s the sweetest sound that he’s ever heard in his life, sweeter than honey, sweeter than anything he’s ever had. “I’m sure the pants are something close to what you owned,” you say in a whisper. “Somehow, you always did make those clothes work.” You look to where his eyes should be and as if you could, he feels himself being peeled away, layers taken apart until you stare at him- just at him.

A part of him wished he left your apartment when he had the chance.

“Why did you want me to stay?” He asks, voice tight and full of want.

“I already told you.” You look ashamed. “I miss you.”

He should have left. He should have closed this chapter in his life. “I miss you too.” He can’t stand it. He hates how you look at him. Look away. Look away from him. He wants you to look away from him.

As if hearing his prayer, your gaze shifts elsewhere and he needs it back. “I’m sorry Johnathan,” you say his name with tenderness that he hasn’t heard in a long time. Your words kiss his skin and leave him aflame. “What I did to you, you didn't deserve that. I wish I could tell you that I was young and dumb, but we both know that would be a lie.” You don’t look at him again. “I asked you to stay for my own selfish desire. I thought that if I could give you a meal and let you lie on my bed, that it would somehow make up for all the bad that I’ve done to you.” You look at him, and he can’t look at you when you’ve said something so true. “A cold sandwich and a cold bed would never repair what I’ve done to you.”

He should tell you something mean- something sharp and unforgiving, something that would make you feel the way that he had that night and all the nights and days that followed. When he looks at you, and sees the bags under your eyes and the way that you look so small lying down- he can’t say anything of the sort. His words don’t form, and they aren’t tangible thoughts that he could at least grasp and stutter out, they’re simply gone. Malice and greed is absent, and he wants to cling to you. He wants to hide himself in your arms and in the soft spot where your neck and shoulder meet. 

“You really miss me?” He asks in a scared voice, one that cracks and exposes all of his hopes and fears.

“Every day,” you reply earnestly, finally looking at him again. “I know I shouldn’t. But I do.”

Unbeknownst to him, he’s found his hand in yours. “How can you stand to look at me?”

“Exposure therapy. I thought that if I could stand spots and holes-” you pull a grimace as if even the word is too much and if the word is too much, then he must be plentiful and he must be cast away and you must be thinking of someone else. “Small clusters kinda fuck me over, but bigger ones don’t as much anymore.”

“I shouldn’t have dropped by that night.” He wishes he hadn’t, that way, maybe in death you could still care for him and mourn him. “I knew about your phobia and I still came by.”

“You wanted comfort.” Your voice cracks and the tips of your cheeks flush. “You needed me. That isn’t something you have to apologize for Johnathan.” Tears water at your eyes and you cling to his hand. “I’m sorry.”

“I meant what I said.” You knit your brows. “I meant it when I said that if you took me back, we could forget about all that was said. We could start fresh.”

By the look in your eyes, he knows he said the wrong thing. “That wouldn’t be fair to you Johnathan.” Your words are muffled by the skin on your arm, and he can hear it clearly, every word is drenched in pity. 

He shakes his head. “I wouldn’t care. Not when I’d have you.”

“You could do so much better.”

“No,” he corrects. “No, I couldn’t.”

“I don’t deserve that type of grace, Johnny.” Your arms tense, and he wonders if you really do miss him. “If we went back to how it was before, I’d still know. I’d still hate myself, and I wouldn’t see you, I’d see me.” Your eyes shine with tears. 

“I could never hate you,” he tells you with sincerity dripped onto his words. “I tried-” you blink and a tear tracks down- “but I couldn’t. I had so many things that I wanted to tell you- that I hoped I could tell you, but I could never even form the sentence.”

“Can you try?”

“What?”

“Can you try to tell me what you would have wanted to tell me?” You lift yourself up by your forearms, and push yourself close to him, He can smell the cream on you- something sweet and soft. “You can think of it like payback,” you mutter, your hand reaching to grab his.

“I can’t.” he shakes his head, and closes his hand around yours. “I could never tell you what I felt or what I thought. It wasn’t anything bad- it was just-” he sighs and keeps his gaze on your hands- “disappointment? Shock?”

“Why did you stay Johnathan?” He doesn’t answer you, nor does he even make a noise to show that he heard you. “Johnathan?” He squeezes your hand in response. “You asked why I had asked you to stay. Why did you?” Your head tilts and you lower yourself to come into his view, and he can’t look away- not this time. “How can you still hold my hand after what I’ve done to you?”

“Because I wanted to,” he tells you with his words wavering as if they’re about to crash. “I knew that you were the one that I wanted. That hasn’t changed at all.” Tears curve down the side of your face, and drip down your chin. “I’ll always want you.” He lifts his head upwards,  and you sit with him, your hand gripping onto him as if the slightest tremble would make him vanish. “Do you need a hug?”

Nodding your head, all he has to do is lift his arms and you’re clinging to him, body above his with your face hidden into the crook of his neck. With tightly wrapped arms, you cling to him like a child that clings to a stuffed animal after a bad dream, and he wonders just how much of this is a bad dream. Hearing you cry is certainly something that makes him want to hold onto you even tighter, to press you against his body despite the spots and holes that litter him. However, in the same shaky breaths that you take, you call his name, hushed and full of grief, the same grief that holds warmth and familiarity. 

He hopes that you don’t slip into one of his spots. “I would think about you at work,” he starts. “A lot. I’d have your picture set as my lock screen.” He wraps his arms, and you get comfortable above him, shifting and nuzzling onto his shoulder. “Sometimes, I couldn’t focus on work because I’d be too busy thinking about you. And I’d wonder if you missed me as much as I missed you.” Your hands lay flat against his back, and he wonders if by chance, you missed his spots. He runs his hand up and down your spine, making sure that he remembers how warm you are, and how your heart beats against his chest. “My coworkers always wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t let them. I couldn’t let you get near them. I was scared that maybe, you’d realize that I wasn’t all that you made me out to be, and that you’d leave me.”

Tears wet his skin, and the way that the droplet runs over the rim of a spot, has him unable to breathe. He dips his head, wanting to press a kiss against your crown. He’s forgotten that he no longer has lips, that any gentleness that he could have given you has been torn away. 

“I wanted you. I thought- I would think about how when the project was over, I’d leave. I’d give Fisk and Dr. Octavius my research and notes and I’d leave. And in a good life, in a happy ending, I would be able to. We’d move elsewhere, get a cat or maybe a snake. I’d get to sleep beside you every night and and I’d get to wake up to you every morning.”

“Your co-workers called me- one of them. They asked if I had seen anything strange.” You sniffle, and you pull away, and your hands only move to clasp onto his biceps.

“What did you tell them?”

“That I wasn’t sure what they meant.” A heavy hand of white contrasts against your skin, and he wipes away the tear that has fallen. “I asked what happened to you- played dumb and they bought it.”

“What did they say?”

You lean into his touch. “They hung up on me and they haven’t called again.”

“Has my family contacted you?” You shake your head. “Good. I never wanted you to meet them.” At your frown, he continues. “You deserve to be surrounded by good people. Not them.” Your nails dig into his back, and the same hands that traced over his veins and cradled him, are the same that drag down and make him bleed. “I knew about your phobia, and I still came to you. I thought to myself that out of everyone, you wouldn’t turn me away. It was silly, I know.”

“I’m sorry,” you croak out. “I’m so sorry.” All that you can do is repeat your apologies, whispered and broken, repeated like a prayer, and in every word, in every syllable, there is grief and regret, and it tastes bitter. You cling to him, and you apologize, like a child crying to their mother, apologetic over a broken vase, begging their mother to still love them even after all the wrongs that have been committed, and at the end of the day, the love is still there, but the vase is broken. “I wish that you met someone better than me.” 

He’s silent, and he looks at his hands, the same ones that run up and down your spine, and he wonders if you would hold his hand again. 

“Sometimes, when I can’t sleep, I think about how you looked at me that night. And sometimes I wish that I had died that night. That I wasn’t-” his voice wavers and in a hushed whisper he continues- “this.” His hands clench over your shirt, balling up the fabric. “Then maybe you’d have a nice last image of me. And then maybe you’d still want me. I wonder what would have happened to me. If they would give me a funeral, or if they’d rip my body apart and never lay me to rest.” You only cling tighter to him. “When I can’t sleep, I think about what I would tell you. I would tell you that you were mean, and I would never have done that to you. And that as awful as you were that night-” he lets out a shaky breath- “I never stopped thinking about you. I wanted to stay right by your side. I would have done whatever it is that you had wanted me to- I would have hidden myself and only came out when you asked me to.” He hopes that you’ll cling to him just a bit longer, that you won’t pull away. “When I came by that night and found you crying in the living room, I wanted to hold you again; make whatever bad happened, disappear. But it was me. I was the bad thing that happened,” he whispers.

“It wasn’t you. Not entirely. It was me” His spots jolt. “It- It was the way that I treated you. How I still missed you, but that I didn’t have to because it wasn’t like you were gone.”

“Just my good looks.” There’s a hint of sarcasm buried into his words.

You laugh, and the hands lay flat on his back, cradling over his shoulder blades. “You’re still tall- I’d count that as a win.” Your breath is warm against him, and when you pull away, looking at him, there are tears in your eyes. “I wish that I told you that night to stay. I really wanted to, but it felt selfish to ask that of you. I couldn’t do that.”

“I wish you did,” he says without hesitation.

“I wish I did too.”

“When I grabbed my clothes, I uh- I took a shirt of yours. It’s creepy-” he turns his head and even if he is unsure if blood still runs through him and makes him human, he feels warm- “but I wasn’t thinking. I just- I’m sorry.” He bows his head and your hands slip away from his back, to cradle at his head.

“Johnathan,” you say quietly, “I’m literally sleeping in one of your shirts.”

“That’s different. That’s cute. You’re cute. I’m- Look at me. I stole something of yours. I just- I had to be reminded of something of yours. I needed you to keep me warm at night.”

“Can you stay tonight?” He leans closer, your hand cradling his face, moves to hold the back of his head. “I don’t think I can handle watching you leave right now.” He’s silent, unsure if he heard you correctly. “Please, Johnathan.”

“Ask me that again.”

You comply. “Can you stay the night, Johnathan.”

If he could, he’d kiss you. He’d carve himself a mouth, give himself jaws and teeth and lips, pick apart at his flesh and fashion his bones into canines and molars, just to give you one last kiss- tender and parting, just to show you that he really did care for you. He’d bleed himself out, let himself get torn apart if only he could kiss you. Even now, without lips and a tongue, the sugar still rests heavy, and the blood that you’ve spilled is overpowering and makes him unable to speak without threatening to give you his all, to have you look at him, and to forever look at him.

Your eyes stare into a black hole that will never stop looking at you, that will continue to take in all the light and capture it for itself. He’s selfish in staying, and you are terrible for asking him to stay. And in this room where the lamp casts a golden glow, and he holds you in his body, limbs entangle, words that tore apart skin and hands that rubbed over the wounds, there is no safer place that he would rather be. He’d stare at you every day, swallow you whole and take the poison that runs through your body and is seeped into your blood. 

He holds you in the orange glow, lets you hide yourself in his chest, and lets your body twist to not enter him. And he holds all of you, hoping that in the morning, he’ll remember the smell of your lotion, and the soft thumping of your heart under his thumb.

[theanimeview]

Anime To Look Forward To – Spring 2024

By: Peggy Sue Wood | @pswediting It is now the start of the Spring 2024 season, and we’re finally returning from our long hiatus. As we return, I thought it would be nice to start off with something a little easy—like a few quick recommendations for those watching things this season. In upcoming/ongoing works to consider watching this season, I (Peggy Wood, Editor of The Anime View)…

[cavorta]

October 11, 2024 Book Review „Witch in Darkness: Magick for Tough Times, Bad Days and Moments of Total Catastrophe“ by Kelly-Ann Maddox

The blurb: The long-awaited follow-up to Kelly-Ann Maddox’s bestselling Rebel Witch is here … Witch in Darkness explores loss, fear, grief and pain through the magickal lens Guiding the reader through the concept of the craft as a life-saving, soul-nurturing practice for dark times, this book overflows with inspiration and compassion for witches in difficulty. The raw and honest tone peels back the surface layers of witchcraft’s meaning and power, inviting the reader to use magick, ritual and readings to heal and grow. When disaster strikes, a magickal practitioner has endless tools to help them build strength and hope, and face the seemingly impossible. Witch is Darkness is packed with nourishing wisdom, including advice on:

Embracing an imperfect practice 

Cleansing, grounding and shielding during tough times 

Witching through extremes Identifying high-risk and low-risk practices 

Energy management and low-maintenance magick 

Dealing with loss, grief and despair using witchcraft 

Magick and ritual for conflicts, dramas and relationship breakdowns 

Addressing mental and physical issues from the witchcraft perspective 

The book includes easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions to make magickal action easier to execute. Discover tarot spread designs, journal prompts, words of power and excellent suggestions for shifting your mindset, alongside a great Q&A segment to clear up confusions and help you get unstuck. Spiritual counsellor and witchcraft mentor Kelly-Ann Maddox has a decade’s experience in the magickal space, offering workshops, one-to-one sessions and hundreds of informative videos on her popular YouTube channel. In this book, she draws on countless conversations with witches from all walks of life, as well as her own life journey through mental health breakdowns, struggles with self-harm and eating disorders, and heart-breaking bereavement.

Review

In my opinion, this is a much needed book for the witchcraft community. There are a few witchcraft books available about witching with chronic illnesses or disabilities, or how to deal with grief and loss from a pagan or witchcraft perspective. All of these have been published quite recently.

But this book is not limited to these topics, the author writes about several more, like dysfunctional or toxic relationships, addictions and how to support yourself and others when you do activism for social justice or other causes. In most of the chapters, there are ideas for ritual and spells, writing prompts, words of power and also several ideas for readings of Tarot or Oracle cards. The author encourages readers to tweak and adapt spells as they see fit. I have tried this with one of the spells and it went well. I also had ideas how to adapt another one and I surely will revisit this book from time to time.

Kelly-Ann Maddox writes, “You do not serve the craft; it is the craft that serves you” (p. 333). In my understanding, this opens up lots of new possibilities when thinking about doing witchcraft even if you are down in the dumps so to speak, or feel scared or helpless or are stressed-out. Kelly-Ann explains about what low-risk and high-risk witchcraft activities are and gives suggestions which to pursue in different situations and which better not.

She writes, „Witchcraft is a collection of tools for surviving and thriving. It is not a judgemental overseer that ascertains your worthiness to access it based on how much you seem to have your life together“ (p. 334) and „witchcraft is a resource, not a test“ (p. 334)

On a personal note, over the past years, I have quite often felt in a spiritual slump for weeks and felt like witchcraft was not longer easily available for me. I wish this book would already have been available back then.

The author has a unique and a bit eclectic witchcraft style, she doesn’t follow a specific tradition. If you want to learn about how to deal with your problem following a magickal tradition, this book is not a good choice I guess. For me, as a very eclectic witch, it’s really interesting.