#self recc list

[minutiaewriter]

Available now! Hera Part II: To Touch the Heavens

available here as either a paperback or an ebook

reblog and spread the word!

Rynn Hera’s journey to reunite with the stars continues in this sweeping second installment of the HERA trilogy. Having just found High Priestess Velle Deka and learned how to reach the celestial spring, Rynn, Kilderan, Yojackson, and Aome set off on the second leg of their journey guided by nothing but their hope, fighting for their lives to ensure Rynn’s safety within the spring, or so they believe. But secrets and hidden desires hang over everyone’s heads, causing trust to be tested and the truth to eventually unravel. 

💙 Thank you to everyone who has supported the HERA journey so far, I couldn't have done it without you cheering me on and words are never an adequate means of expressing the gratitude I feel for my writing community.

HERA taglist:

@andromeda-grace @toribookworm22 @tzipor-feather-blog @chickensarentcheap @elijahrichardwrites @little-mouse-gardens @sarcasticjuiceboxes @royal1asset-if @aquil-writes @elizaellwrites @once-upon-a-springtime @whumpy-writings @mrbexwrites @aninkwellofnectar @ishipgenfics @creatrackers @eccaiia @primroseprime2019 @words-after-midnight @carrioncircus

please let me know if you would like to be added to the official taglist!

[inmyperfectworld]

Sharing a heartfelt excerpt from 'Family Reunion,' a poem in my chapbook Heartstrings and Reflections. This piece explores the bittersweet changes in family bonds over time.

Also available on Kobo, LuLu, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, and more.

[poppletonink]

Cher Horowitz Reads

Emma by Jane Austen

Cher's Guide To... Whatever by H.B. Gilmour

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

Better Than The Movies by Lynn Painter

What A Time To Be Alone by Chidera Eggerue

Valley Of The Dolls by Jacqueline Susann

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Fashionopolis by Dana Thomas

I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston

Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

Overdressed by Elizabeth L. Cline

Paradise Kiss by Ai Yazawa

[movedto-mrs-bluemarine]

𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧' 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲

~ Ben x Tara playlist ~

L.A. Connection………Rainbow // Drive………Incubus // Beautiful Disaster………311 // Space Truckin'………Deep Purple // Kryptonite………3 Doors Down // Scar Tissue………Red Hot Chili Peppers // Spiderhead………Cage the Elephant // Paralyzer………Finger Eleven // Smooth………Santana ft. Rob Thomas // Better Than Me………Hinder // Something About Us………Daft Punk // Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now………The Smiths // Miss U………Blackfield // Into the Ocean………Blue October + more

• Divider credits go to @/cafekitsune!

• Pro/Com/ship dni

[asphodel-flowers]

book haul book haul 📚 🎉

they were on sale i swear

Okay, I did spend a bit more than I should have -coughs- But I need them all.

Okay, genuinely, re: the fiction books, I was just gonna grab The Graveyard Book because I've wanted it for a while - I mean, it's Neil Gaiman, come on - and it was on sale plus the buy one get one half off, but obviously that meant I had to grab another book and I couldn't decide between two but I couldn't just get three and... Yeah.

But seriously I've been so burnt out I'm getting crispy. ❤️‍🔥 🔥 I haven't had the brain 🧠 to do the things I need to do because I'm exhausted and I'm so friggin exhausted because I haven't been letting myself actually rest by doing the fun things. So. Fiction.

and it worked. I absolutely devoured One Dark Window in a day; it was great. The second book is supposed to get here tomorrow; it was cheaper on Amazon.

The nonfiction books are useful. Entering Hekate's Garden was definitely the most expensive but it didn't have the price on it and by the time I got up to the counter and found out, I was like fuckit because it's been on my wishlist for so long now.

I am liking Southern Cunning so far but I'm not very far in so we shall see.

Guess what my mother did the same day I got these? Yeah she did the exact same thing. I showed off the books because I knew we had the same taste and she'd be interested in the ones I got. I was not expecting her to also have bought The Hexologists. smh, go figure.

So I ran back real quick and switched it out for a sequel to another fiction book she'd gotten prior that was also on the buy one get one half off table. I don't remember the title and I didn't get a picture of it. I think the first book was called Her Royal Majesty's Coven and the second was the something cabinet.

[jenniferdarjeeling]

Thank you for 30 reviews of my historical fiction/romance/YA book "Aoh"!

It will be nearly 1 year since it's release and I can not thank all of you enough for your continued support!

Here's to getting one day closer to achieving my dreams!

[goldrushreads]

A Book-ish Round Up: Part 3

Continuing my book-ish round up, in case you are looking for some recs! This time, I'm highlighting two books, both literary fiction!

Death Valley, by Melissa Broder

A woman seeks refuge in the California high desert amidst personal turmoil involving her father's critical condition and her husband's worsening illness. Seeking solace, she embarks on a recommended hike from a motel receptionist. Along the trail, she encounters an improbable, massive cactus with a peculiar opening. Curiosity leads her inside, where she discovers a mystical journey filled with a mix of desolation, richness, humor, and poignancy.

You can run but only so far, I guess. Read this book if you want to read about finding solace online, about a woman who has to be a caretaker, who feels helpless but still is trying her best, and older women!

2. Bright Young Women, by Jessica Knoll.

This book delves into the horrors of America's first celebrity serial killer's final murderous spree targeting a sorority. In January 1978, amidst the Pacific Northwest's terror, the vibrant women of a Florida State University sorority are oblivious until a fateful night of violence alters their lives. Pamela Schumacher's (protagonist #1) decision to stay home saves her from the killer's rampage, thrusting her into a terrifying mystery. Meanwhile, Tina Cannon (protagonist #2) in Seattle forms a bond with Ruth Wachowsky, who goes missing under suspicious circumstances. As Tina investigates, she uncovers connections to the Florida tragedy and sets on a collision course with Pamela, driven by a determination to hold the killer accountable. Bright Young Women presents a new perspective on the case, highlighting the exceptional lives of the victims and challenging the sensationalized narrative surrounding the killer.

I liked it just okay but I see why people might love it. You'll love it if you like true crime, alternating perspectives, and books set in college. It also highlights the victims of serial killers and their family, rather than the serial killer himself!

[whumpacabra]

Whumpy Stories I Enjoy In No Particular Order :]

This will be updated as I get caught up on my current reading/find the energy to go diving through my archive for older pieces that live in my head rent free.

Largely scifi, fantasy, heroes and villains, with a sprinkling of realism, immortality, and eldritch thrown in for good measure.

Science Fiction:

Dystopia -

Biodrones by @just-horrible-things

Weapons Don't Weep by @wolfeyedwitch

Living Weapon: 327 by @whumpy-daydreams

Space Politics -

Dust by @redwhump

The Martyr by @whump-me

Riot Kings (comic, Hand in Hand AU) by @befuddled-calico-whump

*The Sentry and the Strays by @promptsforyourwhumpfic

Fantasy:

Gozukk and Anna, Castor and Ed by @whimperwoods

The Blackmuir Reign by @deluxewhump

Heroes and Villains:

With Bloody Outstretched Hands by @wolfeyedwitch

*Kyle by @whimperwoods

Behind the Masks by @whumpering-heights

Left Behind by @justbreakonme

Wildfire by @befuddled-calico-whump

Darkness Falls by @turn-the-tables-on-them

Hazeshift by @whumpwillow

Alex & Friends [Pat, Aeroseph] by @i-eat-worlds

Immortals and Monsters:

Waking Nightmare by @whumpering-heights

the cave-diving thing by @whumpwillow

Immortal Drowning by @whumpering-heights

*Bloody Ascension by @ash-and-bone-whump

Modern Mercenaries, Mobs, and Spies:

The Kid by @winedark-whump

Zach and Archer by @redstainedsocks

*The Investigator by @whumpy-bi

*I can't find an official masterpost by the op so I have linked the unique tag I use for archiving purposes of each story on my blog

[profoundbondfanfic]

Dunno if y’all take requests but I’d love a list of vintage destiel reccs, like canon or canon divergent season 4/season 5.

We do take requests! I'm sorry it took a while to come up with this list but here are a few of our favorites from early seasons.

A Different Kind of Falling by Lyrial [Explicit, 72k words]

“I will do it then,” Castiel said with confidence that he did not truly possess. “I will pretend to be a hunter and gain the trust of Dean Winchester so that we may locate Michael’s grace and restore him. I might not be as familiar with humanity as Balthazar is, but I am still a master tactician. I am certain that deceiving a few humans will be well within my capabilities.” As the humans would say, famous last words. (Dean is the fallen archangel Michael. Castiel is sent on a mission to restore him to his angelic self. Things get complicated, however, when Castiel finds himself falling for Dean.)

A Different Kind of Monster by roadtonowhere (lastoryx), xfancyfranart [Explicit, 89k words]

Something in Bodie, California is luring truckers to their deaths and Dean’s on his way to take it out. It’s the first time Bobby’s given him a case and, with Sam at Stanford and his dad off chasing demons, he's finally hunting monsters on his own. When an accidental encounter puts an as-of-yet-unknown monster in the passenger seat of his car, Dean decides to ice him, taking his dad's old adage to heart: a monster is always a monster. Unfortunately, Dean can’t seem to figure out what kind of monster "Castiel" is and he certainly can’t shake him.

Faith Healer by punkascas (earlwyn) [Explicit, 75k words]

Dean hates faith healers. Scam artists and power-hungry dicks, all of them. But with Sam nearing the end of his rope and desperate for a way to keep their father’s last words from being true, Dean has no choice but to turn to the enigmatic and irascible Castiel, more tattooed junkie than spiritual leader, in hopes of finding a way to cure Sam. Yet Castiel hides dangerous secrets, and Dean soon learns they have more to worry about than just Yellow Eyes and Sam’s growing demonic abilities. War is coming. Canon divergent after 2.10.

Good One's Gonna Be by remmyme [Explicit, 37k words]

Castiel Novak receives a rather alarming text message from an unknown number, and what started as a simple misdial quickly turns into the greatest friendship Castiel has ever known. But Dean has many secrets, dangerous truths about the life he lives, and would like to tell Castiel exactly none of them. A (slightly) AU, (mostly) text fic, S3 fix-it romance (of sorts).

Holy!Dean verse by bunnymaccool [Explicit, 120k words]

Dean Winchester has grown used to God dicking around in his life the last couple years. But this crap? This takes the CAKE ... or pie, rather. Now he's been thrown a whole new curve-ball. The kind that has ended the Civil War in Heaven ... but resulted in Raphael taking over, and hunting for Dean's ass on a silver platter. Not to mention dealing with Balthazar acting like a self-righteous prick, Sam having some big damn epiphany on his big brother's sexuality, and Cas eying him up like he's the world's juiciest cheeseburger. All that mixed with the chance to fix it all and set everything to rights ... but only if Dean is willing to sacrifice himself. Again. Seriously, if he ever meets that bastard God he's gonna- ... oh hey, Chuck! What are you doing here?

On Falling by kettleknight [Mature, 34k words]

After saving Dean from Hell, Castiel is tasked with convincing him to say "yes" to Michael should the apocalypse come to pass. But the time to complete this mission is quickly running out, and his superiors are expecting an answer soon. Desperate for a solution, Castiel asks his vessel for help and is forced to make a decision: help the apocalypse follow through, or crash head-first into humanity and damn the consequences.

Profoundly Different by amireal, tiamatv [Explicit, 190k words]

"Castiel?" Sam calls out, carefully. Both of them lower their guns but don’t put them away, yet: there’s no sign of a struggle, but the guy did just break out of an insane asylum by squishing an orderly. With a bureau that he shouldn't have been able to move. "We're not gonna hurt you. We're here to help. My name is Sam. This is my brother, Dean." There's a loud silence. Dean can hear the wind rustling through the structure. A deep voice suddenly speaks up. It’s coarse and raspy and sounds like it hurts coming out; he’s never heard anything like it. It sends shivers down Dean's spine. "Dean?” the man asks. “Dean Winchester?" (A Season 4 AU: what if the fallen angel Dean and Sam ran into was Castiel, not Anna?)

See the World in Green and Blue by parenthetical [Explicit, 8k words]

Castiel spends a day learning what it's like to be human.

So Says The Sword by komodobits [Explicit, 85k words]

The briefing was simple: ‘Stand guard over the Michael Sword until the battle is ready to commence. Await further instructions.’ Castiel doesn’t mind working security duty; he was briefed shortly after the initial salvation of the Sword from the pit, and again before taking up his position. He knows what to do. However, it’s easy to forget that the green room isn’t real. Time moves differently there, the space ever-changing to make a prison of mountains, cathedrals, salt flats, orchards, and whatever Castiel was led to believe about Heaven’s greatest weapon—Dean Winchester is something entirely unexpected.

Strandlines by aeli_kindara [Explicit, 40k words]

It’s September 18, 2008. Castiel is being deployed to rescue Dean Winchester from Hell. He lands in Dean Winchester’s motel room in 2003. Things go from there.

The Girlfriend Experience by rageprufrock [Explicit, 15k words]

While it's not like Dean hasn't had a couple of truly regrettable hit-and-runs in his sexual history, this is probably the saddest fucking thing that has ever happened to him.

Thursday’s Child by strangeandcharm [Explicit, 114k words]

Thursday's child has far to go.

You can also check our time travel tag. We've reviewed some fics that play around with them going back in time. Here are a few:

a turn of the earth by microcomets [Mature, 95k words]

adam bites the apple by sicsempertyrannis [Teen, 11k words]

Crazy Diamonds by pantheon_of_discord [Explicit, 25k words]

Face to Face with the Skies by quiddative [Explicit,42k words]

Like a Comet in the Sky, I'll Follow You Across the Universe by super_skam310 [Explicit, 107k words]

the weight of water by eddiegirl [Explicit, 46k words]

[shiki-aki]

Any ShikiAki doujinshi recc? I've only read the tentacle one

THE FACT THAT I INSTANTLY KNEW WHICH DJ YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU SAID "the tentacle one" LMAOOOO I LOVE THAT ONE IT'S REALLY HOT and Shiki is just so dom in it...

ohhh but this is a really fun question, thanks for asking! I do have some personal favorite Shikiaki doujinshi, but if you have time and are really hungry for content, I also recommend checking out all the Shikiaki doujinshi here: https://myreadingmanga.info/togainu-no-chi-dj/

Anyway I do have a few that I love to reread (and I'm gonna use this as an opportunity to gush about them lol) so I'll list them here. They're not in any particular order (except for the first one which definitely takes the spot as my favorite).

Ragdoll

(I recommend you actually read this doujinshi first before reading my thoughts here because I end up spoilering it oops, SORRY HAHA. I just have so many thoughts on this doujinshi and I love talking about it!)

This is my all-time favorite Shikiaki doujinshi because it's the one that really made me take a closer look at Shikiaki and search for the nuances in Shiki's route, back when I first finished Shiki's route. I think this artist truly understood the Shikiaki dynamic and the themes in Shiki's route, and it shows in their writing. Like I can't stress how important this doujinshi is to me lol, if it wasn't for this I would have likely just dropped Shikiaki as a ship and moved on, because yes on a surface level, Shikiaki does seem very shallow; I won't deny that, but when you dig deeper, you'll find that there's so many layers to the ship? I know that sounds incredibly cliche, but hey, that's what my meta is for lmao, so that I can actually explain my thought process behind why this ship is actually quite complex.

The artist nailed it in exploring the "possession" theme in the Shikiaki dynamic and how Shiki hides his true feelings for Akira behind framing it as Akira being his possession, but Shiki is also obsessed with who Akira is as a person and values him for the traits he has. Essentially it plays with the theme of Shiki objectifying, but also humanizing Akira at the same time, and like... the contradiction is just amazing because like I said in my meta, it adds nuance and depth to characters when they act in seemingly contradictory ways.

But the doujinshi doesn't just stop there; it also touches upon Akira's characterization and the theme of him obeying his own will, which I think is important when it comes to wanting to understand ED1. It's not that Akira follows his abuser because he's in love with Shiki; he follows Shiki out of his own free will, because Shiki was the only one to truly accept him and see him for who he is, and that's why Akira will accept Shiki for who he is, even if Shiki is in a catatonic state. Also this doujinshi opened my eyes to seeing how Shiki was the one to "bring back Akira's will to live," which is definitely a point I harp on a lot in my meta lolll.

This doujinshi also made me understand Akira's character arc, with Akira appreciating the beauty of nature for what it is in ED1, and how he wants Shiki to do the same. It shows the duality between them: neither Shiki nor Akira appreciated life for what it is, or even the fact of living. Shiki was too hellbent on his goal and pursued it in a self-destructive manner, while Akira viewed life as meaningless and didn't see a reason to pursue anything in life. So at the end of their character arcs, both Akira AND Shiki need to realize the importance of living in the moment so they can finally have a fulfilling life together.

tldr: this doujinshi changed my life and it's the reason why I'm stuck in Shikiaki hell

2. Amber Sunlight Lit Up the Jade Dewdrops

(GOD THE COVER ART IS JUST GORGEOUS)

This doujinshi is drawn by the same artist who did "Ragdoll," so you already know it's gonna be good lol. I love the angst in this, but also the soft fluff. Again this artist understands the Shikiaki dynamic really well and what their brand of subtle intimacy would look like. I do think Shiki is slightly OOC here, but only because the scenario itself falls into OOC territory (Shiki catching a cold lol). Otherwise I think the artist did extremely well in still executing the idea they wanted to draw while keeping Shiki's and Akira's characterizations intact.

3. Babelist

I love this ED2 doujinshi because of how possessive Shiki is lmao, like straight up, this is what I reread whenever I want to see Shiki acting super unhinged and possessive. It's just a really good portrayal of Shiki and Akira's dynamic in ED2, with Akira being loyal to Shiki (but also trying to maintain an air of professionalism between them despite their private, intimate relationship) and Shiki giving absolutely zero fucks and just wanting to show off to everyone in the army how Akira is his lmao.

4. A3

This is the first Shikiaki doujinshi I ever read and I'm glad it was my first because it's definitely unique. It essentially weaves all 3 Akiras from the EDs together into one universe and shows what kind of dynamic Shiki has with each Akira. What I adore about this doujinshi is how it shows that, despite how different in personality each Akira is, Shiki loves all of them in the end because they're still Akira. The line at the end of the doujinshi, "You're all mine. However, the one who was captured is..." just straight up makes my heart quiver because of how Shiki-esque it is. It may look like Shiki is the one in control of the relationship because he's the dom and he "owns" Akira, but his heart was captured by Akira and he's chained by the feelings he has for Akira. Essentially just a subtle but very elegant way of showing how Akira has power over Shiki, too.

5. Inushiki

Drawn by the same artist who did "A3," this is such a heartwarming, wholesome, and fluffy doujinshi. I definitely like to reread it a lot because it's one of the few Shikiaki doujinshi that isn't downright angsty lol, it's just so domestic and cute. Also Shiki with dog ears and a tail is just... mwah. He's gorgeous <3. And of course it isn't Shiki if he's not possessive (and horny) as fuck lmao. This is the one doujinshi that I so desperately wish there was a sequel of because it's just so adorable it makes me roll around in bed T_T.

6. Lost End

This one is more on the smutty side, but the art is really good! This artist is quite well known for their TnC doujinshi (they don't only draw Shikiaki but other ships as well so yeah a bit of fun for everybody xD). My favorite part is the ending though... definitely love to see Shiki and Akira having a soft moment together (and Akira wanting to touch Shiki is just. adorable). I don't know, I just really like Shiki being soft and affectionate with Akira after he wakes up in ED1 (*¯︶¯*).

7. Evil Lova

I think you might enjoy this one in particular as it focuses on Shiki and Akira's domestic fluffy life after Shiki wakes up. It's quite short but it still shows Akira taking care of Shiki and worrying over him lol.

8. Insert

This is a direct continuation of "Evil Lova" but instead of Akira taking care of Shiki, it's Shiki being pissed that Akira is babying him, so Shiki decides to turn the tables and take care of Akira instead xD. Again it's short but it's still super fun and sweet to read about. I definitely like to headcanon that Shiki would be annoyed at Akira coddling him after he wakes up in ED1, but he understands that it's Akira's form of affection lol.

9. Black Milk

This one is a unique spin on the Dog!Akira from the Arbitro end, where Shiki manages to whisk Akira away from the Palace lmao. It leans on the smutty side but I like how the artist showed Shiki's discomfort with Akira being physically affectionate with him. Kinda emphasizes Shiki's tsundere side and how he's not used to being kissed or touched so affectionately, but he lets Akira touch him anyway <3 (and Akira remembering Shiki's name is just. aww).

10. Mill Milk

This is a direct continuation of "Black Milk." Again, leans on the smutty side, but also some humorous moments here and there lol. I really like Akira licking Shiki like a dog and Shiki allowing him to, tbh I feel like it's something we wouldn't really see in Shiki's canon route/EDs, but I totally vibe with it lol. Plus it leans into the "dog" aspect for Akira and Shiki's route is the one where the master/pet dynamic is heavily explored. (also the nipple sucking is. excellent.)

AAAAAAAAAAAA ANYWAY SORRY THIS ENDED UP BEING SO LONG WOW I didn't mean to go on a tangent and rec so many doujinshi lmao but I hope you enjoy reading them!!! and thank you again for the ask :3 sorry I have so many Shikiaki thoughts lol

[tako-cafe]

Depressed Cater HCs

per the title reader beware this will delve into depression, self-harm, and suicidal tendencies

Slightly less upsetting first but he listens to older viral pop songs when at his lowest. top 3 picks are: Butterfly by Smile.Dk, Supergirl by Miss Papaya, and Caramelldansen by Caramella Girls

Trey Once asked what Caramelldansen meant and Cater told him it means he wants to die. Trey pushed the beds together. He didn't trust Cater.

Slightly related but IG Boy - Baby Lasagna is very Cater

back to Cater sad boy but Caramelldansen coming from Cater's phone one day while studying and Idia walks by and just "huh you're depressed too."

Cater had let it slip one day though and just did an oopsie teehee about his mask falling.

Really the only two people he lets it slip around are Trey and Idia.

Trey more so over being roommates + separate HC before Riddle got there they were super close really fast. It didn't help Cater when Riddle got there Trey near instantly latched back onto his tyrant redhead. Made Cater feel abandoned but he doesn't want to say anything. He does miss the feeling of having a friend though.

To continue that, despite his sociable tendencies he feels othered and lonely in general. He keeps hoping posting to Magicam will fill that void and he is pretty chronically online. It doesn't work and he ends up emptier feeling but it ends up what he leans into to keep trying to help.

Idia and Cater HC friendship. It takes a bit but Idia by force a la Cater talking to without catching onto how uncomfortable Idia is does end up finding out they have things in common. Cater does cozy game and watch some anime so they end up close.

Cater gamer list: Stardew, Animal Crossing, Harvest Moon, Fashion Dreamer, Slime Rancher 1 and 2, and Idia gets him into horror RPGs

Anime List: OHSHC, Given, Princess Jellyfish, Inuyasha, Your Lie In April (this one was an Idia recc)

Through these shared medias they both end up slowly confiding to each other and Idia ends up shocked how much the seemingly happy socialite hides daily.

Ok less fun time but this also means Trey and Idia catch onto Cater's self harming tendencies. He sleeps less on purpose and uses social media doom scrolling as a way to hurt his own mental health on purpose. Both have caught onto him skipping meals during these times as well. Using food as punishment if he doesn't meet some arbitrary goal. If left in this state for long that is when he risks delving into suicidal Cater. He wouldn't do it at the school, but he isn't against trying to plan a trip into town to do it. Trey has had to stop him a few times already.

this was messy and rambles oops. Hope someone enjoyed this.

[commanderbuffy]

Sapphic Books Reccs

Here is my list of recommended sapphic books! There’s a lot of YA here since that’s a lot of what I read. Everything on this list I have personally read and can recommend. I’m sure there’s a TON out there I haven’t read or ones I have read and have just forgotten!

Contemporary

Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail by Ashley Herring Blake (Adult)

My favorite of Blake’s! Enemies to lovers. SO good.

Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake (Adult)

A woman falls for her step-sister’s best friend. Oh, and there’s a kiddo in the mix as well.

The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth (YA)

Two girls promise a summer of fun full of rom-com worthy dates. The only rule, no relationships. Just one summer, nothing more. Sure....

Forget Me Not by Alyson Derrick (YA)

Amnesia fic where a girl forgets she ever met her secret girlfriend in their ultra-conservative town.

Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar (YA)

Fake dating between the girl who wants to validate her bisexuality to her friends and the girl who doesn’t mind the popularity boost.

Her Name in the Sky by Kelly Quindlen (YA)

Best friends to lovers! A big piece of this is also the friend group involved.

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli (YA)

Imogen thinks she’s just an Ally. Spoiler alert: she’s not. I loved the way friendship was explored in this. You see some really solid friendships as well as a subtly toxic one (that’s acknowledged as such).

Late to the Party by Kelly Quindlen (YA)

An ode to late bloomers and a journey to self-acceptance. A girl goes to her first party, befriends a gay guy who introduces her to new group of friends and one really cute girl

Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl by Brianna Shrum and Sara Waxelbaum (YA)

Super fun involving a girl asking another girl fo “Queer 101″ lessons. Bi and Autistic rep too!

Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales (YA)

A girl gives anonymous love advice and gets hired by a hot guy to help him get his ex back. Really FANTASTIC bi rep!

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (Adult)

A sexy time-bendy romance with so much heart

She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen (YA)

My FAVORITE rom-com. I reread it constantly. Fake dating, enemies-to-lovers between the cheer captain and basketball star!!

She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick (YA)

Two girl team up to get their crushes to fall for them and start developing feelings for each other along the way.

Six Times We Almost Kissed by Tess Sharpe (YA)

Childhood frenemies forced to move in together for their best friend moms’ sake. Trauma filled and SO SO good.

Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan (YA)

A fun rom-com between an out queer athlete and the local beauty pageant queen.

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour (YA)

One of my favorite books of all time. A story about grief and friendship and love. A soft, quiet story.

Who I Was With Her by Nita Tyndall (YA)

A girl’s secret girlfriend dies and she is left to grieve alone until she finds herself turning to her girlfriend’s ex.

Science Fiction/Fantasy

Crier’s War by Nina Varela (YA)

A romance that leads to revolution by between two girls: one human, one Made

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow (Adult)

This is historical and fantasy! Suffragette witches! Another one of those books I wish I could read again for the first time. Three sisters, one of them has a WLW romance

Thriller/Horror

Hide by Kiersten White (Adult)

A high-stakes hide and seek competition in an abandoned amusement park. One of my all-over favorite books of 2022.

House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland (YA)

No wlw romance in this one, but the main character and her sister are both wlw. My absolute favorite book of 2021. What I would pay to read this for the first time again.

The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe (YA)

The daughter of a con artist is finally allowed to stop running and faking her identity, only to get stuck in a bank heist with her ex-boyfriend and current girlfriend.

Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand (YA)

Three girls who shouldn’t have a reason to team up together against an ancient evil. The new girl, the pariah, and the queen bee who’s been helping the evil all along. I have reread this book easy a dozen times.

Throwaway Girls by Andrea Contos (YA)

When a girl goes searching for her missing best friend, she finds a trail of other missing girls and battles with heartbreak after her girlfriend leaves her for California.

Wilder Girls by Rory Power (YA)

Quarantined at her girl’s school after a gruseome Tox breaks out, a girl must find what happened to her best friend who’s gone missing

Historical

Great or Nothing by Joy McCullough, Caroline Tung Richmond, Tess Sharpe, and Jessica Spotswood (YA)

The queer Little Women retelling we all deserve with a SAPPHIC JO! Set in 1942. Beth’s POV still haunts my heart

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (YA)

Two of the major supporting characters are WLW. This becomes more important and on the page in the later books in this series, but this is the first one.

Music from Another World by Robin Talley (YA)

1970s California. Two girls become penpals and bond over music.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Adult)

Hollywood icon Evelyn Hugo famously had seven husbands. This is the story of her wife.

[holographings]

Third movie recc list for pride month!!! moving over to korean cinema~

There have been a lot of k-miniseries that have come out in recent years that touch on lgbt+ topics, however I find those lacking in one way or another, especially compared to some others on this list, so I’ve omitted the many shorts i’ve enjoyed casually from here.

+THE KING AND THE CLOWN (Dir. Lee Joonik, 2005. 119 minutes)

This is it. This is THE movie. My all time favourite, of all time. Ever. Despite its themes this movie managed to garner astounding commercial and critical success and I just want to say- DESERVED. It follows two street performers who get sentenced to death for mocking the ruling king in their performances, only to escape execution as the king finds them funny, and more importantly becomes deeply psychosexually obsessed with one of the performers (landing them in possibly even more trouble in the long run).

The self-referential and intertextual elements in this movie make me drool no matter how many times I watch it, and I am so sad that despite all the meta and translations i’ve read on it, there are still elements of poetry and prose that are lost in translation. It’s vibrant and funny and heart-wrenching and I legitimately think everyone should watch it at least once. The colours. The SOUNDTRACK. Lee Joongi gives the performance of a lifetime, and he and Kam Woosung play off each other so naturally it’s virtually impossible to not fall in love with them. I could say so much more but I’ll stop here. Just watch it. The ending Will make you want to eat hot raw concrete. 

ALTERNATE CHOICES

+THE HANDMAIDEN (Dir. Park Chan Wook, 2016. 144 minutes)

Everyone knows this movie. Your grandmother knows this movie. It’s still on the list. “My savior, who came to ruin my life” <3. Among my favourite Park Chan Wook movies, possibly second only to Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance. 

+WISHING STAIRS (Dir. Yun Jaeyeon, 2003. 97 minutes)

Part of the Whispering Corridors series, horror is incomplete without some totally-not-into-each-other girl best friends in it. I remember watching this in middle school and if i’m completely honest i think i’ve managed to forget most of the scenes save for ones involving a clay sculpting room and a ballet flat, but i KNOW it was a good time if you’re into horror. Sufficiently balances the creep factor with the homosexual intrigue factor. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS-

(this section features movies that I love but can't in good conscience put on the main list as they don't explicitly feature any non-straight characters. but if you just Squint. it's all there. take it with a grain of salt.)

+SHOOT ME IN THE HEART (Dir. Mun Cheyoung. 101 minutes)

 What if [Girl, Interrupted] had a wackier korean remake that no one fucking talked about despite having A-List actors in it. Between the Vibes and the lead character hitting on the other male lead in the first 5 minutes of this movie, i feel alright putting it on the list despite nothing explicitly lgbt+ going on in this film. The bond between the lead characters Is the thing that has kept me rewatching this movie a couple of times over, and it is such a heartwarming thing despite the ending. So yeah. No happy ending. Still worth a watch.

[poppletonink]

The Self-Improvement Project: Books about Self Love

What A Time To Be Alone by Chidera Eggerue

Good Vibes, Good Life: How Self-Love Is the Key to Unlocking Your Greatness by Vex King

The Neuroscience Of Self Love by Alexis Fernandez-Preiska

Women Don't Owe You Pretty by Florence Given

I Heart Me: The Science Of Self-Love by David R. Hamilton

You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero

Be Who You Came To Be by Estelle Gillingham

Over The Top: A Raw Journey To Self Love by Jonathan Van Ness

The Self Love Experiment by Shannon Kaiser

101 Essays That Will Change What You Think by Brianna West

You Do You by Sarah Knight

How To Get Over A Boy by Chidera Eggerue

You Are Awesome by Neil Pasricha

[an1tak]

- Ana's diario + Masterlist

Hi! my name is Ana i'm from Colombia, I attend law school and i'm in love with education, literature and art.

my subjects on this blog are: Law, literature, daily routine, exercise, mental health, language learning, personal development and art.

This blog is dedicated to my academic life and my personal development, to talk about my achievements, my study methods, my failures, my mental health and its process all of that.

my posts will have warnings in cases that talk about mental health issues, depression, law cases related to raw issues or anything that may cause a trigger dont worry.

I am 19 years old, use pronouns she l her, i love fantasy or romance books, criminal minds and supernatural are my favorite shows, I listen to a lot of music and I have a lot of fun with fanfics, fan art and fan culture in general but i have another blog just for that.

-!

-! MASTERLIST

100 days

100 days of getting my life together

1 day 2 day 3 day. 4 & 5 day. 6 & 7 day.

Notes

Books

reccs books summer

Books lovers by Emily Henry review

Outgrow podcast

introduccion

Task

language

Law

Mental health

The manifesto (manifestation & self-knowledge)

Study tips

Weekly review

Check list summer things

Get my week together

july goals

new schedule! extremely detailed + visual schedules

Tips

Tips to eat healthier

Details of my everyday life

Moodboard you choose

Art break

xoxo ana

[screentunes]

Hi! I've been interested in tokusatsu shows for a while now, but I don't know which to start with, or how to watch them.

Could you help me?

GRINS SO WIDE summarized quick answer: where to start: my go-to answer is kamen rider ryuki, it's my absolute favorite and you can find it for free on tubi :-) tubi is a streaming service only available in the us, so if you don't live there you'd have to use a vpn to use it (that's what i do!) how to watch: tubi has a few other titles from kamen rider, sentai and ultraman, so feel free to look around if any others interest you! tsuburaya also has an official youtube channel with a bunch of content, icnluding the currently airing season with subs in multiple languages and an english dub! there's a lot of shows with no official international releases, for which you'd have to use.. other means

if interested, there's a longer (very long... sorry), more detailed answer under the cut!

as for where to start, it's completely up to you! :-) look around and if a show catches your interest, go for it! in kamen rider and super sentai at least, the shows are self-contained and separate from each other so you can jump in with any show you want at all!

some reccs of mine for the big three are as follow:

kamen rider: my personal favorite so far of the big three :-) the seasons can vary a lot in tone and setting, pretty much the only consistent thing is that there's a guy with a bike. oftentimes the guy looks like a bug. sometimes there's even more than one (!!) guy with a bike

for kamen rider, i recommend:

kamen rider ryuki: my absolute favorite tokusatsu show, and one of my favorite shows period!!! it's the 2002 installment of kamen rider. in this series, a silly journalist guy happens to discover a mysterious card deck while investigating for a story. with this, he accidentally becomes involved in a conflict between kamen riders. as the series advances, the reasons for this conflict become more clear out of the shows i've watched, this is one of the heavier ones in tone. however, it's also really funny. the show jumps from grim conflict to looney toones sitcom situations and then back again and its so awesome this was actually the show i began with, and it kickstarted my interest in tokusatsu!! i don't want to say much so as to not give anything away, but there's compelling, unforgettable characters that are so so dear to me, a pulling story with unfolding mysteries, and beautiful suit design!

some other shows i can mention are kamen rider fourze (show from 2011, generally much lighter in tone, very funny and sweet, space-themed kamen rider show about a delinquent-esque highschooler who wants to become friends with everyone) and kamen rider w (i think this one is commonly recommended to beginners! it's very fun, it's about a pair of young detectives who investigate mysteries and fight monsters. the main trio from this show are so dear to me). there's also a bunch of other shows i loved like ooo and kuuga (my second favorite!) but if i started listing them all out we'd be here all day...! if you wanted to start from the currently airing season, gotchard is on episode 16 right now. it's been cute so far!

super sentai: this is the series power ranger adaptations are made out of! there's a team of color-color coded heroes fighting villains and they have a giant robot etc etc

for super sentai, i started with kikai sentai zenkaiger! very cute and silly show, made me laugh out loud multiple times :-) a guy and his robot buddies hang out and have sooooo much fun

another recommendation would be tokumei sentai gobusters! probably one of the most solid tokus i've watched. it's a techy-themed season which is a plus for me :-) i heart computers. this one has a smaller core team than the usual sentai show, composed of three members. the characters are great and the antagonists are unforgettable!

i also loved toqger and i've had a lot of fun with gokaiger so far :-)

ultraman: ... i know far less about this one SORRY. there's a giant alien guy who fights giant monsters. lots of creatures in this one. peace and love on earth and also the entire universe...!!! like i said, i'm less knowledgeable about this one but from what i've seen the special effects tend to be breathtaking! miniature sets the world...

so far, the only ultraman show i've watched is ultraman orb, it was very nice! with around 20 episodes, it's shorter than the other shows i've recommended, which average 50 episodes

the currently airing ultraman show is ultraman blazar, which... i've unfortunately fallen back on a little! i have no idea if it's still airing or if it finished HELP. anyway i've loved it so far! there's a nice, slow-pace feel to it, gorgeous effects, and very memorable episodes! it's available worldwide on youtube for free, with an english dub and subtitles in multiple languages!! getting to watch it live is suchhh a nice experience there's also plenty of shows outside of those three franchises, but i'm not knowledgeable about them and i don't have reccs for those! i definitely want to venture out at some point.. i hope this helped! again, these are just some general reccs of shows i've liked! look around and see if any show catches your interest :-) if you have a certain tone, setting, etc etc in mind and want more specific recommendations i can also help with that!! thank you for letting me ramble about toku for a while ^__^