#serrado

[alychelms]

I've been threatening to do a Rook & Rose version of that one Twelfth Night production photo for a while now... so guess what I stayed up waaaaay too late last night, finishing!

[opalmxthyst]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Rook & Rose - M. A. Carrick Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Ren/Grey Serrado (Rook & Rose), Ren/Grey Serrado/Derossi Vargo (Rook & Rose) Characters: Ren (Rook & Rose), Grey Serrado (Rook & Rose), Derossi Vargo Summary:

The primordials are gone from the world, and they are rebuilding a Nadežra that reflects all the people who live there. Vargo's no longer a nobleman, but he has a seat on the Setterat, and he can help change the city from more than the bottom up. He should be happy. But mostly, he's lonelier than he's been in more than a decade. Luckily, those closest to him have noticed, and Ren and Grey have some ideas about how to reconnect with him.

[anarchypumpkincowboy]

“If I’d known you were so keen to meet, I’d have thrown a ball in your honor and spared you having to deal with Tserdev.” “Making me compete with all the others who want a piece of you?” The Rook’s blade whispered free of its sheath. “I preferred a more intimate setting for our first dance.” “Lucky me,” Vargo said, keeping his voice falsely light. “But as flattered as I am by the attention, I fear I must decline.”

Y’all can see why I say they need to fuck right? They’d make for a great enemies to to lovers ship but also an enemies to reluctant allies who’re in a relationship with the same woman who wants them all to fuck ship

[saber-of-dreams]

Finished a re-read (listen?)

I read these books when they came out, but I recently got the whole trilogy on Audible and decided to do a re-listen.

The series is equally as good on audio and I loved coming back to the incredible world again. I also really loved how neatly the ending was wrapped up for pretty much everyone.

But now I'm desperate to know: what happened to Letilia?? Hopefully she got herself the kind of ending she deserved, but I wonder what it was.

[pote-de-escritas]

“É que eu não quero criar expectativas”, disse eu, suspirando com tudo que tinha no peito, com olhos pesados e dedos serrados, tentando não pensar em você.

@pote-de-escritas

[dellydubbies]

I don't see this book talked enough, it's so good ✨✨✨

The Mask of Mirrors, The Liar’s Knot (by M. A. Carrick)

A friend bought me the book The Mask of Mirrors for Christmas and I swear I didn’t emerge from it for three days straight. This is a SUMPTUOUS non-traditional European fantasy with some of the richest world building I’ve read in a while. The magic, the cultures, the history, the fashion, it all felt so tangible that I could mentally pop myself into Nadezhra pretty much from page one. It had the twisty-turny, political intrigue-y plot that really appeals to me - without the intense violence you might find in other series that often get recommended for their politically-driven plots. Secret identities, characters that make you feel things, a queer-norm society, truly detestable villains… I loved this book. So I had to draw the three main characters obv.

I was so shocked that I couldn’t find the sequel in stores anywhere! Had to order online, and gotta say, it was equally good or better than the first… The character moments in The Liar’s Knot felt like releasing a breath you’ve been holding for hours. You’ll know what I mean if you read it ☺️

Anyway, this series deserves way more hype than it has. I read a LOT of SFF and this one stood out to me as truly fantastic. If you love secret identities, slow (SLOW) burn romance, a puzzle-like plot, tarot, and general luxuriousness for your brain…. I beg you to pick up The Mask of Mirrors.

[tut557]

Uma frustração minha que actece de vez em quando e é irritante é eu ver uma planta pu animal legal e pensar "nossa da onde que é" e a descrição ser "nativo do Brasil", ótimo, birgada, mas da onde que é? Tem amazônia, serrado, caatinga, mata atlântica, da onde que é? E aí eu tenho que passar mais 2 eternidades pra achar algum lugar que tem de qual região que é

[checkoutmybookshelf]

Who's is That Face in the Mask?

So, it's rare when I pick up a book on the strength of a YouTube video, and honestly even rarer that I enjoy books selected based on that criteria. However, since Marie Brennan is one half of MA Carrick and the book is often described via *that* quote from The Princess Bride (and no, I'm not specifying even though Princess Bride is all *that* quote depending on context), I had hope. After all, I loved the Lady Trent memoirs and The Princess Bride. And folks, this book did not disappoint. Let's talk The Mask of Mirrors.

What do you get when hundreds of years of colonization mixes with a rogue vigilante for the oppressed population and a con woman who sets out for money but comes up with found family? Youu get some stunningly well written characters, intrigue that I frankly preferred to A Song of Ice and Fire, and just beautifully nuanced worldbuilding.

Ren--or Renata Viraudax or Arenza, depending on the day and location--grew up as a dirt-poor half-Vrazenian kid who was completely disconnected from her mother's people in a city colonized by the Liganti. She was a gang member under the objectively abusive Ondrakja until she watched Ondrakja beat her brother to death. Next thing we know, Ren has poisoned her Fagin and made off for another country with her sister, Tess. They end up serving in the household of Letilia--a disgraced member of House Traemantis.

Fast forward a few years, and Letilia being an absolutely irredeemable human gives Ren the idea to con the remaining members of House Traemantis in Nadezera. Mother and daughter are sufficiently estranged that Letilia won't out Ren, but other actors in the city might.

Those actors include Grey Serrado, captain of the Vigil (read police force) and Vrazenian slip-knot (read traitor to his people because he assimilated into Liganti society. He is running himself ragged trying to sort out why street kids keep dying of insomnia, track down the mysterious Rook, and running petty errands for the Liganti nobility. He does not get help from the rampant vanity and nepotism in the Vigil ranks, nor the racism of most Liganti hawks. Add to that his deep grief for his brother's recent murder and Grey needs a hug and a paid vacation.

Then there is Vargo Derossi, crime lord extraordinaire with an eye toward becoming too powerful to be ignored and choosing to pretend to go legitimate to achieve the dream. He is charming and deadly all at once, has someone else in his head, has a pet spider named Peabody, and some serious germophobia. Whether he is caught in Ren's con or she is caught in his web is an open question for most of this book. Vargo is 100% unanswered questions, and every single one is dangerous to ask and even more dangerous not to know the answer to. Especially since he is also SUSPICIOUSLY competent at numinatria...

We of course cannot neglect Donaia, Leato, and Giuna Tremantis. This remnant of a once proud family are an unusual bunch, but they're also different enough that watching their personalities mesh and clas ended up being one of my favorite things about this book.

Beyond the character work, the worldbuilding in this book is first-class. The Vrazenians and Liganti are culturally and visually distinct at a glance, and then for those who care to stay and look harder, there is depth and nuance. Both cultures feel real and vibrant, which makes the all-too-clear harms of oppression and colonization, as well as the messiness of navigating mixed-heritage identities, all the sharper.

It also highlights the different magic systems, religions, and ways of knowing and relating to your community based on those cultural differences. Patterning and numinatria are both valid, but neither quite likes the other and thy don't cross cultural lines. The Rook is a folk hero to the Vrazenians and a half-mythical, pain-in-the-ass vigilante to the Liganti. Even fashion is sharply divided.

Overall, the Princess Bride comparison is apt, but perhaps also mixed with some Leverage and some Batman. I loved this book, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next two.

[skullhaver]

B A S I C S :

Full Name: Atlas "Loam" Angra

Pronouns: They/them

Gender: Nonbinary; "gender is not a high priority to me" subtype

Sexuality: Bisexual

D E T A I L S :

Birthplace: The village of Angra in the marshy region of Pantalpan

Age: 28

Species: Half-orc, half-human

Job(s): Ranger. For several years, Loam was a wayfinder working with a small company of adventurers that escorted travellers between the big city of Akara and various towns and villages in Pantalpan. Twice, they even made the transit through the southern jungles to glimpse the isolated city of Cere! They called themselves Expeditious Expeditions.

Family: Loam comes from a happy, blended family. Their mom (Naghat 55F) is an orc and their dad (Andreas 50M) is a human. Naghat's former partner passed away; from her previous relationship Loam has two full-orc half-siblings (Makhel 35F and Ushat 33NB). They also have a half-human full-sibling (Orion 30M).

Alignment: Chaotic good

Phobias: Slight fear of heights

Guilty Pleasures: Generally speaking, Loam doesn't feel guilty about the things that they enjoy, but they can get a little shy about their sheer enthusiasm for ice cream. It's a big city treat that's a bit hard to come by in their more rural home region.

Hobbies: Loam likes to keep moving and likes friendly competitions, so they can easily be recruited into trying any sport. This could be as casual and low-impact as kicking around a hacky sack or as full-contact as fantasy rugby, which I imagine they'd adore. They're also a huge fan of the traditional orc art form of scripted, theatrical wrestling (see: professional wrestling) which is not widely enjoyed outside of their home region. They're always keen to introduce new people to its epic highs and lows.

T H I S - O R - T H A T :

introvert / extrovert

organized / disorganized

close-minded / open-minded

calm / anxious / restless

disagreeable / agreeable / in-between

patient / impatient

outspoken / reserved / in-between

leader / follower / flexible

empathetic / unempathetic

optimistic / pessimistic / realistic

traditional / modern / in-between

hard-working / lazy / depends on the task

O T H E R :

Animal: Giant anteater, for their animal companion Fernanda! 

Color: Rich red soil

Song: Feelin' Good as sung by the legendary Nina Simone. Nina's voice is something like how I imagine Loam's: low, mellow and warm, with moments of rough gravel.

Number: 6, for the members of their bio-family and the members of Expeditious Expeditions.

Day or Night: Day

Plant: Jenipapo, a gorgeous tree that grows in clay soils in the tropical flooded forest where Loam grew up. The small yellow fruits are versatile: unripe, they can be used as pigment for paint, tattoos and for insect repellent. When ripe, they have a pear-like flavor and are often made into preserves (or ice cream👀).

Smell: Dirt, baybee. All manner of musky, earthy smells.

Gemstone: Loam is broadly opposed to mineral extraction, so if you made them pick a "gemstone" they'd probably say freshwater pearls.

Season: Dry season (has never lived in a four-season climate).

Place: Breaking camp on a fair-weather morning in the serrado. That fluttery, excited feeling of a journey ahead.

Food: High-protein diet with a lot of meat and beans.

Drink: Honestly water?? Loam has big "person who always has a water bottle on them" vibes. But also, growing up in a predominantly orc village, they do go hard on the alcohol when it's time to party. Sugarcane hard liquors like rum and cachaça would be their go-tos.

Astrological Sign: Sagittarius vibes

Element: Earth

[elperegrinodedios]

Ha letto soltanto la prima parte e le ho chiesto di leggerla, perchè in spagnolo mi arriva come musica, che tocca l'anima e accarezza il cuore.

(y el capitulo cuatro sigue... 📖)

Ven, novia, desde el Libano, vente del Libano, vuelve; baja de la cumbre de Amanà, de la cimas del Senìr y del Herm��n de las guaridas y montes de leones y leopardos. Me robaste el corazòn, hermana y novia mia, me robaste el corazòn con una sola mirada con una sola perla del collar. Què suaves son tus amores hermana y novia mia! Son màs dulces que el vino tus amores! Es mejor que todo aroma el olor de tus perfumes! Miel silvestre hay en tus labios novia mia; miel y leche debajo de tu lengua; y el olor de tus vestidos es como aroma del Lìbano.

Eres jardin serrado, hermana y novia mia, eres jardìn cerrado, fuente secreta. De ti brota un jardìn de granados, con frutos exquisitos, de alheña y de nardo; nardo y azafràn, canela y cinamomo con toda la clase des arboles de incienso, de mirra y àloe, con la màs selectas especias. Fuente de los jardines, manantial de agua viva que fluye desde el Libano!

Despierta, cierzo! Ven aqui, àbregol! Oread mi jardin, que esparza sus aromas. Que venga mi amor a su jardìn, coma de sus frutos exquisitos. (Sigue en el capitulo cinco de la Biblia) 🤍

Ma anche in italiano qualche emozione te la da, te la trasmette, e non ti accarezza solo l'anima e il cuore ma ti tocca la mente per non uscirne più almeno per me fu cosi la prima volta che la lessi.

lan ✍️🗝

[anarchypumpkincowboy]

Grey Serrado, Derossi Vargo, and Ren should all fuck in the third book I’ve not read it yet but I’ve been rereading the series so I can read it and they all need to get together and have freaky charged starts off as hate sex between grey and vargo before turning into something else sex

[p-mizzo]

Café a dois.

Teus olhos me encaram tímidos. As palavras começam borbulhando no meu peito, sinto todas as vogais e sílabas querendo sair de uma só vez. Os dentes serrados, tentando segurar o avalanche grosso de sentimentos espremidos. 

Meus lábios se abrem, o ar quase torna-se voz, mas não sei como começar, não tem início, não existe meio e nem se quer pensar em um fim. A cronologia se contorceu de maneira surreal. Parecia uma bola de algodão, dessas industrializadas, que não se vê a ponta para puxar e assim se alinhar. 

Minha mente estava buscando a razão, que se perdeu em algum momento. Fiquei muito perturbado com o peito, que esqueci da razão. E ao me deparar desta perda. Fui  para dentro de mim conversar com você, tentar de alguma maneira não te magoar, porém ser fiel e expressar toda aquela violência que em mim habitava. Eu queria lhe machucar, mas não muito, o tanto o suficiente para você perceber o quanto de dor que em mim habita. Mas nem pouco o bastante para lhe poupar e te dar brechas para sobrepor a sua tristeza, e assim mais uma  vez me esquecer de mim.

Eu queria lhe culpar, queria dividir às consequências do estrago que você também participou. É minha responsabilidade o meu sentir, mas teve dedo seu, dedo na ferida, teve olhar, línguas e suor teu também.

 Somos culpados de um crime perfeito, que só a gente sabe o cadáver que cada um carrega dentro de si, sabemos exatamente o segundo que puxamos o gatilho, vimos os nossos peitos, vontades, orgulhos, vaidades sendo perfuradas. Depois sangradas e por fim mortas. Nos matamos a cada dia, na idéia de criamos o nós. E a cada nó, nó por nó, nós enforcamos. 

E a unica oração em forma de súplica que consigo dizer é para o garçom.

" Por favor! Um café!"

[gifmeakiss]

Gifs of Actors K-Z

. . . for A-J click HERE

K

Karen Gillan

Katherine Kelly

Keanu Reeves

Kiana Madeira

Kiernan Shipka

Krysten Ritter

Ksenia Solo

L

Lázaro Ramos

Lisa Vicari

Louis Hofmann

Lucas Gregorowicz

M

Mackenyu Arata

Marcelo Serrado

Maria Dinulescu

Marisol Nichols

Marjorie Estiano

Matt Czuchry

Matt Smith

Matthias Schweighöfer

Max Minghella

Max Riemelt

Melissa Barrera

Michael Fassbender

Miguel Herran

Miranda Otto

Morena Baccarin

N

Nathalie Emmanuel

Ncuti Gatwa

Nina Dobrev

O

Omar Sy

P

Paapa Essiedu

Paolla Oliveira

Paul Wesley

Pauley Perrette

Paulo Lessa

Pedro Alonso

Pedro Pascal

R

Ritu Arya

Riz Ahmed

Rodolfo Valente

Ruby O. Fee

Ruth Wilson

S

Sacha Dhawan

Sadie Soverall

Samuel L. Jackson

Saoirse Ronan

Savannah Lee Smith

Selton Mello

Sofia Carson

Summer Bishil

Summer Glau

T

Taís Araújo

Tamara Taylor

Teyonah Parris

Todd Lasance

Tom Hiddleston

Tom Sturridge

U

Úrsula Corberó

V

Vaneza Oliveira

Varada Sethu

Viviane Porto

W

Wagner Moura

Wunmi Mosaku

[domquixotedospobresblog]

Estou quase desesperado entre ligar ou quebrar meu telefone,é um ameaço teclar e outro ameaço tacar no chão,hora os dentes serrados de raiva,hora acalmo a respiração ensaindo um simples alô.

Jonas r Cezar

[keytoyourhearts]

Review of The Mask of Mirrors by M. A. Carrick (2021), 1st book of the Rook & Rose series

SYNOPSIS:

Ren goes by many names: Alta Renata Viraudax, Arenza Lenskaya, Renyi.  Though she wears many masks, the face of Ren below them all is the same: a con artist.  Her latest con is to infiltrate the noble House Traementis, posing as a long-lost cousin, to steal a cut of their fortune.  Fate has other plans for her, as she is swiftly swept up in the political intrigue of Nadezra, a city colonized and lorded over by the Laganti while the founding Vraszenians are left to fight over their scraps.  Along the way, she meets Derossi Vargo, a “reformed” crime lord; Grey Serrado, a Vraszenian Captain in the city Vigil; and the Rook, a masked vigilante fighting against the corruption that runs rampant among the city’s elite.  All is not what it seems, however, as an unknown force threatens it all, harnessing the power of dreams and nightmares.

See my full review and rating below the cut!

RATING: 5/5 STARS

MY THOUGHTS:

The Mask of Mirrors is an impressively and intricately woven tale of intrigue with many mysteries to be had.  The author team, made up of Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms, had such a strong hold of my attention, I could barely put it down.  After I was able to tear myself away, I was so enraptured that I found myself puzzling through this novel even when I was not reading it!  I cannot wait to get my hands on the second one.

TAGS: fantasy, political/court intrigue, magic & alchemy

CW: graphic depiction of injury & death, violence, drug-use, drugging, colonialism, discrimination, rioting & police brutality, sexual content, pseudo-incest (fake cousins), mentions of SA, infantilization of someone with a disability

RECOMMENDATION: I would recommend this book to any reader with an interest in fantasy and intrigue who would like a solid introduction into something with more mystery.  This novel has it all; there’s even a little sprinkle of romance!

THE GOOD:

The mysteries strewn throughout the pages are numerous and interwoven in such a way that, while I had no issue keeping them straight, I found that I had the desire to stop and write out my thoughts and predictions regarding their solutions.  And I was pleasantly surprised to be incorrect with each one!  Looking back on them having finished reading, I distinctly remember small details that foreshadow revelations being sprinkled throughout.

The character of the Rook was just plain fun, and I loved every second of every scene they were a part of.  I found myself falling for each trick the authors used to lead me into guessing the identity of the Rook, and I knew that I was.  The reveal was a shock to me, but it made complete sense; the hints were all there.

The ending was so satisfying, everything was wrapped up in a neat bow…until the true source of conflict was revealed, effectively setting up the overarching plot for the remaining books in the series.

I also loved how the cadence of dialogue changed between accents and languages.  I found it to be a clever way to show the language had changed, without the actual text needing to (italicized, etc.).

THE BAD:

First, a small nitpick.  What day is it?  What time is it??  There was no explanation I could find for the calendar system until the glossary…at the end of the book.  Even then, I’m still not sure I completely understand it without it being in context.

Here’s another common critique: Ren is a Mary-Sue.  She has a tragic backstory, she is always being described as pretty and charismatic, she never seems to fail at anything, she is incredibly clever, and everyone seems to forgive her for everything so easily.  In all honesty, I did not mind it that much, but it was pretty blatant.

My biggest gripe with this book is the “cousins” romance plot.  Sure, Ren is not actually related to Leato and is only pretending, but everyone believes them to be cousins and even plays matchmaker between them.  It’s even stated that if two characters who swore a familial bond were to sleep together, it would be considered incestuous but not cousins?  What?

Lastly, a character dubbed as a “dawn child” was introduced briefly near the end.  From the context and physical description, I believe she is meant to be a girl with Down syndrome.  Unfortunately, she is immediately infantilized for it, and I believe it carries on into the next book, if not further.  In a book with such incredible diversity and representation throughout, I was disappointed to read this.