#shannon watters

[ultrameganicolaokay]

Jim Henson Presents #1 by Shannon Watters, Jill Tew, Seanan McGuire, Max Sarin, Michael Bayliss and more. Cover by Miguel Mercado. Variant covers by (2) Derek Kirk Kim and (3) Jorge Corona. Out in December.

"The iconic work of Jim Henson birthed some of the most beloved stories and characters of all time. Celebrate that rich history with this anthology of all-new tales set in the worlds of Jim Henson, from an incredible line-up of creators including Shannon Watters, Cameron Chittock, Jill Tew, and more!"

[readtilyoudie]

Steven Universe: 2016 Special

[haveyoureadthistransbook]

Lumberjanes by N.D. Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters and Brooklyn Allen

goodreads

At Miss Qiunzilla Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's camp for hard-core lady-types, things are not what they seem. Three-eyed foxes. Secret caves. Anagrams. Luckily, Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley are five rad, butt-kicking best pals determined to have an awesome summer together... And they're not gonna let a magical quest or an array of supernatural critters get in their way! The mystery keeps getting bigger, and it all begins here.

Mod opinion: I've read Volume 1 so far and liked it, but I'm hoping to finish the series at some point.

[onebluebookworm]

Ranking Books I Read in 2023: 15-11

15. Hollow - Shannon Watters

This book was hella cute, not gonna lie. I love the idea they used for the Horseman, because I'm always a sucker for "scary monster that everyone fears is actually warm and squishy". The relationship between the three mains is also just really nice and fun. Wish they would have expanded more on the evil professor (who I think is supposed to be an evil descendant of Ichabod Crane or is Ichabod Crane; unclear), but other than that, it's a fun romp.

14. As the Crow Flies - Melanie Gillman

It almost feels wrong putting this up here since the story isn't finished yet, but it was published as a book I read, so whatever, here it is. This is really good, I'm excited to see how it turns out. Charlie and Sidney are an adorable pair, and the intersectionality of it all is just chef's kiss. Keep your fingers crossed that Gillman finishes it soon.

13. In the Lives of Puppets - T.J. Klune

Maybe leaning a bit too heavily on the Pinocchio references, and Victor isn't that interesting of a character, but this is a pretty good one. Lots of great action, lots of heart, and I would die for Nurse Ratched and Rambo.

12. Dark Carnivals: Modern Horror and the Origins of American Empire - W. Scott Poole

I read almost every word from W. Scott Poole in 2023, and I'm glad I did. This wasn't my favorite (a lot of his points felt rehashed from other works), but that's not saying much when it's still really, really good if you love media analysis. This is also just a really good concept - examining American nationalism and imperialism through the lens of the horror fiction we've produced. Very interesting, very fun.

11. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness - Michelle Alexander

An absolute must-read for anyone interested in any kind of social justice, but especially prison abolitionists. A little didactic at times, but too valuable of a resource to really hold that against it. Go read it. Stop what you're doing and read it.

[re-readingcomics]

Comics Read 06/14- 25/2023

Over this period of time I read the first two collected volumes of Lumberjanes, “Beware the Kitten Holy” and “Friendship to the Max”. These written by ND Stevenson and Grace Ellis, the art is by Gus Allen, colors by Maarta Laiho and letters by Aubrey Aiese. Shannon Watters is also credited as a creator.

This is an example of series that I know I am supposed to love, but I don’t really like. I read the first four or five issues as floppies as they came out back in 2014. I did not love them and wondered why. Was I just too old for this all ages comic? Did having to wait a month between issues take from my enjoyment because I did not feel things cumulatively? I gave the first issue away to a kid I was baby sitting to see if it was an age thing. She declared it “too scary” and lost the physical issue. I sold the rest in my eBay store  and decided to trade wait to see if it was more enjoyable without the monthly issues. While I did buy these two volumes, part of me thought this was silly and didn’t continue and then waited almost a decade to actually read them. I should just accept that there are some popular things that I don’t like. 

Now that I am even older, I am better at admitting that. Between then and now ND Stevenson’s other Nimona, and I think some of the things that rub me the wrong way about Lumberjanes were also present there. The characters act like they are fans of the series in which they are staring. They get excited about upcoming plot points like they would for reading or watching something, not as something they are going to live through. Part of why I find this off putting is they get excited like this so early that I have not gotten to a point where I care enough to be excited.

The format of each issues is to start with a page of the Lumberjanes Handbook. This handbook page ends mid sentence and then the story begins in media res, though not necessarily picking up where a cliff hanger left off. The final page of the issue also has a page of the handbooks this time with photos of the campers. The floppy versions included playlists created by the characters, but that did not get included with my trade paperbacks.

The plot of these volumes involves campers, their counselor who they always frustrate, and something supernatural going on in the woods. When the cause of these magical events  is finally explained it felt like an excuse for action without plot. It must be fun for someone else. 

Allen’s art style is very like Stevenson’s. It is purposefully simple and child like. The colors are vivid and include a pretty wide palette for mostly flat colors. (That’s not a criticism, building depth through color would have been wrong for this kind of art.) The character designs are distinct enough to that various artist did impressive cover variants collected in the back that are all in their own distinct styles. But for the most part I didn’t feel like the characters were stood out as individuals. They are broadly drawn, but we learn so little of them in these volumes. Maybe this is a result of the issue structure? Also there is a reoccurring bit about Jen, the counsellor and only Black character in the book, being incorrectly named by Rosie the head of the camp. This is like the joke on Fringe about Walter never calling Astrid by her correct name, that the actress Jasika Nicole later admitted made her feel awful as a minority. It seems like it comes to a stop a the end of the second volume. And I hope it did, because it’s not fun to read.

[crowclubkaz]

🌲💫 Gravity Falls characters as books 💫🌲

check out more posts like this on my bookstagram hauntedstacks

🌲 Dipper Pines: - The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan - Dungeons & Dragons Honor Among Thieves: The Road to Neverwinter by Jaleigh Johnson

💫 Mabel Pines: - Into the Land of the Unicorns by Bruce Coville - The Princess Protection Program by Alex London

💰 Stan Pines: - Catch Me If You Can by Frank W. Abagnale - The Girls I've Been by Tess Sharpe

❔ Soos Ramirez: - The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness - Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

🪓 Wendy Corduroy: - Lumberjanes by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Gus Allen, and ND Stevenson - Girls Save the World in This One by Ash Parsons

🔺 Bill Cipher: - The Book of Bill by Alex Hirsch - Ţ̷̞͝h̸̢͠é̷̡ ̷̬̇B̶̘̓́͜ó̸̤ö̵̼̀k̵͕͉̔ ̸͒̽ͅǫ̵͖̌f̵̺̟̓ ̸͖̤͋B̵͕͛i̴̧͆l̸̟̚l̵̺̪̓̎ ̶̱̓̽b̸̢͙́̕y̴͇͛͘ ̶̯͔̉̒Á̷̰͗l̸͕̓̾ë̶̲̘x̶̧̭̄ ̴͍̽H̵͉̤̉͒i̵̩̓̂ṙ̴͔̓s̶̡͛̈́ć̴̖̋h̵͉̋

🧪 Ford Pines: - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

🧠 Fiddleford McGucket: - Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta - How to Invent Everything by Ryan North

💎 Pacifica Northwest: - The Clique by Lisi Harrison - Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shephard

[celepom]

It’s Pride 2023! Time to put up some more comic recs!

This time I’ve put together some stories about discovering one’s own queer identity, outlining a family history of queerness, and several stories where being queer isn’t the focus - queer characters are simply allowed to be.

Belle of the Ball By Mari Costa

High-school senior and notorious wallflower Hawkins finally works up the courage to remove her mascot mask and ask out her longtime crush: Regina Moreno, head cheerleader, academic overachiever, and all-around popular girl. There’s only one teensy little problem: Regina is already dating Chloe Kitagawa, athletic all-star…and middling English student. Regina sees a perfectly self-serving opportunity here, and asks the smitten Hawkins to tutor Chloe free of charge, knowing Hawkins will do anything to get closer to her. And while Regina’s plan works at first, she doesn’t realize that Hawkins and Chloe knew each other as kids, when Hawkins went by Belle and wore princess dresses to school every single day. Before long, romance does start to blossom…but not between who you might expect. With Belle of the Ball, cartoonist Mariana Costa has reinvigorated satisfying, reliable tropes into your new favorite teen romantic comedy.

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The Moth Keeper By Kay O’Neill

Anya is finally a Moth Keeper, the protector of the lunar moths that allow the Night-Lily flower to bloom once a year. Her village needs the flower to continue thriving and Anya is excited to prove her worth and show her thanks to her friends with her actions, but what happens when being a Moth Keeper isn't exactly what Anya thought it would be? The nights are cold in the desert and the lunar moths live far from the village. Anya finds herself isolated and lonely. Despite Anya's dedication, she wonders what it would be like to live in the sun. Her thoughts turn into an obsession, and when Anya takes a chance to stay up during the day to feel the sun's warmth, her village and the lunar moths are left to deal with the consequences.

---

Hollow By Shannon Watters, Branden Boyer-White & Berenice Nelle

Isabel "Izzy" Crane and her family have just relocated to Sleepy Hollow, the town made famous by—and obsessed with—Washington Irving's legend of the Headless Horseman. But city slicker-skeptic Izzy has no time for superstition as she navigates life at a new address, a new school, and, with any luck, with new friends. Ghost stories aren't real, after all.... Then Izzy is pulled into the orbit of the town's teen royalty, Vicky Van Tassel (yes, that Van Tassel) and loveable varsity-level prankster Croc Byun. Vicky's weariness with her family connection to the legend turns to terror when the trio begins to be haunted by the Horseman himself, uncovering a curse set on destroying the Van Tassel line. Now, they have only until Halloween night to break it—meaning it's a totally inconvenient time for Izzy to develop a massive crush on the enigmatic Vicky. Can Izzy's practical nature help her face the unknown—or only trip her up? As the calendar runs down to the 31st, Izzy will have to use all of her wits and work with her new friends to save Vicky and uncover the mystery of the legendary Horseman of Sleepy Hollow—before it's too late. 

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Until I Meet my Husband By Ryousuke Nanasaki & Yoshi Tsukizuki

The memoir of gay activist Ryousuke Nanasaki and the first religiously recognized same-sex marriage in Japan. From school crushes to awkward dating sites to finding a community, this collection of stories recounts the author’s “firsts” as a young gay man searching for love. Dating is never ever easy, but that goes doubly so for Ryousuke, whose journey is full of unrequited loves and many speed bumps. But perseverance and time heals all wounds, even those of the heart.

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Is Love the Answer? By Uta Isaki

When it comes to love, high schooler Chika wonders if she might be an alien. She’s never fallen for or even had a crush on anyone, and she has no desire for physical intimacy. Her friends tell her that she just "hasn't met the one yet," but Chika has doubts... It's only when Chika enters college and meets peers like herself that she realizes there’s a word for what she feels inside--asexual--and she’s not the only one. After years of wondering if love was the answer, Chika realizes that the answer she long sought may not exist at all--and that that's perfectly normal.

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M Is for Monster By Talia Dutton

When Doctor Frances Ai's younger sister Maura died in a tragic accident six months ago, Frances swore she would bring her back to life. However, the creature that rises from the slab is clearly not Maura. This girl, who chooses the name "M," doesn't remember anything about Maura's life and just wants to be her own person. However, Frances expects M to pursue the same path that Maura had been on—applying to college to become a scientist—and continue the plans she and Maura shared. Hoping to trigger Maura's memories, Frances surrounds M with the trappings of Maura's past, but M wants nothing to do with Frances' attempts to change her into something she's not. In order to face the future, both Frances and M need to learn to listen and let go of Maura once and for all. Talia Dutton's debut graphic novel, M Is for Monster, takes a hard look at what it means to live up to other people's expectations—as well as our own.

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Golden Sparkle By Minta Suzumaru

Himaru Uehara’s first year of high school is off to a good start, minus one problem—he keeps having wet dreams. With only his mom and sister at home—and having skipped health class in middle school—he thinks it means there’s something wrong with him. Thankfully, a new friend has just the remedy and teaches Himaru exactly how to deal with those pesky dreams! But his solution only leads to more confusion, and the two find themselves navigating feelings they’ve never felt before.

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Thieves By Lucie Bryon

Ella can’t seem to remember a single thing from the party the night before at a mysterious stranger’s mansion, and she sure as heck doesn’t know why she’s woken up in her bed surrounded by a magpie’s nest of objects that aren’t her own. And she can’t stop thinking about her huge crush on Madeleine, who she definitely can’t tell about her sudden penchant for kleptomania… But does Maddy have secrets of her own? Can they piece together that night between them and fix the mess of their chaotic personal lives in time to form a normal, teenage relationship? That would be nice.

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Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic By Alison Bechdel

Meet Alison's father, a historic preservation expert and obsessive restorer of the family's Victorian home, a third-generation funeral home director, a high school English teacher, an icily distant parent, and a closeted homosexual who, as it turns out, is involved with his male students and a family babysitter. Through narrative that is alternately heartbreaking and fiercely funny, we are drawn into a daughter's complex yearning for her father. And yet, apart from assigned stints dusting caskets at the family-owned "fun home," as Alison and her brothers call it, the relationship achieves its most intimate expression through the shared code of books. When Alison comes out as homosexual herself in late adolescense, the denouement is swift, graphic -- and redemptive.

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She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat By Sakaomi Yuzaki

Cooking is how Nomoto de-stresses, but one day, she finds herself making way more than she can eat by herself. And so, she invites her neighbor Kasuga, who also lives alone. What will come out of this impromptu dinner invitation...?

Kasuga and Nomoto promised to spend their Christmas and New Year’s together. Now, they find themselves learning more about each other’s families through the food sent by Nomoto’s mother. Cute character bento, salmon and rice, stollen, fruit sandwiches, roast beef…Nomoto and Kasuga warm up to each other over a cheerful holiday season.  

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

📣 What to Read After Watching: Nimona 🎞️

🩷 I stumbled upon She-Ra and the Princesses of Power from creator, showrunner, and executive producer ND Stevenson in 2018 and never looked back. It was one of the few projects, let alone animations, I ever watched that so blatantly flipped the script by highlighting inclusivity without needing to say it outright. Queerness was simply a way of human existence; representation mattered but didn't need to be outrightly defined. Again, ND Stevenson has flipped the script, this time by bringing his webcomic from page to screen. The story became an outlet for Stevenson to express his own nonconforming gender identity. The shape-shifting title character, Nimona, is a stunning example of unapologetic transness and gender fluidity, again, without needing to say it outright. If you haven't watched it yet, Nimona is now available on Netflix, with the original comic available online and in stores.

🩷 If you HAVE seen it and adored Nimonia's punk-pop chaos, don't worry; there's plenty more where that came from! Here are a few options you should consider reading after watching Nimona!

🩷 The Girl From the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag 🩷 Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker 🩷 CosmoKnights by Hannah Templer 🩷 The Night Eaters by Marjorie Liu 🩷 Lumberjanes by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Gus Allen, and ND Stevenson 🩷 Save Yourself! by Bones Leopard 🩷 Kim Reaper by Sarah Graley 🩷 Moonstruck by Grace Ellis and Shae Beagle 🩷 Snapdragon by Kat Leyh

[read-alert]

Another crosspost from my Instagram! This time for the Trans Day of Visibility!

Full titles under the cut

Poetry

Bluff by Danez Smith

Even This Page is White by Vivek Shraya

[Insert Boy] by Danez Smith

Maiden, Mother, Crone: Fantastical Trans Femmes ed by Gwen Benaway

Giving Birth to Yourself: Poems for Combat by Kai Cheng Thom

Falling Back in Love with Being Human: Letters to Lost Souls by Kai Cheng Thom

Fantasy

Lead Me Astray by Sondi Warner

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

Out of the Blue by Jason June

Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas

Historical

Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by AM McLemore

Most Ardently: A Pride and Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa

The Companion by EE Ottoman

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

Horror

Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White

Romance

I Think of You Often by Sienna Eggler

Their Troublesome Crush by Xan West

Drag Me Up by RM Virtues

Nonfiction

Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity by Julia Serano

Self Organizing Men: Conscious Masculinities in Time and Space by Eli Clare and Jay Sennet

A History of My Brief Body by Billy-Ray Belcourt

Miss Major Speaks: The Life and Times of a Black Trans Revolution by Miss Major Griffin-Gracy and Toshio Meronek

Indigiqueerness: A Conversation About Storytelling by Joshua Whitehead and Angie Abdou

The Appendix by Liam Konemann

Captive Gender: Trans Embodiment and the Prison Industrial Complex by Nat Smith, Eric A Stanley, and CeCe McDonald

Making Love With the Land by Joshua Whitehead

Graphic novels

Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier

Across a Field of Starlight by Blue Delliquanti

Lumberjanes: Up All Night by ND Stevenson, Grace Ellis, and Shannon Watters

Trans authors but (to my knowledge) no trans characters

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

All the Dead Things by Bear Lee

Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi

Miscellaneous

The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester by Maya MacGregor

Catnip by Vyria Durav

[zorlok-if]

I saw you're reading legends and lattes which I haven't read yet, but I'd like too! So seeing as you seem like a big reader do you have any recommendations for Halloween reads? Traditional books or if?

I am a pretty big reader. But, even more than that, I'm a library associate so knowing a lot about books and providing recommendations is a core aspect of my job (a job that I adore) 😊

I have been recommending and will continue to recommend Legends and Lattes as a cozy, sweet, delightfully queer read. Definitely give it a go if you've been considering it.

I haven't been able to read much IF recently (so, honestly, I'd be very interested in any recommendations you all might have for good Halloween IF reads) but here are some traditional books (and graphic novels) that I'm happy to pass on. If you have a more specific genre you're interested in, let me know (like I said, this is what I do and I adore it). Many of these don't directly relate to Halloween, but for whatever reason, I think they fit the spooky season. I tried to present a wide range of titles and these are in no order whatsoever. Please enjoy.

Some Spooky Season Recommendations

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree [cw]

(adult fiction, high fantasy, queer romance, sapphic slow-burn, cozy, for dnd fans)

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas [cw]

(young adult, queer fiction, spirits and brujería, paranormal romance, first in a duology)

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas [cw]

(adult fiction, gothic, vampires, slow-burn romance, historical fiction)

The House Witch by Delemhach [cw]

(adult fiction, high fantasy, witchcraft, romance, cozy mystery, comedy, first in a series)

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle [cw]

(adult fiction, horror, queer fiction, genuinely horrifying camp)

(and yes, that Chuck Tingle)

The Skull by Jon Klassen [cw]

(juvenile fiction, illustrated, folktale, short, gently spooky)

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman [cw]

(juvenile fiction, horror, ghosts, graveyards, macabre, coming of age tale)

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson [cw]

(adult fiction, horror, gothic, haunted house, mystery)

Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones [cw]

(adult fiction, werewolves, horror, coming of age tale)

The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa (in particular, the audiobook narrated by Vico Ortiz) [cw]

(teen fiction, historical fantasy, queer fiction, trans mc, pirates, magic powers, deals with devils)

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna [cw]

(adult fiction, cozy mystery, romance, urban fantasy, witchcraft)

The Witch Boy by Molly Ostertag [cw]

(juvenile fiction, graphic novel, queer fiction, magic and witches, first in a series)

Black Cranes: Tales of Unquiet Women, edited by Lee Murray [cw]

(adult fiction, horror anthology, short stories)

Hollow by Shannon Watters [cw]

(teen fiction, graphic novel, queer fiction, sleepy hollow retelling)

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia [cw]

(adult fiction, urban fantasy, horror, vampires)

A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley [cw]

(adult fiction, romantic comedy, urban fantasy, witchcraft, demons, first in a series)

Fledgling by Octavia Butler [cw]

(adult fiction, horror, science fiction, vampires)

The Clackity by Lora Senf [cw]

(juvenile fiction, horror, mystery, paranormal investigators, ghosts, first in a series)

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir [cw]

(adult fiction, horror, queer fiction, necromancy, haunted space castle, first in a series)

Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery by Brom [cw]

(adult fiction, dark fantasy, historical setting, witchcraft, devils, revenge, illustrations)

The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson [cw]

(adult fiction, horror, mystery, ghosts, coming of age tale)

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow [cw]

(adult fiction, gothic horror, romance, mystery, haunted house, curses, nightmares)

Nimbus by Jan Eldredge [couldn't find any cws]

(juvenile fiction, fantasy, mc is a magic cat, witchcraft, goblins, for the Warrior Cat kids)

[bi-bats]

Thank you @this-was-a-terrible-idea for the tag!!!

Rules: answer the questions and tag 9 people

favorite color: forest green (as of rn)

last song I listened to: the all time low cover of Blinding Lights is what spotify says, but I was in a friends car and we definitely were listening to her music so entirely possible that its actually Bet On It from high school musical

last movie I watched: Battle of the supersons with @chipmunkery! Its SO good, it was a rewatch for me but they had never seen it

currently watching: when I was tagged in this I was finishing out Vox Machina. Im also watching a bunch of Dimension20 (coffin run, fantasy high, never after, and mentopolis) and Um, Actually and game changer. Oh, and Im part of the way through the One Piece live action! And I'm about to start My Adventures with Superman

currently reading: oh boy, here we go. Maybe a bulleted list for this one

The Martian by Andy Weir

The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley

The Cabinet by Kim Un-Su

Pyramids by Terry Pratchett

Hollow by Shannon Watters

When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities by Chen Chen

Starling House by Alix Harrow

Death of Superman (so that I can read Reign of the Supermen)

sweet/savory/spicy?: all three i could literally never pick

currently craving: god EVERYTHING I AM CRAVING EVERYTHING I WANT TO EAT SPICY FOOD AND FATTY FOOD AND SWEET FOOD BUT I CAN'T BECAUSE IM HAVING HEALTH PROBLEMS AND IT FUCKING SUCKS I MISS SPICY FOOD SO MUCH 😭😭😭😭😭😭

coffee or tea?: COFFEE, ANOTHER THING I MISS BECAUSE MY STUPID STOMACH okay sorry for losing it life is hard rn

relationship status: in a relationship 💖

current obsession: my own book, actually! And I can feel star trek creeping back in 😂

Alright!! No pressure tagging: @generatorcat @river9noble @waffleinator-inator @cheetahleopard @ragnarokhound @cleromancy @becausereasons7 @chipmunkery @felinemotif and sorry if any of you have already done it!! 💚💚💚💚

[readtilyoudie]

Steven Universe: 2016 Special

[aaronstveit]

read in 2023!

i did a reading thread last year and really enjoyed it so i am doing another one this year!! as always, you can find me on goodreads and my askbox is always open!

The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Other Verses from the Red Book by J.R.R. Tolkien (★★★★☆)

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo* (★★★★★)

Beowulf by Unknown, translated by Seamus Heaney (★★★★☆)

The Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Lee (★★★★☆)

Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo (★★★★★)

Her Body and Other Parties: Stories by Carmen Maria Machado (★★★★☆)

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (★★★★★)

The Shadow of Kyoshi by F.C. Lee (★★★★☆)

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta (★★★★★)

Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson (★★☆☆☆)

Sharks in the Rivers by Ada Limón (★★★☆☆)

Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution by R.F. Kuang (★★★★★)

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (★★★★★)

Paper Girls, Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, and Matt Wilson (★★★☆☆)

Paper Girls, Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, and Matt Wilson (★★★☆☆)

There Are Trans People Here by H. Melt (★★★★★)

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson (★★★★☆)

Paper Girls, Volume 3 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, and Matt Wilson (★★★☆☆)

Paper Girls, Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, and Matt Wilson (★★★☆☆)

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (★★★★☆)

Paper Girls, Volume 5 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, and Matt Wilson (★★★☆☆)

The Guest List by Lucy Foley (★★☆☆☆)

Paper Girls, Volume 6 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, and Matt Wilson (★★★☆☆)

The Princess Bride by William Goldman (★★★★☆)

Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha (★★★★★)

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid* (★★★★★)

Goldie Vance, Volume 1 by Hope Larson, Brittney Williams

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White (★★★★☆)

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (★★★★☆)

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (★★★☆☆)

Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Y. Davis (★★★★★)

The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (★★★☆☆)

Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell Jr. (★★☆☆☆)

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (★★★★★)

Going Dark by Melissa de la Cruz (★★★☆☆)

Working 9 to 5: A Women's Movement, a Labor Union, and the Iconic Movie by Ellen Cassedy (★★★★☆)

Why Didn't They Ask Evans? by Agatha Christie (★★★★☆)

The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie (★★★★☆)

The Waste Land and Other Poems by T.S. Eliot

The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley (★★★★☆)

Hollow by Shannon Watters, Branden Boyer-White, and Berenice Nelle (★★★★☆)

Heavy Vinyl, Volume 1: Riot on the Radio by Nina Vakueva and Carly Usdin (★★★★☆)

Burn Down, Rise Up by Vincent Tirado (★★★☆☆)

Heavy Vinyl, Volume 2: Y2K-O! by Nina Vakueva and Carly Usdin (★★★★☆)

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (★★★★☆)

Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie (★★★★☆)

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid (★★★★★)

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo (★★★★★)

The Backstagers, Vol 1: Rebels Without Applause by James Tynion IV, Rian Sygh, and Walter Baiamonte (★★★☆☆)

The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson (★★★★☆)

The Backstagers, Vol 2: The Show Must Go On by James Tynion IV, Rian Sygh, and Walter Baiamonte (★★★☆☆)

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare (★★★★☆)

Happy Place by Emily Henry (★★★★★)

After Dark with Roxie Clark by Brooke Lauren Davis (★★★☆☆)

Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones (★★★☆☆)

Lord of the Flies by William Golding (★★★★☆)

A Little Bit Country by Brian D. Kennedy (★★★★☆)

Built From the Fire: The Epic Story of Tulsa’s Greenwood District, America’s Black Wall Street by Victor Luckerson (★★★★��)

Cheer Up!: Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier, Oscar O. Jupiter, and Val Wise (★★★★★)

All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens throughout the Ages by assorted authors, edited by Saundra Mitchell (★★★★☆)

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher** (★★★★☆)

St. Juniper's Folly by Alex Crespo** (★★★★★)

The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan** (★★☆☆☆)

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann (★★★★★)

Where Echoes Die by Courtney Gould** (★★★★☆)

Your Lonely Nights Are Over by Adam Sass** (★★★★★)

Princess Princess Ever After by Kay O’Neill (★★★☆☆)

Thieves' Gambit by Kayvion Lewis** (★★★☆☆)

The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie (★★★★☆)

You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron (★★★☆☆)

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield (★★★★☆)

Devotions by Mary Oliver (★★★★★)

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan* (★★★★☆)

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan* (★★★★☆)

The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan* (★★★★★)

The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan (★★★★★)

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan (★★★★★)

Suddenly a Murder by Lauren Muñoz** (★★★★☆)

The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan (★★★★☆)

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (★★★★★)

All That’s Left to Say by Emery Lord (★★★★★)

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (★★★★☆)

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee (★★★☆☆)

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan (★★★★☆)

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Joseph Andrew White (★★★★★)

Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie (★★★★☆)

M Is for Monster by Talia Dutton (★★★★☆)

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan (★★★★★)

Our Shadows Have Claws: 15 Latin American Monster Stories by assorted authors, edited by Yamile Saied Méndez and Amparo Ortiz (★★★★☆)

These Fleeting Shadows by Kate Alice Marshall (★★★★☆)

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (★★★★★)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins* (★★★★★)

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston (★★★★☆)

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins* (★★★★★)

The October Country by Ray Bradbury (★★★★☆)

Hamlet by William Shakespeare (★★★★☆)

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving (★★★★☆)

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins* (★★★★★)

The Appeal by Janice Hallett (★★★★☆)

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (★★★★☆)

The Carrying: Poems by Ada Limón (★★★★★)

The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler-Colonial Conquest and Resistance, 1917-2017 by Rashid Khalidi (★★★★★)

Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen (★★★★★)

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins* (★★★★★)

Know My Name by Chanel Miller (★★★★★)

Rifqa by Mohammed El-Kurd (★★★★★)

Bloodchild and Other Stories by Octavia E. Butler (★★★★☆)

The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith* (★★★★★)

The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie (★★★★☆)

The Essential Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson (★★★★★)

A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie (★★★★☆)

The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On by Franny Choi (★★★★★)

The Witch Hunt by Sasha Peyton Smith (★★★★☆)

That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally** (★★★★☆)

The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher (★★★★☆)

The House of Hades by Rick Riordan (★★★★☆)

Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson (★★★★☆)

Pageboy by Elliot Page (★★★★★)

All This and Snoopy, Too by Charles M. Schultz (★★★★☆)

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan (★★★★☆)

Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter (★★★★☆)

The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill** (★★☆☆☆)

Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente (★★★★☆)

The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei (★★★★☆)

Spell on Wheels Vol. 1 by Kate Leth, Megan Levens, and Marissa Louise (★★★★☆)

Spell on Wheels Vol. 2: Just to Get to You by Kate Leth, Megan Levens, and Marissa Louise (★★★★☆)

Freedom is a Constant Struggle by Angela Y. Davis (★★★★☆)

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler (★★★★☆)

The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett (★★★★☆)

So Far So Good: Final Poems: 2014 - 2018 by Ursula K. Le Guin (★★★★☆)

Murder on the Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict (★☆☆☆☆)

Midwinter Murder: Fireside Tales from the Queen of Mystery by Agatha Christie (★★★★☆)

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon (★★★★☆)

Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie (★★★★☆)

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (★★★★★)

The Twelve Days of Murder by Andreina Cordani (★★★★☆)

The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson (★★★★☆)

The Sittaford Mystery by Agatha Christie (★★★★☆)

The Twenty-Ninth Year by Hala Alyan (★★★☆☆)

Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger (★★★☆☆)

Letters From Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien

Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia (★★★★☆)

An asterisk (*) indicates a reread. A double asterisk (**) indicates an ARC.

[onebluebookworm]

July 2023 Book Club Picks

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie: Arnold "Junior" Cloud is a budding cartoonist living on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Junior has seen the harsh effects of rez life on his family and friends, and is determined to take his future into his own hands, deciding to enroll in an all-white school, where the only other Indian is the football mascot. As Junior navigates first love, racial identity, friendship, and heartbreaking tragedy, he chronicles it all in his diary, along with hilarious and poignant artistic renditions of the chaos unfolding around him.

Beatrice Goes to Brighton by Marion Chesney: Recent widow Lady Beatrice Marsham has finally been freed from a miserable marriage...only for her money-hungry parents to start scheming to saddle her with a new, equally-awful husband. Fleeing to Brighton, Beatrice meets Miss Hannah Pym, the famous traveling matchmaker, on the coach, and Hannah becomes determined to strike Beatrice a proper, happy match. Lord Alistair Munro seems like a perfect candidate...until it becomes clear he believes the slanderous gossip that Lady Beatrice is a heartless flirt. But the Brighton air - and Hannah's own clever scheming - may work its magic on the prospective couple.

Mort by Terry Pratchett: Death comes for everyone eventually. And today, he's come for Mort with an offer he can't refuse. Mort needs a job, and the apprenticeship sounds like a sweet deal - free food, lodging, and travel. All his tools are provided (he only really needs one). And there's no need to take time off for family funerals. But as Mort settles into his new job, he realizes there are several drawbacks to working for the Reaper Man...namely, it's not exactly great for your love life.

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander: With the election of Barack Obama in 2008, many Americans were quick to claim that the country had entered a "post-racial" era, truly achieving the ideal that we judged not by skin color, but by character content. Michelle Alexander's research argues that is most certainly not the case, since the majority of black men in America have been stripped of freedom and rights by the system of mass incarceration - either behind bars, or labeled felons for life. Although slavery and Jim Crow laws have been officially wiped from the books, America has merely replaced them with something far more insidious - for although the system overwhelmingly targets black men, its lack of overtly racist language allows it to flourish behind a smokescreen of "colorblindness".

Hollow by Shannon Watters: Isabella "Izzy" Crane has just moved to the legendary Sleepy Hollow. Yes, that Sleepy Hollow...which the townspeople will not let anyone forget, especially not resident town darling Vicky Van Tassel, who's starting to crack under the pressure of being a local celebrity. Izzy is a breath of fresh air for Vicky, as Izzy doesn't buy into the local obsession with the Irving story...until one night she sees the infamous Headless Horseman come charging out of the woods. As strange accidents begin befalling Vicky, Izzy becomes determined to find out the truth of the Headless Horseman, and potentially save Vicky's life in the process.

[haveyoureadthistransbook]

The Deep and Dark Blue, Niki Smith. LumberJanes, hard to credit since it's a comic series but the first issue is credited to ND Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Gus Allen, Maarta Laiho, and Aubrey Aiese, and wikipedia says the creators are Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Gus Allen, and ND Stevenson

Hi, thank you for these submissions, I added them to the list :)

[sixofravens-reads]

Hiya! What are you most anticipated reads for next year? I’m on the hunt for some book recommendations 👀📚

Hi!

Here's a few, I hope this helps!!

Already released books on my TBR:

Even Greater Mistakes - Charlie Jane Anders

The Unspoken Name - A. K. Larkwood

Babel - R. F. Kuang

Ordinary Monsters - J. M. Miro

Hummingbird Salamander - Jeff Vandermeer

Yume - Sifton Tracey Anipare

Foundryside - Robert Jackson Bennett

Shade the Changing Woman - Cecil Castelluci (sequel series to Shade the Changing Girl)

Monstress vol 7 - Marjorie Liu

Home Sick Pilots vol 3 - Dan Watters

New 2023 releases:

Hell Bent - Leigh Bardugo (sequel to Ninth House)

The Stolen Heir - Holly Black

Alecto the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir (though there's no official release date yet)

A Day of Fallen Night - Samantha Shannon (prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree

The Eleventh Hour -The McElroys (5th Adventure Zone graphic novel)

Lost in the Moment Found - Seanan McGuire (7th in the Wayward Children series)

Some Desperate Glory - Emily Tesh

A House with Good Bones - T. Kingfisher

Starling House - Alix E. Harrow

A Restless Truth - Freya Marske (sequel to A Marvellous Light)

All the Hidden Paths - Foz Meadows (sequel to A Strange and Stubborn Endurance)