#susanna shadow

[contrasting-realities]

"Special Dolls" (Shadows House x Tokyo Ghoul)

Some pairs can only eat 'meat' as they call it. No garnishes or sauce, just grilled meat served once a month or during occasions like the debut parties.

Veiled dolls were known to break often. They would spontaneously lose limbs or go missing. Not that anyone cared, they were faceless dolls after all.

Emilico had noticed but never put two together. She was one of the 'living dolls' who could only eat 'meat': everything else disgusted her. Tarts tasted like raw sewage as her master Kate discovered when she tried eating one during the debut. Neither could stomach it and the others gave them a lot of unwanted attention.

It was only after, when Susanna called them down for an important lesson.

"As you already know, some pairs are 'special', they can only eat 'meat' but that's not all that makes them unique..." That’s what she said before releasing what Emilico now knew what was called a kagune from her back.

Her and Shaun had been allowed into a lesson that was supposedly about soot powers while Lou had to wait outside. Emilico knew why now, this was also a teaching for her.

Kate was nervous, which was strange. Even though she wasn't actually a doll, shadow masters still mimicked their servants so there was no reason for her to be alarmed.

John and Shaun went first and both had the same kagune which wrapped around their right arms like a spring. Susanna called this a 'Koukaku' type, a kagune which hit harder but was heavy and more difficult to control.

Then it had moved to her and Kate. Her master was stuttering with fear as Susanna explained the process once more. Emilico didn't understand why, it shouldn't have been that difficult, so she tried it to show Kate that there was nothing to be afraid of.

To everyone's surprise, when Kate had followed her lead, a tentacles emerged from her back instead of wings. Emilico's kagune was an 'Ukaku' type but Kate had a 'Rinkaku' type instead. According to Susanna, it wasn't something she had seen before but had celebrated none the less. The children were growing up, and that was their destiny, right?

By night they had returned to Kate's room and a veiled doll had knocked on the door and delivered a plate of 'meat' before leaving. Emilico carried the plate over to her master, who clearly wasn't happy, there was so much soot coming from her head since their lesson earlier that a phantom would form if they were natural.

"Kate doesn't want it!" She screamed when Emilico showed her the plate, recoiling from the sight of it.

"But you'll go hungry..." They only got food once a month now, before the debut it was every week for the sake of vitality, but now that had been returned to normal levels. If she didn't eat now, it would be another month before she could again!

"Kate is fine, she will handle it!" She sighed and turned to Emilico, "Eat it if you want, so it isn't wasted,".

And so, Emilico did as her master wished. The following days weren't pleasant as they were nearly framed for causing the phantom incidents and had to find the true culprit. John and Shaun assisted them in finding who they all knew now as master robe, or Maryrose for her true name.

Kate had deteriorated by this point, the hunger had increased to the point where she had locked herself away from anyone who wasn't a 'special pair'. Emilico wasn't sure why, but her master was acting strange around them, covering her mouth and running away after spending to long outside.

Emilico didn't know why, aside from the guess that she was hungry for them, but that was dumb.

Right?

The incident with Maryrose started off as expected. She and Rosemary targeted Emilico and Shaun, the dolls before going after their masters. When the time became right they stopped pretending and prepared to help the others, thinking they would need their help.

Emilico didn't know how much trouble Kate had gotten herself into before she saw John running over, begging for help. And what did they see? A clearing in the thin woods around the garden covered in soot, Maryrose holding what was left of her doll while shouting obscenities at Kate whom herself was crying apologies.

In the end it didn't matter, none of it did. Maryrose created the largest phantom they had ever seen before launching its full force at Kate. Emilico wouldn't have been able to save her master if it weren't for the speed of her kagune and they all sprinted back to the children's wing as quickly as possible, so as to not be trampled.

In the end, Maryrose had bashed into the star bearer's tower as Emilico hid behind it. Barbara ran out of her room to witness this monstrosity before John jumped from the roof and aimed his fist in such a way, she could block his soot punch but not the kagune slicing through her neck.

Barbara cleared Kate of the charges and things went on, even if they shouldn't have. Her master was never the same afterwards and Emilico finally put two and two together when she was reminiscing with the others under the night sky.

Kate hadn't attacked Rosemary that day out of fear, pure irrationality, or accident. It was hunger, she wasn't human and neither was Emilico. All throughout her life Emilico had stayed with the circus, a circus full of ghouls because it was the one place she could call home. Humans were her prey, even if she couldn't hunt and her mentor, Stella had done it for her.

Shaun told a different story however, humans and ghouls lived peacefully on this island because the shadows house provided human meat. Nobody questioned it since it was a blessing, one place where the two species could live in peace, without any fighting. A utopia where no one would starve or be forced to kill their neighbors.

Ricky and Lou had realized the same after regaining their memories. The former was far worse about it than the latter, as he admitted that it was difficult to think of Emilico and especially Shaun as anything but monsters afterwards. They didn't know what to say, it was only natural but it wasn't right.

Emilico went to bed that night with a heavy heart. She wasn't who she thought she was, a kind living doll who had done no wrong, or who she once lived as, the nameless orphan who lived among other ghouls in a traveling circus to avoid getting caught. Shaun no longer felt the same about the shadows house, as without them his family would starve. It was only though such a horrifying system that those on the outside could find peace.

She closed her eyes, tired and weary of what would happen next.

[steadypet101]

CW: Long post

"Valentine's Day art collection (sort of)"

Happy Valentine's Day! Here are the pen traced versions of my two favorite gay hedgehogs, and here are my TMNT Mutant Mayhem first two couples with my ocs. (I would've drawn Miffy and Reagan art, but I haven't drawn their bases just yet, I'm so sorry about that.)

So anyway, I have a short little story for these three. But since we all know how the first top part goes, I'm going for the bonus Sonadow.

"Nose to Nose" - Sonic grabbed Shadow quickly in a flash by his arms, making the dark hedgehog yelped in surprise. Suddenly, his nose touched the speedy blue hedgehog's nose. Still surprised by this, Shadow is speechless by this, which makes Sonic smile.

"Oh, come on, Shads. Don't act like you never wanted a nose to nose," Sonic said coyly.

"I don't. But just to humor you, I'll go along," Shadow said with a smirk on his face.

The hedgehogs then rubbed their noses together, making their hearts soar.

"I love you, faker," Shadow said.

"I love you, too, Shadow," Sonic said happily.

Shadow chuckled. "I love you more."

"I know you do."

--

"Alinardo adorkable kiss selfie" - "Come on, Leo! Let's take a selfie together!" Lea called out to Leo from peaking her head through the curtain into his and his brothers' bedroom after finishing cleaning up his twin katana blades with a rag.

He smiled as he put his blades in the corner of his space. "Okay, we'll go and take some with my phone," he said as he stepped out of the room.

"Yay!" Lea cheered. She watched Leo take out his cell phone from his belt, open up a camera app, and gesture the girl to come. She placed her hand onto his shoulder and prepared to smile for the camera. Just then, Lea pulled Leo closer to her face and began to kiss him on the cheek. Blushing, the leader in blue smiles for the camera with his adorkable smile as he takes the photo.

After the photo was taken, Lea took the phone and took a look at it with a smile. "Aw, Leo! We look so cute together! You especially look so cute with that smile."

Still blushing and smiling, Leo has a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Y-you think I have a cute smile?"

"I don't think, I know," the human replied.

The mutant turtle couldn't help but grinned widely.

"Hey, think you can send me this photo to my phone?" Lea asked as she gave Leo back his phone. "I want to save it and use it for my home wallpaper."

"Sure. I'd would love to," Leo said warmly.

--

"Susietello surprise kiss selfie" - Susie was studying on the dining table in the Turtles' lair when Donnie was approaching towards her. "Hey, Sue. Want to take a selfie with me?" Donnie asked as he took out his phone.

"Well, I'm a little busy at the moment, but I guess I can relax my brain for a bit," the human friend said as she closed her textbook and set it aside.

They both walked towards the opening of the lair, and Donnie had his camera ready. Meanwhile, Sue was planning how to make this selfie photo more memorable as she was fixing her pastel green hair and her glasses.

"Okay, ready?" the purple clad turtle asked.

"Ready," Sue answered.

The two get close together with the timer set. As Donnie smiled for the camera, he felt a hand on his head and a small kiss on his side of his head. It was Sue, and his facial expression changed from a photogenic smile to a surprised one. The camera clicked, and they both took a look at the photo. Donnie's heart was fluttering when he saw the proof of Sue kissing him.

"Uh, did-did you just?..." he stammered timidly.

"Yeah, I did. I thought this photo would be nice instead of our usual peace signs and making silly faces each time we take selfies," Sue smiled warmly. "Sorry about that."

Donnie couldn't help but blush at this. He smiled back to her. "No. This is perfect. I love it. Thank you for that. I really mean it."

"You're welcome, D. Anything for my best mutant turtle friend ever."

They shared smiles towards each other and began to head back to the lair. Donnie couldn't stop thinking of Sue's actions to the camera. He didn't expect that to happen, but it did. He was surprised, but he was happy that his human crush kissed him. Wish it would be on the lips, though, but oh well. There's always next time.

--

Wow, that's a lot of typing. Anyways, sorry if my stories were crappy. I hope y'all like them all. I'll edit them a little later.❤️🩷❤️🩷

[icedragonlizard]

Headcanons for Parallel Susie

I talk about Susie a lot on my blog. She's one of my favorites, after all.

And now I'll talk about my interpretation of her parallel counterpart:

In my headcanons, Parallel Susie has a very similar backstory to regular Susie's: being split from her dad and banished to Another Dimension for a long time, only to then have her dad forget about her existence by the time she manages to finally return to him because a broken machine ended up eroding the memories that he had of her.

And just like regular Susie, Parasusie was also massively hurt by her dad forgetting about her... but she then handled it very differently.

Regular Susie could be considered rather vengeful in what she did about her dad forgetting about her: the action of her stealing Star Dream's helmet was an attempt to humiliate him. But she didn't mean to kill him... that was a huge mistake, instead she was merely trying to force him to look her way. She just wanted his previous self back.

Parasusie, on the other hand, was much more aggressively vengeful. She was so hurt by her dad forgetting about her, she felt like she was spat in the face (regular Susie did, too, but it's notably worse in this case) and decided that she'd just kill him in revenge for 'having the gall' to neglect her, believing that 'bad fathers' like him deserve such a fate. Parasusie killed her father by ambushing him and trampling him to death with her mech. Wow.... just wow. That's extremely brutal, isn't it?

Just gonna say right now that Parasusie is much more brutal than regular Susie.

Regular Susie misses her dad. That she killed him was a complete accident, and she's felt terrible about unintentionally causing his death. In contrast, Parasusie actually killed her dad on purpose and doesn't regret it. She doesn't miss him. She believed that he deserved it for 'abandoning' her and it actually made her feel relieved.

And by the way, Parasusie also used to have a hair clip, as it was also gifted to her by her dad before they were forcibly split apart. But she's long since gotten rid of it. She outright destroyed that hair clip, actually. She completely emotionally detached herself from her dad to the point she unapologetically obliterates anything in his memory.

She happily moves on from her dad and pretends he never existed.

Like with the regular Haltmanns, the parallel Haltmanns also ran a corporation that was very similar to it. Parasusie reluctantly joined her dad's company because she thought it'd make a good opportunity for her to sneak up and kill him. And when the company fell apart after she killed him, she doesn't even bother trying to bring it back. The reason why regular Susie revives the HWC is to honor her dad, and she's operating on the company's originally intended goal of consensually helping people.

Parallel Susie is not the CEO of a technological company like regular Susie is. She doesn't even run a job at all. Instead, she's just chilling around in numerous dimensions, although she loves to build gadgets and be very unhinged with them. Just a weird edgy nomad woman.

By comparison, she's much more of a 'lowlife' than regular Susie.

Her home is in a technological hidey-hole in the Clash dimension.

Parasusie is notably meaner, more crass and more brutal than regular Susie. While regular Susie is also certainly not the nicest person around either, some of her friends have gotten her to gradually soften up over time. She and Kirby are friends. Parasusie, however, most likely wouldn't be interested in being friends with Kirby if they met.

Although Parasusie isn't entirely friendless. She has a total of two friends: Dark Taranza and Shadow Dedede. She met Dark Taranza when he came around in her dimension, and they both came together due to mutual respect of both being utterly insufferable lunatics. Darta invited Parasusie to visit the mirror world occasionally, and that's how she first met Shadow Dedede and become friends.

Wow... I headcanon Parallel Susie and Dark Taranza friendship? Hahaha! Just like how I headcanon the regular versions of Susie and Taranza being buddies. Although it's different here. I headcanon that Parasusie and Darta literally make each other worse, unlike their regular versions which help make each other happier and better.

Her two friends are the reason why her mech has a D-Mind symbol.

The mirror world is a place that Parasusie gives regular visits to. She's not a natural mirror worlder, but she's grown to have something of an affiliation with them. She's met Dark Meta Knight, but they don't get along very well. Although DMK prefers Parasusie over actual Susie LOL. Parasusie has also met Shadow Kirby, and although they very rarely interact, Skirby is very wary of her because of her friendships with both Darta and Shadow Dedede, as he doesn't like those guys.

Parasusie has very different food preferences from regular Susie. Regular Susie is well known for loving ice cream. She's a sweet-tooth. Parasusie instead loves spicy foods, as she enjoys putting hot peppers onto meals, something that regular Susie wouldn't really like.

They also have differences in what they like. Regular Susie absolutely adores cute things; she loves plushies and other kawaii stuff, and she gave the HWC a pink makeover upon reviving it. Parasusie on the other hand does not care about cute things as much. She's far more into goth and edgy stuff. She's basically like a much edgier Susie.

She's also way edgier and more brutal in her sense of humor. They have different tastes of humor that aren't compatible with each other.

Overall, Susie wouldn't get along with her parallel counterpart if they were to meet. It'd probably already freak out her out to meet another version of herself to begin with, but she'd be especially unnerved to meet a version of herself that intentionally committed patricide without any remorse. It would elicit a visceral reaction out of her.

Parasusie would make Susie uncomfortable and even somewhat angry by virtue of just existing. She'd find Parasusie to be repulsive.

On the other hand, Parasusie would probably consider Susie to be pathetic. And if she noticed that Susie still misses her dad and that she keeps things in his memory, Parasusie would probably taunt her by calling her a "daddy's girl", and if she learned about Susie's backstory and how she dealt with being neglected, Parasusie would call her a coward for still caring about a 'dad that was clearly a traitor'.

Most likely, Susie and Parasusie would cat-fight if they met.

Susie's more humorous friends, Magolor and the mage sisters, would find it hilarious to watch Susie beefing with another version of herself.

Anyways... I think that more or less sums up the essences of my headcanons for Susie's edgy red-haired parallel counterpart.

I like to think that Parasusie is less redeemable and is a worse person than regular Susie. But even then, it's not all bad for Parasusie either, as I would not consider her to be irredeemably evil either (that's actually incredibly rare in my Kirbyverse and is just mostly applicable for non-defective Dark Matter). I think I'd just put Parasusie on the same boat as the likes of Dark Taranza and Shadow Dedede, where they're all overall bad people that are worse than their regular counterparts, but not much further than that. Just weird freaks.

But yeah, I think that's it. See y'all more for later posts.

[tanoraqui]

just finished Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and it was…good, definitely a good writing job and enjoyable read… But I’m haunted by how good it COULD have been if it wasn’t written by Brandon Sanderson.

Full credit for the idea and for doing his best with it! But Sanderson’s strengths are worldbuilding and plotting, but this book was (supposed to be) based a compelling relationship between two complex characters and vivid imagery. Hoid was a fun, wry narrator, but it should’ve had someone earnest and full of awe instead. It should have had a very soft magic system and overwhelming emotion. It should not have referenced or even known about any universe greater than the world it was on—ok maybe the other planet; that was a good image, twist, and demonstration of the technology level. But it should’ve had descriptions that made me want to fall asleep in the village cold springs under the blazing red sun; or come alive at the carnival lit only by magenta, and cyan and the energy of the crowd; or flinch from shapes in the shadows for a week. And that’s not even speaking of the characters’ own art!

Off the top of my head, I think Susanna Clarke would’ve knocked it out of the fucking park.

[michele-apricity]

𝓭𝓪𝓻𝓴 𝓪𝓬𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓪 ˙⟡🪶─

𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔

Dark academia is rooted in a love for philosophy, history and literature... so here are some recommendations for books that fit the dark academia aesthetic and you should definitely read

𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒔

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

The cornerstone of dark academia literature. A group of elite classics students is drawn into a web of obsession, betrayal, and murder.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

A dark exploration of beauty, morality, and corruption in Victorian England.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

A Gothic classic delving into the pursuit of forbidden knowledge, ambition, and the consequences of creation.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

A story of love, mystery, and self-discovery, set against the brooding backdrop of Thornfield Hall.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

A Gothic masterpiece full of eerie atmospheres, academic investigation, and the dark allure of the unknown.

𝒎𝒐𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒏 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒔

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

A Shakespearean tragedy set in an elite performing arts college, where students’ lives unravel after a murder.

Vita Nostra by Marina & Sergey Dyachenko

A surreal and unsettling novel about a young woman attending a mysterious school where reality bends under the weight of knowledge.

Bunny by Mona Awad

A darkly humorous and sinister look at creativity, academia, and a cult-like clique in a prestigious MFA program.

The Atlas Six trilogy by Olivie Blake

A magical dark academia tale about six exceptionally talented magicians competing for a place in a secret society that guards knowledge.

In The Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

A memoir with Gothic undertones that explores trauma, storytelling, and academic reflection.

𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒚/𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒔

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

A mysterious and haunting tale of a young boy discovering a forgotten book and its dark history.

The Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

A supernatural dark academia story set in Yale’s secret societies, where magic and danger collide.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

A chilling Gothic mystery set in a decaying mansion, with a protagonist investigating her cousin's eerie marriage.

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware

A tale of friendship, deceit, and secrets in the shadow of a Gothic boarding school.

Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth

A queer, layered story blending Gothic horror and academic intrigue across timelines.

𝒑𝒐𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒚 & 𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒔

The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson

Dickinson’s introspective and haunting poetry complements the aesthetic’s love of literature and existential reflection.

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

For the intellectual side of dark academia, this stoic philosophical work is a guide to self-reflection and understanding.

Paradise Lost by John Milton

An epic poem exploring rebellion, ambition, and the fall from grace, perfect for the themes of the aesthetic.

Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake

Poetry reflecting duality, beauty, and the darker aspects of human nature.

𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒕𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒕

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

A magical school where survival is key, blending dark academia with fantasy and wit.

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Noell by Susanna Clarke

A dense, Gothic tale of magic, rivalry, and ambition in 19th-century England.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

A modern, darker take on a magical academy, filled with existential musings and flawed characters.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

A historical and fantastical romance steeped in academia, libraries, and ancient mysteries.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

A haunting, introspective story set in an otherworldly labyrinth that plays with memory, knowledge, and solitude.

𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒅𝒖𝒍𝒕

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

A suspenseful story of privilege, power, and systemic secrets in an elite private school.

Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas

A slow-burning, atmospheric novel about an experimental university and the price of knowledge.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

A tale of mystery, tragedy, and privilege among a wealthy, secluded family.

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

A series rich with mysticism, academic undertones, and a search for ancient knowledge.

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

A romantic and artistic dark fantasy set in a world of fae and forbidden craft.

Did you read any of the books mentioned here? And if so what was your favorite/your opinion on them?

I personally read most of the books here and loved every single one.

-michala♡

[pupsmailbox]

STARTING WITH S

MASCULINE︰ sacheverell. sage. saint. sal. salem. salvador. sam. samir. sammie. sammy. sampson. samson. samuel. sandford. sandy. santana. santiago. santino. santos. saul. sawyer. saxon. scot. scott. scottie. scotty. scout. sean. sebastian. sefton. selby. sergio. seth. seven. sevyn. seymour. shae. shane. shaun. shaw. shawn. shayne. shelby. sheldon. shelton. shepard. shepherd. sherman. shiloh. sid. sidney. silas. silis. silver. silvester. simon. sincere. sinclair. sinjin. sky. skylar. skyler. slade. sloan. sly. smith. solomon. sonny. soren. sparrow. spencer. spike. stafford. stan. stanford. stanley. stefan. steph. stephen. sterling. stetson. steve. steven. stevie. stewart. stone. storm. stryker. stu. stuart. sullivan. sully. sunday. sutton. syd. sydney. sylas. sylvan. sylvanus. sylvester. symon. syncere.

FEMININE︰ sabella. sable. sabrina. sabryna. sadie. saffron. sage. saige. sal. salem. salena. salina. sallie. sally. salome. sam. samantha. samara. sammi. sammie. sammy. sandie. sandra. sandy. santana. saoirse. saphire. sapphire. sara. sarah. sarai. saranna. sarina. sariyah. sasha. saundra. savanna. savannah. sawyer. saylor. scarlet. scarlett. scarlette. schuyler. scottie. scout. seanna. sela. selah. selby. selena. selma. september. sequoia. sera. serena. serenity. serina. serrena. sevan. sevyn. shae. shaelyn. shana. shanae. shanelle. shanene. shania. shanna. shannah. shannen. shannon. shanon. shantae. shantel. shantelle. sharalyn. shari. sharise. sharla. sharleen. sharlene. sharmaine. sharon. sharona. sharron. sharyl. sharyn. shauna. shavon. shavonne. shawna. shawnda. shawnee. shaye. shayla. shayley. shaylyn. sheelagh. sheena. sheila. shelagh. shelby. shelia. shell. shelley. shelly. shena. sheree. sheri. sheridan. sherie. sherill. sherilyn. sherisse. sherley. sherlyn. sherri. sherrie. sherry. sheryl. sheryll. shevaun. shevon. shilo. shiloh. shirlee. shirley. shonda. shyla. siara. sibyl. sidney. sidony. siena. sienna. sierra. silver. simone. simonette. sinclair. sindy. sky. skye. skyla. skylar. skyler. skylynn. sloan. sloane. snow. sofia. soledad. sommer. sondra. sonia. sonya. sookie. sophia. sophie. sophy. soraya. sorrel. spirit. spring. stace. stacee. stacey. staci. stacia. stacie. stacy. star. starla. starr. stefani. stella. steph. stephani. stephania. stephanie. stephany. stevie. stormi. stormy. sue. suellen. suki. sukie. summer. sunday. sunny. sunshine. susan. susanna. susanne. susie. sutton. suz. suzan. suzanna. suzanne. suzi. suzie. suzy. sybella. sybil. syd. sydne. sydneey. sydney. sydnie. sylvia. sylvie. symphony.

NEUTRAL︰ saccharine. saffron. saga. sage. saige. sailor. saint. sakae. salem. saline. sam. sami. samie. sammy. sandi. sandy. santana. sapphire. sasha. satsuki. sawyer. saxon. scape. scarlet. scorpion. scottie. scout. scribbles. sea. secret. seer. sekani. semaj. semi. september. serenity. seven. sevyn. shade. shadow. shai. shale. shalom. shan. shannon. shark. shay. shea. shelby. sheridan. shi. shia. shield. shiloh. shiro. shiver. shook. should. sid. sidney. silver. sincere. sincerity. siren. skeptic. skull. skunk. sky. skye. skyler. slate. slider. sloan. smash. sneaky. sniff. snitch. snooze. snow. soap. sock. soda. sol. solace. solo. solstice. soma. sonny. soot. sora. soren. sorrel. soul. sour. south. spark. sparrow. spear. specter. speedy. spell. spencer. spider. spiral. spirit. spot. spy. stab. stacy. stag. stall. star. stark. starling. static. stay. steady. steel. stereo. sterling. stitch. stock. stone. storm. stormi. stormy. stranger. strawberry. stray. stricken. studio. subwoofer. suede. sugar. sulfur. sullivan. summer. summit. sun. sunday. sunny. sutton. sway. swing. switch. sychophant. symphony. syncere. synth.

[dom-guilfoyle]

Read a lot this year. Pretty much all Sci-Fi and Fantasy, surprising nobody. Here's I think a complete list of books I read in something like the order I read them. Commas indicate separations between different books, no book title should ever have a comma. Ask if you want my thoughts on them I guess? Yes I know i should read Murderbot I'll get to it someday.

Shadow Games, Bleak Seasons, Dreams of Steel- Glen Cook

Children Of Memory- Adrian Tchaikovsky

Salvation- Peter F. Hamilton

Rivers of London- Ben Aaronovitch

A Memory Called Empire, A Desolation Called Peace- Arkady Martine

Recursion- Blake Crouch

Excession- Iain M Banks

Piranesi- Susanna Clarke

A Wizard Of Earthsea, The Tombs Of Atuan- Ursula K LeGuin

The Book Of Elsewhere- China Mièville and Keanu Reeves

The Fifth Season, The Obelisk Gate, The Stone Sky- N.K. Jemisen

Between Two Fires- Christopher Buehlman

Gardens Of The Moon- Steven Erikson

House Of Leaves- Mark Z Danielewski

Ancilliary Justice, Ancillary Sword, Ancillary Mercy- Ann Leckie

[ninja-muse]

Well, this was a surprisingly strong start to my reading year! I don’t normally give out super high ratings, and especially not so close together, but The City in Glass and The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door deserved nothing less. I also had a nice surprise in In Veritas, which was honestly a “what the heck do I read now” selection, and a very fun time with Greenteeth. I’d review that one but I’ve already done two reviews this month, so just know that if you want a cozy-ish fantasy that’s a shade or two lighter than T. Kingfisher but with the same darkish humour, it’s one to pick up.

Sadly, I also had one DNF. Yield Under Great Persuasion is a fun cozy queer fantasy romance, but the particular character tropes and dynamic just didn’t work for me. And that would’ve been my only queer book, which is also something of a surprise. (Queer authors, yes. Queer-norm worlds, yes. But no queer focus.) I can only hope that February will be gayer, more trans, or more ace, but I’m a mood reader. It’ll be what it’ll be, I guess.

But yes, if you’re counting, I’ve read primarily fantasy this month, including two novels with fairies pretty close together. One of the ARCs I brought home was the third Emily Wilde book, which I’m eager to get to, but it’s going to fall tonally right in the middle of “amusing light fantasy” and “female academic studying fairies” and I can recognize that I need to read at least one book before I pick it up, to give myself space. Which is why I’ve pulled The Prague Cemetery off my shelves. It’s about as different as I can get while staying fiction, I think. And yes, I did look at nonfiction choices. None of them spoke to me.

I’ve decided to add the occasional read-like to my wrap-ups. There have been a few books this month that have reminded me of specific things, be it authors or books or other things, and that’s usually the case in a month. I thought it might be fun to make those notes when I have them, since the way I’m doing my “reviews” here is so compact.

As for my book haul, after not receiving the last two October Daye novels for my birthday or for Christmas, I had to go out and rectify that situation—and of course, the Wayward Children novellas are auto-buys. The other book I picked up was The Myth of Normal, rescued from our damaged books shelf at work because I’ve been on the fence about it for a while. I figure I’ll either find it an interesting or infuriating read, but who knows when I’ll get to it.

In other news, I’ve started writing again, at least a little, and I’ve manage to jot down a couple bunnies that may or may not make good short stories. There’s nothing much else to report. Just working and reading and, oh yes, getting a cold. Don’t get colds, folks. They’re not fun.

And so, without further ado, here’s what I read this month in order of personal enjoyment…

The City in Glass - Nghi Vo

When the demon Vitrine’s city is destroyed by angels, she sets herself to rebuilding while an angel, caught by her grief, tries to understand.

10/10

for fans of: Strange the Dreamer

🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (sapphic, achillean, trans man)

warning: war, death, grief

library book

The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door - H.G. Parry When Clover’s brother returns from the trenches carrying a faerie curse, she vows to cure him. Step one is earning a place in the magical university of Camford—but the friends she makes there, and the secrets they uncover, have a much longer, wider, darker reach.

9/10

for fans of: Babel, Pip Williams, Susanna Clarke

🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (gay), Indo-British secondary character

library book

In Veritas - C.J. Lavigne

Drawn by her synaesthesia and a dog/snake/shadow, Verity encounters a hidden world of magical people in an Ottawa theatre—a world threatened by technology and in need of saving.

7/10

for fans of: Charles de Lint

neurodivergent protagonist, secondary character with permanently injured leg, Black and East Asian secondary characters, 🇨🇦

warning: suicide, murder, knife violence, false commission to psychiatric facility

library ebook

Genealogy of a Murder - Lisa Belkin In 1960, an ex-con shoots a cop and a doctor could have stopped him—but what was it about their lives that shaped them into who they became?

7.5/10

for fans of: deep-dive true crime podcasts

warning: discussions of poverty, domestic abuse, child abuse, alcoholism, deaths of children and parents, dubiously ethical experiments

library ebook

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear - Seanan McGuire When Nadya’s adoptive parents give her a prosthetic in their bid to make her a perfect American girl, she finds refuge in the world of Belyyreka.

7/10

protagonist with arm hemimelia and a prosthetic

bought/off my TBR

Greenteeth - Molly O’Neill When a witch is thrown into Jenny Greenteeth’s lake, the two women band together to get the witch’s life back, but it won’t be easy. The new parson has brought something old and dark and wrong to their village, and they must go on a quest to rid Britain of it. Out in February

for fans of: T. Kingfisher, Diana Wynne Jones

7/10

🏳️‍🌈-coded protagonist (ace)

warning: animal death

reading copy

And Put Away Childish Things - Adrian Tchaikovsky Harry Bodie is a washed-up actor descended from an author of second-rate portal fantasies. He is definitely not the heir to the throne of Underhill, because Underhill. Does. Not. Exist. (He’s in for more than a bit of a rude awakening.)

7.5/10

for fans of: Paul Cornell, postmodern takes of children’s classics

warning: Covid-19 pandemic

library ebook

A Daughter of No Nation - A.M. Dellamonica Sophie’s returned to the world of Stormwrack, to learn more about its ecologies and her birth father. But when she learns something horrific about him, Stormwrack’s politics and legalities suddenly become a darker web.

7/10

for fans of: adult portal fantasies

🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (gay, lesbian), secondary characters read as Black and South Asian, 🇨🇦

warning: slavery, violence

library book

Fifty Places to Travel Solo - Chris Santella and DC Helmuth Some suggested destinations for single travellers.

7.5/10

interviewees of diverse backgrounds, orientations, and body types

library book

Interference - Sue Burke

The Pax colony is thrown into turmoil by a mission from Earth, and it looks like Humans, Earthlings, and Glassmakers might not be the only sentiences out there.

6.5/10

off my TBR

Picture Books

Knight Owl - Christopher Denise Owl wants to be a knight and when knights start disappearing at the castle, he gets his chance!

Bunny Made Tea - Amanda Baehr Fuller

Bunny wants a cup of tea but unfortunately, so does Possum. Out in February

DNF

Yield Under Great Persuasion - Alexandra Rowland Tam has hated Lord Lyford since they were children. Tam and Lyford have been hooking up regularly. When Tam learns that Lyford is favoured by his goddess (which he doesn’t deserve), it’s the last straw and he must confront his feelings and his actions if he wants any hope of a better future.

🏳️‍🌈 protagonist (gay), 🏳️‍🌈 love interest (achillean), 🏳️‍🌈 author

library book

Currently reading

The Prague Cemetery - Umberto Eco A journey through the social upheavals of 19th century Europe, through the eyes of a forger who hates everyone, believes every conspiracy, and is trying to piece together lost time and a secondary identity.

warning: anti-Semitic protagonist and secondary characters; protagonist also xenophobic, racist, and misogynist

off my TBR

The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle Victorian detective stories

disabled POV character (limb injury), occasional Indian secondary characters

warning: racism, colonialism

Monthly total: 10+2 Yearly total: 10 Queer books: 0 Authors of colour: 1 Books by women: 8.5 Authors outside the binary: 0 Canadian authors: 2 Classics: 0 Off the TBR shelves: 2 Books hauled: 4 ARCs acquired: 3 ARCs unhauled: 1 DNFs: 1

[wheel-of-fish]

Favorite books with autumn vibes

Contemporary

All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness

At the Edge of the Orchard by Tracy Chevalier

For the Wolf by Hannah Witten

The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

The Once and Future Witches by Alix Harrow

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Red at the Bone by Jaqueline Woodson

The Scholomance Trilogy by Naomi Novik

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Luis Zafron

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Classics

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

Graphic Novels

My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris

The Sandman Vol. I: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

Always looking for more! Tell me yours!

[art-that-fucks-you-up-tournament]

Behold, a bracket!

Text form below the cut because trying to copy all the 256 into the alt text sounded.... horrifying. Warning for 128 matchups, seriously, this list is long, and so I've avoided adding the artists until the polls.

a note: the pinned post has started misbehaving, so only open polls will be directly linked. closed polls instead have the results page linked in the set header, all the polls are linked from there

Set 1

The Lament for Icarus (Miao He) vs The Lament for Icarus (Herbert Draper)

The angel came to me in a fever hallucination, perched upon my bed as I returned from the bathroom. vs Sweet Brown Snail

Figures vs A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery

Happy Shoppers vs Hubble Deep Field

Lovers Painting vs Bath Curtain

Dr. Helen Taussig vs Une Martyre

Orangoutang étranglant un sauvage de Bornéo (Orangutan strangling a Borneo savage) vs Can’t Help Myself

Rape vs Technicolor Hiroshima

Set 2

A Walk at Dusk vs Based on “Autoportrait with the Model” by Maria-Rayevska Ivanova

Diary Page vs Les Jours Gigantesques (The Titanic Days)

Dead of Night vs You Won't

Christina's World vs Bobby

Untitled (I’m Turning Into A Specter Before Your Very Eyes And I’m Going To Haunt You) vs Two Sisters (On the Terrace)

Sharecropper vs Lustmord

The Parca and the Angel of Death vs Untitled (Zdzisław Beksiński)

Stress vs The Fallen Angel

Set 3

Device to Root Out Evil vs Travelling Light

Diana vs Fifty Days at Iliam: The Fire that Consumes All before It

The Plains, from Memory vs Exotic Bodies

Doubting Thomas vs Self-Portrait in the Bathroom Mirror

Empty Nest vs Somebody Fell From Aloft

Anguish vs If I Died

Cat in Obsolete Bath vs You're Not Boring Anymore

Salvator Mundi (Savior of the World) vs Untitled (billboard of an empty unmade bed)

Set 4

There Will Be No Miracles Here vs Symphony of the Sixth Blast Furnace

Fox Hunt vs Tarpaulin

Khajuraho Group of Monuments vs Ranakpur Jain Temple

ปราสาทสัจธรรม (The Sanctuary of Truth) vs Grande Panorama de Lisboa

Heroic Head of Pierre de Wissant, One of the Burghers of Calais vs The Weather

The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit vs If this is art

Statue of Vincent and Theo van Gogh vs Jeanne d’Arc écoutant les voix (Joan of Arc listening to the Voices)

Fountain vs Judith Slaying Holofernes

Set 5

Cueva de las Manos (Cave of Hands) vs Cave of El Castillo

Chauvet Cave Bear vs Uffington White Horse

Laocoön and His Sons vs Winged Victory of Samothrace

Crouching Aphrodite vs Statue of Taweret

Guardian Figure vs Kūya-Shonin (Saint Kuya)

Ancient Greek doll vs Arena #7 (Bears)

Enbu (炎舞) (Dancing in the Flames) vs Yearning Shadows

Belfast to Byzantium vs Freedom

Set 6

The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayan vs Portraits

The Blood Mirror vs Nighthawks

Electric Fan (Feel it Motherfuckers): Only Unclaimed Item from the Stephen Earabino Estate vs "Untitled" (Portrait of Ross in L.A.)

Lady Agnew of Lochnaw vs Forgotten Dreams

Saint Bride vs Pixeles (a group of 9 works)

War Pieta vs The Sunset

The Handmaidens of Sivawara Preparing the Sacred Bull at Tanjore for a Festival vs Ajax and Cassandra

Nāve (Death) vs Abstraction

Set 7

Yes vs Meeting on the Turret Stair

Hacked to Death II vs Stańczyk

Closeness Lines Over Time vs Voice of Fire

The Maple Trees at Mama, the Tekona Shrine and Tsugihashi Bridge vs Portrait of Sir Thomas More

Survival Series: In a Dream You Saw a Way vs Takiyasha the Witch and the Skeleton Spectre

Death blowing bubbles vs The Kitchen Table Series

Painting 1946 vs In the Grip of Winter

Untitled (Black and Gray) vs NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt

Set 8

Blue Plate Special vs Red Cedar

Palace of Fine Arts vs Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba

Le Château des Pyrénées (The Castle of the Pyrenees) vs Susanna and the Elders, Restored - X-Ray

Moby Dick vs Viva la Vida, Watermelons

Venus Envy Chapter One (Of the First Holy Communion Moments Before the End) vs how to look at art

St. Sebastian vs Untitled #12

Carroña vs The invincible one

Untitled (Two Dogs) vs The Dog

SECOND HALF

Set 9

David (Donatello) vs David (Michelangelo)

The Other Side vs The Temptation of St. Jerome

Seated Woman with Bent Knees vs Starry Night

Headdress - Shadae vs Untitled for the Image Flow's Queer Conscience exhibit

Woman with Dead Child (Frau mit totem Kind) vs Les Amants (The Lovers)

Siroče na majčinom grobu (Orphan on Mother's Grave) vs You Make My World a Better Place to Find

Fighting Against SARS Memorial Architectural Scene (弘揚抗疫精神建築景觀) vs Fallingwater

Resting vs The Hull

Set 10

Olive Trees vs Worship

Glow vs Wheatfield with Crows

Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X vs Untitled (He Plays Very Badly)

D.I.Y. by John Wiswell vs The Tragedy

Judith and the Head of Holofernes vs Beethovenfries (Beethoven Frieze)

The Memory of Me (How Could I Forget) vs oh god i had a really big epiphany about love and personhood but i’m too drunk for words

I am happy because everyone loves me vs 瀕危形態 (Endangered Forms)

Three Scaffolders vs Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan

Set 11

San Giorgio Maggiore at Dusk vs Water-Lilies, Reflection of a Weeping Willow

The Grief of the Pasha vs Monolith in Vigeland Sculpture Park

Passion vs Space Diner

Hamlet and Ophelia vs Two Earthlings

Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth vs Seer Bonnets

Photograph from "SNAP OSAKA" Collection vs Clytemnestra after the Murder

“Untitled” (Perfect Lovers) vs The Lovers (TIE)

Kedai Ubat Jenun vs Orange Store Front

Set 12

The Apotheosis of War vs Portrait of the Dancer Aleksandr Sakharov

Julie Manet vs Mouth

The Icebergs vs Kaleidoscope Cats III

Maman vs Caza Nocturna (Night Hunt)

The Book of Kells Folio 188r: Luke carpet page vs Ardagh Chalice

Yusuf and Zulaikha vs Dome of the Rock mosaics

Rowan Leaves and Hole vs Untitled (prisonhannibal)

Le Désespéré (The Desperate Man) vs The Dedication

Set 13

Deimos vs Dog and Bridge

The Mocking of Christ vs Prudence

The Broken Column vs Siberian Ice Maiden shoulder tattoo

Transi de René de Chalon (Cadaver Tomb of René of Chalon) vs Head of Christ

The Day vs Spirit of Haida Gwaii

Eleanor Boathouse at Park 571 vs Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban জাতীয় সংসদ ভবন (National Parliament House)

Juventud de Baco (Bacchus Youth) vs Barges on the Seine

Oath of the Horattii closeup vs Visit hos Excentrisk Dam (Visit to an eccentric lady)

Set 14

Christ Crucified (With Donor) vs St. Francis

Thunder Raining Poison vs Piazza d'Italia

The Grove vs Among the Waves

Pintura Mural de Alarcón vs Sagrada Família stained-glass windows

Noonday Heat vs La Dame à la licorne (The Lady and The Unicorn)

Matroser i Gröna Lund (Sailors in Gröna Lund) vs Gielda Plakatu

Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks vs The Garden of Earthly Delights

Kuoleman puutarha (The Garden of Death) vs Haavoittunut enkeli (The Wounded Angel)

Set 15

i've wasted a lifetime pretending to be me vs da oracle

minus #37 vs Panel from Fun Home

Excerpt from illustrated edition of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner vs La Mort de Marat (The Death of Marat)

The Veil vs Düsseldorf 4 (Museum Kunst Palast)

Capriccio vs Zodiac calendar for La Plume

The official imperial portrait of empress dowager Cixi vs José y Maria

Blooming Lilacs vs Lágrimas De Sangre (Tears of Blood)

An Interlude vs Boy Staring at an Apparition

Set 16

Mermer Waiskeder: Stories of the Moving Tide vs The Gran Hotel Ciudad de México Art Nouveau interior

Unfinished Painting vs To Arms!

Memorial to a Marriage vs The Island

Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn vs A Few Small Nips

Saturn Devouring His Son vs Guernica

Fairy Princesses vs Lamentation over the Dead Christ

Mummy with An Inserted Panel Portrait of a Youth vs Little Girl Looking Downstairs at Christmas Party

Agnus vs The Cup Of His Murders Is Flowing Over And In His Coat Shall Be Many Curses

[pod-together]

Pod-Together Day 3 Reveals 2024

hiraeth and hwyl (Howl's Moving Castle - All Media Types, Howl Series - Diana Wynne Jones, Howl no Ugoku Shiro | Howl's Moving Castle, Piranesi - Susanna Clarke, Betrayal at House on the Hill) created and performed by AirgiodSLV, CompassRose, ellejabell, epaulettes, kitkat50311, mahons_ondine, minnabird, and sisi_rambles Summary: You find yourself looking at a door. It looks like an ordinary door, but you’re somehow certain that it isn’t. In theory, you could open the door…but something warns you off. You might not survive, if you pass through that door. You might no longer be you.

I Could Eat A Peach for Hours [text, audio] (Stranger Things (TV 2016)) written by ArtaxLivs, performed by rufusbear Summary: “Robin, it’s fucking obscene.” “You’re obscene,” she squawks. “I am but he’s so much worse,” Eddie insists. “He just, oh my god, all week Robin. All. Fucking. Week.” “I do not need to know about your weird food kinks,” Robin makes a face and then pretends to gag. “It’s not a fucking food kink, it’s a Steve’s mouth kink,” Eddie growls.

Lost and Found (Firefly (TV 2002)) written by Ballad_of_Firefly, performed by InterstellarBlue Summary: Looking up, the apology died in his throat. Familiar brown eyes stared down at him and for a moment, he forgot how to breathe. They looked exactly like River's. Gabriel Tam's eyes narrowed. "Simon."

born to go through trouble (The Odyssey - Homer, EPIC - Jorge Rivera-Herrans (Albums), Ancient Greek Religion & Lore) written by BubblesKat, performed by ShakespeareStoleMyURL Summary: Something is wrong. I don’t understand what happened. I swore I was dreaming when I awoke inside the horse in Troy, but I was immediately discovered and killed. Then, I woke up again in the exact same circumstances. -- or, Odysseus finds himself in a time loop, waking up inside the Trojan horse over and over and over

The shadow of our Light (Shadowhunters (TV)) written by HadrianPeverellBlack, performed by Hagar Summary: Alec's and Jace's relationship. 5 times they thought they weren't enough for the other, and the one time they realized they were enough

Who is the Maestro? (SEVENTEEN (Band)) written by halotolerant, performed by pezzax Summary: Warning. Critical power failure. Metronome is offline. Do you wish to try again? - Wonwoo versus the AI

Meditations II: A Simple Method for Reducing Mental Distractions and Courting the Elusive Muse, by Professor Pankratz (Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types) written by LenaLawlipop, performed by Chantress and Luninarie Summary: The rustling of wind and chirping of birds can be heard, it’s warm… Not obscenely so, only just enough to make your eyes very, very heavy. Distantly, you can hear the professor writing, chalk on blackboard marking the steady passing of time until your next break. Soon, however, the rhythmic tap of the chalk comes to a halt. Too soon, in fact. It’s not time for that break yet. "Alright, everyone, close your books. Unfortunately, the time has come again. Once more, I find myself wondering, why is everyone so quiet? Am I perchance teaching something useful, against my better judgement?"

Or, a guided meditation for focus, based on mantras.

have you worked out what we’re looking for (Men's Hockey RPF) written by polyabathtub, performed by cosmicanon Summary: Things high school biology teacher Leon Draisaitl does not appreciate: - Being pulled out of one of his sections of freshman biology for three weeks - So that he can co-teach a junior year health class with PE teacher Matthew Tkachuk - Who is always encouraging his students to do things other than their homework, and has an easy job that doesn’t require him to spend his entire life lesson planning and grading - He’s also so unfairly hot that it makes it hard for Leon to remember that he’s in the closet at work

Dispatch [text, audio] (The Goblin Emperor Series - Katherine Addison) written by sophiegaladheon, performed by dontneedaclassroom Summary: Emperor Varenechibel IV has been killed and Csevet has been tasked with delivering the most important letter of his career as a courier.

Don't Hate the Player, Hate the Game: Episode 23 - Palmetto State Foxes (All For The Game - Nora Sakavic) created by Syr and Opalsong Summary: The sports podcast for people who don't like sports! Episode 23 focuses on Exy and the Palmetto State Foxes and the massive amounts of drama that happened this season. We didn't have to dig deep for this one folks; there was so much drama we didn't even get to it all.

So We Can Begin [text, audio] (Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy) written by wanderingjedihistorian, performed by kbirb, flowerparrish, and wanderingjedihistorian Summary: Bail and Breha are soulmates, but they each have two soulmarks meaning they have a third soulmate. When Bail meets Fox, he knows he's found their third. The war makes Fox and Breha getting to know each other difficult, but messages and holo recordings are easy enough to send.

[airgiodslv]

I skipped the July creation wrap-up because nearly everything I worked on was for challenges revealed in August. There's a lot!

Fics:

Guess That Voice: WIK Edition

KinnPorsche, Kim/Chay, rated T

Kim is grilled within an inch of his life about Wik’s personal life, his projects, and his future plans. Chay takes meticulous notes on his phone the whole time. Kim has trained with professional interrogators who are less intimidating than Chay crafting a bomb to drop on Twitter.

“It’s not for Twitter,” Chay corrects him. Kim has a short-lived moment of relief before Chay clarifies: “I’m writing Wikfic.”

(Fic Text + Podfic)

The Shadow Lyctors

Jeff Satur Cinematic Universe & The Locked Tomb Series - Tamsyn Muir, rated M

Moonshine was the cavalier primary to Sunshine, Third Saint to serve the King Undying. It is unclear whether this was his given name, or how Sunshine has memorialized him after death. Sunshine calls him ‘an Alexandrite’, referring to the branch of Sixth House cavaliers whose attractiveness and skill earned them an education in erotic poetry and a Cohort assignment, for the express purpose of finding a mate to diversify the ailing Sixth House gene pool.

Given Sunshine’s sense of humor, it is possible this was a joke.

(A fandom Wiki for a fictional book trilogy)

Podfic Triptych + Ficlet: Sunshine and Rain, written by TheCookieOfDoom, shubaka, and AirgiodSLV

Jeff Satur Cinematic Universe, Sunshine/Rain, rated T

untitled ficlet, written by TheCookieOfDoom The being coalesces from smoke and shadow.

from where the light shines, written by shubaka The Rain God discovers a man on a rooftop, lying in a pool of his own blood.

ghost light, written by AirgiodSLV On the night of Wan Ok Phansa, Sunshine dances on the Mekong River.

by the light of the sun, a remix of to have and to hold by shubaka

Jeff Satur Cinematic Universe & Wuju Bakery, Sunshine/Ghost, Sunshine/Passion, rated G

Most people forget that Sunshine is the scion of a dynasty himself, too used to thinking of him only as Prince Raon’s companion.

Passion, however, forgets very little that could prove useful to him.

hiraeth and hwyl, written & performed by The Sentient Hive (AirgiodSLV, CompassRose, ellejabell, epaulettes, kitkat50311, mahons-ondine, minnabird, sisi_rambles)

Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones & Piranesi - Susanna Clarke, rated G

You find yourself looking at a door.

It looks like an ordinary door, but you’re somehow certain that it isn’t.

In theory, you could open the door…but something warns you off.

You might not survive, if you pass through that door. You might no longer be you.

Podfics & Audio:

you could cut ties with all the lies (that you've been living in), written by Nemainofthewater

Nirvana in Fire, Lin Chen/Xiao Jingyan & Mei Changsu, rated M

“Sir Sū,” Jĭngyán said, “Forgive me, but I can’t help but feel strange referring to you in such a manner after such intimacies.”

“Ah,” said Lìn Chén, abruptly thrown out of his warm, post-coital state, “No, Your Highness is going to have to trust me on this, calling me Chángsū is really going to spoil the mood.”

Listen to the radio, audio collage of music & interviews by Jeff Satur, with art by TheCookieOfDoom

On a desolate planet under distant stars, these heroes fight against the corporations that control society. Late at night, you can hear them broadcast to each other on pirate radio frequencies, sending secret messages across the airwaves...

"Fuck it, I'm adopting her," said John Gaius, not knowing the paperwork wasn't necessary, written by Naamah_Beherit

The Locked Tomb Series - Tamsyn Muir, rated T

Gideon, a highly distinguished Cohort lieutenant, saves the day—and the girl—and then gets stuck in the lift of The Erebos with a man feeding her peanuts as if they have all the time in the world. They don't, but if he doesn't mind, then why should she?

baby I, baby I, I'm caught in the middle, written by IsleofSolitude

KinnPorsche, Kim/Chay, Chay/OMC, rated E

Seth has had threesomes before. He knows he’s great at sex—that sex with him is something Chay enjoys immensely. He and Chay have a strong relationship, he knows Chay intimately. He’s never had a third with him and an omega during a heat before, but Kim’s sort of attractive. Besides, they are in his home. There’s no reason to not be okay with it. If things go badly, he can just kick Kim out.

(the steal the show inspired threesome omegaverse inspired by a dream)

love, let my love inside go free, written by daltoneering

KinnPorsche, Kinn/Porsche, rated E

They burst to the surface gasping for breath, water clogging Porsche’s ears, distorting the brightness of Kinn’s laughter across the pool into muffled echoes along the tall glass walls of the building. He grabs for the side, lungs screaming.

“Fuck! You want to drown me?”

Kinn shows Porsche just how grateful he is for the perfect first date.

History Talking to Itself, written by Sour_Idealist

Teixcalaan Series - Arkady Martine, Mahit Dzmare/Three Seagrass, Yskandr Aghavn/Nineteen Adze/Six Direction, Past Mahit Dzmare/OFC, rated T

Twelve excerpts from Teixcalaan and from Lsel Station.

[shootybangbang]

Red [Part 1]

[Ao3 Link]

[Summary]: My take on an Arthur Morgan/Reader Little Red Riding Hood AU

“The greatest feat of civilization,” Dutch had once said. “Lay in the act of domestication. Aurochs to milk cows. Wild fowl to chickens. Wolves to dogs.”

What separates a wolf from a dog? The curse of obeisance. The soft underbelly of complacency. The fanged mouth filed dull by the laws and inventions of men. To the untrained eye, he is of the same construction as his progenitor, perhaps. But no trace of that prior nobility is left in his servile silhouette. 

Such was the fate of those who allowed themselves to be tempered by society. “Dogs in human form,” Dutch had thundered from the pulpit of his tent. “Who are content to live leashed and subservient to the whims of their betters.”

And if that were so, then what could the Van der Lindes— who roamed the outer peripheries of civilization, who were governed by nothing save appetite and instinct— be but wolves?

Yet consider the wolf in winter— so thin that his ribs flash through his coat with every step of his loping gait. Yellow eyes gaunt with hunger, and at the mere scent of prey, slaver runs down his jaws like water. Deer and ducks were his usual fare; no longer. With his stomach empty, he will feed upon high and low alike. Where there once might have dwelled pity in his heart, there lives instead the specter of starvation. 

And times have been lean for the Van der Lindes, as of late. 

———

Your fine red coat had been like a tongue of flame among the black and grey dusters that flanked the bar in that riverside saloon. It caught Arthur’s eye the way a cardinal loosed among crows might. An outsider, and an easy mark. 

You could blush that same pretty shade with just a well-placed compliment, he soon found. Confessed with little resistance that it was your first time round these parts. Riding along to Strawberry to visit an ailing relative. 

Offhand, he mentioned the prettiness of the view along Diablo Bluff. Well worth a detour for anyone with a serviceable horse. He eyed your glossy-coated mare— a pale palomino with a mane like beaten electrum, newly groomed and newly shod— and offered to mark out a choice location on your map. 

The cheap room he books that night is solitary and bare as an anchorite’s lonely cell. Its cracked oil lantern magnifies the shadow of its wound across the wall. The washbasin is flecked with rust. When he splashes the grime from his face, the water that trickles over his lips has the coppery tinge of old metal. 

They say that sparseness leads to contemplation of god. Carves a hollow in a man in which repentance can trickle like rain to a well. And so here he is. Harboring a dog’s guilt. 

He had spun you in a simple two-step as the band downstairs had played Oh! Susanna. You seemed surprised that he knew the steps, laughed when he leaned his arm across your shoulder blades and dipped you down. “Do that again,” you told him, and the unbrokered ring of command in your voice had garlanded him like a vine. He did so twice more. Each time the bell of your skirt had billowed and flared like the pulse of a candle.

You had a clear-eyed way of looking at him that spanned him through like a shot from a rifle. As though you saw the wolf in man’s guise and would not flinch away. You stood on tiptoe to glance your lips chastely against his cheek before you excused yourself upstairs, and he had carried it for hours afterward, the purity of that touch seared like a brand upon his liar’s pelt.

Tender, naive little thing. Wrapped in a coat the color of apples and blood, the shade of raw sin. The scent of wealth drips off you like perfume, and wolves trail behind close as breath. The stitching on your riding gloves was finer than he’d ever seen. The bills that you passed over the counter had been crisp and new. His pack has not fed upon such a bounty in quite some time.

He ought to have warned you to keep to the road. He ought to have urged you to steer clear of strangers like himself. He ought to lay himself down in a ditch somewhere and put the barrel of his gun against the roof of his mouth. 

From the other side of the shared wall comes the sharp, complaining squeal of unoiled bedsprings. Then a soft susurration of a sigh, a quiet thump like a weight coming to rest against the plaster.

You do not see them, you guileless girl wandering the wood. The yellow eyes that peer luminous in the dark. You do not hear them, you hopeless creature stepping into a snare. The beast that circles you tight as a noose.

Arthur cups his hand against the rim of his ear and presses it to the wall.

He hears the dull drag of heavy fabric, the click of clasps. Your coat, perhaps. Then a series of quick, fastidious flicks followed by the busy rustle of silks and linens. Another sigh, longer and more luxurious than the last. When he feels the faint vibration of another thump shiver down the wall, as if someone had decided to lean the length of their spine against it, he lays the flat of his palm against the chipped plaster, and imagines it warm as skin.

———

The dawn breaks cold. Frost laces the edges of fallen leaves and his breath mists in the air in a forlorn shape. Astride his horse and tucked behind a stand of trees, Arthur watches its pale rise dissolve into the morning dark. He yanks his bandanna up to the bridge of his nose. He waits.

[desertdollranch]

Today began with a quiet stillness, as most do now that I am the lady of the house. I woke before the sun and led the animals to pasture. The lambs do enjoy chasing me as we walk. The air was cold, and the world was wrapped in a soft fog, making everything appear as though it were part of a dream. I pondered upon the day before, when we gathered in the meeting house, as we do each First Day. The silence was deep and comforting, and I felt the Light within me grow stronger as we sat together, waiting for the Spirit to move among us. There were no words spoken today, but that is often the case. We wait for the truth to be revealed in the stillness. But I saw Father speaking with Brother John after the meeting. They seemed troubled. I overheard them discussing the new laws that the King has sent, laws that might bring persecution to our people once more. It doth fill me with dread to think of it. We have heard stories of Friends in other towns being imprisoned or worse, simply for gathering in worship or refusing to swear oaths. I do not understand why they fear us so. We live quietly, and we seek only to follow the Light as best we can. Thus I knew it would be to-day that Father put upon me a new and burdensome task.

He brought me to the edge of the pasture, carrying his musket at his side. I knew not that he had such a weapon. It looked so big in his hands, and I could not imagine how I should be able to hold it steady. With solemn word and gesture he did show me how to tuck the musket tight against my shoulder so it wouldn’t kick too hard when I fired. The metal did feel cold and heavy, and I was trembling, but Father was calm and patient. When I was compelled to shoot, he stood behind me, guiding my hands. He told me to take a deep breath and to squeeze the trigger slowly, not to jerk it. My heart was pounding in my chest, but I did as he said and tried to keep my hands from shaking. The sound of the shot was so loud it rang in my ears, and the musket kicked back hard against my shoulder. I nearly cried out and would have dropped the gun in my fear, but Father was there, steadying me.

"Susanna, we shoot not to kill but to frighten," he did assure me, with a gentle manner, when he beheld my trembling hands. I spoke the words to myself again and again, and hid them deep in my heart. May they give me strength if the day should come that we are no longer safe here at our home. May that day never dawn. As the day ends, I am grateful for all that I have been given: the peace of our home and the love of my family. But there is a shadow in my heart, a fear of what the future might hold. I must trust in God’s plan, though it is not always easy. I will keep my faith and my heart open, and I will try to live in the Light, no matter what darkness may come.

Susanna

[derangedrhythms]

She wore a gown the colour of storms, shadows and rain and a necklace of broken promises and regrets.

Susanna Clarke, from ‘Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell’

[astrovian]

Richard Armitage's Recommended Reading List from the official Geneva paperback release promotional material sent to book retailers/libraries in 2024

Robert Louis Stevenson: The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

I narrated this for Audible, and I love the fact that the format feels like a case study of a psychologically compromised patient, rather than a traditional novel. It made me question whether it was a true story or fiction. I also love Stevenson's obsession - one shared by many authors and psychologists - with the alter ego. It's been suggested that Stevenson was subversively writing about suppressed sexuality (which was at the time considered unacceptable in social circles). His Mr Hyde was perhaps something that was literally 'in hiding' and forcing its way out.

C.J. Tudor: The Drift

A departure for Tudor into Zombie territory, i suspect conceived during the pandemic, and set across three different time zones. This is a chilling, thrilling genre puzzle about a group of survivors, a bus crash buried in the snow, a stranded cable car and a group of misfits walled up in a dystopian hellish retreat that feels like the end of the world. Lurking in the shadows is something so deadly it feels like an impending apocalypse.

Robert Harris: Act of Oblivion

Harris is one of my favourite authors. He's so immersed in historical detail his stories always feel like documents from an archive rather than invention. Act of Oblivion is the ultimate destination thriller. Set in 1660, during the Interregnum, the novel reminds me of a relentless road movie. Richard Nayler, head of the regicide committee of the Privy Council, is consumed by a quest to find the last remaining fugitives who signed the death warrant of Charles I. It becomes a lifelong, all-consuming obsession that takes the form of an epic journey from London to the New World and the developing colonies.

Susanna Clarke: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

It's the 20th anniversary of this seminal novel, and it's been very much on my mind as I have narrated a new audiobook edition for Bloomsbury. A spectacular Dickensian destination thriller set in London and the European continent during the Napoleonic wars, I love the array of extraordinary characters (some factual, some fictional) and the weaving of magic into the politics of the time. Dr Strange and Mr. Norrell attempt to restore practical magic to England by convincing the government and the military of its usefulness in war. The rivalry between the two men in exacerbated by the emergence of an older, darker force which, along with Clarke's historical tapestry drawn from factual events and folklore, gives the story a bedrock that is convincing and compelling.

Stephen King: The Shining

Chiller, thriller a s destination; I can't get through the winter without a Stephen King novel. I've read The Shining a few times and as frightening as it is, there is something about the remote isolated setting of the Overlook Hotel in the midst of this brutal winter that intrigues me. The descent of Jack Torrance into madness, and the terrifying consequences of this for his wife and young son, makes for a trembling page-turner. One thing the book does better than the film is balance the fear with the spiritual: the 'shining'. In the novel, Jack's son Danny has a special psychic glow and in a child it feels like an impenetrable power for good in the facenof evil. You've probably seen the film, but the book is well worth a read too.