#teenage lovecraft

[wyrmfedgrave]

Pics:

1. The 'true' reason Einstein never got to unite all of the forces of the known universe together. He 'knew' what that actually means...

And, even today, our top astronomers fear anyone finding out about the all important "Centralized Knowledge of the Gooey Omniverse."

(Kidding!! Sheesh, you'd think some body died!)

2. A happy Lovecraft is a horror to see! Who knows what kind of existential menace he's whipping up right now!!

Yes. Right now...

3. The Gooey Teenage Writer's famous letter to Scientific American.

1906: Aside.

Life: This is another year in which Lovecraft didn't write any stories. It could be that he destroyed the tales, unsatisfied as to their 'quality'...

But, what an 'explosion' in scientific works!

HPL applied himself to several related articles & newspaper columns:

1. One of Lovecraft's 1st letters of comment, to the Providence Sunday Journal - in July.

2. Astronomy columns, in 2 different newspapers -

A. The Pawtucket Valley Gleaner in 1906.

B. The Providence Tribune, from 1906 til 1908.

3. HPL continued Jellygraphing his R.I. astronomical journal, from 1903 to 1907.

4. The 3rd Annual Report on the Providence Meteorology Station, in either 1906 or, 1907?!

5. Then, there's these five separate astronomy articles:

A. No Transit of Mars. (We've yet to comment on this.)

B. Trans-Neptunian Planets. (This letter to Scientific American has already been mentioned.)

C. Does Vulcan Exist? (Already done.)

D. The Moon, an earlier article that he now revised & updated. (Already covered.)

E. The Earth (is) Not Hollow. (Look no further, it's being examined right this minute! And, there's more to come...)

[grickle14]

Teenage Terror.

[oodelally3]

[wyrmfedgrave]

Pics:

1 & 2. Lovecraft's greatest creations are still gestating, 'feeding' on his growing racial fears...

3. In the kingdom of the 'blind', the 1 eyed man is 'king'... It's the eyeless who are truly lost.

1910: Singularity.

This year is 1 of the least productive for Howard.

There's no stories til 1917.

No essays for 5 years.

No journalist reports for 4 years.

No poems or letters til next year.

No newspaper columns at all¹!

The only thing keeping HPL going seems to be his obsession with astronomy.

He's still writing down his nightly observations in his Astronomical Notebook.

And, Lovecraft's still exploring Providence, R.I. - alone at night...

An 'identification' with this city is now imprinting itself on his very psyche.

Howard has also taken to reading the early pulp mags of his day, which were a growing market back then.

The pulps's letters pages served the same purpose that Internet forums do today.

At 1st, HPL began offering critical analysis on the magazines's tales.

Sadly, his comments were filtered thru his own bigotry & racism.

Strangely enough, this would later become a central theme in Lovecraft's best stories.

Though no 1 has yet figured out why he was so virulent in his racism...

His father & grandma died too early to have influenced HPL's worldview that much.

That leaves his mother, friends or some incident he never wrote about.

But, Howard wouldn't remain in this remote darkness for much longer.

No, he was about to be noticed - in the strangest way possible - a poetical "letter war!"

But, that's coming up in 1913...

Let's explore other things - for now.

Note 1. Let's not forget that in 1918, Lovecraft will take a harsh, critical look at his early works - &, destroy most of them!!

For the most part, we don't even know what's now lost...

Worse, later in life, the same thing would happen to his more personal letters to his wife.

This 'lack' of info has lead to many mistaken beliefs about Howard - &, his life.

And we still have no answers to many of our questions...

Queries:

1. Question: Why did Lovecraft fear the unknown?

Answer: This seems to have started when Howard was still a child.

His grandad, Whipple, would 'entertain' HPL with gothic tales that ultimately led to the kid's 1st night- mares!

Though Whipple helped 'cure' Lovecraft's fears, human minds remember fearsome memories far longer than any triumphs.

Also, every time Howard's situation settled - some unknown factor would come along to make things worse...

2. Question: What's Cosmicism 'good' for?

Answer: It does seem that such dark tales put human beings down, more than it uplifts them.

But, neither of those responses are its true function!

No, Cosmicism is a warning. To not trust something unknown - with your life.

Because that's a gamble that you'll easily lose!

Or, as Michel Houdleberq puts it, "(Just) recall how we treat rabbits... (They) can be pets or serve as food. And, sometimes,... we kill them for 'fun'!!"

This is what HPL realized.

That our true 'relationship' with highly intelligent aliens would be as pets, food - or pests to be gotten rid of...

[cherrybitezz]

⋆. 𐙚 ˚ im just a girl ⋆. 𐙚 ˚

[grickle14]

Teenage horror. 

[bonvivant-divisionbell]

It's been two months and seven days after the Invasion. Casey Jones Jr. is not thinking about anything at all. (x)

[kc-anathema]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Agent John Bishop (TMNT), Donatello (TMNT), Michelangelo (TMNT), Raphael (TMNT), Leonardo (TMNT) Additional Tags: Eldritch, Lovecraftian, Horror Summary: With Donatello trapped in his laboratory, Bishop struggled to understand the turtle's latest gadget. But the machine makes no sense. And as his brothers come to his rescue, Bishop is introduced to strange non-Euclidean geometries and cosmic horror, struggling to hold the madness at bay. A Lovecraftian romp for a Halloween night.

[cookinguptales]

look I may have open several different translations of dante's inferno rn but if you try to make me read a single paragraph of lovecraft I am going to lock myself in the bathroom

[dododan]

If you were asked to write a Rise of TMNT “Return of Kraang” arc for a potential season 3, what would you do? Dug the Lovecraft comparison and I’m use curious to know how you’d continue that kind of horror with the turtles’ next encounter.

I've never really thought about it, but I guess I would link it to Lovecraft's mythology.

Since the Krangs were once on earth, and we saw the remains of one during the battle that Shredder, perhaps there would be more on earth?

In the short story 'In the Mountains of Madness' there was a town of Great Old Ones that under the ice. Maybe there would be more old krang machines on Earth or they would be dormant and frozen somewhere. At the end of the film, we saw a Krang sister who was in the ice and taken somewhere. I think that if they tried to experiment on her, she would have had chance to escape. She was a bit of a hothead so maybe she would have calmed down if she found out that she was the only one left. She'd probably go to some old town or base the Krangs had before they were trapped in the Prison Dimension. I think she would have tried to get the key back and restore Prime, but she would have acted with more panache in more places. Maybe the Krangs would have some mutant dormant animals in an abandoned base underground for example?

Something just like the Shoggoths, but these would listen to her and wreak havoc.

I think the turtles would have quite a challenge to protect the key in the first place and defeat Sister Krang. I doubt it would be an easy task as they would probably still have Bishop on their backs, who would be all for getting rid of any degenerate (no matter if it's an alien, yokai or mutant).

And I think I'll end here, because I could go on and on about this topic~.

(You've given me an interesting concept, which I will write down somewhere and MAYBE develop in the future)

[wyrmfedgrave]

Pics:

1 & 2. Covers to collections of HPL's stories.

3. Cover of Lovecraftian Role Playing Game book.

Addendum:

1. Something that I didn't know before about Howard's high school 'melt- down.'

Lovecraft actually got a severe head injury, due to a 'long' fall - while he was exploring an abandoned house!!

And, it was bad enough for his whole head to be "packed in ice" night & day!

It was after this injury, that HPL started complaining of more blinding headaches & his vivid nightmares actually increased!!

2. Something I found out about Howard's sensitivity to being cold.

Lovecraft spent much time outside, even in winter, making astronomical observations.

Which, sadly, seems to have increased HPL's 'reaction' to cold weather...

This actually became dangerous in Lovecraft's adult years!

Enough to where short exposures, to temps in the 20° range, would cause Howard to fall out - unconscious!!

PS: Thank to hplovecraft.com & sffchronicles.com for these great 'updates.'

I keep finding new twists & turns the deeper I go - into the Internet. Long may it last...

[cryptographs-and-casinos]

💗Relationships/Lovers

Oh, I have a few work buddies at the gambling den! All of them are dolls, I assure you, but all of them are just a teensy, tiny bit closeminded. When you work at a casino, you're either there to laugh at other's suffering or attend to feel better about yourself, because hey, at least you're not Steve Pinington!

But they all seem convinced that they have futures ahead of them and that this is just a stepping stone to better opportunities. We're all at the bottom of the barrel, inside a grave we can't come out of, there's barely any hope for us, and the only reason there's salvation for me is because I've accepted that salvation is going to wear a top hat and bowtie instead of a halo and feathery wings. They haven't yet come to that conclusion, but that's okay, they're still sweeties regardless. <3

[theworkofjanetgwynt]

Arkham, Massachusetts 1966

[wwccol]

The Signal: Gotham’s Daylight Guardian

The Batfamily is trying to unravel Duke's "daytime crime-busting secret" only to discover that it's literally just Duke being Duke—and looking like a terrifying eldritch being—it’s brilliant.

Tim: "Okay, I’ve been running the stats. Crime in Gotham during the day has dropped by, like, 40%. That’s not normal. Something’s going on."

Jason: "I say Duke’s been moonlighting as a Jedi or something. There’s no other explanation."

Duke: "I swear, I’m just... out there, doing my thing. Nothing fancy!"

Dick: "Right. Which is why we’re all suiting up and following you tomorrow. For science."

The next day, the Batfamily gathers on a rooftop near Wayne Tower, decked out in their suits, ready to tail Duke as discreetly as possible.

Jason: "Alright, Narrows, go do your thing. We’ll stay out of sight."

Duke (rolling his eyes): "You guys are making this way weirder than it needs to be. I’m just... patrolling."

Dick: "That’s exactly what makes it suspicious. Go on."

Duke sighs, mutters something about how everyone’s being dramatic, and leaps off the rooftop.

The rest of the Batfamily follows at a safe distance, blending into shadows and keeping tabs via comms. At first, everything seems normal. Duke stops a mugging with a quick intervention and moves on. But as he continues, they start noticing patterns .

Witnessing The Signal in Action

A small group of teenagers loitering in an alley suddenly stiffen as Duke lands silently on a nearby fire escape. He doesn’t even say anything—just crouches there, watching.

Teen 1 (terrified whisper): "Did you see that? Oh my god, it’s looking at us!"

Teen 2: "What is that thing?!"

The group scatters like frightened birds.

On another street, a man about to break into a car looks up and sees Duke silhouetted against the sunlight. The golden glow of Duke’s eyes intensifies, and shadows seem to curl unnaturally around his frame.

Car Thief: "Nope. Nope. Not today. I’m going back to Metropolis."

He drops his crowbar and sprints away.

From a nearby rooftop, the Batfamily watches everything unfold.

Tim: "Okay, I don’t get it. He didn’t even do anything that time."

Barbara (from the comms): "I checked the cameras. He just landed on a fire escape and... stared. Is this his whole strategy?"

Steph: "Wait, is this some kind of Jedi mind trick? Duke, are you secretly psychic?"

Duke (on comms): "No! I’m not psychic. I don’t know why they’re freaking out!"

Jason: "I’ll tell you why—they think you’re a demon, dude. You’ve got the whole Lovecraft vibe going on. Look at you! You’re like a glowing shadow monster on top of a building."

Dick: "He’s not wrong. You’re giving off serious 'guardian of the apocalypse' energy."

Duke: "You guys are exaggerating. I just look... cool. Right?"

The Batfamily decides to test the hypothesis. Jason volunteers to get closer for a better look, pretending to be a random pedestrian.

He casually strolls down the street, glances up at Duke on the rooftop, and immediately freezes. Even Jason—who routinely faces death and chaos—is struck by the sheer wrongness of Duke’s appearance. It’s not that Duke’s doing anything malicious. It’s just... unsettling.

Jason (into comms): "Okay, yeah. It’s definitely the eldritch horror thing. My fight-or-flight reflex just kicked in, and I know it’s him ."

Duke: "I still don’t see it!"

Barbara: "Hold on. I’m recording this. I’ll pull up the feed so you can see what Gotham sees."

Back in the Batcave, Barbara plays the daytime surveillance footage on the main screen. The Batfamily watches in stunned silence as the video shows Duke leaping across rooftops. In the broad daylight, his glowing golden aura seems magnified. His shadow stretches unnaturally, flickering like it has a mind of its own. His eyes gleam with an unearthly intensity, and he moves with a predator-like grace that’s both mesmerizing and terrifying.

Dick: "Wow. You’re like Batman’s scarier, solar-powered cousin."

Steph: "Or the protagonist of a found-footage horror movie."

Tim: "Oh my god. Duke... you look like the final boss of a cosmic horror video game."

Jason: "No wonder Gotham’s criminals are freaked out. You look like you’re about to drag their souls into the void."

Duke (finally seeing it): "...Oh. Oh no."

Duke leans against the console, burying his head in his hands.

Duke: "I thought people were just scared of, like... the idea of a Bat vigilante. Not me personally. "

Tim: "I mean, technically, it’s still the idea of a bat vigilante. You’re just the daytime version. And the daytime version is... apparently an eldritch sentinel."

Bruce (stepping in): "This works to our advantage. Fear is a powerful deterrent."

Duke (sarcastically): "Great. My entire crime-fighting persona is an eldrich nightmare… That’s not weird at all."

Later

The Batfamily decides to lean into Duke’s unique abilities. They even brainstorm ways to amplify the effect subtly (glowing lenses for his mask, playing up the shadow distortion) while ensuring Duke feels supported.

Bruce: "You’ve turned daylight into an ally in a way no one else has. Use it."

Duke: "Yeah, but... can we not make me look like the end boss of Gotham?"

Jason: "Too late, man. It’s perfect."

As they laugh and tease Duke, he starts to accept his role as Gotham’s daytime terror—a protector like no other. Though, deep down, he secretly enjoys how effective it is.

Extra

Scenario 1: The Hallway Horror

It’s late at night, and the Batfamily is scattered throughout Wayne Manor. Jason is heading to the kitchen for a midnight snack when he senses movement out of the corner of his eye. He turns to see Duke standing at the end of the dimly lit hallway, perfectly still.

Duke’s golden eyes are glowing faintly in the dark, his shadow stretching unnaturally along the walls. Jason freezes.

Jason (startled): "Jesus Christ, Duke! What are you doing?!"

Duke: "I was heading to my room."

Jason (still on edge): "Well, don’t stand there like a damn ghost! You scared the crap out of me!"

Duke raises an eyebrow.

Duke: "You’re literally a guy who sneaks up on criminals for a living. How did I scare you? "

Jason grumbles as he stalks off to the kitchen. Later, he tells everyone at breakfast that Duke’s "eldritch hallway act" nearly gave him a heart attack.

Scenario 2: The Living Room Light Show

The family is hanging out in the Wayne Manor living room after a patrol. The lights are dimmed, and everyone’s winding down. Duke is lounging on the couch, half-asleep, when Tim notices something strange.

Tim: "Uh... Duke? You’re glowing."

Everyone turns to look at Duke, who blinks in confusion. Sure enough, his golden aura has started to flicker faintly in the dim room. Shadows from the furniture stretch and bend toward him like they’re being pulled into a vortex.

Dick: "Okay, that’s... unsettling."

Steph (grinning): "Is this your way of telling us you’re secretly a nightlight?"

Duke, now fully awake, tries to suppress the glow. But the more he panics, the brighter his eyes get, until Jason hurls a throw pillow at him.

Jason: "Turn it off! You’re gonna summon Cthulhu in the middle of movie night!"

Bruce walks in, sees the chaos, and just sighs.

Bruce: "No eldritch summoning in the living room. Take it to the cave."

Scenario 3: Shadow in the Batcave

Tim is working late in the Batcave, surrounded by monitors and gadgets. He hears footsteps behind him and assumes it’s Bruce.

Tim (without looking): "Hey, can you hand me the—"

He turns around to see Duke standing there silently, his glowing eyes piercing through the shadows of the cave. Tim yelps and nearly falls out of his chair.

Duke (startled): "Whoa! Tim, it’s just me!"

Tim (catching his breath): "Don’t sneak up on people like that! You’re like a freaking cryptid in here!"

Duke smirks, but when he steps closer, the shadows behind him flicker unnaturally.

Tim: "Nope! Nope! Back up! You’re officially banned from the Batcave after dark."

Scenario 4: Bedside Terror

Damian wakes up in the middle of the night and spots a tall, shadowy figure standing silently by his bed. He grabs his katana instinctively and swings—only to realize it’s Duke, glowing faintly.

Damian: "Thomas! What are you doing?"

Duke (guiltily): "I, uh... thought I saw a shadow move in your room. Turns out it was just me."

Damian groans and flops back onto his bed.

Damian: "Next time, announce your presence before you scare someone into an early grave."

Scenario 5: The Kitchen Incident

Steph and Damian are in the kitchen arguing over the last cookie Alfred made.

Damian: "It’s mine. I called dibs."

Steph: "You can’t call dibs on dessert, Demon Spawn!"

As the argument escalates, the lights flicker, and a low hum fills the air. Both turn to see Duke standing in the doorway, his eyes glowing faintly. The refrigerator light casts long, exaggerated shadows across the floor, making Duke look ten feet tall.

Duke (deadpan): "Why is it always the cookies?"

Steph and Damian scream simultaneously.

Damian (recovering, annoyed): "Tt. That was unnecessary."

Steph: "Duke, I swear, one of these days you’re gonna give me a heart attack."

Scenario 6: Midnight Training Gone Wrong

Dick decides to train late in the Batcave, running through an obstacle course. He doesn’t realize Duke is also there, watching from the shadows. As Dick flips off a beam, he catches sight of Duke perched on a ledge, his glowing eyes tracking him like a predator.

Dick slips mid-flip and lands on the mat with a thud.

Dick: "DUKE! Why are you lurking like that?!"

Duke hops down gracefully.

Duke: "I wasn’t lurking. I was observing."

Dick: "You were lurking. Your shadows were doing the creepy tentacle thing again!"

Duke glances at his shadow, which does seem to be moving independently, and shrugs.

Duke: "I can’t control that all the time. Besides, you’re supposed to have situational awareness."

Dick: "Not for you ! You’re worse than Bruce!"

:D!!! lol posting here but I also posted on AO3

[nellasbookplanet]

Book recs: sapphic books for imodna fans

Do you like your sapphics cursed and undead? Viciously devoted and perhaps a tad codependent? Blurring the line between platonic and romantic? Lonely, ostracized, and feared due to their reliance on a dark and possibly corrupt power? Occasionally possessed by evil? Flirting with the dark side just a little bit? Does your ideal couple look like this?

Then boy do I have the rec list for you!

A note: of course none of the books listed will be an imodna carbon copy, but they all have aspects which gave me similar vibes. Many are horror novels, and not all have happy endings; do with that what you will.

For details on the titles, continue below the readmore. My personal favorites are marked with an *. For more rec lists, take a look at my masterpost!

Providence Girls by Morgan Dante*

Historical horror re-imagining of several of H.P. Lovecraft’s works from the point of view of the women sidelined as victims in the originals. Forced to abandon her not-quite-human children to escape a cult seeking to sacrifice her, Lavinia nearly dies from exposure in the woods. She’s saved by the prickly Asenath. The two women find themselves growing close as Lavinia regains her strength. But Asenath’s own dark past is catching up, as she too begins to transform into something not entirely human.

Note: traumatized women haunted by eldritch horrors and shitty families finding purpose through their devotion to each other, even as transformations of body horror threaten to tear them apart.

My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna Van Veen*

Historical horror. Roos Beckman and her ghostly, corpse-like spirit companion Ruth have long been under the thumb of Roos' mama, forced to perform in seances and trick grieving people for money. But after widow Agnes Knoop visits a seance, the two strike up a connection and she offers Roos to come live at her estate, freeing Roos from her cruel mama. The estate and Knoop family hide dark secrets, but nothing can overshadow the growing connection between Roos and Agnes. Until, that is, a murder occurs, and Roos is the prime suspect.

Note: how are you supposed to build a romantic relationship when your only human connection before this is the spirit that haunts and possesses you.

Feast While You Can by Mikaella Clements & Onjuli Datta

Character driven horror. Angelina Sicco loves her small hometown of Cadenze, but as a lesbian, her relationship prospects there are slim. Having taken to attracting as many pretty tourists as possible, Angelina is shocked at the arrival of Jagvi, her brother's ex and her own teenage crush. An already complicated situation gets worse when something sets up shop in Angelina's head, whispering, taunting, and taking over her body. It wants to consume her whole, and the only thing that seems to repel it is Jagvi's touch.

Note: strong 'you are my tether' vibes.

Malice by Heather Walter

Fantasy, sleeping beauty retelling. Long ago, a wicked fairy cursed the princesses of the land to die unless they found and kissed their true love. Alyce, herself carrying a curse of dark magic in her blood that leaves her feared and ostracized, has other things to worry about - until she meets princess Aurora. Aurora doesn't fear or judge her, but rather encourages her to be proud of her powers. But Aurora's time is running out, and she has yet to find her true love. Alyce wishes she could help, but she knows how these stories go - Aurora is the princess, and Alyce is the villain.

Monstersona by Chloe Spencer

Young adult, sci-fi horror. After disaster strikes and her town is terrorized by a monster, sixteen-year-old Riley goes on the run with her dog Tigger and her traumatized classmate Aspen. With a conspiracy afoot and air travel grounded, the two girls set out on a cross-country road trip to reach Riley's dad. But Aspen has a dangerous secret, and the two keep finding themselves followed by a mysterious SUV. Will they reach safety before the harrowing truth catches up to silence them?

Note: would you follow your girlfriend if she turned into an uncontrollable monster creature?

The Spider and Her Demons by sydney khoo*

Young adult fantasy. All teenager Zhi wants is a normal life (and possibly for her harsh aunt to be a bit nicer), but it’s hard when she’s half spider demon. Every day she must conceal her true nature and hide in human guise. When she slips up and eats a man in front of her rich, aloof classmate Dior, Zhi thinks her life is over. But Dior has secrets of her own, and she is dead set on making herself part of Zhi's life.

Note: Queerplatonic with aroace vibes rather than explicitly romantic, with a dynamic reminiscent of the hard-to-categorize early imodna friendship.

The Mermaid’s Daughter by Ann Claycomb

A continuation on the classical fairy tale. Kathleen, up and coming opera singer, has suffered from a lifelong and unexplainable stabbing pain in her feet. As both her mother and grandmother died from suicide, possibly due to a similar condition, Kathleen’s girlfriend convinces her to try and find out more of her family history. More magical realism than full fantasy (with a lot of focus on the intricacies of opera) but very beautiful and bittersweet.

Note: inherited curses tempting you to commit dark deeds, and the love that pulls you in the other direction.

Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer

Young adult, post apocalypse. Three years after a zombie apocalypse hit, seventeen-year-old Mara comes back to life thanks to a new medication. Still struggling with the guilt of what she did as a zombie, Mara is sent to live with the family of her old best friend, who has since turned cold towards her. But with the zombie threat ever-present and one missed dose away from a relapse, public opinion towards the altered is dangerously low, and the two girls' messy feelings are the least of their troubles.

Note: childhood friends to sort-of-enemies to lovers, former undead with blood on her hands seeking redemption.

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armifield

Horror. Miri thought she lost her wife Leah when her deep-sea mission ended in a catastrophe. But Leah was miraculously returned to her - or so it seems. Because something happened down there, deep in the ocean, and whatever it was, Leah has brought it back with her. She's changed and changing still, and Miri doesn't know what to do to keep her love with her. Surreal and strange, Our Wives Under the Sea will not answer all your questions, but it will give you a unique experience.

Note: the fear of losing your loved one to a strange and corrupting unearthly power.

The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

Young adult horror. Zara Jones and Jude Wolf are in many ways different - one poor, the other the daughter of a billionaire - but they share their desperate search for the supernatural. Zara seeks a way to bring her murdered sister back to life, while Jude is plagued by a demonic curse that's slowly turning her soul necrotic. Their shared interest lead them to Emer Byrne, witch in hiding willing to do magic for desperate women and girls. But Emer's former clients have been turning up dead, and before she can help anyone they must come together to find the killer.

Note: messy girls, demonic patrons who may or may not wish you harm, suspect sources of great power, spooky sapphics.

This Monster Wants to Eat Me by Sai Naekawa

Manga. After losing her entire family to an accident as a child, Hinako has been unable to regain the will to live. When she meets a mermaid claiming Hinako's flesh would be especially delicious for a monster to devour, Hinako is prepared to embrace death. But the mermaid won't eat her yet; first, Hinako must reach peak deliciousness. For that to happen, she will have to find within herself the will to live.

Note: Imogen 'you could suck my soul' Temult would love this.

The Fall that Saved Us by Tamara Jerée*

Urban fantasy romance. Cassiel is of angelic heritage, raised to fight and kill demons alongside her family. But Cassiel has left the hunt and her family behind, wanting a normal life. For three years she's built a life for herself, cut off from her family, but now a demon has found her, sent to collect her soul. Except, the demon isn't any more interested in following the orders of her family than Cassiel is. Can they work together to free themselves from the expectations placed upon them?

Note: toxic families, healing from trauma, opposites attract demon/angel romance, and coming into your power without losing who you are.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

Young adult fantasy. Soraya may be a princess, but she's also cursed, her very skin poisonous to the touch. When a demon is captured and brought to the dungeons, Soraya hopes to gain from her knowledge of how to be freed from her affliction. Meanwhile, a boy enters her life, not scared of her like others but rather understanding of who she is. Between them, Soraya will have to choose who she is - princess or monster.

Note: princess and monster romance, but the princess is just as feared and cursed as the monster.

Night's Edge by Liz Kerin*

Vampire horror. After Mia's mother was infected by an illness that forces her to feed on blood to survive, Mia had to grow up fast. But after having lived under the radar for over a decade, feeding her mother with her own blood, Mia longs for a life of her own. As she befriends the pretty barista and musician Jade, Mia begins to think maybe she could build a relationship of her own after all. But a decade of blood is hard to escape, and Mia's mother won't let her go easy.

Note: if the toxic Laudna and Delilah dynamic intrigues you, you can't do better than this.

The Circle by Sara B. Elfgren & Mats Strandberg*

Young adult, urban fantasy. In the small town of Engelsfors, something has woken up. Dark forces are moving in, and only a prophesied chosen witch will be able to stop it. Only, there are more than one chosen, and they will have to learn to work together despite their differences. Struggling against demons, an overbearing council of witches, and regular teenage issues like bullying and first love, this group of girls must come together or the world will burn.

Note: The f/f ship is mostly subtext and build-up in the first book, but does get more central in the sequels.

Bitterthorn by Kat Dunn

Historical fantasy, sleeping beauty retelling. Living with a father and stepmother who barely see her, Mina has long felt unloved. When a feared Witch comes to fulfill a centuries old curse - claiming someone from the town to come be her companion - Mina volunteers herself. But in her rush to flee the loneliness of her old home, Mina now finds herself isolated in the Witch's castle instead. Secrets hides in the castle's tower, forbidden from Mina, and the Witch evades her every attempt to find out the truth even as the two inexorably grow closer. But they can't evade the Witch's curse forever.

Note: scary, isolated outcast witch meets lonely princess who hopes to break her dark curse.

Monstrous by Jessica Lewis

Young adult dark fantasy. Having been kicked out by her mother, Latavia is forced to spend her last summer before college living with her aunt and cousin in the strange little town of Sanctum. Unnerved by the creepy town and its secrets, Latavia can't wait to leave again - except she'll miss the cute girl working in the local ice cream shop. But Latavia's plans come to a halt when she's dragged into the forest and sacrificed to a monster. Luckily for her, the monster has its own goals, and it's willing to work with her for both of them to find vengeance.

Note: human sacrificing cults, monstrous patrons, and lots of discussions of trauma.

The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow*

Young Adult dystopia. In a future in where peace is upheld by an all-powerful AI keeping the children of world leaders hostage, Greta has lived an isolated life away from her family. If her country is ever to enter a war, she will be executed, forcing her to live in constant fear. But things start to change one day when a new, less obedient hostage arrives.

Note: A unique, slowburn take on the YA dystopian craze, also featuring a bisexual love triangle, best friends to lovers, breaking of cycles, and the risk of losing your humanity to a possibly corruptive greater force.

Bonus books I haven't read!

Babylove by I.S. Belle

Young adult. To avoid summer school, goth girl Frankie Tanner is convinced to help Ivy Wexler, a cheerleader who just resurrected her dead cat.

Two Broke Witches by Kate Starling

Fantasy romance. Delilah and Iris, death witch and nature witch respectively, have been rooming together for a year, ignoring their attraction for each other. But when they come at risk of losing their home, they must come together to save their apartment building.

Ghost Walk by Kay Solo

Orphaned and feared for her ability to see the dead, Maaya Sahni has spent her life keeping her head down. But when an entire street of people are disappeared by terrifying, faceless specters, it's up to Maaya, a friendly ghost with no memory, a strange man, and a beautiful pirate captain to save the day.

The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez

When the monster of the woods kills a girl and Malka's mother is accused of her murder, Malka strikes a deal: lure out the monster and her mother will be spared. But the monster isn't what she expected, but rather a disgraced golem who offers her own deal: she will willingly hand herself over, but first Malka must help save the rabbi who created her.

The Untimely Undeath of Imogen Madrigal by Grayson Daly

Serving at the convent of the Sisterhood of Good Death, Maeve works to shepherd souls into the afterlife. But when the poet Imogen Madrigal returns from the dead not as a spirit but in the flesh, Maeve is given a new purpose: find Imogen's murderer.

The Coldest Touch by Isabel Sterling

Young adult fantasy. Elise is cursed to see her loved ones' deaths with but a touch. After having failed to prevent her brother's death, she's desperate for any way to be rid of her curse. Claire is a vampire assigned to help the unwilling Elise master her ability.

Honorary mentions AKA this one didn't really work for me but maybe you guys will like it:

Witching Moon by Poppy Woods

A witch accidentally summons the literal moon, who just so happens to be a very beautiful woman, into her house. Shenanigans ensue.

[huellitaa]

୭ 🎀🐈‍⬛🧁 about bee...

hiii! my name is bee ♡ and i'm a teenage disaster living in england with a rly rly big heart and rly rly big dreams . i really really really love things like fashion, philosophy, psychology, self growth, writing, poetry, journalism, girly things, music, blogging, websurfing, pinterest boarding, playlist making, crafting, decorating,,,, i could go on!!! ♡ 💭🫶🏼🩷

i really love to think and to speak and to sing (even if i'm not very good at it) and to try and to fail and to get back up again and learn from my mistakes and come back better and more beautiful than before. some random notes about me are that i play drums, guitar, and keyboard, i have obsessive compulsive disorder and segmental heterochromia, and i also have not slept a night without a plushie since i was born . i also love my friends and my family with all my heart ♡

── my interests ✧˚. ᵎᵎ 👛🐈‍⬛.⋆｡‧

♡ self improvement as a whole ♡ anything 2 do with sanrio! ♡ gyaru fashion and styles ♡ tomorrow x together ♡ ♡ my little pony ♡ ♡ fashion journalism ♡ 2000's girly kpop like kara, girls generation, wonder girls, etc. ♡ music of any genre & musical history ♡ writing long and complex documents to hide in my google drive ♡

♡ ashnikko, pierce the veil, kali uchis, the marías, millionares, pinkpantheress, ive, avril lavigne, 6arelyhuman, mariah carey, gwen stefani, tommy february6, paramore, jazmin bean, wave to earth, nicole dollanganger, nessa barrett, elita

♡ death note, nana, madoka magica, jujutsu kaisen, louis theroux documentaries, bratz 2005, monster high, gilmore girls, gossip girl, inside job ♡

♡ draculaura, l lawliet, georgina sparks, pinkie pie, my melody, madoka kaname ♡ ♡ working on my many projects ♡ ♡ full metal alchemist (brotherhood) ♡

♡ shushucherry, vivienne westwood, angelic pretty, ma*rs, juicy couture ♡ florence & the machine ♡ ♡ lord of the rings (movies, books, & games; shadow of mordor)

♡ any type of magazine (irl or digital)

♡ old gothic literature (particularly h.p. lovecraft and bram stoker's dracula!!!!!! ♡) ♡ decorating, painting and creating

♡ ada lovelace & marilyn monroe ♡ ♡ the witcher (games, books and series) ♡ music journalism ♡

talk 2 me about any of these and i'll love you forever .i'm so serious

── my hobbies ✧˚. ᵎᵎ 🧁🐧.⋆｡‧

♡ websurfing ♡ girlblogging ♡ painting

♡ dancing ♡ coding ♡ decorating

♡ singing ♡ video games

♡ scrapbooking ♡ studying and learning ♡ playing instruments ♡ wandering the lines between morality's many faces ♡ pondering the lost and the forgotten

── my signatures ✧˚. ᵎᵎ 🧸🩰.⋆｡‧

♡ heart dotted i's ♡ lalaloopsies ♡ (un)fashionably late ♡ cutesy hairclips ♡ black cat emojis ♡ frilled ribbons ♡ paint smudges ♡ handdrawn penguins ♡ lots of keychains

── my favourites ✧˚. ᵎᵎ 🫶🏼🎀.⋆｡‧

(in no particular order ,, i love all of u guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!♡)

♡ @raym0ri my gorgeous gorgeous girlfriend,, my beautiful wife with their beautiful artworks and beautiful whimsy

♡ @sillyeveline my siamese twin and my bestest best firned ever !!!!!!!!!! (1/2) gorgeous goth girl best friend and misa irl

♡ @ngtvcr33p my bestest best best friend ever!!!!!!!!!! (2/2) silly hannibal enjoyer and #1 trashy teen boy. also the bunny ever

♡ @jiraipill cal's wife, american in denial and a very sily farm angel .we love her

♡ all my beautiful mutuals!!!!!!11 i love u guys so much♡