#the blackout book club

[fictionadventurer]

7 & 9-12 for Wives & Daughters, 14-21 for The Galleries of Stone, 1-4 for Brine & Bone, and 7-10 & 16 for The Blackout Book Club, please?

Wives and Daughters

7. how does the story compare to your initial impressions of it? has it surprised you yet? how?

I was under the impression that it was a sweet nineteenth-century English countryside story, like a lot of the type of classics I read, but also very long and unfortunately unfinished. I was surprised at how engaging I found the writing (at a time when Victorian authors could be very hit-and-miss with me) and how gripping I found the story, and how layered and lovable all the characters were, and how satisfying it was despite the lack of ending. And I was completely surprised to find that not only did I love it, but I might have found a new favorite novel.

9. give the most UNHELPFUL and/or SILLY summary possible.

Girl falls for a bug-collecting dweeb who is dumb enough to fall for her flashy, unsuitable stepsister who doesn't care a straw for him.

10. if you made an amv about this, what song would you set it to?

Are there good songs about sisters? (I'm sorry, all of the music questions are going to have horrible answers)

11. if you were put in the main character's position, how well would that go for you on a scale of 1-5?

I mean, I'd probably do a lot of what Molly does, and things seem to work out pretty well for her, so 5.

12. assuming your loved ones would be there, would you want to live in the world of the story?

I can't say I've ever wanted to live in Victorian England, but within that time period, I'd say Elizabeth Gaskell's kind and gentle English countryside is about as good as it gets, so I wouldn't seek it out, but if I wound up there, I could be happy.

The Galleries of Stone

14. how likely do you think this story is to break a reader's heart? If you're not done with the story, just guess.

There are some heartbreaking elements, but overall the vibe is so cozy and lovely, with all these people finding a place to belong, that the heartbreak is more for things that happened before the story than for anything that happens within it.

15. what time are you most likely to be found reading/watching this story? (time of year, time of day, season of life, whatever makes sense to you)

Either January (when I first read it) or at the end of Lent (when I tend to go back to my favorite indie-published cozy fantasy ebooks)

16. do you think this story has broad appeal, or is it meant for a very specific audience? if it's more "niche", what kind of person would most enjoy this story?

I agree with @lover-of-the-starkindler that the cozy fantasy niche is growing.

17. compare this story to your usual tastes. how does it differ from what you've already enjoyed?

The magic system isn't quite the kind of thing I usually like (a bit too woo-woo), and I've never been fond of anthropomorphic animals in fiction, but she makes it work well.

18. compare this story to your usual tastes. what parts of it are exactly the kind of thing you've always loved?

I love domestic fantasy that focuses on the details of daily living and the differences between cultures. I love stories about big, loving family and strong marriages, and this story gives them to me like nothing else does.

19. pitch an idea for a sequel or spinoff novel for this story!

How about a spinoff set on a completely different mountain (maybe the green one, with all the wind chimes), with a sculptor who takes multiple different apprentices and things work in the usual manner, and we get to see the daily lives of these people who occasionally come into contact with Aurelius or something.

20. what's the WORST thing about this story, in your opinion? (feel free to be positive, e.g. "it's not longer", if you want!)

The epithets! They drive me absolutely bonkers and make parts of it almost impossible to reread.

21. based on this story, would you be interested enough in the author to read their other work?

Yes, but unfortunately none of the author's other work looks appealing to me.

Brine and Bone

1 what got you into this story?

I don't remember how I found it, but I like fairy tale retellings and this one was cheap, so I bought it. I found it a forgettable straightforward retelling the first time I read it, then one Lent when I was in the mood for light fantasy retellings I picked it up again and was blown away by the depth and beauty of it.

2. describe it in one or two sentences.

Sentence 1 (retelling description): A "Little Mermaid" retelling from the point-of-view of the woman who the prince marries that retains Andersen's original ending

Sentence 2 (story description): A woman reconnects with the prince she's loved from childhood when she finds him after a shipwreck, but their romance is threatened by the appearance of a beautiful, frightening magical creature who may want to claim the prince for her own purposes.

3. quickly list 3 things you like about the story!

The romance, the appreciation of natural law, the heartbreaking beauty of the ending

4. assign this story a hyper-specific genre name

Theological romantic horror fantasy fairy tale retelling

The Blackout Book Club

7. how does the story compare to your initial impressions of it? has it surprised you yet? how?

It pretty much lived up to my initial impressions of it--home-front WWII fiction about people coming to find home and friendship in each other--but I was surprised at how delightful the book club minutes were. They were my favorite part of the story.

8. what questions are or were you most excited to learn the answers to while experiencing the story for the first time?

I can't remember specifics anymore, but there was one old lady's backstory that I was interested in learning about.

9. give the most UNHELPFUL and/or SILLY summary possible.

While a worldwide war rages, a bunch of people sit around and read books.

10. if you made an amv about this, what song would you set it to?

Some kind of WWII-era Big Band music.

[cameracourt]

Book Review: "The Blackout Book Club" by Amy Lynn Green

I’m sharing a review of Amy Lynn Green’s latest historical novel, one with strong BOOKISH elements (much discussion of beloved literature): The Blackout Book Club. An impulsive promise to her brother before he goes off to the European Front puts Avis Montgomery in the unlikely position of head librarian in small-town Maine. Though she has never been much of a reader, when wartime needs threaten…

[sognareleggiesogna]

RECENSIONE: Blackout Notte Buia di Max Grecchi

Cari Sognatori, Michy ha letto un nuovo libro Horror scritto da Max Grecchi e pubblicato dalla Dark Abyss GENERE: Horror DATA D’USCITA: 4 Settembre 2023 LINK D’ACQUISTO Ebook TRAMA Harold Winker vive il peggior incubo del romanziere: scarso successo, ambizioni ormai logore, un matrimonio barcollante e anche due ammiratrici psicopatiche. Ma, d’un tratto, la realtà intorno a lui inizia a slittare.…

[wandamaximoffsbadgirl]

Scarlet Moonlight

Vampire!Wanda Maximoff x Werewolf!reader

A/N: Just bullet points to something I might expand on. So please feel free to ask about these two because I have more than just this in mind~

-Wanda hates humans.

-Wanda is told to get a human pet by Nat.

-Wanda refuses and goes out to go find a meal.

-Wanda lets her eyes scan over the club, trying to pick the best meal

-Then she sees you, grinding up on some girl. A toothy grin. Canines are almost as sharp as hers.

-She tries to ignore you, but through everything she can hear the growl, you let out when the girl tries to leave a mark on you.

-She's next to you in an instant. A practical death grip on the drunk girl's shoulder.

-The girl runs off terrified of Wanda.

-You roll your eyes, and each of you can smell it immediately. What the other is.

-You try turning around and leaving to go find someone else to bring home.

-Wanda has made up her mind. Pulling you out of the club.

-Sure you were stronger than humans, but Vampires are stronger than werewolves in their human form.

-You find yourself in a penthouse. You're basically in the clouds. Everything smells metallic.

- “I was told to get a pet. I decided that was you.” She'd say.

-You scoffed, “Just because I'm a werewolf doesn't mean I'm a pet.” A low growl comes out.

-For weeks you fight Wanda as she holds you there captive.

-The whole time, she's sweet as you growl and bite when she gets too close

-But then it happens... your heat cycle...

-You feel like you're going absolutely mad with need.

-You try fixing the problem yourself, but it's not helping.

-Wanda even gave you heat pills to try and calm it down, but still, it didn't help

-Then it happened. She came to bring you food in the basement you were kept in, chained up.

-You got a wiff of her scent, and it wasn't that metallic smell you were used to it was what was beneath that which you hadn't noticed before; cherry blossoms.

-You grab her with a strength she hadn't seen before.

-You pull her close; flush against you and growl in her ear, "Let me do this, and you can drink."

-She agrees, and you're pulling her clothes off.

-Your member is throbbing as you slip it into her, and you are the farthest thing from gently. Luckily, a vampire can take it.

-When you knot and finish inside of her, you find yourself biting her neck, marking her as yours, something you'd never once thought about doing to someone.

-She returns the bite in kind with her own, the two fangs sinking in as you feel her drinking your blood.

-You continue rutting and whining as she drinks.

-You wake up in a bed you don't recognize, silk scarlet sheets, the room is dark with just a little light filtering through the sides of blackout curtains.

-You turn over to find Wanda there, sitting up and reading a book.

-She looks at you with a soft smile, "Feel better?" Her voice is just as soft as she reaches out.

-Her fingers are freezing but gentle as she pushes some hair behind your ears and gently scratches.

-Everything she has done with you since bringing you here has been soft and gentle.

-It has you melting, making satisfied noises as you push into her hand, your eyes closing.

[radiocryby-fm]

📚Bookclub

Was thinking about what would happen if there was a blackout while the bookclub was gathered together! Also a sweet friend of mine told me about flutter joining the book club,,, which I find so dear...

[nmakii]

RANT TO ME, I LIKE THE SOUND…

— charlie + angel + alastor talking about their day, completely absorbed when they look at you, completely smitten

— masc!reader (angel)

— charlie

“and then, he kicked me out of the room! can you fucking believe him?!” charlie grumbled, ranting about her meeting with adam as you brushed her hair. “i swear… i’ll go to heaven and i’ll make them listen” she sighed determinedly.

“and… after that—“ charlie wandered off again, thoughts interrupted when she no longer felt the bristles against her hair and instead, you face on her shoulder, hugging her waist from behind.

“oh… are you tired? i..i’m sorry if i was talking too much…” she awkwardly laughed. ���no, don’t apologize, babe… keep talking, i like the sound.” you sighed as you kissed her on the cheek.

charlie’s heart tightened at what you had said. you like to listen to her ranting… you’ll have no idea how much it means to her; for you to not dismiss her ramblings, but instead listen closely.

“are you sure you’re not tired though?” she asked one last time. “nuh-uh, i’m wide awake, see?” you said before tickling her at the back of her neck, her ticklish spot.

“agh! noo, i believe you!” charlie screamed out, trying to get herself free from your grip around her waist. “stop! i believe you, no more!!” she cried out as you laughed, stopping your antics.

— angel

“today, val was a complete dickhead, i swear…” angel frowned, hugging fat nuggets in his top two arms and hugging you in his lower two. “today, he had me filming a bunch’a back shots while getting my hair pulled…” he sighed grimly, pulling you closer as your hands moved to his hair, carefully massaging it.

“are you okay?” you asked worriedly. “‘course i am, you’re here” angel grinned sappily. “afta’ that, cherri and i went drinking at that new club. i didn’t have buy any drugs today, i spent all my money on shots…”

“i’m proud of you, babe. you’re getting better.” you smiled, looking at him lovingly. “ya really think so?” he asked hopefully. “i know so. you’re already doing so well.” you ran your thumb against his cheek.

angel’s shoulders relaxed under your touch as he buried himself deeper in your touch. “love ya so much, babe.” angel smiled, eyes growing heavy.

“i love you too, angie. keep talking if you wanna, i like your pretty mouth.” you said, pulling him closer as you kissed his head.

— alastor

“so, then i headed to the tailor’s… they fixed my coat and when i came out, eugh…” alastor groaned in disgust, telling you about today as he sat by the fireplace in the hotel den. “vox was on various of those picture boxes, singing about how i am ‘outdated’.”

“and, as per expected, his modern technology failed and caused a blackout across the city!” he chuckled to himself. “you don’t think i’m outdated, do you, love?” alastor looked up, seeing you on the sofa as you stare at him, listening to his words intently.

“dear? are you even listening?” he smugly grinned. “of course i am…” you frowned. “i’m just… admiring you, i guess.”

“oh, are you now?” he sighed at your little lovey-dovey habits. “yeah… i like your voice, it’s soothing…” you blushed. “you find my voice comforting?” he asked. “how interesting, perhaps i’ll decide to ramble to you more often.” he grinned, closing his book.

he got up from his seat and over to you as he pulled you close by your shoulder. “now, back to my question— you don’t think i am outdated, do you?” he raised an eyebrow. “of course not…” you said. “hmph, good.” he nodded as he laid your head on him.

[artsy-hobbitses]

Are there any facts or headcanons you can share about Megatron?

-Cracks knuckles- By which you mean old man Morgantron, boy do I.

LOVES dogs. Thaddeus/Terminus used to own a mining dog that would help pull carts, a Bernese Mountain named Boudicca which both he and a young Morgan would dote over. While Bouda passed away in his late teens, that childish adoration for dogs hasn't diminished, and has instead been transferred to Old Fella---an old pit bull rescued and initially intended for rehoming by Barricade/Barrin, who eventually couldn't find the heart to give him up. Megs often has Old Fella curled up at his feet while he's catching up on reading in his free time.

Has a surprising sweet tooth. Sugar was a luxury in Morgan's childhood and not something Thaddeus couldn't afford very often on miner pay, and what sweet food was common there were coal miner cakes… which are loved but an acquired taste. His guilty pleasures include Mars Bars which a young!Omar/OP would share with him through the fence that separated them as children, and more poignantly, Brooklyn-style Blackout Cake since it was tradition for Thaddeus to get him a slice of it for his birthday every year until they were shipped off to Messatine.

Within Morgan's personal office in a glass case is an old blood-spattered and battered copy of Umar ibn al-Khattâb: His Life and Times (Volume One). This is the very first book he read outside of what was greenlit/approved for the manual class and was lent to him decades ago by a young Omar, who threw it over the fence they would talk through, for him to catch. It had been confiscated from him during a spotcheck, but he found it years and years later in a HR contraband warehouse and he's kept it guarded ever since. What he doesn't know is that Omar still has the second volume of that book (there are two) kept in the same manner.

Secretly listens in on Omar's increasingly popular book club sessions (Part of an Autobot PR programme after they figured out that Omar had a voice fit for ASMR and people genuinely wanted to hear him read to them) on the radio during nights where he's feeling particularly lonely and melancholy.

Is an excellent fiddler. However, was not allowed to bring his instrument to Messatine and hasn't played since.

Morgan can cook, but is primarily relegated to British pub fare. Makes a mean steak and ale pie, one of his favorite foods. He also serves potential Decepticon recruits slices of coal miner cake he bakes during their first meet/interview (he does not tell them he baked it) to see how they react. If they act like they're too good for the humble bit of joy miners like him partook in, they're out.

Morgan does not have a great sense of direction, because when you're living 80% of your life underground, everything looks the same and you simply follow the neatly delineated cart tracks to your workplace or berth. Tracks above ground ie. roads are. Messy, and very confusing. He gets lost more easily than one might expect.

He has however, a sharper than usual sense of smell, which helped him out a lot as a miner when it came to seeking out fresh air and quickly identifying toxic or flammable gases emitted underground.

He is also in Grimlock/Graeme's team of Sometimes Cannibalism Is Correct. Those guards who beat to death a miner in front of him while he was on Mining Outpost C-12? He found two of them years and years later (he never forgot their voices over the miner's pleas) as a gladiator, killed the one who struck the first blow and ate their heart (they had no hearts to begin with, he surmises, so really, they're not missing anything) while the other watched. This was symbolic of his hatred for them, but also to loosen the remaining guard's lips about Decimus' movements after the incident up to this point, and for sure, it worked.

No longer gets drunk (he assumes his gladiatorial 'upgrades' are part of the reason for this), deeply wishes he still could sometimes.

Morgan forged his own armor pieces as a gladiator, and this is something that has carried on into the present, as he helps forge the armor the inner circle Deceptions wear, which is then programmed by Shockwave (the exception is Starscream/Stefan, who has been using a prototype armored flightsuit made by Senator Shockwave/Sharifuddin from day one). He uses this time as a one on one session to get to know them better.

Still visits the little public library in the Dead End that Omar set up in honor of him every now and then when he needs somewhere quiet to collect his thoughts and slog through paperwork.

Is the asshole who dog-ears books, but in his defense, he'd never seen a book in his community as a child that wasn't banged up to hell and back---what mattered were the contents. The SOLE exception here is the book that OP gave him and was confiscated from him. It's more than a book; it's a gift from his oldest friend.

"You didn't ask, I don't see why it's an issue" gay. Though one can't tell from first glance because Impactor will bring up the time that he booked a male and female stripper for Megs as a 20th birthday surprise/joke, and came back to find both of them engrossed listening to Megs reading his notes for Towards Peace and discussing it between the three of them. Basically, he's Enjolras (cause above all) for everything and everyone except Prime.

If you're an enemy he respects, he'll kill you himself and make it quick. If he hates you, he'll prolong it. If you don't register on his radar/aren't worth the effort, you get Tarn.

Suffers from a mild case of black lung carried over from his mining days, which only becomes more apparent in his 50s, as his healing factor slowly decreases.

[vixien11]

BESTIE NEW PROMT JUST DROPPED!!!

Emily gets blackout drunk and writes a 1200 page erotica novel (maybe even longer) that makes her girlfriends (Charlie and vaggie) a mix between turned on and mildly concerned the more they read. The hazbins have a bit of a book club because NO ONE knows what’s in the book not even Emily cause she was completely blacked out. It’s a really good book too, the story beats, the characters, the emotions are all leaving the hotel impressed and gobsmacked.

Hah! Okay I just have to write this. Sorry I took a while to respond!(Totally not going to base the novel after a project I'm working on) Emily: (Wakes up groggily and rubs her face as she lifts her head away from a hard object) Ugh... I need to stop asking Charlie's aunt for beezle juice... (Looks down at the object her face was resting on to find a hardcover book called Weeping Horizons. After a moment of looking at it, she notices it says she wrote the book.) Emily: What? I.. I wrote a whole book..? It looks long. How did I even make it hardcover while drunk!? (She looks the book up and down) Well.. Better tell everyone else about this. Later, the whole crew is circled up around this book, eyeing it confusedly. Emily: Next thing I know, I'm wake up with this book. I don't even know what genre it is... (The Hazbins were looking at the book with awe as the cover had a feathered woman with long, pearly white hair curling around her face. The golden eyes of the women sparked a little bit off blood that was inching down her face.) Emily: But the cover looks like my art style.. Charlie: Alright. We'll just read it then! Can't be that bad. (Opens the book tentatively) An hour later, Angel is the only one immune enough to the contents of the book to read it out loud. Angel: Silk gasp as Phoenix licked the blood on her neck and drew circles on her collar bone... (Eyes widen) Okay.. Dove.. (Points at Emily) How the hell are YOU the one who wrote this..!? (Charlie and Vaggie are both blushing profusely and Emily is burying her face in a pillow) Emily: I DON'T KNOOOOW!! I WAS DRUNK OKAY?! Alastor: (Ears are back in asexual disapproval) Yet you have not one grammar mistake... (Flinches back with a small wendigo screech as he reads ahead.) Angel: Well at least I got the stomach for this. (Clears his throat before continuing to read) Half an hour later, it is Vaggie who is reading while the rest of the Hazbins are bawling their eyes out. Vaggie: (Wipes eye) Orchid knew she had made a grave error.. She knew her girlfriends despised her for every moment she had lied. Lied about her past. A shiver went down her spine as she watched Silk's eyes darken. A whimper escaped her.. (Her voice catches) Husk: (Lip trembles slightly) What the fuck are you doing?! Keep reading, dumbass! Angel: FUCK 'EM, ORCHID! I STAND BY YA!! THOSE BITCHES JUST NEED TA LISTEN TO YA! (Cries into Husk's shoulder) Cherri: Fuck you talkin' about, Angi? She ruined there relationship because she lied! She used to kill off civilians like it was pest control! Angel: (Head shooting up from Husk's shoulder) SHE CHANGED AND YOU KNOW IT!! Charlie + Emily: (Hiccupping and clutching either side of Vaggie for support) Cherri: Angi, I will go to war over this. HER REDEMTION ARC HAS BEEN LAME AS FUCK SO FAR!! Angel: (Dramatic ahh gasp) How FUCKING DARE you!! Vaggie: Is no one going to talk about how fucking tragic Pheonix is!? Like hello? Cursed to never be taken seriously but also is why everyone is still as mentally sound as they are! Charlie: (Wipes face) I am SUCH a Pheonix kinnie... Husk: Keep reading! Vaggie: (Sighs and mentally prepares to continue reading.) Should I keep writing this? :3

[forteafy]

1 with Carlos or 5 with Fernando. Or maybe both if you can find inspiration 🤭

CS55 x 'You say you want to get over me?” “Yes.” “So why haven’t you?” “Because it’s you. Because whatever you do, I’m gonna come back to you, no matter what. And I’m trying so hard not to do that but… It’s you. It’s just you. You’re the reason why I can’t get over you.'

I'm in love with the smooth operator, your honour.

You knew the fifth shot was a bad idea. By the ninth? Your mind could barely correlate the link between your feet and the floor. 

You hadn’t been to Monaco in so, so long. The last time you came was on vacation with your ex boyfriend; it had been a weekend of walks, champagne, slow dancing and secret sex on his teammates boat. Charles would never forgive you for that one, his precious yacht had been christened in more ways than one. 

Charlotte had caught you by storm; a few phone calls and a promise of a night out so incredible, it would render every other evening numb, you’d been on a plane instantly, falling into your close friends arms, surrounded by a gaggle of girls, cooing about how you were glowing after…recent events. 

The night in question had been what Charlotte promised; loud music, screams and cheers whilst dancing in a group, even chatting to the occasional stranger about the busy streets. However, one cocktail had turned into two, two into three…it was always a slippery slope where expensive drinks and shots were involved. 

The brunch you had all booked for the next day seemed well out of question.

Three of the girls had already vanished; presumably heading home with different men, possibly with one another. Charlotte was gossiping with two girls sat on a table. She’d beckoned you over, but instead you’d wandered away; drunken mind mesmerised by lights. 

You would have probably wandered right out into the cool streets of Monaco, if a body hadn’t collided with yours. A light whine emitted from your lips, looking up, ready for a drunken apology to stumble out of your lips. Instead, your mouth hung open, breath caught from seeing those brown eyes. Those you were oh-so-familiar with. 

“Carlos.” You whisper, a slight sway still in your step. You had to be drunk, blackout drunk, to be seeing the figure of your ex-boyfriend stood in front of you. Frozen in your spot, the trance was broken when a figure appeared from behind him, eyes brightened to see you.

“Hey! Charlotte mentioned you were with her!” Charles calls out, grin resting on his face. “I came to get her- Carlos is visiting us for a few days.” 

Your mind couldn’t put the pieces together in that moment. Charlotte, your supposed best friend, had made sure you came to visit whilst Carlos was in Monaco. If you didn’t know her better, you’d say she was playing matchmaker, even after your intense speech of how adamant you were to get over the spaniard. 

“Yeah- she’s-“ You can’t get your words out, too drunk to comprehend any form of communication. Charles nods to his friend, silently hoping despite it all, he’ll stay with you whilst he goes to find his own intoxicated girlfriend. 

Carlos is nothing, if not a gentleman. Gently, he rests a hand on your lower back. The warmth radiates through the sheer silk of your dress. He thinks you look beautiful like this. Hair messy, makeup smudged, the lines on your face from how much you had been laughing alongside your friends.

“Let’s get you outside.” He speaks above the thump of the music deeper inside the club. “You need some air.”

The cold air dances across your skin the moment the two of you step out from behind the heavy doors. Carlos is already tinted a light shade of red from being inside the room for less than five minutes. His eyes scan over you, arm held out as you tentatively cling to it, stumbling like a baby’s first step. 

Carefully, the man leads you away from the direct entrance, giving you some space between the crowds of people. The cold air and movement gives into a sudden wave of nausea. Your body can’t control it, leaning over to the side of the road, trying your hardest not to make a mess. 

A gentle sigh is heard from behind you, soft hands holding your hair back, a warm hand on your shoulder. The comfort, you don’t deserve it. 

You eventually pull yourself back up, turning to thank the man in question. However, before you can say anything, one arm is resting around your waist, keeping you from stumbling, the other is resting on your cheek, his thumb gently stroking over you. 

“Why do you do this to yourself?” He murmurs, eyes soft, seeing the girl he cares so deeply for in this position. “Why?” 

“Trying.” You mumble in response. “Trying to stop thinking about you.” 

Carlos isn’t aware of Charlotte’s plan. When she had mentioned going out with you that evening, he had thought you were in Monaco as a happy accident. He had intended to come and see you, maybe ask if you’d like to go out for a drink. Maybe when he did, he’d change the idea to coffee. Alcohol didn’t seem to be the best idea anymore. 

“You say you want to get over me?” He mumbles, face closer to you, trying to find some emotion in your eye. 

“Yes.”

“So why haven’t you?” 

“Because it’s you. Because whatever you do, I’m gonna come back to you, no matter what. And I’m trying so hard not to do that but… It’s you. It’s just you. You’re the reason why I can’t get over you.”

The sudden explosion of words from your hazarded mind causes a trigger inside you. Tears begin to litter your lower lash line. Carlos has always hated seeing girls cry, especially those he cares about. Without thinking, he pulls you into his chest, quiet hushes, one hand brushing across the back of your head. 

“Don’t get over me.” He pleads, his own voice cracking. “Don’t. Because I could never get over you.”

[growingstories]

DJ (new pictures)

Victor Mills, a 26-year-old Dutch DJ, had always been passionate about fitness and music. With his great body, tall stature, and blond locks, he attracted attention wherever he went. Victor had been hitting the gym since he was 16 and had developed an impressive physique. His preferred style of music was techno, and his talent earned him a place in the lineup of famous DJs.

One summer, Victor had the opportunity to go to Ibiza for six weeks to be the warm-up DJ at a renowned nightclub just before the headline act appeared. Excited about this chance, he got in touch with the booker, who promised to watch him play a few nights. Impressed by Victor's talent, the booker proposed to become his manager. From that moment, Victor's summer took off like a whirlwind. The booker had him playing at various venues, and girls started up for lining a chance to be with him.

When Victor wasn't performing, he would hit up VIP areas and party with other famous DJs. It was during one of these parties that he was offered drugs, and he decided to indulge. Falling into a routine of waking up at 2 PM, hitting the gym, lounging on the beach, enjoying dinner and then, partying the night away, Victor felt like he was living the dream. Resulting in a beefed up tanned body. This lifestyle continued throughout the entire summer until the closing party, after which he flew back to the Netherlands.

Back in his home country, the booker continued booking him for gigs at various clubs across Europe. Victor's career was skyrocketing, and he didn't see the harm in occasionally using drugs in combination with alcohol to keep up with the demanding lifestyle. The following summer, he was once again booked at the same club in Ibiza and several other venues. The nights were long, but Victor reveled in the attention, the sex, and the feeling that he had finally made it in the industry. It became a mantra for him, work hard, play hard. However, halfway through the summer, Victor found himself relying heavily on drugs to keep himself going. The booker provided the substances as long as Victor kept the crowd happy, and so he did. The drugs had consumed his nights, and he continued using them until he couldn't anymore. The excessive and reckless lifestyle led him to blackout and wake up in the hospital. His booker was furious and gave him an ultimatum; go to rehab or end the collaboration. Realizing that he had hit rock bottom, Victor swiftly flew back to the Netherlands and checked into rehab for his drug addiction. Despite feeling ashamed, he was determined to become clean. During his time in rehab, he dedicated hours to the gym, using exercise as a way to stay motivated and focused. He also attended therapy sessions, gradually rebuilding his self-esteem. Eventually, he was released from rehab, but the nightlife now seemed mundane without drugs. However, he remained committed to his sobriety and stayed away from the substances. The booker, in an effort to support Victor's recovery, provided snacks instead of drugs alongside the alcohol. With his dedication to the gym and the support of his booker, Victor managed to bulk up and develop an impressive physique. His chise abs wereled hidden beneath a of layer muscle, which only seemed to attract even more attention from the opposite sex. Victor embraced this newfound confidence and began to yearn for more.

In the gym, Victor's trainer, a massive ex-bodybuilder, suggested a bulking plan involving specific foods and supplements. Intrigued, Victor agreed and started the program right away. At first, everything seemed to be working perfectly. He experienced a significant energy boost, felt invincible, and his muscles popped even more. The attention and admiration he received from others intensified. It was a high he didn't want to come down from. Driven by his desire to become even bigger, Victor persuaded his booker to bring more food and pushed his trainer to provide him with more supplements and even steroids. Although initially hesitant, Victor succumbed to the allure after days of stagnation in his progress. The steroids had an immediate impact. Victor's strength skyrocketed, and his muscles swelled to an enormous size. Women clamored for his attention, fascinated by the muscle beast he had become. However, the steroids took a toll on his mental state, making him explosively aggressive. His behaviors started to cause problems, and the club in his home country decided to cut ties with him. Victor, undeterred, knew he would have a place in Ibiza, where his size would be celebrated.

When Victor arrived on the island, everyone was astonished by his colossal physique. He became an attraction in the clubs, and his popularity soared. Engulfed by a blur of late nights, persistent steroid use, copious amounts of alcohol, drugs, and never-ending feasts, Victor's summer became a chaotic haze. The gym took a backseat, and his focus shifted entirely to indulging in his vices. Gradually, his size expanded beyond desirable limits, and he turned into a massive, overweight figure.

Despite his excessive weight gain, Victor's reputation as a star grew. He had more gigs than ever before, and he was being booked and flown everywhere. To survive the night, he would snack instead of drinking alcohol, and after-parties now took place at fast-food restaurants. He was getting bigger and bigger.

Back in the Netherlands he kept this routine going. Getting fatter and fatter. Partying like crazy. A few days before Christmas he had a lunch where he completely overate himself, washed it away with glases of champagne and to get ready for dinner he used some lines of cocaine. Dinner he overate himself again and started to feel pressure on his chest. He ignored it and did the same the next day. The pressure on chest was too much and collapsed. He was rushed to hospital where they concluded a heart attack. He had to go back to rehab again. This time for alcohol, drugs and steroids.  He stayed six weeks in South Africa. He ate his pain and withdrawal signs away. When he got back he had significantly less muscles but his belly was bigger then ever. His hearts attack had been all over the news and he was a proper star now. He had more gigs then ever and was booked and flown everywhere. To survive the the night he had snacks instead of alcohol and after parties were at McDonalds now. He got huge after 6 months of overeating himself almost every night. But he was happy to be alive. So now he just parties sober and earns a great living. Eventhough the female attention was less with this enormous belly he had a healthy relationship with himself now.

[respectthepetty]

do you happen to have any other bls with toxic kings up your sleeve? i’m as giddy as you when it comes to ming! i’m newer to bls, so there’s a good chance i haven’t seen whatever you suggest.

Anon, I have an entire roster of toxic characters because

I LOVE TOXIC BITCHES!

Like 2 Chainz rapped on one of my favorite songs, "I love bad bitches, that's my fuckin' problem" which is why I HATE when a story won't allow characters to be toxic. Like we all know the character IS toxic, but the story keeps telling us he isn't that bad or he is only that bad because reasons. Regardless of the reasons, the character is a bad bitch so why not just let him fucking own it, which is truly the reason Only Friends pissed me off so much.

Case and point, my favorite characters were Ray and Nick. Ray was calling Sand a whore every two seconds and throwing money at him, while Nick was recording non-consexual sex tapes, yet the narrative wanted me to think they were just sad dudes who were slightly problematic.

NAH! Nick straight up said he was trash! THEY WERE TOXIC just like everyone else in that damn show!

Which is why I liked Kang in Dangerous Romance because I don't feel like the narrative eased up on his toxicity. In fact, I feel like the story said Sailom was into it with that master/servant scene at the very end.

So in order for me to love a toxic character, they must 1) be considered toxic by the story, and 2) stay toxic, so I'm going to give you a list of ten of my favorites, but know that spoilers are coming your way too. Also know that I do not recommend anything, ever, so these are not recommendations. These are merely my favorite toxicitos.

Mis tóxicos favoritos

presented in no particular order

Todd - Not Me

This man had his lover (it's canon to me) beat into a coma. Then, he went and grabbed that man's twin brother and made him take on his lover's persona all so he could overthrow his competition and be the number one evil capitalist. And then, AND THEN, he was excited to see his lover, Black, return even though he knew that meant he was probably going to die. Honestly, his entire relationship with Black was toxic, and I desperately need more of it. Not Me 2: Blackout when? WHEN, GMMTV?!

Rio & Kido - The Novelist Series

Rio blew Kido in front of an old man in broad daylight, so they could get a book deal. That's just one of the many fucked up things these two did together, but they were even worse apart. Rio lied to a college student for months about his arm being injured and writing pornographic novels just to turn on the college student and fuck him because . . . he was bored? It's deeper than that, but it kinda ain't. Rio and Kido did toxic shit to feel alive and that's my special brand of toxic. I will never make excuses for them. I like them this way.

Yai - Big Dragon

The very beginning of this show, as in the very first scene, is Yai and Mangkorn having sex AFTER Yai drugged Mangkorn in hopes of sexually assaulting him and recording it. AND MANGKORN IS INTO IT! Yai tries to steal Mangkorn's phone and ruin his life too, but Mangkorn is so in love with Yai, that he is willing to play along with whatever Yai does including fighting Yai. This is one of my favorite BLs for a multitude of reasons, but the biggest is because instead of trying to tame Yai, Mangkorn just decided to match his toxic energy! I love that for them.

Songpol - Club Friday

Bank plays toxic very well, which is why he has two characters on this list, even though this show isn't technically a BL. Club Friday is already a hot mess express, so to be the most toxic character in a show filled with toxic characters means that Songpol was TOK-SICK! He cheated on his boyfriend with multiple men. When his boyfriend left him for a woman, he showed up outside of that woman's house calling her a whore. He then went to their wedding just so he could fuck his ex in a bathroom (on his wedding day). He continued to hook up with his ex, and sent a video to his ex's wife of them having sex, only for her to tell him to move into the house and continue having sex with her husband! AND THAT'S ONLY THE SECOND EPISODE! He was serving telenovela villain, and I want him back.

Vegas - KinnPorsche

The scene: Vegas' beloved hedgehog has just died and he has carried out a tiny funeral for him while the bodyguard he has been holding hostage AND TORTURING comforts him, but instead of sitting in that grief, Vegas tells the bodyguard that the bodyguard is probably turned on by seeing Vegas weak, then proceeds to fuck him. Skipping over the fact that Vegas drugged Porsche, killed Tawan, got Big and Ken murdered by extension, and a plethora of other horrible shit, Vegas was a HUGE red flag from the very beginning, and I wanted him to choke me so badly. *bites knuckles*

Charn - Laws of Attraction

He had his reasons, but the story and his husband didn't let that be an excuse for his toxic behavior. He tried burning down Tinn's house, with Tinn and his grandmother in it, and Tinn was very upset about it. Not enough to not sleep with Charn, but enough to get his point across that if Charn wanted to burn something down, he needed to focus on burning down the oppressive heteronormative government, so we could all have basic human rights. Toxic, but for the cause.

Chalothon - The Sign

I knew he was a problem because the way he handled his patients, but he truly proved how toxic he was when he told Phaya he would kill Tharn before letting Phaya have him. I'm mad that the show made him good in the last episode, with most of if being off-screen, but I'll always remember how he committed psychological warfare on Phaya for eleven episodes in hopes of making Phaya seem crazy, and actually made Tharn, Phaya's soulmate, question Phaya's sanity.

Mol - 180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us

The only woman on this list and she isn't even queer. That's how toxic this chick was that she made it on a this list being a heterosexual, which was a major part of her toxicity. She is a top-tier gaslighter to her son. She doesn't actually consider Inn her friend. She uses feminist rhetoric to be homophobic. She manipulates every situation in her favor by using tears. I could write a list just about her being lead paint toxic, but the most fucked up part is that she got to ride off into the sunset with her son in the passenger seat being miserable, which is what she wanted. No other BL parent could reach her level. Korn and Gun from KinnPorsche exist, yet this woman would eat them alive without hesitation, then go throw a party for herself. She really is that bitch.

Yong Jie - HIStory 4: Close to You

I'm not going to bullshit around him being a whole ass problem. This motherfucker is the most controversial pick on this list, and I am well aware of why he is hated by the people, but the story told us he was the devil. The show treated everything he did like stalking, physical assault, and sexual assault as horrible, and he got knocked out for it. HIStory 4 is my favorite BL, ever, and part of it is because the story let this toxic motherfucker BE toxic. I love how much I hate him, and I love how much the story allows me to hate him.

So - House of Stars

This show was a mess, so I was not expecting this man to come out as THE toxic king to rule over every other toxic character. What made him so toxic is that I had no idea just how toxic he was until the exact moment I realized it, and that's why he is one of my favorites. He was sneaky. He was playing everyone against each other. He was letting the bodies stack up. He was Tan from Dead Friend Forever without anyone figuring out he was Tan. One person realized part of his plan, but even then, that person was not aware of how committed to the bit So was. This smile was the very last scene of the show, and it really proved that this boy ruined everyone's lives only to walk out of it completely unbothered. You know, king shit.

[isiaiowin]

GOetry - Black Out

Welcome to GOetry! A weekly poetry club.

Every Monday, you'll receive a new poetry prompt and have until the following Monday to submit your poetic creations. Come join the fun! Post your finished work under the #GOetry and don't forget to tag me @isiaiowin so I can see your work.

You can also add your work to the AO3 collection here.

Thank you who participated in last week's prompt. Such beautiful elegies were being shared and many brought tears to my eyes.

This week’s prompt:

Black out poetry.

What is black out poetry:

Blackout poetry is when you take a written piece of text from a book, newspaper, or magazine and redact words, in order to come up with your own poem. Make it as artistic as you like

Example: By Diana Adams:

@goodomensafterdark

[operation-cursed-sweet-tooth]

Based on last poll’s results:

You picked: Netted

Oh boy…. Uh- w-what do I do- uh… oh-! Rookie!!

Rookie! Whatever you have on hand please use it now!! We kinda have a problem!!

Wait what-?!?! Oh gosh!! Is that a puffle!!?

Don’t worry Ace!! I got you guys- just hold on one second- G gave me something for this mission just in case-!

There we are- the Net Gun 3000! Imma coming you guys!!

*suspicious whine*

YELP-!!

Gotcha!! You leave my friends alone-! ….oh now I feel bad- it’s still a puffle-

You guys ok!!?!

…….

………

Rookie where in the hell did you pull that from-

You had that the whole time?! Why would Gary give you a gun!?

Yeah that’s a better question- why did G give you a gun-?!

To catch things, duh- it’s a net gun✨

Of all the things…and he trusts you with an invention like that-?!

Yknow what- I’m just not gonna question anything…. I’ve already seen too much today- say what’s all over your beak-??

Oh don’t worry about it- you guys didn’t answer my question- you guys ok?? It didn’t bite you right?? No injuries-? Missing feathers??

No Rook… we’re ok-

I’m not- the…the other puffle- I’m still gonna be sick…

We uh- can discuss that with the Director when we bring this puffle back to HQ….

Say…didn’t that book of yours say something about wolves like…hunting in packs or something??

Yeah…? Why??

Isn’t this a wolf??

…………oh boy-

*snarl*

Shit….

Prologue End

[thatmexisaurusrex]

Delacroix Public Library Captain America Campaign

This is a series of graphics inspired by a convo I had with @logicheartsoul about libraries. This is also for the @sambuckylibrary's "Free Space" square on my bingo. The general gist of it is Sam and Bucky promoting the local library branch in Delacroix. All the graphics will be under the read more. Enjoy! 🥰

WHAT EACH GRAPHIC SAYS:

PAGE 1:

Middle: Cap says reading is cool! Bottom Left: Cap's boyfriend says so too!

PAGE 2:

Top Left: The Delacroix Library! Middle Left: Captain America Approved! Middle Right: VISIT!!! Middle Lower Right: Unofficially started as a library by local pirates in the 17th and 18th centuries, this branch hosts a variety of old texts brought to Delacroix by the pirates. Bottom Right: VISIT!!! Bottom Left: Delacroix is also the hometown to our current Captain America, one Samuel Thomas Wilson,

PAGE 3:

Middle: Readers of the Month Sam & Sarah Wilson

PAGE 4:

Top Left: 6 Ways Having Fun Isn’t Hard with a Library Card! Featuring Sam Wilson! Top Right: Cap's boyfriend is also here! List from 1-6: 1) Reading Books! 2) Rent Movies or Games! 3) Playing on the Computer! 4) Join a Local Club! 5) Help with a Book Drive! 6) Fight crime with Sam - I mean, go to book fairs!

PAGE 5:

Top Middle: The Delacroix Public Library Summer Reading Bingo 2024 Row 1 Left to Right: Read a Translated Book; Read in your bed; Read the First Book of a New Series; Read a Book Someone Else Picks; Read a Classic Row 2 Left to Right: Learn One New Fact About an Animal; Read a LGBTQIA+ Book; Character Goes on an Unplanned Adventure; Read A Historical Nonfiction; Learn a Recipe from a Cookbook Row 3 Left to Right: Read a Debut Author; Read in a Pillowfort; Free Space; Read a Graphic Novel; Read a Play Row 4 Left to Right: Read a Mystery; Read a Book about an Athlete or Sport; Read a Fairytale; Read a Book That Makes You Laugh; Read a Book with a Spooky Cover Row 5 Left to Right: Read a Book with a Movie Based on It; Read Your Friend’s Favorite Book; Read a Book of Poetry; Read Outside; Read with a Friend Bottom Left: Cap Approved!! Bottom Right: Cap's boyfriend says so too!

PAGE 6:

Top Left: Delacroix Public Library presents Middle: Book Club; FOR YOUNG AVENGERS, NO SAMS OR BUCKYS ALLOWED. Saturdays from 7-10 pm. Pull up your chair backwards, sit down, and talk books. Bottom Left: Et Tu, Cap's boyfriend? Bottom Middle: "Password for Entry, B******!" Bottom Right: CONTACT YELENA FOR MORE INFORMATION. SUNGLASSES NOT OPTIONAL.

PAGE 7:

Top Left: The Delacroix Voice; You're Local Newsletter Top Right: Edited by Eli Bradley Middle Right: Captain America at Library Summer Fun Run! by Yelena Belova; Last weekend, on a hot, humid day in Delacroix, Sam Wilson was spotted at the Delacroix Public Library Summer Fun Run with Bucky Barnes, his sister, Sarah Wilson, and his nephews, Cass and AJ... read more on pg. 5 Bottom Left: Sightings of Sam at the DPL by Kate Bishop; Read more on pg. 3 Sightings from 1-3: 1) Drag Storytime - Dressed in drag, Sam and Bucky gave a fun reading hour to the local preschoolers of Delacroix. 2) Summer Reading - As one of the prizes for the first kid to blackout the entire Summer Reading Bingo card this year, Sam visited and had a one-on-one with winner Leila Taylor Junior, daughter of Leila Taylor. 3) Tree Planting - As part of Sam Wilson’s ongoing community service efforts not just in Delacroix, but around the country, Sam organized a tree planting event for his hometown. Bottom Right: Local Hero Rolling with Boyfriend in Grass Near Local Library by Kamala Khan; Who says you can’t have fun right outside of the library? Local hero and celebrity, Sam Wilson, has been hanging out right outside with his boyfriend, local rescue saved from New York City and man who will pick you up if you ask him nicely, Bucky Barnes... read more on pg. 7

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🌈 Queer Books Coming Out in March 2024 🌈

🌈 Good afternoon, my bookish bats! Struggling to keep up with all the amazing queer books coming out this month? Here are a FEW of the stunning, diverse queer books you can add to your TBR before the year is over. Remember to #readqueerallyear! Happy reading!

[ Release dates may have changed. ]

❤️ Shift: A Memoir of Identity and Other Illusions - Penny Guisinger 🧡 Tempting Olivia - Clare Ashton 💛 Monilinia - Free Mints 💚 Guillaume - Aurora Dimitre 💙 The Marble Queen - Anna Kopp & Gabrielle Kari 💜 The Baker & the Bard - Fern Haught ❤️ Rainbow! - Sunny & Gloom 🧡 The Safe Zone - Amy Marsden 💛 The Weavers of Alamaxa - Hadeer Elsbai 💙 The No-Girlfriend Rule - Christen Randall 💜 A Different Kind of Brave by Lee Wind 🌈 Cirque du Slay - Rob Osler ❤️ Wizard’s Debt - Niranjan 🧡 One Last Breath - Ginny Myers Sain 💛 Nothing Special - Katie Cook 💚 I Feel Awful, Thanks - Lara Pickle 💙 The Tower - Flora Carr 💜 Be the Sea - Clara Ward ❤️ What Grows in the Dark - Jaq Evans 🧡 Heirs of Bone and Sea - Kay Adams 💛 The Haunting of Velkwood - Gwendolyn Kiste 💙 Thunder Song - Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe 💜 Mona of the Manor - Armistead Maupin 🌈 Like Happiness - Ursula Villarreal-Moura

❤️ Ellipses - Vanessa Lawrence 🧡 Saint, Sorrow, Sinner - Freydís Moon 💛 Blood & Brujas - Mikayla D. Hornedo 💚 Infinity Kings - Adam Silvera 💙 Really Cute People - Markus Harwood-Jones 💜 How You Were Born - Kate Cayley ❤️ These Bodies Between Us - Sarah Van Name 🧡 Icarus - K. Ancrum 💛 The Emperor and the Endless Palace - Justinian Huang 💙 How Not to Date an Angel - Lana Kole 💜 Enemy Colours - R.M. Olson 🌈 Broken Parts Included - Alyson Root

❤️ Who's Afraid of Gender? - Judith Butler 🧡 The Duke’s Cowboy - Andrew Grey 💛 The Secret Something - Emily Wright 💚 Colstead & Andie - Olivia Janae 💙 Play It Again, Ma’am - Sienna Waters 💜 Love Is…? - K.J. Wrights ❤️ Welcome to Forever - Nathan Tavares 🧡 Just Another Epic Love Poem - Parisa Akhbari 💛 The Phoenix Bride - Natasha Siegel 💙 These Letters End in Tears - Musih Tedji Xaviere 💜 Truly Home - J.J. Hale 🌈 Monster Mixer - Robin Jo Margaret

❤️ The House of Hidden Meanings - RuPaul 🧡 Promised to the Queen - Barbara Winkes 💛 A Conclave of Crimson - Nicole Eigener & Beverley Lee 💚 A Hunt of Blood and Iron - Cara Nox 💙 The Fealty of Monsters - Ladz 💜 Ariel Crashes a Train - Olivia A. Cole ❤️ Those Beyond the Wall - Micaiah Johnson 🧡 Dancing Toward Stardust - Julia Underwood 💛 Heir to Dreams & Darkness - Ben Alderson 💙 Comet Cruise - Niska Morrow 💜 Dead Girls Walking - Sami Ellis 🌈 Blackout - Carlos E. Rivera

❤️ Monster Crush - Erin Ellie Franey 🧡 Blessed Water - Margot Douaihy 💛 These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart - Izzy Wasserstein 💚 Kiss of Seduction - Rawnie Sabor 💙 Sunbringer - Hannah Kaner 💜 Evacuation to Love - C.A. Popovich ❤️ Sin - Brooke Matthews 🧡 Falls from Grace - Ruby Landers 💛 Lean in to Love - Catherine Lane 💙 A Small Apocalypse - Laura Chow Reeve 💜 Cascade Failure - L.M. Sagas 🌈 The Mars House - Natasha Pulley

❤️ All This Time - Sage Donnell 🧡 The Romance Lovers Book Club - MA Binfield 💛 View from the Top - Morgan Adams 💚 Number Call - Nagisa Furuya 💙 Crossing Bridges - Chelsey Lynford 💜 The Boyfriend Subscription - Steven Salvatore ❤️ Love the World or Get Killed Trying - Alvina Chamberland 🧡 Synthetic Sea - Franklyn S. Newton 💛 The Prince & His Stolen Groom - J.E. Ridge 💙 Chrysalis and Requiem - Quinton Li 💜 Where Sleeping Girls Lie - Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé 🌈 A Botanical Daughter - Noah Medlock

❤️ Wednesday Nights - by Donna Jay 🧡 The Woods All Black - Lee Mandelo 💛 Song of the Huntress - Lucy Holland 💚 Rainbow Black - Maggie Thrash 💙 Spirits & Sunflowers - A.D. Armistead & Austin Daniel 💜 Floating Hotel - Grace Curtis ❤️ Far From Camelot - Rylee Hale 🧡 This Way to Change - Jezz Chung 💛 Mexican Bird - Luis Lopez-Maldonado 💙 Android Affection: Unveiling - Beau Van Dalen 💜 Welcome to the Damned - Astraea Long 🌈 She Came for Blood - Darva Green

❤️ Cover Story - Rachel Lacey 🧡 The Poisons We Drink - Bethany Baptiste 💛 The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist - Sophie Gonzales 💚 In Walked Trouble - Dana Hawkins 💙 Never Leave, Never Lie - Thea Verdone 💜 Guardian: Zhen Hun - Priest ❤️ All the World Beside - Garrard Conley 🧡 Rainbows, Unicorns, and Triangles - Jessica Kingsley Publishers 💛 The Feast Makers - H.A. Clarke 💙 Synthetic Sea - Franklyn S. Newton 💜 All the Painted Stars - Emma Denny 🌈 A Hard Sell - Jennifer Moffatt

[hamsterclaw]

Fic Library: Jungkook (Part 1)

I realised whilst compiling this library just how many Jungkook stories I've read and recced. It's probably because Jungkook stories are far and away the most prolific on my feed and also probably because the maknae looks and acts like he does. I hope you enjoy these, don't forget to show these writers some love.

Rattled JJK x reader, single dad JK by @gukslut. The Jungkook in this story breaks my heart with his grit and humanity, and the MC is so relatable it hurts. If you haven't read this, do yourself a favour and be prepared to have your world rocked. Probably my favourite fanfic of all time.

The Cul-de-Sac Cons JJK x reader, JHS x reader, con artist AU by @bonvoyagenoona. I've read and re-read this a lot, the love story between JK and reader is fraught with intrigue and danger, and all the side characters - cuckolded husband Hoseok, Yoongi, Namjoon, are fleshed out perfectly as well.

Lonely Hearts Club JJK x OC, dystopian sci-fi tattoo artist AU by @joonbird. A story that made me think about fanfic in a completely different light, angsty and terribly sad.

Ego JJK x reader, fuckboi college AU by @suga-kookiemonster. A series that had me hooked from the first chapter, a rolling romp, with the perfect ending. Adore.

Feels like summer by @badbhye is a sweet, funny, coming of age story featuring reader and an grown-up, glowed-up next-door-neighbour Jungkook. Also features the immortal line 'Fucking Aquarius bastard' which makes me laugh every time I think of it.

Blink and you'll miss it by @satnin-darling is a fun, fast-paced story with great scene-setting featuring a street-racer reader and rookie lawyer JK.

Spin Cycle by @miscelunaaa is a slow burn series where reader meets Jungkook in a laundromat and their relationship develops over a collection of fun-size drabbles.

Damsel in shining armor by @jimilter is a follow up to the equally great Knight in distress and features chaotic chaebol JK and a competent, take no prisoners reader. A fast-paced, hilarious caper involving reader trying to do damage control as JK wreaks havoc.

Burning bright by @snackhobi is a Pacific Rim AU featuring Jaeger pilots Jungkook and reader, and an unforgettable classic in my book. I love this, and it always reminds me how damn talented fanfiction writers are.

Ghosts just wanna have fun by @sugaxjpg is about a Jungkook who has the ability to see ghosts set in a med school AU and features Yoongi and Taehyung as cockblocking spirits. Sweet and so, so funny.

Blackout by @bonvoyagenoona is set during one night when the entire neighbourhood loses power and Jungkook and reader navigate the neighbourhood block party. It's the perfect romantic almost first date.

Under the stars by @madbutgloriouspond is a sweet, cute, fluffy, real story about Jungkook and reader in a college AU that I love, love, love.

THAT nose riding drabble by @here2bbtstrash honestly doesn't even need a title. JK is sweet, clueless but willing, and Yoongi? He's the voyeur of my dreams.

Disaster management by @jimilter is gold. Unruly chaotic chaebol CEO Jeon Jungkook is back, and company President reader is right by his side as they try to avert disaster.

Leave the door open by @here4kpopfics is a strangers to lovers neighbours AU story that makes me think about how annoying and irresistible Jeon Jungkook would be if he lived next door.

Car sex by @musicloverxoxo7 features co-workers Jungkook x reader who flirt their way to a smutty, sexy encounter.

Euphoria by @btssavedmylifeblr is a beautiful study of life, love and mortality that is one of the best stories I've read. Unforgettable.

Part 2