#the one upside of this is I am looking at all the art I've gotten of my dragons again and it is all so tremendously good

[shiftingexpanse]

Replacing art in my dragons' bios and really glad I had the foresight to add the artists' name and/or ID in every file name. Yeesh

[oddcryptidwrites]

15 Questions

@void-botanist had an open tag for this one and I wanted to play! I'm tagging @the-down-upside-finch @worldsfromhoney @from-the-depths-into-your-soul @aquadestinyswriting and whoever else wants to play! (Tagging @thetruearchmagos to see this and play if he wants)

I'm answering these as Piers Hall and Grady Yensey, from the start of Knight of Dawn!

Are you named after anyone?

Piers: As far as I know? No one. I don't even know who named me. I came to Adele as "Jillian Piers". Grady: Actually yes, Grady was my grandmother's name. She died of IR about two years before I was born.

When was the last time you cried?

Piers: It's been at least three months Grady: Liar, you cried the night before your coronation. Piers: Did not! Grady: Did too! Piers: [huffs] Grady: The last time I cried was *also* before Piers coronation but it was stress more than anything.

Do you have kids?

Piers: No, but I would like kids one day. Grady: No.

Do you use sarcasm?

Piers: Obviously not Grady: They use it just a little too often. I don't typically use sarcasm though.

What’s the first thing you notice about people?

Piers: Probably the giant scar on the side of my face. It looks like a weird acid burn scar, but not quite. It's from when- Grady: What you notice about others, Piers. Piers: Oh....you asked the first thing I notice about other people...probably if they ALSO have scarring from IR. Survivors are rare. Secondly, whatever they're wearing. It's the active choice they make about their appearance and tells me a lot about them as a person. Grady: For me, it's how they introduce themself, and the titles they use. Piers and I both work with a LOT of different people from varying backgrounds and statuses so it's important to know how they want to be addressed without making it awkward.

What’s your eye color?

Piers: Green-hazel. They've faded a little as I've gotten older. Grady: Brown now, but apparently I was born with bright blue eyes.

Scary stories or happy endings?

Piers: Scary stories! Grady: Happy endings, all the way. I am an avid reader of cheesy, trashy, lesbian romance novels. I'm currently in the middle of one that's set in the wild west.

Any special talents?

Piers: I can bend my back far enough back to stick my head through my own legs. I also can fall asleep after drinking four cups of coffee. Grady: I used to be able to play piano when I was younger. Now, I consider my special talent to be able to dead sprint in high heels. Chasing down people in the Palace teaches you a lot.

Where were you born?

Piers: Honestly, beats me. Officially, I was born in the Palace. Grady: I was born in one of the hospitals in downtown ATLZoS. I don't remember which.

What are your hobbies?

Piers: I like playing chess, going on research deep dives, and watching conspiracy theory videos. Grady: I consider reading my main hobby, but I spend a fair amount of time baking and playing military sim games.

Do you have any pets?

Piers: I've never had a pet. Adele was allergic to most furry creatures and Marcie hated snakes and lizards. Grady, didn't you- Grady: [Swatting Piers] -I used to have a fish but it died because I accidentally forgot to feed it.

What sports do you play/have played?

Piers: I mean, I don't really do formal sports but I do some mixed martial arts and weightlifting. Grady: Same as Piers, but I also played tennis for a little while.

How tall are you?

Piers: Six foot, one inch! Grady: Piers is about five-eleven and I'm about five-six. Piers: Boooo let me have my fun. Grady: You're still growing which shouldn't be happening, but it is. I'm sure you'll at least hit six foot soon.

Favorite subject in school?

Piers: I loved geo-politics and history! Literature is a close one too. Grady: During my Academy time, I really enjoyed mixed martial arts classes and naval strategy. To this day, I somewhat regret not choosing RG Navy. I had high enough scores. Piers: [giving puppy dog eyes] But then you would have left me.

Dream job?

Piers: If I wasn't Monarch, I'd probably still pursue a career in politics. It's so much fun and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Grady: I do want to be Captain of the Royal Guard one day, which should happen when Gavin retires in ten years or so.

[justmybookthots]

Hello Stranger

I didn't mean to finish this novel in one sitting, but that I did. I have to say that the first half of this book was possibly the most enjoyable thing I've read all year (yes. It has been less than a month since the new year started, so… this is not a big statement). I was enraptured and eating it up like a madman. The second half was less intense, and the denouement a little underwhelming, but overall I really liked this book. 

It is so hard for me to find a hero that I don't find annoying or cringe-y in contemporary romances. Or maybe I've just been looking in the wrong places. I don't know. I had gotten this book from the library and I was VERY wary about borrowing it because I felt it was going to be a disappointment.

But it wasn't—and I must say that while it isn't going to leave an indelible mark on me like Love Theoretically did, I still enjoyed it (especially the first part of it) very much.

Things I liked:

Joe/Oliver. I mean, is this supposed to be a spoiler? Caricanread was saying the twist about him was very obvious and I'm gonna level with you… I do not know if I would have seen the truth coming right away. I'm sure I would have guessed it at some point but man, if I had not known the twist beforehand, I might have been quite confused and put out by Joe/Oliver. Anyway—my point here is that THIS book is the reason I love the miscommunication trope sometimes, haha. I ADORED the premise of the misunderstanding about Joe. And Joe was such a fucking sweetheart that I was practically going 'aw' at how kind/giving he was.  Like honest to God, I want to give him a hug sometimes, because he's so precious. (Also!! When he turned off the breaker to put a halt to the party because Sadie was overwhelmed… like, SIR.)

The comedy that arose from the misunderstanding was KILLING me. At some point, Sadie hears him talking about a "one-night stand" and he was going on and on about how obese she was and I was DYING because I knew he meant an animal but Sadie thinks he means a human woman he'd slept with and I just… I can't. I CAN'T.

Also like, I just really have a thing for men who are doctors, and I guess veterinarians count in that category too? I wish more of his vet-ness (yes, am making up this word) had come into play later on, but alas.

Also the ending conflict that arose from the misunderstanding between both leads was really delicious and neither of them was in the wrong / I could understand where they were each coming from. But I cannot say I genuinely loved how it was handled (but more on that later).

This book was sooooooooo insightful to me about the condition of face blindness. I kinda felt like crying at some parts because I was really emotional about what Sadie was going through. And I didn't really understand how you could look at someone's features and not compute a face until they mentioned it was like looking at a face upside-down and I was like, OH. OH. I finally GET IT. 

I loved that breakthrough moment Sadie had with her dad, and the revelation about her mom. I was also surprised Lucinda wasn't that much of a bitch, but what I found out at the end about her always believing Parker over Sadie was very enlightening. 

Loved the whole concept that Sadie didn't really pay attention to anyone UNTIL she got face blindness. That was a wonderful irony, and it really stressed on the concept of empathy being something in our control all along. 

Things I didn't love:

Okay, how they handled the misunderstanding (Sadie breaking up with Oliver for Joe, Joe ghosting her afterwards) was not to my liking. If Sadie could take the time to call and text Joe after he left her, he could have taken the time to try to stay and figure out who she'd supposedly left him for. I adore a consent king, and he was definitely that, but I also want some more perseverance from him before he just… gave up. Also, Sadie dealing with the nastiness at the art show made me feel so bad for her, and she had to deal with that alone because he'd left. I mean, I GET why he left, and why it might seem so ludicrous for him to stay, but I suppose I'd wished he put in more effort beyond nursing his own hurt feelings.

It's a pity because the premise was delicious but some of the execution fell a bit flat for me towards the end, at least regarding the romance. There were definitely some things I would have done a bit differently for the swoon factor, but this all boils down to personal preference.

Kind of weird Joe's ex-wife just popped out of nowhere just so that Sadie and Joe could fake a kiss. Like, literally: she appeared, saw them kiss, and then dipped from the story forever. LMAO. Typical romance hijinks. Also, I find it unrealistic that a woman would cheat on a man because he was too HELPFUL. What?????????????

Okay, so I found too many things too good to be true for my liking. Mr. Kim, letting Sadie stay at his place for free without rent?? Sir. Mr. Kim, buying Sadie's painting with an ungodly sum of money? Sir. The whole thing seemed incredibly unrealistic. And the last part when Sadie's ex-friend came to stick up for her came off cartoonish, especially when she ended the speech with a grand "Between Sadie and Parker (the evil stepsister), you should always pick Sadie". I know it's supposed to be moving and emotional but I was cringing. I can't explain why except it felt very juvenile and the way this plot thread was wrapped up was too convenient. 

This is both a Thing I Liked and Disliked. I appreciate the fallacy of confirmation bias that's being emphasised here, but in fiction it's kind of delicious because it helps fuel misunderstandings, and I… like a misunderstanding trope that's done in the way I enjoy. IMO, confirmation bias is a fun tool in fiction to orchestrate shenanigans between characters. So this messaging got a bit lost in translation for me. However, I do know that this is probably how general fiction works, and this could be why I don't read that genre (is that a genre?) much. 

Overall, I'm happy with this read despite its flaws (or maybe not flaws. Just things I took issue with), and I am so, so relieved that the library book I borrowed actually didn't let me down. The weirdest part is that I always knew this book existed because booktubers mentioned it sometimes but I kept dismissing it for some reason. Maybe I saw a bad GR review? Maybe I just didn't trust those booktubers because they liked books I didn't like? I don't know. Can't remember.

Sometimes, I really just need to give things a shot.

- 24 Jan 2024

[sashimi-time]

Completed BL Manga/Manhwa/Manhua Recommendations (2)

Hey! Now, I made part 2! I couldn't add images in the other post, so here I am!

Do you have any completed BL that you'd like to suggest? Please let me know!

Love Shuttle (90 chapters; Lezhin)

Plot (MAL): There’s a late bloomer, and then there’s a late bloomer. Do-Yun may be half Omega, but he certainly doesn’t look it: he’s tall, chiseled... But the worst of it all is that he’s a full-grown adult male who has yet to go into heat. He doesn’t see the problem, and everyone assumes he’s an Alpha, anyway. But when his body finally decides it’s “time,” it just happens to be at the most inopportune moment. He has no-one to turn to but his work rival, Tae-Han – but thankfully, Tae-Han is more than man enough to help him out.

Note: This is another cute omegaverse story! Take note, it's NSFW. I don't think I've read a non-NSFW omegaverse story, to be honest... Anyway! This one is pretty wholesome. I believe that Tae-Han and Do-Yun's relationship is very healthy. <3 The two of them are hella cute. Give it a try if you haven't!

Also, kindly note that I did not read what Side Story 2 is about. I've seen some snippets, and it made me not wanna read it. Lols.

Blood Link (135 chapters; Lezhin)

Plot (AP): A human, lycan, or a vampire - what am I?! Completely unaware of the existence of these predators, Hwa Gok goes about his everyday life… That is, until Lee Bin turns his life upside down by biting him on the neck, setting off a whirlwind of events neither of them could foresee.

Note: I absolutely loved this one! I think the story is sweet, and the art is amazing! Both Season 1 and Season 2 were such a blast to read! Please note that there are 2 couples, one for S1 and one for S2, and both seasons are very NSFW. ( ๑‾̀◡‾́)✨ Besides, who wouldn't want to read about vampires, lycans, and humans?! I believe you would most definitely enjoy reading about them. Do give it a read if you haven't yet! The endings are *chefs kiss*

Insecret (72 Chapters + 30 Side Story; Lezhin)

Plot (AP): The life of a K-pop star is a hard one, especially if you’re Choi Yuwon. Not only does he have to keep up with the grueling lifestyle of an idol, but he also needs to keep a vigilant eye on the troublemaker of INSECRET, Park Dojin. Dojin acts how he pleases, and Yuwon is the only person in the group who can keep him out of trouble. This arrangement seems to work just fine for the both of them, until one day, Dojin makes a fateful mistake…

Note: Okay, so, to be 100% honest, as much as I loved the story between Dojin and Yuwon, I am mostly recommending this for the second couple (the focus of the side stories). I mean, Dojin and Yuwon's story is cute, and they're adorbs (especially by the ending part!), but some parts of the beginning of their relationship were kinda problematic for me, you know? ANYWAY. I loved reading this one! Other than the interesting story (HALLO, it's a romance between two members of a boy band?!?! With a weird, sort of master/dog thing going on?!), the art is amazing! It's very NSFW though. //・ω・//). ┻┳|

I won't comment much on the side story because I might be spoiling you unintentionally, but please, take my word for it when I say reading their story is very interesting! I love the dynamic between the second couple. The progress in their relationship, in my opinion, is great. It seems very realistic to me, I guess. To be honest, I didn't even expect that they were the second couple lol. But maybe that's just me. HAHA.

Woof Wolf (55 Chapters + 6 Side Story; Lezhin)

Plot (AP): Min-woo and Jae-min have been eyeing one another across the classroom for ages, but so far they’ve only gotten hot and steamy together in their imaginations. Just as the sexual tension reaches a boiling point, Jae-min makes a shocking discovery: Min-woo is a werewolf! And this only excites him more! Will Min-woo be a good pup and make Jae-min howl in bed? The fangs and claws will surely come out this semester!

Note: This one is a really cute read! It's short, and the couple was sweet. The art is great, too! Plus! Green flags are waving for both Min-woo and Jae-min! I loved that there were no super huge misunderstandings between the two of them. I think their relationship was very mature.

And hello! WEREWOLVES! Who doesn't like them, amirite? It's NSFW, so please be warned. Ehe.

Living with Him (10.5 Chapters)

Plot (BM): Natsukawa Ryouta, a boy with a domestic disposition, is striving to make his college debut. At last, his dream of living alone has come true…!! …or so he'd thought, until it turns out he has to room with his childhood friend, Tanaka Kazuhito, a guy with a sparkling aura?! Their mutually self-conscious, mutual pining love between roommates begins!

Notes: This one is a really short, fluffy, cute read! I loved the relationship between Ryouta and Kazuhito. It's pretty straighforward, and there are no misunderstandings between the two of them. I remember loving how sweet and respectfully Kazuhito is. A total green flag top right there! Ryouta is very cute, too! Most definitely read this if you want something light-hearted and chill.

[sisterkosho]

General Headcanons | Ayume Nejireta

Credits: The art featured in the header I made for this was, like many of the things I've shared here, drawn by @hiikkups on instagram. So here's your daily reminder to check out my besto friendo. 💜 Also, aside from Rui, another one of my friends OCs, Juno, was briefly mentioned in here. So credit to my boy Flashlight for that.

Warnings: Manga spoilers in a few of the points, but they were either too funny or too relevant not to include. So sorry about that---

Notes: Am I ever gonna get around to Ayume's bio? Hopefully. But honestly, I just feel like messing around right now for whatever reason. Maybe I'm just lazy as all heck. But I figured that I'd at least give y'all this so you can learn a little bit more about her while I procrastinate attempt to work on her bio. Half of it is just memey stuff but hey. I'm having fun. So enjoy your uh... Soup? Or what ever you wanna call this---

This girl does NOT like Gojo.

She was honestly all for Juzo making him into a coatrack.

100% would shake around the Prison Realm hoping he'd get dizzy.

Probably yells insults at it too just in case he can hear.

The only one she can easily say she hates more than Gojo is Mahito.

Despite technically being on the same side, she can't stand him. But to be fair, who can?

She knows his name, but purposely gets it wrong out of spite. The most common names for him include Mahobo, Mojito, and Mahitoe. Amongst various other things.

She's threatened to feed him to Juno on multiple occasions and has at one point, tried to actually go through with it.

Unfortunately, the team "still needed" him.

Absolutely will not hesitate to bring up the fact that he lives in a sewer like the hobo he is.

She got to be the referee that one time they played ball with Jogo's head.

Ended up burying Mahito in the sand and then left him there with no remorse whatsoever.

Rui is her bestie, no questions asked.

Even if she does steal her food all the time but hey. Besties share.

Partners in crime. Literally.

Yuji and Sukuna who??

They rarely ever fight, but when they do, it's about guys.

Doesn't get what Rui sees in Gojo.

Like Geto is literally right there, c'mon now.

Supportive Girlfriend™

Actually kind of a simp.

Please excuse her. She just loves Geto a lot.

Literally cannot have arguments with him because all he needs to do is hug/kiss her and she forgets why she was mad.

He wins every time....

This only works with Geto though. With anyone else, she's as stubborn as they come.

She will fight for hours if you're not already knocked out from her kendama. Don't even bother please. It's not worth it.

She needs to be holding Geto's hand or at least have their pinkies locked at all times. This is not negotiable.

Forehead kisses are also mandatory for both of them.

Rui may or may not have tried to play wingman in the beginning.

Somehow, it worked.

A couple that commits war crimes together, stays together. 💜

She went through an extremely dark period after [REDACTED], and probably ended up clinging onto Kenjaku despite knowing he wasn't really Geto because poor girl was in denial and didn't know how else to cope.

"Girl, that's not your man."

"Close enough."

Obviously this is not healthy. She is not ok and is probably being manipulated someone help her please.

Best to focus on pre-volume 0 ending because everything after that point hurts me. Moving on--

She gets extremely pouty if you call her short.

Will kick you in the shin and watch as you fall to the ground as if to say 'You were saying?"

Geto puts her on his shoulders so she can look down on people and smug levels go through the roof.

She isn't even that short. But being surrounded by trees can do that to a person.

She falls asleep in very strange positions and has woken up upside down more times than she cares to admit.

Has definitely rolled out of bed on accident and spent the next 5 minutes staring at the celling and questioning her life decisions.

She's prone to falling asleep anywhere if she's comfortable enough.

Geto found her asleep behind the couch once.

How she got there is a mystery. But he learned to stop questioning it.

At this point she just sleeps out of boredom when she isn't feeling violent. Seems to be a habit she picked up from Rui.

She's extra as all heck, at all times. Queen of dramatic entrances.

Whether that's the flashy kind or the breaking down the door kind depends on the day.

She actually has a very pleasant singing voice, although only a few people know about it.

It's not something she intentionally keeps a secret, she just hasn't gotten a chance to show off yet.

Used to sing lullabies to Mimiko and Nanako when they were younger.

Rui ended up falling asleep too. Whoops.

It's either soft or arson with her honestly.

No in between.

Need I say more?