#the pluto and mercury influences are everywhere 😂

[helianthus-tarot]

What authors or book titles have you enjoyed in the past, and why? Asking this before I suggest any book recs in case they turn out horrible for you, lol. 😅

Hi anon! Thanks for asking, I love to talk about this 😁. I usually read published non-fiction, and fanfiction, but I'm open to reading more published fiction this year.

Non-fiction

I enjoy books about the brain or the mind, and humankind. I also like skills and productivity books (personal management and goal achievement related skills). A plus point if they mention scientific research and are written by experts on the human brain (neuroscientist, psychologist, etc) but not necessary. I like learning about humans, self-mastery and brain hacks, hence why.

Two titles that immediately came to my mind when I saw your ask were Brainblocks: Overcoming the 7 Hidden Barriers to Success by Dr. Theo Tsaousides, and Mastery by Robert Greene. Try them if you like brain hacks and self-mastery!

Fiction

I can enjoy any genres but I gravitate towards survival related themes. Manipulation, survival games, politics, challenges, war or insurgence, espionage, wit and cunning. I like stories that show human flaws and struggles, mystery or investigation, ambition, quid pro quo interactions. Definitely the dystopian genre.

In romance I like enemies to lovers, or some kind of tragic romance but preferably with a happy ending (I know it's a tragedy but I can dream lol). It doesn't always have to be serious tho, it could be a romcom but with some funny office politics.

A lot of people hate The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins but I love it. Coriolanus was a selfish prick, concerned about his survival/success, always thought about what he could gain from his interactions with people and pretended to be kinder than he actually was. His family fell from grace due to a war and he had to live in poverty while trying to pretend he didn't.

I also remember liking the manga We Were There by Obata Yuuki so much when I was a teen. It was about a high school girl who got into a relationship with this one popular boy, she had the same nickname "Nana" as his ex-girlfriend who died in a car crash. The story was lighter compared to most themes I mentioned above since it's shoujo, but it showed human flaws and there were suicide, subtle manipulation, money struggles and whatnot.

Limits

I don't read graphic description of SA and SA that involves the main characters. I've made exceptions before but it's case by case basis.

In romance, I don't like stories where the main female character dilly-dallies between two male characters, or change male interest suddenly in the second book.

For the time being, I don't prefer comics or manga, solely because I read on kindle now, it's a bit difficult to do it.

What to recommend

Don't worry about finding specific things that match my preference above, I'm also trying to expand my library, so feel free to suggest anything that fits my challenge boxes here as long as it doesn't contain my limits. If you wanted to suggest any, I would appreciate it if you could also let me know which challenge it fits and/or a brief summary about what you like about it!

Thank you for wanting to give suggestions! ❤️

[lunaa007]

Astrology observations #3

These are my personal observations and should be taken in the context of the whole chart, never isolated 😊

Some of this is 18+, no minors allowed

♦️Mars-Uranus aspects can indicate a liking for risky activities and extreme sports, like motorcycling or base jumping. They can even like to put themselves in danger as they need the adrenaline. Routine is super boring for them, they need to try new things very often. They should be careful to release this nervous energy with sports, work they're passionate about or things like that or it can backfire. This aspect can be tempered down with Saturn aspects or a lot of earth energy in the chart.

♦️Venus square mars aspect: can often be mean to the person they like, classic "if he pulled your hair it's because he likes you" stuff. Can be very passionate, might have difficulty to separate feelings from lust. They might have talent for artistic sports like dancing or ice skating. For women, they might like a more sporty fashion style.

♦️Sun-saturn aspects: especially for harsh ones, this can really change the expression of the sun sign. I know someone with sun and several planets in Leo, but they are all square to Saturn and you could never tell she's a Leo; she is very reserved, shy and restrained in life. But as with all Saturn aspects this can change with age, the personality coming through more and more while keeping an amazing sense of discipline, wisdom and grounding.

♦️Moon-uranus aspects: with harsh aspects (conjunction, square, opposition), the mother might have been emotionally cold during the childhood, and she might have been a bit erratic and unpredictable. This could have showed up as frequently moving places, or having a mother considered weird or crazy by society. With soft aspects like trine or sextile this could show up as an untraditional family, maybe having two fathers or two mothers, or parents very into technology, but this was not hard on the person and it helped them develop their individuality and independence.

♦️Taurus mercury: these people can learn much slower than other people (this does not mean they are not as intelligent, their rhythm is just different). At school they might have felt behind their schoolmates or felt like they didn't have enough time to finish their exams/homework. It is important that they don't feel bad about this and take the time they need to do their work. This might be less strong with Uranus influence on mercury. ♦️ Aquarius moon natals and their need to always read and watch self-development content without ever actually feeling their feelings 🙃

♦️ Venus conjunct moon: these people are so kind, they have such a big heart and do not wish harm on anyone, please stay mindful of who has access to you as many people might want to be in contact with this energy but sometimes also energy vampires.

♦️ Mercury conjunct/square pluto and their dark humor! I have this in my chart and one of my colleagues actually said to me three days after she started: "your jokes can be really dark sometimes" 😂 it gets worse when I'm tired as I don't filter my jokes so much before saying them. These aspects might also think a lot about death and dark themes, they can be the type to think "what happens if I die tomorrow", or "I could die if I do this" but not in a worried way, just thinking rationally about what is possible.

♦️ Leo mars women and their secret backup plan of becoming a stripper or an exotic dancer 💃 these women often have a talent for dancing, and performing can make them feel desired and confident.

♦️ Aries moon/mars placements and their road rage! Both my parents have these placements and my god the number of stressful rides to school I had when I was a child 😂 this can also apply to the other fire mars.

♦️ Lilith conjunct ascendant: these people often provoke reactions everywhere they go, they rarely go unnoticed whether it is positive reactions or negative. The women with this aspect might get sexualised a lot, and the men with this aspect might attract animosity from other men. ♦️ Sun-jupiter and moon-jupiter aspects: they might always see the bright side of things, "it will get better", "this is temporary", seeing the glass half-full. A lot of optimism, faith in a higher meaning, maybe too optimistic sometimes and too trusting that things will unfold in the right way.

♦️Mars square pluto women often attract creepy men on the street, interactions with aggressive men might be unfortunately common. It is important to not repress their anger and channel their power in something like martial arts.

♦️Gemini moon/IC: they might love to talk with their loved ones at home, a lot of communication and learning in their private life. If they live alone they might be a lot on the phone or always have music or tv or radio on.

♦️Mercury square saturn: they might doubt their intellectual abilities when young, their learning style might not fit the classic school system. It is important that they are encouraged by their family, and with time they will gain confidence and master the learning techniques that fit them best.

♦️Mars in virgo might care too much about pleasing their partner in bed and have a hard time receiving pleasure without giving anything. They might also feel self-conscious if they do not feel "clean" like not fresh out of the shower. It is important for them to practice letting go of their thoughts and doubts and be present in their body. They deserve pleasure as much as everybody else!

♦️ Jupiter in the 2nd house might have a very good self-esteem, if the moon and venus are not too afflicted. And if it is the case it helps the native deal with the harder aspects.

♦️ That's why it is so dangerous to interpret an  aspect in isolation of the rest of the chart, a challenging aspect might be very beneficial in a chart and less in another one. For instance moon conjunct saturn might be more challenging for a Capricorn moon which is already quite controled and closed off, but in the sign of Aries it might help the native tame their impulsivity and control better their emotions. 

♦️ Or moon square Uranus might be beneficial for a Capricorn moon or a Taurus moon as it might help them break out of their routine and become more adaptable and flexible to change.

Thank you for reading!

@lunaa007