#this was a fun list to put together i should reread some of these

[professor-doc-emeritus]

so I know after watchmen came out there was then a massive slew of other "deconstructions" or "genre critical" comics or just plain edgy stuff. i know you generally prefer the more optimist played straight stuff, but is there anything of that sort of thing that you really like?

There's a couple of directions you can go with this ask, so I'll give you an answer for each

if you're just looking for my personal favorite meta take on superheroes, you wanna check out flex mentallo

a fictional superhero imagined by a dying kid brought to life, this mini series by Morrison follows Flex's quest to solve the mystery of the death of his fellow fictional superhero The Fact. Morrison is one of the greatest comics writer alive, and this is their definitive statement on the genre, a deep and intimate look at how the platonic superheros of your childhood deal with a world of death, sex, and suicide. Dark, funny, meta, and mercifully short, if you read nothing else I recommend you read this. You'll finish it in an hour and think about it for the rest of your life.

If you want something less so meta and more so just a really well written and gritty 80s comic, check out denny o'neil and deny's cowan's run on The Question

This run follows the physical, psychological, and spiritual journey of journalist and vigilante Vic Sage as he struggles to bring justice to the deeply corrupt Hub City. It features a much more zen and spiritual take on the classic ditko character, and has a lot of great appearances from some underappreciated members of DC's stable. This run in particular is a must read for fans of Watchmen imo. It features the character that inspired Rorsarch, and actually has a few tongue in cheek references to him during the run. More than anything though, you should read it because it understands something most of Watchmen's successors didn't: Watchmen wasn't great because it was dark and gritty, it was great because it was a smartly written story with something interesting to say, and so is this run. If you've got some pocket change to spare, pick up the omnibuses that released last year. They published the absolutely essential letters columns that most digital uploads of the run neglect, wherein denny hosts a mini book club about the literature that inspired the run.

If you want a meta superhero story that's actually about watchmen, check out 2019's Peter Cannon Thunderbolt

Peter Cannon was a Charelston character that never really found a home. A medical man and captain of industry imbued with ancient tribal knowledge that gives him the powers of the supernatural, he served as the inspiration for Ozymandias. This story is explicitly and unsubtly addressing and rebuking Watchmen: the core conceit of the story is the original peter cannon confronting a universe-hopping ozymandias (for legal reasons her another Peter Cannon) constantly re-enacting his final plan from Watchmen on different universes until it works. Though not as much a visual force compared to the others on this list, what it lacks in raw technical skill it more than makes up for in creativity and enthusiasm. In order to rebuke a work you have to understand it, and ironically this explicit refutation of Watchmen still understands and respects it better than most of it's direct heirs by being about something. Though at times a bit too meta for it's own good, if you care about comics this is one you absolutely have to read

If you just want to kick back and watch Alan Moore twist the nipples off the genre in another work, I highly recommend checking out his work on superman

everyone and their mom has read, or at least been recommended, For the Man Who Has Everything and Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?, but not as many people know about Moore's third (and my personal favorite) outing with the man of steel: DC Comics Presents #85. A short team up (in the loosest sense of the word) between Superman and Swamp Thing, this story more than any other strips away the layers of myth and baggage around superman and exposes the raw psychological core beneath it. Very short, very simple, and probably not as good as his mircaleman run, but i have the benefit of having read this one so I can actually vouch for it's quality.

Finally, as you mentioned earlier, I tend to like reading more straightforward and optimistic stuff, especially when it comes to my capeshit. While some of the stories I've recommended here get quite dark, nothing really reaches the point of being 'edgy.' I haven't read, and thus can't recommend, the primo edgy content such as Preacher or The Authority (though I've heard good things!). But there is one mindlessly dark and edgy comic that I just can't help loving to death: the ever classic Marvel zombies

A beautiful example of a story that is exactly what it says on the tin: The marvel universe overrun by zombies. The only really original part of its take on the zombies is also the thing that makes it so much damn fun: they're all still intelligent, and basically themselves from before they turned, just with an insatiable and uncontrollable hunger for flesh. Gorey art, pitch black humor, and a lot of genuinely interesting and compelling story arcs you really couldn't do anywhere else, there's been about a trillion followups to it but I still love the original the best. It's not smart, it's not meta, it's not even a particularly good zombie apocalypse story, but it's fun, dammit, and that's a fair bit more than what most of the drivel that passes for good literature these days can say. best read when you're 12 years old and up way past your bedtime

[enidtendo64]

I just finished Wednesday today and I'm full on the wenclair ship!!!! so I'm glad to have seen your art just as I'm done lmao. if you read wenclair fics do you have any recommendations?

OOOOH Okay nice nice!!!

I'm so sorry this is so late but I hope you still want some recs, bc I def got some for you! I tried to keep these pretty succinct and not too many bc a lot of these are pretty long reads but these are some of my fav Wenclair fics to read and reread! I made sure to put different types/genres of fics in here too so there's a diverse list of flavors on here! Most will be complete but I'll throw in some WIPs i've been keeping an eye on!

If We Make It Through December by overnights: If you love FLUFF and Enid interacting with the Addams Fam! A wenclair STAPLE tbh, fake dating, Enid being invited to the Addams Mansion, and CHRISTMAS fic all in one! The dynamics between the Addams and Enid are always sweet, and Wednesday and Enid just teeter on that close friendship to oh, maybe it's love??? thing and it's so sweet to see. It's just very lovely and wholesome! A great execution of that 'fake dating but oops you were in love all along haha' trope!

Magus et Lupus by wigglewyrms: Ok like I had to rep one of my pals in here but in my defense this is genuinely so good and one of my favorite wenclair fics before we even became friends! It's a fun fantasy Wenclair with dialogue that's just so fun and snappy and witty! You're gonna have fun reading their conversations and then you're gonna get caught up into the world and the story! The plot is very fun and the end is a very fun payoff! I think I might have overused the word fun a lot for this fic but like that's just what this fic is--It's entertaining, it's engaging, and it makes you feel like you're having fun reading wanting to know what's next or what's this person gonna say or etc. It's a fic you read and you feel good! 100% Recommend! I even drew art for it if you're interested (which I should honestly repost on here soon)

I'd recommend their other stuff too-- Stubborn, Single Minded, and Obsessive is great if you like the slasher horror genre with a dash of Addams Family Values Lore, and their most recent one that's a WIP, When The Moon Shines Red is a very fun fic focused on Enid's werewolfisms but dangerous, with a very sweet friendship to relationship evolution between Enid and Wednesday!

i know the end by thriftedstars: If you're an angst lover like I am, you're gonna LOOOOVE this! A sort of groundhog's day type of fic, it focuses on the day of the last episode of the first season--Enid, Wednesday, Tyler, Crackstone, all that entails in that night. It's a really fun read just to know what happens next and how Enid gets out of the situation but also to see the girls' relationship grow in this terrible situation. Lots of emotion! Listen sometimes you just need the hurt for the ending to be sweeter! Recommend wholeheartedly!

curtain call by hanjisgirlfriend: on the complete opposite side of the last fic, Curtain Call is an enemies to friends to lovers Wenclair that does an amazing job of capturing that kind of high school love story kind of vibe but like also a dash of youthful nostalgia. It gives me the same vibe of like, if I was listening to the Kids album by Mac Miller--They're kids and they're friends and they're growing up and they're growing up together. I HIGHLY recommend as well, like it genuinely makes my heart lighter thinking about how sweet this is.

raven in the den, wolf in the nest by Barbara_Lazuli: So you might be familiar with the author's name--Artist, Comic maker, Writer, literally what CAN'T she do!!! This fic is another fake dating fic but a different flavor from the first one! This one really dives into both Enid and Wednesday's relationships with their mothers, as well as the building feelings they already have for each other. Their bond in this fic is nothing short of sweet and heartwarming, and I genuinely think this is one of the best fics in the tag! Just got so much substance! Also all the Addams family media references and the Loona refs-- like Barb if you read this you're a champ for making Wednesday play Sonatine and also listen to Hula Hoop and just for making this in general????? Seriously how are you so talented bro

queen of the night by heyfools: Look, a flower shop AU hits okay? And this? THIS HITS. Wednesday is an owner of a flower shop, Enid needs a job, and we know where this is going. But man the way you get to know both characters a little more--their histories, traumas, likes and dislikes and their personalities beyond "appropriately polite cowoke" (well, polite for Enid, not so much Wednesday at first) it's soooooo good! You have a journey along with the characters and you really get invested in their relationship! A great read, especially if you wanna read something like in the afternoon light with a nice lemonade maybe, or like just a very relaxing fun read!

Forged in Blood by RiseAboveTheAshes_203: Okay so this one is a HEAVY HITTER! We're getting into the big bois! It's a 100k fic about Wednesday and Enid basically dealing with the consequences of Enid becoming a blood wolf-- and bro you are seated, belted, strapped into the ride every step because PHEWWWW what a RIDE! It has really interesting lore building upon werewolf society in the show and also witchery and magic from the Addams family. And all of that is great and amazing but the real star of this is just Wednesday and Enid being Wednesday and Enid--they are DEVOTED to each other! Even if they don't quite understand the full means of it yet, and if it gets them in trouble sometimes. It's amazing to see their relationship grow and them understand what they truly mean to one another and it's a captivating love story that also happens to have fun world building for the show and amazing moments that just leave you so tense to know what happens next! I was so tuned in when this was still a WIP I remember refreshing the tag every lunch time for a while for a chapter I was HOOKED, and I'm sure you will be too!

A Kidnapping By Any Other Name by Ravenmoon33: So bear with me this is gonna be a long one; Ok! So this is the other WIP I've put in here (aside from When The Moon Shines Red) and let me tell you--this fic changed my life fr. Some TLDR lore about it tho--the version I linked above there is a revised version! They have an old version they still have up on their account and honestly I also HIGHLY recommend that version too bc it had me in bed giggling kicking my feet like ROMANCE. ROMANCE WAS MADE in these ao3 walls!!! (The flower scene???? No spoilers if you know you know but OOOOOOOOGGHHHH I would not shut up about it for WEEKS Im so sorry to my friends and my poor gf) but I also highly recommend the new version as well! If you've read the first version and are keeping up with the new version, the new things are also so good and you can tell the author is so locked in and excited with what they've added and what they've changed, I honestly recommend both;

So onto what it's actually about-- Enid is "kidnapped" by Wednesday and is "forced" to stay at her best friend's mansion for the summer. And you know what happens? LORE. So much worldbuilding on Addams family lore like it's AMAZING!!! You read about new characters the family past and what it means for Wednesday and Enid, and if that's not enough, there's also the MYSTERY aspect too because Weds and Enid will have to deep dive into that lore to figure out a problem in the present and it's so much FUN to like try to figure out how things go together! I love that aspect of both the versions so much that it's only rivaled by my immense love of how everyone's relationships are written! Enid's relationships with the other members of the Addams fam, especially Morticia, is so healing and heartwarming, and we see Wednesday's different dynamics with her family and how Enid affects her and helps her grow and you see those relationships with her family members grow because of it! And of course, the obvious, Wednesday and Enid basically having a love story for the ages cause JESUS, this is ROMANCE. Wednesday BIG FUCKING ROMANTIC Addams!!! It's amazing omg I wanna say more but I also don't bc I don't wanna spoil but I absolutely cannot rec it enough, even if it stays unfinished it will still be genuinely one of the best wenclair fics for me.

Tumultuous Waters: Wednesday Season Two by KrackenoftheDeep: So we're here at the last one. I didn't really list these fics out in specific order but I did save this specific one for last bc I genuinely think this is my favorite Wednesday fic. This is like a full ass season 2! It's a telling of how season 2 could happen, continuing from season 1 and picking up the ball the first season threw with stuff about the Morning Song cult, a deeper dive of Crackstone and Goody, more worldbuilding about the outcasts and the school, and best of all-- THE Wednesday and Enid dynamic that to me would be so fucking ideal for season 2 if Timothy Burton wasn't a COWARRD!!! /j /maybe

The growth Enid and Wednesday have in this fic, along with the exploration of the other characters, more investigations not just by Wednesday but also the other nightshade members helping and getting involved as well! You really get to feel so many things for these characters, and all of that pays off in one of the most satisfying endings for me in a fic like the author really fucking knocked this out of the park I felt like giving a standing ovation!

I genuinely don't think the Wednesday writers could like, live up to this. At least for me, it's that good. This is everything I've ever wanted for a Wednesday s2 honestly and I honestly, HONESTLY could not recommend this enough.

And after you read this, you can follow along the author's sequel to this fic, The Infinite Black Sea: Wednesday Season 3. Again, also highly recommend! A new mystery afoot!!!

I'm so sorry I didn't expect this to get super long but sometimes you just gotta give tens where tens are deserved!!! There are so many more great wenclair fics out there that deserve a reading and loving, like I know the tag can look a little scary sometimes but seriously there's some great gems there underneath all the scary stuff lol

These are just some of my personal favs, and honestly thank you to all the authors here yall are doing God's work fr!!!

[ofliterarynature]

SEPTEMBER 2024 WRAP UP

[loved liked ok nope dnf reread* (book club)]

Bryony & Roses • The Paragon Hotel • The Invisible Library • (The Magic Fish) • The Gathering • Paladin of Souls • Mislaid in Parts Half-Known • Red White & Royal Blue* • North Woods • The Empty Grave* • Barda • Lost in the Moment & Found • The Creeping Shadow* • The Spellshop • Lalani of the Distant Sea

* * * * *

Lockwood & Co - not much to say, but it was fun revisiting an old favorite! It's becoming clearer with age and rereads that there are things about this series that I don't like, but the things I like definitely outweigh them - the way it does ghosts and uses a casebook structure among them! Would highly recommend if you're looking for something a bit spooky and mysterious.

Lost in the Moment and Found - this book was very hard to get into, because as it warns you, the opening involves a child experiencing grooming and gaslighting from an adult, and it is tense. Oof. But that said, between this and Mislaid in Parts Half-Known, I think Antsy's story and the Shop Where the Lost Things Go might be my favorite place and narrative arc we've seen yet.

Barda - I was obsessed with Ngozi's Check Please! for a number of years, and I think she's a very funny person in general! I read this on the strength of that alone despite no previous knowledge of the DC characters involved. I do honestly think this needed to be twice as long to get the depth of story necessary for an outsider, but dang did she pack the emotions in! I can fully see why she's obsessed with these characters, even if I don't feel like I have enough info to get into it myself.

North Woods - honest to god I'm so glad I picked up a copy of this at the library book sale, because I don't know if OR when I might have gotten to it otherwise. I don't really have the words, but it's one of those slow, literary, speculative, books that you have to work to put together that I love to listen to on audiobook and just marinate in for a few days. I would highly recommend to fans of Emily St John Mandel.

Red White & Royal Blue - I'll be honest, I somehow found myself on a FirstPrince fanfic binge and eventually hit a point where I thought to myself, you know, I've only read the book once, maybe I should go check that out again. It was fun! Remarkably similar in tone to the fanfic, so keep up the good work yall ;D

Paladin of Souls - Y'all. I'm so mad it took me this long to get to this after Curse of Chalion. I've seen this recommended so many times independent of the first book and they were so right, I loved it. Character-driven fantasy, great world building, a middle-aged female character who's on a journey of self-discovery and also so done with everyone's shit (including the gods, lol).

The Gathering - a murder investigation in Alaska with vampires *sounds* cool, but... the vampires are people, they're sentient, they have a culture, but they're also deeply hated and treated like predatory animals and are designated a protected species? It's trying to say something, but I'm not sure it works. Definitely taught me that I don't like crime novels or thrillers, but some bonus points for being unexpectedly queer.

The Magic Fish - I've see this around, but tumblr finally convinced me that I needed to read it and I got it onto the book club list. It was completely not what I was expecting, it was so much better! The description really led me to think it would be a lot more YA-ish and be about the son, but his mom is just as important to the story! It's got fairy tales, it's got complexity, the art was incredibly beautiful, ah!!! I'll be needing to get my own copy so I can read it again and think about it some more.

The Invisible Library - tumblr apparently finds this book very divisive, and both times I've asked about it there's been a 50/50 split on whether people liked or hated it lol. SO I went in with very low expectations, and I thought it was fun! It's not a great work of fantasy, I will give you that, but I do enjoy a tropey alt/historical fantasy adventure on occasion, and this filled that niche pretty well. It also didn't lean into a romance plot like I was afraid it would, and as long as it continues to do so (or at least handles it well), I think I could have fun with the rest of this series.

The Paragon Hotel - this is somehow my third Lydsay Faye, and while I don't think I've particularly loved any of them, she can really write a very solid book! A good read, with queer identities playing an unexpectedly major part in the plot!

Bryony & Roses - I have so far epically failed in my goal this year to read more of T Kingfisher's fantasy backlist, but I saw this on hoopla and thought I could fit it in. A very good time as always!

DNF

The Spellshop (16%) - I've read the author's YA in the past and (mostly) liked it at the time, and have been meaning to read her previous adult book for ages. Unfortunately, I've been having terrible luck with anything recent being marketed as cozy fantasy. I put 2 hours into this on audiobook and my initial impression of the story was earnestly quirky, charming, and anxious. Perhaps better than L&L, but I wasn't feeling much more than a vague interest and decided to cut my losses before my feelings entirely soured.

Lalani of the Distant Sea (10%) - this book sounds really cool (yes I did love Moana), the mythology and worldbuilding in the bit I read was interesting, but it is very much written for a younger reader. If I had any in my life currently I would be happy to give this to them! Just not the right pick for me right now.

[dizaryswrites]

I have a confession to make!

I don’t know how obvious it is, but I actually haven’t read any comics 😅 I know, I know haha, it’s just I haven’t had the time! Luckily, I mostly follow blogs that I know are comic readers so I know what’s fanon and canon mostly. But since I will have free time in the summer, I was wondering if you have any recommendations on what to read and where to start?

Oh man I WISH I could be one of those blogs who snaps out the long scroll that just rolls down the hallway with a concise cross referenced list of top hits from every era and where to start with each character! But I am a book hoarder with not enough time on my hands so I haven't even read half of what I have, let alone all the back issues 😅

Here's some stuff that I really enjoyed as a new-to-comics-and-DC reader and in general (in mostly chronological order because that's how I arrange my comic books):

Batman: Dark Victory

I really enjoyed the mystery and early Batman days, plus Dick Grayson's debut! He is a delight. I didn't read Long Halloween which comes before this so I missed some context but I picked it up easy enough (also according to some reviews the mystery can be repetitive if you have read Long Halloween sooo win for me ig?)

Robin: Year One

I am determined to read this one soon. I've heard great things about it though so it's being added

Batman: Prodigal

I read this without reading a single page of Knightfall because I was getting interested in Nightwing and this was the earliest book that my library had available (I have given up on a chronological reading order since those early foolish days). I knew nothing and still really enjoyed Dick!Bats and Robin!Tim together. I need to reread this soon

Formerly Known as the Justice League

A limited run, 6 issues I think. Honestly I should just say Justice League International in general but I started with this mini for Booster Gold and Blue Beetle after seeing some funny panels online and I fell in love with that whole cast of losers (affectionate). It's not BatFam but so so fun to read (and JLI has some really poignant moments too)

Young Justice: A League of Their Own

SO FUN. Tim and friends dealing with just ridiculous scenarios LOL I'm only halfway through but it's great

Batman: Hush

I haven't read a lot of just Batman titles but I enjoyed Hush. It had some good character moments for Bruce that helped me understand the way he thinks a little more. I also hear Bruce Wayne: Murder/Fugitive is very very good but I haven't gotten around to it yet (a running theme)

Batgirl: Point Blank

Cass is a treat. This was the first volume I found of her's, haven't read the others yet, but even lacking context I really enjoyed her as the main character and her interactions with Steph, Babs, and Bruce.

Teen Titans (Geoff Johns)

This was one of the first series I started reading and it was a good intro for me, a completely new DC fan. It's Tim and his friends but more serious than YJ. I've read vol 1-2 and part of 3

Under The Red Hood

Classic for good reason. I haven't finished it yet (teehee) but the first half has been entertaining. Jason has had some um... interesting writing in his time. But I really enjoy the way he's written here. It's a good baseline imo. I've heard Lost Days is also good

Nightwing (Tomasi run)

I love Tomasi and this run was a lot of fun. Dick is funny while not losing his serious, capable edge, he interacts with people in his circles, and has some interesting introspection moments. There's a weird part of the plot about midway that definitely uses bad Asian stereotypes which is so disappointing. But after that it gets normal again 😅

Batman & Robin

This comes right after Tomasi's run and it's a mixed bag for me. It's definitely interesting seeing Dick and Damian learning to work together but I was still new to DC with little context for things and was also *so* put off by the art style that I don't remember it well. But I thought I'd add it anyway since it's an iconic moment for Dick!Bats

Batman and Robin (Tomasi)

I adore Bruce and Damian struggling together to discover what being father and son looks like for them. I adore Damian having growth. That's volumes 1-3. 4 is post Damian's death (and damn issue 1 is a well written look at grief), I haven't read 5 or beyond yet.

Nightwing (Rebirth)

The first Nightwing title I read. Looking back, the characterization is a bit weak in some areas, doesn't quite match how he's written in older runs, but it had good moments and kept me entertained. Especially!!! In vol 3 with Humphries's Judge arc

For more current runs, I'm really enjoying World's Finest. Waid's writing is good and Mora's art is just *cartoon heart eyes*. Bats, Supes, and teenage Dick Grayson are a fun trio. Amid other runs that had me tearing my hair out in disappointment or frustration, WF is a breath of fresh air.

Titans United: Bloodpact is a 6 issue limited that was also a really nice read. It's Dick's Titans but Tim is there too and I enjoyed everyone's writing.

The Human Target (Tom King) but honestly I was just losing my mind over Greg Smallwood's art and paneling the entire time. A masterpiece. I want to frame every page. I cheered when he posted inspiration threads on Twitter.

Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen

It's not Batfam but hear me out!!!! This comic had some of the sweetest moments between Supes and Jimmy and I wanted to grab literally anybody by the shoulders and shake them until they looked at the Lois, Clark, & Jimmy in the helicopter panel and GOT IT!!! Also it is so delightfully wacky and funny, I was genuinely laughing out loud. Steve's Lieber's art is the perfect pairing with Matt Fraction's writing.

AND SPEAKING OF!

This isn't DC at all but it's the series that made me (and so many others) really love comics and their storytelling potential. Matt Fraction's Hawkeye run, volumes 1-4. Between his writing and David Aja's artwork and color theory (and Steve Lieber's guest issue that literally gut punched me and changed how I saw later parts of the story, it was never just a filler issue to me, Steve) you get a great story that says so much with so little (in the best way) and is a visual treat as well. Chef's kiss.

Some other non-DC comics I really enjoyed are Die (imagine Jumanji but D&D and novels and oh look the consequence of your actions has grown up), Something is Killing the Children Vol. 1 (I am not a horror girly but I really enjoyed this, in no small part because of Dell'edera's art), Eight Billion Genies (the world population hits 8 billion and now everyone gets a genie, what could go possibly wrong), and Paper Girls which I'm about 2/3 through (picture stranger things but with time travel, spaceships?, and oh shit is future me lying??)

Damn, I guess I really did have a scroll's worth. 😭 Anyway, my recommendation for where to start with this list is...what does your library have available? Don't forget about the Hoopla app too, that's where I read some of these digitally. Or the used bookstore which is where I got 90% of my comics from.

But seriously! Just pick whatever sounds the most fun or has the character(s) you're the most interested in and go from there. Skip around on the timeline or go in chronological order. Whatever floats your boat! I think that's the really unique thing about comics. Plus if you can't figure out the context of what you're missing or what is happening simultaneously (because writers & editorial used to care a little more) you can do a quick google or (and I wish I had this with Batgirl) @cephalog0d has a pinned timeline master list. Incredible.

[sailingshellsgames]

The demo update is live! 🥳

You can play it here! :D I hope you enjoy!

This update includes some additions and changes to earlier chapters (most notably, Adaan is now a little less rude in chapter 1 😂). I’ve put together a list below of everything the update includes 🙂

I’ll be taking my usual weekend-after-a-demo-launch break this weekend but I’ll still be posting, so you can keep an eye out for some fun facts about chapter 7, if you like, including a guide on how to get which scenes ^_^ (Also, my apologies for this update being a little late in the day - I had some trouble getting dashingdon to work, but it should be all good to go now!)

And as always thank you so much for following this blog, and for the encouragement as I write!! 💛 

Additions and changes in this update:

Chapter 7: ~26,307 words (first half). For comparison, chapter 3 is ~15,982 words.

Chapter 1 choice to choose MC’s hair style and color, including the option for players to write their own custom style/color.

Chapter 1: Generally toned Adaan down a little in chapter 1. I reread it and realized I’d made him meaner than I envisioned him 😂 Ah, well. That’s what a demo is for, right? Being a non-final draft? Hopefully? xD

Chapter 4: New scene where MC speaks with either Viara or Tiane

Chapter 4: Option to have the Little Wish take the form of MC's sibling (sibling gender selectable by player)

And whole lot of behind-the-scenes work to consolidate code and make nice subroutines that no one but me will ever see but I worked hard on so I still wanna mention here xD

[thekidthesuperkid]

Lois Lane reading recs?👀

Sorry it took me a while to respond, I had to go back and skim read some of these comics to be sure I was remembering them right and some of them i ended up rereading for real lol. I am going to preface this by saying I'm still working my way through the Superman ongoings so that's a blind spot in my knowledge of any of the characters there. That being said, here is my list, ordered vaguely in order of relevance...

Lois Lane Vol. 2 (2019) - I literally cannot emphasize this one enough, it's so good. If you only ever read one thing about Lois please read this. You might need a basic understanding of the Rebirth timeline changes to follow some of what goes on in this series, but to get that you just need to read the wikis, ask someone for a summary, or go read The Final Days of Superman and Superman: Reborn and maybe Convergence Superman too. This series is twelve issues long which is an easy length but not too short, it's written by Greg Rucka who's a pretty good writer in my opinion, and it's just such an engaging story overall. It features Lois investigating corruption, a team-up with Renee Montoya aka the Question, a discussion of the ramifications of timeline changes, Perry despairing at Lois' typos, gay flirting, and Clark dropping in every so often to be adorably married. Also Rucka so clearly likes and respects Lois as a character and it comes through in the story. I almost want to call this series a love letter to Lois Lane.

Action Comics #1, 2 - the first ever story about Superman and Lois Lane. Every comic since then has been built off this one.

Action Comics #6, Superman (1939) #29, 33, 34 - these are some classic Golden Age Lois Lane stories. They're all collected in the Lois Lane: A Celeblation Of 75 Years volume and that's where I read them. These stories are all really fun to read, they show the original characterization of Lois: headstrong, stubborn, determined to prove herself, and very intelligent. They tend to follow a similar format to each other where her male coworkers heckle her or make fun of her or attempt to sideline her and she goes out and proves them all wrong. That 75th anniversary collection has some other good stories too.

The Death of Superman, Funeral For A Friend, Reign Of The Supermen, Return of Superman - the Death of Superman stories may not be primarily focused on Lois, but they were a huge event for Superman comics as a whole and therefore are important to Lois too. She has an important role here, she does in most Superman comics, but this one brings a big change in her life so it's good to read this. It's super easy to find reading lists for these, it'll come up as soon as you google it, but I can absolutely put one together for you if you need it.

Superman (1987) #50, Action Comics #662, 720, and Superman and Lois Lane: The 25th Wedding Anniversary - the first three are the issues where Lois and Clark get engaged, Clark tells Lois his identity, and Lois breaks off the engagement, respectively. The last is the collection of the five issues where they get engaged again, get married, then go on their honeymoon. I unfortunately don't have a more detailed list about that era but hopefully I will soon.

The Chris Kent comics - these are pretty good for Lois, they feature a full character arc for Lois about her decision on whether or not to adopt Chris. Lois and Clark have a whole dilemma on whether they should become parents, so its an important story arc both for their relationship and for their personal feelings towards family and parenthood. It's also just really sweet because Chris is literally the sweetest kid ever. This is a link to a post that has the list of comics:

New Krypton era - if you can, I definitely recommend you read this, because several parts of it are important for Lois. I can't give you a detailed list on this because I read it like two years ago all at once so there's a bunch I don't remember and it's a huge storyline so laying out the reading order is going to take more time than I have right now, but I know there are New Krypton reading lists out there, and I'm going to try to make a list myself sometime in the near future. The post I linked in the previous paragraph also has a link to a post that lists Chris Kent's stories in that era. Chris' stories have Lois show up sometimes and have important further exposition on their relationship. And in addition to that, there are also parts of New Krypton where Lois' father is involved, one issue where he dies, and a few parts where her sister is involved as well. It's a pretty big and important era for the whole Superfamily.

Wonder Woman (1983) #170 - Lois spends the day with Diana to write an article about her. It's great because it establishes a connection between Lois and Diana. It's really interesting because it's examining Diana's character through the perspective of an outsider, and filtering everything Lois learns about Diana through the lens of Lois' biases and preconceptions. Lois' reflections on Diana end up being a reflection of herself as well as being about Diana. Also I just really like Lois and Diana being friends.

Mysteries of Love in Space #1 - possibly my favourite Clois comic of all time. Literally amazing, no notes.

Lois Lane Vol. 1 (1986) - this is one of those comics where the writer decides to talk about a social issue they're thinking about and uses comic characters to do it. In this case it's about children being kidnapped and trafficked, and it follows Lois trying to write a story about the issue. It's honestly not very important in terms of getting to know Lois, and I don't even know if it's part of main continuity, but it's nice to have a story that focuses exclusively on Lois doing her work.

Superman (1987) #88 - a story where Lois gets very angry about the mistreatment of Bizarro by Luthor and Lexcorp. Idk I read this a couple days ago and enjoyed it so I wanted to put it in. Its not really important but if you want to read the full story arc it's titled Bizarro's World and the issues are Superman (1987) #87, Adventures of Superman #510, Action Comics #697, Superman: The Man of Steel (1991) #32, Superman #88.

Superwoman (2016) #1-8 - this one actually has very little Lois in it, and the Lois that's talked about most in it is New52 Lois who you may or may not be able to call the same character as pre-Flashpoint/post-Rebirth Lois, but she persistently haunts the narrative in a way that's really cool to me. Also the other Lois shows up too, if briefly. The story is about Lana Lang being Superwoman while also kind of having to step into the shoes of Lois who was also briefly Superwoman. In general its a great series and has really pretty art so even if the lack of Lois disappoints you its still really good on its own, especially given that its written and drawn by Phil Jiminez who's really solid. You will probably need to read the Final Days of Superman and Superman: Reborn to understand this though.

Superman Smashes The Klan - this is a retelling of an early Superman story that's not in-continuity. It's a really really good story though and i do recommend you read it even if its not for Lois.. It doesnt have much Lois in it, it mainly focuses on a pair of children caught up in some racist attacks, but it does have one of my favourite Lois moments ever...where she's shown to be one of the very few people who aren't afraid of Superman when they find out he's an alien.

There are also a couple books that are for a YA/preteen audience that are exclusively about Lois, Girl Taking Over, and Lois Lane and the Friendship Challenge. Both are pretty cute easy-to-understand stories about Lois as a kid if you're interested in that.

Also like...a lot of Superman comics are going to have Lois in them and she often has a supporting role if she's not in a main role. If you read these comics and you like them, you can use them as a jumping-off point for getting into more Super comics which are going to have more Lois in them! And if you're hesitant to dive into the endless Superman ongoings, there are several retellings and reinterpretations of the Superman origin (like Superman Smashes The Klan) that tell the stories without being bogged down by the dense lore of the ongoings...Superman Secret Origins, Superman For All Seasons, All-Star Superman, American Alien, and John Byrne's initial Man of Steel comics from the 80s are some popular ones. If you do want to get into an ongoing, the current Superman series that started this year is good.

Let me know if you have questions or need clarification on something and enjoy your reading! Also if anyone with better knowledge of Lois is reading this please feel free to add on!

[nicegaai]

okay you found me (well the account that wanted to be found anyways 😭).

love the responses about the sibling dynamics (although i'm under the impression that the sámi people hate finland [for good reason]). somewhereville usa is so real [although if you're wondering, you got the vibe of most of the midwest down. much of the suburbs are very anywhereville].

i read your rereading þr post and one thing i want to add is that i hc that emil was wearing a hot topic logo t shirt (although apparently they don't sell those???). what's another small hc you have about the five?

kksdjlk SORRY!! the activity page on this acct is slow, i notice when i get new followers :P

the sapmi/sámi irl probably do, but historically speaking, theyre probably closest-ly related to the finnish out of the nordics...maybe. but she could just as well have been adopted. ummm of all the concerning implications þetta has that i should probably make a long disclaimer about , the sapmi oc thing is the last thing i was thinking ab but maybe ill tack that on whenever i put it together. im thinking last chapter... "im sorry to every nordic person and especially the icelanders in real life for implying you(r natl reps) do incest. i have a fetish and im doing a bit. please stop blocking me on ao3 i didnt even know u could do that"

thank you for the midwestie endorsement!!! it means a lot fr! :D im basing a lot off of TV and somewhat my own experience in the american suburbs. btw this lot live one town over from you so watch out next time u see a blond guy

i could make up headcanons for them all day long ... or i guess in this AU everything i say is canon actually. whoa . thats a lot of power

everyone has a nicotine addiction lowkey (except emil? so far) im talking vapes (timo) im talking zyns (mads) and normal ciggies too (sig) (ber is all of the above)

sig in high school was angry and confused and kind of a freak. i think he wore gir hoodies. he would have loved myspace era jeffery star and being an awful diva but he was doomed to something else entirely by association with the magic (the gathering) club

mads' peak golden retriever bf era was high school. he played sports, he was popular, he started a band with his friends... he just didnt have a plan afterwards and burnt out (temporarily?). SAD

ber was graduating hs ab the time sig and mads were starting. i think he was in band, brass section, socially awkward and a kissless virgin. he thinks back on hs and gets embarrassed about the way he was, but minus the virginity he hasnt changed one bit.

timo is an enigma to me. i have trouble pinning him down. i think he could have been one of those theater kid furries but hes also outgoing and generally likeable by the school population (showers regularly). just kind of a weirdo!

WAIT . THE REST OF THIS LIST IS GOIGN TO BE GOOD ONES

(not incl timo) their shared grandparents were first cousins, and it was less weird back then. :) no, they do not know this. when the day comes he finds out, mads will go into a downwards spiral of "we should have done this thing proper, me and sig could have been married"

timo's full time job is doing furry commissions on xitter and vrchat. im talking some real degen illustrations. he is soon going to start an autobiographical webcomic about furries doing incest (names changed to protect identity) and people online will call him a LARPer and the story unrealistic and it will piss him off so much

fun fact the rest of the town is minorly fleshed out, i used to talk more ab other things too... alfred and gilbert do crossfit with mathias and they do gay shit in the locker rooms and are about 1 flash of insight away from admitting they have a 3p fuckbuddy thing going on but nah nah theyre bros they hang out its fun its lighthearted its male bonding. working out together just does something for the libido you know how it is

gilbert is dating erzsebet (there was a whole sideplot with them and roderich but i forgor it) and alfred is a Sigma Male Who Is Too Cool To Date A Woman but he actually has a weird thing with matthew going on behind closed doors

most of the heta characters are out there in the town and a lot of them went to high school together. or something. england was one of the teachers... aughhhh its been so long since i was talking ab the au the details r murky fml

[fantasyinallforms]

It's an end-of-the-year recap!!!! And what a year it has been! Thank you, @fellowshipofthefics, for putting together this wonderful recap list! Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all the people who have supported me on my writing journey this past year. The Bagginshield fandom has been a haven filled with some of the kindest and most talented people I have had the pleasure of getting to know.

I look forward to another year with all of you.

Let's begin!

~~~~

What is something new you tried with your writing this year?

This was my first year as a fic writer, so everything was something new! I was really focused on building the "voice" of my writing, and I think I did that.

Did you participate in any fandom events?

Oh yes. I did the Thorin Spring Forge (TSF), Kinktober, and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Collaboration (THAUC). I also did about half a dozen drabble events and fotfics monthly events.

What's been your favorite project to work on?

There were not many, but I think for me my favorite was the TSF event. It was a big chance to produce my first ever long-format fic, and the reception it got was more than I could have imagined. You Should Be Safe With Me now sits as my highest kudo's fic.

What was the hardest project to work on?

Sparks & Gardens, for sure. The story is one I'm in love with, but bringing it to life in a way that does it justice can be a struggle sometimes. A struggle I enjoy, oddly enough.

Did you start any projects?

Too many.

Did you finish any projects?

I did! Happy Accidents is a completed Modern AU trilogy.

How many WIPS do you have now?

Four (two posted to AO3)

Share your favorite scene/line!

In chapter three of You Should Be Safe With Me, Thorin busts into Bard's house because he thinks harm is befalling Bilbo. I love how gentle and soft Thorin is when helping Bilbo in that scene.

Share your favorite story title!

I'm very fond of Not Yours To Touch. It took me forever to name that fic!

What does your writing system look like? (i.e. brainstorming, writing, editing - how do you do it?)

Usually, it starts with a scene I like or a general concept. Then, I daydream about it a little and determine if it's a one-shot idea or a long-format idea. One shot, I start writing and see where the idea takes me. Long format I start jotting down ideas in bullet form until I have a really rough outline. Then, I flesh that out until I have a plot. When I have a series of events in order, I want them to happen with maybe a few vague details I start writing. I pause and reread/ rough edit after every chapter and check that my continuity is still good. When it's all done, I ignore it for a few days and re-read it again, then edit. Then it's off to my lovely beta reader, who edits and tells me if something doesn't make sense. Once I get that stamp of approval, I post.

What's the best atmosphere for you to write?

Left alone and quiet

Any particular snacks or drinks while writing?

I'm a beverage girly. I have water, coffee, and some fruit near me at all times. I don't normally snack and write. Most of the time, if I'm writing, I've forgotten to eat.

Do you form playlists/soundtracks for your stories? Or even just for your "writing time"?

Playlist, not really. As I said above, I prefer absolute silence when I write. I do have Pinterest boards for all my WIP's, however.

What advice would you give to a new writer?

You're going to have to be bad at it before you become good at it. So be bad at it and enjoy the process.

What are some goals you have for 2024?

Finish Sparks and Gardens. Finish reputation be damned, and if I'm really lucky, debut my Biker Gang AU. But really just to have fun.

Last but not least, General stats

Words posted to AO3 this year: 191,187

Fics posted to AO3: 22 (all but one was Bagginshield)

Current active WIP's: 2

I can't wait to see what 2024 brings, and I couldn't have done this without you.

[phil-lesterfan]

yaoi scholar….. pls i finished the untamed and word of honor what should my next drama be 👀 (happy endings only pls)

also i wanna know your fav bls. if you’ve the time!!

hallo! i didn't mean to let this sit for so long, but i've been using my phone more and don't like answering asks there. i don't actually know many cdramas, but i've got other dramas to rec, if that's alright!

(C/K/J)DRAMAS/LAKORNS:

sotus & sotus s (thai)*

history3: trapped (taiwanese)

seven days (japanese)*

manner of death (thai)*

restart after coming back home (japanese)*

together with me (thai)

long time no see (korean)

semantic error (korean)*

you can watch 2moons2 for the full story, but honestly, the original 2moons mingkit cut is everything to me (thai)*

*based off novel/manga/manhwa

20 of my fav bls under the cut :)

initially, i was going to call it my "top 10", but it's not my top ten, it's just favs that i really love or think you (sara) would also enjoy. so it's just 20 "random" favs. if you (general) want, i can upload the 200+ long list and even include "reviews" of my favourites, but i'll only do that upon request. also here's my blanket rec for mxtx's works. svsss is my fav. i'm very easy. thank you <3

20 OF MY FAV BLS:

sotus is very dear to my heart. i watched it right before i went to university, so it really set that mood for me lol it's not a perfect story, the audio is shit at some parts, and the acting was sometimes stiff, but when the show hit, my fucking god did it HIT. of course i roped all my friends into watching it. it was based on a novel, but the novel didn't particularly stand out to me (sorry). there's also a manga now (3 vols) but i'm just loyal to the show, y'know? it also has a sequel, and that one made one of my friend cry (i actually had to pause the show lol), but for me, the first season is what's rly stellar. (lakorn / rewatches: 4? 5? a lot?)

sasaki and miyano by syou harusono is such an easy read, with lovely art, cute characters, and the softest, sweetest romance. it makes me feel like i've been hit by a car, then the car backed up and drove over me again. sasaki is the light of my life (and also if i looked like him, i'd never shut up. and i project just a little bit too bc oh he just like me fr), and everyday i think about making him my pfp. i owe syou harusono my life. i want to say more about this bc it rly is my fav manga perhaps of all time but that also means i can't say more about it LOL (manga / rereads: 6)

the cat proposed (bakeneko katatte sourou) by hayane dento is quite possibly the best manga i've ever read. the writing is so beautiful, and it's a really relatable and inspiring story for me. plus it's got catboys. *motions to my dnp catboy pfp* but in all seriousness, it's a genuinely great story that squeezes my heart and leaves me in tears (manga / rereads: 5)

doukyuusei is a certified bl classic. i've not read the entire manga series, but i've got the anime film saved to my laptop. that was another thing i roped all my friends into watching, and yes, everyone was gagged (animanga / rewatches: 4?)

koimonogatari by tagura tohru is incomplete, and the "love" part isn't there yet, but my fucking god. i think i just picked it up for funsies at the bookstore, but man was i unprepared. it's not a fun read by any means, nor is it easy, it's actually pretty brutal, but it's a good story, so i felt i should include it. (it is one of my faves) (manga / rereads: none bc i will kill myself.)

summer of you (kimi wa natsu no naka) by furuya nagisa changed me. it was one of those manga that was in my to read list for a really long time, but i just never did it. when i finally did, i totally regret putting it off. i think i cried. it has a sequel (summer with you), and that was good too, but that first one just really got me (manga / rereads: 1)

fools by yeongha has an art style i will forever be jealous of. the original, that is. i'm sure the remastered version is great, and probably the one i should read, but i'm just way too attached to the original and the art is (in my opinion) way better. the story is fun and sweet, and i read it at another formative time in my life. *jazz hands* (manhwa / rereads: 3)

my darling signed in by dimang and new lung. if there's one thing about me, i'm gonna read a video game catfish story. this manhwa is so fucking ridiculous, but i love it. it actually gets pretty dark, which took me by surprise the first time i read it, but it's not between the main cp, if you're worried about that (manhwa / rereads: 3)

dasadanan by herb mandu also has just lovely art. i can just stare at it for ages bc i'm so obsessed. also there's side gl, and i love those two girls so damn much. the story is very easy to read, fluffy, and it's just good feelings all around. it also has some really silly extras. (manhwa / rereads: 4)

history3: trapped is so... it is also dear to me. the main couple is funny and cute; however, it's the side couple that really gets to me. they're so ridiculous and fun, and the actor for zhao zi is an acrobat? does acrobatic dance? i'm not sure exactly, but they wanted to showcase that so he'd just be doing some random gymnast shit for no reason and it's so funny. and jack was made in a lab for me, so. y'know. (drama / rewatches: 2, about to be 3)

glasses cloth and playlist by gwak jonpil was recommended to me by a friend i believe, and i'm so glad i read it. it's another easy read and also very ridiculous, but when i say something is "ridiculous", that's usually a huge compliment. i LOLed at, like, every other panel. the main cp is so damn ridiculous, and i adore them. (manhwa / rereads: 1)

starting with a lie by liang azha has the softest art i've ever seen. that manhua is like a warm hug, if a warm hug also had you gritting your teeth and clenching your fists because GODDAMN JUST GET TOGETHER FOR REAL ALREADY! i love it. oh, but i don't like qiu tian. sorry. (manhua / rereads: 2)

how to survive as a villain by yi yi yi yi is... look, i'm sure it has flaws, right? every story has flaws, but wherever they are, i did not see them. i mean, it's a little bit ridiculous at times, but again, "ridiculous", and the mc was transmigrated into a once-good now-trashy harem novel. and he's also smart but oblivious. bound to be a little bit silly. but also this novel ripped out my heart and stomped on it. and i thought it wouldn't happen with the manhua, but i cried then too. what the hell. i really enjoyed this story, and i think it's what got me into transmigration stories in general :P (danmei / rereads: 2)

a shoulder to cry on by dongmul. okay. OKAY. this is not a "happy" story to most. also the ending without the extras/epilogue is bittersweet to ambiguous. the issue here is that I LOVE ENDINGS LIKE THAT!!!!!!!!! this story is so damn good and i like the art a lot and god, some of the quotes? every time i reach certain scenes i have to pause and stare at the wall because no fucking way. it's just too good. i should go ahead and warn that the couple doesn't have the healthiest of dynamics and their relationship starts bc one of them lies and accuses the other of sexual harassment, so. i'm just letting you know now. but i let myself have toxic yaoi. as a treat. tbh to me it's not that bad, but i know everyone has different intensity levels, so. (manhwa / rereads: 3)

never understand by bbong is an... interesting read. arguably more toxic yaoi, and everyone at times can be kind of awful and annoying, but i think that's fun. sorry. i vividly remember reading this for the first time. for some reason. also, as with a good amount of manhwa that i read in my more formative years, i like this art style. (manhwa / rereads: 1)

semantic error by j soori and angy kim is a lot more graphic and hardcore (sex-wise) than the kdrama, which makes sense, but like... DAMN! my toxic trait is that every three panels i pause and go "hey does anyone else think these guys look like jaedo?" and the sniper that's supposed to shoot me any time i bring up rps lets me live because i'm objectively right. the characters are so damn infuriating, but i like watching car crashes, so it's alright. plus the art is good and, well, i never said i don't ship jaedo. *glass next to me explodes after a bullet cuts through it* whatever! (rereads: none bc it ended not that long ago. but i'll probably reread it soon)

no.6 by asano atsuko and here comes all the haters being like, "oh, that's not bl!" "that's more than bl!" "[some more dumb shit i don't care about]!" suck my pussy. i don't care. i loooove the novels and hope we get a printed official english translation. people are right to say the romance isn't the focus, but it's there, and honestly, i love plotty shit. i've heard it's supposed to be the "happy version" of banana fish or whatever the fuck, but damn if that's not a fucked up version of happy. i sobbed my fucking eyes out (novel & animanga / rereads: 2)

snow fairy by serizawa tomo. i'm not gonna lie, i don't remember this story, but on my big list it has a heart next to it, and i feel like i cried when i read it. i've said i've cried about like half of these, and i cry when i see something cute or when i think about my blorbo or when a song is pretty, so that means nothing. but this one really got to me! i think it was just a simple story with lovely art. it aches, maybe. actually, i've just found my initial review, which reads: "im so miserable....." (rereads: none, but i'd like to reread it asap)

bj alex by mingwa. insert loud and disappointed "ooh" from the crowd bc really, phil-lesterfan? i thought you were a scholar? with taste? LOOK. i know this is a basic manhwa, and i couldn't give a rat's ass about the side cp, but ahn jiwon somehow became pookie. it is agonising, though, 'cause like i said, i don't care about the side cp, but oh my fucking god, it feels like everyone else only cares about them. shoot me. also the side cp is into bdsm, but you can skip over their shit honestly. (rereads: 2)

aien catharsis by oshima kamome was another manga that'd been in my tbr list for ages. i really like how the story feels. aaaaand i just reread it and ah. i see why it affected me. (if you can guess what line stuck out to me, lmk, i'd love to hear it heh) it's historical fiction and has lovely art. tw for sexual assault, but it's not between the cp and it's also not shown. (manga / rereads: 2)

like i said, i have a lot more favs, so if anyone wants the full list, just ask. or if you don't want the full list, i can give rec lists for certain genres or just manga or just danmei, etc, etc. i know i'm in batman hell right now (ah. western yaoi....), but i've been fujoshing since i was like... ten. okay this is of course way longer than it should be. hope u enjoy if you read any of these ^_^ <3

[stevetonyweekly]

SteveTony Weekly - Best Fic of 2022

It’s the last day of 2022! We made it, friends, and so it’s time for my annual list of my favorite reads from the year. All of these are amazing, and I spent hours on this list because I kept stopping to reread favorite bits. Check ‘em out. And feel free to send me your favorite reads of 2022! 

~*~ 

Think of This as Solving Problems (That Should Never Have Occurred) by Sineala

No one knows Tony is Iron Man. Then Tony gets amnesia, and literally no one knows Tony is Iron Man.

Sine is always a real treat to read, and I had somehow managed to miss reading this in the past, so I got to enjoy it this year and it was just--lovely. No one does identity porn the way Sine does. 

Some Kind of Personal War by sara_holmes 

And Tony realizes that working out who the Winter Soldier used to be and who he is now are two entirely different things.

The rest of this series is also amazing, but the first part is Bucky/Nat--it’s only part two and three that introduces Stevetony. The entire series is well worth reading, though. 

Teenage Dream by Etharei

"That," says Tony, tone unmistakably smug despite his split lip, "is Captain America. Who, by the way, happens to be my godfather."

I am a sucker for age difference, and also for Steve being utterly protective and besotted, and I loved this verse so much I think I read it twice in December alone. 

Magnetic North by msermesth

Tony joins Steve on his post-Secret Empire road-trip-slash-pity-party.

Turns out the road home is paved with a lot of arguments and sex.

I dug into comics this year, but I still haven’t gotten to Secret Empire, but I really enjoyed this--I had enough working knowledge of the story that it enhanced my reading, but I didn’t feel like it was necessary to enjoy the slow progression Steve and Tony had to each other. 

Like a Comet Streaming On by Sineala

Tony escapes Afghanistan with a functioning Iron Man suit and a perfectly normal heart. He even manages to bring Ho Yinsen home safely at his side. But he may as well have lost everything... because his wolfbrother is dead. Six months later, the Avengers find Captain America, frozen in ice, miraculously alive. Everything and everyone Steve has ever known is gone -- except his wolfsister, the recipient of the lupine version of the super-soldier serum, who was frozen in his arms. Tony has everything but his wolf. Steve has only his wolf. This is how their lives fit together.

I love the worldbuilding in this, and the grief that Tony goes through, the slow bonding between Tony and Steve (and Libby) is just--perfection. 

Mr. July by jibrailis

Tony is the only one who can defend Steve's virtue. Tony hates his life.

It’s just fun. That’s all it is. Just pure fun. 

One-Man Army by Captain_Panda

Takes place immediately after the Chitauri attack in Avengers 1.

Steve is running himself into the ground. Tony notices.

Then Steve gets knocked down hard. And Tony intervenes.

This is absurdly long, and had been unfinished for a while--when it was finished earlier this year, I put it on my list to read and it was even better than I expected--despite the length, it���s exquisitely plotted and perfectly written, and held my attention throughout, something that’s rare during a fic that long. It’s well worth the read. 

For the Love of a Dragon by Captain_Panda

When Steve went down with the Valkyrie, he thought his days with dragons were over.

Then he meets Tony Stark, who inherited Howard Stark's dragon.

As the kids say: "It's complicated."

This entire series is perfect--the world building of dragons in a modern, canon compliant world is just--flawless. I adored the dragons, I adored how different they were and how well they interacted with the people they chose made complete sense and just--I adored it. 

Dangerous Kitchen Tools by ladyshadowdrake

Engineering prodigy, billionaire, and heir to the Stark Industries empire, Tony Stark turned the business world on its head by opening a restuarant and burying himself in the kitchen. Years later, he covers an informal evening cooking class for his friend and fellow molecular gastronomist, Bruce Banner, where he meets famously camera-shy comic artist Steve Rogers.

I really love chef AU’s and this was just so lovely, soft and sweet and perfect. I loved it. 

all in by spqr

What matters is that Steve only hates him 99% of the time now, and the other 1% of the time they laugh together and fight side by side and they’re friends.

Tony’s used to having to wring little bits of love out of people.

He can do it.

I really love SPQR (which is why they’re on this list twice) and this is a flawless little CW AU. 

Patriarch by spqr 

Steve ducks into the hall and comes back with a warm, freshly-laundered towel, which feels so good when he wraps it around Tony’s shoulders that he almost lets out a moan. “There we go,” Steve says. “Don’t want you to catch cold.”

“Thanks, daddy,” Tony quips, because he’s an idiot.

Except Steve’s close enough, his hands wrapped around Tony’s biceps through the towel, that Tony can feel his full-body shudder.

Here we have my most read fic of the year. I think I read this once or twice a month since it was published in March. It’s all my favorite things--mafia, age gap, daddy kink, dangerously possessive Steve. It’s amazing and perfect and I’m gonna go read it again. 

angels who sin by meidui

Summer air is thick and sweet, like Tony's voice pouring honey into Steve's throat, telling Steve more than he needs to know. He's here with his parents for the summer, he just finished his first year at college, he doesn't believe in God but his parents make him come to church.

"They said you can help me find faith," Tony says, as mischievous as he is innocent, and Steve is as good as gone.

Priest Steve, Twink Tony and meidui’s gorgeous prose? That’s it, that’s everything. 

seven years in heaven by meidui

Tony gave Steve everything in the divorce. Their beautiful Brooklyn brownstone and everything in it, Tony's beloved Audi, their private garden upstate. Tony even offered him the lakehouse, but Steve had looked up at him with red eyes and begged softly for him to stop.

Tony gave Steve everything, every last piece of himself. He didn't take much with him when he flew out to his mansion in Malibu, but he took every last piece of Steve, too.

This ached and hurt me in the best ways and then it put me back together. 

you great unfinished symphony (you sent for me) by ketchupcrisp

The last thing Steve Rogers ever expected to see on a Wednesday afternoon was his (their) dead submissive tumbling out of a portal and practically into Phil’s lap, very much alive and frantic about Soul Stones and timelines and some other version of the team.

This is technically poly, but the heavy focus is on Stevetony, and the world-building is just…very very well done. Excellently done. 

Forty-Seven Flat by geekymoviemom

Steve Rogers was on the top of the world. He was one of the top students in his class, a world-class athlete, and had a man who loved him. Winning an Olympic Gold Medal seemed like the perfect addition to his picture-perfect life.

But only four years later, Steve’s entire world has come crashing down around him, leaving defending his Olympic title the only thing lying between him and utter ruin.

And then, the unthinkable happens.

I’m a huge fan of superfamily, and sports AU, and this one is so well done--it’s a little unrealistic but fun and made me cry so, winner winner. 

Without Irony by tsukinofaerii

Open file TS_762-b.ims... Sometimes, when a drive is completely broken, the only thing to do is wipe it clean and start over. When he wakes up, Tony has no idea who he is, or what he did to end up where he is. Depending on who he talks to, he was a villain or a hero, a genius or a degenerate. What he is now is still up for debate, but it doesn't look like he's going to have much time to figure it out. With a computer in his head screwing up and a country falling to pieces, options are getting limited. Steve The world needs Iron Man a lot more than it needs Tony Stark.

I’m a huge fan of fic that covers Tony’s mind wipe and this one did such a great job of that. And then it follows up with part two (below). I looove this little series so much. 

Per Expectations by tsukinofaerii

After the events of Without Irony, Tony wakes up with a freshly rebooted memory and nearly all of his memories from before the deletion and none after. Nearly all isn't nearly enough, and what's missing just might be the most important thing he's ever forgotten. Tony's not sure he wants to remember, but if he doesn't it's going to be the death of him.

Tabula Rasa by Sineala 

Sometimes superheroes save the world. And sometimes they're too late.

Captain America's longtime villain Superia had a plan for revenge. She stopped the Avengers from ever finding Steve in the ice, tore the Avengers apart, and turned the world into her own personal authoritarian dystopia. A team made up of Captains America from across the multiverse came to set things right: they united all the remaining superheroes, took down Superia, and made sure the world would find Steve again.

Tony spent Superia's hellish reign as her prisoner, a suicidally-depressed disembodied brain trapped in a jar for years on end, begging the Avengers to kill him and put him out of his misery. The Captain America Corps instead gives him his freedom, a brand-new body, and even the Avengers -- including his very own Captain America. But Tony's not entirely sure he wants to be here. He's walking wounded, and he thinks some wounds are too deep to heal. He thinks there's no chance the Avengers will ever be what they could have been. He thinks there's no way Steve will ever be the friend and partner he could have been on so many other worlds.

Luckily for Tony, Steve happens to disagree with that.

I really loved this. It was sad, and it hurt to read because of how Tony was depicted, but it was just--perfectly done. 

The Last Love Song of Anthony E. Stark by jibrailis

After contracting an Asgardian virus, Tony starts forgetting things. And people. And Steve.

This is a fandom classic, and I finally got around to reading it and I was absurdly pleased with it--like it was so much better than I even hoped it’d be. 

Relativistic Heat Conduction by BlossomsintheMist

Age of Ultron-based, but not entirely canon compliant. Written for the 2013 Cap-Iron Man Reverse Big Bang. Ultron has attacked, obliterating most of the world's superheroes and resistance in a matter of hours. The remaining heroes band together and share what strength they have to get through it, to survive, and defeat Ultron once and for all. Steve Rogers grieves in the wake of the disaster and the heroes' defeat, and no one knows if he will be able to provide the leadership they need--but Tony Stark isn't about to let him slip away that easily.

This is extremely sad. It was a dark sad read that I loved so much. I especially loved the end--it shouldn’t have been possible to pull off a happy ending, but somehow, it worked, and it was sooooo good. 

[livlepretre]

I want to write my own fics and I was wondering, how do you plot and outline yours so well? Your fics are amazing and everything flows so well, the scenes have never felt out of place or disjointed when I read

It's the outlining, I do rather a lot of it.

Here is an absurdly detailed post I made a few years ago about how I outline: the outlining post (if the formatting of the images appears cut off, try clicking on the images for the full text)

Basically, as you will read, I start with a general outline for the whole fic, then break it down into arcs, then break it down chapter by chapter with which scenes I think should be in each chapter.

Some things that really really help though: I cannot recommend making motivation maps for your characters highly enough. Literally, make a list of all of your main characters, and then try to figure out what each character WANTS and what they are willing to do to get it. Do this whenever anything big happens in the fic that "changes things." A lot of really great drama and tension in a story can come about simply by having two characters wanting different things, but often, I have only realized that any tension even existed because I sat down and worked on some motivation maps.

Fanfic is different from other forms of storytelling in that it is serial; you are going chapter by chapter. The good news is that you don't necessarily have to have everything perfectly figured out before writing. There would be no fun in that, and the thing about hobby writing is that we thrive on comments to help keep us motivated and excited!

So, here is my advice: 1) give yourself wiggle room. especially if you are not sure "what happens next" or what the fine details are of an intricate plot point. if you want to publish a chapter but you don't have all of the details figured out, don't mention the details! you could have your pov character acting as the detective trying to figure out a conspiracy happening around them, and asking themselves questions (that are great questions you as the author may or may not even know the answer to!). you could have the characters speak about a plan without detailing what that plan is, exactly, only that it is sure to be dangerous and thrilling, and then leave the audience in suspense of what the actual plan entails until you are ready to write it out (ie until you, the author, have figured out what the plan is!) You could have your pov character aware that others around them are keeping secrets from them, or have them find out information later. there are lots of ways to publish and enjoy writing while sort of shelving plotting problems for later. (For example, in FE: when Elena finds the vervain in her duffel bag before going to New Orleans for the first time, she spends a lot of time wondering who on Earth put the vervain there and freaking out and obsessing over the possible motives for giving it to her. I actually didn't know at the time who had put the vervain there either. I initially thought it was probably Stefan. I knew it wasn't Klaus, probably not Rebekah. But I kept that question open until I had time to mull it over and conclude it must have been Tyler.)

2) reread your work!! this is especially important for longer projects-- but, you will probably find that you have dropped unintentional gems into your writing in passing-- details that you can incorporate into larger themes and plot points, which can then become a sort of "foreshadowing." (Back to Elena and the vervain: it was on rereading the earlier chapters of FE that I realized that Tyler and Elena had had that whole conversation about hanging out together and looking out for each other, that I had written that scene where Tyler swears he's going to protect Elena and she doesn't even believe him, and that it would be reasonable for Tyler to guess Elena had a diary/that she might keep it under her floorboards because that's where he would keep it/we know in canon that Tyler thinks to look in places like that from when he found the moonstone-- so Tyler got pinned down as the vervain benefactor like 6 chapters after the fact from doing a reread)

I hope some of this helps and it's not a total jumble. Good luck writing! Enjoy yourself.

[grumpyoldsnake]

I rambled about my fondness for old speculative fiction book covers on the rp blog yesterday and it has given me a Hankering to read some older scifi 👀

But. Gotta finish my current library holds first. In the mean time... there are decisions to be made.

Reblogs and additional recommendations are welcome! (With a bonus if they have fun covers. :P)

1. A Fire Upon the Deep

I know very little about this and have tried to avoid spoilers, but I've heard the worldbuilding & aliens are interesting!

2. Orphan Star

I read this series when I was very young and barely remember anything from it except Bran & Truzenzuzex (whom I love), and Abalamahalamatandra (whose name just. stuck.). So! I reread the Tar-Aiym Krang semi-recently, and have been intending to reread the rest for a while now

3. Up the Walls of the World

Another one I know very little about! Did a search for scifi books featuring telepathy a while back and this was one of the results. In the process of putting this list together I learned that the author was a woman (who used a penname), which has increased my interest a bit.

4. Contact

I've gotten the impression that this one is something of a classic?? And I adore first-contact stories. I've read the first page or two and it did catch my interest.

5. Harbourmaster

Okay so this one isn't actually old. And it isn't a novel. BUT! Its themes and delivery are very much of the flavor I'm craving (with the bonus of being queer), it is explicitly inspired by works by Theodore Sturgeon, and I've fallen behind and keep meaning to catch back up (and very much need a refresher on the story so far).

5. Vorkosigan Saga

Not quite the flavor I'm craving just now (except maybe Falling Free would hit that mark?), but. It's on par with Discworld among my lifetime favorite series, and it seems a shame to leave parts of it unread! Now might be a good excuse.

6. Foundational Classics

I've read some. Frankenstein, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, 1984. But, uh... those are very nearly it, and there's so much more out there! And I've specifically been trying to get a better understanding of literary genres for the past year or two, which includes reading things that have been influential to said genres.

.

If you've read this far... have the two specific book covers that I rambled about yesterday, because they're fun. ^_^

[IDs in alt text.]

[lizhly-writes]

ohhh novel recs pretty please? favs/best of a genre/best of 2022? love your writing so what you read must be great too

Hi there.

It has been a while since you sent this. I would like you to know I didn’t ignore it -- thank you very much for your opinion of my writing, by the way! It is simply… I wanted to recommend you a lot of things. I binged to try and find some things that I could 100% recommend with my entire chest! With no stipulations! With no regret!

I only found one thing. I panicked about only having one thing, and kept trying to find more things. In retrospect, I should have gone through completed novels, because that would have stopped me from going “this was good until this one thing happened”, like I did with... several novels, but hey.

I was actually going to reread all of these just to make SURE, but if I did that, I would probably accidentally make this into a best of 2023 list, SO. Here we go.

The one novel that I will recommend with my entire chest is!!!

Demon Venerable Also Wants to Know

'Second male lead' receives copy of the shitty romance novel he lives in and immediately goes "haaaaa why the fuck am I supposed to like this female lead". He starts investigating and comes to some wild ass conclusions. Some of them utterly ridiculous! Others that show that the original shitty romance novel is not quite as brain dead as it initially seems. I like the layers to this thing, the shenanigans they get up to, I even fully like the romance in here (BL, if you were wondering), which is kind of rare for me. Also, shout out to the most interesting og female lead in this genre I've ever seen! This novel is without flaw! Without any possibility of error! I really, truly, had zero complaints. If I actually ranked this novel on novelupdates, I would give it a full 5 stars!

Honorable mentions:

100,000/Hour Professional Stand-in

This is the kind of cnovel you read if you are just so, so incredibly tired of our dear sister transmigrator getting pursued by some weird possessive CEO. Our mc is very calm, very heartless, and perfectly happy to extort so much money out of the people in love with her twin sister. The ending drags a little, and there is a romance in there which I think is unnecessary, but overall, still very good.

Zombie University

Ta-da! The zombie apocalypse happens, and our main character has get deal with it with his ex hovering uncomfortably right there in his adventuring party. I have not finished this novel, and in fact, I am not even caught up on this novel -- I believe I must have left off around chapter 30? -- but it gets a mention here because I really like survival-type stories, and furthermore, I was frankly blown away by the characters and the dynamics between them. I pawed sadly at the novelupdates page for about two weeks before I accepted that I wasn't getting an update anytime soon. AND NOW I SEE IT'S UPDATED WAY MORE SINCE THEN SO I WILL BE CHECKING THIS OUT AGAIN.

Being an Extra Actor in an Escape Game

An unlimited/infinite flow novel, in which our mc is an NPC throughout various instances, or Nightmares, as they call them. I will admit that it can get repetitive, since a lot of the time, our characters are trying to figure out what the fuck is going on and end up reiterating some points, and then our mc is in a primarily passive role -- might be frustrating to a witty reader who is very good at putting things together themselves, but I personally liked it, haha. I was admittedly not very fond of the ending, but I enjoyed the characters finding out the mysteries behind the instances, and the larger mystery made me want to claw my hands through the pages to figure out what the fuck was happening.

I Ship My Adversary X Me

Guy ends up shipping himself with his fanon adversary. I find guy really eloquent in his narration, which only helps with the sheer ridiculousness of the situation. Living in this guy's head is so fun. There is a manhua. It is cute, but read the novel, the vibes are way goofier. Uh, there is like... one nsfw scene, if I recall correctly, but it's easily skipped, if it bothers you.

When a Fanfic Protagonist Transmigrated Into The Original Novel (kinda nsfw)

Pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. This pokes fun at the tendency to warp ostensibly straight male characters into certain BL stereotypes in fanfiction. The translation is unfinished, but what was there killed me. It is really ridiculous and I love that.

Don’t Hide From Me! (also kinda nsfw no, i change my mind, it's not super explicit, but it's significantly more nsfw than the previous two up there.)

Character A plans to confess his crush on his homophobic best friend, Character B. The plot is the leadup and followup to that. Also blatantly ridiculous, because our Character B treats our Character A in what most people would consider very unplatonic ways, which confuse character A, and also me, and also everyone I liveblogged to, because I liveblogged the entirety of my reading of this on discord. Unfinished, but on this list anyway because I screamed a lot about it and shared exactly how ridiculous it was with everyone around me and ended up roping at least three people into reading with me. It was that kind of novel. If you read, I recommend reading with friends because you will want to shake someone over it. I certainly did.

[taegularities]

Hello lovely Rid 💕💕💕

I'm sorry, I don't have an assumption about you based on your fics other than that you're a lovely and beautiful person, but that's already confirmed!

I did want to drop in though since last time all I came for was to create chaos lol. How have you been Rid? How is the new job and uni treating you? I hope the answer is well because otherwise I'm ready to have a talk with whoever I need to 😤😤😤

Why were you asking which fic from your masterlist should go 🥺🥺🥺 You literally never miss with your stories, of course the answer is none! And also I loooove a long masterlist, I miss the days exactly a year ago when I started reading bts fanfic and I had the time to binge everyone's whole masterlists :')

I'm literally itching to get this semester over with so I can be free again. I just need to get to the start of july 😭😭😭 I have so many things I want to read and even a lot of ideas for very specific fic rec lists because I love doing those a lot.

Fun fact, when I made my first ever fic rec list, you commented about how I did well with it and it just made me so happy because it really took me a while to put it together and I overthought it a million times. That's also what made me decide to reread cmi and properly review it too and now we're here 🥺🥺🥺

Also about your question whether we picture ourselves as the reader while reading fanfic! I actually never do. I feel like if I did, I'd just always keep thinking 'I'd never do/say that' and get annoyed lmao. Every main character in a fic is an OC to me and they all have their distinct looks in my head based on their distinct personalities.

Also also, you talking about cmi14 has me feeling so emotional. I literally can't imagine a time when that story has ended so I'm always happy to hear that we still have a while to go. And I love seeing couples supporting each other through hard times, so if there's some comfort with the hurt as you said, then that's totally my thing and I'm so excited 🥺🥺🥺

Ah thinking about the first time we interacted and then cmi has made me emotional and sappy. I don't think anyone's made me feel so comfortable this quickly, Rid, and I'm grateful for you every day. Love youuuuuuu 💞💞💞💞

no YOU'RE a lovely human, don't test me, i'll give you a whole list of things i appreciate about you 😭 i'm okay, love !! been busy and tired, but i'm liking that new schedule bc i don't sleep late and wake up late anymore :') uni's been great as you saw today !! 🥺 wbu? has everything been okay? we don't need to fight anyone, right?

and ohhh looll i was just asking about the mlist bc it looks way too long to me. and there's a lot of old writing that's... very different from my work now. maybe i'll rewrite those fics one day, but since i know they mean a lot to some people, i won't remove them at least. and same, july is the goal !! i hope time passes fast, so you can read as much as you like <3 i do remember leaving that comment and i meant it – i used to make rec lists, and my gosh, it takes ages. so i applaud and appreciate everyone who compiles them, so thank you 🥺

iviiii, i know right? 😭 i cannot physically think of cmi ending, it tears me up fr lmao. like, i sometimes feel like i'm being annoying with it, but it just means so much to me... i need their story to go on forever :') and yeah, cmi14 is a different kind of pain. definitely a lot of comfort :( I GET SAPPY EVERYTIME WE TALK LIKE THAT. i do remember, too, how much i vibed with you from the very first moment. so thank you for being here, and i love you always 💕

[hierarchyproblem]

1, 2, 19 for book asks

1. book you’ve reread the most times?

I don't really tend to reread books tbh. There's so many other books I wanna read that I'd get more out of than a second go at something I already remember, y'know? That said, I have read the bible cover-to-cover four times. Normal behaviour.

2. top 5 books of all time?

Aw fuck. I dunno. I'll assume "books" here means "novels" and I'll list five of my top books of all time:

The Dispossessed, by Ursula K Le Guin. I need not labour the piont here 'cause I know you've read it, so I'll simply say that Le Guin is possibly my favourite writer of all time, and this is her at her best.

Ubik, by Philip K Dick. This book gets weirder by the page. PKD loves poking at the nature of reality, and this is the exemplar. A lot of his output reads as surprisingly adventurous work to come from a 60s sci-fi guy, and this is among his most interesting. Several carefully-crafted "wait - oh, shit" moments in a deliberately-contradictory narrative. Head-spinning stuff.

The Fifth Season, by N K Jemisin. A lot of SFF is, like, fun, and that's cool; I like to read that stuff too. This is art, no two ways about it, and of a kind I'm not sure you could easily translate into a different genre or medium. Bold and nuanced exploration both of the apocalypse and of parenthood. Also rocks are magic, and magic is rocks. When people ask me to recommend a book, this is my go-to.

Version Control, by Dexter Palmer. This is pretty lit-ficcy compared with my usual intake (ie. genre fiction that wears it's genre-ness like a tiara). If an act 1 full of normies having brunch doesn't put you off - and it shouldn't, because the characters are extremely well-drawn - then it'll be very satisfying when all the little bits of wrong-ness come together. Also far more prescient as near-future spec-fic than any cyberpunk.

The Traitor Baru Cormorant, by Seth Dickinson. Unlike most in the tumblr-popular "SFF imperialism but with lesbians" genre, this one sketches out an imperialism that's mostly plausible and worth exploring. The worldbuilding is really very good. This is mostly a pretty light read, for all it deals in heavy themes. I basically don't believe that spoilers diminish one's enjoyment of a story, though that might just be me, so I still think it's worth reading despite your having looked up the ending on wikipedia. The rapid series of increasingly-punishing gut punches in the final few chapters is worth experiencing first-hand.

19. most disliked popular books?

I'm sure I've bitched about this to you before, but I thought Harrow the Ninth mostly sucked. I respect the ambition of the book's structure, but I felt that it fucked the pacing unbearably. Gideon is way more interesting to read about than anyone else in these books, and I might have felt better about being dragged through 400 pages of Harrow moping by having "you're gonna find out what happened with Gideon soon, I swear!" dangled in front of me like a carrot for a donkey, if the payoff was worth it. Unfortunately the denouement largely consisted of everybody standing there and stating out loud what their master plans were, I guess because the stupid B-plot where I'm somehow expected to care about Ortis at all(??) took up too much space so there was none left for a proper ending. There were some fantastic scenes, but in my opinion they couldn't save the book. I thought Gideon was truly excellent, so this was a bit of a let-down.

Also - if you'll allow me a brief tangential rant - I can only assume the publisher (correctly) decided that the meme references were highly marketable, because otherwise an editor that let that shit through should surely have been let go. It's baffling, because these books are frequently hilarious, but never when referencing Bone Hurting Juice or whatever the fuck. "Oh it's a worldbuilding thing, it shows that John-" no. It's stupid. Piss off.

Thanks for the questions!

[spikeymarshmallows]

Fic Reading - Jan 2023

I used to write, and thus posted "Writing Updates" each month. I'm now onto like... year fucking THREE of a writers block that is destroying my soul.

But someone suggested to find different ways to enjoy fandom. I have a few friends that track their fic reading so... I'm giving it a shot. I'm also gonna add some fic-recs because I think that's important :) Where possible, I'm gonna TRY to rec fics that I don't see all over the place, getting rec'd left-right-and-centre, or I simply think are spectacular.

Jan 2023

Total words read: 580 961 Fics read: 75 Podfics listened to: 6 Did not finish: 9 Rereads: 12

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Recs for the month:

I'll Be the Shadow, You'll Be the Light by jesskier - 60k, explicit - a 10-part really fun, sexy, at times angsty kink series. It plays heavy on the kinks, which I LOVE, with the aftercare and the complexities of feelings being so strong and just... it feels very real, you know? But also, it's hot as hell. I've reread some of this series 5+ times. Oops??

Eddie Munson and the Dreamboy by pukner - 8k, not rated - Look, I am a slut for anything pukner writes. "took you for a working boy" is one of my favourite fics. But EM and the Dreamboy just.... wrecks me. Features baby!Steve in teddy bear socks that makes both Eddie and I want to eat drywall.

On the Frozen Lake, Jagged and Beautiful - by kayeslin - 74k, explicit - I haven't finished this fic because I am listening to the ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE PODFIC. This is a fun fic, and Eddie makes Steve solve DnD style riddles every time he sells him weed. It's just... it's just fucking great, and you should all gobble it up.

international garbage man, i've decided that's what i am - by fenellacapella - 7k, explicit - so for those that know me, I really fucking love kink that... IDK, plays hard? that isn't just the standard "handcuffs and spanking" (I mean, I love those too! but I ReALLY love things that get a bit different too). This fic does that. The shower sex... face slapping... lowkey sexy-drowning-steve-with-a-showerhead... yeah, that's my kink. the Via Chicago series is great, tbh. >:)

Dustin Henderson and the Lovebirds - by pukner - 9.7k, not rated - Look, I'll try not to rant and rave about how amazing pukner is EVERY time I put together a rec list, but like, they never miss. They never. fucking. miss. This fic just gets you in the happiest spots and makes the world a little brighter.

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Fics I'm "keeping my eye on" (ie, they're WIPs but hot DAMN do I fucking love them):

dumb bunny, I'm wild for you by honeyvenom - 13.9k, WIP, explicit - I've written in my notes "Steve is a subby baby, and Eddie offers to platonic Dom him. It has a dark non-con fantasy, and the whole thing is REALLY REALLY GOOD, HOLY SHIT". So uh, that's my rec lol.

A Year in the Life of Chip Harrington - by courfeyrac and sourpastels - 51k, WIP, mature - I haven't read the most recent chapters because brain function? Haven't heard of her. BUT the first two chapters are just GREAT and this fic just feels like a warm hug in your heart. Based on the tags, I don't think it'll emotionally cripple me either, so yay!!

getting lost in the dark is my favorite part - by QueerOnTilMorning - 18k, WIP, explicit - AHHHHHH. Eddie decides to go be rid of his pesky virginity post-S4, and look, there is a scene that makes you wanna DIE (of embarrassment. for Eddie). But it's SO GOOD and has Steve and Eddie uh... learning things about themselves heh.

Trouble Looks Good on You - by indelicate - 25k, WIP, explicit - Steve is Strong and Eddie is a chaotic gremlin who likes to launch himself at Steve. There are ~awakenings~ and honestly, the author is REALLY fucking good at writing their sexual tension, holy shit.

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Goals for Feb 2023 Reading:

Read a (Stranger Things) fic 4+ months old, with fewer than 500 kudos

Read a fic with >80k words

Cross off 25 tasks in the Fanfic Reading Challenge

(2 AU categories, 2 Author categories, 4 Content tasks, 1 Minority task, 5 Fic Type tasks, 3 Numbers tasks, 1 Ships tasks, 1 Titles category, 3 Tropes tasks)

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Got any steddie recs I should read? (I ask, as if my TBR list isn't >250 fics now...). I'm particularly into podfics right now, and will hopefully be putting together a good list of those in the future too!