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richincolor · 4 years ago

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New Releases For The Rest of 2020

The year ends with a number of books we've all been anticipating which makes for lots of great reading for us during the winter holidays. What books are you looking forward to?

A Sky Beyond the Storm (An Ember in the Ashes #4) by Sabaa Tahir Razorbill

Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off…

The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning.

At his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.

Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory–or to an unimaginable doom.

And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life–and love–he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save–or destroy–all that he knows. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Heiress Apparently (Daughters of the Dynasty #1) by Diana Ma Amulet

Gemma Huang is a recent transplant to Los Angeles from Illinois, having abandoned plans for college to pursue a career in acting, much to the dismay of her parents. Now she’s living with three roommates in a two-bedroom hovel, auditioning for bit roles that hardly cover rent. Gemma’s big break comes when she’s asked to play a lead role in an update of M. Butterfly filming for the summer in Beijing. When she arrives, she’s stopped by paparazzi at the airport. She quickly realizes she may as well be the twin of one of the most notorious young socialites in Beijing. Thus kicks off a summer of revelations, in which Gemma uncovers a legacy her parents have spent their lives protecting her from—one her mother would conceal from her daughter at any cost. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person by Frederick Joseph Candlewick Press

“We don’t see color.” “I didn’t know Black people liked Star Wars!” “What hood are you from?” For Frederick Joseph, life in a mostly white high school as a smart and increasingly popular transfer student was full of wince-worthy moments that he often simply let go. As he grew older, however, he saw these as missed opportunities not only to stand up for himself, but to spread awareness to the white friends and acquaintances who didn’t see the negative impact they were having and who would change if they knew how.

Speaking directly to the reader, The Black Friend calls up race-related anecdotes from the author’s past, weaving in his thoughts on why they were hurtful and how he might handle things differently now. Each chapter includes the voice of at least one artist or activist, including Tarell Alvin McCraney, screenwriter of Moonlight; April Reign, creator of #OscarsSoWhite; Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give; and eleven others. Touching on everything from cultural appropriation to power dynamics, “reverse racism” to white privilege, microaggressions to the tragic results of overt racism, this book serves as conversation starter, tool kit, and invaluable window into the life of a former “token Black kid” who now presents himself as the friend many of us need. Back matter includes an encyclopedia of racism, providing details on relevant historical events, terminology, and more.

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera, Celia Moscote (Illustrations) BOOM! Box

A NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL ADAPTATION OF THE BESTSELLING BOOK! Juliet Milagros Palante is leaving the Bronx and headed to Portland, Oregon. She just came out to her family and isn’t sure if her mom will ever speak to her again. But don’t worry, Juliet has something kinda resembling a plan that’ll help her figure out what it means to be Puerto Rican, lesbian and out. See, she’s going to intern with Harlowe Brisbane – her favorite feminist author, someone’s who’s the last work on feminism, self-love and lots of of ther things that will help Juliet find her ever elusive epiphany. There’s just one problem – Harlowe’s white, not from the Bronx and doesn’t have the answers. Okay, maybe that’s more than one problem but Juliet never said it was a perfect plan… Critically-acclaimed writer Gabby Rivera adapts her bestselling novel alongside artist Celia Moscote in an unforgettable queer coming-of-age story exploring race, idenrity and what it means to be true to your amazing self. even when the rest of the world doesn’t understand.

A Curse of Roses by Diana Pinguicha Entangled Teen

With just one touch, bread turns into roses. With just one bite, cheese turns into lilies.

There’s a famine plaguing the land, and Princess Yzabel is wasting food simply by trying to eat. Before she can even swallow, her magic—her curse—has turned her meal into a bouquet. She’s on the verge of starving, which only reminds her that the people of Portugal have been enduring the same pain.

If only it were possible to reverse her magic. Then she could turn flowers…into food.

Fatyan, a beautiful Enchanted Moura, is the only one who can help. But she is trapped by magical binds. She can teach Yzabel how to control her curse—if Yzabel sets her free with a kiss.

As the King of Portugal’s betrothed, Yzabel would be committing treason, but what good is a king if his country has starved to death?

With just one kiss, Fatyan is set free. And with just one kiss, Yzabel is yearning for more.

She’d sought out Fatyan to help her save the people. Now, loving her could mean Yzabel’s destruction.

Based on Portuguese legend, this #OwnVoices historical fantasy is an epic tale of mystery, magic, and making the impossible choice between love and duty…

New Releases on Dec. 8th

A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology edited by Dhonielle Clayton Random House Children’s Books

In the fourth collaboration with We Need Diverse Books, fifteen award-winning and celebrated diverse authors deliver stories about a princess without need of a prince, a monster long misunderstood, memories that vanish with a spell, and voices that refuse to stay silent in the face of injustice. This powerful and inclusive collection contains a universe of wishes for a braver and more beautiful world.

Authors include: Samira Ahmed, Libba Bray, Dhonielle Clayton, Zoraida Córdova, Tessa Gratton, Kwame Mbalia, Anna-Marie McLemore, Tochi Onyebuchi, Mark Oshiro, Natalie C. Parker, Rebecca Roanhorse, Victoria Schwab, Tara Sim, Nic Stone, and a to-be-announced debut author/short-story contest winner.

New Releases on Dec. 15th

Oculta (A Forgery of Magic #2) by Maya Motayne Balzer + Bray

After joining forces to save Castallan from an ancient magical evil, Alfie and Finn haven’t seen each other in months. Alfie is finally stepping up to his role as heir and preparing for an International Peace Summit, while Finn is travelling and revelling in her newfound freedom from Ignacio.

That is, until she’s unexpectedly installed as the new leader of one of Castallan’s powerful crime families. Now one of the four Thief Lords of Castallan, she’s forced to preside over the illegal underground Oculta competition, which coincides with the summit and boasts a legendary prize.

Just when Finn finds herself back in San Cristobal, Alfie’s plans are also derailed. Los Toros, the mysterious syndicate responsible for his brother’s murder, has resurfaced—and their newest target is the summit. And when these events all unexpectedly converge, Finn and Alfie are once again forced to work together to follow the assassins’ trail and preserve Castallan’s hopes for peace with Englass.

But will they be able to stop these sinister foes before a new war threatens their kingdom?

This Is How We Fly by Anna Meriano Philomel Books

17-year-old vegan feminist Ellen Lopez-Rourke has one muggy Houston summer left before college. She plans to spend every last moment with her two best friends before they go off to the opposite ends of Texas for school. But when Ellen is grounded for the entire summer by her (sometimes) evil stepmother, all her plans are thrown out the window.

Determined to do something with her time, Ellen (with the help of BFF Melissa) convinces her parents to let her join the local muggle Quidditch team. An all-gender, full-contact game, Quidditch isn’t quite what Ellen expects. There’s no flying, no magic, just a bunch of scrappy players holding PVC pipe between their legs and throwing dodgeballs. Suddenly Ellen is thrown into the very different world of sports: her life is all practices, training, and running with a group of Harry Potter fans.

Even as Melissa pulls away to pursue new relationships and their other BFF Xiumiao seems more interested in moving on from high school (and from Ellen), Ellen is steadily finding a place among her teammates. Maybe Quidditch is where she belongs.

But with her home life and friend troubles quickly spinning out of control–Ellen must fight for the future that she wants, now she’s playing for keeps. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

#newreleases #weneeddiversebooks #ownvoices

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ghost-in-the-hella · 5 years ago

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From the prompt batch: 6. "I'm proud of you, we all are..." (Chloe and Max)

I hope you like really fucking sad fanfic, because this immediately got really fucking sad from the second I thought of the idea for it and only got sadder from there.

Content Warnings for: non-descriptive references to suicide/suicidal ideation, negative self-talk, PTSD, references to past physical and mental abuse, and implied anti-queerness.

---

It takes Max twenty minutes to realize that Chloe’s left the celebration and twenty seconds after that for her to realize where she’s gone. She makes her excuses to her family and friends - just a minute, be right back, gotta run to the bathroom, gotta check my makeup, gotta check on Chloe, thanks for coming, thanks so much, seriously Mom I’ll be right back - and starts walking across campus toward the art building. She turns on her phone as she walks and scrolls through the text messages that have come in since the graduation ceremony. There it is, buried under a stream of congratulatory texts:

Chloe: g2g

Chloe: sorry

Max pockets her phone and stares up at the art building. She can’t see Chloe from the ground - that’s kind of the main point of a secret hiding place - but if she squints she can just make out a thin trail of cigarette smoke curling up from the rooftop. She feels a small wave of relief wash over her. Chloe’s been a lot better lately about opening up to Max when she needs help, but sometimes when she suddenly goes missing Max still worries. If she’s hiding on the rooftop and smoking a cigarette, it means she’s still here.

It’s weird to walk through the art building and have it be empty. There’s always people around, normally: working in studios, hanging artwork in critique rooms, building sculptures in hallways, sleeping on the paint-stained couches that sag in odd corners of the building. Her key card still works for the studios, luckily; it’ll probably be deactivated in a few days, once she’s got all of her stuff moved out. The undergraduate studios - a series of loosely connected cubicles formed by moveable white walls - have mostly been cleaned out or at least packed up. Chloe’s studio, all the way in the back corner, is still a mess; the boxes they brought in to pack up their supplies are still empty and scattered around. Max slips into the odd space they found the semester Chloe got her studio, a gap between the moveable wall and the actual wall, where there’s a door that’s supposed to be kept locked but that Chloe figured out quickly how to jimmy open.

Max hated the rooftop hideout for the first few weeks after Chloe showed it to her. Too many bad memories. Even though the spot is nestled between bulky vents and Max would have to climb up on top of them to look down over the campus, just the act of climbing up stairs to a rooftop made Max’s chest close in on itself. Even after Chloe made it into a home away from the dorms for them both, a special place for them to get away from the pressures of school and life, Max couldn’t go up there if it was raining. Rain makes it too easy to remember another rooftop, another time, another girl who wanted so badly to escape.

But it isn’t raining today, and Max has to admit that after nearly a year of hanging out up there it really bears no resemblance to the roof at Blackwell. Every spot that Chloe can reach - and with her long limbs she can reach quite a lot - is covered with her graffiti, spotted here and there with the marks that Chloe nudged Max into making herself (“C’mon, Max, nobody’s gonna see it; I bet no one even remembers this place exists!”). The rooftop is littered with cigarette butts (“The world is not your ashtray, Chloe!”) and food wrappers (“There’s a trash can in the studios!” “Yeah, but there’s not one on the roof, Max.”).

And, of course, there’s Chloe herself. She’s swaddled in the blanket she normally keeps in her studio and stretched out on her back between vents, smoking a cigarette as she watches the clouds. It looks like she’s been using her mortarboard as an ashtray and her wadded up gown as a pillow. She glances over at Max as Max pushes through the roof door, and her eyes are bloodshot and watery. It doesn’t smell like pot up here (for a change), though, and Max’s suspicions are confirmed when Chloe quickly looks away and discreetly wipes at the corner of her eye with one hand.

“Hey,” Max says gently, closing the door behind her. She sits down next to Chloe, leaning her back against one of the protruding vents. It’s weirdly quiet with the art building shut down for the summer; usually the vents are pumping out all kinds of sounds and smells that are probably as bad for Chloe as smoking.

“Hey,” Chloe replies, her voice soft and slightly hoarse. “Sorry I bailed, I just--” She waves her hand around abstractly, sending flecks of ash tumbling down onto her shirt.

Max nods thoughtfully. “It’s pretty overwhelming, isn’t it?”

“Like… If someone says ‘congratulations’ to me one more fucking time, I don’t know, I just feel like I might… might explode or something, you know?”

Max furrows her brows but doesn’t say anything. She tugs at the edge of the blanket until Chloe releases enough of it for Max to join her under it. She presses the side of her leg against Chloe’s, solid and reassuring, and she waits for Chloe to go on in her own time.

“It’s just… I don’t know. I expected it to feel different.” Chloe shrugs helplessly. “I expected to feel, I dunno, vindicated or something. Like, nobody thought I could do it; haha, showed you motherfuckers. But it just…” She sighs. “It feels hollow.”

“I knew you could do it,” Max says quietly. She doesn’t want to interrupt, but she also can never bear to let Chloe’s negative self-talk stand.

“Yeah… But everybody else down there, congratulating us and saying how proud they are and all of that crap… I mean, I’m sure they mean it for you; I’m fucking proud as hell of you, too, but--”

“I’m proud of you, we all are…”

Chloe finally stops cloud gazing and gives Max a dubious look. “Your parents are proud of me?”

“I-- Of course they are.” The words are sour in Max’s mouth, and she blushes under Chloe’s scrutinizing gaze. “They know how important you are to me,” she insists. That, at least, must be true: she’s told them enough times over the years, planting the knowledge as firmly into their minds as possible. They still don’t understand what Max sees in her, it’s true, and they still don’t really approve, but certainly they know that Chloe is in their daughter’s life and she’s not going anywhere if Max has anything to say about it.

“Mm. Not really the same thing, though, is it?” Chloe flicks ashes into her mortarboard, keeping her eyes trained on Max’s. “And what about the rest of your family? Your grandparents? Your aunt and uncle? Your cousins? You think they’re all proud of me?”

Max loves her family, but she’s not as oblivious as she used to be. Even in the dream-like haze of graduation, she still noticed the glances her extended family - and her immediate family - leveled at Chloe when Max introduced her as her girlfriend. Her grandmother looked like she was taking a swig of soured milk when Chloe shook her hand. Her uncle seemed fine on the surface, but she overheard him making some pretty offensive comments behind their backs. From the look on Chloe’s face, none of this went unnoticed by her. Max decides to switch tactics. “Our friends are proud of you. And I’m proud of you.”

Max reaches across the short distance between them and laces her fingers with Chloe’s. That nudges a small smile out of Chloe that feels like a huge accomplishment. The smile fades, though, and Chloe clears her throat. She crushes out what little is left of her cigarette and leaves it on the rooftop. “I, uh. I got a text from David earlier. Guess he was actually paying attention when I told him about graduating.”

“Oh,” Max says as neutrally as possible. David is always uncertain ground.

“Yeah. He, uh, he says he’s proud of me.” Chloe makes a sound halfway between a snort and a sob. “Like I give a fuck what he thinks, but still.” She starts picking at her already raw cuticles, and Max gives her hand a squeeze. “Like… he made my teen years a fucking nightmare. He treated me like shit and made me feel bad about myself, and he hit me a couple times, but he made my mom happy, you know?”

“That doesn’t excuse the way he treated you.”

“Yeah, I know, but… He does care, in his own fucked up way…”

“He does,” Max agrees. “But that still doesn’t excuse the way he treated you.”

Chloe nods. “It’s just… He’s kind of all I’ve got left.” Her voice twists and she has to clear her throat before she can speak again. Max squeezes her hand again. “My dad always believed in me. He wouldn’t be surprised at all, y’know? He’d maybe be surprised I studied art instead of science, but I know he wouldn’t be disappointed. And he’d be proud as fuck. And my mom…” Chloe’s voice breaks again, and Max’s heart breaks a little with it. “My mom would’ve been surprised, probably. Ever since Dad died, I think she kinda gave up on me making anything out of myself. David didn’t really help with that, I guess. Fuck, I didn’t really help with that. But she still would’ve been proud, I think.”

“She would,” Max assures her. “She definitely would.”

“And Rachel…” Chloe mops at her eyes. “She should’ve been here!” she explodes suddenly. “She should’ve been right there with us, getting her diploma and-and-and fucking hogging all the cameras and charming everybody’s parents’ socks off because that was just-- it was just the way she was; it was just Rachel; and it isn’t-- it isn’t--”

Max slides closer to Chloe and puts her arms around her, letting Chloe sob into her shoulder.

She doesn’t disagree. Rachel should’ve been there.

Kate should’ve been there, too. And Warren, and Dana, and Juliet, and Alyssa, and Daniel, and, hell, Victoria, Taylor, Courtney, Brooke, Stella, Evan, fucking everybody. They all deserved this. To finish high school, finish college, live their lives. She can’t say that out loud, though, not with Chloe already feeling this way. It wouldn’t make either of them feel any better, and it wouldn’t bring any of them back, so there’s no point in saying it. There’s only one way to bring any of the back, and Max won’t do it. She can’t.

“It isn’t fair,” Chloe whispers into the crook of Max’s neck. “It isn’t fair.”

Max buries her face in Chloe’s hair. She smells like cheap hair dye and the cologne she put on this morning because “It’s a fancy occasion, Max!” and the cigarette she just smoked. Max breathes her in. “It isn’t fair,” she agrees. “But you deserve this, too. And I’m so, so proud of you.”

Max’s phone buzzes in her pocket. Her family is probably wondering where she’s gotten to. They want to take her out for dinner to celebrate. Give her more congratulations, ask more questions about what her plans are now, scold her for not calling or visiting more often. Chloe sinks against Max’s shoulder, her sobbing fading into sniffles. Max kisses the top of her head and holds her tighter. She settles into the blankets and gazes up at the clouds, stroking Chloe’s hair.

Everything else can wait.

#writing prompts #prompt fic #prompt fill #pricefield #LiS #Life is Strange #fanfic #yes i'm still filling these prompts it's just taking forever because sadbrain is sadbrain

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brigade-claire-opinions · 4 years ago

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Day 9: The Haunting of Hill House

Let's talk about this novel and this show.

I already posted a quick review of the novel last year, so I'll briefly plagiarize myself. Please note, however, that I'm adding some significant elaboration to this review, including spoilers. I won't spoil the show once I get to that portion, but if you plan on reading this book, all you need to know is that I absolutely love it - it's my favorite novel about a haunted house and one of the best examples of classic horror literature.

Anyways, onto the review:

The Haunting of Hill House was written by Shirley Jackson and released in 1959. I've been trying and failing to read this book for the better part of two years now. It's always shown up on lists of the scariest books ever written, alongside the likes of The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson and Ghost Story by Peter Straub.

Having finally read (and, ultimately, been severely let down by) Straub's Ghost Story, I picked this one back up. I'm not sure if it's that something changed in me in the past year, or if it's because I was no longer trying to read it before the release of the Netflix "adaptation," but I became enamored with the novel in my third reading and finally, blessedly finished it.

In this novel, Shirley Jackson successfully captured the psychology of living in a haunted house. I fell in love with our central cast: Eleanor Vance, our protagonist who has a history with poltergeist activity, likely stemming from caring for her invalid mother until the latter's passing; Dr. John Montague, a psychologist bent on investigating the scientific angle of the occult and the man responsible for bringing together our ragtag band of misfits; Luke Sanderson, the thieving and charming black sheep of the Hill family and heir to Hill House; and Theodora (or Theo, who intentionally does not have a provided surname), a childish, flamboyant, and likely queer psychic who naively craves the excitement of staying in a haunted place.

Together, these four must brave the throes of Hill House and face whatever remnants of its terrifying history await them. This party is to experience total isolation during their stay, as cell phones weren't common in 1959. They are also to face conditions of "absolute reality," or reality completely unaffected by the subjective perceptions of the human mind. I believe that this is ultimately the narrative's way of explaining that the human mind cannot fathom paranormal activity without prior framework to quantify it, but 1959 was a different time.

What really struck me about The Haunting of Hill House was its lack of empirical ghostly encounters. Yes, the characters have spooky experiences and things happen, but the novel doesn't outright show us a ghost. Instead, it poses a question: is the house truly haunted? Or is the absolute reality that the house's troubled history is affecting the people staying there? Is it possible that Eleanor, with her history of Poltergeist activity, is causing the doors to slam and the writing on the wall? The ending only further adds to the mystery, and the reader is left to ponder.

The Haunting of Hill House has had a troubled history with screen adaptations. Two films based on the novel - both named "The Haunting," - released in 1963 and 1999 respectively, and neither had a particularly warm reception. The 1999 film in particular often appears on "worst of" lists of horror films. Prior to 2018, adaptations of Shirley Jackson's magnum opus seemed taboo, destined to fail.

And that, my friends, leads us to the show.

As you likely already know, the Netflix adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House has VERY little to do with the novel. The eponymous house and some characters are shared, but what we have here is a mostly original story about a family whose lives are still haunted by Hill House decades after they abandoned it.

Our showrunner Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Hush, Doctor Sleep) took Jackson's novel, deconstructed it, and crafted something brand new.

I am exceedingly pleased by what Flanagan and co made for us. The Haunting of Hill House is easily the best thing to come out of the novel since, well, the novel. It's also the only thing on the list so far to have legitimately scared me.

The show follows the Crain family, who move into Hill House in 1992. Olivia and Hugh Crain - the mother and father of the family - are house flippers, and Hill House seems to be their big break. As you'd expect, however, things go awry, and most of the family flees in terror in the middle of the night not long after their arrival.

Along with Olivia and Hugh, there are five Crain children who form our central cast: Steven, Shirley, Theodora, Luke, and Eleanor. The story is told between two eras - in 1992 during the family's summer at Hill House, and in 2018 as the family deals with a tragic loss.

Our cast in this story is absolutely incredible. With one exception, each member of the Crain family is portrayed by two different actors, and each gives it their all.

Michael Huisman and Paxton Singleton play Steven Crain, the eldest of Olivia and Hugh's children. Steven does not believe in the ghostly encounters that the family experienced in their time at Hill House, but that does not stop him from capitalizing on their trauma and writing a book about their experiences anyways, much to his siblings' disapproval. Due to circumstances, Steven is having marital troubles at the start of the series and is separated from his wife Leigh, played by Samantha Sloyan.

Elizabeth Reaser and Lulu Wilson play Shirley Crain, the next oldest, who was named for Shirley Jackson. Depending on how you look at it, Shirley grows up to either have the perfect or most baffling career, as she owns, lives in, and runs a funeral home along with her husband Kevin, played by Anthony Ruivivar.

Kate Siegel and McKenna Grace play Theo (this time with a surname!), the middle child. Theo has a touch empathy, allowing her to experience psychic phenomena when touching people or objects; she wears gloves to help circumvent this. She lives in a guest suite attached to Shirley's funeral home, where we occasionally see her girlfriend Trish, played by Levy Tran.

Oliver Jackson-Cohen and Julian Hilliard play Luke, the older of the twins who make up the two youngest members of the family. Luke, having been severely traumatized by his experiences at Hill House and the way his family was torn asunder afterwards, has a severe struggle with substance abuse. He has a "twin connection" with his younger twin sister, as the two of them have the tightest bond of the entire family.

Victoria Pedretti and Violet McGraw play Eleanor, the youngest of the family and the other half of Luke's twin empathy. Of all of the children, Nell and Luke each had the most traumatic experiences at Hill House; Nell still occasionally sees the ghost that haunted her the most as a child. Nell's story is the most tragic of all of the children as well; I won't say any more than that.

Timothy Hutton and Henry Thomas both put on fantastic performances for Hugh Crain, the father of the family. During the opening of the show, Hugh has to make the drastic decision of leaving Olivia behind as he and the children flee from Hill House in the middle of the night. This, of course, caused a massive rift to tear between him and the children, and they all become estranged.

Last but absolutely not least, Carla Gugino portrayed Olivia Crain, the mother of the family. Olivia has arguably the most tragic story, as a sensitive who becomes increasingly affected by whatever lurks in the walls of Hill House. She still lurks in the minds of the children and Hugh, even after that fateful night.

Flanagan and this wonderful cast knew exactly how to put on a fantastic show. Each role is played pitch perfectly, in both incarnations of the characters. Child actors are known to struggle with putting on strong performances, but none of these young cast members are ever overplayed to the point of being annoying. The stellar writing that these characters have to work with does a great job of bringing the audience in and making them feel like part of the Crain family. We care about these characters and don't want anything to happen to them, and thus we are horrified whenever they are hurt or scared, just as we would be if anything happened to our own loved ones.

The Haunting of Hill House has the some of the most effective scares I've seen in horror. Flanagan knows how to build up tension and when to release it. He knows exactly how to frame a shot and how to use subtlety to his advantage. There are a few jump scares sprinkled throughout the show, but unlike with most other horror pieces, the jump scares are meant for the characters and not for the audience. They have real meaning and serve a purpose and aren't just there as a cheap way to shock the audience.

The score for this show does a great job of underlining the tension, but aside from the opening theme, nothing quite stands out for me. I do want to take a moment to discuss the cinematography, however. Flanagan knows EXACTLY how to frame a shot, when to show something scary, and when to leave something to the audience's imagination. The juxtaposition between the two eras is masterful in its framing and use of colors. The happier childhood era in Hill House is shown in bright, warm colors with some nice bloom effect to display a more innocent time. Shots are more spacious and give the characters plenty of breathing room, and the score is light and almost playful.

In contrast, however, the scarier portions of the childhood era and most of the adult era are filmed with muted colors and cooler, darker tones. Shots are cramped and claustrophobic, and darkness fills corners and swims in rooms. The score for these shots is ominous and quiet, or even non-existant at times, leaving us to wonder what's going to happen.

The Haunting of Hill House is one of my favorite shows. It's fantastic, nearly perfect, in almost every way; I seriously have a hard time thinking of anything I'd change. Over the course of ten episodes, I felt myself moved and swayed and afraid for the members of this family. The show is not for everyone, of course, and I even hesitate to call it an adaptation of my favorite haunted house novel, but its strengths far outweigh anything negative I have to say. If you're looking for a long-form scary watch, I implore you to check this out. I even encourage you to read the novel, as it is interesting to compare the two and look at what few parallels Flanagan drew between them. As of today, the show has a second season. The Haunting of Bly Manor, which is based upon the works of Henry James, reuses much of the Hill House cast in new roles, marking The Haunting as an anthology show.

I'm almost done talking about adaptations for this month. Tomorrow, I return to a film I watched in my youth now that I've read the novel it's based upon...

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beatrice-otter · 5 years ago

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Longfic Recs, part II

Yet more recs, mostly longfic

Something Like This (285755 words) by emmagrant01 Chapters: 47/47 Fandom: Check Please! (Webcomic) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Eric Bittle/Jack Zimmermann, Eric Bittle/OMC, Kent Parson/Jack Zimmermann, Kent Parson/OMC, Alicia Zimmermann/Bob Zimmermann, Larissa "Lardo" Duan/Shitty Knight, OMC/OMC, Jack Zimmermann/OMC, Camilla Collins/Jack Zimmermann Characters: Jack Zimmermann, Eric Bittle, Shitty Knight, Larissa "Lardo" Duan, Original Characters, Adam "Holster" Birkholtz, Justin "Ransom" Oluransi, Taylor Whitton, Kent "Parse" Parson Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, canon-typical alcohol use, Angst, Demisexual Character, Slow Burn, Jack is oblivious, Bitty dates other guys, Anxiety, Jealousy, Coming Out, not hockey rpf but real teams and real people make appearances, Canon-Typical Drug Use, Happy Ending, Pining, so much horrible pining, and SMUT, so much smut omg, Fluffy Smut, Infidelity, Hockey, Not-totally-an-asshole Parse, flangst, really long fic, goes AU after sophomore year, Consensual Infidelity, You Can Play, a year in the life of Jack Zimmermann, Inspired by Real Events, The 2016 Orlando Shooting Series: Part 1 of Something Like This Summary:

Jack thought his first year in the NHL would be 100% about hockey, but the reality is so much more complicated. (AU where the Goodbye for the Summer comics didn’t happen, because I had already written 80K words of this. But just because it’s canon doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy long, angsty, get-together stories, amirite?)

Alternate summary, courtesy of Dracavia: What if Bad Bob didn't say anything at graduation?

of the nature of the wound (33936 words) by decinq Fandom: Check Please! (Webcomic) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Eric Bittle/Jack Zimmermann, Larissa "Lardo" Duan/Shitty Knight, Jamie Benn/Tyler Seguin, Jack Zimmermann & Kent Parson, Hockey Ensemble - Relationship Additional Tags: Jack Knew First, athletics and mental health, media relations, Closeted Character Series: Part 1 of the messes of men

Summary:

His first year in the NHL isn't easy, but Jack has spent his entire life playing through the hurt.

Pass It On (9241 words) by thefourthvine, knight_tracer Fandom:Hockey RPF Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin, Jamie Benn/Tyler Seguin Additional Tags: Podfic, Audio Format: MP3, Audio Format: Streaming, Podfic Length: 45-60 Minutes Summary:

Ninety percent of everyone's problems could be solved by a robot that just texted NO to hockey players on a regular basis. Unfortunately, Sidney didn't have a robot.

taken by the sea (100495 words) by notamagnet Chapters: 2/2 Fandom:Hockey RPF Rating: Explicit Warnings: Rape/Non-Con Relationships: Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews, Danny Briere/Claude Giroux, Duncan Keith/Brent Seabrook, Sidney Crosby/Original Male Character

Characters: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Marc-Andre Fleury, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Jarome Iginla, Danny Briere, Claude Giroux, Colby Armstrong Additional Tags: Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks

Summary: Sidney wasn't looking for love, he was just looking to play hockey again, but he found Ryan anyway. (Sidney Crosby/OMC)

All For One (121996 words) by ironychan Fandom:The Avengers (Marvel Movies),Captain America (Movies),Marvel Cinematic Universe Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Natasha Romanov, Laura Kinney

Summary: While tracking down a weapons-smuggling operation in Florida, Steve Rogers stumbles across a dead body - HIS dead body. When he, Sam, and Natasha investigate, they discover a conspiracy bigger and more bizarre than anything HYDRA has thrown at them yet.

The Not-Christmas Not-Truce of 1944 (1416 words) by dropdeaddream Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Captain America (Movies),Marvel Cinematic Universe Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Howling Commandos, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers Characters: A Cow Additional Tags: untimely off-screen animal death, Actual New Yorker Steve Rogers, Actual New Yorker James Barnes

Summary: Bucky stabs a man in the neck.

The cow moos.

Badgering the Lawyers (6053 words) by Shrewreadings Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:The Avengers (2012) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Clint Barton/Phil Coulson Characters: Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanov, Phil Coulson, Clint Barton, Bruce Banner Additional Tags: Team, Original Character(s), Badgers Series: Part 1 of Badger-Verse Summary: All that’s unusual about the Tuesday is the badgers. Everything else is pretty normal for SHIELD.

Sure Movin' Down the Line (20173 words) by circ_bamboo Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe,The Avengers (Marvel Movies),Captain America (Movies) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Maria Hill/Sam Wilson Characters: Sam Wilson (Marvel), Maria Hill, T'Challa, James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Pepper Potts, Natasha Romanov Additional Tags: Canon Character of Color, Male Friendship, Latina Maria Hill, Race-related themes

Summary: Sam Wilson needs his wings fixed. Steve Rogers thinks he knows a guy who can do that, but as it turns out, Tony Stark didn't make the wings. He knows who did, though: T'Challa, the king of Wakanda and the genius behind the Wakandan Design Group. Sam, along with Rhodey and Maria Hill, goes to London to meet T'Challa . . . where unexpected dangers await them.

The Night Has Seen Your Mind (105030 words) by bomberqueen17 Chapters: 11/11 Fandom:Marvel Cinematic Universe,Captain America (Movies) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Natasha Romanoff, Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, Clint Barton, Tony Stark, OCs Additional Tags: Memory Loss, Memory Alteration, Panic Attacks, Epistolary, Public Relations, Pining, Social Media, modern life adjustment, OT3, OT4, Selfies, self-redemption, Bucky Barnes Returns, Bucky Barnes Remembers, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Natasha Feels, Protective Natasha, Steve Needs a Hug, Awesome Sam Wilson, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Ensemble Cast, close 3rd person POV, POV Alternating, winter widow - Freeform, Freebird - Freeform, Pop music, strong OCs, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Holds Himself At Gunpoint, bucky has opinions on rap

Series: Part 1 of Choice Is Not A Word A Bullet Knows

Summary: Steve and Sam return from a futile tour of the globe on the heels of the ghost of the Winter Soldier to find a pile of postcards with the names of confirmed-killed HYDRA agents waiting at Stark Tower: mission reports from the ghost to the only commanding officer he still feels he has. All of it is set to culminate in New York City... if Bucky can remember what he set up.

With some Clint/Natasha, Bucky/Natasha, Steve/Sam pining, a whole bunch of friendship dynamics, gratuitous pop culture references (Bucky is obsessed with pop music, as a coping strategy), slash, het, and a lot of cussing.

I Came to Win (13718 words) by Philyra Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Marvel Cinematic Universe Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Pepper Potts, Melinda May, Christine Everhart, Maya Hansen, Maria Hill, Natasha Romanov, Victoria Hand, Carol Danvers, Bobbi Morse, Jessica Drew, Tony Stark, Nick Fury, Darcy Lewis, Betty Ross Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Hockey, Women Being Awesome, Female Friendship, Podfic Available Series: Part 1 of Get ready for it

Summary: Pepper Potts inherits a failing hockey team at 25. She builds her staff and team her way, screw what anyone else thinks. She wants a Stanley Cup.

Known Associates (294881 words) by thingswithwings Chapters: 9/9 Fandom:Marvel Cinematic Universe,The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers, James "Rhodey" Rhodes/Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers/various OCs, Bruce Banner & Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers & Natasha Romanov, Maria Hill/Natasha Romanov (background), Tony Stark/Pepper Potts/James "Rhodey" Rhodes (background)

Characters: Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes, Peggy Carter, James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Natasha Romanov, Sam Wilson, Bruce Banner, Nick Fury, Maria Hill, Arnie Roth, Pepper Potts, Tony Stark

Additional Tags: gender performance, queer 1940s Brooklyn, Fairy!Steve, femme!Steve, stevefeels, Union Organizing, Protests, Socialism, superhero ethics, queer ethics, queer friendships, queer communities, Found Family, collective action, Polyamory, Genderqueer Character, Pacifism, Makeup, Pretty Clothes, dressing up, Drawing, Portraiture, Military Kink, Food Kink, coming out stories, staying in stories, joyful sex work, degrading sex work, Homophobia, Heterosexism, Racism, gender essentialism, Femmephobia, Ableism, Racial slurs, LGBT slurs, Body Dysphoria, canon forced masculinization, non-consensual experimentation on people, Experimentation on Children, children in peril, child death (offscreen and brief), Eugenics, Police Brutality, criminalized homosexuality, military segregation, Canon character deaths, OC character deaths, Everyone Is Poly Because Avengers, everyone is queer because Steve, Steve Rogers: Cartoonist of the Revolution, Steve Rogers: power bottom, Steve Rogers' Fighting Queers, bad becomes worse-good becomes great-queer becomes superqueer

Summary: Steve Rogers isn't a self-made man.

Or, how a tough little Brooklyn fairy got turned into Captain America, and then turned back.

Brooklyn Boys (8332 words) by SleepsWithCoyotes Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe,Captain America (Movies),The Avengers (Marvel Movies) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Jotunheim Beast, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Thor (Marvel), Friday (Marvel) Additional Tags: Gen or Pre-Slash, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant

Summary: The stray picks up a stray.

Orbit (35580 words) by Primarybufferpanel Chapters: 22/22 Fandom:Mad Max Series (Movies),Mad Max: Fury Road Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Furiosa/Max Rockatansky, Furiosa & Max Rockatansky Characters: Max Rockatansky, Furiosa (Mad Max), Cheedo the Fragile, Toast the Knowing, The Dag (Mad Max), Capable (Mad Max), The Vuvalini, The Ace (Mad Max), Keeper of the Seeds (Mad Max), Bolt the three-legged dog, Miss Giddy (Mad Max)

Additional Tags: Post-Movie(s), Max is not good at having Feels, Slow Burn, Boltcutters are the new symbol of the Citadel, Recovery, Healing, Past Rape/Non-con, Sexual Content, Miss Giddy is the tattoo artist of the Citadel, Keeper of the Seeds is Max's newest ghost, Worldbuilding, Forehead Touching

Summary: Max thought he'd never want to see the Citadel again. And yet here he is and he isn't sure why. Furiosa greets him like this was always the plan, like he is one of her scouts. She looks strong and healthy again, recovered from her wound. Perhaps that is what he came to see?

He tells himself: 'One day. Supplies and water and food'. And then 'Maybe a night rest'.

Three days later he drives away, determined not to return.

(Three months later the Citadel comes into sight again)

Wizardry By Consent (61991 words) by Sixthlight Chapters: 5/5 Fandom:Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Peter Grant/Thomas Nightingale Characters: Peter Grant, Thomas Nightingale, Cecelia Tyburn Thames, Abigail Kamara, Original Characters Additional Tags: Future Fic, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, the Senior Officer Peter AU, also featuring, Lesley May - Freeform, Beverley Brook - Freeform, Molly - Freeform, and the rest of the Usual Suspects Series: Part 1 of The Senior Officer Peter AU

Summary: Fifteen years after a headless body was discovered in Covent Garden, Thomas Nightingale is still the last wizard in Britain, and Peter Grant, newly appointed Commander for Community Engagement in the Metropolitan Police Service, has just learned the truth about the existence of the Folly.

He has one or two questions.

Like Ephraim and Menasheh (2921 words) by Starlightify Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:DCU Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Jonathan Kent/Martha Kent Characters: Jonathan Kent, Martha Kent, Clark Kent Additional Tags: Alien Biology, Trans Character, Autism, Disabled Character, neurodivergent character, Parent-Child Relationship, Jewish Character, martha and jonathan kent's adventures in raising a space baby Series: Part 1 of repairing the world

Summary: There's not exactly a manual on how to raise a space baby. Martha and Jonathan do the best they can.

All the Roofs of Uncertainty (70065 words) by Kieron_ODuibhir Chapters: 12/12 Fandom:Batman (Comics),Batman - All Media Types,DCU Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Dick Grayson & Jason Todd, Jason Todd & Leslie Thompkins, Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne Characters: Jason Todd, Dick Grayson, Wally West, Leslie Thompkins, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne, Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain, Sasha | Scarlet

Additional Tags: Brothers, Blood, Reconciliation, Red Hood - Freeform, Nightwing - Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, You were always the Golden Boy, appearances by Superman and Impulse II, cameos by Static and Bulleteer, Everybody loves Dick Grayson, Angst, Rage, you made a choice, parenting, Wally West is the worst combat therapist, also featuring cameo by Shazam!, Families of Choice, Alfred and Leslie taught Bruce how to be a parent, which might explain a lot, gratuitous canon, Now with added Batman, now with possibly too much Batman, what even is an antihero anyway?, insufferable big brother jason todd, the girls are sadly only in the epilogue

Summary: For all the blood on his hands, Red Hood was never just a villain. And Nightwing never gives up on family, not for good.

(Or: The one where Dick bleeds a lot and Jason argues with everybody.)

In all your wanderings (16073 words) by MirandaTam Chapters: 11/11 Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types,Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Shmi Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, Qui-Gon Jinn, Padmé Amidala, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Mace Windu, Darth Maul, Dooku (Star Wars) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Slavery, Jedi Shmi, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, that's the plan at least, Shmi is the best jedi tbh Series: Part 1 of Jedi Shmi AU

Summary: Passion, yet serenity.

Shmi leaves Tatooine with Anakin and goes to the Jedi Temple.

Hindsight is Not Perfect (61864 words) by DAsObiQuiet Chapters: 13/13 Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types,Star Wars Prequel Trilogy,Star Wars Original Trilogy Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, onesided - Relationship Characters: Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Shmi Skywalker, Watto (Star Wars), Qui-Gon Jinn, Padmé Amidala, Yoda, Siri Tachi, Palpatine | Darth Sidious, Finis Valorum, Panaka (Star Wars), Mace Windu

Additional Tags: Time Travel, Fix-It of Sorts, Time Travel Fix-It, Redemption, Well he tries Series: Part 1 of Force of Many Sights

Summary: Paved with good intentions or not, the road back from Hell is a difficult, slippery slope for those who choose to walk it as Anakin has. Now he has to face the consequences of his choices, avoid suspicion of everyone from the Jedi Council to Palpatine and try to prevent the future from turning out as badly Before all while somehow finding a way to balance the Force... again!

have you heard (42166 words) by peradi Chapters: 8/8 Fandom:Star Wars - All Media Types,Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015) Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Poe Dameron/Finn, Poe Dameron/Finn/Rey Characters: Poe Dameron, Finn, Phasma, Hux, Kylo Ren, Stormtroopers, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Rey, Han Solo, Snoke Additional Tags: stories, Revolution, The First Order Sucks, stormtroopers - Freeform, Propaganda, finn is the patron saint of revolution, fn-2187 was a storm trooper Series: Part 1 of once there was Summary: "I heard FN-2187 was a Stormtrooper."

Finn sparks a revolution.

Fundamental Force Carriers (87796 words) by tanarill Chapters: 13/13 Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types,Star Wars Prequel Trilogy,Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types,Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker & Yoda

Characters: Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader, Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Son (Clone Wars), The Father (Clone Wars), Yoda, Mace Windu, Sheev Palpatine | Darth Sidious, Padmé Amidala, CT-7567 | Rex, CT-5597 | Jesse, CT-6116 | Kix, Aang (Star Wars), OMC, OFC, Jocasta Nu, Quinlan Vos, Asajj Ventress, Pong Krell, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Plo Koon, R2-D2, Dooku | Darth Tyranus, Grievous | Qymaen jai Sheelal, CC-2224 | Cody, Saesee Tiin, Oppo Rancisis, Adi Gallia, Even Piell, Han Solo, Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, Shaak Ti

Additional Tags: Time Travel, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Fix-It, Time Travel Fix-It, Lightsabers, Meditation, Feels, Training, Jedi Training, Lightsaber Battles, The Force, The Dark Side of the Force, BAMF!Anakin, Clones, News Media, Mental Health Issues, Therapy, Mathematics, Quantum Mechanics

Series: Part 1 of Probability Matrices

Summary: The Sith Lord Darth Vader lived his life. He probably didn't live it well, but he lived it as well as he knew how. At the end there, he'd even managed to woman up and kill Sidious. But he was dying, and at peace with the past.

The past wasn't at peace with him.

Brooklyn Boys (8332 words) by SleepsWithCoyotes Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Marvel Cinematic Universe,Captain America (Movies),The Avengers (Marvel Movies) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Jotunheim Beast, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Thor (Marvel), Friday (Marvel) Additional Tags: Gen or Pre-Slash, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant

Summary: The stray picks up a stray.

4 Minute Window (24127 words) by Speranza Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Captain America (Movies),Marvel Cinematic Universe Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers Characters: Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton, Tony Stark, Pepper Potts, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Peggy Carter Additional Tags: Surveillance, It's Like Grand Central Station In Here, Brooklyn Boys, Power Couple, People Are Sick of Conceptual Art Series: Part 1 of 4 Minute Window

Summary: "Look, if they catch me," Bucky muttered, "they're either going to kill me or they're going to put me in a box with a little window and—Steve, I can't."

This, You Protect (64326 words) by owlet Chapters: 33/33 Fandom:Captain America (Movies),Marvel Cinematic Universe Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Natasha Romanov, Tony Stark, Jarvis (Iron Man movies), Pepper Potts, Clint Barton Additional Tags: Humor, I hope humor anyway, cursing, Protection, Strong feelings about coffee, slightly off-canon, Steve is sassy, sam is sassy, Bucky is sassy, Everyone has their sassy pants on, just accept that grilled cheese is the perfect food, old people are Team Bucky Series: Part 1 of Infinite Coffee and Protection Detail

Summary: The mission resets abruptly, from objective: kill to objective: protect

Ain't No Grave (Can Keep My Body Down) (107076 words) by spitandvinegar Chapters: 10/10 Fandom:Captain America - All Media Types,Marvel Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers Characters: Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Natasha Romanov, Tony Stark, Clint Barton, Phil Coulson, Original Characters, Pepper Potts, Matt Murdock, Franklin "Foggy" Nelson, Claire Temple

Additional Tags: Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Drug Abuse, Homelessness, Jewish Bucky Barnes, Catholic Steve Rogers, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Artist Steve Rogers, Identity Issues, POV Alternating, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, because I am a desert pony that runs as wild and free as the wind, Period Typical Attitudes, Masturbation, Past Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers, original kid characters, a coupla goddamn kids, Pinkberry, Past Rape/Non-con

Series: Part 2 of Ain't No Grave

Summary: It's six in the morning, and Steve is heading out on a run when he nearly trips over a bouquet of sunflowers on the front steps of his brownstone.

For a second paranoia takes over, and he kicks the flowers a little, waiting for them to explode. They don't. They also came with a card, which he picks up. The front of the card has a tasteful picture of the Brooklyn bridge at sunset. It's very nice and sedate, like the kind of card you would buy to give to your boss. On the inside someone has written a short message in big, shaky block letters.

I AM SORRY FOR SHOOTING YOU.

Steve sits down hard on the steps.

Don't Stop Believing (205901 words) by kianspo Chapters: 11/11 Fandom:Star Trek (2009),Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock, Christopher Pike/Spock, Spock/Nyota Uhura Additional Tags: Action/Adventure, First Time, Angst, Drama, Ensemble Cast, Slow Burn, Enemies to Friends to Lovers Series: Part 2 of Don't Stop Believing

Summary: The story follows Spock from his own days as a cadet at Starfleet Academy to the ‘present day’ when he’s Kirk’s first officer and the Enterprise is on its five-year mission. Essentially, the story of Spock’s first real love followed by the story of him finding the love of his life. Ad astra per aspera.

Kal'i'farr heh T'naehm (11198 words) by sixbeforelunch Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Character Characters: Original Vulcan Character(s) Additional Tags: Vulcan, Vulcan Culture, Alien Culture, Pon Farr, Marriage, The Dominion War - Freeform, world building, action takes place over a single day, tight focus, tight 3rd person POV, Ordinary People, Little Brothers, Big Sisters, architecture nerds, linguistics nerds, Sherlock Holmes fans, Clans, alien ceremonies, Arranged Marriage, Alien Food, Food, Cooking, Telepathy, Mental bonds, Telepathic Bonds, Parents and Children, Communication, no canon characters Series: Part 1 of Pi'maat Summary: A meditation on marriage and war, from a Vulcan perspective, on the eve of the Dominion War.

Stubborn Mouths: Humans In Translation (62940 words) by Hannah Chapters: 23/23 Fandom: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Julian Bashir/Elim Garak Characters: Julian Bashir, Elim Garak, Jadzia Dax, Odo (Star Trek), Kira Nerys, Quark (Star Trek), Miles O'Brien, Keiko O'Brien, Benjamin Sisko, Minor Characters

Additional Tags: Disability, Disabled Character of Color, Autism, Canon Character of Color, Neurodiversity, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Alien Cultural Differences, Judaism, Jews In Space, exploring replicator limitations, Literary References & Allusions, Neko Case - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Autistic Character

Summary: If you’re sending yourself out to the edge of civilization, people expect it to be done for fame and glory – but then, Julian Bashir has never been what’s expected of him. He’s quite happy to agree with the reasons other people provide, because he isn’t sharing the private whys and wherefores when people are more than happy to fill in the gaps themselves. There are other, better things to worry about, work to be done and friends to be made – possibly even a lover, if he’s lucky…

...all while fighting to maintain his worth, and remain exactly who he’s always been.

A Bit Too Much Good Work (96074 words) by a_t_rain Chapters: 25/25 Fandom: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Rish/Byerly Vorrutyer Characters: Byerly Vorrutyer, Rish, Ivan Vorpatril, Alys Vorpatril, Tej Arqua Vorpatril, Donna Vorrutyer | Dono Vorrutyer Additional Tags: Politics, Case Fic, Class Issues, Book: Captain Vorpatril's Alliance, Imperial Security, Spies & Secret Agents, Cultural Differences

Summary: Behind the scenes of Captain Vorpatril's Alliance, Byerly grapples with bomb threats, Council of Counts politics, fallout from a previous case, and the difficulty of maintaining a romance when one's profession blurs the lines between lovers, colleagues, witnesses, and suspects.

Rise Up (2711 words) by hollimichele Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Sleepy Hollow (TV), Hamilton - Miranda Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Ichabod Crane, Abbie Mills (Sleepy Hollow), Alexander Hamilton Additional Tags: RPF, sort of? technically? Series: Part 1 of Don't Be Shocked When Your Hist'ry Book Mentions Me Summary: “I call bullshit,” Abbie said, ten steps into the secret crypt beneath Trinity Church.

Honor Among Thieves (225021 words) by Bracketyjack Chapters: 8/8 Fandom:Honor Harrington Series - David Weber Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Additional Tags: Alternative Universe - Canon Divergence Summary: An Alternative Honorverse Novel.

I know the extended story-arc is one of the great glories of the Honorverse, but haven't you ever, ploughing through the latest best-selling doorstop, wanted radically to short-circuit the whole thing, and see those morally defective, small-souled Manticoran aristocrats taken down hard? And all Detweilers and Kolokoltsovs whatsoever fed to a vengeful passel of treecats, with BBQ sauce? I know I have ...

Going Native (151814 words) by Rap541 Chapters: 67/67 Fandom:Battlestar Galactica (2003),Star Trek: The Next Generation Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Characters: Felix Gaeta, Kara "Starbuck" Thrace, Lee "Apollo" Adama, Anastasia "Dee" Dualla, William Adama, Laura Roslin, Jean-Luc Picard, Saul Tigh, William Riker, Beverly Crusher, Worf (Star Trek:TNG/DS9), Reginald Barclay Additional Tags: Crossover, Fix-It Summary: What do you do when you're a lost Starfleet officer in the Beta Quadrant? You blend in and hope for the best.

Digging for the Bones by Paganaidd (203178 words) by Paganaidd Chapters: 62/62 Fandom:Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Characters: Severus Snape, Harry Potter Additional Tags: Severitus, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Panic Attack, Depression

Summary: Rather than allowing Harry to stay at Diagon Alley after he blew up Aunt Marge, the Ministry sends Harry back to the Dursleys. Harry returns to school after a terrible summer, to find that he's not the only one with this kind of secret. A student has been killed by his family. New screening measures are put into place by the Ministry: Every student must be given a medical exam and interview to look for child abuse. With Dumbledore facing an inquiry, Snape is entrusted with the task of making sure EVERYONE receives one.

The first chapter contains a character death and the whole story is quite dark. It begins at the beginning of Prisoner of Azkaban and is AU thereafter. Also note: this story is a "Snape is Harry's biological dad" story. This is not supposed to be the central theme of the story, but people have gotten annoyed that I didn't tell them at the beginning. D.S.S. Requirement by esama (30k) Harry Potter AU/Stargate The Dumbledore's Army use the Room of the Requirement to get themselves a spaceship.

The Best Revenge (and it's sequel) by Arsinoe de Blassenville, 213k and 108k Harry Potter AU. Yes, the old Snape retrieves Harry from the Dursleys formula. I just had to write one. Everything changes, because the best revenge is living well. T for Mentor Snape's occasional naughty language. Supportive Minerva.

There was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe (77571 words) by Shoshanah-ben-hohim Chapters: 5/5 Fandom: Hockey RPF Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin Characters: Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Mario Lemieux, Sergei Gonchar Additional Tags: Ensemble Cast, Kid Fic, Original Character(s), Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, 2018 Winter Olympics, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Child Neglect, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mutual Pining Series: Part 1 of There was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe

Summary: Amidst rising political tensions between Russia and NATO countries, the KHL and NHL failed to renew their labor agreement this summer. Due to the failed agreement and intense political pressure at home, the Russian NHL players do not return to the NHL.

By March, Geno has played almost a season in Russia, and accepts this is his new reality, no matter how much he misses Sid – until he finds the first child. This sets him and everyone he involves down a dangerous path of international intrigue. Flightless Birds by RedandGreen, 94k words Hockey RPF genderbender Sid's hair is a thing. It's her thing, and she's always a girl even when she's a hockey player. (tw: sexual assault)

Fastening One Heart to Every Falling Thing (51519 words) by thefourthvine Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Hockey RPF Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin, Evgeni Malkin/Alexander Ovechkin Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulbond, Trope Subversion/Inversion, Spacetoaster, Podfic Available, No Miracle Cure

Summary: Geno can't. Sidney won't.

To Bear is to Conquer Our Fate (106365 words) by Shem Chapters: 34/34 Fandom:Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen ating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Kitty Bennet/Fitzwilliam Darcy Characters: Kitty Bennet, Fitzwilliam Darcy Summary: The day after the Netherfield Ball, a simple walk through the countryside has wide reaching consequences for Mr Darcy and a certain young lady from Longbourn.

The Brighton Effect (74644 words) by Shem Chapters: 29/29 Fandom: Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen ating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Catherine Bennet/Other(s), Elizabeth Bennet/Fitzwilliam Darcy, Jane Bennet/Charles Bingley Series: Part 1 of The Effect Summary: Kitty's chance to go to Brighton with Lydia may just change everyone's fate

Fair Winds and Homeward Sail (49011 words) by Ione Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Persuasion - Jane Austen Rating: Not Rated Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Admiral Croft/Sophia Croft, Anne Elliot/Frederick Wentworth Characters: Sophia Croft, Anne Elliot, Admiral Croft, Frederick Wentworth, Louisa Musgrove, Lady Russell, Mary Musgrove, Charles Musgrove, Captain Harville Additional Tags: The Royal Navy, References to Jane Austen, Regency Summary: Sophia Wentworth was devoted to her brothers before she found happiness. Then she wanted the same for Frederick . . .

Lydia, still (2719 words) by tree Chapters: 4/4 Fandom: Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen, Star Trek: The Next Generation Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Lydia Bennet, Data (Star Trek), Jean-Luc Picard Additional Tags: Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Epistolary, Holodecks/Holosuites, I Don't Even Know Summary: Rocks fall. Everyone dies.

Except Lydia.

Square Peg in a Round Hole, or Junior Year of High School, Revised, A Clones Tale (42497 words) by MarbleGlove Chapters: 13/13 Fandom:Highlander: The Series,Stargate SG-1 Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Methos, Clone Jack O'Neill, Daniel Jackson, Teal'c, General Hammond, Jack O'Neill Additional Tags: post Fragile Balance, Crossover Series: Part 1 of A Square Peg in a Round Hole Summary: Methos was just spending a year as a high school teacher; Jake O'Neil was just trying to be someone other than Jack O'Neill; neither are simple individuals.

Change Is Only The Beginning (78449 words) by ivorygates Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Stargate SG-1 Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Jack O'Neill/Danielle Jackson Characters: Jack O'Neill, Danielle Jackson, Charlie Kawalsky, Ra (SG-1), Skaara (SG-1), Sha're (SG-1), Catherine Langford Additional Tags: Stargate the Movie AU, Girl!Daniel Summary: The One Where: Catherine Langford hired the wrong archaeologist for Project Giza, Dani Jackson joins a lesbian rock band, Jack isn't quite sure what he wants, and Gary Meyers gets a makeover.

AKA: Ivory Writes A Harlequin Romance...

Warning: incipient babies.

Said the Joker to the Thief (41898 words) by ivorygates, greenbirds Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Stargate SG-1,NCIS ating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Series: Part 1 of Joker'verse Summary: If this isn't the absolute worst Monday Gibbs has ever experienced, it's certainly in the top ten.

And do my spiriting gently (1478 words) by thinlizzy2 Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:The Tempest - Shakespeare ating: General Audiences Warnings: Major Character Death Characters: Ariel, Prospero, Miranda Summary: All is not as it seems on Prospero's island, but that is no coincidence. The island is Ariel's domain, and zie is the one who shapes the reality there.

World Ain't Ready (185796 words) by idiopathicsmile Chapters: 16/16 Fandom: Les Misérables - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Enjolras/Grantaire, background Courfeyrac/Jean Prouvaire - Relationship Characters: Grantaire (Les Misérables), Enjolras (Les Misérables), Éponine Thénardier, Jean "Jehan" Prouvaire, Courfeyrac (Les Misérables), Bahorel (Les Misérables), Marius Pontmercy, Cosette Fauchelevent, Joly (Les Misérables), Bossuet Laigle, Musichetta (Les Misérables) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - High School Summary: Enjolras presses his lips together. He already looks pained, and Grantaire hasn't even opened his mouth yet. That's got to be a record, even for them.

"I need a favor," he says at last.

"With what?" says Grantaire. "Ooh, are you forming a cult? Can I join? I'd be awesome at cults, I just know it." He ticks off his qualifications on his fingers. "I love chanting, I look great in robes—"

(High school AU. Grantaire the disaffected stoner is pulled into a cause bigger than himself. Or: in which there are pretend boyfriends for great justice.)

Admit Me, Chorus to This History (35091 words) by Morgyn Leri Chapters: 4/4 Fandom: 15th Century CE RPF,Henry V - Shakespeare Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Henry V of England/Blanche Stretton (OFC) Characters: Henry V of England, Henry IV of England, Thomas Beaufort, Henry Scroop, Katherine of Valois, John of Lancaster: Duke of Bedford, Humphrey of Lancaster: Duke of Gloucester, Blanche Stretton (OFC), James Stretton (OMC), Robert of Stretton (OMC) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, GFY, Don’t copy to another site Series: Part 1 of Mistress to Queen

Summary: An alternate history or alternate reality, if you will, wherein what some might call a romance is played out between a prince whose passions are power and war and a girl who wants nothing so much as family.

Hail Mary (191627 words) by galaxysoup Chapters: 23/23 Fandom:Supernatural Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Mary Winchester, Castiel, Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Missouri Moseley, Jody Mills, Ephraim (Supernatural), Joshua (Supernatural), Malachi (Supernatural), Theo (Supernatural), Crowley (Supernatural), Ezekiel | Gadreel, Cain (Supernatural), Tara (Supernatural: First Born), Garth Fitzgerald IV, Charlie Bradbury, Dorothy Baum, Muriel (Supernatural), Jim Murphy, Ellen Harvelle, Jo Harvelle, Tamara (Supernatural), Isaac (Supernatural), Kevin Tran, Linda Tran, Rufus Turner, Deanna Campbell, Victor Henriksen, Caleb (Supernatural), Annie Hawkins, Bartholomew (Supernatural), Original Characters, Bela Talbot, Hannah (Supernatural)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Mary Winchester, BAMF Castiel, POV Mary Winchester, Human Castiel, Male-Female Friendship, Post-Episode: s09e03 I'm No Angel, Angst, Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, Hurt Castiel, Canon-Typical Violence, John Winchester's A+ Parenting, Sick Castiel, Minor Character Death, Apocalypse Series: Part 1 of Hail Mary-verse

Summary:Take one newly human ex-angel on the run from Heaven. Combine with one mysteriously resurrected and increasingly pissed off Mary Winchester. Add overtones of Apocalypse. Shake well.

she's gotta be strong to fight them (25476 words) by stars_inthe_sky Chapters: 7/7 Fandom:Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,Terminator - All Media Types,Terminator (Movies),The Terminator (1984),Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence Characters: Savannah Weaver, Sarah Connor, Lauren Fields, Sydney Fields, James Ellison, Martin Bedell, Jesse Flores, Original Characters, Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character(s) Additional Tags: Families of Choice, Unconventional Families, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Episode: s02e22 Born to Run, Training, Survival Training, Bechdel Test Pass, Apocalypse, Pre-Apocalypse, Alternate Timelines, Alternate Canon

Series: Part 1 of tell me where your strength lies

Summary: Sarah rises and hugs her so tightly that Savannah’s wet towel soaks through her sweater. “What did you mean, before, I saved your life?” Savannah asks, voice muffled by Sarah’s shoulder. “I didn’t do anything.”

After “Born to Run,” they’re just a kid without a mom and a mom without a kid. But a storm is still coming. (First in a series)

Through An Open Window (75068 words) by LMA Chapters: 34/34 Fandom: Babylon 5 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Valen (Jeffrey Sinclair)/Catherine Sakai, Sinclair & Delenn Characters: Valen (Jeffrey Sinclair), Catherine Sakai, Delenn, Draal, Zathras, Kosh Summary: Recounts the story of Jeffrey Sinclair's early years as Valen and his reunion with his fiancee Catherine Sakai; Delenn learns what happened to her friend by using the Great Machine. Originally published in 1996.

(The sequel is Summoned) Legend by ShayneT (100k words) Buffy/Star Trek TNG Summary: Trapped by an alien collector, Lieutenant Commander Data discovers an early 21st century android excavated from the ruins of Sunnydale and a capsule containing the frozen body of one of the Eugenic wars most notorious figures...Buffy Summers.

#fanfiction #fic rec #fanfic

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melodiouswhite · 5 years ago

Text

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde rewritten - Ch. 34

34. The memorable habits of Miss Donovan (and bar fights)

(A/N: here there be violence and dismemberment)

The physical injuries had healed well.

And now that both Jekyll and Hyde knew, that they had something like a family for the first time in their life, the wounds on their soul were beginning to heal as well.

But Hyde didn't feel strong enough to come out and go around to pursue his hobbies for a while.

Jekyll therefore had the pleasure of staying in control for almost a month, before Hyde got fidgety again.

“Are you sure you want to go back to that?”, he asked one evening, when Hyde demanded to be let out again. “Perhaps that scum will be back-”

“If he knows what's good for him, he won't”, his alter ego snarled in response.

“Hyde, I really don't think this is a good idea.”

“I need this, Jekyll”, the younger pointed out. “And so do you. Do you think I haven't noticed how you've gone back to your old self-repression? You want to be free again. And so do I.”

The Doctor didn't argue anymore.

He did laugh, though. “You're truly incorrigible.”

“Look who's talking!”, Hyde retorted.

Jekyll finished his work for the day and left his office.

Poole frowned, when he told him that he would go out tonight.

“Are you sure, Doctor?”, the elderly servant questioned. “Only a month after you-know-what?”

“It's alright”, Jekyll assured him. “We will be more careful this time. Don't worry, Arthur.”

Poole shook his head. “You're truly incorrigible, Henry.”

The blond chuckled. “I know.”

Only Poole got away with that cheek towards him.

“Mister Hyde! So good to see you again!”, the cash carrier* cried eagerly and approached the small brunette, when he entered the bar.

Hyde hid his scorn behind his creepy smile and told him that tonight he was just here to get drunk.

When he looked around, he recognised some men, he had bested on other occasions.

Some of them saw him and glowered, but Hyde didn't worry about them.

They wouldn't have the guts to do anything, he knew.

He jumped onto the counter and threw a Sovereign onto the table.

“Long time no see! The usual?”, the barkeeper inquired and Hyde nodded affirmatively.

“The usual. And pour it, where I can see it!”, he added scowling, when the barkeeper turned his back on him to pour the drink.

The man gulped. “Alright, alright!”

He stepped to the side, so the smaller man could see everything, poured the ale and handed him his pint.

“Thank you”, Hyde purred with false sweetness and strode over to his accustomed seat in the corner.

To his surprise, someone was already sitting at the table.

And it was none other than-

“No way!”, he exclaimed, “Miss Donovan! Fancy meeting you here!”

She turned her head, recognised him and grinned like a bedlam girl. “Likewise!”, she responded, “Been a while, hasn't it? Come and sit with me, Mr. Hyde!”

He did so.

This time she wasn't cross-dressing. Instead she was sporting a black and red dress. Her flame red curls were in a ponytail and she wore dark red lipstick and rouge.

Probably to lure men in.

Hyde knew a trap, when he saw one.

“How've you been?”, she asked cheerily.

“I'm getting better.”

“I can tell. Up to your debauchery again, eh?”

“Well, what can I say? I am and always will be a depraved man.”

“It's fine. Just don't go forcing yourself on people ever again. Now that you know what that feels like.”

Hyde frowned. “Oh, don't worry. I learned my lesson in that regard.”

She nodded. “Good.”

“Sooo”, Hyde drawled, “What are you doing here in a bar?”

The ginger shrugged. “Eh, ya know. Getting up the pole and looking for girls.”

Oh. So she's a queer too …

“Well, this is a brothel, so-”

“I'm not here to dab it up”, Miss Donovan revealed, “I want to find a lady-friend. Kinda hard for me to keep one.”

He looked at her in confusion.

It was hard for him to imagine.

Alma Donovan was an attractive girl, in almost every way. Even the piercing, feral look in her eyes – so much like his own – could be enticing. He certainly knew that a lot of men had a thing for wild, temperamental beauties.

She explained: “I'm mad. Maybe Luise told you, but I like to stab and mutilate blokes. They just 'ave to look at me funny and then they can say bye-bye to their crown jewels.”

Hyde cringed.

“Do I have to worry about losing mine?”, he queried.

She shook her head. “Unless you ever hurt a woman again, nah. Besides, you already got a taste of your medicine and promised to never do it again. So you're safe.”

Oh thank Heavens …

“And I have quite a few other quirks”, the ginger continued, “So every time I actually manage to get meself a girlfriend, it doesn't last long. I'm looking for a lady, who can put up with me madness.”

Oh.

Well, he knew a few tough girls. Tough enough for him, at least. And he was a madman himself, after all. So in theory, they would be able to handle that madwoman here too. But …

“Just out of curiosity, how do you treat your lady-friends?”

Suddenly, Miss Donovan grinned like a Chesire cat.

“Oh, I spoil them rotten!”, she cried excitedly, “Luise gives me a handsome allowance and I make quite a lot of money by placing bets! I'd give them the best I can afford, take them out for dates, protect them from perverts, teach them how to defend themselves and how to read and write, take care of them, be there when they need me-”

The plural form got his attention. “Them?”

Miss Donovan scratched her head awkwardly. “That's the other problem. Monogamy isn't me thing. That and the fact that I get into trouble so often … well, you get the idea. Have been jailed several times too. Luise cuts me allowance every time she has to bail me out.”

One of these girls, eh?

Hyde laughed: “Miss Donovan, I think you and I are going to get along just fine.”

“Call me Alma”, she requested, “Miss Donovan was me mother.”

The brunette grinned. “Call me Edward then.”

They shook hands and proceeded to chat about this and that.

Unfortunately their conversation was interrupted, when Hyde felt a presence behind himself.

Alma frowned. “Uhh, Edward?”

“I know”, he muttered and turned around to come face to face with a huge bloke, who was glaring down at him. He reminded Hyde of a gorilla Jekyll had once seen at the zoo.

“Can I help you, Sir?”, he asked coolly and with an unaffected expression.

“You sick in the head?”, the taller man snarled.

He raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“Ye heard me!”, the gorilla growled.

Hyde looked past him and caught sight of some men he remembered roughing up. They were whispering and staring at the gorilla, like he was off his head. Which he certainly was.

“I have a score to settle with ya!”

“No, you don't”, Hyde responded languidly. “If we'd brawled before, I'd remember you.”

One of the workers in the background stood up and put a hand on the moron's shoulder.

“Are you off your rocker?!”, the man hissed, “That gremlin looks small, but he holds a candle to the devil.”*

A gremlin?!

He heard Jekyll snort in his head and almost laughed too. But Hyde was in a good mood, so the other man was off the hook. Besides, that was one of the more harmless things he'd been called so far.

“Well, you would know, wouldn't you?”, Hyde remarked, smirking.

“See, Sir”, he turned back to the gorilla, “That man would have a score to settle with me. And so do those three gentlemen in the back.”

He pointed at three other men, who were sitting at one of the other tables. The worker returned to his chair at their table.

“They're just wise enough not to”, Hyde continued. “And you should be too. Or you can just tell me what you actually want.”

“Ye must be that Hyde-fella”, the giant growled.

“'Sup?”

“I heard things about ya!”

“Really now?” Hyde's eyes narrowed. He was starting to feel extremely agitated. Why couldn't that twit just leave them alone? Normally he would have punched him in the gut by now, but he didn't feel like getting himself another house ban.

“Ye start brawls and beat people up for kicks”, the bigger man growled.

And you don't? Hypocrite.

“Even if they're over twice yer size-”

And what does that tell you?! Sod off!

“-Almost killed some old geezer for no reason-”

How the hell did that bastard know that?! Sir Danvers Carew hadn't pressed charges or given his name! The only witness had been a maid and Lady Summers had bought her silence. No one knew that it had been him!

Hyde feigned ignorance: “Some old geezer? Rumours! I can't think of one!”

Jekyll snorted: “Fibbing, Hyde? That's not like you.”

Shut up, Jekyll. Besides, it's easy to deny, when he doesn't say who he means.

Well, at least the fib had the desired effect. It threw the other off. Good. So he had only heard rumours about it. He couldn't prove anything. He didn't even know, if it was true.

The brunette scoffed: “Telling stories with no basis on reality? Pathetic! Now, for the last time, who are you and what do you want?”

I swear, if I have to ask one more time-

“I'm Bob Smith”, the gorilla told him.

“And I'm Queen Victoria”, Hyde responded, mimicking a falsetto and batting his eyelashes. “Guess who I am!”

Some people cackled in the background. Alma chortled and even Jekyll laughed in his head.

The gorilla's scowl intensified. “I'm tryin' to talk to ye, little shit!”

“As am I. And I'm currently failing. And I'm sorry for that. But I'm just so irritated! Because a plastered gorilla just strolled up to me and my friend, interrupted our conversation and is trying to intimidate me, like I'm one of the underage attendants!”

Hyde stared him right into the eyes. He could tell that, if he stood up, he still wouldn't even reach up to the giant's chest, so he didn't bother. Also, he'd bested men of that size before, some of them being professional brawlers. And he was in the perfect position to-

Suddenly the gorilla grabbed him by the collar, which made him gasp in surprise.

“Don't give me that sass, ye brat!”, he snarled. “I'll tear ye to pieces an'-”

Before he could continue, Hyde decided that he had enough and kicked him in the nuts with all his strength.

The gorilla let go and wailed like a little girl. Then he dropped onto the floor, clutching his crown jewels and cursed up a storm.

Priceless.

Utterly priceless.

The brunette scoffed: “Look at you! Acting tough, but a simple knock in the nuts is enough to knock you off your feet. Pathetic.”

“Oi!”, Alma suddenly piped up and stood up. She came around the table and grabbed the man by the hair. “I remember you!”

Her ice blue ice narrowed to slits.

“I saw you 'ere a fortnight ago! You're that piece of shit, who walked off with one of the underage attendants! That ten-year-old gal, if I remember correctly.”

So that gorilla is one of those blokes, huh?

“Ew! Gross!”, Jekyll groaned in disgust. “And you call me a dirty old man, Hyde! At least I don't use children to satisfy my carnal desires!”**

Yes, that's one of your redeeming qualities, Hyde thought drily.

Meanwhile Alma was grinning maniacally. “Why, there's only one appropriate way to 'andle blokes like you!”

To the brunette's surprise, she charmed a knife from her glove. “Now”, she purred darkly, “You will find out, why they call me 'Unmanning Alma'!”

Ohhhh, this is going to be good!

“Hyde, no.”

Hyde, yes!

Hyde was quite convinced, that the knife was blunt. Which made this whole thing even better!

But before more could happen, someone new entered the brothel.

He couldn't believe his eyes. “Lucy!”

She turned to face him. “Oh, Mr. Hyde! Good evening!”

He frowned. “What are you doing here? I thought I told you to leave this place!”

The black-haired woman smiled. “Don't worry, I'm just here to get my clothes. It took me a while to find a room somewhere, but now I finally have a nice one.”

Hyde composed himself. Finding a nice and affordable place to live was extremely hard here in London, he knew that.

Lucy went up to the pimp and they began a talk, which quickly turned into an argument.

His eyes narrowed.

Oh no, that snake was not going to take Lucy's things for himself!

“Is there a problem?”, he asked the pimp icily.

The snake began to talk some gibberish about Lucy having debts.

“I see”, Hyde replied coolly and turned to Lucy: “When you moved out, how much did he charge you?”

“Sixty Pounds”, Lucy huffed. “And I paid! Now he wants another twenty!”

“Sixty? Her possessions are worth less than forty – which I know, because I calculated it. But since you're so eager to rob an ex-prostitute, let's settle this business once and for all.”

Hyde turned around, rummaged in his bag and then turned to them, his hands behind the back. “Alright”, he began darkly. “In one hand I'm holding my bag, that contains medical equipment, as well as all the money you could ever dream of. In the other, I have a walking cane stable enough to bash someone's skull in. Of course”, he added with a sneer, “The other option would be that you land behind bars for hiring underage prostitutes. Just a brief reminder, the age of consent was raised up to sixteen last summer. But then again, when has that ever stopped people from lusting for little brats, eh?”

The pimp stared at him for a full minute.

“Her debts are more than settled”, he finally uttered weakly. Then he backed off and let Lucy get her last things. When she returned downstairs, the snake was waiting for her and shoved a bag of money into her hands. “Here you have twenty pounds, just keep your mouth shut!”

Hyde snorted. The things people did to avoid getting apprehended!

“Oh shut up!”, Jekyll scoffed in his head, “You turn into me, when you get into trouble with the police!”

You shut up, Jekyll!

“No, you!”

Just for the record, I haven't got into trouble with the police since that Carew affair! Now shut up and let me enjoy the show!

“What show? This one or Miss Donovan castrating that paedophile?”

Oh, right. He had forgot about that bugger.

When he turned to the red-head, she had knocked the gorilla out cold and was staring at Lucy, like she was the most gorgeous thing in the world.

To be fair, the black-haired woman was the most beautiful girl he knew.

An idea popped into Hyde's head.

He took the surprised Lucy by the hand and guided her to his new friend (who quickly hid her knife).

“Let me introduce you to Lucy Harris, a woman who's too good for this sinful world – don't you dare deny it, Lucy”, he added, when she wanted to object. “And this is Alma Donovan, a friend of mine, who is just as mad as I am.”

“Charmed!”, Alma cried enthusiastically and shook the blushing woman's hand. “It's an honour to meet a remarkable lady such as yourself!”

“Uhm … likewise …”, Lucy mumbled shyly, obviously not knowing how to deal with this.

Jekyll laughed in Hyde's head.

“I didn't pin you to be a match-maker!”, he teased. If he had been corporeal, Hyde would've stuck his tongue at him.

Oh shut up, if these two hook up, it might give me an advantage!

“Sure, Hyde. Whatever helps you sleep at night! There is no way you could be doing this, because you want two people who helped you to be happy!”

I would strike you, if I could.

“But you cahaaan't!”, Jekyll taunted him. “Come on, Edward! You know that I'm right!”

The brunette puffed his cheeks in annoyance.

Better half, his arse! Also, how old was that man again? Oh yeah, fifty! He was a dirty, fifty-year-old bastard!

A groan got their attention. Oh, the gorilla was waking up.

The two mad people excused themselves and dragged the half-conscious man outside and into an alley. Hyde kicked him in the solar plexus for good measure, to render him defenceless.

But when Donovan had her blunt knife out, Hyde laughed and took a scalpel out of his bag. “That knife is too blunt. Use this, that'll be quicker.”

Alma took the medical tool and made short work of the man's nether regions.

She and Hyde cackled maniacally as the child-molesting bastard screamed, then left him to writhe in agony.

“I need to go back”, Hyde told her, “I still have to pay for my drink.”

She grinned. “Maybe Miss Harris hasn't left yet”, she hoped.

I'm sure one of her ex-colleagues is keeping her back for a few minutes to chat, he assumed.

And sure enough, he was right.

Lucy was leaning outside, next to the door and chatting with one of her colleagues, who had crept outside for some fresh air.

Hyde recognised the other woman. That French girl … what was her name … oh right, Marianne.

Alma went up to them and joined in their conversation, while he went back inside to pay.

Everyone was obviously glad, when he paid up and left the place.

Then he had a short talk with the three women (Lucy inquired how he was doing), before turning to go home. “Goodbye, ladies! It was fun to pass time with you!”

“Likewise!”, Alma laughed and waved back.

Then they all went their separate ways.

Hyde was still elated, when he arrived at his flat.

Sure, he hadn't got up the pole tonight, but damn! He had found himself one sister in arms!

“This was the best evening in ages!”, he exclaimed happily.

“I can imagine it was”, Jekyll deadpanned and appeared in the mirror.

“This is my nightmare!”, the blond groaned and shook his head. “You found a partner in crime, who's just as deranged as you are!”

The brunette cackled and revelled in the other's exasperation.

Meanwhile Lady Summers was doing paper work, when her telephone rang and she jumped.

With a frustrated sigh, she took the receiver. “Hello, Lady Summers speaking?”

In the next moment she winced and held the receiver away from her ear.

“You, Luise! I just had the best evening ever!”

Why did Alma have to shout into the phone like that?!

“Let me guess, you castrated someone?”, the Lady sighed in annoyance.

“That too, but I met some really interesting people!”

“Did you now?”

“Yes! First off, I stumbled upon Hyde in a brothel-”

“What were you doing there?!”

“I'm coming to that – and we chatted about this and that, when this huge gorilla of a man interrupted our conversation and started to annoy Edward-”

Oh, so it's first name basis now?

“-and you won't believe this! It was the same guy, who screwed that little girl the other day! The one I didn't get to punish, because I had to leave early!”

“Aha.”

“And just as I wanted to give him, what he deserved, this absolutely gorgeous woman walked in! She was so cute and beautiful, damn! It's true love, I know it! And Edward introduced me to her! Her name is Lucy Harris! She's so adorable! I asked for her address and get this! She just moved into the house where I live! Isn't that amazing?! Maybe I'll finally have a lasting relationship! And I also got to know a Frenchwoman, who is apparently a former colleague of Lucy's. A really bricky**** lady, I tell you!”

The Prussian needed a minute to process all of this.

Then she recovered her spirit.

“That's nice, Alma. But you still haven't told me what you were doing in a run-down brothel bar in Soho.”

“I was looking for a potential girlfriend! You know how hard it is for me to keep one! And every woman in Whitechapel knows me. They don't want anything to do with me. I don't even know why! I'm doing them a favour with what I do! Anyway, I hoped that maybe I'd be luckier in one of the other districts. And I thought prostitutes would be a good thing to start with, because they're tougher than others.”

That's in the eye of the beholder, the Lady thought drily.

“Have you told Mr. Hyde about your favourite pastime?”, she asked curiously.

“Yeah. But he was calm about it, after I told him that he has nothing to fear. He even helped me castrate that child-molesting gorilla! I think I found myself a brother in arms!”

Lady Summers groaned: “This is my nightmare! You found a partner in crime, who's just as deranged as you are!”

---

*cash carrier - Victorian Slang for: a pimp

**Hold a candle to the devil - Victorian Slang for: to be evil

***My version of Jekyll is anti pedo. Anything younger than eighteen is too young for him. Hyde likes them twenty (like himself) and older.

****bricky - Victorian Slang for: brave, fearless

#The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde #Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde #Dr. Jekyll #henry jekyll #Mr. Hyde #edward hyde #lucy harris #oc #crazy people

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bi-furiosity · 5 years ago

Note

Chloel I’m gonna send you asks until tumblr stops me be ready

alrighty here we go I’M FINALLY responding to these uwu. i’m also assuming the anons are you so they all goin in one ask because i’m nothing if not unreliable.

1. Song of the year?Short answer is American Problem by Kevin Abstract. (f slur warning! he’s gay and it’s only used once but be safe lads.)

I’m a sucker for A) Kevin Abstract and B) songs about a person’s existence defying the idea of what America is. Kevin Abstract has such a way of evoking the experience of being marginalized in the South (especially being LGBT+/Queer) that is really visceral and the entirety of Arizona Baby is such an emotional experience. Song of the year is like,.... stupidly hard to decide but my first instinct was this song because it’s just incredible and super underated. Listen to Kevin Abstract! (Runners-up includes literally any lil nas song and RKS’s No Vacancy bc that shit makes me cry every time.)

2. Album of the year?Lizzo’s Cuz I Love You (her tiny desk concert is almost religious tbh), probably. I listened to it more towards the beginning of the year but honestly she’s really blown up in 2019 and I’m very happy to see it. It’s unfortunate that people are so determined to box her into one genre or mood bc I think she offers a lot of versatility as an artist! Her self-love and positivity is a great aspect of her music but there’s much more to it than that and I’m excited to see what her future work looks like. :’) (Runners-up is Adia Victoria’s Silences because she’s an incredible musician and everyone should check her out and Orville Peck’s Pony bc....it’s tumblr and melancholic gay cowboy is what you’re here for right?)

3. Favorite musical artist / group you started listening to this year?Lil Nas X! Hands down. Like most everyone in the US I started seeing him pop up after Billboard took Old Town Road off the Country charts and I’m nothing if not a marginalized redneck who loves to see other marginalized people embracing rural culture. 7 is a wonderful EP and I’m anxiously awaiting a full length album from him!!!! His fluidity between genres is so appealing and while I’m not one to get too into the actual personality of musicians, he seems like a really nice and likable guy. Aside from him, I’ve gotten really into Gillian Welch this year and just in general have been listening to a lot more traditional folk, country, and bluegrass.

12. Talk about a new friend you made this year.Ok!!!!!!!!!! (ash you ask me this question KNOWING we known each other longer look at this it’s AWKWARD....ily

19. What’re you excited about for next year? Not to be cheesy but!!!!! My little brother is graduating high school this spring and i’m so excited/anxious/proud of him!!!! hopefully he’ll be gettin his college acceptance letter soon...wish him luck!! other than that.......i should probs be more excited for my own future haksdjfhkajsd um i’m really hoping to get to do an internship in DC this summer so that would be dope???

25. Did you create any characters (in games, art, or writing) this year? Describe one. You asking me this makes me realize I haven’t made many characters recently??? Just been. Fine tuning old ones and stealing mainstream ones I suppose. >:) Anyways! Probably Gil, my dnd character for a friend’s campaign! He’s a former armed revolutionary turned peaceful rural fisherman who is adventuring the ocean blue to pay his daughter’s enchanting school tuition. her name is sadeeq and she is the pride and joy of his life! He’s a nice guy who wants to stay out of trouble but unfortunately trouble likes to find him :^)

this is him! anyways! that is all! thank you, ily, happy 2019/2020!!

#asks #alien fucker #(thats ashs tag dw about it.)#my art style #!! since gil is here #music #new years 2020 #kevin abstract #lizzo #lil nas x #ask

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eveninglottie · 5 years ago

Note

4, 11, 16, 17

it’s an ask meme!

4. Did you discover any new authors that you love this year?

I’m gonna be very honest, I read a lot of CS Pacat this year, and by a lot I mean everything they’ve written, and I really, really enjoyed all of it. Captive Prince is. Well. Kind of trash, but I am still thinking about that series, so much so that I planned out a whole remix of it that I’m probably gonna write some day. So. I’ll just sit here in my dumpster happily enjoying my problematic trash.

I also really fell in love with The Fever King by Victoria Lee and hope this begins a long career for her, because man does she know how to write some dark shit.

11. What was your favorite book that has been out for a while, but you just now read?

Captive Prince for sure counts as this, but I’d add Riddle-Master by Patricia A. McKillip (who is also a new favorite author) and The Magicians by Lev Grossman. Both weren’t Super Faves, but they were solid. And interesting in a way that kept me thinking for a long time.

16. What is the most over-hyped book you read this year?

Once & Future. This book offended me with how disappointing it was. It’s a genderbent King Arthur retelling in space and honestly? That should have carried the book. That premise is enough to get me past a lot of weak points, because it’s only the book I’ve been wanting to write since I was a child. But oh my god. It was just??? IT WAS INCOMPREHENSIBLY BAD. I was so angry about this book I wrote a rant review and now that I’m thinking about it again, I’m getting mad. It’s. God. It was like reading a children’s picture book about King Arthur set in space except space is just a bunch of malls and planets entirely devoted to Medieval Times (the restaurant and show, not even the fucking time period) BUT AT THE SAME TIME included weirdly inappropriate sex scenes and horribly graphic deaths and prison work camps and a plot which wasn’t so much linear or curved as just like a wall with a bunch of rusty knives thrown at it. It was like watching someone take this thing you love and, not even intentionally, just fucking piss all over it and ask you to praise them. Like, it included a love triangle between Arthur, Gwenevere, and KAY????? For SOME REASON???? Because we couldn’t settle for the normal love triangle, you know, the one that actually says something about honor and betrayal and the bonds of heart and country and how even the noblest knights are still fallible or whatever. The book ends with Gwenevere HAVING KAY’S CHILD and Arthur, the teenage girl, whose brother fucked her girlfriend when he thought she was dead, whom she still considers to be the love of her life, pledging to take care of the child and marry Gwen??? AND EVERYONE ELSE WAS LIKE “sweet yeah that’s really good of you and gwen to make up”????? And MERLIN god I wanted to fucking scream because he’s gay too, they’re all some kind of gay, which is SO GREAT but MAN they made Merlin gay and then had him be hopelessly in love with all the Arthur’s he’d ever trained (because the conceit of the world is that Arthur gets reincarnated and Merlin finds and trains him, because it’s THE SAME Arthur and Merlin from the original fucking myth, only Merlin remembers and “Arthur” doesn’t which is an interesting concept and one I’d be down with if it wasn’t done in this weird 90′s era Nickelodeon cartoon style) WHICH IS SO FUCKED UP. And we’re supposed to feel sorry for this twink wizard who regularly falls in love with LITERAL CHILDREN but hey he’s gay and a few thousand years old and even if homophobia doesn’t exist anymore he’s still kinda weird about it and oh by the way DID YOU KNOW EVERYONE IS SO FUCKING QUEER because you’re reminded EVERY FUCKING PAGE. I felt like I was on acid the whole fucking time, and not in a good way. Like, if it was supposed to be purposefully satirical or ludicrous, like Hitchhiker’s Guide or Discworld, that would be something. I wouldn’t like it as much because I genuinely want to write the whole tragic romance of King Arthur as a space opera with absolute sincerity and all the melodrama involved, but I at least would have appreciated it as something which succeeded at doing the thing it wanted to do???? I genuinely think the authors thought they were writing a serious book, which is just. Man. Different tastes I guess?? And it’s just frustrating because I finally got a gay girl King Arthur and it was like watching all of my dreams get run over by Barney in a tank.

I guess this was all me hyping it up but still. It counts.

17. Did any books surprise you with how good they were?

Again, it’s Captive Prince. I didn’t expect my entire summer to get sidetracked by it. But it did. It really did. It’s a mark of my own hubris that I thought I’d be above liking this series but I’m not. I see all the problems and I agree with everyone who thinks it’s horrible but like... This series fucked me up. Legitimately fucked me up. I read the whole series in like two days and I haven’t been able to do that with a book in a long time. It was kind of magical.

#so I guess I'm still upset about that book huh #thank you beeb for the questions <3 #sansbanshees

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mycrazystrangeworld · 5 years ago

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It has been a long hiatus, though to me it didn’t seem to be one. Time flies. June and July have flied by so fast, and I can’t keep up, shit things happening one after the other, and I’m still coping… But it’s a process. I’m functioning now enough to write and interact on this blog.

As I promised, this first post is a list of June releases (from June 3rd) and the reviews I found about them until now. You’re all welcome to let me know if you have a review that I forgot to add.

Since July is also over, I’m also sharing this month’s books and reviews.

As always, updating is constantly happening, if you know about a book or have a review, just let me know! 😉

Welcome back on Swift Coffee, everyone!

For the newbies (welcome 😘): if you don’t yet know what this is all about: I’m posting a list every Monday of the books that get released during the current week. I also include other people’s reviews about them! I try to do a blog hop from time to time and spread the word about this feature, but I obviously can’t find every review that’s related, so a sign that you have one would be very much appreciated! Every review is eligible that is written about a book published on the week in question, even if it was written before said week!

So… one question remains:

Would you like to join the ride?

It’s very easy!

These are the rules:

To be featured, you don’t have to do anything else, but to leave a comment below this post, or contact me by any other way, and let me know you have a review. A link to it makes it easier, but if you only say your review comes out on x day of the week, that’s okay as well, I’ll watch out for it! Following me is not a must, but I appreciate it very much, if you do! 🙂

I continuously update this post according to your infos/comments, and I share it again every time I’ve made an update.

The book you reviewed don’t have to be from the list here, if it’s not listed, but published this week, I’ll add the book, too!

You can also send me a review for next week, because these posts are scheduled! 😉

Books Published in June:

‘After the End’ by Clare Mackintosh mystery/thriller

‘All the Missing Girls’ by Megan Miranda mystery

‘A Merciful Promise’ by Kendra Elliot mystery/romantic suspense

‘A Nearly Normal Family’ by M.T. Edvardsson, Rachel Willson-Broyles (Translation) mystery/thriller

‘Ayesha at Last’ by Uzma Jalaluddin romance

‘Beyond Āsanas: The Myths and Legends behind Yogic Postures’ by Pragya Bhatt, Joel Koechlin (Photographer)

‘Bound to the Battle God’ by Ruby Dixon fantasy/romance

‘Briar and Rose and Jack’ by Katherine Coville middle grade

‘Bunny’ by Mona Awad horror

‘City of Girls’ by Elizabeth Gilbert historical fiction

‘Close to Home’ by Cate Ashwood M M romance

‘Dear Wife’ by Kimberly Belle mystery/thriller

‘Dissenter on the Bench: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Life and Work’ by Victoria Ortiz non-fiction/middle grade

‘Fleishman Is in Trouble’ by Taffy Brodesser-Akner contemporary

‘Five Midnights’ by Ann Dávila Cardinal horror

‘Fix Her Up’ by Tessa Bailey romance

‘Fixing the Fates: A Memoir’ by Diane Dewey non-fiction

‘Ghosts of the Shadow Market’ YA fantasy

‘Gun Island’ by Amitav Ghosh cultural/India/historical fiction

‘If Only’ by Melanie Murphy

‘Just One Bite’ by Jack Heath mystery/thriller

‘Like a Love Story’ by Abdi Nazemian YA/LGBT

‘Magic for Liars’ by Sarah Gailey fantasy/mystery

‘More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say)’ by Elaine Welteroth non-fiction

‘Mrs. Everything’ by Jennifer Weiner historical fiction

‘Mostly Dead Things’ by Kristen Arnett contemporary/LGBT

‘Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune’ by Roselle Lim contemporary/romance

‘On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous’ by Ocean Vuong poetry

‘Rapture’ by Lauren Kate YA fantasy

‘Recursion’ by Blake Crouch science fiction

‘Searching for Sylvie Lee’ by Jean Kwok mystery

‘Somewhere Close to Happy’ by Lia Louis romance

‘Sorcery of Thorns’ by Margaret Rogerson fantasy

‘Storm and Fury’ by Jennifer L. Armentrout fantasy

‘Summer of ’69’ by Elin Hilderbrand historical fiction

‘Sweet Tea and Secrets’ by Joy Avon cozy mystery

‘Teeth in the Mist’ by Dawn Kurtagich horror

‘The Accidental Girlfriend’ by Emma Hart romance

‘The Bookshop on the Shore’ by Jenny Colgan contemporary/women’s fiction

‘The First Mistake’ by Sandie Jones thriller

‘The Friends We Keep’ by Jane Green women’s fiction

‘The Friend Zone’ by Abby Jimenez contemporary/romance

‘The Girl in Red’ by Christina Henry fantasy/horror

‘The Haunted’ by Danielle Vega horror

‘The Holiday’ by T.M. Logan

‘The July Girls’ by Phoebe Locke mystery/thriller

‘The Last House Guest’ by Megan Miranda mystery/thriller

‘The Most Fun We Ever Had’ by Claire Lombardo contemporary/literary fiction

‘The New Achilles’ by Christian Cameron historical fiction

‘The Red Labyrinth’ by Meredith Tate fantasy

‘The Resurrectionists’ by Michael Patrick Hicks horror

‘The Rest of the Story’ by Sarah Dessen YA contemporary/romance

‘Ollie Oxley and the Ghost: The Search for Lost Gold’ by Lisa Schmid middle grade

‘The Space Between Time’ by Charlie Laidlaw

‘The Stationery Shop’ by Marjan Kamali historical fiction

‘The Summer Country’ by Lauren Willig historical fiction

‘They Called Me Wyatt’ by Natasha Tynes mystery

‘This Might Hurt a Bit’ by Doogie Horner YA

‘Time After Time’ by Lisa Grunwald historical/science fiction

‘Waiting for Tom Hanks’ by Kerry Winfrey contemporary/romance

‘We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir’ by Samra Habib non-fiction

‘We Were Killers Once’ by Becky Masterman mystery/thriller

‘Where The Story Starts’ by Imogen Clark women’s fiction

‘Wicked Fox’ by Kat Cho YA fantasy

‘Wild and Crooked’ by Leah Thomas YA contemporary/LGBT

‘Wolf Rain’ by Nalini Singh paranormal romance

Reviews:

‘Sorcery of Thorns’ by Stephanie at Between Folded Pages

‘The Rapture’ at Book Bound

‘The Resurrectionists’ by Jen at Shit Reviews of Books

‘The Haunted’ by Kris at Boston Book Reader

‘The Friends We Keep’ by Vicky at Women in Trouble Book Blog

‘This Might Hurt a Bit’ by Amanda at Between the Shelves

‘Wild and Crooked’ by Amanda at Between the Shelves

‘The Haunted’ by Mandy at Book Princess Reviews

‘We Were Killers Once’ by Vicky at Women in Trouble Book Blog

‘Five Midnights’ by Sian at Sci-fi & Scary

‘Wolf Rain’ by Corina at Book Twins Reviews

‘Just One Bite’ by Berit at Audio Killed the Bookmark

‘Where the Story Starts’ by Anjana at Superfluous Reading

‘The Red Labyrinth’ by Anjana at Superfluous Reading

‘Fixing the Fates’ by Anjana at Superfluous Reading

‘Gun Island’ by Anjana at Superfluous Reading

‘If Only’ by Anjana at Superfluous Reading

‘Sweet Tea and Secrets’ by Rekha at The Book Decoder

‘Storm and Fury’ by Claire at bookscoffeeandrepeat

‘The New Achilles’ by Zoé at Zooloo’s Book Diary

‘Time After Time’ by Ashley at Ashes Books and Bobs

‘Recursion’ by Lilyn G at Sci-fi & Scary

‘The Space Between Time’ by Rekha at The Book Decoder

‘The Rumor’ by Vicky at Women in Trouble Book Blog

‘The Search for the Lost Gold’ by Lilyn G at Sci-fi & Scary

‘They Call Me Wyatt’ by Jen at Shit Reviews of Books

‘After the End’ by Linda at Linda’s Book Bag

‘Beyond Asanas’ by Shashank at Wonder’s Book Blog

‘The July Girls’ by Nicola at Short Book and Scribes

‘We Have Always Been Here’ by Kristin at Kristin Kraves Books

‘Close to Home’ by T. J. Fox

‘Dissenter on the Bench’ by Taylor at Tays Infinite Thoughts

‘Bound to the Battle God’ by Corina at Book Twins Reviews

‘Briar and Rose and Jack’ by Briana at Pages Unbound

‘Teeth in the Mist’ at Lori’s Bookshelf Reads

‘All the Missing Girls’ by Celine at Celinelingg

‘The Holiday’ by Zoe at Zooloo’s Book Diary

‘The July Girls’ by Joanna at Over the Rainbow Book Blog

‘More Than Enough’ by Jessica at Jess Just Reads

‘Somewhere Close to Happy’ at Jess Just Reads

‘The Accidental Girlfriend’ by Tijuana at Book Twins Reviews

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Books Published in July:

‘Along the Broken Bay’ by Flora J. Solomon historical fiction

‘A Stranger on the Beach’ by Michele Campbell mystery/thriller

‘A Whisker In The Dark’ by Leighann Dobbs cozy mystery

‘Dark Age’ by Pierce Brown science fiction

‘Depraved’ by Trilina Pucci romance/erotica

‘Deserve to Die’ by Miranda Rijks thriller

‘Drummer Girl’ by Ginger Scott YA romance

‘False Step’ by Victoria Helen Stone mystery/thriller

‘Girls Like Us’ by Cristina Alger mystery/thriller

‘Gods of Jade and Shadow’ by Silvia Moreno-Garcia fantasy/historical fiction

‘Good Guy’ by Kate Meader romance

‘Gore in the Garden’ by Colleen J. Shogan cozy mystery

‘How to Hack a Heartbreak’ by Kristin Rockaway romance

‘Last Summer’ by Kerry Lonsdale contemporary

‘Life Ruins’ by Danuta Kot audiobook/mystery

‘Lock Every Door’ by Riley Sager mystery/thriller

‘Maybe This Time’ by Kasie West contemporary

‘Never Have I Ever’ by Joshilyn Jackson mystery/thriller

‘Never Look Back’ by Alison Gaylin mystery/thriller

‘Nightingale Point’ by Luan Goldie

‘Reclaimed by Her Rebel Knight’ by Jenni Fletcher historical romance

‘Resist’ by K. Bromberg romance

‘Salvation Day’ by Kali Wallace science fiction

‘Season of the Witch’ by Sarah Rees Brennan YA fantasy

‘Sisters of Willow House’ by Susanne O’Leary

‘Spin the Dawn’ by Elizabeth Lim fantasy

‘That Long Lost Summer’ by Minna Howard

‘The Betrayed Wife’ by Kevin O’Brien mystery/thriller

‘The Bookish Life of Nina Hill’ by Abbi Waxman contemporary/romance

‘The Chain’ by Adrian McKinty thriller

‘The Gifted School’ by Bruce Holsinger contemporary fiction

‘The Golden Hour’ by Beatriz Williams historical fiction

‘The Guy on the Right’ by Kate Stewart NA romance

‘The Last Book Party’ by Karen Dukess historical fiction

‘The Marriage Trap’ by Sheryl Browne thriller

‘The Merciful Crow’ by Margaret Owen fantasy

‘The Miraculous’ by Jess Redman middle grade

‘The Need’ by Helen Phillips horror/thriller

‘The Nickel Boys’ by Colson Whitehead historical fiction

‘The Rogue King’ by Abigail Owen paranormal romance

‘The Seekers’ by Heather Graham mystery

‘The Silent Ones’ by K.L. Slater thriller

‘The Storm Crow’ by Kalyn Josephson fantasy

‘The Wedding Party’ by Jasmine Guillory romance

‘Three Women’ by Lisa Taddeo non-fiction/feminism

‘To Be Devoured’ by Sara Tantlinger horror

‘Truly Madly Royally’ by Debbie Rigaud YA romance

‘Under Currents’ by Nora Roberts romance

‘War’ by Laura Thalassa fantasy/romance

‘Whisper Network’ by Chandler Baker mystery/thriller

‘Wilder Girls’ by Rory Power YA horror/mystery

A fantastic review of…

‘Reclaimed by her Rebel Knight’ by Demetra at Demi Reads

‘The Merciful Crow’ by Clarissa at Clarissa Reads It All

‘The Bookish Life of Nina Hill’ at Flavia the Bibliophile

‘The Merciful Crow’ by Kaleena at Reader Voracious

‘The Guy On the Right’ by Astrid at The Bookish Sweet Tooth

‘False Step’ by Jordann at The Book Blog Life

‘The Guy On the Right’ by Angela at Reading Frenzy Book Blog

‘Reclaimed by Her Rebel Knight’ by Joules at Northern Reader

‘Depraved’ by Demetra at Demi Reads

‘Never Have I Ever’ by Steph AT Steph’s Book Blog

‘Reclaimed by Her Rebel Knight’ by Jennifer C. Wilson

‘That Long Lost Summer’ by Shalini at Shalini’s Books and Reviews

‘Sisters of Willow House’ by Joanne at Portobello Book Blog

‘A Whisker in the Dark’ by Berit at Audio Killed the Bookmark

‘The Rouge King’ by Ashley at Falling Down the Book Hole

‘Good Guy’ by Astrid at The Bookish Sweet Tooth

‘Drummer Girl’ by Astrid at The Bookish Sweet Tooth

‘The Need’ by T. J. Fox

‘The Seekers’ by Shalini at Shalini’s Books and Reviews

‘The Silent Ones’ by Steph at StefLoz Book Blog

‘Resist’ by Tijuana at Book Twins Reviews

‘Reclaimed by Her Rebel Knight’ by Jess Bookish Life

‘Sisters of Willow House’ by Joanna at Over the Rainbow Book Blog

‘How To Hack a Heartbreak’ by Corina at Book Twins Reviews

‘Somebody Else’s Baby’ by Shalini at Shalini’s Books and Reviews

‘Life Ruins’ by Amanda at mybookishblogspot

‘The Miraculous’ by Chris at Plucked from the Stacks

‘The Betrayed Wife’ by Shalini at Shalini’s Books and Reviews

‘Salvation Day’ by Lilyn G at Sci-fi & Scary

‘The Marriage Trap’ by Shalini at Shalini’s Books and Reviews

‘The Chain’ at Jess Just Reads

‘To Be Devoured’ by Sam and Gracie at Sci-fi & Scary

‘Truly Madly Royally’ by Olivia at The Candid Cover

‘Season of the Witch’ by Jill at Jill’s Book Blog

‘Gore in the Garden’ by Rekha at The Book Decoder

‘Never Look Back’ by Berit at Audio Killed the Bookmark

‘Wilder Girls’ by Kathy at Pages Below the Vaulted Sky

‘Deserve to Die’ by Shalini at Shalini’s Books and Reviews

‘Sisters of Willow House’ by Shalini at Shalini’s Books and Reviews

‘Sisters of Willow House’ by Berit at Audio Killed the Bookmark

‘Nightingale Point’ by Amanda at mybookishblogspot

#gallery-0-4 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-4 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 16%; } #gallery-0-4 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-4 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

See these beautiful covers? *.*

Which are your favorites?

I’m so happy to be here with you bookish guys again!!

Don’t forget to let me know if you have a review!

Oh, and in the near future comes another post with the releases of the beginning of August! You can send me reviews for that post, as well.

Have a wonderful time!

Hugs 🙂

I’m back! – A Master List of Book Releases of June and July + Reviews! It has been a long hiatus, though to me it didn't seem to be one. Time flies.

#books published this week #new books #new releases #sharing reviews

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aria-i-adagio · 5 years ago

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Answer 21 questions and tag 21 other people you want to know better

Tagged by @fawnsummer

Nicknames: Metra

Zodiac Sign: Virgo (I’m like the world’s worst Virgo though...)

Height: 5′5″

Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw

The last thing I googled: Ummm... I was pulling up the fanlore article on a/b/o fics to make my little brother read it. Because you know, that’s what responsible, loving siblings do. And then I watched him make increasingly more disturbed faces.

Favorite musicians: Soundgarden, Depeche Mode, Franz Ferdinand, PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, Bi-2, Nautilus Pompilius, Amanda Palmer, Simon and Garfunkel, Devotchka, R.E.M.

Some song stuck in my head: LP, “When We’re High”

Following: 201

Followers: 49

Do you get asks: Nope. Would love to get more.

Amount of sleep: Bitter laughter.

Lucky number: 9

What you’re wearing: Cut off jeans, freebie t-shirt, and a bandana

Dream job: Religious studies professor at a liberal arts college. Specializing in Byzantine hagiography and Eastern Orthodox Christian Theology. But I’m afraid that ship has sailed.

Dream trip: Oh man...so many... I’ve thought that if would be pretty neat to take trains between Budapest and Istanbul, so I’ll go with that right now.

Instruments: Not enough patience to have ever learned one.

Languages: English and a bit of Russian.

Favorite songs: I think I’m going to go with a themed list. Let’s play a game, guess the theme correctly, and I’ll do a drawing of your OC for you.

“Sure Feels Good Anyway” Amy Ray

youtube

“Stuck in the South” Adia Victoria

youtube

“Joy” PJ Harvey

youtube

“S.O.B.” Nathaniel Rateliff and the Nightsweats

youtube

“My Little Town” Simon and Garfunkel

youtube

Random fact: It seems I now have five cats... I don’t need five cats. But they’re good babies.

Aesthetic: Umm...farmhouse industrial. 90s grunge. Plaid flannel over a t-shirt, leather boots, jeans that are a size too big. And the job I just turned my keys in for was letting me get aware with it because you know, when you teach math reasonably well and are willing to work in the boonies, you’re almost untouchable. But... I don’t think I’ll be able to get aware with that casual at the next job. So, I think I’m going to try to revamp the wardrobe along the lines of Natasha Lyonne’s in Russian Doll.

I’ve been thinking a bit about this since Thursday night. The prof for that class was trying to get us to think about the ways we make snap judgments about people based on appearance. So, how do you evaluate someone who you think might be approaching you at a bar? And well, I realized that I have very, very different criteria for initially physically attractive than the majority of people in that class. (Again, grunge, bohemian, etc.) Complicated a bit having somewhat divergent attractiveness scales for whether someone is presenting as masculine, feminine, or more neutral. I suppose I should have joined the discussion, but I don’t know the folks in this class well, they had been dancing around the topic of sexual orientation and gender identity for the entire class, and I’m not sure I care to spend another summer as the token queer in my classes.

Tagging: @insurgentinsomniac, @anotherclichednightmare, @ange1bf, @dragonsandreverie, @tenebras-autem-nadir, @queenofthearcana, @queenofmotherfuckingterrasen, @asraslilapprenticexx, @la-piperina, @thattheodoranbadassery and anyone else who cares to answer. :)

#ask meme answers #ask meme

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thehollowprince · 6 years ago

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The Fandom doesn't deserve Josh Hoberman

I've sat with this in my head for at least two weeks now and I thought “to hell with it!”, and decided to air my grievances.

Josh Hoberman - I didn't really think all that much of him when he was first introduced on the show. (For full context, I had not even read the books until just before the 3rd season, so I had no idea he was supposed to be one of the main Physical Kids.) Granted, he wasn't in the first season for but a hot minute, before he and Victoria bolted, but over the course of the second and third seasons, he really grew on me. Particularly the episode “All That Josh”.

I swear, this has nothing to do with the fact that we share the same name.

Anyway, just before this season premiered, there was an interview with Summer Bishil that came out and that's where everything started to go downhill for me and my enjoyment of this fandom.

In the interview, Summer hinted at a possible romance between her character of Margo and the character of Josh. Almost immediately I started to see people booing this possible choice, with the two most cited reasons of Margo being bisexual and how she should be in a relationship with a woman (as if her dating a guy would in any way diminish her bisexuality) and that Josh was boring. I saw people after these first two episodes of the fourth season complaining about how they just didn't like Josh's character anymore and he seemed so boring this season (keep in mind, this is after the second episode when we haven't even had five minutes of screen time with him yet… and the fact that he wasn't Josh!)

This brought up a lot of issues I have with fandom in general and its incessant need to revolve everything and anything around ships. I've watched it happened in many a fandom and I guess The Magicians is big enough now that it has started to creep in and take over. Sad, but not unexpected. (There's a reason I have Queliot blacklisted).

The problem comes with the immediate dismissal of Josh as a viable love interest. (I mean, we all know that if Josh were a six-foot tall model with flowing hair and a rippling six-pack, people would be singing an entirely different tune.)

I mean, these same people bitching about a possible romance between these two were also the ones that were totally here for Margo and the Pirate King (despite us never having even seen this character before) or Margo and the Prince from the (No Longer) Floating Mountains. Coincidentally enough, these are also the same people that hated the idea of Margo and Ess, but that's a conversation for another time. It just seems to me that the reason people are claiming to be against Josh/Margo is solely that they want her to kiss a girl.

Listen, as a gay man, I am all for more Queer representation, but only of it's done properly. We don't need rep just thrown in for the sake of diversity, especially on a show like this, which had done a good job portraying the fluidity of sexuality with characters like Quentin and Eliot.

So I was bound and determined to support a Josh/Margo pairing just for spite, if no other reason, but then this last episode (Bad News Bear) happened.

Listen, I love Margo, as anyone who has talked to me about this show knows, but this just made me not want to ship these two. Not for Margo's sake, but for Josh's. I've spoken before about how dysfunctional Eliot's and Margo's relationship is, and this episode just highlighted that by showing her willing to throw the friends of others away for the barest hope that Eliot is still alive (no confirmation whether he is or isn't at this point.) Her quip about Josh having to “take one for the team” really just pissed me off, especially given Margo's habit of letting other people pay instead of herself. (Yes, she gave her eye and agreed to marry a foreign ruler, but those were things where she literally had no other choice except death.) Josh doesn't deserve to be with someone who will treat him like garbage or a subject in her kingdom.

Her willingness to sacrifice others for Eliot's sake is both aggravating and indicative of her devotion solely to him, meaning any romantic relationship she would possibly have wouldn't be fair to her partner.

Who knows? This is the Magicians, and they do have a tendency to make me start liking characters that I originally hated (Marina, Quentin, Alice, Penny, etc.) so here's hoping they manage to turn this around.

PS: this in no way blames the entire fandom. This is just me expressing my frustration over a few blogs that have done the above.

#my thoughts #rant #long post #i feel like this is a little rambling #but i'm tired #i might fix it up later #josh hoberman #margo hanson #the magicians fandom #the magicians

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noctem-novelle · 6 years ago

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This February, celebrate Black History Month with Black authors!

Culture is important, whether it’s your own to celebrate or someone else’s that you can learn about and appreciate. In the last few years, we’ve seen a steady increase in people of colour, LGBT communities, non-Christian religions, and non-European cultures represented in young adult and middle-grade fiction. While this is a great improvement and definitely a step in the right direction, people of colour are still underrepresented. We can do more to make sure that authors of colour are seen and heard. The following list, while by no means exhaustive, is a selection of excellent YA and MG novels written by Black authors*. This month, take some time to explore their stories.

*This list appears in no particular order and is not intended to be read as though any one book is superior to another.

1. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (Young Adult)

When sixteen-year-old Starr Carter witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend, she must decide whether to lie low or to join the protesters who seek justice for Khalil. A touching, timely, and often raw story about a girl who finds herself when she feels most lost, it’s no wonder this book has spent more than 100 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list.

2. Riding Chance by Christine Kendall (Young Adult)

Based on Philadelphia’s Work to Ride program, this novel follows a young man who gets into some trouble at school and winds up doing community service at the Chamounix Stables in Fairmount Park. There, he learns to play polo, an intense sport that teaches perseverance and focus. This book really hit home for me, having spent most of my childhood at polo matches with WTR. In real life, Work to Ride provides underprivileged children and teenagers in Philadelphia with constructive extracurricular activities, peer mentorship, and even college enrollment assistance. To learn more about Work to Ride, check our their website or Facebook page!

3. Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann (Young Adult/New Adult)

Let’s talk about the amazing QPoC rep in this book! Alice, who is asexual and biromantic, is determined to spend her post-breakup summer on a tv binge. She definitely does not intend to fall for her co-worker, Takumi. Whoops. This book is a mostly-fluffy slow-burn romance, full of nerdy pop-culture references. If you remember tumblr circa 2011, this book is for you.

4. Garvey’s Choice by Nikki Grimes (Middle Grade)

Garvey’s father has always wanted him to be an athlete, but Garvey is just not interested. When his only friend convinces him to join their school chorus, Garvey finds confidence and a new way to communicate to his distant dad. Told in verse, this is a heartfelt novel about one boy’s transformation through music.

5. American Street by Ibi Zoboi (Young Adult)

In her debut novel, Ibi Zoboi draws on her experience as a Haitian immigrant to tell the story of Fabiola, a young woman whose mother is detained by U.S. Immigration when they emigrate from Port-au-Prince to Detroit. This book explores the cost of the “American dream” with a mix of family drama, romance, and a hint of magical realism.

6. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (Young Adult)

Xiomara feels both invisible and too visible in a world that doesn’t want to hear her but is happy to objectify her. To express herself and to find some relief from her religious mother’s strict expectations, she turns to slam poetry. This novel-in-verse includes romance, wavering faith, and feminism.

7. Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson (Young Adult)

This powerful novel features a young woman who is determined to make it out of her impoverished neighbourhood. Jade’s mother taught her to take every opportunity she’s offered, so every day she takes the bus across town to a private school where there are plenty of opportunities, even if she doesn’t quite fit in. But some opportunities are less welcome than others, like the chance to join a mentorship program for “at-risk” girls. Sick of being singled out as someone who needs help, Jade hopes to find some autonomy and to stay true to herself.

8. Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert (Young Adult)

Suzette is home in Los Angeles for the summer and she isn’t sure she ever wants to go back to boarding school. Between supporting her bipolar brother, Lionel, and trying not to think about her clandestine relationship with her roommate, she’s got a pretty full plate. Unfortunately, she’s also falling for the same girl that Lionel likes. When Lionel’s mental illness sends him spiraling, Suzette must face her past to help him. This family features a blended family, Black Jewish characters, and a queer woman of colour.

9. Courage by Barbara Binns (Middle Grade)

T’Shawn has done his best to help out since his father’s death, but life gets complicated when his brother Lamont comes home from a stint in prison. T’Shawn finds peace on the diving board, and earns a scholarship to join a prestigious team at a local swim club. But when the neighbourhood crime rate starts to rise, T starts to think that he and Lamont may never put their pieces back together.

10. Monster by Walter Dean Myers (Young Adult)

A murdered drugstore clerk, a trial, and a young man in crisis. Monster is the story of Steve Harmon, amateur filmmaker and alleged murderer. To cope with the trial, Steve writes down the proceedings as if it were a film script, but as he tries to tell his own story, the truth starts to feel a little hazy. This one has also been adapted as a graphic novel.

11. All-American Boys by Jason Reynolds (Young Adult)

Rashad wasn’t stealing, but people sure seem to think he was. After he drops a bag of chips and a police officer beats him for it, Rashad is stuck in a hospital bed while the nation debates his character. Meanwhile, Quinn, a white boy who witnessed the beating, comes to learn that racism didn’t end with the Civil Rights Movement.

12. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor (Young Adult)

Sunny is an albino girl living in Nigeria. Her skin tone often makes her an outsider, but she soon finds herself drawn into a community of magic users called Leopard People. Together with her new friends, Sunny is tasked with tracking down a killer known for maiming children.

13. The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney (Middle Grade)

Amira is finally twelve and hopes to start school, but her life is turned upside down when the Janjaweed militia attacks her Sudanese village and her family must make the long and difficult journey to a refugee camp. Life at the camp is hard, but when an aid worker gives her a pencil and paper, Amira’s world begins to expand.

14. One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia (Middle Grade)

Delphine Gaither and her two younger sisters travel from Brooklyn to Oakland to spend the summer with a mother they barely know. Imagine their surprise when she sends them to a Black Panther summer camp. Set in 1968, this historical fiction novel explores family dynamics and the importance of sisterhood.

15. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (Middle Grade)

In powerfully emotional poetry, Woodson tells the story of her childhood and what it was like to grow up Black in the 1960s and 70s. This novel-in-verse won the National Book Award and the Coretta Scott King Award.

16. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor (Middle Grade)

Between the depression and threats from the night riders, the Logan family has had a tough year. Cassie doesn’t see why her family’s land is so important, but as she becomes more aware of the way their white neighbours treat them, she soon comes to understand that the family’s strength comes from having their own place in the world. This book tackles the ugly reality of racism in the deep south from the perspective of a precocious nine-year-old. It can be hard to stomach at times, but I think that just makes it more important.

17. Zora and Me by Victoria Bond & T.R. Simon (Middle Grade)

Part historical fiction and part small-town mystery, this fictional imagining of Zora Neale Hurston’s early days sees the author as a young girl, exercising her skills as a storyteller. When one of Zora’s tales seems to come true and a man winds up dead, she and her friend Carrie find that things in their little town are not as peaceful as they appear.

18. Blended by Sharon M. Draper (Middle Grade)

Every since her parents’ divorce, Isabella has felt torn in two. Two houses, two families, two races. Switching between her parents, also means switching between two different identities. How can she ever feel whole when she’s constantly split in half? This book examines the life of a biracial girl, and doesn’t shy away from addressing exoticism and the (PG) fetishisation of mixed-race people.

19. Black Enough: Stories of Being Young and Black in America edited by Ibi Zoboi (Young Adult)

This contemporary anthology delves into the many-faceted lives of Black teens in the United States. Popular authors from a wide variety of backgrounds have contributed their voices to show that being young and Black in America is not just one singular experience, but a constellation.

20. The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson (Middle Grade)

A hidden letter and a summer mystery are what await Candace when she pokes through an old box in the attic. With the help of her neighbour, Brandon, she deciphers the letter’s clues in the hopes of discovering a forgotten fortune. This book is perfect for readers who like a good puzzle.

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hornyliverpudlianputz · 6 years ago

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Hi! Do you have any movie recs?

Hooo boy. Yes? I do? I have a lot. I will try to do a wide approach, depending on what you’re interested in. I’ve tried to break it up into categories but there is obviously some overlap. If you have a more specific “type” or genre please let me know!

Comedies -

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975): I’ve talked about this before, a movie by the British comedy troupe Monty Python spoofing the legend of the Grail Quest. Extremely quotable, I have accidentally memorized entire scenes of this because it sticks in my brain so well.

Pop Star: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016): A spoof of “live tour” documentaries done of musicians put together by The Lonely Island (famous for their SNL parodies such as “Dick in a Box” and “I’m on a Boat”). It is absolutely hysterical and contains some ridiculously good bops as well.

Dramas -

The King’s Speech (2010): A British film about King George VI’s struggle to overcome his stutter and gain the confidence to take up the mantel of the crown when his older brother abdicates. Based on real life events, Colin Firth plays the shit out of this role, and so does Helena Bonam Carter as his wife.

The Road Within (2015): An indie “road trip” movie, this follows three teens who all have a disorder of some kind (Tourettes, Anorexia, and OCD) as they go “on the run” from the treatment facility they were all enrolled at. (The facility was not mistreating them, they’re just letting off steam.) I recommend this because from reactions I’ve seen it’s an excellent treatment of all of the respective disorders, and while it has a “happy ending” (mostly), none of them are magically cured by the end.

Brain candy/feel good -

A Knight’s Tale (2001): I’ve also already talked about this, it’s a (very, very) loose adaptation of part of the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer (he’s a main character lol.) Fun, great soundtrack, quotable, and refuses to be constrained by things like “historical accuracy.”

Secondhand Lions (2003): A “coming of age” story combined with a “boy and his dog” story, a young man is dropped at the feet of his great uncles and told by his mother she’ll be back at the end of the summer. The three of them then have to learn how to deal with each other. All the feels.

Sci fi -

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986): Ok look. I’m a nerd. Y’all knew this. And yes, I know this is technically in the middle of an arc but this is hands down the best Star Trek movie ever so it gets a special mention. Time travel, save the whales, Spock is trying to remember his human side, and bad disguises. Also they briefly lose Chekov in a highly restricted military area, park their invisible spaceship in public, and handwave “inventing” future technology as “it’ll probably be fine.” We stan disasters.

Starship Troopers (1997): This is not “fun” scifi, fair warning. This is the “scifi is a metaphor for all the world’s problems and nothing is good” type. A really excellent metaphor for military propaganda, I could analyse the shit outta this all day. It’s also somehow cheesy as hell.

Queer -

Victor Victoria (1995): Please note that I am recommending the 90′s musical and not the 80′s comedy. They are the same story but the musical is by far superior. A version of it was filmed live and should be available on DVD. Basically a broke female opera singer in France is convinced by a gay man to become a drag queen because she would make the greatest female impersonator the world has ever known. Hijinks ensue. Gender is fake, sexuality is fluid, and everybody ends up happy. Also Julie Andrews.

I Love You Phillip Morris (2009): A black comedy based on a true story, a gay con artist keeps breaking out of prison to be with his boyfriend. (That is very simplified.) Did you know Jim Carry can play dramatic really fucking well? You will after this movie. Also please watch Ewan McGregor literally melt into a puddle on the floor, you will not regret it.

Shakespeare -

Bill (2015): This is a spoof for Shakespeare nerds done by the same group of people who do Horrible Histories. The concept is to fill in the lost years when Shakespeare was establishing himself in London. It also involves a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I by Prince Philip of Spain, a royal spymaster trying to sniff out Catholics, and Shakespeare and his wife falling back in love. Gets a shoutout for using Shakespeare quotes out of context to make them work in totally different ways.

Shakespeare in Love (1998): Sigh. Ok, so like, I am not a fan of Romeo and Juliet. But this is basically Shakespeare living out Romeo and Juliet while writing it and I unironically love it. It has a lot of easter eggs for Shakespeare nerds like typical tropes (crossdressing, mistaken identities, ghosts (or are there?), class friction, star crossed romance, etc.) and random quotes. Also during the performance at the end the in-movie audience is literally seeing Romeo and Juiet for the first time. They react appropriately.

#personal #ask and ye shall receive

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melodiouswhite · 5 years ago

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Classic Literature Vines Compilation - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde pt. 03

Lanyon: Hey, can I have some of that water? Hyde: It's not water. Lanyon: Vodka! I like your style- Hyde: It's vinegar. Lanyon: What?! Hyde: It's vinegar, pussy!

Utterson: Babe, do the thing! Hyde: *genuinely smiles* Utterson [breathless]: Oh my god …

Jekyll: Lanyon, have you seen the Lady? She was supposed to meet me here- Lanyon: Let me find that out. Lanyon: HASTIE LANYON DOESN'T DESERVE TO BE LOVED!!! Lady Summers, unsheathing her sword: WHO IS HAVING A DEATH WISH TODAY?! Lanyon: Problem solved. Jekyll: Knew it.

Jekyll: I studied the soul for decades, so I know almost everything about it. Lady Summers: You know nothing, Henry Jekyll.

Hyde: *posing on the desk seductively* You like what you see, Doctor? Jekyll: … Jekyll: *awkward, unwelcome lust for other self intensifies*

Jekyll: This is going to be a horrible day. Utterson, passing by: Good morning, Jekyll! Jekyll: This is going to be a wonderful day.

Hyde: I have a problem! Lady Summers: You have countless problems. Hyde: But this is THE problem! Lady Summers: Alright, what ails you? Hyde: Every time I see Utterson, I feel all weird! Lady Summers: Be more specific. Hyde, in one breath: My heart beats faster, I feel hot and cold, there's a weird tickling in my stomach, that almost gives me nausea, I feel the urge to kill, when someone even looks at him, I get all red, when he talks to me, he makes me feel jealous and possessive and my mood lightens up, when he pays attention to me, if he's not there, I'm more irritable than usual and I want him to be all mine, I hate, when he gets hurt, when someone talks shit about him, I just want to kill- Hyde: *gasps for air* Lady Summers: It's simple, Mr. Hyde: You have developed an emotional attachment to Mr. Utterson. Hyde: … Hyde: You're saying I'm in love. Lady Summers: Eh, it's too early to speak of love- Hyde: I'M NOT IN LOVE!!! *rushes off* Lady Summers, after Hyde is gone: He's totally in love.

Lady Summers: Us women aren't allowed to influence politics. Lady Summers: So the only way for us to gain a modicum of agency is to influence those who make the politics.

Lady Summers: This is going to be a wonderful day! Sameer, her Indian butler: Milady, you have been invited to a ball by the Princess of Wales. Lady Summers: This is going to be a horrible day.

Utterson: H*ck. Lady Summers: Why did you censor that? Hyde: Because it's a fucking bad word.

Jekyll: I'm going to play God and split the evil out of my soul, so I can be a good man! Jekyll: What could possibly go wrong? Hyde: Hi! I'm here to ruin everything.

Utterson: *running his hands through Hyde's hair* Hyde: What are you doing? Utterson: I just found something I like better about you than about Henry. Hyde: *blushes* Wh-what? Utterson: Your hair is lovely. The colour, the silkiness, the fluff- Hyde: Sh-shut up! >///<

Jekyll: Guys, am I a good man? Utterson: *awkwardly* Uhhh … Poole: *hesitantly* That's very subjective … Lady Summers: *shrugs* Not really. Lanyon: Lol, nope. Hyde: AHAHAHAHAHA, DO I LOOK LIKE YOU'RE A GOOD MAN?! Jekyll: … Jekyll: I hate you all.

Poole: Mr. Utterson, help! I lost Master Hyde! Utterson: Don't worry, I've got this. Utterson: GABRIEL JOHN UTTERSON IS A PIECE OF SHIT!!! Hyde, out of nowhere: WHO WANTS TO FUCKING DIE?! Utterson: There he is.

Jekyll: That was amazing, but did you really have to scratch my back open with those insane finger nails of yours? The scars will be permanent. Hyde: Requiting your compliment, but did you have to bite into my shoulder and neck that hard? The hickeys will never go away.

Queen Victoria: This is going to be a boring party. Lady Summers: *waltzing in like she owns the place* Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen! I was invited, so I'm here to ruin everything! Queen Victoria: This is going to be an amusing party.

Utterson: It's so cute how small and petite he is. Hyde: REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE- Utterson: So cute. Lanyon: … Lanyon: Am I the only one who hasn't gone bonkers yet?! Lady Summers: Actually, Dr. Lanyon, you're just as much off your rocker as we are.

The British government, August 1885: Being queer was always disgusting, but now it's officially illegal. Jekyll & Utterson: Shit. Hyde: Oh wow, look at all the fucks I give!

Lanyon: So, you're really dating Gabriel now? Jekyll: Yeah. Lanyon: Well, congratulations, Henry! I'm happy for you, but just a friendly reminder: you were a horrible lover back when you and I were together. Jekyll: *ashamed* I know. And I'm so- Lanyon: *wags an index finger* Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah! That's in the past. There is only one more thing I need you to know- Lanyon: -If you hurt Gabriel, like you hurt me, I'll make you WISH that Hyde had consumed your soul, Henry Jekyll! And tell Hyde that, if HE hurts him, I'll make sure that no one will ever find your body. Jekyll: *gulps* D-duly noted, Hastie.

Lanyon: How is the loveliest flower in the Empire doing? Lady Summers, without looking up from her paper work: I don't know, how are you? Lanyon, tearing up: I … I'm fine.

Hyde: I don't give a damn about anyone other than myself! Utterson: *exists* Hyde: … Hyde: Shit.

Hyde: I don't care about Jekyll. Jekyll: I HAVE ANXIETY!!! Hyde: GODDAMMIT, NOT AGAIN!!! *gets tea, muffins and a blanket*

Lanyon: Henry, that is a bad idea. Jekyll: You're such a horrible friend. Some random scientist: Dr. Jekyll, your ideas are rubbish. Lanyon, before Jekyll can react: *grabs the guy by the collar* DAFUQ DID YOU JUST SAY??? THE ONLY ONE WHO'S ALLOWED TO CRITICISE HIM IS ME!!! Jekyll: … Jekyll, tearing up: You're such a good friend.

Lanyon: *walking down the streets, minding his own business* ^_^ Some passerby: Lol, look at that freak's eyes! Lanyon: … *struggling not to cry* *a wild Jekyll, Hyde, Utterson and Lady Summers appear* Jekyll, Hyde & Lady Summers: WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY, YOU PIECE OF TRASH??? YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH IT! Utterson: *comforting Lanyon* Lanyon: I love you guys.

Lady Summers, on the phone: Mr. Hyde, please, I'm trying to talk to my father-in-law! Greetings, Milord. Hyde: *making fake sexual noises* Utterson: Edward! Lord Summers, on the other end of the line: What's going on back there, Luise? Lady Summers: Just an exuberant, young client in heat, molesting one of my older clients. Block him out. Hyde: HEY!!! Utterson: *blushes and facepalms*

Utterson: I never lie. Hyde: You just did. Utterson: It's not a lie, if it's obvious sarcasm.

Jekyll's letter to Lanyon: Listen, I know we're not best pals anymore, but you need to do something really crazy, because I'm in huge trouble. Lanyon, after reading it: He's nuts. Lanyon: But I'll do it anyway, even though we're not best pals anymore, because he asked for my help and because that's what friends do.

Jekyll: I'm so lazy. Utterson: Don't you dare. Jekyll: I can't do anything right. Hyde: SHUT UP!!! Jekyll: I'm just not good enough. Lanyon: I'M GOING TO PUNCH YOU WITH FRIENDSHIP!!!

Jekyll & Hyde, pointing at Utterson: That's our emotional support lawyer. Lanyon, gesturing at Lady Summers: That's my emotional support Prussian. Lady Summers, gesturing at the 3 gentlemen plus Hyde: Those are my emotional support clients.

Hyde: I'm not a cat! Jekyll, fondly: Of course not. *scratches Hyde's head* Hyde: *purrs*

*in the afterlife* Hyde: … Huh. Doesn't look like hell to me. Jekyll: It isn't. Apparently we have a place in neither heaven nor hell, because only complete souls are allowed. We're supposed to go to some kind of limbo. This place here is just the gateway to the beyond. Hyde: And why are you here? Why did you not go ahead? Jekyll: I was waiting for you. Hyde: Oh. *awkward silence* Jekyll: *clears throat* So you did it, Edward. Hyde: Yeah. This is all your fault. Jekyll: *sighs* I know. I'm sorry. For everything. Hyde: … Jekyll: Wanna make up like real soulmates? Hyde: Sure. Both: *hugging and crying*

*what they say* Jekyll: I hate you! Hyde: I hate you more! *what they mean* Jekyll: I love you so much! Hyde: I can't live without you!

Hyde, to Lady Summers: How many weapons do you even carry around? It seems like you always have one. Lady Summers: Oh, that's a good question. Hang on for a moment. Lady Summers: *removes several knives from her sleeves, a poisoned dart from her glove, daggers from the folds of her dress, a gun from her hat, her hair needles and hat pins, her umbrella and her sword cane and puts it all on the table* Lady Summers: That's not all, but I'm not going to undress in front of you to disarm myself completely. Hyde: … Hyde: I'm scared.

Hyde, about Lady Summers: I wonder what her Ladyship is like, when she's angry. Lanyon: Your worst nightmare. Hyde: She doesn't need to be angry for that. Her cane and umbrella are enough to give me nightmares. Lanyon, thinking: Jackpot.

#The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde #Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde #Dr. Jekyll #henry jekyll #Mr. Hyde #edward hyde #utterson #mr utterson #Gabriel John Utterson #dr lanyon #Hastie Lanyon #oc #jekyde #jekyllxhyde #jekyllxutterson #uttersonxhyde #lanyonxoc #vines #sorry not sorry

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