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nerdraging4point0 · 1 month

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The Scorpion and the Scales //Chapter One// Poly-AU

Tropes and Tags: MF, MFM, MFMM, instalove, too much sex, tattooed musicians, polyverse, friends to lovers.

Content warning: 18+ only MDNI, PinV, PinA, oral (f!recieveing, m!recieving), threesomes, light BDSM, voyeurism, exhibitionism, partner sharing, jealousy, angst.

Active taglist: @ladyveronikawrites @tearfallpixie @beaker1636 @circle-with-me @synthetic-wasp-570 @itsjustemily @thesazzb @vinyardmauro @cookiesupplier @concreteemo @dominuslunae @mountains-to-move @sundamariis @caitcoreeeee @crimson-calligraphyx @letmeadoreyoux @starsomens @artificialbreezy @lma1986 @iknownothingpeople @lilrubles @shilohrosechicken @missduffsblog @jessicafg03 @thatchickwiththecamera @mysticdoodlez @chels3a-smile @sinkingteethinwhitenoise @deathblacksmoke @roley-poley-foley @ravieisunhinged @dethronetheveil @to-be-written @somewhere-diamond @somebodyels3 @sacredthefran

My ears are still ringing from the concert, a lingering reminder of the band's raucous performance that seemed to rattle the very walls. But as I stand outside the venue waiting, the cool Colorado night wraps around me, calming my ringing ears. I take a deep breath, letting the crisp mountain air soothe my senses. Looking up at the starry sky, I can't help but smile, the adrenaline from the show still coursing through my veins. My body may be tired, but my spirit feels alive. This is exactly where I want to be.

I scroll through the photos and videos on my phone, reliving each moment - the crush of the crowd, the first electrifying guitar riff, the encore chant that shook the rafters. I smile as I post clips to Snapchat, the glowing screen casting a soft light on my face. These are memories frozen in time now.

I glance down at my outfit, suddenly self-conscious - dark shorts with fishnets, my favorite Adidas shoes, a cropped long sleeve tee to show off my wrist tattoo. My dark curls bouncing around my shoulders, framing the natural makeup look I had spent so long perfecting. My heart pounds at the thought of meeting the band looking like this.

I can hardly contain my excitement. Getting a photo with the band tonight will be the perfect addition to my prized collection of memories! My scrapbook is absolutely full of photos with bands and celebrities - it's my most prized possession. But the photos themselves are nothing compared to the actual experiences behind them. I smile to myself remembering all the crazy adventures over the years - the VIP access, celebrity run-ins, wild nights out in Vegas and LA. I live for these thrilling moments and have to document every single one. This show tonight will give me yet another trophy photo for my scrapbook of fame.

I can feel the crowd stirring, a buzz of anticipation in the air. Around me, fans jostle for position near the stage door while security guards confer, ready to guide the band through. I'm so tempted to rush the door with some of the other die-hard fans, but I know that's crazy - I'd probably just get trampled. So, I stay put, heart racing, barely able to contain my excitement.

The crowd roars as Folio and Jolly emerge from backstage, basking in the post-show glow. Folio's got on his favorite tour tee, that vintage New York cap perched just so atop his mop of curls. And Jolly - man, that dude looks like a rockstar with his hoodie and beanie combo, those long brown locks flowing free. They pause to snap a few pics with fans, gracious as ever, before huddling up to recap the epic show.

When I see Noah, my heart stops. His towering, muscular frame moves with a feline grace and his soft brown locks fall perfectly over his chiseled features. This triple-threat talent radiated magnetism, his lethal attractiveness gripping me in its thrall. I was helpless, I was his, utterly and completely.

I see Jolly and Folio sitting off to the side of the fans. They aren't too far away, but I feel the nerves build in my chest, and I gather my courage to call them over.

"Jolly!" I shout, my voice cracking with excitement. He turns, and I start flapping my arms like a madwoman, desperate to catch his eye. This is it. My chance to meet one of my idols in the flesh. I scurry over, my legs jittery and unsteady beneath me. "Can I get a picture with you guys?" I blurt out in a rush, the words tumbling over themselves. I'm practically vibrating now, bouncing on the balls of my feet. Just breathe, I tell myself. Play it cool. But my fangirl glee cannot be contained.

He saunters over, hands in his pockets, with Folio trotting behind him. I fumble a bit with my phone, trying to find a good angle for a selfie.

"Mind if I help?" he asks, reaching out his hand. I hand him the thin device with a shaky hand. Extending his arm, phone in hand, facing the three of us so we were all framed up perfectly. I flash my best smile, leaning on the fence post for support. He snaps a few shots to make sure they came out clear, then hands my phone back.

"Thank you so much!" I squeal excitedly.

"Not a problem at all," he replies with a gentle smile, his accent coming through each word.

Folio turns to me, but he doesn't sound too thrilled - more like he's feigning the enthusiasm. "So, did you have fun?"

"Fun? Are you kidding me? That was amazing!" I gush. "Has anyone actually ever said no?" I quip playfully.

Folio chuckles and Jolly just laughs, making me feel good - at least they get my sense of humor! "I suppose it depends on who you ask," Folio says, chuckling again.

Nick shows up out of nowhere, trying to join our conversation. But his voice is drowned out by the shrieks from Noah's fans at the door. I sneak a peek and see Noah's tall figure in the center of the chaos - signing autographs, snapping selfies. I whip back around to Nick.

"What did you say?" he asks again.

I have to yell over the noise. "We were wondering if anyone's ever told you they didn't like your show!"

He lets out the most dramatic sigh. "No one's ever asked if I enjoy doing the show." I roll my eyes hard.

I roll my eyes as he pouts dramatically. "You're literally the star of the show," I point out, barely holding back my sarcasm.

He shrugs, unaffected. "Still, no one's cared to ask little ol' me about my feelings." He places a hand on his chest, channeling a wounded Victorian damsel.

I have to resist the urge to mimic gagging. "Alright, Your Highness," I say, my voice dripping with fake enthusiasm. "Do you enjoy being on the show or not?"

He taps his chin, pondering with exaggerated thoughtfulness. "Hmm...maybe I don't. Have you considered that?"

"Wow, so brooding and mysterious," I deadpan.

I whip out my phone with a grin, waving it teasingly in front of Nick. "Mind snapping a quick pic for me?" I ask. He's happy to play along. I shuffle as close to him as I can with that barricade wedged between us, and he snaps off a couple shots before handing my phone back.

"Looks like you just need one with Noah now," Nick says, glancing over his shoulder. Noah's still surrounded by screaming fans begging for his attention. I give Nick an appreciative look - he's so chill and down-to-earth.

I sigh, my voice trailing off. "He seems a bit busy." I glance around at the mob of people crowded around Noah. I'm not sure I'll get that photo with him after all.

"Just hang out, we'll make sure he stops by," Jolly says, flashing me a reassuring smile. That makes me feel a little better.

"You local?" Nick asks me, clearly trying to keep the conversation flowing to avoid an awkward silence. I nod, "Yeah, born and raised here."

I cross my arms over my chest, trying to hold onto the warmth from the crowd. The breeze starts cutting through my shirt.

Nick, Jolly, Folio and I are still chatting away while everyone else heads home. Folio's glued to his phone, only half listening. Then security starts shooing people away, saying Noah only has time for a couple more photos. The last of the fans rush to the front for their chance.

When Noah finally makes his escape to the tour bus, Nick isn't having it. He waves Noah over, pleading, "One more, bro. I promise." Noah chuckles and ambles over, his long legs crossing the parking lot in just a few strides. Up close, he's even taller than I thought!

"Hello." His smile makes my heart flutter.

"Hi," I squeak out, unable to summon any other words. Just getting that single syllable out feels like a triumph.

"This is..." Nick hesitates, looking adorably flustered. "You know, with everything we've talked about, I never even asked your name."

"Eve," I manage, though my voice comes out high-pitched and timid. I cringe internally. I should know my own name, at least! But something about him makes me tongue-tied in a way I've never experienced before. Eve. It's not a complicated name. But looking into his eyes, I can barely remember such a simple word.

"Nick mentions something about a picture?" his voice is so low, I almost forget it's me he's talking to. We move against the barricade standing close to one another as Nick takes my phone from my hand to take the picture for us.

When the camera flashes, I blink hard, almost hoping the picture will turn out blurry. Just so we can try again.

"What cha think?" Nick asks, turning my phone screen to show me the photo. I mean, it's cute and all, but mostly I'm hyperaware of how close Noah still is to me.

"Hmm, could be better," Noah's voice is suddenly right by my ear, making chills run down my spine as he hovers behind me.

"Here," he says, stepping back and reaching for my hand. "Step over."

The moment our hands touch, my heart flutters as if a flock of butterflies has just been released inside my chest. I can't take my eyes off him, his warm smile making my knees weak. As I climb over the barricade, my movements awkward and clumsy in my nervous excitement, security rushes over. Noah holds both my hands in his, turning to look over his shoulder at the security guards rushing our way.

"It's cool, I got this," he says, his voice gentle and soothing.

My attention snaps back to him, those kind eyes telling me everything will be okay. I trust him completely. Once on the other side, I straighten my shirt, run my fingers through my hair, hoping I look presentable for this boy who has stolen my heart. Being near him is intoxicating, sparking a giddiness I've never known before. I want this moment to last forever.

His eyes lock onto mine, sending a jolt of excitement through my body. "Nick," he says, gaze never leaving mine. He reaches out his hand to his friend, "Phone."

Nick places it in his open palm, as Noah passes him the energy drink he'd been holding.

As Noah reaches out to me, my heart flutters. His arm finds its way around my waist, pulling me close. I feel the heat rise in my cheeks and chills tingle down my spine at his touch. But I face the camera with him, tossing my dark curls over my shoulder and flashing a peace sign. Noah's smile lights up his whole face. I can't help but mirror it with my own grin. We take a few silly selfies together, giggling and making faces. With his arm wrapped around me, I never want this moment to end. Being this close to Noah makes my pulse race and my stomach fill with butterflies. I am absolutely smitten.

I am so excited that Noah has taken such a nice photo for me. "That should do it!" He jokes as he hands my phone back. "Much better than the others."

Suddenly Nick suggests, "Group photo!" Before I can even reach for my phone, Noah snatches it back and turns to the security guards by the door.

Jolly, Folio, Nick and I all gather together. Nick wraps his arm around my waist and I put mine around his shoulders. Then Noah comes over to fill the space on my other side, putting his arm around me too. I reach around and put my hand on his lower back, laughing.

The security guard takes our photo. I smile big - this will be the main one for my book! A memory I'll never forget. Two quick flashes and we're done.

When Noah helps me over the barricade, I feel a spark as our hands touch. His strong grip lifts me effortlessly over the metal rail, setting me gently on the ground. I turn back, not wanting our moment to end, and see him give me a little wave goodbye before he disappears into the tour bus. My heart flutters as I watch him go.

When I finally get to my car, I slide into the driver's seat with a sigh of relief. As the heater starts blasting warmth into the cold cabin, I pick up my phone and scroll through my photos until I find that selfie of Noah and me. I know I don't look my absolute best in that pic, but none of that matters - it's a photo of the two of us together and that's what's important. I set it as my new screensaver and just gaze at it for a moment, my heart fluttering. Then I open my playlist, queue up some music, and pull out of the parking lot to head home. All I can think about on the drive is how dreamy Noah looks in that photo, and how lucky I was to have met someone so wonderful. I can't wait to get home, crawl under the covers and relive every magical moment we shared today before drifting off to sleep with a smile on my face.

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theinquisitxor · 1 year

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March 2023 Reading Wrap-Up

Hard to believe that we are already going into April, but I read 7 books in March + 1 dnf. It was a really good reading month in general, and I found some new favorites this month.

1.A Day Of Fallen Night (Roots of Chaos #0) by Samatha Shannon. 5/5 stars. Absolutely stellar and my favorite book so far this year. I thought this was better than Priory and this is one of the few books where I don't think I have any complaints. Adult High Fantasy

2.The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty 4/5 stars. This was a very entertaining story about lady pirate coming out of retirement for one last job, set in the middle east during the middle ages. Very fast paced, plot and action driven story. Excited to see where this new series goes. Adult Historical Fantasy

3.The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokski 1/5 stars-DNF. I could not stand this book, and stopped only after about 25%. Sadly, I don't think Chokski is an author for me. There were a lot of things I didn't like- the writing style, the characters, the instalove. I was very disappointed in this. Adult Fantasy

(the same cover artist did the covers for both A Day of Fallen Night and Amina al-Sirafi!)

4.The River of Silver : Tales from the Daevabad Trilogy by SA Chakrabory 4/5 stars. I really enjoyed reading this collection of short stories from one of my favorite series. This included stories from before, during, and after the main events of the series. This gave a good wrap-up and bonus content to this series. Adult High Fantasy

5.Velvet Was The Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia 3/5 stars. This was an enjoyable historical noir from one of my new favorite authors. I didn't enjoy this book as much as Garcia's others, but it was quite different. Historical Noir.

6.Persepolis Rising (The Expanse #7) by James SA Corey 4/5 stars. I'm hoping to finally finish this series this year, and I enjoyed this entry quite a bit. It is very action and plot driven, but I really like the new plot and new villain this book introduced. It should be a good end to the series. Science-Fiction

7.Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen. A must read for ace folks and those interested. Really well done and informative. Nonfiction

8. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn 4.5/5 stars. Wow wow wow I really like this. I was hooked, and could not put this down. It was very action and plot forward, but didn't feel over the top. This was also unique and original, even though it has familiar ya tropes. A new favorite and I hope to read book 2 soon. YA Fantasy.

That is:

5 Fantasy, 1 Historical Fiction, 1 Nonfiction .

April TBR:

The Evening and The Morning by Ken Follett

How High We Go In the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

A Lady for A Duke by Alexis Hall

A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske

How to Live like a Monk: Medieval Wisdom for Modern Life by Danielle Cybulskie

#Reading Wrap Up #fantasy books #ya fantasy #books #bookblr #booklr #a day of fallen night #the adventures of amina al sirafi #the last tale of the flower bride #the river of silver #velvet was the night #the expanse #ace #angela chen #legendborn

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huessurfaces · 7 months

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#bathroomtiles #beautifulhomes #colour #designertiles #geometricpatterns #handpaintedtiles #huestiles #igdaily #inspiration #instadesign #Spotify

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wondereads · 11 months

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Weekly Reading Update (5/29/23)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas (7/10)

It took me a while to finish this book, but I got through it. It was a solid 7 for me, which is what I typically give average books. I think it moved way to slowly, and really could not have cared less about Dorian's whole thing, but there were parts I liked. I really enjoyed Manon's perspective—the wyverns are just so cool—I liked Aedion, and Aelin's finale was pretty good, even if I wasn't a huge fan of the build-up. I like that the romance seems to be taking a turn towards a slow burn, which I prefer infinitely to the meet-and-get-together-in-one-book approach that Maas often uses.

Island of Silence by Lisa McMann (8/10)

The first book of The Unwanteds is firmly average. It's fun to read, but it lacks something that makes it stand out, especially considering when it was published. That all changes in Island of Silence. While the first half of the book is just okay and there are some character choices that irk me, the second half is just batshit insane. All sorts of things are happening, including some great worldbuilding developments, and there's a huge plot twist at the end. It definitely makes you want to read the next book!

Code by Kathy and Brendan Reichs (8/10)

I really enjoy the Virals series. It's a candy series for me; not exactly great quality but so much fun to eat. The mysteries in these books are always so well-planned and researched; it's obvious the Reichs put a ton of effort into writing these. If you ever want to know some facts about Charleston, just read these books. I'm a fan of Tory Brennan, she's a relatable and likable protagonist, and I loved that the romantic subplot was getting more attention in this one. My one major complaint is that Tory seems to be shifting more and more in not-like-other-girls. In the first book, she at least had one other girl she was friends with/looked up to. Now most of her female interactions are limited to her dad's well-meaning but frankly idiotic girlfriend and her school bullies, which doesn't really make for an incredibly feminist narrative.

The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System Vol. 4 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu (10/10)

This book is after the main story has ceased and is a collection of short stories and extras that are basically just fanfiction. I loved it. It was cute, silly, and...steamy at times. I feel like after the third volume, which while great doesn't really have the time to delve into the main relationship, it's the perfect addition. It's pretty adorable to watch them become more comfortable around each other, and there's also some development for the secondary relationship and some side characters such as Liu Qingge and Yue Qingyuan. I enjoyed myself supremely.

Blood Bonds by J. Bree (CR, 51%)

I've made very little progress with this book since last week. I'm in no rush, and I've been craving a bit more substance. If you'd like to see my thoughts, check out the reading update from last week.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (CR, 25%)

This book has been hyped to the moon and back, so I'm kind of nervous! So far, it's pretty good. I like that the main character, Violet, is clever and uses that to her advantage, though I do find her personality, which is very stubborn and sassy, very similar to most other YA/NA protagonists. It's really obvious who the love interest is supposed to be, but I like him so far, and I also like that there's no instalove situation going on, even if Violet (fairly) finds him attractive. The worldbuilding is incredibly interesting—the way the dragons work and the different types are just right up my alley. I suspect that while everything right now is revolving around Violet simply living through the next three years, there's something more under the surface (there have already been hints of historical revisionism!).

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wildhosh · 1 year

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for the ask game id love to know about svt, enha & p1h!! you can pick and choose too i don't mind lmao 💗💗💗

YAY these were so fun to answer and i ramble so much i’m sorry for all the extra info i just love to talk about myself and my love for these groups <33

for svt:

★ my first bias: joshua!! when i was in middle school i loved him so bad. still do but he’s not high up on my list anymore.

★ my current bias(es): HOSHI !! <3 (=^ェ^=), dokyeom is a notable second place though, i am very much in love with him as well.

★ my album and/or era ranking (or favorite of each): my favorite albums are definitely the more recent ones which surprises me since i’m usually more attached to the earlier works of any artists. face the sun and attacca are definitely my favorites. i love those albums so bad. THAT BEING SAID… i think my favorite era is either pretty u or thanks era. both have such sentimental value for me and got me through incredibly hard times so i’m forever indebted to them. additional info: my absolute fav svt songs are shadow, to you, rock with you, heaven’s cloud, lie again, and ash!!

★ how i got into them: i got into them during mansae era but it was so long ago i don’t even remember specifics. it was definitely a youtube discovery, i probably just found their stuff in a recommended section LOL. it’s been off and on since then though!

★ which member would be my best friend: i would pick hoshi or dokyeom but i tend to see them more romantically as well as platonically but if we’re talking entirely platonic best friendship, i think dino would be my best friend!! although i would catch feelings for him for sure

★ something i associate with them (or with a bias/any member): early mornings when it’s dark outside and i can barely get out of bed because the air is so cold (reminds me of when i woke up at 4am to watch the thanks mv the moment it came out), tigers (i have a small tiger collection forming in my room and wardrobe because of my hoshi <3), and my 9th grade drawing class (i used to open up a separate tab on my laptop and listen to mvs while i worked, most notably lilili yabbay and the other unit songs from teen age)

for enha:

★ my first bias: jay!! i’ve always loved him. there was something about him at the beginning that just stuck with me!

★ my current bias(es): honestly, i’m still figuring it out. i love jay so much i really really do but i also find myself really drawn to jungwon, i think i hold back because i’m older than him so it feels a bit weird (idk if it’s actually weird but i just sometimes feel like i should be really careful with boundaries). and i also love heeseung!! i’m incredibly attracted to him. but yes for now, my bias is still jay. coming back to this question from the other questions because Yes my bias is jay i cannot stop thinking about him

★ my album and/or era ranking: i’m honestly being really slow working my way through their discography. there is still a good handful of songs and music videos i haven’t seen yet. however, i loveeee given-taken. that song got me through this fall semester; it seriously never gets old. recently though, i’m obsessed with fever. heeseung’s adlibs? don’t get me started.

★ how i got into them: i had only been back into kpop for a month or two when i got into enhypen. i had pretty much been on a year long break from kpop unintentionally and my life was literally terrible but that’s a story for another time but i got back into kpop through ateez in the summer of 2022. i think that’s how enhypen ended up on my youtube recommended. i literally had not heard any of their music but i had heard of them and that people loved them, so when “so so fun” came up, i watched it! and i fell in love with them. i started watching i-land that night. it was instalove fr.

★ which member would be my best friend: i feel like sunoo is such a classic answer bc i think a lot of ppl friendzone him LOL but i do think we would be really good friends BUT i think niki would be my best friend <3 i just think he’s perfect and our humor and values seem to match up so well

★ something i associate with them: walking to campus for my painting class in the heat and humidity (i used to listen to given-taken on repeat for the 15 min walk hehe), my apartment bedroom (watching i-land on my tv, the pictures of jungwon on my walls, …. self explanatory), books (i think about jungwon and sunoo reading on the bench in so so fun almost every time i read outside)

for piwon:

★ my first bias: theo!! he caught my eye almost instantly. he’s so pretty and kinda tsundere so i was drawn to him

★ my current bias(es): INTAK!! i love him so bad. i want him to be my boyfriend so incredibly bad. he’s just a boy idk something about him feels so authentic. he feels like someone i would meet in class and i love that. the whole group are bias wreckers tbh but i think jiung and theo are the main challengers for the bias position, but i’m so head over heels for intak i don’t think he’ll budge.

★ my album and/or era ranking: i am still new to p1h so i haven’t done a full deep dive into their discography yet, but i am obsesseddd with back down. i’ve watched the dance practice at least 15 times in the past two days because the song and choreo are just so fun. i also love doom du doom and scared eras though!! so far from everything i’ve heard it’s allll no skip i love it

★ how i got into them: i have honestly only been into them for like two weeks now!! my first bit of p1h content was the clip of keeho picking the outfit for that girl on youtube and i thought it was cute and funny LOL so yeah keeho reels and little clips are what got me into them. but i think the thing that really did it for me was the fo squad interviews with them! they are the first piece of content i saw other than the keeho vids and they are so fun. comfort videos for me.

★ which member would be my best friend: LOL i don’t want to friendzone any of them but if i had to pick one to be simply platonic i think it would be keeho or jongseob!! i think i would get along so well with either of them and we could have some funnnnn for sure.

★ something i associate with them: um um um honestly nothing comes to mind yet but i love the harmony forest videos and watch the dodgeball and soccer ones often so i think i would say sports in general remind me of them. and american hip hop like kendrick lamar LOL and cup stacking.

#ask game #anna speaks !!#sarah <3 #svt #enha #p1h

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starlit-hopes-and-dreams · 1 year

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*cracks knuckles*

For "the thing you should be editing but you're getting distracted":

Sunset Orange: Your personal least favourite character in your wip

For Hidden Depths:

Blood Red: Favourite piece of dialogue from your wip

Caribbean Turquoise: Which character has the most traumatic past?

And in general:

Ice Blue: Ship trope you think is overused in writing

why... why do you need to crack your knuckles?... 👀 ahhhh, i see.

Thanks for the bounty of asks! From this ask game.

Sunset Orange: Your personal least favourite character in your wip

from shattered dreams (which, if I keep telling myself I *need* to edit, I'll probably never do it 😅). oh, that's kinda hard. As much as Warren and Marcus suck, they were fun to write lol.

I guess I'll say Lienda. She's an annoying, mostly useless waste of air, not worth the space she takes up on the planet lol. Although her temper tantrum was fun, and her slapping Warren across the face was highly amusing for me.

Blood Red: Favourite piece of dialogue from your wip

from hidden depths. hmmm 🤔 There's quite a few pieces of dialogue that I'm fond of, including many of Carr swearing at people lol. But I'll go with this exchange :D

"Stop looking at me like I'm going to slit your throat and use your skull as my new wine glass," Nykim said with a sigh.

Carr huffed. "Should I look atcha like you're gonna rip my spine out to add to your solstice garland instead?"

Caribbean Turquoise: Which character has the most traumatic past?

from hidden depths. (psps- I like traumatic pasts :D)

Right now, it's Carr. But Nykim's isn't pretty either. You should ask him sometime about the first bones he collected. :D

Ice Blue: Ship trope you think is overused in writing

It's probably the whole soulmates, one true love trope. It's literally everywhere. (Yes, I know, I also wrote this trope 😅) Overused, but I usually like it. I don't like soulmates who are wrong for each other-why make soulmates if you're gonna do that? I do think it's really fun when one part of the soulmate equation questions the bond. Makes for some good angst. In my ideal scenario, there is also a lot of work involved in completing a soulmate bond, so the relationship doesn't turn into instalove, which I very much dislike.

#starlits asks #answered asks #i-can-even-burn-salad #Carr doesn't give a fuck #Nykim collects strays and bones

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readingrobin · 1 year

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February really is a hell of a month. In my corner of the Earth, everyone's getting a little tired of the cold, anxiously looking forward to the longer days that are right around the corner. It's also too short, full of too many expectations, like trying to live up to the plans you made for yourself only just last month. Thankfully, that also means it's over quickly and March comes in with the hope of spring. Can't wait for all the green to come back to the grass and the trees.

Total Books Read: 6

Total Pages Read: 2, 144 pages

Total DNFs: 2

Books Read:

Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh - (Review) (4/5)

A Conspiracy of Truths by Alexandra Rowland - (Review) (3/5)

Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs - I've been a longtime fan of the Mercy Thompson series and, despite having it for almost a good decade now, I finally picked up the first book in this spinoff series. I will say, I think introducing the main characters in a short story separate from this book wasn't exactly the best decision, as there's a lot of confusion around who these characters are and what the basis of their story is. I'm not a fan of authors introducing important plot or character developments in short stories apart from the main series, as it's a pain to track them down in these obscure anthologies and makes the full length book seem incomplete.

Coming into this new series, I couldn't help but do some comparing to Mercy's. A little unfair, I know, but sometimes it can't be helped. Anna doesn't really come off as an interesting, strong protagonist and, to an extent, neither does Charles, far cries from Mercy, who always gives a good range of personality. From the first page, Anna and Charles are in instalove, so their relationship doesn't go through any worthwhile developments other than "Hey, we're in wolfy love now, guess we don't need to do any more emotional work on our behalf." It's just….how do you make a relationship interesting when they're automatically together? What hurdles do they face? What doubts? What hesitation? Hell, Anna has gone through trauma from sexual assault and being passed around her previous pack like a broodmare and that's not even expanded upon or how it may effect her relationship with Charles. It just ends up feeling so hollow. (3/5)

Young Men in Love edited by Joe Glass and Matt Miner - This is such a cute collection of queer romance comics made by queer creators for a queer audience. It focuses on male/masc couples through a variety of genres, ranging from more domestic stories to those featuring demon hunters, pirates, ghosts, and so much more. While not every story was a hit, it's rare for an anthology to be completely perfect, there is such an honesty to each one of them that you can't help but give them all a slight bit of admiration. Some standout stories include "Second Star to the Right," "Another Name," "Act of Grace," "The Way Home," and "Love Yourself." (4/5)

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers - (Review) (4/5)

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke - Though I've been a Cornelia Funke fan since I was in middle school, this was one of her books I didn't grow up reading, which may have lessened the impact of it somewhat. The fantastical elements are pushed more to the background compared to her other books, and the magic comes more from the transportive descriptions of Venice. There was an interview in the back of my copy with Funke where she said that she wanted to create a book where children could actually go see the setting for themselves, which is a great way to introduce them to the wonders of their own world. And yet, somehow it felt like it overshadowed the characters a bit, who didn't really grab my attention.

Ultimately, the story didn't do much for me and I had the thought that I had read better versions of these themes in other books, most notably Something Wicked this Way Comes. Personally, I just think I started this book a tad too late. Though points to Funke for giving it a sort of odd, unconventional ending. (3/5)

DNFs:

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion - This book was given to me by a friend about 10 years ago and I only got around to reading it since I wanted to declutter my shelves a bit. I'm not real big on stories where romance is the main element, but I wanted to give it a fair shot.

Ultimately, I decided to put it down because I'm a little tired of the straight white male with thinly veiled misogyny representation of autism, especially when the understanding and conversation around neurodivergence has changed so much since this was written. Autism is a very wide spectrum, but apparently media is focused on only showcasing this particular manifestation, coming from writers that are not autistic, nor do they cite any research done in the autistic community to make their characters more authentic. And, judging from reviews I've seen of later installments of this series, it only gets worse.

Also, very much not interested in male writers that cannot write women to save their life. Got no time for that.

And the Ocean Was Our Sky by Patrick Ness - Beautiful illustrations aside, there's not much that interested me in this book which I could have finished if I gave it another half hour, but didn't really see the point. I haven't read Moby Dick, nor do I think I ever will, so the appeal of seeing that story from the whale's perspective wasn't an incentive. That and there are so many confusing elements that make the story too absurd to take seriously: why do the whales swim upside down, how do they have harpoons tied to their bodies when they're incapable of tying them themselves, how do these whales even know how to speak to humans? I think it's a story where you're not meant to think too hard about the logistics, but I couldn't help questioning it on nearly every page.

Average Rating: (3.5/5)

#robin's book log #reading wrap up #book wrap up #silver in the wood #a conspiracy of truths #cry wolf #young men in love #the long way to a small angry planet #the thief lord #the rosie project #and the ocean was our sky

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hopeless-weakness · 2 years

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2022 Books I’ve Read

139/150

Two for Tripping by Lasairiona McMaster

(Snow Pirates book 5)

(I received an ARC for this book)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Trigger Warnings include:

teenage sexual assault, abortion, and mental health issues

A hockey romance was dangled in front of me like candy, and then my heart was sucker punched! I was instantly obsessed with Will and Quinn. Just like they were instantly obsessed with each other. Will is Molly’s brother and Finn’s BFF, from Two for Roughing. So we’re going into this already…hesitant. Knowing the way he has acted with them, I was definitely worried with the way he’d act with Quinn. After one teeny set back, I was no longer worried about that. But I was instantly worried about him. I quickly became a protective mama bear. While also collecting a new book boyfriend. My heart knows no peace! With the issues going on with Finn and Molly, Will knows a simple ‘I’m sorry’ isn’t enough. He’s willing to take action to show Quinn he’s not a terrible guy. He goes above and beyond every time. They laid their emotions out there on the table early, so I knew whatever heartbreak was coming at the 75% mark, was going to hurt like a mothertrucker! And honestly, a lot of this book hurt like a mothertrucker! Every time I read a book by this author I feel heard, seen, appreciated, included. I feel 100% comfortable. I think that’s a special, and rare, feeling when you’re reading a book. Especially if you don’t completely relate to the issues at hand. As always, this was deeply moving and meaningful in so many ways.

My Favorite Quotes:

• “I was starting to feel like I’d dreamt you up like one of my book boyfriends.”

• “You’d be done with me even though our kisses taste like that?”

• “Take me home and do it again.”

• “I swear to God, William, if you slut shame me for what we’re about to do, I will cut off your dick with a rusty blade, drive to the zoo, and feed it to wild animals.”

• “Is the collective term a ‘yum’ of hockey players?.”

• “I could eat treats from your kitchen every day.”

• “I’ve never really been in love before. But I’m pretty sure this is what it feels like.”

• “Deep, complicated, wild and messy feelings. Love kinda feelings.”

• “You’re eyeballing me like a piece of meat.” “Yeah but you’re like… the primest piece of meat.”

• “You sound a little off kilter. Is there something you need?”

• “You are my favorite Starburst.”

• “I need you to understand that I’m ready to fight for you and your causes.”

• “Careful, or our makeup sex will be over before it’s even started.”

7/10 Dirty Birdy

7/10 Instalove

5/10 Sports Romance