#anyway Alan is a very honest person!

[haveyoureadthiscomic-poll]

Okay it is Infinity Inc. propaganda time it is time to show off the niche kiddos

Infinity Inc. propoganda under the cut

The day is Christmas Eve, 1983, and the JSA are having their annual Christmas Eve meeting, and Hawkman (blissfully unaware that his family is about to come to him) suggests adjourning the meeting so that all of them can get back to their families, and Green Lantern (blissfully unaware that fate is about to kick him in the balls... TWICE.) retorts that he doesn't have a family, this is kind of dickish of Alan but like... it's ALAN lol. Suddenly, the old men are being tormented by waves of stupid children, all demanding to be allowed to join the team... and also one of their villains children doesn't actually ask to join the team but he does... for some reason go "when I am asking for help from my father's enemies, the thing to do is to illusion myself to look like my father, and then tear a hole in their wall, wait, why are they trying to arrest me?! RUDE!!! I am sulking now!"

Thank you for your input Henry.

Anyway, since the old men respond... somewhat reasonably to whatever the fuck that was, their kids decide to band together and make their own superhero team, where they get PAID! (less than minimum wage).

Infinity Inc. is an interesting team series that I mostly enjoy because of the characters, a lot of the time in team books the characters all feel the same, and are all at each other's throats constantly, Infinity Inc. presents the reader with characters who all have very defined personalities, even if most of them do share the character trait of "stupid", and by the end of the series you feel like you genuinely love all of the characters and want to spend more time with them.

DC notably decided that all Infinity Inc. characters should spend the next decade dying or going evil btw.

BUT THEN THEY GET BETTER. The Infinitors are kind of notable in that there are entire arcs of JSA 1999 where the old men try to rescue their kids, and all of them end up being considered JSA kids, including Hank who is being chased around the planet by Jay Garrick holding adoption papers (uncertain if this is continuing now that Jay has Judy tbh I do not trust Geoff Johns)

(context, Wildcat hits Hank with the 'kid of a supervillain' stuff well after he thought the JSA was fine with his general existance, my favorite scene because all of the Infinitors are instantly protective, and all of them give vibes of being really close, even if DC refuses to allow a full team reunion)

Honestly in my years of getting people to read Infinity Inc. it's notable that every single time someone has come out with a different fave, and I think it's a testament to the characters being really good, ESPECIALLY HECTOR AND LYTA who are JSA characters and NOT Vertigo characters and Vertigo shouldn't be allowed to stop them appearing in JSA comics.

Also the boys do this in hallways for unknown reasons

What was meant by this?:

Read Infinity Inc. today so you too can be convinced that Hank King should be the next character DC makes gay, unless they decide to do Norda first...

Tbh if I'm being honest they should probably just pull a Young Avengers and make every Infinitor gay.

#infinity inc #jsa #justice society #justice society of america #dcu #dc comics #poll

[miss0atae]

Random thoughts about Pit Babe the series ep 10:

I was really waiting for this episode and I knew it would be filled with sadness and sorrow.

▪️Babe had a fight with Charlie before the race because his boyfriend was concerned about him. Babe thought Charlie didn't trust him and said some hard words to him. He was angry at him and it was their last conversation before the accident. Obviously, Babe was heartbroken. No one would want an argument to be the last conversation you have with anyone, even more when it is your lover. Babe really suffered in this episode. I said it before but I think Pavel really knows how to cry. He is a pretty crier. You do believe in his sadness and terrible loss just by looking at him. Of course, the sorrow was followed by anger and a will to get revenge. I feel sad for Babe because he lost his best friend, his father abandoned him, Tony took advantage of him and he had to lose the only person he ever loved and felt safe with. It was hard to watch him be utterly distraught.

▪️In the middle of all this drama, Jeff made a move on Alan because he has to wait until he decides to do it, he would have to wait an eternity. That kiss on the cheek was cute but I was expecting more! Alan is supposed to be in his thirties but he flirts like he is a pre-schooler. Jeff must really like him because I would have given up. He has been flirting a lot and Alan always seems to have this surprised Pikachu face when he finally understands what is going on. I wish they made their romance start earlier because we still have to wait until next week to get a proper kiss. At least, they are living in the same place. Proximity is the key to making the romance bloom.

▪️Kim finally was out of Tony's clutches. I hope it is because Kenta helped him get to Jeff but we never got confirmation. To be honest, I was surprised when Jeff brought him to Alan's house to protect him. It felt like they made some cuts in the episode and the rescue of Kim wasn't brought smoothly enough into the story. I don't know...

▪️Tony was again very abusing towards Kenta. It is getting harder and harder to see. This kind of constant abuse must be really hard to deal mentally. I wish we got more backstory or explanation about Kenta. I feel bad for him.

▪️Way was trying to drink his sorrow at the bar and was used as an emotional punching ball by Babe, when he tried to act on his revenge plan to get to Tony through the only person he knew worked with him. Way denied any involvement in Charlie's accident. I didn't think we would see him that soon after what he did to Babe. I don't know how they will bring him again into the plot. Will he try to redeem himself by helping the X-Hunter fam when they go after Tony?

▪️Finally, we had confirmation that Dean was working against X-Hunter. He was sus since last episode. He may not be entirely responsible for Charlie's death but what he did was really shitty. He has an ego, he is pretty jealous and can't accept that he may not be as good as he thinks he is. Also, he did try to hurt Babe and was giving some stupid excuses for his behaviors. If you wanted to be outside you could just get out and find another team. Why are you trying to sabotage your previous team just because they never gave you what you wanted?! He was whining and it was annoying to hear because we never saw him try to do anything except complaining.

▪️Of course, we all know that Charlie is not really dead. The trailer gave us the clue, so it's not exactly something ground breaking. It was part of his plan, he talked about with Jeff in the last episode. Now, Babe has his power back and will collaborate with Pete to bring down Tony. Charlie will probably just save Babe's life again because he only thinks about protecting his lover.

Anyway, I still like this series and will be ready for episode 11, next Friday. Let's hope it won't have the curse of episode 11 because Babe has already suffered enough.

#my thoughts #thai series #thai bl #bl drama #bl series #pit babe spoilers #random thoughts #Poor Babe is always suffering #We got some Alan x Jeff action but not enough for my taste #Kim is alive and well! Yeah! #Dean can go away because I never liked him too #Way stop drinking and find a good therapist #Can someone save Kenta now? #Charlie maybe you could have said something to Babe to avoid him suffering alone #I love you Jeff but I feel you also could have said something #I'm sure they didn't even think about what it would do to Babe's mental health #Pit Babe the series spoilers #pit babe the series #charlie x babe

[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

I think this is the first time since season 10 that I’ve watched the first episode of a Taskmaster season without writing a liveblogging Tumblr post as I went along (in seasons 11-16, I stuck to varying levels of keeping up the liveblogs for the rest of the season, but I always at least did the first one). If I’m very honest, the main reason why I didn’t do it for this one is it’s the first lineup for which there was only person I was really really excited about. The other four I have varying levels of vague opinions about, from “broadly like based on the one time I saw her on Russell Howard’s show” (Sophie), to “quite strongly dislike based on seeing her promote stalking and harassment on Alan Davies’ show, but I guess it was probably just a joke that came off badly” (Joanne) to “never got into League of Gentlemen because the surreal vibe creeped me out a bit and BBC Sherlock put me off Mark Gatiss so I know almost nothing about him”. Oh, and I do actively like Nick, because I am one of the few people who’s found Mr. Swallow funny on Catsdown, but I didn’t much enjoy his Houdini special and Ted Lasso season 3 was so bad that it put me off everyone who had anything to do with it even though obviously it’s not Nick Mohammed’s fault, so those conflicting opinions balance out into a vague “I guess I like that guy”.

Anyway, I didn’t want to write a post that was meant to be liveblogging the whole Taskmaster episode, and have that post be 90% about John Robins, and lay out just how much John Robins was the only one I was really interested in, and I also didn’t want to try to make myself have more of an opinion about the rest of them than I actually did. So no liveblog post this time, I just watched the episode. Once it gets a couple of episodes in I will have an opinion on the rest of them, and then might start the liveblogs again because I will have a slightly more balanced view.

Having said that. I have now watched it and do have some new opinions:

- Sophie Willan: I expected the charmingly naïve chaos, based on that time she was on Russell Howard’s show, that’s exactly how she came across on there and it’s great. Funny and sweet just great fun to watch. I did not, however, expect this extreme level of incompetence. I find an extreme level of anything funny on Taskmaster, and this is no exception. Love that we’re going to have a good old fashioned disaster contestant and it’s been marked out so early. Love that she appears to have no idea what show she’s on. Obsessed with her decision to paint that actual fence even though she definitely saw the blinds.

- Steve Pemberton: The “old man who is far too well established in comedy to need this show” contestant actually trying in the tasks, that’s always a fun surprise. I mean, I enjoy it either way. Frankie Boyle, Alan Davies, Julian Cleary, Ardal O’Hanlon – all those guys stumbling through the tasks with bemusement is fun. But it’s a nice surprise when you get a Lee Mack, a Dara O’Briain, a thing that Steve Pemberton looks to be – an old man who doesn’t need this but decides to actually put significant effort into doing each task properly. The egg train was impressive. The stumble at the end was funny. The good-natured attitude in the studio is amusing. And John Robins being the competent competitive force I’m hoping for won’t be as much fun if there’s not another good player to challenge him.

- Nick Mohammed: That’s exactly what I wanted from him. It’s almost weird to hear him talk in a normal voice, which doesn’t make sense because it’s not like he was using the Mr. Swallow voice on Ted Lasso, but I think on some level, my brain operated under the assumption the Mr. Swallow voice was his “real voice” and he was just putting on a character for Ted Lasso. It is interesting to see him play himself, where it turns out, he’s not that far off from Mr. Swallow’s quirks, just with a lower-pitched voice. I liked the exchanged he had with Greg in this manner. I liked the pragmatic approach to getting hula hoops out of a river. I liked the dynamic with Steve. I liked it when he threw some bricks around.

Joanne McNally: I dislike her a bit. Which is a lot less than how much I disliked her yesterday. This episode has brought me from disliking her a lot to disliking her a bit. She was entertaining. I wish I hadn’t seen that episode of Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled, because it’s sending me into this season with a bias against her that may be too much for her Taskmaster persona, as entertaining as it is, to overcome. I like other comedians who've said worse things than that, because I can put those things in the context of all their other stuff and consider it just one badly judged story. Maybe Taskmaster will give me enough context for McNally to get past it. She was fun. I wanted to be able to enjoy her. But she does still annoy me.

John Robins: Here's an idea. What if I do the opposite of the post this would have been if I'd been liveblogging as I watched and had been honest about where most of my interest was (though that interest broadened out as the episode went along, it only takes a small amount of time at the beginning of a season for me to get to know the unknowns well enough to be interested in them too), and make this a post about everyone except John Robins? I'll just end this post here.

(He crashed a car with an egg and he brought in 19th Century literature and he thought through that live task so strategically and and his drawings were so much better than everyone else's and this is exactly the level of competence I was hoping for and I don't mind waiting a bit for the competitiveness-induced outbursts that I'm sure are coming later, because actually it was equally funny to watch him spend this episode just glaring and biting his tongue (and having his voice crack the way it sometimes does on the radio, it happened right at the beginning of this episode, and you always know we're getting something good out of John Robins when his voice starts cracking) whenever he got annoyed about something going wrong. And is adorable that his buddy Alex got a reference to his big award into the episode, especially in a way that says "You know, technically you're on the level with Steve Pemberton."

(The other reason I didn't do a liveblog this time is I was genuinely embarrassed reading back the one I wrote during s16e01, where I frequently transcribed my internal and/or external monologue verbatim as I was too into the episode to also put an edit between my thoughts and the typed words, and was really into backing Sam Campbell like a sports team and Taskmaster brings out the sports team side of me in general, which is how you had bits of that post with me writing things like "Yes Sammy C coming through" with what I hope any reader would (incorrectly) interpret as irony. It's for the best that I avoided that this time and didn't need to document the number of times the words "Come on Johnny you got this" came out out loud as I was watching him throw hula hoops at things. I have never referred to him by that name before, it's just the automatic sports-ifying of people's names that happens when you watch them like a sports team. I'm pretty sure words in parentheses don't count towards a post, so this one actually ended when I said it did two paragraphs ago.)

#taskmaster spoilers

[immediatebreakfast]

"I, angry and proud, and drawing what strength I had from these two violent and sinful feelings; Alan angry and ashamed, ashamed that he had lost my money, angry that I should take it so ill."

There is something really raw about this chapter, really raw and conflicting. Hell, at some point I felt that I shouldn't be reading the conversations between Davie and Alan because I felt like I was intruding in something so deeply personal between two friends who have went to hell, and back.

All of this comes to the financial betrayal of Alan to fill his gambling "needs" at the cost of his, and Davie's money; on top of not being only about the money, but the fact that he used Davie's feverish state to get it.

And Davie is so conflicted about this because through the whole journey he has been relying on Alan for almost everything, whenever is escaping or getting refugee. Since they have known eachother Davie has looked up to Alan for guidance, even if sometimes he doesn't understand his reasonings. Then, Alan goes and basically takes advantage of Davie's debilitating sickness to take his money for something so shaky as gambling, and when Davie confronts him? Alan just shakes his head, and simply tells him that he shouldn't have given him the money, that it was just a small incidente anyway, and insists that since he said sorry then Davie should forgive him.

So what does Davie do with all of the emotions? He shuts down. Davie shuts his mouth, and travels in silenced because he knows that in this emotional state he will say (in a very scottish accent that I didn't know he had) horrible things to Alan that he will regret immediatly. Moreover, Davie knows that this silence will make things worse.

"These were the two things uppermost in my mind; and I could open my mouth upon neither without black ungenerosity. So I did the next worst, and said nothing"

Until Alan keeps insisting that he talks, and that gives Davie the opportunity to basically spill everything that has been slowly eating up his brain, and it's personal yet so tired, and so so angry.

It's honest, and emotional that Alan only says:

“Aweel,” said Alan, “say nae mair.”

As a response before falling again into silence. The great Alan Breck Stewart, silenced by the honest response of young Davie Balfour.

#Davie being conflicted over his own emotions when he knows that he is right to be angry is something else #Really really divided feelings despite being more than conviced on his own #Damn Davie really does feel ever single one of emotions huh #kidnapped weekly #davie balfour #alan breck stewart

[neil-neil-orange-peel]

What was the rick mayall comedy with ade that rheyre two old fucks living in an apartment together... ik thats so vauge but im trying to remember the name of it to watch it again 😭 i just re watched all of tyo and neeeddd to find it again lol

Also hope your doing well its been awhile since ive been on tumblr to see or ask about ur page but i think abt u occasionally and im like yeah i hope theyre doing well keeping the tyo fandom alive

Also is there no charictor limit on these asks now????

Hi! Sorry it's taken me a while to answer this.

It sounds like you're describing Bottom, the '90s sitcom where Rik and Ade played two broadly middle aged bastards at the bottom (get it?) of society, loafing about, being pervy, and causing chaos. It isn't quite as surreal as The Young Ones, but it does feature lots of slapstick violence - Richie and Eddie have at least one very creative physical fight per episode - and there are occasions where something extra mad will happen, like the ceiling caving in, underpants being filled with custard, and fire farts (to name a few examples). Christopher Ryan also appears in a few episodes as one of Eddie's mates, Dave Hedgehog.

One of the original inspirations for Bottom was Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, which Rik and Ade both loved and thought was funny. It was one of the things they bonded over at uni, and the two of them got to star in a run of it in the early '90s (again, with Christopher Ryan).

There were three series of Bottom from 1991-1995, totalling at 18 episodes. All episodes were available on Dailymotion the last time I checked - in fact, I have a post somewhere on this blog with links to them, though it may very well be outdated by now. If you have a mooch around online, you should be able to find them.

The reason I'm guessing you mean Bottom is because Richie Richard and Eddie Hitler live together in a (disgusting) flat in Hammersmith, and there are some episodes set entirely within this horrid hovel. However, Filthy, Rich and Catflap also sees Richie Rich and Eddie Catflap sharing a (not quite as disgusting) flat, but these characters were a bit younger - and, to be honest, Bottom is the more highly regarded of the two sitcoms, though I don't think FR&C is anywhere near as bad as some critics made out.

Rik and Ade made five live stage shows for Bottom (Bottom Live) between 1993-2003. In fact, the fifth Bottom Live was the last substantial work they did together. All five of these have been available on YouTube for some years, so I assume they still are. I personally just slightly prefer the sitcom (or maybe I'm just jealous I can't go and see Bottom Live 😂), and I think a general rule of thumb is the quality does decline a little across the five (apologies to my comedy gods, although I think Ade might agree with me), but they are all absolutely worth a watch. Rik and Ade break character in them from time to time, and they're allowed to say fuck.

They also made a Bottom film in 1999 called Guest House Paradiso, which features Simon Pegg. Rik and Ade play the same characters, but now they run an appalling hotel on the Isle of Wight and their surnames are different (which Ade acknowledged when I went to see him touring with his autobiography was inexplicable). The film is not for the weak of stomach, certainly not for anyone with emetophobia, and unfortunately it does suffer from the curse of most sitcom movies apart from Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa in that it doesn't quite translate. To be fair, they didn't have a massive budget, and it happened only a year after Rik's accident (they were both meant to direct it, but Ade took on full directing duties as a result of this). Still, it's not unfunny, and I think it's available on Dailymotion; if you like Bottom, you should give it a watch. I wonder what a Bottom film set in the original world of the sitcom would've been like...

I have an inking who you are, although I might be wrong. I hope you're well, anyway. 😂 I'm fine, just trundling along, coming up to my last semester as an undergrad. Tumblr may well have changed the character limit on asks, though I honestly couldn't say for sure.

Thanks for the ask!

#asks #anon #bbc bottom #rik mayall #ade edmondson

[smute]

Charlie goes to his crusty bedroom and reads his precious Moby-Dick essay one more time while glugging from a two-liter bottle of bed-Pepsi. We get to hear his favorite part of the essay: “The whale doesn’t have any emotions, he’s just a poor big animal.” As a fat person who has actually read Moby-Dick, even the “boring chapters,” THAT IS NOT WHAT MOBY-DICK IS ABOUT OR WHAT MOBY DICK THE WHALE IS LIKE AT ALL. Obviously we’re supposed to draw some parallel between Moby Dick the actual whale and Charlie the human whale, but, like, why? What shallow fucking bullshit! Can you even map one on top of the other at all? Has anyone ever read Moby-Dick and thought, “wow, what a pathetic loser” about the whale? The ungraspable phantom of life himself???? Thin people don’t think of fat people as powerful and inscrutable phantoms—they’re absolutely positive they can scrute everything about us, our “everything” being CHEESY BUGLES! Hence this movie!!!!! Don’t talk about my favorite book, DARREN. I don’t come to your house and explain The Mystery Method wrong! Anyway, then Charlie uses his cursed rusty mobility aids to turn out the light and go to sleep. Spooky!

[...] How do fat suits work? Does Brendan Fraser have to wear individual little sausage tubes on each finger? I can’t stop thinking about how many awards the visual effects people (or whatever department makes fat suits) are going to win for this. It’s like if I got a Nobel Prize for drawing a mean picture of your grandma. Also, for the record, I know the fat suit was really expensive, but it looks weird! It doesn’t hang right! He looks like the mascot for an NBA team called the Wichita Big Pile of Raw Chicken. Hmm, if only there was a way to depict a fat person in a movie without an expensive flappy silicon slug bag!

While Charlie is in the bathroom crying (really), Thomas shows up again and Ellie introduces herself: “What’s more surprising—that a gay guy has a daughter, or that someone actually found his penis?” Wow, once again, thank you so much to Darren Aronofsky and playwright Samuel D. Hunter for spending TEN YEARS on this extremely humanizing screenplay! I feel seen, unlike my own genitals!!!

Charlie is so moved that he goes, “You wrote these amazing, honest things… You’ve all been so honest with me. I just want to be honest with you too.” And then he TURNS ON HIS WEBCAM and SHOWS THEM HIS HUGE FACE AND BODY! All the students lose it and they’re grimacing and cowering before him and taking pictures of the screen, LOL, even though literally it just looks like a regular guy???????? It’s a Zoom square! It looks like a close-up of a guy’s face! No one would have any reaction to this! If there’s one thing this movie does perfectly, it’s trick thin people into telling on themselves about how uncomfortable they are around fat people!

Then Liz comes back and reveals that, LMAO, what happened to Alan is that he starved himself to death (kind of), and that’s why now Charlie has to EAT himself to death. Wooooooow, who wrote that brilliant juxtaposition? Grover??? Is this supposed to be profound? It's less nuanced than when people say “the terrorists hate our freedom”! Actually, you know what? This detail with Alan is the central problem with this entire movie: Being thin is not the opposite of being fat!!!!!!!! STARVING IS NOT THE OPPOSITE OF EATING. Having a body is a complex state! [...] Then they clarify that actually Alan starved himself ALMOST to death and then jumped off a bridge. Jumping! The most thin-privilege way to die!

sorrynotsorry bout all the whale poasting but this review by lindy west was very cathartic for me! its a shitty movie and extremely triggering not just for fat people but anyone with any sort of complicated feelings around food and your own body tbh. so im sharing it here. butt news has a free subscription and lindy west is hilarious so. go read it and maybe read some other reviews too

#i watched it yesterday and was very dismissive of it but it really hit close to home and made me feel and think some not so nice things #so thank you lindy west as always #fatphobia tw #the whale #lindy west #&

[smilingformoney]

MAJOR trigger warnings below for rape/sexual abuse.

My response to @idioticconsultingdetective’s post.

When I was 15, I was raped. It has, naturally, left me with a lot of trauma. I still get intrusive memories sometimes, when my brain pushes traumatic moments to the forefront of my thoughts for no apparent reason.

It doesn’t happen much. Once or twice a year maybe. And yes, it has been happening today.

Every victim of trauma has their own coping mechanism. Earlier this year I found a fic on ao3 that I found actually helped. It was gross, disgusting (NOT romanticising anything as @potionsev has suggested) and I couldn’t tear my eyes away. Somehow - I’m sure a psychologist could tell me why - it helped me to compartmentalise my intrusive memories. I’m now more able to make myself believe the memories are just scenes from a story. Now, on the odd occasion it happens, I can go to that fic and convince myself I’m just reading a story.

I have never actively promoted that fic to anyone. The only reason it was discovered, someone looked at my ao3 bookmarks and found it. I should have made it a private bookmark, but to be quite honest I didn’t even consider something like this would happen.

When Twitter user ols7en asked me why, what was I to say? Was I to tell a 15 year old stranger, in 140 characters or less, that I was raped and the fic helped me process my trauma? Perhaps I should have not responded at all. I made a mistake in trying to brush it off as if it was nothing. I hoped they would move on, but perhaps I put too much stock in my irrelevance.

But at the end of the day, none of what I just said should matter. It shouldn’t matter why I read something. Policing what people read in fiction is policing thoughts, and as we hopefully all know, that’s a very, very slippery slope.

I don’t owe anyone this explanation. I’m giving it anyway because I know communicating my feelings helps me calm down from the near on 12-hour anxiety attack I’ve been having today.

Now, why did I delete my twitter account? Well, I’ve been close to it for a while now and this triggered my final decision. I’ve tried hard, for months, to fit in with the twitter fandom. It’s never worked. I’m not sure why - is it the generational gap? Is it the character limit restricting nuance? I’m not really sure. I’m the same person here and there, and here I seem to be vaguely popular. So there’s got to be something different between the two platforms restricting me from bridging the gap.

Pandora pointed out two things.

1. Sexualising Snape and Alan Rickman. We all do it here (mostly). Not so much on twitter - why? Again, who knows. Maybe in hindsight I should have restricted minors from following me.

2. ‘Attacking’ other users for developing minor characters. Not at all what happened, again perhaps this is due to the character limit restricting nuance. I tweeted in response to someone else that I found it confusing to log on and see people talking about characters I’ve never heard of. It certainly wasn’t an attack. Some people took issue with my describing them as ‘original’ - as if this is something I, with my 200k-word OC fanfic, would ever use in a derogatory sense.

What has really saddened me is the way Pandora has made this a personal goal to… whatever her goal is here. It’s sad because I liked her. I thought we were getting on. Then to be told I was never liked - that hurt. Why follow someone and interact positively while harbouring resentment? Why not simply not follow, not interact? I feel silly being personally hurt by a stranger on the internet, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t.

Finally, to end on a positive note, I want to say a great big THANK YOU to everyone who has been kind to me today. I have told my side of the story to friends and they’ve comforted me, but more than that, people I don’t interact with have come to my defence. People who don’t follow me, who don’t know me or my side of the story. They’ve seen Pandora’s post and defended me. That, to me, is the true nature of the Snape fandom. 💚🐍

[entamewitchlulu]

did i just spend an afternoon making up fankids for the katacule? maybe. you can find out if you click on the read more

so ok. my personal canon for post-series is that the polycule all stays together though they do have some beard marriages between them for appearances - it's pretty much an open secret to the entire kingdom tho that they're all together. and who's going to say anything about it when they're the most powerful people in the kingdom (and particularly jeord will silence anyone who tries to get between them with prejudice).

So anyway, the ""official"" appearance marriages are:

Katarina/Jeord

Keith/Sophia

Maria/Nicol

Alan/Mary

and Sora and Raphael just kinda chill as eternal bachelors

But despite this they are all having their own interactions with each other and romances all across all the "pairings". Some of them are platonic with each other, some are romantic, and etc. Anyway this results in an awful lot of kiddos, and if they're completely honest they don't always know who the dad is so the plan they come up with is that whoever's the mom, their ""official"" husband will just claim them for inheritance purposes, but they're ALL the moms and dads for all these kids. for that reason i'm not gonna say straight up who the parents of these kids are but you can probably make some guesses based on their appearances/magic, etc.

Sylvia Ascart (left) is the oldest. She's 18 and she's hard-working, cheerful, and flexible. She wants to be the best she can be, but she doesn't mind chilling out once in a while. Her dream is to succeed Nicol as the prime minister, and her magic type is Light.

Amelia Ascart (right), is 17. She's quiet, thoughtful, and has a talent for memorizing books she's read. Her only real goal in life is to be surrounded by books. Her magic type is Wind.

Colette (left) and Felix Stuart (right) are twins, both 17 years old. They both have water magic. Colette is a little antisocial, preferring to spend time with horses rather than people, but due to her quiet nature, she tends to overhear a lot and knows dirt on almost everyone. Her brother is very ambitious, and wants to succeed the throne. He's irritatingly smug and smart and loves to talk circles around people.

Next is Ethan Stuart (left). He's 16 and his magic type is fire. He is a sweet, sort of shy young man who loves cats and is very genuine. He's scared of ghosts and bad at swordsmanship, and prefers to spend time with Mary in the garden.

Silas Claes (middle) is 15. His magic type is Earth, and as the only official son of Keith, he's intended to succeed as the Duke Claes. He has the appearance of an incredibly sweet young man who looks younger than he is, and he loves sweets and mischief. His favorite thing to do is to lull people into believing he's a perfect angel who could do no wrong while he's actually pranking or manipulating the shit out of you.

Adeline Ascart (right) is 15 and her magic type is Light. She is a sweet, optimistic to a fault girl who loves sewing and cute things, though she's afraid of horses and flustered in crowds. She has a talent for making plushies, and wants to join the Ministry of Magic.

Victoria (left) and Noelle Stuart (right) are also twins and are 15 years old. Both have Earth magic. Like Nicol, Victoria has the same alluring aura that flusters almost everyone around her. However, she finds it tiresome, and is most exhausted of getting marriage proposals from people, as she wishes not to get married. However, she is quietly rather ambitious, and wants to succeed the throne. She's very protective of Noelle.

Noelle is shy and very attached to Victoria, and hates crowds. She has a talent for music and likes to spend time playing piano with Alan when she's not with Victoria.

Charlotte Stuart is 14 and also musically inclined, liking to play the cello. She and Noelle sometimes play together. She's kind, but is no doormat, quick to stand up for herself and her siblings even against people stronger or more influential than her. Her magic type is Water.

Miku (left) and Aoi (right) Stuart are another set of twins, age 13. Miku has fire magic, and Aoi has earth.

Miku has Katarina's inability to stay still and a deep wanderlust. She loves climbing anything she can find, hates dresses, and wants to be an adventurer.

Aoi is nearly as adventurous as his sister, but he's more interested in trying new foods. He likes to cook but even more than that he likes to try exotic dishes and will eat just about anything. He struggles to keep his clothes clean, but he's so lovable that he can make friends wherever he goes.

Peony (left) and Poppy (right) Ascart are the last set of twins, age 12. Peony has Light magic and Poppy has fire. Peony is a bit on the lazy side; she likes to nap wherever she can. She's actually quite responsible and gets things done, but then she'd just like to doze off under a tree. Poppy is an budding artist who likes to spend time painting landscapes. She's laid-back, but will snap easily if interrupted while painting.

Then there's the two youngest! Darian Stuart is 10 and has water magic. He loves swordplay and wants to be a heroic swordsman. Despite his desire to be a hero, he's still quite young and cries easily.

Penelope Stuart is 9 and has earth magic. She's exuberant, adventurous, and loooooves bugs. She's pretty loud and hyper and loves to grab big beetles and show them to everyone.

Generally speaking, the "official" families are as follows:

Katarina/Jeord: Ethan, Victoria, Noelle, Miku, Aoi, Darian, Penelope

Ethan is considered the Fifth Prince, as he's the second eldest of Jeord and Alan's kids, and Jeord and Alan's brothers have three sons between them (idk about them yet). Atm I think Ian is king so his son(s) are first in line, but I haven't really decided that. Victoria is the Third Princess, after Colette.

Keith/Sophia: Silas. He's their only "official" kid, so he's the heir to the Dukedom.

Maria/Nicol: Sylvia, Amelia, Adeline, Peony, Poppy

Alan/Mary: Colette, Felix, Charlotte. Felix is considered the Fourth Prince.

Andddd that's it lol. I have no other thoughts at the moment.

#katacule #hamefura #fankids #lulu's ocs

[anewp0tat0]

obviously I'm late but better than never for my semi monthly chapter review hii~

Chapter 191

firstly i do want to half heartedly apologize for how much I am obsessing over this tiny cameo, but we haven't gotten art of her since the hotel promo and idc if she's the second reaper we most commonly seen it's just been so~ long. and also I didn't hear anyone complain -v-

also just because I didn't see anyone post about it before(I probably haven't scrolled enough), I'm pretty sure that's Eric and Alan(because of the hair and everyone in this panel is a reaper we know), in the corner, just dangling their existence over us as always. i just find it a little funny when yana decides to play God at what she wants to include in her canon universe.

I think this cover's pretty cool! it's the first time we canonically get to see other side reapers, and I was very excited!!

I gotta be brutally honest though, as someone who takes the visuals to heart, I was a little disappointed to see that the the reapers behind Ronald are mirrors/copies of each other. I personally get pretty dishearted when potential to create a great product gets wasted due to laziness or any other lacking that is within our control.(and also specifically applying to this, Im a sucker for character design and get bummed when i keep seeing the same jawless pretty boi face design everywhere).

however, I won't hold it against her for 2 reasons. 1, despite my whining I'm aware that there's nothing yana can if she's too busy for herself or anyone in her art team to draw so much. secondly though, the explanation that I'm gonna prefer to go with cause she will never confirm or deny this I'm sure: this was a purposeful decision to show how all the reapers- besides their hair- are meant to be soulless carbon copies of each other. except for Ronald, cause he's cool(and I think we have a mentor to blame for that😌)

-----

alright now I should actually mention the contents of the chapter

I am very excited about this Brass😀 I don't trust my memory anymore so I may be wrong, but I don't think the higher ups... or higher than higher ups👀👆🙏 have ever been referred to as the "brass" before. which I love. I have no clue what that means but it's cool. and personally I love when stories with religious contexts diverge from the traditional lore. which should be weird cause I'm kinda religious. but ya boi gets bored.

like, the almighty brass is not like the God in traditional religion, cause so and so bla bla created the planet or big bang or smth I forgot. this, these, beings seemed to have appeared. before humanity or after I'm not sure. but dude isn't it so cool and kinda creepy?? right? can't ya gurl just obsess over something that doesn't matter at ALL???

also I gotta say, I'm a little shocked that reapers can't see souls, cause I had assumed that in this universe the cinematic records themselves were the souls, or representations of them. but nope, two separate things.

dude if this series ends with the Brass literally destroying the universe cause these reapers and demons and maybe humans found out and meddled too much in the unmeddleable I don't know how my brain would work.

also real quick what if the reapers don't even work for god. what if the demons aren't even based around him and we shouldn't be assuming them to be based around Christianity in yana's universe.

LOL anyway.

I found this interesting because it's true, bizarre dolls were not the reapers(or the Brass' :O) business before. they were not known or classified as a wide threat, and they didn't have be involved. but now they have to be.

it also makes me wonder how many other reapers are involved with this case now. I mean, others have the be right?? why would they just keep sending people who are associated with grelle. there should be others off screen. it seems like this may escalate to a nation wide threat soon.

-----

also, I'm 70% certain someone mentioned this in a theory blog prior, but it's nice to see now that it's confirmed the very real symbolism of Lord Vega's 2 personalities in the 2 ribbons.

finally. in case it's my bad memory, does anyone mind reminding me who the "old woman" is? if we don't know yet then that's something I'll just have to think about more later.

----

have a great day!! till next time :,D maybe in November we'll get to see finny and snake?

also, I know I go on like 4 different tangents here. I thought keeping them all to one post would be more organized, but should I actually be separating these thoughts? dunno. maybe I'll give it a shot next time.

#kuroshitsuji #black butler #kuroshitsuji chapter 191 #kuro chapter 191 #kuro chapter spoilers #kuroshitsuji chapter spoilers #kuro spoilers #black butler manga #kuro chapter review #long post #rambling #sorry‚ so many words!!!

[itsthegameilike]

Best Books of 2022

And I’m back again with another list of books that I think everyone should read. Or, at least, books I think are halfway decent given the other books I’ve read this year. To be fair, it was a better year than I thought. Anyway, without further ado, the best ten books I read, plus some honorable mentions:

Nona the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir In full disclosure, I knew this book would be on my list before I even read it and I was not disproven in that assumption by the time I finished. Hands down, the best book I read this year and it’s not even that close. Books tend to take me a lot longer to finish as I get older, but this one took me two days. Obviously, if you haven’t read Gideon the Ninth or Harrow the Ninth, you should, but this odd little sequel was probably my favorite one yet. Nona is such a refreshing character--a bombshell of light and love and curiosity--and it is as queer as ever. Bonus, if you have a soft spot for Camilla or Palamedes, as I do, you got blessed this book.

In the Dream House - Carmen Maria Machado I actually read far more nonfiction this year than I usually do, thanks to getting burnt out on fantasy, my staple. This book is the best of the bunch and absolutely incredible. The writing is poignant and lovely and careful and the topic of domestic abuse is tackled by an author who is invested in making you understand what they went through. It’s personal, it’s internal, and it broke me more than once. Definitely worth looking up trigger warnings, but also definitely worth reading.

The Half Life of Valery K - Natasha Pulley If Natasha Pulley publishes a book, it goes on this list. I have an unending love and devotion for the romances and relationships she crafts. There is such a tenderness and solitude and loneliness to all of them that always punches me straight in the gut. I love her and I am very biased, but this book was as incredible as always. Bonus points, you learn quite a bit about nuclear reactors and nuclear poisoning, too. Not her most realistic and probably not her best, but I still love it to bits.

The Master and Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov This is a Russian novel from the 1940s that I think is best described by saying that the devil shows up in Moscow and wreaks absolute havoc. It is bizarre and mythic and surrealist, but it is also heartfelt and an utter joy to read. I was never bored, the characters were five parts humorous and five parts relatable, and I still regularly think about the magician show scene on a daily basis.

Clear Light of Day - Anita Desai This book is in many ways indescribable for me. I read it in August, when the days were hot, and the book felt exactly like those long summer afternoons. It cast a sort of spell over me and I would often sit and read twenty pages, then sit and think about them for forty-five minutes. It’s a deep dive into the decay of a country and the decay of a family and their relationships and an exploration of the choices we make in life, how they alter it, and how often we sit and imagine what would’ve happened if we chose differently.

Time is a Mother - Ocean Vuong My one book of a poetry and another that I was positive would end up on this list. Ocean has been a wordsmith rock of mine since college and he did not disappoint in this collection. I highly recommend “The Last Dinosaur” and “Almost Human”. If you read nothing else, read those.

Breaking Bread with the Dead: A Reader’s Guide to a More Tranquil Mind - Alan Jacobs If there was a required reading list for anyone who would like to approach what they read with critical thinking skills, this would be on it. This book is a manifesto to the grays of the world, a sort of rejoicing in how nothing is black and white, and I felt so refreshed reading it. There are also so many great book recommendations in here, including Clear Light of Day already on this list, so it has alternate functions, as well. This book gave me hope, to be honest, so if you need that, look no further.

Iron Widow - Xiran Jay Zhao Man, this book. It is like an electric shock to the system. There is so much good here that even the occasionally clunky dialogue means nothing to me. The characters are stunning, there is really excellent polyamory the way I wish more media would display it, there’s Chinese myth, and big metal monsters smashing the patriarchy. The end had a twist that was actually shocking and I cannot wait for the second book. I’ve mostly outgrown young adult at this point, but please read this one, even if you feel the same.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess - Sue Lynn Tan This book was breathtaking. It feels lush when you’re reading it, the descriptions so well done, and I was so swept up in the setting, in the plot, in the pleasant, warm reminders of other Chinese dramas it gave me, that I hardly minded the naivete of the main character, Xingyin. The love triangle isn’t unbearable, as there are clear, obvious breaks with the love interests when she is romantically interested in the other, and Xingyin grows into something just as bold and beautiful as the book. One caveat, I also read the sequel this year and I kind of wish I hadn’t. It’s not nearly as good and I sort of wish this had been a standalone experience for me.

Crying in H Mart - Michelle Zauner I read this at the very start of the year, so I don’t remember everything, but I do remember that this book was profoundly sad, deeply meaningful, and heartbreakingly lovely. Nothing is held back by the author as she explores her relationship with her mother and the grief that came with her death. I would recommend this to anyone at any time for any reason. It’s that good.

Honorable Mentions: The Charm Offensive by Allison Cochrun, The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison, Deathless by Catherynne M Valente, Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher, H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald, and The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novak

#best books of 2022 #nona the ninth #in the dream house #the half life of valery k #the master and margarita #clear light of day #time is a mother #breaking bread with the dead #iron widow #daughter of the moon goddess #crying in h mart

[themetaisawesome]

MK12 has been out for a while now, but I'll throw spoilers under the cut anyway. Long story short, I did not care for the last third of the story. Longer story below the cut.

I was pretty engaged in the first two acts, or at least the first half.

Shang Tsung's new backstory is great, a con-man elevated by "Damashi" with promises of power and greatness. Sorcery combined with alchemy and a claw weapon reminiscent of Scarecrow is top notch. Plus, Alan Yee channels Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa's smarmy deviousness excellently.

Glad Kronika is never coming back

Kung Lao's intro chapter was fine. I like the new status quo with him and human Raiden. Madame Bo is fun (hope she becomes a kameo). The Lin Kuei test was good.

Human Raiden is serviceable but boring.

Johnny is a mixed bag. On the one hand, he gets some of the funniest lines of the game and the Johnshi bits were excellent. The development of their friendship was top notch. On the other hand, he leans way too heavily into the younger Johnny we saw in the 2nd timeline. When Cristina was introduced I was like, "Whoa! Johnny has a new love interest? What's the story there?" But after she leaves, they don't do anything with her. They get divorced off screen, and I feel like that hurts Johnny's story. Some of his intro dialogues are borderline "fuck my ex-wife" sitcom level shit. He has one where he threatens Nitara if she goes near her, but that's it. There honestly seems to be something there with Cristina that the writers overlooked. She fell in love with Johnny before the fame, when he was John Carlton. It would've worked as the setup for a real arc for Johnny, where he has to learn that there's more to life and himself than the action movie star. It would serve as a nice echo of his development between MK9 and MKX. I'll be honest, as much as I like BladeCage, I wanted Johnny and Cristina to work things out.

While we're on the subject of intro dialogues, does the frequent use of the words male and female rub anyone else the wrong way? Maybe it's because our world is plagued by transphobes and their bullshit rhetoric, but I do not trust when those words replace man and woman in sentences where they shouldn't be. It makes dialogue sound less organic.

Baraka and Repile as heroes? Ashrah's return? Syzoth/Ashrah? Perfect. Amazing. No notes (except for a major one that I'll get to in a minute).

While I agree that Kitana was a bit underutilized, she still works. Love her.

Also loved how they used Mileena in the story, and she has some pretty good intros. So glad we got to see her with the heroes and on good terms with her family. Mitanya/Tanleena is also a very cute ship.

Li Mei was fine. She has a great new moveset. ACAB tho

Does anyone else think it's weird that they changed Quan Chi from an actual demon to a person of color, and then gave his white skin an origin story? His role in the story works, though he and his titan counterpart become second fiddles to Shang Tsung in the second half of the game. Sean Krishnan gives a good performance, but I do miss Ronald Banks.

Oh, General Shao. How the mighty have fallen. While Ike Amidi is a good actor, that voice does not work for Shao. It works for characters like Atrocitus because it's a very brutish voice. It lacks subtlety. There were times it was okay in MK11, but they doubled down in 12 and it does not work. General Shao gets one or two moments where I believed this was an accomplished war hero who genuinely believes what he's doing is right, but they are few and far between. The truth is, I don't think Netherrealm Games respects Shao Kahn, and that's a shame.

While we're on the subject of voices, let's get to Sub-Zero. While Kaiji Tang works for a character like Sanemi, it really doesn't work for Bi-Han. There is not a hint of subtlety in his try-hard edgelord presence.

Kuai Liang as Scorpion is... okay. Liu Kang really did give him Hanzo's moves, outfit, powers, name, wife, and position, and then made him a young Hanzo's mentor. Daisuke Tsuji was a great choice to play him, tho.

Glad Smoke is back and that's he voiced by Yuri Lowenthal, but there isn't a whole lot there. He's almost as boring as Raiden.

So, I know Jerrod being a part of Ermac has been a thing since MK9 and Netherrealm is finally doing something with the concept, but I don't care for it. It's not bad, and it works in the story, but I feel that giving Ermac the soul of a major character detracts from him being his own character. Ermac stops being Ermac and instead becomes a second life for Jerrod.

Pretty boy Havik and his hair still makes me laugh.

Darrius sure does exist.

The less said about Nitara Fox the better.

Glad Motaro and Sareena returned. Goro still seems way too short.

The writers did well with Sindel, making her a noble queen but one who holds grudges and has a temper is many steps above Twindel. Shame she died tho.

Liu Kang gets a B- for this new timeline. Matthew King continues to nail it out of the park with his performance, the Fire God has some spectacular fatalities, and there's a lot of interesting stuff in this new status quo. There's just a lot to nitpick with the third timeline.

So, my main gripe with the story starts at the Titan Shang Tsung reveal. The reveal itself is perfect. Aftermath's alternate ending being canon in another timeline and using him as the villain behind the scenes is an idea worthy of two chef's kisses.

However, it's to this story's detriment. He usurps the narrative significance of the current timeline's villains and their plot. Had they saved Titan Shang Tsung for the very end and as the antagonist for the next game, it would allow better focus on our current timeline villains and given more heroes screentime. Baraka, Ashrah, and Reptile disappear half-way through the game. Mileena and Sindel get to shine (before the latter becomes the sole heroic casualty), but the rest of our heroes only get a handful of moments. This is especially bad because from chapters Kenshi to Syzoth, the group dynamic was so strong that I missed this team working together during the second half of the game.

While there is something commendable in going so big as Armageddon 2.0, the fusion fighters feels gimicky and the Titanic Deadly Alliance just feels... eh. Honestly, most of the minions don't feel like they come from the same timeline as the Dark Raiden and Twindel that we fought earlier.

And then the Deadly Alliance just gets beaten. The diner scene that follows feels weaker because A, not all of our heroes are there, and B, Geras' warning that Liu Kang will have to sacrifice the life he's grown accustomed to doesn't pan out because he can just hang out with them any time he wants. If "the realms are in good hands" is meant to tie back in to that "sacrifice", then it falls flat because it doesn't connect.

Then there's the end credits teaser, which is a dud. What makes Titan Havik any more threatening than the other two titans that we just defeated? If Titan Havik is a teaser for an Invasions event, whatever. If he's set up for MK13, then every criticism

But if they were dead set on having Armageddon 2.0 in MK12 and if they wanted to set up the next game, Titan Havik wasn't the one to go with. You know who they should've had step through that portal?

The return of the OG Shao Kahn empowered by Blaze would've knocked the socks off of everyone. It establishes that the Midway timeline still exists (even if everyone is dead in it), puts Shao Kahn back in a place of honor, and would be WAY more hype for MK13.

Anyway, those are my many thoughts.

#mortal kombat

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

Books I’ve read so far in 2022!

Friend me on Goodreads here to follow my more up to date reading journey for the year!

*I’m doubling up my reviews this month so I can post them all before the end of the year!*

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291. A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This has been on my shelf for years because I had a coworker who read and loved this book YEARS ago. While I really enjoyed this, it was a really difficult book to read. Every time I read a book like this, I'm reminded of how awful human beings can be. Given everything that's happening right now in the world, this was oddly timely? Seeing the brutality of a government and its soldiers from the POV of a character (especially first person), made this so much harder to read. I think the characters in this book are incredibly brave. Even if the story is fictional, I'm sure there were similar stories of people trying to escape--some succeeding, and some sadly not succeeding. HIGHLY recommend. Especially for fans of Alan Gratz. If you have a young historical fiction lover looking for a book to read, I think this should definitely be a book added to their to-read lists!

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292. Both Can Be True by Jules Machias--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a little different from what I was expecting, but I'm grateful for stories like this one! There were many things I loved about this book, especially because there will be kids who read this book and learn that some things are okay, despite what society has tried to train them not to do. For example, showing emotions. Machias challenges the societal expectation that boys can't be emotional and that showing emotion is purely a feminine trait. There was also a lot of exploration around gender and what it means to everyone and society. One of the MC's struggles with this for a good chunk. What broke my heart, though, was one of the parents. I wanted to slap some sense into him. I do wish we had more of a closure around that, but I understand that also in the very real world you won't always have cookie cutter solutions to everything. I really enjoyed this. The blossoming young relationship between the two MCs was adorable and while I expected it to happen, it was very different from the last few MGLit LGBTQ+ titles I've read that didn't end with a very young relationship. I'd recommend this one for anyone who is struggling with their gender identity and for anyone who wants to learn more about the topics explored in this book. I think kids should definitely read this one!

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293. Perfect World Vol. 12 by Rie Aruga--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a beautiful conclusion to this gorgeous manga series! I loved seeing these two finally getting their happy ending, even though there were moments of grief and sadness thrown in there. We get to see how everyone's lives changed and evolved, but we especially get to see the main characters tackling parenting together. This is such a gorgeous story and I can't recommend it enough!

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294. Whiteout by Various--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received a copy via the publisher in exchange for an honest review! For some reason, I was expecting this book to be a collection of short stories, but what I got was a lot cuter. There's a snow storm coming and a group of young adults are trying to help a heartbroken friend win back their girlfriend. Most of the chapters focusing on different love stories happening to the friends and I honestly loved these stories, even if some had me groaning with envy because seriously, how were these stories so cute? From childhood friends confessing their love for each other, to estranged friends admitting that they loved each other all along--come on, there's only so much a single girl heart can take. LOL. Anyway, this was really cute and a perfect winter read for anyone looking for cute stories with LGBTQ+ characters and black joy!

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295. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Re-read November 2022: I don't know why I was craving a re-read of this, but it has been about two decades since I read this book. I thought that while it very much was a product of its time (some of the language and terms are a perfect example of how society thought back when this was written), it was such a cute and fun experience. I'm excited to read this series since I never finished it. It was short, sweet, and I loved seeing the adorable budding relationship between Mia and her love interest.

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296. Chicken Girl by Heather Smith--⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW: Drug and alcohol use, Sexual Assault, Fatphobia, Depression, Death I'm going to be honest here: I hated the main character. I know we're not always supposed to like the main character, but this one was just especially rough. I think it's because she had that moment in her character arc when her negative thoughts took her down paths that led to her saying or thinking (on the page) incredibly insensitive and offensive things. Granted, she's been entirely disillusioned because of the bullying she's experienced online due to her weight. I think at that age it's very easy to fall into black holes of cynisism when depression and obsessive behaviour take over. There were, however, some saving graces of this book, like her brother and how he was always trying to lift her up (despite losing himself to the stereotypes of being a member of the LGBTQ+ community), the adorable little girl she meets in the street, and the small thrown-together family under the bridge. This was a difficult read and if you're interested in reading it, please check the trigger warnings!

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297. Nightbooks by J.A. White--⭐️⭐️⭐️

I understand the appeal behind this book--especially since I definitely think it would be great for the younger readers who want a horror book that won't make them want to check for monsters under their bed. I haven't watched the show, but I wonder if I should since I felt a bit of a disconnect with the beginning of the book. It was slow and a little boring and I don't know how many times I almost DNFed it. Thankfully, I didn't because it got really interesting just after halfway through the book. I love MGLit horror because weirdly enough, these books know how to get under your skin without it being too gory or too traumatizing. I think this is a great story that emphasizes the importance of not judging a child by their interests. The idea that a child likes to write horror and must therefore be a disturbed kid is explored here and while in some cases morbid curiosity CAN lead to darkness inside, some kids are just not into the lightness of some fiction. The MC gets judged not just by the adults in his school, but is also picked because of this perceived darkness by the witch we meet at the very beginning. I think it's sad because it can completely dissuade a child from exploring their (ultimately harmless) interests. I probably won't read the second book, but this was a story I wish had given me more from the beginning, but I would still recommend to the young readers that come into my store!

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298. A Sign of Affection, Vol. 5 by Suu Morishita--⭐️⭐️⭐️

It's been a while since I read this manga and I thought it was time for me to pick it up, especially since I loved the previous volume. I'll be honest, I really enjoy the topics explored and the sign language between the characters and how they communicate, but I thought this volume was boring and lacklustre. I was at the point where I just wanted to finish it and move on. We will see how volume 6 goes!

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299. Altered by Jennifer Rush--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

After having this book on my shelf for nearly a decade, I have finally read it! I was so surprised by this story because it captured my attention immediately. It was a fast-paced thriller with a touch of scifi that definitely carries more of a punch than the cover made me think. I don't know if I'll be picking up the sequel, but I think this is one of those books that definitely disappeared with the passing of time. Books like this one were some of the gems that just kind of faded. If you have this book on your shelf, give it a shot! You might just be surprised!

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300. Living-Room Matsunaga-San Vol. 11 by Keiko Iwashita--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We have finally reached the conclusion of this wild ride, especially after that cliffhanger at the end of Volume 10! This was cute, just like the rest of the series, but I think this volume was a little rushed. The MC is too forgiving and throw in that wild trope the author randomly threw into the middle of the very short manga and this just felt like...so much happening with the fastest conclusion. I do wish there was at least one more volume in this series--both because again, this felt rushed, and because I want more from these characters. I can't say goodbye yet 😭

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Happy reading!

#books #bookish #booklr #bookworm #bookaholic #bibliophile #book blog #book blogger #Features #on books #on reading #read #reader #reading #book list #my writing #my opinion #review #reviews #long text post

[v-lynx-2]

< incognito / >

Part two

In the previous chapter:

Moving on, she took all the pictures along with the camera and the film in her bag, locked the room and left.

This is going to have some consequences later, let's hope it's only later.

___________________________________________

     Going into Alan's computer was next, but of course it was protected by a password.

Mc took out a small USB and put it in the back of his desktop computer. 

By searching the office and making sure not to leave anything out of place, mc now knows nothing here is going to be helpful.

She checked her phone phone last minute to read Jessy's text.

___________________________________________

Jessy = he is coming your way !

Jessy = I'm sorry! I tried!

Jessy = mc ?

___________________________________________

" I apologize for my lateness, I had to deal with something on the way" Alan came in and offered mc a cup.

" Sure, no worries"

" Tell me, what did you come up with last ? Do you think, Hawkins is the culprit somehow? " Mc asked.

" I have a testimony that has set a base for my suspicions "

" Oh what does it say ? "

" I'm afraid, I'm not sure I can share this with you "

" You think I might hurt the person? "

" Again I didn't have this on my mind but it seems I have to consider "

" Again, you don't have to worry "

Mc sat on the desk.

" Plus, to be honest, I just want my money " 

" It's hard enough being a material girl in this world " mc said with a sigh as she started sipping her coffee.

___________________________________________

Mc = Jessy ?

Mc = go home without me, say you got something or whatever.

Jessy = okay

___________________________________________

" Really? What kind of life is that ? "

" Luxurious one "

" What brings you to duskwood? I believe it's far from a luxurious spot "

" On contrary, it's a good place for relaxing and unwinding and being one with nature. It's a beautiful place, peaceful even, at least that's what I thought "

" What changed your mind ? "

" The current events"

" You mean the fire at the mine? The body ? Or the disappearance of Hannah donfort? "

" All of the above and also I heard a rumour about the fbi being around"

" Hmm "

" I wonder what crazy thing happened"

" Crazy, you say.. well I believe you would treat the information confidentially"

" Heh, sure why not, I don't want troubles anyway"

" Very well, I heard from them that they are looking for a hacker, male, black hair and about 6ft, they managed to track him, it seems they been looking for him for a while "

" Oh man that's scary, did you deal with hackers before? "

" No, but I believe this one seems to have some kind of connection to Hannah donfort, I will have to question her later "

Mc managed to keep her cool and look confused as he told the story, pretending not to know a story she already heard was her specialty.

" Wow, all this, for what ? You think he kidnapped her ? "

" According to the evidence, it seems possible, he was with her in the place she was held captive in. "

" Infiltrated the group and probably tried to blame the whole thing on another mysterious person "

" This makes more sense than anything else, he ran away after trying to burn the evidence "

" Oh no.. poor Hannah, she had to go through a lot .."

" What about the body ? "

" We believe it's connected to the case as well, as some kind of warning perhaps? "

Alan looked around and for a second mc panicked.. did he noticed something wrong.

" This stranger, promised to tell me everything once all of this is over "

" Oh the stranger? Maybe they ran away or something "

" Unlikely, they seemed to have a connection to the hacker, which is confusing me, it doesn't seem like the hacker wanted to frame her "

" Her ? Hmm "

" Ah I can't believe I let this slip "

" Oh don't worry, I haven't heard about this before "

" You don't keep up with the news in duskwood? "

" Well, I'm not from duskwood anyway, I don't watch the TV much. "

" understandable, you must have a busy lifestyle "

" Indeed, it's hard to keep up with the Kardashians in this work conditions "

" So.. Alan, I know this is strange but.. what are you doing tonight? "

Alan looked confused for a moment, as if he was caught off guard.

" I was planning to catch up on work "

" Paperwork? Meh that can wait! "

Mc got off the desk, she was trying to get Alan tired enough for him to go straight home, if he decides to check that room, then they are busted.

" What do you suggest? "

" Well.. maybe we can get something to eat ? "

" My treat ! "

" No, you are our guest, it should be mine "

" Oh well, we will see, let's go already I'm starving"

" Give me a second "

Alan got up from his chair and went out of his office, mc went after him just close by.. he is going to.. the

The toilet.

" Thank you, coffee" mc said.

Alan soon came back and took his coat and keys.

" Oh is it going to be a ride with the police car ? Can turn on the siren ? "

" No, that would be childish "

" I never been to one of these cars before"

" Trust me, it's not too different"

They went to a place not far off, mc talked about many different things that intrigued Alan and ordered drinks to seal the night with, a drunk officer is a careless officer, so he didn't allow himself to get drunk.

" I think we should get going"

" Oh come on, one more drink, It was fun "

" I have to drive "

" Don't worry!, I can-"

" No. It's late already, you need to go home "

" Oh well then " mc said, trying to look sad it's all part of the plan.

As Alan got up, his hand shot to his pocket, he couldn't find his phone.

He looked around and couldn't find it 

" Are you okay? "

" My phone, I can't find it "

" You brought it with you? "

" Yes, of course "

" I just didn't see you use it, but let's look around, maybe you dropped it somewhere. "

They looked around the place for so long, the parking and even the car, that's when mc decided to have mercy.

" I found it, it must have fallen off my pocket"

" That's good, I'm starting to get sleepy "

Mc yawned, it wasn't acting.

" Yes, it's late, I can take- "

Gorgeous Ms lawyer, was already on the phone, telling someone to come pick her up.

" I have someone to pick me up don't worry"

" Oh.. well, I must admit, I enjoyed myself tonight.. it's been a while.."

Oh poor guy, i almost feel too guilty to continue.. Jake better not hear about this date.

" Yes, me too, it was really fun"

" So, mysterious Ms lawyer, I still can't get a name ? "

" Only if you say please "

Mc thought he might get mad but he only smirked.

His eyes spoke words she understood very well, yet decided to look away, leaving a trail of broken hearts, mc? What a way to spend the weekend.

" Oh that's my ride, see you around! "

Hopefully not so soon.

Mc got into the car so fast and told Jessy to go faster, she still needs to finish the mission, the last step was to make sure Alan doesn't have anything on his PC.

" So how did it go? " Jessy asked not taking her eyes of the road.

" It went fine for now.. we need to be home as soon as possible" 

Dan was watching the TV when they came in

" Where were you young lady? Coming home this late "

" Why aren't you home yet ? " mc asked.

" He wanted to make sure you get home safe " Jessy answered

" Awwwwww so sweet "

" Yeah whatever "

Mc smiled and like Anya forger, mocking him

" Jessy, I'm going upstairs, I had dinner and all, did you guys eat? "

" Yep, we had pizza "

" Explains the souce all over your face "

" What ! "

Mc ran upstairs

She tried to unlock Jake's laptop again, she has already put the screen sharing USB, don't get her wrong, she isn't a pro hacker yes, but she been interested in it for a while.

" Think.. maybe it just like Dr. Ulric's password "

Mc typed her name.

It was unlocked.

" When Jake said I was the key, did he know I would be able to get his laptop? "

Mc stopped to think for a moment, it's unpredictable so it's most unlikely.

" Jake really works in mysterious ways"

" But dam that's why the FBI got him! "

" Dumb romantic, I love him" 

Getting into his laptop, mc stopped for a moment, it's his, really his, the same background even .. she even recognized the sound of the keyboard.. he used to work on this.

The idea seemed to overwhelm mc.

" I can't cry now... I will find him ... He is Jake, he will come back .."

She went to use the program that works with the USB she put in Alan's desktop.

It displayed his screen, it seems like Alan wasn't around, the desktop is still on as mc left it.

Mc used the tools she found in Jake's laptop to try unlock it, it didn't take much, Alan's software is a bit old, a script was ready for it.

Looking around for any evidence against Jake, it seems Alan didn't keep any here.

Suddenly.. another mouse arrow showed on the screen... This only means one thing.

Alan is using the desktop.

The program mc used, was designed for 'customer service' purposes, as in a specialist would fix the issue for the other person online, it doesn't require her to be there, that was the point.

But the only problem is, the customer- Alan, can actually see what mc was doing.

" Shit shit shit"

" He is probably wondering what the heck is happening.... Good ! I can use that! "

Mc opened a the notepad app and wrote something for Alan, he wrote back.

Mc : You had something of mine

Alan : you took the photographs!

Mc : I advice you to drop this officer, it has nothing to do with you, for your own good

Alan : I will find you!

Mc then deleted the note turned off the desktop which cut the connection.

She will retrieve the USB later, but it doesn't matter it won't have anything that leads to her .

" Now he won't sus the group"

Mc said so proud of herself, she gave herself a pat on the back.

" Great job, mc.. something Jake would say.. anywayyy now that I have access to his laptop, let's take a look around"

Going through his laptop, it was kind of disappointing, filled with tools, different softwares and virtual boxes, he is using Kali Linux after all.

Then mc found a folder ... A little file around videos, named " movie night"

Mc looked surprised as she clicked to see the content of the files.

" Aww we could have had a virtual date, so cute "

The movies were to mc's liking, suspiciously all of them.

" Heh he knows what gener I like "

" Oh this other file has everything I sent Jake "

Mc found a little note written by the notepad

" Could it be a script? "

It was a letter Jake wrote, it seems like Jake was trying to say something to mc, but he couldn't explain his feelings right.  

As if he was processing his emotions, it seemed long ago, around the time they started working together.

Mc didn't notice she was crying until a tear dropped on the touchpad and the mouse went wild.

" Oh god I hope I didn't accidentally delete anything"

She checked the deleted files, they were more letters. But those were more .. detailed.

' I couldn't tell you how much I wanted to

kiss you every time, I was afraid, it would

never be me that you think of when you

smile. '

" How poetic, of course he is going to delete something like that, it has emotions in it ... Oh Jake .. "

" This still doesn't mean we can leave Phil behind though. "

After looking around, finding no pictures of him at all, disappointed again but oh well, mc turned off the laptop and hugged it.

" Smells like some male Cologne.. heh not a cheap one"

Jessy came in with extra covers and pillows.

" You know you can have the bed right? "

" I'm good"

" Are you going to hug that to sleep? "

" Any objections? "

" You might drop it in your sleep "

" I will be careful"

It just feels close to him.. the closest I got so far..

After setting up safety precautions for the precious laptop, mc went to sleep, and for the first time, she felt he was real.

_________________________________________

Me too bro, me too.

( I did say mc here is a bit of a script kiddie so yeah)

#duskwood #duskwood everbyte #duskwood mc #duskwood jake #duskwood jake x mc #duskwood jake x player #jake duskwood #duskwood game #jake x mc #everbyte duskwood #duskwood alan #duskwood jessy #duskwood fanfiction #<incognito/>

[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

So, I’ve been saying for a while that I’m going to buy a bunch of stuff once I get my first proper paycheque at the end of June. To be honest, there’s now enough stuff on that list that I should really cut some out, because I also have to pay my rent the next day, and while I’m excited to be making steadier money than I was before, it’s probably not enough for all of this (I’ve added a Hari Kondabolu album to my Bandcamp cart that has a Nato Green album and  Michael Legge audiobook). However, I decided to jump the gun this week anyway.

One of the things on my list to buy are Just For Laughs tickets, for the end of July. There’s a club set that features Alan Davies, Jamali Maddix, Jen Brister, and Josie Long (and a couple of other people I’m less interested in, though I’m kind of curious to see what Gina Yashere’s doing now), and I really can’t let that opportunity pass me by. I saw the same show last year, and they were all doing quite short sets (obviously, given the number of people on the bill), nothing where they have time to get into any depth and nothing I couldn’t see on a YouTube clip, so you’re basically just paying to be in a room with those people. But I’m happy to do that. I would pay a lot of money to be in a room with Josie Long.

That show’s going to run for four nights, none are sold out at the moment, I think it’s extremely unlikely that they’ll all sell out if I wait a week to buy the tickets, until after I get paid. So that’s fine.

But there is another show I really want to see, and it only runs for two nights, and I learned the other day that it’s in the same room where I saw Nish Kumar at this festival last year. It was a great room, a capacity of 128, and set up so the seats go all around the stage, which means there are only about five rows total, so quite a significant percentage of the audience gets into the front row. I, for example, got into the front row. One time, Nish Kumar laughed at my reaction to one of his jokes, then looked right at me and asked if I knew the guy sitting next to me (I did know him, he was my best friend who is an athlete and looked wildly out of place among the nerds and hippies who made up the rest of the room, yet had somehow ended up in Nish Kumar’s front row, and by “somehow” I mean I physically dragged him to Montreal with me), and in that moment, I knew what it must have been like to be one of those people who fainted at Beatles concerts in the 60s, due to being overwhelmed by the presence of their hero. It was so fucking cool.

So I’ve just learned that the one touring show I really wanted to see this year would be in that same room, and I worried it might sell out due to only running for two nights in such a small space, so I just bought the ticket on credit. And now I have it! I’m so fucking excited!!!

Saw Nish Kumar in this room one year, and the next year, I get to see white gay Australian Nish Kumar!

Guys, it’s going to be so good. I’ve seen the videos of two other Tom Ballard hours (2017 and 2022) and they’ve both been very entertaining, the reviews for this latest show suggest it’s his best yet. Yes, reviews are largely bullshit and the star system is bullshit and you can’t reduce any complex art to a numerical value, much less one as incredibly subjective as comedy, but also, I’ve looked this show up and it’s been 4.5 or 5 stars across the board, including from some of the most prolific reviewing sources. More than that (seriously, comedy is very subjective so in a review, the description is more important than the number), everything I’ve seen written suggests that this show has Tom Ballard bringing together all my favourite things about his Bugle material and those earlier shows, and tweaking some of the stuff that I thought worked less well. I’ve seen it called mainly political with the personal woven through it, and viscous and energetically furious in a way that I think he does very well when he goes there and I wish he’d pushed it a little harder in his previous shows - and yep, that’s everything I want in Tom Ballard. Not to raise my expectations too high or anything, but I’ve looked this up and I think it might be everything I want in Tom Ballard. In a tiny room, which I think is good for any comedy, but maybe extra good for the intense kind of stuff that Tom Ballard (and for that matter, Nish Kumar) does, so you’re close enough to really feel it. I don’t want to raise expectations he can’t reach or anything, but this might be fucking amazing. And that is why I decided to secure tickets now. I’m so excited for this.

[see-arcane]

this person who posted in the tags that you do "weird flanderization of Jonathan who suddenly is the most feral most strongest most specialest little boy who gets to meet all of the other characters." and that "he shouldn't be in the league at all" isn't because of your writing or anything but because they're mad that jonathan is taking up jekyll's spotlight in the league. i apologize on behalf of the j+h fandom they are notorious around here and now they have targeted you too.

I'll be honest, I seriously blanked on what post you could be talking about because my eyes kind of glazed over mid-rant when I was scrolling past it. (My pretty pink eye is always open but it doesn't always pay attention, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

On that note, I've mentioned before what my reaction to people/media being jerks about Jonathan Harker is *--

*Spoilers: It means I make even more gratuitously indulgent Jonathan Harker content. I'm making a whole monster AU sequel novel centered around the guy for crying out loud.

--and that was well before I started churning out fanfic for the LXGF comic that Does Not Exist Yet about the myriad public domain characters who are owned by no one, but who are, to the best of my knowledge, being written in a way that realistically grows from the canon of the books they come from. On that point, if their main issue is the League of Extraordinary Gentlefolk and my premature bootleg scribbling about the same, feat. Jonathan Harker? I guess it needs repeating (as it is made very clear on the comic's blog itself):

This is not Alan Moore's comic! The closest resemblance is the name! It is not, nor was it ever planned to be, a direct child of Alan Moore's work! Nor of any movie or musical or series or adaptation!

The characters and their potential adventures are based on what we can take from the actual books!

Which are being read en masse at this point by all the writers involved, as we love nothing more than inflicting book club after book club on ourselves. Anyway.

This isn't worth a meatier rant, honestly. Ditto for anyone's griping about how we're not catering specifically to their version of Jekyll and Hyde, or how they want the comic to be done, or how they want anyone who dares to write a story involving public domain characters to mimic their favorite adaptation or spinoff. None of the things they're complaining about are being made for them. They're being made by people who want those stories to exist for themselves and for anyone else who might like to see their stories. That's it.

I will say that I honestly hope they can get past whatever hang-up they have about these characters and their hobby of trying to shout or wheedle everyone else into playing along with their mean-spirited takes.

Because looking at the wider fandoms of all these classic literature and comic book fans? This person seems to be one lone sourpuss stamping their feet while everyone else is being chill or excited about their own stuff. Some have even done the easy thing and, you know, blocked the blogs/tags that upset them. I do it all the time. It's probably been done to me. I don't know and I don't care that I don't know.

I sincerely want this person to get to that headspace too. If only so they can find their way back to the point of being a fan, which is having fun with the content they enjoy rather than seeking out projects and people to throw bile at.

#no I won't link the post in question #odds are this person's already waved enough red flags to make plenty of folks back off #and I don't want anyone to jump onto hate spamming their inbox either #whatever their hang-up is about this Whole Thing ala Hyde and Jonathan Harker and the League of Gentlemen VS Gentlefolk etc #isn't a mess that will get untangled by giving them more attention; good or bad #fingers crossed that they'll step back and depressurize #but in the meantime? #people will go on writing what they want to write #nothing to be done about it #if they don't like it there's over a century of adaptations waiting to cater to them #me and the League writers are just sitting here doing the unthinkable #and basing our characters and adventures off of canon content that actually came from the books #anyway #writing #my writing #the league of extraordinary gentlefolk

[layanasstories]

Oblivion

SEVEN

We paid for our drinks, which surprised the waitress a bit, because neither of us had taken a sip yet. Then we decided on the way to the subway to order pizza and have it delivered to my house. I felt like the ride in the metro went by too fast. Because we talked about small things, I asked him questions about himself, which he was happy to answer. But he did the same the other way around too, even though he already knows everything.

He makes me feel like we're getting to know each other in an honest equal way. He doesn't treat me like I'm broken. I do notice that he avoids some subjects, such as family, especially the past, but he does with respect. And I appreciate that. It's nice not to be treated like a dull boring girl with problems. He sees me as me and not my broken brain with a woman attached.

When we arrive at my house, the delivery person with our pizza is already at the door. I take the pizzas from the guy and want to pay, but Jake beats me. "Hey, I invited you to dinner. So it's up to me to pay!" he smiles. I shake my head with a smile in disapproval, then I open the door to my apartment complex. Once inside, we are first greeted by JJ and Rickie, they couldn't purr any louder. And they couldn't get away from Jake, as if they'd let him pass the test and found him good. When I've hushed them into my bedroom, I put the pizza boxes on my coffee table, open, ready to take out pieces. Also I get two glasses and the drinks. Then we both take a seat on the couch, I sit down a bit to the side, with one leg raised so I can look at him. "Okay, start" I say "I'm ready". He clears his throat and begins,"I won't go into too many details for now. But I promise you, I'll tell you everything." I nod that I understand that many details can make the story very confusing.

"About six and a half years ago, you stepped into a life you never expected to be so twisted. You got involved in a missing person case against your own choice. My half-sister went missing and because of your sacrifices you found her again. You had to make many difficult choices, you ignored threats from the kidnapper and also from my former pursuers. It was a dangerous, emotional and difficult time. But besides that, there were also beautiful and happy moments, you made friends. And... You fell in love." I saw him swallow a lump in his throat. His look was full of pain and regret. "On your notes you wrote names, Dan, Lilly, Thomas, Cleo and Jessy. And my name too. All are your friends. But you are missing a few, Richy, Hannah and Alan."

He stops talking abruptly because he sees the shock on my face. "Keep nothing to yourself okay? Just say whatever comes to mind." he tried to reassure me. "Alan..." is all I can get out. "Yes, Alan Bloomgate. Alan whom you now know as your ex." he says emotionlessly. I sense something is not right and ask him "What is wrong with Alan?". "Believe me, we'll get there." he answers. "Hannah is the sister who was missing. I'll tell her story another time. Richy was your friend, but betrayed you in the worst way. He was behind the kidnapping. And he lured you to the place where you lost your memory." he sighs and takes a sip of his drink before continuing. "Richy was hiding in a mine near the village of Duskwood, not Darkwood." he raised his eyebrow to acknowledge what was in my notes. "He lured you there. I begged you not to go and that I would go instead of you. You agreed, but you went anyway. If I had known..." I see the memory fill his eyes with tears.

#duskwood #duskwood everbyte #duskwood jake #duskwood mc #duskwood jake x player #duskwood jake x mc #duskwood game #iamjake #duskwood fanfiction