#i also adore ya contemporary

[strawberri-syrup]

read a book in one sitting last night. that does not happen very often. whoops!

#it was really good #also less than a 2.5 hour read #started it at 1115 finished at around 130 #only 312 pages #so i zoomed through that shit #im a simple man #i see a novel focusing on a disabled character and their struggles and i read it!!!! #theyre always really good #im a big fan #i also adore ya contemporary #sorry i know its basic but i love it #i love slice of life stuff #its so nice #makes me wish i had more friends

[susiephone]

one phenomenon on this website that kind of baffles me is when people are like "why would you enjoy [mainstream thing] when you could be paying attention to [thing created by or starring marginalized people]", which on its own is fine and good. romoting diverse media and works that don't get the attention they deserve? sign me up!

but often those posts imply it's somehow impossible for people to enjoy both things at once (or that it's some kind of moral failing to enjoy the mainstream thing at all). that always annoys me but what's worse imo is when the two things op is comparing have absolutely nothing in common whatsoever. like you wouldn't say "why watch Parks and Recreation when you could watch Star Trek: Discovery"??? both excellent amazing shows that i adore. zero overlap in theme, tone, or genre. someone enjoying one does not indicate how they'd feel about the other, in either direction.

like this one post i saw where people were discussing The Love Hypothesis, and one person in the thread said they worked in a bookstore, and whenever someone asked where they could find The Love Hypothesis, they'd say the store didn't have any copies but direct them to Nimona instead

setting aside the fact that it's tbh just kind of obnoxious to not let someone purchase a book you personally find bad or cringey or bland (i haven't read The Love Hypothesis beyond the prologue, so i can't form an opinion just yet, but i am currently reading it because i've seen it get dragged to hell and back, but i've also seen people earnestly enjoy it, and i wanted to give it a fair shake. plus, i like romcoms), why the hell do you think someone interested in The Love Hypothesis would be interested in Nimona?

i ADORE Nimona. it is one of my favorite stories ever. i recommend it to basically everyone. but like... The Love Hypothesis is a contemporary opposites attract romantic comedy set in a college that is aimed at adults. Nimona is a young adult fantasy comedy/parody graphic novel about found family and forgiveness set in an anachronistic otherworld.

these two have exactly zero things in common. if someone hasn't read Nimona, maybe it's not because they're "wasting their time" on The Love Hypothesis. maybe they just don't like graphic novels, or fantasy, or YA!

like, obviously, do promote the works you love, and do encourage people to seek out more diverse media, esp from marginalized creators. but consider your audience. if you know someone loves chocolate bars, you wouldn't just assume they like sour patch kids.

#writing #reading #media criticism #media #booklr

[authorlaurawinter]

Writeblr Introduction

It's time to do another one because wow, that last one is so out of date.

About me:

32, bi author of fantasy (YA, dark/epic, romantic - depending on your mood)

self published

love found family, magic, and superpowers

adore reading fantasy and romance (the steamier, the better)

mom of a wild and sweet toddler

Published work:

Smoke and Shadow

The Curse of Broken Shadows - epic romantic fantasy (dark & steamy), LGBT+, found family of assassins, polyamorous relationships, strong female characters, sun/moon/earth/shadow magic, features two other fantasy languages AND sign language, knife flirting (Discord server here)

Also in the series: The Bones of Crystal Sand - The Wings of Shattered Fire - The Blade of Severed Bonds

Blue Star Series

contemporary sci-fi romance with superpowers based on space events (blue stars, supernovas, black holes, astronomical manipulation), young adult romance (closed door, fade to black), LGBT+, mental health issues depicted, found family, strong female characters

WIPs:

Shadow & Storm - part of a fall anthology of enemies to lovers fantasy. Saucy fae, failed dark ritual sacrifice fmc, shadow daddy prince, and the best banter I've ever written. (currently posting on Patreon)

TCOFD - final installment of the Smoke and Shadow series (can you tell I have a thing for shadows?) (coming to Patreon in May)

AU - For my Patreon, I’m writing monthly alternate universe stories featuring the characters of the Smoke and Shadow series.

On hold: Star Remnant (final blue star series), sports romance

Coming next: Remnant, Winter story set in same fae world as fall

Reminders:

My ask box is always open. I don’t mind sharing any of my experience writing, publishing, life, etc. I love tag games and reading so don’t be shy (even if baby or spoilers prevents me from participating, I always read/reblog what I’ve been tagged in). Y’all can hang out in my discord (link above), on Insta, or here.

#writeblr introduction #writeblr intro #bookblr #indie author #fantasy #amwriting #writers of tumblr #writing community #writeblr community

[planetsstarsandmoons]

Mars trine/sextile moon

What I like about synastry is that all ‘aspects’ make for such different experiences depending on the role of which heavenly body you’re filling, but each aspect makes such sense and is so recognisable in the way of ‘oh so that’s what I’m feeling’, ‘that’s the way other couples vibe differently than the other’ or ‘that’s why I think her valid emotions are irrational, but am on the exact emotional wavelength as hers’. It makes me think that in other universes, relationships must be so different, and funnily enough in a way that would also make sense.

I love the herb that mars aspecting moon adds to a romantic relationship. I’ll try to formulate it as well as I can: Mars is basically energy, passion, confrontation, drive. It’s something people can find brash, but also like to compete with and people find quite sexy. Mars is a ‘do-er’ and doesn’t trigger thinking in a person unless that person is confronted with his martian nature in relation to something that is so plainly deep and worthwhile, like the ideas of a mercury person or the softness of the moon. The moon is a forceful heavenly body that centers around peace, safety and sensitivity for intuition. Whatever bond they have with planets, especially other powerful ones, is a strong one because the way moon is easily impressed by all compassing force due to her sensitive nature as well, planets are easily affected by moon because she intuitively touches the places where they are most sensitive and tries first and foremost to make them feel safe. Her relationship with mars is a funny one because mars 1. A force that couldn’t care less about how others are feeling, it’s all about their desire 2. Is a force that doesn’t need safety or a connection to express themselves or come forward, what they need is a trigger. Whatever an aspect may be, a line is a line and because mars’ power has no nuance, every energy that’s felt through an aspect is channelled and filtered in the same way. It just depends on the amount of energy that flows through a synastry aspect and in what way. If martian energy becomes rough and bolt-y, it will create conflict if the mars person isn’t someone with a ‘healthy’ natal mars to begin with. So in a way, mars aspecting moon can be dangerous, but otherwise there’s always a person behind the planet that is forced to develop and take a look at themselves and why they feel the way they do.

I’m going to talk about mars aspecting the moon more often but for now I’m staying with the trine and sextile: the peaceful, harmonious and dare I say friendly one:

In the case of mars trine moon, that ‘confrontation’ that mars has with moon drives through in the form of a comfortable carriage with a thick blanket in a Swiss village, instead of an army range rover through a wet night like the harsher aspects give. So in this case, mars is emotionally aroused by the moon person. Have you ever had or were you a SO in which you adored their emotional softness in a way that made you want to have them? Was this a theme? Chances are this aspect was here. Luckily in the flowing aspect, mars decides to be nice to her. The moon person gets butterflies from mars, especially when he is being affectionate to her because to them, they’re such a wild thing that could have gone everywhere and settled with her. They’re like a teenager in how they swoon and get butterflies from mars’ affections and chances are that every single contemporary YA romance you’ve read is based around this aspect, without the writers of course realising it.

The mars sextile moon basically plays out the same as the trine, except the trine is way more physical in their expression. In the sextile, the aspect flowing energy manifests itself in conversation and actions, whatever they may be. It adds colour to the overall dynamic and it’s a very good aspect to have. Just make sure that you realise that although there is a nice air of passion added to the relationship, we are still talking about a mars and a moon here, aka roles. This should not be a conflict, because the mars sextile moon famously almost ensures harmony between these two forces.

#synastry #astrology signs #astrology synastry #astrology #zodiac #synastry aspects #synastry astrology #synastry chart #zodiac memes #free chart report #downton abbey #matthew x mary #moon synastry #mars synastry #zodiac compatibility love #astrology love

[cctinsleybaxter]

2023 in Books

I need to stop bragging that I’ve got this reading thing all figured out, because man if 2023 wasn’t a year of terrible books. I liked less than half of the 37 I read and nothing quite gripped me in the way it has in years past… but to put it more optimistically I liked a full third of what I read, and the ones I liked best were a fascinating and unexpected silver lining. Without further ado:

Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, trans. Brian Hooker

Tell this all to the world- and then to me. Say very softly that… she loves you not.

I read a couple of plays this year for the first time since college and liked them fine, but there’s a reason this has been adapted five million times. Everyone go watch Megamind right now.

Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand

Of all the found footage-inspired horror fiction I’ve read this one makes the best case for existing in its chosen medium, as a 70s UK folk rock band are interviewed about the summer they spent recording what would become their final album [thunder crashes.] It reminded me of a Tana French mystery in its language and ability to make space feel lived-in; the character writing is so strong I realized that at some point I had stopped checking the interview headings to know who was speaking. Hand unfortunately distrusts her audience to read between the lines at a few crucial moments (and ruins what would have been a perfect ending and a deeply affecting scare by gilding the lily, or, in this case, photograph), but I love that she went from seemingly by-the-numbers American YA fiction to a meticulously-researched and truly unique horror novella. Puts other writers working in the genre to shame.

A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin

Reminiscent of the best kind of TCM suspense thriller (and was adapted into one), but could only exist as a book for the kind of narrative tactics it employs. Levin is brilliant at setting and character; I think any one of his contemporaries would have leaned into archetypes for this sort of story, and he instead distinguishes his proper nouns in subtle, clever ways that lend them the weight a noir needs. Can’t wait to read more of his stuff!

All the Names They Used for God by Anjali Sachdeva

I’d like to know why this anthology got hit with what a friend has termed a pottery barn throw pillow cover + a ‘the tiny things we know to be small’ title, because the eponymous story isn’t even called that! It’s just The Names They Used for God, and is, appropriately, about two women kidnapped by a religious extremist group. High risk-high reward; I think taken at their base premise the stories could have been insufferable and are instead strange, compelling, and fantastical. There’s a methodicalness and, I don't know, lack of whimsy? to them that’s unusual for fantasy, but also an absence of any one goal or moral in the way Le Guin speaks so highly of. It made me feel the way I did reading and adoring Kelly Link in middle school, and Sachdeva has a much different style that I guess works all the better on adults. My favorite was Robert Greenman and the Mermaid.

Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Lauren Hillenbrand

Someone recommended this to me via Tumblr anon over five years ago, so let me start by saying if that was you I’d like to thank you properly! This book rules! It was written in ‘99 so falls prey to a very specific kind of jingoism, but the mechanics of that are interesting in and of themself. Seabiscuit the animal is a lens through which to view turn-of-the-20th-century America written from the precipice of the 21st; his story told through the expertly-researched biographies of his owner, trainer, and jockey. Hillenbrand is not only a good pop nonfiction historian, but has been a sports writer since the 80s and I never imagined the genre could be so thrilling as I did reading her work. Horse racing is insane and no one should be riding these things btw.

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

It was one of the great livery-stableman’s most masterly intuitions to have discovered that Americans want to get away from amusement even more quickly than they want to get to it.

Wharton came from old money New York*, was deeply disillusioned with it and pined for rational (i.e., even more insane) social and political scenes, had myriad thoughts about women and gender relations, and held a love for interior design. I learned all of this after reading but it’s apparent on every page; deeply funny and perceptive, fantastic use of language, the moments where it lost me completely nothing if not interesting. What sticks with me the most are a flair for the operatic and an ability to voice both the feeling and consequences of losing oneself to imagined scenarios. Read the pink parasol scene.

*Ancient Money New York; the saying ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ is apocryphally attributed to her father’s side of the family

Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World's Largest Owl by Jonathan S. Slaght

We’d return to our camp to huddle in the freezing tent and wait for our owls in silence, like suitors agonizing over a phone that never rings.

One of the better pieces of science writing I’ve read in a long time, as Slaght frames rural communities as a quintessential part of ecology rather than a barrier to it. His style is amiable and matter-of-fact (sometimes overly so; the amount of metric GIS directions, help), but he's super engaging and clearly holds just as much compassion for people and history as he does animals and natural landscapes. The Blakiston’s fish owls he’s studying are described as unreal, with hoots so low and quiet it sounds like someone has thrown them under a blanket. You can listen to them here.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Took my breath away and surprised me in a way a book hasn’t in years. I'd read Clarke’s 2004 novel when I was maybe fourteen and had vaguely positive but mostly neutral memories of it, and Piranesi being sci-fi-fantasy that came recommended by Tiktok had me very dubious. I ended up devouring it in the way I haven’t read books since I was fourteen; more of a mystery than the suspected high fantasy, with characters I would do disservice to in trying to describe in brief. While the mystery isn’t difficult to ‘solve’ (I’d argue the book also skews young!), the story ends in a way that’s both deeply unexpected and in the only way it could have.

Honorable mentions

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, trans. Peter Washington

[Jigsaw voice] Every man has a devouring passion in his heart as every fruit has its worm.

I spent so much time running my mouth about this one on Tumblr there’s really not much left to say. I think it’s a work of genius that was physically exhausting to read, and I’m sticking it with the honorable mentions mostly because I remember The Three Musketeers being the better book. If you want to read Dumas- and you should- start with that one.

Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead

I would’ve liked this more had I read it in my late teens/early 20s, but I still think it’s pretty good and would absolutely recommend to anyone in that age bracket. Things that normally annoy me about philosophical first-person lit fic didn’t matter under the weight of Jon’s narratorial voice. He reminded me a little of Lynda Barry’s Maybonne in his understanding and depictions of community and family; his stream of consciousness letting contradictions sit rather than trying to explain them away (Whitehead also makes sex very prosaic and pretty-sounding while still being frank and gross about it, which is a rare talent!)

The Seeds of Life: From Aristotle to da Vinci, from Sharks' Teeth to Frogs' Pants, the Long and Strange Quest to Discover Where Babies Come From by Edward Dolnik

This one fell in the rankings because the writing isn’t my favorite (think early days Vulture article rather than NYT), but I cannot stop referencing it in conversation. I want to read the whole thing to people and make them understand how truly unfathomable it is not only that every one of us is the product of 1 sperm and 1 egg, but that anyone ever figured out how that process works. When Western Europeans first started using microscopes they studied water; there were gross little bugs in there to watch and enjoy, so when semen was revealed to have its own bugs no one was shocked, but they also weren’t impressed. We would not see one enter an egg until EIGHTEEN SEVENTY-FIVE.  

Killer Dolphin by Ngaio Marsh

The Malaise of First Night Nerves had gripped Peregrine, not tragically and aesthetically by the throat but, as is its habit, shamefully in the guts.

Has made it into my top 5 favorite Inspector Alleyn mysteries. I’m not keen on Marsh’s theater settings (and there are a LOT of them), but a convoluted setup made this one all the more rewarding. The final revelation as to a point of blackmail is visceral and bizarre in a way I haven’t seen from her before.

The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon

We all have dirty hands; we are all soiling them in the swamps of our country and in the terrifying emptiness of our brains. Every onlooker is either a coward or a traitor.

Best read in conversation with other writers, I wouldn’t recommend Fanon as the end-all-be-all introduction to communist and socialist thinking (the fact that he inadvertently describes what was going wrong with the USSR at time of writing is fascinating), but he explicitly invites that conversation and the value and impact of his work really can’t be overstated. Our points of disagreement tend to be in regard to nationalism, not his condonation of violence.

Persuasion by Jane Austen

Fascinating to see how Austen was thinking about relationships near the end of her short life. I laughed to see the idea of preferring your brother-in-law’s family to your own was back in full force from my own favorite Emma, as well as an eleventh-hour ‘maybe I should ship the villains??’ My biggest issue is that, like Emma, Persuasion is written in third person limited narration, but Anne is fundamentally Good™ so doesn’t need to learn anything about herself or the world; critic Bob Irvine points out that she and her dashing, misogynistic sailor are beset rather than changed by it. That said I love a people being beset by people (concussed temptresses) places (Bath) and things (cars), and Austen's writing style is really firing on all cylinders here.

#i say 'nothing quite gripped me' but i'm still pretty fresh off some of these so remains to be seen in the long run! #(e.g i always end up wanting to swap at least one finalist and one honorable mention looking back at last year's list) #also as always these aren't ranked- just loosely grouped by date read #books #2023

[pinespittinink]

Hi! I'm a novice writer who is looking to improve. I recently saw your post about how writers need to read published books to hone their writing skills, and I was just wondering if you had any recommendations for books/authors that are very strong in their craftsmanship to read and study? 

I know I should be reading books similar to the stories I want to write, but I haven't finished a published book in years because of work and school. I'm not even sure I know what I like anymore, and I think that's evident in my writing because I can't commit to a single story idea. At this point, I don't know where to start but I know I want to get back into reading by starting with a book I can learn from.

Sorry if this seems like a silly ask, please don't feel obligated to respond. Have a good day!

Hi there! Welcome, this isn’t a silly question at all. If anything I was musing on it because everyone has different taste, so I wasn’t sure how to answer exactly, but I’ll just list some examples I can think of that I’ve really enjoyed! These all fall under the sff genre for the most part, as that’s my jam. Though I will say, for a craft perspective, Stephen King’s On Writing is really excellent.

Insofar as authors i can think of immediately who really have their craft and voice down pat, ones who come to mind are Katherine Arden, Ava Reid, Madeline Miller, Erin Morgenstern, Tamsyn Muir, and RF Kuang. All of these authors really decidedly know what they’re doing with the craft, at least in my opinion, and the results are extraordinary. I’m currently reading The Warm Hands of Ghosts, Katherine Arden’s most recent adult book since the Winternight Trilogy, and the research she put into the setting of WW1 is so evident throughout it, especially in the voice and colloquialisms. She also did a ton of research for the Winternight books, which is historical fantasy at its finest, while creating an authentic old fairytale feeling

Madeline Miller is another with excellent command of voice, the queen of Greek retellings with Circe and The Song of Achilles, which are really tremendous character studies. Ava Reid I personally adore for the nuance of her characters—Juniper & Thorn and The Wolf & the Woodsman feature tremendously human and flawed protagonists—their language seeps through their settings, their metaphors are divine, and A Study in Drowning, her YA debut, is thoroughly saturated with all its core themes.

Erin Morgenstern, of The Night Circus and The Starless Sea, is known for her prose and atmosphere, a prime Vibes™️ writer. The Starless Sea is a more experimental novel, though both of her books play with disjointed timelines and perspectives, which is fascinating; The Starless Sea concerning itself with storytelling specifically.

Tamsyn Muir, the author of The Locked Tomb series, has such a handle on her characters and plot that it’s actually insane. Talk about a masterclass in writing a large cast with defined personalities. The difference in voice between Gideon, Harrow, and Nona, is unbelievably fascinating, just for how starkly different the headspaces of these characters are compared to each other. The layering and reread value is immense.

RF Kuang is a chameleon writer, who changes her style to match the genre she’s writing (grimdark historical fantasy, dark academia historical fantasy, contemporary satire-turned-thriller). Babel feels like her magnum opus, a modern day classic that I cannot praise highly enough. A slow start, but halfway through shit hits the fan, and it does not stop from there.

Shout outs also to: Simon Jimenez with The Spear Cuts Through Water, epic fantasy that uses first, second, and third person, and is a miracle for it. A masterclass of storytelling. Roshani Chokshi with The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, which might as well be evil toxic sapphic adult Bridge to Terebithia, dripping with decadence. Emily Habeck with Shark Heart, a contemporary spec fic novel that studies grief and caring for loved ones through a lens of terminal illness in the guise of a genetic disorder that turns people into animals; it plays around with script structure sometimes, and made me sob. Cormac McCarthy with The Road; bleak and dismal and post-apocalyptic, and nameless man and boy, nearly poetic. Camilla Andrew @aninkwellofnectar with When the Stars Alight, a romantic fantasy that positively teems with lush intentional language and is also a fascinating look at third person omniscient.

For classics: A Wrinkle in Time, the Lord of the Rings, Wuthering Heights, Frankenstein, Lord of the Flies, The Great Gatsby, Lolita.

I don’t think you can go wrong with any of these books or authors, though at the end of the day, there’s something to be learned from any book you read, whether it’s a good lesson or something to be avoided. I’m also down to try to give other recs, if you’re looking for anything specific!

#ithinkimauggie #asks #I hope this helps some!

[liesmyth]

22 favourite reads of 2022!

Yes, that’s a lot of books but also: you can’t ever have too many books. These are some of my favourite reads of the year, arranged by a very rigorous (joke) vibe-based categorization method that I made up myself

✧  the push by ashley audrain — Favourite novel about Creepy Children; alternatively: Favourite novel about A Woman Going Fucking Through It.

✧ bunny by mona awad — Favourite "what the fuck did I read” book, lives at the intersection of litfic and horror, and it’s like if the girlblogging side of tumblr got a MFA (this is a compliment)

✧ jonathan strange & mr norrell by susanna clarke —  Favourite fantasy (with bonus footnotes, cruel faeries, and alternate history)

✧ bringing down the duke by evie dunmore — Favourite historical romance

✧ the witch elm by tana french — Favourite book about terrible characters suffering. Techically also a mystery thriller but the POV does the heavy lifting in why it’s so good

✧ the echo wife by sarah gailey — Favourite speculative fiction that makes a very good case for clonefucking

✧ the plot by jean hanff korelitz — Favourite litfic with a bonus side of Woman, Unhinged

✧ last tang standing by lauren ho + lucie yi is not a romantic also by lauren ho — Favourite romance, specifically: favourite het romance about a career woman over 30 who’s going through it in Singapore, and also the leading men are adorable”. Stellar audiobook version too

✧ my heart is a chainsaw by stephen graham jones — Favourite horror and favourite Horror Final Girl ft. lesbian vibes

✧ erotic stories for punjabi widows by balli kaur jaswal —  Favourite contemporary fiction, and also this is THE book you should gift to people. It has universal appeal and it’s wicked fun and might make you cry

✧ long bright river by liz moore — Favourite murder mystery that’s actually about disfunctional families and your own inner demons. Basically, the Dublin Murder Squad school of sad detectives.

✧ apples never fall by liane moriarty — Favourite domestic suspense but it’s Liane Moriarty so it’s inevitably forthy domestic suspense about middle class het Sydney couples with children. It’s also infuriatingly well written

✧ a deadly education by naomi novik — Favourite YA ft. plucky goth babygirl with death powers

✧ empire of pain by patrick radden keefe — Favourite nonfiction

✧ the last of the wine by mary renault — Favourite homoerotic historical fiction

✧ houston, houston, do you read? by james tiptree jr. — Favourite novella + favourite scifi. Technically a reread but it’s great and you should read it so here it goes! Also I needed a fave story In Space that wasn’t Harrow The Ninth

✧ the feminist by tony tulathimutte — Favourite short story

✧ the cherry robbers by sarai walker — Favourite gothic vibes historical fiction, and also ghosts and lesbians

✧ fingersmit by sarah waters —  Favourite historical fiction about scheming Victorian lesbians. If you’ve watched The Handmaiden, this is the book that inspired it

✧ thank you for listening by julia whelan — Favourite book about books, specifically Book About Making Romance Audioplays. Stellar audio version, too

✧ the last housewife by ashley winstead — Favourite book that’ll make you feel physical discomfort and make you want to commit murder. I loved this book and I want to tattoo it to the inside of my eyeballs but also: the content warnings aren’t fucking around

#book talk #book rec #*sobbing and crying* #i love books #these are 21 very specific categories and lauren ho gets 2 recs #pinned

[zahri-melitor]

New(ish) Comics, including some catch-ups:

Superboy: Man of Tomorrow #6: I am actually reassured that they skipped the move I was worried they were going to pull. TKO by Kon on his own achieved! (Also Guy’s sarcasm at the topic of ‘another cyborg Superman’)

I’m…confused by at least one box of the reunion scene conversation? Who are you suggesting you’re supposed to be a ‘big brother’ to, Kon? (I’m presuming it’s a misplaced Clark bubble. The hug was very sweet)

Batman Brave and the Bold #2-4: that Joker story is really over the top, isn’t it?

Re Stormwatch: Rose Wilson is a ‘grown ass woman’ is she? That means her contemporaries are, right DC? RIGHT?

Ooh actual Martha Wayne content for a couple of panels!

I am…probably giving this up? Or skipping it unless I am advised it’s worthwhile. Most of the Black and Whites have had a good moment of screencapping, but everything else has been darker than I prefer and the Stormwatch has been meandering nowhere.

Green Arrow #2-3: I note the complaints made that Williamson is very unwilling to define family relationships broadly and I agree with them.

Lian's little blue and yellow costume is downright adorable but it makes her look like she's Gold Beetle.

WF Teen Titans #1-2: the thing I most appreciated about issue 2 is the focus on Garth and Karen this issue, who are not liable to get lots of attention other places. That said.

I don’t begrudge the Titans their time in the sun, especially as they’re currently the premier team. However. Could DC possibly announce a teen or YA team book that ISN’T this? You have multiple generations worth of younger heroes just sitting there unused while we are on yet ANOTHER flashback OT Titans book (the YJ kids, Damian’s Titans kids, the Rebirth gen, the Titans Academy kids, the Lost Children, the Titans’ Resurrected Offspring…).

Instead we are on the THIRD SERIES in 2 years starring Dick!Robin.

It’s obvious Johns is pitching another Lost Children book and Adams is pitching a Titans’ Offspring book, but can’t we get them announced? Please?

Warlord #16: highlight of the week time!

Today we start trying to rescue baby Joshua from Deimos. So it’s time for a Travis and Tara mission (Mariah and Machete where?) to find a magic eye for a witch. They’re back in tune together (and Tara is once again getting captured).

#z canon read throughs #newish comics #tuesday spoilers

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 5/5

Book Blurb: Perfect for fans of Nina LaCour, This is Me Trying is a profound and tender YA contemporary novel exploring grief, love, and guilt from author Racquel Marie.

Growing up, Bryce, Beatriz, and Santiago were inseparable. But when Santiago moved away before high school, their friendship crumbled. Three years later, Bryce is gone, Beatriz is known as the dead boy’s girlfriend, and Santiago is back.

The last thing Beatriz wants is to reunite with Santiago, who left all her messages unanswered while she drowned alone in grief over Bryce’s death by suicide. Even if she wasn’t angry, Santiago’s attempts to make amends are jeopardizing her plan to keep the world at arm’s length—equal parts protection and punishment—and she swore to never let anyone try that again.

Santiago is surprised to find the once happy-go-lucky Bea is now the gothic town loner, though he’s unsurprised she wants nothing to do with him. But he can’t fix what he broke between them while still hiding what led him to cut her off in the first place, and it’s harder to run from his past when he isn’t states away anymore.

Inevitably drawn back together by circumstance and history, Beatriz and Santiago navigate grief, love, mental illness, forgiveness, and what it means to try to build a future after unfathomable loss.

Review:

Bryce, Beatriz, and Santiago were childhood best friends... but after Bryce's suicide, the friendship is shattered, pains and scars are created, and now three years later Beatriz and Santiago must face each other again. Bryce, Beatriz, and Santiago grew up as best friends, with Beatriz and Bryce dating yet Santiago was also in love with Bryce. They were all so close... until one day Bryce and Santiago got into a huge fight and Santiago left... and then things only spiraled further when Bryce commits suicide and leaves them all fractured. Now three years late, Santiago is back in Beatriz's life, after never answer any of her messages, after leaving her alone, after abandoning her... he has moved back in town. Beatriz isn't the same girl he knew, she isn't the best friend he cherished, in fact, she is now goth and refuses to even admit he exists to her. Santiago knows he can't fix what he broke between them yet he can't help but want to try. Santiago hasn't told Beatriz the truth about why he left her, about why he never answered any of her messages for three years, but the more time he spends trying to get to know the new her, the more he finds himself doing the unthinkable, falling for his dead best friend/crush's girlfriend. Beatriz and Santiago have a history filled with friendship, hurt, love, and grief, and now they'll have to find a way to navigate the old hurts as well as face the truth of what happened between them and the grief that they are still dealing with. This was a beautiful story about dealing with grief, about friendship and love, about forgiveness and resilience. I loved the very real portrayal of grief and the way both characters dealt with their own grief. The story was touching and seeing them heal and begin anew was a beautiful thing. I also adored that both the main characters were Bi and that there was so much representation in this. It was a great book and I'd absolutely recommend it.

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for sending me an arc in exchange for na honest review*

#book review #bookish #book #this is me trying #lgbtq reads #bi books

[bookcub]

march wrap up

I always feel like i haven’t read much but this actually is a decent amount of books so idk what im on about

hearts unbroken by cynthia leitich smith

this was a decent ya contemporary novel. i read this because i loved the author's retelling of peter pan. this was not a retelling of wizard of oz but good commentary on the racism in it. a little forgettable and the plot was a little busy. i liked the romance, it was sweet. i liked the mc's personal journey.

overall grade: B-

in the dream house by carmen maria machado

this is a devastating and beautiful memoir about queer domestic abuse and personal growth. i was enthralled with the creative writing, it was often deeply horrifying. i read this for a book club and it was one of the best book club experiences i have had.

overall grade: A+

a merry little meet cute by julie murphy and sierra simone

a fun romance where a porn star and former boybander meet and fall in love. both of them are bisexual and it's sweet and fast paced.

overall grade: B

little thieves by margaret owen

one of my new favorite books. im a sucker for a fairy tale retelling done well, but it's also a heist novel and there's ace rep. it was a wild ride with beautiful illustrations and mini stories within. vanya is a fantastic protagonist and i adore her. im so excited for the next book, i have already preordered the next one!

overall grade: A+

shipped wreck by olivia dade

i liked the first two better. i didn't read it closely. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

overall grade: n/a

the goose girl by shannon hale

i wish i read this when i was younger. unfortunately my ideologies are different so it was less enjoyable as an adult. a very faithful and fleshed out retelling.

overall grade: B-

aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe by benjarmin alire saenz

oh this book is lovely, so lovely. i was worried it wouldn't hold up to my memory but it did! i loved reading it for class, although the discussions were. . . shortsided imo that has nothing to do with the book. beautifully written and very emotional.

overall grade: A

exit pursued by bear by ek johnston

what really stood out to me in this book was the support system for people coping with a traumatic event. i read this because i was compiling a list of ya books about sexual assault and this caught my eye because of the shakespeare references.

overall grade: B

make a scene by mimi grace

it's fine but . . .. dnf ultimately.

every heart a doorway by seanan mcguire

reread and it was fun to go back to.

#book wrap up #march wrap up #monthly wrap up

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🦇 Didn't See That Coming Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

❝ The patriarchy is very far from being smashed. In fact, maybe they're even a little bit worse, because we pretend that the patriarchy is done and we're in a society with gender equality, so we can't even fight it because the fight's over. How do I fight something that's already playing dead but is still very much alive behind closed doors? ❞

❓ #QOTD What are your favorite video games? ❓ 🦇 Kiki Siregar is a badass gamer girl brimming with confidence and sass. She never hesitates to be herself...unless she's online. When she gets harassed as a girl playing a single-shooter game, she decides to recreate herself and anonymously starts playing as a guy. She even makes a friend--Sourdawg, who loves baking so much that he's the human equivalent of a sweet cinnamon roll. When Kiki's parents transfer her to an elite private school her senior year, she learns that the harassment doesn't only happen online. Worse yet: Sourdawg attends the same school. Can Kiki be herself in such a strict school, and uncover Sourdawg's identity in the process?

[ Find my review below. ]

💜 Kiki is FIRE. She's sassy, independent, and refuses to sit silent when the world tries to pre-package her into the pristine image of what men expect her to be. Kiki is perhaps one of the most self-assured, confident YA characters I've encountered this year. Unfortunately, the misogyny and sexism she faces lead to reverse character development, causing Kiki to doubt herself. She's forced to fall in line with ultra-conservative rules that favor boys over girls. Sutanto does a wonderful job of conveying the realities women face both on and offline. Even if you're not a gamer, the messages here are universal. Sutanto is also skilled at creating realistic, likable characters. Did I agree with every choice Kiki made? No, definitely not. Did I feel for her and want to give her a huge, warm hug? Definitely. The interactions between Kiki and supporting characters (namely Sourdawg online and her love interest at school) are the adorable fluff you need to offset the disgusting misogyny she experiences from both GROWN MEN and frustrating teenage boys. Thank you, Sutanto, for not dragging out Sourdawg's identity, either. Every secondary character is a delight as well.

🦇 My only real hangup with this story was the pacing, which does drag a little. However, Sutanto does a wonderful job of demonstrating how a "rebellious" female in a conservative, Asian culture can defy outdated concepts of misogyny and sexism without disrespecting her culture or elders outright. Kiki also defies every stereotype and bias thrown at her as Sutanto demonstrates the reality of our times. Whether in Asia or America, these problems still exist. We're not done fighting for gender equality. It's just playing dead, making the fight all the more difficult.

❝ I guess it's much easier for the school if a harassed girl keeps her head down and learns to accept abuse, but I am done keeping my head down. I'm done swallowing my anger and pretending that everything's okay. I'm not crazy just because I speak my mind. I'm a person with equal rights to those of everybody else here, and I am done staying silent to make boys feel comfortable. ❞

🦇 Recommended for fans of You've Got Mail and Jesse Q. Sutanto's Well, That Was Unexpected. This is a sweet, thought-provoking YA romance with a refreshing perspective on inequality, bullying, and feminism; a worthy read!

✨ The Vibes ✨ 🎮 Gamer Girl / Secret Identity 🕹️ Friends to Lovers 👾 South Asian Rep 🕹️ Down With the Patriarchy 🎮 Contemporary YA Romance

⚠️ Cyberbullying, Toxic Masculinity, Class Differences, Gaslighting

🦇 Major thanks to the author @jesseqsutanto and publisher @randomhousekids @delacortepress for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #DidntSeeThatComing #NetGalley

#book reviews #book review #book blog #booklr #book lover #young adult books #young adult fiction #young adult #friends to lovers #batty about books #battyaboutbooks #books and flowers #flower bouquet #flowers #book: didnt see that coming #author: jesse q sutanto

[absolutebl]

Hi!

I’ve been thinking the past few weeks whether there’s a BL series I could try to get my very conservative, very religious mother to watch with me and enjoy. (Who doesn’t need some gay love in their life, especially during Pride Month?!) It would definitely need to be the most PG of PGs; downright asexual would be perfect. But also no dub-con or offputting tropes.

Any thoughts? I settled on Cherry Magic for the G-rated nature paired with characters that have IMO well-fleshed motivations. But we watched the first episode and I think the slapstick Japanese style is a bit of a stretch for her (moreso than the gay content even, possibly). Maybe Blueming?

(P.S. If you get tired of hearing from me, just let me know! 😬)

Never tired of hearing from you!

BL series to get my very conservative, very religious mother to watch? (PGish: sweet & clean) 

My first instinct was... Cherry Magic. But I get the Japanese style buy-in is rough. So we’re looking for a western aesthetic, or aura.

Blueming gets pretty high heat, are you sure?

Okay, lemme think. Follow me there:

He's Coming To Me - strong religious element (no Christ but perhaps it's still appealing to get a look at a different kind of worship/belief?), peak pining but also pretty tame, good story and production, low heat, just a kiss and no sex scene. Sweet but important coming out sequence. Good plot with murder investigation to appeal where gay romance might not. Shorter run. 

1000 Stars - this one is just a romance, like that's what it is, a romance that happens to be gay. Good story, well acted, lots of interesting tension and plot and mature characters, very pretty, very low heat, but possibly a bit slow for some. Sex scene is played for laughs and not very sexy. Good coming out discussion. If I had a romance reader/movie fan on my hands (like Gone With The Wind or Twilight or 50 Shades or what have you) I’d go with this one. 

Wish You (movie version) - high production, low heat, short run, very tame, and Korea, so more of a western style. It’s not the most logical story though. Kisses but they tame and no sex scene. No coming out, exists in the “Korean BL bubble universe” where everything is just fine and dandy. 

Semantic Error - if she likes romances in general this one is so much fun, it's bright and easy to follow, the chemistry is good, just kisses (although it feels higher heat). But there's no coming out struggle to inspire sympathy, and the teasing bully thing might be off-putting. If I had a fan of contemporary roamnce books or Kdramas, I’d show them this one. 

Light On Me - very very low heat, but the characters are engaging, and it has a classic love triangle, some people really like that. If I had a YA fan I was trying to lure in, I’d show them this one. 

My School President - speaking of low heat sweetness, GMMTV gave us a classic high school set Thai BL with tropes like messy boys singing their feelings that made this show Love Sick for the modern age with all the gentle sweetness and pining ache, but none of the dated damaging tropes or issues. Yes, we’ve seen it all before, but I still ADORE this. And there is a lot to be said for the classics being executed perfectly. Who let my BL be this wholesome and funny?

Finally if you can get ahold of it then Restart After Come Back Home might be a better choice than Cherry Magic from Japan, especially if your mum likes cinema. It’s beautifully filmed. Slow going but very pretty. Not slapstick AT ALL. barely gay, very subtle, only one soft kiss. If I had a film buff I was trying to lure in, I’d show them this one. 

If she likes soap operas than you could try Love Sick, and there is a part of me that wants to say SOTUS... both low heat and Arthit practically is ace. 

(source)

#bl recommeneded #intro level bl #thai bl #korean bl #Love Sick #SOTUS #Light On Me #kbl #K-bl #Semantic Error #Wish You #Wish You: Your Melody From My Heart #1000 Stars #A Tale of Thousand Stars #He's Coming To Me #Restart After Come Back Home #Cherry Magic

[jayteacups]

hi Jay, hope you're well c: Love talking about books & I'm curious about the following for the ask game: #1, 11, 25, 30

Thank you for the ask! I'm doing well, hope you are having a lovely birthday! I love talking about books too, I haven't been reading as much as I used to and I would really love to get back into it and chip away at my TBR lol

1 - do u prefer a standalone or a series?

I used to love binging series as a kid, but these days I am very picky when it comes to starting a new book series, so I would say I prefer standalones, unless someone whose tastes align with mine highly recommends a series, or the author is someone whose past books I've enjoyed.

11 - the best book u have ever read?

Listen, it's Tumblr and everybody loves it, but I have to say it again - Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo will always be one of my favourites. Nothing in YA could ever top this tbh.

The PJO and HOO series has also really stood out to me and shaped my younger years, and with the new show, I feel the brainrot coming back in haha, so I'd say that for me, these are the best middle-grade books out there!

25 - a book that had u bawling ur eyes out?

I don't know if it's just me, but I actually don't cry at books much (at least not on the outside, because there sure have been times where I was screaming, crying, and throwing up internally lol).

I did tear up a couple times at a few lines in This Is How You Lose the Time War (will elaborate more on it in the next later question), and I can also tell you that the cliffhanger ending of Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan genuinely stressed me out (I was amongst those that agonisingly waited a whole year for the next book), and if I wasn't in shock from it, 10-11 year old me probably would've cried too 😂 Still haven't recovered from that by the way even though I have long finished the Heroes of Olympus series lmao

30 - give any 3 book recs to ur followers!

In no particular order, I recommend that if you haven't already read these, go check them out!

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone.

A short, epistolary sci-fi novel about two time-travel agents from rival organisations, who write each other letters scattered throughout time.

It's way more character-driven than plot-driven: the novel itself focuses more on the characterisation of the main characters and their evolving dynamic, instead of the sci-fi aspects itself.

It's so good, and if pretty prose is your thing you'll also enjoy the writing style of this!

My Roommate Is A Vampire by Jenna Levine

A light, fluffy contemporary vampire romance that I'm buddy-reading with a friend right now hehe

I haven't finished it yet but this book is very entertaining. If you want something fun and light-hearted, I'd say to check it out!

It's a little cringe, yes, but it's the fun kind of cringe. The love interest is adorable

His Dark Materials by Philipp Pullman

Okay, I know everyone has at least heard of this one too. And admittedly it's been a (very long) while since I've read it too but I remember loving it so much in my childhood (and being seriously hooked on the movie adaptation, The Golden Compass) so I have to recommend it for the nostalgia

I think it's a seriously underrated book, and even though it's technically a children's series, it still appeals to people of all ages and I think that's really rare these days

I remember really loving the interesting lore and creative worldbuilding!

Ask me about books!

#book ask game #ask games #mail for jay

[poppletonink]

Review: The Do Over

★★★★☆ - 4 stars

"It won’t count tomorrow and it’ll be like I never said it, but on this Valentine’s Day, I fell in love with you."

Lynn Painter is the writer for the YA contemporary romance fans; for the hopeless romantics and Taylor Swift lovers. The Do Over, much like her debut novel Better Than The Movies, is rich in pop culture references and contains an excellent cast of characters.

It tells the tale of Emilie Hornby, a bookish overachiever with the perfect boyfriend, the perfect scholarship and the perfect life. However, it all falls apart in one disaster Valentine's Day involving a car crash with seemingly grumpy Nick, dashed hopes for the future and her cheating boyfriend Josh. After this hellish nightmare of a Valentine's Day, Emilie wakes up the next morning to have to undergo the same events again, and again, and again. Heavily inspired by the timeless classic Groundhog Day, Painter takes the reader by the hand on a fantastic tale of love, heartbreak and self discovery.

The main romance of the book is highly similar to Jess Mariano and Rory Gilmore from Gilmore Girls, often referred to as Literati by members of the fandom. Nick Stark is practically the carbon copy of Jess (and this comparison is even made within the book) with a grumpy exterior to those who don't know him well, a bookish disposition, a love for bands like Metallica and a heart of gold towards those he cares about. Emilie Hornby is also highly similar to Rory - a high achiever, an aspiring journalist, has divorced parents, is a book lover, someone who abides by using a planner and a girl with a rapid downfall. The similarities are eerie but also make this book even more brilliant for anyone on Team Jess!

Overall, The Do-Over is a perfect, lighthearted read filled with an adorable love story and a reminder of the importance of relationships with others (in all their forms) upon our very livelihoods. This Lynn Painter read will have you caught up in a flurry of drama and pages; I guarantee you won't be able to put it down.

#books #book blog #booklr #readblr #book reccs #book recommendations #bookaddict #bookblr #bookworm #books and reading #the do over #lynn painter #romance books #romance #romcoms #valentines day #groundhog day #jess mariano #team jess #rory gilmore #literati #grumpy x sunshine #time travel #fantasy books #fantasy #contemporary romance #book review #emilie hornby #nick stark #emilie x nick

[flamingo-strikes]

ZAINAAAA 2, 3, 5, 16 + 17 for the end of the year book asks mwah mwah <333

LEEEEEE BOOK BUDDY!!!!!! <333333

[2 and 3 answered here hehe!]

5. What genre did you read the most of?

Ohhh this year, Idk if it’s bc of our convos that sparked an interest lmao, but I read a lot more classics and gothic literature than I usually do!! (Well actually my english classes probably helped lmfao). It’s tough to say I read the most of it bc tbh I’m pretty balanced with romance + literary fiction + fantasy, but I had a lot of memorable reads in the gothic lit genre. Beloved, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Northanger Abbey, Wuthering Heights, and some more modern gothic picks!

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

LMFAO don’t kill me but I did try to get through Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros, since I didn’t hate the first one completely, and ofc I didn’t financially support this woman, I pirated both times. But GODDAMN this sequel was so shit, like it was just words on paper at some point, and the slowest pacing I’ve ever seen. Everything remotely likable in the series before was literally stripped away. I have no idea how the shitty writing on top of the publishing misprints haven’t driven away all the fans. I don’t like judging people when it comes to trashy reads bc god knows I have my vices, but how Iron Flame has a 4.5 goodreads rating is beyond me. I feel like she pays her fans lmfao. Anyways I DNF-ed at 45% through after literally 2 months of trying to read it 😭

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

Yes!! I love when this happens!! Counterpart by Ella Pyne literally made me feel happiness for the first time in months lmao, it was THAT good!!! The Belladonna series by Adalyn Grace was also really enjoyable! I’m so invested in this series now. It’s not perfect and it def is guilty of some YA/NA romance quirks, but I really love it. I can’t wait for the last book to come out. It’s a very unique series, like I can’t say I’ve read anything like it before tbh! Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J. Tuli was SO GOOD too. I expected a basic adult romantic fantasy, and I got pleasantly surprised with a lovely world setting and a feral south asian fmc whom I adore (she’s like 90% why I love it lol). Lastly, The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L Walther, was SUCH a feel good story. I’m not even joking my face hurt from smiling so much. I expected a basic contemporary romance such booktok has shit taste lmao, but this was a very sweet story about family, grief, sisterly love, and platonic love was emphasized even more than the romance ngl!

#book tag #thank you lee!!!!!

[ragewrites]

hello miss lianna! happy holidays :) just wanted to pop in here and tell you i deeply adore your writing and it has served as snippets of joy in my otherwise fast-paced high school student life! i especially love your haikus! but i want to ask if haikus in general have a structure to them (like 5-7-5 syllables,) or if it's alright to go beyond them? i started writing them everyday as a challenge but i also want to learn more, if that's alright. i noticed your writing doesn't really follow a strict structure which is why i like them so much

Hi darling <333 Happy holidays to you, too. ^^

To answer your question: in English, haiku is generally understood as a poetic form characterized by its specific 5-7-5 syllabic structure, yes. But this is not the case in Japanese.

There is a certain expectation of symmetry when it comes to the length of the lines—traditionally, haiku follow an A-B-A format, with the first and third lines having the same number of characters—but this expectation is not necessarily a requirement. Nor is it a requirement that the poem come out to 15 characters exactly (or 15 syllables, for the foreign speaker.)

Take this famous and much-parodied poem of Bashō’s, for example:

古池や 蛙飛び込む 水の音

furuike ya kawazu tobikomu mizu no oto

Three lines, arranged 3-5-3, totaling 11 characters.

This length was perhaps the most common. The A-B-A format was likewise already considered traditional, but deviations were by no means rare, even then.

Another example, also by Bashō:

五月雨の 降のこしてや 光堂

samidare no funokoshite ya Hikari-do

Three lines, arranged 4-6-2, totaling 12 characters.

Really, while the length of a haiku should be brief, as far as the lines are concerned any distribution is possible. A-A-A, A-A-B, A-B-A, A-B-B...contemporary writers depart from three-line arrangements altogether, on occasion.

See, in English ‘poetic form’ tends to imply a certain structural rigidity. Only, while it isn’t wrong to define it as such, it is perhaps more apt to think of haiku as a species of poetry, the way a novel is a species of prose. The shape of the poem is secondary to its contents.

The essence of haiku is a reverence for the natural world and for the mundanities of everyday life.The practice is an attempt at capturing glimpses of this brief, extraordinary beauty which surrounds us.

Traditionally, a haiku will use kigo—words and phrases which are specific to certain seasons of the old Japanese calendar. The thought process behind each writer’s choice of kigo is complex, of course, as they can and do double as symbols, but their first and most practical function is to anchor the poem in time.

Taking Bashō again as an example, the kigo in the haiku I quoted above are ‘frog’ (蛙 kawazu) and ‘May rain’ (五月雨 samidare). Thus we know that the first one is a Spring scene—frogs are an all-spring word—and the second one of Early Summer. Indeed, another way to translate samidare is ‘early summer rain’.

As haiku moved into its modern period and began to expand and transform, the usage of kigo became less of a requirement. They are still considered a major trait of the form, though. And this despite the fact that they aren’t exclusive to haiku, but rather characteristic of the entire spectrum of Japanese poetry.

Personally, I’m rather fond of them. (Huge understatement.) Romania’s seasons are different from Japan’s, so I’ve had a lot of fun over the years, coming up with seasonal words of my own...

...I went on for very long there, didn’t I. ^^;

TL;DR—it’s 100% fine to structure your haiku as you see fit; line breakage is decided by cadence, more than anything. 9~21 syllables is a nice range. :]

(If you decide to submit your haiku somewhere, though, read the guidelines carefully beforehand. Unfortunately many editors only accept poems which follow the 5-7-5 format, as that is, by and large, what a haiku is understood in English as.)

#ibi apes #ex nihilo #unnecessarily long answer. i am so sorry </3 #but i hope it's of some use to you ^^ #and also that you have a nice winter break!! get to chillax a bit