#i might not like Terry but I’ll be damned if this part of the wedding isn’t perfect | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

gb-patch · 3 years

Text

Ask Answers: August 8th

Well, doing big posts all together worked for a while but lately I’ve been putting it off because it takes a long time to get them done. I think I’m gonna try switching back to answering asks whenever I can fit it in and posting them one at a time instead of waiting until I’ve filled out one of these major collections.

But for now, here’s more ask answers! Thank you for the questions and for all the kind words along with them ^^.

Hello!! I'm here to ask if its possible to get the game and its dlcs on steam and play it on android?

I’m afraid not. Steam doesn’t have Android builds on their own site and Steam is not cool with keys for other sites being given out for Steam purchases, so you don’t get the Itch version from buying on Steam.

Hello! Sorry to bother you but, I had a question, if we buy the Game on itchio do we get steam keys or would we need to purchase it twice?

You would have to buy it twice if you want it in both places, I’m sorry. To repeat myself a little, Steam doesn’t like the key trading thing. Itch may support giving keys for another site, but the reverse isn’t doable with Steam and Steam doesn’t even really want you to get a Steam key for buying somewhere else either. So we just don’t mess around with that.

hey, sorry if this is frequently asked, but is step 4 free dlc or paid for? some of your sources are contradicting each other.

It’s free! There’s a paid wedding DLC, but Step 4 itself is entirely unpaid.

Hello! I just had a quick question, for the Baxter and Derek DLC's will we be able to confess our feelings to them or let them confess to MC? or will it only be one way? (they confess to MC)

Both type of options will be available!

Hey there! I wanted to ask whether or not the Derek DLC is still on track to be released in August since on the steam discussion board it says it will be released mid 2021. I totally understand if it isn't, I'm just really looking forward to it! If you answer then ty! And keep up the amazing work :D

It’s not, aha. Unfortunately, 2021 wasn’t easier than 2020 as we hoped so things are still slower than planned. It’ll come out late 2021 or early 2022.

Hi! Firstly I just want to say that I LOVE Our Life. I have played a bit of similar games but this one instantly wins for the best one! Everything about it is amazing! I just wanted to ask if Derek would ever lose feelings for MC, like if they make the deal and then MC gets with Cove would he move on? and even if you don't, after "losing contact" would his feeling fade or would he still like MC?

If you don’t really keep in touch with him and clearly move on with your life, Derek will too and he’ll be over it. But if you are still close as best as you can be, he’ll still think the MC is special. Though, he’ll always support your relationship with someone else if that’s what’ll make you happy.

Hello! Sorry if you've answered this before but: 'How's Lee related to us? Though which momma? And does she share our player-chosen last names? Also, do you know if Noelani took Pam's last name or did it happen the other way round?

She’s related to Pamela and Pamela’s last name is the one they use, so the MC has the same last name as Lee.

Will we be able to choose which (they or he) we tend to call Qiu by more often, or will it randomly change depending on the moment?

Qiu knows which pronoun they’re comfortable with at a time and you’ll call them what they’re happy with. And it doesn’t change between lines, it takes multiple scenes or even full Steps for it to switch. So for extended periods Qiu will be totally a guy or fully agender.

Will Step 4 of OL2 have moments?

It’ll be an epilogue like it is in OL1, so it won’t have a bunch of different Moments.

Hello! Just a quick question, is Sunset bird from OL1 based on a real location? If so what's it called? I wanna visit it +_+

ps i love your games so much <3

It isn’t based on one specific town you can go to, but there are a lot of little coastal towns in Cali that have a similar vibe!

Heyaaa ( I hope you're all well ), umm… it might seem kinda stupid to ask but did Patreon members can have a key for the dlc's ( all the steps-released dlc ) even if they became a member this month or later ? (me? saying this cuz it's my case? maybe ;-;), and once again thanks for absolutely all the amazing works on all the games ! u-u

You wouldn’t get the DLCs for backing there. The Patreon is for extra bonus content/early access, rather than being a storefront to purchase the normal DLCs. Rarely we give them out as a side gift, but it hardly happens and if what you want is the DLCs it’s best to ignore the Patreon and buy keys for those directly from Itch or Steam. I’m sorry for the confusion.

Hey y'all, love what youre doing w/Terry. Trans rep outside of player customization is so rare and important to see more of so thank you so much. I do have a question and its that does he have a canon sexuality? I know Miranda was said to be straight ace but I dont believe anything was stated for Terry probably because he wasnt revealed to be a guy which changes things. Im also curious if well get answers on how long hes liked Miranda since he may have liked her in step 3 before she liked him

Terry likes women and Randy likes men! And he did like Miranda back in Step 3.

Will the Wedding Dlc release at the same time as Step 4?

They’ll come out separately with Step 4 releasing first.

I really love Our Life so much! I've spent over 20hours playing it even though I only got it a week ago! I was wondering if I could make a fangame for Our Life with a different love interest but same plot. Next-door neighbors romance, multiple steps, etc? I'll probably make it on Google Slides though-

Sure! I hope you have fun with it and I’m glad you love the game.

How does Cove feel about poly relationships?

He’s got nothing against them for the people they work for, but he’s 100% monogamous and would only be comfortable with a partner who was willing to be monogamous with him.

Idk if this has been answered before but will Step 4 include the option to advance your feelings towards Cove?

Yep, you’ll be able to determine your feelings and what your relationship is.

In step 4 will there be a chosen to say we live with Cove even as just friends?

Yeah, you can choose to live with Cove and that can be done when you’re friends.

I just played the game with the MC and Cove being best friends and omg it’s still so damn cute like the wholesomeness of it all is too much for my heart I swear ^.^ Now with that all said I was wondering can we still marry Cove? if we only love him as a friend like let’s say we’ve made deal with him similar to the one we can make with Derek because let’s real no one could compete with what the MC and Cove have even if they aren’t in love.

It’s great to hear you enjoyed the friendship story! You can live with Cove, but you can’t marry him platonically. Cove has familial affection for the MC if they’re best-est friends. He wouldn’t think to marry someone he loves like family and even grew up with as though they truly were siblings.

Are you still going to be making a DLC for XOBD? :]

Yes! We’re slowing adding voiced lines and fixing errors.

It makes me laugh that Shiloh's last name is Fields because that's what I put as my last name! So in Our Life when he talked about "Ms. Fields" picking him up I was extremely confused, lol. That dude mimics personalities so much that he stole my surname!

Oh, wow, that’s a very funny coincidence, haha.

hi !! i cant seem to be able to get the scene where mc is able to propose to cove despite being at the 'love' stage and telling him i'd want to get married, are there any other details that im missing out on? the options just dont appear at the end...

Maybe you missed telling Cove you were in love with him even if you mentioned wanting to get married or you might’ve accidentally said earlier in the game that you don’t want to progress your relationship further with Cove. We haven’t removed them, so you can get the scene again. It’s just kind of easy to miss since there’s multiple requirements. You can read a little guide in the FAQ.

wait what di you need to do to be able to propose to cove? I've been trying but haven't had much luck

You can check out the FAQ linked above!

does cove only develop a crush on the mc if the mc is also at crush/in love with him?

Technically, yes. We treat the non-romantic relationship options as truly non-romantic since we don’t want to bait and switch people. But there’s nothing wrong with headcanoning that Cove does have feelings developing for the MC even before the MC has.

Is there a way to make/allow Lee and Baxter to date?

No, they just don’t have enough time together.

We also got a group of asks related to Tamarack in OL2, but I’m afraid the way they talked about people with larger bodies made me not want to post their words, even if the person didn’t say they’re trying to be hurtful. I will separate out the core question and answer it though, so people can know that info.

Does Tamarack lose weight in later Steps?

No, she doesn’t. As for the other questions included, to be honest, I don’t have to explain/defend having romance options of different sizes. I’m sorry if you’re dealing with unhappiness that’s connected to body image, if that’s where the negative emotions are coming from, but even so I can’t meet you on that level and pretend it’s a problem that needs an answer. A girl who simply isn’t thin being a main love interest is just not an unreasonable concept. Also, Tamarack isn’t a lesbian. Yes, she can date a female MC, but that doesn’t undo her actual sexuality, so I’m not sure where that one part at the end was coming from.

I wonder... can we "fight" with Qiu over leader status? 👀

Not really, haha. No matter how cool your MC is, they’re never gonna replace Qiu for the other kids around. So you can either partner up with him, follow him too, or not be a part of all that group politics stuff.

So when I play the game, sometimes I mentally call Cove “Covie/Covey” and that made me wonder, how does Cove feel about being nicknamed? Not like Romeo/Space Cadet/etc. but like pet names relating to his actual name

It’d depend on his age, personality, and your relationship with him! When he’s younger he’d probably be embarrassed, when he was grown he’d probably be more casual or happy about it.

will you be able to date baxter in step 3 while at crush with cove (but not dating him ofc) sorry if this has been asked already. i really love baxters step 4 design btw!!

Yeah, you can be crushing on Cove and date Baxter if you weren’t already dating Cove. You just can’t be truly in love with Cove and then switch to Baxter.

I just got my friend into our life, and they adore shiloh and derek sooo will there be more of them in the second game?

I’m afraid not. But you can see plenty more of Shiloh in XOXO Droplets/XOXO Blood Droplets, haha.

I see you haven't gotten any xoxo droplets asks recently but I'm still obsessed with these boys!! I was just wondering if Nate would curse under any circumstance?

Yeah, Nate does use certain swear words (damn, hell, bastard) on very rare occasions.

Hi there! I have a question about the wedding dlc. Will we be able to plan a honeymoon during the planning stages of it or would it be something that Cove and the mc would rather plan later on? Thank you! Absolutly love the game by the way, definitely one of my favorite games!

The focus will be on the wedding day itself. The topic of the honeymoon might come up a bit, but there won’t be any choosing of the exact location and such.

Hi! I have two questions and it's completely understandable if you only answer one/neither and I'm sorry if you've already answered either before! First, is there a set year in which OL:B&A takes place (ex: Step 1 being set in 2010 & Step 2 being set in 2016, etc.) or is it simply up to interpretation? Second, have you guys thought about doing a coming-of-age game where the MC has a tough home life or upbringing? (like one of their parents is an addict, a parent being transphobic whilst the player has the option to be trans, or having friends that are influencing them to do drugs, etc.) That's all! Thanks for making beautiful games. <3

There is a set timeline!

Step 1: 2006 Step 2: 2011 Step 3: 2016 Step 4: 2021

And we don’t currently plan on making a game like that. The Our Life series exists to be a safer environment for people to play around in and if we did do a brand new series that was harsher edged it’d be something more fantastical and/or plot-driven instead of a different type of modern day slice-of-life growing up story. I’m sorry.

i don’t know if you’ve already answered this, but do you have a guess on when phase 4 will come out? as well as ol2? i’m so excited for both of them, the inclusivity in this game is amazing, you guys should be really proud of it!

Step 4 will be coming out very soon! OL2 is gonna take until 2023 to be anywhere near completion. But we might episodically release the Steps one at a time as they get done instead of waiting for three to be finished before launch like we did with the first game.

Hello, I was curious if there was an official or unofficial discord server for the game?

We do have a discord! You can join by clicking this link HERE.

how long do you plan to keep ol's patreon running?

Hopefully for at least a few more years.

Are you considering ever making merch?

Yeah, but I don’t know when it’ll happen or what exactly we’ll make, aha. It’s something we want do, just nothing is set.

hi! i just found out about your game a couple of days ago on tiktok (so sorry if you’ve already answered this question) and i was wondering if y’all are ever planning to release it on iOS?

I have no idea. It’s hard for a small group to get Apple approval and I honestly can’t say if it’ll ever happen or not. Maybe someday, though!

Hi, I love the art style of Our life and I would like to know if the artist has a Twitter? Also, could it be possible to fund more CGs for the game from him/her? So many times, I wish there was one like when the cutscene of the sunshower.

That’s nice of you to offer. He doesn’t have a Twitter, at least not one that’s public enough to be shared with me. And I’m afraid not. The issue is that the CGs take huge amounts of time rather than there not being a budget for it. He’s gotta make CGs for Step 4, the DLCs, and new character sprites, too. There isn’t space in the schedule for even more. Sorry for that.

Hi, how are you?!

Are you planning on accepting new writers or is it always the same people who write your stories??

Thanks!!

Our Life: Beginnings & Always won’t be getting new writers, but we will be hiring a new team of writers for Our Life: Now & Forever eventually!

perhaps this counts as nsfw and I'm sure it has been answered before but what does Cove prefer, chests/boobs or butts? or perhaps both :3c thank you for this wonderful game (and the patreon bonus moment, it was worth all the waiting and more ♥)

He’s a “chests of all shapes and sizes” kind of guy, haha.

i was wondering- did any of the writers actually grow up by the beach? as someone who's lived in a beach town all their life it really did feel nostalgic to play through our life 1

I was born and raised in Cali! Though, not right by the beach. We still had to make trips out, but the setting is based on my own childhood memories of small beach towns we went through.

In Derek’s upcoming DLC, will we be able to reference the pact we made as teens? (love olba and xod/xobd so much btw you’re literally amazing)

Yep, you will be able to talk about that!

Oh, sorry about the Cole being secretly L ask, then!

If you wanted context: Death Note is about this one guy who finds a notebook that kills anyone who you write the name of in there. The guy eventually develops a God Complex and starts mass killing criminals and stuff. L is the one trying to find out who is killing all these people.

Me and my sister first joked about it because I couldn't remember how to translate a word about the way Cove was sitting, so I just did the pose, and it looked a lot like how L himself sits! Then we just snowballed from there, with more and more nonsense connections.

That’s okay! Thanks for explaining. I’m sorry I didn’t know what you meant.

#our life #ask #gb patch #gb patch games

171 notes · View notes

gallavictorious · 3 years

Text

Huh. This was a rather curious episode, So much stuff happened – the death, the wedding, the break-up, the realization of Frank's illness – and yet it often seemed a little slow and muted? Understated, like? I'm not quite sure how I feel about that... it was underwhelming at times, but there's also something about big things in life just kind of happening that appeals to me? Not everything is big and dramatic, not even the things that signify big and dramatic changes.

Like Terry's death. Quite a bit of focus on his and Mickey's relationship this season and suddenly he's gone, killed by a random murder nun, and I get why that might elicit a pretty 'uh, okay' response from many people, especially when we don't get any immediate follow-up, but... to me it also felt oddly fitting, that the unfolding of this twisted and complex father and child relationship should cease not with a bang but a whimper. There is that moment while Mickey feeds Terry, a hint of rapprochement (played just right I feel), but mostly the whole thing's anticlimactic; the sudden end to a relationship unredeemed. There's an unease here, a dissonance – a numb emptiness and lack of resolution that is unsatisfactory and jarring but which intrigues me precisely because of that.

Sometimes things end before they are done; abruptly and with little fanfare and no real closure.

Now, I am admittedly expecting an interesting emotional fallout and payoff in this whole thing in the next episode and if we don't get that, I'll probably need to revise my feelings on this, but as it stands now – I am tentatively in favour. (Even as I was internally screaming ”WHERE IS MICKEY IS HE OKAY IAN WHY AREN'T YOU WITH YOUR HUSBAND WHY ISN'T ANYONE ASKING IF MICKEY IS OKAY” during the whole hospital scene. This whole thing is just so damned unfair on him, especially if he comes to the conclusion that this is his - or Ian’s! - fault for hiring the nurse. So I get the frustration, trust me – it's just mingled with grudging approval on my part. As I said, curioius episode. Still sorting out my feelings on it.)

#i did like that the wedding was this small thing #because we already had this big celebratory classic wedding last season #and anything similar would just have felt like a repeat thing #which is not something i want to put time on with so few episodes left #but i also wouldn't have liked kev and v's engagement to remain unadressed #though we did miss out on v and mickey planning the wedding together #mickey milkovich #terry milkovich #gallavich #11x08 #meta #shameless spoilers #my stuff

68 notes · View notes

dreamylyfe-x · 3 years

Note

I think you're right that Ian isn't intending to give Mickey an ultimatum (although their plotline in that episode description on amazon prime is literally "Ian gives mickey an ultimatum", lmao) but I do think it has the same effect, at least how mickey is interpreting it. I do think Ian is clearly manic in that episode, the way he slams his hand on the table when he says "because!", for instance, feels very in line with how Cam had been portraying him for the rest of the season. And because of that, and the eagerness with which he beats up Terry, I think we could interpret Ian as asking mickey to come out at the bar that night, consequences be damned. Or it could just be him laying down a boundary. What he wants from mickey in that exact moment is completely open for interpretation. Season 4 is so brilliant because in contrast to season 3b, where all of their relationship was told exclusively from Ian's perspective, in season 4 Ian's story is told from mickey's perspective, as he and the audience puzzle over why his behavior is so dramatically different. We can't really know what he's thinking.

So what did Ian expect from Mickey exactly in that moment? It's a question I think about a lot in terms of the wedding too. Ian is so optimistic it hurts after they have sex in that episode - I really can't even imagine what Mickey refusing to get married and/or coming out at the wedding would have looked like. Couldn't put my finger on why I get this instinct, but I think chances are much greater that they would have died. (Ian isn't great at picking moments to dramatically confront Mickey, but Mickey never really gives him much choice, eh?) Both characters had to experience season 3 to get to 4x11. Ian's fear all throughout season 3 has given way to rage, rage that fuels him to run towards terry beating mickey in 4x11 where he ran away from it in 3x06. And Mickey being unable to get Ian to stay, having to confront his feelings for him through the pain of losing him, made him completely unwilling to go through that again. Regardless of what Ian expected from Mickey in that scene, it's clear how mickey is choosing to interpret it. Ian's just going back home, but to mickey he might as well be leaving for the army the next day.

So I think only the prospect of losing Ian again enables Mickey to come out the way that he does, in this extremely dangerous situation. I guess my question to you is - would he have come out at all if Ian hadn't established that boundary? Did he need to be forced to choose, or would Ian have eventually been able to keep gradually coaxing him? I think Mickey seeming to accept that Ian's family is pretty much on to them is encouraging, but you're right, what the hell was he planning on doing about Terry? I'd love to read an alternative coming out scene fic some day, but that scene is too good and the alternatives probably too depressing for anyone to want to write it.

Hey! These are all great points. You’re right, the “because” is really jarring... I do think Ian might always be pretty eager to beat up Terry.

The same effect element... Yeah, and that’s why I understand the use of the word “ultimatum” -- but at the same time, when you have this kind of crisis in a relationship where something is a dealbreaker for one party it just functions that way. I am a little addicted to Reddit relationship advice subs and that fight rages in the comments all the time. “She’s giving him an ultimatum” “She’s telling him what her expectations and boundaries are!” -- and all of that has me a little intense about the term. Conventionally, ultimatums are bad and boundaries are good. But a boundary definitely suggests there is an expectation that, if not met, means the end of the relationship. I do think intent matters a lot and one thing that I feel is not talked about much is how unwilling Mickey is to actually engage the conversation. So I get why it escalates. it’s hard to talk critically about Mickey’s side without it being interpreted as an attack on him -- but I do think Ian’s reactions are fed by the fact that Mickey isn’t willing to engage any conversation about what’s happening. He just wants to go “do this thing” and then pick up where he and Ian left off.

Which is *exactly* what he was saying when he got married. And Ian didn’t say “don’t get married or I’ll join the army” but he did beg Mickey not to do it and when he did... Ian left and joined the army.

That key question -- does Mickey come out without this pressure -- is a good one and I’d love to hear what other people think. But for me? That answer is “probably not. Or not for a good long while.” -- The ask that sparked this whole thing (I think) was me considering what happens if Mickey doesn’t come out, and my answer was “if Ian is around, he comes out.”

And if Ian isn’t... Then I think he doesn’t. There’s no carrot. This is why I said a few times that Ian loving Mickey is key to the whole equation. not in a “saviour” way, but as a part of Mickey’s journey. If being gay -- For Mickey, whose father has literally pistol whipped him and forced him into being a husband and father over the issue -- is JUST about who he’s attracted to, I don’t see why he WOULD come out. It’s like when people advise kids whose parents will disown them over their sexuality to wait until after college to come out. For Mickey, he should come out when he gets out of the dangerous situation. And when the heck does that happen without Ian?

Being with Ian is the reason to come out. Ian can't stand a half-measure with Mickey (and I do think that’s very sincere. I don’t think Ian can stand to watch Mickey be someone else’s husband) and Mickey doesn't want to lose all the things that his relationship with Ian gives him. Sex he can get -- but he wants the friendship, the affection, the connection and the love he gets from Ian. Enough to literally risk his life.

I had a conversation with @whaticameherefor a few days ago about how The Alibi is kinda the safest place for Mickey to come out. Because he has witnesses and Kev is there to call the cops. There really is no safe place for him while Terry isn’t in prison. Which again, doesn’t mean this isn’t all the things about it that are problematic, but Mickey survives this because the cops show up and haul Terry off again.

Anyway! I actually have two fanfic plans that involve this question so I can’t say much more without getting spoilery. But I am so interested in this question and love hearing from people about it. Loved everything you had to say. In the end, Mickey’s coming out scene is EPIC. Raise your hand if you can recite the entire “Guess What We’ve Been Doing Daddy?” scene by heart.

#asks #that first ask was dangerous material #but I love how much stuff has come out of it #also trying to figure out why some anons can send a short essay and others can only send a brief paragraph #it seems inequitable #thank you anon for this great commentary #I am trying to figure out if you're Canadian....#shameless season 4 #shameless 4x11 #Gallavich meta

38 notes · View notes

amerrierworld · 4 years

Text

Curtain. (i)

Carol (2015) fanfiction

Summary: An on-and-off job as photographer can only pay so much, so Therese Belivet has taken a job at an elementary school's art program to help pay the bills. One of her last jobs before the school year begins is photographing a preview night of a successful play where she meets the well-known artistic director of the show, Carol Ross. She forgets about their meeting until September rolls around and she starts teaching an inquisitive young six-year old by the name of Rindy.

Characters: Carol x Therese

Word Count: 1,491

Warnings: none yet!

June.

Therese was staring intensely at her laptop, watching as all the little photo icons from her camera began transferring over to her drive. Rain tapped gently against her windows and a can of Coke sat on her desk, half-empty. She had shut all the windows to avoid any light or outdoor distractions as she tended to daydream while looking out in the distance, but this time Therese was determined to get this job finished.

As she waited for the files to continue transferring, the brunette arched her back, yawning as her body creaked and popped from sitting for so long.

It had been three days since her lucky photography gig at the Hudson Theatre. Thinking about it still made her limbs jittery. It was a smaller theatre, but being the oldest theatre in the city and having hosted many successful shows, it was still a landmark. Therese had been overjoyed at the prospect of working inside the theatre for once and seeing all the ins and outs of the show she had been asked to document.

Her phone pinged from where she had haphazardly tossed it on her bed. She stood up and shuffled over, stretching again and giving her legs a shake as she opened a message from Dannie.

preview done. again.

how was it?

tbh a little messier than when u were there, richard kept missing his mark

of course he did.

yeah ross wasn't too pleased with him...

At the mention of the director's name, Therese's stomach lurched a bit, though she couldn't tell why. They had only exchanged a few words during the preview when she'd been there.

...anyways, manager wants to know how ur doing with those photos

workin on em right now actually

tsk that's too bad

why? did she need them now? i thought i had until next week

nah i was just gonna ask if u wanted to get some food and then get plastered w me and phil

Therese snorted and looked back at her laptop, which lit up, indicating all the files had been successfully imported. Temporarily forgetting about her conversation she hurried to glance through them, immediately noticing the faulty pics that she knew she wouldn't be able to use.

Her phone rang and she picked up.

"Is that a no?" Dannie asked from the other end. Therese rolled her eyes.

"Dannie, not responding in 30 seconds does not automatically mean no. But yeah, I don't know if getting drunk right now is such a good idea, I have a lot to go through. Plus, don't you have to work tomorrow?"

"Preview isn't until the afternoon, Belivet. I have all morning to sober up."

Sighing, Therese flicked through a few photos, stilling as she found one of the director whose back was to the camera as she directed Gen, the lead actress, who stood off to the far side of the stage.

"Therese?"

"Hm? Yeah, for sure. I'll come for food, but I'm going home afterwards, I really don't want to be hungover. I've had three cans of Coke already, alcohol and caffeine don't mix well for me."

"Alright, sounds good."

"When do you wanna head out?"

"...now?"

At that, the intercom buzzed at Therese's front door, indicating someone was in front of the apartment building.

"Jesus, Dannie, really?"

"I know you're always hungry, Therese. Plus, getting off the subway from work at your place is so much closer than mine. Forgive me?"

"Ugh fine, give me 20 minutes to get ready though. I don't care if you're stuck in the rain outside. That's what happens when you constantly drag me out for last minute plans."

"Yeah, yeah, Belivet, just hurry your ass up. We're not going anywhere fancy cause God knows I don't get paid enough to afford anything like that."

"Is Richard coming?" Therese asked, brow furrowing in a split second of worry.

"Him? Nah. I actually think he somehow managed to lure Gen into a date tonight. I saw them talking after the show."

"Oof, poor girl."

"Yeah, maybe I should warn her, y'know. Get her out while she still can."

"Terrible idea, McElroy. You know how actresses are with stage hands."

Dannie barked out a laugh. "Shut the fuck up, Belivet. You're one to talk, considering you were ogling the director the entire night."

"I was not."

"Yeah you were. Now get going, or I'm gonna melt in this downpour."

Therese smiled and ended the call, closing her laptop and hurrying to put on some decent clothes before meeting Dannie outside.

"C'mon Terry, not even one shot? As a celebratory drink for this job and the next."

"No, Phil," Therese laughed. "I already told Dannie, I have work to do later."

"Alright, suit yourself, but that means I'm gonna drink extra just to make up for you!"

After having grabbed a bite at a cheap Thai restaurant, the McElroy brothers had dragged Therese to their usual bar even though she was still determined to stay sober.

"Do you even know how to deal with kids, Therese? Elementary school can be vicious, y'know," Dannie said, sipping his beer as he ignored Phil stumbling from his seat to order another drink.

"It's only part-time, Dan," Therese shrugged. "Plus, what kid doesn't like art? If one of them throws a temper, I'll just let him go ham on a canvas with some paint, no big deal. It's therapeutic that way."

"How'd you manage to get a job there anyway?"

"Well, their usual art teacher had to take a break for a year 'cause of an injury, so I'm just filling in for the younger grades. They were desperate for more staff for their programs."

"Jeez, is that allowed? You've barely worked with kids until now."

"I dunno. I did a full police check and stuff, besides I'm not hired for the school, just the programs afterwards so I'm not technically a teacher. But it's a small school with a shit ton of younger kids that often need an after-school program. Chances are they won't even need me in the New Year if the other teacher comes back."

"So they just really need extra hands on deck?" Dannie concluded and Therese nodded. Phil came staggering back with a glass of water, grouchy and mumbling something about the bartender not letting him have another.

"Yeah. What about you though? What's happening after Woolf?"

Danni sighed and slumped back in his seat. "Who knows at this point? Ross is taking a break too, from being artistic director-,"

"Wait, really? She's not retiring is she?"

Dannie smirked at Therese but ignored her sudden eagerness in the conversation.

"Nah, just something about needing to be home with her family. She's worked her butt off for the theatre more than anyone, so it makes sense she wants a break for a little while after this show's done. But she'll probably be back in no time, cause she's like that. In the mean time, Gerhard is taking over. I don't know what she has up her sleeve yet, but I'm thinking a typical Christmas show is coming up."

"Any idea what it might be?"

"Nope. Everyone's talking and wanting to do A Christmas Carol but it's been so overdone, and Abby's always doing unexpected things."

"Damn, I wonder what it could be," Therese chewed her lip in thought.

"You sure you're not just upset at the idea of Ross not working there anymore?" Dannie teased. Therese smacked his arm.

"Dannie," she scolded.

"What! Even a blind person could see she's literal eye candy, though she can be a tough boss. I'm not blaming you for liking her, but I am telling you that she's not as sweet as she looks."

"Hmph, whatever. She's probably got someone anyways, if she's taking a break with family."

"I dunno, Belivet, I've never noticed a wedding ring." He winked at her.

"God, you're the worst y'know?" Therese sighed, though her eyes were twinkling. "I never should have come out to you when all you do is tease me about every girl who I just happen to find kinda cute."

Dannie grinned. "That's what you get for being besties with the McElroys, Belivet. Besides, since Phil doesn't like girls, who am I supposed to go to when I get lady problems?"

Therese shook her head and chuckled before checking her watch.

"Damn, it's getting late. Alright boys, I'm going home. I really need to work on those photos. Don't drink yourselves to death, please?"

"Wouldn't dream of it, Belivet!"

She grabbed her purse before going to hail a cab as Phil and Dannie waved goodbye, her mind whirling with thoughts of the intriguing blonde director. Therese wondered who she was, besides the 'literal eye candy' that she'd managed to capture on camera. Sighing, Therese shook her from her mind during the brief cab ride home, deciding it was best to leave her daydreaming behind for the rest of the night.

A/N: heh... hi. here's my take on carol/therese because i can’t get enough of them honestly. Let me know what you think; this’ll be a pretty packed series so enjoy :3

I’ve also been posting my stuff on AO3 if any of you use that as well so you can find this and my other stories there too! <3

84 notes · View notes

bluboothalassophile · 6 years

Note

kisscam? what kisscam? I need kisscam!

Hello,

Kisscam is apparently going to be a multific mini story for the HfaB stories, so I hope you enjoy Part 1! =)

Knights vs. Mets…

It was a muggy July morning for Gotham City, the Fourth ofJuly weekend was the first family outing, since the controlled, leaked feeds ofthe wedding. Somehow Jason had been dragged to this outing, which was anagitation that had him checking on the news every five minutes and an Arkhamsecurity check (which courtesy of Harley and Ivy, he had), monitoring the Joker’scell. Roy was even here, mostly to ensure he was here, Jason had managed tofinagle Roy out of the Starling Rocket colors for the game, wrangling Roy intothe Knights colors. Terry was perched on Jason’s shoulders as he stood in thecrowd feeling agitated as he scanned the crowd.

Naturally Jason was in the Knights colors, as only any trueGothamite would be, and he’d beat the shit out of anyone who talked down abouthis team.

“This is dull,” Kate huffed out.

“You didn’t have to come,” Selina pointed out sweetly as shewalked to the group, he smiled a bit at her. She had taken the role ofmothering him seriously, and he kind of liked it as she looped her arm aroundhim.

“My cousin is always welcomed,” Bruce said as he walked intothe group.

“Thanks B,” Kate said reluctantly. Jay kind of got why B wasso intent on inviting Kate into the family now, a year ago she had kind of gonerogue after being kicked out of West Point for Conduct Unbecoming of anOfficer. Something about her unsettled Jason, but what was infuriating was thedouble standard B had for her. Another reason to dislike Kate, but Jason wastrying desperately to be a bigger person. Failing.

“Hey, we’re here!” Dick appeared grinning as he ran to them,holding Kori’s hand. “Hey Roy!” Dick greeted as he held Mar'i tight to his hip.

“We’re just waiting for Drake and the girls now,” Damiansneered, Jason caught Helena with his foot before leaning over and hoisting herup.

“Kitten,” he mused holding the giggling kid face level.Helena’s curls were everywhere, and he chuckled as she securely grabbed hisGotham Knights jersey before she climbed up to his shoulder.

“My Jay!” Terry shrieked.

“No screaming Duck!” Jason warned the older toddler.

“We’re here!” Tim announced.

“Why am I here?” Raven demanded.

“Cause we said so, and we’re the Waffle Queens, incompletewithout our third Queen.” Stephanie announced.

“Traitor,” Jason stated seeing his best friend dressed in aNew York Met’s ballcap and jersey, mini shorts and boots. The demoness frownedat him and he glared in retaliation.

“I will remind you heathens I am a New Yorker.” Ravensnapped.

“What would your mothers say!” Selina gasped.

“Harley’s from Staten Island,” Raven remarked. “And Ivyasked who’d want to be from Gotham. Vic said it was only slightly better thanPhilly, but we’ll leave the semantics of that alone.”

“I can’t believe my best friend is a Mets fan! I’m gonna bemugged by the end of the day!” Jason grimaced.

“Your husband is a Rockets fan!” Roy chimed up.

“Rockets suck worse than the Meteors,” Jason snapped.

“I’d be insulted, but I can’t be,” Roy sighed.

“This is normal?” Duke sputtered.

“What about it kiddo?” Selina purred as they started movingthrough the lines.

“You’re all billionaires,” Duke said.

“Actually, B is, we just mooch off him,” Stephanie retorted.

“Only moocher here is you Steph,” Tim countered.

“What about Rae!?” Stephanie balked.

“The Queen of Hell is no moocher!” Jason stated.

“That’s right, besides, I mooch off Vic, so I’m not B’s,” Ravenresponded.

“Naturally, besides, the Queen of Hell is far too good forus mere mortals, especially the Drama Queen,” Jason said slinging his free armover her shoulders. Raven’s arm wrapped around his waist then.

“You’re one to talk,” Dick said.

“I’m not Drama Queen!” Jason snapped.

“Just a Damned Prince of Gotham,” Tim snickered.

“Prince and Queen!” Cass giggled.

“Hardy-Har-Har, No.” Jason snapped at the two idiots.

“You’re an imbecile Todd.”

“Only for getting caught,” Jason rolled his eyes as theywere now being directed into the stadium. Roy shoved his shoulder and Jasonrolled his eyes, he was very reluctant to go to this, but he was eternallygrateful to Roy for coming along. Though Roy did kind of owe him for all theArrow stuff Jason went to. But this was all besides the point. Raven and Roywere helping his agitation levels stay somewhat reasonable, he still wished he hadbrought Ace; the dog helped a lot for his agitation levels. The Pit was boilingbeneath his skin as a conscious itch he wanted to scratch but he was ignoringit and his craving for a cigarette since he was in the presence of the kids.

“At least you’re not a Yankees fan,” Jason resigned.

“I’m the Devil’s Spawn, not the Devil, Jay,” Raven remarked.

“You know, statistically speaking, the Yankees could beunder a Devil’s contract, their stats are just way too good for normalbaseball,” Tim piped up.

“The Devil has owned that team since the start,” Ravendismissed.

“What!?” Stephanie and Duke sputtered.

“You didn’t honestly think that Lucifer would go into thepro baseball business if he didn’t have a winning horse team did you?” Ravenasked.

“You’re joking right? She’s joking,” Duke demanded as helooked at Cass for answers.

Cass shrugged.

“That explains a lot, you don’t even know,” Roy sighed.

“Dick we must smile, the paparazzi are here,” Koriannounced, immediately Jason pulled his cap lower as Terry giggled.

“No, Kori, we’re here for a ballgame, and family time, screwthe paparazzi!” Dick snapped. For the first time in Jason’s memorable life hewas eternally grateful to Dick for that simple statement. But then again,paparazzi had screwed up his and Kori’s honeymoon. The trip to Madeira wascancelled entirely because of paparazzi and the million dollar photo bribe tosee the happy couple intimate. Dick had been furious. Especially when Kori hadbeen cornered in the private airport’s bathroom by a male photographer andreporter wanting answers about their marriage. They had now postponed to attendWally and Artemis’ wedding, then sneak out of San Diego for their Honeymoonwhich would be about October rather than the original June date now. Jay almostfelt bad for Dick and Kori, but he also knew they were reluctant to leave Mar'ialone for three weeks with B and the family as her powers were manifesting morerapidly now.

“Oh, Jay, chilidogs!” Selina gasped, and he looked at hismom’s pointing. His stomach growled a bit at the sight before him.

“Just like old time’s Jaylad,” Bruce said softly, andJason’s eyes flicked to B’s. B was trying, Jason didn’t know how to take thatthough, but today he’d give him the benefit of the doubt.

“Yeah,” he nodded.

“Those are disgusting, do you even know what they do tothose animals!?” Damian hissed.

“No, and we get you don’t like meat but respect that we doand don’t tell us,” Raven said.

“No waffles,” Cass pouted.

“We’re at a ball game, not a diner!” Tim stated.

“We’re going if the Knight’s lose.”

“Well in that case we’ll be there this evening, Dick’s paying!”Duke shouted.

“WHAT!?”

“So long as it’s not me paying I’m in!” Roy declared.

“You’re a traitor, the Knights are going to win, the Metssuck.”

“Jay, My Mets Might Suck, but Jay, your Knights are fuckingcursed.”

“Did you curse them? That would be cheating if you did.”

“Do I look like I have a goat on had to do cursing?”

“What’s a goat have to do with anything?”

“How do you think the Cubs got cursed?” she demanded. Jason scowledat that as he walked through the security, he was vastly relieved that they didn’tnotice his ceramic knives. Raven squeezed his arm as they walked into thestadium, he kind of felt relieved having Raven here, and he knew that wasn’ther empathy.

“You better not curse my Knights,” Selina snapped at Raven.

“Again, I don’t have a goat.”

“Still,” Selina warned.

“Why’s it always goats?”

“Goats are naturally magically endowed, dumber than a box ofrocks, but the amount of magic in them, it’s so dark, tasty too if cookedright.” Raven informed them with a smile.

“I Hate Magic,” Bruce muttered.

“I love Magic, the world needs more Magic.”

“Not in Gotham,” Bruce warned her.

“Please, Gotham is a cesspool of the dark powers of theuniverse.”

“Really!?” Dick demanded.

“You’re surprised?”

“No, not really,” Tim omitted, holding Tammy’s hand.

“I hate Gotham,” Jason muttered. Raven elbowed him and hehissed at the jostling of his ribs. A few hits from Artemis sparring hadcracked them, he felt the burn of the Lazarus Pit over them. “Little bird, you’relucky you’re cute, but touch my ribs again and I’ll make your life hell.”

“I can fix them,” she offered.

“Don’t,” he warned, he could feel the Pit too close to thesurface. Raven’s head snapped over and he saw her eyes pulse white before hefrowned.

“The Pit?” she asked softly.

“Let’s just enjoy the ballgame.” He gestured for her tocontinue forward.

“Oh look Mar'i cotton candy!” Kori announced.

“Come on let’s get cotton candy!” Kori announced, Ravenchuckled as she caught Terry, Lian and Helena ran after Kori with Roy shoutingfor them to wait up.

This wasn’t so bad, Jay decided. It was just a day, at aballfield with a couple of mooks, and nobody would care, and Gotham wasn’tgoing to hell. It wasn’t a bad day, not yet. Jay could do this.

“You’re an imbecile,” Damian announced.

Jason rolled his eyes at that.

“Dude, do you ever shut your mouth?” Duke demanded.

“Twerp, hit puberty and a growth spurt then maybe you cancall me an imbecile, and only if you can beat me in a fight.” Jason warned thekid.

“No killing!” Bruce snapped.

“B, settle down, it’s just brothers, being brothers,” Selinacaught B by the shoulders and Jason snickered. “Besides, my favorite son wouldnever harm his little brothers.”

“Yes, yes I would, I just wouldn’t get caught.” Jason said smugly.Many multiverse ventures had been this way, and when he had been cornered or caught,he’d beaten the shit out of them.

“See, we’re fine!”

“That’s not encouraging!” Tim balked.

“We can always beat up Drake.” Damian offered.

“We’re not beating up Tim!” Dick shouted.

“I could take him,” Tim decided.

“I side with Tim.” Jay decided.

“What?”

“Man if there’s going to be a war then Tim’s going to win,only way I lose is if all the coffee in the world disappears,” Jason decided.

“It’s scary how you decided that,” Tammy decided.

“Just saying, Him and the Little Bird together, worlddomination.” Jay shrugged.

“Nah man, Rae and Alfred,” Duke corrected.

“No, that’s universal domination,” Tim corrected.

“Don’t get them teaming up, evil will run then we’ll have nomore waffles!” Stephanie balked.

Cass nodded in agreement.

“I as the cook for the Queen of Hell can assure you that thewaffle supply will never cease to be,” Jason stated.

“So you admit you and Raven are an item!?” Tammy squealed.

“No, I’m the Adviser and the Cook.”

“What am I?” Dick demanded.

“The Fool?” Jason offered.

“Why do you get a say in the Queen’s court?” Stephanie pouted.

“Cause I was self-appointed. The Vice President positionwasn’t available to have also,” Jason shrugged.

“Well I want in,” Tammy decided.

“Me too,” Stephanie decided.

“Yes!” Cass grinned.

“You want in on Hell’s Court?” Tim sputtered.

“Why not.”

“Dibs on being the Fool!” Dick announced.

“Who’s a Fool?” Raven asked.

“Batty family wants in on the Court of Hell,” Tim smiled ather.

“Well, in that case I have a Prime Minster, a Queen’sConsort, Vice President, Advisor/Cook, and Captain of the Guard, and a WineBearer.”

“That’s not how a court is built,” Bruce said.

“I’m the Queen, I make the rules.”

“I’m aunt of the Queen.”

“NO!” Damian shouted.

“Why not!?” Selina sputtered.

“No incest,” Damian stated.

“Again with this, Damian, it’s not happening!” Ravensnapped.

“Seems like it already did,” Kori giggled.

“I will kick you.” Raven warned.

“I’m the sister to the Queen,” Kori purred.

“Familiar claims can be revoked at any time due to annoyances,”Raven warned.

“Doesn’t work that way sunshine,” Jason grinned.

“Hey, Rae, if everyone has a part in this Court, what am Iand what’s Donna?”

“Well, Donna’s an ambassador, obviously. And you can be aconsort if you want.”

“Oh! So I get to be sexy arm candy!?” Roy grinned.

“Yeah,” she shrugged.

“I like that, I’m the Queen of Hell’s Consort!” Roy grinned.

“You have no power, you nimrod.” Damian snapped.

“So? I just wanna be paid to look pretty!”

“I Princess!” Lian declared.

“Befitting,” Jason shrugged.

“I’m Kitten!”

“Can I be Duck Dodgers!?” Terry squealed delightfully.

“The Court can use a Duck Dodgers,” Raven decidedthoughtfully.

“This is getting seriously out of hand,” Bruce decided.

“No killjoys are permitted in the Court of Hell,” Ravendecided.

“Young lady,” he started.

“You will address the Queen as your highness or your grace,”Tim snickered.

“Oh, I like that! Your Grace! Makes me sound important!”

“I will sooner call you a slew of curses than your highness.”Jason warned.

“You are permitted to call me your grace, little bird,sunshine, but call me princess and I’ll break your nose; again.” Raven warned.

“Deal.”

“That’s not fair!” Tim whined. “The rest of us benevolentsubjects have to call you ‘your highness’ why not him?”

“Because he’s a bastard,” Raven decided. Jason chuckled ashe slung his arm around her shoulders, Raven smirked as she took a bite ofcotton candy.

“You two sure you ain’t a couple!?” Tammy chuckled.

“We are secretly dating and have a secret love child named Alicewho resides in the realm Wonderland for her safety and our sanity while we area diplomatic envoy for the Green Lantern Corps of fuck ups. Obviously we’re notdating,” Jason snapped as he held up a hand for the beer guy who was walkingtheir way.

“You two act awfully couple-ly.”

“Trust us, we’re not a couple,” Raven said.

“I don’t trust you two,” Stephanie and Cass announced.

“Too bad.”

“Jay!” Terry shouted.

“Duck.”

“Team!” Terry pointed.

“Good call little man.”

“Jay?”

“Hm?”

“Can I be Robin?”

“No!” Damian snapped.

“Well, maybe in the future but you’re too little little bro,”Dick chuckled ruffling Terry’s hair.

“I wanna be Robin!” Mar'i stated.

“Over My Dead Body,” Dick stated.

“She is not fragile Dick,” Kori protested.

“She’s my little girl!”

“So!?” Kori demanded.

“Girls… can’t be Robin!” Dick decided quickly.

“Excuse me!” Stephanie squawked.

“What about that blonde who was Robin!? I have clippings ofher!” Tammy stated.

“Robin is always a boy, Mar'i will not be Robin.” Dickstated.

“That’s sexist and we’ll be having none of that!” Jaydecided. “Mar'i can be whatever she wants to be when she is old enough to makeinformed decisions.”

B flinched a bit at this.

“Hey look, the game is about to start,” Selina cheered.

“Yes!” Raven grinned.

“Finally, beer is getting warm.”

“I miss beer.”

“You like being sober.”

“I like being sober.”

“If anyone is a couple it’s Roy and Jay,” Raven decided.

“You dare to call me and my husband out in public!” Roy gasped,grasping his heart.

“You two have a kid and a dog together with a business, I’msurprised the paparazzi hasn’t used this information to shatter young girlsheart’s everywhere!” Raven mocked.

“But you know you’re my only Queen right?” Roy asked.

“You’re a consort, I demand loyalty, not fidelity,” Ravenoffered.

“And this is why we bow to the Queen,” Roy and Jay decidedin unison.

“Oh little brother,” Cass giggled.

“The answer is no. And remains no.”

“Jay and Rae sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g!” Stephanie andCass started.

“I think you mean Roy.” Roy said.

“Buddy, I’m not into redheads,” Jason warned.

“So what darling!? I’m not into busted noses.”

“Are you insinuating there’s something wrong with my face?” Jasondemanded in mock outrage. He was kind of enjoying this.

“Yup.”

“That’s okay, you have a handsome face if I ever saw one,”Tammy promised.

“You’re stealing my girl now!? Get your own!” Tim shoutedhugging Tammy beside him. Jason snickered.

“He’s got Rae,” Damian, Tammy, and Stephanie shouted.

“NO!” He and Raven shouted.

“JayRae forever!” Cass and Stephanie swooned.

“And this is why I don’t come around home.”

“You should come around more often,” Duke said.

“I don’t even know you.”

“That’s the point, besides this isn’t so bad,” Dukeshrugged.

“I renounce all ties to this family and wish to resume beinga member of the dead,” Jason announced. Raven whacked him up the back side ofhis head.

“Rethink that you bastard.”

“Awe! They have pet names for each other, so adorable,” Dickcooed.

“I will shoot you asshole.”

“I’ve already shot him!” Kori giggled.

“Atta girl,” Jay cheered.

“You are the biggest feminist,” Roy observed.

“Women rule the world,” he shrugged.

“And that is why he’s my favorite child,” Selina decided.

“What about Helena?” B sputtered.

“The little ones are just developing personalities babe, we’llpick when they’re older,” Selina mused.

“What about me!?” Dick sputtered.

“Suck it up boy blunder.”

“You trip one time and you never let it go,” Dick muttered.

“You’re too perfect child,” Tim decided.

“I’m superior,” Damian decided.

“You know, your Napoléon complex is getting out of hand.” Jasonstated.

“Be nice,” Raven waved him off.

“He has time to grow into it.” Stephanie smiled.

“Well, there is a quarter chance he could be a dwarfforever,” Tim observed.

“He’s already taller than you, so lose that hope that you’llbe taller than someone.”

“I’m taller than Raven!” Tim shouted.

“I’m not family.”

“You’re Jay’s wife!” Tammy decided.

“And Now Stand For Our National Anthem!” the announcershouted, Jason caught Terry and dropped the kid on his shoulders as he pulledhis cap off while standing.

59 notes · View notes

maddie-grove · 5 years

Text

Bi-Monthly Reading Round-Up: November/December

Playlist

“When I’m Gone” by Brenda Holloway (Gone Girl)

“I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston (At the Queen’s Summons)

“Doctor My Eyes” by Jackson Browne (The Ask and the Answer)

“I Can Love You Better” by the Dixie Chicks (Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow)

“The Bad Touch” by Bloodhound Gang (Storm)

“Suspicion” by Terry Stafford (Trapped at the Altar)

“Smokey Places” by the Corsairs (The Diamond Slipper)

“You’re My Best Friend” by Queen (Someone to Trust)

“Praying” by Kesha (The Hostage)

“Castle Rock” by Barnaby Bright (Bledding Sorrow)

“The Circle of Life” from The Lion King (Monsters of Men)

“Disturbia” by Rihanna (I’ll Be Gone in the Dark)

“It’s All in the Game” by Tommy Edwards (Doomed Queen Anne)

“Locking Up My Heart” by the Marvelettes (Beware, Princess Elizabeth)

Best of the Bi-Month

The Hostage by Susan Wiggs (2000): In the chaos of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, backwoods trader Tom Silver kidnaps heiress Deborah Sinclair, hoping to make her industrialist father compensate the victims of his greed and negligence. Nothing goes according to plan, however, and these two people who should be enemies become anything but. I absolutely loved this book; the combination of slow-burn romance and action-packed non-romantic plot was perfect, and Deborah’s arc is just beautiful.

Worst of the Bi-Month

Bledding Sorrow by Marilyn Harris (1976): The cash-strapped heir of an ancient Yorkshire estate, his improperly medicated American wife, and a working-class coach driver are forced to reenact a Tudor-era tragedy, because of...reasons, I guess. I wasn’t too disappointed when I realized that this was Gothic horror instead of Gothic romance--I like scary stories, too--but this isn’t so much a novel as a long parade of pointlessly dismaying incidents. The characters are generally powerless to avoid their fates and, what’s more, they don’t have the opportunity or inclination to struggle very hard. Their helplessness might work if there were a compelling explanation for it, but Harris only makes a few vague suggestions (i.e., “Reincarnation?” or “House evil?”). Also, one of the supporting characters is such an egregiously offensive gay stereotype that he would probably make Jack Chick exclaim, “Whoa, tone it down!” The style was decent, though, and I had a few good laughs along the way.

Rest of the Bi-Month

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara (2018): In this posthumously published true-crime book, McNamara details a series of burglaries, rapes, and murders that plagued Sacramento and Southern California during the 1970s-1980s, believed by her and many others to be the work of one man, dubbed the Golden State Killer. McNamara does a wonderful job capturing the strange false tranquility of Californian suburbia circa 1980, and she presents the (often convoluted) facts clearly but never salaciously. The good taste and empathy of her style kind of undercuts any passages along the lines of “perhaps researching serial killers is deeply unsavory,” but that was my only issue with the book.

The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness (2009): In the first sequel to The Knife of Never Letting Go, young Todd Hewitt, having left behind the world he knew forever, deals with increasingly morally complex and traumatic situations. Meanwhile, his new friend, [redacted], wrestles with similarly thorny and upsetting issues. This is a worthy sequel to one of my favorite books I read this year. I missed the road narrative of the first installment, but the complicated ethical dilemmas and the ever-switching power dynamics very nearly made up for its loss.

Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness (2010): In the final book of Ness’s trilogy, [redacted]. This was the weakest installment, but only because of some fairly minor structural issues, such as some initial narrative choppiness, that I probably wouldn’t have noticed if the first two books hadn’t been so well-structured as well as thematically fascinating. The payoff is pretty fantastic, in any event. Also, Todd’s whole...thing with the Mayor is one of the most gloriously weird, fascinating relationships I’ve seen in a YA novel.

Someone to Trust by Mary Balogh (2018): In Regency England, twenty-six-year-old Lord Hodges decides to do the proper thing and get himself wed; however, his narcissistic mother, not content with the significant emotional damage she’s dealt him over the years, keeps interfering with his search because she’s worried he’ll marry someone who’s not hot enough by her standards. Meanwhile, his thirty-five-year-old BFF, Lady Overfield, has resolved to accept the suit of a staid but pleasant acquaintance...but something just doesn’t feel right. You know what does feel right, though? Waltzing and talking about deep shit with Lord Hodges...and the feeling is mutual!!! This isn’t the most action-packed romance, but it’s super-cute and I was 1000% sold on Lady Overfield’s subtle awesomeness.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (2012): Unhappily married and resignedly living in his Missouri hometown, Nick Dunne suddenly finds himself as the prime suspect in his wife’s disappearance and apparent murder. What the fuck is going on? I spent like five years of my life debating with myself whether to read this book, and I’m glad I did (long after its relevancy had peaked, of course). It’s easily the weakest of Flynn’s three novels--its sense of place isn’t as strong as Sharp Objects or Dark Places, although I understand that’s somewhat intentional, and neither main character works as a representation of an actual person--but it’s a propulsive read and it’s pretty damn funny.

The Diamond Slipper by Jane Feather (1997): Lady Cordelia Brandenburg travels with her BFF, a teenage Marie Antoinette, so they can get hitched to the Austrian ambassador to France and the Dauphin, respectively. Two problems: Cordelia’s new husband is a fucking monster, and she’s fallen in love with the grieving brother of the husband’s mysteriously dead first wife. This novel probably isn’t to everyone’s taste; it kind of zigzags between a semi-cutesy fairy-tale feel and depictions of horrific abuse, and the effect is somewhat jarring. I enjoyed its use of historical details, though, and I liked the heroine a lot.

Beware, Princess Elizabeth by Carolyn Meyer (2002): In this historical YA novel, Elizabeth I narrates several incidents in her life from cradle to throne, focusing on all the times that her half-sister Mary came super-close to having her executed. Although I found the structure of the novel somewhat choppy, I really liked the portrayal of Elizabeth’s complicated relationships with her pious, increasingly suspicious half-siblings, plus the plot had plenty of action.

Doomed Queen Anne by Carolyn Meyer (2001): In another installment of Meyer’s Young Royals series, Anne Boleyn explains her journey from awkward child to unconventional, controversial courtier to VICTIM OF TOTAL RAILROADING. This novel was even choppier than Beware, Princess Elizabeth, mostly because Elizabeth’s story is better-suited to the episodic plot structure, but I have to say I love this portrayal of Anne Boleyn as much as (if not more than) I did at twelve. Her motivations aren’t high-minded or altruistic, but she’s got feelings, damn it, and she has a right to fight against being treated like shit! Also, Meyer gives her a sixth finger on one hand, which was probably not the case historically, but it’s cool that Anne is portrayed sympathetically while also having a body that’s stigmatized by society.

Trapped at the Altar by Jane Feather (2014): In the early 1680s, Catholic Lady Ariadne Daunt and Protestant Sir Ivor Chalfont live in Daunt Valley, a makeshift community of loosely related lawless aristocrats who lost their lands in the English Civil War. Ariadne and Ivor are force to wed by the community “elders,” who hope to send them to the royal court as a religiously flexible power couple. This already-tense situation is made more awkward by the fact that Ariadne is in love with another man, while Ivor is in love with Ariadne. This novel is part of a small subset of romances that would be better as historical fiction. I loved the unique (albeit nightmarish) setting of Daunt Valley, the exciting journey to London, and the well-portrayed court intrigue. I even quite liked Ariadne. However, Ivor was such a shit. Ariadne is upfront with him about her love for another, but, because Ivor “loves” her, he acts like she’s morally obligated to go along with the whole thing. He never really forgives her for not being a virgin on their wedding night, and his reaction when he finds out she’s been using birth control is bloodcurdling. Also, Feather throws away an interesting dynamic where Ariadne has genuine feelings for two complex men in favor of making Ivor’s rival a creepy stalker (but also an embarrassingly ineffectual sissy).

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George (2008): A nameless Norwegian girl who can talk to animals agrees to live with an enchanted polar bear for one year in exchange for her family’s deliverance from poverty, secretly hoping to find the answer to her beloved brother’s sadness as well. She finds herself way in over her head, though, with a curse that goes back centuries or longer. I enjoyed this retelling of “East of the Sun, West of the Moon,” and I thought a lot of the concepts were really clever (hint: this is neither the first girl nor the first polar bear). In execution, though, I didn’t like it as much as Edith Pattou’s retelling, East, which has a stronger sense of place and better-developed minor characters.

Storm by Donna Jo Napoli (2014): Sebah, a sixteen-year-old Canaanite girl, loses her home, her family, and her entire way of life in a sudden deluge that drowns the whole world...almost. After weeks of surviving in trees and on rafts, she manages to stow away on Noah’s Ark, where she rooms with some bonobos and learns way too much about Ham’s marital problems. I thought this was a very creative book with some delightfully weird earthiness, but it becomes somewhat static once Sebah boards the ark and meets a character who kills too much of the tension.

At the Queen’s Summons by Susan Wiggs (2009 update of 1995 original): Pippa, a street performer in Elizabethan England, claims the patronage of Aidan O Donoghue, a minor Irish king, in order to save herself from arrest. Aidan, a goodhearted fellow, goes along with it. This was a pleasant story, but I can remember almost nothing about it. I love Susan Wiggs, but her Tudor Rose trilogy is kind of a snore.

#books #reading

2 notes · View notes