#it was because coloring became too daunting and I didn’t know how to proceed | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

goddamnelsa · 3 years

Text

Liz’s Top Books of 2020

blatantly stolen from @alamorn but also i wanted to feel accomplished that i did in fact read published books this year before descending entirely into mdzs/the untamed fanfiction :) :) :) :)

In two parts! Books I read that actually came out in 2020, and then honorable mentions of books I read in 2020 that were published in previous years. Enjoy!

Top Books Published in 2020 (which are not in any kind of order because I can’t like rank stuff, I’m not that kind of person)

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin

What can I say except it’s N.K. Jemisin who wrote my favorite high fantasy series (The Inheritance Trilogy), won three consecutive Hugo Awards for her The Broken Earth trilogy, and she’s writing urban fantasy with Lovecraftian and superhero team flavor. I mean....obviously I was at the top of the wait list for this once my library ordered it. And it lived up to the hype!! Because of course!! It’s fabulously fast-paced with amazingly smart and interesting characters of diverse backgrounds. I kept thinking one of them was my favorite, and then another would have a great line and I would change my mind. It’s fine, they’re all technically one entity with several parts, so I can love them all and not choose (but it’s probably Bronca, let’s be real). And it’s the first of a series! And I’m counting down the days til there is more!

Axiom’s End by Lindsay Ellis

I definitely picked this up simply because Lindsay Ellis, one of my favorite video essayists, wrote it, and then ended up loving everything about it. I’m not usually one for First Contact stories, but I appreciate the very human-focused approach here, sticking solely to an ordinary girl’s perspective as she navigates being the person first in contact with a very alien alien. Cora’s attempts to humanize Ampersand are relatable, but I appreciate Ellis reminding us at almost every turn that Ampersand is super Not Human, no matter how much Cora reads into his actions. Ellis doesn’t gloss over the Science part either, especially when it comes to the race of aliens Ampersand belongs to. Again, the first of a series, and you will absolutely be screaming for the next book when this one is over.

You Had Me At Hola by Alexis Daria

Insert my obligatory “I don’t usually read romances blah blah blah.” Though, during lockdown, I attempted to branch out beyond my usual genres when I was attending a ton of publisher webinars about upcoming books. This one stood out to me because of its Latinx cast and the whole behind-the-scenes of a Jane The Virgin-esque show, based on a telenovela (of course). It is fantastic, a quick read with instantly likable and fun characters. And the tropes! We’re playing love interests but we have insane chemistry! A sensitive, traumatized male lead who learns to open up again! A sassy but insecure female lead who learns to let loose and love again! Hooking up, but we have to keep on the DL or else scandal! And of course, the extended families add to every scene they are in--I loved every interaction Ashton and Jasmine had with their families, it was the cherry on top of a fantastic read. Also the sex scenes are steamy.

Beetle and the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne

I got this graphic novel as an advanced reader copy well before it came out, and after reading it, I was sCREAMING because I couldn’t tell all my graphic novel, queer coming-of-age-with-magic loving friends to immediately pick up a copy!! So thankfully, it’s out now, so I can scream to the heavens to please read this!!! It is such a sweet story with beautiful full-color art and fantastic world-building. It has the same silly, referential humor you see in a lot of kids/YA graphic novels these days, but Beetle packs in a lot of heart as well.

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

Like many people in May/June of this year, I was reading, reading, reading a lot of books about racism from as many Black authors as I could get my hands on. There were many not published this year that should definitely be read (So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo being among the top), but this book really stuck with me because it is written specifically for a younger audience, and Jason Reynolds knows how to talk to kids about tough subjects. Stamped gets across difficult concepts like assimilationists and segregationists in an easy-to-understand, conversational style that doesn’t take away from any of the important history and nuance. This certainly is not The Book of antiracism studies, but it is a good starting point if you are daunted by lengthy title lists and aren’t sure where to begin. I highly recommend the audiobook as well, read by Reynolds himself.

(Side note: I watched this keynote address with Reynolds and Kendi which is an excellent primer into the background of how this book came to be. Reynolds is also just very interesting to listen to)

Honorable Mentions aka Books I read in 2020 that were published in previous years again, not ranked because I CAN’T, OKAY

White Is For Witching by Helen Oyeyemi

I read this book and then wanted to go back and read it immediately again, not necessarily because it was so amazing, but because I felt like I would get it even more if I did. This is a haunting little book that took turns I was not expecting, even with the book synopsis I read. It is disturbing and features descriptions of an eating disorder, so proceed with caution. However, if you like Gothic tales of haunted houses and the trauma inflicted on us by those who came before, I can’t recommend this one enough.

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

My last book club read before the pandemic D: We didn’t actually get to meet to discuss this book, but my club (all librarians) were working at our emergency call center at the same time and all reading it, so we KINDA got to discuss it, if not in a formal book club setting. ANYWAY, it’s a thrilling jaunt through 1920s Mexico, following a fantastic Cinderella-esque heroine who makes a deal with a Mayan god to retrieve his body. If you are a fan of the Percy Jackson-brand of mythological adventures, this is definitely one to add to your list, especially if you are looking for something a little bit more Adult.

Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker

Okay, I know it’s a young readers/middle grade book, but HEAR ME OUT. This is whimsical and haunting tale about seven little fox kits who set out to scare themselves shitless by hearing scary tales. Only one kit will remain when the night is over, but the one who does will get to hear a surprisingly sweet, and well-earned, happy ending. If you are a Neil Gaiman-esque horror fan, I recommend picking this up. Its scares are fairly scary, especially for its audience, but it’s an engaging story about the lengths we will go for the ones we love.

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse

Did someone say Navajo monster-hunting heroine with magic powers navigating a post-apocalyptic world, oh and also saving it??? Look, Maggie is My Kind of Hero, in that she’s damaged, she drinks too much, she’s surly, but she has a seriously gooey heart of gold underneath all that armor. Navajo mythology is woven into this tale of monster-hunting, surviving. If you’re in Supernatural-disappointment-land, maybe give this a try! It has that Western-y, road trip feel to it, and again, I love the lead character. (It also has a currently published sequel and a soon-to-be-released third book as well!)

This is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

This was rec’ed to me by a librarian friend, with the words, “Oh, Liz, you’ll really like this.” And she was RIGHT. Red and Blue are on opposite sides of a war waged across time and decide to send letters to each other, at first, to taunt, but then, to understand, to learn, and to love. The details of the war don’t matter much, but what does matter is the achingly beautiful poetry with which Red and Blue reveal themselves to each other. I was told to listen to this one, but I’m glad I read it myself instead. The prose is very purple at times, and I appreciated being able to go back to passages to reread again and again. Oh, and it’s queer (Red and Blue are both female), and SPOILERS SPOILERS has a happy ending.

(also there is a wangxian remix for my mdzs buds. and also a semi-officially sanctioned fanfic sequel???? at least amal el-mohtar linked it from goodreads so whoo! also also it’s very funny)

And that’s my Year in Books 2020! Seeing it laid out like this, I had a surprisingly good year for book reading even though I felt like I barely read anything. For awhile, reading was Hard, and I just wanted to consume fluffy, sweet fanfiction, but I’m getting back into it. Oh, and please let me know if you check any of these out!

Here’s to a good year for books in 2021! ✨

#books #book recs #2020 #book reviews #personal #liz reads

7 notes · View notes

xxbyimm · 7 years

Text

Enya’s Unexpected Journey - Chapter 8

For all other chapters, click the number: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Chapter 8

Summary: Enya tries to be a perfect lady and learns a great deal about her kin. They run into Radagast the Brown. Who knew bunnies were so cute?

Another day in the wild. Enya woke up in a particular grumpy mood and could not determine why. Her abdomen was upset and she felt a tantrum brewing inside her, one of which the likes this company had not seen yet. There were valid reasons enough for that, she smirked. But her whole body felt bloated and her stomach hurted. What was wrong with her?

Oh no. A daunting thought appeared in her mind and hit her like a lightning bolt. 'Of course, you idiot!' She muttered. There was that little problem with her birth control pill, which laid neatly on her night stand. At home. Where she could not reach it. Enya sighed. This was perfect. Her body decided that it was time to set loose all the hormones her pill had controled for years. Enya watched the dwarves as they packed their stuff and prepared themselves to leave. Oh hell no. She could not leave before she took care of her "situation". She quickly got on her feet and rummaged through her traveling bag. She hoped she had carried her running shirt with her. When she could not find it, she turned over her bag and all her belongings rolled over the forest soil. 'Hey! You are supposed to pack, not unpack!' Said Bofur. 'I know.' Grumbled Enya. 'I was searching for something.' 'Ah!' She let out a relieved sigh when she found that bright shiny green piece of cloth. Extra absorbant. She hoped it would do just as good a job in absorbing other body fluids as it did with sweat... 'What is that? What do you need that for?' Bofur asked while he snatched her shirt away from her. 'Can you give me that back please?' She asked politely. Bofur grinned. Enya watched him while she packed her bag again. She did not want any other curious dwarves going through her most precious belongings. 'Bofur?' She tilted her head in an attempt to get her shirt back, but it had no effect. 'I have found it.' Said Bofur. 'And that means I can keep it." 'You don't even know what it is!' Enya said. 'No.' Admitted Bofur. 'But I like the color.' 'And I happen to need it' grumbled Enya. 'So give it back' Bofur watched her as she walked to him. Allright, if she could not persuade him to give it back, she had to come up with another strategy. She wanted to try her best to be the perfect mannered lady, but even those ambitions had its limits. And fearing the daunting idea that she would have to miss the only option of a pad, was on of them. If he wanted to play dirty, she would play along. Enya smiled at Bofur and in the blink of an eye she snatched the tobacco pouch, that was hanging around his neck, from its place. 'Oh!' She purred. 'Look what I have found!' 'Hey! Give that back!' Bofur demanded. Enya did her best to look innocent. 'But I found it! And you told me, that accordding to the dwarf laws, I am allowed to keep it!' 'Allright miss.' Bofur laughed. 'We're even. Now give it back.' Enya narrowed her eyes. 'I want my shirt back first.' Bofure sighed. 'You are learning, aren't you?' Enya didn't answer and held up her hand. Carefully, Bofur placed her shirt back in her hands. Enya took a few steps backwards. 'I want my pouch back!' 'I will keep it as a down payment until I am sure my shirt is safe!' Enya said. 'You witch' muttered Bofur. 'You will get it back' teased Enya. Bofur folded his arms and looked angrily at her. 'You know,' Enya told him before she disappeared in the forest. 'Patience is a virtue!'

When Enya joined the -now ready to leave- company, she felt much better. Sure, she had to shred her shirt into pieces, but on the bright side, she now had a few re-usable ladies pads. She wondered how other women in middle earth were coping with this problem. No doubt the majority of them was forced to stay at home. She sighed and giggled when she saw Bofur standing before her. 'My tobacco pouch?' Bofur tried. Enya took it from her traveling bag and handed it over. 'Next time you steal something from me, you won't get it back' Enya said. She followed the dwarves as they started to continue their journey into the wild.

A few days later Enya was caught up in her thoughts, which resulted in being on of the last of the company in the back of the group.

'What is on your mind miss?' She startled when Balin appeared next to her. Balin never traveled in the back of the group. He always seemed to be around Thorin in the front, determining the way and giving him advice on subjects she only could imagine. Since their little rendez-vous a few days ago, she avoided Thorin like the plague, which meant she hadn't talked to Balin for a few days too. Her heart lit up when she imaged Thorin sending Balin towards her to check how she was doing. NO! She corrected herself. He made clear to her she was an uncivilized human being. He had no interest in her whatsoever. Besides, he had more important matters to worry about. She should be thinking about other more irrelevant matters, like the fact that her period was finally at its end. 'I'm pleased to see you, Balin!' Enya smiled. 'I was just thinking about dwarf habits and social rules... and how little I know about those. It makes me feel... uncivilized sometimes.' Balin grinned. 'The social norms we use are not that complicated.' 'Why is it I never have heard of women in your kin? -Erm, I mean, I apologize if I'm too bold, but I don't know who else I could ask.' 'It's fine miss. I won't judge you for wanting to fit in' answered Balin. Enya shrugged. Was it that obvious? 'There are more dwarvish men than women' Balin said. 'Our women prefer to stay at home to do their duties. They won't travel, unless they are in great need.' Enya frowned. 'That sounds pretty medieval to me.' When she saw Balin staring at her, she laughed. 'I'm sorry. I meant that in my world, women and men are equal. Well, we pretend to be anyway. We won't let ourselves be contrained by the roles we were given because of our gender.' 'But what is wrong with staying home and doing your duties there?' Balin asked, obviously perplexed. 'It doesn't mean out women are less valued then the men... That is a far cry from the truth!' 'No, I did not mean it is wrong to do so. I just... in my world it doesn't work that way.' Balin smiled. 'I see' Enya sighed. 'I am so sorry Balin! It is hard for me to adjust to these standards.' Balin shook his head. 'No hardship, miss' 'No, really, I mean it!' Enya stated. 'I beg you, can you teach me more about my kin?' Balin beamed, very pleased with the fact that Enya acknowleged her ancestry. 'I will tell you everything I know, miss Enya.'

Along the next couple of days, Enya learned a great deal about dwarves. During the day, she harrassed poor Balin with all kinds of questions about culture, language, social norms and sometimes even courtship. She learned dwarves were monogamous and a large amount of their kin would never take a wife. When Enya asked why, Balin simply stated that most of them were too busy with their crafts. At night, Balin told her about the history of their kin. Often Enya found herself completely mezmorized by the heroïc tales of their ancestors. She learned about the story behind their quest, the destruction of Erebor and the meeting with the much hated pale white orc. Fíli and Kíli sat often with her and enjoyed the tales as much as she did. The first few days after their little stunt had been very awkward. Thorin had made them apologize to her and continued to ignore all three of them. Because they were all victims of his wrath, they lingered together in the back of the group. She quickly became attached to them and they treated her as one of their accomplishes. But when they listened to Balin in silence, Thorin often watched them from a distance, his attractive face unreadable. During these moments, Enya sometimes caught his gaze but his face never lit up.

They were tracking in a particularly rocky area, when Thorin suddenly stopt the group. His face said it all: someone was approaching their group in high speed. They heard branches snapping and the trees were rushing as someone passed them. Enya heard little paws running. Suddenly, a wooden sleigh appeared from the forest. It was pulled forward by ten overly sized rabbits. Enya's first reflex was to pick one of them up and sqeeze them tight to her chest, but she was distracted by the man that was on the sleigh. He seemed an odd fellow, with dark brown hair and an impressive beard. He was screaming. 'THIEVES! MURDER!' 'Radagast!' Gandalf looked very relieved and everyone lowered their weapons when they realized this man could never be a thread to them. Radagast the Brown... 'He is the wizards who keeps a watchful eye in the east, right?' Enya whispered at Bombur. Bombur just nodded. Gandalf and Radagast trailed off, obviously to discuss a pressing matter. The members of the company made themselves comfortable while they waited. Enya lowered herself and sat right next to where the rabbits were grazing. 'Hi there' she said in a soft tone. The biggest one looked up and sniffed at her hand. 'May I pet you?' She asked. It didn't provide her with an answer, so she carefully raised her hand and started to stroke it gently. The rabbit gave her its consent and pushed its head in the palm of her hand. Enya giggled. She knew this sign all too well. She could proceed. 'What are you doing?' Dwalin scoffed. 'I am giving them some love.' Enya answered. 'They are gentle creatures and deserve your respect.' Dwalin smirked and walked away. Enya sighed and went on with petting every furry member of the little pack. By the time she was finished, Gandalf and Radagast had returned. 'They normally won't allow strangers to approach them' the wizard said, clearly puzzled. Enya wanted to answer that she knew her way around animals, but the look on his face told her he would not he impressed by such a response. Radagast regarded her with curiousity and gently touched her handpalms. 'She is indeed strong, Gandalf. The powers of nature are flowing through her.' 'Fire, ice. The agressive forces' Gandalf nodded. Radagast turned to Enya. 'Try to be one with mother nature. Find peace, balance. If you do, the more subtle forces will flow through you as well.' When Enya shot him a confused glance, he said: 'Water, air. Maybe even earth. When you master those elements, you are able to control the most powerful source nature posesses.' Enya instantly knew the answer. 'Lightning and thunder.' Radagast nodded. 'But why am I called a fire witch then?' She asked. 'Because that matches your temperament. You are fierce. To stay in balance, you must let all their energies flow through you.' It was Gandalf who answered. 'I could take her, to guide her-' Radagast mused, but Thorin broke into the conversation. 'We need her.' He said in a low, authoritative voice. Enya shot him a confused glance. Would they? She was still exploring the bounderies of her powers, which sometimes made her a bit unstable. Also, her fighting skills were no match to any of them.

They all shook up when they heard a wolf howling. Enya wondered if it was one, because it sounded a bit off. 'Is that a wolf?' Bilbo asked. 'No. This is a warg scout.' Dwalin cursed. 'Which means an orc pack is not far behind.' Muttered Thorin. Before they could prepare, the warg scout jumped through the bushes, followed by another one. While Enya was still processing what was actually going on, the dwarves killed both creatures. 'Who did you tell about your quest beyond your kin?' Gandalf asked Thorin. 'No one.' 'Who did you tell?' Pressed the wizard. 'Nobody. I swear.' Gandalf sighed. 'Then I believe you are being hunted.' 'I'll draw them off' Radagast proposed. 'These are gundabad wargs, they will outrun you' Gandalf shouted. 'These are rhosgobel rabbits.' Radagast shot back. 'I'd like to see them try.'

They ran for their lives. Enya was secretly worried that the cute oversized rabbits would not make it, but her instinct told her they would be fine. It seemed Radagast loved his animals far too much to put their lives at stake. She panted and thanked herself for her daily running routine. Bombur on the other hand seemed to have a hard time keeping up. 'Where are we going?' She asked, but nobody bothered to provide her with an answer. She sighed when they had to hide from one member of the orc pack and pressed herself against the boulder. Thorin silently instructed Kíli to shot the warg and his rider. The young dwarf prince tried, but killing the warg made so much noise that by the time both foul creatures were dead, they had the full orc pack on their tail again. 'Well, at least the diversion worked for a few minutes' Enya thought. 'Run!' Screamed Gandalf and everyone was happy to oblige. 'Were are you leading us?' Asked Thorin, but Gandalf ignored him. Suddenly Gandalf disappeared and they found themselves surrounded by the orc pack. 'Hold your ground!' Screamed Thorin. Enya noticed that even in life threatening situations he was irresistable. Very easy on the eye. 'Shut up' she muttered and she grabbed the weapons she got from the troll hoard they searched after their little adventure. The two sai she chose shone bright in the sun. She held them tight in her hands and smiled. Bring it on. 'Over here, you fools!' Enya turned and saw Gandalf waving at them. He was standing at the side of a crevasse and jumped. Thorin shouted everyone should follow. Enya quickly let herself slide down and landed softly in the cave. Dwalin decided to look ahead and concluded that he could not see where it lead. 'Do we follow it or no?' He asked. 'Follow it of course!' Bofur shouted back.

They all followed and ended up in a breathtaking valley. Rivendell. Enya smiled. Although she should be not overly fond of elves, she could not imagine that the inhabitants of such a beautiful valley were not trustworthy. She sighed and winked at Bilbo, who was standing next to her. He seemed as much in awe as she was. 'So, Bilbo. The dwarves won't like this valley any bit, so they probably will leave any investigation to us. Are you up for that?' Bilbo's face lit up. 'Yes, miss Enya. I would very much like so.'

#thorin oakenshield #thorin x reader #thorin x oc #the hobbit #thorin #thorin imagine #adventure #fluff and smut #eventual smut #romance #magic

25 notes · View notes