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msookyspooky · 1 year

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Hi Spooky !! So I’ve been getting through some of the recs you gave me for my Halloween marathon :33 AND i saw Child’s Play — which i liked way more than I thought i would, like it’s genuinely pretty funny And i cant wait to watch the sequels, leTS FUCKING GOOO — Yesterday was Idle Hands which sksksks wanna a silly little movie, ‘twas truly delightful, all the characters are fun/cool except for Anton most of the movie so it took a while for me to feel bad for him, BUT i did eventually, i really enjoyed it so it’s definitely up there for the rewatchbility of it !! — I CANT REMEMBER IF YOU RECOMMENDED POLTERGEIST OR NOT ??? I think you did but anyways I really liked it !!! The supernatural stuff is pretty mild + the 80s special effects make it not that scary to me, also i felt really bad for that fucking family ? What the hell ?!?! The dad was the fucking mvp he did The Most and he looked great doing it (10/10 - could watch again)

NOW for movies that ik you didn’t recommend but have been mentioned here at some point: Black Telephone and Butcher Baker Nightmare Maker. I saw someone recommended BT for you a whole ago and if you haven’t had the time yet to watch it please know it’s super worth it !!!! The main characters are really good and interesting and the acting is just phenomenal, specIALLY THE KIDS WTH, AND theres a bit of a supernatural thing to it but it was just fun/good for the plot and not so much trying to get you to shit ur pants, ya know?

AND for BBNM, i was very excited for this movie, to me it was a classic like 80s slasher, the tENSION, the creative like weapon choices, the like twist/break the killer goes through (like after its clear to us/other characters they did it) and THE ACTORS ARE JUST PHENOMENAL — like the aunt is/has been basically grooming her nephew since he was 3 and god does it show, some scenes are so creepy, and moments were someone would you know question her/ her actions, he doesn’t even Think to doubt her, it was terrible (but in a good way, story wise) OH AND BILL PAXTON, he doesn’t show up a lot (i think with dialogue for 2 or 3 scenes maybe) and he plays classic homophobic with daddy issues so 😐 but he did look good tho so theres that

STAR THIS IS LIKE WEEKS UPON WEEKS LATE FORGIVE ME 🥲

Idle hands is such a dark humor dumbass slap stick but I love it 🤣 Listen, I just thought he had the worst asthma of his life I didn't even know what weed was till I was like 11 but as a kid seeing that hand terrified me and child me remembered it being so scary and adult me rewatched it and I was like....What? This is the movie that terrified me??? afjsafkjs

POLTERGEIST! That completely slipped my mind, I didn't watch it often but I do remember parts of it and it's really good. And I did see the black phone!!! It was so good I mean the protagonist was so smart and using the ghost of the children was a haunting aspect I didn't expect but so glad they did it. Gwen was my favorite character she reminded me of how I was as a kid and I also have prophetic dreams like her. So does my one grandmother. We both dream of family deaths and major events going to happen and it almost always comes true so it was so different to see them utilize that in the movie. I went in expecting a kidnapping survival and got so much more!!

And bro I have GOT to watch it!! I couldn't find it under Butcher Baker Nightmare Maker so I saw someone recommend searching Night Warning and there it is (Idk why they picked these titles bc it makes it so much harder to find bro ong) and yeeaahhh I kind of expect the homophobia and sexism in 80s movies I just try to take it with a grain of salt I think that's why I like Lost Boys and Near Dark sm bc...Wow...An 80s movie with an 80s aesthetic...and no homophobia or sexism or racism? OMFG FINALLY!!

Another one with Bill I watched but was HORRIBLE was Boxing Helena. I'm usually not a snob with movies but it was like bad cheesy softcore porn for someone with weird fetishes. The guy/doctor is basically an incest mommy issues guy bc of his vapid mother who just 'died' out of nowhere and he inherited her home and he's engaged to a wonderful woman that is also a doctor and too good for him but the kicker is he is OBSESSED with a woman that he had a one night stand with years ago and wants nothing to do with him but he's a toxic fucking weirdo that does everything he can (Including cutting her limbs off....You heard me.) in order to make her dependent on him bc...Shocker; she reminds him of his shitty Mom. You are filthy rich go to therapy you freak. I felt zero remorse for him and the movie tries to make you sympathize with him and it's like...Why?

THE ONLY part, I do mean, THE ONLY FUCKING PART worth watching is the explict Bill Paxton sex scene the first 15 minutes he has the woman's entire boob in his mouth while he's grinding her hips on his uh...And MOANING while he does it...I'd scream w/o the s on the spot if I was her istg 💦 Like I was so flustered bc I DID NOT expect it to be that explict 😳😳😳

He plays an asshole rockstar lover to the woman but compared to the guy we're supposed to sympathize with at least he's not wackadoo nuts tbh. I will take cheating asshole over whatever the fuck is wrong with the doctor if I had to pick....And I mean...Lolk at him-

Like I can't show any scenes from his part in the movie but if you want to watch like the first 15 minutes then skip to the end where Bill's character pistol whips the guy holding her hostage and mutilating her. I mean, Bill's character beats the shit out of him (Again, so hot of Bill's character to do that🥵😤) understandable bc I regret wasting almost 2hrs of my life watching it

WHY IS THE HOTTEST BILL PAXTON SCENE I'VE EVER SEEN IN THE SHITTIEST MOVIE??? WHY 😭😭😭

If ppl like it good for them but I deadass couldn't hardly focus on it at all it was just a hot mess and the ending had me fuming lmfao

I also watched The Watcher and Nope and those were so so good!!!! Especially Nope!

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babblingbat · 3 years

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Obviously this wouldn’t solve ALL the problems in star wars but like. Imagine how much in star wars would be better if adults treated children like, dare I say it, actual children.

Like, if 9 year old baby Anakin Skywalker is brought to the Jedi Council and they say “you are practically an infant and require so much therapy for literally growing up in the worst environment in the world and regardless of what happens next we’ll make sure you end up somewhere safe”... idk what would HAPPEN but at least you wouldn’t be questioning this 9 year old’s right to like, exist outside of slavery.

Or! Obi-Wan in TPM! Granted, he’s like, 25 or something, but he’s also a dude who just became an adult in the eyes of the Jedi because his pseudo-dad died, so maybe don’t saddle him with responsibility right off the fucking bat. Maybe he’d have fewer issues? Obi-Wan’s canonical childhood is already so incredibly fucked up, he doesn’t need more of this.

The clones! Those are children in adult’s bodies! Don’t send them to WAR are you KIDDING me they’re TEN. Not to mention they have no rights, aren’t paid, are barely considered sentient, and aren’t given a choice about being cannon fodder in the eyes of the government. THEY’RE CHILDREN.

The padawans! ALSO CHILDREN. And you don’t even have the excuse that they look like adults here or that they’ve been trained for war since ever (again, what the fuck). Ahsoka was FOURTEEN when people said “yeah we can send this kid into an active war zone” and DID. And initiates can become padawans as young as ten years old! Somewhere in the clone wars there are FIFTH GRADERS running around getting shot at and some of them have probably died because they’re IN A WAR ZONE. If the Jedi pressured the senate a little and was like “no, actually, you can’t put CHILDREN in BATTLE there are LAWS against that”... well, they might not be successful, but the fact that they were just like, “I mean, lesser of two evils, its our duty to the republic, must be done I suppose” about the ENTIRE ORDER being-- what? conscripted? into the GAR is just... idk. How can you possibly justify putting kids in war zones when they’re literally there as students who aren’t fully qualified, and then REPEATEDLY left to deal with things like this on their own. I can understand it if the galaxy was a little chiller and it was more of “yes padawan mine sort out this trade disagreement I’ll be monitoring but it’s your show” that’s fine. That’s a good learning experience. But you can’t leave the equivalent of a high school freshman in the middle of hostile territory and be shocked when something goes wrong.

Also, just in general, the idea of children being capable soldiers at all is awful! And, I would think, something that the Jedi Council would disapprove of! Oh, you look out for the interests of other people? Hm, why do you, General Jedi #6, have a middle schooler with you? HOW DO YOU RECONCILE THIS

More specifically... Ahsoka was the age of a high school sophmore/young junior when she was ARRESTED AND TRIED FOR TERRORISM as the Jedi Council tried to make a point about not being soft on their own members during war. How callous do you have to be to not show compassion to a, again, LITERAL NON-ADULT who must have so much PTSD already and then just go “in fact, we’re going to arrest you for MURDER” as if her life couldn’t get any worse, only to then not give her ANY support after leaving. That’s not an adult, there! That is a TALL CHILD with laser swords and a lifetime voucher for therapy!

And looping back around to between TPM and AOTC, people let Palpatine talk to a ten year old? Repeatedly? Like, the amount of interest that this elderly man is showing in a middle schooler should definitely raise some eyebrows, regardless of sithy dramatic irony. Anakin is a CHILD and, if I recall correctly, Palpatine, like, threatens the Jedi order in order to speak with him alone? No one said, “no actually we’re calling the police because this REEKS of come into my white panel van child I have toffee energy”? No one wondered why on earth this guy who runs the galaxy wants to speak to this random snot nosed kid? For crying out loud, no one says “hey mr. Chancellor, I think you probably have like 5 million better things to do than chat up an infant”? hell on earth, no one even does THAT much, which isn’t so much looking out for Anakin as it is wondering why the chancellor isn’t doing his job! TAKE CARE OF YOUR FUCKING CHILDREN, STAR WARS UNIVERSE, BEDAMNED HYPERFIXATION

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secret-time-is-here · 2 years

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An Error's Journey

Chapter 39

Previous - First - Next

===TW: Talk of abuse, implied violence, blood, talk of trauma===

Things were slowly coming together, yet, there were still some empty spots. Plot holes that no matter how much he tried to think it over or research it-he couldn’t fill it in. It was simply small, minuscule things, but it stumped him nonetheless. That glimpse of a memory of Dream and Nightmare, Nightmare didn’t look the same. He looked like a copy of Dream, except with a purple palette. How did Nightmare become who he is today? Look like how he does today? What pulled them apart and what happened to the tree?

There was also the question of how Ink became a god, or how he managed to escape his empty world. He still hasn’t told Death that he remembers the two of them being together-or at least, the promise to get together. Then actually telling Ink he’s a part of this so-called team too…

“Communication is key, Error. You of all people should know this.” Core spoke up, leaning against his new desk. Something Nightmare had specially made for the new circular bedroom Error occupied.

“Yeah, yeah… are we on the right track?”

“Yes. In fact, we’re going through this faster than I anticipated. Granted I expected you to take longer to get through your memories, although it’s been quite balanced with your day-to-day life.”

“What of the enemy?”

“...Nightmare’s outside your door.” Core avoided. A triple knock ran through, and Error let a string open the door for him, “Hello, Nightmare. It’s been a while.”

“It has… A decade or so if I remember correctly?” Nightmare was cautious, closing the door behind him with a tense stance. Expression calculated and calm.

“Yes, I take it Cross has done well with you all? Considering your sanity, I would say yes.” Core didn’t bother to let Nightmare answer, turning back to Error. “God of Destruction, I will be taking my leave. Listen to my advice.” They turned back to Nightmare, “Good day to you, God of Negativity.”

Nightmare’s features softened, and Core left with a smile.

“So.” Nightmare carried on, moving to sit with Error in his beanbag, “What was all that about?”

“Just...” Error sighed, wrapping his arms around Nightmare’s waist, “Night, how did ya become what ya are?”

“Ah, I was wondering when you’d ask that.”

“Yer… you’re not mad about it?”

“No, unlike being closeted, I’ve long since accepted my corruption and the events that caused it. After all, the corruption seems to like reminding me every once and a while that I wasn’t always like this...”

Nightmare moved, resting comfortably against Error, head tucked under the destroyer's chin and arms holding each other close. Thus, the terrible tale began.

Nightmare, slowly but surely, explained his past. The abuse that transpired, how the village that flourished not far away posed its ideals onto Dream and Nightmare. Hence Nightmare started to stay home, taking care of the home and protecting the tree while Dream helped out at the village. Nightmare didn’t really have much reason to complain, he didn’t want to talk to the villagers and the village certainly didn’t want to talk let alone interact with him at all.

Slowly, through the years the village grew outwards until it was nearing the tree. Then they started to interact more.

The abuse simply started with some slander here and there, which Nightmare had certainly heard before from the older folk. It didn’t do much to him, and they were only children who didn’t know better, so Nightmare didn’t bother to tell Dream. Even when they threw pebbles he didn’t tell Dream, they were only children.

Then, the children grew to teens, and Nightmare grew wiser. Soon, he had learned to skillfully climb the tree, hiding behind his side of dark black apples. Even learning how to take careful naps up high in the branches. The pebbles grew to rocks, and the rocks eventually grew to being beaten with branches.

Those innocent children grew up to terrifying adults, and the whole village began to hate him.

Dream was still none the wiser.

Dream only found out because he caught one of them yelling up at Nightmare one day. Then Dream found the scars and dents in his bones, and talked to the village, finally reprimanding them for the behavior.

That was the last day Nightmare had been uncorrupted.

Dream went out to get herbs to tend to Nightmare, and Nightmare regretfully stayed at the cabin alone.

They came back in a mob, headed towards the tree, many carrying axes and if not axes: torches and pitchforks. Nightmare ran despite his injuries to protect the tree, they easily pushed him out of the way. They began to cut down the tree, and the shaking caused a single black apple to fall.

Nightmare and Dream, when they were created, were made with one ingrained lesson: Protect the tree, protect the apples, protect the balance, and protect the mortals from the apples. He and Dream, at the time, didn’t fall into either category. They were ageless, but not immortal. They weren’t mortal either, however.

“In an attempt to get any strength to fit back against them, I ate the apple. The power exploded half of my skull.” Nightmare leaned up and grabbed one of Error’s hands, “I’m blind on my right side. Go ahead, your hand will go right through the goop. There’s no bone there.” Sure enough, his hand went right through. “I thankfully have just enough negativity from my souls to give the appearance that I still have a full skull.”

Nightmare redirected his hand to his left cheek, “I got a big chip here from the village, for the first hundred years I talked with a heavy slur, finally learned how to talk with it eventually.” Caressing the bone, sure enough under the corruption there was a big open chip in his skull like someone took a slice of cake. “...I blacked out, and when I returned, there was blood everywhere, and Dream was in front of me, the last golden apple in hand. I had turned the rest into negative apples.”

Nightmare moved Error’s hand again, to his other cheek, nuzzling it and cuddling back into Error’s embrace, “I blacked out again after that, and awoke a long time later, Dream was a statue, and Sci was standing in front of me. I’m lucky he took me in for a time, healed up everything he could-even helped me fix my limp-and taught me portal magic.”

“Sci?”

“Oh, right, I forgot that I haven’t told anyone of that, hehe.” Nightmare chuckled, “A Sci sans-actually, the council Sci sans took me in when I was younger. He still keeps in contact for my birthdays, as do I his.” Nightmare paused, “...I don’t think Dream knows about it. That is, me missing most of my skull… and the slur… and the general injuries I got.”

“As far as I know, he came out of stone one hundred years after the incident, by our first battle he had teamed with Ink-and Ink was heavily confused on why he was calling me starlight and ‘she’... heh, such a dumb nickname.”

Nightmare sighed, “When we were younger… I practiced with magic a lot, which probably helped in the village hating me. Lost count of how many times they called me a witch. Not really the attack type of magic though. The mystical type. Spells and potions.”

Error hugged Nightmare close, cuddling up to him as he listened to his lover. “The first thing I learned was to make a light source, a calming purple light that expanded my aura.”

“Aura? Ya have an aura?”

“Yes, I learned to control that early on into my corruption. As I’m sure Dream has learned to control his by now… Before my corruption it gave off feelings of acceptance, stealing away negativity and reusing it to power my magic. It lulled Dream to sleep when my singing wasn’t enough. He said it provided a wave of calm for him… Now it just sends people into a craze, or as I accidentally learned once, boosts LV symptoms.”

Nightmare slinked out of the embrace, “Come on, I got a special place to take you to.”

Error was quickly pulled out of his room, and through many secret tunnels he didn’t know existed, they quickly made way over to Nightmare’s study. A place he rarely went as Nightmare hardly used it anymore.

It was a comfortable bedroom turned office with Nightmare’s skills. The walk-in closet was turned into a pantry for drinks with a sink included and a drying rack above it. The window next to the closet had a beautiful window seat that doubled as cupboard storage. Nightmare had made himself a large desk that wrapped around the rest of the back wall and into the center of the room, his chair pushed and an armchair on the other side. The rest of the walls were covered in bookshelves aside from near the door, where a couch sat.

Nightmare beelined for a specific bookshelf muttering to himself.

“Octo...” Nightmare taped a book on a bookshelf, the eighth one, “Septem...” The seventh one, “Quattuor...” The fourth one, “Decem...” The tenth one. “All my spells are in Latin,” Nightmare shrugged, before drawing something complicated in the air.

Suddenly, the bookshelf pushed itself backward, the books trembling as it moved. And once it was out of the way, Nightmare dragged him up a winding flight of stairs, old dusty windows letting in very little light but offering glimpses into the expanding landscape outside.

At the top of the stairs was a very comfortable room, in the middle of the room the floor was indented with a large mattress covered in pillows and blankets filling the space. The back wall was covered in shelves, many locked with glass. Countless bottles filled these shelves and a near kitchen-like setup was prepared nearby.

“Ya really meant it when ya said ya practice magic, huh?”

“Yes, how else will the boys get healed? Not to mention keeping the castle hidden, and protecting myself and others when we do go out.” Nightmare moved to another wall of bookshelves, one case full of old, journal-like books, while the rest held what were clearly spell books of all kinds. “Dust was the first to catch wind of my exploits, I’ve been careful to watch over him whenever he works on his potions.”

Nightmare carefully pulled out an old book from the journals, a ragged thing made of withered yellow paper and scratchy string-bound leather. “Horror is the only other one that knows, although he just wanted to learn how to make intent fused foods and healing foods.”

Nightmare smiled softly at the book then waved Error over to the pile of pillows. Opening up the book was an old black and white photo of Nightmare and Dream both smiling, Dream with his arm around Nightmare’s waist. “Dream managed to save up enough one year to get a camera, think this is a few months before the incident.” Looking closer, there were slight dents in Nightmare’s bones, much easier seen with the grayscale of the photo.

“Thanks for showing this ta me Night.”

“Hey, I’m learning about your past, I might as well tell you about mine.”

“...about that.” Nightmare turned his full attention to Error, “I… in the past, I was a genocide timeline. I’m pretty sure I went on ta date Death as a Geno, then somehow got into the antivoid.”

“Wouldn’t Death have mentioned this to you?”

“Well, he might’ve forgotten. Or might be waiting for me ta come ta him ‘bout it.”

“...do you still care for Death? In that way?”

“No, right now it’s all you. I’m open ta others joining in the future-but not before talking with ya.”

“Thanks, Ru.”

-----

The doodlesphere was bright, thousands of small islands stretching as far as the eye could see. He hadn’t ever bothered to break into the world until now, but now he understands why Ink loves it so much. The island he landed on was massive compared to everything else, a colorful rainbow lake nearby and a building that definitely started as a copy of the typical Skelebro home but evolved into its own confusing mess of rooms instead.

“Error?! How’d you get in here?” Ink came running out of the house, “I’m pretty sure I never gave you a key-”

“I’m a glitch, ink-stain. I don’t need a key, I do need ta talk with ya though.”

“Oh...kay. What about?”

“Has Core directed you at all? Given advice steered you against something ya were gonna do?”

“Yeah?”

“Did they ever mention a team?” Ink bounced up gasping, stars in his eyes, “I’ll take that as a yes...”

“I can’t believe it-! Well, I can- but still!” Ink smiled wide, “There’s others though… right?”

“Yeah. Dream, Death, and Night are the others, plus me a’ course.” Ink’s smile got wider, “If it doesn’t hurt ta ask… how’d ya become a God? Ya came from an unfinished world… I can’t figure it out.”

Ink’s expression turned sour, and he seemed to drip to the floor, sitting with his chin on his knees. Error followed, sitting in the grass with the other.

“...that’s the one thing I can’t forget.” Ink eventually mumbled, teardrop in one eye and hourglass in the other, “I did come from an unfinished world, yeah… I don’t even really know how I got the god powers or title, I just know I walked away from the sketch of snowdin… eventually grew insane-or at least it felt like it… tore my soul...”

Ink sighed, “When I broke my soul, it exploded into ink, and I accidentally made a portal out of it and landed here.” Ink looked over to the rainbow pond, “Fell right into that pond, and then Core showed up and taught me how to collect the paints from it for emotions. Core explained the doodlesphere and the creators chose me to be their representative, God of Creation.”

Ink closed his eyes with another sigh, “It’s the one thing I can’t forget… Did I already say that?” Error nodded, “Sorry, forgetful, heh.”

A portal dinged nearby, and Dream ran through, seemingly not bothering to notice Error. Quickly getting down next to them and pulling Ink close in a hug. “Pfft, hiya Sunny.” Ink smiled softly, “I’m fine-just… uh… um… I forgot why I was sad.”

“Do ya remember me telling ya about the team?” Error broke through, Dream finally noticing him.

“Oh-yeah- ...I remember why I was sad now.” Error scooted a little closer, wrapping an arm around Ink. “Thanks.”

“Becoming a God ain’t fun, it’s okay to be sad about what happened.”

Dream caught on, and added: “Yeah, I mean, honestly despite being the God of Positivity-the incident that caused it was… it wasn’t fun.”

“...What happened with you guys?” Ink spoke softly, slowly getting better.

“Sadly, I can't remember yet.” Error shrugged, “I know that the Antivoid changed me though, I might’ve just blocked out the memory of it.”

“I… Night and I used to be closer, and there was a village nearby that didn’t treat them-him right.” Dream tensed, and while subtle, Error could tell he held onto Ink tighter, “They hurt him, and I left for a moment to get herbs for th-him, and came back to him being corrupted. Then I ate the last apple, and I couldn’t see for a moment-next thing I knew Nightmare cast a spell on me, then I returned a hundred years later...” Dream looked off into the distance, towards a specific island, “...it’s just pieces for me. Wish I could talk to Star-... Nightmare to get a clearer picture.”

“...Maybe one day.” Error whispered to himself, but from Dream's expression, it was clear the other heard.

He could speak to Death another day.

All characters belong to their respected creators

Also this Quote:

“Good day to you, God of Negativity.”

Nightmare’s features softened, and Core left with a smile.

Core loves to validate Nightmare, and over the years found God works best. (A little note I have on the doc that I wanted to share :})

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booksbookandmorebooks · 6 years

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Wicked Deep By Shea Ernshaw Book review.

Wicked deep follows one of our main characters penny Talbot a introverted junior at the end of her school year. As the locals prepare for the scary/festive period in June. A time when the town is plagued by tourists and strangers eagerly awaiting the mysterious curse of the swan sisters to begin )Penny is far from thrilled about its arrival. In a town where three sister were killed for witchcraft, death always follows its inhabitants. For these three weeks they lure as many young men into the oceans as possible. Bewitching and luring them to their icy graves as punishment for the towns people’s sins over 200 years ago!

Amidst drunken parties and teenagers, the curse rages on with a fury this year to the concern of our main character. While Sitting alone watching the festivities from a far, tormented by the apparent stupidity of the towns people at this time, she is introduced to the new stranger in town Bo. A stranger with a different air about him and a seemingly big secret …one that penny seems to be very drawn to… will this be another summer shrouded by death and witchcraft or is this the summer where the past will finally be avenged and the curse laid to rest?

In all honesty this book I had no qualms with or at least none big enough to discuss. It was just a thoroughly enjoyable read! One I might admit I read in one day to my surprise. it just completely took over me like a witch’s spell! So here is a collection of a few parts of this book I adored!

Storyline:

The story overall has a lot of paranormal elements to it, and not in a cliché jump scare kind of way. Shea has created this eerie atmosphere which made the whole story read more like a thriller book creating a more adult feel. I find when reading book that’s contain paranormal factors they almost read like a children’s book. It’s a little patronising especially if it’s a YA book like wicked deep and I was so glad that this book had the complete opposite approach to storytelling.

I’m also a big fan of books that swap view points throughout, for example. When Dimple met Rishi or children of blood and bone. I think it’s such a clever way to show the same situation through a different perspective and help shed more light onto the various characters within the story. Although with this book it was the changing time periods not the characters but regardless it worked just as well. The scenes set in the past and current events are intertwined beautifully and were never clunky to my surprise, as it’s such a worry when reading this specific method. If anything, they add more to the story as the scenes of the past are very relevant to the progression of the current day story line and are introduced just at the right time.

The characters:

Although penny was a good main character don’t get me wrong, i just didn’t feel like I connected with her half as much as I did with Bo. Now yes there was the cliched troubled bad boy approach, the boy who went off the rails, who is mysterious and eerie yet has this protective vibe to him, if you've read enough YA you know the one. Yet the chivalrous side to Bo made all of that more endearing than anything. instead of being a creepy sex charged teenager you’d expect, he was mature beyond his years and had such a deep and true care for penny. which i hate to admit, i swooned over completely. All these quality combined with his softer side made his character one that you would easily fall in love with at any age never mind as a teenager. i can admit, i not only swooned over their romance but also Bo himself. Hes every girls bad habit. But please do not take this as a YA romance because its far from it. While the romance is a plot point it is no way near the only thing this book has to offer and if I’m honest, its not even a main focus in the book besides a few beautiful scenes shared between Bo and penny. It focuses on the terrifying deaths happening all around them. But with that, I loved the fact it didn’t have the cliche of that us against the world trope, it was used more to help them develop into a powerful twosome devoted to making a change for good.

The mythology:

This was one of the elements I loved most about the book, the mythology. It was never over explained or over exaggerated, it was described throughout so simply it almost bled slowly through the story line gradually, yet it felt so very real and made this story feel like you were reading true life events as they happened creating that suspenseful environment you would expect.

I love the history of witches and find that specific topic so interesting, so to me this was a dream come true. while it didn’t have much real witch history included it is still able to provided me with a believable story, one of which is created with a view point from the witches in response to their years of abuse and oppression. It really opens your eyes to the fact there were so many people back then who were murdered under false pretences and how these accusations were used as a means to dispose of anyone and everyone who were different and/or misunderstood. Which is heart breaking. A fact that has stuck with me ever since. Another well executed method used to help create the whole uneasy feel to this book.

With all of this I give the book a 4.5 out of 5.

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elizabethsta-blog · 7 years

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Nikolas and Company Book 1: The Merman and the Moon Forgotten - Kevin McGill | Action & ...

PERFECT FOR AGES 8 TO 14 To escape an apocalyptic future Earth filled with malicious nanny drones and deadly genetic viruses, fourteen-year-old Nikolas Lyons leads his refugee friends to a fantastic moon inhabited by fire-breathing winged lions, robot-legged mermen, and volcano-born nymphs. But Nikolas soon learns the fantastic can be more terrifying than the future. When Nick finds wealthy shoppers stepping over the body of his dying refugee friend, Jermaine, on the way to their next shoe sale, he decides that it’s time to leave Earth, and his friends are going with him. Nick’s grandfather, Grand, offers a way to realize this dream by taking him to the moon, but there’s a catch. Grand’s moon is in the past; it's teeming with magical creatures, and its merfolk believe that Nick will save them from the thousand-eyed monsters haunting their fortresses. To save his refugees friends, Nick must choose the better world: A future Earth filled with genetic viruses and malicious nannydrones, or a fantastic moon in the past inhabited by blood thirsty gorgons, man-eating pirate ships, and fire-breathing winged lions. The future or the fantastic? Their lives are in Nick's hands. If "The Doctor" took The Goonies on an adventure to a fantastic version of the moon, you'd get Nikolas and Company. Pure awesome in a cup. With some waffles. Which would make it a waffle load. - Austin 14 "My boys 11 and 14 both really enjoyed the story and only complained that book 2 wasn't out yet so they couldn't keep reading." - Fred Chambers "As an adult, I love this series, the characters, the plot twists. I haven't enjoyed a fantasy series this much since I read Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. I've already added you my list of favorite authors." - Reehya Bagwandin "As fun as Percy Jackson!" - Anonymous "I have to admit, before I could snuggle up under my blankies with this fantastical book, my son beat me to it. He read it in a single day and raved." - Elizabeth Mueller Review from my 13-year old daughter: "This was an imaginative, well-written novel similar to the Hitchhiker's Guide books and was a pleasure to read. The author did a good job and hopefully has more in store." Sara Grace "Enticing and Amazing"... These are the opening reviews my 11 year old son. As a constant video/computer gamer, it is phenomenal to see him immersed in these books. He loves this series so much that he's been sharing his books with other boys in his class and asked the school librarian to carry it. Highly recommended by this family!" - Gemmavive "Nikolas and company is the best book I've ever read. It was full of surprises that kept me on the edge, it also full of awkward moments that made me laugh." - J-Man "Best book since "Diary of a Wimpy Kid"! I wish it was a minecraft book. :)" "Kevin has created a fun, unique fantasy world full of magic and adventure. The story gets off to a fast start and sucks you in." - Micah Lewis "great YA fantasy, funny, a very unique premise, very well written, great descriptions, and a great band of heroes." - Julie Johnson "Once I immersed myself in the stories characters and settings I couldn't put it down." Pam Torres "Creepy as "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children". Some of the best "free books for kids" and "free books for teens" out there! "It's great for anyone that loves fantasy, science fiction, it's clean with just the slightest hint of boys and girls taking a notice of each other." Heather I was thoroughly tickled to visit Kevin's fantasy world. His writing style is awesome too. He pulled me in and never let me go until I sadly finished the story. - Robyn Campbell What a fantastic book - and I use that word in the literal sense! Matt Keland Nikolas and Company Book 1: The Merman and the Moon Forgotten Kevin McGill Genre: Action & Adventure Price: Get Publish Date: November 7, 2014 "Goofballery!" "Lot's of laughs!!"Just off kilter!" "Fun!" PERFECT FOR AGES 8 TO 14 The Earth is going to end. What’s fourteen-year-old Nick Lyons supposed to do? Travel through space and time to save a race of Merfolk on a fantastic moon of course. Sometime in the near future the Geneva virus has decimated the human population, forcing many to live in refugee camps, including Nick’s best friends. But his parents can’t be bothered with what happens across “the fence”, especially when their schedule’s are packed with skin-regeneration therapy sessions and globe-shopping trips. Nick has only one dream: To leave planet Earth and all of its chaos. His grandfather, Grand, offers a way to fulfill his dream by taking him to the moon, but there’s a catch. Grand’s moon is in the past, it’s teeming with magical creatures, and its beloved Merfolk believe Nick will save them from the thousand-eyed monsters that haunt their fortresses. Nick must decide which life he really wants to live: One of a teenage boy trying to survive a dystopian earth, or the guardian of a fantastic moon inhabited by blood thirsty gorgons, man-eating pirate ships, and fire-breathing winged lions. The Merman and The Moon Forgotten follows Nick’s boisterous and humorous journey from Earth to Moon as he searches for a simple life in a world that is anything but. If your kids have their nose in The Maze Runner by James Dashner, Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling, Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan, Alex Ryder by Anthony Horowitz, Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, Lemony Snicket, Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Giver by Lois Lowery, Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkein, Eragon by Chris Paolini, 39 Clues, Diary of a 6th Grade Ninja by Marcus Emerson, or other middle grade fantasy adventures, they’ll love this! Preteen Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Free Fantasy Books for Kids, Books for Middle School Kids, Free Young Adult Books, Adventure Books for Kids 10-13, Free Fantasy Fiction for Kids 9-12, Free Kindle Books for Kids 9-12, free books for kids, free ebooks for kids, free ebooks for teens, free teen books, free kids books, free fantasy fiction

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betwixt-these-pages · 7 years

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The third and final novel in an epic steampunk horror series, OBSIDIAN SKY closes the dramatic adventures of Claire, Sawyer, Gemma, and Nash, digging up the final secrets of their past, bringing new allies into a dangerous fray, and drawing friends and foes into a battle where the cost may be too much to pay…

The final struggle against the Hellions has arrived. A trapped engineer and a desperate marauder scramble to fight an enemy with unspeakable power on its side. Time is running out, and one world will be destroyed…

After sacrificing herself to save the lives of her friends and family, Claire Abernathy struggles to outwit her Hellion captors. They torment and terrify her into working on a weapon with the sole purpose of obliterating the world, friends, and love she has struggled to save. If Claire has any chance of saving those she loves, she must delve deeper into the Hellion world, and witness nightmares she could never imagine.

In Westraven, Sawyer Kendric is desperate to find the woman he loves. To do so, he must finally embrace his family’s atrocious past and heal the wounds it has caused. He will be forced to make new allies, uncover secrets that change all he knows, and find the courage to lead a ragtag crew into the darkest, deadliest battle of their lives.

Claire and Sawyer fight to save their broken world in the final installment of the epic DARK SKY trilogy.

Buy it here:

Amazon | Kobo | Smashwords | Goodreads

DARK SKY SERIES GIVEAWAY

CLICK HERE to go to the giveaway!

Two stories are told in OBSIDIAN SKY––the first chronicling a young engineer named Claire Abernathy as she struggles to survive the in the terrifying world of Hellnore, home of the blood-drinking Hellions, forced to serve their ghastly King and avoid the torment of Davin Kendric, the Hellion general, in hopes that she will be able to escape and return to her home and loved ones. The second story follows Sawyer Kendric, the young pirate captain who must make final peace with his own inner demons and face his responsibilities as a leader, all while uncovering secrets that will either save Claire, or seal her bloody fate. Their adventures will collide in an explosive finale that will change their lives forever, and leave one world altered forever…

A Message from AMY BRAUN (author):

While I love every book in the DARK SKY series, OBSIDIAN SKY is my favorite. I know I’m not supposed to pick a favorite, but I can’t help it. The book was just so much fun to write, allowing me the chance to write a story from two different perspectives and challenge myself as an author while bringing events to a conclusion where everything fell into place. Sometimes I worried that I was going to stray off from the main storyline, but thankfully everything fell into place just the way it needed to.

One of the great things about this novel is that it gets to move outside of Westraven. That’s been the main hub of activity throughout the first two books and two novellas, but I had made an expanded world and wanted to explore it. While Claire is stuck in Hellnore, which I modeled after Mordor from Lord of the Rings (a source of inspiration for almost every fantasy author, let’s be honest), Sawyer gets to explore the Aon, the country beyond the borders of Westraven. Both of them attract more than their share of trouble because let’s be honest, they couldn’t stay away from it if they tried.

World building aside, the best part about splitting the engineer and the marauder up was being able to focus on their individual characters and their final arcs. I did my best to balance the events and keep the tension and action flowing throughout the story, making the pacing fast for one character and slow for the other. When Claire needs a breather, Sawyer is the one getting into trouble and vice versa.

The ending is a lot more emotional than I intended, and it was sad to see these beloved characters reach their conclusions. This series has been with me for years, and there were a couple tears shed when I wrote the final chapter. I’m committed to going out with a big bang, so I worked hard with my editor to wrap up all the details and worked with XPresso Book Tours for a book blitz while organizing a second blog tour. I’ve also discounted the prices of every book in the series, and will keep them lowered for the month of February.

I can’t begin to express how excited the cover and artwork have made me. Deranged Doctor Design outdid themselves yet again, capturing everything this book is about: The red lava that represents Hellnore, the crossed swords for Sawyer, the claw marks and dents inflicted by the Hellions. I’m constantly floored by their fantastic work and can’t wait to work with them again in the future.

This is the second series I’ve closed in the past year, the first being the CURSED trilogy for urban fantasy fans. While I’m just as sad to say goodbye to this one, I’m also relieved that it’s a project off my plate. I learned so much from writing OBSIDIAN SKY and the DARK SKY series, and can’t wait to take these lessons and apply them to future work.

Q & A: Amy Braun and Obsidian Sky– MINOR SPOILERS BELOW.

Q: Were you nervous about writing the end of Obsidian Sky? Was everything planned or were some events spontaneous?

A: I’m a meticulous planner when it comes to world building and plots, but there were some events that I hadn’t intended that were added into the final story. Certain characters and events appeared in places and scenes where I hadn’t intended them to. Characters acted in ways I hadn’t originally planned, or would have to think creatively to escape a challenge. I had a great time experimenting and using a lot of “What If” scenarios where my characters were pushed to the limits and forced to react unconventionally. I felt like I was experiencing their adventures with them, and at some points, didn’t know what would happen next, either.

Q: Did you have any challenges writing Obsidian Sky?

A: Sometimes I can’t seem to control my characters––they go off and do what they want! Sawyer was notorious for this (which isn’t a surprise, really), and his scenes often took off in directions I didn’t anticipate. Claire’s challenges were a little more planned out, though I remember a particular moment about three-quarters of the way through the book where she got to be an ultra badass. That was a lot of fun to do. Other challenges I had were with the new elements and characters being introduced. I wanted them to have a major impact to the story, and had to work with my editor to make sure their presence was balanced with the other characters. But for the most part, I was stoked to write this book and couldn’t be happier with the way everything turned out.

Q: How did it feel to close out a series you’ve worked on for so long?

A: It’s a mix of sadness and happiness. On one hand, I realize how much I’ll miss these characters and this world. I came up with the idea when I was fourteen years old, and now over ten years later, it’s finally over. It’s a lot to let go of. But on the other hand, I feel a great deal of closure. Here was this crazy, random idea I had as a kid, and I finally went ahead and made it a reality. Now that it’s done with and received with better success than I could have hoped for, helped me establish my career, I’m aware that if I work hard, put in the time and effort, and do all the re-writes, I can transform any idea into a book. And if you’re an author still hesitant about such a thing, read the opening dedication to Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch. She did the same thing, and she became published. Never give up on your idea!

Q: What will you miss most about the series and the characters?

A: I’m definitely going to miss the world and the creatures in it. Writing the Hellions and Hellnore was so much fun. I’m also going to miss Claire’s inventiveness, Sawyer’s attitude, Nash’s soft-heart, and Gemma’s tendency to scream her lungs out in battle.

Q: Is there any chance of a continuation or a spin-off series in the future?

A: A reviewer actually asked me that not too long ago. While I’ll never say never to anything, at this moment, I have no plans to continue the Dark Sky books. Nash and Gemma have both already had their own spin-off prequel novellas, titled Amber SkyAmber Sky and Smoke Sky respectively, and if I did do another spinoff, it would likely be a prequel series. But the odds of that happening in the near future are slim, given how I want to move onto other projects.

Q: Now that the series is over, what’s next?

A: At the moment, I’m working on two brand new series. I don’t want to say much about them to avoid giving away spoilers, but the first series will be an urban fantasy involving the Greek gods, and the second project is a Young Adult fantasy series with Gargoyles that was inspired by Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. I wish I could tell you more at this point, but I can’t give you anything such as titles or release dates as both of these projects are going to be going to literary agents. I received amazing feedback on the Greek god project from one of my favorite fantasy authors, Michael J. Sullivan, and have been diligently working to improve it. I’ll know in the next month or so whether or not it’ll be going the indie or traditional route, and my newsletter subscribers and website/social media followers will be the first to know.

The same can be said for the YA fantasy Gargoyle project. I’m working on editing it and am hoping that in the next month or so I can send it to literary agents. YA fantasy is extremely popular right now, and I’m hoping that will be my “in,” but if not, I will happily take the project through independent publishing. I learned a lot last year and am ready to use that knowledge to expand my horizons and hopefully gain new readers.

At this point, the only project that will be happening will be the release of the complete Dark Sky box set in April. But anything can happen in this industry, and I doubt anything could slow me down at this point. I’m having too much fun!

Author Bio:

Amy is a Canadian urban fantasy and horror author. Her work revolves around monsters, magic, mythology, and mayhem. She started writing in her early teens, and never stopped. She loves building unique worlds filled with fun characters and intense action. She is the recipient of April Moon Books Editor Award for “author voice, worldbuilding and general bad-assery,” and the One Book Two Standout Award in 2015 for her Cursed trilogy. She has been featured on various author blogs and publishing websites, and is an active member of the Writing GIAM and Weekend Writing Warrior communities. When she isn’t writing, she’s reading, watching movies, taking photos, gaming, and struggling with chocoholism and ice cream addiction.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

OBSIDIAN SKY PLAYLIST (because fun!)

1. Far From Over – Rev Theory

2. Brave This Storm – Trivium

3. Forget About Me – Escape The Fate

4. Dangerous – Within Temptation feat. Howard Jones

5. Canine – Senses Fail

6. Gateways – Dimmu Borgir

7. Fever Dream – Tyler Bates

8. Eye Of The Storm – Killswitch Engage

9. Before The Hangmans’s Noose – DevilDriver

10. Ghost River – Nightwish

11. Beast – Nico Vega

12. Let You Down – Black Veil Brides

13. Iron – Woodkid

14. My Name (Wearing Me Put) – Shinedown

15. Forgiveness Is A Six Gun – DevilDriver

16. Drunken Whaler (The Dishonored Video Game Track)

Quick Reasons: can we talk about this cover?!; can we talk about THIS SERIES?!; awesome, complex, strong-willed characters; satisfying end; trigger warning for sensitive readers; this whole journey was filled with heartbreak, horror, and darkly intense atmospheres; I’m sad to see it end, but so happy to have read it

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watch for gore

fishing for more

devoured it

entertaining

creeptastic

HUGE thanks, as always, to Amy Braun for being the epic author she is and sending me a free digital copy of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.

Wheeeeeew, penguins. This was an intense, bitter-sweet ending to a journey that I’ve adored and been in awe of these last few years. And I don’t mean bitter-sweet in terms of the way this series ended…but instead that it had to end at all. I’ve fallen so deeply in love with this world, and these characters… I’m sad to see them go. I know one of the first things I intend to do, as soon as I’m able, is buy these books in physical copies–I NEED them on my shelves. I mean, just the covers alone are GOOOOORGEOUS; whoever designed these books did an A++ job on it, seriously. But the stories?! The stories inside are just as gorgeous, and I need them in more than one form. NEED, penguins.

Let’s talk gritty for a minute, though. This is a courtesy trigger warning for sensitive readers–certain difficult topics are broached and handled throughout. These include, but are not necessarily limited to: rape; physical assault; physical abuse. These are, by far, the biggest that I found. Please be careful if you decide to pick this series up–keep yourselves safe! While most scenes are brief and not overly detailed, there were some difficult moments, so keep this in mind.

These characters are just… They’re going to haunt me for a while to come. They are well-rounded and realistic, and while they’ve made some judgement calls I’m not sure I agree with… I love them. I love them all so hardcore, I can’t even. The plot is action-packed, filled with drama, and just SO epic I can’t even begin to explain. Amy Braun knows how to ratchet up the tension, and she does so twenty-fold in this book especially. I found myself unhinged in several key instances, both glued to the pages and wanting to fling the book away in “NO NO NO don’t hurt me again!” pleas. These, of course, went mostly unheard.

In the end, this was a WILD ride–from page one, book one to the last closing words. I have, once again, been reminded why I need to pick up more steampunk novels–they always wind up being some of my favorites, and this series is no exception! I definitely recommend this journey to lovers of alien vampires, cloud-surfing pirates, and plots that are more like delicious action stew. Amy Braun, this series has turned the cogs in my penguin heart; I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for your writing! Take down the Hellions with me, penguins; let’s save the world!

Blog Tour, Teasers, Q&A, Playlist, Giveaway and Review: Obsidian Sky The third and final novel in an epic steampunk horror series, OBSIDIAN SKY closes the dramatic adventures of Claire, Sawyer, Gemma, and Nash, digging up the final secrets of their past, bringing new allies into a dangerous fray, and drawing friends and foes into a battle where the cost may be too much to pay…

#all about books #all things books #blog tours #book bloggers #book blogs #book reviewers #book series #book teasers #book tours #bookish #bookish fun #bookish playlists #bookish soundtracks #bookish things #books #penguin posts #Bookish News #Penguin Reviews

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