#march of the holly king

[che-bur-ashka]

hey its my birthday why dont you go buy my games theyre all really cheap right now

you can get literally my entire itch catalogue for $24 or you can get any individual item for 24% off. itch says it would all cost a little over 80 bucks normally so this is a good deal but that's not the real thing and you know it isn't. the real thing is that its my birthday and you should get me a present.

some highlights in the 30-item bundle include:

THREE DUDES GO BOWLING my three player game about dudes going bowling

QUEEN OF THE MOON my pedagogical manifesto / hack of jay dragons sleepaway about meaning belonging and escape for queer children

ZEALOTS OF A LOVING GOD my hexcrawly ttrpg about surviving the downfall of your cult and wandering the earth as your body is slowly transmuted by the love of your god

MARCH OF THE HOLLY KING my solo journaling tarot game about the king of winter travelling around the world at the solstice, waiting for his rival to be born

and, and i cannot stress this enough, 26 other bits and bobs that range from complete games (RITUAL & EXPERIENCE, BENEATH OUR OWN FLAG, HERE SITS THE WOUNDED KING IN THOUGHT) to supplements for other ppls stuff (I REGRET TO INFORM YOU A KITH HAS BEEN SLAIN, THE TROOP) to scrimshaw and fragments of ideas written for weekly jams (THE DWARFS, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN ALL AMERICAN FULL MOON WEREWOLF BRAWL).

go buy me a birthday present.

#ttrpgs #ttrpg #queen of the moon #march of the holly king #three dudes go bowling #zealots of a loving god #its my birthday #go get me a birthday present #i WILL turn into gollum about this i stg #ttrpg design #itch.io

[bribliography]

books read in 2023

— how the king of elfhame learned to hate stories.

by holly black.

‪★ ★ ★ ★ ★‬

“Having a heart is terrible, but you need one anyway.”

goodreads review | books read in 2022

#books #bookblr #how the king of elfhame learned to hate stories #holly black #judecardan #cardan greenbriar #jude duarte #read march 1 #tbr 2023

[ezziefae]

Things I'm excited to see in The Prisoner's Throne (March 2024)

I still can’t believe we have to wait till march 2024 for prisoner throne, y’all don’t understand the amount of excitement I have about going back to the world of Elfhame and seeing my favorite beloved characters. Here’s a list of some things I’m really looking forward to see or find out.

Taryn’s Child

Like we’re finally going to meet Taryn’s Child (who I’m assuming is a boy), I wonder if Holly Black has any plans of making them a big part of this book or if she has any plans of writing a separate book with the focus on Taryn’s kid.

Oak’s POV

Holly Black confirmed that we will see Oak's perspective of Elfhame, which wasn't discussed in TSH due to Wren's POV. From my understanding, there’s a lot of problems in Elfhame that we still don’t know about. All of the unknown will finally be revealed in Prisoners Throne, and that’s sooooo exciting!

Jude and Cardan

Its obviously very clear that everyone who is a fan of TFOTA series is very excited to see how the King and Queen of Elfhame are doing!!

I am very excited to learn more about Jude and Cardan. They have been together for around 9 years since the time of The Queen Of Nothing. I am eager to see what challenges they have faced during this time and how their relationship has progressed. We will not be reading about their teenage years, but rather their adult years. I am looking forward to seeing how Holly has portrayed their growth and transformation !!!! LIKE HELLO, MATURE CARDAN AND JUDE?? I just know both are going to give DILF and MILF energy, Jurdan fans will not survive. I will not survive.

Taryn and The Ghost?

It's possible that this book will give us insight into whether Taryn and the Ghost are romantically involved. In TQON, there were some hints that The Ghost had feelings for Taryn. It's worth remembering that Taryn saved The Ghost and they were both victims of Locke's abuse.

Some people don't think the Ghost and Taryn should be together because they find it strange. They have two main reasons for this. One is that the Ghost is about 100 years older than Taryn. The other reason is that some people don't think Taryn is good enough for the Ghost. (People don't like Taryn. Do I blame them? of course not)

Any opinions of this? I have a feeling that the ghost might of become overprotective of Taryn and owes her debt for saving his life. Could they be romantically involved? Maybe, we’ll have to wait and see!

Wren’s Family

In some way Wren will finally reunite with her human family. How?…i have no idea with the nature than the stolen heir ended in. But i’m excited to see how that goes, Wren deserves her happiness. It will probably be emotional, i’ll probably cry.

Jude, Cardan and the idea of having children?

OKAY!! I made a seperate post about this months ago (if you haven’t read it, please do!! click here)

Opinions on whether Jude and Cardan should become parents are divided among fans. Personally, I wouldn't be opposed to the idea. It's important to remember that Jude and Cardan are now adults and have grown since the last time we saw them.

Holly Black has already confirmed that Jude and Cardan are aware of the idea of having children. “they are all aware of it, it will be talked about more in Prisoners Throne”

Flowers blooming in Mab’s grave have fans speculating and making theories that Jude could be possibly pregnant.

According to Holly, it would be complicated for many people if Jude and Cardan had children. This is because if they did, Oak would be removed from the throne line. However, if Oak were to become the King of Elfhame, any children that Jude and Cardan have would also be cut from the line.

I still don't see why Jude and Cardan having kids would be complicated, I think it would make perfect sense. Oak wouldn't have to rule, and Jude and Cardan could keep their Power.

We’ll see where Holly goes with this in Prisoner's Throne.

Oak becoming King of Elfhame?

Okay soooo, Oak has already stated that he does not want to be King of Elfhame, we’ve known this since the beginning of TFOTA.

If Oak were to become king, Jude and Cardan would be forced to relinquish their throne and all of their power. Personally, I would prefer that Jude and Cardan maintain their position. The people adore Cardan and are terrified of Jude, which has been their longstanding desire. I don't want them to lose it all just so that Oak can take the throne.

There’s been theories that Oak will become the King of the Court of Teeth along side Wren. But that’s the part that confuses me, Wren never wanted to become queen, neither does Oak. So i’m wondering how that’s gonna work.

Oak and his sisters

I’m excited to see them all together again. Vivi, Taryn, Jude, and Oak. Holly did say something about how the the siblings dynamic will be important in Prisoner’s Throne. UGH I MISS THEM.

Madoc, The Traitor of Elfhame

With the ending events of TSH, i’m curious to see what’s gonna happen to Madoc. I soooo doubt Jude will forgive him. Madoc is known to be a traitor, If Madoc's exile is lifted back by Jude and Cardan, it may not be well-received by the folk. It will not look good for Jude and Cardan. Will Madoc betray them again? will he fight against Jude? or will he reedeem himself?

Tiernan and Hyacinth.

Soooo this is very ANGSTY. Tiernan and Hyacinthe were in a relationship, but things fell apart when Madoc betrayed Elfhame. Tiernan remained loyal to Elfhame, while Hyacinthe joined Madoc, turning them from lovers to enemies.

To make matters worse, Hyacinthe later became loyal to Wren, who is a new enemy to Elfhame. (Things do not look good for Hyacinthe). This turn of events is quite tragic, and it leaves us wondering how they will resolve their conflicts. So it’s TRAGIC, and i wonder how they’re going to resolve it all. Like where the hell do they go from there??? HOLLLYY TELL USSSS

The Undersea

It was repeated throughout the entirety of the book that the undersea is in chaos. Queen Orlagh is not doing well, and Nicasia is too weak. Will they be dethroned? Will Jude and Cardan be involved? (I'm guessing they will)

Jude’s Political Problem

I made a seperate post about this, click here to see.

. Holly has confirmed in a livestream that Jude will have a political problem by the End of Prisoners Throne. She didn’t say Jude AND Cardan…no, she said only Jude's name. So….MISS HOLLLY BLACK WHY ARE U TORTURING US. i'm dying to know what the problem will be.

(Id also like to point out that I think holly might’ve accidentally spoiled the fact that Jude and Cardan will still be king and queen of Elfhame by the end of prisoners throne)

Wren’s Magical Powers

Wren is a scary woman now, and she’s POWERFUL. Is she more powerful than Jude and Cardan? maybe? i hope not, but maybe. She was able to “kill” her abusive mother by speaking it into EXISTENCE. WTF. Have mercy Wren!

How Elfhame will approach Wren

Our girl Wren has made Elfhame her enemy by making the ONLY heir to Elfhame her prisoner. It’s obvious Jude will be furious, not just with Wren but with Oak. For going against her and Cardan’s orders of saving Madoc. Will Elfhame go to war? will Jude be angry at herself for freeing Wren in TQON?

Lady Asha

So, I'm assuming she still lives in the palace along side Jude and Cardan. Although I wouldn't be surprised if Jude kicked her out and sent her away. This lady is a B*tch. I'm curious to know what Lady Asha has been up to or rather what she's been scheming.

WHY DID JUDE KICK WREN OUT OF THE PALACE OF ELFHAME??

(Note: Jude is so petty for this, although I believe there is more to this than we might currently know, maybe Jude didnt do it, maybe it was Oriana or Lady Asha)

It was revealed that Jude ordered her guards to remove Wren from the palace. but WHY?? Why didn’t Oak intervene? Why did jude do it?

In TQON, Jude suggested to Oak that if he decided to wed Suren, then she could reside in the palace with them. This implies that Jude was comfortable with Suren living along side them in Elfhame. SOOO IM CONFUSED!!! I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS! and I want ANSWERS HOLLY BLACK !

Family Reunion: Oriana, Madoc, Oak, Taryn, Jude and Vivi.

Jude lives in the palace, while Madoc has been exiled and captured. Taryn has a kid and lives in Locke’s estates, Vivi lives in the mortal world with Heather. It's evident that they have gone their separate ways. It’s not TCP chapter 1 anymore, where they all eat dinner together and play games.

i have to be honest and say that i miss them together. and so does Oriana. In TSH she admitted to missing and wishing they were all together again. I hope to see some kind of reunion.

"I know," She [Oriana] said. "I cannot hope for one side to win neither. I used to wish that Madoc never went looking for those girls, and now all I wish is that we could be together again as we once were." (TSH, Chap 3, pg 55)

Locke’s Father

Holly has said many times that she wanted to do something about Locke’s Father (Yes, he’s still alive) I wonder if he’ll be introduced in this book.

Vivi and Wren

Wren was very hurt when Vivi stated she wanted wren away from oak in TQON. I want to see them together, maybe Vivi will apologize. Maybe they’ll become besties.

i hope they do, they just HAVE TO.

-

I’ll probably make a part 2. But what are you guys excited to see?

#jude duarte #cardan greenbriar #holly black #jurdan #the folk of the air #the stolen heir #oak greenbriar #the cruel prince #elfhame #the prisoners throne #IM SO EXCITED #TPT predictions

[andsjuliet]

2024 books read

2024 goal: 150 books

january: 1 - heartstopper vol. 1 → alice oseman (reread) 2 - heartstopper vol. 2 → alice oseman (reread) 3 - heartstopper vol. 3 → alice oseman (reread) 4 - heartstopper vol. 4 → alice oseman (reread) 5 - heartstopper vol. 5 → alice oseman 6 - a fragile enchantment → allison saft 7 - some shall break → ellie marney (audiobook) 8 - only if you're lucky → stacy willingham (arc) 9 - over my dead body: a witchy graphic novel → sweeney boo 10 - notes on an execution → danya kukafka (physical & audiobook) 11 - murder on the orient express → agatha christie (reread) 12 - our wives under the sea → julia armfield (physical & audiobook) 13 - the invocations → krystal sutherland (arc) 14 - red string theory → lauren kung jessen 15 - the breakup tour → emily wibberley & austin siegemund-broka (arc) 16 - the name drop → susan lee 17 - the secret of the old clock → carolyn keene (reread) 18 - bright young women → jessica knoll (audiobook) 19 - last call at the local → sarah grunder ruiz (audiobook) 20 - no one can know → kate alice marshall

february: 21 - worst wingman ever → abby jimenez 22 - drop, cover, and hold on → jasmine guillory 23 - with any luck → ashley poston 24 - the atlas six → olivie blake (reread, audiobook) 25 - that's not my name → megan lally 26 - not here to stay friends → kaitlyn hill 27 - this golden state → marit weisenberg 28 - today tonight tomorrow → rachel lynn solomon (reread, annotation) 29 - past present future → rachel lynn solomon (arc, annotation) 30 - the atlas paradox → olivie blake (reread, audiobook) 31 - the guest list → lucy foley (audiobook) 32 - in the market for murder → t.e. kinsey (audiobook) 33 - the neighbor favor → kristina forest 34 - in the mix → mandy gonzalez 35 - everyone in my family has killed someone → benjamin stevenson 36 - the seven year slip → ashley poston 37 - veronica ruiz breaks the bank → elle cosimano (audiobook) 38 - finlay donovan rolls the dice → elle cosimano (audiobook) 39 - the simmonds house kills → meaghan dwyer (arc)

march: 40 - the mysterious case of the alperton angels → janice hallett 41 - the book of cold cases → simone st. james 42 - what the river knows → isabel ibañez (audiobook) 43 - cut loose! → ali stroker & stacy davidowitz 44 - how i'll kill you → ren destefano 45 - the reappearance of rachel price → holly jackson (arc) 46 - when no one is watching → alyssa cole (audiobook) 47 - outofshapeworthlessloser: a memoir of figure skating, f*cking up, and figuring it out → gracie gold (audiobook) 48 - julius caesar → william shakespeare (rerad, audiobook) 49 - the family plot → megan collins (audiobook) 50 - if we were villains → m.l. rio (reread) 51 - alone with you in the ether → olivie blake (physical & audiobook) 52 - disappearance at devil's rock → paul tremblay (audiobook)

april: 53 - shakespeare: romeo and juliet graphic novel → martin powell & eva cabrera 54 - shakespeare: macbeth graphic novel → martin powell & f. daniel perez 55 - shakespeare: julius caesar graphic novel → carl bown & eduardo garcia 56 - shakespeare: a midsummer night's dream graphic novel → nel yomtov & berenice muniz 57 - twelfth knight → alexene farol follmuth (arc) 58 - kill for me, kill for you → steve cavanagh 59 - murder road → simone st. james 60 - everyone on this train is a suspect → benjamin stevenson 61 - listen for the lie → amy tintera 62 - king cheer → molly horton booth, stephanie kate strohm, jamie green 63 - twelfth night (musical adaptation) → kwame kwei-armah & shaina taub 64 - in juliet's garden → judy elliot mcdonald 65 - fat ham → james ijames 66 - death by shakespeare → philip l. nicholas, jr 67 - a good girl's guide to murder → holly jackson (reread) 68 - good girl, bad blood → holly jackson (reread) 69 - as good as dead → holly jackson (reread) 70 - dark corners → megan goldin (audiobook) 71 - the one that got away with murder → trish lundy (audiobook) 72 - funny story → emily henry 73 - imogen says nothing → aditi brennan kapil 74 - people we meet on vacation → emily henry (audiobook, reread)

#post: 2024 books read #i always get SO excited to start these threads! #and as y'all know i love starting the new year with a reread #so i figured this year it would be heartstopper and then i'd finally get to read heartstopper vol 5 #i loved it which is no surprise #i just love these characters so much <3

[harrisonarchive]

Meeting Little Richard at the Tower Ballroom in New Brighton on October 12, 1962. Photo by Les Chadwick.

“Our great idols were Elvis, Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins, Eddie Cochran, Jerry Lee Lewis, Larry Williams, Little Richard and all the old rock ‘n’ roll kings.” - George Harrison, Rave, June 1964 “Actually no. We [The Beatles] weren’t the first. In the beginning we used to play only the music of the artists we loved, like Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, etcetera. Everything must start from someone else. Nobody is one-hundred percent original. And The Beatles became very original thanks to their songs, but we began simply by trying to copy Buddy Holly, Little Richard and people like that.” - George Harrison, interview conducted by Red Ronnie, early 1990s “The were two jukeboxes [at Friar Park]. And there was everything from Christmas carols on the sitar to the Singing Postman to Hank Williams to Leadbelly, the Platters, Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly, the Goons.” - Olivia Harrison, NPR, March 2004 (x)

#George Harrison #Ringo Starr #Paul McCartney #John Lennon #Little Richard #quote #quotes by George #quotes about George #George and Olivia #The Beatles #fits queue like a glove

[heresthestorymorningglory]

Of Dreams and Dances

Holland March x Reader

Part 2 of a collab with the absolutely stunning @ken-dom after a freaky coincidence about a dream and a movie we both love... about coincidences

Read her beautiful fic and Part 1 Come Back To Me to truly understand our emotional roller coaster we hopped on together ❤️

Just a heads up, it's a tad angsty, and mentions of death, alcohol, and loss.

He wasn’t typically a bouncing ray of sunshine on a regular day, but the last week or so he had been particularly quiet.

You let out a heavy sigh standing at the kitchen sink, staring out into the dismal day that presented itself before you; it had been raining on and off for three days, today it was just overcast, but the dreary weather had been doing nothing for Holland’s solemn mood you had noticed.

You glanced into the living room drying your hands on a towel, music playing softly over your shoulder as you hung it back in place.

Holly, Holland’s daughter from his first (and only) marriage sat with her feet tucked under her, curled in the big armchair engrossed in her book, a Stephen King novel you had recommended to her a few weeks ago you noted; she had a bit of a spooky streak in her like you did…this made you smile.

You grabbed one of the plates with a grilled cheese sandwich off the counter and took it in to her; it took her a minute to realize you had been standing there offering her the plate. You chuckled to yourself when she jumped a little, finally seeing you.

“Good book?”

She nodded taking the plate “Thanks”

You smiled “Just remember, vampires aren’t real”

She scoffed as you turned back toward the kitchen to finish cleaning up “Neither are mermaids” she muttered under her breath burying her nose back in the pages.

“Don’t tell your dad” you call over your shoulder

“Tell her dad what?” Holland asks, barging through the front door like only he can.

“Mermaids aren’t real” she says from her spot on the chair, not bothering to glance up from her book until Holland snatches half of her uneaten sandwich off the plate resting on the arm “Hey!”

He makes a face at her as you come out of the kitchen with a second plate “I made you one too, you don’t have to steal from your daughter”

Before Holland can take the plate, Holly reaches up replacing the missing half of her sandwich; Holland takes the plate in one hand, the other arm locking itself firmly around your waist, the half sandwich he’d stolen off Holly’s plate already gone.

“Jesus Christ Holland, chew” you look at him as he kisses your temple swallowing the last of his mouthful.

He waves a hand dismissively releasing you from his hold as he heads towards the bedroom, plate in hand. “Gonna take a nap”

You roll your eyes, shaking your head as he disappears “Love you!” you call after him

A long pause. “Sure thing, sweetheart!” comes his response from somewhere in the bedroom

You sigh, flopping on the couch, turning on the television and flipping channels waiting for something to catch your attention.

“He loves you too, y’know”

“Hmm?” You turn your attention to Holly, her legs draped over the arm of the chair now, empty plate on the floor

“He’s just afraid to say so” she continues, thumb keeping her place in her book “Because of Mom and stuff”

You give her a look and she just nods “I know, don’t say, and stuff” she mimics Holland as she rolls her eyes

You laugh lightly acknowledging her statement with a nod “I know he does”

It’s quiet for a minute before Holly speaks again, this time her voice is a little softer, a little quieter. “It’s her birthday tomorrow”

She’s dropped her head, she’s not looking at you anymore; she doesn’t want to see your reaction, doesn’t want to make eye contact; so much like her dad.

All at once Holland’s recent behavior makes sense, he never coped with his emotions well.

You knew when you met him he had been married before; Holly had very snidely pointed out the fact when you had first met her, you were quite certain she was convinced you were there to do nothing more but ruin Holland’s life.

She has since warmed up to you, confided in you even.

You never asked about his wife, but you knew tidbits,

You knew she had died, tragically, something Holland blamed himself for with a gut wrenching guilt that made your chest hurt.

Holly had told you late one night when you found her in an abandoned lot in their old neighbourhood, their old house it had turned out….

There had been a gas leak, and a fire. “Dad had his nose thing, so he couldn't smell the gas” Holly had said, before quickly changing the subject.

You had found out later, on a night when Holland had been completely consumed with guilt, drunk, and inconsolable, that he had only had time to get Holly out of the house.

***

Your mouth dropped open, hearing him tearfully recount that night that lived so vividly in his mind; you sat with him on the dingy bathroom floor as he sobbed, his body fighting the urge to throw up a second time as sobs echoed against the walls around you, his entire form shaking with grief.

You held him against your chest, rocking gently as he spoke.

“She yelled at me, told me-” his voice catching in his throat as he sniffed “T-told me to get Hol-Holly out”

You closed your eyes, tears slipping down your own cheeks as he continued.

“She was asleep and I-” he paused taking a breath hiccuping “I carried her outside and someone…someone took her from me. I tried to go back…but, the house it was….the flames were so….”

He trailed off lost in the memory and it was quiet for a long time before he spoke again

“Then it exploded” he said so softly you’d barely heard him “I would have….it should have been me”

****

As time wore on, you learned just how racked with guilt Holland had been, you gathered Holly hadn’t had any idea that he had only fulfilled her mom’s dying wish; for her, Holland just hadn’t learned how to move on, and she had been left to pick up his broken pieces and be the adult, make sure he ate, and slept…or passed out…kept a job. At twelve.

He wore their wedding ring around his neck, even after you had moved in together, you made a point of reassuring him that it was okay, he didn’t have to take it off, you understood.

It had come out on one of these drunken nights, which at first were frequent, and really the only time Holland would really talk to you in his drunken stupor; that he had slept in the tub, filled with water, because he passed out so often with a half finished cigarette that he had been afraid of history repeating itself.

Now, only after many nights of reassurance and many more mornings waking up on your own, only to find him propped up in the porcelain tub, an empty bourbon bottle on the bathroom floor, he slept next to you almost nightly, only having fallen asleep on the couch on occasion after a late night on a case.

It had taken a long time to get here; for all three of you; you hadn’t signed up for a pathetic broken man to fix; who didn’t want to be fixed. A man who would rather numb the emotion and night terrors with bottle after bottle and who chained smoked like no one you had ever seen.

Yet, you found yourself put in his path over and over again for weeks straight and only after what you assumed had to be at least his tenth (you had lost count) attempt at very clumsily asking you out on a date you agreed.

He had told Holly, Healy, and anyone else who would listen that you hadn’t been able to resist his charm; you had never told him, and never would, but truthfully it was out of pity, you felt sorry for this man in front of you who had barely been able to stand on his own two feet, who so obviously craved human contact that you agreed to one date, assuming you would never see him again.

To this day, it had been the strangest date you had been on; it had started off normal enough, you had met him at a bar in the city, not completely surprised that this was his location of choice, it was only after you had found out that Holly had tagged along, much to Holland’s annoyance.

***

“You left your daughter in the trunk?!” You asked, completely shocked as you stood on the sidewalk outside the bar, Holly stood next to you with her arms folded looking irritated with him and untrustworthy of you.

“She was supposed to be a Janet’s” he said gesturing to Holly swaying on his feet, who had just rolled her eyes

“JESSICA’S!” she yelled, her nose almost touching his before she scoffed with disgust

He ignored her, holding his hand out in what you assumed he thought was her general direction “Keys”

Holly held them out and before Holland could reach for them you intercepted taking them from her “Absolutely fucking not”

“I can just drive” she glared at you and your mouth dropped open in shock

“Excuse me?” you raised your eyebrows watching to make sure Holland didn’t stumble into the busy street as he leaned against the front of the car. “You don’t have a license!”

“You’re joking right?” She turned her attention towards you

You shook your head “I am not, you are a child”

She pointed towards Holland “And he’s a fuck up! He drinks, he lies to people and stuff, and people hate you!” She had fully rounded on her heel, hurling her insults at him.

“Sweetheart, don’t say and stuff, just-”

“I hate you!” She had yelled loud enough to turn heads of passer’s by

“Oh, kay” you pressed your lips together ushering her in the backseat “In the car; I’ll drive”

Holland had gotten himself in the passenger seat, only after somehow managing to nearly slam his fingers in the door first.

The ride back had been quiet, Holland had laid back in the seat and you thought for sure he would pass out; Holly sat behind him in back seemingly completely unfazed by the exchange that had happened on the sidewalk. You assumed that hadn’t been the first time she had told Holland she hated him.

You had pulled into the driveway of the house and without a word Holly stomped off into the house, slamming the door behind her.

Holland had asked you to stay, and against your better judgment, something in your gut had told you to.

You pitied this man, but something about him made you feel like he hadn’t stumbled (literally) into your path by coincidence.

You sat on the front step of the house, playing with the car keys, looking at your shoes as Holland lit another cigarette.

“She doesn’t actually hate me y’know” he said, dropping his lighter back in his pocket.

You laughed a little “I hope not"

He scrunched his nose shaking his head, plucking his cigarette from between his lips “She’s a kid”

You found it odd he could say something so matter of factly and yet he treated her like someone well beyond her years.

You felt sorry for her too, knowing she probably felt she didn’t have a choice, it was clear that it had been the two of them against the world for a long time. She took care of him because she needed to be cared for, and at the end of the day, he was her dad.

“Hey,” Holland’s voice had snapped you out of your thoughts and you turned your head almost colliding with his; he was leaning significantly closer than he had been a minute ago.

Before you could protest, his nose bumped against yours; his large, overheated hands cupped your face as he kissed you, his lips pressed firmly against yours, his body leaning forward more and more as he had started to lose his balance.

Before he could topple over on you completely, you pushed him back gently and he looked sheepishly at his lap like he had done something wrong.

“Sorry,” he muttered “I just been thinkin’ about that for a while”

For as drunk as he had been, you were surprised he wasn’t slurring his words. You were a little taken aback by his confession and you felt heat flush your cheeks despite the cool night air.

“You have?” you asked, really looking at him for the first time; studying him.

He was an absolute mess of a man, that much was clear, a drinking problem, questionable parenting tactics, questionable ethics, some serious baggage. He wore his wedding band around his neck, and he had just kissed you, after a disaster of a date, if you could even call it that and yet…

He was handsome, almost to a fault, as disheveled as he was sitting next to you on that step. There was something oddly charming about his wrinkled suit pants, his shoes laid on the sidewalk where he had kicked them off, announcing that they were painful and unnecessary and he now sat barefoot. His hair had been windswept and messy, but not unclean. His suit jacket laid next to him on his other side forgotten, his shirt askew, the first couple of buttons undone. His facial features were surprisingly boyish for a man his age, a slender pointed nose and blue eyes that you realized were studying you with an intensity that made you pull your bottom lip against your teeth

He had nodded in response to your question, his cheeks flushing a rosy pink and you immediately found yourself closing the small gap between you, a hand cupping his face, pulling him closer as you kissed him a second time, deeper this time. Your heart fluttered in your chest in a way that you hadn’t felt in too long as his soft lips moved with an expertise even given his current state.

Your lips parted and he accepted your silent invitation, his tongue slipping past your lips hesitantly with a small noise in the back of his throat.

Your body flooded with a deep heat that immediately stopped as the porch light had been flicked on, illuminating the darkness.

Holland had jumped, pulling back but not before biting your lip. You touched a hand to your lips with a small laugh as you looked over your shoulder, Holly standing in the doorway, arms folded with a scowl on her face. Holland looked like a busted teenager and it almost made you laugh out loud.

“You can go now” she sneered and Holland hadn’t really noticed as you both got to your feet

You couldn’t really blame her, she was protecting them, him.

“But you should-” Holland stopped searching his brain for the lost words “You should stay”

You shook your head “I don’t think so” you bent to hand him his jacket and shoes so he didn’t absolutely face plant on the cement.

“Then come back,” he reasoned “Tomorrow”

You sighed running your tongue between your lips “Okay, sure” you shrugged; he was too drunk to remember anyway

“Pinky promise?” He offered a pinky and Holly huffed from her place on the step

You had hesitated simply because of her reaction, this obviously was something special between them. You nodded, but didn’t take his pinky, glancing at Holly whose shoulders had dropped slightly as she relaxed before turning back to Holland “I promise”

Much to your surprise, Holland did remember, and you had kept your promise and come back the next day, and every day since.

***

“He used to sing”

Holly’s soft spoken words pull you out of your memory from a not so distant past. The book she had been reading sits closed in her lap as she stares out the window lost in thought herself.

“Did he?” you ask, slightly surprised, you didn’t take Holland to be the type.

She nods slowly “And dance too; sometimes he’d sing really bad just to make Mom laugh” she scrunched her nose like Holland did when he was confused about something before she continued “He has this weird thing about sweet potatoes too; he used to eat them all the time, he doesn’t anymore”

You smiled, watching her reminisce but your heart broke for her; she had lost both her parents that night and she had never really grieved either of them.

You pulled yourself up from the couch and walked over, wrapping her in a hug as she sat sideways on the chair; both her arms wrapped around your forearm, pinning it to her chest, chin tucked against it and you rested your chin on top of her head.

You looked up catching a glance from Holland who had made his way from the bedroom; you traded a look as he took his dirty dish into the kitchen. You stood with Holly, quiet, holding her until she let go.

She sniffed quietly, a hand quickly wiping away what you were certain were fresh tears before she picked up the book in her lap, busying herself with the words on the page.

You didn’t say anything, just rubbed her back gently before taking your own dirty dishes into the kitchen where Holland stood just out of view.

Setting the plates on the counter, you wrapped yourself around Holland’s slim frame, burying your face in his chest with a deep sigh, breathing in his scent.

After a minute of silence, you pulled back and his blue eyes searched your face;

“Go dance with your daughter” you spoke quietly and his brow furrowed slightly

“What?”

“Go dance with Holly” you repeated “Like you used to”

You watched the realization wash over his features as he put the pieces together about what he had walked in on a few minutes ago and he shook his head

“I-I can’t”

“Holland,” you kept your voice low as your reached to touch his face, his eyes slipping closed as your fingertips made contact with his cheek, his hands still on your waist “She needs this, she needs her dad; especially now”

A single tear slipped down his cheek and you wiped it away with your thumb as he opened his eyes with a deep breath through his nose.

He didn’t say anything else, just walked around you out into the living room; you turned and watched as he made his way over to the chair where Holly sat, she glanced up from her book as he offered her a hand.

She looked at him slightly confused before he took her hand himself, pulling her to her feet and into the middle of the room, the book forgotten in the chair. She was tall for her age, but not quite tall enough to reach Holland’s shoulders until she stood on the tops of his feet.

After a couple of steps, Holland’s voice floated through the otherwise silent house, humming softly. You watched as Holly’s shoulders started to shake and her head dropped; Holland picked her up under the arms like you would with a small child, lifting her into his arms as she wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck properly, burying her face in his neck; one of his hands stroking her blonde hair as she cried openly.

You could tell from your spot in the kitchen, he had been crying too. A lump forming in your own throat as you watched the two of them consumed by a moment neither of them thought they would have again; Holland, getting the chance to be the dad he had wanted, the dad he had intended to be for her. Holly, able to be the little girl she should have been before she had to grow up too quickly. His little girl.

Holland had sank to his knees on the carpeted floor, still holding Holly tightly to his chest; both of them letting the grief and loss they had kept bottled between them for so long finally be felt; You leaned back against the kitchen counter, giving them their private moment. Eyes closed as you listened to the heart wrenching sobs coming from the two of them, tears streaming down your own cheeks as you felt for them, grieving yourself for a woman you had never met but had unintentionally become such a huge part of your own life.

Later that night, you laid in the bed you shared with Holland; Holly had asked him to tuck her in and you could hear the soft murmurs of their conversation across the hall before you heard her bedroom door being pulled shut and Holland appeared in the doorway and he looked tired.

You watched him get undressed, pulling the covers back and climbing between the sheets; most nights you snuggled against him, your head resting on his chest, but tonight roles were reversed.

His head lying on your chest, you played with pieces of his dirty blonde hair, his arm draped around your midsection, his wedding band cool against your collarbone as he laid on his side, breathing softly.

He spoke and you almost jumped, startled by the noise “Does it bother you that I don’t-” he hesitated for a beat “That I can’t-.....that I can’t…y’know?”

You frowned trying hard to piece together what he was asking “Can’t what, babe?”

“That I can’t say it” he sighed defeated

Then you understood rubbing his bare arm slowly “No” you shook your head slowly “No, Holland it doesn’t”

He relaxed into your chest as you kissed the top of his head, watching the shadows dance on the wall in the dark.

The house was quiet, Holland’s head heavy on your chest as he breathed steadily.

“God I miss her” he whispered, his voice heavy with sleep

You thought about letting him think you had just fallen asleep, but decided against it “Tell me about her?” you asked, your fingers moving slowly through his hair again

A long pause.

“She was beautiful” he whispered “Holly looks just fucking like her”

You stayed quiet as he continued “She named her after me….”

Another pregnant pause as he lost himself in a long forgotten memory.

“And she loved tea”

You nodded “Tea’s good” you smiled

“American’s do it wrong” he shrugged against you “I still don’t fucking know what ‘the English way’ means”

You couldn’t help laughing then

“Don’t know how you can fuck up a cup of tea” he muttered, very obviously drifting off as he spoke.

You had drifted off yourself at some point but woke with a start, the weight of Holland’s head on your chest was gone; you turned over and the bed was empty.

You sighed pulling yourself up out of bed, the sky still dark out the window. You grabbed Holland’s housecoat off the back of the bedroom door, wrapping it around yourself as you tiptoed through the dark house.

You poked your head into Holly’s bedroom and she slept soundly. You assumed Holland had made his way back to his old comforts, but frowned when you found the tub also empty.

“Alright,” you muttered softly to yourself, “Where did you go?”

You answered your own question fairly quickly, finding the dark figure you could only assume was Holland, sitting at the kitchen table in the dark, shoulders hunched, moonlight reflecting off the glass of a mostly empty bottle in his hand resting on the table.

“Holland?” you whispered, not wanting to startle him in the dark.

When he didn’t answer or move you let out a slow breath pressing your lips together in a hard line before you tried again.Your heartbeat thudded in your ears as you spoke, muffling your own voice.

“Holland?” you said again, a little louder

He shifted in his chair then and you let out a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding. “Thank God” you whispered.

Just the way he had shifted so unsteadily in his chair you could tell he was drunk, very drunk.

“You came back” he slurred, getting to his feet, catching himself on the back of the chair as you took a tentative step forward.

“What?” you asked, as he was across the room in a flash, nearly toppling you both to the floor as he drunkenly smashed his lips against yours, his arms wrapping around you with a bruising strength.

He pulled back, taking your face in his hands, his eyes were glazed and bloodshot, he had been crying. Hard.

“You came back” he whispered before crushing you against him a second time, almost knocking the wind out of you.

“I didn’t go anywhere” you strained against his chest trying to make the least bit of sense about his drunken ramblings.

“Happy Birthday, Baby” He muttered into your hair and you closed your eyes wrapping your arms around him as it clicked.

You stood in the dark kitchen, silently holding each other for a few minutes before he spoke again, his lips pressed against your ear as he leaned into your shoulder.

“God damn it I miss you”

You could smell the alcohol heavy, but wanted to help him hold on to this memory as long as he needed; or as long as you could.

“Dance with me” you whispered; your hand slipping up the back of his head resting in his hair, the other snaking under his arm hooking around the back of his shoulder, pulling him closer.

Both of his arms wrapped around your waist, keeping you close. You rocked slowly on your feet, but stayed in one spot for fear that too much movement and Holland would either lose his balance or throw up ... .or both.

He had been too lost in the memory to realize you hadn’t been moving much; your neck and shoulder were wet with tears.

“It’s okay,” You reassure him gently, rubbing your hand up and down his back

“I can’t do this without you” he slurred “We were supposed to do it together…a team”

“You’re doing just fine” you soothe

“I’m not” he shook his head a little too aggressively, making himself dizzy “I’m a failure”

You lifted his head off your shoulder then, forcing him to look at you; he was far too gone to differentiate the person standing in front of him at this point. You had your hands on either side of his face, his forehead leaning against yours.

“You are not a failure, Holland March, do you hear me?”

He didn’t answer and you patted his cheek gently “Hey, do you understand?” you asked again “You have a beautiful daughter-”

He just scrunched his face shaking his head “She hates me, she thinks I’m a fuck up”

“She doesn’t hate you,” you said softly. "She loves you so much"

You realized if you let it, this conversation was going to keep going in circles.

“Come on,” You wrapped an arm around his waist keeping him upright “We’re going back to bed”

“Gonna give me those twins?” he asked, leaning on you heavily.

You closed your mouth realizing it had dropped open, as you led him down the hallway not sure what to say. Thankfully he hadn’t seemed to notice.

He flopped heavily on the bed and you pulled the blanket up around him before shedding the housecoat and climbing in next to him.

He turned over none too gracefully to face you as you laid on your side, his hand reaching up to cup your face. “You were supposed to give me a hundred babies” His voice was soft

You reached to push his hair off his forehead; the same softness to your own words “I’m sorry”

He just hummed, his eyes slipping closed briefly as his fingers interlaced with yours between you.

You leaned forward, kissing him gently and he hummed again, slipping deeper into sleep.

You closed your own eyes, pushing your free hand through his hair

“I love you” he muttered, barely understandable

You opened your eyes and watched him lying next to you, one hand’s fingers entwined with yours, his other arm lazily draped over your hip, his eyes closed.

“I love you too, Holland” You whispered watching as a smile touched the corner of his lips before he started to snore softly, living blissfully in a world he could only reach in a dream.

#holland march x reader #the nice guys #ryan gosling #holland march

[darthstitch]

Magic Dance

Hob's one of the few Professors in the university who actually didn't mind his students bringing in the odd infant or two. He saw no point in letting a student miss a class due to babysitting woes and the part of him that would always be a father was always happy to walk around lecturing with a little one in his arms, raptly attentive.

Of course, it was also helpful to have a partner who was apparently something of a baby whisperer himself. Hob has a most excellent drawing by little Holly Wheeler, depicting "Mister Sandman" with bright sparkly stars in his eyes, dressed in his customary black. It was, of course, framed and given a place of honor at his desk.

Hob has been told that the young lady had been most spirited in her defense of "Mister Sandman" to her very surprised kindergarten teacher, who had found the drawing rather ominous.

"He's not scary at all! He's nice and he sings with me and he makes pretty dreams and he sent me the monster under my bed so I don't get scared when Mummy turns off the light!"

His Darkness the King of All Night's Dreaming was absolutely not blushing, when he'd heard this story. There was something of a light cough (surely not a sign of embarassment, of course) and a murmured, "Quite" as his sole reaction to everything.

Today, it was Rose Walker's turn to bring in her own charge, nine month old Daniel Hall, who might normally have been a very charming little man, except for the look on his face.

It was a very familiar look for Hob, though he would smugly admit that he was now seeing less of that expression on a Certain Someone's face these days.

"Oh dear," Hob sighed theatrically. "We are in a mood today, aren't we, my lad?"

"Hmph."

"Don't worry, Professor G," Rose sighed. "He's not going to throw a tantrum in the middle of class. He's not normally like this, though. He's usually a happy little guy."

"Well, being as I'm used to Someone who's not always a ray of sunshine himself -- "

The class snickered.

" -- we'll just let young... "

"Daniel."

"Right, let's give young Daniel a little bit of peace and quiet today while we get through the rest of the class, hmm?"

Daniel babbled what sounded like an affirmative. Hob smiled. "Good lad."

The class proceeded as normal for the next 30 minutes and true to Rose's word, little Daniel was remarkably quiet for a child his age, quietly playing with his favorite toy, a teddy bear named Derby.

That was, until, Dream had walked in.

Dream normally just slipped into the classroom and would just sit quietly in his seat, gratifyingly attentive to whatever Hob was discussing. Occasionally, he joined in, much to the class' delight. Today, however, was the day Dream would get a teddy bear thrown at his head.

Daniel had remarkable aim and range for a nine month old, even if Dream had caught Derby Bear before it hit him.

"Daniel!" Rose scolded.

Daniel responded with angry babble, at which point the Lord of Dreams crossed over to stare down at the infant, eyebrow raised.

"I am not in the habit of having to explain myself, Daniel Hall."

"Uh... sorry, Uncle Dream, you better, because he's been grumpy and bad tempered for the last week. Wonder where he gets it from?" Rose's tone was arch.

Hob muffled a snort. Of course, he ended up getting The Eyebrow in turn but he was already accustomed to the mercurial Monarch of the Sleeping Marches, so he just met that with his best innocent look.

Somebody slipped him a bucket of popcorn. Hob's still not sure how the class managed to produce the things whenever Popcorn Incidents were happening.

"I was obliged to entertain a Faerie delegation, who are not under the rule of Oberon and Titania. Rather, they were the folk led by the Goblin King." Dream paused and leveled Daniel with a meaningful look. "They are rather fond of stealing small children away."

"NOPE!" Steve hollered from the back of the class. "Not happening!"

"As I count you dear to me, little Daniel, I would not allow you or any other child in my care within a hundred leagues of their presence. Which is why you've not been able to come to me in the Dreaming. Now do you understand?"

Every person in the classroom would swear to Daniel's contemplative expression, which totally did not resemble a certain Dream Lord's at all. Then, the baby finally beamed up at him and reached out, making the universal sign of wanting to be picked up.

Which Dream did. "Thank you, your Royal Highness, this one is most relieved to be in your good graces once again."

He imperiously ignored the soft snickers from the rest of the room and took a seat with Daniel happy and content in his arms.

"Perhaps after that bit of entertainment, we could go back to the lesson now." Hob said dryly.

Dream inclined his head regally; Daniel copied the movement perfectly. "You may proceed."

Someone was definitely going to get kissed senseless, once they were in private. There was only so much adorableness a man could take.

-end-

#the sandman #dream of the endless #hob gadling #dream/hob #dreamling #dream vs babbu #i crack what i want #the full story #i regret nothing #shhh nobody tell neil

[theinquisitxor]

February 2024 Reading Wrap Up

I read 8 books in February, and overall had a great reading month. I had three five-star books, which is a lot for me in one month. I read 2 audiobooks and 6 physical books. I read 5 fantasy, 2 nonfiction, and 1 historical/literary fiction.

1.The Throne of the Five Winds (Hostage of Empire 1) by SC Emmet 5/5 stars. This was my Random TBR pick from January, which I finished up in Feb. This book had been on my tbr since 2019, and it was a fantastic courtly political fantasy. This is set in an ancient China inspired setting, with several different countries and cultures. The story follows two young women (one, a princess in an arranged marriage) as they travel to a neighboring empire to become integral in the court life there. I was surprised by how much I loved this book, and it's become a new favorite.

2.House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City 3) by SJM, 4/5 stars. The Crescent City books have been favorites for several years now, and I was very interested to see how this book (and the series) would develop as a crossover. I enjoyed this quite a lot, and it is very stereotypical SJM writing and plot. I love any sort of crossovers, portals, and traveling between worlds, so this book was a treat to me. However,  it felt like things came together too quickly and easily at the end, and it rushed towards a conclusion, and I wasn't as impressed with this book as much as I wanted to be.

3.The Bookseller of Florence: The Story of the Manuscripts that Illuminated the Renaissance by Ross King. I read this on audio and this was a huge deep dive into the world of the bookmarkets and booksellers in Florence. If you want a big dose of book history, this one is it. I didn't really enjoy the audiobook narrator unfortunately.

4.Blade Breaker (Realm Breaker 2) by Victoria Aveyeard 3/5 stars. I enjoyed this a little bit more than book 1, and this series has captured my attention so I want to see how it ends. I think I would be enjoying these books more if I were 16 or 17, but reading these in my mid-twenties is maybe not the target age range for this series. I enjoy the worldbuilding and characters the most.

5. A God In Every Stone by Kamila Shamsie 3/5 stars. This was every type of historical fiction that I enjoy: Early 20th cen. setting, Archeologists searching for an ancient artifact, WW1 book, Ancient and classical texts, Non-Western setting and examination of British Empire and colonialism. This was my Random TBR pick for the month of Feb, and this book has been on my tbr since 2020. I was glad to read it, and I tend to enjoy these types of novels. This feels like half literary fiction, half historical fiction.

6. The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden, 5/5 stars. This was as hauntingly horrific and beautiful as I hoped it would be. I had been waiting as patiently as I could for a new Katherine Arden adult novel, and this was well worth the wait. This book encapsulated WWI and the horrors well, with good characters, and a speculative/fantasy twist that I enjoyed.

7. What Feasts at Night (Sworn Soldier 2) by T Kingfisher, 4/5 stars. This is a followup horror novella to What Moves the Dead. This had more of a woodsy, folkloric horror than book 1. I think it was a little stronger than the first novella, since it wasn’t a retelling. I look forward to whatever else T Kingfisher writes, and I would enjoy more of these novellas!

8. Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe, 5/5 stars. This was my second audiobook for the month, and I was very impressed by this. I only knew a summery-level about The Troubles, but this was a great introduction for me.

That's it for February! I started (but did not finish) Us Against You by Frederick Backman, so I will finish that up in March.

My March TBR

Us Against You by Frederick Backman (Beartown 2)

The Poison Prince (Hostage of Empire 2) by SC Emmet

The Prisoner's Throne by Holly Black (releases March 5th)

Random TBR pick: An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors by Curtis Craddock

Knowing What We Know by Simon Winchester

Song of the Huntress by Lucy Holland (Releases March 21st)

The Hedgewitch of Foxhall by Ana Bright (Releases March 24th)

North Woods by Daniel Mason

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown

I'm definitely not going to get to all of these, but this is the list I'm going to be reading from!

#reading wrap up #March reading wrap up #fantasy books #books #bookblr

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🦇 Good afternoon, my bookish bats. I hope you have a good book, delicious latte, and sweet snack within reach! No TBR is complete without a few young adult novels, and plenty were released in March! Here are a few YA releases to consider adding to your shelves.

🩷 March 5 🩷 ✨ What Monstrous Gods - Rosamund Hodge ✨ The Prisoner's Throne - Holly Black ✨ Defy the Storm - Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland ✨ The Stricken - Morgan Shamy ✨ The Encanto's Daughter - Melissa de la Cruz ✨ Breathing Underwater - Abbey Nash ✨ One Last Breath - Ginny Myers Sain ✨ Bad Like Us - Gabriella Lepore ✨ Promchanted - Morgan Matson ✨ Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams - Shari Green ✨ The No-Girlfriend Rule - Christen Randall ✨ Ellie Haycock Is Totally Normal - Gretchen Schreiber ✨ An Unlikely Proposition - Rosalyn Eves ✨ A Different Kind of Brave - Lee Wind ✨ The Baker and the Bard - Fern Haught

🩷 March 12 🩷 ✨ The Hedgewitch of Foxhall - Anna Bright ✨ Six Truths and a Lie - Ream Shukairy ✨ Monster Crush - Erin Ellie Franey ✨ Infinity Kings - Adam Silvera ✨ The Other Lola - Ripley Jones ✨ Just Another Epic Love Poem - Parisa Akhbari ✨ Not Your Average Jo - Grace K. Shim ✨ Book, Beast, and Crow - Elizabeth Byrne ✨ Meet Me in the Fourth Dimension - Rita Feinstein ✨ Ariel Crashes a Train - Olivia A. Cole ✨ These Bodies Between Us - Sarah Van Name ✨ A Feather So Black - Lyra Selene

🩷 March 19 🩷 ✨ Where Sleeping Girls Lie - Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé ✨ Under This Red Rock - Mindy McGinnis ✨ The Last Bloodcarver - Vanessa Le ✨ The Revenant Games - Margie Fuston ✨ In the Orbit of You - Ashley Schumacher ✨ Cancelled - Farrah Penn ✨ Rules for Rule Breaking - Talia Tucker ✨ The Veiled Kingdom - Holly Renee ✨ Taka - Ryan Jampole

🩷 March 26 🩷 ✨ The Poisons We Drink - Bethany Baptiste ✨ Dead Girls Walking - Sami Ellis ✨ Royal Scandal - Aimee Carter ✨ Icarus - K. Ancrum ✨ The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist - Sophie Gonzales ✨ Chronically Dolores - Maya Van Wagenen ✨ Out of Left Field - Jonah Newman

#young adult romance #young adult books #young adult fiction #ya books #ya book recs #book releases #book release #batty about books #battyaboutbooks

[haveyoureadthismgyabook]

Series info:

Book 1 of Folk of the Air

Book 2: Wicked King

Book 3: Queen of Nothing

Book 4/Book 1 of The Stolen Heir: The Stolen Heir

Book 5/Book 2: The Prisoner's Throne (Expected publication March 2024)

#books #ya #fantasy #the cruel prince #the folk of the air #holly black #poll

[chyyy66]

Books Ive Read This Year

January :

You’ve Reached Sam - Dustin Thao ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Five Survive - Holly Jackson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

You’ll be the Death of Me - Karen M. McManus ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Inheritance Games - Jennifer Lynn Barnes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Hawthorne Legacy - Jennifer Lynn Barnes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Final Gambit - Jennifer Lynn Barnes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Icebreaker - Hannah Grace ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Way I Used to Be - Amber Smith ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

February :

One of Us Is Lying - Karen M. McManus DNF

March :

Twisted Love - Ana Huang ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Twisted Games - Ana Huang ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Twisted Hate - Ana Huang ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Twisted Lies - Ana Huang ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

April :

A Court of Throns and Roses - Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Court of Mist and Fury - Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Court of Wings and Ruin - Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Court of Frost and Starlight - Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Court of Silver Flames - Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

House of Earth and Blood - Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

House of Sky and Breath - Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Assassins Blade - Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Crown of Midnight - Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Heir of Fire - Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Queen of Shadows - Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tower of Dawn - Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Empire of Storms - Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Kingdom of Ash - Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

May :

King of Wrath - Ana Huang ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

All the Bright Places - Jennifer Niven ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

June :

The Fine Print - Lauren Asher ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Terms and Conditions - Lauren Asher ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Final Offer - Lauren Asher ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Better Than the Movies - Lynn Painter ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Cruel Prince - Holly Black ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Wicked King - Holly Black ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Queen of Nothing - Holly Black ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

July :

Crooked Kingdom - Leigh Bardugo ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Unravel Me - Tahereh Mafi ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ignite Me - Tahereh Mafi ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Restore Me - Tahereh Mafi ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Kill Joy - Holly Jackson ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Defy Me - Tahereh Mafi ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Imagine Me - Tahereh Mafi ⭐️⭐️

A Thousand Boy Kisses - Tillie Cole ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller ⭐️⭐️⭐️

August :

Better Than the Prom - Lynn Painter ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Upside of Falling - Alex Light ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hooked - Emily McIntire ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Scarred - Emily McIntire ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

King of Pride - Ana Huang ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Brothers Hawthorne - Jennifer Lynn Barnes DNF

October :

Assistant to the Villain - Hannah Nicole Maehrer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Unwrap my Heart - Alex Falcone and Ezra Fox ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Caraval - Stephanie Garber ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Hurricane Wars - Thea Guanzon ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Divine Rivals - Rebecca Ross ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

King of Greed - Ana Huang ⭐️⭐️⭐️

November :

Iron Flame - Rebecca Yarros ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wildfire - Hannah Grace ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Love Redesign - Lauren Asher ⭐️⭐️⭐️

December :

Powerless - Lauren Roberts ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ruthless Vows - Rebecca Ross ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#books #reading challenge #read in 2023

[slightlyrebelliouswriter23]

oh shit, we're reading QON this week!

hello fair foes and Folk!

have you been struggling to rouse the motivation to reread your favourite series but have no one to bust your balls about it? did you follow along for our reread of The Cruel Prince and/or The Wicked King? are you ready for a final round? then i come to you with a great boon:

🐍 The Queen of Nothing Reread Extravaganza! 🐍

for the month of March, we will be rereading The Folk of the Air series by Holly Black here on Tumblr. we'll start The Queen of Nothing on Monday 27 March. all posts for this (very unofficial) fandom event will be tagged under #back on our bullshit reread extravaganza so followers be warned.

to join the reread, simply comment on or reblog and add tags to this post confirming your interest, and i will add you to the tag list for read reminders and discussion threads.

you can join at any time, no matter where the group currently is in the series. you can even join if you didn't read The Cruel Prince/The Wicked King with us, or couldn't keep up but want to try again! this reread is for everyone.

✦ REREADING SCHEDULE ✦

current readers are:

@slightlyrebelliouswriter23

@vanhelsingapologist

@waternymphia

@corcracrow

@complete--fandom--trash

@ryns-ramblings

@theviolenceofviolets

@ruinationofthethrone

@thequeenofnightmares

@clockworkbee

@thesnowgoddess

@andifiwasblessed

@houseveturius

@acciomanorian

@ironicallyanemic

@happydayes28

@satrnstarz

@archerons-arrow

@cardanstrickytail

@the-mithridatism-of-jude-duarte

@fantasyfox-101

@there-was-evelyn

@kali-lj

@knifewifejude

@lovelycarose

@velarhysismyhome

#tfota #jurdan #holly black #back on our bullshit reread extravaganza #jude duarte #cardan greenbriar #jurdannet #the folk of the air #the cruel prince #the wicked king #the queen of nothing #judecardan

[doodle-pops]

“You have snow on your eyelashes, looks cute.” For Ecthelion.

☃: Some cutesy moment for our water boy :)

𝓦𝓲𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓦𝓸𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓭

Gondolin was always a beauty whenever winter came due to the King and his fellow Lords doing their best to uplift the quality of visuals in the hidden Kingdom. Everywhere you went, green garland garnished the streets with mistletoe and holly pinned to them. You were experiencing a sensory overload with the radiance of colours—green, gold, blue, silver and red—and not to mention, the food. You and Ecthelion were walking hand in hand through the streets, laughing and chatting away about the winter season.

“Why don’t we try the blueberry pies along with their hot chocolate? I think a little sugar wouldn’t harm us this morning,” you eagerly tugged the hand of your ebony-haired Lord who bore an amused look as he observed your child-like wonder and excitement. You were always a joy to be around during the winter season and festivities; you always made his experience one of a kind.

Feeling giddy as you dragged him into the bakery, Ecthelion stood the entire time at your side, watching you interact with the workers and glow when you received your treats. Normally, he would appear stern and expressionless, but today, every action you displayed earned you a smile that would tug your heartstrings. You had never seen your lover smile so much in one day, except when you accepted his confession.

“Where would you like to go next?” Ecthelion asked as he dusted the crumbs off your face as you devoured your dessert with gusto. Your cheeks were stuffed to the brim and barely any coherent words were picked up by him as you mumbled your response. You were fighting for your life to get a syllable out, but the blueberry pie and hot chocolate were calling your name and stuffing your mouth. “Perhaps the benched by the fountain in the gardens?”

“HMMM!” nodding your head furiously with pie still in your mouth, you marched off in the direction that Ecthelion suggested with him following closely behind, ensuring that you didn’t take a fall to the icy streets. He couldn’t help but shake his head at the level of enthusiasm you displayed and found it endearing.

Rushing to catch up with you, you both fell into silence as you strolled through the streets. The snow was falling lightly, some landing in your hair and the rest on your pie which prompted a series of disgruntled noises from you, “Not my pie snow, go away.”

Snickering at your antics, Ecthelion released peals of soft laughter beside you which gained your attention and caused you to turn towards him. He was beautiful in the snow as his ebony hair stood out alongside his silvery eyes. Going off his features while he was busy laughing, your hands on instinct, shot out to grip his, bringing him to a halt. “You…You have snow on your eyelashes…you look cute,” you cooed at him while reaching your hand upwards to brush some off his cheekbone and ignoring the ones on his lashes.

You could see the moment your words reached his brain because his eyes took a moment to widen before the blush grew on his face. He was always bashful when it came to compliments, batting his lashes and hiding his face, pretending that your words didn’t affect him when the evidence was plain for all to see. “T-Thank you, my love.”

“You look so cute when you blush in winter Thel, you should do it more often.”

#red ribbon event 2022 #christmas event 2022 #ecthelion x reader #ecthelion imagine #Ecthelion #house of the fountain #silmarillion imagine #silmarillion x reader #middle earth x reader #middle earth imagine #lords of gondolin #silmarillion #doodlepops writings ✨

[ezziefae]

Jude and Cardan’s Political problem predictions for Prisoners Throne (coming Feb March 2024)

Holly Black has confirmed that Jude and Cardan will have a HUGE political problem at the end of Prisoners throne, and here are some ideas as to what the problem might be.

what if the political problem jude and cardan have at the end of prisoners throne is that there are no more heirs to elfhame?

there’s been theories and predictions that Oak WILL be king, but not king of elfhame. he’ll be king along side Wren in courts of teeth.

Another political problem could be the Undersea

In the stolen heir, we found out that Queen Orlagh had been growing weak, and Nicasia was even weaker. Throughout the book, both, Oak and Suren had gotten warnings to stay away from the undersea.

-

It is the merrow that takes my [Wren] hand. “Lady of the Land,” he says voice even raspier than mine, skin chilly. “The only gift I have to give you is knowledge. There is war coming in the waves. The Queen of the Undersea has grown weak, and her child weaker. When there comes blood in the water, the land would be well served to stay away. Cirien-Cròin is coming.”

- chapter 7, page 142

-

“you sent for me [Loana the mermaid] and i came, prince Oak, and lucky that i did, for the undersea has challengers on all sides as queen orlagh weakens, each of them looking for an edge. soon i may be your only friend beneath the waves.” - Loana

“The treaty with the land still stands,” Oak reminded her.

“For now, beautiful one.” - Loana

- Chapter 12, page 248

If Orlagh gets overthrown, Elfhame and the Undersea would have no treaty. Meaning more political problems and war.

-

It’s been fun seeing all these theories, i’m excited for holly to give us sneak peeks in the future. Holly has already confirmed that she has turned in the first draft of the prisoners throne to her editors.

More political problems for jude and cardan MEANS MORE JURDAN BOOKS 🫵🏼🫵🏼

also can we talk about the fact that Holly Black technically confirmed that Jude and Cardan will still be king and queen of Elfhame by the end of prisoners throne by saying that they would have a political problem by the end of the book. Get it? she’s sneaky.

#the stolen heir #jude duarte #cardan greenbriar #oak greenbriar #holly black #the folk of the air #the prisoners throne #elfhame #jurdan #suren

[audiodramatist]

9 people you would like to know better

tagged by @rabbitmotifs ages ago but i just found it in my email inbox thanks holly <3

1. 3 ships: wrightworth, hardshine, uhhh suzabel

2. first ever ship: i remember being sad that fantine didnt live and raise cosette with jean valjean. i think that counts.

3. last song: the dripping tap king gizzard & the lizard wizard. although i was just singing human touch by bruce springsteen if we wanna count that instead

4. last movie: genuinely don't remember. maybe happy death day? that can't be right that was ages ago. quite possibly a documentary about filipino veterans of wwii edited by my sound prof (it was called A Long March it's gonna be on PBS soon, highly recommend)

5. currently reading: technically still in the middle of harrow the ninth by tamsyn muir

6. currently watching: jujitsu kaisen (very slowly) (it started stressing me out so i abandoned it for a bit), idk i watched chicago med with my moms recently

7. currently consuming: this is probably abt food but i AM actually listening to podcasts. so. naddpod c1 relisten + d20 burrow's end

8. currently craving: A BAGEL THE FUCKING EINSTEINS ON CAMPUS IS CLOSED SUNDAY AND I KEEP FORGETTING

9. tagging @jade-harley-lesbian @dapper-nahrwhale @collectoroflovelythings @commsroom @butchmechanism (IDK WHY THAT ONE ISNT WORKING I'LL DM U I GUESS) @baloooga @vonlipvig @whats-a-terrarium @skeletaltoad

#tag games #suddenly realizing how much of my media consumption has just been youtube video essays #im gonna read a book over break thats my new goal

[sapphicmsmarvel]

2023 reading catalog

January

a million to one by adiba jaigirdar 💜

Iron widow by xiran jay zhao 💜

An encore of roses by st gibson 💜

Im a therapist and my patient is going to be the next school shooter by Dr. Harper 💜

I’m a therapist and my patient is in love with a pedophile by Dr. Harper 💜

I’m a therapist and my patient is a vegan terrorist by Dr. Harper 💜

The disturbing incident at lonesome woods boarding school by dr. harper 💜

One dark window by rachel gillig 

February 

The twisted dead by darcy coates 

The house across the lake by riley sager 

Renegades by marissa meyer 🤍

Archenemies by marissa meyer 🤍

Supernova by marissa meyer 🤍

Daisy darker by alice feeney 

March 

The lost apothecary by susan penner 

MHA 37 by kohei horikoshi 

The pronoun lowdown by nevo zisin 

The queen's english by chloe o davis

MHA team up 1 by kohei horikoshi and yoko akiyama 

To make monsters out of girls by amanda lovelace 

MHA team up 2 by kohei horikoshi and yoko akiyama 

JJK 0 by gege akutami 

MHA team up 3 by kohei horikoshi and yoko akiyama 

Hell bent by leigh bardugo 

Spice road by maiya ibrahim 

The stardust thief by chelsea abdullah 

The london seance society by susan penner 💜

All the dangerous things by stacy willingham 

April 

The fae princes by nikki st crowe 

Carnage by sarah bailey 

Final offer by lauren asher. 

Glitch by briana michaels 

Never lie by frieda mcfadden 

The locked door by frieda mcfadden 

The inheritance by cassie cole 

Emily wildes encyclopedia of faeries by heather fawcett 

 The stolen heir by holly black 

May 

Chaos by sarah bailey 

Corrode by sarah bailey 

Cataclysm by sarah bailey 

Howl's moving castle by diana wynne jones 

Fourth wing by rebecca yarros 

Cursed crowns by catherine doyle + katherine webber 

Girls of fate and fury by natasha ngan 💜

We free the stars by hafsah faizal 

A war of two queens by jennifer l armentrout 

The crown of gilded bones by jennifer l armentrout 🤍

Malice by heather walter 💜

Misrule by heather walter 💜

June 

MHA vol 38 by kohei horikoshi 

Sofi and the bone song by adrienne tooley 

jjk vol 21 by gege akutami 

jjk vol 22 by gege akutami 

lore olympus vol 4 by rachel smythe 

the fiancee farce by alexandria bellefleur 💜

the only survivors by megan miranda 

what lies in the woods by kate alice marshall 

the last word by taylor adams 

you’re invited by amanda jayatissa 

ward d by freida mcfadden 

once returned by darcy coates 

double pucked by lauren blakely 

mated to the monster by sarah spade 

July

the thicket by noelle w ihli 

the good lie by ar torre

a naughty lesson by mika lane 

love creekwood by becky albertalli 💜

the heartstopper yearbook by alice oseman 💜

demon in the wood by leigh bardugo and dani pendergast 

the young elites by marie lu 

nick and charlie by alice oseman 💜

a haunted road atlas by christine schiefer and em schulz 

the rose society by marie lu 

the midnight star by marie lu 

a wicked education by mika lane 

a sinful classroom by mika lane 

the girl from the sea by molly knox ostertag 💜

August

how to sell a haunted house by grady hendrix 

the foxglove king by hannah whitten 

seven faceless saints by mk lobb 💜

divine rivals by rebecca ross 

sing me to sleep by gabi burton 

silver in the bone by alexandra bracken 

foxglove by adalyn grace 

assistant to the villain by hannah nicole maehrer 

September

a broken blade by melissa blair 

bonesmith by nicki pau preto 

the angelmaker by alex north 

the family across the street by nicole trope 

October 

the sun and the star by rick riordan and mark oshiro 💜

lore olympus vol 5 by rachel smythe 

the chalice of the gods by rick riordan 

fangs by sarah anderson 

throne of the fallen by kerri maniscalco 

kingdom of the wicked by kerri maniscalco 🤍

kingdom of the cursed by kerri mansicalco 🤍

kingdom of the feared by kerri maniscalco 🤍

the priory of the orange tree by samantha shannon 💜

catwoman soulstealer by louise simonson, samantha dodge and sarah j maas

starling house by alix e harrow 

November 

savage hate by amanda richardson 

a curse for true love by stephanie garber 

forged by blood by ehigbor okosun 

if i have to be haunted by miranda sun 

heart trick by kristen granata 

the legacy by elle kennedy 

odd man rush by kristen granata 💜

that one night by emily rath 

pucking around by emily rath 💜

pucking ever after vol 1 by emily rath 💜

iron flame by rebecca yarros 

my hero academia team up missions vol 4 by yoko akiyama and koehi horikoshi 

December 

spin the bottle by stephanie alves 

as good as dead by holly jackson 

the lightning thief by rick riordan 🤍

the sea of monsters by rick riordan 🤍

i am not your final girl by claire c holland 

the titans curse by rick riordan 🤍

the battle of the labyrinth by rick riordan 🤍

#reading #booktok #books #bookblogging