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grimdarkfandango · 4 months

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riley's rec list 2023

oo-er alliteration, ladidah

AIGHT SO hello so I saw a fic rec list yesterday and was like. damn son I love rec lists. and then I read a fic off it and went DAMN SON I LOVE REC LISTS so guess what y'all are getting for 2024. it's a fic rec list! congratulations release the crocodiles

these are in approximately no order whatsoever. not all of these came out in 2023, but some of them did, and I definitely read them with my eyeballs then.

I'm not bothering with a readmore you know how to scroll happy new year

One Hundred Years Past by tciddaemina | BOTW/LoZ | Ganondorf/Link | 39k + sequels Link wakes up a hundred years early. It changes everything.

y'all I only read this two days ago and I am Ob Sessed. what if Ganondorf picked Link up like a feral stray in the desert. What if he dodged calamity with the power of dick and this twink he found. What if the second story in the series was designed in a lab to make me feral. What if!

Pinned and Needled by surveycorpsjean | One Piece (manga/anime) | Zoro/Sanji | 35k Sanji struggles with an injury that prevents him from cooking. Around the same time, Zoro starts to act strange.

[deep fucking inhale] SO. sometimes you are ambling at a slowish pace through a manga with over 1100 chapters and then an author you really like drops a fic for the couple you are rotating in your head and so you go 'hey cool let me just read that' and you don't even get half the plot references in the story but it's enough because then you read 700 chapters in A Week and now you're caught up and get to read it all over again and scream even louder

like a bird on a wire by tierfal | BNHA/MHA (manga) | Endeavor/Hawks | 8k The aftermath, and the undertow, and something like a sunrise.

we still don't know what the aftermath of the war will be [stares into the middle distance about the most recent chapter] so enjoy this hurt/comfort from after ch 390!! I just... love Hawks... it's about the devotion...

I'm realising of all of the recs here this one might need the most canon knowledge to make sense but. also. what if you read 410 chapters of manga and then talked to me about it...

Facade by Hazel_Athena | One Piece (manga/anime) | Zoro/Sanji | 32k Left with only three other crew mates, it’s a ready expectation that Sanji will start fawning all over Robin in his usual obnoxious way. However, that’s not what happens. Instead, looking wild around the eyes in a way only someone who knows him well would recognize, the cook doesn’t break stride until he’s firmly within Zoro’s orbit and can wrap both hands around his upper arm, clinging tight. “Hi, darling,” he chirps, his expression desperately conveying that Zoro needs to play along under pain of death. “Did you miss me?”

ZOSAN FAKE DATING MARRIAGE LESGOOOO

this is just so much fluff and also zoro being in PainTM and I love a good trope mmkay

Carry You Home (In My Teeth) by DistortedDaytime | Stranger Things | Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson | 51k All Billy wants to do is lick his wounds and sleep off a bad night. Instead, he wakes up to find his furrier half stranded in Steve Harrington’s laundry room.

Billy the werewolf! Eddie the vampire! Steve the Steve! I am cheating a little bit because I got to cheer this on first-hand as it was being written BUT also it's just really, really, really fun. And horny. And full of Billy's Issues. Plus some neat werewolf worldbuilding and my favourite type of Deus Ex Maxine.

Everything In Its Right Place by JustSomeGuyDontWorryAboutIt | Mandalorian | Din Djarin/Cobb Vanth | 12k In which Cobb Vanth is forced off-planet, roped into a rescue mission, and made to stew torturously in his feelings. Just because you’ve spent months fantasizing about shucking him from that armour like a Sorgan krill doesn’t mean he’s thought about you even once, he reminded himself. Don’t make this awkward. Just enjoy the company while it lasts.

I, too, think Cobb should get to tap that so hard they cause an interstellar incident about it. And that's after he charms the last remaining jedi into giving the kid back.

Same As It Ever Was by QuokkaFoxtrot | Stranger Things | Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson | 62k "Deja-vu? Like you feel like you've done this before, because-" "No!" Steve snaps, feeling everyone's attention snap to him. He lowers his voice, aiming it so that only Nancy can hear. "I mean I've carried Eddie's body back to the rift in the trailer. Twice." --- Sometimes it can take a while to become the man you want to be.

Sometimes a good friend slides you a link to a fic their friend has started writing with a 'hey you ship this, check this out' and then you lose your whole fucking mind, usually directly into the comment box, until the whole thing is complete. This is the time loop fic of DREAMS. This is the GOLD FUCKING STANDARD. This has, unequivocally, REWIRED MY GODDAMN BRAIN. This is, as far as I'm concerned, one of the best fics ever written. Run don't walk.

THAT'S IT HAPPY NEW YEAR

#fic recs #long post #the fuck I'm not tagging all of those fandoms #read em or don't

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starscribes · 6 months

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happy storyteller saturday!

do you find that there are certain themes or tropes or motifs that tend to show up in your projects? is it intentional, or do they just end up appearing?

Happy STS! Thank you for the ask!

I tend to structure a lot of my character-building around families or other similar relationships, a lot of found family tropes here. It's mostly intentional, I had a close-knit but complicated family situation growing up. I lived in a multi-generational and multi-faceted home with a lot of different relationship dynamics going on all at once. So most of my stories involve at least one family relationship which plays a big role in the plot. In my current WIP for NaNo it's actually a reversal/parallel of the previous work. In Otherworld, Jonas goes missing and his son (Sebastian) and his niece (Maxine) go to another world to rescue him. In Shades of Night, Sebastian goes missing and his dad (Jonas) and his sister (Samantha) go looking for him. But the differences in the family dynamics and who is doing the looking and who is lost changes up how events play out dramatically. The main character arc of Otherworld is Maxine's coming-of-age, as in her finding her confidence as a monster hunter. Shades of Night is Sebastian's coming-of-age (even though he's 25 instead of the usual 18ish like Maxine) not as a monster hunter but as a man, finding his confidence just in general, because he's been held back by his father for so long. So in the end when he is found it's not as joyous a reunion as it was in Otherworld but more bittersweet because he's finally found himself and defined himself as a leader on his own and in the end...kind of didn't want to be rescued.

Thanks again for the ask! I do so love getting to talk about my characters and my process! It helps me figure it out for myself a lot of the time when someone else asks the question because I'll never think to ask it of myself!

#writeblr #star answers #starscribes #sarandipitywrites #sts #storyteller saturday #dc: shades of night #oc: jonas devlin #oc: sebastian devlin #oc: maxine devlin #dc: otherworld #oc: samantha devlin

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paceypeternathanslawyer · 2 years

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It never fails to make me so happy seeing how Steve Urkel found so much love in the Winslow family.

First with Estelle. Mother Winslow can always be counted upon to defend Steve and shower affection on him. She takes on a grandmotherly role with him.

Secondly Richie Crawford. Richie was approximately 3 years old when he started calling Steve Urkel, Uncle Steve. He started this with 0 prompting or encouragement whatsoever. In fact, there were quite a few times when people would annoyedly say “he’s not your uncle” and despite this Richie continued to call him Uncle Steve.

Thirdly the relationship between Steve and Laura is so moving for me. I really feel like they were the best versions of themselves around each other. I feel like Stefan brought an immaturity out of Laura. For instance, that time that Laura was dating Stefan and Maxine started dating Laura’s ex, Curtis. Laura got in a jealous cat fight with Maxine when she didn’t even want Curtis anymore. She had chosen Stefan. Steve brings out a more gentle side and a more vulnerable side. At the beginning, Laura hates Steve... you know the classic enemies to lovers trope.... but then Steve and Laura start working together at the beginning of S2 first at Leroys and then subsequently Rachel’s Place and through working together they became friends. Laura can clown on Steve but you best believe if other people mistreat or act like a bad friend to Steve, she will come after you. And Laura comes to appreciate his sense of humor, goofiness, intelligence, and loyalty. I would say that Laura starts to fall in love and be attracted to Steve in the beginning of S7 when Steve starts to live with the Winslows. You see that change in how Laura views Steve start in “The Naked And The Nerdy” episode and certainly you see it in the “Dream Date” episode. You don’t kiss someone like Laura kissed Steve if you aren’t attracted to them... you just don’t. And Steve starts to become a better person and i’m not just talking about the clothes he wears. He sharpens his selfless and sacrificial love skills with Laura. He learns to back off and give her space when need be over time. He loves Laura but he will do anything for her even if it comes with great emotional pain to himself at times. Like when he wanted to take her to the dance but she said that she only wanted to go with Ted. Steve helped get the date even though it pained him greatly because at the end of the day he wanted Laura to be happy.

Even Steve and Eddie’s relationship makes great strides. Just seeing Eddie start to hang out with Steve, get comfortable and chill around Steve and not be ashamed to be seen with him means so much to me. Eddie isn’t a very physically or even verbally affectionate person with his guy friends but you do see in small ways his friendship with Steve progress in a consistent and moving way.

The only Steve relationship that stays pretty stagnant is the one with Carl. There’s always these sweet moments at the end of episodes that feel so false and disingenuous because Carl may be sweet to Steve and see his perspective but then nothing ever changes. They will hug and the next episode Carl will continue to be an asshole to Steve. He also knows the way in which Steve’s parents abuse him and he has no sympathy for Steve. He could be a great influence and father figure in Steve’s life... maybe even help him be less clumsy but instead he piles more crap on Steve. Steve’s abuse is so interesting to me because if a character went through all this in a drama then it would be a soap opera and Steve’s parents would be imprisoned and at the very least Steve would be taken out of that home by Child Protective Services. But because this a comedy show and they don’t actually show these events (only talk about them) then we’re supposed to laugh?!?! Well, it isn’t funny. Steve’s parents legit use him as a projectile to break a pinata on Steve’s birthday. He said that he spent his birthday in an ambulance. Carl hears this (as a police officer btw) and let’s it pass and then later in that episode has a heart to heart with Steve where he seemingly makes excuses for Steve’s parents.... saying shit like “oh parents are just hard on their kids, i’m sure they’re proud of you.” I mean, Carl, did you not listen to what Steve said?!?! This is so far beyond a parent who simply have high expectations of their children. They are fucking abusive!! And that’s just one of 100s of abusive and horrible things the Urkel parents did. They were invited to Steve’s wedding to Laura which is one of the most exciting moments in your child’s life and they said they couldn’t come because an episode of their favorite show was coming on that day. Once his parents moved to Milwaukee when he was a small child, they took new identities to hide from Steve. One time Steve called his mom and she pretended that she didn’t know who he was. All these things are portrayed as funny because of how outlandish they are but it’s still abuse and it should be seen as that. Carl knows all these things and also Steve has legit saved Carl’s life multiple times and yet Carl still treats him like shit.

It’s 2022, it’s time that we call what Steve Urkel went through abuse. With all that in mind, seeing Steve find love and happiness with most of the Winslow family is so well deserved. Estelle is like a grandmother, Richie is like a nephew, Eddie is a great friend, and Laura is his wife and the love of his life.

Most of Steve’s relatives hate him and pay him money to stay away from them. Uncle Cecil, Uncle Ernie, Aunt Oona, and Myrtle Urkel at least are nice to Steve so that’s good I guess. Steve’s classmates all bully him, a lot of his teachers hate him and only because he’s clumsy and nerdy. I can’t emphasize this enough... because he’s CLUMSY AND NERDY. The boy is a sweetheart, so smart, so kind, nice, and funny and yet so many people hate him because he’s different.

Going back to the positive relationships in Steve’s life... it warms my heart how he also finds love and acceptance from his polka community. The episode “Polkapalooza” is one of my favorites because not only does Laura tell Steve that she loves him for the first time but we also see him being absolutely adored by the people in the greater Chicago area polka community. You can see why as a child, he gravitated towards polka. Because as a child no one loved him so to have that community of like minded and kind people was something that was greatly needed and wanted.

Now Steve is married to Laura and they have little Urkel children and are living happily ever after. He has Eddie, Greta, Maxine, and Waldo as his close friends and I even like to think that Carl and Harriette came around and treat him with love and respect now. He also became rich and successful... probably famous for some amazing invention and when his parents came crawling back, trying to reap the benefits then he kicked their sorry asses to the curb.

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steddie-fic-recs · 2 years

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judasofsuburbia: There Will Come A Soldier

Published: 2022-07-11

Completed: 2022-07-13

Words: 13.149

Chapters: 2/2

Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley/Nancy Wheeler, Maxine "Max" Mayfield/Lucas Sinclair, Will Byers/Mike Wheeler

Tags/Tropes: Renaissance Faires, Slow Dancing, Everyone Is Happy, Steve is a Princess

Steve Harrington thought they were kidding. A week ago, Robin and Eddie had been excitedly talking about this thing called a “Renaissance Faire” coming to Indianapolis the following weekend. The way they were talking about it with the costumes and the lore, Steve presumed it was another Dungeons and Dragons thing that he did not understand so he tuned them out.

(i.e. the fruity four and the kids go to the renaissance faire and something about Eddie in a costume gets Steve flustered)

Read the fic here.

#steddie #steddie fics #eddie munson #steddie fic #steddie fic recs #steve harrington #stranger things #robin buckley #stranger things fic recs #nancy wheeler

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tallulahchanel · 1 year

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This Shuri x Namor thing is really giving me inspiration to talk about the enemies-to-lovers trope and why Kyle and Maxine from Living Single is the best example of the trope

#enemies to lovers #kyle x maxine

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battlestar-royco · 4 years

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underrated fantasy/sci fi tropes

protagonist drinks some magical substance that either tastes different to everyone or tastes different every time you drink it

just got this cool power.... would be a shame if it corrupted me

on the other hand, letting marginalized characters be all-powerful without getting corrupted

magical doors or gateways (ie you have to close the door behind you or else monsters will follow, walking beyond a threshold into a completely different environment and turning backward to see no sign of the place you just left)

spells or curses with weird time constraints or conditions (ie you only have power in the moonlight, you have until the solstice to complete the task)

character you thought was kind of a loser comes into some ability that completely turns the tables

women older than 35 having magical powers and not being evil and/or being wise or badass mentor figures

superorganism hive minds

there are both upsides and downsides to immortality; conditional immortality (ie you’re immortal except you can die under xyz condition)

prophecies that wouldn’t have come true if the protagonist didn’t try so hard to avoid it

mentor you thought you could trust shows their morally ambiguous side either to protect themselves or protect their mentee

person you thought was evil does one good deed for the protagonist, for whatever reason

random background character was actually guiding or spying on the protagonist the entire time

that’s all i could think of for now but feel free to add more :)

#maxine talks tropes

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zalrb · 2 years

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could you rank some of your fave couples based on their slowburn

ok before i do that, i have to repost my whole thing about slow burns and why that term is tricky for me:

Anonymous asked: What’s your definition of a slowburn? Any good examples

Well a slow burn to me, is two people who take a while to get together, but I think the issue is what do people characterize as a while.Like does it have to be a Donna and Josh situation (I don’t ship them btw, lol, I shipped him with someone else, I wanted them to stay platonic) where they don’t get together until the very end of the series?

Can it be a Luke and Lorelai situation where it took four seasons for the kiss?

Or can it be Pam and Jim that took three seasons?

Or can it be Jake and Amy that took two seasons?

Or can it be Ben and Leslie that effectively took one?

And is it still a slow burn if there’s an initial will-they-won’t-they, they get together but they have to break up and they keep getting together and breaking up until at the every end they’re together for good like Dwayne and Whitley or Kyle and Maxine?

Kdramas are different because they do slow burns in the span of 7 episodes that feel like 7 seasons and it’s also because their level of intimacy is different than western television, it takes, like, 4 episodes for hand-holding to even happen and it’s a HUGE deal when it does, and they usually have to share an umbrella or anything that shelters rain before any kind of romantic physical contact -or sometimes a pat on the head can be combined and before that they need the stand off so kdramas are mostly predicated on ratcheting up physical intimacies episode by episode which gives them a very slow burn feeling, some of the newer ones like Crash Landing On You throw in all the physical tropes right out the gate and yet still manage to create excruciatingly cue and/or angsty slow burns, so.

with that out of the way:

leslie and ben

this post talks more about good build-up as opposed to a 'slow burn' but i consider leslie and ben a slow burn and this post explaining why i think their build up is so great explains why i like their slow burn so i'm putting it down, although there are other ships in this post that i wouldn't call a slow burn but that have good build-up

dong man and ae ra

https://zalrb.tumblr.com/post/173208226940/what-is-it-about-dong-man-and-ae-ra-thats-so-otp

jim and pam

https://zalrb.tumblr.com/post/657286210466742272/i-love-talking-about-pam-and-jim-ok-so-the-more

dwayne and whitley

jake and amy

jonah and amy

these ships aren't ones i actively ship but:

jess and nick

lorelai and luke

mindy and danny

i have to watch the united states of tara again but the relationship between marshall and lionel is one that kind of stuck with me, i don't even remember much about it but i remember it took a while and i remember when they both stopped pretending that they didn't like each other because lionel was talking about a hookup and made it sound like this beautiful experience and marshall was getting jealous and then later he confessed the hookup was, like, this cheap thing and he was describing what the guy was doing and marshall was like I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT and then he kisses lionel's eyelids because that's what lionel originally said the guy did and i remember just yelling FINALLY so i'm putting it down even though i don't remember much of it.

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beesmygod · 2 years

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heres my pitch for a chapter of ags: Alice says vera has it easier, and vera says alice has it easier, and they both say "I wish i had your life for just one day!" at the same time! and then sneaky maxine, decides to cast, a sassy spell...

there's a podcast i listen to that every time they talk about this trope one of the hosts says "yeah they peed in the same fountain" and it always makes me laugh but if i just said that with no explanation i would just look insane

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gameofdrarry · 3 years

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Wizards Hearts Recs: Party Games

With Wizards Hearts being over, it’s now time to start releasing masterlists.

Wizards Hearts was a four-month-long Drarry reading fest. Players were given a playing deck of 52 tropes, and were asked to find 52 different fics to read and comment on to fill their decks. To prevent the same few fics from being read, fics were restricted to only being used for the game three times before being considered ineligible for further points. The tropes and submissions list can be found here.

Check out the masterlist of fics for this trope below the cut!

📜 Status Quo by gin_tonic Rated Explicit | 11,083 words Tags: Party Games, Spin the Bottle, Rimming Summary: 8th year has started and going back to school is harder than anyone thought. A proper outlet is needed – and found in games that hold more significance than anyone expected. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Starts with a Spin by Maxine Rated: Explicit Words: 119,850 Tags: Party Games, Spin the Bottle, Hogwarts Era, First Time, Humour Summary: It started with the spin of a bottle, and now Harry and Draco have gotten themselves so far into their own game there's almost no way out again. Except to keep playing. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Lockdown by Vorabiza Rated: Explicit Words: 35,143 Tags: Party Games, Humor, Graphic Sex, Exhibitionism, Voyeurism Summary: Four Gryffindors and four Slytherins under a forced lockdown in the potions classroom for two days. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 A Perfectly Valid Dare by anokaba, kitty_fic Rated: Explicit Words: 5844 Tags: Aurors, Drinking, Light Dom/sub, Lace Panties, Alcohol, Praise Kink, Graphic Sexual Content Summary: “It’s a perfectly valid dare,” Pansy says, and somehow she looks like she actually believes what she says. “I am not doing that,” Draco insists. He really has no idea when daring someone to wank in Harry Potter’s bed became a perfectly valid dare? ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 You Already Know What's Next by silverdawn89 Rated: Teen Words: 14,612 Tags: Party Games, Truth or Dare, Alcohol, Humor Summary: It's about Truth or Dare, except it's not really about Truth or Dare at all. Or: there is alcohol and a bunch of twenty-somethings play embarrassing party games. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 You should be so lucky by skriftlig Rated: Explicit Words: 3221 Tags: Party Games, Alcohol, Explicit Content Summary: A version of the new Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes Drinking Game finds its way into the 'eighth year' common room at Hogwarts. Someone gets lucky. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Silk Scarves and Enchanted Handcuffs by TommyLane Rated: Explicit Words: 28,659 Tags: Party Games, Drinking, Loss of Virginity, Blindfolds, Handcuffs, Alternate Seventh Year, Scheming Friends, Anal Sex, Explicit Sexual Content Summary: It was only supposed to be for seven minutes and then the blindfold would come off and he'd be free from the dark cupboard and his mystery partner - only Harry was no longer sure he wanted it to end. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Contents Under Pressure by MiriMora Rated: Teen Words: 2076 Tags: Eighth Year, Party Games, Room of Requirement, Making Out Summary: Party games are stupid and a waste of time. Until they're not. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Erase the Shame by FleetofShippyShips Rated: Explicit Words: 6,763 Tags: Epilogue What Epilogue, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Drinking Games, Party Games, Truth or Dare, Sectumsempra Scars, Frottage, Open Ending Summary: An Inter-House unity party is the last thing Draco wants to go to. It's not long into a game of Truth or Dare when he is reminded why. But maybe his dare is worth it after all. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Kill, Fuck, Marry by lettersbyelise Rated: Explicit Words: 12,650 Tags: Post-Hogwarts, Epilogue What Epilogue, Drinking Games, Dancing, Explicit Sexual Content, H/D Wireless 2018 See work for more tags Summary: Malfoy leans toward him with a baleful look. "I do believe Pansy Parkinson, my best friend,paid you to spend the evening with me. It's my birthday, Potter. So you're going to get off your Gryffindor arse, and you're going to dance with me. I want to dance. I want to win. I want that bloody trophy on my shelf before the end of the night." Harry and Draco unexpectedly meet again on Draco's birthday, years after their last encounter. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 The Gryffindor And His Slytherin by ridleyrey Rated: Explicit Words: 59,409 Tags: Hogwarts Eighth Year, Roommates, Slow Burn, Epilogue What Epilogue, Room of Requirement, Drinking Games, Mutual Pining See work for more tags Summary: What happens when Harry realises his new bedroom in the eighth year tower is right next door to Draco Malfoy? Harry, realising that he simply cannot deny his feelings for the blond any longer, needs to find out if Draco feels the same way. As Harry and his friends return for their eighth and final year at Hogwarts, unlikely friendships and relationships form and Harry finds himself mixed up in another year of surprise and unexpected twists and turns. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 East of Eden by WriteSprite Rated: Explicit Words: 41,122 Tags: Explicit Sexual Content, Explicit Language, Parseltongue, Dirty Talk, Rimming, Biting, Drinking Games Summary: When Harry receives a dodgy brochure for an island vacation, he isn't sure he should attend. After a bit of a push, he decides to go for it and winds up spending the week in paradise. At least it would be, if it weren't for that pesky blond git. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Save Myself by psychotic_fangirl369 Rated: Teen Words: 69,479 Tags: Pining Harry Potter, Minor Character Death, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Party Games, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Enemies to Friends to Lovers See work for more tags Summary: Harry Potter is trying to get on with his life, despite living in the shadow of the war. But 8th year doesn't go quite as he expects. What with midnight rendezvous in the 8th year common room, drunken confessions and seeing dead people everywhere he turns, Harry's school year is turning out to be just as bizarre as the previous ones. Oh, and there is the fact taht he has been pining over someone for years. And that person had to be Draco Malfoy. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 In This Cold Heart by maraudersaffair Rated: Explicit Words: 22,893 Tags: H/D Erised 2018, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Alternating POV, Bedsharing, Party Games, Pining, First Time See work for more tags Summary: Eighth Year holds many surprises for Harry. Like sharing a bed with Draco Malfoy or being attacked by a revengeful Death Eater. Harry just wants to get on with his life. He also wants to snog Draco. Draco just wants to survive his last year at Hogwarts. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Right Hand Red by lq_traintracks (lumosed_quill) Rated: Explicit Words: 73,173 Tags: Hogwarts Eighth Year, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Bottom Draco, future switching, Party Games, Drunkenness, Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, Anal Sex, First Time, Loss of Virginity, Secret Relationship, Angst and Humor Summary: Harry felt Malfoy's breath on his lips as they came together over the bottle, hands firmly planted on the floor as though they each needed their familiar soil, refusing to cross into enemy territory. Except that Malfoy no longer felt like his enemy. Malfoy felt inevitable. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Under the Cover of Darkness by manixzen Rated: Mature Words: 2046 Tags: Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, Making Out, Snogging, Frottage, Clothes On, Post-Hogwarts, Party Games, Seven Minutes In Heaven Game, Sort Of, Minor Pansy Parkinson/Ginny Weasley, HP Kinktober 2020, One Shot Summary: Thanks to Pansy, Draco's stuck at a party with a whole bunch of drunk Gryffindors. And now they want to play party games. If only Draco can slip out unnoticed before this gets any worse. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Kissing (Nox and Lumos) by small_gardens Rated: Teen and Up Words: 1100 Tags: Eighth year party/kissing games. Summary: In the dark, Harry quite liked snogging his mystery bloke. But when the lights come back on, will he still be so happy? ❤️ Read on LJ

#wizards hearts #drarry recs #wh masterlist #drarry #game of drarry

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corancoranthemagicalman · 3 years

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C’s (1/?) Destiel Rec List:

That gets less and less coherent as it goes.

So here is a rec list by order in which I read them and not by preference. They’re like, All Destiel, because that’s how Post-November C rolls:

First on the list is The Courtship of Combat by bendingsignpost 18k

I KNOW it’s not Thee fic by bendingsignpost that everyone is talking about. I know. BUT, I dearly enjoyed it. It’s the first in a series and it’s A/B/O. (I know. I know. Don’t @ me. Or do.) It’s pre-relationship and the characters are definitely themed toward early-Destiel if you catch my drift. Omega!Dean’s hand is being fought over. This wouldn’t matter to Castiel except he totally told Michael that the reason he wouldn’t marry anyone is because he’s head over heels for the Winchester Omega that he doesn’t even have a real recollection of ever meeting. It’s like the perfect balance of a meet-cute and meet-ugly. I just LOVE bendingsignpost’s Castiel voice. It’s such a great characterization.

I’M GONNA SCREAM THE SECOND ON THE LIST IS ANOTHER A/B/O?!? I swear I don’t read that much A/B/O, but this is another exception because it’s Biological Imperatives (Or Not) by tiamatv 29k

Tiamatv is one of my favorite writers. If you’re unfamiliar with their work, I’m gonna rec more of it to you. No worries. THIS lovely piece of work is a Beta/Beta narrative that focuses on how hilarious A/B/O tropes are from an outsider perspective, but doesn’t do it in a way that feels insulting to the classical tropes. It’s just people living their lives where these situations happen not often but enough that they know how to deal with it. Dean and Cas have several first dates trying to figure out what’s happening between the two of them. Castiel is thee love of my life in this piece. And Dean’s headspace makes for a witty narrative.

If you know me at all, you know this next one HAD to be a regency and it’s Of Lords and Letters by MalMuses 14k

Dean is the master of the Winchester estate after his father passes. Unfortunately for the estate (but much to Dean’s pleasure), he can’t run it personally because he’s at war. Not that he likes war all that much, but it’s what he knows. War he knows. Sam is a conniving but well-meaning little brother and puts him in contact with Mister Castiel Shurley. (I KNOW. I KNOW. I allow Castiel Shurley in recent fics only if Chuck is cast as an asshole, and he is :)) But seriously, it’s SO Regency. There’s letters, pining, propriety, and men in period suits. What more could you ask for?

Y’all probably gonna immediately peg who I am as a person when I say Always Together, Eternally Apart by EmiliaOagi 27k is probably one of my top ten Destiel fics.

Here’s the thing—Ladyhawke is probably my second favorite movie in the entire world beat only by The Princess Bride. (Seriously, if y’all wanna bribe me with anything, it will always be that.) NOT ONLY does EmiliaOagi beautifully incorporate the source material, but once more Dean Winchester is SO Dean Winchester it hurts. This piece is from Sam’s perspective, and his running inner monologue is both insightful and entertaining. If you’re unfamiliar with the plot of Ladyhawke, I refuse to spoil it for you. Some things must be experienced, and this is one of them. Either by reading this lovely work or by viewing the original film, you’ll understand the legend that so captivates me.

OH ANOTHER DELICIOUS ONE and it’s like in that vein of Retired Hunters But Not Yet Together Destiel is Welcome to Pine Shores! by andimeantittosting (Saylee) 20k

It’s always fun reading Dean character studies, and this is definitely one of them. So the long and short of it is PINING FOR DAYS (this was written for Pinefest) and Dean trying to set up Cas with other people because he thinks Cas might want more. Oh, and did I mention they’ve been running this motel for like thirteen years? And they share a bed? *Tropes Intensify*

There is also Dean Winchester and the Patron Saint of Blind Dates by goldenraeofsun 18k which I think some of y’all are familiar with.

Sort of what it says on the tin, to be honest, folks. Dean’s friends set him up with some blind dates and the bartender—Castiel—grips his Purple Nurple tight and raises him from perdition. (And no, it’s not a euphemism.) The dates are sort of outrageously in character and interestingly enough this is a Sam/Ruby fic too! I sort of liked how it played out in this piece. If you’re worried about the Sam/Ruby dynamic, fear not! They were both former addicts and have since been clean for (a year or two? I don’t recall the time frame.) Dean has a love/hate sort of relationship with an emphasis on hate with Ruby since she’s the one who got Sam into drugs (allegory for the demon blood) but she’s also the one to try to go clean first. I just thought that was an interesting take, and one I would’ve linked to have seen the show pursue to be honest, but Supernatural has to keep the hot ladies dead or villains or both haha ;)) I digress. It’s a smaller read but the subject matter is pretty heavy. From former religious cults to the former addicts, please keep in mind if mentions of these things make you uncomfortable. It’s definitely the one whose subject matter stuck out the most to me. So apologize if I’ve missed mentioning anything specific for y’all in the previous recs or this one.

WAIT THIS NAME LOOKS FAMILIAR!??! IT’S andimeantittosting (Saylee) BACK AT IT AGAIN BUT THIS TIME WITH The Winchester Affair 34k !!

SAYLEE YOU HAD TO MAKE IT ONTO THIS LIST TWICE. Another Regency, except this time Castiel is long time friends (with benefits *eyebrow wiggles*) with Dean. He’s in love with him, obviously, so this means that an asshole named Zachariah that we all know and loathe comes around planning to frame his poor sister (Hael) with stealing Mary Winchester’s brooch if Castiel doesn’t find some damning evidence on the Winchesters for him. DRAMA AHOY!!! This is a very harlequin/regency novel. It’s actually based off of a novel called Ware the Marquess as is the wont of the Destiel Harlequin Challenge. Very good challenge to check out; very excellent fic to read. And the author so nice we listed them twice. ;) SIDE NOTE: This is totally one of those Regency ones where It Simply Isn’t Done, if you know what I mean. Like, no one is outright slurring or something that I can recall (and it isn’t tagged so I doubt there is), but it Isn’t Done, But They Love Each Other Very Much.

So you guys know Scoobynatural is my comfort episode, right? Well, one of my favorite things that I’ve delightfully discovered is the trope of building off of Cas’ one-liner about being effin’ married, so have The Nikkah by Maxine (WinchesterPooja) 28k!

Reads like a Case-fic as there’s an entire sub-plot happening with Sam. So this story happens well within the canon despite being canon-divergent. This one does end happy!! There’s a view episode like fics I might rec that end in canon-fashion with Dean repression and I love the pining and all but sometimes I need sweet fandom closure. Long and short of it: Djinn culture? Djinn queen? Fake-relationships? Sam dealing with nightmares? This baby can fit SO MUCH ACTION into a fic.

Okay, so you know the fic with the Bee Movie allegory? (It’ll come up on this reclist.) This has the same vibe, except for the relationship is out of order and Dean is Diagnosed with If I Do It This Way It’s Okay. Yeah, it’s Command Me to Be Well by prosopopeya 28k

Human Cas, back from the dead, post-finale, and Dean is trying to figure out how to get his happy ending. I’ve seen this one make the rounds on fic rec’ing so I think it’s a bit familiar, but I enjoyed it. Even though—as my bookmark says—I usually don’t go in for hurt/comforts with heavy on the hurt because my poor heart can’t take it. This is one of my few exceptions. This one has a healthy dose of Castiel standing up for himself with the bittersweet tang of him literally willing to do so much for Dean. But it’s a Dean perspective, so it really deals with a lot of his inner thoughts.

This one is,,,, in a similar vein as Command Me to Be Well. I guess I was in a mood. Baby, Come On Home by woodenducks 9k.

IT’S SEASON NINE WITH A SIDE OF PINE. What more could you ask for angst? Human Cas in Rexford trying to make a life for himself when all he wants is to go home. But he’s also trying to figure out what home even is for him. There’s a lot of drama between Dean and Cas, because of course Dean wants him there. But blah blah angels and blah blah whatever excuse the writers wanted so we couldn’t have human Cas and Dean in the bunker. We KNOW obviously the only thing keeping canon Dean from snapping was the fact that Cas was not human around him. *heavy eyeroll*. Anyways, this is a heartbreaking read from Castiel’s perspective.

One of my favorite Rescue Cas from the Empty fics is (they'll never break) the shape we take by auroralynches (teresavampa) 9k.

There’s this super cool concept of how Castiel experiences his regrets within the Empty and how Dean navigates through them to get to Castiel. I really enjoyed it, and of course the greatest love story ever told has got to have SOME theatrics and sentiments that are definitely reflected in this fic. My point is, I really love when Empty Rescue fics include analyzing Castiel’s regrets, and this one does so but from Dean’s perspective. As in Dean is viewing Castiel’s memories and trying to perceive his regrets.

Sooooo Epistolary by tiamatv 9k eh?

I love love LOVEEEEEE epistolary fics. I love them. I’ll always read them. And I totally told you I loved tiamatv. This is probably another one for the top ten fics just because it plays into my things. Love letters, music, and misunderstandings, oh my!!

HERE’S A VERY SEXY TERRIBLE LIFE ----> Ties that Bind Us by TheTwistedWillow 13k

Okay, so BASICALLY what if It’s A Terrible Life happened in like, circa-season 13 and Castiel was thrown in with Dean Smith and Sam Wesson. Literally all that I wanted in this fic. I do mean it’s sexy, by the way. I can’t even begin to explain this fic beyond it’s Castiel’s perspective, and he has some awareness that something is off. And being inside Castiel’s head when he’s not Castiel gets me every time.

OKAY I KNOW THIS IS THE THIRD A/B/O FIC ON THIS LIST I KNOW I KNOW The Mills School for Distinguished Girls by SillyBlue 13k IS WORTH IT THOUGH?!?!

Alpha Dean Winchester is going off to war. In the meantime, his family still doesn’t know about his marriage to Omega Castiel (in fact, they still think Castiel is a Beta.) Male Omegas are very rare in this universe, and it is addressed along with the fact that just because Castiel might look different on the outside doesn’t make him any different than the girls. Which I thought was a thought-provoking interpretation. There’s prejudices here—a lot of them against women and omegas—and a temporary character death which actually moved me to tears. I bookmarked this saying bring the tissues; bring the tissues.

THE BEE MOVIE FIC THE BEE MOVIE FIC THE BEE MOVI— according to all known laws of life by sobsicles 29k sobsicles I owe you a great slice of pie.

Sobsicles, my beloved, my bestie <3 (am I allowed to say that? I mean it affectionately. Well and truly.) You REALLY got in my head with this one. This is literally such an insane read that I read it twice in a row. Yeah, whoops. Cas is back from the empty and Dean is an asshole about it because feelings are hard. Here is what I bookmarked this fic with: “Dean Winchester has issues. He gets through them. Like a Bull in a China Shop, but he gets through them. The metaphor works.” And that is EXACTLY what happens. Dean is such an asshole and I LOVE IT. 14yr me would cry at the concept of reading this but 14yr me is a tasteless bitch. This is where it’s at. Dean has so much he’s mentally working through and Cas won’t take no shit and Sam is tired. It’s great. I love it. I know we rec sobsicles left and right over here (and I know there’s a new one I haven’t read yet) but this one is really my favorite. And I know some people feel uncertain when fics/authors get popular in a fandom, so if this isn’t for you that’s okay!! But well and truly this is just one of those in the top ten Destiel fics of my heart.

Baby Jack during the Widower Arc truther here like Trial and Tribulations of Raising a Nephilim by Sickandtiredofyou 14k

I’ve seen this one rec’d before but not enough. Like this one SHOULD be talked about. Because I am a Baby Jack Truther, and putting a baby in the widower arc is my literal weakness. Dean goes crib shopping. He paints the nursery. He does that season 2&3 thing he does where he wrecks something so that he has to rebuild it. He’s mourning. He’s crying. Sam is afraid to hold a baby. There’s a lot of emotions and they’re raw. Promise there’s a happy ending, but be ready to cry first.

Another sam pov because i love my little brother Letters to Nowhere by Goodluckdetective (scorpiontales) 28k

AWWW YES. So this is another Empty Rescue fic. This one plays up the Orpheus and Eurydice lore, but in a surprising twist this is Sam’s POV!! Sam doesn’t know the full story, and we as the audience aren’t granted omnipresence for this fic either. It’s just point blank is his emotions. Him worrying for Dean, missing Cas, and wanting a happy ending for all of them. It’s sort of epistolary with how Sam is texting Castiel’s phone, but in general it is Sam Winchester wanting to save both of his brothers. So despite it being Destiel, the Destiel is almost the background ship since this story is Sam’s story and how Sam witnesses their story. It’s pretty meta in that sense, in that he’s aware there’s this grand story going on and we as an audience know there’s this grand love story happening, but we’re reading Sam’s story.

One of those i mentioned where its like an episode and they just end with tension between them >:((( but SO enjoyable and very much like an actual MotW Soul Searching by Lottiethroughthelookingglass 13k

It is in a screenplay format, but I didn’t mind that. It’s definitely a fun read! I thought the characterizations were pretty grand all-in-all. No get together though in this one if you’re looking for Destiel. Sorry. But it does make its way on to the list because we deserved a body swap episode and never got it.

This is like the third fic by tia and im not sorry and it’s Filoplume by tiamatv 8k !!!!

Its SOULMATES BAYBEEEE!!! But it’s not destined Soulmates. It’s like… soul compatibility, but only AFTER you’ve forged the bond. Self-Made Soulmates as it were. Very achingly and lovingly sentimental. Like, I think I’ve read this one four times in one week? It’s the shortest rec on this list (and while I definitely have shorter works bookmarked, I wanted this rec list to be longer ones for some reason I guess) but it feels longer. Maybe because every paragraph is like a gut punch. egGH. It’s another Empty Rescue by-the-by and Dean’s soulmark (given to him by Cas after Castiel’s Despair Confession) helps get him into the Empty.

OHOHOH LEVERAGE AU!!?! The Jericho Job by giantteenwolforgy 20k

The first in a series and I am SO EXCITED FOR MORE. I absolutely adore Leverage, so seeing this was like clearing my skin with care products I’ve never used. The characterizations are amazingly well done and vivid. They feel so unbelievably real and it makes me an eager beaver to get to the meat of them connecting as a team and family, but the slow burn is well worth it.

Yes, yes, Dean needs him, and need = love for Dean’s vocab but what does dEAN WANT and what does want mean to Dean? Find out in if you try sometimes, well you just might find by JenTheSweetie 9k

I’ve always been a huge fan of metas that dissect Dean’s differeniation of need vs want, and this whole work was like one of those metas. It’s a Cas POV of him trying to figure out how to read this man that he knows so well. It pulls out the angst and it makes me ache, but promises there IS a happy ending and Dean WANTS it.

Shush you know you want Goodbye Stranger meets Detroit: Become Human you knOW YOU WANT IT Digital Heartbeat by Chancy_Lurking 14k

MHM IT’S SO GOOD. Talk about good characterization. This work is almost a time piece? There’s a few skips in the timeline but you get the good parts and what’s needed for a full narrative. Castiel is an android sent by Cyberlife to the Men of Letters for aiding in hunting. He’s—of course—assigned to the brothers Winchester.

Shush delicious content right here mwah Heartstring Promenade by SaltyWords (agent4hire22) 17k

Another Empty Rescue?!? Yeah, yeah it is. Dean is sort of reckless. And by that, I mean a lot. But it’s fine. All happy endings, and smutty endings too. ;))

This is one of two 36-questions inspired fics I’ve got bookmarked, but the sex in this one hits my preferences too perfectly so it gets the spot and this list is getting too long to include all of my bookmarks to include both of them anyways but Seek to Know You Better by ahurston 32k mhmmmmmm

This fic is very personal to me. I couldn’t explain even if you asked me to. It might be the Florida Citrus Tree expressionism in Cas’ thoughts, but idk it's such a mystery (the way you know me) by fleeceframe 20k has got it on the list.

Cas loses his memories for a short period of time. Dean and Sam introduce Castiel to Cas, and Dean and Cas have a heart to heart. <3

A vERY interesting premise in a fool's kind of careless by Paclipas 9k

Dean is SUPER off his game when he can’t tell the difference between Cas and Not-Cas over the summer. Canon-fic.

A FIC FROM 2018?!?! WITH TIME TRAVEL??!? Ye ye it is Crazy Diamonds by pantheon_of_discord 24k

Dean of 2018, married to Castiel, swaps places with his newly dragged from Hell 2008 self. Time shenanigans and Bobby Frickin’ Singer ensue.

This one is ONE I AM OBSESSED WITH ACTUALLY And Neither Do You by callsigntango 45k like if it's not the one everyone starts talking about :((( is SO GROSS how callsigntango describes the empty and i lOOOVEEEE ITTTTT. Also plays into a Florida myth I totally forgot about so high-key freaked me out. Hahah.

#spn #spn fics #destiel #destiel fics #destiel fan fic #fic rec #fan fic #rec list #a fan fic rec list #feel free to judge me <3 #or talk to me about these fics ???#they're great #let's start a book club and scream about writers

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piccolina-mina · 4 years

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That Wentworth show you reblig sometimes. It's Netflix? Could I ask how diverse it is? How gay is it? Is there people of colour?

Yup. Wentworth (or Wentworth Redemption) is an Aussie show on Netflix that takes place at a women's prison. It just aired its 8th season (and they dropped the latest season on Netflix already).

Diversity, it's fairly diverse.

It's predominantly white, but they do have characters of color and they have improved on that as the seasons progressed.

The main character of color for all eight seasons so far is Will Jackson. The actor is Samoan.

In the early seasons, there was also an inmate, Doreen. She's Aboriginal. She was one of the warmest, and sweetest characters out of the brood.

But outside of those two, there weren't any main characters of color. And they had a couple of recurring background characters who were Asian, mostly of Chinese descent, I believe, but my apologies if I'm wrong on that.

In later seasons there are two main characters, both Aboriginal. And they have dominant storylines. Rita and Ruby.

And the last season there is a Black British character who is prominent.

You also see more racial diversity in the background but outside of an Asian gang of inmates who cause trouble on occasion, they have limited or no speaking roles.

Is it gay? Well, nonny. It is a women's prison after all. If you want Sapphic goodness? They got you.

They have lesbians for days. I'm pretty sure within the first five minutes you get your first sexy scene with Queen of the Wentworth Lesbians, Franky Doyle.

And the beautiful thing about her arc is we actually see her go from a casual bang kind of girl to someone who falls in love, and it's one of the most notable relationships in the series.

But man, we have good lesbians, we have bad lesbians. We have complicated and flawed lesbians. We have disaster bi's.

I only emphasize it like that because there IS disturbing things or potentially questionable depictions like promiscuity that may seem stereotypical on one end, and there are sexually abusive, sadistic, flat out rapists on the other end.

I feel like with a diverse group of complex queer characters it balances out more, if that makes sense. There are multiple queer characters. Mostly women. And two male guards. Although, unlike the women, who range from flawed or complicated to just flat out "bad," both men are honestly pretty damn crappy, IMO.

If you haven't noticed, all of Wentworth's characters are hella gray and the show doesn't really subscribe to the good/bad dichotomy in a traditional way. Some of the most loathsome characters ended up being my faves down the road and such. If you watch, you'll understand what I mean.

But yes, many canon queer characters (main and recurring), and it's explored. Actually, to get an idea of how they handle their queer characters, it's only now that I'm typing this that I realize how many queer characters there actually are. Enough where you just don't even think about it. So yeah, nonny. U suppose it is hella gay AF. 🤣.

But yeah, stories including a character sort of realizing that they are queer but minus the clichéd identity crisis angst, which is pretty refreshing, I think anyway.

Actually, the majority of romantic relationships on this series have been queer ones.

There is also a lot of gay subtext. Like soooooo much subtext it almost feels like just text. If you do choose to watch it, you'll figure out what I'm talking about. And it's delicious tbh. If you appreciate the concept of enemies to lovers and twisted love based on electric chemistry that probably shouldn't even be there and is twisted AF, you'll love one of the most popular ships.

But there are homophobic slurs and language used. There is sexual assault. There is mentions of homophobia etc. I imagine many things that could be potentially triggering.

Personally, while canon never confirmed it, there's one character who felt strongly Ace. But that's just my own personal thing. That's another thing about the show. There are so many complex characters and the subtle intricacies of them leaves ample room for interpretation.

Um, there are two confirmed trans characters with significant arcs and narrative importance. One trans female in the middle of the series and one trans male in the latest season.

HOWEVER. Maxine, the female trans character was played by a cis-man. So there's that. But I'm not exaggerating when I say she's easily one of the best characters of the series. She's one of my absolute favorite characters of the series.

But Reb, the trans male character that came later is played by a non-binary actor, so that is certainly progress from before.

And both characters deal with a lot of transphobia. Again, because this show spreads the wealth, if you will, putting all of their characters through the ringer and addressing so many issues, it's not a matter of only piling on disenfranchised characters for kicks, you know?

There are conversion therapy scenes that come up, so if that's triggering, just a heads-up.

There is also body diversity. There are plus-sized characters. But the most prominent one does fall into so many of the usual tropes, the lovable lug, the bully and muscle, etc. I've heard it critiqued.

There is age diversity. There are older characters as well as younger ones. It's not all about a bunch of young, pretty people in there 20s and 30s.

And these older women are still strong and sexual and powerful etc,.

It may sound weird or whatever, but it's also refreshing that most of the characters look just normal, you know? None of that super glammed up stuff. They look like everyday people, and I love that.

Offhand, I can't recall disabled characters. Actually there is one character who has a brain aneurysm and suffers from seizures.

There are also characters who battle PTSD, someone with severe OCD, um, dementia, Depression, and anxiety, a lot of addiction. These are all Canon and confirmed.

It also toys with the potentiality of Aspergers, Sociopathy/Psychopathy, and other little things like that with characters.

Ummm, obviously there are a lot of women. They do have some male characters but whether they're behind the bars or in front of them, it's mostly women.

And there isn't much going for religion or anything like that. I don't recall anything distinctly religious at all, so nothing to say from that angle.

I'm rambling, probably? I just bingewatched the entire series within the past couple of months, so I'm no expert. But I hope that answered your question or gave you an idea of what the diversity looks like or whatever.

#Wentworth #wentworth spoilers #i don't feel like this is spoilery but whatever

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biillyhargroves · 4 years

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please tell us everything about future billy since hes alive and well and not dead and getting to know happiness 💗

Okay, listen. LISTEN!!!! Billy was a child and he had so much potential to grow and to learn and in a perfect world where the stupid redemption by death trope is in hell where it belongs he would have had to opportunity to apologize for his behavior, fix his relationships and form new ones, find a support system in those new relationships, get away from his abuse father and out of his toxic house, and heal from his trauma as he moves into a healthier adulthood.

Here are some things that will happen in the future because Billy is very much not dead and is therefore very much alive to enjoy the full and bright future he deserves:

A) He repairs his relationship with Max. They become super close and protective of one another. He teaches her how to drive and takes her out for ice cream whenever she and Lucas break up (and rolls his eyes when they get back together because oh my god Maxine this is exhausting). She vouches for him when he starts to apologize and make amends with the rest of the group, she threatens any girls (or guys) he brings home because she knows a lot of people are into him because he’s attractive and she won’t have any of them breaking his heart on her watch, she plays matchmaker when she sees him get flustered around people because that’s when she knows he really, really likes them.

B) He apologizes, in his own way, to Steve and to Lucas and to the entire group- for the Mind Flayer shit, which they all know wasn’t his fault, but for everything else, too. Because he knows he was an ass and Max has told him over and over again that he was an ass and he’s trying to be better. He’s not great at it. Old habits die hard, and he’ll always be a little rough around the edges, but he has a good heart and he starts to let that show.

C) Will befriends him. Jonathan doesn’t love this at first, because he knows Billy’s reputation, but Will is the only other person who knows what it feels like to have your whole mind and body taken over, and he wants that connection as much he thinks Billy needs it. They don’t talk about the Mind Flayer much, but just knowing that they’re not alone makes them both feel better. Jonathan and Billy form a friendship because of it. They swap their favorite tapes, browse the record store together. A few times, some of Billy’s old school “friends” give him shit about it, because the Byers are still targets for bullies, but a few fights shut them up.

D) El befriends him, too. He drives her and Will and Max around- to the arcade, to the Wheelers house for D&D nights, he takes them out to movies. He acts like they’re annoying, like he doesn’t want to be their babysitter, but he loves them and calls them his “kids”. And they love him. Because they get to see him be goofy, be honest, be weird; he has threatened bullies for Will and glowered at Mike for upsetting El and, of course, Lucas already knows that hurting Max is b a d n e w s. And they would all kill for him. They know he doesn’t need them to, but they would.

E) Steve helps him fix the Camaro, because he feels shitty about totaling it and he knows how much it means to Billy. Billy feels weird about accepting the help, but the two get comfortable with each other soon enough. They make fun of each others’ taste in music and share Hawkins High gossip and they talk about their futures. Once the car’s fixed, they’re the best of friends. Robin hangs with them, too. She and Billy like all the same movies, really complex storylines that Steve doesn’t completely get, but he likes listening to them debate the endings. Dustin hates it. He’s the last one to come around to Billy, mostly because he wants to protect Steve. It takes a lot of convincing for him to accept Billy, but eventually he comes around.

F) With so many people around him, so many people having his back, more of them take notice when Billy’s moods go dark or when he has fresh bruises he can’t easily explain. On a really bad night, when Neil really laid into Billy, Max convinces him to go to Hopper (who is also alive and not in Russia because this is my story now). She and El and Will have his back when he talks to Hopper, and you bet your ass Hopper makes sure Neil can’t hurt Billy anymore. Susan divorces him, and Billy lives with her and Max until he goes to college (he starts at the community college; he convinces Steve to apply with him, and they take all their gen eds together - when they’re ready, Nancy helps them both apply to four-year schools).

I could truly go on for hours so I will stop here but just know that in a perfect world this boy who never had anyone in his corner would have the chance to right his wrongs, escape his abuser, heal from his trauma, form lasting friendships. He would move out of Hawkins- maybe out to Chicago, maybe back to California, he doesn’t care, he just wants to go. He would know what it feels like to be loved and appreciated and supported.

#anon #answered #stranger things meta #billy hargrove #I SCREAM

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zoerhee · 4 years

Text

i know i say this every time but uh, truly my dumbest character yet @frostfordstart

zoe rhee, 27

sagitarius, enfp, hufflepuff, defining trope: cloudcuckoolander

family law attorney at abernathy & associates

been in frostford practically her whole life, dad’s a teacher over at the hs which got her into trouble a little bit when she was going there

zoe is as you may have realized anna rhee’s little sister

major big sister worship, BIG time, anna is zoe’s best friend she’s the person she loves the most and she would not hesitate to uh--- cut a bitch-- or you know undock their houseboat for anna

they even have matching pinky promise tattoos together it’s cute y’all she loves her

zoe’s a big giant mess honestly, literally and figuratively

she’s a huge bundle of energy, don’t let her have coffee, don’t let her have red bull, don’t feed her after midnight

sweet, funny, childish, stubborn, shallow, selfish, loyal

not good with confrontation and might literally run away from an awkward situation, has a knack for just avoiding the difficult things in life

hopeless romantic? again? lookin’ for her modern love story why are all my characters like this :/

has carefully crafted the skill of ruining relationships and sticking her foot in her mouth

it’s not a talent everyone can possess

serial dater

really bad taste in men

pop culture obsessed, somehow she manages to house a WELL of pop culture knowledge in her pea brain okay, don’t ask me how but if you ever need a quiz night buddy, zoe’s it

big time basketball fan, BIG TIME basketball fan, she doesn’t actually know anything about the sport itself besides watching it and she’s a san antonio spurs supporter she just?? loves the sport, especially loves wearing the jerseys, has probably dated a ton of basketball players

cheerleader in high school as popular as one can be in frostford, never really had a mean or a hard edge to her unless you did something to her first, she’s really just a friend to all okay

her heroes are elle woods and ally mcbeal and she was kind of obsessed with both of them, so much so that she’s known she wanted to practice law since she was a little kid

she didn’t really realize how hard it was going to be, and zoe was smart, she fucked around a lot, she did a lot of stupid shit went to a lot of parties but she was smart but getting through college, into law school and the after? hard af

shirt skirt enthusiast? is it cold outside? she still wearin’ a short skirt cause a hoe never gets cold

yea she a hoe but its fine

also loves going to the club and dancing like a how sorry

are there clubs in alabama

maxine duchanne is her roommate and she LOVES her very much!! sorry max

zoe is the sort of person who will get ROASTED and only hours later have a good clapback

she just sucks

just stupid

i am probably going to work on a more detailed connection page for all of my characters, lbr but here are some basics and click here for a link my spreadsheet too :)

CONNECTIONS: BOY do i want a million and one connections for zoe she is literally an old time favorite!

FRIENDS: maxine duchanne is her roommate and kyle sullivan is her VERY best friend who she continuously talks shit about, she’s also best buds with nicholas bailey

EXES: please give me seven million exes, zoe has probably dated so many people, so many have gone SO poorly lbr here she just has BAD taste in men but she might be friends with a handful of them too

CASUAL HOOKUPS: did i mention she a hoe? y’all give me some hook ups

ENEMIES??: she usually loves everyone but if you get on her bad side, she will hate you forever lbr

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thinger-strang · 5 years

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no one dies and everyone's gay au

Nancy finds Barb when she gets stuck in the Upside Down when she's in the forest with Jonathan (don't ask me about the logistics) and so Steve ends up finding Jonathan and Barb in Nancy's room? And he's confused because at first he'd just seen Jon and thought Nancy was cheating but then he saw Barb walk into the room? (traumatic sleepover time! except Jon stays on the ground and Barb and Nance cuddle on the bed bc they're best friends and BARB WAS MISSING FOR LIKE TWO DAYS I THINK? she deserves snugs)

But Tommy and Carol started talking about how Nancy was probably sleeping with both, everyone knew Barb was the biggest d*ke in Hawkins, Nancy probably got curious about the other side!

He doesn't necessarily agree but still doesn't stop Tommy from spray painting the theater (because Nancy still lied to him? Lying generally meant there was something? going on? idk Steve's just confused and a little hurt rn)

The rest of the season goes pretty much the same, Barb's just there trying to not die and trying to help the Gang™ find Will and fight this bitch ass demogorgon (I don't think she's really be part of the Nancy and Jonathan luring it to the house and fighting it, she'd help with set up and the plan but I think she'd fuck right off when it comes down to facing it, she's had enough monsters for one life time thx)

But she'd so wanna help get Will out so she's there with Joyce and everyone talking to El while she's in the bath finding Will and talking Hop and Joyce about the Upside Down

(and she's been to the hospital, she didn't get a face sucking monster thing so she recovered quicker? idk don't ask logistics again lmao)

But she and Will end up getting along and sometimes when she's hanging out with Nancy and the party comes over she'll say hi to Will and like ruffle his hair

(also I want a little scene after the big monster hunting trip scene where a) Nancy and Jonathan explain everything to Steve and b) where Steve sees Barb again and pulls her into the biggest hug and starts like apologizing for not paying attention that night and for letting her get taken and even though she assured him it wasn't his fault he still feels guilty about it, it was his house, he should have helped her bandage her hand or something? idk but this right here is the beginning of the Barb/Steve friendship and the start of the "fall of King Steve")

cue s2

and so the four get really close, Jonathan and Steve are actually friends (idk what s2 was pulling but they're friends) and Barb talks to Nancy about Steve and Jonathan and Nancy ends up breaking up with Steve way earlier (bc you know none of that drama would have happened if Barb was there so)

But they're all still good friends, Steve's cool about the break up, and Nancy and Jonathan get together but it's not like right after? so it's all chill and they all went through a dramatic experience together so they remain close knit yeah

and Barb eventually comes out to them (everyone's supportive obviously) and Steve's is ready to throw down with anyone for her

cue Billy

the four of them are sizing up the new guy, Nancy doesn't really care, Jonathan thinks his hair is a little ridiculous (which I mean, that first day? when he steps out of the Camaro? yeah it was a lil rough), Barb can see right through his macho bullshit, and Steve? has a little bi meltdown. bc this kid has definitely had boy crushes before and knows he likes both (kid listens to queen of course he knew he was bi lmao)

blah blah blah s2 happens, Barb, Steve, and Billy have the same English class and Billys generally quiet during school, kinda stand-off-ish, only really bugs people during gym/basketball, but he literally sits in the back and does absolutely nothing during class and still somehow has the highest grade

(FUCK him and Barb get paired for a project and she fucking calls him out? like she's just like you're gay I'm lesbian you can cut the crap around me and they become...not friends? but they have solidarity, they're cool)

and I'm a slut for this trope but BILLY FIGHTS DEMODOGS WITH THEM lmao he hears Max sneak out and follows her and finds her in the junkyard armouring up a bus with fucking Harrington and a couple of nerds? and like the sun is setting and he needs to get Max home so he's like "Maxine! I don't know what the fuck this is and I don't fucking care, we gotta go!" and the four are like yelling at him to either leave or get in the bus! and he's so confused, I'm not here to play games Max! and Steve's running out of the bus with a FUCKING NAIL BAT WHAT THE FUCK HARRINGTON? And Steve's like behind you! and swings at a demodog. Billy has a borderline panic attack before he finds like a fender or exhaust pipe or whatever and starts swinging too

the dogs run away and Billy rounds onto Steve like what the living shit was that? and Steve has to explain everything with Dustin and Lucas interrupting and Max shrugging and trying to understand too? it's a mess

s2 continues with Billy and with HOPPER NOT BEING ABLE TO STAND HIM bc he's caught him speeding and underage drinking and shit and Billy's nervous as hell around cops which makes him mouthy and ITS A MESS

they're all at Joyce's (Barb's there too bc Will's possessed and they need to check up on her too? and she's concerned for Will anyway yeah she's in this too) and El shows up and Steve and Billy are just like what? another one? who the fuck? like Steve heard about her but this isn't a tiny child without hair??? idk it's funny

BILLY WITH AN AXE IN THE TUNNELS

(obviously Steve isn't passed out and the kids don't drive the car, it's Billy's awful impulse control that leads to them going into the tunnels)

okay I couldn't decide where to put Barb here? so I left her with Steve and Billy to babysit and she ends up in the tunnels too? and she's def handling it better than the boys are fuck yeah

Steve has his bat and is in front and Billy found an axe in the pile of shit from the Byers' shed and he pulls up the end

it's awesome

yada yada Steve and Billy end up becoming weirdly good friends by the end and he's good with him and Barb, idk about Nance and Jon but eh

s3 now

Billy ends up getting two jobs; lifeguard and cook at Benny's (bc he's alive too, fight me bitches this is the ultimate fix it) and Barb ends up working as a waitress there too (and working together builds the weirdest bonds so they are besties now)

everything in s3 is pretty much the same but with diner scenes too? and like all the Hawkins moms swarm Benny's too and leave lipstick stains on their kitchen tips and "send my compliments to the chef *wink*"

Billy eats it up but Barb can tell he also kinda hates it bc he's barely 18 and not even remotely into women and it makes him super uncomfortable but publicly he "loves" it (he starts wearing tank tops to the pool and tries to hide out in the kitchen but it really doesn't work)

he still gets caught up with the mind flayer but it's not bc he's about to sleep with Karen bc ew, idk why he's driving out by the warehouse idk maybe he's out on a drive bc he can't sleep yeah

anyway he gets caught up but like he knows, or kind of knows, what this is and calls in sick to both jobs and talks to Hopper bc WHAT THE FUCK isn't the gate closed? I got face fucked my an interdimensional monster so unless you know where the fuck that came from?? and they deal with it earlier (most of the shit still happens but it's less...messy? like Hop and Joyce are more involved in the Billy shit and Steve knows about it?)

Steve still gets caught up with the Russians (I don't think he'd have a chance to tell anyone (specifically Hopper) bc he finds out about Billy then the elevator stuff happens like right after and yada yada)

so for most of the season it's them trying to actually help Billy! and they end up saving a lot of people? (specifically Heather bc she was really nice to Billy and I want he to live fight me it's my au)

but enough people get melted and shit that starcourt still get destroyed blah blah blah!

but Billy makes it and so does Hop and Alexie (no one dies au) and they all end up doing the thing in the mall like they did in the shed with Will? like breaking Billy out? Barb talks about working at the diner and their secret and Steve talks about them hanging out and playing basketball and the tunnels and Max talks about Billy buying her a new board and them scream-singing along to ACDC in the Camaro and the kids mention him giving them rides and shit and yeah! El talks about his mom and that's it! Joyce and Hop close the gate while Billy's holding the one arm (he doesn't get stabbed in the chest, as cool as that scar would be, no...but he gets some on his hands and upper arms and his sides?)

(also Billy's drinking like bleach rn so they try and reverse that as much as possible while he's possessed so that he has a better recovery later bc no! chlorine is not good for you! and Billy tries so hard to not drink it but sometimes he can't fucking stop? idk but he has a support system now!)

and Robin came out to Steve and Steve comes out to her too? like kinda? he alludes to it vaguely bc he's so not ready to be out to anyone FUCK

And Billy comes out to Steve (he was planning on doing it earlier that summer but shit happened)

and Robin becomes friends with everyone (ITS ROBIN X BARB HOURS BITCHES)

(OKAY small like side shit? Benny and Hopper have known each other for years and Benny's like one of the only registered foster parents on Hawkins so he ends up fostering a lot of wayward kids while Hop figures out legal stuff (he hasn't adopted anyone yet but him and his husband (yeah Benny's gay deal with it) really want to? they just haven't yet, all the kids they take care of end up in their care temporarily) BUT Hop finds out about Billy and Max's home life (I know a lot of people write that Neil wouldn't hit Max but...nah son not how that works? idk but he needs to get them out? and Neil's bad to Susan too (he's the worst to Billy but still bad to Max and Susan) anyway Hop helps Susan leave Neil (it takes a while and Billy and Max end up with Benny for a little bit while the divorce is going down and all the legal shit yeah it's safer out of the house rn) long story short Billy ends up staying with Benny after everything and ends up getting adopted (they're like we know you're 18 and you don't need a guardian but if you want we can be your dads? and Billys like yeah sure that'd be nice and yeah) Hop ends up being a weird like uncle figure? idk like I said him and Benny are close and they both adopted kids so yeah? and Billy ends up considering El his little sister and he still visits Max and Susan and yeah?)

ANYWAY everything kind of calms down, Hop and Joyce get together (I just realized I forgot about Bob so...idk I guess this isn't an everyone survives au? no no that's weird um idk him and Joyce end up breaking up idk why) but yeah Hop and Joyce get together and like it's kind of fast but they've been in love for a long time so it's kind of fine? like idk but yeah

Barb and Robin get together (ITS FUCKING CUTE they go to aquariums and have paint dates where they sit on some old sheets and paint while listening to Robin's records ITS CUTE!)

STEVE COMES OUT TO EVERYONE! he definitely cries bc fuck he was scared! bc he likes both and he wasn't sure if that was a thing or whatever for a while and Billy's like oh yeah, like David Bowie or Freddie Mercury? and that's when Steve's cries bc oh thank God you guys get it and you're cool with it oh fuck and YEAH

UM Max is bi too, Will comes out as gay (listen I know none of this is like 80's realistic but everyone's gay and alive and happy, fuck off)

Um it takes forever for Billy and Steve to get together, it's awful. like Barb and Robin have to deal with their pining and shit? and like Robin hears about it from Steve at work and Barb hears about it from Billy at the diner and they put their knowledge together and make a Plan ™

it's like elaborate and dramatic (shut up they're all like 18-19) and shit? BUT LMAO okay one day they're all hanging out at Steve's (bc I've also hopped aboard the neglectful parents train sorry) and idk Steve and Billy are there before Robin and Barb are so the girls walk in on them arguing over whatever and like Billy's talking really fast and Steve's talking with his hands and idk what it's about but Billy ends up yelling that he loves him BUT THEY KEEP ARGUING FOR LIKE A SOLID MINUTE AFTER THAT BEFORE IT HITS THEM and Steve gets all quiet and is just like you love me? and Billy doesn't fucking know what to do?? he's like bright red and frozen and Robin and Barb are by the door trying to not like break the spell (bc it's been months guys) and Billy's like of course I do asshole and Robin thinks Steve's about to have a panic attack but he like rushes forward and cups Billy's face and kisses him senseless and it's like the best thing Robin and Barb have ever seen

and they're resting their foreheads together, Steve's still holding Billy's face and Billy has his hands on Steve's chest it's really tender but Robin's like yeah congrats and shit but you guys ruined our Plan™! and she gives them a long ass rundown of their elaborate scheme and Steve and Billy are like still touching and bumping into each other as they listen and Barb interrupts and says that this was better and Robin rolls her eyes but agrees

and they're watching a movie or whatever, cuddling in their respective couples and Steve fucking jumps up randomly and rounds on Billy like hey woah fuck I love you too, I didn't say that earlier! and Billy's looking up at him like yeah I know that asshole and yeah

#okay this is s u p e r long sorry #but also not #harringrove #robin x barb #fix-it #stranger things #the ultimate fix-it #pls ask me stuff about this im so down to ramble about this?#pls #fic #my stuff #also idk how to do keep reading thungs so sorry 😬#also i barely mention nancy jon the kids or the adults #this is about my gay quad #buckland #bobin #my writings

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lilithcross · 4 years

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The Long Shadows of October

When I think of the”grindhouse” genre, it’s not necessarily for clarity, or PG-13ness; you look to grindhouse for sex and gore and all things that are too much. Violence and car chases, fast women and tough guys, generally a straightforward victor. Of late there’s been a resurgence of grindhouse attempting to bring back those bawdy, poorly written-and-shot movies, so when I came across Grindhouse Press at a local craft fair, I had to pick up a few copies of their wares. The Long Shadows of October by Kristopher Triana was a new one to me. He’s an author I’d never heard of, but the phrase “ultimate showdown of female-empowered sensuality” piqued my interest.

I’m constantly looking for female-led horror. As a writer and a woman myself, I’m often hand-cuffed by depictions of young women in the horror genre, frustrated by their lack of dimension, purpose, or realism. But the review snagged me and along I went, eager to crack the spine.

You can imagine my disappointment when we are immediately launched into the wet dreams of several horny high school boys. While I’m new to the specific grindhouse horror fiction world, I’m no newbie to the horror genre: you’re reading a tried-and-true shlock loving horror addict. But using the same horny teenage boy trope as an intro to our main story, hellbent on booze, drugs, and that ever elusive pussy, had my hackles raised at the get. I have to wonder, is this author re-living his youth or living vicariously through these characters?

In either case, we are introduced to our heroine, Kayla, as Joe’s latest conquest. She’s a cutter (for nearly no fleshed out reason) but is a sweet virgin with a crush on the slimy punk Joe. I’d mention his friend Danny and Danny’s girl Maxine, but for all the character treatment they receive, they might as well be an afterthought.

An old lady inexplicably asks two extremely unqualified teenage boys to watch her house while she vacations several states away. Perfect setup for a high-school sex romp for all our main characters. Enter Robbie, the young virgin hero that Joe’s snagged along for the ride, with the intention getting the town whore (also a high-schooler) to deflower the virgin.

Seems to be a simple pretense, but add a malevolent witch spirit living in the walls of the house, a slobbery hell-dog who turns out to be a big puppy, several inept police visits, unnecessary self-harm, and a whole pile of absent parents, you have a real mess of a plot. With forest wraiths (with and without faces), a glowing pool light that doesn’t come to fruition, throwaway sacrifices, and a tangentially mentioned sorceress mountain, I don’t even really know where to start with this.

For a book touting female-empowered sexuality, I’ve never seen the author’s treatment of virginal and non-virginal females as less empowering. The women in this book use their sexuality only as it benefits them or the men they’re near. Aside from the house-witch hell bent on stealing boy souls (though virgins are more valuable for some reason), not a single woman actually feels empowered or even pleasured by their sexual conduct. The town whore gets herself killed pursuit of cash for a car. I mean... what?

The stupid, nonsensical treatment of virginity in this book is so antiquated anyways. Way to reinforce that tired old trope, when it doesn’t matter to anyone. Kayla’s virginal purity is held over her admirers head as we sail closer towards denouement, but we find out the virginity has no connection to the story at all. At one point, Robbie’s virginity pleased the mountain. The anthropomorphized mountain, oft mentioned but ultimately useless, was at one point pleased with his virginity. That doesn’t give him more power, or ever end up coming to fruition anyways. But he is one, so don’t forget that!

Let’s talk about queer treatment here, too. It bears mentioning because the author apparently thought it was necessary. An excerpt from page 38: “At least Robbie showed an interest in girls (much to Joe’s relief) but he never had the nerve to approach any of them.” The parenthetical relief of Joe in regards to Robbie’s sexuality perked my ears up to the queer coding in the rest of the book. Joe decides to, on multiple occasions, throw slurs about Robbie being queer specifically because of his frigidity. (Pretty sure the kid’s sixteen. Huh?) But, after using “faggot” as an insult, Triana later decides Gladys (a villain) is pointlessly bisexual and Kayla, our hero, can kiss a girl because it draws the attention of the male gaze around her. To me, it’s an exploitative way to address queerness.

The lore the story is based upon folds in on itself over and over again, not only NOT playing by it’s own rules but also seemingly making up those rules as it goes along. Did Gladys cast the spell, or Hazel, or is it the mountain calling the shots? Some spirits can project themselves, some can’t, some can escape, but only if they were formerly virgins. It seems the author can’t keep the rules straight, either.

Our heroine must realize her “worth” as a woman only in relation to how sex is powerful and can get her things from boys. Her way of saving the town’s teens is to dress slutty, seduce them all, then hold her precious virginity over their heads to keep her interest. Her empowerment has nothing to do with taking her pleasure into her own hands or self-actualizing — merely getting the male (and apparently female) gaze. That’s not an empowering take on femininity — it’s an all too awful day when women know their worth to most men hinges on their ability to make the men feel good, not what they can do of their own accord or within their own power.

The character Maxine could really be another heroine, but she’s treated like garbage. She’s basically a lubed up pumpkin with a voice, either fucking Danny until she sees something (which also doesn’t matter), telling Kayla how much she needs to become a woman and lose her virginity, or being a throwaway character that no other character, not even her parents and especially not her boyfriend, make mention of again. Slutty Linda, the town whore, is discarded in much the same manner.

For all my criticism, I have to say, begrudgingly, that I was still entertained. It’s not often you find a book that so easily captures the shade of blue thrown on the walls of an indoor pool, or describes a rich mansion so easily. Triana did a great job filling my mind with the rooms of th mansion, the leaves rustling through the forest, and the vibe of the last raucous party in the book.

All in all, 2/5 for The Long Shadows of October. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves the true, old-school grindhouse vibe, and isn’t so politically correct they’d throw it down at the mention of faggots or teenage orgies.

#reading #review #grindhouse

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