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a-world-in-grey · 4 years

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More Sunshine au please? Maybe everyone's reactions when Sola first gets published? I can definitely see Ardyn being a proud, bragging Uncle about it all. But just more of that verse in general would be amazing!

Alright, now that I’m not half-dead from work (three eight hour shifts in a row guys, eight hour morning shifts), I can properly answer this!

Reactions to Alata’s first papers getting published! (Two of her papers are published at the same time. Her personal research determining that miasma is destroyed by the UV radiation in sunlight, and the research by the medical task force in creating a treatment for early Vanishing Sickness using UV radiation.)

-Adryn is absolutely proud of his Dear Niece. And yes, he does brag to everyone about it. Because for years, Ardyn has very much been an Outsider among Niflheim high society. No one knows anything about this man who suddenly showed up and got the position of High Chancellor. No known lineage, much less a respected lineage, no history, no family, nothing. The nobility respect the fact that Ardyn is clearly a dangerous man, but they have only disdain for the man himself, for the filthy commoner who somehow has so much influence with the Emperor.

-So Ardyn takes great glee in bragging about Alata’s accomplishment. Getting published in any academic journal of notable repute is no easy task, and Alata’s work is in four journals in Niflheim alone, with reputable journals from Tenebrae, Accordo, and Lucis looking to publish the article as well. He brags partly as a way to thumb his nose at the nobles - my family is better than yours - but also as a way to advertise his niece’s research. The nobles are all but starving for any information about Ardyn, and Ardyn has just presented the bait of a previously unknown relative.

-And the nobles fall for it, hook, line, and sinker. They read Alata’s research. They contact the others involved in the research, asking about Alata. And if none of the scientists and doctors mention Alata’s age, well, she’s a sweet kid, and none of them want to toss her into the shark pit that is Niflheim politics. So an image of Ardyn’s niece is painted - a brilliant and kind-hearted humanitarian, with the ambition and determination to tackle the mysteries of the Vanishing Sickness.

-A possible chink in the High Chancellor’s armor, some think. A way to gain the Chancellor’s - and therefore the Emperor’s - favor, others believe. So they clamor for Ardyn to bring his niece to court. Such a bright and talented individual deserves opportunities to forge connections.

-Ardyn waits until the nobles almost think he won’t, then introduces Alata to court. Using the celebration of Prince Icarus’ betrothal to introduce her to the biggest possible crowd all at once.

-Alata shatters the nobility’s expectations. Yes, she’s bright and kind and ambitious and determined. She’s also fiercely passionate, sharp tongued and bluntly honest, with her uncle’s political acumen but no desire to pander to the song and dance of Court and stubborn enough to plant her feet and let any opposition break against her, like a wave breaking against a mountain.

-She’s also all of twelve years old.

-Ardyn is Smug.

-Besithia is an Outrage. He’s never liked the brat Ardyn picked up in Insomnia, not since she insulted his life’s work. But now, now this child has been acknowledged twice over by some of the highest academic journals worldwide. For the same research he’d scoffed at and dismissed as the idealistic ambitions of a six-year old.

-Besithia increases his efforts in his own research. He Refuses to lose to a child who isn’t as smart as he is!

-Queen Sylva is curious about this Alata Mederi. She didn’t personally attend Prince Icarus’ betrothal celebration, so she only has what her delegation and gossip can tell her. And Alata’s research, and does that spark Sylva’s curiosity. Because the research details how the Vanishing Sickness - referred to as miasma in her research - is destroyed by the UV radiation in sunlight, leading to the later medical research project in treating early Vanishing Sickness with UV treatments.

-Sylva can see how Oracle magic - Bahamut’s Blessing of Light - is able to cure the Starscourge where medicine and Lucis Caelum magic fails. But Sylva is curious how Alata discovered the Scourge’s weakness to sunlight at all. Prior research not published?

-In Lucis, Regis is not expecting to get a call from Weskham. He’s been too busy the past few months worrying about his son - who the Astrals have declared will die to cure the Starscourge, and Regis refuses to lose another child - and researching everything he can about the Starscourge. Going as far as asking Queen Sylva for any knowledge the Oracles have.

-So when Weskham calls and tells him of the article about the Starscourge in a Niflheim academic journal, Regis and Aulea leap on the opportunity. They secure copies of Alata’s research. It’s no miracle solution, but it’s the beginning of one, and Regis almost cries when he finishes reading it because- because this is proof that something can destroy the Scourge. Something that doesn’t require magic, doesn’t require his little boy sacrificing his life.

-If Regis decides to discreetly invest in Alata Mederi’s research, even as Lucis begins planning research of their own... well, niece of the High Chancellor or not, this research could save Noctis’ life.

And some other stuff!

-When Ifrit Blesses Sola, his Blessing replaces Bahamut’s. Because a) Ifrit is that petty, and b) his Blessing is Fire and Purity. The Holy Fire heals by destroying everything and anything that does not belong.

-(‘Reborn anew from fiery death.’ Sola burns in a pyre of white fire, and steps from the ashes with sun-gold eyes and white marks spiraling up her arms like fire from where Ifrit held her hands to bestow his Blessing. And when Sola later heals Titus of the scourge? Titus and Sola disappear in a firestorm of pure white, and well, as I said earlier, it’s rather hard on the glaives’ nerves. And oh does Sola healing Titus have unintended consequences.)

-Sola loses the Lucis Caelum magic. So do Loqi and Ravus, gifted with Sola’s magic as they are. No healing, no Elemancy save the Holy Fire unless Sola finds an Elemancy node, no warping, no shields, no armiger.

-Sure, Ifrit had Sola empty her armiger before he Blessed her, but he didn’t tell her why and now she can’t carry all of her weapons.

-Sola is still miffed about that.

-Half the people who meet Sola and learn of Ifrit’s Blessing are... shocked to say the least. Because, look. Sola is not reverent in any sense. Not to Ifrit or any of the other Astrals. Half the people in earshot choke on their own spit the first time they hear Sola call Ifrit a petty jerk.

-In this AU, Sola doesn’t pick up much Galahdian culture. She unnerves more than a few Galahdians wearing white and black. Combined with her red hair - that she keeps cropped short at jaw length, Sola hates dealing with her hair - and the white almost tattoo-like marks on her arms and the veritable armory she somehow stashes on her person (because I love the trope where a character pulls out weapon after weapon and everyone else is like, where are you keeping that?) Sola makes for an ominous picture to any Galahdian.

-And then they spend about five minutes in her presence and realize that she’s a massive nerd. Whose passion is linguistics, cultural development, and the reflection of such in literature and folk tales. That Loqi and Sola continue a previous debate on the accuracy of a translated historical work as they travel to Costlemark Tower, Ravus groaning in exasperation and Selena snickering, goes a long way towards easing Tredd, Luche, and Axis’ nerves.

-Noctis and Sola regularly write each other about once or twice a month. Sola doesn’t tell Noctis where she is or about her research. Not that she doesn’t want to, but she doesn’t know if Papa or Mama also read Noctis’ letters and she doesn’t want them trying to take her away from Uncle. Now that she’s older she understands why they would, but good intentions or no, Sola won’t let them stop her from reaching her goal.

-Noctis... kind of doesn’t tell anyone that he’s regularly writing to Sola. At first because it’s a secret, and managing to keep something secret from everyone makes eight year old Noctis giddy. Then it becomes something he’s possessive about. His letters with Sola are his. No one else’s, and Noctis is possessive of his new older sister and doesn’t want to share.

-Eventually Noctis does feel guilty about keeping his letters with Sola secret, once he’s a bit older and realizes how much Regis and Aulea and Cor desperately miss Sola. But he still doesn’t tell them, because how he doesn’t even know what he’d say. Oh, he’s been writing to his missing older sister for years now and never told anyone? Noctis is only eleven, but he’s not stupid. His parents would not be happy. Worse, they’d probably be disappointed.

-Then Noctis has the idea that if he convinces Sola to come home, his parents will be too happy about that to be mad or disappointed that Noctis didn’t tell them about the letters!

-Unfortunately, Sola tells him that she can’t come home yet. She has a very important promise to keep. And one should always keep their promises. But Sola promises Noctis that she’ll be home for his coming-of-age. Even if she can only visit. Noctis pouts and tells her that he’s twelve. That’s forever!

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sunevial · 5 years

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A Personal Meg Experiment

So, I know some of you guys have been wondering about my ‘original works’ since I’m mostly known for writing the Followers. If you’ve talked to me at any length, you’ll know that I personally hate talking about my characters or plans for my original works because of how my brain is wired.

Now all this being said, I want to try something different. Because while I’m going to finish the Followers before I do any real work on my original projects, I also want to show you guys some of the stuff happening behind the scenes in my head.

Because whooooooo boy.

There’s a lot.

So, here’s what the experiment is gonna be. I’m going to list all of the various original story ideas I currently have with a small blurb about the story and the major characters. If you’re curious about literally anything, send me an ask and I’ll share what I can.

Now without further ado...

Important Note: Technically speaking, all of these stories take place within a connected universe, most of them at different points in time. I’ll try and keep these relatively in chronological order. These are all working titles.

Dalkin and the Exiles

Less of a story and more an epic, Dalkin and the Exiles contains some of the most important worldbuilding (universe building?) I have in this intricate web of stories. While this story alone has about four or five distinct plot threads, it primarily follows Dalkin Eventide, Demon Princess of Shiel, and all the work she has done to overthrow her tyrant father.

Important characters (note: there’s a CRAP TON of characters in this one, these are just the ones I can connect everyone else to): Dalkin, Koron, Rashara, Camille, Adaran, Leore

The Jeweled Misfits

Their names are whispered in corner streets, their deeds legendary and remembered across the lands. Six individuals, brought together by circumstance and who would rise to be the greatest heroes of Ayorth. Or at least...that’s what everyone remembers. As read in Throsi’s surviving journals, their story is far more complex than anyone remembers.

Important characters: Throsi, Ezel, Anakis, Ander, Shui, Orlan

The Eleven

Ayorth has fallen, and the gods with it. A new one has risen in their steed, a tyrant to match no other. But even in the ruins of calamity, something new can arise. Hope can spring free. This is Anabel’s story.

Important characters: Anabel, the remaining Ten

Sins and Virtues

The children of angels and demons, trusted neither by heaven nor hell, exploited by both. Their safe haven is Order of the Silver Keys, committed to protecting humanity from the endless struggle between the two great powers. A tale of espionage, friendship, familial bonds, and the ghosts of the past that continue to haunt the present.

Important characters: Polana, Desriel, Renisha, Geverlen, Kezeal, Magrenol, Taleyie, Seresam

Spectrum Warriors

For years, Caia has gone to a strange world at night, meeting up with friends in an alien world of incredible colors and biotechnology. However, that period of peace has ended; someone attacked the palace, and now she is cut off from her second home. Joining forces with her friends, the six of them finally meeting on Earth for the first time, they vow to find a way to fix this mess.

Important characters: Aliyah, Bridget, Caia, Dalia, Elowen, Fang, Hideaki, Princess Rainbow

The Oracle’s Heir

Set in the hidden world of Eto, this three part story follows two young woman, Vylet and Echo. One of the last oracles left in existence, Vylet embarks on a quest to restore her family’s good name and uncover the long history of her world. A banisher in training, Echo knows she has one of two fates in this world: defeat the Undead Queen Vashren, who has been systematically killing oracles over the past one thousand years, or die trying.

Important characters: Vylet, Echo, Vashren, Sera, Husky, the Nine, the Children

Two Together Are Always Going Somewhere

Unlike some of these other stories, this one is incredibly sweet. Three worlds: one of magic, one of science fiction, and one like our own. There are no sinister plots, no rebellions, no need for heroes to save the world. This is simply the story of two girls falling in love.

Important characters: Venny, Sol, Clarissa, Michalis, Copper, Ginger

Coda and the Astral Compass

This is a story that takes place amongst the stars, in galaxies far from our own. Upon a great traveling city, a race of aliens travels between planets, visiting all manner of planets. Join Coda and his friends as they go on all matter of adventures amongst the great cosmos.

Important characters: Coda, Alel, Reyo, Esil

Changeling Children

Arista knows she doesn’t belong in her family. She is a changeling, after all; at a very young age, she was switched out for a human child, placed in her family’s care while the two faeries made off with the human baby. Arista knows this. And she’s determined to find that lost child and bring her back home.

Important characters: Arista, Tyra, Peach, Aislin, Lolima

#my writing #sort of #kind of #also kind of an ask me?#ask me #i feel like i'm forgetting something #i probably am #there's too goddamn much in these stories #my stories

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hollowedrpg · 5 years

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CONGRATULATIONS, RITA! — You’ve been accepted for the role of Alastor Moody. I’m so happy to have an Alastor again, both selfishly (hello war council) and for the progression of the plot here at Hollowed Souls. Alastor is a key player in what’s to come, and I think you’re a great fit to help move the plot forward. I especially liked how you showed despite his tough exterior (and interior, let’s be honest) there are still parts of Alastor that can be soft on the very rare occasion. Here’s hoping we get to see both sides of him on the dash very soon.

Thank you so much for applying. Please create your account and send in the link, track the right tags, and follow everyone on the follow list. Welcome to Hollowed Souls!

ooc.

Name: Rita

Age: 22

Preferred pronouns: She/her

Timezone: GMT

Activity: 6/7 – I’d generally be able to post something every two or three days. This week is going to be a little more complicated, though, because I’m attending a conference and will be a little short on time. That’s also why the app isn’t too long :(

Are you applying for more than one character?: Nope!

How do you feel about your character dying?: I wouldn’t be opposed to it at all, but I’d only like it to happen once I’d played a character arc that justified it.

Anything else?: Nope!

ic details.

Full name: Alastor Cadmus Moody

Alastor – [“Alastor” is Ancient Greek for “he who does not forget”, thus “avenger”, “persecutor”, “tormenter”, “one who suffers from divine vengeance”.]

Cadmus – [“The name Cadmus is a boy’s name of Greek origin meaning “one who excels”.]

Moody – His first and heaviest burden. The Moody family is as proud of its legacy in the Auror department as most ancient magical bloodlines are of their purity. They can trace their origin back to the legendary ‘Alasdair, the just’, a Scottish wizard who punished those responsible for infecting a muggle village with a plague. They also don’t prize longevity. At eleven, he had been somewhat surprised by the amount of living relatives his housemates claimed to have. Aside from his parents, Alastor’s ‘family’ was the grandfather killed in the line of duty. His righteous death had earned him a portrait from which he could bark and disapprove of them all. ‘Family’ was made up of the stories of his dead aunt, an accomplished auror torn apart by a dark wizard at twenty-three. It was patched with the cautionary tale of an uncle they claimed had been poisoned, but who his mother finally admitted to have drunk himself to death. Alastor never saw the disgraced man’s daughters when he was growing up. Yet, one of them, Alex, became an Auror shortly after he did. He attended her funeral. A few months later, he refused to attend his father’s.

Date of birth: March 3rd, 1948 – Ravenclaw Aries

[These Ravenclaws will have lightning-fast mental reflexes. Aries is an intellectual sign, but it is also an impatient sign; Ravenclaws who were born under this sign are likely to tolerate no dull wits or stupidity, whether they see this lack of mental competence in themselves (in which case they will berate themselves for not understanding, or give up quickly in frustration without really trying to overcome their difficulty in learning) or in others (in which case they will lash out at the offender with acidic comments and haughty, cutting looks). These Ravenclaws will want to be at the head of the class, dominating other students in their chosen intellectual field, and may be almost as competitive as Slytherins. However, the true aim of every Ravenclaw is knowledge, knowledge, and more knowledge. While a Slytherin might see losing a magical duel or being bested by another student in a DADA class as humiliating, the Ravenclaw will probably just take delight in competition for its own sake, and see defeat as a learning experience.]

Former Hogwarts house: Ravenclaw – “Patchwork kid”, the hat had quipped, “the brain of a Ravenclaw, the guts of a Gryffindor, and the cold, cold blood of a Slytherin”. The decision ultimately came down to preference. At eleven, he had settled for small rebellions. His parents couldn’t punish him at Hogwarts, so he refused to be yet another Gryffindor in the Moody family tree. He’d say that it came down to choosing between bookworms and snobs, but the truth is that Moody was oddly suited for Ravenclaw, surrounded by unconventional people who tended to leave each other to their own devices. He may have been harsh to the other kids most of the time, returning to 13 Knocturn alley to complain about the boy in his dorm who believed he was an oracle and the girl in his Charms class who was obsessed with Rowena Ravenclaw, but he would also hex anyone who preyed on them.

Sexuality: Bisexual – His attraction to women has always been there, but he was quite young when it became clear to him that there was far more than ‘brotherhood’ to his bonds with some of the other hungry boys, and being with men has always felt natural. It doesn’t really matter, as his sexuality is something he tends to confine to his own head. He’s practically celibate.

Gender/pronouns: Cis male, he/him

Face claim change: None.

more.

How do you interpret this character’s personality? how will you play them? include two weaknesses & two strengths.

+intelligent, stoic, unrelenting

-tyrannical, obsessive, disturbed

Men who swallow blood for too long starve without it. Alastor may look a decade older than his thirty-four years, but the red eyes and feral posture haven’t changed since he was thirteen. He was a smartkid even then. Not just the kind forged by the sort of upbringing that demands cleverness – the quick, book-devouring kind, with that same odd and ravenous curiosity that might have made a more comfortable man an eccentric. But there were no such luxuries for a Moody or a child of 13 Knockturn Alley. Yes, there is a secret kindness in him. Stale bread passed from hand to hand, a rough palm on a wet shoulder, an unexpected tenderness towards the cat that sleeps in his sink. But don’t mistake it for softness. Alastor will care for a sick stray, but he’ll also put it out of its misery if it comes to it. Life is suffering. Everything that can go wrong will. The ends sometimes justify the means. He lives with those truths so that others don’t have to, and they give him a purpose. He is both certain of his own brokenness and smugly convinced that he alone knows best. It’s true that he allows himself few reprieves from the role he’s crafted for himself: the bloodhound, the hand of justice – but there is a reason for it. After all, who is he underneath it? A morose drunk, muttering shit under his breath. A terrified child screaming himself awake in an empty house.

How has the war affected this character, emotionally and otherwise?

The war has heightened everything sharp about Moody. He’s become even more obsessive, more reserved, less tolerant. The weirdness, deadpan humor and encyclopedic knowledge of obscure and bizarre subjects that define Alastor, the person, are becoming increasingly sunken under Moody, the auror. Alcohol has also become essential to drown the messiness in his head: the aggression and the paranoia, the noises that keep him awake at night. It’s not self-medication anymore. It’s sustenance. Physically, he’s sporting a couple more scars. Rosier left one under his eye– a few more milliseconds of reaction would have cost him his nose. But it was Wilkes who left him with his most painful wound. A dead, rotting patch of flesh on his leg. The healers kept the curse from spreading, but they couldn’t close it. It gives off an unpleasant, acrid scent and makes walking slightly painful.

Where does this character currently stand? with those who wish to hide in godric’s hollow until the war ends, with those who wish to rebuild the order and continue fighting the war, or on neither side? why?

He won’t hold back the harsh truth: stopping now would be worse than not having fought at all. Voldemort needs to be eliminated and even that might not be the end of it. Yes, there has been slaughter on both sides. Yes, the death eaters are weak. But to let them scurry back to their holes would make them stronger than ever before. They’d all have five, maybe ten years of rotten peace, shaking hands with the murderers of their friends and hugging their warm pillows at night. All the while the purebloods would be regrouping behind closed doors, biding their time until they could rise again. Only this time there would be no Order to stop them, weakened as they would be by the previous war and their own peacetime complacency. He will not indulge the childish fantasy according to which stopping the fight will return them all to a world before the war. They can’t restore their dead friends to their usual seat at the pub by lounging around Godric’s Hollow. The Order can only honor their sacrifice by making sure that the death eaters are completely destroyed. Fighting will mean a few more deaths, yes, but Alastor knows that not fighting is annihilation.

How have the setbacks the Order has faced affected Alastor?

If anything, the losses the Order has faced have only made Alastor more ruthless, more certain that pureblood supremacy needs to be pulled out at the root. There’s no hope for compromise after what happened in Godric’s Hollow. He can’t even begin to imagine how some of the Order members entertain the possibility of hiding there indefinitely: every second Alastor spends in the village is torture, surrounded by mementoes of the crimes, constantly anticipating another bloodshed. The only upside is that it keeps him focused. It reminds him that they must cut the limb and cauterize the wound.

What does he think the Order should do next?

Killing or capturing Voldemort is an absolute priority. Ending the war will require much more than destroying its symbol, but there is simply no hope of rebuilding the wizarding world while the main architect of its destruction endures.

extra.

pinterest.

playlist.

Headcanons:

001: Between his black market days and the research he conducted on his own time, Alastor has been handling dark magic for far too long. Though the healers assure him that he is fine, he’s sure that it has taken a toll on him. Wilkes’s curse should have either killed him or healed – there’s something bizarre about the way it settled into his body, as if the black magic and the rotten flesh had always belonged there. He’s still strong, but skinnier than he used to be, his features sharper. He feels colder. There’s always a bad taste in his mouth. And his nightmares grow more vivid by the day.

002: Most nights he eats like the hungry boy he once was. He spends the day on coffee and firewhisky, making use of the alertness only an empty stomach can bring. Then he dines on sausages, canned fish and cheese, boiled, rubbery eggs, cold bowls of soup and stew. Everything tastes nice when you’re starving.

003: Alastor cares for Kingsley. He will also never trust him. On one hand, the things he admires the most about the other man are also those that irk and alarm him. Kingsley is cautious, empathetic, far better suited to peace than Moody will ever be. But something about his upbringing leads him to associate those qualities with cowardice and privilege. Even when their goals aligned and they relied on each other, the doubt about his fellow Auror remained. Kingsley is a better man than he is. And yet, Moody knows that he has inherited the violence and catastrophe that run down his family tree – has Shacklebolt truly avoided the poison in his own? He hopes so. But expecting the worst has always been his policy.

004: At 17, he ran away from home for good. He only saw his parents a few times after that. Neither of them ever acknowledged the beatings and cruelty as anything more than ‘toughening him up’ and Alastor genuinely felt like he had little to say to them. He once visited to inform them that he was becoming an Auror, and the warmth and praise with which his father received the news both satisfied and disgusted him. He was terrified by the hold his parents still had on him, and swore never to visit again. He kept the promise even when a colleague told him the old man was in St.Mungus on account of a curse from his old auror days, which was turning his insides to liquid. “If he wants me to visit”, he told him, “he can ask me himself”. He never did, which secretly relieved Alastor. He didn’t go to the funeral either. As for his mother, he hasn’t heard anything since the war began, but something tells him she’ll outlive both him and all the good people he knows.

005: Cats like him. They slip in through open windows, lay on his lap after he’s drank himself unconscious and eat his food.

#hp rp #lsrpg #marauders rp #rp #roleplay #accepted

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ambisun · 2 months

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✨✨✨They're here!! ✨✨✨

Take a preview at Tales and Oracle of Eleven! These are the samples for a brand new Oracle deck and South East Asian Folklore anthology that I've created with Sha Roose.

If it's your first time seeing this, Tales and Oracle of Eleven is an Oracle deck and Illustrated Anthology that highlights the folklore and legends from South East Asia. We were successfully funded on Kickstarter last year and soon we'll be ready to ship these out to our backers.

If you've missed out on the campaign, the deck and book are still available for pre-order on our website at a discounted rate. The pre-order ends on the 1st of March so be sure to get it now to secure a copy as limited quantities are available.

Shop here:

( Not available to EU countries for now )

#oracle #anthology #folklore #indie tarot #indie oracle deck #south east asian folklore #oracle cards #book illustrations #artists on tumblr #tales and oracle of eleven #South East Asian Folklore

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rex-rises · 6 years

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Lore Update - Historical Cliffnotes

Part 1.) The Beginning

Reina and Razohr awaken in a desert of Lightning’s Territory with no knowledge of each other and what’s around them. Together they work to survive and search for answers for their purpose. An Imperial by the name of Lance finds them alone and works to teach them to survive. Reina becomes obsessed with the imperial’s teachings and the idea of serving Stormcatcher-who she now believed to have given her life. Lance trains Reina to be a skilled warrior while Razohr begins to speak with others and collect members into the clan. Lance leaves his son, Adonis, to the clan before he leaves them to their business.

Part 2.) Expanse

The clan is growing, but turmoil grows. Reina is upset by the lack of productivity her clan produces for Stormcatcher, so she presses the others to work harder. The desperation becomes so great that it affects her decisions and treatment towards her clan. Hatchlings become neglected, food is rationed, and others begin to resent Reina. Razohr, one of her few remaining friends, becomes lost in alchemy after hearing of the mystical powers of oracles. Razohr manages to give himself abilities far beyond what he expected. Reina abuses his partial omniscience to her advantage in growing the clan.

Part 3.) Answers

The clan eventually gains a reputable status and are invited to the spire. Reina requests an audience with Stormcatcher but is denied and ignored. She persists yet at the same time continues to push her clan to the limits. Avellatur and Rekka are outraged by this and demand better treatment after being promised safety but are immediately shut down. They too make demands only to be repressed. Reina finally forces Stormcatcher to listen to what she says, but his immediate hatred and distaste for her confuse her. She was accused of being ‘Reborn’ before her execution was ordered, not by Stormcatcher but his followers. She and her clan are chased out from the shifting expanse.

Part 4.) Rebellion

The clan flees, still under Reina’s leadership, and make it as far as the wyrmmound with minimal casualties. It is there that she is spoken to and welcomed by Plaguebringer with open arms-who explained that she understood the will to survive. She was told that her tenacity would be better appreciated here. She and her clan were granted protection and territory in exchange for service to the Plaguebringer. She turns back to her clan, ready to resume the rigid life she enforced, but they refused. Echo, Rekka, Nikolai, Saevus, Mel, and even Razohr stood up against her. She was dethroned as Echo, Rekka, and Saevus were placed in charge

Part 5.) Home

The clan finds their territory in the midst of a dangerous trek through the desert in hopes of finding an oasis. They are lost, have nowhere to go, and hope is dead. Many perish from the lack of resources, but they are too weak to go any further. Help is sent from Stonegrove in finding the blockage that’s preventing the underground river from flowing. With the help of the Earth clan, they free the passage and the clan can continue to survive. They explore the caves and territory in search of places to make dens and turn the empty space into use.

Part 6.) Purpose

The clan begins to find strange hieroglyphics and technology around their new cavernous home. Nikolai seems to find himself vaguely familiar with the strange machines and tools, capable of using them and figuring out what they can do. Stories are stretched across cavern walls, lessons are painted across walls of small houses, and cave areas look as if they’ve been lived in before with strange furniture and decor. The clan thinks nothing of it save for Nikolai and Mollis, and Ava who begin to work on deciphering it all.

Part 7.) Mementos

An expedition by Echo, Rekka, and Saevus discovers the perfect place to hide the clan’s riches. However, a beast already exists within the depths of the cave. A deep voice echoes and beckons to them. Reluctantly, they step closer. It is there they learn the tale of a great deity just like the eleven once existed for the threat of today known as Beastclans. Just like the dragons, they too were brought into development by a deity. However, the apocalypse brought waste to their numbers. Their home was the last remaining settlement of those that continued to worship the god-as others abandoned him for his relations to the eleven destructive monsters that destroyed their homes.

The Plaguebriner’s sickness brought havoc upon the land that once used to be a paradise, endless storms rained down upon his people, and they were almost wiped out. The deity used the last of his strength to defend those who still believed in him, but his celestial body-weakened by lack of support-could not withstand it any longer. He was forced into a deep slumber in order to recoup his strength, but when he woke: his people were no longer there.

So, he offered an exchange to the leaders. He would defend their treasures and allow them to remain in his territory, but in return, they would help him rediscover his people-or what might have happened to them. The Beastclans of today are nothing like what he created, but their memory and story was still somewhere in these caverns. Help him find and defend the memory of what was once his children and he would give them his strength. While Echo and Rekka were hesitant, Saevus agreed.

Vetus Deus join the clan.

#rexlore #lore #death #starvation #abuse #wall of text #kinda

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gadarene · 3 years

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NOTES ON the Twelve Minor Prophets

The Hebrew canon considers these texts a single prophetic "book" (scroll). Jonah is an anonymous tale that lacks oracles, but the other eleven are likely based on the actual utterances of the prophets in question.

#old covenant #the twelve #hosea #amos #micah #joel #obadiah #jonah #nahum #habakkuk #zephaniah #haggai #zechariah #malachi #hos #mic #obad #nah #hab #zeph #hag #zech #mal

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hellomissmabel · 7 years

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Of Dusk and Dawn part 1

MASTERLIST

Pairing: Apollo/Steve x reader, Bucky x reader

Warnings: None.

Word count: 1.602

Summary: Y/N is the Pythia, the Oracle of Delphi, blessed by the God Apollo with the gift of foresight. Yet one day a hunter sets foot in her temple and she is struck by a dark vision. With the blood moon approaches fast, higher powers take the upper hand and shake up Y/N’s life and love. Is she strong enough to survive the wrath of a Goddess? Or shall she wither and die in the aftermath of a God’s sorrow?

A/N: Written for @marvelous-fvcks her challenge. My prompt was Greek God AU.

Series masterlist can be found here

Steve’s POV

My love has been dusted to sleep, coaxing into the land of dreams after our bodies intertwined in the moonlight. Her chest rises and falls softly in the rays of dawn that shine like a halo around her rested body. Trailing my lips over her exposed shoulder, I feel time is ticking away from us and I will have to return soon. Reluctantly, I kiss her skin one last time, weaving my fingers through her hair knowing the caresses will bring her to open her eyes.

“Steve…,” she mumbles my mortal name groggily, the hands of sleep clinging onto still. “Is it morning yet?”

Pecking her temple, I whisper lovingly into her ear. “Yes, my sweet. It’s time.” Followed by a barely there kiss to her cheek.

Opening her eyes as she rolls onto her side, I watch as they fall on my face and a tender smile erupts from her lips. She holds out her hands for me to fold into her loving embrace. “Come here, my Apollo. Let me hold you close.”

Any resistance is futile as I’ve lost my heart to this mortal woman, my sweet Y/N. My human form finds a purpose so divine whenever I connect with her, in spirit or in body, that it must be none other than true love. “As you wish, my sweet,” I yield to her request.

Y/N hums contently once my arms have wrapped themselves around her and my head lays on her bare chest. Pecking the crown of my head, her melody alters gradually into a worrisome tune. Craning my neck to look up at my beautiful lover, I see her eyes have turned a paler shade of Y/E/C. “What is on your mind, my sweet?,” I inquire with a slightly nervous tenor.

“Nothing, my Apollo,” she replies after some time has passed agonisingly slow, a sad smile tarnishing her full lips destined for joyous laughter only.

She has never withheld anything for me before and it inspires great concern for her well-being. Promptly, I detach myself from her affectionate arms and charm her into my soothing embrace. “Is it more gold you wish, my sweet? For the poor and the sick and others that seek our help? Because I can bestow upon you all the richness in the whole of Greece if you want me to.”

Shaking her head, she cradles my face in her hands. I smile down at her and her fingertips follow the crinkles of my eyes. Her touch is still sincere in its love and not lacking in heart, yet the gesture has lost some of its former playfulness. “Your hair is the only gold I will ever need.”

“Is it beauty you wish, my sweet?,” I try again, uncertain of where her mind lies and her thoughts wander to as she eyes me with that same sad smile. “Are you worried I will not love you as you grow older, because I can assure you that I will. And I’m sure Aphrodite will be very forthcoming with her blessings if you offer half of this week’s gifts to her.”

“Your beautiful blue eyes are all I will ever need,” she answers instantly, pecking my lips briefly. No further reply follows and her state of mind continues to leave me puzzled.

“Then it must be power you wish, my sweet? Have the people been asking too much of you again?”

“It is not power, neither beauty or gold that I desire, my Apollo,” she sighs softly as she drops her hands to my chest, gently pushing herself away from me. Y/N sits on the bed, her back facing me, slow tears lazily cascading down her cheeks in a woeful blues.

Pressing her back flush to my chest, my arms encircle her waist as I allow her to lean into me. I pepper small kisses down her cheek, her jaw and her throat, drawing soft moans from even softer lips. “Then tell me, my sweet Y/N, what it is your heart desires.”

With careful consideration, she speaks in a quiet whisper. “I am carrying your fruit in my womb, my Apollo.” Y/N laces our fingers laces together, squeezing them gently when she senses my confusion. “I am with child, Steve,” she clarifies affectionately, her voice breaking under the confession of such a fresh truth.

As it slowly dawns upon me, the impact of a new life growing inside her, I press a lingering kiss to her lips. “I am going to be a father,” I mumble to her lips before kissing her languidly and gingerly laying her down onto the cushions of the bed. “I, Apollo,” I smile joyously to her bare stomach as she caresses my hair away from my eyes. “Am your father, little one.”

“My Apollo, look at me,” she requests with kindness yet urgency. I beam at my love with obvious delight at this wondrous news, ignorant of all the thunderclouds gathering in the sky above. “I desire a father for this child. A father that will be there to see his son or daughter grow up. Not a father that visits his family once every fortnight.”

“I promise I will be there for our child, my sweet,” I pledge sincerely, pecking her tummy one last time before bringing my lips up to meet hers in a chaste kiss. “I will visit you more often and bring presents and sweets and…”

Her finger to my lips prompts me to silence, and there is that sad smile again. “That’s exactly what I am afraid of, Steve.” Y/N sighs dejectedly, averting her eyes from mine as she speaks more to the pillows than to me, her words emphasised by the early morning light.

“You visit me once every fortnight and in the few faint hours of the evening, we make love. Afterwards, we fall asleep in each other arms, only to wake up the next morning for you to leave me until another eleven moons pass and you can be mine again.”

Our eyes lock and there are relentless tears staining her cheeks. “I want you to stay here with us.” She takes a deep breath, uneasy in what she will request of me. “I want you to stay here with us, in your human form. This way your child will know its father, really know its father. Not through whispers and rumours or the tales I will tell it at night before bedtime.”

I hear what’s she’s saying, I understand what she’s asking of me. I do. But I am a God and I have a divine duty towards the people and my family at Mount Olympus. I would give it all up in a heartbeat, believe me, but I cannot forsake my immortality for the sake of a mortal woman. Even if that same mortal woman is carrying a demi-god in her womb.

It is with grave sadness that I utter the following statement, tearing my heart apart for the good of the universe. “I’m afraid that’s impossible, my sweet,” I state regretfully as I move away from her, rolling onto my side and to the edge of the bed. As I sit on the edge of the bed, I expect her to follow and wrap her arms around my shoulders like always when we have to part ways. But she remains frozen, laying on the bed with her eyes staring at the sky above.

“My sweet,” I exhale in a sharp and shuddering breath, “I love you. I love our child. I love you both so much.” I stand up from the bed and walk to the other side, where I sit down next to my love. She still refuses to look at me, her face pale and drained of her natural blush. “My feelings will never change and our child will only strengthen our love.”

“I understand why you would be opposed to a union or any other kind of matrimonial bond,” she reasons with me, finally returning her gaze towards me. “But we’re not just talking about my life or your life anymore,” she points towards her stomach as she sits up on the bed, “We’re talking about an unborn life, this unborn life.”

Resting her hands on my shoulder, she looks at me with earnestness. Her touch is both abysmal as it is elysian, luring me into her earthly spirituality with celestial tenderness. “Your judgement is clouded by your hormones, my sweet. You don’t realise the severity of what you are demanding of me.”

Her touch lingers for a moment longer, fingertips digging into my skin with dissolving determination as she senses the finality of my words. Eventually she retracts her hands from my shoulders and the immediate coldness of the air pulled taut causes goose bumps to rise in an instant.

Wetting her lips, she distances herself as she crawls further onto the bed, yet her soul is still locked with mine. There are silent tears and hands that serve no purpose other than covering her face as she sobs into them. Not another word falls from her lips as she cries solemnly over a lover that can never truly be hers.

“I will come again in a fortnight, my sweet. I can’t bear to be so long without you, especially now you’re pregnant,” I tell her calmly, honestly and with care. “I love you, my sweet, and I hope you will feel different by then.”

As I shed my human form, right before vanishing into a thin veil of light, I hear her mumble through strangled cries and muffled sobs. “I won’t, my Apollo. I won’t.”

Tagging: @avengerofyourheart @a-little-hell-to-raise @marvelingatthewonder @mrshopkirk @hardcorehippos @knittingknerdy @winterboobaer @italwaysendsinafightt @viollettes @hymnofthevalkyrie @feelmyroarrrr @justareader @austinamelio @volklana @4theluvofall @themcuhasruinedme @theoneandonlysaucymo @caplanbuckybarnes @nenyakj @amrita31199 @emilyevanston @minervaem @howlingbarnes @buchananbarnestrash @youandb @you-and-bucky @fvckingsteverogers @thatawkwardtinyperson @that-sokovian-bastard @abovethesmokestacks @marvelrevival @marvel-fanfiction @justanotherbuckydevotee @barnes-heaven @heartmade-writingbucky @buckyywiththegoodhair @captnbarnesrogers @mellifluous-melodramas @its-not-a-phase-hux @melconnor2007 @ivvitm1109 @toofuckinfabulous @ailynalonso15 @hollycornish @delicatecapnerd @camigt1999 @learisa @curlyexpat @palaiasaurus64 @fanndas-snow-goddess @crisssivonne @yourenotrogers @tomhollandzs @supernaturaldean67 @beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep @aletheladyinred @beyondbarnes @xbergiex @reniescarlett @promarvelfangirl @capbuckybuchanan @lovemarvelousfics @yknott81 @rrwilson66 @pegasusdragontiger @mizzzpink @salty-holographic-stickers @sammyissassy @sebstanchrisevanchickforever19 @kudosia @bellejeunefillesansmerci @lumelgy @southernbellestatues @daringtodreamawake @neurotic-narwhal @cokamarie24 @blue1928 @movingonto-betterthings @breezy1415 @isnt-the-blog-youre-looking-for @jesspfly @weenie-butt @debzybrazy @fuckingchaotic

Series tag list: @nativesebby @taylorjacksonandtheolympians @sad-af1121@throwingup-rainbows @thegreentgirl @jughead-wuz-here @redroomproperty @sgtbxckybxrnes @blackcoffeeandgreenteaforme @lifeofmarvvel @amiarealfan @captainsbestgal @whiskeyandwashitape @kimistry27 @superpaperclip @acunningstargazer @heyitsaznfangirl @follow-the-freeway @mo320 @lostinthoughtsandfeelings @katalina-from-hellbound @grantsgorgeousgirl @winterwolf57 @lycanmomma @caffeinatedcellist @yknott81 @thefandomimagines @lostinspace33 @jasmineladjevardi @majbritsr @dinorapreira @naturalistamisslyn @winenighthoe @aliasauthor @heneed-somemilk @quoththe-raven @thelostswan @2017booklover @suz-123 @lumelgy @magellan-88

Strikethrough means I couldn’t tag you!

#of dusk and dawn #greek god au #steve x reader #bucky x reader #amarvelousfvckingwritingchallenge

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planttastic · 6 years

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Book List 2017!

Goal: 48 Read: 48 New Authors: 13!: Rebekah Crane, Georgia Hunter, David Machado, Dee Lestari, Garson O’Toole, Tahereh Mafi, Soraya Lane, Courtney Elizabeth Mauk, F.C. Lee, Kory Stamper, Marie Lu, Mohsin Hamid, & Krysten Ritter Re-reads: 2: 1984, & The Stupidest Angel

1. The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo #1) - Rick Riordan, ★★★★

2. Dragon Fly in Amber (Outlander #2) - Diana Gabaldon, ★★★★

3. Seven Up (Stephanie Plum #7) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★

4. Packing For Mars: The Curious Science of Life In The Void) - Mary Roach, ★★★★★

5. Hard Eight (Stephanie Plum #8) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★

6. The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland - Rebekah Crane, ★★★

7. 1984 - George Orwell, ★★★★

8. To The Nines (Stephanie Plum #9), ★★★

9. At Night We Walk In Circles - Daniel Alarcón, ★★★★

10. Ten Big Ones (Stephanie Plum #10) - Janet Evanovich, ★★

11. We Were the Lucky Ones - Georgia Hunter, ★★★★

12. Eleven on Top (Stephanie Plum #11) - Janet Evanovich, ★★

13. Twelve Sharp (Stephanie Plum #12) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★★

14. Lean Mean Thirteen (Stephanie Plum #13) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★

15. The Shelf Life of Happiness - David Machado, ★★★

16. Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War - Mary Roach, ★★★★

17. Paper Boats - Dee Lestari, ★★★★

18. Hemingway Didn’t Say That: The Truth Behind Familiar Quotations - Garson O’Toole, ★★

19. Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) - Tahereh Mafi, ★★★★

20. Unravel Me (Shatter me #2) - Tahereh Mafi, ★★★

21. Unite Me (Shatter Me #1.5 & 2.5) - Tahereh Mafi, ★★

22. Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) - Tahereh Mafi, ★★★

23. American Gods - Neil Gaiman, ★★★

24. Wives of War - Soraya Lane, ★★★

25. The Special Power of Restoring Lost Things - Courtney Elizabeth Mauk, ★★

26. Fearless Fourteen (Stephanie Plum #14) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★

27. Finger Lickin’ Fifteen (Stephanie Plum #15) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★

28. Sizzling Sixteen (Stephanie Plum #16) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★

29. Smoking Seventeen (Stephanie Plum #17) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★

30. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo - F.C. Lee, ★★★★

31. Word By Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries - Kory Stamper, ★★★★

32. Explosive Eighteen (Stephanie Plum #18) - Janet Evanovich, ★★

33. Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng, ★★★★★

34. The Dark Prophecy (The Trials of Apollo #2) - Rick Riordan, ★★★★

35. Notorious Nineteen (Stephanie Plum #19) - Janet Evanovich, ★★

36. Young Jane Young - Gabrielle Zevin, ★★★★

37. Takedown Twenty (Stephanie Plum #20) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★

38. Warcross (Warcross #1) - Marie Lu, ★★★★

39. Sourdough - Robin Sloan, ★★★★

40. La Belle Sauvage (The Book Of Dust #1) - Philip Pullman, ★★★★

41. Voyager (Outlander #3) - Diana Gabaldon, ★★★★

42. Feedback (Newsflesh #4) - Mira Grant, ★★★★

43. Top Secret Twenty-one (Stephanie Plum #21) - Janet Evanovich, ★★

44. Exit West - Mohsin Hamid, ★★★★★

45. Bonfire - Krysten Ritter, ★★★★

46. Artemis - Andy Weir, ★★

47. The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror (Pine Cove #3) - Christopher Moore, ★★★

48. Mrs. Fletcher - Tom Perotta, ★★★

**WARNING** SPOILERS BELOW!

1. The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo #1) - Rick Riordan, ★★★★ Here's the thing. I know these are middle school books, HOWEVER some of my favorite modern literary characters have come from Riordan's Demigod books and this one contains the return of two of my favorites. I'm glad that he's continuing to write them, though I wish he would up the reading level, as I'm sure a lot of his readers are into YA levels now. An easy start for the new year! Progress: January 1, 2017 – Started Reading January 4, 2017 – Finished Reading

2. Dragon Fly in Amber (Outlander #2) - Diana Gabaldon, ★★★★ I must admit, I enjoyed this one much more than the first (a surprise, considering I wasn't a huge fan of season 2 of the show). It deals a lot more with history and the coming together of the Rising, which was more interesting than I expected. The ending was still incredibly sad and hopeful (as I did expect) and got me right in the heart. Progress: January 5, 2017 – Started Reading January 6, 2017 –page 79. "This book is long af. I was surprised to see a big reveal for a character (if you could call it that, I guess) in the first chapter. Oh the differences between tv writing and novels." January 12, 2017 –page 389. "Dude just pulled a snake out of his pocket like it was no thing. Wtf was happening in France?! Don't keep snakes in your jackets, gents. That is weird af." January 14, 2017 –page 521 "Sudden POV shift to Jaime is odd and unexpected. It seems that it's just in chunks? Makes it feel uneven." January 15, 2017 – Finished Reading

3. Seven Up (Stephanie Plum #7) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★ Stephanie is bad at her job, these are super formulaic and there's a standard love triangle, yet I can't stop reading these. They are the potato chip of bounty hunter novels. Progress: January 16, 2017 – Started Reading January 18, 2017 – Finished Reading

4. Packing For Mars: The Curious Science of Life In The Void - Mary Roach, ★★★★★ Full of science, humor and a lot of information I never thought to ask about space. Mary Roach is my favorite science writer, quite possibly my favorite non-fiction writer. Stiff will probably always be my favorite of her books, but I think this is tied for 2nd with Gulp. Progress: January 19, 2017 – Started Reading January 19, 2017 – Shelved January 20, 2017 – page 133 "It's things like, "buttocks are nature's safety foam" that make me love Mary Roach's books. Give me all the facts in amusing and easily digestable prose!" January 24, 2017 – Finished Reading

5. Hard Eight (Stephanie Plum #8) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★ I figure since this book came out over 13 years ago, spoilers don't count, so I'm not going to put this under a cut, but at least a warning. WARNING. Stephanie is still terrible at her job, goes through cars more often than she buys tanks of gas, but at least she FINALLY BANGED RANGER. Unfortunately we only got a paragraph of explanation, which does not do justice to his apparent sexiness. (For the record, I'm still Team Cupcake.) This one did feel a bit different, as she wasn't money-driven to solve the case. It does lend her a bit more... humanity? Progress: January 25, 2017 – Started Reading January 25, 2017 – page 94 "Gdi Stephanie, if you're going to handcuff a FTA to your car, DON'T LEAVE THE KEYS IN IT. I swear 😒 is the only face I make when reading these." January 26, 2017 – page 128 "AGAIN with the wedging herself into a car. A Honda CR-V is a gd suv. Despite Stephanie being repulsed by her 'stomach roll', unless she has the seat very far up, doubtful considering she is also tall, she would not need to wedge herself into the front seat of an suv. Ughhhhhh. 😒" January 27, 2017 – Finished Reading

6. The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland - Rebekah Crane, ★★★ I got this as a Kindle First Read and decided to read it as a filler between trips to the library. It proved to be a very quick read, and reminded me of Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, though they aren't really that similar. (I had conflicting feelings about that one, too.) I think it does downplay mental illness, but does a good job of showcasing the power of friendship (less cheesy than it sounds), being there, and how tenuous that can be. Progress: January 28, 2017 – Started Reading January 29, 2017 – Finished Reading

7. 1984 - George Orwell, ★★★★ It's pretty clear why everyone is suddenly re-reading this. It's not going to save us though. Progress: January 29, 2017 – Started Reading January 31, 2017 – page 81 ""The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. His heart sank as he thought of the enormous power arrayed against him..." #alarminglyrelevant" February 4, 2017 – page 199 "I know it's been years since I read this, but did I really just conveniently forget how wordy and dense it was? Oof." February 5, 2017 – Finished Reading

8. To The Nines (Stephanie Plum #9), ★★★ Finally some real character development! Or at least acknowledgement from Stephanie that she has learned things (wearing sensible shoes) and that she feels lackluster in her performance. It was interesting to see her finally evaluate her life outside of who she is as a romantic partner (I know that the romance is a big part of the series, but still). And it was nice to see Vinnie be a little less creepy and explore some different bond types. Progress: February 6, 2017 – Started Reading February 6, 2017 – page 32 "Not really sure how I feel about Stephanie's hatred of a lady she just met, especially considering it seems to tie in with how she looks. Uncomfortable." February 7, 2017 – page 248 "For the second time, Stephanie has mentioned having sensible shoes on in case she has to run. She IS getting better!" February 8, 2017 – Finished Reading

9. At Night We Walk In Circles - Daniel Alarcón, ★★★★ A winding novel with an unexpected ending. I really had no idea what it was going to be about, but I had read Lost City Radio in 07 or 08 for my Writers on Writing class and enjoyed it quite a bit and was excited to see that he had written another novel. Progress: February 8, 2017 – Started Reading February 18, 2017 – Finished Reading

10. Ten Big Ones (Stephanie Plum #10) - Janet Evanovich, ★★ I have a lot of issues with this one. First the good: Ranger and the tiny peek into his life. And the return of Sally Sweet!! The bad: This one feels pretty racist with all of the gang bits. Stephanie seems to suffer no consequences for her terrible actions and she continues to suck at her job. Despite her constant refusal to get a different job, there are times where she's is pretty lackadaisical when it comes to actually doing it. There were A LOT of questionable things that happened, some really awful and terrible things, and at the end everyone is like, "lol, nbd." ARE YOU KIDDING ME. Actions have consequences, unless you're at the end of a Plum novel, I guess. Progress: February 18, 2017 – Started Reading February 22, 2017 – page 181 "So much fat shaming/ guilt happening right now I want to stop reading. This is the part of 'chick lit' that I loathe. Way to reinforce stereotypes. At the same time, if your character is going to eat a dozen donuts a day, she should know that she's going to gain weight and be on the lookout for diabetes because that's is just unhealthy." February 23, 2017 - page 226 "Jfc Stephanie, this is the worst idea, ever. If I didn't know the series was continuing, I'd think this is how the character got killed off." February 24, 2017 – Finished Reading

11. We Were the Lucky Ones - Georgia Hunter, ★★★★ Oh, my heart. This was pretty difficult for me to start, mostly because I didn't want to get too attached to characters that were bound to have a horrific end. However, once it gets going (ie, all the terrible things start happening), it goes pretty quickly. I don't know if if any one novel can encapsulate the spanning horror of the Holocaust, and I appreciate (not sure if that's the right word) that Hunter went for a more focused approach, scattering milestone dates within the story. Progress: February 25, 2017 – Started Reading March 8, 2017 – Finished Reading

12. Eleven on Top (Stephanie Plum #11) - Janet Evanovich, ★★ :Deep, prolonged, exasperated sigh: Stephanie, Stephanie, Stephanie. I'm so glad you're a fictional character, because I'm pretty sure I'd hate you if you were real. AND YET, I can't stop reading these. I blame Morelli and Ranger. Progress: March 9, 2017 – Started Reading March 11, 2017 – Finished Reading

13. Twelve Sharp (Stephanie Plum #12) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★★ FINALLY. A story I liked! We get a lot of Ranger in this one, a pretty decent story, and none of Stephanie's cars blow up! She's competent and not as silly. I was wrong about the 'turning point' moment! Finally, finally, finally. Progress: March 13, 2017 – Started Reading March 15, 2017 – page 201 "There's usually a point in each of the novels where I think, 'that is how everything is going to go to hell.' This one is leaving her gd panic button at the office and skipping town to get away from "scary stuff" and Ranger, while someone is trying to KILL HER." March 17, 2017 – Finished Reading

14. Lean Mean Thirteen (Stephanie Plum #13) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★ I had issues with some of the motives in this one (especially with Joyce) and I continue to be annoyed that Morelli and Ranger pass Stephanie between them while 'protecting' her. The ending seemed a bit trite, but at least her car died in a normal way. Not entirely sure how I feel about her constantly complaining about her job. But perhaps I'm expecting too much. Progress: March 22, 2017 – Started Reading April 1, 2017 – Finished Reading

15. The Shelf Life of Happiness - David Machado, ★★★ I got this as a Kindle First read, so I wasn't really sure what I was getting into. I liked it well enough. I definitely wanted more of the story, the end felt kind of abrupt. Progress: April 26, 2017 – Started Reading May 7, 2017 – Finished Reading

16. Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War - Mary Roach, ★★★★ Though not my favorite of Roach's books (that will always go to Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers), I found this a lot more interesting than I thought I would because it's about subjects I wouldn't have immediately thought of when thinking, 'war.' A lot of the 'gross' that Roach does so well, (who thinks about diarrhea when fighting a battle?) along with textile science and shark repellent. Progress: May 9, 2017 – Started Reading May 18, 2017 – Finished Reading

17. Paper Boats - Dee Lestari, ★★★★ I ended up loving this book a lot more than I expected it to. It's very sweet. The characters are charming and likeable. It does a very good job of capturing the awkward personal growth that happens during college and how it affects relationships. I thought I could feel a bit of Tiffany Tsao in her translation, at least I found some similarities to her novel. I can certainly see why Lestari is such a popular writer in Indonesia. One of the best Kindle First books I've read. Progress: May 18, 2017 – Started Reading May 23, 2017 – Finished Reading

18. Hemingway Didn’t Say That: The Truth Behind Familiar Quotations - Garson O’Toole, ★★ Oof. I will say that this is very well researched. Clearly a lot of time and effort went into finding the origins of these quotes, and I do appreciate that. However, I am not a fan of how the information is presented. Most of it feels pretentious ("QI feels...") and stiff. To be completely honest, I don't read many nonfiction books for a similar reason, so it's purely opinion. Progress: May 24, 2017 – Started Reading May 24, 2017 – 1.0% "Holy pretentiousness Batman... This might be rough to get through, but I really love quotes..." May 24, 2017 – 2.0% "There's faulty information on the Internet?! YOU DON'T SAY. (It is possible that I'm not the target generation for this intro.)" May 25, 2017 – 11.0% "Maybe I don't like quotes as much as I thought I did." May 28, 2017 – page 59 14.9% "My last year of college, I wrote this play about a blogger loosely based on my life. I had a draft due, so I pulled a few of my own blog posts, pasted them in some strategic places and turned it in. Almost all the feedback I got was about how the blog posts didn't make sense with the rest of the writing, probably because I didn't bother to edit them. That's how I feel about some of these entries" June 12, 2017 – page 241 60.86% "Not that it's important, but I have no idea what POV is being used here. Sometimes it feels like second person, and others third? All readers know that the writer is from QI, so separating them seems awkward. Oh well." June 19, 2017 – Finished Reading

19. Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) - Tahereh Mafi, ★★★★ I have to say, I was pretty surprised by this novel. The premise is not new (dystopia, boy meets girl, etc, etc), but Mafi has a very distinct and different writing style that I find quite enjoyable. It's different. I imagine a lot of people hate it? There's several instances where people are commenting on Juliette's body that are gross and super off-putting. I'm hoping this is something that diminishes in further novels. SPOILER: The best part was the end though, SURPRISE IT'S JUST A SUPERHERO ORIGIN STORY. All of a sudden we're in this weird X-Men/Inhumans universe and I am so here for it. Looking forward to reading the rest. Progress: June 21, 2017 – Started Reading June 25, 2017 – Finished Reading

20. Unravel Me (Shatter me #2) - Tahereh Mafi, ★★★ Basically everything I expected to happen, did happen. Ughhhhhh. Progress: June 28, 2017 – Started Reading July 1, 2017 – 30.0% "So far, most of this has been angst and trying to make Warner and Juliette seem So Similar. It makes me want to barf." July 2, 2017 – 64.0% "Every time I read YA novels I always think how I would never want to be a teen again. The angst and drama and omg." July 2, 2017 – Finished Reading

21. Unite Me (Shatter Me #1.5 & 2.5) - Tahereh Mafi, ★★ Destroy Me: I do not understand people's love for Warner. I'm going to put this under a spoiler cut, just in case. SPOILER: He's the embodiment of entitled masculinity. He wants Juliette even though: he doesn't really know her, she hates him, he thinks she'll 'save him, and that he deserves her. It's gross. He literally kidnapped her after stalking her. He manipulated her on more than one occasion, bordering on torture, just to see what she was capable of. And now he's reading her diary/book as though he has the right to know those thoughts. His image of Juliette has been stripped of all agency. I don't care that he has qualms about what the Reestablishment is doing. I don't care that he seems to care about the citizens in his sector (also creepy). I don't care that he's possibly losing his grip on reality. I'm pretty sure he's going to turn over to the Omega's side in later installments so that he can get some kind of redemption arc, and then there might be a love triangle (BARF). I hope Juliette stays far away from him. I hope she never forgives him for the kidnapping, the simulation room, or his general desire to own her. Because women don't owe men anything, because we're not objects to be owned. Fracture Me: 75% of it was just a retelling of the end of Unravel Me, so that was unfortunate. I imagine it was a nice bonus to have while waiting for Ignite Me to come out, but I don't know how much it added to the the series. Progress: June 25, 2017 – Started Reading July 3, 2017 – Finished Reading

22. Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) - Tahereh Mafi, ★★★ So, I really wanted to like this series. I really did. However, I was so disappointed in how it all played out. The characters were totally OOC in this installment. I still hate Warner, I don't care what he does. The end felt anticlimactic, though that might just be a symptom of reading too much dystopian YA novels. Pretty unsure about there being more books, but I think a lot of people will read them. Progress: July 5, 2017 – Started Reading July 5, 2017 - 6.0% "Ughhhhhhh. This is everything I Did Not Want. Warner, your 'elaborate scheme' was not for your father's benefit, it was your way to stalk her, you creepy asshat." July 6, 2017 – 10.0% "She thinks she should lead the resistance? What? Is that why she trained so hard while she was at Omega Point? Oh wait... She didn't. Excuse me while I don't believe our MC." July 8, 2017 – 29.0% "And we descend into every trope of the third YA trilogy book. I was expecting so much more than this." July 8, 2017 – Finished Reading

23. American Gods - Neil Gaiman, ★★★ I had pretty high expectations for this novel, as I'm a Gaiman fan and a lot of people rave about it. However, I found myself a bit disappointed. The imagery was probably the best part, a lot of awesome scenes were set up that would be visually stunning. I enjoyed Shadow as a character, but I expected more to happen. SPOILER: It feels like 500 pages of build up to a war that never happens. I wonder if I'm just expecting too much 'action' because of other books I've been reading. On a completely tactile note, this edition is incredibly pleasant to read. It stays open when lying on a table, and it has nice bendy covers. I bought this years ago from Borders and it's been sitting on a shelf since. Progress: July 16, 2017 – Started Reading July 22, 2017 – Finished Reading

24. Wives of War - Soraya Lane, ★★★ I actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Lane does a very interesting job at skirting around some of the extremes of war. There are no overly gory or visceral descriptions of wounds or death and is generally light on descriptive detail in general. People are explained in detail, (nearly everyone is very pretty or very handsome) and an occasional location will also be described. I actually prefer less description, but I could see that others may find it lacking. This novel is very much about emotions, and considering the subject matter, it makes sense. I found myself wanting less telling and more showing in some cases. What I did find very interesting is the gender politics that were in play. WWII is a fascinating time to explore it, what was expected of our three main 'girls,' how they either defied or followed them, and what it meant after the war was over. It gets a little schmaltzy sometimes, but I'm willing to forgive that. SPOILERS: The Thomas situation is very difficult, considering PTSD wasn't 'a thing' yet, but they did acknowledge combat neurosis. But it pained me to see Scarlet battered, and still feel that she couldn't leave, that she was required to stay with him. And for Thomas's life to come to such a tragic end. It was hard to read, but also expected. And they totally say The Thing at the end. Progress: July 24, 2017 – Started Reading July 28, 2017 – Finished Reading

25. The Special Power of Restoring Lost Things - Courtney Elizabeth Mauk, ★★ I'm not really sure what to say beyond that I just didn't like it. It's possible I would have liked it more if I had read it before Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (they have similar plots, but beyond that, they have little in common). I didn't like any of the characters, though I did feel some empathy towards Drew and Ben. Carol was completely unlikable, though perhaps that was the point? I certainly don't understand her actions. I found myself wishing I knew more about Jennifer, maybe it would justify the reactions of her family more. It is a very quick read, though. Progress: July 31, 2017 – Started Reading August 1, 2017 – Finished Reading

26. Fearless Fourteen (Stephanie Plum #14) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★ I still keep expecting Stephanie (and Lula?) to get better at their jobs. Adding the kid in to this novel was a nice change, glad to see Mooner back too, even though Stephanie is judges them very harshly. I'm mostly reading these to get caught back up on my reading goal. They're easy to read and mostly amusing. Progress: August 2, 2017 – Started Reading August 2, 2017 – page 8 "I was excited to get back to these novels, but less than 10 pages in and Stephanie is hardcore judging a kid for having piercings. COME ON. This was written in 2008. Let's move on from the 'bad people have tattoos and piercings' stereotypes please. He better turn out to be a stellar kid and she feels bad about judging him." August 4, 2017 – Finished Reading

27. Finger Lickin’ Fifteen (Stephanie Plum #15) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★ I mostly didn't care about the story in this one. It feels like Lula is becoming more of a caricature in every book, which makes me kind of sad. Not everything needs to be so over the top. Not everything needs to catch fire. Relatively anticlimactic ending. Progress: August 4, 2017 – Started Reading August 6, 2017 – Finished Reading

28. Sizzling Sixteen (Stephanie Plum #16) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★ I liked this one a bit more than the last few, it was sort of nice to have Vinnie around again (even though he's pretty terrible). I did notice several spelling and editing errors, which was kind of strange. Progress: August 7, 2017 – Started Reading August 9, 2017 – Finished Reading

29. Smoking Seventeen (Stephanie Plum #17) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★ I'm getting too used to reading Plum novels, and I'm figuring them out too early. Enjoyable enough, though there are a few things that are starting to get on me. Glad she finally hooked up with Ranger again. Real tired of the, "I love two men, isn't that just *ca-raaazyyy*" idea. It's not crazy? You can love two people at a time. Dave was creepy af. Progress: August 14, 2017 – Started Reading August 16, 2017 – page 144 "Come on Steph, you can connect the dots better than this..." August 16, 2017 – page 286 "Dots finally connected. Took ya long enough." August 16, 2017 – page 300 "She literally just said 'connect the dots to [character], hahahah. I think I've read too many Plum books in a row." August 16, 2017 – Finished Reading

30. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo - F.C. Lee, ★★★★ YESSSSS SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I really hope we get more Genie Lo books, because I would read many more novels of her kicking demon ass. Progress: August 16, 2017 – Started Reading September 4, 2017 – Finished Reading

31. Word By Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries - Kory Stamper, ★★★★ Even though this took me ages to get through, I really enjoyed it. I've been getting the M-W Word of The Day email for years and was very excited when they announced this book. It definitely helped me realize that the dictionary is not the final say on English, but just a record of how we use it. The bit on dialect is my favorite (and would have gladly read more about it!), followed closely by the discussion of 'nude'. I certainly have a better appreciation of dictionaries and lexicographers. Progress: August 16, 2017 – Started Reading September 21, 2017 – Finished Reading

32. Explosive Eighteen (Stephanie Plum #18) - Janet Evanovich, ★★ While I appreciate the change in narrative structure (slowly presenting information instead of all at once), it's still a Plum novel and feels a little bit out of touch. Poor Lula deserves more than a caricature characterization. I want to know more about Connie. The love triangle is getting old, mostly because Stephanie is stuck in some pretty outdated notions of how her life is supposed to be. It could be said that I'm rather liberal, and I'm looking into too much, but Lula can be more than just a former ho. Stop describing her outfits with such disdain. I just... expect more from a book published in 2011. Progress: September 19, 2017 – Started Reading September 27, 2017 – Shelved

33. Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng, ★★★★★ My. Heart. Ng is a truly gifted storyteller. Though perhaps it feels like a story that has been told before (maybe many stories that have been told before), it's such a nice, solid, slow build. I find myself wondering about the characters, and how their lives played out after the novel ended. Progress: September 1, 2017 – Shelved September 27, 2017 –page 1 "I was the first person in my library to get this and I AM VERY EXCITED" October 3, 2017 – Finished Reading

34. The Dark Prophecy (The Trials of Apollo #2) - Rick Riordan, ★★★★ Though Apollo is super annoying (on purpose, I assume) and there wasn't enough of Nico DiAngelo, my Sweet Baby Death Prince (aka, no appearance and only a single mention), I enjoyed this. I love Leo, and I'm warming up to Calypso. I find Meg very interesting, especially because she doesn't fall into 'girly' stereotypes, SPOILERS also her dealing with the abuse from her stepfather is an important thing for novels to address. However, I'm all about the Waystation. I want an entire series about it, and its inhabitants and the travelers passing through. And as cheesy as it sounds, my favorite part of all of Riordan's series is how he reps families of all types. <3 Progress: October 3, 2017 – Started Reading October 7, 2017 – Finished Reading

35. Notorious Nineteen (Stephanie Plum #19) - Janet Evanovich, ★★ I know that these are meant to be light reading, but that doesn't mean they can't be better. Stereotypes and problematic behavior (and speech, and expectations...) shouldn't be the norm. Progress October 11, 2017 – Started Reading October 12, 2017 – page 72 "I don't know if I'm just noticing it more, or judging more harshly because this book was written in 2012, but there's a lot of things that are problematic af in this. I've stopped counting the moments of casual racism, but some old dude is groping Stephanie and all that happens is she and Ranger switch seats? Hell. No." October 13, 2017 – page 103 "Threatening someone with a fake rape and groping accusation? Wtaf, Evanovich. That is not okay." October 14, 2017 –page 292 "An Arthur Beasley and a Simon Diggery? Someone finally read Harry Potter." October 14, 2017 – Finished Reading

36. Young Jane Young - Gabrielle Zevin, ★★★★ Though lacking the emotional gut-punch of A.J. Fikry, this was still an excellent novel. SPOILERS: I think what I really took away from this was the severe inequity between men and women. Jane's career was destroyed completely, while the Senator went on, with barely a blip. Obviously this is very reflective of our society, which is all too apparent these days, and it's one of those things that gets me in the heart. I know life isn't fair, but damn. Progress: October 14, 2017 – Started Reading October 16, 2017 – Finished Reading

37. Takedown Twenty (Stephanie Plum #20) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★ I don't know why I keep doing this to myself. This one seemed a little bit less problematic at the beginning, and then just went off the rails with the racist stereotypes and constant slut shaming. Ugh. Progress: October 16, 2017 – Started Reading October 18, 2017 – page 122 "Evanovich really has something against fat people. She points out everyone's weight, and just made a show about how a woman who weighs "upward of 200" has wrists that are too big for regular handcuffs. I call BS." October 20, 2017 - page 210 "For the love of all things holy, STOP SLUT-SHAMING LULA." October 20, 2017 – Finished Reading

38. Warcross (Warcross #1) - Marie Lu, ★★★★ Well hello Marie Lu, why haven't I read your novels before?! Warcross is like an amalgamation of Ready Player One and Quidditch with the added bonus of POC characters and a female MC (awww yeaaaahhhh). I expected the end, but it's not going to deter me from reading the rest of the series. Progress: October 20, 2017 – Started Reading October 23, 2017 – Finished Reading

39. Sourdough - Robin Sloan, ★★★★ Confession: I love stuff about San Francisco, and this was no exception. It was a little weird and a little magical, very much like the city herself. Though I guess this technically took place in more than just SF proper. However, the descriptions of Clement St, took me right back there and made me wish I could stop and get some Pad Thai from King of Thai Noodle House #2 and a Genki strawberry and nutella crepe. ::sigh:: Memories. It also made me want to learn how to bake bread. I think what I enjoy most about Sloan's writing is that I'm not quite sure what I'm about to get into, but I'll believe it when I'm there. Progress: October 23, 2017 – Started Reading October 25, 2017 – page 168 "I think I love Beoreg." October 26, 2017 – Finished Reading

40. La Belle Sauvage (The Book Of Dust #1) - Philip Pullman, ★★★★ I am a HUGE fan of the original trilogy, and I was scared/excited to learn that Pullman was going to return to this world with more novels. I was not disappointed. A likable new MC (::cough:: UnlikeLyra ::cough::), adventures, mystery, a little bit of terror, and a few hints about Dust! I likely should have re-read the original trilogy before I read this, but honestly I didn't have the patience. I was the first person in my library to read this copy, and it's a beautiful edition. Progress: October 26, 2017 – Started Reading October 26, 2017 – page 1 "I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS" November 4, 2017 – Finished Reading

41. Voyager (Outlander #3) - Diana Gabaldon, ★★★★ Oh man, what a long read... I found this one much more interesting than the first two, maybe because it was a more complex story. The jumping around of POVs is a bit distracting, as it takes a bit to realize who is talking at the beginning of each bit. But I managed to breeze through this a bit easier than I thought I would, considering how much I struggled through the second one. Bring on more Jamie Fraser, please. Progress: November 5, 2017 – Started Reading November 5, 2017 – page 1 "This book is a long one. o.O Here goes..." November 11, 2017 – page 564 "Was it necessary to give Mr. Willoughby a foot fetish? Really?" November 15, 2017 – Finished Reading

42. Feedback (Newsflesh #4) - Mira Grant, ★★★★ It should be said that I'm a sucker for the Newsflesh series, and would gladly read anything in the canon. I found this to be a very good addition to the original trilogy. I like that it was way more diverse, with a lot of effort put into those differences (pronoun use!!). I wish I had re-read the trilogy before I read it, it's been a while and I found myself forgetting a lot of little things that had happened. I don't know if it diminished it, but a fresher read would have added a lot more to the story. I think what I really appreciated is that it sounded different from the Mason's POV. Ash has a different way of forming her thoughts and sentences, and it showed. What I didn't like so much was the over-explaining (maybe over-defending?) what it meant to be an Irwin, and to some extent a Newsie and Fictional. That might be because I have read the OG trilogy several times and I didn't feel the need to have it explained. Also, not once was Kellis-Amberlee shortened to KA, which seemed odd. This is a world steeped in a disease, and I find it hard to believe that an entire team of bloggers wouldn't shorten it, same with all of the politicians. (I mean, we live in a world with the flu, and does anyone other than doctors call it influenza?) Progress: November 16, 2017 – Started Reading November 22, 2017 – Finished Reading

43. Top Secret Twenty-one (Stephanie Plum #21) - Janet Evanovich, ★★I think I need to stop reading these... Forever disappointed, forever annoyed by the awful stereotypes, fat shaming and repetitive storylines. Progress: November 23, 2017 – Started Reading November 26, 2017 – Finished Reading

44. Exit West - Mohsin Hamid, ★★★★★ A beautifully told story. Some nice, unexpected aspects, sweeping prose that's almost poetic and a very satisfying ending. Ah, lovely. Progress: November 27, 2017 – Started Reading November 29, 2017 – Finished Reading

45. Bonfire - Krysten Ritter, ★★★★ I definitely picked this up because it's Krysten Ritter, who, in my head will always be Gia Goodman first and Jessica Jones second. And oddly enough, this felt like an amalgamation of Veronica Mars and Jessica Jones, especially in the characterization of Abby. I ended up liking it a lot more than I thought I would, though it's not anything amazingly new. There are parts that I was less impressed with, but it was a quick read and I hope she writes more. BIG SPOILER AHEAD: I think the characters could have been fleshed out more, I found myself wanting more from Abby, more of her life in Chicago, why she feels the need to drink herself into oblivion to sleep... A little more in the explanation would have been nice too. It felt to quick and tidy. Not to mention the very obvious 'twist.' IT'S ALWAYS THE GUY YOU CONFESS TO. Ughhhhhhh. Progress: December 4, 2017 – Started Reading December 6, 2017 – Finished Reading

46. Artemis - Andy Weir, ★★ I wanted to like this, I really did, but I found it lacking. The storyline was good and a little different because moon stuff, but I guess I expected a lot more. I can see why a lot of people love this, and why it's ending up on a lot of 2017 best lists, it just won't be on mine. The following cut isn't really for spoilers, but just to be safe: POSSIBLE SPOILERS: I did appreciate that MC could have been a man or woman and the basic plot wouldn't change (ie the whole thing wasn't based on Jazz being a woman), HOWEVER there were a lot of bits that felt unnecessary and overly 'feminized'. I didn't believe some of her language, and some of her mental wanderings seemed really forced (when I'm in a stressful situation, I don't imagine what the dude next to me looks like while working out... "Hey, I'm a girl, it's allowed", etc). Weir has a section in the acknowledgements about the people who helped him capture a female narrator, and I think they failed him a little bit. Why is everyone overly interested in her sex life? Do people just go around commenting on how many sexual partners you have on the moon, because that's just how 'different' society is? That seems weird AF to me. Jazz gets annoyed, but it's rude and invasive. I think some of it was supposed to play on the tension between her and Svoboda, but it just seemed awkward. Progress: December 6, 2017 – Started Reading December 8, 2017 – page 94 "Struggling to enjoy this. It feels like he's trying really hard to talk like a Woman. Which is unnecessary. It also feels like it's building up to a hull breach or fire, due to the repeated warnings of fire, and overstating of the double hull. I hope I'm wrong." December 8, 2017 – page 158 ""I was a helpless, exposed girl with no weapon" SERIOUSLY. You can't write Jazz as a supposed badass, and then pull out that drivel. I expected more." December 8, 2017 – page 178 "That wasn't a good one, it was sexist and gross. Ugh." December 8, 2017 – Finished Reading

47. The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror (Pine Cove #3) - Christopher Moore, ★★★ Not the best of Moore's novels, hardly my favorite, but a fun read for the holidays. It's a little bit wacky and makes me miss CA. Progress: December 23, 2017 – Started Reading December 26, 2017 – Finished Reading

48. Mrs. Fletcher - Tom Perotta, ★★★ I'm not totally sure how I feel about this novel. I've read Perrotta novels since I was in high school, and I don't think this is one of his strongest. However there are a few things that were well done: changes of voice and capturing the 'present day'. I'm getting better at reading new novels, but this one in particular felt very *now*. It might feel dated in the future, or, hopefully, serve and example of what life is right now. Well, maybe pre-45, but I digress. It's full of current cultural and social issues, but I sort of felt like I wanted more. And wasn't a huge fan of the ending. SPOILERS: Thank anything holy that Brendan wasn't a rapist. I thought Perrotta was leaning pretty heavily toward that, and he got dangerously close to assault. Maybe I just wasn't ready to handle it, but it would have made it so much worse. I'm not really sure how we're supposed to view Brendan. Are we supposed to feel bad that he's completely clueless about how to treat women, or are we supposed to dislike him for being totally oblivious? I will say that a lot of the situations made me think about my own assumptions (I would definitely take the Gender and Society class that Eve took), so there's that. Progress: December 26, 2017 – Started Reading December 28, 2017 – Finished Reading

#book list 2017 #book reviews #reading list 2017

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