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A couple of weeks ago I asked about people’s favorite book or books they read this year. Between Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and discord, I have a list of 123 books in no particular order that my friends and family loved this year. If it was a series then I listed the first book. Each star is an additional recommendation. I haven’t read all of these, they may or may not reflect my personal opinions, though my favorite books are on the list too. The most recommended books were How Far The Light Reaches by Sabrina Imbler, one or all of the Murderbot books by Martha Wells, and Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki, because if there’s one thing my friends have in common across platforms, it’s that you’re all nerds (affectionate). Enjoy, and I hope you find your new favorite book!

Reformatory by Tananarive Due

Not My Father’s Son by Alan Cumming

Jesus and John Wayne by Kristen Kobes de Mez

The Soul Of An Octopus by Sy Montgomery

Rough Sleepers by Tracy Kidder

The Going To Bed Book by Sandra Boynton

My Hijacking by Martha Hodes

Longhand by Andy Hamilton

Babel by RF Kuang*

The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff*

Lies We Sing To The Sea by Sarah Underwood

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart

Dress Coded by Carrie Firestone

I Lost My Tooth! by Mo Willems

The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Spirits Abroad by Zen Cho

How Far The Light Reaches by Sabrina Imbler**

Radiant Fugitives by Nawaaz Ahmed

Solito: A Memoir by Javier Zamora

The Making of Another Motion Picture Masterpiece by Tom Hanks

These Precious Days by Ann Patchett*

I’m Stuck by Julia Mills

Entangled Life by Martin Sheldrake

Iris by Eden Finley

Hot Vampire Next Door by Nikki St. Crowe

Devil of Dublin by BB Easton

Tied by Carian Cole

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld*

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

From Blood And Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Where I End by Sophie White

Wool by Hugh Howey

The Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix E. Harrow

Yellowface by RF Kuang

Idlewild by James Frankie Thomas

North Woods by Daniel Mason

After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin*

The Fragile Threads of Power by VE Schwab

My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison

Call Your Daughter Home by Deb Spera

The English Understand Wool by Helen Dewitt

Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning by The Gardeners & Farmers of Terre Vivante

How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz

Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Love In The Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli

The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa*

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

Welcome to Night Vale by Jeffrey Cranor and Joseph Fink

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas

The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat

Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman

Gideon The Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Prophet by Sin Blache and Helen MacDonald*

Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki**

System Collapse by Martha Wells***

The Brutish Museums by Dan Hicks

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine*

A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine

A Psalm For The Wild Built by Becky Chambers*

Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke

The Lazarus Heist by Geoff White

The September House by Carissa Orlando*

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

Mistletoe and Mishigas by MA Wardell

A Restless Truth by Freya Marske

The Last Smile In Sunder City by Luke Arnold

The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes by Zoe Playden

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Manywhere by Morgan Thomas

Shit Cassandra Saw by Gwen E. Kirby

Loot by Tania James

The Art Thief by Michael Finkel

Grave Expectations by Alice Bell

Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail by Ashley Herring Blake

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

Kiss Her Once For Me by Alison Cochrun

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

All Systems Read by Martha Wells

The Once and Future Sex by Eleanor Janega

Mort by Terry Pratchett

Into The Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner*

The Door by Magda Szabo

Fluids by May Leitz

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald

Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Lieut. John Irving, R.N. of H.M.S. "Terror" in Sir John Franklin's last expedition to the Arctic regions a memorial sketch with letters

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

Raven the Pirate Princess by Jeremy Whitley

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Slewfoot by Brom

The Secret Life of Groceries by Benjamin Lorr

500 Miles From You by Jenny Colgan

O Caledonia by Elspeth Barker

The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O’Farrell

The Secret Lives of Country Gentleman by KJ Charles

A Line In The World by Dorthe Nors

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Glitter and Concrete by Elyssa Maxx Goodman

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez

Tender Is The Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

The Tragic Menagerie by Lydia Zinovieva-Annibal (translated by Jane Costlow)

The 100 Years Of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

Twisted Love by Ana Huang

Precise Oaths by Paige E. Ewing

Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

A Dead Djinn In Cairo by P. Djeli Clark

#favorite books #favorite books of 2023 #books #books and reading #what we read this year other than fanfic

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Hang on. I just went back to “water flowing underground” (which I’ve affectionately titled “forbidden rpf” in my ofmd fic list notes app...) and uhhhh JAVID DENKINS? You called him Javid Denkins back in October and now we have @/javiddenkins I don’t think you are Javid because I think David is Javid but do you think he 1.) read your fic 2.) independently came up with the same joke name 3.) all of the above

yeah. so i would be genuinely shocked if jenkins read my fic, cause he should not be reading fic of a show he is currently writing. this is what i keep telling myself so i can sleep at night lol. i definitely didn't invent javid denkins, folks on twitter were using javid as a way to hide from david in the twitter search (i didn't know this when i decided to call him javid denkins in the fic, but a friend pointed it out to me when i was freaking out a little about the denkins tumblr account). so he def could have picked it up there, or just came up with it himself. it is just switching the first letters of his first and last name, not exactly rocket science lmao.

but one of the latest posts on the javid denkins tumblr account used the secret third thing meme, which lowkey made me think it's someone else in the fandom trolling me personally. but it does seem far more likely that it's just a coincidence and not about me at all, because i also definitely did not invent the secret third thing meme lol.

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WAIT! WAIT A MINUTE HOLY SHIT-!

I can’t believe I didn’t IMMEDIATELY notice this while I was writing it but in a recent post I mentioned that Stede’s life is so incredibly depressing pre-canon because he’s essentially forced upon nearly everyone who’s supposed to be close to him.

He’s with Mary because of an arranged marriage, they almost definitely didn’t want to have children together, and his children didn’t ask to be born, nor can they truly grasp why he’s so distant. He’s not important to his family because they love eachother (although I’m sure they do, just not able to fully express it forced into this structure), he’s important because they’d supposedly be much worse off financially without his wealth. It’s the same with his father. He seems to hold little to no affection for Stede, but as a son Stede must carry on the Bonnet name, continue to ensure it’s associated with wealth and prestige.

I thought this was a weird line at first, but now I finally get it, and it’s fucking brilliant. Stede has no lack of being needed. He knows what it’s like to be relied on, he’s spent decades as the head of a family almost no one involved wanted, and now he manages a crew he clearly feels great love and responsibility for. A response like “of course I do” no matter how well meaning would’ve been inadvertently the worst thing to say because Stede has been hurt by the concept of obligation.

This is someone showing him he’s wanted and confirming that with words. Stede’s being told he’s worth these acts of love just by virtue of staying alive and being in Ed’s presence. It’s such a simple declaration… and it’s so terribly tragic that all he seems to hear is “you better make this worth my while.”

#this is the most romantic moment of the show #this is Ed's declaration of love #I will die on this hill #and I feel very normal about it!!!

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Gritty’s gotten real weird, and I kind of love it.

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I absolute love episode 5 "The best revenge is dressing well" because it could literally have been named "The unwitting seduction of Edward Teach by Stede Bonnet".

At the beginning of the episode, Blackbeard intends to kill this fancy man, disfigure him, take his ship and assume his identity. He sees Stede as a means to an end at that point, and he's desperate to stop living the life he is.

And then over the course of the episode, Stede does the following:

Pays attention to and shows an interest in Blackbeard's life and skills

Takes time to teach him etiquette while never being judgemental

Encourages him not to let himself be angered by a racist bully and mocks said bully in a language he understands (not a single tureen, honestly).

Makes an effort to check in with Ed to gently inquire about how he's feeling because he paid attention and noticed that Ed was hurt.

Explained the type of bullying and empathized with Ed that it IS diabolical and he is justified in feeling upset.

Agrees to go to a fancy party he's not interested in simply because Ed wants to.

Lends Ed clothes and finery so that he may blend in.

Escorts Ed into the party, making sure to check in with him and that he's comfortable and doesn't want to leave or isn't too overwhelmed. Warns Ed not to put too much stock in this crowds opinion of him.

Excuses himself as he is just not comfortable in the party situation, especially after being laughed at, but stays close by so that Ed doesn't have to leave and has backup if he needs it.

Is outraged on Ed's behalf when the rich people hurt his feelings, never once saying 'I told you so.'

Though we have never seen Stede stand up to or defend himself against the upper crust society types, he tells Ed to stand down (probably to prevent further humiliation) and instead gets intel on and destroys the lives and reputations of the people who hurt Ed by exposing how unworthy of admiration they are. They could have just left the ship. But no. They hurt his friend and Stede's not gonna stand for that.

Approaches Ed again to check in on how he's feeling and APOLOGISES TO HIM for the way the evening turned out. This gets glossed over but keep in mind Stede didn't even want to go to this. And yet he's apologising for those awful people's behaviour. Because he wants to make it clear that it's NOT ED'S FAULT.

Makes sure to tell Ed that he's very sophisticated. Coming from Stede that means a lot.

At this point Ed is handling his red silk and earlier in the episode we saw him quickly hide it away when he heard Stede approaching. But not now. Stede has been nothing if not kind, considerate, caring and accommodating all episode and he defended Ed's honour. Subconsciously Ed doesn't feel the need to hide this secret thing from Stede anymore, the metaphor for his heart/hopes/weaknesses.

Then Stede compliments the silk.

Ed, defensively mocks it, saying that it's old and tatty. Unworthy of admiration.

Stede disagrees and asks respectfully to handle it, fashioning it into something Ed can be proud of and wear.

"You wear fine things well" is brilliant because it's a double compliment.

Stede is telling Ed: "Your heart, who you are, what you secretly want and hope to be is a fine thing. And I think it looks good on you."

No-one in all of Ed's life has ever told him that. Not even his own mother. For someone to accept Ed, not only as Blackbeard, but the quiet, private part of his heart that longs for softer, gentler things and yearns for connection and a life without violence.

It's the quickest and most thorough seduction and Ed is head over boot heels from that moment forward, so much so that he goes for the kiss.

And the best part is that Stede did this completely by accident and has absolutely no idea.

Poetic cinema. Chef's kiss.

#I am in unwell #on the floor

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Me making plans to meet people at ECCC: you mean, I have friends? 🥹👉👈

#crazy ex girlfriend #ofmd #OFMD mutuals who’s gonna be there #hello I have low self-esteem and need constant reassurance

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babygirl

#the babiest girl #ofmd

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#the goncharov posting will continue until morale improves #or until it's not funny to me anymore

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he’s the pirate ever original

#he's just like me fr

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has this been done?

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Looks like we have our very first PROPER Spoiler pics...

… thank you, Fernando Frias (who was still denying he’s on set, cheeky bugger)

There will be spoilery pics under the cut

Keep reading

#fernando #you lied to me

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That time Fernando Frias tried to pretend he just left his backpack on set last year and that he wasn’t actually there to direct for OFMD season 2 😏

#ofmd #our flag means death #ofmd bts #our flag means death bts #sir I’m on to you #nice try though

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Me and "The Fonz" at premiere of Goncharov (1973) at Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

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White, black and grey coloured pencils, graphite pencils and a bit of white ink on Canson Graduate, A5.

#the flowers #i'm weak #i can't handle this

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frenchie my beloved!!

[ID: A digital painting depicting five drawings of Frenchie from Our Flag Means Death. He stands in the center of the canvas, smiling and playing the lute. In the upper right Frenchie is depicted holding up his cat flag. A few flags fall below it, transitioning to the bottom right, where Frenchie looks up to the viewer with the ship’s journal in his lap. In the journal is his doodles of stick figures, the ship, a flag, and an island. To his upper left Frenchie is in his fuckery outfit as a witch grinning at the viewer, and Wee John poses below him costumed as a black cat. Frenchie’s black cape flows into a flurry of coins and slips of paper. This transitions to the bottom left, where Frenchie is depicted in his dark purple outfit from episode “The Best Revenge is Dressing Well.” He holds out a receipt to an anonymous pale hand and winks at the person. /END ID.]

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