willowyhanyu

[willowyhanyu]

To the deranged Zhenya fans (not all, because I know not everyone has been delusional about this):

• Zhenya has no patent on the cartwheel. She is not the first to do it on the ice (see Kazakova/Rekiya) and she will certainly not be the last. She does not own the move.

• If you have grave issues with the choreo, bring it up with Richaud instead of going to Rika’s account. Fuck off her mentions, you pieces of shit. You can’t complain about Zhenya getting dogpiled with baseless hate and then spout baseless accusations the same way to other skaters. Fuck off with that “I’m not hating on Rika” when you directly quote-tweet or comment under her post saying passive-aggressive shit.

• The choreo isn’t even similar so I truly do not comprehend what you are all fussing about. Rika goes right into an inside Ina Bauer after her one-handed cartwheel, Zhenya does a couple of turns after her two-handed one. How on Earth is that copying? When Zhenya did a hydroblade, did you hear Yuzuru fans claiming she was being a copycat? Seriously, I don’t know any fans of other skaters who spout accusations over a singular move that isn’t even the same.

• “But if she was doing it since she was five, why didn’t she do it before this season?” Because maybe, just maybe, if you used your logic a little more, you might easily surmise that her previous choreographers never suggested it. It’s her first time working with Benoît. She never did a fan spiral in competitive programs before, even though she was doing it in practice with Dickson. Before working with Shae, she never did a Besti squat in competitive programs either. It’s not uncommon to introduce new elements or moves when you’re working with a different choreographer. Seriously, do you even think????????????? Or do you just come up with conspiracy theories on every skater competing with your fave like you did with Alina?

The whole steadfast defense and propagation of this copycat narrative is ridiculous. Frankly I wouldn’t even give a damn about it if you weren’t thoroughly uncivilised enough to directly harass Rika and even the videographer in their posts, plus bringing it up in every repost. Get a working brain and basic manners, you asshats. Your world may revolve around Medvedeva but the world certainly does not.

[willowyhanyu]

Favorite Anime Openings/Endings [6/∞] ↳ Given OP     Kizuato - Centimillimental 

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happy birthday Zenitsu! [3.09]

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Brackets in the BIB step sequence, with different upper body poses. I love catching little details in her steps like this (see: previous post on loop). 

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Kimetsu no Yaiba 2016-2020

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Kimetsu no Yaiba 2016-2020

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3Lz3Lo! 😊

[willowyhanyu]

recommending The Books of Ambha Duology by Tasha Suri!! It's an epic fantasy duology of companion novels inspired by Mughal India. Both books are adult, but work well as crossover titles: while the pace and the build up are slow and the world is intricate, they could be a good approach to adult fantasy.

- from a recent interview with the author: "I drew a lot of inspiration from the culture, politics, of Mughal India to give my world structure. Once I started getting to know the characters and story better, I changed the real historical context to meet the needs of the plot, so I diverged from history in a big way, in the end."

- the magic system is well developed and extremely fascinating. The author drew inspiration from the devas in particular.

- both books deal with how minorities are used politically and focus on imperialism.

- the characters' struggle with such topics is a recurrent theme. In both books, the author managed to give her characters nuance and complexity, showing a continuous struggle and growth in how they approach political and cultural problems.

- there's a focus on self discovery and acceptance. The main characters are quite different, which makes for a very interesting look at how people can embrace their heritage or struggle with it.

- both books feature slow burn romance! (Also the second book has a soft prince who can embroider 😭✨).

- book one, Empire of Sand, can be read as a self contained tale (tw: abuse, slavery) and while its consequences are political, it’s set far from the heart of the empire. Book two is more focused on court politics and the author did a great job at showing how the mechanisms of court can influence a character's role (Realm of Ash also shows women in a position of power, there are quite a few complex and morally ambiguous female characters!).

[willowyhanyu]

The circus arrives without warning.

[willowyhanyu]

Adult SFF edition

High/Epic Fantasy

The Lies of Locke Lamora: heist fantasy following a band of misfits! It has morally gray characters, fun banter but heartwrenching moments and a pretty complex plot. It’s a classic to say “if you liked Six of Crows and want to try adult SFF try this” and it’s probably true. 

Kushiel’s Dart: a political fantasy tome loosely inspired by Europe in the Renaissance. Pretty heavy on romance and erotica (with BDSM elements) as it follows a courtesan navigating the political scene. It has an amazing female villain.

A Darker Shade of Magic: probably the easiest way to approach adult fantasy. It has multiple Londons and a pretty unique magic system and concept, plus a crossdressing thief, knives and great banter. 

The Poppy War: grimdark fantasy (TW: abuse, self harm, rape, drug abuse), inspired by Chinese history. It’s adult, but follows younger MCs and the unique blend of different historical periods/inspirations makes it extremely interesting. The characters are extremely fucked up in the best possible way, plus the use of shamanism is awesome.

The Sword of Kaigen: if you liked The Poppy War you could like this one. The Sword of Kaigen is an Asian-inspired militaristic fantasy, with elemental magic, a badass housewife dealing with her past and hiding a sword in her kitchen’s floor. It has interesting and nuanced family dynamics and a great reflection on propaganda and the use of narratives.

The Priory of the Orange Tree: high fantasy, featuring dragons, a F/F romance and pretty complex world building. The author reuses typical fantasy tropes and roles in a fresh way. Very readable in spite of its length.

Empire of Sand: inspired by Mughal India, this one focuses on culture and religion and has great slow burn romance (TW: abuse, slavery). It’s pretty slow paced, but the payoff is great. Also a good “YA crossover”.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms: first book in a companion novel trilogy, following a young woman who finds herself at the center of a vicious political struggle, as she’s suddenly become the heir to the throne. 

Historical Fantasy

The Night Circus: perfect transition from YA to Adult for a reader, The Night Circus is a gorgeous historical fantasy romance. The author’s writing is amazing, the descriptions and the subtlety of the main characters’ relationship are to die for.

The City of Brass: political/historical fantasy tome featuring Middle Eastern mythology. It follows younger MCs (honestly another series that could be a good way to approach adult SFF) and has great character growth throughout the series. The first book has some more trope-y elements, but the payoff is worth it. 

The Golem and The Djinni: historical fantasy (if you loved The Night Circus you could like this one), following two mythical creatures as they navigate New York in 1899. Slow burn romance, rich descriptions, fascinating combination of Jewish and Syrian folklore.

Gods of Jade and Shadow: a fantasy bildungsroman set in Mexico during the Jazz age. Another great way to approach adult SFF as it follows a young girl on a life changing adventure. It features Mayan mythology and a god slowly becoming human.

The Ghost Bride: set in Malaya in 1893, it follows the daughter of a ruined man as she receives the proposal to become a ghost bride. Lovely setting, rich in culture and extremely atmospheric.

The Bear and The Nightingale: a coming of age story inspired by Russian folklore. Another great way to start reading adult SFF: it’s very atmospheric and fairy tale-like. Also frost demons are better than men.

Queen of the Conquered: first book in a fantasy duology(?) set in an alternate version of the Caribbean at the time of Scandinavian colonisation. It follows Sigourney, a biracial woman (her mother was a slave, freed by her father) and the only islander who is allowed to own and use kraft and therefore has a position of privilege, which she constantly abuses, while telling herself she’s doing it for the islanders’ benefit. The book is hard to read, because the MC is no hero and her POV can be quite challenging to get through, but if you’re up for it I’d totally recommend this. (TW: slavery, abuse, death).

The Binding: very minimal fantasy elements, set in a world vaguely reminiscent of 19th century England. I’d say this book is about humans and self discovery. It’s about cowardice and the lies we tell ourselves and those we wish we could tell ourselves. M/M relationship. (TW: abuse, sexual assault, pretty graphic suicide scene).

The Lions of Al-Rassan: this one has minimal fantasy elements, much like other Kay books, as it reads more like an alternate history. Using Moorish Spain as a template, it deals with the conflict between Jews, Muslims and Christians. Much like Under Heaven and most of his historical fantasy it shows common people being swept up in dramatic events. 

Urban Fantasy

The Divine Cities trilogy: starting with City of Stairs, it follows a female diplomat and spymaster(!!). The whole trilogy features an interesting discussion about godhood, religion, fanatism, politics, without ever being boring or preachy. It has complex and rich world building and a pretty compelling mystery.

Foundryside: heist fantasy following a thief as she’s hired to steal a powerful artifact that may change magical technology as she knows it. Also, slow burn F/F romance.

Jade City:  a wuxia inspired, gangster urban fantasy. Great family dynamics, very interesting political and economical subplots. 

One for My Enemy: sort of a modern Romeo and Juliet, but set in New York, starring two magical gangster families. The female characters are to die for.  

Trail of Lightning: inspired by Native mythology and the idea of subsequent worlds. It has a kickass MC and a good mix of original elements and typical UF tropes. You could like this if you liked the Kate Daniels series.

American Gods: a classic of the genre, pretty much brilliant in how it reuses old mythology in a modern setting.

Retellings

Spinning Silver: a very loose retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, with a gorgeous atmosphere. It mainly follows female characters from different social and economical backgrounds and reuses the original tale to challenge the antisemitic ideas around the role of the moneylander.

The Queens of Innis Lear: fantasy retelling of King Lear, very atmospheric and gorgeously written. Slow paced, but very satisfying build up, lots of backstabbing and miscommunication. (heads up though, one of the MCs is coded as aroace and I found the rep pretty bad on that. The book does feature casual bisexual rep though, which was great)

Lady Hotspur: genderbent retelling of Henry IV, set in the same world as The Queens of Innis Lear. Lesbian and bisexual rep. Heavy on political subplots, features ambitious women growing into their roles.

Deathless: sort of a retelling of Koschei the Deathless set in the first half of the 20th century. Brilliant reuse of Russian folklore to weave together politics and history. It does have pretty brutal descriptions of war, morally gray characters, unhealthy relationships and overall a lot of mindfuckery.

Space Opera

A Memory Called Empire: space opera inspired by the Mexica and middle period Byzantium. It focuses on topics like colonialism and the power of narratives and language. It has one of the best descriptions of what it’s like to live in between spaces I’ve ever read. Also very interesting political intrigue and has a slow burn F/F romance (and a poly relationship recalled through flashbacks).

Ninefox Gambit: a Korean-inspired space opera with a magic system based on math. It’s honestly quite convoluted and difficult to follow, but it also features some of the best political intrigue I’ve ever read. Plenty of lying, backstabbing and mind games. It also features lesbian and bisexual rep and an aroace side character (TW: mass shooting, sexual assault).

The Light Brigade: militaristic space opera set in a not-so-defined future in which corporations rule Earth and space in general. The book follows a newly enlisted soldier as they go through gruelling training and experience the side effects of being broken down into atoms to travel at the speed of light. It’s a heavy book, featuring raw descriptions of war, and quite difficult to follow (non-linear timelines…) but it’s also an amazing critique of capitalism and political propaganda (TW: death, mass shooting).

Gideon the Ninth: pretty much lesbian necromancers in space. Very loose world building, but a fun mystery full of banter. Can be quite confusing in the beginning, but a relatively easy and fun way to approach science fiction.

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet: character driven space opera featuring a found family journeying through space. A fun read, that also deals with topics such as sexuality and race. Quite easy to go through, as the world building and plot aren’t particularly complex themselves. Also features a F/F romance. 

Science Fiction-Fantasy that I can’t fit anywhere else

Vicious: college roommates put themselves through near-death experiences to obtain super powers, only everything goes wrong. Follows a great band of misfits (and pretty much everyone is morally gray).

Middlegame: a brilliant and complex tapestry of alternate timelines, following telepathically connected twins trying to escape the alchemist that wants to use them to obtain godhood (TW: attempted suicide).

Bonus Novella recs: novellas are amazing and don’t sleep on them!

The Empress of Salt and Fortune: an Asian-inspired fantasy novella, it gives a voice to people usually silenced by history. It follows a cleric (non binary rep) as they chronicle the story of the late empress, retold through objects that she used in her life. It focuses on bonds between women and the power that lies in being unnoticed.  

The Black God’s Drums: an urban fantasy novella, based on Orisha mythology and set in an alternate, sort of steampunk, New Orleans. 

The Haunting of Tram Car 015: alternate steampunk Cairo populated by supernatural entities. It has a compelling mystery, starring a great lead.

This Is How You Lose the Time War: epistolary set during a time-travel war, F/F romance and gorgeous prose. 

The Citadel of Weeping Pearls: a novella set in the Xuya universe (a series of novellas/short stories set in a timeline where Asia became dominant, and where the space age has empires of Vietnamese and Chinese inspiration), but can be read as a standalone. It’s a space opera featuring a disappeared citadel and the complex relationship between the empress and her daughter as war threatens her empire.

Bonus short story collections recs

A Cathedral of Myth and Bone: 16 short stories featuring myth, legend and faith, that mainly focus on women reclaiming their agency. 

The Paper Menageries and Other Stories: features plenty of different fantasy and science fiction subgenres. The Paper Menagerie in particular is an extremely moving tale.

Conservation of Shadows: science fiction-fantasy short stories that focus on topics like colonisation and the role of art and language. 

Graphic Novel

Monstress: series set in an alt 1900s matriarchal Asia, following a teenage girl who survived a war and shares a connection with a monster that’s slowly transforming her. (TW: slavery, death).

[willowyhanyu]

Mid year book tag

Tagged by @celiabowens Thank you uwu XD

Best book you’ve read so far in 2020:

Oof this was very tough but I’d have to say Words of Radiance. Also technically there’s The Wise Man’s Fear which is my favorite book of all time but it was a reread so...

Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2020:

I did read a lot of series and loved so many this year but let’s go with Crooked Kingdom since I read Six of Crows last year.

New release you haven’t read yet, but want to :

Definitely The Empire of Gold. Since I read the first two books a few months back I have been dying to get my hands on The Empire of Gold. So so looking forward to when that happens.

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year:

-Rhythm of War

-The Burning God (I haven’t yet read The Dragon Republic but considering how much I loved The Poppy War, I totally see myself loving the sequel just as much so I’m waiting to read it once the last book also comes out)

-A Deadly Education

-The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Favorite new author(debut or new to you) :

V.E. Schwab and Laini Taylor *both new to me*

All the books I read from them this year, loved every single one of them so much.

Biggest Disappointment :

The Raven Boys *hides in a corner*

I don’t remember having any issues with the book per say but just reading all the reviews and seeing all my friends LOVE it, I was so so sure I was gonna feel the same way but I didn’t idk why

It’s not like I didn’t like it, I did but not as much as I would have hoped for. Not gonna continue series I think.

Biggest Surprise :

Vicious and Middlegame

I loved both of these WAY more than I first expected, just reading the premise and stuff but oh boy was I absolutely blown away by both of these.

Book that made you happy :

This was pretty easy- Warbreaker.

I was honestly laughing out loud at times, I just had the best time reading this. LOVED Lightsong

Newest Fictional Crush/Newest Favorite Character :

Umm I had to think about this for sometime cause no one really jumped out but

Fictional Crushes- Rhy from Shades of Magic, Adolin from Stormlight Archive, Matthew Fairchild from Chain of Gold *precious bbs must protect*

Favorite Characters- Eugenides from The Queen’s Thief Series, Lila from Shades of Magic, Locke Lamora

Book that made you cry :

I probably cried the most reading Oathbringer and rereading Clockwork Princess.

Favorite book to film adaption you saw this year :

I have nothing.

Most beautiful book you’ve bought or received this year so far :

The Night Circus and The Winter of The Witch

Book you need to read by the end of the year :

Oof there’s so many on my tbr but I think I definitely want to finish The Poppy War Trilogy.

[willowyhanyu]

july-december sff releases

self-explanatory title here!

July:

Unconquerable Sun (7th, Adult): the summary says this is a gender-swapped Alexander the Great retelling in space. Yes, a space opera following a female Alexander, with family feuds, politics and cultures/societies inspired by real ones. Also reviews say Hephaestion’s gender-swapped too.

The Book of Dragons (7th, Adult): an anthology featuring some of the most interesting names of adult SFF writing about dragons. It has a great mix of known authors (Scott Lynch, Ann Leckie, Garth Nix etc) and more recent names of the genre (R.F. Kuang, Zen Cho etc). Also…it’s illustrated!

Girl, Serpent, Thorn (7th, YA): featuring Persian mythology, a f/f relationship and apparently morally gray characters.

The Shadow of Kyoshi (21st, YA): the second book following avatar Kyoshi’s life. No spoilers, but if you like ATLA and you’re even just a tiny bit curious about Kyoshi (who isn’t) you should check out book one.

August:

Harrow The Ninth (4th, Adult): follow up to Gideon The Ninth, which was probably one of the hottest debuts of 2019. Anyway, it’s a good crossover-YA title if you want to get started on Adult SFF and was pitched as lesbian necromancers in space so. 

September:

Master of Poisons (8th, Adult): epic fantasy following a spymaster trying to save his dying world.

The Bone Shard Daughter (10th, Adult): epic fantasy inspired by Chinese mythology + bone magic. Featuring political intrigue and a female lead trying to regain her position as the emperor’s heir. Also f/f.

Piranesi (15th, Adult): Susanna Clarke’s long awaited return to fantasy. The book’s been a mystery from the start, but it apparently features a mysterious house with infinite rooms and a research that could possibly lead to disaster.

A Deadly Education (29th, Adult): Naomi Novik’s latest series (already optioned for a movie lol), set in a sort of dark magic school and following a MC that will potentially become a dark sorceress? 

Burning Roses (29th, Adult): SFF novella following two older women in love?? Mixing Chinese and Western folklore? Sounds very cool.

October: 

The Invisible Life of Addie Larue (6th, Adult): V. E. Schwab, newest book (and long in the making), following a French girl who makes a deal with the devil in order to live forever, but is fated to always be forgotten.

Return of the Thief (6th, YA): last book of the Queen’s Thief series, which you should totally binge read before October 6th.

Ring Shout (13th, Adult): historical fantasy novella by the author of The Black God’s Drums, set during the Ku Klux Klan’s reign of terror.

The Once and Future Witches (13th, Adult): historical fantasy set at the end of the 19th century and following a family of witches who join the suffragists. 

Black Sun (13th, Adult): first book in an epic fantasy trilogy set in Pre-Columbian Americas, featuring crow mythology, apparently mermaids and lady captains and a visually impaired fighter.

The Midnight Bargain (13th, Adult): I can’t seem to find much about this one, but it seems a sort of historical fantasy about a young woman trying to escape her fate (arranged marriage) to become a sorceress.

Phoenix Extravagant (20th, Adult): Yoon Ha Lee’s latest book! Fantasy following a painter, set in a silkpunk world reminiscent of the Korean-Japanese occupation. From early reviews it looks like, as usual in Yoon Ha Lee’s books, there’s a lot of casual lgbt rep.

November: 

The Betrayals (12th, Adult): historical fantasy set in an exclusive (magic?) academy, following a man whose political career was ruined, featuring a mysterious contest.

These Violent Delights (17th, YA): Romeo and Juliet retelling featuring rival gangs in 1920s Shanghai. 

The Burning God (19th, Adult): the conclusion to The Poppy War’s trilogy, a grimdark fantasy inspired by 20th century China. 

December:

When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain (8th, Adult): fantasy novella set in the same world as The Empress of Salt and Fortune (which you should totally read).

[willowyhanyu]

[willowyhanyu]

Yuzuru Hanyu | Scan/Edit | Scrunchy Face Smile | More sunshine smiles here!

[willowyhanyu]

An article about carving the path to Beijing, featuring Rika and Alina

Original post: https://twitter.com/exayl/status/1141901391612370946?s=21

Translated by @tsubakindy on twitter: https://twitter.com/rikak_fans/status/1141955168025681921?s=20

The two rivals Zagitova and Kihira are asked about the approach towards Beijing Olympics. Rika Kihira’s answer is quads. “Quads are indispensable”.

Facing the new season Rika Kihira carries a clear mission. In addition to 3A, she plans to acquire quads as her new weapon. In May during Colorado Springs training camp she managed to land a quad Salchow out of 3 times trying it. Kihira answered, “It’s gradually improved. I want to be able to accomplish it in this season".

Firmly she said, “For the goal towards Beijing Olympics the four revolution jumps are essential.” The reason behind it is the progress of harder and more difficult level of jump. In the ladies fs, at WC Saitama Elizabet Tursynbaeva succeeded in landing 4S at an international competition, the first time for a senior lady skater. The Russian junior skaters who are able to jump quads will also move up to seniors in the upcoming season.

“Even if I perform a perfect program with triple Axels, I don’t know if I can win or not. It’s going to become a harsher world”, Kihira said with a tight expression on her face.

For certain, other than jumps there is another focus. A plan to challenge a new short program and free program.

“It’s not about memorizing the choreo I’ve learned along the way, I practiced on how to display it better, added with the jumps, I want to level up my ability as a performer”, spoke Kihira.

In the off season, “I looked at how many different people skate and was able to learn from it” as she appeared in many ice shows.

“At Dreams on Ice I plan to show the result of my improvements.”.

Good luck Rika ✨

[willowyhanyu]

Basically I’m Gay

[willowyhanyu]

Rika Kihira || Breakfast in Baghdad x spin entries