ah hello!! i'm literally so excited to see a blog for enby and male readers sodjfoijf,,could i maybe request a scenario where male reader is a staff member (idk?? like a librarian?? a nurse??? do they need nurses over there???) and is crushing on crewel but is too scared to confess because he's both Too Dense to pick up any signs of potential reciprocation and also just isn't sure if crewel likes men??? maybe. maybe with a happy ending though because i am a fool,, thank you very much!!

One hopelessly cheesy scenario coming up!! Thank you for requesting! I hope you don’t mind I made reader a librarian who may or may not be a bit of a romantic because i listened to a particular playlist while writing this- (commentary in notes!)

Warnings: none! Tags: male!reader, fluff!

A simple man such as you live a simple life. As simple as life can be in Night Raven College, that is. A prestigious school that holds a student body that can barely tolerate each other. It would be typical for a librarian to be the observer than the observed, but hey, if it means getting out of trivial matters of the school and enjoying the show in your personal bubble, then you have no complaints.

This attitude of yours did come to have its own consequences. You were seen as timid by most students as you were quite closed-off, taking it as a reason to poke fun at you sometimes. You proved them wrong when they step out of line with their fun. Most of the time you choose to ignore them. However, you lived up to your introverted nature, especially when it comes to him.

Tall, dark, and handsome. Approachable but also not at the same time. Sharply dressed and sharp attitude. This man that visits the library ever so often had become your daily motivation to keep on working at this school despite the wage that Crowley gives you.

Divus Crewel, feared and admired by staff and students—also known as the man who stole your heart.

You feel so small compared to him. That would not be so farfetched. He is a remarkable man, and what about you? You are just a librarian at this school. You are like mere dust to him.

Yet, despite this, you continued yearning for him no matter how ridiculous it seems. Perhaps you have fallen too deep in romantic fiction that you make hopeless wishes. You are known to be excellent in reading people but for some reason, you find it hard to read Divus. His perfect posture whenever he would scan the Applied Sciences aisle showed that he is focused on his reading. However, it is his expression you find hard to decipher. He looks dashing as ever, of course, but his thin lips and neutral gaze makes it hard for you to know what he is thinking.

If your life is a novel it would be so easy to know what runs in his mind. What he feels for you. Maybe he could even know what you feel for him. In a story, what makes characters likable is knowing what their emotions, their feelings, their ambitions, and their dreams are, for they are already laid out in ink on pages. Implicit or explicit information, simple or complex structure of personality, it does not matter. You would easily know about them for they are just sentences away from understanding.

And in romance novels…oh, how dreamy they are. How easy they make it seem to fall in love, to confess, and to achieve a happy ending. However, as a librarian, you know the reality of your situation. Your relationship with Crewel is a professional. Strictly, if you were to add an adjective. Is it really strictly professional? Your right brain points out the moments in your life where you interacted with him. At faculty meetings, reunions, at the library…moments like those just feel surreal you almost believed that you made those up on your own. Probably because you initiated each of those interactions yourself.

The only time, where Crewel would come to you himself, are rare. One time he came to the library and checked out a book to read in his spare time. His voice distracted you. It was like cherry wine. Sweet, smooth, enough to make your throat dry and your cheeks flushed. Oh, you could listen to him talk for hours in that tone of his, and he could even make you do anything he pleases.

You greet each other good morning or good afternoon when you pass by each other, and he would smile a teasing one at you as if you two shared a secret with each other. Well, technically you did, for one time you bought him coffee under the pouring rain, and he repaid you for your kindness. Soon enough your coffee exchange became a routine for both of you. It was sweeter than the cream in his coffee. It was more refreshing than the rainy day you shared with each other.

His gaze. His posture. His voice. His smile. Despite those small interactions with each other you are still troubled by what he thinks of you. A friend? A colleague? A special someone? Why is this so hard? Why was it so easy to fall in love? And when things could not get worse for you, your left brain argued that he might not be interested to mingle with a man.

Well, you could find out for yourself, but that would be creepy. Your workspace is in the library! You could not just leave when you please just so you can observe him. You could not use the staff files to your advantage—that is being a borderline stalker. Whatever Crewel’s orientation is, is his to keep and his to disclose to you. Oh, but still. If this were a novel, you could easily analyze the situations that give off evidence of him liking men. Or liking someone like you.

If that were the case you would not have a hard time trying to decipher his words, his gaze, his tone, and his actions towards you. If that were the case…if that were the case…then…well, there’s no then. Divus Crewel is not a fictional character to analyze. He is your coworker, your colleague.

It is hard to know what he thinks of you, at all. You really wished that you could…but the thought of knowing what he thinks to scare you, as well.

Rejection is not that far from reality. Who are you compared to him again? A nobody. A simple, ‘timid’, librarian that enjoys reading romantic and fiction novels and inserts himself in scenarios he makes up for himself just so he can…find the happiness he wishes to have.

But Divus is your happiness. Became your source of happiness. Ironic how he colors the muted floor of the library with his monochromatic appearance. Maybe it is better that you keep your feelings to yourself. You avoid the risk of rejection and humiliation as well as ruining whatever it is your current relationship with Crewel is.

You barely registered the visitor in front of your desk until a familiar red leathery gloved hand rested atop of yours. The contact of the leather sent a spark of electricity through you that you snapped your head up to meet alluring silvery blue eyes. There is only one person in this college that owns those distinct, beautiful, silvery blue eyes.

Divus.

“Have I interrupted your moment of peace, sir?” He asked in that cherry wine voice of his. It made your throat dry up and your face warm. “N-No—no!” You squeaked, shaking your head to brush off the embarrassment. Quickly, you fixed your composure and appeared presentable. As presentable as you could be under his stare that is. You just hope that he found some amusement in your haste. “D-Div—Mr. Crewel, what can I do for you?” You smiled as you speak in a professional tone. The edge of his lips curled into a familiar smirk and still you could not determine what was running through his mind at the moment.  

“I came to return the book I borrowed last week,” he said, placing down the novel on your desk. Sense and Sensibility. Jane Austen. Right, he borrowed that last week. It is not your place to judge whatever it is he desires to read. “Of course,” you nodded, “did you enjoy reading it?” You started on a small talk as you take out your logbook for the check-ins and outs of books. “Somewhat,” Crewel shrugged, “I had my eyes set on another book I would like to borrow.”

“Oh? What is it? I’ll go get it for you.” You stood up after sliding the logbook back to its drawer. Crewel did not leave from where he was standing. His eyes were simply on you. You had to hide your nervousness under his gaze. “I had my eyes on it ever since that rainy day, when you offered me shelter in the library until the rain passes,” he mused. “General fiction, I believe, was the genre.”

“If that’s the case then you better tell me the title,” you joked, taking a stool to the genre’s aisle. “Are you certain you can find it?” Crewel coolly challenged. You almost laughed but did not fight the smile on your lips. “Mr. Crewel, I spend most of my time in this library. I know every book and I still have the Dewey Decimal system memorized…” You kept your eyes distracted by scanning the spines of the books on the shelves. You are aware that he is still looking at you that is why you refused to look back at him. You are not sure what will happen if you look back at him while conversing.  

“If that is the case—” why does he suddenly sound a bit close? “—may you find ‘How to Ask your Dense Colleague Out to Dinner?’”

What a lengthy title. It sounds very basic and almost like a rule book than a novel. Well, that is General Fiction for you. Though you are quite unsure if such a book exists in the library. “Hm…” you hummed, a finger on your chin, as your eyes scanned the shelves. “I don’t think I have that here…Crowley pays me enough to support my rent and meals, but not enough to buy new books. Plus, the students…”

You heard him chuckle beside you and fought the urge to turn to him. “I believe I was not frank enough. Ah, well, I will put all subtleties aside, then…”

His warm breath tickling your skin was what made you finally turn to him. The proximity of your noses startled you that you nearly stumbled out of your stool if it were not for Divus’ hand grabbing yours to pull you to him. You gasped, shocked, as you landed close to his chest. His other hand supported your waist, and your eyes widened his silvery blues. You can feel your heart hammering against his. Your legs feel like putty when he gave you that teasing smirk. Your name—your first name—sounds surreal from his lips. Your entire world was a confusing mix of vertigo and bright lights.

“Will you go to dinner with me?”

You stared. You stammered. You are flabbergasted and flustered. You were unsure how to react to such a forward question that your brain completely shut down. But you cannot embarrass yourself—you must not. Not when…not when…not when…!

Oh, he will he stop saying your name with such sentiment?

“Is your silence a rejection or a consideration?” He rose a brow and your face flushed even more. “No! I mean yes—I mean—no, it isn’t a rejection—”

“Then you have been anticipating this?”

“Divus!”

He laughed. He laughed at your state. He laughed at your awkwardness. But most importantly his laugh sounds so pleasant. Like he was teasing you and you liked him teasing. You grew shy, averting your gaze from his and fidgeting with your fingers. “I mean…I mean…why?”

Crewel stopped laughing and looked at you. “Why what?”

“Why…me? Out of all people?” You asked as fear and denial keep you from grasping the fact that this is all real and not another scenario you made up during rainy days. Crewel’s face remained passive. Neutral. It was eating at your heart and you just wish what is going through his mind.

“Is it not obvious, puppy?” He raised a brow at you. The hand holding your wrist now tilted your chin in his direction. “It is not by fate or destiny, but a mere law that dictates the gravitational pull of similar atoms that is programmed by the need to chemically bind together.”

You suddenly felt stumped. “W—What?”

“I like you, puppy,” Crewel clarified, adoring the way your confusion turned to pure surprise, “and I would like to have dinner with you. Perhaps another, if the first went well.”

You need some time to process this. Your head felt so light you might pass out in his arms. Actually, you would not mind that in the slightest. His coat is just so soft it feels like heaven. A proper response of agreement failed to come to your mind so instead, you asked him again, “And what if the first does not end well?”

Crewel smiled at you. “Then we shall try again with the next dinner. Mind you, puppy, as a man of science, I am not afraid of failure if trying means more chances of perfecting my goal.”

“And what’s that goal?” You asked and physically stopped yourself from combusting when he leaned closer to you that your noses touch and you smell his cologne, and his bold scent.

“The goal to become yours.”

‘’What If You Hadn’t Been There?’’

It’s afternoon. I find myself in the sea far away from the coast, no matter how afraid I am of the depth I always push myself to swim far away. I’ve turned my back to the coast and I am looking the horizon. It’s getting dark, I really should get back but I feel free out there, so small and in a weird way safe. I am thinking of this week. There were many incidents that led me to wonder, Is there such a thing as fate? If yes does this means that we can’t change it? Is it wrong to change it? Is there such a thing as the right place,the right time? What if I hadn’t been there?

Later that week, I am in my back yard and I am cleanning up. I found a brochure that the wind brought. It was an advertisement of a museum, my friend told me about a few days ago. I had this deep feeling that I should go so I scheduled a day with my sister for the other week. The next day, I went to the library, my favourite place. I am looking for police and mystery books, kinda the usual for every summer but the problem is that there’s nothing I like, it’s all the same. Frustrated as I am I throw the book I was checking out back to the shelf. I am about to move on when I hear a noise behind my back. There it is. The new book Candance Bushell wrote about Sex and The City my favourite series.I knew that there were books but I was sure that I wouldn’t find any in the library. I had already ordrered the first. I lift it up and I am asking the librarian if they have more. << Actually this came a few days ago, but we don’t have other books that belong to this writter.>> << I’ll take it with the Inferno>>.

Next minute I am waitting for my mum to pick me up. I am waitting on a bench next to the grass so it’s a chance to start a book. I couldn’t wait to read Carrie’s Diary Before Sex And The City. May I say I was dissapointed by the way Candall was writting but I did like the story and I was way too fan to quit it. I am on the 4th chapter when I hear a man singing a song while he is crossing the grass. He got my attention because it’s been a long time since I heard someone singing in the strrets with no care. I lift my head up to see him. He is wearing a white open blouse, I can see his chest, a black flatcap, dark kamikaze sunglasses, bermouda shorts, and flip flops. He is holding a backpack he has a moustache and the weirdest thing he holds a scouter. Weirder is the fact that he is around 60. Next minute he lost my attention, he looked like a crazy alcoholic gay, feasible rapist. I used to be scared, but nothing suprises me in this city anymore, no matter how small it is, so I choosed to continue reading instead of leaving. << Goodmorning Lady, what a beautiful day right?>> I hear him saying. I put the book on my knees, Damn I think to myself, now I had to talk to him, it would be better If I had left but I am not only going against to others but myself too. << Yes indeed sir.>>. << What are you reading? I’ve been 40 years in the books>>. Well that’s not something you expect from a crazy gay alcoholic, feasible a rapist so I moving along to the conversation. << It’s a book from the series Sex and the city.>> He’s making an annoyed face. << I know it’s not the best qual->> << I see you are also holding Inferno By Dan Brown.>> He groans. << Lady, you are going to burn your beautiful mind with those stupid books.>> He keeps singing and left me there.

First I got mad. Who is he? Does he has the right to destroy my day? Yes I do read trash books on summer because I need to relax and yes I do enjoy stupid love stories and wild conspiracy theories I mean I love to check pretty much anything! If I could I would read all the books in the world bad or good, it doesn’t mean I am stupid though! I kept reading, or at least I tried, I couldn’t stop thinking his words. Now, for a crazy gay feasible rapist he had a pretty good opinion and I didn’t want to admit it but he was right. I pick all my stuff up and I start running. He was no longer in my sight but I saw the road he choosed to follow. After one of my lungs was not working anymore I choosed to stop running, he dissapeared. Afterwards I see him. I start running again and this time I scream << Sir, I need to tell you something!!>>.  He stops the scouter and comes back. << Oh you are the lady I met later, right?>> << Yes >> << So, what do you want to say?>> << I am not stupid.I read trashy books but that doesn’t mean I haven’t read good books too! You were rude, you might were right but sometimes we need to read trashy books, everything has a purpose here.>>. He looks away and laughs. << Lady, you have a nerve.>> << What does this mean?>> now I am getting angrry. << I mean, I am an old man wearring a flatcap, having a mustache and riding a scouter, I could be α crazy man bigling or a dangerous man and you followed me to say that? Why did you need to prove to a stranger that you are a smart and good person? >> << Would you like to seem like a stupid ,bad person? >> He laughed again << See? You have a nerve, I like people like you. >> Now I am thinking that maybe I was really in danger. << Write down some writters you should check out.>> << I know good writters, I didn’t ask you to-... >> << Don’t Bite Lady, you might do but you need to check out some others too, I am not judging you I am showing you a whole new world.>> I wrote dowm the writters. << I’m Michael >> ,<< Lena >>. << Lena an advise, next time you choose to follow a stranger to bring up your nerve, don’t, you might not be as lucky as today.>> I laughed. I thanked him, I apologised and left.

On my way back home I couldn’t stop thinking, what If I had left the bench when he came and I thought he was crazy? I wouldn’t have met him, I wouldn’t have get into thoughts, I wouldn’t have those writters to check out and I would just kept living my routine. I also could have escaped a possible rape but I was lucky. So do I believe in Fate? Yes, but fate for me is the Luck. The luck of what will find you, I don’t believe that you life is written to be in a certain wait. I believe that there are many possible things that could happen to you but based on the decisions you make you change your luck. You lead your luck. You should change it, if you don’t like what’s in your way, why would you be passive and just let things be? You are not living in that way, though sometimes you just need to follow the flow and let it be. It’s really something you need to drive on your own and learn how to control it. There is indeed the right place, the right time. I mean if I hadn’t go to the library and throw aggresively a book on the shelf I wouldn’t find Sex and The city, If I had left the bench I wouldn’t have met this crazy man.

Inconclusively, I believe that Fate is just luck, luck of what things will happent to you, luck that is based on your previous decisions. You are always a decision away from a totally different life. No your Fate is not written in the stars. Your fate, your life is based on the decisions you made, you  will make and your luck. My little daily thinkers, an advise , be open to the world, open enough to discover your purpose, to find what hapiness is to you, to feel free to express and accept your real self, to fall in love with life, to experience and most importantly to live. I need to tell those crazy stories to other people, I need to look back and feel full of life, that I didn’t miss the momments, that I took my desisions and lead my luck, whatever that means. Your life is literally like the movies and the books, there’s always magic in them as long as you can see it, because you are the writter-director.

Here are some quotes from my trashy book :

<< “Life gives you lots of chances to screw up which means you have just as many chances to get it right.”>>

“I admit it’s tempting to wish for the perfect boss, or the perfect parent or the perfect outfit, but maybe the best any of us can do is not quit, play the hand we’ve been given and accessorize the outfit we’ve got.”

“Maybe mistakes are what make our fate… without them what would shape our lives? Maybe if we had never veered off course we wouldn’t fall in love, have babies, or be who we are. After all, things change, so do cities, people come into your life and they go. … and if you’re very lucky, a plane ride away.”

Untill next time,

xoxo

Greetings all!

I’ve decided to start this blog to keep track of some of my interests, particularly my reading life. I’m a librarian, and I read a lot of different books that cut across many different genres. But I’m particularly passionate about romance novels, because that’s where I get my daily dose of much-needed female gusto and hero-ine-ism. But I wasn’t always a romance reader. In fact, I didn’t discover romance novels until I was an adult in my 30s. Oh sure, I read some titles that you might consider “romance adjacent,” such as YA titles that featured love stories. I also read fantasy and sci-fi novels that had romantic pairings aplenty, and some pretty risque erotic scenes. 

But pure romance novels? Those trashy paperbacks with half naked cowboys or Scottish kilt wearers with rippling abs on the front? No way! I considered myself a well-educated young feminist, and I bought into the negative hype against these novels hook, line, and sinker. I truly thought they had nothing to offer me, and I believed critics when they claimed that these sorts of novels were poorly written, full of sexist stereotypes about both men and women, and backwards-thinking about sexual situations.

So I grew up never reading romance, although I read widely in pretty much every other genre. That is, until the day that something strange happened.

I remember I was waiting in line at a CVS for a prescription because I had just gotten out of the hospital. I was suffering not only from a strange and mysterious illness that had sent me to the hospital with uncontrollable vomiting, but also from the traumatic and sudden death of my mother a few months prior.  Everything in my life was spiraling out of my control, and it sounds cliche to say it, but it’s true - my entire life was full of darkness. I couldn’t see any way out or any kind of way forward. I had always considered myself strong and independent, but the trials I was going through at that time were so far beyond me that it constantly felt like I was drowning in my own terror and sorrow. 

But while I was standing in that line, a book happened to catch my eye: Julia Quinn’s “The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband.” At the time I thought it would just be something amusing to read for a few hours. And if it was awful, I figured I could always regift it to the Friends of the Library in a resale.

But instead of just being a pleasant diversion, this truly remarkable book wound up changing my whole perspective on the genre. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it definitely was a pleasant diversion. It took me away from myself and my problems for hours and hours. However, even more than that, it was incredibly well-written and witty, and it was chock-full of playful banter and dialogue that made me laugh out loud, and an engaging plot line that had me turning page after page trying to figure out how it ended. And that’s all before I even mention the sexual tension! Whoa boy, that was also pretty engaging, to say the least! 

When I turned the final page the story had resolved itself in a very satisfying way. However I wasn’t satisfied at all - I wanted more books! I immediately sought out more books from Julia Quinn, and started a steep nose dive into the romance genre as a whole, one I haven’t been able to pull out of since. 

Romance novels are truly delightful to read for many reasons, most of which I’ve already listed above when talking about Julia Quinn. Romance novels tend to be incredibly well written (no matter what many critics might want to say), and they have to be, because romance readers are some of the most discerning critics out there! Historical romance readers know so much about their favorite time periods that even mentioning the name of a color that didn’t exist during that time period could be a potential criticism. 

Romance novels also need to have gripping plot lines that truly draw you in from start to finish. There are so many of them sitting on the shelves that if you don’t open one and know from the first line that you simply have to read it, then it’s not going to flourish in this genre. There are so many introductory paragraphs that have totally sold me on a book before even looking at the description, and when I try to compare regular fiction titles to romance in this regard, there’s truly no contest - romance novels win every single time! 

And a lot of this has to do with the witty writing that romance writers employ. Some of the wit is humorous and some of it is not, but in a genre that was (arguably) birthed by Jane Austen, is it any wonder that romance writers are some of the best at engaging dialogue and eviscerating takes on the foibles of every day life? 

All of which leaves out the beating heart of romance novels: the characters! Speaking of Jane Austen, just say the name “Mr. Darcy,” and think of the powerful feelings that name has conjured up in legions of Austen fans around the globe. Some men may be groaning as they read this, grumbling to themselves that that’s really all romance novels are, just hot men that make women have impossible standards. 

But I counter that with these words: Elizabeth Bennet. Because in the end, who is more important to the plot and final outcome of Pride and Prejudice, her or Darcy? You could say, “Well sure, Darcy must be more important, without him there’s no romance at all!” But the real reason why the love story happens in this infamous novel is not because of Darcy at all. It’s because of Lizzie, and the powerful awakening that happens internally that changes her into the woman who Darcy eventually marries.

Just like most heroines, Lizzie starts off with a blockage. This is often the reason why the heroine’s life is a bit stunted or unfulfilled. These reasons are often internal fears or worries that then manifest themselves as external issues in their work or love life. So the heroine must then make a journey to resolve those issues, and she is often prompted either by the obstacles presented in the plot or by the appearance of the hero to do so. My favorite romance novels usually revolve around a plot that challenges both the heroine and the hero to overcome their issues at the same time, and this dual “awakening” of consciousness is the hallmark of every great romantic story (in my humble opinion of course). 

In the end, romance novels are not about the shirtless hunk of man meat on the cover. Romance novels are actually about the heroine and her internal journey as she struggles to come to an awakening in her own life that leads to a sense of empowerment that then changes her life and allows the romance to flourish. Her romantic success is not her primary attainment in the story, although that’s what some people choose to focus on. The reason that she gets the romantic happy ending is because she’s already done the hard work first - that of finding true fulfillment in herself. That is to say, the man isn’t the birthday cake, he’s just the icing on top.  

So apart from being great entertainment, romance novels also provide a wonderful road map to a more fulfilled and joyful life, because they show how you can go from a blocked or stagnant life to a more open and passionate one. Sure, we might not all find a Mr. Darcy (although we sure can hope for one!), however we all can undergo our own personal awakening to find greater pleasure in life via a job change, a new hobby, or a more expanded social network of friends. 

And yes, you can’t take everything in romance novels literally. Most of the action that takes place is a bit more exaggerated than what actually happens in real life, but the heart of them beats to the drum of the emotional truth of life, and in the end, that’s what I think I find truly inspirational. And yes, I also admit that there are other issues with the romance genre that need to be addressed, such as having more representation of diverse authors and characters. I’m glad to say that I think the genre is moving in this direction, but there’s still a great deal more work to be done in this area. 

In the end, I’d like to say that romance novels helped to cure me of the terrible grief that consumed me in the wake of my mother’s death. That they somehow made me stronger, or showed me a positive path forward. But that really wouldn’t be the truth. Years have gone by at this point, and I’m still struggling. But romance novels have given me some important survival tools. 

For instance, the humor in them reminds me of the joy that’s still left in the world, and their intricate and involved plot lines help me to escape to another world when living in the real one sometimes becomes unbearable. The heroines found within the pages also help to motivate me to reach my fullest potential, and remind me how important it is to forgive myself when I sometimes fail to reach that potential. 

I’m truly inspired by romance novels, no matter what the haters might say. And I hope that this blog helps to spread the gospel of the romance novel to others who may never have heard about them before, or may never have considered what these novels have to offer them. After all, there might still be women out there who, like me a few years ago, don’t know that it’s okay to ignore the naked man on the cover, and focus on the true message of the story, which I would like to argue is female (and male) empowerment.

Can you imagine standing inside of a bookstore and seeing signage for “Female Empowerment” instead of “Romance.” What a concept! For now, I’ll still be proudly staking the shelves, looking for new reads and suggestions. Hopefully you will be too :) 

xoxo, Jessica

Get to Know Tag

So I was invited to do this by @soundtracks2life​

Name: Almeera but my closest friends call me Eshi. Sometimes, I think people don’t know my real name is Almeera. I’d like to be called Almeera more. Star Sign: Leo Gender: Female Height: 5′3″ (5′4″ on my good days.) Orientation: Heterosexual Favorite Color: Red Time Right Now: 9:03 PM. We just got home from a trip. Current Location: Home, Philippines. Average Hours Of Sleep: 6 hours. Last Thing I Googled: Snake exoskeleton. I’m a biologist. Lucky Number: I’d like to think it’s 18 or 8 but I’m not really lucky. Number Of Blankets I Sleep Under: When you live in the Philippines, one is too much but I sleep with one blanket even if it’s scorching just to keep the mosquitoes away. I am allergic to mosquito saliva. Favorite Fictional Character: Hermione or McGonagall from Harry Potter, that guy from Dune by Frank Herbert (I read it a long time ago), Prince Caspian from Narnia, Captain Wentworth from Jane Austen’s Persuasion, and probably many more but I am exhausted from our trip so I can’t think. Favorite Book: At the top of my head, I liked Milan Kundera’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Prisoner of Azkaban, Persuasion by Jane Austen, Dune by Frank Herbert. Dream Job: Be a doctor and teacher and librarian and researcher and traveler. What I’m Wearing: I just had a bath and I’m wearing a top that’s too fancy to sleep in but oh well and some ratty old shorts. Random Fact: I double-knot my shoe laces. When Did You Create Your Blog?: When I was in high school, aka A LOOONG TIME AGO. Do You Have Other Blogs?: Yes, a private, password-protected blog where I write poems. Who Is Your Most Active Follower?: I don’t know. What Made You Get A Tumblr: One of my oldest friends told me to make one because it’s a cool site. Do You Get Asks On A Daily Basis: No. In a parallel universe, maybe. Why Did You Choose Your URL: I love Jane Austen and thought austentatious would be cool as a play on its homophone--ostentatious which was the deepest word I knew back in high school. I tried to be so complicated back then and I just stuck with it--call it branding.

Invade My Privacy Tag

1. Did you wake up cranky? When I haven’t gotten any sleep and someone switches on my light or makes loud sounds that woke me up from REM sleep. 2. Would you date an 18-year-old at the age you are now? No. I’m turning 23 in a few months. That’ll be a huge age gap for me. I’d prefer dating a not-so older guy. 3. Do you prefer to be friends with girls or boys? I used to prefer boys as they are less drama but people are people. I don’t have a preference anymore. Just be a sensible person. 4. Would you ever smile at a stranger? On occasion. Not all the time because I’d like to be invisible. 5. Can you commit to one person? Yes. The question is, could a person commit to me? 6. How do you look right now? Fresh, tanner, sleepy. 7. What exactly are you wearing right now? A mismatch of fancy top and ratty shorts. 8. How often do you listen to music? I used to listen to it everyday, whenever I’m not in class but these days, I seldom listen. 9. Do you wear jeans or sweats more? sweats. 10. Did you think your life will change dramatically before 2017? Yes. 2016 was the year I graduated, my Dad went to my graduation (this is ground-breaking because my parents aren’t together and he has a family and I haven’t seen him in 16 years). Also, I planned on going to medical school for sure in October 2016 (when I took the NMAT). That was the fiercest decision I had to make. 11. Are you a social or an antisocial person? Anti-social is too extreme. I don’t socialize if I can avoid but I am not totally opposed to it either. I socialize when I HAVE to so I’d say I’m more of an asocial 12. If the person you like says they like someone else, what would you say? I would never be the first to admit I like the person so if he tells me he likes someone else, I am safe from the embarrassment. I’ll probably act cool, shrug it off but deep inside I’ll be chiding myself for liking someone who can’t like me back. I’ll be able to move on pretty easily. I don’t create situations where I get invested too much. I am not comfortable about feelings and people. 13. Are you good at hiding your feelings? Every emotion except for anger. I get pissed off easily. I need to be kinder to people and myself but I am just so easily pissed off. 14. Can you drive a stick shift?  I can’t drive and I don’t want to drive. I am not confident about my eyes’ capability to assess road situations which is why I have to be rich so I can hire myself a driver. 15. Do you care if people talk badly about you? Yes. I think they talk badly about me even before they do, even if they really don’t but I try not to be openly affected by it. 16. Are you going out of town soon? Just went out-of-town a while ago but I will be going out-of-town in a few days to get lab exams done for my health record. 17. When was the last time you cried? Last month while watching Good Doctors. 18. Have you ever liked someone you didn’t expect to? Yes. It’s odd. Very odd. I moved on. 19. If you could change your eye color, would you? I wanted to have gray or green eyes but it probably won’t work with my complexion. I have brown eyes and brown hair. It’s enviable in some places?  20. Name something you have to do tomorrow? Do the laundry because I haven’t washed the clothes I wore from two weeks ago. 21. Name something you dislike about the day you’re having? That I didn’t get to swim in the beach as much as I’d like to. We were supposed to go to another beach but we got lost. I slept through the whole debacle but I’m not happy to wake up and realize we’re on our way home when I slept thinking I’d get to swim more. P.S. I can’t swim. I should say float and play on the water instead of swim. 22. Have you ever liked one of your best friends of the opposite sex? The last time I had a best friend was in fifth grade and all my friends were girls then. 23. Are you nice to everyone? I am not a nice-nice person but I try to nice. I’m more civil, actually. I am not easy to get-to-know in person. I am shy and awkward at first and I don’t like being totally nice because I think I’ll be a push-over then. I don’t like being vulnerable. 24. What are you sitting on right now? Wooden chair. 25. Do you think you can last in a relationship for 6 months and not cheat? Of course. I may not be nice but I still afford people respect. 26. Have you ever wanted someone you couldn’t have? What does it mean to want someone? 27. Who was the last person you talked to before you went to bed last night? My brother. I showed him Return of the Superman videos. 28. Do you get a lot of colds? Nope but on the off-chance that I get one, it’s pretty bad. 29. Have your pants ever fallen down in public? No. 30. Does anyone hate you? Probably. I’m not that likable. I believe people tolerate me. Maybe I should trust my friends more but I don’t even like myself sometimes so I can’t imagine people liking me. I plan to work on that. 31. Do you have someone of the opposite sex you can tell everything to?No. 32. Do you like watching scary movies? YES. 33. Are you a jealous person? For major reasons like this person is getting their shit together and I hope I do too, or this person seemingly gets to have it easy but I try to think about that ‘seemingly.’ Maybe something’s off in their life too that I just don’t know about and maybe they also have something to envy although it may not be obvious to me. 34. If you had to delete one year of your life completely, which would it be? 6th grade. Please. Let me just redo that year so I don’t reminisce and regret and cringe at old self. 35. Did you have a dream last night? I slept this morning. I probably had a dream but I forgot it now. I hopped through numerous islands today and that was exciting!!! 36. Is there anyone you can tell EVERYTHING to? No. 37. Do you think you’ll be married in 5 years? LOL, I’ll still be in school. I can’t see myself getting married. I haven’t even dated anyone legitimately. It’s hard to daydream such things when I want to focus on getting my shit together. 38. Do you think someone has feelings for you? I don’t think so. My gap year has been people-less. I hung out with my college friends and went to trips with my family. Haven’t met anyone substantially new and interesting. 39. Do you think someone is thinking about you right now? No. 40. Did you have a good day yesterday? Exhausting. 41. Think back 2 months ago; were you in a relationship? I can think back to the past five years and still be able to say no. A decade even. 42. Is your life anything like it was two years ago? Nope. For one, I was in school and struggling back then. I took some shitty profs for not-shitty classes. I got grades below average despite trying to work hard. I was set on going to graduate school then. 43. If the person you wish to be with were with you, what would you be doing right now? Going on that road trip. 44. What’s the best part about school? Learning, not necessarily inside the classroom. I was an active org member and I was so inspired everyday that I work with different people of different ages and motivations. 45. Do you have any pictures on your Facebook? Yep. 46. Do you ever pass notes to your friends in school? We used to. I remember passing notes during Genetics. Whenever we have something to react to that is not about the lecture. In Cell Mol too! There was an okra clipart in our prof’s powerpoint presentation and I have no idea if that was a trick to see who’s listening but it was super odd and funny I just had to ask my seatmates if they saw. 47. Do you replay things that have happened in your head? Yes. I write in my head about imagined scenarios. 48. Were you single over the last summer? Yes. When was I not? 49. What are you supposed to be doing right now? Sleeping. 50. Don’t tell me lies, is the last person you texted attractive? I think I texted my Mom? She’s beautiful.

EDIT: I was supposed to tag someone. Haha. I tag @feel-o-sophy, @thesociallyawkwardprincess, and @ergo-i-blog

A couple of years ago, I decided to keep a list of all the books I read in a year. After recording the twenty-somewhat books of that year, my competitive nature showed itself and I decided I would read more the following year. I set a goal to read at least 25 books in 2018. I ended up reading 38. In addition to those titles I completed, I also abandoned a few. When I was younger, I wouldn’t have dared to not finish something I’d started, but I’ve come to that place in life where I no longer feel I’ve got something to prove. Life’s too short and there are far too many books out there to waste time on the ones that don’t thrill me.

This year, unlike last with My 18 Resolutions for 2018, I haven’t been able to decide what my goals for the new year will be yet. Sure, I want to get more fit and eat healthier, but that’s nothing new. I’d like to replace screen-time with face-time or even just me-time, but as for the big goals, this year I am going to have to wait to see what life unfolds. Whatever my intentions end up being, I know reading will be a part of it, so for those of you who also enjoy curling up with a good book, here (in no particular order) are the top 10 books from my year of reading.

The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer (Non-fiction/Self-Help)

“You are capable of ceasing the absurdity of listening to the perpetual problems of your psyche. You can put an end to it. You can wake up in the morning, look forward to the day, and not worry about what will happen. Your daily life can be like a vacation. Work can be fun; family can be fun; you can just enjoy all of it.”

I’d first heard about this book when I listened to an episode of Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations; I’d written about that experience in To Forgive, Divine, but at that time, I hadn’t read the book yet. Well, as the second book read last year, this one deserves a place on the list; it’s actually a great choice for starting a new year. This is the type of book you will want to read with a pen in hand. You’ll underline a phrase here and a quote there, and then eventually half of the page will be highlighted. You’ll write “WOW” in the margin or you’ll bracket off whole paragraphs that speak to you. There’s a reason it is a #1 New York Times Bestseller with more than one million copies sold.

The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner (YA Fiction)

“If you’re going to live, you might as well do painful, brave, and beautiful things.”

I’d had students who had read this book in the past and really enjoyed it, but I hadn’t read it myself until I planned to include it as a book club choice for my students last year. The story centers around three teens who are unlikely friends in a small, southern town, but it’s more than just a book about friendship. The protagonist’s father is a religious man who is in prison, but the story behind his imprisonment is disturbing, to say the least.

At one point, I had to put the book down, then pick it up and reread, then put it down again. “Did that just happen?” I asked my husband who wasn’t reading the book and therefore had no idea what I was talking about. “I can’t believe that just happened.” Later, when my students were reading it, they’d come into my classroom at lunch or in the morning to ask me, “Did that really happen?” While it is a YA book, it certainly doesn’t read like one.

Educated by Tara Westover (Memoir)

“I was an incurious student that semester. Curiosity is a luxury reserved for the financially secure; my mind was absorbed with more immediate concerns, such as the exact balance of my bank account, who I owed how much, and whether there was anything in my room I could sell for ten or twenty dollars.” 

 Every now and again, I read a memoir that depicts a life that is so incredibly different from my own and from anyone else’s with whom I am acquainted that I have to keep reminding myself that it isn’t a work of fiction. Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs was one, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls was another, and Tara Westover’s Educated was a third. Westover beautifully tells the story of her childhood growing up in the mountains of Idaho with a father who did not believe in public education. She was seventeen when she first entered a traditional classroom yet ends up with a PhD from Cambridge University– although it came a a cost.

The quote above is a great example of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and a good reminder that not all students have the “luxury” of being engaged in school. This book has garnered a lot of praise and publicity this year, and it is definitely one that is worth the read.

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison (Sci-Fi)

“It does no good to tell a beautiful woman how beautiful she is. If she already knows, it gives her power over the fool who tells her. If she does not, there is nothing that can be said to make her believe it.” 

Sci-Fi is not usually my genre of choice, but a girl who I went to high school with (who is now a librarian) posted about this book on social media and I thought, if a librarian is posting about a book, then it’s worth a shot. It was. This was one of those picked-it-up-and-read-it-in-a-day kind of books. It’s a post-apocalyptic world where any woman who attempts to bear a child dies, as does that child. The protagonist, the midwife, is a fiercely independent woman determined to help save humanity.

This is Book 1 in The Road to Nowhere series, but despite liking this one a lot, I haven’t checked out any of the others.

Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao (Fiction)

“We girls. Afraid of the wrong things, at the wrong times. Afraid of a burned face, when outside, outside waiting for you are fires you cannot imagine. Men, holding matches up to your gasoline eyes. Flames, flames all around you, licking at your just-born breasts, your just-bled body. And infernos. Infernos as wide as the world. Waiting to impoverish you, make you ash, and even the wind, even the wind. Even the wind, my dear, she thought, watching you burn, willing it, passing over you, and through you. Scattering you, because you are a girl, and because you are ash.” 

If I had to pick ONE book that was my favorite read of the entire year, this would be it.

Girls Burn Brighter was not only beautifully written, but also told a story of friendship, love, and female empowerment unlike any other I’ve read. It was disturbing and heart-breaking, powerful and poignant. Every woman should add this book their list, then read it, then cry about it, then get together with friends and drink wine and talk about it together.

There There by Tommy Orange (Fiction)

“This is the thing: If you have the option to not think about or even consider history, whether you learned it right or not, or whether it even deserves consideration, that’s how you know you’re on board the ship that serves hors d’oeuvres and fluffs your pillows, while others are out at sea, swimming or drowning, or clinging to little inflatable rafts that they have to take turns keeping inflated, people short of breath, who’ve never even heard of the words hors d’oeuvres or fluff.” 

This book has harvested a lot of accolades this year. Told from the perspective of ten different characters whose stories come together in the end at the Big Oakland Powwow, Tommy Orange gives voice to the urban American Indian, a voice not heard nearly enough in modern literature. While I loved the Indian legends and lore peppered throughout this tale, it was quotes like the one above that made me stop and re-read entire passages and then just sit with it for a few minutes only to go back to the page and read it again.

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (Literary Fiction)

“But home isn’t where you land; home is where you launch. You can’t pick your home any more than you can choose your family. In poker, you get five cards. Three of them you can swap out, but two are yours to keep: family and native land.” 

Years ago, I read Silver Sparrow by this same author and I friggin’ loved it, so when I realized this was also by her, I knew it would be a great read. It’s a story about love and marriage and race and family and everything in between. Reading the letters sent between Roy and Celeste felt deeply intimate and immediately drew me into this story that satisfied me all the way to the very end.

What School Could Be by Ted Dintersmith (Non-fiction/Education)

“We treasure the occasional story about a child who climbs out of poverty, graduates from a prestigious university, and goes on to success. Since it’s possible for a handful, we cling to the view that nothing is broken in America. But it is. Education has become the modern American caste system. We fuzz up the issue in a sea of statistics about test-score-gaps, suggesting that social inequity is a classroom issue. We bemoan the achievement gap but dwell on the wrong ‘achievement’ and the wrong ‘gap.’ Achievement should be based on challenging real-world problems, not standardized tests that amount to little more than timed performance on crossword puzzles and Sudoku. The gap we need to face is how much more we spend to educate our rich children than our poor. We can test until the cows come home, and we won’t begin to bring meaningful equity to our youth. As an educator in the Midwest noted, ‘If a cow is starving, we don’t weigh it. We feed it.’”

I already raved about this book on social media and wrote about it in Dear Fifth-Grade Teacher, but I had to include it in my top ten list too. I found the book to be inspirational and thought-provoking for anyone who is involved in education or policy-reform. The quote above is my favorite from the book. I considered getting it as a tattoo, but it’s a tad long.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah (Fiction/Drama)

“In the silence, Leni wondered if one person could ever really save another, or if it was the kind of thing you had to do for yourself.”

 I still think Firefly Lane is my favorite Kristin Hannah book, but it was the first of hers I’d ever read, and I have a habit of latching on to firsts (i.e. My Sister’s Keeper is still my favorite Jodi Picoult and Looking for Alaska is still my favorite John Green). For some reason, I refused to buy this book since it was still in hardcover, and I had to wait ages for it at the library, which may be why I didn’t love it as much as I should have.

My mom read it first, and once I finally got it she kept asking me what I thought. It really was a great read, but it was also over 400 pages, and I really hated the protagonist’s father, Ernt. Somewhere in the middle of the book, I got sick of his shit and kind of lost momentum as a result. Still, it deserves a place on the list. It may not have been worth waiting months for, but it’s worth the eighteen bucks to not be cheap and buy it.

The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo (Fiction/Romance)

“What I wanted to tell you is that there are lots of ways to love people and I know that you’ll love someone else again. Even if it’s not the same, some of it might be better.” 

Last, but not least. One of my favorite people told me about this book and I had the title written on a notes page in my phone for a few months, but then, I saw a former student post about it on social media and it reminded me to check it out from the library. It was another can’t-put-it-down book that I texted every reader in my life when I was done to tell them about. This is a book you can lose a day in, and even though I’m not a huge fan of romance novels, this book won my heart (and gave me a bit of a book-hangover too.)

Well, that’s it… for now. I’ve got The One Thing by Gary Keller and Michelle Obama’s Becoming to start off 2019.

What are you reading this year?

Note: ReadingWhileEating is not affiliated with Amazon.com. If you click on a link to purchase a book, I do not get anything, but you get a book, and books are awesome.

FOR MORE LIKE THIS, FOLLOW ME ON READINGWHILEEATING OR LIKE MY PAGE ON FACEBOOK

My Top 10 Reads of 2018 A couple of years ago, I decided to keep a list of all the books I read in a year.

I’m answering the whole damn thing

Spotify, SoundCloud, or Pandora? spotify

is your room messy or clean? both, depends on my current level of anxiety

what color are your eyes? dark brown

do you like your name? why? no, i don’t know, it’s more that i don’t like the sound of it, it makes me feel bad. There are only like 3 people that i like how they say it

what is your relationship status? sssssssuper ultra single

describe your personality in 3 words or less: gentle, funny, depressive

what color hair do you have? brown

what kind of car do you drive? color? a honda fit red :) my son

where do you shop? everywhere

how would you describe your style? sometimes soccer mom sometimes a homeless young men that uses a lot of glitter

favorite social media account tumblr, but twitter is a close second

what size bed do you have? doble

any siblings? one sister

if you can live anywhere in the world where would it be? why? taiwan with @a-tzu... lol idk i don’t travel much so i’m not very concious of the difference between here or anywhere else

favorite snapchat filter? i don’t use snapchat

favorite makeup brand(s) idk

how many times a week do you shower? 6 lmao... i don’t shower on saturdays that’s my free day

favorite tv show? yuri on ice~

shoe size? 24

how tall are you? short... 5′

sandals or sneakers? sneakers

do you go to the gym? nah

describe your dream date: one where we do something new and different

how much money do you have in your wallet at the moment? 400 pesos mexicanos... like 20 dollars

what color socks are you wearing? white

how many pillows do you sleep with? 2 or 3... idk

do you have a job? what do you do? doing my social service as a librarian

how many friends do you have? lately i think i have only 2

whats the worst thing you have ever done? oh man... that one is hard. Letting myself fall into depression and never looking for help (currently)

whats your favorite candle scent? none i don’t use candles

3 favorite boy names: javier, alejandro and sebastian (i know! but that’s a cool name)... in mexico those are very common and basic (?) names, but I think they sound cool

3 favorite girl names: ana, julieta... i don’t have a third one lol

favorite actor? don’t

favorite actress? don’t

who is your celebrity crush? don’t

favorite movie? spike jonze’s her

do you read a lot? whats your favorite book? not as much as i wish... i don’t have a favorite i’m still searching for the right one lol

money or brains? both... mostly money lmao

do you have a nickname? what is it? “cobijita” (little blanket) by my sister and her friends and some of my friends it’s kinda embarrassing but super cute

how many times have you been to the hospital? only 2, one to have my wisdom teeth removed and for my lasik surgery

top 10 favorite songs: (don’t judge) i don’t like talking about my fav music since it changes a lot but my all time favorites i think are: erik satie’s gymnopedies and gnosiennes, vivaldi’s four stations, bach’s prelude, m83 - my tears are becoming a sea / kim & jessie, david bowie - heroes... man i can’t, i love a lot of songs tho these are the ones i love since ever

do you take any medications daily? i should lmao

what is your skin type? (oily, dry, etc) mixed

what is your biggest fear? people disapproval

how many kids do you want? 2 or 3... i really want to have kids but at the same time i’m scared of ruining their lives

whats your go to hair style? long and messy

what type of house do you live in? (big, small, etc) in a relatively big house for only one person (during the week) and a relatively small house for a family of 4 (at weekends with my parents)

who is your role model? my mother of course! and my sister

what was the last compliment you received? you are so good at ice skating (lmaaaaao this one was from my new rink mate she’s so super nice)

what was the last text you sent? i think i said that i’m mad that we don’t have an ice rink in my hometown

how old were you when you found out santa wasn’t real? we don’t believe in santa here in mexico, tho we believe in the magic kings (?) that gave presents to baby jesus... i think i was 8

what is your dream car? i’m good with my car, idc...

opinion on smoking? i have never smoked... i don’t like the smell of it so don’t smoke near to me lol

do you go to college? yeah and i hate it

what is your dream job? i have many dreams but i’m not focused

would you rather live in rural areas or the suburbs? rural

do you take shampoo and conditioner bottles from hotels? yeah

do you have freckles? in my body a lot lol

do you smile for pictures? nah

how many pictures do you have on your phone? 200... tho i usually keep it clean

have you ever peed in the woods? no

do you still watch cartoons? yeah

do you prefer chicken nuggets from Wendy’s or McDonalds? there’s no wendy’s on mexico so i choose mcdonalds

Favorite dipping sauce? salsa valentina... is literally the best thing in the world

what do you wear to bed? an old t shirt and sweatpants

have you ever won a spelling bee? nah

what are your hobbies? making drama, overthinking, taking care of my fish tank, reading sci fi, lately ice skating

can you draw? i actually can, i’m an architecture student so...

do you play an instrument? none i wish i could play piano

what was the last concert you saw? 31 minutos count? it’s a kids show (latinoamerica)

tea or coffee? tea

Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts? dunkin donuts

do you want to get married? yes

what is your crush’s first and last initial?boiii i have a shit ton of crushes, my last crush’s was DB :v

are you going to change your last name when you get married? idk we don’t do that here but it feels cute (?) so maybe i would want to

what color looks best on you? dark colors... shit i don’t know their names in english... ummm dark blue and dark cherry (?)

do you miss anyone right now? a friend... we became very distant and it was my fault

do you sleep with your door open or closed? open

do you believe in ghosts? nope

what is your biggest pet peeve? people peeing with the door open lol

last person you called: my friend ricco, telling him about my other friend who was avoiding me (?)

favorite ice cream flavor? strawberries with cream

regular oreos or golden oreos?regular

chocolate or rainbow sprinkles? chocolate

what shirt are you wearing? a black one with ‘one piece’ characters

what is your phone background? an art the killing stalking author did

are you outgoing or shy?super shy

do you like it when people play with your hair? yeah

do you like your neighbors? no

do you wash your face? at night? in the morning? in the morning

have you ever been high? no

have you ever been drunk? more than you think

last thing you ate? elote con chile

favorite lyrics right now: I’m gonna be honest, this is related to something that happened recently between me and a long time crush/close friend. It’s a sad story actually, and it affected me more than I thought it would. carla morrison’s ‘tu atacas’ ¿Para qué vuelves esta vez, a inquietarme otra vez? (why you come back this time, to disturb me again?) Prendes todas mis emociones. (you turn on all my emotions) Devuelves los calores. (you give back all the warm) Todo comienza a girar. (everything starts to turn around) En torno a tu regresar. (around your come back) Después de tanto tiempo. (after so much time) Tienes en mí todos tus cimientos. (you have on me all your foundations) Tú me desbalanceas, tú quien pausa mi tiempo. (you unbalance me, you who stops my time) Tú me tocas, yo tiemblo. (you touch me, i tremble) Tú atacas siempre en silencio. (you attack always in silence)

summer or winter? winter

day or night? day

dark, milk, or white chocolate? dark

favorite month? september because it’s my birthday

what is your zodiac sign virgo

who was the last person you cried in front of?my teacher... bummer

FEATURE: Cruising the Crunchy-Catalog: "Library War"

  What's “Cruising the Crunchy-Catalog”?

  When you have a huge library of titles to choose from, curation is key. That's the goal here at “Cruising the Crunchy-Catalog”; we're the helpful librarians of anime streaming. Each week we provide additional information and cultural context to help fans decide whether or not they'd like to take an unknown title for a test drive.

    What's Library War?

  Library War is 2008 TV anime with direction by Takayuki Hamana and animation by Production I.G that was originally broadcast on Fuji TV as part of the illustrious noitanimA programming block. The series is based on the Library War light novels written by Hiro Arikawa and illustrated by Sukumo Adabana, which were published by MediaWorks. Crunchyroll describes Library War as follows:

    “Iku Kasahara wants more than anything to be an ally of justice--just like her prince. In the current age, the Media Betterment Act has allowed the Japanese government to impose heavy censorship on the expression of ideas, particularly those from books. When her favorite childhood book was marked for censorship, Iku felt that oppression firsthand, but she (and the book) was saved by a man from the Kanto Library Defense Force... her prince! Inspired by his example, Iku joined the Kanto library to safeguard expression of freedom, all while searching for the man she idolizes.”

    Set in an alternate time-line in the near future year of 2019, Library War is a social science fiction series that mixes comedy, romance, and political intrigue to paint a picture of a world where the fight for free speech involves literal skirmishes between rival groups armed with machine guns. It's a little bit Fahrenheit 451, a little bit Equilibrium, and a lot of the daily lives of young librarians in love.

    Silly Style and Serious Themes.

  Although Library War deals with an Orwellian subject matter – the government-sanctioned forces of the Media Betterment Act attempting to censor art and literature in the name of the public good – the series makes use of a lot of humorous animation techniques. For example, the protagonist Kasahara frequently stretches, squishes, and reacts in an exaggerated manner for comedic effect.

    When Library War addresses the issues of political violence, the show becomes deadly serious. Although the proponents of the Media Betterment Act and the Kanto Library Defense Force operate under specific rules of engagement that limit their warfare to exchanges of small-arms fire, people are still injured and killed, and both sides are willing to flaunt the law when it is expedient to their cause, such that subjects like kidnapping and torture are also addressed.

    Real World Struggles and Politics.

  Library War has an excellent sense of verisimilitude. It addresses not only the difficulties of military operations, but also the day-to-day challenges of operating a public library.

    The Kanto Library Defense Force deals with everything from problem patrons vandalizing the collection to over-enthusiastic investigators trying to access patron records without a warrant. Prior to my glamorous life as a freelance writer, I worked for 5 years as a library aide, and I can assure you that the struggle is real.

    Although the antagonists of Library War dress like the Gestapo, the series takes pains not to completely demonize them, instead showing that Media Betterment Act group have both public support and a variety of motivations for their war on free expression: some are fanatical true believers, some are bullies that are drunk with power, some feel a sense of responsibility to their comrades, and some are just collecting a paycheck. As in real life, it's not as simple as white-hat vs. black-hat.

    The Media Betterment Act group isn't depicted as a monolithic threat, either. The Kanto Library Defense Force also must contend with pro-censorship religious cults, pacifist protesters that challenge their authority to use military force, and schisms over procedure and policy that threaten to rip the organization asunder from within. The political intrigue is both subtle and well-executed.

    Further Reading.

  Crunchyroll currently streams Library War in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samao, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands. The series is available in Japanese with English subtitles. Library War is also released on Region 1 DVD by Discotek Media under their Eastern Star label.

    In addition to the light novels and the TV anime, there is a 15 volume Library War manga by Kiiro Yumi, which is available in English from Viz Media via their Shojo Beat imprint under the title Library Wars: Love and War. A trio of live-action Library War films were also released in Japanese theaters from 2012 – 2015.

    Library War is a rare example of a social science fiction series that addresses real world issues without coming across as heavy-headed or didactic. If you're in the mood for an anime that mixes romance and comedy with politics and that addresses a powerfully relevant theme with a sense of nuance and grace, please consider giving Library War a try.

    Is there a series in Crunchyroll's catalog that you think needs some more love and attention? Please send in your suggestions via e-mail to [email protected] or post a Tweet to @gooberzilla. Your pick could inspire the next installment of “Cruising the Crunchy-Catalog”!

  Paul Chapman is the host of The Greatest Movie EVER! Podcast and GME! Anime Fun Time.

By: [email protected]