the gang

related to that last ask but now i actually have a question! what are your favourite episodes for amy as a character? (sorry if i’m pestering you btw you don’t have to answer right away ❣️)

it is absolutely never a bother for me to talk about amy pond!! gosh though this is a Question. okay. i did interpret this as episodes that are my favorite for the lens of My Understanding Of Amy instead of favorite pond era episodes as a whole if that makes sense? under the cut bc i got long as i tend to do

i think my number 1 has to be the big bang, because it really is just like. okay, pond era absolutely runs into the problem of frequently making stories/episodes that should be centered around amy's emotional journey actually about somebody else — but the big bang is all hers. it is all on her! she's leading the show SHE'S the one in the pandorica SHE'S the one who remembers the doctor into existence it is HER choice to say goodbye to leadworth and continue to travel completely without remorse SHE IS THE HERO. it goes from "time can be rewritten, he'll find a way" to AMY being the one who finds the way. rory and river and the doctor all of course get their Moments but it's unquestionably amy's spotlight moment the whole way through

i have also ALWAYSSS been obsessed with starless universe amelia and the way that she still believes in stars in a world where they DON'T EXIST the power of her mind and the conviction of her beliefs is a CORE TENET of amy's character, the doctor has NOTHING to do with it!!! it's just who she is !!! best character of all time <3

other things about the amy's writing in this episode i love: the line "the universe pouring into her dreams every night," space florida outfit <3, ok i obviously do not love this but i think so much about amy talking about the doctor at her wedding and her mother is still like "NOT THIS SHIT AGAIN… i thought the psychiatrists FIXED her" like once again !!! a UNIVERSAL CONSTANT that amy is the one who believes in things nobody else does and is LOUD about it and is RIGHT !!! (let's kill hitler tried to retcon this but it simply won't work on me ❤️ just like anything else about the let's kill hitler flashbacks ❤️❤️❤️), OKAY DOCTOR DID I SURPRISE YOU THIS TIME? <3

number 2, i think, is the eleventh hour itself? like it's just… i've rewatched it so many times and it's still the most captivating character introduction i have ever seen. i know i'm biased but i love it so much. her introduction as a clearly neglected seven year old girl (constantly think about the deleted line that has her talking to aunt sharon and saying "you're not supposed to leave me, i'm seven!" WOOF) who's not afraid of anything except for the crack in her wall… she has drawings up all over her house of burning houses, she draws smiley faces into her apples bc her mom used to do that, she can cook for herself way better than i could at seven, and she desperately just wants to leave. but when the doctor tells her he'll be back in five minutes, amy is already so used to adults leaving her and breaking their promises that she doesn't believe him. but he makes her believe anyway. and he doesn't come back.

and all of the rest of her character hinges on that introduction — of course she has to believe him, he was REAL, nobody can take his realness away from her even if she is the only one who believes. but he also left her all alone for so long, just like everyone else who was supposed to be there for her did, so what good does that to her? so yeah of course she grows up angry and bitter and hiding those layers of hurt deeply under the surface, scorning all attachment and serious relationships because she knows she can't trust them. she outwardly distances herself from her childhood self by changing her name but she IS still just such a child inside.

she's not ready to settle, to grow up, to become what everyone in her tiny village wants her to be, thinks that she should be — so when she gets the chance to GO, of course she takes it. but she's also not just going to let the doctor off the hook for [gestures] her entire life, you know? the exchanges "people always say that" "i'm not people, do i even look like people?" | "people always have a reason" "do i look like people?" "Yes." always just GUT ME. she may trust him but it's NOT a blind trust, it can't be.

number 3 has to be the beast below it just makes me SCREAM how good that episode is at really developing amy through her compassion for other people — right from the start she sees that kid crying and she thinks the doctor must ignore stuff like this all the time, and she says that she could never do that. she's learning and intuiting leaps and bounds about the doctor with everything he says to her — which is another one of my favorite amy character traits, the way she is SO quick to pick up on things about other people and analyze them. everything that she picks up about the doctor allows her to KNOW what to do to save the star whale, allows her to be confident in the fact that the star whale wanted to help the whole time. the choice is IN HER HANDS she IS THE HERO <3 as she always should be. you couldn't just stand there and watch people cry! all that pain and misery and loneliness and it MADE IT KIND. i don't care how overused that quote is it still HITS !!!

um. number 4 is the girl who waited but my very specific headcanon-ridden interpretation and cutting out all that garbage "rory's the most beautiful man i've ever met" "defying destiny causality the nexus of time itself for a boy" bullshit. idk there's so many terrible things about this episode but it also gave me so much to think about when it comes to amy it's on my mind a LOT. one thing i think about is the way it parallels amy's first abandonment by the doctor — not just in the obvious sense but in the way that she's actively fighting for her life in a hostile atmosphere, but nobody else SEES it as a hostile atmosphere. the two streams facility is leadworth like it really is. and what adds a more chilling component is the way the handbots signature line is "do not be alarmed, this is a kindness" — like all the people who were trying to convince amy she was crazy throughout her entire childhood really thought they were doing her a kindness. they thought they were helping her. but they were killing her. because she wasn't made for that environment.

beyond that i am just obsessed with 36-years-later amy she is an icon she is a legend she is the moment i don't care! every mean thing she said about the doctor and rory was absolutely deserved and in fact she should have been so much meaner! she is SO SMART she makes her own SONIC PROBES OUT OF CAMERA PHONES the fact that she even was able to SURVIVE THAT LONG and in COMPLETE isolation and still retain her own mental faculties is just insane to me it speaks so much about her insane mental strength oh my god it makes me sooo emotional i am tearing up a little typing this right now.

i just am always THINKING about the line "there he is, the voice of god. number one lesson: survive, because no one's coming for you. you taught me that" it says SO MUCH about her. oh my god older amy didn't want to die she'll be kicking and screaming and fighting til the end… i fucking hate this show and picking and choosing when paradoxes should apply OLDER AMY DESERVED TO LIVE

number 5 is probably the power of three but my own very headcanon infused interpretation of it. because it's like. the ultimate miscommunication/misunderstanding that exists between amy and the doctor coming to a head. where amy in 7.02 is like "i can't not wait for you, even now. (…) we think you're weaning us off you" (that line always makes me slow exhale … the phrasing of the doctor as a drug) and the doctor keeps insisting that's not true, "you'll be there until the end of me" "or vice versa" (and they have that loaded held stare and you know they're both thinking about what he said to her before he left in the god complex…)

but it's not until this episode where amy starts to actually believe he means it. at the same time she's spent so much TIME preparing for the inevitable moment where the doctor says goodbye and doesn't say hello ever again that she's not willing to fully hope that the doctor really means it when he says that he would never leave her permanently on purpose. and i love that this episode gives amy a lot of space to verbally communicate her emotions because the later pond episodes SORELY LACK THAT. and amy tells him, don't be nice to me, don't stop coming around just because you think that's the kind thing to do. even though she says herself that she doesn't know if she can have "both" — she knows that she can tell the doctor to stay, in her own way, and that he'll listen.

ideally they would have just gone off traveling together forever after that and the angels take manhattan did not happen but unlike what the doctor says about amy, i don't ever get what i want 🙃

also, this episode gave amy friends that weren't rory or the doctor or river so i love it for that on principal <3 i know amy had fun being the bridesmaid at laura's lesbian wedding. and kate!!

( i do hate that this episode ends with that conversation between brian and the doctor. i hate brian as a character and i will forever. won't get into this right now but OUGH )

honestly this list is kind of wobbly and might change if you asked me in a month so i'll just rattle off other favorite episodes / moments real quickly: the good night minisode (it counts!), RIVER SONG DIDN'T GET IT ALL FROM YOU SWEETIE (timeline frozen amy my beloved!), "i remember it so it happened so i did it," vincent and the doctor specifically when vincent tells amy that he hears the song of her sadness…. ow, i could write a whole other essay about amy's choice and how it is so much more complex than people give it credit for but this post is already so goddamn long

I am not in Hollywood or in the entertainment world but what I have observed from a distance is that everything is all about the money and Anything goes. But the fact that Jared was able to draw the line with AKF and not allow CW to exploit it it's a testament that he has principles that he would not compromise not matter the monetary rewards. I say kuddos to him at least he has been able to maintain that part of himself while in Hollywood.

Of course everything is about money.  90% of the “creative differences” is just another word for salary or budget dispute.  

Alrighty, in honor of AKF, here’s a blast from past.  The year is 2016 and the YANA campaign is launched and this is what fans saw: no messages on what the campaign is about but here is a video of Misha is making Jensen soooooo uncomfortable and haha Misha is stalking Jensen in the bathroom because when it comes to mental illness stalking people and making them uncomfortable is totally helpful!

Fandom reaction:  WTF? WTF? No, really, WTF?  Burn it down!

But before I get more into that, let’s back up 11 months:

03/15/2015 - Jared’s unprecedented success with AKF.  WB sees Ka-Ching!  And Jared is no, no Ka-Ching, AKF is near and dear to mah heart.

05/15/2015 - Jared breaks down and goes dark for 3 weeks and somebody (understudy Misha? Stand? Creation Ent? CW? Singer?) starts planning to take over Jared’s AKF brand.  Ka-Ching!

06/29/2015 - Creation Entertainment’s Gary and Adam registered the Creation Stands LLC 

08/16/2015 - Jensen and Misha “wins” TCA for best chemistry (my lol sides!) and they tweet their boat ride (me: it’s like you’re not even trying to look ignorant).

10/16/2015 - Creation Ent advertises the upcoming Chicago con with Jensen and Misha and the AKF tagline in their main banner.  Fandom’s outrage forced them to take down the Jensen/Misha banner and replaced it with a Jared/Jensen banner three days later.  CE and WB should have been clued in with this.

01/06/2016 - Jensen wins the PCA (me: another brought award?) and Misha just happen to be available on set for Jensen to make a thank you video with (me: riiiiiiight, just a coincidence)

02/11/2016 - Jensen and Misha launch the YANA campaign with series of videos filmed on SPN set and lines written by SPN writers.   CE and WB are anticipating pocketing at least half million dollars in net profit. Ka-Ching!

Show of hands of those who saw this trainwreck coming a hundred miles away.  Misha’s Variey interview said in he wanted to take YANA into many different fandoms, meaning WB behind the idea to suck in more money from fans though mental health merchandise.  I’ll wait here while you go take a shower.   YANA was obviously a piss poor hollow copy of AKF without genuine sincerity, but that might have been forgiven if Creation Ent wasn’t so obvious about lining it’s own pocket with a majority of the net profit and giving a measly 10% to charity.   

Meanwhile, where was Jared in all of this?  Let’s have a look:

05/15/2015 - Jared returns to the United States and starts treatment. New medication?  New therapist?  Who knows but something has to change.  

06/06/2015 - Jared participates in a Gilmore Girl reunion panel. TWLOHA mentioned the $250,000 check they got from Jared.  WB is thinking all that Ka-Ching could have been theirs.

07/13/2015 - Fans surprised Jared at Comic con with tealight vigil.

07/19/2015 - AKF 3.0 is launched with a last minute tealight design added to the shirts, 40K units sold

08/16/2015 - Jared wins the TCA in acting category  (me: eh, it’s probably genuine, he’s been nominated 7 times before and he got bunch of positive mainstream press)

10/16/2015 - the infamous faux pas by Creation Ent advertising the upcoming Chicago con.  While the fandom is starting to realize something is very off and noticing Jensen’s OOC behavior, Jared already knew about YANA being in the works from Jensen.

11/04/2015 - AKF 4.0 + Minute Maid commercial featuring Jared and his family.  His first national corporate sponsorship.  46 K including Black Friday special units sold

02/11/2016 - Jared announced he is returning to Gilmore Girls, the news quickly become the #1 Facebook trending topic, which led to tsunami of media attention.  None of Rory’s other boyfriends got this much attention for returning to the show.  Oh and btw Jensen and Misha launched YANA.  Did Jared hold on to news of his return to GG until the day YANA is launched?  Of course he did.

02/14/2016 - Jared debuts his McDonald all-day breakfast commerical, gets the highest views and likes on McD’s Facebook.  Oh and Jensen and Misha posted a new YANA video in their Facebooks.

02/29/2016 - Jared post his third national corporate sponsor commerical from Chevy, featuring his childhood friend, gets the highest views and likes on Chevy’s YT channel. Oh and Jensen and Misha posted a new YANA video wrapping up the campaign barely making the 40K mark after promising a Hawaii vacation to sweeten the deal.  WB and CE will have to settle for pocketing $200K (instead of the projected half million)

Jared’s personal brand is Always Keep Fighting so he fought WB from using it in the show and making $$ of it.  Then he went further and timed the release his GG news and commercials on the same day as those stupid YANA videos.  Jared did what the Ackles Army always feared he would do; completely overshadowed Jensen and Misha.  YANA never got the fraction of the mainstream media attention and fandom acceptance that AKF got.  Well played, Jared.  Well played.

Song of the Phoenix Part 2

Hey ya’ll, it’s been a real hot minute since I posted this here fic series, but guess who is back in action with it? This girl, cause she got some inspo. Anyway, here is the FIRST PART. Had to take some liberties, you’ll see them throughout. But I’m excited so enjoy. (: 

Cal simply didn’t move from the couch for a few hours. Above us, his mother moved around the room, the old floorboards announcing every step she took. We hadn’t spoken about it, as if ignoring her might actually make her disappear again. She continued to walk around in the guest room though, announcing her presence with every step. Slowly I turned my ring over on my finger, twisting the simple band and stone over and over again, absentmindedly wondering what this all could mean. Was she a one-time occurrence, or were there going to be others? “Did you managed to contact Dane?” I asked softly, as I began pacing, counting the individual steps slowly. Cal nodded and replied, “He and Carmadon are in the west though seeing to some problems with the outposts there. He told me to get in touch with the new Premier.” “Talking to Rori is like speaking to a brick wall.” I replied stiffly, before pausing when I hear the stairs creak slowly. Cal stood up quickly, and we both looked to the top of the stairs to see his mother frozen, looking down at us. Her eyes searched the space between us, as if she was looking for the connection that held us together. On an impulse I didn’t even know I still had, I slowly tucked my left hand behind my back. Cal spotted the movement, but didn’t comment on it, instead, he looked up at his mother and offered a weak smile before saying, “I’m glad Mare had something that could fit you.” She nodded, and continued down the stairs, her eyes on the shoes she wore that I had dug out of my closet. She paused at the bottom, and balanced her hand on the banister before asking, “Where exactly are we… I don’t recognize this country side.” I glanced at Cal for a fraction of a second, trying to gauge his reaction. He reached up and scratched at the back of his neck softly before reply, “Probably because we’re not in Norta.” She raised her brow slowly, and paced toward the two of us, before stopping a few steps away. She looked her son over before saying softly, “And why are we not in Norta?” Cal grimaced before saying, “A lot has changed… over the past… five years.” “And those changes constitute you being here and not in Norta?” She asks stubbornly, and I have to stifle a laugh. Only a mother could ask questions with that tone. Even Cal is slightly put out by it, because he blushed to the tips of his ears and says, “It’s a very long story.” She huffs and shuffles past us before sinking onto the couch with the grace only a Silver can have. She crossed her ankles delicately, and sets her hands in her lap. She looked like a lady about to hold court in our living room, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. I kept my left hand behind my back and then slowly reached my other hand back to remove my engagement ring. Something told me that if she saw that ring she might faint. Eyeing me she says, “I have a feeling we have a long time ahead of us, I would love to hear this story.” Cal hesitates for a second before slowly sinking down onto the cushion next to her. She frowns at him for a heartbeat before glancing at me and asking, “And where do you fit in?” I freeze in surprise, unsure of how to respond. I’d already removed my engagement ring, and I still wasn’t sure how she was going to react if I said anything. In the end, I tuck my hands into the pockets of my pants and say, “I’m… I’m a friend. Cal and I have been friends since the war.” I glance at him, warning him with my eyes to keep his mouth shut. It’s already open and he looks like he’s about to tear into me about lying, but he closes it quickly, sensing that I will have to tell him later. Coriane watches me for a few moments before saying, “And you are living here…together… after a war?” I shrugged and then gestured around, “It was the cheapest place.” Which isn’t a lie, it had been the cheapest place. But we hadn’t moved into it together for a few years. I had stayed in Montfort for a long time, and he had stayed in Norta. For a while he had run a small home for boys, silver, red, new blood, whoever showed up on the door step. The orphans of the war had liked him simply because he put a roof over their head and gave them food. I’d visited only once, on an urging from Julian to come back to Norta to see the massive changes taking place. I had almost not recognized him. “Mare and I find that it’s been best to live with someone, it helps deal with the problems that arise sometimes.” Cal offers as well, his eyes searching mine, trying to make sure he has said the right thing. I nod quickly, before sinking down into one of the small chairs we had, letting the leather consume me as I did so. His mother eyes the two of us, before saying, “Very well. Let’s hear this story then.” (//////) It’s hard to tell a story, when you’re not sure which parts to tell and which one not to mention at all. In the end, we touch on a majority of the small details, and give her the general overview. She sits quietly through all of it, her eyes narrowing every so often. In the end though, she looks down at her hands, and plays with the loose fabric of the sweater I had given her. She keeps her eyes down as she says, “All this, all this because of me.” “The monarchy was already weak,” I said carefully, meeting Cal’s eye carefully. He nods softly, agreeing with me. His mother isn’t so quick to agree. “I pried it open though,” she reaches up to cradle her head in her hand and murmurs, “Your father and I gave them an excuse to challenge the power structure. I opened the door to Elara’s fury.” “Elara was getting the throne whether you married my father or not,” Cal said as he rose from the couch. The morning sunlight cuts through the window, and burns a ring of light around him. He breaks the spell though, and makes his way to the kitchen to grab the tea that is sitting on the counter. It’s probably ice cold by now. His mother watches him too, obviously trying to fit whatever little memories she had of him into the man before her. She purses her lips eventually though and says, “And now you’re in Montfort, because it’s safest?” “I also happen to like it,” Cal calls from the kitchen, and I nod quickly. Living here allowed us to be close to our family’s, without the pressure of them knocking on our door every morning to ask if we were getting married soon. We had both needed the space from Ascendant too. He returns from the kitchen, carrying a two mugs of tea. He hands it to me, and I thank him softly, as I inhale the warm mist from the top. He must have warmed both mugs on his way out, because his mother’s also steams as if we had made the tea only minutes ago. She takes it from him and stares down at the murky liquid without speaking for a long time. In those long moments, Cal looks at me, and I can see the conflict deep within his irises. We had left out a few crucial details, namely our relationship, and the fact that I had played a very large role in the snowball that became the fall of Norta. Still, it was better if we left that for when she was more settled into the world that we had built from the ashes of the former. “I never wanted you to be king,” she eventually says, drawing both of our attentions. She sits a little straighter as if she can sense our eyes, because she doesn’t look up from her tea. “I never wanted you to be a soldier, more than anything, I just wanted to be ordinary, I wanted to be able to simply exist in the world. I failed quite a few people chasing those dreams.” Sighing, she rubs her thumb up and down the side of the mug, her movements delicate, like a bird’s. She was far smaller than I imagined. Although she stood a few inches taller than me, she was petite and thin. I could see why Elara had preyed on her. She sets the mug aside, and then reaches out to softly take Cal’s hand in her own. She grips his fingers in a vice and then whispers, “I failed you, above all I failed you.” He blinks in surprise, but I can see the glistening of tears in his eyes. The only memory he had of his mother before this had been her diary, and that little book had meant the world to him for the longest time. To hear from his mother now, it was a moment that I knew was overpowering, no matter how well he tried to hide it. Standing from my chair, I leave the two of them to it. Whatever had to be said, could be said without me there. I find my solace in the kitchen, and end up standing in front of the window, looking out at the rain covered grass. The phone rings on the wall, and I jump in surprise at the sound, before leaping for it. The other end if quiet for a moment, until I hear a burst of noise and then the sound of a little girl’s shriek. The receiver explodes with the sound of Farley’s voice then, stating very clearly that if Clara screams one more time, then Farley will actually give her something to scream about. Clara falls silent at that, and my friend sighs in relief before asking, “Mare?” “I’m here.” My reply is laced with a smile as I sink into the kitchen table with the phone. The cord pulls on it, but I ignore the tug. There is the noise of Farley moving through space on the other side before she says, “Rori’s office contacted me, they got your message. They’re ordering you and Cal to Ascendant now, and they want you to bring her too.” “Did they find something out?” I ask quickly, and Farley is quiet for a few moments on the other end before reply, “They wouldn’t tell me. I have high clearance, but apparently not high enough for this thing.” “This thing?” I ask hesitantly, wondering if there was something going on that neither Cal nor I was completely prepared for. “Farley you must have heard something.” She is quiet again, and when she finally speaks again, her voice is almost a whisper, “There are others Mare, I heard them mention to open another file. There is more than just his mother.” My blood runs cold, and above my head, the lightbulb flickers softly. Leaning away from the receiver, I can see into the living room. Cal is still talking softly with his mother, and for a moment, I wonder if I should take him away from that so that he can hear what Farley has to say. She takes the opportunity from me though, when she says, “I have to go, Clara is making a fuss again. Get up here as soon as you can, bring his mother. They’ll let you speak with Rori as soon as you get here.” I heard her say something to Clara before hanging up. I rose slowly from the table and returned to the living room, my mug of tea forgotten. I watched them for a few moments, my stomach clenching in worry. Rori was not exactly one to go easy on someone simply because the situation asked it of her. She had spent over a year trying to draft me and Cal back into the whole thing. Whether it was demanding or trying to bribe us back to Ascendant, she had seemed desperate to have us around. Farley had said bitterly that she was trying to build up a legion of people that would scare others off. I didn’t exactly think of myself a particularly terrifying person anymore though. In fact, whatever edge I had during the war, I thought I had lost. Of course, there were times where it popped up, but I had no need for the little lightning girl to stand in front. I spent all of my time as Mare Barrow, the girl from the Stilts, with a rotten streak of luck. Cal looked up after noticing me standing in the doorway, and asked, “Was that Farley on the phone?” I nodded carefully, before saying, “Our presence is requested in Ascendant.” His eyes darkened, but he nodded none the less. “I’m guessing Dane contacted Rori about the whole thing.” He rises from the couch, his eyes taking on a faraway look, as he starts to think about the situation before us. His mother watched him for a few seconds, before looking at me and asking, “Who is Rori?” “Rori Journ is the current Premier of Montfort.” I supplied, but my words make her lips draw into a tight line. Whether or not she’s not happy with me speaking or the words I said, is unclear. Cal nods softly, confirming my words, before saying, “I assume she wants to know about you,” his eyes glance to his mother, and she looks up in surprise. Shaking her head quickly she breathes, “I don’t want to cause any trouble.” “That is sort of off the table at this moment. You’re not the only one that has come back.” I said as I leaned against the doorway, trying to understand the woman in front of me. She was not what I thought. I had expected a little bit more of a spine, not someone who so easily bent over. There was no way Cal got his stubborn streak from his father alone. That man had about zero spine. Crossing the room to me, Cal tilts his head slightly to whisper to me, “Call your parents and tell them that we’re coming and we might need a place to stay for a little bit.” I nodded, my fingers grazing his wrist as I replied, “Farley sounded nervous about the whole thing, I think Rori might know more than she lets on.” Nodding, he turns on his heel and makes his way to the stairs. Coriane watches him before turning to me. I give her a small, quick smile before saying, “Less than twenty-four hours here and you’re already going to see more than I did in seventeen years.” Her eyes narrow slightly, and she doesn’t reply to my lame attempt at a joke. I draw the tip of my tongue along my lower lip before saying, “I’ll find you some more things to wear, and we’ll probably leave within the hour.” I hurry up the stairs after Cal then, trying to escape the awkward silence that settles between me and the former queen of Norta. The steps creaking in the silence, cutting it to ribbons as I practically sprint up them. At the top, I can see the door to our bedroom open, and I slip inside before softly closing the door. Cal looks up from the bed where he has tossed a bag. I watch him for a moment before he asks, “Why did you hide the ring?” “I’m not entirely sure what she is going to think. Also, let’s just imagine what would happen if we sprang that on her, along with the fact that your father married Elara, the woman who murdered her, and then smile and say, but guess what? We’re engaged! I’m sure that would go over fantastic.” “It would be better than lying.” Cal grumbles as he steps into the closet and returns with his shirts folded over his arm. I roll my eyes with a sigh before sinking onto the edge of the bed. Crossing my arms, I stared down at the carpet before whispering, “It’s not lying.” “We don’t know how she would react--“ “Hence why I hid the ring,” I replied stiffly, and earned a sigh from him. He set the shirts on the bed, and slowly sank down into a crouch in front of me. He set his hands on my knees and then whispered, “Shouldn’t we give her the benefit of the doubt?” “Would you tell your father… if he was the one down there, would you tell him we were engaged?” I ask softly, and I see him wince for a moment before saying, “I understand.” Reaching out, I cupped his cheek and murmured, “We’ll tell her eventually, when we know more about her, and how she thinks.” He frowns in uncertainty at my words but nods. He rises quickly, and I do it with him, slipping my arms around his middle. Slowly, I lay my head on his chest, and closing my eyes inhale the scent that clings to his sweater. Pine, and a hint of spice from the tea we had made. I open my eyes again and look down at the hem of the sweater that is faded and torn in one spot. Reaching out, I slide my fingers into his, feeling the callous there. I trace a particularly rough spot and then whisper, “My parents will ask all kinds of questions. They’ll want to know when we’re planning on finally getting married. I’ll go into the apartment first if you want to take your mother and tell everyone to keep the engagement and everything under wraps.” “It’s going to bite us in the ass,” he breathes, before turning his head to rest his chin on my hair. I can feel the rise and fall of his shoulders as he breathes softly, and I squeeze his hand before replying, “It’ll only be for a little bit, just… until we know what she thinks of everything.” He grunts his understanding, and I close my eyes again before whispering, “I should pack and get her some things to wear.” I pull away for him slowly, leaving the little bubble of warmth that he creates around him by simply existing. I pause outside of the closet though, feeling the begins of the ache in my chest that comes with the thoughts at the back of my mind. The floor creaks as Cal approaches me from behind. Resting his hands on my hips, he presses a soft kiss on my neck and whispers, “If she’s not the only one, then more are coming.” I grab the inside of my cheek with my teeth and gnaw at it, trying not to think about what he is getting at. His hands keep me in place though as he continues softly, “He may come back, and if he finds out that you held onto the guilt over what happened at Corros all these years he’ll be furious with you.” “I know,” I croak, even if saying the words isn’t enough. It had never been enough for me to just say them. I had never been able to truly move past what I had done at Corros, who I had dragged to their deaths. I sometimes felt like my heart was going to collapse in on itself when I thought about the stone on Tuck with my brother’s name on it. Right now was no exception. “When he sees what he lost, what I made him lose… he’ll hate me.” “What happened in that moment was not your fault,” Cal warns me again, and he wraps his arms around me tightly, as if he might squeeze me back into one piece if he squeezes just tight enough. I set my hand on his forearm, feeling the scars there from the engines that had cut him, and the knives, and even my own lightning. He had a few little branching scars on his other arm, curtesy of me and my nightmares. I had told him to remove them more times than I can count, but he always waves it off, saying it didn’t matter, that they matched mine, and he didn’t mind that. “No one could have predicted that he would have appeared right then and there, no one saw it coming.” Cal murmurs against the skin of my neck as he shifts one of his arms so that it is like a belt from my hip to my shoulder. If I collapse forward like I have before, he’ll be able to hold me up and cradle me to his chest. “I shouldn’t have stopped,” I whispered, my lungs going icy cold when I remembered the prison courtyard and how I had turned around, hell bent on burning Elara to the ground. “It wasn’t your fault,” Cal whispers the words again. It had become somewhat of a motto that he told me in these moments, when the guilt became too much for me to handle. He nuzzled into my neck and whispered again, “It wasn’t your fault love, he chose to go back for you.” I squeeze my eyes shut, but even behind my closed eyelids, I can see still see him clearly. His shoulders, and the slight jerk in them from Ptolemus’s needle slamming into his chest. It’s worse now than before too, because of Samson’s meddling. I can see it from every angle, in any speed. Sometimes, it’s how I actually remember it, quick, followed by the blinding light of my lightning slamming down. Other times, it’s slow, and I can see every second it takes his knees to hit the ground. Now, is one of those times. Grabbing onto Cal’s arm, I let him take my weight, and grip him like a life line. He’ll hold me through the storm, and reel me back when the winds pass. He’s made an art of it now. His lips are soft against my neck and whispers, “I’m here, you’re safe here. It’s just us.” He has to do that sometimes, has to remind me where I am, and when I am. The nightmares and the flashbacks can be bad enough at times, and this is the only thing that works.   Eventually, the moment passes, and when I open my eyes, I can see the carpet of the closet in clear focus, and can feel his chest rising and falling out of time with mine. I listen to his breathing, counting the seconds it takes him to inhale and exhale, and then match it with my own. It’s a long process, but today is apparently going to be a good day because it only takes three tries to calm myself. I squeeze his wrist softly, letting him know that I’m okay and can take my own weight again. He shifts his grip back to where it had started on my hips, and presses another kiss to my neck whispering, “I’m sorry, I brought that on.” “I was already heading for it.” I murmured as I took another deep inhale. He nods, letting me finish the recovery on my own, and then slips away asking if I want him to help me grab things. I nod my affirmation, and then verbalize it before stepping into the closet. At the back is a box with Clara’s birthday present for the year. I grab that first and set it outside of the closet. Something told me we would be staying in Ascendent for a while, and would need to have that for when Clara’s birthday actually rolled around. I gathered a few more outfits, and tossed them onto the bed, not bothering to keep them in neat stack like Cal was trying to do. I heard him laugh as I buried his piles underneath mine, but when I glanced over my shoulder, I saw him folding my clothes as well. I bent down to grab a few pairs of boots, only to pause, and look over my shoulder and say, “Cal,” He looks up from folding one of his shirts, and I feel the boots slide out my hands as I say, “Our family members aren’t the only people that will come back.” He raises a brow, and I whisper, “Elara, Samson… Maven…people we killed, people who want us dead.” His face pales, and he slowly sets the shirt down. He stares at the quilt on out bed for a moment, his face pinched in a way that I haven’t seen in a while. Slowly he lifts his head and grabs another shirt before saying, “I suppose that’s why we’re being summoned back immediately.” “If they aren’t already back,” I murmur, thinking about icy eyes, and cold fingers combing through my memories. I force thoughts of cold skin down, and warm kisses that I thought I missed. Shaking myself out, I pick up the boots again. Steeling myself, I set them on the bed and then say, “Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it.” He nods, but I can see the gears in his head turning at rapid fire. He could be thinking about any number of people who have tried to kill us in the past, and what would happen if they got their hands on us again. Eventually, he stops what he is doing, and pulling me close, he whispers in my ear, “I told you when we were younger that I would never let them hurt you again. I couldn’t protect you then. I don’t know if I can protect you now either.” I tense in surprise at his admission, before looking up at him and whispering, “We’re going to protect each other this time around. There are no secrets or ulterior motives to keep us apart now.” He nods, and then hugs me close again, whispering, “I couldn’t lose you then, and I can’t lose you now.” Wrapping my arms around his middle, I inhale the scent of him again, remembering when he had once smelled like blood and fire. Underneath everything, I know that person is still there, just like the fractured Little Lightning Girl still exists beneath Mare Barrow. If our demons returned to haunt us, would we have to become those people again? I wasn’t sure I would be able to go back there and return again.

@evangelineartemiasamos (you’ve been asking for this fic series to be updated for forever, so guess who’s getting three more parts after this?? (: ), @mareshmallow, @scarletguardsource, @war-storm. I really dont even know if anyone reads red queen fanfic anymore since the series is over, but here it is. (: 

On the early side for Mundane-Monday, but I guess I'm just ready to start the new week!

So, two of your MC's switch stories, how do they react? What do they think about being in different worlds? Who draws the short straw?

Yours dearly,

@catinthesun2

For some reason, I started writing a response to this (and a bunch of other asks) and saved them to my drafts instead of posting them. So, instead of doing the sensible thing and forgetting about them, I am in fact going to just... answer and potentially spam-post them.

So, I did actually put a lot of thought into this. In fact, I originally went so far as to roll a bunch of dice to try to come up with a really compelling

The issue is, a lot of my stories take on a similar setting: a small town where something supernatural is afoot. Whether it's a town they're visiting, like in College Road Trip or even Small Town Gods, or a town they've lived in their whole life like in Unfinished Business or Jackrabbit, that kind of place stays the same. (Of course, there are other works, especially my semi-permanently-on-hold Apocalypse Prevention Unit 9 thing and my litany of very-drafted superhero stories, that take place in different types of settings, but I forgot about those at the time, so we'll ignore them.)

So, the difference would mostly come down to the specific character and specific situation.

What it came down to was Rory from Small Town Gods switching places with Eve from Unfinished Business. Rory is uh... Well, the truth of the matter is that they come from the same basic situation that weighs pretty heavily on each of them: teenage girls from horrible homes that are pretty suddenly thrust into supernatural things. The difference comes from Rory having been around the supernatural her whole life (though she was under the impression that she was either hallucinating or daydreaming) and Eve having no experience with it.

So, Eve having to go to Beaverboard Bridge, where there's always something afoot and like half of the teens in town are embroiled in it, when she already felt really shitty about dragging Willa (and Ethan and Blanche, to an extent) into her own personal monster-hunting quest would definitely be some sort of culture shock.

Likewise, the thought of Rory having to learn to navigate the Afterlife DMV and all the bureaucracy when she can't even drive yet is very funny to me. She already knows about monsters. What's a few dead people? (Along the same vein, the thought of her being pretty okay with giant monsters living in the sky and ocean but not the Afterlife DMV would also be very funny. Like, this is where you draw the line? Okay, Rory.)

Also, I think Rory would do well with a mother figure like Mrs. Lamartine, and that Eve would find something to like about either Rory's dad, Christian, or Sloane. In fact, I think that some things about Christian would remind her of her own brother, Cash.

Lots to think about! Thank you for the question! I'm sorry I'm not going to send one right now! (I'll try to remember tomorrow.)

Waiting Game - Derek Hale x Reader

Summary: (Y/n) knew being in a relationship with a soldier would be hard, but she never anticipated the heartbreak it would bring.

Pairing: Soldier!Derek x Female Reader

As always, thanks to @agirlwithpointlessideas

Derek Hale Masterlist

A heavy sigh escaped (y/n)’s lips as she rolled over in bed just to find the other side empty. She knew she should be used to it by now, it wasn’t the first tour Derek had been on. But it was still so hard, she always woke up alone, missing the way Derek would slowly wake her up in the morning by scattering kisses across her face and neck, his stubble tickling her as she blinked her eyes open.

Forcing herself to get up, (y/n) padded down the hallway, gently pulling Maisy’s bedroom door opened to peek inside. The little girl was snuggled into her duvet with at least ten cuddly toys dotted around her bed. (Y/n) smiled softly, the longing in her chest easing slightly as she knelt by her daughter’s bed. Running her fingers through Maisy’s hair, she watched as the six year old’s eyes fluttered open. She nuzzled into her mum’s hand before asking the same question she asked every morning that Derek was on tour.

“How much longer?”

“Two months, sweetheart” Maisy smiled sleepily, before clambering into (y/n)’s arms and snuggling into her neck as she carried her downstairs. (Y/n) walked over to the calendar next to the fridge, handing Maisy the pen so she could cross off another day. The lines were messy but they only made (y/n) smile because it meant she was one day closer to seeing her husband.

Setting Maisy down, (y/n) started to make breakfast when there was a knock at the door. Scott walked in carrying his son, Rory in his arms. (Y/n) cooed at the two-year-old, reaching out to take him as Scott took over the cooking. She honestly didn’t know what she would do without him, they kept each other sane as they waited for their partners to come home.

“Have you heard anything?” (Y/n) tickled Rory’s stomach, laughing as he gurgled happily. She shook her head, trying not to focus on the disappointment threatening to weigh down her chest. Derek sent messages as often as he could but sometimes that meant waiting for extended periods of time.

“Not today, have you heard anything from Allison?” Scott grinned as he flipped over the pancakes, pulling a letter out of his back pocket and passing it to (y/n). She chuckled as she read Allison’s words, relieved to hear that their unit was doing well as they made progress with their mission. Handing the letter back, she moved to set Rory in his highchair before helping Scott plate up the food.

When Allison and Derek had first left, the two of them had been lost and alone. (Y/n) would always be thankful for the day they bumped into one another on base and decided to spend some time together. It was still difficult but they didn’t feel quite so alone anymore. They finished breakfast, Scott pressing a kiss to (y/n)’s cheek and ruffling Rory’s hair before leaving to go work at the animal clinic downtown.

(Y/n) placed the care package she’d been preparing for Derek on the kitchen table, looking through its contents as she wondered what else she could add. She’d already wrapped his favourite coffee and a new book along with several of his favourite snacks. Looking over at Maisy and Rory as they watched TV, (y/n) smiled as an idea grew in her head.

“Sweetness, do you want to make something to send your dad?” Maisy jumped up, the TV long forgotten as she rambled about all the different things she was going to draw her dad. Within an hour, the kitchen table was covered with a multitude of pictures Maisy had made, even Rory had tried his hand at drawing with his stubby little fingers. Knowing Allison would love it, however illegible it was, (y/n) folded it carefully before writing her name on it so Derek would know to give it to her.

It took Maisy a while to decide what she wanted to send to her dad, but eventually, she singled out three drawings that she deemed good enough. The three of them made their way to the post office, delight running through (y/n)’s veins as she thought of how happy Derek would be when he received it.

The phone rung as (y/n) was preparing the kids’ lunch, she cautioned herself not to get excited but that didn’t stop her from rushing over it.

“Hello”

“Hey baby” (Y/n) felt relief ease the tension in her shoulders as she leant against the kitchen counter. Pulling in a shaky breath, she felt a smile tug at her cheeks.

“How have you been?”

“Good, I miss you both but they’re keeping us busy” (Y/n) closed her eyes, imagining he was in front of her, that she could reach out and brush that one stubborn lock of hair away from his forehead, that she could get lost in his icy green eyes as he smiled at her.

“We miss you too, Der. We sent you something today” Derek chuckled softly, making her heart flutter.

“You didn’t have to do that baby”

“We wanted to and you deserve it” (Y/n) tried to ignore the tears slipping down her cheeks, not wanting to make Derek feel guilty as she was overwhelmed by the deep tone of his voice that was so familiar and yet seemed so distant.

“How’s Maisy doing?” Her eyes flickered over to their daughter, watching as she played with Rory.

“She’s amazing, she’s playing a camel in the Christmas play which means I’ve got to figure out how the hell to make a camel costume” A smile brightened (y/n)’s face as Derek laughed down the phone.

“It’s only October and they’re already organising the Christmas play?”

“I’m kinda thankful, to be honest, I’m going to need as much time as they can give me” He snickered, no doubt shaking his head at his wife’s antics. He was quiet for a moment as he contemplated his next words.

“I might be home by then” Derek’s voice was barely more than a whisper as (y/n) brushed away a stray tear.

“Yeah, I’ll have the tree up and everything” Her voice hitched at the thought of spending Christmas without him if his tour was extended.

“(Y/n/n) please don’t cry. I’ll be home before you know it” (Y/n) nodded despite the fact he couldn’t see her, not wanting to panic the children by how distraught her voice sounded. Derek swore under his breath, signalling that he was running out of time to comfort his wife. “I love you, baby, give Maisy a kiss from me”

“I love you too” (Y/n) held the phone closer to her, as if it meant she could hold onto Derek for just a little bit longer. “Stay safe”

“Always” She squeezed her eyes shut as the call ended, letting her arm drop as she tried to focus on the positives. Derek was alive and safe, that was all she needed to know. (Y/n) prayed that the next two months would fly by so she could be back in her husband’s arm again.

Michael Thomas deletes tweet after Raiders-Saints prediction goes bad

The Telegraph

Bryson DeChambeau’s subsequent trick? A 48-inch driver to bomb the Masters

And for his subsequent trick… After beautiful the golf world together with his outrageous efficiency on the US Open, through which he made the remainder invisible in his six-shot subjugation, Bryson DeChambeau now plans to make use of a 48-inch driver at The Masters in six weeks time. That could be a mighty wand by any normal. Certainly, the principles state that’s the most size of shaft allowed. Along with his new standing, it might be a courageous and maybe even difficult ploy on DeChambeau’s behalf. However it’ll come after what many specialists think about to be a basic change within the historical past of the sport at Winged Foot, New York on Sunday evening. It was not meant to occur like this. No person was meant to overpower Winged Foot with its pencil-thin fairways, its brush-thick tough and greens so slopey and quick that ink, itself, would roll off. But DeChambeau ignored all of the warnings, all the guarantees of carnage and proceeded to blow straight over a supposed monster. DeChambeau hit solely 23 of the 56 fairways, the least of any US Open champion since they began gathering information 30 years in the past. However he averaged 325 yards in driving distance, conversely the furthest by any US Open winner — and it’s honest to say this regardless of the shortage of yesteryear information — in historical past. DeChambeau is a revolutionary and like each renegade there are requires him to be constrained. Remark: Golf’s distance downside is ruining nice programs On Monday morning, the BBC web site referred to as for the governing our bodies lastly to intervene and arrest this one-dimensional “bomb and gouge” tradition that threatens to quash nuance — and to guard the basic programs on the identical time. As enthralling as DeChambeau’s ultimate spherical 67 was — the one under-par rating of the day and thus the bottom by a staggering three pictures — the concern is that an period of sledgehammer and wedge might get more and more uninteresting. Rory McIlroy was brave sufficient to pose the query, “Is that this good or dangerous for the sport?” earlier than emphasising how impressed he was. A lot was made when DeChambeau appeared post-lockdown carrying 40lbs extra of muscle however on the time McIlroy was unmoved. “I performed with him at Colonial the primary week again out and I form of mentioned, ‘Okay, wait till he will get to a correct golf course, he’ll must rein it again in’,” McIlroy mentioned. “However look what’s occurred. Yeah, he has full perception in what he is doing and I believe it is good. He’s taken benefit of the place the sport is on the minute.” Golf is at a crossroads and with DeChambeau’s bombs flying over their heads, the US Golf Affiliation and the R&A; should determine in the event that they eventually need to draw a line. A event ball can be the only repair, though it might imply the professionals enjoying with completely different tools to the hackers (in fact, they do anyway) and dropping that legendary connection. The USGA and R&A; revealed, in a report launched earlier this 12 months, a willingness to behave and the strain is on now greater than ever earlier than, no matter any potential authorized wars. Nonetheless, DeChambeau doesn’t sound frightened. “Will they rein it again? I am positive,” he mentioned. “I am positive one thing may occur. I do not know what it will likely be, however I simply know that size is at all times going to be a bonus. It is powerful to rein in athleticism. We’re at all times going to be making an attempt to get fitter, stronger, extra athletic. Tiger Woods impressed this complete technology to do that, and we will maintain going after it. I do not assume it is going to cease.” His caddie Tim Tucker is definite. “Bryson’s by no means going to cease,” he mentioned. “He’s going to maintain pushing it.” However at what expense? To not the 27-year-old, in fact, his $2.25m winnings have taken him above $20m profession earnings already and goodness is aware of the bonuses supplied up by Cobra, the membership producer who should really feel like Jimi Hendrix’s electrical guitar-maker after Woodstock. But to a sport petrified about falling participation ranges, determined to retain the viewers and sponsors introduced in by Woods, and anxious that it can not maintain increasing layouts due to price and environmental components, this seems a pivotal time.

from Growth News https://growthnews.in/michael-thomas-deletes-tweet-after-raiders-saints-prediction-goes-bad/ via https://growthnews.in

I Have A Lot of Feelings About Taylor Swift

First of all, let me get my personal feelings out of the way. (Oh, who am I kidding? This is all personal.)

I was a little sad and a little mad for the longest time after I found out about the trial but I didn’t look into the details until it started.

Then, the day after my birthday, because birthdays are cursed, the trial started. I was fully pissed and ready to kill a man (read: one man specifically).

And then, I just lost it. It was at around 5 p.m. on Wednesday (day 3 of the trial) that I finally LOST IT. I was reading updates on Twitter from the press in the court room. Taylor’s mom, Andrea, was on the stand and she was telling the court what happened.

It was hysterical, uncontrollable, loud, ugly, SOBBING. It finally hit home like a bullet through my heart. Only once before did I ever feel this way about something that wasn’t about me and my life and that was the day after the election.

I know I am making it sound like the world just ended but I am not exaggerating.

My part of my world ended on November 9th, 2016. A part of my heart broke on August 9th of 2017. (Can we please just skip over the ninth day of every month from now?)

This is the story of what happened after the assault that day: she thanked them for coming, told her Mom about it, they decided to not make what happened public, she went on to performing that night’s show, and then put up walls.

That was the first time something like that ever happened and she made sure it would be the last.

Of course, a man (or maybe it was two) still managed to grab on to her ankle on the 1989 World Tour. Looking back at that, now knowing about what happened in 2013, I can understand the fear in her face and the shock in her body in the video that recorded the event so much better now. I can almost swear she was having flashbacks.

https://twitter.com/holyground_13_/status/895409851639181315?s=09

The gold sparkly dress was from the Fearless era. The purple one was from the Speak Now era. The striped tops were from Red, the one where she crowd-surfed was at an award show and the other one was on her tour. Fast forward, the 1989 tour not only saw the end of this, the stage was also absurdly far away from the audience considering that she was the performer and should have been out of reach of the audience.

She no longer goes through the crowd, which was her absolutely favorite thing to do. She would hug as many people as she can, hold as many hands as she can, pick up as many children as she can, thank as many people as she can. Because she never, not for one moment, lost sight of the fact that we made her career possible and we are there because we love her. She never for one moment stopped treating us as if we were her world.

I think at least some of us thought she stopped because of security risks. But the truth is that she stopped because of something traumatic that happened and left her scarred, not because she didn’t trust her fans.

A few years ago, she yelled at her security (yelled as in used harsh words, not has in raised her voice, because can you even imagine her yelling) because they told her she couldn’t see her fans. That was one of the few times, if not the only time, I’ve seen her lose her temper; even including all of the times she was attacked with rude and invasive questions during interviews, even then, she always managed to remain graceful and poised. But when it comes to us, she loses all calm and does as much as she possibly could to make us happy. She bakes for us after inviting us to her homes and sends us Christmas presents and stalks us on social media, like, who even does that? Yeah, we really don’t deserve her.

She is a white feminist and a flawed human being. (Now that I look back at it, her lack of political participation this past year have been at least partially because of the pending trial.) But she is a better person that any of us can ever hope to be and a better person than this world ever deserved.

Andrea, known to the Swifties as Mama Swift, has the kind of relationship with her daughter that Lorelai Gilmore has with Rory and I am perpetually jealous. Andrea said that day, amongst many other heartbreaking things, “I didn’t not want this event to define her life.” (Yes, of course I cried harder.) That was why she didn’t want it to go public.

But of course, it did anyways. But hey, at least Taylor got a few extra years to build up her career to unimaginable heights so now, if she falls, she can’t hit the ground. But she shouldn’t fall. This is perhaps the post important thing Taylor has ever done for the world.

Taylor Swift deserves better. WOMEN deserve better.

As much as I understand how low this falls on the scale of “How Badly A Woman Could Have Been Hurt”, as much as I realize that at least 40% of my anger is because this is happening to Taylor and only the other half is about what actually happened to her, I also am all too aware of how representative this is of something so much bigger than just one person and how monumental it is that such a trial like this one is even happening.

I am proud of her for deciding to go through this rather than settle to avoid the attention. I am proud of her for standing up for herself and women everywhere. I am proud of her for standing up against rape culture and using her fame to draw attention to this. I am proud of her for doing what is right over what is easy; she wouldn’t be Taylor Swift if she didn’t.

If there are any silver linings to this dark cloud, it’s these: So many women have come forth with their stories, I’ve seen it and I am still seeing it. She is already making an impact, even if the world is silent. Plus, it is now confirmed that this fandom is woke af (not all of us, a minor fraction of us are still being shit). Maybe it took something this big to get so many of us this angry, but we are fully pissed off right now and we are never going to let this go.

Bonus.

I think you can guess even before you read the rest why it took me two years from late 2012 to late 2014 to go from hearing my first Taylor Swift song to becoming a Swiftie.

It wasn’t that I didn’t like her music. It wasn’t that I wouldn’t have liked her. I have not changed that much in the years all things considered and I evidently absolutely adore her now.

It was because the only thing I can remember anyone ever saying about her to me from those years was and I quote: “She has too many boyfriends.” I shit you not. Those were the exact words and it is BURNED into my mind. I definitely didn’t stand up for her then, I also definitely had no way to defend her because I knew so little, so I probably was like “yeah, I guess” even if the statement didn’t make me fully comfortable.

It wasn’t until I found her name in a book I read that hailed her as one of the great female country artists of the age. That’s when I could see the real her.

The novel featured one song from each of these artists. Taylor’s was A Place In This World, track 4 of her debut album. That song made me look up her old music and the history of her entire career. That was in mid 2014, end of Red, beginning of 1989. That song gave me a place in which I felt understood, it gave me a voice I didn’t have before.

Little by little, I memorized every lyric, found the story behind every song, watched every interview, and let her become such a huge part of my life. In return, she changed it and made it better and become the one person who was somehow there for me when no one else was.

Shocking.

In retrospect: I think my friends all knew I was a Swiftie before I did.

And to think that I was kept from that for two whole years because of how particularly sexist the world is and will continue to be in the foreseeable future when it comes to her.

Still, I do believe that history will remember her in kindness and see her for who she is and all that she is, not some twisted depiction of her based on blatant ignorance and misinformation. Maybe the textbooks will someday say what the world isn’t saying today: Taylor Swift deserves better.

That is, assuming we don’t die from a nuclear World War III under the Trump Administration.

Hello fellow boozie readers!

Sam’s Update:

I can officially say that I’m in my 30s… happy birthday to me!! We also went to ALA, which is like BookCon but so much more chill. As of this posting, I’m probably still there, since it ends today at 2pm. Anywho, I’ve been in more of a Netflix mood, not a reading mood, but here you go.

What Sam finished this week:

The Wicked King by Holly Black: Welp, coulda called that one. Jude is still so dumb. But I enjoyed listening to this.

What Sam’s reading now:

  Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix by Julie C. Dao: Literally just started it, btu this is the follow up to Forest of a Thousand Lanterns reviewed here.

The Simoquin Prophecies by Samit Basu: Book club book. Reserving all comment until bookclub is over.

Ginny’s Update:

This is a judgement free zone (if you like to ignore the fact that reviews are pretty much pure judgment, in this case I mean no one is gonna judge me). Lots of romance novels again. Plus I had a fun thing happen this weekend where I was too dizzy to function because vertigo is a bitch. Unfortunately I’m a dummy and used that time to sleep instead of read. So, you’re welcome Sam, there aren’t too many covers to find.

Currently Reading:

The Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean: This is one of the ARC’s I got from bookcon. Sarah MacLean is a delight to follow on twitter and writes some really fun heroines. I know Linz didn’t have much luck with the last book, but I am enjoying this one. Hattie has a plan for her year and isn’t gong to let anything get in her way. ‘Beast,’ a moniker that’s labeled as ridiculous in the book, is going to get in her way. All she wants is to take over her father’s shipping business. He has unfinished drama that I’m going to be honest, I don’t super care about at the moment…. 🙂

After the Crown by K.B. Wagers:  I read the first book in this series earlier this year and as the triology is already complete wanted to keep up with it. Hail, who is now empress, is still dealing with the fallout of the attempted coup etc and the case of characters from the previous book is there to help her deal. This is kind of like Firefly meets Star Wars.

Finished Reading:

Luck of the Draw by Kate Clayborn: This was exactly what I thought it would be. The drama was exactly what I thought it would be. Ultimately I still super enjoyed this book as the character growth from hate to friendly to love seemed to make sense. The story happened over weeks and didn’t start at immediate love (I’m kind of sick of “I’ve known this person for five minutes and already I would die for them” story lines). So yes, it was a solid choice. 3.5/5

The Suffragette Scandal by Courtney Milan: Yup, another romance novel. The library blessed me. “Free” runs a newspaper for women that is about as feminist as a newspaper in ye olden dayes can be. Edward Clark was left for dead by his aristocratic family and has adopted a fake name and been a conman for the last oh seven years. He’s trying to protect and old friend and decides to use Free to help. Unfortunately his dick of a brother is going to cause lots o problems. Free was a ton of fun and has a wonderful point of view on things, and I really enjoyed the arguments between her and Edward. He’s so cynical but really well meaning beneath everything else. 4/5.

Unmasked by the Marquess by Cat Sebastian:  I’m not going to bother with a full summary here but this book is fucking wild. Robin, our non-binary hero lives life to the fullest and knows she (I promise this is talked about in the book, I’m not misgendering her) will never get what she truly wants. Because Alistair has a stick up his ass and bumbles his way through anything real because he’s spent too many years trying to ‘fix’ his fathers mistakes. They fall in love and do so much stupid stuff. But honestly this book is a trip. I highly suggest it. 4/5

DNF:

I Love You so Mochi by Sarah Kuhn: I do plan on picking this one back up, but now wasn’t the time. It’s part of the reason I read so much romance is I just really didn’t feel like picking this one up again.

The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala: Man, I adored the world of this book. I could read straight up history textbooks about this world. Unfortunately, I really didn’t care for either of the two main characters. I got about 40% of the way in, and didn’t understand why they felt drawn to each other, didn’t care about the contest. I honestly just wanted to learn more about how the original treaties came to be, about how the matriarchal society functioned, what the change was like. I would have read a book set 10 years before this book was placed. I just didn’t care for it. It wasn’t bad, just not the story I wanted it to be.

Minda’s Update:

ALA was amazing! Picked up so many new releases and ARCs.

What Minda finished:

Kingsbane by Claire Legrand – The most feels I’ve had from a book in awhile! I still can’t process everything.

What Minda put down:

Dry by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman – Taken back by the library, but honestly I was only like one page in.

What Minda is reading now:

The Simoquin Prophecies by Samit Basu – Book club book, enough said.

Wilder Girls by Rory Power – Just picked this one up from ALA! A school for girls is under quarantine and one of the students is finding answers—mystery and intrigue. Comes out July 9, so hoping to finish before then.

Linz’s Update:

WHY DID WE GO TO ALA WE ARE FASHIONING OURSELVES INTO MONSTERS. I’m officially a book Gollum.

What Linz read:

Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly: The tiniest of dents has been made in my ARC pile. Minda and I have to have words on this book, because I have some feelings

The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray: GIRL WHERE DO I START. This was so damn good, you should all read this immediately. I bought a copy. You can borrow it. Just like start it now.

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo: If I had known better, I would not have read this and The Care and Feeding in the same week, Jesus Mary and Joseph I cried a lot. Acevedo’s second offering is about a high school senior who is VERY talented at cooking, and struggles to juggle college applications, work, and her toddler daughter. I’m so exhausted that I’m not giving it its due, but this may be one of my favorite books this year. It’s beautiful, balanced, and I’m so glad it exists.

What Linz is reading now:

I’ll be honest, I’ve been trudging away at Jade City, and I think I just picked the wrong time to read it, or maybe it’s just not for me. I’m shelving it tonight and starting…

Swipe Right for Murder: Derek Milman – We picked this up at BookCon and saw it again at ALA. People have been going crazy for it on social media. From Goodreads: “On the run from the FBI. Targeted by a murderous cult. Labeled a cyber-terrorist by the media. Irritated texts from his best friend. Eye contact with a nice-looking guy on the train. Aidan has a lot to deal with, and he’s not quite sure which takes top priority.”

Until next time, we remain forever drunkenly yours,

Sam, Melinda, Linz, and Ginny

Weekly Wrap-Up: June 17-23, 2019 Hello fellow boozie readers! Sam's Update: I can officially say that I'm in my 30s... happy birthday to me!!