#lonely devil review
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Wedding Lonely Devil Proposals Ranked Part 2
3. Mammon
Oh my gooooddd
Nightmare. Literal nightmare proposal. Four little words made my stomach clench irl.
There's no way I could fake happiness if this happened to me. Even if I loved them. I didn't wanna be mean since Mammon's in my top 3 but yeah...Lucifer was right. This is hell. This is cringe hell.
So why #3? Well.
🎆🎇🧨SIMEON JUMP SCARE!!! 🧨🎇🎆
Simeon, cheerful, supportive, and always up for fun time, makes a cameo in the flash mob Mammon apparently forced the transfers to do. And complementing Simeon's joyous appearance?
An incredibly miserable Solomon! It was indescribably beautiful seeing him writhe in embarrassment for this awful plan. Any pain on my face would have faded once Simeon stepped in and melted away completely after Solomon's agonized dance. Thank you Mammon for my life.
Sadly, I can't rank Mammon's higher because technically speaking "two hot guys (one who I like more than you) made me smile" is not what most would call an ideal proposal. 3.5 barely contained panic attacks in a public venue out of 5.
2. Levi
Everyone's proposal kind of sucks and I can't say Levi is an exception. He programs a game for you, wildly misjudges your capabilities, backseat games, then ends up beating the whole thing for you. Whoops.
But sucking is in Levi's nature and the way he fucks up is organic to who he is - he even acknowledges it in his proposal speech.
I found it endearing and sweet. This proposal was genuine, held personal significance, took effort, and was overall a warm experience. Also, kudos for creating a game where the protagonist is supposed to be me and saying you want to take on life's struggles together. Someone lower on this list should take notes…
The only reason Levi doesn't clear first place is because he did kind of fuck it up. But I appreciate the hard work that went into it. I would say yes. 4 poorly considered video game recs out of 5.
And finally(ish)
1. Beel!
He is so so so cute, from his bouquet of vegetables to fighting the urge to eat the cake he made for you. Making my favorite cake with a ring in it isn't all that grand but a) I'll keep it real with you: none of the proposals are and b) I don't need a grand proposal. I just want it to feel meaningful. Just a bit of creativity, something that holds significance, and also I'm not dying of embarrassment. It's relevant to his theme, it's fun, it has thought out into it, and it requires some self-restraint on his end. Beautiful.
5 wedding cakes made with buttercream frosting out of 5.
Finally.
Lucifer
I intentionally ranked everybody before watching his because I knew this smug jackass would do some shit that might affect my rankings. I needed to be confident in my opinion.
Fucker. Humiliating how well this would work on me.
True #3. Lucifer
Sorry Mammon :(
#obey me#lonely devil review#obey me beelzebub#I'm happy he didn't instantly steal first place but he did make my top 3😮💨 points were made
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What's New In IF? Issue 6 (2024)
By Erika, Marjorie, Axelle, and Noi
Now Available!
Itch.io - Google Drive - Keep Reading below
Did you know that you can learn a neat fun fact about IF on the itch.io version?
EDITORIAL
Not a content machine…
Though we manage to fill our pages with many projects appearing on the scene or updating regularly, it is important to remember that creators are not content machines.
They are like you and us: people, with ups and downs, with period of great productivity and creative struggles, with life affecting all of it. They put a lot of effort into making really cool stories (and most of them as a hobby!), so much more than we do with this!
And they share with us this labor of sweat, blood, tears and love, with little in return: a sign that someone played their project and enjoyed it.
Whether it is a quiet like or rating, a loud review or comment, a simple share (that can trickle away towards new eyes), or even a few coins their way, there are many ways we can tell them:
We see you, and we appreciate you.
Let's try to do this more, yeah?
We hope you enjoy this issue!
ERIKA, MARJORIE, AXELLE, AND NOI
EVENTS
CONFERENCE
You can now register for the Narrascope! It is happening June 21-23, in hybrid. They've also released the schedule of talks!
ONGOING (VOTING)
The voting period for the Text Adventure Literacy Jam ends in less than a week. The competition is looking for beginner players!
ONGOING (SUBMITTING)
If Spanish is in your wheelhouse, the Spanish IFComp (Rayuela) is currently ongoing! You can submit a game until the end of June, with the themes Es un sólo botón and/or Conexión.
Also ongoing is the ParserComp, which are looking for parser games, both with a classic feel or a more experimental approach.
If you are looking to make a Visual Novel, the Otome Jam will be looking for entries until July 1st.
🔥 Fuck Capitalism Jam 2024 🔥 is also a fun jam to participate in, and ends in a short week! (We know it's not technically IF, but they took IF entries before)
Today ends the REALLY BAD IF JAM, hosted on itch.io, where the goal is to make bad art (IF-style).
A Visual Novel focused version, “Worst Ever VN“ Challenge, will still accept entries until next week..
ENDED
The Locus Jam (@neointeractives)ended this week, with 15 short games! All entries were only allowed one location!.
There were also two entries that came out of the Text-Based Game/Visual Novel Jam, which you can find on itch.io.
The Narrative Design Award competition has just ended, with 26 entries with nautical themes.
OTHER
The Interactive Fiction Showcase is still running, with new submissions, since last week! It is happening on itch!
GAMES
NEW RELEASE
Do you like Call of Duty? A short fanfic in the CYOA format can be played on Tumblr. (@gauloiseblue)
Juniper's Under Story (Ren’Py) is a short beautiful slice-of-life visual novel. (@romanhyacinths)
The Final Song (Twine) is an educational historical fiction story set on the last days of the Siege of Leningrad.
Power Quest (Twine) is a short educational piece about renewable energy.
Don't forget about the cool games released in the events mentioned in the previous pages!
NEW RELEASE (WIP)
A Twisted Wonderland fanfic interactive project where your choice can affect the story is ongoing on Tumblr. (@sanalang-ao33)
Blackwood Manor (CScript) is a dark Victorian mystery project, where you play as the new Housekeeper of strange noble siblings. (@ang3lwithapen)
GAMES UPDATES
Thicker Than (CScript) has updated, passing the 300k total words mark. (@barbwritesstuff)
The Lonely Shore (CScript) has released an update with more activities. (@thelonelyshore-if)
Spellbound (CScript) is another project that passed the 300k total words mark.
Life as a Lich (CScript) is looking for testers ahead of release.
First Bull Run (CScript) has updated.
A Dance with the Devil (CScript) has updated its demo.
The Ultimate Magic Student (CScript) added over 30k words of content.
Core Uprising (CScript) completed a route.
My One and Only (CScript) has updated. (@reds-corner)
Aquarii (Twine) added Chapter 2. (@aquarii-if)
Valiant (Twine) has updated Chapter 2. (@valiant-if)
The Thousand of Us (CScript) added more content to the demo. (@ivanwm-05)
The Mouth of Elysium (Twine) has released its demo. (@blood-teeth)
Our Life: Now and Forever (Ren’Py) has updated its demo. (@gb-patch)
Mission Light (Twine) has released its demo, currently a prologue. (@mission-light-if)
Crash Course in You (Twine) released the rest of its First Chapter. (@fakeyellow)
Everbloom (CScript) has been fully released for free. (@darielivalyen)
Skin and Scales (Twine) has added Chapter 2 to its demo. (@skinandscales-if)
The Reaper Watches Me (Twine) also added its second chapter. (@thereaperwatchesme)
Dragon of Steelhorne 2 (CScript) is opening a private beta head of an IFComp release.
Blood Legacies (CScript) has almost doubled the wordcount of the demo. (@bloodlegacies)
Sense and Sorcery (CScript) has added new routes.
OTHER
Kit, author of The Nothern Passage (@northern-passage), is setting up a charity raffle for Palestine and looking for creators and artists for prizes.
The Neo-Interactive (@neointeractives) group has announced their Neo-Twiny Jam will raise money for LBGTQ+ causes through donations and submissions (announcement).
BLESS (Blood+Flesh+Soul) is turning into a Kinetic Novel. (@mahadeoh-blog)
Fields of Asphodel (CScript) has been submitted to Hosted Games. The demo is not available anymore. (@chrysanthemumgames)
We apologize if we missed an update or a release. We are but volunteers trying to find as much info as possible, but sometimes news pass through the cracks.
Please, let us know if something should have been added to the zine, and we will shout it out next week!
HIGHLIGHT ON...
A couple of games that we thought were cool.
Ascendance by Ascendance-if (@ascendance-if - Twine)
“Well, it's cool because there are really nice side character friends and those moments with them were absolutely lovely. Also, the premise of the story of being a creature who had experienced various lifetimes as different species in different worlds and having met and interacted with the LIs and be able to still reconnect with them no matter who or what you were and are is lovely as well.”
submitted by FeveredRain
Posey Picks and the Bus Stop by indooranimal (@derekachoy - Phaser)
“Such a cute VN. It's like giving a heartbalm after playing really dark stuff. It's so silly and the endings are so funny, but I like it a lot. And it's like surprising large and branching for a VN.
You should play it.”
submitted by Isaac
The Impossible Bottle by Linus Åkesson (Dialog)
“Truly one of the best parser I have ever played. A magical experience where I didn't feel frustrated once. I am in awe of how accessible it was for a (then) non-parser player (click to action). And the twist…
… so so cool. Best winner of the IFComp for sure.”
recommended by Eric
Your favourite game here?
Do you have a favourite game that deserve some highlighting? Tell us about it! A old or recent game that wowed you so much you want to spam it to everyone? Tell us about it!
We'll add it to the page!
FINAL WORD
Before we end this issue, we would like to thank:
@elegantunknownphantom, Eric, FeveredRain, Isaac, and a couple of anonymous users!
Your shared news, helpful tips, cool links, filled form, written Sheet line, sent emails… all these little attentions toward the Zine help us so much!
We also would like to thank all of you who told us of cool recs that didn't appear this edition. We'll try out best to fit them in next week!
And a final thank to all of you who not only read our zine, but liked it, shared it with others, left a little sweet reply or dm, or even rated it on itch! Those little bits of support really help us so much!! Thank you for cheering us on this journey!
~
As a final parting word, we thought of bringing back this little challenge for you all:
If you enjoy a game or a project, or if you admire an author and their work, try to send them a little message of appreciation this week.
A little comment or rating for their game, a compliment in their askbox/dm, gushing in the tags of a reblog or in a review…
Spread the kindness!
See you again next week!
ERIKA, MARJORIE, AXELLE, AND NOI
WHAT'S NEW IN IF? 2024-ISSUE 6
#interactive fiction#if news#visual novel#parser#choice of games#choicescript#twine#ink#twine games#ink games#itch.io#interactive game#interactive novel#IF#games#hobby#indie dev#choose your own adventure#if-whats-new#What's New in IF#NEW ISSUE IS OUT!!
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Devil On Top - By Bulma (3/10)
This is by far the worst writing I have seen in a long time. I don't think I've ever seen an author give up so completely. The story just veers away from the main couple, because they failed. Yup. The author gave up, because their yandere writing was that bad.
This could have been a really great comedy. It starts out pretty fun. Jacque is the devils only servant. He lives in the Devil Tower, which is smack in the middle of a Korean city. Nobody is afraid of the devil anymore, because he doesn't terrorize anyone.
He just mopes all day.
His lover. Jacque. Jacque lost his memory and now he just works as a servant.
Yes the devil is a strange one. Terius is very depressed. His elder brother found him lying on the ground, with ratty hair down to the floor. Terius lost someone very important to him. He's been waiting for that person.
Terius has been waiting for Jacque to remember him. He doesn't harass Jacque. He becomes too depressed to reach out at all eventually. He stays in his lonely bedroom, pressed up against the door. He listens to Jacque while he works, and he hopes that their love is true and Jacque will remember him.
He doesn't...so Terius rots in his sadness..
Then...he hears Jacque calling for him.
He goes downstairs and...
He finds Jacque cheating on him with a female tentacle demon.
He's heartbroken.
Jacque tries to explain. He didn’t want to mate with the female. She forced him. Jacque was literally crying out for help, but Terius doesn't listen.
Terius says they need to mate to save him from the poison and eggs the female injected into him. He's kinda not lying Jacque was poisoned....but then Terius just starts torturing him???
He accepts that his true love will never return....so he just starts abusing the attractive body he's been lusting over and missing???
Jacque loses all respect for Terius. He only stays out of fear. He hates sleeping with Terius and he no longer wants to work as a servant.
There's no....nothing???
The story of his tragic memory loss gets completely tossed aside???
Jacque utterly hates him now.
Terius puts a leash on him and its not even hot??? How do you mess up that badly???
Terius puts a leash on Jacque, because he fully intends to indulge after his years of loneliness. He barely lets Jacque out of his sight and there's nothing. No spark or moment of memory. Terius is just an asshole and Jacque is only afraid.
The worst part is you can tell that these two characters were SUPPOSED to reconnect and have a somewhat comedic relationship. In the beginning Jacque is often enamored by Terius's beauty and he naively believes that mating will save him from the poison.
Then by chapter ten the reviews were in.
It seems like Terius was such a universally hated love interest that....well it killed the story. The author ended it.
There's this big, symbolic scene where Terius is holding onto a little fish underwater. One he claims to love and adore. Then a shadowy version of himself threatens that love. Then he just wakes up and abuses Jacque like usual.
Then...Jacque falls off the top of the Demon Tower and Terius basically vanishes from the story.
Jacque has an **** with a bunch of fat bald guys.....I'm serious...
The author had plenty of opportunities to make this decent. Please, authors of the world, if you are not a fan of yandere content DO NOT MAKE IT. Yes, yandere stories are popular now. But, come on. If that particular kink disgusts you that lack of passion will show in your work. I have no doubt that this author made zero dollars off of this travesty, and it was a waste of time for everyone involved. Including the readers!
This is just insulting.
#yandere#male yandere#yandere male#yandere boy#recommendations#recs#rec#recommended#webtoon#yaoi#Devil On Top
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Can I get an afab × Makima fanfic?
Reader works at the PSDH (Hope I remembered the acronym right. I am just a simp, not a watcher of the manga or anime) as a sort of paper worker. Basically just doing the paper work that doesn't need to be bothered with by Makima. (if that is a thing that is real idk) Reader one day finished all her work and then walks straight to Makima's office and sits on her lap, puts her face in the crook of her neck, and promptly falls asleep hugging Makima. No words said by Reader, Makima only going like "Oh!" and then just going with it, maybe talking a bit. Idk i'm a lonely sapphic lmao
a/n: tysm for rqing!! i do apologize for taking so long to fulfill this quest! I don't really like writing Makima too often! I hope you enjoy this and i do apologize if it isn't too great!! Also for context of this story, Makima and Reader will already be in a relationship bc i think that would be easier for me to write akdnfadkjfla
Scratching noise can be heard all throughout the room, a stack of papers on one side of the desk. Papers needing verification to whether people could switch patrol or even to get permission to temporarily take out one of the higher functioning devils for a day for some need back up. And lots and lots of damage reports that need to be reviewed.
You've been working all day and haven't taken any breaks, but it was all the more worth to be done with it all before 10 PM. Adding the final stamp to the paper, you give a small cheer and a small stretch. Standing up, you begin to head to a very familiar office. Makima had asked you earlier that morning that you had some paperwork to do and to come visit her after you were done.
Knocking on her office door, a muffled "come in" can be heard, inside Makima sits at her desk with a similar sized stack of papers beside her. She doesn't look as tired as you are though.
Walking up to her, you pull her chair back which cause Makima to let out a little "hmm" before letting out a small "Oh" as you sit in her lap. Wrapping you arms around her waist and muzzling your face in her neck. Makima looks down at you briefly before smiling softly and placing a small kiss on your temple.
"Did all that paperwork make you tired? I do apologize, no one else finishes the work in such a timely manner. I'll have to make it up to you. Perhaps we could go on a date? After you rest up of course,"
#.💌.🍓.#wasn't sure how to make it afab but i do apologize for that#csm makima#makima#chainsaw man#chainsaw man x reader#csm x reader#makima x reader#chainsaw man makima#csm makima x reader#chainsaw man makima x reader#x fem!reader#x female reader#x gn reader#men and non sapphics dni
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godzilla x kong: the new empire
"For most of human civilization, we believed that life could only exist on the surface of our planet. What else were we wrong about?"
okay, I kind of fell off doing this, but we’re back! the best ever tumblr review series that’s written by avillanappears.tumblr.com! I came in not expecting much, but it turns out I really, really liked it, actually! I’m more pleasantly surprised than anyone, godzilla vs kong rubbed me very much the wrong way. godzilla and kong beating the ever-loving tar out of each other was fun, sure, but I have WORDS for the human stuff. I could fill a whole post with those, probably, but we’re not talking about that! we’re thinking good thoughts, about the one I liked!
it’s definitely a fun adventure film. hollow earth was a much more fleshed out setting this time, I loved the varieties of locales and creatures. giant, flying flamingo fish that shoot electricity? kong crossing a rickety bridge made out of the spine of a monster so massive, that it’s kaiju sized compared to him? this is exactly the sort of thing I wanted to see! it was fascinating seeing kaiju sort of “on their level”, in a whole giant sized ecosystem made for them. we got some of that in the atomic time of monsters by @tyrantisterror, and I think it’s such fertile ground to explore. godzilla’s flirted with the idea before in both its netflix animes, but this is them really committing to it. it makes my worldbuilding and specbio freak heart happy. we even got to see more hellhawks! I love those guys.
lookit that face
okay this is going pretty long, but anyhoo, I liked the character stuff too. kong was as lovable as always, you really feel for the big lug. even though he’s a living god the size of a mountain, there’s a real vulnerability to him. he’s just a sad, lonely guy who wants purpose and belonging.
he and suko had some kind of fast, but still very nice bonding. the human side was fun too, they fixed a lot about what I didn’t like from the last movie. jia had more of an arc going instead of just being “the one kong talks to”, bernie was a lot more enjoyable since they cut out the weird conspiracy theorist stuff, trapper was a fun guy. it was nice just seeing someone who loves monsters and weird nature stuff.
skar king surprised me with how personal of a threat he is, they really let him feel like a horrid, nasty piece of work. he’s more than just a big evil overlord, he’s a bullying control freak who wants everything his way, and it makes his wretchedness more tangible in a way.
shimo didn’t get all that much, but I love shimo. I love her, and I can barely even tell why, there’s just some kind of Vibe to her I resonate with. I think it’s how mythical she feels. the oldest of a line of gods, a great being of ice, controlled by a wicked devil….in fact it all felt very mythic. I appreciate that, I love it when kaiju works play out like weird mythological epics.
probably the most tangible complaint I can think of right now is that the godzilla stuff was pretty underwritten. it honestly felt like he was just….doing video game sidequests or something. like, it didn’t have Impact up until the very end when he finally meets kong and SPOILERS SPOILERS. and it feels a shame to kill scylla and tiamat off this early, I liked those two as unpredictable wildcards. with rodan and the others still mia, and two titans unceremoniously dead, it’s starting to feel like the monsterverse is sorta….flattening itself? now that kongs arc is done, I think we need to get back to a godzilla solo or two, flesh things back out a bit. but that’s for future peter to talk about, today we’re leaving things off on a high note. fun characters, dynamic locales, some great monster brawling, this one was a good’un!
godzilla cast monkeys into hell for their sins
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take a shot
content: fluff (as always), alcohol (takes place a year later where both reader and riddle are third years... drink responsibly—)
pairing: riddle rosehearts x drunk!gn!reader
word count: 500+
synopsis: riddle tries to take care of his drunk and clingy partner.
a/n: omg i posted twst... i originally wrote this for me and my friends with our ocs but i loved it so much i wanted to post it
riddle sat on his desk reviewing his notes, a lone lamp being the only light source in the room. he checks his phone, you haven’t texted him anything in an hour. he started to get worried since it’s almost midnight.
speaking of the devil, his door swung open revealing you and your friends. you celebrated getting high marks on the exams by going to a nearby bar, they didn’t look drunk… except for one.
“riddle!” your flushed face and posture told him everything he needed to know. “hey, i missed you!”
he turned to ace who only sighed in defeat. “we tried.”
you were clinging onto him, he appreciated the affection but he needed to take care of you first. you were very intoxicated and it showed.
“good luck with them.” deuce nervously smiled at him before closing the door, leaving the couple alone.
“alright, you need water.” he scanned his bedroom, he saw his red water bottle and gave it to you. “you turned 18 a few weeks ago and you’re already drinking so much.”
you giggled. “sorry, i got a little carried away.” you took the bottle and gulped down the water, but not drinking it all.
“lay down.” without a complaint, you did what you were told. even drunk, you’ll still listen to him. riddle found it quite amusing.
his back faced you as he looked for something, when he turned around there was something in his hand. it was still dark so you couldn’t tell what it was.
he sat next to you on the bed and placed the item in your hand. it was a piece of chocolate. you brought it up to your lips, grinning as you ate it.
he pat your head out of habit. “tell me if you feel nauseous—”
riddle’s words got cut off when you placed your lips on his. he slightly flinched from surprise, but he let himself get lost in the moment. you tasted the chocolate you previously ate along with the alcohol, two things that somehow go together.
your arms wrapped around his neck, smiling into the kiss while his hands were placed on your waist. you both didn’t realize how fast time passed by, yet you eventually pulled away, foreheads touching.
soft chuckles filled the room as you catch your breath, riddle almost forgot how drunk his lover was. “love you… so much.” you rested your head on his shoulder, playing with his red locks.
as much as riddle wanted to stay in this position, they had to sleep so he gently moved you to lie down again. “get some rest, my rose.”
you only hum as a response, eyes getting heavy all of a sudden. in just a few moments, you fall asleep as fast as silver does.
soon, after riddle finishes cleaning up and changing into his sleepwear, he lies next to you. you’ve slept together before, the more times you slept over the more he got used to it. admittedly, he wasn’t able to sleep properly the first few times.
not long after, riddle felt an arm around his waist. you snuggled up to him, you probably thought he was a pillow. he let you be, knowing that you would have a hard time sleeping without hugging something.
when he remembers how you used to be, back when you were only friends, he never imagined someone being so vulnerable and close around him. he can be himself with no judgement or consequence, and he’s thankful.
despite not exchanging words, he felt loved.
#꒰ celeste: works! ꒱#twisted wonderland#twst#riddle rosehearts#riddle rosehearts x reader#twisted wonderland x reader#twst x reader#twst imagines
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Hi, do you have some recommendations for the "inukag as cat/dog parents" or maybe one of them as adoptive parents of a stray animal? Thank you so much! 😊😊
Hey @chit-a-to !
We love seeing our dog-boy as a cat-mom (or dog, or horse) so thank you for this ask! We hope you enjoy this list of predominantly -- but not exclusively-- modern AU's from across the ratings spectrum, so please do check individual fics for additional tags.
Dumplin' by MooMiscief (E)
She was officially settled working from home, she owned her own house and the time had come for her to get a puppy. Until a gruff volunteer gave her sass, until said volunteer gave her his number, and until she realized maybe was interested in him for more than dog tips.
--
Cat Person by @arisukingdom (G)
Inuyasha is a cat person, and every cat person needs to meet his first cat at some point in life.
So here it goes a little Inu finding out what a cat is and trying to bring a cat to a dog house.
--
The Seven Sins of Buyo (G) by @ruddcatha
It is Inuyasha Sins Week, September 20-26, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, Greed, Pride, Gluttony, Lust. How does Buyo, Kagome's faithful cat, represent each of the sins?
--
Begin Again by @coccinellesroses (T)
There is beauty in starting over when you get to let go of what happened and who you were in the past.
Kagome has moved into a new apartment, and she looks forward to a brighter future where she leaves the baggage of a toxic relationship behind. Rooming with her best cat Buyo, Kagome starts to experience the fun of living alone. Although, she didn't count on her neighbor being a cute half-demon.
She also didn't expect to develop a crush on him either.
--
How To Train Your Dog Demon by @anxietyaardvark (M)
Izayoi is tired of Inuyasha's excuses. All he does is work; despite his protests, she knows he's lonely. She decides to get him a companion to get him out of the house, and when she finds a no-nonsense dog trainer with great reviews, ulterior motives take over.
--
The Cat Came Back by @fawn-eyed-girl (T)
When Kagome and Shippō adopt a stray cat from a village, Inuyasha is incensed. Cats (who aren’t Kirara, of course) just cause trouble; don’t they know that?
And then, Kagome goes home to study for an exam, and Inuyasha is left with a cat he doesn’t want, but who has suddenly decided he is the most interesting person in all of Musashi.
--
Little By Little by LittleKnownArtist (E)
Post Manga. After the three year separation, Inuyasha and Kagome are finally together as a couple. There will be little bumps in the road along the way, but its all part of the learning experience. And they plan to learn everything about and every inch of the other-little by little.
--
Must Love Dogs by WakingPriestess (NR)
Taking her dog to the park was a sure fire way to get a dose of serotonin. But the sight of a scary looking dog being lonely and unable to make new friends broke Kagome's heart. Thankfully she had the sweetest pup in the world who was also a little intimidating and also looking for new friends. The owner being drop dead gorgeous was just a bonus.
--
Chai. by @inusunflower (E)
In which Kagome and Inuyasha fight over the custody of their shared corgi, Chai.
--
Ramen by @writemydaydreams (T)
Three years is a long time to be separated from the person you love. Inuyasha had to find a way to cope with Kagome's absence and the possibility he may never see her again. Sometimes support comes from the last place you expect it.
--
Quarantine (series) by @superpixie42 (E)
Starting a new relationship can be hard when you have to host all your dates via webchat because of Covid-19 quarantine regulations.
--
Light Me A Lantern by @inuyashasforest (T)
Picking up the pieces after being separated for three years isn't as easy as it may seem. A quiet, burning kind of chaos sweeps through Feudal Japan, and it's going to take a lot more than a fairy tale ending to put things back together. They defeated a man who would become the Devil. Can they survive a man who would become a God?
--
You Rescued Me by @keizfanfiction (E)
Maybe it was fate that he decided to take the back way home that night, but whatever the reason, Inuyasha was grateful for arriving just in the nick of time to rescue a waif of a woman who had clearly been through hell. He never would have imagined that she would end up rescuing him, too.
--
Max by KittyKatz (T)
It was business as usual until Kagome's family adopts her father's canine partner. A short 3-chapter blurb about a military working dog joining ranks with the inu-gang. [T - Inuyasha's potty mouth]
--
Guard Dog by @keizfanfiction (T)
Kagome moves into her very first house and decides to introduce herself to her new neighbor with the scrumptious gift of Oreos. She had no idea she'd be leaving as a new dog owner.
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Hermit's Haven by @britonell (NR)
In which one dog leads to a hermit failing to be a hermit…
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Feel free to add your own recs in the comments or reblogs!
Check our Masterlist of previous lists to see which topics we've covered.
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What I Read in October
Target: 11
Read: 6
So I wasn’t able to reach my reading goal for the month of October but I did read some very interesting books, so it doesn’t seem like a total loss, because of all the good books. So here’s a list of all the good book I read.
Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson
This is book 1 in series of the same name and follows multiple perspectives of four friends who were extremely close in childhood but life and circumstances forced them to drift apart. Now, years later, fate throws them together and they all need to understand and figure out their roles in this world while keeping a hold of their values and beliefs at the same time.
I really enjoyed this book. It was full of intrigue and witchcraft, which is one of my favorite element in books. And I have to say this book is worth the hype and I’ll be giving more details of this book in a separate review. However, in the meantime I recommend everyone to pick this book up and give it a read.
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
This is book 1 in the series of the same name and follows Evangeline Fox who is trying to win back the love of her life and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to have him, even if she has to make a deal with the devil herself. The devil presents himself in the form of the Prince of Hearts who offers to stop her lovers wedding in exchange for three kisses. And though Evangeline agrees, she soon realizes that she’s gotten more than she bargained for and the Prince of Hearts is playing a game far bigger than she could’ve ever imagined.
I’m going to be honest here. This book/series is a spinoff of the Caraval series by the author, and when I started reading Caraval but I couldn’t get into it so I thought maybe this author wasn’t for me. However, after reading this book I have to say I was wrong. I loved this book a lot. It was super fun and interesting and I really want to read book 2 to see what happens next. The Prince of Hearts has my heart and I can’t wait to read more about it. And I will be giving the Caraval series another chance after finishing this series.
Reawakened by Colleen Houck
This is book 1 in the series of the same name and revolves around the life of Liliana Young who despite coming from an affluent background feels really lonely and one day comes across a sarcophagus in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her life soon gets entangled with an Egyptian prince who is here on a mission. Liliana wants no part of it but the prince has other plans and soon they embark on an epic quest that not only threatens the arrival of danger but of some new feelings as well.
I’d been meaning to read this book for quite some time and never got the chance. I did have high expectations for it but I found myself being bored from time to time due to the lengthy description. However, I do understand why the description was there. But even though this book didn’t blow my mind, I still had a good time reading it, especially towards the end and I’m glad I finally got to read this book.
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang
This is a standalone and follows the life of June who is a struggling writer and has deep envy for her fellow writer Athena Liu and her success. When Athena dies due to an accident, June ends up stealing her manuscript and publishing it as her own. And there begins the unfolding of a drama that not only takes her to new heights but forces her to acknowledge the deep, ugly truth about herself.
I waited a whole year to read this and I enjoyed this book a lot. As a writer myself, it was slightly uncomfortable to read at times because I felt called out and vulnerable but that just shows how raw and amazing this book is. I do recommend everyone to give this book a chance.
The Body Painter by Pepper Winters
This is book 1 of the Master of Trickery Duet and revolves around the lives of Olin and Gil who are thrown together once again due to fate working its hand. Gil, hiding behind a wall of secrets, keeps telling Olin to stay away from him, but their feelings override every secret and danger until they’re destroyed.
I have been curious about this book since I got to know about it and I finally got the chance to read it. I love this author and have read almost all her works. And I’ve loved each and every one. The writing style is perfect and I hated the villain in this story. That person… I wish I could do something to that person. But the point is, everyone should go and read this book, because it’s really that amazing.
If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio
This is a standalone novel and revolves around the life of Oliver who has been released from jail and recounts the details of what exactly happened to land him in jail in the first place. He, along with his group of fourth year drama college students prepare themselves to graduate from the esteemed college and face the world. However, rivalry and power struggle causes one of the member to die and there begins the mystery of who actually killed him. Friends turn against friends. Secrets are revealed. But in the end love prevails.
I’m so glad I finally got to read this book. I won’t say much about it here because this book will have its own separate review, but all I’m going to say is, this book was fantastic. I enjoyed everything about it. And I wished I could dive into the world and be a character in this story. I highly recommend everyone to read this book. It’s definitely worth it.
So these are the books I read in October and my thoughts on them. Let me know if you’ve read any of the books mentioned above and your opinion on them. And let’s see how I do in the next month.
#read n buried#book#books#reading#booklr#books and reading#books & libraries#currently reading#book blog#book community#Monthly Wrap Up#October#October Wrap Up#readers#long reads#novels#book review#Bookish
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[Review]如何投喂一只深渊!
Title: 如何投喂一只深渊! How to Feed an Abyss!
Author: 江为竭
Length: 124 chapters + 12 extras
Tag: apocalyptic, sci-fi, slice of life, romance
Summary [taken from novelupdates]:
【if you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you】
The abyss, the most feared thing by the human race today. The animals infected by the abyss mutate into monsters, and humans are reduced to walking corpses.
Lu Tinghan is an abyss watcher. He has been guarding the world’s most terrifying abyss for ten years.
This abyss is not only scary, but also strange.
Throw the garbage down, after a few days, the garbage will be buried safely next to the abyss – like someone took a shovel and tossed it all night to bury them.
Throw hazardous waste down, after a few days, the waste will be thrown back with unbridled fury.
Lu Tinghan: ?
Ten years later, he left the post and became the youngest general in the Alliance.
The next day, the abyss was also gone.
——The whole thing disappeared and turned into flat land.
The whole world was shocked.
Until one day, there was a knock on Lu Tinghan’s door.
A boy with little devil horns stood outside the door, with delicate features and bright eyes. Obviously, he was scared to death, but he still plucked up the courage to say: “Hello, I, I am Abyss, can you continue to stare at me? QAQ”
He added: “I have helped you bury the garbage every day, oh!”
During their long time together, Lu Tinghan learned two things:
1. Staring at your abyss every day, the abyss will be happy
2. When the abyss is happy, it will purr toward you
Novel
Comments *contains spoilers**
If I have to describe it, this novel has stories centered around individual characters like Link Click S1, but set in a Little Mushroom-esque apocalyptic world. A bit more about the premise of the story: the appearance of abysses around the world had resulted in the contamination and mutation of wildlife and humans. Surrounded by monsters, the people within the Federation were largely constrained to a handful of cities. Yet time and time again, the cities were lost to an onslaught of monsters, particularly during peak periods of the abysses’s activities.
There was, however, one special abyss - Abyss 0, which had the strongest and most feared potential for contamination, but which had thus far not contaminated anything. One day, Abyss 0 simply disappeared…only to reappear as a young man in search of the Federation’s general - Lu Tinghan (ML). All Abyss 0 - also known as Shi Yuan (MC) - wanted was to find his human again and have the general stare at him. But in the course of doing so, he gradually learned more about humankind and fell in love with them.
For those of you that like Little Mushroom’s world-building, this novel is likely a treat for you since it shares many similarities. Examples include the setup of a monster coming from the barren lands into a human city, a monster x military main couple, the utilization of famous quotes (e.g. “Do not go into that gentle night” vs “if you stare at an abyss, the abyss stares back at you”), the existence of protestors against the ML, monsters attacking from underground causing the eventual fall of the city, and the overall desperation for survival. Need I say more? :3
Highlights
In a way, this novel feels like an ode to humanity. It highlights many tragic, but nevertheless hopeful, stories of humanity’s struggles in an apocalyptic world. In fact, many scenes evoke the beauty of humanity: From the lone deserted soldier dancing with his cardboard lover in the setting sun, to the theatre group performing despite an ever diminishing audience, to the people hiding in the underground bunker witnessing the blooming of the Federation’s flower. At every corner, people nevertheless try to make the most out of their daily lives despite the dangers surrounding them and honestly, I can see why Shi Yuan eventually fell in love with humankind.
There is also a nice blend of humor to balance out the dark tones of the novel. Shi Yuan’s naivety regarding human culture lends opportunities to make jokes in the most unsuspecting moments. For example, he was tricked into believing that ‘1’ meant people that are very powerful, thus he went about telling others that he was searching for his ‘1’, much to the other’s shock and chagrin.
Structure-wise, I really like how the theatre group’s performance at the start was used as foreshadowing for Shi Yuan and Lu Tinghan’s roles in the novel. Over and over, we are reminded of this performance in Shi Yuan’s dreams, where he stood on stage in front of all the monsters. It’s a recurring element that helps to keep the narrative focused on the ultimate ending.
In terms of pacing, it can be slow in terms of revealing Shi Yuan’s identity as an Abyss. However, the sub-stories focusing on different characters help to ease off some of the wait by directing my attention away from the imminent reveal. When the reveal finally came, I like how mellow it is with how quickly Lu Tinghan adapts to the situation.
Of course, as a sucker for worldbuilding, this story just hits in the right spots. I cannot emphasize how much I love that each Abyss has their own contamination characteristic, and how each city has their own industry focus. There is a city in charge of growing most of the food crop, another in charge of fabric production, and another with electric production. It does seem like putting all the eggs in one basket (i.e. one city going down = shortage in certain products), but at the same time specializing the cities ensures a steady supply for all population. Also, the way that the author describes so many scenes so vividly and beautifully - ugh. I just want to draw all these scenes.
As a final note…a few tissues on standby might be a good move. I find myself tearing up every so often during the novel :’) Just so, so many touching or tragic scenes.
Things I don’t like
If there is one thing I can nitpick about, it is the ending - specifically the last chapter. It seems superfluous in the grand scheme of things and an attempt made by the author to force a happy ending. Personally, I would have been fine with the penultimate chapter where Lu Tinghan eventually passed away after working from the bottom of the abyss for multiple years. It makes for a bittersweet and honorable ending, instead of the ambiguous final chapter where Lu Tinghan is somehow alive again. I can only assume that Shi Yuan used his abilities to reverse time, but without clearer explanations, it leaves one more confused than satisfied.
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ASAKE - WORK OF ART REVIEW
“But una know I no dey waste time” is Asake's pre-written answer to questions bordering around why his sophomore album is out barely 9 months after his scintillating debut. Not that anyone is less than thrilled to see him back so soon, mind, but we are all too familiar with the compromises to the production process that may aid an artist to achieve these hurried release schedules. Asake, however, does not sacrifice quality on the altar of speed, so that what is traditionally a sticky point for establishing artists—the second album slump—is turned into a flamboyant, braggadocious display of his extent of pliability of his Fuji-Amapiano creation, and then some.
Doubts have persisted for nearly as long as he has been mainstream of his ability and/or willingness (or lack thereof) to explore music styles outside his patented scope, but Asake does not intend Work Of Art to be a definitive end to this conversation. So while he does push even further from the conventional in a bid to conquer sonic territory, he plants his base firmly in the music that has brought him thus far—the rhythmic familiarity of log drums and shakers, the ethereal resonance of crowd backup vocals and his own euphonic, Fuji-recalling delivery.
For “Yoga”, his 2023 opener which now closes the album, he sets himself sonically somewhere between Indigenous Egun music of Badagry, Lagos and the Sega genre of Mauritius, weaving together diverse cultures. His message here is clear; he is in his own lane and it would be pointless to try and catch him—but this time he goes for sombre self-identity over overarching superiority. Not to say he does not have some of the latter in his toolbox. On “Lonely At The Top”, the track from which this article’s opening quote was carved, he may appear to get ahead of himself—this is, afterall, only the second year since his proper breakout single, and there are others who have secured and maintained a top-flight status for much longer—but Asake’s time has always run a little faster.
That is the reason why, still struggling to find a footing in music and life in general, he announced himself “Mr Money” in his 2020 single of the same name. On Work Of Art, boastful predictions for his future can carry the extra backing of his conquests from last year, and he knows it. On “I believe”, the optimistically upbeat joint which Magicsticks reworks from Amapiano’s log drums, Asake proclaims “Nitty-gritty of ‘22, I’m the one”, casting back to a year ago when he thrilled the country with a conveyor belt of hit singles before his debut album landed the final blow. He rewords and translates this on “Awodi”, stating “2022 mo gbe wan trabaye”, another claim that can be self-promoting without being exaggerative. On this chiefly Yoruba song, his honours Pasuma both in words and in the Fuji-ogling framework the track is crafted on.
Whether Asake’s outsized self-image is primarily a function of belief in himself or trust in a higher power is debatable, but it certainly is some combination of both. He definitely has the spiritual strength to justify the latter, as he embraces, in the popular Yoruba polytheist ideology, both Christianity and Islam, and delves into African Traditional Religion when the situation requires it, when there is need to tie ese ile bo. But where Mr. Money With The Vibe regarded these religions, like most people do, as a means of covering all bases in the search for material upliftment, Work Of Art has Asake transcend beyond this and ponder on the afterlife.
He weighs in turn a Christian (“Mr. Money with the vibe ‘til the devil say my name”) and then a Muslim (“Koni wa le lai lai till we reach Al Jannah”) aftermath, but reaches a consensus in either case that he will live to the full until that moment arrives. And while these musings might seem somewhat premature for a 28 year old man in apparent robust health, Asake has never faltered in his preference of an impactful existence over a lengthy one. So today he will drown in a variety of substances from alcohol to colorado, before burying his head in the thighs of the woman he loves. “Let’s stay all night looking as the star shines/ Make love till the sunrise” he sings on the now-decadent, now-affecting “Mogbe”.
Romance flickers brightly in other corners, even if it is a rare sight on the album and is often easily contorted into lust. “Remember” has a chorus that wants to negotiate affection with money, not an uncommon love language in a country with so little of it. “I wanna love you forever, baby o/ I just want to spend all my chеddar on you”, he says at first, but what comes next unmasks his carnal intentions. “Sunshine” shares all of this blissful radiance, but, without its romantic overtones, Asake intends it to be a pat on the back to the weary soul, equal parts motivating and reassuring. “Sun’s gon’ shine on everything you do”, he says, and if those words appear familiar it is because they were borrowed from Lighthouse Family’s “Ocean Drive” of 1995, and Asake transports this iconic line across time and genre without losing any bit of its eupeptic essence.
Asake uses himself and his incredible journey, as successful people often do, as a guiding light to those still stuck on the lowest rungs of the ladder, but material success is only a small contributor to his euphoria. For Asake, the process is just as important as the result, and like every true artist he prides himself even more in the art that has brought him thus far.
“Basquiat” throws down the gauntlet with the arrogance of a man that knows it won’t be taken up, and while he is aware of similarly sounding artists that the media will try to force into comparisons with him,— “Studying me is an honour jeun lor/ I get many pages like songs of Solomon”—he will superciliously point out the futility in reading a master’s textbook to try and be better than him. “What's the chances, what's the probability/ To see a bеtter version of me with agility”, he asks on the spunky Blaisebeatz-produced “2:30”, but it is only rhetorical. He has his answer.
If he is any worried about deposition, he hardly shows it, and more importantly, he will not let it bog down his brilliant new creation. “Basquiat” is also the closest thing to a titular track on the album, whose cover art is depiction of Jean-Michel Basquiat by Nigerian artist, Ayanfe Olarinde. While Asake sees similarities between himself and the talented, troubled, visual artist, he has long established to have no greater weapon in his arsenal than his individuality and sense of self. A few fans may clamour to see him try on new trends and sounds, but Asake insists that he is the template, the “work of art” that should be studied. And he probably is right. Supreme ability and a unshaking confidence in it are always a devastating match, and his blend of indigenous cultures from fifty years ago and trendsetting house music of the future makes him one of the easiest bets for the next great Nigerian star.
This article was written by Afrobeats City Contributor Ezema Patrick - @ezemapatrick (Twitter)
Afrobeats City doesn’t own the right to the images - image source: Instagram - @Asakemusic
#Afrobeats#Afrobeats City#Asake#Work of art#Album review#Music article#Africa#African music#Basquiat#Nigeria#Nigerian music#music#Afrobeats article#Afrobeats UK#Mr Money with the vibes
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Wedding Lonely Devil Proposals Ranked Part 1
The wedding event has the boys pretend-propose to you and boy, it's like you're really there 😍 you're really there getting way too public proposals from some wild personalities and looolll it's a little painful.
For no real reason, I decided to rank the youngest six popping the question! I'm ranking the proposals themselves, not the boys. Lucifer will be ranked after everyone because I knew he was gonna pull some shit. And he did!
6. Belphegor
...What the hell was this.
Belphie puts a ring on your finger after making you nap for one (1) minute. Then he asks you to marry him.
No, seriously. You can teleport all the beds you want and it doesn't change the fact that this was the lowest effort proposal by a long shot. If I liked Belphie, I would probably have found the [Sleep with me?] option charming. Since I don't, I'm just left wondering what the hell that was. 0 rings out of 5 boooo, boooo, booooo
5. Asmo
I'll give him credit - I almost put him in fourth place solely for rose symbols alone. Are you offering me immortality? 👀 Hold on king, let's talk
Unfortunately, his proposal is just a plain old letter. A letter scavenger hunt that's literally just "look over here, now look over here, now look over here" is still a collection of plain old letters. It's a marked step above literally just putting a ring on your finger, but it's boring. I expected more than letters and some flowers from the flashy self-obsessed party boy. I was looking forward to an entertainingly selfish proposal and got nothing instead. 1 slice of wedding cake out of 5
4. Satan
He almost had me, you know? Making a book for me? Star. He's never made this before but tried something new for my sake? Two stars. Getting red and huffy when confronted with what a sensitive and vulnerable gift this is? pingpingpingping you hear that? That's the sound of stars raining on down on this perfect proposal. Unfortunately...
...the book is about him. He wrote a story about his struggles, his adventures, and you're, like, his epilogue? Not even a companion or an integral character. A last page introduction. The hero's reward for all their suffering. That's his proposal. A celebration of himself.
Satan's plummeted harder than his brothers did from heaven. I can't think of proposing to ME by writing a book about YOU as anything but conceited. And not in the charming way Mammon and Asmo can pull off. Levi might be socially clueless but at least he understands the role of the player/reader
Write that shit again, clown.
1.5 hand stitched books out of 5.
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I didn't really have a lot of Thoughts about Good Omens 2 – I enjoyed it, but it really did feel like a filler, and I'm more looking forwards to seeing where it goes next. However, I just came across this review asking the question of why did Nina have to be in an abusive relationship, and something in my brain went "Oh!" and unlocked with a very loud clicking sound, and a voice emerged saying "It's because Nina and Maggie are a mirror of Aziraphale and Cowley".
Like, I do agree with some of the views I've seen where people are saying "was I meant to root for those two just because they were lesbians? where was their other character development?", but mostly I hadn't given them much thought. Until now. Aziraphale is in a toxic relationship with heaven – they're looking over his shoulder, and even when they're not, he constantly perceives that they're looking over his shoulder. You could even do some metaphor-mixing and say that Heaven is the devil on Az's shoulder. Nina clearly ends up caring for, or at least admiring, Maggie, but she's too raw after her experience to go into a relationship. And Aziraphale? He's smitten with Crowley, but he's not going to be able to have a relationship with him until he gets out of and recovers from his own toxic relationship. I also think it's quite interesting that Nina, if she is meant to be a reflection of Aziraphale, is very angry and outspoken. There's a few times where we get glimpses of the anger that Aziraphale has towards heaven, but he never lets himself fully realise it (and he's only acted on it when Crowley encourages him, iirc).
Maggie, on the other hand, is doing her own thing (running a record shop at a time when that's no longer financially feasible), but even though she's happy with her own thing she's also lonely. This season did a lot of legwork in pointing out that Crowley is lonely, too – and has possibly been lonely for most of his existence – except when he's with Aziraphale. Maggie was a straight-laced teenager, she did things ""right"", but she was still an outcast. Crowley was a good angel, in terms of loving Gods' creations, but he still fell (sorry, sauntered vaguely downwards)...
Definitely going to rotate this idea a bit more.
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The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love review
4/5 stars
Recommended if you like: romantasy, romantic comedy, light academia, magic
Big thanks to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
My rating for this book sits somewhere between 4 and 4.5 stars, though it's hard for me to pinpoint exactly where. My rating is somewhat biased. I didn't see the publisher until after I'd requested the book and so didn't realize how heavily romance-oriented it was going to be (I thought it would be more like Emily Wilde's), and that's not really a genre I tend to read. That being said, once the book got going I began enjoying it, hence the rating still being relatively high.
It took me a while to get used to the narrative style of the book. For one, it's set in the Victorian Era and with that comes a lot of thinking about societal politeness and propriety, which doesn't interest me too much. Then there's quite a bit of emphasis on insta-lust and the feelings associated with that, albeit with a Victorian slant, though as mentioned I should've been more mindful of the drama. However, once things start getting on with the Birder of the Year competition, the pacing speeds up and I stopped noticing/being bothered by those two things. I'd say around the 10-15% mark.
The plot itself was interesting and actually contained more humorous moments than I was expecting. The ornithologists take the competition seriously, and it's clear Beth and Devon do as well, but there's quite a bit of tomfoolery occurring as each ornithologist tries to one up the other, and I found some of the situations to be quite funny. I also think that these moments really go to show how far ornithologists are willing to go in this world, which helps provide some context. There are also some behind-the-scenes machinations going on in the competition, and I did have a hard time trying to figure out the true motivation of the competition. There are really two different things going on, one of them funny and one of them more troublesome, that helped add some tension to the plot.
I like the concept of magical birds and the very extra people who study and trade in them. We have the chance to meet a bunch of different birds over the course of the book, ranging from deadly to pretty. Beth takes her job as an ornithologist seriously and is dedicated to studying and protecting birds from more unscrupulous forces. While he may seem like a scoundrel at first, Devon too is intensely interested in keeping birds safe. Conversely, it's made clear that a large swathe of the ornithologist community are less scrupulous and more interested in the fame and glory than in the birds themselves. It's no wonder the competition ends up being what it is.
Beth herself is the very definition of a Proper Victorian Lady. Beth can be quite shy, though she does her best to get along with people, usually with success (the scenes with the French fishermen might be some of my favorite in the book). Part of her shyness comes from being mocked as a child for being a 'weird know-it-all' who was, and is, obsessed with birds, though another part of it comes from her struggling to find the unspoken social rules others seem to follow (as I was reading I suspected she was autistic, and the author's note confirms that Beth is definitely ND, though Holton doesn't provide specifications). As a result, she's a bit of a people pleaser to start the book, though over the course of the competition she begins to stand up for herself and others more, and by the end is truly a force to be reckoned with.
Devon is both similar to Beth and her opposite. For one, he's much more devil-may-care and rakish, willing to be loud and gregarious when the need arises. However, this also masks someone who spent their later adolescent and early adult years feeling apart from others and lonely. In his own way, Devon can also be fairly shy and at times feels inadequate. That being said, it's clear he feels deeply and has a deep respect from the get-go for Beth. I think Devon's rakishness and sensitivity work well together.
The romance works well between the two main characters. Both of them have a deep love for the same academic subject and few people with whom they can let themselves relax and fully be themselves, both personally and academically. As academic prodigies they've had similar experiences in life and thus understand where each other is coming from and where their needs might be in the relationship. While I'd say the romance is definitely insta-love and insta-lust, Devon and Beth both have a wellspring of admiration and respect for one another, which I think is integral.
Overall, this was a surprisingly funny romantasy and I enjoyed the plot and characters. It isn't really a genre I read a lot, so it did take me some time to get used to the narrative style and the focus on romance vs. action + fantasy elements, but I did have a good time reading it.
#book#book review#books#fantasy#book recommendations#bookstagram#booklr#bookblr#bookaholic#bookish#the ornithologist's field guide to love#romantasy#fantasy books#light academia#victorian era#victorian england
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Pikmin 2
In my previous review, I mentioned how the Devil is used as the very embodiment of all that is evil, and that, for me and my little video game hobby, the Hotel Transylvania Social Game is the embodiment of all that is awful, evil, terrible, and no-good in games. But, then what is my God? Who is all that is holy and virtuous, and everything I want in a game? And that brings us here.
Pikmin is my favorite series of all time, despite the fact that I've only played the first and second games. You play as a little man who controls tiny little leaf creatures to defeat enemies, collect valuables, and harvest nutrients to produce more Pikmin.
What I love about Pikmin 2 is how much more experimental it gets with the series. The first game was well known for its time limit to beat the game, which is completely removed from Pikmin 2. To go even further, while Pikmin 1 has you working under a ~15 minute time limit each day, the majority of Pikmin 2's gameplay takes place in underground caves which completely stop time above ground. Instead of collecting ship parts to get home safely, you collect licensed products to pay off your company's debt. There are new items you can use in a pinch called "sprays," or "potions," the game features a smorgasbord of new bosses. The list can continue for a while. Game sequels come in many forms, but easily my favorite is the one that throws a bunch of stuff at the wall to see what sticks. Pikmin 1 was, again, a fairly small game, and Pikmin 2 feels like it completely burst open at the seams with content.
Alright, enough talk about concepts. How does the game hold up? Well, it's got holes, that's for sure. The new Purple Pikmin type is obscenely overpowered. Though you can't get that many throughout the story, even just 10 of them is enough to flatten most enemies with ease. The game's dungeons can have just awful layouts that feel straight out of a kaizo hack. The game feels like it's being an ass to you, which is usually charming, but when you spawn next to 3 Decorated Cannon Beetles, or fall victim to a Spotty Bulbear falling out of the sky, it's pretty annoying. The game's lack of time limit in dungeons means that the most logical course of action is to go by yourself, with no Pikmin, and start punching the enemies on the floor. The punch is meant to be a silly input for when you have no Pikmin in your hand, not to be used to kill entire enemies. It's a major pace-breaker when it comes to that. Easily the worst pace-breaker is the Doomsday Appartus, a treasure that requires hours of very tedious, monotonous, boring grinding to obtain.
The game has a lot of flaws! I must confess... this game isn't a 10/10. It just happens to be the best game I've played so far in my life. The game can feel very irritating, but at the end of the day, the gameplay is still pretty fun. Most dungeon floors hit a very nice difficulty level to keep you on your toes, the overworld maps are still fun to explore even if they have been relegated to a small part of the game. Most of the games bosses are really enjoyable, the game's dynamic music is a phenomenal fit for the series.
Topic change real quick. I adore the writing the Pikmin 1. Olimar was this man who you would only see talk through the ship parts you find and his end-of-day writings, and they are some of the most heartfelt things I have seen in any game. You see Olimar as this very kindhearted person, curious about the planet he's on, yet feeling isolated and lonely at his situation, fearful that he won't escape. Pikmin is a very confusing game for new players, but these writings help let the player know they are not alone. You see Olimar talk about his family back home, about the new things he discovered about Pikmin, about his thoughts on life, and you see him grieve when his Pikmin fall in battle. It is hands down the best part of the first game.
In Pikmin 2, this feature is no longer in the game, instead replaced by a silly little email system. The reasoning is simple: Olimar has been through this before, his diary isn't nearly as impactful. But replacing it.... replacing it is my favorite thing in any video game, ever. The Piklopedia.
The Piklopedia records almost every enemy you find, every boss, every interactable object, and even the flora and fauna around the map. Each one of these is given notes from Olimar, and you start to see his nature as a scientist, and god, the way they are written sends my pilgrim heart aflutter. They're funny, they're intriguing, the wording they use is just absolute perfection, they're lengthy without feeling exhausting, and it all plays over some peaceful background music. After beating the game, you unlock Louie's notes for each one, providing even more insight into the game's frankly phenomenal writing. Pikmin 2's writing in the Piklopedia is no lower than a 10/10, it is absolute beauty and perfection. I could go on for days and days about it, something I have already done previously to my good friends, who for years have been subject to my passionate ramblings about the little things I like in life. I hope they don't get too tired of it. I just have a lot to say about Pikmin 2. Perhaps a Tumblr blog post isn't enough. It's hard to keep undepleted adoration at an acceptable length.
Overall score: 9/10. It's been avaliable on every Nintendo console since the Gamecube, go play it! Maybe one day I will find a game I truly consider a 10/10, but until then, Pikmin 2 reigns supreme. God bless it.
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Snowflake Book Review’s
Title: The Devil's Angels MC #7 Chubs
Author: Lola Wright
Pages:399
Snowflake Rating:❄❄❄(3/5)
Synopsis:
Chubs
To survive this harsh world, I’ve lived a life of lies and secrets. From a young age, I was taught the dangers of trusting others. When my world imploded, I knew those lessons were warranted. I was forced to flee the only place I’d ever known and the only people I loved.
In a desperate situation, with no one to turn to, I met a large biker who insisted on taking in a scared teenage boy. No questions asked, and none answered. He put a roof over my head and food in my stomach. He gave me hope, and I gave him my loyalty.
The Devil’s Angels MC became my new family, and I grew into the man I’d wanted to become. My life was good, and I thought I had it all, but then I met Lucy. Shy, tiny, with beautiful dark red hair, I knew she was meant to be mine. Ignoring the danger of ghosts from my past, I envisioned a life of beauty with my woman.
Lucy
Chubs was mine. I knew it when I met him, and I never looked back. It didn’t matter to me what name he went by. He was my future. He had a past to fear, but I never thought it would tear us apart in the manner it did. The day he left broke something inside of me. Rage filled my soul where only love had resided before.
Leaning on my family and the club, I push my way through some dark months. Vowing to never allow a man to betray me again. I pick up the pieces and face my new lonely life.
Once an epic love story, now only ashes remain.
#contemporary romance star review#booklr#bookblr#books#chubs#lola wright#bookworm#contemporary romance#recommendations#november 2023
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Mid-Year Book Freakout 2023
Tagged by @libraryleopard because she knows that I’m always reading something :-) And that I’m also procrastinating with my TBR list…
Tagging: @lavenderfables, @breha, @hauntedmoors, @pociondeodio, @folatefangirl , @longsightmyth, and @oswlld
Best book you’ve read so far this year
One of the best books I’ve read this year has been The Secret Summer Promise by Keah Brown. It’s about Andrea, recovering from a round of cerebral palsy-related surgeries, who makes a bucket list for the best summer ever. Except for one tiny snag about the girl she has crush on… I’m loving contemporary YA so much these days because of books like this! Andrea’s family dynamic is wonderful, and the disability rep is causally everywhere.
Best sequel you’ve read so far this q
Painted Devils by Margaret Owen! The first book was such a fantastic retelling of The Goose Girl that I had no clue how the sequel would exceed my expectations. AND THEN OH MY GOD WHAT A RIDE. I was jet-lagged from Ireland and just stayed in my room, so absorbed in the book that I almost forgot to eat.
New release you haven’t read yet
I’ve been told Lone Women by Victor LaValle is very much for me. If the reviews of his novellas are a sign, then I’m going to love this book.
Most anticipated release for the second half of the year
A Shot in the Dark by Victoria Lee! I love their horror/fantasy novels, so I’m very excited to read their romance debut. A copy has been pre-ordered and the book tour ticket has been bought.
Biggest disappointment
A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand was just okay. The ending felt too similar to Sawkill Girls, and the whole book was like three different ones smushed together for EXTRA PLOT. At least the prose was pretty.
Biggest surprise
Pretty much everything about Yellowface by RF Kunag. You have a white woman on a one-way spiral of utter failure and a system that encourages her to make these choices. It’s a wild ride of a book. I cannot stress how accurate of a satire it is, too.
Favorite new author (debut or new to you)
GennaRose Nethercott! Thistlefoot was a delight! So much of my digital copy of highlighted because of how beautiful I find the narrative voice.
Newest fictional crush/newest favorite character
Agent Fatma el-Shara’awi (from A Master of Djinn), I am free at seven.
Book that made you cry
I didn’t exactly cry, but There Flies the Witch by Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev made me misty-eyed. Only middle grade books have this power over me.
Book that made you happy
The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston had me downright giggling in public. New favorite twist on the second chance romance trope!
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