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breannasfluff · 4 months

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Breanna's LU Fanfic Wrap Up 2023

Zelda Works this Year: 160 Posted Word Count this Year (12/26): 476,376

1: Linked Moments 2: Wing Bois 3: Wolf Family 4: Eldritch Adventures

1: Hurt/Comfort 2: Fluff 3: Angst 4: Humor

Favorite Fic? (not series, individual story)

1: Wild Wolf 2: Lavender Scarf 3 (tie): Broken Wing & Saving You

What would you like to see more of next year? (most mentioned in responses)

The First & The Fierce More of the other WB characters Ravioli Wild (some want fluff, some want angst)

Anything else you'd like to add? (a small collection; there were so many lovely and encouraging comments <3 )

You are a brilliant author. Your style and writing flow very nicely and naturally and often I forget that your stories aren't technically classified as professional. You have made me cackle and moved me to tears, possibly even in the same story, and the sheer intricacy of your stories made me see the zelda games in a totally new light. With every one of these I read I wish a little more that Nintendo would invest in making the Linked universe a series or Show. And honestly, I'd be surprised if they didn't hire you for ideas on it.

I love the platonic intimacy shown between the characters. It's one of the things that drew me to your work the most. I like the safety felt in those moments. Warm hugs, leaning against one another, sharing a sleeping space (for warmth or simply for company), and grabbing another's hand. It's just nice.

THANK YOU for writing and encouraging so much of us to write! I’ve only started writing because of you and that’s now pulling me through the winter months!!! So thank you!!!

I hope you have a great year! And thanks for all you’ve done for this fandom! I honestly think you are a cornerstone to the LU fandom

Whatever you write is gonna be awesome and make the world a little better so please do what makes you happy. Also thanks for everything <3

A huge thank you to everyone who responded to the survey; this was really helpful. I hope you enjoy what's coming in 2024! I've already started working on some of these requests ;)

A special thank you for all the sweet comments; I reread them for a mood boost and motivation <3 My ask box is always open if you want to drop a thought about a story or just come say hi!

#Breanna's Fanfic Wrap Up 2023 #fanfic wrap up 2023 #wrap up 2023 #breannasfluff #my writing #linked universe #linkeduniverse #lu wing bois #eldritch wild #wolf pack #lu fanfiction #feedback

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ofliterarynature · 7 months

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AUGUST 2023 WRAP UP

[ loved liked okay no thanks DNF (reread) bookclub*]

I’m late I’m late I’m late! Oops

It’s only a month late, right? ‘Only’ lol, work has been exhausting! Anyways:

At this point I wonder if Ann Leckie can ever do wrong, Translation State was good! I was completely enthralled, which is all I ask, even if I don’t get as passionate about it as the main trilogy.

I continued the KJ Charles reading, with these supposed stand alones that are also kind of related? Honestly it’s no less of a stretch than Society of Gentlemen to Lilywhite Boys, so I don’t know why she can’t officially list them together. Anyways, mostly fine, and Band Sinister is still a delight!

Camp Damascus…I’m thrilled for Chuck, really, and I think he’s a delight to follow, but this one wasn’t for me. Religious trauma is turning out to be a hard no.

Ocean’s Echo was good! In some ways I definitely thought it was better than Winter’s Orbit - miscommunication is the worst I’m sorry, this story was more consistently engaging! I just like the characters from WO a bit more.

Chrestomanci! I’ve been going by the suggested reading order on Goodreads, and while I wasn’t particularly enthused by Charmed Life, once I had a grasp on the world the other books have been fun! Im very sad this might be my last DWJ, as I seem to have exhausted my library’s collection of her audiobooks :(

Grimoire of Grave Fates had a really interesting premise that lured me in, despite my reservations - an anthology where all the stories work together to solve the mystery of a murder at a magic boarding school? I thought it worked fairly well (and could definitely spin itself out into a series of novels), but just ok for me. Maybe one day I’ll finally concede I can’t read YA or boarding school books anymore.

Q’s Legacy was the last (I think) of the 84 Charing Cross Road books, and honestly the worst. It had its interesting moments, but it lacked the cohesion of the other two, speed,-running the before and during of those stories, to then spend the second half on the adaptations. It was not at all what the descriptions led me to expect. Maybe worth a single read but not a revisit.

I will also be honest, I didn’t really like the first Veronica Speedwell! The plot felt a bit contrived, and Veronica was so blunt as to almost read as rude or mean. Also very unexpectedly…clinically horny? Does that make sense? I’m not quite sure what prompted me to continue, but I’m now several books in and enjoying it! To be blunt myself, the historic setting is just set dressing, the plots can feel contrived, the mysteries are mediocre, but the real draw is the Veronica and Stoker show once they get themselves settled in and comfortable with each other. It’s a hoot.

I’d heard good things about The Art of Prophecy, but I still didn’t know quite what to expect going in. It was wonderful. Maybe a little long, but if you’re looking for a fantastic fantasy with lots of fight sequences, no romance, and some fascinating characters, this is a great read. The sequel comes out soon and I can only hope it doesn’t take as long for my library to get the audiobook as it did for this one.

I don’t know where I first found An Enchanted April, but it’s been on my TBR for a little bit, and I thought it would be the perfect fit for my classics challenge I gave myself this year! It wasn’t what I expected at all - it’s entirely character driven and very focused on their flaws, and the entire first half I thought I was going to hate it. But the second half, there’s a twist, almost, born of some very naïve optimism that nonetheless works out. Very improbably, but I was happy for them, you funky little weirdos.

What can I say about The Angel of the Crows except that it is still very good! It’s maybe lost a little of the shine it held when I got obsessed with it for a few months last year, but it is definitely now one of my comfort books. I really ought to read more canon Holmes though lol.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was, to be fair, one of my suggestions for book club. It was OK, but there were definitely parts that really did not work for me, the frame narrative in particular. The other members of the club really liked it but I don’t have any plans to read more of the authors work.

I’m almost tempted to put The Last Sun last just so I can yell more. I’d heard such good things about this series, but turns out my expectations were a bit skewed - it is not historical or secondary fantasy world, oops. So we got off to a bit of a rough start, not to mention all of the Capital Words. Not usually a good sign. And while I still wouldn’t say I love the worldbuilding necessarily, or that these are the next great work of fantasy, the action is really great, and the characters are flipping fantastic. You’ve got a pair of 30 year olds who are bad ass fighters, have a traumatic past, are immature assholes, can be so so kind, and accidentally adopt a posse of troubled teenagers? Sign me up, I love them, this reminds me so much of my days reading tons of Teen Wolf fanfic AUs.

My history with 2 AM At the Cat's Pajamas is that they cannot stop recommending this thing on the Book Riot podcasts. When I found a copy at Goodwill, I thought surely it’s meant to be! Well. It was not bad, but it was not great. I don’t know. It just wasn’t for me and I will not be keeping my copy. I probably should have DNF’d it, but I continued in hope.

Only one actual DNF this month though, The Mistress of Bhatia House - the newest Perveen Mistri book. I was actually fairly excited for it despite my reservations about the earlier books, but I hit a mental roadblock with this one. There was some contrived feeling tension with her sister-in-law, but really, I realized that one of my main problems with this series is that, despite being in a very precarious social position, Perveen is just incredibly reckless - usually in the name of doing good! - but it just hit all the wrong nerves at the moment. I’m hoping there will be a better time to read this, but not right now.

#bec posts #2023 #book log #wrap up 2023 #translation state #kj Charles #camp Damascus #oceans echo #chrestomanci #diana wynne jones #the grimoire of grave fates #helene hanff #Veronica speedwell #the art of prophecy #the enchanted April #the seven husbands of evelyn hugo #tarot sequence #the last sun #2 am at the cats pajamas

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xdhz · 4 months

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gifmaker / cc wrapped 2023!!

thank you max (@irlvernon) for tagging me to talk about my top 10 creations that i've made this year!! i haven't posted that many gifsets on this blog, but i still managed to find a couple sets that i'm still pretty happy with <3

here's my top 10:

seventeen on it's live: a chaotic summary

soobin + purple

gbgb soobin x sugar rush ride soobin

seventeen fallin' flower

s.coups melon bread side quest

dk in the god of music mv

let it be summer mv

hoshi - kbs interview

seventeen - anyone mv

yeonjun feat. my favorite hair color ever

+ bonus skz gifset that I just made: bang chan x oddinary era :)

tagging some of my fave ccs - ty guys for always creating such beautiful stuff i love seeing u guys on my dash <3

@yeonjune @choiliner @raplinenthusiasts @heeseunq @tmpttion @go-saeng @simleez (aka @bandzboy & @karomiiz hehe) @chanrizard @lee-minhoe @minchanz 🫶🏼

#ty again max for tagging me i had fun going through all the stuff i made this year :)#em.txt #wrap up 2023

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themisontears · 4 months

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Tears of Themis Wrap up 2023

#tears of themis #goodbye 2023 #wrap up 2023

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triada-literaria · 4 months

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Resumen 2023

El año está a punto de terminar y me gustaría hacer un repaso general de mis lecturas de este 2023. Para hacerlo más ameno, he decidido crear unas categorías y os invito a que dejéis en comentarios vuestras respuestas respondiendo a estos apartados si os animáis.

Toda la información en:

#book tag #book blog #blog literario #wrap up #wrap up 2023 #goodreads #my year in books

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elizmanderson · 4 months

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2023 wrap-up, part 3

click here for part 1 | click here for part 2 | click here for part 4

after many years prioritizing writing over *checks notes* literally any other creative endeavors, 2023 is the year in which I got back into art! admittedly, most of it was related to writing lmao because I did character stickers for an upcoming book event and also did two character portraits just for shits and giggles, but whatever, it counts

inktober

I've attempted inktober* multiple times in the past, but I always fizzle out after, like, one day of doodling different eyes or noses on a corner of my sketchbook. this year I pretty much kept up with one piece a day until I visited my parents, at which point I got very bad about keeping up (but I did do a couple more pieces)

here's a sample of this year's inktober

*as you will probably notice from my sample, I didn't bother with the prompts and actually never do

the artist learns she's going to acquisitions, 2023, watercolor and ink

intruder, 2023, watercolor and ink

edna & the dragon, 2023, watercolor marker and ink

(if you haven't read The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher, spoiler alert that this scene is not in the book lol)

character stickers

I'm going to the northwest ohio teen book festival in march, and I thought teens might like Remarkable Retirement character stickers!

(yes, I realize I'm going to a teen book festival and I wrote a book about an 83-year-old lol)

I'm hoping to sell the stickers, eventually, but at the book festival I'll be handing them out free

click here to learn about the northwest ohio teen book festival

benjamin | clem

edna

kiernan | red

character portrait

just because, I wanted to do portraits of peter and david, the MC and LI from my upcoming novel The Keeper of Lonely Spirits. this is david, He of Many Waistcoats ♥

(peter isn't done yet lmao, he's been outlined for months and isn't painted yet)

that's part 3! part 4 to come

#wrap up 2023 #2023 wrapped #wrap up

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littlelindarose · 4 months

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Reading Wrap-Up 2023

I got really into comics this year, and read some plays. What were your favorites of the year?

#booklover #booklr #books #reading #wrap up 2023

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dachi-chan25 · 9 months

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Recent Reads

Sooo I haven't been writing reviews for what I've read in like a year so and actually I haven't been reading all that much (the reading slump is real) so I will try to ease myself back into it and hopefully that will make me read more.

1.- The Hollow Kind by Andy Davidson

3/5

This book is about a mother and a son running away to her family's old turpentine state to hide from her husband who is an abuser. The house and the property in general is very dangerous and holds many secrets.

There were some intresting bits, especially in the sections about the past, but it didn't really capture me.

2.- Bloody Fool for Love by William Ritter

4/5

I looooove Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Spike is my favorite character, that being said I thought it was a pretty fun story and really lays out the dynamic between Angel and Spike as well as establish who Spike is as a vampire.

3.- The Institute by Stephen King

5/5

Luke is a genius 12 yo boy making plans to go to college soon, he happens to have the ability of making things move sometimes, this catches the attention of The Institue, a plce where children with psychic potential get experimented on to develop their abilities.

I loved this book. It really got me out of my reading slump cuz I practically went through it on one sitting. I felt that while this concept is not original it was very well executed and it was deeply disturbing, also the ending was really sad but felt true to everything that happened in the book.

4.- The Last Ever After (School for Good and Evil # 3) by Soman Chainani

5/5

Sooo I watched the Netflix adaptation of book 1 of this series and became obssesed w it and I've been reading the books and they are sooo goood. So this is the 3rd book and I won't go much into detail about plot and stuff, but I definitely recc it for someone who loves fairytales and that wants a twist on them cause these books definitely defy expatations and the roles (gender roles specifically) of many fairytale archtypes.

5.- What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo

4/5

This is a very atmospherical whimsical book. It's about this girl who was sent away to a boarding school but she escapes and comes back to her family, who are all different from her and she wants answers from her grandma who was the one who sent her away, but she doesn't get them, her granny dies and this sets in motion everything for our protagonist to discover her family's secrets.

6.-The Vinyl Underground by Rob Rufus

4/5

This book it's bitchin'. So our protagonist Ronnie is grieving the death of his brother, who died in Vietnam. They were very close and even had plans to host a radio show together so it's very hard on him especially as he lives in a very small town were seemingly most boys can't wait to get drafted. He meets Hanna, an asian girl new in town, and together with Ronnie's athlete friend form a group to listen to music together and their closeness makes a ripple in town as they find a way to express their non-conformity to the war.

7.- Verona Comics by Jennifer Dugan

2/5

Mmm, I am a very nerdy person and I love comics and superheroes a lot, so I was definitely intrested in this Romeo and Juliet retelling. I was expecting it to be wholesome and fun but honeslty I couldn't get into it at all and the main characters didn't have a dynamic I was intrested in, like not even the conflict between the families was compelling at all cause the dad was such cartoonish asshole villian so yeah not my cup of tea

8.-Breakable Things by Cassandra Khaw

4/5

This is a story collection, I ended up liking the stories very much, they all had this very creepy eerie feeling to them and I dig that a lot.

9.- Jane Eyre: A Retelling by Tanya Landman

3/5

What was the point???? This is Jane Eyre but super super condensed and w the authors' personal opinions/biases against the characters or like their input on what they believe the character was thinking and I did not vibe w that alas it is basically Jane Eyre but told via one paragraph long chapter so it is the same story but not even given a different spin at all.

10.-The Housewives: The Real Story behind The Real Housewives by Brian Moylan

4/5

This book was super intresting, so I haven't watched "The Real Housewives" like at all, I have seen a few clips and the memes I guess but not like a whole episode, but I was intrested in what makes reality shows so popular and what goes in their making yada, yada. This book definitely gave me the answers I was looking for and not only that bit was pretty fun and entretaining as a read so yeah I definitely recommend it if you're looking to read more non-fiction but don't want something super dense or theoretical.

11.-Dead Flip by Sara Farizan

3/5

I feel this book would be perfect for fans of Starnger Things, it follows a group of 3 friends: Cori,Maz and Sam, they are inseparable until they have a fight and that night one of them goes missing. It's told in 2 timelines, but eventually they intersect as the missing friend returns. It's a fun read but a bit too juvenile for me so that's why I only gave it a 3 but still it was enjoyable.

12.-Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth

4/5

This book was not what I was expecting, so the only thing I knew about this book was that a woman get haunted by her dead mother-in-law... but no, well kinda. The story does start when the mother-in-law dies, but most fail to mention that the protagonist of the book is one of those deranged woman booktok loves which takes the book to a whole other level as the protagonist deals (very badly) with her grieving husband, and her obsession with motherhood via reminiscing her own mother and the poor relationship she had w her, to her poor relationship w her dead mother in law whom she resents for not loving her and embracing her in the family, her hyperfixiation w one of her charges at the Nursing Home she works at and finally her own obssesion w becoming a mother. This book is definitely a ride but one I enjoyed.

13.- Sea Witch by Sarah Henning

3/5

So, I like The Little Mermaid, it's one of my favorite classic fairytales because I like the melancholic vibe ( I love that suffering) and the Sea Witch is a very intresting character so I was definitely pumped up for this but ... it was not bad per se, but for me it felt very cliché and generic, I felt like I was watching one of those Disney movies about Villians were they yassify and basically justify their every action when all I've ever wanted is a descent arc, a corruption arc... well anyway not the book for me but not bad enough to make fun of it either just very meh.

#wrap up 2023 #booklr #dachi reaads stuff #dachi rants about stuff #I am baaaaaack baby #hopefully I can write these very month like I used to #but who knows

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givereadersahug · 10 months

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Fandom Wrap-Up (2023): June 26th - July 2nd

*Crossposted on Dreamwidth

I announced @hpcottagecorefest. Also, @harryjamespotterweek starts in about three weeks. Can't wait. 🥳🥳🥳

And don't forget to check out hprecs (a Harry Potter reccing community on Dreamwidth)! There have been some fantastic recs so far. We also have some weekly posts, if you don't want to post an entry. You do not need to be a member to comment on the weekly posts, but we'll be glad to have you!

This is a few days late and a short update. Got to go and eat some corn on the cob and steak for the holiday! Maybe even light a few fireworks.

Fics All are drabble length.

Diplomat (Spider-Man: Spider Verse, Miguel O'Hara, Rated G) AO3 / Dreamwidth Quality Quidditch Supplies (Harry Potter, Harry/Charlie, Rated M) AO3 / Dreamwidth Peppermint Tea (Harry Potter, Hermione/Luna, Rated G) AO3 / Dreamwidth Heartbeats (Harry Potter, Harry/Ginny, Rated G) AO3 / Dreamwidth Old Married Couple (Harry Potter, Sirius/Severus, Rated G) AO3 / Dreamwidth Second Chances (Harry Potter, Cho/Pansy, Rated G) AO3 / Dreamwidth Morning After (Marvel, Thor/Loki, Rated T) AO3 / Dreamwidth Grouchy (Sk8 the Infinity, Kojiro/Kaoru, Rated G) AO3 / Dreamwidth

#wrap up #wrap up 2023

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ifwewere-stories · 1 year

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Wrap up febrero 2023

Lo de evitar que un solo pensamiento ocurra estando siempre metida en algún libro, serie o película lo llevamos muy bien este mes xd.

Leí cuatro libros, y yo felíz porque siento que eso no pasaba desde hace tiempo uwu.

De Babel, Todos quieren a Daisy Jones y Fatal: una crónica trans comenté mi opinión por acá, por si les interesa. Y pues listísima para la serie del segundo que ya estrena esta semana, siento que la voy a gozar con todo el drama y el chisme y los quotes llegadores que espero que incluyan (el del agua, hablo del del agua, y del de el espejo también).

El último que leí (y que de hecho terminé hoy) fue la novela gráfica Laura Dean keeps breaking up with me, y me encantó. Disfruté bastantito las cuatro lecturas pero quise otorgarle el corazoncito a esta bonita historia queer sobre desamor y liberación de relaciones tóxicas.

En cuanto a películas, les vine manejando variedad de cine sáfico. Espero luego hacer una entrada en el blog rankeando dichas cintas; aún hay varias en mi watchlist que quiero ver, pero hasta ahora mi favorita es Murmur of Youth.

De las nominadas al Oscar vi The Quiet Girl y Women Talking, ambas muy buenas.

Y de las infaltables películas mexicanas que transmiten en canal 14 (mi mubi) vi Distancias Cortas, una historia llena de empatía que me dejó con el corazón calientito.

Comencé el mes viendo La flor más bella y pues estuvo entretenida y en general me gustó (amamos a una prota bi), pero sí sentí que fue de más a menos.

También hubo kdrama: Summer Strike. Hubiera sido un 5/5 de no ser por un subplot que nomás no encaja con la vibra de todo lo demás, pero bueno, igual me mantuvo enganchada y con ganas de ser la protagonista (es que quién fuera la Yeo Reum trabajando de 4am a 8am y con eso alcanzándole para sobrevivir u.u).

Y al fin vi la de los piratas gays: Our flag means death. Está divertida, llena de dumb gays y además es estéticamente placentera. Y Lucius en especial me cayó rebién.

Díganles a los Tomorrow x Together que yo también quiero ser una roca. "Tinnitus" y "Farewell, Neverland" fueron mis absolutos favoritos del material nuevo que sacaron.

Por otro lado, primera vez que les escucho un album completo a los Circa Waves y pues sí hallé bopazos, del nuevo de Paramore me quedo con los singles, y el de P!NK lo encontré bastante disfrutable.

Pero quien sin duda me mantuvo con la obsesión a tope fue RAYE con su album debut, My 21th century blues: maravilloso, 10/10, truly a discazo.

Y la playlist del mes (me baso en el receiptify pero según yo añadiéndole más variedad jeje):

Chau.

#wrap up #wrap up 2023 #february wrap up #wrap up febrero #my posts #tv shows #movies #reads #books #libros #wrap up iwws

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soltiana · 4 months

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a long awaited (???) sequel to this post, stamp but 98-style, eps 8-12

#trigun #trigun stampede #trigun 1998 #my artwork #canon typical violence idk #2023 #soltian #wrapping up this project just in time for the years end #vash the stampede #millions knives #nicholas d wolfwood

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gunsatthaphan · 4 months

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happy new year from the gmmtv squad lol ✌🏻🎊🎆

#gmmtv #offgun #taynew #firstkhao #earthmix #forcebook #pondphuwin #jimmysea #jossgawin #gemfourth #joongdunk #the fam!!!!! 🥹🫶🏻#there were so many more ppl in that video but they didnt fit lol #happy new year to everyone!!! 🧡#currently battling covid (again) so yeah what a way to end the year lol rip #but hoping everyone has a nice nye with family + friends or by yourself #hope you're having a good time!! 🧡#some 2023 wrap-up posts are coming soon 👁️

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ofliterarynature · 5 months

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OCTOBER 2023 WRAP UP

[loved liked ok no thanks (reread) book club* DNF]

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I am getting to this SO LATE, forgive me if I don't say a lot because I have forgotten so much. Work has eaten all of my time and energy against my will (should I get a new job? Probably). Anyways.

The Hourglass Throne - Will definitely need to reread this before the next book comes out (even thought they're all pretty well self contained for a series!) because WHAT? I have only half an idea what's going on, and no idea how to feel about the ending. Do I grieve? Not grieve? ??????? I think book 2 is still my favorite, but these books are addictive and a joy to read.

The Magicians of Caprona - I think at this point it's fair to say that I don't think DWJ could write a book that is uninteresting to read, but this is definitely my least favorite of at least the Chrestomanci books so far.

Realm of Ash - book 2 of the Books of Ambha series; I didn't like the first book in this series, why did I continue? Hope, that it would build on the things in the first book that I actually liked, and bring the sisters back together. It was better, I guess, but not in any way that really made me like it. I wish I'd followed my impulse and returned it to the library without listening.

A Murderous Relation - another Veronica Speedwell mystery, reliably enjoyable as always :)

Small Miracles - This was a DELIGHT. This was a fun romp (I'm told) in the vein of Good Omens, but with small stakes - and small miracles. The fallen angel of petty temptations is hired by an angelic friend to help the most sinless (and miserable) mortal have a little fun. But there's more to it than meets the eye, and the case gets tangled up the mortal woman's niece, pretending to be a school counselor, difficult family relationships, rants about chocolate, and inconsiderate siblings who rudely keep picking the same human gender as you. It's sweet, comforting, very queernorm, and a little romantic (f/gf)

A Conjuring of Light - I finished my Shades of Magic reread! Thank god. I was so thoroughly not impressed with books 2 & 3 this time around - they're just one book, divided in two, and I don't think it was divided in the right spot. It's so disappointing that these did not age with me, but you will also have to pry my copies away from me because they're one of the few books I've ever gotten signed in person (and the original covers are just cool). I fully intend to submit myself to the new spinoff series because hope never really dies lol.

The Twyford Code - This was such a strange and delightful book, that I'm not even sure I'm mad about the twist at the ending, I had such a good time reading it. (past me, listening: wow, this would have made such a cool fiction podcast, right? Joke's on me haha). I did honestly think I'd forgotten what this book was about for a bit, but then I was going through some old kid's books from my grandma that were *exactly* like the series in this book, and I had a big AHAH moment that delighted me.

Over My Dead Body - this was my first/nonfiction attempt at jamming in some spooky-ish books before the end of October. Overall, good. I did learn some new facts and there were some interesting parts; but I didn't always appreciate some of the author's commentary, and when it say's "America's Cemeteries," it really only means its urban cemeteries, which was a bit disappointing.

All Systems Red/Artificial Condition - Murderbot, my Beloved. rereading for the new book, and I'm trying my hardest to NOT do it on audiobook this time - and it's really worth it to read it in text, I promise, even if Kevin R Free's voice still echoes in my mind.

The Saint of Bright Doors - this was such a strange and wonderful read, I am so delighted to have read this, I love an unapologetically weird book. The vibe definitely reminds me a bit of The City & The City, or in some ways The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy; except I had other problems with those books and didn't finish them, but I did like this one. I know this won't be everyone's cup of tea, but maybe give it a shot.

Creatures of Will and Temper - another spooky book, and ooh boy could I go on an entire rant, I didn't want to finish this one but felt I had to for reasons. I'll let you look up the plot yourselves, but picture this: Victorian London, two sisters (one who likes swords!), and a whole lot of queer characters I wasn't expecting. I was delighted! Except you gradually learn every single queer character is involved with this club that has made a pact with a demon. What exactly does that mean? Who knows, because the book does not tell you until at least 3/4 of the way through, and we only have the word of the jacket copy and our sainted demon slayer, who is sketchy af the moment we get him alone. Turns out it's a chill demon who doesn't want blood sacrifice, cool cool, but maybe it should have been thought through a little more? Also the main/only successful romance in the book is between a 17 year old girl and a woman who is at minimum in her 30's, explicitly encouraged in part by the demon. hmm. Overall the writing and rest of the story was just ok, and the ending was disgustingly saccharine and just bad. Would strongly not recommend, but if someone wants my copy you're welcome to it. 2 stars.

From Below - another spooky book, and somehow still the most successful even though I didn't like it much. I almost DNF'd this in the first half, and while I wouldn't say I wish i had, I think my time could have been better spent. But really - if you are diving at an untouched ship wreck, that went missing with hundreds of unaccounted passengers and crew, in an area of the ocean entirely inhospitable to life, shouldn't one of the things you expect to find be human bodies??????? I got so worked up, lol, but once the spooky stuff started I had a better time.

The Game of Courts - new Nine World's novella! I love that Victoria takes the time to explore the various characters in her books outside of the main narrative. Getting to learn more about Conju ourside the current story was much appreciated, even if getting to see an outsider POV of earlier Kip was maybe the main draw. Probably not my favorite of the Lays novellas, but worth reading - and maybe a good starting place for those who are new to the series? Now if only I could get myself to read Derring-Do...

All the White Spaces - bookclub pick that got rescheduled to Nov (more time to reread Murderbot tho, so yay me). The description of this - trans guy on an antarctic exploration that goes wrong - sounded interesting, but it was kind of meh for me in the end. For one I was expecting more horror, but the description of "polar gothic" I've seen since really fits better. I also wasn't a fan of the supernatural explanation, and the whole thing felt hopeless from the beginning, once we got a grasp on the *actual* details of the situation, so I didn't quite know what we were here for. Not my cup of tea.

Hold Fast Through the Fire - NeoG book two!!!! This series is turning out to be very akin to the Tarot sequence in that they not perfect books or 5 stars by any means, but are so fun and addictive to read. This series is space opera, post-post-apocalypse where Earth has two colonies, and the series is about a team in the space!coast guard. Getting into the specific plot of this book isn't actually important, but there's a good 50/50 split on plot vs talking about our emotions!!! I love it, it definitely shows some improvement over book 1, even though I don't know that the author has got the POV's quite balanced out. Jenks is lucky I love her because her drama sure does keep taking over (and I cried so hard for her in this one you guys). Would recommend. Did I mention that almost everyone is queer?

Conrad’s Fate - a good book, but this is also the point where I really started questioning the recommended Chrestomanci reading order. I think chronologically it's book 2? And I'd already forgotten so much from The Lives of Christopher Chant, I do not understand and wish I'd read them chronologically. Much more fun than the Magicians of Caprona.

The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp - I was SO excited when I saw there was a new Leonie Swann being published in english, even if it wasn't the sequel to Three Bags Full (which I read last year and loved). I was even MORE excited when the book opened and was being narrated by the pet tortoise!!! Alas, it was not to last, I did not get another murder novel narrated by an animal. That being said, still pretty good, it reminded me of the Thursday Murder Club (which I liked less), but probably won't be a favorite.

DNF'S - Graveminder and The Devil and Winnie Flynn were both books I own that I tried to fit in for spooky month that did not work out. Winnie Flynn I admit I dropped almost immediately, the vibes were peak bad YA and I wasn't going to torture myself. Graveminder I tried, because I liked the idea, and it wasn't bad per-se, but something about the way it was executed (and the many many POV's) just wasn't working for me. Might fit someone else better though.

Raw Dog I really wanted to like, because the history of hot dogs and a description/ranking of hot dogs are both extremely up my alley - and I did make it 40% in! But there were just a number of factors building up against this - the author's sometimes very (overly?) sharp commentary, my lack of interest in her dysfunctional life, the lack of any comparative rating system for the hot dogs, the food waste, and the sheer number of bodily excretions used as descriptors for the food finally tipped me over the edge. I could have kept listening but I didn't really want to. Perhaps for someone, but not for me.

#book log #wrap up 2023 #2023 #books #booklr #bookblr #neog #hold fast through the fire #chrestomanci #small miracles #olivia atwater #the twyford code #murderbot #victoria goddard #over my dead body #tarot sequence #the sunset years of agnes sharp #the saint of bright doors #creatures of will and temper

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yurtletheturtlehenderson · 9 months

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#i do not control the fixations #barbie #barbie 2023 #im sorry i cant quit posting about it i have so many meme ideas and THIS SONG IS AN EARWORM #im just ken #greta gerwig #margot robbie #ryan gosling #ken #and ken #just ken #kenough #running up that hill #spotify wrapped #stranger things

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dramioneasks · 4 months

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Top 10 Most “Kudos-ed” (Completed) Fics on AO3 of 2023:

Damaged Goods by slytherin_after_dark - E, 50 chapters, Words: 150,499 - Hermione, now in her mid-20s, is back at Hogwarts to pursue higher education. Trying to forget the trauma carved into her by the war, she spends one lust-filled night with a certain pureblood. But that night will have consequences. While her personal life unravels, a string of mysterious murders forces her to work together with Draco Malfoy, who himself seems to carry many secrets. "He scared her. Not because he wielded killing curses like they were nothing, but because he seemed to understand her in a way that even she didn’t. The more she let him in, the more power he had to destroy her." Come for the smut, stay for the plot. Read if you like: - Murder mystery - Dark Arts - Hurt/ Comfort - Hermione and Draco both deal with PTSD - Angst, so much angst

In These Silent Days by HeyJude19 - E, 14 chapters, Words: 67,209 -Hermione is familiar with fighting: for respect, for attention, for justice. She’s even made a career of it; working on behalf of creatures and beings. But her battle against the Ministry’s marriage law is one she loses. Badly. And now, she has to contend with not only public derision and patriarchal politics, but her growing feelings for her government-mandated spouse.

The Silver Envelope by sinflower81 - E, 70 chapters, Words: 192,647 - “Tell me again to release you, Granger. Tell me again that you just want to be friends.” It’s been five years since Draco last spoke to Granger. Things are different now, and though earning her trust will be a challenge, he can’t seem to keep himself away. Hermione has been busy advocating for elves around the world, but when her breakup with Ron turns her life upside-down, she knows there’s only one person who can help her. Alternating POVs between Hermione and Draco. Slow burn, eventual smut, light dom/sub. Diverges from canon after Voldemort's defeat.

In Silence & Submission by gillianeliza - E, 29 chapters, Words: 69,694 - 10 years after the war everything has changed. Enemies turned into friends and lovers. Fear turned into hope. Pain into joy. Everyone has moved on except for Hermione Granger. Nestled within her friend group, now made up of not just Harry and Ginny, but also Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini and of course Draco Malfoy, she was content to allow the trauma of her past to haunt her. More than just content - it was what she felt she deserved - until one evening Draco Malfoy decided enough was enough. This is a low stakes, split POV fic that deals heavily with life AFTER the Battle of Hogwarts. You will find the POV of either Hermione or Draco stated in bold italics, in the middle whenever it shifts. Please read all tags as this work deals with BDSM, kink, trauma recovery, & suicidal ideation.

A Game of High Stakes by In_Dreams - E, 51 chapters, Words: 263,110 - In theory, the task is simple: kill Draco Malfoy. In practice, putting a curse through the Dark Lord's favoured lieutenant will take everything Hermione has―especially since he's trying to kill her, too. Even more so when the lines between them start to blur. Sometimes, the only way out is through.

Hogwarts: A History (Hermione's Version) by Lizzie_carlile - M, 38 chapters, Words: 141,828 - Lord Voldemort has been defeated, and the children of the Wizarding War are thriving. When the heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black is adopted and takes her place in the family with her loving fathers, a new trio is formed. With her best friend and her brother by her side, Hermione Black is thrust into a world that she never knew existed. Will whispers from the past threaten to destroy the world she knows? Or will love once again conquer all? Another take of the Nice Things AU. What would happen if Draco asked Hermione to the Yule Ball before Ron Weasley had a chance to?

Teach Me How to Forget by scullymurphy - E, 20 chapters, Words: 109,646 - Hermione Granger is 27 years old when her life falls apart. Cheated-on, flatless, fed up with her job, she decides to change one thing she can--take a class and try for some career advancement. But change is never easy, especially when an old enemy is the catalyst. And the class instructor. "Just as the minute hand clicked over to the hour, the doorknob twisted and a figure slipped into the room. He was tall, a bit windblown. Hermione had a general impression of crisp cuffs and polished leather, and then a more specific one of the most beautiful grey coat—highlighting his shoulders and eyes, skimming to just the right place on his knife creased trousers. His movements were precise and confident. He was wearing the softest-looking gloves. He was not Professor Belinda Rowle. He was Draco bloody Malfoy."

The Order of Serpents by bl_crtz - E, 44 chapters, Words: 193,506 - During the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry Potter walked into the forbidden forest, died, and walked out with crimson eyes as the new vessel of the Dark Lord. Since then, Hermione Granger served as an elite member of the True Order, isolating herself from other Order members and going on missions alone, not only haunted by the loss of her best friend, Harry, but Ron who had run away after the battle. Three and a half years later, Draco Malfoy shows up with his two year old son on the Order’s doorstep seeking to switch sides. Together, Draco and Hermione are forced to deal with not only each other, but their own past and confront who they’ve become because of the war.

The Contender by rubykrishna - E, 9 chapters, Words: 58,875 - Hermione stopped walking. Her eyes scanned back up the roster until they found the name that she initially mistook for a typo. Draco Malfoy….Beater. She could comprehend the words, the name and the meaning. She understood that his name being on the roster meant he was the starting Beater for England’s national team, but for whatever reason, when her eyes ran over the black ink, her brain could not articulate any emotions or reaction.

Sincerely Yours by LovesBitca8 - E, 10 chapters, Words: 40,759 - A smile tickled the corners of Hermione’s mouth as she clicked Send. She listened to the whoosh of the message and then turned off her computer. When the ping! had come in, she’d had one foot half-out the door of her flat. She’d dropped her coat and darted for her computer desk, a wide grin blossoming at her inbox. You’ve Got Mail.

#dramione #year wrap up #ao3 #favourite fics #2023

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elizmanderson · 4 months

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2023 wrap-up, part 2

click here for part 1 | click here for part 3 | click here for part 4

let's talk about some of the reading I did this year! I don't read as much as I used to, and I'm constantly torn in like five different directions, because. on one hand. I am a chronic rereader. I just want to reread my favorites over and over and over and over and over and

but on the other hand, I'm a writer. and I should be reading new releases to ~keep up with the market~ (or support friends with new publications, or just because new releases look cool).

but on the OTHER other hand, my tbr is five miles long, so I really feel like I should be reading all those books that were new releases 5-10 years ago that I never got around to reading

so let's talk about one of each that I read this year

a reread

thanks to finding out about an upcoming film adaptation of Scott Westerfeld's Uglies, I reread Uglies and Pretties this year for the first time since high school! I reread the series several times back then and loved it but hadn't read it since. pleased to announce that I enjoyed it a lot despite the 15 years that had passed since my previous reading

now I gotta procure a copy of Specials, and then I guess I'll be reading Extras actually for the first time ever, because I never read that one back in the day

link to Uglies on BookShop

a new release

partly as a result of being in a group of debut authors and having a lot of friends to support, I read many new releases this year! but a top new release was definitely Priyanka Taslim's The Love Match, an Austen-esque Bangladeshi YA romcom with a FANTASTIC love triangle (and I say that as someone who isn't particularly into love triangles). she really kept me guessing until the end of the book!

link to The Love Match on BookShop

an older release

this was the year in which I finally read Madeline Miller's The Song of Achilles. it made all my friends cry, even the ones who don't normally cry at books. it did not make me cry. I found it deeply satisfying despite being so soft that I once sent @victoriacbooks in ahead of me to make sure a book did not end sadly before I read it. not sure what that's about, but the point is, I enjoyed this book even though I did not cry lmao

link to The Song of Achilles on BookShop

upcoming books I'm looking forward to

(book titles link to the books' preorder pages)

Kamilah Cole's So Let Them Burn (YA fantasy)

Mo Netz's The Lumbering Giants of Windy Pines (MG fantasy)

Gabriella Buba's Saints of Storm & Sorrow (adult fantasy)

Trinity Nguyen's A Banh Mi for Two (YA romance)

#wrap up 2023 #wrap up #2023 wrapped

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