#Jazz is aroace because I’m aroace and I like Jazz

[rubberduckyrye]

Okay but considering Kokichi talks mega dirty with Miu I find this exchange to be extremely funny because I’ve personally had talks with friends about sexual stuff and all that jazz but then in the very next breath a friend will imply something sexual and my brain just, turns off, and I forget Sex is a Thing because I’m mega Aroace

Anyway what I’m saying is Kokichi being like “Your face got hot? You mean you were hot on her tail, right?” Is the most oblivious, asexual thing he’s ever said ever. Love that for him. Just a brief moment of sheer Ace Cluelessness despite talking dirty with other friends.

Just a big fucking mood tbh.

#Kokichi Ouma #Gonta Gokuhara #danganronpa v3 #drv3 #I just personally HC Kokichi is Ace but STILL. #mood Kokichi #mood

[hazbinfallinginaspiral]

Okay, Retro Reader gets caught plotting to kill Alastor. I mean if they are gonna try to kill Val at first.... Vox is basically Obsessed with Alastor... he will be see as a threat. Would Vox try to completely shut that down, would it become a couples thing for them?

Alastor would immediately pull out the adoption papers. Bloody thirsty but otherwise well-mannered? Adopted. To Retros dismay, of course. Alastor seems to have a fondness for people like them, especially Niffty- both are obsessive and crazed housewives, Retro is just calmer and sweeter. More reasonable.

Anyway, Retro probably adores Alastors radio and his radio show. First time he started broadcasting again? They were listening every day. Then they found out he had history with Vox, and… well, they tracked Alastor down. Alastor took one look at the angry person at the door and just grinned. He Knew. Retro can’t take on an Overlord in a serious fight, but Alastor is actually quite amused, so they end up doing pretty well. He doesn’t want to hurt them too badly, after all.

Retro grows a bit frustrated (very angry) and takes another stab at him. At this point Alastor has taken the most hits he’s had in a while- all minor, of course. Keep in mind, witty back and forth banter has been ensuing this entire time.

“You seemed to be a nice fellow, it’s a shame I have to kill you.”

“You seem to be an interesting individual, it’s a shame I have to die.”

“I quite enjoy your radio show, I’m going to miss listening to it in the evenings.”

“You have excellent tastes, my dear! Quite unique indeed.”

“You’re the only one who plays jazz music when I’m preparing dinner for my darling husband.”

“Well, I’m flattered you enjoy my show so much. It’s always a joy to meet a fan. Is your husband a fan as well?”

“Ha! Vox? No, not at all, he stopped listening ages ago!”

“Wait- Vox?”

And then it’s click into place. Alastor would grin even wider because it’s so perfect. He ends up sorting things out with Retro, and upon learning he’s aroace, Retro is much more civil about the situation. They recognize Alastor has no interest in Vox like that, and they’re back to being polite again. Vox was probably watching the entire thing on camera, enjoying every moment, knowing Retro wasn’t in any real danger even when trying to kill the Radio Demon.

So anyway, Alastor and Retro would definitely end up being gossip buddies. They get together with Rosie for tea all the time. All The Time. Rosie and Retro will use slang and he’ll be so confused.

Vox wouldn’t be anticipating the shift in Retros relationship to Al at all. He’s actually a little disappointed that the attempted murder didn’t last longer. He’s mostly annoyed that Alastor has the audacity to talk to his wife and give tips on fashion and food- how dare he criticize them! They’re perfect! Retro doesn’t mind at all. Vox ends up taking it as an opportunity to get information on Alastor, except it doesn’t work out too well.

Retro knows both modern and old slang, so they end up talking with a lot of early 1900’s slang after meeting with Alastor. Which is incomprehensible to Vox, since he’s all about change and has probably forgotten most of it by now. He is pleased that Retro is calling him their ‘beau’, though. He has no idea what to make of it, but that one stuck pretty well, and he enjoys the endearing name.

#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel vox #hazbin vox #vox #my writing #vox x reader #writing #reader insert #hazbin hotel rosie #hazbin rosie #alastor and rosie #alastor the radio demon #hazbin hotel alastor #hazbin alastor #one sided radiostatic #onewaybroadcast #thanks anon!

[artsyunderstudy]

WIP Wednesday

Thank you for the morning tag @aroace-genderfluid-sheep !!!

Happy Wednesday! I wrote a little since Sunday and I am JAZZED about it. I love making progress. LOVE. Sober is kinda coming off pretty dour so far, I realize, but actually it's not. Not completely anyway. It's also KINDA FUN. And also hopefully horny, I'm getting to that part soon. THANK GOD.

Anyway. Simon isn't trollied anymore but he's still precious. And delivering some sick burns.

Under the cut because it's long.

“You look like hell,” I say instead, rinsing the cup gingerly under the water. I’m careful not to dislodge more sparkles. (Dishwasher-safe, my arse.) Snow frowns deeply as he watches my hands beneath the tap, like he resents me for ruining his cuppa with my clumsy feet. When he finally turns his attention to my face, though, his mouth quirks. Then he lets out an amused snort.  “You look like that guy. From that—” he raises both of his hands perfectly straight up, palms facing inward, and then tips them forward in a gesture. “‘Aliens …’” “What?”  “The science-y guy. With the hair. Y’know.” He does it again. Gestures. “‘Aliens.’” My mouth is hanging open. “I … are you talking about Lance Henriksen?” His face scrunches and he chews on his lip before turning away from me abruptly, shoving his hand down between the cushions of the sofa to retrieve his mobile. I suppose we’re done chatting, then. Lance Henricksen isn’t the worst comparison, though he is middle-aged. Do I look middle-aged? “No,” Snow huffs at his mobile after a moment. Then he turns the screen toward me, like I should be able to see anything from this far across the room. It’s … I think it’s a meme. I can make out the big block of white text reading ‘ALIENS’. Christ fucking almighty. “Jesus, Baz, how old are you? I was talking about the Ancient Aliens guy, with the mad hair. And the—” he starts viciously shaking both hands. Bloody gesturing. “Trust you to jump directly to some obscure film reference.” My face heats. I will not pat down my hair. I refuse.  “Alien isn’t an obscure film, Snow. And you’re hardly one to comment on the state of one’s hair.” “‘One’s’,” he mimics petulantly as he starts patting down his curls, growling as his cheeks go ruddy. “Fuck off, Baz.”

(Also special thanks to @cutestkilla for unwittingly workshopping this banter with me, it truly would not be what it is without her.) (I, like Simon, also had no idea who Lance Henriksen was.)

Low pressure tags for @imagineacoolusername  @martsonmars  @valeffelees @bazzybelle  @ileadacharmedlife  @aristocratic-otter  @urban-sith  @letraspal  @palimpsessed  @whatevertheweather  @nightimedreamersworld  @carryonsimoncarryonbaz  @raenestee  @erzbethluna  @confused-bi-queer  @moodandmist  @yeonjunenby  @shrekgogurt  @thewholelemon  @whogaveyoupermission   @creepyspice  @onepintobean  @ebbpettier  @orange-peony  @theearlgreymage  @ic3-que3n  

@captain-aralias @fatalfangirl  @prettygoododds  @stitchyqueer  @you-remind-me-of-the-babe  @forabeatofadrum  @ivelovedhimthroughworse @mysterioussheep @rimeswithpurple @c0nsumemy5oul @facewithoutheart @hushed-chorus @blackberrysummerblog @larkral @j-nipper-95 @alexalexinii @iamamythologicalcreature @supercutedinosaurs @wellbelesbian @bookish-bogwitch

#wip wednesday #artsyfic #snowbaz fic #look ma i wrote a banter #i can do more than angst and yearning #i can also reference old memes #in dre's words: I contain multitudes

[xiaq]

Why do feelings have to be so confusing???

I’ve never been super into labels, but if I had to choose I probably would have gone with aroace. I kind of figured I wouldn’t ever find someone I wanted to be in a relationship with and that was fine.

But now I’m 30 and somehow in a relationship for the very first time with this person that I love so much. And it’s wonderful and amazing in so many ways, but I also feel so crazy with it??

I feel like a teenager with their first crush but also too old for that and it’s like I don’t know how to trust myself in this because I’ve never felt anything close to this before.

Feeling romantic and sexual attraction for the first time there’s a part of me that’s like how has everyone been living like this the whole time??? It still doesn’t feel like it should be real somehow, even though I’m now experiencing it firsthand.

Anyway I don’t know exactly where I’m going with this, but if you either advice or even just stories to make me feel a little less ridiculous, I’d love to hear them!

I think it's really REALLY important to remember that socially reinforced ideas of normalcy when it comes to exploring sexuality are not, actually, normal. A. Because people are people and what works for one person doesn't work for others. While there's obviously going to be a bell curve on the graph of "when do people typically sort out who they want to kiss (or not kiss) and start doing that" there is going to be a steady, not insignificant, number of folks that are on the upward and downward swing of that bell curve before you even get to the far outliers, and that's to be expected. B. Traditionally accepted timelines for building a sense of sexual identity don't apply anymore. The average age for (first) marriage is creeping back each year. In the US in 1900 it was 26 for men and 22 for women. Now it's 29 and 27 respectively. Women, especially, don't have nearly the pressure placed upon them that they used to to quickly find someone who will take care of them seeing as we can now open bank accounts and own property and work for (mostly) equal pay and all that jazz. So there's that to consider.

But also. Humans, human bodies, are never stagnant. You might have heard the fun factoid that all our cells are replaced every 7 years. That's not entirely accurate, but it's true that the body does regenerate skin and bone and liver and stomach, and so on, cells at a kind of mind-boggling rate. There are things that we're born with that don't change like some of the neurons in our cerebral cortex, I think, but as a species we are generally made to adapt to new experiences and environments so much so that our bodies are in a constant state of change themselves. You're just...doing what you're built to do. Something new has happened and you're adapting to it.

And yes, it can be scary and make you feel very vulnerable when you don't have historical relationship or sex-related context like other people your age might have, but that's when you get to lean on friends and/or talk to your therapist to make sure you're approaching things in a healthy way, there aren't red flags you're missing, etc. Because humans are also pack animals and we thrive in communities in which we can share each others burdens and wisdom.

As someone who also had built what I thought was a pretty clear assessment of my romantic and sexual identity over 29 years, only to have it challenged and rebuilt at 30, I fully empathize with the way you feel. But I leaned into the feelings of confusion (and frankly, giddiness, at times). Who says teenagers are the only ones that get to experience first crushes? Who says 30 is too old for self-discovery? You get to decide how you interact with the world. Who cares what other people are doing if what you're doing makes you happy and hurts no one.

#no guilt in my pleasures #sexuality #hopefully this helps #answered asks #aroace

[mint-termsandconditions]

🎵???

Prompt:

It usually depends on my mood but I’ll say who are my favorite artists in these five categories (+favorite song from them):

Category 1:

It’s a tie between Porter Robison and Madeon

I’m not good at explaining why I like their music so much but just read the title, that’s how I feel when I listen to their songs.

Favorite Song from Porter (even though it’s technically a cover):

Favorite Song from Madeon:

Category 2:

It’s the man, the myth, the legend!

Sara Bareilles!

I know she made songs that aren’t sad but when they are, JFISJDHFHDKWKKW

I just feel my heart be stabbed ten million times

A popular song of her’s is ‘She Use To Be Mine’ from Waitress

but personally my favorite has to be a tie between:

and

Category 3:

IT’S BTR BABYYYYY!!!!

BIG TIME RUSH!!!!!!

I don’t care if it’s probably mostly nostalgia talking, their songs are absolute bangers.

I even went to a BTR concert once, absolutely fire🔥

Favorite:

Category 4:

It’s Jack Stauber.

I like his music and his art.

Opal is really cool.

It’s funny, because when my sister introduced me to him

This was her pitch:

This was before I figured out I was AroAce. She also says that his art style would be something I like and it’s true.

favorite song:

Last Category before I shout out other artists and favorite songs:

Besides the Kirby Soundtrack, I gotta say my favorite soundtrack is from Sam & Max (I love jazz). I’m not sure who’s the main artist who worked on the Sam & Max soundtrack but I just wanted to put this here because I love Sam & Max and it’s soundtrack

favorite:

I say listen to the whole thing because the build up is great but I won’t stop you

Lighting Round!

Kenshi Yonzu

Their music makes me want to cry a river

favorite:

Kikuo:

My sister favorite artist and I like the more experimental aspect of their music very neat

favorite:

(Yes, I will acknowledge the fact that it looks a lot like Void)

Welp, that’s all I can think of for this question!

I honestly just love music so much, if I could I would talk about other songs/ artists I listen to.

Before I leave, I’ll recommend one more artist/ artists that will make your friends question your sanity if you have the aux:

Piss Boys on Spotify

their whole entire gimmick is that they make song about piss and it’s actually hilarious

ALSO IM ALWAYS DOWN TO LISTEN TO NEW SONGS

GIVE ME SONG/ ARTIST RECOMMENDATIONS!!!

My taste is literally anything beside Country and Hyper-pop

Sorry to all the Country and/ or Hyper Pop fans! It’s just isn’t my thing

put it in the comments

#& ask away #I love music so much #Thank you for the ask and giving me an excuse to share music #I love music

[aroaceconfessions]

Cw: I talk about sex but more written/drawn type stuff ig? Nothing explicit

This is kind of dumb but still:

So I’m aroace, and I guess aegosexual, if I were to be specific? Idk I don’t usually use specific labels lol-

But anyway, I’ve been trying to like,, draw sexual stuff and all that jazz, nothing really gross tho cause sometimes it makes me uncomfortable but usually written down stuff I can get through really easily. And it’s whatever I just have this fear of getting caught I guess?? And having to explain myself?? It’s all on paper I’m notebooks/sketchbooks people don’t even know exist but like. It would be such an awkward conversation because how does one explain this not to mention the fact that I’m ace which while wouldn’t be necessary to mention to explain it is pretty intrinsic to my experience with sexual stuff anyways so like-

This is a mess and honestly very funny to me lmao- Just my mild fear of someone finding my tame ass erotica lmao

#arose #aroace #asexual #ace #aspec #acespec #aromantic #aro #arospec #aroacespec #aegosexual

[aspecpplarebeautiful]

I’ve been identifying with a few aspects of being aromatic, but my friends still know me as lesbian and ace. After doing some introspection (and scrolling), I’ve come to realize that I’m much more aligned with the aro spectrum than I had previously thought!

I’m a physically affectionate person, and my favorite way to give or receive platonic affection/comfort has always been hugs, hand holding, etc. However, for some reason I’ve been much more comfortable asking for/receiving platonic physical affection from my guy friends than with girls. For the longest time, I couldn’t figure out why.

But with your help, aros of Tumblr, some more pieces of the puzzle have fallen into place!

Probably because of societal norms and all that jazz, I thought that everybody saw requesting/receiving any kind of physical affection as having borderline if not explicit romantic intent. I thought that if I asked a friend for a hug or to lean on their shoulder, they would hear “I have a crush on you.” To which my brain responds, not with whatever you’d expect from the possibility of a harmless misunderstanding, but with “no, bad, wrong, scary, don’t want that, nonononono”

I realized that I had been unconsciously terrified of anyone interpreting any gesture of mine to have romantic intent. Even the slightest possibility made me so uncomfortable. It just felt…fundamentally incorrect.

That’s why it was so much more uncomfortable to ask a girl friend for a hug. I haven’t come out as aro yet, so if I asked a girl for a hug, she might have interpreted it romantically. But with The Boys (tm), there was only one way for them to interpret it: platonic. It took a slim possibility down to zero, which was a huge relief.

So yeah! Looking back, being terrified of the slight possibility of someone thinking I have a crush on them wasn’t very alloro of me lol. I’m taking the lesbian label, giving it a little kiss, and placing it in the “Doesn’t Quite Fit Anymore But I Can Always Come Back To It If Things Change Again” jar with the rest of the others. I think I’m going to go with the umbrella term aroace for now, thanks to this lovely community for helping with this step of the journey :)

That's awesome, Anon. It sounds like you've gotten a lot of things figured out. I'm really glad to hear this blog was helpful, too.

Thanks for sharing your journey with us!

[a-sterling-rose]

My Valentine’s Day Danny Phantom Ship Rating - I was gonna rate every single ship, but there's too many 🤣

Happy Valentine’s everybody! For this special holiday, I thought it would be fun to rank every ship that is prevalent in the Phandom. To add a personal twist, I’m going to add the rankings for how the couples are by canon and fanon. Do keep in mind that this is my personal opinions and I’m going off of what I’ve seen from these ships. If you have a differing opinion and have fanfictions/fanart that could sway my opinion on a ship, I encourage you to share them with me. This is gonna be a long one, and I’m only going to cover official characters from the show(No crossovers or fan created characters- this includes Wes). Let’s begin!

Amethyst Ocean, Fakeout Makeout, Violet Haze(Danny and Sam)

Canon: 3/10

Fanon: 5.5/10

I’m just gonna rip off this bandage right off. Even as a kid, I didn’t particularly care for this ship. In the show, it just felt like they got together just because they were the main guy and girl characters(sorry Tucker!). From how I saw them, their dynamic is supposed to be Sam is the brain while Danny is the heart: the two being together is what makes each of them complete. However, the show didn’t really capitalize on this, Danny never really challenging Sam whenever she instigated unnecessary conflicts or was just being judgmental. Sam was always right no matter the situation, this being the main reason so many people have conflicting opinions of her(she suffers the most from the show's writing flaws). 

Danny isn’t a saint himself, he has abandoned her and Tucker with ease whenever it gave him the chance for social validation. Canon Danny can be quite sexist actually. He even took advantage of every girl at school when he was the judge for the beauty pageant(Season 2, Episode 14).

They both know they like each other, but neither wants to potentially ruin their friendship. Some say it adds to the drama, I say it adds to my migraine. My AroAce ass can’t put up with this annoyance! Overall, I truly felt nothing when the two got together in the final episode. Beyond everyone around them telling them they like each other and them blushing around each other, do these two have actual chemistry? 

The fanon makes this couple much more tolerable, especially because we actually add nuance to Sam beyond her ‘Goth Vegan Nag’ status. There are some really cute art of the two together that I have saved. However, I think the canon ship has just ruined it for me. I can see why people find them adorable together, but it just isn’t more me.

Brains Over Brawn, Popular Psychology, Strong Smarts(Dash/Jazz)

Canon: 1/10

Fanon: 2/10

In the show, Dash is shown to have a crush on Jazz, something she capitalizes on for Danny to potentially get more social approval(season 1, episode 4). I believe this is the only time Dash’s crush is ever addressed towards Jazz, and I’m glad for it. Jazz is smart enough not to put up with Dash’s bullshit. I’m surprised she didn’t confront Dash more throughout the show about his treatment towards Danny, but Dash is too easy of an antagonist to not use. What would the two even talk about if they did go on a date? Jazz would be so bored being with Dash, he either talking about football or awkwardly trying to reenact a scene in a romance show he totally doesn’t watch. I don’t see it.

For fanon, it’s a bit better since Dash is more nuanced, but the same issue is still present. Dash is just so hostile towards Danny for easy conflict. A well written Jazz would never tolerate that and make it known to the blond. He either changes his attitude, or he can piss off back to Singles Town. From what I’ve seen, people mainly ship them because of how they like the two look together- not compatibility. I feel nothing when I see art of the two together. I haven’t found any fiction that has made me root for them to get together. It just isn’t for me.

Pink Astronaut, Shallow Sapphire, Ghostly Prep(Danny/Paulina)

Canon: 1/10

Fanon: 8/10

Canon Paulina is obsessed with Danny Phantom. Danny Fenton is nothing to her. Paulina has only ever shown Danny interest whenever it suits her and will throw him away once she is done. Canon Paulina is shallow, and there’s nothing else to her. Danny is only attracted to Paulina’s looks, he doesn't care how she acts and how she treats his friends. If these two got together, it would be purely transactional. Funnily enough, it would be Danny to end their relationship once he realizes how obsessive Paulina is towards his ghost half. That or he sees what she really looks like without makeup. Remember, Canon Danny is quite shallow himself. Danny used his judge status to score a date with Paulina(Season 2, Episode 14). He wasn't as much of a simp towards Paulina in season 3, so at least canon knows he wouldn’t tolerate her bratty attitude after everything he’s been through.

When it comes to fanon, now we have something we can work with! The nuances people have added to Paulina in the phandom has made her one of my favorite characters. Some have added so much to Paulina that she is a completely new character. Other’s have addressed her shallowness and gave her a redemption arc. There’s a fanfic that has made me see how these two could work together. Some have her retain a dragon form after the dance event(Season 1, Episode 2). Even when it’s just stories of the two becoming friends, they’re just so cute together. 

Gray Ghost(Danny/Valerie)

Canon: 6/10

Fanon: 9/10

Now this is a drama I can become invested in. Valerie may have been a brat, but she didn’t deserve to have her entire life ripped from underneath her just because of a ghost incident. Seriously, was there really no reason why Danny couldn’t have helped to set things right(like scaring Damon’s Boss, thus making him believe in ghosts)? Nevertheless, the two went on an actual date together(Season 2, Episode 12) and had a good chemistry. The fact Valerie didn’t continue a relationship with Danny for his own safety is beautiful irony at its best. Valerie got an actual character arc and has a hero persona as well. Valerie hates Danny Phantom, but cares for Danny Fenton. A simple conversation could possibly clear things up, but where’s the fun in that? The only thing that keeps me from raising my vote higher is how much Valerie does hate Danny Phantom. The two kinda find a middle ground(Season 1, Episode 18), but of course season 3 makes her forget this and makes her a basic antagonist. They don’t even let her have a conversation with Danny when his identity is revealed in the finale. 

The fanon plays on what the show has given us, but doesn’t fail Valerie like season three did. The fact that fanon just expands on this dynamic instead of having to create things to make these two work shows how beautifully crafted this ship is. 

Dark Gray(Dan/Valerie)

Canon: 0/10

Fanon:1/10

Dan committed mass genocide against humanity and is trying to complete the job. Valerie is doing her best to save what’s left of humanity. There’s nothing here but hate.

Fanon tries to redeem Dan, but it just doesn’t work for me. Genocide is genocide. That shit ain’t cute. The only thing that gives fanon an actual point is that I read a fanfic where Dan sacrifices his very existence to restore his timeline back to normal.

Hunter Silly(Tucker/Valerie)

Canon: 3/10

Fanon: 5/10

Tucker is the one who informed Valerie that the Dog and Kid that destroyed her Dad’s work were ghosts, hence causing her to become a Ghost Hunter. He was shown to have a crush on her before the Cujo incident(Season 1, Episode 11), but Tucker had a crush on anyone who was a girl his age. Anytime Valerie has shown interest in Tucker was to get something out of him: She letting him take her to the dance when Kwan dumped her(Season 1, Episode 2), when Tucker told her about Danny’s parents being ghost hunters(Season 1, Episode 11). It seemed the show tried to set them both together just because they were both black, which I’m glad they stopped once Danny and Valerie were set up as a possible ship. Despite her constant usage of him, Tucker does see the good side of her, hence why he said he wouldn’t give up on her(which was just kinda dropped).

I personally haven’t seen much of the phandom ship these two together that much. I’ve seen some cute art work of the two, but not much fan fiction. I know it’s out there, but I’m not that drawn to the ship that I actively seek it out. Overall just kinda ‘meh’.

Techno Smarts(Tucker/Jazz)

Canon: 3/10

Fanon: 3/10

This is an instance where the Canon and Fanon are tied with this possible ship. Any interest Tucker shows in Jazz in the show is just because she’s a girl. And the Fanon fiction works I’ve seen of the two only have the two together as a means to keep the Phantom Team close together. I don’t feel inclined to seek out works of the ship, but I’m not offended by it either. 

Veggie Burger, Ghost’s Absence(Sam/Tucker)

Canon: 6/10

Fanon: 8/10

This is an instance where the subtext of the canon shows how Tucker may have a crush on Sam. I link you all to this post by @dreamwraith that expands on this more as it made me remember how I shipped these two when I originally watched the show(hence explain why I’m probably not a fan of Danny/Sam even more). They remind me so much of an old married couple already. 

https://at.tumblr.com/a-sam-manson-screencap-a-day/hear-me-out-as-its-something-the-show-worked/axwylxwmv1id

I rank this ship a six simply because of how toxic canon Tucker is, but Sam can be just as toxic back in canon- this is why they work so well together!

Beyond fanart, I personally haven’t read any fanfics for the two, but the art I’ve seen is cute enough to boost the rating up one. 

Jock Goth, Gothic Sports(Kwan/Sam)

Canon: 3/10

Fanon: 4/10

Now this is a ship I personally never made the connection on in canon. Kwan was one of the nice jocks, only really acting up when socially pressured to, but nice when he’s alone. It was out of pity, but Sam hanging out with Kwan was nice of her to do(Season 1, Episode 16), but quickly wanted to get rid of him once he ruined her standing in the goth community. Kwan was having fun with her, but quickly took the chance to be with Star since it meant he could regain some of his popularity status. So in canon, they weren’t the best couple- but not the worst.

I specifically remember reading a fanfic that I really liked about how Kwan realized he developed a crush on Sam, but was too much of a coward to really follow up on his feelings. Sam ended up with Danny in the story, hence making Kwan wallow in his own self-pity for valuing social acceptance more than her. I also remember a fic where Kwan wanted to become legit friends with Sam and the story follows how the two make their friendship work. Not the most popular ship in the Phandom, but one I personally like for friendship. But we aren’t here for friendship, are we?

Twinkle Techno(Tucker/Star)

Canon: 3/10

Fanon: 3/10

Yet another instance of Tucker liking a girl because she is a girl. Star went out with Tucker when ‘Paulina’ was focusing all her attention on Danny(Season 1, Episode 16). She treated Tucker like an errand boy/servant, a fact that he hated enough to be relieved about when Star left him for Kwan. Despite knowing this, Tucker still has a crush on her enough to have dreams about her(Season 3, Episode 9). They would get sick of each other quickly in canon, Star possibly only staying if Tucker had enough money. This relationship would be purely transactional if taken seriously.

I haven’t really seen any fanart or fanfic of this ship, so I’m just going to give it the same ranking as canon.

Sports Satellite(Kwan/Star)

Canon: 7/10

Fanon: 9/10

Once they ditch Sam and Tucker for each other(Season 1, Episode 16), the two remain together for the rest of the show from what I remember. From what we’ve seen, Star is very demanding, wanting basically a man servant as a boyfriend, and I guess Kwan is into it.

I read fanfics adding nuance to their relationship, realizing how toxic their friend group is and just finding solace in each other. Truly they are a cute couple. Shame I haven’t seen any fanart of the two.

Makeup Honor(Dash/Paulina)

Canon: 5/10

Fanon: 6/10

Dash and Paulina seem to only date out of obligation, he being the quarterback while she is cheer captain. They’re with their arms around each other when Danny resets reality(Season 2, Episode 19), but they aren’t really lovey-dovey as you’d expect. They honestly seem more like friends.

Fanon seems to agree with the friendship view like me with their nuance takes on the characters. Whenever they are together, it’s when they are used as antagonists in fanfics. I don’t see this romantic relationship lasting past high school, but they’re fine enough as friends.

Moronic Genius, Brain Cookies, Blue and Orange(Jack/Maddie)

Canon: 9/10

Fanon: 9/10

What is there to say about the Fenton’s? They’re happily married in canon. Maddie has shown she does the occasional romantic gesture, wanting Jack to at least remember their wedding anniversary(Season 1, Episode 8). Despite this mishap, the two seem perfectly happy together. From what I’ve gathered from the subtext, Jack is the one who comes up with the ideas for the inventions while Maddie is who makes them possible. Jack is creative while Maddie is practical. Despite being clueless, the two make a deadly combination.

I honestly believe Fanon overestimates Maddie intelligence. Maddie’s just as oblivious as Jack, she’s just not as loud about it compared to him. You’d think she would have noticed they put the on and off button inside the portal while they were building it. She only read over the prototype portal formulas just as they were about to activate it(Season 2, Episode 16). The Fenton’s are adorable dipshits. That’s what makes them so good together. 

Spurned Affection(Vlad/Maddie)

Canon: 2/10

Fanon: 1/10

Gotta love how canon shows that Vlad would have been awful even if he didn’t get in the portal accident(Season 2, Episode 16). Despite him being against her ghost hunting, Maddie does so in her own secret lab(how did she build it underneath Vlad’s secret lab?). Vlad is very controlling and just uses his accident as an excuse why he’s such an awful person. No, Vlad is an awful person because he chooses to be an awful person.

This is another case of where canon has ruined me ever really liking any rendition of this ship. There are some fics that I read that try to counteract Vlad’s personality by making Jack abusive. Like that’s supposed to make things better somehow? I’m sure there are some works out there that make this ship work, but I have no interest in looking for them myself. 

Family Breakfast, College Triangle(Vlad/Jack/Maddie)

Canon: 4/10

Fanon: 9/10

If canon had the balls to make this a possibility. Well, at least Jack would totally be into the idea. Perhaps Maddie was more upset with Vlad about the log cabin incident(Season 1, Episode 17) because he wanted her to drop Jack, not necessarily because he liked her. The only one holding this ship back is canon Vlad. He’s just too awful.

Fanon has made this ship possible, and it’s the cutest thing imaginable- mainly the bromance of Vlad and Jack. 

Phantom Satellite, Star Gazers(Danny/Star)

Canon: 2/10

Fanon: 5/10

Another shallow canon couple. The two were only really seen romantically together, Star was trying to win favor with Danny for the beauty pageant(Season 2, Episode 14). Any other time Star is seen interacting with Danny is when she’s being mean to him, so there isn’t much else to say about canon.

Another instance of fanon adding nuance to a character, thus making them actually interesting dynamic. The only reason I don’t rank it higher is because Phandom doesn’t seem as interested in this ship, thus being less works to compare to each other unlike Pink Astronaut(Danny/Paulina). I’m not that drawn to it myself to be honest, but what I’ve seen is pretty good.

#Danny Phantom #dp paulina #dp star #dp kwan #dp dash #dash baxter #valerie gray #dp valerie #sam manson #dp sam #tucker foley #dp tucker #jazz fenton #dp Jazz #jasmine fenton #Vlad Masters #maddie fenton #jack fenton #ship rating #danny fenton

[redysetdare]

This may be the AroAce part of me talking but does anyone else feel like using the word “ship” is a bit too strong or not quite the right word when pairing characters up? Like, I’m not big into shipping culture and all that jazz and usually don’t really put characters into romantic pairs but when it does happen I feel like “ship” doesn’t convey the way i feel about these two characters being a pair. “Ship” implies a certain kind of intensity to me and I just never reach that level of intensity with characters that i pair together. Shipping feels like “OMG they are totally my OTP! I’m utterly OBSESSED with this pair!” while my feelings are more along the lines of “I just think they’re neat!” (I kind of think of it as im just more casually enjoying instead of being super invested, y’know??)

Not to mention sometimes i feel intensely about a pairing but not in the sense of the pairing being romantic, but more in a “I strongly feel like this pairing has a strong platonic/found family bond and that’s important to me” way. and before you go on telling me “Shipping isn’t inherently romantic” you can’t say that that isn’t what most people think of when you say you ship characters. it almost always is used in a romantic context so it feels wrong to put it on platonic relationships where it could be mistaken for people thinking i romantically ship the characters.

idk i feel like there should be different words for this sort of thing but also i don’t know what those words are or maybe i should start breaking down what my idea of shipping is and should be (which seems a bit difficult because even if i do that what about everyone else who may misinterpret my use of the word?) idk i’m probably making this more complicated then it needs to be haha...

#text #fandom #shipping #shipping culture #aro #aromantic #asexual #ace #aroace #adding those tags because maybe it's just me being aroace and not fully grasping different relationships #mostly just me rambling to myself i hope this makes sense

[diorysuss]

a convulated oc fact list i wrote in 40 minutes about my ocs because why not. (I am also tired so if some facts seem outta place that’s why 😭😭)

SoL kids and what they are

Dion(ysus) Simmons

- Guarded, Jazz Agent, Psygeology

- African American, specifically creole from New Orleans

- Bisexual

- She/Her, Cis Female

- Bilingual, French and English

- Companion: Molly B. Even though Dion hates the way she talks, they’re a pretty good duo.

- Autistic, but she never got diagnosed so was just called “odd but cool once you get to know her”

- Special Interest was brass instruments as a kid but now she’s just really into rocks.

- In her shadow run she gives eye trauma to shadow president as revenge

- Dating Big Lizzie. Calls her Lovebug (goals)

- Selectively mute sometimes. Like she will just flat out ignore you and not talk to you if she’s mute.

- Dion can play every brass instrument but will visible sob if you try to teach her string/woodwind

- “No, just because I’m named Dionysus doesn’t mean she’s associated with alcoholic beverages and organized crime, damn it!”

- Doesn’t wear hats. The hatless run.

- But will constantly wear her shades. Her left eye does this weird thing from when she was 6 and she doesn’t like it.

- The oldest/peacemaker out of the 3 Simmons kid.

Ares Simmons

- Checkered Past, Pig Skinner, Cryptobotany

- AroAce | Neurotypical | Anger Issues

- He/They, demiboy (he will actually beat the shit outta you if you say otherwise)

- Companion: Simone. He freaks her out sometimes but they got along.

- African American/Italian, adopted from DirtWater and brought to New Orleans

- Ares actually served in the U.S army under Bruise; he genuinely thought for a little while that his lieutenant was named Bruce, and was shocked to find him as his rival.

- He adopted the ruthless perk from his mother; absolutely a beast and has little to no empathy for most others than his family and companions. Most violent being in loathing

- He was put in prison for 6 months before getting out for the wrong thing (they thought he committed a series of gruesome murders; no he just punched a parking meter too hard or something)

- In his shadow run he didn’t just absorb Bruise he literally beat the shit outta him until he was bone

- “Romance is for WEAK PEOPLE who need another person to function.”

- Ares has little to no filter; he says whatever he wants when he wants. This can lead to unwarranted consequences that he shoves, kicks and bites his way out of.

-Bruise is missing a finger because of him.

- Youngest out of the 3 siblings

Demet(er) Simmons

- Scouts Honor, Cheese Wizard, Insectology

- Any/All, Genderfluid

- Lesbian | Asexual

- ADHD

- African American, Creole and from New Orleans

- Companion: Obie. They help each other and duet in the speakeasy a lot.

- Bilingual, French and English

- Demet is notably disabled and uses fore-arm crutches to walk; makes wizarding a bit hard but they make do

- Pacifist, he genuinely wanted to be friends with Noël, but had to send her out of country.

- Demet knows piano; a hobby she practiced since she wasn’t allowed (or rather didn’t let herself) go outside.

- Hates bugs but hates sapient rocks and weird plants more

- She likes Jasper’s shades a whole lot; makes her feel cool.

#oh dear god #how am i gonna tag this #ok let’s go #SoL Dion Simmons #SoL Ares Simmons #SoL Demet Simmons #shadows over loathing #shadows over loathing ocs #this is so long oh my god

[gnomebud]

ok if i can’t draw rena right now i am going to give you fun facts about her. i love her

in dnd mechanics she is a forest halfling! at the moment she is a fighter who is multiclassing into cleric. she has a sword. and a tail bc i love when ppl give halflings tails

originally she was a gnome cleric who was multiclassing into paladin but the other way around makes more sense for backstory reasons. idk why i switched from gnome to halfling, i just think halfling fits her better

my pinterest board for her currently has exactly 300 pins which is. way more than i have for any other oc

she likes maps!! and flowers and velvet and embroidery. she absolutely does not have the patience for embroidery but she loves the look of it. she doesn’t really like dancing but she loves an event

she is a cleric of ehlonna! a nature/forest/life deity. rena’s whole thing is that she previously was an adventurer (hence the fighter class) but it did not really go well and she was not with a good group. she sort of stumbled her way upon a temple for ehlonna and stayed with the people there

she is <3 aroace spec! she doesn’t know how attraction works and does not care. she has her person already and loves him so much. she met iliya at the temple and they originally got along very well because he is goofy but also a fucking nerd. he meets this tiny angsty halfling with a badass sword and is like you are the coolest person ever and attaches himself to her immediately. in dnd mechanics he’s either a monk or a ranger, i think!

iliya can play a few instruments and rena never learned & can’t carry a tune so she just curls up around him and listens :]

in my mind her story is like, a “searching for someone and finding yourself instead” story. except she does also find who she was looking for (not metaphorical; ppl [iliya] go missing) bc why not have both !! she has hypervigilance issues and also issues with being overly protective and self sacrificing and not knowing when to take a step back and trusting others and a lot of her story is about like. coming into her own and finding strength in those around her and all that jazz!! very. heretic’s guide inspired bc i think every story i ever think abt is going to have traces of the heretic’s guide

i use lots of dnd terms in my brain to think abt her but i’m honestly probably never going to play her in a full campaign bc i care abt her too much now and need all the control. i might write lil stories for fun though :)

shoutout to @majorkirastan for getting all this info for the first time as her dm parent when i got to play her in dnd a few times. she is still my most precious oc

#rambles #rena

[untraceable-ace]

Hello Friends (Outdated)

After lurking for many many years, I have acquired a blog on the hellsite that is tumblr, which means I can finally shout my inane ramblings into the void of the internet. 

These are likely to be outdated but:

You can find my Items of Interest (AKA Infodump Topics) here:

Items of Interest Page

You can find my Tagging System here:

Tagging System

Unnecessary Facts About Myself:

I’m autistic

He/They but not a man, nor a woman, nor in between. I am all gender. Fight me /j.

Aroace, but romance favorable

My music taste varies wildly, but come talk to me if you’re into punk, metal, alt jazz rock, etc. Basically most anything other than pop music and country

I am a bassist! Also a pianist, technically a guitarist, and I can play the ukulele because of course I can I was a cringey teen on the internet when I got it what did you expect

I will over-explain everything due to the crippling fear that people will misinterpret what I’m saying (totally not the autism /s) so if you have a problem with that sucks to be you I guess

I’m pretty progressive in my opinions, so every so often I’ll probably post or reblog something relating to politics or human rights, but not very frequently, because issues like that are extremely mentally draining :D

This is just meant to be a fun little blog for me to make some internet friends and shout about my current interests, so grab some popcorn and enjoy the ride if you’re interested. And if you know me in real life...congrats I guess? Don’t know how you found me but since you have, erase this information from your brain and speak nothing of this blog to anyone. That is a threat

#intro post #my posts #items of interest #tagging system #this is an outdated post now #im gonna make an about me page later

[appreciatingtokrev]

true but some users that I know that does that is because they feel embarrassed on still being tumblr at their age lol.

age discourse is a bit of a heavy subject to talk about and it’s unavoidable to not accidentally offend someone so i just steer clear of that.

i think the world view thing depends on a lot of different factors like if both parties come from very strict families, the liberation is not going to happen if there is an age gap of one/two years.

I never really read into those sort of things like if I like you, I’ll talk to you because why not but I wouldn’t ignore anyone because that’s rude lmao. so I can’t comment on the difference/interesting element.

it originated from Japan where the person that received chocolates on Valentine day give chocolates back to the person that gave it to them on the 14th of March.

You can see the before and after difference then and having true love is a very nice thing to have since it’s a very special bond.

I’m not very creative with names lol. I actually use my real name on here since I’m not bothered about that. but if I use a fake one, it would be hard to guess my real one because it start with Z. so you can call me whatever you want, I don’t mind.

true true lol

yeah, agreed

of course. i mean it’s not really the ‘cultural difference’ between differently aged ppl if it’s only one year, it’s just how you grow up etc which is a random factor. in my case it was a coincidence that there was such a big general difference ofc, but i still think it’s interesting how my grade was so different from the one directly above

yeah i mean i never purposefully ignore people (unless they’re rude to me first, sometimes) bc as you said it’s rude so i think it’s stupid to read too much into the little things anyways

actually the giving back chocolate thing is a pretty nice idea... hm. interesting that we don’t have something like that here. (i think? i ignore valentine’s day and all that jazz anyways, plus i’m always on vacation during that time so i’m busy skiing or smth lol)

very true! as an aroace person tbh it was very interesting to see their relationship develop because i don’t experience romantic attraction at all and i still have a hard time understanding it, but the two of them definitely help me grasp at least a bit of it lmao

hm, okay. i’m just gonna call you z then, i don’t wanna have to come up with smth adgjhf. unless you’d be bothered by that for some reason ofc, then feel free to tell me!

#☆—`ask #anon: z #whoo look at your tag now i have our convos sorted into a useful lil tag hehe

[its-rat-time-babey]

Danny phantom LGBT Headcanons.

Danny: bi and trans.

Sam: biromantic asexual, uses She/they pronouns.

Tucker: pansexual and nonbinary.

Jazz: aroace.

Valerie: bi.

Dash: gay but hasn’t figured that out yet.

Paulina: bisexual that believes that they’re straight.

Star: lesbian with a massive crush on Paulina.

Jack Fenton: bi.

Vlad Masters: bi.

Clockwork: genderfluid.

#danny phantom #headcanons #trans danny fenton #lgbt headcanons #every character is lgbt until proven otherwise #Jazz is aroace because I’m aroace and I like Jazz #I probably have more lgbt headcanons somewhere in my brain but I just can’t remember anything

[freakypumpkin]

NOT ME ep12

My two cent thoughts:

GramEugene does not make sense and it does not work.  I’m always going to be mad that the potential of GramBlack got sacrificed for that, same with the close friendship that got set up for Gram and Black. - If GramBlack can not happen for whatever reason, let him stay single and just be a good friend for Black. (Like, some aroace rep anybody?) - Screen time, character and all that jazz wasted.

Having Dan be the one to shoot Sean’s father was a mistake because you need much more space and time to properly develop this kind of mess. (Also, possible unpopular opinion, but the reaction of “Then k*ll yourself.” as retribution for it? No. Ntm that Dan’s reaction to that one opens a whole other can of mental health worms, for which there’s of course no time.) - the guilt somehow also became Dan’s only character trait since the reveal after the drawing session?

I don’t know if anybody else feels like this, but the writing of the show’s second half feels very disconnected to the first half of it?  Not just the whole mess with Gram, but also how we had the nuance about what everybody’s fighting for and why and how it makes a difference which ways you choose to fight the system? What kinds of protest are actually working and what will harm your cause more than help it. 

(Sidenote: I would really like seeing First and Gawin another show, still.)

#not me the series #thai bl #danyok #gramblack #grameugene

[celiabowens]

underrated SFF books (YA and Adult)

So uhm, since I keep seeing the same books on my dash all the time (and I like them too, just...there’s more! to read!) here’s a list of less popular SFF books, divided into YA and Adult. I’ve tried to mention when there is lgbt rep and the trigger warnings. Also, books written by poc will be in bold. Please point out any typo or mistake or if I’ve forgotten specific rep/tw mentions.

All of these are books that I’ve read and enjoyed (by enjoyed I mean anything from 3 stars and above), but if anyone wants to add titles please feel free to do so!!

YA:

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi: beautifully written, fairytale-like story rich in mythology (inspired by several Hindu myths. There’s a full list on goodreads indicated by the author herself). Roshani’s prose is gorgeous.

A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi: it’s a companion novel to The Star-Touched Queen, but both can be read as a standalone. I liked this one more than its companion and I particularly loved how the romance was written (slow burn, but specifically, the author really highlights the mutual respect between the characters, we love to see it).

The Young Elites by Marie Lu: fantasy trilogy set in a world inspired by Renaissance Italy, in which children who survived a mysterious and deadly illness ended up with strange and dangerous powers. Secret societies and a female villain!

The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu: historical fantasy following Mozart’s sister, Nannerl, a girl as talented as her brother, but afraid of being forgotten because of the lack of opportunities she has to be seen and heard. Nuanced sibling relationship, no romance.  

The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski: fantasy f/f romance! Both a coming of age story set in a society with a rigid class system and a slow burn f/f romance with a lot of banter. TW: abuse.

The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore: magical realism. The book follows two families of traveling performers that have been locked in a feud for over a generation. This was the author’s debut and I remember getting an arc of it and being impressed by both the prose and how the forbidden love trope was handled.

When the Moon was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore: another magical realism novel. One of the main characters is a trans boy and the book focuses on issues of racism and gender. One of my favorite YA!

Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton: fantasy romance set in a village that periodically sacrifices a young man in order to keep a deal with the devil that ensures their prosperity. Also, polyamorous and non-binary rep.

The Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee: first book in a duology following avatar Kyoshi’s life. It explores the political and cultural aspect of the Earth Kingdom and Kyoshi’s past. Bisexual rep.

Descendant of the Crane by Joan He: sort of a murder mystery fantasy, as the main character finds herself suddenly thrust into power once her father has been murdered. The story has a slow build up to a last part full of twists and machinations and it features lots of court intrigue. Warning: the ending is quite open and afaik there isn’t a sequel planned as of now.

The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones: a quite unique take on zombies influenced by Welsh mythology (it’s super cool). The novel follows Ryn and their siblings, as they try to get by after their parents’ death by working as gravediggers. Only well, the dead don’t always stay dead. The characters read a bit younger than they are imo. There is chronic pain rep.

The Magnolia Sword by Sherry Thomas: retelling of the original ballad of Mulan. The book follows Mulan, who’s trained her whole life to win a duel for a priceless heirloom, as she joins the army. There’s a lot of political and historical details, which I really appreciated. Do not go into it expecting a fun adventure though. The descriptions of war aren’t extremely graphic, but be aware of the fact that most of the book is set during a conflict.

The Candle and The Flame by Nafiza Azad: standalone fantasy set in a city on the Silk Road! It’s a quite slow-paced tale about love, family and politics. It has lush descriptions of landscapes and cultures (and FOOD, there are some really great descriptions of food). It’s a very atmospheric book and while I struggled a bit with the pace I’d still recommend it.

Forest of a Thousand Lanters by Julie C. Dao: sort of an East Asian inspired retelling of Snow White, but following the Evil Queen before she became Snow White’s stepmother. I honestly haven’t read its sequel (which should focus on Snow White herself), but I do think this can be read and enjoyed as a standalone too.

The Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner: it’s hard to point out exactly what this series is about because it has evolved so much with time. It starts out as classic quest/adventure series with The Thief (which may seem a classic and simple book, but is actually full of foreshadowing and has a really clever set up), but develops into a complex and intriguing political fantasy in The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia (and then goes back to the quest theme in book 5, Thick as Thieves).

Adult:

A Fist of Permutations in Lightning and Wildflowers by Alyssa Wong: I’m cheating with this one because it’s technically a short story but I love Alyssa Wong’s stories so I’m putting it here anyway. It can be read for free and you should just...read it.

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

The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang: a Japanese-inspired militaristic fantasy, with elemental magic, a badass housewife dealing with her past and hiding a sword in her kitchen’s floor. It has interesting and nuanced family dynamics and a great reflection on propaganda and the use of narratives.

Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri: first book in an epic fantasy duology inspired by Mughal India (TW: abuse, slavery). I really liked both Empire of Sand and its companion and I find them pretty underrated. Both books have great slow burn romance (with a focus on mutual trust and respect) and focus on culture, religion, self acceptance and politics.

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: a fantasy bildungsroman set in Mexico during the Jazz age. It’s a great approach to adult SFF as it follows a young girl on a life changing adventure. It features Mayan mythology and a god slowly becoming human (this trope is everything!).

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden: a coming of age story inspired by Russian folklore. The trilogy as a whole has one of the best arcs I’ve ever seen: each book is perfectly self-contained and has its own arc, but also fits perfectly in the bigger picture of the trilogy. The atmosphere is amazing, the cast of characters is extremely well developed. Also frost demons are better than men.

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

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

Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett: heist fantasy following a thief as she’s hired to steal a powerful artifact that may change magical technology as she knows it. Set in a Venice-like merchant city. Also, slow burn f/f romance.

Jade City by Fonda Lee: sort of a gangster urban fantasy, heavily inspired by wuxia and set in an Asian-inspired metropolis. It follows a pretty big cast of characters, each with their own journey and development. It features nuanced family dynamics and a lot of political and economical subplots. Not extremely prominent, but book 2 features m/m side rep.

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse: inspired by Native American culture and specifically by the idea of subsequent worlds. It has a kickass MC and a good mix of original elements and typical UF tropes. TW: the book isn’t extremely violent but there is death and some gore.

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

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

The long way to a small angry planet by Becky Chambers: character driven space opera featuring a found family journeying through space. A fun read, that also deals with topics such as sexuality and race. Quite easy to go through, as the world building and plot aren’t particularly complex themselves. f/f romance.  

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

The Black God’s Drums by P. Djèlí Clark: an urban fantasy novella, based on Orisha mythology and set in an alternate, sort of steampunk, New Orleans. I really like how creative Clark’s worlds are and how good he is at writing female characters (which rarely happens with male authors).

The haunting of tram car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark: novella set in an alternate steampunk Cairo populated by supernatural entities. It’s set in the same world of a Dead Djinn in Cairo, which is a short story you can read for free.

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone: epistolary novella set during a time-travel war. It has gorgeous writing and an amazing f/f romance. As a novella, it’s quite short but it’s beautifully crafted and so complex for such a short book!

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

One for My Enemy by Olivie Blake: self-published urban fantasy following two rival families in New York. Sort of a Romeo and Juliette retelling but with gangster families and magic. Honestly recommend all of her books, I love how Olivie writes and especially how she writes female characters.

#book recs #book recommendations #adult sff #ya literature #lgbt fiction #litblr #listen this doesn't show in tags i'm DONE #done with this tagging system lol #also if there are mistakes please tell me!! #book rec