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#mal reads acotar
theladyofbloodshed · 1 year
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I'm just so weirded out and disgusted by Sarah's need to sexualize every male. Not just in the books, but notice how everytime someone asks her about the women, she talks about their journey and more but when she's asked about the males, the first thing that comes to her mind is what they're like in bed. I don't even want to get started on the wet comment that she made about 17 year old Mal infront of the author that went through SA and grooming.
Like, yeah you can create males that are hot but there is no need to constantly remind us how hot they are and what they can do in bed. Their personalities center around their big dicks and big egos (-> Cassian, Rhys, Azriel, Lorcan, Rowan, Tharion etc.). She managed to create characters that have more to offer than just their looks and dicks (Lucien, Chaol, Dorian, Aedion), yet they aren't praised or talked a lot by Sjm anyway. Sometimes I have this urge to vomit whenever she sexualizes them.
She may not do it to a lot of female characters but omg, how disgusted I was in CC, reading about how everyone wants Bryce and I remember that disgusting quote that Tharion made in the second book when talking to Ithan (something like "everyone wants her" or "everyone wants to f*ck her" I can't remember clearly) and it just made me want to burn that book. Or the constant sexualizing that Nesta falls victim to:
What was the point of Cassian noticing Nesta's big boobs and calling them "inviting" when Nesta was unhealthly skinny? What was the point to sexualize a 14 year old Nesta "seducing" a grown man by dancing with him? What was the point of Lanthys wet vision that he showed Nesta? Did she even had time to process what happened to her at the bog or was it all so hot for her that she needed to find release with Cassian shortly after? Why did she not care about Nesta's comfortability and her modesty and made her wear a very revealing dress?
I can't bring myself to read acosf because that is by far the worst book that includes the worst smut scenes ever. Every smut scene made me want to throw up.
I also hate the fact that she even included a threesome in the first place. Is this women incapable of thinking about other stuff that don't include sex? Is she incapable to think about male characters without thinking of how good they are in bed?
I feel the same anon. She comes across as a stereotypical sex-crazed teenage boy especially with the Mal comment about him being so hot!
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If her male characters weren't hot then lots of them would be treated very different by the fandom (looking especially at Cassian, Rowan, and Rhys). She does know that being hot does not equal being a good person, right?
I love Dorian but it's very telling that when he learns to shapeshift into a woman, his first thoughts are about boobs getting in the way and thinking he knew how to please a woman, but he might have to masturbate and find out - even though he's about infiltrate Morath. Sex on the brain.
Here's part of an interview with her - literally all quotes taken from the SAME interview:
No, I like the prince. He’s so hot with his torn clothes and ripped body! When I was a kid I was like, “He is not that hot, gross,” but now that I’m older I’m like, “He is smoking.” I think that’s why when I wrote ACoTaR I wanted to have the physical romance, so I wanted him to be able to shapeshift. […] There’s not nearly enough romance in Beauty and the Beast, just one kiss at the end. I need a whole movie with the dancing and the tension and the making out! [Talking about the prince from Beauty and the Beast which she surely knows is a kids movie, right?]
 I think I must have been on a Phantom of the Opera kick at the time, so I was like, “Masks are really hot and mysterious.” [Why Tamlin/Lucien wore masks]
 Maybe a cool eyepatch? Which is another thing I find weirdly hot. If I had an eyepatch I would have mine totally bedazzled. It would be super awesome. Who[m] else would I like to see? Rhys would be something. I think I would be like slightly terrified! I love Rhys’s shapeshift. I think he’s my favorite. Lucien would be the easiest, though, with the fox and the eye and the red hair… now I’m daydreaming! [Talking about Lucien cosplay]
When I discovered Rhys’s form, it was one of my favorite scenes… mostly because he is just lounging on a bed. Oh my God, I will die if someone draws that. I don’t think I’ve seen any Rhys fan art yet. Oh my God, please, I will just combust [laughs]. [Talking about her favourite]
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lookbluesoup · 1 year
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Munday Ask Meme
Tagged by @mimble-sparklepudding and @boggleoflight , thank you :D
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The last song you listened to: Wild by aeseaes
Currently reading: Nothing :C The last book I finished though was "The Forgotten Beasts of Eld" by Patricia A. McKillip, which was very good, I do recommend it!
Last Movie: Storks - it's pretty cute! I needed something chill to decompress to xD
Craving: Gluten Free Oreos. I ran out a couple days ago, I am in mourning
What are you wearing right now? Mismatched pajamas
How tall are you: Short
Piercings: Nope. I used to have my ears pierced but they closed back up because I could never be bothered with earrings!
Tattoos: None! Though I hope to get some someday
Glasses? Contacts? Both, but I prefer glasses. I can take them off to rest my eyes, and when I inevitably lose my phone on the way to bed I can just put them back on real quick to find it without an ordeal lmfao
Last drink: Water
Last show: Shadow & Bone (also fun! Do recommend)
Last thing you ate: Fajita Nachos
Favorite color: Purple
Current obsession: @seasaltandcopper pitched an au to me this morning that we've been plotting out all day, where Mal is a minor god and Nate is a human some desperate starving villagers tried to sacrifice to bring fortune back to their village. Nate prayed for help, and it's actually his desperation Mal hears and responds to. He rescues Nate, slow burn idiots to lovers, and they end up having to figure out whats "killing" the other gods and why all the bigger, widely worshiped ones have stopped answering prayers.
Unrelated obsession: I mean. FFXIV. LOL.
Any pets: My cat, Goose!
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Do you have a crush on anyone? @seasaltandcopper my beloved
Favorite fictional character: That is an IMPOSSIBLE question there are too many D: From ffxiv there's Alisaie, X'rhun Tia, Emet Selch, G'raha Tia. From other places there's Piper Wright (FO4), Rhysand (Acotar), Vignette Stonemoss (Carnival Row.... but only season 1. lmfao), Chetney Pock O'Pea (CR), Anders, Cassandra (DA). I'm also of course quite partial to mine and my friends OCs lol
(Apparently my types are: sassy man with a heart of gold, unfailingly loyal morally dubious disaster man with style, and badass kind-hearted woman who will fistfight literally anything, all with liberal sprinklings of ptsd on top)
The last place you traveled: The dentist! For the first time since 2019. I have 9 cavities :) Because I am grinding my teeth severely and also not flossing enough.
--
Since it is pretty late on Munday I wont tag anyone this time around, if you wanna steal if from me, feel free!!
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acourtofidiots · 4 months
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When can we expect updates on kinktober🙏
(I love your work btw)
honestly...i don't know
work has been busy lately, as we're preparing for thanksgiving here in the U.S. (bleh) so after work I usually don't have much energy to do anything except for laying in bed and scrolling on my phone. so that puts all my works on pause for the time being.
i've also just been feeling disconnected from tumblr. i haven't been going on as much and not reading as much. I've always been kind of an outsider on here, as I don't really have a group of friends here and the only person I really talk to on a semi-consistent basis is Mal lol. So my focus on tumblr has gone away recently, but hopefully I'll try and spend more time on here and get more writing inspo.
i do, however, have something coming out in December as part of a secret Santa fic exchanged (if you're an ACOTAR stan, be on the look out!). But, I'll try and get to the blurbs when I can. I do have day two partially written and I need to finish writing it, so hopefully it'll be out soon??
but thank you for checking in about this. <3
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nikethestatue · 1 year
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I have this suspicion that one of the reason SJM is putting CC3 first is to establish the love triangle between E/A/G instead of A/E/L because it will be more profitable.
I say this with the awareness that up until now in the books ELRIEL has been strongly set up, and it was about a females choice but money is a strong motivator to fuck your story up.
The shipwar has brought a lot of publicity to ACOTAR and if you look at Goodreads you will see that the number of reviews from book 1 to Acosf has decreased around 65% I use this decrease as a rough estimation of copies sold. Only the publisher knows true copies sold. Even best seller lists are based on a small market not the entire market and can be manipulated if the publisher gives money to the lists creator. So I assume that terrible ” interview” was to try and get people to buy Acosf. While watching the interview you could tell she was forced to pump it up by kept saying how important the book was to her but SJM knows its one of her weaker books in all series.
So after all that I think she may have seen how shadow and bone did so well because of the Shipwar that was created between the darkling and Mal, that the series got a TV show. I am willing to bet she wants the TV show but is most likely being turned away.
Also if she does switch the love triangle to E/A/G I am out of this fandom and will probably never read /purchase a SJM novel again.
I am in marketing and know how much money drives decisions at this level. This stuff interests me. Would love to hear what you think even if you strongly disagree.
So, I am not in marketing, but I know enough about it to understand that BB and SJM would be fools not to capitalize on Gwyn and people's rabid interest in her. What I would do is simple--I'd write Gwyn into CC3, and give her a whole new love interest. SJM is doing it with Ithan, with Ruhn, and a bunch of other people in CC, so if she is gonna bring Gwynnie in there, it's her chance to write everyone's favourite priestess into the book. I'd market it prior with lots of mentions of her, but no indication of who the LI is. Then I, as the author and the publisher, get my money, because Gwynriels are running to buy the book, I get my sales, I write her in and even though I am Miss I-Am-Writing-NA-and-Not-YA now, I still can't get away from writing the Gwyns of the world.
I'd set her up with like Hunt's or Ruhn's cousin or something--hung like a tree trunk and winged, with "TRAUMA'. Gwynnie can go and redeem something or whatever, hook up with Mr Broody Winged Man--who also knows what a phone is and is on FaeInsta and FaeTok and therefore relatable to Gwyn fans.
Meanwhile, the OG Broody Winged Man is hanging out with Miss Flower Girl and everyone is happy.
I mean, it sounds like a joke, but it really isn't. That's exactly what I'd do. I wouldn't change anything about my original plan for Elriel, I would write an Elain book, and I would get her together with Azriel. But, as a savvy marketing person, I'd also write Gwyn, because it's no sweat off my back, I'd give her a storyline, a dude, and that way I'd satisfy my pocketbook and all the fans.
It's actually quite easy to have everyone be quiet, end the shipwar, and still stick to my original story.
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alexalblondo · 9 months
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As a person who has read all the unrecommended books and feels a bit attacked rn lmao:
-the poppy war series is my favourite series of all time but there are 1000 reasons why one might not like it and i don't know you well enough to judge
-acotar.... listen they are not good but most people will have a great time reading them. Definitely entertaining and can be a bit addicting. I will unfortunately read the next one once that comes out and i will probably enjoy it. Has led to some of the funniest conversations I've ever had with my friends who have also read it
-bridgerton: i had a phase where i read one of those books a day, i was addicted. Ranges from "worst thing i have ever read" (book 4) to "one of my favourite romance books" (book 5) with a whole lot of meh in the middle. Honestly don't recommend opening that can of worms...
Now for my own unrecomendation: off campus by elle kennedy. I can't remember which one i read but it's a close second to the worst book i've ever read, bridgerton book 4, "to sir phillip with love"
Oh no, I am sorry you feel attacked :(
also I haven't actually read The poppy wars but Mal told me not to read it and she IS a huge part of my impulse control so yeah ... but maybe I will look into it at this point I am really curious to give my own take
and I will maybe ... possibly ... at least watch all those videos on ACOTAR on the weekend if I find the time
as for bridgerton there are some that interest me more based on summery but honestly I could not get into the witing style idk idk but also "to sir phillip with love" already sounds awful just by title
AND OMG, not off campus, scream, fun fact I read the first three books during covid ... 50% cause I thought the dude from book 4 would turn out gay and then found out he wasn't and yeah ... they are so bad and I am still sore like all these girls are so not like other girls it hurts my soul
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morrigan-sims · 2 years
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What are your hottest of hot takes on some of the booktok/trending books rn?
okay, I'm going to be honest and say I didn't even know what's trending on booktok right now. I had to google.
A Court of Thornes and Roses
Bleh. I read this book, and did NOT like it. Throne of Glass was decent enough, but ACOTAR is... not good. The relationships all give me bad vibes, or are just straight up toxic, and there's more sm/ut than I'm comfortable with. Also, the ending of the second book (which was where I stopped because agian, not a fan), is almost the exact same ending that Ms. Maas used for the end of Empire of Storms (book 5 in throne of glass). It's one thing for there to be tropes, but to essentially plagiarize yourself is an interesting thing to do.
What is it with booktok and faeries?? Is there something you people find romantic about being held against your will by a supernatural creature 10x your age??? DOES NO ONE ELSE FIND THAT CREEPY??? (ALSO Faerie myths rarely end well for the humans, and they never have good intentions. Not to mention that a very common faerie myth (changelings) is very, very ableist.)
2. Red Queen
it was.... meh. Things got dragged out 10x more than they needed to, and why can't you just kill these people who are evil and be done with it?? Also, neither of the love interest options are very good people to the main character. There's so much back and forth and backstabbing that you have no idea who's on what side, which while can sometimes turn out okay, the number of times the reader's opinion about X or Y character flip flops is just rediculous. (And again, just kill the douchebag and be done with it!!)
3. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.
This one... this one is something else. While I love the concept, in theory, I was NOT a fan of the execution. It's not nearly as good as everyone makes it out to be, and if you want to see V.E. Schwab's better writing, read the Villains series. The concept is nice, but the plot and characters leave a bit to be desired, imo.
Bonus (but tw for implied grooming and very unhealthy relationships) under the cut.
BONUS: Shadow and Bone (kind of)
While I absolutely ADORE Six of Crows/Crooked Kingdom, and also loved King of Scars/Rule of Wolves, I was initially uncertain if I wanted to even read Six of Crows after reading the original trilogy. I read both *years* ago, before BookTok latched on, and I discovered that I cared 20x more about the side characters (Nikolai, Tamar, Genya, etc.) than I did about Alina and Mal. I never really cared about them or what happened to them, but I was deeply invested in the side characters stories. Hence why I'm so happy that Ms. Bardugo decided to explore them in KoS/RoW. But that's not my issue with S&B. My issue with S&B is actually a fanbase issue, not a plot issue. THE DARKALINA CREEPS. Who is their right mind thinks that the Darkling gave one rat's ass about Alina??? Who in their right mind could ship them together. Yes, you're supposed to see the Darkling as more than just an evil monolith, and that's valid. But how anyone can read those books (ESPECIALLY the tent scene near the end of book 1) and not be absolutley REPULSED by the Darkling, baffles me. Yes, you're supposed to feel emotions about him, even mourn his death, (or in my case, the death of the person he coudl have been, the person his mother wanted him to be), but dear god, he's a creep. He's also about 600 years old, and you're shipping him with a teenager. What the hell is wrong with you??? The reader is supposed to follow an arc with him, from being wary to admiring him to hating him, and maybe ending on pity. But SO many people get stuck on admiring, and it revolts me. I'm not going to lie, someone liking the Darkling or shipping Darkalina is a MASSIVE red flag, because of how blatantly abusive and manipulative the Darkling is. He's not even subtle about it, after the first 2/3 of the 1st book.
Okay, that's all. I'm so sorry for screaming at you.
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bookofmirth · 1 year
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Could I just dare to say that Bryathalar became a little not interesting? I'm glad that the CC books don't focus on romantic relationships, have a dual POV and we get to see other relationships develope. I actually quite loved Bryathalar in the first book because that's where they met and their relationship didn't start all sweet. I liked how it developed, how it turned into a friendship and I loved their friendship. I liked that we got to see them fall in love on page. But because we have seen it all in CC1, I didn't really care about that ship anymore in the second book. I still love their banter and that they’re a team, it's just that there wasn't such angst and tension between them. It was basically them bantering, sexy times here and there and solving political problems and secrets. Only in the end of hosab did Bryathalar catch my attention, because chances are that Hunt won't remember Bryce and their times together. With Bryce now in Prythian and Hunt being a slave again and maybe not remembering Bryce, I'm dying to know how it will turn out and them falling in love again is something I'm kinda interested in seeing it.
The reason why I didn't mind Bryathalar in hosab that much was because the focus wasn't on them 24/7. I'm glad that we got to see more of Ithan and him finding a new family. I just loved the friendship between Ruhn, Dec and Flynn. Ruhnlidia?? PERFECTION. Lidia/ agent daybright herself? ALSO PERFECTION. I liked the quite friendship between Hunt and Baxian. Ruhn and Bryce's siblings bond. Also... other ships such as Ariadne and Flynn? Ithan and that wolf? Yeah. There were parts that didn't sit right with me such as Tharion's POV and Danika's secrets again and more, but the good parts overshadow the bad ones for me.
I think that is why I won't be able to ship El/riel. Like ever. It's just because they basically have no tension, they've always been nice and polite to each other and now they’re sexual attracted. I'm just not interest in ships where the couple is already interested in each other. Worst of all is when they don't even banter, or hold a conversation for at least 2 minutes. El/riel bores me. I can't read a book of just them alone, where they only have secret sex until they finally confess their love for each other. I love Gwynriel and the whole "glowing chest" "a thing of secret lovely beauty" because I tressure fluff scenes and meaningful friendships than sexual attraction. I'm interested In Gwynriel because I would like to see them slowly becoming friends, then more than friends without Azriel realizing. I would like to see Azriel not knowing what this glowing thing in his chest is and I want to see the "Oh sh*t" moments when he slowly sees her in a different light.
But Elucien is the most interesting couple and they are the best. They have a whole lot of tension, so much potential for an angsty, slowburn love story. I'm very interested in how Elucien would start, keep the story going and then end it. They have the big potential that Nessian didn't even have.
I'm just not a fan of Love stories where the couple is already interested in one another, That's why I never had a moment of shipping Chaol with Nesryn, or Alina with Mal (I don't ship Darklina). Maybe sometimes there is an exception, but that's not always the case.
Personally, quinlar/brythalar isn't very interesting because I don't like Bryce XD. She is so deeply, deeply unsympathetic to anything he feels of experiences. But I get your thinking! I think I'll have to reread at some point just to refresh my memory before acotar 4.5 I mean CC3 comes out. I do totally agree with you that the narrative being split up so we follow other characters besides Bryce and Hunt was really helpful in keeping my interest, personally.
Totally agree that Ruhn and Lidia are amazing! They stole the show for me. Whenever I reread, it will be for them and them only.
tbh, I think that Az's character is way too interesting - and I say this grudgingly, as someone who isn't his biggest fan - to languish in a relationship that's so... sedate. It would be so one note. They've had two years to explore whatever they wanted to explore, and it was... that??? Really? No thanks.
Elucien tension is so freaking good right now. I am SO CURIOUS what they are thinking, how they are feeling. They are both so fucking polite and I want them to get MAD and say what is on their minds!!! I can't wait until they do.
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serickswrites · 8 months
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2, 24, 49 for the ask game thing?
Thank you for the ask!
2- Who's your favorite OC? Of my own OC's I'm going to break it down from what's posted here and what's unpublished. For characters on here, I really loved Villain from "Oh". They were just so soft and tender and I was very sad that things did not end well for them. Like it hurt me to write that ending, but I had imagined the ending first and wrote backwards, so I couldn't undo it. For my unpublished things, I would say all of the characters, but that's a lie. I love my main character, Mal, so much. It's why I can't finish the novel (I literally have four chapters left) because once I do, I won't have her in my head anymore. Not in the same way at least. But I need to finish and consider actually letting people read it.
24-If you could steal a character from another story, who would you take? I have so many! So I'm going to pick some alternative characters. I would take either Bone Carver or Bryaxis from the ACOTAR books. They are so fascinating to me and I really wish we got to explore more about them. I would love to take them and write a little from their eyes. Plus they are just so neat!
49- Do you prefer to write endings or beginnings? Endings. For sure. Whenever I get an idea, I usually am at the end and I have to work backwards (sometimes I get some major plot points and the beginning after I figure out the end and have to work my way in between). Something about closure is so important to me. Whether it leaves an unclear status, I just like knowing that there isn't anymore coming.
Thank you for the ask! Please ask away anytime!
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acourtcfmuses · 2 years
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❔ <3
send ❔ and i’ll list a couple muses that i’d like to throw at yours!
I had to cut myself off. So not everyone was done and not all of my muses who would interact are listed. I've spent a good amount of time on this though ahaha - it's under the read more!
Tea’s Muse / Alana's Muse
Bubbles / Pietro Maximoff (MCU) Bubbles / Druig (MCU) Chrissy Cunningham / Robin Buckley  Chrissy Cunningham / Steve Harrington Chrissy Cunningham / Lizzie Henderson (oc) Chrissy Cunningham / Rick Lipton    Hermione Granger / Charlie Weasley Hermione Granger / Blaise Zabini Hermione Granger / Nick Scratch (CAOS) Jane Porter / Cassian (ACOTAR - why shouldn’t Jane meet a handsome fae with bat wings?) Jane Porter / Jacob Black (Twilight) Jane Porter / Anthony Bridgerton (Bridgerton) Katherine Pierce / Elijah Mikaelson Katherine Pierce / Klaus Mikaelson Katherine Pierce / Rebekah Mikaelson Katherine Pierce / Caroline Forbes Katherine Pierce / Caliban (CAOS)
Katrina Crane / Eamon Berrigan (Headless horseman) Katrina Crane / Caliban (CAOS) Katrina Crane / Simon Basset (Bridgerton) Luna Lovegood / Charlie Weasley Luna Lovegood / Hermione Granger Luna Lovegood / Blaise Zabini Luna Lovegood / Owen Grady (Jurassic World - I think she’s love dinosaurs)
Lydia Martin / Scott McCall Lydia Martin / Jordan Parrish Lydia Martin / Malia Tate Lydia Martin / Charlie Lahey (oc) Lydia Martin / Nate Dunbar (oc) Lydia Martin / Chris Argent Lydia Martin / Greyson Martin (oc cousin) Lydia Martin / Melissa McCall Lydia Martin / Lycus Lycan (oc) Lydia Martin / Luke Patterson (JatP) Lydia Martin / Klaus Mikaelson (TO/TVD) Lydia Martin / Nick Scratch (CAOS) Lydia Martin / Caliban (CAOS) Sally Finkelstein / Jack Skellington (i’d find a younger fc for him!) Sally Finkelstein / Shock Snow White / Simon Basset (Bridgerton) Snow White / Anthony Bridgerton (Bridgerton) Tatum Riley / Nick Goode (Fear Street 1978) Tatum Riley / Cindy Berman (Fear Street 1978)
Wendy Darling / Pan Wendy Darling / Ash Redfern (Night World) Wendy Darling / Anthony Bridgerton (Bridgerton)
Winnie Darling / Pan Winnie Darling / Harriet Winnie Darling / Sammy
Borra / Mal Fae Borra / Elizabeth Swann (PotC) Borra / Jack Skellington (NBC) Felix / Hook Felix / Pan Felix / Harriet Felix / Bloom (Winx) Felix / Baelfire/Neal (OUAT) Fred Weasley / Hermione Granger Fred Weasley / Blaise Zabini Fred Weasley / Caliban (CAOS) Draco Malfoy / Hermione Granger Draco Malfoy / Blaise Zabini Draco Malfoy / Agatha Night (CAOS) Jacob Salvadore / Elijah Mikaelson Jacob Salvadore / Klaus Mikaelson Jacob Salvadore / Rebekah Mikaelson Jacob Salvadore / Caroline Forbes  Jacob Salvadore / Emmett Cullen (Twilight) Jacob Salvadore / Carlisle Cullen (Twilight) Jacob Salvadore / Ash Redfern (Night World) Kas / Harriet Kas / Pan Kas / Tilly Kas / Hook Kas / Steve Harrington (ST) Kas / Robin Buckley (ST) Kas / Jonathan Byers (ST) Kas / Jim Hopper (ST) Matt Donovan / Elijah Mikaelson Matt Donovan / Klaus Mikaelson Matt Donovan / Rebekah Mikaelson Matt Donovan / Caroline Forbes
Phillip Delacour / Bloom (Winx)
Shaggy Rogers / Jake Peralta (B99) Shaggy Rogers / Rick Lipton (ST)
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theladyofbloodshed · 3 months
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I read Shadow and Bone recently after watching the show and there are so many things that I don't like about both the show and the books but one thing I like is how Leigh built a world that's so much more interesting and while the theme of oppression isn't handled very well imo, she still at least tries to make the story have a damn plot unlike ACOTAR that's literally just smut smut and more smut. And I feel like Cassian in SF and Mal have some similarities in the way they're douches to their gfs and keep holding then back but Cassian is a lot more worst coz he's literally 500 years old and Mal is a young teenage orphan kid with lots of issues and trauma. Also, I like how Leigh made Darkling actually evil. It is what makes him such a compelling character and gives him a lot more nuance unlike Sara Mess who makes Rhysand do shit in book 1 that not even the darkling did and still absolve him of all of it because of some dumb fucking reason. Imagine how interesting ACOTAR would be if like The Darkling, Rhys was actually an evil little shit. He's gotten soooo boring and sappy now because Maas keeps trying to make him the ✨perfect✨ man- sorry male who neverrr did anythingggg wrong! It ruined him completely and made Feysand boring after ACOMAF. Darklina are so much more interesting because there's a conflict between them and none of them just give up their everything to adopt the other one's world views. Feysand on the other hand is just Feyre getting all of her personality murdered and her role reduced to just ✨painting✨ while her insufferable husband gives orders to present her sister to their rival. Like it still fucking infuriates me that he did that without telling Feyre. Book 1 Feyre would've beaten him up she was grumpy and grouchy and talked back to Tamlin all the time. Even acowar feyre snapped at Rhys when he made fun of nesta's temper so that scene in SF pissed me off. To conclude Leigh Bardugo >>> SJM
I agree, anon. I always think I'd like Rhys more if he was actually evil and allowed to do evil things rather than the whole narrative bending over backwards to absolve him of any guilt and explaining how actually those people are worse so Rhys is just an angel doing his best. I didn't like Feyre at all from the start and wanted to put the books down because of her - funnily, I actually perked up when Rhys arrived because I thought ooo evil villain guy. However, book 1 Feyre didn't have her brain turned to scrambled egg by him so actually would have stood up for herself and not let him tread all over her. The few times Feyre shows resistance to Rhys, it's ignored or swept away with seduction. It's so gross!!!
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sawnsastark · 3 years
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I hate to say it but... I kind of agree with feyre’s decision to send nesta away to the mountains
Sorry
Goodbye
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possibly unpopular book opinions
acotar was boring but acomaf was unmatched
shadow and bone trilogy was meh and the ending was awful
from blood and ash was ok but kingdom of flesh and fire was insanely good
casteel over hawke
darklina and malina are both bad
but mal is worse because the darkling is supposed to be a villain while mal is supposed to be the perfect boyfriend but let’s be honest he’s a whiny selfish bitch
mathias is the worst crow
the plot of the cruel prince is actually kind of bad but the chemistry between jude and cardan makes up for it
love triangles need to be stopped
authors never get the romance timing between characters right. it always feels rushed
nobody read a touch of darkness for the plot
kingdom of the wicked was not good like at all.
the selection made me want to throw myself out the window i could not handle how dumb this book was
people ship elriel for the aesthetic
aedion sucks lol
the song of achilles was sad but not nearly as sad as ppl hyped it up to be
idk if this is an unpopular opinion but the darkling is hot idc if he’s a literal terrible person he’s still hot
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halfwit-halfblood · 3 years
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First person perspective doesn’t bother me usually, but I think Shadow and Bone suffered a lot for it.
Hear me out.
This is mainly in relation to readers’ dislike for Mal and Zoya and the romanticisation of the Darkling despite him being a predator. (Remember when he forced himself on Alina in Siege and Storm and Ruin and Rising? Yeah. Me neither, until I reread the books this week, but I’ll get to that later)
Under the cut because this got long
Regarding Mal, I think his hate stems from two directions – from people who wanted Alina to end up with the Darkling and saw Mal as an obstacle, and from those who just found him whiny and insecure (AKA me when I first read the books years ago. I was actively wishing for his death during R&R).
However, several of the lucky reviewers who have watched the Netflix adaptation already have stated that though they didn’t like his character in the books, he was much more likable in the Netflix series. Part of this I think is thanks to Archie as an actor, but also the fact that we’re no longer seeing him through Alina’s eyes. We don’t have to feel her jealously and resentment when other girls take an interest in him, or her anger in him “pushing her away” and staying distant. I’ve tried to read the books without the influence of Alina’s viewpoint on the situation, and it helped. Mal was happy as a tracker. He had friends in Dubrov and Mikhael and Alina. He had a normal life. Because of his love for Alina, he didn’t feel he had a choice when it came to choosing a future that didn’t concern her. As she ascended into her title of Sun Summoner/Sun Saint, he saw his friends die (and blamed himself for it), he was ostracized from his peers – around Alina and her friends for not being Grisha and around the other trackers and huntsmen for being close to Alina – and had to become a killer to survive. He stayed distant from Alina to protect them both and always took the opportunities he could to better himself as a fighter so he wouldn’t fail her. He gave up everything for Alina. Yes, he was whiny, but he had every right to be and it’s hard to see that when we’re forced to view him from Alina’s perspective and made to believe her assumptions as fact.
I think in recent years there’s been far more support for Zoya than there was when the books initially came out and that’s partly due to what we see of her in King of Scars. The insight we get into her as a character helps to expand her beyond the mean-spirited, jealous bully Alina views her as in Shadow and Bone. While rereading the trilogy, it felt like even as the books went on and we saw them form a tentative alliance, every positive interaction Alina had with her was partnered with a reminder of her actions in the past and Alina’s dislike for her. Recently, I’ve also seen more people addressing and rejecting Alina’s internalised misogyny that impacted how she thought about these other women, and I’m glad for it. Her opinion is jaded by her jealously of Zoya’s looks, power and attraction to Mal and this impacts their every interaction and constantly undercuts any enjoyment of Zoya as a character as we are forced to see Zoya’s qualities through a negative perspective whereas in King of Scars where the narrative is more neutral, she’s become a fan favourite.
Finally, the Darkling.
The most notable thing I noticed rereading the books recently was that are two instances where the Darkling forces himself on Alina and kisses her without consent and I’ve never seen anyone mention them. Both instances take place using the connection formed between them by the nicho’yeva.
In Siege and Storm, at the end of Chapter 20, Alina is sleeping. She wakes up to someone saying her name and kissing her. She believes it to be Mal, even says his name, and kisses him back. When she pulls back and sees the Darkling’s eyes on Mal’s face she is horrified and pushes him away. The Darkling smirks and disappears.
I won’t type out the whole thing as it goes on for a page and a half, but the key quotes are:
“Alina.”
I woke to the soft brush of Mal’s lips on mine, the barest touch to my temple, my eyelids, my brow ….. he bent to kiss the curve of my throat ….. I hesitated, confused, not quite awake ….. “I missed you Mal,” I murmured against his ear ….. He kissed me again ….. I felt his weight slide over me ….. He was kissing my throat my collarbone ….. He smiled then, a cold, clever smile like none I’d never seen on his lips ….. The Darkling rested one gentle hand on my cheek. “Soon,” he whispered. I screamed.
She is woken up by him kissing her. She returns the kiss believing that he is Mal and he makes no move to correct her because he knows she would not consent to kissing him as the Darkling.
In Ruin and Rising (Chapter 9), Alina visits the Darkling and during their conversation he reveals his true name to her. Then this happens:
He leaned in. I felt his breath against my neck, then the press of his mouth against my skin just above the collar, almost a sigh.
“Don’t,” I said. I drew back, but he held me tighter. His hand went to the nape of my neck, long fingers twining in my hair, easing my head back.
Alina explicitly tells him no and his response is to hold on and continue kissing her.
There are still fans who wholeheartedly claim that the Darkling loved Alina despite everything. With the first person perspective, Alina’s constant questioning of what she wants in life in terms of power and status, and the general hoard of book readers who will fall for any character with pale skin and black hair despite them being manipulative predators (this is also a jab towards Rhysand from ACOTAR and Hawke from FBAA), it’s easier for people to disregard the unredeemable nature of his character. I’m hoping that the Netflix series will make a firm point of the Darkling being a hundred-year-old villain who groomed a teenager rather than a plausible love interest for Alina and that without having to hear her inner monologue it will be easier for people to see him as he is.
But yeah. Fuck the Darkling.
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ruin and rising and caraval spoilers and other book stuff
while i finally have time to write a post, lemme update yall on books
i read the sun is also a star during those travel days over (long story) and id previously seen the movie, unaware it was based on a book, and i Loved that book oh my gosh im so excited to give it to my partner to read i even considered mailing it to him and i finished both the shadow and bone series and the acotar series and frankly i had similar feelings about them in which i feel they were slow and long and overrated however,,, i love the acotar characters they were beautifully written and just fantastic it just took a while for me to get through the books also i think elain should be with azriel no offense but i dont care about lucien that much to want him with elain i mean theres nothing their but his claim on her and i dont like that and ik theres other books with nesta as the main character that touches on azriel and partner or w/e this gwen girl is but i really dont care, in my mind azriel and elain end up together all quiet and knowing and swords and gardens and happiness ill fight on this and with shadow and bone i loved nikolai i very much loved nikolai mal bothered me frequently but hes alright i was a little disappointed that alina ended up with him but their ending was adorable so i liked it, grudgingly but i liked it and before someone tells me i have to read soc now, i read them two years ago it look me this long to want to read shadow and bone and its only bc i wanted to have them read before i watched the show which i only wanted to do for my crows so theres that also what the hell is up the darkling x alina ??? first of all theres like nothing there i mean theres one kiss and the darklings words of ownership thats not a relationship thats not good in any way actually and did we skip the part about him being a terrible person?? i feel like thats very important he wiped out an entire village just as a threat like what get rid of him like i get it he had a rough childhood being so powerful whatever riko you lost anyway and died in the process next, i started caraval,,, which i got at bookcon 2017 yikes on me because this is fantastic im less than fifty pages from finishing and i really liked julian there was a second that i thought he was legend but when we found dante dead i knew he didnt do it and that somehow absolved him of the possiblity of being legend idk anyway thats a physical book and i usually cant bring it with me so thats why i finished two online books and am like halfway through a third but depending on the ending depends on how quickly im gonna find the second one bc rn im reading gideon the ninth and depending on how that ends i might have to get the second one of that faster idk well see anyway thats all ive got on what ive read so far 
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nestavipers · 2 years
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Santa here 🎅 or Groucho 🥸 which you can call me if you want to avoid the acotar secret Santa tag! I think it’s fitting—we both wear glasses and have the same hideously bushy eyebrows. Thankfully, I do not share the mustache.
BINBONS ❤️❤️❤️ OMG. I love Shadow & Bone, books and the show. Were you around on tumblr before the show came out and the all the backstage interviews with the cast were used to create S&B reality tv show memes? They were SOOOO FUNNY, and I swear, everyone was passing them around! I used to have a blog (that I wound up deleting for reasons 🤷‍♀️) where I wrote Billy Russo imagines (mostly smut, if we’re being honest, because like…smut is just fun to write) and other Ben Barnes characters, and some Shadow & Bone. He and Charlie Hunnam are my two major weaknesses. 🤣 Don’t judge me but I really wouldn’t blame you if you did.
But I’m guessing you’re also a Shadow & Bone fan? Do you have a preference of books over the Netflix show? And the most important question—Mal or the Darkling? I’m all about the Darkling she says, surprising no one Also, if you’ve read the books, what do you think about the newer ones with Nikolai’s character? I haven’t read past the original trilogy and Six of Crows (which I personally couldn’t get into—I just couldn’t suspend my belief enough for a heist story where everyone is conveniently within a perfect teen age range and all the adults are like, WE HAVE NO ISSUES WITH TEENS IN THESE SITUATIONS AND IN FACT I TOTALLY SUPPORT KAZ BREKKER AND HIS GOONS WITH THESE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS THINGS THAT COULD COST/PAY ME A LOT OF MONEY, and then I read These Violent Delights and I was physically pained by adult mafia bosses sending their teenage children out to be badass authority figures/track down information/I can only pretend so much, okay?), but I read that the Darkling comes back?
Okay, about the age gap between Feyre and Rhys. I am SO GLAD that it’s not just me that thinks it’s a little uncomfortable for Feyre to be with a 500-year-old I really shouldn’t say anything since I’m writing an age gap story myself and having a grand old time with it buuut is it me, though, or is a trend in YA or New Adult stories to pair young women up with older guys? Like, acotar has the obvious centuries age gap. FBAA is the same. There are all the vampire stories, of course, like Twilight or TVD. In fantasy, at least, it seems to be a thing?
ALSO, what do you mean “albeit minus the violent swordplay”? Your friendships don’t involve violent swordplay? 😅 That’s not normal?
A Shadow in the Ember—GIVE ME SPOILERS. I’m like 11th in line for the ebook from my library 😭😭😭😭 which is not the longest I’ve ever waited for a book, but still! Oh, oh, but here’s my theory for the next book (or whenever he shows back up in the story, BECAUSE I DEMAND SATISFACTION FOR THIS): Malik has not actually sided with Isbeth and is playing along the same way Ian was. I really want to see some Malik/Casteel interactions, even if only in flashbacks, and I want to see Malik get a cool storyline of some kind! Also, a little less plot exposition balanced with gratuitous smut (which felt like was the bulk of book 3) would be nice. I just want more intrigue and actual story to happen. The last one felt like it dragged through parts and JLA was balancing it out with odd domestic fluff or sex until the cliffhanger. 🤦‍♀️ how about you? Any predictions or hopes?
My pup is fine, btw—fine-ish. He had luxating patella, which is a fancy way of saying that his kneecap won’t stay in position (please don’t be offended if I’m assuming you don’t know about dogs and you do), which is typical of smaller breeds since smaller bones mean less space for kneecaps. So, his was out more than it was in, and on top of that he tore his ACL, so he could barely walk on that leg and it had to be surgically fixed. He’s still in pain, though, so he has to go back to the vet this week 😣 do you have any pets? Are you a cat or a dog person?
I know Bitten! I haven’t really read the books, but I have seen the TV show (which I’m sure is basically a separate thing with how many changes they made, because that’s how it always happens!), which I LOVE. Even though they have this weird fascination with showing off Clay’s bare ass every chance they get. 😂 Have you seen the show? Does it compare well, or is it a poor bastardization of the books?
I have a confession—I have not watched Bridgerton yet (although I love Alex Meyers commentary on it on YouTube, about how it’s a Gossip Girl story about the perils of being the only redhead in England 🤣 ) and I’m not an Outlander fan. I started the books and show for Outlander a while ago and I just couldn’t get into it (as much as the actors for the show are amazing), but I’m generally not too into time travel stories, anyway. Not sure why, it’s just not a thing I’ve enjoyed most of the time? 🤷‍♀️ But, so, IS Bridgerton worth the watch, or are the books better? Because I’ve heard of Lisa Kleypas, but I’ve never tried her books.
ALSO—ALSO. Oh hell, I’m just going to save your whole post so I can find all the book recs and then kiss any social life I have goodbye because there are too many books to read and I’m sure everyone will understand that right?
Also stole your notes hack and wrote this out completely there beforehand so I could just copy and paste 🤣 so thank you for that!
Okay, as a fellow BlindTM person and a fan of alliteration, I’m calling you ‘spectacle santa’ from here on in hahaha.
Yes, I’ve been an S&B book fan for a long time and was SO PUMPED to see how they incorporated the SOC lore and characters into the show. I was not part of the tumblr fandom for the show but I’ve been following the Grishaverse subreddit and most of the memes either got cross-posted there or my friend would text them to me later. I never watched The Punisher and tbh didn’t even realize Binbons was in it until your message (and me googling Billy Russo in confusion). I’ve been semi-following his career since Prince Caspian but other than Dorian Grey and Westworld muuuuuch later, I kind of lost track of what he was up to until S&B.
The only thing I’ve seen Charlie Hunnam in is Crimson Peak, but even just from that I can totally see the appeal. Also omg this is a judgement free zone in terms of fandom behaviour. I have truly seen it all and been part of my fair share of cringeworthy fandom stuff in the past (I can’t figure out to put the wincing emoji face here but just imagine it is).
I looooooooove show Mal (Archie was PERFECT casting) and I tolerate book Mal, but tbh I am ride or die for Nikolai. Like, when they announce the actors for season 2 I am going to pass out. He is my Nesta of the Grishaverse. Segueing into your next q, I’ve read KOS and ROW and while I really, really loved KOS, ROW felt like fan service and tbh kind of reminded me of ACOFAS in that I was like … am I on ao3 right now???? I don’t want to spoil you but there’s a plot line with a major character that made absolutely no sense to me and that I’m still scratching my head over. Anyway, would say KOS is worth it if you like Nikolai, otherwise don’t bother (though, yes, the Darkling does come back but in a weird, wattpad-esque way that I personally did not vibe with At All.)
And omggggg yes seriously the ages of the characters in SOC made absolutely no sense and I always mentally age them up to at least early twenties. I think of myself back when I was a dumbass 17 year old and like … sometimes I think it’s a miracle I survived to adulthood. I actually just picked up a copy of These Violent Delights as a Christmas gift for myself (it’s my first Christmas away from my family so I thought I’d buy a few things and wrap them up so I have something to open on the 25th like a total dork) so I will get back to you on that after I’ve read it.
In general, significant age gaps are one of my big No’s of fiction and unfortunately fantasy is full of them. Like, Bella and Edward was hard enough for me to swallow because he was literally (like, the literal version of literally) old enough to be her grandfather. I don’t care if Rhys/Cassian/Az are all physically young and hot still, they are mentally 500 freaking years old but somehow only possess the mental maturity levels of frat boys in their early 20s. SJM seems to have a real obsession with these gigantic age gaps in all of her books and I am just Not About It.
I haven’t actually gotten too far into ASITE yet (I’m racing against the clock to finish my pile of library books before they’re due) but I am really enjoying what I’ve read so far (more than I did the first Blood & Ash book actually but I am also meh about Casteel which didn't make his whole thing with Poppy very compelling for me).
I LOVE YOUR THEORY. I am super intrigued by Malik’s true allegiance and I looooove storylines about family feuds and strife and drama, so there’s so much juicy story potential I can’t wait to read about in the next book.
I also want more actual story earlier. The vast majority of her books is just ‘we walk and talk here, we walk and talk there, we sleep in this inn, we walk and talk somewhere new, oh look more sleeping somewhere else’ and THEN she’ll throw some giant plot twist in at the very end (which is actually not all that different from ACOSF but I actually enjoyed all the character development in that case because I want Nesta to marry me)
I’m so glad to hear your dog is fine! I had a friend in high school who had the same problem (her kneecaps kept moving around and she wore knee braces for years before eventually having surgery for it). I hope the vet is able to make the residual pain go away, poor pup :( I don’t currently have a pet but my roommate has a cat who I ADORE and I basically get all the benefits of pet ownership with none of the responsibilities, it’s a pretty sweet set up hahaha. I am equally a cat and dog person though! I fostered a dog about a year ago back when I was quarantining with my parents and it was such a great experience. I hope to eventually get my own dog.
Omg I could not get through Bitten the show, to me it was a terrible adaptation but I also hold the book in really high regard so my standards probably weren’t very fair. I highly, highly suggest giving the book a try because it’s just excellent and there’s this whole [note that I had to stop writing here to go pick up and cuddle my roommate’s cat who was crying for attention in the other room but who is now purring away next to me on my bed] fun supernatural world with all of these awesome characters over the span of like 13 books to explore. It’s one of my comfort series, for sure (though of course … there is an Age Gap romance in the last couple of books but I just cringe my way through it).
LOL at the Gossip Girl/perils of being a redhead thing re: Bridgerton. I enjoyed the show, it’s a lot of fun and a great watch over the holidays, but IMO the books were better. Book 2 is AMAZING so I’m so excited about season 2, and if we ever manage to get to book 6 I will be overjoyed because it’s the best in the series IMO.
Outlander definitely isn’t for everyone, that’s totally fair! I’ve been a fan for a very, very long time and it was one of my earliest fandoms (back when it was awkward teenage me and a bunch of middle aged women leaving comments on an old-school message board years before the show was ever a thing) so it will always have a big soft spot in my heart. I love time travel romance as a genre so if that genre doesn’t appeal to you, Outlander definitely isn’t the right fit.
I did the same thing as you and immediately filed away the books recs you gave on goodreads, I can’t wait to see how many of them are already available to borrow at the library!
And I’m going to go back and tag all of our chats with ‘spectacle santa’ so you can always find them that way later ;)
I HOPE YOUR WEEK IS OFF TO A BEAUTIFUL START, MY FELLOW BESPECTACLED FRIEND <3 Did you get up to anything exciting this weekend btw?
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valeriastarkov · 2 years
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have any other bookworms out there noticed that EVERY F*CKING BOOK has the “always” cliché!!???!?! (I’m calling it cliché cause idk what else to call it)
I mean I love it it’s cute but for every fandom it ends up being like a “big deal” quote
And I’m just here like :|
Examples:
The Hunger Games Trilogy
“Stay with me?” “Always”
Harry Potter Series
“After all this time?” “Always”
Shadow and Bone Trilogy
“Mal,”
“What?”
“Thanks for finding me.”
“Always.”
ACOTAR Series (ACOWAR)
“I want you to hold me” “Always”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I swear I’ve read more lmao but yeah just wanted to see if anyone else has noticed this
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