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jesslovesboats · 8 months

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BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT, I'm back with more Sad Boat Books for Sad Boat People! But first, some words.

I never dreamed that a silly little graphic I made for some friends would generate this much response on twitter and here, but I'm overjoyed that it resonated with so many of you! I read every single comment and tag, and by far my favorites are all of the people who say some variation of "I thought I was the only one who loved these books." We are NOT alone, there are literally thousands of people who reblogged or retweeted this list-- people of all ages and backgrounds and gender identities. Sad Boat isn't just for old white men! I was also delighted to hear from other librarians who are using this in displays and for reader's advisory. PLEASE go forth and do so with my blessing, nothing would make me happier! I was recently laid off from my librarian job as part of a restructuring under new management (don't worry about me, it sucks right now but I'm gonna be fine), so I would love to think that I'm still contributing to the library ecosystem while I'm out of commission. I would also love to keep making these lists (including one that deals with Sad Boat fiction and one with recommendations for other types of media), and I've never had more time to do it, so if you have suggestions, please drop them in my inbox!

Anyway, enough of that-- here are more books! I've either read all of these, or the recommendation came from someone I trust, so read with confidence!

First Hand Accounts

The Quiet Land: The Antarctic Diaries of Frank Debenham edited by June Debenham Back

The Voyage of the Discovery by Robert Falcon Scott

Farthest North by Fridtjof Nansen

Endurance by F.A. Worsley

Boats boats boats!

Franklin's Lost Ship: The Historic Discovery of HMS Erebus by Alanna Mitchell and John Geiger

The Voyages of the Discovery: The Illustrated History of Scott's Ship by Ann Savours

HMS Terror: The Design, Fitting, and Voyages of a Polar Discovery Ship by Matthew Betts

The SS Terra Nova (1884-1943): Whaler, Sealer, and Polar Exploration Ship by Michael C. Tarver

You'll learn about the Ross Sea Party and you'll like it

Shackleton's Heroes by Wilson McOrist

Shackleton’s Forgotten Men: The Untold Tragedy of the Endurance Epic by Lennard Bickel

The Ross Sea Shore Party 1914-1917 by R.W. Richards

The Lost Men by Kelly Tyler-Lewis*

Polar Castaways by Richard McElrea and David Harrowfield*

*These were on my other list, but this is my graphic and I'll do what I want

Sad Airships and Planes

From Pole to Pole: Roald Amundsen's Journey in Flight by Garth James Cameron

N-4 Down: The Hunt for the Arctic Airship Italia by Mark Piesing

Antarctica's Lost Aviator by Jeff Maynard

Disaster at the Pole: The Tragedy of the Airship Italia and the 1928 Nobile Expedition to the North Pole by Wilbur Cross

More Shackleton Content

Shackleton: A Life in Poetry by Jim Mayer

Shackleton's Last Voyage by Frank Wild

The Quest Chronicle: The Story of the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition by Jan Chojecki

Shackleton's Forgotten Expedition: The Voyage of the Nimrod by Beau Riffenburgh

Polar Partners

Snow Widows by Katherine MacInnes

Polar Wives: The Remarkable Women Behind the World's Most Daring Explorers by Kari Herbert

Widows of the Ice by Anne Fletcher

Sad Boat Graphic Novels

Shackleton: Antarctic Odyssey by Nick Bertozzi

The Worst Journey in the World- The Graphic Novel Volume 1: Making Our Easting Down adapted by Sarah Airriess from the book by Apsley Cherry-Garrard*

How To Survive in the North by Luke Healy

*This was also on my other list, but this is my graphic and I'll do what I want

Biographies

Scott of the Antarctic by David Crane

Ice Captain: The Life of J.R. Stenhouse by Stephen Haddelsey

Cherry: A Life of Apsley Cherry-Garrard by Sara Wheeler

Birdie Bowers: Captain Scott's Marvel by Anne Strathie

Roald Amundsen by Tor Bomann-Larsen

Miscellaneous sad boat books that are well worth your time

I May Be Some Time: Ice and the English Imagination by Francis Spufford

Fatal North: Adventure and Survival Aboard USS Polaris, The First US Expedition to the North Pole by Bruce Henderson

Barrow's Boys: A Stirring Story of Daring, Fortitude, and Outright Lunacy by Fergus Fleming

Pilgrims on the Ice by T.H. Baughman

The Coldest Crucible: Arctic Exploration and American Culture by Michael F. Robinson

Ghosts of Cape Sabine by Leonard F. Guttridge

Icebound: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World by Andrea Pitzer

If you read and enjoy any of these, please let me know!

EDITED TO ADD: OG Sad Boat Books post here!

#reader's advisory #sad boat #sad boat books #polar exploration #nautical history #read this #sad boat 2: electric boogaloo

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silverlyrics · 6 months

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Books about Palestine and Palestinian Heritage

This is by no means an exhaustive list. These are books I was able to source from my local library and thought other people might appreciate them as well. I have not read them all, but the intention of the list is Palestinian perspectives and characters.

List order: Children's books, Young Adult books, Adult books, Graphic novels

Junior

We Are Palestinian A Celebration of Culture and Tradition by Reem Kassis: A stunning non-fiction children's book celebrating everything Palestinian! From culture and food, to music and literature, We Are Palestinian is a celebration of Palestinian heritage. Brought to life by award-winning writer Reem Kassis, every spread is filled with wonderful anecdotes, fascinating facts, and memorable quotes.

Homeland; My Father Dreams of Palestine by Hannah Moushabeck: A Palestinian family celebrates the stories of their homeland in this moving autobiographical picture book debut by Hannah Moushabeck. With heartfelt illustrations by Reem Madooh, Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine is a love letter to home, to family, and to the persisting hope of people, which transcends borders.

Three Wishes; Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak by Deborah Ellis: Ellis turns her attention to the young people of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. After visiting the region to conduct interviews, she presents their stories here in their own words. Twelve-year-old Nora, eleven-year-old Mohammad, and many others speak directly about their lives -- which prove to be both ordinary and extraordinary: They argue with their siblings. They hate spinach. They have wishes for the future. Yet they have also seen their homes destroyed and families killed, and live amidst constant upheaval and violence.

Farah Rocks Florida by Susan Muaddi Darraj: Farah's little brother is in the hospital with a heart problem that needs surgery, so her parents send sixth-grader Farah off to stay with her grandmother in a retirement condo in Florida; Sitti Fayrouz does not speak much English, has a lot of rules, and does not understand Farah's interest in geology, so Farah is not happy with the move--but despite being the only child in the community, Farah finds that the people are nice, and despite getting off to a bad start (she accidentally dumped a soda on his lap) she forms a friendship with Dr. Fisher, who shares her interest in science. Palestinian-American Author.

These Olive Trees by Aya Ghanameh: The story of a Palestinian family's ties to the land, and how one young girl finds a way to care for her home, even as she says goodbye. It's 1967 in Nablus, Palestine. Oraib loves the olive trees that grow outside the refugee camp where she lives. Each harvest, she and her mama pick the small fruits and she eagerly stomp stomp stomps on them to release their golden oil. Olives have always tied her family to the land, as Oraib learns from the stories Mama tells of a home before war. But war has come to their door once more, forcing them to flee. Even as her family is uprooted, Oraib makes a solemn promise to her beloved olive trees. She will see to it that their legacy lives on for generations to come.

Ghaddar the Ghoul And Other Palestinian Stories by Sonia Nimr: Retells nine Palestinian folktales featuring women of character, genial tricksters, and mischievous animals.

Balcony on the Moon; Coming of Age in Palestine by Ibtisam Barakat: Balcony on the Moon follows Ibtisam Barakat through her childhood and adolescence in Palestine from 1972-1981 and chronicles her desire to be a writer.

Young Adult

We're in This Together A Young Readers Edition of We Are Not Here to Be by Linda Sarsour: In this middle grade edition of We Are Not Here to be Bystanders , Linda shares the memories that shaped her into the activist she is today, and how these pivotal moments in her life led her to being an organizer in one of the largest single-day protests in US history. From the Brooklyn bodega her father owned to the streets of Washington, DC, Linda's story as a daughter of Palestinian immigrants is a moving portrayal of what it means to find your voice in your youth and use it for the good of others as an adult.

Tasting the Sky A Palestinian Childhood by Ibtisam Barakat: In this groundbreaking memoir set in Ramallah during the aftermath of the 1967 Six-Day War, Ibtisam Barakat captures what it is like to be a child whose world is shattered by war.

Something More by Jackie Khalilieh: A contemporary teen romance novel featuring a Palestinian-Canadian girl trying to hide her autism diagnosis while navigating her first year of high school, for fans of Jenny Han and Samira Ahmed. Palestinian-Canadian Author.

Ida in the Middle by Nora Lester Murad: Every time violence erupts in the Middle East, Ida knows what's coming next. Some of her classmates treat her like it's all her fault--just for being Palestinian!... One day, dreading a final class project, Ida hunts for food. She discovers a jar of olives that came from a beloved aunt in her family's village near Jerusalem. Ida eats one and finds herself there--as if her parents had never left.

Ronit & Jamil by Pamela L. Laskin: Pamela L. Laskin's beautiful and lyrical novel in verse delivers a fresh and captivating retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet that transports the star-crossed lovers to the modern-day Israel-Palestine conflict. Ronit, an Israeli girl, lives on one side of the fence. Jamil, a Palestinian boy, lives on the other side. Only miles apart but separated by generations of conflict--much more than just the concrete blockade between them.

Adult Fiction and Nonfiction

Why Did You Leave the Horse Alone? by Maḥmūd Darwīsh: Palestine's most internationally famed poet of all, Mahmoud Darwish

The Palestinian Table by Reem Kassis: Authentic modern Middle Eastern home cooking - 150 delicious, easy-to-follow recipes inspired by three generations of family tradition.

Her First Palestinian And Other Stories by Saeed Teebi: Saeed Teebi's intense, engrossing stories plunge into the lives of characters grappling with their experiences as Palestinian immigrants to Canada. These taut and compelling stories engage the immigrant experience and reflect the Palestinian diaspora with grace and insight.

Once Upon A Country A Palestinian Life by Sari Nusseibeh: A prominent Palestinian's searching, anguished, deeply affecting autobiography, in which his life story comes to be the story of the recent history of his country.

Zaitoun Recipes From the Palestinian Kitchen by Yasmin Khan: Oil from the olive -- which is known in Arabic as zaitoun -- flows in abundance in the kitchens of Palestine.

Notes on the Occupation Palestinian Lives by Éric Hazan: Almost 40 years after the Israeli military occupation of Palestine, scenes from the West Bank remain rare and fragmented. Despite its prominence in the world news, suprisingly little is known about daily life in this troubled land. Here is a rare portrait of a population living with the reality of war and the dream of peace. (Published 2007).

A White Lie by Madeeha Hafez Albatta: The Women's Voices from Gaza series honours women's unique and underrepresented perspectives on the social, material, and political realities of Palestinian life. In A White Lie, the first volume in this series, Madeeha Hafez Albatta chronicles her life. Among her remarkable achievements was establishing some of the first schools for refugee children in Gaza. Her story will benefit Middle East scholars, social justice and human rights advocates, and all who want to know more about the modern history of Palestine.

Love Is An Ex-country by Randa Jarrar: Queer. Muslim. Arab American. A proudly Fat woman. Randa Jarrar is all of these things. In this provocative memoir of a cross-country road trip, she explores how to claim joy in an unraveling and hostile America.

The Words of My Father Love and Pain in Palestine by Yousef Khalil Bashir: A Palestinian-American activist recalls his adolescence in Gaza during the Second Intifada, and how he made a strong commitment to peace in the face of devastating brutality in this moving, candid, and transformative memoir that reminds us of the importance of looking beyond prejudice, anger, and fear.

Places of Mind; A Life of Edward Said by Timothy Brennan: The first comprehensive biography of the most influential, controversial, and celebrated Palestinian intellectual of the twentieth century.

We Are Not Here to Be Bystanders; A Memoir of Love and Resistance by Linda Sarsour: Women's March co-organizer Linda Sarsour shares how growing up Palestinian Muslim American, feminist, and empowered moved her to become a globally recognized and celebrated activist on behalf of marginalized communities across the country.

Salt Houses by Hala Alyan: From a dazzling new literary voice, a debut novel about a Palestinian family caught between present and past, between displacement and home...On the eve of her daughter Alia's wedding, Salma reads the girl's future in a cup of coffee dregs. She sees an unsettled life for Alia and her children; she also sees travel, and luck. While she chooses to keep her predictions to herself that day, they will all soon come to pass when the family is up rooted in the wake of the Six-Day War of 1967.

Ishmael's Oranges by Claire Hajaj: It's April 1948, and war hangs over Jaffa. One minute seven-year-old Salim is dreaming of taking his first harvest from the family's orange tree; the next he is swept away into a life of exile and rage. Seeking a new beginning in swinging-Sixties London, Salim finds an unexpected love with Jude, a troubled Jewish girl struggling with her own devastating family legacy. The bond between them flourishes in the freedom of the age, bringing the promise of thrilling new worlds. But before long, childhood conflicts and prejudices reawaken to infringe upon their life together, pulling them and their children inexorably back towards the Middle East and its battlegrounds.

I Shall Not Hate; A Gaza Doctor's Journey: by Izzeldin Abuelaish Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish - now known simply as "the Gaza doctor" captured hearts and headlines around the world in the aftermath of horrific tragedy: on January 16, 2009, Israeli shells hit his home in the Gaza Strip, killing three of his daughters and a niece. By turns inspiring and heartbreaking, hopeful and horrifying, this is Abuelaish's account of a Gazan life in all its struggle and pain. A Palestinian doctor who was born and raised in the Jabalia refugee camp in the Gaza.

Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa: A heart-wrenching, powerfully written novel that does for Palestine what The Kite Runner did for Afghanistan. Mornings in Jenin is a multi-generational story about a Palestinian family.

Falastin; A Cookbook by Sami Tamimi: Falastin is a soulful tour of Palestinian cookery today from Ottolenghi's Executive Chef Sami Tamimi, with 120 highly cookable recipes contextualized by his personal narrative of the Palestine he grew up in.

The Parisian, Or, Al-Barisi by Isabella Hammad: A masterful debut novel by Plimpton Prize winner Isabella Hammad, The Parisian illuminates a pivotal period of Palestinian history through the journey and romances of one young man, from his studies in France during World War I to his return to Palestine at the dawn of its battle for independence.

Graphic Novels

Power Born of Dreams My Story Is Palestine by Mohammad Sabaaneh: Translating headlines into authentic lived experiences, these stories come to life in the striking linocut artwork of Mohammad Sabaaneh, helping us to see Palestinians not as political symbols, but as people.

A Child in Palestine; The Cartoons of Naji Al-Ali by Naji Al-Ali: For the first time in book form, A Child in Palestine presents the work of Naji al-Ali. Through his most celebrated creation, the witness-child Handala (Hanthala), al-Ali chronicles the Israeli occupation, the corruption of the regimes in the region, and the plight of the Palestinian people.

Baddawi by Leila Abdelrazaq: Ahmed was raised in the refugee camp of Baddawi in northern Lebanon, one of many thousands of children born to Palestinians who fled (or were expelled from) their homeland during the 1948 war that established the state of Israel. Ahmad's dogged pursuit of education and opportunity echoes the journey of the Palestinian people, as they make the best of their existing circumstances while remaining determined to one day return to their homeland.

The Hookah Girl and Other True Stories by Marguerite Dabaie: In this current political climate, being a Palestinian is a hazard. However, there are common grounds where East meets West. The Hookah Girl is a semi-autobiographical graphic novel of a childhood as a Christian Palestinian in America.

~~~

Send letters to your local government for ceasefire (UK, Canada, US, Australia)

Donate to Medical Aid for Palestinians

Donate to Palestine Children's Relief Fund

Donate to The World Food Program

Donate to Doctors Without Borders

Donate to UNRWA

#palestine #Palestinian #Palestinians #book list #books #children's books #young adult books #ya books #adult books #fiction #non-fiction #graphic novels #free palestine

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drasnianfrank · 6 days

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Twenty Books Challenge

Hypothetically, you are only able to keep 20 of your books. Only one book per author/series. So what books are you keeping? Credit due to @the-forest-library (I have been thinking about this list for like a week straight)

Guardians of the West by David and Leigh Eddings - any of the Belgariad/Mallorean series frankly. I read these series I don't know how many times as teen. Yes, they are a problematic. Yes they are trope-y as hell but I love them.

Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold - inching just barely above Miles in Love or Mountains of Mourning.

Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison - This is a book that always makes me cry.

Whale Talk by Chris Cutcher - A swim team comprised of various kids with disabilities and are deeply flawed but are also attempting to do good things? I wish this was on every book list for teens.

All Systems Red (Murderbot Diaries) by Martha Wells - I mean all murderbot series is great. Funny story, I told my mom to read this book eons ago and she only read it after a librarian recommended it.

Return of the King by JRR Tolkien - though technically LotR is one book and I don't have single copies of this anymore. But the scouring of the shire just hits me in different places when I read it.

A Child's Anthology of Poetry edited by Elizabeth Hauge Sword and Victoria Flournoy McCarthy - My textbook of poetry when I was young.

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr - Another a book that makes me absolutely sob.

The Realms of the Gods by Tamora Pierce - I love the Wild Magic Series the most of all Pierce's series. And yes, I recognize the problematic relationship. But also, talking badger.

Sabriel by Garth Nix - I'm sorry the far superior goth necromancer with bells.

First Truth by Dawn Cook - If had I pick one of the truth series. I have an unnatural fondness of a book series that combines magic with Punnett Squares.

Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Narrowly above Midsummer Night's Dream. But the tomorrow speech is an absolute banger.

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot - Any of the Herriot books. I read these almost to pieces.

Double Whammy by Carl Hiassen - It was this or Squeeze Me. But Skink really deserves to saved.

House of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski - Post Modern Horror.

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein - More Poetry of my childhood.

Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson - specifically The Possibility of Evil.

Daredevil vol 6 by Mark Waid, Chris Samnee - Graphic Novels count and I will fight you. This has one of the first individual issues I picked up.

Sandman vol. 8: World's End by Neil Gaiman, Micha Allred - Sandman holds a near and dear place in my heart. It was a close call between this and American Gods or Preludes and Nocturnes. But I will have echoes of Crements in my head.

Hawkeye vol. 4: Rio Bravo by Matt Fraction, David Aja - Pizza Dog! Also any of the volumes are fantastic and visually gorgeous.

I did take the prompt literally, but here are five more books I either always buy on kindle/can only get as an ebook. I would pay an extraordinary amount of money for these in print.

Toad Words and other stories by T Kingfisher - I was following her when she was still writing fantasy!

I Reap You Not by Catelyn Winona - Second Person done right.

True Porn Clerk Stories by Ali Davis - This causes me to giggle, rage, and cry.

The Heiress Effect by Courtney Milan - Brothers Sinister series is the standard I compare all Regency Novels to.

Night Shift by Stephen King - Specifically Quitter's Inc. But frankly any collection of Stephen King is gold.

Tagging @thatoldstandby, @msfehrwight, @raventycho, @timemachineyeah, @theneptuneviolin and anyone else. And of course you can include pictures too.

#book list #tagging all the people #this was so hard guys #how could I choose which child is best #and I didn't even include manga #I did cheat a little because some of these books are spread between two buildings #but if they weren't easy access I would still buy them

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margridarnauds · 6 months

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distraction: tell me about your ideal CMMT adaptation. tv show? musical? play? film? film series? graphic novel?

Oh GOD. THANK YOU.

Something I've been tossing around my head is that...it's something we all know, working with medieval material -- the stuff we're working on is TOO BROAD to really do it justice in a 100% faithful way. Because in order to be satisfying for a modern audience, you have to fill in the gaps. (That isn't something I've alone noticed -- a certain author who I had the chance to have in the hotseat recently noted it, as have my undergrads when it comes to their assessments of CMT -- it's incredibly laconic, because it has to be in order to cover over 20 years and a massive cast of characters.)

So I have two options, if I had Elon Musk levels of wealth to do whatever I wanted:

Full television show, ideally one that covers the entire book of invasions, so we get to meet the Fir Bolg BEFORE the Tuatha Dé's invasion. Even if we are just covering the two battles, I want "classic BBC historical miniseries" length -- I, Claudius; the War and Peace with Anthony Hopkins as Pierre, 1995 Pride and Prejudice (okay, ONE of these things is not like the others...or is it...but you see my Vision.) I don't necessarily want 7+ years out of it, but I do want it to be able to cover 12+ episodes of about 45-50 minutes, so you can really capture everything in a way that fleshes out the characters and gets into their heads while also leaving the actual battle as the climax everything's been building up to. Show off how fucked up both the Tuatha Dé AND the Fomoire are, show off Eochaid mac Eirc's reign + Sreng's fucked up place in it, show Bres' fall from grace and Lugh's rise (and foreshadow his fall), show the Dagda's family off, Indech's family dramas, give Balor a full arc where we see that he ISN'T just a monster, so it's more tragic to see where he eventually lands up.

(Alternatively for TV shows, in keeping with my "Tochmarc Étaíne as a Xianxia fantasy show....look...all I'm saying is that CMT would do ROUNDS in the Chinese fantasy market and it kills me that thus far they've been deprived. I also trust the Chinese fandoms to toss in even more subtext.)

My ultimate dream adaptation...probably a Takarazuka musical. Since you only have two hours to get the nuances across, I'd elect to follow a single character. And I *should* say that it should follow Lugh, but this is my *dream CMT adaptation that I would be pouring millions of dollars into bribing Zuka for*, so no. We're covering Bres' life, starting with him as an idealistic young man who believes he can make something for himself despite not knowing who his father is, ending with either his defeat during the battle or his death at the hands of Lugh, who is the Token Homoerotic Zuka Rival. (And might have black hair to highlight this, which...ngl, I've seen enough black haired Breis that turnabout's fairplay there.) My ideal vibes would be something between "A Passage Through the Light" (which covered Robespierre's life), Don Juan, XCalibur, and the Kunze/Levay Mozart! (which I'm not really fond of but does have some bangers.) (It's like the idealized version of Kunze and Levay's work that exists in my head.) Still with the glamor you'd expect from Zuka, which is, imo, the only way to really highlight Bres' looks and the way he's described, as well as the beauty of the Tuatha Dé as a whole, but with this dark edge that gets darker as we approach the battle and the final face off between Lugh and Bres, as both sides come together at the end to mourn the lost potential. (And because it's my self-indulgent version of things...he and Sreng wouldn't be explicitly a couple on stage, but it would still be very clear, after the second act which starts with Bres in exile as his young rival, Lugh, comes into the picture, that he and Bres got together, with Sreng acting in some ways as both Bres' own personal morality chain and his own personal Calpurnia, watching Bres' decay and not being able to do anything.)

*And Frank Wildhorn would do the music for it*

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al-hekima-art-astro · 2 years

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The House of the dragon 1x01 (none reader review)

Coming back to Game of throne HBO show, three years after the infamous finale season 8 is a bit like coming back with an ex after a torrid love affair and a messy break up. Yeah, that was hot but do I really want to go through the same meltdown again?

I've read Game of throne books up to the dance of dragon and watched the 8 seasons of the show, but I haven't read Fire and blood inspiring the house of the dragon. No spoils please!!

Initially my answer was "no, never again" but after watching the first trailers in spring, I was more " ok maybe just one more time?". HBO was really playing music in my ears with more targaryens, more authenticity to the novel, more dragons...

I was the perfect target audience for this spin-off. I really never been that much interesting about neither the Starks, the Nighwatch, and the Others. However I've always been a big fan of Daenerys and really invested into her storyline. Long story short, I'm not against the idea she ended up mad queen, but I think season 8 rushed her struggle with sanity and make it difficult to believe it.

House of the dragon (HOTD) comes like a sincere apologise and a promise to do better. It expands Daenerys Targaryen's tragic story 172 years before her birth. in GOT the targaryens are already gone, Daenerys is born orphan after the downfall of her family she doesn't know much about her culture but what her brother retold her and him also was a child. Dragons were suppose to have disappeared decades before her birth so when she awoke three it comes like a miracle. She didn't really know how to raise them and so do we.

The first episode of HOTD took really great care of old GOT viewers. This pilot was like a date, everything was done to make us comfortable and familiar with the universe : Targaryen's theme was very present, GOT's theme closed the episode for the nostalgia, here some long dialogues around a cup of wine, here some ultra graphic depiction of violence, here some crude sex, here some expensive costumes, here amazing landscape, and here amazing dragons.

Yes it's GOT, but with a complete different flavour almost two centuries ago. I especially love all the scenes with Rhaenyra, our new main character who where a nod to her descendant Daenerys.

Lol the opening scene gave me PTSD😅 last time we saw a dragon above King's Landing it didn't end well... so it's amusing to see we are in a different timeline, nobody is surprise to see a dragon flying above the city. The same dragon above the funeral pyre is an allusion to Daenerys's judgment against the Tarly family. And of course Rhaenyra in front of the throne reminds us Daenerys' final dream of power.

About the new plot in itself the approach seems original. Yes it's still about political struggle: who will succeed the king? but this time it's entirely focused on a deep family feud who happened to control dragons. And this intimacy kind of surprise me. We get use to pompous dialogues, epic war, machiavellian scheme. That will come later because hey! it's still GRR Martin's universe but in this first episode they chose a very human's angle. People think of Targaryens as Godlike because of their control of dragons but without them, they are just like everybody. We see all the main characters dealing with succession in a patriarchal society, the absence of woman consentement during pregnancy, jealousy and envy betweens brothers, dealing with mourning of loved one, hope in dream, sacrifice for power.

King Viserys : Don't ask me why but for some reason he reminds me a lot of Hashirama Senju. Dreamer, easy-going. He seems to not realise how many snakes are around him ready to attack. I love how the actor Paddy Considine plays a well-balanced character, who can take hard decision if needed I was touched by his grief. But as his brother noticed he is really naive about people...

Ah, the brother.... Daemon Targaryen: you can already tell he's going to be the star of this show. Matt Smith's talent is not a surprise for me, I've seen him already in the Crown when he was playing Prince Philip, the Queen's consort. And he already have this talent for playing haughty aristocrat, both attractive and annoying. Prince Daemon is much more rogue, impatient, with a taste for violence. I can't say yet if he is in my top tier because his first action was a big mistake. He was already his brother's heir, all he has to do was to wait and be nice with his brother and niece. But he celebrates his victory too soon and get kicked out. In the same time if he hasn't done anything they'll be no story right😅? So for now I'm like : ok I like his wildness, good villain vibe detected, I can feel the character is much more complex, but I need to see more because for know he's not the sharpest mind...

Rhaenyra : for now she is my favourite, it was easy to like her. She resembles Daenerys both physically and in her attitude. She has the same problem : being a women in a position where everyone is expecting a man. But contrary to her descendant she was not alone. She seems to have a loving family, wealthy and comfortable childhood inside the royal court. Power, dragon and affluence but for how long....? I can feel her life is going to be very difficult. No one is ready to accept her easily as heiress to the throne, will she stay close to her childhood friend Alicent, herself representing her family's interest? And also how will develop her closeness to her uncle Daemon? There is in one side their rivalry to the throne and also we know Targaryens and their openness to incest... so I'm ready to any morally grey situations... 😬

Princess Rhaenys and Lord Corlys : We haven't seen much yet but this couple is intriguing. Rhaenys is called the Queen who never was. Will she accept Rhaenyra becoming heiress to a title she once was legitimate for? And also why her husband is defending Prince Daemon so much during the council lol at some point I thought Daemon was paying his bills lol.

My critics : I was expecting more original scores. They probably choose to play safe for the first episode. GOT's theme is a signature. I think I've never skipped it during the 8 seasons because it emerges you into the universe and there is always tiny details in the opening credits, changing when the story progresses. I've enjoy listened to it again during the ending but I'm ready for a new show having his own identity, I'm expected an original opening next episode for House of the dragon.

To put it in a nutshell, it's an excellent start, I love the plot and actors I'm ready for more drama and bloodshed. And gosh how I missed dragons !🔥🔥🔥

Note 9.5/10

Episode 2

#house of the dragon #HOTD #house of the dragon episode 01 #review #I haven't read the book so please no spoil !#GOT #game of thrones #house targaryen #viserys targaryen #daemon targaryen #rhaenyra targaryen #daenerys targaryen

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brightbeautifulthings · 1 year

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Queen of Nod by C.W. Snyder

"Wishes were just that, though--dreams made reality, a thing that even in a magic land came with razor edges and the blood of others."

Year Read: 2023

Rating: 3/5

About: There are spoilers ahead for Child of Nod. Alice was hoping to bring peace to the land of Nod after she defeated her sister and was crowned queen, but a plague of madness soon overtakes it and the neighboring lands. To save her new home, she flees first to the land of the Fae and then into the fractured worlds of the multiverse to make allies of Magi and gods. Trigger warnings: character death (on-page, graphic), graphic gore and body horror, severe injury, decapitation, dismemberment, fire, violence.

Thoughts: I was pretty on board for most of this book, and I felt it resolved some of the issues I had with the first one in its rather haphazard style of storytelling. The first half, probably more, follows a more linear timeline, and while it branches occasionally into the points of view of side characters, it's still roughly following the overarching plot. It's still a bit video game-like, in the sense that Alice has to pass through certain levels or trials before she can get where she's going, but they're interesting enough and showcase Snyder's imagination, as grotesque as that can often be. (But let's be real, I'm here for the gory horror aspect.)

Unfortunately, I was completely thrown off by the climax of this book. I just did not see it coming based on the previous set-up, and less in a plot twist way than a what even just happened way. I thought Alice was fighting for her queendom and the neighboring realms; at no point did I get the sense that the entire multiverse was at stake. From there, it felt like Snyder fell back into old habits of pasting in other mythologies without a lot of depth or connections just to finish the novel. There are earlier elements, like the Magi and the story of the Tower, that I thought were going to be important and just never come back into play.

There isn't a lot of dialogue, but it leaves something to be desired. It struck me mostly as a lot of swearing, which is fine, but I wouldn't call it a distinct voice for any of the characters. On the other hand, I did have a better sense of the characters this time, and by the end, I really enjoyed the bonds between Alice, Maggie, and Zee. I'm heartbroken for the author that the final book in the series was published in 2021, and now even my book-finding superpower can't seem to locate a copy of it, even as an e-book. I hope it resurfaces at some point and I'll be able to finish.

#book review #c.w. snyder #queen of nod #the balance #fairy tale adaptation #fairy tale retelling #alice in wonderland #adult fiction #3/5 #rating: 3/5 #2023

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somniumcomics · 2 years

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how do you manage so many stories at once?

Hahaha, what makes you think I manage my stories?

Jk, jk, I actually keep a lot in my headspace. It's with the books in the library since it's lore for my alter's backstories. I say books but really I just throw myself lightspeed and smack down into whatever point of time the "lore" takes place. Usually an alter will have already fronted, or will front after the landing. There’s also a dream section as well.

But I do have other ways. I keep google docs filled with bullet points and mind dumps, as well as stories too. Some actually spanning chapter by chapter. There's a lot.

I've never shared my writing before on here that isn't graphic novel related. I get nervous actually posting my written work. Those who have seen it are either: People in my Eldritch Discord Server, those who are close friends, or RP with me.

Yeah, I RP with Eckhart, as well as MHA characters like Hawks. People seem to shout to me that I'm a really good writer like my artwork. I'd be happy to post some if anyone is interested! ;w;

#omnirambles #somnium rambles

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thatsmybluefondue · 2 years

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A New-Old Writeblr Introduction

Sterling Blue here! So... I was around a couple years ago, and now I am deciding to make my comeback!

Here’s where I’ve (sorta) been the last couple of years.

Twitter: @/mybluefondue

TikTok: @/thatsmybluefondue

And now...

The introduction!

Name/Pen Name: Sterling Blue

Pronouns: They/She

Age: Uh... Old enough.

Some More About Me: I’m in university for Education in English Language Arts, English, and a minor in creative writing. Then I’m gonna get my Master’s in English, and finally a Doctorate in creative writing. (At least, that’s the plan.)

I play D&D in my free time, and write (duh), and watch TV (mostly anime).

My dream, of course, is to be a (good) published writer, and I’m aiming traditional or indie at the moment. Teaching others is also a fun dream of mine, and especially teaching something I’m so passionate about.

Currently, I’m really into graphic novels, so I’ve been writing a lot of those (even though I cannot, for the life of me, Art. I just partner with people). I’m also working on an upper YA novel, and sometimes I dabble in a (sort of?) memoir-type thing.

Without further ado...

The WIPs.

Guardian of the Sun: The Weight of a Life

The world is split into the North and South. In the North, Sunchild Cordelia rules with a careless hand. Because Sunchild Cordelia refuses to leave the castle and spread light and energy, the North has long fallen to ruin—and with the decay of trees, clean air has become a commodity that only the wealthy can afford. Guardian of the Sun: The Weight of a Life follows siblings Nash and Nova, orphans that scam their way to survival. Nash’s cough is worsening though, and only clean air through a specialized mask can improve it—something they can’t yet afford. Nova would do anything for her brother and will carry him however far it takes, even if that means piggy-backing him to the Inner Circle to make more money. But the Inner Circle is different from their wide-spread Outer Circle life, and things will change forever because of their trip—especially when Nova accidentally kills someone for a mask. Now they’re on the run, and Nash is only getting worse.

Distant Dreams

Casey, Preston, and Zara are just ordinary kids when narcoleptic Aurora comes bursting into their lives via teleportation. They think this is their chance to escape The Frozen Land and reach freedom in The Sunny Place across The Mountains, but Aurora has yet to master her powers—and with monsters around every corner and random bouts of teleportation taking them to the worst possible locations, it doesn't seem likely that Aurora will have the chance to learn any time soon.

The Sea Witch and Her Curse

After Alcina’s family is murdered in front of her, an old sea witch takes her to be trained into becoming a sea witch herself. With the sea princes in-fighting over who will become the next king, witches are used as the main line of fighting in these battles and war. But there are dark secrets lurking in these waters, and Alcina does not want to figure them out.

Like Clockwork

Kilo never got to practice magic like everyone else growing up, but he has his chance now. With his internship at Magix solidified, Kilo can practice fighting in the Arenal Department to his heart’s desire. But with upper-rank officials dying left and right and the Anti-Magix Rebellion rising, Kilo will have to use whatever skills he has just to survive the summer—before time runs out.

Mentally Stable

Basically a journal of my journey through mental health. It’s totally fun—not really—and funny—if you enjoy dark humor—and absolutely, positively sane.

There are others in planning stages, but these are the ones with actual words on paper.

Like and comment and reblog and all that jazz, and I’ll follow you if you look like a neat-o writeblr!

#sterling blue #writeblr #writeblr intro

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deliriumsdelight7 · 2 years

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1/2 Couple of things--omg if you continued the Rumbelle Pern AU I think I might cry. Also, I'm not into Hellcheer (haven't watched ST yet) but am in love with Sandman. How easy would it be for maybe dead (they're not sure) Chrissie and Eddie to find their way from the Upside Down to the Dreaming a la show Hector Hall? Especially if Dream is feeling down about Orpheus and looks at this wild-haired musician clutching his guitar and his girl and goes "Sister, do you mind if I keep them?" High

“2/2 school dreams can always use rebels and cheerleaders, right? Also Eddie would totally love comic Morpheus' outfits.”

Dude. You’ve kinda hit on one of my weaknesses, which I have yet to write because it would be fluff and I suck at fluff. When a pairing of mine is killed before having a good shot at happiness (which happens often), I picture them in various afterlife scenarios. San Junipero. The Good Place. Living in Tel’aran’rhiod until summoned by the Horn of Valere or the Wheel of time spits them out again. I’m adding this to the list. I’m going to put my thoughts under a cut so as not to spoil possible future installments of the Sandman Netflix series for those who haven’t read the graphic novels.

Before I get into that: my brain is considering the next move in Pern Rumbelling. I’m impatient and want to get to where Belle meets Rumpelstiltskin but I need to set a few other things up first.

So… first off, I’m not sure that Morpheus would be moved to do this. He of all people knows that Death is far more merciful and benevolent than he is. The only reason he made the deal for his sister to leave Hob Gadling alone was because he thought it would be “amusing.”

Daniel, on the other hand… I could see Daniel showing that level of compassion. I think he’d retain enough of his former-self’s memories to see this boy who went to a hell dimension with a guitar, not to avenge the girl he loved, but to CREATE for her - to make music to keep others safe, in her name - and he’d think of his son.

But what I picture is less Dream turning Eddie and Chrissy into dreams, and more him doing what he did for Morpheus’s old lover, Alianora: taking one of the weaker of his twelve dream-stones, and using it to create an island on the shores of the Dreaming. One that they could populate however they pleased. They’d live the rest of their days there, not quite living but not truly dead, until Death came and brought them to the Sunless Lands. And they’d leave the island behind for other people like them who flee to dreams for safe haven from the waking world.

Okay. Yup. I love this concept. This is canon for me now.

#hellcheer #the sandman #please don’t read this Mr. Gaiman this is fangirl nonsense #just playing with my dollies in your sandbox #accidentally knocking over some of your fancy sand parapets #I just looked back at these tags and oh god the sand puns were unintentional #but I’m leaving them

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earnestly-endlessly · 3 years

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Hi! Do you have any Cherik Army AUs? I've managed to find just 3.

Hi Anon, thanks for the ask. I found some good Army AUs, though some might not quite fall into the category of 'Army AU'. There are, surprisingly, few Army AUs that I have found, whereas there are several military and war AUs, but those don't necessarily involve an army. I did include a variety that involve an army in one way or another, though some fit the bill better than others. I hope you find some that you enjoy!!

Cherik Army AU

I Want to Guard Your Dreams And Visions – luninosity

Summary: I was reading Barbara Hambly’s Abigail Adams mystery novels, and then Erik/Charles American Revolutionary War AU happened. Little snippet in which they share a tent, drink coffee, and provide support to each other.

The Eggnog Riot – Sophia_Bee

Summary: 1826. The American Military Academy in West Point. The day after Christmas. Cadet Erik Lehnsherr wakes up naked with a certain cadet Xavier sprawled across his chest. He can only blame the eggnog.

No Man’s Land – ikeracity

Summary: It's 1914 in Ypres, Belgium. British soldier Charles Xavier has been in the trenches for four months of endless artillery fire, bone-deep cold, and constant fear of the enemy. But on Christmas Eve, the gunfire falls silent, and they climb out of their trenches for a Christmas truce. Charles, of course, meets Erik, the German soldier across the way.

My Land’s Only Borders Lie Around My Heart – pseudoneems

Summary: WW1 Christmas truce of 1914. Opposing soldiers Erik and Charles meet.

Le soldat – Iggyassou

Summary: Erik is in the trenches, trying to survive the war so that he can go back to Charles, his young lover waiting for him back at home.

Names – Squeegee

Summary: In the summer of 1917, British soldier Charles Xavier finds himself taking cover in a shell crater.

Not sure if the 'graphic' tag applies or not, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Quell a storm with pen and ink – patroclux

Summary: Charles had spared his life. That was not something he could easily repay.

They wrote letters to each other for two years, until Charles was pulled out of the war from a sudden illness and Erik remained to fight for a cause he didn't believe in. One that ultimately had no effect; one that stole away four years of his life.

Traumatized and persecuted, Erik applied for a post at Janus, a lighthouse in the middle of the Irish Sea. He thought being alone would do him good.

Despite the letters and despite the love, Erik didn't expect Charles to find him.

Hier steh ich an den Marken meiner Tage – MonstrousRegiment

Summary: Erik Lehnsherr is a spy in the SS, and his British liaison is strategist Charles Xavier. Their relationship from the moment they meet to a year after the end of the war.

Theme and Variations: War – ninemoons42

Summary: Erik Lehnsherr is a musical prodigy and a man destined for great things and great stages. But his life is shattered by a terrible accident that leaves him blind and trying to find his way back to his life, his music, and his place in the world.

Then he meets Charles Xavier, an agent of Section 8 of the Military Intelligence Directorate of Providence, and he finds himself listening in to clandestine radio transmissions and clicking Morse code, and these sounds are part and parcel of a war that can only take place in the shadows and the hidden places of history.

Strib nicht von Mir – ravenoftheninerealms

Summary: A squad of Allied Forces, led by Charles Xavier, liberates the Nazi concentration camp where Erik was being held prisoner.

Cold foxholes, warm hearts – oddegg

Summary: Basically, this is Band of Mutants. A little slice of life in Bastogne.

Photographs and Memories – tirsynni

Summary: When war-battered Erik Lehnsherr met Charles Xavier, the man kneeling in the dirt and whispering to a lost refugee child, Erik feared his days of running from his deviance was done.

Marching Home – Quietbang

Summary: For a prompt on the meme asking for fic dealing with the fact that, in comics canon, Charles served in the Korean war.

War meant something different to this generation, Charles knew.

Crash on the Levy (Down in the Flood) – Quietbang

Summary: “This is much bigger than you think. You're in the middle of a war, and you don't even realize, do you?”

He pauses, and answers his own question.“No, of course you don't. How silly of me."

The Knight and the Dagger – Dow

Summary: A Lieutenant in the Soviet Army, Erik Lensherr had no other goals than to find the man that killed his parents. But when a discovery yields a little boy with wings like an angel, Erik is shocked to realize that he isn’t alone. There are other people like him, both dangerous and alluring.

Lifelong Service – Pookaseraph

Summary: Erik thinks he should be the one to teach their recruits hand-to-hand combat; Charles makes a persuasive argument to the contrary.

Footsteps of uprooted lovers – ninemoons42

Summary: Against a turbulent backdrop of artistic, social, and political upheaval, the playwright Charles Xavier and the photographer Erik Lehnsherr find themselves meeting under less-than-polite circumstances, but part rather more amicably than they'd met.

When they find each other again in a Barcelona that is falling inexorably toward war, they find themselves taking up arms, each in his own way, and together they join a struggle for freedom, for love, and for their very lives.

Dear Soldier – Lindstrom, ToriTC198

Summary: "Dear Soldier,

I pray that this package finds you well. The organization gave us a list of odds and ends that you might need, but I thought that a person so far from home might appreciate something more than soap and tube socks."

When Charles' school decides to send care packages to the soldiers fighting in Vietnam, he chooses to also include a letter and a few personal touches. When Staff Sergeant Erik is the recipient of that particular care package it will spur a relationship that will change them both.

Fortunate Son – blueink13

Summary: he days leading up to and during Alex's deployment in Vietnam. Everyone handles it in their own way. Some handle better than others.

You’re Here – Deshonana

Summary: Everyone decides its a good idea not to tell Erik when his boyfriend comes home from the military.

Welcome Home – loveydoveyecstasy

Summary: It's been two years since Charles was deployed to Afghanistan, and Erik can't wait to pick him up at the airport.

When Secrets have Secrets – ximeria

Summary: The arguments that take place in General Xavier's office when General Lehnsherr has a bad day are legendary. Quite frankly, no one really knows what's going on and if the two men have it their way, no one ever will.

Quiet Company – Sophia_Bee

Summary: Erik Lehnsherr is always on the move. He's spent the last many years going from war torn country to war torn country telling the stories of the people there through photographs. Then one of his pictures is selected as a winner for the Pulitzer Prize and Erik finds himself stuck in London for longer than he wants. He ends up with an assignment to photograph Charles Xavier, a wealthy philanthropist who is intrigued to find himself working with a Pulitzer-winning war photographer. Erik is far less intrigued by someone he considers privileged and out of touch. Both of their lives are about to change in ways they couldn't imagine.

The City is Ours – RedStockings

Summary: Erik felt his heart racing with excitement, lightened, and for once felt joyful. Charles had looked at him, really looked at him, and there had been something there, a knowing of a kind. As the soldiers laughed amongst each other, and joked each other about who would succeed in marrying the boy, Erik made himself a silent vow. Charles was going to be his, and nothing would keep him from having him. He’d marry him, and he’d save him, and Charles would love him for it.

Not even the war could keep them apart... right?

Sign of the Times – dsrobertson

Summary: Casablanca-ish AU.

Charles Xavier meets Erik Lehnsherr in Paris, 1937. They spend the next two years with one another, stupid in-love, until war comes heavy in September 1939. Erik leaves for Poland and the Resistance movement there, promising to return. Charles is left in Paris, where Nazi jackboots march in, Summer of 1940. He becomes a member of the underground French Resistance, publishing illegal newsletters, leaflets, until news comes through in February 1942: Erik is dead. Charles throws himself into more dangerous work, meeting with Communists, helping derail a German train, and he does too much, goes too far. His friends find him safe passage out of France, out across the Mediterranean, to Morocco, Casablanca. It is here he finds Erik, alive.

The Waste Land – nekosmuse

Summary: The White Queen and her Shadow King sit on their throne, safe behind the psionic shields of the Walled City. The armies of Genosha batter uselessly at the gates, a war locked in stalemate. Magneto, camped in the frozen mud, receives word the Citadel intends to send a telepath to the front lines. The same telepath he met two years ago, who sat across a carved wooden chess set and offered Magneto the first friendly smile in a lifetime. The same telepath who still haunts his dreams.

Winter Comes With a Knife – RedStockings

Summary: It apparently came to no one’s surprise that the war-mage Erik Lehnsherr took up residence in the Dark Keep. I knew he was going to choose my sister, Raven, to be his apprentice so why wouldn’t he let me go? What did he want from me?

My name is Charles Xavier, I can read minds and use magic. I’ve met Kings and Queens, mages and magic users. I’ve travelled through lay-lines and jumped through the Dark Void… but none of that really matters.

I am leading an army into war, I am scared and I never wanted this. I’ve come to realise that what I want, rode into my life when I was still a child. Now he’s out there, ready to charge into battle. Ready to die for me.

Polaris – LastAmericanMermaid

Summary: Charles Xavier is 19 years old, doe-eyed and soft; Erik Lehnsherr is 24 years old, steely-hard and bitter. One is a soldier, the other a refugee. Both are mutants. There will be pain, oh yes.

(An AU in which Charles is a wounded British soldier, Erik is the German hiding in France who nurses him back to health, and the contents of this fic are best read to the soundtrack of Atonement.)

Note: Unfinished

MEDIC! – paladin_danse

Summary: A British airborne medic finds himself alone and afraid behind enemy lines. When he decides to save the life of an S.S. German officer he finds wounded in the snow, he has no idea the choice he has made will alter the course of the war—and their lives—forever.

Note: Sadly unfinished

Suicide is Painlesss – weethreequarter

Summary: Erik Lehnsherr did not become a doctor to pick bullets out of children. Unfortunately the US Army had other ideas.

Stuck in the middle of the Korean War, Erik and his fellow civilian surgeons have to battle not only the war, but also weather, mud, and boredom. And that's without mentioning Major Sebastian Shaw who thinks war is the best thing that's ever happened to him and never should've been allowed to pick up a scalpel, or Colonel William Stryker who may or may not work for the CIA and probably doesn't even know himself.

Throw in new arrival Captain Charles Xavier, and Erik is in for a very interesting war.

Note: Unfinished

A Light That Never Goes Out – R_Cookie

Summary: It was meant to be the war to end all wars; these two men were never supposed to meet. One a German Jew, the other a British surgeon. The odds that their paths should cross were next to none - but War defies the expected. It always has, and always will.

From the beaches of Dunkirk to the treacherous slopes of Monte Cassino - this is their story.

WWII AU.

Note: Unfinished

#cherik #cherik fic recs #fic recs #asks #earnestly answers #army au #military au #war au #long post

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miscellaneous-obsession · 3 years

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Story of any kind of Lady Dimitrescu x Reader but have Miranda in it?

Back to our usual schedule of fics, here is one that took a bit to write! I went with full on angst and fluff so you have been warned... and will be again like twice :)

Unending Nightmare

Warnings: Graphic violence, details of injury, blood and gore, general feeling of anxiety, panic, despair, Miranda being horrible as hell and not suitable for minors.

It seemed almost surreal to regain consciousness in the main hall, her body lounging on one of two settees that sat perfectly aligned to the table in between. Alcina's spine cried in anguish with an unnatural contortion, prompting amber eyes to flutter open, blinking comically in rapid succession to disperse the remnants of sleep that clouded her vision. Rising to a sitting position relieved the strain she experienced, with subsequent stretching of limbs resulting in audible pops.

As her gaze panned briefly across the room, everything appeared untouched, even lipstick-stained cups that sat atop of matching saucers, evidence of her impromptu afternoon tea shared with her wife. A smile saw her slackened jaw tighten with the memory, her mind reliving the moment vividly as she gracefully angled her legs as to touch the ground. However, the sole of one heel didn't make it, landing upon the novel still open to the bookmarked page in which it was discarded as she succumbed to sleep.

However, as the matriarch moved to collect the piece of literature, a piercing scream laced with agony carried through the endless corridors, starling Alcina from her reverie. A sound from such a distance shouldn't have been able to travel, nor should the crying wails and sobs that followed. A note of familiarity within the voice struck a chord in the countess as her mind sought an answer. All the while, fear began to steadily crawl along her spine, wrapping tight like a snake, slithering into her heart in an attempt of manifestation. Shakily she brought her hand to her lips, eyes widening as she recognised the perpetual weeping.

The safety the castle once afforded her dematerialised before her very eyes as fragments of reality appeared to settle into place. The pleading whimpers almost quietened into non-existence, much like the fire that began to dim. In what light remained, Alcina took note of the disorganised chaos that made itself known, how furniture had been shoved aside, vases broken in the wake of a predator, even the blood that marred the marble floor.

Instinctively her claws unsheathed, sensing the danger that posed as a threat to her family. However, as the matriarch took a step closer, intent on examining the trail of crimson destruction, she staggered backwards. The scent of iron in the air was unmistakable; a smell she was well acquainted with and often so enticed by became reclusive as it hit her olfactory receptors. Someone dared to touch... harm what was hers, somewhere in the place they called home, her wife lay injured.

Grappling with the panic and horror that strove to run rampant in her mind, Alcina frantically called aloud for her daughters. But even when beckoned, her solitude persisted; never once upon summoning had her girls elected to disobey or ignore. At last, the illusion of elegance and composure shattered, leaving the countess in what she deemed an unsavoury, feral state, desperate to find and protect what she claimed to be her own.

Alcina all but marched to the cellar growing increasingly fretful with every step she took as she was forced to strain her ears to catch sound of the almost silent, pained murmurs. Ignorant of her own wellbeing, she pursued her wife in heels with an unnaturally fast pace across the uneven, damp terrain, paid by a loss of stance on more than one occasion. Upon rounding the corner in what could be deemed a dishevelled appearance, the matriarch's heart stuttered, skipping a beat involuntarily at the lurid sight before her.

Laid on a mortuary table, gasping for breath, was her beloved, blood pooling beneath her quivering frame from a freshly inflicted incision site as her body seemingly rejected what was both forced and foreign. Once vivid blue irises were almost consumed by blacked pupils, a natural response to the accumulation of adrenaline created as unwavering pain gripped her body. Teeth had long pierced both tongue and lips, allowing more blood to bead in droplets to go unused and wasted, following gravity to the drain so conveniently in place on the stainless steel table.

The growl unleashed from Alcina's throat was unrivalled; her desire to cry out extinguished as she pried her gaze upward. Standing mere inches from her wife's side was Miranda, in a laboratory coat almost befitting of her former self. In hand was an empty jar, fluid swishing with the gentle jostles of the deities movements. A worn label, lacking adhesive, clung to the glass, almost faded to the human eye, but two letters confirmed the unthinkable.

"You've arrived in time, my dear; your pet's future is dependent on this very moment."

Unable to refute the truth in Miranda's words nor bring solace to her wife, she attempted the latter as it appeared the more achievable of the two. With claws retracted, unwilling to cause more harm, Alcina cradled her wilting wife's face as delicately she could muster. She blinked several times over the next minute, refusing to let the tears she felt building fall as she honed in on the ever slowing heartbeat. Hushed apologies and whispered declarations of love were shared, albeit one-sided, in some hope that her beloved heard.

Desperate for her wife to avoid an inevitable future as a mindless moroaicǎ, she continued to track her declining health, choosing to strike as the paled woman took her final breath as a human. Before the transformation could ensue, Alcina made the decision to end what would begin within the coming minutes. Her choice is emboldened upon catching Miranda's dismissive and callous opinion, "Another failure, unsurprising."

Just as her claws were sat poised to cut and render the moroaicǎ useless, her body jolted awake, sweat beading along her brow from the horrifyingly realistic dream her mind had conjured. Swiping a hand to remove what clung to her skin, her eyes blindly searched the room devoid of light. A shaky but relieved sigh slipped past her lips as her hand came to land on and subsequently caress the top of her wife's head.

As calming as one's breathing regulations could be, it didn't replace nor best physical contact with the woman she loved. With arms outstretched, she enveloped her wife, drawing her atop her chest, listening and attempting to match the rhythmic beat of her heart. During such extrication from her place under the covers, bleary eyes opened a fraction in confusion, head tilting to mirror jumbled thoughts.

"Alci?"

"Forgive me, dragă mea, go back to sleep."

Feeling the minute shake of a head, the countess peered down, acknowledging the look of concern that replaced serenity. A hand of supple skin rose to gently gloss over her cheeks, gathering what tears had fallen with the pull of gravity.

"What is troubling you so, beloved?"

Unable to recount most of the tale, Alcina spared her wife from gruesome details, summarising the dream to one line, "It appears my mind attempted to convince me I had lost you."

A contemplative hum resonated directly below her ear, the vibration of which tickled the countess' neck as her wife nestled comfortably in her hold. "Nothing in this world could part me from you; I love you too much to bear separation in this lifetime."

"And if we had no other choice?"

A tutting sound emerged in the dark, an almost dismissal of such a notion. "Then I'd have lived a life knowing I had a woman who loved me and three beautiful daughters to succeed me."

"Poetic... only divulging such a divine talent and way with words now. But I fear you forget that you were the one, with an open heart and mind, who reintroduced my capability to love another outside my darling girls, a trait I thought had been long lost to my mutation."

A keening whine of appreciation caught her ears, further emphasised as featherlight kisses were pressed along the expanse of exposed skin, her wife opting to include areas of her jaw within reach.

"It appears we were both lucky with the hand fate dealt us." After a beat of silence, a tired voice reiterated what had been murmured in the last moments before their slumber, "Te iubesc Cina... te iubesc."

Those wise words and impromptu reaffirmation soothed the ache left by the dream, eradicating the pain like a salve. With practised ease, the matriarch responded in kind, "Și eu te iubesc," before succumbing to the sleep her body so desperately craved.

-----------------------------------------

Both were jolted from sleep only hours later when the covers were unceremoniously pulled back and bodies pressed against them in urgency. Muffled giggles and quiet hushes saw eyes open, only to narrow imperceptibly in faux annoyance, prompting sheepish grins to spread across their daughter's lips. Half-hearted glares quickly faltered, softening into smiles, giving all three the go-ahead to bury their chilled frames in between and around the couple.

Following their lead, Bela too extricated her body, albeit with an audible whine, from beneath the covers. Soon the countess grew amused at the trio's antics as they pleaded with an array of tactics for her wife to join them for their morning routine. Reluctantly Alcina released her wife from her grasp, seeing her subsequently tugged out of bed by the girls. The four ran from the room as a game of tag began, allowing the matriarch to muse as she mapped the softened footfalls of her family throughout the wing in which they resided.

Without warning, her peace was disturbed by the shrill ring of the ornate rotary phone that sat in the adjoining room to her chambers. Donning a robe to retain some modicum of decency, Alcina took her place at her vanity, a tremor running through her hand as she picked up the receiver.

"Mother Miranda."

"Ah Alcina dear, I trust you aren't busy."

Before the matriarch had a chance to respond, Miranda continued on a tangent of her own, "Now, I called to discuss business regarding your wife; her repeated test results have revealed something rather... interesting."

From the moment that phrase was uttered with such an insinuating tone, Alcina could no longer focus. The countess' heart dropped and found herself wishing that the echoing laughter of her girls and beloved could remain forever constant in the castle walls.

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alexsfictionaddiction · 4 years

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12 Lesbian Books Everyone Should Read This Pride Month

I need to point out how wonderful the updated version of the lesbian flag is. It’s inclusive of lesbians of all skin colours and that’s exactly what I’ve tried to do in this post. Pride is a time for acceptance, love and inclusivity and it feels especially poignant with everything that is happening in the world right now. So here are my favourite sapphic books that definitely need picking up, if your life is lacking a little girl power. -Love, Alex x

1. Something To Talk About by Meryl Wilsner.

Rumours flood the media that Hollywood starlet Jo and her assistant Emma’s relationship is something more than it is but could that actually be true? This brand new release is a sweet slow-burning romance set in a believable contemporary Hollywood that will help you escape.

2. Under The Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta.

When war breaks out in Nigeria, 11-year-old Ijeoma is sent away to safety where she falls for another girl -an experience that will forever change her. With elements of both Nigerian folklore and Christianity, this is a life story set against an eye-opening backdrop of African history, cultural attitudes towards sexuality and the effects of war.

3. In At The Deep End by Kate Davies.

Twenty-something Julia hasn’t had sex for three years, when she gets her sexual awakening at a warehouse party and so transpires her new life as a lesbian. It’s a filthy, hilarious British rom-com with a Bridget Jones level of heartwarmth to it that reminds us that you don’t have to have it all figured out before you’re an adult.

4. Juliet Takes A Breath by Gabby Rivera.

Juliet’s coming out didn’t go down well with her Puerto Rican family but now she’s interning with Harlowe Brisbane, a leading voice on feminism and being a lesbian, so surely she’ll get her life figured out, right? Funny and charming, this is a fierce educational novel that you will eat right up.

5. XX by Angela Chadwick.

When Rosie and Jules become the first lesbian couple to fall pregnant through innovative ovum-to-ovum technology, someone leaks the news and the whole world becomes incredibly interested in their lives. XX is a feminist, speculative critique of misogyny, inequality, homophobia and multiple other ills of the world that will pull you straight in.

6. The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth.

In 1989, Cam meets and falls for beautiful cowgirl Coley in their small conservative Montana town but her religious aunt has other, much darker, plans for her niece. Cameron Post is a heady daze of a novel full of angst and heartache that deals with very real issues for many LGBT teens, making it easy to see why its largely considered a seminal work in YA lesbian literature.

7. Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst.

Princess Denna is about to become queen of a land where magic is forbidden, while harboring a secret power of her own, but things get even more complicated when she meets her betrothed’s sister Mare. Intense friendship, conflicting loyalties and saving the world makes this fantasy novel a gorgeous read.

8. The Deep by Rivers Solomon.

Descended from pregnant African slavewomen thrown overboard, Yetu’s people have formed their own underwater society, free from sexual or gender labels, and Yetu remembers everything for them. This beautifully written novella is a very original, captivating and moving experience that is of paramount importance right now.

9. It’s Not Like It’s A Secret by Misa Sugiura.

When Sana moves to California with her family, she meets gorgeous and unique Jamie but both home and friendship dramas rear their ugly heads. As well as being a cute awkward romance, it also tackles racism, damaging stereotypes and celebrates interracial love.

10. Gideon The Ninth by Tamsyn Muir.

Tired of a life and afterlife of drudgery, Gideon plans to escape but her lifelong nemesis, necromancer Harrowhark has one last task for her. Gideon the Ninth is a very unique intricate fantasy with extensive world-building and a snarky, complex relationship at its heart.

11. The Color Purple by Alice Walker.

In the deep American South, Celie is separated from her sister Nettie, when she meets vivacious Shug Avery, who teaches her how to be her true self. The Color Purple is a classic within the black literature canon and explores race, abuse and feminism with wonderfully intriguing sapphic undertones.

12. Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell.

Laura Dean is Frederica’s dream girl but their on/off relationship is starting to ooze toxicity and Freddy realises that she needs to decide what -and who- is really best for her. This stunning graphic novel is a lesson to us all to go after the love we deserve as opposed to settling for the love we can get.

#lesbian books #pride month #lgbtq #book recommendations #books #bookworm

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