#no longer a charlie brown archetype

[lordofhunger47]

Had Enough

For most of his life Dipper got pushed and pushed by others, but even a soul as gentle as him has his limits.

As they say "There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.”

Dipper Pines was no exception, other kids of his age experienced being the target of bullying and no one likes it, his birthmark was simply nothing more but an excuse for other kids to bully him, his younger self would have accepted his fate, wouldn't resist, wouldn't stand up and wouldn't fall to the edge.

Until that fateful Summer.

Through that life-changing trip with his sister Mabel, the things they did, the wonders and horrors they saw, the friends and enemies they made in that nexus of anomalies where normalcy has lost its meaning, it has changed them irrevocably, for better and worse.

Where Mabel was rowdy she became reserved, where Dipper was reserved he became rowdy, sometimes they have nightmares about the monsters they faced or most commonly a certain triangle which unfortunately they couldn't share with anyone but their friends from Gravity Falls or their Grunkles in messages, even then they still desired to return to that little town from Oregon. which made it even harder for them to adjust to their life in piedmont, for what the point of chasing after conspiracies if you know that all of them are true to one degree to another but can't even tell anyone?whats the point in chasing an unattainable fantasy of romance when you found the hard way that life is nothing like what your romance novels told you? what is the so-called "normal life" compared to a life of adventure?

They both become outsiders, even the overly socialized Mabel. their parents recognized it,  so as their friends,teachers and classmates in school, and rumours began in school about what happened to the Pines twins' vacation in Gravity Falls, some even say they joined a cult; nevertheless, they never realized how deep the Pines twins have truly changed until that fateful day where Dipper had finally had enough.

It was a normal day in school, with the dreadful Trigonometry from the math class, it took every ounce of their being to not freak out from the flashbacks it gave them, but it did not stop them from breathing heavily and sweating which unfortunately some in the class had noticed, including Dipper's tormentor Tarn and his cronies.

Tarn is a stereotypical bully, tall, having brains in his brawns only, bullies anyone who was weaker than him just to sate his deep-rooted insecurities and acting tough but deep down a coward.

No one was safe from being bullied by him, yet he took a particular interest in Dipper, he took every chance in making him miserable for every conceivable excuse, today he saw Dipper being anxious so he decided to wait for the break time to ridicule him like as he did just like the old days, how late he realized how wrong he was.

Dipper was in the corridor, putting his stuffs in the locker while secretly breathing deeply to calm his nerves inside of his locker, only for his tries to become undone when his tormentor came.

"Hey, Pines" from hearing that Dipper sigh, he decided to ignore him and his cronies but they keep nearing him, not that he was intimidated by him any longer, facing a literal apocalypse and real monsters would make a person too jaded to be scared of a mere bully "what? no hi from best pal? oh wait, you don't even have friends" his smugness would have been even more unbearable if it was true, except that was untrue, he made friends in his trip in Gravity Falls and thought he wasn't exactly "close" to his fellows in the book club, they at least were friendly enough to play D&D& more D with him"thought, I shouldn't surprise, who is even desperate enough to be your friend other than your own sister?"

that was it, he immediately regret paying attention to him but he did respond anyway "like you are one to talk about 'friendship'", Tarn in a moment of confusion asked, "what's that supposed to mean?"

Dipper used his arms to gesture to him "you Mr cliché only see value in others as long as they are useful to you, but you are too dumb to realize that", after that he pointed at his two friends the only reason those two so-called" friends" of yours even follow you is that you couldn't even be a bigger cliché even if you used your brain" .

arn's cronies for a second were startled by Dipper's sharp comment so as Tarn, he wasn't used to Dipper actually putting an effort; however, that quickly got replaced by a scowl and responding "what?" In a calm yet threatening tone.

Dipper replied"what? what what? are deaf? I'm calling you an outdated stereotype!" By that point everyone in the corridor was putting their attention to this, Dipper gestured to him with his finger"brawns for a brain, bully others for his low-self esteem and two minions who only follow you either because you bullied them into doing so or because they are too stupid to doing anything worthwhile!" as he pointed at his companions, then he processed to show him a paper filled with signatures which he got when last summer ended "see this? this how much so many were 'desperate' to give this to me" and then gestured to his trapper hat "see this? this was given to me by the coolest I ever met and she is like 2 years older than me! oh, you hear me, a girl thought I was cool! so let that sink into your non-existent brain of yours that a nerd has more friends than a jock like you and got closer to a girl more than you ever will be!" to emphasise his point, Dipper shut the door of his locker with a bang and walked away as he said, "honesty, I pity you".

Everyone was surprised, the normally shy boy actually stand up to himself without even the need of his twin sister, on that moment The Two douches carefully looked at Tarn whose expression conjured into shock but then suddenly into anger who decided he wasn't done yet "HEY! I'm not done with" angrily walking towards Dipper, but he ignores him and keeps walking away which only serves to get Tarn angrier "HEY!" getting close to him, and then "I am talking to you!" He pushed Dipper toward him "I said I'm talking Dip_" but he could be finished he was cut off by a sudden outburst from Dipper of all people "AND I'M NOT LISTENING!" Dipper's face changed into an expression of anger, but not of a firely one, a cold and calculated one, the one you see from a war veteran which put everyone even Tarn in shock "You think you are hot stuff because simply you are taller?! news flash! I have seen things which will turn any Robbie-wannabe like you into a gibberish mess!" As he keep pointing his fingers at Tarn's chest, Tarn's thoughts wherein a million miles an hour, he didn't know who or what is Robbie; nonetheless, he knew Dipper meant it as an insult so he pushed Dipper away and punched him in the stomach, he fell and Tarn start gloating "Big words for a little man! no wonder a co-dependent dweeb like you needs his sister to babysit him! I wonder...how Mabel would like it when I show her a real man_"

That was it, mentioning his sister was the final nail in the coffin, in a furious cry Dipper attacked him before he even finishes his sentence or much less reacts, everyone was in shock by Dipper's suddenly velocity and assault, Dipper kept punching Tarn non-stop, not leaving him even a second for him to defend himself, despite his noodle arms he shown surprising strength as blood keep getting spilt on his hands from Tarn's face and his hands starting to get injured from the sheer force of their collide to Tarn's face, yet he kept punching with extreme prejudice, all he was seeing was red, everything around him was a blur and the only thing ringing in his ears wasn't the shouts and exclaims of everyone around him but years of suppressed emotional turmoil finally let out and the laughter of mockings he received from everyone 'Yeesh! How am I related to that?' , 'who wants to bet he doesn't make it?' , 'Come on, leave him alone. He's just a little kid.', 'Look at who you're talking to, boy. I'm hosting a party for the most powerful people in the world. Do you think they'd come here if they had to rub elbows with your kind?' , 'Status update: trapped in-store with insane 9-year old',' Face it, kid, you're nothing without that journal. How are you gonna fight then? No muscles. No brains. What are you gonna do, huh? What are you gonna do!', 'Little Dipper!', I!UM!I!DO IT KID!DO SOME BRILLIANT THING THAT TAKES ME DOWN RIGHT NOW! WHATTDYA GOT PINE TREE? EVERYONE'S WAITING, DO IT!!!".

"DIPPER STOP!" He stopped, it wasn't one of the sounds in his head, but it came from his sister holding his shoulder from behind, he breathe heavily, next he looked at Tarn's demolished face which was hardly even recognizable as it turned into a bloody pulp as Tarn let out groans of pain, as he looked around he saw the shocked and scared faces of everyone and the worried look of his sister, once his gaze met with Tarn's cronies he couldn't help but reply in a threatening tone "anyone else wants to fill his shoes?" they immediately yelped and ran and the rest of the students pretended as if they have never seen the whole thing.

Shortly after, Dipper got his very first punishment from the Principal's office, although not as heavy as Tarn's since everyone knew he started it, he always bullied Dipper and went too far when he mentioned his sister and the Principal sympathize with Dipper, but, he couldn't let this go unpunished still, he gave Dipper some lectures about how to deal with bullies so that a repeat of this incident doesn't happen.

After school, his parents found out about this and reacted with a mix of hidden pride knowing that their son has finally stood up to himself and mostly worried knowing that their son needs help, so they give a pep-talk to him to make sure he deals with such events properly in future, told him if something is wrong they are here to help him and even suggest him to take self-defence classes.

When Dipper's fight reached Dipper and Mabel's chat group which consist of their friends from Gravity Falls and their Grunkles, the reactions were mixed. some like Grunkle Stan(predictably) were proud of Dipper(Grunkle Stan later got scolded by Great Uncle Ford but their bantering was in a friendly and family manner, a far cry from their heated fights in the past), whereas others found newfound respect like Wendy, even though Dipper was already worthy of being respected and loved by them and a bit of worry, the funniest reaction was Robbie who replied: "We are cool, right?".

Tomorrow, it was another boring and normal day in school, except unlike the other days, no one dared to bully him as students have seen him in a new light of fear and respect, he once stumble upon Tarn while he was busy nuzzling his broken face who upon seeing Dipper yelped and kept his distance away from him like the plague. Dipper couldn't help but smile as he processed his day, Grunkle Stan was right, being feared IS priceless.

Note:I'm sick of Dipper being a "Charlie Brown" archetype,there is a reason why there hasn't been any character with that outdated trope since GF because its dookie level of offensive,infuriating and stupid!

And it should be discouraged!

#my first fic #gravity falls #dipper pines #mabel pines #my ocs #oc #gravity falls fanfic #gravity falls fanfiction #fanficiton #fanfic #angst #angst and fluff #angst with a happy ending #the bully get what they deserve #no longer a charlie brown archetype #my fanfiction

[star-girlzz]

You said that Cherry was designed after Barbie, now I wanna know what the others are designed after. Especially Xaje, her brother, and Afia

Xaje was designed to be a bit of a mysterious female character with short hair, I had a specific trope in mind but I don't really have a name for it. Also, for her visuals, I wanted a black-and-white contrasting color scheme. I also wanted her to mostly appear to be soft. Xavier basically piggybacking off of that idea but also like the opposite. Where Xaje was soft, he was rough and sharp. It's also why he's relatively tall since she's pretty short. He's lost some of his edge from his character concept because I've grown entirely too fond of him. Afia's design went through many changes as she initially was not in the same story as Xaje. Her character concept was definitely always brown. Her clothing style was soft as well but flowy. I couldn't decide if I wanted her to be black or south Asian (Indian specifically) which is how I decided she should be both. Later I decided she'd have a religious aesthetic with influences from charlie brown and late '50s to '70s fashion. Lee Ann has far too many inspirations for me to count tbh but she was designed after an idol/sex worker concept that was supposed to be bright and make use of neon colors. So she bares a lot of resemblence to the memes from MEMEME!/GIRL protagonist, Kami-Sama. Her red star earrings are a direct reference to Jerrica Benton/ Jem from Jem. For Artemis, there were a lot of concepts for him but his design idea was that he'd wear a fur coat smoke cigarettes, and have long hair. He was supposed to look a bit tired and unkept. As his character evolved I decided id really exaggerate his hair and make it longer. The night I first drew him I also spontaneously decided to give him blonde tips based off of the musician Towkio. Morris's character concept was entirely to feed into the character archetype that was being poked fun of at the time which was the man with blonde hair and blue eyes who you have to guess if he's: a) Jack Morrison aka Soldier 76 (Overwatch), b) Joseph Christiansen (Dream Daddy Dating Simulator), or c) Steve Rogers aka Captain America (Marvel, duh). Though I will also say his concept started with the main character of the dating simulator, Coming Out On Top's main protagonist, Mark. The main idea is he is a clean-cut white guy who's gay. Caesar, who was pretty much created exactly around the time as Xaje bc I wanted two characters to come in a pair and be a duo, the concept was probably a mix of a lot of things. His design and personality take a couple notes from Fuyuhiko from DanganRonpa 2. but the idea for him was that he'd be aggressive but not necessarily burley or tall. In fact, I liked the idea of him being baby-faced. What's been pretty consistent in his design though is that his clothing style is a bit flamboyant and that he should look like he's made of gold. I’m not sure when I decided Joyce would have long silver hair? To be honest it was something I probably decided when I was making her look for this post  but Joyce was supposed to have a very distinct look every time you saw her but eventually I wanted to make her character more relevant and fashionable so I decided she’d have an insta baddie/ influencer look to her more than anything. Evol and Etah were based in appearance after  Aikurō Mikisugi from Kill la Kill (in both his nudist form and his everyday form) but honestly I’m glad they got a race lift because I’m not very fond of that character in retrospect. They’ve had many appearance references in the past years.  Travis was based off of someone who used to run this tumblr blog I followed a long time ago. They’ve long since left the site. I definitely wanted him to be a trans masc character who didn’t entirely fit everyone’s concept of masculinity since he shouldn’t have to! My decision to make him blasian was also in reference to an old OC I had that I’ve since retired. Clarrissa’s appearance takes inspiration from seductive characters and old comics of the like. Her idea was that she was a promiscuous character with a vintage aesthetic that was definitely rooted in rockabilly and pin-up art. Clover’s was based on the art of Kiwi-Byrd and their OCs. I’ve been a long time fan of their work.  Ferris was based off an older concept I had from a character which i suppose means his design takes cues from what alternative or indie men of color were wearing back in 2015.

[dipshithqs]

☠ ◞ ashton moio . 23 . cismale . he/him . › is that rocco mena i see walking through the campgrounds ? i can’t believe that the sagittarius is spending their summer here . i heard that MOUSE is a pizza delivery boy when they’re at home in chandler , arizona . but while they’re here , i’ve seen them stuffing his face while humming all night longer by sammy adams . i’ve called them the village idiot but that’s only because of their PLAYFUL and DIMWITTED tendencies . apparently , they’re back at camp silver lake this year because he missed the place . ‹ played by t , he/they , 18+ , mst . ›

INTRODUCTION

name. rocco age. 23 birthday. 11/23 sexuality. heterosexual

EXTENDED

full name. rocco spencer mena pronunciation. ROCK-oh SPEHN-suhr meh-NUH meaning of name. “rest” aliases. mouse, ,rocky, roc gender. cismale pronouns. he/him species. human zodiac sign. sagittarius hometown. chandler, arizona occupation. pizza delivery boy/camp counselor label. the village idiot faceclaim. ashton moio

RUNDOWN

🍕 a Very Dumb™ 🍕 obsessed w/ rap/hip-hop and constantly tries to write his own songs 🍕 super bad at writing but actually a decent rapper 🍕 generally liked by the kids ,, , mostly bc they can get away w/ a lotta shit w/ him 🍕 pinterest board 🍕 has been a pizza delivery boy fr 3 years 🍕 was a clerk n a babysitter before that 🍕 never taken seriously 🍕 loves energy drinks 🍕 still lives w/ his parents 🍕 developed a panic disorder n started getting panic attacks at 13 ,, , after his first run at camp silver lake 🍕 Would Rather Be Sleeping 🍕 bit of a momma’s boy 🍕 spotify playlist 🍕 a Good Choice if all you wanna do is sit around n eat cheetos all day 🍕 been skateboarding since he was 9 🍕 was close friends w/ 3 out of the 10 kids that disappeared 🍕 parties like a frat boy

QUESTIONS

why are they labeled as the trope that you applied for ? remember that kid in class that used to sit at the table during arts and crafts time just eating glue and putting stickers on his face ? that was mouse ... . ... and he hasn’t changed, ,,,he’s labeled the village idiot ‘cause homeboy is dumb as dirt ! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! !! a safety hazard. w/ the kinda luck he has too,,, he’d end up getting someone else ( along with himself ) killed ,,, fortunately, , where he lacks intelligence ... . n luck ,, ,  he makes up for in friendliness who are some of their character inspirations ? ( bonus points if you list some horror movie or television show characters ) gOd i wish i had more characters frm horror movies/tv but highkey philip j. fry from futurama, , a dash of charlie kelly from it’s always sunny in philidelpha,, touch of michael kelso from that ‘70s show minus the narcissism ( tho mouse has his moments ), ,,,, , andy dwyer from parks and recreation ,, , lowkey xander harris from buffy the vampire slayer do you think they’d run into danger or run away from it ? it depends tbh, ,,but probably run away , ,, like 93% of the time he’d run away what are the worst parts of their personality ? o god he is so. .. .. .. .. .. .... ..... ..so dumb, ,,fatally dumb, ,, , keep-your-distance dumb,, ,, actually making him annoying at times ( especially in serious situations ) ,, , n he can b V lazy so asking him to do. .. ... Anything .. ... can b such a Chore, ,, this makes him appear selfish at times,,, as well what are some connections that they would have formed at camp the first time they were around ? his main focus would’ve probably been the boys at camp the first go around, ,, since he was just set on having fun w/ a group a friends n girls just seemed Annoying at the time,,, , so BROS !!!!!! [ insert me and the boys meme here ] there’s a possibility he’d gotten a hardcore crush at camp the second go around ( at 14 ) tho are they nervous about returning back to camp silver lake ? why or why not ? noooooo he is v much Excited to b returning,, , thanks to his good ol’ ‘ subconsiously blocking out tramatic experiences ’ method ,, ,albeit ... .. . he didn’t expect to come back ,, , but couldn’t resist what’s their favorite scary movie ? so hard !!!! he’s def more into comedy or cartoons than scary or gore but he can b down fr a good funny horror ,, ,,, probably tucker and dale vs evil finally, what are some connections you’d like for them to have ? ( please list a minimum of three ) would fckn Love something along the lines of those two guys/heterosexual life-partners (shaggy/scooby, jay/silent bob, monty/jasper, etc) pLease ,,, might b pushing it but maybe something like cloudcuckoolander’s minder ?? listen .. ... ... ..he’s gonna die Quick w/o a smack whenever he tries to do smthn stupid (n thts all th time fjds),, !!! just friends !!! r smthin like it,, , def can see him crushing on someone, ,trying to hit on ‘em,,, , pulling out those cheesy pick up lines n they just Do Not Want , ,,,, ,lbh he’s not bf material, ,, ,, ok but i'm down fr aaannnnyyyytttthhhiinnngggg tho honstly it’s cool to just come up w somethin on the fly, ,, pLS HMU !!!!!!!

APPEARANCE

height. 5′8″ weight. 138 lbs eyes. brown hair. dark brown race. hispanic/latino nationality. american complexion. beige build. scrawny voice. x scent. cheese dust,, fruity pebbles, ,,body spray

RELATIONSHIPS

parents. donté + maría siblings. jamie children. none enemies. none ( that he knows of )

MENTAL

education. high school languages. english, spanish disorders. panic disorder habits. eating 'til he passes out, ,taking looooong ass naps ,, ,playing on his skateboard in the cabins ,, ignoring his general duties as a councellor/steering the kids off course

TRAITS

positive. optimistic, supportive, playful, tenderhearted, easygoing negative. lazy, dimwitted, self-indulgent, immature, careless

CHARACTERIZATION

moral alignment. neutral good jung. enfp-a enneagram. the peacemaker four temperaments. phlegmatic tropes. crying wolf, the ditz, buffy speak, dumb is good, too dumb to live, kindhearted simpleton, casanova wannabe, manchild, butt-monkey, the slacker, know-nothing know-it-all, fun personified, extreme omnivore, cloudcuckoolander, adorkable, unfazed everyman, innocently insensitive archetypes. the performer, the caregiver, the rebel aura. red tarot card. the sun

ATTRIBUTES

strength. 3/10 dexterity. 4/10 magic. 0/10 cunning. 2/10 willpower. 4/10 constitution. 8/10

INTELLECT

musical-rhythmic intelligence. 6/10 visual-spatial intelligence. 2/10 verbal-linguistic intelligence. 3/10 logical-mathematical intelligence. 1/10 bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. 3/10 interpersonal intelligence. 6/10 intrapersonal intelligence. 5/10 existential intelligence. 6/10 naturalistic intelligence. 2/10

#slasher.intro #( this is all tf over the place )

[bob-dude]

Some Orange Jerk’s Hazbin thoughts, the longer version.

As I mentioned in a prior post, I  thought the pilot was so-so. Don't hate it with a capital H but find everyone's love for this show to be... odd. Though considering the late 2000s Devinart vibe I get from the show’s art style, probably not too odd now that I think about it. So here’s my longer, more rambly, thoughts on Hazbin Hotel by some rando Orange Jerk on Tumblr.  And as always, more power to ya if you do love it, obviously.

Art direction wise, I’m just not crazy about Viv’s color choice. The red and black and pinks give a Valintine’s day meets Wonderland Queen of Hearts vibe that just doesn't personally work for me on a visual level. 

As for hell itself, I thought the background stuff like ‘Radio Hack’ and the main city being named Pentagram to be... eh? Like, that’s the kind of world-building we’re going with here? It felt less like Hell and more like a city with the trapings of Hell, at least for me. 

So, main cast, the trio as it were. Eh. Meh. Like, Charlie is a Disney Princess of Hell... even though no one treats her as one respect wise which just strikes me as odd from a background perspective. And Charlie has that standard Disney nativity going on... even though she was born and raised in Hell? Like, why bother to make your most optimistic and native character a denizen of hell if she’s not going to look or act the part personality wise?

The reason the personality thing confuses me I guess,  is that take Charlie out of Hell and we’ve seen her character a thousand times before: The bubbly sweet optimistic girl that’s been done so many times before.  Is the ‘But in Hell!’ aspect really that much of a grabber for people? Guess it is and more power to em but it just strikes me as a strange creative choice where once again a character's personality doesn’t logically flow from their background. 

Design-wise Charile is fine, red tux reminds me of the God from the 1977 Oh God movie so that gets a thumbs up in my book. Still a bit weird that a princess is wearing it but it makes sense with the Hotel set up and all so her outfit has a logic to it. 

Then we have Vaggie. So, legit question here people: If you went into the pilot blind and Angle Dust didn’t make his ‘taco’ comment would you have ANY idea that Vaggie is supposed to be Latina? Because I legitimately had no idea that was what her design was supposed to say about her as a charchter. Also didn’t really get a moth vibe from her, either if I’m honest. As for her personality, she’s the standard ‘loving supportive’ GF but with an angry side protective side for Charile... and she’s a Latinia/Latinix.  Does... Does no one else think that’s just a bit... off? Making the one clearly marked Latinia character the ‘angry girlfriend’ archetype? 

Also, that weird pink X eye patch bugged the hell out of me when I was watching. Totally petty as shit nitpick, but I had to vent on that bit. Honestly, though Vaggie is also Meh? Like, she’s in a relationship with Charlie, cool and all but she just doesn’t strike me as a terribly interesting character if I’m honest. Gives me a sort of Lisa Simpson ‘stick-in-the-mud’ vibe. 

And then we have Angle Dust. You know, in the words of Netflix’s Big Mouth, “Sassy and Gay”  isn’t a personality. Angle Dust basically has that sort of ‘2000s  Yaoi OC’ vibe and considering Vive once had a DA character sheet where she literally listed his personality is ‘Bitch’... Yeah. 

Also, as I’ve said elsewhere, Viv and crew are doing too much with this guy. So he’s an ex mobster killed by his homophobic father in the 1920s (not mentioned in the pilot but it is a pilot in all fairness so you can’t throw all your cards on the table). And he’s a Spider Demon... even though per Word of Viv how everyone’s designed in hell doesn’t have anything to do with how they died on Earth (then why deign them that way?). And he’s a porn star (being ex Mob shouldn’t he be the one paying for porn stars as a power domination sort of thing?). AND he’s going for a Beetlejuice meets CJ from Regular Show sort of design.

It just seems a bit much, imo. Like, you could make him just a gay ex mob who mostly uses a Tommy Gun and design him to fit that and leave the Spider-Demon stuff out and it becomes a lot more manageable. Something like a simplified Zoot Suit, or the like. You could keep the sexual humor but throw it a bit more 1920s slang and pop culture references for characterization/comedy purposes (Vaggie, for example, has no idea what he’s talking about most of the time). Granted, I’d personally rather they ditch the ‘animal bits slapped on’ aspects of the designs as a whole but that, as always is just me.

For the record, I’m not ‘offended’ by Angle Dust as a character concept, I’m just not wowed or impressed, ultimately.

And then we have Alastor. Now, I LOVE Alastor as a character. He’s got that classic ‘reality warper’ vibe ala Bill Cipher or Discord but with a 1920s radio show host twist that I just think is amazing and the sound distortion they added to his voice was a really cool touch on top of it all. The problem, as always, comes more with the color choice. One one of your own characters can’t take someone seriously because they look like a ‘strawberry pimp’ that might be the time to maybe go with a different color pallet? Like, idk,  maybe throw in some warm browns and brass golds to involve the 1920s radio vibe stronger? Radios of the 20s and 30s weren’t famous for being red, is what I’m getting at.

The other problem with Alastor is that he’s too strong a personality, ironically. He comes in at the tail end of the pilot and basically steals whatever interest a potential audience member (or at least fat orange jerks like me) might have had in Charlie's plight. It's like introducing Bill Cipher in the first episode of Gravity Falls. At that point whatever interest you might have had in the MC goes out the window and you think ‘what’s this dudes deal and can the show be about them instead please?’ Sure, Alastor in all of his pesudo deer (Those don’t look like horns in my opinion but whatever you say Viv) is fun to watch but he drowns out Charile through sheer force of charisma and showmen ship. Maybe the series itself will fix this but for the pilot at least I think it’s an issue.  

Also, Nifty is Nifty and she needs her own spin-off ASAP. That is all. 

Husk is literally Avocato from Final Space with wings and some gambling bits thrown in design-wise. That’s literally all I think of Husk, sorry Husk fans :(

The animation is good, but I do find it ironic that as much as people like the bitch about  SU being off model, Hazbin I thought suffered from so many different animators tackling different scenes that it just felt jarring going from one scene to the next due to the difference in style and the shifts in animation pacing. Now, don’t get me wrong, a lot of it looks great but that switch in animators kinda just took me out of the experience in places.  Well, that and the lack of proper scene transitions. Those are what also made the pilot feel like whiplash for me.

And now comes to Bob’s thoughts on the plot of the pilot and this is where the logical holes of the series start to get to me just a bit.

So. Charlie wants to reform the demons of hell of their sins so they can get to heaven and Hell can lower its population and angles down come down and deliver some righteous furry smiting on their asses. Okay. Stupid question but what the hell is Charlie basing this off of? I mean, was AD really THAT good an actor that Charlie thought going full steam ahead on the Hotel idea was the next reasonable step up?

 Like, the Hotel was clearly a mess and her staff is literally just her and Vaggie and MAYBe Angel Dust. Even if the episode had ended with a horde of demons lining up to get into heaven by way of cleaning up their acts there’s no way two, three people could handle that (Or, you know, six if we throw in Nifty and Husk in fairness now that I think about it).

 And that’s ultimately the thing with the pilot, the demons are assholes as you’d expect the citizens of hell to be but if they are assholes... why should we care if they get redeemed or not when not one of them is clearly interested in the idea? As cheesy as it would have been, the pilot ending with a horde of demons wanting to give this ‘become better’ thing a shot would have at least left the pilot on a better note to end on. As it is it just seems like Charlie is doomed to fail because no one but her gives a shit or belives about her idea for the Hotel and we have no proof that her idea will even work. Which just makes me wonder: Why should I care if no one else does?

Ultimately, the show has potential but the art style and aspects of the writing just don’t click for me. The show doesn’t say ‘adult’ to me so much as it does 'Hot Topic Teen trying to be adult' which works for a lot of people but for me I think Hellevua Boss as more potential concept-wise. And has scenes on Earth which do the red and black and pink and white colors of the demons a lot better visual justice contrast wise but that’s just me. 

#hazbin hotel #sorry hazbin fans #your show is flawed and has room for improvement

[axiomsofice]

21/22 Power Rankings: Atlantic

TAMPA BAY

What more can be said of the back to back champs? Without many questions at any position, the Lightning are an easy choice to put first here. Although, like last season, we might see them finish somewhere after first in their division as they prioritize health into the playoffs, as the look to increase their strong chances at defending their title successfully. Sure, Johnson and Gourde are elsewhere, but Tampa has great depth with many underutilized forwards vying for playing time, not to mention Kucherov returning to regular season play. Up front, Mathieu Joseph, Ross Colton, and Alex Barre-Boulet will be looking to run with the openings before them, and in truth all 3 have already proven effective in their time filling in last season. Meanwhile a pair of veteran depth pieces come into fold as well. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare is the archetypal 4th line centre, and has been the gold standard for years across many teams, IMO truly a joy. Corey Perry will join him and Patrick Maroon on what looks to be a line that will be a handful the longer the season goes.

On the back end not much needs to be said, as the likes of Hedman, McDonagh,Sergachev, Cernak, and Rutta have proven to be a force. Enter Zach Bogosian, who represents an upgrade in the spot once filled by Luke Schenn or Brayden Coburn, and potentially an appearance by Cal Foote. Of course, Vasilevskiy is the top goalie in the world, so there’s not much else one could desire in the crease.

BOSTON

Another longstanding contender who may coast thru the regular season a little, we shouldn’t expect anything less than the usual strong results for the Bruins. Some change in recent years, notably Krejci, Halak, and Miller’s departures, seem to give a different look to the roster, but the show will roll on. Taylor Hall signing at a nice AAV ensures some scoring will be present beyond The Perfection Line, but alongside Debrusk, Smith, Coyle, Haula, and Nick Foligno fills out the Bruins’ middle 6 forwards with a lot of size, speed, and skill. I know Trent Frederic will be a great Bruin because I “hate” (in a good way) him already. The sun is getting lower for Jack Studnicka’s time as a prospect, but some fans are expecting/hoping he’s ready to make a splash this season.

Charlie McAvoy gets comically little recognition as one of the league’s premier defencemen, and fits the Bruins’ historical stereotype perfectly. The good news for him is that the better part of the next decade should see him playing at a Norris Trophy level, so there’s no way that lack of appreciation can continue, right? Forbort will bring a lot of what left with Kevan Miller. Do not underestimate Connor Clifton, and especially Matt Grzelcyk, as the former BU Captain has been a crucial piece for B’s the past 4 seasons. Mike Reilly really came into his own over the past 2 seasons, and his offensive abilities are a welcome fit with the rest of the group. Perhaps we see Urho Vaakanainen force his way into a regular spot this year, but with another year before waiver eligibility it might be another season in the AHL.

Rask might return at some point, but Linus Ullmark will be looking to take off now free from Buffalo. He’s shown good results considering the team in front of him, but Boston’s strong defensive play has made it easier for all of their goalies to perform well, including the young backup Jeremy Swayman.

TORONTO

The Leafs have a lot to prove, and I’m not referencing the playoffs. Their status as a true cup contender has been us getting way ahead of ourselves, although they have the talent to get there at some point. In truth, last season was the first time the Buds paced their division, clinched a playoff spot early, or even posted top 10 goals against numbers. Obviously, last season was short and strange, so proving these things in a full season *is* the next step facing this group. They have a lot more to prove in the regular season than Tampa or Boston, so this group should be focused and ruthless in their pursuit of putting together a dominant and consistent regular season.

Admittedly as a Leafs fan, I have too many thoughts to post here regarding the specifics of the team here, so I’ll stick to some big picture analysis. If this group loses to Boston or Tampa in the first round it the year a waste or a failure? Should the coach, GM, core 4, president, be moved on from automatically? Simply put, no. I understand and appreciate the passion these thoughts come from but it’s important to maintain perspective. This team is good, the players are good, the lineup on paper is good, the prospect pool is good, the depth is intriguing, but not yet great. They have performed like a good team over the past 5 seasons, which isn’t nothing, but not like a great one. I’d argue they’ve done a good job living up to that and that we’ve misdiagnosed them as a team that is already great. Yes I’d love to win a cup or even a round here, but the standard of success and belief this organization has built for itself in the Matthews era should not be unappreciated.

FLORIDA

Like Toronto, the Panthers will be hungry to prove that winning their division last year was no fluke. Personally, I would have voted GM Zito for the Jim Gregory Trophy last season, as he managed to infuse the Panthers’ skilled lineup with some of the toughness Columbus iced during his time there. Even more important is adding such pieces that are in phase with the team’s existing age. Duclair, Bennett, and Verhaeghe are primed to show their performances last season are repeatable, while Sam Reinhardt will look to flourish in a new role on a respectable team. Tippett and Lundell give the Panthers’ lineup a tantalizing potential and could easily form into the league’s best 3rd line, and help the offence as as whole rise to the top group in the league. Perhaps we see Denisenko join them in the Panthers’ ranks at some point this season.

The defence group is really fun, especially if Aaron Ekblad can get back to full health paired alongside Mackenzie Weegar, and resume their elite play. Brandon Montour went from blue-chip to scrap heap in Buffalo, but I like his skillset a lot, especially since it compliments the ruggedness of Forsling, Gudas, and Nutivaara quite well.

The goaltending situation is talented and volatile, perhaps more so than any other team in the NHL. Sure, Bobrovsky is overpaid (contracts have disappeared before) and has struggled during his time in Florida, but stranger things have happened than the idea of him rediscovering his game. Meanwhile backup Spencer Knight has quickly risen to the NHL and has performed exceptionally at every level along the way, and on a rookie deal is underpaid, meaning for the next 3 years Bob’s contract is much more manageable. That being said, a goalie’s path especially is rarely a straight line (see Carter Hart), so it’s not unexpected or too concerning if Knight goes through a rough patch at some point. Of course, it will be on the team in front of them to help put them in a good position for success.

MONTREAL

Wow, what to make of this group. A roller coaster set of years where the Habs dredged through a regular season before a playoff glow-up, thrown in with some key injuries to Price and Weber, a rotation at centre (losing Danault and Kotkaniemi while adding Dvorak), and a full season of the dynamic Cole Caulfield, it’s hard what to make of this group. The strength of the team is along the wings, as Caulfield, Gallagher, Toffoli, Hoffman, Anderson, Drouin, Armia, Byron, and Lekhonen is a strong and deep group with a good blend of skills. Suzuki and Dvorak is a good start down the middle, and both their lines should perform well thanks to their multi-faceted games and strong linemates. Evans is valued by the organization and his responsible play fits what Montreal clearly looks for from their centres, meaning Mathieu Perrault will be well insulted as an offensively oriented bottom 6 centre.

Petry will continue to be the Habs best defenceman, while Edmundson, Chiarot, and Savard will see to it that the Habs have a defensively minded beast of an athlete on each pair. Romanov is ready for a bigger role, and is equal parts feisty and skilled. There are some wildcards as Chris Wideman returns to the NHL, after the 31 year old spent a few seasons out of the league. His offensive skillset might be a great fit. I like Kulak as a 3rd pair option, but there is a chance either Mattias Norlinder or Josh Brook factor into the mix at some point. Seeing how long it took for Romanov to (hopefully) work his way into the lineup, it seems more likely Montreal will take their time on that idea.

Price made me feel good in the playoff run, vindicating my years of support for him despite inconsistent years. He should be ready for the start of the season, and will settle into a strong groove. Allen will need to continue to play a significant amount of games. The Habs are a much stronger playoff team than regular season team, mostly due to how they defend. This is to say, these goalies will continue to have a much harder time in the regular season than they will in the post season. The hope is now that their increased firepower up front helps them clinch a playoff berth in a very competitive Eastern Conference.

OTTAWA

GM Dorion did the right thing in saying the time to compete is now in Ottawa. Although many have questioned some of their recent draft choices, the Senators clearly have a vision of what they want to be. The statement is a commitment not to tank (you might end up with a high pick anyway), to play Logan Brown, Shane Pinto, and Alex Formenton in the NHL instead of prioritizing further seasoning in the minors, to start committing to the group that you want to win with (sign Tkachuk!). Stutzle is the Ferrari, the pure offensive talent, contrasted against a group that is rugged and tenacious. That’s not to say Batherson, Norris, Pinto, White, and Logan Brown don’t have offensive tools, but with Nick Paul, Connor Brown, Austin Watson, and of course Brady Tkachuk in the fold, the forward group seems like they would take pleasure in being a thorn in opponents’ sides down to the last second of the game, no matter the score. We might even see an appearance from Yegor Sokolov, who uh, fits their personality.

Chabot leads the back end, although Artyom Zub was really good in his rookie season. We’ll be hoping to see more from Erik Brannstrom, although it seems like he may not fit what Ottawa is looking for from the blueline. Mete is a good pickup, especially considering the trading of Mike Reilly, which I did not exactly understand (see win now comments). I like Zaitsev, although at this point no one is suggesting he’s a strong top 4 option. Holden and Del Zotto are expensive depth options, perhaps Ottawa can bring out what they see in these players. Lassi Thomson and Jacob Bernard-Docker are good prospects, but should see more time in the minors. The best version of this defence is probably not achieved until Jake Sanderson is a strong contributor, which is a year or two away still.

Murray is interesting, maybe he can find a strong season, but it’s hard to say he’ll be getting a raise next contract. Anton Forsberg has shown signs of a decent backup amidst his bouncing around the league, but I’m a fan of young Filip Gustavsson out of the 3. He was great across 9 NHL games last season, and ideallly would start pushing Murray for the crease starting this season.

DETROIT

The Wings are poised to start peeking out of their long rebuild, as we should start to see the bones of their true team coming to the forefront. It wouldn’t be the worst to end up with a high pick (again, lottery), but I don’t think it’s end their best interest to be intentionally making their team worse at this point. Larkin, Vrana, and to an extent Bertuzzi are legitimate top 6 forwards, and there’s at least some hope (varying degrees) that Zadina, Suter, and Rasmussen can join them. The lineup up front is filled out respectably by Fabbri and Namestnikov while Gagner, Stephens, and Erne will look to cement similar roles. The real fun is in the prospects, particularly Berggren, Raymond, and Veleno have a chance to push for a spot. The most likely to make the team outright this season is Berggren, who was spectacular in the SHL last season. Some older prospects who could finally earn an NHL job are Hirose and Smith, both of whom deserve a shot at such an opportunity.

The much anticipated debut of Moritz Seider is upon us, and the Red Wings have acquired a good partner for him in veteran Nick Leddy. Although he’s not what he was at his peak, his style of play and experience make him an ideal partner to start the defenders career. Dekeyser and Hronek are a decent pair, albeit overmatched for the assignments they will no doubt receive atop the depth chart. Ideally this will help Hronek continue to improve his game. Staal brings a good veteran presence, while Stecher and Oesterle are pretty good depth options. Young Gustav Lindstrom saw 13 games of action last season, and could be a real bright spot if he’s able to play his way into a regular spot. The strengthen the organization is the glut of talented defence prospects en route, Edvinsson, Tuomisto, Johnsson, McIssac (get well!), Wallinder, Buium, Sebrango, Viro, it’s almost hard to keep track, and harder still to envision a future where Detroit’s blueline isn’t very strong. I could be wrong, but it seems intentional (and smart) to start a rebuild with a strong group of D prospects, as forwards develop faster, fall more often in the draft, and are easier to acquire than impactful defenders. It’s be great to end up with Shane Wright, but it’s more likely to add a really skilled forward between 10-20 in the first round than a bonafide defender.

Nedeljkovic isn’t the first Calder worthy goalie to get traded although a 3rd round pick is not as steep as say Tuukka Rask… He won’t have it as easy behind a much worse team this season, but has been playing well long enough that I like his chances of growing into the starter role. Griess is an accomplished tandem-backup, and will be counted on to help Nedeljkovic ease into the top role. Cossa over Wallstedt was bold, but Detroit fans should feel really good about Yzerman getting the player he liked more. The Wings have a bunch of goalies in the system born between 1997-2002, so it will be interesting to see how they all shake out in the coming years as they approach starters age.

BUFFALO

I almost feel bad about putting the Sabres last, and would encourage Leafs and Oilers fans to think about that. I do really like Coach Granato, and think that the team will show signs of a stronger direction this season. This mess with Eichel pushes this rebuild at least another year away, and reminds me of the end of Matt Duchene’s time in Colorado. It’s be hard to end up with a better haul than Girard, Byram, plus plus, but at this point it’s nothing but a negative cloud hanging above all involved. Remember, it wasn’t until Duchene was moved that MacKinnon really took off. Lofty comparison, but a new coach and atmosphere seemed to really help Dahlin, Cozens, Mittlestadt, and Jokiharju rejuvenate their careers. I like Hinostroza as a player, and with Bjork and Caggulia could help fill out the lineup with legitimate NHLers, especially considering Asplund, Ruotsalainen, and Tage Thompson are looking to carve out a role in the NHL. Quinn, Peterka, and Rosen are nice prospects but still at least a year away, so adding to this group in an Eichel deal is really important.

Pulling Dahlin out of his downward spiral is the most important step in this season. There’s really no reason, besides mismanagement, that he shouldn’t be among the league’s best young defenders at this point. Jokiharju is also still quite young, although his upside isn’t what Dahlin’s is, and it would be really encouraging to see positive growth. Colin Miller is one of the only other returning pieces on the backend, but could be serviceable with fellow NHL regulars Will Butcher and Mark Pysyk. Jacob Bryson played well in 38 games in his rookie season and figures to be in the mix once again. Further down the line, Mattias Samuelsson made an appearance in 12 NHL games last season, and will be pushing for a spot. Of course Owen Power is waiting in the wings, and another season with a strong Michigan team and a World Junior appearance, along with perhaps another World Cup appearance would go a long way towards setting the stage for an impactful rookie campaign in 22/23. Although it doesn’t look great now the Sabres’ blueline has interesting pieces in place for the coming years.

Perhaps the most underwhelming aspect of this roster is in net, where Anderson, Dell, and Tokarski are overmatched in their current slotting, as made evidence by all 3 making what is essentially league minimum. Although Luukkonen, Portillo, and Levi are interesting goalie prospects all 3 are years away at this point. It’s hard to imagine this team going anywhere given the current situation in net. No doubt making a significant upgrade here will be crucial whenever this team decides to win.

#toronto maple leafs #detroit red wings #tampa bay lightning #boston bruins #florida panthers #montreal canadiens #ottawa senators #buffalo sabres

[televinita]

I DON’T HAVE A PROBLEM, YOU HAVE A PROBLEM!

(or: I got a whole lot of different due dates coming up and varying options on renewal so I really need to buckle down and make a plan to triage this set)

(EDIT: As of February 1, 11 days later, I am halfway there! Now updating as I finish or return books.)

1. Things I’m Seeing Without You - Peter Bognanni:  Scouted back in November and stuck on a waitlist, I am no longer actively excited but AM stubborn about finishing: girl-shows-up-on-estranged-father’s-doorstep is one of the ways I figured a modern-day Revolution AU for Miles & Charlie could go. It’s new and still hotly requested, so if I don’t meet the 1/31 due date I’ll likely wait 3-6 weeks to get it back.

[verdict: made it, unfortunately. I want to punch my stubbornness in the face -- this was terrible]

2. The House - Christina Lauren: I am about 20 pages in; it looks like a breezy evil-house horror novel. I’ve been on an unending horror kick since Halloween.

[verdict: accurate, enjoyable]

3. True Valor - Dee Henderson: I spent an hour last week googling for something I could cast Dalton & Jaz in, and this was the only proper romance I could find locally that a) wasn’t part p0rn and b) where both parties were in the armed forces. It is gonna be one of those teeth-grinding Christian novels where they mention God every other sentence, but looks like it’s also gonna have sufficient hurt/comfort and warm-n-fuzzy romance to both enjoy in the moment and use as raw material to rework for my own purposes.

To be honest, I really don’t need to get to this one or the next one quickly, but it’s a rare chance to satiate a book craving while it’s piping hot and fresh; usually I have to wait well over a week between identifying something I Really Want and finding time to start it.

[verdict: the military jargon was more annoying than the Christian angle, and there was not quite as much hurt/comfort as I thought, but it was still an incredibly satisfying romance. Good enough to make me forget my planned casting, at least for Jaz, and enjoy on its own merit.]

4. Spoils - Brian Van Reet: This, on the other hand, is supposed to be well written general fiction that does not offer me a Dalton but does offer me a female-soldier-taken-captive scenario I can use for Jaz, with a possible additional option to cross in Sayid Jarrah, a literary goal I had last November that I never managed to make happen. If he’s too old for the part I’m sure I’ve got a backup lodged somewhere in my brain. Who’s that dude they cast as Jafar for the live action Aladdin?

[verdict: I ended up skimming through just the Cassandra parts, was less than enthused/found the whole thing rather violent and bleak for my tastes, and did not like how the book ended, so: throwing it back officially unread]

5. The Masked Truth - Kelley Armstrong: I am 20 pages into this one and have been for weeks, unable to handle my delight at how fast and intensely it is delivering on the Criminal Minds-esque feel I came for.

[verdict: DARK ‘N’ TWISTY! Still took me all day to finish once I went back, but sooo worth the effort]

6. Even When You Lie to Me - Jessica Alcott: Yet AGAIN roughly 20 pages in -- I am really in the mood for a teacher/student connection, even without any specific faces in play. I already love that the heroine is on the slightly-heavy side and has a big dog.

[verdict: not quite how I expected it to go, but surprisingly good!]

7. Has to be Love - Jolene Perry: a less-wrong student teacher/student romance I am, or was, very excited about because that hook was just a bonus on top of the whole “girl with scars from bear attack” thing + Alaskan setting + dream of becoming a writer. Interlibrary loan, so I only have until February 5th. Which annoys me, because this is the one I was MOST excited to pick up at the library 2 weeks ago, only to find the local one didn’t have it, and now I’m like “I am not Prepared for something I expect to be so good.” Which is why it’s down here instead of in position 2 where by due-date rights it needs to be. Will try to convince myself to read sooner.

[verdict: (1) dammit! this is what happens when you don’t follow your own orders. I got 10 pages in but due to work hell I just could not quite fit it in before deadline. now I have to try and reel it in again. (2) Made it 50 pages this time and then decided that actually, despite the great writing and setting I did not have the patience for the girl’s hormones to get any more Bella Swan than they already were. Back it goes again, probably forever unless it suits a future TV-character storyline]

8. The Many Lives of John Stone - Linda Buckley Archer: A random pull because the sentence “Stella Park has found summer work cataloging historical archives in John Stone’s remote and beautiful house in Suffolk, England“ = everything I want always, but it is pretty hefty so if I don’t get to it, no big loss.

9. The Lake House - Kate Morton: Quite a long and thick adult novel, a very appealing setting + mystery but just one of apparently many she’s written in this style, so I will most likely save this the full 9 weeks and, if I don’t get to it by then, easily toss back for another time.

[verdict: Once I started, I could not go to bed until I finished. 4.5 hours later, my head was spinning but soaked with appreciation that I had not let myself fail out on this one. GOOD READ.]

10. Nantucket Blue - Leila Howland: A random pull originally checked out last December. I liked the idea of a girl having to clean houses as a summer job, but I have so many piled on top at this point that this one might be more of a spring/summer read.

[verdict: threw it back unread for the time being during a warm day, as it was from a different library that is kind of a pain to get to if the weather is bad]

11. Too Shattered for Mending - Peter Brown Hoffmeister: An even more random pull, back when I only had 5 or 6 on deck, the phrase “He’s looking out for his younger cousin, hunting and fishing to keep food on the table, and staying in school—barely” pinged my favorite “teen keeps household running in parents’ absence” radar, but as it’s a male protagonist odds are fairly good I will end up ruling it out unread.

[verdict: better than I expected!]

12. Cloud Chamber - Joyce Maynard: The only one that is not a library checkout, but on here because I bought it right after Christmas specifically to read and am still mad I couldn’t get to it before a new book avalanche/work tornado occurred. This is what I said then:

“I opened it up because my first thought about the cover was “Under the Dome,” and I thought it might be the book someone was looking for on Goodreads about living in an artificial biosphere, but instead it turned out to be realistic and also screaming “main character = Joe McAlister” (UtD, TV version) at me, and my current headspace is all about how my shipping radar has taken a hiatus for the holidays and replaced itself with ridiculous interest in AU stories featuring Barbie and Joe character archetypes.“

My shipping radar is back on, but the Under the Dome renaissance of feelings has stayed.

[verdict: an excellent Joe]

So all in all, about a 75% completion rate within 5 weeks. Not bad. 

#library checkouts #actually this is not quite as many as I thought I had out so good job Me #I do have one more coming in still though

[rathertoofondofbooks]

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews, which is all about sharing the books that you’ve acquired in the past week!

  I bought these books:

Dead Letters by Caite Dolan-Leach

I bought this ebook on a total whim when the cover caught my eye on Amazon and then the synopsis sounds really intriguing. I think this will be a quick read so I’m hoping to squeeze this in between review books soon.

Synopsis:

Ava doesn’t believe it when the email arrives to say that her twin sister is dead. It’s not grief or denial that causes her scepticism – it just feels too perfect to be anything other than Zelda’s usual manipulative scheming. And Ava knows her twin.

Two years after she left, vowing never to speak to Zelda again after the ultimate betrayal, Ava must return home to retrace her errant sister’s last steps. She soon finds notes that lead her on a twisted scavenger-hunt of her twin’s making.

Letter by letter, Ava unearths clues to her sister’s disappearance: and unveils harrowing truths of her own. A is for Ava, and Z is for Zelda, but deciphering the letters in-between is not so simple…

A Thousand Paper Birds by Tor Udall

I’ve seen this book on some of my favourite blogs recently and have been keen to read it. I spotted the ebook for a good price this week so snapped it up. This is one of those books that I want to read soon but that I also know I need to be in the right mood for but hopefully it won’t be too long before I read this one.

Synopsis:

After the sudden death of his wife, Audrey, Jonah sits on a bench in Kew Gardens, trying to reassemble the shattered pieces of his life.

Chloe, shaven-headed and abrasive, finds solace in the origami she meticulously folds. But when she meets Jonah, her carefully constructed defences threaten to fall.

Milly, a child quick to laugh, freely roams Kew, finding beauty everywhere she goes. But where is her mother and where does she go when the gardens are closed?

Harry’s purpose is to save plants from extinction. Quiet and enigmatic, he longs for something – or someone – who will root him more firmly to the earth.

Audrey links these strangers together. As the mystery of her death unravels, the characters journey through the seasons to learn that stories, like paper, can be refolded and reformed. Haunted by songs and origami birds, this novel is a love letter to a garden and a hymn to lost things.

Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin

This is a book that I owned and part-read many years ago and I’ve been wanting to sit and read it all the way through for some time now. I found a copy for a good price this week so now it’s on my shelves waiting for me when my brain is in gear enough to read it.

Synopsis:

Written during the 1940s and early 1950s, when Baldwin was only in his twenties, the essays collected in Notes of a Native Son capture a view of black life and black thought at the dawn of the civil rights movement and as the movement slowly gained strength through the words of one of the most captivating essayists and foremost intellectuals of that era. Writing as an artist, activist, and social critic, Baldwin probes the complex condition of being black in America. With a keen eye, he examines everything from the significance of the protest novel to the motives and circumstances of the many black expatriates of the time, from his home in “The Harlem Ghetto” to a sobering “Journey to Atlanta.”

Notes of a Native Son inaugurated Baldwin as one of the leading interpreters of the dramatic social changes erupting in the United States in the twentieth century, and many of his observations have proven almost prophetic. His criticism on topics such as the paternalism of white progressives or on his own friend Richard Wright’s work is pointed and unabashed. He was also one of the few writing on race at the time who addressed the issue with a powerful mixture of outrage at the gross physical and political violence against black citizens and measured understanding of their oppressors, which helped awaken a white audience to the injustices under their noses. Naturally, this combination of brazen criticism and unconventional empathy for white readers won Baldwin as much condemnation as praise.

Under the Sun by Lottie Moggach

This was another book I bought on a total whim when I spotted it for 99p on Kindle this week. I’ve read Lottie Moggach’s previous novel and enjoyed it so I’m hoping this one will live up to it.

Synopsis:

Anna’s friends and family think she is living the dream in her beautiful finca under the Spanish sun. But the reality is far from perfect. The handsome, complicated man she was building a life with has left with little more than a note to say goodbye and the future she imagined has crashed around her ears. Anna has secretly embarked on an ill-advised affair and lives above the dingy bar she runs in the sleepy beach town of Marea, surrounded by British expats as homesick and stuck as she is.

When Simon, a local businessman, offers to rent the finca, Anna hopes it will pave the way for her escape. But there is more to him than meets the eye, and when a body washes up on the beach in mysterious circumstances, Anna realizes she may be the only one with the power to unravel the truth. But how can she prove that Simon is connected, and how can she reclaim her house? Anna is prepared to risk everything to get home even though she’s no longer sure where home really is.

I received these review books:

The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

I’ve not read any Karin Slaughter before despite feeling sure that I will love her writing so I decided to grab this one on NetGalley this week and I really want to read it very soon. I’m intrigued by the synopsis so I don’t think this will be on my TBR for very long at all!

Synopsis:

Two girls are forced into the woods at gunpoint. One runs for her life. One is left behind…

Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinn’s happy smalltown family life was torn apart by a terrifying attack on their family home. It left their mother dead. It left their father – Pikeville’s notorious defence attorney – devastated. And it left the family fractured beyond repair, consumed by secrets from that terrible night.

Twenty-eight years later, and Charlie has followed in her father’s footsteps to become a lawyer herself – the archetypal good daughter. But when violence comes to Pikeville again – and a shocking tragedy leaves the whole town traumatised – Charlie is plunged into a nightmare. Not only is she the first witness on the scene, but it’s a case which can’t help triggering the terrible memories she’s spent so long trying to suppress. Because the shocking truth about the crime which destroyed her family nearly thirty years ago won’t stay buried for ever…

Lily Alone by Vivien Brown

I saw this on NetGalley when I got the above book and downloaded it as it sounds interesting. 

Synopsis:

What sort of mother would leave her all alone… a gripping and heart-wrenching domestic drama that won’t let you go.

Lily, who is almost three years old, wakes up alone at home with only her cuddly toy for company. She is afraid of the dark, can’t use the phone, and has been told never to open the door to strangers.

But why is Lily alone and why isn’t there anyone who can help her? What about the lonely old woman in the flat upstairs who wonders at the cries from the floor below? Or the grandmother who no longer sees Lily since her parents split up?

All the while a young woman lies in a coma in hospital – no one knows her name or who she is, but in her silent dreams, a little girl is crying for her mummy… and for Lily, time is running out.

Last Seen Alive by Claire Douglas

I loved Claire Douglas’ first novel The Sisters and have been eagerly anticipating this one so I was thrilled when I got approved for it on NetGalley yesterday. I’m really tempted to start reading this right away but I feel like I should read some of my other review books first.

Synopsis:

She can run Libby Hall needs to hide, to escape from everything for a while. Which is why the house swap is a godsend. The chance for Libby and her husband Jamie to exchange their tiny Bath flat for a beautiful haven on the wild Cornish coast.

But she can’t hide But before they can begin to heal their fragile marriage, Libby makes some disturbing discoveries about the house. And soon the peace and isolation begin to feel threatening. How alone are they? Why does she feel watched?

Because someone knows her secret What is Jamie hiding? Is Libby being paranoid? And why does the house bring back such terrible memories? Memories Libby’s worked hard to bury. Memories of the night she last saw her best friend alive . . . and what he did.

The Way Back to Us by Kay Langdale

I was super excited when I opened this book post yesterday as I love Kay Langdale’s writing. This sounds like a really emotional read but I’m so looking forward to reading it. Also, doesn’t this novel have such a gorgeous cover?!

Synopsis:

Since their youngest son, Teddy, was diagnosed with a life-defining illness, Anna has been fighting: against the friends who don’t know how to help; against the team assigned to Teddy’s care who constantly watch over Anna’s parenting; and against the impulse to put Teddy above all else – including his older brother, the watchful, sensitive Isaac.

And now Anna can’t seem to stop fighting against her husband, the one person who should be able to understand, but who somehow manages to carry on when Anna feels like she is suffocating under the weight of all the things that Teddy will never be able to do.

As Anna helplessly pushes Tom away, he can’t help but feel the absence of the simple familiarity that should come so easily, and must face the question: is it worse to stay in an unhappy marriage, or leave?

Giveaway win!

I also won a giveaway on Instagram for a copy of Sweet Little Lies by Cat Frear, which I was very excited to receive! It was even more brilliant when the book arrived and it was a signed copy.

Synopsis:

WHAT I THOUGHT I KNEW

In 1998, Maryanne Doyle disappeared and Dad knew something about it? Maryanne Doyle was never seen again.

WHAT I ACTUALLY KNOW

In 1998, Dad lied about knowing Maryanne Doyle. Alice Lapaine has been found strangled near Dad’s pub. Dad was in the local area for both Maryanne Doyle’s disappearance and Alice Lapaine’s murder – FACT Connection?

Trust cuts both ways . . . what do you do when it’s gone?

    So, that’s all of my new books from the past week. Have you bought any new books recently? Tell me all in the comments below, or if you have a stacking the shelves post on your blog feel free to post the link below too.

My weekly wrap up post will be on my blog tomorrow so please look out for that.

  See this week’s #bookhaul in my Stacking the Shelve post (15 Jul) Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews, which is all about sharing the books that you’ve acquired in the past week!

#Book Haul #Books #Caite Dolan-Leach #Caz Frear #Claire Douglas #ebooks #James Baldwin #Karin Slaughter #Kay Langdale #Lottie Moggach #Stacking the Shelves #TBR #Tor Udall #Vivien Brown

[itsworn]

Lone Star Round Up – A Hot Rodder’s Shangri-La

When the Lonestar Round-Up, sponsored by The Kontinentals Car Club, hits Austin, TX in early April each year it’s like the whole dang town has turned into a cool car Shangri-La. The very air vibrates with sweet exhaust notes from engines housed in pre-1964 American automobiles and the Americana music that Austin, The Live Music Capital of the World, is famous for. April 2017’s Round-Up at the Travis County Expo Center showcased over 1800 cars, with entries from across the globe, an untallied as of press time but very large number of international spectators, and a parking lot full of non-entrant vehicles that would still do any weekend cruise night proud.

Sixteen years ago on a muggy Texas April weekend Austin car club The Kontinentals sponsored the first Lonestar Round-Up on a football field in central Austin. The only rule was that cars had to be built in America in 1963 or earlier. All 88 fit on the field handily, although torquey tires and turf didn’t always interact as smoothly as they might have.

The second and third Round-Ups were held in East Austin on the grass and under the trees of the lovely Fiesta Gardens alongside the impoundment of the Colorado River that Austin calls Ladybird Lake. At first all of the cars were still shiny. Austin guitarslinger Jimmie Vaughn’s ‘63 Riviera held a place of honor. ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons could be seen wandering about in beard and nubby skullcap, accompanying customs like Cadzilla, Eliminator, and Copperhed.

The fourth through seventh Round-Ups expanded from Fiesta Gardens to take up all of Festival Beach. T-shirts bearing the HAMB (Hokey-Ass-Message-Board, an Austin-based clearing house for all things traditional hot rod) logo became popular. Vendors and booths included a wide variety of kool Kustom culture, including both of Austin’s female roller derby leagues. The Kontinentals painted almost all of their cars semi-gloss black and gave them red wheels. In a show of road warrior pride, entrants from further parts left the well-earned road grime on their vehicles. The LSRU world started to get a little grittier.

By 2008, Festival Beach could no longer contain the Round-Up, so it moved to the Travis County Expo Center, home of The Austin Rodeo and Republic of Texas Motorcycle Rally. Show cars, like Aaron Grote’s 59 Plymouth bubbletop Atomic Punk, Pete Chapouris’ California Kid, Jake Jacob’s Yellow Coupe, Mike Young’s Exotica, more Jimmy Vaughn owned and Gary Howard built customs, and Kontinental Jefe Steve Wertheimer’s Jim Bruns built Black Dahlia took over the hill at the Round-Up’s main entrance.

The weekend officially begins to the north and east in Taylor, TX, with the Thursday night Meatheads’ Barbecue (also sponsored by The Thunderbolts and host club The Kontinentals) where a couple of cows and a dozen pigs give it all up for your dining pleasure.

Friday’s early risers can meet south of town in Oak Hill at 7:45 AM to receive maps to the Garage Crawl.  This year instead of hitting the usual suspects like the Austin Speed Shop, Murpho’s, or Gus’ Garage, they toured private collections.  The crawl always ends up in central Austin at the Dell Children’s Hospital, where the kids receive gifts and a chance to get up close and personal with some very fine rides.

The Round-Up itself begins Friday at the Travis County Expo Center, and includes not just cars but a swap meet, mini bike races on dirt, constant music from classic acts like bona fide rockabilly queen Wanda Jackson, baritone voiced guitar madman Junior Brown, 80’s new wave road warriors The Woggles, garage rockers Ugly Beats or the latest in rock en Español from Mexico City, Jenny & The Mexicats.  The crowds provide the best people watching of the year, as attendees don their gladdest retro slicked up piled high custom pin-up kar klub glad rags and strut about with Texas pride.

On Friday night Congress Avenue takes on all comers as it does its imitation of the Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise. The spectacle of Round-Up rods and whatever locals feel worthy of showing off inches along under the flashing lights of ever vigilant police cruisers.  North Carolina’s hillbilly grunge band Southern Culture on the Skids performs its annual multi night residency at Kontinentals clubhouse and namesake The Continental Club.  Many will swear that it just isn’t the Round Up without the sweet taste of ‘nanner pudding doled out by the band’s dollfaced singer Mary Huff.

South of town, The Austin Speed Shop parties both nights, showcasing its latest projects, rockin’ bands like the re-located from Los Angeles Paladins, and often free promotional alcohol (don’t forget to tip your server).   North on Burnet, Top Notch drive-in burger joint features music, vintage hotrod films, charcoal burgers and thick shakes along with its vintage vehicles.

Sunday starts with the Slow Ride to The Oasis on Lake Travis, famous for its spectacular sunset views, and ends west of town at Mercury Charlie’s Hot Rods & Honeys with more music, more cars and more overall Austin hip wonderfulness before one has to bid a fond adieu.  For a lot of us, it’s the best week of the year, and packed into just four days.

One of this year’s standouts was a chopped and stretched long lean 59 Cadillac, resplendent in a mile deep purplish hue. Probably the big star of the show, though, was 2016’s Ridler Award winning 39 Olds convertible coupe built by Customs and Hot Rods of Andice, Texas and owned by Billy Thomas of Corpus Christi. It’s been said many times before, but seeing a Ridler winner in person gives you a much deeper understanding of all of the work put into these cars and the exquisite beauty that results. A fellow could about taste the curves and smooth metalwork of Thomas’ deserving award winner. But you also couldn’t escape the aftertaste of sweat from all of the effort the crew at Customs and Hot Rods put in.

Down the hill and deep into the display, last year’s big noise (and smoke) came from an early show appearance by the Corns family’s radial-airplane-engined 39 Plymouth truck. The aviation themed bare metal truck is such an amazing creation that it ended up gracing the cover of the October 2016 HOT ROD.

Rounds of Chicken Shit Bingo, a local tradition, can be found throughout the weekend.

Down the hill and even farther into The Round-Up’s inner reaches, back in the Early Oughts, the rat rod movement blossomed in distressed metal, road-signs and license plate body panels, and rust. TV stars and recent Roadkill nemeses Gas Monkey were early proponents, offering up slammed sedans with slit rear windows and sectioned so skinny the driver sat looking out through a hole in the roof. Others added a Texas touch with cowskulls and horns, rotting cowboy boots with (probably) fake femurs as gearshifts, and living cacti on rooftop gardens. These days there are still some tetanus traps sporting crosscut saw visors and sharp metal mohawks, but the cognoscenti have proclaimed such things as officially uncool.

Texas is a haven for trucks, with a calendar full of Truck Months. Every year Fords and Chevys are represented well and thoroughly. This year featured a few more Internationals along with voluptuous Studebaker TranStars. Last year’s revelation was cab-over-engine workhorses. The trick here was that most everybody had moved the engine behind the cab, so there would be room for big Cummins diesels, etc.  Some COEs even hauled their own hotrods, setting up a beauty contest between hauler and haul-ee.

Bobbers, or “Rudy Trucks,” so named after the archetypal 35 Ford created in 2002 by Rudy Rodriguez of California’s Fullerton Fabrication, are still popular. When a builder gets the proportions right on a chopped thirties pickup cab lowered onto a stepped frame and made useful with a special tailored bed, the appeal is undeniable.

This year diesels were king. Big and old trucks that once upon a time pulled semi trailers, wildly plumbed dual turbo rat rods, a low mean black 63 Cadillac with so many louvers in the hood it was practically lace all housed oilburners.  Hotrodded stepvans and schoolbuses are showing up in larger numbers. There was even a huge red art deco bus that was probably branded with a name that ended in cruiser or liner carefully navigating the show’s parking lot.

The variety of vehicles for sale in this year’s car corral was also impressive. Folks who wanted to purchase a turnkey testament to their coolness could find something to make them happy, but so could somebody looking for a new project. Willys gasser bodies, arguably close to finished rat rods, a couple of sweet El Caminos, a Rambler station wagon sporting oversized Foose wheels, even a multi colored truck based custom straight out of the 80s (picture the inspiration for Chevy’s SSR) could be had for the right amount of cash.

As always, there were plenty of Model T’s, from buckets to track, Model A’s, deuces, tri-fives, fifties Fords and Chevy trucks.  Austin’s Lone Star Round Up remains a haven for all 63 and earlier American built cars.  And if you are into that sort of thing, it’s also early enough in the season to get a glimpse into some of the newer trends in the hot rod universe.

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