A Freebie, Historical Romance, & More

Jul. 29th, 2025 03:30 pm
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Posted by Amanda

A Sorceress Comes to Call

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher is $2.99! This came out around a year ago and has only dropped in price a couple times since it’s release. If you’ve read this one, what did you think?

A dark retelling of the Brothers Grimm’s Goose Girl, rife with secrets, murder, and forbidden magic

Cordelia knows her mother is unusual. Their house doesn’t have any doors between rooms, and her mother doesn’t allow Cordelia to have a single friend—unless you count Falada, her mother’s beautiful white horse. The only time Cordelia feels truly free is on her daily rides with him. But more than simple eccentricity sets her mother apart. Other mothers don’t force their daughters to be silent and motionless for hours, sometimes days, on end. Other mothers aren’t sorcerers.

After a suspicious death in their small town, Cordelia’s mother insists they leave in the middle of the night, riding away on Falada’s sturdy back, leaving behind all Cordelia has ever known. They arrive at the remote country manor of a wealthy older man, the Squire, and his unwed sister, Hester. Cordelia’s mother intends to lure the Squire into marriage, and Cordelia knows this can only be bad news for the bumbling gentleman and his kind, intelligent sister.

Hester sees the way Cordelia shrinks away from her mother, how the young girl sits eerily still at dinner every night. Hester knows that to save her brother from bewitchment and to rescue the terrified Cordelia, she will have to face down a wicked witch of the worst kind.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Her Night with the Duke

Her Night with the Duke by Diana Quincy by $1.99 and a Kindle Daily Deal! This is the first in the Clandestine Affairs series. I remember seeing a lot of buzz for this one when it came out. Have you read this one?

Desire knows no reason…

When Lady Delilah Chambers finds herself stranded at a country inn on a rain-swept evening, she’s forced to fend off a group of ruffians with the help of a handsome gentleman. Irresistibly drawn to each other, Leela and the stranger spend one reckless night in each others’ arms—and then go their separate ways. But, the very next day, Leela receives the shock of her life when she meets the duke who is set on wedding her beloved stepdaughter.

When it finds two destined hearts…

One night isn’t enough with a woman as fierce, fiery, and brilliant as Leela. Elliot Townsend, Duke of Huntington, cannot believe his good fortune when their chance encounter leads to an unforgettable evening of passion. Yet Hunt’s luck runs out when he is introduced to his prospective mother-in-law. Dowagers aren’t supposed to look like this…

Leela and Hunt are determined to keep each other at arm’s length, which should be easy enough for two intelligent adults with reputations to uphold. The problem is, all logic is lost when it comes to a passion that refuses to be ignored.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Order of Swans

Order of Swans by Jude Deveraux is $3.99! This came out in January and is book one in a contemporary fantasy duology. I’ve heard mixed things about this one, so I’d love to know what you thought if you picked this one up.

In this spellbinding, fantasy-rich novel, a woman is swept into a world where she has the power to alter fairy tales, and change a kingdom’s destiny…

To Kaley Arens, a PhD student and expert in folklore, fairy stories have always had a power and an allure beyond mere entertainment.

It’s only when Kaley accompanies her lifelong friend Jobi on a visit to his home that she realizes how much she still has to learn. Bellis isn’t the remote island that she believed it to be. It’s another world—a stunningly beautiful and seductive one, with its own royalty, its own rules, and inhabitants who breathe life into the tales she was taught were fiction.

Kaley’s presence is no simple holiday. She has a mysterious connection with Jobi and with Bellis, and abilities that may help determine this world’s fate. Tasked with locating a lost prince, Kaley and her companions—the enigmatic Tanek, a member of the Order of Swans, and Sojee, Kaley’s colossal bodyguard—journey through a land both thrilling and terrifying, where the uncanny and the familiar go hand in hand.

But in fairy tales, heroes and villains are easy to discern. Here, nothing is quite as it seems. And though Kaley is discovering that she can change the outcome of the fairy tales she knows so well, her own story is unfolding in ways impossible to predict, with a destiny she could never have foretold…

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Work of Art

RECOMMENDED: The Work of Art by Mimi Matthews is FREE! The last time we featured The Work of Artmany of you commented positively about her work. TinaNoir said, “Work of Art was the first Mimi Matthews book I ever read and I loved it. Prompted me to check out her back list.”  Did you read this one?

An Uncommon Beauty…
Hidden away in rural Devonshire, Phyllida Satterthwaite has always been considered more odd than beautiful. But in London, her oddity has made her a sensation. Far worse, it’s caught the eye of the sinister Duke of Moreland — a notorious art collector obsessed with acquiring one-of-a-kind treasures. To escape the duke’s clutches, she’s going to need a little help.

An Unlikely Hero…
Captain Arthur Heywood’s days of heroism are long past. Grievously injured in the Peninsular War, he can no longer walk unaided, let alone shoot a pistol. What use can he possibly be to a damsel in distress? He has nothing left to offer except his good name.

Can a marriage of convenience save Philly from the vengeful duke? Or will life with Arthur put her — and her heart — in more danger than ever?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

HaBO: First Bodice Ripper

Jul. 29th, 2025 02:00 pm
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Posted by Amanda

This HaBO comes from Tina, who wants to find her first “bodice ripper”:

Somewhere around 2001, I read my first bodice ripper romance novel and I CAN NOT, for the life of me, figure out what it was.

What I remember:

Full cover art, big dress, boobs falling out, dress or background was baby blue, no waterfall or anything. She was on her back and the hero was kind of kneeling over her or cradling her.

Heroine lived in a brothel, but was a virgin.

The hero frequently visited the establishment and used sheep or goat condoms. I specifically remember that.

He was very wealthy and had a house staff. They end up married somehow and he deflowers her roughly, not believing her story and then profusely apologizes. I remember a whole bath scene.

There was a pregnancy and birth scene.

I know many are quite similar, but hopefully theres something in here that triggers someone’s memory.

I think she was a redhead. Definitely no plot line with an Indigenous character.

We just had a post on Old Skool covers, so I was inspired to run this one.

sisterdivinium: hild from the last kingdom (hild)
[personal profile] sisterdivinium posting in [community profile] fan_flashworks
Title: The cost
Fandom: The Last Kingdom
Characters: Hild, nondescript dead Northman
Rating: M
Warnings: Depiction of blood and of a dead body, violence.
Notes: Made with Chinese ink pens, graphite, gouache.
Summary: Hild tells herself every dead Dane is another Saxon victory. Yet perhaps what stirs within her is more a thirst for revenge than it is for justice and that has a weight upon her conscience as well as upon her faith...

Read more... )
lucy_roman: (lamp)
[personal profile] lucy_roman posting in [community profile] fan_flashworks
Title:A Watertight Revenge
Author:[personal profile] lucy_roman
Rating:Teen and over
Summary:Bodie is taking revenge on Doyle
Pairing:Bodie/Doyle
Word Count:200
A Watertight Revenge )
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Posted by Amanda

We made it through July! (I almost said August, so you clearly can see where my mind is at right now.)

A quick little quartet of releases this week. I’ve noticed that historical romances have a habit of releasing during the last week of the month. You’ll be shocked to know that this list has three historical romances and one historical fiction.

What new releases are on your list week? Let us know in the comments!

Bad Luck Bride

Bad Luck Bride by Laura Lee Guhrke

Author: Laura Lee Guhrke
Released: July 29, 2025 by Forever
Genre: ,
Series: Scandal at the Savoy #3

In this dazzling Victorian romance from a New York Times bestselling author, one unlucky lady believes her fate is finally changing until the rake that broke her heart returns to town.

Third time’s a charm? For Lady Kay Matheson, it had better be. Her first engagement was a failed elopement; the second ruined by gossip about the first. Resigned to be a disgraced spinster, no one is more surprised than Kay when an American millionaire offers for her hand. Just when she’s convinced she will finally make it down the aisle, the scoundrel who broke her heart arrives with his own fiancée.

Devlin Sharpe has finally become a success. He has wealth, connections, and a lovely bride-to-be—and he won’t let an old flame derail all his hard work. But it turns out time has not dampened his grudge toward Kay—or the desire sparking between them. And one searing kiss threatens to ruin their wedding plans and their futures, and make Kay the bad-luck bride all over again.

The third book in the Scandal at the Savoy series.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

The Entirely True Story of the Fantastical Mesmerist Nora Grey

The Entirely True Story of the Fantastical Mesmerist Nora Grey by

Author:
Released: July 29, 2025 by Kensington Books
Genre: , ,

As spiritualism reaches its fevered pitch at the dawn of the 20th century, a Scottish girl crosses the veil to unlock a powerful connection within an infamous asylum in this thrillingly atmospheric, exquisitely evocative exploration of feminine rage and agency for readers of Sarah Penner, Alice Hoffman, and Hester Fox.

Leaving behind a quiet life of simple comforts, Nairna Liath traverses the Scottish countryside with her charlatan father, Tavish. From remote cottages to rural fairs, the duo scrapes by on paltry coins as Tavish orchestrates “encounters” with the departed, while Nairna interprets tarot cards for those willing to pay for what they wish to hear.

But beyond her father’s trickery, Nairna possesses a genuine gift for communicating with the spirit world, one that could get an impoverished country girl branded a witch. A talent inherited from her grandmother, Lottie Liath, widow of a Welsh coalminer, whose story of imprisonment and exploitation in a notorious asylum is calling out to Nairna from four decades past—a warning to break free from the manipulations, greed, and betrayals of others.

What do the cards hold for Nairna’s future?

Rescued from homelessness by a well-connected stranger, Nairna is whisked into a new life among Edinburgh’s elite Spiritualist circle, including visiting American star Dorothy Kellings. Researchers, doctors, psychics, and thrill-seekers clamor for the rising young medium. But after a séance with blood-chilling results, a shocking scandal ensues, and Nairna flees to a secluded community near Boston, where she assumes a new  Nora Grey.

But Nora can’t stay hidden when Dorothy Kellings offers her the chance to face all comers and silence skeptics at a spectacular séance at Boston’s Old South Meeting Hall, where Nora will come face to face at last with her spiritual guide: the courageous Lottie Liath, whose heart-wrenching story and profound messages are indelibly tied to Nora’s destiny.

This definitely seems like something the Bitchery may want on their radar.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

The Fortune Hunter’s Guide to Love

The Fortune Hunter’s Guide to Love by Emma-Claire Sunday

Author: Emma-Claire Sunday
Released: July 17, 2025 by Harlequin Historical
Genre: , ,

Will this cynical fortune hunter find her true match? Find out in this enchanting sapphic historical romance

How can Lady Sylvia save herself from financial ruin?

Step 1: Move to the seaside for the summer, where there will be no shortage of wealthy bachelors holidaying.

Step 2: Strike a deal with local farmer if Hannah can help Sylvia bag a rich husband, Sylvia will fund Hannah’s dream of opening a cheese shop.

Step 3: Charm her way into luncheons, parties and exclusives balls, but do not start to confuse friendship with romantic feelings for Hannah.

Step 4: Focus on her fortune hunting scheme and not let her heart get carried away by her unexpected and magical kiss with Hannah!

Tara: I’ve been very pleasantly surprised by Harlequin’s sapphic romances and I thoroughly enjoyed the last one by this author.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Road Trip with a Rogue

Road Trip with a Rogue by Kate Bateman

Author: Kate Bateman
Released: July 29, 2025 by St. Martin's Paperbacks
Genre: ,
Series: Her Majesty's Rebels #3

Mistakenly holding up the coach of the man who broke her heart is bad enough, but having to endure his sinfully alluring company all the way to Scotland is Daisy Hamilton’s worst nightmare . . . and her most secret desire.

A midnight mishap.

Daisy Hamilton’s new mission for King & Co., London’s premier private investigation firm, is simple: stop heiress Violetta Brand from eloping. But her case is derailed when she mistakenly holds up the carriage of Lucien Vaughan, Duke of Cranford—cynical war hero, infamous libertine, and the very man who broke her heart five years ago.

A reluctant road trip.

Lucien’s determined to see his lovestruck nephew married to Miss Brand, but the unexpected appearance of Daisy— the one woman he’s never been able to forget—could ruin his plans. As they follow the runaway couple together, Lucien decides that delaying the headstrong Daisy by any means possible—including seduction—will be his absolute pleasure . . . and hers.

A dangerous desire.

After Daisy’s reputation is threatened, Lucien makes a scandalous claim, but when an unexpected enemy threatens her life, he realizes she’s the only woman for him. Their past encounters have made Daisy almost as jaded about love as Lucien himself, and it’s going to take action, not words, to convince this knife-wielding hellion to risk her heart on him again…

Amanda: A road trip with the libertine who broke her heart?! Hello!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Daily Happiness

Jul. 28th, 2025 09:21 pm
torachan: arale from dr slump dressed in a penguin suit and smiling (arale penguin)
[personal profile] torachan
1. Well, the new store did not calm down at all today. No one was expecting this. Off the chart sales, which is amazing, but we were not prepared in terms of staffing and everyone is running ragged. I at least don't have to go help today, so I could have a more restful day, but I will go help out at least another day or two later in the week.

2. I got my hair cut this morning. That always feels nice.

3. Look at that cutey chin!

erinptah: Nimona icon by piplupcommander (nimona)
[personal profile] erinptah

Anyone else who got Apple TV for Murderbot reasons, you’ve gotta catch Schmigadoon! before you go. (…It’s the only non-MB thing I’ve watched so far and thought “yes, this is such a treat, I need to tell people about it.”)

The premise is “what if a young professional couple got isekai’d into a musical?” Melissa and Josh are both doctors, their romance is struggling, they go on a couples-retreat hike in the woods…and they walk into a bright colorful town where everyone keeps singing at them.

(The title is a riff on Brigadoon, which is also about normal modern people stumbling into a fantastical small town, but the characters and songs pull from all over. Most of the s1 references I recognized were from The Sound of Music. Gonna indulge in this whole Youtube playlist of Musical Fans breaking down the references.)

Promo poster for Schmigadoon

At first, our heroes assume it’s some kind of immersive performance! Then they can’t get out of the town. And there’s a leprechaun. And the only way to leave is to achieve True Love, while helping the townsfolk with their own problems along the way. Through song, of course.

The cast is star-studded. (They got Kristen Chenowith! and Jane Krakowski! and Alan Cumming!) The music is amazing — it’s all based on songs from classic musicals, not in a straightforward “we took the original song and gave it new parody lyrics” way, but still in a “hang on, this is a riff on Do Re Mi, isn’t it” way. The writing has a lot of fun with the tropes and the cheesiness of the source material, but the kind where you can tell they have a lot of genuine love and affection for it.

It’s barely a spoiler to say that, yeah, our heroes find True Love by the end of season 1. But after leaving Schmigadoon, they start missing it, and go back to the woods to see if they can find it again…and season 2 has them stumbling into the darker, grittier spectacle of Schmicago.

Now here I got a lot more of the references. (Chicago, obviously — then there’s some Sweeney Todd, some Godspell, some Annie, just a touch of Jesus Christ Superstar, and a delightful sprinkle of Rocky Horror.)

Promo image of most of the cast from Season 2

The show got canceled after S2. At least the writers were thoughtful enough to leave us on a hopeful/closure ending instead of a cliffhanger! But it’s a little bit tragic that we’ll never get to see Josh and Mel fumble their way through their custom mashup of Little Shop of Horrors, RENT, Wicked, Avenue Q, The Book of Mormon, and Fun Home.

Did you like the “normal cynical people dealing with a fantastical world of colorful joy” aspect of The Good Place? Were you into the “affectionate parody where we put our whole hearts into writing original music” vibe of Galavant? (Another musical-comedy that was canceled much too soon.) Are you a fan of any/all of the musicals I’ve name-checked so far? Then you should go check out Schmigadoon.

(There’s a nonzero chance that, after I get through all the reference-explaining videos, I’ll go back and watch the whole thing again.)


Daily Check-In: Day 28

Jul. 28th, 2025 09:58 pm
miscellaneous_section: A knight in the middle of chanting a poem for the spell of Fear. (Default)
[personal profile] miscellaneous_section posting in [community profile] writethisfanfic
Happy Monday night! Sunday completely slipped my mind; it was preoccupied other matters.

Any who, have you written anything today?
  • Yes
  • No
  • I've thought about it.
  • Taking a break, or life got in the way.

Torchwood: Fanfic: Pointless

Jul. 29th, 2025 11:33 am
m_findlow: (Ianto sad)
[personal profile] m_findlow posting in [community profile] fan_flashworks
Title: Pointless
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 1,104 words
Content notes: None
Author notes: Written for Challenge 486 - Revenge
Summary: Ianto is stuck in a world of hurt, made worse by the fact that he can’t be there beside Jack when he needs him most.

Read more... )

[ SECRET POST #6779 ]

Jul. 28th, 2025 07:02 pm
case: (Default)
[personal profile] case posting in [community profile] fandomsecrets

⌈ Secret Post #6779 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.


01.


More! )


Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 24 secrets from Secret Submission Post #970.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Paranormal Romance, Mia Sosa, & More

Jul. 28th, 2025 03:30 pm
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Posted by Amanda

Act Like It

RECOMMENDED: Act Like It by Lucy Parker is $1.99! If you haven’t read this yet, it was one of Sarah’s favorite reads in the past several years. She says, “I mean, I could squee at you some MORE beyond my review but I think you’ve heard me already. I loved this book. You should read it. It’s delightful.”

This just in: romance takes center stage as West End theatre’s Richard Troy steps out with none other than castmate Elaine Graham

Richard Troy used to be the hottest actor in London, but the only thing firing up lately is his temper. We all love to love a bad boy, but Richard’s antics have made him Enemy Number One, breaking the hearts of fans across the city.

Have the tides turned? Has English rose Lainie Graham made him into a new man?

Sources say the mismatched pair has been spotted at multiple events, arm in arm and hip to hip. From fits of jealousy to longing looks and heated whispers, onlookers are stunned by this blooming romance.

Could the rumors be right? Could this unlikely romance be the real thing? Or are these gifted stage actors playing us all?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Worst Best Man

The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa is $1.99! This was recommended by Aarya in our Ready, Set, Go: Funny Romances post. Have you read this one?

Critically acclaimed author Mia Sosa delivers a sassy, steamy enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy about a wedding planner whose new job opportunity forces her to work side-by-side with the best man who ruined her own nuptials: her ex-fiancé’s infuriating, irritating, annoyingly handsome brother. Perfect for fans of Jasmine Guillory, Helen Hoang, and Sally Thorne!

A wedding planner left at the altar. Yeah, the irony isn’t lost on Carolina Santos, either. But despite that embarrassing blip from her past, Lina’s managed to make other people’s dreams come true as a top-tier wedding coordinator in DC. After impressing an influential guest, she’s offered an opportunity that could change her life. There’s just one hitch… she has to collaborate with the best (make that worst) man from her own failed nuptials.

Tired of living in his older brother’s shadow, marketing expert Max Hartley is determined to make his mark with a coveted hotel client looking to expand its brand. Then he learns he’ll be working with his brother’s whip-smart, stunning—absolutely off-limits—ex-fiancée. And she loathes him.

If they can survive the next few weeks and nail their presentation without killing each other, they’ll both come out ahead. Except Max has been public enemy number one ever since he encouraged his brother to jilt the bride, and Lina’s ready to dish out a little payback of her own.

But even the best laid plans can go awry, and soon Lina and Max discover animosity may not be the only emotion creating sparks between them. Still, this star-crossed couple can never be more than temporary playmates because Lina isn’t interested in falling in love and Max refuses to play runner-up to his brother ever again…

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Beautiful Villain

Beautiful Villain by Rebecca Kenney is $1.99! This is a Great Gatsby retelling but with vampires. Do with that what you will. It also skews more New Adult it seems.

Seven years ago, I lost him for good. Now he’s back, but is he still the Jay Gatsby I used to know…or is he something more? Something…darker.

Daisy Finnegan is looking forward to the endless golden freedom of summer. She doesn’t want to think about life after college, or the newly awakened power of her voice, which has a way of making people do frightening things. But when her cousin goes missing at an exclusive house party, Daisy confronts the mysterious host…only to discover the wealthy recluse is Jay Gatsby, her childhood sweetheart―now sinfully hot and impossible to deny.

It isn’t long before Daisy becomes entangled in a web of dizzying wealth and lies and obsession darker than she could have dreamed―culminating in a shocking act of violence that shatters the summer haze and threatens to drown them all.

But it isn’t until Gatsby is shot through the heart―and survives―that Daisy discovers the truth of how Gatsby clawed his way up in the world by selling the secret of immortality to the highest bidder. Now with her friends’ lives at stake, her own untested power still volatile, and an unimaginable threat closing in, Daisy will have to face an impossible choice: side with the man who claimed her body and soul…or with the monsters who would see him lost to her forever.

An addictive and truly original spicy New Adult retelling of The Great Gatsby with a magical twist.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Griffin’s Mate

The Griffin’s Mate by Zoe Chant is $1.99 at Amazon! This is a small town, paranormal romance and is the first in a series. It has a new cover, so be sure to check if you don’t already own this one.

A curvy businesswoman who’s new in town + a lonely griffin shifter searching for someone to share his nest + a small town with a big secret = a hot and heartwarming story of love and family.

Lainie Eaves never wanted to return to Hideaway Cove, the small town where her own family rejected her years ago. When she inherits the family estate, she decides to sell the crumbling old mansion and leave her painful history where it belongs: in the past. Then she meets Harrison, and her world turns upside down.

Lonely griffin shifter Harrison Galway thought he’d found paradise when he moved to Hideaway Cove, where shifters can live without having to hide their true natures. But when his mate Lainie walks into his life, he discovers that paradise comes at a price too high to pay.

Fifteen years ago, Lainie’s grandparents made a choice that tore her family apart forever, but Lainie never knew the reason: that she wasn’t born a shifter. Now she’s finally found someone who might fill that hole in her heart—at the cost of everything else he holds dear. Hideaway Cove is a sanctuary for shifters, and that means no humans allowed.

Can Lainie let go of her painful memories, and make a fresh start? Or will Harrison be forced to leave the only place where he’s ever been welcome to live with the woman he loves?

The Griffin’s Mate is a sweet, sexy standalone griffin shifter paranormal romance. No cliffhangers!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Alone At Last [Haru/Ren; PG-13]

Jul. 28th, 2025 12:22 pm
ldybastet: a pic of a waterfall, a shimmering pond beneath, and the name LdyBastet in purple. (Purple name waterfall)
[personal profile] ldybastet posting in [community profile] anime_manga
Title: Alone At Last
Fandom/Pairing: Super Lovers - Haru/Ren
Summary: There are worse things than being stuck together during a typhoon...
Rating: PG-13
Content: Adopted sibling incest, age gap, caught in the act, making out
Disclaimer: スーパーラヴァーズ is the property of Abe Miyuki, I'm just borrowing the characters to play with them. No people, either real or fictional, were hurt or abused in the writing of this story.
Notes: 650+ words. Written for the prompt bad weather. Many thanks to [personal profile] zabimitsuki for beta-reading this for me! :)

Read it here: DW | AO3

Cover Snark: Armpit Show and Tell

Jul. 28th, 2025 07:00 am
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

Welcome back to Cover Snark!

The Light Within Me by Carly Fall. A shirtless, headless man in floating in space with an exploding planet behind him. One arm is raised and his chin is tilted toward his armpit.

From Jen: Does his raised arm look too big in proportion or is it just me? And what is going on between his pecs? Is that an arrow intention? I just don’t understand some of those ridges.

Sarah: His obliques are smiling at me. No thank you.

Elyse: That is some fucked up forced perspective

Sarah: MY ARMPIT LET ME SHOW YOU IT.

Shana: Are we sure his arm isn’t glued on to his body?

Operation Protected Angel by Margaret Kay. A man in camo pants is facing away. His back is tattooed and well-oiled. He has a rifle resting over his shoulder. He's doing a booty tooch pose.

From Elizabeth: Rather than a “protected angel,” his butt has a bullseye (and it looks like he is really sticking it out). Just weird and random.

Sarah: Does he think “pop” refers to his backside, and “lock” refers to his giant giant weapon? Is that a responsible way to carry a firearm?

And why is he so SHINY

Amanda: has the trigger been photoshopped out?

Sarah: Wait, HAS IT???

Amanda: I zoomed in and saw nothing there

I wonder if he wasn’t practicing trigger safety since his finger looks bent and they just removed the trigger entirely

Sarah: You don’t want a protected angel with a malfunctioning trigger finger.

Amanda: He’s also doing the classic America’s Next Top Model booty tooch.

Hanover Square Spare by Annabelle Anders. A man sits on a blue couch. A headless woman sits on the pack of the couch in a matching blue dress. Her white-stockinged less are crossed and over the man's shoulder. Her shoes are mustard yellow loafers with a bow.

From Pam: I’ve only ever seen a man carry a woman like this during a dance or skating routine and only momentarily. I don’t think they had ice dancing in the Regency. . . or mini skirts and Rothys. At any rate, he appears pretty smug about his prowess. Also, is that a window into another.

Sarah: Not only are the white tights giving me a good chortle, but why are they both so very, very Filter-smooth?

Amanda: The comfort of Rothy’s transcends time and space.

Shana: I wish we could see her expression because I bet it said, “Put. Me. Down.”

Sarah: It sort of looks like they’re on a couch, but there’s not enough back to that settee for her derriere.

Every day I write about romance, I type more and more incredible sentences.

The Roomie Rulebook by Crystal Kaswell. An illustrated cover. The background is bright yellow. A blonde woman has sunglasses on her head and is wearing shorts, a black tanktop, converse, and has a red backpack. The man has on a white tee, jeans, and white shoes. His arms are covered in tattoos. Both have no facial features. The title text is loopy and hard to read.

Also from Pam: The Zoomie Vilebook: wherein two faceless beige people stare past each other into the mustard colored distance.

Sarah: What the fuck does that say.

Can I say again how much I hate this style of font. I can’t read it and it makes no sense to me visually.

Kiki: I am very distracted by the W in the author’s name that is very clearly an M.

Two back-to-school Macy’s mannequins

Sarah: The facelessness is so unsettling.

Maya: Also, two spiderwebs?? Two??? On the same arm??

Why does she need sunglasses if she has no eyes?

Sarah: …why does she need sunglasses if she has no eyes?

Also: all those detailed tattoos and even shoelaces ON TOP OF HIS PANTS?!

It’s fixed on the digital cover but paperback covers have the weird shoelaces.

But they can’t have any facial features?

Claudia: the zoomie zulebook!

Finally a book that explains the reasons for cat zoomies, using mannequins as posts.

Sarah: In the interest of science! I surveyed the whole family. Top guess was “Voomy Vulebook”

 

Daily Happiness

Jul. 27th, 2025 09:45 pm
torachan: (Default)
[personal profile] torachan
1. The second day of the grand opening was super successful, too. They still have about twenty minutes to go before store closing, but as of 9:30pm, the sales figures shared in Teams were already well over yesterday's final total. There weren't as many people lined up this morning to get in, but it seems like people were buying more but also finishing their shopping more quicky, so that people could get in the store faster (yesterday we were still having to do crowd control at the entrance until late in the evening whereas today by about 3pm they could just let people straight in and there was no line outside).

2. I am so exhausted and my feet and ankles are sore, but this morning I did feel refreshed when I woke up, so hopefully it will be the same tomorrow. And at least tomorrow I don't have to be up at six.

3. The elderly man next door passed away a couple weeks ago and apparently they were having the memorial service today at the house and they had a ton of food left over, so they called us (and I'm sure other neighbors as well) and asked if we wanted any, so that's what we had for dinner. Everything was delicious and we got desserts, too.

4. Gemma is very round.

aurumcalendula: Quynh from The Old Guard in a red-ish outfit against a yellow background (Quynh)
[personal profile] aurumcalendula posting in [community profile] girlgay
Title: Just To Ask A Dance
Fandom: The Old Guard & The Old Guard 2
Music: Just To Ask A Dance by Heartworms
Summary: 'think I'll die/ when you die, I'll die, a mutual sigh/ with your hand in mine'
Notes: Premiered at DC-Slash 2025!
Warnings: quick zooms in the source, flickering lights, blood, violence

AO3 | bsky | DW | tumblr | YouTube

Movie Review: Superman (2025)

Jul. 27th, 2025 10:00 am
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Elyse

I was really excited going in to see Superman, wanting it to be a technicolor, hopeful answer to superhero movies, one that would be more uplifting than recent fare. While the movie tries to do that, it’s also kind of a mess and unfortunately the best scenes have been shown already as clips in the trailer. I would recommend renting Superman when it comes to streaming services, but save your money when it comes to theater viewing.

One thing that the movie does well is casting. David Corenswet makes an excellent Superman (we rarely see him as Clark Kent), Rachel Brosnahan is perfect as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Holt chews up the scenery as Lex Luthor. 

When the movie opens Superman has been in the public eye for three years, acting as Metropolis’ number one firefighter. He doesn’t fight crime so much as save people (and animals) from a variety of threats. He vows never to kill unless it’s absolutely unavoidable. 

Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane in a purple vneck blouse and black pants standing in front of some massive concrete rubble with Superman, in costume, smiling at her

Superman isn’t the only metahuman in the world. There are other superly-abled people including the Justice Gang, made up of Mr. Terrific, the Green Lantern and Hawkgirl. What distinguishes him is that he’s the only alien on Earth, which can make him a little scary. He’s invincible and here to do what? 

The first part of the film shows the world, even Lois, struggling with this. Is this guy for real? Is anyone actually this nice? He doesn’t even use swear words. No one can be that wholesome, right?

Which is what Lex Luthor is trying to prove. Luthor is obsessed with Superman, almost to the point where you wonder, is this a sexual thing? Many fanfics will follow this movie, I’m sure. Holt does a stellar job of making Luthor fixated on Superman (to the point of a vein bulging in his forehead) without it becoming comical. He’s deeply disturbing. 

Luthor wants the world to hate Superman as much as he does (allegedly, I kept whispering ‘just kiss’ in the theatre) so he plots a smear campaign against our hero while simultaneously debuting some metahumans who work for him (The Engineer and Ultraman) who can fill Superman’s red boots.

The beginning half of the movie asks viewers, are we so cynical that we can’t believe someone this wholly decent exists? And it’s a good question.

Unfortunately the second half of the film devolves into a CGI chaos and the question is never answered to satisfaction. 

The second half of the movie reminded me a lot of Guardians of the Galaxy which Gunn also directed. There’s a lot of brightly colored, explosive action happening along with some wise-cracking, but it’s pulling the viewer away from where the movie could really shine, substituting big, epic battles for character development. Corenswet, Holt and especially Brosnahan are so good that they’re wasted on chores like 

Show Spoiler
surviving interdimensional wormholes or battling giant kaiju. 

In the beginning of the movie Lois questions Superman about his involvement in international conflicts. Who does he represent? Can someone who is invulnerable and as powerful as he is intervene in a budding war and remain neutral? It’s this great, tense scene and then we just kind of forget about it.

Then that gray area goes away and…

Show Spoiler

… later the bad guys invade the good guys and it’s all dumbed down to the Green Lantern knocking over tanks with giant hands flipping the bird. 

Aside from Lois, the rest of The Daily Planet staff are reduced to caricatures. Perry White makes pronouncements while puffing a cigar, the sports reporter is a jock-bully, Cat Grant is mostly cleavage and a terrible wig, and for unknown reasons every single woman has the hots for Jimmy Olsen (to the extent that it’s used as plot device). Superman is saving the world and those zany reporters are flying around in Mr. Terrific’s…flying thing. It’s not great.

The fact is the three principal actors have the chops to make a really compelling superhero film that asks questions about heroism and inherent decency and if such things are possible in a cynical and divided world, and all of that development and tension was squandered for gags and big fight scenes. It was such a bummer.

Honestly, the best part of this movie is Krypto the super dog. Krypto is not a Good Boy. He’s not even trying. He’s what happens when you give a terrier superpowers and he’s hilarious and wonderful, but not enough to save the film.

I’m hopeful there’s a sequel to this film and that Gunn gets it right, because there is so much potential with the actors playing these characters. In the meantime though, save your popcorn money.

 

[ SECRET POST #6778 ]

Jul. 27th, 2025 02:45 pm
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[personal profile] case posting in [community profile] fandomsecrets

⌈ Secret Post #6778 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.


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