Reading

Current Mood: awake
Current Music: "All My Love (Imperitive) - half•alive

Gulf Coast Cryptid Seeking Mutuals

🦇 About Me 🦇

Age: 36

Posts About: Plants, the weather, food, books, tv shows, movies, music, my health and my goals

Looking For: More active users (my reading page and my inbox are a bit dead atm). Artists, writers, crafters, foodies, nature lovers, y gente que habla Español

( 💌 More About Me )

[ SECRET POST #6805 ]

⌈ Secret Post #6805 ⌋

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

01.

( More! )

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 36 secrets from Secret Submission Post #972.
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.

[ SECRET SUBMISSIONS POST #973 ]

[ SECRET SUBMISSIONS POST #973 ]

The first secret from this batch will be posted on August 30th.

RULES:
1. One secret link per comment.
2. 750x750 px or smaller.
3. Link directly to the image.

More details on how to send a secret in!

Optional: If you would like your secret's fandom to be noted in the main post along with the secret itself, please put it in the comment along with your secret. If your secret makes the fandom obvious, there's no need to do this. If your fandom is obscure, you should probably tell me what it is.

Optional #2: If you would like WARNINGS (such as spoilers or common triggers -- list of some common ones here) to be noted in the main post before the secret itself, please put it in the comment along with your secret.

Optional #3: If you would like a transcript to be posted along with your secret, put it along with the link in the comment!

Current Mood: satisfied

hey

Name: Sarah, but you can also call me Paperlady (or any nickname you like).

Age: 19 (turning 20 in November).

Location / Timezone: UTC+3.

I mostly post about:

Life updates, reflections, and general diary-type entries. I’m hoping to use Dreamwidth as a way to slow down, read more, and improve my writing through conversations and entries. Expect book notes, film thoughts, and sometimes just little pieces of my day. My posting schedule will probably be all over the place — sometimes a lot at once, sometimes nothing for a bit, and occasionally a steady routine when I get into a groove.

My hobbies are:

Baking, playing guitar, journaling, photography, sometimes art and editing. I love discovering new music and I get a little too invested in my playlists. I’m also trying to get deeper into reading and writing.

My fandoms / media loves are:

Coming-of-age stories, slow romances, and movies that ache in quiet ways (Before Sunrise, Only You, Romeo + Juliet 1996, etc.). Been getting into poetry (Rilke, Mary Oliver, Patti Smith) and a mix of alternative/indie music — Jeff Buckley, Radiohead, The Strokes, Smashing pumpkins, The Killers, etc.

I’m looking to meet people who:

Like exchanging thoughts and snippets of daily life, who enjoy books, films, and music, and who are here for conversation.

My posting schedule tends to be:

Erratic, distracted, then obsessed. Probably a couple times a week when I’m consistent.

Before adding me, you should know:

I deal with some anxiety when it comes to talking, but I’m hoping this space helps me through that. I don’t post anything graphic, though some of the media I love touches on heavier themes like heartbreak, mental health, or loss.

Dealbreakers:

I’m not interested in anyone who puts others down for who they are, cruelty, or being dismissive.

Current Mood: sick
Current Location: Dancing Under the Stars

Entry tags:

author: abbley fox

[ 676 ]

Unraveled: A Gothic Fantasy Romance by Abbey Fox

Genre:
Netgalley, gothic, gothic romance, fantasy, romance, romantasy

Publication Date:
September 9, 2025

Page Numbers:
468

Read/Finished Date:
August 20th, 2025 - August 22nd, 2025

Rating:
5/5

Premise:

Everyone knows to never look a fae in the eyes, yet no one warned me he would hide behind the mask of a beast.

Death awaits those who get caught in the Wild Hunt, and only a magical veil protects the people of Penumbra from the monsters coming for them. So when a beast threatens to destroy the veil, Mia Clementine must break her vows of sorcery and use her magic to fight him, or risk losing everyone she loves.

But the beast isn’t what he seems, and now the fae king owns her soul. Dragged into his mythical land, she must unravel the curse that turned him into a monster in order to regain her freedom—or die trying.

The longer she stays in his world, the more irresistible her feelings for him become. Hate turns into passion, and newly discovered truths test her loyalties, forcing her to choose to save her people or the fae world she’s grown to love.

If you like Howl's Moving Castle and ACOTAR, then you will love this gothic Beauty and the Beast retelling in a fantasy setting.

Review:

I was not expecting to become so engrossed in the storyline, but here we are at the end of the book. Mia has always been told to never be caught by the Wild Hunt and never to look into the eyes of the fae, but one night all of that changes when a beast threatens the Veil. Having looked up into the eyes of the Fae King, she is taken to his home. Mia must unravel the curse placed upon him and try to keep her feelings for him from interfering.

I loved the world-building. The character development. And the twists and turns of the storyline. The vibes of Beauty and the Beast and Howl's Moving Castle all mixed in gave me a rather enjoyable and fun story. But I will admit that there were a few times I wanted to throttle Mia. While I understood she wanted to return home, she didn't listen to what she had been told to do. I suppose it is because of this stubbornness that does get her in trouble a few times.

This was a really enjoyable read. A bit slow in the beginning but it does pick up quickly and you will fall in love with the story and the characters.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC.

Similar Books:

Smoke and Scar by Gretchen Powell Fox
A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan
The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley

[ SECRET POST #6804 ]

⌈ Secret Post #6804 ⌋

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

01.

[The Brothers Bloom]

( More! )

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 00 pages, 00 secrets from Secret Submission Post #971.
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.

hey yall.

Name: Jay
Age: 40

I mostly post about:
life. thoughts. pets.

My hobbies are:
video games. trivia nights. petting cats.

My fandoms are:
Loki. guardians of the galaxy. norse goddess Hel. neil gaiman. i just sorta realized i dont have many fandoms right now

I'm looking to meet people who:
post. are interested in the day to day ladida of life.

My posting schedule tends to be:
right now its new again, and id like to keep it pretty regular

When I add people, my dealbreakers are:
not much is a deal breaker. im not here to judge you.

Before adding me, you should know:
i enjoy all kinds of conversations and learning. as tyrion lannister says "I drink and I know things"

[ SECRET POST #6803 ]

⌈ Secret Post #6803 ⌋

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

01.

( More! )

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 07 secrets from Secret Submission Post #971.
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.

The Friday Five for 22 August 2025

This week's questions were suggested by

canuckfetish.

1. Have you ever stayed in a hostel? If so, where? Did you like it? If you haven't stayed in a hostel, would you?

2. What is your favo(u)rite airport that you've been to? Why?

3. What is the best museum you have visited on vacation?

4. Have you ever made friends while traveling whom you keep in touch with on a regular basis?

5. Have you ever had a conversation with a seatmate on a plane?

Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.

If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!

Current Mood: tired

Seeking New Friends

Name: Remy

Age: 41

I mostly post about: My personal life, mental health, game reviews, book reviews, movie reviews, and other stuff. I am also working on a furry fantasy novel that I hope to finish typing up one of these days--I already have it written out in seven or so notebooks.

My hobbies are: AI furry art, reading, writing, video games

My fandoms are: I was heavily into the furry fandom and AI furry art communities but had several falling outs with the former ages ago and the latter recently that led to me leaving social media, but I still enjoy doing them.

I'm looking to meet people who: Comfort me when I'm in need, make insightful commentary on my entries, appreciate my unique autistic perspective.

My posting schedule tends to be: At least once every few days.

When I add people, my dealbreakers are: I am very somewhat ideologically sensitive as politics has broken tons of my past friendships.

Before adding me, you should know: I am autistic and very PTSD, damaged from 18 years of psychiatric medications. Read my sticky post to learn more.

Current Mood: stressed
Current Location: Dancing Under the Stars

Entry tags:

[ 675 ]

Endless Anger (Monsters Within #1) by Sav R. Miller

Genre:
Netgalley, Dark, Dark Academia, Academia, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Romantasy, Fiction, Adult

Publication Date:
August 19, 2025

Page Numbers:
452

Read/Finished Date:
August 18th, 2025 - August 19th, 2025

Rating:
5/5

Premise:

Sometimes the pomegranate doesn't fall far from the tree...

Asher Anderson is angry―at the world, at himself, at the way his best friend Lucy Wolfe seems determined to tune out this buzzing connection between them. He doesn't mean to solve all his problems with violence, but maybe he has too much of his father in him. That's why the faculty at Avernia College hates him, right? Because of the "evil" blood in his veins?

He should know better than to darken the old, ivy-covered university's door, but it's practically a law of the universe: wherever Lucy goes, Asher follows. Even if that means entering a twisting labyrinth of secret societies, human sacrifices, and a very personal history soaked in blood.

Lucy is used to being an outcast. She's even used to Asher being her dark, brooding shadow. What she isn't used to is him shattering her resolve by taking her up against library bookshelves as she desperately pretends her heart hasn't always been his. She should know better than to play with fire, but with unexplained deaths and pointed threats ripping apart the university's fabric, Asher and Lucy soon find themselves at the center of the turmoil…where they'll have to confront their feelings or die trying.

From USA Today bestselling author Sav R. Miller comes the first in a dazzling spin-off trilogy focusing on the children of the original Monsters & Muses: a dark and twisted contemporary romance inspired by the Greek Furies, set at an exclusive (and dangerous) university.

Review:

Okay, just wow! I was not expecting something I devoured within a short few hours. This book had been hooked.

I had this book on my radar for quite some time and when I saw it on NetGalley, I hoped to be one of the lucky ones picked to read it (glad I got the chance!). I don't know much about Asher and Lucy's family because I haven't read the first books in this series, so I didn't know the story behind their parents' relationship. Nevertheless, it didn't deter me from enjoying this story, especially Asher and Lucy. I thought their relationship was cute but there was an underlying tension there between them that spoke that, regardless of their denials, something burned bright between them.

I enjoyed watching Asher and Lucy's characters evolve and develop, not only together but also apart. I love that Lucy is not treated like a fragile female lead who drops the moment the main male character comes in. No, she is determined to keep him away and though she knows it fails, she still tries to find ways. Asher, on the other hand, is trying to make up for things like leaving her at a school he knows is horrible.

I doubt this will be the last book by Ms. Miller and I am quite looking forward to the next book.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and the author for a chance to read the novel. The opinions to this book are of my own accord and I am not being paid for them.

Similar Books:

Terror at the Gates by Scarlett St. Clair
Promises and Pomegranates by Sav R. Miller
Once Upon a Demon's Heart by K.M. Moronova

[ SECRET POST #6802 ]

⌈ Secret Post #6802 ⌋

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

01.

( More! )

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 14 secrets from Secret Submission Post #971.
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.

[ SECRET POST #6801 ]

⌈ Secret Post #6801 ⌋

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

01.

( More! )

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 21 secrets from Secret Submission Post #971.
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.

Current Mood: accomplished
Current Location: Dancing Under the Stars
Current Music: Rain .:. Madonna

Entry tags:

author: jennifer saint

[ 674 ]

Hera by Jennifer Saint

Genre:
Anicent Greece, Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Mythological, Fantasy, Religion, Retellings, Reimaging, Greek Gods

Publication Date:
August 13, 2024

Page Numbers:
389

Read/Finished Date:
August 17th, 2025 - August 18th, 2025

Rating:
DNF'ed @ 40%

Premise:

Hera, immortal goddess and daughter of the ancient Titan Cronos, helped her brother Zeus to overthrow their tyrannical father so that they could rule the world. But, as they establish their reign on Mount Olympus, Hera suspects that Zeus might be just as ruthless and cruel as their father was, and she begins to question her role at his side. She was born to rule, but does that mean perpetuating a cycle of violence and cruelty that has existed since the dawn of time? Will assuming her power mean that Hera loses herself, or can she find a way to forge a better world?

Traditionally portrayed as a jealous wife, a wicked stepmother, and a victim-blaming instrument of the patriarchy, Hera is ripe for a retelling that shows her as a powerful queen―ruthless when she needs to be, but also compassionate, strategic, and ambitious. With Hera, beloved and bestselling author Jennifer Saint delivers another epic and enthralling reimagining of a Greek heroine we only thought we knew.

Review:

You know, I had high expectations for this book, especially because it was Hera, a character we rarely see anything about from Greek mythology. Unfortunately, I found myself disappointed. This book was bland, the storyline went at a snail's pace, and Hera's development seemed to stall somewhere within the first forty percent of the novel. Most of her grip was over her need for revenge, and while I understood her reasons for her anger toward Zeus, especially after what he had done to her, I wish Hera's character had grown. It didn't. It stayed the same, but I did try. I did try to push further but I just could not find it within myself to finish the novel.

Similar Books:

Babylonia by Costanza Casati
Medea by Rosie Hewlett
The Voyage Home by Pat Barker

[ SECRET POST #6800 ]

⌈ Secret Post #6800 ⌋

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

01.

( More! )

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 00 pages, 00 secrets from Secret Submission Post #971.
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.

[ SECRET POST #6799 ]

⌈ Secret Post #6799 ⌋

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

01.

( More! )

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 35 secrets from Secret Submission Post #971.
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.

Current Mood: grumpy
Current Location: Dancing Under the Stars
Current Music: Slave to Love .:. Bryan Ferry

Entry tags:

[ 673 ]

The Bunny Blues (Hey There, Hop Stuff #2) by Sedona Ashe

Genre:
Reverse Harem. Shifters, Wolves, Rabbits, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Spicy Romance, Steamy Romance, Book Series, Multiple Points of View, Shapeshifters, Omegaverse, Erotica, Smut, Adult, Urban Fantasy, Romtasy

Publication Date:
April 1, 2024

Pages Numbers:
210

Read Date:
August 16th, 2025

Rating:
1/5

Blurb:

I’m a bunny on the run.

Forced to bond with a fluffle of rabbit shifters who care only for my ability to provide offspring, I’ve spent the last several months tucked away in a burrow. My matched wouldn’t disrespect our elders by publicly rejecting me, but privately, they made their lack of feelings clear by refusing to bond with me. The only time they remembered we were paired, was when I went into heat… and became fertile.

After being betrayed and hurt yet again by the men who were supposed to be my matched, I ran from the burrows. I didn’t think there was anyone who would be willing to help me until I watched a viral video of a raven-haired bunny who’d been claimed by the Alpha of the most powerful pack of wolf shifters on earth. Monroe had faced down the elders of her burrow and offered sanctuary to any bunny who needed it among her wolf pack.

Gathering my courage, I decided to travel across the country and take her up on the offer. Making the journey to Monroe’s pack isn’t the hard part. No, the far more difficult challenge is trying to convince three very persistent wolf shifters that it is impossible for me to be their mate… no matter how much I wished things were different.

But what if the elders are wrong?
What if the rejection I’d suffered from the butthole rabbit shifters means the bond can be broken?

Please read the sensitivity note inside the book for more specifics about possible triggers!
The female in this book does experience bullying and is cheated on by the rabbit shifter males. She is not bullied by her wolf mates. Her wolves are ready to destroy anything that threatens their bunny.

Review:

What a disappointment to an otherwise fun series.

Ellora is a rabbit shifter whose life had been determined before her birth. Placed into a fluffle where the men have refused to bond with her, Ellora decides she wants no part of it and she leaves. It isn't until she comes across a video of another bunny that had severed her own ties from her burrow that she goes looking for her, hoping for protection when she is assigned her own wolves, who guess what? ARE HER MATES! So suddenly. No buildup. Nope. Nada.

I love Sedona's books, especially the dinosaur romance, and I loved the first book in this series, but the second book not so much. The character development was rushed, the romance felt too quick, and the plotline was just there somewhere, lost in the maze of something pretending to be a story.

I just...don't know what to say further about this book. It was just such a disappointment.

Similar Books:

The Monster's Den by Jillian West
Heat Clinic (Heatverse #1) by Alexis B. Osborne
The Omega Merger: A Reverse Harem Omegaverse by Roxy Collins

[ SECRET POST #6798 ]

⌈ Secret Post #6798 ⌋

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

01.

( More! )

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 42 secrets from Secret Submission Post #971.
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.

[ SECRET POST #6797 ]

⌈ Secret Post #6797 ⌋

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

01.

( More! )

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 00 pages, 00 secrets from Secret Submission Post #972.
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.

[ SECRET POST #6796 ]

⌈ Secret Post #6796 ⌋

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

01.

( More! )

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 07 secrets from Secret Submission Post #972.
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.