I was looking at some banned book lists earlier and I was thinking how fun it would be to have a banned book quest! What quest would you love to have?! and badge idea? I would love a childhood book quest, banned book quest and more horror quests!

Good afternoon, y'all. I think it's time for me to come clean: I cannot host a readalong every season. I'm really sorry but I just do not have the emotional or mental capacity to run a readalong every 3 months, especially since I've now read a huge portion of these books and therefore have a lesser motivation to constantly be in the book forum. It doesn't mean I'm going to be less active in the quest forum -- I'm actually hoping to be more active in the quest. Let me explain:

➸ Instead of doing a seasonal unofficial readalong, I was thinking about making a seasonal 'looking for buddy read partner' post at the 'beginning' of every season (i.e, June 1st, September 1st, so on and so forth). How it would work is I would do an introductory post on the 1st and y'all would make a comment with the name of the book(s) you're wanting to buddy read for the season and any other relevant info that you want to include.

Ex: Polterbooks comments "Looking to buddy read 'Earthlings' by Sayaka Murata either during the last half of June or the first half of July. I'm a semi-fast reader so ideally I would like to have the book finished within a 10 day period.

Then, in theory, someone who wants to buddy read that book will respond to the poster's comment. There wouldn't be really any restrictions, I only ask that it's for a time period within that season (so for a Summer buddy read between the months of June - August) and that it's a book that is already in the quest. This will definitely relieve some of the pressure off of me and makes it highly customizable for everyone in the quest. It'll also give me an excuse to buddy read some of the books I still haven't gotten to /insert maniacal fly rubbing it's hands together/.

➸ Every month (unsure if on the 1st weekend of the month or maybe middle of the month weekend?? opinions welcome) making an interactive post in the quest forum. I'm thinking along the lines of maybe one month posting an open ended question like "what's the first queer horror media you've interacted with?", another month perhaps a would-you-rather questionnaire, a book recommendation quiz, etc. Perhaps y'all would be open to letting me know what kind of posts you would enjoy seeing in the quest forum? What would make you more likely to interact with the quest forum?

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Other things I'm currently working on for this quest:

➸ Fix up the representation list/post with new additions included ➸ Revamp the book & author recommendation thread ➸ Spreadsheet with content warnings + filters (could possibly use help with this if anyone wants to connect through Discord @cryptglitch as I have read 33 of the 47 books)

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This is also just a general check-in with all of y'all! How are you? What's new? If anyone wants to spread any positivity or talk about some anxieties, this is also a safe space to do that.

I've mostly been working (ugh, CAPITALISM), trying to read as many books as possible to get those fine af badges 💪🏽, and trying to keep hope in a hellfire political landscape.

Some positivity for your day/week: A queer immigrant was released from an ICE detention center and reunited with his husband LGBTQ+ wins in Hungary And of course, because I can never shut up about it, Jane Schoenbrun who is the director & write of I Saw the TV Glow is releasing both a 🔗new movie and a 🔗new book this year!

Here, Limón says more explicitly what she told us subtly in “Miracle Fish.” Again, I’m continually in awe of the simple yet majestic way she describes her surroundings, and even herself, as a “low beast.”

1. What do you think of this poem as the closing to Part 1? Is it meant to connect all the ideas she’s brought up, or just be a note to end on?
2. Why do you think Limón continues to tackle this idea of “belief”? Do you think she is trying to give us a clear answer, or instead let us meditate on the question?

I love the way she describes the heart in this, from it watching Lifetime movies to: “so tired of beating / herself up, she wants to stop it still, / but also wants the blood to return.”

1. What do you think about the deeper message of grief Limón buries in the sadness over the death of six horses?
2. What do you think about the way she describes what grief does to the heart?

I really enjoy the simpleness of this poem’s title. We’re finally connected to the title of the collection “Bright Dead Things.” It makes me think that this is meant to symbolize/represent the things we reach for prematurely because we are just so excited and hungry for them.

1. What do you all think about her ending the poem with “I still want to kill the carrots because I can.” What other things might she be reaching for?
2. What do you think she means by “resenting the contentment of the field”? Does this mean pleasing others instead of herself, which could also be for the “greater good”?