Everyone is writing about the opening sentence, when discussing the first page (also loved that it starts like that btw 😍), but let's talk about this sentence:

I haven’t seen a lot of dead bodies in my life—I’m only fourteen, and baking’s not exactly a high-mortality profession—but the red stuff oozing out from under her head definitely wasn’t raspberry filling.

What struck me, in between the humour, is the first part. She hasn't seen a lot of dead bodies. You are not supposed to have seen any at that age, let alone a lot 😬.

Last night, after jolting awake from my kindle flopping over onto me, I decided it was time to call it a night. I picked up my kindle and rolled over to set it on the nightstand in its usual spot, and then promptly fell asleep. This morning, I wake up only to see that it's not there. Thinking that maybe I really fell asleep with it still in bed and just dreamed about putting it away, I look to the spot where I was reading - to see that it's not there either. Well, surely it must've gotten wrapped up in the blankets somehow, then. I shake out all the blankets and absolutely nothing falls out. Becoming distressed, I think "well, it's probable that I also could've swiped my hand along and it fell between the headboard?" I don't quite believe it, but I get a flashlight turned on and check anyway. Not there. I look around the perimeter of the bedskirts, picking them up and peeking under the bed. I know from past experience that my kindle falling is usually loud and surely would've woken me up, but I'm not ruling anything out. Still, kindle nowhere to be seen. At this point, I'm very agitated at this predicament and so decided to give it a rest for the moment and do my morning routine to clear my head before circling back to it. Routine done, I pace around the bed some more, thinking. I inspect the nightstand a little closer, and something clicks in my brain. Wait. Last night, I distinctly remember thinking that I should put my retainers in before getting to sleep. And didn't I wake up this morning and feel slightly confused after realizing that they weren't on my teeth? Surely, I have some reason to believe that I did at least reach out to put them on last night, so...! I open the drawer of my nightstand. The kindle is in the nightstand. It all comes together now. Last night, after having the thought about my retainers while still holding my kindle, my sleep addled brain must've confused my senses. When I thought that I was reaching over to open my retainer container, I was really opening the nightstand drawer all along. When I closed the drawer and my hand was free of the kindle, I of course thought that I had successfully done my nightly routine as usual and went to sleep!

With that, the case is solved 🕵‍♂️ It's elementary, Watson

Hi Everyone! Here is the another round of this or that! Let me know if you're still interested in these!

1. slow-burn friendships / instant chemistry
2. subtle magic / overt magic
3. realism / surreal vibes
4. morally complex endings / morally clear endings
5. quiet slice-of-life / epic adventure
6. heavy themes / gentle themes
7. villain POV / hero POV
8. sprawling journey / single-location story
9. atmospheric focus / plot momentum
10. twisty mysteries / cozy mysteries

The thought’s been rolling round my head for awhile, inspired by an excellent post about the prevalence of a specific type of fated mates in romantasy by @Fennyx.Fox here but while I’ve wound up reading a fair amount of fated mates, it’s not my favourite relationship type.

While grumpy x sunshine would be a close second, I’d class my favourite relationship type as right hand man x leader (in whatever fantasy/scifi/contemporary alignment it might need). I think while fated mates etc is almost a universal alignment eg the romance is going to happen, it’s destiny; right hand man x leader is more of a deliberate choice between the two characters and is an excellent set up for devotional pining which I could eat with a spoon.

So I’m curious if other people have a fave relationship type/s 🥰

It's been a couple of weeks for me now. The addiction is getting quite out of hand.

The symptoms? -a quick peak turns to two hours -can't stop staring at your new avatar, I even have that same top! -endless yapping -forgetting to eat -when did I last use the ladies'? Yesterday?

I have tried everything: -walks (takes a quick peak while walking, see point above) -begging friends to join PB -other hobbies. Can't remember what they are anymore. Something about collecting dolphin shaped rocks? Not sure. -low and behold, actual reading.

Is anyone else in the grips of this and is there a known cure? What have I gotten myself into?