Comics Wrap-Up - Baron Something-or-Other

It's Thursday, it is 2024 and this year better behave I swear, and this is Dora Reads - so let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Nerd Church - To Love A Loki

 

(Warning: this post discusses low self-esteem and self-hatred. It also briefly mentions self-harm.)

With series 2 of Loki creeping ever-closer (eep!), I thought I'd discuss something about series 1 that tends to get missed in the online talky-talks (aka 'The Discourse™.')

Before we go any further though - this post is gonna have SPOILERS for series 1 of Loki.

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERRRRSSS!!!!!

Comics Wrap-Up - Those Pesky Mortals

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It's Thursday, life is hard sometimes, this is Dora Reads, so let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Friday Fics Fix - Five of My Fave Novel-Length Superhero Fics

I love novel-length fanfiction!

I know, I know, it's not exactly a secret at this point.

...I didn't always; love novel-length fanfiction, that is.

I used to prefer the shorter the better.

But somewhere along the way my reading habits changed, and now I can't get enough of the novel and novella length stuff.

Friday Fics Fix - It Works Weirdly Well

'She walked over to Thea and pulled one of the games out of the box. It was an old fashioned wooden box with the game’s name actually carved into the front. “Jumanji?”

“I’ve never heard of that one,” Ollie said. He joined them to take a look.'

 

Sometimes, you gotta give points for creativity, y'know?

And there ain't no-one more creative than fic authors! 😉

Nerd Church - Dylan Sprouse In A Dress Is Living In My Head, Rent-Free

 ...yes, that Dylan Sprouse.

The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, brother of Cole, Dylan Sprouse.

In a dress.

In my head.

Friday Fics Fix - Like A Whole Season Arc of Supergirl

 

'“Alex,” he said quickly, his voice strained. “I need you to overrule security protocol and allow me access to a cell in the basement-level holding facility. Please listen carefully, I require several apparatuses to ensure my escape is at its lowest likelihood-”'

Good Supergirl fics are like buses (which ironically do feature in this fic) - you wait what feels like forever for one to come along, and then two come along at once!

OK, you might remember a couple of weeks ago I recommended a Supergirl fic.

...And I'm here to do it again.

...From the same fic author.

They deserve it, OK?! 😅 They're good fics!

Friday Fics Fix - A Hero Descended From Villains

 

'...they’d known that something was wrong, just as much as they’d known that they couldn’t let Brainy out of their sight.'

Supergirl is one of the CW Arrowverse shows.

Like most of these shows, Supergirl is a cancelled series.

Which makes me sad. But we have fanfiction! Woo! (Lol.)

Review Time! (Graphic Non-Fiction Edition!) - Iranian Love Stories

Warning: This post contains discussions of totalitarian regimes, so-called 'virginity tests', intimate anatomy, misogyny, general human rights abuses, and related topics.

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Title: Iranian Love Stories

Author: Jane Deuxard

Artist: Deloupy

Genres: Graphic Novel (Graphic Non-Fiction,) Non-Fiction

Buy Now on Amazon.com  







A Few Starting Notes:



I received a free digital review copy of Iranian Love Stories from Edelweiss, as an opportunity to provide an honest and fair review.

Friday Fics Fix - A Queer Horror Fanfic Rec List

 

Since it's October, and therefore a time for all things spooky and gothic (woohoo!) I thought I'd give you all a little taste of some horror fics.

Some of these are horror in that the specific piece of fanfiction is horror-based, and some of them are actually based on horror media/fandoms. OK? OK.

Oh, and they're all Queer af.

As I’ve mentioned before, Queer people love horror.

(Not all of us, obviously, that would be a sweeping generalisation, and everyone’s different, but a lot of Queer people do love horror. And I mean LOVE it.)

So, horror's Queer, fanfiction's Queer, let's pull some monsters outta the closet! 😉😎😅

Friday Fics Fix - Not Ready

 

'As good as she is at anticipating his family’s actions and decisions, everything always gets a little skewed and unpredictable once the bullets start flying'

I love quirky horror movies with kick-butt heroines - which brings us to the film this week's fic is based on: Ready or Not.

Ready or Not is a super-quirky horror film about Grace, who is marrying Alex Le Domas - a member of the rich Le Domas family, who made their money in board games.

(And yes, there is a vibe here that feels very akin to Knives Out, but that's more of a crime film than this - this is def. horror.)

Review Time! - The Sigil by Shakeil Kanish and Larissa Mandeville

* = commission link

*

Title: The Sigil*

Author: Shakeil Kanish, Larissa Mandeville


Genre: Young Adult (New Adult crossover appeal,) Fantasy, Witches(-ish,) LGBTQ+ (relationships: M/M, side M/F, refs to F/F)

Buy with Amazon.com*

Nerd Church - The Only Valentine I Ever Got

 

The only Valentine I've ever actually received was when I was five or six years old.

It was on the back of half a birthday card, which I still oh-so-clearly remember the flowers on, and I believe was written in red pencil. 

It was definitely some form of pencil - maybe my brain just made up the red part, I dunno.

Friday Fics Fix - Fluffy Legends

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Please do not use my links to make UK purchases.

 

"Huh, who would have guessed a warlock of your measure could be swayed by snacks? And here I thought my charms were your only weakness,” she said.

Who wants some fluff?

I think we could all do with fluff. Especially when it's superhero fluff!

Friday Fics Fix - A Poisoned Brain

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Please do not use my links to make UK purchases.

'It was a long distance between knowing that all reds equals bad, and what the information actually said. Alex shook her head and started shouting commands, and Nia felt her heart lodge in her throat. '

 

I love Brainiac 5 and Dreamer. They belong together dammit!

In case you have no idea who I'm talking about - 

In CW's Supergirl TV show, Brainiac 5, aka Brainy, aka Querl Dox, is a cyborg alien from the future, 

...and Dreamer, aka Nia Nal, is the Transgender daughter of a human and an alien who can harnass the power of dream energy to see the future (and also smack people with the dream energy, which is handy.)

Friday Fics Fix - Pride Fics Fest: Fics With Trans+ Characters

It's another Friday in June my dearest nerdlets, which means that it's another instalment in my Pride Fics Fest - and this time we're gonna look at fics with Trans+ main characters.

Fanfiction is here to support our Trans and Non-Binary siblings!

Fanfiction can be a place where Trans+/NB+ people can find the kind of representation that is largely not present in mainstream media.

Mini-Review! - Legendary by Stephanie Garber

 ***All Amazon.com links in this post are commission links. This means I earn commission from purchases made in the US*** 

Please do not use my links to make UK purchases.

Title: Legendary


Author: Stephanie Garber

Series: Caraval #2

Genre: YA, Fantasy

Amazon: USA

The Verdict:

I don't think I've ever enjoyed a second book so much when I found the first book so... meh.

Don't get me wrong - Caraval was ok. 

It was an enjoyable enough read. 

I did have some... issues... with it when I reviewed it a few years ago, but overall it was just ok.

Nerd Church - Watching 'Orange Is The New Black' In Lockdown

(Warning: this post discusses Coronavirus/Covid 19, and prison, and references drugs and death.)


You know all those shows that you just don't get around to for whatever reason? 

Orange Is The New Black was one of those for me.

So what better series to start when we can't go out, than one where they can't either, y'know? 

The UK is in Lockdown - we can only go out for specific reasons, which does currently include 1hr exercise, provided we practice social distancing, so we're better off than some.

Friday Fics Fix - Cops and Ghosties

'“I’m just saying if you’re so desperate to help people, you could have been a fireman. What they lack in brutality they make up for with sex appeal and basic levels of empathy.”

“Can’t stop murderers with a hose.”

“Not with that attitude.” Klaus shrugged...'

Confession time: I haven't finished reading this week's fic! *gasps*

#BadBookBlogger #FangirlingSins

In my defence, this b**ch is over 300 pages, and I'm on the last chapter!

But if I don't get this post written now, then I know it ain't gonna happen. (Your girl is gonna face-plant the laptop keyboard if she keeps this up. #RestAndRechargeTime)

Friday Fics Fix - Murder House Party!

“You guys seem really chill about all this,” observed Ben. “By this point most people are running around screaming.”

“Occupational hazard,” said Klaus.

“I’ve lost a lot of blood,” said Diego. “I’m just accepting everything at face value right now.”

If there's one thing that Netflix has got me obsessed with as much as Umbrella Academy, it's American Horror Story.

(Only on season 2 #NoSpoilersPlease!)