Life/Blogging Update (...Again)

 

Cards on the table time: I have no idea when I'll be able to get back to my regular blog series.

I'm hoping to put out the odd post here and there, but I honestly can't guarantee anything for the foreseeable future.

My mother is dying.

My mental health is terrible.

I don't know if/when I'll be able to put the time and effort in that I want to.

This is not me giving up blogging - I don't think that's ever going to happen at this point. 

This is me saying that things are going to be sporadic around Dora Reads, my Medium account, and my socials, for a long time to come, so apologies for not being great at the whole social interaction thing for a while.

Life/Blogging Update + Updated Blogging Schedule

 

OK, so... life continues to be tough AF for yours truly.

So while I fully intended to bring my regular series (Comics Wrap-Up, Friday Fics Fix, Nerd Church,) back in January, for my own mental health and ability to use my free time for such luxurious things as sleeping and eating, that's not going to happen.

I'm tentatively aiming to bring them back in February, but honestly the way my life is right now, we all could have been hit by a meteor by then.

Still, I'll keep you updated when I can!

Look after yourselves, and remember to shelter from meteors... somehow.

Friday Fics Fix - And Now He's An Armadillo

 

'I still think we should try Khonshu, Marc. He’ll be here before long anyway, so…

Nope. He is not having the bird fix this. He will… sort it out. Somehow. Like a big boy.'

This is such a random story. 

- It made me smile, and I think we all could do with some more of that at the moment.

Friday Fics Fix - We Got It All

 

'The people who know the Winter Soldier is rogue and hunting won’t exactly be shouting it from the rooftops, because telling people your pet murder machine has gone a little bit rabid on you is just the slightest bit bad for morale.'

 

I'm cheating, this week.

I have rec'd this fic before - way back, in the ancient internet age of 2018 (and also in a few rec lists since then.)

Friday Fics Fix - Challenging My Golden Fic Rule...

 

Warning: this post discusses mental health problems

'Ed is happy, Stede is happy, the crew is happy. Izzy stands on the sidelines with rope in his hands, watching them all mingle and play. No one seems to notice the shadows under his eyes, how they grow darker, how the purple bruise-like colour seems permanently inked onto his skin these days.'

 

 

Every so often, a fic comes along which challenges my golden rule of fanfic-rec'ing.

And the golden rule is, of course: If it's well-written, I must rec.

Friday Fics Fix - Almost Like Adults, But With More Insults

 

'“I'm sorry I made you feel like a burden,” Allison admitted.

 

“Wow, two apologies in one day! You're definitely breaking a Hargreeves record.”'

 

We are talking The Umbrella Academy (TUA)!

Because the series has now finished - for better or worse (...a lot of people think the ending falls into the 'worse' category, but moving on...)

And that, of course, means that I need to read a whole bunch of TUA fanfiction to fill the umbrella-shaped (...Klaus-shaped) void. (But not the Void, lol.)

Month(s) In Review(s) - June + July 2024

 

Warning: discussions of Depression and pet loss

...OK, doing this as a two-monthly thing is becoming an unintentional habit 😅

The only excuse that I have is that sometimes Depression messes my memory up - and the fact that I entirely (and I mean, entirely,) forgot to write a post for June coincides with some pretty sh**ty mental health days over the past two months.

So, yeah. I'm blaming Depression. And I don't feel bad about that, because it blames me for stuff all the time 😅

Friday Fics Fix - Spider-Man and the Winter Soldier (...And Some Nuance)

 

'However, Peter has been called a lot of awful names in the last week for jumping to conclusions – how was he supposed to know that that one mugging was actually Shakespeare in the Park?'

 

This is a quirky and sweet Spider-Man meets Winter Soldier fic.

(MCU - Marvel movies etc., in case you somehow didn't get the clue from 'Spider-Man.')

At first I did wonder whether I'd even enjoy it, but it definitely grew on me.

Nerd Church - The Writer Diaries: Write Through

 

Warning: this post discusses Depression

I have not had a good week, mental-health-wise.

I had some very bad Depression days, and was generally not very good, mentally.

The thing is that when my mental health is poor, I really struggle to write. 

Anything. Like, coherent sentences are a problem.

Let alone the *Writing* I really need (I explained the difference between writing and *Writing* here, if you're interested.)

Friday Fics Fix - Cyberpunk Stucky

 

'“Okay, get up, the both of you.” He took out his phone, typed Shuri’s address in, and sent it to Steve’s number. “You’re going to get blood all over the upholstery. And then I’ll have to set fire to it, and then to you for making me sacrifice my good sofa.”'

I love it when fanfic authors have the determination, the dedication, the goddamn verve to write full-length novels.

When those full-length novels are so freaking good - so well thought out, so fleshed out in terms of world-building, so passionate and compelling, that you would legit. buy this as an original novel?

OH MY GOD!!!

Nerd Church - Random Audiobook Ramblings

 

...a post brought to you by my boredom with walking, and my doctor's insistence that, if I go walkies, it'll help with my mental health. (I'm not buying it - it's never helped before, but I'll try anything.)

When there's been no rain for a couple of days in a row, it's not so bad 'cos I can go to the woods, but otherwise said woods are like a very slippery mudslide. 

So if it's been raining within 48-72 hours, then I have to walk around streets and shops and sh** so I don't trip, fall, and end up in the river/bang my head on a tree/anger one of The Fair Folk by falling into them or summat. 

*Sigh* The woods are my natural habitat, dammit!

Friday Fics Fix - Because I Am Trash

 

'"No, Sam, you're on vacation. Phone it in, let someone else do it."

"Bucky, it's an hour. We can go check it out, then stop at mine and get my stuff and be at the airport by five, half five at the latest. We've got time."'

Narrator: it did not take an hour.

...OK, so this is a The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) fic because I am trash and have run out of effs to give. 😘

Month In Review(s) - March 2024

 

March wasn't great.

Not terrible - but then, the bar for terrible is pretty high (or low, depending on your perspective, I guess,) at this point - but not great.

Basically: my mental health sucks at the moment.

Nerd Church - I Seem To Be Watching More True Crime...

Warning: This post references true crime and murder, and discusses mental health problems - especially Anxiety.

Disclaimer time: I am not any type of psychological, medical, or scientific expert. I'm a chick with a blog, nothing more, nothing less.

Wild-child that I am, of an evening I like to get myself a snack, and a glass of diet coke, and watch TV for a while.

Lately that's meant, more often than not, true crime.

Because there's nothing more calming than some grisly murder before bed.

Friday Fics Fix - Doctor Who and Self-Care, Because Why Not?

 

'Knock, knock, knock on the door. Three times, not four, and the door isn’t blue. It’s red, glittering in baubles of sunlight cast over its fresh coat of paint. The Doctor is safe.'

 

So far, I'm loving the way Dr Who is headed with Russell T. Davies back at the helm.

Side-note: Welsh people (which Russell T Davies is,) say Dave-iss, not Daveys. Please, for the love of God, respect that. (And check out this Legends of Tomorrow clip for pronounciation, complete with accent.)

Also, Welsh people with common surnames will use middle initials or names to distinguish themselves from other people with the same name. Don't miss out the initials/names when talking about them, please and thank you.

The Bookish Diversity Link List 2024

 

Your resource for all things bookish diversity is back! 

Welcome to the 9th (Hell yeah!) Bookish Diversity Link List, 2024.

Given how bad my 2023 was, I'm happy I managed to keep last year's list going. 

I still think there's need for a resource which points to cool and good quality diverse bookish things - even if I sometimes struggle to add as much to it as I'd like.

Looking at the world as a whole, I'd say we def. need to keep championing the marginalised and diverse communities and voices wherever possible. Because garbage fire. 😅

So, here I am, once again, doing my small bit to keep things moving forward. I hope you find it useful.

Friday Fics Fix - My Stand-Out Fics of 2023

 

Since F3 is going on its regular break in December, I thought that now was a great time to give you my stand-out fics of the year!

- That's not the same as the best fics of the year. 

It's more... the ones I can still remember when stressed and tired at the end of November 😅 (Expect a lot from the last few months, ngl.)

Remember to please check out the orginal rec'ing posts for Content Warnings and SPOILER status.

I'll leave the link to those original rec. posts when I finish up talking about each fic.

Friday Fics Fix - 5 More Of My Fave Novel-Length Fics

 

I love novel-length fanfiction.

I am forever in awe of the dedication you have to show to something to write a full novel-length fanfic (especially if you're not planning on changing the names and selling it as an original novel like E. L. James 😅)

I gave a list (which you can see here,) about a year ago, of 5 of my favourite novel-length fanfics - and I figured it's time for another one! (Because I read a truly horrifying amount of fanfiction, lol.)

Remember to please check out the orginal rec'ing posts for Content Warnings and SPOILER status.

Some of these fics deal with difficult topics, so def. check the CWs!

I'll leave the link to those original rec. posts when I finish up talking about each fic.

Friday Fics Fix - Izzy Hands Is Being Haunted

 

'His captain just looked sad, like he'd failed Izzy in some way.'

 

OH MY GOD THIS FIC!!!!

krhguergjopwrgm';¬!

...sorry, had to fangirl over the page a bit there. This fic is so good. 

Like - page-turning, stayed up an extra hour to read some more, good.

Friday Fics Fix - Let Me Explain

 

'He’s engulfed in the shadow of midnight wings. In the dim lantern light, Izzy examines the damage.'

 

Yes, I'm rec'ing an Our Flag Means Death (OFMD) fic for the second week in a row.

(You can check out last week's F3 here, if you want.)

It's just what the universe wanted, dearest nerdlets, what can I say? The blogger is beholden to the universe's whims 😅

So, this is the fic the universe gave me for this week. 

I don't know why - presumably someone, somewhere, needs to read it. Which is weird, but we live in a weird world, and I was raised by hippies.