Save the Date by Annabeth Albert and Wendy Qualls

 Hello there!

Oh my... Two and a half days of Pride Month left and I'm finally talking about something with LGBTQ+ characters? Sorry about that. I did not plan ahead. I'll do better next year. I did start reading A Queer History of the United States last week. That is going to be a slow read. It's good, but the past was the worst. 

Now, onto the book ramblings!

Not a great picture, sorry.

No warnings this time, but there is:

Loss of virginity

Geek Boy/Army Dude

Secret Relationship

Feelings Realization

Sexy Times Between Two Consenting Adults

This book is a lovely little romance story about Randall and Hunter. They meet while Randall is out with his sister for her Bachelorette party. The group makes a stop at a gay bar where Hunter is looking to get laid.

The twist is that they are both in the wedding. Randall's sister and Hunter's best friend are getting married. So after Randall and Hunter have a night of sexual activity, they then have to spend the weekend doing fun wedding activities.

They continue to hook up over the weekend, but in secret because while they are both out to their friends and families, they don't want to deal with the drama of Hunter banging the bride's little brother. Understandable. And then *dum dum dum* they catch feelings.

This was a fun read. There was enough of a "will they stay together or won't they?" to keep it interesting. Characters were fun. Though, Hunter needs better music tastes. I would have hated that karaoke night they had. I have Life in a Highway stuck in my head again just thinking about it. 

My only issue was that Randall was a virgin. And after the first night where they trade handjobs, he's like "ditched my V-card". Then I asked my friend (who is a gay man) if mutual handjobs count as losing your virginity. He said as a gay man, yes. Not sure if he was being serious because then I went on an hour-long rant about how virginity is a stupid social construct and it was all fucking stupid. Pretty sure Ryan checked out of the conversation after a couple minutes but I would not shut up. Sorry, Ryan.

Oh, also, there was an issue with the florist. I have read a few books that involve a wedding and it always seems like there is a problem with the florist. We need to stop picking on the florists. Let's pick on the caterers. Ya know, at my brother's wedding they took my cake away. They served cake, and then I had to do a dance (I was in the wedding party, so there was mandatory dancing) and I came back expecting cake AND MY FUCKING CAKE WAS GONE. I don't think I had any cake at that wedding... Now I want cake.

That's all really. I recommend this book if you like romance stuff. It's cute and fun.

That's all I got for this week. 

If you think I'm funny and want to toss some money at me so I can buy more books, check out my Ko-Fi. Link is over there *points to the side*

“Love can change a person the way a parent can change a baby—awkwardly, and often with a great deal of mess.” 

– Lemony Snicket

Marvel 30 Day Challenge

 Hello there!

Been in a bit of a shitty head-space as of late, sooo... no well-thought-out blog post this week. This week I do a Marvel 30 Day Challenge. In one post. 

I think this is from this tumblr. Hopefully. I did a reverse image search and got nothing. Well, I got a whole bunch of other 30 Day Challenges. 

Since this says Marvel Challenge, I will be pulling my answers from the comics, movies, shows, what the fuck ever.

1. Favorite Film

Deadpool

2. Favorite Male Character

Clint Barton.

3. Favorite Female Character

Kate Bishop.

4. Favorite Villain

Kilgrave. Only cause I love David Tennant. 

5. Favorite Grey Character

Deadpool

6. Favorite Friendship

Clint and Natasha

7. Favorite Song

This one.

8. Favorite Costume

I loved Clint and Kate's costumes in the Hawkeye series. Especially towards the end when they were both decked out in purple and black. Just perfection.

9. Favorite Makeup Look

Drax

10. Favorite Weapon

Deadpool's swords.

11. Favorite Actress

Natalie Portman

12. Favorite Actor

Chris Evans

13. Character Crush Male

Clint Barton

14. Character Crush Female

Natasha Romanoff

15. Favorite Power

Deadpool's healing powers are pretty rad.

16. A Character That Grew On Me

Captain America. I was always kind of meh about him. But then after watching the movies I really grew to like him. And honestly, it took a couple viewings of each movie before I was liking him.

17. Most Memorable Death

Natasha Romanoff.

18. Second Favorite Female Character

Natasha Romanoff.

19. Second Favorite Male Character

Wade Wilson

20. A Character That You Weren't Too Fussed About

Umm... I dunno... Honestly, I wasn't too fussed about any of the characters until I learned more about them. Shit, I didn't even know who Clint Barton was until the Avengers movie. Even his bit in the Thor movie meant nothing to me. And then after the Avengers movie I was like "Oh, he seems interesting with his bow and arrows. I should learn more." Now he's my favorite. 

21. A Character You've Been Compared To

Ryan once said I was like Hulk... Because of the anger issues... 

22. Favorite Hairstyle

Rocket.

23. Favorite Character Development

Tony's in the MCU was pretty good.

24. An Underrated Character

I dunno. It seems like most the characters are getting their own time to shine and none are really that underrated anymore.

25. Favorite Phase

Don't really have one.

26. Favorite Team

Any team with a Hawkeye is my favorite.

27. Favorite Ship

Clint and Bucky.

28. Favorite Rivalry

I... I don't know.

29. A Character That You Shouldn't Like, But Do

I have no idea... 

30. Ultimate Favorite Character

Probably Clint Barton.

And that's all for this week!

“I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.” 

– Lily Tomlin

An English Bride in Scotland by Lynsay Sands

Hello there!

Got some ramblings about a book this week. Feels weird calling them book reviews... 

Also, there be spoilers ahead.

An English Bride in Scotland by Lynsay Sands

Warnings:

Verbal abuse

Mentions of physical abuse

Minor character death

Annabel's sister, Kate, was to wed Ross MacKay. But she ran off with the stable master's son so now Annabel has to do it. Annabel was sent off to live at an abbey when she was seven, by the way. She has been there for 14 years. 

After their quick wedding, Annabel puts on a chemise carouse and Ross has the genius idea to get her drunk and seduce her out of it before bedding her. That plan backfires when she passes out. Which, good. No getting your new wife drunk to bed her, Ross. He does take the chemise carouse off her after she passed out and do a little creepy staring. But then he tucks her in and cuts himself to fabricate that they consummated the marriage. Which, ugh. That is all so 🙄🙄

Ross is an absolute horndog. He just really wants to have sex with his new wife. And he is thinking about it, in detail while they travel back to Scotland. And poor Annabel is full of beliefs that she learned from the abbey. So a lot of religious shit about sex is evil, women are evil, blah blah blah. 

Ross super wants to bang his pretty wife. But she gets out of it by saying it’s Wednesday, cause apparently the church says no sex on Wednesdays. Huh. Anyway, Ross (with the help of his friends) comes up with a plan to take Annabel on a picnic and have sex with her. Cause, it doesn’t count as bedding if there is no bed. Part of me wants to roll my eyes but fuck it, their logic is funny as hell. And it is less annoying because Ross is less “wanna fuck my wife” and more “want to give my wife all sorts of pleasure, bet she is prettier when she is out of her mind with it.” Still a bit eye-rolling, but hey, it’s a historical romance. 

While on their picnic, Annabel admits that she isn't the eldest daughter and Ross is all "I know" saying that he went ahead with the marriage because he wanted her.

They finally have sex and I am very disappointed in Ross. Mr. I-Want-to-Give-My-Wife pleasure got his wife off once with his fingers and then plowed into her without a care. More foreplay, sir. Prepare her to take you better. But alas, that didn't happen so poor Annabel was in pain. Basic sex shouldn't be painful. 

Poor Annabel got stuck in her dress and then saw a man while she was stuck in her dress. And later Ross kindly reminded me that she also saw a man while they were camping on their travels back to MacKay. Forgot about that. Coincidence?! I think not! 

Annabel mistakenly feeds Ross's father's dog cheese. Which results in doggy diarrhea. So she goes off to pick some flowers to mask the smell. And she comes across the man she saw on their way from England to Scotland! She stabs him and he runs off. The stabbing was an accident. 

Annabel tells Giorsal (Ross's sister) and Seonag (a servant) the entire truth and they declare they will help her fully adjust. 

- more backstory is revealed - Ross and Giorsal's cousin Derek felt he should have been made clan chief. He ambushed Ross and Ross killed him. Derek's mother and sisters worked in the castle, but left in a huff after Derek was killed. Which, fair but dude brought it onto himself. So. Now we have a suspect on who sent the fella following Annabel. 

To protect her, Ross declares that Annabel can't leave the castle. Well, this should end well…

Annabel sort of sneaks off to go to the village. Which, I understand her frustration and need to go to the village but still. Anyways, she accomplishes her goal and then Ross finds her. And... There is a bit here where Annabel decides she is going to distract Ross from being angry at her by having sex with him. She admits this to him and he is like "I'm not going to beat you" and then they do it in a barn. Then they fall asleep. While asleep the dude that has been following them knocks Ross out but Annabel wakes up. She swipes him with Ross's sword. Then attacks him with a board. All while naked. After their attacker runs off, Annabel (unable to wake Ross) makes a pallet out of random things in the barn and pulls Ross on it. This wee little lass is badass. 

While Ross is still knocked out, Annabel's sister shows up. You know, the sister that was supposed to marry Ross but ran off with a… the… *looks at notes* the stable master's son. 

 Annabel let's it slip to Ross's men (Gilly and… Marach?) And his uncles that she was raised in an Abby. 

Ross finally wakes up (dude missed soooo much). Annabel comes clean about being raised in an abbey which he's like "eh, okay, explains some things. And you're smart and figure out how to do things you need to know." And, Annabel's sister… Well, she gets all handsy with him and manipulative with Annabel… Ross is not happy with that. He is happy with his pretty wife though.  

Annabel's sister (I know her name, I just refuse to use it) destroys all of Annabel's dresses. Annabel yells at her. Then Annabel has to figure out how to get to the village and bribe a merchant (the one that was injured way back and we all forgot about) because he was pissy about being injured and is gonna tell other merchants not to sell to them. The sister comes up with a plan to put Annabel in a chest and send it to the seamstress in the village… which… seems suspect. And yep. That was a bad idea. And the man who has been attacking Annabel this whole book is revealed. It is apparently the stable master's son that Annabel's sister ran off with.

So, it ends up Annabel's sister was the cause of, like, all the problems, but if it wasn't for her Annabel and Ross wouldn't have been married. And they're in love. And the sister is being sent to the abbey. Which she will hate. Love that for her. 

I wasn't sure where to fit the notes I made about Annabel's family into this. So, here they are.

-the mother is just ew. Do not like. 

- fuck Annabel's mother. Seriously. Fuck. Her. 

- fuck her father as well.

- well, Annabel's sister is a twat.

- Annabel's sister is the worst. Just the absolute worst. Horrid little thing. Send her away, Annabel.

 - Annabel refers to herself as "overlarge" a bit. Probably because her mother was horrid and insulted the girl for having big boobs. Such a horror. 

My only criticism really is that the writer does use accented dialogue which when overdone annoys the hell out of me. But this one wasn't overdone thank the gods. Because I love Lynsay Sands too much to be annoyed with her. 

Some moments were eye-roll-inducing, but again, historical romance. The past was the worst.

I love Lynsay Sands' work. I prefer her paranormal romance books but her historical romances are still fun reads. 

That's all for this week. Go follow me on Tumblr for daily updates.

“Life is too short to read books that I'm not enjoying.”

-Melissa Marr

6 Video Games I Would Love Remastered Versions Of

 Quite a few older games have gotten remastered versions and it has made me think about what other games need a remastered version. So here's a list!

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 

This game renewed my love of video games after a decade of not being interested in them. It was also my introduction to RPGs. And gods do I want a remaster of it. I still play the original happily, but to have a remastered version with updated graphics and some new tweaks would be the best thing ever. And I know ASPYR did an update for Switch. I have it.  But as far as I can tell it is the original game for Switch. They even canceled the second game's DLC which was gonna be a bunch of cut content which I forgot was a thing and am now sad about.

 One request for a remaster, can I have a "holster weapon" button? I look like a tool walking around with my swords and blasters out all the time.

The Simpsons Hit and Run 

This game was basically Grand Theft Auto, but Simpsons. And it was so great. I honestly just want a re-release of this game for maybe newer consoles. I don't need updated graphics or newer plot bits from the show added. Just give me the same game on something besides PS2. Which I still have and play, but still...

Marvel Ultimate Alliance

I have this game for original Xbox. And there was DLC where I could get Hawkeye. That I missed out on because by the time I learned DLC was a thing, the original Xbox store was shut down. So. I want a remaster so I can get Hawkeye. Because that is all I really care about.

Dragon Age: Origins

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the original. I still play it fairly regularly. Love it to bits. But, hey, gimme a remaster. Everyone else seems to be demanding it, so I’m gonna join the crowd. 

Assassin’s Creed

This game deserves a remastered version for newer consoles. It is such a good game and I would like an updated version. I mean… Didn’t we get a remaster of Assassin’s Creed III? Well, Altair needs a remaster as well. 

The Witcher

I didn’t know the Witcher was a thing until the second or third game was released. And by that point the only place you could get the first game was gog.com. Which I got. But I would love an updated remaster for consoles as well. 

And that's all I got for now. 

See y'all next time.

Hating someone is giving them too much, just leave them alone. 

~ Henry Rollins