#6: Witch Hat Atelier Vol 4. I finished the anime then and RAN to pick the manga back up where I left off. I'd been told the story really doesn't pull its punches, and we start to see that kick in here. Beautiful art, propulsive story, great character arcs. What's not to love? #PirateReadingClub

#5: A Wild Radiance. I wanted to love this one so much, especially because of the polyam + queerplatonic relationships at the center. Unfortunately, almost every element was a miss for me. But to be fair!! I'm not the target audience. I very well might have adored this as a teen. #PirateReadingClub

#4: The Summer Hikaru Died Vol. 1. I loved this anime a lot, and the manga is equally fun. And by "fun," I mean it's terrifying and sad and beautiful. I just want these boys to be happy!!! Even if one of them might actually be a [ unsettling radio static noises ] #PirateReadingClub

#3: We Burned So Bright. I think my expectations were really high for this one. It didn't hit me as hard in the feels as it did other folks I know, but I did think it had its beautiful, poignant moments. There's some scenes that are definitely going to stick with me a long time. #PirateReadingClub

#2: These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart. I'm ALWAYS down for a sci-fi noir, but this one didn't stick the landing for me. It might have benefitted from being a novel vs a novella, with more room to explore its themes (which were admittedly interesting!) #PirateReadingClub

#1: Magical Girl Dandelion Vol. 1. I'm always looking for magical girl series that are doing something different, and this is a strong series start. Not 100% sure I'm sold yet, but I liked it enough that I'll keep reading. #PirateReadingClub

Here’s mine, plus my flag-making helper ✨

I’m INCREDIBLY happy with my auction winnings 🥹💖 Thank you @jediholly.bsky.social for the acespec bee and @stitchy.bsky.social for the art with legs!!

I couldn’t make a cheesecake yesterday, but I DID stitch this pattern from @witheringslights.bsky.social while watching the livestream ✨

✨behold✨

I’d love to enter for either Merstede or the hat! 💚 (Screenshot in two parts to omit personal info)

2.3 I’ll never leave again, come back to me (second-chance romance) The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen This one has it all: excellent character work, super pacey plot, nice balance of sweetness and steam. I also love romantic leads talking through problems like adults! #OFMDReadingChallenge

2.8 It’s about belonging to something (found family) The Keeper of Lonely Spirits I really adored the romance being between two elderly men. Didn’t always feel like the relationships had a ton of depth, but I won’t say I disliked this as a whole. A fun, light, cozy read. #OFMDReadingChallenge

2.4 His brain is maybe couscous (food on cover) Automatic Noodle A cozy, quick read. Liked the worldbuilding and the sci-fi elements, but don't think it stuck the landing with heavier topics. Particularly re: cultural appropriation and robots as a marginalized community. #OFMDReadingChallenge

This is a cat I met at a local pet shop on Saturday. They came over and started doing very important quality assurance work on the toys on the wall before stopping to bask in the sun

2.7 I'm a fisherman now (aquatic creature on the cover) Chlorine Q: Is the real horror the physical + psychological trauma of being a girl in a highly competitive sport? Of inhabiting a body betraying you? Or a bloody transformation no one else understands? A: All the above. #OFMDReadingChallenge

1.4 Two chandeliers? That's overkill! (two word title) Lone Women The way the supernatural elements in this were woven into the world, the real life history, and the character work itself was all stunning. I knew nothing going in and was swept up in it immediately. #OFMDReadingChallenge

STOP. this is a selfie checkpoint. you must repost with a cute selfie to proceed.

1.1 What we're about to do will be perilous (first book in a series) Empress of Salt and Fortune VERY impressive how much worldbuilding is in this tiny novella. I felt a bit lost in it at times, but the story is so compelling that I didn't overly mind. #OFMDReadingChallenge

I’m sorry your day was tough 🫂 I’ve been crafting a lot lately and just learned how to use a latch hook. I used it to make parts of this!

And some additional camp odds and ends 💖 Thank you to the @midwestpiratecamp.bsky.social crew for an amazing experience!!

Enjoying naan from the cooking class, taking in some insane foliage, hanging out with friends at the bunk house, and more campfire time. (He was not cooked at all I promise)

Here he is posing with art we found on the nature walk, all decked out for Calypso’s Birthday, enjoying the spoils of the piñata, and sitting with his favorite candle

Bean!Izzy at Midwest Pirate Camp: The Greatest Hits. Here he is making s’mores, learning to sew, being dapper with a hat we found outside, and posing with Ed’s Stede outfit ✨

#17: Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang. I don't think this prose was for me. The book played with lots of very cool themes—what can be original in the age of AI, if originality even matters, creative jealousy—but I just couldn't feel like I was fully immersed a lot of the time.

#16: Devils Like Us by L.T. Thompson. They got me with that OFMD comp, but I ended up loving it on its own merits (though yes, the queer found family at sea was lovely). Historical, paranormal, and queer with transmasc rep and a lot of sapphic pining. VERY excited to read the next book when it's out

#15: Defekt by Nino Cipri. I was wary about a sequel to Finna that followed different characters, but I'm really glad I gave this one a shot. It's just as delightfully weird as the first novella. It's cool to think about how Finna was written as a screenplay originally, and how the prose—

#14: Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger. Another reread, and I think I loved it even more the second time around. The worldbuilding is especially top tier. And if we're friends and I haven't gone on a (very positive) rant at you about the vampires or scarecrows, then it's only a matter of time really

My lovely 10 book flag 🥹🎉!

I am SO EXCITED to have this silly sweet fic (otherwise known as the Stizzy-car-crash-meet-cute) and Subaru's absolutely amazing art out in the world! 💖 #OFMDReverseBang