Same Blog, New Chapter (aka reintroducing myself lol)
Hello, Iβm hero_complex_girl! Or you can call me by my real name, Destynee. (Or donβt. I canβt tell you what to do.) Iβm 30, work in a library, and have big plans to move to another country this coming year!
I used this blog for a long time as my own fandom playground, only for her to sit and collect cobwebs for the past 4 years or so. However! I recently got a crazy itch and decided to resurrect her as a more personal, cozy blog that more aligns with myself and who I am today. Therefore, I now commence this blog as a whimsical collection of random stuff that somehow caught my interest at one point or another. Here you will find:
β‘ book reviews and bookish ramblings
β‘ art journal and Hobonichi content
β‘ reblogs of pretty things because why not
β‘ honestly, probs still fandom stuff because Iβm way too invested in characters that are not real (you can pry ao3 out of my cold, dead handsβ¦)
β‘ plenty of other shenanigans, Iβm sure
Feel free to send a message saying hi or recommending a book. Despite the unfriendly picture my sarcasm may paint, I really do enjoy making new friends. I promise lol
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I haven't done anything book-related in such a loooong time, and I truly miss it. I blame that on being in the final semester of my master's program, but I finally graduated! I am now able to work as a certified librarian. Woohoo!
Anywho. This. Book.
I'm unsure what magic was sprinkled in here, but this book made me feel things that I hadn't felt for a long time. No, really, it made me ugly-cry at least twice. Like, multiple used tissues crumpled on my desk while I held an icepack to my puffy eyes, type of crying.
In The Lives of Puppets is about a young man named Victor Lawson who has grown up in the woods with a loving father (who happens to be a robot), a friend with severe anxiety and OCD tendencies (also a robot), and a friend who's a semi-sadistic nurse (who is, you guessed it, also a robot). One day, Victor and his friends find another damaged robot in a giant scrap heap, which he then decides to drag home to try and save. He is successful in this endeavor! However, Victor saving this new robot ultimately leads to his father being taken by the big bad robots, which leads the ragtag group of friends on a wild journey to save him.
Now, this has got to be one of the most interesting casts of characters I have ever seen in a book. They stood out, they were memorable, they made me laugh, they weren't cheesy, and most of all, they all still had their own faults. I loved the interactions between all of them, and I truly was not ready to let go of them in the end. I would say this is also one of the best representations of found family I have ever seen in a book. It made me remember that family doesn't just mean those you're related to by blood, but also those in your life whom you trust and love, and who love you in return.
For a book with a cast that was 90% robots, I'm surprised at how much it genuinely taught me about being human and what it means to live a full and happy life. The ending of this book might not be the happiest one you'll ever read, but it was still beautiful in its own way. Things weren't tied up in a perfect little bow, but that's just life. Things rarely end perfectly. But as far as I'm concerned, I give this book 5 stars because it was perfect to me.
So years and years and years ago, I read your story where Derek is a FBI agent and Stiles is his mate that he finds. And I re-read it tonight. I just wanted to write and tell you how much that story has stuck with me over the years and how I continue to think about it. Thank you for writing it and putting it out there in the world. I hope your January has started swimmingly for you. What are you currently creating?
Wow, that is a HUGE throwback! I was teenager in high school when I wrote that and now I'm 30 π How the time flies! I've gone through so many different fandoms since then and I feel like every one of them has left some kind of lasting impact. I don't write nearly as much as I did anymore since I've collected so many other hobbies, but I am in the process of outlining a fanfic for the Zomvivor fandom (which is a fandom so small it's practically nonexistent). Specifically, it's a fanfic for the pairing MaxNat, which is a Thai BL ship. If you've never heard of Thai BL, I HIGHLY suggest looking into it! Besides that, I am in a masters program and will be graduating this spring with an MA in Library Science. But honestly, your comment just made my day. When I wrote that years ago, I never would have thought it might leave a lasting impression on anyone. Kind of makes me wish I'd have finished it lol. Thank you for the kind compliment and I hope you have one heck of a good year. May you find some amazing fanfics in 2026!
This year, I am excited to join the Hobonichi community! I have wanted one of these for ages, and I finally said, 'fuck it, just get it!' I think this is going to lead to a fantastic year of journaling and creativity for me. Unfortunately, I do not have the pretty Hobonichi handwriting, but maybe someone will find inspiration in the spreads that I do lol
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I fell off the wagon a bit last year after a terrible book slump, but it's a new year, and I'm excited to post on this blog again! These are the top 5 books I hope to get to this month. I'm sure there will also be some manga thrown in there at some point, but all of my classes start again on the 20th, ON TOP OF me finishing a TEFL certification course, so we'll see what I actually manage to read.
The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali - This has been collecting dust on my shelf for the past year and a half so it's time for her to have a chance in the spotlight. I actually started this last night and I didn't want to put it down! I do sense that this will make me cry buckets at some point...
The Chamos Project by Alexis Ames - This book won't be released until February of this year, but I was lucky enough to get an advanced reader's copy. If I've learned anything about myself this past year, it's that I love a book about gays in space.
The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun - Another one that has been waiting patiently on my shelf for a few years, oopsie. Thanks to a reading buddy who picked this for me, I will now get to dive into this one and see why all of my friends have raved about it.
Joyful Reunion Vol 1 by Fei Tian Ye Xiang - I didn't actually know this danmei existed until I stalked the shelves at Barnes the other day. I've had such a good time with Heaven Official's Blessing that I thought I'd give another danmei a try, so here's to hoping it's good!
The Will of the Many by James Islington - This wasn't on my radar until my book club announced it as the book for January and February. It's giving huge dark academia vibes, which I'd like to read more of. I'm not completely sure if I'll get to this one since the wait list at my library is massive, but we shall see!
I don't even remember how I found this manga, but I'm sooooo glad that I did! This story is about Ethan, a cyborg who previously fought in wars, who decides to take a much-needed break from the doom and gloom and travels to a different, peaceful planet. There, he meets the kind and joyful botanist, Mihail, who makes Ethan feel things that he never knew cyborgs were able to feel. Cue the two of them trying to navigate their newfound feelings for each other with the enthusiastic support of the other cyborgs stationed there!
I've never been much of a sci-fi enthusiast, but after reading this manga, I feel the urge to give the genre a chance. This was very simple, cozy, and straightforward. It may have improved a bit if some things had been fleshed out, such as the history of cyborgs and why they were fighting in wars, but for someone like me who just wanted a quick, cute read, it scratched the itch. Both of the MC's were lovable and there was no toxicity between them like a lot of BLs seem to have. There was something very innocent and pure about their relationship, and even the few smut scenes included were somehow cute. If you're a BL lover like I am, I highly recommend giving this one a try.
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I think this may have been a case of "I was very interested when I bought it 8 months ago, but now? Not so much."
Our main character, Briar Wyngrave, has just graduated from magic school and is also dying from a curse that previously killed his mother. Having more or less accepted his fate, he wants to make a name for himself as a magical fashion designer and leave behind some sort of legacy before he dies. He thinks that he can achieve this in his dream city, Pentawynn, but a prophecy sends him to the small island of Coill Darragh instead. He's less than thrilled about this placement to begin with, but the hot alderman, Rowan, makes him think twice. While at Coill Darragh, Briar meets some quirky townsfolk, gets caught in a love triangle, learns the dark secrets of the island's past, and ultimately wonders if there is a way to save it with what little time he has left.
Spoilers below cut!
Now, despite my rating, I didn't think this book was terrible by any means. I just failed to click with the MC after the first 1/3rd of the book. For a character who was very smart and creative, especially with the ways he tried to earn money, I thought he was pretty idiotic when it came to his relationships with the other characters, mostly the two love interests. Rowan was an absolute sweetie, and I felt like Briar just jerked him around a handful of times. I can see why he did what he did, but I have a hard time reading about characters doing stupid things when I myself would never do the stupid thing. It's almost like I get secondhand embarrassment, which I know is a me problem. I think Briar may be the first character I've read about in a long time who I didn't think deserved to be with the love interest in the end.
As for the villain, Linden, I saw that coming from a mile away. Why? Because Briar found him to be the perfect specimen of a human. I'm not sure about you, but anytime I've ever placed someone on a pedestal like that, I've always been proven wrong, lol. Therefore, instant red flags went off when he joined the story. I will give the author some credit for making him as stomach-churning as he was. I definitely thought he was going to be the antagonist, but I was not expecting the abusive lover and murderer aspect of it all.
Now, something that I did enjoy was the setting. This is exactly what I want when I think of cozy, magical settings (minus the darker aspects taking place there, of course). I think the townspeople really helped bring it to life with how friendly, helpful, and all-around enjoyable they were. The author did a good job of painting a picture of a small, tight-knit community and how they interact with one another.
The best part of the whole book, in my opinion, was Briar's friendship with Gretchen, a poltergeist haunting his home. They got off to a rocky start, but I truly enjoyed how their relationship developed and how they were able to help each other out. She was definitely my favorite character out of all of them.
Again, I didn't hate the book. I just failed to click with the MC, and that's usually where a book will lose me. But just because I wasn't a fan of it doesn't mean you won't enjoy it! And if the whole "dying of a curse" aspect is what's holding you back from reading this, I promise you it has a happy ending :)
A whimsical journal spread inspired by a magical doorway, mushrooms, a white rabbit, and a path into wonder. Perfect for fantasy scrapbooking and paper lovers.
I've just recently dragged myself out of a two-month reading slump, and I thought what better way to celebrate overcoming my hurdle than creating something to make me excited about reading again! Pair that with my favorite season coming up, and this fall bookish bingo was created!
Please feel free to use it for yourself if it resonates with you! I would love to hear about what books you choose for the prompts! These prompts are completely up to your own interpretation, of course. If you feel stuck on any of them, do feel free to leave a comment, and I'll see if I can think of anything to suggest!
So, what is the time frame for this bookish bingo? That's completely up to you and when your time-frame of fall is. Personally, I'll be using this starting September 1st and going through the end of October, but you can absolutely go longer than that!
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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After being in a book slump for almost 2 months (I blame it on my newfound interest of Thai TV dramas, oops), I think this was a good graphic novel to grab! It was very cutsey and low-stakes, which is exactly what I needed. Brielle and Bear have a meet-cute moment in the campus bookstore, and they're unable to stop thinking about each other since that moment. This book shows their friendship slowly developing into something beautiful, though this volume doesn't touch on any romantic aspects. Hopefully in the next one!
First of all, the artwork for this story is GORGEOUS. It took me twice as long to finish this story as it should have just because I kept looking at all of the pretty colors and details. I've read a lot of graphic novels but this one has to really be up there in terms of art style. Secondly, the cast of characters is very diverse. There are characters of all kinds with many different backgrounds in this story that will be relatable to someone out there. It was fun seeing all of the unique personalities blending with each other.
Overall, this book just felt like a warm hug. If you love cozy stories with beautiful art and a fairytale-esque setting, I would absolutely recommend giving this a read!
