LINKDING

Summary: Harriet explores the unexpected landscape of marriage. ➜ yuletide fic - for the Lord Peter Wimsey books ➜ Harriet's POV on v-shaped polyamory negotiations, Harriet/Peter and Peter/Bunter ➜ the voice is so well done, of Harriet's whole pov but also every line of Peter's dialogue is dripping with the exact right kind of piffle he likes to talk, with all the casual references and so forth ➜ and the way they work out the relationship dynamics between the three of them, what is and isn't said, and what each of them is looking for, feels so right too! ➜ 10k words in length

Summary: In 1580s London, apprentice grocer John Heminges decides to revive an ancient guild mystery play and ends up getting married, finding a new career, and meeting a friend who will change his life. ➤ a prequel to Nameless, which I just recced, about 17th century theatre actors associated with Shakespeare (and Shakespeare himself) ➤ the viewpoint character begins as an an apprentice grocer in the grocer's guild, and his first taste of acting is in reviving the guild play ➤ like Nameless, a really thoughtful and interesting look at this period of history, with many excellent historical details ➤ the development of John's understanding of what it is to act, and what it is to be part of the world of actors (different things!) is so well done ➤ and I love the quiet, solid romance of trust between John and Rebecca ➤ 10k words in length

A woman visiting Las Vegas for a fun weekend encounters her ne’er-do-well ex-husband, who begs her for a favor that gambles with life and death… ➤ fantasy novelette about a jewish grandmother, after the death of her daughter, facing and dealing with the ways her troubled first marriage affected her life and her daughter ➤ Schanoes is so good at character and setting and emotion! ➤ and it's always great to have a story where the hero is an older woman ➤ 12k words in length

Summary: <blockquote>Shang Qinghua’s fertilizer has unexpected effects on the mushroom body. In addition to—that—Shen Qingqiu doesn’t remember his death. Or anything at all after planting the Sun Moon Dew Mushroom seed in the dirt. But he doesn’t need to, right? Shen Qingqiu knows PIDW and Luo Bing-ge like the back of his hand. He’ll be fine. He just has to avoid getting noticed—you know what happens to beautiful women in PIDW! …though would life in the harem be so bad?</blockquote> ➤ is this het? is this slash? GREAT question.

<blockquote>Qin Su is sick and tired of this wedding. And her marriage. Nie Huaisang is conveniently present.</blockquote>

<blockquote>When Valancy and Barney return to Mistawis, their island fastness is invaded by visitors.</blockquote>

<blockquote>The Dashwood ladies are mixed race. Some things change, but others do not.</blockquote>

<blockquote>In which House Cordonah happens to own the DNA of the scion of a Betan political dynasty, and By and Rish are sent off to Beta to investigate ... without having any very clear idea what they are supposed to be investigating.</blockquote>

<blockquote>It’s hard to stay cynical in the face of Clark Kent and his relentless optimism. Looking at him there, still in his button up shirt from his business trip, sleeves rolled up, still focused even though it’s pushing midnight, she feels a warm, steady wave of fondness in her chest. She wishes they could do this every night. Not the pulling a furious all-nighter right after someone tried to murder her – that part she could take or leave. But it would be nice to spend every evening with Clark. She’d always told herself she liked her space, but being with Clark was like having space and having company rolled into one. Her highly caffeinated, sleep-deprived brain catches up with the implications of that thought process, and she thinks, shit. - After years of pining after an alien demi-god who is, much as she hates to admit it, miles out of her league, Lois realises she's caught feelings for her co-worker. Unsure whether or not to tell him, she seeks advice from the most sensitive guy she knows - Superman. Things don't go as she expected...</blockquote>

<blockquote>“Help us,” my mother begged the rishi. “Pray to Sri Lakshmi, and ask her to take away this boon.” The old woman shook her head. “That might anger the goddess. You shouldn’t appear ungrateful.” After some discussion, the rishi devised a curse, one whose words I know by heart because my mother repeated them to me every night before I slept and every morning when I awoke: “If Rampalalakshmicharan turns an object into gold for another person, they must give him whatever he demands in return. If they don’t, the golden object will turn to ash and he will lose his ability forever.” It wouldn’t guarantee my safety, especially not while I was too young to understand the consequences of my actions, but it meant that no one could abuse my gift forever.</blockquote> ➤ retelling of Rumpelstiltskin from the Rumpelstiltskin character's pov, making him a sympathetic character

<blockquote>in all but their ages (both hover somewhere about seventeen), Cecilia and Girolamo are as different as sun and moon. His sandy hair is uncombed and unbound, long enough to reach the neck of his tunic. Her doublet, padded to resist blows from blunted rapiers, sits awkwardly on her narrow shoulders. They will face each other, bow, and enter the stanzia terza. They will advance and cross blades. Secchi’s students will bellow across the room at the Fantini until the count’s Captain of Guards threatens to throw them all in the aqueduct. Three minutes after that, Giro Basina will fall desperately in love.</blockquote>

<blockquote>Mei Changsu prepares to leave his lord, and Lin Shu prepares to leave his friend, to the care of Liu Yuzhuang.</blockquote> ➤ mcs still dies (not a fix-it)

<blockquote>That first autumn it felt as if the whole world had been made for them—which, of course, it had. They walked down the avenue of oaks that reached above their heads like Gothic arches, red leaves drifting lazily down to collect at their feet. Ashwin was pleased as anything and couldn’t say enough about the designers, how it was worth spending more sometimes, how you got what you paid for. Everything was just as he’d imagined it: roseate light, unseasonal butterflies, crisp air with a faint waft of frost in it. To Jade, the place was beautiful without having any special charm; she knew she could have seen the same landscape in a vidroom down the street from their apartment, could’ve had the scent of fog and bonfires pumped in and controlled the temperature from her cuff. But Ash was always a fanatic for authenticity.</blockquote> ➤ oh fascinating!! and what a good ending too

<blockquote>Well, Valancy thought, that was a proposal, no two ways about it.</blockquote> ➤ Odd but surprisingly fun! Don't know though that I'm fond of switching up who's in love first though, I don't think it makes sense for Barney to be that susceptible to love so soon without some time to settle into it, after his previous experience.

<blockquote>"My aunt Valaria means to give us Nissa as a wedding present, to go with us and spy on me!" Cottia cried.</blockquote> ➤ series consists of: A Wedding Gift The Fire of Vesta Daughters The Threefold Tie

<blockquote>We first noticed something was off one April afternoon when Jessica and I came home from school and Mom had lopped her hair off. Though we probably should’ve known something was going on a week or two before that when Cecilia Ivers’ mom started baking cakes full of Tabasco sauce and pickles (bizarre but good). But anyway, we walked in the front door, and Mom came out of the living room to greet us. Her hair looked cool, and cool was just about the last word I ever would’ve used to describe her. It looked weird, and that was cool. Jessica let out a whistle of startled appreciation. She wanted to cut her hair short and dye it purple, but she knew our dad would freak. </blockquote>

<blockquote>Such a cold response comes as a shock. He'd expected impassioned pleas from her-- he had been steeling himself to endure them. Instead, he is left to consider, with a sudden sense of foreboding, how formidable Nihuang could be as an enemy. Post-series, alternate ending. Lin Shu ends his engagement with Nihuang. Nihuang lets him. Jingyan finds this unacceptable.</blockquote> ➤ more identity fun! I definitely understand everything that's happening in this fic for a show I know nothing about! it's great anyway!

<blockquote>Anakin Skywalker dies, and Padmé Amidala wakes up, with all his power. </blockquote>

<blockquote>“I see his dreams. A cure for me.” Hulk blows out a breath. He hates Banner so fucking much. “That’s bullshit,” Angry Girl says. “I wouldn’t let that happen. Fuck that. I’d beat the shit out of him and bring you back.” Hulk looks over at her. He can feel the idea, just out of reach. She looks back, turning her head in a way that means a question. Hulk knows things like that now. She’s the one who taught him.</blockquote> ➤ oh my god??

<blockquote>‘LONGEST NIGHT’ HAS BIGGEST NIGHT IN HOLLYWOOD HISTORY Jaime Lannister’s historical epic, starring Joffrey Baratheon as Aegon Targaryen and Margarey Tyrell as Queen Sansa, broke box office records last week with the largest opening weekend in history. The Lion Hand Studios production netted a whopping $400 million dragons in the domestic box office and shows no sign of slowing down any time soon. The film made headlines three months ago when the movie’s stars announced their romantic relationship on the heels of the dissolution of Baratheon’s engagement with Sansa Stark, who penned the script. Although Baratheon claimed the split with Stark was amicable, sources close to the former couple insist it was anything but. “Joffrey wanted someone to make him famous, and as soon as Sansa wrote a movie for him that did just that, he left her in the dirt.”</blockquote> ➤ Didn't grab me right away but really enjoyed it once it got past the epistolary stuff

<blockquote>Arya is the only one of them to have met the Targaryen’s Young Dragon, and even then it had been a short battlefield acquaintance when the Ironborn had tried to take the Rock and a hasty alliance had been formed to push them back. Arya had come back from the south covered in blood and filth and said, he’s adequate, I suppose, which meant he probably was the greatest living swordsman.</blockquote>

<blockquote>What if Rick had been a medjai from the start? One decision sets the adventure in motion, but the thing about decisions is that there's always more than one option to choose. Some things unfold differently, yes, but some manage to fall into place like the tumblers on a puzzle-box key, turning round and round until things go click.</blockquote>

<blockquote>Almost the instant Brienne was out of earshot, Bronn turned to Podrick, jerked his head towards Jaime and asked, “Has he fucked her yet?”</blockquote> ➤ I love how through Jaime's eyes Brienne is so....so clearly The Best

<blockquote>Rita Hanson is also experiencing a time loop on February 2nd, 2017 in Punxsutawney. But it's not quite the same.</blockquote>

<blockquote>"We should take the general on a mission," Rose said. "One that's useful and not fatal." “We have those?” Finn asked. “Probably not fatal if well-executed,” Rose amended. The surviving members of the Resistance decide the best way to help Leia is to take her on a recruiting mission to Rose's home world.</blockquote>

<blockquote>If they stay on the planet they'll die of radiation poisoning, but gate travel will kill them unless they have sex to neutralize the effects of a fungal spore they've been exposed to.</blockquote>

<blockquote>Aliens need their sperm.</blockquote>

<blockquote>Two cousins and former comrades in arms -- one in London to accompany his sister through her first Season, the other convalescing at home in Essex -- must re-acclimatize to civilian life as they encounter Polite Society, a plot to murder a marchioness, and, most dangerously of all, romance.</blockquote>

<blockquote>Marie kept on chattering. “...and the suitors can start watching you dance for the unicorns next month. Philippe is first in line to try, right? He would make a good king.” “Mother danced for nine men before Father.” Zéphine mashed the custard with her spoon. “I wouldn’t like that.” Marie’s dark eyebrows drew together. “Nine men, all dead....” I would only like to summon a unicorn, thought Zéphine. The men can look after themselves. But she knew that no unicorn would ever come for her.</blockquote>

<blockquote>The paths which Attolia and Eddis take are both paved with loss, but the ways they walk those paths are very different.</blockquote>