Books that remind me of Howl's Moving Castle: A Masterlist
Howl's Moving Castle (HMC) is my favorite book of all time, and I tend to look for the things I like and love to read the same trope or style of book over and over again. There are a few things I look for in a book when trying to capture the magic of HMC:
Characters - we are looking for STRONG and quirky characters that follow the general vibes of a vain man (or whatever) with magical power and a salty stubborn kindhearted woman (or whatever) who bursts into his life. Preferably there is a third, magical little fellow to fill the Calcifer role who is a dear friend to them both.
Romance - this vain silly powerful character and this pushy kind character need to fall in love. Im sorry. Its what im HERE for. I love a romance.
Funny/Witty - the book should be FUNNY, not "unserious", but not take itself so seriously. I want BANTER and witty dialogue. We want a little bit of jabbing, name calling, and arguments as our two leads fall in love.
Cozy Vibes - the plot should not be "Avengers style saving the universe from destruction" levels of stress. We should have character driven moments, scenes that evolve naturally out of us feeling "of course that's what he/she would do", scenes of domesticity whether that's eating or cooking, cleaning or decorating. There can be stakes, and there can be danger, there can even be plot twists, but overall we should not feel stressed while reading - these are comfort reads with happy endings.
Setting - I have to be honest, I have never really looked for a HMC book stand in OUTSIDE the fantasy genre - I really want this to be a fantasy setting. It is also important to me there be a "home base", i.e. the Moving Castle. So I love for our heroine (or whatever) to MOVE INTO the Sorcerer's space for some contrivance and cause havoc.
SO HERE ARE THE BOOKS, and how/why the remind me of HMC. THERE MAY BE SOME SPOILERS and I will continue to update as I read (I will only inlcude books I have read to be sure of quality - but send me recs so I can check them out):
Emily Wilde Series: A magical male lead who is the combination of Sophie and Howl - gorgeous, vain, argumentative, particular, loves cleanliness, loves spiders, loves sewing, and is embarassingly smitten with our female lead. Emily herself is not really a one to one for any of the HMC characters, but she feels like she fits perfectly - smart, sharp, blunt, and loyal. Emily's hound Shadow sort of meets my Calcifer stand in character, as does a little fairy named Poe. The adventure is small stakes, affecting a small nordic town nestled into snowy mountains, and many of the scenes take place inside a cabin in need of a facelift like the moving castle. Others on this list follow far more of the beats of HMC, and yet Emily Wilde feels like the strongest successor to the characters and the charm in my opinion.
The Maid and the Crocodile: The third installment in the "Raybearer" world, but a stand-alone novel that does not technically require you to read "Raybearer" and "Redemptor" but I think it helps... This was my favorite of the Raybearer books by far and away. The story is fairly small stakes - the consequences of the plot will really only affect the two main characters. Sade reminds me of Sophie in many ways - a girl on a journey from meek and quiet to opinionated and outspoken all the while sharing her passion for cleaning and domestic work. She also has a rare and undiscovered magical power of her own, like Sophie. Her love interest is a terribly vain cursed magical man seeking her help to break his curse, and he has a little magical gecko helper that soooort of fills the Calcifer role. The Crocodile also has a magical house with multiple magical doors leading to various places in the Realm. The author even shouts out the HMC novel in the acknowledgments for inspiring parts of the book. I think OVERALL this is the closest one-to-one adaptation to HMC, but the wittiness and characters for me do not reach the levels of some of the others on the list.
Uprooted: A klutzy nature loving girl is surprisingly whisked away to a castle by a local curmudgeonly sorcerer, named The Dragon. Turns out, she has a unique magical ability she never knew about. The Dragon teaches her magic in a cozy single location first half of the book, and our heroine learns baking and cooking, cleaning and loooove along the way. Much higher stakes story revolving around saving the kingdom, some politics, and some much darker parts of human nature and well just nature than others on this list. But numerous beats are similar.
Sorcery of Thorns: A young librarian learns a terrible secret and is forced to cohabitate with a handsome young sorcerer in a deal with a demon for magic. The two leads are bickering and witty, trading barbs as they fall in love. They eventually make home base in Thorn Manor, and the demon aforementioned is a Calcifer-esque addition to the fun. Tad less cozy, tad higher stakes than I would care for - but the banter and found family in the Manor reminds me a lot of HMC.
The Paper Magician: For this one... you have to sort of squint to see it. But trust me: there is SOMETHING here that is HMC all over it and it would be a HUGE spoiler to go into it. Lets just say it has something to do with a LITERAL stolen heart. A young magicians apprentice is paired against her will with the titular Paper Magician, to live in his home and learn his trade. Along the way, we get some lovely world building, fall in love, and save some hearts.
Sorcery and Small Magics (edit to add) - two sorcerers studying at the best magic academy have been ârivalsâ since they met. They accidentally get tangled up in a curse and embark on a âforced proximityâ adventure to find a sorcerer living in a magic tower full of doors to strange places to break their cursed bond. Did I mention they bicker and provoke one another, and our main lead has a secret special magic to uncover? This is a queer, slow burn, low spice low stakes (only effects the two main characters) story and it was full of the type of comedy and whimsy I look for in a HMC successor. A planned trilogy
Where the Dark Stands Still (edit to add) - WOOOOW wowie wow this might be the new contender for best âcloneâ of HMC (lovingly I use this it def stands on its own); magic girl who canât control powers enters a bargain with a demon and moves into his magical manor and befriends a hearth spirit only to fall in love with the demon who is actually a sorcerer who sold his heart in a bargain with a REAL demon and she has to use her lovable nature to save her found family. This is the only book on this list to date that has a true Michael stand-in character as well as a Calicifer stand in. O and The romantic couple call each other charming insults. This one is much darker and bloodier and morally greyer than HMC, but takes place almost entirely in the bounds of our âcastleâ and the magic wood that surrounds it.
A Harvest of Hearts (edit to add) - I read this one as an ARC from NetGalley. Pretty macabre and full of gore and piss (really one chapter has waaaay too much piss) to be considered a true cozy in my world, but was marketed to me as such. The simple and tad crass butchers daughter Foss finds herself under the spell of an ethereally handsome and utterly naive sorcerer who did NOT mean to cast it. She ends up drawn to him against her will to try to break the enchantment, and tricks him into letting her become his cleaning lady in his enchanted house. And there is a little black cat that ABSOLUTELY fills the Calcifer role. Our sorcerer, Sylvester, even throws a tantrum a la Howl and slime with some plates. The plot is utterly charming as a HMC fan but the dark and eerie world building and crass language keeps it from being a âfavoriteâ of mine.
A Matter of Magic/Mairelon the Magician/Magicianâs Ward (edit to add) - a forgotten gem of a bygone era of fantasy fiction (2002, but seriously it feels like the early 90s somehow). Patricia C Wredes humor is so FULL here that I actually found myself skipping some of the overlong pages of this comedy of manners and bumbling dandies to get to the plot. A real Sorcerer disguises himself as a fake magician to catch a band of thieves, and ends up adopting a young thief into his confidences. Turns out the thief is a young girl with innate magical abilities disguised as a boy to stay safe on the streets. These two end up being my type of soulmates - comfortable and bickering and utter equals and partners in crime and life. The first book finds Kim, the young street urchin, following Mairelon the Magician in his horse drawn cart across the English countryside and the second book finds Kim his ward, entering magical high society as a debutante. There is cozy tea and eduardian snobbery, a slow burn love story, and found family. The style is more HMC than the plot, to be fair, but I HIGH KEY RECOMMEND
Agnes Aubertâs Mystical Cat Shelter (edit to add) - have you ever wished some of the best parts of the HMC film were in the book?? This one was as if Heather Fawcett put post it notes on the wall full of WHAT was in the book and film and rearranged them with new connective tissue and a tape of grief for an older female protagonist (a 35 year old widow). The greatest magician of his generation has a terrible evil reputation but is actually a kind hearted, sarcastic, disorganized spider-loving mess with jewels in his ears? Check. Our female protagonist moves into his magical house that can me moved and transported and is appalled by the mess so starts organizing? Check. Thereâs a bumbling darling apprentice thatâs the only one who understands the magician? Check. Thereâs a beautiful but otherworldly âwitchâ battling the magician in fantastic ways on the streets of the city? Check. Take the cats from âCastle in the Airâ and throw them in. The devoted sister? Check. Baking? Check. Now from the film: time travel love story? Check. Magic used too often turns the user into a big black monster that becomes less and less human? Check. Seriously yall - what else could you want in a HMC clone???
the oldest reblogs for this post that i can find are from january 2nd of 2013. this can has been getting kicked around tumblr for almost 13½ years now
when i was 8 i had a very intimidating russian woman as a music teacher- she was both my opera instructor and piano teacher. about a month into piano, she sat me down and said to my mother and i "this child- very beautiful voice, good for singing. i will not allow this child to continue piano. god did not want this child to play an instrument. he told me this in dreams. that is all."
my mom had it written down on a slip so we could remember the exact words because it was so funny. i HATED playing piano and i was definitely not good at it (i did end up having a good 5 years of opera training and ended up being a pretty accomplished choir singer though) and the idea of god sending my incredibly severe and serious russian piano teacher a dream begging her to stop teaching me piano was probably the funniest way it could have gone.
Something that I get chills about is the fact that the oldest story told made by the oldest civilization opens with "In those days, in those distant days, in those ancient nights."
This confirms that there is a civilization older than the Sumerians that we have yet to find
Some people get existential dread from this
Me? I think it's fucking awesome it shows just how much of this world we have yet to discover and that is just fascinating
@makaeru peer review cos this made me check when the Sumerians happened and I forget how recent history is for every other continent. 7000 - 8000 years ago just isn't that long when you're in Australia, and the amount of detailed history we have access to here is wonderful and should be recognised more internationally
Source (non Aboriginal)
And a quote I picked out from a longer interview with an Aboriginal local elder about the area where he touched on the history
Source (the rest of the interview is really interesting and all transcribed, have a look if you're curious)
This is part of my Ancient Civilizations class that I teach, which does a whole week about Australia and the Torres Strait Islands because I was sick of never seeing them represented in USAmerican history contexts. With the help of @micewithknives and @acearchaeologist I've learned so many incredible things about Australia's past and it's been incredibly rewarding to share them with students.
My favorite fact about Aboriginal oral history is the fact that we pretty recently discovered that the Aboriginal myth of the 7 Sisters, an origin story for the Pleiades star cluster, accurately reflects a point TEN THOUSAND YEARS AGO when two stars in the constellation got close enough together to no longer be distinguishable by the naked eye.
The story? 6 sisters running from something that took their 7th sister.
Their oral history also contains stories about hunting prehistoric megafauna too. Native Australians are the oldest existing culture on earth, which is even more amazing considering how hard the british tried to wipe it out.
Do you design a lot of characters living in not-modern eras and youâre tired of combing through google for the perfect outfit references? Well I got good news for you kiddo, this website has you covered! Originally @modmad made a post about it, but her link stopped working and I managed to fix it, so hereâs a new post. Basically, this is a costume rental website for plays and stage shows and what not, they have outfits for several different decades from medieval to the 1980s. LOOK AT THIS SELECTION:
OPEN ANY CATEGORY AND OH LORDYâ
Thereâs a lot of really specific stuff in here, I design a lot of 1930s characters for my ask blog and with more chapters on the way for the game it belongs to Iâm gonna be designing more, and this website is going to be an invaluable reference. I hope this can be useful to my other fellow artists as well! :)
For anyone who hasn't seen them before, Hidden Search Operators are handy tricks you can use when you're either searching or filtering AO3.
summary: string is a generic way of explaining that you can search AO3 for a specific word that appears in a summary. You can do this from the search bar in the header, from the Any Field box at the top of the Advanced Search form, or from the Search Within Results box at the bottom of the filter menu.
Examples:
summary: Bruce
summary: "Bruce Banner"
summary: Bruce OR summary: Banner OR summary: Hulk
You need to put quotation marks around your search term if it is more than one word. The quotes make sure that the site searches for those two words together.
The other two operators listed work best in the Search Within Results box.
expected_number_of_chapters: 1 will return results where every fic has only 1 chapter currently posted.
You can use -expected_number_of_chapters: 1 if you want results where every fic has more than 1 chapter currently posted.
otp:true will return results where there is only 1 relationship tag on the fic. If you want results where there are 2+ relationship tags (and no fics with only 1 relationship tag) then you can use otp:false
This post is going around again (with an unfortunate syntax error on it - this version is correct), so I thought I'd add some information that folks have mentioned wanting in the notes.
Any time you want help with how to use AO3, look for the question mark bubbles. Clicking or tapping on those bubbles will open up a pop up window with information on that specific part of AO3. For example, here's the information for Include filters.
2. When you log into AO3 for the first time, you'll have a banner on your dashboard that gives you a ton of links and information that's useful for new users. A lot of people will dismiss this banner without ever reading it, but you can get it back at any time.
Go to your Preferences, scroll down to Misc. and check the box next to Turn the new user help banner back on. Update your preferences, and the banner will return.
3. When you first tap or click into the search in the header bar, a little popup tip appears below the text box. This is showing you an example of a search that you can do.
4. If you've never seen the filters before, click or tap on any tag that you're interested in. On a wide screen like a laptop, the filters will appear on the right hand side of the screen. On a narrow screen like a phone, you can tap on the Filters button for the menu to appear.
5. The FAQ has a series of questions related to Searching and Browsing on the Archive. You can find the FAQ in the dropdown under the word About in the header.
6. You can also just click on stuff and see what happens. For example, if you're wondering what the four icons at the top corner of each fic blurb mean, you can just click on them and get a popup with the key. Same thing if you're wondering about the icons at the top right of a bookmark.
7. I almost forgot âď¸If you want to see fics based on the primary pairing but you're okay with additional ships being in the fic (so otp:true won't work for you) - there's a script for that! AO3 Only Show Primary Pairing.
This post is extremely long now, but if you're wondering about other things just drop them in the notes.
This is Haolong dongi, a new species of iguanodontian ornithopod found covered in what is basically,,, hedgehog quills??
The fossil is a stunningly preserved skeleton from China that includes evidence of hard armour scales on the tail (like in the much smaller Kulindadromeus), and a coat of spines along its neck and back! The name appropriately means "spiky dragon".
Not only is a spiny iguanodont wild on its own (this individual is over 2 metres long and is a juvenile, other ornithopods with quill-like structures are much smaller), these spines also appear to be an entirely new skin structure? They're apparently not feathers or scales, but a secret third thing.
This is probably the most culturally important thing Iâll ever seen in my lifetime if Iâm being honest. I want this affixed over my mantle, embroidered into my denim, and emblazoned into my flesh so that generations to come may never forget this 1938 gem of an illustration. Put this on my gravestone and name my children after Alfo Di Gennaro. This is what itâs all about.
Artist was obviously a leg man, but I have never seen a female alien love interest designed as THIS alien before. Sheâs uniquely hairy, bugged-eyed, lines would indicate at least a partial exoskeleton, she has escaped being saddled with the mammories that a non-mammal being would not have, yet sheâs got it bad for Space Force Leatherhead and he is so into her. I can practically hear his prose of her cabochon eyes of nebula violet, glowing with the passion to know and be known, in the starlight. The green of her body turning more vivid as discovery (and carnal knowledge) consume her conscious mind.
To suggest a red-blooded, human man could love Greedoâs cousin? Desire her??
This is fantastic, in every sense. How many lives did this change forever?
don't mind me, I'm going to ramble a little about decorating plates (with pictures lol)
one of the things I really enjoy about decorating plates is that the rim of the plate is the perfect place to put some kind of framing
(all pieces in this post are sold)
I don't always frame the images, sometimes leaving it uncarved is the best way to accent the central image
or I'll simply continue the design out over the rim of the plate
the rest I'm going to put under the cut lol
it took me awhile to get used to considering and planning out the rim of a piece while I was sketching. oftentimes I would forget about it, and once I was finished carving the central image Iâd suddenly realize the piece needed a frame to feel complete. sometimes it just doesnât look right without something on the rim! this piece definitely falls into that category.
once it was carved it just felt too open without a frame
I really like decorating the rim with little things that relate to the subject of the piece. it might be my favourite kind of framing
(the violets relate to the pigeons because the sapphic flag is pink with violets, and this is a portrait of my pigeons, who are lesbians lol)
sometimes the framing design escapes the confines of the rim lol, despite my plans. the gum blossoms just really wanted more space in this thylacine piece
framing a design works on tiles too of course, but the raised rim is more fun imo
(both of the above tiles are from pretty early on in my sgraffito experiments, so the photos are unfortunately very bad đŹ I hadn't yet learned to take nice pictures)
sometimes a frame can act a bit like a stylized background for the subject, like these trees
or a more distant set of trees to indicate a forest
or I can use the rim's design more like a closer look at the environment around the subject, their immediate surroundings; the rabbits surrounded by thorns, the jackdaw surrounded by juniper
it's also interesting to bring the carving of the background of the piece out onto the rim when itâs a different colour, like in the (above) jackdaw plate, and the (below) red winged blackbird plate. it can show the subtle background carving in a more visible way and kind of tie the design together
sometimes a simple directional pattern is the way to go. I did this a lot in 2023 especially for some reason?
I've really grown to love carving imperfect patterns, and I find it relaxing to just kind of go with it and not worry about perfect spacing or lines
itâs really an exercise in frustration to try to make a pattern exact when itâs being carved on a hand built piece of pottery that is already an imperfect shape.
Iâve never been particularly intent on being exact with my art tbh (though I do admire that quality in other artists)
I am happy with a more relaxed method lol
this one below was done really roughly and I enjoy the way some of the underglaze remained after I scratched most of it off. it follows the shape of the piece really nicely, because I let my carving tool just followed the shape of the rim without much guidance from my hand lol
sometimes I experiment with using glaze to add a little something to the rims
and sometimes, the frame is just the perfect place to put a few words
but I'd never really used framing much in my art before I started making plates! so it's been a bit of a learning experience. I've enjoyed experimenting with new ways to decorate the rims of plates. some of them don't work out lol, but that's just the nature of making art
Showing vulnerability is a core part of driving the plot or character development, whether they're building relationships or force them to make choices they wouldn't normally do.
Exposing your character's doubts and insecurities shows the reader that your character is real and has depth.
Here are 20 ways you can create tension by showing vulnerability in your characters through actions:
Letting someone see them exhausted instead of pretending theyâre fine.
Admitting they donât know what theyâre doing and not joking about it.
Whispering secrets to objects instead of people.
Holding back tears, not because theyâre strong, but because theyâre scared.
Accepting help and apologizing for it at the same time.
Taking a deep breath before speaking, as if bracing for impact.
Sitting closer than necessary, then freezing when noticed.
Saying âyou donât have toâ when they desperately want them to stay.
Letting their voice crack.
Sharing something small first, testing the ground. Alternatively, sharing small joys to test if it's safe to share bigger ones.
Watching the other personâs reaction instead of finishing the sentence.
Fidgeting with sleeves, rings, or scars they usually hide.
Letting silence stretch instead of filling it with humour.
Admitting they were hurt without assigning blame.
Avoiding eye contact while speaking about something personal.
Trusting someone with a truth they donât fully understand yet.
Hesitating before touching, afraid of rejection. Their hands hang in the air for a moment as if waiting for permission.
Saying âI donât want to be aloneâ instead of âIâm fine.â
Letting someone touch them in a way they usually resist.
Smiling through pain, hoping no one notices the cracks.
âThey felt sick.â â Vague.
âThey threw up.â â Sometimes, but not always.
Illness isnât a switch you flip. Fever and nausea creep, spike, ebb, lie to you, then come back worse. They live in the body first, and thatâs where your writing should live too.
Below, I've written a lil' cheat sheet for you. Reblog so you can come back later.
THE BODY LANGUAGE OF FEVER & NAUSEA
Skin & Temperature
Skin alternates between clammy and burning
Deep internal warmth
Sudden chills while sweating
Clothes feel wrong, either too heavy, too tight, too warm, not warm enough, etc.
Goosebumps even in a warm room
Face flushed, ears hot, neck damp
Head & Senses
Head feels pressurized or stuffed with cotton
Eyes ache when moving
Nose stuffed (on either one side, or both)
Ears ringing or deaf on one side
Lights are too bright/sharp
Sounds blur together
Food smells gross
Room feels tilted or surreal
Focus slips mid-thought
Food/water has an aftertaste
Stomach & Core
Nausea that comes in waves
Swallowing feels deliberate, effortful
Dry swallowing, dry throatâdry everything
Saliva thickens or pools suddenly
Abdomen tightens
Hunger exists but is nauseating at the same time
Body curls inward without thinking
Mouth & Throat
Tongue feels coated
Taste turns metallic, bitter, or flat
Lips dry; licking them doesnât help
Gag reflex hair-trigger sensitive
Breathing through the mouth makes it worse
Movement & Posture
Barely any movement
Sitting becomes slouching, then curling
Standing too fast triggers instant nausea/dizziness
Hands brace on thighs, counters, walls
Feet shuffle; balance checked constantly
Body seeks cold surfaces or firm pressure
Voice & Speech
Voice dulls or drops in volume (due to plugged nose and raspy throat)
Words come slower
Sentences trail off unfinished
Irritation spikes easily (even if people are being nice)
Delayed responses
Apologies come out automatically (âSorry. Sorry.â)
NOT ALL âSICKâ FEELS THE SAME
Fever (infection-based):
Comes with chills + heat
Mental fog, slowed reaction time
Body aches feel deep, joint-based
Thirst increases, appetite drops
Sleep is restless, sweaty, unrefreshing
Colds / Flu:
More head pressure, sinus heaviness
Heavy cough, sore throat
Heavy fatigue
Fever may be mild or absent (especially colds)
Chronic Illness Flares:
Pain is familiar but still intense
Less panic, more resigned
Symptoms stack (fatigue + nausea + pain)
Character may ration movement and speech
Recovery expectations are lower
Menstrual Cramps:
Pain pulses rhythmically
Heat helps
Nausea tied to motion and smell
Sensitive emotions (more prone to snapping, saying things they regret)
Body feels heavy
Stress-Induced Nausea:
No fever, no chills
Jaw tension, shallow breathing
Nausea spikes during stillness
Relief when distracted or moving
These differences matter. They change how a character reacts, not just how they feel.
So yeah, hope that helps. You don't need vomiting on the page every time. Sometimes being sick is feeling off-key, or sometimes it's quiet recovery. It varies. The symptoms are one part of your story, the rest is up to characterization and plot. Why is illness relevant to your story? Why is this character sick, and how is it different from another character? You can have a lot of fun with this.
Written by a human with a headache and too much experience lying very still, hoping it passes. If you liked this post, buy me a coffee... or cough medicine. đ
These are some of the best mara/luke fics I've read - feel free to add more in rb/comments!
Repair by BananasAreForParties - Graphic Depictions of violence, fluff and angst, whump. 20k complete. Mara Jade came to Aran to trade. She acquires nutcakes, Imperials, and one Luke Skywalker, condition: damaged. Hurt/Comfort fic.
Reccer's note: Their awkward but geniune flirting in this is so cute
Rapunzel, Rapunzel, You Arenât Even Stuck In Your Tower by PrinceJakeFireCake - fluff, secret identity, 6k complete. Mara Jade, an ex-spy for the dragon, Emperor Palpatine, now a knight of Princess Leia Organa, is on a mission to rescue the princessâ twin brother from the tower he was locked in.
A.K.A.
Someone had to write Luke as Rapunzel and I am someone
Limpet AU series by frodogenic - humor, family fluff, 89k complete. Newly returned from the Unknown Regions with Darth Vader, Admiral Piett doesn't expect much of a welcome from the New Republic. And not in a million lifetimes would he have predicted that their very first guest would be Luke Skywalker. After all, Skywalker and Vader are still mortal enemies...right?
Reccer's Note: this series is so good, like, insanely good. I keep rereading it.
Take My Breath Away by atamascolily - hanahaki disease, 1k complete. Luke collapses during a sparring session, coughing up blood--and flowers? A concerned Mara drags him to Cilghal for medical treatment, but the answers aren't what either of them expected.
Catch and Release by frangipani - rated E, sexual experimentation, 10k complete. So let me get this straight," Mara says."You decided that to entertain yourself while I'm offplanet you're going to get licensed to pilot a Mon Cal cruiser?"
He frowns. "You say it like itâs ridiculous.â
"Those ships aren't even made for human pilo--" She narrows her eyes. "Oh no, it's the challenge thing, isnât it?"
Or the one where Luke and Mara try to bang while keeping Luke's pulse within a specific range. Absolutely 0 science knowledge went into this. Consider yourself warned.
Who Needs a Cover Anyway? by JediDryad - misunderstandings, jealousy, 1k complete. Against his better judgment, Luke agrees to act as "Jedi Ambassador" on a mission with Mara and Lando. Will he be able to keep his feelings to himself or will observing their relationship be too much?
Miscommunications by JediDryad - misunderstandings, 849 words complete. Luke sends Mara a nervous rambling message inviting her for a visit. What she receives is something quite different.
Family Planning for the Force-Sensitive by beautifultoastdream - domestic, fluff, 13k complete. Two years after Exar Kun is defeated, Mara Jade and Luke Skywalker are married. Mara is uneasily settling into life as a Jedi trainee and as the New Republic's representative to the Smugglers' Alliance. But when Karrde's vornskrs have a strange reaction to her during a routine meeting, Mara learns that something else is about to happen ... And it scares her more than C'baoth.
Slight AU from Star Wars Legends, fluff and angst.
The Trouble with Bootie Comms by frangipani - 3k complete. "I have an issue with my apartment right now," Luke said. Mara was pretty sure why.
Luminous Creatures by celinamarniss - daemons, action/adventure, enemies to friends to lovers, 30k complete. Mara has never been prouder when Asyr settles early. He shifts into the form of a night felinx when Mara is thirteen, a whole year early. Itâs a good body for stealth, her trainers tell her, and praise them for it.
Luke is the last of his friends to have his dĂŚmon settle. Speculation drifts through his childhood. What sort of animal do you think your dĂŚmon will choose? asked by adults with indulgent smiles and between children as their dĂŚmons flit from form to from in impromptu races across the desert sand.
Strange Bedfellows series by celinamarniss - action/adventure, humor, light angst, 37k complete.
Reccer's Note: this series has a very domestic couple feel to it and I love that.
Under the cover of Darkness by randomlyimagine - time travel, fix-it, 57k complete...ish. (there's a sequel that is tbc.) Being pulled back through in time, getting to see the Old Jedi Order, Ben, even Anakin Skywalker, before he FellâŚit was an opportunity Luke had never dreamed heâd have.
If only he and Mara hadnât been pulled back in the middle of a mission where they were undercover as Sith.
slipping into the ground or into your arms by BananasAreForParties - rated E. Fluff and angst, mutual pining, implied/referenced child abuse, 41k complete. More than colleagues. Less than friends. Better than acquaintances. They remain in balance. The Command, the dark whisper, slumbers and Mara has no desire to poke a sleeping rancor. To dance with Skywalker. . .could it ever be worth the risk?
Mara and Luke succumb to the gradual formation of their Force bond through an activity far more pleasing than fighting for their lives.
the history books forgot about us by celinamarniss - happy AU, 2k complete. Jedi apprentice Asha is sent on a quest to find the legendary Luke Skywalker. She thought he was a myth!
better tell 'em while they're here by philthestone - 4k complete. Jacen discovers a Fish in the new fountain just outside of the Old Palace's reception hall, which obviously means that the Imps are planning to take over the galaxy. Jaina thinks that everything would be alright if only Nik could remember where he put his pants.
And of course, Uncle Luke's getting married today.
(AU for the EU)
Reccer's note: recommend reading the whole series. This fic has such a human warm fuzziness to it.
Boundaries series by frangipani - rated E, smut, 106k complete. A year after the events of the Last Command, Mara is still in Coruscant attempting to fulfill her Smuggler's Alliance duties while continuing her Jedi training. Former Emperor's Hand, turned smuggler, government liaison, and Jedi apprentice...she's long known that the only way things work in the new life she's made for herself is through clearly delineated boundaries.
It's really too bad Luke Skywalker unwittingly keeps taking them apart.
The Son of Suns trilogy by blank101 (link to each installment: Into the Storm, in shadows and darkness, at the Brink of the dawn and the darkness) - graphic depictions of torture, psychological torture, sith!Luke. 721k complete. Darth Vader captures the passengers of the Millennium Falcon after their attempted escape at Cloud City, sure that Luke will convert to his cause and aid him in overthrowing the Emperor. When his plan is rebuffed he falls back on more desperate measures and hands his son over to Palpatine, who begins to systematically take apart Lukeâs life to create a new Sith, turning him against his allies, his father and his beliefs with devastating consequences for both the Empire and the Alliance, as events cascade beyond anyone's control.
This is a completed trilogy, featuring Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Palpatine, Han Solo, Leia Organa, Mara Jade, Mon Mothma, and Crix Madine.
Reccer's note: I really love this one - both for the sith!Luke portrayal, and the conflicts luke and Mara go through.
Drive You Mild by obaona - sith!Luke, drama/romance, 70k complete. How do two powerful, individualistic people who were formerly enemies unite? Emperor Luke Skywalker, meet Jedi Knight Mara Jade.
Misc - archive sites/author recommendations
Mara and luke archives
Utopicworld.net
LiveJournal community
Jedimordsith, frangipani, JediDryad, celinamarniss, BananasAreForParties, and evilmouse are all great writers and you should check them out!
Happy to report that Iâll be participating in the Star Wars Art Show Japan with my brand new official SW painting inspired by Ahsoka (and Star Wars Rebels, my first SW love, before it :>)
I couldnât be more excited to see everyone who can come in Tokyo in April. If youâll be there, please come by the art show to say hi and maybe pick up a print (and as always, some free goodies heheh)
You can see all of the artwork featured in the SWC Art Show 2025 here on sw.com and check out ALT text for more info!
(and check out my recent TOP 24 ANIME OF 2024 recs here!)
đ˝ď¸ 1. ZENSHU
after an animator reaches fame through her debut series, she falls into an art block while storyboarding her first film. before she can finish it, she falls victim to poisoning and wakes up in the world of her favorite cult-classic tragedy anime, the one that inspired her to become an artist: with the ability to influence the world around her with her own drawings.
this is one of the most gorgeously-rendered anime i've ever seen in my life. on top of having a great story and great characers, it is utterly BEAUTIFUL to look at. a fresh take on the incredibly-stale genre that isekai has become and an early contender for best of the year. if you are an artist yourself, you will especially enjoy it. also it's seemingly setting up a romance between her and her own fictional blorbo (who is busy coping with learning he's fictional) which is awesome.
Genre: Fantasy, Action
You may like it if you enjoyed: Re:Creators, Princess Tutu, Look Back
Streaming: Crunchyroll
â¸ď¸ 2. Medalist
a heartfelt story about a very mentally ill little girl whose only joy in life is ice skating, and the washed-up coach who helps her realize her dream. living in the shadow of her sister who failed at skating, Inori's mother won't even give her the chance, and now she fears she may be too late to be competitive. not wanting Inori to grow up filled with regret like he has, Tsukasa takes it upon himself to make sure she learns some confidence along with some ice skating.
this one hit really close to home, as someone who works with kids. the characters are incredibly, touchingly well-written, and the depiction of Inori's depression, anxiety, and general weird-girl-ness is perfect. and despite studio engi's fraught history, they've done a great job bringing this story to life.
Genre: Drama, Sports
You may like it if you enjoyed: Bocchi the Rock, Stars Align, Yuri on Ice
Streaming: Hulu, Disney+
đŹ 3. Flower and Asura
a club anime about a shy girl from a small island with a beautiful voice and a passion for reciting poetry. the extent of her recitations extended only to the island's children, until a confident older girl recruits her to the broadcasting club of the high school she's started ferrying to.
it's even gayer than i described, but don't expect anything to go canon: this one's from the same yuribait-infamous author of Hibike Euphonium. the entire thing is beautifully animated and colored by Bind, one of the best studios in anime right now, and the recitation scenes will give you chills.
Genre: Drama, Slice of Life
You may like it if you enjoyed: Hibike Euphonium, Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight, Given
Streaming: HIDIVE
⨠4. From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad's Been Reincarnated!
known as Tensei Ojisan for short. a middle-aged salaryman is isekai'd into his daughter's favorite otome dating sim as a teenage noblewoman, and must learn to navigate a far different role than he's ever been used to.
this is definitely the most PURE FUN anime of the season. the protagonist is an old-school otaku in his own right, though he's mostly familiar with 70's anime, and he tries as hard as he can to apply what logic he can use to the fantastical world he's now in. it's campy, oozing personality, and chock-full of gender. also has, imo, both the best OP and best ED of the season.
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy
You may like it if you enjoyed: Fabiniku, My Next Life as a Villainess, Ya Boy Kongming
Streaming: HIDIVE
đď¸ 5. Tasokare Hotel
a supernatural mystery anime about a hotel on the border between life and death. guests must recover their memories within their hotel rooms to determine whether they're alive and can return to their comatose bodies, or dead and can pass on to the afterlife.
this one might not have the most stunning visuals, but it has great character design, both episodic and overarching mysteries, a little bisexuality, and a ton of creativity packed into it. i'd definitely recommend watching to episode 4 if you give it a try, as that's when the ball REALLY gets rolling on the plot. for an anime available totally free on youtube, it really is a treat!
Genre: Mystery, Supernatural
You may like it if you enjoyed: Death Parade, Shadows House, ID: Invaded
Streaming: Youtube (free!)
Honorable Mentions
New:
đ¨ I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I'll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time is a fantasy/comedy anime about coping with the frustrations of customer service using incredible violence. (Crunchyroll)
đ¸ minimini minini is an adorable comedy/slice of life anime with 4-minute episodes about tiny creatures navigating a big world. (Free on Youtube)
Continuations or yet to air:
đ§ââď¸ Mahoutsukai Precure: Mirai Days is the sequel to Mahoutsukai Precure that my heart has been yearning for for YEARS. YEARS!!! AND THEY'RE BACK!! AND IT'S AIMED AT ADULT FANS! AND IT'S SO GOOD!!! (Crunchyroll)
đ¤ You and Idol Precure⪠is the newest Precure installment that to be honest i don't have very high hopes for but i'll give it a shot as always because Precure is forever. (Airs February 1)
đ Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is still airing, and still an ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE historical drama. it made the #12 spot in my Top 24 Anime of 2024 list, and for good reason. (Netflix)
hope you find something you enjoy :)
I'm like a deer cause I too freeze in headlights⨠@cervanera - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
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