Elizabeture

I read. I write. And sometimes, I do both.

[elizabethisreading]

Hello there

My name is Elizabeth. I am a writer, a reader, and a book reviewer. This is my blog where I discuss what I’m reading, what I’m writing, and what I’m doing to procrastinate on both.

I enjoy reading across all different genres, but my favorites are horror, thriller, romance, and literary fiction.

I also occasionally discuss movies, tv shows, video games, or any other stories that catch my interest. I love storytelling in all the mediums it comes in.

If you want recs, a review, or you want me to make a list, feel free to send an ask or a message! 

You can read my book reviews on this blog using the #elizabeth is reading tag.

Check out my short fiction works here and here.

[autistobrat]

*seductively takes off glasses* wow you're fucking blurry

[stjohnstarling]

It was a dark and stormy night, the darkest and stormiest night imaginable, darker and stormier than anything you’ve ever experienced in your life, wet and wild, like a water park or a wet T-shirt contest or a giant slip ‘n slide. It was crazy. You should have been there. 

[progressivemillennial]

“If I have one message to give to the secular American people, it’s that the world is not divided into countries. The world is not divided between East and West. You are American, I am Iranian, we don’t know each other, but we talk together and we understand each other perfectly. The difference between you and your government is much bigger than the difference between you and me. And the difference between me and my government is much bigger than the difference between me and you. And our governments are very much the same.”

― Marjane Satrapi, Iranian graphic novelist

[velutfortuna]

Goodnight, and rest in peace, Marjane Satrapi. Thank you for your work and your voice. May we hear you.

[wavelette]

like, the most compelling ships for me always stem out of one thing: the characters have a profound, ongoing effect on each other’s senses of selves. when they are apart, the characters’ actions are still affected by each other. the way they approach the world changes because of the other. 

which is this deeply Austenian view of ideal romantic relationships as mechanisms by which we come to know ourselves better and become better versions of ourselves. good romance, for me, is always tied in with a sense of self-actualization, and the way in which a beloved partner allows a person to know themselves better.

[kvothes]

a good thread

[thestereotypebuster]

Also, check if your library card gives you access to NovelList. There, you can search up a book you like and see a list of genres, themes, and subjects for that book, then choose the ones you like to search on.

[horrorlesbians]

when gillian flynn said “I’ve grown quite weary of the spunky heroines, brave rape victims, soul-searching fashionistas that stock so many books. I particularly mourn the lack of female villains — good, potent female villains. Not ill-tempered women who scheme about landing good men and better shoes (as if we had nothing more interesting to war over), not chilly WASP mothers (emotionally distant isn’t necessarily evil), not soapy vixens (merely bitchy doesn’t qualify either). I’m talking violent, wicked women. Scary women. Don’t tell me you don’t know some. The point is, women have spent so many years girl-powering ourselves — to the point of almost parodic encouragement — we’ve left no room to acknowledge our dark side. Dark sides are important. They should be nurtured like nasty black orchids.”

[proudfreakmetarusonikku]

i NEED people to realise foreshadowing is. in fact. a literary device. and not a Bad Thing. the audience picking up on your hints is a Good Thing. because. it makes the story and it’s conclusion make sense. and some people will not see those but enjoy seeing them on a second read through. red herrings are one thing but if your novel consists of nothing but red herrings it’s not a coherent story it’s just a collection of paragraphs that don’t actually plausibly link to one another. you're not fighting with the audience you don’t look clever you look like you don’t know how basic fiction works. be vulnerable for once in your goddamn life and don't treat writing like a game to be won where the audience losing is a good thing.

[ineffectualdemon]

Getting to the end of a story and going "THE CLUES WERE THERE THE WHOLE TIME!" is always joyous for me whether or not I picked up on the clues leading up

If I saw the clues and caught the hints then yes! I am clever and me and the author/creator/artist etc were in on it together the whole time!

If I didn't notice the clues or got fooled but can clearly see them in hindsight then "Ha! You won this time storyteller! I am delighted by this game we play!' and then I enjoy putting the pieces together afterwards and enjoying how clever it was. I feel like the creator respects me as an audience

If there is a "twist" that comes with 0 clues or foreshadowing at all I'm annoyed. I'm pissed off. I feel like I'm being condescended to and patronised. It's not clever or interesting and makes me annoyed I ended up caring about characters and plot points that ended up meaningless.

Because it's not that these stories don't have foreshadowing or plot clues. They just abandon it for a "surprising twist"

A story that pays off the clues is letting me into the fun and makes a participant in the story

A story that just gives me a "shock" but no pay off is telling me not to engage or get attached or care. So why would I watch?

[s-n-arly]

OMG! THIS!

Random plot twists that don't connect to anything in the story are not clever. If we don't see it coming because the writer didn't provide any clues, they aren't clever and it's totally unsatisfying (and I will NEVER read this writer again). These clues need not be lit up in neon with a parade of elephants and showgirls. But they need to be present

I'm a writer and am rarely surprised. Often, if I am surprised it's because the writer was a dumbass and included a "twist" that makes no sense (and therefore isn't really a twist, it's just random bullshit). If a writer genuinely surprises me, without being an absolute dumbass, I am FUCKING DELIGHTED! I will tell everyone I know to read the book/see the movie/watch the show.

[ardentmystacina]

Foreshadowing is the reward for paying attention. It's the story letting you in on the secret like a co-conspirator because you're the clever little audience member who has been picking up on the clues the writer has been setting up.

It even makes watching/reading again more worthwhile because if you didn't notice the foreshadowing the first time you have the joy of being able to notice the things you missed!

[pandronica]

[bennizone]

the people who enjoy the type of art you create, will like it even if it's imperfect. and the people who hate the type of art you create, will dislike it even if it IS perfect.

don't skip ahead of bullies and bully yourself first. don't badmouth your own work, it doesn't alter other people's opinion on art, but it does make you feel worse about yourself.

[nosimpincurly]

If you start reading books again, you’ll feel at least a little better. I promise.

[iamyounicorn]

[guy whose bedtime is approaching fast] I need to write one billion words right now. and draw everything that has ever existed.

[welcometothehole]

me when im reading a good book, and it’s a good book, and i love a good book

[shetheyslain]

Dahling you simply must read this book! It’s all about this devious little caterpillar who simply gorges himself on all manner of divine things

[qqchurch]

[leosmiserables]

obsessed with this bookshop in stratford-upon-avon having WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE listed as a ”local author”

[bunnie-tells-stories]

If you’re having writers block…READ!!!! CONSUME MEDIA

I feel like I don’t hear that given enough as advice for writers block..just read? Watch tv? Movies? Find inspiration in media.

Writers block is a lack of inspiration, so go collect more.