#read thisssssss

[socialanxiety-queen]

@goddess-of-time-and-magic I know you’ve been going through a lot, and i know us bonding over Howl made me smile so hopefully this edit makes your day brighter too. You’re a fantastic storyteller babes and I’m so happy to call you my friend. Can’t wait to see what this sequel brings to the table, love ya lots girl! ❤️

Read her stuff it’s great:

Howl ↵

Fang [The Sequel to Howl] ↵

[spockandawe]

Y’all

Golden Stage is.... adorable. 

Okay, so what we have here is another danmei webnovel, this time with arranged gay marriage. I was intrigued, but skeptical about how well it would work, and I had a FANTASTIC time.

The book in general was less fantasy and more politics than I prefer, which means that the ship was most of the appeal for me and the setting was more something I overcame than an appeal of its own. In that way, going in felt a lot like Dreamer In The Spring Boudoir, but GS has a protagonist who’s native to the setting, not a transmigrator like DITSB. In both these books, the love interest is closely tied to the reigning emperor in a period where it looks like transition of power to the next emperor is going to be a messy, contentious, bloody affair. That kind of setting kinda stresses me out, and it takes up a LOT of plot space in DITSB, but it was less overwhelming in GS, which was honestly a relief. DITSB was well-written, but by the time new people were done killing each other and evolving into different flavors of Horrible New Ruler, I was honestly exhausted, and GS never wore me out in the same way.

The book is a pretty manageable length (79 chapters + 5 extras) and briskly paced with a pair of LOVELY leads to head up the story. The basic premise! General Fu Shen, the upright, widely-loved commander of the northern army, has been horribly injured. Not in a battle, but in a landslide, in what should have been a simple trip back to the capital. He isn’t dead, but he’s not doing great, and both his legs are horribly shattered and he’s confined to a wheelchair, and it’s uncertain if he’ll ever walk again. The emperor recalls him back to the capital to recover, and... orders him to get married. In fact, he orders him to get married to Yan Xiaohan, the amoral, widely-distrusted head of the emperor’s secret police. Who has a reputation for not getting along with Fu Shen in any way, shape, or form.

I’m not going to go into backstory reveals here or anything, but watching the relationship unfold was a delight. I was initially expecting an enemies-to-lovers deal that would take up most of the plot, and without substantive spoilers, that’s not at ALL what I got. And I do always love a good enemies-to-lovers, but I didn’t feel at all deprived, because what I got instead was also FANTASTIC. 

Guys....... the teasing in this book gives me LIFE. The sweetness and care and concern and not-wanting-to-be-parted give me life too. I love me a good hualian, where two characters are able to say screw the world and everything happening around me, I just want YOU, but it’s also really nice to see a pair of characters who want to be together so badly, and aren’t able to toss aside the world in the same way. The mxtx love interests are clingy, but it was more fun than I expected to see a love interest who wants to be just as sticky, but isn’t able to. In DITSB, Ji Man is totally down to ditch her husband for extended periods and go off to start her own business ventures, but I really, really love Yan Xiaohan and Fu Shen struggling with separation and pining for each other. Like... just wait for Fu Shen to shoot the goose, you guys, because I DIED.

(and the CHERISHING!!! Chapter 52 was an absolute DELIGHT)

(also, the story is happy and ends happily, which is important to me, but there is also a tragic gay uncle on the side, which was VERY tasty as well (just not for my main course), and then!!!! when I was not at all displeased with how things had worked out, one of the extras is about that uncle and the love of his life, following a modern-day reincarnation. i finished this book so pleased with the reading experience)

Oh, and I would be remiss if I did not give a little more attention to the teasing. These two. They tease each other relentlessly, especially about their feelings for each other, and I love it so much. It’s beyond adorable. Especially when Yan Xiaohan gets jealous over Fu Shen giving other people attention, and Fu Shen refuses to cut him a break.

Fu Shen continued on, not waiting for Yan Xiaohan to speak. “Is there pufferfish on the menu today, Brother Yan?”

Yan Xiaohan took in his utterly serious appearance that didn’t seem to be joking around, and just stared blankly. “No… that grade of toxin wouldn’t be at an imperial banquet of the royal family.”

“That’s odd. I just saw a big one, plump and seething, glaring at me from the top of the steps with his hands behind his back…”

Yan Xiaohan almost flung him away. Fu Shen hid his face in his arms, chortling noiselessly.

When Fu Shen was set down in front of the Hall, Yan Xiaohan gave him a seemingly retaliatory pinch on the waist. The ticklish Fu Shen shrank back, pointing a finger at him. “Rude,” he whispered.