#sydnee recommends

[trashy-greyjoy]

Sydnee Recommends: Diverse Reads

This is by no means a fully comprehensive list of diverse literature this is just diverse books that I’ve come across in my reading experience and would recommend to others. Also as a bisexual woman, there is more of a focus on bi characters just because I look for my own representation. All these books I’ve either read, own, or have interest in reading in the near future.  

Enjoy, lovelies!

* = haven’t read, but it’s on my tbr/heard good things about it

Fantasy:

Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo (YA)

Do I even need to explain this one?

Ocean’s Eleven meets The Breakfast Club

Diversity: POV characters of color, bisexual and gay POV characters, physically disabled character, character w/ a learning disability, body positive chubby character

Shades of Magic series by VE Schwab (Adult)

If you haven't heard me yell about this yet, where have you been?

If Kaz and Inej (SoC) had a child and she met A: TLA, and they went on an adventure to save London. And there’s pirates.

Diversity: POV characters of color, bi/pan/queer and gender fluid POV characters. Basically every single character is so bi. (author is also queer)

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh (YA)

Retelling of 1001 Arabian Nights

Diversity: entire cast is middle eastern (author is also a woc)

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova (YA)

Labyrinth (starring David Bowie) meets Practical Magic meets Book of Life, but gay

Diversity: Latinx cast of characters (including main character), bisexual lead, f/f relationship (author is also a woc)

*Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor (Adult)

post-apocalyptic fantasy set in Africa

Diversity: African setting w/ all African cast of characters (author is also a woc)

*book was optioned by HBO and is in early developments with George RR Martin set to produce (so its probably tragic af)

*Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (Adult)

If every character from literature that’s traveled to a different world all went to high school together

Diversity: aesexual main character (she actually says it out loud), a trans male character, characters of color

Sci-Fi:

Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee (YA)

the daughter of a superheroes starts an internship with a super villain

Diversity: Main character is Chinese/Vietnamese and bisexual, trans character (is the focus of the sequel) (author is also a woc)

Adaptation by Malinda Lo (YA)

alien invasion on a high school tri

Diversity: bisexual main character (author is also a woc)

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet (and A Closed Common Orbit) By Becky Chambers (Adult)

Firefly and The Expanse meet Doctor Who with more gays™

Diversity: f/f relationship, characters of color, commentary on gender identity

*alien species that view sexuality and gender with extreme fluidity (so not humans)

*The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin (Adult)

hard to explain but the world has different “seasons” punctuated by apocalypses and the fifth season is upon them, which might be the final apocalypse. 

Diversity: multiple characters of color, LGBTQ+ characters (not sure specifically which but it lists trans and queer characters), discussions on gender fluidity and identity (author is also a woc)

*Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee (Adult)

disgraced space captain teams up with a mad tactician to redeem herself and save some shit

Diversity: both main characters are poc and, i’ve read, bisexual (not sure if this is true or a head canon but the female lead is confirmed wlw) (author is also a moc)

*God’s War by Kameron Hurley (Adult)

a government assassin for hire is tasked with an assignment that could potentially end a decades long war

Diversity: takes place on an islamic planet 3000 years in the future, main character is a bisexual woman

Contemporary/Literary Fiction: 

When the Moon Was Ours by Anna M. McLemore (YA)

*actually magical realism but more contemporary than fantasy

poetic af story of a girl that grows roses from her wrists and a boy who hangs moons in the sky

Diversity: trans male lead, multiple characters of color, (I heard the female main was bi but it wasn’t confirmed in text so that might be a head canon)

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde (YA)

friend group of geek girls head to comic con for a good time

Diversity: asian bisexual character, f/f relationship, chubby character, depictions of anxiety

We Are Okay by Nina Lacour (YA)

a story of confronting trauma and moving on 

Diversity: f/f relationship

*Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy (YA)

a young, self-identifying lesbian starts to question her sexuality and if she  might be bisexual with the reappearance of a childhood friend

Diversity: lesbian and bisexual characters (really important depictions of bisexuality and how sexuality can change and just yeah its important for people that don't realize they're bi immediately)

*The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (YA)

 #BlackLivesMatter movement from the perspective of a young black girl who’s friend was shot by police

Diversity: characters of color (focused on the black community) and a look at the BLM movement (author is also a woc)

Graphic Novels

Saga by Brian K. Vaugh and Fiona Staples

a couple from opposing sides of an intergalactic space war fall in love and have a baby and now the entire galaxy wants to kill them 

Diversity: multiple POV characters of color, interracial relationship, gay and bisexual characters (including a bi woc) 

*We(l)come Back by Christopher Sebela and Jonathon Brandon Sawyer

basically soulmates meet and fall in love in different lives as different people (and genders) with the same soul

Diversity: different identities include f/f relationships, gender fluidity, gender queer characters, I just ordered this so I don't know to much but I’m excited

*The Dark Wife by Sarah Diemer

a f/f retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth

Diversity: f/f relationship (not sure if they both identify as lesbians but they’re both wlw)

Short Stories

Local Stop on the Floating Train by E. Lily Yu 

short story about racism after a nuclear annihilation 

Diversity: commentary on racism, characters of color (author is also a woc)

*Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue (short story collection)

sexy feminist retellings of fairy tales

Diversity: retellings include lots of f/f relationships 

[trashy-greyjoy]

Sydnee Recommends: Comics/Graphic Novels

These are just my personal favorites that I deem recommendation worthy, enjoy!

Saga by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples

this series is so vast it’s hard to summarize, but basically a couple from opposite sides of a huge space war, are on the run from authorities that want to kill them and their daughter

so. fucking diverse. the two mains are both poc, their babysitter is a lesbian ghost missing half her body, there’s a bisexual black woman that kicks major ass, a trans woman that they actually verbally say is trans, a robot species with tv’s for heads, a gay couple of investigative journalists, a girl rescued from sex slavery, and LYING CAT

it’s like a very high stakes romeo and juliet love story set in space where everyone but romeo and juliet die. 

the dialogue is AMAZING and HILARIOUS

**it’s an adult series so there’s lot’s of nudity and violence.

Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda

set in a fantasy version of 1900′s China that’s a fucking matriarchy

main character is of asian descent (not specified but implied chinese) and is missing an arm

takes place during a war between humans, the arcanes (descendants of ancient gods), and witches, as the main character, Maika Halfwolf (what a name!) journeys to get revenge for her mother and uncover the secrets of her past and the demons within her

tons of racial and sexual diversity, 95% of the characters are women, there’s a mute character that uses sign language, and the only confirmed canon couple is between two women

**major trigger warnings: mutilation, abuse, racism/speciesism? (since they aren’t technically human), rape mentions, and violence. it’s really fucking dark, guys.

Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughn and Cliff Chiang

a group of girls that share paper routes in the 80′s get caught up with a weird alien species that jumps dimensions, takes people, and there’s time travel involved (it’s got like MAJOR Stranger Things vibes)

i’ve only read the first volume because i’m on a book buying ban, but i’ve heard there’s wlw in the later issues!

the art is soooooo gooood

We(l)come Back by Christopher Sebela, Clair Roe, and Jeremy Lawson

this one is really hard to explain, you kind of have to just read it to understand, but i’ll try my best

soulmates are reincarnated and trained to kill each other in every new life, then the cycle starts over

in the current lifetime both soulmates identify as wlw (one has a boyfriend), but in the past they’ve been and identified as different genders and sexualities, so they can be viewed as genderfluid and pansexual

it’ll break you

the art is amazing and graphic and so cool

but come on like... ‘lady’ soulmates trained to kill each other????

Runaways by Brian K Vaugh and Adrian Alphona

Brian K. Vaugh basically owns my ass when it comes to graphic novels

a group of kids find out their parents are super villains and runaway and become heroes

it’s like one of the most diverse marvel teams out there with: a black boy-genius, a japanese gothic witch (that might be confirmed bisexual in the reboot idk yet), a chubby jewish feminist with a psychic link to a dinosaur, a lesbian alien that turns into a rainbow, a mutant child with super strength, and a boy with an abusive father and a knack for tech

and in later installments: a genderfluid skrull, a latino cyborg, and a swiss immigrant that was the child bride of an abusive man and can control plants

deals with so much stuff like finding your place in the world, the fear of turning out like your parents, the importance of found family, and dealing with loss

it’s a show on hulu premiering next month!

ODY-C by Matt Fraction and Christian Ward

its a gender bent, queer retelling of the Odyssey where everyone’s a lady

set in SPACE

the art is omg so colorful and vibrant and gorgeous

honestly what more do i need to tell you guys?

Bitch Planet by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Valentine DeLandro

set a dystopian world where any woman deemed non-compliant with the patriarchal government’s laws is sent to a prison planet 

follows a group of prisoners as they take part in the prison version basically fight club 

super dope and diverse and lots of ladies kicking ass but also bonding

Leigh Bardugo has a tattoo reference to this series. if that means anything to y’all *eyeballs emoji*

Y: The Last Man by (shocker) Brian K. Vaughn, Pia Guerra, and Jose Marzan Jr.

follows a man and his pet monkey in a post apocalyptic world where every other male (in every species) has died

so like there’s literally only one human man in the entire thing

so many kick ass ladies wtf 

commentary on feminism, politics, and survival

**controversial opinions on the ending but the rest of the series is worth it

Teen Titans by Geoff Johns

this isn’t everyone’s favorite version of the story, but i’m a hoe for raven and beastboy so it’s my favorite

you guys probably know the deal, group of teens form a superhero team and battle evil and all that fun stuff

but full disclosure: raven x beast boy is like 90% of the reason i read these

[trashy-greyjoy]

Hello, yes, let me take a minute to talk with y’all about Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda because all of you need to read it right now. 

MONSTRESS tells the story of a teenage girl who is struggling to survive the trauma of war, and who shares a mysterious psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, a connection that will transform them both and make them the target of both human and otherworldly powers.

Here’s what you need to know:

graphic novel set in a matriarchal realm that’s basically a fantasy au of 1900′s china

centered within a war between humans and ‘arcanes’ which are descendants of ancient gods and witches  

that cast is literally 95% women

asian main character that’s missing an arm

dark tale that deals with ptsd, morality, racism, and what it means to be “human” or a “monster”

such a diverse ensemble of characters between race, species, and sexuality. no one is white, and there’s even a character that is mute and communicates through sign language

the writer and artist are both asian women

the ART, my gawd the art is SO STUNNING AND BEAUTIFUL

the only canon romantic relationship as far as i have read (volume one) is between 2 women

there’s also talking magical cats

It’s so dark and haunting, but the story combined with the stunning art style are honestly just so beautiful and y’all need to read it right now. (It’s a perfect Halloween read too!) It’s currently $8.86 on Amazon, or $3.99 for the digital.

**Trigger warnings for: mutilation, abuse, racism/speciesism (since it’s a fantasy world), and violence

[trashy-greyjoy]

Sydnee’s Makeup Favorites

Before I list the actual makeup, I have very oily, acne prone skin so some of the stuff I use might not work for people with dry skin, but if I know of any alternatives I’ll try to list them! And these are just the products I personally use, so it doesn't mean they’re the absolute best.

All the products and faves are under the cut. Enjoy!

First, always remember to wash and moisturize your face before you apply anything. Even if you have oily skin (like I do) you still need to moisturize!

Prep

Moisturizer: For dry skin use a cream moisturizer and for oily skin use a gel moisturizer (they dry down matte)

I have oily skin and I use the Urban Decay Rehab Makeup Prep Hot Springs Hydrating Gel ($28)

Rose Water: it helps hydrate and protect the skin as well as minimizes pores.

Thayers and Mario Badescu are two fairly cheap and high quality brands I’ve used. ($11 and $14 respectively)

Primer: I have bigger bores around my nose and textured skin from acne scarring so I like to use a primer before foundation. It also helps my makeup stay on longer and keep see less oily.

Don’t laugh at me but I don't actually use a true “primer”.... I use Monistat Anti Chaffing Gel ($8) before my foundation. I actually heard about this from a drag queen and it’s a pretty popular dupe. It’s sooooo cheap compared to most $30 primers and since it’s designed to go around the thigh/coochie area it’s really sensitive on the skin. Fills my poor and leaves my skin super smooth.

Other decent primers I’ve used are: Smashbox Photo Finish ($36) and NYX Angel Veil ($16) but the NYX one is a little too drying and thick

Face

Foundation: I’ve used A LOT of different foundations to try to find one that works for my skin and my holy grail foundation to end all foundations is...

tarte’s amazonian clay 12-hour foundation ($39) it’s the only foundation i’ve found that lasts through the day without breaking down, covers my acne marks, and doesn't get too cakey. It’s a god send. AND tarte is natural and doesn’t have a lot of chemicals in it’s products and basically its just really good for problematic skin.

during the summer or if I'm just running out somewhere I sometimes just put on some CC cream and I use SUPEREGOOP! CC Cream Daily Correct ($32). CC cream is a really lightweight and sheer cream that color corrects (CC) so it reduces redness and dark marks without being too heavy. 

Concealer: I don't use a lot of concealer just because my foundation is usually full coverage enough to cover most of my marks and dark circles, but recently I did buy a new one and that would be

Kat Von D Lock-It Concealer Cream ($26) KVDB is really great for people who are super duper pale and and all of her face products are SUPER high coverage. So this is a really good product to highlight with.

Setting Powder / Spray: I double set my makeup because, again, I have super oily skin and I also sweat a lot, so I like my makeup to stay where it is.

I set my foundation with powder before I do any contour, blush, or highlight and I use Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder ($23 travel size). I just dust some on my t-zone and where I used concealer to prevent creasing. (I buy the travel size and it lasts me soon long)

Then after I have everything except my highlight on, I use a setting spray to keep everything matte and in place and for that I use the Urban Decay De-Slick Oil-Control Setting Spray ($15 again in travel size). 

Contour: It’s so hard to find a cool toned contour shade that works with my pale af skin and isn’t too orange. (If you have lighter skin you want a cool/grey toned brown shade to contour because you’re trying to create extra shadows and shadows aren't warm toned.)

So, I use NYX HD Blush ($7) in the shade Taupe. It’s a blush and not a contour powder, but it’s the perfect cool toned brown for pale skin and it works just he same.

Blush: I have a few blushes that I really like

Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso ($7)

tarte amazonian clay 12-hour blush in the shades paaarty and doll face ($29)

Highlighter: ooooohhhhh boy. I love my highlighter and I have soon many favorites so hold on. I usually use a combo of 2 or more because I can't help it.

Colourpop Super Shock Cheek in Spoon and Glazed ($8) their formula is really creamy so it’s best to apply by dabbing it with your finger. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Moon Child Glow Kit ($40). This glow kit is my child. It’s basically all cool toned duo chrome highlighters so they look holographic. Its the shit. 

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter ($38) in the shade Champagne Pop. This color is almost too dark for my white ass skin so I have to be really light handed.

Eyes

Brows: my babies. my prized feature. my one claim to fame. my eyebrows. It took me YEARS to master them the way they are now and I usually wear them one of 2 ways “Instagram/Sculpted” or “bushy/feathered”.  I only use one product for these puppies and that’s 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade ($18) in the color “ash brown” and I apply with the ABH #12 brush. Watch some youtube tutorials, it’s a process. 

*then I carve them out with concealer and a tiny brush underneath and on the edges to clean it up.

Eyeshadow: I don't use eyeshadow primer beforehand, I usually just dab a tiny bit of concealer on the lid and blend it out. But for actual shadows I use a few different products.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette ($40) this fucking palette. So amazing. The shadows are so soft, and buttery, and bendable. And the colors are fantastic. It’s really worth the money. I use it every day. 

Morphe Single Shadows ($3 a piece) Morphe sells a lot of singles where you can buy an empty magnetic palette and build your own. They’re pretty high quality for the price and easy to customize. Plus, they change shades in and out all the time. I really like the shades: pink moscato, burlesque, weekend, and private agent.

Colourpop Super Shock Shadow ($5) like their highlighter, the shadows are single pots and have a creamy feel to them. Colourpop also recently released powder shadows, but I’ve never tried those. I really love the Super Shocks in the shades: stereo, cheap date, and game face.

Eyeliner: I only use one product for my eyeliner and it’ say absolute holy grail and that is

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner ($20) it’s a liquid liner pen, but instead of a felt tip (which I hate) it’s an actual brush with bristles. It gives such a sharp line and it’s really easy to maneuver. Also, doesn’t budge!

Mascara: I alternate between two different mascaras and those would be

Too Faced Better Than Sex ($23) it lives up to the hype.

tarte gifted amazonian clay smart mascara ($23) i like the bush on this one a lot better, its skinnier and easier to use, and gives a longer, but more natural lash

Lips

This one’s just going to be a list of all my favorite colors so just sit tight. Y'all know I'm a lipstick hoe. 

*All these are matte/semi-matte liquid lips because I overline my top lip and with my mouth shape that only works with super mattes so...

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lip ($20): I love her lipsticks. They are soon matte and stay on for so long, that shit doesn't move. But can be extra drying so moisturize a few minutes before you apply. Color I love to death are...

Lolita: her most popular shade, a chestnut rosey color, great nude for medium skin tones

Nahz Fur Atoo: an ox blood, crimson red

Backstage Bambi: full on neon hot pink

Witches: black 

Colourpop Ultra Matte and Ultra Satin Lips ($6): I really love Colourpop, they’re so cheap and great quality. Damn. I love both the ultra mattes and the ultra satins. The mattes, like KVD are really matte and drying but they stay put. And the satins dry down to the kind of semi-matte of a regular tube lipstick. I’m a hoe for 

Love Bug (Ultra Matte): rich mahogany

Creeper (Ultra Matte): classic, bright red

Femme (Ultra Satin): probably my favorite lip color ever. its a really pretty muted grayish lilac color

Magic Wand (Ultra Satin): light beige nude

Hutch (Ultra Satin): a dark blackened violet

Too Faced Melted Matte Liquified Long Wear Matte Lipstick ($21): I really like this formula a lot. It’s matte and transfer proof, but it doesn't dry down as much as Kat Von D does. It feels almost like a satin lip, but it doesn't transfer or shine. Really comfortable. 

I only own one color and that’s Queen B, but I need to get some more. Granny Panties looks lovely. 

I think that’s it! Basically I love tarte, KVD, and Colourpop way too much. I hope some of you find some new products and favorites from this and that you enjoyed it! I love makeup a lot so I’m glad to share. 

I’m gonna tag a few people that asked me to do this and a few that I think might just be interested in the products: @sassamyblake @starboybellamy @bellsgirl @sapphic-kadena @ravenbellclarke @thelovelylights 

***I only use cruelty free products from company’s that don’t test on animals, so every product on this list is cruelty free to my knowledge at the time of posting.