przed | Reading

Blurb:

It's been over two years since Effie's beloved parents got divorced, destroying the image of the happy, loving childhood she thought she had. Since then, she's become estranged from her father and embarked on a feud with his hot (and much younger) girlfriend, Krista. And now, more earth-shattering Greenoaks, the rambling Victorian country house Effie called home her whole life, has been sold. When Krista decides to throw a grand "house cooling" party, Effie is originally left off the guest list-and then receives a last-minute "anti-invitation" (maybe it's because she called Krista a gold-digger, but Krista totally deserved it, and it was mostly a joke anyway). Effie declines, but then remembers a beloved childhood treasure is still hidden in the house. Her only chance to retrieve it is to break into Greenoaks while everyone is busy celebrating. As Effie sneaks around the house, hiding under tables and peeping through trapdoors, she realizes the secrets Greenoaks holds aren't just in the dusty passageways and hidden attics she grew up exploring. Watching how her sister, brother, and dad behave when they think no one is looking, Effie overhears conversations, makes discoveries, and begins to see her family in a new light. Then she runs into Joe-the love of her life, who long ago broke her heart, and who's still as handsome and funny as ever-and even more truths emerge. But will Effie act on these revelations? Will she stay hidden or step out into the party and take her place with her family? And truthfully, what did she really come back to Greenoaks for? Over the course of one blowout party, Effie realizes that she must be honest with herself and confront her past before she'll ever be able to face her future--

I got this book because the library had it tagged as 'humor' and I needed something for the bingo square. Also, I read "Confessions of a Shopaholic" a long, long time ago and enjoyed that. This book didn't seem very funny at first, because the protagonist is NOT OKAY. Her inner monologue is pretty tragic, actually. I think this book would be much better as a movie - the screwball comedy type. However, as the book went on and Effie starts to get over herself, the story became laugh-out-loud funny.

With that, I have my third bingo:

Current Mood: weird
Current Music: Hollerado - Juliette

dine

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olivermoss

Sabrina who? I'm more into Firkus Circus

The Kraken's AHL team is the Coachella Valley Firebirds. I intend to make really terrible jokes until one lands. And yes, same place as the music festival currently going on.

(Our AHL team is where we park some of our prospects and rookies, the baby squids) Firebirds are in their playoffs, currently fighting for home ice. And my favorite player has been bounced back to CV for the play offs. I've heard another fave should be there for the Calder Cup run, also they've got the baby goalie who had the iconic debut.

I didn't know Coachella was the name of a place. At the start of the Kraken season, when people kept talking to Coach Lambert about spending time with other coaches in Coachella, I thought that was like the tongue in cheek name for a coach conference or event. In my defense, this sport has a *lot* of slang that is used very causally like everyone understands it. At that point I was still constantly looking up phrases, it's not as silly as assumption as it sounds, I swear. The ONE time I try to pick up meaning from context instead of looking everything up.

Two Kraken franchise teams are in their play offs, just not... uh... The Kraken. So, I am watching the fire type cryptids instead of the water type cryptids.

olivermoss

I'd like the Avs in longer, but I want to Oilers to have hope and then to have it crushed yet again. Grimdark-maxxing. Also, going for a Habs win and maximum Gritty. Also Fuck Vegas

dine

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mrkinch

U has fallen into county listing so we went down to MLK Shoreline this morning largely because she wanted the Tufted Duck for her Alameda County list. We weren't expecting much; it's the second half of April and most of the migrating ducks and shorebirds have headed North to breed, but we had a remarkably productive morning. For one thing, the Tufted Duck was a walk-up, despite not being reported for a day or so. When we got to the mouth of San Leandro Creek U looked out and there he was. He looked very much like the Scaup he was flocking with, a bit smaller with a tuft of feathers hanging from the back of his head that was, today, flipping around in the wind and making us laugh. I saw one years ago but this one will be on my ebird list. We walked on around New Marsh seeing Long-billed Dowitchers all along the Creek and a surprising variety of dabbling ducks in the seasonal ponds. Neither of us got a good look at a Marsh Wren although they were singing everywhere. We did see a few Ridgway's Rail, usually flying from one tuffet to another. ( The surprisingly long list: )

There was no one on the western arm of San Leandro Bay except one gull and an Eared Grebe in breeding plumage. Summer is weird.:)

goddess47 posting in

fancake

Fandom: Teen Wolf
Pairings/Characters: Stiles Stilinski/Derek Hale
Rating: PG
Length: 12K for the first story; 35K for the 5 stories series
Creator Links: DiscontentedWinter on AO3
Theme: Arranged Marriage

Content Notes:

Canon-typical violence

Summary:

To honour a treaty with the people of a strange land, Derek Hale, prince of the kingdom of Triskelion, has to marry Stiles.

Reccer's Notes:

A beautifully lyric and almost mystical work about an arranged marriage between Prince Stiles and Prince Derek where they have never met before the wedding and do not speak each other's language. What could have been either slapstick or tragic turns beautiful in DiscontentedWinter's hands... she shows us the beauty in learning about others and how the power of belief can stop armies.

The additional stories expand the world-building and show how two very different peoples can learn to live together.

Fanwork Links:

The Light in the Woods On AO3

runpunkrun posting in

fancake

seleneheart

Before the playoffs get started tonight, here are my thoughts on the various matchups:

Western Conference:

Avalanche v. Kings: I'm glad Anze Kopitar gets one last playoff series. However, I feel like this years' Avs are pretty similar to the 2013 Blackhawks - a runaway train. Good luck with that.

Stars v. Wild: This is where Bettman's current playoff scheme really sucks. Both Dallas and Minnesota have more points than any team in the Pacific Division and it's not even close. Dallas should be playing Utah and Minnesota should be playing the Ducks. I'm hoping Dallas gets through, obviously.

Golden Knights v. Mammoth: A playoff matchup that has never happened in the history of the NHL, even if you count the Mammoth previously being the Coyotes. Hard to call this one - Vegas just changed coaches a week or two ago, which is really weird because they were in the playoffs at the time. They have since won the Pacific, so idk.

Oilers v. Ducks: At least this is a new matchup - these teams have not met in the playoffs in recent memory. Connor McDavid versus Joel Quenneville. I think the Oilers will get through.

Eastern Conference:
First a caveat - I know a lot less about this conference (I had to look up the pairings), but it has some interesting matchups.

Hurricanes v. Senators: Ottawa is in the playoffs for the first time in a while, maybe since the COVID cup. Carolina won the conference, and I expect them to have no issues with Ottawa.

Penguins v. Flyers: The Battle of Pennsylvania rekindled once again. Another ride for Sid and Geno. Hard to say who will prevail, but Crosby & Co have buckets of playoff experience compared to the baby Flyers - that will probably be important.

Sabres v. Bruins: No one saw this coming. The way Buffalo is playing - it might be a slaughter. I'm certainly rooting for them because they deserve nice things.

Lightning v. Canadiens: This one is a total coin flip. I have no idea. I give the slight edge to Tampa for the same reason I give it to Pittsburgh - playoff experience.

There you have it!

What is the saying - NHL playoffs are like snorting cocaine and then riding a motorcycle out of a helicopter?

Current Mood: excited
Current Music: Kill Hannah - Lips Like Morphine

dine

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olivermoss

Last game for the Kraken is a National Broadcast, which ironically means I can't see it. Not without some insane sports package just to see a few specific games. If I'd gotten that ESPN package it would have worked out to like a hundred bucks a game for the ones I wanted to see.

So, I went a tried going to Suki II's, despite all I'd heard. I'd been to Suki I, which is very much a dive bar. Suki II was kinda nice, if you kinda appreciate dark bars with poker machines. Most of the screens were for the Sharks, but there was one screen for the Kraken and I was the only one watching. I got to see a bit more Dunn! And Lars! And Ostman's first NHL start!

Then the bar was all 'okay, time to switchover to karaoke for the night'. Except, imagine those words blasted loudly on a speaker next to your head instead of text on a screen.

I went out and at least saw *part* of a hockey game.

At first I was like yeah, I can vibe with this, man I wish I'd started coming sooner... then suddenly NOPE.

So yeah, reports are right. They cannot be relied open to watch Kraken games, even if they are the official affiliate bar in Portland. Why can't they affiliate with a McMenamins? Or one of our dozens of bottle shops and breweries? Seattle has amazing fan bars. I want to try one next season.

But anyway, I tried the thing. No more just going off second or third hand info.

sario528 posting in

bookclub_dw

Here's our May 2026 options:

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. 296 pages. High Fantasy. Viv the orc barbarian retires from the adventuring lift to try something completely new: opening a coffee shop in a city that's never heard of coffee. Trigger warnings: Arson, Stalking, Violence.
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire. 176 pages. Portal fantasy. Children sometimes disappear to have adventures in far off worlds. For the ones that come back, there's Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children. No Solicitations. No Visitors. No Quests. Trigger warnings:Parental abandonment, Dead bodies, Death, Dismemberment, Murder, Gore (graphic), Transphobia.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells. 144 pages. Sci-Fi. An android security unit that secretly calls itself "Murderbot" hacks it's own governor module so it can watch media while doing it's job. When things start going wrong on planetary survey mission it's up to the SecUnit and a group of scientists to figure out what's going on. Trigger warnings: Blood, Body horror, Death, Injury, Mind Control (of androids), Murder, Prostitution (mentioned), Slavery (of androids), Violence.

Poll #34489 May 2026 book poll

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 23

View Respondents

What book should we read for May 2026?

View Answers

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
5 (21.7%)

Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire
7 (30.4%)

All Systems Red by Martha Wells
11 (47.8%)

mrkinch

It was overcast and cold this morning so I didn't rush, parking at the Loop Road gate just about 10 and walking up Laurel Canyon Road a little past the second connector trail. It was a lovely, quite active Spring day and I listed well over forty species, decidedly more than two weeks ago. All the newcomers we heard two days ago were singing, though surprisingly few Black-headed Grosbeaks, as were a few Winter visitors, a couple of Ruby-crowned Kinglets and, very surprisingly, a Golden-crowned Sparrow! The Western Tanager wasn't singing but I hope I'll hear one soon. I was hoping the larger flycatchers had arrived, but not yet. Looking at the bar chart, it should be any day now. ( The list: )

There were many butterflies on the many mounds of scat on the trail, especially Lorquin's Admiral with the red to the wingtips. I also saw a beautiful little Northern Checkerspot. Once I was back on Loop Road I continue to the bench and lay on it for fifteen minutes, resting my back and listening to the Wilson's Warblers and House Finches. Walking back South, I stopped at the top of the Little Farm, hoping for a Black Phoebe but saw a Western Bluebird, instead. Fair trade.

olivermoss

Watch on YouTube

I don't know how the movie will be, but that was an amazing trailer.

runpunkrun posting in

fancake

Poll #34481 round 186 theme poll

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: Just the Poll Creator, participants: 99

Pick the next theme of fancake:

Collaborations & Remixes
25 (25.3%)

Journey/Travel
45 (45.5%)

Whump
29 (29.3%)

dine

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sineala

What I Just Finished Reading

Nothing! My big accomplishment is having the energy to put together a Book Club for the 616 Discord. It consists of two comics about the Avengers doing their taxes.

What I'm Reading Now

Comics Wednesday!

( Ultimate Wolverine #16 )

What I'm Reading Next

Not sure yet; it's hard to tell how much brain I will have at any given time, as I am currently getting two or three days between migraines. In baseball non-fiction reading, I am partway through Billy Bean's autobiography but I don't know what fiction to try reading. Probably I should just go for some more tropey m/m romance or something.

Current Mood: dorky

seleneheart

1. What have you recently finished reading?

Eleanor & Park was a good story of teenagers falling in love

In God We Trust (All Other Pay Cash) - this is the book that A Christmas Story was based on. I found it incredibly disappointing and DNF'd it.

2. What are you currently reading?

A Magic Steeped in Poison - this is the April read for bookclub_dw. I'm enjoying it so far, but I need to make notes. I too wrapped up in the story!

Party Crasher by Sophie Kinsalla, who died recently. I enjoy her books and wanted somehting lighthearted.

3. What will you be reading next?
I have a few books to read in my physical pile, but my local independent bookstore is hosting a bookclub discussion in May, so I'll probably read that book. I don't remember the name at the moment.

Current Mood: mischievous
Current Music: Marina - Obsessions

just_ann_now

Record high temperatures expected today and tomorrow. WHY must it be too hot or too cold? Why can't it ever be just right? The garden is looking lovely, though.

What I Just Finished Reading

The big news: I finished my Dreamwidth Book Bingo!

The last book was The House of the Spirits, by Isabel Allende; it was surreal to be reading this while the news was coming in about the results of the Hungarian election. I hope Hungary's democratic revolution is more successful and long-lasting than that of Unnamed South American Country (Probably Chile) in Allende's book.

What I Am Currently Reading/What I Am Reading Next

Goodread's newest challenge dropped today, "Books About Books". I have already read a surprising number of books on the list! But through the magic of Libby have checked out Bad Indians Book Club by Patty Krawec (nonfiction) and Marble Hall Murders, by Anthony Horowitz, one of the sequels to Magpie Murders, which I enjoyed quite a bit.

Question of the Day: Ocean or desert? OCEAN OCEAN OCEAN. I've never been to an actual sand-and-cactus desert, though I did live in the San Luis Valley of Colorado, which (I believe) is classified as a desert because of the low amount of annual rainfal.