Friday Fics Fix - Magical Matilda

'Her lips pursed into a nearly invisible line. “And I feel obligated to let you know that Wormwood is a Wizarding name, while Honey most certainly is not.”'

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant Hapus/Happy St. David's Day!

St. David is the patron saint of Wales - he doesn't have as interesting a story as Santes Dwynwen, he basically faffed around founding churches and doing the odd miracle here and there - but it gives me an excuse for a Welsh connection to this post!

(And you probably know that any excuse to include Wales in a post is good enough for me!)

Friday Fics Fix - Yer a Wizard ...Ianto?

'“Ianto?” Jack was looking down from his office.  He slowly descended the steps.  “One of your friends is the Minister for Magic.”'

I'm starting to come to the conclusion that literally everything has been mixed with Harry Potter in fanfiction-form.

Kind of like the magical PG version of Rule 34

...Well, mostly PG.

...Well, some of it's PG.

...Well, this fic doesn't have any sex, ok?!

(If you don't know what rule 34 is, I advise protecting your innocence and not looking it up. You can't unknow it!)

Friday Fics Fix - Highjinks

'Chang snorted, “Are you trying to be breezy, Draco?”

“I am breezy, Chang.” Draco said, slumping even further back in his chair to prove his point. “Totally breez-”

It was then that Draco fell off his chair.'

More shenanigans to finish off our month of Harry-Potter-themed fanfiction!

Because October is for Harry Potter. *Nods sagely*

I didn't have long to throw this post together, so apologies if it's a little shorter than usual!

Friday Fics Fix - The Brightest Stars

'Music was something all stars were familiar with, they sang their hymns and ballads among each other. Human music, on the other hand, was so much more versatile, and Sirius loved listening to all of the genres that they offered.'

Week 3 of Harry Potter October fanfiction-y-ness! 😁

Week 1 had Drarry, and so did last week's offering.

This week, though, we're stepping away from Harry Potter himself.

Away from Draco too.

And all the kids who went to Hogwarts at the same time as Harry.

Friday Fics Fix - Awkward Flirting In An Alternate Universe

'Harry wasn’t entirely sure where he was, or why, but walking into a condemned building just for it to transform into one of the raunchiest-looking clubs Harry had had the misfortune of entering wasn’t a good sign.'

Week 2 of our Harry Potter-themed fanfiction fest my nerdlets!

(Catch up on Week 1 here.)

Because October = Harry Potter.

I don't make the rules!!!!* 

I just abide by them!!!!!*

Friday Fics Fix - Just Desserts

'"Are you sure you're interested only in the tart?" Ron asks lightly, to which Harry simply pretends he has no idea what he's talking about.'

It's October! And October means Harry Potter fanfiction here on Dora Reads! 😊

This week's fic is from my new favourite sub-genre of 'fics where Ron is determined to make Drarry happen, because they're both irritating him with their goddamn mutual pining.'

(Fangirling notes: Drarry is a romantical and/or sexual relationship between Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter.)

Really Mini-Reviews! - The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen and The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu

I have two reviews for stunning collections of short stories by Asian-American writers for you today dear nerdlets!

Check out my reviews of The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen, and The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu:

Friday Fics Fix - Draco In A Bow

'“Okay, so look, so, Harry's birthday, yeah? Is soon. And the thing is, he's sort of... well, he doesn't need much. In general. And in... not general he can buy anything he fancies himself. So I kind of don't know what to get him. Except... I know that he fancies you...”'

It's my birthday tomorrow (15th Sep)!

And as such, I'm totally picking a birthday-themed Drarry fic this week. Because birthday.

Yes, this is total Mindless Self Indulgence.

Friday Fics Fix - Draco the Writer. Harry the Reader.

           

'“You keep writing books about Harry!”

Every rational thought left Draco as dread filled his stomach. There was no way that Weasley had figured it out.'

There are some things that you just don't know you need in your life...

...like Draco Malfoy writing novels about how much he yearns for Harry Potter, but nobody getting that that's what he's writing about.

...And then Ron being the only one to figure it out and no-one believing him.

Friday Fics Fix - Da Vinci, Like Never Before

'"What did they do to you?" he whispered. "What have you done to yourself?" he added without thinking. Words tumbling out of his mouth like the thoughts that used to tangle in his mind. "What did I do?"'

This week's fic is for a TV show I absolutely adore, and which was cut short too soon after just 3 series.

Da Vinci's Demons is a highly underrated show.

It's basically like Game of Thrones with real historical people, but keeping the weird-a** paranormal/fantasy elements.

So it's kind of like an alternate version of history, with a young bad-boy Leonardo Da Vinci.

Friday Fics Fix - Deeper Than You'd Think

'As always, it was completely Potter’s fault. How was Draco’s brain supposed to work properly, given these circumstances?'

You know when you start a fic like, 'oh this is gonna be cutesy with maybe a bit of angst and sexy thrown in'?

And then 9 chapters later you're a f**king mess of feels because it was secretly about the deep sh** the whole time?!?!

...that.

(So many fanfic readers know what I'm talking about right now, and the noobs are like 'That'll never happen to me!' - oh contraire, dearest noobish nerdlets, it most certainly f**king will.

Because fanfiction likes to warp your soul and f**k with your brain.

#TrueStory. #GottaLoveItThough.)




(Fangirling notes: Feels are intense and hard to describe feelings/emotions)

Nerd Church - What the London Mayor and the Goblin King Both Know About Trump’s Power

Thank you, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, for being an example of the good and the strong in this country.

Image Courtesy of Katy Blackwood via Wikimedia Commons

Thank you for dismissing Trump as the little boy that he is.

Thank you for showing such dignity in such difficult circumstances.

Thank you for standing strong in the face of bigotry.

Friday Fics Fix - The Future Is Weird (Ft. Harry Potter)

'The tall Death Eater was wearing a shirt that said, 'Hermione Has Forgotten How To Dance,' so Hermione dipped his face in mud.'

OK, so this week's fic is a little bit different.

It's def. on the strange side, but there's a reason for that!

And all will be revealed *mysterious hand motions*

(I don't know what mysterious hand motions are either, just go with it.)

4 Fangirling-Worthy Webcomics With Central F/F Romance (That Are Also Available In Print!)

Ladies who love ladies are amazing.

So, as it's Pride Month, and I'm a Queer lady who loves the nerdy things in life, I think it's time we celebrate some central F/F relationships, don't you?

This short list of comics features romantic relationships ranging from the sexy to the innocent, and ladies who have their own unique personalities and situations.

Available to read online (for free!) or in printed form, let these ladies bring a little love to your lives!

Friday Fics Fix - Harry and Draco and a Fic I Love For Reasons Unknown

'They began to acknowledge one another in the halls, not in a way that anybody else took any degree of notice to, but as their silence slowly became louder to one another they spoke in hushed whispers in empty corridors and alcoves and in the back of the library.'

I don't know why I like this week's fic.

There's just... something about this fic. I don't know why.

There's not much of a plot. The prose is over-dramatic and over-flowery in places. And I have no idea what's going on with the characterisation.

Sorry, that's not much of a ringing endorsement is it?

Maybe I'm not explaining it right. Cos this fic totally rocks.

Why? Well, because... because... I have no f**king clue. It's somehow amazing though.

Friday Fics Fix - Severely Severus

I know, I know, Severus Snape is kind of a divisive figure in the online bookish community, and with fans in general.

Lotsa people love him - he's a hero, a tragic figure, a hopeless romantic.

Lotsa people hate him - he's a bully, a sneak, an obsessive and petty man.

Friday Fics Fix - On Witches and B**ches

Yesterday was International Women's Day, so why don't we get feminist for this week's Fics Fix?

Too often, we dislike female characters - not least because their authors and/or creators make them unlikable.

Friday Fics Fix - Dumbledore is Gay. Dumbledore is Gay. Dumbledore. Is. Gay. Deal With It.

You may or may not know that the chance has once again been lost to allow the Harry Potter universe's Albus Dumbledore to BE gay on-screen.

Why is that important when J K Rowling has already said (over ten years ago,) that Prof. Dumbledore is a gay dude? Because word-of-God/author is not the same as on-screen canonisation (official-ness.) It comes across as queer-baiting. At best.

Friday Fics Fix - Everyone From Harry Potter Has Mental Health Problems, M'k?

You want some Harry Potter fanfiction discussing mental health problems? (Of course you do, is that even a question?!)*

This fic could be heavy sh** for some people, so be CAREFUL when reading my nerdlets.

Friday Fics Fix - Why So Sirius?

(Apologies for the title-pun. Couldn't resist 😅)

If there's one fandom that always goes above and beyond, it's the Potterheads.

Yes, those fans of Harry Potter can always be counted on to take even the smallest of details from the books and run with them - to the extent that there are now fully-established fandoms within the fandom.

(Is that like fandom-ception or something?! So much meta.)

Quick warning: this post may contain some very mild Harry Potter spoilers.