Showing posts with label ghost story. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ghost story. Show all posts

Friday 4 October 2024

Friday Fics Fix - Lila, Klaus, and Ghosties



Now everyone is staring at Klaus, who had chosen to pick at a thread on the shawl he’s wearing. He looks up in the following silence, smiling.

“What can I say, the fans love me.”



Title: F3. Background: kaleidoscopic patterns

 


I'm currently reading The Umbrella Academy (TUA) fanfiction like there's no tomorrow... which given the current state of the world is a possibility, but let's move on...

So, I'm heavy on the TUA fanfics-reading at the moment.

...Especially the ones that play around with my favourite, fandom-specific, tropes.

Friday 20 October 2023

Friday Fics Fix - A Spooky-Season LGBTQ+ Ghost Story Rec List

 

Who doesn't love a ghost story?

...Don't answer that! 😅 I know they're not to everyone's taste. 

But I love 'em - and there are some pretty awesome fanfic ghost stories out there (both spooky and not-so-spooky,) so I figured I'd remind you of a few of my faves


Title: F3. Background: purple kaleidoscope pattern


I was originally not planning on making this a specifically LGBTQ+ list, but this is fanfiction...

...so it turned out literally 100% of the fics I picked were LGBTQ+ in some capacity! Woo! Lol. 😅



As always with these rec-lists, check out the original rec'ing post for my full list of Content Warnings.

...Also check the rec posts for SPOILER status for the fics, m'k?

Sunday 15 October 2023

Nerd Church - My Kind Of Horror


Warning: this post discusses all kinds of general horror themes (as you probably guessed,) as well as briefly mentioning mental health problems



Title: My Kind of Horror. Image: silhouette of a woman with devil horns holding a pitchfork



I love horror - films, books, whatever, I am there.

Perhaps that's a bit stereotypical, given I'm a Queer millennial smol emo child with mental health problems, but I figure being scared of fulfilling stereotypes just gives them more power over me - and stereotypes can shove it, tbh - so here we are! Lol.

Friday 6 October 2023

Friday Fics Fix - Izzy Hands Is Being Haunted

 

'His captain just looked sad, like he'd failed Izzy in some way.'

 

Title: F3. Background: funky geometry, because why not?



OH MY GOD THIS FIC!!!!

krhguergjopwrgm';¬!

...sorry, had to fangirl over the page a bit there. This fic is so good. 

Like - page-turning, stayed up an extra hour to read some more, good.

Sunday 2 April 2023

Nerd Church - The Black Phone: The Film Adaptation of A Horror Masterpiece

 


The Black Phone is one of my favourite short stories of all time, from one of my favourite authors of all time, Joe Hill.

I've read the collection 20th Century Ghosts (where The Black Phone appears,) more times than it's truly a good thing to admit to - it's my comfort reading, don't judge me.



Title: The Black Phone: The Film Adaptation of A Horror Masterpiece. Background: grey. Image: a retro black phone



So I love this story. It's a masterpiece.

Not perfect, no - it mentions how fat the villain is at least six times too many, for a start - but a masterpiece, all the same.

And I'm fully prepared to admit that I'm entirely biased when it comes to this story. So be aware of that. 😅

Friday 31 March 2023

Friday Fics Fix - That Particular Soft-But-Warped Tone

 

'Edward froze, glancing to the corner Stede had gestured to and seeing nothing there. Stede clearly saw something though, because he kept glancing over there...'


Title: Fics Fix! Background: purple with white lightning bolt shape


I finally got around to watching Our Flag Means Death (OFMD) - it will come as zero surprise to most people that I utterly freaking ADORE it!

And what I do with things I adore, once I run out of canon material, is read fanfiction - let's be honest, I am nothing if not predictable. 😅


(Fandom notes:

Canon is the 'official' stuff in the book/film/TV series/whatever.)


Friday 3 February 2023

Friday Fics Fix - Bucky Barnes Is Not Leaving


'“This isn’t some true-crime podcast, alright?”

Sam blinks again, taken aback by the sudden anger in Bucky’s tone. He opens his mouth, closes it, then opens it again to ask, “Who taught you about podcasts?”'

 

Title: Fics Fix! Background: Purple with a white lightning bolt shape



Should I be concerned, do you think, that this isn't the first time I've rec'd a The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) fanfic where Bucky's the ghost in a haunted house, and Sam has to deal with this sh**?

Meh, I guess it's not the weirdest fanfic trope that's out there. (Please, if you know what the weirdest trope is - DON'T tell me, I want to preserve what's left of my web-based innocence 😅)

Friday 28 October 2022

Friday Fics Fix - There's A Metaphysical Barn and Everything


'"So that's six ghosts, then. Six angry, murderous ghosts."

"Yeah," Duke said. The foundations of his anger had washed away, and now he just looked tired.'

 

'Fics Fix!' with purple background and white lightning bolt shape


There are some TV series which are truly amazing... until the ending.

Sometimes the ending just isn't up to scratch, y'know?

Sometimes the end is totally unsatisfactory and/or doesn't make goddamn sense.



And that's where fanfiction comes in.

Because Fix-It fics take that cr**py ending and/or plot development, and say 'no - that's not what happened.' And they write their own, instead.

(Yes, I'm talking Fix-It fics on Friday Fics Fix - keep up and don't let your tongue get too tied 😅)

Friday 2 September 2022

Friday Fics Fix - Bucky Isn't the Problem In This House

 

'“Huh,” Sam said. “You’re the ghost.”'



'Fics Fix!' with purple background and white lightning bolt shape


It seems like I'm drawn to gothicky SamBucky lately.

Not sure whether this is my fault or just the way things are... nah, let's be honest: it's my fault. I am trash. 😅

Friday 8 October 2021

Friday Fics Fix - A Queer Horror Fanfic Rec List

 

Since it's October, and therefore a time for all things spooky and gothic (woohoo!) I thought I'd give you all a little taste of some horror fics.

Some of these are horror in that the specific piece of fanfiction is horror-based, and some of them are actually based on horror media/fandoms. OK? OK.

Oh, and they're all Queer af.


'Fics Fix!' with purple background and white lightning bolt shape





As I’ve mentioned before, Queer people love horror.

(Not all of us, obviously, that would be a sweeping generalisation, and everyone’s different, but a lot of Queer people do love horror. And I mean LOVE it.)

So, horror's Queer, fanfiction's Queer, let's pull some monsters outta the closet! 😉😎😅

Sunday 1 August 2021

Nerd Church - Witch-Hunts and Fear: The Emotional Maturity of ParaNorman

 * = commission link



I love the movie ParaNorman*. It’s hugely underappreciated.

This beautiful, weird, stop-motion mash-up of classic horror and kids’ adventure tale is surprisingly emotionally mature.

It explores the way that fear creates hatred, which in turn creates fear and hatred. And that adults can sometimes act out when they’re scared, in ways that can hurt the people – the children – around them.




'Witch-Hunts and Fear: The Emotional Maturity of ParaNorman'





Warning: this post contains SPOILERS for the film ParaNorman, and discusses: persecution (including religious-based persecution,) Ableism, Transphobia, Homophobia, horror elements, executions, death




I’ve seen ParaNorman quite a few times now – it always strikes me like it’s the first time I’ve seen it.

I think I forget, in between watches, just how good this film is.

First-off, of course, I appreciate anything made with stop-motion animation – stop-motion uses puppets or models, which are imaged, frame-by-frame, as they are moved incrementally by hand.

When the still images are put together (at a rate of around 24 frames per second,) it generates the illusion of movement.

In order to create smooth-looking movement, the positioning of the models from one frame to the next has to be both minute and precise.

Friday 4 June 2021

Friday Fics Fix - Pride Fics Fest: The Queer Umbrella (Academy)

 

Yes, it's June! Which means that here on Dora Reads I stop pretending that fanfiction is anything other than Queer af, and go all-out with my Pride Fics Fest.



'Fics Fix!' with purple background and white lightning bolt shape


What better way to kick off this year's Pride Fics Fest than with superhero TV show The Umbrella Academy (TUA)?

TUA is super Queer (pun very definitely intended,) and more than willing to give us two canonically Queer main characters in our superhero family ensemble.

Because this is fanfiction, I'll be looking at IDs which are both canon and not canon.

Friday 19 March 2021

Friday Fics Fix - Movie Night Is Kind Of Crowded


'For Klaus, there are – approximately – seven million people crammed into this slumber party, most of them screaming at the top of their lungs'




'Fics Fix!' with purple background and white lightning bolt shape

 


I read a lot of Umbrella Academy fanfiction, like a butt-tonne.

So yes, this week's fic rec is once again an Umbrella Academy fic.

Friday 26 February 2021

Friday Fics Fix - I Am Utter Trash and Do Not Care To Hide It


'...“But when he doesn’t show up for pancakes it's good practice to make sure he hasn’t fallen down a manhole or something,”

Klaus resists the urge to hiss.'



'Fics Fix!' with purple background and white lightning bolt shape


You know I love novel (or novella) length fanfiction.

The beautiful dedication that it takes to write a piece like this always makes me smile.

Friday 15 January 2021

Friday Fics Fix - Haunting Metaphors (...and I'm Blaming the Coffee)

 (Warning: this post discusses mental health problems, as well as referencing abuse by parents.)



'Klaus blinked slowly, then nodded. “Yeah, what can I say? Some people just can’t accept that they’re f**king DEAD!”'



'Fics Fix!' with purple background and white lightning bolt shape




Now that I've finally finished watching Series 2 of The Umbrella Academy, it is of course time for some TUA fanfiction!

I'm Umbrella Academy trash, and proud of it! 😂😎

Friday 8 January 2021

Friday Fics Fix - Avengers! Ghosts! Buzzfeed Unsolved!

 

'“I mean,” Clint cuts back in, “better safe than sorry. If it is a ghost, shouldn't you get the Tower blessed or cleansed or whatever?”'

 

'Fics Fix!' with purple background and white lightning bolt shape



Avengers! Ghosts! Buzzfeed Unsolved!

...To be honest, if that hasn't hooked you I don't know what I can say to convince you to read this week's fic. 

If you're intrigued, read on fair nerdlets! 

If not, go! 

Go now and frolic in peace!

(...I think I'm gonna be like this for the entire post. Just as a warning! The first week of 2021 has picked up where 2020 left off and I wasn't exactly normal to begin with 😅)


Friday 4 September 2020

Friday Fics Fix - Klaus and Ben's Guide To The Parenting Of Dead Children

 

'Ben started laughing too. “What’s the matter, Klaus? Nonbinary ghost child should be right up your alley.”

That laughter was contagious, and Klaus gave in. “You know what? You’re right. Nonbinary ghost child is right up my alley. Good for you, kid!”'


'Fics Fix!' with purple background and white lightning bolt shape


Yes, we are talking Umbrella Academy...

But hang on a sec -



!! Please do NOT the SPOILERS !!

I'm only about half-way through series 2 of The Umbrella Academy, so please no spoilers! 

Diolch yn fawr iawn fy nghariadau!/Thanks v. much my loves!


Friday 6 September 2019

Friday Fics Fix - Something Followed




'He can feel something else coming through, something uninvited.'


Fics Fix title image with purple background and white lightning bolt shape


I love horror.

...You may or may not have noticed.

Generally speaking, the less-realistic and more fake-looking the horror is, the more I'm freaked out.

There are some notable exceptions (Pet Sematary *shudders*) but overall, the more realistic and convincing the horror is, the more I'm like: meh, it's a ghost.


Related Reading: Nerd Church - My Real-Life Ghost Stories



Friday 30 August 2019

Friday Fics Fix - Ghosting Through



'Twitching his fingers before scrunching the light grey fabric up in his fingers. The small motion making his fingers ache and nearly all of his joints pop. Speaking with his voice coming out harsh and scratchy, “now where?”.'
Fics Fix title image with purple background and white lightning bolt shape



Sometimes you just come across something fresh and interesting and... you have to read the thing.

This fic is the thing. I had to read it.




OK, I've talked about Danny Phantom and my UNDYING LOVE for that cartoon before now.


Danny Fenton making love-struck eyes while little pink hearts float around him
Via Giphy


But if you're not aware of it:

Basically, this kid is half-ghost (yes, that's a thing, just go with it,) and fights bad ghosts; his parents are ghost hunters and don't know he's half-ghost because they're both oblivious and a li'l incompetent.

...But they have moments of brilliance that always seem to negatively affect Danny. Because typical 00's cartoon parents.



Wednesday 28 August 2019

Review Time! (Graphic Novel Edition!) - Watersnakes by Tony Sandoval


This post contains affiliate links for Amazon.com (USA.) I earn commissions from qualifying purchases.


Watersnakes title graphic, with a sword shape underlining the word




Title: Watersnakes

Author: Tony Sandoval

Genres: 
Watersnakes book cover showing girls in armour and holding swords
Graphic Novel, Fantasy*, Young Adult, Magic Realism, LGBTQ+ (F/F), Horror*, Ghost Story* (*ish) 


Buy Now USA