Comics Wrap-Up - How Can You See Into My Eyes Like Open Doors?

 

It's Thursday, this is Dora Reads, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness, m'k?

Everything I've got for you this week is in the 'Other Stuff' category - looks like Loki's been playing tricks on me again. 😘

Nerd Church - We Don't Make Good Decisions When We're Tired, OK?

'Three in the morning is never the time to try and sort out your life.'

- Matt Haig, Reasons To Stay Alive

Most of us have been there - it's a ridiculous time in the night, you're utterly shattered, and you're still trying to get things done.

You inevitably make a mistake -

because you should be sleeping 

- and you decide that your entire life is a sh**-show, and you need to leave everything you know behind and move to the mountains and breed chinchillas or something equally random.

(...Unless that's a long-held ambition of yours, in which case don't let me stop ya!)

Friday Fics Fix - Bucky Angst (I Regret Nothing)

 

'Sam’s hand hovers near his arm again, just in the corner of his eye. Just in case he collapses without warning or something. Bucky hates that he has to bite his tongue and accept that as a legitimate probability'

This week's fic appealed to my emo goblin spaghetti-brain. 

I regret nothing.

Friday Fics Fix - Magical Shenanigans With Tony and Loki

 

'“My guess is it’s got something to do with serotonin,” he says.

“Or magic,” Loki points out.

“Don’t spoil my fun, dear.”'

Let's start 2022 as we mean to go on: 

...with Gay superhero fanfiction. 😅😘

The Bookish Diversity Link List 2022

 

Your resource for all things bookish diversity is back! Welcome to the 6th(!) Bookish Diversity Link List, back for 2022.

OK, 2021 maybe (big 'maybe',)  wasn't as actively on fire as 2020, but due to it still being a dumpster fire, and a lot of personal stuff, etc., I once again wasn't able to do as much for the link list as I'd like to.

I actually wondered whether or not to have a list for 2022 - the bookish interwebs have gotten to the stage where diversity is so much more prominent than it was in 2016, and I wondered whether I was really contributing anything any more.

But I still think there's need for a resource which points to other cool and good quality diverse bookish things - even if I sometimes struggle to add as much to it as I'd like.

My corner of the bookish interwebs may be flourishing diversely, but the bookish interwebs as a whole has a lot of churn in terms of participants (i.e. people leaving, people coming in,) - and some of the issues around diversity and representation remain as pressing as ever.

So, here I am, once again, doing my small bit to keep things moving forward. I hope you find it useful.

Comics Wrap-Up - Two Armies Are Coming At Me

It's Thursday, 2021 is - to paraphrase my countryman Dylan Thomas - going gentle into that good night, so let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Friday Fics Fix - Loki Angst Time! (Woo!)

 

'Thor was… strangely prone to crying lately, which Loki didn’t appreciate but had to endure nonetheless.'

Angst time! Angst time! Time to have an angst fest! 😅

...I'm random, but ya love it 😜

Friday Fics Fix - Knit Together

 

'Slowly, Klaus’ scarf begins to take shape. It’s a little wonky in places, the occasional stitch has been dropped, the loops are not very neat - but he’s improving with time.'

The Umbrella Academy (TUA) fic time again!!! Woo!

And yes, as you've probably guessed, this fic is firmly front-and-centred on m'boy Klaus Hargreeves.

Month in Review(s) - October 2021

(Warning: this post discusses grief, bereavement, Covid 19, mental health, and general existential crises.)

October was not the easiest month I've ever had - but then, it was far from the hardest, so that's a plus point.

We've been dealing with some of the last admin of my nan's estate, and every time I feel like I've come to terms with her being gone, it's like another gut-punch.

Because I hadn't seen her in-person for so long due to Covid, sometimes it kind of still feels like I'm just waiting for the pandemic to be over, to be able to visit her.

Accepting that I'll never be able to hug her again, after waiting over a year to be able to do so is... difficult.

Seven Years of Blogging! (aka My Blog Anniversary Post)

(Warning: this post references: the affects of Depression, grief and bereavement, 2020 in general, Nazis and internet trolls)

Seven years ago, in a decision I can’t remember making, using reasoning I don’t remember at all, I started this book blog.

(Yes, this is technically a book blog! I’m just very good at stirring the bookish content into the non-bookish content. 

Like sneaking veggies into your food or something... I don't know where that analogy is going, tbh 😅)

I named it Diary of a Reading Addict. I don’t remember why.

Later, I changed it to Dora Reads – which I felt was better for a bunch of reasons. (I never have just one reason for anything!)

Nerd Church - Bad Luck vs Catastrophizing

Warning: this post discusses: Anxiety, intrusive thoughts, cognitive distortions, catastrophizing, knives, spiders, video game deaths, and brief references to mouse killing and car crashes


Disclaimer time: I am not any type of mental health, psychological, scientific, or medical professional. 

I am someone with a blog and personal experience of mental health problems.

Nerd Church - Reasons I Didn't Review Your Book

 

Yes, I'm a book blogger. Yes, I write reviews.

And yes, somehow I lucked out and reviews are some of my highest-traffic content, despite the fact that I write way fewer of them than I intend to.

But I don't review everything I read. Far from it.

There are people who do that - and that's amazing, I admire you so much.

But I can't.

I just can't.

I don't have the energy or the time. And I'm trying not to do the work-myself-into-an-early-grave thing. With varied results.

And whether or not I'll be reviewing your book (metaphorical author who may or may not exist,) will be based on a bunch of factors - because you know that I don't have just one reason for absolutely anything.

(Warning: this post references the affects of Depression/Anxiety)

Nerd Church - Battling My Puritanical Work Ethic (and Society, I Guess)

 

(Warning: this post discusses chronic illness and ableism, as well as negative stereotyping. It also references grief, mental health problems, and Coronavirus/Covid 19)

Friday Fics Fix - Pride Fics Fest: Bucky Barnes, Bicon

 

Yes, it's another week of Pride Fics Fest, where I stop pretending fanfiction is anything but All the Gay™.

(You can check out last week's post here!)

I figured it out, Marvel!

You just didn't know how to give us Bucky Barnes as a Bicon! You were afraid of messing it up! That's what it was!

How cynical and misguided of us to think that you were Queerbaiting with The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) - extensively - rather than trying to find a way to express Bucky's Bisexuality.

Month in Review(s) - April 2021

(Warning: this post briefly discusses Covid 19/Coronavirus and Lockdowns, and mental health problems)

April was a mixed month.

Not only did we have snow, hail, rain, and blazing warm sunshine on the same day, but the uncertain opening-up after Lockdown etc. still meant that things felt hecka odd.

We're in that odd position where we're (hopefully) beyond the worst of it, but it's also uber-important not to move too fast, y'know?

Friday Fics Fix - Bucky Gets A Book Club

 

'Sam scrubbed a hand over his face. “Look, I know you talk like that just to annoy me, that the ‘stoic brainwashed soldier’ thing is just an act-“

“I would never joke about perimeter security.”'

 

Have we established that I'm trash for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) yet?

If not, let's establish it right now: I am trash for TFATWS. (Albeit trash that is still critical of their Queerbaiting, but here we are.)

Nerd Church - Covid 19: I Got My Vaccine Appointment (I Hate Needles)

 

(Warning: as you can probably tell from the title, this post discusses Covid 19/Coronavirus, vaccination, needles, and needlephobia. 

It also talks about Anxiety and Depression, and mentions being a smol closeted Queer chick, because I'm perfectly capable of going off on tangents.)

I have my vaccine appointment! 

At the end of this week, I will be getting my first dose.

(Yes, I am still in my 20s, and Wales started with the over 80s.

The Welsh vaccination programme is working like a well-oiled machine! (I think the small population also probably helps.))

Friday Fics Fix - The Ups and Downs

 

'Dave got off on the 18th floor, looking back to see Klaus with his hand raised in a wave. Dave swore he had the words ‘Good Bye’ written on his palm'

This week's fic is a fun fic based around The Umbrella Academy (TUA)

(Yes, I know I am trash. 😅 We have established this thoroughly by this point. And I don't care.)

Comics Wrap-Up - I'm Taking Back the Life You Stole

 

It's Thursday, it's the end of April in this year of 2021, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Friday Fics Fix - The Falcon, The Winter Soldier, and Healthy Coping Mechanisms

 

'“Look at me and tell me this doesn’t look like an accomplished person to you!” Sam was holding a giant teddy bear in his arms.'

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) series means these characters are both living in my head rent-free.

Depending on what happens in the finale (released today!) we might all need the smooshy mental-health-based comfort of this fic. 

(Which comes complete with a slight dose of angst, because despite my apparent adulthood, I am a smol emo child, and you all know this.)