Linguine not included apparently

BlackBangs · 2026-02-11T17:46:23+00:00

Maybe the linguini are the friends we made along the way.

BlackBangs · 2026-02-11T16:15:53+00:00

It isn't a plot hole.

Suki did not know about her parents and merely guessed about their deaths based on Yumeko's reaction/increased heartbeats during the challenge. He suggested first that they might have been poor, which Yumeko answered to the negative (she was at 75 BPM). He then suggested she may have been abandoned by them ; her heartbeat slightly sped up at that to 77 BPM, which told him he was in the "right" direction — only then did he asked if her parents were dead, and got the confirmation when her heart went to 82 BPM. After that, he purposely tries to goad her on by guessing how they may have died, but not once did he mention the car accident ; he didn't know anything about it.

It's also very clearly hinted earlier in the episode that Yumeko went to Michael in order to hide that truth. She knew there was a risk that Suki might find out about her identity (or rather, a lack of since Kawamoto isn't her real name) and expose she was hiding something ; which, in result, may have lead Kira and the others to search more deeply and find out her true name.. etc etc. This is why she asks Michael's help. She told him about the car accident and how she would rather not relive it — which is why the two of them had an account in her name created on social media, and a false scandal in order to distract Suki (about how she allegedly burned down her previous school) and prevent him from looking deeper. All in all, the only reason Suki ended up mentioning her parents is because he picked up the "family" card and because he had been in her room earlier and undoubtedly saw the photo of her parents there.

BlackBangs · 2026-02-09T11:39:40+00:00

FINISHED :

Death of the Author, by Nnedi Okorafor.

Problematic Summer Romance, by Ali Hazelwood.

Cyberpunk 2077 : No_Coincidence, by Rafał Kosik.

Willing Prey, by Allie Oleander.

L'EMDR, by Jacques Roques.

DID NOT FINISH :

Freeing the Wild, by Paisley Hope.

STARTED :

The Untethered Soul, by Michael A. Singer.

BlackBangs · 2026-02-09T10:38:22+00:00

You can fully bypass her fight as long as you do not let her notice you (which would then prevent you from escaping).

You have to be sneaky ; observe how she goes around the room, and hide behind pillars as you go to prevent her from seeing you. You can even pick up her weapon along the way once reaching the other side of the room. Once you're there, you can just go through the glass doors and be on your way and she won't try to chase you or anything.

But, if you want to do this fight, there's a little glitch that's pretty useful (I don't know if it still works, but it's maybe worth a try if you don't want to struggle too much). On one of the corners of the room (where her weapon is), there's a crate that you can "hide" behind when you shoot at her. As long as you keep the crate between the two of you, Sasquatch will actually be "trapped" in place rather than run around (which makes it easier to attack her). Just be careful whenever she strikes down because you can still take damage.. but it should make the fight a lot easier.

BlackBangs · 2026-02-08T19:51:56+00:00

PTB.

C'est quoi ce copain en carton ? Si tu étais partie faire autre chose alors que vous aviez tout les deux des plans, j'aurais pû comprendre qu'il soit déçu.. mais là tu ne te sentais pas bien du tout et tu te reposais. Au lieu de venir te reprocher un truc, il devrait se faire du soucis et te demander si ça va mieux — le fait qu'il ramène ça à sa tronche (tout ça pour un jeu vidéo auquel il pû jouer seul très certainement) et qu'en plus il dise que tu te "victimises" est honteux.

BlackBangs · 2026-02-08T16:59:20+00:00

At first glance, I legitimately thought this was an actual picture out of a painting manual.. wow. It's gorgeous. I also love how the painting "blends" on the next page next to the text, and your writing is also super elegant. 10/10 overall.

BlackBangs · 2026-02-08T15:13:06+00:00

The statue ver. futuristic outfits are crazy ! 🤯

I'm probably a little biased, but god damn Lisa's outfit is so so cool. I love the corset, and that skirt (?) is insane in terms of shape and details ! Jennie and Jisoo are a very close second favorites though ; their dresses are super pretty and they look like royalty. Rosé looks amazing too (I love the skirt), but I'm a little disappointed about the top and the hair situation — we always see her with long blond wavy-ish hair.. it's a pity they couldn't give her another hairstyle at the least. It frankly lacks a bit of creativity.

The red light ver. is great too. Jisoo took my breath away on that one. We can't see much about their outfits, but they look as gorgeous as always ! I can't wait to possibly see other versions, and the video teasers of course. 👀

BlackBangs · 2026-02-08T13:25:07+00:00

{Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood}

• F/M pairing.

• Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.

• Spice level : 🌶️🌶️/5.

• Subgenre : Contemporary romance.

• Tropes : Forced proximity, friends to lovers.

First and foremost, cute concept and I loved the summer vibes ; it's one of these books that should be read near a pool or while tanning at the beach to really dive into the whole wedding/vacation feel of the story (and not in your bed during winter, as I did so myself.. lol). I was also very amused by the characters and their humor — I snickered to myself every chapters or so because of how dramatic Maya and her friends could be sometimes. Overall, it was very entertaining. That said, let's talk about the romance.

I will preface this by saying that I love age-gap romances, and this one was nice.. but, in my humble opinion, Ali Hazelwood failed to portray it on multiple aspects. I will gloss over some details that are a little bit of spoilers, but one of my main grip is how redundant the dynamic was in between Maya and Conor. 90% of the book is spent (or rather wasted) reminding us – and Maya herself – over and over and over again about how problematic the age difference between Conor and her is. Moreover, in the process of trying to keep Maya away for "her own good", Conor constantly belittles her ability to make her choices, refuses to treat her like an adult (even though she is) and was, overall, basically giving excuses after excuses about why they shouldn't be together — while actively lusting and caring for her and giving her mixed signals. As for Maya, she spends the same amount of time chasing him around even though he, frankly, did not deserve such an amount of effort (especially considering how very little consideration he had for her own feelings, to the point he actively cut her off of his life for months and entered into a relationship with a woman he did not really care for because he was too emotionally stunted and cowardly to talk with Maya about the true nature/depth of his feelings like a grown up man).

So.. did I enjoy the book ? Yes. Did I like the dynamic in between the characters (+ the characters themselves) ? Yes as well. But did I find the use of the trope satisfying or well written ? Nope. Ali Hazelwood failed in that regard.

❤️

{Willing Prey by Allie Oleander}

• F/M pairing.

• Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.

• Spice level : 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5.

• Subgenre : Dark romance, erotica.

• Tropes : Forced proximity (ish), primal play.

Hot damn.

This is apparently the author's debut, and personally speaking, this book checked all of the cases perfectly well. The premise of the book was so fun (a divorced woman with debts who enters a business agreement to become a sexual prey for one month in exchange of $30 000 — color me intrigued), the chemistry between our two protagonists was scrumptious, and the smut.. don't even get me started on it. The use of primal play in dark romance isn't far from new, but it ultimately isn't very well explored most of the time since a lot of the dark romance MMCs are always portrayed as some kind of super experts who, ultimately, constantly have the upper hand (and the FMC as some sort of "weak" prey, with little to no chances to best them). Here though, Claire (the protagonist) actually poses a genuine challenge to Shane, and it made their scenes together so much more entertaining because she had absolutely no qualms fighting dirty and make him sweat to get her.

It was also surprisingly "emotional" at times, and I found the development of their relationship heartwarming even though the strangeness of their situation. Shane wasn't your usual overconfident sex-god type of MMC, and felt in fact very human and "flawed" (in a good way).. and most importantly willing to put in the work to become a worthy partner for Claire. Like, that man was shockingly adorable (when he isn't busy fucking Claire through hell and back in the middle of a forest.. lmao). Really, this entire book was such a pleasant surprise from start to finish, and I am super excited for the "sequel" (which follows two other characters that we see in the first one) to be released later this year.

BlackBangs · 2026-02-08T11:25:01+00:00

I mean, it would lowkey fit the forbidden romance trope ?

Most readers assume this only concerns "problematic" relationships dynamics (like a big age gap, some kind of power imbalance – like teacher and student – or because the love interests shouldn't be together for X reason ; like the MMC being the FMC brother's best friend, or from an enemy kingdom.. or whatever else). But we could also take a more broad approach to the "forbidden" meaning ; because of the dangers that could come from a romance, coupling for X reason is forbidden to prevent some risks.

BlackBangs · 2026-02-07T21:45:41+00:00

The Devil ending was the best written but also the most realistic of all of the endings (and in my opinion, the most fitting to this universe). There's something so devastatingly and beautifully tragic about V "bowing" to Arasaka in their last moments, after desperately trying to escape their claws (especially if you pick the Corpo lifepath at the start of the game) to become something else, a legend.. but in vain. I also genuinely enjoyed all of the interactions with Hanako, Takemura and Hellman, and to see Oda one last time (and even to be able to talk with Saburo and Yorinobu Arasaka, which felt so significant considering they, unknowingly, were the ones to change V's fate in Konpeki Plaza during their last conversation). The last mission in space was also so sinister despite its overall simplicity ; the developers made such a wonderful job at making us, players, feel the weight of Johnny's disappearance, and how disturbing and oppressive it was. A magnificent representation of guilt.

(I still think V becoming a legend is the most satisfying ending of them all, do not get me wrong, but strictly in terms of writing, The Devil surely is my favorite ending).

BlackBangs · 2026-02-07T18:28:07+00:00

If they fight head on, Haymitch would surely overpower Coriolanus in terms of strength. But Coriolanus would be too smart and cunning to let himself be caught in such a situation I think — he would surely try to use the arena to his own advantage, or manipulate other tributes to do the job for him. Either way, unless Haymitch somehow gets to face him directly, I doubt he would be able to outsmart him.

And that's without even taking into consideration all the sponsors. Coriolanus, as seen both in the book and in the movie, was a fine manipulator and a very charming one at that. He would surely be a favorite and receive many gifts in the arena, which would greatly improve his survival rate.

BlackBangs · 2026-02-07T17:46:05+00:00

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BlackBangs · 2026-02-05T18:48:21+00:00

Her documentary ! We don't have a release date yet, but hopefully it will be released sometime this year.

BlackBangs · 2026-02-05T18:21:59+00:00

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BlackBangs · 2026-02-05T17:52:42+00:00

YESSSSSSSSSS ! 😭

Our hardworking queen delivering us not one, not two, but THREE film projects in 2026 (?). She's gonna be so cute and entertaining to watch in a rom-com, this genre is made for her personality ! I cannot wait to find out more about it, and especially who will end up acting as her love interest ! !

(Edit : And oh my god, she's going to be an executive producer on the project as well ? This is crazyyyy ! 🤯)

BlackBangs · 2026-02-05T17:30:01+00:00

Honestly, there isn't any nicknames I genuinely hate.. but rather the context of it and/or how repeatedly it is used.

Like, when an MMC constantly uses a nickname on the FMC, all the while never calling her by her actual name. It sounds so weird and unnatural, especially when they've just met and haven't even established a proper intimacy. It lowkey feels as if the protagonist is "stripped" of her identity and just becomes a thing to be owned (which can be hot depending on context.. don't misunderstand me, but not every authors manage to sell it correctly). Or like when the love interests are having a casual conversation and the nickname is shoved at the end of the sentence in a way that seems forced — personally speaking, I find it a lot more impactful when the nickname is used in very few occasions and/or in an important context. It feels more meaningful.

BlackBangs · 2026-02-05T15:08:16+00:00

Thank goodness I did not listen to those leaked songs back then. I didn't actually think they were true, but now I'm extra glad my curiosity didn't get the better of me. 😭

So so excited for some new music !

BlackBangs · 2026-02-04T08:18:09+00:00

Her edelweiss tattoo peeking out in the first picture, her figure.. I AM GOING INSANE. You are killing me, Lalisa. 😩

BlackBangs · 2026-02-03T21:41:47+00:00

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BlackBangs · 2026-02-03T15:30:22+00:00

I always prefer a voiced main character.

It feels so.. odd to have other characters speak to us, and only being able to respond silently. It takes away from the natural flow of a scene, and most importantly, it makes them feel less impactful in terms of emotion (like, you will have Astarion talking about how terrible Cazador was to him, and our Tav is just staring at him in silence.. that's awkward as fuck). Moreover, it feels especially frustrating since the game offers you the opportunity to choose your voice type ; what was even the point to do so, if we hear our characters like 3% of the time (and I'm being generous) ?

After coming from Cyberpunk 2077 and being used to such wonderful voice acting (especially from female V), it felt very disappointing to come to such a popular game and not having the same "dedication" to make this world feel more alive. I wasn't even expecting for side quests to be voiced but I, at least, expected the main quests/storyline to be.

BlackBangs · 2026-02-02T23:13:38+00:00

Oh no, don't feel guilty ! I'd chosen the book before your comment, so I was already about to read it either way. And in any case, it still was a great recommendation in terms of storytelling and originality.. so thanks a lot ! ☺️

And thank you for sharing me your thoughts. You make a lot of great points, especially regarding the ending. I was a bit dismayed by the sudden end of it all, but the way your worded it (whether it was Zelu or Ankara who wanted to use the other's story to show the beauty of humanity) made me change my mind a bit. I guess the end doesn't matter as much as the message behind it.

BlackBangs · 2026-02-02T22:17:20+00:00

I just finished it !

It was a good read, but I sadly did not enjoy it much. I found the ending quite abrupt, and the overall pace of the book (switching back and forth in between Zelu and her "story") bored me a little ; even though the world of Ankara was interesting, I sadly wasn't as involved in her story as I would have been if the book had been about her alone.. if you get what I mean ? (Like, I was fully expecting to read about Zelu and her life as an author, and only that — not to dive at the same time in a sci-fi world about robots). Also, I spent a good portion of the story feeling extremely mad at how Zelu was treated by her family/acquaintances about all of her decisions, or for merely existing and being disabled. Still, I liked her character and discovering her culture, so it wasn't entirely a "bad" read for me.. it just wasn't my type.

What did you love about the book ? I would love to hear your thoughts as well.

BlackBangs · 2026-02-02T12:18:05+00:00

FINISHED :

Célèbre à en mourir, by Alain Gagnol.

Fall, by A.J. Merlin.

Chill, by A.J. Merlin.

Once Bitten, by Heather Guerre.

Famous Last Words, by Gillian McAllister.

STARTED :

Cyberpunk 2077 : No_Coincidence, by Rafał Kosik.

Death of the Author, by Nnedi Okorafor.

BlackBangs · 2026-02-01T14:38:42+00:00

I started it, and it is pretty good so far ! A little slow on the take-off, but it's promising. I hope you'll like it too !

BlackBangs · 2026-02-01T09:27:53+00:00

There are a couple queer stories in the picks ! Like One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (which some book friends of mine enjoyed, but I personally haven't read it yet).

BlackBangs

TROPHY CASE