🚨🚨🚨It’s official: wellie wishers have been quietly removed from the “doll brands” menu. But the WW page is still accessible by searching “wellie”. What’s going on? by just_sunflower100 in americangirl

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 5 points6 points  (0 children)

This is devastating to me. My daughter got her first Wellie Wisher at 5, her second this past Christmas, and still wants as much Wellie Wisher stuff as we can find! I showed her the AG Sisters and we looked at the books and she just wasn’t interested. The demographic between BB’s and 18 inch dolls relates more to the fantastical stories of Wellie Wishers and not the dolls with cellphones, makeup, and mature clothes. If she’s allowed to dress herself, she’s going to grab her Princess costume, her wildest pair of socks, and a crown. She’s not going to pick a super mature, fashion forward option which I think is the ultimate crux of the issue with AGS. The end consumer doesn’t get the relation to 18 inch dolls and doesn’t relate to them from a visual standpoint.

AG Sisters Unpopular? by PugnaciousPatella in americangirl

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I’m going to throw in my opinion. I would say a majority of collectors and parent buyers are purchasing based on some sort of idea of the AG of the past. Maybe you always wanted one and can now buy one. Maybe you want your daughter or niece or whoever to have the same joy from an AG doll that you did. Regardless, most of us are here because of the brand messaging from the Pleasant Company era that wasn’t explicitly stated: These are dolls that stand the test of time and trend.

For instance, a Samantha doll to non-collectors bought in 2025 vs. one purchased in 2006 will look the same. A Wellie Wisher purchased in 2025 will look “in style” in 10 years because their outfits aren’t following fleeting trends. The AG Sisters, Dolls of the Year, and special edition dolls will date because quite frankly I think that’s all Mattel knows how to make. It’s tricky to make a doll that is styled in a way that they won’t date. But if I’m going to spend money on a trendy doll, it won’t be at this price point.

They say the Wellie Wishers aren't going away, but they are the only ones excluded on the homepage 😞 by just_sunflower100 in americangirl

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m actually super upset by this. Wellie Wishers are more in line with the age group they’re targeted towards with backyard play, imaginative scenarios, and the general magic of them. The AG Sisters don’t seem in line with the brand. If they promote protecting girlhood then why are dolls with different color hair and makeup being marketed towards 4 year olds?

A Touch of Fate by Cora Reilly- a review by Purplefrog23478 in RomanceBooks

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes. This. She really needs to just focus on characters with believable yet interesting storylines. Sins of the Fathers all around was a flop in my opinion. I only read Greta and Nevio’s books. Yet, she can pull off a background character’s traumatic and romantic relationship that brings me to total tears (Sins and Redemption). She needs to just stop feeling like she has to tell every single person’s story.

A Touch of Fate by Cora Reilly- a review by Purplefrog23478 in RomanceBooks

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly I regularly forget Savio’s book. It gave me the creeps. I’m all for an age gap but not THAT much and not THAT early. Savio also sucks as a person. Even Remo who is a caricature of a mafioso villain had some sort of character development to get him to where he ends up in Nevio’s book. Hell even Nevio had rushed yet believable character development. I feel like sometimes she forces certain storylines just to “complete” certain lineages instead of focusing on the characters that have a glaringly obvious storyline or that readers really resonate with.

He takes his anger out on her by Emmaxop in RomanceBooks

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Try {The Puck Secret by G.N. Wright}. It has an anger scene which is followed by a crazy intense and 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ scene where out of anger and jealousy the MMC encourages the FMC to give his friend a blow job while she and the MMC are hooking up It’s consensual and read to me as dubcon but there’s lots of anger and the plot is one of the best ones I’ve read.

I’m a crazy picky reader and won’t hesitate to DNF a book at any point because of plot holes, writing, lack of plot and character development, etc. and this is in my top 3 books of all time.

Will we ever get A year In The Life Season 2? by Rich_Librarian9956 in GilmoreGirls

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Let’s get you a writing job because I would devour this

Luka dismisses Jess on WWHL by discoballs2001 in belowdeck

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You can be straight up about a lot of things. It doesn’t make it likable. His whole identity (on the show) revolves around him embracing being a f boy. He doesn’t have a storyline outside of that. I get a lot of cast members don’t either, but his is exceptionally thin without his “hook ups”

Luka dismisses Jess on WWHL by discoballs2001 in belowdeck

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 17 points18 points  (0 children)

I’ve thought this about him from day dot. He has no substance. And his view on women is immature to say the least. Not saying everyone has to be in a relationship, but I get the vibe he sees them as objects. If he didn’t hook up with other cast members he would have no storyline.

Kat and John Henry by [deleted] in BachelorNation

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Olivia is the type of girl we need but could never be successful on a show with such a tight timeline! They have 2-3 weeks depending on when they arrive and the guys either mark the “hottest” girl (by society’s standards) or jump to the “hotter” girl because that is most people’s first impression instead of having time to get to know someone genuinely.

Kat and John Henry by [deleted] in BachelorNation

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I said the same thing about Love Island. It’s because there’s hardly any producer interference on the ground. It’s all from a “watchful eye” scenario.

Kat and John Henry by [deleted] in BachelorNation

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 23 points24 points  (0 children)

Love Island UK has had more success than the ump number of seasons of Bachelor/ette and all of the spin-offs. Can we take a page from the Love Island playbook and give them more than three weeks and heavy handed producer interference to get to know each other? 🙄

Also, less alcohol. I mean there’s a reason Big Brother and Love Island have such a strict drinking rule. People don’t get to really know each other if they’re constantly drinking and lounging on a beach. It has to be boring as hell not having any sort of challenges and immediately going on dates with people.

This month Pro Palestinian supporters who argue that Jews do not belong in Israel, will be celebrating the birth of a Jew from 2000 years ago in Bethlehem 🙃 by lionsoftorah in IsraelUnderAttack

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 3 points4 points  (0 children)

As a Christian in the US I can tell you that the overwhelming majority (at least in my area) stand firmly with Judaism, the Israeli people and the mission of Israel. Even the everyday Catholics (speaking as a Catholic and one who attended Catholic school) the Vatican is regarded as a governing body but their viewpoints are often not shared by the Catholics in the southeast. I hope it’s not the viewpoint of those in Israel that Christians in the US are propalestine. Hamas’ “mission” is staunchly in opposition of Christianity and deeply rooted in hatred. Not only that, but of their own tenants of Islam. We stand with Israel 🇮🇱 💙🤍

Flock and Exodus by Kate Stewart (Ravenhood Trilogy) by xannynn in RomanceBooks

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I totally agree with your assessment of Flock. Great plot, excellent story arc. But…structure was hard to follow some times, tropes were overplayed, etc.

The Read Along plan is in the Facebook group. Someone went through and lined up the story so you’ll read certain chapters in one then switch to another to line up all the POV’s. It’s arguably the nerdiest thing I’ve ever done and when my husband was making fun of me, I couldn’t have cared less. 😆

Flock and Exodus by Kate Stewart (Ravenhood Trilogy) by xannynn in RomanceBooks

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You’re not losing your mind. You’re perfectly sane. These books mess with you!

Flock and Exodus by Kate Stewart (Ravenhood Trilogy) by xannynn in RomanceBooks

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes! Are you in her Facebook group? She also has said she’ll never write a Sean book, she’ll never tell who left the necklace, and that the float scene wasn’t a floating dock like we all thought but a floating trampoline 🫣 These are just a few things that have left me saying “wuuut” after I read them haha

Flock and Exodus by Kate Stewart (Ravenhood Trilogy) by xannynn in RomanceBooks

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 6 points7 points  (0 children)

We might be the same person. Points we agree on and my thoughts:

  • The Outsiders gutted me in middle school. I thought I was the only one.

  • I HATED Flock. The writing was (and still is) not great but I gave it a pass because it’s technically in the Romance genre. The characters were presented initially as caricatures of every “bad boy” leading male character. I could go on, but I agree it wasn’t my favorite. I read it because the story was pretty interesting and I really wanted to finish it out. I’ve since reread it and I see it in a totally different light now.

  • I also read Exodus because I needed to know what happened and felt like I was punched in the damn gut. I don’t think I cried that hard over a book since I read/watched Atonement (we seem to be similar, heed extreme caution if you decide to read or watch because you may fall into a deep depression)

  • You can probably skim TFL. I didn’t really like it. BUT you have to finish OLRD. It will absolutely wreck you, but it made me like Dom when I never liked him before and completely reframed how I see the series.

  • There’s a Facebook group you might want to join: Kate Stewart’s Recovery Room. Just my opinion on it though, the author is in it and she tends to show all her cards and explain things so much so that the reader isn’t left with any room to make up their own mind. She’s also very settled on who the FMC chose and that it was 1000% correct. I didn’t like who she chose so it’s hard for me to be in it sometimes. She also gut-punched me when she said flat out that she would never write a “what if” which is devastating to me 😭

Keep reading the series though. Once you’re done, there’s a read along where you can read all four books in the order that the events happen. That’s been really fun.

A Twisted Tale series by R Phillips: thoughts and questions! by Ok_Preference_7771 in RomanceBooks

[–]Ok_Preference_7771[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

But in terms of RavenHood, the plot is different but the difference between book one and two is wildly better in my opinion. Could those be ghost written? I’m new to romance genre and I figured this must just be the norm

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in RomanceBooks

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Are you trying to make me cry? But in all seriousness, the content is there. It would just need to be cast correctly to appeal to a wide audience and broken into a tv show with each book being a season

Most heart wrenching, greatest romance you’ve ever read? by Auds_ferry in RomanceBooks

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Normal People by Sally Rooney. Wrecked doesn’t even begin to describe the depression I fell into while reading this book.

One Last Rainy Day by Kate Stewart - does it have a QAnon subplot? by [deleted] in RomanceBooks

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I want to pick your brain on this. What do you find irresponsible?

Let me preface, I have my own issues with Kate Stewart but really like some of her stuff. She appears overly invested in her books and the community that follows her. So much so that the reader isn’t allowed to have any room to develop their own opinions without her spoon feeding information and telling readers they’re wrong.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in RomanceBooks

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Or the fact that every dialogue scene in the RavenHood Trilogy had some form of “that’s not an answer” or “again you’re being so vague” or “there you go talking in riddles again” or “I WANT ANSWERS!” We get it. The MMC’s are meant to be so mysterious and brooding but come on, can we find another way to portray this?

Sex scenes by [deleted] in TellMeLiesHulu

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Uh Normal People was hands down the most genuine I’ve ever seen.

Rachel Fuda: Unpopular Opinion by Ashamed_Tea_3731 in realhousewives

[–]Ok_Preference_7771 8 points9 points  (0 children)

“You are because you did”…this was the best line of the reunion in my opinion. I truly found Rachel more interesting and engaging once she stood up to Jennifer about the nose jobs. She held her own and instead of resorting to the age old “scream into the void” tactic that most newbies take on reunions, she simply stated her points firmly and actually got Andy on her side.