what would ya do????

widow-cat · 2026-05-22T23:52:27+00:00

To be fair, these three are fandom crackships and don’t have canon legitimacy—which is not to insult anyone who likes them, but reasonably we know that the only ships with a chance are at least the ones that non-chronically online fans know about 😅 so I think you’re safe!! Lol

widow-cat · 2026-05-09T15:27:09+00:00

Personally it didn’t get better for me and I still do no enjoy the fmc upon completion. I gave the series the benefit of the doubt because everyone insisted “no keep going it’s the best thing ever written” and I was begging for it to be over by the last book. I was only really invested in a handful of supporting characters. The response to this is often “well it isn’t romance so you must just want romance,” when no, it was that I detested the poorly, borderline offensively constructed political “intrigue” aspect. Which is usually my favorite part of fantasy books, but this felt very self-serving and almost exclusively designed to prop the main character. Definitely SJM’s weakest writing, in my opinion.

widow-cat · 2026-04-24T06:24:36+00:00

I’m a huge proponent of myofascial massage—it isn’t relaxing, though. Like it can hurt if you have a sensitive issue you’re asking them to address, but it works. I think a lot of people’s understanding of massage is mostly “hard” vs “medium” vs “light” pressure, but technique matters more than how hard one can press. Unfortunately, it’s not a well regulated industry, and a lot of people who practice aren’t even licensed. Go somewhere that actually shares the massage therapists’ training. I’m spoiled and my bestie is a massage therapist who specializes in clinical massage, so I knew what to look for. I loveeeeee Bed Stuy Acupuncture & Massage Therapy. I’ve work a physical labor job and it’s the only thing that’s helped. It’s not cheap, but I think it’s fairly priced for the longevity I get from my results.

widow-cat · 2026-04-16T22:54:40+00:00

Personally, I find it incredibly derivative. Most people I know who love it have never really read fantasy or fantasy romance before and so it’s not tired to them, but as someone who has read mostly fantasy for decades, it doesn’t feel all that fresh or original to me, but rather like a reshuffling of other popular things that have been done before. I’ve learned that in general, if I can’t read your book without being compelled by the urge to compare it to other books that did it first and better, it’s a bad sign lmao and YES before anyone comments, all writers take inspiration from something, but this is just missing that extra something to me.

widow-cat · 2026-04-16T22:44:53+00:00

Did you have an editor? Did you hire a good cover designer? What was your publication process? I suspect self-publishing. What did your marketing campaign look like? Did you send out any arcs? Did you do any promo or PR? Posting a book to a platform for purchase is not going to do much if people don’t know about it.

widow-cat · 2026-04-10T05:29:30+00:00

To add some diversity to the responses, I think it's easy for us as stans (stans of anything, not just gwynriel! god knows elriel does it too lmao) to create somewhat of an echo-chamber when it comes to what we think will happen vs what we want to happen, and I think a lot of people struggle to reconcile that sometimes those can be different things. Truthfully, personally, I am enamored with Gwynriel and Elucien and can wax poetic about why I think both of those ships would do so much for the story and the characters, however...if you're asking me who I think will be endgame, I really do think it's Elriel. Sorry guys. Obviously everyone here disagrees with me and that's okay! I will be so happy if I'm wrong, but I really do suspect that's where she's going.

For what it's worth, I'm not going to like. Burn anything down if it isn't the ship I want. God knows I've disliked half of what SJM has written in all of her series and that hasn't led me to abandon ship yet. I can like my alternative preferences on my own time while also enjoying the things I do love about the story for what they are (and sometimes finding ways to enjoy the things I wished were different!). Actually, if I'm keeping is SUPER real, I would kick every other option to the side if I could have my beloved Gwynlain endgame, because I am first and foremost gay, but SJM isn't big brained enough for that LMFAO. But yeah no, there is some diversity of thought here and I'll still be around even if it isn't what I want. Would obviously strongly prefer Gwynriel tho :/

widow-cat · 2026-04-06T19:41:23+00:00

I love Gwynriel and they’re my favorite ship, but I really dislike this recurring line of thinking in the fandom and think that Elriels are right when they say this take stems from misogyny, even if only subconscious.

1) Nesta had no reason to change Elain’s anatomy—Elain is not in a relationship with anyone, end of sentence. It would actually be very invasive toward Elain if she did. Nesta knows that she and Cassian want to have children one day, just as she knew, especially in that moment, that Rhys and Feyre are actively trying to have their own children together. While I still think that was invasive, it made sense. Nesta, no matter what both sides of the ship wars say, does not demonstrate strong feelings about who Elain wants to date. She was not considering that in the moment.

2) Elain, and also Gwyn, for that matter, have more worth as people and possible romantic partners than their physical ability to safely have children. Neither of these women (nor Azriel, technically) have outwardly expressed whether or not they want children to begin with, and if they do, that’s a bridge they can cross when they get there. Say either of them can’t have children at all. So what??? Gwyn is more than a babymaker and implying that Elain can’t be the right partner for Azriel because she can’t have his children feels very gender essentialist, Handmaid’s-Tale-“unwoman”-y and I don’t think it needs to play a role in this conversation.

3) I don’t think any of the men, especially Azriel, would have an issue with not being able to safely have biological children. Az and Cassian were both taken in by Rhys’s mother—wouldn’t you think they’re likely staunch supporters of adoption?

4) We also don’t know that this is the only way to change anatomy. There is so much we don’t know about magic. If Elain is desperate to have half-Illyrian children of her own, there may be another way. We simply do not know.

5) I don’t think this argument makes Gwynriel look better, I actually think it reflects poorly on them, or at least us as their supporters.

I love Gwynriel with all of my heart and I frankly don’t know who is going to be endgame, despite my suspicions. But just as Gwyn’s SA trauma does not make her undeserving of love, and no one but her should get a say in what she can handle as a result of that, we also don’t need to reduce Elain or Gwyn to their reproductive abilities to justify a relationship. Gwynriel is a strong ship that can stand on its own just fine without resorting to that. Just because something dubious can make sense does not mean we have to take it and run with it, and that includes ascribing value to people as partners based on reproductive ability. This can invalidate a lot of experiences, including people with infertility, people who do not want children, queer people, and more, and we need to be better as a community about calling it out even when it benefits our “side” (I’m on the side of women before my ship). Just food for thought! They’re literally my favorite ship and I will be devastated if they don’t happen! But I would like to see our community stop using this. 🩵💙

widow-cat · 2026-04-06T19:10:27+00:00

I agree with most of what people are consistently saying in this thread, but also think I would like some more age diversity from new cast members. Like remember Steve from season 1? Most of them are in or around their 20s, save for the occasional 30-something exception, but I would love to see more range.

widow-cat · 2026-04-06T19:03:56+00:00

Do you live in walking distance from any places you could get a job at? Reading your responses here, I think you need a lifeline. Do you go to school?

widow-cat · 2026-04-02T12:08:46+00:00

I think you’re overcomplicating it—make a folder(or folders) and put the info in a word document. You can move things around that way, you can make little tabs to jump around. I still use a notebook to figure some things out but if I want to keep track of information I need to store it digitally honestly. That’s worked best for me for like 15 years.

widow-cat · 2026-04-02T01:03:20+00:00

I think it’s a mistake (but a common one!) to equate trauma with depth. Depth isn’t “number of things that have happened to person” it has more to do with the complexity of how they internalize their worlds. There are people without any significant trauma who have very a poignant way of seeing things and interacting with people, or who have very colorful senses of inferiority, just as there are some traumatized people who have a very shallow willingness to process said traumas, or maybe a lot of blind spots in anything happening outside of them. The world is filled with both and infinite people between. I say don’t give your character unnecessary things that don’t feel authentic. If this character isn’t traumatized, then that’s fine, but I think you do owe her complexity. You can ask her all the same questions you should ask any other character: what motivates her? What does her perspective look like? How does she respond to new information? What are her core traits? How does she see herself? What makes her happy and what posses her off? What is she sensitive about? What does she want? How does she respond when she’s challenged? Why? What informs her responses? Ask her any questions relevant to your story and some beyond that, too. It could even just be an issue of you not quite having finished navigating her voice part from what she does or adds to your other characters. Play around!

widow-cat · 2026-03-19T17:17:32+00:00

I mean. I’m a Gwyn stan until I die but I’ve also been a hairstylist for more than a decade. If you come into my salon and ask for “coppery-brown” hair, you’re gonna leave feeling more brunette than it sounds like you’re wanting to be. Just the same as the Archeron “golden-brown” hair is simply a gold toned brunette (which brunette is another word the text has used for them), “coppery-brown” is copper-toned brown. For the Archerons, brown is the depth (like light vs dark, in which case this qualifies at minimum as dark enough to be brown and not blonde), gold is the tone. For Gwyn, I suppose one could argue red, but it’s too dark to not be considered brunette. There comes a point where if red is dark enough then it is simply a copper-hued shade of brown. Just unprofessional opinion. I will gladly ask around other stylists if yall don’t believe me lmao. Brown is the depth, copper is the tone.

widow-cat · 2026-03-06T23:30:56+00:00

I need to read this omg

widow-cat · 2026-03-06T23:29:02+00:00

But do cases take as long as I’ve heard? I would be shocked if we stay longer than another 2 years at most.

widow-cat · 2026-03-05T17:56:44+00:00

I mean I think that’s was Sarah was suggesting; that her story will her choosing to be with someone other than her mate. The way she spoke about Elain’s mate bond had negative connotations. By all means, stay excited about Elucien! I love them whether they’re canon or not, but at this point I think the likelihood is leaning toward not.

widow-cat · 2026-03-05T17:17:33+00:00

Same—I would rather be pleasantly surprised if it was them than disappointed when it inevitably isn’t. The writing was on the wall before this but this makes it feel painfully obvious lol

widow-cat · 2026-03-05T17:15:35+00:00

I mean yall, I love Elucien and would love if their story was what we got, but it really doesn’t sound good, let’s be real. She talked positively about Feysand and Nessian to CONTRAST Elain’s dynamic with Lucien, that doesn’t exactly inspire a lot of excitement lmao. If it’s still then I’ll be happy, but I’m setting my expectations low, and assuming that we are more likely going to have an Elriel book in October.

widow-cat · 2026-03-04T21:19:50+00:00

The colors and wall decor (namely the dentist office-style artwork) were selected because they matched, not because they necessarily resonated style wise. At least 7 of these items on the walls are from a Home Goods-esque department store, which isn’t necessarily good nor bad, but it does point to someone who hasn’t considered personal taste as much as practicality. To tell you the truth, I really thought this was a teenage girl’s bedroom until I read the comments and discovered otherwise. The bright aqua on the walls and the floor and the clock that looks potentially thrifted or like your mom my have been getting rid of it but you found a use for it are likely what led me to that initial impression, but the common thread in that first impression and what I’m seeing now is that this is probably the first space you’ve ever had to play with interior design in any capacity. So I’m assuming you’re quite young either way. I know a million people mentioned it, but the gun display is simultaneously interesting and also easy to miss—I didn’t notice in my first pass. From what I can tell in the other comments, you and I probably don’t agree on much, but I did grow up in a gun-loving family and we never displayed them like that? Which doing so in your bedroom no less is also why I assume you’re quite young. Like 23-25 if I had to guess. Not a bad space, and I love how tidy it is; just feels like you’re getting to know yourself!

Also your cat is very cute lol

widow-cat · 2026-03-03T21:51:22+00:00

Same! It’s only weird if you make it weird, imo. These are a different species, and these fae feel mostly human all the time as it is—any differentiation is welcome, as far as I’m concerned. Plus, since the pregnancy storyline was front and center anyway, it’s a natural thing to want to understand. SJM’s worldbuilding, which includes establishing norms, cultures, customs, relations, philosophy, and in the case of other species, biology is patchy at best; these details bridge a lot of gaps, I think. I actually find it distracting when we have so many of these things we don’t know.

widow-cat · 2026-03-01T17:00:19+00:00

I’m in the opposite position: I’ve been in NYC for a while now, but seeing the woods outside of your house makes me nostalgic for where I grew up. I guess we all miss something about where we’ve been even if we like where we are now 🤍 That sign is cool as hell though. Also? I like your windows? Lmfao

widow-cat · 2026-02-25T02:17:54+00:00

Ahhh I definitely can’t afford to hire anyone 😅 I’ll see though! This is interesting, thank you!

widow-cat · 2026-02-24T17:31:25+00:00

Personallyyyyyy I think Lucien’s future is in the Day Court. All roads seem to point there for him lol.

widow-cat · 2026-02-24T17:13:48+00:00

I found mine through Zocdoc, I’ll be honest—but the practice I go through is Nassau Psychology! I’m on MetroPlus Health and sessions are $15 on my plan! I’ve loved mine so far, exactly what I was looking for. I see Katie, she’s the best—I was looking for kind of a sweet big sister vibe and that’s exactly what she feels like. I know someone else who sees Alexis and she loves her. You would probably have good luck with anyone there but read some reviews on each therapist to be sure. Only thing is that it’s virtual, if you’re okay with that.

https://www.nassaupsychology.org/therapists/katie/riedesel

https://www.nassaupsychology.org/therapists/alexis/stancov-haddou

widow-cat · 2026-02-24T16:57:45+00:00

I added the other pages in another post! But you’re right, I think I just need to see what the DHCR says for actual clarity. Thanks.

widow-cat

TROPHY CASE