A Rosemead‚ California tattoo artist describes an unexplained‚ tentacled being that he observed in his bedroom. He also observed bizarre-looking hieroglyphics on his dark ceiling.“I have to share this creepy and bizarre experience that happened in my life about six years ago. I used to tattoo and live out of the back of this house in Rosemead‚ California. During this time‚ I was going through a very confused and depressing state in my life. For some reason‚ I kept this back house shielded with black-out curtains to keep any light and sound out of fear of neighbors knowing I was running a business out of my residence. For some weird reason‚ I painted my bedroom three shades of grey on the walls and the ceiling was black. I used to hear many sounds of things moving outside in the kitchen and living room area. During the night‚ I could see this moving‚ misty shadow float across my bedroom wall but I shrugged it off once I ruled out it wasn't a gas leak.One night I woke up in a very calm and relaxed state but I found myself floating above the bed with my feet barely hovering off the mattress. I knew I wasn't dreaming because I was aware of all the items in my room and my eyes were scanning around. I found my body floating gently back down onto the bed but was suddenly slammed down onto the mattress violently as if somebody put his hand across my face and pulled me down. It felt as if I was in that state of sleep paralysis. To my horror‚ as I looked to my side‚ I could not move my face or body but with my eyes‚ I clearly saw the silhouette or the shadow figure of this creature. I saw the clearly defined sharp pointed nose and as crazy as it sounds the silhouette of this tentacle for an arm with all suction cups clearly defined. Its other arm held my head down to the bed and pulled it‚ as it was trying to make me look back at the ceiling and‚ in shock‚ every inch of my black ceiling was covered with this bizarre-looking hieroglyphic as if it were painted in wet substance. In my head‚ it was the color of blood as it was hard to make out in the moonlight shining through my window. I felt as if the entity was trying to tell me something. With all my energy‚ I willed myself out of this paralyzed state and once I blinked my eyes‚ it was over. No writings on my ceiling. No creature. Everything was gone.A few other weird things happened after this incident‚ especially at night and sometimes even during the day but nothing that tops that crazy night I told you about. I'm not sure if there is a dark history in this residence or if I'm just haunted myself because I've seen things in every place I've lived. Friends didn’t believe me‚ thinking I was under the influence of something but I wasn't. I was completely sober. I know what I witnessed.”Source: Darkness Radio – August 29‚ 2016The Messengers: Owls‚ Synchronicity and the UFO AbducteeBook of Alien Races: Secret Russian KGB Book of Alien SpeciesUnexplained Encounters: 10 Modern Day Events That May Never Be Explained: Are You A Believer? (Bizarre Horror Stories Book 2)Cops' True Stories of the Paranormal: Ghosts‚ UFOs‚ and Other ShiversChildren Of The GreysUnderground Alien Bio Lab At Dulce: The Bennewitz UFO PapersThe Slenderman Mysteries: An Internet Urban Legend Comes to LifeALIEN DISCLOSURE: EXPERIENCERS EXPOSE REALITY - AudiobookRegister a SNAP EBT CardTHE MEME HUMANOIDS: MODERN MYTHS OR REAL MONSTERS - AudiobookTry Audible PlusPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTFeel Free to Post PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS DIRECT LINKS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA &; WEBSITE. Thanks For Your Support!Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAccess Phantoms &; Monsters Posts on Twitter 'X'-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS-----CHICAGO/LAKE MICHIGAN MOTHMAN UPDATE W/ TOBIAS WAYLAND - LIVE Chat - JOIN US! Lon Strickler (Host)Welcome to Phantoms &; Monsters Radio. In this episode‚ I welcome my friend &; colleague Tobias Wayland to the show. We will discuss the newly reported Chicago/Lake Michigan Mothman &; winged humanoid sightings and any updates to previous reports.Tobias Wayland is a Fortean investigator investigating the unusual for over a decade. The first several years of his investigative career were spent as a MUFON field investigator and following that he investigated independently before becoming the head writer and editor for The Singular Fortean Society. Tobias is a frequent guest on various podcasts and radio shows‚ has written several books and contributed articles to periodicals on the paranormal‚ has appeared on television and in documentaries‚ and is often invited to speak at paranormal conferences and events. Tobias &; Emily Wayland are members of Phantoms &; Monsters Fortean Research. He was featured in the series premiere of Expedition X‚ and the Small Town Monsters documentaries Terror in the Skies and On the Trail of the Lake Michigan Mothman for his work investigating Mothman sightings around Lake Michigan. He and his wife Emily have been involved with the Lake Michigan Mothman investigation since its advent in the spring of 2017. He published a book chronicling the experience‚ The Lake Michigan Mothman: High Strangeness in the Midwest. His second and third books about unusual phenomena‚ Strange Tales of the Impossible and The Singular Fortean Society’s Yuletide Guide to High Strangeness‚ continue their work in investigating a variety of seemingly impossible events.In the Singular Fortean Society’s Yuletide Guide to High Strangeness. Tobias and Emily Wayland take you on a journey into the darkest part of the year. Winter has always been a time of magic‚ monsters‚ and legendary figures; their stories are told and retold across generations. But what if there was something more? Some authentic human experiences that inspired these stories‚ so often told around fires built as much to drive back the shadows as to provide warmth. In this book‚ the Waylands compare Christmas legends to modern anomalous phenomena to see what similarities exist. From Sheepsquatch to Santa Claus‚ The Singular Fortean Society's Yuletide Guide to High Strangeness covers a wide variety of reported sightings that might represent a startling truth behind our stories.-----ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONProject Threshold: Team Riker: Division A-----TODAY'S TOP LINKSWoman from Boston killed in shark attack while paddle boarding in BahamasThe ‘Comet of the Century’ Failed to Impress‚ but It Wasn’t Such a Disaster After AllALIEN HEALERS: SINGULAR‚ OTHERWORLDLY MEDICINE - LIVE Chat - Q &; A - JOIN US! Lon Strickler (Host)LISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS REPORTS &; CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE‚ LIKE &; SHARE'Designer Shrooms' Could Be Coming as Scientists Unlock Genetics of Magic MushroomsMercury may have a 'potentially habitable' region below its surface‚ salty glaciersPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTCONSIDER ADVERTISING ON PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIOLET'S DISCUSS YOUR OPTIONSClick the link for our Media KitCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on Spotify**********Your financial support of Phantoms &; Monsters and our other pursuits is much appreciated. Please click the banner above. Thanks.Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAlso available with audiobooknarration by Terry Springs‚CBS-TV Las Vegas affiliate.The Dark Arts of MISTER SAM SHEARON - Original Prints &; MerchandiseThis blog and newsletter are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Work 3.0 United States License.Registered trademark PHANTOMS AND MONSTERS ® / PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS ® - USPTO #90902480 - Lon D. Strickler© 2005-2023 Phantoms &; Monsters - All Rights Reserved

A young woman experienced an encounter with a cosmic being approximately 6 years ago. During that time‚ she was given a message that she now believes must be told to the world.I received the following information:"I kept this a secret for a long time. As a child‚ I went through a tough time being bullied‚ called names‚ and such‚ as some children go through. But mine was worse. I was living in Pompano Beach‚ Florida. The date was August 8‚ 2017. When I went to bed‚ in my dreams I saw a being that was taller than a normal human but I wasn't scared when "it" approached me. It didn't move its legs when "it" got closer. It was wearing robes with symbols and a big mask. There were symbols where the cheeks should be. The symbols depicted what I only assume were humans on the left and Earth on the right of the mask.It spoke to me and said‚ "Child‚ do not be afraid. My intentions are peaceful." The voice was that of a female and it echoed inside my dream. I didn't bother to say anything‚ I just stared at the symbols‚ curious about what they meant. It said‚ "Child‚ you do not fear me. Why is that?" I answered by saying‚ "This isn't my first time seeing strange things." It tilted its head‚ and then it said‚ "Child‚ do you want to learn and see the truth that your leaders had hidden from you?" After "she" said that I thought a bit‚ and then I said‚ "Yes‚ I want to see the truth." An arm revealed itself under the robes and placed against my forehead. A rush full of unknown energy went to my head and that's when I saw everything that our leaders had hidden from us.I then woke up having the worst possible headache. After finishing another day of suffering I laid down in my bed and fell asleep. It was August 9‚ 2017. I found myself in a different area when I saw "her" standing alone. She turned her head toward my direction. "Are you ready to learn child?" "she" said.During the next few days "she" taught me her language and different aspects of life. They were different than our understanding of them. Before "she" left me she told me‚ "Child‚ the path that all of humanity is going is not only going be the end of your species but others as well. You must spread the message I am giving you." She said‚ "We have watched your species live‚ for a long time and see no improvements. Your species will die like the others in the galaxy that have failed. If you do not change then your species will be one of them." She then said‚ "I am not your teacher anymore. It is your turn to be the teacher and humanity is your student child." I smiled and nodded. She looked at me and said‚ "Child‚ I will be leaving you‚ but you must spread the message I have given you." I nodded‚ sad that she was leaving me after the things she taught me. She told me forgiveness was key.So from that day forward‚ I kept it a secret for a long time and I must do it now because war might break loose. Maybe I'll find my peace for sharing this." MNOTE: I received this email last evening. I was able to contact the experiencer‚ who is 19 years old and attending college in Florida. She states that the being‚ her 'Cosmic Teacher‚' never returned‚ but that she felt that humanity must now begin to change. She is determined to get her message out. She also told me that she had forwarded this email to others.She told me parts of her teachings and promised to reveal more very soon. I will continue to talk to this young woman. Honestly‚ I have talked to many people who claim to have important prophecies that must be told to the masses. But in this instance‚ I sensed that she has a deeper understanding of the Universe and that her encounter and given knowledge may very well be fact. Let's see what develops. LonThe Messengers: Owls‚ Synchronicity and the UFO AbducteeBook of Alien Races: Secret Russian KGB Book of Alien SpeciesUnexplained Encounters: 10 Modern Day Events That May Never Be Explained: Are You A Believer? (Bizarre Horror Stories Book 2)Cops' True Stories of the Paranormal: Ghosts‚ UFOs‚ and Other ShiversChildren Of The GreysUnderground Alien Bio Lab At Dulce: The Bennewitz UFO PapersThe Slenderman Mysteries: An Internet Urban Legend Comes to LifeALIEN DISCLOSURE: EXPERIENCERS EXPOSE REALITY - AudiobookRegister a SNAP EBT CardTHE MEME HUMANOIDS: MODERN MYTHS OR REAL MONSTERS - AudiobookTry Audible PlusPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTFeel Free to Post PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS DIRECT LINKS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA &; WEBSITE. Thanks For Your Support!Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAccess Phantoms &; Monsters Posts on Twitter 'X'-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS-----CHICAGO/LAKE MICHIGAN MOTHMAN UPDATE W/ TOBIAS WAYLAND - LIVE Chat - JOIN US! Lon Strickler (Host)Welcome to Phantoms &; Monsters Radio. In this episode‚ I welcome my friend &; colleague Tobias Wayland to the show. We will discuss the newly reported Chicago/Lake Michigan Mothman &; winged humanoid sightings and any updates to previous reports.Tobias Wayland is a Fortean investigator investigating the unusual for over a decade. The first several years of his investigative career were spent as a MUFON field investigator and following that he investigated independently before becoming the head writer and editor for The Singular Fortean Society. Tobias is a frequent guest on various podcasts and radio shows‚ has written several books and contributed articles to periodicals on the paranormal‚ has appeared on television and in documentaries‚ and is often invited to speak at paranormal conferences and events. Tobias &; Emily Wayland are members of Phantoms &; Monsters Fortean Research. He was featured in the series premiere of Expedition X‚ and the Small Town Monsters documentaries Terror in the Skies and On the Trail of the Lake Michigan Mothman for his work investigating Mothman sightings around Lake Michigan. He and his wife Emily have been involved with the Lake Michigan Mothman investigation since its advent in the spring of 2017. He published a book chronicling the experience‚ The Lake Michigan Mothman: High Strangeness in the Midwest. His second and third books about unusual phenomena‚ Strange Tales of the Impossible and The Singular Fortean Society’s Yuletide Guide to High Strangeness‚ continue their work in investigating a variety of seemingly impossible events.In the Singular Fortean Society’s Yuletide Guide to High Strangeness. Tobias and Emily Wayland take you on a journey into the darkest part of the year. Winter has always been a time of magic‚ monsters‚ and legendary figures; their stories are told and retold across generations. But what if there was something more? Some authentic human experiences that inspired these stories‚ so often told around fires built as much to drive back the shadows as to provide warmth. In this book‚ the Waylands compare Christmas legends to modern anomalous phenomena to see what similarities exist. From Sheepsquatch to Santa Claus‚ The Singular Fortean Society's Yuletide Guide to High Strangeness covers a wide variety of reported sightings that might represent a startling truth behind our stories.-----ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONProject Threshold: Team Riker: Division A-----TODAY'S TOP LINKSWoman from Boston killed in shark attack while paddle boarding in BahamasThe ‘Comet of the Century’ Failed to Impress‚ but It Wasn’t Such a Disaster After AllALIEN HEALERS: SINGULAR‚ OTHERWORLDLY MEDICINE - LIVE Chat - Q &; A - JOIN US! Lon Strickler (Host)LISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS REPORTS &; CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE‚ LIKE &; SHARE'Designer Shrooms' Could Be Coming as Scientists Unlock Genetics of Magic MushroomsMercury may have a 'potentially habitable' region below its surface‚ salty glaciersPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTCONSIDER ADVERTISING ON PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIOLET'S DISCUSS YOUR OPTIONSClick the link for our Media KitCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on Spotify**********Your financial support of Phantoms &; Monsters and our other pursuits is much appreciated. Please click the banner above. Thanks.Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAlso available with audiobooknarration by Terry Springs‚CBS-TV Las Vegas affiliate.The Dark Arts of MISTER SAM SHEARON - Original Prints &; MerchandiseThis blog and newsletter are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Work 3.0 United States License.Registered trademark PHANTOMS AND MONSTERS ® / PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS ® - USPTO #90902480 - Lon D. Strickler© 2005-2023 Phantoms &; Monsters - All Rights Reserved

Our Top 10 Go West Songs list looks at a British pop duo who rose to fame in the 80s. Vocalist Peter Cox and guitarist Richard Drummie make up Go West. The pair were like other duos such as Wham! and Hall &; Oates but with more of a sophisticated rock meets fusion edge. They succeeded in music when artists such as Michael Jackson‚ Whitney Houston‚ Madonna‚ Prince‚ Lionel Richie‚ Cyndi Lauper‚ Janet Jackson‚ Tina Turner‚ George Michael‚ Culture Club‚ Hall &; Oates‚ Billy Joel‚ and Stevie Wonder dominated the airwaves. Go West rose to fame during the height of the The post Top 10 Go West Songs appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

The post Cats‚ Humans‚ &; Mental Health: Dr. Lauren’s Thoughts on Well-Being &; Reciprocity by Dr. Lauren Demos (Vet) appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it‚ but all of these articles were assigned‚ contracted and paid for‚ so they aren't considered public domain. However‚ we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article‚ then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com. I remember watching the news with some curiosity‚ and a sense of impending change. “Hold on to your socks‚” someone said‚ “this is going to be big.” China had just implemented a nationwide lockdown over a rapidly spreading virus. We all now know how this would irrevocably change our lives over the coming years‚ full of twists and turns and just plain change. So. Much. Change. Cats‚ too‚ had a life-changing experience as a species‚ gleaning from the virus a life-saving treatment for a previously uniformly fatal disease‚ but that is a topic for another day. Many stories grew out of the pandemic- veterinary medicine and life within the profession was no exception. We still went into the clinic‚ when most everyone stayed home. The face of the veterinary profession changed overnight‚ something as a profession we are generally slow to do‚ so this was eye opening. Telehealth with cats and dogs suddenly became acceptable let alone commonplace‚ cats came in for visits but no owners were allowed into clinics so “curbside service” became a new buzzword‚ clinic hours were shortened‚ and the world outside became still‚ peaceful‚ ghostlike. The roads were empty. Parking lots abandoned. Most everyone else was working from home. But for cats like Pancake‚ it simply meant I was home a bit more‚ and maybe there was an extra feeding to be had? I’ve always found a sense of serenity in the presence of a cat. They embody peace. They sleep like I wish I could: easily‚ at any time or place‚ in the most uncomfortable positions‚ all with ease. Similarly they’ve worked themselves into some amazing environs as a species: at the base of the Great Wall of China‚ cats loiter. In the temples of Thailand‚ cats fastidiously clean their unspeakables in front of shimmering gold Buddhas and attending Buddha worshipers. They live in some of the most arid regions of West Australia‚ and pandemic? What pandemic? For them‚ life goes on. But for humans‚ the pandemic taught us a lot about ourselves- how do we handle struggles‚ and how do we learn to be kind to ourselves‚ when we’ve spent our lives primarily learning to be kind to others‚ at our own expense? Mental health became a hot topic‚ as we tried to answer this question. So what exactly is mental health? One accepted definition of mental health is that it encompasses our emotional‚ psychological‚ and social well-being. It impacts our thoughts‚ actions‚ and feelings‚ and determines how we react. It involves every stage of our life- from childhood to death. To me‚ I see mental health as the image of a cat in front of a warm fireplace on a winter’s eve. It’s stopping‚ recharging‚ living in the moment. They say happiness comes from living in the present‚ and unhappiness from living in the future or the past. Cats are masters of this. Pancake moreso than most. Currently asleep on the bed with Tiller‚ both well into a late morning nap (now progressing into late afternoon as I write): they have‚ after all‚ slept all night and most of the preceding day‚ but awoke at 4 am to religiously check the automatic feeder every 15 minutes until it opened and a new day’s food spilled out. Hence‚ they are exhausted. But another interesting side to mental health has recently arisen: the reciprocal nature of cats‚ or any pets for that matter‚ on human mental health. The term is zooeyia. Zooeyia is derived from Greek for animal (zoion) and the Greek Goddess of health (Hygeia). It incorporates the positive health benefits that humans derive from their interactions with animals. Research suggests that entire national health economies are positively impacted by pet ownership to the tune of millions of dollars saved in healthcare outlay‚ and the actual physical health benefits have been studied and postulated for decades. On a personal level‚ it’s easy to see. After a long week‚ when Saturday night rolls around‚ I’m happy to be at home with the cats. This past weekend‚ for example‚ I built a cat feeding puzzle toy out of a used present wrapping paper roll. It was the largest version of this particular treat puzzle ever recorded in the history of homemade treat puzzles (IMHO)‚ and it kept the cats (ok‚ mostly me) entertained for about two hours! In the end‚ we had a cheap night in. And‚ I think the cats were happy. If nothing else‚ they had some dreams. In the end‚ maybe mental health is the simple things in life. Maybe the crux of it all is that laughter‚ and a cat‚ and taking the time to live in the moment are fine definitions of mental health. Though of course‚ a dream or two never hurts. Sources https://chaire.osu.edu/focus-areas/companionshipzooeyia#:~:text=Zooeyia%20is%20defined%20as%20%22The‚source%20as%20%E2%80%9Chygiene%E2%80%9D). https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-018-1613-2 https://www.jabfm.org/content/28/4/526.short https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0963721411415220 https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/73862380/JIMER_2_1_020-libre.pdf?1635585938=&;response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DBenefits_of_Pet_s_Ownership_a_Review_Bas.pdf&;Expires=1699951370&;Signature=PkJh6e4eyDm77Zz~VjD6VyvtUOLaoHurFqaBsS~FXM~DQdW86dnTxhsjCo6gzKTyrQz5zZvLfHwnh6m5gF8~kE4PVUgD7UmDXkk-2gmwQ5DyuxEBSudV8b~B2c74qTpsFMENuU~N1fY38omp5F7rmaMqctwdkdNauuIzrBZ6Mh-Jy5JyYbZ9Aqyxl1weZ0yA3ZL4i4IU9yTBlhu-niNSyyh~NtB-AE0wSklMW0g0rtmiJ5jtk5aJQUgPEl7KhM7W2YUiO36ZL0EWnVftY~KCxVUh~bfQ8ffxAicvqQQ7pZHL5OKXURkyIRsq3j2sJzUH8QfAReQqcs~773blCeWCgw__&;Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13607863.2019.1633620 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1006892908532 The post Cats‚ Humans‚ &; Mental Health: Dr. Lauren’s Thoughts on Well-Being &; Reciprocity by Dr. Lauren Demos (Vet) appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it‚ but all of these articles were assigned‚ contracted and paid for‚ so they aren't considered public domain. However‚ we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article‚ then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Head below for the full list of young adult SFF titles heading your way in December! Keep track of all the new SFF releases here. All title summaries are taken and/or summarized from copy provided by the publisher. Release dates are subject to change.   December 5 Descendants of Fire &; Water — Didi Anofienem (Keylight) The only daughter among five brothers‚ Essien was raised in a village where women are bred to tend to their husbands and bear children. One night‚ after she is led by akukoifo—mythical beings of Alkebulan folklore—to a fabled river‚ Essien emerges from the waters with superhuman abilities: hands that burn with the flames they contain‚ and the strength to overpower any of the men around her. Unsure of what this newfound power means‚ Essien returns to an unfamiliar world a changed woman. And when militant rebels destroy her father’s fields‚ leaving him crippled for life‚ Essien is left with no choice but to defy the social conventions of her upbringing and become the first woman to enlist in Alkebulan’s formidable military. Without the presence of her family and friends‚ surrounded by fellow soldiers who want her dead and powerful forces that seek to manipulate Essien’s inner magic for evil‚ Essien must learn to control and harness her new powers‚ even as she fights her destiny to become her country’s long-awaited goddess. But not everything is as it seems. Will Essien step into her destiny as Goddess of Alkebulan‚ or will she make a decision that will alter the course of Alkebulan history forever? The World’s End (A Hundred Names for Magic #3) — Rin Chupeco (Sourcebooks Fire) It’s been three months since the Snow Queen and OzCorp infiltrated Maidenkeep and nearly seized the Nine Maidens. Ryker is still unconscious and the rest of the group is feeling the effects of the prolonged war. Not to mention that Abigail Fey’s curse has far-reaching consequences‚ and many in the Royal States have been using it to stir unrest and hostilities against Avalon. When the Adarna‚ a firebird-like creature appears in Avalon‚ the gang discovers it is one of seven magical artifacts that the Snow Queen has been searching for‚ in her bid to open a portal to Buyan-a place that could grant her tremendous power. Determined to find the artifacts first the Bandersnatchers find information about the other five: The Singing Bone‚ The Hamelin Flute‚ The Tamatebako‚ The Lotus Lanternm The Raskovnik‚ and The Wonderland Tree. But the Snow Queen will stop at nothing to get to the relics first. And as the final battle approaches‚ both sides will lose the ones they love as the fight to save or destroy Avalon finally comes to be. This Cursed Light (The Last Finestra #2) — Emily Thiede (Wednesday) Six months after saving their island from destruction and almost losing Dante‚ Alessa is ready to live happily ever after with her former bodyguard. But Dante can’t rest‚ haunted by a conviction that the gods aren’t finished with them yet. And without his powers‚ the next kiss from Alessa could kill him. Desperate for answers‚ Dante enlists Alessa and their friends to find the exiled ghiotte in hopes of restoring his powers and combining forces with them to create the only army powerful enough to save them all. But Alessa is hiding a deadly consequence of their last fight―a growing darkness that’s consuming her mind―and their destination holds more dangers than anyone bargained for. In the mysterious city of the banished‚ Dante will uncover secrets‚ lies‚ and ghosts from his past that force him to ask himself: Which side is he on? When the gods reveal their final test‚ Dante and Alessa will be the world’s last defense. But if they are the keys to saving the world‚ will their love be the price of victory?   December 12 Our Cursed Love — Julie Abe (Wednesday) Remy Kobata has always wished she was destined to be with her best friend‚ Cam Yasuda. All the way from being neighbors from birth to mixing up magical prank potions together to their “just friends” homecoming date during their senior year in high school‚ nothing’s a secret between Remy and Cam―except for how much she is in love with him. Remy is trying to work up the courage to confess her feelings during their winter break trip to Japan‚ when she gets selected for a mystical tea leaves reading and it reveals that they’re not meant to be together. After they stumble upon a secret magical apothecary in the back alleys of Tokyo‚ Remy and Cam are offered an ancient soulmate elixir‚ created before all love potions were banned by the magical government. They each have their reasons for wanting to take it‚ but what could go wrong with finding your soulmate a little earlier? Except‚ after they drink up‚ their senior year trip flips into the worst vacation ever: Cam has forgotten who Remy is. If she can’t help Cam remember her by midnight New Year’s Eve‚ they’ll both be cursed to forget each other. To unravel their past and rewrite the future‚ Remy and Cam must travel through Tokyo to rediscover Cam’s memories and make new ones―and maybe even fall in love all over again. Her Dark Wings — Melinda Salisbury (Delacorte) For all of Corey’s life‚ it’s been Bree and Corey‚ Corey and Bree. Best friends‚ the girls are inseparable—until a devastating betrayal leaves Corey shattered and alone. Corey is sure nothing could hurt more‚ until Bree suddenly dies. Now Corey is heartbroken and furious. How can she mourn her one-time friend when she is still so angry at her? Yet Corey and Bree’s tale is far from finished. When Corey accidentally catches a glimpse of Bree’s spirit passing into the afterlife‚ she finds herself face to face with a god pulled from the darkest myths of her girlhood: Hades‚ lord of the dead. Turns out‚ the legends are real. But Hades is different from what Corey imagined—and so are the Furies‚ terrifying and beautiful creatures who encourage Corey to embrace her rage. The more Corey discovers about the Underworld‚ the more her own power stirs. But can she resist the lure of the darkness within?   December 19 Down the Well — Veronica King (Emerge) Lore Deoradán wants to be happy when she grows up. But navigating her parents’ mercurial moods‚ moving to a new town just two weeks before her high school graduation‚ and dealing with her beloved grandma’s declining health all make that dream seemingly impossible. Will her new job be the first step toward happiness‚ or will it be yet another disappointment?? When she falls down a well into a magical world with talking animals that haven’t seen a human for years‚ she must clear her name of the mayor’s murder. Although‚ how anyone believes she killed a Herculean-sized alligator is beyond her. Now‚ her survival is tied to a mouse with a chip on her shoulder. There’s also a cat who owns a pub where the animal patrons might be cannibals‚ a giant snake librarian who probably wants to eat her‚ and sentient lampposts who are never there when you need them. Can Lore prove her innocence‚ help a newfound friend save the town from a dark and dangerous schemer‚ and find her way home?   December 26 Ruthless Vows (Letters of Enchantment #2) Rebecca Ross (Wednesday) Two weeks have passed since Iris Winnow returned home bruised and heartbroken from the front‚ but the war is far from over. Roman is missing‚ and the city of Oath continues to dwell in a state of disbelief and ignorance. When Iris and Attie are given another chance to report on Dacre’s movements‚ they both take the opportunity and head westward once more despite the danger‚ knowing it’s only a matter of time before the conflict reaches a city that’s unprepared and fracturing beneath the chancellor’s reign. Since waking below in Dacre’s realm‚ Roman cannot remember his past. But given the reassurance that his memories will return in time‚ Roman begins to write articles for Dacre‚ uncertain of his place in the greater scheme of the war. When a strange letter arrives by wardrobe door‚ Roman is first suspicious‚ then intrigued. As he strikes up a correspondence with his mysterious pen pal‚ Roman will soon have to make a decision: to stand with Dacre or betray the god who healed him. And as the days grow darker‚ inevitably drawing Roman and Iris closer together… the two of them will risk their very hearts and futures to change the tides of the war.

Welcome back to Reading the Weird‚ in which we get girl cooties all over weird fiction‚ cosmic horror‚ and Lovecraftiana—from its historical roots through its most recent branches. This week‚ we continue Max Gladstone’s Last Exit with Chapters 19-20. The novel was first published in 2022. Spoilers ahead! “In Wyoming‚ the wind split stone and carried houses off‚ stole topsoil by the ton and rocked monstrous great mining plants on their building-sized legs‚ but the wind did not shake the Medicine Wheel.” Ramon and Zelda have landed in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven sporting luminescent algae blobs uncomfortably shaped like humans. Under a cracked sky‚ they argue about whether they should head for the Medicine Wheel or search the alts for June‚ Sarah and Ish. Ramon points out that they’ll be lucky to get one more trip out of the damaged Challenger‚ so the Medicine Wheel it is. The Challenger makes it to within a quarter mile of the Wheel; Ramon and Zelda push it the rest of the way. This version of the Wheel sits atop Wyoming’s Dry Fork Ridge‚ overlooking an endless pine forest‚ itself overgrown and abandoned by all but the wind. No animals‚ even insects‚ venture near. Some cities and holy sites have echoes in other realms. New York‚ for example‚ exists in most alts‚ but the Medicine Wheel is in every alt‚ always basically the same: A ring of white stones with spokes radiating from the center to the circumference. In some places‚ it’s revered‚ in others forgotten. Always one of its spokes points to the North Star. Always except‚ for some unfathomable reason‚ back in the alt-riders’ home world. They found the Wheel after a year of unsuccessfully hunting for the crossroads. The alts they visit are invariably ruined‚ but each has its tales of a “shining citadel” where people flew and tears were never shed. Sometimes the alt-riders even found a crystal city ringing with the “ethereal laughter of children.” The children‚ however‚ were not to be found‚ and after all‚ one’s kingdom could be kept free of weeping if only you surgically removed everyone’s tear ducts. Long debate failed to provide answers about the Wheel. Could a place have a mind‚ gather spin‚ hop between worlds as they did? Sal wanted to try communicating with it‚ but then she was always the one pushing to investigate an alt and help its inhabitants‚ altruism that often landed the friends in trouble. Zelda always wanted to move on toward the “grail” of the crossroads—where they’d find the power to make all things right. Sal’s mind was made up. One night she went into the Wheel alone. Now‚ with Ramon‚ Zelda remembers how clouds swallowed the moon and the wind bore all that world’s rot to them. Lightning came for Sal‚ forcing Zelda to rescue her. Ramon reminds Zelda that Sal almost died in the Wheel‚ and admitted that she didn’t even see the crossroads. Zelda says “The princess did.” Ramon counters that the princess still couldn’t reach the crossroads. But Elsinore holds the only other road to their ultimate destination. Ramon knows that if they step into the ring‚ storm and rot will come. He says they need to wait a day for the others and talk the next step through. If the Wheel’s the only way‚ they’ll walk it together. “Together‚” Zelda agrees‚ but the brave word sounds hollow under the cracked sky. *** Buy it Now The other riders have hitched away from the cowboy’s posse to an abandoned amusement park. Crucified bodies‚ some three-armed‚ flank the entrance‚ but whatever “hate-pride biker gang” once ruled here has “chewed itself to death.” Not a cozy camping spot‚ but at least the structures provide firewood and cover. June sleeps restlessly on one side of their fire—she collapsed after the hitch‚ spent by her efforts. Ish paces a near-circle around the fire‚ always avoiding June. He and Sarah continue their argument about June’s “knack” of summoning rot. Ish is convinced the girl’s a danger‚ while Sarah defends her. The exchange devolves into Sarah blasting Ish for his high-tech campaign to monitor rot in their own world. Ish blasts Sarah for running away from the fight to the safety of a medical degree and suburban soccer games. Both are too tired to fight for long. The alts are worse now‚ aren’t they‚ Sarah asks. Her elders knew how bad they could get; now Sarah knows‚ and she wonders if back in college they were “too young and dumb to see that we lost the war before we were born.” Once‚ back then‚ when Sarah and Ish were lost together‚ their mutual terror and despair drew them together like magnets. They had sex in “fields of glass‚” under “a toxic aurora sky.” Sarah later realized the consolation of the act was not tenderness‚ but surrendering to a merely physical release‚ no more meaningful than what occurred “with any number of forgettable college dorm room nights.” When Ish tries to embrace her now‚ Sarah pushes him away. Parted‚ they watch each other in silence. Sarah admits to herself that the way she has walled her despair up with purpose‚ vows‚ love and work has not been good or right. She knows that others build similar walls‚ and she’s tried to let that realization make her kind—but still. Ish says he’s sorry first. They aren’t sorry‚ though‚ Sarah thinks. It’s just hard. This Week’s Metrics Fighting the Rot (or Maybe the Cowboy): We’re helping redwoods migrate. What’s Cyclopean: Empty cities built for people fourteen feet tall at the shoulder. If those people (now absent) had one eye each‚ the term becomes even more appropriate. The Degenerate Dutch: Etymology is “a right-handed man”‚ in English at least‚ preserving its biases in words like “sinister.”   Anne’s Commentary I was hoping that in Chapter Nineteen everyone would arrive at the Medicine Wheel and get on with their quest already. Okay‚ so Zelda and Ramon do get there after a ride made harrowing less by “wolf-haunted forest alts” and “empty cyclopean cities built” than by the accelerating decline of the Challenger. Gladstone’s right to truncate this bout of alt-hitching; Chapters Sixteen and Eighteen served up enough gruesome ruined-worlds action to last us a while. To last me a while‚ anyway‚ while Chapter Seventeen provided useful backstory about the group’s first attempt to reach the crossroads. After rereading Nineteen‚ I see it was better for only one pair of the separated alt-riders to land at the Wheel in this chapter. Gladstone’s first priority must be to describe this pivotal structure: its always-the-same-but-different appearance‚ its properties‚ a brief history of the alt-riders’ previous experiences with the Wheel and the theories they’ve devised about it. To have all five characters together—and inevitably arguing and angsting—would have detracted from our introduction to the omnipresent circle of white stones and radiating spokes. Bits of character development slip in smoothly‚ as in the contrast established between activist-in-all-alts Sal and crossroads-fixated Zelda. Also nice is Ramon’s little epiphany about how he and Zelda are both “erratics”—in geological terms‚ rocks borne far from home by glaciers‚ “big stones moved only in disaster.” He and Zelda thus share a bond that his desertion could break but not destroy. Chapter Nineteen closes with a fresh reference to an alt-destination called Elsinore. Elsinore is the English name for Helsingor‚ the Danish city in which Shakespeare set Hamlet. Gladstone’s Elsinore has a princess who’s seen the crossroads and perhaps‚ like Sal‚ “a better place. A future.” Shakespeare’s Elsinore boasts not an actual princess but a coulda-been one‚ if Ophelia had lived to marry her suitor‚ Prince Hamlet. Which she didn’t‚ having instead descended into floral-bedecked madness and drowned herself‚ maybe by intention‚ maybe by accident. But wait‚ there’s also a 2019 video game called Elsinore‚ in which the player character Ophelia has prescient visions of the carnage at the end of Shakespeare’s play: SPOILER ALERT – Pretty much everyone dies‚ and Ophelia kicks it a few scenes back‚ off-stage to add to her other humiliations. In the game‚ Ophelia operates in a four-day time loop (always restarting at her death) during which she tries to prevent the tragic ending. There are thirteen possible outcomes‚ which makes me think of the multiple outcomes of Last Exit‚ represented not by time loops but by infinite alternative worlds. Elsinore’s outcomes differ widely in Tragedy Level‚ whereas all the alts the friends have visited so far have suffered calamitous ones (from a human point of view.) I wonder if the princess in Gladstone’s Elsinore might be “related” to the game-Ophelia in her unique position to change the future‚ albeit through intermediaries like the Yale alt-riders. All right‚ so it’s really Chapter Twenty that had me itching for everyone to get on with it already. Everyone being Sarah and Ish‚ since June contributes nothing from her sleeping bag but the intermittent twitch or moan. Ish is still in the throes of paranoia over June’s rot-based knack‚ while Sarah still defends the girl‚ basing her advocacy on the simple fact that June saved their lives. I wanted Ish to calm the hell down and give Sarah—and June—a break. Admittedly‚ if anything could justify paranoia in a rot-fighter‚ it would be the summoning of rot by a supposed ally‚ and so I guess I should cut Ish some slack for carrying his rants across chapters. Nor is it unbelievable that Ish and Sarah’s argument over June should deteriorate into the same old accusations and resentments. Ish tells Sarah to grow up. She tells him he doesn’t know what growing up looks like. At least Ish has been doing something to save people from falling through the serpent-generated cracks in the world‚ while Sarah’s been running from the truth into the cardboard comfort of “normality.” Sarah’s counter is that she’s doing what her father‚ her people‚ have done before her‚ “put on new spots” to blend in‚ while knowing core-deep‚ from history‚ “what the alts were.” She’s the one facing the terrible questions: what if their fight was never winnable‚ or worse‚ what if it was and they’d had their chance but lost? Huh. My first-read annoyance with Ish and Sarah for just sitting around airing grievances seems to be fading into appreciation for how Gladstone has taken time to clarify their differing reactions to a mutual dilemma—and their mutual reaction to a particular terrifying episode among the many of their alt-riding past. Stress made strange sex partners in the “fields of glass” alt; so here’s the Sarah-Ish connection hinted at earlier! But for Sarah at least‚ it was a connection of “meat and juice and sweat” only‚ another way to wall herself from despair‚ but one less forgivable than the walls of “vows and love and work” perhaps. At any rate‚ it’s a connection that Sarah and Ish don’t fall into a second time. Instead they focus on what’s clearly a good thing‚ gathering more firewood even though they already have enough. Can you ever have too much warmth and light out in the alts?   Ruthanna’s Commentary This week‚ I kept a catalog of world-ending disasters mentioned in passing‚ and estimated their likelihoods: atomic war (probably common given all our world’s near misses)‚ zombies (probably common given our fictional obsessions)‚ plague and air pollution (both all too ubiquitous)‚ gray goo (requires software that never crashes)‚ werewolves (requires a miracle or magic)‚ supervolcanoes (hate ‘em‚ don’t wanna think about it)‚ gravity failures (very curious how that happened). There are cities where no one cries because their tear ducts are surgically removed (ouch)‚ and fiefdoms with microchipped technoserfs (unpleasantly plausible)‚ and the dead amusement park with mummified bodies—three-armed‚ yet—crucified near the entrance (described in a paragraph that includes literal and figurative roller coasters). Some alts are lifeless; others host people who can still benefit from seeds and antibiotics. Will any of these worlds ever recover? Our Earth’s been through at least five mass extinctions not counting the Great Oxygenation Catastrophe or the in-progress depredations of the Holocene‚ killing about 70-90% of species each time. (Wikipedia nightmare fuel rabbit hole here.) And each time‚ life returns—it may take millions of years‚ but on a world where the air’s still breathable to something‚ evolution ultimately restores diversity. But this supposes no extradimensional rot‚ no magical limit on further growth or goodness. It also supposes an extremely long-term perspective. Side question: what’s up with all those dinosaurs? Why are we counting the elimination of an extinction event in with all the new extinction events? Maybe the dinos are actually Jurassic Park style failures of humanity to consider whether they should as well as whether they could. (You totally should. Just start with small herbivores and don’t let the capitalists take over; also talk to an actual zookeeper.) We hear a lot about what’s consistent across alts. Apocalypse is one constant; another‚ it turns out‚ is the Medicine Wheel. Sarah named it—the only one of the gang with the right to bestow such a name—but no one’s comfortable with it. Still‚ given last section’s hints about the cowboy‚ the might be more accurate than they know. If America is a cowboy riding 500 years of genocide and conquest‚ doesn’t it make sense that there would be something older and unbreakable—a survivor of that conquest? The Wheel always points toward the North Star‚ except in our own world. Because our own world hasn’t yet settled into apocalyptic stasis? Maybe it’s the leftovers of that long-term perspective‚ but I’m a bit weirded out by the idea of the North Star as a symbol of constancy here. After all‚ we had a different North Star (Thuban in the constellation of Draco‚ to be specific) less than 5000 years ago‚ well after humanity came to North America. Presumably the wheel points to whatever’s in the appropriate position‚ but still. Back to life’s recovery: Sarah speculates about whether there was ever a real chance for the gang to save the world. It’s a double-edged sword of a question: they don’t want to have deluded themselves‚ but they also don’t want to have failed on something that consequential. Helplessness is at least relaxing; if there’s nothing you can do then there’s nothing that you need to do. Except that helplessness is an illusion: there’s always something you can do. Ish and Sarah don’t agree on what that thing is‚ but they’ve both been doing their own version of it. Sarah’s made small safe spaces‚ living a good if constrained life—walling up despair with purpose and friendship‚ and trying to be kind. Ish has decided that if you aren’t making big dramatic tradeoffs and selling your soul‚ you aren’t really making a difference—but even if he’d never admit to such an emotional‚ individual motivation‚ I suspect it’s because that’s what Sal did. Ish won’t acknowledge that Sarah’s acts matter‚ but not all consequential action is dramatic. That may be even harder to see then usual after your fifth fight with cannibal zombies.   Next week‚ join us for a cup of eggnog and a Christmas haunting in E. F. Benson’s “Between the Lights”. Ruthanna Emrys is the author of A Half-Built Garden and the Innsmouth Legacy series‚ including Winter Tide and Deep Roots. You can find some of her fiction‚ weird and otherwise‚ on Tor.com‚ most recently “The Word of Flesh and Soul.” Ruthanna is online on Twitter and Patreon and on Mastodon as r_emrys@wandering.shop‚ and offline in a mysterious manor house with her large‚ chaotic household—mostly mammalian—outside Washington DC. Anne M. Pillsworth’s short story “The Madonna of the Abattoir” appears on Tor.com. Her young adult Mythos novel‚ Summoned‚ is available from Tor Teen along with sequel Fathomless. She lives in Edgewood‚ a Victorian trolley car suburb of Providence‚ Rhode Island‚ uncomfortably near Joseph Curwen’s underground laboratory.

The Ursula K. Le Guin Foundation and the Watershed Center for Fine Arts Publishing and Research at Pacific Northwest College of Art are partnering up to offer a limited edition map of Earthsea based on drawings from Le Guin herself. The map‚ which has both color and black-and-white editions‚ is based on two drawings from Le Guin that she did by hand years after A Wizard of Earthsea first went to print. As those who’ve read the books know‚ the land of Earthsea is an archipelago‚ where a young man named Ged unwittingly unleashes a darkness onto the world that he must then try to contain. Le Guin’s later drawings of Earthsea were based on an original map she drew before writing that book‚ and include two versions: one line-drawn in ink and one done with ink and colored pencils. The maps available for sale are based on these two drawings‚ and were created by Watershed Center students with guidance from master printmaker‚ Matthew Letzelter. The team went through a detailed process for creating these new maps‚ which included matching colors by hand and using a traditional lithography process to have these recreations match the originals in great detail. The color version of the map is on sale for $300‚ with the black-and-white version going for $150. If you’re a student or educator‚ you can get a black-and-white map for $100. Net proceeds from sales will also go to Pacific Northwest College of Art and the Freedom to Read Foundation‚ and you can learn more and buy your own map by clicking the link here.

The magic system in Pascale Lacelle’s debut YA novel‚ Curious Tides‚ is so perfect‚ so logical (in a certain kind of magical way)‚ that I’m a little bit shocked I haven’t encountered it before. In Lacelle’s world‚ people have magical powers that are determined by the phase the moon is in when they’re born. Each phase has a quartet of possible abilities that are shaped by the tides. The rarest—and wildest—powers of all belong to those born during an eclipse. Many people fear and hate the Eclipse-born‚ but that’s nothing Emory Ainsleif has to worry about‚ being a Healer born under the new moon. She’s totally magically unremarkable… apart from the fact that at the end of her freshman year at magic college‚ she inexplicably survived a secret ritual that killed eight of her classmates. Curious Tides begins as Emory returns to Aldryn College for sophomore year. She’s understandably quite anxious about going back to school‚ and she’s mourning her best friend‚ Romie‚ who was lost in that ritual-gone-wrong. Romie was everything Emory thinks she’s not: outgoing‚ confident‚ and maybe a little secretive as freshman year went on. What was going on with Romie is just one of the mysteries that will eat up Emory’s school year. And when I say eat up‚ I mean that while this novel is billed as dark academia‚ it’s academic only until the plot gets up and rolling—at which point everyone appears to stop going to class. Understandable‚ given what they’re all dealing with‚ but a bit of a disappointment‚ too. Aldryn College is a beautifully created setting‚ full of incredible libraries and dorms unlike anything us ordinary folks will ever encounter‚ and I’d love to have spent more time with its classrooms and lessons. For the first hundred pages or so‚ Curious Tides is a slow-burn of character building and scene setting—and a really enjoyable one at that. The narrative alternates between Emory and Baz‚ an Eclipse-born who is also Romie’s brother. He‚ too‚ is in mourning‚ but not just for Romie: The only other Eclipse-born at school‚ Kai‚ is now locked up in the Institute‚ having Collapsed. Collapsing is a sort of destructive magical burnout that may or may not take out anyone near the Collapsing person; it’s one of the reasons everyone else fears the Eclipse-born‚ but not the only one. Eclipse-born are associated with the Shadow of Ruin‚ a mythic figure responsible for the loss of the Tides‚ a quartet of long-lost gods. Buy it Now Baz is a fan of another story: Song of the Drowned Gods‚ a popular novel that may be more than it seems. The book famously has a missing epilogue‚ a torn-out page that some fans are obsessed with finding‚ convinced it might be a spell or a secret or‚ maybe‚ an indicator that the story in the novel is not entirely fiction. As you can see‚ there’s a lot to explore and to explain‚ and Lacelle pulls it off nicely‚ seeding in backstories and allegiances‚ jealousies and flirtations—and then‚ frankly‚ horrors‚ when one of the lost students washes up on shore. He’s alive‚ and then he’s not‚ and in the process of trying to heal him‚ Emory finds herself tapping into powers that she should not be able to access. Baz‚ who can manipulate time‚ saves her from discovery by her classmates and professors. This secret ties them together‚ but Emory is also quite taken with a wealthy‚ popular classmate‚ the always-three-named Keiran Dunhall Thornby. Keiran is clearly up to no good from the first time he steps into Emory’s view‚ but Emory is too distracted to see that. For a brief moment‚ it seems like the central plot of Curious Tides is “Oops‚ I accidentally joined a magical secret society‚ now what” but that’s a bit of a misdirect. What’s actually happening is absolutely everything else: There is a secret society‚ and it has its fingers in everything from magic drugs to corrupt magic cops. There is another group of people trying to solve the mystery of Song of the Drowned Gods (the author of which is named Cornus Clover; if you hadn’t already thought of The Magicians‚ that last name‚ so close to Plover‚ would probably do it). There are revelations about Emory’s long-missing mother‚ who left her with her father when she was a baby; Baz’s father’s Collapse; the very nature of magical Collapse; and the truth of the creepy caves near Aldryn College‚ among other things. And there’s a love triangle‚ for good measure. It’s a lot‚ and it gets away from Lacelle a bit‚ as do the copious lunar and tidal metaphors and similes. As their situations get more intense‚ characters bite out‚ seethe‚ bemoan‚ groan‚ and muse their dialogue—distracting choices that kept pulling me out of the story. What begins as a moody magic school tale ends in a flurry of dizzying action that leaves many questions to be answered in the second book of the duology. (As a side note: This book is stunningly designed. Moon phases are everywhere‚ the chapter headings are beautiful‚ even the case has a lovely silver stamp. Bravo to both the cover and interior designers.) Curious Tides feels a bit like someone put The Magicians and the complete works of Sarah J. Maas in a blender along with a book about the moon. There’s much to like‚ from excellent secondary characters (more Jae‚ please!) to the alluring libraries to the lunar magics to the rich mythology‚ but by the time this 500-page volume reaches its final act‚ it feels overstuffed and chaotic. There is simply so much plot that much of it ceases to feel meaningful‚ even as world-shaking events are happening. But with so many revelations now out in the open‚ perhaps its sequel will have a little more room to breathe. Curious Tides is published by Margaret K. McElderry Books. Molly Templeton lives and writes in Oregon‚ and spends as much time as possible in the woods. Sometimes she talks about books on Twitter.

A new civil suit filed by the New Mexico attorney general’s office alleges that Instagram and Facebook have become platforms that offer opportunities for child predators to interact with children. The suit follows one that was filed by dozens of attorneys general in October that made similar accusations against Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta empire. According to… The post Attorney General Sues Meta Alleging Zuckerberg’s Social Media Giants Have ‘Become a Marketplace for Predators in Search of Children’ appeared first on The Federalist Papers.

The fast-food world is buzzing with the arrival of CosMc’s‚ McDonald’s latest and‚ up untlthis week‚ secret venture. The first location has been unveiled in Bolingbrook‚ Illinois. This new outlet‚ marked by the familiar McDonald’s yellow‚ is not yet open but has all the buzzers and whistles of a high tech location with its four… The post McDonald’s Secret Spinoff Revealed in Midwest appeared first on The Federalist Papers.