Update: Life and Books (May 2021) + Mermay Art!

 
 

I know I technically did one of these posts last month (even though I skipped some parts), but it feels like it’s been so long since my last update.

I became Twitter famous since we last talked! Just kidding, but I did have a tweet go viral. It was a wild experience for someone who normally gets 10 likes on a good day. Anyway, if I was going to have a viral tweet (or thread, in this case), I’m so glad it was one about accessibility! Remember to add alt text to images, and check out my thread if you need advice for what to write!

I also have some art to share that I finished before my head/eyes got bad again. Just for fun, I used a traced selfie as a starter and turned myself into a vampire. If only I would actually look that good in that kind of shirt. *sighs wistfully*

Digital painting of myself as an androgynous vampire with an intimidating facial expression, looking somewhat down and to the side at the viewer. I have dark blonde hair shaved on the side and long on top, flipped to one side. I'm wearing a black pirate shirt with frilly sleeves and lace-up front. There are bite marks on my neck and blood smeared on my fingers and chest. There are a six black studs along my ear lobe, the bottom one has a dangly ruby, and a silver ring with a red ruby on my finger. The background is abstract red.

(Selfie I used:)

Androgynous photo of myself, not smiling, looking somewhat down and to the side at the viewer. I have dark blonde hair shaved on the side and long on top, tied back. I'm wearing a long-sleeved, textured, gray Henley.

I also drew stingray mermen boyfriends for Mermay2021! Two versions because I wanted to have one with a binder for clear trans rep but also one with the wrap thing so that the trans merman could have something more practical and comfy for swimming. It was important to me to portray someone who is not cis and is presenting as a gender different from the one they were assigned at birth but also hasn’t had any surgery, hormones, etc.

Digital painting of two mermen underwater with stingray tails. One is swimming up behind the other to hug him from behind. The other is fully vertical and turning to see behind him. Their faces are inches apart. Both are smiling. The swimming one is light skinned with lots of freckles, chin-length reddish brown hair flowing behind him, and a tan fabric wrapped tightly around his chest as a binder. His tail is dark grey with white spots, like a spotted eagle ray. The turning merman is dark-skinned with a shaved head, a muscular body, curved white piercings in his ear lobe and nipples, and a golden tail like a cownose stingray. They're in teal water with cownose stingrays swimming by in the background.

Digital painting of two mermen underwater with stingray tails. One is swimming up behind the other to hug him from behind. The other is fully vertical and turning to see behind him. Their faces are inches apart. Both are smiling. The swimming one is light skinned with lots of freckles, chin-length reddish brown hair flowing behind him, and a white piece of fabric loosely draped around the back of his neck, covering his chest, wrapping around to his back. His tail is dark grey with white spots, like a spotted eagle ray. The turning merman is dark-skinned with a shaved head, a muscular body, curved white piercings in his ear lobe and nipples, and a golden tail like a cownose stingray. They're in teal water with cownose stingrays swimming by in the background.

Close-up of digital painting of two mermen underwater with stingray tails. One is swimming up behind the other to hug him from behind. The other is fully vertical and turning to see behind him. Their faces are inches apart. Both are smiling. The swimming one is light skinned with lots of freckles, chin-length reddish brown hair flowing behind him, and a white piece of fabric loosely draped around the back of his neck, covering his chest, wrapping around to his back. The turning merman is dark-skinned with a shaved head, a muscular body, and curved white piercings in his ear lobe and each nipple. They're in teal water with cownose stingrays swimming by in the background.

I’ve watched (well, mostly listened to, usually with audio description) a lot of movies and shows lately. Rewatched some old faves that were free with ads on YouTube (Stick It, Sweeney Todd, Little Miss Sunshine). Watched the final season of Castlevania on Netflix, which had just the perfect ending. Watched Season 5B of Lucifer, which made me cry and also ended fantastically, but the series is not over yet. With a free Amazon Prime trial, I watched Anna and the Apocalypse (liked it), the final season of Suits (liked it), Knives Out (meh), Midsommar (meh), Good Omens (loved it, it lives up to the hype), Inception (really liked it), and The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (liked it).

I got to try the Sims 4 City Living pack when they did a free trial. I only played for about an hour because headache, but honestly an hour was about all I needed to try everything. My sim got to have a fun night on the town though!

Aaaaand last but not least, I’ve gotten both doses of the Pfizer vaccine! No side effects other than a really sore arm. I did feel exhausted and achy after the second one, but I fully think that was just chronic illness, because that’s always how I feel after pushing myself too hard, and it had been a tiring day for me. So please do get vaccinated if you’re able!


Blog/Bookish Updates:

Nothing.

 

Books I Received for Review:

Murphy’s Law for Demons by C.J. Pierce from NetGalley. Rage for Blood by K.P. Ambroziak from the author.

 

Books I Finished:

Lord of the Last Heartbeat by May PetersonCronin's Key I by N.R. WalkerSmut Peddler Presents: Silver

If you’re considering buying one of the books below from Amazon, I’d really appreciate if you’d use my affiliate link!

I didn’t share all the books I read in my April update, so I’ve got two months worth of books here.

Lord of the Last Heartbeat by May Peterson – Not super for me, but a unique fantasy romance.

Cronin’s Key I, II, III by N.R. Walker – A decent m/m vampire series.

The Rebel Queen by Lexi Blake – This was the latest book in one of my absolute favorite series. The series had been not super great lately (for me, at least), but this one brought it back!

Reconstructionist Series (Catching Echoes, Tangled Echoes, Unleashing Echoes, Short Story Bundle) by Meghan Ciana Doidge – I was really enjoying these… up until the ending. I don’t think I’ve ever said this before, but I felt like the author broke a promise that was made to the reader, and I was left feeling disappointed.

Smut Peddler Presents: Silver – I rarely buy books for myself, and I especially rarely buy print copies, but this was a gift, and I have to say, it was so nice being able to take my time and enjoy all the stories and especially the art. Normally, because of my head/eye problem, I have to rush through graphic novels on the computer. It wasn’t my favorite of the Smut Peddlers, but it was still enjoyable, and it had so much great art!

Fragile Remedy by Maria Ingrande Mora – I liked this! I especially liked one character in particular. Although, oddly enough, this was another book that somewhat disappointed with me one part of the ending that didn’t seem necessary and seemed like a way to just try and manipulate the reader’s feelings.

Blessed Monsters by Emily A. Duncan – I know this author is problematic, so I don’t plan on reviewing this, but I wanted to know how the series would end, and I got all the books from the library anyway. I was never super into the series, only just enough to keep going for free, and this one was actually my least favorite. It was slow and confusing and lacking in much of the magic and character dynamics that made me enjoy previous books.

 

In Case You Missed It:

– I shared three more book and song match-ups!
– I reviewed Firestarter by Tara Sim, an emotional, intense, fantastic ending to one of my favorite series of last year.
– I ranked types of fantasy worlds based on how much I’d want to live in them.
– I reviewed The Vampire’s Club Books 1-4 by X. Aratare, a m/m vampire romance with interesting character dynamics.
– I reviewed Friends in Low Places by E.M. Jeanmougin & Jay Wright, a great second series book about a hunter and a werespider.
– I reviewed Blind Men by Man-Eater Games, a really fun and cute visual novel with spy movie tropes and a touch of romance.

 
 
 
 

Talk to me!

How has your month been?
Find any good books, movies, games, etc. lately?

 
 
[shared_counts]
 
 
 

Your Thoughts

 

11 thoughts on “Update: Life and Books (May 2021) + Mermay Art!

I'd love if you'd share your thoughts, too!

 

Reading your comments makes me a very happy blogger!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

 
  1. Greg

    Great pic! I love those poet type shirts too… I used to buy them when I was in my I-need-to-dress-up-for-the-Renaissance-faire phase lol. Cool mermay art as well- I LOVE the idea of stingray merfolk. Maybe because I love rays anyway. and merflk in general.

    Congrats on going viral! That’s AWESOME.

    And congrats also on the vacc.

    1. Kristen

      I feel like I just need to buy a poet shirt and give it a try lol. There’s something about them that’s just so great. Thanks! I had fun with the stingray tails!

  2. Mary Kirkland

    That’s awesome about the tweet going viral. I’ve had a couple of tweets get some exposure but nothing big. I got my J&J vaccine a little over a week ago. I had no side effects at all, not even a sore arm.

  3. Roberta R.

    Just popping in to say hi, since we talked about the highlights of your month on Twitter! It’s always a pleasure to see your mermen šŸ˜€. And yay for the vaccine being totally bearable! I hope to be as lucky next Monday (I’m getting my first shot of Pfizer).

    Ugh, why are there so many authors that botch the last book in a series? From what I hear, it happens too often.

    1. Kristen

      Aww thanks, hi! Good luck with your vaccine šŸ™‚

      I’ve rarely encountered bad final books, tbh. But this might’ve been the worst in terms of what was essentially promised to the reader throughout the series, and then just snatched away, rather than just being kinda sad or unsatisfying or whatever.

  4. Becky @ A Fool's Ingenuity

    I’m slowly catching up with posts so I’m happy I get to read a life update (these are always my favourite posts from people because I feel like I’m getting a peek at people’s normal life), Glad you got both doses of the vaccine, I’ve had my first dose of pfizer but the UK is doing it that your second dose has to be within like 12 weeks or something crazy so won’t get that until August. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed Good Omens as well! Loved the show, it might even beat the book… but I kind of think they’re on par with each other.

    1. Kristen

      Aww thanks for visiting! I also like seeing what’s going on in everyone’s lives. How frustrating that they’re making you wait so long in the UK, but at least you’ve gotten one dose! I’m considering trying the Good Omens book at some point.

  5. Pingback: Sunday Post: Book Pre-order Campaigns & Giveaways Galore ā€“ 7/4/21 ā€“ Book Library