Darcy Alexander
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upmosttoaster.bsky.social
Darcy Alexander
@upmosttoaster.bsky.social
57 followers 97 following 75 posts
Reader, Writer, Coveter of colourful things
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upmosttoaster.bsky.social
DNF 33%. The ideas were so good but I found the way they were presented a little disjointed and hard to follow. I might come back to this, it feels like an important story with insightful exploration of difficult themes but I don't have the bandwidth to appreciate it just now. #BookSky #reading #sff
The book cover for Womb City. It's a bright orange with the side profile of a robotic human head in the centre. The shoulders are dark grey metal with leading wires trailing from inside. Above the nose, the face and head have been replaced with a tank. A baby floats inside.
March 6, 2025 at 9:08 AM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
Another 5 star for Feb! I really appreciated the restraint shown in the pace that information was revealed to engage me in the mystery. It was truly delightful to half guess some bits and be taken by surprise in others. The plant based magic system was so fun! #BookSky #fantasy #sff #reading ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The book cover for The Tainted Cup. The background is black with an embellished gold border of overlapping triangles. At each corner is a dark silhouette of a person. In the centre of the cover is a gold goblet fallen on it's side. The roots of a plant lead out of the cup, growing upwards and shooting off into flowers with a skull symbol at the centre. The title unfurls across a banner in front of the plant
March 3, 2025 at 12:19 PM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
This was so steeped in atmosphere I could have sneezed clouds. It was dark and gothic in the most delicious way. Having to use corrupted magic despite a horrifyingly steep cost is 1 of my favourite tropes. The prose was beautiful, I stopped a couple of times just to reread a sentence
#BookSky ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The book cover for One Dark Window. The background is a misty white and green with a stone tower on the right and left sides. They are connected by a stone bridge which stretches across the cover. In the centre of the bridge stands the figure of a woman cloaked in blood red with a spill of brown curls tumbling down her back. She faces away and above her, trails of grey smoke coil into the sky
February 28, 2025 at 4:38 PM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
My 1st DNF of 2025 at 50%. The world building was so great but the mc just wasn't for me. I tend to fall in love with characters who are a bit more vulnerable. But I'd still recommend for anyone looking for romance against a unique fantasy setting and an interesting magic system
#BookSky
#reading
The book cover for When The Moon Hatched. The background is black with a pearlescent white dragon in the top right corner. On the bottom left is a smaller stone house.
February 27, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Reposted by Darcy Alexander
sarasbookmacarons.bsky.social
Fruits Basket Macarons!!! I did a red and white swirl to represent the beaded bracelets and decorated them with the Chinese zodiac symbols and a red crimson butterfly 🙌 I also made onigiri, cat and mouse character shaped ones 🥰 #bookishmacarons #booksky #macarons #fruitsbasket #manga #anime
Fruits Basket Macarons on the left and on the right is volume one of the Fruits Basket manga. There are two types of macarons, one type is round and red and white with the Chinese zodiac symbols painted on them, the other type are character shaped and feature onigiri, an orange cat and a gray mouse. Close up on the orange cat macaron Close up of the gray mouse macaron Close up of the onigiri macaron
February 24, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Reposted by Darcy Alexander
whistberry.bsky.social
But what if we were a tiny red crab that lived in a sandcastle and we scuttled about, thinking crabby thoughts and waving our pincers and making pleasant clacking sounds all day?
Comical sketch of a tiny red crab emerging through the door of a classic looking sand castle with four turrets. There are white capped waves of the ocean in the background.
February 24, 2025 at 1:53 PM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
This was incredible! I went in expecting a fun, jaunty space heist and was blown away. The bonds between the characters was magical and the way friction between friends was explored was so unflichingly earnest. The world was also vibrant and unique. I loved this so much ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#BookSky #reading #sff
The book cover for The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei. The background is blue/ black space with streaks of crimson looping across it. Within the red is the outline of clouds. In the middle of the black is a glimpse of three large tentacles with bright blue suckers.
February 24, 2025 at 9:47 AM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
Finished the 1st writing game for #FantasyFeb! The Style Jam. Won myself 3 points and a Jammy Dodger badge. I don't often read/write contemporary romance so this is super out of my comfort zone. Fingers crossed my writing club like it 💙 #writing #writers #writingcommunity #BookSky
A writing prompt, the aesthetic is a light academia style with white pink and green colours and floral accents. The game is to rewrite a basic prompt in your own style. You can win a Jammy Dodger badge and 3 points for completing this prompt
February 2, 2025 at 2:14 PM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
I've drawn up my February TBR and I'm so excited I don't know which to start with! #BookSky #reading #sff #books
A collage of 8 book covers. One Dark Window, A City on Mars, I Cheerfully Refuse, When The Moon Hatched, The Tainted Cup, Womb City, The Stardust Grail and City of Saints and Madmen.
February 2, 2025 at 9:24 AM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
Such a brilliant January to kick start the year 😊 #BookSky #reading #sff #books
A collage of book covers with star ratings - a big ship at the edge of the universe (4 stars), Silver in the Wood (3 stars), Candle Children (4 stars), the Secret History (2.5 stars), The Wager (5 stars), Guns of the Dawn (3 stars), The Warm Hands of Ghosts (5 stars) and 5 cms per second (3.5 stars).
January 31, 2025 at 10:48 PM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
Mwah!
January 29, 2025 at 5:05 PM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
These are so beautiful! 😍 Perfect for drinking tea in the woods sat on a mossy log looking wistfully into the mist.
kelseyceramics.bsky.social Kelsey @kelseyceramics.bsky.social · Jan 25
The two tea sets I had left after my holiday sales have lingered in the shop a while. I'll be splitting them up for my January collection so you'll have a chance to score just the teapot, or a teacup and saucer set instead of committing to the whole set. Hoping this helps more people love them ❤️
Tea set with sculpted dart frogs, monstera leaves, and orchids in deep emerald greens
January 28, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Reposted by Darcy Alexander
jennyalexandra.bsky.social
Last one: character-heavy sapphic romantasy: Dishonored x Locke Lamora x City of Last Chances x Rick and Evie O'Connell. Anti-imperialism! Pro-community action! SMUT! #lgbt #a #rm #2025pit
A dark-clad figure leaps between rooftops of a moody, rundown city. Image credit: concept art from Dishonored 2 (I've been unable to confirm the artist's name)
January 27, 2025 at 10:50 PM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
Outlining plans for an event I'm facilitating for my writing club #FantasyFeb! Creating games, prompts and writing exercises for each day. Any writing folks - could you please share any writing tasks in the past that have been helpful for you? #writing #writers #writingcommunity #writingq
A picture of a power point slide, in white with a pink border and a line art flower in the bottom right corner. The title is Fantasy February and beneath that is a quote from Louis May Alcott "I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship." there are two square pics of aesthetic writing notebooks stuck at an angle in the top right corner with pink tape at the edges
January 27, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Reposted by Darcy Alexander
jennyalexandra.bsky.social
When the delicate balance of corruption is disrupted by eldritch-power-wielding warlords ‘The Twins’, thief Nightjar and thief-catcher Illyana have to set aside their lethal cat-and-mouse game to try and survive while their feelings for each other grow too strong to ignore #LGBT #A #RM #2025Pit
A dark-clad figure leaps between rooftops of a moody, rundown city. Image credit: concept art from Dishonored 2 (I've been unable to confirm the artist's name)
January 27, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Reposted by Darcy Alexander
jennyalexandra.bsky.social
The Terror x The Fisherman x Mugen Train

Unhinged socialist revolutionary seeks naval corruption aboard ship in the Arctic, finds demonically possessed vessel, broken monsters made of crew and a lil gay romance. Erebus and Terror with an autistic sharpshooter and positive trans rep #HF #H #A
A painting showing the Erebus, a three-masted bomb ship, sailing through the Arctic while crew carry supplies across the ice. Grey, moody and portentous of the ship's doomed fate. Image credit: HMS Erebus in the Ice, by François Etienne Musin A towering sea creature burst from the ocean as three men look on from the shore. Eldritch and unsettling, with heavy clouds and stormy waters. The creature has tentacles but a body like a whale, if its mouth acted like a hinge. Image Credit: Old Sea Beast by Piotr Jabłoński
January 27, 2025 at 3:05 PM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
First 5 star read of the year! This was such an incredible read, getting to connect with the story of this ship and it's crew from over 300 years ago was amazing. The writing really makes you feel like you're there with them. Fantastic! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#BookSky #reading #books
A book cover, The Wager A tale of shipwreck, mutiny and murder by David Grann. A 3 masted ship is being rocked on its side by a tumultuous, stormy emerald sea beneath a grey sky. White spray is splashing up against the ship's side as it is cresting the top of a huge wave.
January 25, 2025 at 10:38 PM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
Innocently putting together a playlist for a writing exercise I'm facilitating for my writing group when this masterpiece flooded my goblin brain with all the happy-sad. Time for a rewatch ❤️
#anime #music #writing
A screenshot from Spotify showing the Your Name album by Radwimps. The album art is the dark blue night sky with lighter blue clouds. A comet trail pierces across it, trailing light strands of pink, green, purple and azure like a braid through the stars in its wake
January 22, 2025 at 3:37 PM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
Wow! I know I'm not supposed to judge a book by its cover but the colours on The Carnelian King make my brain so happy so I'm going to anyway! 💛💙 #BookSky
ardenpowell.bsky.social Arden Powell 🎄❄️✨ @ardenpowell.bsky.social · Oct 17
Hello! I'm a queer indie author of fantasy, romance, and gothic horror. I write the Flos Magicae series, my new release is a short story collection #TheCarnelianKing and I publish a sword & sorcery serial on Patreon #TheBlackKnightSaga
✨Books: shorturl.at/KHuF3
✨Patreon: www.patreon.com/ardenpowell
Cover art for The Carnelian King and Other Stories by Arden Powell: fantasy illustration of a red and gold dragon with a snakelike head, catfish whiskers and koi scales, looking at a knight in golden armour. The knight is riding a dappled grey horse, who is rearing to meet the dragon. They are against a dreamy, romantic background of painted trees and sky. The Bachelor’s Valet illustrated cover art: watercolour silhouettes of two men, one fixing the other’s tie, on a teal background in a field of tall yellow hollyhock flowers. The Faerie Hounds of York illustrated cover art: a woodcut-style wolf rearing up against a dark green background. The Bayou illustrated cover art: a minimalist black church surrounded by bare trees in front of a full moon or a pale sun, with a staring alligator underneath.
January 19, 2025 at 5:38 PM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
Looks like I might finish my Jan TBR early which means I get to pick a bonus book! I'd appreciate any recommendations folks are happy to share. I love science fiction, fantasy and horror. Especially character driven stories with interesting settings and strong friendships. 📚 #BookSky #sff #reading
January 19, 2025 at 5:10 PM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
Finished a buddy read of Guns of the Dawn. There was a little less focus on the magical elements than I was hoping for and a few plot moments I didn't enjoy but it was great seeing Emily change and the bonds that developed with the secondary characters was really heartwarming ⭐⭐⭐ #BookSky #fantasy
A book cover, mottled black and grey background with cursive writing visible in the lighter shaded areas. Two red and gold flintlock pistols are crossed in the centre. The title is written in white medieval looking font beneath them "Guns of the Dawn" and the author's name is in smaller text at the top "Adrian Tchaikovsky".
January 19, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Reposted by Darcy Alexander
gabino.bsky.social
AI defenders said it was just “help” and they were rewriting everything. Now AI bullshit (I don’t call them books) are showing up with AI notes. Why? Because the AI defenders are lazy (we knew that) and they were lying (we also knew that). Imagine wanting to be a writer and hating the writing part…
January 18, 2025 at 3:40 PM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
Finished Silver in the Wood - this is such a sweet and magical story. I loved how the fantastical elements were woven throughout in vague, dreamy hints. It had the perfect amount of danger to still be cosy and had me smiling from the first page to the end. ⭐⭐⭐
#BookSky #reading #sff #lgbtq
The book cover for Silver in the Wood. A black cover with gold writing. The name at the top of the page is slightly bigger than the author name (Emily Tesh) at the bottom. In the middle is an overhead view looking down at a wood. The shape of the green leaves and brown branches coallesce into the side profile of a man's face.
January 15, 2025 at 12:04 PM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
Although there was a lot to love, like the beautiful prose and wonderful moody aesthetic, this wasn't my cup of tea. I disliked seeing plot points in hindsight from the POV of someone who wasn't present and while the characters were written brilliantly, I didn't enjoy spending time with them ⭐⭐ +1/2
The book cover of The Secret History by Donna Tartt. The cover is a black square with a gold embossed oval coin in the centre. On the coin is the image of someone killing a deer in the Greek style. The text is grey and in block capitals.
January 13, 2025 at 11:59 AM
upmosttoaster.bsky.social
I grew up on these streets
A screenshot from the game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time showing the central Market Square at night in the adult time line. The buildings are ruined and delapidated. The silhouette of the royal castle rises over the square with the temple of time on the right. A corona of purple magic halos around the highest spire.
January 12, 2025 at 12:28 PM