iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

"My entire career is, in a way, a response to A Song of Ice and Fire" Sanderson: what if a series didn't whip ass

010

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

also anca is literally one of the most gorgeous video game women i have ever seen and she's voice acted to perfection

000

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

also this isn't remotely a bad thing the combat is very kcd-esque but MUCH SMOOTHER and the valhalla similarity is one variety of side quest and vaguely the map clearing elements (which is also similar to the ghost games)

100

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

im literally like prologue + some early first region level 9 so i know jack shit lmfao to be clear!

000

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

MINOR??? EARLY EARLYYYY LORE SPOILERS this is real world-based and there's a distinct thracian/scythian vibe going on w some of the lore that adds another very different energy to it and i love it

100

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

otherwise i gotta say it reminds me way more of a synthesis of like kcd and valhalla also down to the fact that it's way more romanian/balkan than central european (which kcd also is but witcher very much is)

101

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

to me, it's most similar to wild hunt in that the first time playing wild hunt i also felt like i was somewhat in a survival horror game when i was Encountering Creatures that element is SUPREMELY well done

110

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

not very far in but dawnwalker WHIPSSSSSSSSS however i have some pushback on ppl saying it reminds them of the witcher games

110

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

free wild hunt remaster and the last rogue trader dlc finally dropping means i never have to play BIG video games that aren't in the witcher or warhammer universes ever again /j

000

Reposted by allison

DAW Books @dawbooks.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Check out this fascinating piece that dives deep into Mad Sisters of Esi with author Tashan Mehta. This title is nominated for the 2026 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction 🐋🌸 Read the article now: buff.ly/lIC4ohX Get a copy now: buff.ly/oEeadHV

livemint.com

My book is culturally rooted in India and the experience of being from the Parsi community: Tashan Mehta | Mint

Shortlisted for the prestigious Ursula Le Guin prize 2026, speculative fiction writer Tashan Mehta speaks about the role of myth, memory and Indianness in her book, 'Mad Sisters of Esi'

064

Reposted by allison

Premee Mohamed @premeemohamed.com · 21/08/2026

HAPPY FRIDAY TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO PREORDER WICKHILLS A spy assigned to protect a defector: fine Defector stole something from his employers: to be expected Thing might end the world: can you not us.macmillan.com/books/978125...

14218

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

I have to get my shit together because there are A TON OF books coming out next year, by authors I really adore and I'm v behind but also god I could only try so many genuinely disappointing fantasy novels in a row before I needed to slap a panic button

020

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Oh I read every existing karma lochrie book lmao

100

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

At one point in May I had started 5 sff review copies in a row and couldn't get into/strongly disliked all of them and was like ok I think that's enough time to reset my brain

100

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Instead I've been up to my ass in non-fiction esp a lot of academic stuff abt the medieval self and emotion and also nicole loraux's greek studies

100

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

What have I been doing? I haven't read a novel since May besides my re-read of blacktongue thief ,,, ostensibly so I could read my review copy of the sequel which I still haven't done

140

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Dont let Toronto ballot stuff

010

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Twitter has totally disabled my ability to tweet so I may be introducing my sports livetweeting to bluesky tonight Somewhat akin to that doritos and medieval peasants meme

130

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

every new book i'm like ah it's gonna get old ...... no..... it's not

010

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

yelling "i'll get u outta there" at sibylla of anjou

020

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

the fact i've been able to keep up w reading as well as i have with the knicks on a heater and the yankees being (mostly) v fun to watch is crazy and the 1178 start date for ck3 dropping lmfao

130

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

and then also various entries in other re-reads i'm working thru like lotr, kushiel, brother cadfael also read the etched city for the first time even tho i've owned a copy for over a decade lmfao - also wow

020

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

i read starling's MILKTEETH which was also wonderful and atrociously disgusting/creative, amazing take on a vampire mythos started my robin hobb re-read - a deligh re-read WOLF TOWER, a favorite of teen me finally got around to Vikram Paralkar's THE AFFLICTIONS which is SOOOOOOOOOOOO my thing

210

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

i read premee mohamed's WICKHILLS which was really really terrific and different though i think i want to re-read it when i get a physical copy - reminded me a little of amberlough w a dash of pratchett or the other way around, and some mordew maybe

230

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

otherwise - been doing my asoiaf re-read read the felicity complex which was ASTOUNDING and so FUN read Vernon Lee's Hauntings which was TERRIFIC leckie's radiant star absolutely fucking WHIPPED the new rjb book was crazy as shit, he keeps topping himself

230

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

read Tanith Lee (writing as Esther Garber)'s FATAL WOMEN and wowza - pleasantly surprised to see it's still in print so i've been trying to handsell it

150

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

just straight up closed the tab multiple times inside 2 months like no that's ok

110

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

havent been on here bc i forgot my password and was too lazy to reset it djsfndjk;fndskjnsdkjfsnj

120

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

State of publishing depressing but that's ok ive downloaded the new premee mohamed

030

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

which is............... kind of how you should develop your own opinions abt it....... it's v mix and match

020

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

ppl arguing abt world-building on twitter and im like now that i've read harrison's "essay" (online post) against world-building AND erikson's counter-rant i think everyone should have to read both both are correct and i have crits of both as well

130

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

Here's my thing...I loved THE ANGEL OF THE CROWS but Addison/Monette left the "this started out as kind of a fic btw" for her author's note.... in the back of the book. Which imo is where any info abt a published novel being a fic or based on a fic should stay. Not in marketing and publicity lmfao.

030

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

And then add to that two of the main villains also being an extremely mutually obsessed gay couple... yeah it's good.

010

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

Admittedly I've been bouncing back and forth between 1 and 2 bc the graphics upgrade is crazy and also bc I wanted to see more of the very good Henry x Hans yaoi Kind of blows my mind anyone would be upset at the romance option in the 2nd game bc it's the only one that really ties to the narrative

110

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

The fact Henry realistically can't fucking read in the first game and you have to do the whole side quest to teach him to read... amazing....

110

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

BUT unfortunately I also got really into kingdom come deliverance lmfao and that is wonderful and I'm greatly obsessed with it. Just kind of the perfect me game. I had held off for ages on buying the first one bc I heard it was buggy and there was a nice bundle sale for both last month

120

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

It's just a gauntlet of scrolling thru pages and pages of deluxe edition books that all have marketing copy insisting they will stand out on shelves. Very funny. Anniversary editions for 5 year old popular books that don't need them. Etc etc.

120

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

Work is hellacious, as usual now. Not the store atmosphere itself but publishing is really In A Place right now and not a good one, quality wise. Though there are always a lot of good books to offset the overwhelming amount of overmarketed, over sprayed mediocre to bad ones.

130

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

What have I been doing this month besides reading ? Well it's baseball season so enjoying the WBC. Been trying to fit my remaining work catalogs and sales appts into the rest of march before I go to SF for opening week...

110

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

Ok and it's NOT one of his lmfaoooo

110

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

that's ok bc i did also finish the felicity complex last night and that fucking *MAKES FACE* wow

000

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

i feel like everyone but me is suffering from mass psychosis bc so many ppl i respect liked [redacted book releasing this week]

230

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

So were the two big untitled books for tor just more schwab and sanderson lmao

020

allison @jstmalicious.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

HA 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

110