Update: I've Already Reached Book #4 (Back And Deader Than Ever). I Think I Can Safely Say That This

Update: I've already reached Book #4 (Back and Deader Than Ever). I think I can safely say that this book series is mostly mindless fun.

Pros:

Secondary plot threads like the ghouls' weekly spa days are honestly pretty cute.

The monsters (or "R.A.D.s") feel reasonably in-character and well-written most of the time.

The ways each monster type has to blend in with normie society are consistent, relevant, creative at times, and generally well-done.

Candace is a bit more than the stereotypical "dumb blonde." Not that much, since she's a secondary character at most, but enough to make her more fun than annoying.

We stan Brett as our resident monster-lover. The dude legitimately finds bolts and green skin attractive.

Jackson and Holt ("D.J.") exist and are important. This is sadly not consistent in most Monster High media.

Sirens are bird women.

The foreshadowing leading up to Melody's big plot twist is present as early as the first book. I like that.

The Wolfs' monthly transformation and pre-transition symptoms (especially the appetite and irritability) speak to me as a PMS-haver. I think that's what Harrison was going for, so...yeah. Good job.

Cons:

Melody is basically the "Not Like Other Girls" female YA protagonist. Dark hair, frumpy clothes, was ostracized for her appearance in the past, described as effortlessly pretty in the present, quiet until she needs to deliver some plot-relevant sass, secretly "special"... Yeesh.

Bekka's writing takes a hard turn for the cartoonish after the first book.

So many outdated pop culture references. So many.

Holt being flirty? Reasonable, given his characterization in other places. Him being an outright pervert at points? Really freaking weird.

An odd amount of revenge-kissing and other petty relationship stuff

Not enough Lagoona. The higher-ups really did hate her from the beginning. :p

About to read the first Monster High YA novel by Lisi Harrison. I had #2-4 when I was younger, and frankly, I don't remember much. Wish me luck.

About to read the first Monster High YA novel by Lisi Harrison. I had #2-4 when I was younger, and frankly, I don't remember much. Wish me luck.

Man, the story of Chris-Chan is something else. It doesn't sound real at all, yet it is. I don't know how to feel about it.

On one hand, Christine has done some truly heinous things and is definitely past the point of no return. No amount of autism can excuse her poor treatment of others. On the other, most of the people in her life were also pretty rotten and exacerbated her issues. You don't just repeatedly catfish or stalk someone "for the lulz."

And as an autistic person, I look at her younger self and think, "That could have been me." I was the awkward, awareness-lacking nerd who would insert my interests into everything I could. I was awful at making real friends. I was prone to freaking out when things didn't go my way.

But I was fortunate enough to have grown up in the 2000s and 2010s instead of the 1980s and 1990s. Autism acceptance wasn't perfect during my childhood (and people like Andrew Wakefield certainly didn't help), but it sure as heck was in a better place than it was before the turn of the millennium.

And I was (and am) lucky enough to have parents who worked to accommodate and support me properly. Christine didn't have that. I don't know for sure how she would have turned out with different parenting, but Bob and Barb evidently stunted her chances of becoming well-adjusted.

It really is a train wreck of a situation where the abused became an abuser.

It's that time of the year again :D

@autismswagreblogs

This time, we make sure Donnie wins!!!!

The Bracket has been set!

This year's competitor pool is hot, with 23 returning competitors and 41 new appearances. In Round 1, the matches will be broken up into 4 waves, divided by the quadrants displayed on the bracket. The matches will all be listed below the cut, for everyone's reference.

SIDE A, PART 1

Donatello Hamato (Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) v.s L Lawliet (Death Note)

Mary Anta (Cemetery Mary) v.s Rui Kamishiro (Project Sekai)

Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia) v.s Branch (Dreamworks Trolls)

Snufkin (Moominvalley) v.s Futaba Sakura (Persona 5)

Gordon Freeman (Half Life) v.s Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes)

Blathers (Animal Crossing) v.s Princess Bubblegum (Adventure Time)

Jonathan Sims (The Magnus Archives) v.s Zane (Lego Ninjago)

Tomoko Kuroki (Watamote) v.s Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy 7)

SIDE A, PART 2

Frieren (Sousou no Frieren) v.s Papyrus (Undertale)

Tech (Star Wars: The Bad Batch) v.s Ferb Fletcher (Phineas & Ferb)

Stanford Pines (Gravity Falls) v.s Twilight Sparkle (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)

Berdly (Deltarune) v.s Gregory House (House M.D)

Data (Star Trek) v.s Idia Shroud (Twisted Wonderland)

Peridot (Steven Universe) v.s Penny Polendina (RWBY)

Sig (Puyo Puyo) v.s Marcy Wu (Amphibia)

Jotaro Kujo (Jojo's Bizarre Adventure) v.s Miles Edgeworth (Ace Attorney)

SIDE B, PART 1

Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece) v.s Alhaitham (Genshin Impact)

Laios Touden (Dungeon Meshi) v.s Iggy Maxwell (Our Wonderland)

Dendy (OK KO: Let's Be Heroes) v.s Gin Ibushi (Your Turn To Die)

Norma Khan (Dead End: Paranormal Park) v.s Link (The Legend of Zelda)

Starfire (Teen Titans) v.s Luz Noceda (The Owl House)

Siffrin (In Stars And Time) v.s Huey Duck (Ducktales 2017)

Lilo Pelekai (Lilo & Stitch) v.s Saiki Kusuo (The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.)

Woo Young Woo (Extraordinary Attorney Woo) v.s Miles "Tails" Prower (Sonic the Hedgehog)

SIDE B, PART 2

Razputin Aquato (Psychonauts) v.s Linhardt von Hevring (Fire Emblem Three Houses)

Ranpo Edogawa (Bungou Stray Dogs) v.s Entrapta (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)

Murderbot (The Murderbot Diaries) v.s Kieran (Pokemon Scarlet & Violet)

Twyla Boogeyman (Monster High) v.s Marina Ida (Splatoon)

Hiccup Haddock (How To Train Your Dragon) v.s Batman (DC Comics)

Abed Nadir (Community) v.s Red Son (Lego Monkie Kid)

Uzi Doorman (Murder Drones) v.s Bingo Heeler (Bluey)

Gillion Tidestrider (Just Roll With It) v.s Spongebob Squarepants (Spongebob Squarepants)

I saw one of these stories on the Sailor Moon subreddit yesterday and thought it was just a Chibi Moon joke, but I guess it's real.

Cool. :)