Status Updates From Maelin (Belladonna)

“It was my final tribute to a friendship on the cusp of its final chapter”
idk why I just really liked that sentence

Blimmery not taking anything serieus while Mae and Taig, his friends basically, are questioning the totalitarian government. It’s such an interesting pov, bc it would’ve been easy to write and make interesting in either of their povs. But Mel chose Blim, and I respect that. And I’m so very curious. How does she write so well. Literally.

“She hadn’t styled her unruly hair, and I was glad she hadn’t. It reminded me of our field classes, her waves catching flowers in the woods.
“Quite the dress.” I couldn’t think of anything clever to say.
“No.” Taig stood from the sofa, removed the pink flower from his pocket, and tucked it behind her ear. “Now she’s ready.”
How he seemed to read my mind like that.”
JEALOUS?

“Maelin, with a bleeding scratch across her face, dropped her trophy like it was worthless. She ran into Taig’s arms, and he spun her around, laughing. “We did it, Mae!”
God fucking damn it write the book from Taigs or Maelin’s pov GOD are they adorable and confusing and odd and wonderful

“In my peripheral vision, Taig stumbled to a stop at the sight of Maelin running in the same direction. He headed for a different trophy, which another trainee was closer to. He wants her to win so badly that he’s willing to lose.”
They have such a strange confusing, yet adorable relationship

This training school is like constant high school PE. My personal fucking nightmare.

I beta-read a copy of this a few months ago, so I'm excited to see how much has changed for the ARC
Also, seeing my name in the acknowledgements section was such a surreal experience...