thedeadlyscimitar > Recent Status Updates

Back then, I loved you more than I feared death.

Gods damn!! How is this book so much better than the last one? It’s so heart-wrenchingly sad and yet deeply moving at the same time. I literally haven’t been able to put it down for the last hundred pages or so! The sweet moments from the past are so beautiful but so painful at the same time 😭💔

Emotional angst > physical torture

Gu Mang stared hard into his eyes. They were very close, their eyes fixed on one another's, their breaths mingling. Mo Xi found it inappropriate and was about to push him away, when he heard Gu Mang say, "But... you look like you're in pain…like it really hurts. Hating me, it hurts you?"

So far I’m enjoying this volume much more than the previous one. It’s not just relentless torture for Gu Mang. The stuff with Li Qingqian and the insane Liao Kingdom guoshi was really interesting. Mo Xi is a total badass even if he does have a nasty temper. I’m really enjoying these parts with Gu Mang living a Xihe Manor too. It’s nice to have some more humorous and lighthearted scenes for a change.

Ugh the Goodreads app is driving me crazy recently. It keeps marking things as completed when they’re not for some weird reason 😩

It won't take too many years; it won't be too long. I will give you a home. I want to stay with you, always.

So far this is very borderline for me. I’ve been wary of reading anything by meatbun for a while now just based things I’ve heard about her writing that really aren’t my cup of tea. Yuwu seemed like the only one that might be somewhat safe. I at least wanted to give it a try since meatbun is so popular. The book is interesting so far but some of the themes and content are a bit much for me personally.

I just finished the main story and I have to say that it was quite a ride! I have my complaints, which I will discuss in my review when I finish reading the extras. Overall all though, this is a great story with deeply moving romance. I definitely feel like this was one of the most well thought out danmei that I’ve read with one of the most cohesive plots.

I always feel so terrible for Xie Lian during the flashbacks showing the fall of Xianle. All he wanted was to help people and do the right thing. He was still so young and it all just blew up in his face. This is one of my least favorite parts of TGCF just because it’s so soul crushingly depressing. I’m not sure which is worse, this flashback or the ones after the fall of Xianle 💔😭

Goddamn! Li Feng is an ungrateful, backstabbing bastard just like his father!

Sherlock Holmes is always my go to comfort read and I definitely need it right now.

This is very okay so far. It’s decent, but it hasn’t really grabbed me yet.

Ugh it’s been taking me forever to get through this. I just really don’t like reading books on my phone or computer. My eyes get so tired.

It’s also a bit hard to gage how far I am. I’m on the last chapter though, chapter 47 and then there are the extras. Sadly, I’m not nearly as much of a fan of the novel as I am the manhua :/

“Battles are ugly when women fight.”

Wow. Way to make Santa Claus a misogynist C.S. Lewis… 🙄

This is pretty cute so far. Definitely super Christmasy! But unfortunately, I’m going to have to briefly put it on hold until my audiobook hours refill on Spotify.

This is pretty good for a book that I randomly found on audible yesterday while searching for a different book. It’s not anything groundbreaking, but it’s cute, cozy and it definitely has a nice wintery vibe.

All of a sudden, he realized perhaps it wasn't that Gu Yun was the one good thing in his life worth looking forward to. Instead, it was as if everything he had suffered since birth was all to gather enough good fortune to meet this person. At this thought, years of resentments miraculously melted away.

—

Why do I see so many people say there’s no romance in SPL??? Are we reading the same book??

In his youth, Chang Geng had been adept at acting spoiled. Now he clearly wasn't just adept, he had practically perfected the art. Gu Yun was helpless against him. If Chang Geng kept looking at him like that for another incense stick's time, he might actually climb up and fetch him the stars in the sky. Resigned, he wrapped his fingers around Chang Geng's and tugged him further into his embrace.

Hua Cheng continued, "I don't know if you missed me, but I haven't thought about any of you at all."

Ahh! OMG! I love this part so much! I remember the first time I read it I was giggling and kicking my feet with excitement that Hua Cheng came for Xie Lian and even dared to break into the Heavenly Capital to rescue him! Definitely still one of my favorite moments. Hua Cheng is just so damn cool!!! XD

And just like that, the backs of Xie Lian's hands were enveloped by Hua Cheng's palms. When skin touched skin, Hua Cheng's hands felt temperate like jade.

Ah! I love the Ghost City arc! 🥰 The Gambler’s Den and Paradise Manor! 🫠 I love these interactions with my whole heart! It makes me think how adorable they must be when Xie Lian comes to live with Hua Cheng after the main story ❤️❤️❤️

It’s been a few years since I originally read TGCF. Although I was first introduced to danmei by the MDZS donghua, TGCF was the first novel that I actually read. Even after reading quite a few other danmei these two are still my favorites. I constantly go back and forth on which I like the most. Time to decide once and for all with a reread 😊

Hmm not sure I like what’s going on right now. Gu Yun is using underhanded tactics and attacking people who have already surrendered. Meanwhile, Chang Geng is encouraging corruption in the court of officials. I hope there’s good justification for these things later or that it somehow isn’t what it seems…

Geez poor Chang Geng 😢 His mom/aunt was terrible! Now I’m dying to know who his real parents were. I honestly hope it wasn’t Xiu-niang just because she’s so awful to him! Maybe her sister wasn’t any better though. Either way, Gu Yun, please take good care of our precious boy 😭

Going back to an old favorite for a comfort read. I’ve had a lot of disappointing DNFs recently. At this point, I need something that I know for sure is good 😮‍💨

I’m far enough into this that I don’t really want to drop it at this point but I’m honestly pretty bored. The story and characters are mostly interesting, but there’s just so much long winded info-dumping and name dropping of characters/places/deities that I’m never going to be able to remember. Every time I think the story is about to get going, it slows down again for more boring exposition… 😩

Why Feng Xiao?! Why did you shave your beautiful hair?? 😱 After seeing the picture in the front of the book, I thought it was going to have something to do with the gu poisoning. But no, you did it to yourself! Why?? Couldn’t you have just washed it a million times?? 😭😭😭

Damn you Xiao Lu! What the fuck have you done now! What have you done to my precious, flamboyant peacock? 😭

"Because of my face, my charm, my every graceful motion. They are all peerless and without parallel in the world," said Feng Xiao with perfect composure.

Yuan Sansi was speechless. For the first time in his life, he began to suspect that exceptional martial artists must have some serious shortcomings in other areas. In Feng Xiao's case, his brain.

🤣🦚

I really love the author’s descriptive writing style and language. Gary Furlong is a delightful narrator, as usual, who truly brings this story to life. However, I’m really struggling to get into this one. The plot feels meandering and aimless. Also, I despise insta-love. Honestly, if I didn’t have to return this to the library tomorrow, I’m not sure I’d have the motivation to continue.

Gah! Eli pisses me off so much! He’s the one who opened a competing shop right next to an already established one! He should have done his research before moving in! He’s a dick stealing Ambrose’s customers and expecting him to “make it work”? How is that fair? I’m also super annoyed with Ambrose’s “friends”. They’re complete traitors who aren’t sticking by him or being understanding AT ALL!!

Damn! The shit is really hitting the fan now! This is getting exciting! 🍿👀 But man, both the current and former emperors are ungrateful, backstabbing asshats! 😤