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thebloggess_feedcakewrecks_feed"Excuse me, Ma'am, is this your cake?"
"Um...yes?"
"Well, I'm going to have to confiscate it."
"What? Why?"
"This so-called 'frosting' is clearly a 'gel' and therefore threatens national security. Move along.
"But, but..."
"NEXT.
"Whoah, whoah, whoah. Sir, I'm going to have to take that delicious-looking...er...I mean, that dangerous looking Santa cake.
"It looks suspicious."
"But food is allowed through security!"
"Yes, but this obviously isn't 'food.' It's some kind of weapon. And I'm hungry.
"Oh, did I say that last bit out loud? Haha, silly me. NEXT.
[munching] "So, what have we here?"
"Just a little gift for the family back home."
"I'm sorry, but there's no way for me to know that's really a cake and not some kind of zombie snowman capable of terrorizing your fellow passengers. I'll have to take it off your hands."
"No, look! I can take a bite! See? Yummy cake!"
"Nice try, terrorist. Now we'll have to extract that. Sergeant? Take him away. (But leave the cake.) NEXT.
"No, no, I'm sorry, animals aren't allowed."
"It's a reindeer CAKE."
"We can't be too careful.
"Hold up there, Miss. Do you have a permit R2D2C3PO for that item?"
"There's no such thing!"
"Of course there is, Miss, and I'm the official gingerbread cake confiscator." [flashing badge]
"Did you...did you just flash a Subway rewards card at me?"
"No."
"Yes, you did!"
"No, I didn't. Gimmie the cake."
"So I guess you'll be taking my cake, too, then?"
"Nope, that one looks perfectly harmless. Have a nice flight!"
Thanks to Mark & CJ, Naureen, Kelly D., Brooke F., Kittie L., Sandy K., and the TSA, who really have started confiscating cupcakes because the frosting is a "gel." Enjoy those flights, everyone.
smartbitches_feedNB: This week, we’re taking a look back at some of our favorite and our most popular pieces of writing this year. We’ve got a week of best-of posts to share, with reviews, cover snark, and more. We hope you enjoy revisiting our archives, and most of all, we wish you and yours a wonderful holiday and a happy new year – with all the very best of reading.
…
Say hello to the top five Cover Snark posts of 2025! These are the most viewed Snark posts from last December to now! It’s such a joy to put these together and I hope you all get as much joy from reading them.
Let’s count them down!
5. Does Jane Austen Know About This? (September 8)
Classic Jane Austen novels received some modern cover designs that left us all a little perplexed. There’s also a man with a hazardous belly button and a pair of smug bears (the animal kind).
Best reader comment is from Kate Rose:
Wow…nothing about the Northanger Abbey cover says romance with gothic vibes, unless she’s actually trying to strangle him with her hand on his neck. I must not be the target audience – the cover is off-putting and that it’s supposed to be Jane Austin just makes it worse.
…
4. What Have They Done to Jude Deveraux (February 24)
This is another case of a well-known author getting cover redesigns that are real head-scratchers. There’s a font that hurts our eyeballs. We also learn a little bit more about rugby and pose the question: Would Dunkin Donuts ever sponsor a rugby team?
Best reader comment is from Empress of Blandings:
Re rugby: there is also a loosehead prop, which sounds messier.
Someone needs to write a romance set in the world of cricket, as I feel there’s potential in several of the fielding positions such as long on, or fly slip. Perhaps less so for square leg or silly mid-on. But you have to respect a game that has built-in tea breaks.
…
3. How Do Legs Work? (Diagrams Included) (August 11)
We really tried to make sense of some leg placement. Sarah even drew a diagram and turned it into a gif. Now that’s dedication! I was also confused about the title, Pall Mall Peer, as Pall Malls to me are cigarettes.
Best reader comment is from Randall M:
Amanda:
Your question about Pall Mall got me wondering. According to Wikipaedia (which we all know is never wrong), Pall Mall is a fashionable street in London, particularely known in the 19th century for fashion, the War Office, and some Royal Family housing. It also notes, “The cigarette manufacturer Rothmans has its head office at No. 65 Pall Mall”. The name “Rothmans” is a link, clicking on which takes you to the “Rothmans International” page, which has on its “Products and Brands” listing, Pall Mall. That takes you to the “Pall Mall (cigarette)” page, which tells us it was a “premiere cigarette”, named for the street.
And now you know why I’m not allowed to answer questions any more.
Ed. note: We are clearly an educational website.
…
2. A 20th Anniversary Cover Snark Retrospective (January 29)
To celebrate the site’s 20th anniversary, Candy and Sarah swam deep into the waters of some vintage Cover Snark, unearthing things that probably aren’t fit for human eyeballs…or any eyeballs for that matter.
Best reader comment is from Jill Q.:
Candy! The scream I scrumpt when I saw you were making a guest appearance! I don’t know if I’ve been reading Smart Bs for the whole 20 years, but I definitely go back all the way to the Candy days and when I was not Jill Q. but Jill some other initial 
It’s so great of you to stop by and I hope life is treating you well.
Meanwhile, yes in all important cover snark commentary, that last lady in the Victoria Alexander looks like she’s thinking “man, I really got to let one rip. Let me position my butt just so in this strategic gap in the holly bushes for maximum effect.”
…
1. An Us Anus (June 9)
Confusing choices abound! I have no statistics to back this up, but I feel like fonts, leading, and kerning were some of our biggest Snark offenders.
Best reader comment is from the Jazzlet:
The Lonely Mortician isn’t very professional, while the bottle is labelled CH2O, or formaldehyde, it clearly contains blood. The properties of these liquids are very different, and that cover is a lesson in why you should keep liquids in the original containers unless you have another correctly labelled bottle.
And that’s our top five! What do you think? Did you have any Cover Snark favorites this year?
mific posting in fancakeSarah
Does anyone have the number for Shane's girl from Boston? I feel bad that they've been seeing each other for this long and we've never added her here.Jackie
Oh good point! Let me ask Hayden.Jackie has added Lily to the conversation
Lily
what
what is this
Or: Ilya Rozanov is, apparently, one of the girls.
mific posting in fancakecase posting in fandomsecrets
summerstormcakewrecks_feedBy now many of you are no doubt in that stress-filled haze of pre-Christmas panic - the one that results from too much shopping and too little eggnog. (Because, seriously, EGGNOG FIXES EVERYTHING.)
So listen, I want you to just sit back, relax, and let allll that holiday stress go. Because this, my friends, is your happy place.
See? LOOK HOW HAPPY:
Is this not the sweetest, artsiest bit of edible quilling you've ever seen? So perfect! Now I want to try quilling again just to make this pattern into next year's Christmas cards.
And speaking of cards, doesn't this remind you of all those vintage-styled pretties - the ones on thick cream paper with embossed lettering?
(By Alliance Bakery)
I think it's all the handpainting; it's just SO perfect it looks printed.
And now, ruffly goodness:
(By Inspired by Michelle Cake Designs)
See that pattern on the white? I love that pattern. I want it covered in crystals and made into wrapping paper - which I will then hoard, Smaug-style, along with thousands of rolls of sparkly Christmas ribbon, because I seriously can't stop buying that stuff.
Ahem.
You may have heard that the Three Wise Men brought the baby Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, but did you know they also brought something a little more festive?
(By Yuma Couture Cakes)
Because it's not a birthday party 'til there are balloons, dangit.
(That silhouette is too, too cool.)
This one makes me hum "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" - and with the right words, even!
(By Chanata sweets 'n Decoration)
That pop of lime green in the middle with the teal is just about the cheeriest thing ever, and I love the dusting of powered sugar snow on the chocolate pinecones. And did you notice this is an anniversary cake? SO SWEET.
This next one is as cozy as your favorite Christmas sweater:
(Photography by Simone van Den Berg, cake by Evelien Keijer)
It's also baffling the heck out of me, since I have no idea how the baker did it. She couldn't have individually piped every single "stitch," right? Right?? Please, someone tell me; I may lose sleep over this.
Another handpainted beauty with a vintage vibe:
(Found here, anyone know the baker?)
I'm digging the "snow" dripping off those berries and branches.
And this one manages to be modern and classic at the same time:
(Artwork by Illustree and cake by Three Little Blackbirds Cakes)
Black, white, and sparkly red glitter will never go out of style, people. NEVER.
And don't underestimate the power of a little red accent on a soft gray palette, either:
(By Of Cakes and Cupcake (and Apollo too))
Airbrushing done right makes me all happy inside.
You know, I've seen a lot of cakes, and I generally pride myself on being able to spot what's edible and what's not. This next one, though? Completely fooled me:
(By Gateaux Inc.)
I thought those were stacked hat boxes, but nope; it's cake, and everything on it is edible. The bells, the silky gold robe, and of course the sheet music sides. Plus the solid side has this gorgeous shimmer you can really only see up close:
Wowza.
And if you thought that was stunning, then hold on to your giant pearly antlers:
(By Cake Heart)
[gasp]
OooooOOOOoooooh.
And just like that, blue is my new favorite color.
Well, I hope you enjoyed, my friends, because your happy place is now closing. So get on out there, and go drink some eggnog. [lifting cup] Cheers!
*****
P.S. For my fellow fans of blue, purple, and gorgeous galaxy prints:
Galaxy Throw Blanket
There are lots of galaxy print blankets out there, but this one has the best reviews I've found. Vibrant, super soft, and not too thick!
******
And from my other blog, Epbot:
smartbitches_feedWe’re trying something new! And a little unhinged.
Over the course of the year, Sarah and I would suggest silly categories based on trends we’ve seen this year, gripes in the comments, or just general nonsense that came into our brains. Thus the unhinged bingo card was born.
The 2025 Unhinged Romance Bingo begins today and will conclude on March 20, 2026.
Please save the image to use on your own or click on it for a larger version! If you’d like to share on social media, please use the hashtag #SBTBingo so we can see how your card is coming along! Participants who complete at least one bingo are eligible to win a box of books, though there won’t be any stickers for this one.
Here are some explainers for categories that feel less than obvious:
These squares are meant to be subjective and up to some interpretation. Sarah and I aren’t going to be sticklers and verify each of your selections. The middle space is a free space, meaning any book will qualify there. Also, please use one book per space. No double dipping!
To submit your card, please fill out this form. Maximum of five entries per person!
Standard disclaimers apply: Void where prohibited. Must be over 18 and ready to read some excellent books. Open to international residents where permitted by applicable law.
The entry form will close the evening of March 20 at 10pm eastern.
If you need further clarification on any of the categories or want to crowdsource reading recommendations, feel free to ask or brainstorm in the comments section!
case posting in fandomsecrets
case posting in fandomsecrets| RULES: 1. One secret link per comment. 2. 750x750 px or smaller. 3. Link directly to the image. More details on how to send a secret in! Optional: If you would like your secret's fandom to be noted in the main post along with the secret itself, please put it in the comment along with your secret. If your secret makes the fandom obvious, there's no need to do this. If your fandom is obscure, you should probably tell me what it is. Optional #2: If you would like WARNINGS (such as spoilers or common triggers -- list of some common ones here) to be noted in the main post before the secret itself, please put it in the comment along with your secret. Optional #3: If you would like a transcript to be posted along with your secret, put it along with the link in the comment! |
runpunkrun posting in fancakePick 10 new themes for 2026:
Adoption
17 (16.5%)
Afterlife
12 (11.7%)
Aliens
19 (18.4%)
Angst
17 (16.5%)
Books & Writing
19 (18.4%)
Character Study
25 (24.3%)
Collaborations & Remixes
20 (19.4%)
Coming of Age/Rites of Passage
20 (19.4%)
Community
20 (19.4%)
Crack Treated Seriously
38 (36.9%)
Fandom (characters involved in fandom, works involving fandom, meta about fandom)
18 (17.5%)
Fannish Non-Fiction (meta, tutorials, resources)
23 (22.3%)
Fantasy (elves, unicorns, et al)
25 (24.3%)
Fluff
23 (22.3%)
Games & Competitions
9 (8.7%)
Gothic
20 (19.4%)
Holidays & Celebrations
13 (12.6%)
Horror
16 (15.5%)
In Denial
21 (20.4%)
Inept in Love
25 (24.3%)
Journey/Travel
27 (26.2%)
Just Like Canon
20 (19.4%)
Kink
20 (19.4%)
Kisses
16 (15.5%)
Manners & Etiquette (including mannerpunk)
15 (14.6%)
Matchmaking
18 (17.5%)
Meet the Family
22 (21.4%)
Mentors & Protegees
23 (22.3%)
Music
16 (15.5%)
Neurodivergent Characters
18 (17.5%)
New Releases (I'll let you determine what's "new" for the fandom)
14 (13.6%)
Original Characters
13 (12.6%)
Outstanding Prose
21 (20.4%)
Podfic
11 (10.7%)
Power Dynamics
23 (22.3%)
Protest & Revolt
8 (7.8%)
PWP (Porn Without Plot or Plot? What Plot?)
14 (13.6%)
Role Reversal
16 (15.5%)
Romance
16 (15.5%)
RPF
16 (15.5%)
Short Fiction (under 2000 words)
20 (19.4%)
Siblings
23 (22.3%)
Social Media
12 (11.7%)
Unpopular Characters
23 (22.3%)
Unreliable Narrator
37 (35.9%)
Vampires
19 (18.4%)
Villains
13 (12.6%)
War
9 (8.7%)
Whump
21 (20.4%)
Pick 3 classic themes you'd like to revisit:
Arranged Marriage
42 (40.4%)
Cops & Crime
12 (11.5%)
Epistolary
34 (32.7%)
Forced Proximity
31 (29.8%)
Future Fic
23 (22.1%)
Historical AUs
31 (29.8%)
Pining
34 (32.7%)
Threesome
35 (33.7%)
Worldbuilding
53 (51.0%)
cathrowansmartbitches_feed
Book Beat aims to highlight other books that we may hear about through friends, social media, or other sources. We could see a gorgeous ad! Or find a new-to-us author on a list of underrated romances! Think of Book Beat as Teen Beat or Tiger Beat, but for books. And no staples to open to get the fold-out poster.
Author: H.G. Parry
Released: June 17, 2025 by Tor Books
Genre: Historical: European, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell meets A Tale of Two Cities in H. G. Parry’s A Far Better Thing, a heart-rending fantasy of faery revenge set during the French Revolution.
Most Anticipated SSF Books 2025—The Nerd Daily, BookPage
I feared this was the best of times; I hoped it could not get any worse.
The faeries stole Sydney Carton as a child, and made him a mortal servant of the Faery Realm. Now, he has a rare opportunity for revenge against the fae and Charles Darnay, the changeling left in his stead.
It will take magic and cunning—cold iron and Realm silver—to hide his intentions from humans and fae and bring his plans to fruition.
Shuttling between London and Paris during the Reign of Terror, generations of violence-begetting-violence lead him to a heartbreaking choice in the shadow of the guillotine.
This is A Tale of Two Cities, but with fae magic and revenge!
Author: Heather Webber
Released: November 4, 2025 by St. Martin's Press
Genre: Chick Lit, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
A detour. A chance encounter. Two women who alter the pages of each other’s story.
Juliet Nightingale is lucky to be alive. Months after a freak accident involving lightning, she’s fully recovered but is left feeling that something is missing from her life. Something big. Impulsively, she decides to take a solo summer road trip, hoping that the journey will lead her down a path that will help her discover exactly what it is that she’s searching for.
Newly single mom Tallulah Byrd Mayfield is hanging by a thread after her neat, tidy world was completely undone when her husband decided that their marriage was over. In the aftermath of the breakup, she and her two daughters move in with her eighty-year-old grandfather. Tallulah starts a new job at the Forget-Me-Not Library, where old, treasured memories can be found within the books—and where Lu must learn to adapt to the many changes thrown her way.
When a road detour leads Juliet to Forget-Me-Not, Alabama, and straight into Tallulah’s life, the two women soon discover there’s magic in between the pages of where you’ve been and where you still need to go. And that happiness, even when lost, can always be found again.
Heather Webber’s books have been mentioned in the comments before. It’s often a blend of women’s fiction, small town settings, and cozy magical realism. This is her latest release and I felt like it flew under the radar.
Author: Harley Laroux
Released: September 30, 2025 by Kensington Books
Genre: Gothic, Horror, LGBTQIA, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Gothic sapphic romance meets supernatural suspense on a remote island in the Pacific Northwest, as a night of forbidden passion opens a Pandora’s box of dangerous secrets and dark magic in this sinfully spicy, standalone novel by New York Times bestselling TikTok sensation, Harley Laroux.
SALEM
I wasn’t supposed to be here.
I was supposed to be marrying my fiancé, looking forward to a tropical honeymoon. Instead, I found myself on a ferry headed for historic Balfour Manor on Blackridge Island, in the Pacific Northwest. Now I’m stranded, with a woman I’m irresistibly drawn to.
Rayne holds secrets as dark and mysterious as her old house. Crimson shadows stalk the halls and strange voices call out in the night—but it’s she who haunts me most.
Following a gruesome murder, the island’s true nature is revealed, and every night becomes a fight for survival. Something is stalking the forest, killing indiscriminately . . .
And this time, we’re its prey.
RAYNE
Death has followed me since childhood. My mother’s murder and father’s violent death changed me, teaching me just how cruel the world could be.
I never got what I wanted, until Salem showed up at my door. She’s adventurous, beautiful, and doomed if she stays here. Now, I suddenly have something to the woman who broke down my walls and saw through my mask, who showed me I’m worth loving.
My family has long been buried, but even the vilest of secrets must be dug up again to survive the evil that hunts us. I finally have something to fight for, and I’ll do whatever it takes to save her.
This is a Gothic f/f romance and I believe it gets pretty spooky. I saw a gorgeous special edition of this in a local bookstore.
Author: Sloane Brooks
Released: September 30, 2025 by Atria Books
Genre: Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
The Hating Game meets Legends & Lattes in this captivating and hilarious fantasy rom-com with a twist about two enemies who must work together to return to their reality.
Courtney’s only goal in life is to have no goals. A reformed overachiever, she’s content with her dead-end job and simple existence. And her “feud” with her neighbor Bryce brings her immense joy. Everything is perfect.
Until Courtney and Bryce are pulled through a portal and flung into a fantasy world where they are met by a prophecy-obsessed sage who claims one of them must be the Chosen One destined to save them all from an unknown Evil One. Neither of them wants the job but also refuse to let the other have the glory. Unfortunately, in their efforts to save the world, they unleash more chaos by accidentally freeing a dragon, summoning an undead army, and almost poisoning their mentor with peanut butter.
To return to their world, Courtney and Bryce—a snarky underachiever and a grumpy hermit—must charm and endear themselves to the people of this fantasy world (or each other) to be able to use magic. With time running out and the threat of the Evil One looming, they must work together to become worthy heroes if they ever want to make it home again. Or else be doomed to eternity in a universe without running water—and with each other—forever.
Two neighbors who don’t get along get transported to a fantasy world. I’ve heard if you like a grumpy meets grumpier romance, this might appeal to you.
case in fandomsecrets - [ SECRET POST #6927 ]thebloggess_feed - It’s okay if the holidays look weird for you. Mine looks like a 10-foot monster on the lawn.cakewrecks_feed - Flying the Hungry Skiessmartbitches_feed - Cover Snark: Best of 2025dine - sarcasm - it's how I hugmific in fancake - Heated Rivalry: please leave a message by Ravenestramific in fancake - Heated Rivalry: when the world sees (we run toward each other) by pucksandpowercase in fandomsecrets - [ SECRET POST #6925 ]runpunkrun in fancake - Theme Reminder: Amnestysummerstorm - four things make a post?cakewrecks_feed - Sunday Sweets: Your Holiday Happy Placedine - dates are my least favorite fruitsmartbitches_feed - SBTB 2025 Unhinged Romance Bingosmartbitches_feed - Sunday Sale Digest!case in fandomsecrets - [ SECRET POST #6924 ]case in fandomsecrets - [ SECRET SUBMISSIONS POST #990 ]runpunkrun in fancake - 2026 Monster Theme Pollcathrowan - One day to gosmartbitches_feed - Book Beat: Gothic Romance, Magical Realism, & Moredine - two four six eight, time to transubstantiate!onlyembers
