Hello all! This week we have some coverage of the new Star Trek show, an article about Nancy Drew and censorship, and some cool Dishonored fanart. Also a multifandom grab-bag of fanfic recs, and more! — Gav

new stuff

“Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Review: Star Trek Meets College Drama in This Fun but Frustrating Series” by Gavia at TV Guide
Gavia explores her mixed feelings about the new Star Trek series Starfleet Academy, a youth-focused spinoff with a likeable cast and rather muddled political themes. (Includes minor spoilers for the season premiere.)

“The Case of the Empty Bookshelves” by Tanya Roth at Contingent Magazine
Did you know that Nancy Drew books used to be a widespread target for library censorship? This article explains why.

“I Can Say Goodbye To Star Trek Because Star Trek Raised Me” by Dylan Roth at Aftermath
More Trek, but this time at a meta level: a thoughtful essay from a lifelong fan about reckoning with the franchise under the ownership of Skydance Media. In our era of massive media consolidation, this piece will probably resonate far outside Trek fandom. “You are at best a stockholder—at worst, a tenant.”

living in a world where the only two jobs are “gambling” and “murder” isn’t nearly as cool as Cowboy Bebop made it out to be

— Keifer (@dannyvegito.bsky.social) January 12, 2026 at 10:47 AM

older stuff

“Fans Are Better Than Tech at Organizing Information Online” by Gretchen McCulloch at WIRED
“The wrangler system is one where ordinary user behavior can be successful, a system which accepts that users periodically need help from someone with a bird’s-eye view of the larger picture.”

tumblr & beyond

Dishonored fanart by eika-gr

Paul McCartney is watching you.

“truly anything can be good if you do enough textual analysis”

pouring out for anyone attempting to navigate the internet rn WITHOUT an interest in Heated Rivalry

an extremely valid new offshoot of “he would not fucking say that.”

you’re about to be killed by Kramer Orcs

fanfiction

We’ve got a grab-bag this week! Thanks so much to everyone who sent in a rec. — Elizabeth

“promise you’re the last one” by wednesday. 7.6K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: DCU (Comics); Ship: Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson
Recced by: Rosemarycat5
Backstory: Dick Grayson is the hero Nightwing. Slade Wilson is Deathstroke, the world’s deadliest mercenary. But here, Richard Grayson and Slade Wilson wake up in a Vegas hotel room missing a significant part of their memories. Assumptions are made.
Rec: The character work is brilliant, and the open ending has left me chewing this fic over in my head constantly since finishing. I think I’ve reread it twice already.
Content warnings: Dubcon, violence

“Cadence” by SixBeforeLunch. 1.7K words, rated Gen.
Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation; Ship: Will Riker/Deanna Troi
Recced by: Raktajino
Backstory: Deanna’s half human, so she’s not a full telepath like other Betazoids. She and Will (human) have a telepathic connection because scifi romance.
Rec: Lots of worldbuilding, a sweet pre-canon scene, and a classic Trek ending.
Content warnings: N/A

“The Longest Job” by emanthony. 24K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Hunter x Hunter; Ship: Hisoka/Illumi Zoldyck
Recced by: Laureninspace
Backstory: This shonen manga/anime sounds innocent enough (a boy who wants to be a Hunter aka adventurer like his dad), but has author Yoshihiro Togashi’s inherent darkness. The predatory clown Hisoka and controlling assassin Illumi are two of the formidable foes he faces.
Rec: Better than some books, this novella-length enemies to lovers fic pushes these two twisted villains together. The sexual tension is electric, the plot is engaging, and the pace is just right.
Content warnings: N/A

“Summers of Peace” by Beatrice_Sank. 17K words, rated Mature.
Fandom: Derry Girls; Ship: Sister Michael/Janet Taylor
Recced by: breathedout
Backstory: Derry Girls follows the hijinks of a group of Catholic high school students in Ireland during the Troubles; the perpetually put-upon nun Sister Michael is the headmistress of their school. In one episode, for a trust-building “Friends Across Barricades” retreat, our protagonists meet up with a Protestant boys’ school and their headmistress, Janet Taylor. This fic traces a gradually-developing attraction and relationship between the headmistresses over the course of three summers of the program.
Rec: This is the type of rarepair fic that completely sells you on the pairing and makes you crave to read about them in hundreds more fics... which sadly don’t exist. The heartbreak is worth it, though! This story captures the densely-written humor and sharp characterization of the show pitch-perfectly, while at the same time drawing Janet and Sister Michael as real-feeling, guarded but ultimately vulnerable people whose mutual attraction is completely believable (and, incidentally, very hot).
Content warnings: A little light drunkenness

“Be Here Now” by Bluestem. 258K words, rated Explicit.
Fandoms: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars - All Media Types; Ship: Poe Dameron/Finn
Recced by: cyclamental
Backstory: Taking place directly after The Force Awakens, Finn comes to terms with his brutal First Order upbringing while trying to adapt to life on D’Qar. The one constant through it all is Poe, who helps the wounded ex-trooper find his feet again. As the two grow closer to one another, a surprising lead takes them on a journey towards the heart of the Dark Side.
Rec: This is what SHOULD have happened after TFA! Finn is the star here, and there’s a deep exploration of character, adventure, excitement, and EXCELLENT spice. Everything you could want for a long read!
Content warnings: Creator chose not to use archive warnings

“5 Times the Raptors Tried to Kill Miriam, and 1 Time They Didn’t” by JulisCaesar. 2K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: Jurassic Park; Ship: Gen
Recced by: anon
Backstory: A scientifically accurate rewrite of Jurassic Park that replaces Chris Pratt with a much smarter queer woman.
Rec: I’m not personally bothered by the fact that Jurassic Park used the wrong velociraptors, but it comforts me to know that there’s someone looking out for the people who are.
Content warnings: Blood, medical treatment, period-typical homophobia, antisemitism, minor character death

the entire population of England in 1086 will return in... Avengers Domesday

— Jack Bernhardt (@jackbern.bsky.social) January 13, 2026 at 9:56 AM

FINAL THOUGHT

Halfway through January, it’s time to start thinking about…Femslash February! Please start sending in your one-off recs, marking them as F/F or Femslash February in the themes/tropes field for my reference. And if you have an idea for a whole list (a ship, a fandom, a theme, or just your favorite batch of 5-7 F/F fics) please get in touch! elizabethandgav at gmail dot com. — Elizabeth