Ask anyone on Team 411. I never know what I’m doing. I just do things, and other things happen, and then I do more things. So that’s how I’m approaching the fanfic rec’s. There’s so much stuff I want to recommend, and eventually I will get to all of it, but deciding what to recommend right now!!! is tough. So if you’re looking for a pattern or reason to why I’m rec’ing a certain story at a specific time, or if stories I recommend together “go together”, just save yourself the headache and assume I didn’t know what I was doing. Assume I covered my eyes and pointed at a spreadsheet to decide what to recommend this week. Because that’s probably what happened.
“Carpe Noctem & Fiat Lux” by queenofgrey
I lose my shit when this story updates. I jump up and down and pump my fist in the air and lick my computer screen. I adore this story. I can’t say enough good stuff about it. As I mentioned before, I am very tough on canon fics. This story is not straight canon (I would call it AU/Canon), but everyone who should be a vampire is a vampire, and Bella lives at home in Forks with Charlie. So the groundwork, it’s all canon. Where it diverges: Bella is a wee bit older. She’s 21 but Edward is still eternally 17, so if you’re uncomfortable with that, this may not be for you. I am a total hypocrite—Art After 5 completely grosses me out, but this one doesn’t bother me. Why? Probably because Edward isn’t trying pass as a high-schooler. When we meet him in this story, he’s living apart from the Cullens as an adult, and the author makes a good point in one of her notes. While his body is 17, he is more than 100. And since this Edward isn’t trying to be a 17 year old, I’m okay with his relationship with Bella. And that relationship is what makes this story so special. Edward labors, he fucking crawls on hands and knees over broken glass for every inch he gains with Bella. This is no “you’re cute, I like you, I don’t want to eat you anymore, we’re cool now” crap. First off, their first meeting is a wee bit rougher than staring at someone rudely in biology. So Edward not only has to make amends, he also has to overcome his hunger, which is staggering and difficult for him to do. Then some stuff happens, and Bella has to find it in her to forgive him. These two really work to be together, which only makes their relationship more compelling. At every step, they are weighing odds and considering the ramifications, and still they choose to be together.
They rely heavily on Jasper’s influence to keep Edward under control. Jasper and Alice are deeply involved in fostering the Bellward relationship—without Alice working between them and Jasper keeping Edward level, there is zero chance those two would be together. And so far, their being together does not include turning Bella at all. I can’t wait to see how this works out, because it seems very plausible that this Bella never becomes a vampire. I consider CN & FL a must-read, so get to reading and join me on the spazz-train every time it updates.
Side note from Amber…. I am TOTALLY on the spazz train with you. I actually squeed last time I got an update alert! Love CN & FL!
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“Commission” by SpikeIsHotter
There seems to be a relationship between readership and the number of reviews a story has. Stories a lot of people are reading (which I call “mega-fics”), have thousands of reviews. This story was published six months ago and it’s on both fanfiction.net and twilighted.net. Between both posts, it has less than 300 reviews. So I get the feeling most of you aren’t reading this story. Boo on you. This is AU, zero canon beyond names and basic physical descriptions. Edward is a vampire, but there are no Cullens. He is also a bit older, approximately 30, and the vampire physiology is different (read: more realistic) than Twilight’s. The sun, for instance, bothers him. And no sparkling, which I love, since sparkling vampires is about the lamest idea ever. Yeah, I said it. Bella is also older, in her twenties, and she is seriously messed up. Like, into self-harm messed up, so if that stuff bothers you, this might not be the story for you. Their relationship starts out totally screwed up and it doesn’t get much better once she figures out Edward’s secret. It’s realistically constructed though, and it’s fascinating so see Edward trying to be normal for Bella, and Bella trying to be normal for Edward, when they’re both so fucked up. It’s the man who can’t have friends and the woman who wants no friends becoming friends, and I love it. I just wished it updated more often. So go read it, leave a review for the author so she knows we’re out here waiting for updates, and then let me know what you think of this Edward. I luuurve him.
So are you loving these reviews as much as I am?!? Thought so! Be sure to check out the library of all of KStew411 Reviews right here! It’s a small library, but trust me. It is just going to grow over time!
September 29th, 2009 at 9:44 am
I just wanted to say I love Art After 5, it is one if my favorites! The Edward in it is one one the sweetest most caring and loving Edward’s I’ve read in a fic, even though is is so young. I do realize a lot of people are not comfortable with age difference and that’s fine, I just personally love the story. Thanks for the rec’s I haven’t read either if these and will check them out!
September 29th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Wheeeeeee! This is so exciting!!!
1 – Thanks for this review. I can’t tell you how gratifying it is to know that you enjoy the story enough to blog about it and help it get more attention. THANK YOU!
2 – As you note, I don’t update often. I just want to clarify that this is not because I don’t write often. I put in an average of 10 hours/week on it. Turns out, I’m just a really really slow writer, especially now that the story has gotten past setting up the conflict and I have to actually… you know… resolve it. I know what will happen in the big picture, but it’s proven pretty challenging to get the nuanced of their current interaction just right.
My point is, I’m trying! And I so very much appreciate every person who has favorited, reviewed, rec’ed, and PIMPED this story. I promise, I’m working hard to keep the chapters coming, and keep them good.
Again, thanks for the kind words and for taking the time to tell the big wide world about my little fic.
Cheers,
SIH
September 29th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Dammit I can’t find your Twitpic from last night with my bday message and was looking for it to share with the world your talent. Oh, by the way….this is a great post, except you realize I stopped reading it, the second I realized it was FF.
September 29th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
September 29th, 2009 at 11:06 am
There are 2 FFs that I recently discovered that I just love — one is Bloodlines, the other When Fiction turns to Reality. These are two great stories — and very well written.