Burn and Shine, by pulsepoint

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5346783/9/Burn_and_Shine

I'm becoming a fan of the angst. Who knew? It's all about the UST.
This fic has a totally fucked up ex-con traumatized Edward and his smooth-talking shit-stirring sidekick Jazz. They steal cars, start fights in bars, and are ridiculously good looking. College besties Bella and Alice don't stand a chance.

Note to myself upon reread...

Chap 9 - the fuckhot making out, and Bella's "Wait!"

Chap 15 - bypass the English Department mixer, and make a B-line for Edward's "Fuck it."

Chap 19 - bypass Rosalie's annoying-as-hell cockblock, and head straight for the fuckhot shmexing

We don't mess around over here at Althea's house of smutlovin.

Master of the Universe by Snowqueens Icedragon (Icy)

available HERE

Official Description: Bella Swan is drafted in to interview the reclusive enigmatic Edward Cullen, multi-millionaire CEO of his company. It's an encounter that will change her life irrevocably, leading her to the darkest realms of desire. MA Adult Themes AH AU  WIP

Holy shit. I am so in love with this story. In fact, I am so in love with this story that I plowed through the 54 available chapters over the span of 2 days, then immediately RE-READ all 54 of those chapters within a day.


So, I had been hearing all about this MotU fic all over twitter. Everyone was freaking out over the latest update. Someone tweeted to a friend something like, "Come hold me and bring the kleenex." I had no idea what to expect, wasn't particularly in the mood for angst, but for some reason, started this story anyway. Luckily angst didn't really kick in until chapters were in the 50s.


In the beginning of this fic, I wasn't buying what Icy was selling. Innocent, virginal Bella being corrupted by a clearly troubled yet powerful Edward. I was disturbed by the idea that this Bella's experience with men would be entirely shaped by this dude's fucked up perspective and crazy sub training. I was into tara sue me's The Submissive/The Dominant because Bella was not only into that lifestyle, but actively sought it out. The Bella in MotU has NO CLUE what she's getting herself into beyond the feelings she feels for Edward. It felt like Edward was being skeezy and irresponsible and purely selfish.


But then I got to know this Bella a bit better. This Bella rocks. She is aware of what she wants and what she needs - more. And although she's hesitant at first to articulate this to Edward, she is still holding strong to that conviction, being wary and thoughtful when it comes to his proposals. She is aware that by trying to be what he needs her to be, she would be giving up part of who she is, and she is hesitant to sacrifice that entirely for him. But she shows maturity in recognizing that there needs to be a give and take in the relationship and tries to remain open to what he needs.


As we learn more about Edward, we realize why he feels this Dom/sub power dynamic is the only way he knows how to be in a relationship. Where his need to control comes from. His need to be the master of his universe. And what's so cool about this Bella - in being herself, and exerting her individuality and her needs, and not just automatically giving Edward what he wants (which clearly he is used to getting), she opens his eyes to the possibility of more. She is funny and spirited, and brings these out in Edward - which I think we all can agree he desperately needs. It becomes clear that maybe Edward doesn't necessarily see what is best for himself because he is so used to being in charge and calling the shots.


I am currently refreshing my yahoo every 5 minutes, hoping for the next chapter to suddenly materialize in my inbox. What is going to happen?? Can they reconcile their different needs? Can Edward open his fucking eyes and see that he doesn't need that control shit because it's Bella that makes him happy the way she is? That he can give up control sometimes and still be happy? That he can play with Bella but that it's not OK to want to hurt her? And can Bella meet that Mrs. Robinson lady who corrupted Edward at age 15 and deliver a smackdown on her disgusting ass?


There have been fics that I've read where I've craved an update, but never like this! I can't tell if it's because the story is so fucking good, or if it's because I have joined the story right in the middle of the height of its angst and I NEED RESOLUTION IMMEDIATELY!!! Either way, I hope Chapter 55 goes up today. Thank you and come again.
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Psychotic SuperPowered Vampirism, by Pastiche Pen

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5350096/1/
Official Description: Uh, "Edward never came back," and Bella goes crazy. Not just "hearing a hot voice in my head" crazy but medically insane. Yeah, and she has a superpower and wants revenge. AU.

This is the weirdest little fic I ever did read, but I totally enjoyed the insanity!! I kind of wanted to eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a midnight snack. You have got to love a fic where Bella's relationship to blood is like Popeye to spinach.

Pastiche Pen brings the funny. And the quirky. And the WTF?! factor. She made me appreciate crackfic. And the fact that this is multi-chap - it's like the gift that keeps on giving :)

I sing the praises of this frickin HI-larious fic, as well as pay tribute to the awesome recs that this author always throws down (especially in the category of LMAO and crackified)

Ithaca is Gorges, by giselle-lx

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4988866/1/Ithaca_is_Gorges

I loved this story! Much like LolaShoes' My Yes, My No, this story offered fresh insight into the New Moon story. In this case, we get to see the perspective of the Cullens and the paternal love Carlisle feels for Edward.

The day I started reading this fic just so happened to be the same day that giselle posted the final chapter. As I read this story, I had the greatest back and forth with the author who responded to nearly every review I wrote. Check it out!


BELOW ARE MY REVIEWS AND THE AUTHOR'S REVIEW REPLIES. AKA SPOILERVILLE, USA. If you haven't read the story yet, you might want to avoid.


Ch 1 review:
Hi! This story has been on my "to read" list forever and I'm so excited to be starting it! I saw New Moon last night (for the 2nd time) and thought about how interesting it would be to get the family's perspective on the story. So here I am. Thanks for writing, and I'm sure I'll enjoy reading.
-- Althea


G's Ch 1 response:
Hi Althea! Welcome. So glad you've decided to pick up Ithaca, and I hope you enjoy it. You'll be pleased to know that I am *just* about to post the final chapter, so within the hour, you'll have a completed fic to read. Have fun!
Let me know what you think--I love to talk back to my readers.
Best,
g


Ch 3 review:
Carlisle's love for Edward makes my heart swell. And the image of him cradling Edward in his arms is heartbreaking! I love how Esme is the voice of reason, already considering Bella to be her daughter. It's infuriating how in New Moon, and in this story, Carlisle gives into Edward's wishes so easily! Guilt is a powerful thing.

Check out this lovely fan art made by Arilien in response to Ch 3: Paternity

Ch 7 review:
G, I've been meaning to mention via review... I really enjoy the way you alternate between EPOV and CPOV. It grounds the story in an interesting way. If we were to be tagging along entirely with Edward, it could get quite maudlin. Being able to put his angsty solo adventures against the backdrop of what the family is going through makes this story really unique. --Althea


G's Ch 7 response:
Althea,
Really, really glad you like the alternation. It was interesting--I wrote a short piece from CPOV ("1040") and loved being in his head, and my original idea was just to tell the Cullens without Edward. But I realized that I needed the beautiful tension of Carlisle and Edward pulling against each other in their two narratives. In the end, I really felt it wound up a stronger story for it, and so I'm tickled to hear that this, in particular, is something you enjoy.


Ch 8 review:
I LOVE the insight that Carlisle's journal provides! I'm not sure Edward is in a state of mind where he is able to derive the best lessons from it. But regardless, it must be helpful for him to see that Carlisle is indeed imperfect.


G's Ch 8 response:
Yes! You've absolutely hit the nail on the head asking the question whether Edward can derive the best lessons from Carlisle's journal. This whole piece is about Carlisle being imperfect, and Edward gets to learn that lesson, too.

The journal kinda sticks around. I hope you enjoy it. :)


Ch 9 review:
I see you've posted your final chapter. Congrats on a complete fic! I'm still working my way through and enjoying every chapter.


G's Ch 9 response:
Thanks, Althea! Glad to hear you're enjoying it. This particular one, "In Giving," was one of my favorite chapters because it's so quiet, in its own way. And I loved writing Jasper. He's just awesome.


Ch 11 review:
This chapter was amazingly powerful. Many tears were shed. You did a wonderful job with this one.


G's Ch 11 response:
Thank you, Althea! This one was one of the tougher ones to write, but it came off the way I wanted it to. Glad you enjoyed it.


Ch 15 review:
I LOVED getting to see Edward and Carlisle's relationship over the years, starting with a newborn Edward. This was so emotional -- totally a piece of the story that hadn't been told but which adds such depth of consequence. To see through C's eyes as he faces the potential death of his own son -- heartbreaking!


G's Ch 15 response:
Chapter 15 was probably one of my favorites to write, precisely because I got
to walk through all those flashbacks. I'm glad you enjoyed them!


Ch 19 review:
G, There are so many things that I love about this final chapter! Please forgive the length of this review, as I gots a lot of fangrling love for you at the moment ;) Where to start?

First off, Bella and Carlisle's conversation at his office establishes such a special bond between the two of them that is absent from SM's books. And it is wonderful to be seeing Bella through C's eyes, and witnessing the respect and appreciation he has for not only what she gives Edward, but for who she is as a person. And what a great insight she provides: “You’re like Edward, you know that? Both of you—you think you need to be perfect. You made a mistake, Carlisle. You fixed it. It’s done.” Such a spot-on connection that really illuminates how similar father and son are in holding themselves to a higher standard, as they rebel against their "monster" nature.

And then Carlisle's conversation with Edward in his study... what a perfect way to drive the story home! To bring it full circle. I love the conclusion Carlisle comes to regarding their souls. SM raised this issue early on in NM but never really brought this notion to a satisfying resolution beyond Edward's admission in Volterra that, "Carlisle was right" and then Bella's reminder that there's hope for Edward yet.

But in your story Carlisle really makes a very convincing argument as he enumerates all of the ways that Edward had demonstrated humanity, and then passionately and resolutely declares, “these are not the acts of a man who has lost his humanity. A demon doesn’t know sadness, or loneliness, or heartbreak. A soulless being doesn’t experience that kind of pain... And he definitely does not experience love.” And the most satisfying part, as a reader, it seems that maybe Edward finally gets it! Of course he's still the same angry emo canon Edward we know and love, but it appears that perhaps at least this lesson has permeated his stubborn head.

Not to mention that we are reminded of the boyish, lovable part of Edward that makes him so charming, in his final interaction with C in the story, after C says, I love you.

"My son looked down to the floor a moment, and when he lifted his head, the tiniest smile had spread on his face as his eyes shone in the darkness.

“I know, Carlisle,” he answered quietly, his fingers grazing the pocket where he had just stashed the license. “Trust me, I know.”

Gah! Such a sweet little interaction!

And I LOVE how you end it with Carlisle's introspective journal entry. There's a true sense of closure in his decision to defy Edward's wishes regarding Bella's mortality. That lessons were learned as a parent, that sometimes his role is to guide and nurture his son in the right direction, and not to always give in to Edward's stubborn desires. And that Carlisle seems to have a newfound confidence that such decisions are made out of his love for his son and family, as opposed to being made out of feelings of guilt for having changed him into a vampire.

G, you did such a great job in offering your readers a truly fresh and interesting take on the NM story!! Thanks for sharing it!!
Much much love, Althea

. . . Looking back on November

November was a strange month, filled with packing and moving and organizing and moving. It was also a strange month for fan fic.

For the first part of the month I started very few new stories, relying on the regular updates of ongoing fics like:
ItzMegan's Rough Start and Cannabean Betrothal
LolaShoes' My Yes, My No
EZRocksAngel's Daedelus in Exile
and longtime favorite, JustBiteMe's Choice and Consequences

Midmonth I got my reader mojo back started several stories that have since become my favorites!

Clipped Wings and Inked Armor - the perfect combo of intriguing characters, heartbreaking story, hot frickety hotness, angsty goodness, and, did I mention the ridiculous hotness? HAWT. Hot. Hotness. Plus an element of mystery and lurking nefariousness. And at the cruxt of it all, these two delightfully flawed characters, learning to love and be loved amidst the tragedy of their pasts.

I fell in love with a hot oneshot called Grasping Darkness. Decided to check out the author, KiyaRaven's Fandom Gives Back thread, only to discover that she's a hotass commodity due to her multi-chapter fic, The Screamers, featuring the epic Godzy and Giney (AKA Asstard and Pissgirl). I am now totally a KiyaRaven convert!
 - I ended up tacking on a bid for a continuation of Grasping Darkness, which she is now turning into a multi-chapter fic!!!
 - I also started The Screamers and fell in love with the totally original storyline, and crazy hot lemons. I love me some street-tough Bella, hot rock-god Edward, and PowerpointAlice.

As part of the Fandom Gives Back fundraiser for childhood cancer (which amazingly raised over $86,000), I threw down for tara sue me and tby789's oneshot collaboration of a Domward/Beautiful Bastard encounter. SO PSYCHED TO READ IT!

To raise money, I also bought hard copy versions of the collected works of LolaShoes and Gkkstitch, and threw in some money for previews of manyafandom's The Arrangement.

During November, I also started 2 other WIPs that have become absolute favorites:

The Blessing and the Curse, by The Black Arrow -- I had seen the story description and not been compelled to check it out, but when Kiya mentioned it in an interview as one of her absolute faves, I checked it out. I am SO happy I did! This story is amazingly compelling, with a dark dark Edward who seems almost unredeemable in his selfish and dark manipulation of Bella. This is the first story I've read where Edward purposefully uses his mindreading gift as a direct means of getting what he wants. And what he wants being Bella. The story is now at a fascinating place and I wonder what will happen with Bella's fiance Mike, and how B & E will move forward, especially after the loss of Esme.

Bare, by stella luna sky -- I'm totally into this high school fic, for several reasons. I love how Bella isn't portrayed as an immediately striking beauty, and I enjoy watching her work through her insecurities. I also LOVE me a troubled artist Edward, who expresses himself best through his art. And, similar to what I loved about Tropic of Virgo, I LOVE how the characters are able to connect and communicate through their shared creative expression. In this story it's a notebook that they pass back and forth to each other. I almost want to go back and reread their journey from the beginning because of the innocence of their growing relationship. I'm a total sap like that.

Oh, and cuteness/hotness shoutout to Alphabet Weekends, by the-glory-days. R is for reciprocation and restraint. Yeah it is!!!

So as I write this, still no Wide Awake. However, I feel more equipped to tackle it, having made it through the darkness of Clipped Wings and Inked Armor. And since WA is pretty much complete (I believe) I wouldn't have to suffer through cliffies and waiting for updates. I'm feeling it, December is going to be the month.

The Caged Bird, by Kristen Nicole

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5124537/27/The_Caged_Bird
Official Description: All Human AU – Shy Bella Swan lives with her religiously zealous mother, Renée. When she has a chance meeting with town hellion Edward, Bella begins to realize that perhaps the sheltered life she’s been leading isn’t so much a comfort as it a cage.


With a wretchedly oppressive uber-Christian upbringing, this poor sweet Bella is adorably naive. Some dark part of me is really enjoying Edward's corruptive influence way too much. Her wide-eyed innocence is bound to reform his juvenile delinquent ways. And the truth is that she wants to explore her most human of human instincts and dabble in the naughtiness of teen lust. He is just happy to assist in this path. And I, as reader, am more than happy to bear witness. Geez, that makes me feel dirty.

Bella is so innocent - it's a trip to vicariously experience these inklings of first lust again. And connecting with a boy through a song...GAH! It makes me want to be in high school again. Wow, that might be the first time I've ever felt the desire to relive that tortuous time. I found myself excited to see what happens next between Ms. Innocent Beauty and her hot Doc Martin-clad Juvi Delinquent Beast! 

I was taken by a poem snippet by Isobel Thrilling included at the beginning of chapter 9. I googled her and found surprisingly little. I did run across a fabulous site called letterstocrushes.com where this poem was quoted. Super cute site, too.

In the words of Isobel Thrilling, “I don’t just want your heart. I want your flesh, your skin and blood and bones, your voice, your thoughts, your pulse —and most of all, your fingerprints, everywhere.”

For some reason the Thrilling poem reminds me of this line from a Beck song "I'll leave graffiti where you've never been kissed."

It's a bit difficult for me to relate to the ridiculous Christian-ness. I did see this episode of Wife-Swap, though, where one of the wives was taken out of her Christian bubble and placed with a family of "heathens" and the presence of the devil made her wretch all over their backyard. Prior to that I didn't know real people like that existed. Oh, besides that documentary Jesus Camp, which was so disturbing that I've blocked it out, along with any memory of that subculture of crazy-scary Christians. I'm Jewish so the whole 'We're building an army for Jesus' thing is a little unsettling.

In The Caged Bird, I do enjoy the pointed hypocrisy of the Christian children who enjoy inflicting suffering. And the crazy judgemental nature of a fundamental Christian who praises an all-loving Jesus. I never understood that, so I enjoy seeing it acknowledged by others.

And check out this beautiful image. I believe it was created by one of her readers. (?)

University of Edward Masen, by Sebastien Robichaud

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5390119/1/The_University_of_Edward_Masen
Official Description: Edward Masen is the selfish and brooding university professor; Bella Swan is his shy, but determined graduate student. Appearances can be deceiving. Have their paths crossed before? Rated M for good reason, all human, canon pairings, AU, OOC, ExB


This is a really original story - definitely not your typical student-teacher relationship! This Edward is a total asshole. Cold and tyrannical. But as we learn about their history, the richer this character becomes. He's more than just Prickward, there's a reason behind his iciness: he only got a taste of his Beatrice and has lost all hope that he will ever find her again.

This story is chock full of heady goodness. The literary references to Dante's Inferno challenge me to dig deeper and make me want to learn more about this story within the story.
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