. . . Looking back on January

In January I got into some MAJOR fics.

Still enjoyed updates from a few of my favorites:
Master of the Universe, Daedalus in Exile, A Rough Start, The Cannabean Betrothal, Crushed Seraphim, Bare, University of Edward Masen, and at last The Blessing and The Curse!!

Still eagerly awaiting updates from:
Choices and Consequences!, Edward Wallbanger, Just One of the Guys

I'm following several stories that have updated but I'm waiting to read until a few updates accumulate. That way I can devour it in bigger chunks AND avoid the in-between-update angst.
Hydraulic Level 5, The Lost Boys, Clipped Wings and Inked Armor, The Screamers

So, onto my new loves of 2010.

First off, 2 FANTASTICALLY original fics I started in January...

Stranger Than Fiction (MasenVixen collab) is an AU fic with a vamp Edward who left her in New Moon and never came back. Meanwhile, Bella grew up longing for him and ultimately writing a "fictional" tale of a girl and her vampire boyfriend which makes her famous. She is dating a handsome and loving playwright(?) but when she finds out Charlie has died, she goes back to Forks alone to deal with things. Her best friend Jacob is luckily there for her. Edward is also there for her, she just doesn't know it. He hangs around like a pussy afraid to let her know he's there. The most recent chapters were the showdown we've been pining for where Edward finally makes his presence known. Can't wait to find out what happens next!!! Favorite part so far: when Edward is being his stalker self outside her window, listening to her get herself off (he's such a perv), thinking she must be fantasizing about her boyfriend, until the very end when she calls out Edward's name!

Daniel Gale: Cumming to America (danielgaleh00rs collab) is the BEST crackfic ever! Starring Daniel Gale, the awkward adorkable RPattz character from the Bad Mother's Handbook movie, who comes stateside for college. The boy appreciates some junk in the trunk and has a hysterical roommate Emmett (who is also the ideal boy roommate). And so comprehensive with it's own blogs that continue the hilarity beyond the story. These ladies are AMAZING and funny as hell.

It seems almost every story I started in January is a work in progress. Lots of AH Damaged Edwards, but all with interesting takes on it. To keep them sorted out in my head, I'm going to do a little re-cap on each. (By the way, how did I not know the acronym FUBAR = fucked up beyond all recognition. Great fucking acronym.)

**FYI** This post is SPOILERville, USA

How to Save a Life (unholy.obsession), which was recc'd by DesiEnM, my twitter friend and psychic sister. This Edward is plagued by loss and guilt due to his girlfriend's apparent suicide car accident. Bella is new to school and is immediately taken under Alice's wing and has a strange curiosity re: A's older brother who is also her often-absent lab partner (Bella is smart and is sci class w seniors). Once the most popular kid in school, Edward is estranged from his friends due to his tweakage and drug use in response to said loss and guilt. His sister Alice pines to be pals again, Edward makes family dinners uncomfortable, his football buddies Emmett and Jasper can't relate to him, and Rose figures shit out and actually has good advice for Bella. This Edward struggles with the line of redeem-ability by not treating Bella as she deserves to be treated and she's too innocent to know any better. But it's hard to hold him completely accountable because Bella signed on to be his friend/therapist/makeout partner knowing he has baggage with a capital B. Bella has issues of her own with a tweaked out Renee who bails on Thanksgiving and forgets her birthday(?) and was neglectful and travels the country in a trailer w Phil. There are still huge issues to resolve, including the most recent chap's heartbreakage of Bella losing her virginity for all the wrong reasons and Edward leaving her high and dry. My favorite part: The absolute fuckhotness of the makeout session in the school's boiler room.

Behind the Clouds (EchoesOfTwilight) is SUCH an original take on canon, and executed so well. It starts out as young human Edward loses his parents and first encounters the Cullens, who know that Edward will one day become a part of their family. So they sit on the sidelines as Edward goes to live with his aunt in Forks and endures life as a social pariah. That is until fair Bella arrives and eventually befriends him (with birthday cakes and summer movie marathons and swan necklaces), coaxing him out of his isolation and gets him to face his past in Chicago. They only *just* realize each other's true more-than-friends feelings for each other when Bella is swept away by the Volturi and turned into a vampire for Aro. Meanwhile, on the homefront, Edward re-meets his new family who explain everything and he becomes determined to become a vampire and go rescue Bella. My favorite part: After Bella is taken, Edward comes across her journal where she has written letters to him all along confessing her true feelings for him, so he understands that the depth of her love matches his, making his sacrifice a no-brainer.  

Loner (Nilla) is on twilighted. Recc'd by KStew as angst, it certainly is. After years of abuse at the hands of step-father James, Edward is adopted by Cullens. He isn't receptive to therapy, doesn't want anyone to know what happened to him so his tweaky behavior is misunderstood by everyone including his siblings. Emmett antagonizes him, Alice has resigned herself to being concerned but not being able to do anything about his apparent jackassery. Bella, in all her 'wounded bird syndrome' glory seeks him out and tries to befriend him (hangs out with him during sleepover w Alice, offers him breakfast and he offers to drive her home, she convinces him to hang out at her house, after being provoked and punching Mike in the face, Bella runs after him and follows him to the meadow where they hold hands). Bella is possibly the only one to ever be able to reach him. The background of Edward's "damagedness" borders on too disturbing, but I can't stop reading because I want to see how Bella will possibly be able to save him.

Bright Like the Sun (Dryler) I started reading on my Blackberry, read through all available chapters, and hasn't been updated since then (booo!). This one is a funny take on a damaged Edward. He and the Cullens suffer from sensitivity to the sun and therefore keep to themselves. Except for Jessica who swoons over an oblivious Edward. Edward doesn't talk much to anyone until he saves Bella from being hit by the van and visits her in the hospital and offers to drive her to school. Bella and Charlie are weary because they think he might be a serial killer (he's strange). Who knew Edward was so funny? Playboy bunnies and apples? Their banter is gold. Mike leaves her stranded in Port Angeles after rebuffing his advances and Edward comes to rescue her. They touch hands over a Mel Brooks movie (way hotter than it sounds). Bella goes away for the holidays and sends him ladybug cupcakes. They profess their love for one another in the girls' bathroom at school. Favorite part: tie between the cult-leader banter and the hand touching.

previous damaged Edwards I'm also currently reading:

Burn and Shine - outlaw and total headcase from years of abuse by a crazy mom. Tree tattoo to cover up scars.

MotU - found with his dead and neglectful mother at 4 yrs of age, adopted by Cullens, at 15 turned to Mrs. Robinson for acceptable way to express love (ugh and gross), now is trying for a regular relationship with Bella, who is still not allowed to touch him.

University of Edward Masen - a troubled drug addicted young Edward falls in love with his Beatrice in the meadow and they re-meet when Bella is his grad student years later. In the meantime, he has been a manwhore, and Bella was first traumatized by Renee's boyfriends as a child, and then by a crass boyfriend Jacob who wanted to 'fuck' her and got her to do things that made her feel dirty. She now remains a virgin and a total cocktease for Edward.