Fanfic Rec Wednesday – Tides of Fate

Posted on April 23, 2014 by kmah88

Today’s rec comes to you via Miranda (@MirandaMajor).

Title: Tides of Fate

Tides of Fate.jpg

By: SparklingTwilight

Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5031275/1/Tides-of-Fate

Why is it good?:  The character interactions in the story are what really made the fic for me. The main set of characters are involved, but as the story progresses, more of the non-mainstream characters are brought in.  It’s the type of story where you really don’t know what will happen next. From angst, to romance, to humorous interactions you get everything all rolled into one. It’s a typical Edward/Bella HEA fic with little twists and turns along the way. I found it to be a really easy-flowing read and I can admit I have read it more than once.

~~~~~

I’ve never read this one but I have seen the name come up here and there on various rec sites and mentioned on Twitter. According to the story summary and first author note, it’s a fun, light-hearted fic taking place mostly during a vacation to a tropical destination. (Correct me if I’m wrong.)

I like that Miranda found the relationships between the characters enjoyable. At just over 365, 000 words and 40 chapters in length, you’ll be with these two and their friends for a little while.

I’m gonna add this one to my list. Thanks, M!

(originally posted to Eat. Sleep. Breathe. Twilight.)

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TatTO-DO

Posted on April 23, 2014 by kmah88

I’ve been completely obsessed with tattoos lately. If you’ve read my previous posts, you’d know I currently have 5. All of mine so far are solid black, simple, and script (in some form or another).

tattoo1.jpg

“pure” in Chinese – done at Yonge Street Tattoos in Toronto

tattoo2

“horse, dragon, monkey, love, forever” in Chinese – done at Yonge Street Tattoos in Toronto

tattoo2.jpg

Weezer’s “flying W”- done at Love/Hate Tattoos in Miami

tattoo3.jpg

song lyrics – done at Zink Tattoos in Hong Kong

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book/movie tribute and symbol of friendship – done at Art Addictions in Brampton

But I have high aspirations. There are many more I want to get. Among those are still the lotus idea I mentioned before I’ve had for years. If dreams come true, I would love for Chris Garver to do that for me. I don’t know how likely it would be for us to go back to Miami again. *fingers crossed* If not, whoever the tattoo artist ends up being, he or she has got to be good! The symbolism of it really strikes a chord with me. The idea of growing up through shit to become strong and beautiful. It’s a nice idea. Something I’d like to achieve. I’ve held off on getting it because I don’t feel I’m “there” yet. And also, I’m really picky. I have a million ideas about how I want it to look.

I’d also like something to take up my upper arm and shoulder, curling onto my back. I was thinking a phoenix. That is also highly symbolic. I don’t deserve it yet. So it’s still just an idea.

I do have something with more of a solid plan that I’m ready for. I won’t go into detail about it now because I’m sure once I do it, I’ll write something about it. I want a few soot sprites from My Neighbor Totoro behind my ear.

You may or may not realize that I’m in love with cupcakes. I think it would be fun to have a tattoo that is colourful and cute without having much depth to the meaning. Not everything has to be so serious.

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just an idea

(originally posted to wohngsikneuih)

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Fanfic Rec Wednesday – Awkwardly Yours

Posted on April 16, 2014 by kmah88

This week, I’m recommending Awkwardly Yours by Vancouver-Canuck-Girl (@VanCanuckGrl).  Read it here on fanfiction.net.

It was completed this past November. It’s not too long at 22 chapters and just over 60,000 words.

awkwardly yours.jpg

I don’t read a lot of high school aged Edward and Bella fics anymore but I was willing to make an exception for this one. It was really sweet and probably one of the funniest stories I’ve ever read.  Ever. Edward has so many cringe-worthy and hilarious moments. Loved it.

At the same time as laughing until you lose bladder control, you also are compelled to love the characters. The comedy is tempered with poignant, depth-revealing moments that help you emotionally connect. As much as we all love our Edwards, it’s hard to get them right. This one is more than just a one-dimensional caricature of the socially awkward, clueless teenager. He feels real. I would actually love to see another future-shot of this guy. (*hint, hint*, VCG!)

Update: Vancouver Canuck Girl actually commented in response on the original post, saying: “My beta has a future take in hand. Once she’s worked her magic I will post it xo Thank you for recommending it xo Vancouver Canuck Girl”

About 8 months later, this futuretake was posted. It’s hilarious!!

(originally posted to Eat. Sleep. Breathe. Twilight.)

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Fanfic Rec Wednesday – Help Wanted

Posted on April 9, 2014 by kmah88

Today’s  rec comes to you via my friend Jodi (@joderss). She is another one of those lightning-fast speed readers so, although she started reading fic around the same time as me, she has read so much more.

Title:  Help Wanted

help wanted.jpg

By: jaxon22 (@sophiejax)

Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4966784/1/Help-Wanted

Why is it good?:

Do you remember the first fic you ever read?  I will never forget.  It was not that long ago that I discovered the wonderful world of fan fiction.  Imagine my delight in finding that my favorite characters could live on and on in any conceivable situation?

My first journey into fic started with what I consider a fan fic classic, Help Wanted.

Help Wanted is an all-human fic with an Edward who is damaged and arrogant, but in the redeems himself.  A Bella who is a little bit silly but is strong enough to be with Edward.  A hilarious Jasper, one of my favorite characters of the story.  An Emmett, who isn’t perfect, but he’s family, and the rest of the crew coming and going as the story progresses.

This fic is a long one, coming in at 64 chapters not including outtakes.  I didn’t mind that because I enjoyed the time I spent with the characters and the story moved along with the proper amount of humor, drama, angst and lemons.  When I say lemons, I do mean lemons.  Jaxon22 knows how to write them and they were all over this fic.  In some fics the lemons take you out of the story, but I didn’t feel that way in this one.

I can say that I love that this was my first ever fan fiction.  It set the bar high for the stories to come and opened my eyes to what fan fictions could be.  I have read other fics by Jaxon22 and have enjoyed every one of them.  Don’t let the length of this deter you, spend some time with these characters, you won’t be sorry.

~~~~~

Thanks for the rec, Jodi! This is another one that I started but am not done with yet. So again, take her word for it and check out Help Wanted.

(originally posted to Eat. Sleep. Breathe. Twilight.)

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Fanfic Rec Wednesday – The Debt

Posted on April 2, 2014 by kmah88

This week, I’m recommending The Debt by Ta Paixao (@Ta_Paixao). Read it here on fanfiction.net.
It was completed this past December is what I would call a medium length fic at 47 chapters and roughly 153,000 words.

The Debt.jpg

It had been awhile since something came along and played with my emotions. I was so ready for it. I am a sucker for inked up Edwards with emotional problems and this one is both to perfection. My heart bleeds for this one.

Another thing I really loved about this story was Ta’s Bella. I think as a fandom, we are so swoony over Edward that we tend to focus on him and let our Bellas remain underdeveloped or non-descript. It worked for Stephenie Meyer because we all wanted to put ourselves into Bella’s place. But at this point, it’s getting old. I want a Bella with a personality and to actually be worthy of all Edward’s perfection. This Bella has it. She isn’t “perfect” in the sense that most Bellas are. She has flaws and emotional problems of her own – but she’s also strong and doesn’t put up with Edward’s crap. She’s real. I admire that.

(originally posted to Eat. Sleep. Breathe. Twilight.)

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Mom Issues

Posted on March 29, 2014 by kmah88

So my mom basically belittled my interests and the things I like doing in my spare time. She actually said, when I was talking about what my friends and I do for our friend’s blog, that “we all need lives”. She said it with such derision too. I said I’m unemployed – what else am I supposed to do with my time.

She goes on and on about her trips and stuff. Because, of course, world travel is an acceptable use of time. it’s something cultured, educated people do. Things I do are a waste of time and talent. Never mind that I actually enjoy it.

And it pisses me off because part of me buys into her ideals. I was raised that way. There are high-brow and low-brow forms of entertainment. Clearly, I am not living up to what I was raised to do.

Pisses me off too because that’s such a blanket statement to make – that, my own use of time aside, my friends need lives. She knows nothing about them. She doesn’t know how hard they work doing other “life” stuff. They deserve the time to do something fun and frivolous in what little spare time they actually have. Who cares if it serves no greater purpose other than entertaining themselves and other people? Why is that bad? And I actually think it’s great to be able to focus the remaining energy we all have after real with our “real lives” into something .

She has no idea the things she says are hurtful. I never call her on her bullshit. It’s not worth it. And most of the time, I don’t even realize it until after the fact. I am just left with a resentful feeling, and an emptiness I can’t describe. For most of my life, I’ve felt like it was me that was failing to connect with her and that she can’t possibly be as bad as the feelings I have about her make her out to be. I’m lucky this time I was able to pinpoint exactly what it was that she said and how it made me feel. Usually after I speak to her, I am just angry and don’t even know why.

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Fanfic Rec Wednesday – Love in My Box

Posted on March 26, 2014 by kmah88

I feel very blessed that I have friends willing to help me out with everything I do!

Today’s rec comes to you via Kristin (@Kdub_s).

Title: Love in My Box

Love in My Box.jpg

By: cosmoandmarvar (@Cosmogirl7481 & @marvar29)

Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5782455/1/Love-in-My-Box

Why is it good?: I like the idea of falling in love through emails. And I love their Edward. He is a clueless Geekward. His misunderstandings of social situations is hilarious. It’s written very well. Cosmo and Marvar are a perfect team.

~~~~~

I haven’t read this one yet. A lot of people have told me to read it – that it’s really funny and sweet. At 27 chapters and just under 150,000 words, I think I’m going to start this next. Thanks KDubs!

(originally posted to Eat. Sleep. Breathe. Twilight.)

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Fanfic Rec Wednesday – Wisp

Posted on March 19, 2014 by kmah88

I would normally only rec completed fics because some people don’t want to read WIPs (work-in-progress) just in case the author flounces and we are left hanging, heartbroken, wondering what happens next. Also, many people won’t read WIPs because they are too impatient to wait for the next chapter in between updates.

Of course, there are many people who do read WIPs. It’s fun to be able to interact with an author during that creative process.

I want to rec my favourite WIP, Wisp by Cris  (@judo_lin). Read ithere on fanfiction.net.

wisp.png

This is one of the very first REAL fan fiction stories I started reading. Like most of the fics I picked up in the beginning, I found out about it by lurking around twitter and cyber-eavesdropping on people’s conversations.

I feel like this rec should come with a disclaimer. It’s not for the faint of heart …or stomach. The “Bella” character (Wisp) has endured the most horrific torture one could possibly imagine. It’s absolutely gut-wrenching, but if you can get through that, you also get to enjoy the heart-warming aspects of the story.

Many people may only see all that Wisp can’t do (for example, she doesn’t walk and, at first, doesn’t speak at all) and how much she is hindered by the loss of her abilities and even her sense of humanity. But I actually find the story uplifting in a way. Wisp’s innate ability to love is very strong and pure. She is fierce and protective when it comes to those she cares about, namely Edward or her cat, Pet. You don’t want to mess with her. (She literally bites.)

And Edward… oh Edward. *sigh* The same quality I liked best about “Originalward” (Stephenie Meyer’s Edward) is this Edward’s most prominent feature. He is unapologetically protective. It’s incredibly sweet. I adore him.

For me, Wisp is a ‘drop everything’ fic. When the update alerts hit my inbox, I am guaranteed a good read. I was hooked as soon as I started reading it. It’s been one of my very favourites right from the beginning. It’s well-written and compelling. Check it out.

(originally posted to Eat. Sleep. Breathe. Twilight.)

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Next Up – To Be Read

Posted on March 13, 2014 by kmah88

If you’re anything like me, your TBR (to be read) list is massive. I have over 500 downloaded copies of unread fics on my computer. And that doesn’t include the WIP (work in progress) links I have bookmarked. It can be very overwhelming when you’re trying to decide what to read next. I usually have around 5-10 completed fics that I am reading at one time, but I am quite easily distracted and tend to pick up more and more before I finish the ones I’m attempting to get through. I TRY to focus on one major one at a time and often restrict myself to refusing to touch anything else until it’s done, but I’m frequently unsuccessful. Sometimes you come across something (or it’s thrown at you) that you just HAVE to read. RIGHT NOW.

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I was thinking about it and wondering what this factor is. I’m sure it’s different for everyone. I am constantly updating the priority ranking in my mental TBR list. (I do have an actual hard copy of this list, but nothing is ranked. Just listed.) There are several factors that push certain stories closer to the top. Subject matter, for one. (I will always pick up a new fic with a mentally unstable or damaged Edward, no matter what I’m in the middle of. That’s my weakness.) I think it goes without saying that well-written, attention grabbing summaries are important. They can make or break readership. There are even articles on how to write a good one – like this one. But what is even more important than that is the recommendations of other people. If a lot of people are reading and enjoying a particular story, odds are that it’s good and you should read it too. (Although, it’s not always the case. There have been a few “fandom favourites” that I’ve hated.) There are several Twilight fan fiction recommendation sites, including my new weekly column here, but in my opinion, the best recs come from your friends.

My friends and I will discuss fic for hours. We hash out the minutia of WHY we liked certain stories, what could be improved upon but is still worth a read, and what to avoid altogether. I find that my tastes are more in line with some friends over others, and I will put their recs at the top of my list. You learn to trust various people’s recs. If you consistently like what they like, you know you’re in for a treat when they pass something new your way. Consider yourself very lucky if you have friends like mine! 🙂

Even if you don’t have the never-ending TBR list issue, everyone has those particular points that draw them to new stories. I’m very curious – what is it for you that makes you rush to read something above all else?

(originally posted to Eat. Sleep. Breathe. Twilight.)

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Fanfic Rec Wednesday – Words with Friends/Strangers

Posted on March 12, 2014 by kmah88

I mentioned last week that I’m not a quick reader, but I still want to be able to do some recommendations for you, so I will be enlisting the help of my super-speed-reading friends from time to time. Every Wednesday, I’ll post a rec for you to check out. As always, I am very interested in your reactions to what you read. Let me know in the comments or over on twitter (@kmah88) if you read it and what you thought.

I’ll be back next week with my own, but today’s rec comes to you via PurpleBrina17. (BTW, if you aren’t reading her Music Monday posts on FANdemonium Network, you need to!)

Title: Words With Friends (BPOV) / Words With Strangers (EPOV)

Words with Friends-Strangers.jpg

By: Nolebucgrl (@Nolebucgrl)

Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6910604/1/Words-with-Friends /https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7176635/1/Words-with-Strangers

Why Brina says it’s good:

“In this day and age with everyone online or on their phone, of course people are meeting online, in chat rooms, messages board, and through games. Such is the case with one (technically one story, but in two versions) of my favorite fics, ‘Words’. Bella is a normal college student and Edward is a movie star. They meet by pure luck. Read this and fall in love with these characters as they fall in love with each other like I did.

I like the story idea and the style of writing. It’s believable. The story is funny and sweet and has hella sexy lemons with a side of lemonade and lemon cake for dessert.”

~~~~~

I also really like this one but it’s one of the ones I’m still in the middle of reading. I won’t officially rec something until I complete it. So take Brina’s word for it, and check out ‘Words’ – both of them. (I am partial to the EPOV, WWS, but they both have plot points that you will miss if you only read one.)

(originally posted to Eat. Sleep. Breathe. Twilight.)

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