Way overdue recommendations, Part 2
SO YEAH - I never meant to let my recs lists lapse as horribly as they have. I've been reading more than I've been writing these days, and here are some of my new favorite fics :D
TITLE - What You Don't Know (2010-2011)
AUTHOR - Airplane
FANDOM - Tangled
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Humor, Romance
RATING - X
WORD COUNT - 88,185
PAIRING - Eugene Fitzherbert/Rapunzel
SUMMARY - It's become very clear to Eugene that Rapunzel has little to no understanding of amorous affection.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - Two separate people (thank you,![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
starzki & replicantangel!) directed me to this story when I sent out a call last year asking for some smut-spiration. I was hesitant at first, given the length of the fic and the fact that I'd never seen the movie, and know nothing about it beyond what one can pick up from Tumblr. But, I gave it a try and I'm glad I did, because after the first couple of chapters, I was thoroughly hooked :) I was caught stifling many a laugh during my lunch hour, because the author managed to strike a great balance between the smutty stuff and the humor, and then the drama/angst/happy ending. So basically, I came for the sexytimes and stayed for the romance, and came to care about characters I hadn't given a second thought to before.
It was because of this fic that I saw the movie, which led to me buying ridiculous amounts of merchandise (for me, at least) and dabbling in a bit of fanfic of my own. I adore these characters, because this author made them come alive for me. This is very much a "headcanon accepted" sort of story for me, because it dovetails nicely into the canon material. Its hilarious and sweet and touching and gripping, and just gets better on every re-read. I know this is a fic that's been recced to hell and back over the last three-four years, but it's one of the few that I think is actually worthy of that distinction.
TITLE - Love Grows (2013-2014)
AUTHOR - danzcoach24
FANDOM - Kids Incorporated
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Romance
RATING - M
WORD COUNT - 33,370
PAIRING - Ryan/Stacy
SUMMARY - Ryan and Stacy have remained close all these years. What happens when Ryan's true feelings for her get outed on national tv?
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - OMG, I just about fell through my chair when this fic popped up randomly in my Google alerts for this series. It was posted starting a few days before Christmas, and I was ridiculously excited to see it - finally, someone else writing for KI! Bonus points for it being about my OTP of OTPs!! This is the story that reawakened my love for the series after being pushed down to the bottom of my priorities list in the last couple of years.
The author captured the characters so well - their dynamics with each other, be it friendship or romance. I love the little bits of canon that were thrown in - the magic ring, the Sadie Hawkins episode, Stacy and the Kid having that epic fight in S4, that ridiculous chemistry Ryan and Stacy had on stage in S5, and especially the Foreigner cover that is at the heart of this fic. There's a bit of a twist on the old cliche, too, in that the characters are oblivious of their feelings for each other, even though its obvious to the rest of the world. That's fun to read about, especially when its done well. The author also does some great future!casting for the other characters (Richie as a morning drivetime radio DJ is an absolute stroke of genius), and she has a great ear for dialogue. It's cute and funny and sweet, a fairytale-like continuation for a series that covered more than its fair share of fairytales ♥
Though not the most technically proficient piece I've ever read, I think the heart of the fic more than makes up for it - a must for any fellow shippers who want a fresh look at our beloved pairing!
TITLE - Love Grows: The Wedding (2014)
AUTHOR - danzcoach24
FANDOM - Kids Incorporated
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Romance
RATING - T
WORD COUNT - 3,942
PAIRING - Ryan/Stacy
SUMMARY - A one shot continuation of "Love Grows". Post canon. Ryan and Stacy's wedding day!
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - A very sweet sequel to Love Grows, this is the epitome of wedding day fic. The author carries all of her strengths into this continuation - the wonderful dialogue, the expert handling of the characters, a great OC - and adds some touching insight into the pairing. The vows were perfect, and the two share a tiny moment after their first married kiss that's just beautiful. This one's definitely for the romantics at heart.
TITLE - Overwhelmed (2012)
AUTHOR - starzki
FANDOM - Full Metal Panic
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Romance
RATING - X
WORD COUNT - 12,457
PAIRING - Sousuke/Kaname
SUMMARY - Kaname and Sousuke finally have all the time they need to come together and explore their feelings for one another. Spoilers for the series. Post Always Stand by Me, Part 2.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - Yet another piece of smut-spiration :D This fic is so lush - the author terms it a multichapter lemon, but it's much more than that: she captures the characters in a moment of vulnerability and guides them through it beautifully. After all these two have been through - together AND apart - their reunion wouldn't necessarily be all happiness and roses. It's not, but the exploration of each others' scars is just as wonderful as the sex. This is a very adult fic - not so much for the explicit content, but because it feels very mature.
TITLE - Narcolepsy (2007)
AUTHOR - kartography
FANDOM - Veronica Mars
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Drama, Romance
RATING - X
WORD COUNT - 8,366
PAIRING - Logan Echolls/Veronia Mars
SUMMARY - 'There's a bone in my hand that connects to a drink, in a crowded room where the glasses clink.'
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - This is one of the best introspective character-driven stories I've read in the fanfic world. The author climbs deep into Logan's fucked up mind and cuts open every almost-healed wound until his soul is laid bare and he's left to deal with the consequences. The romance is almost a side story, except that it isn't, because of what Veronica represents to Logan - and the role she plays in his life. This is a fic that's stuck with me for a long time, and one that I reread whenever I need to go to a deep dark place.
My permanent rec lists are here ~ Baby-sitters Club | Inuyasha | Multifandom/Miscellaneous
TITLE - What You Don't Know (2010-2011)
AUTHOR - Airplane
FANDOM - Tangled
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Humor, Romance
RATING - X
WORD COUNT - 88,185
PAIRING - Eugene Fitzherbert/Rapunzel
SUMMARY - It's become very clear to Eugene that Rapunzel has little to no understanding of amorous affection.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - Two separate people (thank you,
starzki & replicantangel!) directed me to this story when I sent out a call last year asking for some smut-spiration. I was hesitant at first, given the length of the fic and the fact that I'd never seen the movie, and know nothing about it beyond what one can pick up from Tumblr. But, I gave it a try and I'm glad I did, because after the first couple of chapters, I was thoroughly hooked :) I was caught stifling many a laugh during my lunch hour, because the author managed to strike a great balance between the smutty stuff and the humor, and then the drama/angst/happy ending. So basically, I came for the sexytimes and stayed for the romance, and came to care about characters I hadn't given a second thought to before. It was because of this fic that I saw the movie, which led to me buying ridiculous amounts of merchandise (for me, at least) and dabbling in a bit of fanfic of my own. I adore these characters, because this author made them come alive for me. This is very much a "headcanon accepted" sort of story for me, because it dovetails nicely into the canon material. Its hilarious and sweet and touching and gripping, and just gets better on every re-read. I know this is a fic that's been recced to hell and back over the last three-four years, but it's one of the few that I think is actually worthy of that distinction.
TITLE - Love Grows (2013-2014)
AUTHOR - danzcoach24
FANDOM - Kids Incorporated
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Romance
RATING - M
WORD COUNT - 33,370
PAIRING - Ryan/Stacy
SUMMARY - Ryan and Stacy have remained close all these years. What happens when Ryan's true feelings for her get outed on national tv?
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - OMG, I just about fell through my chair when this fic popped up randomly in my Google alerts for this series. It was posted starting a few days before Christmas, and I was ridiculously excited to see it - finally, someone else writing for KI! Bonus points for it being about my OTP of OTPs!! This is the story that reawakened my love for the series after being pushed down to the bottom of my priorities list in the last couple of years.
The author captured the characters so well - their dynamics with each other, be it friendship or romance. I love the little bits of canon that were thrown in - the magic ring, the Sadie Hawkins episode, Stacy and the Kid having that epic fight in S4, that ridiculous chemistry Ryan and Stacy had on stage in S5, and especially the Foreigner cover that is at the heart of this fic. There's a bit of a twist on the old cliche, too, in that the characters are oblivious of their feelings for each other, even though its obvious to the rest of the world. That's fun to read about, especially when its done well. The author also does some great future!casting for the other characters (Richie as a morning drivetime radio DJ is an absolute stroke of genius), and she has a great ear for dialogue. It's cute and funny and sweet, a fairytale-like continuation for a series that covered more than its fair share of fairytales ♥
Though not the most technically proficient piece I've ever read, I think the heart of the fic more than makes up for it - a must for any fellow shippers who want a fresh look at our beloved pairing!
TITLE - Love Grows: The Wedding (2014)
AUTHOR - danzcoach24
FANDOM - Kids Incorporated
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Romance
RATING - T
WORD COUNT - 3,942
PAIRING - Ryan/Stacy
SUMMARY - A one shot continuation of "Love Grows". Post canon. Ryan and Stacy's wedding day!
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - A very sweet sequel to Love Grows, this is the epitome of wedding day fic. The author carries all of her strengths into this continuation - the wonderful dialogue, the expert handling of the characters, a great OC - and adds some touching insight into the pairing. The vows were perfect, and the two share a tiny moment after their first married kiss that's just beautiful. This one's definitely for the romantics at heart.
TITLE - Overwhelmed (2012)
AUTHOR - starzki
FANDOM - Full Metal Panic
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Romance
RATING - X
WORD COUNT - 12,457
PAIRING - Sousuke/Kaname
SUMMARY - Kaname and Sousuke finally have all the time they need to come together and explore their feelings for one another. Spoilers for the series. Post Always Stand by Me, Part 2.
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - Yet another piece of smut-spiration :D This fic is so lush - the author terms it a multichapter lemon, but it's much more than that: she captures the characters in a moment of vulnerability and guides them through it beautifully. After all these two have been through - together AND apart - their reunion wouldn't necessarily be all happiness and roses. It's not, but the exploration of each others' scars is just as wonderful as the sex. This is a very adult fic - not so much for the explicit content, but because it feels very mature.
TITLE - Narcolepsy (2007)
AUTHOR - kartography
FANDOM - Veronica Mars
UNIVERSE - Post-canon
GENRE - Drama, Romance
RATING - X
WORD COUNT - 8,366
PAIRING - Logan Echolls/Veronia Mars
SUMMARY - 'There's a bone in my hand that connects to a drink, in a crowded room where the glasses clink.'
WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THIS PIECE - This is one of the best introspective character-driven stories I've read in the fanfic world. The author climbs deep into Logan's fucked up mind and cuts open every almost-healed wound until his soul is laid bare and he's left to deal with the consequences. The romance is almost a side story, except that it isn't, because of what Veronica represents to Logan - and the role she plays in his life. This is a fic that's stuck with me for a long time, and one that I reread whenever I need to go to a deep dark place.
My permanent rec lists are here ~ Baby-sitters Club | Inuyasha | Multifandom/Miscellaneous