Friday, February 24, 2012

Meet the Poll: What we read in TLS this week



Each week we share with you what we are reading and enjoying. The following made the top of our lists last week. Please help us determine which 5 of these will be featured as fics of the week, next week, by choosing FIVE from the poll on the right.


A Hope Renewed by Hopesparkles

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7586716/1/A_Hope_Renewed

A misunderstanding leads to a forced marriage between Bella who is caring for her ailing father after losing their home, and Edward who has recently inherited his uncle's estate and has no intention of taking a wife. All Human/Regency era fic.



All That Remains by TheEdwardians-rec'd by Dragnfli Threethreesix

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6723327/1/All_That_Remains

He had it all; perfect wife, beautiful children and a job he loved. Until she walked into his life and turned it upside down. When the dust settles after fate is through with them, who will be left standing? Twilight - Rated: M


An Abridged Account by Alchemilla Mollis

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5164036/1/An_Abridged_Account

An Abridged Account of the Sexual History of Edward Cullen, as told to Bella Swan. Edward recounts a somewhat disastrous history of encounters with women through the 20th century, as Bella become more and more impatient to have an encounter of their own.




An Imperfect Love by Mistyhaze420-rec'd by Agrutle

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5080257/1/

After Edward leaves Bella & Alice leaves Jasper, their worlds collide. They have no one to turn to but each other for comfort and become good friends...but maybe more. But is it enough to mean forever? Graphic language, lemons in the future. J&B Twilight - Rated: M



Contextually Speaking by Cosmogirl7481-rec'd by Jaime Arkin

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7816783/1/

Bella spends her days surrounded by books and her nights immersed in them. Reading but not living. Imagining but not experiencing. One night changes everything. A story about wrong numbers and a stranger with all the right words. Twilight - Rated: M



Better Than Pie by Savannavansmutsmut

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7793773/1/Better_than_Pie

Bella decides marriage will solve her financial problems and auctions herself off as a wife, only to be bought by an unsuspecting Edward who cares for his meddling Down Syndrome brother, Emmett. All human and cannon.




Crash & Burn by TwistarJunkie-rec'd by Dragnfli Threethreesix


http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7642507/1/Crash_Burn

When Bella Swan moves to Forks and runs into the Cullens, she finally feels like she's home, but the absence of one proves to trouble her. Edward, now the black sheep of the family, lives life plagued by drug addiction. Could Bella be his saving grace? Twilight - Rated: M




Dine & Dash by Katherine-Alexis-Tyler-'K.A.T-rec'd by Jo Kline

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7010018/1/Dine_and_Dash

Bella gets dared dine&dash but gets caught by the restaurants owner, Edward Cullen.19 year old deadly sexy gang leader and the enemy of the gang her bestfriend Jacob belongs to.Now shes stuck in his territory to avoid a permanent record.AH Possessward Twilight - Rated: M



Fatherhood, Formula & Other F Words by Anhanninen-rec'd by Jaime Arkin

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7520210/1/

When man-whore, foul-mouthed Edward's life takes an unexpected turn, he's left with a baby to raise. With the help of a friendly neighbor, he learns sometimes the unexpected could be the best thing that's ever happened. All Human Twilight - Rated: M



For Whom The Bell Tolls by Cyrabear-rec'd by Evilnat

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6460691/1/For_Whom_The_Bell_Tolls

There's a dusty old bookstore in Seattle where the proprietor keeps odd hours and knows the location of every book in his stock. What surprises hide in its stacks? Twilight - Rated: M



Get Me to You by Chicklette-rec'd by Edmazing

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5252934/1/Get_Me_to_You

Winner of Winter 2010 Indie! Pet names and Pop Tarts. Sunday mornings with Etta and Ella. Cibola. Candymouth. You finally realize the truth. What if it's too late? M for drinking, drug use, sex and effing language. ExBxJxAxEm/POV, AH, OOC. Twilight - Rated: M



Going Under by Sparklnfade-rec'd by Jaime Arkin

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7728698/1/

It's been ten years since the summer Bella Swan's life changed. What will happen when she comes face to face with the reason for it? She went under once, will she go under again? AH ExB

Twilight - Rated: M



High Anxiety by EdwardsBloodType-rec'd by Suebee Betafairy

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5222490/1/High_Anxiety

Cute, trendy Bella returns home to escape the heartache of her past. She immediately befriends neighbors Jasper and Edward, bonding with them in the treehouse out back. Bella and Edward discover they have more in common than they ever dreamed of. AH A/U Twilight - Rated: M



Mood Ring by Lifelesslyndsey-rec'd by Agrutle

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5413744/1/bMood_b_bRing_b

When there is nothing left for Bella, she decided she wants out. Standing in front of the white house, razor blade in hand, she says good bye the only way she can think of. A bloody good bye. But who cut's there wrists at a vampires house?JxB Lemons ahead Twilight - Rated: M



Reboot by Diana Law-rec'd by Mina Rivera

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6222640/1/Reboot

It's near the end of Breaking Dawn and the Volturi Confrontation does NOT end peacefully. They attack and Bella and Edward both die. So how come it's Bella's first day in Forks, all over again? BxE, AU Lemons & Fluff Continued From Athey! COMPLETE! Twilight - Rated: M



Speaking In Code by Mamabean-rec'd by Dragnfli Threethreesix

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7399839/1/Speaking_in_Code

Edward Cullen's trash is his neighbors' torture, and now his house is in violation of Chapter 36 of the Seattle Municipal Code. When Inspector Swan shows up to issue a citation, sparks will fly! ExB, AH  Twilight - Rated: M



Take This Heart by Bookwormbaby2580-rec'd by Mina Rivera

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6386219/1/Take_This_Heart

Bella's life is a constant choice between bad and worse until she moves to Forks and meets the one man who can ease her burdens. But trust doesn't always come easily, especially when life has taught you that you're safer on your own. M for abuse and sex. Twilight - Rated: M



The Foreign Papers by Javamomma0921-rec'd by Ryden

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6695089/1/The_Foreign_Papers

AU - Bella Swan is an expert in antique documents. When the paper trail she is following leads overseas and she finds herself enamored with an enigmatic man named Edward Masen, will her training be enough to help her solve the mystery surrounding him? Twilight - Rated: M



The Life and Death of Isabella Swan by ImHereToReview-rec'd by Kitty Vuitton

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7550056/1/The_Life_and_Death_of_Isabella_Swan

Isabella Swan's battle with a near constant illness baffles doctors. Can anyone find the cure before it's too late? E&B, canon pairings, lemons to come  Twilight - Rated: M



The Mirrors by Adorablecullens-rec'd by Tracy Cotton Geuea

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4971734/1/The_Mirrors

Teddy's secret and magical childhood is lost when a family heirloom is destroyed, changing his life forever. Now an adult, can Edward open himself back up to magic and love when he meets a beautiful - and hauntingly familiar - woman in real life? Twilight - Rated: M



The Selkie Wife by Lissa Bryan-rec'd by Mina Rivera

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7598322/1/The_Selkie_Wife

Set during the reign of "Bloody Mary" Tudor. Bella is captured by Edward to raise his daughter. He promises to release her one day, but will he? Court intrigues and danger around every corner. Can they, and their new-found love, survive? Rated M/OOC/AU Twilight - Rated: M



This Is Who I Am by Pattyrose-rec'd by Rose Arcadia

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5980177/1/This_Is_Who_I_Am

Edward Cullen, successful business exec/playboy/all around bad boy. Bella Swan, divorced mom/graphic artist/unwilling to trust her heart to the likes of someone like Edward again. Will she give him a chance? Does he even deserve one? Twilight - Rated: M



To Have & To Hold by Shahula-rec'd by Nic

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6956161/1/To_Have_and_To_Hold

One night of passion leads to big changes for Bella as she faces the consequences. But will she fess up to their actions or keep the forbidden romance going? Is he hers to have and to hold or will he be another's before its all over? Rated M,AH,BxE  Twilight - Rated: M



Unplanned Perfection by Littlecat358-rec'd by Agrutle

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6229263/1/

Bella and Alice were best friends, which made Bella the only girl off limits to Alice's brother Edward. When a party the summer after graduation gets out of control, Bella's world is turned upside down. "He doesn't know. I don't want him to." Twilight - Rated: M



Water Landing by Camoozle-rec'd by VampsHaveLaws

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7588907/1/Water_Landing

High School's a lot like a plane crash. You check for the exit. You secure your mask. And if you're lucky, you survive. AU, AH, All EPOV. Twilight - Rated: M

TLS Fics of the Week 2/23 - 2/29/2012- Six Sexy Stories for you this week!



My Sweet Variable by LifeInTheSnow
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7762489/1/My_Sweet_Variable
He white-knuckles his pen, dragging a line of ink across the page. I can guess which passage he's marking: "All things truly wicked start from an innocence." Hemingway wouldn't have known about us. No one does. Teenage E/B, AH, quasi-dystopian.

Review by EdwardsBloodType

My Sweet Variable opens pretty much like any run of the mill AH Twific out there: Bella is an average teenager in high school chatting with besties, Alice and Rose, about the weather, fashion accessories, and of course the hot new guy, Edward Cullen.  He’s so gorgeous, that he couldn’t possibly be a normal student, so ensues the discussion as to why or why he isn’t a Narc. And with this conversation, you might expect that this fic is your typical AH high school tale with angst mixed with humor, infused with romance, and maybe a little cute misunderstanding thrown in for good measure, right?
Um…not even close. From the first chapter:
I know this about him—this New Guy.
I know practically everything about him.
I know his name is Edward. His purported and actual age is seventeen. He consumes cutting-edge comic books and run-of-the-mill sci-fi novels in equal measure. He goes for salty over sweet, but both at once trump either one alone. He's gifted with a knack for languages, a photographic memory, and the vision of a hawk. He is not a narc. He is, however, an operative in an elite and controversial top-secret espionage unit, trained from a young age to kill with precision and stealth.
Just like me.
How intrigued are you right now?
You’ve never read anything like this before, trust me. The story as a whole; the writing, the flow, the mysteries yet to be revealed, are anything but average. As are the characters. The usual cast is included in there, but not exactly as you would typically imagine.
At the age of nine, Bella was sharp, fiercely intelligent and quick on her feet. After a math challenge, she was approached by Aro, the head of Operation Volturi, an secret organization which works by using stealthy undercover agents to do their dirty work. She was recruited to become an assassin/ spy for the organization, as was Edward and four other teenagers, simply because society generally views teens as children and therefore are less likely to be considered dangerous. Little do they know how lethal they have become…
Edward and Bella, at this point are assigned to pose as boyfriend and girlfriend, which doesn’t seem as though it would be a difficult task for either of them. But they are friends first, and professionals always, so neither of them know where to draw lines in their pseudo relationship. And keep in mind, they are still teenagers with hormones, and social lives, and porn on their laptops. Well, at least that goes for Edward.
They communicate with Aro by a little microphone embedded in their right ears, and with each other through one in their left ears, and the two are often covering up the mics to speak privately. They genuinely care for one another, partly because they know their secrecy binds them together.

I cover his hand with mine on the console between us. "Hey, thank you for being the one to move. I know it wasn't easy for you leaving Chicago."
He frowns. "I don't mind. You have your relationships here. The girls. Charlie. It's different for me."
He's been with Carlisle and Esme for three years, and it's his longest placement. He makes friends from time to time but pulls away when they start to ask questions about his moods. He likes that he never has to lie with me, he says.
I pull his hand in between mine, kneading the thick muscle at the base of his thumb. I don't remember how I know he carries stress here. I just do.
He smiles and squeezes back.
Every once in a while, it's possible to set aside my conditioning and see past the colleague to the friend underneath. This is one of those times. His eyes are pleading with me, whether he realizes it or not. He catches my eye before scanning the interior of the car, reminding me wordlessly that Aro has ears everywhere. For your own protection, Aro would say.
I turn the radio on for ambient noise and move into Edward's arms, holding him close. To a passerby we'll look like a frisky couple, I guess, but the point is to get my lips close to his ear. It's the only way we can be sure of having a private conversation.
"Talk to me." My voice is lower than a whisper.
I feel his rib cage expand and contract before his breath tickles my skin. "Do you ever find yourself wishing Charlie knew? Someone who would stick up for you and help you sort out right from wrong?"
I have to stifle a gasp. This kind of talk would get us both called to headquarters. Right and wrong isn't supposed to occur to us. This is the kink they haven't worked out in their genius program: We develop consciences. I can't even answer. I just shake my head no.
He shudders and sinks in my arms, letting me hold him. "I just don't know how much longer I can do this without losing…you know." I do know. All semblance of humanity is the thing he means. He thinks about it a lot.
"You're eighteen soon, and then it's just one more year." Feeble, I know.
One of the things I like best about this, is that Life In The Snow takes this semi— dystopian story, and not only makes it believable, but completely serious. Once you are sucked in, the details keep you wondering how she knows all this cool stuff and how much of it is just drawn from her vivid imagination.
Everything goes smoothly at Gas Works Park. Edward gets positioned up on a hill with his dart gun, which is camouflaged to look like a pair of binoculars. I'm flying a kite, blending in with the crowds and reading the angles of wind gusts so I can engineer a believable collision with my target. When I get the visual confirmation this is him, I give the signal and then let the wind take me into his path where we collide. Just as the man untangles himself from my kite string, he slaps a hand to his neck. A bee—or what looks like a bee to him—falls to the concrete path.
"Motherfucker! Oh, uh. Pardon my language."
I left my hair unwashed today, so it looks stringy, and I'm wearing ill-fitting overalls and chunky glasses. Edward's suggestion. I must pass for fifteen at the most.
"S'okay. He got you good." Edward's dart will have left behind real bee venom, a synthetic slow-acting poison, and a microscopic tracking device. The man's neck is already swelling up.
"I'm stung? You can see it?"
"Looks pretty bad. You're allergic?" A crowd has started to gather. Strangers begin shouting out advice.
"I'm all right," he says to no one in particular. "I have my EpiPen." He draws it out of his jacket pocket.
My EpiPen is what he has, which means he has a second type of poison. Aro is nothing if not thorough. The serial number will trace back to a bad batch, which will give local authorities a story to tell any of these spectators who might get curious. I pretend to be distracted by a problem with my kite and walk away, winding the string as I go. Out of the corner of my eye, I see him stab the EpiPen into his fleshy thigh. He sinks to his knees. Edward's voice on the SatCom calls it. And we're done.
Now, obviously you know there’s going to be a budding love connection between them as they pose as a regular teenage couple. So far, at only four chapters in, there is just a glimmer of it, but it is beginning to blossom. I’m kind of in love with this Edward. He’s super sweet and a little awkward, yet completely smooth and suave at the same time. With his incredible intelligence and his desire to protect Bella, there’s a vulnerability to him that makes him incredibly sexy, despite the fact that he is a trained assassin.
He shuffles from one foot to the other, squaring his shoulders to face me. He brings a hand up to my face and gently strokes my cheekbone with his thumb. This is how it looks in movies, I think to myself.
"You can kiss me, too, you know," he says.
"Of course I can. Especially if you keep volunteering for rodent duty. That's so very boyfriend-ish of you."
"Can you not mention rodents right now?"
"Can you hurry up and shove your tongue down my throat?"
The look on his face melts into something softer, but just for a moment. "You're nervous." In a blink, he's grinning again. "Should I role play? Would that make it easier? What's something what's-his-name says? Ryan Gosling?"
"You're already role playing, remember? You're 'New Guy' now."
"I am?"
"Your nickname at school. That's what they call you."
He squints his eyes in mock dismay. "It's a little bland, isn't it?"
"Alice thinks you're a narc."
"Oh, that's good. Man of mystery. Mature. And only the really corrupt narcs make out with the students."
Somehow, he's distracted me so much that I've forgotten his fingers are in my hair. Almost.
"Ready?"

Life In The Snow makes this story completely unpredictable, totally believable, and very exciting to read. It’s one of my “drop everything and read” fics, because I can’t get enough of her superb writing, and I am dying to know what assignment they have next. Oh, and of course, when they are going to hook up for real.




Taste of Innocence by Nolebucgrl
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5412456/1/Taste_of_Innocence
Edward Cullen longs to taste the blood of an innocent. He meets Bella Swan. Will desire for her override desire for her blood, or will he take both? Rated M for language, lemons, some violence. Twilight - Rated: M

Reviewed by: Kelly Clwn

Taste of Innocence is by far my favorite Fan Fiction story ever written. It might sound cliché or contrived to say that when I am writing a review of the story, but you would only have to ask anyone that knows me, and they will all confirm that this is, in fact, the truth. To be honest, my basic review would really only say “Go, read it right now!” But for those who take a little more persuasion, I will attempt to explain why reading this story will be the best decision you ever made.

If, like me, you are partial to a sarcastic, foul-mouthed, arrogant Edward, then let me introduce you to Smugward, otherwise known as Edward, in Nolebucgrl’s excellent story. Never, have I ever, loved an Edward like I love this one.

The story, which is told completely from his point of view, begins with Edward desperate to taste the blood of an innocent human. Fed up of feeding from the scum of society, he feels he deserves the pleasure of untainted blood.

He finds such an innocence in Bella and persuades her to come home with him. He seduces her into his bed, planning to bite and kill her as she is in the throes of passion, but she has somehow gotten under his skin more than he thought possible and rather than drain her, he decides to ‘keep’ her. Something that he is sure she will be thanking him for.

“Fuck, Bella, I've never wanted to keep anyone before. Don't you see what a fucking honor it is that out of the hundreds of thousands of people I've come across in my lifetime, you're the only one I've ever wanted to keep and get to know better?"

To say Bella isn’t impressed with his explanation would be an understatement.

"Wrap my head around it? You tell me you're some kind of monster and you made me one and I'm just supposed to accept it and what? Skip down the fucking street holding your hand?

Edward, in his own gracious way, tries to teach Bella the joys of vampirism, however, she has her own ideas, based largely on the vampire shows she has seen on the TV. Thus giving us some hilarious moments when Edward has to sit through various episodes of Buffy, True Blood and The Vampire Diaries. Let’s just say, he’s not a big fan of ‘Hollywood and their ridiculous fucking notions of vampires.’

"What the fuck kind of names are Willow, Xander, Buffy and Angel? Who comes up with this shit?" I demanded; my irritation with the situation clear in my tone.

Bella is stroppy, difficult and unwilling to drink human blood, leading to much frustration on Edward’s part and he often questions his decision to change her into a vampire.

Had I turned her at her wrong fucking time of the month and she'd be like this always? Holy shit, I was going to kill myself if that was the case.

Because Bella is so stubborn, he eventually agrees to let her try other methods of feeding. However, he isn’t as supportive as he could be, when she suggests trying animal blood.

"Like what? A neighbor's dog?"

A look of pure horror washed over her face. "Of course not! I would never eat someone's pet!" Right, because that was what was wrong with this fucking conversation?

"What then? You want me to go the zoo and grab you a gorilla or some shit?" I didn't know how the fuck I was supposed to manage something like that. The fact that I was contemplating it just pissed me off too. She needed to suck it up and start eating like a real fucking vampire.

The only thing funnier than Edward’s futile attempts to get Bella to conform to his way of eating, is his internal monologue who even Edward himself has issues with.

“I was going to perform a lobotomy on myself if that judgmental prick disguised as my inner voice didn't shut the fuck up”.

Unfortunately for Edward, Bella refuses to sleep with him again if he insists on sticking to his diet, and because he has already fallen for Bella and would do whatever it takes to keep her happy, even if he doesn’t recognise it, he soon finds himself moving to the suburbs, where Bella wants to try to live without consuming people.

As Bella states that she enjoyed steak as a human, she decides that maybe cows would be a good source of nourishment now she is a vampire and Edward, who at this point will let her try anything, makes sure she has access to one, hoping that her little ‘experiment’ will be unsuccessful and that this will be the end of her insistence that she won’t drink from humans.

What he’s unprepared for, is her affection for the animal.

"Bella, are you going to eat the thing or are you going to pet it until it dies of old age?" I asked, irritated as I watched her sexy little hands give more affection to the cow than she'd given me anytime soon, the fuckery in the bedroom not counting since it wasn't real.

Bella looked between me and the cow for a few seconds. What the fuck was going on with her?

"She likes me," she repeated. So the fuck what? I raised an eyebrow at her and thrust my hand for her to continue. "I never had a pet." Oh fuck no. She had to be kidding. "I want to call her Willow," she told me, smiling as she continued to stroke the bovine.

"You can't be serious," I said, disbelief echoing in my tone.

"I want to keep her," she told me. "Can I?" What the fuck was I supposed to say to that? No? I didn't want to eat the fucking cow so if she wasn't going to, I guess we were stuck with it.

So Edward finds himself stuck with a difficult Bella and a pet cow, when all he really wants is for Bella to give up her ridiculous notions of alternative feeding options and give in to her basic desires for human blood and more importantly her lust for him. He is desperate to get her to realise her feelings for him and he is more than desperate to sleep with her again.

Bella, however, is not ready to give up just yet and drags him into the woods. Edward is not convinced, but is unable to deny her anything, so he ends up watching appreciatively as Bella eventually takes down and enjoys a bear.

This leads to Edward reluctantly admitting to himself that bear blood isn’t as bad as he imagined and also to what may be the longest lemon in the history of fan fiction.

Add in a jealous ex-girlfriend, the Volturi (who are more intrigued by Bella and her love for Vampire shows than anything else) and of course you cannot forget his gay inner monologue who has a passion for singing love songs or their pet cow named Willow (yes, after the character in Buffy.) and what you have, is a still cynical Edward living in his own personal hell, but more importantly than that, what you have, is a simply magnificent story.

Until you’ve read the brilliance that is A Taste of Innocence, you could never understand why I believe “She was petting the motherfucking cow” is the single best line of fan fiction ever written.

I could go on and on about how fantastic this story is, really I could, because I can quote almost all of this story and I adore it to the point of it being an obsession, but instead I will urge you to read it for yourself. It is a far better use of your time and I promise you won’t be disappointed.To say this story is golden, just doesn’t do it justice. Every single chapter is pure comedic genius and I defy anyone to make it to chapter six without being completely addicted to Smugward. To be honest, most of you will be hooked by chapter three. He is simply that good.



Dear Maggie by Jenny0719-rec'd by Btterfly Kiss
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7179931/1/Dear_Maggie
A heart leads Bella back home to Forks... and to the brother of the woman who donated it. M for Lemons/OOC/Language  Twilight - Rated: M

Reviewed by: ChocolateLover82

I remember the first time I heard about this story, it was through a teaser and after reading the summary, I thought I knew what it would be about. It ended up being so much more than that.

The City of Forks Welcomes You

I wasn't entirely sure how I felt at the sight of that sign. It was hard to believe I was actually here, actually doing this, and yet I got strangest sense of belonging as soon as I'd arrived. Like everything that had happened to me was for a reason and that I'd been called back to this place. It was a weighty feeling to have, and it almost made wish that I'd never made that call to Charlie… never driven the seven hundred miles to Amarillo.

And this is how ‘Dear Maggie’ begins, with a welcome sign and a strong pull towards Forks, to something that not even Bella realizes at the time just how much it would end up changing her life. From the summary, we know that it’s a heart that leads her there, to the brother of the person who donated it, but like I said, this story ends up being so much more than that.

We have Bella, a girl that after spending a long time waiting for a heart, finally gets her chance at a new one and the opportunity to continue to live. She missed so much because she was sick, all the normal teenager experiences, and that makes her see the world under a different light than the rest. To put it simply, Bella is innocent and beautiful, and because of that she acts different than the rest: she lets her heart guide her actions. But don’t be mistaken, she might be more innocent than the rest, but she’s as strong as any.

From the moment Bella opens her eyes after the surgery, there is something that pulls and pulls and just won’t let go of her. She starts feeling the tug towards her donor, to know everything there is to know about this person who had to die in order for her to live.
It becomes unbearable.

Bella becomes obsessed in her search, in learning everything there is to know about this person. And with the help of her dad (who so happens to live in Forks), she finds a name, Maggie, and a story. Who was she before she died? Where was she going in life? The more she learns, the more she wants to know. It becomes so much that she starts writing these letters to Maggie as entries in her journal, a way to feel closer to her, to make sense of what she’s going through.

It’s in that search that she finds that Maggie was adopted and that she left behind a brother, a brother she never even met.

And that leads us to Edward, said brother. A guy who is a little, okay a lot, rough around the edges. Hard, closed off, angry, all things that you’d never think would be a match to Bella’s optimism and inner beauty. Hell, even their first time meeting doesn’t go very smoothly.

He looked… pissed, for lack of a better word, but his voice was smooth and calm. Uncaring. "Don't like smokers?"
I didn't know how to answer that question. It'd never bothered me before, but now, I didn't want to breathe it in, knowing that its toxins were going straight into my bloodstream this heart.
My silence was answer enough for him. "Then leave."

And then we start the journey of Bella and Edward, two people that never would’ve met had it not being for Maggie and her heart. And that is one of the strings that binds these two characters’ stories together: how do you feel when the sister you never knew existed, had to die in order to save the life of the woman you love? It feels like a cruel joke of life.

When Bella gets to Forks, she struggles as to how to approach him and to tell him who and why she’s there. Everything changes when the pull becomes stronger, directed at Edward. Is it because she’s Maggie’s brother? Or is it something else?

Dear Maggie,
He's here. I can feel it. It scares me how connected I feel to him already. I don't even know his name, but I know that I'm supposed to meet him. I just wish I knew why. Telling him about you is the only thing I can think of, but it still seems wrong. Like there's more to it, and I'm just not seeing it.

Then we have Edward. He’s lived his life completely closed off, even to his adoptive family, and doesn’t know how to deal with a girl like Bella. He is haunted by his past, by things he did and saw as a child; that and coming to terms with the fact that he had a sister he never even knew, is a hard thing to process. He has mixed feelings for Maggie: curiosity for who she was, but also jealousy for the life she got compared to the crappy one he had to go through. In short, he’s a mess.

Jenny0719 does a wonderful job interlacing Bella and Edward’s stories.

How Bella copes with this new opportunity at life and all the things she can actually do from now on. It’s exhilarating and freeing and we see the world through her eyes. She’s not wasting time anymore. How she deals with the guilt of not telling Edward, initially, the truth about the donor of her heart and why she moved to Forks in the first place.

How Edward deals with the feelings this new girl in town makes him face, feelings he never thought he would experience. How he struggles with this new knowledge of Maggie’s existence and how exactly did everything happen? How didn’t he know of her?

There are ups and downs and half the time you want to slap Edward and his stupid moves, but in the end that is the beauty of this story: Edward and Bella are not perfect. Because Bella’s much more innocent, she makes mistakes when it comes to Edward, simply because what’s normal to her isn’t to him.

He makes mistakes as well, he takes steps backwards, he over-thinks everything, but at the end of the day, he wants to move forward, he wants to be better not only for Bella and those who love him, but for himself as well. Bella doesn’t only break down his walls, Edward lets them down willingly for her.

I rushed outside and scanned the area for him, finding him pacing on the opposite side of the street. I waited for the traffic to clear, ran over to him, and stopped just shy of reaching him.
I didn't know how to approach him. He was wild in his movements, frightening in the way he cursed to himself.
"We don't have to do that again," I told him.
His eyes shot to mine as he stopped mid-step, full of fire. "The fuck we don't," he snarled.
"Wh- What?"
The pacing resumed. "I'm not letting that shit win, Bella."
I blinked. Over and over again as I tried to figure out if I'd heard him correctly or not.
"You're sure?"
He gave me a hard look.
I took that as a yes.
"It amazes me," I said softly, fighting off a proud smile, "how much you've worked through in the last few months."
The old Edward wouldn't have been so determined to work through it. He would have disappeared for days because of this.

That is the beauty that Jenny0719 delivers here, real characters with real doubts and fears. Just because Bella is in his life doesn’t make Edward instantly be a better person and they live happily ever after. No, they struggle and make their own path.

Jenny0719 doesn’t rush the story by any means, she sets a perfect pace for them and we move from scene to scene with perfect flow. You’re surprised, you’re pissed, you’re happy for them. And by them I don’t simply mean Edward and Bella, for Jenny0719 also dives into the stories of secondary characters without it being overwhelming.

There are still things they need to deal with in the story, people they need to face in order to move on and it’s scary and necessary and what has to happen. And I can’t wait to see where they’ll end up.

If you’re not reading this already, I urge you to dive into this world of perfectly imperfect characters and accompany them in their journey, be with them and even feel proud of their accomplishments. Trust me, you won’t regret it.



Red Kryptonite by Saritadreaming
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7486753/1/Red_Kryptonite
Edward Masen: Bounty hunter. Isabella Swan-Hunter: Bail jumper. He's hired to bring her back for trial, but he's not prepared for what happens once he gets a taste of her. Death, lies, betrayal, toxicity, hope, desire. Who will survive? AU/Lemons  Twilight - Rated: M

Reviewed by: Dragnfli Threethreesix

When the story Red Kryptonite by SaritaDreaming fell in my lap, I took a look at the summary and was quite intrigued.  I mean, who wouldn’t be intrigued by words such as Edward, bounty hunter, Isabella, and bail jumper? So, I, of course started to read it. Then ... I found out that Edward is a vamp. A vamp bounty hunter?  Yes please! I continued on and I found out that Edward wasn’t our typical veggie vamp but seduces women to drink their blood, much to the chagrin of his family? Hell yes!!

"You need to leave," I say quietly.


"What?" she asks, confused. Her mind was moving along the lines of another romp in bed.


"I have early appointments today, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time with you." Well, half of that is true—I enjoyed my time with her, although not for the reason she's thinking.

 "Oh, sure." Her voice and mind are dripping with disappointment. "Will I... see you again?"


"It could happen, but my business takes me all over the country, and I tend to move around a lot." I walk over to the bed and take her hand, placing a kiss on the back of it. "Having you was my great pleasure." The taste was delectable.

 A tempting blush rises to her cheeks as I help her out of bed and into her clothes. Thankfully, she's not outwardly clingy and leaves without argument.


I don't know her name, but it doesn't matter because I'll never see her or taste her blood again.


Edward is hired to find Isabella Swan-Hunter, who was accused of trying to murder her husband, James.  He uses his mind-reading ability to know if a person he is hired to find is innocent or guilty and brings them in accordingly.  He uses this to find an old friend of Bella’s to get the information on where she is. Here is a little taste of what happens when he gets to Uncle Lou’s cabin.

It takes me a little while, but I realize that I'm not hearing her thoughts. My gift usually strengthens once I know someone—like creating a bond—so I'm not immediately concerned.


A short while later, I hear her feet padding up the stairs—the muffled sound tells me she's barefoot and the steps are uncarpeted wood—and she gets ready for bed. I hear murmured words as she prays before climbing into the bed. Again, I realize I haven't heard any thoughts from her. Perhaps I need to be up close, although hers are the only thoughts for miles; I should be able to home in on her quite easily.


She seems to be at peace; that is, until she falls asleep.


The thrashing begins almost immediately.


Then mumbled words being to tumble from her lips, and her heart beats faster.


"Please, no... James, don't..."


Tup-tup, tup-tup, tup-tup

"The blood... no, no... not again."


Tup-tup, tup-tup, tuptuptuptup

"How could you? How could you betray us this way?" Her voice is a plaintive wail now, her heartbeat erratic.


Are you interested yet?  I hope so, because that is all I am giving you.  There are already twists and turns that had me going “What?” and in a totally good way, and we’re only on chapter eight! Saritadreaming writes a very original, beautifully written and exciting story with Red Kryptonite!  I hope you join me on the windy road that promises to be this story!




What Speaks In Darkness by Cosmogirl7481 - rec'd by PAWsPeaches
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6252131/1/
"It should have scared me, but it didn't. I shouldn't have wanted it, but I did." Dark and empty. Lonely and unfulfilled. Can two broken souls find connection in spite of their differences? E/B OOC Rated M because there will be sex and it will be hot. Twilight - Rated: M

Reviewed by: laura_1025

When I was asked to write a review of Cosmogirl7481's What Speaks in Darkness, I immediately said "yes" and subsequently started freaking out because I had no idea how I could concisely and coherently gush about this fic I love so much! So, I hope you don't mind if I ramble incessantly because that's about as good as it's going to get. Haha!

WSiD is a bit of a departure for Cosmo, it's a little darker than her other stories, there's a mystery and it's AU but the fantastic writing and lemons are still there! The story starts off with a cryptic, yet engaging first chapter that does an excellent job of setting the tone for the intrigue and mystery that follow. When we get to the first full chapter, we see Bella having a night in with her girlfriends, Rose & Alice, who are hilarious. I love the banter between them:

"Could we be any lamer?" Alice asked as she stretched on the couch. "We should be at the bar tonight – not that your place isn't lovely." She smiled sweetly and rolled her eyes.
I chose to ignore her sarcasm.

"Fuck you," I said laughing. "Besides, I'm not spending my only night off at the fucking bar. I'll be there every other night this week."

"You wouldn't have to be behind the bar tonight," Rose said. "You could sit and drink with the rest of us."

"We can drink here," I said as I mixed another cocktail. "And anyway, I still have some stuff planned for us to do tonight."

"Does it involve dick in any of us?" Rose laughed and my eyes shifted uncomfortably over to Jacob who was sitting in the old recliner. His eyes were still remorseful, but his true feelings still lingered and burned as he met my gaze.

"No…there will be no dick," I said as my voice faltered just a bit. "But it will be fun if everyone promises to keep an open mind."

"An open mind is never as good as an open pussy, Bella," she said completely seriously.

We soon find out that Bella's plans are to break out the Ouija board to try and contact spirits who have passed on. Rose and Alice aren't feeling it so much but they play along for the sake of their friend. After a while, they leave, having contacted no spirits but Bella is not done. She decides to try one more time by herself and that's when things start to happen. I don't want to spoil who "speaks" to her through the Ouija but I'm pretty sure you can guess. Even though you may know the corect answer, trust me, your heart will race as you read this.

I would be remiss if I didn't point out some of the ridiculously hot lemons in this fic. Cosmo doesn't make us wait long and even though Bella thinks she's dreaming, that doesn't take away ANY of the smoldering sexiness:

I wanted to kiss him again, to taste his sweet tongue, to suck in his cool breath, but I sensed that he needed to do this slowly. And so I allowed him to continue his exploration with my need growing with every touch…my desire building with every caress.

It wasn't until he reached my breasts again, that I felt him grow more assertive. Taking my hands from his, I placed them on his shoulders. We broke eye contact for the first time as both of us looked down and watched as he gently, but deliberately touched and massaged them. His thumbs flicked over my nipples and I heard myself gasp as he slowly and painstakingly lowered his head and brought the flesh into his mouth.

His mouth on my skin was the only thing that could have surpassed his touch. And once I felt it…I knew that I would never – not ever – get enough. The sensation was beyond sublime. I expected to find humid and sultry heat as he sucked my textured peak, but instead I was seduced by the tingling, wet cold of his tongue that flicked and licked and made me cry out.

It was everything…and not enough.

I wanted to feel his tongue everywhere.

His eyes shot to mine at the sound of my cry.

"Are you alright," he whispered, his concern evident in his voice. "Did I hurt you?"

"Are you kidding?" I responded breathlessly. "That was…you are…fuck, that was amazing."

He reached out and pulled me flush against him, holding me in his arms. The moment was tender, intimate. I kissed his neck softly causing him to moan.
"You don't know what you do to me," he whispered against my hair. "I shouldn't be here…shouldn't want this…but Bella, I do."

I wrapped my arms around him tighter, willing his anxiety to go away.

"I want you," he whispered again.

From there the action only gets hotter when we get into EPOV:

The vision of her moving over me was powerful enough to shatter the stone of my body. I felt blessed in that moment to be able to capture and appreciate every part of her form. She settled herself on my thigh and I could feel the hot and wet of her arousal as she basted my skin. The smell of her sex – her desire for me – pervaded my senses that were all so completely heightened, deliciously on edge and trained on every perfect part of her.

Fuck, she was dipping.

For me.

Because of me.

I wanted to consume her.

I wanted to eat her alive.

"Your cock is beautiful," she whispered, grasping the base of it in her hand. "So fucking beautiful."

The sensation of her heat was maddening and my entire body shuddered as she swept her thumb over the head. I almost came from the feeling of that alone.

"What the fuck are you doing to me?" I softly cursed as she continued her movement. "Why the fuck do you want this?"

"Because I do," she whispered and I could feel the dewy heat of her breath as it covered my aching cock. "Because you're beautiful, Edward. This…" she said, squeezing me. "This is beautiful…and I want to taste it."

And I could not say no.

There were no other words spoken. I held my breath and steeled myself as she lowered her head, opening her mouth and taking me in. It was heat and wet and sucking fire as the flame of her tongue licked and burned and melted my ice. I felt like I was dying and living for the first fucking time. And it no longer mattered – my life or my death – as long as either was spent with the woman above me.


After their encounter, the story really begins its journey as we slowly start to unravel who/what Edward is, how he came to be there, why Bella, etc. We also start to learn more about Bella's past and why the Ouija board was so important to her. I could go on and on and on and on but I am forcing myself to stop so I don't ruin the entire story for you.

If you have read any of Cosmo's other stories, you know that her writing is terrific. There is always an eloquence and beauty to her words, they captivate you and make you invested in the story and the characters. Cosmo creates characters you would want to be friends with, characters you can relate to and characters that get you all hot and bothered. All of these things happen in WSid so do yourself a favor and go check it out!



Edroar the Angry Lion by Tropical Sorbet-rec'd by Jackie Pap
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6037621/1/
Edroar the Angry Lion frightens all the girls and boys at Cullen Publishing with his loud roar. Will his new massage therapist Bella Swan run away like all the rest, or can she tame this savage beast? AH/AU OOC  Twilight - Rated: M 
  
Reviewed by: Monica Nopi

Since the moment I read the title, I already had a smile in my face.   After  reading the summary I was very intrigued, it sounded like a children’s story.. which of course, couldn’t be, so I decided to dive in, and am I glad I did!

I was headed to my first day on the job, as Edward Cullen's personal massage therapist. Apparently, that was something I was going to need lots of luck with.
I heard the countless stories about Mr. Cullen, though most of his employees called him Edroar the Angry Lion, behind his back of course.
That was the name of a children's book a group of authors at Cullen Publishing anonymously wrote about him...with a poison pen.
It was the story of an angry lion, named Edroar, who used his mighty roar to frighten everyone away, leaving him sad and alone in the jungle. The underground story was a favorite amongst his employees.
According to Angela, the book was practically biographical, since Mr. Cullen would literally roar at his staff when angered, causing all the girls and boys at Cullen Publishing to scamper off shivering in fear.

I have a weakness for strong, feisty Bellas.   Since the beginning of the story, sparks start to fly, when it appears that Bella is the only one who stands up against this angry and troubled Edward.   For some reason, we are yet to find out, he has isolated himself from everyone, family and friends alike.   Somehow he feels drawn to Bella, who does not shake in her boots every time he *roars*, a series of funny situations arise, that keeps you laughing and feeling the UST increase chapter by chapter.

I excused myself so he could get undressed. After a few minutes I opened the door. It was pointless for me to knock and ask if he was ready, like I usually would, since the room was soundproof. So I gave him a few extra minutes before returning.
My footsteps on the wood floor seemed obnoxiously loud. I tried my best to quietly make my way over to the center of the room. I made a mental note to never wear the noisy shoes I had on again.
I took bigger steps to get there quicker. I felt like I was stepping over invisible puddles. It looked like I was trying to sneak up on him. Thankfully he couldn't see me. He was laying on the table, stretched out on his stomach, a crisp white sheet covering his lower half. His arms were hanging over the top of the table. His head lay on a face cradle instead of a portal. I assumed it was due to his height, he was quite tall.
The room was covered in silence, though this time it was expected. It was welcomed.
His eyes were peaceably closed, which instantly made him look less threatening, his lips weren't pursed and ready to attack. They looked much fuller when relaxed. I took a few moments to observe him. I was slightly stunned by how such subtle changes could alter his appearance so drastically. Not that he looked warm and fuzzy. He didn't. He just didn't look cold and angry. That alone was a pretty miraculous sight to behold.
Almost as if he heard my thoughts his eyelids flew open, two cold green stones were now glaring up at me.
"Miss Swan, I'm not paying you to stand there gawking at me."                 
And just like that, the fat cat was back. He held my gaze for several seconds until I looked away. I calmed myself before looking back to him.
"You know Mr. Cullen, I didn't want to do this, but I promised myself I would tell you the next time I felt you were rude to me."
I made sure to say this respectfully. I decided to kill him with kindness as my initial approach. It seemed to annoy the hell out of him. So it was working. I folded my arms and tried to remove the scowl from my face. The man was going to cause me premature wrinkles if I wasn't careful.
"Really." He pushed his body up to rest on his forearms. The sheet pushed down a bit and I saw just how bare he was beneath it.
"Yes, really," I said abruptly, cutting off whatever snide remark he was about to spit out at me. I moved in real close and whispered in his ear, "I'm not afraid of you."
His eyes widened as I pulled my lips away. He scanned me from head to toe, lingering on my face a few moments.
"Ah…and yet your breath is labored…I can hear it." He annunciated each word carefully. His voice was silky smooth, "Your face is flushed…I can see it." I watched as his lips rolled up into a smirk.
Now my eyes widened.
I don't flush. 
What the hell was he talking about? I darted over to the cabinet to look in the mirror that hung above it.
Shit! I was flushed.
I could feel his smug grin pounding on my back; god he was such an arrogant bastard. Slowly I turned and walked over to him, loving the sound my obnoxious shoes were making. I even added a little strut to my step just to project outer confidence.
"Don't flatter yourself." I lowered my head slightly, quickly catching my hair and placing it behind my ears. "I'm flushed from an incident I had in the elevator with Emmett earlier." I didn't elaborate, I certainly wasn't about to tell him what a freak I was.
Immediately the smirk left his face and was replaced with an irritated glare.
"It's against company policy to engage in sexual activity." His tone shifted from smooth to menacing in an instant.
I then realized he consisted of only two moods, arrogant and angry. He seemed to alternate between the two quite rapidly.
"Wow… no sexual activity…ever?" I scoffed. "That's a pretty harsh policy Mr. Cullen; you must have a lot of horny workers here."


Needless to say, every massage session brings us great banter, something funny and unexpected always happens, and the UST keeps growing and growing.  The usual suspects are her co-workers, and Jasper is her best friend, who later in the story helps us bring out the jealous Edroar to life!

Bella ends up going on a business trip with Edroar to New York, which brings us new situations in  which we get to see Edroar  lowering his defenses to Bella, and Bella herself to realize she cares for this arrogant, hot and sexy tyrant, making it her purpose to become, at least.. his friend.
I really hope you will give this story a chance, I’ve enjoyed each and every chapter, and I’m always looking forward to the next update!

Love,                                      
Mónica

Thursday, February 16, 2012

TLS Fics of the Week 2/16 - 2/22/2012

Sorry that this post is SO late. I formatted this post on the 16th but apparently blogger hates me (shocker) and decided to save it as a draft instead. I had no idea until last night that it never posted. Forgive me?

on with the show...

Each week you tell us which fics are moving you the most. This week we give to you the five fics that made you squirm in your seat, squeal with excitement and yell the f word out loud. Please take a minute to check out the fab five TLS Fics of the Week:



Bad Blood by LadyExcalibur2010
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6629039/1/Bad_Blood
Edward Cullen was a man who liked order. He arranged his life into neat little segments, exercising rigid control in all areas of his existence. Then one day, all of it was brought tumbling down by one simple question. Twilight - Rated: M

Reviewed by: Mss L Masen

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I decided to read this story. I had no idea what to expect. What I found was a beautifully written story that was so different from anything else I’ve read. It’s hard for me to put into words, but, I’ll try.

We open to something like a third party report on one, Edward Cullen. This tone sets up the rest of the story perfectly. Because Edward is so regimented, it’s almost like the story itself is also regimented. Structured. Contained.

This is a story of redemption. You want to see him let go. You want to see him happy. After everything that he’s forced upon himself, you just want him to feel joy. I can say that I’ve never felt so…concerned. So…desperate for an Edward. What Edward has gone through is enough to break anybody. He’s managed to find a way survive the nightmare of his experience. But an unexpected visit from an unassuming brunette throws his world into a mess.

You watch as he tries and fails to shake off the brunette,

Control, Edward, he reminded himself. In all things, control. You are not subject to whims of excess in anything. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It didn't matter. He would say nothing. Confirm nothing. He would ignore her. She would go away eventually. She had to.

But she’s just so determined to talk to him.

You see the relationship evolve. You see them fall in love. And it’s the most beautiful thing to see. Especially to this Edward. He deserves this so much.

What makes this story even better, is that it’s not stretched out and full of filler. It’s what it is and is exactly as it should be. I hope you give this a go, because you’ll be happy you did. I was so very pleasantly surprised, and I hope you are too.



Fan Fiction, Sex Gods and Single Girls by bannerday
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7103047/1/Fan_Fiction_Sex_Gods_and_Single_Girls
After a series of awkward events, fan fic writer Bella finds new story inspiration in her hot-headed sexy neighbor, never dreaming just who might be reading her fic. Art imitates life imitates art. A fic within a fic. AH/Canon/Hilarity/UST/Love/Lemons Twilight - Rated: M

Reviewed by: Frankielynn Delilah Rg

For those that know me, know I'll give anything a try once. And FanFic wise, even though my heart always belongs to Jasper, I'll give Edward a try every so often, esp. a cocky, asshole Edward.

So when I first gave this fic a skim one thing caught my eye, a hat. Yes, I said a hat, an 'asshole' hat. This hat it pretty much it's own character as well, and I love it, kind of wanting to buy my husband one... but I digress.

The story is set around Bella, a teacher- fan fiction writer, who is moving out of her Dad's house and into her own. That right there is enough to suck any one in, the author (the real one) includes both Bella's real life and fiction life in each chapter, writing it in a way I'm sure most of us will read nodding our heads, feeling every bit like Bella. I know I did. And we've all gotten that review, you know the ones, the one that can either make you cry or scream.... just me? No?

Ok, onward. A new neighbor, a loud back firing truck, and a bitten... friend, brings Edward out to not so nicely greet said new neighbor, only to discover she’s not a he, and she’s not going to back down.

I like the fact this author gave Bella a voice, but still kept her as Bella.

Her eyes had been drawn further downward, taking in that lovely, perfect trail of hair and she was just able to make out the uppermost line of the thatch that was below. Oh. My. Freaking. God! So, yes, his hair…on his head…must be his natural color by all indications of the shade of his…


Bella abruptly noticed he was only wearing black…possibly silk…pajama pants, tied at the waist…no, no; much lower, at the hips…and they might just fall off…no they won't because he's…


Holy shit! He's hard! Ohmygod he's hard! And he's so…protuberant!


KER-POW!


Oh. My. Freakin'. Gah! How did I not notice that he's erect? And he's talking to me out here in broad daylight with that…thing…just…right there!


The pants he almost wasn't wearing left very little to the imagination and her imagination wasn't imagining "very little" at the moment. She thought her blush just might kill her. She could feel the flash of heat and wondered if her brains could be fried and scrambled as a result of extreme embarrassment and the resulting scorching blush. She struggled to collect her wits and cleared her throat in an attempt to sound as normal as possible, despite the situation. She still had to yell, however, to be heard over the sound of her truck, which was still running for some ridiculous reason.


"What do you mean, 'How the hell were you supposed to know I was a girl'? What the hell is your problem?" Bella shouted right back at him, speaking, more or less, to his erection.
She realized the impropriety of having a conversation with his penis and so she forced her beet red face to look back up at his exquisite, enraged and vaguely baffled, eyes.
But just then a movement in the upstairs window across the way caught Bella's eye once again. A woman with a flowing mass of red hair stood at the window, holding back the curtain. She appeared to have a sheet wrapped around her and was glaring at Bella as the jerk continued yelling at her. He was asking her questions and she was barely able to focus on them due to the erection that stood between them and the obviously waiting redhead in the window across the way.


"What's my problem?" he sputtered. "What's MY problem? Your truck is the problem! Shut it the hell off!"


"You think I don't know that my truck has problems? You think I like driving it like this?"


KA-BLAM!


"Why the hell would you keep driving it with it making all that racket? There's obviously something wrong with it! That isn't safe! What the hell were you thinking?"

Bella couldn't do it. If they were going to continue their shouting match she just couldn't do it while he stood there with that big…thing…in his pants waving around and demanding her attention. In one swift move, Bella reached up and removed the hat from her head, releasing her wild mane of hair and hanging the hat…directly on his …hard-a-ma-jigger…because it was just too damn distracting to try to talk to him with that thing waving in her face.


The jerk was stunned into silence as he stood there, looking down at the baseball cap that was now hanging from his attention-grabbing, masculine appendage. He looked back up at her face, his mouth agape and his eyes wide with shock.


"I can't believe you just hung your hat on my…"


KER-POW!


THAT! That right there set images in mind that had me laughing so hard I woke up my house. Note to self: Don't read this fic at 2am. Oh well, my family already knows I'm a bit... off.

But enough about me, this fic still needs more gushing. So after things between Edward and Bella get set on the wrong foot, you guessed it, a new fanfic is born. And how does it turn out? Well, go find out for yourself. I think it'll be worth it.

And make sure you don't have any liquids around either; you'll thank me later.

Frankie



Foul Territory by Rinabina
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6357447/1/
After being dragged to a baseball game by her best friend, Bella Swan meets handsome first baseman, Edward Cullen with the help of a rogue foul ball. There's something about him that she can't put out of her head, and apparently neither can he. E/B AU AH Twilight - Rated: M

Reviewed by: Angie Forlove

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a sucker for romance; I live for reading romantic stories.

Stories where you can make the sentiment of the story yours, where you can love with the same intensity, where you can get angry with the same passion, and where you can feel the hurt and sadness of the characters in your heart.

There is nothing better than a romantic story with reality in it, sometimes the “fan fiction” world gets too involved in the story and the story becomes more fiction than reality, which is NOT the case with Foul Territory by Rinabina.

Rinabina portrays a beautiful, realistic love story with romance, hurt, comfort and forgiveness.

Bella Swan is a regular girl who finds herself at a baseball game, a sport she is not fan of, but being the good friend that she is, she can’t let her roommate, Angela, go alone.
Edward Cullen, major league baseball player and the star of his team, thinks this is a day like any other day, a game like any other game.  Little do they know that an autograph and a foul ball will make their paths cross and nothing will ever be the same.

“His eyes met mine and I took in a deep breath. They were green.  Emerald green. Bright, sparkling, happy green eyes. The setting sun was hitting his face, the light half obscured by the brim of his cap. The shadow played over the bridge of his nose and cheek. I felt like we were standing there forever, staring. The air around us was crackling and I didn't know what to do.

But everything is not so happy for our couple.  There are people against them.  Bella can’t seem to understand Edward’s best friend Rosalie’s resentment towards her.

I feel like I have done something to offend you and I would like to set it right if I can.”
She laughs and rolls her eyes slightly.
What the hell?
“It’s nothing you can control” she said turning back to the mirror.
“I don’t understand”
Rosalie let out an exasperated sigh.
“Listen, Edward can do whatever he wants with you but I don’t want any part of it.”
Her statement struck me and I froze.

Both of our characters have to deal with and confront their insecurities and a secret that is just waiting to be revealed.

“I can't believe you let him get away with it so easily," Rose said her laughter still evident in her voice.
I blinked. "What?"
"If Emmett had anything like that still hanging over his head I never would have stayed with him."
What was she talking about?
"Stop trying to mess with my head, Rosalie," I snapped. "What are you being cryptic about?"
Rose paused for a second and looked me over, then her eyes widened as if she just realized something. "Holy shit," she breathed, shaking her head. "He hasn't told you."
Oh God.

Edward Cullen has to realize that, by omitting the truth, he will not only hurt himself but hurt the woman that has become the center of his world.

"Bella, don't do this again. We need to talk about this."
"Fine. Let's talk about it. Let's talk about how you've been lying the whole time we've been together. Let's talk about how I'm supposed to rationalize my feelings right now when all I want to do is cry. For days."
Edward stared back at me, eyes wide.
"I don't want to talk right now Edward. You hurt me. You've ruined…everything. I can't believe you lied. Again."

Do you believe in destiny?  In fate?  This story will make you believe in it. It will make you believe in the power of love and forgiveness.
Give it a try, you will not regret it. And don't forget to leave Rinabina some love.



His Cimmerian View by WeeKittyAndTat
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7734130/1/
At 13 Bella is left to care for her siblings. 5yrs later she still struggles to provide for them. Edward is a professor at UW, who thinks all women are users and liars. When paths cross, what happens when Bella is just another female who lied. AH/OOC/18  Twilight - Rated: M

Reviewed by: Krystel Hamilton
myonlyheroin (myheroin1 on twitter)

We all face hardships in our lives, some more than others. Some people overcome them, and some get dragged down by them. Whether it is by their demons, or the circumstances that surround them. This story has two characters each facing hardship or demons of their own.  For Bella, she lives her hardship every day, working three jobs and pretty much walking through life invisible to those around her. Most think because she is quiet and shy that she has no true intellect, or that she is from another country and not able to speak English. She simply does what she has to do to survive. They meet at the University Washington where Edward is a professor, and Bella is a Janitor. Edward has issues with trust, letting people in and the occasional panic attack. The panic attack is what makes him see Bella, he notices her as she walks through her life, always keeping her at a distance to only push her further away. This Edward thrives on control.

‘However, I am a man and have needs, so I now pay for those needs to be met. So off I go to Il Mio Amore. It's a high-end club that meets the needs of people in certain lifestyles in Seattle. The club is owned by Aro Volturi, and every month I pay him eight thousand dollars. That payment allows me the pleasure of having three hours, twice a week with one of the girls of my choice. Yes, it is prostitution; however, I have no worries of unwanted attachments.’

With that in mind his tight control starts to slip. Bella throws his world into a tailspin. He wants to know everything about her, while still keeping her at a safe distance, never letting her in. She saves him in ways he can’t save himself and that alone frightens him beyond anything.  He wants to forget the girl that has brought chaos into his world but he can’t pull himself away. He follows her- watching, waiting for anything he can get on the girl. He learns almost everything about her by simply watching.

‘ I watch them laugh as they cross the park; Isabella is still in the maid uniform she was wearing this morning. "When you see them, they look so happy and carefree. You would never guess the hurt that each of them have gone through, more so for Isabella than the other two. She is very much like you, with a wall built up inside, but it's not just to protect her, it's for them too. The only difference is that you have people there for you if you just ask for help or talk with them. She however, has no one to turn to, and she's too afraid to let anyone in. I have known them, oh, must be four years now and I am still on the outside. It still surprises me that she lets me watch the two young ones when she's at work."’

The authors of this story make you want to know more about the characters why they are the way they are. They make you feel for the characters and the situations they find themselves in. Have you ever found yourself reading a story where you get so involved with the characters that you go pretty much on whatever emotional roller coaster ride they are on, with them? Does an author ever get you to the point where you want to seriously do harm to a character? This is one of those stories that gets me that way, especially this Edward.

‘This whole fucking 'lost girl' act is pissing me off, and I notice that her foot is still touching my briefcase. "Do not touch my things, this past week your work has been below standard. Nothing has been cleaned right and you went through my things. I will be speaking with Marcus regarding your ability to do this piss-easy job. Oh and now you've tried to blackmail me. Get the fuck out of my classroom; I don't want to see you in here again." Isabella slowly places the book back down, and nods her head at me. I watch as she reaches into her pocket taking out a watch, and places it on the desk next to me as she walks out.

I look down at the watch and turn it over seeing the inscription on the inside. I know that it's mine; I didn't even realize that I had lost it. I sigh, rubbing by hand over my face. I know I had it on before I left with Gina. Fuck no! She held her hand out both times saying she had found something. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I feel my heart race, as I look back on the last few weeks, and everything that I have said and done to her. I break into a cold sweat, and start for the door to stop her. Feeling a sharp pain in my chest, I make my way toward my desk to get my medication. I have still needed it and right now I fucking need it. I just can't get this shit under control. As the pain increases, I bump into the table and fall against the wall. I slide down trying to calm myself. My breathing speeds up, and my head begins to spin. I know there is no fucking way I am going to make it to my desk. I see no way out of this, as I sit praying that it will be over soon.’

I honestly can’t wait for the next update. I highly encourage you to give this fic a read. I promise that if you like an olderward or a jerkward, you will not be disappointed. This story is a work in progress with five chapters already up. The authors update in a timely manner as well. I know that when you get to the point of the last chapter you will want to smack Edward around just as much as I wanted to, if not more! So, please go and read and give these authors love. They deserve it!



We Were Here by Lola-pops
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6562901/1/We_Were_Here#
Upon waking, there's a brief, blissful period in which you don't yet recall the sins of the night before, but eventually, you have to open your eyes. I'm Bella Swan, seventeen years old, cheerleader. This morning I woke up in the wrong bed. Twilight - Rated: M

Reviewed by: Jo Kline

When I was asked to do a review for “We Were Here” I was so nervous. I’ve never written one before, but what a story to pop my cherry with! This story drew me in from the first chapter, as most are meant to do. However, Lola-pops truly makes you want to stay up all night to find out what happens next!

The first chapter is blow-you-away crazy! We begin with Bella in Edward’s bed after sex, but then things get complicated. Bella has a boyfriend, Jasper! Ooooh, Cheaterella! Don’t worry, girl, I’d do the same damn thing!

Before we get into the meat of the story, I want to say I adore Rose in this Fic!
In some ways, she is canon Rose. She’s demanding...

"Mix me something without Malibu, Bacardi Limon or Schnapps," she demands, glancing at him once, before turning to change the music and mumbling something about "jock rock bullshit". She’s entirely sure of her body, “By the time Rose struts up it's almost midnight. Her outfit is minimal, her bag bouncing against her hip.”

But she is so different as well. She has a pharmacy in the bag that is always at her hip and isn’t afraid to use and dish out the contents.

Lola-pops’s Bella, describes her better… The major differences between us lie in how we were raised. Her father is a psychiatrist, and her mother lives on white wine and delusion. Rose has been fighting against being too self-aware her entire life.

Her level of sobriety varies hourly, and I start to notice that she errs on the side of fucked up most of the time now. She steals pills from her mom and booze from her dad - and she steals money from both of them to buy whatever else she's on.

But she's a good friend to me, and in the end, she's one of the only people that I really trust.

Bella comes clean with Jasper and, of course, he turns to Alice, who was always waiting in the wings. The fallout is bad for our Bella. Jasper is cruel and Edward won’t talk to her. She’s sad, but not enough to blow off a chance encounter with Edward, even if it doesn’t go according to plan!

"I was parked in front of the record store, and there was a group of guys standing out front when I got done. I saw Edward with them and said 'hi', but he just did that thing where he nods, you know? So, of course when I walked by, I tripped and dropped my books." Rose throws her head back and laughs.

"Anyway," I continue, "some big burly guy helped me, but Edward watched me trip and just…like, didn't laugh, but sorta smiled, like he thought it was funny. So I called him an asshole under my breath when I was getting in the car."

She raises her eyebrows, but stays silent.

"Okay, maybe I didn't exactly say it under my breath," I clarify. She smiles. "But then…"

"Bitch."                                            

He's looking at the ground when I look up, but I know it was him. I throw my books in the back seat and slam the door. 

"What did you say?" 

He shifts uncomfortably and won't meet my eyes. I stomp around the car and right up to him. 

"Damn, E, who is this chick?" One of the guys asks. I don't look to see who it is, though, because my eyes are trained on him. 

"No one," he says, and turns his head to nod toward the shop. They file through the door talking in low voices, leaving us standing in the dark spot between street lights. He leans back against the brick wall and finally makes eye contact. I realize that I haven't really looked at Edward Cullen in a long time. I lose my breath for a second at the intensity of his expression, the symmetry of his face...and something else that I can't put my finger on. There's anger, which I expect given the fact that I just called him an asshole, but also lust, which is so out of touch with his words that it doesn't make sense. 
His words echo through my head. No one.

"Fuck you," I whisper, but there's no fire behind the words. Maybe that's because I know he's right. 

He moves that slow gaze to my lips and then...and then I'm not really sure I can explain what happens next. I take another step forward and he drags his teeth across his bottom lip, and then I'm fisting his shirt and that bottom lip is between mine. 

Bella describes to Rose exactly how it feels to kiss Edward.
"I never kissed Jasper and felt like that. He never looked at me like that…during…like it hurt to be that close, but he wanted to be closer. Like it was so good it made him want to cry." I think about that for a beat. "With Jasper it never made me want to cry."

Yes, it’s a high school fic and a fabulous one at that, but it’s so much more. Lola takes us on a journey to places that make you feel every emotion you could possibly think of! I felt giddy, sad, happy, joyful, dejected, and blissful.

So, we start out in a basic high school setting… cheerleading, lunch table hierarchy, lockers, and boyfriends, and then we transcend into a world of paint, tagging, and true beauty!

“The rows of train cars are covered in words, sprayed in paint and written thick in marker. Some of them are easily legible, but I almost prefer those that I have to stare at for a minute. I focus on one large, bright piece that almost leaps off of the wall behind it. I make out an "A"…or maybe it's a "G"…

We walk slowly, taking in the tangle of curves and bright colors. "Most of the really old-school stuff is gone now, but there are a few," she points out some letters that are blockier than the rest, the paint faded and peeling.

"The thing is, people think it's all gang shit, but it really isn't always. Some are political, some social commentary, but my personal favorite is…" She leads me around the corner of one of the cars. "…the declaration of love."

I take in the train car in front of me. It's all done in black and white, with deep purple accents. The background is a night sky with stars dotting it, and the word in the center is dramatically framed and heavily shadowed.”

In turns out that long before Bella woke up in Edward’s bed, he had been watching her and wanting her from afar. The only way he could express his feelings were through tagging. Edward tagged a train six years ago for Bella, and she realizes this was his declaration of love.

Bella and Edward begin a relationship that is sweet and full of mishaps. They misunderstand each other at the beginning. She wants him to recognize her at school; he leads her into dark hallways and empty rooms, and ignores her everywhere else. She wants sex all the time, and he wants her to know it’s not all about that for him. Finally Bella gets it together and confronts him… the result, he starts driving her to school and kissing her in the hallway. Adorable!

Along the way, we discover that due to Edward’s tagging, he’s been arrested in the past. We also discover he lives with his Aunt Esme, who doesn’t allow him to do it any longer. Unfortunately, Bella find out that he’s doing it again. For Edward, tagging is his freedom. It makes him feel alive. He doesn’t discuss his tagging with Bella and sneaks around behind her back.

Her hands drop to her sides and she turns to face me. "You make me want to scream. I've never met someone that confuses me as much as you do. I feel like I'm walking on a razor's edge all the time, waiting for the fallout." She laughs. "And that was before I knew you were writing again." She runs a hand through her hair, avoiding my eyes. When she fixes her gaze on me again, though, she's not laughing. "But I love you, so it doesn't matter. And I'm not going to San Diego; I'm staying here, so you'd better really love me back."

If I wasn't me, I would cry.

And life goes on, but things get bumpy and Lola makes you feel a little nervous, especially during this conversation between Esme and Bella.

"Morning," I answer, too cheerfully, my nervousness apparent. I watch her walk to the kitchen before I remember what I'm doing. I find my phone under the couch and stand up, sliding it in my pocket. She gets something out of the fridge and then leans against it, staring at the rules that still hang there, unheeded.

I move toward the door. "Okay I'll see you later, Es." My hand is on the knob when she speaks, and I freeze.

"It won't last, you know."

I don't answer, but I hear her turn so I do, too.

"He'll get caught."

"Don't say that," I whisper, my throat tight.

"How can you just..." her words fade off and she shifts her gaze to the windows. "Just
understand, I've been through this before." The look on her face makes my stomach hurt. It's knowing and resigned and carries a sadness that I don't know I can fully comprehend.

"I love him." It's all I've got, and the reality of that hits my skin like ice.

That's not an answer.

"Then stop him." Her teary eyes focus on mine and make me take a step back, and then another, and then make me turn and walk out the door.

I know it’s cruel, however I need to end this here, because you need to read this fic to understand how everything falls apart, and the emotions along the journey to put the pieces back together. It’s unbelievably worth it. I can’t say enough about the story line, the characters, and the immense love between the main characters. It’s a WIP, but close to finished and hopefully updating soon, because I, for one, am in serious Tagward withdrawal. Give “We Were Here” a read and lose yourself in the love, artistry, and the lesson that sometimes doing the right thing really does give you everything you’ve ever asked for. Lola-pops definitely created a masterpiece.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Meet teh Poll: What we read in TLS this week-



Each week we share with you what we are reading and enjoying. The following made the top of our lists last week. Please help us determine which 5 of these will be featured as fics of the week, next week, by choosing FIVE from the poll on the right.


A Soft Place to Land by Btwnthestacks-rec'd by Jaime Arkin

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7775714/1/A_Soft_Place_to_Land
Single father Edward Cullen and his daughter are looking for a soft place to land. In an attempt to help her, he turns to a program at the local library. While two furry friends help his child find her confidence, their owner will mend his broken heart. Twilight - Rated: M

And Yet They Shine by Chicklette-rec'd by Edmazing
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5661369/1/And_Yet_They_Shine
Isabella Swan is an ordinary girl, caught up in an extraordinary world. What if the Cullens weren't vampires? What if they were gods instead? Twilight - Rated: M

Boycotting Valentines Day by Jennlynnfs-rec'd by Nic/Edmazing
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5681116/1/Boycotting_bValentines_b_Day
Valentine's Day approaches, but Bella chooses to hang out with her best friend Alice. They decide to boycott Valentine's Day. Non-Valentine's Day activites are planned, including no boys. But, Alice's brothers, Edward and Emmett, don't count, right? Twilight - Rated: M

Candy Hearts & Red Roses by Aylah50-rec'd by Twilover Seven-Six
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6743846/1/Candy_Hearts_and_Red_Roses
Editorial Assistant Bella Swan has been pining after her boss, Edward Cullen, for years. Will she have a chance with destiny on Valentine's Day? Or will her hopes all come crashing down?
Twilight - Rated: M

Clockwork by Derdriu oFaolain-rec'd by Crooked Smile
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5996248
Bella is a scientist in 1942. In 2010, Edward suffers from a traumatic past. A chance event allows their paths to cross, but decisions they have not yet made threaten to tear them apart. AH
Twilight - Rated: M

Crash by BelleDean-rec'd by Cejsmom
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6722713/1/Crash
A financial collapse, a hurdle, a breakdown and a collision – though not necessarily in that order. E & B Twilight - Rated: M

Dear Maggie by Jenny0719-rec'd by Btterfly Kiss
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7179931/1/Dear_Maggie
A heart leads Bella back home to Forks... and to the brother of the woman who donated it. M for Lemons/OOC/Language  Twilight - Rated: M

Edroar the Angry Lion by Tropical Sorbet-rec'd by Jackie Pap
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6037621/1/
Edroar the Angry Lion frightens all the girls and boys at Cullen Publishing with his loud roar. Will his new massage therapist Bella Swan run away like all the rest, or can she tame this savage beast? AH/AU OOC  Twilight - Rated: M 

Endings & Beginnings by JadedLadies-rec'd by Dragnfli Threethreesix
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6636957/1/Endings_Beginnings
Some people say the third time's the charm. Can Edward and Bella find their way back to each other or does fate have other plans? AH **COMPLETE**  Twilight - Rated: M

Human Experiences by Jstarrh-rec'd by Booksgalore Bookishqua
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4923716/1/Human_Experiences
Edward never left, he stayed by Bella's side but refused to change her, wanting her to have the human experiences she deserves. As Bella approaches her 30th birthday she gets her news that makes her question the direction her life has taken. SM owns characters. Twilight - Rated: T

I Love You by Dooba-rec'd by Mina Rivera
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7265399/1/I_love_you
Unrequited love should never be left unspoken. My entry for the Twilight No Stress Love Fest. AH AU Twilight - Rated: M

Just Like You by Irenella Courmett-rec'd by PAWsPeaches
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5117930/1/Just_Like_You
Emmett is a carefree, fun guy with a trust fund. Bella is a young college student with a bright future. A one night stand has consequences they don't expect or are prepared for. AH. Rated M.
Twilight - Rated: M

Love In Idleness by Plummy-rec'd by VampsHaveLaws
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7455921/1/Love_In_Idleness
"...for aught that I could ever read/Could ever hear by tale or history/The course of true love never did run smooth." A little Edward. A little Bella. A few fairies, and a robot. Into the woods we go. Twilight meets A Midsummer Night's Dream.Twilight - Rated: M


Made In the Shades by SexyLexiCullen-rec'd by Rose Arcadia
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7437310/1/Made_in_the_Shades
*1955* Edward, a typical American youth of the fabulous fifties being ruled by his hormones, is the new kid in town. Romance/comedy/slight drama - a coming of age story with eventual E/B. AH. OOC. Rated M. EPOV  Twilight - Rated: M

My Sweet Variable by LifeInTheSnow-rec'd by VampsHaveLaws
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7762489/1/My_Sweet_Variable
He white-knuckles his pen, dragging a line of ink across the page. I can guess which passage he's marking: "All things truly wicked start from an innocence." Hemingway wouldn't have known about us. No one does. Teenage E/B, AH, quasi-dystopian. Twilight - Rated: M

Nineteen Canvasses by Cars1-rec'd by Twific Crackmum
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5777942/1/Nineteen_Canvasses
Bella thinks she finally has it all together after a life altering accident, but when she meets Edward, a once successful artist who has lost his inspiration, everything she thought she knew changes. All Human. Rated M for a very good reason. Twilight - Rated: M

Red Kryptonite by Saritadreaming-rec'd by Dragnfli Threethreesix
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7486753/1/Red_Kryptonite
Edward Masen: Bounty hunter. Isabella Swan-Hunter: Bail jumper. He's hired to bring her back for trial, but he's not prepared for what happens once he gets a taste of her. Death, lies, betrayal, toxicity, hope, desire. Who will survive? AU/Lemons  Twilight - Rated: M

She Will Be Loved by Knicnort3-rec'd by Sue Cox Cullen
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7280202/1/She_Will_Be_Loved
Bella always loved Edward since she was a little girl; the only problem was that he was her half sister's boyfriend. Events in her teen years send Bella down a spiral of depression and self destruction until adulthood. Sum inside! AH  Twilight - Rated: M

Snapdragon by Prettykittyartist-rec'd by Nic/Rose Arcadia
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7584562/1/Snapdragon
Once upon a time, a girl fell in love with a boy. He gave her a ring and promised her forever. No one told her there'd be an expiration date on her glass slippers. What's a girl to do when she stands to lose everything? She fights. Hard. EXB AH AU Twilight - Rated: M

Taste of Innocence by Nolebucgrl-rec'd by Kitty Vuitton
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5412456/1/Taste_of_Innocence
Edward Cullen longs to taste the blood of an innocent. He meets Bella Swan. Will desire for her override desire for her blood, or will he take both? Rated M for language, lemons, some violence. Twilight - Rated: M

What Speaks In Darkness by Cosmogirl7481-rec'd by PAWsPeaches
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6252131/1/
"It should have scared me, but it didn't. I shouldn't have wanted it, but I did." Dark and empty. Lonely and unfulfilled. Can two broken souls find connection in spite of their differences? E/B OOC Rated M because there will be sex and it will be hot. Twilight - Rated: M

With or Without You by xXKiwiCullenXx-rec'd by Kellansfunk McCharliesangel
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6670708/1/With_Or_Without_You
Edward is a sexy Bar Tender with a secret that makes him run at the first sign of trouble. Bella has a sarcastically smart mouth that both infuriates and intrigues him. *2011 Summertime Avant Garde Award Winner for Best Realistic Lemon!* Twilight - Rated: M
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