Tips of Brushes, Blades of Arrows (Katniss/Peeta)

Hey y'all. The wonderful KaKaVegeGurl asked me to review her Katniss/Peeta fic "Tips of Brushes, Blades of Arrows", so here's my review and recommendation of it!

Summary: Peeta's POV, follow this choose your own adventure story of love, loss, and determination. Be in Peeta's mind through the games.

Tips of Brushes, Blades of Arrow's first chapter is a series of snapshots into Peeta's life - many of which we learn about in the books. I think it's a great, rapid-fire way to start off this different look into the Games. Basically, the plot is one that a number have authors are attempting at the moment: a Peeta's POV of his Hunger Games kinda thing. But KaKaVegeGurl sets her plot apart, I think, because she doesn't just twist the POV on all of the first novel's iconic scenes. This author goes in darker and deeper, which I really enjoyed reading. But more importantly - she goes AU and changes what happens. It's kind of like picking your own adventure - you pick to read Option A for the canonesque POV, or Option B for, quote, an "epic twist"!

I think what I like most about Tips of Brushes..., discounting the cool plot, is Peeta's characterisation. The characterisation is quite close to canon. I enjoyed the realistic tidbits that add to the realism of Peeta being a teenage male, and not some kid who waxes poetical over Katniss!The author's use of simple, compounded sentences perfectly conveys Peeta's quiet, sure characterisation, even if the story ends up being mostly focused on plot rather than character building. It makes the tone of the piece quite evocative in its beautiful descriptions.

Here's a great excerpt from Option B chapter 11, "Wrong", which showcases this author's writing style and portrayal of Peeta excellently.

Katniss turns to a bush that's nestled between two large trees nearby and picks up some of the berries from it's leafs. With them in her palm, she walks back and looks at me.

"What's that?" I ask her, concern dawning on me, my heart is speeding up in anticipation.

"Nightlock," she says softly in awe, looking down at them, because they just look like blueberries to me. "It's... Well, it's poisonous."

I run to her immediately, try to grab her fists and stop her, but she holds a hand out to me before I get them from her. I misunderstood her intentions.

"Together?" I ask and she nods. So I take the berries from her, holding them gently like a beggar would gold, "I love you, Katniss," I say, touching her cheek with my free hand.

She smiles sadly at me, her beautiful gray eyes melt into mine, and then she says: "I love you too, Peeta."

I stare at her for a long minute and I know she's not lying. She means it.

We count out loud together before raising the berries to our lips, my heart is beating so hard that I think it'll burst out from me, break every bone on the way out. I feel like it's trying to get out as many beats as it can, before it reaches its last.

Life flashes before my eyes.

The bread I gave her is burnt on the top and warm against my smaller fingers, I stare at her in the hallway between classes as my friends laugh obnoxiously about stupid sports or something closely related, I relieve my frustrations in the darkness of the night with the sometimes gentle (some times not) tugs under the sheets, my teeth biting together to stay as silent as possible.

I draw her lips with the cheap mechanical pencil I carry in my pocket every where I go.

I draw the bangs, the earlobes, the hands that are rougher then most girls, on the paper full of doodles, the simple paper meant mostly for print. Paper not meant for drawing or sketching. But the only paper I have.

I kiss her brow, she's a flame in the wind; blowing kisses to the crowd, she paints my face with pink. She tells me her fears on the roof, she seeks my comfort in the night, and I lay in bed with her.

I let her rub the medicine over my pecks, let her put her legs around me, let her press her breasts to my hard, sticky chest, let her kiss my lips. I kiss her's.

Could things have been different? If I'd told her before, would things end up this way still?

Of course they would've.

The berries are at my mouth, which is open, as I stare into Katniss's gray eyes.

All in all, Tips of Brushes, Blades of Arrows is a well-written story with a very intriguing premise. The relationship between Katniss and Peeta blooms wonderfully in both story lines, which is a credit to the author. (The "epic twist" storyline makes things a little more heated!) It's complete - a status which I know a lot of fanfiction readers look out for in a story. And the sequel, "Painted Words, Piercing Paragraphs" is possibly even more addictive than the original. (I'm an Option B girl - what one did you follow?!) And lastly, I must mention that the sequel has its OWN sequel too. This girl really knows how to keep a plot running, hehe!

So, if you want to get sucked into a series....KaKaVegeGurl's stories are for you. 

Happy reading!