Nightlock Prompt Challenge Winner: Eirenewrites

Congratulations to fanfiction author eirenewrites, who is the winner of our writing challenge! The staff at Nightlock (Little Miss Mionie, Owl, Titania and Cindella204) have written a review of this fic. To remind you, the prompt was:

"She heard the music, first. It was the music that made her realise she was truly home."

Eirenewrites wins this shiny new banner (along with some others): 

As well as our review! Without further ado....

Convince Me by eirenewrites

“You’ve subdued the districts, but nothing has changed. You are entertainment. Show up when they say show up. Sing when they say sing. Marry when they say marry.”

Convince Me is an interesting story that had us right from the get-go. It is essentially a rewrite of Catching Fire, with author eirenewrites teasing out or including scenes shippers wish they got to see in the original series. The story feels very canon, and all of us had no problem diving right in to read it. This idea has been done before, but eirenewrites' plot, along with her effective employment of dialogue, reenergises what could have been quite a generic fic.

Eirenewrites' writing style is clearly that of an accomplished writer who knows how to write well.  The author captured Katniss' narrator voice perfectly. The chemistry between Katniss, Peeta and Gale feels very canon. The fanfic as a whole reads very solidly, in that there is enough plot and fandom knowledge to support the main focus of the story, aka Katniss' romantic relationships. A lack of convincing, interesting and dynamic storyworlds are often what let novella fic writers down in this fandom - this is a problem Convince Me definitely does't have!

We all really like how Eirenewrites has included our prompt. It both inspires a scene in the third chapter, and seems to be inspiring further events as the story continues.

Convince Me is currently WIP, with 4 chapters. You can also find it on ff.net.

Happy reading,
The Nightlock Team

Starvation Forum's Holiday Contest: Our Reviews

The wonderful Lavender Flame, a past reccer here at Nightlock, mods the Starvation forum over at fanfiction.net. We decided to pair up with our ally to review the entries for the Starvation forum's Holiday Contest.

Now, I know what you're thinking.... Christmas in June, Little Miss Mionie?! It's not even in July!

Well, both Lavender Flame and I had a lot to juggle for the past couple of months, so it's only now I've been able to review the entries. To make up for the delay, I've made banners for each fic for the entrants to take home with them! :)

Well done to contest winner DarylDixon'sgirl1985 and other entrants emeralddusk and ct255 - here are your reviews.

Christmas Memories by DarylDixon'sgirl1985

During the Hunger Games Clove thinks of her happiest Christmas memory ever. 

Review: The winner of the contest is the winner for a reason - Christmas Memories is certainly the most uniquely paired holiday fic I've ever read! DarylDixon'sgirl1985 has a command of dialogue that really drives this fic. Short and sweet, it's a great two-part story.

Eternal Noel by emeralddusk

Celebrate Christmas in Panem with all your Hunger Games friends in a brighter world.

Review: I actually enjoyed this fic being in italics - this style made falling into a memory of Katniss' much easier. Katniss' father as a main character in this story makes for a whimsical, bittersweet fic.

The Language That Lives Between Words by ct522 (by our very own Titania! Yay!)

Inspired by Colin Firth storyline in "Love Actually." Peeta and Katniss don't speak the same language. They find other ways to communicate, slowly falling for one another as they spend more time with each other.

Review: Love Actually is my favourite Christmas movie, so of course I was going to like reading this story by ct522! The author has gone to great detail for the setting and mood. The characterisations are wicked and funny at the same time. A cheery, festive fic. 

Happy reading,

Little Miss Mionie

this you can keep (Katniss/Peeta)

Title: this you can keep
Author: Electrumqueen
Summary: Peeta gives Katniss his heart. usually this is the end of a love story; for them, it is the beginning.

Hey everyone! It's a small recommendation from me today!

Electrumqueen's dark fic this you can keep is not for the faint hearted - excuse the pun.
This wonderful author serves up another lyrically sound, violent and beautiful piece of prose surrounding a very interesting and quite violent plot idea: namely, that characters in the Hunger Games have detachable hearts. It's part of a dark fic/promptverse Electrumqueen has taken part in over on livejournal.

this you can keep is perfectly dark; here's a taste of what you're in for. "His heart fits into her hands neatly, too warm, too wet and it's all she can do not to scream."

This fic quick one-shot with words that echo in your mind for days afterwards. I'm recommending this both as a fan of electrumqueen's writing style and for this fic's quick and curious execution. One of my favourites for sure.

Happy reading,
Little Miss Mionie

Dark, In-the-Capitol Katniss fics

I'm sorry for all of us not being around much lately - myself, Cindella204 and Forthegenuine have been tied up with the business of real life. Remember, we're looking for new reviewers to join out team - email nightlockrecs@hotmail.com if you're interested!

We recently were emailed a lovely request by the fabulous Steffi:

Love your blog! So I've recently become obsessed with Capital Katniss fics. Darker fics that explore Katniss and Peeta's lives as victors living in the Capital. If that's too specific, I think I'm just on a dark Katniss trip lately lol. It sounds terrible to say- but I'm addicted to self-destructive Katniss! I cant help it! I am! So, any recommendations you may have would be awesome! Seriously, no such thing as a rec list that's too long ;) thanks for your blog!!!!

And here I am to deliver a few of the coolest Dark, in-the-Capitol!Katniss fics around - both one-shots and multi-chapter fics!

The Darkness Within by Usako3000
Summary: AU. As the newest victor, Katniss finds herself sold as the wife to the dark and possessive Cato, a Capitol citizen. Did he save her from a terrible fate or is her life about to get much worse? Through all the darkness can love and rebellion still bloom?
In A Word: Popular

His Deadly Game by Obsessive Muse
Summary: Katniss and Peeta survive the games with the aid of those little deadly berries but President Snow doesn't have to worry about any rebellions, he's only concerned with teaching Katniss that no one defies the capitol.
In A Word: Twisty

Through the Hole in the Wall by EvilPeaches
Summary: The Capitol owns all of the victors; even their bodies.
In A Word: Heedy

And once again just because it's so fantastic...

Dark Toast (part 1 of the Five Loaves of Bread series) by Aimmyarrowshigh
Summary: How Katniss and Peeta fell in love without the Reaping: in a Panem dictated by a violent Peace instead of twisted Games, Katniss and Peeta Mellark try to piece their lives together as they watch another girl catch fire.
In A Word: Frightening

Happy reading!
~ Little Miss Mionie

Our Fave Fics of All Time: Cindella204

Hey fellow tributes! Over the next few months we'll be bringing you segment called "Our Fave Fics of All Time, Hands Down", reviewing the fics that make our eyes glaze over in memory of such great writing or even squee in delight. If you'd like to recommend your favourite fic, drop a comment in these posts and we'll collate them too.

Today Cindella204 is reviewing her faves!

The Modern-Day AU: Bright Lights by IPunkPrincess

AU - Katniss Everdeen is a singer, working hard with her bestfriend to get signed to a record label. When she is on the road to fame, what will she leave behind? Will it be worth it?

For a very long time I thought that AU stories were...lesser fanfiction. Over time I've realized that that is definitely not the case. I started to beta-read a high school AU series by PurpleBoo on FF.N (Go read it, it's good). And then I discovered Bright Lights. And I decided that AU's could definitely be good. Her portrayal of the characters is absolutely perfect, and it's just fun all around. For a more detailed review, check out the rec I did when I crowned IPunkPrincess as the October 2012 Author of the Month.

The Backstory for Another Victor: Resistance by It's All In Your Mind

Have you ever wondered how Annie got the way she is? How she and Finnick fell in love? 

Resistance is probably the story that made me fall in love with fanfiction. This beautiful piece tells the tale of How Finnick and Annie Fell In Love, and while this is something many have done, I think It's All In Your Mind does it best. First of all, as a Finnick reader and writer I absolutely love how she writes his character. We see both sides of him, his flirty Capitol persona and his brokenness, it just the right ratio to make it absolutely real and perfect.

The Crossover: When the Moon Fell in Love with the Sun  by Mejhiren

"It's something out of an old tale: a golden young man in a white bearskin, striking strange bargains with desperate souls on the cruelest night of winter." AU fic, based on the fairy tale "East of the Sun & West of the Moon." Peeta Mellark, winner of the 74th Hunger Games, returns from his Victory Tour to make the starving Everdeens an offer they can't refuse.

A story without Finnick! This is proof that Finnick Odair is not the only way to my heart, probably just the most prevalent one. Anyway, When the Moon Fell in Love with the Sun was already a great story before I even clicked on it because of the Panic! At The Disco reference in the title. According to Mejhiren not many people catch that, but I did, and it made my day. And then it was even better when the story was actually good. This story is a crossover with a fairy tale called "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" and her descriptive writing is beautiful. Combined with a depiction of Katniss that is different, but lovely, this piece is easily one of my favorites to read.

Next segment, Little Miss Mionie will be revealing and reviewing her faves!

~ Cindella204

Weekly Fan's Fic Rec: The Golden Mean

This week's fan fic rec is a sequel to a previous week's recommendation by maraudercat of the fab Fernwithy's HG fics. This rec comes from Suzume.

Title: The Golden Mean
Author: FernWithy
Summary: As Katniss and Peeta prepare for the Victory Tour and-eventually-the Quarter Quell, Haymitch Abernathy is preparing for a much bigger fight. Continued from "The Final Eight," which was in Delly's point of view.
Why do you love this fic? "At its most basic, "The Golden Mean" is Catching Fire from Haymitch's perspective, following after "The Final Eight," which provided Delly's point of view to the later portion of The Hunger Games.  However, this is no thin breezing through the events, but a full-fledged counterpart to the actual text.  FernWithy has a great Haymitch voice and peppers the story with intriguing backstory (which is filling out gradually) and well-integrated world-building.  Despite knowing the general outline that events will follow, I still find myself on the figurative edge of my seat waiting to see what will unfold."

Suzume also left us a cute message at the end of her rec which I thought I'd share!

"By the way, I suppose this is as good a time as ever to let you know how much I love Nightlock Recs!  Please keep on updating!  I read a lot of fic (a combination hazard/perk of being underemployed) and you've helped me discover a lot of gems!  Good luck keeping up the good work! :D"

Thanks Suzume!
~ Little Miss Mionie

Weekly Fan's Fic Rec: Primrose

This week's fan's fic rec has been shared with us by the dazzling fnur. It's a fic about everyone's favourite little duck!

Title: Primrose
Author: for-prim
Summary: "It is impossible to tell Katniss how much I love her in just a few minutes; I doubt I could properly express myself if I had years to tell her...that she is my best friend, that she is the only one who brings me hope, that I want nothing more than her happiness and health, that without her I would have nothing." A Prim and Katniss story in three parts.
Why do you love this fic? "I love this fic because it provides a more in-depth look at Prim during all three books - her reaction to Katniss's volunteering and how she was when she came home, the distance that the Games created between the sisters, and how Prim grew up without Katniss noticing. A lot of fics just portray Prim as a one-note character who is just all about her sister. This shows human emotions and reactions that are believable, especially of a 12 (then 13) girl who is, at her core, a postive and loving person but thrust into a world where so much challenges her and takes away what (and who) she loves. It's beautiful and tragic and realistic and heart-breaking and just plain awesome."

Thanks for sharing the Prim goodness with us, fnur!

Completely Fantasy

Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in. Back from too long of a hiatus, I'm bringing you two stories for the price of one. Both of these stories are fantastic for a light and quick read and they feature the perfect amount of playful writing with a dabble of angst and romance. I truly love the way that the author, HGRomance, has integrated classical myths/storylines into original works. So if you have a moment, please check out...

Title: Legend AO3 / FF.net
Author: HGRomance AO3 / FF.net
Rating: Explicit
Summary: People in the kingdom whispered about a legend: a boy with a bow. They said he took up residence in the woods, hiding out while committing random acts of kindness, namely stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Historical AU. Robin Hood.

Why? I chose this story this time around because I absolutely love Robin Hood. Okay, so that might be only part of the reason (really, I can whistle the whole opening Disney sequence), but I was on a roll reading everything HGRomance had written and this one stuck with me. Why you might ask? Well, that's easy. It's well written, well formed in terms of plot, and it let's the reader get lost in a fair amount of imagery. Plus, there's some pretty kick-butt romance tied in there that makes you swoon a little bit.

Now, when you think about it, it is also kind of the perfect pairing for a crossover type story - both stories are tales of ordinary people getting caught up in lives that rush them to change everything they've ever known. There's also arrows and bows and the woods which are all symbols tied in perfectly. In addition to all that, both the pairing characters (Peeta/Robin, Katniss/Marian) share a whole whack of similar traits like kindness, loyalty, and rebellious tomfoolery. Think you're interested? Go take a read!

Title: Goddess AO3 / FF.net
Author: HGRomance AO3 / FF.net
Rating: Explicit
Summary: If people knew who she was, they'd be confused. Their first questions would be these: "Where are your wings? Why can't you fly?" Ah, mortals and their fanciful beliefs and misplaced facts. Mythology AU. Cupid.

Why?  I didn't really know what to expect from this story when I read the summary. I mean, Cupid? What? What a silly concept for a story (all because I don't like the idea of a creepy little baby with an arrow shooting people). But I'll let you know, I was happily surprised.

HGRomance does a fantastic job with this story for more than one reason. Firstly, her writing is fun and exciting. The characters practically dance on the page with her descriptive use of language and the scenes play out so vividly that you can almost get lost. Secondly, it's cute. The characters, the plot, and especially the tie ins with the other deities. Thirdly, it's creative. So often do I read stories that tend to drift along familiar lines, repeating canon elements without added a little pizzazz to the story. But this story, this one could almost pull a Fifty Shades and just change the characters names to become 'original' and no longer 'fanfiction' (no, I'm not comparing their literary work, merely referencing the tactics used that somehow lead to Fifty getting published). Anyways. I'd like you to go read it. Now would be a great time. I mean, if you haven't already fallen into Legend.

Note! Update on Goddess, there's now a seasonal themed epilogue! Go check it out!

That's it for now. Enjoy your reading!

Ghosts with Just Voices (Mockingjay AU, K/P)

Hi tributes!

I apologise for not posting in what feels like forever for me, I've had a couple of crazy weeks.
I turned 20 recently, huzzah, so I thought I'd be the mature no-longer-teenager that I am and write another post for Nightlock :)

In the coming weeks I will be writing recs on lists of femmeslash and crossover fics, as well as going on a two fic quests that readers have asked of me  - feel free to send any f/f or x-over fics you know of to nightlockrecs@hotmail.com!

Today I'm bringing you yet another fic by monroeslittle that absolutely blew me away - Ghosts With Just Voices.

"I have a secret for you," he says, his breath warm against her cheek. "The top floor," he whispers. "If you hurry, you might be able to stop it." AU. Katniss makes a deal with Snow that changes everything.


Ghosts With Just Voices is an AU-Catching Fire/Mockingjay fic with the premise that Katniss is held in captivity by Snow instead of Peeta. It follows Katniss being slowly trapped in a plot of President Snow's making in order to stop him from hurting Peeta as he threatens to do during the last celebration on the Victory Tour before the Quell. Of course, Snow twists the game so that Katniss is forced to hurt Peeta herself, and eventually she is taken prisoner and tortured instead of Peeta by the Capitol. It also follows Katniss slowly realising her feelings for Peeta in an increasingly screwed up world. There is sooooo much more to the plot, but I don't want to spoil you!

Ghosts With Just Voices is high literary fanfiction, which can often be hard to find. There are vivid motifs of red, blood, time, hunger and food. It's an absolute jewel in the THG collection in regards to literary devices and style, in my opinion. I was instantly aware that not only Ghosts' plot had hooked me in, but I was entranced by the writing style too! The second half of the plot - Katniss' time in captivity - is what really struck me as a reader.

Monroeslittle has an amazing and strong narrative voice that really carries this fic. She uses the reoccurring framing device a future, final scene in the one-shot to always warn readers of what is to come and to frame the story as a whole. One sentence always stuck out to me when I first read this fic - it's slightly different all the way through: "Her fork clatters out of her hand, slick with blood." The evocative, beautifully horrific language this author uses is so highlighted by the straightforward, truncated, almost survivalist tone affected in Katniss' narration for most of the fic. In the quietly traumatic moments, monroeslittle's mastery of language and her characterisation of Katniss in captivity really shines though. It is her plot and her writing style that makes this one-shot of hers one of my favourites.

Happy reading,
Little Miss Mionie

like a fortune sold + The Grandmentor

Hey tributes! Today I'm recommending to you two fics from my well-documented fave category of THG fanfiction, post-Mockingjay! Squee!

like a fortune sold by letters and liars
Summary: (none)
Why? The Katniss/Gale/Peeta ship! Like a fortune sold has that lovely, poetic running style of prose that's wonderful to read. This fic has a great cast of all of the characters you want to know are okay after all the stuff that happened to them.
Why not? Not one for those who don't like implied-amorous-threesomes.

The Grandmentor by silvercistern
Summary: "Sweetheart, don't you wanna talk to your mom or Annie or something? Or Johanna? Or literally any woman? I don't know what you expect me to say." Adventures in child-rearing from the perspective of everyone's favorite drunk. Final installment of The Ashes of District Twelve series.
Why? This is a realistic take on the post-Mockingjay years. I love love love that it is from Haymitch's point of view - silvercistern really fleshes out Haymitch as a character once again, which is great as Haymitch is sort of left to the wayside in Post-MJ fics. I could read this over and over again.
Why Not? If you weren't a fan of the broken characters Suzanne left behind, you mightn't like watching them break a few more times. Also, Haymitch haters (are there any?!) are out.


Happy reading!
~ Little Miss Mionie

*Edited 8/8/12 to include correct summary.

The Bun is Really in the Oven - Cherrypit8 Request

In any fandom, there always seems to be that one nagging 'What If' moment that seems to latch onto any and all reader's and fanfiction writer's minds. In THG fandom, we've got a lot of them. For example, we've got the 'post-Mockingjay epilogue fill in'; we've got the 'Prim in the Games'; and we've got the 'nobody dies', to name a few.

All of these 'What If' moments have a plethora of stories that are magnificent, practical, and filled with detail that we, as reader's, felt were moments of particular interest.

So when Cherrypit8 came to us at Nightlock and asked, "What about the 'Katniss is really pregnant fics' like KaKaVegeGurl's?" - we thought, huh, now there's a 'What If' that's hard to track down.

With that in mind, we went on a mission: Find the Katniss-is-knocked-up stories that give depth, quality and justice to a storyline that can be a pretty difficult one to write simply because, well...


Hormones. Characters change with hormones, okay?

Now, I'm not saying this mission was easy. There's a lot of fic-diving going on when you're looking for a particular story angle. We trudged through a few difficult-to-read stories and by no means should this list be considered the final word (*cough* We are open to suggestions!)

Without further ado, here's some completed "Katniss is really pregnant" stories, just for you Cherrypit8:

Title:  Running Right Into the Fire

Author:  Julia101

Summary: "You could live a hundred lifetimes and not deserve him you know." Haymitch is right. What other boy could still love me after what I've done? What other boy would still stick by someone pregnant by another? Katniss/Peeta/Gale

Rating: M

One Line Rec:  Taking a spin on the Gale train, this fic takes the 'What If' and turns it around a bit, leading the reader down a pretty heartbreaking road.

Title:  Missing a Part of Me

Author:  lovelyladybug5

Summary:  One night before the Quarter Quell changes Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark's life forever. When Peeta is captured by the Capitol, Katniss turns to Julian, Peeta's brother, for help getting the boy with the bread back, and for help with two big changes.

Rating: M
One Line Rec: Though I'm not a fan of the formatting (warning, italics in use), this story has a pretty decent plot to follow, using Peeta's brother as a significant character to add depth and a creative twist to the general idea.

Title:  Will He Remember - WIP

Author:  batbaby

Summary:  What if when Peeta is rescued, he finds Katniss to be pregnant and draws out his memories?

Rating: M
One Line Rec: A good story with solid follow-through, it's still a work in progress so we'll have to wait to see how it ends.

Title:  It Isn't a Trick FF.net  / AO3

Author:  lollercakes

Summary:  It isn't a trick, she is really pregnant. A spattering of ficlets around the idea that Katniss is indeed knocked up. Launched from a prompt by lillian raven over at the kolms Girl on Fire ficathon.

Rating: M
One Line Rec: This story takes a variety of POV's and uses them to provide a full-circle telling of a pretty tragic event that spans not just the Quell but into the Epilogue as well.

Hope you enjoy these and please, let us know if you have any others you'd like to add to the list!

Much love, Polkapop


Post-script: I'll do my best to link up any recs I give with AO3 or other sources due to the crackdown on M rated fics over at ff.net, just an fyi. I could only locate It Isn't a Trick on AO3, please let me know if any others are cross-posted. 

10k Stories [Completed Fics]

Hi! This month I'm pulling out the big guns. And by big guns I'm clearly referring to completed one-shot stories that measure in at just over 10,000 words and have enough punch to knock you out cold. So check them out!

Title: Let Me Name the Stars for You
Author: SamSnead
Rating: Rated M - Romance
Pairing: Johanna/Gale
Summary: This is the story of how the Hawthorne family puts Johanna back together again. Or maybe it's the other way around. Post MJ.
Words: 10,905

Recommended because... 

Johanna Mason has grown on me. Really, she has. In the past little while I've read some amazing Johanna fics and this one has absolutely stood out to me because it's maintained her hard edged personality but also made her loveable. There's a scene that's about 700 words long (without giving too much away) regarding nightmares that solidifies her character as someone deserving of redemeption - and the author makes you feel it.

Using a pretty standard style of formatting for 10k oneshots (which actually seems to be a thing), the piece offers incredible punches of romance, friendship and familial kindness, that will make your heart just bleed. The author cohesively creates a story around the idea that Johanna can fit into the Hawthorne bunch and therefore can heal as a result which makes you, the reader, relate better to her character.

Title: Pieces in Their Games
Author: crazyundeadfairy
Rating: Rated M - Hurt/Comfort/Angst
Pairing: Katniss/Peeta
Summary: President Snow sets out to show that no Victor is truly safe before the Quarter Quell announcement. Slight AU tweaking of a cannon event. Katniss/Peeta.
Words: 10,696

Recommended because...

When the author says it's a slight AU twist, they mean it. It is slight. But it's a killer.

I loved this story because it takes one moment of canon and turns it around. The author has written the characters so strongly in character that you could almost imagine the story happening this way, instead of that. The conversations, the implications, it all makes sense which can sometimes be hard to figure into a 10k story. I rec this not only for the twist, but for the simple enjoyment of imaginging something went different and seeing how it plays out.

Hope you enjoy them!

Everlark Completed Fics!

 

 Ah dear friends! My apologies for my tardiness in this month's update - life has been incredibly busy and I'm just now beginning to catch up. In an effort to appease you, I offer two 'coffee shop' fics this month from easily the most common pairing in the fandom (and the one you seem to go mad over) - the Everlark fic pairing. Coffee shop fics are stories I consider to be easy reads that are the perfect size and could be read while hanging out for an hour or two.


Title: Bliss
Author: DustWriter
Rating: Rated M - Romance/Angst
Summary: After the fall of North America, life is dismal in District Twelve even without the Hunger Games. Katniss must do the unthinkable to save her starving family, but her actions bind her to the baker's son forever.
Warning: This fic has earned its 'M' rating and deals with mature subject matter - it's not for the faint of heart, so be aware of that.

Recommended because...

We over here at Nightlock seem to love us some DustWriter. This author has serious talent, no word of a lie. So finding this story, a slightly AU version of District 12, absolutely did me in. I recommend this one for two reasons, the first being that it takes canon characters in a different emotional direction that I find incredibly interesting and is portrayed extremely well. The second reason is that it's a decent size, complete fic, that fits into an easy read category. Especially for those who are busy but crave something more substantial than a one-shot. Go check it out, you won't be disappointed.

Title: Pretending That She Don't Care

Author: BleedtoLoveHer
Rating: Rated T - Romance/Friendship
Summary: The Games don't exist, but Katniss is still just as adverse to relationships. A story of how Katniss and Peeta come together without the arena.

Recommended because... 

Here's another coffee shop fic that I read and just loved.  I recommend it for all of its lighthearted goodness and the excellent way that it's written. The characters are endearing, the story is touching, and the author never misses a beat to keep the reader entertained. Not to mention that Gale is actually redeemed as a character in this piece - a rarity it seems in the Everlark cycle. Go check it out, you'll have a good time, I promise.

That's all for now, have a good month!

Desert Blossom - Peeta/Katniss, AU

Who's up for another totally completed fic? This month I'm bringing another DustWriter story into the spotlight as we look at Desert Blossom. This fic is an awesome alternate universe tale that mixes cultural, social and world themes together to create a compelling and entrancing story.

Title: Desert Blossom
Author: DustWriter
Rating: Rated M - Romance/Tragedy, AU
Summary: Peeta meets Katniss under very different circumstances in this present-day AU. Together, they must struggle together in a war-torn land to overcome tragedy and find the strength to live again.

Recommended:

I'm going to be honest - the THG fandom is incredibly talented. There are so many fics out there that are completed already that it makes my job hard sometimes, just picking one. But I think this month it was easier than most as I read Desert Blossom and it reminded me of why fanfiction is fun - it takes the characters we know and love and builds on them. An author of fanfiction can often create a character backstory that changes your canon view, can make storylines happen that confuse your canon, or even make it so totally believable that the characters exist outside of canon.

And that's exactly what DustWriter does in Desert Blossom. She makes the characters exist in a world that has nothing to do with Panem.

I'm recommending this fic for not only it's fantastic writing and inventive storyline, but more importantly for it's oustanding feat of making the name "Peeta" seem completely reasonable in modern day society.

The story follows the POV of Peeta as he, Gale and Haymitch study abroad in Afghanistan and struggle with the cultural divide between an American upbringing and the society that exists in the Middle East. And also he meets Katniss, obviously. This story is so far out of Panem that if not for the strong characterization loyalty you'd think that DustWriter had written accommplished original fiction. In my opinion, they have.

A further reason I recommend this fic is because it's researched (seriously, there's a legit bibliography). There are no (noticable for me, at least) negative stereotypes that would often be associated with an author unaware of cultural differences. The story is written with Katniss and Prim being of Afghani origin and it isn't just a forgotten fact - it's key to the characters development.

I love this fic. I really do. I think it pushes the comfortable boundaries of fanfic to create a story that bridges so many divides. Further, I think it's an important story to tell especially in a political climate such as this. It tells the story of people connecting regardless of their origins while still respecting their culture.

If you want to follow Peeta and Katniss out of Panem and into reality, this is the fic to read.

In Honour of the Hunger Games Trailer... (Katniss/Gale, Katniss/Peeta, Gen)

Here are three fanfic recommendations that coincide with screencaps from the effing awesome trailer.

"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!"

Four Times Katniss Wasn't Reaped (And The One Time She Was) by lit_chick08

He's always been more afraid to hear her name than to hear his own.

Verdict: This is a great canon expansion from Gale's point of view. Great characterisation, and plotted very neatly, Four Times... presents the reaping with as much emotion as the trailer did.

Even When You Win, You Lose by angelan

Peeta muses on his feelings for Katniss before the games begin.
Verdict: A perfect portrayal of everyone's favourite baker's son.

Not Yet A Hurricane by Solaryllis
It's harder than people realize to be the one left behind. Gale's story of Katniss and Peeta's Hunger Games. 
Verdict: Solaryllis is a brilliant writer who does a fantastic job of conveying what it would have been like to watch the games - a point of view that we'll most likely be seeing in the movie.

It seems like the odds are in Gary Ross' favour, hey?
Happy reading,
~ Little Miss Mionie

Self-Promotion Sundays #3

Hey, everybody, Amata's back with another round of fabulous self-promotions. This week, we've got two great stories by two great authors, StolenSouls and thewindwarns!


The Third Wizarding War
by StolenSouls
Post-mockingjay/pre-epilogue. Katniss discovers there is more to her world than she actually knows. Meanwhile Peeta is struggling between his true self and hijacked form. Gale's attitude toward the Capitol hasn't changed. At the same time, Snow is growing stronger than Katniss can ever imagine....

Forced to go on the run, Katniss must follow someone she does not even trust to save Panem from the hands of a tyrant. (Crossover with Harry Potter)
Status: in progress


you have burst at the seams
by thewindwarns
Each year on the anniversary of the end of the war, they air a patriotic program throughout all of Panem. A look at what goes unsaid about the life of Johanna Mason. Spoilers for the series.
Status: complete