Nightlock Reader's Choice Awards: The Results!

We're very proud to present the winners of the Nightlock Reader's Choice Awards! Thank you to over one hundred of you who nominated and voted. You're the reason these awards have turned out so successfully - thank you! :)

Congratulations to all our nominees - in every category, the votes were so close because of all the amazing fics!

The banners are made by a very talented soul who you can find at nightlockinthecave.tumblr.com. Thanks to everyone in the Nighlock team past and present who helped organise and get the word out about these awards, too!

Best Hunger Games - When The Moon Fell in Love with the Sun by Mejhiren

While at times a sensuous indulgence, When The Moon Fell in Love With The Sun is one of the most unique, well-written fanfictions that has ever been written the THG universe.  That is a huge statement but there is a level of sensual description that is incomparable.  The uniqueness of the language, the effort to adhere to the conventions of the true fairy tale, the ability that the writer has to truly transport the reader and literally leave the taste of the fic in the reader's mouth long after the reading is over - this is a difficult accomplishment. 

Best Catching Fire - Portrait of a Victor by Sponsormusings

           
Portrait of a Victor tells the story of Katniss and Peeta falling in love and fighting against the Capitol regime in a different context. Despite it's AU premise, this alternative fic set in Catching Fire is rich in canonesque details and characterisations. The complex and established nature of some of THG's finest minor characters are much more than simply canon fodder or a name check in Portrait of a Victor. Sponsormusings uses beautifully, meticulate writing style to weave this story not only into our hearts, but into our favourites lists, too.

Best Mockingjay - The Other Mockingjay by MockingjayFlyingFree

Not for the faint of heart, The Other Mockingjay is worth investing the time to read.  It reinvisions Mockingjay in which Katniss and Peeta were not reaped for the Quarter Quell but forced to get married.  Unflinching in its depiction of their life together, the angst of their union and the demands placed on them by Snow.  Again, not an easy read if you like fluffy, uncomplicated Everlark but it is an excellent alternative to Canon.

                               

Best Modern AU - Do NotGo Gentle by dracoisalooker

Do Not Go Gentle is a heartbreaker, for sure. It is impossible for  ct522 to read this fic and not sob into her pillow, hugging it hard. We don't want to spoil the read, but it is a wonderful fic which is both sad and life affirming at the same time.  Truthfully, Peeta's drives in his old truck and Katniss' being her surly, wonderful self are the true power of this fic - it keeps both Peeta and Katniss brilliantly in character. Excellent read!

Best Historical AU - The Blind Date by Malibustacy

The Blind Date is slow-burning romance done right. This fic is a hark back to classic fanfiction; it even has a snowed-in scene! Malibustacy has written a solid story with a unique premise and flawless characterisation. Historical tidbits and a great contextual knowledge make for a great, different read in the THG fandom. Watching Katniss and Peeta's relationship progress in The Blind Date is an obsession for many us here at Nightlock.

Best Canon Complaint - Fishers of Men by A_Necklace_Of_Rope

Fishers of Men is a dark fic, to say the least. A_Necklace_of_Rope has expanded the character and world of Finnick Odair in a unique and absorbing fashion. This dark, gritty story echoes of realism and abuse that lower-class living in an oligarchical society brings; echoes that Suzanne Collins only hints at in her series. Familial disruption and Finnick's identity are at the core of this engrossing read, with strong, melancholy writing that rings true.

Best Canon Divergent - When The Moon Fell in Love with the Sun by Mejhiren

There are really not enough accolades that this fic can recieve. The only defect as that the reader must wait literally months between updates.  But when it does update, wow!  Worth the wait!

Best Romance - In The Elysian Felds by Tomistaccato

This retelling of the myth of Persephone and Hades is filled, literally filled with cannon parallels that it seems the myth was written for the trilogy, from Katniss' volunteering to the character of Hades.  Another rich writer, filled with detail and fearless in using the tone of the genre (it takes a gift to write in such a way as to honor the source material of a fic based on a myth or a fairy tale without feeling forced and the writer has it). An excellent peice of writing.

Best Growing Together - Good Again by ct522

The rest of the team were are over the moon to see that Ct522 had won the award for Best Growing Together fic. Good Again is an engrossing, near flawless fic that is sometimes hard to find in a fandom so bejwelled with drabbles and AUs; one that is canon compliant, in character and above all interesting. Good Again is a wonderful exploration of  Katniss and Peeta's relationship post-Mockingjay. ct522 not only explores our favourite couple's relationship, but expands this new world she is exploring through fascinating and exceptional details and plot points. One moment in particular that Little Miss Mionie enjoys is Katniss' meeting of the Mayor, and reading the universal right's declaration. Innovative ideas like this make Good Again one of the most popular fics of the past two years.

Thank you once again to everyone who helped make these awards possible - including you, all of our fabulous nominees and winners!

Yours,
Little Miss Mionie, Debs The Owl, Cindella204 and ct522

Daddy!Peeta and Parenthood Fics

Artwork for Little Green by the wonderful everlart @ tumblr

Nightlock reader MJ recently requested Daddy!Peeta fics. Here are the cream of the crop we've found about Peeta and his toastbabies!

All I Know by JLaLa
“That is your mother, Katniss Everdeen.” Katniss and Peeta reunite under the most difficult of circumstances.
Best daddy feature: The angsty, original and captivating plot makes Daddy!Peeta AMAZING. It's on my to devour read list.

Little Green by jeeno2
"Hi," Peeta says quietly; almost shyly. "I'm your daddy, and…" His voice cracks on the word daddy, and Katniss' heart clenches painfully inside her chest. "I'm your daddy," Peeta continues. Stronger this time. "I've waited so very long to meet you." A post-Mockingjay AU.
Best daddy feature: A realistic look at the hard road to fatherhood.

Take Care by Amelia_Day (amelia_day)
Peeta Mellark is suddenly put into a position he never expected to be in--that of a parent. Low on patience, he hires someone as desperate for a job as he is for help. Modern Day AU.
Best daddy feature: This fic is really lemony - have fun picturing a hot daddy!Peeta!

Linger by kismet4891
AU. Peeta Mellark was not the self-assured, happy young man that he worked so hard to portray to the world. Years of emotional torment from his mother, and lack of support from his father had diminished his self-esteem and understanding of self-worth. His salvation came in the most unexpected form, a life altering mistake that taught him the true meaning of love.
Best daddy feature: A captivating look at Peeta as a young, unplanned father.

Drabble by annieoakley1
Drabble requested by a fan for single!daddy Peeta.
Best daddy feature: A cute but (sadly!!) brief look at Peeta as a single, caring Dad.

Tomorrow Will Be Kinder by Alexabee
In the turbulent years leading up to the birth of Panem, the world's crops have been all but destroyed. Facing food shortages, Peeta Mellark struggles to run the family bakery while singlehandedly raising his daughter in the wake of losing his wife. Katniss Everdeen has lost something important, too - her memory. 
Best daddy feature: Selfless Peeta at his parenting finest.

Roughing It by atetheredmind
After an argument with Gale leaves her stranded in the woods, Katniss joins a handsome stranger and his son on their camping trip.
Best daddy feature: Peeta's a dashing dad!

Daddy by FierceGift
"Daddy!" The simple word wakes me up from my sleep, opening my eyes hesitantly only to scrunch them close. The harsh light of early hours burns through the blinds causing my discomfort, I roll over from my back to my side facing Peeta. 
Best daddy feature: One of the few (sadface) queer!Peeta daddies! Interesting pairing for a daddy!fic, too!

A Mellark Goodnight by ThisIsTrueImmortality
A Hunger Games Next Generation story. Peeta wakes in the dead of night to the sound of his daughter's scream. When he tries to comfort Lucerne, he finds that he is not the only Mellark struggling through nightmares.
Best daddy feature: A measured looking at Peeta parenting.

Taken Away by RandomThoughtGirl
What if it were Katniss taken at the end of Catching Fire? What if she were pregnant on top of that? Add into that, that she believes Peeta, the father of her child, to be dead because of Snow, how can she keep going on? What will Peeta risk in order to get her back to him?
Best daddy feature: A canon compliant, angsty, protective daddy.

Blend by Lbug84
"You aren't the only one with a child to protect." An Everlark Modern Day AU about becoming a blended family.
Best daddy feature: Loving his partner's children, too.

All The President's Men by Baroness Kika
Panem AU; When a scandal puts the oppressive Snow administration in its political grave, young, charismatic District Twelve representative Peeta Mellark is thrust into the role of President. As he and his staff struggle to serve a troubled nation, Peacekeeper Katniss Everdeen keeps a watchful eye on the only thing Peeta loves more than his country. 
Best daddy feature: A powerful president and parent!

Everlark Drabble by the boy with the bread 
Drabble request about single!daddy Peeta, his naughty kid and teacher!Katniss.
Best daddy feature: We see a rare stern daddy in a sea of doting, indulgent cutie Peetas.

Invention of the Capitol by TheTruthLiesWithTheTwins
With the help of capitol doctors, Peeta and Gale will hopefully be able to begin a family.
Best daddy feature: Mpreg certainly makes this fic stand apart from the others. I wish there were more cis-Peeta daddy fics where he had a surrogate or adopted (mpreg is not my style - alas!)

Kudos to the everlarkrecs tumblr, where I was able to source some good suggestions!

Happy reading,
Little Miss Mionie

PS. Remember to vote in the Nightlock Reader's Choice Awards!

Little Miss Mionie's Fave Fics Of All Time, Hands Down

Howdy Capitol lovers! Not long until Catching Fire opens in cinemas - are you excited?

Tonight, I'm reminiscing on my favourite fics of all time, hands down, which is part of a series the staff at Nightlock are taking part in! Without further ado, let us walk down that squeeing, compulsively reviewing lane...

Grow Together by Miss Scarlett 05
Summary: Pre-epilogue Mockingjay. How Katniss and Peeta slowly pick up the pieces and begin again. My version of a fourth book for the Hunger Games series. Secret toastings, lots of plotting, crass drunk Haymitch and even a cake scene.
Why? Haha, I love the new summary. I fucking fell in love with this fic years ago. The author became a great fandom friend of mine as I was reading it, which probably made me in of awe of it even more. This is hands down the best multiple chapter Post-MJ fic dealing with Katniss and Peeta's relationship. Miss Scarlett 05's handling of Katniss' characterisation, Katniss and Peeta's healing from trauma and tragedy and the inclusion of Capitol characters really made this fic for me. Can't recommend it enough! It's my head canon, basically.

The Good Wife by silvercistern
Summary: "You're an awful wife, sweetheart." He's said worse, and so have I, but something about this, maybe the fact that this is the second time I've been told the same thing in one day, makes me burst into tears. Katniss discovers that being married is hard. Second installment of The Ashes of District Twelve series.
Why? I just love Silvercistern's characterisation of Katniss. It feels very IC to me. Also love love love Haymitch's narration. It's a different Post-MJ fic but it can still stand on it's own feet. I always re-read this one when I want to be entertained.

Five Loaves of Bread: Capitol Pastries by aimmyarrowshigh
Summary: The only person who wins the Hunger Games is Snow, and you know it. You gave up happy when you kept playing Snow's games.
Why? Coz it's so fucking creepy! I love dark fics that do justice to the series, and V is just an amazing author with a whole head full of canon knowledge to make her plots great.

Scars by holymfwickee
Summary: Post-CF. Peeta is rescued from the Capitol by Katniss and her band of rebels; however, after months of torture it is unknown if he will survive. It is also unknown if Katniss will survive if he doesn't. Majority written prior to the publication of MJ.
Why? It's a very canon-compliant AU and very well written.

THEIR LAST NIGHT OF LOVE: A SPECIAL VERITY PRESENTATION, EXCLUSIVELY FOR PREFERRED CUSTOMERS by Yahtzee
Summary: Amid the media circus leading up to the Quarter Quell, Katniss and Peeta try to create something real.
Why? This is such a twisted plot but let's face it, it's probably what would happen in a place like Panem. The plot alone makes this fic fantastic. I love the commentary on sexual assault and consent. The title rocks.

Do any of these fics rate in your top faves?

Happy reading,
Little Miss Mionie

Five Stars in Five Thousand Words #2

Hello! This is cindella204 with the second installment of Five Stars in Five Thousand Words, Nightlock's newest series focusing on short fics.

Counting The Ways by RainahFiclets
post-mockingjay extension, less than two thousand words, rated G
Counting The Ways is a short fic explaining the lives of Annie and her son after the war. I'm actually not a big fan of post-Mockingjay fics, but this one is beautifully written summary with great symbolism. I love reading about Annie as a parent, and this definitely delivers.

A Day like Today by VanillaMostly
family study, less than four thousand words, rated T
I have never had much attachment to the Undersees, but this story really made me thing. A Day like Today is an exploration of Madge's first reaping and explores the dynamic of that family in a way that I loved. Also, the characterization of Madge's mom is spot on in my eyes.

That's all for this month. Enjoy!

The Four Decisions (Post-MJ, Katniss/Peeta)

Good afternoon everyone! I hope you had a marvellous International Women's Day on Friday and are having a stellar weekend. Today I am reviewing FernWithy's The Four Decisions.

Five, ten, fifteen years pass before Katniss and Peeta decide to have a child. 

The Four Decisions is a well-written, nice Post-Mockingjay, Katniss-and-Peeta-decide-to-have-children story trope. FernWith has a prolific history in the HP fanfiction community of writing great family-orientated stories, and this Hunger Games one-shot is no exception. I actually just found out that FernWithy had delved into THG fanfiction when making the Weekly Fan's Fic Rec, where a fanfic lover has recommended another of this author's fics. That will be posted very soon, so keep your eyes peeled.

FernWithy's prose here is quite simple which makes for a seamless read. I enjoyed it's measured pace and the sense of security and calmness, despite her nightmares, that the author imbues in Katniss. She feels very grown up in this fic. I loved that maturity, encapsulated in quiet moments like this:

"Katniss Mellark is just a young married woman in a pioneer town. She was never the girl on fire, and certainly not the Mockingjay. She has cut off her long hair, and even let Octavia dye it green and twirl it into ringlets. Katniss Mellark's nightmares are not as frequent, and she takes pleasure in something every day, even if it's something as small as the beautiful red leaf currently stuck in her husband's blond hair. I pluck it away and watch it swirl into the sky, and he kisses my hand as it passes his lips. I put the brown bag in the deep pocket of my coat. It is no one's business but ours."

I also really enjoyed the side-commentary on Johanna and Gale's relationship. It is exactly how I picture it in my own personal fanon, so I found it particularly delightful.

While The Four Decisions is not an extraordinary addition to the growing list of Post-MJ fics in terms of writing style; however, the pacing, characterisation and sure, easy plot make it a much more satisfying read than many others which are fraught with melodrama and OOCness.

I do recommend checking out The Four Decisions and FernWithy's other lovely fics.

Happy reading!
~ Little Miss Mionie

Three Recs: Katniss/Gale goodness

Hey lovelies!

Today I'm bringing you three Katniss/Gale fics. I'm a pretty weird Katniss/Gale shipper, myself - I only really like the ship if it's post-mockingjay and Peeta's sort of out of the picture - but these three fics were so fantastic I didn't care. I've featured the author jada_jasmine twice. She's a gem writer!

they were going round and round but they did not meet by jada_jasmine
Summary: Gale never once imagined the happiest he'd ever be was at eighteen.
Why? Jada_jasmine has such a way with words. She portrays such melancholy moments of Gale's life regarding Katniss with such clarity and tone. The final sentences of each moment seem to leave an echo; they are like a motif of such sad, poignant moments in life. This is wonderful, something that could realistically happening post-mj. A deep, contemplative piece at a lovely length.

Same Small World by lilabut
Summary: A different take on the morning before the reaping.
Why? I actually found this fic confusing the first time I read it - I couldn't figure out when it was set in the THG timeline. I really loved it for its simplicity, however. I feel like lilabut captured Gale and Katniss' characterisations wonderfully. It's a excellent piece for someone's first go at THG fic writing!


I found a beating heart half-buried in the woods by jada_jasmine
Summary: This is a betrayal worst than most.
Why? Once again, this author does a fab job of imagining Katniss and Gale reuniting. I love that it's set in the woods, and that she doesn't shy away from the fact that Katniss and Gale have been changed by war. It's not as...lyrical, as "they were going..." but it's a great snapshot nonetheless. I especially love this line: "This is a Katniss who points arrows at his heart and a Gale who can no longer walk in the woods."

~ 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.

Johanna-Pairing Fics

Hello, everyone!  So, inspired by how much I unexpectedly loved a recent rec of mine ("the beautiful wreckage", Johanna/Annie), I went searching for Johanna rare-pairing fics.  I must say I was pleasantly surprised to find two wonderful oneshots with rather unique pairings.  This post, I present:

Title:  The war is over and we are beginning

Author:  mirrorOfsin

Summary:  It's not much, what they have, but it keeps them alive and that's enough.

Pairing:  Johanna/Enobaria

Rating:  M

Category:  Post-Mockingjay

Title:  003 First Times: Opposites Attract

Author:  Embracing-Immensity

Summary:  The two of them couldn't be more different if they tried. He, "The Victor with the Bloodless Hands," and she, the scary new Victor that no one knows quite how to handle. Will they make it work or will their differences be too much to overcome?

Pairing:  Johanna/Peeta

Rating:  M

Category:  AU

My Recommendation: 

*Mockingjay Spoilers Ahead*

"The war is over and we are beginning" -- so, the pairing is definitely something new.  Now, before you start thinking, okay, two minor characters, femmeslash, non-canon, definitely an odd pair... really?, consider Katniss/Peeta.  A lot of their relationship at first stems from the aftermath of the Games, opening up other possible victor pairings.  (Finnick/Annie, anyone?)  Both Johanna and Enobaria are characterized wonderfully, down to the last little details mentioned in the canon.  They're real, they're relatable, and in a fic like this, the relationship works.  Their similarities are definitely made apparent in a "show, don't tell" way.  The romance is nicely non-traditional, avoiding stereotypes of the genre and keeping them both in-character.  If you're looking for a very different post-Mockingjay tale, this one's for you.

"003 First Times: Opposites Attract" -- I must note the pairing again; Katniss/Peeta shippers, don't go running away!  This story is quite the AU, in which Peeta is the sole (District Nine) victor of the sixty-sixth Hunger Games.  His relationship with Johanna, in some ways, parallels his relationship with Katniss, but explores, What would've happened if Peeta had won alone? and, What did Johanna go through as a victor?  I have to say, I don't usually read extended-oneshots in one sitting, but with this one, I couldn't stop reading, through all the twists and turns it takes, straight through till the end.  I especially recommend this piece for its relationship development -- each one is different, as they should be, and realistic in a way it's sometimes hard to find in Fanfictions.  This is a wonderful and unique "Hunger Games" AU for every reader.

So those are this week's recs -- go enjoy and review!

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!

the beautiful wreckage (Johanna/Annie)

This is possibly the rarest pairing I've recommended yet, but this fic is just as gripping as the rest. Tributes, victors, citizens, I present to you:

Title: the beautiful wreckage

Author: joyfraser

My Recommendation:

*Mockingjay spoilers ahead*

I must be completely honest and say that I did not expect to like this fic half as much as I did. It has an interesting starting point, just after the news is put out that Squad 451 (Katniss, Gale, Finnick, Boggs and others from Thirteen) is dead. This effectively sets the tone of the beginning of the piece and of Johanna and Annie's relationship, here:

“But they were the last thing I had. I don’t have anything anymore. I don’t have…” But she’s not sure what she doesn’t have. The strength. The will. The reason. Maybe she doesn’t have any of it.

“Well, now you have me,” Annie says as she pulls the smaller woman into a hug. Johanna doesn’t react. She can’t. She knows Annie meant it as a reassurance, an offering of peace – of friendship, even. But Johanna can’t see it that way.

All she can see is that this woman who was Finnick’s life – his strength, his will, his reason to live – is all that’s left of him now. And it is Johanna’s duty, her unbearable burden, to see that nothing happens to her.

And, as a post-Mockingjay story, it explores the vote on the final Games, the post-war chaos, Finnick's (real) death, raising Annie's son, the nightmarish flashbacks to the past - and all aren't just "there" to make the story canon, they're used - and used effectively - as plot points and development. Not a word is wasted.

The style of the piece can only be called beautiful. Consistent in voice and poetic, even in very dialogue-driven scenes it shines through as a real, positive attribute to the story. Writing like this creates an all-the-more intense and tragic tale. Truly wonderful.

Until next time, may the odds be ever in your favor.

Little Miss Mionie's Recs: Fics Fics Fics (K/P, K/G)

Hey y'all.
Long time no recs, hey! ... I know you love it when I keep you waiting ;)
Here's some fab fics I've read recently that I have been dying to recommend to you.

Title: Touchstone
Author: Charlottetrips
Ship: Katniss/Peeta
Summary: This is why she stayed with him.
Why? Touchstone is a really unique look at Katniss and Peeta in a post-mockingjay world. Intense and wonderfully written.

Title: inherit the earth
Author: Liketrains
Ship: Katniss/Peeta
Summary: She doesn't know whose nightmares they are hiding from tonight. Maybe that line has blurred indefinitely. spoilers for mockingjay. 
Why? Oh My Gale Hawthorne, this fic renders me speechless. It is so, so innovative in the world of post-mockingjay fics in terms of the plot and tropes. I love all of the canon pieces put into this, and the poetic elongated sentence structure. The pacing is just brilliant. It's aching. A must-read.

Title: Guilty
Author: sephiesport
Ship: Katniss/Gale
Summary: While Katniss is fighting for her life during the 75th Hunger Games, Gale's got his own problems to deal with. Namely planning a rebellion, avoiding the psycho who wants him dead, and survivng a bombing. You know, no big deal. Gale's POV of Catching Fire.
Why? Awesme, on-the-spot characterisation of Gale. This is such a great exploration of all the things we didn't see. I haven't finished reading it, but Guilty totally has me hooked.

~ Little Miss Mionie

Ever In Your Favour (Katniss/Gale)

OHMYNIGHTLOCKBERRIES. I'm so sorry for being away for these past couple of weeks; university has been burying me with assignments. I'm sure it hasn't been bad at all - you've been in the very capable recc'ing hands of Amata, Lavender and Polka! In any case, I'll be sharing a few fics I've recently floved and/or read over the next couple of weeks.

Title: Ever In Your Favour
Author: Estrunk
Summary: In the Epilogue Katniss was just guessing what would happen next. But she didn't see what was coming. Here's what really happened! PeetaxKatnissxGale If you think the end to Gale's story was just not right, take a look.

Please note: Super spoilery review.

I'm super sorry to the lovely Estrunk, but I'm giving a mixed review for Ever In Your Favour. There are many positives to this fic, which I'll go into later, but there was this one thing that made me not enjoy Ever In Your Favour: and that was the catalyst that kicked the plot off.

I'm not new to fanfiction; I've been kicking in in various fandoms for around seven years now. And I think it's because in terms of romance stories, I've mostly seen it all, I could see this plot point coming a mile away - and *spoiler* killing Peeta off so Gale and Katniss can have a relationship is a catalyst that I find to be very weak. I think this is because I've seen it done in a number of other fandoms, mostly Harry Potter, and so I was a bit like, this again? This major plot point was quite unoriginal and boring for me to read, despite how believably executed it was. This, though, was a stark contrast to the rest of the fic; I can honestly say I've never read anything like Ever In Your Favour in the Post-Mockingjay category. I also want to add that I had trouble believing Gale and Katniss' relationship at first; I felt like there wasn't any chemistry between them, only angst. (This eventually changes as the fic progresses.)

With negatives out of the way, I want to talk about the aspects I enjoyed - the parts I can tell Ever In Your Favour's loads of readers love. As aforementioned, the rest of the plot is quite original as it deviates away from the Post-MJ canon we all imagine. Estrunk has Gale's characterisation and voice down pat; Gale was my favourite point-of-view to read. I enjoyed some very unique features, such as Gale's job as a grave digger, and the expansion of settings and location. (What did you say?! We get out of District 12 in a Post-Mj fic?!) Estrunk also did a fabulous job of executing a slow, yet believable story of Gale and Katniss coming together and finding love. And huzzah for an epilogue without marriage and children!

All in all, if you can get past the slightly-overused plot point (and I'm sure I'm the only who couldn't, oops!), Ever In Your Favour is a a Gale/Katniss shipper's dream come true.

Happy reading,
Little Miss Mionie

February's Author of the Month: be-nice-to-nerds

Hey, guys! Sorry for the lateness of this post... but I do have a great author to recommend to you all, and that is the marvelous be-nice-to-nerds!

Looking over BNTN's work, the first thing that strikes me is how detailed her version of Panem is. This author knows exactly who each tribute was in the 74th Hunger Games, how many victors District Three has had and exactly how they won their Games. These details give BNTN's stories a lot of depth. Also, she is amazing at delving into characters' emotions in a subtle but touching way. To show you what I mean, here's an excerpt from Beetee and the Bomb, about the famous D3 victor after the end of Mockingjay:

They say that there are only seven Victors left. Beetee refuses to believe it. Doesn't want to. Wiress is dead, he can accept that. He saw her die. But Johan? Marchessa? The other two District Three Victors are far too smart to not find an out.
They have to be. 

…

When no one else knows what you've been through, the Victors form your family.

Wiress and he were incredibly close, in a purely platonic way. It was just the two of them for a decade before Marchessa won her Games, and something like that forms a lasting bond. She was bursting with ideas but wasn't able to express them properly. They all learned how to fill in the gaps she couldn't put to words, but Beetee better than all of them simply because he has (had) known her the longest.

Johan (is? Was? He doesn't know) the youngest of the four. He was the only one to bring a non-Victor into their little circle of houses in District Three's Victors Village. Mac fits right in with the rest of them, and while Beetee can't really judge, the two females say they can easily see what Johan sees in him. 

Not many outside of District Three know that Johan's gay. He doesn't mind telling people but doesn't bring it up unless they ask. His reasoning is that specifically stating his sexuality leaves more room for prejudice than if he just treats it as normal. None of the others go around telling people that they're straight, do they? 

Marchessa is (because really, she of all people would have found a way to stay alive) small, cynical, and chillingly intelligent. She's arrogant about her abilities to the point of alienating all those she believes beneath her because of their alleged idiocy, but the arrogance is often not without reason. Frustration with her situation grew fast on her; she is closed off and slightly distant with the others, but she is still one of them. 

Beetee knows she was spying for the Capitol. He also knows it's nothing personal – Marchessa's too jaded and bitter to believe in the ideology like the other three did, and had been through too much to let morals get in the way of self preservation. 

Seeing what Coin's been doing, he's beginning to think maybe her cynicism was right. The Capitol and District Thirteen are really only two sides of the same coin.

Nightly (Effie/Haymitch)

Hello, folks. Just one fic for this week, but it's a good one:

Title: Nightly

Author: All.Makebelieve

Summary: Haymitch/Effie drabble. - "She'd feel his lips on her forehead, and she'd hear a ragged voice whisper, 'I'm here, sweetheart.'"

My Recommendation:

To find words to describe "Nightly", I'm going to need a thesaurus.

This Fanfiction brings the "Hurt/Comfort" genre-label on Fanfiction to a different level. Flashbacks that explain the present (and fill in some plot-holes of Mockingjay!) are integrated flawlessly, and always loop back around to what's going on "now". (And those flashbacks are nothing short of brilliant.) The style is unique and fascinating: you feel as if you're being shown just one scene in the "present" time, but it's really sort of showing a routine in story form.

Even more so, the night was always the same, as if her mind ran on a schedule.

That sort of illustrates the point.

Emotion, in this drabble, doesn't have to be told; it's just there, a part of every word. The same thing can be said for the romance.

Overall, "Nightly" is highly, highly recommended - a wonderful piece of work, with careful layers of different genres all tied in.

That's all for this post--more next week!

The Storm (Peeta/Katniss)

Hot off the press! Today I'm bringing you a seriously newly completed fic (like within this week). I've been waiting for it to finish so I could share it with you!

Title: The Storm
Author: lollercakes
Summary: Peeta was returned to District 12 too soon. How does he handle a relapse of his hijacking?
Word Count: 31,224
Warning: Mature themes are present here.

Recommendation:

There's a lot of things I can say about this fic, in addition to saying it's one of my favourites. Typically I find a lot of the post-Mockingjay fic to be relatively similar in their plots. This isn't always a bad thing as we all know the epilogue left a lot of space for expansion. But this one takes a different approach as the reader finds Peeta to not be almost recovered from the hijackings but instead still suffering heavily.

The strength of this story is not in new plot points or unknown surprises (though there are some good ones), but instead in the quality and feeling of the writing. From Peeta's POV (which is a rarity in itself) the reader is drawn into the maddness of the hijackings while viewing Katniss' depression from the outside. It's a heavy story and the writing style makes for a fluid and relatable connection.

Also, the writer incorporates both Haymitch and Gale in ways that flush out their characters and bring moments of attachment to them.

Overall, I'm recommending this fic because it gets to you. It's quiet and steady. It isn't a happy-go-lucky-everything-is-fine story. It sneaks up on you. Hope you enjoy it like I did!

Finnick Fics

Hey tributes!

My RL has turned as busy as a hive of tracker jackers lately, so forgive me for simply recommending rather than reviewing these Finnick Odair related fics. But be assured that they are all fabulously memorable, written with superb talent and flair.

Title: Only Through The Drought
Author: To Kill A Mockingjay
Summary: He doesn't like to play in the ocean, and Annie can't stand it.


Title: younger revolutions (it's getting colder by the sea)
Author: arbitrarily
Summary: they say: the winners write the history to be read; panem has been witness to other lovers.


Title: You're Always In The Right Places
Author: electrumqueen
Summary: "I need a favour," Finnick says. A history of Cinna and Finnick, in District Four and in the Capitol.


Title: Treading Water
Author: sabaceanbabe
Summary: They don't tell you that the lucky ones are the ones who die.


Happy reading!
~ Little Miss Mionie

Double Rec: 'Grow Together' and 'Letters From The Sky' (Katniss/Peeta)

Post-Mockingjay fanfiction is a pretty big trend that is sweeping the Hunger Games fanfiction world, with all types of authors having a crack at picturing the canon future for our beloved Panem residents (myself included!) Although there are a lot of the standard "Real or not real?" one-shots, thg authors are also branching out and writing really believable and unique takes on life after Mockingjay. Most of these fics follow the time gap between the last chapter and the beautiful epilogue, but there are also a few wonderful exceptions to this too! I had originally planned this to be only a double recommendation, recc'ing my two current favourite Post-MJ fics, but I got caught up in a vortex of reading ridiculously excellent fan fiction the other night, so I've decided to list all my other favourites here too with pros and cons for each.


Grow Together
Author: Miss Scarlett 05
Summary: Pre-epilogue Mockingjay. How Katniss and Peeta slowly pick up the pieces and begin again. 
Review: "Tdhbcidpqoda,sdnqwod." Seriously. That's what my brain does when I see that Scarlett has updated this amazing fic! Grow Together is currently my favourite piece of fanfiction, for several reasons. I like this author keeps Katniss in character, and how she brings the two star-crossed lovers together. They hurt, they heal, and they learn to ask for help from one another. There are many brilliant scenes where you can just feel dread creeping up on you because you know something's wrong with Katniss or Peeta, and they're going to freak out. That's what I love most about this fic - it makes you feel.  The pacing of Grow Together is nice and slow, currently charting their progress through months after the war as they recover. I think Miss Scarlett 05 also does something a lot of other authors forget (or decide not) to do - she has Katniss and Peeta constantly harassed by the media, Capitol audiences eager to see them in love and recovering so quickly, something which is not realistic (Oh, bless the ignorant Capitol citizens!) I enjoy that in this fic there are a wide cast of characters and plot points. It's one of the few fics that you can currently follow and become obsessed with. I'm so excited to see where the story will take us!
Excerpt: I catch my first glimpse of made-over Peeta when he comes in the front door to collect me. He must have been swayed by the team's opinion as he's dressed in a soft-looking white long sleeve shirt. Like me, he's practically been dipped in skin gunk. Before I realize it, I'm grinning at him. Seeing Peeta without his scars makes him look put back together. He looks more like the boy who introduced me to dipping pieces of bread in hot chocolate. He looks like he did before, without the constant reminders of pain and war. I have enough reminders. I really don't need anymore.

The in-demand makeup team has an afternoon appointment, so they depart in a flurry of hugs, sobs and warnings to use conditioner.

Peeta and I walk to town, where the crew has selected an appropriate background for the shot. Black X's are marked on the spots we're to stand on and crew members are directing townspeople away from our location. We're to stand in front of where the old justice building used to stand. The rubble has been cleared away, a foundation poured and the first skeleton of a wall has gone up.

Peeta runs through his lines one more time and put his note cards in his pocket. The red light on the camera blinks on. Cressida starts the countdown just in time for Peeta to have a seizure on live TV.

EDIT: Letters from the Sky, as well as the rest of hgfan1111's lovely fics, have sadly been pulled. We're leaving the review up - trust us, it was a wonderful story!

Letters From The Sky
Author: hgfan1111
Summary: One of these days they'll know they are truly free. Until then, the battle continues. Post-Mockingjay, disregards Epilogue. 
Review: Letters From The Sky is a complete multiple-chapter fic that encompasses the breadth of Katniss and Peeta's lives immediately after the last chapter, and after the time seen in the epilogue, too. It has a lovely pace for a fic that goes over quite a large timescale. There's a very sad chapter with Haymitch that made me really realise how much I loved this story - I don't want to say much and be spoilery, but I'll say that this fic is very touching. This excerpt is from a crazily intense chapter that will floor you.
Excerpt: "Don't look, Katniss. Please don't look. You don't need to see this."

The room is torn apart, just like the kitchen was. The lamp is on its side, but the shade has been knocked away, leaving just the bare bulb. It rocks back and forth on the wooden floor, casting strange, long shadows on the walls. Peeta is crouched in the corner of the room, watching me intently. He's clasping his hands tightly in his lap and I'm reminded sharply of the handcuffs that he forced me to leave on him in the Capitol.

"Don't look," he pleads again and bows his head.

But I can't stop myself from staring. Peeta's nightmares—or what I assume plays through his mind in the bad moments—are vividly recreated on the walls, painted right over anything that might have been there. Paint is splashed about, on the floor, on the ceiling, and all over Peeta. The colors are bold—reds, blacks, blues, and bright oranges. They smash and swirl together in a way that makes my head spin. The faces in the portraits are distorted versions of people I recognize. Finnick, Gale, Haymitch, Snow, and even Prim.

It's the last one—fresh paint still drips down toward the floor—that I find myself unable to look away from. My sister's face is perfect. Every feature is represented just as I remember her, but twisted in pain and anguish as flames consume her.

Now, a list of Post-Mockingjay/Post-Canon fanfictions that I am honoured to recommend because they're just so darn good! Each author puts their own spin onto what might have happened to a bunch of our favourite characters.NB#1: I've recc'd infamous ones like Recovery and Relapse before on Nightlock - I tried to find unknown or unappreciated fics for this post. NB#2: If you know any Post-MJ fics that I haven't mentioned, let me know and I will add them/stalk the crap out of them.


Out of the Night: An Interview with a Mockingjay by athousandwinds
Why You'd Love It: Come on, who hasn't imagined Katniss doing a tell-all interview years later? athousandwinds took the plotline straight out my musings and did something splendid with it.
Why You Might Not: Forty-year-old Katniss and Peeta. Some people have trouble reading aged characters (although you'd hardly call that ageing, but whatevs...)


Backscatter by sprat
Why You'd Love It: You get to see Katniss' kid being smart. Features a cool Haymitch. Finishes on an intriguing idea that I have been pondering for some time about the version of the world Panem is situated in.
Why You Might Not: Not for Haymitch haters (...are there any?) or people who don't like seeing Peeta going into hijacked-mode.


Ashes and Flame (Every You and Every Me) by freneticfloetry
Why You'd Love It: A lovely, sweet set of short scenes of life after the war from Peeta's point of view. There's emotive descriptions of Katniss in regards to painting and colours. Very prettily and poetically written. I *love* their daughter's name in this fic.
Why You Might Not: It leaps forward in time. Uhm...you might get iffy aout Annie and Finnick's son's name? Idk. Not much to complain about with this one.


i'll set you up against the stars by oh_la_fraise
Why You'd Love It: You get to see Katniss as a mother interacting with her daughter, from her daughter's point of view! I find her point of view really refreshing, and it's so so so different to everything out their. I like how oh_la_fraise portrayed them acting as parents. 
Why You Might Not: Katniss and Peeta not telling their children much about their part in war. The daughter's name is Prim. (Although I like this fic enough not to really complain about it.)


Happy Reading!
~Little Miss Mionie