Betrayal by Hank's Lady

Betrayal by Hank's Lady

Tyler's life is chaos. He just caught his best friend, and roommate, in bed with his girlfriend, his father pays no attention to him and treats him like a burden, and he has anger problems, which almost always leads to a fight. When classmate, Jacob Black, takes pity on him and lends a helping hand, Tyler realizes there actually are good people out there and that he may not be the screw up everyone believes him to be.

I have been pleasantly surprised by this crossover Remember Me/Twilight fic! Using Tyler instead of Edward is nice twist, but what really caught my attention was the way Hank's Lady realistically portrays the struggles of the main characters. Seeing the slow and tentative progression of friendship between Tyler and Jake is refreshing and I look forward to learning more about these characters. I always get a jolt of excitement when I see an update for this story in my inbox and I know you will too!

~ M

Dreamt by Zero Skye

Dreamt by Zero Skye - COMPLETE 

In this story, vampires can occasionally be pulled into others' dreams.  They are usually unable to interact with the dreamer, so they stay in the background. However, when Jasper is pulled into a dream in which a small child is being abused, he is somehow able to tell the boy that what is happening to him isn't right and that he should get help. The little boy never forgets the vampire who helped him and hopes that one day he'll be able to dream about him again. As Harry grows up, he continues to pull Jasper into his dreams and they form a very strong bond. With mounting tension due to the return of Voldemort, Harry knows that he must stand up and fight to save the wizarding world. Jasper, on the other hand, must sit back and wait, hoping that that young man he loves comes out alive.

I first read this story a little over a year ago and it's stayed with me ever since. It's rare to see a Jasper/Harry pairing, but I think it works well in this story. Zero Skye effectively shows the slow progression of their relationship and the depth of their connection and love while telling a gripping story that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Definitely give this story a shot! It's well worth your while. :)

~ M

Wish Upon a Star by Bramble Iceweb

Wish Upon a Star by Bramble Iceweb - COMPLETE

Edward has been searching for his mate for decades. After wishing on a star one evening, he's surprised when an adorable young man with bright green eyes worms his way into his life and his heart. Even though he has as sunny disposition, Harry also harbors a great deal of pain and regret from his former life. Will he and Edward be able to move forward together or remain bound to past hurts?

I thought this story was absolutely adorable. It has a wealth of sweet moments with a few dashes of angst mixed in. I highly recommend this crossover fic! Both Edward and Harry will capture your heart.

Read the uncut version here.

~ M

Book Review: Dirty Laundry by Heidi Cullinan

Grad student, Adam, suffers from OCD and acute anxiety attacks. When he is harrassed in the laudromat by a group of frat boys, Denver, a man the size of a house, comes to his rescue. After some flirting, the two have sex on top of Denver's laundry and begin and tentative friendship and eventual relationship.

I really liked the free short story, Dirty Laundry, so I was excited when I realized this was an expanded version of that story. Unfortunately, the extremely slow pacing, redunancy and lack of plot killed my impression of this book. I did like the way Adam's OCD was handled. Cullinan described it in a realistic and true-to-life way. However, I felt like every single page dealt with Adam's anxiety attacks, insecurities, fears, self-loathing, etc. It was neverending (which may have been the point since Adam couldn't get away from those feelings, so I guess readers had to endure them as well).

After learning all about Adams issues, we soon find out that Denver also suffers from feelings of low self esteem. He's a high school drop out, doesn't believe he's very smart and feels inadequate next to Adam's intelligence. This new development seemed like too much after all we have to see concerning Adam.

Louisa was a cool character, but she didn't seemed all that developed. She was mostly just a shoulder to cry on whenever Adam was feeling insecure or suffering from an attack. Brad, the villain of the story, was just annoying. It boggled my mind that his behavior continued as long as it did and his "comeuppance" was extremely anti-climactic. The addition of BDSM, which made me more uncomfortable than intrigued, was the final straw for me, unfortunately, and the book completely lost me. I struggled to get through this book, especially the last 30%, and found myself skimming through most of it.

Buy Dirty Laundry here or here.

~ M

An Innocent Man by loopylou992

An Innocent Man by loopylou992

Sitting in a prison cell, Carlisle awaits his fate. He's been sentenced to death for the murder of his former lover, Edward. The only problem is that Carlisle didn't commit the crime. Unfortunately he was at the wrong place at the wrong time when he found Edward, covered in blood and clinging to life. The only thing getting him through this difficult time is his partner, Garrett. As they spend their last few moments together, the two men try to make it as special as possible, while at the same time saying goodbye.

This story is awesome! My heart broke for Carlisle because I, as a reader, knew he was innocent and that he was taking the fall for someone else. My heart also went out to Garrett, who has to watch the man he loves be put to death. There aren't enough good things I can say about this story, but I have to mention that the twist at the end will surprise you! Happy reading! :D

~ M

Remember Us by addicted-to-romione-bedward

Remember Us by addicted-to-romione-bedward

After a horrific motorcycle accident, Benjamin is in a coma for three months. Garrett, his partner, is by his side every single day, but when Benjamin finally opens his eyes, he can't remember anything: his name, why he's in the hospital, Garrett or the fact that he's gay.

After watching BD2, I've grown a soft spot for Benjamin. I never really paid attention to him in the books, but casting did an awesome job for the film. Benjamin (Rami Malek) was all kinds of sexy!!! *swoon* Remember Us is a beautiful story about two men who have to learn how to adapt to a new way of life. Benjamin was come to grips with that fact that he's gay, something he's not comfortable with; and Garrett must come to the conclusion that the man he knows and loves maybe gone forever. If you're looking for a story that will tug at your heartstrings and make you root for two very likable characters, this is the story for you!

~ M

p.s. Remember Us recently won second place honors & Alyse's pick in the Slash Writer's Workshop Anonymous Plot Bunny contest.

Waiting to Meet You by Seylin

Waiting to Meet You by Seylin

Jasper and Seth have been trying to have a child for a long time, but for some reason, a baby just wasn't in the cards, so the couple suffered loss and endured the pain of miscarriage. Pregnant once again, Jasper dotes on Seth, who is on bed rest. When Seth goes into early labor, the same fears and anxieties bubble to the surface. Will Jasper and Seth finally be able to have the family they always wanted or be doomed to more pain and sorrow?

I know MPREG stories aren't a lot of folks' cup of tea, but I thought this story was really good. Seylin conveyed the thoughts and emotions of all the characters, particularly Seth's, Jasper's and Jacob's, so well that I forgot it was a man carrying the child. I don't want to give away too much of this one shot, but I highly recommend that you check it out for yourself. It's a quick read that will put you through a wide array of emotions.

~ M