One Shot of the Week: 8/6/12

August 11, 2012

Wicked Games by TheLyricalCutie

Rating: T
Genre: Romance
Characters: Charlie & Esme

Summary: There was only one woman in this town that could reduce Chief Swan to a bumbling mess. Maybe it was time for him to come out the shadow of a broken heart.

New Fic of the Week: 8/6/12

August 09, 2012

The Heist by KreativeKreature
Review by Twilly

Rating: M
Genre: Crime/Romance
Characters: Edward & Bella

Summary: Have you ever felt like every event in your life is out of your control? Like it's all a lie? Hoax? Sham? "I'm no one, and pretty soon… you will be too." Welcome to The Heist.

The Heist is great, and it’s only three…wait, did it update already? Okay, four chapters in, so go read it .

There. Review done. Easiest review I ever wrote. I totally wrote that in like thirty seconds. I’m on fire.

What do you mean why? Because I told you to!

What? That’s not good enough? When did I lose my authority?

I never had any authority? Really? You mean I’m not the boss, I’m just bossy? Where’s the whiteout? I need to take “Fanfiction Boss” off my resume.

Fine, here’s why you should read it.

This Edward is different. Down on his luck, he stumbles into a convenience store and a chain of events that have him confused and scared for his life. A pretty brunette forces him at gunpoint into her car and on one little high-speed chase and the boy loses his shit.

Speaking of pretty brunettes, this Bella is dangerous. She’s a no holds barred, take no prisoners, shooting automatic weapons with both hands badass. Well, except she did take Edward prisoner; but come on, who among us wouldn’t take Edward hostage? Except she’s not holding Edward as her personal love monkey like some of us…I mean some of you all would. She has orders.

At this point, I’m not really sure what Bella’s motivation or intentions are and I really can’t tell if she’s a good guy, bad guy, or a good guy pretending to be a bad guy. I can’t wait to find out.

The Heist literally has me on the edge of me seat for the entire chapter. You all know me, I’m jumpy, it’s dangerous for me to sit there! I can’t help it; I need to know what’s going on. I need to know why Edward Masen has to cease to exist. I need to know what’s up with Bella and who all these people are in The Grotto and what they want with Edward. And I need to know who the blond man Bella shot in the convenience store was.

Come read The Heist with me. We’ll bite our nails together; we can call it The Heist manicure.

Banner by Twilly

Completed Fic of the Week: 8/6/12

August 08, 2012

Eclectic by chatterbox33
Review by AnonymouslySufferingFromOCD

Rating: M
Genre: Family/Romance
Characters: Edward & Bella

Summary: In one day Bella's life changes tack; she learns thieves threaten to sink her life's work and Charlie is nearing the end of his voyage, but her friends are the wind in her sails as they set course for smoother sailing. M for language & future lemons. AH & OOC

I have been more or less stuck at home from work for the past couple of weeks and truthfully rather bored. In order to try and keep myself entertained, I have been searching for completed stories that I haven’t read and that will hold my interest. Trust me this isn’t an easy task considering the number of fics I’ve read, and finding one that won’t kill me on the angst side, you all know I am a huge wimp when it comes to the angst, made it all that much harder to do. That is how I stumbled upon this weeks Completed Fic of the Week. Eclectic was the breath of fresh air that I needed in my reading material.

Set in the Chicago area, Eclectic is a story about a very strong and outgoing Bella, who is dealing with some drama. Bella, after a stint in the Air Force, has started her own business, Eclectic, a design firm that caters to the average person, and sells designs from all around the world, ensuring that their designers and employees get paid a respectable livable wage, even in some of the most remote villages in the world.

Bella surrounds herself with friends and people she trusts with her life for the most part, and is shocked when it is brought to her attention that one of her employees has been embezzling funds, leaving her designers with way less money than promised to them. She finds this out on the same day that she finds out that her father, Charlie, who has been her biggest cheerleader her whole life, is battling a disease that no person should ever have to face.

 "WHAT? Emmett, what are you talking about?" 

"You claim you want people to earn a living wage, you claim it's your mission and yet, look at this!" He waved a stack of papers under my nose. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could prepare me for what he found. The invoices my company paid was significantly smaller than the amount I'd set, however the intended payment amount was still deducted from the account. Somewhere, somehow, someone was skimming the till! 

"Emmett, where did you find this? This is not me, someone's stealing from Eclectic!" 

He scoffed at me. "I'm serious Emmett, this amount," I pointed to the amount withdrawn, "that's what should've been paid! Why would I withdraw that amount but pay this? This isn't me, Emmett! You've got to help me get to the bottom of this!" 

Emmett watched me intently, his expression softening but still clearly upset then responded, "You seriously had no idea this was happening?" 

"Why would I steal from myself? Please, Emmett, help me with this. Clearly we have someone here who's up to no good." 

Edward, a lawyer from New York City, has recently moved back home with his parents after his divorce in order for him and his kids to lead a less hectic life. While Bella has known Carlisle and Esme for a few years, she has only recently met Edward and she adores his children. Edward is there for Bella, while she struggles with the issues at work and Charlie. Bella is there for Edward as a mother figure for his kids and it doesn’t take them long to figure out how good they are for one another.

Just then Edward knocked at the back door, Emily and Bono bolted for the door with me following on their heels. 

"Hi" he said as handed me a big bunch of beautiful sunflowers, then he gave me a little peck on the cheek again. 

"Hi! Thanks so much! These are beautiful. How did you know these are my favorite?" I said. 

"I didn't, they just looked pretty and reminded me of you," he said with a shy smile. 

I ran off to put them in water then tossed the pasta in the boiling water on the stove. "Dinner will be ready in about 10 minutes," I said. Edward do you want beer or wine? Or I think we have some pop around here somewhere." 

"A beer would be great, thanks," he responded as he came up behind me in the kitchen and stole another smooch, this time on the back of my neck, sending chills down my spine. He had to end it there, Emily ran in and started to show her daddy the cookies she'd made and told all she did to help make dinner. 

What I like most about this story is that even though Bella is successful and they both have money, it is real. ‪Dealing with real life issues, a sick father, a single father, trouble at work, and a Bella and Edward who are Catholic and have Catholic values is a lot to take in. However, don’t worry there will be lemons that are completely worth the wait but for a little while there is just some really hot lemonade. Chatterbox33 has made sure that the things that they deal with are real problems and issues that many people face on a daily basis, I love FanFiction, I really do, but I especially love when the stories are more realistic. Let’s face it, we all want to think we could be the next Bella and Edward, and I think that this story gives us a glimpse at a real family, real friends and real life. While the story is long and progresses a little slowly in a few places, I thought it was a great plot and I was so thankful that it wasn’t something that I have read a million times. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Banner by JaimeArkin

WIP of the Week: 8/6/12

August 06, 2012

Downward Spiral by Content1
Review by AngelycDevil

Rating: M
Genre: Horror/Angst
Characters: Edward/Bella

Summary: Post-BD EU. Captured by the Volturi, Edward faces a nightmarish choice as Aro enacts a diabolical plan to break him. As Edward's hold on his sanity weakens, only his memories of Bella help him stay strong as he faces the ultimate test. Mentalward Winner

Before you begin reading my review, let me ask you one thing: Have you ever read a work of fiction that you can’t describe? One where even though, you’ve somehow managed to wrap your head around the story but you can’t bring yourself to convoy the complex plot or the depth of the emotions that ensnarl the characters because you know that you can’t do it justice, so you simply say, “Just read it” before imparting the very basic scenario and plot line of the work to your friend and then changing the subject?

That is exactly what I was feeling minutes ago. Minutes ago, I was sitting in living room, staring at a blank page, frustrated at myself for signing up to review this fic (that’s a compliment!) because I’d just realized that there is no way that I can even begin to explain this bewitching piece of fiction. But I’m going to try because I want to share this wonderful writing with as many people as I can.

Downward Spiral began as an entry for a Mentalward contest by Crmcneill eventually became the first two chapters. Sadly, Crmcneill was unable to continue his work which is where Content1 swoops in and saves the story! As you can see from the banner above and the fact that it was an entry to a Mentalward contest, this is story does not feature our sane, kind, loving Edward. Instead, this portrayal of Edward is dark, twisted, impulsive, and well, in a word…a monster.

He had succeeded. He had broken me. But not in the manner he expected. 

The monster attacked the moment they entered my cell. Felix's arm was torn off at the elbow before he could blink. The monster threw him aside and lunged for the door. Jane's gift immobilized him with pain, but even then he thrashed about in frenzy. Alec blinded and numbed, but his gift only worked on physical senses. Using the sight of the Volturi guards for perspective, still he attacked. When sight and sound returned, he was pinned to the wall by four massive guards, snarling ferociously; the guards' arms and faces marked by bites and gouges inflicted by the monster's blind rage.

And that is why, to this day, I cannot understand why I started reading this, why I couldn’t put it down, and why I keep coming back for more. Maybe I’m crazy. Or maybe Content1 does a fantastic job of roping us in, making our eyes widen, forcing our hearts to beat faster and faster until we get addicted to MentalWard before giving us a happily ever after…but wait, it’s not over yet!

"And I will not forget this either, Aro!" Carlisle roared into the phone. "This is my warning to you; the Cullen family no longer recognizes the legal or moral authority of the Volturi, who have imprisoned and tortured one of our members without cause. Any member of the Volturi or its Guard found in our territory will be considered hostile, and attacked on sight. In addition, we will be informing our friends and allies of the treatment Edward received at your hands. I'm sure they will all be quite interested to hear this particular story." 

He paused for a moment before continuing. "Out of respect for our former friendship, I offer you this advice. If you intend to send any of your puppets against us, make sure to supply them with a properly labeled urn, so that their remains may be returned to you as expeditiously as possible. This conversation is over."

This is the part when I realized that this wasn’t going to end with the traditional happily ever after. Too much had been done. Too much pain. Too much loss. The Volturi has gone too far. The Volturi underestimated the Cullens, stretched them to the limit, and pushed them over the edge. The Volturi underestimated the bond of the Cullen family, their control because even though they feed from animals, they’re still vampires.

I realized that there will be more blood, more suffering, pain, loss, heartache.

I wanted to bask in the light of this long forgotten emotion, but it terrified me. I had been so long in the darkness, and painful experience had taught me to fear stepping into the light. I feared the horror that I knew waited to snatch me up if I let my guard down, even for a moment. I began to withdraw, shutting down, welcoming the darkness, but held onto the hand clutching mine with all my might.

I realized there will be a revolution.

Henceforth, my coven does not recognize the dictates of the lawless and faithless. We will continue to follow the rules that have served our kind well for millennia. Those that would join us in maintaining fair and altruistic governance are welcome. 
Carlisle Cullen. 

I heard Carlisle's message repeating in their heads. It was inflammatory, and it would ensure that the Volturi would come. I didn't know whether to hope it would, or that Aro would ignore it. I doubted he would though…he would see it as a direct challenge.

 I realized that nothing will ever be the same.

 The others retreated, leaving Carlisle and I to fight…the father and the son…the peaceful one against the lost one. Neither of us had particularly put much into our fighting before…he hadn't had the heart, I hadn't cared. 

But not this time, this time we both allowed the monsters loose…

 All in all, Downward Spiral is a perfect mixture of insanity, love, revenge, family, and vampirism wrapped in a bow with Content1’s coherent writing style and nostalgic plot.

Enjoy!