WIP of the Week: 1/23/12

Fated Love by twilover76

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7189026/1/Fated_Love

Review by Agrutle

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Hurt/Comfort
Characters: Edward & Bella

Summary: Bella's life is a somewhat lonely existence, until one day she unexpectedly meets her soulmate. SexyBella and Doctorward fall head over heels quickly. Will their friends and family approve of their whirlwind romance? AH/M for a reason

Love at first sight is thought of often as mythological, not real. Not so for Bella and Edward, after seeing each other in different spots of New York City, getting stuck in an elevator is exactly what the pair needed to get them together to see if the pull they felt before was real in the flesh.

Tragedy struck when Bella was just eighteen, having her dad, her only living parent, killed in the line of duty. Being an adult already, she was able to stay in her home and finish her senior year. She had the help of her brother, Emmett and his girlfriend, Rosalie. They would come home from college when they could to check on her. After Emmett gets drafted to play for the Chicago Bears, they ask her to move with them too. She wants them to have their own lives, and she feels like she’s already burdened them too much.

In New York City, after her best friends Angela’s wedding, Bella is trying to check out of her hotel room and gets the strangest sensation and turns around, sees him, and her heart starts to race. She is instantly attracted to him. Knowing that she most likely won’t see him again, she pushes it out of her mind and heads to the airport. A thunderstorm grounds the flights until the next day, so she heads back to her hotel room that she was charged for already. On the elevator, Bella and Edward start their love story.

"My name is Edward Cullen. I figured we should introduce ourselves," I said, giving her a smile. 

"Isabella Swan, but I prefer Bella." She smiled back. Her voice flowed over me like dark honey. Her smile alone made my heart pound. I had never felt anything like that before. I knew it was probably Lifetime movie network worthy, but I couldn't help it. I was smitten. 

"Bella. Beautiful. Very fitting." I nodded as I said her name out loud. I saw her blush, even in the dim glow of the emergency light. "It's nice to meet you, Bella." 

I couldn't resist leaning in a little closer and breathing in her potent and desirable scent. I inhaled sharply when her small hand reached up and brushed my cheek. I closed my eyes and leaned into her touch. She pulled back slightly, and I opened my eyes to see her biting her bottom lip. 

"Sorry. You….it's just….um…." she softly mumbled, as if embarrassed. 

"Shhh, beautiful. It's good. I liked it." I didn't want her to be embarrassed. I wanted her to touch me. Everywhere. That touch re-ignited my cock which was then painfully hard. I felt like an out-of-control teenager. 

"Really?" she asked, moving in closer. I held my breath in anticipation, thinking that she might initiate a kiss; I didn't want to do anything to scare her away. We were so close, I could feel her breath as she exhaled on my face. At the last second, instead of heading for my lips, she leaned into my neck and inhaled deeply. My hand that had been stroking her hair stopped on the back of her head, holding her close to me. 

"Can you feel this, too?" she whispered near my ear. 

"Yes, beautiful girl. I feel it. I don't know what it is, but I feel it, too," I said as she leaned back to bring us face to face again. Her hands moved around to the back of my neck, and she played with the ends of my hair. My eyes slid from hers down to her lips and back up again, silently asking permission. She smiled and nodded slightly; I slowly leaned forward, giving her plenty of opportunity to pull back if she wanted. Instead, she closed the gap herself, and our lips met halfway. 

That’s all it took, they spend the night together. Bella decides she can’t live without Edward and they talk about her moving to Chicago and living with him on a trial basis. If, once she gets there and they don’t mix well, no harm not foul, Emmett and Rose would be there and she could stay with them. To worry about this was ridiculous because they were two halves of a whole, soul mates. Things progress nicely and they fall in love even more daily.

"Bella." I said, grabbing her hands, and looking into her eyes. Please love me like I love you, beautiful girl. I dropped down to one knee in front of her, pulled out the small velvet box, opened it, and placed it in her hand. 

"Bella, my love. Every day I spend with you makes me fall in love with you even more. I can't thank God enough for bringing you into my life. I never believed in fate until I saw you crossing the lobby for that elevator and I knew with every cell in my body I had to get to you before those doors closed." She smiled at me through her tears. "I love you more than anything and I promise to love you and cherish you for the rest of my life. Isabella Marie Swan, will you marry me?" 

"Yes!" She sobbed. "Yes, my Edward, I will marry you. I love you so much." She was trembling with emotion as the tears ran down her face along with the rain. I slid the ring on her finger, her hand shaking, and she smiled at the perfect fit. The pixie strikes again. 

"It was my grandmother Masen's engagement ring. I hope you like it." I told her. 

Their whirlwind romance captures you from the start and you get caught up in the happiness they share. The author has that special something that makes you feel the butterflies of anticipation when the love birds are together. You must check out this beautiful story and show the author some love.

Submitted Fic of the Week: 10/3/11

Resident Adviser by addicted-to-romione-bedward

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6531072/1/Resident_Adviser

Review by Agrutle

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

Summary: Bella is in her second year at UW and she ends up paired with Edward –basketball superstar– as RAs for their year. How far would he go to get her? Would she fall for his antiques, knowing his history with girl? Read and find out. 

It’s the start of a new year and a new job for Bella. She’s going to be one of the new resident advisers, but what she doesn’t realize is that her enemy of sorts, Edward, is the other RA. Bella is instantly on edge because Edward never takes anything seriously. Edward is the star basketball player and a playboy. Bella can’t stand to be around him, but because all of their friends are friends they are thrown together constantly. To show the people in their dorm that they are friends, they decide to get along and show a united front, they start going to things together, and Bella goes to Edward’s basketball practices. Bella tells Edward he needs to learn how to date women instead of using them and so he asks her to go on dates with him to show him what he needs to know.

"I thought you said something about a hypothetic kiss." 

"Did you have fun?" 

"I still am having fun," he chuckled, and opened the door of our dorm building. 

"After all that beer, everything is fun." 

"I had fun too," I admitted. 

"That means… under other circumstances… I would have kissed my date?" he asked, hopefully. 

"Yes. Just a kiss. Close mouuu-" I stumbled over a stairs and started laughing hysterically when I fell on the stair. 

"Are you okay? And what do you mean… close mouthed?" 

He was in shock. I was on my feet again and with his help, I made it safely to our floor. 

"Just what you heard. Haven't you done it before?" 

"No," he answered, shocked. "You?" 

"We're talking about you," I blurted out. No need for him to know about my non-existent experience. 

"I don't know about that… Care to show me how to do it?" he asked, cockily. 

"Just don't stick your tongue down the girl's throat. That means closed mouthed." 

"Can't we… experience it? " 

Soon she realizes that she is starting to actually like him, not just in a friendly way either, but she fights it hard, knowing that he’s a player. What she doesn’t know is that there is a reason that Edward doesn’t let people get near him, and it has to do with his biological parents. It has shaped the way Edward deals with ties to people, he doesn’t. One night stands and flings are his way of making sure no one gets close enough to hurt him. Something about Bella, though keeps him coming back for more and all too soon they are as close as two people can be. What do you do though when you find out that he may not have been as honest as you though, or was he.

I woke up later to an empty bed. it was dark outside, being winter, I couldn't tell the time. Had he left? Just like that? I was angry and disappointed, but I wanted to find him and hurt him. That's when I heard his voice outside the room or nearby, anyway. I spotted his shirt at the end of the bed and slipped it on along with my knickers before padding to the door. From the sound, he was arguing with someone. Then, everything went silent. I opened the door just in time to hear his groan. The same groan I had heard earlier, a groan of pleasure.

There he was! In the middle of the hallway, a few feet away from my room. Jacob's sister in his arms. They were kissing, and she looked like she was dry humping him. A dry sob escaped my lips and distracted them. Cullen's head snapped to me, and his eyes widened. The girl looked at me then at him and she started shouting something. I couldn't pay attention. I wanted to crawl in a hole and die. 

"I told you no, Rita!" 

"REBECCA!" the girl wailed. 

"What the fuck ever! I said no!" he shouted, glancing at me. "Bella…I ehh motherfucker," he groaned and gripped his hair with a hand. 

"You were with her all this time?" the girl yelled. His eyes widened further, and I felt sick. 

"Look, Rach-" 

"RE-BE-CCA! Fuck you, Cullen!" 

He moaned when she slapped him and dashed down the stairs. His eyes turn to me. I stood there, petrified. 

Bella is broken after that, she feels like a fool. Why would he want her when he could literally have any girl on campus. She starts seeing someone else that treats her nice and is only seeing her, Jake. He is on the basketball team with Edward and everything seems to be going along great when Bella finds out that Jake is Rebecca’s sister and is out for revenge for his sister. Not too long after Bella sees Edward sitting in his car and thinks he’s sleeping when in reality he is trapped and is passed out. The near death experience shows her that she really does want to be with him and he wants to be with her and so they try again, still keeping it from their friends that they had been together before.

"I think it's impossible for us to be friends. Especially after… December." 

"Haven't you forgiven me?" 

"I meant that I can't be just friends!" I whispered and blushed. 

"That means we're going to try again?" he asked, hopeful. 

There is so much going on in this story that you get hooked immediately. The author has a way of making you laugh at the best times. You have to come and read this great story and find out all about this cocky Edward and his Bella, and where life takes them. I know I eagerly wait for each and every update!

Banner by JaimeArkin

New Fic of the Week: 8/22/11

Dear Maggie by Jenny0719

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7179931/1/Dear_Maggie

Review by Agrutle

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

Summary: A heart leads Bella back home to Forks... and to the brother of the woman who donated it. M for Lemons/OOC/Language

This story starts out with Bella moving to Forks after she’s had a heart transplant. She’s searching for someone...someone that knew Maggie, her donor. Carlisle is her new doctor and tells her about a job at his son’s shop. Bella stops by and meets Edward. He is a complete ass to her, blowing smoke in her face, even though she tells him she can’t be around it. Thinking that she was just being bitchy he continued doing what he wanted, not realizing that it was for health reasons. Although Bella is dumbfounded by this person, she doesn’t let him walk all over her.

He shrugged and turned away to dig in the massive toolbox behind him, leaving me to stand there stupidly. My jaw dropped at his blatant disregard for manners, and anger pounded through me. 

"What a fucking prick," I muttered, spinning around to leave. 

I was almost to the door when another loud clattering cut through the air behind me, stopping me dead in my tracks. I craned my neck slowly around to see him, catching him as he dragged his gaze over my ass. Heat bloomed inside me so strong that for the second time in the span of only a few minutes, I lost the capability to breathe again. 

"What?" I eventually snapped, still fuming through my haze. "Like what you see? Expect me to just bend over and let you do me here?"

As much as Edward wants to, he can’t get her off of his mind. All he can think about is her in her workout gear. Edward has his own demons that he keeps hidden from everyone, even his parents. He doesn’t know her name but he knows that she’s innocent and she was off limits. He could handle it since he was leaving for medical school after the summer. This was just temporary. After Carlisle lets the cat out of the bag about her coming to see if she could get the job at the shop, Edward admits that she had been there and would be coming back to talk to Emmett, the owner.

"You are, aren't you?" 

"I am what?" 

"Taking the job." 

She nodded. "Yeah." 

"Yeah. Of course you are," I groaned angrily, shoving my hands through my hair. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, putting one hand on her hip and glowering over at me. 

"It means that I would really rather you didn't. That's all." 

Her mouth sprung open in surprise from my honesty. "God, you're rude, you know that?" 

I shrugged, causing her to let out a little screech of frustration. 

"You really don't care?" 

"Not really." 

She huffed. "Look, I want this job. Need this job. So as much as it pains me to say it, I figure if we're going to work together, I should at least try to be nice to you. But let me make something clear. If it were any other circumstance, I would introduce my kneecap to your balls right now." 

Bella is drawn to Edward and she knows why, but she hates it. She wants to get to know him but he won’t let her close. Edward is just as drawn to Bella. He can’t stand that he wants to grab her, rip her clothes off and have his way with her. He is letting his past dictate to him what he does and he doesn’t think he is good enough for her. Even though we are a mere four chapters in, I am hooked and waiting for the next chapter eagerly. I love her Edward, even if he is a jerk. Her Bella on the inside is unsure of herself but stands up for herself despite it. All of the other characters lend a balance to her story and the small amount that you get of them makes you want more. Run, read this story and leave the author some love!! I assure you, you won’t be disappointed!

Submitted Fic of the Week: 8/8/11-8/14/11

The Mystery of You by DivineInspiration

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6348280/1/The_Mystery_of_You

Review by Agrutle

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Hurt/Comfort
Characters: Edward/Bella

Summary:  Mystery writer Edward Cullen stumbles upon a mystery greater than the ones he writes: Isabella Swan. Life happens as he unravels the mystery. AU/AH. Canon couples.

Edward lives in a quiet little town, Evonside Bay, and is a mystery writer and a bit of a loner. When he’s not writing he is spending time at his sister, Rosalie’s bar with his brother, Jasper. One night, after finding a way to finally off one of the characters he had been having difficulty getting rid of, he is at the bar relaxing when a petite woman comes and he can’t seem to stop watching her, so he goes to the bar to chat.

I sat down at the bar, leaving the stool with her coat between us, and ordered another beer. She was even more beautiful up close, even if she did look as stressed out as I did. She was fiddling with a cell phone and several parts, apparently not able to insert the SIM card correctly. 

"Can I give you a hand with that?" I asked, giving her my best crooked smile. 

She looked up, startled. An ocean of emotions flittered across her face, reflecting in her eyes in the most mesmerizing way. I didn't have a chance to decipher them before she tentatively returned my smile with a gorgeous one of her own and nodded her head, holding the dismembered cell phone out.

"Please. I seem to be taking it apart more than putting it back together." 

I took the parts from her. "Did you know that the inventor of cell phones can't figure out these newer models himself? They're getting so damn fancy that most people can't figure out half the crap that these fuckers can do." I realized too late that I was rambling, but she just smiled. 

"I'll be content if I am able to make a call on that one," she said as I finished putting it back together. I turned it on to see if it was working, but she ripped it out of my hand. "No! Don't turn it on. Just…don't, please." 

"Sorry, just checking to see if it works," I apologized, holding my hands up in mock surrender.

"No, I'm sorry," she said, a blush spreading across her cheeks. It was like watching the sun rise from the ocean – simply stunning. "That was rude of me. Thank you for putting it back together." 

She slid the phone into her bag and looked down at her drink. 

"So, what brings you to Evonside Bay?" I asked. It wasn't that big of a community, and I would definitely have remembered seeing this girl before. 

This time, there was no mistaking the emotion in her eyes: Fear. She bit her lip. "I…um…I'm just looking for the right place, you know?" 

After that, it gets pretty steamy. He thought they could have some fun. She introduces herself as Marie and they go to leave and proceed to kiss. Abruptly she pulls away and runs. Edward can’t get this girl out of his head, but it’s like she’s disappeared into thin air. He asks his siblings to keep an eye out for her and let him know if they see her. Two nights later, he’s back at the bar and there is an enormous man hitting on his sister and she is having none of it. Emmett McCarthy is there with his sister, Alice. They just moved to town and Alice is opening a clothing store. The funny thing is that neither Rose nor Jasper are particularly interested in either of the McCarthy siblings. Different right?? Usually it’s BAM, instant attraction, and we are in love and going to get married and have babies. Not the case here.

The day after that Edward is having a serious case of writers block, so he goes for a walk in the woods only to land face first in the dirt, having tripped over something. He finds Marie passed out with dried blood on her head. She wakes up in a bed and house she doesn’t know and finds Edward playing the piano and while he was preoccupied with that she ran. Edward runs after her and gets her to stay so that she can heal. While she stayed, she was always conscious about the fact that she didn’t need to get comfortable, and Edward soon realizes that there is more to Marie and she’s hiding something and from someone. She stays for a while and lets Edward know that her real name is Bella. One day Edward wakes up and finds Bella gone, leaving behind a note.

Edward, 

Thank you so much for everything you've done for me. 

I'm sorry I can't stay, and that I left the way I did. It's for the best, trust me. 

- Bella

For fuck's sake! The girl made me goddamn muffins before disappearing? 

She runs and literally runs into Alice, who promptly offers her a job in her store. Now that Bella has a job she can’t run anymore. Alice gives her clothes and Bella finds that she’s happy there and wants to stay. She’s just afraid that the past will come back to haunt her. Edward finds out that she’s still in town and they start a friendship that he hopes will eventually become more. All of gang start to have a weekly dinner at Alice's apartment, and they become a family.

So much more is going on in this story, I can’t even tell you it all, you have to go read it!! It’s amazing. The author sucks you in from chapter one. I loved each of her characters because she used similar traits that they always have, but made them different in her own way. The way DivineInspiration writes makes you feel like you’re in the story watching it. Please go check it out and leave her some love!

Writer Submitted Fic: 6/13 - 6/19

Red Letter Year by theswandive

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5896974/1/Voice_For_Me

Reviewed by Agrutle

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Drama, AH
Characters: Alice/Bella

Summary: Alice needs to leave her single life behind. Venturing out with her brother, she finds more than she expected in a pair of warm brown eyes. What started out as a physical need may, in fact, be more

We first meet Alice and Edward, brother and sister, on their way out for the night. I notice right away that this Alice is different than most I’ve read. She is shy and a homebody and it takes a lot to get her to go out. But Edward succeeds in getting her to go out with him. While there they both meet someone. While heading to get a drink, she literally gets knocked over and is set to yell at this person, but when she turns, she sees this beautiful woman and is tongue tied. It's Bella and her brother, Jasper, is the guy that Edward has met. What are the chances right? Instant connections are there and they end up back at Alice and Edward’s place.

I close my eyes and tilt my head. It takes a millennium, but I lean in and our noses are touching, our hearts are beating rapid-fire, and I can feel her breath on my face. Slowly and surely, I move just a fraction of an inch closer and place a kiss on the corner of her mouth. I can feel her smile under my lips. Instant courage. I take her bottom lip in between mine and pull just slightly. She moves closer and presses herself against me and my hands encircle her waist.

"Do that again, please," she whispers.

"My pleasure."

After that first night, they are inseparable and they start sharing their secrets. Secrets that Alice is scared will push Bella away. One night, while at Bella’s, Jasper asks Alice point blank what he wants to know. Alice starts to tell her story, not knowing that Bella is hiding in the hallway eavesdropping. Alice blames herself and will not listen to anyone telling her any different.

Her breaths were broken and staggered, my shirt damp from her tears. How could this have happened? My sweet, loving Alice. I cried even harder when I imagined her sitting there all alone, both of her parents gruesomely shot to death right in front of her. Then, I imagined what it must have been like for her brother to hear the news over the phone, and have to come and rescue her. Why did they have to suffer so much? There was no one there to answer my questions; there was no justification. That frustrated me more than anything. Giving up on trying to figuring anything out right now, I closed my eyes.

We lay there for an immeasurable amount of time before her crying began to fade. I kissed the top of her head and ran my hands up and down her arms, and along her side.

She whimpered in my arms. I had to hold back more of my tears. I needed to be strong for her.

"Oh, Alice. I'm so sorry," I say, rocking her still. I know there's nothing I can say or do right now that will make it any better.

"It was all my fault," she says in a raspy voice.

Still worried that something will click in Bella and she will realize that Alice is unworthy of her, Alice holds on tight and pulls Bella in to her cocoon, wanting to stay home all the time and never leave. Bella tells her that she needs to go outside the house. Bella wants to go on dates and be a couple outside. She's worried that Alice is ashamed of her, that she only wants her for sex. Alice realizes that she has to try to be a better girlfriend. They begin to be a couple on the outside, too. Then Bella asks Alice to meet her parents.

The three Swans having reunited finally remember that we're standing there. "Oh, God. I'm sorry. Dad, this is my girlfriend, Alice. And her brother, Edward," Bella says, letting go of him and moving towards me.

"It's nice to meet you, sir," I say, holding out my hand. Edward follows suit, totally copying me.

"What's the matter with you two?" Charlie asks. I freak.

"Uh. I...um..." I babble.

"There's no way in hell you two are dating my kids and haven't realized that this here is a family of huggers," he says, quite seriously. He grabs us both and pulls us close to him, wrapping one arm around each of us.

Holy shit.

I don't know what comes over me. Maybe I'm in shock. Maybe I just really fucking miss my dad - I don't know. But I hug him back, and I hold on tight.

It’s great to see Bella and Alice interact and to see how different they both are. Alice is muted compared to what she is in other fics and its a nice change! Bella is a personal trainer and not clumsy at all. Its also nice to see a bit of the relationship between Jasper and Edward. The emotions this author conveys are amazing. I felt the anguish that Alice felt as she was telling her story to Jasper and then Bella. Bella isn’t without her stories though, you must check out this story to find out whats going on with her. It is well worth the read. I can’t wait until it updates again!!!

WIP of the Week: 5/16 - 5/22

Going Under for the Third Time by busymommy

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6355663/1/Going_Under_for_the_Third_Time

Review by Agrutle

Rating: M
Genre: Angst/Romance
Characters: Jasper/Bella

Summary: Jasper is a surf bum trying to escape his past, Bella is a graduate student trying to find her future. Will a chance meeting during a surf tournament pull them under for the last time? AH/AU/non-Canon/ rated M for lemons, language, themes

Starting this story I almost instantly fell for this Jasper. He is a surfer, swoon!! Now, he’s not without his demons but he is laid back and easy going. Emmett is his best friend and they travel all around with the surfing circuit. Jasper has decided that he is going to go back to school in Virginia. While there we meet Edward, Emmett’s cousin, who recently became a professor at the same school Jasper is enrolled in to attend. Together the boys find a house to live in and become roommates and eventually friends.

Red…Orange…Flickering…Devouring…

The fire burned out of control. The little red convertible was enveloped in flames and the firemen's efforts were ineffective. I tried to move closer, but someone grabbed my arm and pulled me back. The heat from the fire hung in the air, as stifling as the billowing smoke that choked out the light from the moon. The flames grew higher, licking at the drought-dry trees that the car had careened into. A second fire hose was directed at the dried grass and timber, in an effort to prevent the wildfire that was building. I screamed her name, over and over, as the police officers tried to convince my mind what my heart already knew. Maria was gone and I had killed her.

Jasper is plagued by nightmares, as he tries to start a normal life. School, friends, but all of that doesn’t leave room for a girlfriend, right? Meeting Bella has made him rethink all of that. When he meets her he doesn’t know what to say so he does nothing. He thinks he has blown his chance, but being attacked by another surfer with a grudge causes him to see that she does have feelings for him, and they act on it.

Unable to help myself, I leaned down and brushed a light kiss across her lips. "Good morning, beautiful." I whispered against them.

"It wasn't a dream brought on by too much alcohol, was it?' she asked, her eyelids drifting shut again as she placed a hand over her mouth to hide a yawn.

Chuckling, I brushed her sleep-tousled hair away from her face. "Depends on what you remember."

"I…" she began, sliding up to lean closer, "remember…" she placed a hand on my cheek and one on the sofa arm to brace herself, "this." And she pressed her lips to mine, nipping my bottom lip and opening to my tongue as I teased across the bow in her top lip. Deepening the kiss, I pulled her closer, but winced again at the pain that shot through my body. Feeling my body tense up, Bella reluctantly pulled away.

After all that he is feeling he knows it’s too much for him to handle. He wants to get better and with the help of his new friends and Bella, I hope he can do it. This author has a great way of explaining the surroundings so that you can see it all in your mind like a movie playing. We have only hit the tip of the iceberg on this story and I know that there is so much more to come. Come get in the water while it’s warm. I’m sure Surfersper will welcome you with open arms; maybe even take you for a ride on his surfboard.

Writer Submitted Fic: 4/11 - 4/17

Patriot Hearts by Wendlou

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6039496/1/Patriot_Hearts

Review by Agrutle

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Drama
Characters: Edward/Bella

Summary: In colonial America, farm girl Bella would rather play in the wilderness than behave like a young lady. Edward is the son of a rich landowner and very proud. An unlikely romance unfolds.

Being transported back to the late 1700’s through this story is the best way to time travel. Back to a time when cars and possessions were not important and family and community was. We meet Bella, a young girl, who lives with her father Charlie and brother Emmett. Her mother died when she was very young, leaving her father to raise her the same way he has raised Emmett. Sadly, that has made her very boyish. She wears Emmett’s breaches and goes hunting and fishing with her friend Jacob. One evening, Charlie tells Bella that she will start going to the Cullen home every Sunday to start taking lessons on how to be a lady. All Bella knows is that she doesn’t want to be a lady if that means time away from her brother and father.

I sit in the chair next to Alice and across from Edward. I am too nervous to eat. Alice turns to me and in a whisper only meant for me to hear, she asks, "Is it true you run wild with an Indian boy?"

I giggle and nod my answer.

"What adventures you must have," she says, "I must hear all your tales. I never have any fun, well, except when we travel. I love to see the big cities and shop for pretty things and dine at restaurants…," it is as if a dam has broken and Alice cannot contain herself any more,"… I just know we are going to be fine friends," she finishes, and I think that she is right.

After lunch, Miss Rosalie leads us to a small parlor off the main hall for our lesson. As soon as she closes the door behind us, her pleasant façade is replaced by a scowl. She takes a moment to appraise me from top to bottom.

"Well, I can see I have my work cut out for me. Your posture is atrocious, your table manners were appalling, and you smell like the inside of a barn," she snips. "I suppose we will have to start with the basics." 

She crosses the room, removes a book from a shelf and comes to stand directly in front of me. "A lady of good breeding always stands straight and tall," she says, and then places the book on top of my head. "I expect you to balance this book on your head and practice walking and sitting. In order to accomplish this, your back must remain straight and your head level."

I hold my tongue and do as I am told. Alice gives me a sympathetic smile that quickly disappears as Miss Rosalie begins to lecture us on the importance of good grooming and the benefit of making a good presentation of one's self. 

I spend the duration of my first lesson fumbling with a heavy book that seems to only want to fall onto my toes. Miss Rosalie praises Alice for her good upbringing and makes many comments on my lack of it. An hour later, Miss Rosalie declares an end to my torture and leaves the room to inquire how I will be let home. Alice and I take this opportunity to become acquainted.

Bella and Alice become fast friends and Bella soon is waiting to spend time with her during their Sunday lessons. She has had no real contact with Alice’s brother, Edward, until he takes her home one evening after a lesson. She is in awe of him. He was raised to care for girls in a certain way and she had never felt so taken care of and it makes her feel so odd. She doesn’t understand why she feels so fluttery and jittery. He’s just a boy, just like Jake and Emmett, but there is something else there, something different and she doesn’t know if it’s good or bad. He is so handsome and older, one minute he is being sweet and talkative and the next he is short and borderline rude. She doesn’t know what to make of him.

"G-Good day, Edward," I stutter as I return his greeting. I feel a blush coming to my cheeks as I do my best to return a smile. Edward slowly stretches out his arm and offers me an envelope. "What is this?" I ask as I cautiously take the envelope from him.

Jacob must have sensed my nervousness at our exchange because he silently comes to stand next to me in a protective manner. Edward turns his gaze to Jacob as if only now noticing him for the first time. The smile falls from Edward's face. They lock eyes and appraise each other for several moments.

"It is an invitation," he says abruptly, without taking his gaze from Jacob. His tone has become unfriendly. I cannot think why. "Alice has bid me to deliver it to you. She would like you to come to our Christmas ball."

"Oh," is all I can manage to say as I register his hostility. We all three stand awkwardly for a moment longer and then the silence is broken by Edward.

"Once again, good day," he says, nods at me, then turns , mounts his horse and leaves without a backwards glance.

The author has a way of making you feel like you are right there watching her story. I love that she can convey, no matter what time period, the uncertainty of a teen-aged girl dealing with new circumstances. Watching all the different people in different stations in life and realizing that in the end the only thing that matters is the way you conduct yourself. This story sucked me in within two chapters and I eagerly await a new chapter. I cannot wait to see how the relationship between Bella and Edward comes about. Come join the journey now and enjoy the anticipation with me!

Writer Submitted Fic: 3/21-3/27

Still of the Night by StAngelS

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6204656/1/Still_of_the_Night

Review by Agrutle

Rating: M
Genre: Supernatural/Romance
Characters: Edward/Bella

Summary: Bella wakes up every night at 2.13am, heart racing, fearful. Can the Dr. cure her or will the arrival of a dark stranger help Bella find peace from her past? Some lemons,few scary bits,E/B,AH,OOC,Some major character death.Supernatural/Suspense/Romance

Waking up every morning at two-thirteen is no way to live, and Bella has been doing that for six months. Finally, Charlie talks her in to going to see Dr. Carlisle Cullen about her sleeping issues. She doesn’t know what’s wrong but she’s tired of being woke up every night at the same time, feeling like she’s dying. After running tests that show nothing is physically wrong with Bella, she begins to give up hope that anything will be found to help her. Who do you call when you can’t see what’s hurting you? The Masen brothers, that’s who!

I wake up screaming and bolt out of bed. My feet hit the wooden floor with a dull thud. I don't even know why I'm bothering to look at the time. It's two-thirteen in the morning, the same time I have been waking up every night for the past six months.

My heart feels like it's about to break through my chest. I can barely breathe because it feels like a big pair of arms are wrapped around of my torso, squeezing. I feel cold, so very, very cold. Slowly the pressure around my chest lifts, my breathing returns to normal, and my heart rate slows down. It would be so much easier if I could just remember what I was dreaming about which woke me so violently. Every night it's the exact same thing. I wake up screaming. I feel like I'm dying. I can't fall asleep again and I lie in bed, in the dark, until I start becoming restless.

Edward Masen and his brothers, Jasper and Emmett live on the road, going from town to town and hunting for the unseen. When Carlisle calls and says he needs them, the boys don’t hesitate to come. After they get there, it becomes apparent that there is something going on in Forks. Something supernatural, and it seems to have gotten a hold of Bella and doesn’t want to let go.

I feel the covers of my bed lift up very deliberately and the icy cold form of someone get into bed with me. The feel of the body next to me chills me to my bones, right down to the core of me. Someone is in bed with me. I don't know who and I am petrified. I feel a frigid hand touching my side and slide up towards my chest. A cry is caught in my throat.

I jolt upright just to feel icy arms pull me back onto the bed. I fight, trying to free myself from their hold but can't move an inch. Big hand violently grab at my breasts, I grab at empty air trying to reach the arms of the person accosting me, trying to pull him away. Nothing. No one is there, but I feel him.

Suddenly, he grabs onto my shoulder and flips me over so I'm lying on my stomach. A penetratingly icy breath washes over my neck as I feel a wintry body push me into the mattress, a cold hand grabs onto my knee pulling my leg up, a body as cold as death placing itself between my legs.

Oh, god, someone help me! No. No. No. No. No.

Arctic hands grab onto my hips and lift my pelvis up as if to prepare me for penetration. I feel the material of my underwear tear. The sound of ripping material making bile rise up in my throat as their invading hands forcefully remove the fabric from between me and them. I can't breathe as the reality settles on me that someone is about to rape me. I feel them shift and steel myself for what I'm sure is about to transpire when my bedroom door is violently thrown open.

"Absum phasmatis quod subsist excrucio hicallus diutus!" A commanding voice shouts and just like that the cold form disappears and I'm alone in bed, shaken, shocked, numb, and cold.

"Bella"? Edwards's concerned voice breaks into my consciousness. "Bella?"

The author has a great way of making you feel like you are right there with the boys and Bella, dealing with the demons. Her Edward is commanding and has a take charge attitude that makes him sexy. Bella is no shy girl either, she can hold her own and does quite well at it. Come and enjoy the journey of ghosts, demons, and whatever else may pop up.

Brand New Fic of the Week: 2/14-2/20

When Life Gives You Lemons: Eat Them by DreamersDaze

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6656388/1/When_Life_Gives_You_Lemons_Eat_Them

Review by Agrutle

Rating: M
Genre: Drama/Romance
Characters: Bella/Edward

Summary: When a family member's health scare makes her question her own lifestyle, Bella begins a journey to find common ground between outer beauty, inner beauty, health and peace. Will she able to find love, in others and within herself? All Human

I love to read stories that are different. That don’t have everything wrapped up in a little bow. This is that kind of story. Bella is not tiny and perfect, she is overweight and is an emotional eater. I personally love the fact that she is imperfect. When we meet Bella, she is in the middle of a trip to the store to buy the comfort items of Oreos and mint chocolate-chip ice cream.

"Excuse me ma'am, but could you please stop? Mowing me down with your cart won't change the fact that there's someone in front of me."

"Screw you, you fat bitch!"

I think I just got cursed out by a senior citizen.

My jaw hit the ground and I jolted back, stunned. "Jeeze lady, do you kiss your grandkids with that mouth?”

And then she gave me the finger. For a moment I fantasized about ripping out her dentures and shoving them 'where the sun don't shine'. But to be honest, Grandma needs-her-mouth-cleaned-out-with-soap looked like she could, and would, kick my ass. So I bit my tongue, as the assault via shopping cart continued, staring into my basket at the half gallon of mint chocolate chip ice cream and bag of double stuffed Oreos that I was dying to dig into. As I finally reached the cashier, putting space between me and Grandma's cart of doom, the gum cracking teenager arched her eyebrow as she looked at me…and then at my purchases.

Yep…I'm fat. Google search images of 'girls that eat their feelings' and my picture would surely come up. Yes, I am buying cookies and ice cream. Could you ring those up while you're judging me?

Bella lives with her mom and Phil in Arizona and Rose is her very best friend. Having endured teasing and torture when she was younger, because she was overweight, Bella often wonders why Rose is friends with her. Then you meet Rose and see that she just loves Bella the way she is. Renee is worried about her daughter’s health and is constantly trying to get Bella to go on a new fad diet she has heard about.

"So," my mother began, and I looked up to find her staring at me intently across the table. Oh no…stares full of intent are never good. "I ran into Mrs. Olney, from down the street, today."

"Yeah?" I prompted, trying to keep the suspicion out of my voice.

Renee's hands began to flutter about the edges of the table; picking at the napkin, touching her fork as if she were about to grab it, and then appearing to change their mind. She always did this when she knew she was treading into sensitive territory. "Well she was telling me about how she's starting this new diet. Apparently there's this berry called Acai, which speeds up your metabolism and…"

I glared across the table as I interrupted. "Mom… fad diets are bullshit! There is no A+B=C equation to losing weight, no easy fix. Some people are just meant to be bigger. I'm fine with myself just the way I am. Why can't you be?"

The nervous hand fluttering sped up. "Look, I'm not trying to pressure you sweetie, but it's just… I worry about your health. You're getting older, and there are all these things associated with being overweight. I mean… your father has a history of heart disease on his side of the family…"

Bella understands the concern that her family has, but she just isn’t ready to change who she is. She tells herself that she is fine, and believes it. After returning from a vacation she takes with Rose she receives a phone call telling her that her father has had a heart attack, and it shakes her to her core. She is numb, and just knows that she needs to see him. After she gets there and realizes that Charlie is going to need help she decides to stay in Forks and help him. She and Rose get Charlie’s house in order and she decides that she has to change too, so that she can be a better help to Charlie.

When I looked up again, I realized I was standing in the health section of the store, in front of a row of shelves marked 'Diet and Nutrition'.

Way to be subtle subconscious. Fine, you win.

Except it wasn't that easy. The range and titles of the books left me extremely overwhelmed. Some sounded ridiculously Zen, boasting titles like "A Course in Weight Loss: 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever". What? Then there were the 'sounds too good to be true' titles, such as "The Belly Fat Cure: Discover the New Carb Swap System and Lose 4 to 9 lbs. Every Week" Really? If it were possible to follow the directions of a book, and lose 4 to 9 lbs every week, I would think there would be no overweight people in this country at all. And finally there were 'get real' books that approached weight loss from a 'let's change your mind and your lifestyle'. These had brutally honest titles full of promise, such as "This Is Why You're Fat (and How to Get Thin Forever): Eat More, Cheat More, Lose More-and Keep the Weight Off"
Where the heck did one even start? Half of these books had conflicting views from the one next to them. This one said less carbs, more protein. This one said less fat, more carbs. Some titles suggested eating a specific food group, or even a specific food. I saw titles like "The Grapefruit Diet" or the "Spicy Food Detox".

It all left me with an overwhelming feeling of 'What the hell?'

You really can feel how confused she is feeling about herself and her situation. She doesn’t want to be fat but she feels like there’s no other way. I am totally loving this, it has captured my attention. I want to know what she does to change herself and I love that she’s doing it to be healthier to help her dad. The author makes you feel the feelings that Bella is having. You should read for yourself to see how everything plays out, I for one can’t wait!!

Writer Submitted Fic: 1/17-1/23

Visions of Our Destiny by ForksPixie

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6092605/1/Visions_of_Our_Destiny

Review by Agrutle

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Angst
Characters: Jasper/Bella

Summary: Jasper has been waiting 60 years for Alice's vision of his vampire soul-mate. What happens when she knocks on the Cullen door escorted by the Volturi Guard. Vamp Story /AU

We first meet Bella when she is packing to leave for her semester of school in Italy. We learn that Bella never moved to Forks because Charlie was killed in a robbery. Instead she moves to Florida with Renee and Phil where she finishes high school and goes to college in Miami. Once in Italy, Bella decides to go explore and meets someone that will change her life forever.

She walked up to me, breathed me in and said, "You smell lovely."

I hadn't noticed her walk up to me. I didn't hear her footsteps. She was pale with purple eyes. I pulled slightly away from her and raised my eyebrows at her. What a strange thing to say to someone. "Thank you. I guess," I said.

"Please excuse my forwardness," she apologized with a smile that dazzled. "My name is Heidi. From your accent I assume you are American. I too am American and miss the aromas of home."

"Oh…sorry for my reaction," I said with a chuckle. "It just sounded like you wanted to eat me."

The Major has been waiting for his beauty for 60 years. Alice told him that he had a perfect mate and he just had to be patient. Her visions of his mate had always been obscure, then all of the sudden she could see her perfectly.

Emmett was already opening the doors to the back-porch before Edward had even finished his response. We all stood to follow him when Alice cried out, "NO!" Edward was immediately at her side. The horrors of Alice's vision clear on his face.

"What is it?" I asked, hoping that we had time to prepare for whatever was coming.

"She's alone. She's changing all alone," Alice whispered, still lost in her vision.

"Who? Who is changing?" I could not help the growl in my voice as I asked for more information.

Alice turned to look at me, her eyes filled with the venomous tears she could never release. "Your mate."

Once Bella awakens from her change, she meets with the brothers Aro, Caius, and Marcus. Instantly they can see that Bella is different, special even. She shows that she has no desire to feed the way the Volturi do. Realizing that he cannot train her, Aro decides to call his old friend, Carlisle, to see if his coven would be willing to take Bella under their wings. The connection between Bella and Jasper is immediate. Watching them interact and show their love to each other is beautiful and you can see that they are truly complete with each other. This is a story that is different than I have ever read before and I am waiting to read more.

"Alice is a seer. She sees visions of the future," he smiled, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear. "She saw my future and in it she saw my mate."

My stomach sank. I started to feel panicked by his words; he had a mate and I was already so far gone in my feelings for him that my dead heart ached. It felt as though my chest was being ripped in two. I couldn't sit there any longer. I needed to get away. I had misinterpreted our connection and felt embarrassed by my actions. I acted like a love-sick girl and had begun to fall for him without knowing his true feelings.

I quickly rose to my feet and began to walk away. "I-I'm sorry… I should have known," I stuttered, not knowing what the right words were at the moment. "I'm going to find my way back to the house. Please excuse me."

In an instant he was standing before me. "You didn't let me finish, sweetheart," he said as he placed his fingers under my chin, lifting my face to look at him, his eyes pleading with me to hear him out. "She saw my mate… she saw you.”

The author makes you feel the love that these two have for each other. Each shares their heartbreaking stories and you can feel their pain. This is the author’s first multi-chapter story and I’m sure with her talent it will not be her last. Go check it out!!

Writer Submitted Fic: 11/15-11/21

Composition of Love by trueloveph28

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5874864/1/Composition_of_Love

Reviewed by Agrutle

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Drama
Characters: Edward/Bella

Summary: Bella and Edward meet in college and fall in love. Circumstances separate them, but their love for each other never dies. What happens when they're reunited? Will true love win? Or have time, space, and new relationships consumed them? AH/OOC

My mind ran through all of our memories together. How we met, our first kiss, the first time we made love…it was all still so clear. I tried, unsuccessfully, to push back the one memory I couldn't bear to think about. The day we broke up. My heart clenched painfully at the thought. I closed my eyes for a minute, trying to reign in the sadness I still felt to that very day.

And then I heard it.

"Bella?"

My eyes shot open and I looked up. As soon as emerald green eyes met chocolate brown ones, everything disappeared. The hurt, the loss, hell the last five years all together. Gone with one look.

"Edward, you came."

From the prologue this story sucks you in. Fast forward to chapter one and we find Bella and Alice are new college students at Northwestern, standing in line for their housing assignments. Bella is a voice major, and Alice in fashion. After getting their housing worked out, they go around campus trying to find certain things for a game called Icebreaker. Bella wanders around trying to find people to sign her paper. She gets frustrated and wanders over to the music room where she meets an interesting person.

Edward got this contemplative look on his face. "Hey, is Bella short for anything?"

"Yeah, Isabella. Why?"

"Baby, sign your name right here and give me that paper in your hand." I looked at him, confused. "Edward Cullen, twelve letters. Isabella Swan, also twelve letters. Looks like we just needed to find each other."

Alice drags her away from her new found friend to go and see their suite. You will never guess who she finds there. After settling in to her new dorm suite and making a few new friends and perhaps some enemies Bella starts her college experience. Going to classes and spending time with the people she enjoys most.

He took my hands in his, looking deeply into my eyes. "Bella, you are so incredible. Please, please tell me you feel the same way. Please tell me you need me like I need you." He looked so vulnerable, standing there in front of me and laying all his feelings out for me to see.

I couldn't say anything. I was stunned. Never did I expect to hear those words from his mouth.

After a few chapters I am hooked. I want to know what happens. The author seems to write her characters without effort. They just seem to flow together and mesh so well. You feel like you are experiencing whatever they may be doing with them. I suggest you read this story as soon as you can get to it, to see their love blossom as sweetly as it is right now.

Banner by JaimeArkin

Agrutle's Review of the Week: 10/18-10/24

The Surrogate by TayBee

http//www.fanfiction.net/s/5705035/1/The_Surrogate

Reviewed by Agrutle
*This story is no longer available* 

Rating: M
Genre: Drama/Romance
Characters: Edward/Bella

Summary: Desperate for a job, Bella meets with Esme and Carlisle Salmon, who have been trying to conceive for four years. She falls in love with them both, and decides to become their surrogate. Her best friends are all getting married and pregnant, they'll be sure to help her through it. And it's only for nine months, right? Angsty.

I started reading this story because of the cliffy in the summary and it did not disappoint. You find Bella fresh out of grad school and single. She is looking for a job and a way to use her degree and make some money. Everyone around her has grown and changed and she feels stuck. Looking through the want ads she finds something she didn’t even realize she was looking for.

She sat in the rocking chair in the nursery and wiped a small tear out of her eye. "You can't understand how badly we want this Bella. You are giving us such a wonderful gift."

"I'm glad I can do it." I said honestly. I might have gone to that house for the wrong reasons, but they had all changed as soon as I met Esme. I wanted to carry this baby for them. Only them.

Meeting Carlisle and Esme changed everything for Bella. You can feel the love that they have for each other and the desire to have a child. You can feel the connection that they make with Bella and how they become fast friends.

Esme walked to the cup and stared at it for a moment before grabbing the stick and placing it on the counter on tissue paper. I didn't look. When I finally realized my eyes were closed I looked to Esme. She was looking at me with tears in her eyes.

I'm not pregnant.

A small sob escaped my chest. "Oh my God, Esme I'm sorry." I said quickly. "We can try again. I'll go as soon as we can."

A small sob of a laugh escaped from Esme. "No, Bella," she said, "you're pregnant." She broke down, sitting on the floor of my bathroom while I sat next to her and the both of us cried. She was so happy. They were finally having a baby.

Watch as Bella goes through the pregnancy and all the ups and downs that follow. See how she deals with her life and what she goes through after a tragic event that changes all the rules. Her relationships change and grow as does her stomach. This was a wonderful story that has happy and sad at times. You will love this story and how it makes you think about what is and what isn’t important in life.

Banner by JaimeArkin

Completed Fic of the Week: 10/4-10/11

Engine 17 by EmmaleeWrites05

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5459813/1/Engine_17
Review by agrutle

Rating: M

Genre: Romance/Hurt/Comfort

Characters: Edward/Bella

Summary: Edward is fresh out of the Fire Academy and gets hired to the hottest fast paced fire department in the Seattle area meeting the closest tight nit fire family there is. Only they will help him get through the darkness he harbors from his past and see what's in store for his future. Perhaps a brown eyed beauty with a past of her own will help him along the way to becoming the firefighting hero of his dreams. Rated M for fire and medical situations you probably never thought you would know and of course – maybe some of the citrus variety along the way.

Let me just say that reading a story about a fire fighting Edward was one of the easiest things I have ever done. Emmaleewrites05 has a way of making this story feel like your reading a movie of their lives. No, not everything is picture perfect, but they have a way of being the couple you want them to be despite their flaws. Everything is so descriptive that you can’t help but feel as though you are right there with them.

“I could feel the tingling in my fingers as the adrenaline raced through my system. This was it. This is what I have been waiting for. Several years of college, many hours of volunteer time and now I stand at the precipice of love. Not love for another in the sense of being in love. No, love for the chase, for the fight.”

As Edward and Bella go through the day to day life as firefighters you see their relationship grow. Knowing that they both have issues from their pasts only makes you want them to fight that much harder for each other.

“I can't let him get that close where one or both of us gets hurt because of my past. It's the reason why I don't do commitment; it's the reason why I can't get close to anyone on more than a friend level. It's why I am preprogrammed to fail. I'm never going to be good enough, so why try just so I can fail? It wasn't worth it. So if I have to do one night stands, spend eternity living in my studio apartment alone and just have my friends as company – I'll do it. I don't ever want to be that person who inflicts the same heartbreak I had on anyone else.”

This author had a way of putting everything technical in to the story without making you feel overwhelmed. You could tell that she has a knowledge about the inter-workings of the life of firefighters and EMT’s. The ups and downs of this story make for an exciting and emotional journey. I think you should check out this amazing story about some hot firefighters that lead interesting lives.