Applied Cultural Anthropology, or... / by jacobk (PG-13)

Title:  Applied Cultural Anthropology, or...
Author: jacobk 
Fandom:  Harry Potter
Genre: AU
Length: Long (113,979 words)

Author's Summary:
... How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Cruciatus. Albus Dumbledore always worried about the parallels between Harry Potter and Tom Riddle. But let's be honest, Harry never really had the drive to be the next dark lord. Of course, things may have turned out quite differently if one of the other muggle-raised Gryffindors wound up in Slytherin instead.

Review:
A very well-written AU with a lot to say about canon, starring a Hermione that is brilliantly devious and cunning and all the best there is of Slytherin.  I like this twist on the classic manipulative Dumbledore fic.  Its definitely a good story for anyone who wants to read Hermione POV or female POV in general.  And while its true she's not canon!Hermione, she is a version of her that could have gone to Slytherin and I don't think it's so far out of character given Hermione's need from the moment of her canon introduction to assure herself and her classmates that she knew the material and could perform every spell she'd tried and wasn't that grand?  Plus, the bonus to having a genius who's a cultural outsider as narrator is the commentary on the wizarding world - thus the title of this piece.  It never quite reaches meta, it's still very much a narrative drama, and I really liked it.

Applied Cultural Anthropology, or... (on ff.net)

Session Transcripts / by lastcrazyhorn (PG-15)

Title: Session Transcripts
Author: lastcrazyhorn
Fandom: Harry Potter
Genre: AU - Diverse characters, Epistolary, Psych issues
Length: Very Long (118,844 words)
Warnings: contains discussion of abuse and its lasting effects

Author's Summary:
What happens when a brain damaged Harry and a transgender Hermione both get sorted into Slytherin? Snape's not sure, but he thinks it's likely to be an interesting term. This story follows various first years through the trials of their first year.

Review:
This fic deals with a lot of heavy issues, mostly really well. This story is mostly about characters with a variety of psych issues, with a Harry with TBI and/or autism and FTM Hermione and a lot of other students in counseling too after active screening of all students for abuse. But it's also a story about Snape as a mentor to these characters and it really develops his character well in service of that. Finally, I think this is the best use of epistolary that I've ever found. Lots of good reasons to read this fic.

Session Transcripts (on AO3)

Untitled / by kickingshoes

Title: Untitled
Author: kickingshoes
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Genre: fanart

Author's Summary:
none given (Stiles, wrapped in a red blanket sleeps in a pile of the pack-as-wolves)

Review:
Aww! So adorable! Simple and beautiful digital art.

Untitled (on tumblr)

John Watson's Blog / by kyaticlikestea (PG-13)

Title: John Watson's Blog
Author: kyaticlikestea
Fandom: Sherlock BBC
Genre: Humor/Crackfic, Epistolary
Pairing: Sherlock/John, Lestrade/Mycroft
Length: Medium (23,406 words)

Author's Summary:
'Basically, right, this friend of mine- we’ll call him Hamish, to protect his anonymity – is in a bit of a predicament, and he asked me to help him. In short, he’s sort of fallen in love with someone he shouldn’t have. At least, I think he’s fallen in love with him. He’s not sure. He says that every time he sees this person he really wants to throw a sharp, heavy object at their head but also sit on a bench with them whilst ‘Out of Reach’ by Gabrielle is playing and kiss them quite a lot, so I think he’s probably in love. Apparently. So Hamish told me.'

Or, the one in which John writes a blog entry about how his friend is in love with his best friend and his friends are not even slightly helpful in the comments section.

Review:
Epistolary fic composed of blog entries and comments - most of the story here happens in the comments section. 100% crackfic humor - very light-hearted.

John Watson's Blog (on AO3)

Sincerely, Your Pal / by lettered (PG-13)

Title: Sincerely, Your Pal
Author: lettered
Fandom: Marvel
Genre: Epistolary, Historical (WWII), Romance
Pairing: Bucky/Steve
Length: Medium (25,736 words & counting)

Author's Summary:
Letters exchanged between Bucky and Steve, beginning in 1943.

Review:
I seem to be reading a lot of epistolary fic lately, but anyways, here's another good one. I really like the hidden romance via soldiers' (censored) letters set in either of the world wars (you may have seen my rec for "Presbury Letters" - I think this one isn't quite as good, but then Presbury is hard to live up to as far as I'm concerned). At the moment, this fic is a frequently updated WIP so while what's there is wonderful - with good characterization and voices and a touching, mostly-understated established friendship-to-romance - it will be cool to see where it goes from here.

Sincerely, Your Pal (on AO3)

Fast Cars and Slow Jazz / by maggiemerc (R)

Title: Fast Cars and Slow Jazz
Author: maggiemerc
Fandom: Agent Carter, Marvel Universe
Genre: Romance - femslash
Pairing: Peggie/Angie
Length: Long (34,694 words and counting)

Author's Summary:
1. Angie’s got suspicions on what Peggy does for a living and she’s determined to protect her at all costs…to other people. It’s not like she’s crazy and about to risk her life for a dame that’s more hot and cold than the plumbing on the third floor of the Griffith Hotel.
2. "Tell me something English, if Captain America had gone and wooed you in a spectacular fashion, genuinely connected with you on an emotional level and then drugged you, locked you up in a mansion 'for your own good' and faked his death how would you feel?" After The Lady is a Tramp Peggy tries to woo Angie back. Too bad she's shite at it.

Review:
This fic gets bonus points for being that rare thing that is a long and well-written femslash fic, plus more bonus points for being in Agent Carter fandom. But most of all this fic is great because it really lets Angie's character shine. Her attitude and the lovely, dramatic relationship between her and Peggie make this a great series.

Fast Cars and Slow Jazz (on AO3)

Amazing - 600 recs!

This journal passed 600 recs today!  :D  Yay!

(Do you think maybe I read too much?)