Harry Potter, Howl's Moving Castle, Sleepy Hollow, Twilight, XXXHOLiC
Link: Flowers for Parkinson
Author:
musesfool
Rating: PG
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Neville/Pansy
Summary: Pansy develops a crush on the last person she would've expected to like.
Warnings: Slight spoilers after book five
Comments: I have to admit that I was a bit hesitant clicking on this story, but I don't regret it now. The pairing is one that I never imagined that I would like because I don't care much for the individuals, so logic would have it that I wouldn't care for them together, but the story made the characters so alive, and it made you feel for Pansy that you can't help but to love them together. It's them getting together, and Neville being all flushed, and Pansy not caring.
Excerpt: "Of course, in Pansy's (sadly limited by Recent Events) circle, a secret fondness for dogs was a lot less shameful than a secret crush on Neville Longbottom, no matter how tall he'd got or how well his shoulders had filled out."
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Link: In which many loose ends are gathered together
Author:
sylvertongue
Rating: G
Fandom: Howl's Moving Castle
Pairing: Howl/Sophie
Summary: Sophie reflections on all that has happened to her and realizes that she can have a "happily ever after" with Howl.
Warnings: Slight spoilers for the ending of the book
Comments: The story is not overly romantic, but it has its subtleties. And it's sort of like in Ms. Jones' writing style. I could actually picture this happening at the end of the book. It's a joy for me to read a fic that resembles a book that I've read because that's what makes me turn to that book's fandom and this was one of those stories that has such a great narrative and the characters are as close as you can get to the original piece of work. It's what makes me stay in the fandom and enjoy it because it gives me a bit more than the original thing can, which is always a plus to me.
Excerpt: "The days following the death of Miss Angorian and the Witch of the Waste were some of the busiest of Sophie's life. She was swept suddenly into the midst of a whirlwind of activity, and it seemed she hadn't a moment's peace to consider the rather personal implications of all that had happened on Midsummer's Day."
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Link: New Century
Author: Kadorienne
Rating: PG
Fandom: Sleepy Hollow
Pairing: Ichabod/Katrina
Summary: Ichabod knows, despite all his trials, that the new century will be a good one.
Warnings: none
Comments: I was a puddle of goo reading this because it shows that no matter what life throws at them, Ichabod and Katrina will always have each other. They show their love through all of these small, everyday actions, so there is no room for doubt. Besides all the romantic subtleties, it also has some mystery, and action. It gives a fan like me something a bit more after the movie.
Excerpt: "Ichabod felt as if he could not only dance, but fly. Since the Pickety Witch had caught him and given him a kiss on account, he had done a hundred things he had never thought he would do. And since their marriage, he had faced one fear after another, and each had proved to be as innocent as doves. With her white magic, he was ready to face a new century."
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Link: The Small Print
Author:
xxxperimental
Rating: PG
Fandom: Twilight
Pairing: Edward/Bella
Summary: "It's the time that he fails."
Warnings: angst
Comments: Oh, this was heartbreaking. It's predictable in that you know where the story is going, but you desperately wish that there'd be some twist along the way, and that it would end happily, but it doesn't. It packs such a punch, and makes you want to cry your eyes out. But, even though, it's depressing, the love that Edward and Bella show is magnificent, and probably all the more heartbreaking as well. The only thing that I wish the author did differently was to explain Bella's situation a bit more. It really was ambiguous. Or, preferably that she makes a sequel, but that's all wishful thinking.
Excerpt: “I’ll always be there for you, Bella. I’ll always protect you.”
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Link: Circle
Author:
splintercat
Rating: G
Fandom: XXXHOLiC
Pairing: Clow/Yuuko----> although not totally romantically paired
Summary: Clow plans his death.
Warnings: none
Comments: This was sad to read through (although it's short), but you get the feeling that it's the right course, and you know that everything will end up all right for Clow in the end. And the Yuuko/Clow interaction is great and that partially contributes to the feeling that Clow is not going through this alone and that has to amount to something.
Excerpt: "Clow hoped his new selves would have someone like Yuuko to help them, even when they're preparing to die."