An Old Biddy Recommends

[hildigunnur]

ATTENTION: My more recent recs can be found in my del.icio.us tag - HERE.

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After having been involved in the Harry Potter fandom for more than three years, I've become highly eccentric in my tastes. I remember the old days when I couldn't get enough, I read and read and read a bit more. Still there came a time where I was full and I acquired certain tastes, became picky. Picky on ships, genres etc. Still I try to have an open mind but today I don't waste my time on something I might or mightn't like. So I go for the better odds, something I will probably like.

Anyway, what exactly do I read?


R/S:

Two Alpha!Remus recs
What it Feels Like by irish_lily (NC-17, non-con).
How exactly does Remus make Sirius realize how it feels to be humilitated. (In the aftermath after the Snape incident).

The Taming of Sirius Black by McKay (scribbulus_ink) (NC-17, Dom/Sub).
On the surface, this is a story about sexual kinks. If you look a bit further, this is a deep character study because you can tell a lot about a person if you know what makes them tick.

A fluff rec.
Room for Dessert by Dee Dee (edeainfj) (NC-17).
I'd say this story is Sirius Chocolate in fic form. Read it to find out what I mean.

An angst rec.
The Dark Center of the Universe by anniesj (PG-13?)
The writing here is beyond beautiful. Annie is such an accomplished author.

Smut recs.
portrait in charcoal by Casira (casirafics). (NC-17)
A very sexy seduction fic and beautifully written.

Boiling Point by anniesj (NC-17).
Wonderful and sweet teenaged Remus and Sirius and some wonderful and sweet teenage sex. And yeah, Annie's Sirius here is to die for.

tasting heaven by Casira (casirafics) (NC-17).
As people can bear witness to, I'm not a big fan of description but how can I not love the descriptions in this fics, especially since they are so mouth-watering?


R/Hr:

First time recs.
Take Him Away by Occlumented (NC-17).
This one is funny and warm and oh so cute.

The Hidden Chamber by anamchara (NC-17).
Who said that first-time stories can't be hot? And I mean HOT!

Hermione's Good Fortune by musesfool (NC-17).
Hermione takes charge, in the library. I don't think I need to explain any further.

The Morning After by leelastarsky (NC-17).
Hot, oh so hot. And the descriptions are well written, they certainly did please me and my description intolerance.

The Best Idea by tarie (NC-17)
So fluffy and in character. 'Cause that's what you need at times.

Prelude to Sex by madoldmrsfigg (R)
It ain't a classical "first time" fic but it certainly belongs here all the same. It's hot and so right and something you hope might happen "between the lines" in Book 7.

night : day by honey_wheeler (R)
This fic has first time sex but it also has a lot of other stuff. It's a very believable account of Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny before the trio goes on their Horcrux hunt and the style is gorgeous.

Smut recs.
Tuesday by thetreacletart (NC-17).
I love a good build-up in a smut fic and this one certainly has the build-up. And lovely, funny twist at the end.

Moving by tarie (R).
Not too long but just goes to show that you don't have go far in order to achieve hotness.

Intemperance by madoldmrsfigg (NC-17)
God, I love this fic to itty bitty pieces. Erm, hi, my name is Hildi and I'm a sucker for R/Hr D/s.

A fluff rec.
Untitled fic by Dee Dee (edeainfj) (G).
Dee Dee write fics like she's making handmade chocolate. This is one of her cream-filled pieces which just melt in your mouth.

Other.
A Library With A View by thetreacletart (PG-13)
This fic? Is one of the best post-Hogwarts fics I've ever read. Also one of the best R/Hr fics and in a way one of the best Trio friendship fic I've ever read. thetreacletart is a true fandom gem (and I'm pretty sure she's a gem in many other ways).

Comfort by Calliope teaspoon14 (G)
I'm almost sure that every red-blooded R/Hr-er knows about this fic but it does truly have a place on this rec list. The perfect expansion of that particular canon scene.

Paths of Penance by ladytory (PG-13)
This fic qualifies as pre-smut but there's a lot happening in it. There's back story and characterization in the simple of act of touching and it's beautiful.

Hand Up by heronmy weasley (PG)
Great characterization and a little nod there to GoF. I loved that.

H/R:

A fluff rec.
Developments by snoopypez (PG-13).
I'm not entirely sure if this is the first Harry/Ron fic I read but it damn sure made me board that ship. Fics that makes me sigh in contentment usually have me boarding ships.

Angst recs.
Get There Faster by Jintian (hesychasm) (NC-17).
Easily in the top three of the best post-OotP fics I've read. Absolutely heart-wrenching. Read it.

Other Paths, Other Lives by thetreacletart (R).
Harry sees the future, both dark and bright. Both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

Mortal, Guilty, But to Me by mad_maudlin (PG).
I love the idea of Ron and Harry as lovers but I even love the fact that they are best friends more. And this fic just reminds me of that.

Smut recs.
The Hang of It and Hanging by resonant8 (NC-17).
I can't deny that I like smut where there's not necessarily full-on sex but experimentation which can be just as satisfying (for the reader that is *g*).

Good by lardencelover (NC-17).
Drunk sex. And excellent.

"Absolutely Not" by calliope14 (NC-17).
The characterization is just adorable and this is such a funny and awkward fic. I loved it.

The Agency by shocolate (R).
Funny, cute and hot. Simply a great little fic about fantasies fulfilled.

Soothing by inkpuddle (NC-17).
So angsty and dark and so hot too.

Fair and Square by Tarie ofscarletwoman (NC-17)
Very hot. I love it when Harry and Ron suddenly "discover" each other in fic and Tarie does that beautifully in this fic, with a lovely crossdressing twist.

Freckles by shocolate (NC-17)
Heheheh. This fic still makes me grins. A lot.

Best Everything by Tarie ofscarletwoman (NC-17)
I love my slash to feature boys as in boys who act like boys, not like some sissy girls. Tarie knows how to write boys. Yes, indeed. :D

Sing For Absolution by Tarie ofscarletwoman (NC-17)
Words can't describe the hotness of this fic. Well, I admit I have a thing for men of the cloth, at least Harry dressed as a priest.

WONDERLAND by wolfiekins (NC-17)
This wonderfully plotty goodness could just as well have been an angst rec but I decided to put it here instead as it ends well, even though at points I wanted to shout at the computer screen. But that was due to how well the tension was written.



R/D:
I love, love Ron/Draco. I find the dynamic between them very interesting, seeing how writers work with it. Especially if they include some humour.

Humour recs.
Morning, Noon and Night by mad_maudlin (R).
This one has wonderfully quirky characterization and is funny as hell.

Adeste Fideles by Mad Maudlin wideworldsend (R)
The characterization is just delightful and it's even a bit fluffy and cute.

Smut recs.
A Most Interesting Detention by Mrs. D. Malfoy (NC-17).
This one plays with dynamic between Ron and Draco in very delicious way. And there's sex al fresco.

The No Talking Rule by moshes (NC-17).
Wonderful and needy, one of the many great ways to have R/D.

Against the Grain by srichard (NC-17).
Sexy banter, wanting, Sunday morning papers. Good ingredients for hot smut.

What I Did On My Holiday, or How I Learned to Love Draco Malfoy Despite Knowing Better by thetreacletart (NC-17).
While PWP is just fine by me most of the time, I adore plotted smut fics and that's something thetreacletart knows how to write. This is just a brilliant and witty fic and really the smut is just the cherry on the top.

Passion by Tarie (ofscarletwoman) (NC-17).
The idea of Ron and Draco being drawn together like magnets really appeals to me and in this fic, it just seems like an art form. And how Ron's feelings are described, OMG! So hot!

Pretty Little Girl by srichard (NC-17)
It's interesting to look back on this fic post-HBP when we know that Draco had Crabbe and Goyle Poly-juice themselves into little girls. Lovely story which hits right on my crossdressing kink.

Kawa no Zubon wo Haita Otoko by leftsockarchive (R)
This was written for me in the Ron-ficathon and I loved it thoroughly. Very nice twist on my request. I was very impressed and still am.

An AU rec.
Five Blowjobs that Never Happened to Draco Malfoy
Check
Checkmate
Interlude
and
Untitled.
All by serialkarma (NC-17). I started to get a real thing for AUs after getting a bit sucked into the LotRiPs fandom. And this lovely public school AU doesn't disappoint me. These are all little glimpses but the author is obviously pretty skilled at getting a lot across in few words (and manages to keep her writing very hot).

A art'n'fic rec:
Aeon by cugami (PG?). Beautiful art as always from cugami and a very pretty fic to accompany it.



H/R/Hr:
Triosmut is fun :D

The Trick of Love by redblaze (NC-17).
This story is hot. The "I need a cold shower" kind of hot. And it does have to do with the great characterization and well-written descriptions.

Watching by calliope14 (NC-17).
Voyeurism can be very hot and her it's just incredibly hot. Calliope uses Hermione's PoV very well indeed.

Careful What You Wish For by simons_flower (NC-17).
This is probably the only triofic I've liked where Harry/Hermione kind of make up the strongest side of the triangle. But this fic is hotter than hell.

Spring Fever by shocolate (NC-17).
Another voyeur fic, Harry's PoV and oh-so sexy Ron and Hermione. Hot indeed.

beneath these dirty sheets by musesfool (NC-17).
Dark and angsty with emotional co-dependency interwoven with great sex scenes. Excellent writing.

Short comment smut by ellen_fremedon (NC-17).
Sometimes bitesize smut can be quite satisfying.

The Library by Jintian (hesychasm) (NC-17).
God, I wish I would get a relief like that from my studies. Ooops, TMI.

Worth the Wait by Mad Maudlin (wideworldsend) (NC-17).
Sexy and hot and oh so fun. The last part just killed me.

Rain by dsneyvoice (R)
I love the use of PoVs and the intense longing in the fic. Beautiful and hot.

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder by ceilidh (NC-17)
Trio smut is good for the soul and this was a particulary heart-warming piece, especially since it was written for me.


H/G:
I like Harry/Ginny. I don't read a lot of Harry/Ginny stories though but I'm a happy girl when I find a good Harry/Ginny story.

Angst recs.
Save Me by SaraEK (dreamsome) (NC-17, requires a password).
I usually don't like angst but this is one angsty story. Complete with dysfunctional H/G, written in a manner that has you devouring this story like the latest best-seller.

The Tale of Jenny and Henry by thetreacletart (PG-13).
OK, I've to admit one thing. There are a lot of writers in the Harry Potter fandom that think they can write in terse styles. In my humble opinion most of them fail miserably because the terse style tends to equal tedious style. But the terse style of this little fic makes it delightful along with the characterization and the storytelling.

Fall and Circle. Both by autumn_whispers (PG?).
Short, angsty and extremely beautiful writing. H/G actually has a lot to offer.

A humour rec.
Hogwart's Pie by lavenderbrown (NC-17, requires a password).
Yes, this story is loosely based on American Pie and it has the very lovely combination of smut and humour.

Fluff recs.
Seekers by irinaauthor(PG).
This is just a little fic about Harry and Ginny finding each other. It made me happy back when I read it for the first time and it still makes me happy.

Detention by r_becca (PG).
Sweet and funny with great dialogue. Fulfills fluff cravings perfectly.

Other recs.
C is for Can’t by shocolate (G)
Ms. Shocolate has an inner eye. This was written before HBP.

My Sweetest Downfall by thistlerose(PG-13)
So effortless and spot-on. Thistlerose has a knack for those.

Multiship fics:

A Lesson in Porn with Messr. Remus J. Lupin by anniesj (R) (Ships: R/S, R/J, J/L).
It's about longing and learning about sex and love and jealousy and Annie just manages to convey all this in oh so few words. Just brilliant.

Abulia by circe_tigana (PG-13? R?) (Ships: J/L, R/S, Lily/Sirius).
There's a lot of good writers in the HP fandom but there aren't many exceptional writers. circe_tigana is one of the exceptional ones. Maybe I love this fic because it's so understated and I just adore understatements or maybe it's because it dares to go so far to show those fundamental, basic human emotions.

Hermione's Ghost by thetreacletart (PG-13) (Ron/Harry, Ron/Hermione).
Angsty and dark. Full of emotion that fill your senses while reading. A brilliant read.

Paint It Black by Tarie ofscarletwoman (NC-17) (Ron/Snape, Ron/Harry/Snape)
There are little words needed for this fic. It's hot and with a Dom!Ron.

Show Me Your Soul by Tarie ofscarletwoman (R) (Ron/Hermione, sort of Harry/Hermione)
Some people are braver than other. Tarie is a brave woman to dare to write a story like this. But I have to thank her for it. One of the more fucked-up fics I've read but it's just so well-written and it will haunt you.

Thank Heavens For Eusebius Spark by odogoddess (NC-17) (Neville/Luna, Goyle/Millicent)
The Neville/Luna part is wonderful and so in characters and just enough teenage awkwardness to make you go "aww!" and then the Goyle/Millicent part will crack you up. Very well-rounded fic.

Other ships:

Do It Yourself by switchknife (NC-17) (Harry/Draco).
I can't say I read a lot of H/D but I came across this fic when I was bored at work. The smut satisfied me a big time.

Gilly-gryff by netbyrd (NC-17) (Arthur/Molly).
I love Arthur and Molly and cerish the few fics that you can find about the two of them and their courtship. This fics is a gorgeous example on why Arthur/Molly rocks.

in the turning by casirafics (R) (Hermione/Remus).
A beautiful, angsty warfic about the things people have to do in a war. So heartbreaking.

Six Impossible Things That Happened to Ginny Weasley Before Breakfast by thistlerose (PG) (Ginny/Luna).
I love Ginny/Luna or more the thought of it. 'Cause there aren't that many who have written Ginny/Luna in a way that has pleased me. But thistlerose did and I adore this fic.

Between You and the Giant Squid by musesfool (G) (James/Lily).
So teenage-y and I mean that as a praise because it's not often you see James and Lily portrayed as the silly teenagers they were. Wonderful fic.

N.O.B.H.W.F. by netbyrd (NC-17) (Harry/Hermione).
Yeah, I know you are all surprised since I have a disdain for H/Hr but I've been waiting for a fic like this. Dark H/Hr. I have no tolerance for happy H/Hr but dark, dysfuntional H/Hr is something I can get down with in fanfic. And this fic delivered exactly that in a brilliant, understated way.

Bent Boys and Lost Lovers by thelastgoodname (PG-13) (It kind of spoils the story to name the pairings - just know the main pairing is a rare Ron-slash pairing)
This is one of those fics that sticks with you. And it's rare to find something this well-written.

The Measure of a Man by brunbugglewump aka thetreacletart (NC-17) (Remus/Bill)
Smut is all good but paired with a good plot, well, what more can you ask for?

Scent of a Woman by thetreacletart (NC-17) (Remus/Ginny)
I like angst. Especially with certain characters like Remus and Ginny. An angst fic with Remus/Ginny written by one of my favourite writers, of course that couldn't go wrong.

Alchemist's Crown by purebloodgryff (NC-17) (Harry/Hermione)
This fic is hot. Extremely hot. Maybe because it's so perfectly devoid of emotion. Just sex, mind-blowing, dirty sex.

and you, my wayward girl by thistlerose (R) (Neville/Luna)
This fic was written for me so it's expected that I liked it but I actually kind of fell in love with this fic. It's like those childhood fairy tales, I got completely sucked into this gorgeous story.

Pining For Another by yura_slash (NC-17) (Sirius/Ron)
This was written for my special request so maybe there aren't that many who would read Sirius/Ron but dear god, I can't tell you how hot I find this. Maybe it makes me a pervy old lady as Ron is just 15 in this story but I don't care.

Gen :

The Slimmest, Wildest Chances by St. Margarets.
(Ginny read Harry's Quibbler interview). An introspective Ginny story with the side-dish of truly fitting characterization of the Ravenclaw boys. (This story technically counts as H/G).

That Blasted Crossword by madhuri567.
(James does the crossword). This is a very cute James centric story. Madhuri has a true knack for writing wonderful stories about everyday situations.

The Wrath of Loki by Moyslu.
I love the Weasley twins and everything about them. In this fic, we get to know how they might react if a member of the family is injured.

Spark by 3jane (PG-13?).
A Molly fic. Wonderful writing. Bleak atmosphere in the fic and just excellent characterization. Read it.

Interlude from a bigger fic by cesario (PG-13?).
Another Molly fic. Also very well written and absolutely heartbreaking. Incredible character study.

To Protect Us All by still_ciircee (G-PG?).
This is just a drabble but oh dear, it hits you right there. 100 words sure can have a lot of power.

How I Spent My Winter Holiday, Starring James Who Is Brill (And Not Fancying Evans) by blacksatinrose (G).
A great fic about James' and Sirius' friendship and how it came about that Sirius got to stay with James in his parents. Really funny and pretty canon-y in my opinion.

The Heart in Reverse by Mad Maudlin wideworldsend (PG)
I love how Ms. Maudlin can do stylistic arcobats in her writing without losing the heart in her stories. I also love how she sees the dynamic of the trio (a bit the same way as I see them).

Requiem by thetreacletart (PG)
This fic is just heartbreaking fic, about a mother who has to let one of her children go for mostly the wrong reasons.

Sixteen ways to tell the Weasley twins apart by kaydeefalls (PG-13)
I love the Twins and this touching and funny look at them made me very happy.

Blasts from the Past:

A Most Ingenious Paradox
By The Pricking of My Thumbs
Sorceror's Endgame
All by Penpusher (R). Oh, I remember when I discovered Penpusher's stories long time ago. I remember sleepless night where I couldn't stop reading. This is a great action/adventure trilogy, a hidden gem really. The main ship would be H/G.

I was Right by Earthwalk (R).
A Snape story. This is the story I compare all other Snape stories with. I read this story early on and this Snape has been my Snape since. It never got finished but still I heartily recommend it.

Syzygy by Alex Malfoy (R).
Strange little Marauders-era story. Original characterizations. Palpable descriptions. Another unfinished gem.

The Best Man and The Best Man 2: The Search For Snape by Mrs Weasley (PG-13?).
Very early favourites of mine. Back when Post-Hogwarts R/Hr was fresh and new. Brings back lovely memories.

Hermione's 4th Year by Elanor Gamgee (PG).
GOF from Hermione's PoV. The first HP fic I read and really liked. I hold very dear to my heart.


Multiship - Adventure Palooza:

Fame Isn't Everything by diricawl (R).
Excellent story so far. Would love for the author to update it. The premise is wonderful. What if it wasn't Harry who defeated Voldemort but someone completely else?


Dark-fic:

Stockholm Syndrome by misspince (NC-17).
I have to make a confession. I really don't like dark-fics that much. But this one, I've read it several times even though it's so very bleak in every way. All aspects of this fic are so well done. (Percy/Draco)

Diminished C by Swirly Head.
Dark, brilliant character study and in my opinion one of the best Dracos ever written. I don't think I need to explain it any further.


Humour:
I almost skipped the humour section. Not sure why though.

The Question of the Century by Sweeney Agonistes (delamancha).
Well, we know that Blaise Zabini is a boy now. What if the actual Harry Potter characters didn't know either?

The Story of Draco by ciircee.
Not everybody can use the absurd to create humour but Circe is such an excellent writer that she could use the phone book to make something funny.


I'm not a monogamous fandomer though I really don't participate in other fandoms. I usually have short flings or visit them every now and then.


PotC:

His Holiness, Captain Sparrow by Beth/CG (phoenixchilde) (PG).
After my second viewing of Pirates of the Caribbean, I knew I had to read a fic about the time Sparrow impersonated a member of the clergy. amaterasu pointed me to this fic and I wasn't disappointed.

Jack Sparrow and Merriman Lyon have a meeting by Sweeney Agonistes delamancha (PG?).
Actually a crossover with The Dark Is Rising which I've never read. I was still extremely diverted and I think that was the whole point with the fic.

The Very Secret Diary of Captain Jack Sparrow by viva_gloria and others (PG-13).
I think the title says it all.


HP - Sandman crossover:

Nova by Beth/CG (phoenixchilde) (PG).
It's really hard to describe this story. It's just awesome.


LotR:

Shadows and Tall Trees by Sasjah Miller (NC-17)
For some strange reason I really like Legolas/Aragorn fics even though I'm all about the relationship between Legolas and Gimli in canon. Anyway, some Legolas/Aragorn fics are crap but this one obviously isn't. Also this writer gets Legolas in the same way I do so I'm a happy camper.

Perfection by Irena (NC-17, BDSM, non-con).
This story. As I said, I really don't like dark-fics but this story just … yeah, I couldn't function properly for a whole day after reading it. It's Sauron/Legolas and it's scary.


LotRiPS:

Football by deleerium (NC-17).
I can imagine that a lot of my friends are quite shocked that I'm reccing RPS. But hear me out. While it's strange to read about real people, the basic idea is no different from when writers use historical figures in their works. And I've read some excellent LotRiPS stories. Like Football that ate my brain for breakfast, lunch and supper for about a week or so while I was reading it. It's an AU where Elijah Wood and Orlando Bloom go to a high school in a small town in Texas and play football. So you see, this either can be total and utter crap or this is just sublime. Let's say that I think the latter.

Fic and a sequel by sumbitch and abundantlyqueer (PG-13).
It's a bit more than LotRiPS. It includes Paris Hilton too. And yeah, it's ridiculous but yet brilliant and all I know I laughed so much that I was fearful about many vital organs.

Kids by deleerium (NC-17) (Elijah/Dom, Elijah/Orlando)
Deleerium has definitely a way with LotRips AU. This one has Elijah as a gang leader and Orlando as a good little school boy. And it's filthy and dirty and I love it.


QaF UK:

The Almost Never universe by Cesare. (Many ratings).
akela gave me this link when I had first seen QaF UK. And I adore her for it. I'm sure that those who have seen QaF UK, will love these (if they haven't read them already).


The O.C.

The Difference Between Breaking the Bank and Just Breaking Even and Everybody's Looking Like the Color of Money by wearemany (NC-17) (Ryan/Seth, AU)
I've not read much The O.C. fic but I really enjoyed those. Ryan/Seth is so my OTP except when I ship Seth/Summer.

So all there is left to say is: read and enjoy.