Fades in the Summer

Fades in the Summer by dear-llama
They were best friends growing up, until that summer full of mistakes they couldn't fix. Now, he's the boy who never dates; she's the girl that all the boys cheat with. And they're both clutching onto the pieces of their sanity in the only way they know how.
Banner Credit: Arden

Ali Thinks: “Fades in the Summer” is centered around the two things I hate in stories: angst and a love triangle. Tara’s in love with Dylan, her best friend from forever who lives two doors down. But, they don’t really speak anymore— not since her fraternal twin sister/Dylan’s girlfriend at the time, Talia, died. When they do speak, it ends either in sex or a big blow-up of an argument. They know what they’re doing isn’t good for either of them, but both are still drowning in the pain of losing someone the love and they’re the only ones who understand the heartbreak the other is going through. They’re drawn together just as strongly as they try to repel each other. See, angst… love triangle…

I was hooked.

I don’t know what it was, but dear-llama caught me right from the beginning like a starving fish to a big, fat worm. And there was no looking back, much like Tara and Dylan’s… rocky relationship. A lot of times when people have that sort of I-want-you then I-can’t-be-on-the-same-continent-as-you relationship I can’t help but think just get on with it, already because their problems are easily solved, or it’s just so drawn out, but this wasn’t the case with those two at all, which is hilarious considering the length of this one-shot. Plus, both of them were so well developed that even though the whole thing is written in 1st person from Tara’s eyes, I would have understood Dylan just the same if it had been written from his point of view.

Now, when you open the page for this one-shot, you’re probably going to have the same reaction I did. You’re going to bug-eye, and I’m not going to tell you exactly how many words this has because I don’t want to take that experience away from you. I thought reading this would be a drag— so many words with only line breaks to chop it up? Oh lord. But nope, I read the whole thing at 3 in the morning and as I type this at 5:30 I have no regrets. It seems long, it looks long (mostly because it is long) but I didn’t even notice until I found myself creeping slowly toward the end. As I kept close watch of the sidebar, I wished it was back at the top so I’d have more to read, and I’ll tell you why—

“Fades in the Summer” is centered around the two things I hate the most in stories, but I’m going to read it again. When I look at my favorites to find an old love to re-read, I’m going to read it again. I’m going to do this because despite my bias toward angst and love triangles (which lessened a lot after reading this), dear-llama also managed to touch upon everything I really love about a story: flawless writing, amazing characters, realism and a lovely, original story that’s definitely going to stick around in your mind and heart for a very, very long time.

Lunch atop a Skyscraper

Lunch atop a Skyscraper by justmaybe
"What's wrong, Vi, is that you've got the hots for your boss. Your admittedly delectable, but emotionally unavailable, supermodel-dating, completely inappropriate-to-fall-for boss."
Banner Credit: Ali

Ali Thinks: Violet is as the summary says: extremely attracted to Andrew Williams, her (ridiculously hot) boss. And hey, I don't blame her! What started out as a call from her best friend Marina about a assistant job for a photographer turned into a lot more than Vi was ever expecting. She was warned about the last assistant, who was fired for constantly making a move on Andrew, and Violet would never dare be the same, but constantly convincing herself that she doesn't have any feelings for him is futile, especially with him treating her the way he does. This is the geek and hot guy cliche at its best, and I'm not gonna lie, I'm head over heels.

What I love the most about 'Lunch atop a Skyscraper' is that I can tell how much thought justmaybe put into it. Violet and Andrew both have strong distinctive personalities, but so do the supporting characters like each of their siblings, Marina, and even Abigail, Andrews mysterious ex-something (who you'll probably want to not like but actually have no animosity towards). She makes the plot as interesting as her characters, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who happily spent her Saturday afternoon smiling at how cute Violet is and how cute Andrew obviously thinks she is.

Though probably around halfway finished, this story will reel you in, and you won't be able to stop reading until there isn't anything left. But don't worry, I'll be right there with you waiting ever so patiently for the rest of Violet and Andrew's story to fold out, because I'm sure it's gonna be fantastic.

Back in the Day, When Being Was Unbearably Light

Back in the Day, When Being Was Unbearably Light by SophieInPink
She never thought she'd be the type of girl to end up in one of those oh so forbidden student-teacher relationships, yet here she is. But there's a twist: she's the teacher. And he is her defiant, charming, disarmingly attractive student.
Banner Credit: Ali

Marta Thinks: The best part about Back in the Day, When Being Was Unbearably Light is the ending. It's open-ended, satisfying and not at the same time, and not at all expected. Ironically, not in the way you'd think. And no, you're not allowed to just skip down to the bottom and read it because you'll miss the amazing story attached to it (and it probably wouldn't make much sense anyway).

As the summary states, this is a story about a teacher and her complex relationship with her student (aka 'Beautiful Boy'). It starts with the two during the school dance he is supposed to be attending and she is supposed to be chaperoning. They're in his car, and she 'recalls the path to [her] own destruction,' which started five months ago.

Narrated in 2nd person, this one-shot is written so well that 'flawless' isn't even close. But it wasn't only SophieInPink's prose that made her story so great. If I had to give an award for character portrayal, this is the story I'd give it to. They're interesting, and at the same time consistent and realistic, which is a hidden gem if I've even seen one.

Stellar

Stellar by clockwork kiss
we're all made of star(dust).
Banner Credit: Marta

Ali Thinks: Stellar is pretty stellar. (I promise that's the only joke I make.)

But I'm not wrong. And it's not my fault that the title of this poem just so happens to be the best word to describe it. Some of the phrases clockwork kiss used were nothing short of perfect. My favorite: "Even your sentimental side was violent." How… what's the word… oh right, brilliant is that? Answer: so, so brilliant. I'd even shorten it to 'brill' and that's when you know it's real.

Her words were beautiful and the poem itself was beautiful, but what I love the most is its personality. I can see the exact person who the speaker is talking about, and I can see the relationship the speaker and the 'you' have. It took me a time or three to actually understand the story in it, but once I got it, it because so much more than just pretty words strung together for the sake of pretty words being strung together. And those are truly the poems worth reading.

Forgotten

Forgotten by burning in effigy
she was living in ignorant bliss but someone needed to wake her up from her nightmare: also known as romeo
Banner Credit: Marta

Ali Thinks: Forgotten was short, not-exactly-sweet, and to the point. Though it's only contains 48 words, it's a beautiful depiction of a moment in a conversation. The best part about this is that it doesn't just end with the moment. It's really easy to see a scenario surrounding it, and there are so many that it could apply to, which potentially makes every person's potential interpretation of it different than the next. It really reminds me if a picture, which is difficult to do with a poem. They say a picture's worth 1000 words, but burning in effigy's 48 do it more than justice.

sensual

sensual by his terrible beauty
the anatomy of a relationship, in five senses. 
Banner Credit: Marta

Ali Thinks: I FOUND IT.

'It' being the best poem I have ever read in my life. his terrible beauty poets like a goddess. I swear in a past life she was one of the Nine Muses.

I think instead of telling you why this is great because there is so much great to gush about, I'm going to walk you through it. So first you're going to open the page, then you're going to groan because it looks so long, then you're going to read the first line and do that weird I'm-frowning-but-happily thing more and more as you go along and then you'll add it to your favorites and read it as many times as you can for the rest of your life because it's just that good. You'll also probably want a boyfriend. And the ability to write so well.

Whether you love poetry, or prefer to stay on the fiction side, sensual will still be an amazing read. Her prose is so descriptive and straightforward that a picture still forms, but at the same time, it flows and would probably get a lot of wistful sighs at a poetry reading. Really, it's the best of both words. Plus, it's sweet, and cute, and the actual epitome of lovely. I'm in love with it, so in love.

Finding the Word Hate in the Thesaurus

Finding the Word Hate in the Thesaurus by Daydream Nation
He told her he loved her hair. She chopped it off. Yeah. She hated him that much.
Banner Credit: Marta

Ali Thinks: There's bittersweet, and then there's Finding the Word Hate in the Thesaurus. I'm not entirely sure whether Daydream Nation is a sadist or a genius or a bit of both, but I've never reacted to a story that took less than 90 seconds to read. It's just under 300 words, and it's perfect. I was so expecting to feel like it was missing something due to its length, but everything was just right.

Seriously, this story is brilliant. The ending is not what I (or anyone else, according to the reviews I looked through) expected. But we all loved it, and I think you will, too.

The Red Carpet

Since the posting of this review, this story has been removed from FictionPress by the author.

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The Wingwoman

The Wingwoman by White Rose Blossom
Jace spread his arms. "I'm right here, Lex." My heart skipped a beat. "Uhm, no thanks, you probably have cooties and other diseases." Jace, man-whore that he was, was one of my best friends, not to mention my house mate. So falling for him probably wasn't a good idea, right? Shit. This is why I needed a dog.
Banner Credit: Marta

Ali Thinks: "The Wingwoman" is the epitome of everything that's great about the best friend cliché. And, let's be real honest here: who doesn't love a good best friend story? (If to this question the voice in you made an indignant cry of "me!" get ready to rethink that notion.)

Lex is the perfect wing woman for her best friend and roommate, Jace. Except for the fact that she likes him. But, you know, other than that, the arrangement is perfect. Girls come up to her when the two of them go out to bars (with the same not-so-subtle line, "You're so lucky!") and she calls Jace over so said girl of the night can throw herself at him.

Because of this, there's obviously going to be tension between the two. And sometimes, in girl and best friend stories, this tension can be overdone with all of the "omg he spoke to me which is so weird because we're best friends. I'm currently naming our four children but I don't like him, obviously, that's crazy but my heart stops whenever I look at him." However, White Rose Blossom knew how to handle this and Lex's and Jace's relationship panned out fantastically and realistically at the same time.

It's a bit lengthy for a one-shot, since it is almost 12,000 words, but it goes by in the blink of an eye. Those that do love girl and best friends stories are probably long gone by now, already immersing themselves in "The Wingwoman," so for those that still need a bit convincing, I say: there's fun characters, great writing, and it's happy... why would you not read it?

Prince of Pain

Prince of Pain by unicorndisco1977
His soul came around once every one million years, riding on a comet. He never much wanted it back, until an angel showed him something more than pain.
Banner Credit: Marta

Helen Thinks: Not even going to lie, Dolorum has the coolest job in the world. A morbid job, yes, and a job I don't think anyone would want to have, but a cool job, nevertheless. See, he's the Prince of Pain, and he controls when people die. He does his job well, and for the most part it's pretty fun. However, whenever his soul flies by every million years, it's a little bit different. Especially since he meets Solia, an angel who makes him want to be with his soul in a more permanent manner.

A lot of times, just under 6,000 words isn't enough to properly develop a supernatural story. But thanks to unicorndisco1997's amazing prose, everything worked out exquisitely. There was a perfect mix of dialogue, characterization, and description. It's hard to get all of those elements to work well in a full-length novel, and the fact that she did this in such a short piece is astounding.

No matter what type of one-shot you're in the mood for, happy or sad, "Prince of Pain" definitely one to read. It's slightly bittersweet, but it leaves a lingering sense of hope that anyone could appreciate.

In the Shadow of the Obsidian Empire

In the Shadow of the Obsidian Empire by Katie-Maude

Entering her final year of high school, Kaitlyn Anderson has everything going for her, but it isn't easy being perfect. As her life starts to fall apart, she turns to the least likely person, Ash Stevens.

Banner Credit: Majordly Fantastic

Ali Thinks: The first time I read this story, I was thirteen, awful, and strange. When this appeared in my inbox a few weeks ago, I recognized the story, and I remembered really liking it. I was a bit nervous though, as there seemed to be a commonality between my thirteen year old self, the stories I wrote as my thirteen year old self, and the stories I read as my thirteen year old self: awfulness and strangeness. Not the case with In the Shadow of Obsidian Empire, I'm proud to report. In fact, liking this story may have been the one good thing I did in my "Dark Age."

At first, I wasn't really sure how I felt about Kaitlyn; she seemed kind of mean. At cheerleading tryouts, she was pretty callous, and no matter her justification for humiliating one of the girls, it wasn't cool, and it kind of pissed me off. I thought she'd be this horrid cheerleader creature, whose father just so happened to have been in a famous band. Then, she grew more complex, and I grew more interested. She kind of lives her life in the role everyone has assigned her: she's a delinquent at home, a great girlfriend to Chris, an upstanding student/cheerleader/class president to everyone else, and a self-centered (w)itch to Ash Stevens and company. I kind of felt bad that she had to live in this little preconceived notion box, and I was intrigued to see how she would try to break out of it.

My criticism for this story would be that there were quite a bit of typos, which could have probably been fixed by a quick look through or two. Other than that, I really liked how everything came together. It's always fun to have musicians (let's be honest, once a guy picks up a musical instrument he's automatically 34% more attractive), and it's even more fun to have someone related to a famous musician said guy is obsessed with. The bad boy musician type story may be cliché, and Katie-Maude makes it clear as to why guys like Ash appear so often in stories: they're really freaking cool.

In three years time, my taste in books may change, and I may label my sixteen year old self as the "Dark Ages pt.2," but I have a pretty good feeling that if I stumble across In the Shadow of Obsidian Empire again, I'll love it just as much I did at thirteen and sixteen. Now, I know you all have those moments of "How did my parents let me walk outside when I was young and stupid," but I promise that if you read this story, something good will come out of those times, just like it did for me.

High and Dry

High and Dry by rosieroo

Kira planned to spend the summer sunning herself on the beach, not being dragged back home by her mother to work on the farm. The gorgeous farmhand, however, might make it all worth it, even if he does think she's a city brat.
Banner Credit: Melissa

Ali Thinks: Well, I may get accused of favoritism, and maybe I should, because High and Dry is one of my favorite stories. I will not be blamed for knowing the author, but I promise that we've never said a single nice thing to each other, much like Kira and Tristan in the beginning of their relationship (though I hardly doubt mine and Rosie's relationship will blossom like theirs. Sorry, Rosie).

Though Kira was raised on a farm in her younger years, she is probably the most city a girl can get. When she first gets yelled at by the hot farmhand for leaving the gate open, she's hardly phased by his anger and instead chooses to revel in how well he fits his jeans— very well, in case anyone was curious. In the midst of admiring all of Tristan's great physical features, she has to do all of this gross farm work, in which she doesn't try to hide the fact that she's far less than thrilled about it. To make matters worse, Tristan is probably even less happy about the arrangement than Kira is, seeing as he has to listen to her complain about every job they do.

High and Dry is a pretty short story, and usually hate/love stories need to be long in order to avoid having the characters hate each other one chapter and love each other the next, but Kira and Tristan's relationship unfolded steadily and not at all rushed. There was also a good mix of strong supporting characters, and they were just as loveable and just as real as the main characters, a great aspect to any story. And, to top it all off with a nice, red cherry— it's so funny.

It's always a weird thing, writing a review for one of the other judges, and it's always kind of scary because there's always a chance of being called out for nepotism. All I have to say on that issue is that when— not if— you read High and Dry, that notion will fly out the window because it's pretty obvious that this is a genuinely amazing story.

Bollinger High

Bollinger High by justmaybe

Jess Evans moved to Bollinger at the start of her junior year of high school. As the new girl in a town of the wealthy and the elite, she just wants to fit in. But that might prove to be impossible once she catches the eye of the enigmatic Nolan Barnes.
Banner Credit: Casey

Ali Thinks: Let's be completely honest here, I picked a suggestion to read at random and consequently groaned when this one was picked. I'm not really a fan of the poor-girl-in-rich-school-who-catches-hot-guy's-attention stories. Lucky for me, Bollinger High wasn't that story, well, not really. For those of you who are like me and would rather evade the poor-girl-in-rich-school-who-catches-hot-guy's-attention tales in search of basically anything else, listen close because I'm here to blow your mind.

Not really, but "you should really read this story!" doesn't exactly have the same ring to it.

Though I didn't realize it at first, I was approaching this story the same way our protagonist, Jessica ("Jess" only to family and friends, meaning not Nolan Barnes), was approaching Bollinger High. She expected to be surrounded by stereotypes, and through the story as she get to know people there better, she realizes that's not the case.

First off, Alaina Brandon, is probably my favorite thing in the world other than getting the charger into my phone on the first try. She runs the school "like a puppet show," according to Nolan, and she does it well. But she's not your average bitchy/rich/pretty queen bee. True, she has all of those qualities, but the way justmaybe characterizes her makes her a very complex, very likable character, with only a few instances wanting to punch her in the face.

Second off, Nolan Barnes. Insert cat-calls, girlish shrieks, fainting, etc. here. From the second he "curled his mouth" at her not ten minutes after she entered Bollinger, Jess didn't like him. He's hot, but he looks like he has no cares in the world and he was pretty sure he was too rich to function. But, then they come biology partners. (I promise I was telling the truth when I said this wasn't the poor-girl-in-rich-school-who-catches-hot-guy's-attention story.)

In essence, the same way Alaina and Nolan and everyone else in Bollinger weren't the stereotypes Jess made them out to be, Bollinger High wasn't the boring cliché I thought it was. It made me laugh, the characters were fun to read about, and it's just an all around good story that I feel everyone — especially the cynics like me— should read.

Lies of the Heart

Lies of the Heart by TheDarkScribe

For her New Year's resolution, Natalie decides to finally pursue her dream guy. Only it turns out to be much harder than she thought.
Banner Credit: Casey

Ali Thinks: Natalie likes Jeremy. Naturally, she's never spoken to him in the ages (and ages) she's had this infatuation, but now that it's a new year, she's made talking to him a resolution. Which sucks

I'm guessing everyone here knows what they say about best laid plans. And I'm guessing everyone here also knows what they say about one door closing.

Honesty hour: I really hate love triangles. I can't really express the amount, but it's only slightly less than when there aren't enough marshmallows in the Lucky Charms box. That being said, I really did like Lies of the Heart. It was funny, albeit slightly ridiculous, but I think that's what I liked about it most. It's one of those longshot romances that would probably not happen in real life, but is still fun to read.

I would highly recommend this story for someone in one of those god-awful reading ruts. A lot of times, it can be hard to get through a story while in a rut, but I really think Lies of the Heart has the unique power to end the rut and start the reading frenzy. It's not that long, and it seems even shorter since it doesn't drag on. And hey, if you're not in a rut, keep the streak going with another great, lighthearted story.
pretty bad for her because Jeremy's got the hots for Natalie's best friend, Sam. But that's okay, because Natalie and her friend Matt have hatched a brilliant plan involving fake dating, a lot of lying, and a bit of scheming to manipulate Jeremy into turning his attentions from Sam to Natalie.

Paper Flowers

Paper Flowers by dream-beautiful

"Sometimes I forget to be careful with you." ... "When you're not careful I forget you hate me." He's difficult, she's quiet. It's hard, this love thing.
Banner Credit: Melissa

Ali Thinks: It would be a crime if I didn't start this off with a thank you. So thank you, dream-beautiful, for writing "Paper Flowers," and more importantly, thank you for suggesting it because let me tell you, my life is a lot better now that I know your story exists.

Let's all just be clear here, I'm not over-exaggerating. Everyone has those stories they can read literally thousands of times and not get tired of them (I swear, it can't just be me) and while I have tons and tons (…and tons) of these stories, I am proud to announce that "Paper Flowers" is now one of those tons.

The first time I read it, I really liked it. I thought it was cute, realistic, and had an odd sort of je ne sais quoi that I really dug. The second time I read it, I became quite miffed that the state of Maryland probably didn't allow marriage to an intangible object. Okay, that was (somewhat of an) overstatement, but it was definitely the second read-through that made me fall in love with it. Every little detail that I saw cleverly hiding about the story made it so much better, knowing that I could track back and see the method to everyone's, namely Ethan's, madness.

Speaking of Ethan… what an exquisitely thought-out, complex, amazing character. Even though it's just three chapters, he was portrayed so well that it felt as though someone somewhere could actually be him and living out his story. In fact, dream-beautiful did a truly exquisite job in bringing the entire story to life, not just Ethan. Rose and Ethan's relationship isn't exactly all sunshine and meadows, and it hasn't been for the past year. When relationships are heading for the worse and not the better, like Rose's and Ethan's is, it's not all drama and yelling all the time in real life, and it was nice to be the same case in Paper Flowers. The situation he and Rose are in is both serious and a difficult one to handle, and the way the two of them go about doing so, I felt, was something that people would actually do, and I really admired that.

God, there are so many good qualities about "Paper Flowers", and I would really like to touch upon all of them, but if I did, this review would be longer than the actual story, which is about 15,000 words. So I'll just leave you with one last thing (if for some strange reason you're still reading this instead of the brilliant story I just raved about): go read it. Go love it. Go read it again. And again.

Lock & Key

Lock & Key by The Smile Machine

When an American boy commands you to kiss him, you usually don't run away and hide in the 6th arrondissement until he leaves.
Banner Credit: Melissa

Ali Thinks: Amélie is a poor girl and has been tasked by Monsieur to steal one hundred locks from the Pont des Arts, a bridge where people attach love padlocks. Since Monsieur is the only reason she has food to eat and a place to live, she does it to make sure that she will continue to have those luxuries. She is ordered to get a hundred of these locks, but before she can collect them all, she sees that she's not alone. And who interrupts her other than the equally foolish and rich American boy in the river, trying to find the key of the lock he put up for his (now ex) girlfriend.

Personally, I don't think that a summary— mine nor The Smile Machine's— gives "Lock & Key" enough justice. It's whimsical and clever, and that is something that can't be shown from even the greatest summary in the world.

My only criticism, since I feel like I have to have one to make this less fan-girly, would have to be that it's a bit far-fetched (emphasis on the bit). But, despite its grounds not being 100% (I'd give it a 91%) realistic, I'd like to call it 'creative liberty' and not 'unrealistic' because while I felt like some elements didn't seem like they would actually happen, it didn't make me feel anything negative toward the story at all.

On the other hand, I've got tons of things I could rave about. I love that it's set in Paris. I love the Parisian feel that came along with it. I love that Amélie was more than just some poor girl stealing some locks. I love that Marcus was trying to fetch a key out of water in the dead of night. I love that I've never read anything like this. I love that I just knew I had to write a review about it before I finished part one.

As a self-proclaimed indecisive ignoramus, 'just knowing' that I love a story before it's over is a huge deal that doesn't happen very often. Usually it takes contemplation, re-reading, and a little more (read: a lot more) contemplation. With "Lock & Key" this wasn't the case; I fell in love, and I fell in love fast. I mean it, one day when I go to Paris, I'm definitely buying a lock from the dollar store and writing "Ali + 'Lock & Key' by The Smile Machine" on it, because it's just that good.

The Fate and Laundry Soap

The Fate and Laundry Soap by invisible.writer

She looked like any other student, except it was Friday night and she was sitting on a washer reading Sociology instead of partying. Maybe that's why he noticed her. They claim it was fate. 
Banner Credit: Melissa

Ali Thinks: It's stories like "Fate and Laundry Soap" that make me love short and sweet one-shots so much. Despite the fact that they all make be super jealous of my super dreary life, I just adore them to death, and reading "Fate and Laundry Soap" has only solidified the adoration.

On a Friday night, Adam happens upon a girl doing her laundry on a Friday night and reading a sociology book. He's not the most suave at starting a conversation with her, but that's okay, we like a slightly clumsy tête-à-tête (especially one with a cute musician, holla).

Like most short one-shots, there isn't a lot of depth to it. That being said, it's definitely on the lighthearted and fluffy side, not the pointless and why-did-I-just-read-that side. To be honest, that's what I liked most about it; it's a short, happy story that is guaranteed to get a little smile on even the most stoic of faces.

I do have to say, though, after reading this one-shot, all I want is for someone to buy me a sociology book and point me to the nearest Laundromat next Friday.

But seriously.

a moment of possibility

a moment of possibility by his terrible beauty

girl tells boy she's in love with him. a moment of possibility.
Banner Credit: Anita Darling

Ali Thinks: There's just something I love about stories written in the second person. I think I love them so much because they're so hard to pull off, but when they're good, they're really good. "a moment of
possibility" was no different. his terrible beauty took something everyone is afraid of-- confessing feelings to someone else-- and wrote it into a story just under 800 words so heart wrenching and beautiful that it actually gave me "all the feels."

I'll be honest, when I looked at the story length, I wasn't really expecting much. Short stories are good, fantastic even, but some are too short to think anything particularly astonishing will come out of it. But, then I got to reading and was knocked off my metaphorical socks.

Even though I have never felt what the main character was feeling, his terrible beauty's words rendered it impossible to not have some sense of empathy. I recently learned that there is a very slight difference between empathetic and sympathetic in definition (empathetic being able to actually feel the emotion and sympathetic being the ability to understand the emotion), and I realized that there is also a fine line between the two in writing. Any writer can make their readers see the emotions, but not all of them can make them feel it. To be able to make someone that empathetic in less than 800 words, I think, deserves an award.

So here it is: "a moment of possibility" has been nominated, and won, the award for the-shortest-story-to-give-"the-feels."

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing by Vaudeville

He's a millionaire playboy. She's a girl who's just trying to get by. They were best friends growing up but five years can really change a person.
Banner Credit: Helen

Ali Thinks: A lot can happen in five years. Two friends can grow apart. Someone can get a college degree. Someone can be stuck working two jobs that barely gets them by. Two friends can cross paths again. All of these ring true for Boyd and Deacon. He's always been rich, and Boyd has always been poor. The two are tighter than tight, until Deacon is sent off to England for college. After that, the two grow further and further apart until they don't speak at all.

Fast forward to the present: Deacon works for his father's company, just as he was meant to and Boyd is still an amateur photographer, too financially unstable to live out her dreams. When the two meet again, it isn't exactly as though they pick up straight where they left off. Boyd has got a lot on her plate now that she has to deal with the stress of her deadbeat boyfriend pushing her around, on top of her two jobs. Despite all this, Deacon still reaches out to her. (Awwww)

Whenever I read a story, I usually don't know whether or not I'll accept it until the very end, and sometimes it takes a day or two of deliberation before I can finally make a decision. With Sitting, Waiting, Wishing, I was 90% certain that it would be accepted by the time I got to the tenth chapter. I was positively flying through the story and enjoying every second of it.

I think it was Boyd's independence that did it for me, really. I loved how even with all of the things she went through, she was reluctant to get any help from anyone. She was very consistent, and it was because of her character that the story was able to break out of the rich guy/poor girl cliché.

As a personal preference, I'm generally not a fan of stories that are written in multiple first person points of view. Though the changes between chapters felt a bit jumpy at times, it didn't really take away from how much I enjoyed the story. I think this kind of goes along with the jumpy bit, but the only other critique I have is that it seemed a bit rushed in the middle and towards the end.

Overall though, I really liked Sitting, Waiting, Wishing. It was a pretty quick read for a 90,000 word story and it never dragged on. If you're looking for a cute best friend's tale, a rich-poor tale, or a long lost friend story, look no further, here it is.

The Canvas

The Canvas by Quix 

Sophia Parker's world was colorless and dull until an accidental meeting with an art thief offers her a chance at a new life.
Banner Credit: Ali

Ali Thinks: One day in my psychology class, my teacher asked what we would categorize ourselves as: high risk/high reward, medium risk/medium reward, or low risk/low reward. Before reading The Canvas, I thought I would categorize myself as medium to high risk with the same rewards, but now I'd be generous to consider myself low risk. For a lack of a better term, Sophia Parker is one ballsy lady, what with dropping out of college to become a thief.

And okay, maybe that doesn't exactly seem practical, and when I read it at first, all I could think was "What are you doing!"(and other characters seemed to agree with me) but as I read on, I understood that Sophie was one of those high risk people and by the third or fourth chapter I already began to admire her.

Though she grew on me pretty fast, some people didn't quite take a liking to her as quickly (cough Robert cough). He especially thought that she was an idiot for leaving her old life behind, and he didn't bother to hide it. His honesty was blunt-- and if you ask me, a bit harsh-- but it set a competitive dynamic between that two that I easily fell in love with.

Whenever I read a story that's worth remembering, there's always something that sticks, whether it's a scene, a character, or a setting, something sticks into the recesses of my mind. For The Canvas, it's no different. The all-around cleverness of Quix is sure to stay with me for a very, very long time. She leaves hints, right, but sometimes they're so subtle that once the full story is revealed, it brings on the whole "HOW DID I NOT SEE THAT?!" reaction. It was absolutely brilliant, honestly, and it kept me hooked on every word.

If you're a fan of the show White Collar for reasons other than Matt Bomer's face, I highly recommend this story because it's another beautifully depicted story about thieves. If you're not a fan of White Collar, however, you should still definitely read because I honestly can't think of a reason for you to deprive yourself of an intricately thought out, cleverly written story such as The Canvas.