Reunion Week

At the Fan Fiction Reviews Lori and Rio gives You a list of themed fic's every week! As You might know I'm quite fond of this particular way of listing what to read, and You might be too if I judge by the number of hits on "Listmania".

This week Lori has chosen the theme "Reunion" which I haven't explored before so here we go... (I'm not trying to steel Lori's idea we sort of corporated on this theme - Lori supplied the theme idea, I gave her my list of Reunion fic's.)

I never went away to camp. Judging by my reading of Fan Fiction - which should probably not guide my view of the world ... it is after all fiction - I take it that sending your kids off to Summer Camp is a real American way of life. I guess that this for some can be a blessing and give you good memories and perhaps friends for life? I'm not real fond of Kim Baldwin's writing, but if you want to go on camp and come away with something that might last a lifetime maybe you should look up "The Camp Reunion". If you do you'll meet up with  Kerry as she revisit the site of her old "Summer Camp" for one last time to meet up with friends from her childhood and maybe, just maybe she will have the chance to do something about her life long crush on Mac.

If you didn't do Summer Camp when you where young, you must at least have done the high school thing. If that experience is worth revisiting to meet up with old friends then you can get your hands dirty with Mavis Applewaters "Truth Or Dare" and the sequel "Blissful Surrender". If you where closer to your college friends maybe you would rather play the game "Truth or dare" with Meghan O'Brien, no matter which reunion you choose a PWP is all you'll get.

Should you want to get a bit more storyline and a little less of the ”hot and steamy" action you should go for Fingersmith's "Beginnings". This is the story of Lou and Ashley, a story spanning 30 years from almost toddlers to mature women, a love that never dies - you can find the review here.

You could also let your mother or perhaps this time Tessas mother do the nessecary pushing and pulling to get the reunion under way. You know mothers and I promise that Tessas's is no different from the ones you know. Mothers are conniving, persistent and they use guilt to pressure you into doing the things you don't want to do, but they think that you ought to do, because it's "gooood for you". And who can really put up an argument against giving your best friend a lift home for the Holidays. You might think that you have a valid point if your "best friend" is no longer your "best friend" but your "ex-girlfriend", but don't hold your breath it is after all your mother that you are talking to..... so I take it you are going to give Lindsey a ride? This is Mavis Applewater "Home For The Holidays" and the first story in a longer series. I found "Home for the Holidays" and "I'll be home for Christmas" quite enjoyable and above the level of PWP.

Now the best is yet to come - I'll leave the reunion theme with "Unbreakable" by Blayne Cooper (Advocate). It's quite a while since I read this story but it stayed with me for the quality of writing and the storyline with drama and romance in a well woven tail. This is the story of 5 women who was close from childhood and onwards, but lost touch and of how they reunite and come to terms with the things that broke them apart.

Unbreakable by Advocate aka Blayne Cooper

Do you remember the girls you grew up with? Your best friends from High school? Your roommates from College? Gwen, Kathy, Audrey, Nina and Jackie - do remember one another, but not really for all the good times they spend together through their shared childhood, but rather for the way the friendship ended. If it wasn't for Gwen, neither Kathy, Nina, Jackie nor Audrey would have thought to keep their childhood promises of meeting up again at the age of 40.

But Gwen have a powerful reason to gather her former friends around her. She is being blackmailed with a secret that only they know, and an invitation to a weekend at a local B&B for her birthday is the perfect Agatha Christie like setting needed to lure the blackmailer out into the open.

Do you see the black clouds gathering over the B&B? Fell the thunder lurking, expect the interruption of the power and a B&B covered in darkness ..... a fierce lightning breaking the darkened rooms only to reveal a still body laying on the living room carpet ? You might, but if that's what you want why not look up "And then there were non" by Christie it might just give you the old fashioned drama you want. 

"Unbreakable" on the other hand will present you with the story of the lives of the 5 women - past and present. If you are here for the romance try to focus on Jackie and Nina, they have a story of their own to tell, one that follows the classic lines of dealing with the feelings between best friends that might run just a bit deeper than friendship.

This is a multi layered story of childhood, friendship, growing up, breaking apart and getting a second chance. The story weavers back and forth in time between the present days and the past, between the stories of the group of friends and the lives of each of the women. It's a pretty complex and well put together storyline, even if the drama does not really ring true. If you are here for the mushy romance kind of fic please note that the romance is not really as central to the storyline in "Unbreakable" as in you standard variety romance, but it is kind of sweet non the less.

If you haven't read any of Advocate's work before then don't hesitate to try this one out, it is really well written and with a humorous twist now and again. Should you like humour and this pen then do look up "The Story of Me" it's quite fun.

The story has been published by Spinster Ink and it is available as a Kindle ebook.

The Story of Me by Advocate aka Blayne Cooper

What is it with squirrels that make them move into uberish fan fiction storylines ? Don’t get me wrong I do love squirrels especially the chestnut coloured ones that we have in my neck of the woods, and I especially like the BadSquirrel – you know the pen that turned out my favourite online fic “Rumors”, but how come squirrels drop into storylines talking to themselves about the protagonist or too the protagonists? Ok so maybe it’s just Advocate that has this quirk with squirrels, but I still wonder why.

Should you be in need of a good laugh and you want a Larisa break you could go watch Randi our 5’11 ft., 32 years old, single and straight protagonist sitting on a bench telling two squirrels the story of her life, while she gathers courage to go nock on Mac’s door.

You might ask who Mac is, but I think that I’ll just let Randi tell you about her and easy you into her story of stalking and revenge, of Randi posing as Mac’s loving girlfriend for a family gathering and how this little fun playing around with people’s minds somehow blows up in Randi’s face.

I know that I’m not really telling you what this is all about, but I think this story deserves to be experienced without knowing exactly what to expect so that you’ll get the full benefit of the humour both in the dialog and storyline.

For those of you who want a touch of romance – never fear – this is humour and romance all in one story – “get two for the price of one” – I’ll say that’s an offer that you can’t refuse! This story is well written with a smooth storyline and a couple of lovable characters to keep you interested.

If you become attached to the squirrels you can pick up Advocate and T.Novans “The Road to Glory” where you’ll get a chance to meet them again, and should you just happen to like the intervention of wise little animals in a storyline you could chance a look in on a couple of turtles and their humans Sam and Cory in Carola "Ryûchan" Eriksson’s” “Ignorance is Bliss” and “It's A Turtle Life”.