Where to Read Fanfiction… and how to find more you love
If I’ve finally convinced you to start reading fanfiction, the next logical question is where to get it from.
Archive of Our Own
My favorite resource for fanfiction is Archive of Our Own (AO3). You can browse for fanfics by fandom and then sort and filter for ratings, characters, tags, etc. I’ve found their filtering system to be comprehensive and allow me to select the criteria I’m interested in reading. AO3 also has an extensive tagging system and authors who post there will utilize the tags to inform the reader of various plot devices, tropes, content warnings, etc. The tags are clickable so that you can find more stories using the same tags and/or romantic pairings.
When you’ve found a fanfic you want to read, there are a few options on how to go about reading it. In your web browser, you can read the story in the default setting chapter by chapter, you can click the entire work to read it all in one page, or you can download the story to read offline. Within the download button, there are a couple of choices to make there too depending on your preferred format. For multi-chapter fanfics, I’ll often download the entire work and send it to my Kindle (and it will be available on both the Kindle app on my iPhone and my Kindle Paperwhite e-reader). For short fics, I’ll just read it within the browser of my iPhone.
Fanfiction.net
One of the original websites I started on for reading fanfiction is Fanfiction.net. They organize the website by type of media and then by fandom. When you’re browsing within any particular fandom, you can toggle the type of story you want, characters your interested in, the rating, etc. These days, I rarely read fics from this site because it’s clunky to navigate and there are ads all over the place. People have said that the app-version is much better, but I haven’t tried it. Most of the stories I’m interested in reading are available on Archive of Our Own and there are only a few exceptions where I’ll need to find the story on Fanfiction.net.
Wattpad
Wattpad is another resource for both fanfiction and original fiction. I have no experience navigating this site whatsoever, so you’ll have to poke around yourself if you’re interested in reading there.
How to Find Fics You Will Like
A few weeks ago, someone somewhere on the internet suggested that AO3 become more algorithm-based so that readers could be served up relevant fics to read. However, the filtering system is so good at fine-tuning your results, that it really isn’t necessary. Plus, who wants their long-form fictional entertainment served to them from an algorithm? Fanfic author SenLinYu posted on her Twitter feed a thread on how she finds new fics to read and I completely agree (and have used) with this method.
Where to Get More Fanfiction Recommendations
If you want fanfiction recommendations with a bit more of a personal touch than the search results of a database like AO3, there are lots of resources depending on your fandom of choice. I will often share romance fics for Harry Potter and Bridgerton. There are subreddits for Harry Potter fanfic in general, Dramione, or Harry/Hermione. Facebook groups can also be great sources of recommendations, there’s one for Dramione and for Tomione (Tom Riddle/Hermione). If your TikTok For You Page is optimized for your interests, then you’ll see some fic recs there as well.
Want Harry Potter fanfic? Here’s a spreadsheet of my all-time favorites.
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Gunslinger Series by Michelle McLean: Western Historical Rom-Com / Historical Romance Book Series
I was first exposed to Michelle McLean’s book from a PR package sent to me from the publisher and figured I’d read it eventually. I don’t actually read physical copies of books these days, so I looked for an ebook to borrow. Unfortunately, it wasn’t easily found as an ebook from my local library so I set it aside and completely forgot about it. Eventually, the second book in this series was available to review on NetGalley, so I requested it and by then, I was able to get the first one from the library. I’m so glad that I did! Both of these books were delightfully funny and entertaining.
1. Hitched to the Gunslinger (2021)
From fake engagement to a marriage of convenience, this book has pretty great communication between our two main characters. And I love how the town has basically adopted our hero as the town sheriff (even though he’s an outlaw).
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Print book provided by Entangled Books.
2. The Gunslinger’s Guide to Avoiding Matrimony (2022)
It’s a rare case to see an accidental marriage in a historical, but that’s what we have here during a mass wedding ceremony in the town square. Hilarious setup, plus we get to see our guy being a walking disaster throughout the town.
Advance ebook provided by Entangled Books via NetGalley.
Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!
Useful Resources:
Read more about getting the most out of your library card
Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!
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Free Stuff as a Book Influencer: Let’s Get Book Mail
If you’ve been around bookish content on social media, you’ll sometimes see different creators receive free books. Or even other promotional materials related to a book. I’m sure that this is all part of the social media marketing strategy for publishers and a way to promote the book to a larger audience. As a reader and content creator, here’s how I’ve joined in and received my own book mail.
Publisher Influencer Programs
The best way I’ve found to know when your favorite publishers are looking for new influencers to join their teams is to follow their social media accounts. For limited time opportunities, this will let you know exactly when applications are open and when they are closed.
Last Summer, I put in my first application for the Avon Books Influencer Program and was delighted to have been selected. At that time, I was posting about the books I’d been reading a little bit, but not as extensively as I am now, so I was a little surprised to have been approved. I’m really glad they gave me the opportunity because my bookish content keeps growing all the time. (And I read a ton of their books anyway). As part of their program, they mail one to two physical copies of titles I select monthly and then some surprise advance reader copies occasionally.
There are other publishers who are looking for influencers all the time without a deadline. Google your favorite publisher plus “influencer program” and there may be an open application system without a deadline. This is an example from Forever where you can put your name in at anytime by joining their influencer newsletter. My experience with Forever is that they place a strong emphasis on a diverse group of reviewers and influencers to promote their diverse range of novels. They will prioritize reviewers that are similar to the characters or authors of their books. They’re open to all reviewers, but with a limited number of physical book copies, that’s how they determine who receives them. I will usually stick to historical romance book requests from them and I end up receiving about a book every couple of months in the mail.
Independently published authors will often run their own influencer teams and you can look at their author websites for any open opportunities.
It’s important here to apply to partner with publishers that you’re already reading and not just collecting free books with no intention of reading or promoting them.
Book Tours
Book tours are usually run by a public relations/marketing team that are providing a service to the publisher by looking for influencers to promote books. They may require a full review of the book or simply a feature of the book on your social media pages during a pre-specified timeframe. I have had the most experience with BiblioLifestyle, which opens up application for book tour hosts every few months. (If you’re interested in working with them in the future, sign up for the email newsletter there to get notified about future opportunities) I will usually get an email invitation to host a book tour and then I fill out a book-specific form if I’m interested in the book; after that, I’ll get an email with the date I’m scheduled to post and I will receive the book in the mail. I will generally only accept the books that I’m genuinely interested in reading or learning more about. For other book tour opportunities, I recommend searching in Google for your genre of choice (e.g. romance or thriller, etc) plus “book tour”.
Bookish Merch and Small Businesses
A lot of independent artists or book box subscription services will also have influencers that they work with. I’m not a part of any of these, so I don’t know specifics. However, if you follow your favorites on social media, you’ll be able to know when they’re looking for new influencers to join them.
Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!
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Weekly Reads: Oct 10 to 16, 2022
It’s been an all-historical week this time with five recent releases. Not much in the way of fanfic reading this time, but if you want to get links to those in the future, subscribe to this page so you don’t miss any updates. I’ve also indicated my favorite of the week below with a “💖“.
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When Ardor Blooms by Felicity Niven (2022)
Historical romance in Regency-ish era England, prequel novella to the Lovelocks of London series. A banker’s daughter is out of mourning from her father’s death and makes her debut into society. She’s very wealthy, but looked down upon by our viscount hero because she’s not of noble blood. When the viscount’s brother makes a derogatory claim on the young woman, the viscount sets himself up as her protector. Slow and steady build of attraction here. Quick read. And we get to meet the Lovelock family members who will feature in the rest of the series.
Ebook available free from the author’s newsletter. Visit the author’s website to get the ebook.
💖 Convergence of Desire by Felicity Niven (2022)
Historical romance in Regency-ish era England, Book 1 of the Lovelocks of London series. I pretty much picked this up because Julia Quinn (author of the Bridgertons series) posted about it on Instagram. We have a neurodivergent heroine in this one who aims to solve a missing mathematics proof (tbh, the math in this book went over my head and I skimmed it) but her stepmother insists she participates in society. Our hero is a destitute earl who needs to marry rich to salvage his estate. It takes probably 25% of the book for them to meet and contrive a chaste marriage of convenience (which the heroine proposes). Once they start interacting and get married, we’re off to their country estate and we get to see the sweetest slow burn ever with caretaking galore. It was absolutely delightful to watch these two people slowly fall in love. And the heartbreak when they each think the other isn’t interested. The last third will have you tearing up from the longing. Such a great read. (Also, sets up the future couples in Book 2 and 3 nicely as well).
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
Impeccable by Darcy Burke (2022)
Historical romance, Book 7 of the Phoenix Club series. If you’ve read all the books in the series including the prequel, you’ll know that Mrs. Evangeline Renshaw is a fake identity for the Phoenix Club manager and patroness. She was actually previously a very sought after courtesan. When she ended his liaison with the son of a duke, he asked her to help him manage his new club. She’s been living under her assumed identity of a respectable widow since. When she visits her sister (who she cannot publicly claim as her sister, since she was also previously a courtesan), she rescues a puppy and befriends the younger brother of the marquess next door. He wishes to court her, but she doesn’t want marriage, so he proposes an affair instead. He’s the absolute sunshiniest fellow ever, probably a bit too good to be true. Their bond over the puppy they find is absolutely adorable though.
Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke via NetGalley.
Clandestine Passion by Felicity Niven (2022)
Historical romance in Regency-ish era England, Book 2 of the Lovelocks of London series. This book takes place in the same timeframe as Book 1 and is the romance between the stepmother of the Lovelock family, Catherine, and the rogue of a best friend James. James was the second son of a duke, but when his older brother died, he became the heir and is now known as a drunken rake. However, the drunkeness is all an act and he’s really doing some mini-missions for the Crown. When he first meets Catherine, he’s instantly attracted, though he needs to maintain his act as an immature bachelor. Catherine is likewise instantly attracted, but she’s wary (and ashamed) of her own lust. She eventually forms a friendship with another more sedate and age-appropriate suitor. Their paths continue to cross as James’ mission involves her suitor and eventually they start an affair. But really, with their age-difference (she’s 17 years older) and her social class (former farmgirl, former actress, and widow of a banker), Catherine resists any serious attachment with the man. Lots of plot going on and Catherine’s ongoing shame over her own lust was a bit annoying, but still an entertaining read.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
Never Fall for Your Fiancee by Virginia Heath (2021)
Historical romance in Regency-ish era England, Book 1 of the Merriwell Sisters series. A carefree and jovial earl prevents his mother’s matchmaking from America by writing to her about a fictional fiancee and her tragic tales that have prevented them from marrying. When his mother comes to visit, he hires a woman to pretend to be his fiancee. This book is full of far-fetched tales and silliness and it totally works. Expect a light-hearted and humorous story here. Though there is actually heartbreak in both characters’ pasts, those experiences have made them stronger and most of the book contains witty banter and calamity.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
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Romance Fanfic by LovesBitca8: Dramione Fanfic Author
If you’re a romance reader like I am, I think that you will appreciate the many fanfics written by LovesBitca8 (aka Julie Soto). She primarily writes Hermione/Draco fic in the Harry Potter fandom. Her massive multichapter, multific series is the Rights and Wrongs Universe and I highly recommend these three fics and to read them in order. While you could read them in any order, the mystery within Part 1 will be spoiled by reading Part 2, and the backstory and motivation of Draco in the alternate universe (Part 3) will make much more sense when you’ve read the flashbacks from his POV from Part 2.
Part 1: The Right Thing to Do
Post-Deathly Hallows, Hermione POV. Draco is on trial for possible release from Azkaban. Hermione speaks on his behalf, mostly because it’s “the right thing to do” and partly because she’s harboring a crush on him from when she was in school. He gets released and starts interacting with Hermione at her weekend job at a bookstore. She’s flustered. Is he flirting with her? Why is his mom being so nice to her? Why does his dad want her to take random etiquette lessons? The story is essentially a rom-com full of pining and messy communication. Must read to prepare yourself for the third and most fulfilling story of the series (The Auction).
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Part 2: All the Wrong Things
It’s the same basic plot as The Right Thing To Do, from Draco’s POV. How does he really feel about Hermione? What’s going through his mind when he talks to her at the bookstore? Also, flashbacks from Draco about their Hogwarts days and how he dealt with Voldemort living in Malfoy Manor. Must read before the third story; the flashbacks are essential to understand Draco’s motivations in The Auction.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Part 3: The Auction
Third installment of the Rights and Wrongs series, Hermione’s POV. Alternate universe. Voldemort kills Harry at the Battle of Hogwarts. Death Eaters round up enemies to be auctioned off. Hermione ends up in the possession of Draco. She doesn’t know why she is in a bedroom suite with a closet of clothes in her size and bookshelves with her favorite books. Why is she here? Why did Draco acquire her? Who is going to defeat Voldemort now that Harry is dead? (Yes, Harry is really dead) There is still a villain to be defeated in this story and a relationship to develop between Draco and Hermione, despite the circumstances. Huge epic beautifully written amazingness. Seriously.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Other Fanfics
Julie has also posted several one-shots that are generally on the fluffy side but can definitely bring a smile to your face. Usually around December, there will be a fluffy (or steamy) one-shot to satisfy you. My favorite of the bunch is Ribbons Down Her Back, which is a multi-year Christmas tale. Ugh, the pining in this one is great.
Traditionally Published Novel Coming Soon
Julie is another fanfic turned traditionally published author that I’m totally excited for. Knowing that I’ve previously enjoyed her writing, I’m super excited to read her upcoming work. Her debut contemporary romance novel, Forget Me Not, will be released in July 2023. Pre-order via Amazon or Bookshop.org.
Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!
Want more Harry Potter fanfic? Here’s a spreadsheet of my all-time favorites.
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Once Upon a Dukedom Series by Lorraine Heath: Family Scandal Leads to Family Redemption / Historical Romance Book Series
As a historical romance reader, books by Lorraine Heath have been on my to-read list for quite awhile. However, her backlist is so extensive that I was intimidated on where to start. Using that trick of requesting an advanced copy to force my hand, I started with her latest series. The three books advance quite nicely between each other and I recommend reading them in order. There’s a gasp-worthy event in the middle of Book 1 that leads to the events in Book 3. (If you’ve read Heath’s series directly preceding this one, the family’s sister has her story in Beauty Tempts the Beast and you may have already read what happens).
1. Scoundrel of My Heart (2021)
Best friend’s older brother romance where the heroine completely overlooks him because he’s a second son and untitled (meaning she won’t be able to claim her inheritance since the will stipulated that she needed to marry a man with a title). I loved this book so much, especially the callbacks to earlier details that were seemingly minor at the time. I’d say that this book was the perfect introduction to Lorraine Heath’s emotional writing.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
2. The Duchess Hunt (2021)
A duke tasks his secretary with finding him a wife after his first attempt was unsuccessful. From the very first page, I knew I was in for an angsty ride. I especially loved the longstanding quiet companionship between these two. And the fact that all the important people in the duke’s life knew how essential Penny was to him.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
3. The Return of the Duke (2022)
The first son of a traitorous duke out to clear his father’s name goes to visit his father’s mistress to find any clues. This one was my least favorite of the bunch, since I’m not generally a fan of spy/espionage plots. However, it was interesting to see how the story unfolds and how everything about the heroine wasn’t exactly as it seemed.
Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.
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Read Books Before They’re Published: How to Get Digital Advance Reader Copies
You may have seen your favorite bookish content creators talking about books that haven’t been released yet. It’s highly likely that these folks have received advance reader copies (ARCs) of these books to read and review. Publishers will often provide advance copies to book stores and libraries so that they can make purchasing decisions for their inventory. Publishers will also offer advance copies to reviews and influencers to generate buzz and marketing for their books.
If you’re interested in receiving review copies, keep reading for resources that I’ve used. This post will cover how to access digital ARCs. I do receive a few physical ARCs through influencer teams, but I’ll write about those separately.
NetGalley
One of the most common websites to request digital ARCs is NetGalley. This is the website I’m most familiar with and have experience requesting and receiving books, so I’ll spend most of this post talking about it. It’s free to sign up for an account and create a profile. Be honest with your status and give some information in your bio as to what you like to read and review. My profile specifies that I’m a reviewer who posts on my own website and I’ve selected my favorite categories. The bio section lets you add even more info about what you like to read and where you talk about books. Here’s my most recent bio:
Binge reader of historical romance novels (with a few contemporaries thrown in for fun). I love to read series in order and binge an author’s entire backlist.
I read for fun, not to be critical, so I share positive things I enjoy from books. (I don’t usually share things I dislike because those might be things someone else enjoys – also, if I was bored, I’ve probably skimmed over that section and got right to the section that interests me).
http://instagram.com/randomolive with 32k+ followers
https://www.tiktok.com/@random.olive with 1200+ followers
Writing about books at https://randomolivereads.substack.com/
To browse for books you want to read, you can look at the category or the publisher. If you have a favorite publisher, you can add it to your favorites list. Each publisher will have a section that describes the characteristics they’re looking for in reviewers. I generally keep a tab open on my computer and check to see if new books are added to the romance category each day; if there’s something interesting, I’ll go ahead and click the button to request it. Depending on the publisher, I’ll usually receive an email of approval within a few days. Alternatively, you can check the section for “Read Now” books where the books are freely available to review without waiting for the publisher’s approval.
After you’ve been approved or selected a Read Now book, there are a couple of ways to actually read the ebook. My preferred method is to send the book to Kindle (following the instructions on NetGalley); this lets me read the book on my iphone using the Kindle app and on my Kindle Paperwhite e-reader. There are also options to read using the NetGalley app or to download the epub file.
I generally read and review the books I have on my NetGalley shelf in chronological order by publication date. My goal is to submit a review of the book before it is published. The amount of time you might have before the release date may vary: smaller publishers may have shorter times (Dragonblade Publishing usually puts books up for request about a week or two before the publication date), while traditional publishers may make the book available for request months before the publication date (At the time of writing this, I requested a book from Avon Books that is scheduled to release in 6 months). Books are available to request until removed by the publisher (usually at the time when the book is published).
After reading the book, it’s important to go back to the website to submit a review. This gives the publisher early feedback on the book and gives them material to use in any marketing materials. In order to keep requesting future books, consistently returning feedback is essential. NetGalley tracks the number of requests, approvals, and reviews on your profile and publishes a Feedback Ratio, which is the percent of reviews returned divided by the number of titles approved. The higher the Feedback Ratio, the more likely a profile is to be approved for future books. Here’s what my current Feedback Ratio looks like (I started requesting and reviewing consistently in Jan 2022; data collected Oct 2022):
Feedback Ratio: 82%
77 Approved | 63 Feedback Sent
Recommended feedback ratio is 80%
Since NetGalley explicitly tells us the recommended feedback ratio, I try to keep up with the ARCs I’m reading and submit reviews as soon as I finish the book. This helps maintain my feedback ratio even though I’m consistently requesting three to four books each week.
Edelweiss
With Edelweiss, there is a lot of overlap with the books available on NetGalley, but sometimes books will appear here first. I have registered for an account and requested a few books, but I have not been approved on this website. From what I’ve read online, this site is mostly aimed towards booksellers rather than reviewers/influencers.
BookSirens
BookSirens seems to have books from smaller publishers and there is a different book selection than on NetGalley. The book request information will often specify if the review should be cross-posted to Goodreads or Amazon and often your review will not be considered complete until it is cross-posted. I’ve reviewed a couple of books from here and it’s a good source for smaller publishers.
BookSprout
BookSprout is yet another source for books from smaller publishers. I have not reviewed any books from this site, although I did create an account.
Individual Author Teams
Sometimes authors will cultivate their own ARC team and send them out to their trusted list of reviewers. If you’re a superfan of any one author, you should follow their social media accounts, sign up for their newsletter, and then keep an eye out for review opportunities.
Overall, I enjoy being able to read books before they’re published and not having to be on the waitlist for a new release from the library. The external deadline of reading and reviewing before the publication date helps me with keeping up with all the books I want to read anyway. Just be careful not to overwhelm yourself with too many ARCs!
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Weekly Reads: Oct 3 to 9, 2022
Another week that includes House of the Dragon fanfic that I haven’t talked about anywhere else. I really do read quite a lot of fanfiction, mostly short little one-shots or drabbles and I’ve linked them all here. You should subscribe so you don’t miss out. Plus I’m also linking a reading-related podcast episode this week for you!
On the Hustle by Adriana Herrera (2022)
Contemporary romance, Book 2 in the Dating in Dallas series. Our overworked and overcommitted heroine finally quits her personal assistant job to pursue her interior design business and gives her boss two weeks after she returns from vacation. He’s totally emotionless about her quitting. However, when she emails him to say that she has an awesome opportunity and isn’t coming back for her last two weeks, he flips out and calls her demanding to know where she is. When we switch to his POV, we realize he’s been sickeningly pining for her for three years and waiting to make his move until the boss-employee dynamic was no longer an issue (great perspective from an employer, btw). He follows her from NYC to Dallas, where he somehow wrangles them into an interior decorating reality TV show and is suddenly charming and flirtatious. Really great chemistry and you can tell how attracted they are to each other. As a personal assistant, our heroine’s job involves bringing the guy coffee everyday after he comes out of his swim workout, and there’s a very detailed paragraph early on in the book of how he looks climbing out of the pool. *blushes* There’s also family baggage, workplace drama, dealing with diversity in the workplace, racial identity issues and feelings of belonging, etc. Overall, really great book!
Advance ebook provided by Carina Press via NetGalley. Print book provided by Carina press.
Bridgerton Fanfic: Baby Mine by WaterlilyRose
Super short and sweet little fic exploring Hyacinth’s reaction to Anthony and Kate expecting their first child. If you wanted to see Anthony in Dad-mode, this one will make you feel warm and smooshy.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
House of the Dragon Fanfic: you’re more than beginning by MissAtomicBomb (kinderhook)
Harwin/Rhaenyra smut. Unsure of the circumstances here but for some reason Rhaenyra is marrying Harwin and this is their wedding day and wedding night.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
House of the Dragon Fanfic: the missing colours by MissAtomicBomb (kinderhook)
Harwin/Rhaenyra smut. Diverges from Episode 1.04 where Criston rejects her advances and she goes to find Harwin for a night in his bed.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
House of the Dragon Fanfic: all’s well that ends well to end up with you by RaindropsOnRoses
Harwin/Rhaenyra romance. Laenor dies before Rhaenyra can marry him. She develops a friendship, romance, and marriage with Harwin. Follows their marriage and births of children.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
House of the Dragon Fanfic: The Strong Widow by bikadoo
Harwin/Rhaenyra romance. Laenor dies shortly after marriage to Rhaenyra leaving her a widow. She takes Harwin for her protector and husband. This fic follows their marriage and children, etc. It’s pretty similar to the fic linked above, but of the two I think this one was better written. And scroll to the bottom for beautiful fan art.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
House of the Dragon Fanfic: The Princess and Her Knight by bikadoo
Harwin/Rhaenyra romance, canon-compliant (no HEA). Fills in the missing ten years from the time-jump between Episodes 1.05 and 1.06 and the relationship development between Harwin and Rhaenyra. This one packs an emotional punch, especially since you know how it’ll eventually turn out from the show. Fan art at the bottom of every chapter.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Podcast: Fated Mates Episode S05.04: What to Read If You Liked The Love Hypothesis
So, this is not a book or fic but it is a podcast episode which will give you a whole bunch of recommendations. I’m a huge fan of the Fated Mates podcast and they’re starting a new series with book recommendations for people who liked certain popular books. What I like about their specific format is that they are not just giving recommendations that are exactly like the popular book (e.g. fake-dating or professor-student). They’ve picked out key elements of The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood that readers may resonate with and give you recommendations for those types of plots or emotions (e.g. pining, women in STEM, banter, a certain type of sex act, etc). The shownotes also include a bonus list of Reylo fic recs from Ali Hazelwood and Adriana Herrera!
Listen to the podcast episode and get links to all their recs on FatedMates.net
Bring a Boxer to His Knees by Charlie Lane (2022)
Historical romance, Book 3 of the Cavendish Family series. This one stands alone for much of the story, but reading Book 1 will give you a lot more backstory on the heroine’s fraught relationship with her father. Our heroine is a daughter of a baron sneaking off to be a sharpshooter in a circus. She hasn’t gotten along with the resident strongman, who is gruff with her and seems to think she’s a spoiled princess. When he gets ill and injured during his act, she offers to escort him to his family home. They learn much more about each other and their families during the journey and come to a truce. Oh, and there’s some delightful sickbed caretaking which I adore.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
Shop this book via Amazon
House of the Dragon Fanfic: us, inevitable by scarlettscribbles
Daemon/Rhaenyra smut. It’s basically just a one-shot change from Episode 1.04 where Rhaenyra goes after Daemon.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: a better fate by glitterwitch1
Draco/Hermione romance. Draco is born a Veela and his documented mate is Hermione. Total alternate universe where the Malfoy parents have paved the way for a Pureblood/Muggleborn relationship. All their friends have blended together. And Draco is a pining idiot for most of it. Mostly cute and funny.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
House of the Dragon Fanfic: Make me your wife by framboise
Daemon/Rhaenyra romance? Kind of? This one was a little dodgy and I’m not sure I really liked it much. It’s a mixture of sweet and creepy. The summary says:
Since she was small, the princess has been wont to ask him the same question – whether as a childish demand, a youthful jest, a plea for protection or a romantic notion – but those words take on a different shine when spoken at her own wedding celebrations to another man. *** Or, the five times Rhaenyra asks Daemon to be her husband, and the one time he asks her to be his wife.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: Tell Her by a_MioneNiffler2309
Snape/Hermione one-shot. Short, quick, light read. Here’s the summary:
Severus Snape returns after many years away. While attending a gala of sorts, he spots a witch and finds himself inexplicably drawn to her. It takes several people a good while to talk him into trying before he walks over to Hermione Granger, hopefully with enough confidence to tell her.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: An Unwelcomed Interruption by a_MioneNiffler2309
Snape/Hermione one-shot. Short, quick, light read. And there’s a plot twist. Here’s the summary:
Hermione is about to get married, but Severus cannot seem to keep his hands off of her. He shows up the day before unannounced, and even visits her during the wedding when he was supposed to stay away.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Bridgerton Fanfic: The Debut by WaterlilyRose
Ballroom one-shot. It’s the first ball of the new season after Francesca’s debut. Kate and Anthony have a contentious run-in with Lord and Lady Sheffield. It’s just a short little confrontation scene that is fun to read if you like seeing snooty folks get called out.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
The Convenient Engagement by Emily EK Murdoch (2022)
Historical romance, Book 5 of the de Petras saga. We finally have the romance that has been building up in the past three books. The youngest de Petras sibling has always been treated as the baby of the family, even now when she’s out in society and a young lady. She decides that to be taken seriously by her family, she needs to be engaged. She solicits a family friend to be her fake fiancee thinking him to be trustworthy and believable. Poor guy has been in love with her for years and cannot deny her anything. This books made me feel so terribly sad for our hero because of all the pining and longing and crestfallen looks on his face whenever he has a glimmer of hope that is crushed. If you like a sad pathetic pining hero, this one is for you.
Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.
House of the Dragon Fanfic: no grave can hold my body down by balmacedapascal
Harwin/Rhaenyra romance. A drabble really. (A drabble is usually less than a thousand words and will take you about 5 minutes to read). The summary says: “Harwin Strong lives and finds his way back to his princess.”
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
House of the Dragon Fanfic: comfort and control by balmacedapascal
Harwin/Rhaenyra romance. A bit longer of a drabble (just barely more than a thousand words). A short conversation after Rhaenyra’s wedding.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: Amortentia by LadyMidnight87
Draco/Hermione romance, one-shot. I had this one sitting in my open internet tabs for awhile and wanted a quick read. Draco has ingested some form of amortentia and he’s totally in love with Hermione so he’s crazed with lust. You can imagine what happens next. Or don’t imagine and just read it.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: The Potion Accident by Colubrina
Draco/Hermione romance, one-shot. Draco and Hermione have experienced a potions lab accident causing them to be telepathically linked and can feel each others’ emotions. The story is a bunch of tiny little glimpses into their interactions and emotions over several years. I’ve read this one before, but it was recently posted onto AO3, so I re-read it. It’s actually really very sweet and worth reading.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
The Boxing Baroness by Minerva Spencer (2022)
Historical romance, Book 1 of the Wicked Women of Whitechapel series. This one was my first read from Minerva Spencer and I’ve heard great things about her books. We have a female boxer who works for her uncle’s all-female circus troupe and she is being sought by a duke who is being blackmailed. The lady is involved because the blackmailer is her former lover who is asking for her presence in exchange for the life of the duke’s brother (previously presumed dead). There’s a lot of plot happening here with traveling between England and France during Napoleon’s escape from prison, tragic backstory for both the duke and the lady, secret identities, blackmail, and a relationship that is not recommended due to social class differences. It was a bit of a slog for me… too much plot, not enough romance. Though the plot becomes important for the conclusion in the back third of the book. Overall, it was a mediocre read for me and I’m not sure if I’d continue reading the series.
Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.
Titan: A Gargoyle Daddy Dom Romance by Jillian Graves (2022)
Paranormal romance, Book 1 of the Romancing His Stone series. Former child actress, Julianna, whose funds were stolen by her manager-mother is setting up sugar daddy arrangements to pay her bills. Titan is a gargoyle whose world collapsed when another gargoyle betrayed the brotherhood and is seeking a magical relic. They cross paths when one of Julianna’s dates has knowledge of the relic he seeks. He sets up an arrangement with Julianna to get closer to the relic and they fall in love along the way. As the title says, there are strong daddy-dom themes in this book with explicit sex and ridged tail for good measure. The world-building is pretty interesting and there are hints to the next couple in the series.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
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Introduction to Reading Fanfiction: Stories to Read About Your Fave Characters
Fanfiction (also shortened to fanfic) is known as fan-created content that expands upon an existing intellectual property (books, TV, movies, etc). The characters and world-building has already been established in the original text (i.e. canon) and the fan author can expand upon the world in a variety of ways, such as a change in point of view, missing scenes or backstory, sequels and follow-ups, alternate universes were a major canon event is changes and modifies the entire plot trajectory, or another alternate universe where all characters are put into an entirely new setting (e.g. Star Wars characters in a coffee shop in America).
The written length of fanfiction can also vary from a one-shot (a single scene or chapter) to multi-chapter/multi-part epic saga, and anything in-between.
Fandoms
If there is an existing book, TV show, or movie that you enjoy, there is very likely fanfiction that exists for it, no matter how obscure. (Would you be surprised to know that there is actually a Blippi/Star Wars crossover fanfic? It’s a little weird, but it actually works and you can read it here on Archive of Our Own.)
I have been reading fanfiction for so long that I don’t even remember all that I’ve consumed. I’ll usually be inspired to seek out fanfic after reading or watching the original content and wanting more time with those characters in that world. My interest will generally coincide with having recently seen a particular show or movie (like, Gilmore Girls fic in 2016 when A Year in the Life aired, or Star Wars fic in 2019 after the release of The Rise of Skywalker). Currently, I’m still actively reading Harry Potter and Bridgerton fanfic, so you’ll see me write about those in my weekly reads.
Genres
Like any other sort of fictional media, fanfic covers a wide range of genres like adventure, mystery, or romance. I mostly gravitate towards stories that are primarily romance, with or without a side of other plot elements. Even if the original source was not romance-focused (like Star Wars or Harry Potter), fanfiction allows the author and the reader to explore these types of relationships in depth.
Romance Pairings
While there are many fanfics that will focus on the romantic pairings that are officially part of the source material (e.g. Rey and Kylo Ren from Star Wars), my favorite fanfics will often combine characters that are not part of the original canon. A major example here is the pairing of Hermione Granger with Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter series (known as Dramione). Why do people like to write and read such odd pairings? It allows us to explore character backstory that is only shallowly developed in canon and can explore different types of tropes (like enemies-to-lovers in the case of Dramione). I also enjoy reading about rare pairs because I’m interested in seeing how the author will tackle the problem of bringing two unlikely characters together. One example here is the pairing of Hermione Granger and Antonin Dolohov (the Death Eater that cursed her in Book 5): this fic puts the two together as married in exchange for him turning to her side of the war and is explained with a soulmate connection.
Quality of Writing and Storytelling
Since fanfiction is essentially self-published by the author uploading the story online, the quality can vary widely. One on end of the spectrum, authors can write a bunch of ideas into a text box, upload without proofreading, and call it a day. On the other end of the spectrum, authors can spend a lot of time and effort crafting a complicated plot and work with beta readers to proofread and revise each chapter before it is uploaded. The nature of episodic release (chapter by chapter) in addition to constant reader feedback in the comments section or on social media may also affect the storytelling direction of a particular fanfic, depending on the author’s acceptance of feedback.
While it’s tough to view true metrics of quality of any particular fanfic, there are a few statistics available to help readers determine if a fic could be worthwhile to read; favorites, kudos, bookmarks, hits, and comments can be markers of high levels of activity and appreciation for a fanfic. From what I’ve observed, longer and multi-chapter fics tend to have more favorite and kudos compared to single-chapter fics, and this might be due to the trickled release of content.
I’ve found that there are many well-written, well-loved fanfics out there and will attempt to share as many as I can with you. I’ve certainly read my share of poorly written fics, but the great ones will make you laugh, smile, feel all the feels, and delightfully or emotionally entertain. There is so much spectacular writing and storytelling out there that is just freely available to read and enjoy. If you haven’t read a fanfic before, I hope that you will consider trying one of my recommendations. I will be sharing my picks in my weekly reads and other fanfic round up posts.
Want Harry Potter fanfic recommendations? Here’s a spreadsheet of my all-time favorites.
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Awakened by a Kiss Series by Charis Michaels / Historical Romance Book Series
If you enjoy fairytale retellings, this historical romance series will enchant and delight you. The Awakened by a Kiss Series by Charis Michaels reimagines the side characters of fairytales and puts them as the main characters in Regency/Victorian England. The three books are very loosely connected: there is minimal interaction of characters from one book to the next plus one mysterious shop owner that pops up in all three books.
1. A Duchess a Day (2020)
This book was delightful and my favorite of the series. We start with the Snow White’s Huntsman being recruited from prison to keep guard over a duke’s flight-risk of a fiancee. (He was imprisoned for murdering the Snow White-equivalent of the story, but she really just ditched him.) When he meets his new charge, he finds her sunshine-y and addictive and the girl clearly has no interest in the duke at all. She manages to recruit the huntsman into her plan of throwing eligible ladies (seven in all) at the duke. Relatively low on the steam scale, but you can really feel the longing and pining between our two main characters.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
2. When You Wish Upon a Duke (2021)
We meet a Tinkerbell-equivalent in this story who works at a travel agency and is recruited by a duke to rescue his cousin from pirates in Iceland. She’s had a bad history with Iceland along with a sour experience touring the continent with Peter and his merry band of lost boys, but she takes the duke up on his offer in exchange for a new storefront for her own travel agency. I don’t have much of a reference point for the allusions in this book, having never read or watched Peter Pan, but I still enjoyed the romance in this story.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
3. A Duchess by Midnight (2022)
The stepsister of Princess Cindy has her chance to atone for her mean girl ways in this book, where she is now a mentor to young debutantes. Working with a reclusive duke’s nieces, she tries to teach them the rules of propriety. And when she gets caught in a compromising situation (oops), she has to uphold those rules and marry the duke. This book is the steamiest of the set, with the compromising happening within the first half of the book and a little action outdoors in the woods. *fans self*
Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley. Print book provided by Avon Books.
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