Tabitha by Fish and RSB (T)

Fandom: Firefly
Pairings/Characters: Wash/Zoe
Rating: T
Warnings: angst, death
Author: Fish and RSB
Website: The Fish Bowl
Summary: Zoe becomes pregnant, but before she and Wash can truly decide how they feel about raising a child together, the decision is taken from them.
Why: The issue of having a baby is one that comes up between Wash and Zoe in the course of the series, and this story takes that issue and runs with it. As you can probably guess from the information given above, this isn't the happiest story in the world. However, I think it's one that's worth reading, nonetheless. It does a credible job of dealing with the issue of an unexpected pregnancy and how everyone on Serenity would deal with that. I loved seeing Zoe and Wash work through their disagreement with the help of the rest of the crew, and I loved seeing how the entire crew drew together at the news and then after. This story really struck home for me, and although it's not something you'll want to read when you're feeling down, it is something you'll want to read.

Tabitha by Fish and RSB

Between the Shelves, by Tachibana An by Sublimeparadigm (T)

Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Pairings/Characters: Ibu/Kamio
Rating: T
Author: sublimeparadigm
Website: none
Summary: Two boys in a library, from the pen of Tachibana An.
Why: Being a great fan of sublimeparadigm's writing, I actually started reading this story without having read either the title or the summary, which I think made it even more fun for me. I was completely blindsided by the twist at the ending. Even without that element of surprise, though, I've found that this story is nothing if not enjoyable. The author does a wonderful job at just about everything she writes, and this story is no exception.

Between the Shelves, by Tachibana An by Sublimeparadigm

Waiting for the Storm by Hanae Michiko (T)

Fandom: Digimon
Pairings/Characters: Taichi/Yamato
Rating: T
Author: ayappe
Website: Hanae Michiko by Ff.net
Summary: It's storming out, and Taichi's watching the skies for lightning. Eventually, the power goes out, and Yamato shows up on his doorstep. It's all very romantic.
Why: I liked this story for several reasons. First of all, I really enjoyed the Taichi perspective, which struck me as very true to his character. His excitement over the storm, his enthusiasm at the power outage, his interactions with Yamato...Everything worked really well for me. I also really liked the simplicity of the story, and the way that things aren't too over-done. The setting was vividly imagined and everything in the story just seemed to flow naturally. This story was really a nice break from the world of the serious and the long-winded.

Waiting for the Storm by Hanae Michiko

Abomination by Celebare (K+)

Fandom: Naruto
Pairings/Characters: Haku
Rating: K+
Author: celebare
Website: Celebare on DeviantART
Summary: A young Haku discovers a fantastic power within himself, a power that never should have existed...
Why: Everytime I read this story, it leaves me with an ache in my chest, which, I suppose, is only appropriate for a story about Haku's childhood. Celebare gives a lovely look at young Haku and his life as it was before his ability was discovered. The entire scene is portrayed so vividly that it's almost as if you can see it if you close your eyes.

Abomination by Celebare

It's a DaDaDaDate! by Sioniann (K)

Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Pairings/Characters: Akutsu/Dan
Rating: K
Author: sioniann
Website: phoenix_quill
Summary: It isn't a date...until it is.
Why: It seems like every Akutsu/Dan story I've ever read has either been really cute or really painful. This story, I'm happy to say, has the cute aspect of things mastered without ever straying out of character. With an unbearably cute Dan, an Akutsu who's wrapped around his little finger, and a statistics muttering Inui, this story is the perfect ending to anyone's day.

It's a DaDaDaDate! by Sioniann

Carnival Series by alianora (K+)

Fandom: Firefly
Pairings/Characters: Jayne/River
Rating: K+
Author: aliaspiral
Website: SilverSpiral.net
Summary: Jayne goes to the fair.
Why: I'll admit it. The idea of Jayne and River together never occurred to me before I read this story, and the only reason I started reading this story was out of that thing called curiosity, which so often leads me in strange directions. In this case, however, the direction turned out to not only be strange, but also good. I really liked this series of drabbles a lot. If I had to sum up the entire thing in one word...Well, that one word would have to cute, with sweet coming in a close second. Maybe I'm alone in this, but Jayne has always struck me as just the type to end up in a situation like this. River's reactions, too, ring true for me in this, and have continued to do during my several readings. I haven't read any Jayne/River fic since this, but I have to say that if the opportunity should arise, I'll probably think of this and give it a try. I just might be pleasantly surprised.

Carnival Series by alianora

The Problem with Pink by J. C. Eastling (T)

Fandom: Naruto
Pairings/Characters: Sasuke/Sakura, background Naruto/Hinata
Rating: T
Author: jc_eastling
Website: Annwyd on Ff.net
Summary: Sasuke thinks that the gene for pink hair just might be a problem. Sakura begs to differ.
Why: I in no way profess to be a fan of the Sasuke/Sakura pairing, but if it was going to happen, this is the way that I would like to see it. I liked this image of a grown up Team 7 a lot and seeing Sakura and Sasuke with their first child. Sasuke as the doting father, too, was an image that I simply couldn't pass up. I like how the relationship between Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura was still strong, and I really liked just the sheer fun of this story.

The Problem with Pink by J. C. Eastling

As Red as Hearts and Autumn by rosemaryandrue (T)

Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairings/Characters: Remus/Sirius
Rating: T
Author: rosemaryandrue
Website: None
Summary: The 31 days of October during the Marauder's sixth year.
Why: This series was written for scarvesnhats, and it follows the Marauders through the month of October during their sixth year. Which is a singularly boring summary for the story that just ate up hours of my day in a most enjoyable fashion.

rosemaryandrue writes the Marauders (and Lily) in lovely fashion, making every single chapter nothing but interesting. Even Peter gets his fair due from her. Her characterization in general is just really fantastic. Also fantastic is the development of the relationship between Remus and Sirius, which isn't in the slightest rushed, but doesn't drag either. The time period is even written perfectly: still the happy days of school, but hints of darkness that reflect the events of the rest of the world.

In addition, the story has a plot, which I have to admit snuck up on me a bit in the later chapters, but was pleasant surprise nonetheless. Even when the plot isn't immediately present, however, the story is nothing less than engrossing. Everyday life with the Marauders, I must say, is quite an exciting thing.

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