Fanfic Picks

Welcome to our Fanfic picks page.  We will read the full review on the show and post the links here so that you can check out the story yourself.Want to participate? Email the show at muttations@yahoo.com

Jessica has given up her position to move on to some other areas of her life. We wish her the best. We would also like to welcome Megan to the show. She will be taking over the FanFic section as of episode 51

Episode 56

Keep Fighting

By omgg8764

There are many different alternate Mockingjay stories in the Hunger Games fandom, but this particular one stuck with me. In the beginning of the story Peeta has just been rescued from the Capitol, but this is where the differences start because in this story Peeta is not controlled by tracker jacker venom, since the doctors of District 13 were instead able to find a cure for him. The fact that Peeta is cured allows Katniss and Peeta’s relationship to blossom much faster than it was allowed to in the original story, which creates a more romantic side to the story. Katniss and Peeta are also a part of a squad in the army with the other tributes as well as a few original characters on that team with them. Katniss’ squad is still 451, but you learn more about how they became close in training, and how Coin uses people in the squad to get back at Katniss.

Omgg8764 creates a wonderful blend of romance, action, and friendship in this uplifting, yet hurtful story. If you enjoy Mockingjay remixes that end in an almost happier way than the original, almost because it’s still part of the Hunger Games fandom so we can never truly get away from the death and destruction, then this is a good story for you to read.

There are a few chapters where Omgg8764 allows the reader to take a breather and digest the last chapter, but most of the chapters either have a strong romance scene, a heated fight between squad members, or a detailed description of an attack in the war. No matter which chapter you are on in this fast paced story I guarantee you will be hooked.

Warning: Rated M.

~Megan

Read the story HERE

Episode 53

Warning: If you get even a little emotional while reading, like myself, then you may want to grab a large box of tissues before reading this story.

I have never read a more inspirational one-shot in my whole Hunger Games fan fiction reading days. Jillybean13 has described Peeta and Katniss’ whole relationship perfectly in one single chapter with this song-fic. Jillybean13 has written this story by matching each part of Taylor Swift’s song “Last Kiss” to moments in Katniss and Peeta’s relationship from the Victory Tour to the epilogue at the end of the book.

Some memories that Katniss thinks of in this one-shot are made up by jillbean13 or are just slightly altered from the book, but still stays true to the original story in a sweet way.

Now, Katniss and Peeta have warmed and crushed our hearts many times. Many love songs do this as well, and this song-fic brings both of these emotion-catchers together to create a truly inspirational story

-Megan

read it HERE

Episode 52

Reading the Hunger Games

By Choices HP

Need a little refresher of the first book in the Hunger Games trilogy before the movie comes out on the 23^rd? Well “Reading the Hunger Games” by Choices HP is a perfect way to do that, since Choices HP has found a way to combine the original book with fan fiction.

In this story the reader learns that before the first rebellion or the Hunger Games ever happened, the Capitol had been trying to find ways to tell the future so that they would be able to know when a rebellion was going to happen. Unfortunately for the Capitol, the fortune telling device turned out with three books that talked about a rebellion that was to happen in the far future and was by a point of view that they did not recognize. If you’re following me, then you’ve already figured out that these three books are the three books in the Hunger Games trilogy. So the Capitol stopped caring about the books and 74 years later the Victors that we know and love came across the books.

The most interesting thing about this story is that Choices HP has brought many of the main characters in this trilogy, from Katniss, Peeta and Prim to Johanna, Finnick, and Foxface, together to read these books together. While reading this story the reader gets to see Suzanne Collins’ original written words, along with what Choices HP believes would be the characters’ reactions to the events in the Hunger Games.

My favorite part of this story was getting to see how other characters, such as Gale and Peeta, might have reacted to certain thoughts in Katniss’ mind. Picture Peeta finding out that Katniss is faking it the whole time, or Gale realizing that Katniss probably never will have feelings for him, and best of all is Haymitch seeing that him and Katniss really do think very much a like. The teasing and light banter from Chaff and Finnick helps to liven up the very dark parts of the story as well.

Choices HP has finished creating this story for the Hunger Games and is now continuing it by also doing this for Catching Fire.

~Megan~

Reading the Hunger Games:

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7230506/1/Reading_the_Hunger_Games

Choices HP:

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1999955/Choices_HP

Episode 51

Desert Blossom

By DustWriter

I must admit that when I first started reading Desert Blossom that I was a bit skeptical has to how it would go, but DustWriter got me easily hooked with the first dialogue in the story with Peeta and Gale bickering over Peeta’s girlfriend problems. His troubles of being able to keep one, that is. This story takes place in modern time with Peeta and Gale studying over seas at the American University in Afghanistan.

Peeta’s original goal for his time in Afghanistan is to get a good picture that will start his career as a photo journalist, but his plans change dramatically when he meets a girl that he can’t seem to get out of his mind, in an unexpected place. I really liked the “brothers forever” relationship that DustWriter has given Gale and Peeta in this story, not that they would ever call each other brothers, but they do certainly stick up for each other whenever either of them gets in a sticky situation.

This AU, and alternate time, story is really made perfect with the hidden message that DustWriter seems to have written in about war and life in other countries. Gale and Peeta see death, when a trash can that little kids are searching in is bombed, people being sold as sex slaves against their will, and lots and lots of poverty. While reading this story you get to see the amazing character development that Peeta goes through as he experiences these tragic events, and tries to help the best he can by changing the lives of two girls that have absolutely nothing when he meets them.

This story is a must read, but is not for the faint of heart. It is rated M, and has many mature themes in it, but if you’re up for that type of story, then I strongly suggest you read this story. I hope it changes the way you start to view news on TV, as it has done for me.

Your New Fanfic Reviewer,

Megan

Links:

 

Desert Blossom

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7821268/1/Desert_Blossom

 

DustWriter

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/3191722/DustWriter

Episode 50

I am a big fan of AU fics; however, when starting Samson and Delilah by Missi Marie, I was hesitant. The premise is rather grim. Peeta has just been reaped for the Games along with Madge Undersee. Their mentors are the famous Haymitch Abernathy and Katniss Everdeen, who won the Games four years prior. Sadly, she won against her dear friend, Gale Hawthorne.

If that sounds angsty to you, then you would be right. The story has several angst-ridden themes moving concurrently such as Katniss’ guilt over Gale’s death, Peeta dealing with his feelings for Katniss while she mentors him, and of course, Peeta dealing with his likely demise in the Games.

It’s a mess of confused emotions for all the characters, and to be honest, when it was revealed that Gale was gone in the first chapter I was close to flouncing, but there was something about this story that was engaging. Information about Katniss’ Games is given in drips and drabs, and since this story is an alternate universe, it has a sense of mystery about it that you can only discover if you keep reading.

For example, this conversation between Peeta and Haymitch really left me wanting more explanation.

“What was the deal you made?” Peeta blurted before he could consider its wisdom. “I mean, the one… with Katniss and…” He trailed off, not even sure why he was asking anymore.

Haymitch barked out a laugh when Peeta mentioned it, startling the boy. “Still pissed at that, is she?” He seemed more amused about it than concerned. “Always did have trouble lettin’ things go.”

He took a swig of the clear liquid in its clear bottle making Peeta frown. For a moment he let himself worry for Madge. The poor girl had it pretty bad with Haymitch… A tickle of fire hit the back of his throat and he was surprised to discover that it was anger. At Katniss. For abandoning Madge.

“Stupid really,” Haymitch slurred. “Damn kid backed out in the end anyway.”

Peeta’s frown deepened. What had Gale Hawthorne backed out of?

The story is just getting into the description of Peeta’s Games. I have a feeling there’s more angst on the way, but I’ll brace myself just to know what happens next.

Links:

Samson and Delilah

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7787658/1/Samson_and_Delilah

Missi Marie

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/960129/Missi_Marie

Episode 47

removed

Episode 41

If I could describe this week’s story, Upside-Down Cake, with one word, it would be: mind-bending. At first glance, the slightly alternate universe the story takes place in isn’t much of a stretch from the Canon. The author, aimmyarrowshigh, asks us to imagine that Katniss’ mother married—not the boy from the Seam—but the baker, Mr. Mellark. This left Mr. Everdeen to marry the woman we know as Mrs. Mellark in Canon.

The rest is a twist of genetics. Katniss Mellark is a blonde girl from town and Peeta Everdeen is a dark-haired Seam boy with a little sister.

The story hits on several moments throughout the character’s childhoods and teen years. And the ripple effect caused by a parental switch varies from subtle to drastic. Katniss and Madge grew up together as best friends. Peeta and Gale have everything in common. And Katniss falls for a boy who can sing.

“That morning, when all of the children of the District had gathered in Assembly, Peat Everdeen stood on his chair in his too-short dress pants, worn at the knees, and his faded red suspenders, and sang the Anthem of Panem in a high, clear voice. Katna Mellark sat in the background beside Madge Undersee, too shy to say a word, and fell hopelessly and recklessly into infatuation.”

Although the story of how Katniss and Peeta come together is done in a manner completely different from the Canon, it’s executed perfectly. And the ending will undoubtedly leave your heart aching.

Links:

Five Loaves of Bread: Upside-Down Cake

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7423866/1/Five_Loaves_of_Bread_Upside_Down_Cake

aimmyarrowshigh

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2723025/aimmyarrowshigh

Episode 38

The slag heap. In Mockingjay, we learn it’s the infamous makeout spot where Gale Hawthorne took too many girls to count. But what if it was something more?

The Lucky Ones by Ruby Sword is a story about Gale and Madge. It starts with the charged “pretty dress” comment Gale gives Madge on reaping day and really builds on that tension between them, which raises the questions: Where is that tension coming from? And what history do Gale and Madge have?

To find out, rewind to the previous New Years Eve party thrown at the Undersees. Madge wants a friend at the party and asks Katniss to help, so when “an absurdly tall, broad-shouldered young man” shows up, Madge is a little surprised, yet somehow ends up sneaking out of her own party to ring in the New Year…ahem….getting her new dress covered in coal dust. Curious.

This is a sweet story, full of wonderful moments—from Madge letting 4-year-old Posy Hawthorne play with her party dress to Peeta’s brother hitting on Madge to “Uncle” Haymitch knowing where the Undersees hide their booze.

It’s full of emotion—from the shy blushes of an initial flirtation to the utter heartbreak Gale and Madge feel after the reaping for the 74^th Hunger Games.  It’s rich in detail and the characters have real depth, especially Madge’s all-knowing housekeeper, Nessie. Undoubtedly, sparks fly between a sometimes mischievous Gale and an always adorable Madge, and this is a cleverly written addition to the fandom.

Links:

The Lucky Ones

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7243866/1/

Ruby Sword

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2913620/Ruby_Sword

Guest Reviewer ms_scarlett05

Episode 37

Fanfic Picks on the Fly: One-shots when you’ve got no time

Reunion by Geeky-DMHG-Fan

Although it’s thoroughly AU at this point, nostalgic HG fans will find relief in this gentle, post-CF reunion scene between Katniss and Peeta – the way we wish it had been – sans neck injury. Geeky nailed Katniss’s spirit and Peeta’s turmoil.  The story deals with the psychological repercussions of Peeta’s capture and torture, but without losing the spirit of who he is – something lost in the writing of Mockingjay. And instead of their experiences shattering them, they grow from the pain, bringing the story around to a hopeful conclusion. Geeky’s writing is always spot-on, with creative details and nuance that give her stories a whole quality for a seamless reading.

Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5467998/1/Reunion

Geeky-DMHG-Fan: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1425807/Geeky_DMHG_Fan

Medea Smyke Guest Reviewer

Episode 36

 Fanfic Picks on the Fly: One-shots when you’ve got no time

One Year, Three Months and Sixteen Days by MoonNRoses

When the war ends, Gale’s on his way home. In Thirteen, Madge is picking out a white dress to wear. Their lives converge again after one year, three months and sixteen days.

Oh boy.

Watch which elevator you step in. MoonNRoses has a knack for mixing pure fluff and steaminess, exactly what this pairing needs. Enthusiasts of the good ship Gale and Madge, or HG fans looking for well-written, mature romance, will find this a sure win.

Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6320439/1/One_Year_Thee_Months_and_Sixteen_Days

MoonNRoses: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1890400/MoonNRoses

Medea Smyke Guest Reviewer

Episode 35

Fanfic Picks on the Fly: One-shots when you’ve got no time

 

Always Trust Your Wingman

Fanfiction has the freedom to take minor characters and make them brilliant. Perhaps the most endearing development of this kind has been under the hand of holymfwickee in her use of Primrose Everdeen as Peeta’s beloved wingman. Always Trust Your Wingman is an outtake from H’s popular My First Date with Katniss Everdeen. Told from Prim’s point of view, we’re given new insight into Katniss’s struggle to deal with the complexity of her feelings for Peeta and her own fears. Always endearing, her wise-yet-young voice calls readers hearts to break for Peeta and for Katniss.

Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6981271/1/Always_Trust_Your_Wingman

My Last Date with Peeta Mellark

This was bound to happen eventually. Two townies with unlikely crushes on two Seam kids with the emotional ranges of teaspoons. Throw in two interfering parents and you’ve got a one-shot. Based on events in My First Date with Katniss Everdeen, poor Peeta’s really not up to entertaining the Mayor’s kid and Madge’s mind keeps wandering off. This peek into the tentative friendship between Madge and Peeta has some interesting insights and flashbacks that will warm the cockles of any Gadger’s heart, even if Peeta can’t seem to muster any enthusiasm. At least the drunk guy at the bar got a free meal out of it. Whoever he is.

Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6981271/2/Always_Trust_Your_Wingman

holymfwickee: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/897936/holymfwickee

Medea Smyke Guest Reviewer

Episode 34

Fanfic Picks on the Fly: One-shots when you’ve got no time

Kissing Lessons with Finnick by Miss Scarlett 05

Katniss got way more kissing than she bargained for after Peeta made a certain little life-altering announcement in The Hunger Games. In fact, she’s pretty tired of the whole thing and then there’s the matter of her chapped lips – and the shocking truth: Peeta suffers from onion breath.  One would think that they’d have their choreographed smooches down pat by now, with all the practice.

Not according to Finnick Odair, residence sexpert and heathen god. So, with Katniss and Peeta on their Victory Tour and trying to love it up for the cameras – and failing to inspire – Finnick steps in to offer his own brand of advice.

Hands on.

In a closet.

With rubber bands.

That’s right. But it’s what happens outside of the closet that keeps this piece from landing square in the fluff file. Miss Scarlett’s straightforward sense of humor combined with a subtle twist in characterization takes this from a humorous, AU one-shot to a sudden snapshot of subdued rebellion and revelation.

Links:

Kissing Lessons with Finnick

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6725702/1/bKissing_b_bLessons_b_With_bFinnick_b

Miss Scarlett 05

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2625014/Miss_Scarlett_05

Medea Smyke Guest Reviewer

Episode 33

An Extra Dividend by Medea Smyke exists in that beautiful Alternate Universe where Madge Undersee is alive, but we find her living a lonely life. Its post-Mockingjay and Panem is putting itself back together. But the singles scene in District 13 is pretty much non-existent. Not one to just accept loneliness Madge has taken a personal ad seeking correspondence “on social and political subject anonymously with an intelligent, cultivated, young man.”

Gale Hawthorne, meanwhile, has a job surveying which is located somewhere “over the river and through the woods.” He’s been hiding out since Johanna dumped him and ran off with (you’ll have to read to find out), but he’s bored and thinks some anonymous correspondence would be a respite from his crude crew mates. He must have missed the part about being “cultivated,” and begins an anonymous correspondence with “a savvy career girl.”

And so the fun begins.

The plot of AED is based on the movie (and play) “The Shop Around the Corner,” which in turn inspired “You’ve Got Mail.” But the characters are pure post-Hunger Games. The snarky dialogue and tricky situations are absolute genius.

Things start to tangle when Madge’s life is taking a turn for the better – she’s been all but promised a promotion by her boss, Haymitch. When Gale shows up to steal it away from , she misses no opportunity to let him know what she thinks of him. He’s hardly defenseless and soon their office is boiling with tension and the occasional accidental innuendo.

Falling in love through letters, but shooting daggers in real life, neither of our charming duo fully understands what is going on. Will they ever manage to sort it out and find solace in each other’s arms? Since this delightful story is written by Medea Smyke they’ll get there eventually, but not before they provide all of us with some brilliant entertainment.

EStrunk Guest Reviewer

Links:

An Extra Dividend

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6886442/1/An_Extra_Dividend

Medea Smyke

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/526445/

Episode 29

I was one of those people who was left wanting more from the final installment of Mockingjay. Why did Katniss’ mother disappear? What was going on in Gale’s head? Why send the readers into exile with Katniss by having us experience her mental breakdown during the trial? This is why we need fanfiction, and frankly, this is why I needed to read spanglemaker’s, The End is the Beginning.

spanglemaker opens the story in the haze of Katniss’ mind: unmotivated, unmoving, and unaware. She returns to District 12 but she’s numb from trauma and pain and loss. The pacing as the story opens is magnificent. You feel the days drag out and feel routine of surviving slowly creep back into Katniss’ existence in just the first few paragraphs alone. When Peeta also moves back to District 12, he heals in his own way through the one trade that is truly his own: baking. Both of them are too traumatized to really acknowledge each other.

Katniss observes, “Peeta is there and not there. He’s present, but only in the periphery of my life…”

They acknowledge each other without speaking, nodding and leaving. Time advances for them both as slow interruptions in a timeless void.

They slowly begin to see each other, catching each other’s eyes, dining together in silence with Greasy Sae and her granddaughter. Katniss hunts. Peeta bakes. Greasy Sae cooks. Everyone begins to function again. Peeta and Katniss begin working on a book, capturing their memories and the memories of everyone in who was lost from District 12. One night, working late on the book, Peeta stays over. They hold each other to sleep peacefully for the first time in months. This also becomes fragile routine, a routine that is easily broken when Gale comes to visit throwing Peeta into confusion as to where he fits in Katniss’ life.

As the two conquer the final hurdle between them, you realize spanglemaker’s pacing of time in this one-shot is ideally suited to their love for one another. It is uniquely my favorite missing moment in all of the Hunger Games fanfiction.

gkkstitch Guest Reviewer

The End is the Beginning

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6304318/1/The_End_is_the_Beginning

spanglemaker9

http://www.fanfiction.net/~spanglemaker9

Episode 28

Cinna, Katniss’ stylist, is one of my favorite characters in The Hunger Games series. I agree wholeheartedly when Katniss sums him up as: “Brilliant, enigmatic, lovely Cinna.” It’s that enigmatic quality that especially intrigues me. The books left me wanting to know more about him, and that’s exactly what Cinna by gkkstitch does – so seamlessly that I’ve adopted it as my ‘head canon’ for Cinna.

Through a series of short chapters each based on something either directly or indirectly related to Cinna in the books, this story follows Cinna’s progression from talented stylist into revolutionary and shows the effect of his journey on the people in his life. We see his initial curiosity about Katniss when she volunteers for Prim, how learning more about her and Peeta opens his eyes to how bad conditions are in the districts, and how he decides to make his own contributions to the rebellion.

The author portrays canon and original characters with equal grace, and convincingly fills in the gaps in the books that were a necessary side effect of Katniss’ limited point of view narration. The details about an underground rebel network in the Capitol and how the Hunger Games stylists and prep teams interact all feel very true. The writing style also feels very much like Cinna – the entire story is infused with the character’s trademark gentleness, thoughtfulness, empathy, and eye for using style to make a statement. It all adds up to a beautiful, touching ode to one of the most beloved characters in this series.

Solaryllis Guest Reviewer
Links:

Cinna
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6285264/1/Cinna

gkkstitch
http://www.fanfiction.net/u/327203/gkkstitch

Episode 27

President Snow knows that Katniss’ spark “may grow to an inferno that destroys Panem.” What did he see that she didn’t?

He must have known about the tinder box that was District 11 and is so well described in Least of These, by J. T. O’Connell. In this beautifully written story we meet Kippen Silverdale. He is still struggling with grief since the death of his only son, officially ruled an accident. Then his lovely niece, Rue Amaranth, is reaped.

This story follows Rue, Peeta and Katniss, through the 74^th Hunger Games. It alternates viewpoints between Kip’s in District 11 and Prim’s in District 12. Through their eyes we watch, not only the Games, but also the growing frustration and building tension in two very different districts as they struggle with the humiliation of being under the Capitol’s tyranny.

Kip is a structural engineer, educated in the Capitol, and now assigned to check the Main Peacekeeper Office Building’s stability. He is joined in District 11 by a great cast of original characters including his lovely wife Meyla, who is mourning in her own way; his sister Hannah, Rue’s mother and her beautiful family; the rebel Scipio, who may or may not be all talk, and Volente Covas, the Peacekeeper Captain who has an uncomfortable interest in Kip. Kip’s growing anger and the unrest in District 11 build throughout the story.

We also get to see into quiet Prim’s thoughts as she fears for her sister and wrestles with how to accept Katniss’s sacrifice. Add a trip to the woods with an anguished Gale, and a mysteriously disappearing Madge. District 12 has another layer we didn’t see in the books.

A great tale that shows the cracks forming in the edifice of Panem.

EStrunk Guest Reviewer

Links:

Least of These

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6824194/1/Least_of_These

J. T. O’Connell

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2781483/J_T_OConnell

Episode 26

For this week’s pick I’m bringing out an oldie, and by oldie I mean the summer of 2010. It was a different time then. Mockingjay had not yet been released and the theories were rampant. I think back fondly on this time period in the fandom. There’s really something to be said about the thrill of anticipation before a book release. And like I said, the theories were varied and exciting, but not necessarily happy. In fact, many were positively grim.

Take Bang, by She’s Classy, for example. This is a great, quick fic that imagines a frightening fate for Katniss and Peeta after the events of Catching Fire. Katniss and Peeta are still separated and the Capitol has begun sending recordings of the torture they are performing on Peeta.

This story is messed up. And that’s totally meant as a compliment. When I read it back in July this story gave me chills and it had the same affect when I read it a few minutes ago. It’s harsh and raw, and at the same time, a completely valid theory—a dead-on, correct theory even. In Mockingjay, Peeta was tortured by means of hijacking and in Bang we get a vivid portrayal of what some of that might have been like.

There have been many times that I’ve wanted to hop in my time machine and go back to the weeks before Mockingjay’s release. Call it reader’s remorse, but I miss the anticipation. I mean, I still remember when I feared this would happen:

“The President’s last act in living wasn’t to cut Peeta’s throat.

He carved out his tongue instead.

It makes sense, though, thinking back on it. It was a fate worse than death for someone who changed a nation with words.”

If you’re in need a good cringe, give it a read.

Links:

Bang

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6022671/1/Bang

She’s Classy

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1106099/Shes_Classy

Episode 25

I’ve decided to do things a little differently this week and start off the review with a teaser quote:

“Standing in front of the floor length mirror, he examined himself with a grimace. “Only a temporary setback,” he said encouragingly to his reflection. Besides, even glaring red and slimy, he was still more attractive than anyone she’d ever met.”

Now pause and try to take a guess as to who might have said this. If you guessed Finnick, then you’re right. It’s the golden boy from District 4 who finds himself with sunburn and covered in aloe right before he meets the sweet-faced, Annie Cresta.

The story of Finnick and Annie’s relationship is open to a lot of interpretation and imagination. There’s so little that we know, and nonetheless, there’s an undeniable pull between the characters. Yet because there’s so little Canon to go on, when an author attempts to tell a Fannie story the one thing they have to get right is chemistry. It doesn’t matter if Finnick is vain and Annie is crazy. When they get together, the prose has to sizzle.

There are no worries about this when reading A Step in the Right Direction by Geeky-DMHG-Fan. She knows how to make Finnick conceited yet charming and Annie insecure yet intriguing. This story begins six months after Annie’s Games, and while the pair has met, Annie is still intimidated by the boy wonder that she sent fanmail to as a young girl. And for Finnick, well, once he gets a good look at those green eyes of hers, it’s hard to look anywhere else.

This story is only two chapters in, but in these two chapters alone you’ll find fun and snark and excellent scene building. I’ll leave you with one more quote you won’t be able to resist.

“Haul her into his arms and make her think about something else besides the sadness that seemed to be eating her alive. Better yet, get her to stop thinking altogether, unless they were thoughts about him.

And then…well, Mags would most likely kill him. But what a way to go.”

Links:

A Step in the Right Direction

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6662304/1/A_Step_in_the_Right_Direction

Geeky-DMHG-Fan

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1425807/Geeky_DMHG_Fan

Episode 24

One of the best things about the Hunger Games trilogy is the sense that layered underneath and running tandem with Katniss’s story are the untold adventures of many interesting and beloved characters. This quality, of course, is invaluable to budding fanfiction authors. One such author, relatively new to the Hunger Games fanfiction community, is Solaryllis and her literary gem, Rebel like You.

The story explores the efforts of Madge and Gale to undermine the Capitol and stage a rebellion in District 12 during the victory tour and all the events that lead up to the Quarter Quell. The duo encounter their fair share of problems throughout the course of the story though, not the least of which being their own prejudices and socio-economic differences, plus a certain tryst in the Justice Building store room.

Things start to get more intense when the Capitols creepy surveillance of Madge’s house is exposed, as are their methods of keeping the Mayor and the other inhabitants of District 12 in line. Rebel like you flawlessly blends firmly established Canon facts, such as Mrs. Undersee’s debilitating headaches and the infamous whipping scene with sinister and totally believable original concepts to the point where on more than one occasion I have been sent scurrying for my copy of Catching Fire to double check a tidbit of information.

The Hunger Games as told from Katniss’s point of view progresses at such a break neck speed that it is a welcome change to read a story that takes its time to build on the friendship of the two main characters and allows the reader ample time to savour the subtle hints of a possible romance.

Since the release of Mockingjay, I’ll admit that the Madge/Gale pairing is somewhat of an acquired flavour and not quite to everyone’s taste. That being said, I’d definitely recommend Rebel like You to anyone who enjoys a well written, fully rounded plot with intricate witty characters and a new twist in every chapter, Madge/Gale shipper or not.

IsForWinners Guest Reviewer

Links:

Rebel Like You

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6467326/1/Rebel_Like_You

Solaryllis

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2549615/Solaryllis

Episode 23

One of the most controversial post-Mockingjay conversations centers on the stoic, hard-edged, yet passionate, Gale Hawthorne. Personally, going into my first read of Mockingjay I had a very different impression of Gale’s character compared to what I ended up seeing in the book. In fact, I consider the Gale in Mockingjay to be shockingly out of character compared to the first two books.

Say what you will about the circumstances (it was a time of war, he was under extreme stress, he had just lost his home, he really, really hates the Capitol) the fact remains that his actions in Mockingjay were severe and would take an emotional toll on any person of depth. However, Gale never received any kind of redemption in Mockingjay. He never seems to express any guilt for his actions. There’s no mention of him in the epilogue. We could assume Katniss and Gale never spoke again. Nor do we know how he dealt with it all.

Enter fanfiction, specifically electrumqueen, who gives post-Mockingjay Gale a voice in her fic, the heart i gave to you (i cannot find). In this poignant, somewhat lyrical fic, Gale reflects on his actions in the war, which have served to affect the rest of his life.

I was struck by the honesty of the prose. The author really knows how to get in Gale’s head.

“To win the war they needed Gale; to win the war Gale lost himself, lost the girl, lost the world, lost his world. But not the war. The war he won.”

The story isn’t a happy ending, but it is cathartic. Whether you were frustrated by the lack of resolution in Gale’s story or the character he became in Mockingjay.

Links:

the heart i gave to you (i cannot find)

http://archiveofourown.org/works/111230

electrumqueen

http://archiveofourown.org/users/electrumqueen/pseuds/electrumqueen

Episode 21

this week’s review is from LunaBlake

Even though The Hunger Games needed to be Katniss’ story, have you ever wondered about the lives of the other characters? Particularly the Victors? The younger revolutions by falseeeyelashes proves that everyone has a story to tell.

Set in a Post-Mockingjay future, this one-shot is a radio message to Panem that narrates the story of Johanna Mason and Finnick Odair. Here, we see the outcome of them becoming Victors and meeting each other. Both are young and going through similar instances, so a bond occurs. Finnick charms Johanna, while her derisive attitude entraps him. Soon they become something more. Something that even they can’t understand, and the circumstances that follow – Annie, the Quarter Quell, the war – only fuddles their ‘relationship’ further.

One of my favorite things about this fanfic is the pairing: Finnick and Johanna. Together. Which I find very exciting, since there aren’t many fics that feature non-canon pairings in this fandom. Besides, I cannot be the only one who noticed the Finnick/Johanna inkling in Catching Fire! But canon devotees and Fannie shippers needn’t to worry. The dilemma that creates Finnick’s intricate relationship with Johanna and Annie is dealt with much care and sensibility. In fact, at times one would wonder if this is what actually happened.

Given that it follows the Canon very closely and that the characterizations are absolutely accurate, it almost seems as if it’s a Hunger Games novella rather than a fanfic. And its format is something to praise, so utterly peculiar because the story is being told to us. The wording is also commendable: straightforward, poignant yet beautiful.

Ultimately, this story is heartbreaking, intense, and amazing. It is one that I’ll never regret reading. And it is one that’ll never forget.

**Please note that due to dark and sexual themes and explicit language, this fic is rated R.

LunaBlake Guest reviewer

Links:

younger revolutions

http://falseeeyelashes.livejournal.com/297801.html

Episode 20

Make yourself a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows. Take a seat by a warm fire. Cuddle up with your laptop because I’ve got a recommendation that will warm you up while the cold wind blows outside.

I adore this time of year. I love snow, ornaments, mittens, mistletoe, jingle bells, and everything else Christmas time entails. There’s isn’t any mention in The Hunger Games if any of our modern holidays live on into its dystopian reality, but it is my definite hope that they do, especially Christmas. And it’s my favorite Hunger Games fanfic author, Medea Smyke, who explores a few of Panem’s Christmas traditions in her holiday story, Christmas Cheers.

The story is a two-shot; the first chapter focuses on Gale and Madge during their first Christmas with a new baby. Just like any pair of new parents, things don’t exactly go to plan, even when merely trying to get somewhere on time. The second chapter is a glimpse of Rory and Prim’s first Christmas as a married couple. The writing is exceptional. The author has a very special talent at creating a scene along with giving the characters each their own distinctive voice.

The story is definitely fluffy in nature, but I wouldn’t want a holiday story to be anything but. And although it is sweet, it’s not like a cliché Hallmark movie. It’s more like sharing in a happy moment of their lives that most anyone could relate to their own.

I have to admit to a major bias on my part in recommending this story. You see, the second chapter is a result of a prompt I sent to the author, but trust me when I say this fanfic will make you smile.

Merry Christmas!

Links:

Christmas Cheers

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5604501/1/Christmas_Cheers

Medea Smyke

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/526445/Medea_Smyke

Episode 18

If I haven’t mentioned this yet, I’ll say it now: I love Hunger Games AU. Alternate Universe. A type of fan fiction in which Canon facts or settings or characterizations are deliberately changed. This could be considered an odd opinion. Why am I interested in changing the universe Collins created? Well, part of it comes from not appreciating the direction Mockingjay went, the other part is, it’s fun!

Truth be told, AU is common in fandoms with a decent amount of stories, but Hunger Games fanfiction is still on the cusp of going in this direction. That’s why I was so excited to read, Wrong, In all the Right Ways, by IsForWinners. This story is deliberately and unapologetically AU. It’s crass, it’s fantastically snarky, it gets out of character, it takes on dark themes, and that’s what makes it great!

The time frame bounces from the end of Catching Fire to three years after the bombs drop on District 12. Some immediate deviations from the Canon: Madge is alive and tough as nails, Peeta and Katniss are engaged, and the war is still going on. It gets into rough territory dealing with addiction and alcoholism, which can be found in the Canon; however, this story deals with it in a graphic way.

The dark themes aren’t the only thing this story has going for it, because honestly, if that were all the story was about it would be unreadable. Tender moments enter the story through relationships. Gale’s loving interaction with his sister Posy is something I will never tire of reading.

Usually, I wouldn’t recommend a story with only two chapters posted. But I’ve also recommended stories with plenty of chapters only to have the author never finish the story; so recommending is a bit of a gamble no matter what. This story excites me and that makes it worth reading. The characters are sitting on powder kegs of angst and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Links:

Wrong, In all the Right Ways

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6481359/1/Wrong_In_all_the_Right_Ways

IsForWinners

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1705307/IsForWinners

Episode 17

Sweetheart. Usually, a gentle term of endearment, but when slurred from the mouth of a drunk and bitter Hunger Games victor, it loses some of its charm. Haymitch Abernathy is easily recognizable by his catchphrase, even without the clinking bottles of white liquor at his side. But he wasn’t always a victor; he was once just a boy from the Seam. And the story sweetheart, by koalakoala9836 explores how the boy became the cynical man.

We see Haymitch’s story through a series of drabbles beginning at the reaping of the 50^th Hunger Games. I was taken in from the very first chapter. In perfect Haymitch fashion, he connivingly takes advantage of the distraction the reaping has on the shopkeepers in town and steals a handful of candy, snacking on it while the crowds form in the square. I found that moment to be so in character for someone from the Seam and for someone as smart as Haymitch. Then the author impressed me further by creating touching moments, like how he held his girl’s hand as the names were being announced.

Maysilee Donner makes an appearance, naturally. Although her interactions with Haymitch do not last long, the reader is left wondering how much of an impact their brief alliance left on Haymitch.

Drabbles are stories where the chapters are written in relatively few words. The benefits to drabbles are that they can be read very quickly, and when they are done well, the lines are full of punch. Some were emotionally jarring:

“She manages a painful crescent of smile, coughing blood, her lips stained scarlet. It’s ridiculous how dying can be so colorful, he thinks.”

While others caught me off guard and made me laugh:

“Don’t let the squirrels bite, sweetheart.”

All in all, this story has an excellent balance of Haymitch’s sense of humor and the emotional trauma of the Games.

Links:

sweetheart

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6284592/1/sweetheart

koalakoala9836

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1969926/koalakoala9836

Episode 16

The characters in The Hunger Games express love in a myriad of ways. Most of the time, the expressions are rather extreme. Volunteering to be in a battle to the death or sacrificing your own life in the name of love is remarkable and what makes the story so epic, but it’s not something the average person goes through, not even the average person in Panem. There are, however, smaller moments, such as, a gift of a pet goat or an offering of wildflowers that balance the epic gestures. It’s these small moments which anchor the romance in reality and prove that the grand actions by the characters come from feelings of a genuine nature.

It is in this theme of small gestures that the story Today, Tomorrow, Next Year by LolaShoes really stands out. The story is a post-Mockingjay one-shot in which we experience a precious afternoon with Katniss and Peeta. They’ve moved through the nightmares, although they are not completely gone, and while wandering this sometimes unsteady peace Katniss realizes the person that grounds her is Peeta. And she surprises them both in how she decides to express her love and appreciation for it.

I will mention the story is rated M for sexuality, but the scene is treated with sensitivity that I consider true to character.

I first knew LolaShoes from Twilight fanfic, so I know she is an author that is quite familiar with themes of epic love. However, she astutely recognizes that Peeta and Katniss were never characters who desired that kind of love. They are characters who are most happy when they are sitting in bed filling up Mr. Everdeen’s book of plants or watching a sunset at dusk. It’s those moments that I treasure in the Hunger Games novels and this story gives me more moments like those to appreciate.

-Jessica

Links:

Today, Tomorrow, Next Year

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6282680/1/Today_Tomorrow_Next_Year

LolaShoes

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1803036/LolaShoes

Episode 15

If you’re like me, after finishing Mockingjay, you were in need a little…therapy. Not serious therapy. You understand the difference between fiction and reality. But you cared so much about the characters; you were in need of something to lift your spirits. Luckily, fanfiction can be an excellent vehicle for literary therapy.

Just like fade-to-black honeymoon scenes brought Twilighters into fanfiction, I predict a large percentage of new Hunger Games fanfiction readers have been brought in because of the brief epilogue Suzanne Collins’ gave us in Mockingjay. Now, I believe the epilogue fits Collins’ concise style and it did bring me some comfort after MJ’s many tragedies. However, covering 20+ years in two pages might not be enough for everyone (myself included).

A story I found to grant me some literary healing is Letters From The Sky, by hgfan1111. This story is an expansion of the epilogue. It’s not an entirely easy story; in fact, the first chapter opens on a grim picture of Katniss passed out on the floor of her home, barely alive.

Each chapter is set months apart giving the reader glimpses of the healing process Katniss and Peeta go through. There are moments where their relationship moves forward. In my favorite chapter, Katniss bluntly asks Peeta, “Are you choosing me? Or are you here because you have no choice?” At darker times, when the memories are too painful, they regress and turn to one another until it passes.

As the characters find peace, so can the reader. In any case, the story is much more effective than a session with Dr. Aurelius.

Links:

Letters From The Sky

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6324858/1/

hgfan1111

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1482917/hgfan1111

Episode 14

The Hunger Games is not a series known for lightheartedness. It is not completely lacking comedic moments or dark humor, but hilarious would not be a word used to describe the novels. Consequently, fluff and comedy are not popular themes for Hunger Games fanfiction. This is understandable because it can be difficult to take characters we are accustomed to seeing in serious settings, and place them into a purely, let’s just say it, happy situation.

However, it’s not impossible, nor do I think it takes anything away from the characters or their personalities if done well.

With this in mind, this week I chose to give some attention to a particularly sweet and hilarious fic titled, Peeta Mellark Ruined My Life, by Geeky-DMHG-Fan.

Unfortunately, it’s our boy Gale whose life is ruined by the dough boy. It’s not because Peeta stole his girl—both men are happily married—it’s because time and time again Peeta proves to be the superior husband of the two, generously doting on his wife with PDA, paintings, and love poems. It’s enough to make a guy sick. Gale spends the rest of the story attempting to make up for his lack of romance.

Trust me when I say the story is genuinely funny. Now here’s the big question: why does this work? Why is this fic an exploration of the characters and not just a parody? The reason: the author gives Gale a voice that feels in character, despite the story’s difference in tone from the Canon. Gale is gruff, jealous, a little mean to his younger brother, but more than anything, he’s earnest. Gale’s always been passionate; in this instance, he’s passionately trying to make his wife feel special.

To be honest, it’s fun to read the characters this way. Who knew? I have read this story multiple times and still love it!

jessica

Links:

Peeta Mellark Ruined My Life

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5889808/1/Peeta_Mellark_Ruined_My_Life

Geeky-DMHG-Fan

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1425807/Geeky_DMHG_Fan

Episode 13

There is one character in the Hunger Games fandom that I don’t think I have ever heard a negative thing about: Finnick. There is so much about Finnick to love. Six pack abs, tridents, revealing net costumes, and the kind of snarky charm that sends a girl’s heart in motion. Mockingjay only gave us more to love when it comes to our golden boy from District 4. In the third novel, we discovered the true depth of Finnick’s character, his bravery, his love for Annie, and the disturbing secrets behind his reputation in the Capitol.

A character like Finnick deserves a certain level of substance comparable to Mockingjay when it comes to fanfic, that’s why I chose to recommend Hazy, by Astoria Potter. This story, written prior to the publication of Mockingjay, is an interesting alternate take on the story of Finnick Odair and Annie Cresta.

Although it’s a short story, it’s filled with interesting details that could easily exist in the Hunger Games world. For example, Finnick is not chosen for the Games, instead he volunteers as a result of familial pressure growing up in a District where winning is considered a great honor. However, he does not foresee the emotional impact winning will have on himself and his family. His mother is engrossed by the wealth, his father throws himself into his work, and Finnick turns to the decadence of the Capitol to soothe his pain.

Annie is naturally beautiful as well. Tough yet sensitive, brave yet reckless, in love yet not taken in by Finnick’s good looks.

My favorite part of this story is the style. It’s different from most Hunger Games fics. It’s not written in first person narrative, but more like a third person retelling of a tragic fairytale. And what is Finnick Odair, if not a fairytale prince?

Links:

Hazy

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5910172/1/

Astoria Potter

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1512695/Astoria_Potter

Episode 12

The Hunger Games fanfiction community is in an interesting period of transition. We now have a new book filled with material from which to draw inspiration. There are new stories being written and new people joining the community, both of which show growth for the fandom, and that’s fantastic. However, I am not prepared at this time to start recommending post-Mockingjay fics, as I’m not quite ready to start reading post-Mockingjay fics. (It hasn’t even been a week). Personally, I need more time to absorb the Canon before seeking out deviations from it. So, for this week’s Fanfic Pick I’m going to recommend a story taking place during the first novel.

Let’s go back to the days when the Hunger Games was the characters’ greatest fear. And Philia by shouvley, will be the one to take us there. This story portrays the reaping of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. This time, narrated by one of Peeta’s older brothers.

Now, Peeta’s brothers have been a point of fascination for me. We know next to nothing about them, only that one is within the reaping age and the other is not, and yet the author creates striking details that give this story punch without being overly dramatic. For example, the Mellark brothers spend the morning sharing cigarettes and quietly reflecting that it’s the last year in the reaping for one of them. Nothing emotional. Nothing melodramatic. Because the Mellark brothers are not close.

But when that moment comes when Peeta Mellark’s name is called, just after Katniss showed such bravery in volunteering for her sister, the narrator explains why he can’t volunteer for Peeta, and the unexpected reaction he has by doing so.

This story was the winner in District 13’s Missing Moments Challenge, and it is well-deserved. It’s well-written, interesting, and provides details that fit effortlessly with the Canon. Within Katniss’ mind, Peeta’s brothers are not important enough to give much interest, but who knows what they might have meant to Peeta?

Jessica

Philia

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6262055/1/

shouvley

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1098923/shouvley

Episode 11

As we enter the last few days before the release of Mockingjay, we are also about to see the end of the post-Catching Fire fic (i.e. stories written after Catching Fire and before Mockingjay is published). This genre of stories is quite diverse in their theories about our favorite characters, but with the release of the final book, the Canon will be set in stone and all those theories will become alternate takes. I wanted to celebrate those theories while they were still theories, so this summer I hosted a fanfic contest called Countdown to Mockingjay, which featured only post-Catching Fire stories. The winner of both the First Place Work-in-Progress Award and the Judge’s Choice Award was A Lot Has Happened by Flyza.

What set this story apart, ironically, are the dark themes. This story deals with post-traumatic stress, drinking, violence, and guilt; all things that can be found in the Hunger Games series, but are not often explored in fan fiction.

The story begins with Gale returning to District 13 after spending over a year at the front lines. Gale is depressed, angry, and tortured by the violence he has witnessed. To make matters worse, he’s broken-hearted after losing the love of his life to another man. The author goes down a dark path, having Gale deal with his depression in unhealthy ways. Seeing a character we know to be responsible and proud, suffer and make poor decisions is hard to read. It’s gritty and harsh, but it’s also human, and gives the story a pulse of reality.

Thankfully, there is light amongst the tragedy. The author illustrates some warm family moments with the Hawthornes; however, Gale’s sad world is illuminated best when he finds a girl he used to know in District 12, Madge Undersee. Madge has had her fair share of tragedies as well, and the pair soon realizes they have more in common then they initially thought.

This may not be what we find when we open our covers of Mockingjay, but A Lot Has Happened is a beautifully tragic story that embraces pain and loss and maybe even redemption.

Jessica

Links:

A Lot Has Happened

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5890581/1/A_Lot_Has_Happened

Flyza

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2296776/Flyza

Countdown to Mockingjay

https://sites.google.com/site/countdowntomockingjay/

Episode 10

“If I were stuck on a deserted island with an internet connection and only one Hunger Games fanfic to read, I would choose And So We Run Redux: Parts I & II by Medea Smyke. Okay, that’s two stories, but you can’t have one without the other.

It begins at the tail end of Catching Fire. While the bombs are dropping on District 12, Gale Hawthorne is trying to escape into the woods with his family as well as the Everdeens, when his mother asks him to help Madge Undersee? Madge is the last thing Gale needs, a privileged townie to slow them down. However, Madge proves to be a survivor, thus changing how she is viewed both by Gale and by the reader.

Told from both Gale and Madge’s point of view, the characters struggle through an onslaught of emotional baggage, both old and new. Gale must find a way to cope after the supposed death of his best friend, while Madge grieves over parent’s passing and adjusting to a new lifestyle. At the same time, Madge and Gale stumble, sometimes abruptly and awkwardly, through their growing attraction to one another.

This isn’t just a story for Gale/Madge shippers. What makes this story special is how expertly the author weaves small Canon details with her own imagination and original concepts. We learn how the Everdeens and the Hawthornes escaped the bombs, how Gale hurt his arm, and most importantly, how they ended up on the hovercraft with the rebel forces. The author is also able to find humor and romance within the dire situation, creating a truly remarkable story that is a fantastic companion to the original series.

I can think of no better compliment than to say this story owns me, and I anxiously await each and every update.”

-Jessica

Links:

And So We Run Redux: Part I

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5514901/1/And_So_We_Run_Redux_Part_I

And So We Run Redux: Part II

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5975686/1/And_So_We_Run_Redux_Part_II

Medea Smyke

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/526445/Medea_Smyke