Friday Fics Fix - My Stand-Out Fics Of 2022

Hello 2023 nerdlets! 

For this first Friday Fics Fix of the year, I figured I'd take a little look at some of the fics that stood out for me last year (2022 - in case we've all forgotten already 😅)

These aren't necessarily the 'best' fics - just the ones that stuck out most in my brain, for whatever reason.

I hope you find something you enjoy here! Or that destroys you emotionally (in a good way) - as fanfiction often does. 😅

And remember to check the original rec'ing post for the Content Warnings, and also the fic author's own tags.

'“Just give me a—hint, Loki. Jesus,” Tony says, panting when Enchantress’ fire trails a scorching path all around the exterior of the suit. At least that’s solved the weather problem, he thinks, as he unibeams her in the face.'

 

that one last tender place by oopshidaisy

So the whole *waves hands vaguely* deal with this fic is that Tony and Loki (from the MCU, in case you've stumbled onto this post by accident) have been linked mentally and emotionally in a sort-of-soul-bond type-deal-y.

Because magical shenanigans.

This is FrostIron. Because I am trash, and I don't care.

I just love Tony and Loki together *shrugs* - it weirdly works.

Via Giphy

(Fandom notes: 

FrostIron is a romantic and/or sexual relationship between Iron Man, aka Tony Stark, and Loki, from the MCU (Marvel movies.))

Is there angst?

Well, this is me rec'ing it, so yes.

There's a butt-tonne of angst and hurt/comfort, and emotions every-goddamn-where.

What stood out to me about this one is just the whole interweave and dynamic between Tony and Loki, but also the actual plot being pretty damned good!

Original rec'ing post: Friday Fics Fix - Magical Shenanigans With Tony and Loki

'But the lies were out there, circulating, and were made into a movie, which is a really mixed blessing. Let’s pretend this narration is over the title crawl, and cut to our heroine...'

Anita's Voice by tangentti

Jennifer's Body is a 2009 cult-classic unapologetically Queer horror film.

This fic imagines an AU where the film Jennifer's Body is actually an adaptation of a true crime story

And Needy Lesnicki - the main character - still in the wind and on the run several years later, has seen the movie. She has some thoughts.

(Oh, and it should be obvious from the premise, but in case it's not: this fic is full of SPOILERS.)

Via Giphy

(Fandom notes:

AU = Alternate Universe)

As a true crime fan that tries to stay on the less-exploitative side of the media I consume, I kinda love the way it's played with in this fic.

It has some stuff to say about the lengths that true crime devotees and culture takes the celebrity and even mysticism bestowed on infamous killers.

...And you know I love me some fanfiction-based social commentary 😅

This one sticks in my head for the ingenuity and creativity involved - as well as a huge understanding of Needy herself.

Original rec'ing post: Friday Fics Fix - Needy Lesnicki: In The Wind and On The Run

'“Who is he?” Clint asks.

Sam shrugs his shoulders. “I don't know. He broke in, only thing he's really said is Steve's name.”'

Split Lip by Mjazilem

Via Giphy

AUs can be an incredible way for fic authors to play around with the characters and situations involved in the canon.

...and the best AUs are often the least fantastical.

(Fandom notes:

AUs = Alternate Universes.

Canon = the 'official' stuff in the book/film/whatever) 

Basically, Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers (from the MCU/Marvel  fandom, dearest potentially-lost nerdlets,) used to be foster brothers, until they lost touch and Steve heard that Bucky passed away.

Bucky had not passed away.

And now, at the worst possible time cos Steve's out of town, there's a bleeding teenager with a knife in Sam and Steve's kitchen.

The way the fic author commits to this AU, and manages to integrate the characters into it without it feeling forced, really made it memorable (plus... I couldn't stop reading it, OK? It was very page-turn-y!)

Original rec'ing post: Friday Fics Fix - Dealing With The Stabby Teenager In Your Kitchen

'“Alex,” he said quickly, his voice strained. “I need you to overrule security protocol and allow me access to a cell in the basement-level holding facility. Please listen carefully, I require several apparatuses to ensure my escape is at its lowest likelihood-”'

 

Present, Past and Future Hunt Me by Namesake

I had to include this one in the list! 

Just the whole... *waves hands* -ness of it!

Via Giphy

It's like a whole-a** season arc of Supergirl.

It's incredible, and at just under 500 pages and, according to the author's notes, taking two years to complete - it shows some goddamn dedication!

And it has everything.

Action? Check.

Angst? Check.

Plot twists? Character interactions? The power of freaking love?! Check, check, check!

And not only do we have OTP Brainy and Nia taking front and centre in the fight against one of Brainy's evil ancestors, we also get Kara and J'onn being super superheroes, and Alex and Kelly doing their whole kick-a** Lesbian action hero schtick!

Oh and Lena! Lena's here too.

Honestly, if you're a Supergirl fan, you're gonna love it!

Original rec'ing post: Friday Fics Fix - Like A Whole Season Arc of Supergirl

'“Who would be controlling it?” Joaquin asked. “And why our camp?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. Why those six kids in the movie? It’s just entertainment, right? Entertainment doesn’t need a big message with metaphors and motifs.”'

These Things That Would Eat Us by Elisabeth Monroe

SamBucky are (teenage, camp counsellor,) Couple Goals™.

Sometimes you just want fics to be fun - maybe a little silly - and a lot entertaining.

(Fandom notes:

SamBucky, also known as Winter Falcon, is a sexual and/or romantic relationship between Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes)

OK, so, hear me out: horror movie summer camp with teenage MCU characters.

Via Giphy

...Do I have to say more? Oh, I do, OK - how about this: there's Sam, Bucky, and Steve, as well as Joaquin Torres, Kate Bishop, and Yelena Belova AND America Chavez, Peter Parker, and Kamala Khan!

Just, this whole fic really sticks in my brain for it's perfect horror camp schtick, y'know? I love it.

Original rec'ing post: Friday Fics Fix - Horror Movie MCU

What fics stood out to you in 2022?

Have you read any of these?

Talk to me! 😎💬

You can follow me on Twitter @CeeDoraReads, on Pinterest, and on Dora Reads @ BlogLovin. For more ways to support me, check out the Support Me page

Previous Friday Fics Fix posts:

• Friday Fics Fix - There's A Surprising Lack of Angsty Ash Tyler Fics

• Friday Fics Fix - We've Established I'm Trash By This Point

Sharing and commenting makes me believe you wanna keep reading these posts! 😅

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Comics Wrap-Up - The Surprising Amount of Feels Involved

It's Thursday, it's the first Comics Wrap-Up of 2023, this is Dora Reads, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Month in Review(s) - December 2022

 

December - you gotta love December (well, I do anyway,) if only for the Christmas-ness.

True, December was, like much of 2022, full of ups, downs, and in-betweens.

But Christmas was nice - maybe not The Best Christmas Ever™, but then, is it ever?

I had a nice cwtchy* Christmas at home with my parents, my cats, and my brother. Who bakes awesome mince pies and gives them to me. (The brother, not the cats.)

*Just realised when editing that this is Wenglish and most of you won't know what being cwtchy means 😅 - uh... it doesn't really have a direct translation. It's kind of like combining huggy, and homely, and cozy... only better!

The Bookish Diversity Link List 2023

  

Your resource for all things bookish diversity is back! 

Welcome to the 7th(!) Bookish Diversity Link List, 2023.

As I said last year, I still think there's need for a resource which points to cool and good quality diverse bookish things - even if I sometimes struggle to add as much to it as I'd like.

My corner of the bookish interwebs may be flourishing diversely, but the bookish interwebs as a whole has a lot of churn in terms of participants (i.e. people leaving, people coming in,) - and some of the issues around diversity and representation remain as pressing as ever.

So, here I am, once again, doing my small bit to keep things moving forward. I hope you find it useful.

Micropoetry - October + November 2022

More Micropoetry!

And yes, this covers both October and November, because I decided to combine them for... efficiency. Yeah, let's call it efficiency. 😅

As always, the poetry will be in the alt-text of the images for those using screen readers, with / marks for the line breaks.

Month In Review(s) - November 2022

 

November wasn't great.

I mean... it wasn't the worst month ever.

And any month you can walk away from is a good one.

But yeah, November wasn't great.

Sometimes I think the world really did end in 2012, it just took a while for us to notice.

The 2020s just feel pretty apocalyptic so far, don't they?

Nerd Church - Why Do You Hate Me?

Warning: this post discusses hatred, hate crimes, persecution, and bigotry

In remembrance of the Colorado Springs victims*: 

Raymond Green Vance (He/Him) 

Kelly Loving (She/Her) 

Daniel Aston (He/Him) 

Derrick Rump (He/Him) 

Ashley Paugh (She/Her) 

- and in honour of those facing all forms of discrimination and human rights violations in Qatar*, and also around the world.

*links contain disturbing and/or upsetting content

Friday Fics Fix - There's A Surprising Lack Of Angsty Ash Tyler Fics

 

'...he couldn’t quite grasp yet what that feeling had been. 

He only knows that he had seen it mirrored in Ash Tyler’s dark eyes.'

 

In my opinion as a fanfiction professional -

(Lol - kind of, I've written literally hundreds of these posts dontcha know! So I reckon if anything qualifies me as a 'fanfiction professional' then that does 😅) 

- there aren't enough angst fics about Ash Tyler.

I mean c'mon fic writers! He's right there and brimming with angst!

Comics Wrap-Up - I Laughed A Lot, OK?

It's Thursday, the FIFA World Cup should not have been awarded to Qatar, let's get some superhero-y comics-y goodness!

Nerd Church - Always Assume That You're NOT Lazy

Disclaimer time: I am not any kind of mental health, medical, or life-coach-style professional. I'm a random Welsh chick with a blog - nothing more, nothing less

Lazy people exist, I'm sure. 

Lord knows, we've all met a few in the course of our lives - and they'll keep on being lazy regardless of what I do or do not say.

But most people aren't lazy

- we just tell ourselves we are.

Friday Fics Fix - We've Established I'm Trash By This Point

 

'“You think you can? You’re talking about a goddamn plane, you’re going to have to do better than ‘think’ you can, Bucky!”

“I’m pretty sure I can figure out a landing. Or at least a controlled crash. It’ll be okay.”'

 

We've established I'm trash by this point, so that'll save me a lot of explaining and justifying myself 😅.

So, with that in mind - this is an MCU (Marvel movies and TV shows,) The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) fic. 

Yes, again.

Not explaining, not justifying. 😈😅

Comics Wrap-Up - You'll Know His Voice

It's Thursday, the world is weird, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Nerd Church - Competing With A Dancing Monkey For Your Attention

Sometimes it feels like I'm jumping up and down, trying to get attention for my writing, my blogging, my whatever-ing...

...only to get lost amongst all of the other people jumping up and down and vying for your attention in an increasingly noisy world.

Friday Fics Fix - Five of My Fave Novel-Length Superhero Fics

I love novel-length fanfiction!

I know, I know, it's not exactly a secret at this point.

...I didn't always; love novel-length fanfiction, that is.

I used to prefer the shorter the better.

But somewhere along the way my reading habits changed, and now I can't get enough of the novel and novella length stuff.

Comics Wrap-Up - Sticking Steadfast To The Rep

It's Thursday, I am very tired (and that's OK, dammit,) let's get some superhero-y comics-y goodness!

Month In Review(s) - October 2022

Warning: this post discusses spiders - no pictures of spiders though, because I wouldn't do that to myself. 

I also briefly discuss illegal drugs because I like variety, apparently.

October was... pretty good, all in all.

I mean... the UK economy collapsed, followed by the UK government, and everything feels a bit like a slow-motion breakdown of society, so... that wasn't good.

Still, apart from all that, October was pretty good.

Nerd Church - Climate Change Is A Today Problem

 

Somehow some people still seem to think climate change is a tomorrow problem.

It's not.

It's a today problem.

Friday Fics Fix - Bucky And The Shady Government People

'Maybe it’s the last many months catching up with him, or the fractured ribs, or the way Sam watches him like a damn hawk. Maybe it’s a peace offering. Maybe he’s trying to get Sam to let his guard down. Hard to tell, with a hundred year old assassin.'

Some fic authors I'll come back to again and again, cos they got the stuff I want.

This week's fic comes from one of those authors.

This is based on - what else? - The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS).

It involves mission fic-ness, novel-length (150ish pages,) superhero shenanigans, and enough angst to keep my goblin emo spaghetti brain from protesting too much.

Comics Wrap-Up - Think Like A Lawyer!

It's Thursday, it's November (somehow,) let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Eight Year Blogging Anniversary!

When I started this blog, the UK was still in the European Union, David Cameron was Prime Minister, and Obama was the US president.

...It's kind of terrifying to realise that that was only eight years ago, but here we are.

And I feel so very old and tired 😅

Micropoetry - August + September 2022

Yes, I know it's the end of October.

It took me a while to sort the graphics out - just the way it goes sometimes, I don't know what to tell you.

(By the way, you will be getting a Micropoetry post for my October Micropoetry soon (...ish))

Shall we get some Micropoetry, though, yeah?

Come on then! (Lol.)

As always, for those using screen-readers, the poetry is in the alt-text, with / marks showing line breaks.

Friday Fics Fix - There's A Metaphysical Barn and Everything

'"So that's six ghosts, then. Six angry, murderous ghosts."

"Yeah," Duke said. The foundations of his anger had washed away, and now he just looked tired.'

 

There are some TV series which are truly amazing... until the ending.

Sometimes the ending just isn't up to scratch, y'know?

Sometimes the end is totally unsatisfactory and/or doesn't make goddamn sense.

And that's where fanfiction comes in.

Because Fix-It fics take that cr**py ending and/or plot development, and say 'no - that's not what happened.' And they write their own, instead.

(Yes, I'm talking Fix-It fics on Friday Fics Fix - keep up and don't let your tongue get too tied 😅)

Comics Wrap-Up - It's In The Rules Or Something

It's Thursday, it's the end of October, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Nerd Church - Caffeinated Current Events: *Laugh-Cries In British*

It's been something of a week here in the UK - so join me as I attempt a coffee-fuelled explanation of the current situation.

Caffeinated Current Events is a blogpost sub-series where I get jumped up on coffee and explain the slightly/majorly ridiculous state of the world to my darling dearest nerdlets.

Think drunk history without the alcohol, or the benefits of not having to live through this sh**.

This post is one where I'm GOING to get political - you've been warned. Feel free to click away if it's not your thing, I won't even know. 🙈😅

Disclaimer Time: this is written for the purpose of humour and entertainment. It's also opinion, based on the information available to me at time of writing. Don't sue me, I promise it's not worth it.

Friday Fics Fix - Needy. After.

'Something about her made his skin crawl.'

 

I can't let an October go by without visiting the fandom of Sapphic masterpiece Jennifer's Body, now, can I?

For those who are (sadly) unaware, despite the resurgence in its popularity, Jennifer's Body is a 2009, explicitly Queer, horror movie, starring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried.

(Yes, explicitly Queer. Don't let people 'Gal Pal' Jennifer's-freaking-Body: it is Sapphic, Harold.)

Comics Wrap-Up - An Odd Duck

It's Thursday, life is exhausting, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Nerd Church - The Writer Diaries: The Thing I Was Trying To Write

My work-in-progress (WIP) looks nothing like it used to.

I started These Ghosts of Ours - which I hesitantly call a novel - an embarrasingly long time ago, as a teenager.

I've actually probably been working on it for half my life at this point, although I've had massive breaks of years when I didn't do anything on it at all because my life was imploding in various ways, shapes, and forms. 😅

(If I'm lucky I may finish These Ghosts of Ours by the time I'm 100! Woo!)

Friday Fics Fix - You Have Until Sunrise

'“You gotta stop dying on me.”

“Okay? Sure”, Daniel snorted. “Anything else you need, dear?”

“Yes. Help me stay alive.”'

Let me introduce you to Grace Le Domas:

Via Giphy

- this is her wedding day. 

Today she married the man of her dreams, Alex Le Domas, a family member of the Le Domas boardgame empire.

And tonight, in-keeping with Le Domas family tradition, she'll sit down with her new in-laws and play a game.

This is the horror film Ready or Not.

Comics Wrap-Up - Pretty Imminent

It's Thursday, this week has gone uber-fast, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Month In Review(s) - September 2022

 

September was pretty good, on the whole.

For me - not for like, the Royal family, or the British economy, or the numerous wars and natural disasters etc.

...I'ma get back to me now 😅

Yeah - I kind of trotted along, for the most part, just doing what I do. 

Keeping metaphorically swimming and all that jazz.

Making some progress on this 'n' that, y'know?

...I'm not great at explaining things from my life so that they sound exciting 😅

Nerd Church - Being Exhausted Is Exhausting

I've been trying, lately, to let myself be tired when I'm tired.

Now, that probably seems simple to a lot of you - you lucky folks who get tired and just... accept it.

But me? Apparently when I'm tired, my natural reaction is to do more. 

Which... uh... makes no sense. 

I'm going to assume it's at least partly down to the tiger vs. not tiger thing I've talked about before. 😅 

I.e. my weird little hooman bean brain thinks we're under attack and/or vulnerable in some way when I'm tired, and pushes me to be alert to the dangers/fight the tiger/whatever.

Friday Fics Fix - Bucky Can't Catch A Break

'Bucky turns back to the screen in front of him and can’t help his flinch as the bright light turns into what might as well be an ice pick to his brain.' 

Bucky has had it!

I mean, it's one thing coming to terms with ex-assassin-ing, super-soldier-ing, and being in the actual goddamn future, but now there's all this psychic b*llsh** on top?!

Dude can't catch a break!

Comics Wrap-Up - Goes Without Saying

 

It's Thursday, happy October, let's get some comics-y, superhero-y goodness!

Nerd Church - Caffeinated Current Events: The UK Economy Imploded

OK - the UK's in a bit of trouble with the financials right now.

I'm full o' coffee, so let's lay it all out on the table!

Friday Fics Fix - It Works Weirdly Well

'She walked over to Thea and pulled one of the games out of the box. It was an old fashioned wooden box with the game’s name actually carved into the front. “Jumanji?”

“I’ve never heard of that one,” Ollie said. He joined them to take a look.'

 

Sometimes, you gotta give points for creativity, y'know?

And there ain't no-one more creative than fic authors! 😉

Comics Wrap-Up - No More Reasons At This Point, Just Enjoy!

It's Thursday, it's the end of September, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Nerd Church - Dylan Sprouse In A Dress Is Living In My Head, Rent-Free

 ...yes, that Dylan Sprouse.

The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, brother of Cole, Dylan Sprouse.

In a dress.

In my head.

Friday Fics Fix - Whether Flesh or Cybernetic

'Sam nods anyway. “Okay. That’s fine. How ‘bout we use the door though, stead of charging through the window, huh?”

Bucky blinks. Door?' 

I am still very much The Falcon And The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) trash.

What can I say? The fanfiction's just that good 😅

Comics Wrap-Up - Seasoned Nerdish-Types

It's Thursday, monarchy is an outdated and fundamentally flawed concept in a democratic society, let's get some superhero-y comics-y goodness!

Poetry: The Girl on Stage

This poem was first published in the Medium publication The Brain Is A Noodle (TBIAN), for the prompt 'What do you feel when you or your favourite musicians are on stage?' set by Lucy Dan (editor of TBIAN)

The Girl on Stage

Nerd Church - National Mourning Is Not The Same As Private Mourning

A reporter approaches someone laying flowers outside Buckingham Palace...

"...I'm just devastated!" they howl. There are genuine tears on this random person's face.

The reporter says something about the whole country feeling the loss deeply, being in mourning, grieving, everyone's lives being touched by the late Queen - really laying it on thick - and... nah.

Just, no.

The Queen died.

That's not a happy thing. And my thoughts are with her family and those who knew and loved her.

They lost someone they loved, so yeah, I feel for them.

But I am not mourning. Not personally, as an individual.

I saw her once, when I was a kid, and strangely pro-Royal (but then, I was like nine or ten, and she was an actual Queen,) - I was one of those kids they bus in to line the route and wave flags as she passes in her car, y'know?

Yes, they actually bus local kids in for that - I got selected and everything, check me out! Lol. 

And we got Welsh flags as well as British ones, because dragons rock.

Friday Fics Fix - This Fic Understands Mental Health Problems

Warning: this post discusses eating disorders, general mental health problems, and realted symptoms and themes

'Normally, when Mac had a problem, all it took was some spare parts and a Swiss Army knife...'

I thought, before reading this, that I wouldn't ever end up recommending it.

Honestly? I figured from the syopsis and tags on AO3 for this fic, that it would probably be trauma porn - which I've been known to indulge in when the need arises, but wouldn't y'know, recommend to anyone. 

Not least because trauma porn is often really poorly written, exploitative, and gratuitous.

I was wrong. This fic is freaking amazing.

And the fic author saying this was the first fic they started... wow!

Comics Wrap-Up - I'm All About Those Existential Crises

It's Thursday, the UK is on its fourth prime minister in six years (anyone for a fifth?), let's get us some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Month In Review(s) - August 2022

(Warning: this post briefly discusses mental health problems)

August was... OK, I guess.

And for me, this year, OK is freaking fantastic!

So, it was still too hot, but it was cooler than July which -

 - yes, please, thankyou, more of the lack of heat melting my brain, if at all possible, thanks!

I do not function in the heat. At all.

Frighteningly, we now have an official drought in much of Wales. 

If you don't know Wales and our verdant, fertile, valleys all that well, you might wonder why that's frightening.

Basically - you know the stereotypes that the rest of the world has about it always raining in London? Yeah? Well, I would consider London to be quite a dry place.

And we have drought.

(And now London possibly wants our water - but if I start getting into the long and exploitative history of water politics between Wales and England, we will be here all day.)

Climate change is real, and it is here.

Nerd Church - Constantly Consuming Content

 

'We've got mountains of content
Some better, some worse
If none of it's of interest to you, you'd be the first'

- Bo Burnham, Welcome to the Internet

There's a lot of content out there, a lot of media, a lot of art, a lot of whatever you wanna call it.

There's a lot of it.

My TBR is over 900 books, and I've given up ever taming it. 

My web bookmarks and favourites can only be described as chaotic. 

My Netflix, Disney+, Sky box, and YouTube are overflowing with things I want to watch, only to get distracted by something else on the home page and end up watching that instead.

There are so many excellent people whose work and art I wanna see on blogs, socials, whatever...

Friday Fics Fix - Bucky Isn't the Problem In This House

 

'“Huh,” Sam said. “You’re the ghost.”'

It seems like I'm drawn to gothicky SamBucky lately.

Not sure whether this is my fault or just the way things are... nah, let's be honest: it's my fault. I am trash. 😅

Comics Wrap-Up - So. Unnecessary.

It's Thursday, I am peak tired millennial, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!