rec-library - Tumblr blog

[rec-library]

World Ain't Ready by idiopathicsmile

Enjolras presses his lips together. He already looks pained, and Grantaire hasn't even opened his mouth yet. That's got to be a record, even for them.

"I need a favor," he says at last.

"With what?" says Grantaire. "Ooh, are you forming a cult? Can I join? I'd be awesome at cults, I just know it." He ticks off his qualifications on his fingers. "I love chanting, I look great in robes—"

(High school AU. Grantaire the disaffected stoner is pulled into a cause bigger than himself. Or: in which there are pretend boyfriends for great justice.)

Fandom: Les Misérables Pairing: Enjolras/Grantaire Rating: Teen Words: 185,795 Podfic Rec: [Podfic] World Ain't Ready by fulldaysdrive (approx. length: 21h8mins) Notes: Okay so this remains to date just about the only high-school AU I can still tolerate as an adult, which speaks to how extremely good it is. I definitely recommend listening to the version of the podfic with music, or at the very least check out the song linked in the author's note of the text version because it's a banger. There is also a podcast version of this fic with the serial numbers filed off, Keep It Steady, which I haven't actually listened to because I love the podfic of the original too much but which I'm sure is excellent.

[rec-library]

Service to the Ninth by zoicite

The thing Gideon didn’t understand was, if Harrow just said, “Hey, Griddle, we’re both alone here and our hormones are raging, you want to get a little kissy with each other?,” Gideon would have absolutely said yes!

Okay, first she would have said, “Hell No. Choke on a bone, Nonagesimus”, but that was mostly just a reflex. And once Gideon was alone and actually thought about it, she would have reconsidered, and eventually she would have decided that even if it was some atrociously cruel trick that Harrow planned, some attempt to humiliate or hurt Gideon, it was still worth finding out because kissing -- actually kissing! -- and it wasn’t like there was anyone else offering or anyone else Gideon could even consider asking.

So if Harrow asked again, Gideon would have said, “Yes. This is the worst idea you’ve ever had in a long history of bad ideas, but let’s do it! I’m in!” Why bother with the skeletons, with the fighting, now that Harrow knew that Gideon was into her advances?

Fandom: The Locked Tomb  Pairing: Gideon Nav/Harrowhark Nonagesimus Rating: M Words: 10,875 Podfic Rec: [Podfic] Service to the Ninth by Tipsy_Kitty (approx. length: 1h12mins) Notes: Gideon and Harrow fight and then make out. Repeatedly. Pre-canon and as a result also pre-relationship, does not exactly have a happy ending. It’s very good though. 

[rec-library]

Real People by spqr

Desire’s blood red lips curl into a smile so knowing and devious that Dream’s heart drops into his stomach. “I know,” they say, nearly purring. “As an apology, dear brother, I’ll give you the one thing you want most in the universe. The thing you don’t even know you’re yearning for.��

OR

Hob wakes to find a baby in his flat.

Fandom: The Sandman (Netflix) Pairing: Dream of the Endless/Hob Gadling Rating: Mature Words: 9,781 Notes: Love a good accidental baby acquisition, and with enough pining that it doesn’t get overly fluffy. 

[rec-library]

Find Out What I'm Feeling by lady_ragnell

When Marius's girlfriend Cosette writes an article about Enjolras's campaign for a seat in the state House of Representatives (not to mention his attempts to start a new political party) and mistakenly mentions Grantaire as his boyfriend, Enjolras ends up pretending to date him in the media storm that follows.

He's not sure why Grantaire says yes, but he's starting to want to find out.

Fandom: Les Misérables Pairing: Enjolras/Grantaire Rating: Explicit Words: 19,370 Podfic Rec: [Podfic of] Find Out What I'm Feeling by klb (approx. length: 2h) Notes: I don’t have much to add here, just a very good modern AU where they fake date. 

[rec-library]

(Sacred) In the Ordinary by idyll

The Pack, after college, graduate school and the starting of careers, comes back to Beacon Hills. Nothing's gotten less complicated after all this time.

Based on a kink meme prompt that grew legs and got serious.

Note: This is a whole lot of pack!fic with a very slow build Derek/Stiles.

Fandom: Teen Wolf (TV) Pairing: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski Rating: Explicit Words:  78,759 Podfic Rec:  [Podfic of] (Sacred) In the Ordinary by knight_tracer (approx. length: 7h26mins) Notes: Yes, I am reccing a Teen Wolf fanfic in the year 2022. It’s an extremely good Teen Wolf fanfic, and the podfic is by one of my fav readers. The pack (circa s1) are back in Beacon Hills as adults, and it’s basically about them settling down and establishing a place for themselves, while also dealing with some plot shenanigans. Derek accidentally became a highly sought-after artist which is hilarious but also manages to make perfect sense in universe. It’s got hyper-competent!Stiles as the pack’s second in command which I love, and the pack dynamics in general are really well done. It’s just a really good fic, and I need you to trust me on this because the next thing I’m going to say is going to make you question me. Stiles’ dad and Alison’s dad are married in this one. I know, believe me, I know. Inexplicable background ship aside though it is a genuinely very well-written fic and it’s one of my all-time favourites. 

[rec-library]

all sweet things beyond by andaskwhynot

For the rest of the walkthrough, Trent finds himself wanting to go back to the third bench on the left and just explain to the American standing there why cutting the fresh apples to the same size as the dried cranberries and candied ginger is a terrible idea. He restrains himself.

Trent Crimm is a judge on a beloved British baking show. He finds himself captivated by a mustached American contestant.

Fandom: Ted Lasso Pairing: Trent Crimm/Ted Lasso Rating: Teen Words:  34,845 Podfic Rec:  [Podfic of] all sweet things beyond by klb (approx. length: 4h25mins) Notes: I am a sucker for a bake-off AU, and this one is exceptionally good. 

[rec-library]

Gardening by The Feels Whale (miscellea)

Bilbo Baggins arrived home late one afternoon in the middle of the week and the entire west Farthing is still talking about it.

Poor Mister Baggins. He was doomed to be a nine-days wonder no matter what and is it any wonder after a year-long adventure? Even the Tooks haven’t the influence to hush that up, but Mad Baggins seems to have managed to silence every tongue in the Shire on that subject which would be awe-inspiring ...if not for the way he decided to go about it.

OR: That one where Middle Earth seems to be unclear about where baby Hobbits come from.

Fandom: The Hobbit

Pairing: Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield

Rating: Teen 

Words: 19,721

Podfic Rec: [Podfic] Gardening by The Feels Whale by fifteen (approx. length: 2h)

Notes: Another all-time favourite and go-to comfort podfic. It’s got it all: Pining! Miscommunication! All the joys of kidfic with none of the mpreg! Dis is there and she’s great! 

[rec-library]

like a map of a place you've never been by bydaybreak

He knows it’d be so fucking easy, if he’d let himself. Because he’s easy for them, has been since that first job, since the day he hauled Hardison’s ass out of a building about to explode. It’d be so easy.

So he won’t.

Fandom: Leverage

Pairing: Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer

Rating: Explicit

Words:  24,549

Podfic Rec: [PODFIC] like a map of a place you've never been by analise010 (approx. length: 2h45mins)

Notes: One of my fav fics of all time, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve relistened to the podfic. Absolutely peak fake relationship pining. The pinnacle of domestic yearning. I truly do not know what else to say except please read this fic.

[rec-library]

Masterpost of Tags

For ease of perusal, all recs are tagged by fandom and ship. Some may have additional trope tags where applicable, but for the full list of tags or warnings on any particular fic please refer to the AO3 link provided. 

Fandom:

Leverage

The Locked Tomb Series

Les Misérables

The Sandman (Netflix)

Ted Lasso (TV)

Teen Wolf (TV)

Tolkien (Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, etc.)

Ship (alphabetical by last name): 

Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield

Trent Crimm/Ted Lasso

Dream of the Endless/Hob Gadling

Enjolras/Grantaire

Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski

Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer

Gideon Nav/Harrowhark Nonagesimus

Trope: 

Bake-Off AU

Fake/Pretend Relationship

High School AU

Kidfic

Modern AU

Other:

Podfic rec