Posted by KatHat

(banner made by beegurl13)

Gothic: pertaining to a style of literature characterized by a gloomy setting, grotesque, mysterious, or violent events, and an atmosphere of degeneration and decay. This describes not only focus of the classes Dr. Isabella Swan teaches as a professor of Early Modern Literature, but it also her proclivity in her personal life as a connoisseur of horror films and 19th-century Gothic novels. She rationalizes that these things are her safe haven where she can immerse herself in the tortuous existence of the characters in these stories - as a way to escape from her own; choosing the safe haven of books with characters that will cause her no pain as opposed to people in real life who can. She is extremely intelligent and thought-provoking, often leaving you chuckling from her unusual and hilarious thought associations, but she is also constantly disparaging herself as awkward or not socially acceptable or what a “burden it must be for people to have to look at someone like me”. She is always expecting the worst from others and questioning every action and word for ulterior motives, but she endeavors to appear ‘normal’ and charming in front of her colleagues and students; trying to present herself as tolerable and carefully following all the rules of etiquette. What could have happened in her life to leave her so disturbed and damaged? What had she endured as a young girl to drive her to only find solace in books of Gothic literature?

For one thing, meet Edward Cullen, the bane of her existence. Back in high school he was the leader of the resident ‘brat pack’ who made it their sole purpose in life to bully, humiliate and torment Bella and her best friend, Alice, making their daily lives a living hell. Now he shows up ten years later at the bar where her department colleagues are having ‘happy hour’ and he has the audacity to approach and speak to her, and even has the nerve to ask her to help him solve the mysterious cold case murder of his ex-girlfriend, Tanya, that happened right after high school. And why ask Bella? Because willing or not, she was his only alibi that kept him from being tried for the murder himself, and the only one who knows without a doubt he did not do it. Now he’s intruding on her personal life once again, saying he’s a doctor, he’s changed, and he’s sorry. You have to give him credit for being a persistent fella who keeps asking her questions, eventually figuring out how to play by her rules - but still pushes her buttons to get her to talk. Then he listens in fascination as she goes on one of her crazy rants - even though most of the time he has no idea what she is talking about! Her passive-aggressive treatment of Edward, and the changing dynamics and dialogue between these two is like watching a championship tennis match.

Author-self-insert will definitely keep you on your toes with her brilliant and articulate word play, the intense, intriguingly complex plot and the absolutely unique voice she has given Bella. You will be torn between cracking up over Bella's inner dialogue and feeling heartbroken for her damaged sense of self-worth and complete distrust of everyone. You will discover that Gothic is so much more than a murder mystery, even though that part will have you continually racking your brain to come up with your own theories as to ‘whodunit’ and keep you riveted on the edge of your seat. It is also an intellectually challenging and emotionally provoking study of the struggle of two flawed individuals to deal not only with the demons of their pasts, but with increasingly disturbing events that start happening in the present; while at the same time forging the basic foundation of a budding relationship with each other - seemingly against the all the odds. Can they figure it all out? Do you think you can figure it out? Are you up for the challenge? Don’t miss out on this gem, it's perfect for Friday the 13th ;-)!

Gothic contains 23 chapters and a total of 116,449 words. The story is rated M for language and content.

WORK IN PROGRESS
If you know any other platforms this story has been published at, please let us know by either sending an email to swansbookstore@gmail.com or leaving a message in the comment section. Thank you!

Posted by Unknown

(banner made by Bethany) 

When sassy nerd meets confident player, sparks will fly. The question is, will these sparks make things more interesting, or simply leave them both burnt and hurting? At Mason University, anything is possible. Bella Swan, still recovering from a turbulent past, refuses to become the local playboy’s latest plaything. Edward Cullen, with demons of his own, doesn’t understand why he can’t get the snarky brunette out of his mind. Thus, ensues a game of cat and mouse that leaves both doubting everything they knew. Can an attraction as great as there’s really be denied?

Unsure of herself to the point where it impedes her ability to live and trust normally, Bella knows that the last thing she needs, is someone as unpredictable as Edward Cullen in her life. She just can’t understand why his antics and his crooked grin have her coming back. Bella desperately wants to know why she misses their interactions when she’s not with him. She wishes he would tell her why he spends so much of his time chasing her when all she sees herself as, is flawed. Will the charming player be able to win her trust? Or will he just be the last straw on her path to self-destruction?

How To Tame A Player has me completely hooked. I can’t recommend this story enough. The interactions between Edward and Bella aren’t just interesting, they’re endearing. Bella knows just how to handle herself against ‘the big, bad player’ and Edward just seems to want to spend time with her and her sarcasm. Though their personalities are miles apart, something about the two of them together just seems to fit. They both have troubled pasts, adding a perfect amount of angst to sink your teeth into. The writing is superb, the dialogue excellent, and the plot intriguing. On top of that, it has consistent updates on Wednesdays and Saturdays. All in all, this is a story that definitely deserves to be read and reviewed. I really can’t describe properly just how much this story makes my Wednesdays and Saturdays. A DEFINITE MUST-READ!

So far, How To Tame A Player consists of 26 chapters and 60,447 words. It is rated M for language and (future) sexy times.

WORK IN PROGRESS

If you know any other platforms this story has been published at, please let us know by either sending an email to swansbookstore@gmail.com or leaving a message in the comment section. Thank you!

Posted by Lindsay

 (banner made by Mina)

Bella only always saw herself as an ordinary librarian who happened to work at the college library on the side. Never in her wildest dreams did she consider herself beautiful enough to catch the eye of campus hottie Edward Cullen, also known as "Jar of Hearts" because rumor has it that he keeps the names of all his conquests and broken hearts in a jar. One afternoon in the library, Edward can't keep his eyes off of Bella and notices that, what he feels for her, he never felt for any other woman. But when he tries to make a conversation with her, the young woman shows no interest in becoming another piece of paper for his jar. She refuses to tell him her name, and denies checking out his book because she was closing. So after the first encounter between the two failed miserably, Edward decides to bring his sister Alice along for help. The quirky girl approaches Bella at the libraian desk, and asks her to do her a favor. If Bella tells Alice the name she has for Edward, he'll have to do all the dishes and cleaning for a solid month. And because Alice adds that she intended to be extra messy Bella gives in - the beginning of a great friendship. Meanwhile, Edward can't fight the pull he feels towards Bella anymore and follows her when she goes to a tucked away isle. And even though Bella is less then amused by his actions she also notices that he doesn't stop staring at her and her lips. So after telling her that whatever rumors she heard about him are wrong, he pulls the librarian against him and kisses her senseless. After that, things start to change between the two...

Through her new friendship with Alice, Bella learns that Edward is not what people make him out to be. And so soon, the two find themselves falling hard and fast for each other. They enjoy their time together immensely and never want to be without the other. Yet fate seems to have other plans as, one day, Edward receives an acceptance letter in the mail. What he desperately wanted a couple of weeks ago, namely to spend three months in Greece to do extensive archeological field studies couldn't have come at a worse moment in time. And even though Bella assures him that they would be able to make it through these three months, Edward doesn't want to leave her, despite what it might mean for his future as an archeologist. But after more encouragement from Bella, Edward finally accepts and starts preparing for his time abroad. The following three weeks pretty much pass in a blur as the two spend every minute with steamy make-out sessions and enjoy many sweet and intimate moments together. Before Edward leaves for Greece, he admits his feelings to Bella and gives her promise ring. But is it really just a promise ring? And does Bella reciprocate his feelings? How will they manage the three-months separation?

Jar of Hearts is such a sweet and fun story. Author sunflowersongs really outdid herself again! You literally melt from reading about Edward and Bella's love, and you also feel their pain once they are separated. It's an easy read, meaning its romantic and fun, but has enough drops of drama to keep you wanting to read more. After reading this fanfiction, I really want to go to Greece. She wrote so well that I really felt like I had hopped on a plane and was actually in Greece myself! There are some fun new characters in this story that are hilarious and a blast to meet. Edward and Bella's sexual tension is high as they decide to wait, but you will love how Bella eventually decides to fix this little issue. Lots of fun, different twists and turns in a story that I guarantee you'll love!!!

Jar of Hearts consists of 35 chapters and a total of 173,546 words. The story is rated M for lemons, and foul language.

COMPLETE

Tip: Listen to "Jar of Hearts" by Christina Perri.

Posted by Anonymous

When Edward Cullen left his home town Forks at the age of 20, he dreamt of becoming a successful musician. Together with his guitar he traveled the country for a whole decade, yet except for one recorded album and a couple of gigs here and there Edward wasn't able to climb up the career ladder. And so, with little money and pespectives left, he moves back to where he came from and decides to live with his parents (at least temporarily). And after arriving in Forks, he immediately realizes that A LOT of things have changed, many of which will take some getting used to: the town got a new high school, the librarian passed away, his brother Emmett is the local firefighter, he sees his two 4-year-old nieces for the first time, his baby sister Alice brings home a serious boyfriend, his sister-in-law Rose gives him the stink eye, there's a new chief of police and, last but not least, a new bookstore opened. The latter awakes Edward's interest and he isn't fully prepared for the little firecracker he meets.

Bella Swan and her father have just moved to Forks. To honor her late mother, Bella decided to open her own bookstore and due to her passion for music it also offers a small collection of instruments and music supplies. When Edward peruses the shelves, he stumbles upon his album. Shocked yet happy, he offers the beautiful girl with the big brown eyes to sign it. Well, ladies and gentlemen, Bella Swan isn't a charity case and she'll makes sure that Edward knows it...

SydneyAlice, what can I say? If you haven't yet read one of her stories, you just can't be helped. She's probably among the top three of the most-often read Twilight fanfic writers out there and that is for a reason! Her stories don't know what grammatical mistakes are and you will find close to no typos. The characters are well-portrayed and the plot is engaging and interesting. All of this applies to Turn the Page, there is is just one thing you won't find: too graphic lemons. *sigh*

Turn the Page consists of 21 chapters and 86,141 words. The story is rated M for adult situations and language.

COMPLETE

For fans of: No Place Like Home

Posted by Anonymous

The moment Edward Cullen finds out that his wife of five years, Kate, aborted at least two babies without his knowledge, he packs his bags and leaves. Intending to start fresh, the Doctor of Physiotherapy leaves his home behind and moves to Phoenix, Arizona. There, he plans to fulfill his long-time dream: running his own Horse Farm & Recreation Center (or, how he later calls it "Corrine's Hope"). As he already found the perfect place the only thing left to do is convince the owner to work with him.

When Bella Swan's grandfather passed away he left her his beloved farm. Though she loves every quarter mile of it and enjoys riding the horses, she knows that the huge ranch is too much for her alone to handle. So she agrees to sell half of the property to Edward Cullen, an old buddy of her friends Jasper and Alice. Once the contracts are signed, Edward, who seems to have a problem with Bella's young age (she's 22 while Edward is 35) and the fact that he can't get her out of his head, moves into a small house on the farm. And that's when things start getting interesting...

mustlovertp's fanfiction Walk is written from both Edward's and Bella's POV. Edward's character is immensely sweet - his deep love for children and desire for a soul mate will bring a huge smile to your face, trust me. And just like Bella, you might catch yourself thinking "Is this man for real?" Yes, he is, well at least in the Twiverse. Nevertheless, there is also a slightly darker side to Edward: the betrayal of Kate left him vulnerable and broken. That is also the reason why he tends to overthink things and doesn't dare to acknowledge Bella's advances and the amazing draw he feels towards her. Now, our lovely Bella becomes a little bit frustrated with that. Watching Edward working without a shirt (who wouldn't swoon at that sight!!) yet having to keep her distance is definitely not easy for her. Additionally, memories of her late twin sister just won't let go... That said, let me assure you that you will hardly find any angst in this story.

COMPLETE

Walk consists of 20 chapters and a total of 112,974 words. The story is rated M for language and lemons.

COMPLETE

Posted by Anonymous

Bella was the first person to ever really notice Edward, the lanky and slightly nerdy twin brother of her best friend Alice. And the moment they meet and begin their first conversation the two feel a connection that is unrivalled. They understand each other blindly and the only place Bella ever feels completely safe is in Edward's arms. Yet though she knows that her feelings a more than just pure friendship the young student is afraid of hurting and being hurt and rejects all of Edward's advances. She keeps him at arm's length, smokes pot with her friends, even though he hates what it does to her, and refuses to talk to him about their relationship.

So after graduation the two go separate ways. While Bella moves to New York Edward starts studying at Dartmouth. When they meet again at christmas in Forks, what Bella always feared happens: Edward brings his girlfriend to meet his family. Unsurprisingly, the young woman is heart-broken and leaves the party immediately. When Edward asks her to meet the next day, will she finally admit her love for him?

Arms is a wonderful one-shot that leaves you happy and content at the end. The story is completely written in Bella's POV and though the reader understands her fears of abandonment and heartbreak you really wanna poke her until she comes to her senses. It becomes more than clear that Edward's feelings for her are more than just friendship and she still refuses to speak up. When she does, however, it is just... wonderful. *hear me sigh*

Arms is a one-shot and consists of 8,808 words. The story is rated M for description of sexual activities and foul language.

Posted by Anonymous

Bella Swan has a crush. A huge crush. Over the last couple of months, the young student has become a frequent visitor of the local library where he works. Edward Cullen. God-like creature and seemingly unavailable. But Bella doesn't cow down: by checking out carefully picked out books she tries to secretly tell Edward that she wants him, really really wants him...

Edward Cullen can't think straight. Because of her. Bella Swan comes to the library every day, checks out a weird combination of classics and totally overrated fiction and wears one hot outfit after the other. One day, Edward can't help himself and asks for her number. And then one thing leads to another...

What happens when two great authors come together and decide to write a story: exactly, fu**tastic reading material. cosmogirl7481 and SydneyAlice created a wonderful little fanfic that lacks any kind of angst or dramatic twists. But even though there a no heated disputes or sob-worthy moments Between the Covers is neither boring nor unexciting. Bella and Edward's hot make-out sessions make sure of that!

Between the Covers consists of 26 chapters and a total of 26,856 words. The story is rated M for lemons and foul language.

COMPLETE

Posted by Anonymous

In the rare moments when Presiden Cullen allows himself to take a breath and think about the last couple of years, the only things he finds are pain, sorrow, and uncertainty. Because four years ago, his wife Bella never returned from a business trip to Arizona. The mother of his beautiful little daughter Beth spend some time raising money for her husband's campaign but disappeared on her way to the airport. Just like that. No trace of a body, no evidence for a crime

Once elected into office, Edward creates a special task force that is supposed to investigate Bella's case. And finally, after having almost lost hope, the President's head of security, Emmett McCarthy, informs him that his wife had been found - in Kodiak, Alaska.
Unfortunately though, the First Lady, who is now blond and has a slight tan, has no recollections of her past with Edward. As Charlotte Byrd she started a new life, works in a bookshop and owns a small bakery. And one day, her life is once again turned upside down when taken by the CIA to meet the President of the United States.

All the President's Men is a wonderful piece of fiction by the talented Shahula. I love me some Presidentward! Wohoo, our Edward is such a sweet and loving father and husband it almost hurts to read it. Even though his wife is not the same woman he met, he falls for her nonetheless. Of course, these two are soul mates, right?

The story's chapters are relatively short and always include a little (and usually freaking cute) snippet of the past. This way, the reader easily manages to get an impression of both the "old" and the "new" Bella and can understand that it hurts Edward to know that she can't remember any of it.

All the President's Men consists of 30 chapters and a total of 61,617 words. The story is rated T and thus suitable for readers age 15 and older.

COMPLETE

Posted by Anonymous

Bella Swan starts a new period of her life by leaving her small-town home behind and moving to Berkeley, CA. There she begins working at the archives of the university library and constantly runs into mysterious and tortured Edward Cullen.

Just like his sister Alice, Edward was adopted by Carlisle and Esme Cullen after his biological parents died under tragic circumstances. Haunted by his past and a former affair, and in constant pain from a back injury Edward more and more often retreats into his own shell and avoids any human contact whatsoever. It doesn't help that he feels immensely yet unintelligibly drawn to his new colleague Bella Swan. And once these two have to work on a project together, he is suddenly forced to face her instead of hiding...

Love Amongst the Ruins might be known to many of avid fanfiction readers out there. It's a classic, really! But for those of you who have never heard of the story before, let me tell you, you missed out on something! theladyingrey42 has a very unique style of writing. Edward and Bella's tales are presented with tons of metaphors and allegories that are so beautiful that one tends to get lost in them. Read it to see for yourselves!

Love Amongst the Ruins consists of 42 chapters and a total of 335,214 words. The story is rated MA for foul language, violence, and graphic description of sexual activities.

COMPLETE

Note: If you know the person who made the manip used for this banner, please contact me so I can give her/him credit!
Note: The story was removed from ff.net by the author and replaced with the linked pdf.

Posted by Anonymous

When Bella Swan notices that her beloved old truck is gone, she sees red. Hastily grabbing the cell phone of her best friend Rose, Bella calls her own phone that she left in her car and is both surprised and angry when someone actually answers. A young, cocky and somewhat charming young man is waiting on the other end of the line and assures her that the car jacking was simply an accident. He promises to bring the car back and really, just three minutes later Bella's red Chevy stands right in front of her.

And although Bella must admit that her trucknapper is astoundlingly handsome and looks like he just jumped out of a Vanity Fair photoshoot, she forces herself to hate each and everything about him. It's too bad that Bella is forced to spend more time with him than expected as her charming trucknapper turns out to be Edward, older cousin of Jasper and in town for the the latter's upcoming wedding with Alice. Damn karma...

This fanfiction is close to perfect. The writing is interesting, the characters extremely funny, and the plot almost angst free. Anyone familiar with the Gilmore Girls? Well forget about Lorelai's wit and Rory's charm - here come Edward and Bella, who are both too smart for their own good and are always in for a prank or two. It's a shame that Mk Marie decided to stop writing fanfiction - a real waste of talent!!

The Tales of a Charmin TruckNapper consists of 34 chapters and a total of 114,368 words. The fanfiction is rated T and thus suitable for all teens who are at least 13 years of age. The sequel to the story, TruckNapper and DB Hit the Windy City, has never been finished.

COMPLETE

Posted by Anonymous

Bella just moved into her new apartment and is just about to begin painting her living room walls when she stumbles upon her handsome neighbor Edward. She is mesmerized by the smart and cute young man and immediately feels the sexual energy between them. It only takes one bare wall and an annoying ex-boyfriend for Edward and Bella to give in to each other's needs.

Lips Like Scarlet Sugar is a wonderful short fanfiction that will leave you with a big smile on your face. Not a one-shot in the literal sense (since it has two chapters) this story provides you with one (or two) little glimpse(s) into the lives of Bella and Edward. Because you will absolutely not find any kind of angst this fanfic is easy to read and you'll be done within mere minutes (as you won't be able to put it away)! Enjoy!

Lips Like Scarlet Sugar consists of 2 chapters and a total of 2,935 words. The story is rated M and thus suitable for teens over the age of 16.

Note: One manip used for this banner was made by royalkristen!

Posted by Anonymous

Bella Swan thought her day couldn't get worse. Just one day after she moves into a new apartment with her best friend Angela, the latter tells her that she decided to live with her boyfriend Ben. To top it off Angela immediately presents her subleaser - Edward Cullen.

To say that Bella is shocked would probably be an understatement. She and Edward once were in a loving relationship before some unfortunate incident broke them apart. Ever since then the two are on less than good speaking terms. And now, Bella is forced to live with her ex-boyfriend! It doesn't take long for her to realize that she still harbors a lot of feelings for Edward.

The Roommate is a joy to read. The witty characters are always good for a joke or two and keep the story relatively angst-free. Slowly, snippets of Bella's and Edward's past are revealed. Because you desperately want to know the reason why the two broke up, you are hardly able to put the story away.

The Roommate consists of 28 chapters and a total of 80,364 words. The story is rated M for mature content.

COMPLETE

Posted by Anonymous

When Carlisle Cullen reads about the latest escapade of his son Edward in the newspaper he decides that enough is enough. He orders him back home to Forks and wants him to carry out the reminder of his residency at the local hospital. Without money, friends, and clubs to go to, Edward feels like he literally just landed in hell. When he has to pick up a book from the town's litte bookshop a snotty little brunette seems to want to make his life even more unbearable. He later finds out that Bella is good friends with both his siblings and their partners which unfortunately forces him to cross paths with her more than he likes. And although Bella is really getting on his nerves there is also something that draws himself to her...

This story is funny, sexy, and very well written. The author manages to make Edward's transition from an arrogant playboy to a mature young man very believable and realistic. His interactions with his niece and nephew are really comical and the unresolved sexual tension between him and Bella is almost palpable. Very good story!

No Place Like Home consists of 37 chapters and a total of 255,403 words. The story is rated M for mature content.

COMPLETE