Reading Recommendations

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Alright, this never seems to work out well for me, but I'm gonna try this again....

I'm looking for something to read.

I've asked this before, but it always seems to end up being a wash for one reason or another. So, here is what I'm looking for:

1) Male to female
2) Between the ages of 12 and 35
3) Non-forced-femme
4) Gender-straight romance (as in the main character is in the female role with a male love interest.)
5) Set in the eighties or later, or sci fi or fantasy.

Here is what I'm NOT looking for:

1) A weak, wishy-washy main character with no personality or will
2) Tons of pointless drama and punishment of characters just because you can
3) Lesbian romance, or stories where the character cheats on their significant other
4) Sex (at least not moreso than is seen in a typical romance novel)
5) Multiple transformations (I tend to hate stories where every other character is TG or transformed in some way)

And lastly, here are things I am indifferent to:

1) Anthros (MORFs is neat, but that's about the extent to which it appeals to me)
2) Transformation type (Magic, sci fi, IS, hormones, it really doesn't matter)
3) Length
4) Fanfiction (caveat: this only works for me with characters where the change makes sense, which most fanfic doesn't ever bother with. I'm looking at YOU, Harry Potter fanfics.)
5) Mary Sues

Alright, peeps, y'all should all know me pretty well by now, and if you don't, then the above list should tell you kinda what I like. I prefer the Nora Roberts-style romance over the Danielle Steele, I like stuff with happy endings and solid romance where the good guys win. I can even read a story without romance at all if it's well-presented; I just want stories where I can identify with and empathize with the main character, hence my preferences above. Good writing, interesting characters with personalities and voices! No ciphers, no weak-willed victims.

Anyway, let's see if this works out better than the last coupla times I asked for recommendations. I usually get a few good ones, but people tend to miss the fact that I don't want erotica and just can't get into lesbian stories easily. So, show me whatcha got!

Melanie E.

Comments

Already read it!

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That's probably my favorite one of your stories, actually! A great suggestion, though :P

Melanie E.

several of mine

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Runway, Being Popular, Mailing, but it's a little different, most of Stacy in Love, Meleanie Brown, Prestop Chango, Just on day in your life. There are lots, they are just difficult to find, Arecee

I've read most of yours already,

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As well as Stacyinlove, though hers do have a tendency to move out of my comfort range sex-wise.

There IS a lot out there, but finding new stories that are worth reading can be kinda daunting after a while!

Melanie E.

Working on something like this...

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erin's picture

Everything I could think of, I know you've already read because you left comments on them. :)

But I am working on something in this line. Having a bit of trouble with a whiney annoying protagonist but maybe sometime this fall I will start posting it. :)

Hugs,
Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

Difficult criteria

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Your criteria make it rather difficult - to the point of being almost mutually exclusive - to find a story to recomend from among the stories I enjoy on BCTS. But I will try to find some (noting the respective caveats):

  • The Dark Realms Universe (DRU) stories are most likely out of question because of the multiple transformations (owned by different authors) and about half of the transformees develop a lesbian love interest. OTOH, the character development is among the best I have read.
  • The JulieO-verse is another set of stories with good character development, and with a lot of plausible sci-fi and fantasy. Unfortunately there are also multiple transformations (though not mindless, but with good purpose as the stories unfold and multiple threads come togehter). And there are also several lesbian romances, though they are almost all stable long-term relationships. Most of these stories are on Stardust. You can find also read several of the Julie O stories here on BCTS.
  • The SPA Universe is in a simmilar situation as the previous universes. Very good character development, but multiple "transformations" and several apparently lesbian love interests. Even so, these stories are very good and could happen in todays world. Unfortunately the three main storylines are all unfinished.
  • By Portia Bennet a.k.a. littlerocksilver you can read the California Saga and also the Cynthia Chronicles.
  • The story A Summer's Odyssey by Jennifer Sue probably fit your criteria quite well.
  • The three books of Sarah Carerra by Megan Campbell should also fit your criteria.
  • Bailey Summers is one of the most prolific authors here, with probably the most concurrent stories being posted. Stories that might fit your criteria are: Can Dreams Come True?, Hopscotch (in the early chapters), Lead Shoes, Sixtieen Feet of Steel, Sweet Dreams and The Parchment.
  • Stories by Melodie Thomas.
  • The stories by Cyclist. Right now I am not quite sure of the correct order on her "Uniforms" saga-verse. The characters of her various stories are interrelated and there is a lot of cross-over. Unfortunately, for you, there is also some LG love interests.
  • Among the stories posted by Karin Bishop you might find quite a few that fit your criteria. Several of her stories skirt the forced-fem element (pun intended), but in the end turn out to be non-forced-fem.
  • Maggie Finson has written and posted to the DRU among others, but you might enjoy her stand-alone story Maiden by Decree, though it starts out with a forced-fem element, there is a lot of mayhem that had me rolling on the floor with laughter.
  • By Susan Brown a fit could be the stories: Duality, Get a Life (on going), Sisters Forever (on going) and Changes.
  • The Gaby stories by Maddy Anne Bell are also available (togehter with other stories) on the website of Maddy Bell.
  • You might also want to check out the stories written by Robert "Bob" Arnold, who also posted his stories on Crystal's Story Site and on Stardust.
  • And last but not least there is the on going story The White Wolf by Barbara Allan.

I hope that you will find many hours of reading pleasure from this list. There are several other authors here on BCTS that I find very enjoyable to read.

Jessica

Read it, read it, read it....

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Lots a good suggestions, especially DRU, Mags, and Gaby, but I've read just about all of 'em with the exceptions of Portia and Cyclist's work, which have always seemed a bit, well, "grownup" is the wrong word, but perhaps "geared toward a more mature audience" would be appropriate. I've only recently gotten interested in stories with characters over their mid-twenties (that being my own age category,) but maybe now is the time to check 'em out....

Melanie E.

Sometimes re-reading is good

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I have read a lot of my suggestions more than once. Often a second or third or even fourth reading will open my eyes to some new aspect of the story. For several stories (or 'verses) I have even started a spreadsheet with a character list (to keep the aka's straight) and a chronology to help with future re-readings. The carefull re-reading and making the notes has really helped me discover all the character nuances.

Recently I had so much work, that I have not been able to re-read my favorite stories and authors. Nor continue working on my cheat sheets. But as a freelancer, you have to work when the clients come to you. And there will be times again when I have no work for days.

Jessica

I re-read a lot

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I've read Gaby a good five times through, and a lot of the more choice Whateley stuff three or four times. There are some stories I love enough I re-read them every six months or so just for a refresher, so that's not an issue. I've just been having a hard time finding NEW stuff that really appealed to me, and after a certain point digging through the archives turns up little in the way of easy reward. Plus, I'm not really adventurous enough to delve much outside of stories that obviously fit my comfort zone, hence asking for suggestions of stories I might have missed due to a tag or warning that normally drives me off.

Melanie E.

Too Grown Up?

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littlerocksilver's picture

Don't be too sure about that. Granted, I am old and decrepit, but the Characters in the first volume of the Cynthia Chronicles are quite young, nine to about eighteen. Yeah, The California Saga group of stories is more mainstream; however, the main characters are only ten when the story starts. There are several transgender characters over the eight novels, and they are young adults with one exception for the girl with CAIS. The Cynthia stories are generally around 20,000 words. The eight California Saga stories run from about 90,000 to 184,000 words. The last one in the series will probably fall in the lower end of the word count.

Portia

A Book Length Novel

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Have you read my story "Honor First, Honor Last, Always Honor"

I don't think it has any of your "I don't wnats"

The child abuse warning kinda kills it for me

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I tend to be really, umm, let's say careful, around stories that deal with a lot of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. I don't deal with that kind of thing very well, so if a story outright mentions it I usually avoid it like the plague. The vietnam-era setting also kinda threw me, since other than movies and such I don't really have a personal reference for the time period. Can you give me more information on those two elements? This might end up being an exception to my normal concerns.

Melanie E.

More information on the age regression elements, please

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That's another thing that tends to irk me in stories, so it's one I'm leery of delving into. Are we talking like twenties to teens, or more like forties to teens or child? I don't like stories with characters who are preteens typically, and AR stories usually don't appeal to me either, but if it's a relatively small change (like 28-18 or something) I'm alright with it, I guess.

Melanie E.

The age regression ...

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... is from about 30ish, married with a 2 year old daughter to a 15 year old girl through a mysterious magical process after wishing he (Darren) could relive his life and start afresh. A large section of the story at the start is Darren fighting the change and trying to continue with his passion for music, which is crucial, and the law. The story has almost no sexual content and, what there is, is within context.

It's a very character driven story that explores gender and sexual issues but as part of a much wider story arc. Music plays a very big part and, as the writer and main characters are Canadian, ice hockey is peripherally involved ( which went totally over my English head).

Robi

Most of my stuff

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Angharad's picture

probably fits the criteria, especially Totally Insane.

Angharad

I'd think so too!

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The problem is I think I've read almost everything you've written at least twice already, including the stuff on Sapphire's! The most notable exceptions to that would be SNAFU (which I've always been kinda leery of to be honest) and Bike past about, oh, part 400 or so? After Kathy got the blue light stuff and the mob tried to kill her and then the crazy stalker at the school it just kinda got "okay, wow." :P

What can I say, soaps really aren't my thing, unless it's Dark Shadows. Mmmmm, Barnabas....

Melanie E.

Suspicion

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I rather suspect you've read my stuff too.

I know I've read some of it

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Though far from all of it. I can be overly cautious about things that I think will make me cry or get upset :P

Melanie E.

Reasoned reply

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My stuff contains an awful lot of nastiness. Sophie's ordeal, Melanie's death, Annie's breakdown, it is all there. On the other hand, there is Geoff's devotion to his wife, Arwel's love for Alice, Darren's "But could you be a mum?" and all the rest of it.

What I wrote is often brutal, but what is behind it is love, family, friends. The nastiness is a counterpoint. Yes you will cry (I still do), but in the end love wins out, family, friends...

Try Cold Feet. The nastiness is a one off; the rest of the story is about a woman who learns that others love her.

Have You Read...

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...Bek D Corbin's stories on Sapphire's? The Jordan Winters series especially, also Cat on a Hot-wired Roof. I enjoyed "The Price of Grace" and "Hellcats" also, but both central characters have regressed from male adults to female teens.

Also on Sapphire's, Flight of the Griffin by Maddie Valasek is a nice action story.

I'd recommend Tiffany Shar's Dollar Runaways here, though the central character is younger than you prefer (boy of eleven disguises as girl of eight).

Eric

Of COURSE I've checked out Bek's stuff! :D

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I love a lot of his/her work: I actually started re-reading Of Masks and Marvels right before posting this blog, and doing so is part of what inspired me to post this to begin with.

My main problem with a lot of age regression stories is that they tend to come across, I dunno... there's just something off about them. And the reason I don't care for the majority of preteen stories is simple: I always feel like writers treat preteen kids as even younger than their ages, and it never feels comfortable for me to read. A lot of kids are ignorant of many things because they just haven't had the time to be introduced to them, but that's not the same as stupid or immature, and it just seems like most writers have a hard time getting the balance right.

Melanie E.

I'm wondering if there are

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I'm wondering if there are recommendations for newer book that fit this criteria, that are released since then. I was thinking about Tammy verse books. And the books of alica snowfall. But both would not fit the romance that well. The Harriot tales definitely would fit or Antoinettes story

Well . . .

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Emma Anne Tate's picture

. . . on the theory that you should write what you want to read if you can’t otherwise find it, Rasufelle’s own recent stories pretty solidly hit these metrics. I’m thinking of Double Date Dare and, especially, Wednesday Knights. They are now both on Amazon, though. You might also enjoy SammyC’s madcap Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves.

Emma

If I might toot my own horn

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Patricia Marie Allen's picture

I have a story I've written that I think fits that criteria. It was written for the "2022-02 February BCTS "Magic of The Heart" Story Contest" and placed as one of the two second place entries.

full disclosure

"Full Disclosure"

Synopsis:

Ron is a twenty something cross-dresser. As he grew up he witnessed the birth of the Al Gore’s “Information Super Highway”. And was an early participant in such groups as alt.fashion.crossdress and alt.support.crossdress. From the information garnered there, he’s convinced that if he’s ever to have a successful marriage he needs to tell his intended before he proposes. He’s tried three times and each time has resulted in each of them walking, if not running away.

Is there any hope? Can an understanding wife be found?

Hugs
Patricia

Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt

Four of Mine

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Marissa Lynn's picture

I'll suggest these:

'Til You Make It -- The girl isn't out at the start, but she is at the end. There are no villains and it's clear from the start that the two like each other and it's a matter of when, not if, they get out of their own way.

Snowed In -- Family story with budding romance implied at the end, there is conflict, but no real villains here, either. And the trans woman in the story is definitely out. If you like this, "Treehouse" is prequel of sorts where we get to know a character only mentioned in this one (and it ends with the setup for the beginning of the mentioned relationship in "Snowed In.").

Late Christmas -- The protagonist is a rather eggy egg about to crack, with some around her thinking it already has. But crack it most certainly does. There is most definitely romance, as there's someone who's had feelings for her.

At the Midnight Hour -- Romance between a man and a woman. Conflict arises between them, but it's nothing that can't be overcome.Because it was a contest entry, there's nothing explicit. This is most likely to get a director's cut in the future because I do want to flesh things out. But there's enough here that Jill and Emma liked that it was my most successful entry in the contest.

All of my stories, even the ones in darker or more emotional territory, do end on happier notes. Even "One Last Hail Mary," which has cruel, irredeemable villains, ends on a hopeful note with some measure of justice. Not all of the romances are straight, however, reflecting who I am as someone who's bi. But the four mentioned, the trans characters are all quite straight.

favorites

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lisa charlene's picture

spa universe all very well written i would love for karen page to write more

Tommy- The Trials and Tribulations of a Girl?
Teddie S

Into The Light
Erisian

i go back and reread this quite often when i cant find anything i find interesting

wow

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lisa charlene's picture

ok im an idiot i admit that didnt even bother to see how old the post was i thought it was new

Hey, no worries!

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It was a welcome surprise, and has given me a reason to consider doing a new blog series asking for story recommendations again, so it's a GOOD thing!

Melanie E.

I like your idea there are so

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I like your idea there are so many stories out there and those posts are really helpful to find gem as you don't need to search for ages just to find out that the story is just bad...

"Mary Sue"

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is a trope borne of fanfic, and is a term for a character who's too perfect, more or less.

It comes from a Star Trek fanfic wherein the author's self-insert character (Mary Sue) is a new member of the crew of the Enterprise but is somehow a better captain than Kirk, a better scientist than Spock, a better doctor than McCoy, etc.

It's worth a look-up on TVtropes if you have the time :)

Melanie E.

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